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WICHITA MATTERS: Decisions in a Distracted and Divided Wichita
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This composite image contains two scenes that I’ve seen nearly every day for weeks as I’ve walked our dog near our home here on the west side of Wichita. These two homes are directly across the street from each other, with each Biden sign more or less directly facing a Trump one. I’m not sure which family put up which sign first, but I observed their numbers growing, one sign or flag or banner after another, one day or week after another, in a silent suburban struggle. (And it’s continued since I took these photos; the Trump house now has five signs advertising their preferred choice for president, while the Biden house now has four signs, plus one for the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate here in Kansas, Barbara Bollier.) I may make a point of avoiding this particular street on the day after Election Day. Wichita isn’t, of course, actually this evenly divided; while the major parties and news organizations don’t spend much effort polling in any cities besides the very largest, the best and latest polling available makes it pretty clear that Trump leads Biden beyond the margin of error in Sedgwick County.
