LAS VEGAS — The 15,000 veterans and their families who packed the Raiders’ home stadium, Allegiant Stadium, last weekend showed that the veterans’ vote will be crucial in this year’s election in the battleground state of Nevada.
Donald Trump lost the Silver State’s six electoral votes narrowly in 2016 and 2020, and his campaign is hoping to flip the normally Democratic state this year, riding a wave of discontent over inflation and President Biden’s border crisis.
Veterans braved 100-degree heat to talk about their service at Las Vegas’ annual Day of Appreciation on Saturday, but not many had yet decided whether they would vote for Trump or Biden in November’s election.
They said it was too early in the process or that no decision had been made yet.
One of those voters was Tom Armstrong, who served in the Marines for 22 years and served in the Vietnam War in 1968. He said that, as he did in 2020, he would vote for the former president again because of Biden’s veracity, or lack thereof.
“Biden is still not telling the truth. He and his family are con men,” Armstrong asserted.
Len Jelinek, a former Purple Heart state commander and Vietnam War veteran, is also determined but urged Americans to work together across party lines.
“I just want our country to come together,” the former Navy spokesman said. “We’re so divided right now. You don’t want to talk to your friends and tell someone you’re a Democrat or a Republican, because people are so polarized. We need to come together.”
Sen. Jacky Rosen, the Democratic representative from Nevada who is up for re-election in what is currently a close race, has done a good job on behalf of veterans, Jelinek said, “but I’m confident the other candidates will do a good job as well.”
But the Purple Heart recipient’s choice for president was clear: “Personally, I trust Donald Trump because I believe he will contribute to the economy and the military.”
One attendee voted for Biden in 2020 but plans to change his vote this year. When asked who he’ll be voting for in November, the Black Air Force veteran responded, “President Trump. He’s done more for the economy than President Biden has done for the economy.”
Recognition of service, the welfare of veterans and their families and having fun were the main objectives of the appreciation day.
“Having resources from VA available for an event like this is huge,” said Zaneta I. Adams, acting assistant secretary for intergovernmental relations at the Department of Veterans Affairs. “This is huge for more than 15,000 veterans, their families and active duty military members as they search for ways to receive the well-earned benefits they deserve.”
The local nonprofit Voice of the Veterans and Christian charity CityServe were major sponsors. The event was supported by Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis, who donated stadium rentals and catering for the event, which took place two days after the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings.
Kids played around in special play zones at NFL stadiums, each child who registered received a pair of Nike sneakers, and parents explored career and health services tailored to their needs.
But few veterans expressed a preference for the presidency.
Several people interviewed while waiting in line to receive drinks and gifts or sitting in the stands waiting for the awards ceremony and a performance by country singer Walker Hayes told The Washington Post they wanted to keep their choice private, and many said they were still considering their options.
One of them is Michael Signorelli, a Vietnam War-era veteran who served at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, who said he is considering his choice ahead of the upcoming national vote.
“I’ve lived here for 55 years, and I have a lot of ideas,” said Signorelli, who now co-owns Golden Steer Steakhouse. “I just want to have a few people who understand the business environment, not just the personal environment. You have to be very careful to promote business. We get 50 million tourists a year, and the town has a population of only 2.5 million.”
Asked if he had any hopes for the election, he said: “For now, I plan to remain neutral for the next few months.”
