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Trump Voter Plans To Celebrate The President-Elect's Inauguration

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Surveys show unease as Inauguration Day approaches. It's common for a president-elect to gain sky-high approval ratings during the transition.

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

After all, almost anything he or she does is seen as new and different, and he hasn't had to make any hard decisions yet - Donald Trump. But Trump has provoked a different reaction here. When asked about his transition, more people disapprove than approve.

INSKEEP: For his core supporters, though, this is an exciting week. And we called back one of the voters we met last fall during our project Divided States.

GREENE: She is Annie Ruiz, a Trump supporter I met in Florida. When we reached back and spoke to her again, she was busy cleaning up her house, running errands. She is throwing a party.

ANNIE RUIZ: My husband is turning 50, as well as a very close friend of ours. So we're celebrating their 50th. And it's going to be on the day of the inauguration, so we will also be celebrating the inauguration.

GREENE: They actually plan to live stream the inaugural ball on a big screen outside the house.

RUIZ: For us, it's been eight years, you know, that we haven't celebrated, so we want to celebrate. We want to have a good time. And we're happy, and we want to show that.

GREENE: Now, when I spoke to Ruiz back in October, she told me that she had originally backed Marco Rubio for president. But she came around to Trump, and now Ruiz is an enthusiastic supporter of the president-elect.

RUIZ: I feel more positive than I've felt in a long time. I see him holding meetings with people. I see him reaching out to the automotive industry, the tech sector, leaders from the African-American community. I just - I see him really trying to change things, trying to do things, get things done. And I find that exciting and positive.

GREENE: Now, some changes have already happened. The stock market has done well since the election. Other changes Trump is promising, like bringing back American jobs, in part by renegotiating trade deals. Some economists question whether that is possible. But Annie Ruiz says she is feeling a difference already.

RUIZ: My 401(k) is doing a lot better than it was, you know, since the election. And I think also my kids' prospects for the future has changed. I feel like their job opportunities are going to be better already because they're, you know, getting to that stage now where they're entering the job market. And that's really important to me, that they have a lot of opportunities. And I feel like that is already opening up with all the jobs that are coming back.

GREENE: Annie Ruiz, a Donald Trump supporter we met last year in Florida as part of our Divided States series. She is looking forward to Friday's inauguration.

INSKEEP: Which, of course, NPR News and reporters from stations across this country will be reporting on Friday. You can listen live and watch a live fact-check on the inaugural address at npr.org. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

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