US election: Blue collar workers put their faith in Donald Trump
The white working class feel Mr Trump is listening to them, even if ultimately he is unable to put his money where his mouth is.
Thursday 10 November 2016 06:58, UK
This is where what Donald Trump calls "the forgotten man" of America lives.
Globalisation has crushed the steel and manufacturing industry.
Years of decay have earned states like Ohio the unflattering status of part of the rust belt.
Now it's been turned Republican red by blue collar workers who want their voices heard.
In Dayton the General Motors factory used to employ thousands of people. Making cars was the lifeblood of the town. But not anymore.
Will Smith was laid off from the factory seven years ago. He now finds it difficult to get a job.
He told me: "At a rate of one to ten I would say it's an eight because the economy's just crashed and there aren't a lot of places hiring.
"A lot of places have moved or closed down and it's just been hard."
I ask him If Donald Trump is the answer to his prayers. Will replies: "I hope so."
And if people don't earn there's a knock on effect in the city.
Stacey Thomas runs a local diner and says times have been hard.
She says: "Everybody worked at General Motors. It was a career employer.
"People worked their whole lives and made a great wage and there were very few lay-offs. It was booming.
"When you work that hard you come and eat and spend your money. And when people lost their jobs everything was just stagnant. It was terrible and people were leaving Dayton."
Mr Trump has promised to boost the economy, create jobs and make people feel good about themselves. And here in the mid-west they believe him.
Without manufacturing jobs people have turned to the service industry for employment in places like Walmart - where better to gauge reaction on the election of Mr Trump.
Shelley and Corey Zumbrun have three children under the age of four. They say they struggle to make ends meet.
Corey told me: "Look at it, it was way better back in the day but now it just doesn't seem as good.
"You know jobs falling apart, GM, just a bunch of stuff it's ridiculous. It's hard to find a job."
The general complaint here is that the Obama administration has not been kind to big or small businesses.
The white working class feel Mr Trump is listening to them even if ultimately the businessman is unable to put his money where his mouth is.
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