The winner in Northampton has won statewide and nationally in the past five presidential elections \u2014 and in 29 of 32 dating back to 1900. Plus, Trump\u2019s 2024 win helped flip Pennsylvania\u2019s 7th Congressional District from blue to red, but by just 4,000 votes. It is a top 2026 Democratic target.<\/p>\n
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Ronald Corales have voted for Trump three times. He says more time is needed to allow for the President’s policies to take hold. – CNN<\/p>\n
Ronald Corales knew well before Election Day 2024 that Trump was running strong in the Lehigh Valley, and stronger in the Latino community than in 2016 or 2020.<\/p>\n
Corales owns three Gentlemen\u2019s Barber locations in the area, and politics is a constant topic of conversation. These days, clients grumble a lot about prices, and some of them say Trump has failed to make life more affordable, he said.<\/p>\n
Corales is also a three-time Trump voter. He was named after Ronald Reagan, because his Peruvian immigrant parents were so proud to come to the United States and Reagan was president at the time.<\/p>\n
Corales believes Trump deserves more time \u2014 that 10 months isn\u2019t enough to fix the big affordability challenges \u2014 but he agrees that, right now, things are not better.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we still got to give it some time,\u201d he said. \u201cThe country really shifted in the past couple of years. So his, his policies hopefully (will) take effect soon\u2026 it hasn\u2019t happened yet.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ashley Ruiz, one of the barbers who works for Corales, says clients grumble about costs more now than they did during the presidential campaign.<\/p>\n
She tries to help. \u201cI\u2019ll tell the client, \u2018Hey, if you get it cut a little shorter, the haircut will have a longer lifeline.\u2019 Because I want them to feel like they\u2019re getting a service that will last longer so their money goes further.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ruiz understands the affordability stress; she does the tough math at home and lists rent, food and child care as her family\u2019s biggest budget challenges. \u201cThey are a lot higher,\u201d Ruiz said. \u201cSo I try to make wiser decisions in hope that things will get better.\u201d<\/p>\n
She was one of a handful of barbers at the Bethlehem shop who joined us for a few minutes of conversation \u2014 all Latino, with a mix of political allegiances, but a unanimous assessment that costs are higher now than a year ago. Health insurance and grocery prices were mentioned most.<\/p>\n
\u2018It\u2019s going to be triple, triple, triple this year\u2019<\/p>\n
The political impact is clear in the president\u2019s moribund approval rating.<\/a> Still, our visit was stunning. No one said costs were down. Some said they were about the same. But most \u2014 including several loyal Trump voters \u2014 said that the pressures they face in November 2025 are worse than a year ago.<\/p>\n Tariffs and grocery prices would have been the top complaint if you stopped in Cutters Bike Shop a few weeks ago, but now health care has been added to the mix.<\/p>\n John and Lisa Ronca own the shop, and have a teenage daughter who rides competitively. They get their health insurance through the Affordable Care Act exchange, and their renewal letter just came.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s tripling,\u201d Lisa Ronca said, repeating herself as if in disbelief. \u201cIt\u2019s going to be triple, triple, triple this year, which equates to double the cost we pay for our mortgage, for our house. So we can\u2019t keep that plan, to say the least.\u201d<\/p>\n Extending enhanced ACA premium subsidies <\/a>was the major goal for Democrats during the recent government shutdown. They failed to win concessions from Republicans, though Trump and some GOP leaders promise to work on Obamacare alternatives<\/a>.<\/p>\n Lisa Ronca rolls her eyes at that, remembering Trump promised the same in his first term and did nothing. \u201cThere\u2019s been years,\u201d she said. \u201c I mean how many years?\u201d<\/p>\n The Roncas are not Trump fans and did not vote for him.<\/p>\n The family eat in to save money, only indulging once a week at a favorite local Mexican restaurant. Lisa was at the grocery store a couple of hours before we stopped by the bike shop. \u201cA couple of things I, like, have to do a double take. Like, wow.\u201d<\/p>\n Bethlehem Steel was the main employer in Bethlehem, PA for decades until it was shut down 30 years ago. – CNN<\/p>\n Pennsylvania has among the highest rate of inflation for food costs among the 50 states.<\/p>\n Trump has repeatedly said costs are down, and that it is his critics who are lying about prices being high. But \u201che doesn\u2019t go grocery shopping,\u201d Lisa Ronca said. \u201cIt\u2019s hard. It\u2019s definitely significantly more.\u201d<\/p>\n The Roncas\u2019 overall 2025 experience has been higher costs and lower profit margins.<\/p>\n The bike shop and its inventory \u2014 bikes and parts \u2014 carry labels from China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Indonesia. For them, Trump\u2019s tariffs are like riding a rollercoaster blindfolded.<\/p>\n \u201cOver this current year, it has been constant increases,\u201d John Ronca said. \u201cEvery two to three months. We get letters from the companies, \u2018We\u2019re having a 10% increase.\u2019 (Then) another 10% increase. And it just keeps escalating.\u201d<\/p>\n A chain that was $35 a few months ago is now $50. A shock bump for a mountain bike up from $75 to $120.<\/p>\n Christmas season is approaching; early sales are behind last year. Lisa Ronca is worried people are spending less, worried to fill the bike shop floor with a normal holiday season hit. They have eliminated part-time help at the shop.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know how many kids\u2019 bikes to bring in for Christmas,\u201d she said. \u201cA 20-inch single-speed kids\u2019 bike was $250, which is still decently high. Up to $400 in just the last couple of months. So it\u2019s kind of tough.\u201d<\/p>\n Though they generally vote for Democratic candidates, the Roncas did support moderate Republican Charlie Dent when he represented their congressional district a few years back.<\/p>\n Lisa Ronca said Dent was helpful when some new local bike trails were in the works.<\/p>\n \u201cI have no problem voting for either side if the person is good for the area,\u201d John Ronca said.<\/p>\n But their affordability stress \u2014 especially from rises in their health care costs \u2014 shapes their early thoughts about next November.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m going to vote for a person who puts a check on him,\u201d John Ronca said as Lisa nodded in agreement. \u201cYou know what I mean? Who\u2019s going to rein the president in.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Bethlehem](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/78fae46e668ce80e52f09bb9e47f92b0.jpeg\"\/)
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