Judging by the displays springing up along local highways and front yards, Suffolk is Trump Country. One such demonstration appears nearly every day on William Floyd Parkway, staged by a group going by the name of 7-11 Patriots Corner.
Run by George Pritchard of North Shirley, the pro-Trump display elicits plenty of supportive beeps from motorists heading through the busy Moriches-Middle Island Road intersection. A drive down any artery in the area shows nothing like it for the former president’s opponent, Kamala Harris, who’s been slipping in the polls after a series of non-convincing media appearances.
“The response has been remarkable,” Pritchard reports. “People stop and join us; there’s always a crowd.” The electronics expert explained that he started the Patriots Corner after his gym was closed during COVID-19 and he started running for exercise. “I would carry a Trump flag, and the reaction was tremendous. I set up at the corner with more flags and signs about four years ago, and the movement has grown ever since.”
Supporting conservative candidates, the group had a big moment when former Rep. Lee Zeldin stopped by when he was running for governor. “We had hundreds of people when Lee was here and still have a lot of momentum to get our message across.”
Pritchard said the 7-11 Patriots back Trump because he promises to close the border to illegal immigrants, end the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, and beat back the inflation caused by the Biden-Harris economic policies, among other issues where they believe the current administration is failing. They’re expecting a big win for Trump on Long Island, needed to help carry other candidates, such as Congressman Nick LaLota, over the finish line.