How Trump’s pet-eating lie became emblematic of the election

The Decibel

Donald Trump’s path to victory hinged on seven swing states. He won five decisively, and is leading in the final two. Republicans now control the Senate, are on track to control the House, and for the first time since 2004, a Republican president won the popular vote, too.

Immigration was one of the key issues among Trump voters — 37 per cent saw it as the most important issue in the election. It was also one of Trump’s biggest talking points at rallies, and crucially, at the September debate with Kamala Harris. His notorious line about immigrants eating people’s pets in Springfield, Ohio, lit up his supporters — and incited many of them to descend upon the town in droves.

Shannon Proudfoot is a feature writer for the Globe, and she went to Springfield in the days leading up to the election. She’s on the show to talk about the Springfield she got to know – behind all the hype – and how the story of Springfield can help us understand how the issue of immigration played out among voters across the country.

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