On the intersection of Pioneer Way and Highway 20 in Oak Harbor, just two hours after it was announced that former President Donald Trump has been found guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records to influence the outcome of the 2016 election, Island County Republican Party President Tim Hazelo fastened a Trump banner to his flagpole beneath the American flag.
“What a farce,” he said. “Even lawyers on the left, on CNN and MSNBC, are saying that these charges were a joke and shouldn’t have been charged, so we’ve just got to get out and support this guy.”
Passersby honked as members of the Republican party smiled, waved and put thumbs up. The party gathered there the previous Thursday as well, Hazelo said, next to a group standing in solidarity with the Palestinian people.
Ted Mansikka stood right, waving a flag for Israel. The two rallies get along fine, Hazelo said. He respects their rights; he just doesn’t agree with their points.
“I am just sick of seeing people that really have no idea what they’re protesting for,” he said. “Do they even know what they’re talking about? ‘From the river to the sea.’ What river? What sea? Ask them. They won’t be able to tell you. Do they know that these people chop babies’ heads off in front of their parents?”
While reports of members of Hamas beheading children have been wide-spread, none have been confirmed.
Hazelo was chatting cordially with a member of the Palestine rally about how great and friendly the response has been to both, he said.
“Then somebody rolled down the window and started cussing at us,” Hazelo said, “so except for that guy.”
If there was one tangible goal for this week’s rally, it was to get signatures for Initiative 2066, Hazelo said, which would roll back a bill forcing the state’s biggest energy company, Puget Sound Energy, to file an integrated gas and electric system by 2027.
“This is really going to screw us up here in Washington, so that’s at the top of our concerns right now,” he said. “It’s not a Republican thing. It’s not a Democrat thing. It’s a ‘hey, golly man, we’re hurting right now.’ I just went and filled up my big blue diesel, the one that I drive around town — 140 bucks.”
It will take 400,000 signatures to get it on the ballot, said Tracy Abuhl, vice chair of the party.
The post-Trump Republican Party is not the same as before, Mansikka said.
“We’re not out there to take away people’s freedoms. That’s a big misconception,” he said. “We’re not out there to take people’s welfare. What we want is welfare reform.”
The Island County Republican Party is a grassroots organization that welcomes all to support constitutional rights, he said. “Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
“I’m happy,” Hazelo said, “and it kind of upsets people who think I should be mad.”
The Island County Republican Party plans to make their rallies a weekly occurrence, he said.
Tracy Abuhl, vice chair of the Island County Republican Party, chats with a passerby about Initiative 2066 on Thursday. (Photo by Sam Fletcher)
Ted Mansikka holds the Israel flag at a rally on Thursday. (Photo by Sam Fletcher)
Ralliers held flags for the United States, Israel, the military, Trump and Bird on Thursday. (Photo by Sam Fletcher)
Island County Republican Party President Tim Hazelo (right) rallies with others in Oak Harbor on Thursday. (Photo by Sam Fletcher) Island County Republican Party President Tim Hazelo (right) rallies with others in Oak Harbor on Thursday. (Photo by Sam Fletcher)
