DAVID WOIWOD: Inside Door County, the Wisconsin pocket that’s picked every US president in the last 20 years

Route: Washington, DC to Door County, Wisconsin

Distance: 1561km

“Are you one of Door County’s famous swingers?”

My question was bold, but the big smile and faux pearl clutch from 70-something Diane Hausman made it clear her humour matched mine.

“I most certainly am not,” she shot back, feigning offence.

I’d stumbled upon this lifelong Republican while she was working the register at a pop-up MAGA merchandise store selling pro-Trump t-shirts, bumper stickers and the iconic red cap in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.

The small town is the sleepy gateway to Door County, America’s “swingiest” electorate and home to 30,000 people.

And while this grandmother is deep red to the core, she understands why an Aussie journalist is interested in how her neighbours may vote next week.

“It’s like we can see into the future”, she joked.

Dianne’s home holds the national distinction of being the only pocket of America to have picked every US president for the past 20 years.

In 2000, Door County voters helped former Texas Governor George W Bush boot-scoot his way into the Oval Office.

They kept him there for a second term, before turning blue for Obama twice.

In 2016, Door County flipped to Trump for a single term and most recently helped put Biden in the White House.

Now all eyes are back on this tiny wind-blasted peninsula of eastern Wisconsin to see who its residents ordain as the next leader of the free world.

“It’s not magic, it’s actually just hard work”.

That’s the take of Democratic door-knocker Elle, who sees Door County’s winning streak as a result of a relentless ground game from both campaigns.

We joined Elle on a quiet Tuesday as she rang doorbells at five homes in Sturgeon Bay. All with no response.

In this working-class community, it seemed everyone was working.

“We’ll just come back another time … the aim is to get these registered voters motivated and interested,” she said.

But in a region so riven with ideological division – Elle admits politics can get in the way of life here.

‘There is a politeness here where people may assume who their neighbours support, but we just don’t talk about it,” she said.

It appears in Door County Thanksgiving turkey is served without a side of politics.

And it’s a Midwestern survival technique designed to maintain civil society that Door County should look at exporting across the country.

“It’s just easier not to talk about it.”

“We vote in secret and try not to let our neighbours know who we are supporting”.

That was the blunt life lesson offered to me by radiator repairman Steve when I asked about the political divide gripping his home.

The theory behind Steve’s position is sound - don’t aggravate Aunt Beryl over Thanksgiving dinner.

But if Steve was trying to fool a wandering Aussie that he was some sort of political mystery – the signs on his front lawn betrayed him.

It was a shrine to the Republican candidate, Donald Trump.

“So, you’re voting for Donald Trump?” I ventured with half an eye on the garish billboard bonanza only metres away.

“I don’t want to get into it and say who I’ll be voting for. All I’ll say is I believe we need more freedom”.

Got it.

While Steve maintains the loosest of shrouds of mystery over his obvious political leanings, one thing will be revealed soon enough – will Door County’s presidential winning streak continue?

With early voting in Wisconsin already underway, no one knows how this nail-biter will end.

The result will be close. But at least in this deep purple pocket of America everyone can agree on one thing: in a country on an electoral knife’s edge, you better walk on eggshells.