Both suburban and rural mothers in Ohio are being guided to the polls by the desire for a better future for their children.
“I always dreamed of having girls,” mom-of-two Bridget Baum said.
Baum got her wish.
“It’s just really special raising two girls in this environment today,” she said as we sat on the couch in her sunroom.
She has been combining her daughters’ love for Taylor Swift and her love for democracy.
“A Harris/Walz friendship bracelet just feels like the best accessory this election season,” she laughed, showing me dozens of handmade jewelry with sayings like, “We fight, we win,” and “Madame president.”
She lives in Pepper Pike, an affluent suburb outside of Cleveland.
Pepper Pike has about 6,800 residents, according to the U.S. Census. It routinely ranks in the top ten wealthiest cities in the state, with neighboring villages like Moreland Hills and Hunting Valley also up top. The median household income in Pepper Pike is about $200,000 compared to the state’s median of $65,000. There is only one K-12 school in the area, Orange City Schools District, which has historically been one of the richest school districts in Ohio.