OK, Garrison Keillor's no Trump fan, but what about Lake Wobegon?

That our "Homegrown Democrat," Garrison Keillor, is not exactly enamored with Donald Trump is not exactly surprising ("Man, it's great to be me. POTUS. Numero Uno," April 27). More surprising is Keillor's apparent failure to consult with the folks of Lake Wobegon.

Of course, we don't know for sure how Lake Wobegonians voted last November. We only know that the little town time forgot probably exists somewhere in outstate Minnesota, and that outstate Minnesota was solid Trump territory last fall. So, it's highly likely that among the fellas at the Side Track Tap were more than a few loyal Trumpsters.

And why not? Good times have not been the norm in small-town Minnesota of late. It's not surprising that the out party carried the outstate vote. But there may be more to it than that.

Once, Democrats, homegrown or otherwise, were dominant in small-town Minnesota. Once, the Democratic Party was the party of the little guy. But no more. Today, the DFL is the big city party, especially big city elites, whose big city thinking is often at odds with the ideas on tap at the Side Track.

The same goes for the chatter at the Chatterbox Café. Minneapolis claims to be a "sanctuary city," whatever that is. What about us? chatter folks at Lake Wobegon's most popular cafe. If those big-city liberals should ever succeed in passing the kind of gun laws they favor, maybe Lake Wobegon could be a sanctuary village, a sanctuary for gun owners.

And speaking of sanctuaries, what about Pastor Ingqvist? He's not been known to turn the pulpit into a political soapbox. But he is a thoughtful fellow, and the ballot box is a private place. Who knows, maybe what he really thinks is that the country is better off in the smallish hands of a blowhard from New York than in the tight clutches of a harridan from the same metropolis (by way of Chicago and Arkansas).

OK, OK, but surely the parishioners of Our Lady of Perpetual Responsibility wouldn't agree. Or would they? Lutherans and Catholics together — and together in the camp of a thrice-married sexual braggart? Only in America. After all, to be perpetually reminded of one's responsibilities can lead one to start thinking Republican thoughts.

Speaking of hyphenated Americans, the town hasn't exactly been inundated with immigrants since the arrival of the first Norwegians better than a century ago. But scattered here and there are newcomers of all sorts. They may not yet be regulars at the Side Track or the Chatterbox. But they do shop at Ralph's Pretty Good Grocery and often bank at Bob's in the green mobile home.

Heck, Ralph himself has been known to set aside food baskets for the needy, newcomers or otherwise. And Bob has cut a corner here and there when need be. Such practices are pretty ordinary in small-town Minnesota, where ordinary folks, if asked, could probably summon some pretty ordinary reasons to explain why they voted for a highly improbable candidate in November of 2016.

Donald Trump for mayor of Lake Wobegon? Not a chance. Donald Trump for president? Well, why not?

Maybe enough of those above-average kids stuck around long enough to become strong enough women and good-looking enough men to surprise the Garrison Keillors of our world by helping put an improbable, but perhaps improbably necessary, Donald Trump in the White House.

Keillor's never told us just where Lake Wobegon is. Maybe he's forgotten. Maybe it's time he paid a visit and really listened to the folks at the Side Track and the Chatterbox. They might give him an earful.