Bryson would qualify as an unaffiliated voter. He voted for Republican George W. Bush in 2000 and 2004 and for Obama in 2008. He’s ready to back Obama again

“This economic thing we’re going through right now, he inherited that,” Bryson said. “Quite honestly I just don’t see anybody in the Republican side that’s strong enough to win the thing.”

A few miles away, arranging peaches at his farm stand, 72-year-old Bernie Watts said he would take any Republican over Obama. He said he finds the president arrogant and cites Obama’s blunt “the election is over” rejoinder to McCain during a 2010 health care summit.

“That just turned my stomach,” Watts said. “I guess he can feel he can tell everybody what to do.”