A different type of presidential poll is underway at the Milwaukee Public Market – a cookie poll. C. Adams Bakery is allowing people to purchase cookies that represent their candidate of choice. It was Lisa Crum's idea. She owns C. Adams Bakery in the Milwaukee Public Market. Crum thought the politically-tinted bakery could add levity to this year's race.
“Right now, there’s so much negativity, and it takes a little bit of the negativity away from it,” Crum says.
The Democratic cookie is shaped like a donkey with blue icing on top, while the Republican cookie is elephant-shaped with red icing, and each is sprinkled with red, white and blue stars to make them more patriotic.
Customer Tamy Huck was eyeing the blue cookie.
“I don’t really like Hillary, but Trump is worse,” Huck share.
While Ann purchased a Republican cookie for herself and her husband.
“If it’s a Republican cookie, we’re just going to eat it.” she shares. “If it’s a Democrat cookie, I can’t tell you what he might do with it.”
While these two women knew what they wanted, there is another popular choice this year – the undecided cookie. It’s a white star covered with red, white and blue sprinkles.
Owner Lisa Crum says she realized she had to offer another option during this polarizing election season.
“Because it seemed like there were so many people who didn’t know what they were going to do,” Crum says. “I don’t think enough people can say who they are really for and stand up for them, because they don’t like the reaction. They don’t want to get into an argument.”
One customer who didn’t want to buy either a donkey or an elephant is Diane Olsen.
“Because if I participate, I don’t want people to know who I’m voting for,” Olsen shares.
Justin W didn’t even want to think about politics.
“Didn’t really look at the cookies. Had I seen they were political cookies I definitely would have strayed away from them.” he shares. “I don’t really go into politics, it’s too messy.”
As for the tally, right now sales stand at about 500 cookies for Clinton and 300 for Trump - and 150 undecideds. Owner Lisa Crum says, when she did this four years ago, the cookie poll turned-out to be accurate. President Obama won by a comfortable margin. Yet, she says Milwaukee is known for voting for Democrats.
