'I don’t know if it’s The Villages that draws MAGA or that most Villagers are MAGA,' says resident
Inside one of MAGA's biggest inauguration bashes at The Villages
Fox Digital spoke to people at The Villages about President Donald Trump's inauguration and the meaning of MAGA in the Florida community.
Known as "America’s Friendliest Hometown," The Villages, a retirement community located in Central Florida, may be after another title: "The New Headquarters for ‘Make America Great Again.’"
While not a physical headquarters, the embodiment of the spirit of The Villages continues to point to increasingly strong support for the MAGA movement and President Donald Trump.
Hundreds of members of The Villages MAGA Club and supporters of Trump gathered under the leadership of the group's president and co-president, Tommy and Valerie Jamieson, to celebrate Inauguration Day last week with a sold-out gala.
When asked what drew the retirement community to MAGA, Valerie Jamieson told Fox News Digital, "I don’t know if it’s The Villages that draws MAGA or that most Villagers are MAGA." Tommy told local site, The Villages News, "It was a great day, and it was a miracle to see him inaugurated today after what he has gone through last year… We just had to celebrate."
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MAGA co-president, Valerie Jamieson, celebrates Inauguration Day with a sold-out gala in The Villages, Florida (Fox News)
Prior to Election Day, a parade of over 1,000 golf carts was led by Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., — becoming the largest Trump golf cart parade in the history of the community, according The Villages News.
Trump has made previous appearances in The Villages, one being at a 2020 rally, where he brought in more than 10,000 supporters.
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As one of the largest retirement communities in the world, The Villages, a census-designated place that spans Sumter, Marion and Lake Counties, has made itself known as both one of the fastest-growing areas in the nation and a Republican stronghold. All three of the counties went strongly for Trump over Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024, including 68.3 percent for Trump in Sumter.
As one of the largest retirement facilities in the world, The Villages has made itself known as a Republican stronghold. (Fox News)
With the Villages being a 55+ retirement community, recent Census data shows that The Villages Metropolitan Statistical Area has the highest median age in the country at 68 years old, according to The Daily Sun. This also puts a majority of Villagers in the "Baby Boomer" generation.
Age is known to be closely tied to partisanship and the GOP holds a clear advantage for voters aged 60 years and older, confirmed by recent research from the Pew Research Center — although Trump did gain ground in the 2024 election among several traditionally blue voting blocs, including young voters, such as Gen Z men, due to being the "assertive outspoken" candidate.
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With the Villages being a 55+ retirement community, recent Census data shows that The Villages Metropolitan Statistical Area has the highest median age in the country at 68-years-old. (Fox News)
Although The Villages Democratic Club had nearly doubled its membership since the 2020 election cycle, totaling around 1,500 people prior to Election Day, its traction wasn’t enough to curb support for Trump in the community.
As far as being a haven for MAGA, Villagers cited reasons including common interests of "getting the country back to where it should be," which often included immigration reform, and shared mindsets of retirees — which involved working hard, earning what they’ve worked for "the right way" and enjoying the fruits of their labors.
