Former President Donald Trump campaigned in Michigan and Wisconsin on Tuesday as he continues his bid to reclaim the White House. Trump spoke to a large crowd in downstate Grand Rapids, and then made the quick trip to snowbound Green Bay for an early evening rally with an equally-rousing reception.
In both rallies, Trump stuck to familiar themes of closing the US border with Mexico, and rattling off a list of President Biden’s policies that he feels are putting the United States on the wrong track.
“Our country is going to hell, and we’re not going to let it happen,” Trump said. “You know, the most important day in the history of our country, will be November 5th of this year (Election Day). On November 5th, we are going to win this state, we are going to win the White House, and we are going to save this country.”
For Upper Peninsula residents, the rally in Green Bay was much closer than heading down to Grand Rapids. And it standing-room-only crowd that jammed into the K.I. Convention Center at the Hyatt Regency Hotel to hear from Trump as he tries to win back the White House in this year’s presidential election.
Two women from Dickinson County were among those in attendance. Sharon Reuter from Kingsford and Carlene Cavilaris of Norway were both dressed in red, white, and blue, and both were thrilled that Trump visited so close to the U.P.
“I think it’s really important to represent our area, for one,” Cavilaris said. “You keep hearing things about Biden, and how good things are. It’s a bald-faced lie. I just need Trump to know that I really do support him.”
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing for me,” Reuter said. “I’ve never been to a Trump rally. I’ve been wanting to go. This is real close to home for me. I’m just so excited to see him in person and to hear him. I keep praying every day that this country will turn around, because he will be our 47th president.”
Both UP women said that border security and election integrity are their top issues.
Also in attendance in Green Bay was Bonnie Hakkola, the chairman of the Delta County Republican Party. She and her husband, Robin, showed up early for the event, and were also dressed in MAGA gear.
The vast majority of the crowd waited, outdoors, for hours, in long lines to get into the Green Bay venue, braving conditions that included ice pellets, high winds, snow, and rain. Trump, with the snowstorm raging outside, acknowledged their dedication.
“Wow, what a great crowd,” Trump said. “Has anybody noticed the weather outside? They said, ‘sir, I don’t think we’re going to make it’, and I said, ‘we have to. We can’t disappoint Green Bay. There’s no way. I said, we’ve gotta make it. I’m proud to be back in Wisconsin, with thousands of hard-working American patriots.”
And he did, both to Grand Rapids and to Green Bay, into states that he won in 2016 but lost in 2020. Recent polls show Trump with a slight lead over President Biden in both.
In Green Bay, while Trump stood at one podium, another empty podium was set up to his right. Trump renewed his challenge to Biden for a debate.
“I’m calling on Crooked Joe to debate any time, any place,” Trump said. “We’ll do it anyplace you want, Joe.”
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