While still in New York for his trial, Donald Trump hosted a large rally in New Jersey, with almost 100,000 people attending. He took the opportunity to attack Biden’s record and introduce Burgum, essentially serving as an audition. America’s News Desk reports:
For the first time in a long time, it felt like 2016 again for Donald Trump. The former president attracted a “massive crowd” to a small beach town in New Jersey on Saturday, with attendance estimates ranging from 80,000 to 100,000 people.
Trump stirred up a lively rally in New Jersey, boldly predicting a landslide victory in the Garden State, which a Republican hasn’t won in decades.
Fox News wrote:
“We’re going to win New Jersey,” the GOP frontrunner told the crowd to exuberant cheers. U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., who briefly shared the stage with Trump, dubbed the event as the largest political rally in the state of New Jersey. A spokesperson for the City of Wildwood told the Associated Press she estimated there were between 80,000 and 100,000 people at the rally.
Trump devoted much of his rally to attacking his Democratic rival, President Biden, whom he called a “moron” and the “worst president that we’ve ever had.”
“As you can see today, we’re expanding the electoral map because … we’re going to win the state of New Jersey,” Trump said. “I think we’re going to win them all. All across America, millions of people, so-called blue states, are joining our movement based on love, intelligence, and a thing called common sense.”Trump took aim at Biden’s economic and border policies.
“The Biden price hikes are continuing to drain over $1,000 from the typical New Jersey family budget every single month,” Trump said, noting that the price of everything from hot dogs, to chicken, to gasoline and bacon, has gone up because of inflation.
The massive rally might have been a test run for one for of Trump’s potential running mates.The New York Post noted that “North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum was a surprise addition to Trump’s manifest as he joined the presumptive GOP nominee for a short flight from LaGuardia Airport to Atlantic City, NJ.
Burgum and his wife Kathryn remained behind on the plane to speak privately with the former president before he stepped out on the tarmac and they all then motorcaded to a huge oceanside rally — in nearby Wildwood.“
During an interview with the newspaper, Burgum said, “First of all, it’s so important for the country that President Trump gets re-elected. As a governor having had the opportunity to serve under President Trump and President Biden, I get to see a front row seat on the difference in what leadership means. And so if the Trump team says ‘hey can you come and help out?’ we say ‘yes.’”The Post asked Burgum if he had spoken to Trump during the plane rideover.
“We did. And of course, there’s – President Trump, one of the things that’s so remarkable about him is how hard he works. And when he’s on that plane, every minute he’s on that plane, he and everybody on the team is working,” the governor said.
Burgum, along with South Carolina Senator Tim Scott and Florida Senator Marco Rubio are the alleged frontrunners for Trump’s number 2 spot.
Although Trump will likely lose New Jersey, this could still push turnout in state and local races. The campaign probably decided that if he is stuck in New York, he might as well host rallies.
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