President Donald Trump was welcomed like a rock star to the boardwalk Convention Center in Wildwood, New Jersey, with fans camping out in freezing weather days in advance. It’s “like being in Disneyland for Trump supporters,” Justin Mack, of Guttenberg laughed.
A capacity crowd of 7,500 was inside and giant screen TV’s were set up for the thousands that overflowed along the boardwalk. 175,000 people requested tickets, which daughter-in-law Lara Trump called “a record for any President Trump rally anywhere.” This was Trump’s first ever campaign stop in the state.
It’s also “history in the making” for Selena Wollk, of Northeast Philadelphia. Not just for her but for the generation ahead of her, she says. “And it’s just a once in a lifetime event.” The enthusiastic audience shouted their approval with chants of “Four more years!” and “USA… USA”
The rally took place in the 2nd Congressional District, represented by Jeff Van Drew. He made the decision to become not just a renegade DINO, but a full fledged Republican. After he voted against the kangaroo court articles of impeachment, he switched from the Democratic Party to the GOP. He pledges his “undying support” for President Trump. The President acknowledged it in a HUGE way.
The beach town is usually shuttered up tight in the cold winter months but President Trump’s visit brought a huge boost for business along with it. As thousands of rally goers started lining up days in advance, all the local businesses were selling them food and merchandise. Restaurants and hotels were packed.
A party spirit pervaded the boardwalk as everyone waited for the main event. John Fenlon said the scene “sort of” felt like a tailgate party except, “not as many drunk people. … And there are not two teams. There’s only one team.”
Supporters lined the streets to greet the President’s motorcade wrapped in blankets and chanting. Matthew Robinson, of Philadelphia, was one of the first to make it into the hall, for his first Trump rally. “Two days, two days out there!” he yelled victoriously as he made it inside. Erin Kimbrough, of Avon-by-the-Sea and her friends took turns sleeping in a hotel room to get warm. “This is the only thing that has ever inspired me to stay overnight and brave the elements. He made me a Republican.”
Erin isn’t the only one. One of the biggest things that brought President Trump to the Garden State was to show his appreciation to Jeff Van Drew. “Jeff had the guts to defy the left-wing fanatics in his own party and to stand tall in defense of our Constitution, our freedom and democracy.”
“While we are creating jobs and killing terrorists,” President Trump told the crowd, “the congressional Democrats are obsessed with demented hoaxes, crazy witch hunts and deranged partisan crusades.”