By Steve Oldfield
NKyTribune staff writer
President Donald Trump returned to Northern Kentucky Saturday afternoon, stumping for the Commonwealth’s Republican candidates for Congress.
“This is the most important mid-term election in the history of our country,” the president told about 5,000 people who packed the lower half of Northern Kentucky University’s Truist Arena in Highland Heights. The jumbotron reminded the audience that the election is November 3rd, with early voting from October 29-31 in Kentucky.
Trump received some of the most enthusiastic applause when he reiterated a promise to give every adult American $5,000, what he’s calling the “Trump Dividend,” if Republicans retain control of both houses of Congress.
“I love Donald Trump,” said Danielle Lyons of Cincinnati, who brought her daughter Josie to see the president in person.
“I think he’s incredible,” said Cathleen Callahan. “He’s the best president since Reagan.” The Cincinnati high school teacher said she was excited to see the president in person.
The only thing that marred Callahan’s day was knowing that her husband, Bob, also a teacher, chose to attend the “No Kings” protest in downtown Cincinnati instead. “He voted for Trump in 2016. He’s conservative but he says communism would be better than what we’ve got now.”
While a fair number of attendees also caught the president’s last Northern Kentucky appearance in Hebron back in March, some formerly enthusiastic Republicans were absent this time.
“He betrayed us,” said Tristan, a Thomas More University student who didn’t want to give his full-name. Tristan expressed frustration with the war in Iran, gas prices and the administration’s handling of the Epstein files.
Several dozen protestors brought hand-made signs to flash at President Trump’s motorcade, including Lisa Day Poor of Dayton, Kentucky.
“It’s our responsibility as citizens to protest when our government isn’t representing us,” she said. Her sign featured a caricature of the president and the line, “Affordability matters here.”
Steps away from the protestors, Fort Thomas retiree Tom Nurre showed his support for the president with a patriotic outfit including an American Flag inspired cowboy hat that he received in a giveaway from the Cincinnati Reds on July 4th.
“The protestors are uninformed,” Nurre said. “They really need to pay more attention to how things are better off now than they were four years ago but they don’t want to look at the success and the positive things that have happened which is unfortunate.”
While the president slung a little mud at Democratic candidates opposing Kentucky Republicans, most of his more than hour-and-a-half remarks were upbeat and positive, winning some strong reviews.
“I think today’s speech was excellent,” said Blake Marnell, a colorful blogger from San Diego who is a regular at Trump rallies. “I think President Trump made an incredible case for how much the Republican party has done under him to advance the interest of Americans and pass crucial legislation.”
The president and Republican candidates are hoping the majority of Kentuckians agree with what Marnell took away from Trump’s remarks.
“The Republicans have to keep the majority to keep that progress moving forward,” Marnell said.
