Thousands of people began lining up outside the New Holland Arena in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on Wednesday to witness former President Donald Trump speak at his first campaign rally in the state since surviving an assassination attempt less than three weeks ago in Butler County.
Supporters began lining up outside of the venue at approximately 1:00 a.m. on Wednesday – more than 12 hours until doors to the venue were scheduled to open at 2:00 p.m. – according to the local news outlet ABC 27.
🇺🇸 It’s a SEA of MAGA Patriots in Harrisburg, PA and the crowds keep coming!
Still FIVE HOURS away from Trump speaking! pic.twitter.com/NZ7PG330KI
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) July 31, 2024
Trump is scheduled to begin speaking at the rally at 6:00 p.m.
The former president will be joined by his senior advisor, Alina Habba, who said she would be taking the stage at approximately 4:30 p.m.
Pennsylvania U.S. Senate candidate Dave McCormick will also join Trump at Wednesday’s rally.
In announcing the rally last week, the Trump campaign focused on the effects Pennsylvanians have felt under the Biden administration’s policies, specifically record-high inflation and increased crime.
“The people of Pennsylvania are paying the price for the Democrats’ disastrous policies. In fact, prices have jumped 18% since the Democrats moved into the White House. This increase in the costs of everyday goods is costing the people of Pennsylvania $943 more per month,” the Trump campaign said.
“Kamala Harris and the Democrats’ pro-criminal and open border policies are wreaking havoc in Pennsylvania. Last year Pennsylvania experienced a surge in violent crime with Pittsburgh reporting the highest number of homicides in a decade. Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner overhauled how his office prosecutes shoplifting, often downgrading arrests to summary offenses (similar to a traffic ticket),” the campaign added.
If elected in November, the campaign said Trump would work to “ease the financial pressures placed on households and re-establish law and order in Pennsylvania.”
“President Donald J. Trump is devastated to see the path of death and destruction left behind by Kamala Harris and her activist friends,” the campaign said. “We can Make America Great Again by tackling lawlessness head-on, ceasing the endless flow of illegal immigrants across our southern border, and reversing the detrimental effects of inflation by restoring people’s wealth.”
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Photo “Donald Trump Rally Crowd” by Nick Sortor.
