President Trump met with supporters and held a “Make America Great Again” rally in Erie, Pennsylvania, Wednesday even. This was Mr. Trump’s second rally this week, as he fulfills his promise to campaign for Republicans around the country ahead of the Nov. 6 midterm elections.
Mr. Trump is visiting Pennsylvania as Hurricane Michael barrels up the Florida coast. The president had considered postponing his trip due to the hurricane, but told reporters that thousands were probably already lined up for the event in Pennsylvania, so he would go. He also tweeted about not wanting to disappoint the attendees of his rally by canceling.
He also said that he would visit areas affected by the storm later this week.
At the rally on Wednesday, Mr. Trump said that “all of Pennsylvania, all of America, sends its unwavering love and support” to states under siege from Hurricane Michael. “We just want to wish them all the best, and godspeed, and God bless you all — it’s a bad one,” Mr. Trump said, adding that the government would “spare no resources” in the aftermath of the storm.
The president held a rally in Council Bluffs, Iowa, on Tuesday. At this rally he touted his administration’s decision to allow fuel containing 15 percent ethanol to be produced year round, a boon to corn-producing states such as Iowa. Mr. Trump also criticized Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the ranking member on the Senate Judiciary Committee, for holding up Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation, prompting cheers of “Lock her up!” from the rally audience.
Mr. Trump visited Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, in early August to campaign for Rep. Lou Barletta, the Republican challenging Democratic Sen. Bob Casey and an early Trump supporter. The CBS News Battleground Tracker rates this race as “likely Democrat.” The rally in Erie will support Barletta and Rep. Mike Kelly, whose district encompasses the rally site. Kelly’s district is solidly Republican, but Democrats have been emboldened by Democrat Conor Lamb’s victory, also in a rural republican district in Pennsylvania.
© 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
