A number of hundred supporters of former President Donald Trump lined the streets of Newport Beach Saturday, hoping to catch a glimpse of the White Home contender as he came to town for a fundraiser.
Wearing pink, white and blue — some donning star-spangled prime hats and huge flags draped round their shoulders — ardent supporters congregated all alongside Jamboree Highway and Bayside Drive and held up indicators that learn, “Welcome, President Trump” and “Trump 2024, Take America Again.”
It was a party-like ambiance Saturday, with patriotic and classical music blaring and cheers ringing out for honking passing vehicles.
And people shouts solely received louder as the previous president’s motorcade rolled down Jamboree and Bayside round 12:40 p.m. Trump, from behind a closed window, waved on the crowds.
Trump is in town as part of a fundraising swing following his felony conviction final week. Tickets for the Newport Seaside occasion, held on the sprawling Harbor Island house of John and Kimberly Phrase and collectively hosted by tech entrepreneur Palmer Luckey, vary from $3,300 to attend the luncheon to $100,000.
Clare Chu, a part of an “Asians for Trump” group, stated she got here out in assist of “justice and good.”
“That is about Jesus and Devil, not about Republicans and Democrats,” stated the Cypress resident. “About justice vs. political prosecution. This nation goes within the fallacious path.”
Bayside Drive, from Jamboree Highway to Pacific Coast Freeway, is closed to motorists till about 3 p.m., in keeping with the town’s plans. Native residents will be capable to entry the highway, however solely with proof of an deal with, like a photograph ID or passport.
Trump supporters alongside Jamboree and PCH in Newport Seaside in anticipation of the previous president’s afternoon go to. @ocregister pic.twitter.com/ync7SrKOvf
— Hanna Kang (@byhannakang) June 8, 2024
Residents from Linda Isle, an unique neighborhood simply toes from the bridge to Harbor Island, lined up outdoors their gates ready for Trump’s arrival.
Amongst them was Casey Lloyd, who was excited to catch a glimpse of the motorcade.
“I’m right here to assist Trump,” he stated, including he thinks it’s vital for everybody to vote for who they assume is greatest. “I’m very excited to see so many individuals caring for America once more. God bless us all.”
Close by was Terry Shifflet, 53, of Eastvale.
“We’re Trump supporters, die-hard Republicans. Issues are going the fallacious manner for our nation,” stated Shifflet, who wore a Make America Nice Once more hat. He stated the current felony conviction solely made him wish to present extra assist for Trump.
And with a son on the Air Drive Academy, Shifflet stated he was sad about President Joe Biden’s withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, including, “We shouldn’t be in a few of these wars now.”
Shortly after the president’s motorcade rolled via, a lot of the big crowds dissipated. However others stayed behind to buy Trump-themed merchandise at a stand arrange on the nook of Jamboree and Pacific Coast Freeway.
“I’m an enormous Trump supporter,” stated Newport Seaside resident Bob Fickinger. “The percentages are in opposition to him however even some Democrats are sick of the present state of affairs underneath Biden.”
Fickinger stated Democrats is likely to be caught off guard within the deep-blue state.
Whereas Orange County has turned from a longtime Republican stronghold to a real purple area — voter registration favors Democrats over Republicans 37.4% to 33.6% and no Republican presidential candidate has received in Orange County since then-former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in 2012 — coastal Orange County stays an space in deep-blue California the place GOP candidates may nonetheless discover massive success in gathering money and assist.
“West LA and coastal Orange County are prime areas within the nation for Trump fundraising, however they’ve been so for Republicans earlier than Trump and will probably be after he’s left the scene,” stated Matt Jarvis, an affiliate professor of political science at Cal State Fullerton.
Newport Seaside, specifically, is top-friendly territory for Republicans.
The place Republicans outnumber Democrats by practically double, 47.7% to 25.7%, it has persistently ranked within the prime few dozen cities that give generously to Trump. In 2020, the 92660 ZIP code in Newport Seaside, the place he held a fundraising occasion that October at Luckey’s Lido Isle home, was among the many prime 45 ZIP codes within the nation the place he acquired essentially the most cash. This yr, Trump has to date raked in near $400,000 in that ZIP code.
The previous president, who turns 78 subsequent week, is within the midst of his third bid for the White Home. He was in San Francisco on Thursday and Beverly Hills on Friday night to shore up his marketing campaign coffers.
The Beverly Hills occasion passed off on the non-public residence of Lee Samson on North Elm Drive. Samson is a board member of the Republican Jewish Coalition and proprietor of a series of nursing properties. He beforehand hosted Trump for a fundraiser in 2019 that raised $5 million.
Beverly Hills resident Shiva Bagheri pointed to antisemitism on faculty campuses as a motive many native Jewish residents can be supporting Trump in November. Bagheri additionally pointed to inflation as a catalyst for Trump assist.
“We’re the very best taxed state within the nation and what are we getting from it? Excessive crime, dangerous infrastructure, indoctrination in colleges and open borders,” she stated.
Since Trump’s conviction within the hush cash case final week, his marketing campaign and the Republican Nationwide Committee have stated they’ve seen an inflow of donations.
Earlier this week, the marketing campaign and RNC stated they hauled in $141 million in Might, attributing the assist as a response to the decision in Trump’s hush cash trial. Different pro-Trump organizations introduced in a further $150 million in Might, they stated.
However he’s additionally come underneath fireplace for counting on donations to his marketing campaign to pay for his costly authorized charges. In response to some estimates, he has spent greater than $100 million of donor {dollars} as of early 2024 to pay his attorneys.
It’s a novel state of affairs, stated Jarvis, the Cal State Fullerton professor, as a result of the nation hasn’t had a presidential candidate dealing with lively indictments. Legality-wise, it’s a loophole, he stated.
“I don’t assume the legislation meant for this objective for marketing campaign spending, however the FEC hasn’t cracked down on it, they usually most likely can’t,” Jarvis stated. “I’m constructive that there’s no manner the present Congress would replace the legislation for this.”
Ethics-wise, Jarvis stated he believes the basic query is what the aim of marketing campaign donations is.
“It’s fallacious to spend cash you’re given for one objective for one more, sure. However, Trump’s campaigns have all the time been about Trump,” he stated.
Trump travels subsequent to Nevada for one more fundraiser tonight. Hosted by building tycoon Don Ahern on the Ahern Luxurious Boutique Lodge, the night occasion encompasses a price ticket starting from a modest $1,000 to an eye-popping $844,600.
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