The former mainstay of American politics, Donald Trump, is putting his political gears back in action and setting his sights on Minnesota, a traditionally Democratic turf that Trump thinks he might flip this year. His rally, slated for Saturday night in St. Cloud, Minnesota, will include JD Vance, his running mate, fueling the expectation that Trump may have to contend with Vice President Kamala Harris instead of Joe Biden in the upcoming November duel.
Earlier that day, the ex-President plans to present at a Bitcoin conference in Nashville, Tennessee. Not surprisingly, his confidence was on full display at a GOP fundraiser in St. Paul, where he boasted unfettered optimism about winning the state. Trump is blatantly pandering to the iron mining region in northeast Minnesota, with hopes that the dense pockets of blue-collar and union workers that have traditionally been solidly Democratic will shift allegiances to the Republicans.
He pins his hopes on JD Vance, the Ohio senator, who shares a connection with Midwestern Rust Belt cities. Trump’s camp believes Vance’s roots might make strides in securing the demographic. Similar outreach to Midwesterners and union workers has also benefited Minnesota’s Governor, Tim Walz, landing him amid a list of potential running mates for Kamala Harris.
The statistics paint a clear picture of the uphill battle Trump faces in Minnesota. In 2016, he lost to Hillary Clinton by only 1.5 percentage points, making the state a potential battleground. However, Biden won with a significantly higher margin of 7 percentage points four years later. This might seem discouraging, but Trump, never one to admit defeat, continues to hold onto his bullish perspective.
Last month, Trump’s political director, James Blair, circulated a memo suggesting that Trump might stand a better chance against Biden in Minnesota. The memo revealed that they were in the process of beefing up their staff and had plans to open eight offices across the state. However, the campaign has been notably mum on whether these offices are now operational.
Adding to the intrigue, Republican Congressional candidate Tayler Rahm withdrew from his primary race earlier this month and assumed a senior advisory role for Trump’s campaign in the state. Meanwhile, Lexi Byler, Harris’s Minnesota campaign Communication Director, lambasted Trump and Vance, stating they were ‘wildly out of step with Minnesotans’ values’. Byler prided Democrats on their well-organized campaign and readiness to get Harris elected.
To further prove his audacity, Trump has chosen the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center, a 5,159-seat hockey arena in St. Cloud, as the venue for his rally. After narrowly escaping an assassination attempt during an outdoor event in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, Trump seems to have a preference for indoor locations. That might be changing soon though, with Trump hinting at scheduling outdoor events again.
He displayed his typical bravado in a social media post, declaring, ‘SECRET SERVICE HAS AGREED TO SUBSTANTIALLY STEP UP THEIR OPERATION. THEY ARE VERY CAPABLE OF DOING SO. NO ONE CAN EVER BE ALLOWED TO STOP OR IMPEDE FREE SPEECH OR GATHERING!!!’ The Secret Service, however, has refrained from commenting on if they agreed to expand operations or expressed any concerns about Trump resuming outdoor gatherings.
Curiously, Trump is to deliver the keynote address at the Bitcoin conference despite his history of skepticism towards cryptocurrencies. He dismissed cryptocurrencies as ‘based on thin air’ in a 2019 social media post, marking a lacking understanding of their underlying value. But, flagrantly changing stance, he is now endorsing digital currency more openly.
This sudden shift in his stance is seen in his advocacy for the unfettered custody and transaction of digital currencies, written into the Republicans’ new platform. A declaration of support has been made for bitcoin mining and other related activities without government intrusion. In May, taking a big leap, his campaign started accepting cryptocurrency donations.
It remains to be seen how Trump will fare in Minnesota and whether his strategic attempts to coax union workers into switching sides will pay off. His reliance on JD Vance, a Midwesterner himself, might win him some favor among these demographic. However, having lost the state to Democrats repeatedly, Trump’s self-reassured stance seems more of a desperate play than a tactical move.
On the other side of the coin, Harris’s campaign appears to possess great confidence with a well-organized, committed team of volunteers ready to pull out all stops. Byler’s remark on Trump and Vance being ‘wildly out of step with Minnesotans’ values’ might be a bitter truth they would have to swallow. Democrats seem fired up, and taking anything for granted would be the last thing on their list.
Despite an assassination attempt, Trump is back into the field, seemingly unfazed and more daring. His conditions for the Secret Service to beef up their operations mirror his never-dying boldness. With Trump hinting at outdoor rallies and defying the safety concerns, the air is charged with anticipation and uncertainty about the next turn of events.
While the upcoming political games hit a fever pitch, an unanticipated player has entered the scene – Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Trump’s fresh embrace of digital currencies comes as a surprise considering his earlier reservations. Mirroring the rollercoaster that is American politics, one thing is clear – the political landscape remains highly volatile and unpredictable.
Trump’s Mockery of Biden’s Victory in Minnesota Fuels Further Controversy appeared first on Real News Now.