Trump midterm rally draws thousands of supporters to Oklahoma town

President Donald Trump on Thursday told an adoring and boisterous crowd to vote like he was on the ballot.

Trump launched what is expected to be a month-long campaign blitz in Oklahoma in hopes of energizing Republicans going into the midterms.

“We do great when I’m on the ballot,” Trump told thousands packed into the Choctaw Event Center, which is located about 2.5 hours southeast of Oklahoma City.

Many supporters waited hours in the rain to see Trump. Trump said more were still waiting outside the event center after it reached capacity.

“When I’m not on the ballot, people don’t go and vote so much,” Trump said. “Pretend I’m running please, because I’m on the ballot.”

Trump is serving his final term, and said he hopes Republicans will maintain control of Congress to help his agenda. He acknowledged that maintaining control of the U.S. House and Senate hinges on the outcomes of about two dozen races. Oklahoma, he said, was not one of those battlegrounds. 

Trump’s favorability rating has declined significantly nationwide as the war with Iran has increased gasoline prices and inflation and tariffs have hit pocketbooks.

Trump, though, spoke about what he viewed as his administration’s economic successes, which he said have gone unreported by the media, and the benefits of the war in Iran.

Trump said it is important that Iran never has a nuclear weapon, adding that other presidents should have dealt with the country’s nuclear aspirations a long time ago.

Trump reminded voters he won all 77 Oklahoma counties the three times that he appeared on the ballot.

He touted his policies for reducing crime, lowering taxes and prescription drug prices and securing the border.

He took several swipes at Democrats, blaming them for high inflation, soaring energy prices and a huge trade deficit. Republicans currently control both chambers of Congress.

Trump also accused Democrats of supporting socialists and communists.

He said the country is experiencing a “golden age” and will go back to the dark age under Democrats.

“If the Republicans win the House and the Senate, I am going to give all adult citizens of the United States a check for $5,000,” Trump said.

The nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget warned last month that Trump’s plan would cost about $1.2 trillion, and “explode” the nation’s deficit.

Trump mentioned his plan to build a massive aluminum smelter Inola, which has become an issue in the Oklahoma gubernatorial campaign. 

Local residents in the town of about 2,000 located about 25 miles east of Tulsa have pushed back against the project, which supporters say will create over 1,000 jobs. They’ve extended a moratorium blocking the project until local residents can vote on its fate in April. 

The smelter, which would produce about 600,000 tons of aluminum, is part of Trump’s $200 billion deal with the United Arab Emirates.

 Republican gubernatorial nominee Mike Mazzei, who spoke at the rally and has been endorsed by Trump, supports it.

“You are going to build the largest aluminum factory, perhaps in the world, and you’re going to make a fortune with it,” Trump said.

Trump said tariffs that he has imposed have generated trillions in revenue and created jobs.

Several notable politicians were in the crowd, including Gov. Kevin Stitt, members of Congress and the Oklahoma Legislature. Several spoke, including U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, a former Republican U.S. senator from Oklahoma.

They encouraged rally attendees to vote Republican on Nov. 3.

Sen. Warren Hamilton, R-McCurtain, arrived hours before Trump’s speech, saying it is a big deal when the President comes to Oklahoma.

“I am a big President Trump fan and I wanted to come and see him,” Hamilton said.

Thousands were on hand to hear Trump, who began his speech about two hours late and spoke for a little over an hour.

Some wore T-shirts that read “Don’t tread on me,” and “God, Guns and Trump.”

One man wore a flag that said “Trump is my president.”

Some brought school-aged children while others pushed friends and family members in wheelchairs.

While waiting for Trump, they chanted “USA. USA. USA.”

Donald Knopes, a veteran from Durant, said he supports Trump despite the economy, saying no man is perfect.

“He is the less than all the evils that are out there,” said Knopes, who arrived at noon to hear Trump, who began speaking shortly before 8 p.m.

Beth Mills, of Shawnee, said she came to enjoy the patriotic feeling of seeing the president.

“I think he is doing what he can,” she said. “I think he has been crippled by the Congress not taking action and getting some of the agenda things done. I think that hurts him.”

Mills said she believes in Trump’s agenda.

Trump is expected to travel to Alabama on Friday, to Ohio over the weekend and Nebraska on Monday.

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Courtesy of Oklahoma Voice