The final sprint before Election Day will feature one of the world’s most famous politicians in “the world’s most famous arena.”
Republican nominee Donald Trump has scheduled an Oct. 27 rally in Manhattan’s Madison Square Garden, the New York Post reported late Tuesday.
And a deep-blue Democratic stronghold — where Trump has faced both civil and criminal trials — should get a strong dose of MAGA red.
Trump books MSG rally to kick off final stretch of 2024 campaign: sources https://t.co/JSlBb0y41P pic.twitter.com/6JlBlhB1pQ
— New York Post (@nypost) October 9, 2024
With the election widely expected to be decided by a handful of swing states, the Trump campaign’s decision to host a major event in Democrat-dominated New York is a powerful statement.
And it’s a potentially risky one. Time Trump and his campaign spend in an area like New York is time not being spent in states where polling is tight, such as Pennsylvania (Trump up by 0.2, according to RealClearPolitics polling average) or Nevada (Harris up by 1.1 according to RealClearPolitics).
But it’s one Trump himself has been teasing for months.
“[I] think I’ll do one maybe at Madison Square Garden,” Trump said on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures” in an interview broadcast Feb. 4.
Have you ever been to a Trump rally?
“Do I think we have a chance? New York has changed a lot in the last two years. We have migrants all over the street. They are living on Madison Avenue.
“The people of New York are angry.”
He dropped the same hint in an interview with Breitbart News published Jan. 2.
“I may rent Madison Square Garden, and that’s the belly of the beast, right?” he said.
The planned rally will admit the crowd on a first-come, first-served basis, according to the Post. With Madison Square Garden having a capacity of 19,500, it would surpass Trump’s other rallies in New York recently.
In September, Trump drew 16,000 to a rally in Uniondale, on Long Island, according to the Post.
A crowd of about 10,000 showed up for a Trump rally in the Bronx in May, the Post reported.
If the social media reaction to the news is any guide, the crowd is going to be huge — both for Trump and against him:
A Trump Rally in Madison Square Garden.
Manhattan is MAGA Country!
This should anger the right people.— Albert Latham (@albert1776) October 9, 2024
This is gonna be epic! Donald Trump just booked Madison Square Garden for an October 27th campaign rally!!!! New York love Donald Trump!!
— Don Keith (@RealDonKeith) October 9, 2024
That’s gonna be awesome
— Betzalel Akiva (@BetzalelAkiva) October 9, 2024
Possibly not surprisingly, a Democratic state senator demanded that the Trump rally be canceled.
Sen. Brad Hoylman-Segal — whose X account boasts that he represents “the West Side of Manhattan ‘from the gay bars to Zabar’s’” — called it a “disastrous decision by Madison Square Garden.”
This is a disastrous decision by Madison Square Garden that will endanger the public safety of New Yorkers and has the potential to incite widespread violence.
For the good of NYC and its residents, I demand @TheGarden keep our city safe by cancelling the Trump rally 3/3
— Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal (@bradhoylman) October 9, 2024
How wise of a decision Trump is making remains to be seen, but in that “Sunday Morning Futures” interview in February, he gave a hint to his mindset heading into the election year.
“I think New Jersey can be flipped. I think that Virginia can be flipped. I think that New Mexico could be flipped. And I think Minnesota could be flipped. And I’m not even sure that everything can’t be flipped,” he said.
The country will see in November.
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