Supporters say they stand with Trump as ex-president visits Erie Saturday [The Meadville Tribune, Pa.]

Jul. 31—ERIE — Donald Trump's supporters aren't concerned about the former president's potential legal woes as they back his bid to return to the White House.

"He's a dynamic individual and successful. He knows what needs to be done," said Robert Bayer of Meadville. Bayer was among more than 4,000 enthusiastic Trump backers at his Erie campaign rally Saturday night at the Erie Insurance Arena.

Retired businessman Bayer, 64, was attending his first Trump rally to show his support for the ex-president because "the country needs changed around."

"He doesn't need this (run for the presidency), he's a billionaire," Bayer said.

A lot of people don't like Trump because he is so outspoken, according to Bayer

"He says tough things. It's a lot like when you were young," Bayer continued. "Your dad told you things you didn't want to hear, or made you do things you didn't want to do, but you look back on it now and you realize he was right.

"He's the only one who can do it," Bayer said of Trump getting America "back on track."

"I don't know how we can trust what's going with who's in there now," he said of President Joe Biden.

For Ruth Jenkins of Rochester, New York, Saturday also was her first Trump rally. She had driven down to Erie with her adult son.

"He just gets it — he's a businessman," Jenkins said of her support of Trump. "He knows how to run the country."

Jenkins can't understand why some people are so divided over Trump.

"What's he done that's so bad?" she asked rhetorically. "He has helped this country. I've asked some of my own family members why they don't like Trump and they can't give me an answer other than 'I just don't like him.'"

Other supporters can be likened to camp followers.

Edward X. Young, 63, proudly said he drove 498 miles from his home in Point Pleasant, New Jersey, to attend Saturday's campaign stop. It was his 59th time attending a Trump rally since 2016.

"When I have doubts about America's survival, Trump lifts my spirits," Young said of why he's attended so many Trump rallies.

"This can disappear with the wrong people in charge," he said of America. "Right now, we have the wrong people in charge."

Sharon Anderson, 67, of Etowah, Tennessee, drove 14 hours from her home to attend Saturday's rally, her 38th.

"He has hardcore supporters like myself because we share his views, his goals, his hopes and his dreams," Anderson said.

One of Trump's most ardent supporters in Congress is U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, a Republican from Butler who represents Pennsylvania's 16th Congressional District which includes Crawford and Erie counties.

In his seventh term in Congress and a member of the House of Representatives' Ways and Means Committee, Kelly was one of the opening speakers.

In an impassioned speech before Trump appeared on stage, Kelly declared to the crowd, "This is Trump country! This is Trump nation! This is your moment to save America."

During the rally, Trump called Kelly up onto the stage where Kelly asked the crowd why would Trump want to run again for the presidency with all that Trump has accomplished in his life.

"It can only be love of country. The guy's a patriot. He'll do anything to make America great again! It's going to take all of us to put him there," Kelly said of Trump's 2024 presidential run.

Taking the stage himself at 6 p.m., Trump spent an hour and 40 minutes addressing a wide range of topics — including his two impeachments while in office and current criminal investigations over his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election and alleged mishandling of classified documents.

He took shots at the Biden administration — for its handling of the economy as well as its handling of relations with China and Russia.

Trump labeled President Biden the leader of the "most corrupt crime family in American history."

Trump again claimed the 2020 presidential election was stolen, though those claims have been debunked in numerous court cases.

"They rigged the election of 2020, we're not going to allow them to rig the presidential election of 2024," Trump vowed.

Trump showed polling data where he clearly is considered the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024.

Trump called his own indictment last week on three new felony charges in the classified documents case a distraction from the tax evasion charges against President Biden's son, Hunter.

Commenting on the various indictments against him, Trump said it is "the single greatest witch hunt of all time."

"Every time they indict me, I consider it a great badge of honor — because I'm being indicted for you," Trump said. "Never forget our enemies want to stop me because I'm the only one who is able to stop them. They want to take away my freedom because I will never let them take away your freedom."

If elected again, Trump said he would appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Biden.

Trump promised he could curb inflation and rebuild the nation's economy by making the U.S. energy independent once again.

The nation's current immigration policy under Biden is a mess, according to Trump. Trump stated he wasn't against immigration, but against illegal immigration, and he would reinstate policies that had been in force under his administration.

Trump said he would cut federal funding to any schools that taught critical race theory. Federal funding also would be cut from any school with mask or vaccine mandates.

"If you put me back in the White House their reign will be over and America will be a free nation once again," Trump said of the Biden administration. "We have one chance to save it and it's called 2024."

Keith Gushard can be reached at (814) 724-6370 or by email at [email protected].

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