Trump holds rally in Novi

NOVI — Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump held a rally at the Suburban Collection Showplace Oct. 26 in Novi to draw up support from Michigan voters just as the polls opened for early voting that day and Election Day was just 10 days out.

Hours before Trump’s arrival, local auto workers and several notable Michigan Republican candidates, including former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, who is running for U.S. Senate; U.S. Rep. Lisa McClain, R-9th District, who is running for reelection; U.S. Rep. John James, R-10th District, who is running for reelection; and congressional candidate Tom Barrett got the crowd excited and encouraged them to get out and vote.

“I ask, please, get out and vote early. Working in the auto industry is like riding a roller coaster: You don’t know if you’re going up, down or taking a turn for the worst, or if jobs are coming” said Ashley Keith, a UAW worker at the Sterling Stamping Plant in Sterling Heights.  “If we don’t get Trump and Vance in office, then I’m afraid to think that I’m going to start looking for another job.”

Barrett said he is running for Congress because families aren’t having their voices heard. He said that the cost of living is skyrocketing, including housing costs and groceries.

“Everything you see today is worse off than it was,” said Barrett.

Rogers said that with Democrats in office, it’s the first time in history that the U.S. has imported more food than it has exported and there are more foreign cars than domestic cars in America, and the interest on the national debt will be bigger than the Department of Defense budget.

He also said that people are buying groceries at costs that have increased 23% due to inflation. He said that if people don’t elect Trump and want to go to the National Cherry Festival in Traverse City in a few years, “We’ll be eating Chinese cherries.”

“We’re going to change all of it. What we’re going to do is save that mother who has to go to the food bank the last two days of the month. Come November, Republicans will have your back,” he said.

“When you leave here today, go vote,” said Barrett. “You can’t take anything for granted.”

The former president left his supporters waiting for over an hour, taking the stage at 1:05 p.m. when the event was scheduled for noon. Several supporters were seen leaving early as a result of his delayed appearance; however, a fair-sized crowd filled the room at the Showplace and trickled out into the hallway.

“After all we have been through together, we stand on the verge of the four greatest years in the history of our country,” Trump said.

Trump gave his supporters an hourlong speech criticizing his opposition, Vice President Kamala Harris, as a “radical leftist” and said he would bring jobs back to the United States as president.

“Vote Trump and you will see a vast exodus of manufacturing jobs from Mexico to Michigan, from Shanghai to Sterling Heights and from Beijing to Detroit,” he said. “Starting in January, we will give our companies the lowest taxes, the lowest energy costs.”

Trump said he will cut energy prices in half within 12 months from Jan. 20. He said he will cut the corporate tax rate to 15%, cutting it back from 21%.

Trump told the crowd he will make interest on car loans fully tax deductible, but only for American-made cars.

He emphasized the importance of the auto workers’ vote to him as well as the support of Muslim and Arab Americans. He accepted the endorsement of the mayor of Dearborn Heights, Bill Bazzi, and “highly respected” Muslim leaders, who said Trump will bring peace.

“We as Muslims stand with President Trump because he promises peace,” said one of the leaders, Imam Belal Alzuhairi. “He promises peace, not war. We are supporting Donald Trump because he promises to end war in the Middle East and Ukraine. The bloodshed has to stop all over the world and I think this man can make that happen.”

Alzuhairi went on to make two predictions. He claimed that the Detroit Lions will win the Super Bowl and that Trump will be the next president.

Trump said that with his supporters’ votes he will make America “powerful, wealthy, healthy, strong, proud, safe and great” again.

“I thought it was wonderful. I think he is a true man. I think that since he was shot, he has become a little bit more humble,” said Janine Allen, of Claremore, Oklahoma, who attended the Novi rally. “But as far as someone who is trying to help America, it’s him, and I believe that with all my heart.”

“The guy knows what he is talking about. He has experience. I agree that we need to have closed borders. I agree with the tax cuts. I agree with having a strong hand. I agree with stopping the Ukraine bulls—. I agree with stopping giving money to everyone,” said Rodrigo Blanco, of Cleveland, Ohio.

Blanco said he is originally from Guatemala. He said he came to the country legally five years ago through a long, expensive process to obtain his visa, which he said took one-and-a-half years and cost $10,000.   

“If someone wants to live here, they should do it legally,” Blanco said.

Evan Andridge, 28, of Livonia, who said he is a Marine Corps veteran and a former Trump supporter, came to the rally to voice his dislike of the former president and his politics. As soon as Trump came on, Andridge yelled, “You lost the election in 2020,” and continued to yell as police stood near him and some Trump supporters called him names. He said the politicians at the rally were causing people to lack faith in the electoral system.

“Nobody here has faith that their vote counts. … Now nobody here has faith in our government, which is exactly what China and Russia would like,” he said.

State Rep. Kelly Breen, D-Novi, commented on Trump’s rally in Novi.

“He is so full of piss and vinegar. His rhetoric is not welcome,” Breen said. “I’ve never heard anybody talk about professing to love America, but yet clearly has so much disdain for Americans. The things he says have no basis in reality and he is just fanning the flames of hate and ignorance. That’s it. That’s what he does.”

The full event can be viewed at c-span.org.