‘Dangerously liberal:’ Trump supporters rebuke Harris-Walz prior to Vegas rally
Supporters of former President Donald Trump rebuked the Democratic ticket’s campaign during a counterrally a day prior to Vice President Kamala Harris’ stop in Las Vegas.
On Saturday, the vice president and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz made their first appearance in Southern Nevada — at UNLV’s Thomas & Mack Center — since Harris chose Walz as her running mate.
On Friday, amid intermittent chants of “fight, fight, fight” inside a Henderson facility of the Clark County Republican Party, supporters stumped for Trump and criticized Democrats.
“Her and her running mate are the most liberal, dangerously liberal people ever to run for this office,” said Nevada Republican Party Chairman Michael McDonald.
McDonald, who also is a senior adviser for Trump, said that President Joe Biden’s policies, singling out Harris, have failed at the U.S.-Mexico border.
“We see the effects right now: people living on the streets from other countries, crime coming in from other countries,” he said. “She let them in, she opened the door and kept it open, and now they’re trying to run and hide from their agenda.”
After the number of encounters between immigration authorities and undocumented migrants along the southwest border peaked at nearly 302,000 in December 2023, up from about 74,000 in December 2020, U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported the number of encounters have been falling. Biden temporarily suspended the entry of some noncitizens across the southern border in June, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported that month had the lowest monthly tally since January 2021, when Biden took office.
Walz also targeted for criticism
McDonald tagged Walz as “gutless” and a “coward,” citing his response to the riots in his state following the police killing of George Floyd.
He said Trump had the leadership qualities to lead the country, and he praised the former president’s campaign promise that his administration would eliminate taxes on tips.
McDonald said that the cost of living has become unsustainable under the Biden-Harris administration.
“Their agenda has put us back, the working men and women, union members, mom and pops,” he said. “We cannot afford to live.”
Noting Biden’s sudden exit from the ticket, Lt. Gov. Stavros Anthony described Harris’ nomination under those terms as “completely anti-American.”
“Her first decision was to pick the worst governor in the country,” Anthony said.
Anthony said that Trump would fix the economy.
“He wants to make us better, he wants to put money in our pockets,” Anthony added.
Democrats respond
In a statement, the Nevada State Democratic Party also called the Trump ticket “out of touch,” alleging that a Trump-Vance administration would end birthright citizenship, cut Social Security and Medicare, and raise taxes.
“In contrast, the Biden-Harris administration has created more than 280,000 good-paying jobs, signed the first common-sense gun safety legislation in 30 years, lowered the cost of prescription drugs, and capped the price of insulin at $35 for seniors,” wrote party communications director Tai Sims.
GOP volunteers praised
The county’s Republican Party Chairman Jesse Law complimented the 50 or so campaign volunteers who flanked the speakers, hoisting Trump and JD Vance signs.
“This is made up of very passionate volunteers from around our community,” Law said about the “very energized group of people.”
After the rally, McDonald told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that he was satisfied with the state Trump’s campaign.
“As far as we’re sitting right now,” he said. “It’s great, we’re fine.”
He said Nevadans should begin to see an uptick of resources to re-elect Trump in the coming months, and that he expects the former president to visit the state.
“This president loves Las Vegas, loves Nevada, loves Washoe (County), loves the rural communities,” he said. “He will be in the state of Nevada, I can guarantee you that.”
Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com.
