President Donald Trump is heading to Minneapolis in October for a campaign rally — right in the heart of leftist Rep. Ilhan Omar’s district.
Since ascending to Congress in the 2018 election, Omar (D-MN) has been an outspoken opponent of Trump, and her reaction to the announcement was predictable.
Omar lashes out
“Our beautiful state welcomes everyone with open arms. But to be clear: we will continue to reject you and your campaign of lies and bigotry,” Omar tweeted on Thursday.
Our beautiful state welcomes everyone with open arms.
But to be clear: we will continue to reject you and your campaign of lies and bigotry. https://t.co/aQnZxcW42V
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) September 26, 2019
Trump rally in Minneapolis
The Trump campaign announced that it has booked the Target Center in Minneapolis for a campaign rally on October 10, Fox News reported.
President Trump lost Minnesota to Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton by only about 45,000 votes in the 2016 election, and it is widely thought that the traditionally blue state could possibly be flipped red in 2020, the first time a Republican would have won Minnesota since former President Richard Nixon in 1972.
This rally will be Trump’s fourth visit to the state in sixteen months, according to the Star-Tribune.
The state’s ten Electoral College votes could prove crucial for Trump’s re-election if the eventual Democratic nominee in 2020 is able to pick off one of the other midwestern states that Trump carried in 2016.
Minneapolis mayor weighs in
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (D) also responded negatively, tweeting, “On October 10, our entire city will stand not behind the President, but behind the communities and people who continue to make our city – and this country – great.”
Attached to Frey’s tweet was a statement that characterized Trump’s presidency as not being under “ordinary circumstances” that would otherwise find the city feeling honored by a visit from a sitting president.
Instead, Frey accused Trump of being “reprehensible” and using “rhetoric” that devalued the rights and perspectives of “Minneapolis’ diverse communities.”
On October 10, our entire city will stand not behind the President, but behind the communities and people who continue to make our city – and this country – great. pic.twitter.com/IGw2qis3h5
— Jacob Frey (@Jacob_Frey) September 26, 2019
But Republicans are looking forward to it. “We are excited for the rally on October 10th and look forward to showing the Democrats how enthusiastic Minnesota Republicans are to send our 10 electoral votes to re-elect President Trump in 2020,” said Minnesota Republican Party Chairwoman Jennifer Carnahan.
It will be interesting to see how many Minnesotans turn out to support President Trump in spite of their divisive leaders, and whether that long-held Democrat state can be flipped to the Republican column in the next presidential election.