Thousands rally with Trump in Arizona in support of Republican candidates, 10/19/18

Above, 10/19/18, Trump rally in Arizona, International Air Response hangar at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, photo Shem Horne twitter



Above, photo by Shem Horne twitter



Above, Right Side Broadcasting Network twitter



Above, “Crowd chanting USA, USA,” photo by Shem Horne twitter



Above photo, Trump and Arizona US Senate candidate and current Rep. Martha McSally by The Republic



Above, crowd awaits Trump, photo by The Republic



Above, We “Heart” you POTUS sign, photo by The Republic



Above, Blacks for Trump photo by The Republic



Above, 15 year old Trump supporter Carson Draughon, image by The Republic



Above, young Trump fan, Monica, attended Trump rally with her Grandmother, photo The Republic



Above, Trump visits Luke Air Force Base in Glendale, photo The Republic



Above, Trump rally overflow crowd, photo Arizona GOP
…………

“Both Gutierrez and Lorang said they’re registered independents, but they consider themselves to be part of the “Trump Party.” His endorsement of Republican U.S. Senate candidate Martha McSally persuaded them to vote for her.”

10/19/18, “‘I just love him’: Thousands gather in Mesa to support President Donald Trump,” Arizona Republic, Dianna M. Nanez, Jen Fifield, Yvonne Wingett Sanchez, Catherine Reagor

“President Donald Trump supporters turned out in droves for his Mesa rally, while few protesters were spotted in the crowd of red.

Many in the Mesa crowd at the International Air Response hangar at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport wore “Make America Great Again” hats. Others were dressed in red, white and blue shirts. Signs saying “Drain the Swamp” and “Trump Pence” were plentiful.

Thousands of cellphones were raised taking photos and videos as Trump’s helicopter arrived in Mesa at about 6:45 p.m. Women supporters blew him kisses, and the crowd chanted “USA” as he walked through the crowd.

One supporter yelled she loved him during his speech, and he responded, “I love you, too.” 

Trump fans began lining up at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport in Mesa Thursday night for the Friday night event. By the time the hangar doors opened Friday afternoon, the line stretched almost half a mile. 

Mesa resident Tami Gutierrez and Gold Canyon resident Teri Lorang showed up at 8 p.m. Thursday to claim their spots in line. They slept in a truck bed in a dirt lot about a mile away before snagging the first and second spots at 5 a.m. Friday morning.

“I just had to be here for the Trump rally,” Gutierrez said. “I just love him and I love what he’s doing for this country.” 

MORE: At Trump rally, [Arizona Governor] Ducey thanks president for ‘how far we’ve come’

Both Gutierrez and Lorang said they’re registered independents, but they consider themselves to be part of the “Trump Party.” His endorsement of Republican U.S. Senate candidate Martha McSally persuaded them to vote for her. 

“He understands the American people and we understand him. He’s not a politician and he speaks our language,” Lorang said. “He delivers on his promises.”

Security began letting the crowd into the event at about 2:30 p.m. The parking lots were full by about 3:30 p.m.

“I love President Trump,” said Cindy Schmidt, 69, who drove more than an hour to the rally from Surprise. “He’s the best thing our country has ever had.”

“Trump supporters wait to see the president at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport on Oct. 19, 2018. (Photo: The Republic)”… 

 

Billionaire activist Tom Steyer’s group, NextGen America, planned a large protest near the airport, but it didn’t appear that many protesters from the group made it into the rally…. 

 

No one was carrying flags, per the Mesa police’s instructions. 

Some in the crowd, including children, chanted, “Build the wall!” 

A Blacks For Trump group was near the front of the line to get into the rally, and other Trump supporters were cheering them on and asking to pose for pictures with them. 

A small group of Proud Boys, the far-right group that admits only male members, was in the crowd of supporters…. 

Vickie Matsumonji, 74, a retired filmmaker, left her home in Lakeside before dawn to arrive at the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport before 9 a.m. The 3½-hour drive paid off. She was among the first in line. 

She wore a black T-shirt with the American flag printed on the front and the word Trump running vertically down one side. 

“I’m one of the deplorables and proud of it,” she said, referring to a term co-opted by Trump supporters during the 2016 campaign after Hillary Clinton used it to disparage the president’s base. 

“The day Trump announced, I was right behind him,” Matsumonji said. “I knew that a smart businessman could pull things together in our country, and that is what he is doing. He’s 10 steps ahead of the Democrats.” 

It was barely 3 a.m. when Sierra Vista resident Nichole Long loaded her 6-year-old son Justin in the car to make the three-hour drive to Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. 

The mother and son were there by 6 a.m., determined to claim their spot in line. Long had attended a Trump rally before, but she wanted to make sure her son would be here for this one. 

Plenty of Trump merchandise was for sale. T-shirts saying  “Trump girl” and “Trump 2020” were popular.

Many of the vendors, like Angel Hill, follow Trump from rally to rally. The Florida resident estimated she’s participated in at least 500 events since the primary election in 2016. The other half of her team sold hundreds of shirts outside of Thursday’s events in Montana. They’ll reunite ahead of Monday’s event in Texas. 

MORE: At Trump rally, an enthusiastic [Arizona Governor] Doug Ducey thanks president for ‘how far we’ve come’

“He’s (Trump) 73 and he’s always going,” Hill said. “I don’t know how he does it.” 

Trump is actually 72. 

Hill said they expected to sell out of most of their merchandise by the end of the night.

The parking lots were full by 3:50 p.m., and Mesa police tweeted there was “no alternative parking available.” 

Many people chanted “USA” as they walked into the hangar. 

The stands quickly filled, and some sat on the cement floor. 

The overflow area outside the hangar had a large screen and sound system, but many in the overflow crowd left early because they had difficulty hearing Trump.”

........................