POLITICS

Donald Trump looks to close the deal in Pa.

Matt Catrillo
mattcatrillo@ldnews.com
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at his campaign rally at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg on April 21, 2016.

Since beginning his campaign, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has been leading the way in the Republican polls, and is drawing closer to earning the GOP nomination after winning Tuesday’s primary in New York.

Now Trump is looking to close the deal by winning over the Keystone state in next Tuesday’s primary, mathematically eliminating Ted Cruz and John Kasich from the first ballot, according to The Associated Press. He also thinks it’s over beyond his own party.

“It’s over for Bernie (Sanders). I want to run against Hillary (Clinton),” Trump said during his first campaign appearance in Central Pennsylvania Thursday at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg to a roaring crowd. Farm Show officials estimated 7,000 people inside the building, but at least another 5,000 did not make it inside for the rally.

Trump also referred to statistics claiming the Republican Party is up more than 70 percent in the last four years, while Clinton and Sanders are down 35 percent.

Sanders to stop in Gettysburg, Millersville on Friday

Trump also didn’t disappoint in taking his one of a few shots at Cruz, who just visited Hershey Wednesday, and John Kasich, who visited Hershey earlier this month. The biggest laugh from those statements came when Trump said Cruz “doesn’t even know where Harrisburg is.”

And the crowd was plenty warmed up too, after endorsements from U.S. Congressmen Tom Marino (R-10) and Lou Barletta (R-11), pumping up the crowd on Trump's promises about illegal immigration, jobs, second amendment rights, and others.

Trump continued to harp on those issues in his campaign speech with a phrase that was a perfect thesis statement of his message, “We’re going to bring jobs back, strengthen the military, and build a wall. Oh we will,” which led to big chants of, “Build that wall!” from the crowd.

Then Trump went right into his agenda, first addressing what’s happened in Pennsylvania over the last few years, claiming how he plans to fix it, referencing trade, and loss of jobs, starting out by mentioning, “no one knows Pennsylvania more than me, because I went to school here.”

“Pennsylvania’s taken hard hits on trade than any other state. There’s a big loss of manufacturing jobs and others in Harrisburg. I hated passing by empty factories,” Trump said.

Those notes led to his promise to take care of not only Pennsylvania but the entire country. “I’m going to take and take for our country," he said. "We have people who don’t know what they’re doing and some don’t even care.”

Trump also spent a lot of time criticizing President Barack Obama's handling of the end of the war in Iraq, saying it was a “disaster” and that “we should’ve never went in.” He then claimed the United States is not good at killing terrorists, and received a big laugh from the crowd when he said, “It would’ve been better if our president went to the beach and never heard of the Middle East.”

Map: Presidential candidate stops in central Pa.

Then Trump worked the crowd back to a roaring applause when he promised, “We’re gonna knock the hell out of them. We’re going to build a military so strong and powerful and we will knock the hell out of them.”

Trump also reiterated one of his biggest promises of his campaign, looking to build a wall he said Thursday would be “so big and so beautiful.”

But yet, Trump went on to say immediately after that he wants to get jobs for Hispanics and African Americans, and claimed he’s No. 1 in the polls with Hispanics.

“I love Hispanics. I can’t help that other leaders think the U.S. is the big bully,” Trump said.

A protester is escorted out of the Farm Show complex by a Pennsylvania State Police Trooper during at rally for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg on April 21, 2016.

And of course, it wouldn’t be a Trump rally without a few protesters, which there were a few who were escorted out to either a loud applause or “Trump!” chants.

Five individuals were arrested inside the building, said Troy Thompson, spokesman for the Pennsylvania Department of General Services. The individuals are being charged with disorderly conduct and were taken to Dauphin County booking station. No names were available at press time.

Trump also acknowledged the huge law enforcement presence, claiming, “The safest place on earth is a Trump rally.”

But there were two issues that Trump didn’t speak about, including his recent comments about changing the GOP platform on abortion to having exceptions, such as rape, incest or threat to the mother’s life, and his disagreement with putting Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill, replacing President Andrew Jackson. But it didn’t seem to matter among his supporters.

“I think in this day in age, you almost have to put those exceptions in,” said Becky Grimwood, of Lancaster, who’s also a business owner at the Lebanon Valley Mall, on the abortion issue. “For me personally, I don’t have those exceptions, I’m pro-life no matter what. I think life is a blessing, and it’s a gift from God no matter how it comes. But it doesn’t change my stance on him. He has to say that or he’ll be crucified.”

How to vote for president in Lebanon County

About Tubman on the $20 bill, Brent Mauser, of Lebanon, said, “I think Harriet Tubman is very important and I think changing Andrew Jackson just to make a point is stupid. If it it’s a natural thing to put her on, that’s fine, but I feel like it’s being forced. I like Harriet Tubman, but I want to see it changed for the right reasons.”

And every Trump supporter knows how key their votes will be Tuesday, and Trump made sure of it.

“You’re going to cast the most important vote in your life. You’re going to vote for Trump,” he concluded. “But you know what, don’t go vote if you’re not voting for me.”

Donald Trump speaks at his rally at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg on April 21, 2016.
The audience cheers for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump during his rally at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg on April 21, 2016.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump gestures while speaking at a campaign rally at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg on April 21, 2016.
Donald Trump at his campaign rally at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg on April 21, 2016. He is seeking the Republican nomination in the presidential primary election.
Elan Stuzfoltz, a Lancaster resident and volunteer for the Trump Campaign, hands out signs before the start of Donald Trump's campaign rally at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg on April 21, 2016.
Donald Trump supporters yell at protesters across a driveway after a rally for the Republican presidential candidate Thursday, April 21, 2016, outside the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg. The Pennsylvania presidential primary is April 26.
Police stand in the middle of a driveway dividing Donald Trump supporters, left, and protesters, right, after a rally for the Republican presidential candidate Thursday, April 21, 2016, outside the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg. The Pennsylvania presidential primary is April 26.