Trump Jr. returns to Valley for GOP’s Lincoln Day Dinner
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HANOVERTON -- Republican leaders gathered Wednesday night in Columbiana County with special guest Donald Trump Jr. to rally voters ahead of the upcoming May 2 primary election.
This year's festivities for the annual Lincoln Day Dinner began with a private reception at the Spread Eagle Tavern in Hanoverton followed by the formal dinner at the Timberlane's Complex in Salem. Besides Trump, other notable guests included Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose and U.S. Senate candidate Bernie Moreno.
All three rallied against incumbent Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat, arguing that he had been in office too long and failed to represent Ohio residents accurately.
Another commonality was the argument that Brown failed to live up to his claims of being politically moderate. Moreno pointed out Brown once said, "If you've been in Washington for more than 10 years, you're probably a crook." Brown's own political career has lasted more than 30 years.
Trump said he was happy to be back in Columbiana County after his recent visit to East Palestine with his father following the Norfolk Southern train derailment, joking that he "feels like he lives here," and noting frequent visits were necessary "to fill the void when we don't have leadership from people who are actually in office, supposedly representing you."
Trump also spoke against the recent Democratic legislative efforts and platform regarding transgender individuals, referring to them "making sure children can mutilate their bodies at the age of 3 without parental consent" and that the party wanted "men competing in women's sports," citing the recent victory of transgender woman Glenique Frank in the London Marathon.
"It feels like we're living in a 'Saturday Night Live' skit back when 'Saturday Night Live' was actually funny, but it's actually happening. It's not a joke," Trump said.
Trump also said that under the Biden administration, the nation was no longer "serious" and was "a country in decline," and that under his father's administration the country had seen "real wage growth and energy independence."
He further criticized the Biden administration for sourcing electricity and oil from foreign countries, including Iran and Venezuela, "rather than employing hard working Americans, with good-paying jobs." He also argued that were this production done in America, it would be done "more cleanly because we actually have environmental standards."
"Think about it, we're dealing with the world's leading state sponsor of terror and a regime we don't even recognize, begging them for oil and gas while prices are through the roof," Trump said.
Speaking on the recent rise in gas prices, he said that if he, "as the son of a billionaire," believed prices were too high, imagine the impact on the average citizen.
"If I'm angry at the pump, if I think it sucks, what do you think it's doing to the average American? And how is it that the son of a billionaire from Manhattan understands that, but the people who are supposedly representing you in Washington don't get it," Trump said.
Trump concluded by saying he had come to speak because he felt it was important he do so, joking it was "a lot easier being a real estate developer in New York City," but he felt he needed to act.
"I'm here because this stuff matters. I have five young kids of my own and we have to leave them an America we recognize; so, thank you for your support, for being here, and make sure we fight hard and win," Trump said.
mahart@mojonews.com