OPINION: Think support for Trump is dying down? His New York rally told a different story.

even a liberal woman writer for liberal USA Today feels the Trump effect!

OPINION: Think support for Trump is dying down? His New York rally told a different story.

Sara Pequeño, USA TODAY
Sun, September 22, 2024 at 4:11 AM CDT·4 min read

UNIONDALE, N.Y. — The sales pitch started on the walk over to the Nassau Coliseum, where men were hawking "Make America Great Again" hats. A giant digital sign above the arena flashed a picture of former President Donald Trump’s face.

As I got closer to the arena Wednesday, I stood in line with supporters amid a maze of lawn chairs and trash left by people who had been in line for hours prior. People saw folks they knew and made small talk. Supersized Trump flags waved in the breeze above more people selling Trump merchandise, in case you failed to bring your own. To my left was a large sign warning about the “mind virus” that is “fake news media.”

“We are going to rescue our Democrat-run states,” Trump told a lively audience later that night. “We are going to start by saving the great state of New York.”

It’s unlikely that Trump will win New York, a state that has gone blue in every election since Ronald Reagan. In 2020, Joe Biden beat Trump in his home state by 23 percentage points. But even if Trump doesn’t fulfill his dream of winning New York, his Long Island rally showed me that he can still bring out a crowd – and why that’s cause for concern.

The polls say one thing about enthusiasm for Trump. I saw another.

Inside, the stadium was filling up with red hats. Supporters chatted with their friends in their seats or stood in line for hot dogs and soft pretzels as they waited for Trump to speak at his second rally since the second assassination attempt, held on the day he was supposed to be sentenced by a Manhattan judge in his hush-money case.

The crowd nearly filled the 16,000-seat stadium.

If you’ve been watching the news, you may assume that Trump rallies are dying down. The polls may be providing a sense of relief: ABC News' "538" says Vice President Kamala Harris is favored to win the election.

Harris is also leading Trump in fundraising, with $47 million raised in 24 hours after the presidential debate.

The problem is that we’ve seen this all before. In 2016, people underestimated Trump’s ability to win. The polls suggested that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would prevail. She proceeded to win the popular vote but lost the Electoral College.

It is entirely within the realm of possibility that history repeats itself this November.

Trump sees a second wave of support post-assassination attempt

Many people I know believe that Harris will win the 2024 election. While I’m cautiously optimistic, I’m not sure that people realize how close this race will end up being. MAGA seems to be gaining a second wind after the attempts on Trump’s life.

I spoke with Tatiana Agarwal, 19, and Maximillian Stebelsky, 20, two New York University students who waited for more than two hours to get into the arena. They were wearing Make America Great Again hats in neon pink and blue, respectively.

“Regardless of what party you’re with: He may be a Republican, he may be the former president, he may not be liked by a lot of people, but at the end of the day he’s a human just like everybody else,” Stebelsky said when I asked about the second assassination attempt.

“These should be spaces for people to just gather around and socialize and come together in favor of a certain candidate,” Agarwal added. “It shouldn’t be about violence.”

The American people live within two realities. There are people who believe that Trump – a convicted felon, a reported sexual abuser, a raging narcissist and a person in obvious mental decline – is the one who will save our country. There are about as many people who believe he is a danger to democracy, and should not be allowed to return to the White House. Still, the Electoral College could mean that Trump wins once again.

I might not be buying what Trump is selling, but a lot of people are. It’s important not to lose sight of that come November.

Follow USA TODAY elections columnist Sara Pequeño on X, formerly Twitter: @sara__pequeno