NEW HILL – Lara Trump was the headliner at a Monday evening event at a farm in southwestern Wake County to rally support for President Donald Trump.
Wake County Republicans and other activists from around the triangle gathered at Finnigan’s Run Farm in New Hill to hear from president’s daughter-in-law and Susan Tillis, the wife of U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis.
In her nearly 30-minute speech, Trump hit President’s Trump Democratic rival Joe Biden repeatedly, at one point saying that “the two people most excited for his run for president are Jill and Hunter,” Biden’s wife and son.
North State Journal spoke with Mrs. Trump after the event. Trump, a graduate of NC State University, commented on local protests that have turned violent in Raleigh and on the N.C. State Board of Elections’ proposed agreement to change many absentee ballot rules.
“Whether its in Raleigh or many other Democrat-run cities, people need to know who they’re voting for. I think we see now why it’s important to know who your local officials are,” said Trump. “Donald Trump has said from day one I want to help with any violence, any chaos, any disturbances. Some have taken him up on that, and some haven’t, and they’ve let down their citizens and their small businesses.”
On the N.C. State Board of Elections’ proposed agreement to make several controversial changes to absentee ballot rules, Trump said, “I think it’s quite ridiculous in an election where people have already started voting to say we’re going to change the rules, extend the period of time to submit your absentee ballot; this is not right. This is not something that should be happening in the United States of America, but sadly it is.”
She elaborated further that the agreement appears to be an effort to change rules to benefit Joe Biden to try and cheat the system, calling it “shameful.”
Trump also said the campaign would push back hard against the proposed changes, which was echoed by senior campaign advisor Josh Kivett.
“You don’t try and change the rules if you’re in a good position,” Kivett said to NSJ. “They’re struggling to hit their numbers so they try and make these kinds of changes in closed door meetings. The Democrats on the state board of AG Josh Stein have tried to enact these policies for months and failed.”
Trump also talked about some of the differences she’s experienced campaigning four years ago to campaigning this time, saying with a laugh, “we’re much more organized than we were four years ago.”
She continued: “2016, we had no political experience whatsoever, and we were learning as we went. I liken to it building an airplane while in the air, and we kept the campaign running in 2017 to make sure we were prepared for 2020.”
Trump talked about the coalition efforts this year that weren’t around in 2016, such as Women for Trump, Black Voice for Trump, Latinos for Trump, and Cops for Trump, among others. The coalitions “are professionally run and we have a ground game unlike anything the Republican Party has ever seen,” Trump added.
She did say there was something charming about 2016’s campaign as outsiders, but now in 2020 they have accomplishments to point to on the campaign trail.
Finally, Trump did indicate she would like to visit her alma mater later this year at Carter-Finley Stadium, with Gov. Roy Cooper allowing a limited number of fans.
“I hope so,” she said, adding that, “In 2016 the last event in North Carolina was at Carter-Finley, and the crowd was amazing — we will work on it. I would love to be back there.”
