Trump to continue swing state tradition in final campaign event of 2024
Former President Trump will continue the tradition of ending his presidential campaigns in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the same place he ended his 2016 and 2020 White House bids.
The Trump campaign announced that the event will take place at Grand Rapids’ Van Andel Arena, with doors opening to supporters at 6:30 p.m. and Trump scheduled to speak at 10:30 p.m.
The event will mark the third time Trump has ended his campaign with a late-night rally in Grand Rapids, emphasizing the importance of the swing state of Michigan to his chances to win back the White House.
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Trump ended his successful 2016 campaign for president with a late-night rally at DeVos Place convention center in downtown Grand Rapids, then ended his unsuccessful bid for re-election with a rally at the Grand Rapids airport.
"I kept saying we have to finish off here.… We can be a little superstitious, right?" Trump asked supporters during the 2020 rally in the city.
Trump narrowly won the state of Michigan over former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2016 before dropping the state in another close race with President Biden in 2020.
Polls show another tight race brewing in 2024, with the Real Clear Politics polling average giving Harris a slight 0.6 point lead as of Sunday. Harris also held a slim lead in the betting odds in Michigan as of Sunday, coming in with a 59.7% chance to take the state, according to ElectionBettingOdds.com. Meanwhile, the latest Fox News Power Rankings rate Michigan as a toss-up.
Kent County, where Grand Rapids is located, promises to be one of the most vital swing counties in the state in 2024. Long a Republican stronghold, the country has trended more toward Democrats in recent years. Trump was able to win the county by three points in 2016, but dropped the county to Biden by six points in 2020.
"Michiganders love a late night rally, and President Trump loves Michigan," Team Trump Michigan communications director Victoria LaCivita told Fox News Digital. "From the beginning, Team Trump has known that the path to the White House runs directly through Michigan, so there’s no better place to conclude a historic and momentous campaign season."