In ME, Trump strikes back at US Chamber on trade
BANGOR, Maine (AP) — Donald Trump struck back at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Wednesday in a mostly rural area in Maine, where his message of economic populism could earn him a vote in the Electoral College.
Addressing a crowd of several thousand in an indoor arena, Trump blasted existing free trade deals and reiterated his pledge to label China a currency manipulator.
Trump's remarks mark a stark departure from typical Republican orthodoxy — and his choice of location is a rare one for presidential candidates.
"First of all, I don't even know why I need so much money," Trump said Wednesday.
The political arm of the National Rifle Association is spending $50,000 in the Bangor market on a commercial about what it calls Hillary Clinton's lies about the Benghazi attack during her watch as secretary of state.
Trump supporters in this area, who are not used to visits from presidential candidates, feel lucky the businessman chose to head their way.
Trump has been struggling to win endorsements from skeptical party leaders, making his big-name gubernatorial endorses all the more valuable.