Pro-Trump boat rally held at Buckeye Lake, kick-off home stretch to election

BUCKEYE LAKE, Ohio (WCMH) — For Randy and Roxy Tarman of Canal Winchester, the Labor Day boat parade on Buckeye Lake was their second pro-Trump boat parade in a month.

“We don’t believe the polls,” says Roxy. “Trump has so many supporters and there’s just no way Biden’s going to win.”

Labor Day has historically been the unofficial kick-off to the home stretch for political campaigns. The pandemic has prompted less traditional campaigning.

Ohio Democrats held a virtual Labor Day rally, an online event featuring labor leaders and elected officials.

More than 200 boats lined up for the afternoon boat parade on Buckeye Lake Monday. They motored from one end of the lake to the other, Trump flags flying and horns honking.

Tim Fleischer of Columbus watched from the shoreline.

“Even if you hate Trump, he’s better than socialism,” Fleischer says. “Biden says he’s going to pull the country together, but I just don’t think he’s going to do that. The country’s so divided left and right that I hope somebody can pull it together, but I question whether anybody can.”

John Wehrle of Lancaster was a little more optimistic.

“I think the country will survive,” Wehrle said. “It’s an experiment and we’re in a rough patch right now.  But in the end, we’re all family and we’ll face the world together.”