President Trump brought his final-month midterm campaign swing to Clarksville, Tennessee, on Saturday, speaking to supporters at F&M Bank Arena during another stop in a state Republicans would normally expect to hold comfortably.
The rally drew long lines outside the arena before Trump arrived, with supporters waiting in the rain as the event got underway. Trump used the appearance to rally Republican voters, talk about the economy and national security, and continue making the case for GOP candidates ahead of Election Day. Local coverage described the visit as only the second presidential appearance in Clarksville in modern history.
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The rally was held at F&M Bank Arena in downtown Clarksville, near Fort Campbell and Austin Peay State University. Trump arrived as Republicans continue an unusually aggressive late-campaign travel schedule through states that would normally receive much less attention in a midterm year.
One of the more unusual moments of the rally came when Kid Rock appeared onstage with Trump. Reuters photographed the two together during the event, adding some celebrity color to an otherwise heavily political stop.
Trump also wandered into one of his trademark off-script riffs, suggesting that either the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean could someday be renamed the “Ocean of the Americas” or even the “Trump Ocean.” The remarks drew attention online after the rally and followed several other recent comments from Trump about renaming geographic landmarks
The Clarksville stop came as Republicans face a broader defensive battle across the country. Trump has recently campaigned in Nebraska, Texas, Ohio, New York and other states as GOP candidates try to protect Senate, House and gubernatorial seats in a difficult national environment.
The Tennessee rally also underscored how wide the midterm battlefield has become. Democrats are targeting some Republican-held districts in deeply red states as part of a strategy aimed at forcing the GOP to spend time and money defending territory that would normally be considered safe.
Clarksville itself had not hosted a presidential visit in decades. Local reporting noted that George H.W. Bush’s 1992 campaign stop at Austin Peay State University was the previous presidential visit to the city, making Trump’s appearance a rare event for the area.
Follow the upcoming Trump rally schedule for more midterm events and appearances.