Former President Donald Trump attacked Nevada’s high Democrats as weak on crime and damaging to the economic system throughout a Saturday marketing campaign rally in Minden, Nevada for the state’s high Republican candidates, together with U.S. Senate candidate Adam Laxalt and gubernatorial candidate Joe Lombardo.
Throughout an almost 90-minute speech delivered in entrance of hundreds of cheering supporters on the Minden-Tahoe Airport, roughly 12 miles south of the State Capitol, Trump blamed Democrats for prime inflation and what he described as an “invasion” on the southern border, whereas additionally boosting down-ticket Republicans, together with secretary of state candidate Jim Marchant and lawyer common candidate Sigal Chattah.
“Beneath Democrat rule, the value of fuel in Nevada is up 100%,” Trump mentioned. “Two years in the past, the whole lot was so good in our nation, and now, it should items. It is falling aside. You now have gasoline, $5 at the moment, $5.54 a gallon.”
However the majority of his remarks disregarded Nevada totally. Trump repeatedly attacked Democratic President Joe Biden, lamented the USA as a “failing nation” and denounced investigations into his conduct as political assaults — together with the Division of Justice’s investigation into labeled paperwork Trump took after leaving workplace.
“For six straight years, the witch hunts, hoaxes and abuses have been coming at us quick and livid,” Trump mentioned. “We’ve a weaponized Division of Justice and FBI on the whole lot. together with of the courts. I imply consider this, how about, together with the break in of my dwelling, regarding the so-called ‘doc hoax’ case.”
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He additionally hinted at plans to run for re-election in 2024, saying about his presidential runs, “we could must do it once more,” adopted by chants of “We would like Trump” from the group.
The occasion marked Trump’s second go to this cycle to battleground Nevada, the place Republicans are in search of to capitalize on excessive inflation and dissatisfaction with Democratic President Joe Biden to flip a slew of Democrat-held federal and statewide seats, together with a pivotal seat within the U.S. Senate, three Home seats and the governor’s workplace.
Throughout his final Nevada go to, a visit to Las Vegas in July to spice up Lombardo and Laxalt, Trump railed towards Democratic crime insurance policies, describing Nevada as a “cesspool of crime.”
Trump echoed messaging from that Las Vegas speech, attacking Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak as weak on crime, and calling for the usage of the loss of life penalty to punish drug sellers.
The Saturday rally got here simply as mail ballots are being despatched out to voters throughout deep pink, rural Nevada, and simply two weeks earlier than the beginning of the state’s early voting interval on Oct. 22.
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Republican U.S. Senate candidate Adam Laxalt seems earlier than the group throughout a “Save America” Trump marketing campaign rally in Minden, Nevada on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. (David Calvert/Nevada Unbiased)
Together with Lombardo and Laxalt, the occasion featured “your complete Nevada Trump ticket,” who urged Republicans within the viewers to end up to vote in November. That ticket included Marchant; Chattah; Rep. Mark Amodei, who represents Congressional District 2; Sam Peters, candidate for Congressional District 4; Michele Fiore, candidate for state treasurer; Stavros Anthony, candidate for lieutenant governor; and Andy Matthews, candidate for state controller.
The group of candidates, who every delivered roughly 5 minute-long marketing campaign speeches, supplied reward for Trump, whereas addressing key points for the Republican base, together with the economic system, crime and immigration. By and enormous, the group pointed to excessive inflation and rising fuel costs, denouncing financial circumstances in Nevada underneath Democratic management.
“Why we’re hurting worse than any state in America — it is due to these insurance policies,” Laxalt mentioned in a speech centered on tying his opponent, Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, to Biden.
Lombardo’s remarks centered on the important thing problems with his marketing campaign, as he known as for financial diversification and college alternative and mentioned he would “repair our security.”
“The purpose of presidency is to make criminals’ lives more durable, not simpler,” he mentioned. “Sisolak has executed the alternative, and we’ll repair that … as a result of you are going to have an issue knowledgeable within the workplace of the governor.”
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Marchant, standing alongside Trump, mentioned he and the previous president had each misplaced a “rigged election” in 2020, regardless of state election officers discovering no proof of widespread fraud in Nevada.
In a speech earlier within the occasion, Marchant highlighted his push for main election adjustments, together with utilizing strictly paper ballots and hand counting outcomes. He additionally mentioned he satisfied a Nevada county to implement a “new prototype for the election system,” referring to Nye County, the place the highest election official plans to tabulate votes electronically and by hand.
However Marchant, a former assemblyman who has mentioned Nevada has not had a authentic election in additional than a decade, didn’t hope to dissuade turnout with that message.
“Irrespective of how a lot rigging they will do of the system, in the event you present up on November 8, in mass, with such a turnout, it does not matter what they do. We overwhelm the system. So it’s important that you simply get out and vote such as you’ve by no means voted earlier than,” he mentioned.
Trump echoed Marchant’s claims a few “rigged election,” falsely claiming he ran twice and “gained twice.” He additionally urged the group to vote in individual on Election Day, saying that it could make it “more durable for them to cheat.”
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Trump additionally referenced Jan. 6, 2021, whereas boasting in regards to the measurement of the group on the Minden rally, saying that it was “the largest crowd I consider I’ve ever spoken to.” On that day, Trump supporters gathered in Washington D.C., earlier than violently storming the Capitol. A number of Nevada residents have pleaded responsible to fees in reference to their participation within the riot.
Republican secretary of state candidate Jim Marchant waves to the group throughout a “Save America” Trump marketing campaign rally in Minden, Nevada on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. (David Calvert/Nevada Unbiased)
Democrats moved swiftly to denounce the occasion following its announcement late final month, attacking Lombardo and Laxalt for his or her connections to Trump, who misplaced Nevada by roughly 2.4 factors in each 2016 and 2020.
Since Trump’s endorsement of Lombardo in April, Lombardo has, at occasions, saved a distance from the previous president. In an October debate towards Sisolak, Lombardo, requested if Trump was a “nice” president, mentioned: “I wouldn’t say nice. I feel he was a sound president.”
However quickly after the talk, Lombardo’s marketing campaign issued a press release stating, “By all measures … Trump was an awesome President.” On Saturday, he echoed that sentiment.
“We’re right here to rally for the Republican ticket. And who’s going to assist us at the moment? Who’s going to assist us? The best president, proper? Donald J. Trump,” Lombardo mentioned. “I need to thank him from the underside of my coronary heart for being right here at the moment and serving to us, serving to us obtain what we’re making an attempt to realize.”
Laxalt, who earned the endorsement of Trump in August final yr, has been a detailed ally of the previous president, serving because the Trump marketing campaign’s Nevada co-chair in 2020, and main authorized efforts to problem the election. Nevertheless, Laxalt not too long ago acknowledged that Biden is the “authentic president,” in an interview with the Las Vegas Evaluate-Journal’s editorial board.
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Attendees arrive on the “Save America” Trump marketing campaign rally in Minden, Nevada on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. (David Calvert/Nevada Unbiased)
Almost 100 attendees gathered outdoors the occasion gates as early as 4 hours earlier than the doorways opened for the “Save America” Trump rally. Chants of “Let’s Go Brandon” and a playlist that includes basic rock and nation crammed the air as folks waited to be let in.
Because the time neared for visitor audio system to ship opening remarks, the ocean of pink merchandise — that includes Trump graphics and candidate names, together with Peters, Lombardo to and Laxalt — grew to an estimated 2,000-5,000 folks, some who got here from so far as Florida. By the tip level of his speech, Trump mentioned he was talking to a crowd of 25,000 folks.
John DeCicco, a North Las Vegas resident who flew to Reno just a few days earlier than the rally, pointed to crime, immigration and voting integrity as his high points throughout an interview with The Nevada Unbiased. He recognized himself as a supporter of Reno lawyer Joey Gilbert, who completed second within the Republican major for governor.
DeCicco mentioned he believed the 2020 election was rigged, and he agreed with Gilbert’s resolution to contest the results of the first. Gilbert alleged that algorithms within the voting machines had been answerable for flipping votes, and for his loss within the election, although a choose dismissed the lawsuit discovering “no competent proof.”
“Nevada was one of many six states, and it was most likely greater than that, the place I feel the Democrats cheated,” DeCicco mentioned. “Private opinion — Democrats cannot win until they cheat.”
There is no such thing as a proof of widespread fraud in Nevada’s 2020 election. The state’s Republican secretary of state, Barbara Cegavske, additionally discovered no “evidentiary help” for claims of large fraud alleged by state Republicans following a assessment of these claims in 2021.
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Attendee David Entriken, an electrician who traveled to the occasion from Jamestown, California, expressed help for the message of the “Save America” rally.
“Our nation is damaged. We obtained to repair it,” he mentioned.
Not all attendees had been energized in regards to the Nevada slate, although. When requested about his opinion of Lombardo, Steve Machutta, a Reno resident, mentioned, “We’re form of on the fence … we thought we may have executed higher than him.” However Machutta nonetheless plans to vote for Lombardo, including that he hopes for “something higher than what we’ve got now.”
Nevada’s top-of-the-ticket races for governor and Senate are each thought-about “toss-ups.” Current polling on the races reveals the respective Democratic and Republican candidates in tight, virtually lifeless even races.
Attendees wave indicators throughout a “Save America” Trump marketing campaign rally in Minden, Nevada on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. (David Calvert/Nevada Unbiased)
Target confirmed that it won’t be carrying its LGBTQ+ merchandise for Pride month this June in some stores after the discount retailer received backlash last year. Here, Pride month merchandise is displayed at a Target store in Nashville, Tenn, in May 2023.
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Target confirmed that it won’t be carrying its LGBTQ+ merchandise for Pride month this June in some stores after the discount retailer received backlash last year. Here, Pride month merchandise is displayed at a Target store in Nashville, Tenn, in May 2023.
George Walker IV/AP
Target says it will no longer sell its 2024 Pride Month collection in all of its stores following last year’s conservative backlash over its LGBTQ+-themed merchandise.
The retail giant said in a press release last week that it plans to offer its collection of products to celebrate Pride Month — including adult clothing and home decor — during the month of June both online and in “select stores,” depending on “historical sales performance.”
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In a statement to NPR, a spokesperson for the retailer says it is committed to supporting the LGBTQ+ community not only during Pride Month but year-round.
The retail giant says it will continue to offer benefits and resources for the community and its more than 400,000 employees, adding that the company will have a presence at local Pride events near its Minneapolis headquarters.
For years, Target has carried Pride-themed merchandise in its stores — including clothes, cups, champagne, accessories and even pet costumes.
But last year, the retailer faced heavy criticism after it announced plans to remove some of its Pride Month merchandise from store shelves following a backlash against the products — including threats to employees’ safety.
“Given these volatile circumstances, we are making adjustments to our plans, including removing items that have been at the center of the most significant confrontational behavior,” the retailer said in a previous statement addressing the backlash.
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At the time, when asked which items were removed and whether security was being increased at its stores, Target not respond to NPR’s inquiry.
Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson said in a statement to NPR that Target’s decision to limit its Pride Month merchandise this year is “disappointing,” saying the move “alienates LGBTQ+ individuals and allies at the risk of not only their bottom line but also their values.”
“Pride merchandise means something. LGBTQ+ people are in every zip code in this country, and we aren’t going anywhere. With LGBTQ+ people making up 30% of Gen Z, companies need to understand that community members and allies want businesses that express full-hearted support for the community. That includes visible displays of allyship.”
News of Target’s scaled-back efforts for Pride Month comes as the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security issued a warning on Friday that foreign terrorist organizations may potentially target LGBTQ+ events and venues during Pride Month in June.
The joint statement does not discuss any specific threats or intelligence suggesting that a specific event, celebration or individuals are subject to being targeted.
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The Biden administration has told Congress it plans to send a $1bn package of military aid to Israel despite US opposition to the Israeli military’s plans for a full assault on Rafah, the city in southern Gaza.
The move by the White House comes after the US paused one shipment of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel over concerns about their use in densely populated areas of Gaza, which risks further increasing the Palestinian civilian death toll.
While that step marked the first time Biden had withheld weapons in an effort to restrain Israel’s military conduct since the war with Hamas began in October, the $1bn package in the works shows that Washington is not seeking to restrict its arms supply to Israel more broadly.
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The signal from the Biden administration that it wanted to proceed with the $1bn weapons package was conveyed this week, according to a congressional aide. It is expected to include mostly tank ammunition and tactical vehicles.
“We are continuing to send military assistance, and we will ensure that Israel receives the full amount provided in the supplemental,” Jake Sullivan, Biden’s national security adviser, told reporters on Monday, referring to $95bn foreign security aid bill for Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific enacted last month.
“Arms transfers are proceeding as scheduled,” another US official said on Tuesday.
The state department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Wall Street Journal first reported the Biden administration’s plans for a new $1bn weapons transfer to Israel.
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Biden decided to freeze the transfer of some of its most lethal bombs as it sought to deter the Israel Defense Forces from a full assault on Rafah, the city in southern Gaza where more than 1mn Palestinians are estimated to be sheltering. The US is also seeking to finalise a temporary ceasefire deal and secure the release of hostages held by Hamas.
The state department last week warned that US-made weapons might have been used in the conflict in a way that violated humanitarian rights.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reacted with defiance to Biden’s arms suspension, saying Israel would “stand alone” in the absence of support form the US, its closest ally.
While some Democrats were relieved to see Biden make more aggressive use of US leverage over Israel, the president also faced a backlash from lawmakers within his party who were upset about the move, including Jacky Rosen, the Nevada senator, and John Fetterman, the Pennsylvania senator.
Rosen said the US needed to provide Israel with “unconditional security assistance”.
West Virginia voters chose their nominees in primaries with the key posts of governor and a U.S. Senate seat coming open.
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West Virginia voters chose their nominees in primaries with the key posts of governor and a U.S. Senate seat coming open.
Jack Walker/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
After a campaign focused on national culture war issues, West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey won the state’s Republican nomination for governor, according to a race call by The Associated Press.
In a state that voted heavily for Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020, Morrisey will start as the frontrunner for the November election. He’ll face the one contender in the Democratic primary, Steve Williams, who’s in his third term as the mayor of Huntington. Unopposed in the Democratic primary, Williams has been able to wait and focus his efforts on the upcoming general election.
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They’re seeking to replace Republican Gov. Jim Justice, who has reached his two-term limit on that office.
Meanwhile Justice, according to the AP, won an expected victory in the GOP primary for the nomination to replace Democratic U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, who is retiring. Justice, owner of a vast array of businesses and son of a coal magnate, is the dominant figure in the state’s politics and was endorsed by Trump. As governor, he has helped pass income tax cuts and a near-total ban on abortion.
He’ll start as a likely favorite against Democrat Glenn Elliott, the mayor of Wheeling, who the AP called as the winner of that party’s primary. With the Democratic Sen. Manchin leaving, the race could be key in determining whether Republicans can take control of the Senate.
In the Republican primary for a U.S. House seat, incumbent Carol Miller has defeated Derrick Evans, according to the AP. Evans served three months in prison on a civil disorder charge for participation in the storming of the U.S. Capitol building Jan. 6, 2021. He was a delegate to the West Virginia House at the time.
The new GOP gubernatorial nominee, Morrisey, was elected attorney general in 2012 and used the office to spearhead lawsuits against federal policies from the Obama and Biden administrations. He recently led other state attorneys general in suing to block rules by the Environmental Protection Agency requiring cuts in emissions from coal and gas-fueled power plants.
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Much of the primary campaign saw the candidates for the GOP nomination competing for who was the more conservative and the biggest Trump supporter. They touted their support for the state’s coal industry, backing fossil fuels as still key to the U.S. energy supply as the country transitions to renewable sources. But much of the media campaigning was focused on their opposition to transgender rights.
“Because our candidates don’t have a lot, frankly, of policy alternatives they want to talk about, it’s easier to play the culture wars game and to gin up fear,” said Marybeth Beller, associate professor of political science at West Virginia’s Marshall University.
Though he grew up in New Jersey and moved to West Virginia in 2006, Morrisey beat contenders with deeper ties to the state’s political establishment. Moore Capito, a former delegate to the West Virginia Legislature, was on track to come in second. He is the son of U.S. Senator Shelley Capito and grandson of late Gov. Arch Moore. He was backed by Gov. Justice.
Another contender was auto dealership owner Chris Miller, who’s mother is U.S. Rep. Carol Miller. The other candidate was current Secretary of State Mac Warner.
Randy Yohe covers state government for West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
