Former President Donald Trump’s rally in Aurora, Colorado—where he is expected to refocus his talking points on immigration—has sold out, according to his campaign website.
The rally, taking place at a convention center, is Trump’s first visit to Colorado this campaign. As a safe blue state with only 10 Electoral College votes, it is not a traditional destination for a Republican campaign with less than a month to go before the election.
However, the city of Aurora is a chance for the former president to hit home on his most successful issue; immigration.
Newsweek has emailed the Trump campaign for comment.
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During his first and only debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump highlighted the town alongside Springfield, Ohio, as areas that had been damaged by unchecked immigration.
Trump’s other rallies and events have consistently sold out before, but this is the first of its kind in Colorado. Harris currently has a 10-point lead in the Centennial State, which hasn’t voted for a Republican since George Bush in 2004. Even in 2016, it didn’t go to Trump.
But while the state itself might be solidly blue, the city of Aurora currently has a Republican mayor, Mike Coffman, who has welcomed Trump’s visit to the city. Coffman ran on a platform of dealing with Venezuelan gangs in the city, which is part of the reason why immigration to the city reached national attention.
Coffman previously told Newsweek that immigration concerns had been blown out of proportion, and that he hoped the visit would be a chance to put an end to exaggerations.
Where Is Today’s Event?
Trump’s rally in Aurora today is being held at the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center. The venue has a capacity of 10,000 people for its largest reception.
What Time Is the Event?
According to Trump’s campaign website, the event will open doors at 9 a.m., with the event starting shortly after. The former president is expected to appear at 1 p.m.
Where Will the Event Be Aired?
The event will be streamed live on Trump’s official YouTube channel. You can also watch the embedded version here.
The Trump campaign is also likely to use clips from the rally in political ads for the rest of the campaign.
Why Does This Event Matter?
While Colorado is a safe blue state with 10 Electoral College votes, Trump isn’t visiting it in order to swing it into his column for November.
During his first and only debate with Harris, Trump referred to the city of Aurora, alongside Springfield, as two areas of the U.S. that were suffering due to Democratic immigration policies.
His visit to Aurora is a chance to appeal to his base and focus on a core election issue, immigration—one that he has repeatedly looked strong with and led Kamala Harris on.
What Are the Issues To Look Out For?
Trump will very likely make reference to immigration, both in the context of Aurora and nationally. Nearby states Arizona and Nevada, which are both swing states, are close to the border with Mexico, so immigration is a key topic for voters there.
Trump has also made frequent jabs at the federal government’s response to the hurricanes in the south, which are also likely to be repeated at this rally.
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