Trump supporters turn out early for Costa Mesa rally
More than a thousand supporters of front-running Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump descended on the Orange County fairgrounds Thursday afternoon, hours in advance of the billionaire businessman’s scheduled appearance inside the Pacific Amphitheatre.
Many of them wore Trump hats and T-shirts with the candidate’s “Make America Great Again” slogan, as well as various apparel featuring the American flag.
Inside the amphitheater, which opened about 4 p.m. for people attending the scheduled 7 p.m. rally, one sign called Trump “patriotically correct.”
A crowd of supporters briefly chanted “Build that wall,” referring to their belief that the U.S.-Mexico border should have a more robust barrier to stem the tide of undocumented immigrants entering the United States.
One man, referring to the Democrats’ presidential front-runner, Hillary Clinton, wore a shirt declaring “Hillary for prison 2016.” Another Trump supporter put Trump’s face on an image of World War II icon Rosie the Riveter on a shirt that read “Build a wall 2016.”
T.J. Sleboda of Oceanside was in line outside the amphitheater with his two children to support Trump, whom he called “a breath of fresh air that we need in politics because he’s a non-politician who’s gonna shake things up.”
For Sleboda, illegal immigration in California is a particular problem.
“Everyone else is ignoring it,” he said, adding that if Trump becomes president, “we can finally address the shadow population that we have.”
Sleboda’s 12-year-old son, Sean, said he supports the GOP candidate because of his education policies.
Sean said he doesn’t like Common Core and that Trump, who has vowed to eliminate it, would implement changes allowing him to take math classes that would keep him competitive when he grows up. Common Core is a set of standards that details what K-12 students should know in English language arts and math at the end of each grade.
Henry Mendoza of Orange walked near the amphitheater entrance selling handmade art and Trump buttons for his business, Jaboniez.
Mendoza said he likes how the New York real estate development magnate touts a need for American companies to stop outsourcing work abroad and that the White House needs a true businessman at its helm.
Dozens of extra law enforcement officers were assigned to patrol the fairgrounds area in anticipation of large crowds attending the rally.
About 50 Orange County sheriff’s deputies were expected to be present, in addition to 12 Costa Mesa police officers, said Costa Mesa city spokesman Tony Dodero.
The city’s Emergency Operations Center, across the street from the fairgrounds and the amphitheater, also was to be activated, Dodero said.
“We’re prepared for the worst, we’re hoping for the best,” Dodero added. “Our hope is that the event is successful and everyone acts accordingly.”
A protest organized by Orange County Democrats is planned for near the fairgrounds and Costa Mesa City Hall, off Fair Drive. Trump’s opponents have accused him of bigotry for some of his comments about immigrants.
In what may have been the first anti-Trump act of the day, around 2:30 p.m., Frank Farldow, who lives near the Pacific Amphitheatre in the Monticello condominium complex, played “FDT,” a rap song whose title is an abbreviation for an expletive aimed at Trump. The song, by YG and Nipsey Hussle, blasted from Farldow’s car, which was parked in his garage off Vanguard Way.
He said he might attend the protest.
“Hatred and discrimination are not for a man trying out for … running the country,” Farldow said.
The rally is expected to kick off Trump’s campaign in California. The state’s 172 delegates are the biggest prize in the race for the Republican nomination.
