Lines were long, but moods were high as supporters of former President Donald Trump gathered Saturday to wait for shuttle buses to take them — at least the lucky ones — to see his rally.
Many decked out their cars and themselves with Trump regalia as they waited at the Riverside County Fairgrounds, one of three parking locations set up for the event. Some chanted, “We want Trump.”
Nathan Meyer’s army truck had signs on it saying “Trump Low Taxes, Kamala High Taxes” and “Reclaim America.” Other supporters stopped by for photos of it on their way to the shuttles.
Meyer, who drove in from Vista, said it was his first time at a Trump rally, and he was glad to have one in California.
“We support American freedom,” he said. “We support pulling America back from the brink of destruction, which is the current path that it’s on.”
Emma Hernandez, who traveled three hours from Reseda, said she’s supported Trump since 2016 and said it felt like a dream for him to be in California.
“We are so happy, because he (has) people in California that we support him and we love him and we are praying for him,” she said.
Kyle Morrissey, a Garden Grove resident, was one of many in line to get on the shuttles to Trump’s rally. He was holding a painting he made depicting Trump raising a fist to the crowd in Butler, Pa., after the July assassination attempt on the former president.
Morrissey said he thinks the artwork is powerful and was hoping Trump would see it.
Speaking about the Republican former president holding a rally in largely Democratic California, he said: “Normally you wouldn’t think that he would, but the way things are going, anything’s possible, you know? Hopefully voting changes in California.”
Heat was ‘worth it’
On a day where temperatures hovered around 100 degrees at times, people coped with the heat as best they could.
Skylar Fournier brought frozen wipes to keep herself, her toddler and her 1-month-old baby cool, plus coloring books and crayons to keep the older child entertained. Fournier and her children, who came about two hours from their home in the Boulevard community in eastern San Diego County, wore matching American flag ribbons in their hair.
“I have sunscreen on the kids and trying to just do our best here to make sure we’re all hydrated and staying cool,” she said.
Karen Breitfeller of Cathedral City, who was decked out in a Trump hat, shirt and skirt, wasn’t bothered by the weather.
“The heat is fine. I mean, it’s worth it,” she said. “It’s worth it to be a little uncomfortable to support Trump.”
She said she supports Trump because of what she believes he’ll do about public safety and inflation and added: “This is a chance of a lifetime to actually hear a past president, hopefully, Lord willing, future president. … it’s really, it’s encouraging. It’s exciting.”
‘We have a voice, too’
Hours earlier, about 60 opponents of Trump’s campaign had gathered about three miles east in downtown Coachella to voice quite different opinions of the former president.
About 9:30 a.m. at what was billed as a “community unity gathering” in downtown Coachella, people held signs reading “Coachella Valley No Place for Hate” and “Keep CV Great Deport Trump to Moscow” on a grass patch near Coachella Veterans Memorial Park.
A figure of Trump was near the rally facing the street that read “hate,” “racism,” “KKK” and “fascism.”
The speakers included Coachella Mayor Steven Hernandez, Coachella Mayor Pro Tem Stephanie Virgen, Indio Councilmember Oscar Ortiz, President of the Democratic Women of the Desert Amalia DeAztlan, Coachella Valley Unified School District Board member Jocelyn Vargas, CVUSD president Joey Acuña and TODEC Executive Director Luz Gallegos.
Alexandra Cauhape, an Indio resident who supports Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign for president, placed a small pride flag in the Trump figure’s hands.
“I just can’t begin to explain how awful he is,” she said. “He would be such a disaster for the United States.”
Two cars passed by the rally honking and cheering with signs in support of the former president during speeches.
Matthew Maldonado of Indio said it was important people understand not all Coachella Valley residents supported Trump coming to their community.
“We’re a community of immigrants. We’re a community of Mexicans. We’re a community that’s hard-working values. Everything that the Republicans claim to be, “ he said. “So we actually embody that here, so it’s important for all of us to come here and express that to everybody else.”
Hernandez told The Desert Sun he organized the rally to let people know Democrats stand united. He said they wanted to ensure their voice wasn’t drowned out during the Trump rally, which was held in an unincorporated area west of Coachella city limits.
“We’re not intimidated, right?” Hernandez said. “We understand that the (Trump) rally’s here in our backyard, but we have a voice, too.“
Wait too long for some
Even as the afternoon went on and Trump’s scheduled 5 p.m. speaking time neared, the line for the shuttles at the fairgrounds didn’t die down.
What appeared to be 1,000 people or more were still waiting at 5 p.m. Several Riverside County sheriff’s deputies stood at the front of the line to guide people onto the buses.
Some people cut out of line after deciding they’d spent too long in the blazing sun.
Jose Galindo, a Vista resident, said the wait was worth it, even though he didn’t make it to the rally, because it showed that he cares for Trump’s policies.
“I wish I would’ve been in. I wanted to see him,” he said. “I couldn’t do it, too bad. Hopefully next time.”
