COLORADO SPRINGS – Republican Donald Trump made his first official campaign stop in Colorado on Friday, attempting to win a state that shunned him on the national stage.
The colorful presidential candidate held an event in Colorado Springs – which Trump referred to as an “intimate gathering” – ahead of another stop in Denver on Friday evening.
“I’m taking the gloves off,” Trump said to cheers, taking aim at his opponent, Democrat Hillary Clinton. “Trump is going to be no more Mr. Nice Guy.”
He spoke to an audience of about 1,500 inside the Gallogly Events Center on the University of Colorado campus. Another 1,000 people were escorted to an overflow room, while thousands more were turned away.
Trump launched a battle with the fire marshal, claiming he “must be a Hillary supporter” because the marshal would not allow additional people in because of capacity concerns.
Outside the event, a small group of left-leaning protesters held signs that read, “Love trumps hate” and “traitor Trump!” The group stood off to the side of Trump supporters – many dressed in clothing adorned with American flags – who wrapped around several blocks as they attempted to make it into the event.
For Trump, Colorado has been a tricky state to calculate.
The state Republican Party awarded all of its delegates to Ted Cruz at the April state convention. At the Republican National Convention last week, Colorado delegates attempted a coup against Trump and gave 31 votes to Cruz, who had suspended his campaign. Trump received only four of the delegate votes.
“Colorado is very important,” Trump said repeatedly. “I’ll be back here so many times you’ll be sick of me.”
He offered meandering remarks that were delivered without the help of a teleprompter, something that Trump pointed to at the start of his remarks and appeared proud of.
He attacked the media, claimed he would attract Bernie Sanders supporters, criticized the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal for not addressing currency manipulation and hit familiar notes, such as building a wall to curb illegal immigration.
But it was Clinton who received the brunt of his anger.
“I’m running against a crooked person; I’m running against a dishonest person,” Trump said. “How do you lie to the FBI and now you’re running for president?”
His attacks resulted in boisterous cheers from the audience, which began chanting, “Lock her up!” and “Build the wall.”
The Clinton campaign in Colorado held a conference call with reporters Friday in anticipation of Trump’s events. The thrust of the call was highlighting why Trump is “dangerous for our national security.”
“My biggest concern is the well-being of my fellow veterans and current servicemen and women,” said Staff Sgt. Michael Perez of Colorado Springs, who served in the Army and was deployed twice overseas. “If Trump is so easily baited into a Twitter war with people who criticize him, then what happens when someone criticizes him on the world stage? He’s liable to start an actual war.”
A cast of supporters from Colorado came to Trump’s defense Friday, pushing for the evangelical and gun-rights votes in the Centennial State.
U.S. Senate candidate Darryl Glenn made what was described as a surprise appearance after several in the audience began chanting “Darryl! Darryl! Darryl!” Glenn is facing an uphill battle against incumbent Democrat Michael Bennet this fall.
“This is an historic election,” Glenn told the crowd. “We all need to understand, like I keep telling everybody, this is not about black America, white America or brown America. This is about the United States of America, and all lives matter!”
Jeff Crank, a conservative talk radio host in Colorado, said if Coloradans support gun rights, law enforcement, the military and an end to political correctness, then they’ll vote for Trump. He said only Trump can unite the nation.
“They profit politically from division in America,” Crank said of Democrats. “They like to divide us by race, they like to divide us by religion, by age, by sex – by every possible way they can. Democrats don’t win politically when Americans are united.”
pmarcus@durangoherald.com
