Donald Trump continues his counterprogramming to the Democratic convention with a visit to Michigan, his first since a shakeup in the race altered the playing field in the Midwest battleground. His campaign initially projected confidence in the Wolverine State, highlighting it as a potential state to turn from blue to red in November. Trump’s visit to Grand Rapids following an attempt on his life showcased his poking fun at the Democratic anxieties surrounding their ticket, particularly towards President Joe Biden.
However, with Biden dropping out of the race and Vice President Kamala Harris becoming his opponent, the political landscape in Michigan shifted. Polls that previously showed Trump with an advantage now predict a more competitive race, with Harris leading Trump in recent surveys. Despite this, Trump has been unwilling to accept his changing fortunes in Michigan, spreading conspiracy theories about Harris to his supporters.
Against this backdrop, Trump arrives in Livingston County, an hour outside Detroit, which mostly voted for Biden in 2020. Livingston County broke strongly for Trump in the past, giving him over 60% of the vote in 2016. However, small shifts against him in this county and others contributed to Biden flipping the state. Harris’ campaign criticized Trump for choosing Howell, the largest city in Livingston County, as the location for his rally, just a month after a white supremacist march occurred there.
Howell has a long history with race-related incidents, including Klan activity in the 1960s and ’80s, as well as racist social media messages from high school students more recently. The Harris campaign pointed to Trump’s past actions and rhetoric as encouraging such behavior in his supporters. Despite this, Trump’s spokesperson emphasized that the former president’s message in Howell would be focused on law and order, condemning crime, violence, and hate in any form.
While Howell’s history with racism did not prevent Biden from visiting in 2021, the Trump campaign defended their choice of location, citing the county sheriff’s support for the former president and the city’s importance in the Detroit media market. Trump’s visit to Michigan is part of a larger swing through key battleground states, including Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Arizona, as Democrats convene in Chicago for their convention. Despite the shifts in Michigan’s political landscape, Trump remains committed to appealing to his base in these crucial states ahead of the upcoming election.
