ST. CLOUD, Minn. – The Trump-Vance team could not have chosen a much friendlier place than Minnesota’s Sixth Congressional District for their first joint rally in the state. MN-6 is solidly red territory. It’s home to right-wing Congressman Tom emmer and before him Michele Bachmann. In Stearns County, whose county seat is St. Cloud, Trump led in the 2016 presidential election by 22 points and in 2020 by 13 points. His Saturday rally was expected to the Herb Brooks Hockey Arena at full capacity – 5,100 seats. Fans came from near and far. Hotels were booked full in the city and the outskirts. A WCCO news reporter found two sisters, Kelly and Cassidy Baatz, who drove 3-1/2 hours from Crookston and camped out overnight to be first in line. By 9 a.m. supporters were lined around the block. It was a hot wait – 90 degrees and humid.
The stump circuit
Trump flew jn from a rally in from Tennessee. Vance was driven 60 miles from Minneapolis. He had been at a Minneapolis event at which he raised $50,000. Major donors had their pictures taken with him