The Republican candidate for the U.S. presidency will soon appear in Michigan’s battleground state with his newly announced running mate, marking their first joint appearance since they were officially nominated at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
This rally with Ohio Senator JD Vance will be the pair’s initial event together since Trump points out Vance as his vice presidential pick. The event will follow Trump’s high-profile speech urging national unity after a violent incident on July 13 in Pennsylvania, which resulted in a serious injury to Trump and a fatality among the crowd.
Joe Biden – President of the US
During his extensive 93-minute speech, Trump emphasized his commitment to serving the entire country, not just a portion of it. He underscored that true success lies in winning the support of all Americans.
Michigan remains a pivotal swing state likely to influence the outcome of the upcoming presidential election. In 2016, Trump won Michigan by a slim margin of just over 10,000 votes. However, Democrat Joe Biden reversed this in 2020 with a decisive victory of 154,000 votes.
With Vance at his side, Trump will address supporters in Grand Rapids, a city that has shifted from its traditionally Republican stance to lean more Democratic in recent elections. Trump’s selection of Vance is aimed at appealing to voters in key Rust Belt states such as Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Ohio—regions crucial to his 2016 win.
In his convention acceptance speech, Vance highlighted his humble beginnings in small-town Ohio and vowed to advocate for working-class individuals affected by job losses and military deployments.
Recent electoral trends in Michigan have favored Democrats, but current Republican strategies are focused on capitalizing on divisions within the Democratic Party over President Biden’s candidacy. Biden, who recently appeared in Detroit, is currently isolating at his Delaware beach home after testing positive for Covid-19.
Grand Rapids, the largest city in Kent County, was a battleground in 2016, with Trump winning three Michigan counties that Biden managed to flip in 2020. This area was also a stronghold for Nikki Haley in the Republican primary earlier this year, attracting attention from both major campaigns.
Democrat Hillary Scholten, a U.S. representative from Grand Rapids, is among those calling for Biden to withdraw from the race following a poorly received debate performance.
