VANDALIA, Ohio — Ahead of the midterm elections, former president Donald Trump made Vandalia his final campaign stop as he pushed for a 2022 red wave.
There he found an energetic crowd, made up of conservatives from across the state, turning up to prove to the former president and the country that Ohio conservatives are still in Trump’s corner.
Kailey Herschman, 19, arrived Monday morning, hours before the event began with a group of friends from college. The self-described Trump supporter from the start was eager to find a group of like-minded people with whom she can discuss the issues that matter most to her, curbing inflation, improving U.S. oil production and making abortion illegal nationwide.
“It makes me feel very safe, and I really am enjoying it so far,” she said as she made her way through the ground.
While in the minority as a young voter, Herschman believes there are many her age who share her values, though they may be afraid to voice them.
“It’s about freedom of speech and we need to listen,” she said. “We don’t need to agree, but we need to listen.”
Other attendees echoed her concerns, not only on the economy, but many also expressed feeling silenced and overlooked with Democrats in control of both the House and Senate as well as the White House.
“We pay tons and tons of taxes,” Michael Brown, a first-time rally attendee from Greene County. “We have no idea what they’re spending it on.”
Brown said he didn’t come to the rally to make up his mind about who to vote for. He already cast his ballot for Republicans. On Monday, he wanted to hear what those candidates would do, if they take the House and Senate, to improve the economy and get the country working again.
“I want to see them get rid of the welfare — all this welfare all this giveaway programs, and get people back to working,” he said. “I know there’s people that do need it — I’m OK with that, but people that are healthy and can work. I want them to have to work.”
Sharon Mott from Piqua agreed, though she doesn’t expect a red wave to change the country overnight. She said a win for Republicans on Tuesday will prove a lot about what the country believes, but the turnout at Ohio’s rally said more about where local conservatives stand, and overwhelmingly, she said they stand with former president Trump.
“Most of the conservatives are with him and do value his views,” she said.
As she entered the rally surrounded by hundreds of like-minded Ohioans, Mott said she’s optimistic, not only for Tuesday’s results, but the potential outcome of a 2024 Trump run.
“It’s about hope for our future and our children’s future and our grandchildren’s future,” she said.