COUNCIL BLUFFS — Former President Donald Trump took the stage at a campaign event in Council Bluffs Friday to loud cheers from a crowd heavy with Nebraskans.
The event, which was billed as “remarks,†rather than a rally, drew more than 1,000 people to the Mid-America Center, enough to overflow the room.
Several people watched through the open doors as Trump fired up the audience with a wide-ranging speech. His talk ranged from the achievements of his term in office to making fun of his opponents, along with warnings about the decline of America.
“We are approaching the most important battle of our lives,†he said, adding later: “If we don’t win this election, we won’t have a country.â€
Trump spoke following an agriculture policy panel discussion. The panel featured Matt Whitaker, who was acting attorney general for three months under Trump, and Justin Schultz, a staffer with the national Renewable Fuels Association.
The event is part of the Trump campaign’s week-long celebration of Independence Day, which began with a rally in Pickens, South Carolina, on Saturday and smaller events in that state and in New Hampshire.
Along with Iowa, those states lead off the Republican primary and caucus calendar for 2024. Iowa will be the first state decided, with a caucus on Jan. 15. The Nebraska primary, on May 14, is near the end of the line.
Steady rain leading up to the event put a damper on the Nebraska Freedom Coalition’s plans to hold a tailgate outside of the arena, but didn’t stop hundreds of people from standing in line to enter.
Trump has made previous campaign stops in Iowa since announcing his campaign on Nov. 15 last year. He canceled a May 13 rally in Des Moines because of tornado threats.
Trump faces more than a dozen other declared candidates for the GOP nomination. Of those, Politico ranked four as favorites or contenders, although none has come close to Trump in the polls. The four include former Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and former Vice President Mike Pence.
Pence spent Independence Day in Iowa. The following day, he faced questions from a voter about his role in certifying the election results on Jan. 6, 2021.
The voter asked if he had second thoughts about refusing to go along with Trump’s contention that he could have rejected some states’ votes and changed the election outcome. Pence responded that Trump was wrong that day about his authority and “he’s still wrong.â€
Photos: Former President Trump speaks at the MidAmerica Center