Democrats have been pleased with their efforts to keep former President Donald Trump tied to a New York courthouse and off the campaign trail. But, like most of their plots, this one backfired most spectacularly.
Trump’s announcement that he would hold a rally in the Bronx was met with indifference by the liberal media. It was a district that Biden won in 2020 by 84% to 11%, and it’s an area expected to be again dominated by Biden in 2024.
The Bronx was a Democratic stronghold before being incorporated into New York City. In the late 1800s, Democrats secured their position in the Bronx by creating a Tammany Hall-backed organization. Tammany Hall was a powerful political entity in New York City known for its influence and control over local politics, often through patronage and corrupt practices. By gaining the support of Tammany Hall, Democrats established an immovable foothold in the Bronx.
The Bronx has deep ties with radical liberalism and communism. Throughout the early twentieth century, the Liberal Party and the American Labor Party secured various local, city-wide, state, and federal seats. In the 1960s, a group of Reform Democrats arose, pushing for even more liberal policies. Jonathan (Jack) Brewster Bingham defeated Charles A. Buckley in the 1964 primary, paving the way for other Reform Democrats to gain influence in the Bronx and Washington, D.C.
The Bronx continued its slide into leftist quasi-communist views was cemented in 2018 when the borough not only elected a socialist, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, to the U.S. House of Representatives but went on to do so in 2020 and again in 2022.
Democrats shrugged off the idea that Trump would have any takers during his rally in the deep blue borough. However, that disinterest quickly turned to panic when they realized that not only did Trump draw supporters, but their numbers were in the thousands. While Trump’s permit was only 3500 people in Crotona Park, a spokesperson for the former president estimated the turnout was closer to 25.000 people.
AOC was one of the many Democrats to be caught off guard at the size and enthusiasm of the rally. She, along with other liberals, tried to downplay the event. AOC accused Trump of busing in supporters, a tactic she and her party are familiar with. Her face was plastered across liberal news media, along with her baseless accusations that the former president was relying on “out of town” supporters and was ‘struggling financially.”
She weakly attempted to counter Trump’s strong showings by criticizing his economic policies, even as more Americans have acknowledged that they were far better off economically during his presidency.
Many rally attendees mentioned crime and the economy as their main reasons for backing Trump. They claimed that life in the Bronx was better during Trump’s administration, with lower crime rates and a stronger economy. It’s becoming an increasingly difficult challenge for Democrats to overcome, and this perception is driving increased support for Trump in areas facing economic difficulties and high crime rates.
Attendees also voiced their frustration over the management of the migrant crisis. They raised concerns about illegal immigrants receiving preferential treatment over homeless veterans and other vulnerable American citizens. Many attendees believed that Trump’s policies provided a more effective solution to these challenges than Biden’s.
Trump’s rally disproved the theory that Republicans were white, middle-aged, gun-toting males. Black and Latino voters, young and old, male and female – all were represented in the enthusiastic audience. Unlike the divisive rhetoric used by Biden as he panders to voters, speakers at Trump’s event stressed the importance of solidarity among diverse communities to protect the nation from an ever more controlling government that is quietly eroding citizens’ rights. This plea for unity deeply resonated with the audience, who cheered and proudly waved their MAGA flags.
It’s the latest warning sign for Democrats that their grip on New York may be loosening. In 2022, after only one year under Biden’s presidency, New York saw significant shifts in House seats from blue to red. Key victories included a Republican newcomer winning over a Democratic incumbent in the Bronx, a “red wave” on Long Island where Republicans swept all four previously held House seats, and GOP successes in local elections in Nassau and Suffolk Counties.
Democrats now worry that Trump will organize similar gatherings in traditionally blue territories. Given the success of the Bronx event and Trump’s enormous ego, their concerns appear warranted. Thanks to the left’s lawfare tactics keeping him in New York, Trump had a taste of red victory in a blue state. Now, he may be motivated to venture into previously unthinkable Democratic strongholds – and win.
