In an unexpected move, former President Donald Trump held a rally in New York City’s South Bronx on Thursday evening. Addressing a crowd in Crotona Park, Trump aimed to catch people’s attention by campaigning in one of the nation’s bluest areas; his speech harped on crime, immigration, and the economy.
“I’m thrilled to be back in the city I grew up in, the city I spent my life in, the city I helped build and the city that we all love,” Trump declared to an exuberant crowd. Trump’s brand of politics has historically found little traction in the neighborhood, yet tonight it seemed packed with his supporters. With the 2024 presidential election looming, Trump is betting on making inroads with minority communities traditionally aligned with the Democratic Party, but it’s difficult to see that playing out to any significant degree throughout the Empire State. Trump could be potentially using the news of a Bronx rally to appeal to the broader American Black and Latino populations.
Trump’s rally is his first in New York City since 2016, and though the odds may be stacked against him–given the long-established record of going blue–the former President can’t help but issue the challenge.”Who said we’re not going to win New York?” Trump asked the crowd. The last time New York voted for a Republican candidate was in 1984 when Ronald Reagan was elected.
Central to Trump’s pitch was the claim that illegal immigration and economic policies under President Joe Biden have disproportionately harmed minority communities. “The biggest negative impact is against our Black population and our Hispanic population,” Trump stated, drawing cheers from the crowd when he promised to initiate a massive deportation campaign if elected.
Despite the supportive crowd at Crotona Park, the Bronx community remains largely resistant to Trump’s message. Democratic Rep. Ritchie Torres, who represents the area, dismissed Trump’s visit as a delusional quest. “Donald Trump is not going to win the Bronx. He’s less popular than the Mets and the Boston Red Sox,” Torres quipped, highlighting the deep-seated opposition Trump faces in the borough.
The rally also attracted significant protests. Sherine King, a Bronx resident and former counselor for incarcerated youth, summarized the local sentiment: “He isn’t the type to have a conversation. Trump gives orders like he’s speaking to children, but he’s the child who throws tantrums.”
Nonetheless, Trump’s campaign sees potential in the shifting dynamics of voter sentiment. Recent polls indicate that Trump has made modest gains among Latino voters, a demographic that could prove pivotal in swing states. A Siena College poll showed Biden leading Trump in New York by only nine points, a significant narrowing from the 23-point margin in 2020.
Local Democratic legislators and activists quickly mobilized counter-rallies, attempting to remind attendees of Trump’s controversial past and policies. Democratic Assemblywoman Amanda Septimo stated, “People will not stand by as Donald Trump tries to distort what our community and its residents represent. Instead, we will come together and tell our own story.”
Trump’s rally in the Bronx, while unlikely to flip the borough or even the state, illustrates a bold strategy aimed at chipping away at the Democratic stronghold and possibly influencing the broader electoral landscape. Whether this approach will pay off in the long run remains uncertain.
