Fans of the Republican presidential nominee could get their only chance to see him in Colorado ahead of the election. That is if they can make it through the expected crowds to secure a spot for the speech.
Party officials are warning people who hope to attend today’s rally by former President Donald Trump to expect a long and logistically challenging day, and have urged them to avoid any conflicts with protesters.
Trump is speaking at Gaylord Rockies Resort and Convention Center on the outskirts of Aurora, making good on an earlier promise to visit the city that his campaign has labeled a “war zone.”
In recent weeks Trump has repeatedly name-checked Aurora at speeches and on the debate stage; he’s amplified claims that a Venezuelan gang has taken over apartment buildings in the city, a situation that elected Republican leaders on the ground have said has been overblown and is being dealt with by local and federal law enforcement.
Aurora mayor Mike Coffman, a Republican and long-time Trump critic, told Denverite he hoped Trump would take the time to tour the city.
Coffman’s message to Trump? “I'm excited for you to come here so I could show you that the narrative that is being presented nationally about this city isn't true, that there are no apartment complexes under gang control, that the city's not under gang control, Venezuelan gang control.”
As of Tuesday, Coffman said he had no idea if Trump would take him up on his offer. The Gaylord Resort is around 15 miles away from the apartment buildings at the center of the gang takeover claims.
When Trump first said at a rally in Uniondale, New York, that he would visit Aurora and Springfield, Ohio, another place that’s been at the center of false rumors about noncitizens, he joked about it being potentially dangerous.
“You may never see me again, but that’s okay. I gotta do what I gotta do,” Trump told the crowd.
In its press release announcing the visit, the Trump campaign also highlighted nearby Denver as a “sanctuary city,” which it claimed is “buckling under the strain of illegal immigrants.” In recent months, Denver has changed its approach, ending long-term sheltering for new immigrants and instead enrolling hundreds of them in job training.
Republican Congresswoman Lauren Boebert is among those expected to speak at the rally. She is a vocal supporter of the former president’s immigration policies. However, some other local Republicans have been critical of Trump and continue to push back against his characterizations of Aurora and the Denver metro region.
Big crowds are expected in this blue state
Colorado handily backed President Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election and is not a swing state this year. For a lot of Trump supporters in the region, the rally is a surprising opportunity to see their candidate just weeks before Election Day.
State party officials urged people to come prepared for a long day, with snacks, water and chairs but no backpacks.
“You should arrive as early as possible and plan to stand in line most of the day. We are hearing that many people will start lining up on Thursday night, so again … you cannot arrive too early,” party leaders said in an email to their members.
Colorado Republicans noted there will be no general onsite parking at the Gaylord, but shuttles will run from parking lots within a few miles of the venue.
“In the event the shuttles are full, you may need to walk a long distance to the hotel,” they warned. Handicap parking will also be extremely limited.
Meanwhile, ahead of Trump’s remarks, Democratic leaders will hold their own press conference where they promised to “hold Trump accountable for spreading misinformation about the Aurora community.” They also plan to revisit the bipartisan border deal Trump helped squelch earlier this year.
Gov. Jared Polis, Sen. John Hickenlooper and Reps, Jason Crow and Diana Degette are all scheduled to speak.
While the state is not in play at the presidential level, the 8th Congressional District, just north of Aurora, is a tossup seat, making it one of the top races in the country that will help determine control of Congress. Both candidates have spoken about immigration as they try to win over their voters.
