Crowds of supporters surged around Wrightsville Beach native daughter Lara Trump, snapping photos and exchanging greetings with the daughter-in-law of Republican presidential candidate Donald J. Trump on Monday evening.
Though about an hour delayed, the crowd waited for the campaign tour bus, where Trump and other campaign representatives greeted supporters for about an hour in the Seapath Tower parking lot. In addition to Trump, the daughter of Wrightsville Beach residents Robert and Linda Yunaska, the “Women for Trump” bus carried Fayetteville-based online video bloggers “Diamond and Silk,” and local U.S. Rep. David Rouzer, R, also came to greet supporters.
“It always impresses me to see the crowds and experience their enthusiasm,” Trump said. “It speaks to the movement behind my father-in-law.”
The bus stop drew an energetic reaction from the crowd, as supporters took group pictures of themselves in front of the the tour bus painted with the candidates pictures. Passing motorists also took notice of the bus, which was parked on Causeway Drive, with both supporters and opponents expressing their opinions through their cars’ horns.
Scores of supporters, including at least a dozen from the University of North Carolina Wilmington College Republicans, ate hot dogs and chocolate candy while they waited for the bus. But the scene also brought in curiosity seekers, like a foursome of UNCW students who noticed the bus while driving by and stopped. They got hats, t-shirts and stickers, but did not know who Lara Trump was until told by attendees. Still, they said the experience was surprisingly exciting.
“We saw this magnificent bus and we didn’t even slow down pulling in here. We left tire marks,” said UNCW student Cole Pearson, there with friends Billy Donohue, Steven Smith and Nick Pianovich.
The enthusiasm is something Rouzer described from his attendance of Trump rallies throughout the 7th Congressional District, which includes much of New Hanover County.
“There’s a lot of energy on the ground for Trump,” Rouzer said, he forecast his district would overwhelmingly support Trump, and that he would win the state by three or four percentage points.
Some of that ground energy comes from Brandon Panameno, a UNCW College Republican who held a sign for Trump by Causeway Drive before the event. He’s also phone banked and knocked on doors in the swing state election for candidate Trump. Having the chance to meet Lara Trump served as a reward for his efforts, he said.
“It was exciting, getting the chance to meet people that work so closely with the campaign,” Panameno said.
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