WILKES-BARRE, PA — Michelle Kessler from Virginia pointed at the long line winding through the parking lot as supporters gathered for Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday. She firmly stated that Kamala Harris has not diminished the lead Trump once had in the race, despite various polls suggesting otherwise.

“I don’t buy it for a second,” Kessler remarked while donning a pink MAGA hat and a “Women for Trump” shirt. “Just look around! Trump has significant support. Harris does not.”

Many other attendees echoed her thoughts, downplaying polls that indicate Harris is gaining traction and expressing confidence that Trump is still leading the race.

However, some attendees voiced their concerns.

“It’s close,” said Jim Otto from Nazareth, Pennsylvania, who expressed unease that Harris’s ability to connect with voters might be providing her with an advantage.

The atmosphere among Trump supporters at the rally was a mix of feelings as the race has shifted in the past month, showing Harris making gains both nationally and in critical swing states.

There was frustration with what they see as a Democratic candidate who is avoiding interaction with the media and evading tough questions. There were also apprehensions that the race may not be the easy win it once appeared to be, alongside some denial regarding Trump’s difficulties against a new rival.

Within the rally crowd, many are reluctant to accept the shifting dynamics of the contest, while others remain hopeful for Trump’s success but are increasingly anxious for him to take steps to counter Harris’s momentum, especially with the Democratic National Convention approaching.

Some attendees reflected the concerns of prominent GOP leaders regarding Trump’s focus and messaging. They want him to emphasize the practical issues that matter to them, primarily inflation. Conversely, others stated that Trump’s pointed remarks towards his opponents are part of his charm.

This week, Trump will undertake efforts to counter Harris’s momentum by campaigning across swing states, holding daily public appearances while his team organizes events to counter the Democratic convention in Chicago. Recently, he has increased his campaign efforts with more rallies and focused media appearances.

The Trump campaign is facing challenges in defining Harris, and some of his most passionate supporters are anxious that the 2024 election may mirror the narrow loss he experienced in 2020.

“Joe Biden narrowly beat him four years ago, and it feels like Kamala is doing something similar,” expressed Lewis Yost, a retired corrections officer who came from Lockwood, New York, to attend the rally. “History often repeats itself if lessons aren’t learned.”

Trump Hits the Campaign Trail

As Trump geared up to address voters in Wilkes-Barre, he and his team devised strategies to counter the activities at the Democratic convention and to mitigate Harris’s advantage as she enjoys her official nomination for the presidency.

Trump’s team anticipates that Harris will gain support in the polls following the upcoming convention, a trend that typically occurs for major party nominees, and they are actively seeking ways to counteract this as the election approaches its final months.

Trump, along with vice presidential candidate JD Vance and other campaign officials, will organize a series of anti-Harris events in important battleground states such as Pennsylvania, Georgia, Arizona, Nevada, Michigan, Wisconsin, and North Carolina. The former president plans to campaign every weekday.

In the month following Biden’s exit from the race, Harris has managed to close the gap that Trump had established after his debate performance against the incumbent president on June 27.

Trump’s team indicated they anticipated Harris’s rise, referencing a July 23 memo from pollster Tony Fabrizio that suggested Harris would enjoy a prolonged “honeymoon” phase leading up to and during the Democratic convention.

The memo indicated that changing candidates “DOES NOT alleviate voter dissatisfaction regarding the economy, inflation, crime, the open border (and) housing costs,” alongside “concerns over two foreign conflicts” – topics that Trump is expected to focus on in his strategy next week.

Fabrizio later noted, “Harris’ initial grace period will conclude, leading voters to reassess her role as Biden’s counterpart.”

In his effort to influence this, Trump intends to critique both Harris and Biden on matters like inflation and immigration. However, some in the Republican Party worry that he might divert into irrelevant personal attacks. Recently, Trump has held several campaign events labeled as economy-centric, though they often included critiques on various subjects, from immigration to Harris’ racial background.

According to Republican Party leaders, surveys and focus groups have shown that voters desire a greater emphasis on issues, particularly economically, and find negative campaigning off-putting. There have been calls from some within the party urging Trump to maintain focus in his messaging.

“Get out there and start making your case, and use her own words against her,” advised former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., during a Fox News segment.

Trump supporters favor policy discussions

Yost, a retired corrections official, remarked on Saturday before the rally that if Trump “cut back on the personal insults, he’d be in a good position.”

“He really ought to emphasize the issues, remind everyone of how his first four years went, and how these past four years have been,” Yost stated while waiting outside in cloudy weather before the event started.

Trump drew a large crowd on Saturday, with attendees arriving hours early. Many enjoyed tailgating in the parking lot outside Mohegan Sun Arena, which can accommodate between 8,000 to 10,000 attendees, and was mostly full when Trump took the stage just before 5 p.m. Republican Senate hopeful David McCormick and former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum were among those who warmed up the crowd before Trump spoke.

Before the event, the parking lot had a lively atmosphere, with vendors selling Trump merchandise, motorcyclists displaying a large flag featuring Trump’s mug shot from one of his four criminal cases, and country music playing over loudspeakers.

Jason Koch, 42, noted the competitive nature of the race while waiting in line but expressed feeling “confident” about Trump’s prospects. Nevertheless, he feels frustrated that Trump seems to be held to a stricter standard than Harris.

“I think the truth will come out if she ever does an interview,” said Koch, a resident of Nescopeck, Pennsylvania, who works in the energy sector.

Interviews conducted by YSL News revealed that rally attendees repeatedly accused Harris of avoiding the media and critiqued her for not conducting interviews. Some believed that her favorable polling results are due to voters not knowing enough about her yet, and they criticized her for changing her stance on various issues.

“She’s just a good illusion,” said Otto, a Nazareth resident employed in local government. “But I don’t think they realize what’s behind that illusion.”

Otto labeled Harris a “copycat” for adopting Trump’s proposals, like her plan not to tax tips, and accused her of “flip-flopping” on previous positions regarding fracking for oil and natural gas.

Still, Otto, 55, is anxious observing the polling trends. He wants Trump to “stick to the list” of policy initiatives he has outlined.

“I really wish he would adhere to the game plan more consistently,” added Otto, dressed in overalls and a camouflage MAGA hat.

Yost holds the belief that Trump’s “confidence” can secure him a win, but emphasizes the need for a more robust campaign strategy.

“Trump isn’t in as strong of a position as he should be,” he commented.

Kessler, 55, made the three-and-a-half-hour journey from Virginia to attend her fourth Trump rally. While she firmly believes Trump is leading the race, she admitted to feeling nervous as she fears “they’re going to try and rig it again,” reflecting the former president’s unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud during the 2020 election, which he echoed on Saturday.

Ongoing personal attacks: Trump claims to be ‘better looking’ than Harris

The rally commenced with Trump criticizing Harris over economic pressures, lamenting inflation − which has been on the decline − while asserting that the American dream is “dead as a door nail” under Biden and Harris.

He quickly transitioned into personal jabs at Harris, labeling her a “lunatic” and claiming she has “the laugh of a crazy person.” Trump also commented on her looks, stating he is “much better looking than her.”

As Democrats convene in Chicago, Trump predicted the convention would be “nothing but chaos” and raised doubts about its validity.

“It’s a rigged convention,” he vocally asserted. “She didn’t receive any votes.” While Harris was the top candidate in the Democratic primary earlier this year with Biden, she was officially endorsed by state delegations after officially entering the race, a process typical at political conventions.

The Harris campaign dismissed the event in Wilkes-Barre as the “same old routine.”

“The more Americans hear Trump, the clearer their choice will be this November,” the statement read, claiming that Harris aims to advance the country while Trump would lead it backward.