MONTGOMERY, Ala. – During a Republican event on Friday, Alabama state legislators, congressmen and other state leaders reaffirmed their support for former President Donald Trump as their preferred presidential candidate ahead of the 2024 election.
The Alabama Republican Party Summer Dinner was held at the Renaissance Convention Center in Montgomery, which, according to Alabama Republican Party Chairman John Wahl, saw the largest attendance of any Republican fundraiser in the state’s history, with approximately 2,700 in attendance.
The fundraiser was also the largest event ever hosted at the convention center, and raised $1.2 million, making it “the all-time largest fundraiser in the history of the Alabama Republican Party,” according to Wahl.
With ticket prices ranging from $200 to $50,000, an eager crowd – which included the likes of Gov. Kay Ivey, Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth, Attorney General Steve Marshall and others – heard remarks from state leaders as they awaited Trump to take the stage. Among them was Wahl, who suggested Trump was the clear choice for Alabama Republicans to rally behind ahead of the 2024 election.
“We have a Justice Department that wants to limit free speech and free process of thought,” Wahl said.
Trump’s visit to Montgomery came just one day after pleading not guilty to federal charges over his alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. These latest charges mark the third time Trump has been indicted on federal charges, having been indicted in June on retaining sensitive documents, and in March on failing to properly disclose hush money payments in campaign finance reports.
Wahl argued that the charges against Trump were an affront on free speech, an argument that received thunderous applause by the thousands in attendance.
“Because they have a difference of opinion on election results, they will prosecute a man just because he has not shared their rhetoric,” Wahl continued. “If they will do that to a former president, they will do that to you.”
Another Trump faithful that spoke ahead of the former president’s appearance was U.S. Rep. Barry Moore, who called on the thousands in attendance to continue to support Trump through 2024.
“No one man has been more persecuted for standing for this country than Donald Trump,” he said.
“As I look out in this crowd, I know many of you would agree with me. Let’s tonight let him know that we’re going to pray for him, we’re going to stand with him, and together, we will make America great again!”
While not explicitly endorsing Trump, Alabama Senate President Greg Reed, R-Jasper, led a prayer during the event, and wished strength to the former president, who he described as being “under attack.”
“Lord, I pray you’re blessing tonight our special guest Donald Trump; I ask that you bless him, bless his family,” Reed said. “He’s under attack, and Lord we ask that you give him strength and wisdom as he moves forward.”
Sen. Tommy Tuberville, the last speaker before Trump took the stage, also called on those in attendance to “stand behind him,” having called on the Department of Justice Thursday to “leave Trump alone.”
“It’s great he’s here in a place like Alabama that loves Donald Trump, because sometimes, even as strong as he is, as much as he puts back, he needs encouragement… they’re after him,” Tuberville said.
“It’s so important that we step up and get behind this man. We’ve got some good Republicans in this country, but there’s nobody that can get the job done faster, quicker and more efficient than Donald J. Trump – nobody! He’s not a politician, he’s a businessman, he despises the deep state, he’s got experience, and he doesn’t need eight years, it’s only going to take him a few years to get this back.”
Tuberville was also the one to welcome Trump to the stage, whose appearance was met with a standing ovation.
“Tommy Tuberville, what a great man,” Trump said after waiting minutes for applause to die down. “He’s strong, he’s smart, he’s loyal… truly a fantastic guy that is my friend. Love Tommy, treat him good.”
For more than an hour, Trump spoke to his recent indictment, his Democratic opponent Joe Biden, as well as his admiration for the state of Alabama.
“This state has been with us right from the beginning; Kay, I have to say, right from the beginning,” he said. “On election day 2024, we’re going to evict crooked Joe Biden from the White House, and we’re going to make America great again!”
In a nod to Alabama’s voting base, Trump also suggested that the recent decision by the Biden administration to locate U.S. Space Command headquarters in Colorado over Huntsville was “not going to be the end of that story,” and even promised to approve an expansion of I-65 from Huntsville to Mobile as “one of the first things (he) will do” if elected to office.
Following the event, Alabama Sen. Steve Livingston, R-Scottsboro, told Alabama Daily News that he thought the fundraiser was “a great event,” and that though the promise to expand I-65 was appealing, Trump “didn’t need any help here in Alabama” to garner support.
U.S. Gary Palmer, who endorsed Trump earlier on Friday, told ADN that based on his record, Trump was the clear choice when compared to his Republican opponents.
“When Trump came out of office, inflation was below 2%, gas prices were below $2 a gallon, you didn’t have people buying off brands at the grocery store because they can’t afford their groceries anymore,” Palmer said. “We wouldn’t have had this disaster in Afghanistan, I don’t think there’d be a war in Ukraine. All you’ve got to do is look at what he did.”
Despite his mounting legal troubles, Trump’s favorability continues to climb among supporters, particularly in Alabama.
Scoring the endorsement of all six Republican U.S. House members from Alabama just hours before the event, Trump has also secured endorsements from Tuberville and Lt. Gov. Ainsworth.
As of June 30, Trump has raised more than six times as much in Alabama as Ron DeSantis, his next-highest polling Republican opponent, bringing in $381,324 in campaign contributions to DeSantis’ $62,344. Tim Scott, R-SC, closely trailed DeSantis, raising $57,141 in the same period.
Nationally, Trump has sailed ahead of his Republican opponents as the clear frontrunner in the GOP primary, polling at 53.3% in an Aug. 3 poll by FiveThirtyEight, a polling aggregation website. DeSantis polled at just 14.3% in the same poll, followed by Vivek Ramaswamy at 6.7%.
Though Trump didn’t see endorsements from Attorney General Marshall or U.S. Sen. Katie Britt, neither of whom responded to requests for comments from ADN, the majority of Alabama Republicans have rallied whole-heartedly behind the former president.
The 2024 primary election will be held Mar. 5, 2024, with a primary runoff election, if needed, on Apr. 16, 2024. The 2024 general election will be held Nov. 5, 2024. The first Republican Primary debate will be hosted by Fox News and is scheduled for Aug. 23, though Trump has repeatedly suggested he may not attend, including on Friday night.
