President Donald Trump joined Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman in Syracuse on Friday for a campaign stop ahead of November’s election.
Large crowds piled into the OnCenter for the event, with crowds also outside protesting.
Trump took to the podium about an hour after landing to throw his support behind Blakeman and fellow Republicans running for office in the midterm elections.
“It’s great to be back in upstate New York, just a short distance from the beautiful shores of Lake America,” Trump said.
The two brought up several issues Friday night, including immigration, crime and economic policies.
“Kathy Hochul and the radical Democrats have turned New York into a national embarrassment,” Trump said.
“We’re going to elect a Republican House and a Republican Senate, stop the Democrats and the communists. We’re going to do a number like no one’s ever seen; they have a big surprise coming.”
Meanwhile, Blakeman took to the podium before and after Trump arrived.
He also took aim at the state of the economy in New York state and Gov. Kathy Hochul’s handling of immigration enforcement; this in light of the recent shooting by ICE agents of an immigrant without legal status in New York City.
When it comes to that situation with ICE, Hochul said she spoke with Trump, expressing her frustration over the incident.
Hochul also has pushed back on Blakeman’s support for the president, especially in terms of economic policy following the ongoing impacts of tariffs.
“It’s crushing New York businesses,” Hochul said earlier this week in Erie County. “I just left a meeting of business owners. They don’t know what to do.”
The rally also featured other some political candidates, Anthony Constantino, who is the Republican candidate for New York’s 21st Congressional District, hoping to succeed Elise Strefanik, and Kailee Buller, who is running for New York’s 22nd Congressional District against Democrat Rep. John Mannion.