President Trump visiting Rochester on Friday
President Donald Trump will make a campaign stop in Rochester on Friday.
The president will hold a rally at 5 p.m. at the Rochester International Airport. Doors to the event will open at 2 p.m.
The rally is one of three Trump has scheduled for Friday as the president looks to strengthen support in the Upper Midwest in the final days of the election. Earlier stops are planned in the battleground states of Michigan and Wisconsin. Polls show Trump trailing Joe Biden in all three states.
Since losing Minnesota in 2016 by just 45,000 votes, Trump has repeatedly made clear he has his sights set on wining the traditionally blue state. He has held three rallies in the state since August — in Bemidji, Mankato and Duluth — and his campaign has stated it plans to invest heavily on televisions ads in Minnesota in the days leading up to November 3.
"We all feel very strongly that we have a chance to make history in Minnesota and flip our 10 electoral votes,” Minnesota Republican Party Chairwoman Jennifer Carnahan said earlier this month. (Minnesota has not voted for a Republican presidential candidate since 1972.)
The announcement of a campaign stop in the Med City comes as coronavirus cases continue to surge across the Midwest. Trump has come under fire for not adhering to public health guidelines at his rallies, despite evidence that the events may be leading to outbreaks.
In a release sent out Wednesday, the Trump campaign says everyone attending the Rochester rally will be given a temperature check and will be instructed to wear a mask. Hand sanitizer will also be provided.
Trump last visited Rochester in October 2018 for an event at the Mayo Civic Center in support of Republicans competing in the mid-term elections.
Cover photo: Trump during a campaign rally at the Mayo Civic in Rochester in October 2018 / William Forsman
