Trump campaign clears the way for major rally in NJ

🔴 The Trump campaign has approval for a "special event" on May 11 in Wildwood

🔴 The city of Wildwood and Trump will make an announcement on Wednesday

🔴 Over 10,000 showed up for a Trump rally in 2020

WILDWOOD — Former President Donald Trump is set to make his return to the Jersey Shore with a campaign rally on the beach.

City Commissioners approved a resolution Monday with the Trump campaign for a "special event" on city beaches on Saturday, May 11. City spokeswoman Lisa Fagan told New Jersey 101.5 that the Trump campaign and the city will announce details about the event Wednesday.

Harry Hurley from Townsquare sister station Talk Radio WPG said that the ordinance clears the way for a rally but the Trump campaign has not fully approved the New Jersey event. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-2nd District, is chairman of Trump's New Jersey campaign.

Trump's final campaign appearance in 2020 before COVID-19 pandemic restrictions on gathering sizes took effect was at the Wildwood Civic Center. Thousands came to Wildwood on a cold January day to greet the president and Van Drew.

ALSO READ: NJ town offers commuters relief from NJ Transit fare increase

Trump celebrates Van Drew party switch

City Commissioner Steve Mikulski was grateful for the summer-size crowd of 12,000-15,000 who came to the city. About 2,000 people were lined up outside the convention center at 8 a.m., nine hours before he was scheduled to speak.

Van Drew, who had just switched from the Democratic party to the Republican party, was by Trump's side for the 2020 rally that filled the convention center to a capacity of 7,500.

Trump called Van Drew "courageous" for making the switch and the reason he came to Wildwood.

Then campaign manager Brad Parscale said on Twitter that the rally resulted in nearly 93,000 people requesting almost 159,000 tickets. He said almost 73,500 voters were identified, more than 10% of whom didn’t vote in 2016, with 26% of them Democrats.

If Trump's rally does happen it will be a busy weekend in Wildwood. A check of the city's tourism website event calendar shows the Hereford Inlet Lighthouse 150th anniversary celebration,  a cheer competition, the Spring Wildwood hot rod and muscle car show and the Wildwoods Spring Fling Festival already scheduled for May 11.

ALSO READ: The top 30 performing schools in New Jersey

Report a correction 👈 | 👉 Contact our newsroom