WILDWOOD — Former President Donald J. Trump will return to the resort for a beachfront rally next month, U.S. Rep Jeff Van Drew, R-2nd, confirmed Thursday.
“It’s definitely going to happen,” Van Drew said. “Certainly, it’s going to be very exciting.”
Van Drew also confirmed the event in a Facebook post.
“President Trump holding a rally on the beach in Wildwood will be like nothing New Jersey has ever seen,” Van Drew said in a statement. “People are still talking about the energy and excitement around President Trump’s rally in January of 2020, which still holds the record for the most tickets ever requested. We have no doubt this rally will be even bigger and better.”
The announcement came after the Wildwood Board of Commissioners approved an agreement Monday with the Trump campaign for the May 11 rally.
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“What a great boost to our town at the start of the summer season!” Mayor Ernie Troiano Jr. and Commissioners Steve Mikulski and Krista McConnell said in a statement. “We host hundreds of large-capacity events annually, so the city is ready to welcome the crowds and looks forward to making the weekend successful for everyone.”
The Trump campaign said on its website Thursday that doors will open at noon and Trump will begin speaking at 5 p.m. Tickets can be reserved at donaldjtrump.com.
In January 2020, before the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was felt in the United States, Trump’s visit to the Wildwoods Convention Center on the Boardwalk — a rare visit to southern New Jersey by a sitting president — drew thousands to the beach resort in the winter.
Former President Donald J. Trump is coming back to Wildwood for a beachfront rally next month.
“We want to relive the magic,” Van Drew said Thursday. “This is going to be on the beach. the ocean is going to be at his back.”
He expects tens of thousands to attend the beach rally.
Van Drew said Trump spends about half his time in New Jersey, dividing his year between Mar-A-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, and Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster in Somerset County.
Van Drew, who is running for reelection this year, said he remains close with Trump. Elected as a Democrat, Van Drew changed parties, becoming a Republican and pledging his support for Trump in the White House in 2019.
“I speak with the president about once a week,” Van Drew said.
He indicated a beachfront rally could have an impact in Pennsylvania, typically described as a swing state, and in New Jersey, which has not supported Trump in previous elections. He said recent polls show the gap closing in blue New Jersey.
“These are unusual times in which we live,” he said.
After losing his reelection bid to Democrat Joe Biden in 2020, Trump refused to accept the loss, a significant break from American tradition.
As Upper Township readies for a primary fight for the Republican nomination for two seats on the Township Committee, there is another battle brewing over membership of the township’s Republican committee.
Asked if he accepted the 2020 results, Van Drew said Biden has been the president since the inauguration.
He said there were issues with the vote in 2020, citing Arizona and other states. This year, Republicans will dispatch thousands of attorneys to ensure the integrity of the vote, he said.
“Election integrity is going to be extremely important,” Van Drew said. “If the election has integrity and is safe and free and fair, I certainly will accept whoever prevails.”
Several other events are planned in the Wildwoods that weekend, including the Wildwoods Spring Fling festival, a celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Hereford Inlet Lighthouse in North Wildwood, a cheer competition and a hot rod and muscle car show.
“Amidst an already exciting Mother’s Day weekend filled with events and businesses opening for the 2024 summer season, we are excited to see that these festivities not only offer a vibrant experience for our community, but also provide invaluable support to our local businesses. We eagerly anticipate the positive impact these special events will bring to our region,” Tracey Boyle-DuFault, executive director of the Greater Wildwood Chamber of Commerce, said in a statement.
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