CNN correspondent Kristen Holmes expressed her surprise at the substantial turnout for 45th President Donald Trump at a rally in the Bronx on Thursday. Speaking with anchor Anderson Cooper, Holmes noted the unexpected size of the crowd, particularly in one of the nation’s most Democratic-leaning counties.
“Certainly a bigger crowd than I think Democrats would like to see, particularly given this is one of the bluest counties in the entire country,” Holmes remarked when asked about the rally’s energy.
Holmes admitted she was unsure what to expect at the rally. “I’ve gone to a lot of these rallies across the country, and there are often people who travel hundreds of miles to see Donald Trump and they’re not necessarily part of the community,” she explained. “However, one of the things that I found was that there were a lot of people here that were actually from the Bronx.”
Trump’s rally, held at Crotona Park in the Bronx, attracted an estimated 25,000 supporters, far exceeding the initial expectation of 3,500 attendees. Many of those present were locals, while others traveled from nearby states like Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
Holmes noted the mixed reactions among voters she interviewed outside the event. “You had people saying he doesn’t belong here,” she said. “But you also had a number of voters who told me that they had supported Biden in 2020. They were very unhappy, particularly with the state of the economy and they were looking for alternatives, namely … President Donald Trump.”
During his speech, Trump highlighted New York City’s rich history but expressed concern over its current state, referencing the rise of homeless encampments. He described the event as a “love fest” and focused on issues relevant to New York voters, such as infrastructure and job creation.
Holmes commented on Trump’s approach, saying he was “remarkably on message here talking about things that do matter to New York voters.”
The decision to hold the rally in the racially diverse and heavily Democratic Bronx was met with criticism from some quarters. New York Governor Kathy Hochul referred to Trump’s supporters as “clowns,” and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez celebrated online when it appeared that bad weather might disrupt the event, although the weather ultimately held off.
The rally drew a diverse crowd, including Black, Hispanic, White, Asian, and Muslim supporters. Trump, who received less than 10% of the vote in the Bronx in 2016, saw his support increase to 16% in 2020. Current polls indicate that he is gaining more traction with Black and Hispanic voters.
New York has not voted for a Republican presidential candidate since Ronald Reagan’s landslide victory in 1984.