In response to President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence’s campaign rally in Cincinnati on Aug. 1, “a peaceful protest and celebration of our American values” will be held nearby.
The group organizing the "We Stand Together" protest says the event is meant to emphasize diversity and raise awareness about issues they say are related to Trump's presidency, including the humanitarian crisis at the border and the marginalization of women, LGBTQ individuals, people of color and others.
Trump's appearance at U.S. Bank Arena Aug. 1 will be the president's fourth in Cincinnati since his 2015 campaign. Trump, a Republican, lost Hamilton County to Democrat Hillary Clinton by roughly 10 points in 2016, though he won Ohio overall by eight points that year.
Trump is expected to highlight the nation's economy at the rally. Some other recent rallies have seen controversial moments, however. At a rally earlier this month, Trump supporters chanted "send her back" after the president mentioned U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota. Trump previously tweeted that four progressive Democratic Party congresswomen, almost certainly including Omar, should "go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came."
The racist tweet was widely condemned across the political spectrum, as was the crowd's chanting. The other three representatives assumed to be included in the tweet — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts — were born in the United States, and Omar, a U.S. citizen, came here as a refugee when she was 12. At past local rallies, opponents of the president have held protests decrying Trump's strict immigration stances, among other issues.
Ohio is shaping up to be a battleground state again this year. Democratic Party presidential primary hopefuls U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders have both made recent stops in the Queen City. Sanders also recently weighed in on a dispute between a nurse's union and University of Cincinnati Medical Center — a sign he is watching local politics and attempting to woo voters here.
Trump's "Keep America Great" rally will start at 7 p.m. at U.S. Bank Arena, with attendees able to enter the arena at 4 p.m. The protest against the campaign rally will start at 6 p.m. at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.
