OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Republican presidential candidates have not won the state of New York in decades as Democrats solidified their hold on the state with supermajorities in the Assembly and other statewide elected offices.
But that isn’t going to deter one of the Empire State’s most famous former residents.
Former President Donald Trump said on Thursday he plans to make a push for New York with rallies planned for Madison Square Garden and in the Bronx, a portion of which is represented in Congress by far-left Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D).
“The last time the Bronx was the center of a Republican presidential campaign was in 1984, when Ronald Reagan won by a landslide,” Breitbart News reported.
During a visit to a lower Manhattan construction site before heading into court on Thursday, Trump was well-received by workers and other New Yorkers, later telling a Fox News reporter he would make a play for the state.
“I think we have a good chance of winning here and we’re going to give it a big plan,” he said. “We’re going to the South Bronx to do a rally. We’re going to be doing a rally at Madison Square Garden, we believe.”
The rallies will focus on honoring police, firemen, and teachers, Breitbart reported. “We’ll be honoring the people that make New York work,” Trump said. “It’ll be very exciting, but we think we have a really good chance of winning.”
During his speech, Trump attacked President Joe Biden’s expensive economic policies, criticized open borders, and condemned the anti-Israel protests in some of America’s top universities.
“[Police] would like to be at the colleges” to secure those campuses “because what’s happening at the colleges is a disgrace,” Trump said, as he drew a contrast between the NYPD being stationed at the Manhattan courthouse instead of the college campuses. “This courthouse is locked down and there’s not a person within five blocks. They have more police here.”
“This is the worst-run country right now,” the former president added. “All you have to do is look at the millions of people coming in from prisons, from mental institutions — coming in at levels we’ve never seen before.”
“So I’m gonna go in now and sit in front of a case — election interference,” Trump said. “But I guess based on what I’m looking at, it’s driving up my poll numbers.”
A group of voters who cast ballots for Biden in 2020 are fed up with his “gaslighting” on the economy and other issues and indicated they may give Trump the nod this year.
Referred to simply as “Omar,” one individual participated in a focus group of “undecideds” convened earlier this week to deliberate on the 2024 election and factors influencing their voting decisions.
He seemed to align with the group’s sentiments regarding their opinions on Biden, especially over the state of the economy.
During the conversation, they were asked to compare their current economic condition under Joe Biden’s presidency with that of Donald Trump’s. Surprisingly, each one of them expressed that they believed they were better off during Trump’s administration.
The focus group was then asked a follow-up question: “Is there anything Joe Biden could do or say between now and the time you vote that would make you feel differently about feeling that his policies would not be as good for your family on the economy, or are you pretty much decided that Trump’s policies would be better for the economy?”
WATCH:
Raise your hand if you think President Trump's policies on the economy would be better for your family ✋ pic.twitter.com/5WqShG0mlZ
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) April 10, 2024
One of the women was the first to respond, expressing her sentiment that Biden appeared to be neglecting to address the economy substantively.
“I feel like he doesn’t even take accountability for what’s — at all, with what’s going on. And not even accountability, like he’s in denial that it’s happening!” she said.
“The point is Biden needs to hear the people,” Omar added. “Because when he’s talking about the economy doing stellar, he’s talking about the stock market, he’s not looking at homelessness or joblessness, he’s not … thinking about how much it costs to go to the grocery store. And he’s gaslighting literally everyone in the process.”
“And Omar, you voted for Joe Biden last time,” the moderator prompted for clarification.
“Yeah,” Omar confirmed that he had.
Voters sound off on Biden and his failed economy:
"He doesn't even take accountability at all … he's in denial that it's happening!"
"He's gaslighting literally everyone." pic.twitter.com/1DGFQkGuf4
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) April 11, 2024
Biden is falling further behind Trump on the issues voters care most about this election year, according to another recent survey.
According to the ABC/Ipsos poll conducted between March 8 and 9 of 539 adults, 36 percent of respondents said that they trusted Trump compared to 33 percent who said they trusted Biden, while 30 percent said neither candidate had their trust.
Trump received higher ratings than President Biden on all issues except abortion and climate change when respondents were asked about their opinions on the job performance of both presidents.
Trump garnered a 49 percent favorable rating on the economy, contrasting with Biden’s 37 percent.
Regarding inflation, 45 percent approved of Donald Trump, compared to 31 percent for Biden.
On crime, Trump was viewed more favorably at 41 percent compared to Biden’s 35 percent.
Similarly, on immigration, the former president received a 45 percent favorable rating, while Biden trailed with 29 percent.
