Last Saturday, former President Donald Trump held a campaign rally in Wildwood, a seaside city in New Jersey. The event attracted tens of thousands of people, putting Wildwood in the spotlight and piquing the interest of travelers from around the world.
The rally was a sea of red “Make America Great Again” hats against the backdrop of the blue Atlantic Ocean. President Trump’s name could be seen on jackets, banners, and flags waved by the crowd.
New Jersey is typically a Democratic stronghold, with Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden winning the state’s electoral votes in 2016 and 2020, respectively. However, Trump, with ambitious plans, vowed to win New Jersey in this year’s election.
In 2020, Trump held a campaign rally at the Wildwood Convention Center with around 7,000 attendees. This year, the number of participants significantly increased. The event on Saturday lasted for hours, with crowds gathering throughout the day to listen to the former president’s nearly 90-minute speech along Schellenger Ave and Spicer Ave at the beachfront.
While most attendees arrived on Saturday, some enthusiastic Trump supporters started camping nearby as early as Thursday.
According to NJ.com, Cory Adams claimed to be the first person to arrive at the rally. He drove 10 hours from Mansfield, Ohio, just to hear Trump speak.
Photos from the rally quickly spread worldwide through media and social platforms, bringing Wildwood into the limelight.
Mayor Ernie Troiano Sr. stated on Monday that the event had put Wildwood on the map internationally, potentially benefiting the town in the long run.
Troiano mentioned, “I just spoke to Bob Sahasaylo, the executive director of the Greater Wildwoods Hotel-Motel Association. He said we have received calls from Australia, Germany, the UK, among others, inquiring about Wildwood because they saw it in the rally photos.”
Addressing doubts about the attendance numbers, Troiano clarified that the city government estimated around 80,000 people participated in the rally. He explained that this figure not only included the crowd present during Trump’s speech but also those who came to the city for the event but did not attend the rally, as well as people along the boardwalk and on the route welcoming the Trump motorcade.
Troiano added, “I’ve spoken to some who came into town for the rally but didn’t want to be in the thick of it because they don’t like being in crowds but wanted to show support because Trump was here.”
Trump’s campaign team paid $54,000 for security costs in Wildwood. Despite the large gathering, the event was orderly, and no arrests were made.