On Saturday, Donald Trump held a massive rally in deep blue New Jersey. And to say it was massive is an understatement.
According to a spokesperson for Wildwood, New Jersey, where the Trump rally took place, official estimates are that anywhere between 80,000 and 100,000 patriots attended the event, making it one of the largest political gatherings in the state's history. New Jersey Republican Representative Jeff Van Drew described the rally as an unprecedented moment in the state's history.
Even Trump appeared to be overwhelmed by the incredible size of the crowd.
“There’s so many people here,” he said. “Man, over 100,000 people! It isn't supposed to be—you know, they thought we'd hit 40, so they more than doubled it, but you can't even see the end. I wish we didn't have the press here. I wish we would move them the hell back so they'd have because they can see in the back. You know, I always tell the press, ‘Turn your cameras around to show the audience.’ They never do it. Look, fake news. They never do it. They never do it. Too many people. ”
The Trump crowd has reached 100,000 people, in blue New Jersey. This is unprecedented and undoubtedly has the dems frantic!
— Dinesh D'Souza (@DineshDSouza) May 11, 2024
pic.twitter.com/XcI6MxEL2d
Trump also made a bold prediction during the rally.
“As you can see today, we’re expanding the electoral map because … we’re going to win the state of New Jersey,” Trump said. “I think we’re going to win them all. All across America, millions of people, so-called blue states, are joining our movement based on love, intelligence, and a thing called common sense.”
I'd love to believe that New Jersey is in play. For what it's worth, while there isn't a lot of polling out of the Garden State, most recent polling shows a tighter race there than we've seen in recent elections. So, whether or not New Jersey is truly in play, I wouldn't bet money on it, but there are some blue states that are absolutely in play this year.
Michigan
No surprise here; Trump has been polling ahead in Michigan since October. It's technically a blue state, but Trump won it in 2016, which puts it in battleground territory. It is also a must-win for Biden, and he's literally stabbing Israel in the back in order to win back support from the large Muslim population there.
Nevada
Nevada hasn't voted Republican since the 2004 election, and Trump didn't win the state in 2016 or 2020, though he came close. This year, Trump has consistently polled ahead of Biden, and has an average lead of +4.5 points.
Virginia
This is another state that hasn't voted Republican since 2004, and Biden comfortably won the state in 2020 by over 9 points. But, recent polling shows the political landscape may be shifting, and recent polling there shows Biden's edge is now rather small.
Wisconsin
Prior to Trump's victory in Wisconsin in 2016, the state hadn't voted Republican since 1984. Despite its traditionally blue leanings, polls indicate he's is leading there, albeit by a razor-thin margin. That said, in 2020, Biden won the state by less than a point, despite polling suggesting he had a seven-point lead.
Pennsylvania
I was hesitant to put this state on the list because, despite the fact it has generally been voting blue for decades, it has always been considered a battleground state, and Trump won it back in 2016. Trump not only has a lead in Pennsylvania right now, but his margin has been growing in recent weeks.
Minnesota
Biden not only won this state handily in 2020, but the last time Minnesota voted Republican was in 1972. It is such a reliably blue state that it was the only state to vote for Mondale in 1984. Yet, Biden is polling well below his 2020 margin, and a recent McLaughlin poll puts the race between one and four points depending on whether third-party candidates are included.
Maine
Maine hasn't voted Republican since it backed Clinton in 1992. Yet, recent polls suggest it is very much in play this year.
