President Donald Trump on Friday night spoke before a spirited crowd in Syracuse in remarks that lasted close to an hour and 20 minutes at the Nicholas J. Pirro Convention Center at Oncenter.
In his speech, Trump aimed to boost the candidacy of Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, who is challenging Gov. Kathy Hochul in this year's governor's race.
"And we're going to send Bruce Blakeman to the governor's mansion, and he's going to do a job like you've never seen," Trump said. "He's fantastic. I've known him a long time."
And more than hour later in his remarks, Trump mentioned Blakeman's running mate, Madison County Sheriff Todd Hood.
"We also need to elect a man, a hometown boy, a big hero, a strong looking guy just met him ... this guy is central casting for sheriff, which is what he is ... Sheriff Todd Hood as your lieutenant governor," Trump said.
Trump also used his remarks to talk about the high cost of energy in New York.
"And the only way to end this high-cost energy disaster is to throw the Democrats out of office. You've got to throw 'em out and you've got to elect Republicans at every single level. You need to vote for Bruce Blakeman and New York common sense," Trump said.
He also talked about and criticized Hochul for the ongoing Interstate 81 (I-81) project.
"Here is Syracuse, she destroyed the I-81 highway because the road was racist. She said the road was racist and she redirected traffic directly into the heart of your city, making it, I understand, not good," Trump said.
Those backing the I-81 viaduct-replacement project have said from the beginning that's the project is meant to replace the aging viaduct and reconnect and revamp the city's 15th Ward, a neighborhood that included Blacks, Jews, and immigrants that was decimated during highway's construction during the 1950s and 60s.
The Hochul campaign released a statement on Friday night that read, in part, "Trump's extremely boring puppet show in Syracuse tonight yielded one unavoidable truth: The historically unpopular president is on the ballot in New York. He (and we) want you to know it."
Trump also used his speech to talk about Micron Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: MU), which is building a semiconductor campus north of Syracuse in the town of Clay. Trump falsely took credit for Micron’s $100 billion expansion in central New York. Micron announced it would build its semiconductor campus in Clay in 2022, after passage of the Chips and Science Act, which was championed by Democrats in Congress and signed into law by former President Joe Biden.
Besides the governor's race, Trump also encouraged the crowd to vote for the woman whose challenging U.S. Representative John Mannion (D-Geddes) in the race for New York's 22nd Congressional District.
"And you have to go and get out and vote for Kailee Buller for Congress ... and I saw a poll on Kailee ... she's ... you're right there. You're going to win that sucker," Trump said.
The program started around 5:30 p.m. and the speakers included Blakeman, Hood, and Buller.
Before Trump concluded his remarks, he also welcomed former boxer Mike Tyson to the stage for some remarks.
Outside the Oncenter, an estimated 2,500 people protested Trump’s visit in Clinton Square. Many of them then marched to the Oncenter.
Convention center layout
Supporters started entering the Nicholas J. Pirro Convention Center at Oncenter on Friday afternoon.
They entered a room with a banner reading Make America Great Again hanging above the seating behind the stage where the speakers addressed the crowd. Many of those attending wore patriotic clothing, some in red, white, and blue, and several wearing the familiar red ball cap with the Make America Great Again phrase.
The convention center was decked out in red, white, and blue with a giant American flag on the right of the room. The set up also included two video screens.The convention center set up included grandstand seating behind the speaking platform and on the left side of the room as well.
In the hours leading up to the speaking program, those attending listened to music ranging from county to classic pop hits.
