Trump's $15m fundraising blitz in California sees hundreds take part in demonstrations against his 'toxic message'
President Donald Trump's visit to California for a fundraising event saw over a hundred demonstrators protesting his trip to the state, including filmmaker Ralph King.
Trump, on Tuesday, executed a lunch-dinner-breakfast-lunch fundraising blitz—expected to garner $15 million from wealthy Republicans in the state—in two days.
Trump's fundraising push came a day after he headlined a rally in New Mexico in hopes of turning a reliable liberal state red during his 2020 bid. The Republican is reportedly looking to find his next Michigan or Wisconsin, states that are generally blue but could end up surprising presidential candidates like in 2016. Although the Trump campaign team has shortlisted some of those states—including New Hampshire, Minnesota, and Nevada—California, however, is not in the list.
A GOP political consultant and outspoken Trump critic, Mike Madrid, told Fox News: "There's not been a president in living history that is as unpopular in the state of California as Trump. But, our money spends the same as everyone else's."
Trump kickstarted his two-day fundraising event in California with a $3 million Bay Area luncheon, followed by a $5 million Beverly Hills dinner at the home of real estate developer Geoffrey Palmer. He is expected to rope in an additional $7 million on Wednesday with breakfast in Los Angeles and luncheon in San Diego.
However, dozens of protesters lined the road nearly a mile from Trump's luncheon site in Portola Valley as they inflated giant Baby Trump and Trump Chicken balloons during the demonstration. As Trump's motorcade passed by, filmmaker Ralph King was seen hoisting a hand-written sign reading: "You are not welcome here". King later said: "It’s offensive that Trump is bringing his toxic message into our backyard." Multiple Trump supporters also joined the crowd as counterprotesters.
RNC committeewoman Harmeet Dhillon said that Trump told his Bay Area supporters that California is "a beautiful state, but that the system was rigged — the elections were not done fairly — and that it made it very difficult" for him to win.