At the Ohio Republican Party annual state dinner at the Greater Columbus Convention Center, the president gave a more than 45-minute speech with plenty of red meat for the GOP crowd.
At the Ohio Republican Party annual state dinner at the Greater Columbus Convention Center, the president gave a more than 45-minute speech with plenty of red meat for the GOP crowd.
It was the first time a sitting president addressed the state dinner and the largest crowd at the annual dinner in Ohio GOP history, according to the Ohio GOP.
Check quotes against transcript.
He talked up the accomplishments of his administration and Republicans in Congress:
“Over the last 19 months, we achieved more than anyone thought possible.”
He said the tariffs on steel were working.
“The steel industry is booming. Wait and see what happens when we have hundred os new steel plants all over the country competing with each other.”
He said the U.S. was “crushing the terrorist.”
“America is winning again, America is respected again because we are finally putting America first,” said the president.
He predicted GOP victories in the midterm elections:
“This November we are going to win really big.”
He said it was vital that more Republicans get elected in November.
On Richard Cordray, Democrat candidate for Ohio governor:
“He was groomed by Pocahontas.”
“He will destroy your state.”
On the Democrat Party:
“Their whole campaign is resist. They haven’t figured out that they lost the election. They’re going to figure it out.”
“You have left wing haters and radicals trying to tare down our institutions.”
“Think of it, our flag, our law enforcement, ICE.”
“Today’s Democrats are not just extreme, they are really not in a position to govern. They are just not in a position to govern when you look at what they are for — open borders and crime.”
On the illegal immigrant accused of killing Iowa college student Mollie Tibbetts:
“Everybody loved her.”
He said the news media stopped covering the story when an illegal immigrant was implicated in the crime.
“When they found out it was this horrible illegal immigrant who viciously killed her, all the sudden it went down. They didn’t want to cover it.”
The president riffed about illegal immigrant crime, Democrat support for open borders and Republican support for border security.
“Democrat immigration policies are ruining young lives and spilling young blood. We believe anybody who puts illegal aliens before U.S. citizens should be voted out of office.”
“To secure our borders and protect our families we have to elect more Republicans.”
“I think in the Senate we are going to do really well.”
He said the GOP would “surprise people” by the number of Senate seats they pick up in November.
“The platform of the Democrat Party is to raise you taxes, increase you regulations, shut down your energy and release violent criminal.”
The dinner was held in a cavernous exhibit space in the convention center. The ceiling was adorned with red, white and blue lighting.
Tickets for the dinner started at $250. More expense tickets bought an hour-long reception with the president. The White House described he reception as a “roundtable with supporters.” The Ohio GOP called it the “Chairman’s VIP Cocktail Reception.”
Both the dinner and the VIP reception sold out, according to the Ohio GOP.