Donald Trump at the Lubbock Civic Center/Photo by Tom Warren
President Donald Trump appeared in Lubbock on Tuesday, speaking before a full house at the Lubbock Civic Center.
Trump made his first appearance in the Hub City, which organizers said was the third visit by a sitting president to Lubbock, following speaking appearances by Presidents Gerald R. Ford and George H.W. Bush. Trump was in town campaigning for the Texas Republican ticket, with a particular emphasis on Attorney General Ken Paxton’s U.S. Senate candidacy.
During his nearly two-hour speech, Trump played a video featuring some of Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico’s most controversial statements, as well as CNN clips touting Trump’s popularity among Republicans.
Paxton also spoke during the event and Trump was joined on stage by surprise visitor Marco Rubio, the current U.S. Secretary of State. Prior to Trump’s remarks, U.S. Rep. Jodey Arrington spoke, along with speeches from Comptroller Don Huffines, Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows, U.S. Rep. Brandon Gill, and Texas Tech University System Board of Regents Chairman Cody Campbell.
Multiple dignitaries were in attendance, including Lubbock Mayor Mark McBrayer, Amarillo Congressman Ronny Jackson, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, multiple cabinet secretaries, and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.
Organizers said attendees began lining up for seats early in the morning. The Pioneer spoke with several people in line around noon who said the line was already at capacity and they were lining up instead for spots in front of a jumbotron set up in the parking lot of the venue.