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Bikers, a love story, and prayers: Supporters converge in Scranton to rally around Donald Trump

Supporters of Donald Trump, the Republican candidate for president, shop for merchandise before his rally in Scranton on Wednesday.
Aimee Dilger
/
WVIA News
Supporters of Donald Trump, the Republican candidate for president, shop for merchandise before his rally in Scranton on Wednesday.

For Dwayne McDavitt, the open road represents freedom.

So does Donald Trump.

“Money wise too, we like to travel on our bikes, gas is way too expensive,” said McDavitt, a Larksville resident and member of Bikers for Trump Pennsylvania.

McDavitt and other members of the group roared into Scranton Wednesday for the former president's campaign rally at the Riverfront Sports complex.

And he sees an important role for Northeast Pennsylvania in this year's campaign.

“I believe that Luzerne County is going to be the county to put President Trump back in the White House like we did in 2016,” McDavitt said.

Trump carried Luzerne County with 58% of the vote that year, which helped him win Pennsylvania and the White House.

McDavitt and his group were among throngs of Trump supporters from near and far who turned out for the event, which is scheduled to start at 3 p.m.

Many, like McDavitt, expressed concern about the state of the country, raising issues such as inflation and gas prices.

Edward X. Young and Shelly Mullinax wait for former President Donald Trump's rally at Riverfront Sports in Scranton on Wednesday.
Aimee Dilger
/
WVIA News
Edward X. Young and Shelly Mullinax wait for former President Donald Trump's rally at Riverfront Sports in Scranton on Wednesday.

A MAGA love story

But one couple attending Wednesday's rally said they found something else through Trump: love.

Edward X. Young and Shelly Mullinax met two years ago at a Sept. 3, 2022 Trump rally at Mohegan Arena in Wilkes-Barre Township.

Young is from Brick Township, New Jersey. Mullinax is from Calhoun, Georgia. They were at the front of the line at Riverfront Sports in Scranton Wednesday for Trump’s second rally in Pennsylvania in a week.

“It was my 54th Trump rally,” Young said about Trump’s 2022 Wilkes-Barre visit. “And before the President spoke, she caught my eye … I was talking to her before the President spoke, and I was very attracted. And then they said he's coming out soon, and we parted company, and I thought I'd lost her the next morning.”

Young said he was too tired to travel home to Jersey that night, so he stayed at a hotel in town. The next morning he stopped at a local Cracker Barrel. Mullinax was leaving the restaurant as he walked in.

“It was magic. I just, it was love at first sight,” said Young. “And now she has been with me ever since.”

Young and Mullinax have been to around nine rallies in the past three weeks.

“And we decided just recently, you know, why do we have to quibble about this,” said Young. “Let's get married.”

And while Young and Mullinax fell in love from traveling to rallies across the country, for several young and soon-to-be voters, they say traveling to Scranton to hear Trump speak is an act of love for their country.

'A once in a lifetime experience'

Seventeen-year-olds Ian Kamora and Ryan Canning won’t be able to vote in the November election, but they’re passionate about Trump.

They drove with Ryan’s brother, Richard Canning, 20, Tuesday night to Riverfront from Moscow. The three got in line at Riverfront at 10:30 p.m.

“To get wonderful seats, like [as] close as possible. [It’s a] once in a lifetime experience, it's hard to get out at a younger age. And you know, the opportunity to do this is great. Just gonna take what I could get,” Kamora said.

The young men are passionate about Trump’s policies as well.

Richard Canning said he’s casting his first presidential vote for Trump because of his strong image.

“We're not showing strength at all on the world stage, and these people, other countries, are taking advantage of that, and it's unfortunate. We need someone in office who is able to show strength and people fear us and respect us,” Richard Canning said.

Leah Burke, 35, of S. Abington Twp., is a millennial. She says Trump makes her feel safe.

“I feel like we have so much conflict going on, like overseas and everything else. And I just know that like, if like Kamala was elected, I just wouldn't feel safe with her going in and, like, negotiating with like these people that are such powerful people,” she said.

'Please, God, let him close the border'

Wednesday was the first time Carol Dombek, of Thornhurst Twp., would see a president in person.

“I think my blood sugar's even up. It's awesome,” she said while she waited in line with her boyfriend.

She hopes Trump addresses issues in the country that she feels need to be fixed, including illegal immigrants and the rising cost of living.

“Please, God, let him close the border,” she said.

She brought a religious icon that she hopes to give Trump – a small pin of the Blessed Mother. It hung from her white shirt attached to a large safety pin. She hopes, if she gets a chance to give it to the former president, he will wear it inside of his jacket or on his lapel.

“So that the Lord will watch over him through the Blessed Mother,” she said.

Check back for updates throughout the day at WVIA.org.

Isabela Weiss is a storyteller turned reporter from Athens, GA. She is WVIA News's Rural Government Reporter and a Report for America corps member. Weiss lives in Wilkes-Barre with her fabulous cats, Boo and Lorelai.

You can email Isabella at isabelaweiss@wvia.org
Kat Bolus is the community reporter for the WVIA News Team. She is a former reporter and columnist at The Times-Tribune, a Scrantonian and cat mom.

You can email Kat at katbolus@wvia.org
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