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Trump makes stop in Geneva

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump arrives to speak to a campaign rally, Thursday, Oct. 27, 2016, in Geneva, Ohio. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

HARPERSFIELD TOWNSHIP — In a historic moment, Donald Trump reiterated his campaign promise to help America start winning again.

Trump became the first presidential candidate to speak in Ashtabula County in decades and he brought many of his familiar messages and promises to make American great again, which resonated with the crowd of thousands at Spire Institute, many of whom had been lined up for hours to witness Trump’s speech.

Trump entered the stage waving and giving a thumbs up to the crowd to Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA.”

He started his speech by urging the crowd to “get out and vote.”

He said 75 percent of the people think the country is on the wrong track.

“We’re going to fix it and we’re going to get our country back on the right track very, very quickly,” Trump said.

One of the things he said he would do was “immediately replacing and repealing Obamacare,” which he called a disaster, approved by lies.

“Keep your doctor, keep your plan, all lies,” he said.

He said it was just announced that Americans will see double digit hikes in their Obamacare premiums, and blasted Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton for her praise of Obamacare.

“It is catastrophic. Replacing Obamacare is one of the single most important reasons that we want to win on Nov. 8,” he said.

Trump talked about Clinton and her emails — deleting 33,000 and destroying 13 cell phones — to chants of “lock her up.” He also cited media reports about State Department spending, saying Clinton had wasted money, such as $5.4 million on a no-bid contract for crystal stemware, over $200 million on mostly unused police training facilities in Iraq and $79,000 for copies of President Obama’s book, among other expenses.

“The elites in government like Hillary Clinton believe they are entitled to do whatever they want,” he said, adding Clinton “should be ashamed” about what she had done to the country.

Trump also said the Clintons made their money after leaving the White House by selling favors, selling access and selling out the American worker. He charged Clinton has never earned an honest dollar.

“She lives the high life off the rigged system,” he said. “We’re going to give government back to the people.”

He hit on many of the points he made in past debates and stump speeches, attacking Clinton for calling the Trans-Pacific Partnership the “gold standard” of trade agreements, saying she favored open borders and taking money from foreign donors from oppressive regimes that discriminate against minorities, women and gays.

Trump promised to “stop the theft of our great America and end corruption, expose crimes of the ruling class and give it back to the people.”

“When we win on Nov. 8, we are going to Washington D.C. and we are going to drain the swamp,” he said, to chants of “drain the swamp.”

At one point during the speech the crowd also began chanting “build that wall,” and Trump reiterated he would “100 percent” build the wall and that Mexico would pay for it.

Trump complimented the crowd, particularly the “thousands and thousands of people standing outside trying to get in. It’s amazing.”

Trump spoke specifically about the importance of Ohio.

“I love Ohio, I worked in Ohio. … I love the people of Ohio,” he said, adding, “In 12 days we are going to win Ohio and win back the White House.”

He said the state lost one in four manufacturing jobs since NAFTA.

“We are living through the single greatest job theft in the history of the world,” he said. “We will become a rich nation again.”

Trump said America must also be a safe nation. He criticized President Obama for pulling troops out of Iraq and opening the door for Isis to move in. Trump said he will build up the military and provide the military with the equipment and supplies needed to defeat Isis.

“It’s time for new leadership,” he said, noting the U.S. has spent $6 trillion in the Middle East. “We could have rebuilt America twice.”

Trump complimented his choice for a running mate, Mike Pence, saying it was “a great decision” to pick Pence.

He also expressed concern as he told the crowd that Pence’s plane slid off the runway earlier in the day.

“But he’s fine; everybody is fine,” he said.

Trump asked the crowd to renew their faith in the American dream.

“We don’t win any more, we don’t make things any more,” he said. “It’s going to change Nov. 8. You have to get out and vote.”

Terry is a reporter for the Ashtabula Star Beacon.

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