RICHMOND, Virginia—As soon as the arena doors open for the Donald Trump rally, they rush to the front row, ignoring “Reserved” signs and grab their spots.
“We got perfect seats, Trump’s going to look right at us,” beamed Scott Knuth, 57, sporting a red, white and blue jersey labeled “Front Row Joes.”
He and a few others here are among a group of the former president’s most diehard fans—this is Knuth’s 43rd Trump event.
Trump on Saturday inched ahead in his quest to become the Republican Party’s presidential nominee, winning internal party elections in the states of Missouri, Michigan and Idaho, US media reported.
The former president has now won every state nominating contest heading into next week’s “Super Tuesday,” when voters in 15 US states choose their preferred candidate for each party.
Trump has gained huge momentum in the race to capture the Republican nomination at the party convention in July and Tuesday is expected to all but secure the result.
He is likely to face President Joe Biden in November elections, pitting the two for the second time since 2020.
The voting Saturday in Missouri, Michigan and Idaho were hybrid internal elections with differing rules, in some cases reflecting rifts and tensions despite Trump’s formidable sway.
In Missouri, Trump swamped his main opponent, former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, winning every county caucus in the state, The New York Times reported.
Snagging the prime perch involved negotiating with security and waiting all night in the rain.
“They will need a bulldozer to get me out,” he said with a laugh, more than two hours before Trump’s speech was scheduled to start in Richmond, the capital of Virginia.
On Tuesday, this eastern US state will join 14 others in holding party nominating contests that are expected to deliver a haul of delegates to Trump, all but sealing his bid to become the Republican White House candidate to take on Joe Biden in November.
Knuth first saw Trump in 2015 and at the time felt alone in his excitement over the real estate mogul’s then-nascent political campaign.
Since then, the construction worker has seen crowds swell for Trump, whom he has spoken to eight times and taken multiple selfies with.
He’s well-versed in the rhythm of a Trump rally: a sea of red “Make America Great Again” caps bob in an arena filled with lively music, the energy crescendoing as the main event approaches.
“It has a rock show kind of feel with the music, how it builds up, everybody gets going,” Knuth explained.
It’s hard to match Edward Young’s enthusiasm for Trump — Richmond is his 73rd rally.
“The Trump rallies are the greatest show on Earth,” the 64-year-old said with a frenetic energy.
On Friday, he worked until 6 pm then drove from New Jersey “all night in the rain” to arrive in Virginia at 4 am to be in position to snag a front row seat.
“I haven’t slept,” said Young, who helps small businesses manage their debt.
Young and Knuth attract admiration from Trump fans who are seeing their political idol for the first time.
But this devotion comes at a steep cost. In 2016, Young totally threw himself into Trump’s campaign, so much so that he was at the victory party in New York on election night.
“But I had completely exhausted my bank account,” he said. “If the campaign lasted one more week in 2016, I was like, I’ll be bankrupt.”
The cost of following Trump this election cycle continues to accumulate, with Young spending thousands on gas, hotels and other expenses since January.
“I’m once divorced and once widowed… I got no kids. I don’t mind spending the money but I’m dipping into my savings,” he said.
His passion for Trump is more than a hobby.
“I believe I’m a warrior now. Because America is dying,” he said.
“This is a civil war in America. And I’m fighting with my words. And with my presence at these rallies.”
A few seats away, at the foot of the podium, a Front Row Joe who refused to give his name said he was attending his seventh Trump rally.
He came to find the “family” he is creating from attending the events, leaving his wife and daughter at home for the weekend.
“Once you come, you’re hooked,” he said, as the crowd behind him takes photos and buys snacks while waiting for the former president.
Finally, “Proud to be an American” starts blasting from the speakers.
The crowd stands and roars as Trump takes the stage — and his superfans admire him, once again. AFP