Tonight’s Republican National Convention carries a “Land of Opportunity” theme and will highlight the president’s efforts to empower all Americans while describing how the Democrats’ radical agenda will deny Americans the opportunity to achieve their full potential.
It also holds a Minnesota angle.
Eveleth Mayor Robert Vlaisavljevich is one of many Democrats supporting President Donald Trump’s reelection, commending his strong economic policies and support for Minnesota’s vital mining industry.
News broke today that Vlaisavljevich will speak tonight at the convention. Though speaking before a national audience is a first for the mayor, his support for Trump is not new.
As reported by Alpha News four years ago, Mayor Vlaisavljevich also urged support for Trump, claiming in part that “the DFL environmentalists want to deprive us of our quality of life and use of our wilderness.”
“These fakes who call themselves Democrats oppose mining, the right to own a gun, freedom of speech, our American values, and the style of life we have on the Iron Range,” he wrote in a powerful letter to the editor. “You have wealthy ‘trust fund babies’ telling us how we should live and use our environment. Their own wealth was gained on the backs of working Americans. To add insult to injury, they want us to sacrifice our jobs for their political agenda.”
Keeping up the push to turn Minnesota red, Vice President Mike Pence visits Duluth later this week for a “Workers for Trump” event. Along with other gatherings and volunteer recruitment, a “Make America Great Again” meetup was held in Eveleth Monday.
Trump carried Minnesota’s long-time Democrat-leaning Eighth Congressional District, where Eveleth sits, by 15 percentage points in 2016. Republicans already flipped the seat in 2018 when Pete Stauber, a retired police officer and former hockey player, defeated Joe Radinovich by five points. Stauber is expected to win reelection this fall.
Generations of Iron Range residents voted for Democrats but Trump’s steel tariffs have boosted local taconite mines, which supply American steel mills. Republicans say the DFL agenda hinders progress with burdensome environmental regulations.
Some in the region also are upset that Gov. Tim Walz is appealing a regulatory approval of Enbridge’s replacement of the deteriorating Line 3 oil pipeline.
County chairs across the Eighth District believe more constituents will support Trump — as a major shift continues — in November than in 2016.
A.J. Kaufman
A.J. Kaufman is an Alpha News columnist. His work has appeared in the Baltimore Sun, Florida Sun-Sentinel, Indianapolis Star, Israel National News, Orange County Register, St. Cloud Times, Star-Tribune, and across AIM Media Midwest and the Internet. Kaufman previously worked as a school teacher and military historian.
