DAVENPORT, Iowa — The official campaign bus for Team Trump made its final stop on its Iowa tour today in Davenport. About 100 people came out to show their support for the speakers, who said the bus tour is a good alternative during the pandemic.
The afternoon meetup was the final leg of a three-day, criss-crossing, multi-city Iowa tour that took the group from Sioux City to Waterloo, Cedar Rapids to Des Moines , Washington to Iowa City, and more.
Speakers included Penny Nance, president of Concerned Women for America; Erin Perrine, Director of Press Communications for the Trump campaign; Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Iowa's Republican candidate for the U.S. House; and more.
The giant red bus is one of two that's currently touring around the country - specifically in swing states. The other, a pink version with the words, "Women For Trump," visited the Quad Cities back in January. A rotating group of Trump family members, party leaders, and local candidates fill the speech slots whenever the bus parks for a mini rally.
While it's not the first time that either party, or even the Trump campaign, has utilized buses, it is taking on a new importance during the pandemic. While in-person rallies are cancelled in many states due to health concerns, small, local gatherings where the campaign comes to you is appealing to some voters.
Vinge Dahl, a Davenport businessman, said he came out to show support for the candidate he wanted to vote for, but said the more intimate aspect made it even more appealing.
"In person rallies are just way too big for me...waiting in line is a lot. This is a little bit better."
Perrine said that she enjoys the one-on-one aspect of the bus tour, and pointed out the bus's ability to get into smaller towns and communities to energize voters, even when the President isn't there.
"As we're driving along, everyone's seeing the bus! You get lots of honks and lots of people encouraging us," she said. "This is a way for us to get everywhere with a good-size footprint."
She says the campaign has no plans of slowing down the bus tour, in the run-up to election day.
"They're a great branding opportunity - you get to see the big sign that says 'Trump' on it crisscrossing the state. They're a great way to connect with people. I love coming out to these events."
The speeches were short, totaling just under an hour. Topics touched on voting early, voting absentee and making sure everyone there was not only registered, but helped register people they know.