Trump Enlists Legendary Basketball Coach as Midterm Push Heats Up
President Donald Trump is headed back out on the campaign trail with rallies Friday in West Virginia and Indiana.
In Indiana, he’ll have help from legendary former Hoosiers basketball coach Bob Knight.
The president teased the Hall of Fame coach’s appearance in a tweet, saying: “Don’t tell anyone (big secret), but I will be bringing Coach Bobby Knight to Indiana. He’s been a supporter right from the beginning of the Greatest Political Movement in American History!”
Will be going to West Virginia and Indiana today, TWO RALLIES! Don’t tell anyone (big secret), but I will be bringing Coach Bobby Knight to Indiana. He’s been a supporter right from the beginning of the Greatest Political Movement in American History!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 2, 2018
Trump and Knight have long been allies.
The former has often used stories of Knight in campaign speeches. The latter has always offered unwavering support for Trump and his policies.
“We love winners,” Trump said about Knight at an August rally, per the Indianapolis Star.
“A year before I was going to run, Bobby Knight called,” Trump said. His secretary routed the call through, he said. “‘Trump! This is Bobby Knight and you gotta run for president. Our country needs you.’ And I said, ‘That’s Bobby Knight. That’s Bobby Knight. Right? That’s Bobby Knight.’ After the first word I knew it was Bobby Knight.”
Trump, Knight and Vice President Mike Pence will be stumping Friday for Republican Mike Braun, who is running against Sen. Joe Donnelly, D-Ind.
In West Virginia, Trump is campaigning for Republican Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, who is in a tight race with Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va.
The trip marks the beginning of Trump’s final sprint to polls closing on Nov. 6, in which he will hold nine rallies over four days.
Trump himself, along with first lady Melania Trump, have already voted, the White House said.
Press secretary Sarah Sanders confirmed that the pair voted by absentee ballot “a few weeks ago” in New York, where their primary residence is located.
The White House did not reveal for whom the Trumps cast their ballots. New York’s Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo is facing Republican Marc Molinaro in the governor’s race.
Democratic Rep. Carolyn Maloney is opposed by Republican Eliot Rabin in the heavily Democratic 12th Congressional District in New York City.
New York law allows absentee voting only under particular circumstances, including absence on Election Day or illness.
The Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press story and may have altered it prior to publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards.
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