(NewsNation) — Former President Donald Trump held a rally in Saginaw County, Michigan, as he focuses on swing states in the lead-up to the November election.
Trump began by encouraging voters to get out and vote by mail early, though he previously cast doubt on mail-in ballots during the 2020 election. He also continued to claim that the election was rigged though there has been no evidence of any widespread election interference.
The former president also brought up the damage from Hurricane Helene which has affected multiple states. He claimed that the federal government has done nothing, though federal assistance has been granted to states and Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, said publicly he had spoken with the president about assistance.
Trump stuck to familiar campaign talking points on the economy, drilling, taxes, tariffs and immigration. He referred to his political opponents with his usual derogatory nicknames while attacking the Biden-Harris administration for the economy and immigration policies.
Saginaw County has predicted which candidate will win Michigan overall since 1992 when former President Bill Clinton was in the race.
Voters in the county say the top issues they want addressed are inflation and the economy, something they hope Trump will be able to address if he wins in November.
Michigan is one of several key swing states, with polling showing Vice President Kamala Harris winning the state with less than 1% of potential votes.
When it comes to specific issues, the candidates are deadlocked when it comes to inflation, a change from two months ago when Trump led on that issue.
The state was also neck-and-neck in 2020, with President Joe Biden winning with 50.1% of the vote to Trump’s 49.9%, a margin of only 223 votes in Saginaw County.
Trump is expected to focus on economic issues, including plans for a sweeping overhaul of manufacturing policies that would bring jobs to Michigan. He is also expected to speak on drilling plans that would bring down the cost of oil.