By Amanda Hari
/ CBS San Francisco
Trump fundraising visit brings out MAGA supporters in deep-blue Bay Area
Bay Area supporters proudly waved flags as they hoped to greet former President Donald Trump as he passed through the Peninsula for a Friday evening fundraiser that also drew a crowd of detractors.
The stop in Woodside is for an event hosted by billionaire tech entrepreneur Tom Siebel and his wife, Stacey, who are actually related to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom. The invitation says tickets start at $3,300. Top donors can get a photo with the former president for a half a million dollars.
While tickets to the actual event cost thousands of dollars, many supporters who weren’t attending gathered in hopes of greeting his motorcade. They spent hours waiting outside of Pioneer Salon near Woodside and Whickey Hill Roads, but never saw Trump drive by the streets.
Despite that, Trump supporter and Palo Alto resident Dina Hill didn’t mind.
“I’m here supporting, very happily,” said Hill.
Hill arrived early Friday morning at the supporters first stop, El Camino Park in Palo Alto. She’s in a local Republican’s group. When she heard about the gathering, she knew she wanted to be a part of it.
“I grew up in Palo Alto, I’m proud Palo Alto Republican, I think there’s a lot of us and I encourage all of them to come out and support what they believe in and who they believe in,” said Hill.
Hill says she is socially liberal and fiscally conservative, and Trump most closely represents her view points.
“He’s been very clear about his platform. He’s been very clear about securing the border,” Hill explained. “He’s been very clear about his deregulation and all of his issues are common sense.”
But across the street David Page, also a Palo Alto resident, gathered with people who held an opposing viewpoint.
“I called up some people and was like, ‘Let’s go out there and show them our support for the Democrats,'” said Page.
The group on that side made signs that read “Vote for Kamala.”
Page doesn’t want people to think Palo Alto is one sided.
“We should let people know that there’s lots of support for Harris in Palo Alto> It’s not just the Trump people,” said Page.
Erin Friday is another life-long Democrat, but she came out to support Trump.
“I never in a milion years thought I would be out here supporting Trump, but here I am. Because my party isn’t my party,” said Friday.
Friday feels the Democratic Party has went too far on a number of issues, including transgender rights.
“I was completely against Trump in 2016, 2020 I also voted for Biden,” said Friday. “But I can’t do it anymore. Not when Biden is pushing transgenderism and Kamala Harris did her announcement on RuPaul’s drag show.”
Despite California being a democratic stronghold, Hill is hopeful some people may listen to what Trump has to say,
“People have to pay attention, and I think if they pay attention, they’ll understand why I feel the way I do. And maybe they’ll vote for Trump, God willing,” said Hill.
Supporters were split on what they think is going to happen in November. Some say they’re confident Trump will take back the White House, while others said they are a little nervous.
Some of former President Trump’s comments earlier in the day have some California firefighters outraged.
It was during a press conference at his Southern California golf club. He said if he were re-elected, he would withhold federal wildfire aid from California unless Gavin Newsom changes the state’s water policies.
“Gavin ‘Newscum’ is going to sign those papers. And if he doesn’t sign those papers, we won’t give him money to put out his fires. And if we don’t give him money to put out all of his fires, he’s got problems. He’s a lousy governor,” the former president said.
In Southern California, firefighters are battling three major wildfires that have burned more than 100,000 acres, forced thousands of people from their homes and destroyed dozens of buildings.
Friday evening, CBS News Bay Area spoke with the California Professional Firefighters Association President Brian Rice, who didn’t mince words in his reaction to what Trump said.
“Do you think I’m angry? I’m incensed. I have thousands of fire members on the lines right now, risking life and limb in Southern California. It disgusts me. And I can tell you this: California firefighters we are on the job we will always be on the job,” said Rice.
Newsom was quick to respond online, posting that Trump admitted he would “block emergency disaster funds to settle political vendettas.”
Every voter should be made aware of this.@realDonaldTrump just admitted he will block emergency disaster funds to settle political vendettas.
Today it’s California’s wildfires.
Tomorrow it could be hurricane funding for North Carolina or flooding assistance for homeowners in… pic.twitter.com/bIg6v2lMJ1
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) September 13, 2024
He added, “Today it’s California’s wildfires. Tomorrow it could be hurricane funding for North Carolina or flooding assistance for homeowners in Pennsylvania.”
