As he arrives in Detroit, Trump will be greeted by a planned “boat parade,” according to organizers, who intend to float from Lake St. Clair to Hart Plaza, situated next to Huntington Place, where Trump is scheduled to speak at the convention. An agenda for when Trump will speak has not been released.
A promotional page for the Detroit River boat parade indicates it will include a 74-foot yacht and follow the coast for “on shore viewing.”
Meshawn Maddock, former co-chair of the Michigan GOP, is helping organize the boat rally and predicted on social media that it’s “gonna be YUUUGGE.”
Detroit, Michigan’s largest city and a longtime Democratic stronghold, has received increasing attention from both presidential campaigns. Biden’s campaign has targeted the city with events showcasing his economic and social record for Black residents.
Michigan has been cast as a must-win state for Biden to have a path to re-election in November. The focus comes amid the appearance of softening support among some longtime bases of Democratic support, including a Black voter “apathy” warning by Wayne County Executive Warren Evans.
Vice president Kamala Harris was in Detroit last Saturday to rally activists after visiting the city for a White house event in May. In late May, Biden spoke at the NAACP Detroit Branch’s Fight for Freedom Fund Dinner.