Trump Sets Sight on Minnesota with Bold Campaign Rally

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump will hold a campaign rally in Minnesota, aiming to regain momentum against Vice President Kamala Harris, who has rapidly garnered Democratic support after President Joe Biden's decision not to seek re-election. Harris' campaign focuses on her prosecutorial background, contrasting Trump's criminal record. The rally comes amidst attempts by Trump to critique the Biden administration and woo cryptocurrency enthusiasts.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump plans a campaign rally on Saturday in Minnesota as he tries to recapture momentum following Vice President Kamala Harris' rise as the new Democratic opponent.

Trump's event, featuring his vice presidential running mate Senator JD Vance, brings him to a Midwestern state that has not chosen a Republican presidential candidate in 52 years. The former president seeks to press into territory that became friendlier in recent months after President Joe Biden, 81, dropped his re-election bid. Harris, the first Black woman and first Asian American vice president, swiftly consolidated Democratic support after Biden tapped her as his successor on Sunday, reversing some of the ground lost after Biden's disastrous debate.

Trump's rally in St. Cloud, Minnesota, will be held in an 8,000-seat hockey arena, adhering to Secret Service recommendations to avoid large outdoor events following a recent assassination attempt. No Republican has won Minnesota since Richard Nixon in 1972.

Vice President Kamala Harris will attend a private fundraiser on the same day, following a week of campaign stops laying out her campaign's themes. Harris argued her prosecutorial background contrasts sharply with Trump's criminal record, positioning her campaign as forward-looking in contrast to Trump's perceived nostalgic appeal. Her ascension revitalized a faltering campaign, raising over $100 million in just 36 hours post-Biden's departure, her campaign reported.

Trump and Senator Vance have criticized Harris by associating her with the Biden administration's struggles with high inflation and border security. They portrayed Harris as more liberal than Biden. Earlier on Saturday, Trump will speak at the Bitcoin 2024 conference in Nashville, part of the GOP's strategy to attract cryptocurrency holders ahead of the November 5 election. The party promises lighter cryptocurrency regulation.

Despite previously calling bitcoin a "scam," Trump advocates for increased bitcoin mining by U.S. firms. "It's not a shift in the Republican Party as much as it is a revolution," Republican Senator Bill Hagerty of Tennessee told Reuters. Trump will host a high-profile fundraiser in Nashville before his conference remarks, with ticket prices ranging from $60,000 to over $800,000, accepting donations in digital currency.

(With inputs from agencies.)