Presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump touched down again in Lexington Monday – this time for a private fundraiser hosted by a high-level coal executive and his wife.
The Lexington visit comes as Trump looks to prove his fundraising mettle heading into the Republican National Convention next week.
Local Democrats have been quick to seize on the event as a chance to spotlight Trump’s negatives. In a release, U.S. Senate candidate Jim Gray wondered aloud if Senator and former Trump rival Rand Paul would share the stage with him, while congressional candidate Nancy Jo Kemper called a press conference to decry the businessman’s “dangerous divisive politics.”
"I think Mr. Trump wants to divide us more, that he is exercising a politics of fear and animosity to build that up in the hopes that by dividing us he can get elected," she said. "It's all about Mr. Trump."
Kentucky GOP Senate president Robert Stivers took a break from overseeing the Southern Legislative Conference in Lexington Monday – telling reporters that, despite his unusual style, Trump will easily win Kentucky in November.
"From the perspective of speaking what he wants to do in a somewhat unfiltered way, it has created problems without a doubt, but at least this: he doesn't so try to filter it that he has a perception of deception and untrustworthiness as Hillary Clinton does," he said.
Trump’s lackluster fundraising numbers have raised red flags for Republicans, but June showed an upswing with the likely GOP stand-bearer reporting $51 million in new donations.
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