Saline County residents heading for Trump rally in Evansville

SALINE COUNTY - President Donald Trump's upcoming campaign rally in nearby Evansville, Indiana, likely will get its share of Saline County residents, one county board candidate says.

Ellis "Eli" McEwan said he plans to go to the 7 p.m. Thursday rally at the Ford Center, and says he won't be the only local person in attendance. He'll be traveling with his wife and Saline County Board member Roger Craig.

He said he got quite a bit of traffic on his Facebook page when he posted a link for free tickets to the event.

"There were a lot of folks who saw that link and signed up for tickets," McEwan said. "Some people made a comment, but I think there were a lot more who got tickets and didn't say anything. I think Saline County will be well-represented. I probably saw 50 or 60 comments about people who said they were going."

McEwan, a regular attendee of Saline County Board meetings and a candidate for county board in the November general election, said while he's uncertain what the President will say, he knows it will come from the heart.

"He's basically going to talk about current events and what's on his mind today. He doesn't have a set agenda," McEwan said. "He's a very freelancing person and in most cases doesn't use a teleprompter. He doesn't have speeches already written."

McEwan said Trump's off-the-cuff style was a fresh turn away from politics-as-usual prior to the 2016 presidential election and continues to resonate with potential voters.

"Trump pretty much shoots from the hip, says what he wants to say with a few cusswords thrown in," McEwan said. "And if people don't like it ... sad," he continued, echoing one of Trump's catchphrases.

McEwan said while much has been made of the friction between Trump and the late Sen. John McCain of Arizona, along with the Bush family, it's a distraction from what voters like him care about.

"People have been bashing Trump, saying 'he's been banned from two funerals. Barbara Bush's funeral and John McCain's funeral,'" McEwan said. "They didn't get along. So what?"

He cited unemployment figures published by The Hill and other news sources in April stating unemployment was at a record low in 14 states as proof that Trump has brought improvement to the U.S. economy.

He said the rally is part of the president trying to ensure he gets supportive lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate.

"Of course, it's a campaign year and he needs to maintain the Senate and the House. He needs a few more seats in the Senate to get his agenda done," McEwan said.

He said he understands Trump's personality bothers some people.

"He does rub some people the wrong way," McEwan said. "For the most part, I feel like he comes across more like a good ol' boy from Texas."</group><group id="A98EAA32-1DDF-45B9-8AB8-0C