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Donald Trump Jr. visits Brick Street Bar

By James Steinbauer, Emily Williams and Emma Kinghorn, The Miami Student

Donald J. Trump Jr. spoke to a packed Brick Street on Monday afternoon, championing the business qualifications of his father, presidential nominee Donald Trump, and echoing the candidate's calls to abolish career politicians and send a message to Washington.

With the general election only two weeks away and recent polls indicating a tight Ohio race, Trump Jr., the Republican candidate's most frequent surrogate, assured the audience that his father's experience in creating jobs and employing an expansive workforce would be a valuable asset in the Oval Office.

"We have an opportunity here to put someone who has actually created real jobs," he said. "Not someone who talked about it like some magical unicorn that you can just summon and they always appear, but someone who has actually done it."

Trump Jr. spoke against career politicians, something which he said is a problem on both sides of the political aisle.

"We have the chance to actually drain the swamp. We do," Trump Jr. said to chants from the crowd. "It's time. It really, it is time to get rid of these career politicians. They haven't given us anything, they haven't been held accountable, they haven't done anything. Other than create a mess."

He was invited to speak by the Butler County Republican Party, the Butler County Trump Campaign and the owner of Brick Street, said Ann Becker, the State Central Committeewoman for Butler County.

Trump Jr.'s speech, which began at about 2:30 p.m., was brief -- around eight minutes -- and did not address his father's denigrating comments toward hispanic and other minority citizens or the 11 sexual assault allegations against the Republican candidate.

By 1 p.m., a line of students and community members had already gathered under the bar's red marquee and along the sidewalk on High Street. Doors opened shortly before 1:30 p.m. Admission to the event was free and open, but attendees were asked to show a photo ID before entering and were not permitted to bring large bags or backpacks into the venue.

Student volunteers passed out Trump/Pence posters at the entrance. The railing of Sky Box, the bar's upper level, were draped with American flags, Trump campaign signs and red, white and blue bunting.

Some students bought draft beers and Trashcans before crowding around the Brick Street stage to hear Trump Jr. speak on behalf of the GOP's presidential candidate.

Supporters came wearing the candidate's signature "Make America Great Again" red baseball caps or sporting "Hillary for Prison" buttons, but most attendees did not wear Trump apparel to the event.

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Trump Jr. was presented with a Miami RedHawks ice hockey jersey with "Trump 16" embroidered on the back. After his speech, Trump Jr. donned the jersey, signing Trump campaign posters and taking photos with students and community members.

Sophomore Gianna Dell'Arni was one of many students who crowded around the Brick Street stage to have their posters signed by Trump Jr.

Dell'Arni said she is confident that Trump will win the election if he continues to reach out to young voters and offers more specifics about what he would accomplish as president.

"I'm a Trump supporter because I think that people need to understand that there's a lot of corruption going on in politics," Dell'Arni said. "Trump doesn't need this job, and he's doing this for the American people."

Bill Roe, 68, a resident of Butler County, said that Trump's success is a sign that America wants change.

"It's twofold. One, I'm against the principles that Hillary has," Roe said. "And the other thing is that there's a pretty good consensus that in our country most people are not happy with how things are going. So let's try to do something different from the same thing, year after year."

Roe graduated from Miami in 1970 after just three years.

"That's all I could afford," he said.

Michael Evans, 64, studied literature and history at Miami ('74). Although Evans will be casting his ballot for Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson, he was interested in hearing what Trump Jr. had to say.

"As far as I'm concerned, the Millennials will determine this election. Who they vote for, how many come out," Evans said. "If they sit this one out, it's possible Trump could win."

Evans, who grew up in West Virginia, said he understands why Trump appeals to many Ohio voters.

"Coming from West Virginia and being here in Ohio, there's no jobs, so I can see why Trump is popular here," Evans said. "These two parties have never done anything for these people, except ask for their vote."