‘Divine providence’ drives Kansas supporters to great lengths to welcome Trump in midterm effort to save country 

Mark Marney spent seven hours getting to President Trump’s rally near Wichita Monday – and he lives there.

The 73-year-old, with a weak back but a strong constitution, stood in line with thousands of others outside Heartland Credit Union Arena from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. just to be counted among the president’s some 5,500 supporters inside – and nearly that many stuck outside – in a midterm election when Trump isn’t even on the ballot.

“I just think that Trump is just divine providence for our country,” Marney told HeartlanderNews from his floor seat just feet from the podium.

“I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to end up like [western Europe]. These Muslims are not honest people, and they’re going to tell you anything you like. And Democrats are not much different in that, let’s face it, the Democrat plantation is real. Once you’re on it and get addicted to their free stuff, they keep you on it. And they keep promising you more free stuff.” 

A late-arriving Trump didn’t disappoint, soundly lamenting the ongoing chaos in France, warning that Democrat control would import it here, promising “we’re not letting it happen here” and exhorting voters to help prevent it by electing Republicans Nov. 3.

Supporting Roger Marshall

Trump had high praise for the main Republican he flew to Kansas to support, Sen. Roger Marshall – who one acquaintance mused privately “doesn’t have an own-the-room personality,” but who held forth with an uncharacteristically fiery speech Monday.

Marshall touted the Make America Great Again agenda and accomplishments – such as a stunningly secure border, lower taxes and policies that fit Kansas values and economics – while assailing beleaguered Democratic candidate Adam Hamilton, a Kansas City pastor accused of covering up an alleged pedophile’s molestations at his church’s youth camp over multiple years.

Critics also have cited Hamilton’s sermons lamenting whiteness in his home county and tying cattle – part of the state’s No. 1 industry, agriculture – to global warming.

On Monday, Marshall called Hamilton “the most radical liberal Democrat to ever get through a Senate primary in the history of Kansas.”

Trump echoed those sentiments, adding that Marshall “is truly one of the best, one of the most respected” senators in Washington.

The president repeatedly noted the immigrant-involved riots in France and the potential for similar unrest in the U.S. should Democrats retake power, following what he said was the Biden administration’s open-borders policy.

Despite what he called “historic” levels of inflation under Biden, Trump opined that “the worst thing they did to us is allowing 25 million people into our country totally unchecked, totally unvetted …”

“If you want to see what is at stake in this election, just look at what’s happening in France – a once-great nation that is being conquered, looted and burned to the ground by migrants, jihadists and communists who hate Christianity and they hate, frankly, the Western civilization itself.

“And as we’re seeing in Europe, globalist left-wing politicians have treasonously imported millions and millions of third-world migrants who are totally incompatible with [the] West, and they are incompatible with Western values. They despise everything about France, and they’re destroying that country. And we’re not going to let that happen to this country. …

“[Democrats] allowed 25 million people to pour across our borders from all over the world. And if they win the midterms, they will do it again. They’ll get rid of the border.”

In contrast, Trump touted record levels of economic growth and investment in the U.S., as well as record drops in violent crime.

Despite those achievements, he joked, “tomorrow the headlines are going to be Trump has to go through massive protests.”

Indeed, there were a handful of hecklers removed from the rally with such dispatch that the president commended local law enforcement: “A lot of times it takes even longer. These guys are gone within seconds.”

Standing for Trump

The bigger story, as opposed to a few hecklers, may be the lengths Trump supporters will go to to express that support. Lynette Pivomka and her grown daughter, Kerri Baalmann, withstood – emphasis on the “stood” – their own five hours in line to see their champion.

“Because we support Trump,” Pivomka explained. “It only makes sense to want lower taxes. No abortions. No tax on tips, no tax on Social Security. Secure borders. And we support ICE and the police department. It only makes sense. I don’t understand who wouldn’t want that.

“And I do believe we should have voter ID for everyone. I don’t know why you wouldn’t want voter ID unless you wanted illegals voting.”

“Being a very Christian, Catholic person,” Baalmann says, “I support Trump. I love that he supports the Catholics/Christians. I like his values with abortion. He has way more common sense than the others.”

“I really worry about our children’s and our grandchildren’s future,” Pivomka adds. “If we get a socialist country going on here, we’re done as a country, I feel.”

Marney – a veteran campaigner and intimate of Ross Perot and his insurgent campaign in the 1990s – echoes the women’s sentiment, though in blunter terms. Asked what he thinks will happen if Democrats take back control of Congress, he says:

“I don’t know. I hope we’re not that stupid. That’s all I can say. And I mean that. I hope we’re not that stupid.”

Jim Carrithers agrees heartily. The 79-year-old farmer – and former world champion livestock auctioneer – says he is “very worried” about the midterms “because the Democrats are going to put us in a terrible bind” if they win.

Trump, he says, is “the best president we ever had. And probably our only chance to keep America free.”

(Featured image credit: Screenshot/YouTube/Fox News)