Trump rally: JD Vance takes to the campaign trail for the first time since the RNC nominations at a campaign rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan

GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan — Former President Donald Trump is returning to the campaign trail in the pivotal state of Michigan, days after accepting the Republican nomination for president for the third time at the party convention.

This time, however, Trump will be joined for the first time by his running mate, Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio, at a campaign rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on Saturday night. It is Trump’s first rally since his assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday.

The rally is being held at the Van Andel Arena, an easier-to-secure indoor venue after the gunman opened fire from a nearby rooftop at the outdoor venue last week. The indoor venue is a change from Trump’s previous rallies this election cycle, which have been held primarily outdoors, weather permitting.

Van Andel Arena seats more than 12,000 people, although it is unclear how many will attend. The arena is located in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids, surrounded by several restaurants and hotels. Visitors can expect heightened security following the attempted murder last week.

This will be Vance’s first official campaign rally as part of the GOP ticket. It should come as no coincidence that Trump and Vance’s first rally together is in Michigan, a key state in the battle.

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The Trump and Vance campaigns have made it clear since Vance was announced as Trump’s running mate that they view the Ohio senator as crucial to their strategy to win the Midwestern swing states of Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.

On Monday night, Vance recounted on Newsmax his conversation with the former president when he was offered the chance to be his vice president. He said Trump told him, “You can help me in some of the Midwestern states, like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and so forth.”

During his speech at the Republican Party Convention earlier this week, Vance emphasized his background, having grown up in Middletown, Ohio, and lived in the Rust Belt.

“I promise you one more thing, to the people of Middletown, Ohio, and all the forgotten communities in Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Ohio and every corner of our country: I will be a vice president who never forgets where he came from,” Vance said Wednesday night.

But Vance has come a long way since his days in the Rust Belt, going on to study law at Yale Law School and working as a venture capitalist in the technology sector.

In 2016, Vance published his memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, which tells the story of his childhood in poverty in America’s Rust Belt, where he was surrounded by violence and addiction.

A few years later, he launched his campaign for the open Ohio Senate seat and won the 2022 general election, defeating then-Rep. Tim Ryan.

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Michigan is a key state for both candidates. President Joe Biden defeated Trump in Michigan in 2020, but Trump won the state from Hillary Clinton in 2016.

The arena is a familiar location for Trump, as he held a rally there in March 2019. During his previous campaigns, Trump made Michigan his last stop before Election Day.

During Trump’s keynote speech at the RNC on Thursday, the former president mentioned the auto industry several times in an effort to appeal to Michigan, home to many automakers. While Trump has pledged to bring back auto jobs, Trump criticized the leadership of the United Auto Workers, saying the union leader should be “fired immediately.”

“So with all these other things happening on our border, that are being built by China to make cars and sell them in our country, no taxes, no nothing. The United Auto Workers should be ashamed of themselves for allowing this to happen and the leader of the United Auto Workers should be fired immediately,” Trump said.

UAW, which endorsed Biden in January, responded to X in a message Thursday night, saying: “.@realDonaldTrump is a strikebreaker and a billionaire and that’s who he represents. We know whose side we’re on. Not his.”