Lara Trump campaigns for father-in-law in Raleigh
RALEIGH (WTVD) -- Both front-runners in the Presidential race had surrogates in Raleigh Tuesday; Republicans brought in Donald Trump's daughter-in-law, Lara, while Democrats rallied around former N.C. Treasurer Richard Moore.
Lara Trump stopped into Brigg's Hardware, a small business that has Raleigh ties going back to the Civil War.
"I'm officially on the campaign trail as of today," Trump told about a dozen supporters. A campaign insider says Tuesday is her last day working as a producer at CBS' Inside Edition. One operative described her as an increasingly "valuable asset" for the campaign.
Lara Trump, an N.C. State grad, only spoke for about 5 minutes before taking questions. Her short speech was light on policy but included a healthy dose of anti-Obamacare and anti-illegal immigration rhetoric.
"Obviously, my father in law has been explicit in regard to illegal immigration. There are jobs Americans should have that are going to people who quite honestly, don't belong here. They're not legal citizens of our country. Those are going to be the people that have the jobs in Evelyn's store (Brigg's)."
Across Raleigh, Democrats were also talking jobs, but with a decidedly different feel.
"The stakes have never been higher for all small business owners across North Carolina," said Sarah Glova with Reify Media, a Raleigh small business. "The plan that Hillary Clinton launched today will make it easier for small business owners across America to start and build their businesses."
Former Raleigh Treasurer Richard Moore told supporters that a plan released by Clinton today would create 300,000 new jobs where a plan from Trump would cost 100,000 job. He also blasted Donald Trump's record with small businesses and contractors over the years.
"He's been sued more than 4,000 times by ordinary folks just wanting to get paid. Donald Trump has a long history of basically being a reverse Robin Hood," Moore said. "He takes from the poor and gives to the rich."
"From what I understand," Lara Trump said when asked, "everyone has been very happy working for the trump family, very proud to work for him."
Supporters of Donald Trump said they were happy to see Lara and hear her thoughts on small businesses in America. For supporter Donna Williams, both points hit on by Lara Trump hit home.
"I look forward to the future to getting our health care under control. And for small business, it's going to make a big difference," said Williams. "When you look around and you see so many people in Raleigh and, I'm not going to say they're illegal, but they don't talk our language and they're from Mexico and they have a job, but then my son, who was in the Marine Corps, can't get a job. There's something wrong with this picture."
