NEW ORLEANS — Former President Donald Trump landed at Armstrong International Airport shortly before 6 p.m. Monday evening for a campaign fundraiser in Uptown New Orleans.
Trump’s visit comes less than a month after he was convicted on 34 felony charges in a New York courtroom.
Since then, he has been on a fundraising tour.
His campaign was expected to pocket up to $5 million at the high dollar meet and greet at businessman Boysie Bollinger’s Audubon Place home.
Governor Jeff Landy, Sen. John Kennedy, and Rep. Steve Scalise were at the airport to welcome Mr. Trump. They rode together to the fundraiser.
Scalise was the special guest at the event.
Political Pollster Ron Faucheux says candidates visit a city for one of two reasons: either to win votes or to find money.
Since Trump carried Louisiana with nearly 60% of the vote in 2016 and 2020 and is expected to receive about the same vote this year, Faucheux says clearly this trip to New Orleans is to raise money.
“When people donate large sums of money, they want to see the candidate. They don’t want to just send the check or send it on their credit card online, they actually want to see the candidate,” Faucheux said. “I think that’s what this is really about.”
This Thursday, Trump is set to face off against President Joe Biden in the first presidential debate.
“In this kind of election, a state like Louisiana that’s not considered a swing state is a donor state,” Faucheux said. “Money from Louisiana, most of it will go to other states that are close, that are going to be battlegrounds like Georgia, or Michigan, or Arizona.”
Trump last visited the New Orleans area about a year ago for a fundraiser at the Metairie home of developer and banker Joe Canizaro.
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