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The Villages
Thursday, March 28, 2024

Villagers for Trump members still hoping for private gathering with president

Members of Villagers for Trump say they’re excited about the president’s visit on Thursday and they’re hoping a private meeting to discuss Medicare will still take place.

Trump is scheduled to speak to an invitation-only crowd on Thursday at 1:30 p.m. at the Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center. He will talk about Medicare – a subject near and dear to Villagers – and is expected to sign an executive order regarding the program while at The Sharon.

President Trump is scheduled to speak at the Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center in The Villages on Thursday at 1:30 p.m. The event is an invitation-only gathering.

Trump originally planned to visit The Villages in August, but he postponed the trip following mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio that left 31 people dead and 50 injured. He instead visited with survivors, family members of the victims, first-responders and leaders in both of those cities – a move that was applauded by Villagers for Trump.

The president also was planning to hold a smaller, more intimate meeting about Medicare with 10 members of the grassroots club that now boasts more than 1,700 members and clearly has become the choice among area Republicans hoping to get involved in GOP politics.

During that gathering, the president was expected to get their views on the program and share details about his plans to ax waste and abuse while pushing reforms that would lower prescription drug costs.

Sid Bowdidge shares a moment with President Trump. Bowdidge, who serves as executive director of Villagers for Trump, worked on the president’s 2016 election campaign, traveling across the country as part of a special strike team.

Villagers for Trump Executive Director Sid Bowdidge said the club is expecting that meeting to still take place.

“President Trump enjoys engaging with people and getting feedback,” said Bowdidge, who lives in Spruce Creek and played a high-level role in Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.

Club Founder David Gee said the group is awaiting more information about the visit but they’re ready to turn out and show their support in a variety of ways, from the 100 or so members who will attend the event to others who will greet him in the parking lot of The Sharon with signs showing their support.

“My phone has blown up with calls and messages from people who want hear the president speak,” Gee said.

Villagers for Trump also is holding its second annual Trump Day Dinner on Thursday night at the Eisenhower Recreation Center. Gee said they’re hopeful Trump might stay in the area and make an appearance at the sold-out function, especially since the dinner’s featured speaker, actor Stephen Baldwin, has been telling the president about the club and all the activities they do to support him.

“We’re optimistic,” Gee said.

Actor Stephen Baldwin is a huge supporter of President Trump and even appeared on television’s ‘Celebrity Apprentice’ with him.

As for the president’s appearance at The Sharon, Gee said in August at a Villagers for Trump rally that he was told Trump would talk about what he can do to improve Medicare and the processes and benefits involved with the program.

“Pay for it through the elimination of waste and fraud, that’s what we’re hearing,” Gee said. “That would be a good thing. I don’t care what side of the aisle we’re on, I think we all would like to see that happen.”

At that same meeting, Bowdidge said he and other members are the group are looking forward to hearing Trump’s plans for Medicare reform.

“The left-wing, mainstream media is portraying it that he’s going to make cuts, so seniors are going to be hurt and so forth,” he said. “When the reality is, he’s taking so much out and most of it is waste.”

Villagers for Trump members are hoping for the opportunity to discuss Medicare in a private setting with the president.
John Temple

John Temple, who serves as Sumter County Republican Executive Committee chairman, said before the August meeting that he’s thrilled to know Trump puts such an importance on visiting Florida’s Friendliest Hometown.

“What an honor for him to be able to come into our community,” said Temple, who also is the principal of Wildwood Elementary School. “Of all the places in the United States, he’s choosing our community. So, it’s very special that he’s coming to speak to The Villages and the surrounding community.”

Trump’s visit Thursday will mark his first in Central Florida since he kicked of his re-election campaign in June at the Amway Center in Orlando. That event was attended by several Villagers for Trump members, while another large contingent gathered for a watch party at Gator’s Dockside in Brownwood.

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