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Why is Donald Trump at the Alabama-Georgia football game?

Vaseline September 28, 2024

On Saturday, more than 100,000 fans will pack into Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa to watch No. 4 Alabama host No. 1 Georgia.

There’s more to the winner than just the win, with the winner of the top-five matchup gaining an all-important edge in the race for an SEC championship and berth in the College Football Playoff.

Among the sea of faces that will be in the Crimson Tide’s palatial stadium, there will be one that stands out in particular.

REQUIRED READING: What you need to know about security protocols if you go to the Alabama vs. Georgia game

Former President Donald Trump, the Republican candidate trying to reclaim the office he held between 2017 and 2021, will attend Alabama’s game against the Bulldogs, with the university confirming last Thursday that it had been “notified” that Trump planned to attend the game. .

“We have been notified that the 45th President of the United States, Donald Trump, plans to attend the Alabama-Georgia football game on September 28 after receiving an invitation from a private citizen,” Alabama said in a statement declaration. “The security of our campus has and will continue to be our top priority, and UAPD will work closely with the U.S. Secret Service and other law enforcement partners to coordinate security.

“As at every UA football game, there will be metal detectors in place and the bag clearing policy will be strictly enforced. Additional safety measures will be implemented in coordination with local and federal agencies, so fans are encouraged to arrive early to expedite processing. The university’s security investigation will continue to focus on ensuring a safe and positive game day experience for the student-athletes, fans of both teams and all campus visitors.”

With just over five weeks until Election Day, what exactly is Trump bringing to Alabama? Here’s more on the former president’s visit for the Tide’s game against Georgia:

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Why is Donald Trump at the Alabama game?

There is nothing special about a sitting or former president attending a major sporting event. In any case, it is a fairly common practice.

In that regard, Trump’s presence at Alabama’s game against Georgia is just one example of dozens, if not hundreds, of similar examples.

Still, the visit has raised some questions.

Georgia is one of the most crucial states in a race between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris that is expected to be one of the tightest in American history. While running for re-election in 2020, Trump lost Georgia to Joe Biden by 11,779 votes, becoming the first Republican to fail to win the state since 1992.

This cycle, Harris and Trump are separated by just 0.6% in the FiveThirtyEight forecast for the state, with the latter leading. Of the seven states expected to be the most closely contested in November, Georgia is tied with North Carolina for the second-most electoral votes of the group, with 16.

But even though the game involves Georgia’s beloved Bulldogs, Trump will not set foot in Georgia for the game. Instead, he’ll be in Alabama, a state he won by 25 percentage points in 2020 and by 27 percentage points in 2016. In fact, a Republican presidential candidate hasn’t lost Alabama since 1976.

With just 38 days until the election, devoting time, energy and resources to a public appearance in a non-swing state is an unconventional strategy.

His popularity in Alabama, where he has won twice with 62% of the state’s vote, gives an indication of why he might want to be there for the Tide game.

Recently, Trump was spotted at sporting events where he would likely receive a warm welcome. He was a regular at UFC matches (UFC CEO Dana White is a supporter and close friend). In May, he attended the Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR race in Charlotte, North Carolina, the largest city in another swing state, where he was cheered and serenaded with chants of “USA.”

Although the New York City-raised, Penn-educated former president is not closely associated with any particular program, Trump has appeared at college football games numerous times since launching his political career nine years ago. He attended the College Football Playoff championship games in 2018 and 2020 and went to numerous Army-Navy games. In the months leading up to the 2024 Republican presidential caucuses in Iowa, which he ultimately won by 30 percentage points, he attended the Iowa-Iowa State contest, where he received a mixed reaction of boos and cheers.

REQUIRED READING: Why Alabama vs. Georgia is important to Kalen DeBoer and Kirby Smart for several reasons

Donald Trump Alabama Football

Trump’s forays into college football have regularly brought him into close contact with the Tide.

He attended the aforementioned national title game at the end of the 2017 season before leaving at halftime, before Tua Tagovailoa and Alabama came back from a 13-point deficit in the third quarter to beat Georgia in overtime. In November 2019, he became the first sitting president to attend an Alabama home football game when he made the trip to Tuscaloosa to watch the Tide fall to Joe Burrow and eventual national champion LSU 46-41.

Now he will return to see Alabama in person for the first time since Kalen DeBoer took over as coach.

“The people of Alabama have a special relationship with Donald Trump and the Republican Party is always excited to welcome him to our state,” John Wahl, chairman of the Republican Party of Alabama, said in a statement to The Tuscaloosa News.