Trump fans decry Reynolds’ endorsement of GOP rival

DAVENPORT — Gerri Lynn Lester stood outside the River Center's entrance Tuesday morning wrapped in a flag that read: Make America Great Again.

The 56-year-old made the 50-minute drive from Galesburg, Ill., to Davenport to see Donald Trump's presidential campaign town hall, an event moderated by Fox News pundit Sean Hannity.

Like every other person in the line, Lester warded off the cold while waiting to see the former president, who she hopes will reclaim the position next November.

"I was a Democrat until Obama's second term," Lester said as she clutched a cup of coffee in one hand and a stuffed "Trumpy Bear" in the other. "I saw Donald Trump in Mendon (Illinois) and I drove up to Davenport when he was at the Adler.

"When Donald Trump was president, that was the best I've ever done. I live on my own and support myself, and I'm hurting right now. Bidenomics is bad for the country."

Trump’s Davenport town hall comes ahead of the fourth Republican primary debate, which the former president is not expected to attend. Four candidates qualified for Wednesday’s debate in Alabama — Chris Christie, Nikki Haley, Ron DeSantis and Vivek Ramaswamy. Trump hasn’t attended the previous three debates.

Ramaswamy's campaign resonated with at least one Trump supporter in Tuesday's line. Tyler Van Akin, a 22-year-old Palmer College of Chiropractic student, said he could see Ramaswamy as Trump's vice president.

"Donald Trump puts America first," Van Akin said. "And Ramaswamy puts America first and Trump first. And my dark horse for VP is (ousted Fox personality) Tucker Carlson. He believes in nationalism, in America first.“

Van Akin considered the extreme nationalism of Ramaswamy and Carlson.

"They are extreme, that's true," Van Akin said. "They are extreme in the sense that they believe in America first above all other things. And you know what, that extreme nationalism makes me even more sure it is time to put America first. "America is the greatest nation on earth. And Donald Trump will make sure we stay that way."

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds endorsed DeSantis in early November, and has campaigned with the Florida governor and appeared in advertising promoting him. Trump has criticized Reynolds as being disloyal to him, and his campaign released an ad of its own in the past week with clips of Reynolds praising Trump at past rallies and events.

Emilee Schemidt and Cheryl Newport echoed Trump's criticism of Reynolds. Both women are from Bettendorf and serve as caucus captains.

"I was very disappointed to hear (Reynolds) endorse DeSantis," said Schemidt, 40, who said she came to the Trump camp only after "the Democrats betrayed Bernie (Sanders)."

"I have no idea why Reynolds would have done that," Schemidt said. "She promised not to do that until after the caucus. I think she was promised something, but that is just my opinion."

Newport, 62, said she supports Trump because she is a grandmother of five.

"I caucused for Trump in 2016, and I'm happy to be here," Newport said. "I was 100 percent surprised by what Reynolds did. I was hugely disappointed and immediately sent her office a message. I told her that she is on the wrong side of history."

Across Second Street from the River Center, on the sidewalk outside Major Art & Hobby Center, stood the event's lone dissenter.

Rudy Hernandez wore the Guy Fawkes mask made iconic by the film "V for Vendetta" and worn by members of the Occupy Wall Street movement. He held a sign that read "Lock Him Up" and said he didn't mind being the only one there openly opposing Trump.

"Dissent always starts with one," said the 75-year-old U.S. Air Force veteran who served as a medic during the Vietnam War. "I'm here to support all veterans and to fight for the Constitution of the United States. This is the greatest country in the world, and I'm not going to sit around while we re-elect an autocrat who encouraged people to overthrow our government on Jan. 6.“

Sarah Watson of the Quad City Times contributed to this report.