Large Crowd Gathers for Trump Rally in Georgia, But Many Leave Early Amid Lengthy Speech

 

On Tuesday, a large crowd gathered for a Donald Trump rally in Marietta, Georgia, forming a line that stretched nearly a quarter-mile around the venue. The hall, which seats 2,700 people, started filling early, with the first attendees arriving around 1 p.m. for the 7:30 p.m. event. However, not all those who waited were able to get in due to the high turnout.

Georgia has seen heightened political enthusiasm, coinciding with the opening of early voting. According to the Georgia Secretary of State’s office, 310,980 people cast their votes in person on Tuesday, far surpassing the previous record of about 130,000. Despite this surge, only a few of Trump's supporters sported "I voted" stickers.

As anticipation for Trump’s speech grew, the energy was high. However, some noted that Trump's speeches have a tendency to run long, which causes parts of the audience to leave early. During the recent rally, about 30% of the crowd had left by the time Trump finished speaking at 10:14 p.m. Attendees cited reasons ranging from exhaustion to the long wait before Trump’s delayed appearance on stage.

Ryan Taylor, a podcaster, left midway through Trump’s speech, explaining that her son, who had waited in the car, wasn’t interested in the rally. Others, like Haley Lummus, left early due to fatigue after a long day at work.

Interestingly, a group of Danish visitors attended out of curiosity about American politics. They compared the event to a surreal TV show before leaving early to avoid traffic.

By the time Trump’s speech delved into immigration and economic issues, more people trickled out, some having work commitments the next day. Marietta is part of the Atlanta metro area, but many Trump supporters had traveled from rural areas, adding to their lengthy commutes home.

Despite the early exits, many attendees expressed emotional reactions to Trump’s speech. One attendee, Voni Miller, teared up as Trump spoke about changes he planned to make in the country. However, her departure was prompted by practical concerns: her phone was dying, and she needed to charge her Tesla to get home.

By the time Trump’s speech ended, about one-third of the audience had left, some mentioning that while they had enjoyed the event, they were familiar with how these rallies tend to conclude. Nonetheless, for many attendees, the rally was a powerful and emotional experience.