Houston Chronicle Sunday

Hundreds of Trump backers join “stop the steal” rally.

- By Meagan Ellsworth mellsworth@hcnonline.com

CONROE — Hundreds of people shouted and chanted “Stop the Steal” at a rally Saturday morning in Conroe to defend the 45th president of the United States.

Despite news of Democratic nominee Joe Biden defeating Donald Trump in the presidenti­al election, supporters gathered at the Montgomery County Fair Grounds waved signs claiming victory and vowing support.

“He deserves it. The last four years have been horrible. He’s been getting no credit for anything. The people love him,” said Magnolia Trump Train 2020 “engineer,” John Brock, 62, who hosted the event. “We feel it in our heart that the election is being taken from us because of all of these mail in ballots.”

Brock shared he started The Magnolia Trump Train 2020 Facebook group in mid-September and within six days it grewto1,000 people. He said there are now 4,000 members. The group recently held an event in Magnolia which had about 500 attendees.

“We need everybody to understand that election laws need to change,” Brock said. “You have to have ID to go to Disney World. “You have to have an ID to get a library card, but you don’t have to have an ID to freaking vote?”

Two-thirds of states require voter identifica­tion, including Texas.

U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady, RThe Woodlands and Rep. Steve Toth, R-The Woodlands, stoodona liftedwhit­e Ford Excursion surrounded by dozens of various flags as they asked the attendees to continue to fight and have faith in Trump.

“No one believed we would be standing in this field with a razor thin margin, no one saidwe could do this, no one believed this president could knock us out of four years of impeachmen­t, investigat­ion, and attacks right and left and comeoutwit­h an America that believes so strongly in him,” Brady said.

Brady and the crowd said they would accept the results if every vote is counted and every irregulari­ty is examined.

“Right now, I’m not accepting these results because of the Associated Press says so, I believe at the end of the day and you do too that every legal vote deserves to be counted,” Brady said.

Retired and disabled U.S. Army Col. Rob Harmon, 58, read a poemhewrot­e, titled “Trump 2020” which compares the incumbent to a lion fighting for freedom.

“He gets attacked by every side, but he just fights and the one thing you learn as a member of the military there are some enemies that you can’t negotiate with no matter how hard you try,” he said. “In that case all you can do is fight, and that is who is — he’s a fighter. Because theenemy is never going to give him a break.”

Several attendees requested Trump campaign signs and said they felt inspired by the hour-long event.

“It’s inspiring, positive, patriotic, invigorati­ng,” Montgomery County resident Kit Randolph, 69, said. “(I hope) the truth just comes to light.”

Some attended from the Houston area, including Shaheen Gray, 60, who is originally from Pakistan.

“We have not lost hope, so it was very encouragin­g and very informativ­e,” Gray said. “It was well worth it.”

Conroe resident Philip Wagoner, 67, walked alone with a list of names in his hands at the end of the event.

“It shows that Trump won the election,” Wagoner said. “It’s for a card that we are sending to Trump, saying ‘We’re with him.’ ”

 ?? Jason Fochtman / Staff photograph­er ?? Trump supporters pray during a “Defend Our President” rally Saturday at the Montgomery County Fairground­s in Conroe.
Jason Fochtman / Staff photograph­er Trump supporters pray during a “Defend Our President” rally Saturday at the Montgomery County Fairground­s in Conroe.
 ??  ?? Elvis Van of Magnolia carries a “Stop the Steal” sign for Saturday’s Trump rally at the Montgomery County Fairground­s in Conroe.
Elvis Van of Magnolia carries a “Stop the Steal” sign for Saturday’s Trump rally at the Montgomery County Fairground­s in Conroe.
 ??  ?? Ellis Moses attends the rally, where U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady and Rep. Steve Toth asked the attendees to continue to fight.
Ellis Moses attends the rally, where U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady and Rep. Steve Toth asked the attendees to continue to fight.

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