Trump attends private event
Fundraiser his first appearance in Bay Area since San Jose rally
WOODSIDE — As Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump breezed into a $25,000-per-ticket fundraiser Monday night at the Woodside home of a private equity CEO, neighbors had some welcome gifts waiting for him: 20 “Hillary Clinton for President” signs staked along the road.
It was Trump’s first highprofile trip back to the Bay Area since some of his supporters were attacked by protesters at his June 2 campaign rally in San Jose.
And while the controversial candidate got a warm reception — and a lot of money — from the guests gathered inside the home of Saul Fox, chief executive of Fox Paine & Co., the reception outside was definitely chillier.
“I happen to be enthusiastic about having an experienced, competent woman running for president,” said Mary Hall, a retired businesswoman who handed out colorful Clinton/ Kaine and Hillary 2016 campaign signs to residents before Trump’s tinted-window motorcade arrived at 7:05 p.m.
“And I am not,” she emphasized, “a fan of Mr. Trump.”
As helicopters buzzed overhead and San Mateo County sheriff’s deputies stood their ground near the entrance to Fox’s gated property, Hall said she and others made sure Trump would see the signs when he entered the narrow winding country road leading to the Fox home.
But because the location of the fundraiser surfaced so late in the day, protesters were few, said lifelong Democrat Brent Turner, 54, of Half Moon Bay, who by 7:30 p.m. was still waiting for his cohorts to arrive.
“We just wanted to make sure that he was aware that the local Democrats and the people of the Bay Area don’t appreciate his politics,” Turner said. “We hope he stays for a very short time and never comes back.”
Like Turner, Hall is appalled
at Trump’s positions toward women and minorities.
“And as a career woman, I know how hard it is for her (Clinton) to have accomplished what she has accomplished,” said Hall, who later brought her black pony, dressed in a Hillary baseball cap and carrying Hillary placards. “I know she is one tough cookie.”
Tricia Richter, 48, of Redwood City, was out for a run with her dog when she was stopped by Secret Service agents because Trump’s motorcade was inbound.
“It’s actually kind of exciting,” Richter said of the scene.
Asked her for her thoughts on the election, she was blunt.
“I think we’re screwed either way — it’s not a pretty thing,” she said. “My opinion is that Hillary has been pulled so far to the left she can’t stand up straight anymore. And Trump, some of his opinions I agree with, but he’s scary.”
The Peninsula was Trump’s only Bay Area fundraising stop, despite rumors of an anticipated Napa event earlier in the day, which never materialized.
The Napa Valley Register on Monday reported that a prominent local Republican who requested anonymity said that Trump canceled the scheduled fundraiser a couple of weeks ago.
Tim Clark, Trump’s California political director, said a future Trump fundraising event in Napa is “very likely.”
The political director confirmed that Trump will attend a second private campaign fundraiser Tuesday afternoon in Tulare County. Despite a recent poll of California voters that shows Trump badly trailing Clinton, Clark said there is plenty of support for Trump in the Golden State.
“You’ve got about five different regions in California — each could be their own state — and the Democrats in each are different,” said Clark. “There are a lot of Dems who are going to be voting for Trump in November.” Trump has held major fundraisers in Southern California, but none in the Bay Area until Monday. In June, Intel CEO Brian Krzanich, facing criticism, canceled a fundraiser for Trump in his Atherton home.
According to Crowdpac, a political crowdfunding startup that uses data to match donors to candidates, Clinton is pummeling Trump in Bay Area campaign contributions.
Based on itemized committee, super PAC and Joint Victory Committee records through July, she has raised $43.5 million compared to $727,000 for Trump, from the following counties: San Francisco, Alameda, San Mateo, San Jose, Contra Costa, Marin, Santa Cruz and San Mateo.