In all, about 40 people turned out Oct. 17 at the Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine to join a march to support President Trump. Several groups around the country held local marches for those who could not travel to Washington, D.C. for the main event that marched from Freedom Plaza to the U.S. Capitol.
“It was kind of like a little litmus test to see how President Trump is doing three years into his presidency in a town that is so heavily Democrat,” said Diane Scherf, president of the Trump Club of St. Johns County who organized the local march. She said the response from onlookers was about 85% positive ― this time. She said in 2016, Trump supporters would get lots of nasty looks and “the finger,” so marchers were unsure what to expect at Friday’s march.
“I was surprised at the outpouring of support of drivers, people on trolleys and also people joined us,” one of the marchers, Mary Robbie, said. “I am amazed at support that is out there for President Trump.”
The main message of the local march was to simply thank the President, said Scherf, who had “Thank you, President Trump” signs printed for participants to carry.
“That’s all I was trying to accomplish,” Scherf said. “We support you and appreciate the job you are doing for the country as a whole.”
According to Scherf, the Trump Club of St. Johns County is not chartered under the SJC Republican Party. The nonpartisan club, started in 2017, currently has about 200 members and nearly 5,000 newsletter subscribers. In addition to Republicans, there are also independents and Democrats who are members. Robbie said the group is made up of a wide spectrum of people from teenagers to octogenarians ― and lots of women.
