Trump's visit to Mahoning Valley on Tuesday is rarity among U.S. presidents

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Even though Barack Obama did it in 2009 and Donald Trump is scheduled to do it Tuesday, visits by sitting presidents to the Mahoning Valley in odd-

numbered years – particularly after less than a year in office – are rare.

“They’re very unusual,” said Bill Binning, retired Youngstown State University political science department chairman and former Mahoning County Republican Party chairman. “It’s not campaign time. It’s not even a year after the election. To me, that’s unique.”

Bill Lawson, Mahoning Valley Historical Society executive director, said, “Any presidential visit is historic, but this one is extraordinary because President Trump is only six months into his term.”

Trump, a Republican, will have a rally Tuesday at the Covelli Centre. The event is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. at the center, 229 E. Front St. The doors to the venue open at 4 p.m.

The center is expected to hold about 6,000 people.

“He will draw a large crowd as he’s got a lot of support here,” Lawson said. “There will be thousands of people at the Covelli Centre and thousands more will be protesting.”

The Mahoning County Democratic Party and other local Democratic and progressive groups will have a counter-rally from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesday on Central Square to protest Trump’s efforts to change the nation’s health-care system and to call on the president to create jobs.

Read the full story, including a rundown of presidential visits here over the past 150 years, on Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com.