Overflow Crowd for Donald Trump in Bernie Sanders’s BackyardBy ALAN RAPPEPORT and JESS BIDGOOD A line formed outside for Donald J. Trump’s rally in Burlington, Vt. on Thursday, as more people tried to attend than the Flynn Center for Performing Arts could holdBURLINGTON, Vt. — Donald J. Trump touched down in one of America’s most progressive cities Thursday night, bringing the bombastic message that has captivated Republican voters into the backyard of a Democratic opponent, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont.
The visit came as the billionaire real estate mogul has made a point of broadening his focus beyond the early primary states, showcasing his popularity with packed rallies from Mississippi to Massachusetts, and now Vermont — a onetime Republican bastion that is now one of the most solid liberal states in the nation.
The choice of venue seemed curious to some, but Thursday’s rally served multiple purposes for the Trump campaign: needling Mr. Sanders in his own neighborhood; garnering attention in nearby New Hampshire, which holds the nation’s first primary next month; and showing that the candidate can attract big crowds in a Democratic haven.
more at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/08/us/politics/overflow-crowd-for-donald-trump-in-bernie-sanderss-backyard.html?_r=0____________________________________________________________________________________________