As the gates open at the Trump rally in Conroe, the line of waiting vehicles stretches for a mile

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Politics // Texas PoliticsEdward McKinley, Austin Bureau

Ene. 29, 2022Updated: Jan. 29, 2022 4:58 pm

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Thousands filled the Montgomery County Fairgrounds hours before the doors opened on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2021, for former President Donald Trump’s first Texas MAGA rally since 2019.

EDWARD MCKINLEYShow MoreShow Less2of4

Thousands filled the Montgomery County Fairgrounds hours before the doors opened on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2021, for former President Donald Trump’s first Texas MAGA rally since 2019.

EDWARD MCKINLEYShow MoreShow Less3of4

Thousands filled the Montgomery County Fairgrounds hours before the doors opened on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2021, for former President Donald Trump’s first Texas MAGA rally since 2019.

EDWARD MCKINLEYShow MoreShow Less4of4

Thousands filled the Montgomery County Fairgrounds hours before the doors opened on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2021, for former President Donald Trump’s first Texas MAGA rally since 2019.

JEREMY WALLACESShow MoreShow Less

Thousands filled the Montgomery County Fairgrounds hours before the doors opened for former President Donald Trump’s first Texas MAGA rally since 2019.

Almost everyone is waiting in line for something: fried food, Trump merchandise, restrooms, or security lines to enter. From time to time, the masses burst into whoops or “Let’s go Brandon” chants. Nearly a mile lined the line of vehicles waiting to turn into the lot.

The outfits looked at home in a big music festival. People wore bright colors like American flag jumpsuits and neon cowboy hats.

The majority are mostly but not exclusively white, made up of people of all ages. The whole family walked together, holding hands.

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Industrious locals sell T-shirts and flags from campers in the yard. The listed prices say they are selling for $ 20 each; hoodies for $ 28.

Many displayed political slogans or expletives against President Joe Biden. A Confederate flag was raised high waved near the entrance.

DJ Khaled’s “All I Do Is Win” played loudly from the stage, setting up hundreds of yards away from the tailgate area. The playlist is mostly country rock with hits from the ’80s.

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Edward McKinley reports on Texas state government and politics from the Hearst Bureau in Austin for the Houston Chronicle and the San Antonio Express-News.

He is a 2019 graduate of the Missouri School of Journalism and a 2020 graduate of Georgetown’s Master’s in American Government program. He previously reported for The Albany Times Union and the Kansas City Star newspapers, and he originally came from the great state of Minnesota.

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