Republicans gather to hear Trump’s acceptance speech

WASHINGTON - A sense of community and a positive environment were what excited a group of Republicans gathered to watch President Donald Trump accept his party's nomination Thursday evening.

People packed into the Washington County Republicans headquarters to watch the nomination acceptance speech on the last night of the Republican National Convention.

Almost 60 people attended the event. Event organizer Merle Miller said Washington County Republicans hold a viewing party anytime the president has a major event.

'People show up; there's a lot of enthusiasm,” Miller said.

Miller said he's been to many Trump rallies and the energy is always positive.

'We have a lot of energy here, we have a lot of fun here,” Miller said.

Mariannette Miller-Meeks, who is running in Iowa's 2nd Congressional District, spoke to the group before the viewing of Trump's speech.

Miller-Meeks told how she left home at 16, eventually listed in the Army and later got a degree as an ophthalmologist. Now, she is an Iowa state senator and hopes to be in Congress after the election.

Miller-Meeks said her story of tenacity, perseverance and going against the odds is not her story alone, it is the story every person and every farmer.

'I never gave up, I never quit fighting – for my dream, my future and the American dream that told me I could achieve it,” Miller-Meeks said. 'And that's why I'm running for Congress.”

Miller-Meeks said the only place where a person can go and make dreams come true is the United States.

In 2010, Gov. Terry Branstad appointed Miller-Meeks as the director of the Iowa Department of Public Health where she served for three years.

Miller-Meeks said the top three issues on voter's minds are COVID-19, health care and the economy.

Miller-Meeks answered audience questions surrounding topics such as immigration, face coverings and protesters.

After Miller-Meeks spoke, people mingled and waited for President Donald Trump's speech to begin.

Kim Barthelman said the event provides encouragement. It is a gathering of people who believe in the same things, support each other and plan how to share their point of views.

'It's unfortunate that the country is divided as it is today,” Barthelman said.

David Miller said we have to elect Donald Trump and that's why he attended the event.

'I truly believe this is the most critical election of our lifetime,” David Miller said. 'If we want to maintain the country the way we've known it.”

Carol Evers shared the same belief, adding it is extremely important because it is a choice between Marxism and socialism or saving the republic.

Evers said Trump has done many good things that people don't hear about.

Evers said as a grandmother she is concerned about what kind of country her grandchildren will live in.