In the wake of the violent anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles, interest has surged in the latest round of “No Kings” protests against President Donald Trump planned across the Delaware Valley on Saturday.
Also on Saturday, many Trump supporters will be cheering the military parade he’s ordered to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army. And – by coincidence — it’s Trump’s 79th birthday, too.
Republicans point to the latest polls showing Trump’s support rising and Americans rejecting Democrats’ stance on illegal immigration. They argue the riots and protests in L.A. are bad optics for the Democratic Party.
Democrats say Trump’s actions in L.A., like calling in the National Guard and the U.S. Marines, have inspired a backlash against what they call his authoritarianism. The leftwing group Indivisible, which launched the anti-Trump events, says it’s had “overwhelming interest” in recent days for the events.
“This country doesn’t belong to a king — and we’re not letting him throw himself a parade funded by tens of millions of our taxpayer dollars while stealing from us and stripping away our rights, our freedoms, and the programs our families rely on,” the group said in a statement. “No Thrones. No Crowns. No Kings.”
How do local Democrats and Republicans feel?
“Democrats have been—and remain—strongly motivated to speak out against actions by this Republican administration that they believe undermine our democracy,” said Charlotte Valyo, chair of the Chester County Democratic Committee. “Weekly local rallies and national days of protest serve as powerful platforms not only for Democrats but also for concerned citizens across the political spectrum. These gatherings unite people in a shared commitment to defend democratic principles and to make it clear that we will not back down.”
Republicans’ response?
“TDS (Trump Derangement Syndrome) is real,” said Ellen Cox, leader of the Doylestown Republican Social Club.
“The reaction and riots from the Democrats just show us every day why they lost and how anti-American they are as they support those who were allowed to break laws to invade this country with a wide open border instead of supporting Trump,” she said.
Not so, said Carol Bassetti, a Democrat who lives in Havertown and is “absolutely” enthusiastic for the No King protests on Saturday.
Joe Rooney, chair of the Abington Township Rockledge Borough Republican Organization, said the Republicans in his town are supporting President Trump.”
Rooney, a former Marine, said he remembers when President George H.W. Bush called in the Marines to put down the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles.
“They had the riots in 1992, and they brought the Marines up from Camp Pendleton because L.A. was out of control then,” he said.
Historically, Democrats have enjoyed a consistent lead in the so-called “generic ballot” question. But that gap closed during the 2024 campaign. Some Democrats blame former President Joe Biden, who chose to run for reelection despite being clearly no longer capable of serving, then left Vice President Kamala Harris with just over 100 days to run a White House campaign.
Whatever the cause, Democrats once again have an advantage, albeit a slim 2.6 percent one, in the RealClearPolitics average of polls.
At the same time, Trump’s approval has been steadily rising since early May, and he’s at 47 percent approve compared to 50 percent disapprove. That’s much better than most of his first term, and far better than Biden during most of his time in office.
“I think Republicans, and all Americans who care about the success of our country’s future, are very enthusiastic about President Trump,” said Pat Poprik, chair of the Bucks County GOP. “The president has been consistently delivering on his promises to the American people and has been working around the clock to do so, a welcome change from the previous administration.
“The so-called energy from the Democrats is really panic. They learned nothing from their crushing defeat last year, and now are doubling down on the same issues that the voters overwhelmingly rejected.
“Bucks County voters know that Republicans are the party of law and order and that the Democrats continually support lawlessness.”
Dave Galluch, a Newtown Square resident and a Republican who ran for Congress, also believes the L.A. riots will affect public opinion to the advantage of Republicans.
“After watching what is occurring in Los Angeles, and every Republican and moderate independent I know understands President Trump’s strong border and immigration policies are needed more urgently than ever,” said Galluch.
