COVINGTON, Ky. -- Hundreds of protesters gathered Thursday morning on Madison Avenue to make their voices heard as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell visited the Tri-State.
“This is what democracy looks like!” and “Immigration, education, not deportation," the crowd chanted in front of Hotel Covington, where McConnell is scheduled as the keynote speaker of a federal issues luncheon with the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber.
PHOTOS: Protesters speak out against McConnell in NKY
"Mitch McConnell doesn’t even answer his phone anymore!” claimed Boone County resident Victoria Runge. "We have a president that doesn’t listen to the people. He’s in his own little world down in Florida.”
Runge said she was concerned about healthcare budgets getting slashed across America. Rebekah Elliott of Fort Thomas reiterated Runge's worries about McConnell and Pres. Donald Trump not listening to Americans.
"They need to listen to the stories of people who are afraid that their kids are going to be deported in the night. They need to worry about people that don’t have healthcare," Elliott said. "Right now, Trump is busy keeping our bathroom safe, and people are suffering in America."
Posted by WCPO Timyka Artist on Thursday, February 23, 2017
Retired millwright David Edward Sr. was the lone Trump supporter that WCPO found at the protest. Edward cheerfully claimed he hopped in the middle of the crowd, which he said tore his sign reading “Long live Donald J. Trump” in half and knocked his hat from his head. He pledged his full support to McConnell and Trump.
"We love ‘em, and together we stand. … We’re blessed that we have the government. Let’s be more supportive,” Edward said. "I think they’re still upset that the Democrats didn’t win. We got to all be a team and come together as American citizens."
Watch WCPO reporter Timyka Artist speak with Edward in the box below.
Posted by WCPO Timyka Artist on Thursday, February 23, 2017
