Donald Trump leads cheering crowd in O.C.: 'Build that wall' - OCRegister

Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump brought his rousing message of political indignation to a full house at Costa Mesa’s 8,000-seat Pacific Amphitheatre on Thursday and was celebrated by the vocal crowd for providing an alternative to the status quo.

Within minutes of taking the stage to kick off his California campaign, Trump had the crowd on its feet chanting, “Build that wall.”

“Your crime numbers, they’re going through the roof, and we can’t have it anymore,” Trump told the packed venue at the OC Fair & Event Center. “We’re going to get our country back to a balance.”

Outside, sheriff’s deputies on horseback and in riot gear had to separate pro- and anti-Trump groups who shouted profanities at each other and nearly came to blows, with one side chanting “Dump Trump” as the other shouted, “Go back to Mexico.” As Trump spoke, a large crowd of protesters, some waving Mexican flags, blocked an intersection outside. Drivers were burning rubber, filling the air with smoke.

The tensions may be an early sign of what’s ahead for California in the weeks leading up to the June 7 primary, as Trump shifts his attention to the state that could prove the most crucial yet in his drive to be the Republican standard bearer.

“No state has suffered more from open borders than the state of California,” Trump told the crowd.

Trump’s choice of Orange County for his first major California event of the year is no surprise. While the county’s increasing ethnic diversity has contributed to Republican voter registration recently slipping below 40 percent, the GOP still has an 8-point advantage over Democrats and continues its longstanding national reputation as a Republican powerhouse.

The county’s many wealthy donors also make it a national fundraising hub for GOP candidates.

The 1,237 delegates Trump needs to secure the nomination in advance of the July convention is within reach. California’s 172 delegates – the most of any state – could determine whether he reaches that benchmark or must continue the battle at the convention.

Though Election Day is June 7, there is a more immediate urgency to connect with the state’s voters because mail ballots begin going out in 11 days.

If Trump falls short of the 1,237 majority, it would allow convention voting to proceed past the first ballot, and delegates no longer would be obliged to back their original candidate. Some Republicans, including Cruz and Kasich, are hoping for that scenario and the possibility that it will allow someone other than the controversial billionaire to become the nominee. - Read More

Donald Trump leads cheering crowd in O.C.: 'Build that wall'

Donald Trump in Orange County: Large crowd gathers hours before rally in Costa Mesa