California Is Top US State for #MAGA Apparel Purchases, Trump Campaign Manager Says
BY BOWEN XIAO
September 16, 2018 Updated: September 16, 2018
Californians bought more apparel from President Donald Trump’s official store than people from any other U.S. state, marking a surprising development in a state that mainly backed Hillary Clinton in 2016.
According to Trump’s 2020 campaign manager, California residents are buying more “MAGA” or “Make America Great Again” apparel than Texas and Florida, two states that Trump carried in the 2016 presidential election.
“Californians buy more #MAGA apparel than any state!” Brad Parscale wrote on Twitter. “The echo chamber is strong in a couple cities. They are surrounded by #MAGA. Time will show the damage of current policies in California. This tweet will age well. We are here to help!”
The Epoch Times reached out for specific data on the purchases, but the Trump campaign didn’t respond by press time.
California, the state with the most electoral votes (55), was won by Clinton during the 2016 presidential election. According to Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, Clinton garnered 61.7 percent of total ballots cast or 8,753,788 votes, while Trump snagged 31.6 percent, or 4,483,810 votes.
The entire range of MAGA apparel, including the iconic red caps, are made in the United States. Reports had circulated online, now debunked, that claimed the caps were made in China. Parscale responded to the false claims that were brought up again on his Twitter account.
“100% Authorized #MAGA items are made here in America,” he wrote on Sept. 15. “It is @amazon that sells unauthorized fake hats made in China for profit.”
A quick search on Amazon confirmed a sizeable industry of hat knockoffs. A hat from the official Trump store marked with “Made in the USA.” To buy the hat online, you have to be a U.S. citizen since it is considered a political fundraising purchase under FEC law.
As of September, the Democratic Party holds 39 of the 53 congressional seats from California in the leadup to November’s general election.
“There’s a lot more patriots here in California than you can imagine,” Paul Taylor, the founder of the Golden State Coalition, said.
“I’ve got my MAGA hat I wear all the time. I haven’t been jumped yet. But I see it everywhere,” Taylor, who lost a 2018 GOP primary for the U.S. Senate, added.
“People that get out and display that it influences others to get out the same thing, so that we’re not scared to go out and express our feelings about making America great again.”
https://www.theepochtimes.com/californians-buy-more-maga-gear-than-any-other-state_2662355.html
This can't be good news for the Nancy Pelosi's, Feinsteins, Waters, and Schiff's of this world