Alaska’s a big, big place geographically. Politically, not so much. Our population of about 737,000, around half of which live in the Anchorage area, limits us to a small role in American politics. We only get one representative in the House, three electoral votes in presidential elections, and in presidential election years, Alaska generally gets ignored by the presidential candidates. Our role in presidential elections is too small, we’re a pretty reliably Republican state, and we’re too far off the beaten path. [snip] Wasilla is home to a little less than 11,000 people. It may well be the smallest town to ever host a Trump rally. It’s also the first time a sitting president has held any kind of event in the Mat-Su. So, imagine my pleasure when I received my media credentials to attend this event and, hopefully, to be part of the throng shouting questions. Well, that didn’t quite happen. Here’s why, and I’m going to tell you. [snip] Nope. “Media parking lot is full,” I was informed. “Backup parking is at the Church on the Rock, out on the Parks Highway.” Fine, fine. That meant a drive around the back roads, back onto the Parks Highway, arriving at the left turn to the street leading to said church, only to meet another Alaska State Trooper. “Church lot is full,” he told me. “But I have media credentials,” I objected. “Your colleague at the venue told me that this was backup for media.” “Nobody told us that,” the trooper told me. [snip] People waiting in line to see President Trump. Wasilla Alaska 10-13-26 https://t.co/ekirfgadBP— N.Paris (@JakeParis007) October 13, 2026 I figured I could shank’s mare it to the venue, so off I went, along with a couple of others whose feet were in better shape than their patience. We hoofed it on down to the venue, and on the way, we chatted. A guy walking alongside me was from Wasilla. Two women had driven up from Anchorage. Along the way, an elderly couple in a car with a handicapped hanger stopped and asked if we knew anything about disabled parking; we didn’t. They had driven up from Sterling, on the Kenai Peninsula, to see the president. [snip] “Nope. Nobody comes in except by bus. You’ll have to go back. Hurry, because they are closing the doors at 1:30.” I looked at my phone. 12:45. A bunch of us walked back to where the buses were still loading people aboard. The line was, if anything, longer than ever. So, with tired feet and a disappointed mind, I went back to my truck and went home. I’ve seen President Trump speak live before and may well again, but not on this day. [snip] No other president has ever even appeared in public in Wasilla. Having a president even come to Alaska at all, except perhaps to refuel Air Force One, is an unusual event. But President Trump came to Wasilla, and Alaskans responded by swamping the venue and showing up in numbers unheard of in the history of the Great Land. That’s heartening. And for me, despite never making it inside the venue, that made the whole day worthwhile. Seriously, though, folks, next time make sure you leave enough room for all the media credentials you’ve issued. (*) Full article: https://redstate.com/wardclark/2026/10/14/president-trump-rocked-wasilla-and-i-was-almost-there-for-it-n2208135 Post navigation Feds accuse nine top banks of de-banking — denying accounts due to ideology, religion, and more Hochul deflects when pressed on ties to ‘anti-Christian’ Mamdani in fiery debate moment: ‘Shame on you’
