Local spirit, push to vote, and personal attacks featured in Jacksonville campaign stops

The Road to the White House has crossed through Jacksonville, with stops from both Presidential campaigns Thursday.

Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump focused the start of his rally at the Jacksonville Equestrian Center with attacks on his democratic rival Hillary Clinton, including recent sourced news reports about a “pay for play” investigation and probe of new Clinton emails.

“It is believed that no less than five foreign intelligence agencies successfully hacked in to Clinton’s illegal, insecure server, which contained classified information, creating an ongoing security threat to the United States,” Trump says.

More than once, the crowd responded with chants of “Lock her up”, as Trump promised change.

“We’re on the cusp of something that’s so amazing, it’s historic change. A transfer of power from a failed political establishment. We’re going to return that power to you, the American people,” he says.

Trump shored up the base of his campaign with promises again to build a border wall with Mexico and make them pay, to suspend the Syrian refugee program, and to repeal and replace Obamacare. He also directed attacks at the President himself.

“Why isn’t he back in the White House bringing our jobs back and helping our veterans, why? Why? Why isn’t he back working?” Trump asked.

President Obama stumped for Hillary Clinton at the University of North Florida, and he spent much of his time firing right back at the Republican nominee.

"This is somebody who would do damage to our democracy, who is uniquely unqualified and shows no interest in becoming more qualified,” Obama says.

He says Trump’s past comments and actions, like with women, can’t be brushed aside.

“Who you are, what you are- it doesn’t change after you occupy the Oval Office,” he says.

Then shifting the message not just to who he wants you to vote against, but what you should vote for.

“I’m not on this ballot, but everything we’ve done these last eight years is on the ballot,” Obama says.

Much of his message was directed at “young people”, telling them the “character of the nation” is at stake, and it’s up to them to choose the right path- one he believes should be led by Hillary Clinton.

“When things don’t go her way, she doesn’t pout, she doesn’t whine, she doesn’t complain, she doesn’t blame somebody else, she doesn’t say it’s rigged, she just works harder,” he says.

There were only two things loosely in common between the speeches. The first was the push to appeal to local voters. For President Obama, that came with him starting the speech with a “Duval” chant from the crowd and doing a UNF “swoop” while on stage. For Trump, it was achieved through direct promises of local benefits, like funding to dredge JAXPORT and boosting the Navy.

“That means brand new, state of the art ships at places like Mayport here in Jacksonville,” he says.

The other overlap was the push for you to vote.

"If we win on November 8^th, we will once again have a government of, by, and for the people," Trump says.

Trump pushing you to vote to help him “drain the swamp” in DC and put Washington back in your hands. President Obama saying things are so divisive in DC that you need to not only elect Hillary Clinton, but vote a straight democratic ballot.