The Coquille Tribe owns and operates The Mill Casino in North Bay, Oregon. Photo from Facebook
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What was billed as a big event for supporters of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump who live in Oregon turned out to be a rather small affair.
Only about 50 people attended the meeting at The Mill Casino on Friday, The Coos Bay World reported. Organizers had boasted of a strong turnout but the paper said many chairs remained empty even after a late start to the event.
Still, the Coquille Tribe faced threats for renting space to the GOP firebrand's backers, the paper reported last week. The Facebook page for the casino has drawn some negative comments.
"Sorry to see That the Mill is hosting Native American hating Trump supporters," one person wrote last week. "His disrespect for Senator [Elizabeth] Warren, calling her 'Pocahontas' is plain racist, and a slap in the face of ALL Tribbal members."
"Yes, you are private, but your Trump promotion screwed half the voters who SPEND THEIR MONEY AT YOUR CASINO. Why do you have to sponsor ANY political event? Stay neutral!" another said.
Although the meeting was not an official campaign event, Trump's political director for Oregon spoke to attendees. According to the paper, Christopher Gergen joked about bringing an "Eskimo" into the room because it was so warm in there.
Gergen also told supporters that "liberals will tell you that you are a bad person, you're weird, racist, Islamophobic, but what do you expect them to do? Those are the tools they have, and that's how they act," the paper reported.
Trump easily won Oregon's Republican primary on May 17, The Oregonian reported. He hosted a campaign rally in Eugene earlier in the month.
Get the Story:
Fifty turn out to support Trump at The Mill
(The Coos Bay World 7/11)
Mill Casino rep talks about Trump rally tonight
(The Coos Bay World 7/8)
Donald Trump event at Mill Casino Friday filled up fast, organizers say
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