5:42 p.m.

Here’s video from the Democrats’ counter-rally on the steps of City Hall this morning, featuring Portland mayor Ethan Strimling.

5:32 p.m.

Here’s a write-up of reporter Scott Thistle’s interview with Trump, right before the andidate took the stage this afternoon. We’ll post an audio recording shortly.

5:00 p.m.

4:52 p.m.

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Some additional reactions and fact-checks from across the nation:

4:38 p.m.

A couple rebuttals to Trump’s speech, via Twitter:

4:34 p.m.

4:24 p.m.

The crowd is filtering out of Merrill Auditorium. It could be an interesting evening rush hour in downtown Portland.

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4:15 p.m.

Speech wraps up with Trump promising “we’re going to make America great again.” Then it’s a recording of the Rolling Stones playing “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.”

4:13 p.m.

Trump says that his border wall will help stop the importation of heroin into Maine. And then “we have to help the people that are hooked.”

4:08 p.m.

Earlier this week, we published a story in which political scientists puzzled over why Trump would campaign in Maine’s first district, which typically votes for Democratic candidates. Here’s Trump’s response:

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4:05 p.m.

3:59 p.m.

Trump goes after Clinton’s vice presidential running mate, Tim Kaine:

Some context to this claim: in his most recent election, in 2012, Kaine defeated Republican George Allen with 53% of the popular vote, compared to Allen’s 47%. That’s a margin of victory of a quarter-million votes.

3:56 p.m.

Re: missing Clinton emails, Trump says “when she got away with that, I said that was probably her best accomplishment in politics.”

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3:55 p.m.

“Hillary Clinton cannot be trusted with national security,” says Trump. Crowd launches into chants of “lock her up.”

3:50 p.m.

Connor Mullen, the South Portland High School student who set of a controversy earlier this spring by wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat to school, is seated prominently behind Trump. And he’s wearing his hat, naturally.

South Portland's Connor Mullen, wearing his red "Make America Great Again" ballcap behind Donald Trump at the podium on Thursday, Aug. 4.

South Portland’s Connor Mullen, wearing his red “Make America Great Again” ballcap behind Donald Trump at the podium on Thursday, Aug. 4.

3:48 p.m.

Trump continues to hammer on immigrants. “We’re letting people from terrorist nations come in,” he says.

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3:45 p.m.

“Take a look at what’s happening in Germany. It’s a mess,” says Trump.

3:45 p.m.

Trump singles out Maine’s Somali community. In Minnesota, he claims that Somali refugees are “stressing the state’s… safety net and creating a rich pool of potential recruiting targets” for terrorist groups.

3:41 p.m.

“And you’ll have four more years of Obama if you elect Hillary Clinton.” The crowd boos in response.

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3:37 p.m.

3:32 p.m.

Reporter Scott Thistle had a chance to sit down with Trump for an interview shortly before he took the stage. Look for Scott’s report and an audio recording later this evening.

3:29 p.m.

3:24 p.m.

Calls the crowd “rambunctious and beautiful.”

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“This has been an amazing, amazing period of time,” Trump says. He was in Florida yesterday.

3:18 p.m.

Gov. LePage takes the stage to introduce Trump.

“I support him for three basic reasons and beyond that there’s probably a dozen more. He’s not afraid to say it the way it is.”

3:15 p.m.

VIPs waiting patiently on the stage for the candidate to appear.

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The music changes abruptly from Rolling Stones to opera to Creedence Clearwater Revival.. Pleasing people of all musical tastes?

3:10 p.m.

Staff Writer Scott Thistle had a few minutes of Trump’s time for a one-on-one interview. Watch for his story coming soon at pressherald.com

3:07 p.m.

3:02 p.m.

Live stream of the event has begun at pressherald.com

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Plenty of music getting the crowd ready before Trump takes the stage.

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2:58 p.m.

2:45

We will be live-streaming the the Trump rally at pressherald.com starting at 3 p.m.

2:35 p.m.

Merrill Auditorium fills up for the scheduled 3 p.m. campaign appearance of presidential candidate Donald Trump in Portland.

Merrill Auditorium fills up for the scheduled 3 p.m. campaign appearance of presidential candidate Donald Trump in Portland. Derek Davis/Staff Photographer

Richard Smith of Litchfield waits to hear presidential candidate Donald Trump speak at Merrill Auditorium Thursday.

Richard Smith of Litchfield waits to hear presidential candidate Donald Trump speak at Merrill Auditorium Thursday. Derek Davis/Staff Photographer

2:30 p.m.

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Just 30 minutes until the event’s scheduled start. From inside the venue, Randy Billings says city official report that 1,050 of the 1,900 seats are filled.

A Trump supporter sports a bobblehead of the candidate as he waits in line at Portland's City Hall Thursday. Brianna Soukup/Staff Photographer

A Trump supporter sports a bobblehead of the candidate as he waits in line at Portland’s City Hall Thursday. Brianna Soukup/Staff Photographer

2:25 p.m.

2:15 p.m.

Silent protest has begun in Monument Square. The group, the Ad Hoc Committee to Say NO to Donald Trump, is made up mostly of local lawyers, law professors and others with ties to the legal community.

2:12 p.m.

2:05 p.m.

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Meet Caren-Marie Michel, a landscape painter from Westbrook who came to the Trump rally in Portland Thursday to “capture a moment.” The video is from Staff Writer Penny Overton.

1:50 p.m.

Alexander Menzies, 22, of Narragansett, Rhode Island, blocks the sun while waiting to enter the rally.

Alexander Menzies, 22, of Narragansett, Rhode Island, blocks the sun while waiting to enter the rally.

National news outlets have had a constant stream of Trump news this week with many stories focusing on his feud with the parents of Muslim-American soldier Humayun Khan.

The feud was the last straw for some Republicans who may be feeling like the White House is a lost cause this year.

Read more: Republicans stuck with Trump despite fears he’ll destroy them



The latest New York Times national polling numbers have Trump 5 points behind Democrat Hillary Clinton.

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1:33 p.m.

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Statewide search statistics from Google Trends indicate that Maine’s internet users aren’t nearly as interested in Trump’s visit today as they were in the candidate’s previous visit, in March.

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Read the story and access the data here: Trump’s visit merits a ‘meh’ among Maine’s internet users

1:15 p.m.

People have made their way into Merrill Auditorium after waiting outside for hours. Donald Trump is expected to take the stage ay 3 p.m.

People have made their way into Merrill Auditorium after waiting outside for hours. Donald Trump is expected to take the stage ay 3 p.m. Scott Thistle/Staff Writer

Scott Thistle is now also inside the auditorium. Follow him on Twitter: @thisdog

1:10 p.m.

David Merrill and Connie Smith, of Farmingdale, wear matching Trump shirts as they stand in line for seats inside Merrill Auditorium for the candidate's scheduled 3 p.m. campaign appearance. "We're here to help make America great again." Merrill said. Brianna Soukup/Staff Photographer

David Merrill and Connie Smith, of Farmingdale, wear matching Trump shirts as they stand in line for seats inside Merrill Auditorium for the candidate’s scheduled 3 p.m. campaign appearance. “We’re here to help make America great again.” Merrill said. Brianna Soukup/Staff Photographer

While you wait for the action to get started inside Merrill Auditorium, here’s the latest from Bill Nemitz. An open letter to today’s Republican visitor:

Dear Donald, prepare to enter a city so different from you

12:55 p.m.

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Donald Trump supporters, on the left, form a line to enter Merrill Auditorium as protesters, on the right, confront them with signs and chants ahead of the candidate's campaign appearance in Portland Thursday. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Staff Photographer

Donald Trump supporters, on the left, form a line to enter Merrill Auditorium as protesters, on the right, confront them with signs and chants ahead of the candidate’s campaign appearance in Portland Thursday. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Staff Photographer

Many younger voters were part of the crowd outside Merrill Auditorium. Some may not have started in the Trump camp but they’re there now.

“I made a huge switch. I used to be a ‘Bernie Bro’,” said Molly Ramirez, 19, of Bath. “At the end of the day, I realized I value Republican values over Democratic values. (Trump) is not graceful and he’s not eloquent, but he’s still my guy.”

Jack Cianchette, an 18-year-old senior at Thornton Academy in Saco, attends rallies, volunteers to make phone calls and will be knocking on doors to speak to voters.

“If you’re going to show support for someone, you need to get involved,” he said.

12:38 p.m.

Screen Shot 2016-08-04 at 12.37.55 PMSpeakers at the anti-Trump protest included Portland Mayor Ethan Strimling, who told the crowd he had attended the Democratic National Convention last week in Philadelphia. The crowd remained orderly while chanting “Love Trumps Hate” and quieted when Strimling raised his hand and took the megaphone.

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Reporter Randy Billings has now entered Merrill Auditorium. Follow him at @RandyBilling or on Facebook.

12:23 p.m.

Anti-Trump is out in force with chants like: “Hey Trump, let’s be clear, racists are not welcome here.”

12:09 p.m.

Protesters await the arrival of Donald Trump. The Maine People's Alliance planned a protest at noon at City Hall plaza.

Protesters await the arrival of Donald Trump. The Maine Peoples Alliance planned a protest at noon at Merrill Auditorium.

The Maine People’s Alliance is a grassroots organization that promotes liberal public policies.

A group made up mostly of local lawyers, law professors and others with ties to the legal community is planning to protest at 2 p.m. in Monument Square ahead of the rally and is encouraging others to join them.

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The group, the Ad Hoc Committee to Say NO to Donald Trump, took out a half-page ad in the Portland Press Herald on Wednesday asking people to “Stand up for Maine values.”

Here’s a Facebook Live video from staff photographer Shawn Patrick Ouellette:

12:05 p.m.

Reporter Penny Overton spoke with one entrepreneur outside the event venue. Check out her video:

11:46 a.m.

The Trump campaign has a full schedule with events Friday in Iowa and Wisconsin.

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This will be the third time this year that the New York businessman has campaigned in Maine. He was also in Portland in March:

Donald Trump slams rivals as hundreds of supporters cheer him at rally in Portland

11:20 a.m.

Remember when Donald Trump visited Bangor in June? If you don’t, here’s a refresher:

Trump takes aim at Clinton during raucous rally in Bangor

10:56 a.m.

Crowd outside Merrill Auditorium has grown to about 200 people. The rally inside the venue is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. Governor LePage is expected to attend.

Anthony Marvin, of Portland, an early protester, outside of City Hall Thursday morning.

Anthony Marvin, of Portland, an early protester, outside of City Hall Thursday morning. Brianna Soukup/Staff Photographer

10:25 a.m.

Reporter Randy Billings was live outside City Hall interviewing Trump supporters.

8:30 a.m.

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