Trump pushes further into blue America, vows to restore California's 'paradise lost'

Former President Donald Trump continued his push Saturday night into deep blue America, transforming the home of the iconic Coachella music festival into a sea of Republican red as he promised to reverse California's decline into an abyss of debt, illegal aliens and crime.

"I make this pledge to you: Nov. 5, 2024, will be liberation day in America. Liberation day. Liberation day, we're going to be liberated," Trump told the thousands gathered to see him in California

"I will rescue California and every town across America that's been invaded and conquered. And we will put these vicious and bloodthirsty criminals in jail or kick them the hell out of the country, which is No. 1," he added.

Trump's appearance in the Golden State followed one day after he went to deeply Democratic Colorado and promised to relleve weary residents in Aurora from violent Venezuelan gangs.

The push into blue territory has been designed by Trump's team to both project strength against a struggling Kamala Harris in her home state and to rally Republicans in winnable House seats in hopes of capturing full control of Congress in 2024.

During Saturday night's speech, Trump tied the plight of California to the policies that Harris has espoused as a native of the state's liberal wing of Democrats.

"California is a paradise lost, but we're bringing it back," he said "California stood as the beacon of what our country aspired to become. It really did. It had everything. It had the weather. It had the water. The state had the best schools, the safest communities, and a booming middle class.

"But all that was eradicated by decades of the very policies that Kamala Harris wants to now force upon America," he added.