Trump's 'Front Row Joes' aren't scared of another bullet as former president returns to campaigning a week after assassination attempt

A week agone Blake Marnell was little than 10 yards from Donald Trump erstwhile an assassin's slug sliced done his ear.

On Saturday, he put connected his brick-wall style suit and lined up astatine 5am to make judge he was successful nan beforehand statement again for nan erstwhile president's first rally since coming wrong little than an inch of being killed.

'One of nan messages that President Trump put retired aft what happened successful Butler was a connection that could champion beryllium characterized by 2 words: Fear not,' he said.

Beside him nan 'Front Row Joes' were taking their seats successful nan Van Andel Arena, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Two days earlier, Trump had accepted nan charismatic information to beryllium nan Republican campaigner successful November's election.

Michigan is 1 of nan cardinal swing states that could determine nan outcome. Trump won it by a small much than 10,000 votes successful 2016, but Joe Biden flipped it 4 years later.

Worries astir information had put nary 1 disconnected coming to spot Trump and his recently installed moving mate Sen. J.D. Vance. 

Thousands of group lined up extracurricular agelong earlier nan gates opened.

Marnell, who has been to much than 40 rallies, was astatine nan Republican Party's normal crossed Lake Michigan successful Milwaukee arsenic a delegate for California.

'I wasn't gonna spell backmost to my location authorities and conscionable spell connected pinch my life location arsenic if it were a normal Saturday knowing that this historical rally—not conscionable aft nan effort connected nan president's life—but really nan kickoff pinch his caller moving mate of JD Vance,' he said. 

'I conscionable felt it was for illustration an important 1 for maine to beryllium at.'

A week agone he was ducking astatine nan sound of gunshots, adjacent capable to perceive Secret Service agents sending and receiving instructions astir protecting nan erstwhile president and past moving him disconnected stage.

And he was among nan supporters who shouted arsenic Trump stood and raised his fist successful a defiant salute. 

Alongside him was different 'Front Row Joe' successful her red, white, and bluish baseball-style jersey, emblazoned pinch 'Trump 45' connected nan back.

'I can't talk astir it again,' she said. 'It's excessively painful.'

But she was location successful her accustomed spot anyway.

Rick Lane was besides successful nan beforehand statement astatine nan Butler rally.

'Nothing would extremity maine being here,' said nan 55-year-old, wearing 1 of nan 'I bleed red, achromatic and Trump' T-shirts produced by his apparel company.

'We saw nan manus of God protecting nan president past week and I consciousness safe being present because that hands protects each of america here.' 

Trump addressed nan shooting successful his normal speech, describing successful vivid item nan infinitesimal he was shot.

He struck a conciliatory reside during nan early, scripted portion of his remarks.  

'I americium moving to beryllium president for each of America, not half of America, because location is nary triumph successful winning for half of America,' he said Thursday

But he quickly veered disconnected people and delivered nan longest normal reside successful modern history, delivering a action of top hits from his rally appearances complete nan people of 92 minutes.