Donald Trump’s presidential campaign abruptly canceled an event where Sarah Palin was scheduled to stump at the Villages in Florida, citing a family emergency for the former Alaska governor and 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee.
The campaign said she was heading back to Alaska after her husband, Todd, had a snow machine accident. But later that afternoon she appeared at a Trump rally in Tampa, saying her husband was recovering.
She also had some strong words for protesters who have tried to disrupt recent Trump events. Mrs. Palin called it “punk-ass little thuggery stuff.”
After first canceling Mrs. Palin’s event, the Trump campaign put out a statement explaining the accident: “Todd Palin was in a bad snow machine accident last night and is currently hospitalized. Governor Palin is returning to Alaska to be with her husband and looks forward to being back on the campaign trail soon. Mr. Trump’s thoughts and prayers are with the Palin family at this time,” the Trump campaign said in a statement.
Mr. Trump was not scheduled to appear with Mrs. Palin at the event at the Villages, a large upscale retirement community in central Florida.
Florida holds a crucial winner-take-all primary Tuesday.
Mrs. Palin, who is wildly popular with the tea party wing of the Republican Party, has been a prominent surrogate for Mr. Trump in previous primaries, especially in Iowa.
Mr. Trump also canceled a rally Friday in Chicago amid protests. But there was no indication that the threat of protest contributed to the decision to cancel Mrs. Palin’s event.
• S.A. Miller can be reached at smiller@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.