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CLARKS SUMMIT — For Eric Trump, son of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, visiting the area for the opening of his father’s new campaign office at 701 N. State St. Tuesday evening was like coming home.

“I really grew up in Clarks Summit,” he said after the ceremony. “My best friend (Jerry Kaufman) from boarding school was from here, so starting at 13, I started coming here.

“And he literally lives like a mile and a half away on Lily Lake Road.”

When asked how it felt to be back in the region, he said the reception was “amazing.”

“The energy (in Pennsylvania) is incredible,” he said. “I mean, the amount of people who came for today’s opening … is special, and I know Clarks Summit so well, and I spent so many weekends here, and I have a lot of friends right here.”

His wife, Lara Trump, who gave a brief introductory speech during the event, said she also has ties to the state.

“We have great ties to Pennsylvania, Scranton in particular,” she said. “I’ve been coming here for about 8 1/2 years with my husband, so a lot of familiar faces here today.”

Eric Trump said he feels there is “no question,” that his father will win the state.

“I think we have a tremendous amount of support and enthusiasm,” he said. “I think people are excited about not having a politician in office.”

When asked about the importance of small-town grassroots efforts such as that of the new Clarks Summit office, he said, “It’s everything.”

“It’s just so critically important,” he said.

He added at least 15 people came up to him in Tuesday’s crowd to tell him they were Democrats who switched parties to vote for his father in this election.

During his speech, he focused on the importance of this year’s election and the need for reform within the U.S. government.

“You see the dishonesty, and you see what the politicians are doing, and that’s the reason my father is in this,” he said. “Again, as Lara said so beautifully … he doesn’t need to be doing this. He doesn’t need to be funding the vast majority of his campaign. He’s doing it because he loves this country, and this country has given our family everything. And it’s the least we can do to fix the problems that these politicians create.”

Lara and Eric Trump cut the ribbon during Tuesday’s grand opening of the Clarks Summit Trump-Pence campaign office at 701 North State Street.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/web1_TTL-Trump-Clarks-Summit-1-1.jpg.optimal.jpgLara and Eric Trump cut the ribbon during Tuesday’s grand opening of the Clarks Summit Trump-Pence campaign office at 701 North State Street. Elizabeth Baumeister | Times Leader

A crowd of Trump-Pence supporters packs the grand opening ceremony for the Clarks Summit campaign office at 701 North State Street Tuesday evening.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/web1_TTL-Trump-Clarks-Summit-2-1.jpg.optimal.jpgA crowd of Trump-Pence supporters packs the grand opening ceremony for the Clarks Summit campaign office at 701 North State Street Tuesday evening. Elizabeth Baumeister | Times Leader

Eric Trump, son of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, speaks at a grand opening ceremony for the campaign’s Clarks Summit office Tuesday, Aug. 30.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/web1_TTL-Trump-Clarks-Summit-3-1.jpg.optimal.jpgEric Trump, son of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, speaks at a grand opening ceremony for the campaign’s Clarks Summit office Tuesday, Aug. 30. Elizabeth Baumeister | Times Leader
Family has ties to area

By Elizabeth Baumeister

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Reach Elizabeth Baumeister at 570-704-3943 or on Twitter @AbingtonJournal.