The shores of Lake Palestine at Bella Vista on Lake Palestine.

A flotilla of Trump supporters sped through the waters of Lake Palestine on Saturday, whooping and hollering at one another and waving any number of flags – from American ones to those featuring the thin blue line, and, of course, those touting ‘Trump 2020’ – on their way to a rally held at Bella Vista.

Just after 1 p.m., the flotilla – made up of close to a hundred boats, jet skis and other watercraft visible from land – gathered near the Frankston Highway bridge, some with megaphones at the ready.

Participants from the water later said they counted as many as 250 boats gathered for the event.

They were joined on land by dozens of other supporters who brought lawn chairs and lazed in the grass or on the sand, waving flags of their own and expressing excitement for the upcoming election.

“Tell me an area that’s redder than Smith County,” said David Stein, chairman for the Smith County Republican Party, as he looked out over a sea of red hats, boats and banners.

The response was a raucous round of boat horns, shouts and applause.

The rally had opened with a prayer and then the national anthem, sung by Tyler’s Celeste Lay, Miss Fort Worth Outstanding Teen, before several speakers, including Stein, took to the stage to share messages that centered largely around the need to get voters registered and out to the polls on Election Day.

“We have not had Democratic opponents on the ballot for a long, long time,” Stein said. “They’re getting active and they’re trying to come after us!”

He implored those present to “make sure that everybody is registered,” and added that “it’s real easy to do.”

“People don’t turn out to vote, unfortunately,” Stein said. “The highest voter turnout we’ve ever had is about 60 percent.”

He then issued a challenge to voters. On Election Day, he said, he wanted Smith County to have the highest voter turnout in the entire state of Texas.

Other speakers at the event included Neal Franklin, a Republican candidate for Smith County Commissioner, Precinct 1, and Darrin Robinson, a former Democrat who founded the Word of TRUTH Movement for Trump.

As a former Child Protective Services investigator and someone who suffered physical and emotional abuse during his own childhood, Robinson spoke at length of the trauma suffered by so many and its impacts on the brain.

He said it was the healing comfort he found in his faith that ultimately turned him toward the Republican Party.

“I used to be a Democrat, and they talked about me and called me names and talked about my family, my wife and my kids and all that,” Robinson said. “But I read a good book called the Bible that said rejoice when they talk about you and call you all kind of evil things. So I will rejoice with you, patriots.”

The event, which featured a number of food trucks and other vendors who doled out slushy treats and other snacks, was punctuated by loud applause for the speakers, for Trump, and for veterans and active-duty military members.

Following the rally, the flotilla continued on toward a nearby dam before dispersing in the late afternoon. Participating members were encouraged to still “show those flags” in support of President Donald Trump.