Itâs 9 p.m. on a cold January night in New Jersey, 24 hours before a Donald Trump campaign rally, and the faithful are already lined up.
Itâs like a carnival scene. The streets are lined with vendors hawking Trump 2020 banners, buttons and -- well, you name it. Shirts flapping in the cold wind are emblazoned with everything from a crude âImpeach Thisâ (with a hand flipping the bird), to the more church friendly âTrump: The Chosen One.â
Trump flags â and fans â are hanging out of every bar window.
The closer you get to the front of the line, the louder you hear The Voice. The voice of Donald Trump, blaring down from big screens towards his loyal fans.
Thousands of his supporters lined up in hopes of getting through the doors of the rally -- for two days and nights in minus-20 degree weather.
For true Trump believers, itâs all worth it. And many of those are Americans of strong Christian faith -- for whom President Donald J Trump is âthe big guy.â
Catholics for Trump rally in New Jersey (W5 / Denise Kimmel)
Among the mob of Trump devotees, W5 found a small, quiet group huddled under blankets, holding signs that read: âCatholics for Trump.â With cupcakes and coffee as sustenance, the group of about 10 included two priests and their leader, Mary Smail.
Mary is a devout Catholic and school teacher whoâs firmly pro-life. Like many conservative church goers, Mary has always voted Republican, including for Trump in 2016.
Of Donald Trumpâs decidedly un-friendly church tendencies, she told us she forgave him. âI love the guy,â she said, âno matter what.â
When we returned the next morning to interview Mary, she was a bit more tired, a lot colder ⌠and ecstatic. This was the day sheâd been waiting for. The day she could get as close to Donald Trump as possible.
As she edged towards the convention centre, jammed between a few thousand other Trump fans, it wasnât the warmth she was looking forward to -- it was getting to see Trump, in person right there in front of her on stage.
Finally, itâs show time. Lights dim, âGod Bless the USAâ blares from the speakers and Donald Trump saunters out, pausing to wave to an ecstatic crowd chanting âUSA, USA, USA.â
The stage is set to rally the troops. Itâs like being in the centre of a lionâs den with Trump feeding red meat, hitting all the usual hot buttons:
âIn Virginia, they want to take their guns away,â he proclaims and the crowd loudly boos.
âThis powerful border wall is going up at record speed,â he claims and the crowd cheers.
âI've asked Congress to prohibit extreme late-term abortion,â he promises and the crowd, including Mary, hoots and hollers.
Mary admits that conservative church-goers like her ignore Trumpâs sins and crude language. Itâs erased to forward what they believe Trump is doing -- furthering the Lordâs work.
His evangelical supporters feel the only way that can continue is to keep âthe big guyâ in the White House.
It also why Mary joins the chants of âfour more years, four more yearsâ echoing through the convention centre.
Watch 'Unholy Alliance' Saturday at 7 p.m. on CTV