The Latest: Trump attends re-election fundraiser in Ohio

LIMA, Ohio (AP) — The Latest on President Donald Trump's visit to Ohio (all times local):

6:30 p.m.

President Donald Trump is attending a re-election campaign fundraiser in northeast Ohio.

Trump is participating in a round-table event with supporters before delivering remarks at a reception Wednesday at the Brookside Country Club in Canton.

Both events are closed to press coverage.

According to an invitation obtained by The Associated Press, tickets for the reception start at $2,800. Getting a photo taken with Trump costs $15,000 and the dinner tab is $50,000 per person or $70,000 per couple.

Proceeds benefit Trump Victory, a joint fundraising effort between the Republican National Committee and Trump's campaign.

— Julie Carr Smyth

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3:45 p.m.

President Donald Trump, touring an Ohio Army tank plant, says he wanted to get into one of the vehicles but was stopped by the memory of Michael Dukakis.

Trump says Dukakis, the 1988 Democratic presidential candidate, "tanked when he got into the tank."

He adds that Dukakis' helmet was "bigger than he was" and that "was not good."

Dukakis' was ridiculed during the 1988 campaign after he donned a military helmet and rode in a tank, intending to portray himself as worthy of becoming commander in chief. Dukakis' Republican rival, then-Vice President George H.W. Bush, ran campaign ads with images of Dukakis in the tank.

Most politicians since then have avoided wearing anything on their heads, but Trump often wears caps bearing his "Make America Great Again" campaign slogan.

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3:30 p.m.

President Donald Trump has toured a tank manufacturing plant that is benefiting from a boost in defense spending.

Trump was shown the bottom half of an Abrams tank being refurbished at the Lima Army Tank Plant and then saw the completed tank during his second stop Wednesday.

After completing the tour, Trump told cheering workers: "Well, you better love me. I kept this place open."

The plant had been at risk for closure but is now benefiting from his administration's investments in defense spending.

Trump's visit marks his first trip to Ohio since last year's midterm election campaign, when Ohio was a rare bright spot for Republicans in the upper Midwest.

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2:35 p.m.

President Donald Trump has arrived in Ohio to tour an Army tank plant and raise money for his re-election campaign.

The Lima Army Tank Plant had been at risk for closure but is now benefiting from Trump's focus on boosting defense spending. The president has asked Congress for $750 billion for the Pentagon next year, more than was appropriated in each of his first two years in office.

Trump will also attend a campaign fundraiser in Canton, Ohio.

The visit is Trump's first this year to the politically important state. It follows complaints by the president about General Motors' decision to close its plant in Lordstown, Ohio, as part of a corporate restructuring.

Trump won the state of Ohio, and it's a key focus of his re-election effort.

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12:30 a.m.

President Donald Trump is returning to Ohio, the state that foretold his 2016 victory and serves as the linchpin of his re-election effort.

Trump's visit Wednesday marks his first trip to Ohio since last year's midterm election campaign, when Ohio was a rare bright spot for Republicans in the upper Midwest. Relying on a victory in the state, Trump's campaign is mindful of warning signs that Ohio can hardly be taken for granted in 2020.

No state may better illustrate the re-aligning effects of Trump's candidacy and presidency than Ohio. Traditionally Democratic-leaning working-class voters have swung heavily toward the GOP, and moderate Republicans in populous suburban counties have shifted away from Trump.

Trump visit to Lima and Canton mark his 10th trip to the state since taking office.