Brian Eason, Stephanie Wang, Jill Disis, Chelsea Schneider, and Amy Bartner

IndyStar

UPDATE 6:15 PM WEDNESDAY: That's a wrap, folks.

Read on to catch up on our updates from earlier in the day, or you can find our story on GOP front-runner Donald Trump's speech here.

Trump takes aim at Carrier, Republican nominating process and the media

UPDATE 5:00 PM WEDNESDAY: Around two dozen Indiana State Police officers made a human barrier between a group of protesters and Donald Trump’s supporters as they left today's rally in Indianapolis.

But aside from some spirited shouting – and more than a few profanities – clashes between the two sides were minimal Wednesday afternoon compared to some high profile physical confrontations around the country that have garnered national attention.

Trump himself seemed to revel in the relative peace of the rally, mocking the protesters for a “disappointing” showing.

But that’s not to say there wasn’t any drama.

By the end of the rally, close to 400 protesters had gathered outside to denounce the GOP front-runner, chanting “Trump Must Go!” They carried signs that ranged from very serious criticisms of his bombastic rhetoric (“No tolerance of bigotry or fascism or hate,” declared one) to the occasional levity (“Donald Trump Hates Puppies”).

Trump kicked a handful of protesters out, shouting at multiple points for security to “get ‘em out.”

Alexis Martinelli, a 25-year-old black woman, was one of those removed after she and a friend booed. She said someone called her a racial slur as she was being led away.

Another protester shouted “you’re a bigot,” before being removed.

Amanda Derr, a grad student at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, took a different tactic. She stood outside with a sign offering free hugs.

“So many people are protesting hate in such a hateful way,” Derr said.

UPDATE 4:30 PM WEDNESDAY: Donald Trump thanks supporters and exits the stage after an hour-long speech.

"You're going to say that was the single and most important vote you ever cast," Trump said.

"...Remember, make America great again. Go out and vote."

UPDATE 4:25 PM WEDNESDAY: Donald Trump says he didn’t want to get into the Iraq War, but once we were there, the U.S. shouldn’t have left in the manner that it did.

"And we should've kept the damn oil, OK?" Trump said. "Now who has the oil? ISIS has the oil, and Iran potentially has the oil."

He suggested that America's strategy in the Middle East has helped create a power vacuum that emboldened ISIS.

“We come in, we obliterate one, and the others come in," he said. “The way we got out of Iraq is disgraceful.”

UPDATE 4:17 PM WEDNESDAY: For the second time in the rally, Donald Trump pledges to impose a "major tax" on Carrier Corp. if it relocates a manufacturing plant to Mexico, acting out a mock conversation with the president of the company.

"I’ll call up the head of Carrier and say congratulations, you’re moving to Mexico. ... I hope you enjoy the plant. I hope you enjoy the hot weather, but you’re leaving Indiana and we’re going to protect the state of Indiana," Trump said.

"... Now within 24 hours they’re going to call back," Trump said. " 'Mr. President we’ve decided to stay. We’re coming back to Indianapolis.' ”

UPDATE 4:10 PM WEDNESDAY: Donald Trump promises "we will get rid of ISIS so fast that your head will spin," and pledged to use waterboarding in the fight against terrorism.

He said the U.S. had a "weak" response to terrorism, and took aim at GOP rival Ted Cruz.

" 'Lying Ted' gave a 'weak, pathetic' answer on waterboarding," Trump said. "They said what do you think about waterboarding Mr. Trump? I said, 'I love it!' "

Trump said ISIS is cutting off people's heads, "and we can't waterboard. How stupid are we?"

UPDATE 4:05 PM WEDNESDAY: Donald Trump talks about his success as a business man, "not in a braggadocious way," he said, but because America needs that type of leadership.

"Our country is going to hell," he said.

Trump emphasized the need to revamp the country's foreign trade policies, mentioning a report he said he saw in the Drudge Report.

“The Chinese finance minister high up is extremely angry with the rhetoric of Donald Trump," he said. "And I said ‘oh that’s great.’ ...You know why? Because I suppose that they’ve been ripping us off for all these years.”

UPDATE 3:55 PM WEDNESDAY: Donald Trump shifts gears for a moment to criticize the media, drawing loud applause.

"They are the worst!” he said. “...And they know it. They know it. Because they're not stupid people, but they're very dishonest people."

Earlier, Trump complained that cameras were focused on him instead of showing the size of the crowd. The pavilion is over half full, with roughly 4,000 people in attendance, according to estimates from reporters on the scene.

UPDATE 3:45 PM WEDNESDAY: In a mocking tone, Donald Trump says the protesters gathered at his rally this afternoon don’t seem very defiant.

“I’m a little disappointed in Indiana,” he said.

At least two protesters were kicked out before the rally started. Close to 100 protesters are now gathered outside.

UPDATE 3:40 PM WEDNESDAY: Donald Trump promises to build a wall between the U.S. and Mexico, and the crowd erupts, chanting “Build that wall!”

"I love you too,” Trump replied. “We're going to have strong borders, we're going to build that wall.”

Trump went on to promise a 35 percent tax on American companies like Carrier Corp. that send jobs overseas.

The air conditioning giant announced in February that it would relocate its manufacturing operations from Indianapolis’ west side to Mexico, shedding 1,400 jobs over the next three years.

UPDATE 3:35 PM WEDNESDAY: Donald Trump has taken the stage at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

He began by instructing the media to train their cameras on the crowd — "look at all the people we have" — before pivoting to jobs.

"Our jobs, they're being ripped out of our states... like candy from a baby," he said. "They're going to Mexico. They're going all over.

"...We have rebuilt China with a trade deficit that's unsustainable and it's amazing it's been going on so long."

UPDATE 3:30 PM WEDNESDAY: Ohio Gov. John Kasich will visit Indiana on Tuesday April 26, campaign consultant Pete Seat announced on Twitter.

The announcement came on the heels of Kasich naming a number of high profile Indiana Republicans to his leadership team, bolstering a claim he made earlier this week that he has secured a majority of the state's GOP delegates for a potential floor fight at the Republican National Convention this summer.

The growing number of state GOP leaders that Kasich has brought into the fold only underscores the importance of the May 3 election for GOP front-runner Donald Trump if he is to avoid a contested convention and secure the Republican presidential nomination outright. Thousands are gathered at the Indiana State Fairgrounds to hear Trump speak at a rally in Indianapolis this afternoon.

John Kasich to visit Indiana on Tuesday

UPDATE 3:05 PM WEDNESDAY: About 75 protesters have gathered now outside the Indiana State Fairgrounds to protest GOP front-runner Donald Trump.

Many of them accused Trump and his supporters of spreading hate and intolerance of minorities. One sign went so far as to compare him to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.

Observers, though, described the protest as fairly low key.

Inside the event hall, thousands of supporters waited for Trump to take the stage. His speech was scheduled to begin at 3 p.m.

At one point, an announcer gave the crowd instructions on what to do if a protest started inside:

"Please do not touch or harm the protester," the announcement said. Supporters were instructed to hold up campaign signs and chant "Trump! Trump! Trump!" to help police identify protesters for removal.

UPDATE 2:00 PM WEDNESDAY: With about an hour until GOP front-runner Donald Trump is scheduled to speak, the crowd inside has ballooned to 3,000 strong and growing.

The mood? Quiet. And overwhelmingly civil.

The scene today in Indianapolis has borne little resemblance to a handful of volatile confrontations between protesters and Trump supporters at rallies around the country.

This morning, only a handful of protesters could be seen outside the Elements Financial Blue Ribbon Pavilion as supporters waited in a lengthy line to get in. Three of them came to protest Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, bearing “Pence Must Go” signs and posters declaring Pence “Indiana’s Donald Trump.”

By this afternoon, a group of 40 or so had gathered at the 38th Street entrance to the Indiana State Fairgrounds, chanting a call and response as they prepared for a rally of their own:

“When immigrants are under attack, what do we do?”

“Stand up, fight back!”

One of the protesters, Rachel Moore, suggested the presidential candidate’s rhetoric had brought out hidden prejudices that many had been scared to voice in the past.

“Trump's presence has validated a lot of the bigotry that they felt before,” Moore said of Trump’s supporters.

But inside the fairgrounds, supporters gave other reasons for their affection.

Many said they liked him because “he can't be bought.”

Others said they were drawn to Trump because they’ve never seen a candidate like him before.

“Never,” said Lin Scott, a 92-year-old World War II veteran. “And you never will again.”

UPDATE 1:05 PM WEDNESDAY: New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is in town.

Gov. Mike Pence's office confirmed that Christie, who was perhaps the first high profile Republican to endorse Trump, will be present for a 1 p.m. meeting between Pence and the GOP front-runner this afternoon at the governor's residence.

Christie is in town "to participate in political meetings" on Trump's behalf, but is not expected to join Trump at the rally, the New Jersey Star-Ledger reports.

Meanwhile, at least two state lawmakers are at today's rally: state Rep. Sean Eberhart, R-Shelbyville and state Rep. Alan Morrison, R-Terre Haute.

Eberhart said he backs Trump because he's the "most electable" candidate.

UPDATE 12:30 PM WEDNESDAY: The doors have opened and people have started filing in at the Elements Financial Blue Ribbon Pavilion.

Supporters came from upwards of 2 hours away to see GOP front-runner Donald Trump at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis, drawn by what they described as the business mogul’s fearless, plain-spoken demeanor.

“I really like how he just seems unscripted and he just seems to speak what’s on his mind,” said Andrew Nover.

“He’s the only one that’s not afraid to address issues head on and explain why they would help America, and I honestly believe he’s the only candidate that would beat (Democratic front-runner) Hillary Clinton,” added Kaden Holding.

Tully: Why Indiana’s delegates don’t love Donald Trump

Jacob and Jared Lamberson, 20-year-old twin brothers from Otwell (an unincorporated area of Pike County), were clad in suits and Trump’s signature “Make America Great Again” trucker hats.

They said they would “absolutely not” vote for anyone else in the general election if Trump is denied the Republican nomination. Trump currently leads the delegate race by a wide margin, but Republican strategists have been planning for months to line up enough delegates to nominate either Sen. Ted Cruz or Ohio Gov. John Kasich at the Republican National Convention if Trump falls short of the 1,237 delegates he needs to win the nomination outright.

“I would say that none of the other candidates have America people’s best interests in mind,” one of the Lamberson brothers said. “They serve other masters.”

Another supporter gestured to the crowd, and wondered aloud why Trump supporters seem to get a bad rap in the national media.

“On the TV they say we’re just a bunch of angry old white people,” he said. “But everyone I see is smiling.”

UPDATE 11:51 AM, WEDNESDAY: The estimated crowd of Donald Trump supporters at the Indiana State Fairgrounds sits between 1,200 to 1,500 and growing, wrapping around two buildings.

Mike Shockley, of Muncie, was among the first in line. He said he favors Trump because he “had a gut feeling" about the candidate.

Another supporter, William Tipton, got in line at 6 a.m. — a whopping 9 hours before the Republican presidential front-runner was slated to speak.

So why Trump?

“Donald Trump talks like a regular human being,” he said.

As the morning wound down, reporters observed some spirited exchanges between protesters and supporters. One man held a sign proclaiming "A Vote 4 Trump is a Vote 4 Hate."

The doors open at noon.

A new Trump? Lower-key candidate looks to clinch nomination

UPDATE 11:13 AM, WEDNESDAY: People were lining up at the Indiana State Fairgrounds anticipating hearing from Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump later Wednesday.

The pace of preparations for the real estate developer's rally was picking up, Secret service employees unloaded crates from a rental van.

Supporters got there early with the aim of getting a good seat. The doors open at noon and Trump is scheduled to speak at 3 p.m.

Trump will meet with Gov. Mike Pence, a Republican, at 1 p.m. in the governor's residence on Meridian Street.

EARLIER: Donald Trump makes his first Indiana campaign stop today to stump for votes in what has unexpectedly become a pivotal state for the Republican presidential front-runner.

His rally is set for 3 p.m. at the Elements Financial Blue Ribbon Pavilion at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis. Doors open at noon, and tickets — if they're still available — can be found here.

Trump arrives in Indianapolis after a dominating primary win in his home state of New York on Tuesday.

Trump's visit two weeks ahead of the May 3 primary underscores the importance of the state in his fight to clinch the nomination for president before the Republican National Convention. The New York Times this week declared Indiana's the most important primary, because the 57 delegates could make or break Trump's quest for 1,237 — the magic number of bound delegates he needs to avoid a floor fight and win the nomination outright.

By this point in the race, presidential candidates have usually earned enough delegates to secure their party's nomination before Hoosiers have a chance to vote. But none of the candidates in either party have done so yet.

In presidential race, Hoosiers finally matter as May 3 primary approaches

With a contested convention, the path to victory for Trump looks increasingly difficult. Ohio Gov. John Kasich's campaign this week declared that it had swayed a majority of Indiana delegates to his camp if the nomination goes to a second ballot.

IndyStar attempted to survey all 57 delegates, and many gave guarded responses, so the results were inconclusive. But Kasich’s claim seems plausible, given the number of people who expressed their support for him and those who would likely be ideologically aligned with him.

And the Indiana winner for president is ... John Kasich?

Before the rally, Trump is scheduled to meet with Gov. Mike Pence, the governor's office confirmed.

Pence has not announced a preference for any of the Republican presidential candidates but has said he may make an endorsement. It's not clear, though, that politicos should read much into the visit: Pence has said he's willing to meet with all three contenders.

Before Indy campaign event, Trump to meet with Gov. Pence

Trump rallies around the country have been a magnet for protesters and security is expected to be tight at the event. There are murmurs on social media of a silent protest in which Trump opponents reserve seats and leave them empty to give Trump a smaller crowd.

As of Tuesday evening, it was unclear whether there would be any significant protests at the event.

Details of Trump's visit have been trickling out slowly since news of the rally first broke over the weekend. His campaign has not said what time he'll arrive in the state, or how long he plans to stay after the rally. Attempts to confirm his itinerary with local campaign officials were unsuccessful.

IndyStar will cover the event live on social media and at IndyStar.com beginning around noon when the doors open. Follow IndyStar reporters Tony Cook (@indystartony) and Stephanie Wang (@stephaniewang) on Twitter for live coverage of the speech. Follow this Twitter list for updates from all of IndyStar's reporters and photographers on scene.

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IndyStar reporters Amy Bartner and Tony Cook contributed to this report.

Call IndyStar reporter Brian Eason at (317) 444-6129. Follow him on Twitter: @brianeason.