5:37 p.m.: Trump speech ends as "Sweet Home Alabama" cranks up again. Speech time: 63 minutes.

5:34 p.m.: Trump speech eclipsed the one hour mark, discussing how American education is inefficient.

5:27 p.m.: Supporters still leaving as Trump speech approaches one hour. He's spent about 20 minutes talking about improving U.S. trade deals.

5:17 p.m.: Reuters today had me at 44 percent nationally," Trump said. "And don't forget, that's with five people (in the GOP race). I'll take 44 percent all day long with five people."

5:12 p.m.: "Let them come in, Mr. Fire Marshall," Trump said, criticizing the closing of the gates for the second time in speech. "We're not inside. We're standing in the middle of a field."

5:10 p.m.: As Trump's speech approaches 40 minutes, people are starting to leave the stadium. Dozens of empty seats now in stands behind Trump's stage. Those seats were packed when he arrived.

5:04 p.m.: "Mexico's going to pay for the wall. 100 percent."

5:02 p.m.: "What's wrong with having Russia work with us?," Trump said. "What's wrong with Russia dropping bombs all over the hell over ISIS?"

5:00 p.m.: As bad as politicians are, Trump said, they aren't as bad as reporters.

"I've dealt with politicians all my life, some are very good but many, many are very dishonest," Trump said. "They're not as bad as the press."

4:54 p.m.: On the Democratic race, Bernie Sanders is out of it and Hillary Clinton should not be a candidate, Trump said.

"It's all over for him," Trump said, referring to Sanders' lopsided loss to Clinton on Saturday in the South Carolina primary. "You saw what happened yesterday."

"Hillary should not be allowed to run. You either have laws or you don't have laws."

4:48 p.m.: "I think he's going to faint," Donald Trump said of Rubio's performance three weeks ago in GOP debate. "We don't need a fainter."

4:46 p.m.: Donald Trump calls challenger Marco Rubio a "lightweight."

We're up 20 points in Florida," Trump said of Rubio's home state. "They hate him there. He can't get elected dog catcher in Florida."

4:42 p.m.: "Get him out of here," Trump said as protestor attempts to interrupt rally. "Boy, oh, boy, it never fails."

Trump says 32,000 at Madison rally. And complains because fire marshall won't allow more people into stadium.

4:40 p.m.: "We need to make America great again," Sessions said, repeating Donald Trump's slogan. "I am pleased to endorse Donald Trump for president of the United States. I believe we are on a movement that must not fade away."

4:37 p.m.: Sen. Jeff Sessions takes the stage with Trump.

"This is a campaign, this is a movement," Sessions said. "The American people are not happy with their government."

Crowd chants, "We want Trump, we want Trump."

4:31 p.m.: Turn it up! With Sweet Home Alabama rocking Madison City Stadium, Donald Trump takes the stage.

4:29 p.m.: Difficult to gauge but estimates put the crowd at Donald Trump rally at more than 10,000 people.

4:17 p.m. Donald Trump convoy arrives at Madison Municipal Stadium.

4:04 p.m.: Matt Drudge reports that Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions will endorse Donald Trump at rally in Madison.

I will be making a big surprise announcement to the massive crowd assembled in Huntsville/Madison Alabama! Landing now! #Trump2016 — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 28, 2016

3:54 p.m.: Donald Trump's plane just flew over the stadium en route to Huntsville International Airport. A speaker declared the plane Trump Force One.

3:46 p.m.: A series of speakers taking the podium, telling of Americans losing their jobs to foreigners -- including instances of those American workers laid off being told to train their foreign replacements.

3:30 p.m.: Chris Crane, who works for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, priming the crowd for Trump by blasting Marco Rubio's work in the Senate on the Gang of 8 immigration bill.

3:26 p.m.: Word from outside the stadium around 3 p.m. is that people are turning around and leaving because security officials said it would be an hour before they could get into the stadium.

3:23 p.m.: Trump supporters chant USA, USA as national anthem ends.

Justin Potter, left, and Emily McCormack stand in line to attend Donald Trump rally in Madison. (Paul Gattis/pgattis@al.com)

3:13 p.m.: Justin Potter and Emily McCormack were among the first arrivals at Madison City Stadium on Sunday morning to see Donald Trump.

They said they got in line about 8 a.m. -- eight hours before the rally with the GOP frontrunner began -- and were in the first dozen or so in line.

Potter described himself as a strong Trump supporter while McCormack said she is leaning toward Trump after her initial choice, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, dropped out of the race.

"I'm sick and tired of politicians," Potter said. "We need a businessman to run the United States like a business."

Asked what he expected from the rally, Potter said, "A lot of fun."

The two drove to Madison from Scottsboro, about 60 miles to the east.

Empty space on the field at Madison City Stadium for fans less than an hour before the Donald Trump rally is scheduled to begin. (Paul Gattis/pgattis@al.com)

3 p.m.: It's an hour before Donald Trump is supposed to take the stage at Madison City Stadium and well, there's not a lot of people here.

At least not like was expected.

The stands are mostly full, which accounts for 5,000 people. And there are maybe 2-3,000 fans on the field in front of the stage. And people are still filing in.

But to reach the purported 20,000, there's a long way to go -- even a long way to get to 10,000.

2:30 p.m.: More than three hours before rock star/presidential candidate Donald Trump took the stage for a rally in Madison, a line of thousands snaked through the parking lot at Madison City Stadium.

Merchants did brisk business with their captive audience while adults argued at the head of the line about who actually belonged at the front and who had broken line.

"Do not cut line," an event volunteer admonished the crowd. "It's rude to break line."

The scene perhaps would not seem so bizarre if the event was an SEC college football game or maybe a Taylor Swift concert.

At a political rally, though, bizarre seemed the word of the day. Then again, this is The Donald.

Making a big speech in Alabama today. So many people we had to move to a football stadium! Come and join us! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 28, 2016

Gates opened just after 1 p.m. - almost an hour earlier than planned after a security sweep of the stadium made it safe for the later arrival of the frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination to take the stage.

Huntsville police and Madison County sheriff's department were among agencies assisting Madison police and the U.S. Secret Service - straight out of central casting with curly earpieces and dark glasses - kept an eye on everything.

About a dozen bag check stations were positioned at the entrance of the stadium while a police K-9 screened equipment brought to the event by media. Reporters entering the arena were wanded with metal detectors.

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