If the warring Democrats ever wondered whether it was time to put down their differences and put up their dukes against a common enemy, all their questions would have been answered by attending President Donald Trump’s recent Las Vegas rally.

At a time Democratic presidential hopefuls were beating each other senseless and billionaire candidates were spending a fortune on vainglorious messaging campaigns, Trump was drawing another rock festival-sized crowd of unwavering loyalists at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Amid, the sea of adulation and Trumpian merchandise, there was a new theme being tested for the 2020 general election.

There, on stickers and flags was a Smokey-the-Bear lookalike in a MAGA cap warning, “Only You Can Prevent Socialism.”

Kind of clever, don’t you think?

Never mind that a percentage of those present were probably collecting heathen, evil Social Security benefits and enjoying the Medicare and Medicaid programs to be found on the slippery slope to Socialism.

Rallies aren’t about the facts. They’re about temperature. And Trump’s followers have the fever.

I left the event convinced the Democrats, being pulled in opposite directions by their frontrunners, have their work cut out for them. It may not be healthy, but Trump’s supporters really love him, hang on his every insult, and aren’t dissuaded in the least by his low batting average with the facts. They don’t care about his gutting of federal agencies and aren’t concerned about his executive rollback of environmental regulation. They believe him when he calls the media corrupt and don’t keep score of the number of his associates and appointees have been accused of crimes or convicted of felonies.

This doesn’t land as news on your doorstep, but their unshakable adulation for the man seems to be getting stronger. There were more people in line at the Trump rally’s food trucks than I saw in recent weeks at gatherings for some Democratic Party presidential hopefuls.

Not all the Trump supporters I spoke to were with The Donald from the start. Some were like Carina Wells, a 20-year Las Vegan and self-described skeptic of the political candidacy of the former host of “The Apprentice.”

“I never had anything against him,” she said during a long walk to the rally. “I always liked him as a businessman and entertainer. But I never took him seriously. But that next year, he really won me over because he’s a businessman, pro-capitalism, pro-free commerce, pro-growth. “

She said she understood the criticism of his tabloid past and appreciated that some people were concerned about his tweets, but added with certainty in her voice, “He really has the people at heart, he wants people to succeed and do well. … I really believe that.”

Trump’s thoroughly reported personal history of shady business associations, multiple marriages, porn star liaisons and numerous bankruptcies have done nothing to cool the support he received from evangelical Christians such as Las Vegan Brian Dawes, who wasn’t surprised by the turnout and the show of affection for the commander in chief.

“I think it’s a true testament to how much support this president has and how many people are kind of left in the shadows, not being able to speak about how much they love this president, because they’re afraid of being chastised by liberals and insulted, called racist, and called things that they’re not,” Dawes said. “A lot of people love this president because he stands for conservatism. He’s a conservative president. His social agenda is in line with a lot of evangelical Christians like myself and my wife. That’s my reason for loving this president.”

From his foreign policy to his judicial selections, Dawes added, “There’s really not much I don’t love about this president. I think he’s a great leader.”

And if there are as many people of color in Trump’s TV ads as there are in attendance at his rallies, that doesn’t bother the president’s followers. He assures them via campaign ads that blacks and Latinos are benefiting from his presidency, too.

Trump commonly portrays himself as a victim of a corrupt media, unpatriotic Democrats and “deep state” insiders. Followers such as Joleen Groves and Ann Roberts echoed Dawes’ sentiment that Trump’s supporters are victimized for wearing their MAGA hats and showing their support.

They cheer the way he “runs the country like a business” and champions “free enterprise.” They repeat his mantra about the lowest unemployment rate in a generation and best job market for African Americans and Latinos in history.

“When the president was elected, I was called a misogynist, and I really didn’t know what that is,” Groves said. “And I went and looked it up and I realized, wow, they misread and misjudge people a lot, and try to stereotype us as racists and bigots. And, really, we want the best for the country.”

Both women believe their president’s economy “is pulling a lot of people in who didn’t vote for him in the first election.”

The president’s Las Vegas rally was riddled with his usual talking points about the demonic Democrats and their dangerous ideas. On that day, he introduced members of the “Miracle on Ice” USA hockey team that beat long odds to capture the gold medal in the 1980 Winter Games. I stood among the thousands who couldn’t even get inside the building and cheered as if the president had just scored the winning goal.

Those quick to write off Trump supporters as strangers from a strange land may be disappointed to know that most look a lot like your neighbors. And their excitement for Trump is genuine.

Since the rally, the Democratic field has winnowed to two frontrunners, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden, who illustrate the ideological tug-o-war going on inside the party. For the Democrats to win they must match that energy – especially in those places they’ve not only underperformed, but also under-delivered. Because they’re going to be seeing a lot of that bear in a MAGA cap, or perhaps some catch phrase about Biden’s “Burisma Charisma.”

It doesn’t make much of a bumper sticker, but only a united and excited Democratic Party can prevent Trumpism in 2020.

John L. Smith is an author and longtime columnist. He was born in Henderson and his family’s Nevada roots go back to 1881. His stories have appeared in Time, Readers Digest, The Daily Beast, Reuters, Ruralite and Desert Companion, among others. He also offers weekly commentary on Nevada Public Radio station KNPR. His newest book—a biography of iconic Nevada civil rights and political leader, Joe Neal— "Westside Slugger: Joe Neal’s Lifelong Fight for Social Justice” is published by University of Nevada Press and is available at Amazon.com. Contact him at [email protected]. On Twitter: @jlnevadasmith