"Staten Island is a great place," said Trump, who does not currently own property on Staten Island but recalled the four summers decades ago he worked in a development here for his father's business. "We have safety on Staten Island. We have great police, great people on Staten Island and I know it so well."

The protesters outside his Sunday event carrying anti-Trump signs called him a fascist and a racist. The family real estate empire was largely built by his father Fred in the post-World War II building boom and included low-to-middle-income housing across the boroughs, some of it built with government assistance. The family faced repeated allegations of racial discrimination and was sued by the federal government in 1973 for refusing to lease apartments to African Americans.

Trump on Sunday first received the endorsement of the New York Veteran Police Association, an obscure police organization, and then spoke to the county GOP's annual Lincoln Day brunch, an event that normally draws 350 people and this year packed in more than 1,000.

At least 10 Russian-speaking businessmen attended this event.

Lou Telano, president of the New York Veteran Police Association presented Trump with an award for his “dedication, concern and support for America’s law enforcement.”

"Mr. Trump has a wide following, we could have sold twice as many tickets as we did," said John Antoniello, chairman of the GOP group. "These are his people. Staten Island is a real base of support for him."

In Staten Island, New York City’s most isolated borough, where the Trump family’s roots run deep, his support is as strong as anywhere in the country.

The chanting, cheering crowd stood for Trump's entire 25-minute speech and many in the audience said they felt grateful the celebrity businessman was spending time in an area "left behind" by the Democrats who run City Hall and the statehouse.

Trump — who eschewed his trademark rallies in New York City, only appearing at a pair of local GOP events — was born in Queens yet lives in a Midtown skyscraper and has a glitzy image synonymous with Manhattan's glamour. But many of his Staten Island supporters said they felt the celebrity businessman could relate to their quiet borough.

At a press conference at the Hilton Garden Inn fundraiser lunch on Sunday, Trump recalled the days when he drove with his suited father in a limousine around the island. “In the summers I used to work on Staten Island,” he said. “The greatest people. These people are incredible people.”

"Mr. Trump says what he means and means what he says. He's not a phony," said Mildred Amatrudo, an administrative assistant. "We have different values that the rest of the city. They don't understand us or care about us. They're a different city."

During the event, he got big cheers for saying we need “less political correctness,” and accused China of waging an “economic war” against the U.S. And he recast Ted Cruz’s now infamous dig at “New York values” in his own way. “We’re New Yorkers, we’re smart,” he said matter-of-factly. “We have New York values.”

People say “Everything he touches turns to gold.”

Igor Baboshkin

Photo and video: Edward Amchislavskiy