Trump campaign manager Conway leads Christmas parade

HAMMONTON  — Republican President-elect Donald Trump's campaign manager returned to her native New Jersey on Saturday and asked a parade crowd to "pray for our outgoing president and vice president" and "our new president and vice president."

Kellyanne Conway was grand marshal of the Christmas parade in Hammonton, where Trump topped Democrat Hillary Clinton in the November presidential election.

She mostly steered clear of politics during her brief remarks. She asked attendees to "do something special this holiday season," and offered suggestions, including writing a thank you note to a soldier and buying a coat for someone in need.

"Spread the real cheer and the generosity and the sheer love that comes from being in Hammonton," she said.

The Hammonton Fire Department said Conway was raised in Atco and graduated from St. Joseph's High School in Hammonton in 1985. She spent summers working at Indian Brand Blueberry Farms before leaving for college in Washington, D.C.

The group South Jersey Antifa, which bills itself as an anti-fascist organization, had said it planned to protest what it views as the politicization of the parade. However, protesters were hard to find, the Press of Atlantic City reported.

The group said Conway is not an "acceptable role model."

Conway regularly makes media appearances on behalf of Trump and has even been spoofed on "Saturday Night Live." A memorable skit about her day off shows her free time interrupted repeatedly by having to go on CNN to explain Trump's latest tweet or statement.

(Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed)