Donald Trump's supporters congregated outside the Midtown Hilton in New York sang the national anthem. Police also amassed outside the hotel where the Republican presidential nominee was to hold his election night celebration.

NEW YORK – Across the street from Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue, where Donald Trump launched his candidacy last summer, about 25 supporters of the Republican nominee were geared up late Tuesday afternoon and predicting an improbable victory.

Among those chanting Trump’s name was Joe Zeno, of Jersey City, New Jersey, who wore a red “Make America Great Again” baseball cap and a white Trump shirt.

“Trump’s going to win,” he said. With a bravado befitting his candidate, he added: “A landslide.”

Asked what made him so confident, Zeno said, “the numbers,” referring to recent polls showing the race tightening between Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Zeno said he’s supporting Trump because, “He wants to protect us by building a wall,” referring to Trump’s proposal to erect a barricade along the Mexican border.

He’s got nothing against Muslims, he said, who know firsthand the threat of ISIS.

Other Trump supporters cited the real estate developer’s strident views about limiting immigration.

Robert Herrera, also inside a pen holding demonstrators across the street from police and heavy trucks parked in front of Trump Tower, held a “Latinos for Trump” cardboard sign. He also wore the red Trump baseball cap and a red Spiderman shirt.

Herrera’s family immigrated legally from Ecuador, he said, and waited 10 years to become U.S. citizens. “It’s not fair,” he said of those who are in the country illegally.

“Clinton wants to let more in, and the Syrians, and we have to pay for it,” he said.

About a half-mile away, at the Midtown Hilton, where the Trump campaign was planning its election night party, police filled the area, including a phalanx of officers that had clustered by the city’s iconic LOVE statue.

Unlike Democrat Hillary Clinton’s event two miles away, Trump’s party was not open to the public.

A steady stream of people walked by the Hilton, giving only passing notice to the bomb squad van stationed out front.

Not many Trump supporters appeared to arrive early for the 6 p.m. party.

But waiting for them in entrepreneurial spirit were vendors selling hats, T-shirts and boxes of Trump cereal.

Kery Murakami is the Washington, D.C. reporter for CNHI’s newspapers and websites. Contact him at kmurakami@cnhi.com.