Trump holds final rallies in Iowa and Kansas as GOP faces defensive midterms
With over 52 million ballots already cast, the president visits two states where Republicans are struggling to hold their Senate seats.
By Jonathan Reed ·
President Donald Trump will spend his final campaign weekends in Dubuque, Iowa, and Salina, Kansas. These stops mark the end of a defensive strategy for the Republican Party as voters prepare to head to the polls on Tuesday. The visits come after more than 52 million votes have already been cast in early and mail-in elections.
The Iowa rally is scheduled for Sunday evening. Republicans in that state are fighting to keep a key Senate seat and the governorship. The race has tightened because the second congressional district, which includes Dubuque, has become competitive. Republicans are working to protect their slim majority in the House of Representatives.
In Kansas, Trump plans to close the campaign weekend in Salina. That stop targets the Senate race where Democrat Adam Hamilton is running for office. Hamilton seeks to become the first Democrat from Kansas to win a Senate seat in 94 years.
The schedule changed quickly. Republicans initially canceled the Iowa and Kansas stops. They rescheduled them abruptly as the party works to keep its Senate majority. This approach contrasts with the 2024 campaign, when Trump focused on states that supported Joe Biden in 2020. This year, he is concentrating on states his party has historically won.
Voters, including some former supporters, are questioning the economic results of Trump's tariff policies and the war against Iran. This scrutiny has helped Democrats try to regain control of Congress. However, Democrats face their own issues. In Michigan, candidate Abdul El-Sayed is spending his final days dealing with a public dispute with former primary rival Representative Haley Stevens. This conflict could divide the party before the election.
The final days of the campaign test the strength of Trump within a party he reshaped a decade ago. He held more than 20 rallies in October to mobilize loyal voters. Some of those events were marred by Trump’s rambling comments and descriptions of the physical appearance of the politicians he supported.
On Saturday, Trump stayed at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. He attended a jungle-themed Halloween party where he boasted about his guests' wealth and dismissed concerns about the country's direction. He told guests, "The country has never been better."
