Trump and Vance Campaign in GOP Strongholds Ahead of Midterms
The President and Vice President are visiting deeply Republican areas to boost party enthusiasm and support candidates facing unexpectedly tough races.
President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance are launching a campaign blitz this week, targeting heavily Republican areas in an effort to invigorate the party ahead of the upcoming midterm elections. The joint effort aims to shore up enthusiasm among GOP voters in districts where Republican candidates had anticipated easier victories but are now facing more competitive contests.
Trump's campaign swing, which began Thursday with stops in Texas and Oklahoma, is part of what he described as a 32-day push leading up to November 3. Vance is campaigning in Florida, placing top Republican officials in areas where the party is working to secure victories.
A recent Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll indicates that only 17% of U.S. adults approve of Trump's handling of the cost of living, and a mere 26% approve of his economic performance overall, marking a new low.
Republicans have voiced growing concerns about their electoral prospects, with President Trump having repeatedly downplayed concerns about high costs and gas prices amid an ongoing war in Iran. Trump attributed these challenges to insufficient public relations efforts, stating, "We’re not getting the word out."
"I’m going out because nobody’s selling it," Trump told reporters, emphasizing his role in persuading GOP voters.
Delanie Bomar, a spokesperson for the Republican National Committee, affirmed the strategy. "The president is barnstorming the country, energizing our base, and supercharging Republican candidates in battleground districts and beyond," Bomar said in a statement. "We have the resources to spend, and Republicans are full steam ahead to protect and expand our majorities."
Conversely, the Democratic National Committee characterized the campaign appearances as a sign of desperation. "Donald Trump and JD Vance started a deadly and costly war with Iran that sent the economy spiraling and pushed prices even higher, and now — in the final stretch to the midterms — they’re desperately pleading with voters to 'give (them) another chance,'" said DNC deputy communications director Kendall Witmer.
In Oklahoma, Trump is scheduled to campaign with Republican Mike Mazzei, who is running against Democratic state House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson for governor. The Democratic Governors Association spokesperson Kevin Donohoe suggested that Trump's rally indicates Republicans are "in full-on panic mode."
The Oklahoma event is slated to be held on the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, a rare visit for a sitting president to a tribal nation.
Before his Oklahoma appearance, Trump was set to visit a truck manufacturing facility in Texas to support state Attorney General Ken Paxton in a competitive U.S. Senate race against Democratic state Rep. James Talarico.
Republican officials are strategically deploying Trump, opting for traditionally conservative areas while avoiding districts where his presence might negatively impact candidates, according to a person familiar with the party's strategy. Trump's visits to Oklahoma and Alabama are intended to reach multiple strategic objectives, including influencing voters in nearby media markets like Dallas-Fort Worth.
His stop in Mobile, Alabama, on Friday is aimed at bolstering Senator Tommy Tuberville and supporting Republican Rep. Byron Donalds in Florida's adjacent panhandle, who is running for Florida governor against Republican-turned-independent David Jolly.
While Trump is campaigning in Texas and Oklahoma, Vance is scheduled to appear with Donalds in central Florida. Vance recently campaigned in Texas, rallying with Republican candidate Eric Flores in a tight U.S. House race.
Vance acknowledged voter frustration over high prices but directed blame toward the current administration, stating, "We have spent every single day fighting for you, digging ourselves out of the hole that Joe Biden left us in."
Trump's broader campaign schedule includes stops in Vandalia, Ohio, and Grand Island, Nebraska, this week. White House chief of staff Susie Wiles has outlined an extensive, near-daily campaign schedule for Trump leading up to the midterms.