Trump Rallies for Midterms, Citing Grueling Schedule
The former president spent nearly two hours at a North Carolina rally, emphasizing his commitment to electing Republicans.
Former President Donald Trump addressed supporters for nearly two hours at a midterm rally in Greenville, North Carolina, on Tuesday, detailing his intensive schedule to boost Republican candidates in the upcoming elections. Trump characterized his current campaign tour as a departure from his approach to previous midterm cycles, stating, "I’m working like a dog."
"When I wasn’t running, I didn’t really campaign. I let other people campaign. I figured that’s it. What did I know?" Trump told the crowd, contrasting his past behavior with his current efforts.
With several Republican candidates facing challenging races, Trump announced plans to visit 35 battleground districts before Election Day. He has already held 17 campaign stops since the Republican midterm convention last month in Dallas. "We have like 15 days [before Election Day] and I’m doing about 18 rallies," Trump said. "That’s work."
The rally, which lasted approximately 1 hour and 52 minutes, was one of the longest of the cycle.
Trump invited several North Carolina Republican candidates, including U.S. Senate hopeful Michael Whatley, to the stage. Whatley is running to replace retiring Republican Senator Thom Tillis. According to an average of recent polls compiled by RealClearPolitics, Whatley trails his Democratic opponent, former Gov. Roy Cooper, by nearly 10 percentage points. Trump won North Carolina by approximately 3 percentage points in the 2024 presidential election.
NASCAR legend Richard Petty also appeared, comparing the upcoming elections to a "big race" and calling Trump the "best driver" who needs the "very best pit crew" – referring to the Republican candidates voters should elect.