Trump heads to Ohio and Alaska as Republicans confront narrow Senate battles
Donald Trump will campaign this week in Ohio and Alaska to bolster Republican Senate candidates facing tight races.
In the final stretch before the November 3 election, Donald Trump is scheduled to campaign in Ohio and Alaska, adding to a swing that also includes Arizona and Montana, all states he won in 2024. The visits focus on Senate races that are unusually close: Republican incumbent Jon Husted in Ohio versus Democrat Sherrod Brown, and Republican Dan Sullivan in Alaska against Democrat Mary Peltola. Trump told reporters he wants to recognize states that have backed him while also supporting candidates in contested contests.
Political analysts say his staff is placing him where he can attract enthusiastic supporters, potentially influencing the outcomes. The White House says the rallies are meant to mobilize his base and encourage turnout, while some Democratic voters view the events as a sign of Trump’s election anxiety.
Why it matters
The president’s rallies could sway closely contested Senate races that determine control of Congress.
How this story developed
- Aug 15 Trump aides say president reluctant to campaign for down-ballot Republicans
- Sep 25 Trump’s approval rating has dropped to 32%, prompting more Republicans to distance themselves from his policies.
- Sep 28 The president began a campaign tour of traditionally red states such as Iowa, Florida, Texas and Alaska, as well as Oklahoma and Alabama.
- Sep 30 Ken Paxton told a small fundraiser that the GOP midterm convention in Dallas failed to boost his poll numbers and may have actually lowered them.
- Oct 1 A former Republican pastor who switched to the Democratic Party, Rev. Adam Hamilton, is challenging incumbent Senator Roger Marshall as the Kansas Senate contest tightens.
- Oct 2 Trump visited Denton to publicly back Paxton.
- Oct 2 Trump and Vance began a joint campaign tour targeting Texas and Florida.
- Oct 2 Democrats posted net voter‑registration gains in Arizona, Maine, Nevada, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
- Oct 3 The Senate Leadership Fund announced a shift of money from North Carolina to back Sen. Roger Marshall in Kansas.
- Oct 5 A newly released audio clip revealed Paxton’s comments about limited control over his campaign messaging.
- Oct 6 A Gallup poll shows Democrats identified by half of U.S. adults, Republicans at 39 % and independents at 45 %.
- Oct 7 The Cook Political Report released a forecast predicting Republican losses in the Senate and House.
- Oct 8 Audio from Paxton’s Washington fundraiser was leaked, revealing his complaints about fuel prices and the Iran war.
- Oct 9 Trump’s tour has added new stops in Ohio and Texas, focusing on defending his record and supporting specific Republican candidates.
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