Trump rallies to boost Republican turnout as midterms approach
Donald Trump is touring red states, urging his base to vote for Republican candidates despite his own absence from the ballot.
As the midterm election nears, Donald Trump has embarked on a tour of deep-red states, repeatedly telling supporters to "pretend I'm on the ballot" and to support Republican candidates down the ticket. While Democrats are urging their voters to focus on Republican office-holders as a way to push back against Trump, the party faces tight Senate contests, with polls indicating Republican candidates trailing in many toss-up races.
Trump claims his rallies are raising enthusiasm for the GOP, citing a recent boost for Senator Jon Husted. However, his own job approval sits under 40% in the latest one outlet average, and his ratings on the economy, Iran and inflation are especially low. Historical midterm trends suggest the party of the incumbent president often loses seats, a pattern that could affect Republicans this cycle. Some GOP candidates welcome Trump's presence, while others worry his focus on unrelated issues may hurt their campaigns.
Why it matters
Trump's involvement could shape Republican turnout and influence outcomes in closely contested Senate races.
How this story developed
- Aug 26 Democrats See New Paths to Flip the Senate in 2026 Midterms
- Sep 15 Decision Desk HQ released new simulations that now rate the Senate as a pure toss‑up and raise the Democrats’ projected chance to win the House to 67 %.
- Sep 16 A post-convention poll showed Democrats ahead on the generic ballot.
- Sep 22 The generic‑ballot advantage for Democrats has grown to about seven points.
- Sep 25 Florida GOP officials say they are preparing for possible defeats after polls show Democrats gaining ground in the governor’s race and Trump’s approval dropping sharply.
- 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.
- 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 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 11 Donald’s campaign edited its website to cut eight Trump mentions and moved a Trump photo to a less prominent spot.
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