Trump Reinstates Canceled Rallies in Iowa and Kansas
The president shifted his weekend plans to campaign in person in two states where early voting numbers have surged ahead of the 2022 midterm totals.
By Paul Davidson ·
President Donald Trump will hold campaign rallies in Iowa and Kansas on Sunday, a last-minute reversal after he had planned to conduct remote events instead. The Republican National Committee confirmed the schedule change on Friday, placing the president in Dubuque, Iowa, and Salina, Kansas, for back-to-back appearances.
The scheduling shifts occurred while early voting numbers rose sharply across the nation. An Associated Press analysis found that nearly 10 million more Americans cast ballots five days before Election Day than at the same point in 2022. In Iowa and Kansas, both of which have competitive Senate races, early voting increased by roughly 30% compared to the previous midterm cycle.
Trump originally planned to visit Salina on Saturday and Dubuque on Sunday before canceling those in-person events. The RNC initially stated the president would participate in telerallies and a 72-hour sprint of phone calls to reach a wider audience. On Friday, the Iowa stop moved from Dubuque to Cedar Rapids and then back to Dubuque within hours, according to a person familiar with the planning who spoke on condition of anonymity.
During a press interaction on Thursday, Trump pushed back against suggestions that his health or fatigue caused the initial cancellations. He stated, “I’m not going to Kansas because he’s doing very well,” referring to Sen. Roger Marshall. The president added that he “feel[s] perfect” and that “I don’t feel I have to go to Kansas.”
Both Iowa and Kansas are deciding factors in the fight for Senate control. In Kansas, Sen. Marshall is seeking reelection against Democrat Adam Hamilton. Trump described Marshall as “fantastic” in a Friday interview with a Kansas City radio station. He criticized Hamilton as a “radical” who has “caused turmoil with the church because he’s so liberal.” Hamilton responded by saying that if Jesus were present now, “Roger Marshall would call him ‘woke.’”
In Iowa, Trump is supporting Rep. Ashley Hinson, who is running for the Senate seat. He has already visited both states this month to boost his candidates. Democrats and Republicans each argue the surge in early voting favors their side in an election focused heavily on affordability and presidential approval.
In Texas, more than 6.3 million residents voted early as of Wednesday, a 50% increase over the same point four years ago. Early voting also rose more than 30% in Maine, Michigan, North Carolina, and Kansas. South Carolina, which is selecting a successor to Sen. Lindsey Graham, saw an 83% jump in advance ballots.
Source: Las Vegas Sun
