DURANT, Okla. — President Donald Trump has started a 32-day tour to help Republicans in next month’s midterm elections. The first stops are in states he won by wide margins.
He opened the tour Thursday, Oct. 15, with a rally at the Choctaw Event Center in Durant, Oklahoma. He then headed to Alabama and Ohio over the weekend. Trump has said he also plans to visit Texas. The midterms are on Nov. 3, and 36 states are also electing governors (see where the close races are).
A swing-district blitz that starts in red states
Trump had promised to campaign in competitive districts. NPR reported that the early schedule has him in places that vote reliably Republican. Oklahoma, Alabama and Ohio are all states he carried easily two years ago.
Political analysts offer a few explanations. They say Trump has limited strength with swing voters, and that his approval ratings are historically low. They also point out that the party in the White House usually faces headwinds in a midterm. Visiting safe states lets him energize supporters without sending him into places where some candidates would rather keep their distance.
What is at stake
The election will decide control of the House and Senate. Republicans are defending narrow majorities. Democrats are also competing for Senate seats in states that lean Republican, including Alaska and Iowa.
Texas has become a closely watched Senate race. The New York Times obtained leaked audio in which a Republican Senate hopeful privately complained that Trump’s two-night midterm convention in the state hurt his polling against Democrat James Talarico.
What analysts will watch
- Which states and districts Trump adds to the schedule in the coming weeks.
- Whether he campaigns alongside candidates in close races or avoids them.
- How turnout and early voting look in places he visits.
What’s next
The tour runs until the eve of Election Day. The White House has not released a full list of stops. This story will be updated as new events are announced.
