President Donald Trump spent Sunday holding rallies in Iowa and Kansas, two states he has carried in past elections, as Republicans work to protect their majorities in the U.S. Senate and House ahead of Tuesday’s midterm vote.
Trump spoke for two hours in Dubuque, Iowa, before traveling to Salina, Kansas. He told the Iowa crowd that Republicans would win “up and down the line.” More than 54 million votes had already been cast, according to the report.
The trip reflects a defensive posture for the GOP. Trump has focused on familiar territory this year, rather than flipping states as he did in 2024, as some voters question the economic effects of his tariffs and the war in Iran.
Democrats also faced problems. In Michigan, Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed’s former primary rival, Rep. Haley Stevens, endorsed Republican Mike Rogers after an invitation to a Democratic event was rescinded. Party leaders, including Sen. Chuck Schumer, said Democrats remained united behind El-Sayed.
Michigan is central to Democrats’ Senate hopes. Republican Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska warned that tariffs were unpopular in the Midwest and that the party could face a debate about its future after significant losses. Sen. Tim Scott, who chairs the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said he expected Republicans to keep the Senate.
