Donald Trump cancelled, and then promptly uncancelled, two in-person rallies in Kansas and Iowa this weekend as polls suggest US midterm election races in the previous Republican strongholds could go down to the wire.
On Thursday, just five days before election day, the Republican National Committee (RNC) announced the president would no longer host the Kansas and Iowa rallies and instead participate in “a large number of tele-rallies”. The RNC claimed it felt it was in a “strong position” in Kansas and Iowa.
But on Friday morning, a source familiar with the matter said the rallies were “back on” and rearranged to accommodate the 19 tele-rallies Trump is also participating in.
With control of the US Congress on the line, next week’s midterm elections amount to a referendum on Trump, who has repeatedly urged voters to pretend he is himself on the ballot, as his approval ratings continued to decline. Democrats are hoping to capitalize on growing discontent with Trump to retake the US House of Representatives, and also the Senate.
Trump told reporters on Thursday that he believed Republicans would have “a strong Tuesday night”, and did not feel like he had to go to Kansas. But he also lashed out at a Reuters reporter who asked whether the initial change of plans was because Trump was sick of traveling across the country. “Oh, you’re sick to ask that question. You are sick,” Trump told the reporter, accusing the reporter of being “way out of shape” and calling him “disgusting”.
Despite Trump and the RNC’s statements of confidence, Democrats have grown increasingly confident in recent months that they might flip seats in traditionally red states, in part because many voters are disgruntled with Trump’s handling of the cost of living, which has been exacerbated by his war on Iran. In a Guardian/Harris poll of roughly 2,000 adults, most respondents said the cost of living and government corruption were top issues heading into next week’s election, mirroring findings from other polls.
“I’m not going to Kansas because [Republican senator Roger Marshall] is doing very well,” Trump claimed on Thursday. But polls show a slim margin between the Republican and Democratic Senate candidates in Kansas, which has not sent a Democrat to the US Senate in 96 years, and Democrats have a small edge over Republicans in the Iowa gubernatorial and Senate races.
Trump’s tele-rallies, taking place on Saturday, will target 19 states, including those with competitive Senate races and those with competitive House or gubernatorial races.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The abrupt reversal exposes potential anxieties inside the Trump campaign in reliably red states days before the election.
- Control of Congress is at stake, making every scheduling decision a strategic signal.
- The presidential outburst at a reporter keeps questions about campaign fatigue and temperament in the news cycle.
Background
The US midterm elections, widely viewed as a referendum on the president, take place next week. All 435 House seats and a third of the Senate are on the ballot, with Democrats seeing an opportunity to retake power.
Key Perspectives
Donald Trump: Said Republicans would have a “strong Tuesday night” and denied the cancellation was a sign of trouble, claiming the incumbents were doing well without him.
Republican National Committee: Framed the initial cancellation as a reflection of a “strong position” in Kansas and Iowa.
Democrats: Expressed growing confidence in flipping traditionally red seats, citing voter anger over the cost of living and the administration’s war in Iran.
What to Watch
- The final margins in the Kansas Senate and Iowa gubernatorial races as bellwethers for the broader election.
- Whether the 19 tele-rallies prove effective in mobilising voters compared to in-person events.
- The overall turnout and whether the Republican base remains energised amid the closing drama.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedTrump cancelled and then reinstated in-person rallies in Kansas and Iowa for the weekend.World news | The Guardian: “Donald Trump cancelled, and then promptly uncancelled, two in-person rallies in Kansas and Iowa this weekend”
- SupportedThe RNC said it was in a “strong position” before the rallies were put back on the schedule.World news | The Guardian: “The RNC claimed it felt it was in a “strong position” in Kansas and Iowa. But on Friday morning, a source familiar with the matter said the rallies were “back on””
- SupportedOn Thursday, five days before election day, the RNC announced Trump would replace the Kansas and Iowa rallies with tele-rallies.World news | The Guardian: “On Thursday, just five days before election day, the Republican National Committee (RNC) announced the president would no longer host the Kansas and Iowa rallies and instead participate in “a large number of tele-rallies””
- SupportedA source familiar with the matter said Friday morning that the rallies were back on and rearranged around 19 tele-rallies.World news | The Guardian: “But on Friday morning, a source familiar with the matter said the rallies were “back on” and rearranged to accommodate the 19 tele-rallies Trump is also participating in.”
- SupportedTrump told a Reuters reporter, “Oh, you’re sick to ask that question. You are sick,” then called him “way out of shape” and “disgusting”.World news | The Guardian: ““Oh, you’re sick to ask that question. You are sick,” Trump told the reporter, accusing the reporter of being “way out of shape” and calling him “disgusting”.”
- SupportedTrump said, “I’m not going to Kansas because [Republican senator Roger Marshall] is doing very well”.World news | The Guardian: ““I’m not going to Kansas because [Republican senator Roger Marshall] is doing very well,” Trump claimed on Thursday.”
- SupportedTrump told reporters Thursday that he expected Republicans to have “a strong Tuesday night” and did not feel he had to go to Kansas.World news | The Guardian: “Trump told reporters on Thursday that he believed Republicans would have “a strong Tuesday night”, and did not feel like he had to go to Kansas.”
- SupportedA Guardian/Harris poll of roughly 2,000 adults found most respondents named cost of living and government corruption as top election issues.World news | The Guardian: “In a Guardian/Harris poll of roughly 2,000 adults, most respondents said the cost of living and government corruption were top issues heading into next week’s election”
- SupportedThe story says Trump’s war on Iran exacerbated the cost-of-living issue.World news | The Guardian: “many voters are disgruntled with Trump’s handling of the cost of living – exacerbated by his war on Iran.”
- SupportedKansas has not sent a Democrat to the US Senate in 96 years.World news | The Guardian: “Kansas – which has not sent a Democrat to the US Senate in 96 years”
- SupportedPolls show a slim margin between the Republican and Democratic Senate candidates in Kansas.World news | The Guardian: “polls show a slim margin between the Republican and Democratic Senate candidates in Kansas”
- SupportedTrump’s Saturday tele-rallies would target 19 states.World news | The Guardian: “Trump’s tele-rallies, taking place on Saturday, will target 19 states”