Trump, Vance lead final campaign push as court weighs ICE presence at polls on eve of midterms

Trump is scheduled to deliver his closing campaign message at 2pm ET at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, a departure from the more than 25 rallies he has held in largely conservative areas over the past month. He wrote that Sunday’s rally in Kansas was the “last stop” of his 2026 midterm campaign tour. The reflecting pool is also politically awkward: its renovation ran nearly three months late and cost more than 10 times the initial budget, and the “American-flag blue” liner began peeling after he declared the work complete, the Associated Press reported.

Vance was due in Rome, New York, early Monday to boost Republican House candidates Anthony Constantino and Kailee Buller. The race to succeed Representative Elise Stefanik, who is not seeking re-election, could be close despite a Republican registration advantage of about 80,000 voters. A Siena Research Institute poll shows the race could be close; North Country Public Radio reported that voters in the district still favour Republicans more broadly, but that sentiment does not necessarily translate to support for Constantino.

Democrats focused on key Senate races. El-Sayed was holding a get-out-the-vote rally at Eastern Michigan University and was due at events in Flint, Royal Oak and Detroit. In Texas, Talarico and gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa had a joint rally scheduled in Austin; polls show Talarico narrowly ahead of his opponent, Republican Ken Paxton, while Governor Greg Abbott’s lead over Hinojosa has narrowed. Other Democratic candidates with planned campaign stops included Troy Jackson in Maine, Josh Turek in Iowa and Adam Hamilton in Kansas.

Republicans are trying to hold their majorities in the Senate and House despite Trump’s low approval ratings and polls predicting that the Iran war, high energy prices and the affordability crisis could mean a strong night for Democrats. In an interview, Trump said that if he had to work with Democrats, he would become “Mr. Veto”. He said that after a month or two of vetoes, they would come over and make a deal.

Separately, a federal judge in Washington is due to hear a lawsuit from Common Cause, UnidosUS, the League of United Latin American Citizens and the city and county of Denver, challenging the administration’s position that armed Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents may enter polling places for immigration enforcement. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said in September that agents would not patrol polling sites but could enter to respond to threats or serve warrants. The plaintiffs argue such operations would violate a federal restriction on armed personnel at voting places and could intimidate voters. The Department of Homeland Security has said ICE is not planning operations targeting polling locations.