President Donald Trump committed in early September to campaign for approximately 30 Republican candidates facing competitive midterm races. He made the pledge during a White House Rose Garden dinner with the candidates, stating he would visit "every one of those 35 places" to help secure their elections.
Despite his promise to focus on swing states and districts, Trump's campaign schedule in the final month before the midterms has largely taken him to Republican strongholds. The White House has not publicly clarified which 35 locations Trump referenced at the dinner.
Trump has campaigned with fewer than a third of the candidates who attended the September dinner. His itinerary reflects a strategy to energize the Republican base in areas where he previously performed well, even as some red-state Republicans face unexpectedly close contests.
On Oct. 14, Trump spoke at a campaign rally in Bullhead City, Arizona. Between rally stops in Arizona and Montana, he characterized his visits to states he won by wide margins two years ago as an expression of gratitude.
"So, I do it to thank them," Trump said on the tarmac. He added, "I also do it because we have some great people there that are running and I want to make sure they win."
Trump has lamented lower Republican voter turnout in years when he is not on the ballot. His campaign team aims to counter this trend with an October rally blitz, which included two stops in Ohio, two in Texas, and visits to Oklahoma and Tennessee.
During a rally in Tennessee, Trump mused from the stage, "What the hell am I doing in Tennessee?" The comment drew cheers from the crowd.
Earlier this week, Trump took an eight-hour flight to Alaska to campaign for Sen. Dan S. Sullivan and Rep. Nick Begich. Both Republicans are in unexpectedly close races in a state Trump carried by 13 points in 2024.
"This is worth the 8 hours in a plane," Trump told supporters in Alaska. He also noted the return journey, saying, "And don't forget I've got 8 hours going back. Give me credit for that." He made two additional stops on the return trip and stayed overnight at the Trump hotel in Las Vegas.
The Republican National Committee announced Trump will campaign in Kansas on Monday. The state now features a competitive U.S. Senate race, a development few political observers anticipated even a month ago.
Republicans find themselves on defense in several states where they typically secure wins without significant challenges. RNC Chairman Joe Gruters, speaking from a Trump rally in Arizona, described the effort as focused on turnout. "It's turnout, turnout, turnout. How do you get the base to show up? You put the president on the ballot. You put him out there," Gruters said.
