In a dramatic reversal, President Donald Trump is bringing back both of the Kansas and Iowa rallies that had been canceled, with the events now scheduled for Sunday, the White House confirmed to Our News Outlet.
“Rallies are back on! President Trump loves his supporters, and in addition to nearly 20 tele-rallies, he will hold back-to-back rallies in Kansas and Iowa on Sunday,” the White House said in a statement.
A White House spokesperson said the events had been rearranged to accommodate “dozens of additional tele-rallies” recently added to the president’s schedule.
The final campaign stops are part of Trump’s midterm blitz. He had planned to visit 35 locations in an effort to increase Republican turnout.
The president had abruptly canceled the weekend appearances despite recent polling showing close contests in both states.
The Republican National Committee said Thursday that Trump’s planned Saturday appearance with Senator Roger Marshall in Kansas, along with a Sunday event supporting Iowa Republican Senate candidate Ashley Hinson, had been called off.
RNC officials said the events were canceled because the Republican candidates were in a strong enough position to win without additional help from the president. That explanation came as a growing number of polls suggested that Republican control of Congress remained under serious threat.
In a dramatic reversal, President Donald Trump is bringing back both of his canceled Kansas and Iowa rallies on Sunday
Trump speaks at a midterm campaign rally at the Rock Hill Sports & Event Center in Rock Hill, South Carolina, on October 29
Trump and First Lady Melania Trump hand out candy to children in costume during a Halloween event on the White House South Lawn
When a reporter asked Thursday why he had abruptly canceled the Kansas rally and whether he was tired of traveling, Trump called the question “sick.”
“Oh, you’re sick to ask that question. You are sick,” Trump told the Reuters reporter. He then criticized the journalist’s appearance, saying he was skipping Kansas because Marshall was “doing very well.”
“You know what the reason is? I don’t feel I have to go to Kansas. I’m going to Florida tomorrow,” Trump said.
“You’ve been following me for two weeks. I feel perfect. You are disgusting. Put yourself in shape. You look like hell.”
Trump also addressed his raspy voice during an appearance in Corinth, Mississippi.
“God didn’t make your vocal cords to do a rally every day,” he said Monday.
Trump is holding a rally in Daytona Beach, Florida, today before the resumed weekend events. He is expected to support Representative Byron Donalds’ gubernatorial campaign and Senator Ashley Moody’s Senate bid.
Although Trump has crisscrossed the country during the final stretch of the midterm campaign, his popularity continues to face difficulties in several of the states he has visited.
Kansas Senator Roger Marshall faces a tight contest against Democrat Adam Hamilton in a traditionally reliable Republican state. Trump scrapped plans Thursday to campaign for Marshall once again
President Donald Trump criticized a reporter’s appearance Thursday after the journalist asked whether he was skipping the planned Kansas rally because he was “sick of traveling”
Kansas is a notable example, as the state has increasingly shown signs of becoming competitive for Democrats.
Democrat Adam Hamilton holds a four-point lead over Marshall in a new CNN poll.
A recent Washington Post poll showed Marshall trailing by nine points.
The figures are significant because Kansas has not elected a Democratic senator since 1932.
Republicans, however, continue to argue that Trump’s involvement is essential to the party’s success.
“Voters across the country want to hear from President Trump before Election Day, and this 72-hour sprint will be a huge boost in the closing days,” RNC Chair Joe Gruters said in a statement.
Several Senate races are close in states that had previously been considered reliably Republican, prompting Trump to campaign in South Carolina, Kansas, Mississippi, Texas, Ohio and Florida.
Trump held two rallies in Texas on Tuesday as he sought to strengthen Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton’s campaign against Democratic state Representative James Talarico.
The president is also expected to return to Michigan before Election Day, although no time or location has been announced for that rally.
