President Trump is conducting campaign rallies in Iowa and Kansas on Sunday to bolster Republican efforts in closely contested Senate races. His first stop is Dubuque, Iowa, where Republicans are defending a critical Senate seat and the governorship. Trump won Iowa by double digits in 2024. The state’s 2nd Congressional District, which includes Dubuque, has also become a competitive battleground as Republicans seek to protect their slim House majority, with the race featuring Republican candidate Joe Mitchell and Democrat Lindsay James.
Later on Sunday, Trump will travel to Salina, Kansas, where incumbent Republican Senator Roger Marshall faces an unexpectedly tight challenge from Democratic candidate Adam Hamilton, a pastor. Kansas has not elected a Democratic senator since 1932, making the competitive nature of this race notable.
The campaign stops were initially cancelled late Thursday before being rescheduled. A source close to the Trump administration confirmed to Al Jazeera on Friday that Trump would personally headline the rallies. The visits represent Trump’s return to active campaigning after a brief pause at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida on Saturday, following weeks of travel across multiple states.
Polling data indicates Democrats are tied with or leading Republicans in many state races. Trump’s approval among rural Americans declined to 45 percent in October according to Reuters/Ipsos polling. The campaign has concentrated on states Trump previously won, though voters including some former supporters have raised concerns about economic impacts from tariff policies and a military conflict in Iran.
With 35 Senate seats and all 435 House seats on the ballot Tuesday, Republicans hold a 53-47 Senate majority and a narrow House edge. Losing either chamber would enable Democrats to block Trump’s agenda and conduct investigations. Early voting has set records, with over 52 million Americans having cast ballots before Election Day according to the University of Florida’s Election Lab.
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