Trump makes final stops in Iowa and Kansas as Michigan Democrats split
The president campaigned in two states he has won before while Democrats in Michigan faced internal conflict over their Senate candidate.
By Chioma Kuznetsov ·
President Donald Trump held rallies in Dubuque, Iowa, and Salina, Kansas, on Sunday, closing out the final days of the midterm campaign. He spoke for two hours in Dubuque before traveling to Kansas. These trips place him in states he has historically won by large margins. Democrats have begun to fracture in Michigan, a state that is central to their effort to retake the Senate.
In Iowa, Trump insisted that Republicans are on the verge of sweeping victories on Election Day Tuesday. "We’re going to elect ‘America first’ Republicans up and down the line," he told the crowd. More than 54 million votes had already been cast by Sunday. The rallies reflect a defensive posture for the GOP as the elections become a referendum on Trump’s second term in the White House.
The political environment differs sharply from 2024, when Trump focused on flipping states that backed Joe Biden in 2020. This year, he has concentrated on states where he has dominated previous elections. Voters, including some former supporters, are questioning the economic impact of his tariffs and the war in Iran.
Democrats in Michigan faced their own challenges. Haley Stevens, who lost the Democratic primary to Abdul El-Sayed, appeared with Republican Mike Rogers at a church service. Stevens later endorsed Rogers, a move that forced other Democrats to reaffirm support for El-Sayed. Stevens said in a video that she was no longer welcome in the El-Sayed campaign. "And that’s why I am endorsing Mike Rogers for the United States Senate today," she said.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the party is united in its support for El-Sayed. Kirsten Gillibrand, who leads the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said the party would reject efforts to divide Democrats. Sen. Bernie Sanders, a top supporter of El-Sayed, dismissed concerns about a divide on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” "People are standing up, they’re gonna stand with Abdul," Sanders said.
Michigan is a key seat for Democrats to regain control of the Senate. If they do not keep that seat, they will face pressure to win races in more Republican-leaning states such as Texas, Kansas, Ohio, or Iowa. Jon Lutz, a 60-year-old civil engineer from Dubuque, attended his first Trump rally on Sunday. He said he is happy with Trump’s record and wants Republicans to keep control of Congress.
Wendy Kuenzler, a 44-year-old from Burlington, also attended the rally for the first time. She plans to support Ashley Hinson, the Republican nominee for Senate in Iowa. Kuenzler said she does not blame rising gas and grocery prices on Trump. "He’s on the path to correcting it," she said.
Outgoing Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska raised concerns that Trump’s tariff policies could weigh on the GOP. "Tariffs are not popular here in the Midwest," Bacon told CNN. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, expressed confidence that Republicans will keep the Senate. "His agenda, without any question, is on the ballot," Scott told NBC.
