Trump cancels Iowa and Kansas rallies, shifts to tele-rallies before midterms
The RNC says virtual events will reach voters in nearly 20 states as Trump scales back campaigning just days before the November 3 midterm elections.
At a glance
- Trump cancelled 2026 midterm events in Iowa and Kansas; the RNC said he will hold tele-rallies in nearly 20 states.
- Republicans hold narrow majorities in Congress, and a Harvard model gives Democrats a 94% chance of winning the House.
- Trump, 80, faced health questions after a South Carolina rally and said he did not feel he had to go to Kansas.
United States President Donald Trump has cancelled scheduled 2026 midterm campaign events in Iowa and Kansas and will instead hold “tele-rallies,” the Republican National Committee (RNC) said on Thursday, less than five days before the November 3 elections.
RNC Chairman Joe Gruters said the virtual appearances would be more efficient and reach more voters than on-the-ground stops. He described the planned 72-hour sprint as a boost in the closing days of the campaign.
Tele-rallies target battlegrounds
The tele-rallies will be broadcast to nearly 20 states, including battlegrounds such as Michigan, Alaska, Texas and Iowa, where competitive Senate races are unfolding. The RNC said further events may be announced. Trump’s Friday rally in Daytona Beach, Florida, about 320 kilometres (200 miles) from Mar-a-Lago, will go ahead as planned.
Congress at stake
Midterm elections take place halfway through a president’s term and decide the composition of Congress as well as key state and local offices. Control of Congress will shape Trump’s legislative agenda during the final two years of his second term. Trump has also expressed concern that Democrats might try to impeach him for a third time if they win majorities in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Republicans currently hold narrow majorities. In the Senate they hold 53 of 100 seats; in the House they hold 218 seats, with all 435 offices up for election. Only about a third of Senate seats are on the ballot, because senators serve six-year staggered terms.
Political forecasters have predicted Democrats have an advantage, citing Trump’s slumping poll numbers and voter blowback over cost-of-living issues, foreign policy and other concerns. Harvard University’s ElectIt model estimated Democrats have a 94 percent chance of taking the House, while the Senate race is seen as more difficult.
Health questions and Kansas
At 80, Trump will be the oldest president when his term concludes, and his health has drawn concern. Since starting his second term, he has been photographed with bruising on his hands, prompting speculation about undisclosed medical conditions. After a South Carolina rally on Thursday, a Reuters reporter asked about his health on the tarmac. Trump first said, “We’re going to have a strong Tuesday night,” before responding angrily, saying the question was sick and insulting the reporter’s weight. He said he felt perfect. He also questioned the need to visit Salina, Kansas, saying, “I don’t feel I have to go to Kansas.”
Kansas has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1932. This cycle, Republican Senator Roger Marshall is in a tight race with Democrat Adam Hamilton, a megachurch pastor. A CNN poll released Thursday showed Hamilton leading by four points, with 49 percent to Marshall’s 45 percent.
Source: Al Jazeera.
Questions and answers
- Why did Trump cancel his Iowa and Kansas rallies?
- The RNC said he would replace them with tele-rallies, which Chairman Joe Gruters argued would be more efficient and reach more voters.
- What is at stake in the 2026 midterm elections?
- The November 3 elections will decide control of Congress and key state and local offices, shaping Trump’s legislative agenda in the final two years of his term.
- What did Trump say about his health?
- After a South Carolina rally, Trump said he felt perfect and reacted angrily to a Reuters reporter’s question about his health, insulting the reporter’s weight.
