Trump skips Kansas and Iowa rallies for phone events
The president changed his campaign schedule two days before the events were set to begin, citing the need to reach voters in nearly 20 states.
By Stephen Collins ·
President Donald Trump canceled his scheduled weekend rallies in Kansas and Iowa. He announced the change on Thursday evening, opting for a series of telerallies instead of in-person appearances. The Republican National Committee stated the new format would allow the president to address voters in nearly two dozen states during the final days of the election.
The shift represents a rapid change in the president's campaign strategy. As of Thursday, he had held 25 rallies in October. This number fell short of a target he previously set at more than 30 events for the month. The RNC described the new plan as a 72-hour sprint to maximize his reach nationwide.
Trump addressed the change while returning to the White House from South Carolina. He said he does not need to travel to Kansas because Republican Senator Roger Marshall is doing very well. The president claimed he feels perfect and dismissed concerns about his health. He noted that his voice has grown raspy, referencing a comment he made in Mississippi earlier in the week.
The president had traveled to South Carolina for the second time in a month to support Darline Graham. Graham is the Republican nominee for a critical U.S. Senate seat. She is challenging Democrat Annie Andrews in a race that has drawn attention due to the tight competition. Trump praised Graham, saying she has the gene of her late brother, former Senator Lindsey Graham.
Democrats reacted quickly to the schedule change. Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic Senate candidate in Michigan, said the president had given up. El-Sayed claimed the president now understands that he has lost the midterms for his party. This comment came as both parties focus on tight races in states such as Texas, Ohio, and Alaska.
In Alaska, the governor ordered an investigation after reports that the Democratic campaign for Mary Peltola involved recruiting a candidate with the same name as Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan. The Justice Department issued new grand jury subpoenas on Thursday. Trump called the situation a conspiracy and questioned whether Peltola would be seated even if she won.
The president is scheduled to hold a rally in Daytona Beach, Florida, on Friday. It is unclear if he will hold any additional in-person events after that date. The White House has not published a schedule for Monday, which is the final day of the campaign. The shift to shorter phone events means Trump is expected to speak for about 10 minutes, a significant drop from the 90-minute speeches he gives at in-person rallies.
Source: The Hour
