Trump Replaces Iowa, Kansas Rallies With Tele-Rallies

President Donald Trump canceled planned rallies in Iowa and Kansas, moving campaign appearances to telephone and other virtual broadcasts that the Republican National Committee said would reach nearly 20 states. The Salina, Kansas, event had been planned for Saturday, while the Dubuque, Iowa, rally was set for Sunday. Both states have competitive Senate races, and organizers planned the Iowa event for the contested 2nd Congressional District.

An Iowa Republican operative said a tele-rally could help turnout, but added, “an in-person rally would have been really helpful.” Another said, “I would love to have the president,” before adding, “Iowa's in pretty good shape.” The broadcast can carry a candidate’s voice across state lines. It can’t put him in the room.

A campaign routed through the party apparatus

The cancellations replaced part of a campaign blitz in which Trump had said he would travel to 35 places nationwide to boost turnout for Republican candidates. He had held 25 rallies in the previous month and said the schedule wasn’t “easy.” On Monday, speaking in a hoarse voice, he said: “God didn't make your vocal cords to do a rally every day.”

Trump said he didn’t “feel I have to go to Kansas” and said Republican Sen. Roger Marshall, who faced Democrat Adam Hamilton, “is doing well.” Kansas hasn’t elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1932. A CNN poll released Thursday put Hamilton at 49 percent and Marshall at 45 percent. NBC News reported that concerns about high costs connected to the war in Iran had helped make the race a toss-up.

Trump said he would hold more than 20 tele-rallies by Election Day, according to two White House officials. The RNC said the broadcasts would reach nearly 20 states, including battlegrounds Michigan, Alaska, Texas and Iowa, and that it might announce further events. A White House official said the appearances would “give him the opportunity to highlight his accomplishments and expand his reach across the country.”

Voters face the cost; candidates fight for control

The midterm election is scheduled for November 3, with four days remaining as of October 30. Voters will decide control of Congress and key state and local offices. Republicans hold narrow majorities in both chambers: 53 of 100 Senate seats and 218 House seats, with all 435 House seats up for election. The party that controls Congress will influence Trump's legislative agenda during the final two years of his second term. Trump has expressed concern that Democrats might try to impeach him for a third time if they win majorities in both chambers.

RealClearPolling showed Democrats leading Republicans nationally, 51.4 percent to 43.2 percent, a difference of 8.2 percentage points. Charles Franklin, professor of law and public policy and director of the Marquette Law School Poll, said Trump's falling approval ratings and economic concerns alarmed Republicans. A Marquette poll conducted in Wisconsin from October 14 to October 22 and released October 28 put Trump's approval at 37 percent and disapproval at 61 percent.

Sixteen percent of respondents said they were better off financially than a year earlier, 42 percent said they were worse off and 42 percent said they were about the same. “Democrats are more enthusiastic and more certain they will vote,” Franklin told Al Jazeera. “That is giving Democrats an important edge, and reflects Republican disappointment in current national conditions,” he added. He cautioned: “Polls are not perfect predictions of outcomes.”

An Arizona retiree told Al Jazeera that grocery costs were a major concern: “We're retired, and every time we go to the grocery store, it makes me wonder what the heck is going on.” In Texas, a CNN survey released Thursday showed Democrat James Talarico at 49 percent and Republican Ken Paxton at 43 percent. The same poll showed Democrat Abdul El-Sayed leading Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan, 49 percent to 42 percent.

The campaign continues, on screen and in person

Trump canceled the Iowa appearance hours after a reporter questioned him about skipping Kansas and whether the decision was connected to his health. Asked whether he was “sick of traveling,” Trump replied: “Oh, you're sick to ask that question. You are sick,” then said: “You've been following me for two weeks. I feel perfect. You are disgusting. Put yourself in shape. You look like hell.” PBS NewsHour reported that Trump called the reporter “way out of shape” and walked away. Trump had faced questions about his raspy voice in recent days and rejected the suggestion that travel fatigue explained the cancellation.

Trump was still scheduled to appear Friday in Daytona Beach, Florida, and campaign for Republican Rep. Randy Fine and Sen. Ashley Moody, whose races the nonpartisan Cook Political Report rated solidly Republican. The RNC said the virtual schedule would “maximiz[e] opportunities for President Donald J. Trump to speak to voters across the country.” Chairman Joe Gruters said: “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.”