President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he is canceling scheduled campaign rallies in Kansas and Iowa this weekend, opting instead to hold a series of “tele-rallies.” The events were intended to be part of a midterm blitz in which Trump planned to visit 35 locations nationwide to increase turnout for Republican candidates.
The Republican National Committee stated in a news release that the decision to cancel was made to “maximizing opportunities for President Donald J. Trump to speak to voters across the country.” White House officials indicated that Trump intends to conduct “more than 20” tele-rallies before Election Day.
Shift in Campaign Strategy
Trump has previously claimed that his presence in battleground states has improved polling for GOP candidates. However, on Thursday, he stated he did not “feel I have to go to Kansas,” noting that Republican Sen. Roger Marshall “is doing well” in a tight race against Democrat Adam Hamilton. In Iowa, where a rally was scheduled for Saturday in Dubuque, GOP operatives told NBC News that while tele-rallies help, in-person events would have been “really helpful.” One operative noted that “Iowa’s in pretty good shape.”
Trump Denies Health Issues After Cancelling Rallies
The cancellations follow a period of intense campaigning, with Trump appearing at 25 rallies over the last month. On Monday, Trump remarked through a hoarse voice that “God didn’t make your vocal cords to do a rally every day.”
Despite these comments, Trump insisted on Thursday that he felt “perfect.” During an interaction with a reporter who questioned if the Kansas cancellation was related to his health, Trump responded, “You’ve been following me for two weeks. I feel perfect. You are disgusting. Put yourself in shape. You look like hell.” Hours after this exchange, the Iowa rally was canceled.
Upcoming Events
Trump remains scheduled for an event in Daytona Beach, Florida, on Friday to support Sen. Ashley Moody and Rep. Randy Fine, both of whom are in races rated as solidly Republican by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report. No events have been announced for Monday.
More on Iowa
President Donald Trump has canceled a pair of previously scheduled weekend rallies in Kansas and Iowa as the midterm elections are just days away. Trump will instead host a series of tele-rallies in support of candidates in competitive races across the U.S. pic.twitter.com/RpxnEyh3cs
