Trump adds Iowa and Kansas rallies after early voting surge

President Donald Trump will hold in-person campaign rallies in Iowa and Kansas this Sunday, a last-minute change to his schedule designed to energize Republican voters ahead of critical Senate contests.

The president had initially canceled the weekend events to conduct a series of telerallies. He reversed course after receiving calls from allies in both states. Trump said his friends told him that if he could go, he would be better than a telerally.

The schedule shift comes as early voting outpaces the previous midterm cycle. An Associated Press analysis shows nearly 10 million more Americans cast ballots five days before Election Day in 2026 than at the same point in 2022. The increase is particularly sharp in states with competitive Senate races, where early voting is up roughly 30%.

Trump's itinerary for the weekend remains specific. He will campaign in Salina, Kansas, and Dubuque, Iowa. The RNC confirmed these locations after earlier reports indicated his Iowa stop might move to Cedar Rapids. The RNC previously described his plan as a 72-hour sprint of phone rallies to reach a wider national audience.

The president pushed back on suggestions that fatigue or health concerns drove the initial cancellations. Speaking on Thursday, he said he feels perfect and claimed the Kansas rally was dropped because incumbent Senator Roger Marshall is doing very well. Trump has headlined 25 rallies in October alone, following a promise at the start of the month to stage a marathon sprint for his party's candidates.

Both Kansas and Iowa are pivotal for the Republican majority in the Senate. Trump has visited both states this month to support Marshall and Iowa Republican Senate candidate Ashley Hinson. On Friday, Trump called Marshall fantastic on a Kansas City radio station and credited the senator for pushing administration policies that benefit Kansas farmers, such as expanding tax-free use of red-dyed diesel.

In Kansas, Trump criticized Marshall's Democratic challenger, Adam Hamilton. The president called Hamilton a radical who has caused turmoil in the church because he is so liberal. Hamilton previously stated that if Jesus were present, Marshall would call him woke.

High turnout is a shared goal for both parties. Republicans fear their base may stay home due to dissatisfaction with Trump and high costs, while Democrats believe the surge favors them. In Texas, more than 6.3 million residents voted early as of Wednesday, a 50% increase over the same period four years ago. South Carolina, which is electing a successor to the late Senator Lindsey Graham, has seen early voting rise by 83%.

The surge in advance ballots is part of a historic amount of money flowing into this year's midterms. In Michigan, Democrat Abdul El-Sayed continues to campaign against Republican Mike Rogers. El-Sayed recently apologized for past comments as he seeks to unify his party after a contested primary.