Trump Plans Rally Blitz Across Red States Before Midterms

President Trump is planning to campaign in at least 10 states during October as Republicans fight to keep their congressional majorities.

• Texas, Ohio, and Georgia are each slated to receive two Trump visits.
• One planned swing runs two weeks: Montana, Alaska, Las Vegas, Arizona, and Texas.
• Maine is the only notable battleground absent from Trump's schedule.
• Trump told Alabama supporters Friday: "Just close your eyes and pretend I'm on the ballot."

Why it matters: Republican turnout historically drops when Trump is not on the ballot — a dynamic he acknowledged directly at Friday's rally.

• Texas Senate race between Attorney General Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico has tightened, driving outside spending.
• Ohio features both a competitive Senate race and a governor's contest between Vivek Ramaswamy and Democrat Amy Acton.

How 24 sources split on this story

What’s next: Trump travels to Ohio on Saturday and Nebraska on Monday before the longer October swing begins.

• A San Antonio rally for Paxton is scheduled for Wednesday.
• Whether Trump's presence helps or complicates candidates in states he carried comfortably but where Senate races remain close.
• How Sen. Susan Collins manages her reelection in Maine without Trump's campaign support.