Trump’s rallies in Iowa and Kansas come as Republicans fight to keep Senate and House control

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is closing out the final days of a turbulent midterm campaign with rallies in two states he has handily won in the past, underscoring the defensive posture his Republican Party is taking as the elections become a referendum on his White House second term.

His first stop is scheduled for Sunday afternoon in Dubuque, Iowa, where Republicans are battling to hold onto a critical Senate seat along with the governor’s office. The 2nd Congressional District, which includes Dubuque, has also become competitive as the GOP works to protect its fragile majority in the House.

Trump plans to close out the last weekend of campaigning before Election Day on Tuesday with a visit to Salina, Kansas. Adam Hamilton is mounting a robust bid to become the first Kansas Democrat to win a Senate seat in 94 years.

With more than 52 million votes already cast, the trips mark Trump’s return to his trademark rallies after taking a one-day break on Saturday. Republicans initially canceled the Iowa and Kansas stops only for them to be abruptly rescheduled as Trump works to preserve a Senate majority at risk of slipping away.

The travel is a reminder of how starkly the political environment has changed since Trump’s last campaign. In 2024, he worked to flip states that had previously backed Democrat Joe Biden in 2020. This year, Trump has focused largely on states he has dominated before as voters, including previous supporters, question the economic fallout of his decision to impose tariffs and launch the war in Iran.

While those dynamics have helped Democrats in their bid to regain congressional majorities, they face challenges of their own, including holding on to a crucial Senate seat in Michigan. The Democratic nominee, Abdul El-Sayed, is spending the final days of the campaign in an increasingly public feud with one of his primary opponents, Rep. Haley Stevens, that threatens to divide the party heading into the election.