Final Campaign Blitz: Trump and Vance Rally Support as Midterms Loom

As the November 3 midterm elections draw near, President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance are spearheading the final campaign push, with Republican and Democratic candidates crisscrossing the United States for a last day of campaigning. President Trump is set to deliver his concluding campaign message at 2 p.m. ET (19:00 GMT) on Monday at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C. Republicans are striving to maintain their majorities in the Senate and House of Representatives, facing challenges from Trump’s lower approval ratings and polls that suggest the Iran war, elevated energy prices, and the affordability crisis could favor Democrats.

Trump's decision to conclude the campaign at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C., marks a shift from his recent strategy. Over the past month, the US president has held more than 25 rallies in predominantly conservative areas, with his Sunday rally in Kansas described as the “last stop” of his 2026 midterm campaign tour. The reflecting pool location also presents political complexities, given that Trump’s renovation of the historical landmark experienced delays of nearly three months and exceeded its initial budget by more than tenfold. Furthermore, the “American-flag blue” liner reportedly began peeling shortly after he announced the work's completion, according to the Associated Press.

In an interview on the New York Post’s Pod Force One podcast, Trump indicated his approach if faced with a divided government, stating he would become “Mr. Veto.” He explained, “It wouldn’t be the first time [we] have a president and he doesn’t have the Senate. They set stuff up, you veto it. After a month or two of getting things vetoed, they come over, and you make a deal.”

Meanwhile, Vice President Vance was scheduled to be in Rome, New York, early Monday to support Republican House of Representatives candidates Anthony Constantino and Kailee Buller at a rally commencing at 9:15 a.m. ET (14:15 GMT). Constantino is running to replace longtime Republican Representative Elise Stefanik, who is not seeking re-election. A Siena Research Institute poll suggests the race could be competitive, despite a Republican voter registration advantage of approximately 80,000. North Country Public Radio reported that while voters in the district generally favor Republicans, this sentiment does not automatically translate to support for Constantino.

Democrats are focusing on key Senate races. In Michigan, Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed is organizing a “Get-Out-The-Vote” canvass rally at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti on his final campaign morning. He is then scheduled to appear in Flint at 1:30 p.m. ET (18:30 GMT), Royal Oak at 3:30 p.m. ET (20:30 GMT), and Detroit at 4:30 p.m. ET (21:30 GMT) for a concluding rally. In Texas, Democrats James Talarico and Gina Hinojosa are making final efforts for the Senate and governor positions, respectively, with a joint rally planned in Austin at 6:30 p.m. CT (00:30 GMT on Tuesday). Talarico’s opponent, Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton, is slated to appear in Conroe at 12 p.m. CT (18:00 GMT) and Allen at 6:30 p.m. CT (00:30 GMT). Polls indicate Talarico holds a slight lead over Paxton, while Governor Greg Abbott’s advantage over Hinojosa has diminished.

Further Democratic campaigning includes stops by Troy Jackson in Maine, with events scheduled in Yarmouth, Scarborough, South Portland, and Portland from 9 a.m. (14:00 GMT) to 6 p.m. ET (23:00 GMT). In Iowa, Josh Turek is touring Harlan, Onawa, Le Mars, and Sioux City to engage with voters from 10 a.m. CT (16:00 GMT) to 6 p.m. CT (00:00 GMT). In Kansas, Adam Hamilton will be active from 7:30 a.m. CT (13:30 GMT) to 1 p.m. CT (19:00 GMT), speaking with voters across Wichita, Topeka, and Lawrence. The final event of his day has not yet been announced.

Separately, a federal judge in Washington is set to hear a lawsuit on Monday concerning the presence of immigration agents at polling places. Common Cause, UnidosUS, the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), and the cities and county of Denver are challenging the US administration’s stance that armed agents from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) may enter polling locations for immigration enforcement purposes. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin stated in September that agents would not patrol polling sites but could enter to address threats or serve warrants. The plaintiffs contend that such actions would contravene a federal prohibition on armed personnel at voting sites and could intimidate voters. The Department of Homeland Security has affirmed that ICE is not planning operations targeting polling locations.