President Donald Trump launched a 32-day midterm campaign swing with stops in Texas and Oklahoma, aiming to boost Republican candidates and protect narrow congressional majorities. He began the tour in conservative territory but faces concern from some GOP officials that his presence could hurt vulnerable races. Key stops include a Peterbilt plant where the administration credits tariffs with job gains, an appearance with Ken Paxton, and upcoming rallies in Ohio and Nebraska where contests are more competitive.
Trump Kicks Off 32-Day Midterm Blitz in Texas and Oklahoma as GOP Faces Risky Races
US President Donald Trump speaks as he hosts a Hispanic Heritage Month reception in the East Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., US, September 30, 2026. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
DENTON, Texas, Oct 1 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump launched a 32-day midterm campaign swing on Thursday with events in Texas and Oklahoma, aiming to rally Republican candidates as the party works to defend narrow congressional majorities ahead of November's midterm elections.
Trump is positioning himself as the public face of the GOP's midterm effort, scheduling appearances in several competitive House and Senate contests while beginning the tour in reliably conservative areas to build momentum before moving into tighter races.
Some Republican officials and candidates, however, worry that his presence could be a liability in vulnerable districts, especially as voters express concerns about the economy and foreign policy developments, including the conflict with Iran.
High-Profile Pairings and Tensions
In Texas, Attorney General Ken Paxton is expected to appear with Trump at an event north of Dallas. That pairing drew attention after a recording surfaced of Paxton telling donors that Trump's September midterm convention hurt some Republican candidates. Paxton's campaign dismissed the tape as 'manipulated nonsense.' Trump said he had not heard about the recording and called the convention 'amazing.'
Trump backed Paxton over incumbent Senator John Cornyn in the Republican primary, a move that forced heavy party spending to defend a traditionally safe Senate seat now challenged by Democrat James Talarico.
Economic Pitch Meets Rising Costs
Former U.S. President Donald Trump listens as Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks during a rally in Robstown, Texas, U.S., October 22, 2022. REUTERS/Go Nakamura
The president is scheduled to visit a Peterbilt Motors plant in Denton, where the White House credits Trump-era truck tariffs with helping spur job growth. Officials say PACCAR, Peterbilt's parent company, added more than 2,000 jobs nationwide, including roughly 1,000 at the Texas plant.
At the same time, Texans are feeling the squeeze from higher fuel prices. Diesel reached a record high of $5.97 per gallon about two weeks ago, and average gasoline prices are around $3.92 per gallon, up nearly 44% year-on-year, according to AAA — increases the administration links in part to the economic fallout from the Iran war.
Where The Tour Goes From Here
After Texas, Trump held a rally in Durant, southern Oklahoma — a state he carried with more than 66% of the vote in 2024 — at a site the Republican National Committee said was chosen partly to draw supporters from neighboring Texas. He is set to rally in Alabama on Friday and then move into more competitive terrain with planned events in Ohio on Saturday and Nebraska on Monday.
Ohio, which Trump won with 55% of the vote in 2024, has become more competitive, where Senator Jon Husted faces a close re-election contest. In Nebraska, Republicans are confronting a tough House race in Omaha and a Senate contest that has tightened in recent days.
Trump also acknowledged at a White House event this week that he had not done a good job selling his economic record since returning to the White House in January 2025 — a challenge that analysts say has reshaped parts of the electoral map and made some previously safe GOP seats competitive.
(Reporting by Bo Erickson; Additional reporting by Jacob Bogage; Edited by Ross Colvin, Colleen Jenkins, Alistair Bell and Jonathan Spicer)
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