Trump Reverses Cancellations to Rally in Iowa and Kansas Amid Early Vote Surge

President Donald Trump will hold campaign rallies in Iowa and Kansas this Sunday. The move reverses decisions made earlier in the week to cancel those in-person events. Both states face competitive Senate races that could decide control of the upper chamber.

Early voting data shows a sharp increase compared to previous midterms. An analysis by the Associated Press found that nearly 10 million more Americans cast ballots five days before Election Day than at the same point in 2022. The jump is most visible in states like Iowa and Kansas, where early voting is up roughly 30 percent.

The schedule shift follows a period of uncertainty regarding Trump's physical stamina. On Thursday, the president pushed back against questions about fatigue. He told reporters he did not feel he had to travel to Kansas because his candidate, Senator Roger Marshall, was doing well. "I feel perfect," Trump said.

Prior to this change, the Republican National Committee planned for Trump to conduct a "72-hour sprint" of phone rallies. The goal was to reach more voters nationwide without the physical demands of travel. The original plan had him in Salina, Kansas, on Saturday and Dubuque, Iowa, on Sunday.

Those plans are now modified. The Kansas rally has been reinstated. The Iowa stop has also been brought back, though it will take place in Cedar Rapids rather than Dubuque. Officials described the new arrangement as a way to accommodate both in-person crowds and the new telerallies added to the schedule.

Trump has already campaigned in both states this month. He visited Kansas to support Marshall and went to Iowa to help Ashley Hinson, a House member running for Senate. In a Friday interview with a Kansas City radio station, Trump called Marshall "fantastic." He credited the senator for pushing administration policies that benefit farmers, such as expanding the use of tax-free red-dyed diesel.

The Senate race in Kansas pits Marshall against Democrat Adam Hamilton, a Methodist pastor. Trump criticized Hamilton as a "radical" who has caused turmoil within the church. Hamilton responded by suggesting that if Jesus were present, Marshall would call him "woke."

Voter turnout is a central concern for both parties. Democrats argue that high costs and dissatisfaction with the president will drive their voters to the polls. Republicans worry that the same factors will suppress their base. In Texas, more than 6.3 million voters had cast ballots early as of Wednesday. That is a 50 percent increase over the same point four years ago.

Other battleground states show similar trends. Early voting in Maine, Michigan, North Carolina, and Kansas is up more than 30 percent from 2022. In South Carolina, where voters are choosing a successor to the late Senator Lindsey Graham, early voting is up 83 percent. These numbers reflect the high volume of money spent on this year's midterm elections.

The next step in Trump's campaign is the weekend rallies. The Iowa event in Cedar Rapids is scheduled for Sunday. The Kansas rally will also take place on Sunday. These stops are part of a broader effort to mobilize Republican voters ahead of the general election.