Trump rallies in Iowa and Kansas as Michigan Democrats split
The president campaigned in two Midwestern states on Sunday, while a former primary rival endorsed a Republican for Senate in Michigan.
By Anthony Shevchenko ·
President Donald Trump held rallies in Salina, Kansas, and Dubuque, Iowa, on Sunday to close out the final weekend before Tuesday’s midterm elections. These are states he has won by wide margins in the past. He told supporters in Iowa that Republicans were on the verge of sweeping victories. In Kansas, he arrived late to an outdoor rally at the airport, where hundreds of attendees began leaving before his speech ended near 10 p.m. local time.
While Trump campaigned, the Democratic Party in Michigan experienced a sudden fracture. Haley Stevens, who lost to Abdul El-Sayed in the August primary for the U.S. Senate seat, endorsed Republican Mike Rogers on Sunday. Stevens made the announcement after attending a church service with Rogers in Detroit. She revealed that El-Sayed had told her she was no longer welcome in his campaign. The endorsement comes days before the election, which could determine the balance of power in the Senate.
El-Sayed responded to the news by saying he was focused on issues such as the high cost of living. He stated that he did not think about Stevens and added that none of the political maneuvering mattered. The endorsement of a Republican candidate by a former Democratic primary opponent is a rare event in such a tightly contested race.
The Trump administration also announced $15 billion in promises to agricultural producers in the weeks leading up to the election. Officials said the funds are intended to offset higher diesel and fertilizer costs caused by tariffs and the Iran war. More than half of the money will go toward a one-time payment plan for farmers affected by soaring fuel prices. The administration also plans $13.8 billion in payments for the 2025 crop year to cover shortfalls for corn, soybean, wheat, and rice growers.
Separately, the Justice Department defended a list of more than 20,000 suspected noncitizens registered to vote in California. The department argued that the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights violated a court order by analyzing the names. A court filing by the group stated that more than 40% of the people on the list did not appear in the state’s voter file. The Justice Department suggested the judge refer the matter for a contempt of court investigation.
In Petersburg, Alaska, FBI agents visited friends and donors of Dan J. Sullivan, a former elementary school teacher who is running against Sen. Dan Sullivan. Sullivan’s home has been dark for weeks. The administration is weighing criminal charges over a campaign tactic known as ballot stacking. Sharon Hunter, a local resident who donated $1,000 to Dan J. Sullivan, said FBI agents knocked on her door Saturday. She described the investigation as a waste of taxpayer money.
Trump is scheduled to give his closing speech on Monday afternoon at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. He told reporters on Sunday that the location would show how beautiful the site is. The White House formally announced the event hours later. The repair project for the reflecting pool has been described as slow, expensive, and problem-plagued.
