Overview
- President Donald Trump has begun a countrywide midterm tour, opening his campaign push in Denton, Texas and traveling on to Oklahoma to rally voters and endorse candidates.
- He openly acknowledged low approval ratings and described the issue as poor publicity while insisting his administration does "phenomenal work."
- Republicans currently hold slim majorities in both the House and Senate which makes the midterms decisive for whether the party can pursue its agenda and avoid new congressional investigations.
- Trump is actively campaigning for high-profile state races, including the Texas Senate contest where he is backing Ken Paxton against Democrat James Talarico in a race Democrats believe they can flip.
- Polls and reporting link parts of Trump’s unpopularity to recent economic strains such as fuel-price increases tied to the Iran war and suggest the final month of campaigning could tip turnout and control of Congress.