Trump adds Iowa and Kansas stops to weekend campaign schedule

The 2026 midterm election cycle is seeing a sharp increase in ballot casting, with nearly 10 million more Americans voting early compared to the same point in 2022. This surge is most visible in states with competitive Senate races, such as Iowa and Kansas, where advance voting is up by approximately 30 percent.

In response to this shift, President Donald Trump is altering his travel plans. The Republican president will hold in-person rallies in both Iowa and Kansas on Sunday. These events were previously canceled but have now been reinstated.

Sources familiar with the scheduling changes say the rallies will occur back-to-back. The Iowa event will take place in Cedar Rapids, a change from the originally planned stop in Dubuque. The Kansas rally remains scheduled for Salina. The White House initially suggested the president would rely on telerallies to reach voters, but the in-person stops have been added to the itinerary.

Trump addressed the initial cancellation on Thursday after returning from a trip to South Carolina. He dismissed concerns that his health or fatigue played a role in the change of plans. “I’m not going to Kansas because he’s doing very well,” Trump said regarding Senator Roger Marshall. He added, “I feel perfect” and stated, “I don’t feel I have to go to Kansas.”

The voting data shows a clear trend across the country. In Texas, more than 6.3 million voters had cast ballots early as of Wednesday. That figure represents a 50 percent increase over the 4.2 million who voted at the same time in 2022. Other battleground states, including Maine, Michigan, and North Carolina, also report early voting increases of more than 30 percent.

South Carolina, which is electing a successor to the late Senator Lindsey Graham, has seen the steepest rise. Early voting there is up 83 percent from the 2022 cycle. These numbers suggest a high level of engagement from voters in states that will determine the balance of power in the Senate.

Political campaigns in these states are focusing on affordability and the president's approval ratings. Republicans are working to counter voter dissatisfaction with high costs, while Democrats are emphasizing the same economic concerns. The influx of money into this year's elections is historic, with both parties spending heavily to influence the outcome.

Trump has already visited both Iowa and Kansas earlier in October to support their Senate candidates. In Kansas, he is backing incumbent Senator Roger Marshall against Democratic challenger Adam Hamilton. In an interview with a Kansas City radio station on Friday, Trump called Marshall “fantastic” and credited him for pushing policies that benefit Kansas farmers, such as the expansion of tax-free red-dyed diesel.

Trump also criticized Hamilton, calling him a “radical” who has “caused turmoil with the church because he’s so liberal.” Hamilton responded by saying that if Jesus were standing before them now, “Roger Marshall would call him ‘woke.’” The Iowa race features Republican Ashley Hinson, who currently serves in the House, seeking the Senate seat.

Both parties believe the surge in early voting could tip the balance of the election. The final two days before November 3 will determine if the early turnout trend holds, with both Iowa and Kansas serving as critical tests for the Republican majority in the Senate.