Trump scraps Iowa and Kansas rallies, retreats to tele-rallies
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President Donald Trump canceled in-person events in Iowa and Kansas and replaced them with virtual rallies, continuing his midterm campaign push from behind a screen.
President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he will not hold the scheduled in-person rallies in Kansas and Iowa this weekend, opting instead for a series of tele-rallies. The events were part of a broader midterm tour in which the president planned to visit 35 locations to boost Republican turnout.
Trump said he did not feel the need to travel to Kansas, noting that Republican Sen. Roger Marshall, who is in a close race with Democrat Adam Hamilton, "is doing well." He added that he feels "perfect" despite a reporter’s question about his health, responding, "You’ve been following me for two weeks. I feel perfect. You are disgusting. Put yourself in shape. You look like hell."
White House officials confirmed the cancellations and said the shift to virtual events is intended to "maximize opportunities for President Donald J. Trump to speak to voters across the country." Party operatives in Iowa said a tele-rally could still help turnout, though an in-person rally would have been "really helpful."
The president plans to hold more than 20 tele-rallies before Election Day and remains scheduled to appear in Daytona Beach, Florida, on Friday to support Rep. Randy Fine and Sen. Ashley Moody, whose races are rated solidly Republican by the Cook Political Report. No further events have been announced for Monday.