Midterm Countdown: Democrats Lead in Polls as Trump Shifts to Phone Rallies
With four days left before the U.S. midterm elections, Democrats hold an 8-point lead in national polls, while President Trump cancels two in-person rallies in favor of telephone events across nearly 20 states.
National polls released ahead of the U.S. midterm elections show Democrats ahead of Republicans by 51.4 percent to 43.2 percent, an 8.2-point margin, according to RealClearPolitics. Law professor Charles Franklin, director of the Marquette Law School poll, said the gap reflects "Democrats are more enthusiastic and more certain they will vote" and "Republican disappointment in current national conditions."
The Marquette poll, conducted in Wisconsin in mid-October, placed President Trump’s approval rating at 37 percent and disapproval at 61 percent. Economic concerns were highlighted, with only 16 percent of respondents feeling better off financially than a year ago.
In Alaska, a legal dispute over two candidates named Dan Sullivan could delay the certification of the Senate race. President Trump described the situation as "an election fraud," while Democrat Mary Peltola dismissed the claim as a diversion from affordability issues.
On the campaign trail, President Trump visited South Carolina to support Republican Senate candidate Darline Graham and warned supporters not to take the election outcome for granted. Vice President JD Vance addressed voters in Texas alongside Senate candidate Ken Paxton, and former President Barack Obama campaigned in Georgia for Senator Jon Ossoff.
President Trump cancelled scheduled weekend rallies in Salina, Kansas, and Dubuque, Iowa, opting for telephone rallies in nearly 20 states. Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters said the change would allow the president to reach more voters in the final 72 hours before Election Day.
"Voters across the country want to hear from President Trump before Election Day, and this 72-hour sprint will be a huge boost in the closing days," Gruters said.
When asked about the cancellations, President Trump said he did not feel the need to travel to Kansas and rejected suggestions that fatigue was a factor, stating, "I feel perfect."
President Trump remains scheduled to hold a rally in Daytona Beach, Florida, on Friday, while Kamala Harris will address a Democratic fundraiser in Atlanta and continue campaigning in Georgia.
Polls in key battleground states show close races, with Democrat James Talarico leading Republican Ken Paxton in Texas and Democrat Abdul El-Sayed ahead of Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan, according to a CNN survey.