Trump cancels Iowa and Kansas rallies, shifts to televised events

President Donald Trump said he will not travel to Iowa and Kansas for planned midterm rally stops, opting for a series of virtual "tele-rallies" that the Republican National Committee (RNC) will broadcast to about 20 states, including battlegrounds such as Michigan, Alaska, Texas and Iowa.

RNC Chairman Joe Gruters said the online format will reach more voters and described the effort as a "72-hour sprint" that will boost the campaign in the final days before Election Day.

The only in-person rally scheduled to proceed is the Friday event in Daytona Beach, Florida, near the president’s Mar-a-Lago resort.

The RNC indicated that additional events could be announced in the coming days.

The cancellations come as the midterm elections approach, with the Republican Party currently holding narrow majorities in both the Senate (53 of 100 seats) and the House (218 of 435 seats). Political forecasts from Harvard University’s ElectIt model give Democrats a high probability of winning control of the House and a strong chance of taking the Senate.

During a post-rally press interaction in South Carolina, President Trump declined to discuss his health and reiterated confidence in the Republican Party’s prospects, stating, "We’re going to have a strong Tuesday night."