Trump visits Mississippi as midterms approach

More than 30 million Americans have already cast their ballots in the 2026 midterm elections, according to data compiled by The Associated Press from election administrators nationwide.

President Donald Trump traveled to Corinth, Mississippi, on Monday to campaign for Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith. His voice was audibly hoarse as he addressed a crowd at a rally in a state that has not elected a new Democratic senator since 1947.

Hyde-Smith is seeking a second full term in a state Trump won three times with an average margin of nearly 20 percentage points. However, she faces a challenging contest against Democratic challenger Scott Colom, a local prosecutor. Colom aims to become Mississippi's first Black senator since the post-Civil War Reconstruction era.

Trump told the gathering that he was present to ensure Hyde-Smith's victory. "I'm here because Cindy's doing great, but I just got to make sure. I can't take a chance," the president said.

Colom was also present at the rally site. He stated that he went to listen to the concerns of Trump supporters. "They actually deserve a senator that will listen to them, that actually cares about what they think, actually cares about what they're going through," Colom said before the president arrived.

The presidential visit marks the start of an intensive week of campaigning for Republicans. Trump is scheduled to visit Texas, South Carolina, and Iowa, all states he won comfortably in 2024. Officials also announced a rally for Saturday in Salina, Kansas, which will be his second trip to that state in less than two weeks.

Democratic leaders are expanding their own efforts to reclaim the House, the Senate, and state capitols. Former Vice President Kamala Harris campaigned in Wisconsin alongside Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley. Crowley is running for governor against Republican Tom Tiffany. If elected, Crowley would be the first Black governor of Wisconsin.

In Michigan, Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed addressed an advertisement that criticized high grocery prices by linking them to U.S. support for Israel. A spokesperson for El-Sayed, Roxie Richner, clarified that the ad, created by a group called Rebellion PAC, was not affiliated with his campaign.

Vice President JD Vance campaigned in Kansas on Monday, supporting Senator Roger Marshall in a tight race against Adam Hamilton. In a warehouse in north Topeka, Marshall told the crowd that Democrats were campaigning with the energy of a presidential year. "Democrats are coming out like it's a presidential year," Marshall said.

Vance also traveled to Belgrade, Montana, to support Republican congressional candidate Aaron Flint and Senate candidate Kurt Alme. In New York, Representative Mike Lawler manned a McDonald's drive-thru in an attempt to mimic a strategy used by Trump two years ago. Lawler is running in a close race against Democrat Cait Conley in the city's northern suburbs.