Trump pivots to telerallies across 20 states as Marshall's Kansas lead grows

President Donald Trump canceled scheduled weekend rallies in Iowa and Kansas on Thursday, opting instead to conduct telerallies in nearly two dozen states. The Republican National Committee announced the change Thursday evening, stating the move would allow the president to speak to voters nationwide during the final days of the midterm election.

The switch leaves Trump speaking for approximately 10 minutes per event rather than the more than 90 minutes typical of in-person appearances. A person familiar with the operation, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the team was feeling optimistic about Republican prospects, particularly in Kansas where Democrat Adam Hamilton is challenging GOP Sen. Roger Marshall.

When asked if the change was due to illness, Trump denied being sick. He said he is not traveling to Kansas because Marshall is doing very well. "I don't feel I have to go to Kansas," Trump said. He added that he still plans to travel to Florida on Friday.

The decision follows Trump’s second trip to South Carolina in a month, a sign of Republican anxiety over U.S. Senate candidate Darline Graham’s campaign against Democrat Annie Andrews. Graham was appointed by Gov. Henry McMaster in July to fill her brother Lindsey Graham’s seat after the late senator’s death. She became the party nominee in August for a full six-year term.

Trump praised Darline Graham during his South Carolina speech, saying, "She’s got the gene." He also acknowledged his role in her candidacy, quipping, "I got you into this thing, Darline." Graham, who voted in Lexington, commended the president for delivering on long-promised Washington goals and warned that Andrews would throw those gains away.

Andrews, a pediatrician who ran for Congress previously, urged voters to try something new. She suggested that if voters are unhappy with her performance in six years, they can fire her. Her campaign is seeking support from disaffected Republicans, such as Brent Chaplin, a registered Republican who works in finance. Chaplin, who voted for Trump in 2016, said he voted for Andrews because he believes voters must put brainpower into their choices rather than voting purely by party label.

In other races, Trump focused on Alaska after reports emerged that the Democratic Senate campaign may have recruited a candidate with the same name as incumbent Republican Dan Sullivan. The state’s Republican governor ordered an investigation, and the Justice Department issued new grand jury subpoenas Thursday. Trump called the development a conspiracy and called for Democrat Mary Peltola to be removed from the ballot. Peltola’s campaign suggested the report was a distraction from issues like Sullivan’s support of the war in Iran.

In Iowa, Democrat Rob Sand, the gubernatorial nominee, told voters in a Des Moines suburb to avoid regret on Election Day by taking action before November 3. Sand, who noted that Democrats have not held the governor’s mansion since 2010, said voters should expect a Republican Legislature and the challenges of divided government if he wins. "That means that the people on the far left and on the far right will both be a little bit disappointed," he said.