Trump Launches 32-Day Midterm Campaign Blitz in Texas and Oklahoma

DENTON, Texas — President Donald Trump kicked off a 32-day, near-daily campaign sprint Thursday with stops in two deeply Republican states, telling supporters that his presidency itself is on the ballot in November’s midterm elections.

“Pretend I’m running,” Trump said at a rally in Durant, Oklahoma, warning that if Republicans lose control of Congress, Democrats “will end up impeaching me”.

The president’s decision to campaign aggressively in Texas and Oklahoma—states he won by double digits in 2024—signaled growing Republican anxiety about once-safe seats becoming unexpectedly competitive amid falling approval ratings and economic discontent.

Texas: A Senate Seat in Play

Trump began the day in Denton, Texas, at a Peterbilt truck manufacturing facility, headlining a rally for Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton. Paxton, the state’s attorney general, won a bitter primary runoff against four-term incumbent Sen. John Cornyn after securing Trump’s late endorsement.

“We need Ken so badly, and that’s why I’m here,” Trump told the crowd, though he also joked that Paxton “could be a pain in the ass sometimes”.

Paxton now faces Democrat James Talarico in a race that Democrats believe could become competitive due to Paxton’s long history of legal and ethical scandals, including a 2023 impeachment by the Republican-led Texas House. Republicans still start as favorites in Texas, which Trump carried by nearly 14 points in 2024, but party strategists fear they may have to spend heavily to defend what should be a safe seat.

Oklahoma: A First in Five Years

After Texas, Trump traveled about 80 miles north to Durant, Oklahoma, for an evening rally at the Choctaw Event Center—his first visit to the Sooner State since 2020. The venue, with a capacity of just under 5,000, was packed with supporters who waited in the rain for hours.

Trump endorsed Republican gubernatorial nominee Mike Mazzei, a Tulsa businessman who narrowly won his primary runoff with the president’s help. Trump claimed credit for Mazzei’s victory, telling reporters that Mazzei “was down by 22 points” before his endorsement.

The president also endorsed Republican Senate candidate Kevin Hern and four House candidates by name—though notably omitted Rep. Stephanie Bice, whose Oklahoma City district is seen as the state’s most vulnerable Republican-held seat.

Trump told the Oklahoma crowd that he came to “pay my respect to a place I love” and thanked the state for supporting him in all 77 counties across three election cycles.

A Party Bracing for Losses

The unusual itinerary reflects the difficult political environment Republicans face less than five weeks before Election Day.

Recent polling paints a grim picture for the GOP. The New York Times/Siena poll shows Democrats leading the generic congressional ballot by 7 to 13 points—numbers typically associated with a wave election. Likely voters favor Democrats on seven of eight major issues, including immigration and the budget deficit, issues that historically favor Republicans.

Trump’s own approval rating has fallen to around 40%, with just 30% approving of his handling of inflation. Democrats have also seen a dramatic swing among Latino voters, who now favor Democrats by 36 points among registered voters—up from 16 points in January.

The president acknowledged the headwinds in Oklahoma. “We’re worried about Michigan, we’re worried about Texas, we’re worried about a few states,” he said, adding that the election was “all about 35 different contests”.

A $5,000 Promise and a Warning

In his 80-minute Oklahoma address, Trump made a sweeping promise: if Republicans retain Congress, every American adult would receive a $5,000 check.

“If Democrats win, we’ll have an economic depression,” Trump said. “But if the Republicans win, you will each have $5,000 in your pocket and economic success for our country like we’ve never seen before”.

Critics have pointed out that such a program would cost more than $1 trillion and lacks congressional support.

Trump also continued his focus on immigration, declaring that the U.S. now has “the strongest border in history” after what he called the “weakest border” under President Biden.

What Comes Next

The 32-day sprint will continue with stops in Alabama on Friday, Ohio on Saturday, and Nebraska on Monday, with near-daily appearances planned through Election Day on November 3.

Trump told supporters his energy for the campaign was unmatched. “My heart is in it like never before,” he said in Texas. “If it wasn’t, I’d be home right now”.

Whether that energy translates into Republican victories—or adds to the party’s challenges—will be determined in less than five weeks.