Trump holds Iowa and Kansas rallies as Michigan Democrats face splits

President Donald Trump wrapped up the final weekend of a turbulent midterm campaign on Sunday with high-stakes rallies in Dubuque, Iowa, and Salina, Kansas, even as unexpected Democratic infighting in Michigan threatened to alter the battle for control of the U.S. Senate.

Rallies in Familiar Territory

With more than 54 million votes already cast ahead of Tuesday’s elections, the closing stretch has turned into a referendum on Trump’s second term in the White House. Unlike in 2024, when the Republican party largely focused on flipping states that had voted for Democrat Joe Biden in 2020, Trump spent the final days defending ground where he has historically dominated. Voters across the country, including previous supporters, have increasingly questioned the economic fallout of sweeping tariffs and the administration’s decision to launch the war in Iran.

US 2026 Midterms Two Days Away Amid Rallies and Developments• Trump attends campaign rallies in Iowa and Kansas• Michigan Democrats face public divisions involving multiple figures• Florida Republicans express concern over sluggish early turnout🌍 Why it matters:•… pic.twitter.com/BSqc8T6mw8

— https://x.com/unbiased_update/status/2116957345121194337

In Dubuque, Trump addressed a two-hour rally, insisting that Republicans remain on the track to sweeping victories. “We’re going to elect ‘America first’ Republicans up and down the line,” he told the crowd. Later, Air Force One performed a theatrical flyover before landing at the Salina airport for an outdoor event. That rally stretched nearly 90 minutes into the Kansas evening, prompting hundreds of attendees to leave early before the president finished speaking. “This is our last stop. We’re closing it down tonight,” Trump told the remaining crowd, marking the end of a cross-country sprint that saw him hold more than two dozen rallies across 19 states since October 1.

Democratic Divisions Emerge in Michigan

While Republicans leaned on presidential rallies to shore up their defensive posture, Democrats faced sudden fractures in Michigan. Democratic Representative Haley Stevens broke ranks with her party after losing a Senate primary to candidate Abdul El-Sayed. Rather than backing the party’s nominee, Stevens appeared at a church service alongside Republican candidate Mike Rogers and publicly endorsed his campaign.

“Our Democratic nominee for Senate said I was no longer welcome in his campaign and that I should stay away,” Stevens explained in a video announcement. “And he’s right. And that’s why I am endorsing Mike Rogers for the United States Senate today.”

The defection triggered an immediate firestorm among national Democratic leadership desperate to hold the Michigan seat, which is vital to their strategy of retaking the Senate. Chuck Schumer of New York, the top Democrat in the U.S. Senate, insisted the party remained “united in our support,” while U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, who leads the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, vowed that the party would stand firmly behind El-Sayed. U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders similarly downplayed the rift on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” noting that primary losses are painful but that Michigan voters would ultimately rally behind the nominee.

Trump seized on the fracture during his weekend speeches, praising Stevens for speaking out while launching sharp attacks against El-Sayed. El-Sayed fired back at the president’s rhetoric, maintaining that he has nothing to hide as the election approaches.

Control of Congress on the Line

All 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 seats in the Senate are on the ballot. Republicans currently hold a narrow 219-214 majority in the House and a 53-47 majority in the Senate. Polls indicate that Democrats are well positioned to recapture the House, giving them control of the federal budget and broad authority to investigate the administration, while keeping a viable path toward a Senate majority.