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President Donald Trump tosses hats into the crowd as he arrives at a campaign rally at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026, in Lubbock, Texas.<\/p>\n
Alex Brandon\/AP Photo\/Alex Brandon<\/p>\n
President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026, in Lubbock, Texas.<\/p>\n
Alex Brandon\/AP Photo\/Alex Brandon<\/p>\n
President Donald Trump arrives at a campaign rally at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026, in Lubbock, Texas.<\/p>\n
Alex Brandon\/AP Photo\/Alex Brandon<\/p>\n
WASHINGTON (AP) \u2014 President Donald Trump likes to play make-believe with his supporters.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust close your eyes,\u201d he tells them, \u201cand pretend I’m on the ballot.\u201d<\/p>\n
It’s a typically self-involved appeal from someone who has been the center of the nation’s political gravity for more than a decade. Now, he’s finishing the midterms with a cross-country blitz of campaign rallies that allow him to bask in applause when he’s otherwise profoundly unpopular.<\/p>\n
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In a year marked by the war with Iran, fears about artificial intelligence, redistricting fights, high energy prices and increasing concerns about the cost of living, Trump’s deeply personal approach might be the election cycle’s biggest gamble.<\/p>\n
Republicans still love the president, who remains dominant even as he approaches the back half of his second term. But his approval ratings are low enough to potentially sink his party and its bid to maintain control of Congress.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think there\u2019s anybody that wants Donald Trump out there at these rallies more than Democratic candidates,” said Jessica Mackler, president of EMILY\u2019s List, which focuses on electing Democratic women who support abortion rights.<\/p>\n
Every time there’s another Trump event, she said, \u201cwe look at that as a win.\u201d<\/p>\n
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White House spokesperson Davis Ingle said Trump is \u201cthe unequivocal leader, best messenger, and unmatched motivator for the Republican Party.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe choice has never been more clear,\u201d he said in a statement. \u201cDoubling down on President Trump\u2019s winning, commonsense agenda, or the Democrats\u2019 extreme liberal policies and obstruction.\u201d<\/p>\n
Trump thinks the way to win elections is more Trump<\/p>\n
It goes far beyond a whirlwind rally schedule.<\/p>\n
The president organized even small details of the first-ever Republican midterm convention last month in Dallas, speaking both nights. He also was depicted there as the Marlboro Man, a cowboy on horseback and with a white Stetson who could ride to the rescue, on everything from baseball caps to beer cozies.<\/p>\n
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Trump even has a personal spin on his blockbuster attempt to win over voters by pledging big checks if Republicans hold Congress, saying \u201cI\u2019ll give you $5,000\u201d even though the improbable idea would likely need lawmaker approval.<\/p>\n
Political groups associated with the president have spent at least around $277 million since Sept. 1 to help Republicans \u2014 a staggering sum that nonetheless didn’t completely drain the $416 million that Trump\u2019s flagship Super PAC, MAGA Inc., had in the bank to start last month.<\/p>\n
But that wasn’t enough for Trump. He used taxpayer funding to run television ads celebrating himself, including one nearly identical to a spot from 2024 \u2014 the last time he really was on the ballot.<\/p>\n
It’s consistent with a self-centered, second-term approach <\/p>\n
From expanding executive power, to turning the presidency into a profit center for his family, to molding the White House in his own gilded image, Trump’s self regard has escalated since he won back the White House.<\/p>\n
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\u201cI can do stuff that is unbelievable,” he bragged at a rally in Kentucky.<\/p>\n
Trump crammed the Oval Office with gold flourishes, demolished the East Wing to build a sprawling ballroom and converted the Rose Garden into a patio space reminiscent of his Mar-a-Lago estate. There’s also a new helipad that he showed off to Xi Jinping, China’s communist leader, during a recent visit.<\/p>\n
The president is focused on reshaping Washington as well, dispatching National Guard troops to the streets, closing the Kennedy Center after failed attempts to add his name to the building, planning a towering arch just outside the city and pushing to revamp a century-old public golf course.<\/p>\n
Trump has wielded his iron grip on the Republican Party in ways that could hurt its chances in some races. He helped Ken Paxton, who has a history of legal and ethical problems, defeat incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in the Texas primary, making the general election campaign against Democrat James Talarico more competitive.<\/p>\n
Trump also clashed with North Carolina Sen. Tom Tillis, prompting him to retire, and pushed Michael Whatley to run. Now Republicans are bracing to lose the seat to former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper.<\/p>\n
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Trump is \u2018the dividing line\u2019 in the midterms<\/p>\n
The Trump-centric approach backfired during his first term in 2018, when a similar presidential rally barrage didn’t stop Democrats from retaking House control.<\/p>\n
This time, many of the issues that helped Trump win reelection in 2024, such as his handling of the economy, could prove to be liabilities for Republicans.<\/p>\n
Just 17% of U.S. adults approve of Trump’s handling of the cost of living, as the Iran war keeps fuel prices high and stokes inflation fears, according to an AP-NORC poll conducted in late September.<\/p>\n
The White House points to highlights beyond Trump’s personal appeal, like efforts to lower prescription drug prices, stimulate domestic manufacturing, crack down on the U.S.-Mexico border and oppose transgender rights.<\/p>\n
But longtime Michigan pollster Richard Czuba said the president’s decision to focus on himself has prevented Republicans from courting conservative voters disappointed in Trump.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s literally driving people who disagree with him to the Democratic side,” Czuba said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe dividing line is how voters feel about Donald Trump,\u201d he added. \u201cAnd there\u2019s a whole lot more voters who disapprove of Donald Trump than approve of Donald Trump.\u201d<\/p>\n