Trump’s Late-Season Campaign Push Targets Ohio and Alaska’s Tight Senate Races

President Donald Trump will rally in Ohio on Oct. 12 and in Alaska the following Tuesday, aiming to boost Republican Senate candidates in both states. In Ohio he backs Sen. Jon Husted (R-OH) against former Sen. Sherrod Brown (D). In Alaska he supports Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) versus Mary Peltola (D). The trips come with just over three weeks before the Nov. 3 midterm elections.

The Straits Times

The 2026 midterms are a “triage operation” for GOP operatives, who fear losing both chambers amid high gasoline prices and a war in Iran. Polls show Republicans trailing in several swing states, prompting a shift of resources from safe districts to contested ones. The Senate Leadership Fund has poured at least $10 million into Kansas, $5 million into South Carolina, and more than $100 million into Texas, while suspending ad buys in North Carolina. Trump’s presence is intended to energize his base and increase turnout among low-propensity voters.

CNN

• Ohio Senate: CNN poll shows Brown ahead of Husted by 6 points; NYT/Siena poll shows a 4-point lead.

The Hill

• Alaska Senate: Decision Desk HQ lists Peltola slightly favored; the Cook Political Report calls it a “toss-up,” while Sabato’s Crystal Ball rates it “leans Democratic.”

The Hill

• Spending: Senate Leadership Fund has spent over $100 million in Texas and at least $15 million combined in Kansas and South Carolina.

CNN

• “Go out and vote. Even if you hate Jon Husted, even if you hate Vivek Ramaswamy, you’re gonna go out, you’re gonna vote, and then you’re gonna pull their triggers,” — Donald Trump

The Hill

• “I think what he’s doing is firing up Democrats and Independents who are really turned off by him and even some of those Republicans who have had enough,” — Jeff Rusnak, Ohio Democratic strategist

The Hill

Polls for the Ohio Senate and governor races diverge: CNN’s 6-point lead for Brown versus the NYT/Siena 4-point lead, and Acton’s 8-point advantage in a CNN poll versus a 4-point average from Decision Desk. Race-rating organizations also disagree on Alaska. No source provides definitive voter-turnout projections for the final weeks, leaving the impact of Trump’s rallies on actual ballots uncertain.

The Hill

With Election Day set for Nov. 3, the GOP will continue allocating ad dollars to the most competitive contests while monitoring early-voting turnout in Ohio and Alaska. Upcoming Senate debates in Iowa, Maine and New York, as well as the final round of gubernatorial debates in Ohio, are slated for the next two weeks, offering candidates further opportunities to define their platforms.

The Hill