Midterm Campaign: Trump holds final rallies

President Donald Trump told supporters in South Carolina that his current rallies are the largest in history and that the moment will not be replicated.

Trump visited South Carolina and North Carolina to support Senate candidates Darline Graham and Michael Whatley, two Republicans he personally selected who have faced difficulty generating enthusiasm among voters. This trip marked one of his final in-person appearances before the November 3 election.

The White House hosted over 25 rallies in October, primarily in red states where Republicans face political challenges. Trump asked voters to pretend he is still on the ballot, arguing that his party's platform represents his legacy. "Please pretend I'm on the ballot cause in a way I am on the ballot, because they want to do away with all of the tremendous things we've done," he said in Greenville, North Carolina.

His speeches relied heavily on recurring themes, including tariffs and a new joke about Ohio Senator Jon Husted's physical appearance. Trump claimed Husted gained 12 points in the polls after the joke, a statement that contradicted current data. He also joked about the looks of Texas Senate candidate Ken Paxton, telling the crowd in Texas, "Maybe I should do that with Ken Paxton, but I'm not sure your body is going to qualify."

Dedicated followers traveled extensively to attend these events. Blake Marnell, a San Diego resident known for his suit made of bricks, took the entire month of October off work to travel from rally to rally. Cindy New from Emerald Isle, North Carolina, attended her first live event in Greenville, stating, "He can't run again, they say, so I guess I gotta come while he gets close."

Scheduling for the final days of the campaign shifted rapidly. The Republican National Committee announced on Thursday that Trump would cancel in-person rallies in Iowa and Kansas in favor of tele-rallies. Less than 24 hours later, the party reversed the decision, confirming that Trump would hold back-to-back in-person events in both states on Sunday.

Trump concluded his speech in Corpus Christi, Texas, by telling the crowd that the political era they have built together will likely never be repeated. He urged the audience to focus on winning the November 3 election.