President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance are splitting up on the campaign trail Monday, bringing White House firepower to Kansas and western North Carolina with just 15 days until voters decide control of Congress.
Trump is scheduled to rally behind Republican Sen. Roger Marshall in the Wichita suburb of Park City, while Vance’s Hendersonville stop puts the spotlight on a competitive congressional race in North Carolina. The appearances come ahead of Trump’s own visit to the Tar Heel State on Tuesday.
Trump Takes His Turn In Kansas
Trump’s promised “Kansas Style Rally” will take place at Heartland Credit Union Arena, with the president scheduled to speak at 6 p.m. Central, 7 p.m. Eastern, according to the official event listing.
The visit gives Marshall a high-profile boost as he faces Democratic challenger Adam Hamilton, a Methodist pastor, in an unexpectedly tight Senate contest. The Washington Post reported that polling shows a dead heat in a state Trump carried by 16 percentage points in 2024. Kansas has not elected a Democratic senator since 1932.
Trump has already made his case for Marshall online. According to KWCH’s reporting, the president praised the senator’s work on agriculture, taxes, energy, border security and credit card swipe fees when announcing plans for the rally.
Monday’s appearance also follows additional Republican campaign reinforcements: Axios reported last week that veteran Trump strategist Chris Grant had been enlisted to help Marshall.
Vance Puts Western North Carolina In Focus
In Hendersonville, Vance’s rally at Hyder Warehouse is focused on Republican Jennifer Balkcom, who is running against Democrat Jamie Ager for North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District.
WLOS reported, citing a Republican Party source, that Vance was expected to announce his support for Balkcom. The contest is for the seat held by Republican Rep. Chuck Edwards, who withdrew his reelection bid in August.
The event was underway Monday afternoon. In its 2:45 p.m. live update, WLOS reported that Balkcom and Republican Senate nominee Michael Whatley were speaking ahead of Vance. Sen. Ted Budd had also addressed the gathering in support of Balkcom.
Next Stop: Eastern North Carolina
Trump is scheduled to follow Vance into North Carolina on Tuesday, October 20, with a rally at Pitt-Greenville Airport, according to Public Radio East. His itinerary then takes him to South Carolina on Wednesday.
The back-to-back North Carolina visits put both ends of the state on the administration’s campaign calendar as Republicans work to turn presidential support into votes for their congressional candidates.
