Trump, Vance and Candidates Make Final Push Across the US on the Last Day Before the Midterms
President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Republican and Democratic candidates made their final push on Monday, the last day of campaigning before the November 3 midterm elections in the United States. They held last rallies from Washington to Michigan and Texas, as polls point to a tight race for control of Congress.
Trump is scheduled to deliver his closing campaign message at 2pm ET on Monday at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, DC. Republicans are trying to hold their majorities in the Senate and the House of Representatives despite Trump's low approval ratings, and polls predicting that the Iran war, high energy prices and the affordability crisis could mean a strong night for Democrats.
Closing the campaign at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is a departure from Trump's recent strategy. He has staged more than 25 rallies in largely conservative areas over the past month, and wrote that Sunday's rally in Kansas was the 'last stop' of his 2026 midterm campaign tour.
The reflecting pool is also politically awkward. Trump's renovation of the historical landmark ran nearly three months late and cost more than 10 times the initial budget. According to the Associated Press, the 'American-flag blue' liner also began peeling after he declared the work complete.
In an interview on the New York Post's Pod Force One podcast, Trump said that, in the event of having to work with Democrats, he will become 'Mr Veto'. He said: 'It wouldn't be the first time we have a president and he doesn't have the Senate. They set stuff up, you veto it. After a month or two of getting things vetoed, they come over, and you make a deal.'
Vice President Vance was due in Rome, New York, early on Monday to boost Republican House candidates Anthony Constantino and Kailee Buller at a rally that began at 9:15am ET. Constantino is running to succeed longtime Republican Representative Elise Stefanik, who is not seeking re-election.
A Siena Research Institute poll shows the race could be close despite a Republican registration advantage of about 80,000 voters. North Country Public Radio reported that the poll shows voters in the district still favour Republicans more broadly, but that sentiment does not necessarily translate to support for Constantino.
In Michigan, Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed is holding a get-out-the-vote canvass rally at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti on his last morning of the campaign. He is then due in Flint at 1:30pm ET, Royal Oak at 3:30pm ET and Detroit at 4:30pm ET for a final rally.
In Texas, Democrats James Talarico and Gina Hinojosa are making final pushes for Senate and governor respectively, with a joint rally in Austin at 6:30pm CT. Talarico's opponent, Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton, is scheduled to appear in Conroe at 12pm CT and Allen at 6:30pm CT. Polls show Talarico narrowly ahead of Paxton, while Governor Greg Abbott's lead over Hinojosa has narrowed.
In Maine, Democrat Troy Jackson will make campaign stops in Yarmouth, Scarborough, South Portland and Portland, with events starting at 9am and ending at 6pm ET. In Iowa, Democrat Josh Turek will tour Harlan, Onawa, Le Mars and Sioux City to meet voters from 10am CT to 6pm CT, and in Kansas Democrat Adam Hamilton will be out from 7:30am CT to 1pm CT speaking to voters across Wichita, Topeka and Lawrence.
Separately, a federal judge in Washington is due to hear a lawsuit early on Monday over whether immigration agents can be present at polling places. Common Cause, UnidosUS, the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and the city and county of Denver are challenging the administration's position that armed agents from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) may enter polling places for immigration enforcement.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said in September that agents would not patrol polling sites but could enter to respond to threats or serve warrants on people. The plaintiffs argue that such operations would violate a federal restriction on armed personnel at voting places and could intimidate voters. The Department of Homeland Security has said ICE is not planning operations targeting polling locations.
