At Final Rally Before the Vote, Trump Says Incumbents Don't Win Midterms — 'But We're Trying Hard'
US President Donald Trump has said that, 'for some reason, incumbent presidents don't win midterm elections. But we're trying hard.' He made the remarks on Monday while taking part in the final campaign event before the election, near the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington.
Trump said, 'This is the last day before the midterm elections. I believe this is the most important midterm election of our lifetime.' In Tuesday's election, the country's two main parties — the Republicans and the Democrats — are fighting for control of both chambers of Congress, the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Asking voters to back the Republicans, Trump laid out the case for his administration's record. At the same time, he sharply criticised the Democratic candidates.
Trump said, 'The Democrats have nominated the most extreme and dangerous candidates in the history of the United States. They are the most dangerous candidates ever nominated.'
Attacking the Democrats' positions on immigration and transgender rights, Trump said the party was following a radical agenda and a 'dangerous ideology'. He added, 'We will protect our country, our culture and our heritage for generations to come.'
Much of his speech, however, was devoted to the construction and renovation projects he has undertaken in Washington. Trump spoke at length about the renovation of the monuments and the Reflecting Pool.
The Reflecting Pool renovation was budgeted at about $15 million, but the work has run into repeated obstacles. Without offering evidence, he blamed saboteurs for the delays.
Meanwhile, in an interview published on Monday on the New York Post podcast 'Pod Force One', Trump said, 'I think we're going to do great (in the election). But if we don't win, I will veto everything. I'll veto one thing after another. Then they (the Democrats) will come, and maybe we'll reach some kind of compromise.'
Opinion polls point to the Democrats regaining control of the House of Representatives. The fight for control of the Senate is also highly competitive.
Losing the House would create a major political obstacle for Trump, because control of that chamber would let Democrats influence votes on the federal budget. Committees able to investigate corruption allegations against the Trump administration, the Jeffrey Epstein-related files and other controversial matters would also come under their control.
If the Senate passes into Democratic hands, they could block the lifetime appointments of Trump's judicial nominees — including appointments to the Supreme Court.
