President Donald Trump promised to campaign in roughly three dozen key battleground contests to protect Republican congressional majorities ahead of the November midterms. Speaking to vulnerable lawmakers at a White House Rose Garden dinner, Trump urged his party to run hard on his presidential record despite national economic concerns.
White House Dinner and the Rose Garden Strategy Session
President Donald Trump hosted Republican lawmakers for an end of summer BBQ
featuring cheeseburgers on checkered yellow gingham menus in the Rose Garden, one of the spaces he has controversially renovated since returning to office last year, according to the reporting from AP News. The audience of vulnerable party members listened quietly and sipped cocktails before Trump delivered his address on the midterm outlook.
Voters’ dim views of the economy and the ongoing war in Iran have put congressional Republicans in a difficult position as the midterm season enters its final stretch. But Trump told the room that his party holds a powerful, triumphant story to share with the electorate.
During his remarks, Trump touted domestic economic investments, lower drug prices, and diminished border crossings. The gathering preceded the party’s upcoming midterm convention in Dallas.
Targeting 35 Crucial Battleground Races for Congress
Control of Congress will ultimately come down to roughly 35 competitive contests, Trump told the lawmakers.
Trump emphasized that his schedule will focus directly on House and Senate races rather than safe seats. He explicitly noted that he is not looking to campaign for candidates already far ahead in deep-red districts. If you’re leading by 40 points and you’ve been there for 25 years,
Trump remarked, please don’t ask me to come to your area and make a speech, right?
Specific Senate Showdowns in Alaska and Texas
Trump specifically called out Alaska, where Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan faces Democratic former Rep. Mary Peltola, alongside a retired teacher who shares the senator’s name.
I’m going to go up to Alaska for Dan Sullivan,
Trump told the audience.
He also pointed to Texas, where state Attorney General Ken Paxton is running against Democratic state Rep. James Talarico for a Senate seat. Trump backed Paxton in the Republican primary despite a scandal-plagued past, though he offered a lighthearted jab at Paxton’s personal style and public presentations.
“You might not love his look. You might not love his television interviews. But he was the best attorney general in the country, perhaps. He was one of the best in the entire country. And that speaks a lot louder than the suit he’s wearing that doesn’t look so great.”
Historical Patterns and Super PAC War Chest Support
Addressing the headwinds facing his party, Trump argued that the midterm struggles are simply part of a historical cycle that confronts virtually every modern American leader, regardless of their legacy.
“Whether you’re a good president or a great president, you lose the midterms. We’re going to turn that around because there’s no reason for it.”
Vulnerable incumbents—such as Republican Reps. Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin, Tom Barrett of Michigan, and Mike Collins of Georgia—are hoping that campaign assistance will be backed by financial muscle. Trump enters the final stretch as his super PAC, MAGA Inc., boasts a war chest of more than $400 million according to campaign finance reports, providing a massive financial reserve as candidates navigate tight races nationwide.
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