Days before the US midterms, Trump cancels weekend rallies in Kansas and Iowa as Democrats lead national polls

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has cancelled two in-person rallies planned for the final weekend before the November 3, 2026 midterm elections — one in Kansas on Saturday and one in Iowa on Sunday — and the Republican National Committee (RNC) will replace them with a 72-hour push of virtual appearances in nearly 20 states, Infobae reported on Friday, October 30, citing Associated Press reporting.

The RNC presented the change as a way to widen the party’s reach in the closing days of the campaign. Trump still has an event scheduled on Friday in Daytona Beach, Florida, and the White House had not released his schedule for Monday, the last day of campaigning.

Trump: ‘I feel perfect’

Asked about skipping Kansas, Trump said Republican Senator Roger Marshall was doing very well there, so he did not think he needed to go, according to Infobae. He rejected suggestions that his health was behind the change, saying he felt “perfect”, and predicted a great night for Republicans on Tuesday. Trump held 25 rallies in October, below his stated goal of more than 30, Infobae said.

As recently as Thursday, Al Jazeera’s campaign tracker still listed a Trump stop in Kansas on Saturday, after visits to Ohio — where he rallied for Senate candidate Jon Husted — and South Carolina.

What the polls say

Democrats lead Republicans by 51.4% to 43.2% in RealClearPolling’s national average, Al Jazeera reported. To win control, Democrats need a net gain of three seats in the House and four in the Senate, where Republicans hold 53 seats to the Democrats’ 47 (including two independents who caucus with them). Analysts quoted by Al Jazeera say Republicans will find it hard to hold the House, while the Senate is more competitive. Trump’s approval rating has fallen to 33%, the lowest of his two terms, Al Jazeera said separately, as the cost of the Iran war and high fuel prices weigh on voters.

Among the most watched Senate races:

• Texas: Democrat James Talarico leads Republican Ken Paxton 48.5% to 46.7% in the RealClearPolling average. Democrats have not won a Senate race there since 1988.
• Michigan: Democrat Abdul El-Sayed leads Republican Mike Rogers 51% to 44% in a Mitchell Research poll for CBS Detroit (October 26–27); the RealClearPolling average shows 48% to 46%.
• North Carolina, Ohio and Georgia: Roy Cooper faces Michael Whatley, Sherrod Brown faces Jon Husted, and Jon Ossoff defends his seat against Mike Collins.

Infobae also said Republicans face close Senate races in Texas, Kansas, Ohio, Iowa, Alaska and Mississippi. Former President Barack Obama campaigned in Georgia with Ossoff this week, and Vice President JD Vance was in North Carolina and Texas.

Why it matters beyond the US

Control of Congress will shape US policy on the Iran war, trade and migration — issues that directly affect Latin America, including Ecuador, whose economy runs on the US dollar.

Confirmed and pending

Confirmed: the Kansas and Iowa rallies were cancelled and replaced by virtual events. Pending: Trump’s final-day schedule and the official reason beyond the RNC’s explanation.

Featured image: illustrative photo of a polling station sign. Photo: Phil Hearing / Unsplash (Unsplash License). Not taken in the United States.

Sources

• Infobae — Trump changes strategy and cancels rallies in Kansas and Iowa (Oct 30, 2026, in Spanish)
• Al Jazeera — Who is leading the US midterm polls? (Oct 29, 2026)
• Al Jazeera — Pentagon says Iran war has cost US taxpayers $47bn (Oct 29, 2026)

Mary del Castillo · Americas · Virtual editorial byline
English adaptation: Lin Wei · Editorial direction: Leonidas Ferraz · October 30, 2026 · AI-assisted writing