Trump launches midterm campaign push in Texas and Oklahoma as Republicans face tough races
SPY•Donald Trump began a 32-day campaign blitz with stops in Texas and Oklahoma, aiming to bolster Republicans as they defend slim congressional majorities in November. Texas is one of eight competitive Senate races, and diesel recently hit a record $5.97 per gallon in the state.
1. Campaign blitz begins
Trump is traveling to Texas and Oklahoma to campaign for Republican candidates, with some candidates unsure whether his involvement will help or hurt them. Some have distanced themselves from him over issues including the Iran war and data centers, while voter dissatisfaction with the economy has made some previously safe Republican seats competitive.
2. Texas Senate contest
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is expected to appear with Trump north of Dallas. Trump backed Paxton over incumbent Senator John Cornyn in the Republican primary, prompting Republicans to spend heavily to defend the seat against Democratic challenger James Talarico. Paxton's campaign called a leaked recording of him criticizing Trump's midterm convention “manipulated nonsense.”
3. Upcoming rallies and costs
Trump is expected to promote his tariff agenda at Peterbilt Motors in Denton. The White House said truck tariffs helped companies including PACCAR add more than 2,000 jobs nationwide, including about 1,000 at the Texas plant. Diesel reached a record $5.97 per gallon in Texas two weeks ago, while average gasoline prices were up nearly 44% from a year earlier at $3.92. Trump is also scheduled to rally in Alabama, Ohio and Nebraska.
