Trump Cancels 2 Rallies in Iowa and Kansas as Tight Polls Threaten GOP Control

Q: Why did South Carolina become the race drawing the most attention in the campaign’s final sprint?

South Carolina drew the most attention because an unexpectedly close Senate race emerged in a state where that rarely happens, forcing national Republicans to defend a seat that had been considered safe. The race tightened after Darline Graham was appointed to fill the seat left vacant by her brother Lindsey Graham’s death and then had to quickly mount a campaign for a full term. Her limited political experience, uneven start, and intraparty criticism helped create an opening for Democrat Annie Andrews, who campaigned as a change candidate focused on cost of living and health care. Polling made the race impossible to ignore. Recent surveys showed Graham only narrowly ahead or tied with Andrews, including an ECU poll showing a 51% to 47% race and a New York Times/Siena poll showing the candidates deadlocked at 48% each. That is striking in a state that has not elected a Democrat to the Senate in nearly 30 years. The closeness of the contest also carried broader stakes. Republicans were trying to protect a critical Senate seat as control of Congress remained in play, and Trump’s decision to visit South Carolina twice in a month underscored concern that Graham needed help consolidating support. Analysts also pointed to risks of Republican vote-splitting and unusually strong early turnout, adding to the sense that South Carolina had become one of the final sprint’s most volatile and consequential races.

3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Oct 30

Kansas and Iowa rallies planned for this weekend were scrapped, with the RNC saying Trump will switch to tele-rallies instead of appearing in person.
The cancellations come as Republicans face unexpectedly close races in red states and growing risk to their congressional majority, despite weeks of near-daily Trump campaigning.
A CNN poll published Thursday showed Kansas Senator Roger Marshall trailing Democrat Adam Hamilton by 4 points, undercutting Trump's claim that the state no longer needed his help.
Health questions also shadowed the move: Trump, 80, angrily denied fatigue concerns after a Reuters reporter asked whether the Kansas cancellation was tied to his condition.
The shift fits a broader final-stretch strategy to use short tele-rallies—typically 5 to 10 minutes each—to reach more states in the campaign's closing days.