President Donald Trump is doing his part to keep Republicans in control of Congress so he can continue Making America Great Again. He’s heading to San Antonio on Wednesday for another major midterm campaign rally as Republicans work to turn out voters for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in one of the country’s closely watched U.S. Senate contests.
Trump will headline the Republican National Committee’s “Midterm Rally” at Freeman Coliseum, where Paxton and Republican congressional candidate Carlos De La Cruz are also scheduled to appear. The trip marks Trump’s third visit to Texas in less than a month and comes less than four weeks before the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
Trump has significantly increased his campaign travel in recent weeks, holding events in states including Ohio, Nebraska, Alabama, Oklahoma and Texas as Republicans fight to maintain control of Congress. His advisers have discussed holding five to seven rallies per week during October, although the schedule remains subject to change.
The Texas Senate contest has emerged as a major focus. Paxton is facing Democratic state Rep. James Talarico in the race to succeed Republican Sen. John Cornyn, though Talarico appears to be missing in action for about a week.
Trump endorsed Paxton over Cornyn during the Republican primary and has repeatedly promoted the attorney general during his recent appearances in Texas. “This November, I’m asking you to get out and knock on doors and volunteer and vote for Ken Paxton,” Trump said in a September campaign video.
Trump described Paxton as “loyal” and “hardworking” and praised his record as Texas attorney general. Trump reiterated his support during a visit to a Peterbilt truck manufacturing plant in Denton last week. But the president has also acknowledged Republican concerns about Texas.
During a subsequent rally in Oklahoma, Trump listed Texas among several states where he said Republicans needed strong voter turnout. “We are worried about Michigan. We are worried about Texas. We are worried about a few states,” Trump said. “It’s all about 35 different contests.” Paxton’s race against Talarico has drawn particular attention because Texas has not elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since 1988.
Trump carried the state by nearly 14 percentage points in the 2024 presidential election, but polling during the current campaign has shown a considerably closer Senate contest. Recent polling averages cited by Texas news organizations have shown Talarico with a narrow advantage, although individual polls have varied.
Paxton privately acknowledged some of the difficulties facing his campaign during a recent meeting with donors and lobbyists, according to audio obtained by Axios. He attributed political headwinds partly to high fuel prices and the war with Iran, while arguing that his proposed tax policies could address voters’ concerns about affordability. A Paxton campaign representative said high fuel costs are a concern shared by Texans generally.
Wednesday’s event will also highlight Republican efforts in the House. De La Cruz is running in Texas’ newly configured 35th Congressional District against Democrat Johnny Garcia. The race is among several Texas congressional contests receiving increased national attention following the state’s redistricting battles.
Trump’s stop comes just two days after he campaigned in Grand Island, Nebraska, for Republican Sen. Pete Ricketts and other GOP candidates. At that rally, Trump urged his supporters to approach the midterms as a referendum on his administration and repeatedly emphasized turnout. Nebraska would ordinarily be considered reliably Republican at the statewide level, but Ricketts is facing independent candidate Dan Osborn in a competitive Senate contest.
