Trump Vows Campaign Blitz for GOP in Races That Will Decide Congress

President Donald Trump has promised Republican lawmakers facing difficult re-election fights that he will campaign aggressively in the roughly three dozen races expected to determine control of Congress. Speaking at a Rose Garden dinner on Wednesday, he urged the party's most vulnerable incumbents to embrace his White House record as a winning message, even as public dissatisfaction over the economy and the war in Iran weighs on the party's prospects.

Trump told the assembled lawmakers that simply talking about his administration's achievements would be enough to secure victory. He cited economic investment, lower drug prices, and reduced border crossings, though he used significantly inflated figures in his remarks. The audience listened quietly, offering occasional applause while sipping cocktails ahead of the meal, which featured cheeseburgers and a yellow gingham-checked menu billed as an "end of summer BBQ."

The president acknowledged that midterm elections have historically been difficult for the party in power, but he insisted this year could break that pattern. "Whether you're a good president or a great president, you lose the midterms," he said. "We're going to turn that around because there's no reason for it."

Trump said he would spend the 30 days before the election campaigning hard in all 35 battleground contests, recalling his own aggressive travel schedule ahead of his 2016 victory. He specifically mentioned Senate races in Alaska, where Republican Dan Sullivan faces Democrat Mary Peltola, and Texas, where Republican Ken Paxton is running against Democrat James Talarico.

While Trump backed Paxton in the primary despite his scandal-plagued past, he also poked fun at the candidate's appearance and media presence. "You might not love his look," Trump said. "But he was the best attorney general in the country, perhaps. And that speaks a lot louder than the suit he's wearing that doesn't look so great."