Behind the Trump Campaign / A Test Beyond an Election

Trump has once again taken to the field to mobilize his supporters.

Donald Trump, the president of the United States, has once again started election campaigns together with his supporters; But the main question is whether Trump, Republican candidates and voters in the upcoming midterm elections will continue to participate in these gatherings with the same enthusiasm as before? Trump's travel schedule now includes campaign rallies almost every day, mostly in Republican districts. The purpose of these trips is to increase the motivation of his voter base; A base that, according to polls, political activists and voters, shows signs of fatigue and even dissatisfaction. Trump has been elected for the sixth consecutive term while his popularity in the polls is low.

Jay W. Winterstein, former finance director of the Texas Republican Party, says the number of loyal Republicans who regularly vote has dwindled, and without rallies, not all supporters can be expected to go to the polls.

The main goal of these campaigns is to maintain Republican control over the House of Representatives and the Senate in the final two years of Trump's presidency. A Democratic victory could make it difficult for the administration to work with Congress and put Trump on the defensive. Republicans hope that Trump can persuade even the last group of Maga voters to participate in order to avoid a heavy defeat of the party.

In October, Trump participated in eight election rallies and said that he plans to support Republican candidates in 35 election contests before election day. However, there are signs that his rallies are less popular than in the past. Trump can still draw large crowds, but some of his speeches are held in smaller venues, and in some cases there are empty seats or attendees leave the venue before the speech is over.

At an Oct. 3 rally in Vandalia, Ohio, Trump addressed a nearly packed high school gymnasium. But at a rally in San Antonio, he failed to fill the 11,000-seat Freeman Hall. Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who is running for a fourth term, also did not attend Trump's two rallies in the state this month.

In Ohio, Trump defended the construction of artificial intelligence data centers, contrary to the position of some candidates of his party; An issue that can damage the election campaign of John Husted, the Republican senator of this state. Homestead had previously tried to pass a law to prevent sudden increases in electricity costs for consumers in areas hosting data centers. Trump, on the other hand, said that these centers must be built, otherwise the investments will be transferred to China.

He asked his supporters to vote for some Republican candidates even if they don't like them. Trump has also mocked Ken Paxton, the Republican Texas Attorney General and Senate candidate, for his behavior and appearance; However, at the same time, he wants voters to support him.

According to one of the former officials of the Trump campaign, the main goal of these rallies is not to attract independent or Democratic voters, but to mobilize the Maga base and dominate the political and media atmosphere of the states for a few days. However, he believes this method is no longer as effective as it used to be.

Trump's speeches usually follow a pattern: defending the performance of the government, attacking Democrats, promising to pay every American $5,000 if Republicans retain control of Congress, and supporting party candidates. He has also invited famous sports and artistic figures, including Kid Rock, Mike Tyson and Dennis Rodman, to some gatherings.

Despite this, some Trump supporters have doubts about the fulfillment of his campaign promises. "I don't think that's going to happen," Austin Schnitzler, a Trump rally attendee in Nebraska, said of the promise to pay citizens $5,000. He talks a lot."