President Donald Trump held rallies in Iowa and Kansas on Sunday, Nov. 1, urging voters to back Republicans two days before congressional elections that will determine control of Congress.
The two stops were in Dubuque, Iowa, and Salina, Kansas. Trump told the Dubuque audience, “When I'm not on the ballot, much fewer people come out to vote.” A transcript of his remarks records the line, and the Associated Press reported that he appeared at both events.
The Associated Press reported that Trump canceled the planned in-person stops on Oct. 29 in favor of phone rallies. Reuters reported on Oct. 30 that the in-person events had been restored. EconoTimes previously covered the restored Iowa and Kansas schedule. The AP also reported that Republicans faced strong Democratic challenges in Senate races in both states.
Those Senate races are among contests in an election that will determine control of Congress. Trump’s appeal focused on voter participation: he argued that fewer people vote when he is not on the ballot. The Ohio poll measures voters’ opinions, not whether Trump’s campaign appearances affected turnout.
In Marist’s October poll, 40% of Ohio likely voters said their congressional vote was mainly intended to oppose Trump, while 21% said it was mainly to support him. Another 38% said Trump had little bearing on their vote. On job performance, 43% approved and 55% disapproved, with 2% unsure.
Marist interviewed 1,176 registered voters from Oct. 15-18. The poll reported a 4.5-percentage-point margin of error for likely voters. The results concern Ohio voters and do not describe opinion in Iowa or Kansas, where Trump campaigned.
Federal Election Commission results show that Ohio voted for Trump in each of his three presidential campaigns, in 2016, 2020 and 2024. The survey also found 44% of Ohio likely voters said their family finances had worsened over the previous year, 36% said they were about the same and 18% said they had improved. The poll did not identify a cause for those views.
The poll cannot establish whether the rallies changed voter participation. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
