Trump Visits Mississippi to Rally Behind Hyde-Smith in Tight Senate Race
The President’s Monday appearance in Corinth aims to secure a win in a state where a Democratic challenger is making an unexpected push.
By Riya Zhao ·
President Donald Trump campaigned in Corinth, Mississippi, on Monday to support Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith. The stop is part of a late-month schedule designed to shore up Republican positions before the midterm election. Hyde-Smith faces a competitive challenge from Democratic challenger Scott Colom, a local prosecutor.
Trump told the crowd that his presence was necessary to ensure a victory. “I’m here because Cindy’s doing great, but I just got to make sure. I can’t take a chance,” he said. His voice sounded hoarse during the address. Colom was also present at the venue, a rare occurrence that allowed Trump’s base to interact directly with the man the President later called a “Marxist radical” and a “shameless phony.”
Mississippi is typically a safe Republican stronghold. The President’s involvement suggests the race is closer than expected. Colom has leveraged voter dissatisfaction with inflation and the ongoing conflict with Iran to broaden his appeal. He stated that Mississippians deserve a senator who listens to their concerns and cares about their daily struggles.
The Monday event marks the start of a busy week for the administration. Trump plans to visit Texas, South Carolina, and Iowa, states he won comfortably in 2024. Officials confirmed a second trip to Kansas in less than two weeks, where he will hold a rally in Salina on Saturday.
Democratic leaders are increasing their ground game. More than 30 million Americans have already cast ballots, according to data from The Associated Press. In Wisconsin, former Vice President Kamala Harris campaigned with Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley. Crowley is running for governor against Trump ally Tom Tiffany. If elected, Crowley would become the state’s first Black governor. Harris described the contest as tight due to the high stakes involved.
In Michigan, Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed addressed a controversy involving a political ad. A group called Rebellion PAC released a spot blaming high grocery prices on U.S. support for Israel. El-Sayed’s spokesperson, Roxie Richner, said the ad was not affiliated with his campaign. The spot features a woman saying, “Apparently it’s costing us a lot of money to drop bombs on Gaza.” Representative Haley Stevens criticized the ad, arguing that blaming Israel for domestic costs is not the way to win Michigan.
Vice President JD Vance focused his efforts in Kansas. He campaigned with Senator Roger Marshall in a steel-fabricating warehouse in north Topeka. Marshall is in a tight race with Democratic nominee Adam Hamilton. Marshall told supporters that Democrats are acting as if it is a presidential year because they will block the Republican agenda if they take control of Congress. “Democrats are coming out like it’s a presidential year,” Marshall said. He urged Republicans to match that energy.
Jace Sullivan, a 50-year-old electrician from Topeka, attended the Vance event. He described himself as 85% Republican and wore a shirt supporting Vance’s 2028 presidential bid. Sullivan said high gas prices are a necessary consequence of keeping Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. “Gas prices are high and it does suck, but it’s a means to an end,” he said. Trump agreed with that sentiment in Mississippi, noting that he had expected gas prices to rise even higher during the war.
Vance also campaigned in Belgrade, Montana, alongside Republican Aaron Flint and Senator Kurt Alme. Flint is running for Congress in the state’s 1st District. Senator Tim Scott, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said GOP candidates are closing strongly in races across the country. He credited Trump’s time on the campaign trail for the party’s momentum. “One of the reasons why we will be in the majority is because he has invested the time and the energy on the campaign trail,” Scott said.
In New York, Representative Mike Lawler spent time in a McDonald’s drive-thru. He is in a tight race with Democrat Cait Conley in the northern suburbs. Lawler’s move mirrored a tactic Trump used two years ago. Lawler has tried to emphasize his independence from the President while using this familiar image to connect with voters. Mississippians have not elected a new Democratic senator since 1947, making Colom’s current standing a notable shift for the state.
