Donald Trump campaigns in Ohio ahead of tight midterm elections

United States President Donald Trump held a campaign rally in Vandalia, Ohio, on Saturday to support Republican candidates ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, Al Jazeera and The Hill reported. Al Jazeera and NBC News both reported that Trump told the audience he believes there will be a big surprise in the upcoming elections, arguing that Republicans will perform better than polls and critics suggest. [1][2][6]

The rally aimed to boost Republican candidate Jon Husted in a close race for a United States Senate seat against Democrat Sherrod Brown, according to PBS and Reuters. The Hill reported that Trump also defended data centers during the event, saying the country risks falling behind China in artificial intelligence without the large facilities. [2][5][7]

The campaign visit occurred three days after nearly 1,400 workers were laid off at the Navistar truck factory in southwestern Ohio, Fortune reported. According to Fortune, the job cuts were substantial enough to erase a full year of job growth in the greater Dayton area. [3]

As FTMQ News reported earlier, Trump has recently made major financial promises to voters ahead of the midterms, including pledges to issue $5,000 checks to American adults if Republicans retain control, along with $90 direct payments to more than 20 million Medicare recipients. [10][11]