Trump cancels Kansas midterm rally

President Trump will no longer travel to Kansas over the weekend to rally voters as the state’s competitive Senate race enters its final stretch ahead of the midterm election.

A White House official confirmed to The Hill on Thursday that the in-person event had been canceled, without providing more details about the decision.

“President Trump will continue connecting directly with Americans nationwide through more than 20 telerallies before Election Day,” the official said in a statement. “These events give him the opportunity to highlight his accomplishments and expand his reach across the country.”

Trump is expected to hold nearly two dozen telerallies in states like Texas, Kansas, Iowa, NY, Pennsylvania and Michigan.

A GOP source also told The Hill the scuttled Kansas event will instead be held virtually.

“The demand for POTUS [president of the United States] to hold rallies has been huge from our candidates, and we are adjusting to a tele-rally to maximize his reach and communicate with as many voters as possible,” the source said.

The campaign rally was set to take place at Salina Regional Airport on Saturday, and it would have marked the president’s second visit to the Sunflower State this election cycle.

During an Oct. 19 rally in Park City, Kan., Trump campaigned for Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) as he faces a tough reelection battle against Democratic challenger Adam Hamilton.

The incumbent trailed behind Hamilton by 4 points in a CNN/SSRS poll released Thursday. A New York Times/Siena survey conducted last month found the two candidates tied up with 45 percent support each.

Several Republicans in battleground states have sought to distance themselves from the president and his waning public approval ratings amid rising fuel costs tied to the Iran war.

A Reuters/Ipsos survey released Monday found Trump’s approval rating sitting at around 32 percent, up 1 point from a record low the week before.

The GOP has ramped up efforts to boost voter turnout within its base in recent weeks, after polling has indicated an enthusiasm gap between Democratic and Republican voters headed into Nov. 3.

Several Senate Republicans have also vocalized concerns that the president’s presence in key states is endangering vulnerable GOP candidates’ path to victory.