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Trump Rallies South Carolina GOP Ahead of Midterms

Updated 10:18 PM ET · 7:15 PM ETConfirmed

Politics Desk

In Short: Trump's appearance in South Carolina is part of a series of rallies he plans to hold in key states ahead of the midterms.

President Donald Trump held a boisterous rally in Rock Hill, South Carolina, on Thursday, October 29, 2026, to energize Republican supporters ahead of the November midterm elections.

At the rally, Trump endorsed Senator Darline Graham, the sister of the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, urging the crowd to vote for her and cast communists out of political power.

The rally was part of Trump's strategy to maximize his reach and communicate with as many voters as possible, especially as early voting begins in South Carolina on Monday.

Trump also criticized Democratic Governor Roy Cooper, saying Cooper vetoed voter ID laws, making elections less secure.

Despite Trump's efforts, recent polls show the state’s Senate race is effectively tied, with even Fox News declaring it a “toss-up.” Incumbent Senator Darline Graham had no experience as an elected official when she was appointed to fill the seat left vacant by her brother's death in July.

Trump's approval ratings remain low, with just 40% in an Emerson College poll released Wednesday, while 56% disapprove.

Senate Majority PAC announced a $1.2 million ad campaign in the state through Election Day, beginning with a 30-second spot that boosts prosecutor Scott Colom as a Democrat who will “fight corruption in both parties” and casts GOP Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith as a “do-nothing” incumbent.

Trump urged Republican states to redouble their redistricting efforts, and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.) similarly endorsed the effort.

Vice President JD Vance visited Greensboro on Monday, speaking at a Republican midterm rally in support of U.S. candidates.

Trump's rally in South Carolina comes as Republicans are spending the final week ahead of the midterm elections defending historically red Senate seats that have suddenly become competitive.

Trump's appearance in South Carolina is part of a series of rallies he plans to hold in key states ahead of the midterms.

What this adds

Background

What's confirmed

• “The reason I’ll be there is to get truly fantastic Warriors elected, including Ashley Hinson for U.S. Senate, Zach Lahn for Governor, Mariannette Miller-Meeks for Iowa’s 1st Congressional District, Joe Mitchell for the 2nd District, Zach Nunn for the 3rd District, and Chris McGowan for the 4th District,” Trump said.

What's still developing

• “It's basically the name. You know, like you have like Billy Graham and then his son Franklin Graham. You automatically go toward that, so it's basically the name, and Trump is endorsing her,” said Tracy Leigh.
• “I’m supporting Darline Graham because of name recognition, because of her brother, supported him for so long,” said Bryan Leigh.
• “I don’t even believe in polls,” Trump said after asking the crowd to raise their hands if they had been polled, to which a handful did.
• A Republican member on the House Armed Services Committee told Fox News Digital ahead of the midterm elections that the Trump administration has a key decision to make on the future of the U.S.-Iran war as "continuing to do just enough not to lose, but not enough to win, is not OK."
• "What this boils down to is the future direction of the country. Are we going to be stuck looking backwards instead of actually looking forwards, dealing with the actual business of the country and the free world, or are we going to be stuck in some sort of a Democratically-led nightmare that is simply going to be obstructionist to the conservative principles and values that people voted for in 2024?"
• "I am embarrassed that so many people in our legislature will allow strangers in Washington to tell them what to do, when to do it, and how to do it," Clyburn said.
• Trump operatives say Kansas has been a major headache since the start of October, when Trafalgar Group​, a GOP pollster, found Democratic candidate Adam Hamilton one point ahead of ​incumbent GOP senator Roger Marshall.
• President Trump delivers remarks at a midterm rally in Pendleton, South Carolina. by CHARLOTTE HAZARD | The National News Desk WASHINGTON (TNND) — Ohio Democratic gubernatorial nominee Amy Acton’s campaign responded to an ad where a woman claiming to be her mother attacked her and urged voters not to vote for her daughter.
• “There’s a big difference between that and Pee-wee Herman calling,” Trump said last week in Perry, Georgia, using his derisive nickname for Ossoff.
• Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent at the G20 Finance Track meetings in Asheville, North Carolina. (Department of Treasury) In the video, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon says, "We have been regulating nonstop for years like barnacles on a boat. You can deregulate, free up capital, free up liquidity and make the system safer."
• Fox News contributor Jason Chaffetz discusses President Donald Trump rallying the GOP ahead of the 2026 midterm elections and the party’s messaging on ‘The Evening Edit.’ The Treasury Department on Monday night will release a video of top CEOs praising the Trump administration's vision for business growth.
• “It’s not fair what’s happening,” Trump said.

Sources

• 2 News Oklahoma KJRH Tulsalink
• Democracy Now!link
• Fox Newslink
• NPRlink
• WIREDlink
• Andersonobserverlink
• Thenationaldesklink
• Wxii12link
• Scrippsnewslink
• AP Newslink
• Democracydocketlink
• NBC Newslink
• Fox Businesslink
• Abcnewslink
• WarpBeat — background on Campaign 2026: South Carolina GOP Officials and Candidates Deliver Remarks Ahead of President Trump's Speech link
• WarpBeat — background on Trump Pushes South Carolina Senate Candidate Amid Party Rift link
• WSOCTV9 — video link