Trump Takes Closing Midterm Blitz to Mississippi as Republicans Battle Lagging Enthusiasm

CORINTH, Miss. — President Donald Trump took his closing midterm campaign push to Mississippi on Monday night, rallying at Crossroads Arena for Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith as he continues a near-daily blitz through Republican-leaning states with control of Congress on the line.

"I can't take a chance"

Mississippi is deep-red territory, but Trump told the crowd he was not leaving anything to chance. His appearance comes amid signs of lagging enthusiasm among Republican voters, a challenge that has followed the party through the final weeks of the race, according to CNN and NPR.

The rally was briefly interrupted by a heckler who shouted about the White House ballroom renovation project. Trump also addressed gas prices, saying he had expected them to rise even higher than they have.

A month of rallies

Throughout October, Trump has campaigned across the country, with stops including San Antonio, Texas (Oct. 7); Clarksville, Tennessee (Oct. 10); Youngstown, Ohio (Oct. 12); Greenville, North Carolina (Oct. 20); Fort Myers, Florida (Oct. 23); and Port Huron, Michigan (Oct. 25). Officials announced late Monday that he will hold another rally Saturday in Salina, Kansas, his second visit to the state in under two weeks.

Reuters noted that crowd size has become a recurring theme of the President's speeches, though reality has been uneven. In San Antonio, Trump said lines stretched two miles outside while sizable sections inside the arena remained empty.

Claims under scrutiny

FactCheck.org has flagged several rally claims, including Trump's statement in Clarksville that "$21 trillion" is being invested in the country, which it called an exaggeration. Remarks about employment and poverty have also drawn review.

Democrats push back

On the other side, former Vice President Kamala Harris campaigned Monday in Wisconsin, telling supporters the midterms are a chance for Americans unhappy with the state of the country to "turn emotion into action."

Meanwhile, Republicans are spending heavily to defend redrawn districts that were designed to favor them but have tightened into toss-ups, including North Carolina's 1st District, NPR reports. Early voting has also surged nationwide.

With one week to go, both parties are racing to turn out their base in an election that could reshape power in Washington and in statehouses across the country.

Sources: CNN, NPR, Reuters, FactCheck.org.