Trump campaigns in Texas amid Senate fight

President Donald Trump is in Corpus Christi, Texas, as he begins a final push to secure the state for the Republican Party before next week's midterm elections. The visit marks his third trip to Texas since September, following a stop in Dallas where he held a midterm convention. He will travel to Lubbock later on Tuesday to support U.S. Senate candidate Ken Paxton in his race against Democrat James Talarico. Texas has not elected a Democrat to statewide office in 32 years.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is accompanying the President on this trip. A State Department official said Rubio is traveling in his capacity as national security adviser rather than in his role at the State Department. The official noted that Rubio needs time with the President on various issues and that being on the same plane provides an opportunity for private discussion. Rubio, who ran for president in 2016, is considered a top prospect for the 2028 nomination, though he has not yet announced whether he will run.

Trump is using the trip to promote a newly arrived oil tanker filled with Venezuelan crude that will be processed in Texas refineries. In Corpus Christi, the President stated, “We’re celebrating the greatest oil victory in history.” This event is part of a strategy to shore up Republican strongholds against competitive Democratic candidates during the final week of the campaign. Trump has visited Mississippi, Michigan, Georgia, Florida, and Iowa over the past week, with stops in Ohio, South Carolina, Florida, Kansas, and Iowa planned next.

The race in Texas has become one of the most expensive in the country, with over $563 million spent on advertising between the primary and general elections according to AdImpact. Elon Musk has contributed $158 million to the Senate Leadership Fund, which then passed the same amount to the Texas PAC. Musk, who has headquartered Tesla and SpaceX in Texas, wrote on the social media platform X that Talarico is “lunatic left.” Talarico has responded by naming Musk in his speeches, arguing that wealthy donations have corrupted politics and fueled the affordability crisis.

Talarico plans to hold events in Midland, Amarillo, and Lubbock on Tuesday, potentially creating a split screen with Trump and Paxton. This dynamic parallels the Texas gubernatorial race, where Democratic challenger Gina Hinojosa is seeking communications between Musk and Governor Greg Abbott. A judge ruled on Monday that Hinojosa must be able to review over 1,000 unredacted pages by Thursday. Hinojosa argues that the relationship between Abbott and Musk shows how closely the incumbent works with the ultra-wealthy.

Vice President JD Vance is also active on the campaign trail, stopping in Michigan on Tuesday to support Republican Mike Rogers in the Senate race against Democrat Abdul El-Sayed. Vance described the contest as a “clash of competing visions.” He also echoed concerns raised by Trump regarding the Alaska Senate race, where a second candidate named Dan Sullivan is on the ballot. Trump ordered the Department of Justice to file a lawsuit to block certification of the race if incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan loses.

Alaskan voters will see “Dan S. Sullivan” listed as a registered Republican and incumbent, while “Daniel J. Sullivan Jr.” will appear without a party affiliation. Alaska Republican election officials sought to remove the second Sullivan from the ballot, arguing the campaign was an attempt to mislead voters. However, a state court and Alaska’s Supreme Court kept the candidate on the ballot. Vance stated that placing a person on the ballot explicitly to confuse voters is the definition of electoral fraud.