President Trump is heading to northern Kentucky this weekend to rally support for Ed Gallrein, the Republican nominee who unseated incumbent Rep. Thomas Massie in the state's 4th Congressional District primary. The rally, set for Saturday in Highland Heights, is part of a broader midterm push as the GOP looks to defend its narrow House majority.
Gallrein, a Trump-endorsed candidate, will face Democrat Melissa Strange in the November general election. The district has been reliably Republican for the House since 2002, according to the Republican National Committee. Massie, who has been a vocal critic of Trump over the release of the Epstein files and the administration's approach to Iran, lost the primary after a bitter intraparty fight.
Massie has openly predicted a reckoning for the president, telling supporters in September that Trump's "comeuppance will happen on Election Day." The rally in Highland Heights, which sits in the Cincinnati media market, marks Trump's third visit to the region in recent weeks as the GOP seeks to energize its base in competitive areas.
The Kentucky event comes as the political spotlight also falls on neighboring Ohio, where the governor's race has become a toss-up despite the state's strong Republican leanings in presidential contests. Trump carried Ohio by more than 11 points in 2024, but a new CNN poll shows Democrat Amy Acton leading Republican Vivek Ramaswamy by 8 percentage points. Decision Desk HQ's polling averages, which are a partner of The Hill, put Acton ahead by roughly 4 points, rating the race as a toss-up.
Trump and his allies are betting that a heavy campaign schedule in red and purple districts will help turn out core voters. His Ohio stops have included rallies in Dayton and Youngstown, and Vice President Vance traveled to Lima last week to support Sen. Jon Husted, who is running for a full term after being appointed to fill Vance's seat.
Husted faces former Sen. Sherrod Brown in what has become a closely watched contest. The GOP is on the defensive amid growing voter frustration over rising gas and grocery prices, which the administration attributes in part to the ongoing war in Iran. A Suffolk University poll from late last month showed Brown leading Husted 47 percent to 44 percent among registered voters, while a CNN/SSRS poll in October had Brown ahead 49 percent to 43 percent.
The Russia diesel deal has also stirred GOP backlash ahead of the midterms, adding to the political headwinds. Trump's repeated visits to the region reflect the party's concern about holding onto seats in areas that have historically been safe, as the midterms could reshape the agenda beyond the White House.
Trump's aggressive campaigning has not been without controversy. At a recent Ohio rally, the president mocked a heckler after a crowd member punched her, drawing criticism from opponents. Still, his team remains focused on turning out the base in the final stretch, with additional stops expected in the coming days.
