Donald Trump is kicking off his latest round of campaign rallies in two Republican strongholds, Alabama and Oklahoma, despite having promised to campaign in 35 of America's most competitive districts. The decision comes as his party faces his declining popularity.
The US President's next two rallies will take him to Durant, Oklahoma, next Thursday and Mobile, Alabama, on Friday, where he can expect a much warmer reception than in battleground territory. Organisers claim the locations will also help reach voters across state lines, although the announcement comes as the party directs the final stretch towards states considered strong Republican.
Republicans distance themselves from Trump
Some Republican candidates in competitive races have also been keeping their distance from the President, removing or downplaying references to him on their campaign websites and voicing opposition to his war with Iran as they appeal to voters beyond the usual "Make America Great Again" base.
The Republican National Committee, however, insists Trump's ability to encourage supporters to vote will play an important role. RNC spokesperson Natalie Baldassarre said: "The President's ability to engage with and activate low-propensity voters is unmatched. That's why he'll be barnstorming the country to activate the voters we need to win in November."
Democrats seize on the announcement
Democrats seized on the announcement, arguing that the decision to campaign in Republican strongholds reflected the challenges facing Trump's party. Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokesperson Viet Shelton said: "The political floor is falling out from underneath Trump and Congressional Republicans, forcing them to scramble to spend and campaign in deep red territory in the final weeks."
Republicans say the location will help them reach supporters in neighbouring Texas, where several closely contested races are taking place. Among them is the Senate contest between Trump-backed Republican Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico. Republican Governor Greg Abbott is also facing a challenge from Democrat Gina Hinojosa.
Key races in Oklahoma and Alabama
The President is also expected to campaign for Mike Mazzei, his preferred Republican candidate for Oklahoma governor, who is running against Democratic House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson.
Trump's return to Mobile will take him back to the Alabama city where he held one of his first major campaign rallies more than a decade ago, with around 30,000 people attending the August 2015 event, which helped demonstrate the scale of support behind his first presidential campaign. Republicans are additionally targeting Alabama's 2nd Congressional District, where Democratic Representative Shomari Figures is facing a challenge from Trump-backed Republican Rhett Marques.
Trump made his pledge to campaign in competitive districts during a recent White House Rose Garden dinner attended by Republican lawmakers. He said: "It's all about 35 races." He added: "I'm going to go to every one of those 35 places and we're going to see if we can get everyone elected."
