Trump Campaigns in Corinth as Midterm Race Tightens

President Donald Trump arrived in Corinth, Mississippi, on Monday to begin a week of intensive campaigning ahead of the midterm elections.

The visit marks a strategic pivot for the Republican National Committee, which did not originally plan for a late-October presidential stop in a state that has voted reliably for the party for decades. Trump is supporting Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, who is seeking a second full term against Democratic challenger Scott Colom. The contest has emerged as a focal point for both parties as they attempt to secure their majorities in Congress.

Colom, a local prosecutor, has gained momentum by leveraging voter dissatisfaction with inflation and the Iran war. He outpaced Hyde-Smith in fundraising after launching his campaign last year. In a recent advertisement, Colom used audio of Hyde-Smith, a former state agriculture commissioner, suggesting consumers have many protein options to avoid high beef prices. The spot ends with Colom urging voters to pick another senator. This ad gained national traction, though a follow-up video using an AI-generated version of Hyde-Smith was removed after the Mississippi attorney general noted potential violations of state deepfake laws.

Democrats are simultaneously expanding their efforts in other states. Former Vice President Kamala Harris is campaigning in Wisconsin alongside David Crowley, the Milwaukee County Executive and Democratic gubernatorial nominee. If elected, Crowley would become the state’s first Black governor. In Georgia, Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff and gubernatorial nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms received support from Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear. Beshear, who chairs the Democratic Governors' Association, visited the state two days after Trump’s second October trip there.

In Minnesota, Democratic Senate nominee Peggy Flanagan hosted Pramila Jayapal, chair of the House Progressive Caucus, to promote universal health coverage. House Democrats are also increasing their financial footprint, with the House Majority PAC announcing nearly $2.5 million in new spending in Minnesota and Indiana districts. These areas were considered solid Republican territory earlier in the cycle, including a rural Minnesota district previously represented by Tim Walz, the state’s two-term governor and the 2024 Democratic vice presidential nominee.

The stakes are high as Republicans work to protect their narrow House majority and secure the Senate. The GOP currently holds a 53-47 Senate majority. To change control, Democrats must flip at least four seats. In the House, Republicans entered the cycle with a 220-215 advantage, although gerrymandering adjustments made nine Democratic-held seats more favorable to Republicans based on 2024 presidential results. Nearly 30 million voters have already cast ballots, intensifying the final push before votes are tallied.

Hyde-Smith remains the favorite in Mississippi, a state Trump won three times with an average margin of nearly 20 percentage points. However, Colom seeks to make history as Mississippi’s first Black senator since Reconstruction. The race underscores the challenges both parties face in maintaining their advantages in state capitals and Congress. Mississippians have not elected a new Democratic senator since 1947, and the last Democratic Senate victory in the state occurred in 1982, when John Stennis won his final reelection.

Trump’s itinerary has taken him to multiple states he won comfortably in 2024. His rallies in these regions aim to energize the base while countering Democratic narratives about economic conditions. The final week of campaigning will determine whether the current balance of power in Washington shifts or remains intact.