The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
At rallies, Trump warns GOP control ‘fragile’,
CLEVELAND — In his final pitch to voters, President Donald Trump told Republicans on Monday to help preserve “fragile” GOP victories that could be erased by Democrats as he closes out the 2018 midterm campaign.
Trump’s shadow has hung over the midterm elections, with the monthslong fight serving as a testing ground for the strength of the coalition that powered him to the White House two years ago. Acknowledging the stakes in the closing days of campaigning, Trump stressed to voters that everything is on the line when they go to the polls.
“It’s all fragile. Everything I told you about, it can be undone and changed by the Democrats if they get in,” Trump told supporters on a telephone “town hall” organized by his re-election campaign. “You see how they’ve behaved. You see what’s happening with them. They’ve really become radicalized.”
Trump spent the final day on the trail Monday in Ohio, the perennial presidential battleground, with further stops planned in Indiana and Missouri.
Republicans are confident they will retain control of the Senate, but they face Democratic headwinds in the House.
Trump has maintained a busy campaign schedule in the final stretch of the race, with 11 rallies over six days. In the closing days Trump has brought out special guests to join him on the campaign trail. Country singer Lee Greenwood performed Trump favorite “God Bless the U.S.A.” in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and was expected to appear Monday with the president in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Fox News personality Sean Hannity and conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh were also slated to attend.
With the election approaching, Trump seized on the caravans of Central American migrants to reinforce his immigration message. He also used the confirmation battle for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh to stir up his supporters.
At his rallies, Trump frequently declares that 2018 is the election of “Kavanaugh and the caravan.”
In recent stops, Trump has directly targeted favorite foes House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters and argued that Democrats would plunge the country into Venezuela-like chaos.