Trump Rallies for GOP Senate Hopefuls Amid Tight Polls

Voters in several states face Senate contests that could decide control of the chamber next week, with President Trump staging repeated rallies to lift Republican candidates in Texas and elsewhere. The races turn on turnout in states where recent surveys show narrower margins than expected. In South Carolina, a New York Times/Siena poll conducted October 19-26 found Democrat Dr. Andrews essentially tied with Republican Darline Graham, the sister of the late Senator Lindsey Graham, at 48 percent each among likely voters. A majority of those polled said Graham lacks the experience to serve effectively while a majority said Andrews does. Both parties have increased spending in the state, and Trump is scheduled to visit again. A former Republican governor has endorsed Andrews, and Graham’s primary rival, Representative Ralph Norman, declined to assist her campaign. In Texas, Trump headlined a Lubbock rally for Attorney General Ken Paxton on October 27 while Democratic challenger James Talarico held a competing event blocks away. Trump spoke for more than 90 minutes, telling supporters that “on election night, Texas is going to prove that America does not belong to those who hate it.” Talarico told his crowd they would “shock the nation” by defeating billionaires. The same NYT/Siena survey showed Republicans leading by six points in Florida’s Senate race. In Minnesota the poll recorded Democratic Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan ahead of Republican Michele Tafoya by 14 points, a result the paper described as an outlier given the state’s recent voting patterns and the absence of party registration data for weighting. Campaigns have treated Minnesota as a lower priority than states such as Maine or Michigan.