Live Updates: Trump campaigns in South Carolina and more

President Trump is using rallies, endorsements, and planned tele-rallies to support Republican candidates in multiple 2026 races. His most visible appearance in these updates is in South Carolina, where he campaigned for Republican Sen. Darline Graham and gubernatorial nominee Alan Wilson. He urged voters to support Graham and said his own record was effectively on the ballot.

Trump also discussed North Carolina’s Senate race, calling Republican nominee Michael Whatley the “next senator,” while acknowledging he might lose to Democrat Roy Cooper. In Kansas, Trump had planned to campaign for Sen. Roger Marshall, who faces Democrat Adam Hamilton, but the rally was canceled. He also endorsed New York Republican Anthony Constantino.

The article says Trump will continue reaching voters through more than 20 tele-rallies before Election Day. His involvement gives these candidates national attention, but the updates also show that endorsements do not guarantee victory. Polls described Whatley’s race as difficult, while Constantino’s contest remained close.

A midterm election occurs midway through a president’s four-year term, rather than during a presidential election year. It matters because voters can change the balance of power in Congress without choosing a president. That balance affects which party controls committees, votes on legislation, and oversight of the administration.

In 2026, Americans are voting for every seat in the U.S. House of Representatives and for about one-third of the U.S. Senate. They are also voting in many state and local contests, such as governor, state legislature, and other offices. The article specifically mentions Senate, gubernatorial, and House-related races, including contests in South Carolina, North Carolina, New York, Kansas, and Alaska.

The supplied article identifies Election Day as Tuesday, Nov. 3, and says early voting is underway nationwide. It focuses on the campaign trail rather than listing every office on every state ballot. Ballots therefore differ by state, but congressional and many state races are central to the 2026 midterms.

Early voting allows people to cast ballots before Election Day, spreading participation across multiple days. The large national total shows that voting was already well underway before Tuesday, Nov. 3. Minneapolis provides a local measure of that activity, with officials reporting a record for a non-presidential election.

More than 42 million Americans had voted early nationwide as of Thursday afternoon, according to the University of Florida Election Lab. In Minneapolis, officials had accepted 52,661 early and absentee ballots by the end of Wednesday. That exceeded the city’s previous non-presidential record, set in 2018, by 348 ballots.

Minneapolis also reported nearly an 80% increase compared with 2022. The figures do not predict the final winners, because more people could vote before or on Election Day. They do show strong participation before the traditional voting date and signal that campaigns must reach voters well before Nov. 3.

A presidential rally or endorsement can affect turnout by giving supporters a clear reason to participate. It can also transfer attention from the president’s national profile to less familiar candidates lower on the ballot. This matters especially in midterms, when presidential candidates are absent and turnout is often harder to generate.

In South Carolina, Trump told voters to “pretend” he was on the ballot while urging them to vote for Sen. Darline Graham. He also promoted Alan Wilson and called Michael Whatley the next senator in North Carolina. The White House said Trump would make more than 20 tele-rallies, allowing him to reach voters without appearing at every location.

The effect is not automatic. Trump acknowledged Whatley might lose, and the Kansas rally for Roger Marshall was canceled. These examples show that national support can increase visibility and motivation, but local candidates, opponents, polling, and voters’ decisions still shape the outcome.

Presidential and Senate elections are separate contests, even when they appear on the same ballot. A voter may prefer one party’s presidential nominee but choose a different Senate candidate. Senate races can therefore become competitive when candidates have different reputations, messages, or levels of organization.

The article gives several examples of close contests. In North Carolina, Democrat Roy Cooper was leading Republican Michael Whatley in polls even as Trump campaigned for Whatley. In Kansas, Republican Sen. Roger Marshall faced an unexpectedly close race against Democrat Adam Hamilton. New York Democrat Blake Gendebien led Anthony Constantino by four points in one Siena poll, while other Democratic-sponsored polls showed Constantino ahead.

These races can turn on local concerns, candidate appeal, party turnout, and changing public opinion. A strong presidential result may help a same-party Senate candidate, but it does not decide the contest. Different candidates and different voters can produce different outcomes on the same ballot.

Early voting is the broad practice of casting a ballot before Election Day, often at designated voting locations. Absentee voting generally means submitting a ballot away from the usual polling place, commonly by mail or through an approved drop-off process. In-person Election Day voting means appearing at a polling place on the official date, Tuesday, Nov. 3.

The categories can overlap in everyday reporting. Minneapolis officials reported 52,661 “early and absentee ballots,” combining ballots cast before Election Day through those two methods. The article also says more than 42 million Americans had voted early, but it does not explain how that national figure divides between in-person early voting and absentee ballots.

Exact rules differ among states. Some allow broad no-excuse absentee voting, while others require a reason or impose different identification and deadline rules. Therefore, voters should check their state’s instructions. The key practical difference is timing and method: before Election Day or on it, and at a voting site or away from it.

U.S. senators are elected by voters statewide, not by separate congressional districts. Each state has two senators, and their six-year terms are staggered. About one-third of Senate seats normally appear on a midterm ballot, so control can hinge on a relatively small group of competitive states.

The article highlights that dynamic through races in North Carolina, Kansas, South Carolina, and Alaska. Trump campaigned for Darline Graham in South Carolina and discussed Michael Whatley’s difficult North Carolina contest. Roger Marshall faced an unexpectedly close Kansas race, while Alaska’s campaign drew scrutiny after allegations involving Mary Peltola and a candidate sharing Dan Sullivan’s name.

A party does not need to win every Senate race to control the chamber. It needs enough seats to hold or gain a majority, making each close statewide contest important. Because Senate races are separate from presidential races, national campaign visits and endorsements may matter, but individual state candidates still decide the results.