Trump Makes His Case in North Carolina Rally

During a rally in North Carolina on Tuesday, President Trump spent nearly two hours discussing his rigorous campaign schedule aimed at helping Republicans succeed in the upcoming midterm elections.

He pointed out that his current approach to campaigning, which involves an intensive tour across the country, is quite different from his past methods. He feels it’s a significant amount of work. “I’m doing something different. I’m working like a dog,” he shared with the crowd in Greenville.

Reflecting on his prior campaign style, Trump said, “When I wasn’t running, I didn’t really campaign. I let other people campaign. I figured that’s it. What did I know?”

Despite several Republican candidates struggling or facing tight contests in traditionally red states, Trump had shared a plan last month to focus on 35 battleground districts ahead of the midterms.

Since the GOP’s recent two-day midterm convention in Dallas, he has made 17 campaign stops. “I’ve done like 10 rallies in about eight days,” he noted, adding he’s set for another event in North Carolina before Election Day. “We have like 15 days [before Election Day] and I’m doing about 18 rallies,” he continued. “That’s work.”

His Greenville address lasted about 1 hour and 52 minutes, marking it as one of the lengthiest of this campaign cycle.

In his speech, Trump brought up GOP Senate candidate Michael Whatley and various other local Republican hopefuls. Whatley, vying for the spot left by retiring GOP Senator Thom Tillis, is currently trailing against his Democratic rival, former Governor Roy Cooper, by almost 10 points according to recent polling averages.

Interestingly, Trump had won North Carolina in the 2024 presidential election by a narrow margin of around 3 percentage points.

Additionally, he welcomed NASCAR icon Richard Petty to the stage, likening the upcoming elections to a “big race.” Petty praised Trump as the “best driver we’ve ever had” and encouraged attendees to assemble the best “pit crew” for support.

“Let’s get out and get the very best pit crew we can for the best driver,” he urged.