Trump to Rally in Ohio for Husted in Competitive Senate Race

President Donald Trump plans to visit Vandalia, Ohio, on Saturday, Oct. 3, to campaign for Sen. Jon Husted at a rally at Butler High School. The event begins at 5:30 p.m., with Trump expected to speak at 7 p.m., according to the Republican National Committee. The appearance follows stops in Oklahoma on Thursday and Alabama on Friday. Husted was appointed to the Senate seat vacated by JD Vance upon becoming vice president after earlier roles as state lawmaker, House speaker, secretary of state and lieutenant governor. He faces former Sen. Sherrod Brown, who is seeking a return two years after losing to Republican Bernie Moreno. A Trafalgar Group poll of 1,085 likely voters from Sept. 14-16 showed Brown at 45 percent and Husted at 42 percent. Trump won Ohio by 11 percentage points in 2024. Ohio Republican Party Chairman Alex Triantafilou told the Associated Press he hoped for a visit, saying "We definitely want him here" and "He's a turnout driver for us." Trump had vowed to campaign in 35 of the most competitive battleground races, and the Ohio contest is viewed as important to Senate control in the midterms.