Trump rallies in Mississippi for GOP senator

President Donald Trump appeared at a rally in Corinth, Miss., on Monday, campaigning for Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith as midterm elections approach next week. Hyde-Smith is seeking a second full term and faces Democrat Scott Colom, a local prosecutor. Trump told the crowd he came to Mississippi to make sure of Hyde-Smith's standing in the race.

Colom attended the rally site ahead of Trump's arrival. He said he planned to go to listen to what was on Trump supporters' minds. "They actually deserve a senator that will listen to them, that actually cares about what they think, actually cares about what they're going through," Colom said. From the stage, Trump described Colom as a "Marxist radical" and a "fake."

Mississippi has voted for Trump three times, by an average of nearly 20 percentage points. Mississippi voters have not chosen a new Democratic senator since 1947. Democrats last won a Senate race in the state in 1982, when John Stennis won reelection. Senate Democrats' super PAC has put $1.2 million into the contest. Colom would be Mississippi's first Black senator since Reconstruction.

More than 30 million voters have already cast ballots, according to data collected by The Associated Press from election administrators. Democratic candidates and their surrogates have been greeting voters as they seek control of the House, Senate and state capitals. Former Vice President Kamala Harris appeared with Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley in Wisconsin, who faces Rep. Tom Tiffany in the governor's race. Harris said at a "Women for Crowley" rally: "This is a tight race because the stakes are so high."

In Michigan, a spokesperson for Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, Roxie Richner, said in a statement: "This ad is not affiliated in any way with the Abdul for Senate campaign." The ad, created by Rebellion PAC, discusses U.S. support for Israel as a couple shops for groceries. U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, who lost to El-Sayed in the Democratic primary, condemned the ad on X.

Vice President JD Vance campaigned in Topeka, Kan., for Sen. Roger Marshall, who faces Democratic nominee and pastor Adam Hamilton. Democrats have not won a Senate race in Kansas since 1932. Marshall told the crowd that Trump is on the ballot even if his name does not appear. "Democrats are coming out like it's a presidential year," he said.

Sen. Tim Scott, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, told The Associated Press on Monday that GOP candidates are "closing very strongly" in races across the country, including South Carolina. Trump plans a second visit to South Carolina in as many weeks to campaign for GOP Sen. Darline Graham.

Trump said Monday he had expected gas prices to rise higher than they did. "It worked out fine and it'll be over soon," he said of the war with Iran. Trump is scheduled to hold a rally Saturday in Salina, Kan., his second visit to the state in less than two weeks.