Trump brings Iowa and Kansas rallies back for Sunday

President Donald Trump will hold two campaign rallies in the Midwest on Sunday, reversing a decision to cancel appearances in Iowa and Kansas. The change brings the two stops back into the president's schedule after they were initially dropped earlier this week.

A person familiar with the plans said the president will visit both states on Sunday. The original itinerary had him in Salina, Kansas, on Saturday and Dubuque, Iowa, on Sunday. The Iowa stop has moved from Dubuque to Cedar Rapids. Both locations were previously announced for the final days of the midterm campaign.

The Republican National Committee initially stated that the cancellations were made to allow Trump to participate in telerallies. These phone-in events are cheaper to stage than in-person rallies. The committee said the telerallies would reach more voters nationwide. The new plan rearranges the in-person stops to fit around these added phone events.

Trump pushed back against reports that the initial cancellation was due to fatigue or health issues. Speaking on Thursday, he told a reporter he was not going to Kansas because Senator Roger Marshall was performing well in the race. The president said he felt perfect and did not feel the need to travel to the state.

Both states contain competitive Senate races that will help determine if Republicans keep their majority in the chamber. Trump has already visited Kansas and Iowa this month to support Marshall and Iowa Senate candidate Ashley Hinson. Hinson currently serves in the House of Representatives.

Vice President JD Vance traveled to Kansas earlier this week to campaign for Marshall. He also visited Iowa in September to support House candidates. Vance's office announced plans for him to hold a news conference in St. Cloud, Minnesota, on Friday regarding anti-fraud efforts. A person with knowledge of the schedule said Vance would no longer be doing that due to a scheduling change.

In a Friday morning interview with a Kansas City radio station, Trump described Marshall as fantastic. He credited the senator with pushing the administration to expand the tax-free use of red-dyed diesel for Kansas farmers. Trump criticized Marshall's Democratic opponent, Adam Hamilton, calling him a radical who caused turmoil in the church because of his liberal views.

Hamilton responded by saying that if Jesus were standing before them now, Marshall would call him woke. The president has headlined 25 rallies so far in October. He promised a marathon sprint of events at the start of the month to help Republican candidates.