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President Donald Trump traveled to Vandalia, Ohio, on Saturday to rally support for Republican candidates ahead of what he described as a coming electoral surprise. Speaking inside a high school gymnasium near Dayton, Trump predicted his party would outperform expectations in a midterm climate that has challenged Republicans across the country. “I think we’re going to have a big surprise, because they don’t know what’s happening,” Trump told the crowd.
Trump’s Ohio visit forms part of a broader campaign push. White House officials told NBC News the effort will span at least 17 states before November 3. The rally focused primarily on boosting incumbent Senator Jon Husted and Vivek Ramaswamy, the Republican nominee for governor.
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Husted Race Draws National Attention and Funding
Husted’s Senate seat has become one of the most closely watched and expensive contests in the country this fall. He holds the seat after his appointment following JD Vance’s election as vice president. His race against Democratic challenger Brown could influence which party controls the Senate chamber.
Republicans have expressed concern about Husted’s campaign. In August, the National Republican Senatorial Committee warned in a memo that his past support for data center development was hurting his standing with voters. Some party figures have also questioned whether Husted, who long sought the governorship, has fully committed to the Senate race.
Despite those concerns, major financial support continues to flow in. This week, the Senate Leadership Fund — a super PAC linked to Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota — poured an additional $14 million into Ohio for Husted. That brings the group’s total investment in the state to $93 million. Trump praised Husted directly at the rally. “Senator Jon Husted votes to put Ohio first, and he votes all the time,” Trump said. He added that Thune and others consider Husted “phenomenal.”
Turnout Concerns Loom Over Republican Strategy
A central challenge for Ohio Republicans is motivating Trump-loyal voters when Trump himself is not on the ballot. Polls show Trump and the ongoing war in Iran are both unpopular, raising fears that low-propensity voters may simply stay home.
Nick Owens, a former Republican Party chair in Brown County and former member of Ohio’s state Board of Education, voiced those concerns to NBC News last month. “As a lifelong Republican who’s voted in every election since I was 18, I have real concerns that we’re going to be able to turn out the every-four-year Trump voter,” Owens said. “I have real concerns that those voters just will not come to the polls.”
Trump addressed the issue directly on Saturday. He argued that Republican turnout drops significantly when he is not a candidate. “When I run, we win,” Trump said. “But for some reason, when I don’t run, they draw 44% less people.” He urged the crowd to act as though he were on the ballot. “Just pretend that I’m running,” he said, “because if we do, and if you draw the people, you’re going to win, and we’re going to win big.”
Husted echoed that message when speaking to reporters before the rally. “He won Ohio by 11 points in the last election, and if we get those same voters to turn out in this election, we’ll win,” Husted said. Ohio GOP chair Alex Triantafilou told NBC News the rally was “hugely important” for reaching those voters. “Nobody speaks to that crowd better than President Trump,” Triantafilou said.
Ramaswamy, Gruden and Other Rally Moments
The rally also featured Vivek Ramaswamy, who faces Democrat Amy Acton in the governor’s race. Acton is a physician who previously served as Ohio’s health director under Governor Mike DeWine. Ohioans have not elected a Democratic governor in 20 years. However, questions remain about Ramaswamy’s appeal in rural areas, particularly as voters rank high prices as a top concern.
Trump introduced Ramaswamy by recalling their brief rivalry during the 2024 Republican presidential primary. “He was a nasty guy,” Trump said. “But you know what? He was smart. He loves the state. He’s actually got a great heart.”
The event also featured a surprise appearance from Jon Gruden, the former NFL coach and a former University of Dayton football teammate of Husted’s. “Jon Husted is a lot more than my friend,” Gruden told the audience. “He was a great player. He will never quit on you or anybody.” Trump said he had not known about Husted’s football background until Gruden mentioned it. He then took a jab at Husted’s Democratic rival. “Nobody told me you were a great athlete,” Trump said. “And Brown was not — he was not an athlete. That guy can’t tie his shoes.”
Meanwhile, the Brown campaign sent a mobile billboard through Dayton linking Husted’s support for the Iran war to higher gas prices. “Jon Husted has turned his back on working families — he’s only looking out for his billionaire buddies and special interests,” Brown said in a campaign statement.
Trump also defended data centers during his remarks, despite Republican concerns that the issue could hurt Husted. He criticized Senate Democrats for blocking Husted’s Ratepayer Protection Act, which aims to limit utility cost increases tied to energy-intensive data centers. “We want them,” Trump said of data centers. “Look, there’s so much money to be made for Ohio. You can’t just turn them off. They’ll go to China.”
At one point, the crowd broke into chants of “four more years” for the term-limited president. Trump responded in a playful tone, suggesting the media would overreact to his reply. “We’re driving them totally crazy,” he said. “But I love doing it. I love being with you. I really do.” The gymnasium at Butler High School holds up to 5,000 people, though several sections of upper bleacher seating remained empty during the 93-minute speech.
