President Trump is traveling to Georgia today, Wednesday, July 22, 2026, continuing an unconventional midterm election strategy that places him at the center of competitive races across the country despite approval ratings that remain deeply underwater.
The Georgia visit marks another stop in a swing state featuring both a closely watched Senate race and a toss-up gubernatorial contest. This year alone, the president has already appeared alongside a dozen candidates in races classified as toss-ups, a marked departure from traditional midterm playbooks that typically keep unpopular presidents away from competitive districts.
Trump has made more campaign-related trips during this period than he did at the same point in 2018, when Republicans lost control of the House in what became known as a blue wave. Democrats gained a net total of 40 seats that year, and Trump's approval ratings were higher then than they are now.
The approach represents a calculated gamble by Trump and his political team. Rather than following the conventional wisdom of localizing midterm races and keeping federal officials out of competitive districts, the administration is deliberately making the president the focal point of the election.
White House chief of staff Suzie Wiles explained the rationale behind this strategy during an interview with the pro-Trump podcast The Mom View late last year. She acknowledged that the approach flips traditional midterm strategy on its head, stating that the administration plans to put Trump on the ballot because many low-propensity voters are Trump voters.
Earlier this year, Trump held a rally at Rockland Community College in support of Rep. Mike Lawler, a New York Republican considered one of the most endangered members of Congress. At the event, Trump praised Lawler as fantastic, demonstrating his willingness to campaign for vulnerable incumbents in swing districts.
In May, the president appeared at a Florida rally where he highlighted several candidates on the November ballot, including Republican Rep. Byron Donalds, his endorsed candidate for governor. Trump noted that Donalds was leading in polls by more than 20 points, though he did not invite any candidates to join him on stage. At Trump rallies, the president remains the undisputed star of the show.
The strategy contrasts sharply with past administrations. Former Pennsylvania Republican Rep. Charlie Dent, who faced a difficult reelection in 2006, recalled that President George Bush understood he would not be an asset in the district at that time and stayed away, wanting Dent to win on his own terms. Dent, who left Congress in 2018, now advises swing district Republicans to keep Trump as far away as possible from their districts.
Republican officials defend the approach, arguing that candidates actively want the president in their districts. A Republican official speaking on background described party strategy, asserting that Trump represents a huge advantage for voter turnout and that the narrative suggesting candidates should not run with him is totally false.
The goal centers on activating the coalition that delivered Trump's 2024 victory by turning out voters who are typically disengaged from politics and less likely to participate in elections. Without Trump on the ballot, these voters might stay home, while Democratic voters are generally considered more reliable participants in non-presidential election years.
Trump recently announced plans for a rare midterm convention in Dallas this September. RNC chairman Joe Gruters promoted the event in an interview with CBS Texas, calling it a Trumpapalooza and describing the president as the best showman that has ever existed.
Democrats are counting on voter dissatisfaction with the administration to drive turnout. Democratic Rep. Suzan DelBene, who leads the campaign committee working to help Democrats win control of the House, pointed to special election results since November 2024 showing Democrats running ahead. She argued that people are tired of what they have seen from the administration and that their lives have gotten harder, adding that Republicans cannot run away from that reality.
The White House has promised an active campaign schedule for the president through the fall, with future stops planned in additional swing states including Pennsylvania, Michigan, and locations out West. Whether this strategy succeeds in mobilizing Trump's base or energizes opposition voters will become clear when voters head to the polls in November.
