Trump rallies Ohio voters for Republicans ahead of midterms
In short
President Donald Trump held a campaign rally outside Dayton, Ohio, on Saturday night, urging voters to back Republican candidates in November's midterm elections and asking them to “pretend” he is on the ballot. He cited corporate investment in the state, including a $400 million Stellantis investment in Toledo, an $850 million Electra aerospace investment near Springfield and Bayer's planned $2.2 billion pharmaceutical campus near Columbus. NBC News reported Trump returned to the White House after the late-night rally, four weeks before the election.
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President Donald Trump rallied supporters outside Dayton, Ohio, on Saturday night, urging voters to back Republicans in November's midterm elections and asking them to “pretend” he is on the ballot, according to Fox News and NBC News. Trump, who Fox News said carried Ohio in all three of his presidential campaigns, told the crowd, “Just pretend that I'm running. When I run, we win.” NBC News reported Trump returned to the White House after the late-night rally, four weeks before the midterm election, and that he repeatedly asked supporters to vote for Sen. Jon Husted. [ 2 , 3 ]
Fox News reported the rally was Trump's third in as many nights and was held for Husted and gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. NBC News reported Husted is locked in a tight re-election battle against former Sen. Sherrod Brown. [ 2 , 3 ]
Trump used much of the rally to make an economic case for the Republican ticket, saying Ohio is “booming” and crediting the investments to his trade and tariff policies, Fox News reported. He pointed to a $400 million Stellantis investment in Toledo and an $850 million Electra aerospace investment near Springfield, and featured Bayer's plans for a $2.2 billion pharmaceutical manufacturing campus near Columbus, which the company says will support approximately 600 permanent jobs and 1,500 construction jobs. “Your state is booming,” Trump said. “Every state is booming.” [ 2 ]
Bloomberg reported that Trump cited major corporate investment plans in Ohio during the rally as part of his effort to boost Republican candidates in key races ahead of the November midterms. The documents do not include any independent confirmation of the investment amounts or job figures, and no comment from Democratic candidates appeared in them. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The rally is part of Trump's effort to boost Republican candidates in key races ahead of the November midterms, with control of Congress at stake, and he framed the vote around investment and jobs in Ohio. The investment figures he cited — including job numbers attributed to Bayer — were presented at the rally rather than by the companies in these documents, so their effect on the race is not established here.
Key facts
- Trump held a campaign rally outside Dayton, Ohio, on Saturday night. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Trump asked supporters to “pretend” he is on the ballot and turn out for a midterm victory for Republicans. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Fox News reported the rally was for Sen. Jon Husted and gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. [ 2 ]
- NBC News reported Husted is in a tight re-election battle against former Sen. Sherrod Brown. [ 3 ]
- Trump said Ohio is “booming” and cited a $400 million Stellantis investment in Toledo and an $850 million Electra aerospace investment near Springfield. [ 2 ]
- Trump featured Bayer's plans for a $2.2 billion pharmaceutical manufacturing campus near Columbus, which the company says will support about 600 permanent jobs and 1,500 construction jobs. [ 2 ]
- Trump credited the investments to his tariff agenda. [ 2 ]
- NBC News reported Trump returned to the White House after the late-night rally, four weeks before the midterm election. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Trump held a campaign rally in Ohio on Saturday night. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Trump urged voters to support Republican candidates in the November midterm elections. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Trump asked supporters to pretend he was on the ballot. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Trump cited corporate investment in Ohio during the rally. [ 1 , 2 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the investment and job figures cited at the rally have been independently verified. The Bayer jobs figures were attributed to the company, and the other documents do not corroborate the investment amounts or job numbers.
- The reaction of Democratic candidates, including Sherrod Brown, to the rally and the investment claims. No comment from any Democratic candidate appears in the documents.
- The exact venue of the rally. Fox News says only that it was held outside Dayton.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Bloomberg publishes its report on Trump's Ohio rally, saying he cited major corporate investment plans as part of an effort to boost Republican candidates ahead of the November midterms. [ 1 ]
- Fox News publishes its account of the rally outside Dayton, including Trump's remarks and the investment figures he cited. [ 2 ]
- NBC News reports that Trump is back at the White House after the late-night rally, four weeks before the midterm election. [ 3 ]