Day: October 4, 2026

After spending earlier in the week campaigning in strongly Republican areas, Trump came to the battleground state and quickly turned his focus to Democrats while praising Husted.

“Ohio is going to defeat the radical left Democrats once again. And we’re going to elect John Husted to the United States Senate, who is a great guy,” Trump said.

Crowds began lining up early Saturday morning, with food trucks and vendors selling merchandise outside the rally throughout the day.

Gov. Mike DeWine appointed Husted to the Senate in 2025 to replace former Sen. J.D. Vance after Vance became vice president. Husted is now running to keep the seat against Democrat Sherrod Brown.

Brown spent nearly 20 years in the Senate before losing his seat to Republican Bernie Moreno two years ago. Recent polls this week gave Brown a slight edge, especially among undecided voters. Two recent university polls also showed Brown ahead of Husted by single-digit percentage points.

During his speech, Trump also talked about the fight for congressional majorities and made a series of positive claims about the economy.

“And we’re going to win strong nd the Republican majorities in the House and the Senate, and we are going to go and have a great success,” Trump said.

Trump also reiterated a promise that all adults would receive $5,000 apiece if Republicans retain control of both the House and Senate, saying income from tariffs and new investment would help cover the $1 trillion cost.

Husted spoke before Trump took the stage, criticizing Brown on immigration policy and urging supporters to vote.

“I am not asking you to winter at Valley Forge. I am not asking you to serve at Gettysburg. I am not asking you to storm the beaches of Normandy. I’m asking you to get out and vote. Will you do it?” Husted said.

As Husted finished, he was joined by former college football teammate and Super Bowl-winning NFL coach Jon Gruden, who further energized the crowd.

Ahead of the rally, Husted was asked how the event could help his campaign given what were described as low approval ratings for Trump, particularly related to the Iran war and tariff policies.

Husted pointed to Trump’s past performance in the state. “Well, President Trump won Ohio by 11 points just two years ago. If the people that turned out in that election turn out in this election, we’ll win,” Husted said.

The visit came as Ohio’s voter registration deadline approaches and early in-person voting is set to begin next week statewide. Speakers at the rally urged voters to cast ballots as soon as Tuesday.

Earlier Saturday, Democratic state House candidate Kristina Knickerbocker delivered a response to Trump’s visit in a video provided by the Ohio Democratic Party.

“This administration promised us no new wars … They lied,” Knickerbocker said. “Congressman Turner and Sen. Husted voted for this war again and again and again. They have chosen to prioritize billionaires and sending billions of dollars overseas over Ohioans.”

As for Brown, he spent the day campaigning and registering voters, starting at a collegiate summit at Bowling Green State University. He later stopped at coffee shops in Lima and Columbus to register more Democrats to vote and held a photo opportunity at a barbershop in Columbus, where he spoke with people about what they consider important in the election.

Brown’s campaign also issued a statement about the Republican rally, saying:

“Jon Husted voted 14 times to continue the war in Iran. That has sent the costs of gas and diesel to record highs. He led the charge to bring 226 data centers to Ohio with $2.5 billion in sweetheart tax deals. And he cast the deciding vote to cut half a million Ohioans’ health care. … Jon Husted puts corporations and billionaires first every time, and we all pay for it.”