President Donald Trump visited the Wichita area Monday evening, the latest in a series of stops where he’s trying to energize his base in the final weeks before the mid-term elections.
The President was the centerpiece of a Republican rally at Heartland Credit Union in Park City.
Also at the rally, rock musician Ted Nugent .. and former race-car driver Danica Patrick was there; she was among the contingent flying in on Air Force One.
The President's visit comes as Republicans pour money into Senate races in Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa, amid concerns about voter enthusiasm.
Trump won Kansas by 16 percentage points against Democrat Kamala Harris in 2024; now the incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. from Kansas, Dr. Roger Marshall, is facing a challenge from Democrat pastor Adam Hamilton.
The President gave remarks lasting an hour and 38 minutes.
Trump was visiting Kansas in an attempt to energize Republican voters ahead of the Nov. 3 elections, coming to the support of Sen. Marshall, who is running for re-election, and Republican Ty Masterson of Andover, who's running for governor.
The Republican president went into a lengthy attack against Democratic candidate Hamilton; Trump said Hamilton came onto his radar as “this lunatic up here” who would say “bad things” about Trump and his policies.
“He’s a radical left phony who’s pretending to be a moderate,” Trump said of Hamilton.
Trump tried to draw a contrast with Marshall, describing him as a fantastic senator who will defend gun rights, fight against Democratic policies, and support Christian values.
Trump repeatedly interrupted by protesters at the start of Kansas rally.
At least three protesters interrupted the president at the start of his rally before being escorted out.
“Whatever you do, get out and vote so we can get rid of idiots like that,” Trump told the crowd as he gestured toward one protester.
The crowd drowned out the protesters with chants of “USA! USA!” Trump suggested the protesters were being paid, saying he could “tell by the voice they get paid.”
“Now he goes home to mom and dad, they slap him around,” Trump said about one protester.
President Trump told supporters that Sen. Marshall, "one of the greatest Senators", is behind a new government program to lower fuel costs. Trump said the Department of Agriculture will be launching a new harvest fuel relief program, saying it will provide $8 billion in support for farmers to offset diesel costs.
“When Republicans win, we will pass even more funding for our farmers. We love our farmers,” Trump said.
Hamilton is the founder of the nation’s largest United Methodist church; to defeat Sen. Marshall, the Democratic Senate candidate will likely need to win over some Trump voters. That balancing act was on display Monday ahead of the president’s visit to Wichita, when Hamilton welcomed Trump to the state and made a direct appeal to his supporters.
“It’s always an honor to have the president of the United States right here in our great state,” Hamilton said in a video posted Monday afternoon.
“I want Kansans to know that if you voted for the president, you also have a place in my campaign.”
Hamilton said he would work with Trump when their priorities aligned but stand up to him when he believed the president’s policies would hurt Kansas.
“Some days we’ll agree, some days we won’t,” he said.
Hamilton has attracted some Republican support, including endorsements from two former Kansas GOP governors.
Don Hineman, a western Kansas rancher and former Republican state House majority leader, said he’s seeing growing frustration among GOP voters beyond just farmers, including some who have supported Trump in multiple elections.
He said farmers understand that Trump’s tariffs have hurt their businesses and are upset with the on-going war with Iran. Immigration has also become a source of concern, particularly after recent immigration raids in western Kansas resulted in the detention of more than 100 people.
Hineman said the traditional Republican argument in Kansas — that electing Democrats would empower the party’s liberal wing — is losing its effectiveness with some voters, including himself.
“I am tired of being persuaded by charges that the boogeyman is going to get us,” he said. “I am so fed up with the Republican Party and their willingness to play sycophant to our current commander in chief that I’m willing to consider alternatives.”
Diesel prices averaged $6.30 per gallon nationwide on Friday, more than 70% higher than a year ago, according to motor club AAA. The surge has been especially painful during harvest season, when farmers depend heavily on fuel to operate machinery and transport crops.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture projects that net farm income will decline by 2.6% this year as production expenses rise by 4.5%. Fuel and oil expenses alone are expected to jump nearly 30%, according to the agency’s September forecast.
Earlier this month, Trump signed an executive order to ease limits on the tax-free use of red-dyed diesel, a decision he said would save “millions” for farmers. That came after a $12 billion aid package for farmers announced by the Trump administration in December.
But those efforts have not erased frustrations among some farmers who expected their financial outlooks to improve under Trump.
Contributing: JOEY CAPPELLETTI and JOHN HANNA Associated Press
