President Donald Trump has canceled his planned campaign rally in Waco next Tuesday and will instead hold an event in Corpus Christi the same day, while still making a stop in Lubbock.
The Republican National Committee confirmed the change on Thursday, according to local officials and multiple news outlets. Trump had been scheduled to appear in both Lubbock and Waco on Oct. 27 — one week before Election Day — as part of a final push for Republican candidates, including Attorney General Ken Paxton in the U.S. Senate race. The Waco stop was dropped, and the Corpus Christi rally was added in its place. No official reason was given for the shift.
Under the updated schedule, Trump is set to speak in Corpus Christi at 2 p.m., with doors opening at 10:30 a.m. His Lubbock appearance at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center has been moved later in the day, with doors opening at 2:30 p.m. and remarks beginning at 6 p.m. Venues for the Corpus Christi event had not been finalized as of Thursday.
Correcting earlier tweet: Trump is still doing two rallies Tuesday in Texas, but the RNC says his Waco rally has now been moved to Corpus Christi. The other rally remains in Lubbock. The Corpus Christi rally is expected to help #TX34 candidate Eric Flores.
— Patrick Svitek (@PatrickSvitek) October 22, 2026
The change comes as Republicans increase their focus on competitive South Texas congressional races. CNN reporter Patrick Svitek noted that the Corpus Christi stop is expected to help Republican Eric Flores in the TX-34 district against Democratic U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez. A related super PAC also placed significant ad buys in South Texas races on Thursday.
Local reaction in Waco was mixed. McLennan County Sheriff Parnell McNamara said the Secret Service confirmed the cancellation after a planned security briefing was called off. Texas State Rep. Pat Curry, a Waco-area Republican, said supporters who had reserved tickets were disappointed. Some local party officials described the move as a setback for Central Texas Republicans who had been looking forward to the visit.
Trump has already made multiple trips to Texas this cycle, including stops in Denton and San Antonio earlier this month, as well as a midterm convention appearance in Dallas in September. Early voting is underway across the state through Oct. 30, with Election Day set for Nov. 3.
The schedule adjustment reflects a late strategic shift by Republicans toward more competitive districts in South Texas as the campaign enters its final stretch.
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