By Jarrett Renshaw and Gram Slattery
GRAND ISLAND, Nebraska, Oct 5 (Reuters) - US President Donald Trump pledged to expand access to tax-exempt diesel fuel while warning of a dark future if Democrats win the midterms during a rally on Monday night in Nebraska, a state where farmers and truckers face sharply higher fuel prices and inflation has weighed heavily on the rural economy.
His stop in the city of Grand Island was part of Trump's 32-day sprint to the November 3 midterm elections, a campaign
in which he is spending considerable time in conservative strongholds, helping defend Senate and House seats that until several months ago were considered safe for Republicans. Trump, as he has done in previous rallies, urged Republicans to “pretend” he is on the ballot, arguing that voters should view the midterms as a referendum on his administration and economic record.
"With your support, just 29 days from now, Nebraska is going to defeat the radical-left Dumb-o-crats once again," Trump said in the opening moments of his remarks.
His party is trying to persuade voters that investment, manufacturing and economic growth under Trump outweigh the pain of higher prices stemming from the unpopular US-Israeli war on Iran.
But Republicans enter the final weeks of the campaign facing a difficult national political environment. A Reuters/Ipsos poll completed on Monday found Trump's approval rating at 32%, matching the lowest reading of his political career, while registered voters preferred Democrats over Republicans 44% to 37% when asked which party they would support in the midterms. Among independents, Democrats led 37% to 21%, with 28% undecided.
Reuters polling and analysis have also found Republicans' opponents competitive in a number of states Trump won by double digits in 2024, including Nebraska. Trump carried Nebraska by more than 20 percentage points in 2024, but public polling consistently shows a competitive contest between Republican Senator Pete Ricketts and independent Dan Osborn.
ORGANIZERS ADD HUNDREDS OF CHAIRS
During the rally, Trump flitted through various topics, from Iran to Venezuela to his legally and financially dubious pledge to give all adults $5,000 if the Republicans win the midterms.
He again attacked the media on multiple occasions and criticized former President Joe Biden, who has proven an enduring Trump foil, even as he has been out of office for almost two years. Throughout the speech, he painted a dark picture of America should the Democrats take control of the House of Representatives and the Senate.
"They want to burn it down," Trump said of the Democratic Party. "Their whole life is talking about radicalization and stupidity."
The most significant policy news of the evening was the announcement of an executive order expanding access to red-dye diesel, which is exempt from some taxes but has generally been limited to off-road and agricultural uses.
Supporters were packed into the Heartland Events Center in Grand Island, many wearing Trump's signature red shirts and others sporting University of Nebraska attire in the same shade. Organizers brought out hundreds of additional chairs to accommodate supporters in the rear of the arena, as the crowd filled available seating ahead of Trump's remarks.
Trump has grown agitated at recent reporting of empty chairs and early departures at his signature rallies.
For many, the draw was the unusual sight of Trump in the Republican-heavy state of Nebraska. He has only visited the state about six times since 2016 and not once since 2022, public records show.
"I am not sure I will ever see him in person again and didn't want to miss this. He doesn't come here often," said Nancy Rhodes, a 54-year-old stay-at-home mother who drove an hour to see the president.
Rhodes said Trump's decision to start a war with Iran has made things more expensive - and may hurt Trump's party's chances of retaining power - but said disarming Iran's nuclear program was worth the cost.
Trump started his campaign swing last week with stops in Texas, Oklahoma, Alabama and Ohio, reflecting his goal of energizing voters in Republican-friendly states while making himself the central messenger for a party facing concerns about his political standing.
He told reporters on Monday that he plans to travel nearly every day until the November 3 midterms, including stops in Iowa and Michigan.
(Reporting by Jarrett Renshaw; Editing by Sergio Non, Thomas Derpinghaus, Jamie Freed and Shri Navaratnam)
