At a pep rally in North Carolina on Tuesday, President Donald Trump tried to defy political gravity when his approval rating was at an all-time low. He urged people to back his preferred Senate candidate in a contest that several Republican groups had already given up on.
In order to support Republican candidates ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, Trump has started a campaign blitz, traveling more than 29,000 miles (46,671 km) since late September. His second visit to North Carolina in as many months was a sign of how much is at stake in this southern state.
Quick Fact
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| What Happened | Trump announced investment plans and repeated his $5,000 payment pledge. |
| Location | Greenville, North Carolina, USA |
| Date | October 20, 2026 |
| Key Figure | US President Donald Trump |
| Company | Sibelco |
| Proposed Investment | $1.5 billion for semiconductor chip production |
| Payment Pledge | $5,000 per US adult, subject to further details |
| Election Date | November 3, 2026 |
| Main Issues | Fuel prices, economic concerns and midterm elections |
| Current Status | Investment details and payment arrangements require further confirmation. |
In a Senate contest that might determine the balance of power in Washington, polls show Republican Michael Whatley, a former top party member, behind former Democratic Governor Roy Cooper by a wide margin.
The two are vying to succeed retiring Republican Thom Tillis, a former Trump friend who broke with the president on his historic defense and tax legislation.
In an interview with Politico on Tuesday, Tillis said that his fellow Republicans were on the verge of “a train wreck” and a “whoop ass” in November.
However, Trump is mistaken when he speaks on Tuesday nite in Greenville, an eastern city.
Trump’s Low Approval Fuels Democratic Hopes
Trump has won North Carolina in each of his three presidential campaigns, but Democrats are hoping for a breakthrough this year since surveys indicate that the majority of Americans are unhappy with the war in Iran and increasing costs.
According to official records, Democrats have cast two times as many ballots as Republicans in North Carolina’s early voting.
On Tuesday nite, Republican candidates pled with voters to cast their ballots early.
North Carolina Races Draw Millions in Spending
According to a Reuters examination of campaign documents, Buckhout’s run against Democratic Representative Don Davis has attracted $21 million in outside funding since September 1, making it the third most costly election in the nation.
Outside organizations have invested $14.5 million in the contest between Republican Jennifer Balkcom and Democrat Jamie Ager in the state’s rugged west.
In contrast, the national party infrastructure has essentially deserted Whatley. Earlier this month, as Cooper maintained double-digit leads in survey after poll, the Senate Leadership Fund, the main political action committee that supports Republican candidates for the upper house, stopped funding in North Carolina.
Trump’s Iran War Hurts His Popularity
Since he and US partner Israel announced missile attacks on Iran in February, Trump’s popularity has plummeted, leading to a spike in the price of gasoline and diesel.
Taylor Smith, a Greenville housewife, told Reuters that she had only previously cast a Republican ballot, but the turmoil surrounding the
Trump administration made her reconsider.
She said that Trump’s lack of concentration was evident in the White House’s disarray, which was affecting policies.
Trump Promises Investments and $5,000 Payouts
She went on, “I hate these gas prices,” and she called on the president to “tighten that ship up.”
On Tuesday nite, Trump announced what he claimed to be new local investments, as he has done at rallies around the nation.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick declared on stage that Sibelco, an industrial minerals mining and processing corporation, was growing its operations in North Carolina without giving specifics.
A request for comment was not immediately answered by Sibelco.
Although he did not specify where or how the funds would be used, Trump stated that the US Defense Department will also invest $1.5 billion in North Carolina’s semiconductor chip manufacturing.
