Obama and Trump split closing push in Ohio and Georgia
The former president attacked Trump's spending habits in Atlanta while the current commander in chief urged voters in Chillicothe to support his party's candidates in next week's midterms.
By Allison Singh ·
Voters in Ohio and Georgia received distinct messages from the top of their respective party tickets on Wednesday night, as the 2026 midterm campaign entered its final week. President Donald Trump campaigned in Chillicothe, Ohio, while former President Barack Obama addressed supporters in suburban Atlanta. Both leaders aimed to lock in turnout before the November 3 election.
Trump, who has held more than 20 rallies this month, told a large crowd in southern Ohio that high voter turnout would lead to a major victory. He focused his travels on states he won in 2024, including recent stops in Mississippi and Texas. His schedule includes upcoming visits to South Carolina, Florida, Kansas, and Iowa. This strategy mirrors the Republican party's defensive stance, supported by party finances and the super PAC MAGA Inc.
In Georgia, Obama criticized the president for prioritizing White House renovations over governing. He said Trump spends time super-gluing gold medallions to the Oval Office mantel. Obama appeared alongside Keisha Lance Bottoms, the former Atlanta mayor running to become the first Black woman governor, and Sen. Jon Ossoff. Ossoff, a potential future presidential candidate, focused his remarks on the Trump Organization's finances.
Ossoff described the president's use of the office as a spectacle of grift. He stated that the White House has claimed Trump ceded control of his family business to his sons, yet the president continues to use the position for profit. The former president also addressed backlash from his earlier comparison of the White House decor to a Cheesecake Factory, noting that he and his family spent a decade eating at that chain.
Trump also addressed a developing legal issue in Alaska, where the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit to preemptively contest the Senate race. The legal action stems from the presence of two candidates named Dan Sullivan. Trump warned Democratic challenger Mary Peltola that she could face prosecution if she does not drop out. He called the situation a scheme by Democrats, while Peltola's campaign said it has no involvement with the other Sullivan's campaign.
In Michigan, the Senate race between Abdul El-Sayed and Mike Rogers has drawn attention due to accusations of antisemitism against the Democrat. El-Sayed told a crowd in Wyandotte that his opponents are using his name to distract voters. He emphasized that Michiganders care more about what people pray for than how they pray. Republican Sen. Ted Cruz campaigned with Rogers in Birmingham, describing antisemitism as a poison ripping the country apart.
Trump also interrupted his Ohio speech to discuss Jeffrey Epstein, saying he expelled the financier from Mar-a-Lago. The president praised Ohio Sen. Jon Husted, a college football player, and urged voters to help Husted defeat Sherrod Brown. Trump also repeated his claim that he won the 2020 presidential election, stating he has not been doing this very long to become a three-time winner.
Source: WTOP News
