President Trump told a rally in Ohio that he believes there will be a “big surprise” in the next election.
Published October 4, 2026
President Donald Trump continued his rally to Republican candidates during his visit to Ohio, offering a challenging outlook for the party’s chances in the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
President Trump said at a rally in Vandalia, Ohio, that he believes there will be a “big surprise” in the next election, claiming his Democratic opponents don’t know what’s going on.
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Although polls suggest Democrats may have an advantage in the midterm elections, the president said Republicans will do better than critics expected.
President Trump endorsed Sen. Jon Husted, gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy and other Republicans, saying, “Just go out and vote.”
“If we do that, we’re going to win, and we’re going to win big,” he said.
ohio senate election
President Trump’s approval ratings have fallen in recent months, and several incumbent Republican senators across the country are facing stiff political headwinds as the price of gasoline and other daily necessities continues to soar amid the U.S.-Israel war against Iran.
Husted, a Republican who is running against Democrat Sherrod Brown in Ohio, hopes the president can galvanize supporters who might skip the midterm elections.
Trump won more than 55% of Ohio’s votes in the 2024 presidential election, but his approval ratings have since declined due to economic concerns.
Gasoline prices in Ohio have increased 35% over the past year to an average of $4.16 per gallon, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA), which compiles data on road travel. President Trump’s trade policy with Canada will also lead to retaliatory tariffs by Canada, impacting about $3 billion worth of Ohio exports based on 2025 figures, Canadian broadcaster CBC reported.
Husted told reporters shortly before speaking at Saturday’s rally that the United States must win the Iran war “on our terms” and in the meantime “we’re showing the people that we’re fighting to keep prices down.”
hot political issues
During the rally, Trump touted his administration’s commitment to data centers built primarily for AI, saying he was trying to ensure data centers “benefits local communities,” and praised Husted’s failed attempt to push legislation on the issue.
“Look, there’s going to be a lot of money in Ohio. We can’t stop them. They’re going to go to China,” he said, repeating his defense of data centers.
Data centers have become a hot political issue, drawing bipartisan opposition in campaigns across the country as voters worry about the impact on power prices, farmland and water supplies.
The problem has become especially acute in Ohio, where Mr. Husted has been repeatedly attacked for his role as lieutenant governor in attracting data centers to the Midwestern state.
Last week, the Republican-controlled Senate tried to advance Husted’s bill that would force utility regulators to effectively impose additional charges on large customers as consumers struggle with high energy costs. However, this was blocked by nearly all Democrats.
“Sen. Jon Husted gave Big Tech companies billions of dollars in tax breaks to ensure they can build data centers in Ohio,” Brown wrote in an article for X on Friday ahead of President Trump’s visit. “Now he’s trying to make Ohioans pay the price.”
