‘Pretend I’m on the ticket’: Trump hits campaign trail in bid to boost Republican hopes

President stumps for Senate nominee Michael Whatley in North Carolina and urges voters to ‘crush the communists’

Donald Trump returned to the campaign trail on Wednesday, imploring North Carolina voters to “pretend I’m on the ticket” and “crush the communists” in the November elections at a rally in support of the Republican Senate nominee Michael Whatley.

Despite Trump’s deep unpopularity, Republicans hope to once again turn the president’s loyal following into a political force as the party confronts an unforgiving midterm landscape.