Trump heads to Ohio as crucial Senate race enters final stretch

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President Donald Trump is scheduled to travel to Ohio on Saturday to campaign for Sen. Jon Husted, who is facing a competitive challenge from former Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown.

The stop in Vandalia, located just north of Dayton, follows visits to Oklahoma on Thursday and Alabama on Friday. The contest in Ohio is regarded as critical in deciding control of the Senate.

Trump previously pledged to campaign in 35 of the most competitive battleground races during the final push ahead of November's midterm elections.

Brown is aiming for a political return two years after losing his Senate seat to Republican Bernie Moreno. Husted, a veteran of Ohio Republican politics, served as a state lawmaker, House speaker, secretary of state and lieutenant governor before being selected to fill the Senate seat vacated by JD Vance when he became vice president.

Ohio Republican Party Chairman Alex Triantafilou recently told The Associated Press that he hoped Trump would visit his state, where he won by 11 percentage points in 2024.

"We definitely want him here," Triantafilou said. "He’s a turnout driver for us."