Senate recesses until after the midterms as Trump and Vance open a campaign blitz
Lawmakers left Washington after final messaging votes on Wednesday; the president begins a 32-day travel sprint in Texas and Oklahoma while the vice president stumps in Florida.
What happened: The Senate recessed on Wednesday until after the Nov. 3 midterm elections and is scheduled to return Monday, Nov. 9, USA Today reported. Lawmakers are dispersing to campaign for control of Congress for the final two years of President Donald Trump’s term.
On the chamber’s last day, Republicans offered bills on data-center energy costs, voter ID and banning stock trading by lawmakers — measures Democrats largely blocked and called “toothless” show votes, USA Today reported. Majority Leader John Thune said Democrats blocked the data-center bill to deny Republicans an election-year win. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats had drawn nearer to the “edge of victory” but warned against overconfidence.
The campaign trail: Trump and Vice President JD Vance both hit the trail on Thursday, heading first to heavily Republican areas to shore up lagging enthusiasm, the Associated Press reported. Trump’s stops in Texas and Oklahoma kick off what he called a 32-day blitz through Election Day. Before an evening Oklahoma rally with Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Mazzei, Trump planned to tour a truck plant in Denton, Texas, where Republicans are working to boost Attorney General Ken Paxton in a competitive Senate race against Democratic state Rep. James Talarico, AP reported.
Vance was set to stump in Lakeland, Florida, with Rep. Byron Donalds, the Republican candidate for Florida governor, AP said. White House chief of staff Susie Wiles told GOP senators this week that Trump would campaign almost daily through Nov. 3.
Why deep-red stops: Republicans have expressed growing pessimism as Trump has dismissed concerns about high costs and the unpopular war in Iran continues, AP reported. Trump told reporters Wednesday that the party’s problem is messaging: “We’re not getting the word out.” A person familiar with GOP strategy said the party will not send Trump to places where his presence could hurt candidates, while stops in Oklahoma and Alabama are meant to reach neighboring media markets as well.
What this means: With Congress out until after Election Day, the next five weeks are a pure campaign fight over who controls the House and Senate — not a legislative one. Messaging votes on data centers, voting and stock trading preview the arguments both parties will take to voters.