Trump says at a rally in Ohio that he believes there will be a “big surprise” in the next election. Published October 4, 2026 October 4, 2026 US President Donald Trump has continued to speak out in favor of Republican candidates during his visit to Ohio, proposing a challenging outlook on his party’s chances in the November 3 midterm elections. Trump said at a rally in Vandalia, Ohio, that he believes there will be a “big surprise” in the upcoming election, stating that his Democratic opponents don’t know what’s going on. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list Polls have suggested Democrats could gain ground in the midterm elections, but the US president said Republicans would do better than critics expect. “Just get out and vote,” Trump said as he endorsed U.S. Sen. Jon Husted, gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy and other Republicans. “If they do that, we’re going to win, and we’re going to win big,” he said. Senate Race Several sitting Republican senators across the country face tough political headwinds, and Trump’s popularity has fallen in recent months as higher prices for gasoline and other commodities persist amid the U.S.-Israel war against Iran. Husted, a Republican in a competitive Ohio race against Democrat Sherrod Brown, hopes the president can motivate supporters who might otherwise skip the midterm elections. Trump won more than 55 percent of Ohio’s vote in the election Gasoline prices in Ohio rose 35 percent over the past year to $4.16 per gallon (3.8 liters) on average, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA), which collects data on car travel. Trump’s trade policy with Canada has also led to retaliatory Canadian tariffs affecting approximately $3 billion in Ohio exports, based on 2025 figures, Canadian broadcaster CBC reported. Speaking to reporters shortly before addressing Saturday’s rally, Husted said the United States has to win the Iran war “on our terms” and in the meantime is “showing people that I’m fighting for lower prices.” During the rally, his administration’s action on data centers, primarily those built for AI, said it sought to ensure they “benefit local communities” and praised Husted for a failed attempt to push legislation on the issue. “Look, there’s so much money to be made for Ohio. You can’t just shut them down. They’ll go to China,” he said, repeating his defense of data centers. concerned about its impact on electricity prices, farmland and water supplies. The problem became especially acute in Ohio, where Husted has been repeatedly attacked for his role in attracting data centers to the Midwestern state as lieutenant governor. The Republican-controlled Senate tried to advance legislation last week sponsored by Husted that would ask utility regulators to more effectively charge large energy users as consumers struggle with high energy costs. But it was blocked by almost all Democrats. “Senator Jon Husted gave billions in tax breaks to Big Tech to make sure they built their data centers in Ohio,” Brown wrote in X on Friday, ahead of Trump’s visit. “Now you’re making Ohioans foot the bill.”
