Trump pleads with voters to 'please' pretend he's on ballot as GOP struggles to gain momentum in North Carolina

President Donald Trump traveled to Greenville, North Carolina, Tuesday night to gin up support for Republicans in the final sprint to the November midterm elections. 

Trump's visit comes as part of a multi-state campaign blitz he's launched in the final stretch of the midterms, which includes stops in South Carolina, Iowa, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, and Texas.

At these events, his messaging strategy has been consistent - urging voters to 'pretend' he is on the ballot - a theme Trump seized on during the Tuesday night event in Greenville. 

'Because when I'm on the ballot, we do unbelievably,' Trump said in Greenville.

'Please pretend I'm on a ballot,' Trump said. 'And in a way, I am on the ballot.' 

'And I think we're going to do great, I just feel it,' Trump said. 

Trump's visit is his second to the Tar Heel state within the last four weeks, and comes as Republicans look to boost support for Republican Senate contender Michael Whatley, the former chair of the Republican National Committee. 

Shortly after Trump's remarks began, two protesters were removed. It was unclear what they said before they were escorted from the rally.

Trump played up his success in North Carolina - a state that voted to elect him three times - and told the crowd, 'When I ran, it was great because we got 50 percent - almost 50 or some more votes, and we won everything.'

'We won the Senate,' he said of the 2024 election. 'We won everything. But when I wasn't running, I didn't really campaign. I let other people campaign. I figured that's it. What did I know?' 

Whatley is currently trailing Democratic nominee and former North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper in the race to replace outgoing Republican Senator Thom Tillis, and Cooper's wider-than-expected advantage has prompted the top Republican super PAC and other GOP fundraising groups to halt ad spending altogether. 

Still, Trump is hoping that his appearance in the state can be a boon for Whatley, as voters mass to polling sites across the country to cast their votes. 

Voter turnout in North Carolina is up by a whopping 37 percent compared to the same point in the 2022 midterms, and is also up from 2018 levels. 

Cooper has retained a wider-than-expected lead throughout much of the race, and recent polls show him holding a double digit advantage over Whatley. 

Cooper's campaign has also nearly tripled Whatley's fundraising numbers, furthering his advantage in the Senate contest, which is considered a must-win for Democrats in order for them to regain control of the chamber this fall.   

A Cooper win would also be a notable victory for Democrats, who have not won a US Senate seat in North Carolina since 2008. 

Trump, for his part, has sought to throw his political weight behind Whatley, with whom he has worked closely in his 2024 reelection bid. 

Trump also said Tuesday night he was going to travel to the state a third time before Election Day to stump for Republicans - news that was met with audible cheers from his supporters. 

'We have like 15 days, and I’m doing about 18 rallies,' Trump said of his multi-state campaign swing. 

'That's work. But it’s not work in front of North Carolina,' he told the crowd.