PARK CITY: US President Donald Trump on Monday used violent unrest in France as an argument against Democrats in his battle to defend a Kansas Senate seat long held by Republicans but now in danger of falling to his political opponents.
Trump's rally in support of Republican incumbent Roger Marshall was his latest foray into conservative states where Republican candidates are on the defensive amid voter frustration over the war with Iran and rising prices.
"I love you Kansas, but I'm here for a guy named Roger Marshall," Trump said.
In a new addition to his stump speech, Trump pointed to widespread protests in France as a scenario that could erupt in the United States unless Republicans win. He provided no evidence to support the claim.
France has seen some of its worst unrest in years in recent days, as huge protests over the cost of living and underfunded public services descended into riots and looting.
Trump himself has struggled to make goods and services more affordable in the United States.
In his speech, Trump turned to anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim rhetoric of the kind he used to fuel his three presidential campaigns.
"We're not going to let that happen to this country," he said. "When you see burning steeples and raging fires in France, just remember that is what the radical Dumocrats want to do to America."
Trump has been mocking Democrats by calling them Dumocrats. Rights advocates have repeatedly criticised his rhetoric over the years, saying he has targeted and mocked immigrants and ethnic minority groups. Civil rights groups say such rhetoric normalises discriminatory attitudes towards those communities.
Kansas competition
Kansas, a conservative Midwestern state that Trump won by 16 percentage points in 2024, has not elected a Democrat to the US Senate in 94 years.
First-term senator Marshall is in a close contest with Democratic candidate Adam Hamilton, pastor of a Methodist megachurch, who is campaigning against Trump's tariff agenda and what he calls the president's "erratic leadership".
"He wants you to repent for being born White," Trump said of Hamilton.
Marshall, in remarks at the rally, focused his campaign argument on cultural issues, including stopping "radical Islam". He called Hamilton "too woke" for Kansas because he supports gay pride parades, drawing loud boos from the crowd.
"We need someone who can sort heifers and steers," he said.
Hamilton's campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In a video on Monday, Hamilton welcomed Trump to the state and said his supporters have "a place" in his campaign. Hamilton said he would work with Trump when it made sense and stand up for Kansans when Washington's policies hurt farmers and rural hospitals.
The close race is emblematic of a potentially difficult year ahead for Republicans in the November 3 midterm elections, as they seek to defy political headwinds and retain control of the Senate and House of Representatives.
Trump is deep into a 32-day campaign blitz, frequently visiting areas where he won comfortably in previous elections.
One Republican familiar with Trump's midterm strategy said the president's focus on rural areas was in response to internal polling showing soft support among men aged 55 and younger in rural areas nationwide — a voting bloc crucial to Trump's 2024 presidential victory.
Economic concerns
The latest Reuters-Ipsos poll, published on Monday, found that 31 per cent of Americans approved of Trump's performance in office, a record low for the president.
Democrats need a net gain of four seats in both the US House of Representatives and Senate to overturn the Republicans' narrow 218-214 and 53-47 majorities, respectively.
In Park City, near Wichita, many rallygoers walked more than a mile across Interstate 135 to reach the rural arena, as a red-and-green truck stop sign flashed the latest prices above their heads: US$3.98 for petrol and US$5.78 for diesel.
That was up about 45 per cent per gallon compared with average petrol prices in the state last year, according to travel analyst AAA.
Economic concerns were palpable among Trump's most loyal supporters.
"Being on disability, I don't have much, but it seems like the prices are still going up and they need to come down. It feels like you're having to search or hunt for food," said Monique Mullen, 59, a Republican voter from Hutchinson, Kansas, who cares for her father.
A small group of protesters gathered near the arena, including James Nightingale, a self-described independent from Halstead, Kansas.
"I'm a farmer from Kansas and the Trump administration has decimated the farm economy in my area. Not only have his tariffs decimated our markets for grain sales, now he is bringing in imported beef from outside the country. What happened to 'America First'?" he said.
Kansans have shown a willingness to cross party lines, having elected Democrat Laura Kelly as governor for the past two terms.
"I don't think it's ever easy to get elected here," said Gina Seman, a Trump voter from Towanda, Kansas, noting that Republican candidates in the past had taken their popularity for granted.
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