Trump thanks supporters for the memories in final campaign stops for 2026 midterms
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President Trump was comparing his 2016 campaign rally size to the rallies Vermont independent Sen. Bernie Sanders was having that year, when the president took a detour.
asserted
president → thank → detour
"We have the biggest rallies ever in history," Trump said, turning from braggadocious to reflective.
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Trump → have → history
"I hope you enjoy it because you're never going to see it again.
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you → hope → it
You will never see what we've done.
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we → see → what
You'll never see it happen again."
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it → see → ?
Trump was in South Carolina to boost two Senate candidates who he personally picked but who have struggled to ignite excitement among Republican voters: Darline Graham in South Carolina and Michael Whatley in North Carolina.
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who → boost → Carolina
More than 25 rallies in October alone, mostly in red states where Republicans are facing serious political headwinds.
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Republicans → face → headwinds
The official purpose is to help those Republicans win their races, but for a president whose trademark has always been big raucous rallies, there was more to it.
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trademark → help → it
Trump won't be on the ballot again and once these midterms are over, it's not clear how many Republican candidates will want voters pretending he is.
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he → want → ballot
"Please pretend I'm on the ballot cause in a way I am on the ballot, because they want to do away with all of the tremendous things we've done.
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we → pretend → things
The tax cuts, the border," Trump said last week at a rally in Greenville, N.C.
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Trump → say → Greenville
Like any performer on what could be a farewell tour, Trump plays a lot of the greatest hits.
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Trump → play → hits
He has a regular riff about tariffs.
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He → have → tariffs
My favorite word," Trump said in Lubbock, Tex.
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Trump → say → Lubbock
"I always say it, but I had to change it to fifth favorite.
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I → say → favorite
You've heard me say this.
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me → hear → this
I said it's my favorite word.
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it → say → ?
It's made us rich.
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It → make → ?
"
But there are also new ones, like the instant classic about Ohio Sen. Jon Husted's butt, which, once Trump got a laugh, he just kept repeating everywhere he went.
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he → be → laugh
"So, I'm studying him and I made the mistake of saying that I started off by studying his ass," Trump said.
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Trump → study → ass
"I just wanted to see."
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I → want → ?
This wasn't just a key pitch in Ohio, where perhaps some voters could be persuaded by the idea of a senator with a well built behind.
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voters → persuade → behind
"The audience loved it.
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audience → love → it
By the way, [Husted] went up 12 points that day," Trump said confidently despite evidence to the contrary.
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Trump → go → contrary
"He went from being down to being up."
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He → go → ?
He even talked about Husted's butt in Texas, where Trump's reviews of Senate candidate Ken Paxton's looks have been less complimentary.
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reviews → talk → looks
"Maybe I should do that with Ken Paxton, but I'm not sure your body is going to qualify," Trump said to laughs.
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Trump → do → laughs
Even the $5,000 "Trump dividend" he's promising to all American adults if Republicans win the House and the Senate comes with an off message weave.
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Republicans → promise → weave
"You'll be my guest at Mar-a-Lago," Trump mused.
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Trump → muse → Lago
"The problem is that for $5000, the most you'll be able to buy is a hamburger and maybe a small dessert.
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you → buy → 5000
I'm not even sure you could buy that.
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you → buy → that
Trump added that Mar-a-Lago, his Florida resort, isn't a great place for the cost conscious.
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Lago → add → conscious
In a year when affordability is a top issue, this is a performance for the Trump faithful, who eat it up.
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who → eat → it
"I took the month of October off thinking that there would be a few rallies as it turned out there's a ton of them," Marnell said.
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Marnell → take → them
"I'm just going from rally to rally.
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I → go → rally
Some people like to go on cruises.
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people → like → cruises
I like political rallies.
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I → like → rallies
He's famous for his dedication, always in the front row, wearing a suit meant to be an homage to Trump's early campaign promise to build the wall.
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He → wear → wall
"But President Trump calls me Mr. Wall," Marnell said.
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Marnell → call → me
Shouting out "Mr. Wall" is a regular feature of a Trump rally, along with the "Front Row Joe's" and "the lovely ladies from North Carolina."
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Shouting → shout → Carolina
…and 30 more, not listed.