Key facts
- President Donald Trump will travel extensively to campaign for Republican candidates in the lead-up to the midterm elections.
- Trump denied awareness of a draft executive order that proposed granting him significant control over election administration.
- The draft order included measures like mandatory hand-counting of ballots and voter identification requirements.
- Legal experts assert that such an executive order would be unconstitutional, as election administration authority rests with the states.
- Trump is scheduled to deliver the keynote address at an upcoming Republican midterm convention in Texas.
President Donald Trump announced plans for extensive travel in the final month before the midterm elections to campaign for Republican candidates, including stops in Alaska to support Senator Dan S. Sullivan and in Texas for Attorney General Ken Paxton. Trump stated he intends to visit 35 locations to bolster support for candidates.
Separately, Trump denied knowledge of a draft executive order that proposed granting him broad powers over election administration, including measures such as hand-counting ballots and requiring voter identification. The 17-page proposal, which has circulated among his allies, aimed to address election integrity issues by declaring a national emergency. Legal experts and scholars have indicated that such an order would be unconstitutional, as the U.S. Constitution explicitly grants states the authority to administer elections.
Trump stated he was unaware of the draft order when questioned by PBS News, though an attorney confirmed its circulation among some supporters, asserting the president's power to act in an emergency. Previous executive orders on elections issued by Trump have faced legal challenges and been blocked by federal courts. Federal law mandates the general election date, and only Congress has the authority to change it. States manage the 'Times, Places and Manner' of federal elections, and the president cannot legally nationalize or cancel elections.
Trump is also scheduled to deliver the keynote address at a rare midterm convention hosted by the Republican party in Texas next week. However, a POLITICO survey of over 70 GOP candidates and members revealed that most either do not plan to attend or are still considering whether to go, indicating limited enthusiasm for the event. Republicans are also reportedly eager for MAGA Inc. to utilize its substantial $400 million war chest.