Trump urges Ohio voters to 'pretend' he's running in midterms

President Donald Trump returned to Ohio Saturday night with a loud message: America is entering a new golden age. He pointed to billions in fresh investment and a surge of new jobs across the Buckeye State as proof. His goal was clear, he wanted voters to help Republicans hold power when November rolls around.

This marked his third visit to Dayton in three straight nights. Trump gathered supporters outside the city to back Senator Jon Husted for re-election and Vivek Ramaswamy’s bid for governor. He framed the upcoming midterms as a direct chance to extend the economic and political wins he claimed the GOP has delivered since returning to the White House. Since his own name does not appear on the ballot this year, Trump offered voters one simple instruction instead of asking them to vote for him directly.

"Just pretend that I'm running," he told the crowd. "When I run, we win."

The president later repeated those words as he tried to get his political base behind Republicans fighting to keep control of Congress. "If you don't mind, please pretend that I am on the ballot," Trump said. "And you need to turn out for a midterm victory."

He spent much of the rally building an economic case for the Republican ticket. Trump declared Ohio is booming and praised investments he credited to his trade and tariff policies. He highlighted a $400 million commitment from Stellantis in Toledo and an $850 million aerospace project from Electra near Springfield.

Weaving in a personal story about taking aspirin every day, the president also spotlighted Bayer's plans for a massive pharmaceutical manufacturing campus near Columbus. The company says the facility will support roughly 600 permanent jobs and another 1,500 construction roles. "Your state is booming," Trump told the gathered crowd. "Every state is booming."

Trump credited these investments to his tariff agenda. He argued the United States is finally leveling the playing field after years of other nations using tariffs against American goods while offering companies a strong incentive to build right here at home.

He also threw his support behind Husted's Ratepayer Protection Act, legislation designed to shield consumers from rising electricity costs linked to data centers. "We want them," Trump said regarding the facilities. "There's so much money to be made for Ohio. You can't just turn them off. They'll go to China."

Senator Husted brought the bill to the Senate floor days before the rally, where it failed to move forward. President Trump pledged to sign it immediately if Congress sends it to his desk. "I will sign this Ratepayer Protection Act into law immediately," he stated.

Trump broadened his victory lap from Ohio to the entire country, celebrating record stock markets, manufacturing growth, investment, and employment. He contrasted his administration's economic record with that of former President Joe Biden. "Our nation is doing better now than ever before," he said.

He also praised GOP-backed tax provisions, such as no tax on tips and overtime pay. Trump reiterated his proposal to offer $5,000 payments to adult Americans if Republicans keep the House and Senate.

Then he shifted topics to immigration and Springfield, Ohio. He dedicated a recitation of the poem "The Snake" to that city, which became a national flashpoint during the 2024 presidential campaign over an influx of Haitian nationals into the community. "I dedicate this to Springfield, Ohio," Trump said. "They went through hell."

After finishing the poem, which the president has long admired as an allegory for immigration issues, he told the crowd, "That's what happened at our border," before praising his administration's crackdown on illegal entry. He also briefly touched on Venezuela and claimed the United States...

President Donald Trump claimed that oil wealth allowed his administration to more than cover the expenses of its military campaign against former Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. He told a crowd, "We paid for the cost of the war many, many times over," before adding, "We're making a fortune with it."

The remarks took place just 31 days before the election. Trump used this moment to push Ohio voters toward John Husted and Vivek Ramaswamy. He also backed Republican congressional candidates in the state.

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Trump suggested Ohio could become the site for a new U.S. National Space Academy. He pointed to the state's aviation roots and the legacy of the Wright brothers as reasons to choose this location. "If we win the midterms, Ohio will be very, very strongly considered for this," he stated. His goal was clear: get people out to vote again for Husted and Vivek Ramaswamy.