Trump Heads To Alabama, Says: ‘I Go There Because They Want To See Me There’

US President Donald Trump took his midterm campaign tour to deep-red Alabama on Friday, returning to Mobile, where he held his first major rally more than a decade ago.

At the University of South Alabama’s Mitchell Center, Trump campaigned for Republican candidates including Sen. Tommy Tuberville, who is running for Alabama governor, and state Rep. Rhett Marques, who is seeking to win the state’s redrawn 2nd Congressional District.

The rally came as Republicans prepare for the November 3 midterm elections, with Trump seeking to energise his party’s supporters through a series of appearances across the country.

Trump Returns To Site Of First Mega Rally

Trump’s return to Mobile carried personal political significance. He held a major rally there in 2015 during his first presidential campaign, drawing an estimated 30,000 people and signalling the strength of his support among Republican voters.

On Friday, supporters again gathered for hours ahead of his appearance despite hot and humid conditions.

Trump told reporters before leaving Washington that he wanted to visit states that had strongly supported him and thank their voters.

Trump Urges Supporters To Treat Him As If He Is On Ballot

During the rally, Trump urged attendees to vote in November as though he himself were on the ballot.

“Can everybody just close your eyes and pretend I’m on the ballot?” Trump told the crowd, according to local reporting.

The event was held in Alabama, where Republicans have historically performed strongly, rather than in one of the most closely contested battlegrounds.

Tuberville, Marques Among Republicans Backed By Trump

Trump used the rally to campaign for Tuberville, who is seeking the Republican nomination for Alabama governor, and Marques, the Trump-backed candidate challenging Democratic Rep. Shomari Figures in the newly redrawn 2nd Congressional District.

The district was redrawn as part of broader congressional redistricting efforts in the South following a US Supreme Court ruling concerning the Voting Rights Act. Figures was first elected in 2024, when Alabama elected two Black representatives to Congress for the first time in its history.

Republican Rep. Barry Moore, who is running for Tuberville’s Senate seat, also appeared at the rally.

Rally Comes Amid National Political Challenges

Trump’s Alabama appearance is part of a broader campaign schedule ahead of the midterms. His recent stops have included Texas and Oklahoma, with additional visits planned as Republicans seek to mobilise voters.

The Alabama rally also highlighted the contrast between Trump’s strong support in the state and the broader national political environment. Recent polling has shown relatively low approval ratings for Trump, while Republicans are facing uncertainty about congressional races across the country.

Mobile River Bridge Project Highlighted

The rally coincided with attention on the $3.2 billion Mobile River Bridge and Bayway project, which Alabama officials have described as the largest transportation project in the state’s history.

Republican Rep. Barry Moore proposed naming the bridge after Trump during remarks ahead of the president’s arrival.