President Trump will travel to Ohio on Saturday to hold a rally in support of Republican state Sen. Troy Balderson, who is in a tight special election race to replace former Republican Rep. Pat Tiberi, Trump’s re-election campaign announced Wednesday morning.
Trump will stump for Balderson at the Delaware County Fair Coliseum, located 40 miles north of Columbus, Ohio. The trip marks Trump’s 23rd visit to the Buckeye State and fifth to the central Ohio region since mid-2015.
“Following massive rallies in Tampa, Florida and Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania this week, we are pleased to announce the scheduling of our next Make America Great Again rally in Delaware, Ohio on Saturday, August 4th featuring President Donald Trump,” Michael Glassner, chief operating officer for Donald J. Trump for President, Inc., said in a statement. “President Trump has demonstrated that he’s all-in for our GOP candidates this year, so he’s looking forward to showing his support for Troy Balderson in Ohio’s 12th Congressional District special election.”
Balderson is up against Democrat Danny O’Connor in the special election next Tuesday, Aug. 7. Tiberi resigned effective Jan. 15 to head the Ohio Business Roundtable.
A RealClearPolitics.com average of recent polling found Balderson had a 10 percentage point lead over his opponent.
Although the Cook Political Report deemed the election a “Republican toss-up,” the congressional district has gone red in 88 of the past 98 years. Voters elected Trump over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in 2016, 53 percent to 42 percent, according to data compiled by the Daily Kos.
But the White House is looking to make sure it has the district locked down in order to avoid an upset ahead of the midterm elections in November.
While speaking to Ohio voters, Trump will tout the “booming economy” and how his administration is “creating new jobs across Ohio,” as well as addressing the “illegal immigration crisis” and negotiating new trade deals, according to a statement his campaign released.
The rally is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET Saturday, Aug. 4.
