Trump Backs Tuberville & Marques in Alabama, Announces Return for Football Game/ TezzBuzz/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ President Donald Trump rallied supporters in Mobile, Alabama, Friday, urging them to elect Republicans as the party faces difficult midterm conditions. He backed Tommy Tuberville and Rhett Marques, highlighted a major transportation project and announced another Alabama visit next Saturday. The rally drew loyal supporters and protesters while serving as an outreach opportunity to voters in neighboring Florida.
Quick Look
- Republican turnout appeal: Trump again asked supporters to vote as though he were on the ballot.
- Candidates promoted: He supported Tommy Tuberville for governor and Rhett Marques for Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District.
- Return visit announced: Trump said he would attend next Saturday’s Georgia-Alabama football game.
- National approval remains weak: About three in 10 adults approve of his job performance, according to AP-NORC polling.
- Mixed views on fuel costs: Some supporters accepted higher prices, while others described frustration among Trump voters.
- Protesters gather: Demonstrators criticized the University of South Alabama’s decision to host the rally.
- Florida audience targeted: Republicans hoped the event would also help gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds.
- Infrastructure spotlight: Trump promoted the $3.2 billion Mobile River Bridge and Bayway project.
Deep Look
Trump Urges Alabama Supporters to Back Republicans
MOBILE, Ala. — President Donald Trump rallied supporters at the University of South Alabama Friday, returning to a city closely associated with the beginning of his political rise.
With congressional control at stake in November, he urged voters to support Republican candidates, including Sen. Tommy Tuberville for governor and state Rep. Rhett Marques for the U.S. House.
The appearance followed Thursday’s campaign stop in Oklahoma and placed Trump before a loyal audience as Republicans confront weak national polling and concern about their midterm prospects.
“I’m here really because, you know, sometimes, even though you don’t have to come here, you gotta pay respect to the people that have loved you right from the beginning,” he told the crowd.
Trump also announced that he would return to Alabama next Saturday for the football game between the Georgia Bulldogs and Alabama Crimson Tide.
Mobile Rally Revives Memories of 2015 Campaign
More than a decade ago, Trump drew his first mega-rally audience in Mobile, with some estimates placing attendance at approximately 30,000 people.
That gathering at a college football stadium demonstrated the strength of his appeal during the campaign leading to the 2016 presidential election.
“I don’t know if you know, it sort of all began here,” Trump said Friday. “We packed the stadium, and the rest is history.”
Supporters began lining up early in hot, humid weather to hear him speak.
Supporters Offer Different Views on Rising Costs
Patrick Burch, 27, traveled from Huntsville and said higher living costs did not weaken his support.
“The way I see it, at the end of the day, if I gotta pay a little more, a couple dollars extra here and there in order for my kids to be safe in the future and to make sure Iran isn’t nuclear or anything like that, then I’m ok with that,” he said.
Scott Carpenter, 64, of nearby Citronelle, said he drove infrequently and was not personally affected much by rising gasoline prices. However, he said high diesel costs were hurting friends.
“They don’t like it,” he said. “They’re very upset. They love Donald Trump. They just want the diesel price to come down.”
Carpenter also questioned why Trump was spending campaign time in Alabama.
“For him to come here, he had to be a little nervous. Or some of the other places really didn’t want him to come.”
Protesters Criticize University’s Role as Host
The rally also drew opposition.
Elijah Splitt, 22, a graduate student who identified himself as a member of the Revolutionary Party for Socialism and Liberationcriticized the university administration.
“We have a bunch of students who are very upset, who are very agitated, who are angry that the university administration would allow the Republicans to hold their midterm rally here and to also invite the president of the United States,” he said.
Splitt called the appearance “a last-ditch effort” to “boost morale amongst Republican voters.”
Separately, federal court records showed that three university students were arrested over alleged threats against the president in social media posts. The arrests do not establish guilt.
Low Approval Ratings Complicate Republican Campaign
Trump again asked supporters to approach the election as though his name were on the ballot.
Although he retains a committed base, an Associated Press-NORC poll released this week found that only about three in 10 adults approve of his overall job performance.
Most Americans also blame him for rising prices.
Trump has repeatedly dismissed affordability concerns as the unpopular war with Iran continues.
On Friday, he described his administration as “the most successful presidency in history.”
The rally provided Republicans with a large cheering audience as they sought to strengthen enthusiasm before Election Day.
Tuberville and Moore Rally Behind Trump
Tuberville, who faces former Democratic Sen. Doug Jones in the governor’s race, spoke at the event.
Republican Rep. Barry Moore, who is running for Tuberville’s Senate seat, also addressed supporters.
Moore asked how many attendees had been present at Trump’s 2015 Mobile rally.
“Do you still stand with him today?” he asked. “When he gets here tonight, y’all stand with him. Let him know we love him. Let him know we need him. And let him know we’re not going to let him down.”
Republicans remain strong favorites in Alabama’s statewide contests, although the broader political environment presents greater challenges this year.
Redrawn Congressional District Creates Key House Contest
Near Mobile, Democratic Rep. Shomari Figures is defending Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District against Trump-backed Marques.
Its boundaries were redrawn as part of a broader Republican effort to retain the House majority.
“You’re the only one a little close because it’s new, it’s fresh, it’s brand new,” Trump told Marques.
The district is among several Democratic-leaning Southern districts reshaped to favor Republicans following a Supreme Court ruling this year that substantially weakened the Voting Rights Act.
Figures’ election in 2024 gave Alabama two Black U.S. House members for the first time in its history.
Rally Extends Campaign Reach Into Florida
Republican officials also hoped the Mobile event would reach voters in Florida’s neighboring panhandle.
The region is a Republican stronghold and an important audience for Rep. Byron Donalds, Trump’s endorsed candidate for Florida governor.
The location allowed the rally to support Alabama candidates while carrying campaign messages across state lines.
White House Plans Intensive Travel Before Midterms
White House chief of staff Susie Wiles told Republican senators this week that Trump would campaign aggressively through the Nov. 3 elections.
The schedule includes events on nearly every day and visits to competitive states such as Ohio and Texas.
His early emphasis on heavily Republican areas reflects the party’s effort to mobilize dependable supporters amid difficult national conditions.
Trump Highlights Bridge Project and Naming Proposal
Friday’s rally also featured the recently approved $3.2 billion Mobile River Bridge and Bayway project.
Trump described it as the largest transportation project in Alabama history.
Before the president arrived, Moore proposed naming it the Donald J. Trump Bridge.
Trump said that, if the project received his name, he would be happy to allow builders to exceed its budget.
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