GOP senator removes Trump references from campaign website as poll numbers fall before midterms
WASHINGTON, DC: Republican Senator Mike Rounds has removed several references to President Donald Trump from his re-election campaign website just weeks before the November 3 midterm elections, even as his campaign maintains that Trump’s endorsement remains prominent.
The website changes occurred as Trump faces declining approval ratings and Republicans confront concerns about their prospects in competitive congressional races. Rounds’ campaign has, however, said that not every mention of Trump has been removed.
Mike Rounds’ campaign says Trump endorsement remains despite website changes
An earlier version of Rounds’ campaign website featured two references to Trump on its homepage, including an “endorsed by President Trump” banner and a photograph of Rounds accompanied by a statement that the president had endorsed him. Both references have since disappeared, according to an older version of the website reviewed by Fox News Digital.
Trump’s name was also removed from two sections of Rounds’ “Issues” page, where he had previously been mentioned under “Put America First” and “Education.” Rounds’ campaign adviser, Rob Skjonsberg, said that the president’s endorsement had not been entirely removed from the website.
FOX NEWS: Sen. Mike Rounds scrubs mentions of President Trump from campaign website 97% chance Rounds wins reelection https://t.co/wDtsRO4Pnj
— Kalshi Politics (@KalshiPolitics) October 13, 2026
“The president’s endorsement is still front and center on the website in Mike’s announcement video,” Skjonsberg told the outlet. “But, generally speaking, it’s not abnormal to hone in on general election messaging.”
Trump had endorsed Rounds last year, describing him as an “incredibly strong advocate for the wonderful people of South Dakota, a State I love, and won big, in 2016, 2020, and 2024!” “Mike Rounds has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election, he will never let you down,” Trump said in a Truth Social post at the time.
Donald J. Trump Truth Social 07.21.25 02:41 PM EST Senator Mike Rounds is an incredibly strong advocate for the wonderful people of South Dakota, a State I love, and WON BIG, in 2016, 2020, and 2024! An America First Patriot, Mike is fighting tirelessly to Advance the Great Values of the Mount Rushmore State, Champion our Farmers and Ranchers, Strengthen the Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Promote MADE IN THE U.S.A., Ensure American Energy DOMINANCE, Help Secure our already Highly Secure Border, Support our Brave Military, Veterans, and Law Enforcement, and Protect our always under siege Second Amendment. Mike Rounds has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election – HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!
— Commentary Trump Daily Posts (@TrumpDailyPosts) July 21, 2025
Rounds, a former South Dakota governor and state senator, is seeking a third term in a state that the Cook Political Report continues to classify as “Solidly Republican.” He faces independent candidate Brian Bengs, who ran as a Democrat against Senate Majority Leader John Thune in 2022 and lost after Thune secured more than 70% of the vote.
Broader Republican efforts to create distance from Trump
Reports show that candidates distancing themselves from the president have become a wider pattern among Republicans preparing for the midterms. A Reuters review of campaign materials, public statements and voting records found that candidates in 41 of 62 competitive congressional races had sought to distance themselves from Trump or diverged from his policies.
The review found that policy disagreements were the most common form of separation, appearing in 23 of the 62 races. The Iran conflict was a point of division in 12 contests, with some Republicans supporting limits on Trump’s war powers or calling for an end to fighting that has contributed to higher fuel costs and pressure on household budgets.
Two-thirds of Republican candidates in competitive US House and Senate races have either broken with President Donald Trump on policy or sought to distance themselves from him, according to a Reuters review. Candidates in 41 of 62 competitive congressional races have taken steps to create separation ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. Reuters found that policy differences were the most common form of divergence, appearing in 23 races. In 12 contests, Republican candidates broke with Trump over the Iran war, including by supporting limits on his war powers or calling for an end to the war. Others have criticized the administration’s support for rapid data-center expansion, while some candidates have removed Trump’s name, image or endorsements from campaign websites or avoided his events. Direct criticism of Trump remains relatively uncommon, with many candidates continuing to support his broader agenda while emphasizing differences on individual issues. The review comes as a Reuters/Ipsos poll found Trump’s approval rating at 32%, while registered voters preferred Democrats over Republicans 44% to 37% ahead of the midterms. Truth. Morality. Justice. Our independent journalism is fueled by people like you. Join us at https://t.co/oiDa0WsCG1
— TMJ News Network (@tmjnewsnetwork) October 7, 2026
Data center development has also created disagreements between Trump and some Republican candidates, with three candidates in competitive races criticising or seeking to slow projects despite the president’s support for faster development.
The White House has defended Trump’s position within the party. Spokesman Davis Ingle, responding to questions about the review findings, described the president as the party’s “unequivocal leader, best messenger and unmatched motivator.”
