Roger Marshall claims Trump canceled Kansas rally because he is 'doing so well' in polls

WASHINGTON, DC: Sen Roger Marshall (R-KS) said Thursday that President Donald Trump’s decision to cancel a planned weekend rally in Kansas likely reflects confidence in his re-election race. The White House confirmed the event was off without giving a specific reason and pointed instead to a series of telerallies planned before Election Day.

Marshall is seeking another term in a race that has become unexpectedly competitive in a state Republicans have long held. A new CNN poll released the same day showed him trailing Democratic challenger Adam Hamilton by four points.

Roger Marshall claims he is so well in the polls

Scripps News reporter Jacob Gardenswartz asked Marshall about the cancellation on Thursday. The senator said he was not yet sure of the reason but offered his own read.

“Any reaction to the president cancelling the in-person rally this weekend?” the reporter asked.

“I’m not — I’m not sure yet,” Marshall replied. “I think — they think that I’m doing so well in the polls that he’s probably got better places to spend his time.”

The senator then shrugged, adding, “Um, not sure.”

The canceled appearance would have been Trump’s second Kansas rally for Marshall this campaign season.  The president visited the state last week. 

In the final stretch of the campaign, he has also held rallies in other states, including Texas, Arizona and Alaska.

Poll shows a tight race in a red state

Marshall’s explanation came the same day CNN released new polling showing him trailing Democratic opponent Adam Hamilton by four percentage points.

The White House confirmed Thursday that Trump’s planned rally had been canceled, offering no specific explanation.

“President Trump will continue connecting directly with Americans nationwide through more than 20 telerallies before Election Day,” the White House said in a statement. “These events give him the opportunity to highlight his accomplishments and expand his reach across the country.”

The CNN survey put Hamilton four points ahead of Marshall.  It also moved the RealClearPolitics polling average slightly in the Democrat’s favor, giving him a 0.2-point edge.  That is a narrow margin within the range of normal polling error, but the movement is notable in Kansas, where no Democrat has won a US Senate election since 1932.

During his previous visit last week, Trump faced repeated interruptions from hecklers, including a woman who shouted, “I f*****g hate you!”

The Republican senator has fielded hecklers as well, getting a wave of boos at a Kansas State Fair debate last month as he defended Trump’s tariffs, with the crowd later breaking into chants of “Shame on you!” as he was pressed over his medical practice having sued hundreds of patients for unpaid medical bills.