United States President Donald Trump has announced that he will spend 32 days travelling and campaigning for the midterm elections in November, which will decide which party controls Congress.
The upcoming race is widely seen as a referendum on TrumpâÂÂs second term in office, and it could decide whether his political agenda faces legislative hurdles for the next two years.
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Trump has even speculated that, if Democrats take control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, he could face a third impeachment.
Still, on Tuesday, Trump expressed optimism as he spoke to reporters. He also denied that Republican candidates are seeking to distance themselves from his administration ahead of the vote.
âÂÂYou love me, and I love them,â Trump said, as he outlined his plans for a multi-state tour to support Republican midterm contenders.
âÂÂJust so you understand, they all want me to go. IâÂÂm one person. They all want me to go campaign,â he added.
Trump described his travel itinerary as âÂÂliterally a 32-day tourâÂÂ, set to include visits to states such as Texas and Ohio, where toss-up races are under way.
But critics have speculated that TrumpâÂÂs slipping popularity could spell trouble for the Republican Party, which hopes to hold onto its majorities in both chambers of Congress.
Recent polls suggest that TrumpâÂÂs approval has fallen to new lows as voters express frustration over the rising cost of living, caused in part by TrumpâÂÂs decision to launch a war against Iran that has roiled global energy markets.
A Wall Street Journal poll released last week found that TrumpâÂÂs approval rating sits at 37 percent.
That marks the lowest rate for a president in the lead-up to the midterms since the outlet began conducting the poll in 1990, when George HW Bush was in office.
Still, Trump has positioned himself as a central figure in the Republican PartyâÂÂs bid to win the midterm races.
This month, the party held its first-ever midterm political convention in Texas, with Trump delivering a keynote address.
TrumpâÂÂs allies have also pledged that the Republican leader would âÂÂcampaign like itâÂÂs 2024 againâÂÂ, a reference to his successful second bid for the presidency.
Supporters have speculated he could have success in mobilising so-called low-propensity voters, who are considered less likely to cast a ballot.
Some of his tactics have attracted outcry, however. The Department of Homeland Security, which has played a central role in TrumpâÂÂs mass deportation push, has recently come under scrutiny for using $20m to create campaign-style advertisements lauding the Republican leaderâÂÂs accomplishments.
Democratic and Republican lawmakers have slammed those efforts as an inappropriate use of taxpayer funds that could violate anti-propaganda laws.
âÂÂWe should not have to remind you that using government funding to create or air political ads like the ones that have been running over the last few days is illegal and a shockingly corrupt misuse of taxpayer dollars,â Democratic Senator Patty Murray wrote to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin in a letter on Tuesday.