Trump makes final appeal to Republican voters as US midterm polling begins

US President Donald Trump made a final effort to mobilize Republican voters ahead of the midterm elections on Tuesday, November 3, posting attacks on candidates in Michigan and Alaska before polling stations opened. His messages on Truth Social included an endorsement in Michigan's Senate contest and allegations involving an independent candidate in Alaska.

In an early Tuesday post, Trump targeted Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, claiming that he "Hates Jews and Hates Blacks." Trump also asserted that El-Sayed hated white people and warned voters against supporting him. The accusations formed part of the president's appeal for voters to back El-Sayed's Republican opponent, Mike Rogers.

Rogers had also received support from Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens, who endorsed him on Sunday after losing to El-Sayed in the Democratic primary. Trump's endorsement placed him alongside Stevens in backing Rogers in the Senate race, despite their different party affiliations. El-Sayed has faced strong criticism over his positions on Israel.

That criticism has included accusations that El-Sayed denies Israel's right to exist. He has previously accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. Trump's post directed a broader attack at the Democratic candidate while urging support for Rogers as Michigan prepared to open its polling stations on Tuesday morning.

In a separate message concerning Alaska, Trump described independent candidate Dan J. Sullivan as "missing in action" and claimed that nobody had been able to locate him. He speculated that Democratic lawyers might have kidnapped the candidate and accused those lawyers of fearing prosecution for election fraud. These were claims made by the president in his post.

Dan J. Sullivan has been the subject of allegations that Democratic operatives recruited him to confuse voters and divert support from Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan, whose name is similar. Democratic candidate Mary Peltola's campaign, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and the independent candidate himself have all denied that allegation.

Voting was scheduled to begin at different hours across the United States on Tuesday. Vermont had the earliest opening time, at 5 a.m., while Michigan polling stations were due to open at 7 a.m. Alaska's polls were set to be the last to close, at about 1 a.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, November 4.