“During the first political rally of his monthlong midterm campaign season, President Trump dangled the promise of cash, played news clips, introduced the former professional basketball player Dennis Rodman, presented infographics on his endorsement success rate, pulled supporters onstage, including one of his White House aides — all while asking his most faithful supporters to pretend that he is on that ballot in November,” the New York Times reports.

“It was over the top, even for a showman.”

“Mr. Trump served up reliable red meat, warning the crowd about socialists, open borders and rising crime if Democrats take majority control of either chamber of Congress in November. But he was largely preaching to his most fervent fans, not the voters he will need to elect or re-elect a slate of Republicans fighting in states from Alaska to Maine. He knew it.”

New York Times: “Republicans in Congress this week spent their last hours in the Capitol before the midterm elections pushing a series of meant-to-fail votes that they hoped could signal to voters that they were at least trying to address widespread concerns about the high cost of living. It was a familiar pre-election exercise made more urgent this year because those Republicans are battling stiff headwinds, including economic concerns and President Trump’s sagging approval ratings, in their battle to maintain control of Congress.”

“But they emerged with no meaningful progress on a long list of issues weighing on their constituents, leaving some wondering — if not openly doubting — whether they had done enough to persuade voters to keep them in power.”

“Staring down his lowest approval numbers at any point in office, President Donald Trump is hitting the road for the next month, he says, in hopes of boosting Republican turnout in the midterm elections,” the Washington Post reports.

Said Trump: “They like to say, ‘Oh, nobody wants him.’ Well, everybody that has me wins.”

New York Times: Trump plays defense in midterm tour across Republican strongholds.

“Bernie Sanders is cracking open his war chest,” Politico reports.

“For months, the Vermont senator criss-crossed the country vaulting progressives to a series of primary wins. Now, he’s dipping into his substantial campaign coffers as part of a broader effort to propel battleground Democrats over the finish line in November.”

“Five weeks out from the midterms, Republicans are panicking over prices — and apparently over the president, too,” the New York Times reports.

“In Iowa, Michigan and Ohio, the party’s Senate candidates have urged President Trump to bring an end to the Iran war. In Kansas, an incumbent senator in an unexpectedly tough re-election fight has admonished the administration over immigration raids. Just about every Republican wishes Mr. Trump would just focus on the economy.”

“Instead, he spent last week threatening to escalate the war — a move that could further drive up the prices of gas and diesel fuel.”

“With less than six weeks to go until Election Day, the sentiment among Republicans is shifting from nervous to fatalistic, as a pileup of bad news has many convinced they are heading toward an electoral disaster,” Time reports.

“The warning signs are coming in quickly from across the map—much on it from red states where President Trump won comfortably just two years ago.”

NewsNation: Trump’s polls sink further in warning sign for GOP.

President Trump’s approval rate during his first term was negative, but essentially flat.

He’s been falling continuously during his second term.