Donald Trump has returned to the campaign trail with a mission to secure Republican victories in the upcoming midterm elections. At a January rally in Iowa, Trump declared: "We've got to win the midterms."

Sources close to the White House indicate the president is pursuing an aggressive campaign strategy that could include near-weekly public rallies. Chief of Staff Susie Wiles stated in December: "He's going to campaign like it's 2024 again."

Trump has already visited key swing states Pennsylvania and North Carolina in December, and continued promoting his economic record in Iowa and Michigan.

However, the strategy carries risks. The sitting president's party often suffers losses in midterms, and Democrats hope to leverage Trump's declining poll numbers to chip away at Republican majorities in Congress.

Liberty University professor Tory L. Lucas noted: "The more President Trump places himself at the centre of the midterms, the more the Republican Party will rise or fall based on his personality and popularity."

Part of Trump's motivation stems from fears of the "midterm curse." Since World War II, the president's party has lost House seats in 18 of 20 midterm elections.

Trump and his allies acknowledge steep odds. The president said last month on Air Force One: "Sitting presidents don't seem to do well in the midterms. Over a 50-year period, they won twice. You'd have to ask a psychiatrist about that."

A January Economist-YouGov poll found 57% of Americans disapprove of Trump's job performance. A separate Reuters-Ipsos survey showed 59% disapproval.

Emory University political science professor Andra Gillespie stated: "The signs don't look favourable for Republicans this year. They should brace for some losses based on those numbers."

In the House, Republicans hold a slim four-seat majority over Democrats. In the Senate, Republicans control 53 seats compared to 47 for Democrats.

Source: www.aljazeera.com