'Cheat like hell': Trump urges GOP voters to turn out in midterm elections

President Donald Trump closed the GOP’s midterm convention on Thursday with a forceful appeal to supporters, repeatedly urging them to vote and help Republicans retain control of Congress. “You’ve got to do me the biggest favour you’ve ever done me,” he said. “You’ve got to do this for me. You’ve got to pretend I’m on the ticket.” Trump later led the crowd in an extended pledge to vote, asking attendees to promise to “go out with my family, my friends … I don’t care if I’m registered or not, I’m going to try and cheat like hell, like they (Democrats) do.”

“You know what happens if you don’t vote?” he asked at one point. “You go to hell. You know that.” The president’s remarks came during a lengthy closing address that focused heavily on his administration’s record and the accomplishments he said his government had delivered. At the same time, Trump painted a grim picture of what he claimed could happen if Democrats regain control of the House or Senate.

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He warned that Democrats would seek to undo his policies and claimed they would ‘set loose criminals to rob, rape and kill like we had just two years ago’. Trump also repeated his promise to give every American adult $5,000 if Republicans maintain control of both chambers of Congress. The pledge, however, has yet to be matched by a clearly defined plan from within his administration explaining how such a payment would ultimately be funded or implemented.

His closing remarks came as Republicans face growing voter concerns about the economy and the war in Iran, issues that could weigh on the party’s prospects in the midterm elections. Trump did not directly acknowledge those challenges. Instead, he praised his administration’s record and argued that the country was in better shape than ever. “I’ve delivered on every single promise I made,” Trump said. “And I think I delivered on far more.”