US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump cast their ballots early in Florida on Saturday ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, as Republicans seek to retain control of Congress.
The couple voted in their home state before the president travelled to Georgia for a campaign rally in support of Republican candidates.
Speaking to reporters after voting, Trump said he had voted exclusively for candidates from his Republican Party.
Asked about corruption, which remains a major concern among voters, the president accused Democrats of being responsible for the problem in areas under their control.
“You ought to look at the real corruption, it’s Democrat corruption,” he said.
Trump also repeated his unsubstantiated claim that the 2020 presidential election, which he lost, was rigged against him. He has repeatedly refused to accept the result, alleging widespread electoral fraud without credible evidence.
“I ran and I won in 2016, and I won in 2020, too, but it didn’t work out that way,” Trump said at the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections office in West Palm Beach.
“It was a rigged election, but I won by millions of votes,” he added.
With 10 days remaining before the midterm elections, opinion polls point to a difficult contest for Republicans.
Midterm elections traditionally favour the party outside the White House, and current projections suggest Republicans could lose their majority in the House of Representatives and potentially the Senate.
Losing control of either chamber would complicate Trump’s efforts to advance his legislative agenda during the final two years of his presidency, as Democrats would gain greater power to block proposals and scrutinise his administration.
A Democratic majority could also pave the way for congressional investigations into the president’s business dealings and those of people close to him. Democrats have indicated that they intend to examine transactions conducted through the Trump family’s holding company since he returned to the White House.
Trump votes early in Florida as Republicans fight to retain congress