US President Donald Trump is beginning a 32-day, multi-state campaign tour for Republican candidates ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, which will determine control of Congress. Trump acknowledged that he had done a "very bad job" explaining his economic record, while insisting that the country was performing better than ever. Republicans are defending congressional majorities as voters express concern over gasoline prices, tariffs, the war on Iran, labor-market conditions, home prices and mortgage rates. A Wall Street Journal poll put Trump’s approval rating at 37%, while the Conference Board reported that consumer confidence fell to a near 12-1/2-year low in September. Trump has remained central to the Republican campaign despite criticism of his record and scrutiny over $20 million in Department of Homeland Security advertisements praising him.