WATCH LIVE: Trump heads to rally in Kansas as Republican voters' frustrations deepen

Top Kansas farmer Glenn Brunkow described this time of year as "go time" for farmers, as they combine fields, haul crops to town, and move livestock to winter homes. President Donald Trump is scheduled to speak at a rally at 7 p.m. EDT. However, this harvest season, they're facing higher diesel prices, exceeding $2.50 per gallon compared to a year ago, adding to financial pressures from rising costs, volatile markets, and shrinking profits.

Brunkow, president of the Kansas Farm Bureau, said the economic strain feels like it's coming from all directions. The financial woes are becoming a politically sensitive issue for Republicans in states they've traditionally dominated. Trump is set to visit Kansas and Iowa, the latter later in the week, as part of a series of stops aimed at boosting his base ahead of the midterm elections.

These visits come as Republicans allocate funds to Senate races in Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa, driven by concerns about voter engagement. In Kansas, where Trump won by 16 percentage points over Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, Republican Sen. Roger Marshall faces a tough challenge from Democrat Adam Hamilton. Democrats have not won a Senate election in Kansas in 94 years.

Brunkow, whose organization backed Marshall, noted that economic frustrations might dampen Republican farmers' enthusiasm for voting. Don Hineman, a western Kansas rancher and former Republican state House majority leader, observed heightened frustration among GOP voters beyond just farmers, including those who have supported Trump in multiple elections.

He cited Trump's tariffs hurting their businesses, the ongoing war with Iran, and recent immigration raids in western Kansas as sources of discontent. Hineman emphasized the need for a secure border, while also calling for a functional immigration policy that provides the workforce the U.S. has always relied on. Republican arguments in Kansas, focused on Democrats empowering their liberal wing, seem less persuasive to some voters, like Hineman, who expressed fatigue with the Republican Party's alignment with the current administration.

In a tight Senate race, voters like Debbie Geneva, 61, from Nortonville, who has never voted for a Democrat, are now considering their options due to rising healthcare costs and everyday expenses. Rising input costs, such as diesel, fertilizer, and seed, have pushed diesel prices to a 70% increase over a year ago, making it particularly challenging during harvest season when farmers heavily rely on fuel.

The USDA predicts a 2.6% decline in net farm income this year, with production expenses expected to rise by 4.5%, primarily due to fuel and oil costs. The Trump administration has taken steps to alleviate some financial burdens, including signing an executive order to ease tax-free use of red-dyed diesel and announcing a $12 billion aid package for farmers in December.

However, these measures have not fully alleviated farmers' frustrations, as many expected their financial outlook to improve under Trump. Brunkow acknowledged that Trump made some errors, attributing unintended consequences to his miscalculations. Trump is set to travel to Iowa on Thursday, where Republicans are defending competitive races for governor and Senate.

The state, another agricultural stronghold where Trump has won three consecutive presidential elections, has seen economic frustrations become a part of the political discourse. In Nebraska, Senate Republicans have pumped nearly $15 million into a race between GOP Sen. Pete Ricketts and independent candidate Dan Osborn, an unprecedented sum for a state Trump won by 20 points.