The Latest: Trump says Tuesday special election a 'big race'

The Latest on President Donald Trump's campaign rally in Pennsylvania (all times local):

7:45 p.m.

President Donald Trump is telling rallygoers in Pennsylvania that "we have a big race tomorrow" as he campaigns for a Republican candidate seeking to fill an open congressional seat.

President Donald Trump gestures during a campaign rally in Montoursville, Pa., Monday, May 20, 2019. (AP PhotoMatt Rourke)

Trump campaigned Monday in Montoursville (mahn-TOORZ'-vihl) on behalf of Republican Fred Keller, who faces Democrat Marc Friedenberg in a Tuesday special election.

Trump describes Keller as a "great gentleman, a very successful businessman." He also stresses that Keller "is not letting anything happen to your Second Amendment."

Keller sought to assure Trump about his prospects in Pennsylvania in 2020, saying, "In 2016, Pennsylvania put Donald Trump over the top, and in 2020, we're going to do it again."

President Donald Trump accompanied by Rep. Fred Keller, R-Snyder, arrives at a campaign rally in Montoursville, Pa., Monday, May 20, 2019. (AP PhotoMatt Rourke)

Republicans are attempting to recapture the House seat left open when Republican Rep. Tom Marino resigned in January.

6:20 p.m.

President Donald Trump is heading to Pennsylvania to campaign for a Republican congressional candidate — and himself.

President Donald Trump arrives to speak to a campaign rally, Monday, May 20, 2019, in Montoursville, Pa. (AP PhotoEvan Vucci)

Trump's appearance Monday in the key battleground state comes two days after 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden held a campaign rally in Philadelphia.

The president is traveling to Montoursville (mahn-TOORZ'-vihl) on behalf of Republican Fred Keller, who faces Democrat Marc Friedenberg in Tuesday's election to fill the U.S. House seat formerly held by Republican Rep. Tom Marino, who resigned in January. Voters in the heavily GOP district overwhelmingly backed Trump over Democrat Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election.

Trump narrowly defeated Clinton in Pennsylvania in 2016.

Supporters of President Donald Trump cheer as he speaks during a campaign rally, Monday, May 20, 2019, in Montoursville, Pa. (AP PhotoEvan Vucci)

Biden, the former vice president and Pennsylvania native who leads his Democratic presidential rivals, is mounting a strong push in the state.

President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally, Monday, May 20, 2019, in Montoursville, Pa. (AP PhotoEvan Vucci)

President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally, Monday, May 20, 2019, in Montoursville, Pa. (AP PhotoEvan Vucci)

President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally, Monday, May 20, 2019, in Montoursville, Pa. (AP PhotoEvan Vucci)

President Donald Trump arrives to speak to a campaign rally, Monday, May 20, 2019, in Montoursville, Pa. (AP PhotoEvan Vucci)

President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally, Monday, May 20, 2019, in Montoursville, Pa. (AP PhotoEvan Vucci)

President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally, Monday, May 20, 2019, in Montoursville, Pa. (AP PhotoEvan Vucci)

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — A $8 billion defense package approved by the U.S. House of Representatives over the weekend will “strengthen the deterrence against authoritarianism in the West Pacific ally chain,” Taiwan’s President-elect Lai Ching-te said Tuesday, in a reference to key rival China.

The funding will also “help ensure peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and also boost confidence in the region” Lai, currently Taiwan’s vice president, told visiting Michigan Representatives Lisa McClain, a Republican, and Democrat Dan Kildee at a meeting at the Presidential Office Building in the capital Taipei.

In the face of “authoritarian expansionism,” Taiwan is “determined to safeguard democracy and also safeguard our homeland, Lai said.”

Also known as William Lai, U.S.-educated former medical researcher is despised by Beijing for his opposition to political unification with the mainland. In recent elections, the pro-unification Nationalists won a narrow majority in the legislature, but their influence on foreign policy and other national issues remains limited.

The Senate will vote Tuesday on $95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.

The package covers a wide range of parts and services aimed at maintaining and and upgrading Taiwan's military hardware. Separately, Taiwan has signed billions in contracts with the U.S. for latest-generation F-16V fighter jets, M1 Abrams main battle tanks and the HIMARS rocket system, which the U.S. has also supplied to Ukraine.

Taiwan has also been expanding its own defense industry, building submarines and trainer jets. Next month it plans to commission its third and fourth domestically designed and built stealth corvettes to counter the Chinese navy. as part of a strategy of asymmetrical warfare in which a smaller force counters its larger opponent by using cutting edge or nonconventional tactics and weaponry.

Lai, of the pro-independence ruling Democratic Progressive Party, won the January election handily and takes over next month from President Tsai Ing-wen, whom Beijing has sought to isolate for the past eight years.

China is determined to annex the island, which it considers its own territory, by force if necessary and has been advertising that threat with daily incursions into waters and air space around Taiwan by navy ships and warplanes. It has also sought to pick away Taiwan's few remaining formal diplomatic partners.

While Washington and Taipei have no formal diplomatic ties in deference to Beijing, McClain emphasized the need for the entire world to observe the strength of the relationship.

“Peace is our goal. But to do that, we have to have relationships and we value your relationship. Not only militarily, but economically,” she said.

Kildee said the timing of the visit was especially significant given the recent passage of the funding bill to “provide very important support to insure security in this region.”

"It’s important for the people of Taiwan, it’s important for the people in the United States, it’s important for the entire world,” Kildee said.

In this photo released by the Taiwan Presidential Office, from left Mark Alford, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, U.S. Democratic Congressman Dan Kildee, Lisa McClain, secretary-general of the Republican Caucus of the U.S. House of Representatives meets with Taiwan President-elect and Vice President Lai Ching-te in Taipei, Taiwan on Tuesday, April 23, 2024. McClain and Kildee jointly led a cross-party group of lawmakers to visit Taiwan from April 23 to 25 . Members also include Mark Alford, a member of the House Armed Services Committee. (Taiwan Presidential Office via AP)

In this photo released by the Taiwan Presidential Office, Mark Alford, center left, a member of the House Armed Services Committee shakes hands with Taiwan President-elect and Vice President Lai Ching-te in Taipei, Taiwan on Tuesday, April 23, 2024. Lisa McClain, secretary-general of the Republican Caucus of the U.S. House of Representatives and Democratic Congressman Dan Kildee jointly led a cross-party group of lawmakers to visit Taiwan from April 23 to 25 . Members also include Mark Alford, a member of the House Armed Services Committee. (Taiwan Presidential Office via AP)

In this photo released by the Taiwan Presidential Office, U.S. Democratic Congressman Dan Kildee, left, meets with Taiwan President-elect and Vice President Lai Ching-te in Taipei, Taiwan on Tuesday, April 23, 2024. Kildee and Lisa McClain, secretary-general of the Republican Caucus of the U.S. House of Representatives jointly led a cross-party group of lawmakers to visit Taiwan from April 23 to 25 . Members also include Mark Alford, a member of the House Armed Services Committee. (Taiwan Presidential Office via AP)

In this photo released by the Taiwan Presidential Office, Lisa McClain, left, secretary-general of the Republican Caucus of the U.S. House of Representatives meets with Taiwan President-elect and Vice President Lai Ching-te in Taipei, Taiwan on Tuesday, April 23, 2024. McClain and Democratic Congressman Dan Kildee jointly led a cross-party group of lawmakers to visit Taiwan from April 23 to 25 . Members also include Mark Alford, a member of the House Armed Services Committee. (Taiwan Presidential Office via AP)

In this photo released by the Taiwan Presidential Office, Lisa McClain, left, secretary-general of the Republican Caucus of the U.S. House of Representatives meets with Taiwan President-elect and Vice President Lai Ching-te in Taipei, Taiwan on Tuesday, April 23, 2024. McClain and Democratic Congressman Dan Kildee jointly led a cross-party group of lawmakers to visit Taiwan from April 23 to 25 . Members also include Mark Alford, a member of the House Armed Services Committee. (Taiwan Presidential Office via AP)