Pranks, Parties and Politics: Ron DeSantis's Year as a Schoolteacher  —  At a private school 20 years ago, the future Florida governor was a popular history teacher and coach.  But some students were taken aback by his comments on the Civil War and abortion.  —  Reporting from Rome, Ga.

Why Republican Insiders Think the G.O.P. Is Poised for a Blowout  —  The consensus among pollsters and consultants is this Tuesday's election will be a “bloodbath” for the Democratic Party.  —  On Wednesday afternoon, I spoke with a leading Republican political consultant about the Senate campaign in Georgia.

NBC retracts erroneous Paul Pelosi story that fueled conspiracy theories  —  People at the network said the ‘Today’ show report was based on ‘unreliable’ information from a source who was unnamed in the story.  —  NBC News reporter Miguel Almaguer had what seemed like a scoop on Friday …

How Republicans Fed a Misinformation Loop About the Pelosi Attack  —  Suggested Mr. Pelosi knew his attacker. Suggested the attack involved male prostitution. Repeated a false report that the attacker was in his underwear. Suggested Mr. Pelosi knew his attacker. Suggested the attack involved male prostitution. Repeated a false report

U.S. privately asks Ukraine to show it's open to negotiate with Russia  —  The encouragement is aimed not at pushing Ukraine to the negotiating table, but ensuring it maintains a moral high ground in the eyes of its international backers  —  The Biden administration is privately encouraging Ukraine's leaders …

Liz Cheney endorses Democrat Abigail Spanberger in high-stakes Va. race  —  Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), the GOP's most vocal critic against Trumpian politics' threats to democracy, has endorsed Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) over Spanberger's Republican challenger in one of Virginia's …

Ron DeSantis, who denounced Disney, actually got married there  —  The Florida governor passed a law in April to revoke Disney's special taxing status  —  Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has been on the offense against the Walt Disney Co. for months, criticizing the entertainment giant …

Aaron Carter Dead at 34  —  EXCLUSIVE  — 127.8K … Aaron Carter has died ... TMZ has learned.  —  The singer-turned-rapper and actor was found dead Saturday at his house in Lancaster, CA ... multiple sources tell us Aaron's body was found in his bathtub.

Manchin-Biden coal clash highlights Democratic divisions at a perilous moment  —  Joe Manchin clashed Saturday with President Joe Biden over the politics of coal — a poorly timed breach between a pair of Democratic heavyweights just three days before voters head to the polls.

With Twitter in chaos, Mastodon is on fire  —  Will Twitter advertiser dollars affect Musk's promise to Trump?  —  Inside Musk's Twitter, Musk echoes Donald Trump, and an antitrust earthquake  —  The dangers of TikTok as a news source, MrBeast's billions, and mortgage rates top 7%

Polling Averages Can Be Useful, but What's Underneath Has Changed  —  This year, a wave of polls from Republican-leaning firms is driving the averages.  —  The polls show Republicans gaining heading into the final stretch.  They've pulled ahead on the generic ballot in the race for the House …

Assailant encouraged GOP canvasser to ‘do your job’ — raising questions about Rubio's account  —  The man accused of a politically motivated attack on a Republican Party canvasser in Hialeah last month actually encouraged the canvasser to keep handing out fliers just moments before the fight started …

In Arizona, Kari Lake Worked in Local TV News.  Now, She Calls Reporters ‘Monsters.’  —  Former friends and colleagues of Ms. Lake, the Republican nominee for governor, say they remember her far differently from the candidate they see today.  —  One longtime former co-worker …

Trans criminals can use ‘loophole’ to hide previous convictions when applying for jobs  —  Report by Keep Prisons Single Sex warns the system could be ‘abused’ by those wanting to gain access to children and vulnerable young people  —  Criminals who claim they are transgender are able to use a …

Lawsuit seeks to block counting of military ballots in Wisconsin  —  MADISON, Wis. — A Wisconsin lawmaker who has been a frequent promoter of false election claims is suing to prevent the immediate counting of military ballots in her state after she received three ballots under fake names.

The Unruly Heirs of Sarah Palin  —  Whether for her pathbreaking role as the first woman on a Republican presidential ticket or for rapping “Baby Got Back” on the Masked Singer, Sarah Palin has, since her debut on the national scene in 2008, made an art of attracting the spotlight.

Insiders say Eric Adams wouldn't be upset with Zeldin win  —  An Election Day loss for Gov. Hochul might be a win for Mayor Adams.  —  Adams is actively campaigning for Hochul and not openly supporting her GOP rival Rep. Lee Zeldin, but multiple insiders told The Post that the mayor sees …

Boris Epshteyn's loyalty to Trump pays off as investigations deepen  —  Pugilistic adviser has clashed with other lawyers for Donald Trump on whether to be confrontational or conciliatory  —  Few people speak to former president Donald Trump more these days than Boris Epshteyn.

In San Francisco, “No Intention to Seek Justice”  —  San Francisco police shot Sean Moore, a Black man suffering from schizophrenia, right outside his own home.  He died three years later of his injuries.  Police say they opened fire on Luis Góngora Pat, an unhoused Mayan Mexican man …

Florida election crimes unit sends out last-minute felons-removal list, causes confusion  —  James Call John KennedyUSA TODAY NETWORK - FLORIDA  —  Lists containing the names of hundreds of voters have been sent to county elections supervisors around Florida by Gov. Ron DeSantis' new Office …

Statement by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre  —  President Biden knows that the men and women of coal country built this nation: they powered its steel mills and factories, kept its homes and schools and offices warm.  They made this the most productive and powerful nation on Earth.

Is gender bias hurting Kathy Hochul?  —  The first woman governor of New York is trailing among men, and political consultants said this is a very familiar “likeability” issue.  —  Vice President Kamala Harris, Gov. Kathy Hochul and Hillary Clinton campaigned this week in New York City.

Appointing a Special Counsel for Trump Would Be a Mistake  —  There was a time when appointing a Special Counsel to investigate the former president would have been a good move.  Now is not that time. … Attorney General Merrick Garland would be making a mistake by appointing a Special Counsel …