Top Items:
Zachary Pleat / Media Matters for America:
Here are the right-wing media figures endorsing “despicable” ad from Ohio Republican gubernatorial nominee Vivek Ramaswamy — The ad features Democratic nominee Amy Acton's estranged mother, who defended her husband's reported sexual assault of Acton when she was a child
Discussion:
MeidasTouch, Cleveland 19 News, The Downballot, CBS News, The Message Box, Mediaite, Scripps News, No More Mister Nice Blog, Forbes, The Hill, Washington Examiner, The Daily Caller, Rolling Stone, Dr. Amy Acton for Governor, RedState, National Review, The Daily Wire, Crooks and Liars and The Guardian
RELATED:
Alex Isenstadt / Axios:
Exclusive: Ramaswamy doubles down on explosive ad featuring rival's mother, despite backlash — Vivek Ramaswamy's campaign for Ohio governor is pouring $4 million into a bombshell ad in which his opponent's estranged mother attacks her daughter — doubling down on the message despite fierce bipartisan backlash, Axios has learned.
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, Bloomberg, The Hill, MS NOW, Media Matters for America, CNN, Lawyers, Guns & Money, PolitiFact, The Rooster, Mediaite, Mercury News, Newsweek, The Daily Caller, Zeteo, Liberal Currents, The Independent, The Daily Wire, LiveNOW from FOX, New Republic, Tangle, CBS News, ActiVote, KEYT-TV, Eschaton, Dr. Amy Acton for Governor, KIFI-TV, NBC News, Grabien, Daily Kos, Breitbart, Washington Post and Marist Poll
Associated Press:
Vance says he's ‘disgusted’ by GOP pushback to Ramaswamy ad featuring Amy Acton's estranged mother — Vice President JD Vance said during a campaign visit to Ohio on Wednesday that he is “disgusted” by the Republican pushback against an ad by Vivek Ramaswamy that features the estranged mother …
Discussion:
Politico, Washington Examiner, National Review, NewsMax.com, The Independent, twitchy.com, National Politics and The Hill
Politico:
Republicans' mom burn messaging — With help from Eli Okun, Ali Bianco and Irie Sentner — Good Wednesday morning. Days after Bradley Whitford blew off steam in “The Diplomat's” White House swimming pool, a new round of renovation murmurs are brewing around the briefing room. Coincidence?
Discussion:
The Hill and New York Post
Jim Swift / The Bulwark:
How Low Can Vivek Go? — Trump and his cronies keep using slurs like they're going out of style—which, to be fair, they are.
Discussion:
Washington Post, NBC News, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The Hill, Mediaite, The Independent and MS NOW
Julie Carr Smyth / Associated Press:
Democrat in Ohio governor's race pushes back against unattributed ad featuring her estranged mother
Democrat in Ohio governor's race pushes back against unattributed ad featuring her estranged mother
Discussion:
MS NOW, Wonkette, The Hill, Abortion, Every Day, Forbes, Newsweek, The Washington Sun, Deseret News, The Status Kuo, The Independent, CBS News, Nightcap, Adam Kinzinger, The Gateway Pundit, Mediaite, New York Post, National Politics, WOSU Public Media, Media Matters for America, WKMG, Ohio Capital Journal, Cleveland 19 News, The Wrap, Ace of Spades HQ, Blaze Media, Grabien, ABC News, Axios, Slate, Yahoo News, Washington Examiner and National Review
Nate Cohn / New York Times:
Democrats Have a Wide Lead in Our New Poll as Trump Slides — The map favors Republicans, but cracks in their base are leaving them vulnerable in defending House and Senate control. — The final New York Times/Siena University national poll of the 2026 midterm campaign finds Democrats leading nationally …
RELATED:
New York Times:
Trump Approval Hits New Low Two Weeks Before Midterms, Poll Finds — Likely voters favored Democratic candidates over Republicans by 11 percentage points in their congressional district, a New York Times/Siena poll found. — President Trump's approval rating hit a new low just a few weeks …
Discussion:
The Guardian, The Hill and Reason
G. Elliott Morris / Strength In Numbers:
Poll: Democrats post their biggest generic-ballot lead yet, two weeks out — Democrats lead by 10 among registered voters and 12 among likely voters, both highs for our poll, as Trump sets new lows on immigration and border security … Just under two weeks before Election Day …
New York Times:
Russia Releases American Who Was Jailed for 4 Years, State Media Reports — The move buys good will with President Trump while costing the Russian leader, Vladimir V. Putin, little. — Russia on Wednesday released an American man who was held for four years on what the State Department …
Discussion:
Associated Press, NewsMax.com, CBS News, Courthouse News Service, TMZ.com, Mediaite, The Hill, Reuters, The Daily Caller, Newsweek, Fox News and Trump's Truth
RELATED:
Peter Baker / New York Times:
In Trump's World of International Diplomacy, Insults Are a One-Way Street
Discussion:
Axios, NewsMax.com, Associated Press, France 24, Al Jazeera, Foreign Policy, Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Bloomberg, New York Times, Los Angeles Times and CNBC
Paul Dallison / Politico:
Witkoff to Putin: ‘You are a humanitarian ... I salute that’
Witkoff to Putin: ‘You are a humanitarian ... I salute that’
Discussion:
Associated Press, New York Post, The Parnas Perspective, Reuters, KIFI-TV, Mediaite and Politico
Kathryn Watson / CBS News:
Witkoff faces backlash for calling Putin a “humanitarian”: “Embarrassing and outrageous”
Witkoff faces backlash for calling Putin a “humanitarian”: “Embarrassing and outrageous”
Discussion:
Rolling Stone, MS NOW, Mediaite, Notes from the Circus, The Hill, National Review, The Kyiv Independent, Straight Arrow and New Republic
Mary Radcliffe / FiftyPlusOne:
FiftyPlusOne just caught a pollster faking data — and they copped to it — On Tuesday, Oct. 20, FiftyPlusOne reached out to Wedgewood Polls, a self-professed polling firm, with a request for comment on an investigation we had conducted into their alleged survey research.
RELATED:
Claire Carter / Washington Examiner:
Where false polling from Wedgewood might have misled campaigns
Discussion:
Fox News, Newsbusters, Newsweek and Breitbart
Robert E. Rubin / New York Times:
In Six Decades of Public Life, I Never Thought I Would Write This Piece — The economy has been voters' top issue in four of the six midterm elections this century — and 2026 appears all but certain to make it five of seven. Beyond the cost of living, the war in Iran and tariffs …
Discussion:
DeLong's Grasping …
Kyle Cheney / Politico:
The House GOP's imminent decision on the Omar raid — House Republicans have publicly cheered on the Trump administration's investigation of Rep. Ilhan Omar. But underneath the posturing, the raid raises thorny nonpartisan questions about how aggressively Congress wants to defend itself from encroaching federal prosecutors.
Discussion:
New York Post
RELATED:
Jamelle Bouie / New York Times:
The Hunting of Ilhan Omar
Madeleine May / CBS News:
Federal agents knock on doors to track down possible noncitizen voters ahead of midterms — Armed and in uniform, federal agents from the Department of Homeland Security have been knocking on doors in several states to ask residents about their immigration status — and to inquire …
Elena Schneider / The Washington Sun:
A Major Democratic Super PAC Begs Donors for More Cash as the Map Expands — The flagship Democratic House super PAC is urging donors to pony up more cash in the final sprint before the midterms, pointing to private polling showing a slew of deep-red House seats within the party's reach.
RELATED:
Jason Schreier / Bloomberg:
Electronic Arts to Shed 400 Jobs, Shut Down BioWare to Cut Costs — The next ‘Mass Effect’ will be canceled as part of the layoffs — Electronic Arts Inc. said it will lay off staff and shut down BioWare, the long-running development studio behind roleplaying games such as Dragon Age and Mass Effect.
Discussion:
CityNews Edmonton, The Verge and Variety, more at Techmeme »
CNN:
Pentagon grants DHS permission to test heat ray weapon for potential use at border — Federal agencies US military Pete Hegseth National security — The Pentagon has given the Department of Homeland Security permission to test a military-grade heat ray and develop tactics to potentially use …
Discussion:
WTOP News
Michelle Del Rey / The Washington Sun:
George W. Bush's Brother Backs Talarico and Bashes Ken Paxton — Neil Bush, the brother of former President George W. Bush, said this week that he voted for James Talarico, breaking with his family's Republican political dynasty. — Bush, the fourth of former President George H. W. Bush …
Discussion:
The Hill, San Antonio Current, Mediaite, Houston Public Media and Fox News
RELATED:
Caroline Linton / CBS News:
George W. Bush's brother Neil Bush says he voted for James Talarico in Texas Senate race
George W. Bush's brother Neil Bush says he voted for James Talarico in Texas Senate race
Discussion:
The Guardian, Breitbart, FOX 26 Houston, Daily Mail, HuffPost, Washington Examiner, The Independent and The Hill
Joseph J. Schatz / Politico:
Michigan's sleeper race is waking up — It's nearly impossible to break through the political media maelstrom in Michigan right now if your name isn't Abdul El-Sayed or Mike Rogers. — But GOP and Democratic operatives in Lansing, Washington and beyond — not to mention utilities …
Andrew Feinberg / The Independent:
Trump lost control and ordered me to be ‘quiet’ in the Oval Office. Then it got personal — What was supposed to be an announcement on fraud quickly devolved into Trump vs The Independent. Andrew Feinberg details how it all happened in the Oval Office — Leer en Español
Discussion:
Daily Kos, Crooks and Liars, Wonkette, Blaze Media, American Greatness, HuffPost, The Wrap, Daily Mail, The Gateway Pundit, MPR News, The Hill, Breitbart, CBS News, Mediaite, Forbes, Legal Insurrection, VINnews, The Guardian, RedState, Newsweek, New York Post, MS NOW, Rolling Stone, One America News Network, Ace of Spades HQ, Associated Press, Washington Examiner and Fox News
Tyler Pager / New York Times:
A Billionaire Wanted a Trump Pardon. His Family Gave Alina Habba a $50 Million Deal. — A Billionaire Wanted a Pardon. His Family Gave Alina Habba a $50 Million Deal. — A prominent Venezuelan was seeking clemency. He got it not long after his daughter gave Ms. Habba, a lawyer close to President Trump, a lucrative job.
Emma Graham-Harrison / The Guardian:
Israeli military detains US politician Brad Lander and rabbis at olive harvest — About 80 US, Israeli and British volunteers held near Nahalin in West Bank and taken to police station — The Israeli military has detained about 80 US, Israeli and British volunteers helping Palestinians …
John McCormick / Wall Street Journal:
Minnesota's Democratic U.S. Senate Nominee Inflated Academic Record — Peggy Flanagan said she ‘graduated Phi Beta Kappa,’ but records raise questions about claim — Peggy Flanagan said she “graduated Phi Beta Kappa” while arguing a decade ago for legislation to encourage greater teacher diversity in Minnesota's public schools.
Discussion:
Townhall, The Daily Wire, RedState, NewsMax.com and Mediaite
Dan Mangan / CNBC:
New Mexico AG lawsuit accuses Epstein's attorney and accountant of facilitating sex trafficking … New Mexico's attorney general on Wednesday filed a lawsuit accusing Jeffrey Epstein's long-time personal lawyer and accountant of facilitating Epstein's sex trafficking operation.
Discussion:
The Hill, Reuters, Associated Press, KIFI-TV, The Independent and Mediaite
Whitney Curry Wimbish / American Prospect:
ICE Profiteers Trying To Buy the Senate for Republicans — Read the top story of the day in your inbox. Sign up for the Daily Prospect newsletter here. — Only three months had passed since Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero was killed by a federal immigration agent in Maine …
City of Toledo:
Hazardous Materials Evacuation and Shelter-in-Place Orders in Effect for North Toledo — What happened? — At 10:48 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 20, Toledo Fire & Rescue ordered everyone within a 1-mile radius of 1266 Progress Ave (MC Tank Terminal) to evacuate. because of a hazardous materials release.
Discussion:
RedState, The Gateway Pundit, CBS News, Washington Examiner and The Hill
MS NOW:
Trump is the ‘principal enemy of the U.S.’ for helping Russia, veteran foreign analyst says — Lawrence: Trump and Hegseth ‘not telling how much damage there really was’ by Iran war to Navy base — Trump desperate to save ‘yes man’ senator in Kansas, says Democratic Senate candidate
Politico:
US, allies warn of critical vulnerabilities in programming underlying 70% of the internet — The National Security Agency and cyber agencies in Europe, Australia, Canada, and elsewhere on Wednesday urged organizations to take their websites offline immediately after OpenAI tools found critical bugs …
Discussion:
The Hill, The Verge, The PHP Foundation, Wired, Reuters, TechCrunch, Mashable, VINnews, KIFI-TV, Gizmodo, Wiz Blog, Yle News, Cloudflare, Forbes, OpenAI, Insurance Journal, Krebs on Security and The Register, more at Techmeme »
Barak Ravid / Axios:
Israeli military conducts massive “power projection” operation near Iran's border — Dozens of Israeli Air Force fighter jets conducted a sortie on Monday, flying as far as the Iranian border, according to Israeli and U.S. officials. … The sortie wasn't connected to Hegseth's visit.
Alex Miller / Fox News:
Thune makes bold prediction about Republicans' Senate chances as GOP pulls millions from key races — The Senate majority leader acknowledged headwinds in North Carolina, Georgia and Kansas as campaign cash shifts — FREMONT, Neb. — Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D. …
Discussion:
RedState
Washington Post:
How ex-cops gained access to a massive surveillance network … When Andrae Wright left his job as an investigator at the Effingham County Sheriff's Office in 2021, he handed in his gun and badge. But he kept something powerful: his log-in credentials for Flock, a police tool he used to search …
Discussion:
NewsMax.com
The Hill:
Watch live: Trump hosts roundtable on protecting Americans from cybercrime — President Trump is set to host a roundtable on Wednesday afternoon focused on protecting American families and seniors from cybercrime. — “President Trump is unleashing every available tool …
Discussion:
Townhall, The Gateway Pundit, Washington Examiner and CoinDesk
WCTI-TV:
Gov. Stein criticizes absentee ballot rejection rate, urges voters to plan ahead — Gov. Josh Stein is criticizing recent State Board of Elections changes for mail-in ballots, saying the changes have contributed to thousands more absentee ballot rejections.
