Top Items:
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 …
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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:
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
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:
The Washington Sun, The Bulwark, Tangle, Media Matters for America, Zeteo, Washington Post, The Daily Caller, CNN, The Independent, The Gateway Pundit, CBS News, The Message Box, WOSU Public Media, New York Post, The Rooster, Forbes, The Hill, Mediaite, ActiVote, Washington Examiner, Newsweek, Eschaton, KEYT-TV, Dr. Amy Acton for Governor, Cleveland 19 News, Los Angeles Times, MS NOW, Ace of Spades HQ, KIFI-TV, NBC News, Slate, Daily Kos, Grabien, The Daily Wire, Blaze Media, New Republic, NewsMax.com, Crooks and Liars and New York Times
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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
The Downballot:
Morning Digest: Ramaswamy stands by attack ad featuring opponent's estranged mother
Morning Digest: Ramaswamy stands by attack ad featuring opponent's estranged mother
Discussion:
Scripps News, CBS News, Adam Kinzinger, National Review, The Independent, Mediaite, The Hill, Ohio Capital Journal, ABC News, MS NOW, Breitbart, Washington Examiner, Grabien and The Guardian
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, Reuters, The Daily Caller, NewsMax.com and Newsweek
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Paul Dallison / Politico:
Witkoff to Putin: ‘You are a humanitarian ... I salute that’
Discussion:
New York Post, The Hill, CNBC, Associated Press, The Parnas Perspective, New Republic, KIFI-TV, Reuters and Politico
Reuters:
US envoy Witkoff arrives in St Petersburg for talks with Putin
US envoy Witkoff arrives in St Petersburg for talks with Putin
Discussion:
The Moscow Times, CBS News, KIFI-TV, HuffPost, Reuters, France 24, The Kyiv Independent, NPR, News Talk 105.9 WMAL-FM, HotAir, The Japan Times, Bloomberg and Politico
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.
Discussion:
MS NOW, Daily Mail, The Independent, The Washington Sun, emptywheel, Mediaite and Lawyers, Guns & Money
The Washington Sun:
How Rough Is It for Republicans? Look at This North Carolina District. — North Carolina's 11th Congressional District sits in a rural and conservative region of the state, has been held by a Republican for more than a decade and backed Donald Trump by a nearly double-digit margin in 2024.
Discussion:
Reuters
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Bridget Bowman / NBC News:
The Senate map expands (again): From the Politics Desk
Discussion:
Associated Press, National Review, Mississippi Today, The Hill, The Daily Caller and Politico
Elena Schneider / The Washington Sun:
A Major Democratic Super PAC Begs Donors for More Cash as the Map Expands
A Major Democratic Super PAC Begs Donors for More Cash as the Map Expands
Discussion:
Axios
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.
Discussion:
HotAir, twitchy.com and Samizdata
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
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Jamelle Bouie / New York Times:
The Hunting of Ilhan Omar
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 …
Discussion:
NBC News, Wall Street Journal, The Washington Sun, The Hill, Fox News, Bloomberg, Jerusalem Post, New York Post, New York Times, The Independent, VINnews and New Republic
RELATED:
Alexander Cornwell / Reuters:
US Democratic congressional nominee Lander detained by Israeli authorities in West Bank
US Democratic congressional nominee Lander detained by Israeli authorities in West Bank
Discussion:
Washington Examiner and Reuters
David Kaye / Slate:
America Needs to Reckon With What Trump 2.0 Has Done. Planning Should Start Now. — America has to reckon with what Trump 2.0 has wrought. It's the only path back to a functional government. Here's how we start. — A reckoning is coming for the Trump administration.
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New York Times:
Trump Pushes to Evict the Press From the White House — President Trump has talked about replacing the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room with an indoor swimming pool. — In late August, during one of Karoline Leavitt's final meetings with President Trump in the Oval Office …
Discussion:
CBS News, The Wrap, Washington Examiner, Mediaite and Associated Press, more at Mediagazer »
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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:
Rolling Stone, Daily Kos, Wonkette, Blaze Media, The Wrap, American Greatness, HuffPost, Daily Mail, The Gateway Pundit, MPR News, The Hill, Breitbart, CBS News, One America News Network, Mediaite, Forbes, Legal Insurrection, VINnews, Ace of Spades HQ, The Guardian, RedState, Newsweek, New York Post, MS NOW, Fox News, Associated Press and Washington Examiner, more at Mediagazer »
Thomas Frank / Politico:
FEMA tells states to handle disasters on their own — The Trump administration's disaster chief told state officials Tuesday they must increase their financial reserves and emergency capabilities to handle most disasters on their own, without federal help. — Federal Emergency Management …
Discussion:
NewsMax.com, The Parnas Perspective and LinkedIn
Meg Kinnard / Associated Press:
Trump brings a last-minute rally boost to Darline Graham in South Carolina's US Senate race — President Donald Trump will visit South Carolina on Wednesday to boost Sen. Darline Graham, whose stumbles in her first campaign since replacing her late brother have Democratic voters hopeful …
Discussion:
New York Post, NBC News, The Bulwark and National Politics
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Whitney Curry Wimbish / American Prospect:
ICE Profiteers Trying To Buy the Senate for Republicans — Their targets include multiple GOP candidates in tight races and incumbents whose seats are in danger, including chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee Susan Collins (R-ME), Rep. Mike Rogers (R-MI), and Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-FL).
Lindsay Whitehurst / Associated Press:
Justice Kagan Warns Supreme Court Rulings Are Fueling Polarization — The liberal-leaning justice said both political parties are “in a race to the bottom” with partisan gerrymanders. — Copy — Justice Elena Kagan on Tuesday said voting and elections decisions from her conservative …
Jeff Green / Bloomberg:
Trump Voters Who Listen to Joe Rogan Take a Page From The Matrix for Midterms — Frustrated by the war in Iran and rising costs, the coalition of young men courted by the GOP is poised to sit out the midterms — “I've checked out.” — That's how Dallas Cruze sums up his political journey …
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 …
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, Los Angeles Times and New York Post
Paul Krugman:
Trump is Destroying Americans' Healthcare — Twelve million have lost coverage — and it's getting worse — On the eve of the midterm election, American families are feeling financially stressed As the chart above shows, the percentage of families who say that their financial situation is good has plunged.
Discussion:
Mercury News
Liz Dye / Public Notice:
Trump bulldozes a golf course and the rule of law — Public Notice is proudly celebrating 5 years of independent journalism. Our coverage is possible thanks for paid subscribers. Become one ⬇️ — ⛳️ Subscribe to PN ⛳️ — Who gives a shit about a golf course?
Discussion:
The Federalist, Bloomberg, MS NOW, The Atlantic, NPR and Wall Street Journal
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 …
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 …
Harrison Ray / Media Matters for America:
Local Iowa broadcast stations largely failed to contextualize increasing diesel prices — Only 41% of segments connected increased prices to the Trump administration's Iran war, while only 13% connected prices to President Trump … The war in Iran has disrupted crude and fuel shipments through …
Discussion:
Axios
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
Kevin Frey / MS NOW:
Weeks before Election Day, Sen. Roger Marshall's campaign still had no one on payroll — An MS NOW analysis of FEC filings finds the Kansas Republican reported no payroll last quarter, unlike most Senate incumbents of both parties. — Sen. Roger Marshall's re-election campaign spent $5 million …
Discussion:
The Hill
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. …
Riley Rogerson / Politico:
This member is so frustrated with Congress he wants voters to sidestep it — At the end of one of the least productive Congresses in modern history, freshman Rep. Johnny Olszewski is so sick of the gridlock on Capitol Hill that he wants voters to bypass it entirely.
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.

