2026 midterm elections live updates: Latest news, results, and analysis

Texas Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico, currently a seminary student on leave, was pressed by a Republican voter at a CNN town hall meeting Thursday on his Christian views.

The voter, a young woman, raised concerns over Talarico’s application of faith based on his past comments, including remarks about the number of genders and biblical justifications for abortion. The voter asked Talarico whether he believed the Bible to be the authoritative word of God.

“Do you believe that the Bible is the absolute source of truth, and God’s final authoritative word, even when our culture says otherwise?” she asked.

The Texas Democrat promptly responded “yes,” before adding, “I think it’s important to remember that even the early church, the disciples who actually knew Jesus of Nazareth, the early church we often talk about as a singular body, when in reality it was more like early churches, because there was a lot of disagreement, there was a lot of debate, and that’s something that we should be comfortable with.”

Talarico went on to address attack ads that have targeted his past comments, including when he called God “nonbinary.”

“When I said that, I was being provocative, and I want to admit that and come clean about that,” Talarico said of the nonbinary comment. “But I think what I was saying is actually not controversial theologically. The idea that we can’t define God using human categories.”

In recent months, Talarico has said he “missed the mark” on his previous statements.

The woman also asked if Talarico believed “Jesus is the only savior for people here on Earth.”

“I believe Jesus is the truth, the way, and the light,” he responded.

Texas Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico said he wants to go back to “OG capitalism” at a live CNN town hall Wednesday night.

“All of the wealth is being accumulated by the top 1%,” Talarico said. “It’s actually not going to the people doing the actual work in this economy. Capitalism was an innovation at the time from the feudal system. The idea that you should be compensated for your labor, that you should be compensated for your time, that was a revolution.”

Talarico was asked by CNN’s Erin Burnett about past comments in which he called capitalism an “oppressive system” and talked about dismantling the system.

Talarico responded that his comments were taken out of context and that he supports capitalism, not “crony capitalism,” which he defined as as a system where people “can pay for access and pay for control.”

“What I’m trying to get back to is OG capitalism, where we actually reward work instead of wealth, and right now, people could still accumulate wealth,” the Texas Democrat continued. “Of course, I’m all for success.”

Talarico’s campaign has centered on fighting billionaires and creating an economy with “fewer trillionaires and more millionaires.”

“The biggest divide in this country is not left vs. right,” his campaign website says. “It’s top vs. bottom. Billionaires want us looking left and right at each other instead of looking up at them.”

Sand said he wanted to ensure children in the state do not become a combination of hungry and angry by providing free breakfast and lunch in schools.

“I think this is something that we should all be invested in because I get so hangry if I’m not eating. I know it’s the same for kids,” Sand said.

Sand said he has discussed with his two sons, ages 9 and 12, how their classmates may be struggling in school if they are hungry or if they have other challenges at home.

“I don’t want my boys to be hangry in school, and I don’t want the other kids that are in the class with them to be hangry either because that’s going to disrupt everyone’s experience,” Sand said.

Sand said it would be possible to fund a free school breakfast and lunch program by pulling additional federal dollars from national assistance programs in which “other states are chipping in.”

“There’s always the statement, ‘There is no such thing as a free lunch,’ and I say you have a point, but this lunch is on sale,” Sand said, referencing the quote attributed to free-market economist Milton Friedman.

Iowa GOP gubernatorial candidate Zach Lahn and Democrat Rob Sand started their second debate by sharing what they respect about one another.

The congenial tone marked a stark contrast from the pair’s first debate last week, which devolved into personal attacks and talking over one another.

Lahn at the outset of the second debate said of Sand that he “could admire [him] as a father” if they knew each other personally.

“I’m sure you’re very dedicated to that. I see photos of you and your sons hunting, and I think that’s a great thing,” Lahn said to Sand.

Lahn also gave credit to his opponent for being a “hard worker” and one to “set the pace” on traveling around the state to campaign.

Sand said the same of Lahn.

“I know you’ve got seven kids, and they keep you awfully busy, but I think that’s wonderful too,” Sand said of Lahn. “I appreciate the fact that you’re out there, also traveling the state, working hard, and willing to sign up for this.”

Sand, the current state auditor, also praised outgoing Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds, saying he hopes she enjoys retirement.

“It’s a sacrifice that only a few people who have done it can really understand,” Sand said of Reynolds.

Senate Democratic candidate James Talarico on Wednesday confirmed he will not be attending Sen. Bernie Sanders’s (I-VT) rally in Texas, denoting his campaign’s battle to avoid alienating more moderate voters as he fights to flip the seat in November.

Sanders, arguably the most famous progressive nationwide, is rallying in El Paso on Monday as part of an effort to boost Democratic candidates in competitive races in Texas. While former Democratic Senate nominee Beto O’Rourke, who lost his bid to flip the Texas Senate seat red in 2018, and Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX) will appear at the event, Talarico has chosen to stay away, his campaign told the New York Times.

The development signals the challenge Talarico faces as he seeks to appeal to the broader electorate ahead of the November elections. While popular with progressives in the Sanders coalition, Talarico will need to bring more centrist voters into his camp to defeat GOP rival Ken Paxton in the red state and become the first Democrat to represent Texas in the Senate since 1993.

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Former Sen. Joe Manchin, the Democrat-turned-independent from West Virginia, endorsed Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) in a video posted by the incumbent representative on Wednesday, saying he was doing so “enthusiastically.”

Manchin, who left the Democratic Party in 2024 and opted not to seek a third term that same year, said in his video address that Fitzpatrick “wasn’t worried about political parties, whether it be Democrat or Republican,” but was “always concerned about doing the right thing.”

“We take an oath to protect and defend the Constitution,” Manchin said. “No one has done that better, more diligently than Brian Fitzpatrick.”

Fitzpatrick is locked in a close race for Pennsylvania’s 1st Congressional District against Bucks County Commissioner Bob Harvie. The Republican said he was “honored” to have Manchin’s endorsement, and said that while the two “came from different sides of the aisle and served in different chambers,” they “never lost sight of whom we were there to serve.”

Manchin attended Fitzpatrick’s wedding earlier this year, offering a toast to the congressman and his bride, Fox News reporter Jacqui Heinrich.

Fitzpatrick has been one of the most vocal Republican critics of President Donald Trump in this Congress, having opposed his tariff agenda and the war in Iran. He also voted against the Republicans’ massive tax-and-spending bill last year.

President Donald Trump rallied alongside the Arizona-Nevada border on Wednesday for the second stop on his triple-legged, western campaign tour, where he meandered on a number of disparate topics.

Trump is spending the final three weeks of the 2026 election cycle crisscrossing the country in support of downballot Republican candidates. His visit to Arizona was ostensibly in support of Rep. Andy Biggs’s (R-AZ) gubernatorial bid, but the president opened his remarks by riffing on the new Air Force One, gifted to the United States last year by Qatari leaders.

Trump quickly shifted gears to his pet issue of election fraud, reiterating claims that Kari Lake’s loss in Arizona’s 2022 governor’s race was attributed to widespread rigging of voting machines.

“The damn machines were broken in Republican areas. They were broken purposely, and you couldn’t vote,” Trump told the crowd. “[Democratic Arizona Gov.] Katie Hobbs had a lot to do with it, so maybe I can’t call her a Dumocrat. But she is a dumb person. I don’t give a damn. But what a rigged election that was!”

The president also tore into “Dan J. Sullivan,” a retired teacher running against incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and a heavy focus of Trump’s Tuesday night rally in Alaska, before shouting out staunch ally former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

However, unknown to Trump, Arpaio, 94, suffered a recent leg injury and was not present at Wednesday’s event.

“What happened to him? Coming here, he hurt his leg?” Trump responded when informed of Arpaio’s injury. “We’ve got to make sure he’s OK. He must be about 125.”

Senate Democrats have assembled more than 100 of their staffers to serve as election observers across nine states for the Nov. 3 midterm elections.

The first-of-its-kind endeavor by Senate Democrats aims to match election-observer efforts from Republican Hill staffers through an existing government program, as Democrats express fears that President Donald Trump could try to thwart the election results. The Department of Justice plans to deploy around 1,000 poll monitors nationwide.

“Election observers are going to be doing just that: observing,” Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) told reporters Wednesday. “I don’t put anything past the Trump administration to try to interfere with the election, which is why we’re doing everything we can.”

The staffers have gone through legal training from the same law firm as the House election observer program, according to Padilla. Democrats did not disclose which states or polling sites their staffers will be deployed to, but said they’ll be in states with “contested Senate elections.” Staffers will observe and document any incidents on Election Day and in the days to follow during the certification process.

“The goal is simple,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said. “We deter interference, promote transparency, protect voter confidence, and ensure that fair elections are decided by the voters, not by some outside force, and not by partisan meddling.”

President Donald Trump is heading to Arizona and Montana on Wednesday to rally support for Republican candidates ahead of the November midterm elections.

Trump is scheduled to hold a political rally in Mohave County, Arizona, before traveling to Kalispell, Montana, to campaign for Republican congressional candidate Aaron Flint.

The stops follow Trump’s Oct. 13 trip to Wasilla, Alaska, where he campaigned for Republican incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK), who is facing a difficult reelection bid against Democratic nominee Mary Peltola. The president then stayed overnight in Las Vegas.

Trump is expected to return to Washington, D.C., on Thursday before resuming his campaign travel later in the week. He is scheduled to hold a rally Friday, Oct. 16, in Dalton, Georgia, before traveling to Truist Arena in Highland Heights, Kentucky, on Saturday.

The president is also expected to visit North Carolina to stump for GOP candidates early next week. The travel schedule reflects Trump’s continued efforts to boost Republican candidates across the country as the party seeks to maintain its congressional majorities in November.

Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-IA) called out Josh Turek’s claims that she blocked the release of the Department of Justice’s files regarding the investigation into the late convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Turek has accused Hinson of taking donations from individuals with ties to Epstein and alleged she voted “no” on releasing the files. Her campaign previously called Turek’s attack line “astounding and disgusting.”

“This week, I had to explain to my boys, ‘No, mom does not protect pedophiles,'” Hinson said in the ad. “Josh Turek is lying, and he knows it. Of course I voted to release the Epstein Files and spent years working across the aisle to protect survivors of sexual abuse.”

“Men like Epstein, who hurt children, they’ll have to answer to God,” she continued. “But men who lie about it to win an election, they’ll have to answer to you.”

NEW DEMOCRATIC AD IN IOWA SENATE TIES ASHLEY HINSON TO JEFFREY EPSTEIN

Last month, the Win Senate political action committee, which backs Democrats running for U.S. Senate, alleged Hinson’s top donors appear in the Epstein files hundreds of times, adding that the congresswoman voted to oppose releasing the documents and missed other votes on them.

A Real Clear Politics average of polls conducted from Sept. 22 to Oct. 9 shows Turek with a less-than-1-point lead. The two Senate candidates are looking to fill the seat being vacated by Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA).

Former Vice President Kamala Harris will stump for Rep. Chris Pappas (D-NH) later this month in his competitive Senate race against Republican nominee John E. Sununu.

The Pappas campaign confirmed to the Washington Examiner that Harris will be there Oct. 24, but additional details were not yet available.

The trip will mark Harris’s first to the Granite State since a campaign stop in September 2024 and will undoubtedly raise further speculation about another presidential run in 2028. New Hampshire is slated by the Democratic National Committee to be the third-in-the-nation primary for the party’s nomination.

The state is one of many that are part of a fall campaign blitz Harris is carrying out to buoy Democratic candidates for governor and Senate across the country, including Wisconsin, Mississippi, Georgia, and Nevada.

Pappas and Sununu, a former senator and the brother of former New Hampshire GOP Gov. Chris Sununu, are vying to replace retiring Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) for a seat that slightly favors Democrats.

Former President Barack Obama will travel to Ohio on Oct. 24 to rally support for Democrats in two closely watched races ahead of the November midterm elections.

Obama will campaign alongside former Sen. Sherrod Brown, a three-term Democrat seeking to reclaim his Senate seat from Republican Sen. Jon Husted (R-OH), who was appointed to replace Vice President JD Vance. He will also support Democratic gubernatorial nominee Amy Acton, who is working to win over voters in traditionally Republican parts of the state. Acton faces tech billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy, a former Republican presidential candidate, as they seek to succeed term-limited Gov. Mike DeWine (R-OH).

The Ohio appearances are part of a broader effort by Obama to bolster Democratic candidates in competitive races as the party seeks to regain control of Congress. Obama is also scheduled to campaign in Detroit on Oct. 24 with Abdul el Sayed, the Democratic nominee for Michigan’s open Senate seat.

Turek told moderators during his second debate for Iowa’s open Senate seat that biologically male athletes should not be allowed to play in women’s sports.

“I’ve been really clear and unequivocal on this issue,” Turek said. “I do not believe that biological males should compete in female sports, and this is something that has already been decided in Iowa.”

Turek is a two-time Paralympic gold medalist in wheelchair basketball. He has spina bifida, a congenital condition affecting the neural tubes, and is a lifelong wheelchair user.

Turek added that he believes the rules governing transgender participation in sports “should be decided by sports governing bodies because we don’t want to see a patchwork of 50 different standards be in place.”

Hinson said her opponent “does support kids changing gender at school and tax benefits going to illegal immigrants and fake meat to be sold in Iowa schools.”

“He’s too liberal for Iowa,” Hinson said.

Both Hinson and Turek said they opposed President Donald Trump‘s deal to purchase diesel fuel from Russian President Vladimir Putin, which critics say will be used to fund Russia’s war in Ukraine.

“We need to lower diesel prices, but I don’t think we need to be making a deal with Russia to do it,” Hinson said.

Hinson said she would support “lowering the gas tax temporarily, making sure we’re actually looking at potentially a diesel rebate program for our producers, [and] investing in America’s biofuels.”

“I think we need to bring an end to the war in Ukraine, and we need to bring an end to the war in Iran,” Hinson said.

Turek said he agreed with Hinson, saying he wants “to do everything that [he] can” to lower gas prices, but “I don’t think it should be at the expense of benefiting the economy of someone like a Vladimir Putin, who we clearly cannot trust.”

Turek blamed Hinson for voting to continue the war in Iran. Hinson said she attended the funerals for the two Iowa service members who have died in the Iran war and wants to end the war quickly.

Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-IA) slammed state Rep. Josh Turek during their second televised debate for skipping critical votes in the Iowa legislature to campaign for Senate.

“If you don’t show up to work two out of five days, you’re not getting a promotion, you’re getting fired,” Hinson said.

The debate moderator pressed Turek twice on his record of only participating in 42% of the Iowa legislature’s votes this year.

“I’m out campaigning,” Turek said. “I’m out meeting Iowans all over, all 99 counties. I’ve done hundreds of in-person town halls. Meanwhile, Ashley Hinson, since she’s running for the U.S. Senate, has not done a single in-person town hall.”

Hinson said she’s done “more town halls than the percentage of times he’s shown up to work this year.”

Early voting in Iowa starts on Oct. 14.