FiftyPlusOne: “We do not have nearly as many polls this year as we’ve been accustomed to in past midterm cycles. In many Senate races, we’re practically flying blind, which may mean some surprises in what looks to be a particularly turbulent environment.”
Just dropped · Trial Balloon · Ep. 191
Blue Wave Update
Trial Balloon · Ep. 191: Blue Wave Update
Musk Approached Trump to Slow Down Starlink in Ukraine
“Elon Musk approached Donald Trump with the idea of slowing down Starlink in Ukraine,” The Telegraph reports.
“The billionaire tech entrepreneur approached the U.S. president with the proposal to introduce speed limits on the system, which hampered Ukraine’s drone defenses.”
“One of the sources said Mr Trump ‘agreed’ with Mr Musk’s suggestion, paving the way for the Pentagon to execute the slowdown on Starshield, the military-grade version of the satellite communications system.”
Two Republican Senate Hopefuls Are Running Out of Cash
“In North Carolina and Georgia, Democratic Senate candidates are lapping their Republican rivals in fundraising, according to new campaign finance reports,” the Washington Sun reports.
“It’s the latest ominous sign for Michael Whatley and Mike Collins, the Republican candidates who have seen national party attention shift to other races amid attempts to win enough seats to retain a Senate majority.”
El-Sayed Responds After Vance Calls Him a ‘Weasel’
“After being called a ‘weasel’ who should ‘shut his mouth’ by Vice President JD Vance, Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed said he was something else instead,” CBS News reports.
Said El-Sayed, a Michigan alumnus: “No, no, no. What you’re talking about is a fucking Wolverine. You could take your Buckeye and go shove it somewhere else.”
Alberta Separation Referendum Draws Huge Early Vote
“More than 1 million people have already cast their ballots in Alberta’s referendum on separation from Canada, signaling strong voter turnout that pollsters say may favor the ‘remain’ side,” Bloomberg reports.
Trump Talks About Dinner with Bill Maher
“Donald Trump is once again praising Bill Maher following a dinner he had at the White House with the HBO host along with Stephen A. Smith and Kid Rock,” Deadline reports.
Said Trump: “It was a great dinner, it was a very informative dinner. Smart people. Stephen A. is great. Bill Maher — I will tell you what. He likes me a lot more than people understand, and I actually like him. It was a good dinner.”
In case you missed it
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Trump Says He Didn’t Restrict Ukraine’s Starshield
“President Donald Trump said he didn’t order limitations on Ukraine’s access to SpaceX’s Starshield satellite technology and didn’t think Elon Musk did so either,” Bloomberg reports.
Said Trump: “It wasn’t me and I don’t think it was Elon. I don’t know if it was anybody.”
Trump Says ‘Zero Chance’ He’s Replacing Susie Wiles
“President Donald Trump said Friday there is ‘zero chance’ he’s considering replacing White House chief of staff Susie Wiles after reports that suggested as much,” CNN reports.
Said Trump: “The Susie Wiles story was a fake story She’s been incredible. She’s smart and tough; she just went through a lot with the cancer surgery… Susie is here and she’s gonna be here for a long time.”
Grab a Surfboard
Playbook: “With fewer than three weeks to go, the national environment keeps deteriorating for Republicans, and some Democrats are starting to dream of a big blue wave — even as warning signs remain that some GOP backlash may not translate to Democratic conversion.”
“The deluge of campaign spending is now hitting its peak, as candidates scramble to deliver a closing message to late-deciding voters only just tuning in.”
It’s no surprise everyone is getting their Blue Wave T-Shirts before Election Day.
Another Bonus Quote of the Day
“Records are made to be broken. But I take no pleasure in other people’s pain.”
— Anthony Scaramucci, on X, on Katie Zacharia lasting less than half the 11 days he did in Donald Trump’s White House.
Katie Zacharia Out as White House Press Secretary
“The new White House press secretary, Katie Zacharia, is out of her role just five days into the job, after President Donald Trump said publicly that she should think about leaving,” the Washington Post reports.
“Her departure marked a rare and speedy retreat from a presidential appointment that acknowledged a rough start to one of the highest-profile roles in the White House.”
New York Times: Katie Zacharia, Trump’s new press secretary, is fired after 5 days.
Pappas Leads Sununu in New Hampshire Senate Race
A new NPA Polling poll in New Hampshire finds Chris Pappas (D) leading John E. Sununu (R) in the U.S. Senate race, 50% to 43%.
New Hampshire Senate Race
Chris Pappas (D) 50%
John E. Sununu (R) 43%
Crowley Leads Tiffany in Wisconsin Governor’s Race
A new City Forward Collective and CFC Action Fund/YouGov poll in Wisconsin finds David Crowley (D) leading Tom Tiffany (R) in the governor’s race, 46% to 42%.
Wisconsin Governor’s Race
David Crowley (D) 46%
Tom Tiffany (R) 42%
Trump Gives New Press Secretary Option to Quit
“President Trump said Friday he has given his new White House press secretary Katie Zacharia the option to leave her job after a rocky first week, including scrutiny on her résumé,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
Said Trump: “I said, ‘Katie, you know, you don’t have to do this if you don’t want.’”
Bloomberg: Trump opens door to replacing press secretary after rocky start.
Texas Republican Fights Billboard Touting Trump Ties
“A billboard in Brownsville, Texas, featuring Republican congressional candidate Eric Flores so closely resembles his campaign ads it could be one of his campaign posters,” the Washington Sun reports.
“Except unlike his campaign posters, it prominently features an endorsement by and photo of Flores with President Donald Trump, which Democrats are now accusing Flores of trying to bury. The billboard also touts his ‘support’ of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.”
“In an Oct. 12 cease-and-desist letter obtained by The Washington Sun, attorney Eric Wang, who represents the Flores campaign, demanded that Lamar Advertising of the Rio Grande Valley, the billboard company that put it up, immediately remove the digital billboard.”
Judge Threatens Trump with Sanctions in BBC Lawsuit
“A judge threatened to sanction President Donald Trump for failing to sit for a mandatory deposition in the $10 billion defamation suit he filed against the British Broadcasting Corp,” Bloomberg reports.
Trump Again Bars CNN From Accessing Air Force One
“The White House has again barred CNN from its traveling television pool Friday, preventing the network from accompanying President Donald Trump aboard Air Force One amid a legal battle over press access,” the Washington Sun reports.
Tom Cotton Leads Comfortably in Arkansas
A new Talk Business and Politics/Hendrix College poll in Arkansas finds Tom Cotton (R) leading Hallie Shoffner (D) in the U.S. Senate race, 50% to 41%, with Jeff Wadlin (L) at 5%.
Arkansas Senate Race
Tom Cotton (R) 50%
Hallie Shoffner (D) 41%
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Taegan Goddard
Taegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire -- which for more than two decades has been one of the nation's most influential political news sites.
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