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Just dropped · Trial Balloon · Ep. 189

Navigating the Nonsense

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Trial Balloon · Ep. 189: Navigating the Nonsense

Democrats Gain Ground in Unlikely Places

October 2, 2026 · 5:57 am ET · Leave a Comment

“They’re calling it ‘the red undertow’ election,” MS NOW reports.

“As candidates enter their final weeks of campaigning this midterm cycle, Democrats are seeing massive gains in some of the reddest areas of the country. Senate races in Alaska, Kansas, Nebraska and even Mississippi are polling much closer than expected, given that President Donald Trump won those states in 2024 by 13, 16, 21 and 23 points respectively.”

“But at the same time, Democrats aren’t seeing the same wave of support in blue and purple states. Kamala Harris won New Hampshire by three points, Maine by seven, and lost Michigan by about half a percentage point. And yet, the Senate races in those states show the candidates polling within just a few points of each other.”

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Taegan Goddard

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.

More about Taegan Goddard →
« Is Mississippi Really On the Table?
Trump Puts On a Show for an Audience That’s Already Sold »

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