Daily Archives
83 posts · Thursday
Just dropped · Trial Balloon · Ep. 191
Blue Wave Update
“If your top political advisors are not paying attention to the midterms and instead are paying attention to taking money off the table in a foreign country, that seems to indicate to me that they’ve moved on from Donald Trump as their top priority, and I think you’re going to see a lot of that.”
— Former Gov. Chris Christie (R), quoted by Politico.
“Democrats’ eyes may be bigger than their wallets,” Politico reports.
“Democrats across a slate of deep-red states are clamoring for more cash to fight for Senate seats that suddenly seem within reach, with polling showing them competitive across a swath of normally impregnable territory from Kansas to Florida and South Carolina to Mississippi prompting a sudden bump in late-stage spending from outside groups. The party’s main campaign groups have already begun spending in Texas, another state they once downplayed that’s come seriously into play.”
“But those same groups say they don’t have enough cash to protect the core battleground and also make significant investments beyond it — setting up Democrats for a series of difficult choices in the closing weeks of the midterms.”
Washington Post: “As the long-moribund energy sector in Venezuela, now largely under U.S. control, prepares for a potential gold rush, experience in Washington has become a new currency for those seeking advantage.”
“Companies and investors are eager to hire those with recent access to the White House, knowledge of the administration’s Venezuela policy or contacts… And lobbyists, consultants and former government officials from both major U.S. political parties are descending on Caracas on behalf of new clients or businesses.”
“The uncomfortable partnership between Marine Le Pen and her protege Jordan Bardella at the top of France’s largest political party is unraveling as the presidential campaign kicks into gear,” Bloomberg reports.
“Le Pen has reasserted her hold on the National Rally party her late father founded in 1972 since courts in July cleared her to run for the highest office. Differences over policy and style they brushed aside as she fought the fallout of an embezzlement conviction are increasingly emerging in public view.”
“The economic blueprint Le Pen announced Tuesday shows how the 31-year-old Bardella and his pro-business agenda have been shunted to the background behind Le Pen’s populist priorities.”
“The biggest donors in the 2026 midterm election are breaking decisively toward Republican candidates and causes,” CNBC reports.
“Fourteen of the 20 largest donors and donor groups this election cycle have exclusively or nearly exclusively backed GOP candidates or aligned groups… Together, the 20 account for $1.2 billion, or about an eighth of the roughly $9.8 billion raised this election cycle.”
A new PIX11 News/Emerson College Polling poll in New York finds Kathy Hochul (D) leading Bruce Blakeman (R) in the governor’s race, 52% to 40%.
“President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he no longer wants a deal with Iran, following reports that the U.S. military is preparing for possible strikes against the country, likely before the midterm election,” CNBC reports.
Said Trump: “I think the deal isn’t really something that I want to do, but they’re willing to offer us anything to stop.”
“This has opened the floodgates. The knives are now fully out for these two.”
— A person close to the White House, quoted by Politico, on revelations that Chris LaCivita and James Blair traveled to the Balkans to advise a Russia-friendly regime’s reelection effort while Republicans’ midterm prospects dwindle back home.
“Italy will transform its electoral system after lawmakers approved reforms that Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s allies initially pushed to help her reelection odds next year,” Bloomberg reports.
“Italy’s lower house gave final sign-off to the bill on Thursday, capping a months-long process that revealed fractures in Meloni’s coalition. The reform package passed by a vote of 227-164.”
“The overhaul means Italy’s parliament seats will now be awarded proportionally, with bonus seats given to any coalition achieving more than 42% of the vote — an attempt to ensure governing stability. The bonus only applies if the same coalition or party crosses the threshold in both houses of parliament.”
“Republicans have spent months griping privately to Fox News about coverage they argue is helping Abdul El-Sayed, Michigan’s Democratic nominee for Senate, moderate his image. The frustration boiled into public view Tuesday when President Trump lashed out at his favorite network,” Axios reports.
“Republicans worry that Fox is undercutting their efforts to brand the charismatic El-Sayed as a liberal who’s far outside the mainstream.”
“If Democrats make big gains in the midterm elections in four weeks, it may not only be because their most loyal voters come out in force, or because their candidates have converted Republican voters to their cause,” the New York Times reports.
“Instead, the Democrats’ dream blue wave could come from Republicans who sour on President Trump and stay home. It already has a name: the red undertow.”
“Across the country, signs are emerging of an enthusiasm gap between Democrats and Republicans, even among those who consider themselves likely to vote… Volunteers are not showing up to door-knock. And many voters say they are tuning this election out.”
“Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson pushed back on the suggestion by Democrat Josh Turek at the Iowa Senate debate on Wednesday that her husband is a ‘shadow lobbyist,'” the Washington Sun reports.
“Hinson, who is running for Senate against Turek, and her husband, Matt Arenholz, are deeply connected to the insurance industry. Past reporting by The Washington Sun revealed that Arenholz held a position at a top industry lobbying group during Hinson’s time as a member of the House of Representatives.”
A new CNN poll in Ohio finds Sherrod Brown (D) leading Jon Husted (R) in the U.S. Senate race, 49% to 43%.
The same poll in Ohio finds Amy Acton (D) leading Vivek Ramaswamy (R) in the governor’s race, 50% to 42%.
A new CNN poll in Iowa finds Ashley Hinson (R) leading Josh Turek (D) in the U.S. Senate race, 45% to 43%.
The same poll in Iowa finds Rob Sand (D) leading Zach Lahn (R) in the governor’s race, 51% to 42%.
“Republicans thought they had one of their best shots at flipping a Democratic Senate seat in purple New Hampshire this year after longtime Sen. Jeanne Shaheen announced her retirement. It’s looking less that way every week,” the Washington Sun reports.
“Party leaders did have reason to be hopeful, even in a difficult national environment for Republicans.”
“Republicans have a massive campaign cash advantage going into the final stretch before Election Day, but a new poll shows they aren’t yet capturing voters’ attention,” Politico reports.
“More than 70% of poll respondents who had seen ads said they’d either seen more spots in support of Democrats or an equal amount between the parties over the past week — including ads on television, social media, or any other platform. Only 24% said they’d seen more ads for Republicans.”
“The numbers are striking considering Republican-aligned groups had triple the amount of cash on hand compared to their Democratic rivals going into the final months of the campaign.”
“Republican super PACs are flooding the airwaves in once-safe states, and pulling down ads for races that look like lost causes. President Trump, his approval ratings near record lows, is popping up in some of America’s reddest states,” Axios reports.
“The polls showing Democrats headed toward a blue wave on Nov. 3 may not be quite right. But money — and how campaigns and PACs spend it — rarely lies. Nor do the contrails of Air Force One.”
“President Donald Trump announced Wednesday night that he would award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to fireballer Roger Clemens, calling the seven-time Cy Young winner ‘maybe the greatest pitcher of all time,'” the Associated Press reports.
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 →