“Kansas has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1932. The Republican domination of the state’s two Senate seats, lasting nearly a century, is one of the longest partisan winning streaks in Senate history,” the New York Times reports.

“But suddenly, a megachurch pastor who became a Democrat this spring appears to have a shot at breaking it.”

“A race that once barely registered nationally has emerged as one of the most unexpected battlegrounds on a midterm map that has rapidly expanded into longtime Republican strongholds. The arrival of the pastor, Adam Hamilton, as a serious Senate contender in Kansas has come so fast, it appears to have caught the incumbent Republican, Senator Roger Marshall, by surprise.”

New Republic: “A perfect storm could be brewing in Kansas to elect a Democratic senator for the first time since 1932. Methodist pastor Adam Hamilton’s skills as a candidate, experts say, combined with uniquely bad conditions for the state’s farmers, could be the right ingredients for an upset.”

“The problem is numbers: Registered Republicans outnumber registered Democrats in the state almost two to one.”

“The top super PAC for Senate Democrats is reserving $5 million in advertisements in Kansas’ newly competitive Senate race, signaling that the party sees a serious chance of winning a red state that once seemed out of reach,” the New York Times reports.

“The group, Senate Majority PAC, will spend the money on television spots and digital ads through Election Day, an investment to help narrow the gap between Republican and Democratic spending in the state.”

“Sen. Jon Ossoff hammered Rep. Mike Collins, his opponent in the Georgia Senate race, over his connections to staff and family members who have propagated white supremacist views,” the Washington Sun reports.

“He called Collins a ‘bigot’ and at one point in the hour-long debate on Thursday said he had ‘hired half the Third Reich to staff his congressional office.'”

Said Ossoff: “Imagine running for the U.S. Senate while neo-Nazi propaganda is disseminated to an audience of millions from your home. That’s Mike Collins.”

Washington Post: Takeaways from Georgia Senate debate between Jon Ossoff, Mike Collins.

Punchbowl News: “The Senate battleground has stretched to include some of the reddest states from Kansas to Alaska. Trump is even heading to the Last Frontier next week to help incumbent GOP Sen. Dan Sullivan, who faces a tough challenge from former Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola.”

“But here’s a crazy thought: What if Democrats win nearly all of these races? What if they end up with 52 seats heading into the 120th Congress, making Minority Leader Chuck Schumer the Senate majority leader once again?”

“Some Democrats are privately speculating this could happen. They’re getting closed-door briefings from DSCC Chair Kirsten Gillibrand and other party strategists that are leaving them somewhat giddy over the possibilities.”

“Ken Paxton has publicly said he would ‘love to have’ John Cornyn’s support after their bruising Republican primary runoff in the Texas Senate race. But privately, Paxton has grown frustrated with the outgoing senator’s distance from his campaign,” CNN reports.

Said Paxton: “He’s clearly not helping. He wants me to lose.”

“The Michigan Senate debate on Thursday was as heated and personal as the rest of the race has been,” the Washington Sun reports.

“Republican nominee Mike Rogers repeatedly called Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed a ‘glitchy AI chatbot’ and suggested the Muslim American has ties to terrorists. El-Sayed called Rogers cowardly and accused him of going after the ‘Peeping Tom vote’ by supporting local government control of Flock cameras.”

New York Times: 5 key moments from hostile Michigan Senate debate between El-Sayed and Rogers.

CBS News: El-Sayed and Rogers toss insults in Michigan Senate debate.

“Michigan GOP Senate nominee Mike Rogers signaled he would accept support from AIPAC as he remains locked in a tight contest against Democrat Abdul El-Sayed,” Politico reports.

“Rogers was asked during a debate Thursday whether he would welcome public backing from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee — and he pointedly did not rule it out.”

“Former president Barack Obama expressed surprise at Democrats’ expanding midterm map at a private fundraiser Wednesday night, but warned donors not to get complacent about the party’s chances, according to excerpts provided to The Washington Post,” the Washington Post reports.

Said Obama: “There are states right now in play that I would not have imagined being in play. If you had told me, and — I know I’m the hope guy — but if you had told me that the polling currently shows James Talarico ahead of Ken Paxton … I would have said, eh, I don’t think so.”

For members: The Senate Map Has Turned Upside Down

“James Talarico has been absent from the campaign trail over the past 12 days as the Texas Senate race enters a critical stretch, prompting Republicans to open a new line of attack on the Democratic nominee,” CNN reports.

“At a campaign rally in San Antonio Wednesday, Texas attorney general and GOP Senate nominee Ken Paxton led the crowd in a chant about his opponent’s whereabouts.”

Said Paxton: “Where is James Talarico?”

“Talarico’s campaign said the Texas Democrat is recovering from the flu.”

“Presidential races traditionally start in Iowa, where the state’s caucuses often produce bustling, energetic—and sometimes confusing—outcomes. It’s the beautiful backdrop of early political euphoria,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“Novembers in Iowa don’t traditionally bring as much drama.”

“Republicans in recent years have tightened their hold on the state, controlling the governor’s mansion since 2011 and holding both U.S. Senate seats since 2015.”

“That could be about to change.”

“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.”

“President Trump held a rally in San Antonio, Texas, Wednesday night to help out the Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton, whose race has gone wobbly with less than a month to go before the midterm elections,” the New York Times reports.

“Mr. Trump was in fighting form, tossing out red meat reminders to Texans about why they voted for him in 2024. He was interrupted nearly a dozen times by protesters, several of whom were led out in handcuffs. He talked a lot about the border, and Democrats, and himself.”

“What he didn’t talk a lot about was Ken Paxton.”

“President Donald Trump’s rally in San Antonio for Senate candidate Ken Paxton and other Republicans was interrupted multiple times within minutes of him taking the stage Wednesday, as protesters shouted from the floor of the Freeman Coliseum,” the Washington Sun reports.

“One took a video of himself as he walked toward the exit, only to be rushed from behind by an elderly man in a red Make America Great Again hat, who appeared to yank the protester’s shirt and hair before other attendees pulled him away.”

Said Trump: “These are paid protesters. They’re paid by enemies of our nation.”

CBS News: Protesters ejected from raucous Trump rally in Texas.