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Third-Party Spoilers, Long Fueled by Both Parties, Could Matter This Year

The other Dan Sullivan in Alaska has drawn the most attention, but both parties are quietly trying to use little-known candidates in other battlegrounds to siphon votes, too.

Β© Becky Bohrer/Associated Press

Dan J. Sullivan, a retired teacher in Alaska, was recruited by Democratic operatives to join the race against Senator Dan S. Sullivan, a Republican, whose allies have been left worrying that voters will be confused.
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Alaska Governor Orders Criminal Investigation Into Peltola Campaign

President Trump had lashed out at Mary Peltola after The New York Times reported that her campaign and national Democrats helped recruit spoiler candidates to the race. He offered no explanation of what crime may have been committed.

Β© Doug Mills/The New York Times

President Trump campaigned this month for Senator Dan S. Sullivan of Alaska, a Republican running for re-election this year against Mary Peltola, a Democrat and former congresswoman.
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As Trump Faces Down the Midterms, a Grim Mood Takes Over the White House

The White House has been rocked by turnover and anxiety over the midterms. The president, who is tightening his inner circle, has lashed out at critics, held meandering rallies and feasted on a diet of news clips and β€œA.I. slop,” as one aide put it.

Β© Doug Mills/The New York Times

President Trump after a campaign rally in Mississippi on Monday.
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One Race in Texas Has Become a Referendum on Bigotry in the G.O.P.

Bo French said the presence of Indian American students at a football game was a β€œproblem.” His campaign for Railroad Commission tests whether these biased views are now mainstream.

Β© Dominic Gwinn/ZUMA Press Wire, via rReuters

Bo French, a candidate for the Texas Railroad Commission, drew criticism for his social media posts.
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Trump Administration Backs Down on an Opioid Ban After Kratom Industry Lobbying

Health officials will now allow some levels of a powerful substance to remain in products marketed as natural. The change could help a G.O.P. donor facing wrongful death lawsuits.

Β© Nick Oxford for The New York Times

Banners promoting the sale of kratom products outside a smoke shop in Tulsa, Okla., earlier this year.
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Texas Senate Rivals Converge on Lubbock, With Trump in the Mix

It was a showdown of sorts in western Texas as James Talarico and Ken Paxton appeared at dueling rallies on either side of a prairie-dog-filled city park.

Β© Doug Mills/The New York Times

President Trump with Ken Paxton during a campaign visit in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Tuesday.
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Democrats See a Rare but Fleeting Chance to Shake Up the Senate Map

Democrats are targeting G.O.P. strongholds that could set them up for new majorities. But if they don’t win those races now, it could be a long time before they have another chance.

Β© Clayton Steward for The New York Times

Protesters outside of an event for Senator Roger Marshall in Topeka, Kan. Soaring fuel costs and economic struggles have made some Republican senators like Mr. Marshall vulnerable on their home turf.
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In Islamophobic Rant, Trump Seeks to Stir Republican Base in Michigan

The president contended that Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, a Muslim, would β€œinvite hordes of jihadis to our shores” as he sought to bolster the G.O.P. candidate in a tight Senate race.

Β© Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times

President Trump’s comments, coming in a key midterm battleground nine days before the elections, underscored the dark themes and personal vilification he and his allies have embraced as part of their closing pitch.
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In Texas Senate Race, Talarico Leans Into Growing Rivalry With Elon Musk

On the trail, James Talarico, the Democratic Senate nominee, has increasingly gone after Mr. Musk, a critic of his who has given big to a group aligned with the Republican candidate, Ken Paxton.

Β© Eric Lee/The New York Times; Joel Angel Juarez/Reuters

Elon Musk, left, is in an increasingly tense rivalry with James Talarico, the Democratic Senate nominee in Texas.
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None of This Is Normal

The fundamental issue is Trump’s shredding of the model that made America the world’s leading country.

Β© Aleksey Kondratyev for The New York Times

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In Alaska, Some Early Voting Sites in Rural Villages Have Not Yet Opened

β€œThere is no legal excuse” for the failure of 18 polling sites to open for early voting, a state lawmaker said.

Β© Kerry Tasker/Reuters

Senator Dan Sullivan finished second in the primary to Representative Mary Peltola and has trailed her in polls since.
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Obama Issues Searing Attacks on Trump, Ramaswamy in Return to Campaign Trail

The 44th president sharply criticized Mr. Trump, who hit back later in the day. Mr. Obama also assailed Vivek Ramaswamy, the Republican nominee for governor of Ohio.

Β© Victor J. Blue for The New York Times

Former President Barack Obama sharply criticized President Trump on Saturday in Ohio.
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A 2028 Presidential Poll Finds Vance, Rubio and Several Democrats in the Mix

The Democratic presidential primary race appears to be wide open, while JD Vance and Marco Rubio led among Republican voters, a New York Times/Siena survey found.

Β© Jillian Vordick/The New York Times

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Why Democrats Could Find It Hard to Win the Senate Despite Their Strong Polls

Democrats are increasingly optimistic about the midterms. But they are being outspent by Republicans. And they are trying to compete in states that favored President Trump by large margins.

Β© Julia Demaree Nikhinson/Associated Press

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