Abdul el Sayed resists efforts from Haley Stevens to corner him on Israel - live

By: Robert Mackey (now) · Chris Hippensteel Lucy Campbell and Tom Ambrose (earlier)

31 October 2026 at 03:01

Democratic nominee for US Senate seat in Michigan says Stevens, his primary rival, ‘seems intent on relitigating a primary that ended three months ago’

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James Talarico, the Democratic nominee in Texas, attacked his Republican opponent Ken Paxton for cancelling some of his final rallies before the midterm election.

“No one’s going to Ken Paxton’s rallies, so he’s canceling them and hoping Elon Musk will buy his seat for him,” Talarico wrote, referencing the donations Paxton has received from the world’s richest man.

A working-class Alaskan Native takes on a ‘multimillionaire’ Republican for seat in Congress

World news | The Guardian

By: Michael Sainato

30 October 2026 at 19:00

Independent candidate Bill Hill is threatening to unseat Trump ally Nick Begich with a message of affordability

As Republicans fight to maintain their narrow majority in Congress, they face a unique challenge in Alaska – not from a Democrat, but from an independent commercial fisher and first-time candidate running to flip the state’s lone House seat.

Bill Hill, who is an Alaska Native and has worked in education and construction, has positioned himself as a working-class candidate who will fight to make life more affordable for people like himself and his family.

Trump reverses decision to cancel Kansas and Iowa rallies before midterms

World news | The Guardian

By: Ariana Baio in New York

30 October 2026 at 18:28

The president cancelled the events in favor of tele-rallies, as Republicans face a fight to retain control of Congress

Donald Trump cancelled, and then promptly uncancelled, two in-person rallies in Kansas and Iowa this weekend as polls suggest US midterm election races in the previous Republican strongholds could go down to the wire.

On Thursday, just five days before election day, the Republican National Committee (RNC) announced the president would no longer host the Kansas and Iowa rallies and instead participate in “a large number of tele-rallies”. The RNC claimed it felt it was in a “strong position” in Kansas and Iowa.

Final countdown to the make-or-break midterms – podcast

The Guardian

By: Presented by Jonathan Freedland · with Carrie Dann · produced by Nada Smiljanic and Danielle Stephens

30 October 2026 at 15:00

There are 435 seats in the House of Representatives, 35 in the Senate and 39 governorships up for grabs in Tuesday’s midterm elections. Jonathan Freedland is joined by Carrie Dann, of the Cook Political Report, to run through some of the races to watch before the final weekend of campaigning

Government corruption a top issue for US midterm voters, exclusive poll finds

The Guardian

By: Lauren Aratani in New York

30 October 2026 at 13:00

Harris poll for Guardian finds 76% believe officials care more about self-enrichment than helping everyday Americans

Government corruption has emerged as a top issue in the upcoming US midterm elections, with an overwhelming majority of Americans saying US government officials use their public office for personal financial gain, according to an exclusive Harris poll for the Guardian.

Nearly nine out of 10 Americans said that government corruption, as defined as elected officials putting their own or their donors’ financial interests ahead of the public’s, is a problem, according to the survey.

I’m a gen Z voter. Content creators have far less power than politicians think | Alex Bronzini-Vender

The Guardian

By: Alex Bronzini-Vender

30 October 2026 at 12:00

Both US parties scramble to win young voters via influencer operations. The evidence doesn’t support their efforts

In tight races, any group that shifts a few points can be called decisive. In 2024, however, gen Z voters actually earned the spotlight.

Take Michigan, where Donald Trump won by about 1.4 points: he and Kamala Harris evenly split the youth vote, a 24-point collapse in the Democratic edge since 2020. If young voters made up just 15% of the state’s electorate, their swing toward the president would be worth roughly 3.6 points, larger than Trump’s entire margin of victory.

Alex Bronzini-Vender is a writer living in New York

Are Trump’s global actions, from Ukraine to Iran, going to hurt him in elections?

World news | The Guardian

By: Robert Tait in Jenkintown · Pennsylvania

30 October 2026 at 11:00

Voters who backed the US president in the last election are saying they can’t vote for him today: ‘This is an abomination’

Outside the Ukrainian educational and cultural center in a quiet Pennsylvania suburb of Jenkintown, on the outskirts of Philadelphia, a banner expressed unqualified gratitude: “Thank you USA for supporting Ukraine.”

Inside, however, the sentiment was altogether different. Irene Skulsky, a retired teacher in her late 70s, voiced indignation at Donald Trump’s sudden turn against her ancestral homeland, which she believed had come close to killing her son, Darko, and a desire to punish his fellow Republicans at next week’s midterm elections.

Vivek Ramaswamy discontinues attack ad that prompted wave of revulsion

World news | The Guardian

By: Robert Mackey

30 October 2026 at 04:10

Candidate for Ohio governor confirms campaign no longer airing ad that smeared rival and was defended by Trump

Vivek Ramaswamy, the Republican nominee for Ohio governor, confirmed on Thursday that his campaign is no longer airing an attack ad that features the estranged mother of his Democratic opponent, Amy Acton.

The ad prompted a wave of revulsion since Acton’s mother, Donna Arthur, lost custody of her daughter in 1978, when her second husband, Cledith Arthur, was charged with raping her daughter between the ages of 10 and 12.

Vivek Ramaswamy discontinues attack ad that prompted wave of revulsion

The Guardian

By: Robert Mackey

30 October 2026 at 04:10

Candidate for Ohio governor confirms campaign no longer airing ad that smeared rival and was defended by Trump

Vivek Ramaswamy, the Republican nominee for Ohio governor, confirmed on Thursday that his campaign is no longer airing an attack ad that features the estranged mother of his Democratic opponent, Amy Acton.

The ad prompted a wave of revulsion since Acton’s mother, Donna Arthur, lost custody of her daughter in 1978, when her second husband, Cledith Arthur, was charged with raping her daughter between the ages of 10 and 12.

Republicans seize on controversy in Alaska's closely watched Senate race

PBS News Hour - The Latest

By: Liz Landers · Jonah Anderson

30 October 2026 at 01:55

Alaska's governor is ordering an investigation into Democrat Mary Peltola's Senate campaign over reports that it recruited a spoiler candidate to dilute Republican votes. That's as President Trump repeated calls for Peltola's prosecution during a trip to another deep red state where his endorsed candidate is facing headwinds. Liz Landers reports.

Pennsylvania congressional races could hinge on who voters blame for high prices

PBS News Hour - The Latest

By: Lisa Desjardins · Jonah Anderson

30 October 2026 at 01:45

Democrats are favored to take the House in November, but the size of their potential majority could hinge on a handful of competitive races. Four are in Pennsylvania, where President Trump and Republicans made significant gains in 2024. Now, Democrats are betting that the president's low approval ratings and frustration over high prices will shift the political landscape. Lisa Desjardins reports.

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