13 days until the midterm elections: Where things stand

(*Countdown above in EDT)

Key races checkup:

An unexpectedly tight Senate race in Indiana between incumbent Democrat Joe Donnelly and Republican Mike Braun may boil down to perceived “Hoosier” independence from President Trump. (Read more)

In what could be a test of his ability to motivate Democrats to turn out in states he won, former President Barack Obama campaigned Monday night for Democrat Jacky Rosen in Nevada, and portrayed incumbent Republican Sen. Dean Heller as a rubber stamp for President Trump. (Read more)

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., is up by 2 points over challenger Harley Rouda in a race that many Democrats see as a pickup opportunity, according to a new Monmouth University poll. Rohrabacher is one of Russia’s strongest supporters in Congress and the race may be an indicator of the salience of the Mueller investigation as an issue in the midterms. (Read more)

In New Jersey, moderate Democrat Mikie Sherrill faces off against Trump supporter Jay Webber in the kind of affluent, Republican suburban district Democrats hope to flip — and she’s leading. (Read more)

Here are the most expensive races in the country, according to Advertising Analytics, a firm that tracks political spending. (Republican candidates are listed first below):

Senate

1. Florida (Rick Scott vs. Bill Nelson): $107 million

2. Nevada (Dean Heller vs. Jacky Rosen): $72 million

3. Indiana (Mike Braun vs. Joe Donnelly): $70 million

House

1. Pennsylvania’s First District (Brian Fitzpatrick vs. Scott Wallace): $21 million

2. Washington’s Eighth District (Dino Rossi vs. Kim Schrier): $19 million

3. Florida’s 26th District (Carlos Curbelo vs. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell): $18 million

Governor

1. Illinois (Bruce Rauner vs. J.B. Pritzker): $55 million

2. Florida (Ron DeSantis vs. Andrew Gillum): $51 million

3. Ohio (Mike DeWine vs. Richard Cordray): $43 million

Must-reads:

Trump supporters who attended the president’s rally in Houston on behalf of Sen. Ted Cruz described the caravan of Central American migrants heading toward the U.S. border with Mexico as invaders. (Read more)

There is no evidence to back up President Trump‘s claim that “unknown Middle Easterners” in the caravan are heading toward the United States. (Read more)

See the latest Midterm Mania >>>

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Scorecard sources:

Generic ballot: FiveThirtyEight

Right track/wrong track: Gallup

Trump approval: FiveThirtyEight

At-risk seats in the Senate: Cook Political Report

At-risk seats in the House: Cook Political Report

Read more Yahoo News midterms coverage:

• In Florida race, climate change divides Gillum and DeSantis

• Red-tide awakening: How Florida’s environmental woes could hurt Rick Scott

• ‘Outside agitators’ phrase resurfaces in Georgia governor’s race

• Hurricane Michael reshapes Florida Senate race

• In Texas Senate race, Betomania confronts Trump’s mega-MAGA rally for Cruz

• In Senate race, GOP Rep. Blackburn accuses her opponent of being a Democrat

• Photos: Honduran migrant caravan pushes north toward the U.S.

• See the rest of our midterms coverage >>>