9 days until the midterm elections: Where things stand
(Countdown above in ET)
Key races checkup:
The Central American migrant caravan has given Republican gubernatorial candidate Kris Kobach fresh ammunition in his deadlocked race with Democrat Laura Kelly in Kansas. Kobach, the author of anti-illegal immigration statutes in two states, is following President Trump’s lead in trying to make the caravan a central issue in the campaign. (Read more)
On Saturday, Sen. Kamala Harris, D.-Calif., became the latest potential Democratic 2020 hopeful to head to Florida in support of incumbent Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson in his race against Republican Gov. Rick Scott for the Senate. Former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., had appeared on the trail with Nelson this month, getting some exposure in the crucial swing state. (Read more)
A special election in Mississippi to determine who will serve out Republican Sen. Thad Cochran’s term may decide which party controls the U.S. Senate. It’s a crowded field, with two Democrats — Mike Espy and Tobey Bartee — and two Republicans — acting Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith and Chris McDaniel — all hoping to break through. Trump has endorsed Hyde-Smith, but the more conservative McDaniel may cut into her support. Unless one candidate wins more than 50 percent of the vote, the top two finishers will go into a runoff. (Read more)
Must-reads:
Former President Barack Obama has been hitting Trump harder and harder on the campaign trail lately. At a rally in Wisconsin on Friday, Obama called Trump out for “blatantly lying” and “making stuff up” regarding Republican actions to kill the Affordable Care Act. (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 deep-red Missouri, McCaskill pursues voters far off the Democratic beaten path
Menendez race pits ethical concerns against party loyalty, and loyalty is winning
Portrait of a moderate district: NJ-11 leans R, but the race leans D
Virginia Republican congressman tries to weather scandal and wave of spending
