12 days until midterms, Trump heads to Iowa as GOP candidates balance loyalty, voter concerns

President Donald Trump welcomed Iowa Republican Senate nominee Ashley Hinson and gubernatorial nominee Zach Lahn onstage Thursday night during a rally in Sioux City, making a final push for the GOP ticket ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections.

Trump praised Hinson's record on gun rights and agriculture before inviting her to address the crowd.

"She's always calling me and asking me for things like for Iowa, sir, could you give her a little bit more money to the farmers?" Trump said.

Trump then introduced Lahn, who is challenging Democrat Rob Sand in Iowa's gubernatorial race.

Lahn praised Trump's leadership on voter ID and border security before criticizing his Democratic opponent.

"Look, we are here to defend Iowa. That's why all of you are here," Lahn told supporters.

Trump also recognized Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and outgoing Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, during the rally.

President Donald Trump touted his administration's emergency diesel tax relief and a newly announced $8 billion agricultural assistance program Thursday during a rally in Sioux City, Iowa.

Trump highlighted an Oct. 5 executive order directing the Treasury Department to consider temporarily deferring certain diesel excise tax payments and providing penalty relief for farmers, truckers and other affected taxpayers.

The order also directs the IRS to suspend certain penalties associated with using dyed diesel on highways through Dec. 31, while the administration explores options for permanently forgiving deferred taxes.

"On Monday, I announced the Harvest Fuel Relief Program, providing our farmers with $8 billion to offset diesel costs in the harvest season, including an estimated $400 million is coming to Iowa farmers," Trump said.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to Mississippi on Thursday to campaign for Democratic Senate nominee Scott Colom as he seeks to unseat Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith in November.

The campaign held a rally at Columbus High School in Colom's hometown, bringing supporters together less than two weeks before Election Day.

Colom's wife, Nadia, shared a story about Harris calling her husband during a family dinner, saying he handed her the phone after learning she had experienced a difficult day.

"Scott could have kept that moment about himself. He could have kept that moment about the race. But he took it to notice me," she told the crowd.

The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that New Hampshire can continue enforcing voter ID guidance excluding student IDs ahead of the November midterm elections, handing state officials a victory in an election rules dispute.

The justices blocked lower court orders challenging the guidance, citing the principle that federal courts should generally avoid changing election procedures shortly before an election.

"This Court has repeatedly emphasized that lower federal courts should ordinarily not alter the election rules on the eve of an election," the unsigned order stated.

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented, arguing that the lower court had sought to correct misleading guidance rather than change state law.

The decision leaves the disputed guidance in place while litigation continues, without resolving the underlying case.

A Michigan newspaper declared Wednesday it will no longer seek comment from the campaign of Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers over what it described as his "lies and bigoted attacks" against his Democratic rival, Abdul El-Sayed.

"For the first time in @metrotimes history, we’re no longer seeking comment from a candidate’s campaign because of repeated lies and bigoted attacks," Detroit Metro Times investigative reporter Steve Neavling announced on X.

"That candidate is Mike Rogers, whose campaign keeps targeting Abdul El-Sayed’s Muslim faith."

Neavling accused Rogers of lying when the Republican asserted that El-Sayed hasn't disavowed the Muslim Brotherhood, pointing to the Democrat telling a town hall audience member, "Sure, yeah, absolutely" earlier in the week when asked to denounce the organization, and for suggesting El-Sayed believes "America deserved 9/11," a statement made by El-Sayed's prominent supporter, left-wing streamer Hasan Piker.

Neavling also accused Rogers of having "inflated" his counterterrorism résumé, specifically about his role in the operation targeting Osama bin Laden.

"When Metro Times asked about those claims for its Oct. 8 report, Rogers’ campaign declined to answer specific questions. It instead defended his record and repeated an unfounded allegation that El-Sayed received money from terrorist organizations," Neavling wrote in a report.

This is an excerpt of an article by Fox News Digital's Joseph A. Wulfsohn.

A heckler interrupted Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed's rally at Wayne State University on Thursday, triggering repeated chants of "USA" as the candidate attempted to discuss his family's immigration story.

El-Sayed was recounting his father's arrival in the United States when the disruption broke out, temporarily derailing his remarks.

"Today, the beautiful thing about America is we've got the freedom of our speech," El-Sayed said after the interruption.

He accused those who disrupt political events of trying to distract from issues including education costs and wages.

"So we welcome anybody to come and ask questions. But don't be surprised when we remind you that America is a lot bigger than you are," El-Sayed said.

A Baltimore police officer shot and critically wounded an armed man Thursday near a shopping center, with gunfire also striking a vehicle transporting election ballots, according to officials.

The officer approached the man near Erdman Avenue around 12:16 p.m. while conducting crime suppression operations, according to The Baltimore Banner. The man fled before allegedly turning and pointing a weapon at the pursuing officer, prompting the officer to open fire.

Police recovered a semiautomatic handgun at the scene. The officer was not injured, and authorities have not determined whether the suspect fired his weapon.

A nearby vehicle transporting election ballots was also struck by gunfire, though officials said the ballots were unrelated to the confrontation.

"All ballots that were in the contractor’s possession have been retrieved by the Board of Elections and are secure," Baltimore City Board of Elections Director Clifford Tatum said.

The contractor was unharmed. Thursday's incident marked Baltimore's 10th police shooting this year, the city's highest annual total since 2016, according to the Banner.

Mayor Brandon Scott condemned the presence of firearms near a library and childcare center, calling the shooting "a traumatic incident for this neighborhood."

Maine voters are in a negative mood this election season. Only 12% say their family is better off financially compared to two years ago, and more than 6 in 10 disapprove of President Donald Trump’s job performance, including 2 in 10 Republicans.

A Fox News survey of Maine likely voters finds that mood weighs on Republican Sen. Susan Collins, as 53% are concerned she votes with Trump too much. By contrast, 46% are concerned Democratic challenger Troy Jackson is too liberal.

Despite those views, the horse race shows the candidates tied, with Jackson and Collins at 49% apiece. All survey interviews were completed after the candidates’ Oct. 15 debate.

Collins, who first won her seat about three decades ago, is seeking a sixth term. She’s the only GOP senator running for re-election this year from a state Trump lost in 2024 (by 7 points). In 2020, Collins won by nearly 9 points.

Democrats view Maine as a must-win seat in their effort to take control of the Senate. When voters are asked about control of the U.S. Senate, 53% prefer a Democratic-led Senate vs. 45% who want the Republicans to remain in charge. While almost all Jackson supporters want Democratic control (96%), Collins supporters are more divided: 89% want a GOP-led chamber, but 9% prefer Democratic leadership.

Collins will need to overcome the energy on the left, as far more Democrats (79%) than Republicans (61%) say they are extremely interested in the election, which explains why Jackson is ahead by 16 points among that group. He’s up by 4 points among those who say they are "certain" to vote, and also carries the one in five Mainers who have already cast a ballot by a decisive 40 points. On the other hand, a slim majority plans to vote on Election Day, and they favor Collins by 12 points.

"Collins is no stranger to outrunning her party, but Democrats hold an 18-point enthusiasm advantage," says Mikaela Linder of Beacon Research, a Democratic polling firm that conducts the Fox News Poll with Republican Daron Shaw. "Trump’s job rating is 25 points underwater, and a majority strongly disapproves of him. Jackson has an opening if he can carry that momentum beyond his base and across the finish line."

This is an excerpt of a Fox News Poll by Dana Blanton.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez acknowledged Thursday that political consultants might warn Maine Democrat Senate candidate Troy Jackson against campaigning with her, praising him for doing so anyway.

"There are a lot of consultants out here in Washington that would tell him, do not sit next to a stage next to her. I'm sure you've probably heard some variation of that," Ocasio-Cortez said at a packed Portland town hall.

Jackson embraced progressive positions throughout the event, calling for abolishing ICE, backing Medicare for All and declaring, "I don't want to see blank checks going to Netanyahu anymore."

Ocasio-Cortez also attacked Republican Sen. Susan Collins over her vote to confirm Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, accusing her of having "decided to declare open season on us instead."

The appearance underscored contrasting strategies in Maine's Senate race. Jackson has campaigned with progressive figures including Ocasio-Cortez, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, while Collins appeared Wednesday alongside former Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin, emphasizing bipartisanship ahead of the Nov. 3 election.

President Donald Trump doubled down Thursday on his defense of Vivek Ramaswamy's controversial Ohio gubernatorial campaign ad, accusing the media of shielding Democratic candidate Amy Acton as Ramaswamy's campaign fired back at Republican Gov. Mike DeWine.

"I know one thing. If my mother said that about me, it would be, you would have hit gold. You would have been very happy about it," Trump told reporters at the White House.

"So I know nothing about it other than the mother said horrible things about a person that's running for governor of a great state, right, a great state. And if it's even a little bit true, you don't want her as governor."

The advertisement features Acton's estranged mother, Donna Arthur, accusing her daughter of dishonesty. Acton has been estranged from her mother since childhood, following sexual abuse allegations involving her stepfather.

DeWine called the ad "deeply, deeply troubling" and urged Ramaswamy to remove it, prompting a sharp response from the Republican nominee's campaign.

"Governor DeWine is correct that the first and only candidate to attack the mother of her opponent in this race was Amy Acton. She slanderously lied about Vivek’s mother this fall, without shame. We refuse to accept the media’s double standards when Democrats have regularly used family members of President Trump, RFK Jr., and other Republicans in ads. Voters shouldn’t buy it," campaign spokesperson Connie Luck told Fox News Digital.

Trump also accused reporters of unfairly targeting Ramaswamy.

"What's happened is the press has teamed up because he's a Republican, and they tried to make it like it's a horrible thing. This is a mother saying very bad things about her daughter, and I don't know why that should be shielded," Trump said.

DeWine has maintained his endorsement of Ramaswamy despite criticizing the advertisement.

President Donald Trump weighed in Thursday on Rep. Ilhan Omar's response to a question about longstanding allegations that she married her brother, suggesting the Minnesota Democrat's choice of words was revealing.

Fox News senior congressional correspondent Aishah Hasnie asked Trump at the White House about Omar's reported response of "not to my knowledge" when questioned about the allegation.

"Well, if you ask me that same question about, let's say, my sister, I would say no, she said, not to my knowledge. that tells you a lot right there," Trump responded.

"No, she's I've never been a big fan of hers. I'll be honest. Let's see how it all works out. But that statement tells you a lot."

Omar has long faced allegations concerning her past marriage to Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, whom critics have alleged is her brother.

Trump's remarks came during a wide-ranging exchange with reporters at the White House ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections.

Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., said Thursday that a constituent was arrested just miles from his South Florida home after allegedly threatening to kill him.

"A constituent of mine has just been arrested in Boca, just a few miles from my house, for threatening my life. He is currently in the Palm Beach County jail," Moskowitz wrote on X.

The congressman thanked state and local authorities for their swift response."I'm grateful to @fdlepio and local law enforcement for acting quickly to keep myself and my family safe," he added.

Moskowitz did not identify the suspect or provide further details about the alleged threat.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., called for sweeping investigations into the Trump administration's Justice Department and FBI leadership Thursday, threatening subpoenas and potential legal action if Democrats regain power after the midterms.

Speaking at a Maine campaign event alongside Democrat Senate candidate Troy Jackson, Ocasio-Cortez accused the administration of weaponizing federal law enforcement ahead of the Nov. 3 elections.

"Day one, we need to be opening investigations into the heads of every single one of these agencies, and we need to hold them accountable. I'm talking subpoenas, I'm talking investigations," Ocasio-Cortez declared.

The New York Democrat accused FBI Director Kash Patel of purging investigators and alleged that federal prosecutions involving figures including New York Attorney General Letitia James and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell were politically motivated.

"And we will never get our country back if we allow criminals to have cabinet seats in the United States of America," she added.

Ilhan Omar is not the "real name" of the Minnesota congresswoman, Fox News Digital has learned.Her real name is Ilhan Nur Said Elmi, according to two people familiar with the ongoing investigation into the Somali-born congresswoman, including a law enforcement source.

And if proven in court that Omar has lived her "entire life under an alias," a former Minnesota federal immigration judge tells Fox News Digital that every single form she ever filled out could be "called into question."

On Wednesday, U.S. District Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro filed a motion seeking to prevent the federal search warrant for the congresswoman’s home from being unsealed, which was requested by several media outlets. The motion says the federal government is not yet finished executing the search warrant, and that it shouldn’t be unsealed yet.

"Before the Court are three Applications to unseal ex parte materials and proceedings related to a federal search warrant for the personal residence in the District of Columbia of Congresswoman Ilhan Nur Said Elmi, a/k/a Ilhan Abdullahi Omar…" the motion begins.

"That's not her real name," one source said when asked why the motion used the "a/k/a Ilhan Adbullahi Omar" language.

Fox News Digital first reported in the midst of the search of the lawmaker's Washington, D.C. residence that federal investigators are probing whether she or her father committed fraud when filling out her immigration paperwork.

Investigators obtained the elected official’s DNA and seized her personal phone and passport during the Oct. 12 pre-dawn raid.

This is an excerpt of an article by Fox News Digital's Peter D'Abrosca.

President Donald Trump jumped into Ohio's increasingly bitter gubernatorial race Thursday, blasting Republican Gov. Mike DeWine as a "RINO" and urging Vivek Ramaswamy to keep airing a controversial campaign ad featuring Democratic opponent Amy Acton's estranged mother.

"Our RINO Governor of Ohio, Mike DeWine, who I unfortunately helped get elected years ago, when he was losing by 16 points prior to my doing a Rally for him was, as usual, disloyal to the Republican Party," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

"I suggested, on the other hand, that Vivek should keep it up," Trump declared, defending the ad as "hitting pay dirt."

DeWine earlier condemned the advertisement, which features Acton's estranged mother accusing her daughter of lying about her upbringing, calling it "deeply, deeply troubling" and urging Ramaswamy to remove it. He has not withdrawn his endorsement of the Republican nominee.

Billy Atwell, executive communications and strategy consultant with Atwell Consulting, offered a sharply different assessment in an exclusive comment to Fox News Digital.

"This is a classic crisis comms mistake — the longer you take to do the right thing, the longer it takes to recover. Vivek has ZERO time to waste," Atwell said.

"Fundamentally, someone should apologize when they make a mistake. People understand that. But dragging this out only makes his opponent more sympathetic and it keeps the attention off of the ideas each candidate has."

Trump, meanwhile, accused the media of orchestrating a campaign against Ramaswamy and praised the Republican as a future "GREAT Governor."

The president also accused Acton of dishonesty, allegations she has disputed.

The Ramaswamy campaign did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Vice President JD Vance paused his remarks and led the crowd in praying the Lord's prayer when a medical emergency interrupted his campaign rally in Nebraska on Thursday.

Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico blamed Republican extremism for prompting some of his past controversial remarks during a new interview, including assertions that God is "nonbinary" and that there are six biological sexes, arguing that those weren't issues he ran for office to discuss.

Talarico said that culture war issues became more prominent in the 2021 Texas state legislature and suggested Republicans were responsible for the increased attention to those topics. Talarico, in 2021, opposed a bill to ban men from women’s sports and claimed that "God is non-binary" while on the Austin, Texas, House floor. 

Additionally, at a Texas House Committee on Public Education hearing in 2021, he stated, "Modern science obviously recognizes that there are many more than two biological sexes; in fact, there are six."

Talarico, who is running against Republican Ken Paxton in the state's closely watched U.S. Senate race, spoke to The New York Times' Michael Barbaro on the paper's "The Daily" podcast Tuesday. He said he felt compelled to fight what he described as Republican extremism at the time when asked about the comments.

"I was put in a position where I had to fight back against that extremism. So, you mentioned some of my comments on gender or on issues affecting trans people. It's not like I ran for the legislature to talk about these things. Again, if you go back to my first session, I wanted to talk about public education, which is why I ran in the first place," he said, pointing to other issues on which he ran.

"It's kind of ironic that they're clipping these things to make it sound like I'm the one who was talking about this when, in reality, it was the Republican extremists at the Capitol who were obsessed with talking about trans issues, obsessed with talking about people's private parts. That wasn't me. That was them that changed."

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News' Hanna Panreck.

Democratic strategist Meghan Hays and former NRSC senior advisor Matt Whitlock analyzed the Michigan Senate debate between Mike Rogers and Abdul El-Sayed on Thursday.

With New York early voting set to start Saturday, state Attorney General Letitia James on Thursday urged people to exercise the franchise, vowing to defend the "sacred right to vote."

"The right to vote is the right from which all other rights emanate," James said on Thursday, calling it "sacred" and adding that "it's really critically important that individuals understand that so many individuals have died for that right to vote."

"You may have heard on the news that some powerful individuals in our country are attacking the right to vote, and they're trying to deconstruct ... the guardrails of our democracy," she said. "As long as the right to vote is under threat, my office will stand together in the court of law, in solidarity at rallies and at the ballot box until every eligible voter can make their voice heard."

James, a Democratic incumbent who is currently running for re-election, faces Republican candidate Saritha Komatireddy in the state's 2026 attorney general race.