Harris' presidential campaign operation crossed the $1 billion fundraising threshold in September, two months after she took over as the Democratic Party’s standard-bearer, according to two people familiar with the numbers.

The figure includes money raised by the campaign committee itself and by a campaign-affiliated joint fundraising committee that also collects cash for the Democratic National Committee and state parties.

The staggering pace suggests Harris has been able to sustain enthusiasm among donors, large and small, as the campaign enters the stretch run before the Nov. 5 election. But it comes amid a historic onslaught of outside spending from super PACs and other groups that has the Harris campaign concerned — particularly about direct mail, in which Republicans have opened a steep advantage in recent months, and on the ground, with groups like Elon Musk’s super PAC and others working to turn out voters for Trump.

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Walz skewered Trump at an event in Chandler, Arizona, this afternoon as he discussed Hurricane Milton, claiming that when Trump was in office he had asked residents how they voted before he determined whether to provide disaster relief.

"When we have people coming out and saying that before decisions were made on about determining aid, former President Trump asked to see how those people voted — never in our life would we ask that," Walz said. "Never in our lifetime would we ask that."

Walz appeared to be referring to a recent Politico report that said that when Trump was president he hesitated to authorize disaster aid to areas where there were large numbers of Trump opponents and gave preference to regions that were known to be pro-Trump.

The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Ann Ferlic Ashford — a former Democratic congressional candidate whose late husband Brad Ashford represented Nebraska's 2nd District for one term before being defeated by Republican Don Bacon — is appearing in a new ad emphasizing her endorsement of Bacon.

"Both my husband, Brad, and I were political opponents of Don Bacon. Now, I'm endorsing Don because character always counts more than party," Ashford says in the new ad, before lamenting the "lies they keep telling about Don Bacon" and praising him for bipartisan votes in Congress.

Some Democrats have been calling for Trump to be prosecuted under a federal law that makes it illegal for private citizens to communicate with foreign officials amid reporting that the former president allegedly had as many as seven phone calls with Vladimir Putin since leaving the White House.

Democrats have suggested that Trump may be in violation of the Logan Act, which prohibits private citizens from communicating with foreign leaders “with intent to influence the measures or conduct of any foreign government or of any officer or agent thereof, in relation to any disputes or controversies with the United States, or to defeat the measures of the United States.”

Asked by NBC News about the calls, which were reported in Bob Woodward's forthcoming book, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, "We’re not aware of those calls."

Following her interview on CNN, Harris called into The Weather Channel, speaking with a reporter on the ground in Florida ahead of Hurricane Milton's landfall.

Asked to address Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has accused Harris of politicizing the storm, Harris said, "This is not a time for us to just point fingers at each other as Americans. It’s really not."

She added, "Anybody who considers themselves to be a leader should really be in the business right now of giving people a sense of confidence that we’re working together … on behalf of the people of our country.”

Harris also called on leaders to hang up their partisan hats for the duration of the hurricane, telling the reporter that she welcomes "every and anyone to work with me and for us to be able to work together. I don’t care who you voted for in the last election or who you’re voting for in the next election.”

While both campaigning in Maricopa County yesterday and today, Gov. Tim Walz and the second gentleman Doug Emhoff met this morning for coffee with their children at Otro Cafe in Phoenix.

Hope Walz and Cole Emhoff were in attendance, along with Cole’s wife, Greenley. They ordered coffee and pastries before sitting down together on the first day of early voting here in Arizona.

Following a joint briefing on the hurricane, Harris on CNN blasted Republican leaders who have spread conspiracy theories about FEMA, a federal organization that helps hurricane victims with evacuation and resources during emergency.

“[Local officials] are doing an extraordinary job in trying to combat the misinformation. I’m talking about sheriffs, I’m talking about mayors, I’m talking about local officials,” the vice president told the network on Wednesday afternoon. “I don’t even know their party affiliation, by the way. But leaders on the ground who know it is not in the best interest of the people living in those areas … to be afraid of seeking help.”

Though Harris didn’t address any Republicans by name, she said it was “dangerous” and “unconscionable, frankly, that anyone who would consider themselves a leader would mislead desperate people to the point that those people would not receive the aid to which they are entitled.”

“We know the desperation and the fear” of the people evacuating, she added. “The last thing they deserve is to have a so-called leader make them more scared.”

In remarks at a storm briefing on Hurricane Milton and response efforts to Hurricane Helene, Biden slammed Trump for spreading misinformation on disaster relief for people affected by Helene.

PHOENIX — Arizona starts its first day of early voting Wednesday and ends it with a pivotal moment in its battleground Senate race, as Republican Kari Lake and Democrat Ruben Gallego are set to face off in their first and only debate for the seat left open by retiring Sen. Kyrsten Sinema.

Like the presidential contest, the Senate race offers deep contrasts in a state that’s been divided neatly in half for years. And despite the uncertainty in the close race for the White House, both Senate candidates are more than happy to associate themselves with the top of their ticket.