Coverage on this live blog has ended.
What's happening on the campaign trail today
- Former President Donald Trump campaigned in Michigan today, participating in a roundtable in Oakland County before he took the stage at a Detroit rally that suffered from technical issues. Vice President Kamala Harris also held several events across Michigan throughout the day.
- Former President Barack Obama is continuing to stump for Harris, making an appearance earlier today in Tucson, Arizona
- Another debate in a critical down-ballot race took place this evening when Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin and Republican nominee Eric Hovde faced off in Madison, Wisconsin.
Trump says the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar makes a peace deal âeasierâ
Reporting from Detroit, Michigan
Former President Donald Trump said Friday that the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar would make it âeasierâ to end the war in Gaza, echoing the sentiments of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris in his first public remarks on the matter.
Trumpâs comment came in response to a question from NBC News about whether reaching peace would be easier or harder after Sinwarâs death. The former president said, âI think it makes it easier.â He did not respond when asked for further details about this view.
Harrisâ campaign mocks âexhaustedâ Trump after he appears to nod off during an event
Reporting from Washington, D.C.
Kamala Harrisâ campaign posted a video that appeared to show Donald Trump nodding off at a campaign event Friday, pushing a new line of attack that the former president is too âexhaustedâ to run for office.
âAn exhausted Trump appears to be falling asleep during his campaign event,â the Harris campaign posted to its X account with a clip of Trump at a campaign roundtable event in Michigan on Friday.
Tammy Baldwin and Eric Hovde spar over abortion and the economy in tense Wisconsin Senate debate
Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin and Republican Eric Hovde sparred over abortion rights and economic issues Friday night during their first and only debate of a hotly contested Wisconsin Senate race that has tightened just weeks before Election Day.
The tenor of the hour-long face-off was mostly civil, but both candidates fired off acidic lines and retorts at times, with Hovde repeatedly accusing Baldwin of lying and Baldwin often accusing Hovde of misrepresenting his positions on an array of issues.
Trump calls Detroit 'a sacred place' after disparaging the city last week
During his rally in Detroit tonight, Trump said the city "has such great potential" and is "a sacred place," appearing to revise a remark he made in Detroit last week suggesting that the âwhole country will end up being like Detroitâ if Harris is elected in November.
"Detroit has such great potential, but Kamala and the Democrats have been wreaking havoc on this place," Trump said tonight.
"So many things happened in Detroit, and itâs been treated so badly, and theyâve been talking about comebacks for so long, but weâre going to bring it back better than it ever was," he added.
Michigan Trump voters share their thoughts on early voting
Reporting from Auburn Hills, Michigan
When it comes to early voting in Michigan, Trump supporters are split: some have or are planning to vote early and others do not trust the system.
Linda Lee Tarver said she has already cast her ballot for Trump.
âWe wanted to make it too big to rig. We wanted to vote early and make sure our vote was banked and make sure that we could turn out more votes for Donald J. Trump,â she told NBC News.
Traver is encouraging other to vote early this election âso that Donald Trump can know who heâs banking, and we can turn out those who are low propensity and are undecided.â
Her husband, Clinton Tarver, who also said he voted early, said one reason people should consider doing so is to âavoid standing in line.â
Michael Harris said voting early is âimportant,â in part because âit stops all the rest of the political mail and door knocking.â
Harris said he trusts the early voting process âenough to make sure I get [my ballot] cast early.â
Chris Dempster, 20, who will be voting in his first presidential election, plans to vote in-person on election day.
âI donât trust the system. I donât trust what theyâre going to do with my ballot,â he said.
When asked what he makes of Trump encouraging people to vote early â despite the former president's previous rhetoric undermining confidence in the security of votes that were cast ahead of Election Day â he said, âHe can do what he wants to do, but I have my opinion.â
Dempster is not the only one who is skeptical of early voting.
Jim Klenner told NBC News he thinks it can be a âcorrupt system.â
âI just donât trust the votes coming in early. I was taught that it had to be the first Tuesday of November. So thatâs the way I feel,â he said.
Obama praises the late John McCain during Tucson rally
Obama praised a onetime political foe, the late Arizona Sen. John McCain, while stumping for Harris in the battleground state.
âBeing here in Tucson, Iâm thinking about my friend John McCain,â Obama said.
Obama drew a contrast between McCain and Trump, saying McCain understood that âsome values transcendâ partisan differences.
âNow, I donât want to over romanticize our relationship. And you know, John was conservative, to put it mildly,â Obama said. âHe believed in honest argument and hearing the views of other people. He didnât demonize his political opponents.â
Obama recalled a time when McCain defended him at a town hall after a woman falsely claimed Obama was âan Arabâ and not a U.S. citizen.Â
âHe knew that if we get in the habit â if we get in the habit of bending the truth to suit political expediency or party orthodoxy, our democracy canât work,â Obama said. âThe man had character.âÂ
âOne of the most disturbing things about this election and Donald Trumpâs rise in politics is how we seem to have set aside the values that people like John McCain stood for, values we were taught,â the former president added.
Trump's mic cuts out during Detroit rally
Trump's mic cut out for about 17 minutes during his rally tonight in Detroit, Michigan, as he discussed his penchant for tariffs.
While his mic was out, the crowd chanted "USA!"
Upon audio being restored, Trump expressed frustration with the technical issue.
"I wonât pay the bill for this stupid company," Trump said when his mic came back on. "If it goes out again Iâll sue the ass off that company."
Harris has crowd shout their names, emphasizing that the campaign is 'about you'
Harris asked rally attendees in Oakland County, Michigan, to shout their own names.
"That's what I'm talking about!" Harris exclaimed as supporters yelled their names. "'Cause it's about you! It's about your family. It's about you."
Trump says he should get '100% of the Catholic vote' for showing up to Al Smith dinner
Trump suggested during tonight's roundtable in Oakland County that Catholic voters should back him because he showed up last night to the Al Smith dinner, an annual event benefitting Catholic charities.
"We should have gotten about 100% of the Catholic vote last night, because I showed up," Trump said.
The former president also criticized Harris for not attending "the big Catholic event" and took aim at her recorded video message to attendees, arguing it was ânot an appropriate tapeâ for the occasion.
Harris is the first major party presidential nominee to skip the event in 40 years.
Trump has made similar comments about his entitlement to the support of Jewish voters, saying Jewish supporters of Harrisâ presidential bid âshould have your head examined.â
Trump says country is 'finished' if Harris is elected: 'We have to stop her'
During a roundtable with voters in in Oakland County, Michigan, Trump harshly criticized his opponent, saying Harris is a "disaster" and that the country will be "finished" if she is elected president next month.
"This woman has no idea what sheâs doing, and we canât let her be president. I donât want to be rude about it. We canât let her be president. This country is finished if that happens," Trump said. "So we have to stop her."
Harris says Trump is 'existential threat' to labor movement
During a Lansing, Michigan, campaign event courting union voters, Harris slammed Trump as "an existential threat to America's labor movement," a line she has previously used while campaigning.
She played a highlight reel of Trump criticizing the United Auto Workers union, saying he "used to hate to pay overtime," and arguing that "we could have our child" do certain assembly tasks.
"He's got his club," Harris said, arguing that "union workers are not part of his club."
While union voters remain a left-leaning voting bloc, Trump seems to be making inroads among union workers ahead of this year's presidential contest, with a handful of powerful unions declining to endorse Harris amid signs that their members were divided.
Trump denies that he would deport legal immigrants
At a campaign office stop in Hamtramck, Michigan, Trump said it was âfake newsâ that he would deport legal immigrants.
The Democratic mayor of Hamtramck, Amer Ghalib, who endorsed the former president, told Trump onstage today that one thing Democrats âkeep sending to our communities to scareâ residents is messaging that they will be deported, even though some are second- and third-generation immigrants. When asked how he would respond to those accusations, Trump denied them.
âFake news,â Trump said. âEvery week, they have a different concept for me.â
Trump has often called for mass deportations, including in Springfield, Ohio, where many Haitian immigrants work and live legally under federal programs.
Nikki Haley is in talks to campaign with Trump
Nikki Haley is in talks to join Trump on the campaign trail, with the goal of reaching disaffected Republicans, Two sources familiar with the planning confirmed to NBC News.
The discussions include the possibility of a town hall, one of the people said.
The talks were first reported by The Bulwark.
Trump teased a potential event with Haley during an appearance on Fox and Friends on Friday morning. When asked if he would call his former primary opponent to help win over reluctant Republicans, Trump said, âIâll do what I have to do.â
Green Bay drop boxes have not caused issues. Vote watch organizations are still investigating them.
Reporting from GREEN BAY, Wis.
In the city of Green Bay, a new ballot drop box was ordered for this yearâs election. It weighs 1,200 pounds and has been permanently installed outside City Hall.
Green Bay City Clerk Celestine Jeffreys said there has been no trouble with the drop box. A camera overlooks it and is recording 24/7. The footage is maintained for 120 days.
In Suamico, a village nine miles north of Green Bay, Clerk Michelle Bartoletti received an open records request for the surveillance footage of their ballot drop box.
The request from True the Vote, a Texas-based vote watch organization, was received on Oct. 3 and asked for all footage recorded from Sep. 19 through Nov. 5.Â
This week, Bartoletti was still trying to figure out how to transfer the footage to the organization.
She said an external hard drive would likely be necessary due to the sheer size of the files. Video redactions will be necessary, she said, due to the visibility of license plates and children at a nearby playground in the shot.
In the city of De Pere, where Clerk Carey Danen said they are installing a second drop box for use next week, the same open records request was received from True the Vote on Oct. 2. Danen said she forwarded the request to the cityâs legal department for review
GOP super PACs up spending in Pennsylvania Senate race
GOP super PACs focused on Senate races are expanding their investments in Pennsylvania's hotly contested Senate race, according to figures shared first with NBC News.
Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC aligned with Senate Minority Leader, is adding $2.3 million to its buy in the Keystone State while American Crossroads is spending $1.1 million.
The figures are fractions of the tens of millions of dollars that have been spent on the airwaves in Democratic Sen. Bob Casey's race against Republican Dave McCormick. But the continued investments are signs that Republicans view the state as a top pickup opportunity.
Harris says it is part of the American tradition for VPs not to criticize the president
Reporting from GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.
Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday continued to steer clear of criticizing President Joe Biden, arguing that vice presidents not denigrating the commander in chief is an American tradition.
After she delivered remarks at an afternoon campaign rally, Harris was asked by NBC News to identify one policy she would have done differently from Biden over the last 3 1/2 years.
âTo be very candid with you, even including Mike Pence, vice presidents are not critical of their presidents. I think that really, actually, in terms of the tradition of it, and also just going forward, it does not make for a productive and important relationship,â Harris said.
Harris tells NBC News about her closing argument to voters in Michigan
Jan. 6 rioter who assaulted police says she was âdupedâ by Trumpâs election lies
A Trump supporter who stormed the U.S. Capitol and assaulted law enforcement officers now says she was âdupedâ by the then-presidentâs lies about the 2020 election.
Dana Jean Bell was sentenced to 17 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly yesterday. Federal prosecutors had sought 27 months in federal prison, saying Bell âbelligerently pushed, grabbed, and verbally attacked countless U.S. Capitol Police (âUSCPâ) and Metropolitan Police Department (âMPDâ) officers who were attempting to clear rioters from inside the United States Capitol Building.â
Bell pleaded guilty in July to one count of assaulting officers. Her behavior included giving âofficers the middle finger while scowling at them and repeatedly yelling âF--- YOUâ towards them,â prosecutors said.Â
Harris rips Trump over calling his opponents 'the enemy from within'
Harris tore into Trump during her Grand Rapids, Michigan, rally this afternoon, denouncing his recent comments about Democrats and his opponents being "the enemy from within."
"Just months ago, the United States Supreme Court basically told the former president he is effectively immune no matter what he does in the White House," she said.
Harris continued: "Just imagine Donald Trump with no guardrails. Just imagine he who has vowed he would be a dictator on day one, he who calls Americans who disagree with him 'the enemy from within.' You know where that language comes from? 'The enemy from within,' talking about Americans. He who says he would use the military to go after them, American citizens. He who has called for the 'termination of the Constitution of the United States of America.'"
Harris says consequences of Trump presidency are 'brutally serious'
In Grand Rapids, Harris called Trump an "unserious man" who could cause "brutally serious" consequences if elected president. She also made critiques on Trump saying he had "concepts of a plan" during the debate last month.
"Donald Trump is an unserious man, and the consequences of him ever getting back into the White House are brutally serious. Brutally serious. So on that point about concepts of a plan. Itâs funny. We thought it was ridiculously hilarious when we first heard it," she said. "But here's the thing about that: He is basically going to threaten the health insurance of 45 million people based on a concept."
Harris to rally with Barack Obama in Georgia
Harris will join former President Barack Obama for a joint get-out-the-vote rally in Georgia on Thursday, during the early voting period in the state, the Harris-Walz campaign announced today.
Harris questions Trump's energy on the campaign trail
Harris questioned Trump's energy on the campaign trail at her rally this afternoon in Grand Rapids, Michigan, wondering why he has opposed participating in more debates and why he's recently backed out of interviews.
"He is, as we have seen, only focused on himself, and now he is ducking debates and canceling interviews. Come on," Harris said, appearing to refer to interviews he had apparently agreed to on CNBC's "Squawk Box" and CBS' "60 Minutes."
Harris continued: "His own campaign team recently said it is because of exhaustion. Well, if you are exhausted on the campaign trail, it raises real questions about whether you are fit for the toughest job in the world."
She made a similar comment to reporters just before she got onstage: "If heâs exhausted being on the campaign trail, is he fit to do the job? And I think thatâs a question that is an open-ended question that he needs to answer."
The vice president has recently sharpened her attacks on Trump in terms of questioning his mental acuity.
NBC News has reached out to the Trump campaign for comment.
Crowd sings 'Happy Birthday' to Harris; Harris says, 'Let's get to work'
As she entered the stage in Michigan, Harris was greeted by a loud crowd who sang "Happy Birthday" to her. She replied by saying thank you, but adding, "Let's get to work."
Harris turns 60 on Sunday.
Trump calls judge overseeing his Jan. 6 case âthe most evil personâ
Reporting from Washington
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on Friday called the judge overseeing the Jan. 6-related federal criminal case against him âthe most evil person,â despite threats U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan has already faced from his supporters.
Trump also called special counsel Jack Smith, who has faced threats from Trump supporters as well, âa sick puppyâ â a term he frequently deploys against figures he dislikes â during a podcast with right-wing media personality Dan Bongino.
Trump slammed the judge for releasing hundreds of pages of documents Friday â most of them heavily redacted â that Smith had submitted in connection with an earlier filing arguing against Trumpâs motion to dismiss the case.
The filings released on Friday are heavily redacted and largely include information that was already public. They do show that Smithâs team is relying upon transcripts of interviews and other information disclosed by the House Jan. 6 committee, which dissolved after Democrats lost the House in 2022.
Trump called the release of the documents âelection interferenceâ during his podcast appearance and said it was âa terrible thing, whatâs happening. And the judges, this judge is the most evil person.â
Lake refuses to commit to accepting Senate race results during Phoenix presser
After launching her âMama Bear Initiative,â Kari Lake took questions from the media, where she did not commit to accepting the results of her Senate race against Democratic candidate Rep. Ruben Gallego.
âIf this race is run, campaign is run lawfully, in accordance with the law, thereâs nothing more than I want to do than accept that,â Lake said. âBut I think people in Arizona are concerned about anything that could go wrong, and so weâre praying that things go well.â
Lake said her main priority, though, is encouraging people to vote, to which she said she is pleased with the turnout so far.
Michelle Obama to join Harris on the campaign trail in Michigan
Former first lady Michelle Obama will join Harris on the campaign trail for the first time next Saturday for a joint get-out-the-vote rally in Michigan, the Harris-Walz campaign announced today.
Oct. 26 is the first day of early voting in the battleground state.
Harris courts male voters on fantasy sports, sports betting and video game platforms
Kamala Harrisâ presidential campaign is ramping up efforts to court male voters two weeks before Election Day with ads on platforms frequented by men who like fantasy sports, sports betting, sports news and video game websites.
Harris is fighting to win over voters within this key demographic, among which former President Donald Trump has an edge.
As part of the campaignâs plan to attract male voters, the vice presidentâs campaign launched a series of ads Friday on sports news sites like DraftKings and Yahoo Sports as well as video game sites like IGN and Fandom. Harrisâ is the first campaign to advertise on DraftKings.
In one 30-second spot that will appear on those websites, former professional basketball star Magic Johnson compares the economic policies between the two candidates as if he were previewing two sports teams clashing.
âLetâs break down Kamalaâs economic plan. She has a plan to cut taxes for over 100 million Americans,â Johnson says. âNow letâs look at the other guy. Heâs a failed businessman, plain and simple. Itâll jack up prices, which means youâll pay more for pretty much everything. Kamalaâs plan is pro-business, pro-entrepreneur and pro-America. Thatâs why Iâm backing Kamala in this election and I hope youâll do the same.â
Walz to record interview with sports talk show
Walz will record an interview at 1 p.m. today with the sports talk show "The Rich Eisen Show" to discuss football, including his time as a high school football coach, a Harris-Walz campaign official said.
A federal disaster fund has drawn 50,000 applications after twin hurricanes. One problem: Itâs out of money.
When the river began to rise in Asheville, North Carolina, last month, Lucious Wilson stood on a nearby hill and watched as his brewery slowly vanished in the floodwaters generated by Hurricane Helene.
âWe need help,â he told NBC News this week, standing near the ruins of his business, Wedge Brewery. âWe donât need politics.â
But a key source of federal aid may not be available anytime soon for those affected by the recent hurricanes. About 54,000 have applied for low-interest loans from a disaster fund operated by the Small Business Administration, but the money has all dried up.
Biden administration officials are pressuring Congress to return a few weeks early to approve new funds, but itâs unlikely to happen given the focus on the November election, experts say.
That means the applicants would not receive any money until after Congress reconvenes on Nov. 12.
Lizzo and Usher to join Harris this weekend at separate events
On Saturday, Harris will be joined by Lizzo in Detroit for a get-out-the-vote event and, later that day, by Usher in Atlanta for a rally, according to a Harris campaign official.
This comes as part of an effort to boost Harrisâ turnout in early voting states. In-person early voting starts in part of Michigan tomorrow and it has already begun in Georgia.
Ohio Trump supporters encourage early voting

Leslie Mercier and William Mercier volunteered with the Franklin County Republican Party at the Board of Elections early voting site in Columbus, Ohio, on Thursday afternoon.
âEarly voting started last week and we want people to be informed. We want people to participate in the process regardless of affiliation,â William Mercier said.
Both plan to cast their ballot for Donald Trump and the rest of the Republican ticket. The two say that the economy is top of mind this election, as they recently welcomed a newborn into their lives.Â
âI would love to be able to go to the grocery store for our newborn baby and get milk and eggs at a reasonable price. Iâd love to feel safe in our communities, and we think that Trump is the right one to do that,â Leslie Mercier said.
Conservative Republicans complain McConnell's super PAC hasn't invested in key Senate races
A super PAC aligned with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is catching heat from conservative Senate Republicans for not investing in Senate races in Texas and Florida.
"Thereâs an inequity there," Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, told Semafor about the Senate Leadership Fund. "These guys are Republican colleagues, theyâre in very close races in a general election, they could use help."
During an appearance on Mark Levinâs Fox News show on Sunday, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, went after SLF for not investing in his Senate race. "Mitch McConnell runs the largest Republican super PAC in the country and has $400 million, but that super PAC is used to reward the Republican senators who obey him and to punish those who dare to stand up to him," he said.
Cruz also complained that the McConnell-aligned PAC didnât invest in Sen. Leeâs re-election race in 2022, which looked closer than expected, but resulted in him beating Evan McMullin by almost 11 percentage points.
âWe think Sen. Cruz is running a great campaign, and weâre continuing to keep an eye on this race,â SLF spokeswoman Torunn Sinclair said in response to calls for them to invest in Texas.Â
On the Democratic side, the Chuck Schumer-aligned Senate Majority PAC has also not put any money into the Texas Senate race for Democratic Rep. Colin Allred, whoâs running against Cruz.
NBC News reported in September that the SLF poured $67.5 million into Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan, and an aide for SLF says they just recently injected another $2 million into Pennsylvania.Â
In Michael Tackettâs upcoming biography of McConnell, a copy of which was obtained by NBC News, he quotes the Republican leader as calling Cruz a âgrandstanderâ for his decision to object to electoral votes on Jan. 6, 2021, saying Cruz and Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., were âcompeting with each other over who could take the lead on this totally irresponsible effort to set aside the results of the Electoral College.â
Gen Z Ohio State students tell why this election matters to them

Eli Weisblat, 22, a student at Ohio State University drove from campus to the the Board of Elections to make his voice heard Thursday. This is his second time voting in a presidential election. âThis is one of the most important elections, I think, of my lifetime,â Weisblat said.
Weisblat, a law student, cast his vote for Kamala Harris, Sherrod Brown and the rest of the Democratic ticket. He says his experience at the Franklin County Board of Elections showed him how secure the voting process is.
âYou got one side that I think is firmly not living in a reality still thinking that the election was rigged. I think if you walked in there for two seconds and saw how secure everything was, you can clearly see that it is a process that is very safe and secure.â
He cites climate change as his top issue this election, referencing hurricanes Helene and Milton as front of mind at the polls. âI know people who are my age that donât even want to have kids because they are afraid of whatâs like what the worldâs going to look like in 30 years.â

Sam Patchen, a second year studying environmental policy at Ohio State University, also voted for Kamala Harris. âI think President Biden made the right choice stepping aside because a lot of my peers definitely feel a lot better,â Patchen said.
Singer Marc Anthony targets Latino voters in ad for Harris
In an ad released this morning, singer Marc Anthony declared his support for the Harris-Walz ticket. Anthony, whose parents came to the U.S. from Puerto Rico, targeted Trump in the ad, calling out his past comments on the U.S. territory.
"Even though some have forgotten, I remember what it was like when Donald Trump was president. I remember what he did and said about Puerto Rico, about our people," he said. "I remember after Hurricane Maria devastated our island, Trump blocked billions in relief while thousands died."
Anthony also mentioned Hurricane Maria and Trump's response, when the then-president claimed that Democrats manipulated the high death toll numbers "to make me look as bad as possible." A report by the Department of Housing and Urban Development's inspector general also found that the Trump administration withheld $20 billion in relief funds after the hurricane devastated the island in 2017.
Poll: Democrats catch up on election enthusiasm, but two key groups lag behind
The latest NBC News poll contains this good news for Democrats: Theyâve essentially caught up to Republicans on enthusiasm about the upcoming election â after trailing on this measure while President Joe Biden was in the race.
The challenge for Democrats, however, is that key parts of their base are less fired up about the election than they were in previous cycles, as the party tries to rev up turnout for a close race between Harris and Trump.
Overall, the poll finds 74% of registered voters expressing high interest in the election, registering either a â9â or â10â on a 10-point scale.
Thatâs the lowest share expressing high interest for all other presidential cycles the poll has tested since 2004 at this same point in time â with the exception of 2016.Â
By party, 79% of Republicans have high interest, compared with 77% of Democrats. That 2-point deficit for Democrats is an improvement for the party from Julyâs NBC News poll, when Biden was still in the race. Then, the deficit was 5 points, 76% to 71%.
Still, key parts of the Democratic base â including Black voters and young voters â are showing lower levels of high interest in the upcoming election than in any of the past five presidential cycles going back to 2004.
How votes get counted and reported on election night â and how NBC News gathers and checks the data
The task of counting and announcing vote results from more than 100,000 precincts across the country â mostly within a few hours â requires a massive operation that involves hundreds of thousands of poll workers, election officials and observers.Â
We may think of a presidential election as a single nationwide contest, but how elections are administered varies across the 50 states and Washington, D.C. Even within states, different jurisdictions â counties, cities and so on â could have different administrative practices or logistics in the election process.Â
First day of early voting in N.C. breaks previous record set in 2020
More than 353,000 North Carolinians voted yesterday, the first day of early voting in the state, according to the State Board of Elections.
The number set a new record for early votes cast on the first day of advance voting. The previous record was set in 2020, with over 348,000 votes cast on the first day of early voting that year.
Voters in battleground Arizona say why they're supporting Trump or Harris
Reporting from PHOENIX, Arizona
Eddie Forbes, a 42-year-old truck driver from Phoenix, says he wants Trump to be able to finish what he started so the country can get back to basics.
âHeâs already done this, itâs been proven,â he said. âSo why did we stop that? Why would we get away from that?â
Forbes also said that as a truck driver, he cares about infrastructure and energy policies. âBecause the cost of fuel is going up, it becomes a domino effect and trickles down,â he said. âIf the one thing that Trump can do is âdrill baby drill,â as he says, and bring down fuel costs, everything else will follow.â

Forbes said he voted for Democrats for president up until 2016 â and that Trump was the first Republican presidential candidate heâd ever voted for. âThe reason why I gravitated toward Trump was his consistency. I remember him from back in the late 80s and 90s â whatever he was saying back then, heâs saying today,â Forbes said. âAnd itâs not about how heâs saying things, itâs about what heâs saying. I donât care how he says things â just get the job done. We all have potty mouths as truck drivers, right, but we get the job done. And thatâs what we need.â
Vaniece Burnett, 40, an Amazon employee from Phoenix, says sheâs skeptical of both candidates because they both say whatever they need to say to get elected and important policy changes will take place in Congress.
âIf we donât change Congress, nothing else will change,â she said, adding that sheâs leaning toward voting for Harris because of her stances on abortion, education and housing.

"I think the government needs to help people more, especially after the pandemic,â she said. âRight now, it feels like everyone is going to be in poverty soon. We need something set in stone that will help people get back to where they need to be.â
Joe Smith, 43, an electrician from Phoenix, says heâs voting for Trump because of his policies on the economy and the border. âWhen [Trump] didnât get back in office, I watched what happened to the country and it just didnât sit right with me,â he said. âEverythingâs gotten more expensive. And we have a gazillion people who â I wouldnât say shouldnât be here â but shouldâve been vetted better.âÂ

Trumell Smiley, 42, a mental health worker in Tucson, says he cares deeply about voting for someone he trusts. Heâs still on the fence about Harris even though historically, heâs a Democrat. âI donât want to make the wrong decision,â he said. âI can tell you that if Trump was a Democrat, I still wouldnât be voting for him. I just donât believe in that guy.â

DNC launches youth voter campaign in Miami for Taylor Swift concert
As Taylor Swift gears up to perform in Miami, the DNC has launched a Swift inspired "I Will Vote" campaign, which targets youth voters in swing states. The campaign has a Snapchat filter, billboards throughout Miami and a mobile billboard on a boat outside Hard Rock Stadium.
âThis election will determine the future for young voters, from student loan debt relief and economic opportunity to whether they have fewer rights than their grandmothers did. Democrats are reaching out to young voters where they are, from concert venues to social media platforms, to make sure they have the resources they need to cast their ballot," DNC communications Director Rosemary Boeglin said in a statement.
The billboards will also include links on how to register to vote and how to find polling locations.
Trump makes TV ad buy in Walz's backyard
The Trump campaign made a new television ad buy yesterday in Walz's home state of Minnesota.
The buy of $850,000 between now and Election Day comes after the campaign has paid little attention to the state despite pronouncements this spring from Trump's campaign that winning the state was on the table. The campaign had previously spent $220,000 on ads there between the start of 2023 through yesterday, according to AdImpact.
But the spending still pales in comparison to the hundreds of millions spent on ads across the battlefield, and Democrats are still on pace to significantly outspend Trump in Minnesota.
Trump overcharged Secret Service agents to stay at his D.C. hotel, new Democratic report says
Trump overcharged Secret Service agents protecting him and his family for rooms at his hotel in Washington while he was president, a new report from House Democrats alleges.
Trump also benefited from foreign and domestic officials, including people seeking jobs in his administration or pardons from him, who paid for rooms at what was then the Trump International Hotel in downtown Washington, according to the report, which was obtained by NBC News.
The allegations are part two of an investigation by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee into financial benefits Trump received in office, or, as the party puts it, Trumpâs attempts to enrich himself, often at taxpayersâ expense.
Former GOP Rep. Barbara Comstock elaborates on her belief that a silent majority of women support Harris
Former GOP Rep. Barbara Comstock, a Harris backer, explained in an interview on CNN this morning that she believes there's a silent group of women who are supporting Harris for president.
"Iâve heard from, you know, a number of my former, you know, Republican women club members, and even presidents, who have said, Iâm so glad I heard you out there. Iâm voting for her too," said Comstock, who appeared with Republicans who have endorsed the vice president at a campaign event with her in Pennsylvania on Wednesday.
Comstock, who represented parts of North Virginia from 2015 to 2019 in the House, cited a number of examples in which Trump has denigrated Republican women, including Nikki Haley and Elaine Chao, who served as his transportation secretary and is the wife of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.
"He called Nikki Haley a birdbrain. He daily attacks women and calls them names," she said. "He has never apologized for any of that, whether itâs calling Elaine Chao, Coco Chao, you know, a racist slur, and â and attack â I mean the people he attacks the most are women and women of color. And you just go down the list."
Comstock said that if "youâre in a MAGA family, you donât need to have any aggravation. You can just quietly go into the polling booth and make your views known."
Trump says he wants to talk to Rupert Murdoch about removing negative ads about him from Fox
Trump said in a lengthy appearance on Fox News' "Fox and Friends" this morning that he doesn't like how the conservative network is running negative ads about him and his campaign.
"Iâm going to see Rupert Murdoch. Iâm going to tell him something very simple, because I canât talk to anybody else: Donât put on negative commercials for 21 days," Trump said in a seemingly half-joking way.
"Iâm gonna say, 'Rupert, please do it this way,' and then we have a victory," Trump said.
Harris leans on âMcCain Republicansâ to close the deal in Arizona
PHOENIX â Harris is staking her hopes of vanquishing Trump in the pivotal state of Arizona by leaning on a familiar group of voters: moderate Republicans with an affinity for the late Sen. John McCain.
Concentrated in the suburbs of Phoenix, those voters were decisive in 2020 in delivering the state for Joe Biden, the first Democrat in a quarter-century to carry Arizona in a presidential race.
But Harrisâ history of progressive positions is complicating her path to replicating her bossâ coalition in the former GOP stronghold.
âThe McCain wing of this party is a conservative group. It just isnât nuts,â said Phoenix-based Republican consultant Barrett Marson.
âIt makes it hard to vote for someone like Kamala Harris, because sheâs the antithesis of a lot of things John McCain advocated for throughout his life. But on the other hand, she doesnât want to overthrow the government. She doesnât want to institute a dictatorship. She doesnât want to instruct the Justice Department to start arresting Republicans left and right,â Marson said, calling the contrast enough for him to cast his ballot for her. âSo the choice isnât a very good one for McCain Republicans, but it is also probably easier because of the actions of Donald Trump.â
Trump claims migrants are 'sleeping all over' Manhattan's Madison Avenue
In a 45-minute appearance on Fox News' "Fox & Friends" this morning, Trump said that he saw migrants all over Madison and Fifth avenues in Manhattan earlier this week.
"I went down the streets of New York two days ago, and I'm looking at migrants all over Madison Avenue, all over Fifth Avenue. I've never seen anything like it. I'll tell you, I've never seen this in New York," Trump said. "You see empty stores. You never saw empty stores on Madison Avenue," he said.
Trump brought it up again later in the interview: "Â I'm telling you, I drove down Madison, and [it's the] first time I've ever seen vacant stores, and I see migrants from foreign countries, the people that came in, they're sleeping all over the street."
Trump went on to say he believes the border issue is more important than the economy and would again make it a top priority if he is elected to a second term as president.
Obamas to hit the campaign trail in first joint appearances with Harris
Harris will hit the trail for the first time alongside the Obamas, who the campaign hopes will galvanize supporters in early voting areas in the waning days ahead of the election.
Harris is appearing alongside the political juggernauts at a crucial time when polling indicates that she and Trump are virtually tied in the final all-out push to Nov. 5.
Harris will hold a campaign event with former President Barack Obama in Georgia next Thursday, the first time the pair has campaigned side by side, a senior campaign official said. A week from Saturday, Harris will campaign alongside Michelle Obama in Michigan, the first time the former first lady has appeared on the campaign trail this cycle. The appearances are billed as get-out-the-vote events, according to the campaign official.
The campaign official said Harris advisers believe they can boost voter enthusiasm through the joint events, pointing to people who have signed up for nearly a thousand volunteer shifts during Barack Obamaâs rally for Harris in Pennsylvania last week.
How one Minnesota college got nearly 90% voter turnout â and is pushing for more
NORTHFIELD, Minn. â On average, about two-thirds of students on college campuses get out and vote during every presidential election cycle, according to Tufts Universityâs Institute for Democracy & Higher Education. But one college in Minnesota blows the rest out of the water.
St. Olaf College boasted an 87.6% voter turnout rate in 2020, taking home the top prize in the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge as the most civically engaged college campus in the country. The small liberal arts college reached that number with help from its âelection ambassador program,â and this year, it is looking to break its own record.Â
The school has about 120 nonpartisan election âambassadors,â who are embedded in the St. Olaf community. They set up tables outside the main cafeteria to help students register and visit classrooms to answer questions about upcoming elections.
âWe are all about interpersonal connections,â said junior Roxi Wessel, an election ambassador. âFor example, Iâm in a band that has 100 people in it, and so I get up every year that thereâs an election, I stand up in front of everyone and I say, âHi, you all know me.ââÂ
Trump says heâs the âfather of IVFâ â and that he just recently learned what it is
Former President Donald Trump declared he was âthe father of IVFâ during a Fox News town hall that aired Wednesday, while also saying he just recently discovered what the decades-old procedure actually is.
When he was told he was getting a question about in vitro fertilization, Trump said: âOh, I want to talk about IVF. Iâm the father of IVF, so I want to hear this question.â
His questioner identified herself as a mother of three who has friends who are âvery concerned that the abortion bansâ sparked by the 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade âwill affect their ability to access IVF and other fertility treatments.â She asked what Trump would say to those women.
His answer included a number of mischaracterizations and inaccuracies â and a comment on the appearance of Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala.
Republican Sam Brown swings away in Nevada Senate debate amid polling deficit
LAS VEGAS â GOP candidate Sam Brown spent yesterdayâs Nevada Senate debate taking shots at Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen as he still faces a polling deficit with Election Day creeping nearer.Â
On three separate occasions, Brown called Rosen an âelitistâ and an âinsiderâ as he tried to cast himself as the outside force taking the peopleâs voice to Washington, D.C. In contrast, Rosen spent the evening focusing largely on her track record and roots in Nevada, hoping to stay above the fray and ride her polling lead.
Brown was so eager to attack Rosen that he even used a question about potential alien life to get in a jab in a theme that persisted throughout the debate.
The tension blew over early in the debate when the two candidates tackled the issue of housing, with rising prices making homeownership less attainable for Nevadans. Rosen proposed holding corporate investors accountable for buying up real estate and pricing people out.
First to NBC News: Group behind Florida abortion-rights ballot measure reports largest one-week fundraising haul of campaign
The Florida group leading the push to pass an amendment on the November ballot that would enshrine abortion rights in the stateâs Constitution said it raised more than $17 million in the one-week period ending last Friday.
The haul, first reported by NBC News, marks Floridians Protecting Freedomâs largest amount raised in a 7-day period over the course of its campaign.
Floridians Protecting Freedom will report raising $17.2 from Oct. 5-11 from nearly 3,000 unique donations in a financial filing it will file later toiday.
The latest sum brings the groupâs total fundraising to $89.8 million, from more than 42,000 donors, and provides another cash injection as the campaign heads into its final two-week stretch.
âItâs clear that, despite the unprecedented government interference from the State, the people are behind this effort and they will power us to victory on November 5th,â Brian Barnes, the national finance director for Floridians Protecting Freedom, said in a statement. âWe will continue to build on our historic fundraising to ensure we have the funds needed to run through the finish line and win this campaign on behalf of the millions of women in Florida who deserve the right to make their own healthcare decisionsânot extreme politicians,â Barnes added.
Barnesâ statement refers to a heavy-handed effort by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and allies in his administration to build opposition to the measure. In recent weeks, one Florida state agency launched a website attacking the ballot measure, while another state agency threatened local television stations that had run an ad supporting it. In addition, an election police unit created by DeSantis started investigating claims of fraud in the signature-gathering process for it months after it was approved for the ballot.
The proposed constitutional amendment, listed on the ballot as Amendment 4, would bar restrictions on abortion before fetal viability, and would include exceptions past that point for âthe patientâs health, as determined by the patientâs healthcare provider.â It would effectively undo the stateâs six-week ban on abortion â which includes exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the woman â signed into law last year by DeSantis.
Under Florida law, the measure must receive the support of 60% of voters to pass, rather than a simple majority.
Biden visits Germany, meets with Chancellor Olaf Scholz
President Joe Biden is set for a packed day in Germany, where he is set to speak at a ceremony and talk to the media alongside German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Later, Biden will also participate in a meeting with Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
He will travel back to the U.S. later today.
Obama to hit the campaign trail for Harris today
Former President Barack Obama will campaign for Harris in Tucson, Arizona, today.
He's set to hit a string of swing states in the final stretch of the campaign, including Nevada, Michigan, Wisconsin and Georgia. The Georgia stop will be his first joint appearance alongside Harris during the campaign.
Harris and Trump zero in on Michigan today
Both Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump will hold multiple campaign events in the crucial swing state of Michigan today.
Harris will make stops in Grand Rapids, Lansing and Oakland County, while Trump will stop in Oakland County and Detroit. It is unclear whether their timing will overlap in Oakland County.
Trump won Michigan in 2016, but Joe Biden flipped it blue in 2020.