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US Politics

US domestic politics covered from left, center, right, and government perspectives.

CriticalUpdated Oct 30, 9:02 AM

Vance calls Alaska's second 'Dan Sullivan' a 'big fraud' and Trump alleges Democratic perjury as a judge weighs dismissal

With the Nov. 3 midterms days away, VP Vance called the candidacy of a second man named Dan Sullivan on Alaska's Senate ballot a 'big fraud,' and Trump accused Democrats and Mary Peltola's camp of perjury over his recruitment. Alaska officials and Peltola/DSCC asked the court to toss the Trump-ordered suit; Judge Sharon Gleason fast-tracked the dismissal motions, with a ruling sought before Nov. 2. Peltola's camp and the second Sullivan deny coordination.

3 perspectives:LeftCenterRight
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Left1 source

Liberal coverage casts the suit as an attempt to overturn an election result through a far-fetched fraud narrative.

The Daily Beast reported Vance offering what it called a 'bonkers' justification for the administration's effort to challenge the Alaska Senate race, framing the same-name ballot complaint and perjury claims as an election-rigging plot rather than a genuine fraud case.

Center1 source

Wire coverage reports the state and intervenors moving to dismiss a Trump-ordered suit a judge has put on a fast track.

Anadolu Agency reported Vance calling the nearly identically named Senate bid a 'big fraud' amid the legal challenge, while Alaska election officials asked a federal judge to toss the Trump-ordered lawsuit; Judge Sharon Gleason fast-tracked the dismissal motions with a ruling sought before Nov. 2.

Right2 sources

Conservative coverage amplifies the administration's fraud and perjury allegations over a same-name 'spoiler' candidate.

Axios and the Washington Examiner reported Trump accusing Democrats of perjury and a new complaint targeting the second Dan Sullivan's campaign finance, after reporting that Mary Peltola's aides helped recruit the same-named candidate; Peltola's camp and the candidate deny coordination.

CriticalUpdated Oct 30, 9:02 AM

Five days from the midterms, forecasters and betting markets favor a Democratic House and lean Democratic on the Senate

With the Nov. 3 midterms five days away, nonpartisan forecasters and betting markets continue to favor Democrats to retake the House and give them a narrow edge in the fight for the Senate. Trump and Obama held dueling final-week rallies on Oct. 28, underscoring a race Republicans insist they can still hold. The outlook rests on a map that has shifted toward Democrats over the past month.

3 perspectives:LeftCenterRight
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Left1 source

Democrats enter the final week favored to flip the House and within reach of the Senate as Obama campaigns in battlegrounds.

CNN's midterm coverage tracked Obama rallying for Georgia Democrats Jon Ossoff and Keisha Lance Bottoms the same night Trump stumped in Ohio, framing a closing argument in which Democrats are favored to reach the 218 seats needed for the House majority and competitive across key Senate races.

Center1 source

Nonpartisan forecasters and markets still point to a likely Democratic House and a knife-edge Senate.

Associated Press coverage via Yahoo tracked the candidates' closing blitz as nonpartisan ratings and betting markets continued to favor Democrats in the House and left the Senate a toss-up tilting their way, with both parties pouring resources into a handful of decisive states before Nov. 3.

Right1 source

Republicans dismiss the forecasts, insisting turnout and late momentum will keep their majorities.

Fox News coverage of Trump's final-week swing cast Republican prospects as stronger than the forecasts suggest, with the president and allies arguing that enthusiasm in red states and contested Senate battlegrounds will defy predictions of a Democratic House.

HighUpdated Oct 30, 9:02 AM

Judge Carter takes over California's 20,000-ballot case, weighs a special master and warns against disenfranchisement

After a Ninth Circuit panel dismissed the DOJ's early appeal for lack of jurisdiction, the fight over about 20,000 contested California mail ballots returned to US District Judge David O. Carter. Carter signaled he would reject the DOJ's bid to set the ballots aside, said he may name a special master before the Dec. 11 certification, voiced concern about disenfranchising valid voters, and told the department to bring any fraud case as an indictment. A ruling was expected by Wednesday.

2 perspectives:LeftCenter

Limited coverage: only 2 of 3+ perspectives covered this story in the last 72h.

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Left1 source

Liberal coverage frames the case passing to a judge who already rejected the DOJ's voter-roll demand as a check on the effort.

Democracy Docket reported that the California ballot case moved from a Trump appointee to Judge Carter, who had previously rejected a DOJ voter-roll demand, casting the handover as a setback for the administration's attempt to set aside tens of thousands of mail ballots before certification.

Center1 source

Wire coverage reports a judge skeptical of the DOJ bid and weighing a neutral special master to vet the claims.

Gray TV/AP reported that Judge David O. Carter could appoint a special master to evaluate the Justice Department's claim that about 20,000 noncitizens are on California's voter rolls, after a Ninth Circuit panel dismissed the DOJ's early appeal; Carter warned against disenfranchising valid voters and told the department to pursue any case by indictment.

HighUpdated Oct 30, 9:02 AM

Trump, Vance and Obama make closing midterm appeals across battleground and red states with four days to go

In the campaign's final stretch before the Nov. 3 midterms, President Trump rallied in Lubbock, Texas and returned to Ohio for a third time in a month, Vice President Vance stumped in swing states, and former President Obama headlined a Georgia rally for Democrats. Democrats pressed for surprise Senate gains in Iowa and South Carolina as late polling showed a high-single-digit generic-ballot edge for Democrats and Trump's approval in the mid-30s.

1 perspective:Center

Limited coverage: only 1 of 3+ perspectives covered this story in the last 72h.

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Center2 sources

Wire coverage frames a closing blitz by both parties' biggest names across pivotal and traditionally red states.

The Associated Press reported Trump, Vance and Obama making closing-stretch appeals in pivotal states, with Trump rallying Lubbock and returning to Ohio, Obama headlining for Democrats in Georgia, and Democrats targeting surprise Senate gains in Iowa and South Carolina days before the vote.

StandardUpdated Oct 30, 9:02 AM

Speaker Johnson pledges a peaceful transfer of power but insists Republicans will keep the House

House Speaker Mike Johnson said on Oct. 27 there will be a peaceful transfer of power and that he will administer the oath to new members on Jan. 3 in line with state certifications, while asserting Republicans will retain their majority. He called Democratic worries that the House might contest results 'absurd,' speaking against forecasts of a possible Democratic flip.

2 perspectives:LeftCenter

Limited coverage: only 2 of 3+ perspectives covered this story in the last 72h.

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Left1 source

Democrats and democracy advocates scrutinized Johnson's framing, noting his pledge came wrapped in a claim the GOP cannot lose.

Democracy Docket and Raw Story reported Johnson calling it 'absurd' to suggest the House would block seating new members, while noting his assurance of a peaceful transfer was paired with insistence that Republicans will keep the majority, which critics said muddied the commitment.

Center2 sources

Johnson committed to the Jan. 3 oath tied to certification while predicting his party holds control.

CNBC and The Hill reported the speaker promising a peaceful transfer of power and saying he would administer the oath of office to the incoming Congress as states certify results, even as he predicted Republicans would retain the House.