The $10 Billion Midterm Ad War

From the New York Times, I'm Michael. Bubaro. This is the daily. [music]. >> In Ohio, there is new fallout from a. vicious attack ad that has rocked the. governor's race. [music]. >> The ad is causing riffs even within the. Republican party. If you're wondering. what Vice President JD Vance thinks. about that ad in the Ohio governor's. race, [music] well, he's got two words. Stop whining. >> When sick and desperate [music] meet. each other, you get ads like this. Over. the past few days, the background noise.

of this fall's midterm elections, campaign advertising [music] exploded. into public consciousness because of a. highly controversial TV [music]. commercial in Ohio, which highlighted. the two very different stories that. Democratic and Republican candidates. across the country are telling in the. [music] final days of campaigning. Today, national political correspondent. Shane Goldmacher [music]. takes us inside the most expensive. midterm ad [music] campaign in American. history.

It's Monday, October [music] 26th. Shane, welcome back to the show. >> Thanks for having me. >> My pleasure. So, I have a question for. you. In your role as national political. correspondent, how many campaign ads do. you estimate that you have watched for. this midterm election? Just give me a. number. >> Oh man, hundreds. Yeah, hundreds and.

hundreds of TV ads. I am the person who. has voluntarily signed up to get every. new television ad in every congressional. race emailed to me. >> What does that even look like? >> It looks like an obliteration of my. inbox. you you get every single ad that. runs anywhere in these midterms directly. sent to you. >> in house and senate races. It doesn't. mean I'm watching all of them, but I. will at the end of many days take a. chunk of time to just sit for 40 minutes.

and suffer through what the parties are. putting on television. >> Unwind with [laughter] unwind with like. a a bruski and a and a series of of. attack ads. >> Yes, >> you're massochist. So, just explain why you spend so much. of your time doing that. And we've. talked about this a little bit through. various campaigns, but but I think it. bears repeating why you dwell in the. land and sometimes the sewer of of. American campaign advertising so. meaningfully. I just think that.

campaigns spend an enormous amount of. time thinking about what they're going. to put in these ads. They spend the. majority of their money on digital and. television ads. That is how they. communicate to people and that is the. greatest distillation of what they think. is their message and can help them win. >> You can tell when somebody goes negative. what that means. You can tell what. issues are resonating and it changes, right? The tenor, the topics of the ads. change from cycle to cycle. You can see.

a campaign get more desperate over weeks. and months as they go more negative. When somebody starts negative, maybe. they're behind. You learn so much just. by watching. You call a lot of people, talk to a lot of people. That's. important, too, obviously. >> But this sort of sets the mood music of. the entire election for me. >> Right. It's a It's an X-ray. I think. you've said to me in the past, campaign. ads are an X-ray that doesn't lie of. what campaigns are hopeful of and. worried about and what they think the.

electorate is up to. >> Yes. And you have to remember that these. TV ads are the chance that candidates. have and super PACs have to introduce. themselves to the most important set of. voters, which is people who don't. actually want to pay attention to the. campaign. People who are too busy. working, too busy living their life, who. are apathetic about politics. So. campaign spend an enormous amount of. money and energy figuring out what is. the one message that you can force feed.

somebody while watching football. make. them suffer through on YouTube pre-roll. that introduces your candidate says hey. I'm a different kind of Democrat or I'm. a different kind of Republican or says. I'm the guy who's going to cut your. taxes the gal who's going to cut your. costs you know picking which one thing. you want to emphasize for those. disengaged voters. >> right who in many many races become. decisive especially in a lot of the. tight tight races that we've been. talking about with you with our. colleagues throughout these midterms so.

let's talk about the stories that both. parties are telling in this midterm. election, especially in this frantic. last week or so of this election. And. let's start with a story that the. Democrats have been telling in these. ads. >> I think that the story the Democrats are. telling is pretty simple. They're trying. to fill in for voters the story of. Donald Trump. >> Are you better off now [music] than you. were a few years ago? There's one path. to saving America. elect enough [music].

Democrats to Congress to stop Trump. >> The president typically is the lead. driver of every election, of midterm. elections in particular, and he's. unpopular. And they're trying to tell. the audience why Trump's war abroad. costs taxpayers a billion dollars a day. on a war we have no business fighting. Our schools crumble, our factories. shutter, our gas prices skyrocket. And. they're telling a story that Trump made. promises of change to improve the. economy, to lower prices, and telling.

how and why he failed. It's a story that. includes tariffs in some places, the war. in Iran and other places, the cost of. living. The endless war in Iran is. costing us all billions for bombs, brutal at our gas pumps. >> There's an entire genre of Democratic. ads this year of Democratic candidates. standing at a gas station pumping gas or. in particular Democrats standing in a. grocery store saying Donald Trump failed. you. >> And that is why these groceries are so.

expensive. That is why this regular fuel. costs $5, $6 a gallon. And it's a pretty. simple story to tell. Donald Trump. promised no new wars. Instead, there's a. war in Iran. And people see the direct. link between that war and these price. increases. Someone you just interviewed, James Telerico, the Democrat. >> You do listen to the show. >> I do. I do. [laughter]. The single most expensive ad that he's. put money behind this cycle features. basically all of the above. >> I'm James Terico. [music]. In the state house, I brought both.

parties together to make life more. affordable. In this ad, he starts in a. grocery store holding a brown bag of. groceries and he tips through all the. things that now costs too much. >> Too many Texans feel like they're. drowning. The [music] cost of groceries, gas, healthcare. >> Then he makes his way to his car, a. reminder of gas, and says, "We're going. to try to cut costs. Elect me. That's. what I'm going to do.". >> I approve this message because it. shouldn't be this hard to keep your head. above water.

And I think what it's trying to tap into. is the broad sense that people feel like. they're falling behind and somebody the. elites are getting ahead. And when. Democrats are talking about cost of. living, they apply it to like a huge. range of things. There have been a. number of ads about drugs and drug. pricing in particular. And so in Iowa, Democrats are running against Ashley. Henson, who's a congresswoman. Josh Turk. is the Democratic nominee. and a super. PAC supporting him has an ad filmed in a.

drugstore with a series of people. basically saying. >> it's all more expensive. >> way more expensive because of Ashley. Henson. >> Things are more expensive [music]. because of Ashley Henson. >> Ashley Henson took over $160,000. from drug companies. Then she voted to. [music] raise our prices. and they tie. her to campaign contributions that she's. taken, votes that she's taken, and. saying she's the reason you pay so much. when you go to the drugstore. >> She's sold us out before and she'll sell.

us out again. [music]. responsible for what that anti-Hinson ad. is doing is something that Democrats are. doing all across the country in a lot of. different races and that is directly. tying accusations of corruption, Republican corruption to your personal. cost of living. >> Say more about that. >> I mean, it's not the most intuitive. thing, right? People think about. corruption and maybe somebody's buying. and selling some president or lawmaker. in Washington. >> and making the person who benefits from.

it rich. >> Yes. And the idea is tapping into. people's sense that they are falling. behind and someone else, the elites, not. them, is getting ahead. >> And you see this in a slew of different. spaces where Democrats are saying, "This. Republican in Congress is getting rich. and you, dear person watching this ad, unwillingly, you're getting poorer. That. your spending power is going down and. you have someone to blame. It's the. people in power. Pick us. Try something. new." This would seem on the part of.

Democrats to be a somewhat clever. linking of two very good issues for. them. Yeah. You're tapping into people's. natural frustration and anger with the. existing party in power and saying. things aren't getting better for you. And the reason is that they are corrupt, that they are looking out for. themselves. And Trump is the mood music. of the midterms. He's not he is in a lot. of these ads. such and such a person. votes with the president a 100% of the. time, but the corruption allegations.

tend to be about the local Republicans. that they're running against. Not so. much Trump, but it is tapping into. Trump's party and the perceptions and. that that corruption is costing you. It's not just that they're corrupt. because, you know, focus groups and. polls show everybody thinks everyone is. corrupt. >> That's not enough anymore. >> It's not enough. No, it's not even. close, right? Everyone presumes. everyone's corrupt, but these people's. corruption, they're saying, is actually. costing you money. >> Well, that's really, really interesting. >> And a lot of these places are places. where Trump might have once been popular.

and he is no longer popular. And so, the. theme is they say to find someone you. agree with 100% of the time, look in the. mirror. So, who did Gabe [music] Evans. agree with 100% of the time? Donald. Trump. on. >> You know, Gabe Evans votes with Trump. 100% of the time. >> Jeff Crank, he votes with Donald Trump. 100% of the time. >> Mike Collins is a ride-or die Trump. fanatic and MAGA extremist. He's voted. with Trump 100% of the time.

>> Jen Higgins, she is a fool for Trump. >> You see this over and over percentage of. time they vote with Trump in these swing. districts where Trump is unpopular. They. don't have to make a more complicated. argument. They say this member of. Congress, this senator is with Trump, >> not [snorts] with. >> you are not with Trump. Vote for the. Democrat. You see this in Maine. >> Susan Collins [music] was the deciding. vote for Trump's cuts to Medicare and. Medicaid. >> There are ads about Susan Collins saying. she's just like [music] Trump.

>> She wrote Trump's bill to increase ICE. funding with no restrictions, no. restraints. >> She has a different reputation. She. might have changed over time, but she. votes with Trump x% of the time. Collins. has voted with Trump maybe 96% of the. time and she's hurting Maine. >> In state after state, it's 85% 93% 99%. 100% voting with Trump. >> And that is seen by Democrats in some. cases as a sufficient indictment of the. Republican candidate. You're with this. guy. He's so unpopular. He presided over.

higher costs of all these things. Done. This is the go-to in a place where. Donald Trump is unpopular. The challenge. for Democrats is to win the Senate, they. have to win places where he's not really. popular, but he's not so unpopular that. he's an albatross for the party. And. it's in those places where the Democrats. have to get a little bit more creative. they have to come up with an ad that. sells them as a different kind of. Democrat. >> such as. >> So I think maybe the best example is.

Adam Hamilton who leads the largest. church in Kansas is the Democratic. nominee in a state that very few people. expected to be highly competitive very. competitive. >> Yeah. A state where Democrats haven't. won a Senate seat in almost a century. and now it is ranked as a tossup by most. political prognosticators. And Adam Hamilton's campaign is very. much, I'm not your typical Democrat. >> Here in Kansas, we're right smack dab in. the middle of the country, [music] the. West. >> And one of the ads he did early on, it.

was literally him standing in the middle. of a field saying, "We're right in the. middle of the country, and that's where. I am. >> We have to fix our broken politics. [music] by meeting in the middle.". >> Adam Hamilton for Senate. It's time for. something different. >> I'm middle politically, and the word. Democrat, not in this ad. Middle. You. can watch that ad and have literally no. idea whether Hamilton is running as a. Democrat, a Republican, or like a. candidate from Mars. >> Yeah. And this is for all of Trump's. unpopularity. This is the risk for.

Democrats is they need voters to vote. for them or to not vote who don't like. Democrats. >> So these races are not just about one. party. The Democrats aren't just trying. to win votes. They're trying to get. Republicans unenthusiastic. And one of the tools they're using in. Kansas and elsewhere is Jeffrey Epstein. >> It was one of the worst child abuse. scandals in history. Dozens of young. girls sexually trafficked [music] by. Jeffrey Epstein. >> The first ad coming in from national. Democrats in this race.

>> Marshall voted to keep the Epstein files. sealed. >> Was not about Donald Trump. It was about. linking the Republican incumbent there. to Jeffrey Epste. >> Roger Marshall used his office to. protect pedophiles. [music] He doesn't. belong in the Senate. saying he had. blocked the release of the Epstein. files. And this tactic very much seems. to be about taking Republicans who might. vote Republican if they voted and. saying, "Gh, I'm unhappy with the. Republican party." It was Trump who had. said, "There's something hidden in the. Epstein files." It was Trump and the.

Republicans who had said, "We're going. to release the files." And then they. came into power and they were trying to. stop the Epstein files from being. released. And there was a real revolt, really one of the first revolts from the. MAGA-wing of the party, frustrated, disappointed with Donald Trump. It was. his own party objecting to him over this. issue. And Democrats are trying to take. that that little scab and jab it open. So what Democrats achieve by running ads. painting their Republican opponents in a.

place like Kansas as protecting Jeffrey. Epstein is not what you might think it. is on its face, which is just to tie. Epstein to those candidates. It might be. that, but you're saying it's about. telling Republican voters who were. always upset about Epstein that their. party hasn't gotten that right and that. they should be disappointed in the. entire Republican party and perhaps just. not even vote. I mean, it doesn't sound. like they're saying that directly, but. that's the intended outcome. It's to.

reach out to voters who might not go for. the Democrat and it's to get that. Republican to just feel honestly kind of. just crappy about their party. >> Yeah. I mean, I want to explain this in. a kind of complicated way, which is I'm. watching these ads in 30-second. increments, >> but the campaigns think about them in a. story. They start with one thing, they end. [music] somewhere else. And the Epstein. stuff fits into this broader story. because it's also about [music].

people who you trusted to put in power. doing something for the quote unquote. elites and not for you. >> It's not really quite corruption in the. [music] same way, but if you think about. this as a broader story arc, it's a. piece of it and it's a piece that is. clearly aimed at getting those. disillusioned Republicans to [music]. stay disillusioned right now. It's a. permission structure. You voted for. Republicans in 2024, but guess what? It's been a disappointment. [music]. Try us out. And if you don't try us out,

don't try anything at all. >> Yeah. All right. Well, Shane, we're going to. take a quick break. We come back, more. ads. We're going to [laughter]. different kinds of ads. When we come. back, we're going to talk about the. story that Republicans [music]. are telling in their midterm. advertising. We'll be right [music] back. Shane, talk now about the Republican.

advertising and the story that. Republicans are telling. I'm curious how. much Republicans are actually running on. their record of governance over the past. two years in all this advertising. So, we've started by talking about a lot of. the ads that are interesting, but I do. think it's important to note that some. of the most effective ads are boring, and those ads make a pretty plain case. that Trump came in and he cut your. taxes, >> which he did. >> He did. That the quote unquote big,

beautiful bill in 2025 had massive tax. cuts. And they highlight some of the. specific elements in it that are popular. when pulled out in polling. There is a. congresswoman running for reelection in. South Texas, Monica de la Cruz. She has. an ad that is sort of the perfect. encapsulation of this. >> today. Life costs more, but you sent me. to Congress to do something [music]. about it. >> She's in a restaurant. They're making. tortillas and she's walking through the. restaurant and ticking through all the.

different things that have been achieved. by this very specific piece of. legislation. >> No tax on tips. [music]. No tax on overtime. up to 11,000 [music]. more in your pocket every year. >> And so this is the Republican story that. it was the Democrats and President Biden. who drove up the cost and that they've. been chipping away at this problem and. that they just need more time to finish. the job. >> I suspect that that is a relatively.

tough case to make two years into this. second Trump term. I mean, there's a. reason that the party in power almost. always loses in midterm elections. It's. because that's generally a tough case to. make. And so, >> we tried. We're trying. >> We Yeah, we're trying. I mean, finish. the job was literally a phrase that Joe. Biden also wanted to use. And it's a. phrase the Republicans are using now, too. Right. It's the other people's. fault. We've done as best as we could. Just give us a little bit more time. But.

for some Republicans, that's not quite enough. And what you're. seeing in their ads is a pitch that. they're actually bipartisan, that they. don't agree with Donald Trump 100% of. the time. Drinking a lab and watching. the Red Wings, man, it just doesn't get. any more Michigan than that. >> And I think the one that stands out most. to me is Mike Rogers, the Republican. nominee for Senate in Michigan. A. critical race against a Democrat Abdul. Elsa. >> And here in Michigan, we know that.

Canada is not our enemy. >> [music]. >> And tariffs are a big deal in Michigan. Detroit, you're just over a bridge to. Canada. And so in this ad, you see Mike. Rogers sitting at a bar holding a lab, a. Canadian beer. >> We need to end this tariff war now. >> Saying we need to end this tariff war. now. >> Doesn't say Trump's name. >> No Trump's name. >> Doesn't say who instituted those. tariffs, but everybody watching in. Michigan will get it. >> Yes. Also not saying that he's a.

Republican, right? the inverse of that. Adam Hamilton ad. He's not saying, "I'm. Mike Rogers. I'm a Republican. Vote for. me so I can keep Donald Trump in power.". Instead, the the text on the screen is, "Bring both parties together. And by the. way, my opponent is too liberal, too. extreme. >> Vote for me, the guy willing to break. with Trump on tariffs.". >> How many Republicans are running that. kind of ad in these midterms? You can. basically track Trump's approval rating. as it's gone down and see a growing.

number of Republicans start to run ads. touting their bipartisanship. >> I've worked with Democrats [music] and. Republicans to get things done. >> I was in Iowa earlier this year at an. event for Zack Nun Republican in. Congress that JD Vance went to. And now. if you watch Zack Nun's ads, >> Zack Nun is the third most [music]. bipartisan member of Congress. He's. walking around saying, "I crossed party. lines and 6 months ago it might have. been okay to be more in line with the. main line of the Republican party. Now.

it's advantageous to be more. bipartisan.". >> Both sides throwing out attacks. [music]. Both sides creating one heck of a mess. >> Ashley Henson, the Senate candidate in. Iowa, running a number of ads talking. about bipartisanship. >> It's funny in a commercial, but not in. Washington. [music] To get stuff done. out there, you got to bring folks. together. She's a mom in her kitchen and. she has her kids literally having a food. fight. >> And she's saying that's both parties. That's a mess. We can bring people. together. >> I'm Ashley Hson and I approve this.

message because if my boys can get along. sometimes, so [music] can Washington. >> Maybe the number one person is Susan. Collins in Maine. >> Want to know who Susan Collins really. is? >> Susan Collins [music] grew up in Caribou. and she picked potatoes as a kid. who. for years has run as a sort of distinct. brand from Trumpism and Republicanism. >> Senator [music] Collins stood up to her. own party, voting to protect Congress's. power to authorize extended military. conflicts. >> And she's saying, "I'm Susan Collins.

You know me. I'm bipartisan. I work. across the lines. I get things done for. Maine. I'm not like the Republicans in. Washington." So bipartisan in these ads. is code for I'm the kind of Republican. even in this era of MAGA Republicanism, even in this era when the president is. so unpopular that you can trust because. if I use that word, I'm willing to move. away from Trump. >> Yes, this makes sense in these bluish. purple states. You're not surprised to.

see that in Maine. But what is. interesting is seeing it in places like. Iowa, states that President Trump won. all three times. That's what tells you. the political climate has deteriorated. for Republicans. >> Mhm. Okay. What you're describing so far. sounds largely defensive. But my sense. is that there's no shortage of. Republican advertising in this campaign. that is very much on the offense. I. would be hardressed to think of a major. race in this country where Republicans.

are not running a lot of ads about their. Democratic opponents because the. Republican brand is damaged right now. And so they don't want you to think just. about them or their distance from Trump. They want to demonize and disqualify the. Democrats. >> They want open borders, free healthcare. for illegals, men [music] in girls. locker rooms, >> and wants to set violent criminals free. Call them too extreme. Call them too. radical. >> F the police. That's crazy.

>> Cite their policy positions. Make them. seem scary. >> What else is he hiding? >> And more than anything, under one big. umbrella, >> Janelle Stelson, Adam Hamilton, Charles. Booker, >> just too liberal. >> Too liberal. >> Too liberal for Kentucky, [music]. for Pennsylvania, for Kansas. That phrase is in ad after ad after ad. And again, so much of this battlefield. in both the House and the Senate is in.

traditionally conservative districts or. states, places that did vote for Donald. Trump. >> And so it's often effective. >> Every mom in Texas should be worried. about James Telerico. The ad that has. aired more than any other ad by dollars. this year is an attack ad on Terico in. Texas that does exactly this. >> James Terico supports parents being. charged with child abuse if they do not. support transitioning their children. >> It is a mother of five saying he is.

outside the mainstream specifically on. the trans issue. And she says pretty. ominously, "If you care about your. children, >> do not vote for James Terico. >> Do not vote for James Terico.". >> And it fits into a whole genre of ads, which is sort of moms and kitchens. worried about Democrats going too far. left. But as we get closer to the. election, you see often something a. little bit darker and more personal. >> Explain.

>> I mean, I think the ad that everyone's. been talking about is in Ohio. My name. is Donna Arthur and I'm Amy [music]. Actton's mother. >> In the governor's race where Vive Ramas. Swami is featuring testimony from the. mother of his opponent Amy Actton, basically calling her daughter a liar. and saying she can't be trusted. [music]. >> She's lied her entire life. My daughter. needs help and she can't [music] help. you if she needs help herself.

Don't vote for people who lie. Don't let. her become your governor. >> But what this ad leaves out entirely is. the backstory about why Amy Actton's. mother is estranged from her daughter. >> Just just tell us that story. >> So Amy Actton says they have not spoken. since she was 12. And that's because her. mother lost custody of both her and her. brother and that documents provided by. the campaign show that her stepfather.

had been indicted on charges of raping. her. Wow. >> Her stepfather pled not guilty and he. fled the state before a trial. >> And so the person in this ad, her mom. was married to the man who allegedly. raped her. >> Yeah. And and suddenly is narrating a TV. ad. And this ad has caused a firestorm. The state's Republican governor has. called for it to be taken down. Numerous. Republicans across the country have. said, "This crosses a line. Why use ar.

estranged family members with these. kinds of allegations in their past to. raise questions about somebody's. character? And so this is the kind of. thing that you see a campaign do in. these sort of desperate, darker, last. weeks of a race. The fallout from this. ad would seem to be a kind of case study. for what can happen when a campaign. decides to go this personally negative. that it can backfire kind of.

spectacularly and even your own party. ends up denouncing you. I think this is. a rare ad that has done it. Its damage, but the fear that Republicans have is. the attention on this isn't just going. to potentially damage Ramas Swami, but. the entire Republican ticket in a state. that is crucial for the Senate and also. has at least one key House race. So Shane, stepping back, it seems like.

the Republican strategy in all its. components is to defend their. legislative accomplishments. Brag about. them. Say, "We've actually done more. than you might realize." And if you. don't buy that, then distance yourself. from Trump. And if that's insufficient, really just like take out the hatchet. and hurl it at your opponent. >> Yeah. I think that you can even simplify. the Republican strategy to compare us to.

the Democrats, right? The Republicans. know that President Trump is unpopular. They are desperate for voters to not. just think about Republicans because. they don't like Trump. They don't like. the direction of the country. They know. Republicans are in power. And they're. saying, "Consider this a contrast. between these scary Democrats. We're not. all aligned with Trump on everything. We. did do some things for you. just make. this a comparison because. >> between us, not Trump and and our. rivals, but us and our rivals. >> because if if it's an up or down on the.

Republicans, it's a down, right? We see. the polling, the down is down on. Republicans. There's almost no important. place where Republicans are above 50%. But if you say, "How do you feel about. Republicans?" compared to a socialist, they want people to think about that. comparison. >> when they vote. And that's what the. story of all of those ads put together. is. Think of this as a choice election. in some regard. >> Maybe this is unanswerable, but I think. we have to ask it. Seems like the right. final question. because you've watched all these ads. Which side has told their story best in.

these ads? Which side has basically put. forward the most effective ads? >> I think the party out of power has an. easier story to tell in general. And. it's especially easy right now because. they're telling a story people already. sort of feel, which is they voted for. Trump and the Republicans hoping for. change, hoping for economic relief. They. see a war in Iran that has driven up. costs. They see tariffs that have driven.

up costs in particular for some business. communities. and they're blaming Republicans for. that. And two years ago, it was the. Democrats on their heels on the economy. You know, the most famous ad from the. 2024 campaign was Trump's Kla Harris is. for they them. President Trump is for. you. >> Yes, it was casting her as too liberal. and too extreme. But the rest of that ad. was about Trump is fighting for your. economic well-being. and what Democrats.

have done over the nearly two years. they've been out of power and said. actually we do want to fight for your. economic well-being. [music]. [music] And so the ads are these. 30-second little snippets that you see. along the way, but they're amplifying. your life experience. [music]. And the advantage that the party out of. power has right now, the advantage the. Democrats have, the reason that their. head in the polls is [music] the story. voters are telling themselves is being.

echoed in that advertising. And the. Republicans are saying, "Wait a second.". But also consider this a harder. argument. >> It's just a trickier [music] story to. tell. Well, Shane, thank you very much. Let's. watch more ads together. [laughter]. Uh, no. No. I'm I'm I'm done. [music].

[music]. We'll be right back. Here's. what else you need to know today. [music] Venezuela's most popular. opposition leader, Maria Corino Machado, returned to the country on Sunday after. nearly a year in exile. Her arrival.

increases pressure on Venezuela's. authoritarian government, which is. backed by the United States, to begin. [music] a transition toward democracy. And. >> I don't know if you've noticed, but he. seems very focused on home renovations. >> He should be on HGTV. >> Over the weekend, former President. Barack Obama [music] made his first. appearance at a midterm campaign rally. on behalf of Ohio Democrat Amy [music].

Actton and delivered unusually personal. attacks against President Trump. >> There's gold everywhere. What's up with. the gold? I everything more gold. He's got the. White House looking like Saddam Hussein. opened a cheese cake factory. So, he's clearly not focused on lowering. prices for you. Meanwhile, President Trump is. intensifying [music]. efforts to intervene in the midterm.

elections. In back-to-back moves, Trump. asked a federal court to [music] block. the certification of a Senate race in. Alaska if the Republican incumbent, Senator [music] Dan Sullivan, were to. narrowly lose, claiming that the. presence of another candidate [music]. with a nearly identical name, tainted. the election. Soon after, [music] the administration. sent letters to local election officials. across California demanding that they. [music] help identify potential.

noncitizens on the voter roles and set. aside all of their ballots. [music]. Today's episode was produced by Carlos. Prito, Adrien [music] Hurst, Jessica. Chung, and Michelle Bona. It was edited. by Mark George and Devin Taylor. contains music by [music] Marian Lozano. and Dan Powell and was engineered by. Alyssa Moxley. Our theme [music] music. is by Wonderly.

[music]. That's it for the Daily. I'm Michael. Lavaro. See you tomorrow.