Good morning! It’s Thursday, Oct. 29, and today's edition is all about the upcoming midterm elections — including answers to the questions you emailed us! Just looking for the latest headlines? Scroll to the bottom of this email.
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I’m Nikol MudrovΓ‘, and I'm filling in for Mallorie Sullivan while she's out! Election Day is only five days away, and since I’ve spent the past few months working with Mallorie to pull together all the election resources and updates you might need, I figured: Why not share them with you all here? Thanks for having me. Let's get into it.
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The midterms are a performance review for the past two years under President Donald Trump. Every seat in the U.S. House and 33 seats in the U.S. Senate are up for grabs, giving voters a chance to reshape Congress and influence flow back to their communities. But the races further down the ballot may be just as consequential. Here are the ones to keep an eye on.
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With the midterms just days away, polls like the ones below may make it seem like we know who is winning — but they don't predict the outcome of an election. Here's what they do instead.
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π¬ Your questions, answered |
Last week, we asked what was still on your mind about the election, and you delivered. Here are some of the biggest questions you sent our way. This Q&A has been edited and condensed for clarity.
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Robert D. asked: Is [President Trump] going to put the military at voting places?
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Reporter Sarah D. Wire says: All the election and legal experts I've spoken to in recent months have said they don’t expect the military at polling locations and view right-wing efforts to promote the idea as an attempt to scare voters. Federal law prohibits stationing troops or armed personnel at polling places, while the Voting Rights Act of 1965 prohibits voter intimidation. Nonetheless, state and local election officials told me they’ve included immigration or federal law enforcement appearing at polling or vote-counting sites in contingency plans because their job is to prepare for any scenario.
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Ray H. and Charles J. asked: What are Democrats’ chances of winning the Senate, and which states could flip? And could they take both chambers, or is that more conjecture?
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Reporter Erin Mansfield says: The exact numbers vary, but statisticians put Democrats’ chances of winning the Senate at around two-thirds, better than a coin flip but far from certain. The Cook Political Report says North Carolina is the most likely Republican-held seat to flip, while Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Ohio and Texas are toss-ups. Democratic-held Michigan is also a toss-up that Republicans could flip. There’s a real chance Democrats win both chambers, but the election isn’t over, and things can change quickly. Statisticians give Democrats a very high chance of winning the House and a smaller but significant chance of winning the Senate.
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Miriam R. asked: Trump routinely ignores a Congress he controls. Besides more congressional "investigations," what would change if a blue wave shifts the majority to Democrats?
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Reporter Sarah D. Wire says: Along with investigations, congressional Democrats could halt legislation the president wants and pass laws stopping policies he's put into place, or undo parts of the GOP tax and spending bill of 2025 that is causing a lot of people to drop out of SNAP and Medicaid. They could also use their power of the purse to force the administration to act in certain ways or lose funding for priorities.
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Charles J. asked: How will the midterms affect the most likely Democratic and Republican candidates for the 2028 presidential election?
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Reporter Arit John says: For likely presidential candidates, the midterms are about building relationships and showing they can deliver for their party. We’ve seen potential candidates such as former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Vice President JD Vance campaign for their respective parties. After the election, they’ll be able to point to their campaign stops and endorsed candidates who won. And if Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom enters the race, we'll likely hear about his push to redraw congressional maps to counter Republican gerrymandering.
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Related: A new poll shows a wide-open Democratic primary, and a clear GOP favorite. |
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Kathy T. asked: What happens to all the unspent PAC money after the [midterms]? Who controls how it's spent or what happens to it?
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Reporter Erin Mansfield says: The money stays in the PAC account, and the person who runs the PAC can decide how to use that money within the bounds of federal law. You can look it up yourself on fec.gov. Many PACs save their money for future elections, so I'd expect some of it to be spent in 2028. Others will transfer the money to other PACs. But it really depends on the manager and treasurer of the PAC.
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Illustration by Veronica Bravo/USA TODAY
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If your question wasn't answered above, we have plenty of voter resources to help you navigate this year's elections. (We've also got a great Politics newsletter you can sign up for!)
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Here are the basics, from registration deadlines to voting rules and polling locations. |
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And this guide goes a little deeper, clarifying your questions around voting by mail, military and ICE at the polls and the SAVE program. It also houses your local voter guides! |
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Prefer to watch videos? This short series walks you through voting basics, who's running and what's at stake. |
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Have feedback for Mallorie? Send her a message at msullivan@usatoday.com, she'd love to hear from you! Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up here to get it in your inbox daily.
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See more USA TODAY stories on Google by adding us as a preferred source.
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See more USA TODAY stories on Google by adding us as a preferred source.
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Trump makes big promises, but with a catch: Republicans must win midterms
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US President Donald Trump gestures during a campaign rally at Pitt-Greenville Airport in Greenville, North Carolina, US, October 20, 2026. Evan Vucci, REUTERS
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Ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm election, President Donald Trump has conditioned major promises in battleground states on Republicans winning.
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What you need to know today
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Milwaukee Brewers fans waited generations for this championship.
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Former President Barack Obama said he "lived" at the Cheesecake Factory when his daughters were young after his joke drew Republican criticism.
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Katie Zacharia, in a new interview, detailed why she couldn't succeed as White House press secretary and how a "Hannity" appearance led to her firing.
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Barbara Barrie, who received an Oscar nomination for her role in 1979's "Breaking Away," has died. The actress supported the Medical Aid in Dying law.
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Language platform Preply conducted a survey to uncover good travel etiquette across 27 European countries. Here's what travelers should know.
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Milwaukee Brewers fans waited generations for this championship.
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Former President Barack Obama said he "lived" at the Cheesecake Factory when his daughters were young after his joke drew Republican criticism.
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Katie Zacharia, in a new interview, detailed why she couldn't succeed as White House press secretary and how a "Hannity" appearance led to her firing.
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Barbara Barrie, who received an Oscar nomination for her role in 1979's "Breaking Away," has died. The actress supported the Medical Aid in Dying law.
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Language platform Preply conducted a survey to uncover good travel etiquette across 27 European countries. Here's what travelers should know.
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Here's what to check out next
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Here's what to check out next
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