President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance are focusing on deep-red states as their pre-midterms efforts continue. Today, Trump heads to Mississippi, a state he secured by 23 percentage points in the 2024 election. Vice President Vance is traveling to Kansas and Montana, both solidly Republican in the last election.
While these states favor the GOP, Democrats are optimistic about their chances. In Mississippi, the campaign for incumbent Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith’s seat has been reclassified from ‘solid Republican’ to ‘likely Republican’ by Cook Political Report. Julia Manchester from The Hill shares more insights on this race.
The Kansas Senate race between Republican Senator Roger Marshall and Democratic challenger Adam Hamilton is proving unexpectedly competitive. In Montana, the focus is on the Senate campaign, labeled ‘likely Republican’ by Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ). Democrats are rallying behind Independent candidate Seth Bodnar over Democratic nominee Alani Bankhead. Republican Kurt Alme holds a polling lead over Bodnar.
Vance’s speech in Montana today is also scheduled in a competitive House district where Republican Aaron Flint leads against Democrat Sam Forstag.
The Hill’s Bill Sammon and DDHQ’s Geoffrey Skelley explain the focus on red states.
Additional political developments include Trump’s intensified attacks on Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed. Over the weekend, Trump stated that El-Sayed, who could become the first Muslim senator, should pass through a metal detector if elected. El-Sayed, who faced accusations of ties to Islamist groups, denied these claims. He countered Trump’s rhetoric by saying, ‘I will be Senator Mohamed to you, bro.’
In separate news, rapper Nicki Minaj expressed support for Trump if he sought a third term, although constitutionally impossible. Meanwhile, notable political figures made their own waves. Senator Mitch McConnell criticized Trump’s approach to the Russia-Ukraine crisis, emphasizing that any effort to limit aid to Kyiv is destined to fail.
Anthropic, an AI giant, filed for an initial public offering, reporting a net loss of nearly $81 billion for the first half of 2026. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries hinted at targeting Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth with impeachment if Democrats win back the House.
Trump also commented negatively on Norway, questioning the rationale behind the Nobel Peace Prize’s selection committee based there. In related developments, tensions between Trump and the NFL around online sports gambling continue to evolve, as covered by The Hill’s Dominick Mastrangelo.
The day concludes with several appointments on Trump’s agenda, including meetings in the Oval Office and a speech in Corinth, Mississippi.
In lighter news, today marks National Pumpkin Day, encouraging celebrations with pumpkin-flavored treats.
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