Democrats are making President Donald Trump a central issue in the final stretch of the midterm campaign, with candidates arguing that Republican control of Congress has contributed to higher costs and instability overseas.
The strategy was on display in Georgia, where Sen. Jon Ossoff mocked Trump’s recent rally and criticized the president’s handling of the economy and Iran conflict.
Trump has responded by targeting Ossoff and other Democratic candidates personally while campaigning for Republicans in competitive races.
The clash reflects the broader national battle over whether the midterms will serve as a referendum on Trump’s presidency or on the Democratic opposition’s agenda.
Vice President JD Vance faced questions from Michigan voters during a town hall in Flat Rock as the state emerges as a key battleground in the fight for Senate control in November's midterms.
The town hall hosted by CBS News came just weeks before the midterm elections as Republicans are fighting to keep their majorities in the House and Senate. Vying for the open Senate seat in Michigan is Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed and Republican candidate Mike Rogers, a former member of the House of Representatives.
Here are the top moments from the town hall:
Vance places blame on Biden administration for high gas prices
The first question Vance fielded Saturday came from a 43-year-old Detroit barber, who asked him why gas prices remain significantly higher than during Trump's first term.
Vance first pointed to Iran’s attacks on commercial shipping and the resulting disruption to global energy markets, but he also placed blame on the Biden administration.
"That's actually the biggest reason why gas prices are so high, because when Joe Biden was president, we had about 20% of American refining capacity that went offline," Vance said.
Vance said the Trump administration was using the Defense Production Act to help restore domestic refining capacity, but cautioned that rebuilding that infrastructure would take time.
CBS News anchor Tony Dokoupil pushed back on Vance's attempts to blame Biden, noting that Trump and Vance have been in office for nearly two years while Americans continued to face high gas prices.
Vance pressed on White House corruption allegations
Dokoupil shifted the conversation to government corruption, citing a Fox News poll showing that 60% of voters were extremely concerned about the issue. He asked Vance whether anything he had witnessed inside the Trump White House made him feel "squeamish."
"You certainly see evidence of corruption in Washington, D.C. Do I see evidence of corruption from the president of the United States, from the administration? No, Tony, I just don’t," Vance said.
The exchange came days after Kimberly Guilfoyle resigned as U.S. ambassador to Greece amid allegations that she sought $100,000 from a donor seeking access to Trump administration officials. Guilfoyle has denied wrongdoing.
Dokoupil pressed Vance on the allegations involving Guilfoyle, along with concerns about restrictions on IRS scrutiny of Trump's tax returns and the president's cryptocurrency earnings.
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News' Elaine Mallon.
President Donald Trump's decision to waive new sanctions on Russia is drawing sharp criticism from Republicans and Democrats alike, with several prominent GOP figures warning that the move could embolden Russian President Vladimir Putin as Moscow continues its war against Ukraine.
Trump signed an executive order Friday waiving key Russia-related sanctions and tariffs under the Graham Act, legislation he signed into law last month aimed at increasing economic pressure on Moscow.
The law, backed by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., authorized tariffs of up to 100% on certain goods imported into the United States from major buyers of Russian oil and gas.
Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley reposted FOX Business' reporting on Trump's executive order, calling the president's decision a potentially defining moment.
"There are certain decisions that will go down as history-defining moments. This is one of them. It's a terrible misjudgment of Putin, who has made it clear he wants to destroy the West. We shouldn't help him do it," Haley posted on X.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, also criticized the decision during an appearance Saturday on Fox News.
"Look, I wish the president hadn't done it. I think it was a mistake," Cruz said.
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News' Michael Sinkewicz.
{{#rendered}}Michigan Democrat Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed acknowledged Saturday that his sister-in-law was involved in federal terrorist watchlist litigation during the Obama administration, days before former President Barack Obama is scheduled to campaign alongside him.
Fox News senior correspondent Mike Tobin asked El-Sayed pointedly about a 2016 lawsuit identifying Mariam Jukaku as a plaintiff challenging her reported placement on the Terrorism Screening Database.
"Yeah," El-Sayed responded.
"Basically, it's exactly the point. She did nothing wrong and was captured on that and then sued and got off," El-Sayed said, blaming Republican rival Mike Rogers.
Court filings allege Jukaku underwent extensive airport screening in 2012 and was believed to have been removed from the watchlist by 2016. The FBI declined to confirm or deny her status to Fox News in a statement.
The exchange followed Rogers' accusations about El-Sayed's alleged family ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, which the Democrat denies.
Fox News' Mike Tobin and Patrick McGovern contributed to this reporting.
House Speaker Mike Johnson believes Republicans will retain their narrow majority after the Nov. 3 elections, even as Democrats seek to capitalize on voter frustration and growing concerns about the GOP’s control of Congress.
Johnson said he sees large crowds and strong candidates on the campaign trail, comparing the current political mood to the 2024 election that gave Republicans control of Washington.
“It’s not going to be a giant majority,” Johnson said. “But I genuinely believe that we will have a working majority.”
Johnson is campaigning across the country to defend Republican seats, while House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries is preparing a first-100-days agenda if Democrats take back the chamber.
President Donald Trump used a Saturday rally in Kentucky to urge voters to preserve Republican control of Congress, telling supporters to view the midterm elections as a referendum on his second-term agenda.
Trump warned that Democrats would seek to undo his policies if they win control of the House or Senate, while promoting Republican candidates including Senate hopeful Andy Barr and House candidate Ed Gallrein.
The president also announced plans for a proposed $100 million federal investment in a Kentucky pharmaceutical manufacturing facility, tying the project to a Republican victory in November.
Trump’s Kentucky appearance came as Republicans face voter concerns about inflation, gas prices and the war with Iran less than three weeks before Election Day.
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