Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., endorsed Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers on Sunday, a major shake-up in the final stages of a top battleground race that could determine which party controls the Senate.
The congresswoman’s announcement marks a whirlwind turnabout from just days ago, amid a dispute with Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed’s campaign over an outside ad that Stevens said was antisemitic. NBC News reported Saturday that El-Sayed’s campaign had asked Stevens to no longer attend campaign events.
“Hey, Michigan, as you may have seen, our Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, Abdul, said that I was no longer welcome in his campaign and that I should stay away,” Stevens said in a video.
“And he’s right, and that’s why I am endorsing Mike Rogers for the United States Senate today,” she said.
Poll: Voters demand change and a check on Trump, fueling steep Democratic advantage
Democrats have a sizable advantage in the battle for control of Congress days ahead of the midterm elections, a new national NBC News poll finds, with voters clamoring for change and voicing all-time high disapproval of President Donald Trump.
Registered voters prefer a Democratic-controlled Congress by a 7-point margin, with Democrats leading Republicans 52%-45% — 2 points more than in last month’s poll. That includes a 21-point lead among independents.
The president’s disapproval rating has climbed to 60%, a new high mark across his two terms in the NBC News poll. And for the first time in 30 years of NBC News polling, more voters say they are dissatisfied with their financial situation (51%) than satisfied (49%).
But it’s not all good news for Democrats: The poll contains fresh signs that a number of voters are pushing back on the GOP, as opposed to falling in love with the Democratic Party.
Federal judge dismisses Trump attempt to interfere in Alaska Senate race
A federal judge in Alaska on Sunday dismissed the Trump administration’s lawsuit seeking to separate and preserve certain ballots in the state’s upcoming Senate election, where GOP Sen. Dan Sullivan faces Democrat Mary Peltola.
In the last week, Peltola’s campaign has faced scrutiny after The New York Times reported the campaign and other Democrats recruited a candidate — Dan J. Sullivan — to run for the Senate with the same name as the incumbent senator.
Citing potential voter confusion, the Trump administration sought to separate and preserve ballots with votes for Dan J. Sullivan, arguing that if the incumbent loses, it may be because people voted for the other Sullivan by mistake.
In her ruling, U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason voiced concerns about voters’ right to a secret ballot.
Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., declined to say whether he would accept the results of the Alaska Senate race if Peltola wins.
Asked on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” whether he would accept the results if Peltola is certified to have won the Senate seat, Scott did not directly answer the question.
“Dan Sullivan is going to win, Kristen,” he told moderator Kristen Welker. “You know that, and that’s the only thing I’m going to tell you, because it’s the truth.”
Politics in brief
- Murphy hospitalized: Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., was hospitalized Saturday for a stroke after he “started experiencing numbness in his arm while at his son’s hockey game,” his chief of staff said in a statement.
- Called out: Democratic candidates in battleground races are throwing Joe Biden under the bus on the border.
- Signed, sealed, delivered: A federal judge tossed a revised version of Trump’s $10 billion defamation suit against The Wall Street Journal over a story about a birthday card he allegedly sent Jeffrey Epstein.
- Construction concerns: Virginia and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit in a last-ditch effort to stop the construction of Trump’s planned triumphal arch.
Stores looted in German riots as Gen Z activists protest living costs, military service
Rioters looted stores and set fire to barricades in Frankfurt on Saturday as demonstrations across Germany called for lower living costs and better education.
Tens of thousands of people took to the streets in more than 30 cities, including Berlin and Frankfurt, in protests organized by the campaign group Gen Z Regelt, or Gen Z Takes Charge.
France, Italy, Serbia and Spain have seen protests against the cost of living, among other causes. As the demonstrations began Saturday afternoon in Paris, protesters were pictured holding a banner that read: “We do not need tear gas for our future to be blurry.”
Martha Stewart responds to backlash over ‘hungry’ homeless Halloween costume
Martha Stewart on Sunday responded to backlash about her Halloween costume, saying she was “distressed” to learn that her outfit, which depicted a “hungry” homeless person, had caused offense.
Stewart shared a photo of herself in tattered clothing, holding a clipboard that read, “I AM HUNGRY HELP ME!!” She posed with a tired expression and makeup meant to look like dirt on her face.
The photo was the third slide in an Instagram carousel promoting her candle collection on QVC.
Many interpreted the costume as mocking the poor, and some called it “out of touch” and “dystopian.”
Golden State Valkyries defeat Atlanta Dream for first WNBA title
In only their second season in existence, the Golden State Valkyries are WNBA champions.
The Valkyries won their first title on Saturday, defeating the Atlanta Dream 68-63 in the first Game 7 in WNBA Finals history. Forward Gabby Williams led with 30 points and was named MVP.
Williams scored just two points in the first half, but rallied with 28 in the second, a record for the most points scored in a half in the WNBA postseason. Teammate Kiah Stokes led rebounds at 13.
“This is just incredible,” Stokes said of her fourth championship title. “But just my teammates, they’re amazing. The love that we feel is just incredible. I mean, this one just might be as good as my first.”
Notable quote
It looks like Mars, like we’re on another planet.
schoolteacher Natanael Undas, who has looked up at smoke-filled skies in Indonesia for months
Extreme heat and drought, intensified by a “super” El Niño weather pattern, have made this Indonesia’s worst fire season in more than a decade.
The persistent haze has affected millions across the region since the fires began in July, forcing school closures in several countries and fueling disputes over who is to blame. Protesters in Indonesia have accused their government of failing to act, while neighboring countries are threatening legal action.
In case you missed it
- A Learjet 60 jet heading for the Bahamas crashed in Florida Sunday afternoon, killing all nine people on board, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said. It was not immediately clear if there were additional injuries on the ground.
- Kimi Antonelli made Formula One history, becoming the youngest ever world champion at 20 years old after finishing third in the Mexico Grand Prix.
- A manhunt is underway for a shooter who killed one person and injured six in a Spirit Halloween store in what police in Fairfield, California, believe was a targeted incident.
- The FBI said North Korea was behind the $6.3 billion Binance crypto hack.
- Residents evacuated from the Russian-controlled Ukrainian town of Oleshky have crossed the border from Belarus into Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
- Deaths in Congo’s Ebola outbreak have topped 5,000 as the country grapples with the relentless spread of the disease and cases are recorded in other African countries, the latest government data shows.
- Actor Margaret Qualley and musician Jack Antonoff filed for divorce.
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