(Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
The 2022 midterm campaign has entered its final sprint, with candidates making their general election pitches to voters ahead of the big day in November.
Most analysts expect Republicans to take control of the House of Representatives, while the balance of the Senate remains more favourable to Democrats. However, with Democrats celebrating a string of recent successes, the party believes it may have a shot at maintaining its majority of both chambers of Congress. However, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer recently predicted that Democrats would lose the House majority in November.
Democratic voters appear to be more energised by the recent Supreme Court ruling striking down abortion protections under Roe v Wade. Democrats typically turn out in smaller numbers for midterm elections compared to presidential contests. But with Donald Trump expected to soon announce another White House bid, the left may feel more fired up to participate.
Follow the latest news on the 2022 midterms below
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Gaetz and Pelosi: This month’s two most useless people in DC
With Congress officially out until after the midterm election ends, Eric Garcia nominates two high-profile lawmakers for particularly cynical moves on Capitol Hill this month.
Matt Gaetz and Nancy Pelosi are this month’s most useless people in Washington
Legislation on stock trading and same sex marriage postponed while spending bill passes
Oliver O’Connell10 October 2022 22:00
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Anti-crime message Republican candidate sees two shot on his doorstep
A Republican running for governor of New York on an anti-crime message had a talking point literally play out on his doorstep over the weekend.
Congressman Lee Zeldin of New York was away from home when his daughters called 911 in response to a shocking drive-by shooting in broad daylight that left one teen suspect hiding in fear for his life under the representative’s porch and another ducking for cover by jumping over his fence.
John Bowden has the details.
Republican running on anti-crime message sees two shot in drive-by on his doorstep
Democrats face increasing pressure to respond to crime in blue stronghold cities
Oliver O’Connell10 October 2022 21:15
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Midterms 2022: Lessons and predictions
The Independent’s Eric Garcia gives his four lessons and predictions for the upcoming midterm elections.
Some lessons and predictions for the midterms
With 40 days to go, some issues have become surprisingly popular — and some candidates surprisingly unpopular
Oliver O’Connell10 October 2022 20:30
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Key races: Which are the most crucial contests to watch in the midterms?
Election Day is less than a month away and the 2022 midterm races are entering their final sprint.
Republicans are still hope that Americans’ frustration with inflation and the economy, as well as rising crime, will obfuscate their concerns about the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision overturning Roe v Wade.
Conversely, Democrats hope to make abortion a centrepiece of the election, but also hope to point “MAGA Republicans” as threats to democracy and highlight the January 6 insurrection.
Eric Garcia takes a look at the most important elections to watch this cycle.
Most important midterm election a month out from Election Day 2022
Nevada’s Senate race could go either way. Ron DeSantis and Greg Abbott likely to cruise to re-election. And John Fetterman still leads in Pennsylvania, Eric Garcia writes
Oliver O’Connell10 October 2022 19:45
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ICYMI: Trump-backed Joe Kent accused of spreading conspiracy theories
Trump-backed congressional candidate Joe Kent has been accused of spreading conspiracy theories after he called the Covid vaccine an “experimental gene therapy” during a testy, sold-out debate in Washington state.
Little more than 40 days before voters across the country go to the polls in the midterm elections, Mr Kent clashed with Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, in their first debate in the showdown for Washington’s third congressional district.
Andrew Buncombe reports from Seattle.
Trump-backed Joe Kent accused of spreading conspiracy theories in testy debate
‘I’m going to be a check on Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi destroying our economy,’ says Kent
Oliver O’Connell10 October 2022 19:00
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Midterms: Can Trump keep his QAnon supporters under control?
Can Donald Trump keep his QAnon supporters under control?
Trump has promoted increasingly overt QAnon conspiracy theories in recent weeks, Eric Garcia and Alex Woodward report
Oliver O’Connell10 October 2022 17:30
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Kristi Noem: Balancing big ambitions and reelection in South Dakota
If Kristi Noem has ambitions beyond her state, she must first take care of political business back home: winning a second term in November.
Noem’s balancing act: Big ambitions, South Dakota reelection
Many political watchers expected Gov. Kristi Noem to cruise to reelection this year in Republican-dominated South Dakota against a Democratic challenger without statewide experience
Oliver O’Connell10 October 2022 16:45
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Maxwell Frost: The first Gen Z member of Congress
Maxwell Frost wants to tell Democrats to not write off Florida simply as the state of Ron DeSantis and other Republicans.
The 25-year-old activist famously confronted the governor a few months ago about gun violence, to which Mr DeSantis – who has become the Republican Party’s golden boy for keeping Florida open during the Covid-19 pandemic – responded by saying “nobody wants to hear from you”.
But Mr DeSantis’s remarks notwithstanding, it turned out that some Floridians did want to hear from him. Mr Frost won the Democratic primary for Florida’s 10th District to replace Representative Val Demings, who is running to challenge Senator Marco Rubio. The district is overwhelmingly Democratic, meaning that a primary victory all but guarantees Mr Frost will be heading to Congress.
Eric Garcia reports on the candidate who will be the first of his generation in Congress.
Meet Maxwell Frost, the Uber driver who is about to be first Gen Z member of Congress
The soon-to-be youngest member of Congress talks to Eric Garcia about being the first Afro-Cuban member of Congress and how he plans to shake up Washington
Oliver O’Connell10 October 2022 16:00
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Oliver O’Connell10 October 2022 15:08
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ICYMI: Psaki says Democrats doomed if midterms are about Biden
Former White House press secretary Jen Psaki has said Democrats know that if the 2022 midterm election is about President Joe Biden’s record, they will lose.
Psaki says Democrats know they’re doomed if midterms are a vote about Biden
The former White House Press Secretary warns that Democrats know that crime is a big issue.
Oliver O’Connell10 October 2022 14:36