Axios

Former President Obama will campaign in Michigan, Wisconsin and Georgia in the final weeks of the midterm elections, an Obama spokesperson tells Axios.

Why it matters: Obama will visit three major swing states that include some of the most highly contested midterm races. The former president started entering the midterms in August.

The Biden administration launched the official beta version of the student loan forgiveness application Friday night, the first step in relieving millions of Americans of student debt.

The big picture: Biden's student loan forgiveness plan has faced a number of legal challenges as well as criticism from Republicans and some Democrats in battleground states.

Rudy Giuliani plans to defend himself in an upcoming legal ethics case — and he'll have help from a number of 2020 election deniers.

The big picture: Giuliani could lose his ability to practice law in Washington, D.C., if he loses the case, similar to how he can't practice in the state of New York over his election fraud claims.

Herschel Walker, the Republican nominee in the Georgia Senate race, was chastised by a debate moderator Friday night after he used a "prop" badge in an attempt to prove he works with law enforcement.

The big picture: Walker faced a number of questions about his past throughout the midterm elections debate between himself and Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) on Friday night.

Former Speaker of the House Paul Ryan predicted Thursday that former President Trump will not be the Republican nominee in 2024 and that he only holds power within the Republican Party because “everybody’s afraid of him.”

Why it matters: Ryan's comments come as other potential Republican 2024 candidates wait to hear Trump's plans for the upcoming election and as GOP lawmakers have growing concerns about the eligibility of the former president.

Democratic Party strategists are watching Arizona's Kari Lake with growing alarm.

Why it matters: As some see it, Lake — a 2020 election denier — could easily win the state's gubernatorial race and threaten its 2024 election processes. And with the talent she's already displayed even as a political novice, they see her potential to soar to a vice presidential spot or a post-Trump presidential candidacy.

In their only confirmed midterm elections debate, incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) and Republican candidate Herschel Walker faced off Friday in Savannah, Georgia.

Driving the news: The two Georgians answered a range of questions about abortion, inflation, Vladimir Putin and student debt relief. But they also faced questions about various controversies in their personal lives.

Former President Obama said Friday in an interview with Pod Save America that he is open to reforming the Supreme Court to regain Americans' trust but warned against "explicit political games."

Why it matters: Since the conservative majority overturned Roe v. Wade, polling has shown widespread disapproval of the Supreme Court. Americans' confidence in the institution is at an all-time low, according to Gallup.

A teenage suspect who police allege was a shooter in an incident that left five people, including an off-duty police officer, dead in Raleigh, North Carolina is hospitalized in critical condition, officials said Friday morning.

The latest: Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman told Axios Friday petitions have been filed against the suspect, but her office is seeking to have the case transferred to superior court, where the teen would be tried as an adult.

President Biden authorized on Friday $725 million in aid to Ukraine as part of the U.S.'s latest defense package for Ukrainian forces fighting Russia's unprovoked invasion.

Driving the news: The memorandum comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered deadly missile strikes across Ukraine this week, leading to explosions that killed at least 19 people. Even China and India, Russia's two biggest allies, have since called for de-escalation.

The Justice Department on Friday officially appealed the decision to appoint a special master to review documents retrieved during the FBI's search at Mar-a-Lago.

Why it matters: The DOJ has opposed former President Trump's request for a special master, citing national security interests and arguing that it would hinder its investigation into Trump's handling of classified records.

The White House plans to hand out parts of Sen. Rick Scott’s (R-Fla.) "12 Point Plan to Rescue America" when President Biden meets with party volunteers Friday in California and Oregon.

Why it matters: Democrats want to get off of defense by framing the midterm elections as a choice between two parties rather than a referendum on Biden’s presidency.

Some within the FBI may have felt "sympathetic" to the Jan. 6 Capitol rioters, someone warned in an email sent to a top FBI official a week after the attack.

Why it matters: The email is a sign that there could be FBI agents who may not have been motivated to bring cases against the Capitol rioters, according to NBC News. The Department of Justice has arrested hundreds of people in connection to the riots in almost every state.

President Biden on Friday will sign an executive order directing administration officials to consider further actions to lower prescription drug costs, the White House announced.

Why it matters: With less than a month before the midterms, Biden is focusing on health care costs to help position Democratic candidates.

Elon Musk said Friday that his company SpaceX can't "indefinitely" fund critical internet service in Ukraine through Starlink terminals.

Why it matters: The terminals have provided internet service for Ukraine's military and government officials, even as Russia's invasion has ravaged the country's infrastructure.

Former President Trump on Friday issued what he characterized as his official response to the Jan. 6 select committee after the panel voted to subpoena him — but didn't say if he'll testify.

Driving the news: In the 14-page letter addressed to Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), the chair of the committee, Trump rehashed a multitude of critiques he and his Republican allies have previously lodged against the panel.

Tonight, the two main candidates running to represent Georgia in the U.S. Senate square off in their first face-to-face TV and streaming debate.

• Lucky for you, we've created a trademark Axios BINGO card to keep you company during the contest and compete for Axios swag.

Democrats talked a big game about reining in Big Tech, but after nearly two years of controlling the agenda in Washington, they've got little to show for it.

Why it matters: Pledges to tackle data surveillance practices, harm to children's mental health and tech giants' power over wide swaths of the economy haven't yet translated into passing new laws, and the clock is running out.

In the final stretch before midterm elections, President Biden is flexing his executive authority, with targeted trips on Air Force One and White House decrees to boost key demographic groups.

The big picture: Since passing a pair of transformative bills this summer, Biden has been using executive actions to motivate slices of the Democratic coalition.

Former President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush will be honored for their "extraordinary leadership" in tackling HIV/AIDS at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., next month, the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition announced Thursday.

Driving the news: The Bushes will receive the Global Leadership Award on Dec. 1, World AIDS Day at the USGLC's annual Tribute Celebration for launching the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) 20 years ago, per a statement from the coalition.

A Texas sheriff has moved to certify that the 49 migrants Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) had flown to Martha's Vineyard were victims of a crime.

Why it matters: Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar's actions will enable the mostly Venezuelan migrants to obtain a special visa they otherwise wouldn't have received, enabling them to remain in the U.S., per the Texas Tribune.

Trump-to-Biden swing voters in Pennsylvania in our latest Axios Engagious/Schlesinger focus groups favored Democrats or split-ticket midterm ballots, saying if Republicans retake power they'll push a nationwide abortion ban and focus on "revenge" investigations against President Biden and his party.

Driving the news: These were the major takeaways from our two online focus groups conducted Oct. 11 — our last swing-voter panels before the Nov. 8 election.

The LGBTQ+ voting population is projected to grow from one in 10 voters today to nearly one in four in 2040, according to a report from the Human Rights Campaign.

Why it matters: The growth of the LGBTQ+ voting bloc — driven by higher LGBTQ+ identification among younger generations — could transform the U.S. electoral landscape at local, state and federal levels. LGBTQ+ voters have higher turnout rates than other voters, and a record number of LGBTQ+ candidates are running for office.