Ken Griffin, the founder and CEO of hedge fund Citadel, told Politico in an interview published Sunday he would back Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) if he decides to run for president in 2024.
Why it matters: Griffin is a Republican megadonor, and his endorsement of a potential DeSantis bid is a snub toward former President Trump, who is expected to announce the launch of a 2024 presidential campaign on Nov. 14.
Researchers at several cybersecurity firms have discovered influence campaigns propelled by Russian bots and trolls that are targeting the upcoming 2022 midterms, the New York Times reported Sunday.
Why it matters: The reporting offers yet another look at how Russian disinformation networks are targeting midterms races, days after social media analysis firm Graphika published a report that Russia-linked actors were targeting close Senate and gubernatorial races by disseminating racist and inflammatory political cartoons by an artist identified as “Schmitz," Axios' Sam Sabin writes.
One of the paradoxes in breaking down the map of House races this year: Gerrymandering reduced the number of traditional swing seats on the board. But the potential for a sizable Republican wave has turned many otherwise-safe seats into competitive battlegrounds.
By the numbers: In 2020, there were 51 House districts that backed either President Biden or former President Trump by five points or less. This year, only 34 districts fit those categories.
The campaign headquarters of Arizona Republican gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake received an envelope containing "suspicious white powder" on Saturday, according to her campaign spokesperson.
Driving the news: There have been no reports of injury from the received mail, but one staff member is under medical watch. An investigation is ongoing.
Texas' 28th Congressional District, a predominantly border region of South Texas, is at risk this midterms of losing its footing as a Democratic stronghold since its creation in 1993.
What's happening: Republican nominee Cassy Garcia, a former staffer of Sen. Ted Cruz, is seeking to unseat Rep. Henry Cuellar, who has represented the district for 17 years.
Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) distanced himself this week from the Democratic Party as polls show J.D. Vance holding a slim advantage in the Ohio Senate race.
Driving the news: "The National Democratic Party has never been really good at strategic political decisions," Ryan said on CNN this week.
The Maricopa County elections office recorded at least 140 threatening and hostile communications against election workers between July 11 and Aug. 11 this year, according to 1,600 pages of documents obtained by Reuters.
Why it matters: Many of the threats against the workers in one of Arizona's most politically competitive counties stemmed from conspiracy theories related to the 2020 presidential election and have been previously promoted by former President Donald Trump and his allies.
The majority of voters said they made up their minds about who they are supporting in the midterm elections at least two months ago — before the whirlwind of late-state campaigning and big-dollar spending.
Why it matters: The final stretch of the midterm campaign has the opportunity to sway just a sliver of voters — but in a razor-thin battle for the Senate, that small slice of voters could push one party over the edge.
Former Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Director Christopher Krebs said Sunday on "Face the Nation" that Twitter's $7.99 monthly subscription service could sow discord ahead of the upcoming midterms by opening up the platform to a "broader community of influencers, clout chasers, election denialists."
Driving the news: The Twitter Blue subscription will now offer blue checkmarks — typically a sign of credibility — to new users signing up for the platform, according to an Apple app store update issued Saturday.
The U.S. must continue giving support to Ukraine in order to avoid being pulled into a war with Russia, Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) told NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday.
Why it matters: Scott's comments contrasted sharply with comments made by his fellow Republican, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.), earlier this week. Greene said that "not another penny" would go to Ukraine if Republicans retake control of Congress in the upcoming midterm elections.
House Majority Whip Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) told "Fox New Sunday" he believes "democracy will be ending" if Democrats lose the 2022 midterms.
The big picture: Many Democrats, including President Biden, have said they believe U.S. democracy is under threat by Trump-backed election deniers running for office in the midterms.
Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said Sunday that "we'll accept the results" of the midterms as long as the "process [plays] out."
Why it matters: McDaniel's remarks come as some Republican candidates running for office have refused to say whether they will accept the results of the midterms.
The number of abortions performed in the U.S. fell by about 6% after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, according to data from the Society of Family Planning.
The big picture: Many states in which abortion remains legal saw significant increases in the number of procedures performed, suggesting that plenty of women traveled out-of-state to obtain access.
President Biden and former President Trump held dueling rallies on opposite ends of Pennsylvania on Saturday, in the final stretch of the midterm campaign.
Why it matters: Pennsylvania's Senate race is likely the bellwether race that will determine which party wins the majority. The late-campaign rallies are designed to juice up base turnout on both sides, as both Biden and Trump hold low favorability ratings in the Keystone State.
