Trump and Democrats Set Sights on Expanding Midterm Battlegrounds
WHO:
Fox News - Trump criticized Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski and ranked-choice voting.
Fox News - The Alaska Senate race pits two-term incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan against former Rep. Mary Peltola.
The Washington Post - Rick Sebring, a resident of rural Black Creek, Georgia, supported Trump in each election since Trump emerged as a political outsider running for president in 2015.
Fox News - President Trump and top Democrats are targeting states ahead of Election Day.
NBC News Politics - Meet the Press moderator Kristen Welker and Sunday TODAY’s Willie Geist discussed key midterm races.
WHAT:
Fox News - Trump called ranked-choice voting a “SCAM” and urged Alaskans to vote “YES” on Ballot Measure 2 to oppose it.
Fox News - Trump claimed Murkowski won reelection because of ranked-choice voting and alleged the system was intended to confuse voters and help Democrats defeat Sullivan.
Fox News - Alaska’s ranked-choice system enabled Peltola to win a special and regular election for the state’s at-large House seat in 2022, and Murkowski to defeat a Trump-backed challenger.
The Washington Post - The midterm campaign is being fought in areas President Trump carried in the last election, largely among voters who previously supported him but have become dissatisfied with his presidency.
Fox News - Both parties are deploying top surrogates to battleground states.
NBC News Politics - Welker said, “The battleground map has really expanded in the final days.”
NBC News Politics - Welker said the races being watched include states such as Alaska and Kansas.
WHERE:
Fox News - Alaska uses an open-primary and ranked-choice general-election process for its Senate contest.
The Washington Post - Rick Sebring lives in rural Black Creek, Georgia.
Fox News - Trump rallied in Florida, Georgia and Michigan.
NBC News Politics - The races discussed include Michigan, Ohio, Alaska and Kansas.
WHEN:
Fox News - The article says Election Day is less than two weeks away.
NBC News Politics - The article says the election is nine days away.
WHY:
Fox News - The Alaska Senate race has drawn heightened scrutiny because it could help determine the balance of power in the Senate.
HOW:
NBC News Politics - Welker joined Geist on Sunday TODAY to discuss key midterm races to watch.
(UPDATED October 25, 2026 21:59 UTC)
President Trump is urging Alaska voters to reject ranked-choice voting, calling it a “SCAM” and backing a “YES” vote on Ballot Measure 2. He claims the system helped Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski win reelection and is designed to confuse voters and help defeat Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan. Alaska uses ranked-choice voting in general elections, and the system helped Mary Peltola win the state’s at-large House seat in 2022. Sullivan, a two-term incumbent, faces former Representative Peltola in a Senate race that could affect control of the chamber. Across the country, both parties are sending prominent allies to battleground states, while Trump has campaigned in Florida, Georgia and Michigan. The contest is increasingly focused on places Trump carried previously, including rural Black Creek, Georgia, where resident Rick Sebring has supported him in every presidential election. Political observers are also watching races in Michigan, Ohio and Kansas.
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(UPDATED October 25, 2026 19:59 UTC)
The midterm campaign is increasingly focused on places President Trump carried in the last election, as some voters who once supported him have grown dissatisfied with his presidency. In rural Black Creek, Georgia, resident Rick Sebring backed Trump in every election since he entered politics as an outsider in 2015. Both parties are sending prominent surrogates to battleground states, while Trump has rallied in Florida, Georgia and Michigan. The contest’s battleground map is expanding in the final stretch, moderator Kristen Welker said during a discussion with Willie Geist. She pointed to races in states including Alaska and Kansas. Michigan and Ohio are also among the states drawing attention. President Trump and top Democrats are targeting states as Election Day approaches, and campaigns are working to reach voters across an increasingly broad map.
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(UPDATED October 25, 2026 19:04 UTC)
President Trump and top Democrats are stepping up their efforts in battleground states as Election Day approaches, with both parties sending prominent surrogates to try to influence voters. Trump has rallied in Florida, Georgia and Michigan, while Democrats are also targeting states where contests could prove decisive. Meet the Press moderator Kristen Welker joined Sunday TODAY host Willie Geist to discuss the midterm races drawing attention. Welker said the battleground map has expanded in the final days. The contests they discussed include races in Michigan and Ohio, as well as Alaska and Kansas. The focus on Alaska and Kansas reflects how far the list of closely watched races now reaches. With Election Day less than two weeks away, campaigns are concentrating on states that could shape the outcome of the midterms.