Bullerish · Blog · 2026 midterms tracker
Midterms brief ·
Midterms brief: Judge bars DOJ pressure on election workers
The 2026 midterms in 5 stories, written by Bullerish from published reporting. Every story links to the articles it comes from.
1. Judge bars DOJ from pressuring election workers over ballots
U.S. District Judge Trina Thompson issued a restraining order through Nov. 16 after unions and civil rights groups sued. DOJ, which says some California ballots belong to likely noncitizens, also lost a 2-1 Ninth Circuit bid to set them aside.
Sources: CBS News · Washington Times · ABC News (AP)
2. Peltola denies her aides recruited a second Dan Sullivan
Democrat Mary Peltola denied at an Anchorage rally reports that her aides helped recruit Daniel J. Sullivan to draw votes from GOP Sen. Dan Sullivan. Federal and state probes are underway. DOJ wants ballots ranking him set aside; Alaska calls the suit meritless.
Sources: The Hill · NBC News · CBS News · NPR · PBS NewsHour
3. El-Sayed campaign tells Rep. Haley Stevens to stay away from events
Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed and former primary rival Rep. Haley Stevens are at odds over his comments on Israel, clouding a planned Sunday unity event with Rep. Jim Clyburn. El-Sayed faces Republican Mike Rogers.
4. Trump to rally in Iowa and Kansas Sunday after reversing course
The RNC first said Trump would hold telerallies instead, then put in-person Sunday rallies in Iowa and Kansas back on. Cook rates both Senate races toss-ups: Sen. Roger Marshall vs. Democrat Adam Hamilton in Kansas, Rep. Ashley Hinson vs. Democrat Josh Turek in Iowa.
Correction: the video for this brief said the Iowa rally is in Cedar Rapids. The venue changed more than once; the latest local reports place it in Dubuque.
Sources: AP (via ABC7 Chicago) · KWWL · Radio Iowa · Cook Political Report
5. About 44.8 million ballots already cast nationwide
As of Thursday evening, about 23.6 million in-person early votes and 21.3 million mail ballots were in, per the University of Florida Election Lab. Pennsylvania can't process mail ballots until Election Day, so its count may be slow.
Sources: CBS News · University of Florida Election Lab
Where it stands: every Senate race, House ratings, forecasts and live results
Reporting in this brief: CBS News, Washington Times, ABC News (AP), The Hill, NBC News, NPR, PBS NewsHour, CNN, AP (via ABC7 Chicago), KWWL, Radio Iowa, Cook Political Report, University of Florida Election Lab.