Candidates across the country made their final appeals to voters following a weekend of rallies and a striking political defection in Michigan, capping an intense campaign cycle defined by surging early turnout and fierce battles for control of Congress. President Donald Trump delivered his closing message in Washington at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, choosing a site near the White House to tout the recently renovated pool while attacking his opponents. Although the president is not on the ballot this year, his presence loomed large over voters and campaigns nationwide, drawing mixed reactions from the electorate in states ranging from New Hampshire to Kansas.
In Michigan, Democratic Representative Haley Stevens announced a dramatic endorsement of Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers, creating a political firestorm in the closing days of the race. Stevens, who had previously supported her progressive primary opponent Abdul El-Sayed after a narrow loss, cited tensions over El-Sayed’s outspoken criticism of Israel and his decision to disinvite her from a campaign event as the catalyst for her switch. While President Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson praised Stevens for the move, El-Sayed dismissed the political maneuvering, stating that he remains focused on policy rather than partisan politics. A recent poll showed El-Sayed leading Rogers by 11 points, though Democrats maintain leads or tight contests across seven crucial battleground states that will determine Senate control.
Meanwhile, early voting shattered previous records, with more than 57 million Americans casting ballots ahead of Election Day—a 24 percent increase compared to the same point in the 2022 midterm elections. Data from the University of Florida’s Election Lab highlighted a shift in voting habits, with more electors choosing in-person early voting over mail-in ballots this cycle. States hosting pivotal Senate contests, including Texas, South Carolina, Maine, Kansas, Ohio, Iowa, and Alaska, experienced heavy turnout and long lines. Party registration data from reporting states indicated that 43 percent of early ballots were cast by registered Democrats and 31 percent by Republicans, though experts note that early voting patterns and counting procedures vary significantly by state.
Legal disputes also marked the final stretch before Election Day. In Alaska, a federal judge rejected a Trump administration lawsuit seeking to block election results if Republican incumbent Dan S. Sullivan loses. Separately, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to block California from counting 20,000 ballots that the administration alleged were cast by potential noncitizens. Additionally, the Department of Justice announced charges against 63 individuals in connection with election-related offenses as part of an ongoing federal effort to monitor voting integrity.
