Politics and views in the United States

Trump’s final midterm pitch attacks Democratic nominees as ‘dangerous,’ last-minute voters could prove influential in key races, and voting rights groups ease fears of federal interference.

Transcript

Happy Election Day and welcome to 2026 Talks, where we're following our democracy in historic times.

This is the last day before the midterm elections, the most important midterm, I believe, in our lifetime.

The Democrat Party has nominated the most extreme and dangerous slate of candidates in American history.

President Donald Trump made his final pitch to voters the day before the midterm elections, using a frequent line of attack on Democratic candidates in critical swing states.

The president has also used those attacks against Democratic nominees, like Michigan's Abdul El-Sayed, who, if elected, would be the first Arab American to serve as a senator.

But polls show those attacks may not be working.

Voters consistently raise cost-of-living issues as their top motivator for voting, and the president's approval rating remains at historic lows.

The Supreme Court swiftly rejected a motion by the Trump administration to force California to separate more than 20,000 ballots that it alleges were cast by non-citizens.

California convinced lower courts that the administration had no right to force the state to comply and that the move would disenfranchise eligible voters.

The court rejected the bid just hours after the administration's request with no comment and no dissents were noted.

Meanwhile, in Pennsylvania, Democratic House Speaker Joanne McClinton encourages Keystone State voters to make their voices heard.

Your vote matters.

Your vote is your voice.

And your vote is the ability to change the things that are happening that are attacks on our rights, on our freedoms, and the stability of our nation.

The state is home to a number of high-profile races, from the governor's mansion to a slew of competitive U.S. House races.

PA Democrats are also attempting to win trifecta control of the state government for the first time in decades.

Both parties are pouring money into races to protect their majorities in the state Senate and state House, respectively.

Election analysts are warning both parties not to count their eggs before they hatch in key races around the country.

That includes Florida, where polls show Republicans leading Democrats by less than expected in a number of key races.

Susan McManus is a professor of political science at the University of South Florida.

She says last-minute turnout can alter the face of races and that people, not polls, decide elections.

The last-minute turnout.

That close a race gives both sides hope or panic, depending on which side you're on.

But the bottom line is you can't win elections with polls.

You can't win elections unless people that support your candidate or you go vote.

For those who are casting their ballots today, voting rights groups are trying to calm any fears from voters about the safety and security of casting a ballot, even despite threats of federal interference.

Jeanette Senecal, with the League of Women Voters, notes federal election observers are not new and their presence doesn't necessarily mean something will go wrong.

But the narratives that are being created are casting doubt on things and we want people to know that the solution to the doubt is overwhelming turnout.

Voters who are in line at the time their polling place closes still have the right to cast the ballot.

Voting rights groups, like the League of Women Voters, encourage those folks to stay in line.

I'm Zamone Perez for Pacifica Network and Public News Service.

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