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(41)Key developments
• Campaign blitz: President Donald Trump rallied tonight in Perry, Georgia, while former President Barack Obama held an event in Detroit with Abdul El-Sayed and other Michigan Democrats.
• Closer-in-chief: Obama is reprising his role of Democratic closer on the campaign trail. In Michigan, he renewed criticism of the years of “chaos, and cruelty, and corruption” under Trump’s administration, echoing his earlier comments in Ohio.
• GOP on the brink: Democrats are going on offense in red and purple states, while GOP campaign operatives have been forced to abandon some opportunities to flip seats. Meanwhile, Trump appeared to acknowledge the headwinds facing Republicans in Georgia, telling supporters that a GOP Senate win there would be “somewhat of a shocker.”
• Trump votes early: The president and first lady Melania Trump cast their ballots early in Florida. He has previously opposed early and mail-in voting despite advocating for the practice this election cycle.
Trump and Obama hold dueling rallies in battleground states. Catch up here
With just 10 days to go in the midterm elections, President Donald Trump and former President Barack Obama both held rallies on Saturday evening as they stumped for their parties’ candidates.
Here’s a recap of what they said:
Trump
Speaking in Perry, Georgia, the president appeared to acknowledge the political headwinds Republicans face in the state.
GOP hurdles: Trump told supporters that GOP Rep. Mike Collins defeating Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff would be “somewhat of a shocker.” Republicans were bullish about flipping Ossoff’s seat, but Collins has trailed the incumbent in fundraising.
Midterm gift: In the latest announcement of a string of midterm gifts and pledges, Trump announced that Audi will invest $4.2 billion in a “massive plant” in Macon. He said the factory would produce 200,000 cars per year and bring 30,000 jobs to the area.
On immigration: Trump also continued to denigrate Somali immigrants and mused why the US doesn’t take more people in from Nordic countries like Sweden or Norway.
Obama
The former president held a campaign event in Detroit with Abdul El-Sayed and other Michigan Democrats. Obama, who earlier held a rally in Cleveland, is reprising his role of Democratic closer on the campaign trail.
Criticism of Trump: Obama blasted the president for years of “chaos, and cruelty, and corruption” under Trump’s administration. His remarks parallel his comments earlier in the afternoon in Ohio, where he described the second Trump administration as two years of “incompetence.”
On Canada tariffs: Obama also condemned Trump’s tariffs on Canada. “He’s the toughest when it comes to tariffs and trade wars on that well-known evil empire, Canada,” Obama quipped. “These are the people who gave us Martin Short and maple syrup.”
“We have seen this movie before”: Obama said he can relate to the struggles Michigan Senate nominee El-Sayed faces over Republican attacks on his name. Trump previously promoted the false conspiracy that claimed Obama was not born in the US. Trump has wrongly referred to El-Sayed as “Mohammed” and falsely declared that the Democratic candidate is a “jihadist.”
CNN’s Logan Schiciano, Molly English, Katherine Koretski and Aleena Fayaz contributed to this post.
"Not going to do anything other than watch": Trump defends deployment of poll monitors
President Donald Trump on Saturday downplayed concerns over the Justice Department’s deployment of poll watchers to voting locations across Georgia, part of what the DOJ has called “the biggest DOJ election observer effort in history.”
“They want to watch. They’re not going to do anything other than watch,” Trump said in an interview with Atlanta News First ahead of his rally in Perry, Georgia.
Trump’s DOJ plans to dispatch more than 1,000 monitors on Election Day — hundreds more than the Biden administration deployed in 2024. There is no evidence that the monitoring efforts will disrupt polling places or prevent anyone from voting. Justice Department monitors and partisan observers have long been part of Election Day.
But some fear the widening web of federal and party monitors could mean far more incidents — even minor errors or baseless claims of fraud — are elevated and could be used by Trump and his allies to reinforce claims that US elections are not secure.
“The one thing we have to have is honest elections,” Trump said Saturday.
CNN’s Gabe Cohen and Tierney Sneed contributed to this post.
Trump's latest midterm gift: a "massive" Audi plant for Georgia
Donald Trump on Saturday announced that Audi will invest $4.2 billion in a “massive plant” in Macon, Georgia — the latest project the president has unveiled in key states ahead of the midterms.
Trump said the factory would produce 200,000 cars per year and bring 30,000 jobs to the area.
“This will be the single-largest investment in US auto industry history,” Trump said at a rally in nearby Perry, Georgia.
The CEO of Audi, Gernot Döllner, said the German car manufacturer is planning to bring its “biggest and most premium SUVs” to Macon.
“This is a long-term investment because we believe in the American market,” Döllner said at the rally.
Trump has touted several projects — including a pharmaceutical plant in Kentucky and a steel mill for Iowa — in states where he has campaigned ahead of the election. He’s also made promises to voters, including a $5,000 payment to every American adult, that are contingent on Republicans maintaining control of Congress.
Trump denigrates Somali immigrants, asks why US doesn’t take Nordic ones
President Donald Trump on Saturday continued to denigrate Somali immigrants, musing at a midterm rally in Georgia about why the United States doesn’t take more people in from Nordic countries like Sweden or Norway.
Describing a meeting he had with various senators, Trump recalled that he asked, “‘Why do we always have to take people from sh*t house countries?’”
“Why can’t we take people from like, Norway, Sweden. Why not Denmark?” Trump added. “You know. By the way, Denmark was so great. They gave us Greenland.”
Trump has frequently insulted Somali immigrants, calling them “low IQ” and saying at a rally in Ohio earlier this month that Somalis “don’t have pants to wear.” Many of his attacks focus on Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Somali American.
Trump admits a GOP Senate win in Georgia would be "somewhat of a shocker"
President Donald Trump on Saturday appeared to acknowledge the political headwinds facing Republicans in Georgia, telling a crowd of supporters that GOP Rep. Mike Collins defeating Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff would be “somewhat of a shocker.”
“We’re going to have another shocker,” Trump said at a rally in Perry, Georgia. “This is gonna be somewhat of a shocker on November 3 because I think we’re going to be electing a man named Mike Collins.”
Republicans were bullish about flipping Ossoff’s seat following Trump’s 2024 victory in Georgia, but Collins’ campaign has been marred with controversy and he trailed Ossoff by eight points in a recent Atlanta Journal Constitution poll.
Despite Republican leaders’ efforts to fundraise for Collins, Ossoff has a healthy cash advantage, according to recent filings.
In the first two weeks of October, Ossoff raised about $5.5 million and unloaded more than $16 million on Collins, with $15 million cash on hand. Meanwhile, Collins reported raising just $2.8 million in the third quarter and holding just $1.1 million in cash on hand entering October.
“There’s a big money advantage,” Trump said.
Obama relates to struggle that El-Sayed faces over attacks on his name
Former President Barack Obama said Saturday that he can relate to the struggles Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed faces over Republican attacks on his name.
President Donald Trump promoted the false conspiracy that claimed Obama was not born in the United States and still emphasizes Obama’s middle name is Hussein.
During a campaign rally earlier this month, Trump first wrongly referred to El-Sayed as “Mohammed” and falsely declared that the Democratic candidate is a “jihadist.” Those comments have become staples of recent Trump rallies and social media comments.
“We have seen this movie before. I starred in it. I got a long-form birth certificate to prove it,” he continued.
Obama went on to say that the attacks from Republicans will not work on El-Sayed either.
“This stuff didn’t work on me, not in Michigan. It’s not going to work on Abdul. Abdul was born here. He was raised here. Parents in the auto industry, played football in Bloomfield Heights,” he said.
"Enough is enough": Obama rails against corruption during Detroit rally
Former President Barack Obama today renewed his criticism of President Donald Trump, blasting the president for years of “chaos, and cruelty, and corruption” under his administration.
Obama also leaned on his experience in several elections, noting this midterm election “feels a little bit different.”
“An election where people are so ready for something new, so hungry for something better, so sick and tired of being sick and tired,” Obama said.
The former president’s remarks closely parallel comments he made this afternoon at a campaign event in Cleveland, where he described the second Trump administration as two years of “incompetence.”
Obama astonished about tariffs against Canada: They gave us "maple syrup"
Former President Barack Obama expressed astonishment as he condemned President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canada during a rally in Detroit on Saturday.
“The weirdest thing is, he’s the toughest when it comes to tariffs and trade wars on that well-known evil empire, Canada,” Obama quipped. “These are the people who gave us Martin Short and maple syrup.”
The former president touched on how the tariffs are impacting Michigan’s auto industry.
“In a place like Michigan and the auto industry, you got integrated systems between Canada, the United States and … so each car requires a whole bunch of parts from a whole bunch of places,” Obama said.
Obama said Trump was warned about the impact, “‘This will drive prices up. This does not lower prices.’ And by the way, that’s exactly what happened.”
Some context: Mike Rogers, the Republican Senate nominee in Michigan, broke with Trump over his tariffs on Canada in an advertisement earlier this month.
“Here in Michigan, we know that Canada is not our enemy. We need to end this tariff war — now,” Rogers says in the 30-second spot. “As Michigan’s senator, I’ll bring both parties together to lower your prices. That’s job No. 1.”
El-Sayed praises Obama's legacy, sharply contrasting past criticisms
Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed today lauded former President Barack Obama and the prominent Democrat’s role as closer on the campaign trail.
“His legacy, it continues to offer a guiding light and fitting lessons for the work that is yet to be done and that work is not just about getting elected, but using your seat to make a difference in the lives of the people you serve,” El-Sayed said.
The Senate candidate’s remarks came minutes before Obama took the stage at the Detroit rally – the former president’s second of the day.
CNN previously reported that years prior to today’s rally, El-Sayed criticized Obama’s presidency at times as a failure, saying it left the country no “better off.”
Before introducing Obama, El-Sayed reverently joked about his name, which has become a GOP talking point on the campaign trail.
“When they tell me, ‘but his name’s Abdul though,’ I remind them ‘his name was Barack though,’” El-Sayed said, as the crowd cheered. “Because we stand on the shoulders of giants, and we work for the America whose life they made brighter.
Abdul El-Sayed slams Trump ahead of his visit to Michigan on Sunday
Ahead of President Donald Trump’s visit to Michigan on Sunday, Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed is slamming the president.
“As if it’s not bad enough to try to live in Trump’s America, he’s coming here to remind us about it,” he said during an event today in Detroit.
“Detroit, Mike Rogers and Donald Trump really want you to know Donald Trump is on the ballot. So please make sure to vote like Donald Trump is on the ballot,” he continued.
Trump is expected to visit Port Huron, Michigan to support Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers.
Michigan gubernatorial nominee warns of potential election interference
Michigan gubernatorial nominee Jocelyn Benson today cautioned voters against potential election interference efforts in the battleground state.
Benson, the sitting Democratic Secretary of State, fought President Donald Trump’s election denial in 2020. She cited the actions of Trump and her opponent, John James, as evidence of possible looming interference this November.
“I want you to remember those election lies, they weren’t just coming from Donald Trump. My opponent, John James, he lied too,” Benson said, slamming James for not conceding his election and “amplifying Trump’s baseless claims.”
Benson reflected on threats to election integrity in 2020 where Trump contested results in the battleground state, drawing a parallel to what could happen in the coming weeks.
“In 2028, the path to the presidency to the future of our nation runs right from Michigan,” Benson said, later adding, “Our opponents are resorting to these tactics because they know they can’t win on the merits.”
Remember: Michigan was one of the seven battleground states where the Trump campaign put forward slates of “fake electors” as part of a plan to undermine the Electoral College process and potentially disrupt Congress’ certification of the 2020 election results on January 6, 2021.
Today on the trail: Obama slams Trump and underlines the urgency of midterms
Former President Barack Obama has wrapped up an afternoon campaign event in Cleveland, Ohio, where he laid into the Trump administration, describing “two years of chaos and cruelty and corruption and incompetence.”
He is reprising his role of Democratic closer, urging a fired up crowd in Ohio to support the party’s slate of candidates. Obama also released new videos backing candidates in Florida and has another event in Michigan still to come this evening.
President Donald Trump will hold a midterm rally tonight in Georgia at the same time as Obama’s Detroit appearance, setting up a dueling presidential moment.
If you missed it, here’s a recap of Obama’s first event:
- The former president blamed Trump for the country’s economic woes, directly tying administration decisions to high costs.
- Obama said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is “not serious,” and that the Trump administration’s irresponsibility led to the ongoing consequences of the Iran war.
- He also gave Democrats a “reality check,” saying “we got two more years in this administration” no matter what — but arguing that doesn’t mean the party is powerless. He emphasized the importance of a resistant new Congress.
- Obama criticized Trump’s immigration crackdown, saying no one voted for “sending masked agents running through our streets.”
- Obama slammed Vivek Ramaswamy for his campaign’s controversial attack ad against his Democratic opponent, Amy Acton, saying the Ohio GOP gubernatorial nominee lacks character and decency.
Other news from the campaign trail today:
- Republican Texas Senate nominee Ken Paxton mused on the competing visions for America at play as he fights for his political life in a close race against Democrat James Talarico.
- Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff, who is running for reelection in Georgia, slammed Trump ahead of his visit to the state later today, saying “the crook president is coming back to Georgia.” In remarks alongside Ossoff, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg encouraged volunteers to reach undecided voters in the final days of the election.
CNN’s Kaanita Iyer, Isabelle D’Antonio, Aleena Fayaz, Tierney Sneed and Katherine Koretski contributed reporting.
Obama and El-Sayed to meet for the first time at Detroit rally
Today’s rally in Detroit will mark the first time former President Barack Obama and Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed are meeting in person, a source familiar with the matter told CNN.
Obama and El-Sayed spoke shortly after the Democratic primary, when the Michigan progressive defeated Rep. Haley Stevens. Obama called both El-Sayed and Stevens to praise their efforts to project unity for Michigan Democrats after a contentious primary.
At a private fundraiser for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee earlier this month, Obama spoke about El-Sayed’s candidacy, pushing back on the notion the Democratic nominee is too far left, according to excerpts obtained by CNN.
“I’m going to go to Michigan to campaign for Abdul El-Sayed. And people are like, ‘Well, he’s really left wing.’ But I don’t know, he’s for a higher minimum wage and healthcare for all, and it doesn’t seem crazy to me. You know, FDR was for that too,” Obama said.
The two will campaign together years after El-Sayed criticized Obama’s presidency at times as a failure, saying it left the country no “better off,” CNN’s KFile reported.
El-Sayed told CNN earlier this year that watching Obama’s speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention was “the first time I ever saw myself reflected in politics at all.”
Trump says he's open to pardoning junior staffers
President Donald Trump responded to a report that the administration is weighing pardoning junior-level staffers, saying he hadn’t “thought about it, but certainly I’d be allowed to.”
“It would be very unfair to go through what we went through for four years with the corrupt weaponization that took place,” he told reporters after casting his ballot in West Palm Beach, Florida.
The Washington Sun reported Saturday that the White House was looking at the option of mass pardoning junior staffers. Trump has repeatedly floated potential pardons for high-ranking officials in the administration but has not commented on pardoning anyone below that level before.
“I certainly don’t want to see innocent people go through hell and lose all their money, like Margo,” Trump said, referencing White House communications adviser Margo Martin, who was traveling with him.
“But they’re going to drag her into a grand jury,” he added. “She’s standing right there. Margo, you’re not going to have to worry about it.”
Trump and first lady vote early in Florida
President Donald Trump cast an early ballot at a polling station in South Florida on Saturday. Despite the president's previous attacks on various voting methods such as mail-in voting and early voting, Trump has urged Republican voters to "use every appropriate tool" to cast their ballots for the upcoming midterm elections. CNN's Julia Benbrook reports.
Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump voted early today in West Palm Beach, Florida, before the president heads to Georgia for a rally.
The president, who has opposed early and mail-in voting despite advocating for the practice this election cycle, said he voted along the party line in his home state.
While speaking with reporters after casting his ballot, Trump said his voice in the past has been strained because of how busy he is on the campaign trail.
“It’s a strain on your voice. It’s strange. You know, it’s not normal,” the president said of his campaign blitz.
Ohio will test if Republicans can defend against a Democratic comeback
Ohio has reliably gone for Republicans in recent election cycles, but for years it was a key swing state. Competitive races up and down the ticket have the GOP playing defense — and have made Democrats hopeful they can make inroads.
CNN’s Lauren Fox reports from the Buckeye State:
Obama slams Trump's renovations, says White House looks like a "Cheesecake Factory"
Former President Barack Obama slammed President Donald Trump’s focus on renovation projects during a midterm campaign rally in Cleveland, Ohio.
Former President Barack Obama slammed President Donald Trump’s focus on renovation projects during a midterm campaign rally in Cleveland, Ohio.
“Does anybody really think this guy in the White House right now is spending all that time thinking about these issues? I mean, I don’t know if you noticed, but he seems very focused on home renovation,” Obama said.
The comments come as the Trump Administration has heavily invested in renovating notable Washington, DC, landmarks. Obama later joked Trump “should be on HGTV.”
“Guy’s building a ballroom that’s bigger than the White House. He’s paved over the Rose Garden, put helicopter bed on the south lawn, and there’s gold everywhere.” Obama said. “He’s got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened the Cheesecake Factory. He’s clearly not focused on lower prices for you.”
Obama raises stakes of midterms, saying, "we're being driven by fear instead of by hope"
Former President Barack Obama today framed the midterm election as a referendum on America’s morality during a rally in Ohio.
The former president raised the stakes of the election as greater than single issues, such as lowering costs and fixing corruption in Washington.
“We don’t do any of those things if we don’t fix our moral compass. If we don’t return to some of those old-fashioned virtues,” Obama said as the crowd cheered. “We’re being driven by fear instead of by hope.”
“I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of being angry, and I’m tired of being divided,” the former president said. “I wanna reach out and shake my neighbor’s hand.”
Obama will deliver remarks later this evening in Michigan, where he plans to rally in Detroit for Abdul El-Sayed, the state’s Democratic nominee for Senate.
AG defends admin's suit seeking to block Alaska's Senate results if Republican loses
Attorney General Todd Blanche on Saturday defended the Trump administration’s lawsuit seeking to block certification of Alaska’s US Senate election if the Republican incumbent, Sen. Dan Sullivan, loses, arguing that the Justice Department “does not seek to stop any ballot from being cast or to stop the certification of Alaska’s election.”
The DOJ alleges in the lawsuit that voters could confuse an independent candidate named Daniel J. Sullivan with the incumbent Republican senator.
The lawsuit represents the latest attempt of the Trump Justice Department to insert itself in the administration of elections, running up against the minimal role the Constitution gives the executive branch.
Blanche said the DOJ did not coordinate with any campaign or candidate in filing the lawsuit. Trump on Friday said that he pushed for the legal challenge.
“Well, I’m the one that said, ‘Do it,’” Trump told reporters.
