2026 Midterms Feature Record Spending and Judge Review of Clancy Case

A record number of lawmakers are stepping down from office today. This marks the largest price tag in U.S. history for a campaign cycle. The retirements set the stage for Democrats to potentially regain control of Congress.

President Trump's popularity sits at an all-time low heading into the vote. His unpopular policies have rocked the economy. Voters in Arkansas, Kansas, Mississippi, and Iowa face rising gas prices and concerns about the war in Iran. These states are now crucial for deciding which party holds the House. Trump's team will closely monitor Republican turnout in Senate races in Ohio, Kansas, and South Carolina. Strong turnout could ease concerns, but close races in Florida or South Carolina would signal a tough night for Republicans.

The U.S. Supreme Court rejected the Department of Justice's last-minute request to intervene in a feud with California over voter rolls. The Justice Department sought to halt California from processing ballots for thousands of individuals identified as likely noncitizens. The court's decision allows the state to continue its current procedures as ballots are counted.

In Iran, officials are leveraging the U.S. midterms to pressure the White House back to negotiations. The Associated Press reports that the U.S. conducted defensive strikes on Iranian targets in the Strait of Hormuz last night. These strikes included Qeshm Island, a key launch point for Iranian attacks. Iran reported explosions on the island. The country's inflation rate is around 90%. Officials are urging millions of residents to conserve energy as winter approaches and natural gas networks remain unstable due to war damage. Tehran hopes to wait out the U.S. election and potentially see Trump's party lose control of Congress.

Plymouth Superior Court Judge William Sullivan is considering a motion to dismiss the case against Lindsay Clancy. He will announce his decision later this month. Clancy faces first-degree murder charges for the 2023 deaths of her three young children in their Duxbury home. The trial ended in a mistrial in September when jurors failed to reach a unanimous verdict. In court yesterday, Clancy's attorney requested that the judge dismiss the case or initiate a new trial. The Plymouth County district attorney's office has not disclosed its next steps. Prosecutors stated in a recent motion that they aim to pursue justice for Clancy's children.

The Commonwealth of Virginia and the District of Columbia have filed a lawsuit to stop the construction of Trump's proposed 250-foot-tall triumphal arch. The National Symphony Orchestra is currently without a home while its Kennedy Center venue is involved in a federal court dispute. The orchestra had to find six alternative concert venues in the Washington, D.C., area while hoping to maintain its budget amid ongoing controversies.

Raja, a 10,000-pound Asian elephant, has moved to the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden. The elephant has spent decades at the St. Louis Zoo. This move concludes her long tenure at the St. Louis facility.