Democratic Party (United States)

The District of Columbia and Virginia have sued to stop President Trump's planned 250-foot triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery, calling the project "flagrantly unlawful." The suit argues it violates D.C.'s Height Act, lacks congressional authorization, and skipped required federal consultation, citing harm to traffic, emergency response, air safety and historic sightlines. It is the third lawsuit against the project, joining Vietnam War veterans, a historian and Arlington County. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan has held hearings in the related case but not yet ruled on a requested restraining order, while the National Capital Planning Commission is expected to vote on approval soon. The administration maintains construction on the 12-story, Statue of Liberty-topping structure could begin as early as next week.

Gov. Gavin Newsom and the California Democratic Party are sending 134 election law attorneys, 1,000 voter protection volunteers, and 54 hotline operators to five congressional districts for the midterms, after the White House accused the state of allowing noncitizens to vote illegally. The move follows a federal judge blocking the Justice Department from forcing California to set aside 20,000 ballots it alleged were fraudulently cast; data scientists reviewing that list found it riddled with errors, including thousands of names that don't match state voter rolls. Newsom has since warned federal courts that agents may try to seize ballots before results are certified, calling it an attempt to undermine Democratic midterm gains.

An Ada County judge denied a preliminary injunction sought by the Idaho Family Policy Center and the Too Extreme for Idaho PAC to halt television ads supporting Idaho's Proposition 1, which would expand abortion access. Judge Davis VanderVelde cited insufficient evidence that Idahoans United for Women and Families, Prop 1's main backer, violated campaign finance law by routing over $620,000 through the state Democratic Party to secure candidate-level ad rates. The ruling follows VanderVelde's earlier denial of a temporary restraining order. Prop 1 supporters and the state Democratic Party deny wrongdoing, calling the suit frivolous, while opponents maintain the arrangement unfairly gamed advertising rules ahead of the Nov. 3 election.

Alaska's Republican-run state government has urged a federal judge to dismiss, with prejudice, the Justice Department lawsuit filed at President Trump's direction to block certification of a possible Senate win by Democrat Mary Peltola over GOP Sen. Dan Sullivan. In a Saturday filing, the state's attorney general's office called the suit "meritless" and said there was no reason for the court to entertain it further. The suit claims voters may have been confused by a second, unrelated candidate also named Dan Sullivan and had asked the court to segregate ballots cast for him, a step Alaska's attorneys called "disturbing and impossible" and a violation of voter privacy, noting the ballot clearly distinguished the two by party and incumbency. Trump has also called for Peltola's prosecution over reports her campaign helped recruit the spoiler candidate. U.S. District Judge Sharon L. Gleason is weighing whether to dismiss the case without a hearing.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, seeking a fourth term against Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, faces a closer-than-expected race amid rural backlash over data centers, school vouchers, and an unpopular Iran conflict. Public polling shows Hinojosa within striking distance, an unusual position for Texas' dominant GOP leader. Abbott is deploying his extensive "Abbott Impact App" turnout operation, built on thousands of volunteers and voter data, to aid his own campaign and that of Attorney General Ken Paxton, who faces Democrat James Talarico in a competitive Senate race.

Democrats are meanwhile building new grassroots infrastructure in traditionally Republican counties like Brazoria, hoping demographic shifts and sustained organizing can finally end the party's three-decade statewide losing streak.

Ahead of Nov. 3 elections, early voting has topped recent midterm totals in multiple states. In Ohio, nearly 1.5 million ballots were cast by Oct. 30 — about 907,000 in person and 580,000 by mail — exceeding 2018 and 2022 totals, with voters favoring in-person voting over mail ballots. In Missouri's St. Louis County, more than 130,000 people voted early, already surpassing the county's entire 2022 midterm early-voting turnout, aided by an expansion from seven to 200 polling sites. South Carolina has also seen record turnout for its gubernatorial election, with nearly 950,000 ballots cast statewide as of Oct. 24, the highest early total since the state introduced early voting in 2022.

Ohio's races include every statewide executive office plus U.S. Senate and House seats that could shift Washington's balance of power; unaffiliated voters lead turnout there, narrowly ahead of Democrats and Republicans. Missouri officials caution strong early turnout doesn't guarantee a higher overall total, noting 2024's election-day surge. Ohio's early in-person voting ends Nov. 1, with ballots due by 7:30 p.m. on Election Night; South Carolina's early voting period runs through Oct. 31.