Suffolk University

Polling shows a close contest between Sen. Susan Collins (R) and Democratic challenger Troy Jackson in Maine's U.S. Senate race, one week before the midterms. A Marist University survey found Jackson narrowly ahead among likely voters, within the poll's margin of error, while a Fox News poll showed the candidates tied and a Suffolk University poll also gave Jackson a slight edge. Election handicappers, including the Cook Political Report, rate the race a toss-up. Collins is seeking a sixth term; a win would make her Maine's longest-serving senator. Jackson, a former state senator, recently gained backing from dozens of former diplomats and foreign policy figures.

New polling shows a close contest between Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Democratic challenger Troy Jackson ahead of the midterms. A Marist University survey found Jackson narrowly ahead among likely voters, within the margin of error, while a recent Fox News poll showed the race tied and a Suffolk University poll also gave Jackson a slight edge. Election handicappers rate the contest a toss-up. Collins, seeking a sixth term, would become Maine's longest-serving senator if reelected. Jackson, a logger and former state senator, replaced earlier Democratic nominee Graham Platner and has gained endorsements from former diplomats as he works to build name recognition statewide.

Iowa's 2026 midterm races are diverging sharply. In the open governor's race, Democrat Rob Sand leads Republican Zach Lahn by wide margins across every poll since the summer primaries, including surveys from YouGov, Marist, Emerson, CNN/SSRS, Suffolk and the New York Times/Siena. The Senate race to replace retiring Republican Joni Ernst is far tighter, with Democrat Josh Turek and Republican Ashley Hinson trading narrow leads across the same polls after two debates focused on tariffs, immigration and the Iran war. Analysts cite Sand's stronger name recognition from two statewide auditor wins and Hinson's incumbency advantage as representative to explain the split. Iowa last elected a Democratic senator in 2008 and a Democratic governor in 2006.

President Trump rallied supporters in Vandalia, Ohio, urging them to "just pretend I'm running" ahead of the midterms, mixing crude attacks on Democrats with warnings that he would be less willing to help Ohio secure federal funds if Democrats win key races. He appeared alongside Senate candidate Jon Husted and gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, both pledging to work closely with him despite his sagging approval. Trump also told the crowd he would push the Rate Payer Protection Act to address data center electricity costs if Husted wins.

Trump's national approval sits around 38%, with Ohio-specific numbers even lower, as majorities disapprove of his tariffs, immigration policies, and support for unregulated data centers—an issue Republicans fear could hurt Husted's race against Sherrod Brown. Ohio gas prices have risen 35% over the past year to over $4 a gallon, and Canadian retaliatory tariffs have hit billions in Ohio exports. Trump also defended his deportation push targeting Haitian immigrants in Springfield, a day after Gov. Mike DeWine, who skipped the rally, attended the funeral of a young Haitian immigrant who died by suicide following an immigration enforcement order. Protesters gathered outside the venue, and outside groups have made Husted-Brown the nation's second-costliest Senate race.

Democrat Sherrod Brown released a viral 30-second ad attacking Republican Sen. Jon Husted over remarks Husted made in March about people living in poverty. The ad features Ohio residents reacting with shock and profanity as they watch a clip of Husted saying poor people are "not very experienced at navigating the real world" and describing a young woman on food stamps who he said didn't "understand how money works at a grocery store," adding that "you literally have to teach people how to budget." It drew over 350,000 views within hours, praised by Brown supporters as exposing Husted as out of touch while drawing backlash from the right.

The ad comes as two new polls, from Suffolk University/USA Today and Marist, show Brown leading Husted by three and eight points respectively ahead of Ohio's Nov. 3 special Senate election to finish JD Vance's term. Both surveys found broad dissatisfaction with President Trump's job performance and economic concerns weighing on voters, continuing a months-long trend of polling favoring Brown, a former longtime senator ousted in 2024.

Two independent polls released this week show Democrat Amy Acton leading Republican Vivek Ramaswamy in Ohio's gubernatorial race. A Marist University poll had Acton ahead 50% to 44%, while a Suffolk University poll showed her leading 50% to 41%. Both leads fall outside the margin of error, though a majority of Marist respondents still predicted Ramaswamy would ultimately win in November. Acton polled stronger with parents, college graduates and independents, while Ramaswamy led among voters 65 and older and those without a college degree; the two were tied among men and white voters.

The Marist poll also showed Democrat Sherrod Brown leading Republican Jon Husted 51% to 43% in Ohio's Senate special election, with half of respondents expecting Brown to win. Brown, a former senator, is seeking to reclaim his seat after losing in 2024, while Husted was appointed to fill the remainder of J.D. Vance's term. The Marist survey also found President Trump's job approval sharply negative among respondents. Ohio voters head to the polls Nov. 3.