Elissa Slotkin

President Trump is set to hold a rally Sunday in Port Huron, Michigan, ahead of the Nov. 3 election, with Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers' attendance uncertain. The visit comes as Rogers faces Democrat Abdul El-Sayed in a closely watched race that could decide Senate control, a rematch dynamic after Rogers' narrow 2024 loss to Sen. Elissa Slotkin. Political scientists say the rally could mobilize GOP turnout but also hand Democrats material tying Republicans to an unpopular president. A day earlier, Barack Obama rallies in Detroit alongside El-Sayed and gubernatorial nominee Jocelyn Benson, who faces Republican Rep. John James. Republican ads have largely avoided mentioning Trump, while Democratic ads increasingly invoke him.

Adam Hamilton, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Kansas, said he would not support Sen. Charles Schumer's bid to remain Senate Democratic leader, citing a need for "fresh ideas" and "fresh people." Hamilton, a Methodist pastor and former Republican running as a centrist against GOP Sen. Roger Marshall, made the comments Sunday on ABC's "This Week." He has held a slight edge in recent polling, fueling Democratic hopes of flipping the seat as part of a path back to a Senate majority.

No Democrat has formally challenged Schumer's leadership, but Hamilton named Sens. Tim Kaine, Mark Kelly, and Elissa Slotkin as senators he respects who could fill the role. He also pointed to Vice President J.D. Vance's recent campaign visit to Kansas for Marshall as evidence Republicans are worried about the race. Hamilton further distanced himself from national Democratic positioning, saying he opposes biological men competing in women's sports while criticizing Republican rhetoric he called fearmongering toward transgender people.

Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) publicly condemned reported plans by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to livestream the execution of Nidal Hasan, the former Army major convicted in the 2009 Fort Hood shooting that killed 13 people. Hasan is scheduled to be executed by firing squad on December 3 at Fort Cavazos (formerly Fort Hood), which would mark the first U.S. military execution since 1961 and the first ever by firing squad in modern history.

Slotkin argued that livestreaming the execution would hand propaganda material to America's enemies and risk turning Hasan into a martyr, comparing the tactic to methods used by the Taliban and ISIS. She joins lawmakers from both parties who have called the plan "gruesome" and urged the Pentagon to reverse course. President Trump previously endorsed Hasan's execution, while Vice President JD Vance said he personally would not watch a livestream. Trump declined to say whether he would watch. Hegseth has defended the decision, noting the rarity of military executions.

Michigan GOP gubernatorial candidate John James joined Senate candidate Mike Rogers in calling for a quick end to the Iran War, breaking from President Trump's public defense of the conflict. James, a combat veteran, said "Iran cannot have a nuke" but urged using "every resource" to end the war quickly, while praising the administration's diplomatic and economic efforts. Rogers similarly called for the war to end "quickly," warning it is driving up costs for Michigan families, and has proposed suspending both the state and federal gas tax, a combined 70 cents a gallon, along with a temporary embargo on U.S. diesel exports.

Democrats pushed back, noting James voted against multiple congressional resolutions demanding an end to the war or requiring authorization to continue it, including a September 15 measure that passed 220-204. The Michigan Democratic Party accused James of "trying to desperately lie about his record" as gas hovers near $5 a gallon and diesel prices hit record highs. James has not committed to suspending the state or federal gas tax, unlike Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jocelyn Benson, who backs pausing the federal tax. In the Senate race, Rogers trails Democrat Abdul El-Sayed by roughly 7 points in recent polling, while Trump has defended the war and warned he could act more forcefully against Iran absent a peace deal.

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed drew national criticism, including from Rod Blagojevich, Ted Cruz and the Republican National Committee, after saying on TV he couldn't wait for the University of Michigan "to beat Ohio" in football. Critics framed it as proof he didn't know the sport, but Michigan politicians of both parties, including Fred Upton, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Justin Amash, along with the University of Michigan's own social accounts, have long used "beat Ohio" as shorthand for Ohio State.

Separately, U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin urged Michigan Democrats to back El-Sayed in his race against Republican Mike Rogers, without formally endorsing him earlier. Retiring Sen. Gary Peters completed his final "Thank You, Michigan" motorcycle tour, with Slotkin joining part of the ride. Rep. Tom Barrett and Democratic challenger Will Lawrence are set to debate Oct. 6 in the closely watched 7th Congressional District race, seen as pivotal to House control.