Cost of living

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy says he could stop or alter certification of the state's U.S. Senate result if an investigation he ordered finds illegal conduct tied to Democrat Mary Peltola's campaign. The probe follows a New York Times report, sourced partly to Peltola's fired former campaign manager, alleging Peltola advisers and DSCC aides helped recruit a second "Dan Sullivan" to run against Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan. Peltola has denied knowledge of the scheme, and the DSCC denies involvement. The Justice Department has sued to block certification of any winner but Sullivan pending review. Days after the Times report, the second Sullivan, a retired Petersburg teacher, was seen leaving his hometown; residents there said they had seen no campaign activity on his behalf.

Federal prosecutors are separately investigating how Sullivan entered the race, with the inquiry expected to continue past Election Day. The allegations remain a partisan flashpoint, with debate over whether the recruitment scheme amounts to voter deception or whether efforts to block certification constitute their own interference.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton toured the Youngstown Business Incubator and rallied in Liberty, stressing ties to Mahoning and Trumbull counties ahead of Election Day against Republican Vivek Ramaswamy. Acton has repeatedly addressed a Ramaswamy-backed ad featuring her estranged mother, calling her a liar and alleging mental health issues; Gov. Mike DeWine called it exploitative. Both candidates are closing with pitches on Ohio's affordability crisis, with Ramaswamy touting his business background and property-tax executive orders, and Acton emphasizing public-service experience, a working families tax cut, and school funding.

Ramaswamy has self-funded and outspent Acton nearly $80 million to $34 million overall, though Acton has outraised him recently; both have shattered Ohio's gubernatorial fundraising record, and neither has held elected office before. Democrats are banking on a late push, including a Cleveland rally with Barack Obama and expanded early voting, as prediction markets show Acton favored heading into Election Day.

Lauren Pinkston, an independent candidate for Tennessee governor, is a former teacher and college professor who has also worked as an anti-human trafficking advocate. She is one of 15 candidates on the ballot and among the four candidates polling has identified as leading contenders, alongside independent David Hatley, Republican Marsha Blackburn, and Democrat Jerri Green.

Pinkston's platform centers on affordability and bipartisanship, including eliminating the state's grocery tax, offset by a proposed medical marijuana program, modernizing the power grid, expanding childcare, and easing home loan access. She supports gun rights alongside school safety measures, favors stricter enforcement against employers exploiting undocumented workers, and backs infrastructure impact fees on new development. Election Day is November 3.

New York's comptroller race pits four-term Democratic incumbent Thomas DiNapoli against Republican challenger Joseph Hernandez. The office oversees the state's roughly $300 billion pension fund, audits state agencies, and serves as chief fiscal officer. DiNapoli, who has held the post since 2007 and recently survived his first primary challenge, campaigns on steady, low-drama management and returning lost funds to residents. Hernandez, a biotech and finance entrepreneur who previously ran for New York City mayor, is pushing for more aggressive oversight, in-house management of some pension investments, a fraud-focused task force, and a proposed $10 billion fund to invest in New York companies and housing.

At a food rights panel at UMass Amherst, U.S. Rep. James McGovern, state Sen. Jo Comerford, and state Rep. Mindy Domb argued that food access should be enshrined as a constitutional right in Massachusetts, framing hunger as a solvable political problem rather than a resource shortage. Rising costs for food, housing, and health care have left roughly half of Americans unable to afford a basic standard of living, according to the Urban Institute, with one report finding 60% of Massachusetts college students now food insecure, up sharply from the prior year. Lawmakers also pointed to federal SNAP cuts as worsening local hunger, and said the state is exploring funding to help colleges address student food insecurity.

Illinois Senate District 33 is contested in the Nov. 3 general election between Democrat Michele Clark of Algonquin and Republican Danielle Penman of St. Charles. Both candidates cite affordability as a top voter concern, particularly rising property taxes, utility and grocery costs, and healthcare expenses.

Penman says she would prioritize lowering health insurance premiums, boosting the local economy for small and large businesses, and addressing law enforcement staffing shortages. Clark points to political ethics as a key issue, proposing a ban on stock trading by General Assembly members, expanded term limits, prescription drug cost caps, and childcare cost relief through business tax incentives.

The City of Greenfield, Massachusetts, announced major donations to its Elderly and Disabled Taxation Fund from Baystate Franklin Medical Center, Greenfield Cooperative Bank, and Greenfield Savings Bank. Established by the City Council in 2024, the fund offers qualified long-term senior and disabled residents up to $2,000 in property tax relief to help them stay in their homes. A five-member committee, chaired by Councilor Patricia Williams, oversees the fund.

Applicants must be 60 or older or disabled, own their home, have lived in Greenfield at least five years, and meet income and asset limits. Walk-in help is available November 10 and 12; applications for 2027 relief close December 1.