Firewall (computing)

Vice President JD Vance campaigned in Fairbanks on Monday for Senator Dan Sullivan, framing Alaska as a crucial firewall for Republicans as they fight to keep control of Congress in the November 3 midterms. Sullivan, a close Trump ally, faces a tighter-than-expected race against Democrat Mary Peltola, who is running on a "Fish, Family and Freedom" platform that casts Sullivan as too tied to Trump and outside interests. A recent New York Times poll showed Peltola with a lead, though the state's rural population makes polling difficult.

Vance and Trump have cast the midterms as a referendum on the administration, touring battleground and traditionally safe states alike. Sullivan has tied his campaign to energy policy, touting a $200 billion Alaska energy investment package backed by Trump, including a South Korea-linked pipeline project, and $150 million in newly announced federal funding for electrical transmission upgrades. He has also pushed for a ban on diesel exports as fuel prices climb amid ongoing global conflicts. Cost-of-living concerns remain central to the race in a state where energy costs run higher than the national average.

Michigan House Republicans have introduced House Bill 5968, which would require the deputy secretary of state to take over as "chief election officer" whenever the sitting secretary of state runs for an office other than reelection. The bill responds to Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson's campaign for governor; Benson, the Democratic nominee, voluntarily adopted a "firewall" policy in May recusing herself from election oversight tied to her race, delegating those duties to Elections Director Jonathan Brater while retaining final policy authority.

Bill sponsor Rep. Jennifer Wortz argued voluntary recusal isn't enough since Michigan law has no ethics provision requiring it, citing similar proposals in Arizona and Utah. The reassignment would exempt constitutionally required duties like election audits. Democratic Rep. Mai Xiong questioned why local clerks running for office weren't similarly addressed, while Rep. Matt Koleszar noted Michigan doesn't require a deputy secretary of state to be appointed at all. Benson faces U.S. Rep. John James in the November 3 general election to succeed term-limited Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.