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With one week until Election Day, Republican Byron Donalds and Democrat David Jolly are campaigning across Florida to close out the governor's race. Donalds, touring by bus, cast Jolly as inconsistent and pledged cost-cutting measures and government transparency. Jolly, framing his campaign around change, argued a Democratic win would defy Florida's deep-red lean. A new University of North Florida poll shows a tightening race, with Donalds and Jolly close and a small share of voters undecided. Transgender athletes in women's sports has also emerged as a flashpoint, with Donalds' campaign highlighting past remarks by Jolly on the issue and attacking his position, while Jolly has called for leaving related decisions to courts and sports leagues.

Rep. Rob Bresnahan (R-PA) released a campaign ad attacking Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti, his Democratic opponent in Pennsylvania's competitive House race, calling her and her allies "full of baloney." Bresnahan touted his vote to ban congressional stock trading and noted he does not personally trade stocks, contrasting this with Cognetti's past work for Goldman Sachs on Wall Street.

The exchange follows Cognetti campaign ads accusing Bresnahan of making roughly 600 stock trades this year, including timing sales and purchases around tariffs, military contracts, and crypto-related votes. Democrats have also highlighted trades tied to a data center development. Bresnahan's campaign has called those characterizations false, saying he relies on a financial adviser and has taken steps toward a trading ban. Bresnahan also criticized Cognetti's record on taxes, teacher layoffs, and police funding while on the Scranton School Board and as mayor. Some Scranton officials and residents have separately criticized Cognetti for being less engaged locally while campaigning for Congress. Polls show a narrow Cognetti lead in the race.

A candidate questionnaire from The Denver Post offers a window into the competitive race for Colorado's 4th Congressional District. One contender, a retired Navy rear admiral and former Special Assistant to the President for South Asia, outlined priorities centered on lowering costs, balancing the federal budget, and curbing congressional corruption through term limits, age limits, and a ban on lawmakers trading stocks.

On policy specifics, the candidate called for ending tariffs, passing a comprehensive farm bill, and requiring insurers to reimburse rural hospitals more fairly. They said federal land in the district should not be a default target for new oil and gas leasing, favoring local input over blanket Washington mandates. On immigration, they backed stronger border security paired with legal pathways addressing labor shortages in agriculture and rural health care. They also urged more congressional oversight of executive actions, including unauthorized military engagements and federal spending. Incumbent Lauren Boebert and candidate Douglas Mangeris did not respond to the questionnaire.

Miami Beach commissioners are debating the city's 2027 budget amid a new Florida law, signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in April and taking effect Jan. 1, that bars counties and municipalities from funding or promoting diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Initial budget proposals called for cutting up to $376,000 from LGBTQ+-related programming to comply.

Commissioner Alex Fernandez, the commission's only openly gay member, has introduced an addendum to maintain funding for the city's LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce and Miami Beach Pride through the end of 2026, while directing the city attorney to seek guidance on future contracts. The proposal has drawn praise from advocacy groups, though cuts to Pridelines, Miami's LGBTQ Community Center, and police department outreach programs remain in the plan. Officials have asked Pridelines to resubmit its grant request, and community groups are working to preserve police funding. Advocates call the addendum a short-term solution, acknowledging harder decisions loom once the law takes effect. A budget hearing is scheduled this week for public input.

President Donald Trump delivered a lengthy keynote at the Republican National Committee's first-ever midterm convention in Dallas, urging supporters to treat November "like I'm on the ballot" and framing the elections as a choice between GOP prosperity and what he called Democratic-led "communism." He touted 2025 tax cuts, including ending taxes on tips and an expanded child tax credit, and pledged a $5,000 "Trump Dividend" per citizen if Republicans hold Congress. Trump gave an energetic endorsement of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in his Senate race against Democrat James Talarico, and paid tribute to Charlie Kirk on the anniversary of his assassination.

The two-day "Trumpapalooza" event drew scrutiny for a half-empty arena, steep fundraiser ticket prices, and low turnout from vulnerable California Republicans, several of whom skipped the gathering entirely. Democratic Sen. John Fetterman appeared via video praising Republican Senate candidate Dave McCormick, a notable cross-party moment. Critics, including Democratic strategists, argued Trump's self-focused approach, delivered amid low approval ratings and high gas prices, could hurt Republicans in competitive districts ahead of the midterms.