Candidates, Trump Make Closing Pitches As Legal Wrangling Over DOJ Meddling Continues

PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 31: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media du... PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 31: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media during a Halloween party at his Mar-a-Lago club on October 31, 2026 in Palm Beach, Florida. Trump spent the day golfing and attending tele-rallies ahead of next week's midterm elections. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) MORE LESS

Candidates and President Trump are making their final pitches to voters during this last weekend of campaigning. After initially cancelling, Trump will be speaking in Iowa and Kansas later today. Ahead of a stop in Dubuque, his team reportedly ordered that a “Solidarity” mural showing raised fists of different races be covered up; the City of Dubuque ordered it uncovered.

The administration’s early attempts to interfere in the results continue to play out in court.

Late Friday, in a sweeping order, a U.S. District Judge in California ordered the Trump administration to halt its campaign of intimidation against election officials. Over the last week, the Trump administration has been escalating a pressure campaign against the state, claiming to have lists of noncitizen voters in each county who may cast a ballot. The lists, sent to election administrators, are riddled with errors.

The Trump administration has also tried the same with Washington State.

Meanwhile, in Alaska, the DOJ is seeking to prevent officials from certifying the election if the Democratic Senate candidate wins, and, separately, investigating Democrats who it alleges were involved in placing a spoiler on the ballot.

Democrats are keeping a close eye on these and other administration attempts to put a thumb on the scale as voters go to the polls.

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  1. It still isn’t illegal, but this does not look good at the moment.

    https://electionlawblog.org/2026/inside-democrats-secret-effort-to-stack-alaskas-ballot/

    In the summer of 2025, a staffer for Mary Peltola, the Alaska Democrat who was eyeing a run for Senate, received unusual instructions from top campaign aides: Find as many people named Dan Sullivan in Alaska as you can.

    Based on “interviews and emails”. So maybe, maybe not. Needs to be looked at.

  2. Caravans of Canadians!! You can smell the maple syrup from Kansas City!! So nasty!! They’re all wearing denim jackets stuffed with Chinese bamboo ballots filled in for Democrats!! They’re setting up roadblocks on the highways and only letting white guys pass if they can name a dozen contestants on RuPaul’s Drag Race!!

  3. Avatar for gajake gajake says:

    A little further into the article:

    “Ballot-stacking tactics are common in politics and generally considered legal — and have been employed by both parties in Alaska.”

    The NYT is offended, I guess, that Democrats would use the same legal dirty tricks that get Republicans elected. I don’t really care.

  4. WHO CARES, Its not illegal!!!

    Shady- yes.

    Illegal - how?

    The Incumbent Senator has the word “INCUMBENT” next to his name.

    Correct?

  5. Is there a point at which the federal government can be liable for damages for wasting states’ time and resources?

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