Midterm elections roundup: Dems hit Senate airwaves

Senate candidates and outside groups are continuing to spend on the airwaves, and Democrats ramped up their spending in two key races on Monday. The new spending comes as GOP outside groups continue to drop millions on the Senate airwaves. 

In New Hampshire, the Democratic super PAC Senate Majority PAC, which is aligned with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, reserved nearly $3.7 million on ads, per AdImpact, with ads starting next week. 

And in Ohio, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee teamed up with Rep. Tim Ryan for a joint $739,000 ad buy, starting today. The buy is the first joint spending of the election cycle.

Elsewhere on the campaign trail: 

Arizona Senate: Puck News reports that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is holding a fundraiser Wednesday with Arizona Republican Blake Masters weeks after his allied super PAC announced it was shifting resources from the state.

Georgia Senate: Republican Herschel Walker is lowering expectations for his debate next month against Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock, telling the Savannah Morning News, “I’m a country boy. I’m not that smart. He’s a preacher. [Warnock] is smart and wears these nice suits. So, he is going to show up and embarrass me at the debate Oct. 14th, and I’m just waiting to show up and I will do my best.”

A new Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll shows Walker leading Warnock, 46%-44%, though that’s within the poll’s margin of error. 

Iowa Senate: A former staffer for Democratic Senate candidate Mike Franken accused him of “kissing her on the mouth without her permission in an incident report filed with the Des Moines Police Department,” per the Des Moines Register. Franken denied the allegation, telling the newspaper, “It didn’t happen.” 

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For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSIt’s rarely been harder for people to find new jobs

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCBP leaders cut out of Trump ad buy decision

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAmerican passenger drafted goodbye texts to her family as Flydubai plane plummeted

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCornell rape allegation pushes embattled New York prosecutor into national spotlight

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAbdul El-Sayed tries to woo MAHA voters as Democrats seek inroads with RFK’s supporters

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKratom-like substances are popping up in a typically benign supplement

FOR SUBSCRIBERSGOP super PAC increases its spending for Sen. Jon Husted in tough Ohio race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRecords reveal tumultuous marriage between slain New York Times executive and wife

FOR SUBSCRIBERSFrom clean energy warrior to ‘wall of shame,’ James Talarico reverses on a fossil fuel money pledge

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FOR SUBSCRIBERSOpenAI CEO Sam Altman to skip congressional hearing on rogue AI agents

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKey DOJ lawyers departed Trump ‘grand conspiracy’ probe amid pressure to produce, source says

FOR SUBSCRIBERSTrump’s new AI chatbot often links to a site launched under Clinton 26 years ago

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAt MAHA summit, industry CEOs the movement once vilified take the stage

Pennsylvania Senate: The GOP Senate Leadership Fund is up with a new ad that hits John Fetterman on pardons and crime. Fetterman supports removing the mandatory life sentence for people who commit a felony that leads to death.

Texas Senate: GOP Rep. Ronny Jackson is considering running for Senate in 2026, when GOP Sen. John Cornyn is up for re-election, the Texas Tribune reports.

Georgia Governor: Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp leads Democrat Stacey Abrams 50%-42% in that new AJC poll. In a new interview, Abrams told The 19th she welcomes President Biden and Vice President Harris to the campaign trail with her, and she criticized comparing her refusal to concede in 2018 with how Republicans and Trump acted after the 2020 election. 

Maryland Governor: A Goucher College poll released Monday found Democrat Wes Moore with a sizable lead over Republican Dan Cox, 53% to 31%.

Wisconsin Governor: A new ad in Wisconsin criticizes Republican nominee Tim Michels over sexual harassment and assault complaints filed against his company in the past. In a statement, Michels’ company said it investigates all allegations. 

And a Republican outside group is up with a new spot hitting Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’ administration for releasing inmates who committed violent crimes early.