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An analysis of debate schedules by NBC News confirms what many political observers have speculated: The number of debates in competitive 2022 Senate races has hit a new low since 2008. Before 2022, each election saw an average of about 20 debates among the most competitive Senate candidates surveyed. The audience awaits a debate between Ohio Senate candidates, Rep. Tim Ryan, a Democrat, and J.D. He pointed to the recent Pennsylvania Senate debate in which John Fetterman’s stroke-affected performance was widely panned. For instance, far more people likely saw a picture of Georgia Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker holding an honorary sheriffs badge on stage than listened to a single minute of his debate with Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock.

John Fetterman, the Democratic Senate nominee, along with Democratic candidates in local House races on the University of Pittsburgh's campus. Former President Barack Obama speaks to supporters of Pennsylvania Senate candidate John Fetterman in Pittsburgh on Saturday. Democratic Pennsylvania Senate nominee John Fetterman speaks to supporters on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh on Saturday. Jeff Swensen / Getty ImagesOz, Obama said, would be a vote for Trump in case of another close election in 2024. Oz, Trump said, is "desperately" needed in the Senate where "he could very well be the tie-breaking vote."

☆ Obama ripped into Dr. Oz's history of bogus medical claims while campaigning for Fetterman, calling him a 'snake oil' salesman
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-06 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Former President Barack Obama campaigned for John Fetterman in Pennsylvania on Saturday. He said if Oz would "peddle snake oil" to make money, then he'd do it to get elected. Obama was in Pittsburgh campaigning for Oz's Democratic opponent, Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. "If somebody is willing to peddle snake oil to make a buck, then he's probably willing to sell snake oil to get elected," Obama said. Obama was campaigning for Fetterman — whose speech has been impacted by a stroke he had in May — ahead of the election on Tuesday.

☆ Trump mocked Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — finally debuting a nickname, 'Ron DeSanctimonious' — as the 2 popular Republicans could face off in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-06 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Trump on Saturday mocked DeSantis with a nickname, something he's often done for political enemies. DeSantis also won't be appearing at Trump's Florida rally on Sunday, in an apparent snub. Trump was referencing a poll that showed he was in the lead among other potential Republican nominees when he offhandedly called DeSantis "Ron DeSanctimonious." Neither Trump nor DeSantis has announced plans to run for president in 2024, though both are rumored to be potential candidates. Aside from DeSantis, Trump will be appearing alongside just about everyone who's anyone in Florida GOP politics.

PHILADELPHIA/LATROBE, Pa., Nov 5 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden told voters in Pennsylvania that a Democratic loss in Tuesday's midterm elections would have "decades" of consequences, while Republican candidates for Congress predicted a sweeping victory. Still, opinion polls show a significant number of Republican voters accept the claim, as do many candidates for Congress, governor and state offices overseeing election administration. Speaking before Trump at a rally in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, Representative Glenn Thompson told supporters that Republicans were headed for major gains on Tuesday. TRUMP READIES ANOTHER RUNTrump is set to gin up support for his handpicked Republican Senate nominee, Oz, and Republican gubernatorial nominee Doug Mastriano at a rally in Latrobe, southeast of Pittsburgh. Nonpartisan election forecasters and polls show Republicans are heavy favorites to win control of the House, with the Senate a toss-up.

PITTSBURGH/LATROBE, Pa., Nov 5 (Reuters) - Former President Barack Obama warned about divisions fueling a "dangerous climate" in U.S. politics as he stumped for Democratic candidates on Saturday three days ahead of midterm elections that will determine control of Congress. "This habit we have of demonizing political opponents, of saying crazy stuff, it creates a dangerous climate," Obama said, without referencing Republicans directly. Republicans contend that Democrats have also engaged in political violence, citing the widespread anti-racism protests that rocked the country in 2020. They have criticized Democrats for failing to keep their focus on inflation and crime, two of voters' principal concerns, according to most opinion polls. Scott Flaherty, a 53-year-old mechanic from Pittsburgh who was heading to the Trump rally, said he is tired of Democrats calling Republicans extreme.

Former President Obama caps a five-state tour aimed at stemming his party's losses in Tuesday's congressional elections with appearances in Pittsburgh alongside Democratic Senate nominee John Fetterman before heading to Philadelphia, where he will take the stage at Temple University with President Biden. Former President Trump, meanwhile, will be ginning up support for his hand-picked Republican Senate nominee, celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz, and Republican gubernatorial nominee Doug Mastriano at a rally in Latrobe, southeast of Pittsburgh. Nonpartisan election forecasters and polls show Republicans are heavy favorites to win control of the House of Representatives, with the Senate a toss-up. Control of even one of those chambers would give Republicans the power to block Biden's legislative agenda and launch potentially damaging investigations. At a debate last month, he often stumbled over his words, in a performance even allies privately described as shaky.

☆ Biden and Obama to campaign together for the first time during midterm-election push
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-05 | by ( Ashley Capoot | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

President Joe Biden and former President Barack Obama will appear on the campaign trail together Saturday for the first time since Biden took office. Democratic Senate hopeful John Fetterman and gubernatorial candidate Josh Shapiro will join the presidents at the event. Trump has endorsed the celebrity doctor and Republican Senate candidate Mehmet Oz as well as Republican candidate Doug Mastriano for governor. Oz's campaign launched attacks on Fetterman's health and questioned whether he is physically fit to take office. In turn, Fetterman's campaign has blasted Oz, a wealthy TV star, as an out-of-touch carpetbagger from New Jersey who got rich by promoting sometimes-dubious health information to his audiences.

☆ Troubles for Oz and Fetterman in Pennsylvania Keep Them Neck and Neck
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Aaron Zitner | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

GREENVILLE, Pa.—Democrat John Fetterman entered the race for U.S. Senate during a challenging time for his party, with Republicans in Pennsylvania racking up gains in voter registration after decades as a distant second. Republican Mehmet Oz, a political newcomer who faces Mr. Fetterman in Tuesday’s election, has his own problems. During the primary season, his GOP opponents so effectively branded him as an out-of-state opportunist that many voters, including in his own party, now view him unfavorably.

☆ Pennsylvania is home to one of the likely 'tipping-point' districts in the midterm elections. Voters and experts explain what's at stake for abortion, inflation, and control of Congress.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Madison Hoff | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

"I can go down the list and check things: incumbency, check Wild; inflation, check Scheller; district reconfiguration, check Scheller; abortion issue, check Wild." The Pennsylvania Senate race is also hotly contestedWith the Republican Toomey retiring, CNN projected Pennsylvania could flip; NPR agreed, saying it's the "most likely Senate seat to change hands." Chen said that Oz is "continuing to close on" Fetterman, though, because Pennsylvania voters, "especially in the Lehigh Valley, are willing to split their tickets." That poll showed 34% of surveyed voters listed inflation as their most important issue in the election, followed by 28% of surveyed voters who named abortion. "Those are all issues that if we don't maintain a United States Senate, control of the United States Senate, I think this country could be really in danger," Halma said.

☆ Oprah Winfrey backs John Fetterman over Dr. Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania Senate race
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Oprah Winfrey speaks on stage during The Robin Hood Foundation's 2018 benefit at Jacob Javitz Center on May 14, 2018 in New York City. Oprah Winfrey said Thursday she would vote for Democratic Lt. Gov. John Fetterman over Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz in the must-win Senate race in Pennsylvania. Herself a talk-show superstar and media titan, Winfrey was the first guest on Oz's early-2000s show "Second Opinion," and she invited Oz on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" regularly for years. Greg Abbott, as well as Stacey Abrams, the Democrat running to unseat Republican Gov.

☆ In Pennsylvania, Democrats' strategy to win voters on abortion rights is tested: 'It's still a powerful part of this election season'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Oma Seddiq | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Democrats are pinning their hopes on abortion rights galvanizing enough voters to support them. John Fetterman has pledged to enshrine abortion rights into federal law if he's elected to the US Senate, as his Republican challenger Mehmet Oz opposes abortion rights. In tight races, Democrats in the state like Rep. Susan Wild have argued that Republicans could pass a national abortion ban if they take back Congress. Pennsylvania represents a test of whether Democrats' incessant messaging on abortion will drive turnout and keep them in power. Democrats declared a shift in the political landscape – abortion rights were now on the ballot.

A Republican is going to win the Alaska Senate race, but that hasn’t stopped Mitch McConnell from plowing millions of dollars into the deep-red state. Herschel Walker, the Senate candidate in Georgia backed by both Trump and McConnell, also says he would back McConnell. Apart from Tshibaka, Senate Republican candidate Don Bolduc in New Hampshire has said he would vote against McConnell for leader. (The Republican senator who requested anonymity voiced surprise at McConnell’s prediction and thought it betrayed some nervousness on his part. Although he voted to acquit Trump, McConnell called him “practically and morally responsible” for the assault on the Capitol.

In an NBC News poll of registered voters last month, economic concerns beat out every other issue. Recent data from three swing states — Wisconsin, Arizona and Pennsylvania — sheds light on the varying economic pressures that might influence choices at the ballot box. Tony Evers faces Republican challenger Tim Michels, the job market is hot. Gas prices in the state have recently come down to an average of $3.60 a gallon, compared to $3.76 nationally, after this summer’s nationwide surge. Wisconsin’s metro areas aren’t big enough to be broken out in federal data, but food prices in the Midwest have risen by 12.7% over the last year, compared to 11.2% nationally.

ATLANTA — Trailing in the polls, Stacey Abrams is attempting to tie her GOP rival, Georgia Gov. Vance and his allies are taking the same approach with voters who are considering supporting GOP Gov. In the case of Fetterman, “It’s saying a vote for Oz is a vote for Mastriano,” Horwitt said. In Georgia, Walker’s internal polling and other GOP polls shared with NBC News show Warnock doing better among Democratic voters than Walker is among Republican voters. “There is a concerted effort to target Republican households where someone voted in 2018 but another family member didn’t.

☆ $16.7 billion: Election 2022 will be the most expensive midterm in US history, and it isn't even close
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Madison Hall | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Election 2022 will be the most expensive midterm ever, nonpartisan research group OpenSecrets predicts. Federal- and state-level election spending combined will exceed the annual budgets of some US states. Taken together, the $16.7 billion includes spending by political candidates, party committees, political action committees, super PACs, and other organizations advocating for or against candidates or ballot measures. She further noted that individual campaign contributors led the charge this election cycle. During the 2017-2018 election cycle, PACs donated $194 million to candidates.

HISTORICAL HEADWINDSThe party in power typically loses House seats halfway through a president's four-year term. Democratic President Barack Obama described his party's loss of 63 House seats in the 2010 election as a "shellacking." In 2018, two years into Donald Trump’s presidency, the Republican Party gave up 41 House seats. By comparison, 20 Republican House members announced retirement or that they were seeking another office. Even as the price of gasoline and some consumer goods have come down, the Federal Reserve has taken aggressive steps to control inflation that could slow growth.

☆ Prayers, the pledge of allegiance and culture wars: Inside a Doug Mastriano rally in the final days of his long-shot bid for governor of Pennsylvania
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Oma Seddiq | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

A Doug Mastriano rally in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, featured praying and wading into culture wars. National and state Republican donors and groups have offered little support to his candidacy. "He's just been there the whole time," a Mastriano voter in Bucks County who only identified himself as Jeremy, told Insider. "You can't get your message out one-on-one to voters," Josh Novotney, a Pennsylvania GOP strategist, told Insider. "It's a different tactic and I pray it works," Joe Vichot, chairman of Lehigh County's GOP, told Insider.

☆ Republicans' push to kill abortion rights has Democratic women in Pennsylvania rushing to knock on doors and drive people to the polls ahead of the midterm elections
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Warren Rojas | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The Supreme Court's reversal of Roe v. Wade this summer pushed Pennsylvania women to action. Fetterman, have worked to keep abortion rights in the conversation. "The future of abortion rights and women's freedom is on the line in this race," Fetterman wrote in a letter he posted online on October 30. Canvasser Toth said she's encountered supporters across generations, billing women and men in their 20s as "very engaged" on abortion rights. Toth told Insider, adding that the 27-year-old woman said, "It's hard to think about any other issue until this one is addressed."

☆ Oz warned suburbanites that fentanyl has turned Pennsylvania into a border state. The applause line fell flat with a Philadelphian who said drugs like crack are still wreaking havoc.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Warren Rojas | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Mehmet Oz campaigned on Tuesday in the Philadelphia suburbs where he spoke about fentanyl. The GOP talking point hit home with one rally-goer but fell flat with another who said there were other drugs plaguing the inner city. "I know fentanyl is like the big thing on the list, but there's a lot of drugs in the inner community. The Bensalem resident told Insider she moved away from Philadelphia because of all the issues Oz laid out. "I just think the drugs are out of control," Terry said, adding, "I used to work in the city.

☆ Trump re-endorses Mike Lee after DeSantis shoots ad backing the Utah senator, as simmering 2024 rivalry spills into public view
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Trump issued a re-endorsement for GOP Sen. Mike Lee of Utah after DeSantis shot an ad for him. "The Great People of Utah have a gem in Mike Lee," he said. "Senator Lee has the support of a broad range of conservatives including President Trump, Gov. "To get America on the right path forward we need a Republican majority in the Senate and that's why I'm proud to endorse Mike Lee," DeSantis said in the ad for Lee. Trump helped DeSantis secure the 2018 Republican gubernatorial nomination, but this round DeSantis has not asked for Trump's endorsement.

☆ 22 candidates have together pumped more than $435 million (and counting) of their own money into 2022 midterm races
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Together, 22 self-funding candidates have spent more than the GDP of some small countries. JB Pritzker, a hotel heir, easily leads the group, followed by US Senate candidate Mehmet Oz. A hotel heir, a former TV doctor, a construction magnate, a former US ambassador, and the sons of two top-tier professional sports owners. Put another way: self-funding candidates have spent more money than the nation of Palau's most recent GDP or just enough to buy Colorado's Major League Soccer team. An heir to the Hyatt hotel fortune, the incumbent Democrat has spent over $152 million on his 2022 reelection campaign alone.

☆ Analysis: Crime is a top concern for many Americans in midterm vote. How bad is it?
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( Joseph Ax | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

All violent crime – including offenses such as rape and assault – went up 5.2%. FBI data showed violent crime overall dropped in 2021 while murders rose 4%, though a change in the agency's methodology means some police departments were unable to report crime statistics. WHY DID CRIME RISE DURING THE PANDEMIC? Experts have pointed to several causes for the rise in violent crime during the pandemic. FBI data showed more than three-quarters of all 2020 murders were committed by firearms, the highest share ever reported.

☆ Dr. Oz claimed Pennsylvania is on the Atlantic coast, botching the geography of the state where he hopes to be senator
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Pennsylvania senate candidate Mehmet Oz appeared to claim the state was on the coast. The race for the crucial senate seat has been marked by gaffes and mishaps by the candidates. "This is important: We do not have a Republican senator north of North Carolina on the Atlantic coast until you get to Maine, if I don't hold this seat," Oz told Sean Hannity. "And there's been a Republican senator in Pennsylvania most of my life. Oz's geography was wrong: Pennsylvania is not on the Atlantic coast, unlike its neighboring states of Delaware or New Jersey, where Oz lived for years.

☆ Democrats hold slim leads over GOP rivals in key Senate races in Pa., Ga. and Ariz., new poll shows
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The survey shows Democrats hold slim leads over their Republican opponents in Senate races in Arizona, Pennsylvania and Georgia, while the two competitors in Nevada are locked in a dead heat. A Republican-controlled Senate could sink President Joe Biden's hopes for passing major legislation in the final two years of his first term. That result, taken from 604 likely voters between Oct. 24 and Oct. 26, fell outside the poll's margin of error of 4.4 percentage points. The pollsters surveyed 885 likely voters in Nevada between Oct. 19 and Oct. 24; the results carry a 4.2-percentage-point margin of error. They also have pinned high inflation, a global phenomenon in the last two years, on Biden's and the Democrats' policies.

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