Texas Early Vote Surges 50% as Trump Shifts to Telerallies

More than 6.3 million Texans voted early through Wednesday, a 50% increase over the same period in 2022. The Associated Press data, released five days before the election, shows that 43 million Americans nationwide have already cast in-person or mail ballots. That is nearly 10 million more voters than in the previous midterm cycle. The surge is not uniform, as states with tight Senate contests are seeing the sharpest gains. Early voting is up more than 30% in Maine, Michigan, North Carolina, and Kansas. In South Carolina, where voters select a successor to the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, early participation has risen 83%.

President Donald Trump canceled scheduled weekend rallies in Iowa and Kansas on Thursday. He opted for telerallies instead, a format the Republican National Committee says allows him to reach voters in nearly two dozen states simultaneously. Trump called into a Kansas City radio station to support Sen. Roger Marshall, describing him as fantastic in a close race. He also criticized Democratic nominee Adam Hamilton, calling him a radical who has caused turmoil in the United Methodist Church. The shift aims to maximize his presence in battleground areas as the final days of the campaign unfold.

In Alaska, Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola denied knowledge of efforts to place another candidate with the same name as her Republican rival on the ballot. She called the controversy a distraction designed to intimidate her. Sen. Tim Scott, who chairs the Senate Republican campaign arm, said Attorney General Todd Blanche is acting expeditiously to probe the matter. Scott suggested Peltola is concerned about her inability to win without what he described as lying and cheating. Peltola argued that Republicans are bullying her because they cannot win on their record, citing rising living costs and tariffs.

Legal challenges to the Department of Justice's election scrutiny are also mounting. Two filings were submitted overnight asking federal judges to halt the department's intervention. One group, including the League of Women Voters, sought a temporary restraining order against the collection of state voter data. Another coalition of California workers alleged that federal threats risk interfering with the lawful administration of the 2026 midterms. Both filings requested that judges stop the Justice Department from demanding the removal of voters or the segregation of ballots.

Vatican officials confirmed that Pope Leo XIV submitted a mail-in ballot in Chicago. The Holy See stated that the Chicago-born pontiff has exercised his right to vote as a U.S. citizen whenever eligible. This makes him the first pope to vote in a U.S. election. The statement noted that Leo, formerly Robert Prevost, believes in the duty of citizens to participate in democratic processes. He also voted while living in Peru during periods of eligibility.

The G20 foreign ministers meeting in Atlanta saw the United States scrap plans for a group photo on Friday. Several European diplomats objected to being photographed with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Secretary of State Marco Rubio pulled the planned photo late Thursday to avoid a distraction. Ukraine, an observer at previous meetings, was not invited. The move underscores tensions among the world's largest economies over the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth fired Army Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia as head of strategy and planning for the Joint Chiefs of Staff. A Pentagon official said the department accused the newly ousted general of leaking sensitive information to the media. No reason was initially given for the firing, which is the latest in a series of military leadership departures under Hegseth. The position is responsible for generating military plans for the Joint Chiefs chairman and the president.