President Donald Trump took his midterm push to Arizona and Montana on Thursday, trying to energize Republican voters in the election cycle’s closing weeks. It’s a familiar playbook: go where the base is strongest, then ask it to turn out.
On the Trail
Trump began in Mohave County, Arizona, one of the reddest corners of a swing state, then flew to Kalispell, Montana. He’s also visited Ohio, Texas and Nebraska recently. On Wednesday, he campaigned in Alaska for incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan.
The schedule reflects where the party sees both opportunity and exposure. Arizona has several competitive races, including incumbent Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs’ re-election bid against Republican Rep. Andy Biggs, as well as a number of House contests. In Montana, Republican congressional candidate Aaron Flint is locked in a close race with Democrat Sam Forstag.
Democrats Divided in Montana, Tight Race in Alaska
Montana’s Senate race has a wrinkle that should worry Democrats. The party has split over whether to back its own nominee, Alani Bankhead, or independent candidate Seth Bodnar. Both face Trump-endorsed GOP nominee Kurt Alme. A divided opposition rarely helps the side trying to win.
In Alaska, Sullivan faces Democrat Mary Peltola in what’s described as a tight race. Another candidate named Dan Sullivan is also in the contest. That oddity adds confusion for voters.
Ossoff Rules Out 2028
In Georgia, Sen. Jon Ossoff, a Democrat, faced a question during a debate with Republican challenger Rep. Mike Collins: would he run for president in 2028? His answer was blunt: he has “zero interest.” Ossoff is seeking a second six-year term and said he’d serve the full term if voters grant it.
It’s a notable pledge from a first-term senator in a closely watched race. Voters now have his promise on the record. They can hold him to it.
The White House Press Ban Ruling
The other major development came from the courts. U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly of Washington, D.C., issued a preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration from barring CNN, Politico and MS NOW from the White House complex while their lawsuit over access moves forward. The order came late Wednesday, after a hearing on Thursday.
The administration said it imposed the ban partly because of national security concerns. The news organizations say the real reason is “viewpoint discrimination.”
A preliminary injunction isn’t a final ruling. It keeps the status quo in place while the case proceeds, and the underlying dispute over who gets access to the executive branch’s working spaces, and on what grounds, remains unresolved. The administration’s security argument now faces closer judicial scrutiny.
Why This Matters:
The midterms will decide how much room the president has to govern, and Thursday’s events show both parties managing real vulnerabilities. Republicans are defending close seats in places like Montana and Alaska, while Democrats are fighting among themselves in Montana’s Senate race, a split that could carry electoral costs. The press-access case raises a separate question about how far an administration can go in restricting entry to the White House complex, and how much deference courts will give to national security claims. Judge Kelly’s injunction keeps the doors open for now, but the final answer will shape the boundaries between executive discretion and press access. For voters weighing limits on government power, both the rallies and the courtroom matter.
- donald trump
- arizona rallies
- montana rallies
- senator jon ossoff
- cnn lawsuit
- politico lawsuit
- midterm elections
- republican party