What's happening on the campaign trail today
- Vice President Kamala Harris delivered a closing argument speech tonight at the Ellipse, the location of former President Donald Trump's Jan. 6, 2021, rally that preceded the Capitol riot.
- Trump spoke at Mar-a-Lago this morning. He's now holding a rally in Allentown, Pennsylvania, after participating in a roundtable discussion in Drexel Hill outside Philadelphia.
- Trump's running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, is hosting multiple events in Michigan. Harris' running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, is campaigning in Georgia.
Voters will decide on nearly 150 ballot measures next week. Here are the ones to watch.
Voters across the country are set to decide on nearly 150 ballot measures next week that will shape the future of a wide variety of policy issues in their states.
Constitutional amendments related to abortion rights have drawn the most national attention in an election year that has otherwise been dominated by the presidential race.
But ballot measures in dozens of other states will also put decisions about how to handle marijuana regulations, voting procedures, economic issues and immigration laws directly in the hands of voters.
Nikki Haley pans Trump world for ‘bromance and masculinity stuff’
Former presidential candidate and onetime U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley criticized Trump world today for being “overly masculine with this bromance thing” after Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden on Sunday.
The event in New York City drew a massive crowd and featured speakers who were divisive, dark and, at times, offensive.
On Fox News today, Haley addressed a comedian’s racist jokes about Puerto Rico and Latinos, a moment that has roiled the Trump campaign and was condemned by multiple Republicans, including members of Congress.
Harris campaign officials says 75,000 people at Ellipse speech
The Harris campaign estimates more than 75,000 people are at tonight’s Harris speech.
NBC News has not independently verified the figure, and the National Park Service no longer provides crowd estimates.
Harris says she's 'not president' yet when asked why she hasn't accomplished her proposals
Harris said today that she's "not president" when she was asked why she hasn't accomplished proposals for her would-be administration.
"Well, I'm not president," Harris said in an interview with WISN-TV of Milwaukee.
"I'm going to tell you what I'm doing as president, when I have the ability, then, to do what I know, based on my experience — is a new approach," Harris said. "It is about building on the good work that has happened. But there's more to do. There's more to do."
Harris has faced criticism from Trump and his Republican allies in particular, who have argued that her leadership would resemble Biden's and that she has contributed to what they have cast as the administration's failures.
Harris told NBC News in a recent interview that her administration would diverge from Biden's.
"Let me be very clear. Mine will not be a continuation of the Biden administration. I bring my own experiences, my own ideas to it, and it’s informed a number of my areas of focus," she said, naming lowering costs as among them.
Lincoln Project releases ad targeting Puerto Ricans in Pennsylvania
The anti-Trump PAC Lincoln Project has released an ad seizing on the backlash from a comedian’s derogatory joke about Puerto Rico at Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally Sunday.
“We are Puerto Ricans and we are Americans, but Donald Trump doesn’t see us that way,” the ad's narrator says.
The 60-second digital ad, running in Pennsylvania and targeting Puerto Rican voters, features video of Trump visiting the island after Hurricane Maria and throwing paper towels toward victims of the deadly 2017 storm.
The ad then shows comedian Tony Hinchcliffe’s joke about Puerto Rico’s being “garbage.”
“We are not your punch line. We know who we are. We are proud Americans, proud Puerto Ricans. And we see who you are. You are a racist. You are a liar. You are the one that is garbage, and we know what real garbage belongs — in the trash,” the ad concludes.
Trump is holding two campaign events in Pennsylvania today.
Bill Clinton has 15-minute exchange with pro-Palestinian protester
Reporting from Greensburg, Pa.
Former President Bill Clinton engaged with a pro-Palestinian protester for nearly 15 minutes during a Pennsylvania campaign stop today.
During their exchange, Clinton expressed deep frustration for not being able to move an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement across the finish line at the end of his presidency. He also apologized for not being able to more directly answer the protester's concerns.
The episode took place at a campaign stop at the University of Pittsburgh’s Greensburg campus in Westmoreland County. During his roughly 50-minute remarks at his second Pennsylvania event of the day, a protester wearing a keffiyeh and a surgical mask stood up and demanded he explain how Harris could be expected to end the war while the U.S. provides Israel with weapons.
Her comments were initially met with groans and boos from rallygoers. One woman shouted, “Aw, come on!”
But Clinton said he would address her concerns later in his speech, adding that her question was fair. He began by detailing peace negotiations he led near the end of his second term, negotiations that fell apart at the last moment when, he said, the Palestinian leadership backed away from the agreement. The political realities in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza have changed considerably since then, he said.
“We’re going to have to build it again,” Clinton said. “The reason you should support Kamala Harris is not because she has a detailed plan, and she can’t have one. This thing was shattered in a million pieces [after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack], and the facts are different. … It’s the hardest thing in the world, but I know one thing. I think we agree on this: We can’t kill our way out of this.”
Clinton said Trump was likely to worsen the situation by being too favorable to the Israeli government and empowering “the most dogmatic and authoritarian parts of” it.
“I did know a lot about this,” he said. “I did everything I could to fix it. I wanted it fixed. It should have been fixed. It was a mistake not to take the deal. I have had other Arab leaders, who want privacy out of respect, call me and apologize for not trying to force them to take the deal.”
“Here’s the thing about it: We could be celebrating 25 years of peace between Israel and the Palestinian state,” he continued. “I can’t tell you how many nights since the last October I’ve had trouble sleeping because I think about what it could have been.”
Turning to the election, Clinton said the choice between Trump and Harris is going to occur “without regard to our ability to influence” the ongoing conflict.
“So you have to pick,” he said. “If you want peace there and you want it to be fair to both sides and lead to security for both sides, you have to pick the person that you think is most fair-minded and most likely to achieve that. I wish I could give you a more satisfying answer, but I can’t.”
Harris vs. Trump: Auto insiders weigh in on both candidates, top issues
Reporting from Detroit
The automotive industry has become a crucial topic during the presidential election as Michigan — home of the Motor City and 1.1 million automotive jobs — remains a critical swing state.
Harris, Trump and their running mates and supporters have made Michigan a second home in recent weeks as the campaigns attempt to win over undecided voters in the state.
Since 2008, whichever candidate has won the state has moved into the White House, including Trump in 2016 and Biden in 2020.
Harris aims to 'reclaim patriotism' at closing argument rally
Reporting from Washington, D.C.
As attendees stream onto the Ellipse, upbeat music is blaring through the loudspeakers in a dance party atmosphere similar to other Harris rallies.
But something seems different here. Large red, white and blue banners proclaiming "Freedom" and "USA" are everywhere. Small American flags have been distributed to Harris supporters.
When asked about it, a senior Harris campaign official said the decorations are part of an attempt to “reclaim patriotism.”
“Why should Republicans be the party of patriotism?” this official asked rhetorically, adding that the Harris campaign also handed out flags and signs at the Democratic National Convention in August.
Another striking image from tonight's event near the White House: snipers setting up on top of a truck at the back of the rally in the shadow of the Washington Monument as the sun sets over the Ellipse.
Sen. Bob Casey says Puerto Rico remarks at Trump rally were 'awful' and 'vile'
Reporting from Allentown, Pennsylvania
Recent disparaging comments about Puerto Rico have enraged Pennsylvania's large Puerto Rican population, breaking through "like very few other things have in this whole campaign," Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., said today in Allentown.
"Over and over again he says things or people on his behalf are saying things that are just vile," Casey said of Trump. "And all the Republican candidates, including my opponent, run away. They run for the hills."
Speaking at the same event, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill. said it is not about just Trump’s base but also about independent voters who might split the ticket.
"Those are the people that are going to make judgments based on their conscience," she said. "And I hope that their consciences speak up to them and that prevents them from voting for somebody who can support such racist, vile statements."
Speaker Mike Johnson criticizes Obamacare and promises ‘massive reform’ if Trump wins
Reporting from Washington
House Speaker Mike Johnson took a dig at Obamacare during an event in Pennsylvania yesterday, saying there will be “massive” health care changes in America if Trump wins the election.
“Health care reform’s going to be a big part of the agenda. When I say we’re going to have a very aggressive first 100 days agenda, we got a lot of things still on the table,” Johnson, R-La., said in Bethlehem as he campaigned for GOP House candidate Ryan Mackenzie, according to video obtained by NBC News.
“No Obamacare?” an attendee asked Johnson, referring to the law Democrats passed in 2010, also known as the Affordable Care Act.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker accelerates abortion advocacy on eve of the election
Reporting from Chicago
With a week until the Nov. 5 election, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a key Democratic surrogate and potential future presidential candidate, is making a last big push to help states attempting to advance their reproductive rights initiatives.
His nonprofit group, Think Big America — which has already invested millions of dollars in abortion-rights initiatives in four states — just expanded into four more states where questions are on the ballot: Maryland, South Dakota, Nebraska and Missouri, according to plans first shared with NBC News. Each state has a ballot question about abortion rights.
The group previously donated seven figures separately in Arizona, Florida and Nevada, which all are attempting to codify abortion rights in their states. In the rest of the states, which also include Montana, the investments are in the six figures. Think Big would not provide more specifics about donation amounts; a recent filing in South Dakota revealed last week it gave $500,000.
NFL player-turned-lawmaker Colin Allred has a new playbook to take on Ted Cruz
Democratic Rep. Colin Allred did not mince words when he faced off against Republican Sen. Ted Cruz in the first and only Texas Senate race debate earlier this month. He called Cruz out for his anti-abortion stance, his decision to take a Cancún vacation during Texas’ historic winter storm in 2021, and his comments on the Jan. 6 Capitol attack.
“I took off my suit jacket and I was prepared to defend the House floor from the mob,” Allred said, recalling the Jan. 6 attack. “At the same time, after he’d gone around the country lying about the election, after he’d been the architect of the attempt to overthrow that election, when that mob came, Sen. Cruz was hiding in a supply closet.”
Cruz, who laughed off the assertion from across the stage, did not address Allred’s claim and did not respond to NBC News’ request for comment.
Trump claims he has 'done more' for Puerto Rico than any other president
Trump said he has "done more" for Puerto Rico than any other president, despite his administration withholding about $20 billion in hurricane relief for the territory after it was hit by a deadly hurricane in 2017.
"I think no president's done more for Puerto Rico than I have," Trump said during a roundtable in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania.
The comment came after Maribel Valdez, a roundtable participant who said she moved from Puerto Rico in 1981, praised Trump amid the backlash he has faced over a comedian's racist jokes during a campaign rally at Madison Square Garden over the weekend.
Trump made no mention of the remarks by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, who referred to Puerto Rico as “a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean” during Sunday’s rally in New York.
"I want you to know that Puerto Rico stands behind you and Puerto Rico loves you," Valdez said.
"Well, we love it. I know it very well, and we helped you through a lot of bad storms," Trump said.
A 2021 watchdog report found that Trump obstructed a probe examining why officials in his administration blocked roughly $20 billion in relief funds for the U.S. territory after Hurricane Maria in 2017.
A racist joke against Puerto Ricans has created aftershocks that may shake up the election
Ahead of Trump’s appearance today in the heavily Latino city of Allentown, Pennsylvania, a comedian’s racist joke about Puerto Ricans at the former president’s Madison Square Garden rally drew fresh blowback.
In an editorial endorsing Harris, Puerto Rico’s largest national newspaper, El Nuevo Día, expressed anguished outrage over the remark made Sunday at the New York rally.
“Today, all of us who love this beautiful Garden of America, and of the world, feel aching inside and our hearts are tight with rage and pain,” the editorial stated.
Puerto Rican voters protest Trump visit to Allentown, Pennsylvania
Puerto Rican voters in Allentown, Pennsylvania, have gathered to protest outside the PPL Center arena ahead of Trump’s rally in the largely Puerto Rican neighborhood, holding up signs that say “Vote for Community” in English and Spanish.
They are protesting remarks made over the weekend during Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally.
The mayor of Allentown told NBC News earlier today that the comments have not gone over well in the majority-Latino city, and people are “angry” about it.
Supreme Court rejects RFK Jr. plea to be removed from ballot in two swing states
Reporting from Washington
The Supreme Court today rejected a long-shot bid by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who ended his independent presidential campaign, seeking his removal from the ballot in the key swing states of Wisconsin and Michigan.
Kennedy has endorsed Trump and is seeking to have his name dropped from the ballots in states where it could be a boost to his new ally.
The court did not explain its reasoning. Justice Neil Gorsuch said he would have granted Kennedy’s application in the Michigan case.
Bannon calls on Trump to speak early on election night
Steve Bannon, who encouraged Trump to declare victory on election night in 2020 before all the votes were counted, was asked by NBC News today whether he would do the same this time around.
Bannon stopped short of saying Trump should declare himself the winner, but called on the former president to update voters on the state of the race earlier in the night than in 2020, when he spoke around 2:30 a.m. ET.
“I’m urging President Trump, if the votes come in like it looks like they’re going to come in, he should step up and inform the American citizens of exactly what’s going on and not keep people in the dark, like was done in 2020,” Bannon said.
He said citizens were "confused" in 2020, and Trump "needs to explain to the people exactly where we are."
High school seniors rally at Philadelphia’s City Hall before casting their first ballots
Today is the final day of early voting for the city of Philadelphia where hundreds of first-time voters gathered for a rally at City Hall before many of them cast their first ballots.
PA Youth Vote, a nonpartisan group, organized the event in Love Park, where 18-year-old students from over a dozen different high schools around the city met at Love Park around noon before marching around City Hall. There was a marching band, live speakers, a DJ booth and other activities for the teens.
Nee Simmons, 18, is voting today for Harris.
“There’s a lot of pressure to vote. Because I know my vote matters, but in general the youth vote matters. Like I said, one vote can completely make a huge difference,” Simmons said.
PA Youth Vote says its aim is to, “empower young voters, increase voter turnout among Philadelphia high school seniors, and highlight the importance of civic participation in the democratic process.”
Jania Simmons, 18, said it's "a lot of pressure to vote" because "one vote could completely make a huge difference in a swing state."
"I feel like in order for us to want change, we have to make change in this generation," she said. "There’s a lot of things that we’re openly wanting to discuss in order for us to have that and make a big impact, our vote is really necessary."
Officials prepare for large crowd at Harris' speech tonight
In addition to the anti-scale fencing that was positioned for tonight's event at the Ellipse, those attending the Harris speech will see some signs of the security operation including drones, ballistic glass and uniformed officers.
Attendees will not see other methods, including counter-surveillance special agents blended into the crowd and an array of detection sensors.
The U.S. Secret Service will also have support from National Park Police and Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department.
Officials described the speech location on the Ellipse as being “in the umbrella of the White House,” which is an area with security assets like cameras and significant security infrastructure.
Officials say they have no immediate concerns about security tonight and are prepared for a large crowd.
Biden says he's not attending Harris' Ellipse speech because 'this is her night'
Biden told reporters in Baltimore today that he will be watching but not attending Harris’ speech tonight on the Ellipse, near the White House.
Asked why he would not be in attendance, Biden said, “’Cause its for her, this is her night.”
As of last week, Harris did not have any plans to campaign with Biden before Election Day.
Bannon says he spoke with Trump after his release from prison
Steve Bannon said he spoke to Trump after he was released from federal lockup this morning.
"We've had a chat," the former White House adviser told reporters at a news conference this afternoon.
He did not disclose details of the conversation, but said that Trump had listened to his streaming show this morning.
Michelle Obama to headline get-out-the-vote rally in Atlanta
Michelle Obama will headline a nonpartisan “When We All Vote” rally in Atlanta, making an appeal to Georgia residents to cast a ballot over the next week.
Trump has repeatedly attacked Obama in recent days, calling her "nasty."
Harris to discuss Trump's pledge to pardon Jan. 6 rioters during tonight's speech
Harris will call Trump "unstable, obsessed with revenge, consumed with grievance, and out for unchecked power" during her speech at the Ellipse this evening, according to excerpts of her remarks released by the campaign.
"Donald Trump intends to use the United States military against American citizens who simply disagree with him. People he calls — quote — 'the enemy from within.' This is not a candidate for President who is thinking about how to make your life better," Harris will say, according to prepared remarks.
Harris will address Trump's pledge to pardon Jan. 6 rioters when she gives her speech at the same place where Trump spoke shortly before the attack on the Capitol, saying "one of his highest priorities is to set free the violent extremists who assaulted those law enforcement officers on January 6th," according to the excerpts.
Allentown mayor says the Puerto Rico joke hasn't gone over well in the majority-Latino city
The mayor of Allentown told NBC News today that comedian Tony Hinchcliffe’s joke about Puerto Rico has not gone over well with voters in the Pennsylvania city, where more than half the residents are Latino.
“It’s confusing, and it’s totally out of contact or out of sorts with what Allentown residents expect to hear,” said Mayor Matt Tuerk, who supports Harris. “People are angry about it.”
“They hadn’t heard much from him specifically about the island until the campaign made these hateful comments about La Isla del Encanto,” he added.
Tuerk predicted that Allentown will remain a Democratic stronghold, but thinks it may “surprise” people how Harris performs in Pennsylvania as a whole.
Puerto Rico’s largest newspaper endorses Harris
In an editorial signed by its editor Maria Luisa Ferré Rangel, Puerto Rico’s largest newspaper, El Nuevo Día, endorsed Harris for president and urged Puerto Ricans living on the mainland to cast their ballot for the Democratic nominee.
The editorial slammed Trump over comedian Tony Hinchcliffe’s derogatory joke about Puerto Rico during his rally at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, questioning whether the joke was representative of what Trump and Republicans think of Puerto Ricans.
“Today we urge all those who love our beautiful island, the land of the sea and the sun, not to lend their vote to Donald Trump. To all Puerto Ricans who can vote in this upcoming United States election and represent those of us who cannot: Vote for Kamala Harris,” the editorial read.
Jennifer Lopez to speak at Harris rally Thursday
Jennifer Lopez will speak at a Harris campaign rally in Las Vegas on Thursday, a campaign official confirmed to NBC News.
Lopez, who is Puerto Rican, posted on Sunday a portion of Harris' speech defending the island. She also posted a screenshot of Harris' plan to help Puerto Rico.
Harris will spend election night at Howard University, her alma mater
Harris plans to spend election night in Washington, D.C., at her alma mater, Howard University, according to three people familiar with the planning.
One source said the campaign is likely to hold its election night event in the Quad, though the exact location on campus could change.
How exit polls work and how NBC News uses them on election night
On Election Day, as votes are being tallied and news organizations await results and race projections that can be reported, exit polls are a critical tool providing an early look at who is voting and what’s motivating their choices.
An exit poll is a survey of voters taken as they leave (or exit) their voting location. It’s the only national survey of known voters in the country. It allows news organizations, researchers and voters to understand what’s happening in an election as the results flow in.
Here’s how exit polling works, where they are conducted and how NBC News will be using the exit poll results on election night and the days after.
Pence responds to Vance’s criticism of him
Former Vice President Mike Pence responded to Vance’s claim that people like Pence just want to send Americans into war, which he said during a CNN interview over the weekend.
At a Long Island luncheon today, Pence said: "Well, let me tell you, my son’s a major in the United States Marine Corps. My son-in-law is a lieutenant in the United States Navy. I truly do believe that appeasement and isolation is the pathway to war," he said.
"Peace comes through American strength, demonstrated on the world stage by standing with those who stand for freedom," Pence added.
Walz says Trump is 'a loser in everything that he’s done'
On stage in Savannah, Georgia, at a Get Out and Vote rally, Walz referred to Trump as a "loser."
"Donald Trump's a loser in everything that he's done," he said. "That's not a pejorative, that's an observation based on fact. He loses jobs, he loses businesses, he loses in court, and no matter what JD Vance says, he lost the 2020 election."
When asked earlier this month if Trump lost the election, Vance said, "not by the words I would use."
Former Michigan GOP Chair Rusty Hills speaks out against Trump
In an article in the Detroit Free Press, former Michigan GOP Chair Rusty Hills spoke out against Trump, saying he does not compare to past Republican candidates such as Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan.
"All of this evidence begs the question: Why would any Republican in Michigan who voted for Gerald Ford — or Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush or George W. Bush, Sens. John McCain or Mitt Romney — ever cast a ballot for someone like Donald Trump?" he wrote.
He also called out Trump for comments against immigrants, pointing to Trump saying immigrants are "poisoning the blood of our country" and Trump's rhetoric on Venezuelan immigrants in Aurora, Colorado.
Hills served as the chair of the Michigan GOP from 2000 to 2001 and now teaches public policy at the University of Michigan.
Trump judge declines to recuse herself from Ryan Routh case
U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, the Trump-appointed judge who dismissed the classified documents case against the former president, has refused a request to step aside from the case against a man charged with attempting to kill him.
Attorneys for Ryan Routh had asked Cannon to recuse herself, saying her presiding over the case that could send their client to prison for life "creates an appearance of partiality." They cited her favorable rulings for Trump and the public comments he's made praising her as examples.
In a ruling today, Cannon said she has no reason to step aside.
"I have never spoken to or met former President Trump except in connection with his required presence at an official judicial proceeding, through counsel. I have no 'relationship to the alleged victim' in any reasonable sense of the phrase," Cannon wrote. As for Trump's comments about her, she said, "I have no control over what private citizens, members of the media, or public officials or candidates elect to say about me or my judicial rulings."
Routh has pleaded not guilty to attempted assassination.
Judge tosses Republican lawsuit challenging overseas ballots in Pennsylvania
A federal judge dismissed a case brought a group of Republican members of Congress from Pennsylvania challenging the legitimacy of some ballots cast by U.S. citizens living abroad, including members of the military.
The suit, filed by Republican Reps. Guy Reschenthaler, Dan Meuser, Glenn Thompson, Lloyd Smucker and Mike Kelly against Pennsylvania Republican Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt, had argued that existing rules in Pennsylvania that extended overseas voting eligibility to people whose state residency hasn’t been verified meant that those particular votes were prone to fraud.
It specifically alleged that Schmidt had issued guidance to local election officials in the state allowing some U.S. citizens voting overseas — a group that includes military personnel — to be exempted from voter ID requirements.
Republicans had filed similar suits against election officials in two other battleground states, Michigan and North Carolina, but judges rejected those cases as well earlier this month.
Campaign ads urge voters to select Trump for 'every choice' on Maine's ranked-choice ballot
The Trump campaign is encouraging Maine voters to select the former president for every option on the state's ranked-choice ballot in digital ads.
“Vote Trump every choice to ensure victory,” read more than a dozen different digital ads, which have run or are continuing to run on Facebook and google.
That’s not how ranked-choice voting works, though. The voting method, first used in Maine in 2018, encourages voters to rank candidates in order of preference. Election officials then narrow the field by eliminating the candidate with the fewest number of first-choice votes. Voters who voted for the eliminated candidate will have their vote counted for their second choice. The process is repeated until there are two candidates, one of which has a majority of support.
The Trump campaign’s push is likely to be irrelevant in the presidential race in Maine — he’ll undoubtedly rank as one of the top-two candidates — but it could cause confusion about the voting method.
The ad also wrongly suggests that “over-ranking” Trump is a more forceful vote, said Stephen Pettigrew, an elections expert at the University of Pennsylvania who also works on NBC News’ Decision Desk and has studied errors in ranked-choice voting. In truth, it's the same thing as ranking Trump first and leaving the rest of the ballot unmarked.
Harris campaign to advertise on Las Vegas Sphere, marking political first
The Harris campaign is making a political first by advertising on the Las Vegas Sphere, which launched earlier this year.
"In the days before Election Day, Team Harris-Walz is pulling out all the stops to get voters to the polls. In Nevada, the Sphere activation will be a critical piece of our efforts," the campaign said in the announcement.
Harris heads to Las Vegas on Thursday for a rally in the evening.
Michigan Sen. Gary Peters says Democrats have a 'tremendous ground game'
On MSNBC today with Andrea Mitchell, Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., who is in charge of helping Democrats keep control in the Senate, said they are looking at "candidate versus candidate battles."
“Right now, we’re looking at candidate versus candidate battles, superior Democrats running against flawed to highly flawed Republican challengers, and we have a tremendous ground game,” he said. “It’s how we won last cycle when no one thought we could do it. We had a ground game and when you’re looking for an extra point or two, the ground game is a difference maker."
Peters also commented on the comments about Puerto Rico, saying he thinks it will make a difference in battleground Pennsylvania, where there is a large Puerto Rican population.
"I would certainly hope that folks are as outraged as I hear they are, and they’re going to make sure that they send a very strong message to Donald Trump, that you can’t disrespect us and expect to get our vote," he said.
Miami-Dade County blames 'human error' after ballots found on road
The Miami-Dade County Elections Department said "human error" was to blame after containers filled with completed ballots ended up on a local roadway — and praised area passersby for helping recover them.
In an emailed statement, a department official said a worker forgot to lock the back of a truck while driving off, causing one sealed bin and one sealed bag containing early-voting ballots to fall out.
"Thankfully, this was observed in real-time by upstanding citizens who did the right thing and turned the bin and bag into the police department," the official said.
Upon arrival at the police department, elections staff subsequently verified all seals were intact and nothing was tampered with or damaged, the official said. A second review at the Election Department headquarters reconfirmed that all items were accounted for and all seals in place, he said.
Though the incident was not unintentional, the official said the employee responsible had been terminated.
The Miami Herald reported the incident occurred overnight.
Footage of the incident gained wide attention today after it was posted by OnlyInDade, a local news and entertainment site. NBC News has also independently verified the video.
Vance jokingly encourages voter fraud before telling supporters to vote legally
In remarks at the end of a rally in Michigan, Vance jokingly told the crowd of supporters to "get out there and vote 10 times."
The audience laughed before the vice presidential contender added: "It's gonna be headline news later that J.D. Vance comes to Saginaw and encourages mass voter fraud."
He then struck a more serious note and told the crowd that "the legal way to vote 10 times is take yourselves to the polls and get nine of your family and friends to go along with you." The crowd cheered.
Trump mocks criticism calling him a Nazi
At his campaign event at Mar-a-Lago, Trump finished his lengthy remarks by mocking criticism he's received calling him a Nazi.
“They started to say, 'Well, in 1939 the Nazis used Madison Square Garden,'" he said. "How terrible to say? Right? Because, you know, they’ve used Madison Square Garden many times. Many people have used it, but nobody’s ever had a crowd like that.”
This comes a day after he said at his Atlanta rally that he's "not a Nazi," he's the "opposite of a Nazi."
The former president's wife and allies have also rejected that characterization.
George W. Bush's daughter endorses Harris
Barbara Pierce, George W. Bush's daughter, shared this morning with People Magazine that she is endorsing Harris for president. She also announced that she spent part of her weekend in Pennsylvania alongside the Harris-Walz campaign volunteers.
“It was inspiring to join friends and meet voters with the Harris-Walz campaign in Pennsylvania this weekend,” she said. “I’m hopeful they’ll move our country forward and protect women’s rights.”
This follows her father saying last month that he has no plans to endorse either Trump or Harris.
Trump wraps presser without addressing Puerto Rico or taking questions
Trump concluded his remarks at Mar-a-Lago, where he did not take any questions from reporters.
He also didn't bring up the swirling controversy over the racist lines from a comedian at his rally Sunday in New York City. The comedian called Puerto Rico an "island of garbage" and made lewd remarks about Latinos who come to the U.S.
Trump's campaign has distanced itself from the comedian and criticized him broadly. But Trump himself has not apologized for the remark. His campaign has been courting Latino voters.
Trump again calls Michelle Obama 'nasty'
In an event at Mar-a-Lago in which Trump rambled on a range of issues for almost an hour, he called former first lady Michelle Obama "nasty."
“His wife was very nasty to me the other day. That was not nice. She was very nasty. She said nasty things," Trump told a crowd of his supporters at his golf club. "She said some bad things she shouldn’t have said.”
Michelle Obama — who consistently is viewed positively in public opinion polls — hit the campaign trail for the first time over the weekend and warned about the consequences of a second Trump term in the White House. She argued that the election could have life-or-death consequences for women, especially in the wake of the Supreme Court's reversal of Roe v. Wade.
Singer Bad Bunny releases video showcasing Puerto Rico
This morning, Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasi, released an 8-minute video showcasing the history of Puerto Rico and the people who live there.
The video captioned "garbage" highlights various people from Puerto Rico, including professional athletes, musicians, pageant queens, artists and politicians. It ended with a message from him in Spanish, saying "We are the definition of heart and resistance here."
He endorsed Harris on Sunday by sharing a video of her shortly after a comedian at Trump's Madison Square Garden rally called the island "a floating island of garbage."
Senate Republicans echo Trump in ads claiming Baldwin is for 'they/them, not you'
Trump has been hitting Harris hard with ads attacking her past support for providing gender-affirming surgeries for prisoners, ads that end with the declaration: "Kamala is they/them; President Trump is for you."
Republicans have been echoing the attacks in some races, including this new ad from the Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC aligned with Senate Republican leadership.
The ad runs down a list of attacks framing Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisc., as too liberal, and then accusing her of backing gender-affirming care for children, closing with: "Baldwin is for they/them, not you."
The date cited in the ad corresponds with Baldwin's statement last year in response to Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers promising to veto a bill that would have banned gender-affirming care for minors. In that social media statement, Baldwin said that "trans kids deserve to feel safe and welcome in Wisconsin, not discriminated against," and goes onto say they deserve to "get the health care they need, all without politicians butting in."
Minnesota woman accused of casting ballot for deceased mother
A Minnesota woman was charged with three felony counts of voter fraud after authorities say she forged her dead mother's signature on an absentee ballot to vote for Trump.
Danielle Christine Miller, 50, of Itasca County shared the same address as her mother, Rose Javorina, who died in August, according to a probable cause statement. The Itasca County Auditor's Office had mailed absentee ballots in September. Upon receiving Javorina's ballot, the office notified local law enforcement to investigate and verify the signatures.
"The Defendant admitted her deceased mother was an avid Donald Trump supporter and had wanted to vote for Trump in this election but had passed shortly before the absentee ballots were received," court documents say.
Miller also allegedly admitted to filling out her own absentee ballot and signing her mother's signature as a witness. Miller could not immediately be reached for comment; a court date was scheduled for December.
In Minnesota, casting an illegal vote or intentionally falsely signing an absentee ballot is punishable by five years in prison, a $10,000 fine or both.
Trump team tries to push woman's arrest at a Pennsylvania voting service center as 'voter suppression'
Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley and other Trump allies spread a photo of a woman being arrested at a voting service center in Pennsylvania last night, deploying a familiar strategy of decrying routine election processes and rules as irregularities.
“This is voter suppression from the left. Do not let them turn you away,” Whatley wrote on X.
The woman in question was being “disruptive, belligerent, and attempting to influence voters waiting in line” and was arrested by local police, Delaware County officials said in a statement.
“We take voting rights very seriously in Delaware County,” Delaware County Council Chair Monica Taylor said. “Voters have a right to participate in our democracy without being harassed or intimidated, and we applaud our Park Police for calming the disturbance and allowing voting to continue without disruption.”
A video of the woman, Val Biancaniello, being escorted out in handcuffs was widely shared by Trump allies, including one of those who helped orchestrate similar fraud claims in 2020. Voters waiting in line can be seen.
Attempting to influence voters within 10 feet of the entrance to a polling site is considered electioneering and is illegal under Pennsylvania law. It's unclear where Biancaniello was standing, but she said in another social media post that she was cited for disorderly conduct and promised to fight the charge.
Vance to interview with Joe Rogan tomorrow
Following Trump’s interview with Joe Rogan last week, his running mate will tape his own interview with the podcaster in person in Austin, Texas, tomorrow, a Vance spokesperson said.
What to expect from Trump's press conference remarks
In remarks at Mar-a-Lago this morning, Trump plans to accuse the Harris of closing her campaign by "talking about hate and division, saying nothing about the economy or the border," a Trump campaign official said.
"We’re closing our campaign focused squarely on how we improve the lives of every American by fixing our economy and securing the border, and bringing together the most diverse coalition in American history," the official said.
The official teased some "additional reveals" at the news conference.
Haley voters repelled by Trump Madison Square Garden comments in new focus group
A new focus group of voters who backed Nikki Haley in the GOP primary recoiled at the recent spate of controversial and racist comments and jokes at this week's Trump rally in New York City.
Of the 11 participants in a new NBC News Deciders Focus Group, produced in collaboration with Syracuse University and the research firms Engagious and Sago, virtually all had heard about the rally and were critical of it.
"That is so typical of what I hear from them all the time and why, as a Republican, I have become so upset because this is not the Republican Party that I know. The hate and the ugliness," said Cristel T., a 59-year-old from Suwanee who said she voted for Biden in 2020 and plans to vote for Harris in 2024.
But even among those Haley voters who weren't planning to cross party lines, it's clear the rally struck a chord, and in some cases, made it harder for them to cast their ballot for Trump.
"I'm not going to vote for Harris because of it. It still makes me torn. If they had done a very professional event, maybe that would've moved the needle a little towards him or something like that. But it keeps me in a place where it makes it hard to fill in that oval," said Jennifer S., a 49-year-old from Audubon, Pennsylvania, who voted for Trump in 2020 but is still deciding whether to vote for him again or write someone in.
Bannon calls himself 'political prisoner' in podcast return
Bannon returned to his "War Room" podcast within hours of his release, and said he'd been a "political prisoner."
"Nancy Pelosi sent me to a federal prison as a political prisoner," said Bannon, who was sentenced to four months behind bars for defying congressional subpoenas. He said Democrats wanted "to tamp down the power of this show and to break me."
"Not only didn't it break me, it empowered me," he said, adding he feels "more energized and more focused than I ever have been."
He also urged his listeners to vote Nov. 5.
"We have to crush them at the ballot box," Bannon said.
Harris to do five interviews ahead of 'closing argument' speech
Harris is set to do five interviews today ahead of her "closing argument" address at the Ellipse, according to a campaign official.
The vice president will sit for four battleground state TV interviews to reach voters in Detroit, Milwaukee, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, as well as a Spanish radio interview with Rumba in Pennsylvania to reach Latino voters, including Puerto Ricans.
Harris campaign expecting more than 40,000 people at Ellipse speech
The Harris campaign has amended its permit application to accommodate more than 40,000 people at tonight's speech at the Ellipse, a National Park spokesman told NBC News. The change is raising the expected crowd from an initial estimate of 20,000 people.
Steve Bannon hosting his podcast today after prison release
After being released from prison this morning after a 4-month sentence, Steve Bannon will be hosting his podcast starting at 10 a.m. His podcast, “War Room,” announced his return in a social media post. Bannon is also expected to hold a press conference in New York at 3 p.m.
Harris to lay out vision for the future in speech at the Ellipse
In a rally tonight at the Ellipse, Harris will seek to lay out in clear terms her vision for the future, and what her administration would achieve, a campaign aide told NBC News.
The vice president will seek to balance aggressively attacking Trump as a threat to democracy with explanations of how she will protect democratic freedoms and pursue policies to better the lives of Americans, the aide said. She will make the case that a second Trump presidency would be more dangerous than the first because he would be "more unhinged and more unchecked."
"This is where the Vice President is going to say, 'It's time to turn a page on Trump and turn it over to the next generation. I am that new way forward, and I'm going to fight for you,'" said another source familiar with the speech who has been talking to campaign aides.
Harris plans to highlight how her freedom would usher in freedom and opportunity on several fronts, the source said, including the economy, women's reproductive rights and health care access.
The Ellipse is the site where Trump addressed a crowd he encouraged to march to the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, shortly before it was violently attacked in a failed bid to overturn the election he lost to President Joe Biden.
Vance holds multiple events in battleground Michigan
Vance heads to battleground Michigan today for campaign events, starting with remarks in Saginaw.
Later in the day, he will deliver remarks in Holland.
Bob Casey zeroes in on ‘greedflation’ message in key Pennsylvania Senate race
As he seeks to address voter concerns over an issue that has weighed down members of his party across the country, Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., thinks he has found the winning formula: fighting “greedflation.”
In one of the most hotly contested and expensive Senate races of the cycle, Casey has zeroed in on this populist economic message — the idea that corporate greed is driving rising prices — as a way to push back against GOP arguments that government policies he supported have been the primary cause of soaring inflation.
Casey, who is in his third term, has run multiple ads focused on his campaign against “greedflation” in a critical battleground state and, in the process, offered a road map for Democrats nationally to talk about inflation.
Steve Bannon released from prison after serving contempt of Congress sentence
WASHINGTON — The last time Steve Bannon was a free man, Joe Biden was the presumptive Democratic nominee for president.
Bannon, the right-wing podcast host and former Trump campaign official, was released from federal Bureau of Prisons custody today, with exactly one week to go until voters choose between his former boss and Vice President Kamala Harris on Election Day.
Walz joins sports radio show, campaigns in Georgia
Walz will start his day by speaking with sportswriter Dan Le Batard and Jon “Stugotz” Weiner on their radio show.
Later in the day he'll give remarks in Georgia at a Get Out the Early Vote rally in Savannah, followed by a rally in Columbus.
RFK Jr. suggests that comparisons of Trump to Hitler make him vulnerable to being assassinated
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. suggested this morning that comparisons people make of Trump to Adolf Hitler make him vulnerable to being assassinated.
"When we were kids in this country, we were asked to answer, to consider the moral quandary, would you, if you could go back in time, would you kill baby Hitler before he could do all the damage? And most of us answered, yeah, we would do that," Kennedy said in a live interview on Fox News' "Fox and Friends."
"So when you compare an American political figure to Hitler, who is about to become president, you know the kind of people who are, you know, who are already a little unstable, you're really suggesting to them that this man should be killed before he gets into office," he continued.
Kennedy, who endorsed Trump after he dropped out of the 2024 presidential race, said that the former president's rally at Madison Square Garden on Sunday was "the opposite of Nazism."
He said that people across the top ranks of the Democratic Party, including Hillary Clinton, compared the rally to the Nazi rally at MSG in 1939.
Kennedy said it's the "most evocative and explosive and incendiary and poisonous reference" and said "it's really bad for our country."
Trump to speak with reporters at Mar-a-Lago before heading to Pennsylvania
Trump will speak with reporters at Mar-a-Lago today around 10 a.m. ET.
He will then travel to Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, where he's slated to speak at a roundtable on issues affecting seniors.
After that, the former president will hold a rally in Allentown.
Harris will ask voters to 'turn the page' on Trump era at the site of his Jan. 6 speech
Reporting from Washington
Harris will hold a rally today near the White House at the site where Trump addressed a crowd he encouraged to march to the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, shortly before it was violently attacked in a bid to overturn the election he lost.
Harris is scheduled to speak seven days before polls close on Election Day — and 100 days since President Joe Biden exited the race and propelled her to the top of the ticket — appearing at dusk on the Ellipse with a backdrop of the White House, which either she or Trump will occupy in three months.
Harris will call on Americans to “turn the page” on the Trump era and present herself as a pragmatist who will put results over party, according to a senior Harris campaign official who requested anonymity. The official said she will continue to press a line she has invoked frequently in recent days, that Trump’s focus would be an “enemies list” — a reference to his recent comments about wielding the power of government against political rivals — and hers a “to-do list” that centers on lowering costs for people.