Monday’s Campaign Round-Up, 10.19.26: Generic ballot polls offer Democrats more good news

With two weeks left before the midterms and early voting already underway in much of the country, fresh polling points toward trouble for Republicans. A Washington Post/ABC News/Ipsos survey put President Donald Trump's approval at 33%, the lowest that poll has recorded, and found Democrats ahead on the generic congressional ballot, 52% to 44%. In July the same outlet had them up by three points. An NBC News/SurveyMonkey poll went further, giving Democrats a 10-point margin, 55% to 45%, according to MS NOW.

Ohio's statewide contests also tilt toward Democrats in a Bowling Green State University survey. Former Sen. Sherrod Brown holds a 48% to 42% edge over Sen. Jon Husted, up from three points a month ago, and Amy Acton leads Vivek Ramaswamy 50% to 44% in the governor's race. Separately, a New York Times analysis determined that more than 80% of AI-made campaign ads came from Republican campaigns or allied groups.

Trouble also surfaced within GOP ranks. Rep. Mark Amodei, who is retiring, says he will 'absolutely not' back David Flippo in Nevada's 2nd District. In Massachusetts, lieutenant governor nominee Shawn Oliver dropped out after a drunk-driving arrest.

Summarized by PolitiKool from MS NOW’s reporting. Read the full story at MS NOW →