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Presented by Meta: POLITICO's must-read briefing on what's driving the afternoon in Washington. | | | | |  | | By Garrett Ross | | | STATISTIC OF THE DAY — “Only about half of Americans have high confidence that votes in the upcoming midterm elections will be counted accurately, according to a new poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, though that’s an improvement from about 4 in 10 saying that just before the 2020 presidential election,” write AP’s Gary Fields and Christina Cassidy . “Just 9% of U.S. adults think democracy is working ‘extremely’ or ‘very well,’ while 52% say it’s not working well.” THE HEALTH QUESTION — “John Fetterman is in good health, his doctor says in a new medical report,” by Philly Inquirer’s Julia Terruso: “JOHN FETTERMAN’S primary care physician said he continues to recover well from his stroke after an examination Friday, saying the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate ‘has no work restrictions and can work full duty in public office.’ … [Dr. CLIFFORD] CHEN , who became Fetterman’s primary care physician shortly after Fetterman’s stroke in May, said Fetterman’s physical exam was normal, with normal readings for blood pressure, heart rate and oxygen level.”
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A poll worker waits to greet early voters in Alexandria, Va., on Monday, Sept. 26. | Andrew Harnik/AP Photo | MOTIVATING FACTORS — A few stories up today offer a window into some of the big issues influencing voters with the midterms just weeks away. — The youth vote: The NYT spoke to 12 voters in their 20s in Georgia, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Michigan and Arizona to get a sense of what is factoring into their votes this cycle: “Though President [JOE] BIDEN’s student debt forgiveness plan had been in the news, none said it was a top issue. Instead, they discussed their views on abortion, climate, the economy and immigration — or a search for, as one 24-year-old Wisconsin woman put it, ‘what’s best for the collective versus the singular.’” Speaking of this key bloc of voters … Sen. BERNIE SANDERS (I-Vt.) is planning an eight-state swing with nearly 20 events in the last two weekends before Election Day, NYT’s Shane Goldmacher and Katie Glueck report . “‘It is about energizing our base and increasing voter turnout up and down the ballot,’ Mr. Sanders said in an interview. ‘I am a little bit concerned that the energy level for young people, working-class people,’ is not as high as it should be, he said. ‘And I want to see what I can do about that.’ “The first swing will include stops in Oregon , California, Nevada (with events in both Reno and Las Vegas), Texas (including one in McAllen), and Orlando, Fla. The second weekend will focus on Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania.” — The gun debate: Our colleague Madison Fernandez is up today with a look at how the gun issue is playing out on the campaign trail — a classic topic of campaign ads. But the report, from 97Percent, finds that “voter attitudes about gun policy aren’t as divided as they seem.” The key findings: “A law prohibiting gun possession by those convicted of a domestic violence crime has the highest support among gun owners (78 percent). Republican gun owners support that measure at the same level. Republican respondents also supported prohibiting gun possession by people subject to a domestic violence restraining order (75 percent) and requiring background checks for concealed carry permits (71 percent). But only one-third of gun owners support a ban on assault weapons. That support is even lower among Republican gun owners: 16 percent.” Read the report from 97Percent, shared exclusively with POLITICO HAPPENING TODAY — “Trump scheduled to appear Wednesday for deposition in E. Jean Carroll lawsuit,” by CNN’s Kara Scannell Good Wednesday afternoon.
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| BIG PICTURE UP FOR DEBATE — NYT’s Lisa Lerer and Jazmine Ulloa have a stepback on the impact of fewer debates in races for nearly every office across the country: “Campaigning used to force candidates to engage up close with the public, exposing them not only to supporters but to those who might disagree with them. Avoiding those tougher interactions cuts down on the opportunities for candidates’ characters and limitations to be revealed, and for elected officials to be held accountable to those who elected them. For the politicians, it creates an artificial environment where their positions appear uniformly popular and opposing views are angrily denounced, making compromise seem risky.” OOPS — “Registration error affects up to 6,000 Arizona voters,” AP OBAMA ON THE TRAIL — “Obama to campaign for group of vulnerable Nevada incumbents,” by AP’s Gabe Stern: “Former President BARACK OBAMA plans to visit Southern Nevada on Nov. 1 to rally for vulnerable Democratic incumbents in the state who are seeking to fend off a potential red wave. … [Gov. STEVE] SISOLAK and [Sen. CATHERINE] CORTEZ MASTO plan to speak at the event.” BATTLE FOR THE SENATE A TALE OF TWO CANDIDATES — “In Georgia, Raphael Warnock makes the case for a Senate full term,” by Jewish Insider’s Matthew Kassel: “This cycle, [Democratic Sen. RAPHAEL] WARNOCK argues that he has fulfilled that promise, as he prepares to go up against Herschel Walker, the scandal-plagued Republican Senate nominee, in a bitterly contested matchup that could ultimately decide partisan control of the upper chamber. ‘I’m a strong ally of Israel, and I’ve built relationships in the Jewish community that have nothing to do with politics,’ Warnock said in a phone interview with Jewish Insider. … “For his part, [HERSCHEL] WALKER, a 60-year-old former football star, had initially struggled to relate to Jewish voters during the primary, when he first appeared at an RJC event billed as a ‘job interview’ for Georgia’s Republican Senate candidates. Walker, a devout Christian, appeared out of touch with audience members as he frequently alluded to his faith in Jesus, which was off-putting to attendees, according to MARCI McCARTHY , who chairs the Dekalb County Republican Party and was present at the forum.” PLAYING THE CLASSICS — “The John Fetterman Campaign Is Turning Back To Memes As Dr. Oz Closes The Polling Gap,” by BuzzFeed’s David Mack: Today, Fetterman “launched a new website, Fettermemes.com, that opens to the public a small library of multimedia featuring his Republican opponent, MEHMET OZ, with the express hope that people will create new memes.” BATTLE FOR THE STATES SPLASHING CASH — “A Democratic Group Pours $20 Million Into State Legislative Races,” by NYT’s Nick Corasaniti: Forward Majority, a Democratic super PAC, is “investing more than $20 million in state legislative races, with about 70 percent of the funds going to support candidates in 25 districts across Michigan, Pennsylvania and Arizona.” Rather than jump in to crowded TV markets, the group is “focusing more of its spending on the detailed aspects of campaigning, like voter registration and a tactic known as ‘boosted news,’ or the practice of paying to promote news articles on social media newsfeeds.” ABOUT LAST NIGHT — “Walz, Jensen clash in first and only TV debate in Minnesota governor's race,” by the Star Tribune’s Jessie Van Berkel: “With three weeks until Election Day, the two offered sharply contrasting views on what they would do with the next four years in the state's top job. [Republican challenger SCOTT] JENSEN said he wants to cut state spending, shift education dollars and bolster law enforcement, while [Democratic Gov. TIM WALZ] stressed his support for abortion access, increasing school funding and combating gun violence.” THE ABORTION ISSUE — “Republican Wisconsin attorney general candidate Eric Toney says district attorneys should cross county lines to prosecute abortion cases,” by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Corrinne Hess: “Toney, who has been outspoken in his support for banning abortion in nearly all cases, said when a district attorney doesn't enforce the state's 1849 abortion ban, a different DA should be able to come into the county to do it.” HOT ADS Via Steve Shepard — Oklahoma: The Republican Governors Association is up with a new ad in a surprising place today : ruby-red Oklahoma, after numerous polls showed Democrat JOY HOFMEISTER leading or running close with GOP Gov. KEVIN STITT. The RGA’s ad ties Hofmeister to Biden on energy issues. — Georgia: Democratic Sen. RAPHAEL WARNOCK’s latest ad touts his bipartisan work with Sen. TED CRUZ (R-Texas), comparing it to other odd pairings, like “pizza and pineapple” and “French fry and Frosty.” (We happen to like the former “odd” food, but not so much the latter.) And Democratic gubernatorial candidate STACEY ABRAMS’ leadership committee, One Georgia, is up with a new ad featuring couples who have had miscarriages. “But now, under [GOP Gov.] BRIAN KEMP’s abortion law, I could be criminally prosecuted because I had a miscarriage,” one woman says. — Pennsylvania: “Maybe you’re struggling to pay your doctor, or the mortgage,” begins the Democratic-aligned Senate Majority PAC’s latest ad in Pennsylvania . “MEHMET OZ, the man with nine houses, just doesn’t care.” — New York: GOP-aligned Congressional Leadership Fund’s ad targeting Democratic Rep. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY features debate footage from the DCCC chair’s ill-fated bid for state attorney general in which Maloney says he favors ending cash bail. — Virginia: Democratic Rep. ELAINE LURIA, a member of the Jan. 6 committee, hits her GOP opponent , JEN KIGGANS, for refusing to acknowledge the fact Biden won the 2020 election. — Wisconsin: Democratic-aligned Senate Majority PAC’s new ad features violent footage of the Jan. 6 Capitol attack and says GOP Sen. RON JOHNSON “is making excuses for the rioters who tried to overthrow our government, even calling them peaceful protests.”
| | | | NEW AND IMPROVED POLITICO APP: Stay up to speed with the newly updated POLITICO mobile app, featuring timely political news, insights and analysis from the best journalists in the business. With a fresh look and improved features, the sleek and navigable design offers a convenient way to access POLITICO's scoops and groundbreaking reporting. Don’t miss out on the app you can rely on for the news you need, reimagined. Already a POLITICO app user? Upgrade today! DOWNLOAD FOR iOS – DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID . | | | | | MORE POLITICS AFTERNOON READ — “How DeSantis used Disney’s missteps to wage war on corporate America,” by WaPo’s Michael Kranish: “As major corporations have increasingly taken stands on issues like voting rights, LGBTQ protections and police violence, [Florida Gov. RON] DeSANTIS has seized a leading role in redefining the GOP’s relationship with companies that were once a bedrock of Republican support. Even amid a party swinging hard toward populism, DeSantis has sought to separate himself from other Republicans not just by picking culture war fights, but by attacking the concept that corporations are beneficial to America.” POLICY CORNER WHAT THEY’RE WAITING FOR — “After raising hope, Biden still lacks climate migration plan,” by AP’s Julie Watson FOR YOUR RADAR — “Expert advisers urge FDA to pull pregnancy drug from market,” by WaPo’s Ariana Eunjung Cha and Rachel Roubein
| | | | A message from Meta:   | | | WAR IN UKRAINE PUTIN’S LATEST MOVE — “Putin declares martial law in annexed regions of Ukraine,” AP/Moscow LIFE IN MOSCOW — “Where Have All the Men in Moscow Gone?” by NYT’s Valerie Hopkins: “Across the capital, there are noticeably fewer men at restaurants, stores and social gatherings. Many have been called up to fight in Ukraine. Others have fled to avoid being drafted.” AMERICA AND THE WORLD THE WAITING GAME — “‘They Forgot About Us’: Inside the Wait for Refugee Status,” by Zolan Kanno-Youngs and Miriam Jordan: “The average wait used to be roughly two years, before the Trump administration gutted the refugee program with the intention of sealing off the United States from refugees and other immigrants. And the coronavirus pandemic forced many U.S. embassies to close or curtail their operations, allowing cases to back up even more. Many of the people who have been in the pipeline for years have grown increasingly frustrated, saying they are being pushed to the back of the line as the Biden administration prioritizes those fleeing crises in Ukraine and Afghanistan.” ON THE KOREAN PENINSULA — “‘Yankees, Go Home!’: Seoul Gets Squeezed Between the U.S. and China,” by NYT’s Choe Sang-Hun in Soseong-ri, South Korea: “The intensifying rivalry between Washington and Beijing is causing jitters in South Korea, where security ties and economic priorities are not always aligned.”
| | | | SUBSCRIBE TO POWER SWITCH: The energy landscape is profoundly transforming. Power Switch is a daily newsletter that unlocks the most important stories driving the energy sector and the political forces shaping critical decisions about your energy future, from production to storage, distribution to consumption. Don’t miss out on Power Switch, your guide to the politics of energy transformation in America and around the world. SUBSCRIBE TODAY . | | | | | BEYOND THE BELTWAY THE LATEST IN FLORIDA — “Weeks After Hurricane Ian, Hundreds of Floridians Remain in Shelters,” by NYT’s Jennifer Reed in Estero, Fla. DEMOGRAPHIC DISPARITY — “Race gap seen in U.S. infant deaths after fertility treatment,” by AP’s Carla Johnson: “The study, published Wednesday in the journal Pediatrics, is the broadest look yet at racial gaps for women who use in vitro fertilization, fertility drugs or other fertility treatments.” PLAYBOOKERS IN MEMORIAM — “Charles W. Duncan Jr., Energy Secretary in Oil Crisis, Is Dead at 96,” by NYT’s Robert McFadden: “Charles W. Duncan Jr., who got into the energy business as a young Texas roustabout digging pipeline ditches in 1947, and at the height of America’s oil-shortage crisis in 1979 became President Jimmy Carter’s secretary of energy, died on Tuesday at his home in Houston. He was 96. His son, Charles W. Duncan III, said the cause was complications of a recent fall.” OUT AND ABOUT — SPOTTED at former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour’s 75th birthday celebration Tuesday night at the Homer Building in Washington: Ed Rogers, Lanny Griffith, Bob Wood, Dan Murphy, Loren Monroe, Robb Walton, Paul Hurst, Jonathan Martin, David Drucker, Ryan Long, Matt Hoffmann, John Keast, Dee Duncan, Katie Wheeler Mathews, Dan DeSimone, Rebecca Schimsa, Nicole Tisdale and Usman Rahim. — SPOTTED at a happy hour Tuesday night at Bobby Van’s hosted by Smith-Free Group celebrating the group’s .. : Tiffany Ge, Stephanie Penn, Chadwick Carlough, Mike Reynard, Adrian Swann, Brian McCullough, Chris Tampio, Ed DeMarco, Emily Porter, Evan Sarris, Stephen Flipping, Garrick Francis, Ryan Modlin, Andrew Healthy, Francis Creighton, Paul Jackson, Brian Vanderbloomen and Joe Rubin. MEDIAWATCH — CNN announced that its new podcast, “The Assignment with Audie Cornish,” will debut on Nov. 17, with episodes dropping every Thursday. On the pod, Cornish will “convene conversations with everyday people at the center of debates that are rocking the culture with topics spanning the arts, education, politics, business, and sports — people living behind the headlines in the very heart of the zeitgeist.” TRANSITION — Kyle Huwa is joining Delve as a senior research analyst. He previously was a speechwriter for the Labor Department and is a Ken Buck alum.
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