Vance cancels Minnesota trip as Trump rallies in Daytona Beach
With four days remaining until Election Day, the presidential campaign shifts to Florida while federal probes intensify in Alaska and California.
By Lucas Navarro ·
Vice President JD Vance canceled his scheduled appearance in St. Cloud, Minnesota, on Friday, according to a source familiar with the visit. The cancellation came just four days before Election Day, a period when candidates are making their final pitches to voters in key Senate and House districts. While the vice president pulled out, President Donald Trump continued his aggressive schedule, flying to his adopted home state of Florida for a rally in Daytona Beach.
The move to Florida follows a week in which the president canceled weekend rallies in Kansas and Iowa. The Republican National Committee stated that the party was in a strong position in those states, allowing Trump to hold telerallies in 19 states instead. The Daytona Beach stop is a high-stakes event in a state that has leaned red in recent years. Republican Senator Ashley Moody is seeking reelection against Democrat Angie Nixon, and Republican Representative Byron Donalds is running for governor against Democrat David Jolly. Trump campaigned in South Carolina the previous day for Republican Senator Darline Graham.
Political turbulence continues in Alaska, where Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola addressed a controversy involving a ballot name collision. Peltola told supporters in Juneau on Thursday that she was not interested in tricking voters. She stated that she knew nothing about other candidates on the ballot except herself and the incumbent, Senator Dan Sullivan. The New York Times reported that Democratic operatives helped recruit a man named Daniel J. Sullivan, a claim Peltola’s team has denied. The Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into the matter, and the Trump administration is suing to block certification if Senator Sullivan loses due to voter confusion.
Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy said the ongoing probes could impact whether a specific candidate is seated in the U.S. Senate. A spokesperson for Peltola’s campaign called the governor's comments a threat to overrule the will of voters. The candidate’s team stated that Peltola would not be intimidated by her opponents or their allies in Washington, D.C. The dispute has drawn national attention to the remote town of Petersburg, where the retired teacher and namesake, Daniel J. Sullivan, resides.
In Michigan, Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed is scheduled to hold a joint appearance with Representative Haley Stevens in Detroit on Sunday. This marks one of their few side-by-side events since the primary. Stevens endorsed El-Sayed, though her fiancé, Jason Turkish, said he plans to vote for the Republican nominee, Mike Rogers. In Ohio, Governor candidate Vivek Ramaswamy ended the airtime for a controversial ad featuring the estranged mother of his opponent, Dr. Amy Acton. The campaign initially planned to spend $4 million on the spot but spent roughly $1 million, according to AdImpact data.
The Justice Department also issued grand jury subpoenas to California election officials between October 21 and 24. The subpoenas are part of a probe into allegations that up to 20,000 non-citizens may be registered to vote in the state. This action follows a judge’s rejection of a federal bid to require California officials to separate tens of thousands of mail ballots. As of Thursday evening, 44.8 million Americans have already cast ballots for the midterms, including 23.6 million in-person early votes and 21.3 million returned mail ballots.
