Black Voter Turnout Jumps in South

The cost of the United States war with Iran reached $47.1 billion as of October 16, according to data the Pentagon recently provided to Congress. The latest price tag indicates that the U.S. spent $2 billion in the last six weeks. The war has also pushed up fuel prices, and Moody’s Analytics estimates that the conflict has caused about $2,000 in higher costs for the average American household since it began.

Ahead of the midterm elections, former President Barack Obama traveled to Georgia on Wednesday to campaign with Senator Jon Ossoff and gubernatorial nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms. President Donald Trump headed to Ohio for a rally in Chillicothe to support Senator Jon Husted. The two former rivals are on the campaign trail as they seek to influence key Senate and governor’s races in battleground states.

Early voting data reveals a notable shift in Southern states. Black voters who did not cast ballots in either the 2022 or 2024 elections are turning out at higher rates this year. In Georgia, Black voters make up 36% of the early voting electorate, up from 29% at the same point in 2024. A similar increase is visible in Louisiana, where the share rose from 25% to 34%, and in North Carolina, where it climbed from 19% to 23%.

The pattern holds across different voting frequencies. In Georgia, among early voters who participated in both previous elections, 35% are Black. That share rises to 38% among those who voted in only one of the two elections and 39% among those who skipped both. In Louisiana, Black voters constitute 33% of frequent voters, 43% of those who voted in one election, and 39% of those who skipped both. These less frequent voters still represent a meaningful portion of the electorate, with 13% of early voters in Georgia having cast ballots in just one of the prior cycles.

In New Hampshire, Rep. Chris Pappas and former Sen. John E. Sununu are set to debate at 9 p.m. ET. They are vying for an open seat left by retiring Sen. Jeanne Shaheen. Republicans view the state as a prime opportunity to flip a Democratic-held seat, especially after three-term Sen. Shaheen stepped down. Sununu, who served in the Senate from 2003 to 2009, has split with Trump by criticizing the decision to start the war in Iran and impose tariffs on Canada. Pappas has held a polling lead in the race.

In Michigan, Vice President JD Vance called the state’s Senate race the most important election in the United States. He accused Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed of seeking to undermine the nation’s values. Trump and members of his administration have made a series of disparaging remarks targeting El-Sayed’s faith. The race is part of a broader push by Democrats to snap a 32-year statewide losing streak in the Senate and governor’s races in other key states like Texas.

The midterm cycle has set a new record for advertising spending, with $11.21 billion spent so far according to tracking service AdImpact. Money is pouring into red states with competitive Senate races in the final week of campaigning. Twenty-one midterm races have shifted in favor of Democrats, according to Sabato’s Crystal Ball. House Speaker Mike Johnson committed to a peaceful transfer of power if Democrats win, while Trump said he will respect the outcome if the elections are honest.