A volatile election year enters its final stretch as Trump holds the wild cards

The final midterm election of Donald Trump’s presidency is approaching through a political landscape that keeps changing beneath the parties’ feet. Congressional maps have shifted in Texas, California and Florida, while Missouri Republicans are appealing a ruling that blocked a Trump-backed map.

The uncertainty extends beyond redistricting. Trump’s tariffs on Canada could produce greater economic fallout as voting nears. His effort to restrict mail ballots could also complicate the process as ballots begin circulating in states such as North Carolina, where a closely watched Senate race is underway.

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Some of these things are out of our control

Trump has more than $400 million available to shape the election. At the same time, his personal wealth has become a political issue. A federal filing released this summer showed that he received $1.2 billion from his cryptocurrency businesses last year, a figure that has put pressure on a bipartisan Senate effort to advance stronger crypto regulation.

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We've watched this president enrich himself

Democrats want the legislation to include tougher ethics rules. Senator Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland, described as a key Democratic vote, said she would not support the bill without stronger language. “We've watched this president enrich himself,” she said.

Republicans and Democrats nonetheless agree on one central point: Trump will remain a defining figure in the final stretch. Former George W. Bush press secretary Ari Fleischer named “President Trump” as the year’s top issue. House Speaker Mike Johnson acknowledged that some of the turmoil was beyond his party’s control, while Democratic campaign chief Suzan DelBene also identified the president as central to the midterms.

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President Trump