Trump’s heartland rally reversal

It’s Friday. Here is your seasonal reminder that daylight saving time ends on Sunday at 2 a.m. Then savor what could be the last months of early light/darkness if President Trump gets his way .

Programming note : Hello! We are Colin Meyn and Steff Danielle Thomas filling in for Cate. Please send your tips, comments and story ideas to cmeyn@thehill.com or sthomas@thehill.com .

President Trump ’s weekend rallies in Iowa and Kansas are back on, after their cancellation on Thursday raised questions about his stamina and midterm mood.

Trump ripped into a Reuters reporter on Thursday for asking if the change in plans was because he was tired of traveling.

This morning, a source told The Hill’s Julia Manchester that he would head to the heartland, after all. Both rallies will be on Sunday (Kansas was previously scheduled for Saturday), giving him more time for Saturday telerallies, the source said.

The Senate races in both states are super close, if the polls are right, and a Republican loss in either would give Democrats a really good chance of flipping control of the upper chamber.

Trump will rally tonight with Republicans in Daytona Beach, Fla., as planned.

The Cook Political Report shifted a dozen more House races toward Democrats on Friday.

The nonpartisan election forecaster now predicts Democrats will secure between 227 and 240 seats, well above the 218 needed for a majority (and the 214 they hold in the current Congress).

Notable shifts include Colorado’s 5th Congressional District, represented by Rep. Jeff Crank (R); Pennsylvania’s 1st Congressional District, represented by Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R), and 8th Congressional District, represented by Rep. Rob Bresnahan (R); South Carolina 1st Congressional District, being vacated by Rep. Nancy Mace (R); and Ohio’s 9th District, represented by Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D).

Decision Desk HQ, a partner of The Hill, is similarly bullish about Democrats taking the House, giving the party an 82 percent chance of taking the majority.

Something to watch Tuesday: If Democrat Zach Dembo beats Republican Ralph Alvarado in Kentucky’s 6th Congressional District — being vacated by Rep. Andy Barr (R), who is running for Sen. Mitch McConnell ’s seat in the Senate — a blue wave could be coming.

“I just want to clear the air,” Alaska Senate candidate Mary Peltola (D) told supporters during a speech in Juneau on Thursday. “I knew nothing about any other candidate on the ballot except for me and the incumbent.”

We feel safe predicting that statement won’t satisfy Republicans, who have launched state and federal investigations into claims her campaign recruited a candidate with the same name as Sen. Dan Sullivan (R) in an effort to confuse voters and handicap the incumbent.

While the alleged scheme is dominating headlines about the race down the homestretch, The Hill’s Helen Huiskes reports it may be too late to change the results. If Peltola wins by less than the other Dan Sullivan ’s vote count, expect a nasty fight starting next week.

The president’s plan to transform one of Washington’s most popular public golf courses is back in court Friday, with a federal judge pressing administration officials for answers. And there’s plenty to unpack.

The latest: U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes is holding a hearing over conflicting statements about plans to close East Potomac Golf Links on Nov. 15. Trump has repeatedly said the course will close for a 15-month makeover, despite Justice Department officials previously telling the court otherwise.

Now, the administration is expected to present a redesign from golf architect Tom Fazio on Friday, just days after confirming plans to close the course.

Adding to the drama: Reyes has already blocked further tree removal from the property after hundreds were cut down without notice. The administration is appealing that ruling.

Meanwhile, the National Links Trust, which operates the affordable public course, is set to end operations there Nov. 15.

What’s next: The National Capital Planning Commission is expected to review the redesign Dec. 3.

While Trump’s golf ambitions face an uphill climb, he is not backing down . He called the course a “national disgrace” and warned he’d hold Reyes “fully responsible” if anyone gets hurt, claiming a White House staffer was struck by a golf ball.

The Trump administration’s latest attempt to prosecute former FBI Director James Comey faces a major test Friday, with his attorneys pushing to get the charges tossed.

The latest case centers on allegations that Comey leaked classified information to the media in 2016. But prosecutors filed the charges without a grand jury indictment, which his legal team argues is unconstitutional.

It’s the third legal battle involving Comey, whose previous prosecution over allegedly lying to Congress was dismissed last year. A separate case involving the “86 47” Instagram post is still pending.

The Hill’s Decision Desk ’26: Election Night In America will be moderated by Cory Smith and Drew Petrimoulx , joined by Chris Stirewalt and other special guests. The live special features sharp analysis on the most consequential races across the country, the biggest developments in real time, and live race calls powered by election data provider Decision Desk HQ . Watch us on your preferred streaming platform or on TheHill.com.

Christa Pike says she’s still in constant pain a month after surviving a botched execution in Tennessee.

In her first public statement since the Sept. 30 lethal injection attempt , Pike blamed state officials’ “incompetence” and said she continues to struggle to speak.

“I had not contemplated life beyond that night,” she said. “And I’m deeply hurt by the incompetence that has put so many people in this terrible position.”

The inmate added, “I am searching for meaning in what happened to me.”

The 50-year-old was sentenced to death for the 1995 murder of her 19-year-old classmate, Colleen Slemmer . She survived two doses of lethal injection drugs before being rushed to a hospital.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee (R) has since halted executions for the rest of the year and ordered an investigation. Pike’s attorneys are pushing to have her sentence reduced to life in prison.

💰 Congress’s annual defense bill is in trouble, putting its 65-year streak of passage at risk. Democrats are pushing back against the $1.15 trillion price tag and demanding limits on Trump’s war in Iran, leaving lawmakers with little common ground. 🔍 Insiders can read more here from The Hill’s Ellen Mitchell.

💻 The artificial intelligence boom could come with a political price tag for Republicans. Growing backlash over data centers and their impact on electricity bills is putting GOP candidates in a tough spot.

🛰️ Elon Musk ‘s Starlink controversy in Ukraine is raising bigger questions about his global influence. The recent restrictions on Ukraine’s military communications have sparked concerns among U.S. allies about relying so heavily on one billionaire’s technology.

👀 Election fraud isn’t keeping Generation Z up at night. A recent poll from CBS/YouGov found just 4 percent are worried about fraud or cheating in the midterms, while 17 percent are more concerned about an election outcome they don’t want. Read The Feed here .

The New York Times: Tech Stocks Tumble, but Broader Market Is Holding On

Politico : GOP starts coming to terms with a lame-duck Donald Trump

The Washington Post : Trump’s Kennedy Center stays mum on why it hired unlikely architecture firm for overhaul

ProPublica : Federal and State Officials Ramp Up Scrutiny of DraftKings, Other Sports Betting Apps

The House and Senate are out. President Trump is in Washington, D.C., and Florida. (All times EDT)

1:30 p.m.: Trump participates in a pretaped interview.

5 p.m.: The president joins a telerally from Air Force One.

6:30 p.m.: Trump gives remarks at a rally in Daytona Beach, Fla.

WEEKEND: Trump participates in tele-rallies. He will also join campaign events in Kansas and Iowa on Sunday.

Dig into the data yourself with every public poll, early-voting trends and live predictions, all in one place. Get full access to Decision Desk HQ with Insider Premium.

🍬🌽 Celebrate : Today is National Candy Corn Day! With Halloween just a day away, it seems quite fitting. Though, the candy itself has mixed reviews. Where do you stand?

I (Steff) am loving the fall weather almost as much as Timothy here loves his pumpkins.

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