Live updates: Trump pushes effort to lower gas prices, leans into Ramaswamy ad controversy

President Trump will rally voters closer to home on Friday afternoon, with a campaign stop in Fort Myers, Florida, as long-awaited midterm elections approach. He’ll be there to boost Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), who’s running for governor, and Sen. Ashley Moody (R-Fla.), who is running for a full Senate term.

Trump invoked the Defense Production Act on Thursday, announcing that the government would be spending $150 million toward boosting domestic gas and diesel production as the White House looks to ease consumer pain at the gas pump. He touted the move Thursday night in Iowa.

The president also leaned further into the controversy surrounding Ohio GOP gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy’s controversial advertisement. The ad, which emerged late Monday, features Democrat Amy Acton’s mother claiming she is a “liar.” It has drawn fierce opposition from Democrats and some Republicans. But Trump and Vice President Vance are among those defending the video.

“So I told him, ‘Leave it up and look upstairs and say, “Thank you God, very much, I appreciate it,” ‘ ” Trump said he told Ramaswamy. “I only wish I could’ve had an ad like that against somebody.”

With 11 days until Election Day, Attorney General Todd Blanche did not dismiss the notion that the Department of Justice would intervene in states’ election verification processes , telling reporters Thursday there are hypothetical “scenarios” in which it could block the certification of votes.