As the midterms approach in just over a week, candidates are unleashing their most aggressive ads, making some pretty outrageous claims and using some pretty harsh language. It’s a chaotic scene, and social media is amplifying the noise like never before, especially since several states hold the potential to change the dynamics of Senate control.
I honestly feel like I need a cleanse after seeing all this unfold.
Shannon O’Brien, the chair of Montana’s Democratic Party, stepped down, highlighting how sensitive the national climate is right now. In an essay for MS NOW, she mentioned that the party is facing division—not due to its values, but because of the U.S. Senate race, which is critical for future Supreme Court nominees.
THE NINE KEY RACES THAT WILL DECIDE WHO CONTROLS THE SENATE, AND WHERE THEY STAND
O’Brien also pointed out there are “real questions” about the Democratic candidate’s stance on key issues like abortion and poverty.
On a troubling note, Virginia’s Democratic state senator L. Louise Lucas has been indicted on federal charges related to her cannabis business, including racketeering conspiracy and money laundering. Although the investigation began before the Trump administration, Lucas has vowed to fight back, citing her experiences growing up under Jim Crow.
It feels like we’re caught in an echo chamber. President Trump has already taken it upon himself to nationalize the elections, urging voters to support candidates as if he were on the ballot, all while ramping up his critique of Democrats.
A local council member from the suburbs of Des Moines, Shellie Flockhart, appeared in a promotional ad attacking a Democratic candidate, branding her as “plain dangerous” for children. Yet, the Washington Post revealed that Flockhart has her own sketchy past, having previously pleaded guilty to child endangerment after a drunk driving incident with her kids.
A recent article in Vanity Fair has stirred controversy around Jared Kushner, alleging secret foreign dealings. In response, his attorney has threatened to sue, demanding actual evidence to back the claims that seem to pop up conveniently right now. Kushner has called the claims “completely insane,” coming from a book that hints at significant Russian involvement and dubious financial transactions linked to him.
The timing of this story does seem a bit too coincidental for comfort.
Reflecting on my years of covering political campaigns, I could already tell that a controversial ad by Vivek Ramaswamy—featuring the estranged mother of his Democratic opponent, Amy Acton—would not just resonate in Ohio but would likely draw national attention for its sleaziness. The ad presented Acton’s mother, who is aligned with a man once indicted for a serious crime against Acton herself when she was a child, as standing against her daughter. They haven’t been in contact since 1978.
TO THEIR CREDIT, THE MAJORITY OF REPUBLICANS, INCLUDING OHIO GOV. MIKE DEWINE, HAVE CONDEMNED THE AD.
Meanwhile, in lesser-known races, the mudslinging is intensifying. In Texas, Republican Rep. Monica De La Cruz has been sending out countless emails about her opponent, alleging that “Bobby Pulido is unfit to serve in Congress.” She claimed that Pulido turned to his uncle, a dubious district attorney, to make serious allegations against his past disappear.
Pulido maintains he had no knowledge of his former bandmate’s offenses. He has since expressed remorse for past jokes or comments that may have offended anyone, noting a lot of old tweets he wishes he could take back. Yet, the Washington Free Beacon suggests he has been inconsistent in his responses regarding those accusations.
In a more prominent Senate race in Texas, Ken Paxton has been using AI-generated ads accusing opponent James Talarico of supporting an income tax, a claim fact-checkers have declared false. Talarico’s response was that the negative truth about Paxton alone doesn’t require AI manipulation.
But will voters actually sift through all this back-and-forth? How many will choose to ignore the noise, or just switch off entirely? Personally, after digging through this relentless barrage of ads and accusations, I feel somewhat numb. I’ve fact-checked campaigns for many years, but this cycle feels particularly grimy and chaotic.
The million-dollar question for 2026 is: How many voters might just opt to stay home?
