LIVE UPDATES

Midterm campaign live updates: GOP's Cheney endorses Ohio Democrat Tim Ryan for Senate

ABC News is reporting on campaign developments in key states across the U.S.

The 2022 campaign is shaping up to be a historic, decisive moment in American politics.

From our reporters across the country, ABC News brings you all the latest on what the candidates are saying and doing -- and what voters want to happen in November's midterm elections.

For more from ABC News' team of reporters embedded in battleground states, watch "Power Trip: Those Seeking Power and Those Who Chase Them" on Hulu , with new episodes on Sunday.

Power Trip
Power Trip
"Power Trip: Those Seeking Power and Those Who Chase Them" follows 7 young reporters as they chase down candidates in the lead up to the midterms with George Stephanopoulos guiding them along the way.
Stream On Hulu

0

Kevin McCarthy's 'commitment' to voters punts on divisive choices: The Note

Perhaps as telling as is who will be on hand to help unveil it.

Alongside House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy in Pittsburgh on Friday morning will be a few dozen Republican House members -- everyone from far-right firebrand Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, to New York moderate Rep. John Katko, who is retiring from Congress after voting to impeach former President Donald Trump.

Such unity comes at the expense of specific policy. The outline developed by McCarthy and his team was crowd-sourced through his members and does not include specific bills he would pledge to pass -- avoiding key details on issues including abortion, immigration and border enforcement and respect for election results.

McCarthy is skirting inside-baseball rules disputes, such as a critical one with the House Freedom Caucus that could make it easier for those members to oust a future Republican speaker -- perhaps even McCarthy himself.

Read more here.

–ABC News’ Rick Klein


In heated debate, Arizona secretary of state candidate Mark Finchem reveals he sat for Jan. 6, DOJ interview

PHOENIX -- Arizona Republican secretary of state candidate Mark Finchem revealed during Thursday's debate that he has been interviewed by both the Justice Department and Jan. 6 committee about his alleged involvement in the Capitol attack.

This was the first time Finchem has publicly confirmed speaking on the matter with federal officials.

"They asked me, why was I there? I said, 'Well, I think you already know. I was there to deliver an evidence package to Representative Paul Gosar,'" Finchem, who was subpoenaed by the committee earlier this year, told reporters after the debate.

The four-term, far-right Arizona lawmaker, who continues to espouse the "Big Lie" and is running to be the state's chief election officer, revealed the Jan. 6 interview and Justice Department involvement in a back-and-forth on the debate stage with his opponent, Democrat Adrian Fontes.

"I was interviewed by the DOJ and the J-6 commission as a witness," Finchem said. "So for him to assert that I was part of a criminal uprising is absurd. And frankly, it is a lie."

Read more here.

–ABC News' Libby Cathey


Pelosi declines to get "into the politics" of whether Biden should seek another term

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday declined to directly answer a question about whether President Joe Biden should run for office again in 2024.

At her weekly press conference, the Democratic leader said she was not "going into politics" of whether Biden should run again -- as speculation swirls over whether the party's current standard bearer will do so.

"President Biden is the president of the United States. He did a great service to our country. He defeated Donald Trump. Let's not forget that. If you care about the air we breathe, the water we drink, the education of our children, jobs for their families, pensions for their seniors, any subject you can name," she said.

"I'm not going into politics about whether the president should run or not," she added.

Pelosi's remarks come after Biden's recent comments saying a future bid may depend on "fate."

"Look, my intention, as I said to begin with, is that I would run again. But it's just an intention. But is it a firm decision that I run again? That remains to be seen," Biden told Scott Pelley on the CBS News program "60 Minutes."
On Thursday on ABC's "The View," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre repeated the standard line from the Biden administration, saying that the president "intends" to seek another term.

"I think he followed up and said that he intends to run," said Jean-Pierre.

"I have said that, he has said that, the vice president has said that he intends to run."

–ABC News' Mariam Khan


Beasley and Demings show how 'unique' swing-state Democrats are embracing law enforcement

During an August campaign event in Durham, North Carolina, former state Chief Justice Cheri Beasley, the Democratic candidate for Senate, proudly proclaimed that she does not support defunding the police.

"It's important that they have the resources to make sure that law enforcement officers stay safe," she said.

As Republicans have hammered President Joe Biden and Democrats, claiming they soft on crime and not supportive enough of law enforcement, Beasley and other Democrats in swing-state races have been pushing back, running advertisements touting their support for police and appearing with local law enforcement officials on the campaign trail.

For Beasley and Florida's Democratic Senate hopeful Val Demings, a state lawmaker and former Orlando police chief running against GOP Sen. Marco Rubio, that also means touting their credentials.

"I've been a judge for over two decades," Beasley said at that Durham event. "I served as a judge and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of North Carolina. And as a judge, I have always worked hard to uphold the rule of law as well as upholding the Constitution."

Read more here.

–ABC News’ Hannah Demissie


Beasley distances herself from Biden, Budd embraces support from Trump

President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump loomed large in the first, and likely only, Senate debate in the battleground state of North Carolina between Democrat Cheri Beasley and Republican Rep. Ted Budd.

During the hour-long debate, Beasley tried to distance herself from Biden while Budd embraced his endorsement from Trump, saying he is an “America first candidate.”

"It's wrong to align me with anybody unless I specifically say what my positions are, and I'm glad to talk about my positions because my positions really do support people here in North Carolina,” Beasley said when asked if she would appear with members of the Biden administration and if she wanted Biden to campaign with her.

Budd, asked if Trump's endorsement would hurt him with unaffiliated voters, emphasized that Trump won North Carolina twice and named some of the successes of the Trump administration.

Budd embraced his endorsement from Trump while also saying that Beasley was running away from any connection to Biden. But both candidates deflected when asked if Trump and Biden should run again in 2024.

The economy and abortion were top issues for voters as Beasley had to fend off attacks from Budd trying to connect her to the policies of the Biden administration. Meanwhile, Budd was pressed on his anti-abortion stance and his support of Sen. Lindsey Graham’s national abortion ban bill.

Budd was asked several times if he would support a total ban with no exception, to which he did not answer.

Beasley took advantage of the question to expand on her legal background as a former chief justice of the state.

"I know having been a former judge and chief justice that women have a constitutionally protected right to make this decision for themselves with their physician free from government interference,” she said.

- ABC News’ Hannah Demissie