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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](https://a.abcnews.com/images/Politics/PowerTrip_1920x1080_FF_Now_1664207247948_hpEmbed_16x9_608.jpg)
Here is the latest from the campaign trail:
- Republican Rep. Liz Cheney endorses Ohio Democratic Senate candidate Rep. Tim Ryan
- Biden to travel San Diego on Thursday for endangered House Democrat Rep. Mike Levin
- Arizona Libertarian Senate candidate drops out of race, throws support to GOP nominee Blake Masters
- Fetterman gives first interview after post-stroke debate
- Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman cuts ad for Sen. Mike Lee
- Obama backs PA Senate candidate John Fetterman in new ads
With questions waiting at his campaign bus after event, Mastriano opts for another exit
The Republican candidate to be Pennsylvania's governor, Doug Mastriano, appeared to take unusual measures to avoid questions on Wednesday as the RV that typically shuttles him between campaign events left a stop without the candidate on it after ABC News waited by the vehicle.
When ABC arrived at the small meet-and-greet in Galeton, a town of less than a thousand people near the New York border, the bus, embroidered with the campaign’s logo, was parked in front of a motorcycle shop hosting the event.
But toward the end of Mastriano’s remarks, when ABC went to the bus to meet the candidate as he walked toward it, as he did at the previous stop, the RV had been driven to the back of the building, near a rear door.
As ABC News waited by the bus, a campaign spokesperson named Matt walked out, said Mastriano would not have time for questions and then reentered the building.
A few minutes later, the RV backed away and drove out of sight.
On the other side of the building, an attendee confirmed that Mastriano had left in a car.
If Mastriano was in fact avoiding questions from the press, it would not be the first time he’s done so. But six weeks from Election Day, amid a campaign underfunded and shunned by some national Republican groups, Mastriano appears to forging ahead with a strategy focused on conservative grassroots turn-out in towns like Galeton.
-- ABC News' Will McDuffie
Officials track threats of political violence -- and of 'second Civil War'
Security and intelligence agencies are boosting their efforts to monitor online threats of political violence -- which some experts say have been exacerbated by election denialism -- as November's midterm races rapidly approach.
"We're seeing these conspiracy theories and other narratives being promoted online by extremist groups and conspiracy theory organizations like QAnon. On the other hand, we're seeing mainstream public figures in government in politics, even in the media, mimic and amplify these fringe narratives, these conspiracy theories. And that's very powerful in the sense that it tells people that these ideas aren't that wacky," John Cohen, a former Department of Homeland Security intelligence official, told ABC News.
As intelligence officials see election conspiracy theories rapidly become part of the cultural mainstream, agencies are spending more time trying to combat the misinformation before it leads to violence.
Chris Rodriguez, the director of the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency, which helps track threats and inform law enforcement officials, told ABC News that the danger from right-wing extremists has grown.
"We've really seen an evolution of the threat. We're seeing a lot more threats toward local elected officials, for example, people in communities who actually run elections," Rodriguez said. "We've also seen calls for what is referred to as a quote 'second Civil War,' which is, again, very troubling and very concerning."
Now, Rodriguez's agency is doubling down on the coordination of information-sharing with partners.
"We've been communicating with authorities in Pennsylvania and Ohio and Arizona and Colorado to make sure, again, that we are we're doing the best that we can to keep our election officials, people who are administering elections and the public at large, safe and secure."
-- ABC News' Lalee Ibssa
California governor attacks Democrats' midterm messaging
California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom again criticized his party's midterm campaign strategy in an interview with MSNBC on Tuesday from Austin, Texas, blasting Democrats for what he called ineffective "messaging problem" that has persisted for years.
"We need to be more assertive to wake folks up," Newsom said.
"There's no doubt states are on the front lines of the rights battle. Period. Full stop. And the Supreme Court now has made that crystal clear … We allow these culture wars to take shape. And we consistently are on the back end of them."
The remarks follow a speech he made this weekend at the Texas Tribune Festival, where he said the Democrats are "getting crushed" by their GOP opponents due to their backseat campaign style while Republicans "dominate with illusion."
The one-term blue state governor has said he does not plan on running for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2024 despite increased national media appearances and political ventures, like his reelection campaign's rental of pro-abortion billboards in six states with near-total abortion bans.
On Wednesday, he said Democrats can turn it all around, "if we go on the offense."
"That's why I'm doing the billboards. That's why I'm doing these ads. That's why I'm doing these TV commercials in other states. Take it to them," he said. "People are losing their rights. We can't sit by but you've got to push back. We've got to hold them accountable. And yes, we prepare ourselves for the great reconciliation, and that's to come --- because we can't, for no other reason, we can't live like this."
–ABC News' Libby Cathey
Nevada Republicans see a midterm opportunity in the longtime swing state
Nevada, known for its consistently tight political races, is set to play an outsize role in this year's midterm politics given an array of what are expected to be margin-of-error contests for the Senate and more.
The Silver State has tilted narrowly but decisively toward Democrats in most election cycles since 2016 -- most recently handing the party its six Electoral College votes for president, the governor's mansion, both Senate seats and three out of four House districts.
But Republicans are mustering their political might to flip several of those offices in a year that is anticipated to favor the GOP.
Former state Attorney General Adam Laxalt, a Republican, is running to unseat first-term Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, while Clark County's Republican Sheriff Joe Lombardo is facing Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak.
Democratic Reps. Steve Horsford, Susie Lee and Dina Titus are all running to protect their Las Vegas-area House seats, and Democratic attorney Cisco Aguilar is running for secretary of state against Republican Jim Marchant, who has pushed baseless conspiracies about the 2020 presidential race.
Read more here.
–ABC News’ Tal Axelrod and Abby Cruz
New Trump-backed super PAC injects nearly $4 million in ad spending into key races
A new super PAC backed by former President is injecting money into key 2022 races, investing $4 million in a new round of ad spending in battleground states, according to new financial data.
The series of seven- to eight-figure ad placements from super PAC Make America Great Again Inc. on Wednesday in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Georgia and Nevada is a last-minute boost from Trump's team ahead of the . It follows months of criticism from Trump skeptics within the GOP that the former president is not spending enough to support 2022 GOP candidates, despite his massive fundraising power.
Wednesday's placements are the second round of ad spending by the new PAC, which was launched in late September and kicked off its first round of placements in the same Senate races earlier this month.
According to ad tracking firm Ad Impact, Make America Great Again Inc.'s biggest investment in the latest ad placement was a $1 million ad buy in the race between Democrat Tim Ryan and Trump-endorsed J.D. Vance in the Ohio Senate race, followed by $770,000 in spending on the rivalry between Democrat John Fetterman and Trump-endorsed Dr. Mehmet Oz in the Pennsylvania Senate race.
Read more here.
–ABC News’ Soo Rin Kim