Midterm race draws vast sums on both sides as Bloomberg gives $80m and Trump plans $400m
Billionaire Michael Bloomberg has put $80m into helping Democratic candidates in November's US midterm elections, while President Donald Trump says he intends to spend $400m for Republicans. Both parties are fighting for control of the House of Representatives.
Large amounts of money are flowing into the US midterm elections in November, which will decide the makeup of Congress. Billionaire and former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg gave $80m to Democratic candidates in September and October. US President Donald Trump has said he plans to spend $400m to support Republican candidates, of which $300m has already been disbursed.
Bloomberg's money is aimed mainly at Democrats trying to flip the US House of Representatives, the lower chamber of Congress. Democrats believe they are favored to win it back, though they have acknowledged trailing Republicans in fundraising. Republicans are also backed by the president's ally, businessman Elon Musk, who has so far spent $366m.
What may sway voters
Journalist Robert Tait has outlined six key issues that could influence how people vote: the economy, Iran, immigration, Trump's use of power, AI and datacenters, and the state of democracy and voting rights in the US.
Dispute over California voter rolls
The US Department of Justice is demanding an investigation into 20,000 people in California it suspects of being non-citizens. Los Angeles election officials said in court papers that the list includes a "high percentage" of people born in the US, raising further questions about its reliability.
Other developments
Some Republicans have criticized Trump's softer stance toward Russia, including an agreement to buy Russian diesel and a pause on sanctions. Don Bacon, a Nebraska congressman, called it "absolutely disgraceful". Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine is again receiving advance warnings of ballistic missile attacks.
