NEW — President Trump will campaign in Florida and Iowa ahead of the midterms, in addition to Alaska and Texas, as Rs race to shore up races in deep red states. He’ll hit more battlegrounds starting Oct. 3 as well. more w/ @meganmesserly > politi.co/47jGmqM via @politico

NEW: There's been a lot of talk about GOP candidates "breaking" with President Trump. But "more often times than not, a candidate or an elected official will call the White House and ask how to do it," one person familiar with the WH's thinking told me. Candidates are trying to message what they need to for their voters — but don't want to land on the president's bad side. At the same time, “[Trump] understands the whole gambit. He gets the whole concept. He gets the environment,” the person said. Our latest on how the WH is trying to help vulnerable GOP candidates navigate messaging and considering policy moves they otherwise might not as the midterms close in. w/ @AlexGangitano and @MyahWard politico.com/news/2026/09/25…

WHAT THEY'RE SEEING IN BANGOR, MAINE -- *25 political ads* this morning between 5-7 am on WLBZ (NBC affiliate) Hannah Pingree campaign (positive on the economy) Troy Jackson campaign (positive on the economy) Congressional Leadership Fund (negative hitting Matt Dunlap on taxes and benefits for illegal immigrants) NRSC/Susan Collins campaign (60-second positive) WinSenate (contrast hitting Collins on the Epstein files/sex trafficking) Jackson campaign (positive on the economy) Senate Leadership Fund (negative hitting Jackson on taxpayer money going to his son’s lobbying client) Dunlap campaign (positive intro/bio and economy) Congressional Leadership Fund (negative hitting Dunlap on taxes and benefits for illegal immigrants) Senate Leadership Fund (negative hitting Jackson on taxpayer money going to his son’s lobbying client) NRSC/Collins campaign (negative hitting Jackson on Maine health insurance costs) Paul LePage campaign (positive on illegal immigration/speaks in French) Senate Leadership Fund (negative hitting Jackson on taxes) Senate Leadership Fund (negative hitting Jackson on taxes) NRSC/Collins campaign (negative hitting Jackson on Maine health insurance costs) WinSenate (contrast hitting Collins on the Epstein files/sex trafficking) Jackson campaign (contrast hitting Collins on voting with Trump 96% of the time) Senate Leadership Fund (negative hitting Jackson on taxpayer money going to his son’s lobbying client) LePage campaign (positive on illegal immigration/speaks in French) Jackson campaign (contrast hitting Collins on voting with Trump 96% of the time) WinSenate (negative hitting Collins for voting with Trump 96% of the time) Dunlap campaign (positive intro/bio and economy) House Majority PAC (negative hitting LePage on taxes, higher costs and support for war in Iran) NRSC/Collins campaign (60-second positive) WinSenate (contrast hitting Collins on the Epstein files/sex trafficking)

Sen. Ruben Gallego says Dems should invest in Iowa, Texas, Kansas, Mississippi, South Carolina. Other Dems are wary of playing too widely with tight races in must-hold seats. Inside Dems’ debate over where to spend — Senate and House — as they get outspent on ads. w/@jsscppr @andrewjfhoward @politico politico.com/news/2026/09/24…

NEW:@iamjmsn artist behind 'Love Me' in Trump's new ad told @politico he didn't authorize the White House to use his song. "I am looking for a lawyer now in order to see what our options are and how to proceed," he said.

Despite the court order overnight, CNN, MS NOW and Politico reporters are still being blocked from entering the White House grounds today. Yet for Xi’s visit, members of the Chinese state media are present.

New w/ @lisakashinsky, @andrewjfhoward: Dems’ dilemma as they see momentum, but are outspent by the GOP: should they shore up districts that are traditionally competitive, or go harder on offense in deep red territory? politico.com/news/2026/09/24…

NEW: On the Democratic $$$ situation, as GOP crushes them on airwaves. “In a cycle where Republicans have a historic amount of money to throw around, we know we’re going to lose races that we could have won had we funded them better.” w/ @lisakashinsky + @jsscppr politico.com/news/2026/09/24…

NEW: Dems want more cash. But they’re torn over where to spend what they have. Some Dems want to push deep into red turf (TX, KS, etc). Others want to shore up core House/Senate races (MI, NH, etc). Red states are “in play like they’ve never been before” said one Dem senator. But going after “the shiny object” can be “dangerous.” Comes as GOP’s swamping Dems on airwaves. w/@andrewjfhoward @jsscppr @politico politico.com/news/2026/09/24…

BREAKING: Despite the court's order, a POLITICO reporter was barred from entering the White House this morning and had his credentials seized. The court order was clear about its immediate effect and applied to all WH / USSS officials. politico.com/news/2026/09/24…

NRSC Chair Tim Scott leaves Georgia, North Carolina off his list of top Senate targets dlvr.it/TVcgbB

Operative at center of ProPublica report is still a top outside money man for Susan Collins bangordailynews.com/2026/09/… via @bangordailynews

Another look at ECU's questionable fundraising practices. Questions from @LACaldwellDC abt Maine was followed by $1M IE spending pledge in Maine. But last spring, ECU told @jsscppr & me they were moving away from IEs as explanation for their dramatic drop off. politico.com/news/2026/05/02…

Susan Collins calls ProPublica story “outrageous” and “completely false”: “The Biden Justice Department concluded that, as did the current Justice Department” She also blamed Schumer: “There was a very similar story involving the same person while he was awaiting sentencing six years ago, and it's very frustrating and unfair to have it brought up this close to the election.”

With six weeks to go, the midterm map "is hilariously big," warned one GOP pollster. An example: We overheard a senior member of Kansas’ Republican party complaining about their state’s tighter-than-expected Senate race on a shuttle at last week's GOP convention in Dallas. More here w/ @meredithllee @erinpdoherty + @jsscppr. politico.com/news/2026/09/22…

Trump’s joint presser with Mamdani was not originally planned, source familiar tells Playbook Mamdani asked Trump on the spot if he would join him and called on the three news outlets Trump had banned from White House: