Congressional Democrats send scathing letter to ICE and DHS decrying treatment of hunger strikers

First Thing: Alaska Senate race descends into legal acrimony over second Dan Sullivan

<p>DoJ reportedly issues subpoenas after reports Democrat campaign sought candidate with same name as Republican incumbent. Plus, tributes pour in for beloved actor Patrick Stewart</p><p>Good morning. The US justice department is <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/29/alaska-senate-race-subpoenas">reported to have issued</a> subpoenas after a report that the Alaska Democrat Mary Peltola’s campaign collaborated with party operatives to get a challenger with the same name as the Republican senator Dan Sullivan on to the midterm ballot.</p><p>Ballot stacking is a political tactic used in elections to draw votes away from an opponent by “stacking” the ballot with other candidates. While it is not illegal, the US president and the justice department have filed a lawsuit pre-emptively to block the certification of the Senate election results if the incumbent senator loses. Ariana Baio <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/29/alaska-senate-race-ballot-stacking-allegation-explained">explains what is going on</a>.</p><p><strong>The Trump administration has <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/29/trump-administration-california-noncitizen-voting-investigation">opened a criminal investigation</a> in California over claims that thousands of noncitizens are registered to vote. </strong>Donald Trump has repeatedly alleged that California’s elections are “corrupt” and “rigged”. Some employees from the office of the Los Angeles county registrar-recorder received grand jury subpoenas, the office confirmed.</p><p><strong>Government corruption has <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/30/government-corruption-us-midterm-poll">emerged as a top issue</a> in the upcoming elections</strong>, with an overwhelming majority of Americans saying US government officials use their public office for personal financial gain, according to an exclusive Harris poll for the Guardian. Three-quarters of voters said they thought elected officials cared more about enriching themselves than improving the economy for ordinary people.</p><p><strong>Vivek Ramaswamy, the Republican nominee for Ohio governor, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/29/vivek-ramaswamy-attack-ad-ohio-governor-race-republican">confirmed his campaign pulled an attack ad</a> featuring Donna Arthur</strong>, the estranged mother of his Democratic opponent, Amy Acton. It followed severe public backlash rooted in the revelation that Arthur lost custody of Acton in 1978 after Arthur’s second husband was charged with repeatedly raping the then child.</p><p><strong>The Canadian rocker <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/29/bryan-adams-donald-trump-song">Bryan Adams has trolled Donald Trump</a></strong> with a new song criticising his attempt to rename Lake Ontario, and another track called 51st State about Trump’s efforts to annex Canada.</p><p><em><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2026/oct/29/can-israels-opposition-parties-work-with-palestinians-to-oust-netanyahu-explainer">This video explainer</a> gives an overview in three and a half minutes of whether Israel’s opposition parties can work with new Palestinian Knesset members to oust Netanyahu.</em></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/30/first-thing-alaska-senate-race-doj-subpoenas-lawsuit-second-dan-sullivan">Continue reading...</a>