Reuters US Domestic News Summary

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Factbox-The races that will decide control of the US Senate

Democrats need a net gain of at least four seats in November's midterm elections to wrest control of the US Senate from Republicans, with voter discontent over President Donald Trump, the Iran war and rising prices putting races in once-solidly Republican states into play. Republicans hold a 53-47 majority, and a Democratic takeover looked unlikely at the start of the year. But Democrats are now competitive in states Trump ​won handily in 2024, even as Republicans seek to capture Democratic-held seats of their own.

Judge blocks Trump administration from pressuring states over noncitizen voting

A US judge on Monday temporarily barred the Trump administration from moving ahead with a plan it says would prevent noncitizen voting, but that critics say risks disenfranchising eligible voters and infringing on ​states' authority over elections. US District Judge Tanya Chutkan barred the Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security from sending states lists of registered voters the administration says may not be citizens, and from asking state election officials to ‌separate out those voters' ballots or ​not count them until citizenship is proven.

Investigators say Learjet may have broken up before crashing in Florida

The National Transportation Safety Board said on Monday a Learjet 60 that crashed on Sunday in a residential area in Palm Beach County, Florida, killing all nine people on board, may have broken up before hitting the ground at high speed. The private Bombardier-made jet had taken off from Austin, Texas, and was headed to the Bahamas. Heavy rainfall and thunderstorms were occurring in the area where it went down.

How US news organizations will make midterm race calls

On Tuesday night, newsrooms across the US will call winners in one of the country's most closely contested midterm election cycles in recent years, long before all the votes are counted. Most television networks and digital outlets rely on two providers for vote counts: the Associated Press or election-data firm Decision Desk HQ.

US manufacturing strengthens in October, input prices stay high

US manufacturing activity picked up in October amid strong domestic demand, keeping inflation at the factory gate elevated.

Despite the unexpected improvement reported by the Institute for Supply Management on Monday, sentiment among manufacturers remained overwhelmingly downbeat, with ‌some complaining that "economic policies coming out of Washington continue to weigh on business conditions," and others saying the situation was "making it impossible to make sound long-term decisions."

Lindsay Clancy's lawyers push for Massachusetts murder case dismissal

Lindsay Clancy's lawyers urged a judge on Monday to dismiss murder charges against her and expressed frustration that prosecutors have yet to make clear their plans to retry her for killing her three young children at her Massachusetts home in 2023. Judge William Sullivan had asked the prosecution and defense to be prepared at the hearing in Plymouth, Massachusetts, to discuss a date for a potential retrial for Clancy after the judge declared a mistrial on September 4 due to a deadlocked jury in the initial trial.

What you need to know about the 2026 US midterm elections

Early voting has been underway for weeks ahead of the November 3, 2026, midterm elections, when US voters will elect members of the House of Representatives and Senate and governors in states across the country. Held in the middle of each four-year presidential term, the midterms by definition do not involve the president. But for anyone who thinks they lack drama or importance this year, consider these two statistics:

Betting on US midterms brings rush, stress as serious money goes on the line

When polls close in the US midterm elections on Tuesday night, Noah Poser will be glued to his phone tracking dozens of large wagers he placed on prediction markets. Poser, 28, who works in financial technology and has written about betting strategies in such markets, plans to track every change in the vote count from a ‌friend's watch party in New York City.

US judge orders Trump admin to stop demands California remove suspected noncitizen voters

A US judge ordered the Trump administration on Monday to stop demanding that California election officials segregate ballots cast by people on its lists of suspected noncitizens. The ruling by US District Judge James Boasberg comes a day before the November 3 midterm elections, with President Donald Trump's fellow Republicans battling to maintain majorities in both houses of congress.

US Supreme Court rejects Trump, lets California count all ballots

Acting on the eve of the US midterm elections, the Supreme Court quickly rejected on Monday a bid by President Donald Trump's administration to temporarily block California from counting mail-in ballots from more than 20,000 registered ‌voters who federal officials allege are likely non-US citizens. The justices denied the Justice Department's emergency request just hours after it filed it, shutting down the administration's claims over disputed ballots that could have affected thousands of voters and injected uncertainty into election outcomes.

Factbox-Nine things on US voters' minds ahead of midterm elections, according to Reuters/Ipsos poll

The rising cost of living will be top of mind for Americans as they head to the polls in Tuesday's midterm elections which will determine control of Congress for the last two years of President Donald Trump's term. What follows are results from a Reuters/Ipsos poll of 1,765 US adults conducted nationwide Thursday through Monday — making the survey distinct from an exit poll which includes voters surveyed as they leave polling stations. The poll had a margin of error of 3 percentage points for registered voters.

Trump brushes aside tough midterm prospects with visit to Reflecting Pool

Facing elections that could cost his party control of Congress, President Donald Trump spent his last major speech before the midterms talking about pipes and paint on Monday. Trump ruminated on his Washington renovations, new sod, the White House's helipad, a grand new arch and the recently reopened Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool during a 54-minute speech that the White House billed as part of the president's closing argument before voters cast their ballots.

US voters in a sour economic mood heading into midterm elections

On the eve of elections that will decide whether President Donald Trump's Republican Party keeps control of Congress, voters' minds are on the economy, with high and rising prices a key issue and many blaming his policies, specifically tariffs and the Iran war, for the nagging inflation. In short, Americans are in a sour mood.

Judge dismisses case against ex-FBI officials, says DOJ rushed charges before midterms

A federal judge on Monday tossed out a criminal case accusing two former senior FBI officials of lying about their involvement in an investigation of ⁠former President Joe Biden’s son Hunter, excoriating the Justice ​Department for bringing what he said was a political prosecution before Tuesday's midterm elections. US Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui threw out the case at a remarkably early stage, finding that prosecutors had not shown sufficient evidence ⁠that the two officials, Nikki Floris and Bradley Benavides, both former high-ranking FBI counterintelligence officials, had knowingly made false statements.

Betting on US midterms brings rush, stress as serious money goes on the line

When polls close in the US midterm elections on Tuesday night, Noah Poser will be glued to his phone tracking dozens of large wagers he placed on prediction markets. Poser, 28, who works in financial technology and has written about betting strategies in such markets, plans to track every change in the vote count from a friend's watch party in New York City.

The mid-term races Wall Street and other financial firms are watching

Wall Street and financial market players are watching this year's US midterm elections for more than which party controls Congress. A handful of unusually competitive races could determine the fortunes of some of the financial industry's biggest political allies and adversaries, and help shape policy on cryptocurrency, credit cards, financial regulation and the artificial-intelligence investment boom.

US ⁠judge dismisses Trump administration's Harvard admissions probe case

A federal judge dismissed on Monday a lawsuit by President Donald Trump's administration seeking to force Harvard University to turn over records for an investigation into whether it continues to consider race in its student admissions process. US District Judge Myong Joun in Boston rejected the US Department of Justice's lawsuit, which Harvard contends was filed as part of a broader campaign by the Republican president's administration against the Ivy League school.

What's next in the Lindsay Clancy murder case?

Prosecutors are considering whether to retry Lindsay Clancy on first-degree murder charges for killing her three young children at her Massachusetts home in 2023, after an initial trial ended in a mistrial in September due to a deadlocked jury.

Here is a look at what's next for Clancy, whose televised trial has sparked debate over postpartum mental health treatment in the US and ​how the country’s legal system treats cases where mothers kill their children.

Trump Justice Dept breaks with tradition to intervene in midterms

President Donald Trump’s Justice Department has shown a willingness to intervene directly in Tuesday's midterm elections, breaking with decades of practice meant to avoid the appearance that its law enforcement powers are being used to benefit a political party or candidate. In California, the Justice Department sought to set aside mail-in ballots from about 20,000 voters it alleges are likely non-US citizens ineligible to vote.

Exclusive-US intelligence sharing has fractured under Trump, officials say

US intelligence sharing on Iran and other global threats with Congress and across the federal government has slowed and, in some cases, temporarily ⁠stopped during President Donald Trump's second term, according to eight current and former officials and people briefed on the matter. Former officials and outside experts said the disruptions risk leaving policymakers with an incomplete picture of threats facing the country, echoing intelligence failures exposed after the Sept. 11, 2001, al Qaeda attacks. The slowdown comes as the administration weighs whether to resume strikes on Iran after the midterm elections on Tuesday.

US senator wants 'full accounting' of Air Force One White House flyover

US Senator Tammy Duckworth, the top Democrat on a subcommittee that oversees aviation regulation, asked government agencies on Monday for a full accounting of why they allowed a White House flyover last week by the presidential airplane in what she said was a "dangerous stunt." The flyover, part of a children's Halloween party attended by President Donald Trump on Thursday, forced a temporary halt to traffic at Reagan Washington National Airport that delayed flights, while city lawmakers voiced concerns that residents, officials and the airport received only 15 minutes' notice.

Automakers back Trump ⁠administration's rollback ​of US fuel economy rules

A group representing General Motors, Toyota, Volkswagen and other major automakers on Monday backed the Trump administration in a legal challenge to its sharply lower vehicle fuel economy standards filed by California and other states. Last month, the US Transportation Department said it was finalizing a fleet-wide fuel economy average of 34.9 miles per gallon (14.7 km per liter) by 2031, down from 50.4 miles per gallon (21.4 km per liter) that had been approved under then-President Joe Biden in 2024.

Major automakers urge US Congress to pass permanent ban on Chinese vehicles

A group representing nearly all major automakers on Monday urged US lawmakers to pass a permanent ban on Chinese vehicles when they return next week for a quick session after the midterm congressional elections. In September, the Senate sponsors of the bipartisan effort to ban Chinese vehicles agreed to delay an effort to fast-track the bill until November despite overwhelming support.

Pennsylvania measles cases rise to 1,433, state health department says

The number of measles cases in Pennsylvania reached 1,433 as of Monday, up seven cases from the previous update, as the state battles its worst outbreak of the disease in years. Here are more details:

Accused arsonist in Los Angeles' deadly Palisades fire returns for federal retrial

Jury selection began on Monday for a retrial of the man prosecutors say deliberately set a blaze that grew into one of the deadliest, most destructive wildfires in Los Angeles history, City News Service reported. Jonathan Rinderknecht, 30, in US District Court in downtown Los Angeles, is facing a scaled-down version of the charges leveled against ⁠him in an initial three-week trial that ended in a hung jury in late June.

Berkshire-owned utility's wildfire lawsuits head to Oregon Supreme Court

The Oregon Supreme Court will on Tuesday review a verdict that could expose Berkshire Hathaway's PacifiCorp utility to tens of billions of dollars of potential damages over its role in four Oregon wildfires in 2020. Oregon residents and business owners are seeking to reverse a decision by a mid-level state appeals court that wiped out $1.25 billion of awards against PacifiCorp because of an error in how jurors were instructed.

Trump approval near career low ahead of elections, Reuters/Ipsos poll finds

President Donald Trump's approval rating held near a career low as a broad swath of the US electorate saw their ⁠vote in Tuesday's congressional midterm elections as a way to oppose the Republican president, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll completed on Monday. The poll results underscore Republican vulnerabilities brought on by a surge in fuel prices since Trump launched a ⁠war on Iran in February. Voters in the nationwide poll said they preferred Democrats over Republicans — 46% to 38% — in what is known as a "generic ballot" question.

US Supreme Court to weigh Catholic preschools' challenge to LGBT protections

The US Supreme Court on Tuesday considers a challenge by Catholic groups to a Colorado law barring anti-LGBT discrimination at publicly funded preschools, as conservative religious interests seek to extend their winning streak before the justices. The court, whose 6-3 conservative majority has taken a broad view of religious liberty, will hear arguments over a bid by the Archdiocese of Denver and other Catholic entities for an exemption from a Colorado preschool funding program's nondiscrimination requirement. Republican President Donald Trump's administration is backing the Catholic groups.

Inside the US Postal Service sprint to deliver millions of ballots by Tuesday

From longer hours and extra staffing to special lines in its branches, the US Postal Service is taking an array of special actions to make sure mail-in ballots for the midterm elections are counted on Tuesday. This year more than ever, the pressure is on the Postal Service to deliver. President Donald Trump ordered the agency ‌to write rules that would bar it from delivering ballots if the states did not agree to turn over lists of eligible voters ‌and some voters have expressed concern about voting by mail. The Supreme Court blocked Trump and USPS from enforcing those rules in September.

New York state reports first measles-linked child death in over 30 years amid outbreak

The New York State Department of Health said on Monday that a child in Lewis County had died in connection with an ongoing measles outbreak, marking the state's first ​known measles-associated death in more than 30 years. Last month, Governor Kathy Hochul declared a State Disaster Emergency in response to the measles outbreak across areas of New York and neighboring states.