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People arrive at a polling location during early voting in the midterm election, in Atlanta, Georgia, on October 13, 2026. Photo by Erik S. Lesser/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
November 1, 2026 • Millions of Americans have already cast their votes early ahead of Tuesday’s midterms. On this episode of The Sunday Story , NPR’s senior political correspondent Tamara Keith discusses the turbulent and unpredictable political landscape of this years’ midterm election. Rising costs and unpopular foreign policy decisions have some experts anticipating a blue wave. President Trump is predicting the opposite. But voters on both sides of the aisle share one commonality: they’re not happy. How will a dissatisfied electorate decide the future of America?
October 31, 2026 • Oil companies are reporting sky-high profits this quarter. Hackers stole $6.3 billion in cryptocurrency this week, in the largest digital heist ever. It’s been just over two years since the rise of Make America Healthy Again. Has the Trump administration made good on the MAHA agenda? Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
October 30, 2026 • President Trump is changing his final campaign strategy as Republicans try to close an early-voting gap and hold off Democratic gains in competitive races across the country.
October 29, 2026 • Ad spending in Kansas’ Senate race has jumped tenfold in weeks as Democrats pour money into Republican-heavy districts in the final days before the midterms.
October 28, 2026 • President Trump rallied for Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton in Texas, but his personal grievances kept competing with his party’s closing message ahead of the midterms.
October 27, 2026 • A new NPR/PBS News/Marist poll gives Democrats an eight-point lead on the congressional ballot, but lagging enthusiasm among young voters and independents could complicate their push to win Congress.
October 26, 2026 • Republicans redrew 15 House districts hoping to protect their majority, but most have become competitive races as the party’s redistricting strategy falls short of expectations.
Chuck Martens, 77, doing yard work in exchange for reduced rent Noelle Annonen for Nebraska Public Media hide caption
October 25, 2026 • The Midwest used to be known as an affordable place to live. Lately, though, many people there are having a hard time making ends meet. In this episode of The Sunday Story , Holly Edgell and Daniel Wheaton from NPR’s Midwest Newsroom bring us the voices of Midwesterners. We hear about how people in the region are struggling financially, and how the affordability crisis is impacting their votes in the midterms.
October 24, 2026 • AI discovered a vulnerability in part of the internet's architecture, called PHP2SHELL. Security researchers rushed to fix it, but the news leaked and hackers have swooped in. France deploys hordes of police as another wave of protests begin. Netflix is regrouping after the release of its latest quarterly earnings this week.
October 23, 2026 • The U.S. is sending a third aircraft carrier to the Middle East as oil prices climb and the prospect of another attack on Iran grows.
