# Final Days Of Midterm Campaigning, Alaska Senate Race Controversy, Iran War Plans - **Show:** Up First from NPR - **Published:** 30 Oct 2026 - **Source:** https://www.npr.org/2026/10/30/nx-s1-6023035/final-days-of-midterm-campaigning-alaska-senate-race-controversy-iran-war-plans - **Transcript:** https://podcasts.opennash.com/shows/up-first/final-days-of-midterm-campaigning-alaska-senate-race-controversy-iran-war-plans-d57651/ - **Provider:** OpenNash Podcasts (machine-generated) ## In brief Four days before the 2026 midterms, the news is dominated by last-minute moves and controversy. President Trump swaps in-person rallies for phone rallies as Democrats gain in Senate races. An Alaska race is rocked by claims that Democrats helped put a same-name "spoiler" candidate on the ballot. And the Pentagon is reportedly preparing new strikes on Iran, likely after the election. The tension running through the episode is between confidence and signs of trouble. Trump says he is not worried, yet his schedule change, polls and shifting forecasts suggest otherwise. In Alaska, the conduct may be unethical but apparently not illegal. On Iran, officials say little publicly while carriers, diplomats and allies move into position, so a major escalation looks likelier once voting is over. ## Key insights 1. **Trump swapped two rallies for nineteen phone rallies** He canceled in-person events in Iowa and Kansas, both with tough Senate races, and will host nineteen tele-rallies that weekend. Sage Miller calls it more reach for the effort, but it also hints at pressure on Republicans. 2. **Early voting favors Democrats, election day favors Republicans** Early voting shows Republican turnout lagging behind Democrats, but Republicans are more likely to vote on election day itself. That makes the final result hard to read until late. 3. **Alaska's same-name candidate may be unethical, not illegal** An election lawyer says the conduct described is morally wrong, but a candidate's motives for running do not matter under Alaska law. Peltola denies knowing about the effort, and NPR has not verified the Times report. 4. **Hegseth's firings have reached the Pentagon's planning chief** Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia, who handled strategy, planning and policy, was pushed out amid a leak investigation. He is one of more than two dozen generals or admirals Hegseth has removed since taking over. 5. **A third carrier signals a rare Iran buildup** Two carriers are already in the Arabian Sea and the USS Theodore Roosevelt is on its way. Three carriers in the region has not happened for any length of time since 2003, the year of the Iraq invasion. ## Questions this episode answers ### Why did Trump cancel his rallies in Iowa and Kansas? Trump told reporters he isn't worried. NPR's Sage Miller says he is instead hosting nineteen phone-based tele-rallies, which may reach more people than two in-person events. Polls and forecasts suggest Republicans face real pressure. ### What is the Alaska "spoiler candidate" controversy about? The New York Times reported that Democrats helped recruit a retired teacher named Dan Sullivan, the same name as the Republican senator, to run. The idea is that he could confuse voters. Mary Peltola says she knew nothing about it, and NPR has not verified the report. ### Is what happened in Alaska illegal? Election lawyers told Alaska Public Media's Liz Ruskin they could not name a law that applies. Scott Kendall called it dirty but not illegal, noting Alaska law doesn't consider a candidate's motives. Trump says Peltola should be charged, and the state is being asked to investigate. ### Is the U.S. about to attack Iran again? NPR's reporting says a possible attack would come after the midterms. Senator Chris Murphy, who was briefed, called the plan "insane" and warned of devastating escalation. U.S. forces are also building up in the region. ### Why does it matter that there will be three U.S. aircraft carriers in the Middle East? Greg Myre says having two is unusual and having three is extremely rare. According to U.S. Central Command, the last time was 2003, the year the U.S. invaded Iraq. ## Facts - **Sage Miller** [0:03:04]: "Trump is opting to host nineteen tele-rallies, perhaps more bang for his buck rather than fitting in two in-person rallies over the weekend." - **Steve Inskeep** [0:00:14]: "The New York Times reported Democrats in Alaska recruited a spoiler candidate with the same name as the incumbent Republican senator." - **Liz Ruskin** [0:06:12]: "a third candidate in the race, a retired teacher named Dan Sullivan, same first and last name as the senator." - **Liz Ruskin** [0:06:48]: "The Times quotes a fired Peltola campaign manager alleging Peltola was aware of the recruitment" - **Liz Ruskin** [0:07:08]: "He's, uh, got the Justice Department suing to block certification of the election if Senator Sullivan, uh, narrowly loses." - **Liz Ruskin** [0:07:42]: "Meanwhile, Governor Mike Dunleavy has asked the state to investigate if laws were broken." - **Interviewee** [0:08:00]: "any other candidates on the ballot except for me and the incumbent. That is all I have ever known about. I am not interested in tricking voters." - **Liz Ruskin** [0:08:35]: "He says a candidate's motives for running do not matter under Alaska law." - **Liz Ruskin** [0:09:12]: "And on the ballot, the two Sullivan's are listed differently. One is Dan S. Republican incumbent, and the other is Daniel J. Sullivan Jr." - **Greg Myre** [0:10:00]: "he's Army Lieutenant General Brett Sylvia. Now, he was part of the Joint Chiefs of Staff where he was in charge of strategy, planning, and policy." - **Greg Myre** [0:10:34]: "He's fired more than two dozen generals or admirals since taking over last year." - **Chris Murphy** [0:11:05]: "Their plan is insane. It will lead to devastating escalation and the likely destruction of our commitment to the rule of law." - **Greg Myre** [0:11:44]: "the U. S. already has two aircraft carriers in the Arabian Sea, and a third one, the U S S. Theodore Roosevelt, is on the way." - **Greg Myre** [0:11:44]: "the last time the U. S. had three aircraft carriers stationed in the Middle East for any length of time was 2003" - **Greg Myre** [0:12:30]: "Iran's been very clear about this. It says that if attacked, it will target U. S. military bases and oil and gas facilities in Arab states." - **Greg Myre** [0:12:30]: "Iran has certainly been weakened. Its military and economy have both taken major blows, and the U. S. continues to block Iran's export of oil, and we know inflation in Iran is around 90%." - **Greg Myre** [0:13:01]: "it's not clear what it would take for Iran to make concessions on key issues, namely its nuclear program and control over the Strait of Hormuz." ## Transcript **[0:00:02] Steve Inskeep:** Four days before election day, President Trump is changing his campaign plans. **[0:00:06] A Martínez:** He canceled rallies in Iowa and Kansas and is doing nineteen tele-rallies instead. What does the last minute shift signal for Republicans? **[0:00:14] Steve Inskeep:** I'm Steve Inskeep with a Martinez, and this is Up First from NPR News. The New York Times reported Democrats in Alaska recruited a spoiler candidate with the same name as the incumbent Republican senator. An election lawyer says if that's true, it sounds unethical, though not illegal. **[0:00:33] A Martínez:** And a senator briefed on possible new strikes on Iran is calling the military plan quote insane. American forces are building up in the Middle East. What kind of attack is being considered? Stay with us, we've got news you need to start your day. **[0:00:54] Ad read:** This week on the NPR Politics podcast, a massive blue wave, a history-making realignment in American politics. What will Democrats do with their power, both in Washington and in states around the country? Listen as we unpack what a new political era could look like this week on the NPR Politics podcast. **[0:01:17] Mike Danforth:** Hey, it's Mike Danforth, executive producer of Wait Wait Don't Tell Me. Here's a great way to get the perks of being an NPR producer without doing any of the work. Join NPR Plus. With NPR Plus, you get extended interviews, inside looks at your favorite shows, and more, all while supporting NPR and never having to pull an all-nighter. Or if you work on one of the news shows, an all-morninger. Sign up at plus dot npr dot org. **[0:01:53] Mike Danforth:** Hi, it's Terry Gross, host of Fresh Air. I interviewed John Turturro and he was great, talking about learning to be a pickpocket for his new movie and how growing up in a volatile home helped him as an actor. **[0:02:00] A Martínez:** My brother said to me once, I've given you a lot of material. And I said, You know, you're really right, you're right. I said, but at a high cost. **[0:02:02] Terry Gross:** Find it on the NPR app or wherever you listen to Fresh Air. **[0:02:06] A Martínez:** Down the stretch, the candidates come. It's the final sprint before election day, which, if you're counting, is four days away. **[0:02:13] Steve Inskeep:** I was counting. Candidates and their surrogates are delivering their final speeches and, in some cases, making final adjustments. President Trump has been traveling to campaign for Republicans in trouble, but abruptly shifted to a larger number of virtual rallies. **[0:02:28] A Martínez:** NPR Politics reporter Sage Miller joins us now. Sage, I mean, up until now, the president has had a whirlwind stretch of appearances. **[0:02:35] Sage Miller:** You know, President Trump is really trying to get out the vote. He's been on what feels like an American tour. He's headlined more than twenty rallies this month, and those have pretty much been in Republican states. And that caveat is that a lot of these states have competitive races in them. For example, he was just in Ohio, where a hotly contested Senate race is going down. Today, he will be in Florida, where some election analysts project the Senate race to now be within striking distance for Democrats. **[0:03:04] Sage Miller:** He has canceled his in-person rallies in Iowa and Kansas this weekend, though both once again have tough Senate races. Instead of traveling to those states, Trump is opting to host nineteen tele-rallies, perhaps more bang for his buck rather than fitting in two in-person rallies over the weekend. **[0:03:22] A Martínez:** All right, so the fact that Trump is changing tactics at the last minute, I mean, does that mean Republicans are in trouble? **[0:03:28] Sage Miller:** I mean, Trump told reporters that he isn't worried. That's part of the reason he says he canceled his trip to Kansas and Iowa. But polling does tell a different story. They show Democrats with a pretty sizable advantage, at least in the House. You know, Democrats are optimistic, just like the president has been showing up in a big way. High-profile Democrats are turning out to support their fellow Democrats. Obama was just in Ohio and Georgia. He told the crowd that Trump is missing the mark, the moment and focusing on the wrong things. **[0:04:02] Sage Miller:** Democrats are all trying to convince voters that life would be better and easier if they had control of Congress. They're really trying to amplify that Americans are unhappy with the cost of living at the top of their mind, according to a recent NPR PBS NewsMaris poll. And the midterms, as we've said, like a thousand times before, are usually a referendum of the party in power. But of course, the blue wave could have its limits. **[0:04:28] A Martínez:** So on those limits, what are they? **[0:04:30] Sage Miller:** I don't think it's a secret to either party that the Senate majority is definitely a toss-up right now, but races seem to keep moving towards the left. Most recently, Fox News just shifted the South Carolina Senate race to a toss-up. Once again, a that is a Republican stronghold, and we've seen Democratic candidates in Texas and Ohio, like I mentioned, continue to gain momentum in polling and in forecasting. That's why Trump is really trying to get Republicans to the polls, rally them up. **[0:05:00] Sage Miller:** He knows he specifically is a motivating force within his party, and he's been telling Republicans to go out and vote like he is on the ballot. It's hard to tell if that is going to work, though, because Trump is also a motivating force for Democrats, and that could backfire, especially because early voting shows Republican turnout lagging behind Democrats. However, Republicans are more keen to show up on election day proper. So, hey, welcome to the waiting game. **[0:05:29] A Martínez:** As always, NPR politics reporter Sage Miller. Sage, thanks a lot. **[0:05:33] Sage Miller:** Thank you. **[0:05:43] A Martínez:** Democrats in Alaska face questions about how far they went to win a U. S. Senate race. **[0:05:48] Steve Inskeep:** Reporting by our friends at the New York Times alleged that Democrats were involved in recruiting a spoiler candidate to go on the ballot. Democrat Mary Peltola is running to unseat Republican Senator Dan Sullivan in a ranked choice election. **[0:06:02] A Martínez:** Liz Ruskin with Alaska Public Media has been following all of this, and she joins us now from Anchorage. Liz, let's start with the allegations in the New York Times. Uh, what are those allegations? **[0:06:12] Liz Ruskin:** Well, NPR has not verified the reporting by the Times, but it concerns a third candidate in the race, a retired teacher named Dan Sullivan, same first and last name as the senator. When he filed to run back in May, Republicans called it a dirty trick. They said he wanted to confuse voters into selecting the wrong Sullivan. Peltola and National Democratic groups denied they had anything to do with this candidate. And then the Times report comes out saying there was an elaborate recruitment scheme to get another Dan Sullivan on the ballot. **[0:06:48] Liz Ruskin:** The Times quotes a fired Peltola campaign manager alleging Peltola was aware of the recruitment, and the Times says the former aide had texts to back up her claim that Peltola's team was involved in it. **[0:07:04] A Martínez:** Wow, all right. So how are Republicans responding to all this? **[0:07:08] Liz Ruskin:** President Trump says Peltola should be charged with a crime. He's, uh, got the Justice Department suing to block certification of the election if Senator Sullivan, uh, narrowly loses. Large excerpts from the Times story are now part of the lawsuit. Peltola's campaign and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee filed a motion in that case last night saying that only Daniel J. Sullivan knows why he decided to run and that the DOJ is trying to interfere in the election. **[0:07:42] Liz Ruskin:** Meanwhile, Governor Mike Dunleavy has asked the state to investigate if laws were broken. **[0:07:49] A Martínez:** What about Peltola? What, uh, has she said, uh, at all about this? **[0:07:53] Liz Ruskin:** Well, last night she gave a speech at a bar in Juneau, Alaska's capital. I knew nothing about **[0:08:00] Interviewee:** any other candidates on the ballot except for me and the incumbent. That is all I have ever known about. I am not interested in tricking voters. **[0:08:12] A Martínez:** All right, so are there any laws that, uh, would apply here? **[0:08:16] Liz Ruskin:** I've been talking to attorneys with expertise in election law, and they haven't been able to name any. Uh, Scott Kendall, for one, says the conduct described in the Times story crosses moral and ethical lines. **[0:08:30] A Martínez:** I look at those facts, I'm like, it's it's dirty, nasty business, but it's not illegal. **[0:08:35] Liz Ruskin:** He says a candidate's motives for running do not matter under Alaska law. **[0:08:40] A Martínez:** What have voters had to say about this? **[0:08:42] Liz Ruskin:** I have heard from a lot of Peltola supporters who say they're really disheartened by the New York Times report, but still voting for her. Here's nonpartisan voter Adam Lees from Anchorage. **[0:08:56] Interviewee:** It's obviously like not the best look. It does give, I think, as some of the kids would describe it, icky vibes. But at the same time, I think voters are intelligent and can figure out which Dan Sullivan is their person. **[0:09:12] Liz Ruskin:** And on the ballot, the two Sullivan's are listed differently. One is Dan S. Republican incumbent, and the other is Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. **[0:09:22] A Martínez:** All right, that's Alaska Public Media's Liz Ruskin in Anchorage. Uh, Liz, thanks a lot. **[0:09:27] Liz Ruskin:** Thank you. **[0:09:36] A Martínez:** Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has pushed out an army general who oversees planning at the Pentagon. **[0:09:42] Steve Inskeep:** The general lost that job just as the U. S. and Israel were preparing for a possible new round of attacks against Iran. NPR's reporting finds the possible attack would come after the midterm elections. **[0:09:54] A Martínez:** We're joined now by NPR National Security correspondent Greg Myre. Greg, tell us about, uh, this general. **[0:10:00] Greg Myre:** he's Army Lieutenant General Brett Sylvia. Now, he was part of the Joint Chiefs of Staff where he was in charge of strategy, planning, and policy. And A, we should stress, this is a very senior position, but his role was long-term planning, not day-to-day planning for the Iran war. Now, the Pentagon says it's carrying out a leak investigation, but it hasn't provided details. Still, Sylvia's dismissal should be seen against the backdrop of these widespread ousters that have taken place under Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon. **[0:10:34] Greg Myre:** He's fired more than two dozen generals or admirals since taking over last year. In many cases, no reason has been given for these firings, and these dismissals have created disruptions at senior levels of the military. **[0:10:47] A Martínez:** Okay, anything new on those, uh, U. S. plans, uh, for a renewed attack on Iran? **[0:10:52] Liz Ruskin:** Well, Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut, spoke yesterday at the Middle East Institute in Washington. He said he was among lawmakers **[0:11:00] Greg Myre:** Recently briefed on possible military plans. Here's how he described it. **[0:11:05] Chris Murphy:** I will just say this. Their plan is insane. It will lead to devastating escalation and the likely destruction of our commitment to the rule of law. **[0:11:20] Liz Ruskin:** Now, Murphy declined to offer details beyond noting there's been public talk about the possibility of striking civilian infrastructure in Iran. His comments and remarks by other people inside and outside the administration have created this strong sense that major military action could be on the horizon after the midterms. **[0:11:40] A Martínez:** Okay, so so far, just talk. Anything tangible, though, on that in the region? **[0:11:44] Greg Myre:** Well, the U. S. already has two aircraft carriers in the Arabian Sea, and a third one, the U S S. Theodore Roosevelt, is on the way. It's unusual for the U. S. to have two aircraft carriers in the same region, extremely rare to have three. According to U. S. Central Command, the last time the U. S. had three aircraft carriers stationed in the Middle East for any length of time was 2003, and that was the year the U. **[0:12:09] Greg Myre:** S. invaded Iraq. Also, the U. S. has drawn down diplomats in a number of embassies. U. S. allies are carrying out training exercises, and the public discussion among U. S. partners from Israel to the Arab Gulf states is that fighting is likely to resume. **[0:12:26] A Martínez:** Are there any clues about what Iran might do to respond? **[0:12:30] Greg Myre:** Yeah, Iran's been very clear about this. It says that if attacked, it will target U. S. military bases and oil and gas facilities in Arab states. And we know Iran has already inflicted a good deal of damage in months prior, and it has some capacity left, uh, but we don't know exactly how much. Iran has certainly been weakened. Its military and economy have both taken major blows, and the U. S. continues to block Iran's export of oil, and we know inflation in Iran is around 90%. **[0:13:01] Greg Myre:** But it's not clear what it would take for Iran to make concessions on key issues, namely its nuclear program and control over the Strait of Hormuz. **[0:13:11] A Martínez:** All right, that's NPR's Greg Myre. Greg, thanks. **[0:13:13] Greg Myre:** Sure thing, eh? **[0:13:19] A Martínez:** And that's up first for Friday, October 30th. I'm A Martínez. **[0:13:22] Steve Inskeep:** And I'm Steve Inskeep. Today's Up First was edited by Megan Pratz, Miguel Macias, Andrew Sussman, Mohamad ElBardicy, and Alice Woelfle. It was produced by Iman Maani and Nia Dumas. Our director is Christopher Thomas, although it's hard to recognize him in his spectacular Halloween costume. Today, we get engineering support from Carleigh Strange. Our technical director is Ariel Lopez, and our executive producer is Jay Shaylor. Join us Monday. **[0:13:45] Ad read:** Hm. Hm. All the silly things that animals do when we aren't looking, or when they think we're not looking, we can watch on the live cams. Ideas about understanding wild animals without getting in their way. That's on the TED Radio Hour podcast. Listen on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts. **[0:14:28] Terry Gross:** This is Terry Gross. Listen to Fresh Air for thoughtful questions, like when I asked Steven Spielberg about porn titles. When John Waters was on our show, he said his favorite was shaving Ryan's privates. Did did you know about this? **[0:14:42] A Martínez:** Uh, no. Not until this very moment. **[0:14:47] Terry Gross:** Listen on the NPR app or wherever you get podcasts.