Obama, Trump Campaign on Economy Ahead of Midterms

With the November 3 midterms approaching, affordability and the economy remain central concerns; a Pennsylvania poll found about one-third of voters named the economy as the country’s biggest problem, while 45% said they were worse off than a year earlier. Former President Barack Obama and President Donald Trump campaigned for opposing candidates in battleground states, with Obama criticizing Trump’s economic record, tariffs and handling of the Iran war, and Trump defending his policies and predicting a Republican victory. Their rallies included personal jabs, including Obama’s comparison of Trump’s White House renovations to a “Saddam Hussein” Cheesecake Factory, while the larger contest centers on control of Congress and the final two years of Trump’s presidency. Republicans have also shifted campaign resources toward vulnerable incumbents, and Trump-aligned groups have considered a major spending push. The administration’s proposed $8 billion in farm aid may not reach farmers before the election and still requires funding. Separately, the administration’s lawsuits challenging California voter rolls have drawn criticism from those who say they target few voters and could lay groundwork for post-election legal challenges.