Trump doubles down in Texas

It’s Tuesday. We’re a week out from Election Day.  

Double dose of Trump in Texas

Double dose of Trump in Texas

Debate in the Hawkeye State

DOJ, California tussle over ballots 

East Potomac Park fight

Programming note: We’re Joshua Feldstein and Abigail Walker, filling in for Cate today. Please send us your tips, comments and story ideas to jfeldstein@thehill.com and awalker@thehill.com.

🌵 ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL 

Everything is bigger in Texas (even the number of Trump appearances): 

Mark Schiefelbein, Associated Press

President Trump is set to make not one, but two stops in Texas on Tuesday, scheduled to appear at 3 p.m. EDT in Corpus Christi and at 7 p.m. in Lubbock.

Trump’s two events in the Lone Star State in one day come exactly a week away from state Attorney General Ken Paxton’s (R) highly contested Senate match against Democratic state Rep. James Talarico.

The president is rallying for Paxton and Gov. Greg Abbott (R) in his reelection campaign against Democrat Gina Hinojosa.

Senate race continues to shift: Talarico or Paxton will succeed Sen. John Cornyn (R), who lost in the state’s GOP primary after Trump backed the state attorney general.

The Hill’s partner Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ) currently has the state listed as a “toss up,” with Talarico having 57 percent odds to win compared to Paxton’s 43 percent.

Nonpartisan election handicapper Cook Political Report  also has the race listed as a “toss up,” having shifted it from “lean Republican” at the end of August.

Talarico has attempted to debate Paxton, who has continuously ignored the offers, the Democrat told TMZ in an interview.

“Ken Paxton has refused to debate and that’s pretty low-T behavior in my book,” Talarico said last week, referring to Paxton’s “Low-T Talarico” insult on his masculinity in a campaign ad.

Trump has blamed the tightened Senate race on Cornyn and GOP strategist Karl Rove due to their lack of support for the Texas attorney general.

Texas House races tighten up: The Senate race won’t be the only interesting match-up to watch next Tuesday in Texas, as several House races have inched closer in polling numbers.

Texas’s 15th and 34th congressional districts border Corpus Christi, and Trump will look to get Republicans from those districts to the polls to help decide those races. 

The15th Congressional District — a tall, skinny strip that goes as far north as the San Antonio metro and as far south as the Mexico border — features a close race between Rep. Monica De La Cruz (R) and Democratic challenger Bobby Pulido.

Pulido currently has a 46 percent chance to win, compared to De La Cruz’s 54 percent odds, according to DDHQ, and has pushed the district to be listed as a “toss up.” 

The 34th Congressional District “leans Democrat,” according to DDHQ, which lists incumbent Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (D) as leading GOP challenger Eric Flores.

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SAND, LAHN MEET AGAIN:

Iowa has become one of the closest watched states in the weeks ahead of midterms for its highly contested races in the upper chamber and for governor.

State Auditor........

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