PBS News Hour - Politics

Over a million absentee ballots have already been cast in Wisconsin, where COVID-19 and a reeling tourism economy are major issues for voters. PBS Wisconsin political reporter Zac Schultz speaks with Hari Sreenivasan about the changing political landscape in this key swing state. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The Milwaukee suburb of Wauwatosa has become a key swing district for down-ballot races in Wisconsin. Democrats are fighting to maintain a 2018 victory there and parlay it into wins in other suburban districts, while local Republicans are appealing to suburban voters' concerns about public safety in the wake of the Kenosha, WI shooting and subsequent unrest. PBS Wisconsin's Zac Schultz reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In 2018, Missouri voters passed the "Clean Missouri" amendment, which took redistricting out of the hands of politically appointed commissioners and gave it to a single nonpartisan demographer. But this year Missouri's legislature added a new option on the ballot that would reverse that decision. For our "Roads to Election 2020" series, Zachary Green reports on what's at stake for MO in this election. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden faced tough questions in their final debate Thursday, but the face-off remained civil. On Friday, both candidates sought momentum for the closing sprint to Election Day. Trump rallied in the crucial state of Florida in an attempt to galvanize the senior vote, while Biden, in Delaware, focused on the pandemic. Amna Nawaz reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Early voting began in Florida this week. The state is perennially a battleground -- and its voter turnout could make all the difference. President Trump and Joe Biden are spending a combined $120 million on ads in the state and visiting multiple times as Election Day approaches. Yamiche Alcindor reports from South Florida with a look at key voting blocs and what issues are on residents' minds. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks join Judy Woodruff to discuss the week in politics, including Florida's complex electoral dynamics, how President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden performed in their final debate and the outlook for key competitive Senate races. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The presidential campaign spotlight is fixed Thursday night on a stage at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. President Trump and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden will confront each other in person for the first time in weeks during a 90-minute debate. Less than two weeks before Election Day, their final face-off of the contest comes with some new rules. Lisa Desjardins reports.

PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

On Wednesday night, the director of national intelligence, the director of the FBI and other top U.S. officials appeared at a news briefing to discuss foreign interference in the 2020 election. They pointed in particular to a campaign they allege Iran launched to sow confusion and mistrust. But some lawmakers fear the assessment itself may have political motivations. Nick Schifrin reports.

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In Georgia, nearly 2 million people -- more than a quarter of registered voters -- have already cast their ballots, with some waiting in line for hours to do so. The state has become a new battleground for deciding control of the U.S. Senate, with two Republican incumbents facing competitive races in a state growing more Democratic. Rickey Bevington of Georgia Public Broadcasting reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden will face off for the final time Thursday night in a Nashville debate. After a rancorous first meeting in September, the second scheduled debate was canceled due to Trump's COVID-19 diagnosis. Tim Murtaugh, communications director for the Trump campaign, joins Judy Woodruff to discuss what the president's objective will be for this last meeting. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders