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The polls predicted a “blue wave.” And this time, the voters followed through. Democrats have taken control of the U.S. House and Senate, along with a slew of governorships, in what proved to be a stunning reversal of political power nationwide. In the Senate races, the Dems flipped seven seats, picking up a string of victories in Republican strongholds like Texas, Ohio, and Kansas — the latter last electing a Democrat almost 100 years ago. Control of the House was the first projected to flip on Tuesday, with Democrats picking up 29 seats. In this installment of “If You Can Keep It,” we unpack the 2026 midterm results — what we know, what we are still waiting on, and what it all means for the state of our democracy. Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

It’s election day in America. All 435 districts in the House of Representatives and 33 seats in the Senate are up for grabs. And five of the House’s six non-voting members are also in play. Democrats will need to gain a net of four seats to win a majority in the Senate. Meanwhile, Republicans can lose no more than two seats to retain a majority in the chamber. In this installment of “If You Can Keep It,” we check in as millions of Americans cast their ballots in the midterm elections. Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

The final weekend of campaigning before Election Day has passed. President Donald Trump attended rallies in Kansas and Iowa on Sunday — despite initially announcing those rallies were cancelled. The president said they were back on the schedule on Friday. In more than two dozen campaign stops in October, the president’s influence among Republican voters has been tested — in a midterm election that is a referendum on his presidency so far. And while GOP campaigning continues to hinge on Trump — among Democrats, a fractured party in Michigan is becoming a problem of its own. In Michigan’s Senate Race, former Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens issued a late and shocking endorsement for the Republican candidate, Mike Rogers. Michigan’s Senate seat is a key piece to retaking control of the chamber for Democrats. More than 50 million votes have already been cast. What insight did this weekend’s campaigning give us to the state of the midterms? Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

President Donald Trump hit the campaign trail in the final stretch of midterm season. And he’s made a number of promises to Republican voters this cycle, looking to shore up support in the communities he’s visiting. This week, in Texas, he promised to undo Biden-era methane regulations and to produce 210 million barrels of oil. The president is swinging big as seats in traditionally red states seem to be up for grabs. One high-quality poll this week,The New York Times/Siena poll. showed the race in South Carolina between appointed Republican Sen. Darline Graham, the late Lindsey Graham’s sister, tied with her Democratic opponent, Dr. Annie Andrews. The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady at its October meeting. However, two members of the Federal Open Market Committee dissented, and were in favor of raising rates by a quarter of a percent to try to bring down inflation. And, in global news, on Sunday night, 81-year old incumbent Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva defied the polls — and historical precedent — by convincing more than 51 percent of Brazil’s electorate to vote for him and deliver an unprecedented fourth term. His opponent, Flávio Bolsonaro, fled the country following his loss amid an ongoing corruption investigation. All the ballots from Tuesday’s Israeli election have been counted, and there’s still no clear winning coalition. On Thursday, Israel’s Central Election Committee said Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc holds 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset, while opposition parties have 67. And Vice President J.D. Vance reportedly sent a letter to a senior Iranian official in Tehran aimed at reviving peace talks to end the Iran war. But when Donald Trump was asked if he directed Vance to revive peace talks, he claimed the letter was about medical supplies. We cover the most important stories from around the world in the News Roundup. Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

The Trump administration successfully ended Temporary Protected Status (or TPS) for more than 350,000 Haitians – people who’d had fled violence and upheaval in their home country. The Obama administration first offered TPS to Haitians after a devastating earthquake struck the country in 2010. Then, the Biden administration extended the protections due to gang violence. But Donald Trump had other plans for his second term: mass deportations. What’s the reality on the ground in Haiti? And what’s the impacts are Trump’s deportation operations having on Haitians communities across the U.S.? Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

It’s been a massive year for AI — and it just got bigger. Anthropic, the company which makes Claude, filed its long-awaited Initial Public Offering on Monday in what could be the largest IPO ever. It was also a huge day for AI deals in general. SpaceX secured $40 billion in financing to lease chips to power modern AI. And Meta is seeking $95 billion for its AI buildout. Altogether, that’s about $235 billion in one day, almost 1 percent of U.S. GDP. We’re seeing Wall Street fund the AI buildout in real time. But the bubble has already burst in China. Could the U.S. be close behind? Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

For weeks, people have been protesting across Europe. In France, high schoolers have staged blockades and organized major demonstrations demanding resources for underfunded schools — and rallied against high living costs in France’s major cities. Protests grew as labor unions, other activists, and also rioters joined in. The French protests have been marked by arrests, injuries, and violence. It’s a similar scene in other parts of Europe — including in Italy, Albania, Spain and Portugal. And, much like in France, young people are mostly leading the way.  We take a look at the French protests and the larger youth movement in Europe. Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Early voting for the midterm elections is underway all across America. And Election Day is just over a week away. Now the president, facing likely losses in the House and the Senate, is ramping up his campaign to intervene in midterm voting and vote counting like no other president ever has in history. The Department of Justice is alleging widespread non-citizen voting in California on flimsy evidence. The DOJ is also filing high-profile criminal charges alleging non-citizen voting. Department authorities are also threatening local officials in California, saying they could face legal action if the department disapproves of how they handle ballots. In this edition of “If You Can Keep It,” we look at what these unprecedented moves from the Justice Department mean for the midterms and for our democracy. Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

This week, President Donald Trump announced that he’s spent $300 million on ads this midterm season, with plans to spend another $100 million before Election Day.  The battle between President Trump and the press continues. CNN is threatening legal action against the White House after its journalists were denied access to Air Force One. And on Thursday, the White House Correspondent from The Independent was removed from the aircraft. With the midterms less than two weeks away, Trump is putting the pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to end the war with Russia. And, in global news, demonstrations in France began last month with students across the country protesting deteriorating school conditions, staff shortages and dilapidated buildings. But over several weeks, they’ve tapped into broader anger over living costs, public services, and economic and social discontent. The European Commission estimates the Iran war has cost Europe more than $112 billion through disrupted ?trade and energy markets. An estimated 1.4 million people – more than two thirds of Gaza’s population – are facing food insecurity. We cover the most important stories from around the globe in the on the News Roundup. Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

In just a dozen days, voters across the country will cast their ballots in midterm elections that could shift the balance of power in Washington. A lot of focus has been devoted to the contested races for Congress, with billions of dollars being spent on critical statewide contests and referendums. From governors’ mansions to statehouses to local ballot initiatives, voters will make their voices heard. We gather a panel of experts and zero in on some midterm races that aren’t necessarily making national headlines. Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

The sticker shock on everything from gas to food to housing continues to push Americans into tough choices about how to stretch their money. We heard from hundreds of listeners during a show last month focused on how they are experiencing the current economy — and answered their questions about managing finances in this moment. In fact, we heard from so many… that we’re doing it again. We invited a new panel of experts to help answer your questions about money and the economy. Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

In the decades following the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement, the U.S. and Canada built strong economic ties across their border. That robust partnership — which accounts for billions of dollars of goods — made Canada a key trading partner for northern states, like Michigan. But that decades-long economic relationship is fractured. Depending on how the Trump administration navigates its trade war with our northern neighbor, that relationship may not return to what many businesses and consumers consider normal. In August, the administration imposed 50 percent tariffs on Canadian goods, taxing $20 billion of Canadian products like dairy, beverages, cement, and more. Canada hit back in September, matching them dollar-for-dollar with new tariffs on American dairy, steel, aluminum, agricultural product, and electronics. What have those tariffs meant for Michigan’s economy, especially given Michigan is at the center of the midterm elections? Plus, in one week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces voters for the first time in four years. They’ll answer one question: Does he deserve a record seventh term as leader based on his time in office? After the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks, he launched a three-year-long war with Hamas. He’s maintained Israel’s democracy while relying on the most far-right political coalition in the country’s history. So, what are the stakes of this election in Israel? And how could the parties that win it shape the country’s current military operations in and around its borders? Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

1A comes to you from the Mitten State. We travel to the Midwest to talk about the Midterms. It’s a place that has become everything these elections are about: identity, power, and affordability. Nowhere is that more apparent than in the hotly-contested Senate race in which both candidates are talking about the effect of President Donald Trump’s economic policies on Michiganders. What’s at stake here? And what can it tell us about the rest of the country? Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

In the last consumer snapshot before the 2026 midterm elections, the annual rate of inflation rose 3.7 percent. Meanwhile, Tesla CEO Elon Musk is set to become the biggest donor of this midterm cycle, after spending more than $366 million on conservative candidates and causes. And the Trump administration is once again targeting Rep. Ilhan Omar, with federal agents issuing subpoenas to her family as they searched her family history for instances of fraud. And, in global news, fighting between the Saudis and the Yemeni Houthis is intensifying. A building owned by major Saudi energy company was the latest casualty as it was set ablaze late Tuesday. On Thursday, a presidential palace in Aden was also hit Also in the Middle East, Iranian drone and missile attacks are heating up in the Strait of Hormuz. At least six cargo vessels were attacked and sunk this week. In France, President Emmanuel Macron is accusing student protesters demonstrating against conditions in the nation’s schools of harboring political motivations and being exploited by his enemies. And in India, protestors put pressure on Prime Minister Modi. We cover the most important stories from around the world in the News Roundup. Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

A new report released yesterday shows inflation is on the rise. Prices were up 3.7 percent in September over last year, the highest annual rate since May. The rising cost of fuel, specifically diesel, was a major factor in that jump.  Why are these prices so high? And what does that mean for businesses and for you? Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy