Why Are Democrats Avoiding Russia Ahead Of The Midterms?

A record wave of voters is expected to head to the polls [NPR Politics]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Protesters]( Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP/Getty Images The Big Picture: Turnout Wave Coming There’s been high interest in November's midterm elections — there was high primary and special election turnout this year, and record sums of money are being raised and spent. The congressional elections are expected to cost $5 billion, the costliest in U.S. history. All of it adds up to what could be [a 50-year high for midterm turnout]( according to one forecast. That would be back to the mid-1960s level. In this modern era of political and social upheaval, President Trump has faced protests and staunch opposition, led especially by liberal women. This year's elections — now just over two weeks away — with the president’s supporters standing firm, will be the first chance for the so-called resistance to Trump to register its frustration at ballot boxes nationwide. — Domenico Montanaro, NPR's lead political editor --------------------------------------------------------------- [Senate breakdown]( Renee Klahr/NPR ICYMI: Top Stories Battle for the Senate: [Ten key races]( are set to determine which party controls the U.S. Senate, NPR’s Jessica Taylor writes. While Republicans are favored to retain power, Democratic enthusiasm is high. Ballooning federal deficit: The federal deficit [shot up 17 percent]( in the 2017 fiscal year, NPR’s Scott Horsley reports. The increase is largely due to a 31 percent decline in corporate tax collections after the passage of the GOP tax bill. Kushner’s Saudi ties tested: White House senior adviser and President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner has [cultivated close ties]( with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. But as NPR’s Ayesha Rascoe reports, the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi is putting the two men’s relationship to the test. (Friday evening, [Saudi state TV said Khashoggi died in a fight]( in the country's consulate in Istanbul.) Trump intervenes in FBI project: President Trump [personally intervened in a building project]( for the FBI’s headquarters in order to protect his Washington, D.C., hotel, a group of House Democrats allege. NPR’s Philip Ewing and Peter Overby report the lawmakers are demanding more information about Trump’s role. Partisan divides on America’s problems: A new Pew Research Center poll finds [wide partisan divides]( on which issues Americans think are problems, NPR’s Danielle Kurtzleben reports. Democrats rank gun violence and health care affordability as the biggest problems facing the country, while Republicans say illegal immigration is the most important issue. — Brandon Carter, NPR Politics social media producer --------------------------------------------------------------- [Nancy Pelosi]( Mark Wilson/Getty Images The Russia Imbroglio: Why Are Democrats Avoiding The Investigations? The president's onetime national security adviser, campaign chairman, campaign vice chairman, campaign foreign policy aide and others have pleaded guilty to federal charges. The president's son met before Election Day in 2016 with representatives of the same foreign government that employs roughly two dozen people [charged by the Justice Department with attacking the election](. It's a slam dunk for political opponents, right? Wrong. As midterm campaigning heats up and Democrats try to make their way back from the political wilderness, they are mostly not relying on the Russia imbroglio to make their case to voters. Although the subject comes up and the party has elected to attack President Trump and Republicans for what they call a "culture of corruption" — which broadly involves the Russia saga — the big political focus is elsewhere. Why? [Read the full imbroglio update]( Briefly: - Paul Manafort [to be sentenced in February]( lawyers cite his health woes in jail - Long-secret [Watergate "road map"]( may soon be public. Could it guide Mueller's team? - It's "irresponsible" to [conflate Chinese and Russian influence schemes]( Democrats charge - [Read last week's imbroglio update on NPR.org]( — Philip Ewing, NPR's national security editor [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( You received this message because you're subscribed to our Politics emails. | [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( | NPR 1111 N. CAPITOL ST. NE WASHINGTON DC 20002 [NPR]