In the final weeks of the 2026 midterms, political candidates have dragged their opponents’ families into campaigns, reflecting how divisive politics has become, with few barbs, if any, off-limits. wapo.st/4emu58U

Two prominent Texas Republicans said this week that they voted for a Democrat, James Talarico, over Republican state Attorney General Ken Paxton in the race for an open Senate seat. wapo.st/4yyXrYS

Brendan Carr, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, wrote on social media that broadcasters need to avoid “amplifying or airing” fake election polls. Anna M. Gomez, the lone Democrat on the commission, disagreed with Carr’s assertion. wapo.st/4shjwtq

President Trump visited South Carolina to rally for Sen. Darline Graham who is fighting to win over skeptical Republicans after a bitter primary. wapo.st/4iho3b3

Chiricahua had been a protected national monument for more than 100 years before it became a national park. The status change brings stronger legal protections but little else. Here are the differences between the labels: wapo.st/3TPlmoX

French President Emmanuel Macron criticized foreign leaders he said were using France’s unrest for their own political purposes, rebuking politicians he said were making “stupid comments” and promoting a misinformed view. wapo.st/4kfx8Dw

A growing number of older adults are using AI, including to access health information. Here are some ways to help them navigate it: wapo.st/47tjKV5

Minnesota congressional candidate Eric Pratt’s campaign appeared to accidentally have clear instructions for its website, which featured the line: “The President is not popular, so all messaging should be focused on local politics and needs.” wapo.st/4yvz7qT

Democrats have filed a lawsuit against President Trump and the Justice Department, alleging that the Trump administration is unlawfully interfering with the midterms by pressuring states to remove voters from their rolls. wapo.st/4hZiC1x

An ambulance manufacturer led by Republican House candidate John Braun received another fine this week, nearly $13,000, adding to the scrutiny of his business safety record in one of the most competitive races for control of Congress. wapo.st/4yYdelb

Filmmaking, says writer-director Bassam Tariq, is a long journey, “and you don’t know where or how things will come.” His latest film, the thriller “Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother,” only exists because Tariq walked away from a Marvel movie. wapo.st/4zcW0jW

Israeli security forces detained dozens of volunteer monitors near Bethlehem, including a Democratic candidate for U.S. Congress. They also sealed off Palestinian farmland elsewhere in the West Bank and arrested a well-known anti-settlement activist. wapo.st/4seF7CQ

The bombshell campaign ad that Ohio Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy intended as an October surprise against Democrat Amy Acton has indeed exploded. Early indications are that it did so in Ramaswamy’s own face. wapo.st/4dSApVC

Super Typhoon Champi is a Category 5-equivalent beast that as of Wednesday morning Eastern was swirling with sustained eyewall winds up to 170 mph and gusts topping 200 mph. The massive eye was slightly wider than Rhode Island. wapo.st/4z252QL

A new exhibition at the Folger Shakespeare Library in D.C. explores Black women’s engagement with William Shakespeare’s work over more than four centuries. “To Hear Her Speak: Black Women and Shakespeare” is a sprawling collection of over 100 objects. wapo.st/4i5sTIc

Steve Witkoff, the U.S. special envoy for peace missions, called Russian President Vladimir Putin a “humanitarian” after Russia released a U.S. citizen from detainment. The U.S. citizen was captured by Russian soldiers in eastern Ukraine in 2022. wapo.st/4hUsbi8

Ken and Maureen Vanderslice met at their senior living community and craved connection after both being widowed. The couple said they hope their late-in-life marriage inspires others to get out of their comfort zones. wapo.st/3TkPYOV

For the first time in its two-decade history, ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars” suspended one of its professional dancers. A judge’s critique set off a firestorm among the long-running show’s devoted fans. On Tuesday, the show had to address the incident. wapo.st/4sgXasj

Democratic Republic of Congo’s first national amputee soccer tournament, organized by the Congolese National Paralympic Committee (CNP-COD), aims to promote the rehabilitation and inclusion of people with disabilities.

Kissimmee, Florida, Mayor Jackie Espinosa was arrested Wednesday morning on charges of grand theft and organized scheme to defraud, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced. Espinosa’s attorney said the mayor “maintains her innocence.” wapo.st/4BeaRMx