Nov 2, 2026 · 11 min
Trump allies test federal power before the 2026 midterms
Intending to Steal
The episode examines whether federal agencies and legal pressure could reshape election administration and help preserve Republican control of the Senate.
- 1The administration appears to be exploring federal power as a tool for influencing the 2026 midterm environment.
- 2An Alaska ballot-handling lawsuit becomes a test of whether state officials will resist federal election pressure.
- 3Trump’s popularity campaign, foreign policy, and public image unfold alongside rising costs and political unease.
Don't miss
The Alaska ballot-handling lawsuit becomes a concrete test of whether state officials will resist federal interference in election administration.
The brief
Heather Cox Richardson examines signs that the Trump administration may use federal power to preserve Republican control of the Senate in the 2026 midterms.
The argument begins with efforts to boost Trump’s popularity, including a message from Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano to people with online Social Security accounts.
The administration’s lawsuit in Alaska over ballot handling becomes the episode’s central test: whether state officials will accept or resist federal intervention in elections.
Richardson places that dispute alongside Trump’s political messaging, foreign policy, lavish public image, and the pressure of rising costs.
The episode’s broader warning is that election interference may arrive through ordinary government actions, legal challenges, and pressure on state and local officials.
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