Selena Gomez Urges Support for Stacey Abrams

Actress and singer Selena Gomez voiced support for Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams in a Monday get out the vote message.

Posted on social media with just eight days remaining until Election Day, Gomez's video tagged Abrams' Twitter account and included a link to Abrams' campaign website.

At the beginning of the video, Gomez said Abrams is "in an extremely close race" in her bid to become Georgia's next governor.

"I've worked with Stacey personally, and her commitment to improving mental health access in Georgia is extremely important to me, as the state currently ranks 48th in the nation," Gomez said. She then encouraged people to "grab some friends and vote early" and to visit Abrams' website for more information.

"And again, please vote," her video concluded.

Abrams replied to Gomez's video Monday afternoon, saying she is "so grateful for your support and your friendship." Abrams is running to oust incumbent Republican Governor Brian Kemp. Polling averages compiled by FiveThirtyEight and last updated Monday suggest Abrams is trailing Kemp by several points.

Gomez is one of many celebrities who has thrown their support behind Abrams and other Democrats running for election in Georgia. Lin-Manuel Miranda, Oprah Winfrey and Kerry Washington have also encouraged support for Georgia Democrats over the last few weeks.

More Than 22 Million Votes Already Cast

More than 22 million people have already cast their midterm ballots this year.

According to the University of Florida's Election Project, 22,510,593 people voted early in this midterm election.

There have been 9,307,440 in-person early votes, 13,203,153 mail-in ballots returned and 56,280,117 mail-in ballots requested.

Florida and Texas have had the most early voting, with 2,967,709 and 2,774,204 votes, respectively.

Democrats have voted early more than Republicans and those part of minor parties or with no party affiliation.

Among the 23 states with party registration data, 45 percent of early votes were from Democrats, compared to 33.4 percent from Republicans and 21.6 percent from minor parties or no party affiliations.

Federal Reserve Expected to Hike Interest Rates Again

The Federal Reserve is set to hike interest rates yet again, less than one week ahead of the midterm elections.

The Fed is expected to announce another three-quarter-point increase this Wednesday, what would be its fourth straight hike. The economy and inflation are top concerns for voters in the 2022 midterm elections.

The average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage topped 7% last week for the first time since 2002, Freddie Mac reported. The rate was 3.14% a year ago. Home sales have fallen in recent months, as the housing market has weakened due to higher loan costs.

Federal Charges Filed in Attack on Paul Pelosi

The man accused of breaking into the San Francisco home of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi last week and attacking her husband is now facing federal charges.

Officers with the San Francisco Police Department arrested David DePape, 42, at the Pelosi home after receiving a 911 call for help from Paul Pelosi early Friday. Federal prosecutors announced assault and attempted kidnapping charges for DePape on Monday.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said in a Monday news release that DePape is accused of breaking into the home while in search of Nancy Pelosi. The DOJ said police arrived to find DePape and Paul Pelosi fighting for control over a hammer, which DePape then allegedly used to hit Paul Pelosi's head. Once officers placed DePape under arrest, they found "a roll of tape, white rope, a second hammer, a pair of rubber and cloth gloves, and zip ties," as well as a broken glass door leading out to the home's back porch, the DOJ release said.

DePape is now facing one assault charge for allegedly attacking "an immediate family member of a United States official with the intent to retaliate against the official on account of the performance of official duties." That charge would entail up to 30 years in prison. DePape is also facing an attempted kidnapping charge with a prison sentence of up to 20 years, according to the DOJ.

Biden to Again Call on Oil Companies to Lower Gas Prices

President Joe Biden will speak about efforts to bring down gas prices for Americans amid reports that oil companies are making "record-setting profits."

The White House said Biden will "responds to reports over recent days of major oil companies making record-setting profits even as they refuse to help lower prices at the pump for the American people."

Biden is expected to raise the possibility of "windfall taxes" on energy companies if they don't increase domestic production.

Over the weekend, Biden said it is time for oil companies to bring down prices at the pump after making billions in profits this quarter.

"The President will again call on oil and gas companies to invest their record profits in lowering costs for American families and increasing production," a White House official told the Associated Press.

"And if they don't, he will call on Congress to consider requiring oil companies to pay tax penalties and face other restrictions."

Biden is set to deliver remarks at 4:30 p.m. The remarks will stream live on the White House website, or watch live below:

GOP Blames Biden for Rising Prices of Halloween Candy

Republicans are using the spooky air of Halloween to highlight their discontent with President Joe Biden's economic and immigration policies.

Tennessee Representative David Kustoff credits "Bidenflation" for raising Halloween candy prices 13.1 percent.

South Carolina Congressman William Timmons said American families could have "the most expensive Halloween on record" thanks to Biden and the Democrats' "reckless spending fueling an inflation crisis."

Representative Chuck Fleischmann of Tennessee said "the scariest thing haunting East Tennesseans this Halloween is inflation."

He shared a graphic indicating the prices of various popular Halloween candy, including Skittles and Reese's, have gone up 41 and 35 percent, respectively.

Fleischmann promised that House Republicans "end the inflation nightmare" and "get our economy back on track."

The Republicans of the House Homeland Security Committee said "the scariest thing about Halloween this year" are Biden's "reckless policies" that lead to rising crime and increased southern border crossings.

Ohio May Ban Non-Citizen Voting

Ohio voters are deciding on a measure that proposes blocking non-citizens from voting.

The measure, known as State Issue 2, appears on this year's ballot and has support from Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose. If passed, it would amend a section of the state constitution to require all voters to be U.S. citizens.

Ohio would become the seventh U.S. state to implement a non-citizen voting ban if the measure passes, the Associated Press reported. Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Minnesota and North Dakota are the states that already have laws like this in place, according to Americans for Citizen Voting.

Local media outlets reported that some people critical of the measure worry it could also prevent 17-year-old Ohioans from voting. State law currently allows voters under 18 to vote in primary elections if they will be 18 by the time of a general election. Proposed language that would be added to the state constitution under State Issue 2 appears to require voters to be 18 or older in order to cast any ballot.

Hochul Says Democrat-Led States Are 'Safer'

New York Governor Kathy Hochul said during a recent appearance on MSNBC that the "safer" U.S. states are the ones led by Democrats.

Hochul, a Democrat who is running against Republican Lee Zeldin in the midterm elections on November 8, spoke with Al Sharpton about crime during Sharpton's "PoliticsNation" show Sunday night. Recent polling has indicated crime is one of the top issues for New Yorkers this election cycle.

Hochul told Sharpton the idea that Democrat-led states are less safe than Republican-led states is a "conspiracy" that she credited to election and data "deniers." Instead, she said data indicates shootings and murders have declined in her state.

"It's the Republican states where they have almost no restrictions on guns," Hochul said. Due to an "abundance of guns" in those areas, "people are killing each other with more frequency," she said.

"The safer places are the Democratic states," Hochul added.

Zeldin has frequently alleged Hochul is not taking enough action to combat crime in New York. Crime was a significant focus of a debate between the two candidates last week.

Biden's Approval Rating Remains Below 40 Percent, Poll Finds

A recent poll shows President Joe Biden's approval rate remains low about one week out from the midterm elections.

A survey from the Trafalgar Group found that Biden's approval is under 40 percent.

When asked how they thought Biden was handling his job as president, 39.4 percent of people said they approve while 59.3 percent said they disapprove.

Biden's approval was higher among Democrats, with 81.2 percent approving his job as president.

Among Republicans, the disapproval rate was at 95.6 percent.

The approval rate among people of other parties or with no party affiliation was only at 25.8 percent.

Nearly 13K Migrants Have Been Bused From Texas

Officials in Texas have bused more than 12,900 migrants out of Texas and into Democrat-run cities over the last six months, according to Texas Governor Greg Abbott.

The Republican governor said nearly 8,300 migrants have been transported to Washington, D.C. More than 3,500 others were taken to New York City, and more than 1,100 migrants were bused to Chicago.

Abbott said his state's busing efforts are "relieving small border communities from the burdens caused by Pres. Biden's open border policies."

Abbott, who is running for re-election during the November 8 midterms, began transporting busloads of migrants to sanctuary cities in April as part of his Operation Lone Star program. He implemented the program last year as his state and others along the U.S.-Mexico border responded to a rise in U.S.-bound migrants.

Abbott's efforts to bus migrants out of state is popular with a majority of Texans. A September poll by The Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin found 52 percent of respondents said they "support" migrant busing, a number that increased to 54 percent this month.

Donald Trump Jr. Jokes About Pelosi Attack

Republicans are facing backlash for sharing jokes and conspiracy theories surrounding the attack on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband.

Donald Trump Jr. shared a tweet poking fun at the attack with a Paul Pelosi Halloween costume of underwear and a hammer. Police said Paul Pelosi was attacked with a hammer Friday morning.

"The suspect pulled the hammer away from Mr. Pelosi and violently assaulted him with it. Our officers immediately tackled the suspect, disarmed him, took him into custody, requested emergency backup and rendered medical aid," San Francisco Police Chief William Scott told the media Friday.

There was another report online that Pelosi struggled with the attacker while in his underwear.

"The internet remains undefeated," Trump tweeted. "Also if you switch out the hammer for a red feather boa you could be Hunter Biden in an instant."

This comes as conspiracy theories about the nature of the attack have spread online, including the claim that Pelosi and the suspect were lovers and that it was staged.

Twitter's new owner Elon Musk has been accused of participating in these theories.

Hillary Clinton condemned the attack on Twitter, accusing the Republican Party and its "mouthpieces" of spreading "hate and deranged conspiracy theories."

"It is shocking, but not surprising, that violence is the result. As citizens, we must hold them accountable for their words and the actions that follow," Clinton tweeted.

Musk responded to the tweet with an article in the Santa Monica Observer, which in 2016, falsely reported Clinton had died and been replaced by a body double. The headline read: "The Awful Truth: Paul Pelosi Was on Drugs And In a Dispute With a Male Prostitute Friday Morning."

"There is a tiny possibility there might be more to this story than meets the eye," Musk tweeted.

The article alleged that Pelosi and his attacker knew each other before the attacks. San Francisco police, however, dismissed that report, saying Pelosi and the suspect did not know each other.

Republicans, like Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, have been accused of enabling the Pelosi attack.

Greene said her account was shadow banned and said death threats against members of Congress are "completely wrong."

In a tweet Monday, Greene condemned the attacks on Muck for allowing misinformation to circulate on social media. She added that the suspect is Paul Pelosi's "friend."

At Least 21.5 Million Votes Already Cast

At least 21.5 million early votes have already been cast in this year's midterm elections, according to the U.S. Elections Project.

At least 21,864,618 early votes were returned as of noon on Monday, data gathered by the U.S. Elections Project showed. More than 8.7 million of those votes were cast in person, while more than 13 million were cast using mail ballots.

The election data resource identified Texas as the state with the most early votes returned thus far, with more than 2.9 million ballots cast by Monday. Florida followed with more than 2.7 million early votes cast, and California was third with more than 2.3 million early votes cast.

The ballot return data suggested more votes have been cast by registered Democrats than registered Republicans, though the U.S. Elections Project says on its website that not all states report voter party affiliation.

Michael McDonald, a University of Florida professor who leads the U.S. Elections Project, said in a Monday tweet that this week is "the make or break week for early voting."

"If the past is a guide, the volume should pick up as people who tend to be younger and do not hold as strong partisan attachments make their choices and decide to vote," he wrote.

Biden Votes Early Alongside Granddaughter

President Joe Biden cast his ballot over the weekend in Delaware alongside his 18-year-old granddaughter, Natalie.

The pair headed to the polls on Saturday. Natalie, daughter of the late Beau Biden, is a first-time voter. In-person early voted began on Friday in Biden's home state of Delaware.

In a string of tweets Saturday, Biden vowed to codify Roe v. Wade in January if more Democrats are elected to the U.S. Senate.

"The final say on Roe v. Wade does not rest in the court," Biden tweeted. "It does not rest with extremist Republicans in Congress. If you do your part and vote, Democratic leaders in Congress will do their part. I'll do my part. With your support, I will sign a law codifying Roe in January."

He also called out former President Donald Trump, omitting his name, for not following through on investments and jobs in some Midwestern states.

"The previous president made a string of broken promises in places like Wisconsin, Indiana, and Ohio, where promised investments and jobs in manufacturing never materialized, but layoffs and shuttered factories did," Biden continued. "Now, Made in America isn't just a slogan. It's a reality."

Pelosi Attack Suspect Faces Attempted Murder Charges

The suspect in the assault of Paul Pelosi reportedly gained entry to the San Francisco home by breaking in through a rear window, according to police.

The San Francisco District Attorney's Office said the suspect went up the stairs of the home where he found Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Suspect David DePape remains in the hospital, but city official plan to proceed with charges.

"We expect to file attempted murder charges as well as assault with a deadly weapon for the use of a hammer," San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said during a press conference.

Federal law enforcement authorities are still working to determine what actions, if any, they will take.

"The feds will figure out what route they may take, but we're going to proceed on Monday," Jenkins said.

San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott said the investigation is still ongoing.

"We don't know where this investigation is going to end," he said. "We're going to continue to dig, turn over every piece of evidence that we can."

Scott says his department is working with the FBI, U.S. Capitol Police and the U.S. Attorney's office.

The SFPD also said there were only two people in the home at the time of the attack and that neither the suspect nor Paul Pelosi knew each other prior to the attack.

This comes as conspiracy theories on Twitter have emerged, claiming the attack was staged or that Pelosi and his attacker were actually lovers.

Authorities say DePape participated in conspiracy theories online and intended to encounter Speaker Pelosi.

Jenkins said at the time the suspect entered the Pelosi home, "he was in fact in search of Mrs. Pelosi."

California state Senator Scott Weiner said DePape was part of a dangerous group and attended protests for nudist rights.

"There was a small group of people that he was a part of that were more conspiratorial, aggressive, inappropriate and one of them is in jail now," Wiener said.