Alert – 2024 presidential election live updates: Dire warning for top Republican in nail-biter Senate race – News Alerts

There are just 36 days until the election and the presidential race is still on a knife-edge.

Kamala Harris has been warned her polling is ‘underwater’ in the battleground state of Michigan.

Democratic Rep., Elissa Slotkin, who is running in the state’s Senate race, warned donors last week there were signs of alarm bells.

Meanwhile, Trump will visit the damage in Valdosta, Georgia, on Monday afternoon while Harris cut a to Las Vegas short so she could attend briefings in Washington D.C.

In Texas, longtime Republican Sen. Ted Cruz is in trouble according to a bombshell new poll that just dropped.

Follow all the updates with our U.S. politics live blog.

16:56

New poll reveals dire warning for top Republican in nail-biter Texas Senate race

Texas Senator Ted Cruz is in trouble in his race against Democrat Colin Allred according to a new poll.

Cruz’s lead in the race is slowly slipping away, the survey by Public Policy Polling/Clean and Prosperous America reveals.

The longtime Texas senator is up by just one point – 47 percent to Allred’s 46 percent.

That’s a decline since August, which had Cruz up by two points. And to make matters worse, his favorability rating has tanked from six to eight points in just a few weeks.

Keeping Cruz’s seat is critical for Republicans as they try and flip the Senate red.

If Allred is victorious in a few weeks, he would be the first Democratic senator of the state since 1988.

A President Biden judicial nominee was grilled Wednesday over a 2022 recommendation that a biological male, who has apparently transitioned and identifies as a female, be transferred to a female prison despite previous convictions for raping children and possession of child pornography. During a Senate Judiciary hearing, Republican Sens. John Kennedy of Louisiana, and Ted Cruz of Texas, questioned U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn, who was nominated to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, over why she recommended William McClain, who goes by July Justine Shelby, be housed with female inmates in a federal prison.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 22: U.S. Rep. Colin Allred (D-TX) speaks on stage during the final day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center on August 22, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. Delegates, politicians, and Democratic Party supporters are gathering in Chicago, as current Vice President Kamala Harris is named her party's presidential nominee. The DNC takes place from August 19-22. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

16:11

Donald Trump accuses Biden and Harris of 'election interference' for preventing him getting enough Secret Service agents

Donald Trump accused Democrats on Monday of interfering with his ability to campaign by diverting Secret Service personnel for themselves or visiting world leaders.

He offered no evidence but cited the example of the president of Iran, who was in New York last week for the United Nations General Assembly, where he was afforded protection.

Trump said the lesson was that more Secret Service agents were needed.

16:08

Breaking:Donald Trump would-be assassin Ryan Routh enters plea after allegedly attempting to kill the former president in Palm Beach

Donald Trump gunman Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, has pleaded not guilty to several charges, including attempted assassination of the former president.

Routh appeared in federal court in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Monday days after being charged with attempting to assassinate Trump. He has been ordered to remain in jail without bail as his case snakes through the court.

He faces five total federal charges after cops said he pointed a rifle through a fence at Trump’s golf club in West Palm Beach on September 15.

Donald Trump would-be assassin Ryan Routh enters plea

Donald Trump gunman Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, has pleaded not guilty to several charges, including attempted assassination of the former president.

Mail Online

16:02

President Joe Biden considers calling Congress back to Washington amid historic hurricane damage

By Jon Michael Raasch, U.S. Political Reporter for DailyMail.com

President Joe Biden said that he may call on Congress to come back in session after Hurricane Helene devastated the southeast.

At a press conference discussing the tragic storm that has killed upwards of 100 people, Biden said he may consider requesting the body’s return.

When asked if he will press Congress to work on bills related to Helene, Biden said ‘That is something I may have to request but no decision has been made yet.’

Biden’s warning that Congress may have to come back comes after funding for disaster relief was not included in the latest funding package lawmakers passed last week.

15:56

Trump heads to Georgia, claiming that local authorities are getting in the way of aid reaching Republican areas in North Carolina

Trump posted on X before flying to Georgia, saying that he had planned to stop off in North Carolina too but access and communications have made it too difficult.

He also leveled a claim that federal authorities and the state’s Democratic governor were preventing aid getting to Republican areas.

I’ll be there shortly, but don’t like the reports that I’m getting about the Federal Government, and the Democrat Governor of the State, going out of their way to not help people in Republican areas. MAGA!

15:39

Biden says there should be a cease fire ‘now’ as Israel masses forces on Lebanese border

Israeli armoured military vehicles are arranged in formation, amid cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, in northern Israel, September 30, 2024. REUTERS/Jim Urquhart

By Geoff Earle, Deputy U.S. Political Editor

President Biden gave an emphatic answer when asked if he was comfortable with Israel’s plan as it masses forces on the border with Lebanon.

‘I’m more aware than you might know, and I’m comfortable with them stopping. We should have a ceasefire now,’ Biden said. He took the question at the White House Monday despite saying he wanted to stick with the subject of recover from Hurricane Helene.

The comment stopped far short of an endorsement of an invasion, which comes as Israel continues its war against Hamas in Gaza, amid fears that events in the region could expand into a regional war.

The president’s comments follow reports that Israel is planning a limited ground operation into Lebanon, after a series of withering strikes targeting Hezbollah leadership and weapons, even as it masses forces on the border.

A ‘limited’ invasion would appear to stop short of Israel’s 2006 war against Hamas in Lebanon. It comes days after Israel took out longtime Hezbollah leader Hasan Nasrallah in an air strike.

15:23

Biden plans to head to hurricane area at end of week

President Joe Biden speaks about the federal response efforts for Hurricane Helene, from the Roosevelt Room at the White House in Washington, Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

By Emily Goodin, senior White House correspondent

President Joe Biden said he expects to visit the areas devastated by Hurricane Helene later this week.

‘I’m committed to traveling to impacted areas as soon as possible, but I’ve been told that it would be disruptive if I did it right now,’ he said.

‘We will not do that at the risk of diverting or delaying any of the response assets needed to deal with this crisis,’ he noted.

But he did say ‘I expect to be there later in later in the week.’

‘I’ve told the governor of North Carolina I’ll go down and I expect to be down there by Wednesday or Thursday when it is clear for me,’ he noted.

Biden coughed several times during his remarks and said he had a cold.

He also defended spending the weekend at his Rehoboth Beach home while the hurricane was devastating parts of the South.

‘I was commanding, I was on the phone for at least two hours yesterday, and the day before, as well. I commanded, it’s called a telephone,’ he said.

Donald Trump heads to Georgia on Monday to address the efforts to help victims of the hurricane.

Biden refused to comment when asked if the former president would be disruptive.

‘I don’t have any idea,’ he told reporters.

14:39

U.S. embassies working to help Americans leave Beirut with Israeli invasion of Lebanon imminent

The U.S. is working frantically to help American citizens get out of Beirut with an Israeli ground invasion of Lebanon imminent.

The embassy said in a post on X on Monday that it is coordinating with airlines to help U.S. citizens leave after a series of airstrikes – including one that killed Hezbollah’s leader Hassan Nassrallah.

On Friday it was announced the embassy would not be evacuating citizens, so those wanting to leave would have to pay for flights themselves.

The urgent notice was shared amid reports Tel Aviv has told the Biden administration there will be a ground invasion.

14:34

The New York Times endorses Kamala Harris for president without her even giving an interview… and calls Trump 'unfit' for office

The New York Times editorial board endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president calling her the ‘only patriotic choice’ and her rival former President Donald Trump ‘unfit for any office.’

The group of opinion journalists who make up the board made the endorsement on Monday with just over 30 days to go before the election in what remains a razor-thin race for the White House.

‘As a dedicated public servant who has demonstrated care, competence and an unwavering commitment to the Constitution, Ms. Harris stands alone in this race,’ they wrote.

A the same time, they warned unless voters reject him, ‘Trump will have the power to do profound and lasting harm to our democracy.’

The New York Times endorses Kamala Harris for president

The New York Times editorial board endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president calling her the 'only patriotic choice' and her rival former President Donald Trump 'unfit for any office.'

Mail Online

13:49

Donald Trump heads for Georgia while Kamala Harris heads home as Hurricane Helene upends 2024 election campaign

Donald Trump heads for Georgia while Kamala Harris heads home

Trump flies into hurricane country on Monday as his opponent Harris returns home to Washington for briefings, as both adjust their campaigns to the devastation wrought by Helene at the weekend.

Mail Online

Donald Trump flies into hurricane country on Monday as his opponent Kamala Harris returns home to Washington for briefings, as both adjust their campaigns to the devastation wrought by Helene at the weekend.

Trump will be in Valdosta, Georgia, where he will get an update on storm damage and will ‘facilitate the distribution of relief supplies,’ as his campaign put it.

Helene ripped into Florida’s Gulf Coast on Thursday night, triggering days of torrential rain and flooding.

It destroyed homes across the South-east and left at least 100 people dead in its wake.

Almost three million people were without power on Sunday night.

12:32

Trump proposes terrifying solution to end violent crime in the US

Donald Trump proposed a shocking, one-off solution to American crime problems that some are saying resembles the popular horror movie series The Purge.

At a rally Sunday in Pennsylvania, Trump cited recent incidents of daylight robberies taking place in local businesses and suggested that criminals ‘have to be taught’ a lesson and suggested a quick and simple way to do so.

‘If you had one really violent day. One rough hour — and I mean real rough — the word would get out and it would end immediately,’ Trump said.

He said that the crime problem exists due to police not being ‘allowed to do their job’ because Kamala Harris and ‘the liberal left won’t let them.’

The speech led many to suggest what Trump is proposing is the plot of the movie series The Purge.

Journalist Brian Krassenstein asked: ‘Did Trump just f***ing suggest The Purge?’

Trump proposes terrifying solution to end violent crime in the US

Donald Trump proposed a shocking, one-off solution to American crime problems that some are saying resembles apopular horror movie series.

Mail Online

12:29

Harris cancels campaign plans to return to Washington for Hurricane Helene briefings… as she faces pressure to go south

Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris speaks about Hurricane Helene at a rally on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

By Emily Goodin, senior White House correspondent

Kamala Harris is cancelling her planned campaign stops for Monday in order to return to Washington D.C. for briefings on Hurricane Helene.

She will leave Las Vegas in the morning and be in Washington for a briefing at FEMA on Monday afternoon, according to her campaign. She will also visit the devastated areas when it won’t disrupt the emergency response efforts.

Her move comes as Republican rival Donald Trump heads to Georgia to address the efforts to help victims of the hurricane.

President Joe Biden will talk about his administration’s response on Monday morning at the White House.

More than 100 people have died from the storm, which has left damage across several Southern states, particularly the forested mountains of western North Carolina.

Roads and I-64, a major interstate, have been wiped out in parts of these areas, making it difficult to bring in necessary supplies. Local and federal officials, along with the National Guard, are racing to bring relief.

More than 460,000 people are without power and more than 1,000 had taken refuge in 24 shelters.

Hurricane Helene death toll surges past 100

Thirty people have been confirmed dead in Asheville, Buncombe County, North Carolina, as rescue and recovery operations are ongoing, Sheriff Quentin Miller told reporters last night.

Mail Online

11:56

Democrat warns Kamala Harris her polling is ‘underwater’ in Michigan

A Democrat running for Senate in Michigan has warned Kamala Harris her internal polling is ‘underwater’ in one of the states critical to her chance of victory.

Rep. Elissa Slotkin told donors last week she wasn’t feeling her ‘best’ about the numbers in the Great Lake State, according to video obtained by Axios.

‘I’m not feeling my best right now about where we are on Kamala Harris in a place like Michigan,’ she said during a virtual fundraiser with Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ).

Slotkin is running against former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers in one of the most closely watched Senate contests in the country.

The outcome will be a crucial factor in determining which party has control of the upper chamber from January 2025.

For Harris, Michigan provides one of the simplest paths to victory along with other Blue Wall states including Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.

If Trump sweeps the Sun Belt states, Harris would need to pick up at least one to have a chance of taking the White House.