Trump’s final sprint: From the Politics Desk

Welcome to From the Politics Desk, a daily newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics team’s latest reporting and analysis from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign trail.In today’s edition, Monica Alba and Garrett Haake dig into a last-minute shift in President Donald Trump’s packed campaign schedule. Plus, Megan Brand has the latest on the Alaska Senate saga. — Adam WollnerTrump shifts rally strategy in the campaign’s final daysBy Monica Alba and Garrett HaakePresident Donald Trump’s rally in Salina, Kansas, on Saturday has been canceled, according to two White House officials and a GOP source.He had been scheduled to hold a midday event at the regional airport but that is no longer happening. Instead, the president is aiming to hold “more than 20” tele-rallies between now and Tuesday, the White House officials said.This is a notable shift in strategy. Up until now, Trump has argued his in-person visits have been boosting turnout for Republican candidates and has repeatedly boasted about his heavy travel this month.As Peter Nicholas noted, Trump, 80, had been campaigning at a frenzied pace in the final stretch before Election Day. As of Wednesday, Trump had traveled on 22 of 28 days in October, appearing in a total of 19 states. He returned after midnight seven different times and, after a Western swing, got back to the White House after 4 a.m. And his rally remarks over the period averaged 1 ½ hours. No decision has been made yet on whether Trump will keep his Dubuque, Iowa, rally on Sunday, according to one of the officials. They described this change in schedule as a “shotgun approach” to hitting as many competitive races as possible in the home stretch.“President Trump will continue connecting directly with Americans nationwide through more than 20 tele-rallies before Election Day. These events give him the opportunity to highlight his accomplishments and expand his reach across the country,” one of the White House officials said.The demand for Trump’s presence has been “insane,” according to the GOP source, and his phone has been “ringing off the hook” with requests for tele-rallies. So Republicans are adjusting their approach to the president’s most precious resource — his time — in the final sprint to “maximize his reach in battleground states as races continue to tighten,” the source added.Trump is also scheduled to go to Daytona Beach, Florida, tomorrow.Today, Trump rallied in South Carolina for Republican Sen. Darline Graham, who is facing a tougher-than expected race against Democrat Annie Andrews.Alaska governor orders investigation into Peltola campaignBy Megan BrandAlaska GOP Gov. Mike Dunleavy announced that he is ordering an investigation into Democrat Mary Peltola’s Senate campaign after a report that it worked with allies to recruit a candidate with the same name as Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan in an effort to dilute his votes.The Department of Public Safety will seek to determine “whether this scheme violated Alaska’s laws and whether criminal charges or civil action are warranted,” Dunleavy said on X. “The evidence will determine what happens next.”Dunleavy referred to Wednesday’s revelations from a bombshell New York Times report as “disturbing new evidence” and said that “anyone or any organization found to have broken the law must be held accountable.”President Donald Trump also cast doubt today on whether Republicans would seat Peltola if she wins her race.Asked by a reporter whether he thought Republicans should refuse to seat Peltola if she wins, Trump said, “You’re going to have to see what happens.” He added it was “hard to believe that she could even be allowed to run.”NBC News previously reported that the second Dan Sullivan’s candidacy was under investigation by state and federal prosecutors in Alaska, and a grand jury issued subpoenas for information from witnesses linked to his campaign in August. The Justice Department also filed a lawsuit last week seeking to block the certification of the election if the incumbent Sullivan loses.Nicholas Stephanopoulos, a Harvard Law School professor specializing in election law, told NBC News that “these kinds of ‘dummy candidate’ tactics have occurred historically and generally haven’t given rise to liability.”“The tactics are certainly unsavory, but note that they’re less likely to be impactful in Alaska, because of its instant-runoff voting, than just about anywhere else. In Alaska, a confused voter just has to rank both Dan Sullivans 1-2, and then there’s no possibility of wasting her vote,” he said in an email, referring to Alaska’s ranked-choice voting.Read more →🗞️ Today's other top stories🗳️ Vote watch: A federal judge in California blocked the Trump administration’s request to election officials to segregate 20,000 mail-in ballots from alleged noncitizens. Read more →🗳️ Vote watch, cont.: The head of the Justice Department’s voting section within the civil rights division said that no FBI or ICE agents will serve as election monitors at polling places on Election Day. Read more →✉️ Mystery mailers: A new group called “Stand Your Ground” is distributing mailers in competitive races for Congress that appear designed to undercut Republican candidates by turning voters in their pro-gun base away from them. Read more →⚖️ SCOTUS watch: Lawrence Hurley explores how Colorado became a battlefield in the legal fight between LGBTQ and religious rights. Read more →That’s all From the Politics Desk for now. Today’s newsletter was compiled by Adam Wollner.If you have feedback — likes or dislikes — email us at politicsnewsletter@nbcuni.comAnd if you’re a fan, please share with everyone and anyone. They can sign up here.