Public disputes concerning the 2026 U.S. midterm election cycle, including campaigns, candidates, conventions, advertising, endorsements, and election-related policy promises.
After an armed assailant attacked Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan, U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed condemned the attack and antisemitism but connected the assailant's actions to an Israeli airstrike that killed members of his family, describing violence as a cycle. Critics said the framing rationalized an antisemitic terrorist attack or shifted responsibility toward Israel and Jews. El-Sayed denied justifying the attack and later apologized for introducing context when the victims needed an unqualified condemnation.
Ossoff’s remark was sexist and misogynistic because it reduced a female White House aide’s professional role to a sexual implication.
"I thought that the attack was tough, fair, pointed. I thought the ‘with Natalie’ part was gratuitous and unnecessary and distracted and detracted from the attack."
Why we used this label
Expressly splits approval of the political argument from disapproval of the personal phrasing.
Role at the time: United States senator and reelection candidate
Condemned
Responding to
Jon Ossoff’s travel with Natalie remark about Donald Trump and Natalie Harp
"He doesn’t want to do the job. He wants to build his ballroom and travel with Natalie on their apparently defenseless flying palace gifted by the emir of Qatar."
Why we used this label
Ossoffs statement directly criticizes Trump conduct and the reported travel arrangement.
Role at the time: Mike Collins U.S. Senate campaign, through spokesperson Meyer Siegfried
Challenged the characterization
Responding to
Did Mike Collins support compensation for January 6 defendants?
"“Mike Collins fully supports holding the government accountable when federal agencies abuse their power and believes Americans who’ve been wronged by their government ought to have a path to seek justice. He does not support a blank-check fund or automatic taxpayer-funded payouts to anyone simply because they were prosecuted for January 6.”"
Why we used this label
The campaign expressly disputes Ossoff’s characterization of Collins’s answer as support for taxpayer-funded payouts to January 6 defendants.
Bernie Moreno is a Republican U.S. senator representing Ohio, serving in the Senate since 2025. Before entering elected office, he operated automobile dealerships in Ohio and co-founded CHAMP Titles, a company that develops digital vehicle-title systems.
Catherine Rampell is an economics journalist and commentator, economics editor at The Bulwark, and an anchor at MS NOW. Her work focuses on economics, politics, public policy, and immigration. She previously wrote an opinion column for The Washington Post and reported for The New York Times and PBS NewsHour.
Sam Stein is a political journalist and managing editor at The Bulwark. He previously served as politics editor at The Daily Beast and oversaw White House and campaign reporting at Politico, after beginning his journalism career at HuffPost.
Marc Goldwein is senior vice president and senior policy director at the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, where his work focuses on fiscal policy and the federal budget. He also teaches economics at Johns Hopkins University and the University of California's Washington program.
Sarah McBride is a Democratic U.S. representative for Delaware. She previously served in the Delaware Senate and worked as a spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign. Her legislative work has included paid family leave, health care, and worker protections.
