The Dispute Index
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2026 Midterm Elections

Public disputes concerning the 2026 U.S. midterm election cycle, including campaigns, candidates, conventions, advertising, endorsements, and election-related policy promises.

Related cases

Case

Jon Ossoff’s travel with Natalie remark about Donald Trump and Natalie Harp

At an Atlanta reelection rally, Senator Jon Ossoff said President Donald Trump did not want to do the work of the presidency and instead wanted to build a ballroom and “travel with Natalie” on a Qatari aircraft. Trump allies accused Ossoff of misogyny and of implying an affair with White House aide Natalie Harp. Ossoff did not apologize and said senior White House aides are powerful taxpayer-paid public officials whose influence is fair to scrutinize.

Case

Did Mike Collins support compensation for January 6 defendants?

At an August 11 Savannah campaign event, Mike Collins said the federal government has a liability when it harms someone after a pardoned January 6 defendant asked about compensation for people he said were targeted by a weaponized political system. Jon Ossoff said the answer backed taxpayer-funded payments to violent January 6 participants; the Collins campaign said it did not back automatic or blanket payouts for people prosecuted for January 6.

Case

Did Jon Ossoff’s Social Security ad fairly represent Mike Collins’s radio interview?

Jon Ossoff’s campaign ran an ad using Mike Collins’s words “get off of Social Security, get back into the workforce” to say Collins wanted to push beneficiaries off Social Security. Collins’s campaign said he misspoke and meant Medicaid; Ossoff’s campaign said the ad fairly reflected Collins’s support for pressuring beneficiaries into work. The full radio interview contains the surrounding discussion of tax cuts, Medicaid, Social Security, and work incentives.

Case

Hasan Piker’s “Hamas over Israel” comparison

Hasan Piker affirmed a hypothetical preference for Hamas over Israel through lesser-evil reasoning. Jon Favreau disputed the moral comparison, while the ADL cited it as whitewashing terrorism. Piker later acknowledged Hamas war crimes and denied endorsing its domestic policies, while maintaining that Israeli occupation was the overriding concern.

More cases

Statements

Abdul El-Sayed

Role at the time: U.S. Senate candidate and former Wayne County health director

Condemned

Responding to

Hasan Piker’s remarks about American Jews, Israel, and antisemitic violence

"Antisemitism is a scourge, and we need to address it in all its forms."
Why we used this label

El-Sayed condemns antisemitism and rejects rhetoric that endangers the Jewish community.

Here's What Hasan Piker Said And Why It's So Controversial (opens in a new tab)
Read statementHasan Piker’s remarks about American Jews, Israel, and antisemitic violence

Jon Ossoff

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.

Scandal piñata — Jon Ossoff Atlanta rally transcript (opens in a new tab)Paragraph beginning “He doesn’t want to do the job”
Read statementJon Ossoff’s travel with Natalie remark about Donald Trump and Natalie Harp

Jon Ossoff

Role at the time: United States senator from Georgia and Democratic candidate for reelection

Condemned

Responding to

Did Mike Collins support compensation for January 6 defendants?

"“Congressman Collins needs to immediately come out and publicly retract his support for these taxpayer-funded payouts to violent insurrectionists.”"
Why we used this label

Ossoff directly characterizes Collins’s answer as endorsement of payments to violent insurrectionists and calls it unacceptable.

Ossoff campaign calls on Collins to retract January 6 compensation support (opens in a new tab)August 12, 2026 press release and linked virtual press conference
Read statementDid Mike Collins support compensation for January 6 defendants?

Scott Jennings

Role at the time: Republican political strategist and CNN political commentator

Condemned

Responding to

El-Sayed's cycle-of-violence framing rationalized the antisemitic attack or improperly shifted explanatory responsibility toward Israel and Jews.

"That's how you would justify any and all political violence. That is a dangerous mindset."
Why we used this label

The statement directly rejects the explanation-versus-justification distinction at the center of the dispute.

Scott Jennings Podcast — Radical Left Lunacy (opens in a new tab)01:02:50
Read statementAbdul El-Sayed's cycle of violence framing after the Temple Israel attack

Jon Ossoff

Role at the time: Jon Ossoff U.S. Senate campaign

Condemned

Responding to

Did Jon Ossoff’s Social Security ad fairly represent Mike Collins’s radio interview?

"“He wants to push you off Social Security.”"
Why we used this label

The campaign uses the excerpt to make a critical policy characterization of Collins’s position on Social Security.

FactCheck.org review of Ossoff’s Social Security advertisement and campaign responses (opens in a new tab)Ossoff advertisement, full radio quotation, and campaign responses
Read statementDid Jon Ossoff’s Social Security ad fairly represent Mike Collins’s radio interview?

Tim Miller

Role at the time: Host of The Bulwark Podcast

Condemned

Responding to

El-Sayed's cycle-of-violence framing rationalized the antisemitic attack or improperly shifted explanatory responsibility toward Israel and Jews.

"Anyone who would think a statement condemning a terorrist attack on a synagogue is a 'risk' is insane and should be fired from the campaign."
Why we used this label

The authored post directly rejects the political hesitation surrounding condemnation of the attack.

Archived Tim Miller reaction to El-Sayed's Temple Israel response (opens in a new tab)
Read statementAbdul El-Sayed's cycle of violence framing after the Temple Israel attack

Mike Rogers

Role at the time: Republican U.S. Senate candidate in Michigan

Condemned

Responding to

El-Sayed's cycle-of-violence framing rationalized the antisemitic attack or improperly shifted explanatory responsibility toward Israel and Jews.

"If you're having a moral crisis over whether to condemn terrorism, you're unfit for office."
Why we used this label

The statement treats El-Sayed's contextualization as disqualifying sympathy for the assailant.

Abdul El-Sayed calls statement on Temple Israel attack a risk (opens in a new tab)Full report
Read statementAbdul El-Sayed's cycle of violence framing after the Temple Israel attack

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1 case and 1 statement

Marjorie Taylor Greene

Former United States representative from Georgia and conservative political figure.

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Marc Short

Marc Short is chairman of Advancing American Freedom and a founding partner of Advance Strategies. He previously served as chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence and White House director of legislative affairs under President Donald Trump.

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Joan Walsh

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Daniel Goldman

Daniel Goldman is a Democratic U.S. representative for New York's 10th Congressional District. A former federal prosecutor in the Southern District of New York, he has also worked as a legal analyst and congressional investigator.

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Gloria Allred

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Erica York

Erica York is a senior economist at the Tax Foundation, where she researches federal tax policy. She has also taught at Sterling College and holds a master's degree in economics from Wichita State University.

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Matthew Boyle

Matthew Boyle is Washington bureau chief for Breitbart News, where he covers U.S. politics and conducts interviews with public officials. He joined Breitbart in 2012 after reporting for The Daily Caller.

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Jake Shields

Jake Shields is an American former mixed martial arts fighter who competed in the UFC. He hosts Fight Back with Jake Shields, an interview podcast covering combat sports, politics, and current affairs.

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Reem Ibrahim

Reem Ibrahim is a writer, broadcaster, and research fellow in policy and media at Reason, covering regulation, trade, and economic freedom. She previously worked at the Institute of Economic Affairs in London and is a graduate of the London School of Economics and Political Science.

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Evan Kilgore

Evan Kilgore is an American conservative commentator and social media personality. His commentary addresses United States politics, religion, and national identity, and he describes himself publicly as an American exceptionalist.

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