With just four days left until the U.S. midterm elections, national polls show Democrats in the lead as both parties make the final push to get to the polls.
Meanwhile, legal disputes in Alaska threaten to delay Senate results, and President Donald Trump canceled two weekend rallies in favor of campaigning by phone.
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Here’s what you need to know:
What do the latest US midterm polls show?
According to RealClearPolling, Democrats lead Republicans 51.4% to 43.2%, a difference of 8.2 points.
Charles Franklin, a professor of law and public policy and head of polling at Marquette Law School, said President Trump’s declining approval ratings and economic concerns are worrying Republicans.
In the latest Wisconsin poll conducted by Marquette Law School from October 14th to October 22nd and released on October 28th, President Trump has an approval rating of 37% and a disapproval rating of 61%.
Just 16% of respondents said they were better off financially than they were a year ago, while 42% said they were worse off, and a further 42% said things were about the same.
“Democrats are becoming more engaged and voting more reliably,” Franklin told Al Jazeera.
“This gives Democrats a significant advantage and reflects Republican disappointment with the current state of the nation,” he added.
The cost of groceries is a major concern in Arizona, where voters are facing an increase in the cost of living, retirees told Al Jazeera.
“We’re retired, but every time we go to the grocery store, we wonder what’s going on,” the voter said.
In Texas, Democrat James Talarico has 49% support, compared to Republican Ken Paxton 43%, according to a CNN poll released Thursday. In Michigan, Democrat Abdul El-Sayed leads Republican Mike Rogers 49% to 42%, according to the same pollster.
However, Franklin warned: “Polls are not a perfect predictor of outcome.
“It’s possible that a close race could go either way, either because of a voting error or because voters moved a little more in either direction.”
But Alaska also has complications with legal disputes that could delay the results of the Senate race.
What’s happening in Alaska’s Senate race?
The battle for the Alaska seat could continue in court after voting closes on Nov. 3. The race centers on two candidates: the incumbent Republican senator and an independent candidate of the same name, Dan Sullivan, who is registered as a Republican.
President Trump accused Democrats of fielding independent candidates to confuse voters and steal support from Republican senators.
“This was a conspiracy. This was election fraud. Complete election fraud,” Trump said.
The Justice Department has taken legal action over the controversy, but Democrat Mary Peltola has denied the charges.
“This feels like another distraction from the affordability issues that Alaskans want to talk about,” she says.
Alan Fisher, Al Jazeera’s U.S. correspondent, said the dispute could have implications beyond Alaska if control of the Senate depends on the outcome.
“If this becomes a key seat in the Senate race, we may not actually know who is in control for days or weeks after November 3,” Fisher said.
What happened on the campaign trail in the last 24 hours?
President Trump visited South Carolina to campaign for Republican Sen. Darline Graham (sister of the late Lindsey Graham), who is running against Annie Andrews in a close race.
In Rock Hill, President Trump encouraged voters to cast their ballots and warned his supporters not to take the election results for granted. Trump said of Graham that she has a lead but still has to campaign there. “You never know in politics, right? So you have to go out and vote.”
He also addressed his supporters directly, asking his audience to pretend they were on the ballot.
“And we’re on the ballot because of what we’ve accomplished and the incredible success we’ve had,” he added.
In Texas, Vice President J.D. Vance attended a rally in the Dallas suburb of Weatherford with Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton as Republicans urged their supporters to vote.
“Texas hasn’t surrendered. Texas hasn’t become California. It’s still Texas, right?” Vance told his supporters.
Prominent Democrats also participated in the campaign.
On Wednesday, former President Barack Obama spoke in support of Sen. Jon Ossoff in Georgia, criticizing President Trump’s management of the economy and approach to the war with Iran.
Asked by Al Jazeera about Obama’s visit, Ossoff’s opponent, Republican Mike Collins, said it showed “Jon Ossoff’s desperation because he knows he’s going to lose.”
“If he had won this big, he wouldn’t have brought anyone in,” Collins said.
Democrats also campaigned in Texas and Georgia on Thursday.
In Dallas, Senate candidate James Talarico held a rally as part of his final campaign, and former Vice President Kamala Harris joined Ossoff at Clark Atlanta University to urge young people to vote.
Harris also campaigned in Macon, Georgia, where she criticized the Trump administration for the soaring cost of living.
“We now have a moment to turn pain into purpose,” Harris told Democratic volunteers. Harris also encouraged supporters to participate in local and statewide contests.
Later, at Clark Atlanta University, she challenged students to be active.
“Don’t overlook those races, because those races make decisions about your life every day,” she said.
What happens next in the US midterm election campaign?
President Trump canceled his weekend plans in Kansas and Iowa and instead held teleconferences in about 20 states in the final days before Tuesday’s election.
Trump was scheduled to appear in Salina, Kansas, on Saturday and Dubuque, Iowa, on Sunday.
Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters said the change would allow Trump to reach more voters than he could with an in-person appearance.
“Voters across the country want to hear from President Trump before Election Day, and this 72-hour sprint will be a big boost late in the election,” Gruters said.
Asked about the cancellation Thursday, Trump questioned the need to travel to Kansas, where Republican Sen. Roger Marshall is running against Democrat Adam Hamilton.
“I don’t think it’s necessary to go to Kansas,” President Trump said.
When a Reuters reporter asked if the decision had anything to do with travel fatigue, President Trump rejected the suggestion. “I feel perfect,” he said before insulting the reporter.
President Trump is scheduled to hold a rally at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, Florida, starting Friday at 11pm Japan time.
At the same time, Harris will speak at the Fulton County Democratic Party’s Fulton Forward Dinner in Atlanta, Georgia.
Mr. Vance was also scheduled to hold a press conference with the White House Task Force on Combating Fraud in St. Cloud, Minnesota, on Friday, but Thursday’s visit was canceled. The reason was not immediately disclosed.
