International

Biden, Trump clash on eve of midterms set to upend Washington

Photo: Jeff Kowalsky / AFP

| By AFP | Sebastian Smith |

Republicans and Democrats traded final blows Monday ahead of midterm elections that could upend Joe Biden’s presidency, weaken Western support for Ukraine and even open the door to a comeback bid by Donald Trump.

More than 40 million ballots have been cast through early voting options, meaning the outcome was already taking shape with hours to go before polls open nationwide Tuesday.

In a typically attention-grabbing move, Elon Musk used his newly purchased Twitter social media site to endorse a Republican takeover of Congress.

“Shared power curbs the worst excesses of both parties,” the world’s richest person tweeted to his 114 million followers. “Therefore I recommend voting for a Republican Congress, given that the Presidency is Democratic.”

20260212_constancia_pagos_mh_728x90

Adding to tensions — and a reminder of Moscow’s murky role throughout Trump-era US politics — Kremlin-connected oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin boasted that Russia was trying to tilt the outcome.

“We interfered, we are interfering and we will interfere… carefully, precisely, surgically and the way we do it, the way we can,” said Prigozhin, a pivotal figure in the Ukraine invasion where his Wagner military contractor group is on the front lines.

Biden, who has framed his closing argument as a warning that American democracy is on the line, was set to close out days of frantic campaigning for Democratic candidates at a rally Monday evening near Baltimore.

Trump — using the midterms to repeatedly tease a possible 2024 White House run, even as he faces criminal probes over taking secret documents and trying to overturn the 2020 election — was holding a rally in Ohio.

With polls showing Republicans in line to seize the House of Representatives, the increasingly far-right party eyed snarling the rest of Biden’s first term in aggressive investigations and opposition to spending plans.

20260212_constancia_pagos_mh_728x90

Kevin McCarthy, who would likely become speaker of the House — placing him second in line to the president — also refused to rule out impeachment proceedings.

“We will never use impeachment for political purposes,” McCarthy told CNN. “That doesn’t mean if something rises to the occasion, it would not be used at any other time.”

One key question remained whether the US Senate would also flip, leaving Biden as little more than a lame duck.

With Congress out of Democrats’ hands, Biden would see his legislative agenda collapse.

That would raise questions over everything from climate crisis policies, which the president will be laying out at the COP27 conference in Egypt this week, to Ukraine, where Republicans are reluctant to maintain the current rate of US financial and military support.

20260212_constancia_pagos_mh_728x90

While insisting he supports Ukraine’s struggle, McCarthy told CNN there could be no “blank check” — a nod to the isolationist, far-right Trump wing of his party and a signal likely sending shivers through Kyiv.

Just how bad Tuesday goes will also likely determine whether Biden, who turns 80 this month and is the oldest president ever, will seek a second term or step aside, plunging his party into fresh uncertainty.

‘Wake-up call’

Up for grabs are all 435 House seats, a third of the 100 Senate seats, and a slew of state-level posts.

Popular former president Barack Obama and other Democratic stars have been racing from campaign to campaign in hopes of seeing off the predicted Republican “red wave.”

But the political landscape has been tilting away from Democrats since the summer, as Republican messaging about high inflation, crime and illegal immigration overwhelmed the incumbents.

20260212_constancia_pagos_mh_728x90

“This is going to be a wake-up call to President Biden,” was the bullish weekend prediction of Glenn Youngkin, Virginia’s Republican governor and a rising star being touted as a possible party alternative to Trump in 2024.

The Senate is more of a toss-up but Democratic hopes of keeping the upper chamber, which they currently only barely control thanks to the tiebreaking vote from Vice President Kamala Harris, hang in the balance.

Dave Wasserman of the nonpartisan Cook Political Report told MSNBC there could be a Republican gain of 15-25 House seats, while “Republicans might gain the one seat they need to win control of the Senate.”

Races in Pennsylvania, Nevada, Arizona, Georgia, Wisconsin, New Hampshire and Ohio have narrowed to projected photo finishes, and any one of them could swing the balance of power.

Democrats have focused their closing arguments on voting rights, protecting abortion access and welfare — and on the threat posed by growing support among Trump Republicans for political conspiracy theories.

20260212_constancia_pagos_mh_728x90

Republicans counter that a vote for Democrats means more soaring inflation and crime.

Related Topics:Biden Élections Midterms Trump

Up Next

Haitian gang leaders charged for kidnapping of US citizens

Don't Miss

Tough choices as Brazil’s Lula gets down to business

20260212_constancia_pagos_mh_300x250

International

Nine People Killed in Two Armed Attacks in Manabí, Ecuador

At least nine people were killed Monday in two nearly simultaneous armed attacks in the province of Manabí, located on Ecuador’s Pacific coast, one of the areas hardest hit by violence in the country, according to the National Police.

The first attack left seven people dead and took place in Camarones, a rural area of the Jama canton. The second occurred in the sector known as La Y, in the seaside town of Canoa, part of the San Vicente canton, where two people were killed.

According to preliminary reports, both incidents occurred early Monday morning when armed men intercepted the victims. Authorities said the motives behind the attacks remain under investigation.

The assault in Camarones happened around 1:15 a.m. local time, when a group of armed individuals stormed a ranch in the area. The victims have not yet been officially identified.

About 15 minutes later, in Canoa, two men traveling in a motorized taxi were intercepted by armed suspects riding motorcycles and shot. One of the victims was identified as a 28-year-old passenger, while the identity of the driver has not yet been confirmed.

20260212_constancia_pagos_mh_728x90

The attacks occurred just days after another multiple homicide on February 12 at a ranch in San Juan de las Cucarachas, a rural area of the Santa Ana canton in Manabí, which left six people dead.

Manabí has been experiencing escalating insecurity linked to disputes among organized crime groups, including drug trafficking networks and territorial control conflicts. In response, the government has maintained a state of emergency in the province since August to address the surge in violence attributed to these criminal organizations.

International

Over 40 Million Affected by Major Snowstorm in Northeastern U.S.

More than 40 million people across the northeastern United States are facing a new major snowstorm this Monday, including residents of New York City, where local authorities have shut down roads to traffic.

The storm triggered widespread flight cancellations early in the morning and caused power outages affecting thousands of homes and businesses throughout the region.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani banned non-essential vehicle travel at least until noon and ordered the closure of public schools as a precautionary measure. Authorities in neighboring states, including New Jersey and Rhode Island, imposed similar restrictions to ensure public safety.

This marks the second major winter storm to hit the East Coast in less than a month, leading to growing frustration among residents.

“I’m fed up. I don’t want to see another snowflake,” said Vincent Greer, a resident of Wildwood, New Jersey, as he shoveled accumulated snow from in front of his building.

20260212_constancia_pagos_mh_728x90

Officials continue to urge residents to remain indoors, avoid unnecessary travel, and monitor local advisories as crews work to clear roads and restore power.

International

Ninth Victim Recovered After Deadliest U.S. Avalanche in Decades

Rescue teams in California on Saturday recovered the body of the ninth and final victim of a deadly avalanche in the Sierra Nevada mountains, according to the local sheriff’s office.

The avalanche struck a group of 11 skiers and four guides on Tuesday as they were returning from a three-day backcountry trip near Castle Peak, a 2,777-meter (9,111-foot) mountain and popular tourist destination on the U.S. West Coast.

Six people were rescued alive on Tuesday. Authorities said the incident marks the deadliest avalanche in the United States since 1981.

“All nine individuals who lost their lives in the February 17 Castle Peak avalanche have been safely recovered from the mountain,” the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.

“There are no words that can truly capture the magnitude of this loss, and our hearts grieve alongside the families affected by this catastrophic event,” Sheriff Shannan Moon said.

20260212_constancia_pagos_mh_728x90

Officials had warned on Thursday that search operations would likely continue through the weekend due to severe weather conditions in the area.

Survivors were able to call for help shortly after the avalanche occurred. However, near-zero visibility and the risk of additional snow slides prevented rescue teams from reaching them for several hours.