Republican Governor Mike DeWine denounces Ramaswamy ad featuring Democrat Amy Acton’s estranged mother

SOUTH POINT, Ohio (WSAZ) - Local and state leaders on Tuesday celebrated major riverfront renovations in Lawrence County, Ohio. Gov. Mike DeWine (R-Ohio) helped cut the ribbon on new upgrades at the riverfront park in South Point. The renovations include a 131-foot seawall, an ADA compliant ramp, and more handicap parking. The money for the renovations comes the state’s Appalachian Community Grant Program. DeWine said the program helps boost tourism, redevelopment and community engagement. “More people are going to have access,” he said. “This is good for tourism, but it’s also good for people who live here and happen to have a boat or just want to get out on the river. This is what we intended the money for. We wanted to really be a boost for the local community. And every community made its own decision. I mean, South Point decided how they wanted to spend this money. And this is what we see today, and I’m very delighted by what they’ve done.” For previous coverage, click here. Copyright 2026 WSAZ. All rights reserved.

NORFOLK, Va. — Federal authorities on Thursday charged a prominent Virginia Democrat with racketeering and a money laundering conspiracy as part of an alleged public corruption case involving a cannabis business she co-owns. Virginia state Sen. L. Louise Lucas, a frequent critic of President Donald Trump who is one of the most powerful Democrats in the state, surrendered to authorities Thursday. She was also charged with conspiracy to distribute marijuana. A half-dozen other people, including Lucas’ daughters, were also in custody and charged in the alleged scheme. The investigation into the 82-year-old Lucas predates the Trump administration, NBC News previously reported. But the Justice Department’s move, just 12 days before a midterm election, is unusual, as federal authorities have typically avoided taking overt investigative steps against political figures so close to an election. Lucas is not up for re-election this year but has ties to prominent Democrats who are on the ballot. Lucas said in a statement on social media that she will not be intimidated or back down.

LEWISTON, Maine (AP) — Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins distanced herself from a new ad attacking Democratic opponent Troy Jackson as a “freak” and a “creep” because “he has two kids with his cousin,” saying Wednesday that it should be taken down. The spot, airing on Maine radio in the form of a country song, is from the Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC aligned with Senate Republicans. Among the lyrics in the jingle: “If he’ll screw his own family, he’ll screw yours too.”Collins told reporters during a campaign appearance in Lewiston that she “had nothing to do with that ad.” She added that federal law bans her from coordinating with the super PAC, but she has publicly called for it to be removed. Previously, in a Politico story in September, Collins referenced Jackson’s relationship with a second cousin. “I’m not going to bring up the fact that the mother of his two children is his second cousin,” Collins said. “I don’t know whether people know that or not.”Get Starting PointA guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday.

Support WBUR03:19Eric Stone, Alaska Public MediaOctober 21, 2026Alaska has been a reliably red state but a Democrat has a chance of becoming governor. Eric Stone with Alaska Public Media reports. This segment aired on October 21, 2026. Support WBURSupport WBURListen Live

One of the most competitive races in the country is playing out in southwest Washington, where an incumbent Democrat is defending her seat against a Trump-endorsed Republican challenger. “ I've proven over and over that I am loyal to the soil, I am loyal to people, I'm loyal to my community,” said U. S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, who is running for re-election in the 3rd Congressional District, during a conversation with “Soundside.” In the interview, which aired Monday, Oct. 19, Gluesenkamp Perez addressed her voting record, progressivism in the Democratic Party, and the ballot initiative to ban trans athletes in girls’ sports.