Midterms unleash what may be the nastiest barrage of attack ads yet

With the US midterms just over a week away, candidates and their supporters are escalating personal attacks in close races that could decide control of the Senate. The article argues that social media and national attention are amplifying the barrage, while disputed allegations and attacks on candidates’ families are raising concerns about political standards.

Examples include Montana Democrats’ internal divisions over a Senate race and Virginia state senator L. Louise Lucas’s indictment, which she says she will fight. In Ohio, an ad backed by Vivek Ramaswamy used comments from Amy Acton’s estranged mother; Acton has had no contact with her since 1978, and Republicans including Governor Mike DeWine criticised the ad. The article also describes attacks in Texas and allegations about Jared Kushner that his lawyer has challenged.