Dems embrace independent candidates to compete in rural America | CNN Politics

CNN's Jeff Zeleny reports on how independent Senate candidates are testing voters’ appetite for an alternative to the two major parties in the midterm elections. The Democratic Party is also standing down and not fielding their own candidates in a handful of rural states, a blunt acknowledgment of the geographical challenges and unpopularity with some voters.

For months, President Donald Trump has falsely claimed that consumer prices are falling ahead of this year's 2026 midterm elections. Now some Republican candidates are running campaign ads that acknowledge reality. CNN’s Daniel Dale reports.

CNN's Kit Maher has a closer look at President Trump's new commemorative coin that just entered circulation.

Multiple sources shared concerns with CNN that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is damaging the Army’s efforts to modernize and adapt to the 21st century battlefield environment – where drone warfare is becoming increasingly important – by firing or pushing out leaders who were spearheading those efforts. CNN’s Haley Britzky reports.

Across the country and the political spectrum, candidates are embracing a growing backlash to artificial intelligence and the infrastructure required to power it – a resistance shaking up races from the local level to the highest national offices, a CNN analysis of campaign ads found.

Frank Kendall, former Air Force Secretary, told CNN that Army officers are being blocked from promotion over perceived ties to DEI, particularly minority and female candidates, and that the current climate of fear in the military is unlike anything he's seen in his career.

MapQuest is seeing a surge in downloads after refusing to adopt President Donald Trump’s “Lake America” name change.

CNN记者杰夫·泽莱尼报道，独立参议员候选人正在试探选民在中期选举中对两大政党之外的选择是否感兴趣。民主党也宣布在少数几个乡村州放弃推出候选人，这直白地承认了地理上的挑战以及在部分选民中不受欢迎。

几个月来，唐纳德·特朗普总统一直错误地声称，在今年的2026年中期选举前，消费者价格正在下降。现在，一些共和党候选人开始投放竞选广告，承认这一事实。CNN记者丹尼尔·戴尔报道。

CNN 的 Kit Maher 将带我们仔细了解一下刚刚开始流通的特朗普总统新纪念币。

多位消息人士向CNN表达了担忧，认为国防部长皮特·赫格塞斯解雇或排挤那些领导陆军现代化和适应21世纪战场环境（无人机作战日益重要）的领导人，正在损害陆军的现代化和适应工作。CNN记者海莉·布里茨基报道。

CNN 对竞选广告的分析发现，在全国范围内，各个政治派别的候选人都对人工智能及其所需基础设施日益增长的抵制情绪感到不满——这种抵制情绪正在撼动从地方到最高国家职位的竞选。

前空军部长弗兰克·肯德尔告诉 CNN，陆军军官因被认为与 DEI（多元化、公平和包容）组织有关联而无法晋升，尤其是少数族裔和女性候选人，而且军队中目前弥漫的恐惧氛围是他职业生涯中从未见过的。

MapQuest拒绝采用唐纳德·特朗普总统提出的将湖泊更名为“美国湖”的提议后，下载量激增。