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2026 midterm elections fact-checks: Trump rallies in Iowa

2026 Midterms Elections National
A voter fills out a ballot in the general election Oct. 9, 2026, during early voting at the Hamilton County Board of Elections in Norwood, Ohio. (AP)
By PolitiFact Staff
October 17, 2026

PolitiFact is fact-checking multiple competitive 2026 midterm election races across the United States. Follow this live blog for our latest fact-checks and updates.

To suggest a claim for us to fact-check, email truthometer@politifact.com. 


Our Sources

See links in live blog.

Browse the Truth-O-Meter

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Donald Trump
stated on December 8, 2021 in an interview with Hugh Hewitt:
Gas prices were “$1.86 when I left” the White House.
False
By PolitiFact Staff • December 8, 2021
Louise Slaughter
stated on September 5, 2017 in a tweet:
Rescinding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program “will harm our economy.”
True
By PolitiFact Staff • September 10, 2017
Bloggers
stated on March 2, 2017 in a headline:
“Doctors who discovered cancer enzymes in vaccines all found murdered.”
Pants on Fire!
By PolitiFact Staff • April 4, 2017
David Menchetti
stated on November 28, 2016 in testimony before the Illinois House Labor and Commerce Committee:
“The causation standard in Indiana is exactly the same as it is in Illinois.”
True
By PolitiFact Staff • December 19, 2016
Kasim Reed
stated on September 16, 2016 in a White House press conference:
“If you look at any real analysis,” the Trans-Pacific Partnership is “going to generate better-paying jobs that are more stable.”
Half-True
By PolitiFact Staff • September 30, 2016
Kasim Reed
stated on November 17, 2015 in press release:
While the smoking rate nationally has fallen, more than 18 percent of Georgians still light up.  
Mostly True
By PolitiFact Staff • November 30, 2015
NextGen Climate Action Committee
stated on August 8, 2014 in a campaign ad:
Says Rick Scott “is letting Duke (Energy) keep collecting billions” despite troubled power plants.
Half-True
By PolitiFact Staff • August 13, 2014
Georgia Department of Transportation
stated on July 19, 2011 in a press release:
The Northwest Corridor highway project in Cobb and Cherokee counties “is expected to create over 9,700 jobs statewide.”
False
By PolitiFact Staff • August 10, 2011
Republican National Committee
stated on June 5, 2008 in in a news release:
Obama couldn’t have afforded his home without Rezko’s help.
False
By PolitiFact Staff • June 17, 2008

2026 midterm elections fact-checks: Trump rallies in Iowa

Clear
JD Vance
stated on October 17, 2026 in un foro con votantes de CBS News:
“La razón principal por la que los precios de la gasolina están tan altos es porque cuando Joe Biden era presidente, alrededor del 20% de la capacidad de refinación estadounidense dejó de operar”.
False
By Louis Jacobson • October 21, 2026
Roger Marshall
stated on October 16, 2026 in an interview with Sean Hannity:
Kansas U.S. Senate candidate Adam Hamilton “wants to shut down the beef industry.”
False
By Amy Sherman • October 20, 2026
Ashley Moody
stated on October 6, 2026 in a TV ad:
Florida U.S. Senate candidate Angie Nixon “backed a $4 trillion tax hike on everyone in this diner,” including a server and older adults.
Half-True
By Maria Briceño • October 20, 2026
Mike Rogers
stated on October 18, 2026 in an interview:
Michigan U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed “didn’t disavow” the Muslim Brotherhood.
False
By Caleb McCullough • October 19, 2026
JD Vance
stated on October 17, 2026 in a CBS News town hall:
“The biggest reason why gas prices are so high is because when Joe Biden was president, we had about 20% of American refining capacity that went offline.”
False
By Louis Jacobson • October 19, 2026
Social Media
stated on October 12, 2026 in an image:
If an election worker writes anything on your ballot before you put it in the voting machine, “your ballot could be disqualified.”
False
By Paul Specht • October 16, 2026
Mike Collins
stated on October 13, 2026 in in a debate:
U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff is “all for abortion up until and past birth.”
False
By Maria Briceño • October 16, 2026
Social Media
stated on October 11, 2026 in publicaciones en redes sociales:
Una grabación de audio es prueba de que James Talarico fue dado de alta de un “hospital psiquiátrico” el 10 de octubre.
Pants on Fire!
By Loreben Tuquero • October 16, 2026
Senate Leadership Fund
stated on October 1, 2026 in an ad:
New Hampshire U.S. Senate candidate Chris Pappas “lied about dating an Amazon lobbyist, then voted on bills Amazon lobbied on.”
Mostly False
By Louis Jacobson • October 15, 2026
Senate Leadership Fund
stated on September 28, 2026 in an ad:
“Sherrod Brown supports sex changes for minors. Irreversible surgery on kids. Like me,” Soren Aldaco.
Pants on Fire!
By Loreben Tuquero • October 14, 2026
Mariannette Miller-Meeks
stated on October 2, 2026 in a Facebook post:
“I don’t own a single individual stock.”
True
By Evan Watson • October 14, 2026
Donald Trump
stated on October 2, 2026 in a rally in Alabama:
James Talarico is “a vegan” and “what they don’t show you is that, after every barbecue … he throws up.”
Pants on Fire!
By Amy Sherman, Caleb McCullough • October 13, 2026
X posts
stated on October 11, 2026 in posts:
Audio recording is proof James Talarico was discharged from a “mental hospital” on Oct. 10.
Pants on Fire!
By Loreben Tuquero • October 12, 2026
Amy Acton
stated on September 21, 2026 in a campaign ad:
Vivek Ramaswamy “pushed an Alzheimer’s drug that he knew didn’t work. He made hundreds of millions of dollars scamming people.”
Mostly False
By Cami Henry-Seymore • October 12, 2026
James Talarico
stated on October 6, 2026 in an ad:
Texas Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton voted “to protect puppy abusers.”
Mostly False
By Caleb McCullough • October 12, 2026
Sherrod Brown
stated on September 18, 2026 in an ad:
Sen. Jon Husted voted “to kick 490,000 Ohioans off their healthcare.”
Half-True
By Louis Jacobson • October 9, 2026
Angie Nixon
stated on October 4, 2026 in an Oct. 4 CBS Miami interview:
President Donald Trump has deported “over 13,000 Cubans since he has been in office, his first term and his second term.”
Mostly True
By Maria Briceño • October 9, 2026
Phil Berger
stated on October 7, 2026 in comments:
Suspending North Carolina’s gas tax
Full Flop
By Paul Specht • October 7, 2026
Zach Nunn
stated on September 8, 2026 in a social media post:
“We have cut the largest taxes in U.S. history.”
Mostly False
By Isabella Tisdale • October 7, 2026
Senate Leadership Fund
stated on September 22, 2026 in an ad:
Iowa U.S. Senate Democratic candidate Josh Turek “supports amnesty for illegals.”
Half-True
By Caleb McCullough • October 7, 2026
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