Reading view

The Holdup at the Center of the Iran Talks, and Trump’s Baseless New Claims of Voter Fraud

Plus, “I’m busy, but you can talk to my A.I. twin.”

© Arash Khamooshi/Polaris for The New York Times

President Trump has repeatedly said that the United States and Iran were coming close to a deal to end the war. It is not clear that they are actually any closer at the moment.
  •  

Democratic Group Kicks Off $50 Million Midterm Blitz in Conservative Strongholds

American Bridge is hoping that Republicans are vulnerable in parts of the country that had been exceedingly tough terrain for Democrats in recent elections.

© Michael A. McCoy for The New York Times

American Bridge is kicking off a roughly $50 million advertising campaign targeting Republicans in more than a dozen House districts and four Senate races.
  •  

Maine Elections Test Democrats’ Support for Platner: What to Watch in Today’s Primaries

Any indication of tepid support for Graham Platner, a Democratic candidate for Senate in Maine, will be seen as a warning sign about his chances against Senator Susan Collins, the Republican incumbent.

© Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Graham Platner, a Democratic candidate for Senate in Maine who is seeking to challenge Senator Susan Collins in the fall, has been mired in scandals in recent weeks.
  •  

Trump Previews Fall Strategy With Baseless Claims of California Vote Fraud

The president is using the slow count of mail ballots in California to renew his effort to cast doubt on election outcomes he doesn’t like, despite a lack of evidence of any widespread fraud.

© Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times

By baselessly framing the rise of a candidate for Los Angeles mayor as a Democratic scam, President Trump has extended his long-running project to erode public faith in elections.
  •  

A Timeline of Donald Trump and Lindsey Graham’s Relationship Before the South Carolina Primary

Once one of President Trump’s fiercest critics, the South Carolina senator has dramatically shifted his posture over the years. Will it pay off on Tuesday in his primary?

© Tierney L. Cross/The New York Times, Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times

Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, left, and President Trump.
  •  
❌