Daily Summary of Politics · Final editionWednesday 28 October 2026 · UTC
Politics News: 28 October 2026
Israel's election ends in deadlock as the US midterm campaign enters its final week
With about 90 percent of votes counted, Israel's election left neither Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc nor Gadi Eisenkot's close to a 61-seat majority, and Arab parties won a record 19 seats. In the United States, forecasters and new polls moved several races toward Democrats with six days to go, as Barack Obama and Donald Trump held rallies in competing battleground states.
In Brazil, defeated senator Flavio Bolsonaro arrived in Miami on US visas while a Brazilian judge ordered an inquiry into possible foreign interference in the country's election.
Israel election leaves Netanyahu and Eisenkot blocs short of majority, Arab parties surge
By Wednesday the Central Election Committee had counted 89.8 percent of votes. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc was on course for 53 of the Knesset's 120 seats and Gadi Eisenkot's bloc for 48, leaving both well short of the 61 needed to govern. Likud remained the largest party with 26 seats, ahead of Eisenkot's Yashar! with 21.
Exit polls on Tuesday had put Eisenkot's bloc ahead, and double-envelope ballots, including soldiers' votes, still had to be counted. The two mainly Arab parties won a record 19 seats after record Arab turnout, up from their previous high of 15, and Joint List leader Yousef Jabareen said his party was ready to help remove Netanyahu's government.
Netanyahu called for a right-wing national government, ruled out relying on Arab parties and stopped short of claiming victory, while Israel stays under a caretaker government during coalition talks.
Ratings and new polls shift several US races toward Democrats six days before midterms
With six days left before the 3 November midterm elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball moved three Senate races, two governor's races and more than a dozen House races in Democrats' direction. New New York Times/Siena polls suggested South Carolina's Senate race is competitive, Minnesota appears out of reach for Republicans and Florida may be out of reach for Democrats.
Ballot measures on billionaire taxes, transgender rights, abortion and voting rights are on the ballot in several states.
Obama campaigns in Georgia and Trump in Ohio in the closing days of the midterms
Former President Barack Obama held a rally in Georgia on Wednesday, and former Vice President Kamala Harris is due to campaign there on Thursday and Friday. President Donald Trump went back to Ohio to campaign as Republican Vivek Ramaswamy faced continued backlash over a campaign ad. In Alaska, Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski broke with her party by endorsing Democrat Kreiss-Tomkins for governor.
House Speaker Mike Johnson pledged a peaceful transfer of power on 3 January.
Flavio Bolsonaro arrives in Miami as Brazil opens election interference inquiry
Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro and his family arrived in Miami after the US government granted them visas, following his election defeat. Separately, a Brazilian judge ordered an investigation into a campaign finance network linked to US Vice President JD Vance, saying its donors may have interfered in Brazil's recent election. The two developments add to political tension between Brasilia and Washington after Brazil's vote.
Illustration 
