White House bets the midterms on Trump and 3 dead in Minneapolis shooting: Morning Rundown

The White House is inserting Trump into midterm elections even though he’s not on the ballot. Three people, including the suspect, were killed and five injured in a Minnesota shooting. And the Los Angeles Clippers are handed one of steepest penalties in NBA history.

In a meeting last week, some of President Donald Trump’s senior advisers were told by his pollster that the midterms outlook for Republicans is grim, according to a person familiar with the discussion. Republican voters aren’t all that enthused about November’s elections in which Trump isn’t on the ballot, the advisers were told. It’s not a good sign for the GOP, which is fighting to maintain its thin majorities in the House and Senate.

So, in a bid to bolster voter turnout, the administration is looking for ways to make the midterms about Trump.

One approach is telling any and all disaffected voters that the president has answers to the economic anxieties that people face, which could be tough considering the ongoing Iran war and the high prices — especially for diesel fuel — that have resulted.

A second approach is rousing Trump’s core supporters to get them to show up as if he’s on the…

Original source: https://www.nbcnews.com/business