Michigan Campaign Tensions, a Cornell Court Order and U.S. Pressure on Cuba

Midterm polling leaves control of the House uncertain

In the October 26 episode of The Megyn Kelly Show’s AM Update, Megyn Kelly surveyed several political, legal and international stories, alongside a maritime rescue. The following reflects the show’s account of those developments and has not been independently corroborated.

The show reported that a CBS News/YouGov survey put Democrats ahead of Republicans by 53% to 45% among likely voters nationwide and estimated that Democrats would win about 229 House seats. CBS elections director Anthony Salvato cautioned that this would be a relatively narrow majority rather than a large electoral wave. He said stronger Republican participation among voters who were only considering turning out could still shift the outcome.

Trump and Obama offer opposing messages in Michigan

Kelly said President Donald Trump and former President Barack Obama had entered Michigan’s Senate campaign on opposing sides, with Democrat Abdul El-Sayed facing Republican Mike Rogers. Trump used inflammatory labels against El-Sayed and alleged ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. The episode cited reporting about a letter El-Sayed signed in 2012 and connections involving members of his family, while noting that El-Sayed denied any personal affiliation with the organisation and accused Republicans of targeting his Muslim faith.

Obama defended El-Sayed at a Detroit rally, arguing that opponents were using fear and religious identity to cast him as less American. When questioned about Trump’s language, Rogers said he had never called El-Sayed a terrorist, although he continued to criticise the Democrat’s political associations and supporters.

Cornell accuser may remain anonymous

The update reported that a New York judge allowed a woman accusing seven former Cornell University fraternity members of gang rape to continue using the name Jane Doe in her civil lawsuit. According to the show, the judge cited concerns about harassment and retaliation after online efforts to uncover the woman’s identity. None of the defendants opposed her request for anonymity.

The underlying allegations remain disputed. All seven men deny them, and the episode said local prosecutors declined to pursue criminal charges in 2024 based on the accuser’s sworn statement. It also reported that New York Attorney General Letitia James is overseeing a reopened investigation. The court order prevents the defendants and their lawyers from identifying Jane Doe publicly but permits confidential disclosure when necessary to investigate the claims and prepare a defence.

Rubio seeks covert cooperation from Cubans

Kelly reported that Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged Cubans seeking political change to cooperate discreetly with the CIA. The agency subsequently shared his message, a Spanish-language appeal and instructions for making contact. The episode placed the appeal within a broader administration pressure campaign that it said included sanctions and an oil blockade.

Trump also invoked possible military pressure during a Florida campaign rally, although the show noted that he had previously predicted Washington and Havana could reach an agreement without military action. It said the administration had imposed sanctions on a Cuban state-owned bank accused by U.S. officials of serving an Iranian bank already under American sanctions. The status of any negotiations remained unclear.

Coast Guard crew rescues 16 people off Mexico

The episode concluded with an account of a Coast Guard helicopter crew rescuing 16 Mexican nationals after their vessel capsized off the Baja California Peninsula. Rescue swimmer Josh Law reportedly spent nearly two hours in rough, dark water bringing survivors to a rescue basket. Eleven others were not found after a two-day search. Although the boat was travelling through an area described as frequently used by migrant smugglers, authorities had not confirmed why its passengers were there.