25 Days Before Midterms, Debates Erupt in Michigan, Georgia, Maine

Candidates seeking office in Michigan, Georgia and Maine met for debates with 25 days left until Election Day, and the war in Iran and President Donald Trump's tariffs took center stage in each matchup, according to ABC News coverage of the night.

The network's rundown of the evening called it "a fiery debate night in key midterm races," tying the exchanges directly to the countdown to November and to two issues — the Iran conflict and tariff policy — that have become fixtures of this cycle's debate stages nationwide.

What happened in the midterm debates in Michigan, Georgia and Maine?

ABC News grouped the three contests together as the marquee debates of the night, with candidates fielding questions on foreign policy and trade in addition to state-level issues. The network did not publish full transcripts alongside its video rundown, but framed the Iran war and tariffs as the dominant threads across all three debate stages.

Why did the war in Iran and tariffs dominate the debate stage?

Both issues have carried into the midterm campaign from the national stage. ABC News's broader coverage the same day included separate segments on Trump weighing whether to join a Saudi Arabia conflict and on the president's call for a new president in Ukraine — signs that foreign policy questions tied to the administration were following candidates into state-level races just over three weeks before voters go to the polls.

How are Republicans and Democrats positioning with 25 days left?

The debate night unfolded alongside two other ABC News segments describing diverging strategies inside the GOP: one on "GOP on defense in deep red states as Democrats vie to flip seats," and another on "some GOP candidates try to distance themselves from Trump ahead of midterms." Neither segment named the specific candidates involved, but both point to Republicans managing their proximity to the president differently depending on how competitive their districts are.

"It was a fiery debate night in key midterm races in Michigan, Georgia and Maine, with 25 days until Election Day and the war in Iran and President Donald Trump's tariffs taking center stage." — ABC News

What do the polls show heading into Election Day?

• 25 days remained until Election Day as of the debate broadcast, Oct. 9, 2026, per ABC News.
• Debates were held across three states — Michigan, Georgia and Maine — the same night.
• A separate ABC News segment reported a poll showing Republicans lagging behind Democrats in "eagerness to vote" ahead of the midterms, without specifying the pollster or margin.
• ABC News also flagged "growing signs Democrats could retake the House and Senate," though it did not cite specific seat-count projections.

What to watch before November

• Whether Republican candidates in competitive districts continue distancing themselves from Trump's tariff and Iran policies on future debate stages.
• Additional polling on voter enthusiasm as Election Day nears.
• Follow-on coverage of the Saudi Arabia conflict question and any shift in Trump's posture toward Ukraine's leadership, both of which bled into the debate questioning.
• Whether Michigan, Georgia and Maine emerge as bellwethers if control of the House or Senate remains close.

Full video of the exchanges is available via ABC News.