Well, that was ugly.

If the 2026 midterm campaign proved anything, it’s that political advertising has lost whatever shred of decorum it once possessed.

Consider Maine.

A Republican-aligned super PAC actually produced a country song mocking Democratic Senate candidate Troy Jackson for having two children with his second cousin.

The lyrics called Jackson a “freak” and a “creep.” Republican Sen. Susan Collins, whom the ad was intended to help, called for it to be pulled.

Then there was Michigan.

An outside PAC supporting Democrat Abdul El-Sayed released an online political ad depicting a couple shopping for groceries.

At one point, a woman tells her husband to put back a carton of eggs, saying they must set aside $7 “for killing Palestinians” through U.S. military aid to Israel.

Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt condemned the ad as a “case study in antisemitism.” El-Sayed’s campaign said it had no involvement in the advertisement.

And those were just two of the more memorable episodes.

After months of attack ads, mudslinging and political theater, I think we could all use a change of pace.

So today, we’re turning The Rundown over to you.

Your Rundown for Wednesday, November 4, 2026...

Your Unfiltered Verdicts

Our coverage of the investigation involving Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar drew some spirited responses.

One reader argued that candidates should face greater scrutiny before campaigning:

“Personally, I think everyone should be investigated before running for office, especially to make sure they are citizens, pro-American and pro-Constitution. We should know whether they’re doing anything illegal and what they’re doing with our tax dollars. If they’re not willing to be investigated, then they probably should be!”

The enormous electricity demands of artificial intelligence also struck a nerve.

One reader wasn’t interested in subsidizing Silicon Valley: “They should shoulder the full cost of everything they are now draining from the public.”

But a reader whose community rejected a proposed data center saw things differently: “If the local government does its job in setting policies, it can get a data center built that has no effect on electric bills, water usage or noise.”

He added that local officials spent $20 million to prevent a data center from being built in his community.

Another offered a more detailed proposal: “Corporations building data centers should bear the burden of the increased energy use, whether by increasing the base load capacity of the local power grid or bringing their own power. I do not believe they should be forced to ‘share the wealth.’ If it’s their power, they can do what they want with it.”

With the midterms behind us, some readers are already looking toward the 2028 presidential election. Specifically, who should succeed President Trump?

B.P. made the case for Marco Rubio: “Vance would be Trump No. 3. Rubio is a diplomat, intelligent and respected by world leaders. He would restore credibility and respect for our country.”

Another Rubio supporter was even more emphatic: “Definitely Marco Rubio! Vance is too inexperienced and has been somewhat of a disappointment as VP. Rubio is smart, experienced and quite impressive in his speeches lately.”

But one reader proposed a more ambitious succession plan: “Both are awesome — strong patriots, very intelligent, trustworthy, excellent speakers.

“But we need to take the long-term view. A ticket with both would be unbeatable.

“Rubio/Vance eight years… Vance/Gill eight years… Gill/Barron Trump eight years.”

The reader acknowledged the absurdity of it all but insisted that America would need many years to reverse decades of political corruption.

Talk about planning ahead!

Finally, Friday’s discussion of Martin Luther, religious participation and America’s renewed interest in socialism struck a chord.

Dave C. appreciated the historical perspective: “Thank you for that. I appreciate you pointing out the significance of Martin Luther and cultivating a personal religious life.”

C.C., however, wasn’t entirely convinced: “I’m going to have to disagree that people are happier with religion or when they go to church. It’s probably just about community, and neighbors can look after each other without religion.”

Jim M. took us back to his upbringing: “My mother attended Baptist, Christian and Methodist churches at one time or another. We moved out to the country, and the nearby church was Lutheran.

“I was an acolyte in my church until I grew taller than the pastor. Along the way, I went through Catechism and Confirmation. I moved around quite a bit after graduation.

“But now you have me looking for nearby churches.”

After a campaign season filled with attack ads, cheap shots and even a country song about somebody’s cousin, it’s refreshing to hear from Americans who still have something meaningful to say.

We don’t always agree, reader. But at least nobody’s written a country song about me. Yet.

Market Rundown for Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026

S&P 500 futures are up almost 1% to 7,669.

Oil’s down 0.85% to $95.25 for a barrel of WTI.

Gold is up 2.80% to $4,051.90 per ounce.

And Bitcoin’s up $78,470.