The Trail 2016: Another day, another wrench

by Ben Kamisar - 10/31/16 5:37 PM ET

Welcome to THE TRAIL 2016, your daily rundown from The Hill on all the latest news in the White House, Senate and House races.

Hillary Clinton has been pushing on in the last full week before the election, but the elephant is still smack in the middle of the room — and it may have grown a little bigger.

Her campaign has raced to push back after Friday’s news that the FBI is looking into newly discovered emails that may be relevant to its investigation into her private email server, claiming during a Monday rally that there’s “no case here.”

Democrats are flocking to her defense, with Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid accusing FBI Director James Comey of burying damaging information about Donald Trump while revealing the new information in order to shift the tides of the election. And former Attorney General Eric Holder gave Comey poor marks, noting he’s “deeply concerned” by his “incorrect” decision.

While some top Republicans too are questioning the timing and lack of details of Comey’s announcement, many others, including Trump, have seized on the investigation as ammo against Clinton.

And party’s headaches worsened Monday morning with the release of emails from WikiLeaks that suggests that then-Democratic National Committee vice-chair Donna Brazile tipped the Clinton campaign off by sending the substance of a question set to be asked at an upcoming forum.

We’re just eight days away from Election Day so be sure to stick with The Hill for all the twists and turns. Tonight, we’ll bring you more about how Republicans are using Clinton’s FBI woes as a last-second down-ballot boost, how Hillary Clinton is taking on a two-front war against Trump and the FBI, and for some big news from one of the top Senate races of the cycle.

RACE TO 1600 PENN

OBAMA STANDS BY COMEY: The Hill’s Jordan Fabian reports: White House press secretary Josh Earnest told reporters Monday the president doesn’t believe FBI Director Comey is “intentionally trying to influence the outcome of an election.”

FINE WITH US: The Hill’s Rebecca Savransky reports: Donald Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway said that the FBI shouldn’t rush to release findings of its new review before Election Day.

PRESIDENTIAL BUMP: The Hill’s Jordan Fabian reports: President Obama has added a North Carolina stop to his campaign schedule as he makes the case for Hillary Clinton in the final days.

ODDS AND ENDS

GOLDEN STATE GOLD MINE: The Hill’s Reid Wilson reports: Presidential politics aren’t the only pricey game in town–the jockeying over ballot referendums in California has just become a half-billion dollar industry.

CLOSING ARGUMENT: The Hill’s Mark Hensch reports: The pro-Clinton super-PAC is out with a new ad in the final week before Election Day bashing Donald Trump’s rhetoric about women.

DRIVING MS. DAISY CRAZY: The Hill’s Mallory Shelbourne reports: Hillary Clinton’s campaign tracked down the actress used in the famous 1964 “Daisy” spot to argue Donald Trump can’t be trusted with nuclear weapons.

POLL POSITION

HOOSIER FAVORITE: The Hill’s Mark Hensch reports: Donald Trump, who brings along legendary former Indiana University basketball coach Bobby Knight on the trail, is up 11 points on Hillary Clinton in the Hooiser State.

FBI DECISION HASN’T MOVED POLLS YET: The Politico/Morning Consult poll released Monday morning found Hillary Clinton’s 3-point lead unchanged in polling done after Friday’s news. And an NBC News/Survey Monkey tracking poll released Monday afternoon showed the same 6-point lead in those asked before Friday and over the weekend.

SWING STATES: The Hill’s Jonathan Easley reports: A new Remington Research Group survey shows Donald Trump ahead in Florida, Ohio, Nevada and North Carolina, while Hillary Clinton leads in Colorado, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin.

THE DAILY TRUMP

PAYMENT DISPUTED: The Washington Post reports: Donald Trump is disputing his $750,000 bill from a prominent Republican pollster, a move a campaign spokesman described as an internal “administrative issue.”

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Mrs. Clinton carries enough baggage to fill a Boeing 747. She is not trusted by the majority of voters. But she is manifestly more competent than Mr. Trump whose braggadocio, divisiveness and meanness are on daily display.”

— The Financial Times editorial board in its endorsement of Hillary Clinton.

CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGNS

FBI RIPPLES DOWN BALLOT: The Hill’s Mallory Shelbourne reports: New Hampshire Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte is criticizing her opponent, Gov. Maggie Hassan, for her party’s standard-bearer, Hillary Clinton. Hassan has sought to tie Donald Trump to Ayotte throughout the campaign, so the new digital ad is a taste of the same medicine.

TEXAS TWO STEP: The Texas Tribune reports: Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry reportedly asked Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) to challenge home state Sen. Ted Cruz after Cruz snubbed Donald Trump by not endorsing him at the GOP convention.

MONEY WATCH

DEMS RACE TO RETURN TAINTED CASH: The Hill’s Ben Kamisar reports: Democrats are scrambling to return money linked to a Boston law firm at the center of a political donation scandal.

WHAT WE ARE WATCHING FOR TODAY AND TOMORROW

(All times Eastern)

President Obama will appear on “Full Frontal” with Samantha Bee on TBS at 10:30 p.m. Monday night.

Hillary Clinton campaigns in Cincinnati, Ohio, Monday night at 6:15 p.m. with former Rep. Gabby Giffords and her husband, astronaut Mark Kelly.

On Tuesday, she’ll head to Florida for three events — one in Dade City at 3 p.m., one in Sanford at 6:15 p.m. and one in Fort Lauderdale at 8:45 p.m. Bill and Chelsea Clinton will also be on the trail, with the former president holding three rallies in Florida and their daughter phone banking in Colorado. Bernie Sanders hits the stump for two New Hampshire rallies and a stop in Maine and VIce President Joe Biden holds a rally in Charlotte, N.C.

Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine heads to Wisconsin for two events on Tuesday — one in Appleton at 3:15 p.m., the other in Madison at 6:15 p.m.

On the Republican side, vice presidential nominee Mike Pence rallies in Clearwater, Fla., at 6 p.m. Monday. On Tuesday, Donald Trump joins his running mate for a rare joint appearance in Valley Forge, Pa., at 11 a.m. Tuesday. Pence continues on to Youngwood, Pa., at 3 p.m. while Trump closes the night in Eau Claire, Wis. at 8 p.m.

TWEET OF THE DAY

Trick or treat? Our daughter Gracie went to school in the scariest of Halloween costumes: Hillary Clinton’s deleted emails. #HappyHalloween pic.twitter.com/Gs33p78FJT

— Liz Cheney (@Liz_Cheney) October 31, 2016