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WASHINGTON — Republicans are growing increasingly grim about their chances in November, with aligned groups pumping money into reliably GOP states and candidates scrambling to distance themselves from unpopular White House policies.

From Texas to Ohio and Alaska to Iowa, campaigns are grappling with a fed-up electorate that is sour on the president and angry over soaring fuel prices driven by an unpopular war. While Republicans are flush with unprecedented cash that could move the needle in some races, overall the mood is glum heading into the election’s final stretch as campaigns try to counter palpable Democratic enthusiasm to maintain their narrow lead in the House and Senate this November.

“Everybody is tired. You see the poll numbers. Everybody is cranky about gas prices,” said Jeanette Hoffman, a Republican strategist from New Jersey. “The party in power is playing defense. This is a referendum on the incumbents.”

Trump is trying to protect Republicans with cash

After mounting pressure from endangered candidates in battleground states, groups affiliated with President Trump finally began unleashing their stockpile of campaign cash earlier this month, joining with Republican committees that have amassed a record fortune that dramatically eclipses their Democratic counterparts.

“Republicans have air superiority. House Democrats are scrambling to catch up with the very limited resources they have,” said Mike Marinella, a spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee.

But the spending underscores the extent to which Republicans are playing defense.

Three Trump-aligned groups — MAGA Inc., No Going Back PAC and Safety and Affordability PAC — have spent more than $163 million on advertising and air time since Sept. 1. Nearly 40% of that money — more than $63 million — has been spent in states and districts where Trump won by 10 percentage points or more in the 2024 election, according to an Associated Press analysis of data from AdImpact, which tracks media spending and ad buys.

That includes 12 House districts and three states with major Senate races.

In Texas, Republicans have spent nearly $107 million on ads and reservations since the beginning of the month trying to bolster scandal-plagued attorney general Ken Paxton in his Texas Senate race against Democratic state Rep. James Talarico. The spending, which is for ads through Election Day, is nearly four times as much as Democrats in a state Trump won by nearly 14 points.

Further north in Ohio, Republican spending to defend Sen. Jon Husted has exceeded $152 million, compared with $90 million on behalf of Democratic nominee Sherrod Brown, according to AdImpact.

Terry Casey, an Ohio Republican strategist, said both Republicans and Democrats are “kind of sitting on pins and needles because of the national and economic circumstances.” The outcome, he said, would depend on whether Democrats can turn out voters.

Democrats are competing in Republican stronholds

States that Trump won by wide margins — like Texas, Iowa, Ohio and Alaska — have become some of the most competitive battlegrounds in the midterms.

The White House is even investing time in states that haven’t been considered competitive for years. Vice President JD Vance recently traveled to Kansas to campaign for Sen. Roger Marshall, who is facing a challenge from Democratic nominee Adam Hamilton.

The founder of the nation’s largest United Methodist church, Hamilton received a rousing welcome from scores of people who crammed into a Topeka coffee shop to see him Tuesday.

“In all my 50, 60 years in politics, I’ve never seen a candidate that quite has the momentum going,” said Jim Ploger, an 82-year-old longtime Democratic activist from Topeka who believes Hamilton gives the party “the best chance we’ve ever had” to win a Senate seat.

Vance has also been to Iowa, Ohio, Maine and North Carolina to bolster Republican candidates, while Trump is also hitting the road. The week after the party’s unusual midterm convention in Dallas, he traveled to North Carolina to hold a rally with Michael Whatley, his former national party chairman. Republicans are increasingly concerned that he could fall short in his Senate race against Democratic former Gov. Roy Cooper.

There are more concerns about Georgia, where Rep. Mike Collins is trying to unseat Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff. Although Ossoff began the cycle as Republicans’ top target, Collins has endured weeks of negative headlines about a House ethics investigation and his son-in-law’s white nationalist views.

“I don’t think anyone’s expecting Collins to win,” said Tim Waters, chairman of the Peach County Republican Party. “Do I like that? No, I don’t like that. But it’s just the facts.”

In Texas, officials are hoping a huge influx of last-minute cash will help save Paxton. Sen. John Cornyn, who lost his primary to Paxton after Trump turned on him earlier this year, isn’t so confident.

“I think it’s going to be very rough, lots of headwinds,” he said. “Even in places like Texas, which are pretty red, we’ve got flawed candidates who I think are going to have a hard time.”

Republican National Committee spokesperson Natalie Baldassarre said the party is focused on turnout and is well aware of the historic trend in which the party in control typically loses seats in the midterm.

“We have money to spend and we’re not taking anything for granted this cycle,” she said. “This is very high stakes, and it’s unfortunate that other people feel glum and down. But we’re doing everything we can to protect and expand our majorities so we’re full steam ahead.”

Party officials are more bullish on races in Maine and New Hampshire, where Democrat Kamala Harris won in 2024, and remain optimistic about Michigan, where Trump won by less than two points and where former Rep. Mike Rogers faces progressive Democrat Abdul El-Sayed.

Some Republicans call for an end to the war

Some Republicans are taking steps to distance themselves from Trump even as he urges his supporters to vote like he is on the ballot.

Rep. Tom Tiffany and Rep. John James, the party’s nominees for governor in Wisconsin and Michigan, both joined calls for an end to the war in Iran.

“War is terrible, and no one likes war,” James told reporters.

Mike Rogers, the Republican Senate nominee in Michigan, released an ad in which he also called for ending the war. Standing in a grocery store, he bemoaned high prices and said the government should suspend gas taxes and stop diesel exports.

“The war with Iran needs to end and end quickly,” Rogers said. ”Michigan families can’t afford to wait.”

In Iowa, where Republicans are trying to hold onto the Senate seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Joni Ernst, Rep. Ashley Hinson, who is locked in a tight race against Democrat Josh Turek, voiced the same frustrations.

“Iowans are being squeezed and shouldn’t have to foot the bill at the pump or the checkout line for the war in Iran” she wrote on social media. “These actions to lower costs are needed ASAP, and the war needs to be brought to a successful and immediate end.”

Hinson, however, did not join two fellow Iowa Republicans in battleground districts — U.S. Reps. Zach Nunn and Mariannette Miller-Meeks — in voting with Democrats on a resolution intended to halt Trump’s ability to continue military action without lawmakers’ approval.

Perhaps the most dramatic break with Trump came from Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, a Republican defending her seat in a competitive, majority Hispanic South Florida district. Last week, she released an ad filmed in front of the White House as she criticized the president for going “too far” on immigration policy.

Others have continued to scrub references to Trump from their websites. The latest was Republican Byron Donalds, who is running for governor in Florida, who recently revamped his site so that it no longer includes a number of prominent references to Trump and his endorsement, the Miami Herald first reported.

‘It’s a very competitive environment out there’

White House spokesperson Davis Ingle said Trump “is the unequivocal leader, best messenger, and unmatched motivator for the Republican Party” and that “the choice has never been more clear: doubling down on President Trump’s winning, commonsense agenda or the Democrats’ extreme liberal policies and obstruction.”

Some Republicans are acknowledging that voters aren’t satisfied.

“We shouldn’t say, ‘Hey everything’s perfect,’ because it’s not,” said Sen. Bernie Moreno of Ohio. “But look what we’ve done in 18 months, and we need two more years to finish the job.”

Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana, who has traveled across the country campaigning for his colleagues, said Democrats appeared to have enthusiasm on their side in the midterms, and he said his party needed to level with the country.

“You can’t look the American people in the eye and say, ‘Don’t believe your lying checkbooks,’” he said. “The cost of living increase is real.”

He also said that voters are “confused about the war” and “they don’t understand how we’re going to get out.”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., was measured in his assessment on Tuesday.

“Well, I’m hopeful, obviously, but also realistic,” he said. “It’s a very competitive environment out there.”

Colvin and Kessler write for the Associated Press. Colvin reported from New York. AP writers Mike Catalini in Morrisville, Pa., Bill Barrow in Atlanta, Thomas Beaumont in Des Moines, Iowa, John Hanna in Topeka, Kan., and Lisa Mascaro, Mary Clare Jalonick, Steven Sloan and Joey Cappelletti in Washington contributed to this report.

To attract patrons, the Los Angeles County Library turned to some of the most familiar faces on earth: Hello Kitty and her friends.

The bet seemed to be paying off Friday, as thousands of adults flocked to local branches to snag library cards featuring the adorable anthropomorphic gang on launch day.

The county’s library director, Skye Patrick, told The Times Thursday evening that they were bracing for “complete mayhem.”

A library spokesperson said they were still tallying the number of card sign-ups, but at least 4,400 had been issued as of Friday afternoon.

One of them went to Mar Vista resident Sisa Salazar.

“I thought it was super cute,” the 22-year-old said as she waited in line at the Marina del Rey branch Friday afternoon.

The florist used to frequent the library in high school, checking out books and watching shows. But she lost her card in recent years.

So when she came across the special Hello Kitty-themed card on Instagram, she took the opportunity to get a replacement.

Shortly after 2 p.m. Friday, the line for Hello Kitty library cards at the Marina del Rey branch stretched out the door.

(Iris Kwok / Los Angeles Times)

The Marina del Rey library remained busy throughout the afternoon, with a steady line of more than 50 people stretching out the door. Across town, dozens of people lined up outside the South Whittier Library before its 10 a.m. opening, hoping to be among the first to snag the card.

The West Hollywood, Carson, West Covina, La Mirada, Marina del Rey and Alondra branches ran out of cards on the first day, library spokesperson Jessica Lee wrote in an email. She noted the cards can still be found at other locations and roving bookmobiles.

In addition to Hello Kitty, the card depicts several other recognizable characters produced by the Japanese company Sanrio: My Melody, Kuromi, Pompompurin, Keroppi, Cinnamoroll, Chococat and Pochacco.

Many people in line in Marina del Rey chatted about their favorite Sanrio characters and exchanged childhood memories.

Playa del Rey resident Rebecca Leach, 43, already has an L.A. County Library card, which she often uses to read e-books on the Libby app.

Playa del Rey resident Rebecca Leach said she wanted to get the Hello Kitty library card because she grew up with the character and finds it nostalgic.

(Iris Kwok / Los Angeles Times)

But for the registered nurse, who dons a Hello Kitty badge reel at work, nostalgia was part of the card’s appeal. She has fond childhood memories of playing with a color-changing Hello Kitty plush toy. Leach visited several branches Friday before finding a manageable line in Marina del Rey.

“I think it’s great that they’re promoting the library more and doing outreach,” said Jolyne Jimenez, 51, a library assistant at the Santa Monica Public Library and fan of My Melody.

She spent her day off at the Marina del Rey library waiting for the card. (The Santa Monica Public Library is independent of the L.A. County Library system.)

Limited-edition library cards aren’t new in L.A. County. Previous popular designs have included cards commemorating the centennial of the 19th Amendment and the FIFA World Cup, Patrick said.

“What is uncommon is this amount of buzz,” Patrick said, adding that she hoped the heavy interest in the card would translate to increased awareness of the library’s offerings — not just books and e-books, but streaming content, household tools, musical instruments and podcast equipment.

The Hello Kitty card is available through Oct. 18, Patrick said. The library has permission to use Sanrio’s characters for one month for free and plans to restock the cards before the collaboration period ends.

JSerra converted on three fourth downs in the second half Friday, allowing the Lions to battle back from a seven-point, first-half deficit to beat host Bishop Amat 37-28.

With the nonleague victory, JSerra improves to 4-1, while Bishop Amat falls to 4-1.

JSerra quarterback Hayes Cloutier, who threw for two touchdowns and rushed for three, engineered all three second-half conversions, two with his legs and one with his arm.

The first, and most impressive, came on the Lions’ first possession of the half. Trailing 28-21 and facing fourth and three on the Bishop Amat 27-yard line, Cloutier zigged and zagged across the field, eluding most of the defense.

After the Lions tied the score, sophomore defensive back Sean Veritch snagged a deflected pass by Bishop Amat quarterback Domenico Doran, and the Lions drove to the Lancers’ 16-yard line. On fourth and 10, Evan Leddy kicked a 33-yard field goal to give JSerra an apparent 31-28 lead, but the Lions accepted a penalty on Bishop Amat that moved the ball to the 11-yard line.

JSerra coach Hardy Nickerson opted to go for it on fourth down, and Cloutier rewarded his gamble, scoring on an 11-yard run. Leddy’s extra point was blocked, and JSerra settled for a 34-28 lead.

JSerra High quarterback Hayes Cloutier leaps as he tries to evade a tackle by a Bishop Amat defenders.

(Nick Koza)

The Lions’ defense, which had given up scores on four of Bishop Amat’s five first-half possessions, then stiffened, forcing the Lancers to punt. With about two minutes remaining in the third quarter, the Lions reeled off a 23-play drive, which included four JSerra penalties and ate up more than 10 minutes.

A 22-yard run by Cloutier was key, as was his four-yard completion to Clark Cokely on a fourth-and-two play. The drive ended with a 44-yard field goal by Leddy that gave JSerra a 37-28 lead.

After surrendering 28 first-half points, JSerra held Bishop Amat scoreless, and running back Justin Clinton, who rushed for more than 130 yards, including a 67-yard burst and a 43-yard touchdown, in check in the second half.

“It was a heavyweight fight,” Nickerson said of the first half. “But my defensive staff just put it together in the second. We turned things up and made adjustments.

“We knew that if we could get in the throwing lanes and forced them to have to pass the football … we felt we would have a chance. And those guys went out and executed the second half and it was beautiful.”

Mission Viejo High’s offensive line did not want to be on the field against St. Paul on Friday night. This was evident by their first two plays.

The Diablos’ opening drive began with a 60-yard rushing touchdown, created by a massive gap on the left side of the offensive line. Senior running back Carson Vandermade wasn’t close to being touched by a defender on his way to the end zone.

A 60-yard passing touchdown immediately ensued on the next possession. Of course, the offensive line made sure sophomore quarterback Brett Burnor had more than enough protection to launch one deep to a wide receiver

Coach Chad Johnson knows the level of skill he has on his hands. He’s never had a more talented and cohesive line in his two-plus decades of coaching high school football.

“It’s abnormal for us to have a line like this, and I’m really enjoying it,” Johnson said after Mission Viejo’s 77-12 victory.

The reason for that rarity is a simple one: every single starting lineman this season is a returning player. Nobody lost to graduation. No transfers. Johnson said he doesn’t recall that ever being the case.

Mission Viejo High offensive linemen (starting second from left) Tyler Johnson, Dylan Felli and Noah Lee in their custom-made jerseys they put on after the Diablos built a huge lead against St. Paul and they were pulled from the game.

(Caleb Otte / For The Times)

In addition, four of the five starting lineman have NCAA Division I offers.

Senior left tackle Dylan Felli has offers from the University of San Diego and Montana. The guy who helped him create the first touchdown of the game, senior left guard Amaziah Siale, is committed to Louisiana State. Center Max Davidson, who is a junior, has an offer from Northern Arizona, and senior right tackle Tyler Johnson is committed to Cornell.

If the experience and college offers aren’t enough to prove their stature, their size should. Davidson and Felli are listed at 6 feet 4. Siale is 6-7 inches tall and weighs 345 pounds, while Johnson is 6-6 and nearly 300 pounds.

They wouldn’t look out of place lining up across from USC or UCLA. Standing near them is staggering. Trying to out muscle them is nearly impossible.

Johnson said that his team finally has a threatening run game because of the gaps the linemen create.

“Usually we have to throw the ball to get [opponents] to back off, and then we can run it,” he said. “This year, we’re gonna run the ball until they commit everybody and then we’ll throw it.”

There are two other linemen who also play key roles: senior right guard Noah Lee and senior Baxter Middagh.

Lee is the smallest guy in the group. At 5-10, he looks out of place standing next to the big boys. Once he is on the field, however, the size difference is forgotten.

At 295 pounds, with a low center of gravity, Lee can’t be moved. It’s why he has earned his starting position over the last two seasons despite competing with potential DI players. He might not have any offers, but he doesn’t drag the rest of the group down. In fact, he’s often the leading voice on the sideline.

As for Middagh, his role is adding a new wrinkle to the offensive scheme this season. Last year he was playing on the line. Against St. Paul, he was deployed at tight end. His blocking expertise and size — 6-6 and 295 pounds — allow him to still help in pass and run protection, but now his impact can be felt with the ball in his hands.

Case in point, Middagh scored a touchdown on a screen pass Friday. He was surprisingly fast, making it even harder to tackle him. Opponents will struggle if Mission Viejo can get Middagh, who is committed to Idaho, into open space.

Johnson said he might rotate who plays on the line based on what a possession needs, but that their best 11 includes Middagh on the field.

“He is super athletic and can catch the ball really well,” Johnson said. “The catches he makes are insane, some one-handed, and he runs a 5.3 [second] 40-yard dash at 300 pounds.”

Off the field, the mountainous young men turn into humble and funny teenagers. After being taken out at halftime, all six players cheered on the backups and joked with each other about everything and nothing.

At one point, Middagh’s family came down to the sideline and he went over to hug everybody and chat. There was no embarrassment by their presence near his teammates and friends, just an appreciation for those who love and support him.

Siale also sheepishly waved to his family in the stands, getting a slight grin on his face when they yelled back down to him. Late in the fourth quarter, the public-address announcer credited Siale with a block on a big run play even though the big man hadn’t touched the field all half. He just laughed and high-fived some teammates who were offering sarcastic congratulations.

Despite their talent, cohesiveness and positive personalities, Johnson said that his offensive line isn’t perfect. In Mission Viejo’s 55-17 win against Chaparral in the season opener, they made some silly penalties for unnecessary roughness after the play ended, which negated big gains. Johnson wants that cleaned up moving forward.

“You don’t play up to a good team and down to a team that is not as good. You stay consistently great,” he said.

His team obliged. Whenever the offensive line gives the quarterback time to pass and the running backs space to run, there isn’t much complaining a coach can do.

“I’m going to try to take it all in and soak every game up, because I know at some time the curtain is going to call and they’re going to graduate,” he said.

Two guys standing on Mission Viejo’s sideline were wearing custom made shirts of the offensive line. It was a picture of them all standing together, with the words “Higher Council” printed below. The message is clear.

Siale succinctly said what everybody else was dancing around.

“We’ve got the number one offensive line in the nation,” he said.

That claim will be put to the test against one of California’s best teams next week, when Mission Viejo travels to Sacramento to play Folsom High. Northern California will meet the Higher Council.

When Dolly Parton sang, “Working 9 to 5, what a way to make a living,” it was an understatement.

The legendary country singer, who died Tuesday after a brief battle with cancer, “worked up until the day she died” on multiple projects, her longtime manager Danny Nozell said in a statement to The Times.

“She loved seeing her dreams come to life, and loved knowing her work brought people joy,” Nozell said. “Ever the planner, Dolly worked with the team that she handpicked, for the past several years to build a project roadmap that will guide us for decades to come.”

The projects vary from a line of Dolly Parton dolls, which will launch online Sept. 15, to a biopic and a docuseries with release dates to be revealed later. A scripted show and an animated series based on Parton’s “Billy the Kid” book franchise are scheduled to be released on a date to be determined.

Other projects announced were Dolly’s Tennessean Travel Stop — a travel center in Cornersville, Tenn. — which will celebrate National Truck Driver Appreciation Week beginning Sept. 13; and Dolly Parton’s SongTeller Hotel in Nashville, where patrons can book stays starting Sept. 14, with a grand opening scheduled for Sept. 29.

The Parton estate will open the 20,000-square-foot Dolly’s Life of Many Colors Museum at the SongTeller Hotel on Sept. 29 and launch Dolly’s Cup of Ambition Coffee online on the same day. The coffee line will be available at retail stores starting spring 2027.

Dolly’s Dog Treats are on the calendar for early 2027, along with Dolly Bedding & Home Decor debuting in the third quarter of next year.

Broadway previews for “Dolly: A True Original Musical” will begin in December, with opening night scheduled for Jan. 19, 2027. The estate is also collaborating again with fashion designer Kendra Scott for a “9 to 5” jewelry collection.

Nozell guaranteed Parton’s fans that if any unreleased music, products, books, experiences and campaigns are launched through the official Dolly Parton channel, each was personally stamped on by the singer.

“As the leader of the team responsible for overseeing her legacy, we will ensure the many dreams she had yet to fulfill are brought to life,” Nozell said. “Many projects were in various stages of development, and we want to be transparent with her fans about this fact.”

This is one of the country’s best-preserved medieval towns.

The UK has no shortage of amazing historical towns and villages. One in particular is famous for looking frozen in time after its primary industry collapsed, leaving the homes preserved as they looked in the 16th century.

Lavenham in Suffolk is one of the most important wool towns, and back in the 15th century, it was one of the wealthiest settlements in England thanks to the booming wool trade. Wealthy merchants built large, opulent homes in the town and used their cash to fund the late-Gothic Church of St Peter and St Paul.

However, in the late 16th century, the wool industry was decimated by cheap foreign imports and heavy taxation.

The formerly wealthy people of Lavenham saw their money disappear overnight, and people could no longer afford to rebuild or modernise their homes.

These same timber-framed Tudor homes have stood in place for centuries, untouched and now are an iconic sight on the town’s high street.

More than 300 of them are listed as historic structures, and hundreds lean at odd angles due to the warping of the timber over the years.

On Instagram, a visitor said: “This 1,000 year old village feels frozen in time!”

One of the must-sees of the village, aside from its history-lined streets, is the spectacular Lavenham Guildhall.

This 16th-century building is now managed and maintained by the National Trust.

Throughout the building there are displays you can read and admire which tell the story of the village through the centuries as well as the people who called it home.

As you wander through the town, keep an eye out for the famous Crooked House, thought to be the inspiration behind the nursery rhyme “There was a crooked man, who lived in a crooked house”.

Keen-eyed tourists might recognise the De Vere House on Water Street, which was used as a shooting location for the Harry Potter franchise.

Now, the house is a luxury accommodation where tourists can spend the night in four-poster beds, admiring the wooden beams that are an emblem of the style of architecture.