The benefits and perils of expanding the map: From the Politics Desk

Welcome to From the Politics Desk, a daily newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics team’s latest reporting and analysis from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign trail.In today’s edition, Sahil Kapur digs into the expectations game for the Senate with a week to go before the election.Plus, Megan Brand explores how presidential hopefuls are using the midterms as a 2028 testing ground.

— Adam WollnerThe benefits — and perils — of expanding the mapAnalysis by Sahil KapurDays after Democrats’ top Senate super PAC made an unexpected investment of $1.3 million in ruby red Mississippi, the Republican counterpart matched with a $1.4 million ad campaign of its own, attacking Democratic challenger Scott Colom.The Mississippi race should be nowhere close to being competitive.The last Democrat the state sent to the Senate was a longtime segregationist in 1982.

And two years ago, Republicans won Mississippi at the presidential and Senate level by more than 20 points.And yet, Democrats’ late play to boost Colom, a Black lawyer and prosecutor, has prompted Republicans to put resources into protecting the state.President Donald Trump is even set to host a rally tonight in Mississippi, just eight days before the election, to boost GOP Sen.

Cindy Hyde-Smith.In a blue-leaning environment where Republicans already have their hands full defending states Trump won by 10-20 points — like Iowa, Texas, Ohio, Alaska and Kansas — they could do without even a mild headache in Mississippi.Still, it’s a double-edged sword for Democrats.While Republicans are devoting precious time and money to once-safe terrain that could be used in more evenly divided battlegrounds, Democrats’ late red-state blitz raises expectations for them to flip the Senate to considerable heights.

And some strategists fear it’ll cause allies to lose sight of the enormity of the task.Imagine this scenario: Democrats successfully defend all their Senate seats, including in swing ...