You're welcome to The Beat. I'm Ari Melbert, and I think you know what time it is.

We are now inside one week to the midterms.

This record-breaking turnout is continuing around the nation.

You've heard us report on that.

Well, that is the story.

The latest numbers show more than 29 million Americans have already voted, exceeding those Trump midterms of 2018.

We're in full gear, and it's a tense backdrop for these races

because there are active federal warnings about threats and attacks on poll workers and the voting

process itself. We've seen the reports of these self-appointed poll watchers showing up armed

and in tactical gear, like that shot, that photo we got out of Arizona.

Republicans are also running basically insurrection apologists and election deniers for

office. It's not normal. So if it feels like the threat levels are rising, it's because they are.

Threats to lawmakers have increased tenfold over the several years here of the Trump era.

More campaigns will turn on the question of whether candidates will honor democracy itself.

So these are truly unusual stakes.

And honestly, it complicates how pro-democracy candidates wage their campaigns, if you want to call them that.

In fact, that very point came up when we were talking to a comedian, a political commentator,

Bill Maher, right here on the beat.

Putin was elected.

Or Erdogan in Turkey was elected.

Victor Orban.

People haven't gotten it.

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