NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Wednesday, October 21, 2026

Episode Date: October 22, 2026

Inside Iowa’s critical midterm Senate race; Toledo chemical leak evacuations; Pope Leo needs no further cancer treatment after lung surgery; and more on tonight's broadcast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tonight, we're live from Iowa, an unexpected midterm battleground state. Can Democrats flip the Republican stronghold? Are on the ground reporting. Plus, the hazmat emergency in the heartland. The dangerous chemical leak sparking evacuations in Toledo. Terrifying video of smoke and fog suffocating highways. Neighborhoods forced to shelter in place. More than two dozen going to the hospital.

Is the air safe? Also breaking tonight is the Pope cancer-free. The Vatican now saying the Pope needs no further treatment after that lung surgery. Freed from Russia, a retired American teacher, released years after being captured. The firestorm, though, tonight after a Trump administration official called Vladimir Putin a humanitarian. The neck and neck race in the Hawkeye state, we travel hundreds of miles across Iowa to speak with Democrat, Josh Turek and Republican congresswoman Ashley Hinson. Plus, why farmers who voted for President Trump are now undecided.

Could Iowa decide who controls the Senate? New body cam video of the shooting death of a one-year-old in a Walmart parking lot. Does it show the car mom is in speeding into police? Video capturing a driver escaping a truck dangling over a highway through the windshield, how he was rescued. stopping a runaway bus, the hero jumping on board to save more than two dozen kids after their driver became incapacitated. Nightly News starts right now. This is NBC Nightly News.

Decision 2026 on the road to the midterms. Reporting tonight from Iowa, here is Tom Yamas. And good evening. We are live tonight from Des Moines in Battleground, Iowa. Just behind me here, the state's capital. dome, but the nation's eyes are on this state because it could very well determine who controls power in Washington. We traveled hundreds of miles today across the heartland, talking of voters in this reliably red state, which now may be flipping to blue. And I go one-on-one with the

man hoping to be the first Democratic senator from the Hawkeye state in a decade, and his Republican opponent who tells me how she differs from President Trump. We'll get to all of that in a moment, But we begin with that emergency in Ohio tonight, a terrifying warning to some residents in Toledo, that a dangerous chemical was leaking into the air and spreading through their community and that they needed to evacuate immediately. Tonight, those residents still out of their homes. Sam Brock has the late breaking details. A flammable chemical erupting out of this tank in northwest Ohio, billowing high into the air. Tonight, threatening residents for miles, more than two dozen seeking treatment at local hospitals. if they have some large cloud of gas escaping high pressure.

Toledo officials evacuating hundreds overnight within a one-mile radius of the tank and a shelter-in-place order expanding to three miles where John Reddenbo lives. At one point, I looked outside and everything was clear. I looked outside about a half an hour later, and I couldn't even see the end of my driveway. It was that disruptive and that bothersome to breathe it. It was that bothersome. I was in my house, and I had all the windows and doors shut, and I could taste it. and smell it. The chemical being released, the mayor describes as an industrial

coating product. The Ohio EPA says it's coming from a 5,500-gallon tank and that it happened because of an error that occurred when the material was being transferred. That chemical mixing with a thick fog in the area. Understand the legitimate real concern that folks have today and people saw the fog and began to worry that that was the bloom. This is what it looked like as Ohioans drove through streets. and neighborhoods. Like you couldn't see not even foot ahead of you. I couldn't see anything

with my headlights, nothing. The city of Toledo says the chemical can irritate eyes and lungs and is a long-term carcinogen, but should not be considered a serious risk at this level of exposure. Sam Brock, NBC News. And we have breaking news tonight from overseas. The

Vatican announcing Pope Leo will not need further treatment after cancer was found in his lung. R. Ann Thompson joins us tonight now and and this is after they removed part of his lung last week. That's true, Tom. Pope Leo got the news every cancer patient wants, and that's that they got it,

and no further treatment is needed. This comes a week and a day after he had lung cancer surgery. His doctors say the test showed the cancer was localized. This morning in St. Peter's Square at his general audience, Pope Leo being greeting the crowds, thanking them for their prayers from the Pope-Mobile, you can see he stopped several times to bless babies. Plans are going forward with his planned trip to South America next month.

A church official in Peru says that extra equipment has been requested because of the Pope's help but wouldn't specify just what's been requested. Tom. And thank you. We're also following a major breakthrough and a major controversy involving U.S.-Russia relations with Vladimir Putin, releasing a retired American teacher. who had been in prison there, that teacher now heading back to Texas. Garrett Hake is traveling with the president who's holding a rally in South Carolina.

And Garrett, a Trump official, praise Putin that's now coming under fire. Yeah, that's right, Tom. It was President Trump who first raised the case of Stephen Hubbard with Vladimir Putin. He says in a call earlier this month that cleared the way for his pardon and release today, the president says there was nothing offered to Russia in exchange for this release, but also that it wouldn't have been possible if he's, if he hadn't moved to ease sanctions on Russia's energy industry. And tonight, it's Trump envoy Steve Whitkoff, who's coming under fire for praising Vladimir Putin for the release,

rather, calling him a, quote, humanitarian. The pushback to that comment was as swift as it was bipartisan with Texas Republican. Senator John Cornett, among those pushing back, saying, no, Putin is a stone-cold killer. Tom? All right, Garrett Hake for us tonight, Garrett, we thank you for that. Now to that critical midterm showdown right here in the Hawkeye State, which, according to the most recent poll, has Democrat Josh Turrick. I had three points in the Senate race, though still within the margin of air. We drove hundreds of miles through Iowa today, interviewing Turrick and his Republican opponent Ashley Hinson and so many voters in a race that could determine who controls the Senate. Tonight, the battle to control the Senate

is running right through the working farms and rolling hills of Iowa. make cuts to health care, food assistance, social security, just to give tax breaks to billionaires. It's wrong. He does support kids changing gender at school and tax benefits going to illegal immigrants. He's too liberal for Iowa. This morning, we started in the southwest part of the state. Absolutely welcome to council laws. Republican congresswoman Ashley Hinson describes herself as a minivan driving mom.

Iowa voted for President Trump three times, but rising prices are now a challenge for the GOP. Gas has gone up, I think, more than $1.50 since President Trump. Trump took office in his second term, more than $250 for diesel. How do you get Iowans to trust Republicans when the gas prices have been so high? Well, and I know Iowans are getting squeezed, and I hear that as I travel through the state, and I think the real solution here is focusing on our biofuels right here in Iowa. So when we talk about unleashing American energy, it's all of the above, all of the below, refining capacity, and embracing Iowa's clean energy option and biofuels.

I just saw a report that said you were asking your supporters for gas money for your bus. Help give us a little gas money for our bus. Make sure we're showing up at the polls because there is more to do. I mean, is that how bad things are? No, I'm out there campaigning through the state on my bus, meeting with everyone where they are. And what I'm hearing from Iowans is that they want a leader, a common sense mom, who's going to focus on their priorities

because there are a lot of Iowans who are being priced out of the American dream. I understand that. I am focused on that. Democrats here are also going after her early support for the Iran War. And Ashley Henson voted seven times for the war, making gas prices skyrocket. Today, telling us she's breaking with the president over his diesel deal with Russia. I think you're going to see the president soon, right? Yep, he's coming to Iowa.

What are you going to tell him about Russia and Iran? I think that's a bad idea. I don't think we should be making deals with Russia. I do want to see the war come to an end as soon as possible. I want it to be successful. Your opponent says that a vote for you is a vote for President Trump. Is he wrong? A vote for me is a vote for Iowa.

I'm always going to stand up for Iowa's priorities first. I support taxpayers. I've delivered tax relief, which is something Iowans care deeply about. Worked with President Trump to make sure we could secure the border while my opponents voting for illegal immigrants to get benefits. So I think this election is a choice between common sense and someone who's too liberal for Iowa. We're back on the road heading to the center of Iowa, Story City. To meet Democratic state legislator Josh Turrick.

Welcome to heaven. A former Paralympian, born with spina bifida, he needed 21 surgeries before he was 12. We asked him about Hinson's charge that he's a liberal posing as a moderate. She says you're too liberal for Iowa. What's your response to that? It's ridiculous. I think that the term moderate has become a pejorative almost in modern politics. I'm proudly a moderate.

I'm a common sense, prey populist. So let's dig down a little bit on immigration because that's where she tries to hit you a lot on immigration. If you come to this country illegally, should you be deported? If you come here illegally, should you be deported? I agree with Representative Nunn and Miller Meeks and Feinstra in the Dignity Act that there should be a pathway available for you. If you're willing to pass a background check, not an immediate deportation, but look, I think that there should, what I will say is I think there should be a pathway to earn citizenship for people that have come from. here legally, but the system is completely broken. Turrick also telling us he's taking impeachment off the table.

Has President Trump done anything that warrants impeachment and should Democrats impeach him? I have no interest in impeachment. None. I think we need to look forward, not back. Republicans using his own words against him over his missed votes in the state legislature. I ended up missing about 50% of the votes in the Iowa legislature this year. I don't know if that necessarily matters to Iowans. It doesn't matter? How do you explain to the voters why you missed those votes? Because I've been out here doing town hall after town hall after town hall.

She's not done one in-person town hall meeting with Iowans. Turik telling us what voters really care about. Gas has been up here, diesel is up here. What is your plan? I mean, what would you do if you got elected? I can tell you this. The issue I hear the most about is on this. It's on cost.

Immediately out of the gate. Let's end this war in Iran. It's going to drive down gas prices. I think we need to repeal these tariffs, these chaotic tariffs. We certainly need strategic tariffs to protect American jobs and manufacturing, but not off the backs of rural communities in the agriculture industry. On the road again, we head just north to Nevada. We meet farmer Jeff Stensland, whose family has been working this land for 100 years,

growing corn and soybeans showing us his crops. There's your soybeans. Now he's hit hard by those rising prices. When you look at the combine and the grain cart, Are you thinking about diesel prices? Yes. Yeah. Absolutely.

This three-time Trump voter says two weeks out, he has a tough decision to make. Are you actually shopping around for a candidate this time around? Yes, I am. And it's been kind of a difficult decision as to which way to go. Our last stop, Iowa's capital, Des Moines, which has the largest pool of voters and signs of just how tight this race is. Ashley Asbury is backing Turek. She's worried about the economy. Look at everything is higher.

Gas is higher. We are in a war and nobody wanted to be in. Lori Bryant volunteers for Republicans here who have 200,000 more registered voters. She's confident Hinson will win. She actually is supporting tax cuts, lowering taxes for working families. She is a mom. She's not just out there talking. She's actually doing the work.

And all eyes on Iowa as we head into an election night. For more of NBC's political reporting exclusives, you can scan the QR code on your screen and subscribe now. In Mississippi tonight, new video appears to show the police confrontation outside of a Walmart in June that killed a one-year-old. The Attorney General there says the use of force was justified, but what does the video actually show? Our Aaron Gilchrist has a story. Frantic moments in Mississippi captured on camera, new video shows the police shooting that killed one-year-old Cohen-Mond. Wiley this summer. In it, you see officers run out of a Walmart and surround a gray sedan in the parking lot with guns drawn. The video shows the car reversing, hitting a parked SUV, then the car

appears to drive forward. State investigators have previously said the driver drove in the direction of the officers, almost striking one. Portions of the confrontation seen on body cam and Walmart surveillance video obtained by news outlet, Dark Horse Press. NBC News finding the footage is consistent with cell phone video, also shot there on June 14th in Senatobia, Mississippi. This surveillance footage shows two women, one of them holding a baby believed to be Wiley, being stopped at the store exit, then eventually running to a car, police seen chasing them. The family's lawyer, Ben Crump, says the child was killed when police responded to a shoplifting call about diapers. Crump posting this video of Wiley's mother days later.

I raised my baby up trying to show them that he was in the car. By the time I set my baby down, it was like three to four shots. This week, the Mississippi Attorney General called the use of force justified, writing in a letter posted by the city, there is insufficient evidence of any criminal conduct. Crump responded, saying in part, we will not stop fighting until this family gets the truth. Aaron Gilchrist, NBC News. We're back in a moment with Facebook's parent company, META, order to pay out billions of dollars in their latest legal loss. and the man running aboard to stop this runaway school bus when the driver was having a medical emergency.

We are back now with that huge judgment against Facebook's parent company, META, after a judge ordered the tech giant to pay $25 billion to New Mexico. A jury found the company misled consumers about data privacy in a case involving Cambridge Analytica. Metta today saying that the company plans to appeal. Also tonight is scary scene over I-5 in South California with this person. box truck dangling over the freeway. You see the driver jumping out there. It happened because of a crash involving that truck and a sedan nearby. The crash backing up traffic for hours. Officials say four people in the sedan were taken to the hospital. And a look at the surveillance

video of a quick thinking rescue. A shop worker happened to be outside his store when he saw this runaway school bus go by and its driver incapacitated. He jumps on and brings it under control with about 18 kids aboard. The driver, we're told, suffered a medical emergency. That's nightly news for this Wednesday. I'm Tom Yamas. We thank you so much for watching this special edition. Tonight and always, we're here for you. Good night.