Welcome to The Tip Sheet, a daily political analysis of the 2018 elections, based on interviews with Republican and Democratic officials, pollsters, strategists and voters.

Where things stand

• The United States economy rose at a 3.5 percent annualized rate in the third quarter, the government announced Friday, outpacing expectations and providing the president’s party with a potential boost just ahead of the midterms.

The nation’s financial performance under Mr. Trump has been perhaps the strongest argument in favor of Republican success this fall, and the numbers can only help. On the other hand, Mr. Trump’s relatively low approval ratings have persisted through a humming economy since the start of his presidency, so it’s possible the latest news will change few minds.

• With officials in both parties seeing Democrats holding an edge in the race for the House, Republicans are spending more money than they’d like defending open seats that were once reliably red.