Politics – Page 630

2022 midterm election results live updates: Trump fuming as results came in, sources said

November 9, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — The 2022 midterm elections are shaping up to be some of the most consequential in the nation’s history, with control of Congress at stake.

All 435 seats in the House and 35 of 100 seats in the Senate are on the ballot, as well as several influential gubernatorial elections in battleground states like Arizona, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Democrats are defending their narrow majorities in both chambers. Republican control of either the House or Senate would be enough to curtail most of President Joe Biden’s agenda, and would likely result in investigations against his administration and even his family.

Here is how the news is developing. All times Eastern:

Nov 09, 11:07 AM EST
DCCC chair concedes

Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney of New York on Wednesday called his Republican challenger Mike Lawler to concede. Political insiders say this was a big loss for Democrats.

Maloney is the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the fundraising arm for the House. He directed millions to save his own campaign and insisted he wasn’t in real trouble, potentially costing his colleagues votes.

Nov 09, 10:13 AM EST
Democrat projected to win Kansas gubernatorial race

Democrat Laura Kelly, the incumbent, is projected to win the Kansas gubernatorial race.

Her opponent, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt, was backed by former President Donald Trump.

Nov 09, 9:58 AM EST
Trump fuming as results came in: Sources

While former President Donald Trump still has a hold over Republicans and prepares to announce his candidacy for president in 2024, election night was not a “red wave” as Trump had expected.

Sources close to the former president described him as fuming, especially as candidates Trump backed performed poorly with voters.

Gov. Ron DeSantis’ successful night in Florida also served as a wakeup call for Trump and his advisers.

“This is a sinking ship,” one top Trump adviser told ABC News. “We’re not going to beat that.”

“This was the end of the Trump era and the dawn of the DeSantis era. Like every other Trump catastrophe, he did this to himself with stupid and reckless decisions,” a Republican operative close to the Trump orbit told ABC News.

Trump suffered losses across the country and was particularly unhappy as he watched two candidates he endorsed in Pennsylvania lose their elections: Senate candidate Dr. Mehmet Oz and gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano.

Trump told advisers he was also shocked the Georgia Senate race between incumbent Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock and challenger Republican Herschel Walker was so close. (On Wednesday morning, with 96% of the expected vote reporting, Warnock and Walker were tied at 49%.)

Trump announced on Monday that he planned to make a big announcement next week. Some of those close to Trump are privately hoping that he decides not to run. But others who have spoken with him say he’s unlikely to renege on his plans because he’s spent the last two years teasing a run.

Nov 09, 9:46 AM EST
Oz concedes to Fetterman

Pennsylvania’s Dr. Mehmet Oz called Democrat Lt. Gov. John Fetterman at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday to concede, according to a tweet from Fetterman’s communications director.

Fetterman was projected to win Pennsylvania’s Senate race, one of the most closely watched races in the nation.

Nov 09, 9:18 AM EST
Dixon concedes Michigan gubernatorial race

Tudor Dixon, the Republican nominee for governor in Michigan, called Democrat incumbent Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Wednesday morning to “concede and wish her well.”

“Michigan’s future success rests not in elected officials or government, but all of us. It is incumbent upon all of us to help our children read, support law enforcement, and grow our economy,” Dixon said in a statement. “Thank you to our volunteers and supporters for working so hard to forge a better Michigan. We came up short, but we will never stop fighting for our families.”

Whitmer, elected in the blue wave in 2018, cast herself as a crucial backstop for abortion access while Dixon said she opposes abortion access.

Nov 09, 7:07 AM EST
Where outstanding Senate races stand

Alaska: With 67% of the expected vote reporting, Republican challenger Kelly Tshibaka leads with 44% of the vote, followed by Republican incumbent Lisa Murkowski with 43%.

Arizona: With 67% of the expected vote reporting, Democratic incumbent Sen. Mark Kelly leads with 52% of the vote, followed by Republican challenger Blake Masters with 46%.

Georgia: With 96% of the expected vote reporting, incumbent Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock and challenger Republican Herschel Walker are tied at 49% of the vote, meaning a runoff election is likely.

Wisconsin: With 94% of the expected vote reporting, Republican incumbent Sen. Ron Johnson leads with 51% of the vote, followed by Democratic challenger Lt. Gov Mandela Barnes with 49%.

Nevada: With 80% of the expected vote reporting, Republican challenger Adam Laxalt leads with 50% of the vote, followed by incumbent Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto with 47%.

Nov 09, 6:20 AM EST
Tony Evers projected to win reelection as Wisconsin governor

Wisconsin Democratic Gov. Tony Evers will win his campaign for reelection over Republican Tim Michels, ABC News projects.

Evers took to Twitter to react to the news: “Holy Mackerel, folks! I want to thank everyone who made this possible. Because of you, we have another four years to keep doing the right thing for Wisconsin.”

Evers, Wisconsin’s governor since 2018, had been in a tight race against Michels, a construction executive and former GOP candidate, according to FiveThirtyEight’s polling average.

Those surveys showed the two candidates neck-and-neck heading into Election Day with Michels holding a slim 1-point advantage over Evers in the campaign’s final stretch, though the two traded leads a few times since the late summer.

Nov 09, 6:17 AM EST
Katie Hobbs’ lead over Kari Lake narrows in Arizona’s gubernatorial race

As of early Wednesday, Katie Hobb’s lead over Kari Lake in Arizona’s gubernatorial race has narrowed to about three points, or roughly 40,000 votes, following the last big Election Day drop from Maricopa County for the night.

We won’t see more votes from Maricopa County until Wednesday evening. As expected, more early votes are going to Hobbs, a Democrat who currently serves as Arizona’s secretary of state, while more Election Day votes — many of which still need to be counted — are going to Lake, a Republican who previously worked as a television news anchor in Phoenix for 22 years.

The vibe at the Republican Watch Party in Scottsdale drastically changed over the course of Tuesday night. What started as a celebration packed with people ended with worried faces scattered around an empty ballroom. One attendee was overheard calling the night “so sad.”

Only Lake and Abe Hamadeh, Republican candidate for Arizona’s attorney general, briefly spoke to supporters at the event. Blake Masters, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, and Arizona Rep. Mark Finchem, the Republican candidate for Arizona’s secretary of state, never took the stage, even though some attendees paid $1,000 to be there with them. Hundreds of red, white and blue balloons in a net above the stage were also never released.

Lake’s team asked members of the press to hang around until 2 a.m. local time, when the ballroom reservation ended. But with the room largely cleared out by 12:30 a.m., it was clear Lake would not take the stage again. This was a stark contrast from primary night on Aug. 2, when Lake declared victory before any projection, took to the stage three times and had her team extend the ballroom reservation until 4 a.m.

“God did not put us in this fight because it was going to be easy,” Lake told a crowd of hundreds in her single on-stage appearance on Tuesday night. “When corruption has risen to the level that it’s at right now, it takes tough, strong people. Are you tough and strong. Are you willing to continue this fight?”

“I think it will be within hours. We will declare victory, and we will get to work turning this around,” she added.

“As they continue to come in and our numbers go up, up, up — like they did last time — when we win, the first line of action is to restore honesty to Arizona elections,” she continued, firing up the crowd. “We will not stop fighting until we have every legal vote counted, so we’re going to be patient. We’re going to be patient guys. We’re going to wait right now.”

Nov 09, 4:27 AM EST
With votes outstanding, Cortez Masto says she’s ‘confident’

With the Senate race in Nevada yet to be called and some counties still counting votes, Democratic incumbent Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto told reporters early Wednesday that she’s feeling “confident.”

“The votes are still being counted,” she said. “We know this will take time and we won’’ have more election results for several days. I am confident in this team. I’m confident in the campaign that we’ve built to win.”

Currently, Nevada’s Senate and governor races are extremely close; however, both show the Democratic incumbent in a slight lead over their opponent.

“We’re not done yet,” Cortez Masto told reporters. “Let’s keep the positive energy flowing.”

Nov 09, 3:32 AM EST
House, Senate majorities still up in the air

There are currently five Senate races, including Arizona, Georgia and Nevada, as well as a number of House races that have yet to be called.

Most are separated by razor thin margins and all will come down to counting the vote.

ABC News has not projected which party will control either the House or the Senate, and Republicans still could flip both chambers, which would be in line with past outcomes for the minority party in a midterm year.

Nov 09, 2:19 AM EST
McCarthy predicts Republicans will ‘take the House back’

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., took the stage just after 2 a.m. ET on Wednesday to discuss the Republican Party’s performance in the midterms so far.

“If you believe in freedom, hard work and the American dream, these results proved that there is a place for you in the Republican Party,” he said.

While the balance of power in Congress has yet to be determined, McCarthy told supporters that “it is clear that we are going to take the House back.”

As of early Wednesday, according to ABC News’ projections, Republicans were estimated to have won 207 House seats to Democrats 188, with 40 more remaining unprojected.

“When you wake up tomorrow, we will be in the majority and Nancy Pelosi will be in the minority,” McCarthy said to cheers from the crowd.

Nov 09, 1:46 AM EST
Pelosi says House Democrats are ‘outperforming expectations’

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said early Wednesday her party had defied pre-election predictions that they were slated to lose the majority while noting that the ultimate outcome was still unclear.

“While many races remain too close to call, it is clear that House Democratic Members and candidates are strongly outperforming expectations across the country,” Pelosi said in a statement.

“As states continue to tabulate the final results, every vote must be counted as cast,” she continued. “Many thanks to our grassroots volunteers for enabling every voter to have their say in our Democracy.”

Heading into the midterms, Democrats maintained only a small majority hold on the House with Republicans needing to flip five seats for control.

The GOP had for months campaigned heavily on concerns about high inflation, the economy and public safety — often highlighting President Joe Biden’s low approval rating — while Democrats had focused on abortion access, extremism and, in some races, messages on social issues and inequality.

As of early Wednesday, according to ABC News’ projections, Republicans were estimated to have won 207 House seats to Democrats 188, with 40 more remaining unprojected.

Nov 09, 1:45 AM EST
Gretchen Whitmer projected to win reelection in Michigan

Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is the projected winner of Michigan’s gubernatorial race, fending off a challenge from Republican nominee Tudor Dixon.

Whitmer, elected in the blue wave in 2018, cast herself as a crucial backstop for abortion access while Dixon said she opposes abortion access. Preliminary exit poll results in Michigan showed abortion was a top issue for voters, unlike in other states where inflation topped voters’ concerns, and 60% of Michigan voters said abortion should be legal in most or all cases.

Nov 09, 1:40 AM EST
Which Trump-backed candidates are projected to have lost?

With Dr. Mehmet Oz’s projected loss in Pennsylvania, at least six candidates backed by former President Donald Trump have now been defeated so far.

New Hampshire’s Don Bolduc: Bolduc was projected to be defeated tonight by Democrat Sen. Maggie Hassan. Bolduc had reversed course on his false claim that the 2020 election was stolen. Trump has weighed in specifically on this loss on his platform Truth Social, claiming that had Bolduc “stayed strong and true” to those false claims he “would have won easily.”

Pennsylvania’s Doug Mastriano: Mastriano was projected to be defeated in his bid for governor tonight by Democrat Josh Shapiro. Mastriano is an election denier who helped spearhead Trump’s effort to overturn the 2020 election results in Pennsylvania and attended the rally before the Jan. 6 riot and appeared in video walking through police lines.

Pennsylvania’s Dr. Mehmet Oz: Oz was projected to lose to Fetterman tonight for Senate in one of the most closely watched races in the nation. Oz had “raised questions” about the election, according to FiveThirtyEight.

Maryland’s Dan Cox: Democrat Wes Moore was projected to beat Trump-backed Dan Cox, who FiveThirtyEight rates as an election denier. He posted in an Facebook post that “I was there in Philadelphia in 2020 on President Trump’s team and I witnessed the fraud. We must never let them rig and steal our elections again.”

Massachusetts’ Geoff Diehl: Geoff Diehl was projected to lose tonight to Democrat Maura Healey in the race for governor. Diehl is an election denier, according to FiveThirtyEight. He said in an October 2021 statement “that the 2020 election was rigged,” according to a local report.

New York’s Lee Zeldin: Lee Zeldin was projected to be defeated tonight by Governor Kathy Hochul. The race had become tighter than expected in the last few weeks.

Nov 09, 1:26 AM EST
Mike Lee projected to win Utah Senate race

ABC News can project that Republican Mike Lee will win Utah, clinching his third term in the U.S. Senate. Lee is projected to defeat his Democratic challenger Evan McMullin. McMullin said he called Lee to acknowledge the defeat.

“While tonight’s results weren’t what we hoped for, I can say with absolute confidence that we did something special here in Utah. To all the Utahns who put party politics aside to join our cross-partisan coalition: I am so proud of what we built here,” McMullin tweeted.

Nov 09, 1:17 AM EST
John Fetterman projected to win Pennsylvania’s marquee Senate race

ABC News can project that Democrat John Fetterman will win Pennsylvania’s Senate race, defeating celebrity Dr. Mehmet Oz in one of the most closely watched races in the nation.

Pennsylvania is one of a handful of battleground states that will determine which party controls the U.S. Senate.

“It’s official. I will be the next U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania,” Fetterman tweeted early Wednesday. “We bet on the people of Pennsylvania – and you didn’t let us down and I won’t let you down. Thank you.”

Nov 09, 12:53 AM EST
Kari Lake tells supporters to wait for ‘victory to come at us’

Kari Lake took the stage early Wednesday at the Republican Watch Party in Scottsdale, where she told hundreds of her supporters that she will win — but cautioned patience.

Lake, an outspoken election denier, began her brief remarks by telling the crowd: “We had a big day today and don’t let those cheaters and crooks think anything different. Don’t let them doubt in you.”

Lake’s been trying to sow doubt about the integrity of the election results in the lead up to Election Day. On Wednesday morning, she appeared to take a jab at her Democratic opponent Katie Hobbs, who currently serves as Arizona’s secretary of state. Hobbs has called Lake’s comments unacceptable.

“Are you willing for incompetency to play itself out and a victory to come at us?” Lake asked the crowd. “I am willing to wait for that and when we win and I think you will be within hours. I think it will be within hours. We will declare victory and we will get to work turning this around. Mo more incompetency, no more corruption in Arizona elections.”

Nov 09, 12:17 AM EST
McCarthy has yet to take the stage at election watch party

So far, the Kevin McCarthy watch party is notable for missing one guest … Kevin McCarthy.

Hotel staff initially prepared for the House Minority Leader to arrive around 9 p.m. Then, there was guidance he would speak around 11 p.m. It’s now past midnight and the congressman has yet to make an appearance.

Guests at the event — largely young GOP staffers — are settling in for a long night. Some are expressing concern the calls are taking a lot longer than they expected — and some key races aren’t going their way. A select few guests are even finishing their drinks and leaving.

Hotel staff are scrambling. They tell ABC News they did not expect the event to go this long and the room will stay open past midnight, if McCarthy wants to speak. Meantime, the stage is set for a victory speech. But, the room where the speech would take place is largely empty.

McCarthy’s team has not responded to questions on timing.

Nov 09, 12:15 AM EST
Lujan Grisham projected to win reelection in New Mexico

ABC News can project that Democratic New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan will win reelection against former meteorologist Mark Ronchetti, the Republican nominee.

Nov 09, 12:14 AM EST
Abortion rights ballot measure projected to pass in Michigan

Michigan voters have responded to the ballot question: Should the right to abortion be protected in the state constitution?

ABC News can project that Proposition 3 will pass, enshrining the right to abortion in the Michigan constitution up until fetal viability (about 23-24 weeks). This measure will overturn the pre-Roe ban that’s currently being fought in the courts and protect against any future bans brought by Republicans.

Nov 09, 12:07 AM EST
Polls close in Hawaii

Polls only remain open in Alaska now for the next hour.

Nov 08, 11:42 PM EST
Abortion rights ballot measures projected to pass in California, Vermont

ABC News can project that California’s Proposition 1 — a ballot measure to enshrine the right to abortion within the California state constitution — will pass. That means the state constitution will be changed so that no future laws can deny or interfere with a person’s choice to have an abortion or use contraceptives.

Abortion rights will also be enshrined in Vermont’s state constitution, ABC News can project. The ballot measure, Proposal 5, will create a constitutional right to personal reproductive autonomy.

Nov 08, 11:25 PM EST
Budd projected to win NC Senate seat

ABC News can project that Republican Ted Budd will win the North Carolina Senate seat against Democrat Cheri Beasley.

Nov 08, 11:19 PM EST
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp projected to defeat Stacey Abrams

ABC News can project Gov. Brian Kemp will win reelection, the second time he would defeat Democrat Stacey Abrams for the state’s top position.

“Brian Kemp signed Joe Biden’s election victory in the state of Georgia and then he defied Donald Trump and told him flat no when Trump tried tried to put pressure on him to call a special session of the Georgia Legislature to overturn those results,” ABC News Chief Washington Correspondent Jon Karl said on ABC News Live.

“Donald Trump was so angry about that that he actually recruited a former Senator, David Perdue, to run against Brian Kemp in the Republican primary and Kemp just destroyed him, he beat him decisively, and Trump actually went to Georgia earlier this year during the primary and he said that Georgia would be better off if Stacey Abrams won,” Karl added.

Nov 08, 11:15 PM EST
Hochul projected to win reelection as New York governor

ABC News can project that Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul will win against GOP Rep. Lee Zeldin, becoming the first woman elected to the role in New York..

Nov 08, 11:05 PM EST
Polls close in 4 more states

Polls have now closed in California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.

Nov 08, 11:02 PM EST
Josh Shapiro projected to win Pennsylvania governor race

ABC News can project that Democrat Josh Shapiro will win against Republican challenger Doug Mastriano for Pennsylvania governor.

Nov 08, 11:24 PM EST
Vance projected to win Ohio Senate

ABC News can project that Republican J.D. Vance will win the Ohio Senate seat against Democratic challenger Tim Ryan.

Nov 08, 10:53 PM EST
Hassan projected to keep seat in New Hampshire Senate

ABC News can project that Democratic New Hampshire Sen. Maggie Hassan will win against Republican challenger Don Bolduc.

“If you take a look at the exit polls, this was significant to moderate voters,” ABC News Live Prime anchor Linsey Davis said. “[Hassan] actually outperformed herself from the election in 2016. … This is obviously somebody who prides herself on being one of the most moderate senators that there is.”

Nov 08, 10:50 PM EST
Herschel Walker addresses supporters: ‘Just hang in there’

Coming out to “Bad to the Bone” Herschel Walker took the stage at his election night party as votes continue to be counted in Georgia.

“If you can hang in, hang in there a little bit longer, just hang in there a little bit longer. Because something good it takes a while for it get better. And it’s gonna get better. So I wanted to thank you guys for hanging in . If some of you have to go home. You can wake up tomorrow morning and see that the new senator from the great State of Georgia is Herschel Walker,” Walker said to cheers.

Walker acknowledged he was in a tight battle with Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock. Walker told supporters “we’re here to win this election.”

“I’m telling you right now. I’m like Ricky Bobby. I don’t come to lose,” Walker said, referring to a fictional race car driver. “And I told you he’s gonna be tough to beat. He’s gonna be tough to beat but let me tell you what. He got the wrong Georgian here don’t he.”

Nov 08, 10:55 PM EST
Grassley projected to win reelection to Senate

ABC News can project that Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, R, will win against Democratic challenger Michael Franken in his reelection bid, clinching an eighth term.

Nov 08, 10:33 PM EST
Gov. Abbott projected to keep seat against O’Rourke

ABC News can project that Texas Gov. Greg Abbott will win against Democratic challenger Beto O’Rourke in the race for governor.

Nov 08, 11:05 PM EST
Maura Healey’s message for LGBTQ community after historic win

Democrat Maura Healey, projected to win the gubernatorial race in Massachusetts, addressed the LGBTQ community in her acceptance speech.

“Tonight, I want to say something to every little girl and every young LGBTQ person out there,” Healey said. “I hope tonight shows you that you can be whatever, whoever you want to be.”

Healey, currently Massachusetts attorney general, will make history as the nation’s first openly lesbian governor.

“Nothing and no one can ever get in your way except your own imagination, and that’s not going to happen,” she said.

Nov 08, 10:26 PM EST
Biden starts making congratulatory calls

President Joe Biden has started calling some projected Democratic winners while watching results coming in, according to a White House official.

According to the White House, the president has made congratulatory calls to Massachusetts gubernatorial candidate Maura Healey, Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee, Vermont Senate candidate Peter Welch, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, Delaware Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet, Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen, New York Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and Virginia Reps. Abigail Spanberger and Jennifer Wexton, all of whom ABC News has projected to win their respective races.

Nov 08, 10:15 PM EST
Sen. John Kennedy projected to win reelection in Louisiana

ABC News can project that Republican John Kennedy will win a third term to the U.S. Senate. Kennedy faced a number of challengers, including Democrats Luke Mixon and Gary Chambers Jr.

In Louisiana, all candidates regardless of party affiliation compete in a first-round election, in which a candidate can win by receiving more than 50% of the vote.

Nov 08, 10:01 PM EST
Polls close in 4 more states

Polls have now closed in Montana, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Utah. Polls typically close at 8 p.m. statewide in Pennsylvania, though polling location hours were extended to 10 p.m. in Luzerne County after the county reported delays with voting due to paper shortages.

Nov 08, 9:59 PM EST
Gov. Noem projected to win again in South Dakota

ABC News can project that Republican Gov. Kristi Noem will win her bid for reelection in South Dakota against Democratic challenger Jamie Smith.

Nov 08, 9:48 PM EST
Bennet projected to win Colorado Senate race

ABC News can project that Democratic incumbent Michael Bennet will win Colorado’s Senate race against Republican nominee Joe O’Dea.

“This was a moderate Republican trying to win in a state that has become increasingly more Democratic,” ABC chief Washington correspondent Jonathan Karl said of O’Dea on ABC News Live.

O’Dea was “very critical” of former President Donald Trump, “and Donald Trump right back at him,” Karl said. “In fact, [Florida Gov.] Ron DeSantis endorsed Joe O’Dea just a few days ago and Trump criticized [DeSantis], saying it was a big mistake.”

Nov 08, 9:42 PM EST
Wes Moore projected to become Maryland’s first Black governor

ABC News can project that Democratic nominee Wes Moore will win Maryland’s gubernatorial race, which would make him the first Black person elected governor of Maryland.

Moore, an author and former nonprofit leader, is projected to defeat Republican Dan Cox, an election denier who was backed by former President Trump.

Nov 08, 9:41 PM EST
Incumbents projected to win in Colorado, Vermont governor races

ABC News can project that Democratic Colorado Gov. Jared Polis will win against Republican challenger Heidi Ganahl, and Republican Vermont Gov. Phil Scott will win against Democratic challenger Brenda Siegel, in their respective bids for reelection.

Nov 08, 9:41 PM EST
FiveThirtyEight’s Nate Silver says early results suggest good night for polling

FiveThirtyEight’s Nate Silver notes that early results are largely in line with what surveys had indicated, suggesting the polling industry may be in for a desperately needed reprieve after three consecutive cycles of results that were far off the mark.

Polls significantly underestimated Republicans’ support by varying degrees in 2016, 2018 and 2020. Yet early results Tuesday line up well with what polls had forecasted.

“We aren’t seeing too many crazy, out-of-bounds outcomes so far. There are a lot of uncertain races, and there’s a fair bit of regional variation, and Democrats clearly have a Florida problem. But nothing too wild yet,” Silver wrote in FiveThirtyEight’s blog.

Nov 08, 9:22 PM EST
DeSantis celebrates projected victory: ‘I have fought the good fight’

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke to supporters on Tuesday night after he was projected to win reelection.

“Florida was a refuge of sanity when the world went mad,” DeSantis said. “We stood as a citadel of freedom for people across this country and indeed the world.”

DeSantis touted Florida’s policies on COVID-19, gender ideology and education as he made the case for himself as a Republican leader championing the party’s values.

DeSantis is widely seen as a potential contender for the GOP nomination in 2024, and he spent much of his victory speech Tuesday discussing national politics.

“While our country flounders due to failed leadership in Washington, Florida is on the right track,” he said, adding: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race in this first term and I have kept the faith.”

“We’ve accomplished more than anybody thought possible four years ago but we’ve got so much more to do and I have only begun to fight,” he concluded.

Nov 08, 9:15 PM EST
Female firsts projected in Arkansas, Massachusetts governor races

ABC News can project that Republican Sarah Huckabee Sanders will win against Democratic challenger Chris Jones, electing her as the first female governor of Arkansas.

ABC News can also project that Democrat Maura Healey will win against Republican challenger Geoff Diehl to become the first woman and openly gay politician elected governor of Massachusetts.

Nov 08, 9:03 PM EST
Projections for Senate races in Kansas, New York, South Dakota

ABC News can project that in three Senate races, Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., will win against Democratic challenger Mark Holland; Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., will win against Republican challenger Joseph Pinion; and Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., will win against Democratic challenger Brian Bengs. All three projected winners are seeking reelection.

Nov 08, 9:01 PM EST
Sen. John Boozman projected to win reelection in Arkansas

ABC News can project Republican incumbent John Boozman will win reelection to a third term in Arkansas. Boozman is projected to defeat Democrat Natalie James, a small business owner and community organizer. James was the first Black woman to win a major party nomination for Senate in Arkansas.

Nov 08, 9:00 PM EST
Polls close in 15 more states

Polls have now closed in Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Nov 08, 8:48 PM EST
Welch projected to win in Vermont

ABC News can project that Democratic U.S. Rep. Peter Welch will win against Republican challenger Gerald Malloy for Senate in Vermont.

Nov 08, 9:00 PM EST
Florida Democrat Maxwell Frost projected to become first Gen Z member of Congress

Democratic activist Maxwell Frost will win his bid in Florida’s 10th Congressional District and become the first Gen Z member of Congress, ABC News projects.

Frost, a progressive who defeated an establishment favored candidate in the primary, will defeat Republican Calvin Wimbish in the open seat vacated by Rep. Val Demings, the Democratic Senate nominee in Florida. Demings is projected to lose her challenge to Sen. Marco Rubio, R.

Frost turned 25 just this year and ran on policies like stricter gun legislation, “Medicare for All” and stronger action to combat climate change.

Karoline Leavitt, a Republican running in New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District, would join Frost as another Gen Z lawmaker if she wins her challenge to incumbent Rep. Chris Pappas, D.

Nov 08, 8:51 PM EST
Republicans flip three House seats in Florida alone

ABC News projects that Republicans will flip three Democratic House seats in Florida alone, a big step toward netting the five seats needed to win the chamber.

Republican Anna Paulina Luna is projected to defeat Democrat Eric Lynn in the House seat that Democratic gubernatorial nominee Charlie Crist vacated. Crist is also projected to lose his challenge to Gov. Ron DeSantis, R.

Republican state Sen. Aaron Bean is projected to win over LaShonda Holloway in Florida’s 4th Congressional District. Incumbent Rep. Al Lawson, D, moved districts after redistricting.

Republican Army veteran Cory Mills is also projected to emerge victorious in Florida’s 7th Congressional District over Democrat Karen Green. The seat is currently held by retiring Rep. Stephanie Murphy, D.

“Florida has always been in our lifetimes the decisive swing state or at least one of a handful of decisive swing states, and now it’s Florida, Florida, Florida, Republican, Republican, Republican,” ABC News Chief Washington Correspondent Jonathan Karl said on ABC News Live.

Nov 08, 8:37 PM EST
Gov. McKee projected to keep seat in Rhode Island

ABC News can project that Democratic Rhode Island Gov. Daniel McKee will win against Republican challenger Ashley Kalus.

Nov 08, 8:33 PM EST
McMaster projected to keep South Carolina governor seat

ABC News can project that Republican South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster will win against Democratic challenger Joe Cunningham.

Nov 08, 8:32 PM EST
Polls now closed in 25 states

Arkansas is the latest state to close its polls, with polls now closed in 25 states plus D.C.

Nov 08, 8:31 PM EST
Katie Britt projected to be 1st woman elected to Senate from Alabama

ABC News can project that Republican Katie Britt will win the U.S. Senate race in Alabama. Britt will become Alabama’s first woman elected to the Senate.

The state’s previous female senators, Democrats Dixie Bibb Graves and Maryon Pittman Allen, had been appointed by the governors to fill a vacancy. Britt is projected to defeat Democrat Will Boyd and Libertarian John Sophocleus to fill the seat held by retiring Republican Sen. Richard Shelby.

Nov 08, 8:28 PM EST
Lee projected to keep Tennessee governor seat

ABC News can project that Republican Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee will win against Democratic challenger Jason Martin.

Nov 08, 8:28 PM EST
These three races will determine balance of power in the Senate: Klein

Senate races in Georgia, Nevada and Pennsylvania will determine which party controls the chamber next year, according to ABC News Political Director Rick Klein.

Whoever wins the two of those three are probably going to win the whole Senate,” Klein said as the first race projections started to come in from across the country.

The best chance for Democrats to pick up a seat is in Pennsylvania, Klein said, where Democrat John Fetterman faces celebrity Dr. Mehmet Oz.

“In Nevada, that’s probably going to be Republicans’ best chance,” Klein said. “They see Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto as the most vulnerable Democrat anywhere on the map.”

Nov 08, 8:18 PM EST
Beasley sees early lead in North Carolina Senate race

Considered the sleeper Senate race of the election cycle, Democratic candidate Cheri Beasley in North Carolina leads Republican candidate Ted Budd 58%-41%, with 36% of the expected vote reporting as of 7:45 p.m. ET.

In the heavily blue areas of the state, Mecklenburg County, which encompasses Charlotte, Beasley leads Budd 69.3%-29.1% with 50% of the expected vote reporting. For Wake County, which encompasses Raleigh, Beasley leads 68.2-30% with 54% of the expected vote reporting.

ABC News’ Hannah Demissie

Nov 08, 8:13 PM EST
Chris Sununu projected to win reelection in New Hampshire

ABC News can project that Republican Gov. Chris Sununu will win reelection in New Hampshire, defeating his Democratic challenger Tom Sherman.

Here’s what voters decided on abortion questions on Election Day

November 9, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Voters in three states have enshrined abortion rights in their constitutions while votes are still being counted in two states to see if access to abortion services will be further restricted.

The power to regulate abortion was returned to the state level in June after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, ending federal protections for abortion rights.

Heading into the midterm elections Tuesday, three states — California, Michigan and Vermont — had abortion-related questions on the ballot to strengthen rights and two states — Kentucky and Montana — asked voters if they wanted to further limit rights.

During this year’s primary elections, voters in Kansas struck down a proposal to remove the right to abortion from the state’s constitution.

California

In California, voters decided to amend the state constitution to prohibit the state from denying or interfering with a person’s “reproductive freedom,” ABC News projects.

Voters accepted lawmakers’ proposal to protect the fundamental right to choose to get an abortion or use contraceptives.

Currently, abortion is legal up until viability in California, which is about 24 to 26 weeks gestation, per the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that studies sexual and reproductive rights.

Vermont

In Vermont, ABC News projects voters decided to amend the state’s constitution to include a right to “personal reproductive autonomy,” which includes abortion.

Although it is currently legal in Vermont at any stage of pregnancy, the state’s constitution did not grant explicit protections for the right to abortion prior to the acceptance of the amendment.

Michigan

Michigan voters said yes to a constitutional amendment that would add protections for reproductive rights this November, ABC News projects.

The amendment defines reproductive freedom as “the right to make and effectuate decisions about all matters relating to pregnancy, including but not limited to prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, contraception, sterilization, abortion care, miscarriage management and infertility care.”

A state abortion ban on the books since 1931 is being challenged in state courts, but a state judge ruled in September that the ban is unconstitutional, barring the state’s attorney general and state prosecutors from enforcing it.

Kentucky

In Kentucky, ABC News projects that a proposed constitutional amendment further restricting abortion rights has failed.

The amendment to the state’s constitution would have specified the right to abortion does not exist, nor is the government required to allocate funding for abortion.

Abortion is currently banned in the state after a trigger law went into effect when Roe was overturned. Arguments against the ban will soon be heard in the Kentucky Supreme Court, something the amendment would have prevented.

Montana

Similarly, results are still incoming for a proposal by the Montana Legislature to change the state constitution to define all fetuses “born alive” as legal persons, including those born after an abortion.

The bill defines “born alive” as the complete expulsion or extraction of a human infant at any stage of development, who after extraction breathes, has a beating heart or has definite movement of voluntary muscles, regardless of whether the umbilical cord has been cut or what the birth method is, according to the bill.

This proposal would grant any fetus born alive the right to appropriate and reasonable medical care and treatment. Providers who do not give that care could face a fine of up to $50,000 and up to 20 years in prison.

Montana state courts have blocked three abortion bans passed last year from going into effect while litigation continues.

Tuesday’s midterms: Key takeaways and race results so far

November 9, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Tuesday’s election results bucked historical patterns and some of the polling averages and forecasts, with Democrats — as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi put it — “outperforming expectations” even as Republicans celebrated double-digit victories in Florida, a longtime swing state.

ABC News has not projected which party will control either the House or the Senate, and Republicans could flip both chambers, which would be in line with past outcomes for the minority party in a midterm year.

With votes still being counted, here are key takeaways so far from Tuesday’s results, including notable race projections and voter choices:

Democrats overperform

Democrats’ overperformance is best understood by the wins Republicans haven’t seen across the board, as of early Wednesday, despite past midterm wave years — like in 2010 and 2018 — that saw the party in power lose dozens of House seats.

Given President Joe Biden’s low approval rating and voter concerns around issues like inflation and the economy, the GOP had been forecast to potentially win upwards of 240 seats.

Republicans will gain six House seats so far, according to ABC News’ projections, which will be enough to barely flip the House if they don’t lose elsewhere, though there are competitive GOP-held seats in California still to be counted. The ongoing tally has upended the idea that Republicans would net roughly two dozen seats.

In the Senate, where Republicans need to flip only one Democratic seat, Pennsylvania’s Lt. Gov. John Fetterman instead is projected to flip the Senate seat held by retiring Republican Sen. Pat Toomey, easing Democrats’ path to keeping the chamber that they currently hold only with Vice President Kamala Harris’ tie-breaking vote.

However, Senate races in Arizona, Georgia and Nevada have yet to be called.

Inflation and abortion were key issues, not crime

Exit polling suggested that inflation and abortion were the key issues on voters’ minds, while crime did not register as highly, undercutting pre-election surveys.

About 32% of voters nationwide said inflation was the biggest issue, while 27% said abortion was. Meanwhile, crime significantly trailed those two issues in importance in several states.

Republicans had launched an advertising onslaught in the final weeks of the midterms casting Democrats as weak on crime and public safety, a relentless campaign that strategists on both sides believed was effective.

House majority up in the air

The ultimate House majority is in question as of early Wednesday.

Republicans had boasted that they could enjoy a majority of at least 20 seats, overtaking Democrats’ current five-seat majority.

Yet the GOP has only gained a half-dozen seats, according to ABC News’ projections. And while several competitive races — for each party — are yet to be called, Republicans had anticipated having the chamber locked up early.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said early Wednesday that he was still confident Democrats would lose.

“If you believe in freedom, hard work and the American dream, these results proved that there is a place for you in the Republican Party,” he said.

Trump allies fall short

Several midterm candidates allied with Donald Trump are projected to fall short, hurting Republicans’ chances of winning the House and Senate and tarnishing the former president’s reputation as kingmaker.

Among the more prominent candidates who are projected to lose are Pennsylvania GOP gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano, Pennsylvania Senate candidate Mehmet Oz and New Hampshire Senate candidate Don Bolduc.

Other candidates who will be unable to win key races, according to ABC News projections, are Maryland gubernatorial nominee Dan Cox, Massachusetts gubernatorial nominee Geoff Diehl and New York gubernatorial nominee Lee Zeldin.

Fate of election deniers

While some races involving election deniers are not yet projected, several other Republicans who cast doubts on the 2020 election results will not win, according to ABC News’ projections, with ramifications for future presidential elections.

Mastriano, who would have appointed the Pennsylvania secretary of state had he won, was outside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and previously alleged — without evidence — that “millions of people across the state have been defrauded.” Mastriano is projected to lose to state Attorney General Josh Shapiro.

In Michigan, GOP secretary of state nominee Kristina Karamo is projected to lose to Democrat Jocelyn Benson. Karamo had claimed that Trump won the state in 2020 and unsuccessfully sued to invalidate mail-in voting in Detroit.

There are other secretary of state races yet to be called, but Republicans are projected to fail in swing states where they could have gained the power to certify election results while openly questioning how elections are conducted.

Florida drifts further toward Republicans

Republicans had a disappointing night overall, compared to the pre-Election Day assessments, but they romped in Florida, indicating that the erstwhile and vote-rich swing state is moving further away from Democrats.

Gov. Ron DeSantis, a GOP rising star, coasted to reelection by about 19 points, with nearly all of the expected vote reported. Republican Sen. Marco Rubio also trounced opponent Val Demings by about 17 points — stunning margins in a state where races had often been decided on the razor’s edge of a point or two.

The GOP also flipped three House seats in Florida, wins that could end up playing major roles in deciding which party controls the chamber.

The races left

There are still major races left to be called, with implications for control of both chambers.

Senate races in Arizona and Nevada are yet to be projected. And while Georgia’s Senate race could end in a runoff if neither candidate cracks 50%, that outcome has not been determined.

Dozens of House races are also not yet called, including up and down the West Coast, with enough left to decide the lower chamber’s majority.

2022 midterm election results live updates: House and Senate majorities still up in the air