The Latest: Trump wins North Carolina and GOP reclaims Senate majority

Campaign for Senate Republican leader kicks off pt. 2

The other contender for majority leader in a new Republican conference is the No. 2 GOP senator, John Thune.

The South Dakota lawmaker was initially seen as an obvious successor to McConnell, given his position as the vote counter for the conference but his fellow Republicans have made the race much more contentious over the past year.

“Tonight, with Republicans reclaiming majority control of the U.S. Senate, we can begin to turn the page on this expensive and reckless chapter of American history,” Thune said in a statement.

The race for the House is on

With Senate control going to the Republicans, the race for the House is being played out district-by-district in dozens of competitive elections.

For Republicans, it’s a chance to gain full control of Congress as they try to sweep into power. For Democrats, a House majority will give them an important check on the GOP’s power and force compromise in Washington.

House races are being decided across the country, from hard-fought races in New York to elections in California where it could still take days to determine a winner.

Harris’ Howard party cuts CNN, resumes music as tough race calls roll in

As midnight approached on the East Coast, the Harris campaign turned off its projected broadcasts of CNN at its election night watch party at Howard University. Instead, various high-energy remixes blared from speakers alongside floodlights flickering in tempo to hype the crowd.

The cheers in the crowd had become less frequent as more results came in from battleground states showing a tight race or victories for Trump.

Some attendees began leaving the event though the vast majority of rallygoers remained. It is unclear if Harris will make an appearance at her alma mater.

Melania Trump shows image of her son Barron voting

"Voted for the first time - for his dad," she shared on X.

Barron Trump turned 18 years old in March and began his freshman year at New York University this fall.

Republicans secure Senate control

The GOP has won control of the Senate as Sen. Deb Fischer secures reelection in Nebraska.

With at least 51 Senate seats secured, Republicans will retake control of the chamber for the first time in four years. It gives the party a major power center in Washington and important power in confirming the next president’s Cabinet, as well as any Supreme Court justice if there is a vacancy.

With a handful of battleground races yet to be decided, Republicans still have an opportunity to grow their majority.

GOP senators have already been looking at ways to extend tax cuts that were passed during Donald Trump’s first term, as well as sending funding towards toughened border security measures.

However, the extent of Republicans’ power in Washington will also be determined by the results of the presidential and House races.

Rashida Tlaib wins reelection in Michigan House race

Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., the only Palestinian American in Congress, has won a fourth term in the House.

Tlaib represents a district with a large Arab-American population. She has been highly critical of Israel in its war against Hamas, describing its actions in Gaza as genocide.

But her comments have also evoked outrage from many of her colleagues. The Republican-led House voted last year to censure her for her statements regarding the war.

Tlaib said her criticism was directed toward Israel’s government and its leadership under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and vowed she “will not be silenced.”

Sen. Ted Cruz calls victory in Texas a mandate for tougher border measures

Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas says he considers his reelection victory over Democratic U.S. Rep. Colin Allred a mandate for stronger enforcement along the U.S.-Mexico border.

During a victory speech in front of supporters in his hometown of Houston, Cruz praised strong support from Hispanic voters. He singled out South Texas, where Cruz was performing much better in large border counties than he did during a narrow victory in 2018 over Beto O’Rourke.

“Tonight we are witnessing incredible results, especially with Hispanics across the state of Texas,” Cruz told the crowd. “And we are seeing tonight generational change in South Texas. The results tonight, this decisive victory should shake the Democratic establishment to its core.”

Last poll closures

Polls will close at midnight EST in Alaska and Hawaii.

Ohio sends its first Latino to U.S. Senate

Bernie Moreno will be the first Latino that Ohio has sent to the U.S. Senate, thanks to his victory over Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown.

Moreno was born in Bogota, Colombia. He moved with his family to the United States at age 5 and became an American citizen when he was 18.

He built his fortune as a luxury car dealer and blockchain entrepreneur and will come to the Senate as one of its wealthiest members.

Daughter fills in late mother’s congressional seat

The daughter of late Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee won a special election Tuesday night to finish her mother’s congressional term.

Erica Lee Carter defeated two Republican challengers in the race for the Houston-area district where her mother served for almost 30 years.

Jackson Lee died in July at age 74 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. Her funeral was filled with high profile mourners, including Vice President Harris who gave Jackson Lee’s eulogy just days after declaring her candidacy for president.

Republicans gain steam towards Senate control

The GOP’s victory in the Ohio Senate race puts them on track to gain a Senate majority as long as they keep their seats in Texas and Nebraska.

In Ohio, Republican Bernie Moreno defeated three-term Sen. Sherrod Brown.

The long-serving Ohio Democrat had tried to appeal to working-class voters and make access to abortion a top priority, but Moreno, a Cleveland businessman, cast Brown as too liberal for the conservative state, tying the long-serving Ohio Democrat to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

As long as Republican Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Deb Fischer of Nebraska secure reelection, the GOP will have the Senate in hand.

Trump’s North Carolina win gives him options toward 270 threshold

By winning North Carolina, Trump maintains options to reach the 270 electoral vote threshold.

Trump can reach the magic number by carrying Georgia and Pennsylvania or by carrying Georgia, Michigan and Wisconsin. He also can win by carrying Wisconsin and Arizona, as well as other combinations involving Nevada.

But that would require him to crack the blue wall of northern states Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Trump blitzed North Carolina in the final days of the campaign, stopping in four cities over four days and finishing his North Carolina campaign in Raleigh on Monday.

Harris’ Howard night energy turns from festive to fretting as race calls roll in

The mood at Harris’ election night party at Howard University shifted from electric to anxious as race calls began rolling in. The musical performances and triumphant speeches on display earlier in the evening have been replaced by occasional DJ mixes and broadcast race calls.

Anxious faces and hushed talk spread through the crowd as the night stretched on and the tightness of the race became apparent.

The still-packed crowd periodically went quiet as attendees watched returns come in on a giant projection of CNN. Rallygoers cheered and waved American flags as solidly blue states like Harris’ native California were called in her favor.

Harris campaign chair stresses patience to nervous Democrats, staff watching vote totals

Harris’ campaign chair stressed patience and resolve in a message to all campaign staff obtained by The Associated Press, arguing that the “closeness of the race is exactly what we prepared for” and predicting the race won’t “come into focus until the early morning hours.”

The message from campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon was meant for an audience beyond campaign staff, too, as nervous Democrats nationwide watch the race between Harris and Trump narrow to a handful of key battleground states.

“As we have known all along, this is a razor thin race,” wrote O’Malley Dillon, citing turnout in Philadelphia and early vote totals in suburban Bucks County, Pennsylvania; outstanding votes in Detroit; and uncounted vote in Dane and Milwaukee counties in Wisconsin, two Democratic strongholds.

While the longtime Democratic operative noted forthcoming counting in Nevada and Arizona, the memo highlighted how central the so-called “blue wall” states of Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania are to Harris’ path to victory.

“We’ve been saying for weeks that this race might not be called tonight,” she wrote, adding later, “This is what we’ve been built for, so let’s finish up what we have in front of us tonight, get some sleep, and get ready to close out strong tomorrow.”

Trump loses Colorado after railing against Aurora

Trump turned the Colorado suburb of Aurora into part of his message against illegal immigration. In the end, he failed to capture the Mountain State, which has become increasingly Democratic in recent years.

Trump likened Aurora to a “war zone” overrun by a Venezuelan gang that had taken over multiple buildings. Authorities pushed back against that characterization, saying it was a single block and the area was once again safe.

Colorado is one of the several states Trump visited down the stretch outside the seven most competitive states. In recent weeks, he also campaigned in California, New Mexico and, memorably, in New York for the rally at Madison Square Garden.

After Senate loss, former Maryland governor calls for divided Americans to ‘believe in each other’

Larry Hogan, a popular Republican who lost his bid for a U.S. Senate seat to Democrat Angela Alsobrooks, said in a speech to supporters that he congratulated Alsobrooks on her victory.

Hogan said “we can all take pride” in electing Alsobrooks as the first Black U.S. Senator from Maryland.

He said Americans are convinced that the country is “hopelessly divided” and that Washington is “completely dysfunctional.”

“No matter what happens in this election, we as a country must move beyond talking only with those we agree with, and we need to stop dismissing or even hating those we disagree with,” Hogan said.

“We have got to find a way to come together,” he said.

Michigan’s top election official refutes Trump’s Detroit claims

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson refuted Trump’s social media claims of “heavy law enforcement” in Detroit on Tuesday before polls closed, calling them “not true.”

“The former president said there was a strong law enforcement presence in Philadelphia and Detroit,” Benson said. “That was not true. We quickly debunked it.”

At a news conference in downtown Detroit after Michigan’s polls closed, Benson praised the election as “very successful,” and noted minimal issues. She added that the state is on track for record-breaking turnout.

Australian prime minister vows strong partnership with future US president

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told Parliament on Wednesday that his government will forge a strong partnership with whoever becomes U.S. president.

“The election of a new President of the United States is always a moment of profound consequence for the world, for our region and for Australia,” Albanese said.

“Our government will seek and build a strong partnership with whoever the American people choose as their next president. The alliance between Australia and the United States has always been bigger than individuals,” he added.

The crowd wants Babydog

A few minutes into his speech after winning his U.S. Senate race, West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice was joined on stage by his wife, children and grandchildren. But something was still missing.

The crowd at the Greenbrier Resort started chanting, “Babydog! Babydog!”

Soon, Justice’s English bulldog, wearing a purple bow, trotted onstage to applause and took her usual spot in a chair next to him.

Justice, a two-term governor, has regularly brought his 5-year-old dog to public appearances, including at his State of the State address in 2022 and at the Republican National Convention in July. Babydog even has her own bobblehead and appeared in new murals under the golden dome of the state Capitol.

“What an incredible, incredible time we’ve had together,” Justice said. “She absolutely can makes you smile, and she loves everybody.”

GOP sees House gains in North Carolina

Republicans have picked up three seats in North Carolina that were redistricted by the state’s GOP-controlled General Assembly.

Republicans Addison McDowell, Brad Knott and Tim Moore all won seats that were previously controlled by Democrats.

The victories give Republicans an early and potentially crucial boost in their bid to keep control of the House.

But redistricted seats are not all favorable to the GOP. Democrats are hoping to pick up a seat each in Louisiana and Alabama thanks to redistricting.

Anxiety pools for Harris supporters at Detroit church watch party

A “pray and watch party” is underway at Detroit’s Historic King Solomon Baptist Church, which features a rotating group of pastors saying a prayer as results roll in and about two dozen attendees.

When TV coverage of the election goes to commercial, a pastor takes to the pulpit and says a few words.

“I am so glad we are here,” said the Rev. Charles Williams II, the event’s host. “If I was at home, I would turn off the TV and go to bed. “Because this is challenging,” Williams said, reflecting the anxiety in the room filled with Harris supporters.

Montana could be linchpin in race for Senate control

Republicans have banked their bid for a Senate majority on defeating Sen. Jon Tester in red-leaning Montana.

There have been no surprises in congressional races so far, but polls are closing in the Treasure State, as well as in Arizona and Nevada.

Democrats are hoping to somehow run the table in all three states.

In Montana, Republican Tim Sheehy, a retired Navy SEAL and businessman, is looking to flip the only statewide office that Democrats still hold there.

In Nevada, Democratic Sen. Jackie Rosen is trying to win reelection over Republican Sam Brown. And in Arizona, Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego is looking to make the leap to the Senate over Republican Kari Lake.

Voter Voice: ‘Christmas is going to be really tight this year’

Trump won North Carolinian Jordan Voigt’s vote because she believes he will make life safer for her children by curbing child sex trafficking and illegal immigration, the 34-year-old single mom told AP at a GOP watch party in Asheville, North Carolina.

“Any time we go to a playground, my senses are very up,” Voigt said.

Also at stake is the economy: Voigt said she has been feeling the squeeze financially in the last two and a half years, and Hurricane Helene made things worse. Voigt said she and her family spent 18 days without power after the storm.

“There is no wiggle room” in Voigt’s budget. “Christmas is going to be really tight this year,” she said.

What to watch as polls are closing in Nevada

Results could take a while since the state doesn't release anything until the last person in line has voted. First updates usually include mailed and early votes. The state will add mailed ballots that arrive through Nov. 9, and these have gone strongly Democratic in the past. In recent elections Nevada has added more than 15% of its vote after Election Day. In a closely-watched Senate race, Democratic incumbent Jacky Rosen is facing Republican Sam Brown

Hours extended at nine precincts in eastern Arizona county

A judge has ordered polling places to remain open two extra hours in nine precincts in an eastern Arizona county after a rocky start to Election Day that included malfunctioning equipment and a lack of printed ballots.

Apache County Superior Court Judge Michael Latham agreed to keep the polls open at the request of the Navajo Nation, which filed a lawsuit asking for extended hours due to the problems.

Meanwhile, bomb threats to polling places at schools in neighboring Navajo County prompted some to close momentarily and one to evacuate and send students home for the day.

Authorities said they received email bomb threats at four locations in Navajo County, including at least three polling sites. They determined the threats were not credible.

Where polls are closing next

At 10 p.m. EST, polls will close in Montana, Nevada, and Utah.

Democrats send out the famous people

Democrats deployed celebrities to keep their voters fired up while they wait in long lines to cast their ballots.

Paul Rudd handed out water to students at Temple University in Philadelphia. Jennifer Garner, Josh Gad, Mark Cuban and Demi Lovato communicated with voters via FaceTime in various battleground states.

Republicans have also encouraged their voters to stay in line, even after polls close.

“Hi, Republicans. We’re doing really well,” Donald Trump said in a social media video. “If you’re in line, stay in line.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson reelected to a fifth term in the House

Johnson became speaker a little more than a year ago after eight Republicans joined with Democrats in booting Kevin McCarthy from the job.

The social conservative inherited many of the same troubles that plagued his predecessor when it comes to unifying the conference. He has had to rely on Democratic votes to keep the federal government open and needed their help to prevent the kind of mutiny that toppled McCarthy.

Johnson tied his political fortunes to Trump, showing up at the latter’s hush-money trial in New York and embracing his claims of political persecution.

Johnson will be favored to remain as speaker if House Republicans maintain their majority, but could face a serious challenge as the Republican leader should the Democrats take control of the chamber.

Historic change as 2 Black women elected to Senate

Only three Black women have held Senate seats in the nation’s history, but that is about to change.

Democrats Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware and Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland have won Senate seats, and they will be the first Black women to serve together in the Senate.

The other Black women who have served as senators are Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois, Laphonza Butler of California and current Vice President Kamala Harris of California.

Ohio key to Democratic hopes of holding Senate

Ohio is sending its electoral college votes to Donald Trump, but the state is also key to Democrats' bid to keep control of the Senate and win the House.

Sen. Sherrod Brown, the only Democrat to win a nonjudicial statewide race in Ohio in over 10 years, is running for a fourth term by appealing to working-class voters and making access to abortion a top priority.

He is being challenged by Republican Bernie Moreno, a wealthy businessman backed by Donald Trump.

The state could have big consequences for the House as well. Democrats are defending a trio of House seats that are seen as competitive.

No surprises as polls close. Eyes now turn to Eastern battlegrounds

There has been little surprise in results so far with polls across most of the country having closed.

Trump won Republican-leaning states including Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Texas, while Harris won a swath of New England and the Northeast including New Jersey and New York.

Meanwhile, attention is gravitating toward the Eastern battleground states of Georgia, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries reelected to a seventh term

Jeffries succeeded Rep. Nancy Pelosi as the lead House Democrat after Republicans gained control of the chamber in the 2022 mid-terms and Democrats looked for a generational change in leadership.

Jeffries made sure Democrats delivered the votes necessary to prevent a federal default and to subsequently keep the government open.

But he declined to provide Kevin McCarthy with the Democratic votes he needed to stay on as speaker when eight members of the GOP revolted against McCarthy.

If Democrats are able to gain the House majority, he would almost assuredly be elected the next House speaker.

Kim, elected to Senate from New Jersey, says he’s ‘humbled and grateful’

Democratic Rep. Andy Kim, who won election to Senate from New Jersey, said that "as a son of immigrants" he never imagined he would become the first Korean American to serve in the chamber.

“I’m deeply humbled and grateful to NJ and for everyone who got us here,” Kim wrote on X, the website formerly known as Twitter. “I promise I’ll serve with honor and integrity as a public servant for all.”

Biden congratulates Democrats on their victories

President Biden made a round of congratulatory calls to Democrats who have emerged victorious on Election Day.

According to the White House, he’s called Lisa Blunt Rochester, who won a U.S. Senate seat in his home state of Delaware, and Matt Meyer, who was elected the state’s governor. He also called the outgoing governor, John Carney, who was elected mayor of Wilmington.

Other calls went to Andy Kim, who will be a senator from New Jersey, and Josh Stein, the next governor of North Carolina.

Chinese accounts boost Russian election disinformation

Russian disinformation aiming to reduce trust in the U.S. election received some last-minute help from China, according to research from the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab.

Investigators identified several videos linked to Russia that made false claims about voting. Some of the videos mimicked legitimate U.S. news outlets and featured fake audio clips of law enforcement officials supposedly acknowledging widespread voter fraud.

The researchers found the videos were being amplified by a network of fake social media accounts that originated in China. The accounts had spread pro-China propaganda in the past and shifted their focus to the U.S. election only recently.

Republican Mark Robinson loses North Carolina gubernatorial bid after tumultuous campaign

Mark Robinson, the North Carolina Republican gubernatorial candidate rocked by a CNN report indicating he posted racist and explicit messages on a pornography site more than a decade ago, has lost his race against Democrat Josh Stein, AP projects.

The loss is a cap on a turbulent run for Robinson, the state’s lieutenant governor, who rocketed to conservative fame in 2018 by seizing on Trump’s MAGA movement.

His campaign was continually tagged with controversial comments Robinson made about everything from abortion to race to gay rights. Trump compared Robinson to Martin Luther King Jr. before his pornography site scandal, and did not explicitly back away from him after the scandal engulfed the North Carolina Republican’s campaign.

Stein, the state’s Attorney General, will succeed Roy Cooper, North Carolina’s popular two-term governor who was term-limited. The race was one of the most closely watched governor’s races in the nation this year.

Pennsylvania officials urge patience when it comes to a lengthy vote-counting process

State officials are preaching calm and patience in the counting of votes in the face of large voter turnout across the state and a spate of disruptive bomb threats at polling locations and government buildings.

Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, said at a Tuesday night news conference that every legal, eligible vote will be counted. He says that takes time and that the state’s goal is to do it right and accurately.

Al Schmidt, the state’s top elections official, said in-person turnout numbers will not be available Tuesday night. He said the state’s counties could not even begin processing and opening the millions of returned mail ballots until 7 a.m. EST Tuesday and that the last of them would not have been received until 8 p.m. EST.

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

Credit: AP