About Last Night…

The Story

America voted. Now we wait. 

What do we know?

So far, Republicans are narrowly ahead in the race to take the House. But with Democrats holding onto key seats and dozens of races yet to be called, it’s a much tighter election than expected. Meanwhile, there are still five seats in play for the Senate. In Pennsylvania, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman (D) defeated Dr. Mehmet Oz (R) to fill a key open Senate seat. But Georgia’s Senate race is still too close to call — and could head for a runoff next month. Still, even with control of Congress up in the air, there were some big talkers last night.

Like what?

The red wave that wasn’t: Midterms are often seen as a referendum on the party in power. And with the economy top of mind for many voters, President Biden entered the midterms with low approval ratings. Many were expecting Republicans to not just take the House — but win it by more than a dozen seats. So far, that hasn’t panned out as expected. 

State-level races: When choosing their governors, many voters stuck with what they knew. Texas re-elected Gov. Greg Abbott (R), defeating Beto O’Rourke (D). Georgia re-elected Gov. Brian Kemp (R) in his rematch with Stacey Abrams (D). New York and Michigan stayed blue. Florida and Ohio stayed red. And with state officials having a key say on issues like abortion and election administration, many are keeping close tabs on state legislatures.

Ballot initiatives: So far, three states with abortion on the ballot voted to protect it. Maryland and Missouri legalized recreational marijuana. North Dakota and Arkansas passed (on the blunt). Colorado is focused on shrooms. Iowa’s all for gun rights. Nevada could say ‘yes please’ to raising its minimum wage. Illinois may be looking to unionize. And while three states removed slavery as a form of punishment in prisons, Louisiana kept it.

The history makers: like women. Massachusetts elected Maura Healey (D) to become the first openly lesbian governor in US history. She’ll also be the state’s first female governor, with Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R) breaking that barrier in Arkansas. And Katie Britt (R) is on track to become the first female senator from Alabama. But those weren’t the only firsts: Maryland elected Wes Moore (D), the state’s first Black governor. New Hampshire is projected to elect James Roesener (D) as the country’s first-ever openly trans man in a state legislature. And meet Maxwell Frost (D), the first Gen Zer elected to the House.