BALANCE OF POWER: See where control of the Senate and House stands as votes come in
Fox News can project that Maine Senator Angus King will win his race. He is an independent who caucuses with the Democrats.
Fox News can also project former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris will split the electoral votes in the Pine Tree State.
Harris will win three electoral votes while Trump will earn one elector from the rural second congressional district. Maine and Nebraska are the only two states that divvy up their electors by district.
In California’s Senate race
, the Fox News Decision Desk can project that current Democratic congressman Adam Schiff will win his race against former Major League baseball player Steve Garvey. And Washington’s incumbent Democratic senator Maria Cantwell will win her fifth term.
Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik defeated her Democrat opponent Paula Collins in her bid for reelection to New York’s 21st Congressional District, the AP reported.
“I am incredibly humbled that voters in Upstate New York and the North Country have once again put their trust in me by overwhelmingly supporting my re-election,” Stefanik said. “As a proud Upstate New Yorker, it is the utmost honor and privilege to fight for Upstate at the highest levels of government.”
Democratic Rep. Pat Ryan has won his re-election to represent New York’s 18th congressional district, defeating his Republican challenger, former New York City police officer Alison Esposito.
Ryan won the race by a wide margin, garnering 59 percent of the vote with 72 percent of the polls reporting.
Ryan was first elected in 2022 in a special election to succeed Democrat Antonio Delgado, who resigned to become lieutenant governor of New York under Governor Kathy Hochul.
The Fox News Decision Desk can project that Missouri Republican Senator Josh Hawley
will win a second term. He defeats Democratic attorney Lucas Kunce.
Fox News can also project Virginia’s Senate race. Democratic Senator and former Vice-Presidential candidate Tim Kaine will defeat his GOP challenger, Hung Cao.
The Associated Press has called the House race in the 6th Congressional District of South Carolina for Rep. Jim Clyburn Tuesday night against Republican challenger Duke Bucker
Clyburn has held the seat for more than 30 years after first being elected to Congress in 1993.
Wisconsin Republican Sen. Ron Johnson called Milwaukee’s vote retabulation “unbelievably sloppy” after election officials proceeded with a recount of more than 30,000 absentee ballots due to tabulation issues on Tuesday.
“This was unbelievably sloppy,” Johnson said. “They didn’t start the count for quite some time. We have slow counts in Racine and Green Bay as well..what is wrong with their procedure where they don’t go through these machines?”
“I think one of the 13 to 15 of these things here, it’s not that hard,” Johnson said. “I mean, you ought to have a procedure sheet… they’ve got one job to do and they don’t do it very well.”
Milwaukee city spokesperson Jeff Fleming told reporters Tuesday that officials decided to order the recount for the 31,000 ballots after discovering issues with 13 tabulator machines.
Fox News’ Chad Pergram, Mike Tobin, and Breanne Deppisch contributed to this post.
Fox News is projecting that Republican Congressman John Curtis will move to the Senate, succeeding retiring Senator Mitt Romney.
Meanwhile, the Fox News Decision Desk says it is too early to call the race for the U.S. Senate race for Montana. Longtime rural Democratic Senator Jon Tester, who has served in the Senate since 2007, is in the political fight of his life against Republican former Navy SEAL Tim Sheehy.
Nevada is also too early to call. This senate race is between incumbent Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen and Republican Army veteran Sam Brown.
Delaware state Sen. Sarah McBride has been elected to the U.S. House and will become the first openly transgender person to serve in Congress.
McBride easily defeated Republican John Whalen III on Tuesday in the race for Delaware’s lone House seat. Whalen is a retired construction company owner and former state trooper who ran a shoestring campaign in his first bid for public office.
McBride, meanwhile, has established a national profile as an LGBTQ activist and raised more than $3 million in campaign contributions from around the country.
McBride achieved national recognition at the 2016 Democratic National Convention as the first openly transgender person to address a major party convention in the United States.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee championed her re-election Tuesday night and told her supporters that she is “humbled” to once again receive their vote.
“Tonight’s victory belongs to the people of Tennessee,” Blackburn said in a statement to Fox News. “You have been heard.
SEN. BLACKBURN SLAMS MAYORKAS OVER BORDER CRISIS
“To all of the Tennesseans who are struggling to make ends meet, to pay for gas and groceries; to the angel families who have lost loved ones from the violent criminals and drugs coming across our southern border; to all those who worry about sending your kids to play in your yard; to the parents who have worked with us to pass the Kids Online Safety Act; to the young and old who still believe America is the greatest country on earth – Six years ago, Tennesseans elected me as the first woman Senator
to serve the Volunteer State, and I am humbled that they have chosen to re-elect me to continue representing their conservative values in the U.S. Senate.”
In the Maryland Senate race, the Fox News Decision Desk can now project that Democratic county executive Angela Alsobrooks will defeat former Republican Governor Larry Hogan.
Alsobrooks will succeed Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin, who is retiring this year after serving nearly two decades in the Senate and nearly six decades as a state and then federal lawmaker.
A former prosecutor and ally of Vice President Kamala Harris, Alsobrooks will make history as Maryland’s first Black senator, in a state where the Black population stands at around a third of the state’s total.
The Fox News Decision Desk can now project that Texas Senator Ted Cruz will win a third term.
He defeats Democratic congressman Colin Allred.
Allred received support from a handful of Republicans including former Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill.
Democrats poured massive amounts of money into the race.
The Fox News Decision Desk says it’s too early to call Wisconsin, where incumbent Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin appears to be in a close race with Republican banker Eric Hovde.
Michigan’s senate race is also too early to call. Former GOP congressman Mike Rogers is up against current Democratic House Rep. Elissa Slotkin.
In Arizona, Democratic House Rep Ruben Gallego has a lead on Republican candidate Kari Lake. It’s also too early to call.
Nebraska has two senate races on the ballot today, and the race between Republican incumbent Deb Fischer and independent Dan Osborn appears to be close. That’s too early to call according to our decision desk.
But Fox News can project that Republican Pete Ricketts will continue to serve as a Nebraska senator.
In Texas, two-term Senator Ted Cruz is locked in a close race against current Democratic congressman Colin Allred. It’s too early to call.
The Fox News Decision Desk can project that Minnesota’s Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar will sail to a fourth term.
New York Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand will win another term in the Empire State.
And Democrats will hold on to their seat in New Mexico, where Senator Martin Heinrich defeats Republican Nella Domenici.
North Dakota’s GOP Senator Kevin Cramer will easily win a second term.
And in Wyoming, Senator John Barrasso will also win re-election. He serves as Chair of the Senate Republican Conference.
The Associated Press has projected that Republican Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar will win her re-elect bid in Florida’s Miami-Dade Congressional District.
AP called the race with 88 percent of the vote having been counted.
Salazar won 60.3 percent of the vote with 177,701 votes, defeating her Democratic challenger Lucia Baez Geller who garnered 39.7 percent with 116,899 votes.
Salazar responded to the news by thanking her supporters and pledging to “continue to be your voice, fighting for you.”
“We have a lot of work to do: fix the economy, reform immigration & fight socialism at home & abroad,” said Salazar.
This will be Salazar’s third term in Congress.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) was unexpectedly in his Senate office on Capitol Hill tonight.
He was there with his wife, former Transportation and Labor Secretary Elaine Chao.
McConnell said he didn’t have any insight on what was going to happen tonight.
He also said he may put out a statement on things tomorrow.
McConnell is stepping down at the end of this Congress as GOP Leader – the longest-serving party leader in Senate history.
He is not endorsing in the race to succeed him
Fox News can project that Rick Scott, the Republican Senator from Florida, will win his second term.
In Maryland, It’s too early to call the race between Democratic county executive Angela Alsobrooks and former Republican Governor Larry Hogan. Alsobrooks has a lead in our Fox News Voter Analysis.
It’s too early to call Missouri’s senate race between Republican Senator Josh Hawley and Democratic attorney Lucas Kunce.
Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn will win in Tennessee, another reliably conservative state.
In Mississippi, longtime GOP Senator Roger Wicker will take home another victory.
The Fox News Decision Desk can project that in Massachusetts, Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren will win her third term.
Connecticut’s Democratic Senator Chris Murphy will also win a third term.
There isn’t enough data to project the Maine senate race yet.
In New Jersey, current Democratic House Rep. Andy Kim will win his Senate race, putting him in the upper chamber for the first time.
In Delaware, Democratic House Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester will win her first Senate race.
And Rhode Island Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse will win a fourth term.
In Pennsylvania, home to a razor-thin Senate race between incumbent Democrat Bob Casey and Republican businessman Dave McCormick. The Fox News Decision Desk says it’s too early to call.
Club for Growth PAC, a top conservative group, congratulated Rep. Anna Paulina Luna on her victory in Florida’s 13th Congressional District race. Luna successfully defended her seat against challenger Whitney Fox.
“Rep. Anna Paulina Luna’s commitment to economic liberty and her steadfast support of conservative principles have made her a standout advocate for Floridians,” said Club for Growth PAC President David McIntosh.
“Rep. Luna has shown her willingness to fight for fiscal responsibility and individual freedoms in Washington. Club for Growth PAC is excited to see her continue to lead in the next Congress,” McIntosh said.
Club for Growth Action and its allied Super PACs invested nearly $700,000 into the race and Club for Growth PAC members contributed $93,241 directly to the Luna campaign.
NRSC Chair Steve Daines congratulated Gov. Jim Justice on securing a senate win for West Virginia Tuesday night.
“Congratulations to Governor Jim Justice on officially becoming West Virginia’s next United States Senator,” he said. “Jim served the people of West Virginia well as their governor, lowering taxes and creating opportunity in all parts of the state.
“I know he will continue to do the same in the Senate, and we are looking forward to having Big Jim and Baby Dog in D.C.,” Daines said.
Fox News can project that Jim Justice will flip a Senate seat to Republican in deep red West Virginia.
He bested Democrat Wheeling Mayor Glenn Elliot.
Justice, a billionaire, replaces retiring Independent Joe Manchin who was a former Democrat.
The win puts the GOP one seat away from an outright majority, assuming they don’t lose any seats they already hold.
The Fox News Decision Desk says it’s too early to call another Republican target, Ohio, where incumbent Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown is fighting for a fourth term against Republican businessman Bernie Moreno.
Indiana Republican Rep. Jim Banks told Fox News he is “grateful for the support” as he prepares to enter the upper chamber after securing his first Senate win.
“I am grateful for the support of my family and the support I’ve had from Hoosiers across the state. I owe this victory to all who contributed to it,” he told Fox News.
“Only in America can a kid like me, who grew up in a trailer park in Columbia City and was the first in my family to go to college, go on to become a United States Senator,” Banks said. “As your next Senator, I will fight every day to protect that American dream for the next generation.
“We need true conservative fighters
in Washington who are not afraid to cut reckless spending and fight to secure our border and end the Democrats’ border crisis. I got in this race to champion working Hoosier families and put Indiana first, and that’s what I plan to do on day one in the United States Senate,” he added.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to fight for the things that matter most to Hoosiers.”
NRSC Chair Steve Daines released the following statement regarding the results of the Indiana Senate election after Congressman Jim Banks secured his first Senate win:
“Congratulations to Jim Banks on his incredible journey from humble beginnings in small town Indiana to the United States Senate. Jim is an America First patriot who will serve the state of Indiana well.”
The Fox News Decision Desk can project that Indiana Republican congressman Jim Banks will win his first Senate race.
In Virginia
, it’s too early to call the race between incumbent Democratic senator Tim Kaine and his Republican challenger, Hung Cao.
Longtime independent Senator Bernie Sanders will win a fourth term in Vermont. He caucuses with the Democrats
Control of Congress has been split between the two major parties over the last two years.
Republicans have held the majority in the House of Representatives by a fluctuating margin that never exceeded 10 votes.
Currently, there are 220 Republicans in the House, compared to 212 Democrats, and it is led by Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.
Meanwhile, Democrats have controlled the Senate, also by a razor-thin margin. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., leads 51 Democratic senators, while Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., leads 49.
While the makeup of the 119th Congress is yet to be seen, it’s likely whoever wins will be governing over similarly slim majorities.
It’s led to gridlock at times in both chambers during this term. The most glaring examples have been in the House, where just eight House Republicans were able to join all Democrats to vote to topple the sitting House speaker, former Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., for the first time in history late last year.
While the lion’s share of attention will be paid to the presidential race on Tuesday night, the 500-plus elections across the country deciding control of Congress will also be critical to deciding the nation’s future.
These elections will be key in particular to how well – or poorly – the new president’s first 100 days will go.
Republicans have signaled they will move fast on government funding and replacing expiring conservative tax code provisions if they win control of Congress and the White House.
Meanwhile, Democrats have said that securing voting rights on a federal level would be a priority if they held the levers of power in Washington.
But that enthusiasm will easily be derailed if D.C. welcomes another divided government to town.
Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., famously used her influence in leadership to help precipitate the first and second impeachments of former President Donald Trump.
And as the current House majority, Republicans have worked to repeal or block a litany of President Biden’s progressive policies.
There are a number of competitive Senate races to watch on Election Day as Republicans hope to take power of the upper chamber, and as Democrats hope to hang on to their slim majority.
But with the retirement of Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., who is seen as an independent, West Virginia will likely flip to Republicans on Election Day.
Races that could decide the balance of power are in key battleground states: Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona and Nevada.
In Pennsylvania, incumbent Democrat Sen. Bob Casey is running against Republican businessman Dave McCormick.
Casey has been spending Democrat donor dollars on ads seemingly tying himself to former President Donald Trump – without ever mentioning Harris’ name. One ad showed how he “bucked Biden” and “sided with” Trump while painting himself as an “independent.” The ad features a Republican woman and her Democrat husband.
Similar ads are running in other critical races, like Wisconsin, where incumbent Democrat Sen. Tammy Baldwin is running against Republican challenger Eric Hovde. Her ad shows Trump signing into law legislation that Baldwin sponsored while Trump was in office.
Meanwhile, Michigan is a tight race, with Democrat Rep. Elissa Slotkin
running against Republican former Rep. Mike Rogers. Retiring Sen. Debbie Stabenow endorsed Slotkin, who currently represents Michigan’s 7th Congressional District. Rogers served in the House from 2001 to 2015 and served as the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. He’s been endorsed by Trump.
And in battleground Nevada, Republican Ret. Army Capt. Sam Brown is closing in on incumbent Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen.
In Arizona, GOP Senate candidate Kari Lake is running against Democrat Rep. Ruben Gallego, as they attempt to win the seat currently held by moderate Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, who announced her retirement in March.
And in Ohio, Democrat Sen. Sherrod Brown is in a tight race against GOP businessman Bernie Moreno.
In Montana, Democrat Sen. John Tester is in a tight race, as he tries to distance himself from Vice President Kamala Harris. Tester is running against Republican Tim Sheehy, a former Navy SEAL.
The election on Nov. 5 will decide the presidency and control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
There are 435 races that will decide control of the House of Representatives, but it is likely that control of the House will come down to just several key races. The House is currently controlled by Republicans, and the GOP is hoping to pick up additional seats.
One is New York’s 17th Congressional District, where freshman Rep. Mike Lawler is running against former Democratic Rep. Mondaire Jones. The district is among several that President Biden won in 2020, and Democrats are hoping to turn it blue once again.
Another is Virginia’s 7th Congressional District, where Democrat Eugene Vindman and Republican Derrick Anderson are facing off. The seat is being vacated by Democrat Rep. Abigail Spanberger, who is running for governor.
Another key race is Michigan’s 8th Congressional District. The seat is being vacated by Democrat Rep. Dan Kildee. Democrat state Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet and Republican former Trump administration official Paul Junge are facing off in that race.
Other competitive races include Maryland’s 6th, which some see as a GOP pickup opportunity, with April Delany running as a Democrat and former state Del.Neil Parrott running as a Republican.
Alaska, at large, is expecting a Republican victory, where its lone seat will be decided using ranked-choice voting.
Meanwhile, in the Senate, Republicans are hoping to take back the majority.
Democrats currently hold the majority with 51 seats in the Senate.
But with the retirement of Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., who is seen as an independent, West Virginia will likely flip to Republicans on Election Day.
In Ohio, Democrat Sen. Sherrod Brown is in a tight race against GOP businessman Bernie Moreno.
In Montana, Democrat Sen. John Tester is in a tight race as he tries to distance himself from Vice President Kamala Harris.
Democrats have a number of other vulnerable seats in key battleground states: Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Arizona and Nevada.
And some of those candidates have aired ads leading up to voting day that tie the incumbent senators to Trump – without mentioning Harris at all.
DeSantis takes victory lap after Florida votes on abortion, marijuana amendments
Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis claimed victory on Tuesday evening over the defeat of two amendments that would have, respectively, created a constitutional right to abortion and legalized recreational marijuana.
“With polls now closed in Florida — Amendment 3 has failed. Amendment 4 has failed,” DeSantis posted to X shortly after polls closed in Florida.
The two amendments are projected to fail, as they did not reach approval from 60% of Florida voters after polls closed at 7 p.m. in the state.
Amendment 3 would have legalized recreational marijuana, which has increasingly been legalized in states across the nation. While on the issue of abortion, DeSantis signed The Heartbeat Protection Act into law last year, which banned most abortions after six weeks of gestation.
This year, Florida residents voted on Amendment 4, the Right to Abortion Initiative, which works to overturn the ban.
JD VANCE VOWS TRUMP WOULD NOT IMPOSE FEDERAL ABORTION BAN, VETO IT IF COMES ACROSS DESK
Voting data on the amendments comes after Fox News Decision Desk projected earlier Tuesday that former President Donald Trump will win Florida in the general election.
Conservative and pro-life social media users celebrated DeSantis’ victory lap over the amendments’ reported failures, calling the expected failure of Amendment 4 a “huge win for life.”
“The demise of pro-abortion Amendment 4 is a momentous victory for life in Florida and for our entire country,” said SBA Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser in comment provided to Fox Digital Tuesday. “Thanks to Gov. Ron DeSantis, when we wake up tomorrow, babies with beating hearts will still be protected in the free state of Florida.
“The law that safeguards more than 50,000 lives annually will remain. Florida is a beacon to the places in this country which still allow abortion after the point a baby can feel pain and the model for how the pro-life movement will win future ballot measure fights. In a world where the abortion lobby has a hold of our major institutions, every Republican should take note of the leadership and courage that Ron DeSantis exhibited to expose Big Abortion’s agenda and defeat life-ending amendments,” she added.
HARRIS CLAIMS TRUMP ABORTION PLATFORM MAKES ‘NO EXCEPTION,’ MOMENTS AFTER TRUMP SAYS THE OPPOSITE
“March for Life applauds the people of Florida for seeing through an onslaught of well-funded lies and rejecting the radical, destructive Amendment 4. When voters know the truth about dangerous and far-reaching abortion amendments appearing on their ballots, they reject them wholeheartedly. We are grateful to Governor DeSantis for remaining courageously steadfast in his support for the most vulnerable, including using his resources and platform to effectively combat the onslaught of disinformation from Amendment 4 backers whose massive spending advantage was not enough to get this deceptive and dangerous proposal across the finish line,” Jeanne Mancini, president of March for Life, said in a statement on Amendement 4 on Tuesday evening.
Amendment 4 became a hot topic earlier in the campaign cycle, as reporters grilled Trump about how he would vote on the matter, as he is a Florida resident.
ABORTION ‘ON THE BALLOT’ IN 10 STATES THIS ELECTION, BUT IT MIGHT NOT MATTER
Trump did spark the condemnation of some pro-life conservatives for saying in August that Florida’s six-week abortion ban “is too short.” He later said that he would vote against the Florida amendment, and doubled down that abortion laws and issues should be left up to the states to decide.
“You need more time than six weeks. I’ve disagreed with that right from the early primaries. When I heard about it, I disagreed with it. At the same time, the Democrats are radical because the nine months is just a ridiculous situation,” said Trump in August.
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“That way you can do an abortion in the ninth month. And, you know, some of the states, like Minnesota and other states have it where you can actually execute the baby after birth and all of that stuff is unacceptable. So I’ll be voting no for that reason,” he added.
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FOX News Decision Desk projects Sen Ted Cruz re-elected in Texas
Fox News can project that Maine Senator Angus King will win his race. He is an independent who caucuses with the Democrats.
Fox News can also project former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris will split the electoral votes in the Pine Tree State.
Harris will win three electoral votes while Trump will earn one elector from the rural second congressional district. Maine and Nebraska are the only two states that divvy up their electors by district.
In California’s Senate race
, the Fox News Decision Desk can project that current Democratic congressman Adam Schiff will win his race against former Major League baseball player Steve Garvey. And Washington’s incumbent Democratic senator Maria Cantwell will win her fifth term.
Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik defeated her Democrat opponent Paula Collins in her bid for reelection to New York’s 21st Congressional District, the AP reported.
“I am incredibly humbled that voters in Upstate New York and the North Country have once again put their trust in me by overwhelmingly supporting my re-election,” Stefanik said. “As a proud Upstate New Yorker, it is the utmost honor and privilege to fight for Upstate at the highest levels of government.”
Democratic Rep. Pat Ryan has won his re-election to represent New York’s 18th congressional district, defeating his Republican challenger, former New York City police officer Alison Esposito.
Ryan won the race by a wide margin, garnering 59 percent of the vote with 72 percent of the polls reporting.
Ryan was first elected in 2022 in a special election to succeed Democrat Antonio Delgado, who resigned to become lieutenant governor of New York under Governor Kathy Hochul.
The Fox News Decision Desk can project that Missouri Republican Senator Josh Hawley
will win a second term. He defeats Democratic attorney Lucas Kunce.
Fox News can also project Virginia’s Senate race. Democratic Senator and former Vice-Presidential candidate Tim Kaine will defeat his GOP challenger, Hung Cao.
The Associated Press has called the House race in the 6th Congressional District of South Carolina for Rep. Jim Clyburn Tuesday night against Republican challenger Duke Bucker
Clyburn has held the seat for more than 30 years after first being elected to Congress in 1993.
Wisconsin Republican Sen. Ron Johnson called Milwaukee’s vote retabulation “unbelievably sloppy” after election officials proceeded with a recount of more than 30,000 absentee ballots due to tabulation issues on Tuesday.
“This was unbelievably sloppy,” Johnson said. “They didn’t start the count for quite some time. We have slow counts in Racine and Green Bay as well..what is wrong with their procedure where they don’t go through these machines?”
“I think one of the 13 to 15 of these things here, it’s not that hard,” Johnson said. “I mean, you ought to have a procedure sheet… they’ve got one job to do and they don’t do it very well.”
Milwaukee city spokesperson Jeff Fleming told reporters Tuesday that officials decided to order the recount for the 31,000 ballots after discovering issues with 13 tabulator machines.
Fox News’ Chad Pergram, Mike Tobin, and Breanne Deppisch contributed to this post.
Fox News is projecting that Republican Congressman John Curtis will move to the Senate, succeeding retiring Senator Mitt Romney.
Meanwhile, the Fox News Decision Desk says it is too early to call the race for the U.S. Senate race for Montana. Longtime rural Democratic Senator Jon Tester, who has served in the Senate since 2007, is in the political fight of his life against Republican former Navy SEAL Tim Sheehy.
Nevada is also too early to call. This senate race is between incumbent Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen and Republican Army veteran Sam Brown.
Delaware state Sen. Sarah McBride has been elected to the U.S. House and will become the first openly transgender person to serve in Congress.
McBride easily defeated Republican John Whalen III on Tuesday in the race for Delaware’s lone House seat. Whalen is a retired construction company owner and former state trooper who ran a shoestring campaign in his first bid for public office.
McBride, meanwhile, has established a national profile as an LGBTQ activist and raised more than $3 million in campaign contributions from around the country.
McBride achieved national recognition at the 2016 Democratic National Convention as the first openly transgender person to address a major party convention in the United States.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee championed her re-election Tuesday night and told her supporters that she is “humbled” to once again receive their vote.
“Tonight’s victory belongs to the people of Tennessee,” Blackburn said in a statement to Fox News. “You have been heard.
SEN. BLACKBURN SLAMS MAYORKAS OVER BORDER CRISIS
“To all of the Tennesseans who are struggling to make ends meet, to pay for gas and groceries; to the angel families who have lost loved ones from the violent criminals and drugs coming across our southern border; to all those who worry about sending your kids to play in your yard; to the parents who have worked with us to pass the Kids Online Safety Act; to the young and old who still believe America is the greatest country on earth – Six years ago, Tennesseans elected me as the first woman Senator
to serve the Volunteer State, and I am humbled that they have chosen to re-elect me to continue representing their conservative values in the U.S. Senate.”
In the Maryland Senate race, the Fox News Decision Desk can now project that Democratic county executive Angela Alsobrooks will defeat former Republican Governor Larry Hogan.
Alsobrooks will succeed Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin, who is retiring this year after serving nearly two decades in the Senate and nearly six decades as a state and then federal lawmaker.
A former prosecutor and ally of Vice President Kamala Harris, Alsobrooks will make history as Maryland’s first Black senator, in a state where the Black population stands at around a third of the state’s total.
The Fox News Decision Desk can now project that Texas Senator Ted Cruz will win a third term.
He defeats Democratic congressman Colin Allred.
Allred received support from a handful of Republicans including former Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill.
Democrats poured massive amounts of money into the race.
The Fox News Decision Desk says it’s too early to call Wisconsin, where incumbent Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin appears to be in a close race with Republican banker Eric Hovde.
Michigan’s senate race is also too early to call. Former GOP congressman Mike Rogers is up against current Democratic House Rep. Elissa Slotkin.
In Arizona, Democratic House Rep Ruben Gallego has a lead on Republican candidate Kari Lake. It’s also too early to call.
Nebraska has two senate races on the ballot today, and the race between Republican incumbent Deb Fischer and independent Dan Osborn appears to be close. That’s too early to call according to our decision desk.
But Fox News can project that Republican Pete Ricketts will continue to serve as a Nebraska senator.
In Texas, two-term Senator Ted Cruz is locked in a close race against current Democratic congressman Colin Allred. It’s too early to call.
The Fox News Decision Desk can project that Minnesota’s Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar will sail to a fourth term.
New York Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand will win another term in the Empire State.
And Democrats will hold on to their seat in New Mexico, where Senator Martin Heinrich defeats Republican Nella Domenici.
North Dakota’s GOP Senator Kevin Cramer will easily win a second term.
And in Wyoming, Senator John Barrasso will also win re-election. He serves as Chair of the Senate Republican Conference.
The Associated Press has projected that Republican Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar will win her re-elect bid in Florida’s Miami-Dade Congressional District.
AP called the race with 88 percent of the vote having been counted.
Salazar won 60.3 percent of the vote with 177,701 votes, defeating her Democratic challenger Lucia Baez Geller who garnered 39.7 percent with 116,899 votes.
Salazar responded to the news by thanking her supporters and pledging to “continue to be your voice, fighting for you.”
“We have a lot of work to do: fix the economy, reform immigration & fight socialism at home & abroad,” said Salazar.
This will be Salazar’s third term in Congress.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) was unexpectedly in his Senate office on Capitol Hill tonight.
He was there with his wife, former Transportation and Labor Secretary Elaine Chao.
McConnell said he didn’t have any insight on what was going to happen tonight.
He also said he may put out a statement on things tomorrow.
McConnell is stepping down at the end of this Congress as GOP Leader – the longest-serving party leader in Senate history.
He is not endorsing in the race to succeed him
Fox News can project that Rick Scott, the Republican Senator from Florida, will win his second term.
In Maryland, It’s too early to call the race between Democratic county executive Angela Alsobrooks and former Republican Governor Larry Hogan. Alsobrooks has a lead in our Fox News Voter Analysis.
It’s too early to call Missouri’s senate race between Republican Senator Josh Hawley and Democratic attorney Lucas Kunce.
Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn will win in Tennessee, another reliably conservative state.
In Mississippi, longtime GOP Senator Roger Wicker will take home another victory.
The Fox News Decision Desk can project that in Massachusetts, Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren will win her third term.
Connecticut’s Democratic Senator Chris Murphy will also win a third term.
There isn’t enough data to project the Maine senate race yet.
In New Jersey, current Democratic House Rep. Andy Kim will win his Senate race, putting him in the upper chamber for the first time.
In Delaware, Democratic House Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester will win her first Senate race.
And Rhode Island Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse will win a fourth term.
In Pennsylvania, home to a razor-thin Senate race between incumbent Democrat Bob Casey and Republican businessman Dave McCormick. The Fox News Decision Desk says it’s too early to call.
Club for Growth PAC, a top conservative group, congratulated Rep. Anna Paulina Luna on her victory in Florida’s 13th Congressional District race. Luna successfully defended her seat against challenger Whitney Fox.
“Rep. Anna Paulina Luna’s commitment to economic liberty and her steadfast support of conservative principles have made her a standout advocate for Floridians,” said Club for Growth PAC President David McIntosh.
“Rep. Luna has shown her willingness to fight for fiscal responsibility and individual freedoms in Washington. Club for Growth PAC is excited to see her continue to lead in the next Congress,” McIntosh said.
Club for Growth Action and its allied Super PACs invested nearly $700,000 into the race and Club for Growth PAC members contributed $93,241 directly to the Luna campaign.
NRSC Chair Steve Daines congratulated Gov. Jim Justice on securing a senate win for West Virginia Tuesday night.
“Congratulations to Governor Jim Justice on officially becoming West Virginia’s next United States Senator,” he said. “Jim served the people of West Virginia well as their governor, lowering taxes and creating opportunity in all parts of the state.
“I know he will continue to do the same in the Senate, and we are looking forward to having Big Jim and Baby Dog in D.C.,” Daines said.
Fox News can project that Jim Justice will flip a Senate seat to Republican in deep red West Virginia.
He bested Democrat Wheeling Mayor Glenn Elliot.
Justice, a billionaire, replaces retiring Independent Joe Manchin who was a former Democrat.
The win puts the GOP one seat away from an outright majority, assuming they don’t lose any seats they already hold.
The Fox News Decision Desk says it’s too early to call another Republican target, Ohio, where incumbent Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown is fighting for a fourth term against Republican businessman Bernie Moreno.
Indiana Republican Rep. Jim Banks told Fox News he is “grateful for the support” as he prepares to enter the upper chamber after securing his first Senate win.
“I am grateful for the support of my family and the support I’ve had from Hoosiers across the state. I owe this victory to all who contributed to it,” he told Fox News.
“Only in America can a kid like me, who grew up in a trailer park in Columbia City and was the first in my family to go to college, go on to become a United States Senator,” Banks said. “As your next Senator, I will fight every day to protect that American dream for the next generation.
“We need true conservative fighters
in Washington who are not afraid to cut reckless spending and fight to secure our border and end the Democrats’ border crisis. I got in this race to champion working Hoosier families and put Indiana first, and that’s what I plan to do on day one in the United States Senate,” he added.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to fight for the things that matter most to Hoosiers.”
NRSC Chair Steve Daines released the following statement regarding the results of the Indiana Senate election after Congressman Jim Banks secured his first Senate win:
“Congratulations to Jim Banks on his incredible journey from humble beginnings in small town Indiana to the United States Senate. Jim is an America First patriot who will serve the state of Indiana well.”
The Fox News Decision Desk can project that Indiana Republican congressman Jim Banks will win his first Senate race.
In Virginia
, it’s too early to call the race between incumbent Democratic senator Tim Kaine and his Republican challenger, Hung Cao.
Longtime independent Senator Bernie Sanders will win a fourth term in Vermont. He caucuses with the Democrats
Control of Congress has been split between the two major parties over the last two years.
Republicans have held the majority in the House of Representatives by a fluctuating margin that never exceeded 10 votes.
Currently, there are 220 Republicans in the House, compared to 212 Democrats, and it is led by Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.
Meanwhile, Democrats have controlled the Senate, also by a razor-thin margin. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., leads 51 Democratic senators, while Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., leads 49.
While the makeup of the 119th Congress is yet to be seen, it’s likely whoever wins will be governing over similarly slim majorities.
It’s led to gridlock at times in both chambers during this term. The most glaring examples have been in the House, where just eight House Republicans were able to join all Democrats to vote to topple the sitting House speaker, former Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., for the first time in history late last year.
While the lion’s share of attention will be paid to the presidential race on Tuesday night, the 500-plus elections across the country deciding control of Congress will also be critical to deciding the nation’s future.
These elections will be key in particular to how well – or poorly – the new president’s first 100 days will go.
Republicans have signaled they will move fast on government funding and replacing expiring conservative tax code provisions if they win control of Congress and the White House.
Meanwhile, Democrats have said that securing voting rights on a federal level would be a priority if they held the levers of power in Washington.
But that enthusiasm will easily be derailed if D.C. welcomes another divided government to town.
Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., famously used her influence in leadership to help precipitate the first and second impeachments of former President Donald Trump.
And as the current House majority, Republicans have worked to repeal or block a litany of President Biden’s progressive policies.
There are a number of competitive Senate races to watch on Election Day as Republicans hope to take power of the upper chamber, and as Democrats hope to hang on to their slim majority.
But with the retirement of Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., who is seen as an independent, West Virginia will likely flip to Republicans on Election Day.
Races that could decide the balance of power are in key battleground states: Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona and Nevada.
In Pennsylvania, incumbent Democrat Sen. Bob Casey is running against Republican businessman Dave McCormick.
Casey has been spending Democrat donor dollars on ads seemingly tying himself to former President Donald Trump – without ever mentioning Harris’ name. One ad showed how he “bucked Biden” and “sided with” Trump while painting himself as an “independent.” The ad features a Republican woman and her Democrat husband.
Similar ads are running in other critical races, like Wisconsin, where incumbent Democrat Sen. Tammy Baldwin is running against Republican challenger Eric Hovde. Her ad shows Trump signing into law legislation that Baldwin sponsored while Trump was in office.
Meanwhile, Michigan is a tight race, with Democrat Rep. Elissa Slotkin
running against Republican former Rep. Mike Rogers. Retiring Sen. Debbie Stabenow endorsed Slotkin, who currently represents Michigan’s 7th Congressional District. Rogers served in the House from 2001 to 2015 and served as the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. He’s been endorsed by Trump.
And in battleground Nevada, Republican Ret. Army Capt. Sam Brown is closing in on incumbent Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen.
In Arizona, GOP Senate candidate Kari Lake is running against Democrat Rep. Ruben Gallego, as they attempt to win the seat currently held by moderate Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, who announced her retirement in March.
And in Ohio, Democrat Sen. Sherrod Brown is in a tight race against GOP businessman Bernie Moreno.
In Montana, Democrat Sen. John Tester is in a tight race, as he tries to distance himself from Vice President Kamala Harris. Tester is running against Republican Tim Sheehy, a former Navy SEAL.
The election on Nov. 5 will decide the presidency and control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
There are 435 races that will decide control of the House of Representatives, but it is likely that control of the House will come down to just several key races. The House is currently controlled by Republicans, and the GOP is hoping to pick up additional seats.
One is New York’s 17th Congressional District, where freshman Rep. Mike Lawler is running against former Democratic Rep. Mondaire Jones. The district is among several that President Biden won in 2020, and Democrats are hoping to turn it blue once again.
Another is Virginia’s 7th Congressional District, where Democrat Eugene Vindman and Republican Derrick Anderson are facing off. The seat is being vacated by Democrat Rep. Abigail Spanberger, who is running for governor.
Another key race is Michigan’s 8th Congressional District. The seat is being vacated by Democrat Rep. Dan Kildee. Democrat state Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet and Republican former Trump administration official Paul Junge are facing off in that race.
Other competitive races include Maryland’s 6th, which some see as a GOP pickup opportunity, with April Delany running as a Democrat and former state Del.Neil Parrott running as a Republican.
Alaska, at large, is expecting a Republican victory, where its lone seat will be decided using ranked-choice voting.
Meanwhile, in the Senate, Republicans are hoping to take back the majority.
Democrats currently hold the majority with 51 seats in the Senate.
But with the retirement of Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., who is seen as an independent, West Virginia will likely flip to Republicans on Election Day.
In Ohio, Democrat Sen. Sherrod Brown is in a tight race against GOP businessman Bernie Moreno.
In Montana, Democrat Sen. John Tester is in a tight race as he tries to distance himself from Vice President Kamala Harris.
Democrats have a number of other vulnerable seats in key battleground states: Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Arizona and Nevada.
And some of those candidates have aired ads leading up to voting day that tie the incumbent senators to Trump – without mentioning Harris at all.
FOX News projects Democrat Josh Stein will win North Carolina governor’s race
The Fox News Decision Desk projects Democratic North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein to win the state’s gubernatorial election against Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson.
The high-stakes election pitted the progressive candidate, Stein, who was backed by term-limited Democrat Gov. Roy Cooper to fill his current seat, and Robinson, whose meteoric political career launched in 2018 after an impassioned speech about the Second Amendment in a viral video.
The Robinson campaign was rocked by scandal weeks ago when a local news outlet reported on Sept. 3 that Robinson allegedly routinely visited porn shops, viewing materials in a private booth, according to former employees and customers. Robinson’s alleged visits to adult stores unfolded in the 1990s and 2000s, before his transition into the political sphere, according to the report.
Robinson and his campaign denied the report as “complete and total fiction,” but he stayed in the spotlight of scandal when CNN ran a report later that same month claiming Robinson frequented a pornography site called “Nude Africa,” where he allegedly messaged with fellow users about peeping on women in locker rooms as a teenager, describing himself as a “black NAZI” and declaring a fondness for transgender pornography.
BATTLEGROUND STATE REPUBLICAN DENIES INVOLVEMENT IN PORN SCANDAL, DISMISSES IT AS ‘TABLOID TRASH’
The alleged use of the chat forums played out between 2008 and 2012, according to CNN, well before Robinson entered the political arena in 2019, when he announced his run for lieutenant governor.
Robinson vociferously denied that report, including before its publication, and vowed to stay in the race while calling the then-anticipated report “tabloid trash.”
“Let me reassure you, the things that you will see in that story, those are not the words of Mark Robinson. You know my words, you know my character, and you know that I have been completely transparent in this race and before. Folks, this race right now, our opponents are desperate to shift the focus here from the substantive issues and focus on what you are concerned with to salacious trap, tabloid trash,” he said in the X video.
NORTH CAROLINA ATTORNEY GENERAL JOSH STEIN HAS RAISED $5.7M SINCE JULY FOR HIS RUN AT GOVERNORSHIP
Stein has been North Carolina’s attorney general since 2017 after serving in the state Senate from 2009 to 2016. The progressive attorney and politician campaigned on a platform of lowering the cost of housing, increasing job creation, expanding access to abortion and improving education.
The Democrat candidate joined Vice President Harris amid her campaign for the White House this election season and was endorsed by North Carolina Democrat Gov. Roy Cooper. Stein will become the state’s first Jewish governor when he is inaugurated in January.
NORTH CAROLINA ATTORNEY GENERAL SEEKS FUNDS TO CREATE FENTANYL, COLD CASE UNITS
“I’m excited to endorse Josh Stein to be the next Governor of North Carolina. He’s driven by a steadfast commitment to the people of our great state. That’s why he’ll work to invest in students and public schools, quality health care for hardworking people, and better jobs that make life more affordable for the middle class. With a record of results and a clear-eyed vision for our future, Josh is ready to do this job,” Cooper said in a statement about Stein’s run.
North Carolina has a history of electing Democrat governors and Republican presidential candidates, last electing a Democrat presidential candidate in 2008 and last electing a Republican governor in 2012.
NRA SUPPORTS GOP CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR WHO WENT VIRAL FOR PRO-GUN SPEECH: ‘I’M THE MAJORITY’
Robinson campaigned on a platform of lowering crime, supporting police, growing North Carolina businesses and cutting taxes for families and businesses.
He previously worked as a furniture factory employee in North Carolina and is an Army veteran, before climbing the GOP’s political ladder, including earning endorsements from former President Trump and the NRA.
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Robinson went viral in 2018 when he delivered an impassioned speech about gun laws during a City Council meeting in Greensboro, before he was elected to political office. His speech came in response to local leaders debating whether to cancel a gun show in the wake of the Parkland school shooting in Florida that same year.
“I’m a law-abiding citizen who’s never shot anybody,” Robinson said at the meeting, which was viewed 200 million times. “Every time we have one of these shootings, nobody wants to put the blame where it goes, which is at the shooter’s feet. You want to put it at my feet. You want to turn around and restrict my right.”
Swing state city orders recount of 31,000 absentee ballots, likely delaying results
Election officials in Milwaukee said Tuesday they will proceed with a recount of more than 30,000 absentee ballots due to tabulation issues, an error expected to delay the reporting of results from a hotly contested battleground state.
Milwaukee city spokesperson Jeff Fleming told reporters Tuesday that officials decided to order the recount for the 31,000 ballots after discovering issues with 13 tabulator machines.
Milwaukee Election Commission officials confirmed to Fox News on Tuesday that all 13 of those machines had issues with the tabulator door, which were either not secured properly or not fully locked and sealed— triggering the recount of all 31,000 mail-in, drop-box, and in-person absentee ballots.
The decision will delay the reporting of roughly 105,000 absentee ballots in Wisconsin, a pivotal battleground state in the 2024 election.
The recount of all 31,000 absentee ballots was made in consultation with Republican and Democratic officials, according to a county spokesperson.
GOP PREPARED FOR PIVOTAL COURT BATTLES THAT COULD DECIDE 2024 ELECTION
Fleming told reporters Tuesday the decision to recount the ballots was made out of “an abundance of caution,” even as he acknowledged the delays the recount will likely create for the state’s broader election results.
To aid with the process, Milwaukee election officials told Fox News they have brought in firefighters and other city employees to aid in the counting of the absentee ballots.
Milwaukee is the largest city in Wisconsin, one of seven battleground states considered key to determining the next president.
Wisconsin is also one of the most competitive states in the 2024 election cycle.
The Badger State is also one of three Rust Belt states that voted for Trump in 2016 before flipping in 2020 to select Joe Biden.
Biden won the state narrowly in 2020 by a margin of 20,682 votes. The narrow victory gives the state an extra incentive to be as transparent and careful as possible in its ballot counting and reporting process, Fleming stressed Tuesday.
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“What has to be redone is just what’s happening against the wall at the machines,” Fleming told reporters. “It is gonna extend the time that we will get the totals here. We don’t know how much longer that will be. So, it’s not insignificant.”
Republicans chastised Milwaukee for the error Tuesday evening, describing it as an “unacceptable example of incompetent election administration in a key swing state.”
Voters “deserve better, and we are unambiguously calling on Milwaukee’s officials to do their jobs and count ballots quickly and effectively,” Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley and Co-Chair Lara Trump said in a statement.
“Anything less undermines voter confidence.”