Nearly 24 hour after polls close in the US, control over the House of Representatives and Senate is still up for grabs. This despite projections that the Republicans were on the right track for major gains.
While the GOP appeared to be poised for a narrow majority, they still fall short of the 227 seats projected in RealClearPolitics.
Wednesday night’s Senate election was a toss up with 49 Republicans and 48 Democrats expected filling the chamber. The races in Arizona or Nevada could not be called yet, and a runoff in Georgia between Republican Herschel and Democrat Raphael Warnock was scheduled for Dec. 6.
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The Post’s live blog coverage has ended for the national midterm election. NYPost.com has the latest information on the remaining races and the fight for control.
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Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), a far-right candidate, finished about 2,200 votes behind Adam Frisch late Wednesday afternoon in the race to the state’s red-leaning 3rd Congressional District.
Frisch received 1.2% more votes that the first-term legislator, who had approximately 95% of all expected ballots as of Wednesday afternoon.
The Colorado district sprawling across the western part of Colorado tends towards the right due to a large rural populace that supported Boebert in 2020, over Democrat Diane Mitsch Bush.
Jen Easterly, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Director (CISA), issued Wednesday a statement decrying allegations about voter fraud and misconduct as midterm results continue trickling in across this country.
Easterly’s statement stated that there was no evidence that any voting system lost or deleted votes, changed votes, compromised any race in the nation. “As part of the rigorous post Election Day process, election officials are now tabulating votes and reviewing procedures. They also test and audit equipment.
“It’s important that you remember that this lengthy and deliberative process can last days or weeks depending on state laws. These rigorous procedures allow the American people to have confidence in the security, integrity, and integrity of the elections.
The race for Los Angeles Mayor was still undecided on Wednesday afternoon. Rick Caruso, billionaire, retained 51.2% of vote. Karen Bass, outgoing US Rep., trailed just behind with 48.8%.
NBC reported. Only 38% of votes have been counted. Bloomberg reportedWednesday on record voter registrations in the state. This could make it take several days to go through all the ballots.
CalMatters says that mail-in votes received after Election Day will still count up to Nov. 15.
Caruso was a billionaire ex-Republican who reportedly funneled $100million of his own money to his campaign. This made him a celebrity favorite during the race for the election and earned endorsements by Kim Kardashian, Chris Pratt, and Snoop Dogg.
Bass, a career politician who was also a social worker, was supported by most of the Democratic Establishment, including President Biden, Vice-President Kamala Harris, and former President Barack Obama.
While Republicans have not yet secured a House majority (or any other position), the jockeying for place has already begun.
Steve Scalise (R.La.) is the Minority Whip. Tuesday night’s re-election victory was easily secured by, who announced Wednesday that he would be running for the majority leader of the Republican Party. This is unlikely to be challenged.
Scalise stated in a letter to his colleagues that “now it’s time to focus on delivering to the American people who trusted us with such an important task.” America faces many challenges, both domestic and international. We need to work together to ensure a bright future for America.
“With this bold, conservative agenda, I ask for your support to become the next House Minority Leader.” I will tirelessly work to get our vision through this House and show the country that conservative ideas can solve the families’ problems.
Scalise, an eight-term Congress veteran, has been long considered the understudy for current House Minority leader Kevin McCarthy (R.Calif.). He announced Wednesday that he would be seeking to become House Speaker if Republicans gain the 218 required seats.
Herschel says he’s still racing at maximum speed.
“I’m Ricky Bobby – You don’t come here to lose,” he stated, referring to Will Ferrell’s 2006 comedy film “Talladega Nights”, at his suburban Atlanta party.
As their election campaign heads to a possible runoff, the ex-football hero used a line from a movie about another sport to remind supporters that he won’t give up his pursuit of Georgia Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock.
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Mitch McConnell, the GOP Senate Minority leader, played it safe on Wednesday. He said to a reporter who asked about his party’s poor midterm results that his party doesn’t “deal” in emotions.
McConnell was seen walking to work Wednesday as Republicans failed to deliver on the hyped “red wave”, as Democratic candidates proved to be stronger than expected. NBC reported. When McConnell was asked his opinion on the polls, he said, “I don’t deal with feelings.”
“The question here is, they have to count the votes then we’ll find out where we stand,” he said.
McConnell’s comments were made as Trump, the former President, reportedly lashed out against the GOP takeover stalled. Many of Trump’s endorsed candidates failed in their bids to win seats.
Republicans won a Democratic House seat Wednesday when Eli Crane beat Tom O’Halleran from Arizona.
Crane was the winner of O’Halleran’s 53.7% vote, compared with 46.3%, NBC reported.
Crane is a Navy SEAL veteran who was supported by President Donald Trump.
O’Halleran represented the state’s first district before he was elected to the second after redistricting made him more conservative.
The White House forwards more calls by President Biden to winners or losers of last night’s election:
The president has made congratulatory calls for Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D.Calif.), Rep. Matt Cartwright, Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez, and Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine (D-Calif.) and Robert Garcia (D.Calif.)
Biden also spoke with Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney who lost his New York election despite a better-than expected night for House Democrats. He also spoke with Rep. Val Demings; Sen. Mark Kelly who leads in his Arizona race and Sen. Raphael Warnock. Sen. Herschel Walk will be facing a Dec. 6 race in Georgia.
Biden also tweeted for today’s first time:
Florida Gov. was not mentioned by Trump’s former president. Ron DeSantis won a crushing victoryin 45th President’s election night remarks. This, along with other results, could spell trouble in Trump’s quest for the 2024 GOP presidential nominee.
Trump spoke instead of Florida Senator Marco Rubio’s large margin victory. He was speaking from his Mar-a-Lago resort on Palm Beach at around 10 p.m. — as the national “red waves” predicted by most pollsters started to fail.
“Marco had a wonderful evening at 58 and 41. Trump spoke out, praising DeSantis’ performance by almost 2%. He delivered a powerful victory speech hailing his “win of the ages” as well as a national message.
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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was kind enough to praise Sean Patrick Maloney (New York Democratic Rep.) shortly after he gave up his race.
Pelosi described Maloney as “an outstanding leader” in a statement she shared with the public late Wednesday morning. NBC reported.
Pelosi wrote about Maloney as the leader of the Democrats’ campaign machine: “It is a credit his vision and his strategic thinking that he led. “Republicans may be celebrating a Pyrrhic win in this race. It has clearly been at the expense other potential Republican wins.”
Maloney admitted that he lost the state’s 17th Congressional District to Michael Lawler. His margin of victory was 49.4% to 51.6%. At noon Wednesday, 98% of votes had been counted.
The US Senate race for Georgia will be settled by a runoff election next year after neither Sen. Raphael Warnock the Democratic incumbent nor Herschelwalker his Republican challenger won a majority in one of the most prominent contests in the country.
“While county officials are still doing their detailed work in counting the votes,” Gabriel Sterling, chief operating office in the Georgia Secretary Of State’s Office, tweeted Wednesday.
Walker led Warnock by 0.9% (49.54% to 48.5%), or around 35,000 raw vote. With 2.1% of votes cast and slightly over 81,000 ballots, Libertarian Chase Oliver played spoiler.