First Senate Call Goes to Democrats in Virginia

Democrats claimed their first Senate victory on election night as the race in Virginia was called for the party. The win gives them a foothold in the chamber, a goal that requires flipping four seats total to take control from the Republicans. Voters across the country decided control of the U.S. House and Senate on Tuesday. The battle for power is centered in states that Donald Trump won by wide margins in 2024.

Polls closed at 7 p.m. Eastern Time in six states, including Georgia, South Carolina, and Virginia. These states typically count votes quickly. In the 2024 general election, vote counts in all three states reached the halfway mark during the 8 p.m. hour. Counts were 90% complete at 10:21 p.m. in Georgia, 11:14 p.m. in South Carolina, and 12:07 a.m. in Virginia. The Associated Press declared Donald Trump the winner in Georgia’s competitive presidential contest at 12:58 a.m. that year.

Attention now turns to other key contests. Senate races in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Ohio are in play. Gubernatorial races in Georgia and Ohio are also being watched. House races in Florida, Indiana, South Carolina, Virginia, Ohio, and North Carolina could offer early signs of how Democrats are performing. Most Florida polls closed at 7 p.m., including in every competitive congressional district. No statewide winners in Florida will be declared until polls in the Central Time Zone close at 8 p.m.

In Florida, Democratic Representatives Darren Soto and Kathy Castor are defending their seats in the 9th and 14th Districts. Both districts favored Trump by double-digit margins in the 2024 presidential election. The 22nd District is an open seat after Representative Lois Frankel moved to run in the 23rd District following redistricting.

Voters expressed deep dissatisfaction with the country’s direction according to an AP Voter Poll. About three-quarters of voters said they felt angry or dissatisfied with the current trajectory. Only about one-quarter felt satisfied or enthusiastic. Roughly three-quarters of voters rated the economy as not so good or poor. About 8 in 10 voters said inflation caused a severe or moderate financial hardship on their households. More than 8 in 10 expressed concern about the cost of gas, groceries, utilities, and healthcare.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries told volunteers at a phone bank in Washington that Democrats are on the brink of taking back the House. He said House Democrats work for the American people. Jeffries noted that if Democrats seize control, he is in line to become the first Black speaker of the House. He urged volunteers to win the election. Democrats are dialing voters in key House races to encourage ballot casting before polls close.

In Rock Point, Arizona, on the Navajo Nation, flooding stranded hundreds of voters. A major bridge was closed and dirt roads were washed out, preventing many from reaching the polls. Valinda Shirley, vice president of the Rock Point Chapter, said the parking lot where voters usually gather was underwater. Officials moved the polling place to an administration building across the street, but many residents remained stuck. Shirley said she was receiving texts from residents asking how to get to the polls to vote in both federal and tribal elections.