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The much talked about “red wave” didn’t manifest on election night, making only a ripple as Democrats won big in a number of key races while Senate and House majorities are still up in the air.
> In a key race, incumbent New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) is projected to defeat Republican nominee Lee Zeldin. As of Wednesday morning, Hochul had a six-point lead, with 93 percent reporting, ABC reported. The Associated Press, CBS, ABC, and NBC all projected Hochul as the winner, but Zeldin still had not conceded as of Wednesday morning, The Hill reported.
> Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer won reelection with 53% of the vote, defeating Republican challenger Tudor Dixon who had 45%, the Detroit Free Press reported.
> Democrat Josh Shapiro, who previously served as Pennsylvania’s attorney general, won the governor’s race, CNBC projected, defeating Trump-endorsed Republican Doug Mastriano. Shapiro will succeed Gov. Tom Wolf (D), who reached his limit of two consecutive four-year terms, keeping the swing state in Democrat’s hands.
> Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey (D) is projected to be the next governor of the state, defeating former Massachusetts state Rep. Geoff Diehl (R), a Trump-backed candidate, and will become the first openly lesbian governor in American history, The Hill reported
Democratic challenger and former representative Beto O’Rourke lost his Texas governor bid to GOP incumbent Greg Abbott. It was the third time in four years that O’Rourke has failed to win higher office, NBC reported.
At the time of this writing, 30 of 35 seats up for election were called, according to Google. Republicans had 47 seats in the Senate, having lost 1 seat, and Democrats had 46 seats, having gained one seat. Other parties had two seats. Democratic candidates Mark Kelly (AZ) and Rafael Warnock (GA) were leading in their races, and Republican Adam Laxalt was leading in Nevada.
> John Fetterman defeated celebrity TV Doctor Mehmet Oz for the Pennsylvania Senate in one of the most closely watched contests in the nation, flipping a key state for Democrats, NBC reported. Fetterman will replace Sen. Pat Toomey, a Republican who opted against seeking re-election.
> Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan won reelection, defeating Republican Don Bolduc in New Hampshire, NBC projected. Hassan leads 54.8% to 43.5%, with 64% of votes counted. Without Hassan’s victory, it would have effectively ended the Democrats’ hopes of retaining their majority.
> Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has 55.9% of the vote and easily defeated GOP challenger Joe Pinion with 43.2%, with 82% reporting
As of Wednesday morning, 373 of 435 House seats for the election had been called, according to Google. Republicans had 199 seats and lost 1, while Democrats had 174 seats and had lost one. Other parties had no seats.
Democrats have won 20 of the 46 key districts they needed to win, with 26 remaining to be called, while Republicans have won only five of the 19 key districts, with 14 remaining to be called, the New York Times reported.
Some of the other key races that will determine control in the House that Democrats have taken victory in are: incumbent Craig in Minnesota, Nickel in North Carolina, Landsman in Ohio, Sykes in Ohio, Cartwright in Pennsylvania, Deluzio in Pennsylvania, Magaziner in Rhode Island, and incumbent Gonzalez in Texas, CNN reported. Many of the other races are too close to call.
