Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 1:19pmWed 4 Nov 2026 at 1:19pm
Texas Senate figures are all going the Democrats’ way so far
With just over 40 per cent of the expected vote counted, things are looking good for the Democrats in Texas.
Democratic candidate James Talarico is racking up big leads in traditionally Democratic cities like Dallas and San Antonio. But he’s also doing well in redder areas like Denton and the suburbs south of Houston.
There’s a lot of Republican-leaning rural areas yet to be reported, but this is really big! Republicans have held both Senate seats in the state since 1993.
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 1:17pmWed 4 Nov 2026 at 1:17pm
Republicans win US Senate seat in Wyoming
Republican Harriet Hageman has won the US Senate seat in Wyoming.
Hageman rose to become a US Congresswoman in 2022, defeating incumbent Republican Liz Cheney in a primary challenge.
She will now join the state’s Senate delegation with Republican John Barrasso.
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 1:14pmWed 4 Nov 2026 at 1:14pm
Democrats win Colorado, New Mexico senate seats
Democrats John Hickenlooper and Ben Lujan have retained their Senate seats in Colorado and New Mexico, respectively.
This will be Hickenlooper’s second term as senator for Colorado and is joined by fellow democrat Michael Bennet.
In New Mexico, Lujan has fended off a challenge from Republican Larry Maker and secured a second term alongside the state’s other Democratic senator, Martin Heinrich.
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 12:59pmWed 4 Nov 2026 at 12:59pm
Republicans win US Senate seat in West Virginia
Republican Shelly Moore Capito has been returned for a third term as the senator for West Virginia.
With 57 per cent of the vote counted, Capito has won 164,237 votes, leading Democratic challenger Rachel Fetty Anderson by more than 40,000 votes, according to AP.
She will rejoin former West Viriginia governor and current Republican senator Jim Justice in the state’s Senate delegation.
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 12:58pmWed 4 Nov 2026 at 12:58pm
No flips in Florida House seats
Florida House district seats have mostly been called.
Total district seats: 28
Republican won: 15Democratic won: 6Too close to call: 7
Earlier on in the count, some seats were leaning more to the Democrats, but as counting has progressed, Republican percentages have increased.
At this stage it looks like no seats in Florida have flipped for either party.
You can click through the live results in the table below.
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 12:52pmWed 4 Nov 2026 at 12:52pm
What happens if the GOP loses the House and/or Senate?
Trump may not be up for election right now, but the outcome of the midterms will shape how much power he has for the rest of his term.
Congress is responsible for making federal laws, controlling the budget and keeping the president in check.
And while the Republican Party (also known as the GOP) currently controls both chambers, it’s at risk of losing them both.
Even just one chamber changing over to the Democrats would make Trump’s political life much more difficult.
He would find himself having to negotiate with his opponents to get laws and budgets passed, as well as possibly face increased scrutiny of his actions and business dealings.
Several Democrats have been calling for investigations into Trump and his allies, and if they win back power in congressional committees, they will have the power to follow through.
As part of their investigations, those committees have the power to call on people to testify at hearings and require them to produce documents.
If they uncover evidence of any wrongdoing, they can refer their findings to the Department of Justice for prosecution.
The department is currently run by Trump appointee Todd Blanche.
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 12:47pmWed 4 Nov 2026 at 12:47pm
Democrats flip North Carolina in crucial gain for the party
Well that was quick! Roy Cooper’s win in North Carolina was called less than 15 minutes after the last polling stations closed here.
It is the first win for a Democratic Senate candidate in the state in 18 years, and a crucial gain for Democrats.
This seat was held by Republican Thom Tillis, who announced his retirement after a series of fallouts with Donald Trump.
Tillis went on to write a book titled How to Lose Friends and Antagonize Presidents, in which he said at least 30 Republican senators privately shared his concerns about Trump but were not game enough to say so publicly.
Trump’s pick to replace Tillis was a former chair of the Republican National Committee, Michael Whatley.
Part of Cooper’s successful campaign was to remind voters of Whatley’s words of praise for Trump.
“There is no inflation,” Whatley said in a podcast earlier this year. The clip has been replayed in Cooper’s campaign advertising.
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 12:46pmWed 4 Nov 2026 at 12:46pm
Huge wins for Democrats in Florida
We’re seeing some unexpected results in President Trump’s home state of Florida.
In the senate race, Democratic candidate Angie Nixon has performed way ahead of expectations and is clipping at the heels of the incumbent Republican Ashley Moody.
While the GOP are still expected to hold onto the seat, there have been massive swings towards the Democrats in some counties.
In Hillsborough County, home to the city of Tampa, Donald Trump won the county by 3 per cent in 2024 but in tonight’s senate election, Nixon leads the county by 8 per cent.
Trump also won the county south of Orlando, Osceola in 2024, in this year’s senate race, Nixon leads by a whopping 18 per cent Democrats are also over performing in key house races.
The Democrats have won three House districts that had their boundaries changed to favour the Republicans (this is what you may have heard called “gerrymandering”).
They are the 14th, 22nd and 25th.
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 12:43pmWed 4 Nov 2026 at 12:43pm
Republicans win US Senate seat in Florida
Republican incumbent Ashley Moody has retained her US Senate seat in President Donald Trump’s home state of Florida, according to The Associated Press.
The victory marks the first Senate seat claimed by the GOP in this year’s midterm elections thus far.
Moody has represented Florida since January 2025, when she was appointed to replace Marco Rubio — Trump’s current secretary of state
The AP says that more than 96 per cent of the vote in Florida has been counted, and Moody has a two-point lead over her Democrat challenger Angie Nixon.
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 12:39pmWed 4 Nov 2026 at 12:39pm
Where are the Democrats likely to pick up Senate seats?
I started today by thinking the Democrats taking control of the Senate was a bit of a long shot. Not anymore. They need to flip four seats.
Right now, they’re on track to do that. They’re ahead in:
KansasTexasOhioNorth CarolinaSouth Carolina Maine
It’s too early to call any of those. But the early trends are wildly promising for the Democrats, and devastating for Donald Trump’s Republicans.
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 12:35pmWed 4 Nov 2026 at 12:35pm
Jon Ossoff has Australian roots
The Associated Press has confirmed Jon Ossoff is heading back to DC, having defeated Republican Mike Collins.
For our readers, there’s an interesting angle about Ossoff that you might not know.
The 39-year-old has Australian roots. His mother was born in Sydney.
(AP)
ABC Americas editor John Lyons says Ossoff’s commanding victory is sure to catapult his name into more conversations about potential 2028 presidential contenders.
“This win tonight essentially could signal the beginning of his presidential run,” Lyons told ABC News Channel.
“He has set himself up as a pretty strong candidate for the Democratic nomination.”
Throughout his campaign, Ossoff proved an exceptional fundraiser and an aggressive Trump critic, giving fiery speeches that yielded viral video clips in which he accused the president and his family of corruption and the Trump administration of threatening American democracy.
Here’s more of that from Lyons:
“Let’s not forget he has directly taken on Donald Trump in terms of his close relationship with Natalie Harp.
“He’s [Ossoff] also said at rallies that the president had lost interest in governing and all he wants to do is travel with Harp. That outraged Trump but gave Ossoff a big profile as he was the first major figure in this country to start focusing on exactly what role Natalie Harp plays in the White House.”
Last month at a campaign stop in Atlanta, he described Trump as “the wicked president, the corrupt president, the failed president Donald Trump”.
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 12:31pmWed 4 Nov 2026 at 12:31pm
First votes in Texas promising for Democrats
It’s increasingly appearing like a “blue” night in the US midterms.
Texas is one of the key battlegrounds. It hasn’t sent a Democrat to the Senate for almost 40 years.
The first votes in are from Dallas, and they are very promising for Democratic candidate James Talerico.
This is not unexpected, but it’s worth pointing out that when compared to the 2024 presidential election, Talerico’s results show he is overperforming, which is a good sign for him.
If he’s going to make history and beat Republican candidate Ken Paxton, he needs to win the districts that he’s expected to by big margins and overperform in other counties too.
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 12:22pmWed 4 Nov 2026 at 12:22pm
First results from North Carolina
The first results here in North Carolina are just starting to come out.
They were delayed by 45 minutes because some polling centres stayed open late to account for issues with computers and printers.
But reports from the Senate candidates’ watch parties are giving an early indication of how those results are expected to go.
Former Democratic governor Roy Cooper has a full house at a hotel in Raleigh’s CBD, and a DJ is contributing to a party vibe.
Roy Cooper (Reuters: File)
But Republican Michael Whatley’s watch party in Gastonia is relatively empty.
Whatley was Donald Trump’s pick to succeed outgoing Republican senator Thom Tillis.
(Reuters: File )
But he has been a long way behind Cooper in the polls, and Democrats are confident of winning a Senate seat in North Carolina for the first time since the blue wave of 2008, when Barack Obama was elected president.
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 12:18pmWed 4 Nov 2026 at 12:18pm
Uncontested races in Massachusetts called for Democrats
You might’ve noticed earlier that as soon as polls closed in Florida, the Associated Press called Florida’s 10th congressional district for Democratic incumbent Maxwell Frost. That’s because it was uncontested!
Polls have just closed in Massachusetts and the same is happening there in the Democratic-held second, fifth, and seventh congressional districts, which were not contested by Republicans.
Later on we’ll have a look at some seats in California where both candidates are from the same party.
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 12:07pmWed 4 Nov 2026 at 12:07pm
Good signs for Democrats in Ohio Senate race
Around a quarter of the expected vote in Ohio has been reported and things are looking good for Democrats in the crucial special election for an Ohio Senate seat.
While a large portion of the votes are Democratic-leaning mail-in and early votes, every county reporting is currently swinging towards Democrats by double digits.
This seat was vacated by Vice-President JD Vance after the 2024 presidential election. The incumbent then appointed to the seat was former lieutenant governor Jon Husted.
Democratic candidate Sherrod Brown was elected to the Senate in 2006 but was defeated in 2024 by Republican Bernie Moreno in a very tight race.
Based on previous patterns of vote reporting, we should know whether Brown will be returning to the Senate by the end of the day.
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 12:06pmWed 4 Nov 2026 at 12:06pm
Where are the results up to?
Polls just closed in 18 states (at 12 noon AEDT). We’re expecting dumps of results to start coming in now.
The trends in all the other states that have started counting are very promising for the Democrats, and worse than predicted for Donald Trump’s Republican Party.
Senate races the Republicans were expected win are close.In states that were expected to be Senate toss-ups, the Democrats are coasting.House districts that were redistricted to favour the Republians are voting Democrat so far.
Let’s see how the votes keep breaking over the next 90 minutes.
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 12:04pmWed 4 Nov 2026 at 12:04pm
📸: Supporters celebrate after Ossoff wins Georgia Senate seat
Jon Ossoff won reelection in the midterm elections. (Reuters)
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 11:53amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 11:53am
Vermont House seat remains blue
Vermont’s singular at-large congressional district has been called for incumbent Democrat Becca Balint.
This is the first state that has had all of its districts called because it only has one.
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 11:44amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 11:44am
Surprise in Florida as Democrats poll well
Let’s talk about Florida. There are multiple races here and, remember, it’s Donald Trump’s home state.
Workers sort mail-in ballots in Florida (Reuters: Eva Marie Uzcategui)
The Democrats are overperforming in multiple races:
Angie Nixon, the Democratic candidate, is currently ahead in the Senate race. No votes have been reported from Orlando, which is a very blue area. This Democratic lead is a surprise. About 75% of the vote has been counted.Democrats are also polling well in several House districts that were redistricted to favour Republicans. This is a bad sign for Trump’s party.The Democratic candidate is also ahead in the gubernatorial election.
Check out the Senate race here. We are expecting the Republican candidate Ashley Moody to win, but this is way closer than we were expecting it to be.
It’s too early to call any of these, but my goodness, this is a surprise. Sources in the state have told the ABC they are putting some of these results down to Latino voters turning their backs on Trump.
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 11:40amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 11:40am
Kentucky House results too early to call
Kentucky has had its first few seats called, but some seats are still too close to call.
Total district seats: Six
Republican won: OneDemocratic won: OneToo close to call: Four
Democrat Morgan McGarvey won the third district, while Republican Hal Rogers won the fifth. Both of them were incumbents.
Of the four districts yet to be called, all are leaning Republican, but too few votes have been tallied yet to firmly call them.
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 11:35amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 11:35am
Got a question?
It’s great to see John run the show on tv today, and Kylie was an excellent guest. I am keen for a big day with the ABC!
– Thomas
Hi Thomas,
It certainly will be! We’re happy to have you along for the ride.
Speaking of the ABC News channel, we’re passing reader questions through to the team today. We can’t promise they (or we, here on the blog) will be able to answer them all, but they’ll try to get to a few!
You can submit a comment to the blog by tapping the yellow ‘Login to comment’ button above.
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 11:33amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 11:33am
Democrats win US Senate seat in Virginia
Democratic incumbent candidate Mark R Warner has retained his Senate seat in the US state of Virginia, The Associated Press says.
Warner was running for his fourth term in Congress, and overcame the GOP’s Bert Mizusawa.
The AP estimates that about 5 per cent of the vote has been counted, but Warner is ahead with more than 55 per cent of the vote.
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 11:23amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 11:23am
ICE issues warning against illegal voting
ICE has posted to social media several images the agency claims show foreign nationals arrested in relation to voter fraud.
They include a Finnish national ICE says has been arrested in Philadelphia and a Canadian national accused of voting in four different elections since 2020.
These arrests all appear to have occurred before polling day.
(X: @ICEgov)
Rumours of a large ICE presence at polling stations do not appear to have eventuated, despite strong rhetoric from senior ICE officials online declaring that people found voting illegally would be “hunted down”.
California Governor Gavin Newson is among many Democrats pushing back against ICE online.
(X: @GavinNewsom)
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 11:11amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 11:11am
Republicans are hoping to gain redistricted seats in Florida
Florida, where polls have just closed, was one of the nine states that had their electoral boundaries redrawn ahead of this election.
Republicans were hoping to gain four Democratic seats based on 2024 presidential results, but going into tonight US election analysts suggest this might not play out.
Florida’s ninth congressional district was one of the more dramatic redraws and turned a mostly urban seat into a sprawling electorate encompassing a large portion of the centre of the state.
Old and new boundaries for Florida’s 9th congressional district (Inside Elections)
While other representatives targeted by redistricting have shifted seats, incumbent Democratic congressman Darren Soto stayed to contest this seat. We’ll be watching very closely to see whether he can hold on.
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 11:06amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 11:06am
Trump: ‘Every question is a hit job’ in Fox News poll
Donald Trump is at the White House and clearly watching the coverage.
It’s only just gone 7pm in Washington DC, but the President does not seem happy.
This is the post he put up on his Truth Social platform a short time ago, and apologies for the language.
It’s particularly interesting as Fox News is usually one of Trump’s favourites. For example, he called into the Fox and Friends breakfast show this morning to make a final pitch to voters.
(Truth Social: @realDonaldTrump)
In a subsequent post on Truth Social, the President railed about Fox News’s ratings, saying they were down 27 per cent “because they’re spending too much time covering the Trump Deranged Dumocrats”.
“It’s them, not me,” his post read. “My numbers are better than they have ever been.”
It’s worth pointing out Trump’s approval ratings have plummeted over the past two years.
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 10:58amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 10:58am
What else Americans are voting for today besides Congress
Besides the House and Senate, Americans will have the opportunity to vote on some less flashy positions and issues.
Thirty-six states are voting for governors, with Georgia and Nevada two toss-up races to watch.
Voters cast their ballots at the Park Slope Armory YMCA in New York. (AP: Yuki Iwamura)
In nine states, voters will elect officials to the state utility commission where they will oversee water, electric, gas and sewage operations.
Texans will elect a new railroad commissioner.
Several ballot measures — questions on a topic or law — are also being put before voters.
Data centres are a big issue in many states, with several counties across 10 states voting on measures relating to their construction and zoning.
US flags are displayed on the National Mall in Washington DC. (AP: Allison Robbert)
Idaho, Nevada and Virginia are voting on establishing abortion rights in their state constitution, while Missouri is voting on whether to repeal them.
Arizona, Colorado, Missouri and Washington are voting on different measures relating to rights for transgender children.
North Dakota is voting on whether students should receive free meals in school and Arkansas is voting on expanding gun rights.
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 10:52amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 10:52am
‘There’s no Republican raincoat strong enough’ if early trends hold
CNN has been going into some granular details about the early votes in Kentucky (which is a state Donald Trump’s Republicans can usually count on for strong support).
The broadcaster’s chief reporter John King says if the initial trends there hold up as the night goes on, “there’s no Republican raincoat strong enough to protect them from what’s coming”.
It’s early, but the key indicator they’re discussing is the fact counties that backed Trump at the 2024 presidential election are nowhere near as strong for the Republicans this time.
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 10:49amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 10:49am
Midterms about ‘people power’, strategist says
Democratic success isn’t just about taking seats in both houses of government.
It is also about as many Americans as possible having their voices heard, strategist and Democrat Jess O’Connell says.
Democratic voter information cards being handed out to people lining up outside a polling site at Arizona State University in Tempe. (Reuters: Rebecca Noble)
She has told NewsRadio’s Sarah Morice: “People need to believe that their vote counts for something.”
“They’ve spent the last two years especially, but even longer than that, feeling like they’re not being heard. We’ve had our health care decimated. We’ve had gas costs rise. We’ve had a war that has been unapproved being perpetuated on many Americans’ behalf, and they didn’t ask for this war,” she says.
“And this is the first opportunity in two years for Americans to tell the world and to tell each other what they think about this. And I think we’re going to see resounding results.”
O’Connell says “people power” is going to be in action, particularly following the “No Kings” rallies held across the country protesting against President Donald Trump’s policies and executive actions.
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 10:44amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 10:44am
Early figures in Indiana show big improvements in Democratic vote
Democrats seem to be doing much better in Indiana than they did in 2024.
In Indiana’s third congressional district, which is a traditionally safe Republican district and had been on no-one’s radar before today, the Democratic vote is up by double digits.
It’s the same story in Indiana’s fifth congressional district but it was thought to be slightly more friendly to Democrats going into tonight.
A word of caution that a good portion of these early results will be mail-in votes, which tend to favour Democrats.
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 10:40amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 10:40am
The Trump factor in North Carolina
Debra Simmons (left), Mae Parker (centre) and Angeles Montiel Ortiz (right). (ABC News: Brad Ryan)
North Carolina is a state where Democrats hope to gain a Senate seat, and its first congressional district (NC-1) is one of the tightest House races in the country.
“Every vote’s gonna count this time,” voter Debra Simmons said outside a polling both in Rocky Mount, a city of about 55,000 people.
She has voted Republican but has reservations about Donald Trump.
“Bless his heart, he needs to learn how to keep his mouth shut,” she said.
“He started out good, but then he messed up by getting involved in that war. Gas prices, you know. It’s affecting the farmers, it’s affecting everybody.
“He acts like the American people can just kind of tolerate high gas prices for a little while in order for the war to continue, and I think he’s out of sync with how the average person is suffering.”
At the same polling station, Mae Parker was with a group of campaigners supporting a Republican for the state legislature. But she voted Democratic in the House and Senate in the US Congress.
“People are suffering,” she said. “You should not suffer in America because we are supposed to have it all.”
Mae says she got to know Trump many years ago, when she worked on Wall Street and was involved in politics in New York.
“He was so kind,” she said. “I almost voted for him. But he’s changed like the wind. I think he’s so rotten.”
Angeles Montiel Ortiz was also hoping to see Democrats succeed. She has just turned 18 and is feeling the effects of rising prices.
“Especially since I’m so young, I’m definitely affected by it if I were to want to move out or anything like that.
“You see the car I’m driving. It definitely takes up a lot of gas.
“It makes me so mad to see everything with ICE too. It breaks my heart.”
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 10:12amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 10:12am
Early results to watch in Kentucky and Indiana
The first states to close their polls, Kentucky and Indiana, are very red states, but there may be some early hints to be gleaned from their results.
Keep an eye on Kentucky’s 6th congressional district. Although Donald Trump beat Kamala Harris here by 15 points in 2024, US election analysts suggest it’s a toss-up.
Indiana’s 5th congressional district is more likely to remain in Republican hands, but if Democrats are doing better here than in 2024, it could be a sign they’re in for a good night.
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 10:10amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 10:10am
The issues voters say matter most these midterms
The economy, health care and the situation in Iran rank as the most important issues for US voters during this year’s midterm elections, according to a survey.
Meanwhile, the construction of AI data centres and climate change rank the lowest.
These results are based on registered voters interviewed in an October Gallup survey.
The survey asked Americans to say whether each issue was extremely important, very important, moderately important or not that important to their vote this year.
Here’s the full list of issues ranked according to highest importance to voters:
Economy (50 per cent say it’s extremely important)Health care (50 per cent)Situation in Iran (47 per cent)
Income and wealth distribution (44 per cent)
Gas prices (42 per cent)
Immigration (40 per cent)
Abortion (38 per cent)
Situation in the Middle East between Israelis and Palestinians (35 per cent)
Crime (35 per cent)
Construction of AI data centres (30 per cent)
Climate change (29 per cent)
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 9:57amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 9:57am
Disinformation ‘pivotal’ if election is close, expert says
Disinformation and misinformation may be “pivotal” if the election results are tight, an associate professor of public policy at Harvard Kennedy School says.
Ben Schneer told AM this was the first election where various AI tools had been adopted at scale.
“I’m sure AI played some role in 2024, but in 2026, you can imagine that the ingredients are there for actors who want to put out disinformation to do so at a bigger scale and maybe more easily than before,” he said.
“In any election, it’s important that people have accurate information and that it’s not in some sense contaminated by mis- or disinformation.”
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 9:44amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 9:44am
A reminder of the Congress state of play ahead of crucial midterm elections
Control of both chambers of the US Congress is on the line in today’s midterm elections.
If you need a quick recap on why today’s vote is so significant, here’s what you should know:
Congress is responsible for making federal laws, controlling the budget and keeping the president in check.The Republican Party (also known as the GOP) currently controls the House of Representatives and the Senate, but it is at risk of losing control of both in today’s elections.
This is the current state of play:
All 435 seats in the House are up for election, but only one-third of the Senate.
That’s because while House members serve two-year terms, senators serve six-year staggered terms.
It means that while US President Donald Trump may not be up for election today, the outcome of the midterms will shape how much power he has for the rest of his term.
If you want to dig a little deeper into everything that goes into the US midterms, my ABC colleague Elissa Fitzgerald has you covered here:
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 9:28amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 9:28am
📷: US midterm polling sites splashed in voter colour
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 9:17amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 9:17am
Broken promises move the dial for regional Republican voters
Republican strategist Matt Klink says the midterms will be a “tough day for Republicans”.
“People in general judge the president harshly in the first midterm of their second term,” he told Radio National Breakfast.
“That being said, Donald Trump adds to that the fact that he is just so unpopular across the board, largely because of affordability issues, gas prices, and the war in Iran.”
Klink says farmers in mid-western states are pushing back against the Trump administration.
“The war plus tariffs have increased costs on farmers. Not only does diesel cost more, but fertiliser costs more. That’s directly related to the war in Ukraine. There’s a lot of dissatisfaction,” he says.
“They remember how bad the economy was under Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. And Donald Trump said he would fix it. And I think you’re going to see a lot of American voters don’t believe that he’s moved aggressively enough to make that a reality.”
But he says voter backlash against the sitting president isn’t unique to Trump.
“When Barack Obama was president in 2014, the Democrats lost nine Senate seats. When George Bush was president, also in his second term in 2006, the Republicans lost six Senate seats.”
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 9:01amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 9:01am
📹: How the midterm race is shaping up in North Carolina
One of the midterm races being watched quite closely is in the state of North Carolina.
Emmy-award winning reporter Sara James spoke with my ABC News Breakfast colleagues a short while ago to explain the state’s significance to the wider midterms picture.
She also spoke with students and alumni from the North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University to gauge their concerns leading into election day.
You can take a listen, here:
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Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 8:49amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 8:49am
North Carolina and Pennsylvania to extend voting time at some locations
The North Carolina State Board of Elections has voted to extend voting hours at a handful of locations following timing issues, including a short delay opening a location.
Polls close in most precincts at 7:30pm, local time.
The extensions meant the state would be delayed by 45 minutes in posting statewide election results, the board said in a post to Facebook.
(Reuters: Jonathan Drake)
Emmy-award winning reporter Sara James told ABC News Breakfast that North Carolina was key to the Democrats’ hopes of flipping the Senate.
“Roy Cooper, a former Democratic governor there, is in a tight race with Republican Mike Watley,” James said.
“Cooper is ahead, but nevertheless these things come down to election day and the results are going to come in a little bit later, which means we’re going to have to wait to see who wins that race.”
Officials in Pennsylvania’s Chester County say they’re also extending voting hours in three precincts after “machine set-up issues” delayed the opening of polling sites.
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 8:38amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 8:38am
DoJ steps up Alaska probe
Media outlets in the United States are reporting that the US Department of Justice is stepping up its investigation into allegations of voter fraud in the Alaska Senate race.
The New York Times is reporting that at least 20 Democratic operatives have now been notified they may form part of the probe, which revolves around the party’s alleged recruitment of independent candidate Dan Sullivan, who has the same name as the Republican incumbent up for election.
Republicans say Sullivan (the independent) was recruited by the Democrats and told to run as an independent in a deliberate attempt to confuse voters and siphon votes away from the GOP candidate.
US President Donald Trump has accused his rival party of committing voter fraud and election interference in the Alaska race.
It’s been reported the FBI is also investigating the allegations. The Democrats’ Senate candidate, Mary Peltola, has denied any wrongdoing.
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 8:25amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 8:25am
Race to watch: Alaska
Alaska’s US Senate race has been getting plenty of attention for a couple of different reasons.
For one, Dan Sullivan (the Republican who knocked out the state’s last Democratic senator back in 2014) is trailing his opponent by as many as seven points, according to some pollsters.
That’s quite a remarkable change in a state where Donald Trump led Kamala Harris by 13.1 points at the 2024 presidential election.
But the Senate race has also been making headlines because of a contentious quirk.
That is, there’s actually two Dan Sullivans on the ballot.
Republicans say the second Sullivan (who we’ll refer to as Dan J Sullivan) is running just to siphon away votes from the first Sullivan (AKA, Dan S Sullivan).
Dan J Sullivan, a retired teacher who lives in a tiny fishing community, says he’s running of his own accord.
Their names will be clearly differentiated on the ballot, with Dan S Sullivan identified as a “registered Republican” and “incumbent”, while Daniel J Sullivan Jr will not have a party affiliation.
Trump has directed his administration to try to block the certification of the election if Dan S Sullivan loses.
A court filing argues “the State and its officers will fail in its obligation to protect the integrity of its election” if it certifies “any electoral results tainted by the inclusion … of Daniel J Sullivan” on the ballot.
The Justice Department has confirmed criminal and civil investigations linked to Alaska’s Senate race are underway.
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 8:18amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 8:18am
Track live results as they come in
We’ve now launched our live results service for the midterms page.
It will update constantly through the day as votes are counted, so you can keep track of every race in every county. We’re expecting the first results to roll in after 10am AEDT.
ABC News is using live election results data from the Associated Press for the midterms, and you can read more about how AP declares winners on its website.
Take a look here:
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 8:08amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 8:08am
The most expensive House race in history
A rural district in North Carolina has broken the record for the most campaign spending in a House race in history.
More than $US52.9 million ($75.7 million) has been spent on the race in the state’s First Congressional District, according to AdImpact.
About $US6 million more has been spent supporting Democratic incumbent Don Davis than Republican Laurie Buckhout.
“I am so sick of it,” Democratic voter Kim Greene said.
“Every day, the same flyers [arrive] in the mailbox. My phone is getting blown up with calls. Yeah, they’re putting way too much money into it.”
Kim Greene (left) and Joey Davis (right) voted in Rocky Mount, in North Carolina’s First Congressional District. (ABC News: Brad Ryan)
“I get text messages every day,” Republican voter Joey Davis said. “I block them. It doesn’t do any good.”
The race is one of the closest in the country following Republicans redrawing the boundaries, hence all the spending. The Cook Political Report rates it as a toss-up.
“I think the Republicans think they can take it from them,” Joey said.
“Maybe two years ago they could, [when] gas prices weren’t so high and all that.”
Overall spending in this year’s midterms is expected to reach a record $US11.9 billion in total, according to analysis by OpenSecrets, an organisation that tracks the money flowing through America’s politics.
It’s a big jump from 2022, when midterms spending reached $US8.9 billion.
The funds have mostly come from parties and candidates. But spending by outside groups has almost doubled from 2022, to $US3.9 billion.
Outside groups have spent more to support Republicans than Democrats, but Democratic candidates have outspent Republicans.
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 8:03amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 8:03am
📷: Voters turn up at polls across the country
Supporters of Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed get free ice cream in Michigan. (Reuters: Brian Snyder )
A polling station in Boulder City, Nevada. (Reuters: Daniel Cole )
Pets were dressed the part at this booth in Bedford, New Hampshire. (Reuters: Kacey Chapman )
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 7:46amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 7:46am
Race to watch: Texas
No Democrat has won statewide in Texas since 1994.
James Talarico, currently a state representative, could break the streak.
Talarico faces Republican Attorney-General Ken Paxton in the big conservative-leaning state that has dashed Democratic hopes repeatedly in recent years.
Trump won Texas by nearly 14 points in 2024, but recent polls show Talarico is narrowly leading or tied.
That’s led to an absolutely eye-watering advertising spend on both sides, with the world’s only trillionaire, Elon Musk, tipping in excess of $US150 million ($212 million) of his own money into the campaign.
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 7:37amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 7:37am
Record early voting in Texas
We’re at a polling booth in a downtown rec centre, where there’s been a steady stream of voters filtering in to cast their ballot.
In Dallas, you can look up the wait time to vote at your local centre. Most places across the metro area have been showing a 15-minute wait this morning. Pretty quick!
That could be due to the fact that Texas had a record early-voter turnout with 7.7 million people casting their ballot ahead of election day.
The voters I’ve been chatting to here have a wide range of views. In the Senate race, Democrat James Talarico is hoping to flip the seat. It would be the first time in more than 30 years Texas has sent a Democrat to the Senate.
Eric Lerma at a polling centre in downtown Dallas. (ABC News: Cameron Schwarz)
Eric Lerma tells me he’s always voted Democrat, but feels like James Talarico has a real shot to flip the seat this time.
“I grew up in a small town outside of Dallas, and I’ve never seen any Democrat politicians, their signs out on the yards. And this time, I hardly see any Republican signs and a lot of James Talarico signs, and that’s in small-town Texas,” he said.
Louis Ojeda voted for the Republican Ken Paxton because he believes the party better aligns with his conservative values.
“I voted pretty much straight ticket Republican,” he tells me.
“I just prefer voting for conservative Republicans, so that’s the way I’ve always voted.”
Louis Ojeda voted Republican straight down the ticket (ABC News: Cameron Schwarz)
Naji Nasser was walking past and weighing up if he would vote.
He’s a Republican, but this year he’s not too sold on any candidate.
“I’m a little more conservative on certain things, so more Republican, but my goals are not really aligned with the Republican candidates right now, so that’s the reason I won’t be voting,” he says.
If the Republicans’ base doesn’t show up today it could be the difference Talarico needs.
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 7:25amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 7:25am
Looking for a quick catch-up?
It’s going to be a big day here on the US midterms blog.
If you’re looking to get your head around what’s going on, check out our daily briefing!
I messaged with Americas editor John Lyons for a quick breakdown of what to look out for today, and what happened overnight.
You can read it here 👇
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 7:21amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 7:21am
Democrat key race hopeful Abdul El-Sayed swarmed by supportive voters at polling site
As we’ve been reporting, one of the key midterm races to watch is in Michigan, where Democrats hope to retain the seat amid a challenge from the Republicans.
Here’s what you need to know to catch up on the state of play there:
Progressive outsider Abdul El-Sayed narrowly defeated moderate US representative Haley Stevens during the primary.He’s now facing Republican Mike Rogers, a former US representative, in what could be the tightest race for a Democratic-held Senate seat this year.
In the past hour, El-Sayed arrived to vote at a polling site in Ann Arbor and was swarmed by supportive voters.
Michigan’s Democratic candidate for the US Senate, Abdul El-Sayed. (Reuters: Dieu-Nalio Chery)
El-Sayed was met by crowds of supportive voters. (Reuters: Dieu-Nalio Chery)
Some voters took the opportunity to snap photos with the Democratic candidate. (Reuters: Dieu-Nalio Chery)
Early polling has suggested El-Sayed has a chance to retain Michigan for the Democrats. (Reuters: Dieu-Nalio Chery)
We’ll keep you up to date as information comes in about how the race in Michigan shapes up.
Reporting with Reuters
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 7:18amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 7:18am
Michigan votes after weekend drama
Detroit residents cast their vote in the battleground state of Michigan. (ABC News: Lauren Day)
I’m at a polling centre in Detroit where voters are brushing off the recent Democratic drama over the weekend.
Democrat Haley Stevens, who lost a bruising primary to Abdul El-Sayed back in August, made a shock announcement on Sunday that she was endorsing his Republican rival, Mike Rogers.
There were fears that could derail his campaign, but voters I’ve spoken to here say it could actually have the opposite effect.
Camryn Lewis cast her vote for Democratic Senate candidate Abdul el-Sayed. (ABC News: Bradley McLennan)
Nineteen-year-old Camryn Lewis voted for the first time today and said the saga actually solidified her decision to cast a ballot for El-Sayed, who is running on a progressive platform of universal healthcare, money out of politics and economic populism.
“I really appreciate the way he’s been addressing the voters and the recent controversy that’s been happening as far as like Haley Stevens endorsing Mike Rogers,” she said.
“I feel like it really shows that he actually cares about what he’s actually preaching.”
On the other side of the fence, Nathan Witte said he’d already made up his mind to vote for Mike Rogers before the Stevens endorsement.
He voted for Donald Trump in 2024 but has previously backed the Democrats, including Hilary Clinton in 2016.
Nathan Witte has voted for Republican and Democratic candidates in the past. (ABC News: Bradley McLennan)
While he’s been unhappy with some Trump policies during his second term, he was worried about the progressive Democrat El-Sayed’s economic policies.
“I just don’t think Abdul was very clear on his policies and how he was gonna do things,” he said
“Along with Medicare for all, when asked about it, all he said was taxes. Didn’t really specify whether he was going to cut taxes or raise taxes but I don’t want taxes raised.”
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 6:59amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 6:59am
Helicopters will fly votes from remote island precinct to be counted
In some parts of the US, ensuring votes are accurately lodged and counted has become a contentious issue leading up to the midterm elections.
In South Carolina’s most remote precinct, the local sheriff’s office has found a solution.
On Daufuskie Island, where no bridges connect it to the mainland of the far southern US state, a police helicopter will fly votes to counting centres.
A ferry departing South Carolina’s Daufuskie Island. (AP: Brynn Anderson)
In previous elections, officials relied on a regular ferry to the island to collect ballots and voting equipment — and it sometimes delayed counting by hours.
In some years, the delay left counters waiting until the morning after an election because officials collecting votes stopped moving them while the fishing off the island was good.
Reporting with AP
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 6:52amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 6:52am
Trump active online during elections despite busy White House schedule
A quick check of Donald Trump’s Truth Social account shows that the US President has remained very active online while Americans lodge their votes across the country.
Trump has posted several times over the past two hours with messages relating to various Congress midterm races, and also his thoughts about criticisms of the White House’s renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
In the past few minutes, he also posted a message of appreciation for the Jewish community of Monsey, New York and Republican Congressman Mike Lawler.
We should also point out that, according to Trump’s public schedule on the White House website, he is scheduled to sit in on a US policy meeting in the Oval Office for at least another hour.
We’ll keep you in the loop about any more significant updates the president posts online or says throughout election day.
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 6:43amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 6:43am
Voting in Kansas county halted by major ballot shortfall
We’re seeing reports of more voting disruptions in other parts of the United States.
In Leavenworth County, in the state of Kansas, a “county clerk clerical error” sparked a major shortfall of paper voting ballots at the Linwood Community Building polling site.
“That polling place ran out of ballots at approximately 8am this morning,” Kansas Director of Elections Bryan Caskey told media.
“The county election office delivered approximately 100 paper ballots when in reality 100,000 paper ballots should have been delivered.
“The county subsequently has provided additional ballots to that location. Voting was unavailable for approximately 1.5 hours.”
Voters who visited the site during the disruption and were turned away have since been encouraged to return to lodge their ballots.
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 6:39amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 6:39am
Astronauts lodge votes from 400km above Earth
There are three American astronauts aboard the International Space Station — and they want you to know that despite being in orbit, they have lodged their votes.
Colonel Anil Menon has posted on social media that all three US astronauts lodged their ballots electronically from the ISS.
It may not look like an ordinary polling booth, but Menon said he was able to vote — and have the ballot sent back to Harris County in Texas — from his room aboard the space station, which is orbiting about 400 kilometres above Earth.
Take a look:
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 6:34amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 6:34am
Trump spending the day at the White House
It is unlikely we will see Donald Trump outand about at any point today.
He is spending the day inside the White House, where he will host a small reception for friends and close political confidants in the East Wing as the results start to roll in.
We know from previous reporting and multiple books on the president that he enjoys watching election coverage across multiple TV channels simultaneously, though his network of choice remains the conservative outlet, Fox News.
He and his staff also like to keep a close eye on reactions across social media like X and Trump’s own platform, Truth Social.
Trump and his wife, Melania, will not be casting a ballot today.
The couple voted early a couple of weeks ago in West Palm Beach, Florida, where the president is registered.
The sun rises over the White House on Tuesday. ( Reuters: Jonathan Ernst )
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 6:23amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 6:23am
Trump continues to focus on reflecting pool
As people across the US cast their vote, their president Donald Trump has taken to social media to post about his reflecting pool renovation.
Trump made his final pitch to voters on the eve of midterm elections in front of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
Donald Trump delivers remarks at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool which reopened after months of repairs. (Reuters: Evan Vucci)
In the past hour, he has posted twice on social media about the pool.
In one of his posts the president accused a media outlet of misunderstanding his joke “and pretended it wasn’t a joke” in their coverage.
“This just shows you how FAKE the News is. I said, very clearly, ‘I’m joking’,” he wrote.
(Truth Social)
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 6:08amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 6:08am
Barcode tech error causes early voting disruption in Florida
It’s now past 2pm, local time, in Donald Trump’s home state of Florida and voting is well underway.
But when polls first opened earlier in the day, it came after a short delay.
Voting was delayed for 20 minutes at sites across Broward County because a new safety feature malfunctioned, officials said.
Supervisor of Elections Joe Scott then apologised to voters who had to wait and said some left before they could vote.
He did not have an estimate of how many voters left.
The state’s late redistricting meant some people who live in the same precinct voted on different ballots, and the new barcode was designed to ensure poll officials did not give residents the wrong voting sheet, Scott said.
Some people received an error message that they were voting on the wrong ballot, but they were not, he said.
“Nobody voted on the wrong ballot,” Scott said.
“None of the counts were impacted.”
Reporting with AP
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 6:00amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 6:00am
Latino voters could decide Trump’s fate
After a breakthrough in 2024, when an unprecedented number of Latino voters switched allegiance from Democrats to help reinstall Donald Trump into the White House, could the same voting bloc abandon the Republican Party?
Last night’s 7.30 delved into how Latino voters who supported Trump could now help turn Texas turn blue:
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Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 5:58amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 5:58am
Man charged over mail powder plots during 2024 and 2026 elections
US authorities have charged an Oklahoma man with sending hundreds of letters containing nonhazardous white powder to public officials ahead of the 2024 and 2026 elections.
The powders turned out to be yeast or flour, though not all letters have been fully tested, the FBI said in a court filing made public Tuesday.
Robin Martin is charged with conveying a hoax and mailing threatening communications.
Martin was expected to make his initial court appearance on Tuesday afternoon, local time, in Oklahoma City.
Online records do not list an attorney to comment on his behalf.
Federal authorities announced last month that they were investigating letters with “suspicious substances” that had been mailed to congressional and election offices nationwide and urged recipients to treat the mailings as “potentially hazardous”.
Reporting by AP
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 5:44amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 5:44am
Democrats firm up as narrow favourites
Democrats are forecast to make gains and narrowly win control of both houses of the US Congress in today’s midterm elections, according to the US’s top political forecasters.
The result would open new pathways for the party to frustrate Donald Trump’s agenda in his final two years in office.
“I think the results are going to be better than you think,” the president told national breakfast television show Fox and Friends in a phone interview, shortly after polls opened.
Many polls say otherwise, with predictions some states that have not elected Democratic senators for decades could flip.
Our US reporters have more on that here:
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 5:30amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 5:30am
Senate split explained
Christina has asked:
Are there two Senators per state, or does it vary? Are the Senators of a state generally from the same party, or can they be from different parties?
There are two senators per state (that means there are 100 in total, although not all seats are up for election this time only 35 are).
Whether the senators are from the same party varies depending on where you are. Right now, they come from the same party in 46 states.
In Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, the Democrats and Republicans both hold one seat.
In Maine, the Republicans hold one and an independent holds the other. In Vermont, the Democrats hold one and an independent holds the other.
Both of those independents however vote with the Democrats in the Senate.
We may see a few more split states as the results come in tonight!
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 5:14amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 5:14am
Technical issue causes voter disruption in regional New York
In New York state’s suburban Westchester County, where some voters are casting ballots in a competitive US House race, election officials said the tabulators that tally the votes were not accepting paper ballots.
That required ballots to be placed in emergency bags.
The emergency bags containing ballot papers. (Reuters: Brendan McDermid)
Election officials stressed that the ballots would remain secure and monitored, that they would later be counted and that voters could continue casting ballots while they worked to resolve the issue.
One resident, registered Democrat Benjamin Hort, said he opted not to cast a provisional ballot when he arrived on Tuesday morning, local time, and planned to come back later in the day when he hoped the machines would be operational.
“I’ll wait as long as I have to,” Hort said.
“You would think they would have tested the machines. Not ideal.”
Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins said in a statement that he had directed county officials, including from the law department, to monitor the voting and ensure voters are able to cast their ballots.
He called the situation “unacceptable” and said he would appoint a bipartisan team to review “the decisions and failures that led to this debacle”.
Reporting by AP
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 4:54amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 4:54am
Voting now underway in all 50 US states
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 4:25amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 4:25am
Trump’s final pitch: ‘We have to keep America great’
As my colleague Claire wrote a short while ago, Donald Trump made a call in to Fox News earlier.
Unless the US president pops up again, which he may well do, it could be his last pitch to voters before polls start closing later this evening.
In the call to the cable news network, Trump defended his record and said he had rebuilt the country through his immigration crackdown, war on Iran and tariff policies.
“We have to keep America great. We’re great now,” he told the hosts of Fox and Friends.
“We were terrible two years ago.”
Wed 4 Nov 2026 at 3:31amWed 4 Nov 2026 at 3:31am
Fears Iran war could flare up after elections
Qatar has intensified mediation efforts between the United States and Iran amid fears the conflict could flare up again after the midterm elections.
US President Donald Trump renewed threats of possible military action with Iran overnight, telling Fox News: “I’m not looking to … kill lots of people. If we have to, we’ll have to.”
It comes as the US carried out “defensive” strikes on Iran’s Qeshm island.
Qatari mediators travelled to Tehran on Monday night local time for talks on a version of a draft US-Iran deal discussed over the past eight days.
But Iran’s security chief Mohsen Rezaei said on Tuesday the US response to Iran’s demands were “not convincing” and the Strait of Hormuz would only be reopened if all the conditions were met.