SPECIAL MIDTERM ELECTION EDITION
Federal Level
Mississippi GOP Weighs Legal Action in Senate Race
On Thursday, Mississippi Republicans raised the possibility of legal action in the uncalled Senate race, where Democrat Scott Colom holds a narrow lead over Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith. State party chair Mike Hurst said more than 50 volunteer attorneys and observers had been sent to counting sites, and he added “there’s no election denying going on here.” Colom’s lead grew to more than 1,700 votes Thursday afternoon, and Republicans estimate as many as 20,000 ballots remain uncounted. The Hyde-Smith campaign and Senate Republicans asked counties to separate affidavit ballots, and the Colom campaign called that request a “desperate stunt.” Mississippi does not allow recounts.1, 2
Trump Says Alaska Votes Should Go to Dan Sullivan
On Thursday morning, President Trump wrote on Truth Social that votes cast for two other candidates in Alaska’s uncalled Senate race should be given to Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan. One of those candidates is a retired teacher named Daniel J. Sullivan, and the other is Republican Gerald Heikes. “There is no other fair solution!” the president wrote. Alaska uses ranked-choice voting, which means that if no candidate wins more than half of the first-choice votes, the last-place candidate is dropped and those ballots move to each voter’s next choice. CBS News rates the race between Sullivan and Democrat Mary Peltola a toss-up.2
Paul LePage Flips Maine House Seat as Dunlap Concedes
On Thursday, Democrat Matt Dunlap conceded the race for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, and CNN projected that Republican Paul LePage, a former governor, will win the seat. The result moves the rural district from Democratic to Republican hands. The Maine Secretary of State announced Thursday that the race would go to a ranked-choice count, but LePage leads by about 5,400 votes with only about 6,100 write-in and blank ballots that could shift. “This isn’t the result we were hoping for, and I’m disappointed that we came short,” Dunlap said. LePage will succeed Democratic Rep. Jared Golden, who chose not to seek reelection.1
House Members Launch Bids for Leadership in New Congress
On Thursday, members of both parties in the House launched campaigns for leadership posts in the next Congress. House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark asked her colleagues to support her for majority leader, and she would become the first woman to hold that job if elected. Rep. Ted Lieu of California announced in a letter that he is running for Democratic Caucus chair. On the Republican side, Rep. Erin Houchin of Indiana challenged Rep. Lisa McClain of Michigan for conference chair. “The American people are asking for something different. Our Conference should be willing to do the same,” Houchin wrote to colleagues.2
State Level
Texas Gov.-elect Hinojosa Names Bipartisan Team
On Thursday, Texas Gov.-elect Gina Hinojosa held her first news conference and announced a bipartisan transition team. “I’m not going to be the governor just for Democrats, I’m going to be the governor for all the people of Texas,” she said. Hinojosa said Gov. Greg Abbott has been “gracious” and that both are committed to a smooth transition. In a CNN interview, she said data centers have moved into rural communities without laws to protect residents, and she called for a pause until those protections exist. Democrats are on track for a state House majority, while Republicans will keep the state Senate.1, 2
Judge Blocks DOJ Ballot Demands on Washington Election
Overnight Thursday, U.S. District Judge Jamal Whitehead issued a temporary restraining order that blocks the Justice Department from demanding that election workers in Washington state reject ballots of voters suspected of being noncitizens. The order also bars the department from threatening those workers with prosecution if they do not comply. Last week, federal prosecutors had asked the state’s top election official to set aside ballots from more than 400 people. State officials replied that “many of the persons on your list are United States citizens.” Whitehead wrote that the harm to voters whose ballots are set aside “cannot be undone after the fact.”2
Blackburn Will Not Pick Hegseth for Her Senate Seat
On Thursday, a source close to Tennessee Gov.-elect Marsha Blackburn told CNN that she will not choose Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to fill the U.S. Senate seat she will leave when she becomes governor. Blackburn, a Republican senator, defeated Democrat Jerri Green in Tuesday’s election. The report came as many Republican lawmakers and allies blamed Hegseth for the party’s losses. Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky told CNN that he plans to force a House vote to impeach Hegseth when Congress returns. Hegseth posted a video Thursday calling the effort a “sham,” and President Trump said he has “every intention” of keeping him.1, 2
Blakeman and Stefanik Trade Blame After New York Loss
On Thursday, Republican Bruce Blakeman, who is projected to lose the New York governor’s race, called Rep. Elise Stefanik “a selfish, do nothing politician” in a post on X. His post followed comments Stefanik made to the New York Post calling the results a “political reckoning” and describing Blakeman as a “low energy” candidate. Stefanik replied Thursday afternoon that she had voted for Blakeman and the full Republican ticket. “We will need everyone to be a constructive part of the effort to rebuild Republican support,” she wrote. As of late Thursday afternoon, Gov. Kathy Hochul led Blakeman by nearly 20 points.1
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Article Sources
1. CNN, “2026 Midterm Election Results: Democrats projected to win over 250 House seats,” Nov. 5, 2026.
https://us.cnn.com/2026/11/05/politics/live-news/midterm-election-congress
2. CBS News, “2026 midterm election live updates as Democrats flip over 40 House seats, GOP grapples with stunning losses,” Nov. 5, 2026.
https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/midterm-election-results-2026-democrats-house-senate-trump/