Trump Wins Three Swing States, Closing in on a Victory as GOP Reclaims Senate Majority

Republican Donald Trump has won Pennsylvania, Georgia and North Carolina, capturing three of the seven heavily contested battlegrounds and coming within a few electoral votes of winning the presidency. Republicans reclaimed control of the Senate, picking up seats in West Virginia and Ohio. Top House races are focused in New York and California, where Democrats are trying to claw back some of the 10 or so seats where Republicans have made surprising gains in recent years.

Here's the latest:

Trump speaks at election party flanked by family, friends and top political supporters

Most of the important people in Trump's personal and political life have joined him on stage in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Former first lady Melania Trump stood near her husband and was joined by Barron, the former president's youngest son. Trump's older children, Don Jr., Eric, Ivanka and Tiffany, all joined their father on stage, too.

Trump's top political minds, including top campaign advisers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita, joined Trump on stage. And his political allies were on stage, too, including House Speaker Mike Johnson.

Trump also celebrated a few celebrities in the audience and on stage. Dana White, the CEO of UFC, was on stage with Trump, and the former president called golfer Bryson DeChambeau on stage. Trump also shouted out Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of X, who has become one of his most high-profile supporters. "We have a new star. A star is born: Elon," Trump said.

Trump hails GOP's congressional wins

Donald Trump made sure to recognize GOP wins in down ballot races in his speech in the early morning Wednesday.

"The number of victories in the senate was absolutely incredible," Trump said.

Republicans have so far won 51 seats, giving them a majority. But Montana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Nevada have not been called, and it's possible Republicans could pick up more seats.

Trump also said he expected Republicans to hold the House and complimented House Speaker Mike Johnson. The House, however, is still up for grabs.

There are over 70 House races across the country that have not been called, and neither party has a convincing edge in the tally of House races.

Trump vows in his election night speech to fight 'for your family and your future'

He promised that he would "not rest until we have delivered the strong safe and prosperous America."

"Every single day," Trump said, "I will be fighting for you with every breath in my body."

Pennsylvania puts Trump three electoral votes short of the presidential threshold

Trump's victory in Pennsylvania has put him three electoral votes short of winning the presidency. He could win the White House by capturing Alaska or any remaining swing state.

Hugs, calls and celebration at Trump's watch party

Trump supporters gathered at his election night watch party were hugging one another, making calls, jumping up and down, and throwing their MAGA hats in the air every chance they got to celebrate as results continued to trickle in.

Guests are still arriving at the convention center in West Palm Beach.

Democrats flip another House seat in New York

The pickups for House Democrats have mostly come from New York so far as the party flipped its second seat in the state.

Democrat Josh Riley defeated Republican Rep. Mark Molinaro in a district that spans across the center of the state. Democrats earlier flipped a seat held by Rep. Brandon Williams.

While a House majority is still up for grabs, the victories will buoy Democrats' hopes, especially in House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries' home state.

Nevada polls close nearly 3 hours later

Polls closed in Nevada nearly three hours late after voters waited in long lines to cast ballots, the state's top election official said, and initial election results began to be posted just before 10 p.m. PST.

Polls had been scheduled to close at 7 p.m., but state law allows anyone in line at that time to cast a ballot.

Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar acknowledged Nevada's position as an electoral battleground and promised to keep updating results as the counties receive "and cure" additional ballots.

Mailed ballots are accepted and counted until Saturday, and thousands of voters whose ballots were set aside to allow for signature verification, or "curing," have until 5 p.m. Nov. 12 to validate their vote with election officials.

Aguilar, a Democrat, called Nevada's elections "safe, secure and transparent" and said he was proud of reports of high voter turnout.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. joins Trump watch party

The former presidential candidate has arrived at the Palm Beach Convention Center, entering and walking briskly as he made his way near the stage among crowds of supporters.

Trump has said he will play a role when it comes to health policy but has not specified what that would be. Kennedy, who launched his own presidential bid as an independent before dropping out of the race and endorsing Trump, joined him at several rallies in the last stretch of the campaign.

Republicans celebrate early turnout among Black and Hispanic voters

As the election stretched into the early hours of Wednesday, Republicans – seeing a map trending positively for their party – began to point to a shift in demographic support among key voting groups who often lean Democrat.

Preliminary AP VoteCast data suggested a shift among Black and Latino voters, who appeared slightly less likely to support Harris than they were to back Biden four years ago. About 8 in 10 Black voters backed Harris, down from the roughly 9 in 10 who backed Biden. More than half of Hispanic voters supported Harris, but that was down slightly from the roughly 6 in 10 who backed Biden in 2020. Trump's support among those groups appeared to rise slightly compared to 2020.

Republican Sen. Marco Rubio told AP at Trump's election watch party in West Palm Beach, Florida, that he's excited for the exit polling in states like Pennsylvania and Georgia, where Republicans are already seeing overperformance compared to this time in the election in 2020.

"I'm just really excited not just because I think it's going to be a victory but about how we won," the Florida lawmaker said.

In Ohio, Moreno pledges to win over those who didn't vote for him

Incumbent U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown said his loss to Republican Cleveland businessman Bernie Moreno in Ohio "is a disappointment, but it is not a failure."

The three-term Democrat gave his concession speech in Columbus.

"It will never be wrong to fight for organized labor, it will never be wrong to fight for the freedom of women to make their healthcare decisions, it surely will never be wrong to fight for civil rights and human rights," he said.

In Cleveland, Moreno praised former President Donald Trump and pledged to help advance his agenda in Washington. He said he would work to win over those who didn't vote for him.

"We talked about wanting a red wave. I think what we have tonight is a red, white and blue wave," he said.

Harris' Howard party cuts CNN, resumes music as tough race calls roll in

As midnight approached on the East Coast, the Harris campaign turned off its projected broadcasts of CNN at its election night watch party at Howard University. Instead, various high-energy remixes blared from speakers alongside floodlights flickering in tempo to hype the crowd.

The cheers in the crowd had become less frequent as more results came in from battleground states showing a tight race or victories for Trump.

Some attendees began leaving the event though the vast majority of rallygoers remained. It is unclear if Harris will make an appearance at her alma mater.

Republicans secure Senate control

The GOP has won control of the Senate as Sen. Deb Fischer secures reelection in Nebraska.

With at least 51 Senate seats secured, Republicans will retake control of the chamber for the first time in four years. It gives the party a major power center in Washington and important power in confirming the next president's Cabinet, as well as any Supreme Court justice if there is a vacancy.

With a handful of battleground races yet to be decided, Republicans still have an opportunity to grow their majority.

GOP senators have already been looking at ways to extend tax cuts that were passed during Donald Trump's first term, as well as sending funding towards toughened border security measures.

However, the extent of Republicans' power in Washington will also be determined by the results of the presidential and House races.

Rashida Tlaib wins reelection in Michigan House race

Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., the only Palestinian American in Congress, has won a fourth term in the House.

Tlaib represents a district with a large Arab-American population. She has been highly critical of Israel in its war against Hamas, describing its actions in Gaza as genocide.

But her comments have also evoked outrage from many of her colleagues. The Republican-led House voted last year to censure her for her statements regarding the war.

Tlaib said her criticism was directed toward Israel's government and its leadership under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and vowed she "will not be silenced."

Sen. Ted Cruz calls victory in Texas a mandate for tougher border measures

Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas says he considers his reelection victory over Democratic U.S. Rep. Colin Allred a mandate for stronger enforcement along the U.S.-Mexico border.

During a victory speech in front of supporters in his hometown of Houston, Cruz praised strong support from Hispanic voters. He singled out South Texas, where Cruz was performing much better in large border counties than he did during a narrow victory in 2018 over Beto O'Rourke.

"Tonight we are witnessing incredible results, especially with Hispanics across the state of Texas," Cruz told the crowd. "And we are seeing tonight generational change in South Texas. The results tonight, this decisive victory should shake the Democratic establishment to its core."

Ohio sends its first Latino to U.S. Senate

Bernie Moreno will be the first Latino that Ohio has sent to the U.S. Senate, thanks to his victory over Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown.

Moreno was born in Bogota, Colombia. He moved with his family to the United States at age 5 and became an American citizen when he was 18.

He built his fortune as a luxury car dealer and blockchain entrepreneur and will come to the Senate as one of its wealthiest members.

Daughter fills in late mother's congressional seat

The daughter of late Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee won a special election Tuesday night to finish her mother's congressional term.

Erica Lee Carter defeated two Republican challengers in the race for the Houston-area district where her mother served for almost 30 years.

Jackson Lee died in July at age 74 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. Her funeral was filled with high profile mourners, including Vice President Harris who gave Jackson Lee's eulogy just days after declaring her candidacy for president.

Trump's North Carolina win gives him options toward 270 threshold

By winning North Carolina, Trump maintains options to reach the 270 electoral vote threshold.

Trump can reach the magic number by carrying Georgia and Pennsylvania or by carrying Georgia, Michigan and Wisconsin. He also can win by carrying Wisconsin and Arizona, as well as other combinations involving Nevada.

But that would require him to crack the blue wall of northern states Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Trump blitzed North Carolina in the final days of the campaign, stopping in four cities over four days and finishing his North Carolina campaign in Raleigh on Monday.

Harris campaign chair stresses patience to nervous Democrats, staff watching vote totals

Harris' campaign chair stressed patience and resolve in a message to all campaign staff obtained by The Associated Press, arguing that the "closeness of the race is exactly what we prepared for" and predicting the race won't "come into focus until the early morning hours."

The message from campaign chair Jen O'Malley Dillon was meant for an audience beyond campaign staff, too, as nervous Democrats nationwide watch the race between Harris and Trump narrow to a handful of key battleground states.

"As we have known all along, this is a razor thin race," wrote O'Malley Dillon, citing turnout in Philadelphia and early vote totals in suburban Bucks County, Pennsylvania; outstanding votes in Detroit; and uncounted vote in Dane and Milwaukee counties in Wisconsin, two Democratic strongholds.

While the longtime Democratic operative noted forthcoming counting in Nevada and Arizona, the memo highlighted how central the so-called "blue wall" states of Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania are to Harris' path to victory.

"We've been saying for weeks that this race might not be called tonight," she wrote, adding later, "This is what we've been built for, so let's finish up what we have in front of us tonight, get some sleep, and get ready to close out strong tomorrow."

Trump loses Colorado after railing against Aurora

Trump turned the Colorado suburb of Aurora into part of his message against illegal immigration. In the end, he failed to capture the Mountain State, which has become increasingly Democratic in recent years.

Trump likened Aurora to a "war zone" overrun by a Venezuelan gang that had taken over multiple buildings. Authorities pushed back against that characterization, saying it was a single block and the area was once again safe.

Colorado is one of the several states Trump visited down the stretch outside the seven most competitive states. In recent weeks, he also campaigned in California, New Mexico and, memorably, in New York for the rally at Madison Square Garden.

After Senate loss, former Maryland governor calls for divided Americans to 'believe in each other'

Larry Hogan, a popular Republican who lost his bid for a U.S. Senate seat to Democrat Angela Alsobrooks, said in a speech to supporters that he congratulated Alsobrooks on her victory.

Hogan said "we can all take pride" in electing Alsobrooks as the first Black U.S. Senator from Maryland.

He said Americans are convinced that the country is "hopelessly divided" and that Washington is "completely dysfunctional."

"No matter what happens in this election, we as a country must move beyond talking only with those we agree with, and we need to stop dismissing or even hating those we disagree with," Hogan said.

"We have got to find a way to come together," he said.

Michigan's top election official refutes Trump's Detroit claims

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson refuted Trump's social media claims of "heavy law enforcement" in Detroit on Tuesday before polls closed, calling them "not true."

"The former president said there was a strong law enforcement presence in Philadelphia and Detroit," Benson said. "That was not true. We quickly debunked it."

At a news conference in downtown Detroit after Michigan's polls closed, Benson praised the election as "very successful," and noted minimal issues. She added that the state is on track for record-breaking turnout.

Australian prime minister vows strong partnership with future US president

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told Parliament on Wednesday that his government will forge a strong partnership with whoever becomes U.S. president.

"The election of a new President of the United States is always a moment of profound consequence for the world, for our region and for Australia," Albanese said.

"Our government will seek and build a strong partnership with whoever the American people choose as their next president. The alliance between Australia and the United States has always been bigger than individuals," he added.

House Speaker Mike Johnson reelected to a fifth term in the House

Johnson became speaker a little more than a year ago after eight Republicans joined with Democrats in booting Kevin McCarthy from the job.

The social conservative inherited many of the same troubles that plagued his predecessor when it comes to unifying the conference. He has had to rely on Democratic votes to keep the federal government open and needed their help to prevent the kind of mutiny that toppled McCarthy.

Johnson tied his political fortunes to Trump, showing up at the latter's hush-money trial in New York and embracing his claims of political persecution.

Johnson will be favored to remain as speaker if House Republicans maintain their majority, but could face a serious challenge as the Republican leader should the Democrats take control of the chamber.

Historic change as 2 Black women elected to Senate

Only three Black women have held Senate seats in the nation's history, but that is about to change.

Democrats Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware and Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland have won Senate seats, and they will be the first Black women to serve together in the Senate.

The other Black women who have served as senators are Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois, Laphonza Butler of California and current Vice President Kamala Harris of California.

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries reelected to a seventh term

Jeffries succeeded Rep. Nancy Pelosi as the lead House Democrat after Republicans gained control of the chamber in the 2022 mid-terms and Democrats looked for a generational change in leadership.

Jeffries made sure Democrats delivered the votes necessary to prevent a federal default and to subsequently keep the government open.

But he declined to provide Kevin McCarthy with the Democratic votes he needed to stay on as speaker when eight members of the GOP revolted against McCarthy.

If Democrats are able to gain the House majority, he would almost assuredly be elected the next House speaker.

Andy Kim, elected to Senate from New Jersey, says he's 'humbled and grateful'

Democratic Rep. Andy Kim, who won election to Senate from New Jersey, said that "as a son of immigrants" he never imagined he would become the first Korean American to serve in the chamber.

"I'm deeply humbled and grateful to NJ and for everyone who got us here," Kim wrote on X, the website formerly known as Twitter. "I promise I'll serve with honor and integrity as a public servant for all."

Biden congratulates Democrats on their victories

President Biden made a round of congratulatory calls to Democrats who have emerged victorious on Election Day.

According to the White House, he's called Lisa Blunt Rochester, who won a U.S. Senate seat in his home state of Delaware, and Matt Meyer, who was elected the state's governor. He also called the outgoing governor, John Carney, who was elected mayor of Wilmington.

Other calls went to Andy Kim, who will be a senator from New Jersey, and Josh Stein, the next governor of North Carolina.

Chinese accounts boost Russian election disinformation

Russian disinformation aiming to reduce trust in the U.S. election received some last-minute help from China, according to research from the Atlantic Council's Digital Forensic Research Lab.

Investigators identified several videos linked to Russia that made false claims about voting. Some of the videos mimicked legitimate U.S. news outlets and featured fake audio clips of law enforcement officials supposedly acknowledging widespread voter fraud.

The researchers found the videos were being amplified by a network of fake social media accounts that originated in China. The accounts had spread pro-China propaganda in the past and shifted their focus to the U.S. election only recently.

Republican Mark Robinson loses North Carolina gubernatorial bid after tumultuous campaign

Mark Robinson, the North Carolina Republican gubernatorial candidate rocked by a CNN report indicating he posted racist and explicit messages on a pornography site more than a decade ago, has lost his race against Democrat Josh Stein, AP projects.

The loss is a cap on a turbulent run for Robinson, the state's lieutenant governor, who rocketed to conservative fame in 2018 by seizing on Trump's MAGA movement.

His campaign was continually tagged with controversial comments Robinson made about everything from abortion to race to gay rights. Trump compared Robinson to Martin Luther King Jr. before his pornography site scandal, and did not explicitly back away from him after the scandal engulfed the North Carolina Republican's campaign.

Stein, the state's Attorney General, will succeed Roy Cooper, North Carolina's popular two-term governor who was term-limited. The race was one of the most closely watched governor's races in the nation this year.

Pennsylvania officials urge patience when it comes to a lengthy vote-counting process

State officials are preaching calm and patience in the counting of votes in the face of large voter turnout across the state and a spate of disruptive bomb threats at polling locations and government buildings.

Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, said at a Tuesday night news conference that every legal, eligible vote will be counted. He says that takes time and that the state's goal is to do it right and accurately.

Al Schmidt, the state's top elections official, said in-person turnout numbers will not be available Tuesday night. He said the state's counties could not even begin processing and opening the millions of returned mail ballots until 7 a.m. EST Tuesday and that the last of them would not have been received until 8 p.m. EST.

Constitutional amendment that protects abortion fails in Florida

A measure that would have protected abortion rights in Florida's state constitution failed Tuesday after not meeting the 60% threshold to pass.

The rejection of the measure makes Florida the first state where a measure protecting abortion rights failed after Roe V. Wade was overturned in 2022.

The initiative would have prevented lawmakers from creating and enforcing restrictions or prohibitions on abortions before viability or when necessary to protect the patient's health.

Amendment supporters were hoping to overturn Florida's current six-week abortion ban.

The rejection of the measure makes Florida one of the first states where voters opposed protecting abortion rights after Roe V. Wade was overturned in 2022.

Jim Jordan wins reelection to House

Rep. Jim Jordan, the Republican chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and a Donald Trump loyalist, has won reelection to a 10th term in the House representing a conservative district in central Ohio.

Jordan has spent the run-up to the election campaigning for Republicans across the country. Many see his activities as a shadow race of sorts to become GOP leader, particularly if it loses the majority and members seek a fresh start.

Jordan denies he's running for any leadership job.

Jordan made an unsuccessful bid to become speaker when eight Republicans joined with Democrats in ousting then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

Trump endorsed Jordan, but more centrist Republicans viewed him as too extreme and objected to rewarding someone on the party's right flank after some had helped oust McCarthy.

Almost every region of Florida shifted to the right

In comparison to 2020, nearly all of Florida has moved right during this presidential election cycle.

Miami-Dade County saw the greatest increase, with an 18 percentage point shift right. It was enough to move the county from the Democrats' column in 2020 to the Republicans' this year.

Some precincts in Boston ran out of ballots

In Massachusetts, the group Lawyers for Civil Rights warned that multiple precincts in Boston ran out of ballots, including in the city's Hyde Park, Roslindale and West Roxbury neighborhoods.

In some locations, ballots were replenished but only after wait times of up to two hours, the group said.

The secretary of the commonwealth's office said the Boston Elections Department opted not to send all their ballots to polling places.

Secretary of State William Galvin told the department to send ballots using police cars. Poll workers were also told get contact information for voters who chose not to wait. Those voters have been contacted and anyone in line at 8 p.m. will be able to vote.

Pennsylvania offers several key House races in fight for majority

Pennsylvania is not just a major player in the the presidential race.

It will also go a long way in deciding who controls the majority in the House next year.

Three Democratic incumbents look to fend off Republican challengers in competitive races.

Rep. Matt Cartwright is seeking reelection to a seventh term in a district that Trump carried in 2020. Another perennial Republican target is Rep. Susan Wild. They represent neighboring districts with similar geographies: small cities, suburbs and stretches of rural eastern Pennsylvania. First-term Democratic Rep. Chris Deluzio is also in a competitive race in the western part of the state.

Meanwhile, Democrats are hoping to unseat hard-right Republican Rep. Scott Perry, a Trump loyalist and the former chairman of the most conservative wing within the GOP majority – the House Freedom Caucus.