Leadership races, funding up next for Congress
By Alexis Simedinger As the remaining ballots are being counted in House and Senate races, Congress returns to Washington next week for the lame duck period. Republican electoral wins in the presidential race and the Senate are changing the game when it comes to government funding, as Congress braces for a battle over federal spending, writes The Hillâs Aris Folley. The likelihood of a trifecta of Republican control in Washington is positioning GOP leaders squarely in the driverâs seat in deciding whether to complete their annual funding work this year or punt the current Dec. 20 shutdown deadline into next year,
Zelensky congratulates Trump, noting commitment to âpeace through strengthâ approach
By Tara Suter Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky offered former President Trump his congratulations Wednesday, after Trump was projected to win the 2024 presidential election. âCongratulations to @realDonaldTrump on his impressive election victory! I recall our great meeting with President Trump back in September, when we discussed in detail the Ukraine-U.S. strategic partnership, the Victory Plan, and ways to put an end to Russian aggression against Ukraine,â Zelensky wrote in a post on the social platform X. He added that he admires Trumpâs âcommitment to the âpeace through strengthâ approach in global affairs.â âThis is exactly the principle that can practically bring just peace in Ukraine closer,â the Ukrainian
Democratic voters wrestle with Harris’ loss to Trump: What went wrong?
By Erik Ortiz, Alicia Victoria Lozano, Minyvonne Burke and Daniella Silva For many Democratic voters, Vice President Kamala Harris’ loss to Donald Trump was disappointing but not surprising, they said in interviews, agreeing that their party hadn’t done enough to talk about the economy and lamenting lingering racism and sexism. Democratic voters in battleground states say they see many reasons for her defeat: the abbreviated campaign, a lack of economic messaging, a drift too far to the left on social issues, the war in Gaza and bias against Harris because she is a woman of color. Trump seized on Americansâ economic frustrations while he drew young men and Latino
Harris concedes the election but vows to not stop fighting for a better future
By Rachel Treisman Vice President Harris formally conceded the 2024 election on Wednesday, urging her supporters not to despair her loss to President-elect Donald Trump and to “never give up the fight for our democracy.” “The outcome of this election is not what we wanted, not what we fought for, not what we voted for,” Harris said. “But hear me when I say ⊠the light of America’s promise will always burn bright as long as we never give up and as long as we keep fighting.” Harris spoke from the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C., her alma
Lisa Blunt Rochester wins in Delaware, making her the state’s first female senator
By Donna M. Owens Democratic Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester will become the first Black woman to represent Delaware in the Senate after she defeated Republican Eric Hansen and independent candidate Mike Katz, NBC News projects. Blunt Rochester, 62, told NBC News before Election Day that she had her sights set on creating jobs, protecting reproductive rights, health care and centering the needs of seniors and families. Blunt Rochester, who is in her fourth term in the House, is a history-making politician, already the first woman and the first Black person to represent the state in Congress. Yet she stressed that her
South Carolina passes noncitizen voting ban
By Aris Folley South Carolina voters approved a GOP-backed proposal on Tuesday that seeks to block non-U.S. citizens from voting in elections in a move that critics have said is âcompletely unnecessary.â The measure would amend the stateâs constitution to allow âonlyâ citizens to vote in elections, as former President Trump and other Republicans have spread unfounded claims that there is widespread noncitizen voter fraud. State Sen. Chip Campsen (R-S.C.) said in remarks obtained by The Post and Courier that the effort is a âbelt and suspenders approachâ to prevent changes in the court later on. âConstitutional provisions are for the long run. Unless
Razor-tight races could leave House control in limbo for weeks
By Emily Brooks It could be days â or even weeks â before Americans know who will control the House of Representatives in the next Congress, setting up what could be a long and anxious window of uncertainty surrounding the balance of power on Capitol Hill next year. There are dozens of closely contested seats up for grabs, setting the stage for a potential scenario where many of those contests are too close to call on election night and the race to 218 remains unresolved. Determining the ultimate winner in that situation will almost certainly take days â or longer
How Trump pulled off an incredible comeback
By Sara Smith, BBC This is surely the most dramatic comeback in US political history. Four years after leaving the White House, Donald Trump is set to move back in, after millions of Americans voted to give him a second chance. The election campaign was one for the history books: he survived two assassination attempts and his original opponent President Joe Biden dropped out just months before election day. Although final votes are still being counted, the majority of Americans in key battleground states chose to vote for him, with many citing the economy and immigration as a chief concern.
Democrat Angela Alsobrooks defeats Larry Hogan in Maryland Senate race
By Ursula Perano, Politico Democrat Angela Alsobrooks has won the Maryland Senate race, according to The Associated Press, fending off former two-term GOP Gov. Larry Hogan. The win comes as a relief for Democrats, who had not budgeted to defend Maryland this cycle. Itâs generally considered a safe blue seat, particularly in a presidential year. But Hogan is highly popular among Maryland voters â and his entrance ramped up focus on the race. Alsobrooks leaned in on Senate math as a crux of her argument, asking voters to consider the likelihood of a Senate Republican majority if Hogan was elected. She
The vibe at Howard University, where Harris was set for a victory lap, remains tense
By Curtis Bunn As midnight approached Tuesday night at Howard University, where a mass of Kamala Harris supporters gathered to await results of the presidential election, lingering anxiousness gave way to exhilaration. And then concern. It was that way all night on âThe Yardâ at the historically Black college, which Harris graduated from in 1986. Moments of celebration were doused by projections that favored her rival, Republican Donald Trump. By the time Tuesday night crept into Wednesday morning, the concern of the unknown prevailed. âI wanted this to be a coronation tonight,â said Ben Eddins, a Howard alumnus. âShe deserves it.