The first polls closed on Tuesday, Nov. 8, in the U.S. midterm elections that will determine if Republicans win control of Congress, giving them the power to obstruct much of President Joe Biden's agenda for the next two years.
Results are in from Florida, Georgia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Ohio, and other states, with Republicans picking up some early victories.
All 435 House seats, as well as 35 Senate seats, are up for grabs. Three dozen governorships are on the line, as are hundreds of battles for control of state legislatures.
Early exit poll results showed that Republican candidates Sen. Marco Rubio and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis both won reelection with help from Latino voters. In the 2018 and 2016 elections, both candidates fell short among Hispanic voters.
US officials stated that there was no "specific or credible threat" to the integrity of the electoral process as it was currently taking place. Numerous isolated issues were reported by local authorities across the US, including a bomb threat in Louisiana, a paper scarcity in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, and a crashed website in Champaign County, Illinois.
Officials said they were working to replace broken voting equipment in Maricopa County, Arizona, a crucial battleground, and assured voters that all votes would be counted.
Republicans appear to be in a strong position to seize control of the House and push Democrats for Senate control. According to early exit poll results, voters are pessimistic about the economy, with three out of four rating it "bad."
Almost eight out of ten people think inflation has been a hardship, with roughly 20% reporting significant hardship. Most people believe gas costs have hurt them, and nearly half of voters think their financial condition is worse than it was two years ago, which is more than double the percentage who say it is better.
Meanwhile, Democrats were resting their hopes on a high turnout among their key constituencies, notably young voters, who they hope will be sufficient to halt the GOP's advances and maintain control of Congress.
Republicans would be able to stop legislation in the House of Representatives that addressed Democratic priorities like abortion rights and climate change. Republicans might potentially start an argument over the nation's debt ceiling, which could roil the financial markets, and open inquiries into Biden's family and administration.
Republicans will be able to halt funding to Ukraine if they regain control of Congress, but analysts believe they will instead slow or reduce the flow of economic and defense support.
A Republican Senate would have veto power over Biden's judicial nominations, including any Supreme Court vacancy, heightening the focus on the court's more conservative composition.
See live election results from around the country here.
