Democrats Gain Ground in Senate as Cooper Takes North Carolina Seat

Democrats secured a win in North Carolina's Senate race, a result that moves them closer to a potential takeover of the chamber. Roy Cooper, a former governor, defeated Republican Michael Whatley in a contest for the seat vacated by retiring Senator Thom Tillis. The Associated Press called the race for Cooper as of late Tuesday evening.

The party needs a net gain of four Senate seats to take control from Republicans, who currently hold a six-seat majority. Six additional Senate races remain un-called and are considered toss-ups. Earlier in the evening, the Associated Press called the Georgia Senate race for incumbent Democrat Jon Ossoff. Democrat Chris Pappas also won the open New Hampshire seat previously held by Jeanne Shaheen.

In the House of Representatives, Democrats entered the night favored to take control of the chamber. Republicans currently hold a four-seat majority with 218 seats to the Democratic 214. The Cook Political Report predicted Democrats would flip between 15 and 25 seats. A net gain of three seats is required for Democrats to assume the majority.

President Donald Trump campaigned extensively in swing and red states ahead of the vote. He instructed Republican voters to treat the election as if he were on the ballot. His approval rating has fallen below 40 percent, a level comparable to the low mark set by George W. Bush in 2006, according to Gallup. A September AP-NORC poll found that roughly two-thirds of Americans blamed Trump for higher prices, citing tariffs and the war in Iran as drivers of increased costs for gas, diesel, and fertilizer.

Americans cast more than 60 million early votes before Tuesday. That total exceeds the 2022 midterm early vote count by 15 million, according to the University of Florida's Election Lab. In states with party registration data, Democrats accounted for 43 percent of early votes, while Republicans accounted for 31 percent. Republicans traditionally vote in higher proportions on Election Day itself.

Alaska's tight Senate race has drawn national attention. The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit to block the certification of results if the Republican incumbent loses, citing potential confusion over two candidates named Dan Sullivan on the ranked-choice ballot. A federal judge dismissed the suit last week, but the Justice Department announced it will appeal. In the 2024 Alaska statewide House race, it took 15 days to determine the winner.

Election officials in Westchester County, New York, reported problems with ballot scanners. Officials plan to scan the paper ballots later to ensure accuracy. Katie Miller, wife of White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, posted on social media that the issues were a method used by the left to steal elections. Representative Claudia Tenney, a Republican from New York, stated that Democrats would do anything to cheat. Representative Mike Lawler, a Republican from the affected district, told CNN that no shenanigans were occurring.