U.S. Midterm Elections Updates: Trump says "very big announcement" coming (2024)

• It was the final day of campaigning ahead of the 2022 midterm elections on Tuesday. Candidates are contesting 34 Senate seats and all seats in the House, with key gubernatorial and judicial votes being held at state level.
• President Joe Biden spoke at a rally in Maryland, while former President Donald Trump campaigned for Republicans in Ohio.
• Trump teased a potential third campaign for president, telling supporters that he would be making a "very big announcement" at Mar-a-Lago next week.
• Polls in key battleground states suggest many races are too close to call, but wider trends are giving Republicans hope of winning back control of Congress
• Some of the most anticipated results will come from Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
• Polling suggests inflation is the top issue for voters; other top concerns include crime, immigration, health care, abortion and the war in Ukraine.

The live updates for this blog have ended.

10:36 PM EST

Trump Says 'Very Big Announcement' Coming Next Week

Former President Donald Trump stopped short of announcing a 2024 presidential run during his rally in Ohio, while strongly hinting that his candidacy will be announced next week.

Trump said during his speech on Monday he wanted "nothing to detract from the importance" of Tuesday's midterms, which he called a "country-saving election." However, the former president repeatedly teased his comeback and told the crowd that he would be making a "very big announcement" from his South Florida home.

"I'm going to be making a very big announcement on Tuesday, November 15 at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach Florida," said Trump, prompting cheers from his supporters.

Trump followed his announcement tease by reading out a long list of Republican candidates that he wanted his supporters to vote for on Tuesday.

The list included those who Trump has campaigned for like Ohio Senate candidate J.D. Vance and Governor Mike DeWine, who were both at the rally on Monday. It also included candidates he has fallen out with, such as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Georgia Governor Brian Kemp.

09:25 PM EST

Trump Calls Nancy Pelosi 'an Animal' Instead of Crazy

Former President Donald Trump tried out a new moniker for Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi during his rally in Ohio.

Trump promised to "end crazy Nancy Pelosi's political career once and for all" during his speech in Vandalia on Monday before instead referring to the Democratic leader as an "animal" on Monday.

The former president lashed out at Pelosi over her previous criticism of him for using "animals" to refer to undocumented immigrants before labeling her the same way.

"Nancy Pelosi said 'please don't call them animals, they're human beings,'" said Trump. "I said no, they're animals. Of course, I think she's an animal, too, if you want to know the truth."

"They'll say... the fake news... 'what a horrible thing, he called Nancy Pelosi an animal,'" he continued. "Let me tell you, what she does to this country... and yet, we got more done as an administration and a president than just about any president in the history of our country."

09:03 PM EST

Trump Called Florida Rally 'A Religious Experience'

Former President Donald Trump has described his rainy rally in Miami, Florida as a "religious experience."

Trump said during a rally in Vandalia, Ohio on Monday that others had evoked religion while talking to him about the sudden downpour during his rally on Sunday. The former president also wrongly claimed that a "tropical storm" was responsible for the weather.

"It was like somebody took a large pail of water and dropped it on my head," Trump said. "This was like the worst shower you've ever taken, it was just pouring... I had to throw away the teleprompters and we did so well."

"People have said today it was like a religious experience," he added. "The music comes on and then 'boom!' It was like unbelievable, I've never seen anything like that."

Tropical Storm Nicole formed Monday morning and it is not expected to crash into southeast Florida on Wednesday night or Thursday morning.

08:07 PM EST

Biden Tells 'Crazy' Protester 'Don't Jump'

President Joe Biden urged a screaming protester to not "jump" from a balcony while campaigning in Maryland on Monday.

Biden was briefly interrupted by a protester he called "crazy" during a campaign event for Maryland gubernatorial candidate Wes Moore and other Democrats at Bowie State University.

The president noticed the protester, a man wearing a stars and stripes top hat and a shirt with the phrase "I'm helping" written on it, after speaking about a plan to cap insulin prices at $35 per month.

"Hey man, don't jump," Biden said while looking towards the balcony. "You look crazy enough to jump. Don't jump!"

The man appeared to be screaming as Biden addressed him and continued to shout after the president's speech moved forward, although none of what he was saying was audible in online streams of the event.

Event staff could be seen confronting the man as he continued to shout.

07:00 PM EST

Watch Biden Speak Tonight in Maryland

President Joe Biden is expected to soon begin speaking at a Democratic National Committee event in Bowie, Maryland.

Biden's remarks, scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. ET, come the evening before voters go to the polls for the midterm elections.

The Monday night event is taking place at Bowie State University. The rally is being held in support of Maryland gubernatorial candidate Wes Moore and other local Democrats.

C-SPAN will air Biden's speech live. His remarks will also stream live on his YouTube channel.

"Everything Democrats have fought so hard for is on the ballot," Biden's YouTube page said in a video description posted before his Monday night speech. "Ahead of Election Day, I'm in Maryland to discuss what's at stake. Tune in now."

Later tonight, former President Donald Trump will be attending a rally in Ohio in support of Republican candidates he has endorsed this election cycle. Trump's remarks are expected to begin at 8 p.m. ET.

C-SPAN will air Trump's speech live. Right Side Broadcasting Network is also streaming the event live on YouTube.

06:34 PM EST

Ted Cruz Hit By Beer Can at Astros Victory Parade

Texas Senator Ted Cruz was struck by a beer can during a parade held in support of the Houston Astros' World Series victory on Monday.

Cruz was traveling in the parade at the time the can was thrown. Video of the incident showed Cruz standing in the flatbed of what appeared to be a military vehicle when the can was thrown in his direction. The senator reached up to block it from hitting his face.

The Houston Police Department said Monday afternoon that a 33-year-old man was arrested for allegedly throwing the beer can at the senator. The can "struck the Senator in the chest/neck area," Houston police said, adding that Cruz "did not require medical attention."

The incident occurred as people in Texas and across the country were preparing to cast ballots in the midterm elections on Tuesday. Cruz is not up for re-election himself but has urged support for several Republican candidates this election cycle.

Cruz is currently serving his second term in office, which is set to end after the 2024 elections. Cruz has supported the idea of implementing congressional term limits, which would bar him from running for a third term if implemented.

06:00 PM EST

Pelosi Describes Learning of Attack on Husband

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi described the moment Capitol Police arrived to inform her that her husband, Paul Pelosi, was attacked inside their San Francisco home.

During an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper, Pelosi said she was asleep inside her Washington, D.C. apartment on October 28 when she heard the doorbell ring at about 5 a.m. local time. Her first thought was that whoever was at the door had the wrong apartment, she said.

When the doorbell was followed by several knocks at the door, Pelosi said she ran to open it and saw police officers waiting to speak with her.

"I'm thinking, my children, my grandchildren," Pelosi said. "I never thought it would be Paul because, you know, I knew he wouldn't be out and about, shall we say."

After police told her about the intruder who broke into their home and attacked her husband, Pelosi said she at first "didn't even know where he was or what his condition was."

"We just knew there was an assault on him in our home," she said.

Pelosi announced on November 3 that her husband was released from the hospital after spending several days there after the attack. She said her family anticipated he would have a "long recovery process."

On October 31, the U.S. Department of Justice announced federal assault and attempted kidnapping charges against the man accused of attacking Paul Pelosi. The man, identified by authorities as 42-year-old David DePape, allegedly hit Paul Pelosi in the head with a hammer while searching for the House speaker.

05:30 PM EST

Biden to Address Americans After Midterms

President Joe Biden will address the American public on Wednesday after the midterm elections, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Monday.

Jean-Pierre was asked during her daily press briefing about Biden's plans for addressing Election Day outcomes. An initial schedule released by the White House Press Office did not list any events for Biden on Wednesday.

When asked if the lack of a scheduled Wednesday press conference diverts from tradition or hints at predictions that Republicans may regain control of Congress, Jean-Pierre said "it takes some time" to coordinate the president's schedule but that he will speak to the American people.

"I have been very clear: You're going to hear from the president. He always enjoys taking your questions," Jean-Pierre said. She added that she is "just not going to lay out what his day is going to specifically look like on Wednesday" and did not provide specifics on the timing or format of his address.

"But again, he is going to address the American people, and I think that matters," Jean-Pierre said. "He's going to be clear about what's on his mind, and I'm just not going to get ahead of it."

05:21 PM EST

Midterms Failing to Interest Pennsylvanians, According to Google

Which states care most about the midterm elections, and why isn't it Pennsylvania? Newsweek's data editor Rob Minto dug into the numbers and found the state ranks close to last in terms of Google interest, despite several key races.

Right now, the John Fetterman-Dr. Mehmet Oz Senate race is incredibly close according to polls. Trump has been in the state speaking at rallies and there are several other close Congressional races. However, Pennsylvania ranks just 42nd out of all the 51 States plus D.C. according to Google Trends for interest in the midterms.

The search engine has a list of insights for the midterm elections, showing what voters care about from issues from the economy to abortion. But despite plenty of national coverage on the Fetterman-Oz battle, Penn voters seem... less bothered?

Google Trends doesn't show sentiment, results like these don't indicate political preference. But as a gauge of overall interest, it is both recent and very indicative.

The results show that over the last week, North Carolina is top of list, which gives it a score of 100. Relative to that, Pennsylvania scores 45, meaning per internet user, there is less than half the interest. North Carolina has a relatively close Senate race with Ted Budd (Republican) leading Cheri Beasley (Democrat)

Georgia, with another close-call Senate race between Raphael Warnock and Herschel Walker, is second with a score of 95.

Perhaps Pennsylvanians are tired of all the coverage, and have made up their minds, and don't need the latest election news. In which case, recent polls might be less indicative of voting intention than we think.

Full List:

• North Carolina: 100
• Georgia: 95
• Texas: 95
• New Mexico: 88
• Kentucky: 88
• Indiana: 87
• South Carolina: 85
• Arkansas: 83
• Florida: 82
• District of Columbia: 77
• Minnesota: 76
• Wisconsin: 74
• Kansas: 74
• North Dakota: 73
• Illinois: 70
• Tennessee: 68
• Oklahoma: 66
• Delaware: 66
• Nevada: 65
• New York: 64
• Maryland: 61
• Michigan: 61
• Ohio: 61
• Maine: 60
• Virginia: 59
• Arizona: 59
• South Dakota: 58
• Iowa: 58
• Missouri: 57
• Rhode Island: 55
• Alaska: 55
• Colorado: 54
• West Virginia: 54
• New Hampshire: 53
• Idaho: 53
• Massachusetts: 51
• Louisiana: 51
• Connecticut: 50
• Washington: 49
• Oregon: 48
• Nebraska: 46
• Pennsylvania: 45
• Montana: 42
• California: 41
• Utah: 39
• Wyoming: 39
• Vermont: 37
• New Jersey: 37
• Alabama: 36
• Mississippi: 32
• Hawaii: 29

04:45 PM EST

Trump Video Shows Crowds Outside Ohio Rally

Former President Donald Trump posted a video on Truth Social Monday afternoon that showed people gathering outside the event space where he will be holding a rally Monday evening.

In a message accompanying the video, Trump wrote, "Lining up for the Big Ohio Trump Rally tonight honoring Ohio's future Senator, I hope, J.D. Vance!" The video shows a snaking line of people waiting to be allowed inside Wright Bros. Aero, Inc., an aviation company in Vandalia where the rally is taking place.

Trump's Save America PAC announced the rally late last month as an event that would outline Trump's "unprecedented effort to advance the MAGA agenda by energizing voters and highlighting the slate of 16-0 Trump Endorsed America First candidates including Republican Nominee for U.S. Senate, J.D. Vance in the Great State of Ohio." It is the last rally Trump will hold before Election Day in support of candidates he has endorsed this midterm election cycle.

Trump is expected to begin speaking at 8 p.m. ET. Doors were scheduled to open at 3 p.m., and guest speakers are due to start delivering remarks at 5 p.m. C-SPAN will air Trump's speech live.

Vance, the Republican running against Democrat Tim Ryan for a seat in the Senate, is leading in most midterm polls. Vance is one of the rally guests expected to deliver remarks Monday night.

Reps. Jim Jordan, Mike Turner, Warren Davidson and Mike Carey are also scheduled to speak, as are Congressional candidates Max Miller and J.R. Majewski.

04:16 PM EST

Barricades Erected Outside AZ Election Headquarters

Barricades have been set up outside the election headquarters in Maricopa County, AZ.

AZ Central reporter Sasha Hupka posted a photo online showing the additional security measures at the headquarters.

This comes as election workers in the county have received over 100 threats and intimidating social media posts fueled by election fraud conspiracy theories.

Maricopa County, the most populous in Arizona, is also one of the 64 jurisdictions across the country that will be monitored by the Justice Department to ensure federal voting laws are followed.

Early voting ballot counting in already underway in Maricopa. A county spokesperson told Newsy that just under one million ballots have been returned. About 1.9 million ballots were mailed out.

County election officials and Sheriff Paul Penzone will hold a press conference to address Election Day safety at 3 p.m. local time.

"We know that some people will spread false and misleading information about elections in the coming days," the press conference advisory said.

County Chairman Bill Gates and County Recorder Stephen Richer will "run through several false narratives we expect to hear and share facts about those topics."

The press conference will stream live on the Maricopa County YouTube channel.

03:45 PM EST

Over 50% in US Disapprove of Biden, Harris

Recent polling has indicated President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris both have approval ratings under 50 percent heading into the midterm elections.

Polling averages compiled by FiveThirtyEight show Biden with an average approval rating of 42.1 percent on Monday, with an average 53.1 percent of Americans saying they disapprove of Biden. Individual polls conducted in the first few days of November by YouGov and Morning Consult both found Biden with a 42 percent approval rating among respondents, while a TIPP Insights poll said he had a 41 percent approval rating. Another poll conducted by Public Opinion Strategies with Hart Research Associates reported a 44 percent approval rating.

Biden's average approval rating is almost exactly the same as former President Donald Trump's approval rating was at this same point in his presidency, according to FiveThirtyEight.

When compared with former Democratic presidents at this same point in their terms, Biden on Monday had a lower approval rating than former President Barack Obama by about 2.5 percent and lower than former President Bill Clinton by about 5 points, FiveThirtyEight's data shows. Former Republican presidents George W. Bush and George H.W. Bush each had higher approval ratings than Biden by 12 to 20 points.

Meanwhile, the vice president had a 39.5 percent average approval rating and a 52 percent average disapproval rating as of November 4. Polls included in the FiveThirtyEight averages were conducted between late September and early November. The polls found Harris' approval rating to range between 35 and 41 percent, while her disapproval rating ranged between 43 and 59 percent.

03:15 PM EST

Trump Considers Announcing 2024 Bid Tonight, Report

Former President Donald Trump could announce his 2024 presidential bid sooner than previously expected.

Sources close to Trump told both CNN and the New York Post that the former president is considering launching his 2024 run at a rally tonight for Ohio Republican Senate candidate JD Vance, on the eve of the midterm elections.

Trump allies have previously said Trump would wait until after the midterms to launch his campaign, including former campaign adviser Kellyanne Conway.

But now, sources say Trump wants to get credit for Republican victories in the midterms.

A source told the New York Post that Trump is "telling people he might tonight, but it's not a done thing."

"It's not inconceivable that this is just Trump doing Trump things," a source told NYP. "This all could be a ploy by Trump to get people to pay attention to the rally."

Republican Congressman and Trump ally Matt Gaetz said Trump should announce his run Monday night.

"Trump should announce tonight. His candidates won the primaries," Gaetz, who is running for reelection in Florida.

He adds that Trump "deserves all the credit for this wave election" and by announcing his presidential bid tonight "he will seize it."

02:46 PM EST

DOJ to Monitor Polls in 24 States

The Justice Department will be monitoring dozens of jurisdictions to ensure compliance with federal voting rights laws.

On Election Day Tuesday, DOJ's Civil Rights Division will watch over 64 jurisdictions in 24 states. Some of these districts include counties where 2020 election results were heavily disputed, like Fulton County, GA, Lehigh County, PA, and Maricopa County, AZ.

"Since the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Civil Rights Division has regularly monitored elections in the field in jurisdictions around the country to protect the rights of voters," DOJ said in a statement.

It will also take complaints from the public nationwide in regard to possible violations of the federal voting rights laws. Such laws include the Voting Rights Act, the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, the National Voter Registration Act, the Help America Vote Act, the Civil Rights Acts and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

"The Civil Rights Division enforces the federal voting rights laws that protect the rights of all citizens to access the ballot," DOJ said.

Complaints related to disruptions at a polling place should always be reported immediately to local election officials, DOJ said. Any threats of violence or intimidation made against a polling location should also be immediately reported to local police.

The monitors include personnel from the Civil Rights Division and from U.S. Attorneys' Offices.

This comes amid the Justice Department's recent plan to protect voting rights and secure the integrity of the voting process in the general election.

02:30 PM EST

Independents 'Actually Decide' Elections, Musk Says

On the eve of Election Day, Elon Musk called on Independents to cast their ballots, saying the group essentially decides who wins elections.

The Twitter owner shared the message on his newly-acquired platform on Monday morning.

"To independent-minded voters: Shared power curbs the worst excesses of both parties, therefore I recommend voting for a Republican Congress, given that the Presidency is Democratic," Musk tweeted.

"Hardcore Democrats or Republicans never vote for the other side, so independent voters are the ones who actually decide who's in charge!"

Musk acquired the social media platform less than two weeks ago.

02:16 PM EST

MTG Mocks Election Hacking Concerns

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia mocked an article about security concerns heading into the midterm elections, writing on Twitter that "stolen elections only happen when Democrats lose."

The Republican congresswoman's tweet was in response to a Politico article about concerns surrounding hacking risks this election cycle. The article mentions that allegations of voter fraud during the 2020 presidential election were common, though federal authorities found no evidence of widespread voter fraud. Meanwhile, the article says government officials are taking precautions to protect election systems from potential interference during Tuesday's elections.

A tweet about the article posted by Politico says "there are real risks" this election cycle.

"In other words, stolen elections only happen when Democrats lose," Greene tweeted, appearing to reference polling that indicates Republicans have a strong chance of gaining majorities in the House and Senate. "Oh, okay," she wrote, adding a thumbs-up emoji.

Her tweet continued: "Are riots with looting and burning businesses & cities coming back too? How does that get organized and funded exactly?

Greene, an ally of former President Donald Trump, has often repeated Trump's allegations that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him by the Democrats. She has tweeted often in the last several weeks about her intention to impeach President Joe Biden if Republicans regain control of Congress.

01:46 PM EST

GOP Slams Biden on High Gas Prices

Several Republicans blamed President Joe Biden and the Democratic Party for high gas prices on Monday as they urged Americans to vote in Tuesday's midterm elections.

Gas prices and inflation have been identified as among the top issues voters are concerned about heading into the midterms. Republicans told voters that high prices are Democrats' fault and said prices will continue to increase if Democrats remain in control of Congress. Republicans are hoping that voter frustration with high prices will help their party retake control of the House and Senate.

Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio included "record inflation" and "expensive gas" on a list that he tweeted Monday morning. Rep. Pat Fallon of Texas retweeted the list and said it shows "Joe Biden's America." Rep. Cliff Bentz of Oregon also retweeted Jordan's list and wrote, "In case anyone needs a copy of Joe Biden's resume as president."

Rep. Stephanie Bice of Oklahoma said inflation and gas prices have both increased following "2 years of Democrat control" and shared a link to House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy's plan for Congress if Republicans take back the House of Representatives.

North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis mentioned gas prices and inflation in a tweet urging support for his state's Republican Senate candidate, Ted Budd. Tillis said if North Carolinians believe Biden's "approach on soaring inflation and record gas prices is working," they should vote for Democratic Senate candidate Cheri Beasley "to rubber-stamp his policies." If not, Tillis said they should vote for Budd.

Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn cited Monday's national average gas price and said those costs are "going to go up." Her tweet was posted in response to one Biden posted on Sunday about the "most common" U.S. gas price, which he said was $3.19. Twitter flagged the tweet and said some Twitter users had added context for his statement, which the flag noted was not a reference to the national average gas price.

On the day before the midterms, the American Automobile Association (AAA) reported the national average gas price as $3.80, about 4 cents higher than it was one week ago and 9 cents lower than one month ago. California and Hawaii were the only two states with statewide average gas prices above $5, with California topping the list at $5.46 for a gallon of regular unleaded gas. Nevada had a statewide average gas price just below $5 at $4.96. The state with the lowest statewide average gas price on Monday was Georgia with $3.12 per gallon.

01:15 PM EST

AZ Election Workers Face Death Threats

Election workers in Arizona's most populous county are facing threats ahead of Tuesday's midterm election.

Workers in Maricopa County have received more than 100 threats and intimidating communications, mostly based on claims of election fraud pushed by former President Donald Trump and his Republican allies, Reuters reports.

These threats include menacing emails and social media posts, threats to circulate personal information online and photographing employees arriving at work, according to Reuters.

County election officials faced 140 threats and hostile communications between July 11 and Aug. 22, according to public records.

"You will all be executed," one threat said.

"Wire around their limbs and tied & dragged by a car," wrote another.

Maricopa has a population of 4.5 million people and includes the city of Phoenix. It is a highly-contested county that went for President Joe Biden in 2020. Many of the threats election workers have faced reference debunked claims about fake ballots, rigged voting machines and corrupt election officials.

County Recorder Stephen Richer told Reuters that several temporary election workers quit after being accosted outside the main ballot-counting center after the Aug. 2 primary.

Two days after the primary, county security officials asked the FBI for help.

"I appreciate the limitations of what the FBI can do, but I just want to underline this," wrote Michael Moore, information security officer for the Maricopa County Recorder's Office. "Our staff is being intimidated and threatened."

An FBI special agent said the agency is limited and only investigates violations of federal law. County officials referred at least 100 messages and social media posts to the FBI and state counter-terrorism officials.

Justice Department spokesperson Joshua Stueve told Reuters that while the "overwhelming majority" of complaints the agency receives "do not include a threat of unlawful violence," the messages are "often hostile, harassing, and abusive" towards election officials and their staff.

The DOJ is actively investigating dozens of cases involving threats to election workers. Of the eight people currently facing federal charges for such threats, two targeted Maricopa County officials.

Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone will hold a press conference to address Election Day safety at 3 p.m. MST.

12:46 PM EST

Cruz Says Election Is About Sanity vs. Insanity

Texas Senator Ted Cruz shared a short video Monday morning, calling the midterm elections a choice between "sanity" and "insanity."

The Republican senator said in a tweet accompanying the video that the elections taking place Tuesday are "CRITICAL to pulling our country back from the brink!"

The 15-second video features a photo of President Joe Biden, who is pictured in front of a flashing screen that begins to spell out "insanity." Audio of a warning from Cruz about the importance of the midterms plays as his words pop on and off the screen.

"This is no longer a battle between Republican and Democrat. This is no longer a battle between conservative and liberal. This is a battle between sanity and insanity," Cruz says.

The video ends with "Vote Republican" stamped across a dark screen and includes the URL for Cruz's fundraising website at the bottom.

Cruz and other Republicans are urging voters to cast their ballots as a referendum on the Democrats, who have held the White House, the Senate and the House of Representatives for nearly two years. The GOP is hopeful Republicans will be able to regain control of both chambers of Congress after this election cycle, which would leave Washington with a divided government and hinder Biden's ability to move his policy objectives forward for the remainder of his term.

12:16 PM EST

More Than 40 Million Early Votes Cast

More than 40 million people have voted early ahead of the midterm elections Tuesday.

According to the University of Florida's U.S. Election Project, 40,790,469 early votes have been cast the day before election day.

Of those, 18,526,490 people voted in-person. There have been 57,948,789 mail-in ballots requested and 22,263,979 returned already.

Democrats make up a larger percentage of early voters compared to Republicans and minor parties.

According to the 23 states reporting party registration data, Democrats make up 43 percent of early votes, Republicans make up 34 percent and those in minor parties or no aligned with a party make up 23 percent.

Texas has the largest amount of early voting across the country, according to the Election Project.

There have been 5.49 million early votes in the state, 5.17 million have been in-person votes.

In Florida, 4.78 million people have voted early. Of those, 2.26 million votes were casts in person and 2.52 million mail-in ballots were returned.

More Republicans than Democrats have voted early in Florida, 43.4 percent compared to 36.7 percent.

More than 2.5 million votes have already been casts in Georgia.

There have been 220,110 mail-in ballots returned so far and 2.28 million votes cast in person.

11:48 AM EST

Trump Calls DeSantis 'Ron DeSanctimonious'

Former President Donald Trump mocked Florida Governor Ron DeSantis over the weekend by bestowing upon him the nickname "Ron DeSantimonious."

Trump was at his rally in Pennsylvania Saturday night when he made the comment. While discussing recent polling numbers gauging voter support for politicians who may run for the GOP presidential nominee in 2024, he noted the polling gap between his hypothetical campaign and those of DeSantis and former Vice President Mike Pence.

"Trump at 71, Ron DeSantimonious at 10 percent, Mike Pence at—oh, Mike's doing better than I thought," Trump said.

Though Trump's nickname for DeSantis drew some cheers from the crowd in Pennsylvania, other conservatives expressed frustration at Trump as news of the nickname spread.

DeSantis is the latest political rival Trump has targeted through use of a nickname. Trump is reportedly considering announcing his 2024 presidential campaign next week. While polling over the last year has consistently found that Trump is Republican voters' top pick for the GOP's 2024 presidential nominee, DeSantis often places second among politicians rumored to be thinking about a run for the White House.

11:16 AM EST

ACLU Files Lawsuit After GA Voters Did Not Get Absentee Ballots

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Georgia has filed a lawsuit on behalf of voters in Cobb County who claim they never received their mail-in ballots.

In the lawsuit, the ACLU, along with the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), is asking a judge to grant "emergency relief" to send ballots overnight to hundreds of voters who still need their absentee ballots and move the deadline to submit the ballots from 7 p.m. on election day to Nov. 14, which is the deadline for military and overseas absentee ballots.

The ALCU said this will allow Cobb County absentee voters "enough time to cast their votes, after county officials failed to send the ballots in violation of Georgia law."

"Hundreds of eligible Cobb County voters did everything right and yet find themselves on the brink of total disenfranchisem*nt because they were never mailed their absentee ballots, as is required under Georgia law," said Jonathan Topaz, staff attorney with the ACLU's Voting Rights Project in a statement.

"Even Cobb County has acknowledged they made a 'critical error' and 'let these voters down,'" he added. "Only this court can right the wrong done to these hundreds of voters and ensure that they are able to exercise their fundamental right to vote in this November election."

10:46 AM EST

Loss of Incumbents to Shake Up State Legislatures

Many incumbent state lawmakers will leave office next year, leading to a major shake up in state legislatures.

Between retirements, term limits, redistricting and primary defeats, more than one-quarter of state lawmakers who are up for election will not return to office.

With nearly 6,300 state legislative races in 46 states Tuesday, more incumbents may lose their seats.

"There are going to be a lot of new faces in legislative chambers across the country," Ben Williams, principal for the elections and redistricting program at the National Conference of State Legislatures, told the Associated Press.

These changes may have major impacts on abortion rights, state election procedures, taxes and public school curriculums.

This year's turnover rate is already above 26 percent. This is ahead of the pace from the last post-redistricting election in 2012 and more than on-quarter higher than the average over the past decade, AP reports.

Democratic incumbents losses this year have declined since 2012 while the loss rate for Republican incumbents increased from 4.7 percent a decade ago to 6.2 percent this year.

"I think the big question is what will the composition of the electorate look like," Jessica Post, president of the national Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, told AP. "If we're able to preserve and hold the number of chambers that Democrats have right now, that would be a good night."

10:03 AM EST

Thousands of Philadelphia Ballots at Risk of Rejection

A Philadelphia election official said thousands of mail-in ballots could be rejected for being filled out incorrectly.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled last week that local election officials cannot count ballots with missing or incorrect dates on the return envelope.

Philadelphia City Commissioners' Chairwoman Lisa Deeley said he is "extremely disappointed" in the court's decision.

"Handwritten dates are not material and the lack of such a date should not be a reason to disenfranchise a voter," she said in a statement.

Despite her disagreement, Deeley said her staff will segregate ballots in accordance to the court's order.

Deeley released a list of residents whose ballots are at risk of being rejected for having no signature, no date, an incorrect date or not being enclosed in a Secrecy Envelope.

Philadelphia City Hall will be open Monday and Tuesday to help voters fix their ballots so they can be counted.

There are currently more than 1,800 ballots flagged by Philadelphia authorities that do not have proper dates. Allegheny County published two lists of voters Sunday showing more than 1,000 at-risk ballots.

09:32 AM EST

North Carolina: Beasley Says Budd Fights For 'Corporations and Himself'

In North Carolina, Democrat Senate candidate Cheri Beasley has criticized her Republican rival, Ted Budd, insisting he "wants to fight for corporations and himself" rather than voters.

Beasley, who was backed by Barrack Obama recently, trails Budd in the latest polling on the race to succeed retiring Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC).

Speaking to MSNBC's Morning Joe earlier, Beasley went on the attack. "I really want to move us forward; he wants to move us backwards," she said.

"I really want to fight hard to lower costs and he wants to make corporate profits. I really want to fight hard to protect our democracy and he wants to undermine it. I want to fight for folks here in North Carolina and he wants to fight for corporations and himself."

Beasley promised, if elected, she would work to lower prescription drug costs.

"My opponent has done the opposite," she said. "Congressman Ted Budd has voted against lowering prescription drug costs whilst taking thousands of dollars of PAC money from big pharma.

"He's voted against lowering the cost of gas while taking thousands of dollars from big oil, it's been very clear that he's had six years in Congress, he's never stood up for North Carolina. It's time for a change."

09:12 AM EST

Key Battlegrounds Offer Democrats Key Lessons: Buttigieg Adviser

Democrats have valuable lessons to take away if they can hold the Senate, according to a senior adviser to Pete Buttigieg's presidential campaign.

In a op-ed for the New York Times on Sunday, Lis Smith argues that Democrats must focus on two words: "candidate quality."

She praised Tim Ryan (OH) and John Fetterman (PA) for rejecting "progressive orthodoxy," as well as Mark Kelly (AZ) and Raphael Warnock (GA) for joining them in rejecting "hair-on-fire, hyperpartisan campaign ads."

That approach, if successful, could "undo some of the reputational damage that has rendered the party's candidates unelectable" in many places, she argues.

"There is no one way, no right way to be a Democrat," Smith wrote.

"To win or be competitive in tough years in places as varied as Arizona, Georgia, Ohio and Pennsylvania, we need to recruit and give support to the candidates who might not check the box of every national progressive litmus test but who do connect with the voters in their state."

08:42 AM EST

Voters Split on Who Should Control Congress—NBC Poll

Voters are torn over who should control Congress, a final midterms poll by NBC News suggests.

The poll, conducted November 3 - 5, found that 47 percent of those surveyed would prefer Republicans in control, while 48 percent said they would prefer it to be controlled by Democrats. Five percent were unsure.

In an NBC poll in October, 48 percent of respondents said they'd prefer a GOP-controlled Congress, while 47 percent said they would prefer it to be Democratic-controlled. Five percent were unsure.

The November survey found, 44 percent of registered voters polled approved of President Joe Biden, while 53 percent disapproved. Three percent were unsure.

08:17 AM EST

Biden and Trump to Hold Rallies Later Today

Former President Donald Trump is expected back in the Buckeye State later today, on the eve of Election Day.

The Republican leader is scheduled to speak at a rally at Dayton International Airport in Vandalia, Ohio. He will make a final plea for voters to back JD Vance, who is scheduled as a guest speaker.

Trump last visited the state only last month.

President Joe Biden, meanwhile, will campaign for Democrats in Maryland later—one of the few Blue states Biden has visited on the trail.

Biden is expected to speak at Columbia, in a rally for the Democratic National Committee (DNC). Maryland Democratic gubernatorial nominee Wes Moore leads polls against the Republican nominee endorsed by Trump, Dan Cox.

07:48 AM EST

Ohio Senate: J.D. Vance's Lead Jumps 7 Points—Poll

In Ohio, Republican Senate candidate J.D. Vance, a one-time Trump critic turned MAGA candidate, has extended his lead over Democrat incumbent Tim Ryan, according to a new poll released today.

Trafalgar Group's survey, conducted November 3-5, suggested Vance now has a 10-point lead on Ryan (51 to 43.5 percent, with a 2.9 percent margin of error).

The previous Trafalgar poll, conducted October 10-12, put Vance three points ahead (47 to 44 percent).

Trafalgar has been accused by critics of producing Republican-friendly polls in the past. Poll aggregator FiveThirtyEight rates the pollster A-, based on historical accuracy and methodology.

07:02 AM EST

Is It Too Late To Register To Vote for Midterms?

Voters in more than half of the states need to register before Election Day in these midterms. Today, November 7, is the last day to register in Montana.

Those in states listed below can still register, according to nonprofit Vote.org. Click on your state to find out more.

• California, Colorado, Connecticut
• Delaware, District of Columbia
• Hawaii
• Idaho, Illinois, Iowa
• Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota
• Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico
• Utah
• Vermont, Virginia
• Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.