HERE IS THE LATEST
- Polls have now closed in 25 states and the District of Columbia as results from the 2026 midterm elections continue to come in, with control of Congress and President Trump’s legislative agenda hanging in the balance.
- Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia notched an early win for Democrats, with CBS News projecting he will keep his seat by defeating GOP Rep. Mike Collins.
- Early exit polls showed Mr. Trump was on track to set a record for the lowest approval rating for a president in a midterm, with 38% of respondents saying they approve of his performance.
- Watch live coverage of election results on CBS News and get the latest updates on CBSNews.com and streaming on CBS News 24/7. Find more updates on key House races here, Senate battleground races here and all election results in the CBS News Election Center.
Democrat Chris Pappas wins in New Hampshire
Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas has defeated former GOP Sen. John Sununu in the New Hampshire Senate race, CBS News projects, keeping the seat in Democratic control after Sen. Jeanne Shaheen’s retirement.
Pappas, 46, has represented New Hampshire in the House since 2019, where he’s a member of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus. He campaigned as an independent voice for New Hampshire, taking on a formidable opponent in Sununu, whose family has widespread name recognition in the state.
Sununu, 62, is the son of former Gov. John H. Sununu and brother of former Gov. Chris Sununu, and his name carries significant weight in New Hampshire. He sought a comeback bid to the upper chamber — after representing New Hampshire in the House and Senate for more than a decade, he was defeated by Shaheen in 2008.
With Sununu, Republicans saw one of few opportunities for a pickup this cycle, looking to flip the seat although New Hampshire hasn’t elected a Republican to the Senate since 2010. And though a Republican also hasn’t won in the state at the presidential level since 2000, Republicans have controlled the governor’s mansion since 2017.
Susan Collins speaks in Maine, thanking supporters while outcome remains uncertain
Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who is in a toss-up race against Democrat Troy Jackson, took to the stage minutes after polls closed in Maine.
She thanked her family members individually for their support, along with her staff and volunteers.
“You made the case, and I am so grateful to each and every one of you,” she said.
Collins gave no indication as to how she thinks the race is leaning.
Joe Manchin says Trump is “not coming across with any empathy whatsoever”
Joe Manchin, former U.S. senator from West Virginia, said Mr. Trump is failing to meet the moment for the American people.
“He’s not coming across with any empathy whatsoever as to how difficult it is to live today,” Manchin said on CBS News.
Groceries and gas prices are “unbelievable,” he said. “And all we hear about is how rich America is.”
If there was ever a blue wave, this is set up to be one, Manchin said.
Joe Manchin says Trump is “not coming across with any empathy whatsoever”
Joe Manchin, former U.S. senator from West Virginia, said Mr. Trump is failing to meet the moment for the American people.
“He’s not coming across with any empathy whatsoever as to how difficult it is to live today,” Manchin said on CBS News.
Groceries and gas prices are “unbelievable,” he said. “And all we hear about is how rich America is.”
If there was ever a blue wave, this is set up to be one, Manchin said.
Manchin, a Democrat for most of his political career, left the Democratic Party in 2024 to become an independent.
Polls have now closed in six states as results from the 2026 midterm elections begin to come in, with control of Congress and President Trump’s legislative agenda hanging in the balance.
Georgia Senate race leans Ossoff, while South Carolina is a toss-up
The Senate race in Georgia is currently leaning toward incumbent Democrat Jon Ossoff, who first won election in 2021, according to CBS News’ race ratings. The contest in South Carolina between GOP Sen. Darline Graham and Democrat Annie Andrews is rated a toss-up, as is the governor’s race in Georgia.
Meanwhile in Virginia, Democratic Sen. Mark Warner has secured another term in the Senate, CBS News projects.
Virginia Senate
Polls closed: 7:00 p.m. ET · 1% in
Updated: Just now
WIN WARNER
| Candidate | Votes | Percent |
|---|---|---|
 Mark Warner | 12,767 | 55.2% |
 Bert Mizusawa | 10,335 | 44.7% |
Jeffries: Democrats “on the verge” of taking back the majority
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters Tuesday night that Democrats “are on the verge” of taking back control of the House, but added that they “take nothing for granted.”
“We’re going to continue to run through the finish line,” he told reporters in Washington, D.C. “The early vote numbers were strong, and today’s vote numbers all across the country are strong in blue states, in swing states and in red states.”
Jeffries declined to predict how many seats Democrats could win, saying “we’re working hard to get to 218, and then to win as many seats as we can on top of that.”
Asked whether he would reach out to President Trump if Democrats win the majority, Jeffries said, “we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”
Jeffries said the first person he will call after the election is “my mother.”
Polls close in 6 states as results start to come in
Polls have fully closed in the following states, the first of the night: Indiana, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Vermont and Virginia.
The Senate contests in Georgia and South Carolina are both battleground races, as are the governor’s race in Georgia and two House races in Virginia.
Georgia Senate
Polls closed: 7:00 p.m. ET · 12% in
Updated: Just now
LEAN OSSOFF
| Candidate | Votes | Percent |
|---|---|---|
 Jon Ossoff | 356,035 | 66.8% |
 Mike Collins | 177,090 | 33.2% |
 Total Write-ins | 0 | 0.0% |
Virginia House 1
Polls closed: 7:00 p.m. ET · 1% in
Updated: Just now
TOSS-UP
| Candidate | Votes | Percent |
|---|---|---|
 Robert Wittman – D | 2,571 | 59.8% |
 Shannon Taylor- R | 1,720 |
Virginia House 2
Polls closed: 7:00 p.m. ET · 1% in
Updated: 1m ago
LEAN LURIA
| Candidate | Votes | Percent |
|---|---|---|
 Jen Kiggans -D | 1,090 | 54.9% |
 Elaine Luria-R |
Trump says he’s prepared to use “tremendous powers” if Democrats take control
“I have the ultimate power — it’s called ‘veto,’” President Trump told CBS News in an exclusive phone interview before polls close, when asked about the prospect of a Democratic-controlled Congress next year.
Mr. Trump says he is prepared to veto Democratic legislation if necessary, and he welcomes the moniker “Mr. Veto,” in terms of describing his approach to Democrats, should they win a majority in the House or Senate.
Pollsters have been predicting some GOP losses and in late October, CBS News’ polling suggested Republicans could be on track to lose control of the House.
Still, Mr. Trump remained optimistic on Tuesday when asked about the Republican Party’s chances during the phone interview. And he said that regardless of the results and the makeup of Congress next year, he feels confident about his ability to pursue his agenda in the coming two years. He remarked that recent Supreme Court decisions have empowered him and his administration to wield expansive executive powers inside the federal government even if Congress tries to block him.
In the interview, Mr. Trump cited Trump v. Slaughter, a Supreme Court decision from earlier this year that allowed him to fire Rebecca Slaughter, a member of the Federal Trade Commission, and said that 6 to 3 decision enables him to exert sweeping control over many federal agencies, boards and commissions, regardless of who holds majorities in the House and Senate.
“We won the Slaughter case and the Slaughter case gives the president tremendous powers that it never had before,” Mr. Trump said.
Exit polls show widespread dissatisfaction among voters
Voters are just plain not happy.
Current exit polls show roughly three-quarters of voters are at least dissatisfied with the direction of the country. More are angry now about how things are going than they were in 2024, as economic anxiety persists. Those voting for Democrats are particularly likely to be angry.
The issue of the economy, and trust in Mr. Trump to fix it, helped propel him to victory in 2024, but voters feel no better about the condition of the economy today.
In fact, more voters have negative views of the economy now than they did two years ago, and views of the economy are more in line with what we saw in the 2022 midterms, when the party in power lost seats.
By Jennifer De Pinto, Fred Backus
Trump’s approval underwater in nearly all Senate battlegrounds
Mr. Trump’s job approval is currently underwater in nearly all the Senate battleground states, according to early exit polls, including in states that he won by double digits in 2024.
In all the Senate battlegrounds, more say their finances are worse, not better, compared to years ago.
And party control of the Senate was on the minds of voters. Majorities of those voting for Republican candidates and those voting for Democrats say which party controls the Senate was a major factor in their vote.
El-Sayed says he’s “bracing for all outcomes” if election results are challenged
Speaking to reporters at the University of Michigan, Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed said he is “bracing for all outcomes” if Republicans challenge the election results. But he said he’s hoping the “outcome is decisive” to prevent challengers acting in “bad faith.”
El-Sayed was asked if he would blame Democrat Haley Stevens if Republican Senate nominee Mike Rogers wins. Stevens crossed party lines to endorse Rogers.
“I’m not thinking about Haley Stevens,” El-Sayed said.
DHS secretary says there’s “no reason” for ICE agents to be at polling places. Only US citizens can vote
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said Americans shouldn’t be worried about Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents or any other DHS employees showing up at polling places.
“Our Immigration and Customs Enforcement, there would be no reason for us to be at a polling place because, as I said, only Americans should be picking our leaders,” Mullin told CBS News in an interview Tuesday afternoon.
Mullin said the suggestion that ICE agents would be at polling places was “absolutely ridiculous,” blaming liberals and the media for such suggestions. Some on the right, such as Steve Bannon, have called for the Trump administration to deploy ICE agents to polling locations, and some Democratic senators have expressed fears about ICE being at the polls.
“ICE, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, shouldn’t have to be there, because there shouldn’t be immigration issues going on at polling places,” Mullin said.
Mullin said there would have to be a very specific security threat for DHS officials to show up at a polling place, such as a bomb threat or a hack. And even then, he said, local police would likely be the ones responding.
The Justice Department previously said that neither FBI employees nor ICE agents will be monitoring polling places.
North Carolina elections board extends voting at certain precincts in 4 counties
The North Carolina Board of Elections said following an emergency session that it is extending voting hours at five precincts in four counties — Columbus, Hertford, Lenoir and Wilson — because of interruptions in voting during Election Day.
The elections board said statewide results will be posted 45 minutes later than scheduled, at around 8:15 p.m.
State law gives the North Carolina Board of Elections the power to extend voting hours at sites where it has been disrupted for at least 15 minutes.
“With about 2,625 polling places statewide, it is not unusual for minor issues to occur at polling sites that result in brief disruptions to voting,” the board said. “The State Board routinely meets to discuss the extension of hours when the need arises on Election Day.
Gas prices are the highest in Election Day history
Gas prices on Tuesday are averaging $4.15 per gallon, according to AAA, the highest of any Election Day in U.S. history.
On Election Day in 2022, the previous record, gas averaged $3.80 a gallon.
In 2024, when Donald Trump defeated Kamala Harris, the average price for a gallon of gas in the U.S. was $3.10.
CBS
