The anticipated red wave failed to materialize for Republicans during the 2022 midterm vote. In a bruising night for both parties, it seems the nation remains as divided as ever, with some victories and disappointments on each side. The election is still not over in terms of the Senate, but numbers so far suggest the GOP has managed to creep over the line to take control of the House. Here’s how the political landscape looks this morning:
Senate Latest
Georgia
- Raphael Warnock (D): 49.42%
- Herschel Walker (R): 48.52%
Run-Off Election Required
With neither candidate securing more than 50% of the vote, the Peach State Senate seat heads to a December 6 run-off. Libertarian candidate Chase Oliver – who secured 2.07% of the vote – will not be included in the contest.
Arizona
- Mark Kelly (D): 51.43%
- Blake Masters (R): 46.43%
Reporting 69.73%.
It seems that more than 600,000 votes still remain to be counted. Much of the delay appears to be due to voting machine issues in Maricopa County.
Pennsylvania
- John Fetterman (D): 50.19%
- Mehmet Oz (R): 47.40%
Winner: John Fetterman +2.79%
Nevada
- Catherine Cortez Masto (D): 47.39%
- Adam Laxalt (R): 49.65%
Reporting 78.62%.
Delays in counting signify it will be unlikely that the final winner is declared before Friday. However, Laxalt appears poised to claim this crucial seat for Republicans.
Ohio
- JD Vance (R): 53.28%
- Tim Ryan (D): 46.72%
Winner: JD Vance +6.53%
New Hampshire
- Maggie Hassan (D): 54.19%
- Don Bolduc (R): 43.82%
Winner: Maggie Hassan +10.37%
Wisconsin
- Ron Johnson (R): 50.52%
- Mandela Barnes (D): 49.48%
Winner: Ron Johnson +1.06%
House in the Air
As things stand, Republicans have claimed 207 House seats compared to Democrats with 184. Most predictions suggest the GOP is still on course to take a majority.
Gubernatorial Winners and Losers
Florida
- Ron DeSantis (R): 59.38%
- Charlie Crist (D): 39.96%
Winner: Ron DeSantis +14.63% with 99% reporting.
In one of the most stunning results of the night, incumbent Governor Ron DeSantis waltzed to a commanding win against challenger Charlie Crist. This was a huge increase after his narrow 2018 margin, and even saw Miami-Dade County turn red.
Arizona
- Katie Hobbs (D): 50.34%
- Kari Lake (R): 49.66%
Reporting 69.72%.
Like the state’s Senate race, Arizona’s gubernatorial remains undecided with more than 30% of the vote still outstanding.
Pennsylvania
- Josh Shapiro (D): 56.10%
- Doug Mastriano (R): 42.11%
Winner: Josh Shapiro +12.5% with 96.55% reporting.
Georgia
- Brian Kemp (R): 53.44%
- Stacey Abrams (D): 45.85%
Winner: Brian Kemp +8.5% with 98.1% reporting.
Stacey Abrams lost for the second time against Kemp, but this time formally conceded the defeat.
Texas
- Greg Abbott (R): 55.13%
- Beto O’Rourke (D): 43.53%
Winner: Greg Abbott +12.3% with 80.88% reporting.
O’Rourke has now lost three elections within the space of four years, this time failing to stop a landslide for the popular Texas governor. Whether this string of losses will deter Beto from seeking high office in 2024 remains a hugely interesting question.
New York
- Kathy Hochul (D): 52.73%
- Lee Zeldin (R): 42.27%
Winner: Kathy Hochul +6.5% with 93.31% reporting.
Where to Next?
As things stand, the Republicans are close to taking control of the House – even if by just a few seats. This will likely mean that Democrats have to make deals or concessions to spend taxpayer cash over the next two years. The Senate rests on several key races. Numbers indicate that Democrats will pick up Arizona while the GOP will gain Nevada, leaving a 50 to 49 split in favor of Republicans. Once again, control will come down to who wins in the Georgia run-off election in December. Should Senator Warnock retain the seat, the Senate will be split 50-50 with VP Kamala Harris deciding ties (the same as it is right now). However, if Walker beats the odds, it seems Republicans will control both the House and Senate – albeit by tiny margins.