Vol. II, No. 144 From Our Region to Yours

Election Night Desk · #Midterms2026

Midterms 2026

What happened, what we wrote about it, and what the newsroom thinks. Sometimes the two cross over.

The Facts

From the results desk. Reported results only, each with its source. Updated Nov 4, 3:05 AM CST.

Control of Congress

U.S. Senate control Called

Democrats D def. Republicans R

Seats: Democrats 54, Republicans 44, 2 races uncalled (Alaska, Mississippi; NBC News count). 50 needed.

Democrats flipped seven Republican-held seats: Iowa, Kansas, Maine, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina and Texas.

Called by CBS News, 11:44 p.m. ET, Nov. 3. Source: NBC News Senate results. As of Nov 4, 3:05 AM CST.

U.S. House control Called

Democrats D def. Republicans R

Seats called: Democrats 231, Republicans 144, 60 uncalled (NBC News count). 218 needed.

The NBC News Decision Desk estimates Democrats finish with about 258 seats.

Called by CBS News, 10:15 p.m. ET, Nov. 3. Source: NBC News House results. As of Nov 4, 3:05 AM CST.

Senate

Maine Senate Called

Troy Jackson D def. Susan Collins R

53.3% to 46.6%, 78.9% of expected vote in (NBC News)

Flip. Collins conceded.

Called by Bangor Daily News / Decision Desk HQ, 1:10 a.m. ET, Nov. 4. Source: NBC News. As of Nov 4, 1:16 AM CST.

North Carolina Senate Called

Roy Cooper D def. Michael Whatley R

58.7% to 39.1%, 99% of expected vote in

Flip.

Called by CBS News, 8:30 p.m. ET, Nov. 3. Source: NBC News. As of Nov 4, 1:16 AM CST.

Ohio Senate (special) Called

Sherrod Brown D def. Jon Husted R

49.6% to 45.6%, 95% of expected vote in

Flip.

Called by CBS News, 11:15 p.m. ET, Nov. 3. Source: NBC News. As of Nov 4, 1:16 AM CST.

Kansas Senate Called

Adam Hamilton D def. Roger Marshall R

51.0% to 46.0%, 95.5% of expected vote in

Flip. Kansas had not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1932.

Called by CBS News, 11:29 p.m. ET, Nov. 3. Source: NBC News. As of Nov 4, 1:16 AM CST.

Iowa Senate Called

Josh Turek D def. Ashley Hinson R

50.4% to 46.5%, 97.2% of expected vote in

Flip.

Called by CBS News, 11:47 p.m. ET, Nov. 3. Source: NBC News. As of Nov 4, 1:16 AM CST.

South Carolina Senate Called

Annie Andrews D def. Darline Graham R

51.1% to 46.7%, 95.8% of expected vote in

Flip.

Called by CBS News, 10:03 p.m. ET, Nov. 3. Source: NBC News. As of Nov 4, 1:16 AM CST.

Mississippi Senate Too close, not called

Scott Colom D vs. Cindy Hyde-Smith R

462,821 to 462,778, a 43-vote lead, with about 95.6% counted (3 a.m. count, WDBJ7). NBC News shows 48.9% to 48.9%, 95.6% of expected vote in.

Not called. Thousands of affidavit ballots remain to be counted statewide, and Hinds County paused counting overnight (Mississippi Free Press). No runoff: the most votes wins. Colom would be the first Democrat elected to the Senate from Mississippi since 1982.

Source: WDBJ7. As of Nov 4, 3:05 AM CST.

Michigan Senate Called

Abdul El-Sayed D def. Mike Rogers R

52.2% to 45.8%, 92.6% of expected vote in (NBC News)

Democratic hold. El-Sayed will be the nation's first Muslim senator (CBS News). AP called it at 2:28 a.m.

Called by CBS News, about 2:31 a.m. ET, Nov. 4. Source: NBC News. As of Nov 4, 3:05 AM CST.

Nebraska Senate Called

Pete Ricketts R def. Dan Osborn I

50.2% to 43.8%, 87% of expected vote in

Republican hold. Ricketts fended off independent Dan Osborn. The AP also called it Wednesday.

Called by NBC News / Decision Desk HQ, Nov. 4 (NBC News projection). Source: NBC News. As of Nov 4, 3:05 AM CST.

Alaska Senate Too close, not called

Dan Sullivan R vs. Mary Peltola D

48.6% to 47.6%, 67.7% of expected vote in (about 98,000 votes remaining)

Not called. Sullivan retook the lead overnight. Ballots are accepted for 10 more days; if no one tops 50%, ranked-choice tabulation is scheduled for Nov. 18 (Alaska Public Media).

Source: NBC News. As of Nov 4, 3:05 AM CST.

Governor

Texas Governor Called

Gina Hinojosa D def. Greg Abbott R

52.8% to 45.7%, 93.5% of expected vote in (NBC News)

Abbott called Hinojosa to concede, two sources told CBS News.

Called by CBS News, 10:55 p.m. ET, Nov. 3. Source: CBS News live updates. As of Nov 4, 3:05 AM CST.

Georgia Governor Called

Keisha Lance Bottoms D def. Rick Jackson R

54.2% to 45.8%, 98.2% of expected vote in (NBC News)

Flip. The first Black woman elected governor of any state (Atlanta Journal-Constitution, CBS News). Georgia had not elected a Democratic governor since 1998.

Called by NBC News, Nov. 3 (NBC News projection). Source: NBC News. As of Nov 4, 3:05 AM CST.

Ohio Governor Called

Amy Acton D def. Vivek Ramaswamy R

52.0% to 44.7%, 97.3% of expected vote in (NBC News)

Flip. Ohio’s first elected woman governor and its first Democratic governor since Ted Strickland won in 2006. Ramaswamy conceded.

Called by NBC News, 10:49 p.m. ET, Nov. 3. Source: NBC News. As of Nov 4, 3:05 AM CST.

Iowa Governor Called

Rob Sand D def. Zach Lahn R

55.5% to 44.5%, 97.9% of expected vote in

Flip.

Called by NBC News, Nov. 3 (NBC News projection). Source: NBC News. As of Nov 4, 3:05 AM CST.

Michigan Governor Called

Jocelyn Benson D def. John James R

54.2% to 44.0%, 92.5% of expected vote in (NBC News)

Democratic hold. Michigan's first all-woman gubernatorial ticket, with Winnie Brinks for lieutenant governor.

Called by Associated Press, 1:45 a.m. ET, Nov. 4. Source: NBC News. As of Nov 4, 3:05 AM CST.

Nevada Governor Leading, not called

Aaron Ford D vs. Joe Lombardo R

51.3% to 44.7%, 70.9% of expected vote in (about 328,000 votes remaining)

Not called. NBC News: too early to call. Lombardo is the incumbent.

Source: NBC News. As of Nov 4, 3:05 AM CST.

House

Maine 2nd District Too close, not called

Matt Dunlap D vs. Paul LePage R

50.0% to 50.0%, 83.6% of expected vote in (NBC News, 3:58 a.m. ET)

Not called. LePage had retaken a narrow lead by 2:40 a.m. ET (WGME). With a write-in candidate on the ballot, a winner needs more than 50%, so the race may go to a ranked-choice runoff (Maine Morning Star).

Source: NBC News. As of Nov 4, 3:05 AM CST.

The Stories

Everything The Regional Dispatch has filed on the midterms, newest first.

  1. The Mississippi State Capitol in Jackson on a sunny day, its domed tower topped by a gold eagle, seen down a paved drive lined with young trees and a parked SUV out front.
    Politics Mississippi Senate Race Down to 43 Votes, Which Our Model Rounds Up to a Landslide Scott Colom leads Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith by 43 votes out of more than 925,000. This reporter's model has called the race with total confidence, for both of them. Warren Fitch · Nov 4, 2026
  2. Vivek Ramaswamy, in a dark suit and blue tie, stands beside a clear acrylic lectern and raises one finger as he speaks, in front of a huge red, white and blue video screen showing an American flag graphic.
    Politics Ohio Phases Out Vivek Ramaswamy Ahead of Schedule, Leaves Income Tax for Later Amy Acton beat Vivek Ramaswamy for governor on Tuesday. He promised to phase out the state income tax over several years. Voters found a faster item on the list. Warren Fitch · Nov 4, 2026
  3. Adam Hamilton, gray-haired in wire-rimmed glasses, a navy quilted vest and a light blue checked shirt, speaks into a handheld microphone and gestures with his free hand on an outdoor stage, with blurred trees behind him.
    Politics Kansas Elects First Democratic Senator in 94 Years; Anglers Say They Have Waited Longer for Less Methodist pastor Adam Hamilton unseated Sen. Roger Marshall on Tuesday. This reporter followed the returns from a stock pond, where the fish were biting at roughly the same historic rate. Bud Lindqvist · Nov 4, 2026
  4. A crowd of hundreds fills a fenced backyard venue under strings of lights, many holding up phones toward a man in a dark suit speaking on a small stage, with a Texas flag hanging at the right edge and trees behind the fence.
    Politics Texas Democrats End 32-Year Republican Winning Streak, and Our Model Saw It Coming James Talarico won a U.S. Senate seat and Gina Hinojosa unseated Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday, two results this reporter's model forecast with total confidence, in the other direction. Warren Fitch · Nov 4, 2026
  5. The east front of the U.S. Capitol at dusk, its white dome lit against a deep blue sky, the long wings of the building glowing along a wide, empty plaza edged with lamps and low railings.
    Politics Democrats Take the House, Will Spend the Next Two Years Being Blamed for It Voters handed Democrats the majority Tuesday night, along with the speaker's gavel, the committee chairs and every deadline Congress has between now and 2029. Harlan Whitcomb · Nov 4, 2026
  6. A stainless steel SpaceX Starship prototype climbs straight up into a pale blue sky on a thin white exhaust trail, above a billowing tan cloud of launch smoke on the flat Texas coastline, with dark blue water in the foreground.
    Tech Elon Musk Pivots to Data Centers in Space After Earth Declines to Host Them Hours after voters rejected his candidates and a good number of data centers, the world's richest man announced that orbit is looking pretty appealing. This reporter is bullish. Chase Pemberton · Nov 4, 2026
  7. Susan Collins, in a green suit jacket, glasses and a silver chain necklace, speaks into a handheld microphone on a stage with a black curtain, a blank projection screen to her left and an Arizona state flag behind her.
    Politics Susan Collins Term-Limited by Exactly the Method She Recommended In October the senator said Congress doesn't need term limits because "that's what you have elections for." On Tuesday, Maine had one. Harlan Whitcomb · Nov 4, 2026
  8. Roy Cooper, gray-haired in a navy blazer and open-collared white shirt, smiles at a blue podium reading Roy Cooper for North Carolina, between two glass teleprompters, in front of a giant American flag backdrop and a brick wall, with the dark silhouettes of a crowd in the foreground.
    Politics Roy Cooper Wins North Carolina Senate Seat, Now Has to Go to the Senate The former two-term governor flipped an open Republican seat Tuesday night and will now trade a job where things happen for a chamber where things get scheduled. Harlan Whitcomb · Nov 3, 2026
  9. The white marble front of the U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington under a blue sky with scattered clouds: a wide staircase rises to eight tall Corinthian columns beneath a carved pediment and the engraved words Equal Justice Under Law, with a seated marble statue on a pedestal at each side, scaffolding against the right corner, and a security officer standing near a rope line at the foot of the steps.
    Politics Justice Department Asks Supreme Court to Set Aside 20,000 California Ballots From a List Where 42 Percent of the Names Aren't on the Voter Rolls Two courts have already said no, the election is Tuesday, and this reporter has run the government's list through a spreadsheet, which had questions. Warren Fitch · Nov 2, 2026
  10. A polished dark wooden judge's gavel with a brass band rests on its round sound block against a pale, softly lit background.
    Politics Judge Rejects Federal Plan to Lose the Alaska Senate Race in Advance A federal judge dismissed the Justice Department's suit to block Alaska's Senate results if the Republican incumbent loses, finding no lawful way to count votes you have already decided not to accept. Harlan Whitcomb · Nov 1, 2026
  11. A paper election ballot resting on the metal shelf of a white voting booth, with a marking-instructions placard on the left panel and a pen tethered on a string to the right.
    Politics Alaska Ballot Now Requires Voters to Specify Which Dan Sullivan They Mean Election officials stress that on a ranked-choice ballot, a voter may in fact rank both Dan Sullivans, in whatever order feels right to them. Warren Fitch · Oct 28, 2026

The Desk Weighs In

The staff, briefly. Each one links to the story.