Washington — Polls have closed in states across the U.S. as one of the most contentious and divisive campaign seasons in recent memory nears its end, with control of Congress and critical offices around the country hanging in the balance in this year’s midterm elections.
Results are coming in from Georgia, Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, North Carolina and other states, with Republicans picking up several early victories, according to CBS News’ projections. Full results and projections for every House, Senate and governor’s race can be found in the CBS News Election Center and in updates below.
All 435 seats in the House are up for grabs, as well as 35 Senate seats. Three dozen governorships hang in the balance, as well as hundreds of races to determine control of state legislatures.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Sen. Marco Rubio, both Republicans, won their reelection bids, boosted by support from Latino voters, early exit poll data showed. Both candidates lost the Hispanic vote in their previous elections in 2018 and 2016, respectively.
Millions of Americans turned out to vote on Election Day, with millions more casting early votes or submitting ballots by mail. No major issues with voting processes were apparent, and federal cybersecurity officials said they saw no signs of threats to election infrastructure.
CBS News is providing live coverage of the midterm results throughout the night and into the early morning on the CBS News Streaming Network, and on CBS stations from 8 to 11 p.m. Elections officials at the state level have cautioned that counting all the votes will take time, and that delays in determining the winners of races or control of Congress are part of the process to ensure an accurate count.
Republicans appear in a solid position to take control of the House and challenge Democrats for control of the Senate. Early exit poll data showed voters have a pessimistic view of the economy, with three in four calling it “bad.” Nearly eight in 10 say inflation has been a hardship for them, including about 20% who say that hardship has been severe. Most say they have been negatively impacted by gas prices, and nearly half of voters say their financial situation is worse than it was two years ago, more than twice the number who say it’s better.
Democrats, meanwhile, were pinning their hopes on strong turnout among their core constituencies, including young voters, who they hope will be enough to stem the tide of GOP gains and retain control of Congress.
