Voters in a trio of Southern states will head to the polls Tuesday to cast their ballots in the midterm primary elections.

Alabama, Arkansas and Georgia take their turn this week selecting their candidates for November’s general election. Plus, Texas and Minnesota host a handful of runoff elections.

While the Democrats will appear on the ballot in all of the states, it's the GOP that will headline the night, featuring a number of races that will certainly shine a light on the future of the party.

A former White House press secretary, a football legend and a few hard-pressed incumbents take center stage Tuesday night.

Here's what to watch for:

Huckabee Sanders poised for Arkansas governorship?

Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the White House press secretary for former President Donald Trump from 2017 to 2019, is the runaway favorite to become the next governor of Arkansas.

Sanders, whose father, Mike Huckabee, served as governor for 10 years, is facing one long-shot challenger in Francis "Doc" Washburn, a fiery radio personality and podcaster from Little Rock.

The 39-year-old Sanders boasts endorsements from Trump, former Vice President Mike Pence, Sen. Tom Cotton, a long list of state officials and musician Kid Rock. The latest polling shows her up nearly 60 points on Washburn.

Chris Jones, a nuclear physicist and ordained minister, is the leading candidate for the Democratic nomination.

The other notable race in Arkansas is the GOP primary for U.S. Senate. Sen. John Boozman, who has held the seat since 2011, is seeking reelection.

Also riding a Trump endorsement, Boozman is facing an aggressive challenge from his right by former NFL player Jake Bequette, however, polling shows the incumbent safely in the lead. Jan Morgan, who’s been endorsed by former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, conservative political consultant Roger Stone and musician Ted Nugent, is also vying for the nomination.

Jack Foster, Natalie James and Dan Whitfield will duke it out for the Democratic nomination.

Heisman Trophy winner leads pack, sitting governor under attack

Sen. Raphael Warnock has only been in the U.S. Senate for just over a year, defeating former Sen. Kelly Loeffler in a runoff election in January 2021.

He will be back on the ballot in 2022, though he's basically running unopposed in the primary. Tamara Johnson-Shealey is the only challenger.

It's the GOP primary that will attract the most eyes. Six Republicans are contending for the Republican nod, including top candidates Herschel Walker, a former Heisman Trophy winner and NFL star, and Gary Black, the current Georgia agriculture commissioner.

Walker, who has endorsements from Trump, former Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, currently holds a sizable lead over Black in polling — 55% according to the latest aggregation.

The GOP race for governor will also garner some attention, as Gov. Brian Kemp tries to fend off former Sen. David Perdue.

Kemp, who has served as governor since 2019, boasts endorsements from Pence, former President George W. Bush and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

Meanwhile, Trump is in Perdue's corner, as well as former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

The latest aggregation of polling shows Kemp in the lead by roughly 23 points. But a late surge by Perdue could make Tuesday night interesting.

What will be less interesting is the Democratic primary, which features one candidate — Stacey Abrams.

Abrams is expected to give whoever is the GOP's nominee a run for their money come November, testing whether Georgia will remain a blue state after flipping in the 2020 presidential election.

Alabama may be headed for multiple runoffs

The biggest draw Tuesday night in Alabama is the three-person race for the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate.

Katie Britt, a lawyer and former chief of staff for Sen. Richard Shelby, who is vacating the seat, has emerged as the leader of the pack.

Britt, who is attempting to become Alabama's first female senator, overtook Rep. Mo Brooks in polling earlier this year.

It's been a fall from grace for Brooks, who, on top of losing his lead in polling, also lost his endorsement from Trump in March after Brooks started falling behind. Trump has slammed Brooks for not being strong enough in backing the unfounded claims that the 2020 presidential election was rigged.

Additionally, Brooks had endorsements rescinded by former Senior Advisor Stephen Miller and Michael Flynn.

Meanwhile, Britt enjoys a deep bench of endorsements from state officials as well as Sens. Joni Ernst and Lindsey Graham.

Rounding out the three-person race is U.S. Army pilot and businessman Mike Durant, who remains within earshot with endorsements from Flynn, Ted Nugent and former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke.

Important to remember is that Alabama is a runoff state for its primary elections, so if no candidate reaches the 50% threshold, the top two will face off again on June 21.

Will Boyd, Brandaun Dean and Lanny Jackson will battle for the Democratic nomination.

Also on the ballot Tuesday is the governor's race. Gov. Kay Ivey holds a steady lead in polling, but she will face a challenge reaching that 50% threshold with two strong candidates nipping at her heels — former Ambassador to Slovenia Lynda Blanchard and businessman Tim James, who is the son of former Gov. Fob James.

Activist and educator Yolanda Flowers is the presumed front runner for the Democratic nod.

Reproductive rights on the ballot in conesequential Texas runoff

Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar is being pushed to the brink of being unseated by progressive challenger Jessica Cisneros.

This is the second cycle in a row Cisneros has run against Cuellar, falling 51.8% to 48.2% in 2020.

Reproductive rights has become a top issue in this race as Cuellar has come under fire for his anti-abortion stance — which is especially poignant now with Roe v. Wade's future uncertain.

Moderates and the Democratic establishment have stood by Cuellar, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn.

On the other side, Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Katie Porter and numerous labor unions are backing Cisneros.

During the first round of voting on March 3, Cuellar edged out Cisneros 48.7% to 46.6%. But things are quite different this time around. First, it's head-to-head, so there won't be a third candidate to dilute the vote count. And second, this election is taking place after the Supreme Court draft opinion leaked indicating Roe v. Wade may be overturned.

The outcome of this race could signal a changing of the guard within the Democratic Party, or it could be a doubling-down on the same old. Either way, every Democrat in Congress will be watching.

NEW YORK CITY — The National Basketball Association announced Tuesday that teams would not play any games on Election Day this year.

The league said that the decision not to play that day was so "the NBA family’s focus on promoting nonpartisan civic engagement and encouraging fans to make a plan to vote during midterm elections."

CNN reported that the league added that teams would share information on the voting processes in their state and registration deadlines leading up to Nov. 8.

According to the Associated Press, 30 teams are scheduled to play on Nov. 7, the night before the midterm elections.

The move for the league to not play on Election Day is a rare one, the news outlet pointed out. Typically the league doesn't play on Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve, nor do they try to play on the day of the NCAA men’s basketball championship game, the Associated Press reported.

“It’s unusual. We don’t usually change the schedule for an external event,” executive director of the NBA’s social justice coalition James Cadogan told NBC. “But voting and Election Day are obviously unique and incredibly important to our democracy.”

This isn't the first time the NBA has become involved in election-related issues.

The news outlets reported that in 2020, several NBA teams made their arenas available for polling places.

As voters head to the polls, they'll get to vote to see who will fill all 435 House seats and 35 of the 100 Senate seats that are available, the news outlets reported.

According to CNN, 36 states will be electing governors.

New Hampshire Republicans on Tuesday are selecting their nominee to take on Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan in what could be one of the nation's most competitive Senate races.

The Granite State, as well as Rhode Island and Delaware, are holding their primaries Tuesday — wrapping up 2022's primary calendar and setting the final pieces of the playing field for the eight-week sprint to November's midterm elections.

Here are three takeaways from the results so far:

Trump's style trumps his substance in New Hampshire

Mimicking Trump's brash style and parroting his election denialism again proved more potent in a Republican primary than embracing the policy substance of his tenure in the White House.

That's the lesson from the Republican primary in New Hampshire's 1st District, where 25-year-old political newcomer Karoline Leavitt, a former Trump aide who more closely mimicked the brand of politics that has defined Trump's orbit of political acolytes, defeated Matt Mowers, another former Trump administration official but one who was more cautious on issues like the lie that the 2020 election was stolen from the former president.

Mowers fully embraced aspects of Trump's tenure. His website was full of positions that defined the former President, and Mowers touted the fact that Trump endorsed him in his failed attempt to win the seat in 2020.

Rhetorically and stylistically, however, the two were dramatically different.

Where Mowers had "confidence in New Hampshire elections," Leavitt said she believed "the 2020 election was undoubtedly stolen from President Trump." Where Mowers suggested hearings to determine whether President Joe Biden should be impeached, Leavitt unequivocally said the President should be impeached. And where Mowers said he "supports science" when asked about the newly rolled out coronavirus vaccine, Leavitt said it was "none of your business."

Mowers' restraint effectively opened the door for someone like Leavitt to win over Republican primary voters in New Hampshire, many of them who still support the former President.

As polls showed Leavitt rising in the closing days, outside groups like the House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy-aligned Congressional Leadership Fund and Defending Main Street spent millions on ads looking to help Mowers beat back the challenge from the right. But the money was largely for not -- and now Republicans are saddled with a more complicated nominee in a race against Rep. Chris Pappas, one of the most vulnerable Democrats in the country.

Leavitt is one of the first Gen Z candidates to ever win a primary.

Video below: Outside groups spend millions to try to sway NH primary contests

Rhode Island picks candidates in competitive House race

The field is set for what's expected to be one of New England's most competitive congressional races this fall, after Rhode Island state treasurer Seth Magaziner won the 2nd District's Democratic primary, CNN projected.

He is now set to face Republican Allan Fung, the Cranston mayor, in the district where long-time Rep. Jim Langevin is retiring. Langevin, a Democrat, has won his races without serious competition since 2001, and President Joe Biden won there by 14 percentage points in 2020. But Republicans believe the seat is winnable.

Fung was the Republican candidate for governor in 2014 and 2018, losing twice to former Gov. Gina Raimondo but performing well in the district, which covers the western half of the state.

Magaziner defeated Sarah Morgenthau, who was the director of the Peace Corps Response under former President Barack Obama; David Segal, who once served in the state legislature and ran a failed congressional race in 2010; and Joy Fox, who worked as communications director for Langevin and Raimondo.

McKee hangs on in Rhode Island

One of the least popular governors in the country, Rhode Island's Dan McKee faced four primary challengers as he seeks his first full, elected term in office.

But McKee, who took over as governor last year when Raimondo left the job to join the Biden administration, is no stranger to tough primaries -- he almost lost his bid for renomination as lieutenant governor in 2018.

In the end, though, despite being weighed down by a federal investigation into the controversial awarding of a state contract to a firm with ties to an old ally -- an episode in which McKee has denied any wrongdoing -- he emerged from the packed field, likely benefiting from a split among the anti-incumbent vote.

Both of his closest rivals, former CVS executive Helena Foulkes and Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea, ran as reformers with pledges to clean up government. Foulkes, who promised not to run for reelection if she didn't revitalize Rhode Island schools, was endorsed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

The race was a bust for progressive favorite Matt Brown, the Bernie Sanders-endorsed former secretary of state, who trailed the leaders four years after losing a primary challenge to Raimondo.

President Joe Biden — accompanied by one of his granddaughters, a first-time voter — cast his midterm ballot on Saturday.In-person early voting in his home state of Delaware, where Biden regularly returns for weekends, began Friday. Democrats nationwide have encouraged voters to take advantage of early voting, either by mail-in ballots or at precincts where available to maximize turnout.Biden said he was feeling good about the midterms, which will decide control of Congress for the next two years.In the final days before the Nov. 8 elections, Biden plans to step up his campaign travels with scheduled trips to Pennsylvania, Florida, New Mexico and Maryland to stump for Democratic congressional and gubernatorial candidates.“I’m going to be spending the rest of the time making the case that this is not a referendum. It is a choice. A fundamental choice," he said. "A choice between two very different visions for the country.”Biden voted alongside his granddaughter Natalie, who is 18 years old. He also voted in Delaware last month, when he made a quick, one-day trip for the state's Sept. 13 primaries.Delaware has no competitive congressional races this cycle.

More states could soon join the growing list of places where recreational marijuana is legal.

Arkansas, Maryland, Missouri, North Dakota and South Dakota will vote in the midterms on whether to amend their constitutions to legalize recreational marijuana for adults 21 years and older.

Maryland and Missouri are tying recreational marijuana to calls for social justice. The amendments would grant relief to individuals convicted of certain marijuana crimes.

The ballot measures in Arkansas, North Dakota and South Dakota just focus on legalizing the industry without taking into account prior convictions.

Legalizing recreational marijuana has become more popular over the years. According to a 2021 poll by the Pew Research Center, 60% of Americans said recreational and medical marijuana should be legal.

"From 2000 to 2019, the share of Americans saying marijuana should be legal more than doubled,' the Pew Research Center stated.

Currently, recreational marijuana is legal in 19 states and Washington, D.C.

Colorado was the first state to legalize marijuana. Voters in 2012 passed Amendment 64, which amended the state's constitution to legalize cannabis. Other states followed by either passing ballot initiatives or going through their legislatures.

Marijuana is still illegal at the federal level. However, President Joe Biden, this year, softened the government's stance on marijuana. He pardoned all prior federal offenses of simple possession of marijuana.

"No one should be in jail just for using or possessing marijuana," Biden stated in October.

The president also ordered the attorney general and the secretary of Health and Human Services to review how marijuana is scheduled under federal law.

It's currently classified as a Schedule I drug. It's in the same category as heroin and LSD.

WASHINGTON — It's a busy week in politics with 36 gubernatorial races, 35 Senate contests and 435 House seats up for grabs across the country.

So with just a few hours left in the campaign — what advantages and disadvantages are both political parties facing?

GOP ADVANTAGES

All signs point to a historic turnout for a midterm election and all signs point to a good night for Republicans, especially in the House of Representatives.

One reason? Recent history.

Presidents tend to have rough midterm elections during their first term in office.

George Herbert Walker Bush and his Republican party didn't win in 1990.

Bill Clinton's Democrats lost big in '94.

So did the Democrats in 2010 when Obama was president.

Former President Donald Trump lost the House '18.

George W. Bush is the only recent president not to suffer a setback, but 9/11 happened and his approval rating was above 60%.

Another advantage for Republicans is the economy and inflation.

While you can debate what role Democrats actually played in creating inflation, the reality is voters in nearly every poll care about this issue more than any other.

Republicans maintain the edge in most polling when it comes to who Americans think can fix it.

DEMOCRATS STILL HAVE ADVANTAGES

However, don't count out the Democratic party, especially when it comes to control of the Senate.

Democrats have a friendlier map this cycle.

Of these nine swing states — Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin, North Carolina and Wisconsin — Democrats currently control 5 of them and all their candidates have a real shot at reelection.

If Democrats just win what they already control, they'll keep control of the Senate.

Democrats could also even flip a red state or two on election night — like Pennsylvania.

Another reason is Democrats have a slight advantage when it comes to candidate experience.

Republican Senate candidates in Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Ohio and New Hampshire are all running what experts think are solid campaigns, but not one of them has actually held elected office before.

The final advantage for Democrats — and in turn disadvantage for Republicans — is an unprecedented concern about democracy.

This is the first major federal election since the January 6th attack at the Capitol and it is still unclear if Republicans will be penalized for their alleged role on that day.

One thing is clear, the White House will have to work with whichever party controls Congress after Tuesday's election.

If Republicans take back just one political chamber it will create new political debates in this country over everything from the IRS to the border.

WASHINGTON —

Republicans inched closer to a narrow House majority Wednesday, while control of the Senate hinged on a few tight races in a midterm election that defied expectations of sweeping conservative victories driven by frustration over inflation and President Joe Biden’s leadership.

Here's the latest on key races as of 3 a.m. EST:

Either party could secure a Senate majority with wins in both Nevada and Arizona — where the races were too early to call. But there was a strong possibility that, for the second time in two years, the Senate majority could come down to a runoff in Georgia next month, with Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock and Herschel Walker failing to earn enough votes to win outright.

In the House, Republicans on Wednesday night were within a dozen seats of the 218 needed to take control, while Democrats kept seats in districts from Virginia to Pennsylvania to Kansas and many West Coast contests were still too early to call. In a particularly symbolic victory for the GOP, Sean Patrick Maloney of New York, the House Democratic campaign chief, lost his bid for a sixth term.

Control of Congress will decide how the next two years of Biden's term play out, and whether he is able to achieve more of his agenda or will see it blocked by a new GOP majority. Republicans are likely to launch a spate of investigations into Biden, his family and his administration if they take power, while a GOP takeover of the Senate would hobble the president’s ability to appoint judges.

Video above: Fetterman wins Pennsylvania U.S. Senate race against Mehmet Oz

“Regardless of what the final tally of these elections show, and there's still some counting going on, I'm prepared to work with my Republican colleagues," Biden said Wednesday in his first public remarks since the polls closed. “The American people have made clear, I think, that they expect Republicans to be prepared to work with me as well.”

Democrats did better than history suggested they would. The party in power almost always suffers losses in the president’s first midterm elections, though even if the GOP ultimately wins the House, it won't be by a margin as large as during other midterm cycles. Democrats gained a net of 41 House seats under then-President Donald Trump in 2018, President Barack Obama saw the GOP gain 63 in 2010 and Republicans gained 54 seats during President Bill Clinton's first midterm.

A small majority in the House would pose a great challenge for the GOP and especially California Rep. Kevin McCarthy, who is in line to be House speaker and would have little room for error in navigating a chamber of members eager to leverage their votes to advance their own agenda.

In the fight for Senate control, Pennsylvania was a bright spot for Democrats. Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, who suffered a stroke five months ago, flipped a Republican-controlled Senate seat, topping Trump-endorsed Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz.

Georgia, meanwhile, was set for yet another runoff on Dec. 6. In 2021, Warnock used a runoff to win his seat, as did Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff — which gave Democrats control of the Senate. Both Warnock and Walker were already fundraising off the race stretching into a second round.

Both Republican and Democratic incumbents maintained key Senate seats. In Wisconsin, Republican Sen. Ron Johnson prevailed over Democratic Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, while in New Hampshire, Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan beat Don Bolduc, a retired Army general who had initially promoted Trump’s lies about the 2020 election but tried to shift away those views closer to Election Day.

AP VoteCast, a broad survey of the national electorate, showed that high inflation and concerns about the fragility of democracy were heavily influencing voters. Half of voters said inflation factored significantly, with groceries, gasoline, housing and other costs that have shot up in the past year. Slightly fewer — 44% — said the future of democracy was their primary consideration.

Biden didn’t entirely shoulder the blame for inflation, with close to half of voters saying the higher-than-usual prices were more because of factors outside of his control. And despite the president bearing criticism from a pessimistic electorate, some of those voters backed Democratic candidates.

Democrats counted on a midterm boost from the Supreme Court’s decision to gut abortion rights, which they thought might energize their voters, and the bet paid off. In four states where the issue was on the ballot, voters backed abortion rights. VoteCast showed that 7 in 10 national voters said overturning the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision was an important factor in their midterm decisions. It also showed the reversal was broadly unpopular. And roughly 6 in 10 said they favor a law guaranteeing access to legal abortion nationwide.

In the first national election since the Jan. 6 insurrection, some who participated in or were in the vicinity of the attack on the U.S. Capitol were poised to win elected office. One of those Republican candidates, Derrick Van Orden in Wisconsin — who was outside the Capitol during the deadly riot — won a House seat. Another, J.R. Majewski, lost to Ohio Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur.

Video above: Inflation, democracy top of mind as America votes

Republicans had sought to make inroads in liberal New England but were shut out of House contests, with one Maine race still set to be determined by ranked choice voting.

Governors' races took on outsized significance this year, particularly in battleground states that could help decide the results of the 2024 presidential election. Democrats held on to governors' mansions in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, defeating Republicans who promoted Trump's lies about a stolen 2020 election. Republicans held on to governors’ mansions in Florida, Texas and Georgia, another battleground state Biden narrowly won two years ago.

Trump found some success as well. He lifted Republican Senate candidates to victory in Ohio and North Carolina. JD Vance, the bestselling author of “Hillbilly Elegy,” defeated 10-term congressman Tim Ryan, while Rep. Ted Budd beat Cheri Beasley, the former chief justice of the state Supreme Court.

Video above: Healey declares victory, Diehl concedes in governor's race

Trump had endorsed more than 300 candidates across the country, hoping the night would end in a red wave he could ride to the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. After summoning reporters and his most loyal supporters to a watch party at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida on Tuesday, he ended the night without a triumphant speech.

Still, the former president insisted on social media that he’d had “A GREAT EVENING.” Hours later, Palm Beach County issued an evacuation order for an area that included Trump's club with Hurricane Nicole approaching.

___

Associated Press writer Hannah Fingerhut contributed.

Almost 48 hours after the final polls closed on Election Night, control of Congress is still yet to be determined.The battle for the Senate has come down to three races, though if Democrats pull out victories in Nevada and Arizona, Georgia's Dec. 6 runoff could be a victory lap.Meanwhile, neither party has reached the magic number of 218 in the 435-seat U.S. House of Representatives.If the red wave that the GOP envisioned came to fruition, control of the House would probably be determined by now. But, because of strong showings by Democrats in states like Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania, the campaign for House majority has come down to a handful of races.Having said that, Republicans are inching closer to that 218-seat threshold with several key flips.Full election interactive maps PGlmcmFtZSBjbGFzcz0iYXAtZW1iZWQiIHRpdGxlPSJMaXZlIGVsZWN0aW9uIHJlc3VsdHMgdmlhIHRoZSBBc3NvY2lhdGVkIFByZXNzIiBzcmM9Imh0dHBzOi8vaW50ZXJhY3RpdmVzLmFwLm9yZy9lbGVjdGlvbi1yZXN1bHRzL2N1c3RvbWVycy9sYXlvdXRzL29yZ2FuaXphdGlvbi1sYXlvdXRzL3B1Ymxpc2hlZC82NjU5Ny83Mzc3Lmh0bWwiIHdpZHRoPSIxMDAlIiBmcmFtZWJvcmRlcj0iMCIgc2Nyb2xsaW5nPSJubyIgbWFyZ2luaGVpZ2h0PSIwIj48L2lmcmFtZT48c2NyaXB0IGRlZmVyIHNyYz0iaHR0cHM6Ly9pbnRlcmFjdGl2ZXMuYXAub3JnL2VsZWN0aW9uLXJlc3VsdHMvYXNzZXRzL21pY3Jvc2l0ZS9yZXNpemVDbGllbnQuanMiPjwvc2NyaXB0Pg==App users, tap here for results What's left to be decidedControl of the HouseIn the House, Republicans were within a dozen seats of the 218 needed to take control, while Democrats kept seats in districts from Virginia to Pennsylvania to Kansas and many West Coast contests were still too early to call. In a particularly symbolic victory for the GOP, Sean Patrick Maloney of New York, the House Democratic campaign chief, lost his bid for a sixth term.Democrats did better than history suggested they would. The party in power almost always suffers losses in the president’s first midterm elections, though even if the GOP ultimately wins the House, it won't be by a margin as large as during other midterm cycles. Democrats gained a net of 41 House seats under then-President Donald Trump in 2018, President Barack Obama saw the GOP gain 63 in 2010 and Republicans gained 54 seats during President Bill Clinton's first midterm.Control of Congress will decide how the next two years of President Joe Biden's term play out, and whether he is able to achieve more of his agenda or will see it blocked by a new GOP majority. Republicans are likely to launch a spate of investigations into Biden, his family and his administration if they take power, while a GOP takeover of the Senate would hobble the president’s ability to appoint judges.Video above: Cindy Axne concedes race in Iowa's 3rd Congressional District Control of the SenateEither party could secure a Senate majority with wins in both Nevada and Arizona — where the races were too early to call. But there was a strong possibility that, for the second time in two years, the Senate majority could come down to a runoff in Georgia next month, with Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock and Herschel Walker failing to earn enough votes to win outright.In the fight for Senate control, Pennsylvania was a bright spot for Democrats. Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, who suffered a stroke five months ago, flipped a Republican-controlled Senate seat, topping Trump-endorsed Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz.Video above: Fetterman defeats Oz in Pennsylvania Senate race as Braddock residents reactBoth Republican and Democratic incumbents maintained key Senate seats. In Wisconsin, Republican Sen. Ron Johnson prevailed over Democratic Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, while in New Hampshire, Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan beat Don Bolduc.Races we're still watchingArizona SenateDemocratic incumbent Sen. Mark KellyRepublican Blake MastersNevada SenateDemocratic incumbent Sen. Catherine Cortez MastoRepublican Adam LaxaltArizona GovernorRepublican Kari LakeDemocrat Katie HobbsColorado Third Congressional DistrictRepublican incumbent Rep. Lauren BoebertDemocrat Adam FrischCalifornia Third Congressional DistrictRepublican Kevin KileyDemocrat Kermit JonesAlaska First Congressional DistrictDemocratic incumbent Mary PeltolaRepublican Sarah PalinKey election stories How the Georgia Senate runoff will workMcCarthy's command of GOP weakened by election failures Trump urged to delay 2024 launch after GOP's uneven election EXCLUSIVE: State hit by largest sustained Election Day cyberattack warns ‘it’s only going to get worse’ Fetterman triumphs over Oz in Pennsylvania's US Senate raceRecord-setting number of female governors to make history in 2023 EXPLAINER: Why did Arizona have voting slowdowns? Fact Check: Video shows Wisconsin poll worker, not 'cheating' in Philly Democrat Maxwell Frost becomes 1st member of Gen Z to win House seat Voters approve recreational marijuana in Maryland, Missouri Slavery rejected in some, not all, states where on ballot The Associated Press contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON —

Republicans intensified their public criticism of former President Donald Trump on Thursday, saying it was time for the party to move on after an unexpectedly poor showing in the midterm elections, even as he plans to announce a third White House bid next week.

Virginia's Republican lieutenant governor, Winsome Earle-Sears, once a vocal Trump supporter, said voters had sent "a very clear message" Tuesday that "enough is enough."

"The voters have spoken and they have said that they want a different leader and a true leader understands when they have become a liability," she said in an appearance on Fox Business. "A true leader understands that it's time to step off the stage. It is time to move on."

Earle-Sears, who served as co-chair of a group called Black Americans to Re-elect President Trump in 2020, also said she "just couldn't" support another Trump campaign.

Some advisers had urged Trump to delay his planned announcement until after the Dec. 6 Senate runoff election in Georgia that could determine which party controls the Senate to avoid turning the race into a referendum on him and unintentionally helping Democrats. But Trump has rebuffed that advice and intends to move forward with an announcement on Nov. 15, according to a senior adviser who requested anonymity to discuss the plans.

That leaves him trying to launch a comeback bid at a time when he finds himself in a position of extraordinary vulnerability after dominating the party, largely unchallenged, since he won the nomination in 2016. At the same time, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who easily won reelection Tuesday, is gaining new attention as Republicans openly weigh moving on from Trump.

Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, the Senate's No. 2 Republican, noted Trump's role in lifting some inexperienced and controversial candidates during primaries earlier this year who went on to lose in this week's elections.

In an interview, Thune said there's "no substitute for good quality candidates."

"We had some very contested, competitive primaries this year," said Thune, who easily won reelection. "And in some cases, you know, there were lots of forces at work, including outside folks making endorsements in some of those races."

Thune said he hoped the party would begin to see the emergence of younger leaders.

"You can't have a party that's built around one person's personality," he said.

Former House Speaker Paul Ryan, who clashed with Trump during his first two years in office, called Trump "a drag on our ticket."

"We want to win. We want to win the White House and we know with Trump we're so much more likely to lose," he said in an interview with WISN 12 News. "If have a nominee not named Trump, we're so much more likely to win the White House than if our nominee is Trump."

Retiring Republican Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey also blamed Trump's intervention for GOP losses in his state and noted Trump-endorsed candidates did notably worse than other Republicans on the ballot.

"I think my party needs to face the fact that if fealty to Donald Trump is the primary criteria for selecting candidates, we're probably not gonna do really well," he said on CNN. "All over the country there's a very high correlation between MAGA candidates and big losses or at least dramatically underperforming."

Trump has disputed that he had a bad night.

"For those many people that are being fed the fake narrative from the corrupt media that I am Angry about the Midterms, don't believe it," he said on his social media network. "I am not at all angry, did a great job (I wasn't the one running!), and am very busy looking into the future. Remember, I am a 'Stable Genius.'"

While the sweeping victory Republicans predicted did not come to fruition, the party still appears well positioned to flip the House, and could ultimately take the Senate, too. Many races remain too early to call.

"There's no such thing as ugly wins or pretty losses," said Jason Miller, a former Trump campaign staffer who was among those who had advised him to delay his planned announcement until after the Georgia runoff.

"Nancy Pelosi's political career is over," he predicted. "The Biden agenda's dead."

Other Trump allies provided statements to media outlets on the former president's behalf, endorsing him before his impending announcement.

"I am proud to endorse Donald J. Trump for President in 2024. I fully support him running again," House GOP Chairwoman Elise Stefanik said in a statement. "It is time for Republicans to unite around the most popular Republican in America, who has a proven track record of conservative governance."

"If he runs in 2024 not only will he have my support, but he'll have the support of millions of Americans across the country," said Rep. Jim Banks, a top congressional ally.

Ohio Senate candidate JD Vance, who proved Trump's most successful endorsement, said if the former president decides to run again, he's confident he will be the party's nominee.

"Every year, the media writes Donald Trump's political obituary. And every year, we're quickly reminded that Trump remains the most popular figure in the Republican party," Vance said in a statement provided after inquiries to Trump's spokesman.

Meanwhile, Trump escalated his public rebuke of DeSantis, whom he has long considered his most formidable potential challenger. In a lengthy and angry statement Thursday evening, Trump berated Fox News and other Rupert Murdoch-controlled media outlets for going "all in for Governor Ron DeSanctimonious DeSantis," whom he slammed as "an average REPUBLICAN Governor with great Public Relations," as he again took credit for DeSantis's 2018 win.

While Trump allies had previously insisted that reports of tensions between the men were overstated, Trump, who has privately slammed DeSantis for failing to rule out a run against him, did so publicly.

"Well, in terms of loyalty and class, that's really not the right answer," he wrote, comparing the race to his winning 2016 campaign. "We're in exactly the same position now. They will keep coming after us, MAGA, but ultimately, we will win. Put America First and, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"

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Associated Press writers Stephen Groves in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Sarah Rankin in Richmond, Virginia, contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON —

Addressing a concerned nation and anxious world, President Joe Biden vowed in his first State of the Union address Tuesday night to check Russian aggression in Ukraine, tame soaring U.S. inflation and deal with the fading but still dangerous coronavirus.

Biden declared that he and all members of Congress, whatever their political differences, are joined “with an unwavering resolve that freedom will always triumph over tyranny.” He asked the lawmakers crowding the House chamber to stand and salute the Ukrainians as he began his speech. They stood and cheered.

It was a notable show of unity after a long year of bitter acrimony between Biden’s Democratic coalition and the Republican opposition.

Biden’s 62-minute speech, which was split between attention to war abroad and worries at home — reflected the same balancing act he now faces in his presidency. He must marshal allied resolve against Russia’s aggression while tending to inflation, COVID-19 fatigue and sagging approval ratings heading into the midterm elections.

Biden highlighted the bravery of Ukrainian defenders and the commitment of a newly reinvigorated Western alliance that has worked to rearm the Ukrainian military and cripple Russia’s economy through sanctions. He warned of costs to the American economy, as well, but warned ominously that without consequences, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aggression wouldn’t be contained to Ukraine.

“Throughout our history we’ve learned this lesson – when dictators do not pay a price for their aggression, they cause more chaos,” Biden said. “They keep moving. And, the costs and threats to America and the world keep rising.”

As Biden spoke, Russian forces were escalating their attacks in Ukraine, having bombarded the central square of country’s second-biggest city and Kyiv’s main TV tower, killing at least five people. The Babi Yar Holocaust memorial was also damaged.

Biden announced that the U.S. is following Canada and the European Union in banning Russian planes from its airspace in retaliation for the invasion of Ukraine. He also said the Justice Department was launching a task force to go after crimes of Russian oligarchs, whom he called “corrupt leaders who have bilked billions of dollars off this violent regime.”

“We are coming for your ill-begotten gains,” he said, pledging that the U.S. and European allies were coming after their yachts, luxury apartments and private jets.

“Putin may circle Kyiv with tanks, but he will never gain the hearts and souls of the Ukrainian people," Biden said. "He will never extinguish their love of freedom. He will never weaken the resolve of the free world.”

Even before the Russian invasion sent energy costs skyrocketing, prices for American families had been rising, and the COVID-19 pandemic continues to hurt families and the country’s economy.

Biden outlined plans to address inflation by reinvesting in American manufacturing capacity, speeding supply chains and reducing the burden of childcare and eldercare on workers.

“Too many families are struggling to keep up with the bills,” Biden said. “Inflation is robbing them of the gains they might otherwise feel. I get it. That’s why my top priority is getting prices under control.”

Biden entered the House chamber without a mask, in a reflection of the declining coronavirus case counts and new federal guidance meant to nudge the public back to pre-pandemic activities. But the Capitol was newly fenced due to security concerns after last year’s insurrection.

Set against unease at home and danger abroad, the White House had conceived Tuesday night's speech as an opportunity to highlight the improving coronavirus outlook, rebrand Biden's domestic policy priorities and show a path to lower costs for families grappling with soaring inflation. But it took on new significance with last week's Russian invasion of Ukraine and nuclear saber-rattling by Putin.

As is customary, one Cabinet secretary, in this case Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, was kept in a secure location during the address, ready to take over the government in the event of a catastrophe.

In an interview with CNN and Reuters, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he urged Biden to deliver a strong and “useful” message about Russia’s invasion. In a show of unity, Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova joined First Lady Jill Biden in the gallery.

In a rare discordant moment, Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado yelled out that Biden was to blame for the 13 service members who were killed during last August’s chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

“You put them in. Thirteen of them,” Boebert yelled as Biden mentioned his late son Beau, a veteran who died from brain cancer and served near toxic military burn pits, used extensively in Iraq and Afghanistan. Biden is pursuing legislation to help veterans suffering exposure and other injuries.

Rising energy prices as a result of Russia’s war in Ukraine risk exacerbating inflation in the U.S., which is already at the highest level in 40 years, eating into people's earnings and threatening the economic recovery from the pandemic. And while the crisis in Eastern Europe may have helped to cool partisan tensions in Washington, it didn't erase the political and cultural discord that is casting doubt on Biden’s ability to deliver.

A February AP-NORC poll found that more people disapproved than approved of how Biden is handling his job, 55% to 44%. That's down from a 60% favorable rating last July.

Ahead of the speech, White House officials acknowledged the mood of the country was “sour,” citing the lingering pandemic and inflation. Biden, used his remarks to highlight the progress from a year ago — with the majority of the U.S. population now vaccinated and millions more people at work — but also acknowledged that the job is not yet done, a recognition of American discontent.

“I have come to report on the state of the union,” Biden said. “And my report is this: The state of the union is strong—because you, the American people, are strong. We are stronger today than we were a year ago. And we will be stronger a year from now than we are today.”

Before Biden spoke, House Republicans said the word “crisis” describes the state of the union under Biden and Democrats — from an energy policy that lets Russia sell oil abroad to challenges at home over jobs and immigration.

“We’re going to push the president to do the right thing,” said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.

At least a half dozen lawmakers, including Reps. Jamie Raskin and Pete Aguilar, both members of the committee investigating last year’s Capitol riot, and Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., had tested positive for COVID-19 and were not expected at the Capitol for the speech.

“Tonight, I can say we are moving forward safely, back to more normal routines,” Biden said, outlining his administration's plans to continue to combat COVID-19 and saying, “It’s time for Americans to get back to work and fill our great downtowns again.” He announced that people will be able to order another round of free tests from the government and that his administration was launching a “test to treat” initiative to provide free antiviral pills at pharmacies to those who test positive for the virus.

Where his speech to Congress last year saw the rollout of a massive social spending package, Biden this year largely repackaged past proposals in search of achievable measures he hopes can win bipartisan support in a bitterly divided Congress before the elections.

The president also highlighted investments in everything from internet broadband access to bridge construction from November’s $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure law as an example of government reaching consensus and delivering change for the nation.

He also appealed to lawmakers to compromise on rival competitiveness bills that have passed the House and Senate, both meant to revitalize high-tech American manufacturing and supply chains in the face of growing geopolitical threats from China.

“Instead of relying on foreign supply chains – let’s make it in America,” Biden said.

As part of his pitch to voters, he also put a new emphasis on how proposals like extending the child tax credit and bringing down child care costs could bring relief to families as prices rise. He was said his climate change proposals would cut costs for lower- and middle-income families and create new jobs.

Biden called for lowering health care costs, pitching his plan to authorize Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices, as well as an extension of more generous health insurance subsidies now temporarily available through the Affordable Care Act marketplaces where 14.5 million people get coverage.

He proposed initiatives on mental health that dovetail with growing bipartisan interest in Congress amid evidence that the pandemic has damaged the national psyche, and discussed new ways to improve access to health benefits for veterans sickened by exposure to the burning of waste during their service.

Biden also appealed for action on voting rights, which has failed to win GOP support. And as gun violence rises, he returned to calls to ban assault weapons, a blunt request he hadn’t made in months. He called to “fund the police with the resources and training they need to protect our communities.”

In addition, Biden led Congress in a bipartisan tribute to retiring Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer and pressed the Senate to confirm federal Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to be the first Black woman on the high court to replace him. He nominated her last week.

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Associated Press writers Darlene Superville, Fatima Hussein, Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar and Lisa Mascaro in Washington and Jason Dearen in New York contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Helping veterans with toxic lung conditions, creating more computer chips to cut through supply chain issues and passing long-sought climate change and voting legislation all remain part of President Joe Biden's agenda this week.

However, it's not the issues that may be the president's biggest obstacle going forward: It may be time and the hotly-contested midterm election later this year.

PUSH BY PRESIDENT

The president attempted to hit the reset button last week during his press conference at the White House.

"A job not yet finished," Biden said.

Modest election changes are possible. New COVID-19 relief spending is also still on the table. Funding for the environment and pre-K education programs also remain negotiable.

Biden hinted at enacting some of his agenda through executive orders if Congress doesn't act.

TIME CONCERNS

Biden may only be done with his first year in office, but there is a growing sense in Washington that he doesn't have all the time in the world to get his ambitions accomplished.

It's an election year, and polls suggest Democrats may lose control of at least one chamber of Congress.

"I don't believe the polls," Biden said last Wednesday.

While the president may not believe the polling, he can't dismiss that at least 28 Democrats in the House are retiring.

While some are doing so to run for a different office, it is a number that's higher than usual and a sign Democrats may have some tough political fights this year.

REDISTRICTING BATTLES

It's not just retirements by well-known members of Congress impacting the president. Democrats are facing difficult redistricting fights too.

What is redistricting? It is the once-in-a-decade process of redrawing congressional maps following the U.S. Census to account for population changes. The process could mean millions across the country will be voting for new representatives this year.

In Florida, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis is pushing his party to draw maps that favor the GOP more than what had already been proposed.

In Kentucky, Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear vetoed a redistricting map that heavily favors Republicans. However, the state legislature overruled him.

In Tennessee, Republicans are advancing plans to make it easier to win near Nashville. The same is true in Kansas, where the GOP hopes to fair better in races near Kansas City.

All of that puts pressure on Biden to get something done soon. However, getting something done in a divided Washington isn't easy.