Samuel Corum | Getty Images Although President Joe Biden has asked voters to view the upcoming election as a “choice” rather than a “referendum,” midterms have historically been a referendum on the party in power. That’s not a great sign for Democrats who control the presidency and both houses of Congress. Former President George W. Bush was the exception to the trend. Political analysts attribute the GOP’s gain in the House to the rallying effect after the 9/11 attacks. Here’s how the parties of recent presidents fared in the US House in the midterm races held during their first term:
Bill Clinton: Democrats lost 54 seats Bush: Republicans won 8 seats Barack Obama: Democrats lost 63 seats Donald Trump: Republicans lost 41 seats
— Emma Kinery
Biden approval rating at 44%, voters slightly favor Democrats in control of Congress in NBC poll
US President Joe Biden speaks on the economy at ViaSat, a US technology company, in Carlsbad, California on November 4, 2022 Saul Loeb AFP | Getty Images Biden’s approval rating stands at 44 percent on Election Day, according to a poll released Sunday by NBC News. It puts him in a similar spot to former presidents Donald Trump (46%) and Barack Obama (45%) in the latest NBC News/WSJ poll taken before the midterm elections. The poll, which has a margin of error of 3.5 percentage points among likely voters, found that 48 percent preferred Democrats to control Congress and 47 percent preferred Republicans. That’s a reversal from October, when 48 percent of likely voters favored Republicans and 47 percent favored Democrats in an NBC News poll. Both are within the margin of error. — Emma Kinery
The polls have opened for voters in the Midwestern, mountainous regions of the country
A voter drops a ballot into a ballot box at the Maricopa County Elections and Registration Center on November 7, 2022 in Phoenix, Arizona. Justin Sullivan | Getty Images Voters in the center of the country started heading to the polls at 7am. ET in Missouri and lined up to vote from 8 a.m. ET in Arizona, both 6 a.m. local time. The races between Democratic Sen. Trudy Bush Valentine and Republican challenger Eric Schmidt in Missouri and incumbent Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly and Republican Sen. Blake Masters in Arizona are big ones to watch in these states. Polls also open at 8am. ET in Wisconsin (7 a.m. local time), where Republican incumbent Sen. Ron Johnson is running against Democratic candidate and Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes. Voters choose between Republican incumbent Mike Lee or Independent Evan McMullin for U.S. Senate in Utah, starting at 9 a.m. ET (7 a.m. local time). — Chelsea Cox
Trump proposes to announce his presidential candidacy on November 15
Former US President Donald Trump speaks during a rally at Dayton International Airport on November 7, 2022 in Vandalia, Ohio. Drew Anger | Getty Images Former President Donald Trump said Monday night that he will make a “big announcement” on Nov. 15 at his Mar-a-Lago resort, where he is widely expected to launch his 2024 presidential campaign. “I’m going to make a very big announcement on Tuesday, November 15 at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida,” Trump said at a Save America rally in Vandalia, Ohio, on the eve of the midterm elections. Trump is eager to launch his third bid for president, and staff discussions have picked up steam in recent weeks. An early list of potential top contributors is already out. Trump’s Nov. 15 rant came at the end of a more than 90-minute speech for GOP candidate JD Vance in Ohio. Instead of focusing on Vance, the former president criticizes Democrats, judges who have ruled against his family, destroying US airports and, above all, President Joe Biden. A spokesman for Trump did not respond to CNBC’s request to confirm that his Nov. 15 event will be a campaign launch. As Trump approaches the official start of the 2024 presidential race, polls show him enjoying unparalleled support among Republican voters. Trump would also enter the race with more than $60 million in cash held by his leadership PAC, Save America, and a terrific small-dollar fundraising business that collects online donations from the Republican base. —Christina Wilkie
The polls have opened for voters on the East Coast
A man arrives to vote during early voting for the midterm elections at the Smyrna Community Center in Smyrna, Georgia, November 4, 2022. Carlos Barrio | Reuters Voters can go to the polls as early as 6am. ET in Virginia and from 6 A.M. Polls open at 7am. ET for voters in Florida, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Michigan. Big races in those states are the US Senate race between incumbent Republican Sen. Marco Rubio and Democratic Rep. Val Demings in Florida. Democratic incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock is also running against controversial Republican primary Herschel Walker in Georgia, and incumbent Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will face Republican Tudor Dixon for governor of Michigan. — Chelsea Cox
