Babydog goes to Washington: West Virginia’s Justice flips Senate seat red
Republican Governor Jim Justice’s dog, beloved Babydog Justice, is headed to Washington after his owner won his Senate campaign – successfully flipping West Virginia red. The Fox News Decision Desk has projected that Republican Gov. Jim Justice of West Virginia will defeat the Democrat Party’s nominee—Wheeling mayor Glenn Elliott. Justice – along with his chunky companion, Babydog – first made headlines after the pair stole the shows during the Republican National Convenion (RNC) in July, with the governor entering the stage to chants of, “Babydog!” Onlookers fawned over the English bulldog, launching the pooch to stardom. His official X account states that the pooch, “Wendy’s nuggets, riding shotgun in dad’s Suburban, and napping.” FOX NEWS PROJECTS JUSTICE VICTORY IN WEST VIRGINIA AS GOP FLIPS SENATE SEAT Now, Babydog is headed to Washington D.C. after his owner easily defeated conservative Rep. Alex Mooney, R-W.Va., in a contentious GOP primary earlier this year and then moved on to defeat his Democratic opponent, Elliott. HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS ELECTION RESULTS Babydog participated in his owner’s election bid, accompanying him to campaign events and meet-and-greets throughout his campaign. While the RNC appearance made the 5-year-old canine nationally recognized, Babydog has been a fixture in West Virginia’s political arena for some time. In June 2024, the beloved pooch joined the ranks of Abraham Lincoln, Civil War soldiers and odes to Appalachian folk music in new murals under the West Virginia state Capitol. In 2022, Justice hoisted her up during his State of the State address and pointed her rear end at the camera. “Babydog tells Bette Midler and all those out there: Kiss her heinie,” Justice said at the event. The move came after singer and actress Bette Middler wrote on what was then Twitter, had called West Virginians “poor, illiterate and strung out” after Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., refused to support a bill promoted by President Joe Biden and Democrats in Congress. In 2019, Babydog encouraged West Virginia residents to participate in a COVID-19 “Do it for Babydog: Save a Life: Change Your Life” campaign. With Justice’s victory, Republicans will control both of West Virginia’s two Senate seats for the first time in nearly a century. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub. Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
Fox News projects Mike Kehoe to win Missouri governor’s race
The Fox News Decision Desk projects Republican Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe to win the open Missouri governor’s race, defeating Democratic challenger Crystal Quade. During his candidacy, Kehoe served as the lieutenant governor of Missouri, and was a former state senator and businessman. He has made public safety a cornerstone of his campaign by pledging to hire more law enforcement officers to reduce crime and enact harsher penalties for fentanyl dealers. Kehoe, endorsed by former President Trump, has also advocated for tax cuts, including eliminating the state’s income tax, and a strong pro-business agenda. EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO THROW AN ELECTION PARTY AFTER YOU GET OUT AND VOTE Quade, the minority leader in the Missouri House, ran on a progressive platform centered around expanded access to abortion, child care and public education. Bill Slaintz, a libertarian challenger, is a business owner with a background in radio and television consulting. Slantz’s campaign focused on limiting government intervention, the abolition of income taxes, Social Security and minimum wage laws. Green Party candidate Paul Lehman, a retired farmer and former minister, campaigned on environmental sustainability and social justice. One of his policy proposals was implementing universal health care and shifting to renewable energy sources. Missouri’s gubernatorial elections have leaned Republican in the last several years, as Gov. Mike Parson won in 2020 after initially assuming office in 2018 when Eric Greitens, also a Republican, resigned. Prior to Parson, Greitens won the 2016 election, continuing the state’s trend of GOP leadership. Prior to that, Democrat Gov. Jeremiah “Jay” Nixon held office from 2009 until the 2016 election.
Milwaukee orders recount of 31,000 absentee ballots, likely delaying results in Wisconsin
Election officials in Milwaukee said Tuesday they will proceed with a recount of more than 30,000 absentee ballots due to tabulation issues, an error expected to delay the reporting of results from a hotly contested battleground state. Milwaukee city spokesperson Jeff Fleming told reporters Tuesday officials decided to order the recount for the 31,000 absentee ballots after they discovered issues with 13 tabulator machines. The machines either lacked their physical seals or were not secured properly by senior election officials, Fleming said. All will be reset and recounted. The decision to recount the absentee ballots was made in consultation with Republican and Democratic officials, according to a county spokesperson. GOP PREPARED FOR PIVOTAL COURT BATTLES THAT COULD DECIDE 2024 ELECTION Fleming told reporters Tuesday the decision to recount the ballots was made out of “an abundance of caution,” even as he acknowledged the delays the recount will likely create for the state’s broader election results. Milwaukee is the largest city in Wisconsin, one of seven battleground states considered key to determining the next president. Wisconsin is also one of the most competitive states in the 2024 election cycle. The Badger State is also one of three Rust Belt states that voted for Trump in 2016 before flipping in 2020 to select Joe Biden. Biden won the state narrowly in 2020 by a margin of 20,682 votes. The narrow victory gives the state an extra incentive to be as transparent and careful as possible in its ballot counting and reporting process, Fleming stressed Tuesday. “What has to be redone is just what’s happening against the wall at the machines,” Fleming told reporters. “It is gonna extend the time that we will get the totals here. We don’t know how much longer that will be. So, it’s not insignificant.” Republicans chastised Milwaukee for the error Tuesday evening, describing it as an “unacceptable example of incompetent election administration in a key swing state.” Voters “deserve better, and we are unambiguously calling on Milwaukee’s officials to do their jobs and count ballots quickly and effectively,” Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley and Co-Chair Lara Trump said in a statement. “Anything less undermines voter confidence.” Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
Fox News Decision Desk projects Rick Scott Senate re-election win in Florida
Republican Sen. Rick Scott is expected to win re-election to the Senate in Florida, and secure a second term in the upper chamber. The Fox News Decision Desk projected Scott would win his race on Tuesday night. Before running for Senate, Scott served two terms as the 45th governor of Florida, from 2011 to 2019. Scott, who has served one term in the Senate, was challenged by Democrat Debbie Mucarsel-Powell for the seat representing the Sunshine State. DEMS POUR $25M INTO GROUND GAME AS GOP INCHES CLOSER TO SENATE MAJORITY Mucarsel-Powell previously served one term representing Florida’s 26th Congressional District from 2019 to 2021, before being ousted by Trump-backed Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., in 2020. BIDEN’S PREFERRED CANDIDATE, MUCARSEL-POWELL, WINS FLORIDA DEM SENATE PRIMARY The Democrat immigrated to the U.S. from South America with her mother and sister when she was young, and said the reason for launching her Senate bid was because “our democracy, our economy, and our rights are all on the line,” according to her campaign website. During his campaign for re-election, Scott was also running in a separate race within the Senate GOP conference, announcing in May his candidacy for Republican leader in the next Senate. The Republican senator will face opponents Senate Minority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, who are also eyeing Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s long-held position.
Longtime state attorney general elected governor in this red bastion
The Fox News Decision Desk projects that Republican state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey of West Virginia will succeed GOP Gov. Jim Justice as the red-leaning state’s governor. Morrisey is projected to defeat Democratic nominee Steve Williams, the mayor of Huntington, the state’s second most populous city. West Virginia, once a state where Democrats dominated, has shifted far to the right in recent election cycles. CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS 2024 ELECTION RESULTS Former President Trump carried the state by 39-points four years ago and by 42-points in the 2016 election. Morrisey, 56, has served as West Virginia’s attorney general since 2012. Justice was term-limited as governor and ran this cycle for the state’s open Senate seat. Republican Governors Association chair Gov. Bill Lee of Tennessee said in a statement that “Governor-Elect Patrick Morrisey has proven himself as a relentless defender of West Virginia’s conservative values and a national leader in the fight against the Biden Administration.” Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
Fox News projects Justice victory in West Virginia as GOP flips Senate seat
It was never in doubt, and now it’s official—the GOP is projected to flip a Senate seat in dark red West Virginia that was long held by the Democrats. The Fox News Decision Desk has projected that Republican Gov. Jim Justice of West Virginia will defeat the Democrat Party’s nominee—Wheeling mayor Glenn Elliott. Justice, a billionaire businessman and coal mining magnate who owns the luxury Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, will succeed Sen. Joe Manchin, a former governor and longtime Democrat who switched to being an independent in May after being at loggerheads with national Democrats for years. After Manchin announced last year that he wouldn’t seek re-election in a one-time Democrat-leaning state that then-President Trump won by nearly 40 points in the 2020 election, political pundits pointed to an extremely likely pickup by Republicans as they aimed to win back the Senate majority at the ballot box this year. HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS ELECTION RESULTS With Justice’s victory, Republicans will control both of West Virginia’s two Senate seats for the first time in nearly a century. Justice, with the support of Trump, easily defeated conservative Rep. Alex Mooney, R-W.Va., in a contentious GOP primary earlier this year. Elliot, who had the backing of Manchin, won a three-way battle for the Democrat Party nomination. The governor this year grabbed national attention for BabyDog Justice, his English bulldog who has regularly accompanied Justice at public and political engagements. And Babydog stole the show, as Justice’s pet appeared with the governor as he spoke during the second night of the Republican National Convention, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in July. Justice ran for West Virginia governor as a Democrat in 2016, winning by single digits. He re-registered as a Republican the next year after holding a rally with then-President Donald Trump, and he overwhelmingly won re-election in 2020. Justice was term-limited from seeking re-election as governor this year. Manchin, known as a centrist or moderate Democrat, was elected governor in 2004 and easily re-elected in 2008. The governor won a 2010 special election to fill the Senate seat left vacant by the death of longtime Democrat Sen. Robert Byrd. He won a full term in 2012 and narrowly won re-election again in 2018. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
Blue state Republican governor wins re-election to a fifth term in office
The Fox News Decision Desk projects that Republican Gov. Phil Scott of Vermont will win a fifth two-year term in office, easily defeating Democratic Party challenger Esther Charlestin. Scott, a former lawmaker and businessman who, according to public opinion polling, has long been one of the most popular governors in the nation. And Scott has now won five straight elections as governor in a heavily blue state. Vermont and neighboring New Hampshire are the only two states in the nation that hold gubernatorial elections every two years. CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS ELECTION 2024 UPDATES Charlestin, 34, is an educator, consultant, co-chair of the Vermont Commission on Women, a former member of her town’s selectboard. She’s also a first-generation Haitian American. Also on the ballot were independents Kevin Hoyt and Eli “Poa” Mutino, and minor party candidate June Goodband. Scott, in running for re-election this year, spotlighted that he would work to make Vermont more affordable and would push back against attempts by the Democrat-controlled legislature to increase taxes and fees. The governor had clashed with state lawmakers over spending and initiatives, as he vetoed eight bills this past session. The legislature overrode six of those bills. Scott, a moderate Republican, is a GOP critic of former President Trump. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
Fox News Voter Analysis: Is this a change election? Top issues and mood of the nation as voters weigh in
As the nation waits for election results, voters weigh in on the issues and whether former president Donald Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris will bring the kind of change they are looking for. Because it appears change is very much what they want. Economic concerns and worries about the future are major considerations as voters make their choice in this year’s election. Preliminary data from the Fox News Voter Analysis, a survey of more than 110,000 voters nationwide provide an early look at the mood of voters as they cast their ballots. This year, more voters headed to the polls believing the country was on the wrong track (70%) than in 2020 (60%). And voters across the country are seeking something different: most want a change in how the country is run, with a quarter (26%) seeking complete and total upheaval. LIVE BLOG: AMERICA TO DECIDE THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES TODAY Voters’ frustrations with the Biden administration were readily apparent, as more than 5 in 10 disapprove of the job he is doing. By contrast, voters had net-positive recollections of Donald Trump’s time in office, with over half approving of the job he did as president. Four years ago, 47% approved of the job Trump had done. This desire for change is coupled with split views on the role of government. Slightly more than half say the government should be doing more to solve the country’s problems, a modest decline from 2020 (57%). Nearly as many (45%) think the government is doing too many things better left to the private sector. Voters say the economy is far and away the top issue facing the country, followed distantly by immigration and abortion. HEAD HERE FOR FOX NEWS UPDATES ON THE 2024 ELECTION Four in 10 voters say inflation was the single most important factor to their vote. Voters have dismal evaluations of the economy: two-thirds rated it as fair (40%) or downright poor (23%). Four years ago, in the depths of a coronavirus-induced recession, only 14% said economic conditions were poor. In a sign of inflation’s economic toll, roughly three times as many voters feel they were falling behind financially as feel they were getting ahead. Four years ago, roughly the same number said that they were getting ahead, however, the number who said they were falling behind was just 18% in 2020. Being able to afford food (67%) was the main budgetary concern for more voters than health care (54%), housing (51%), and gas (48%). On balance, voters had slightly more favorable views of Harris (48% favorable, 49% unfavorable) as a person than Trump (46% favorable, 52% unfavorable). The same is true at the vice-presidential level: views of Tim Walz (43% favorable, 41% unfavorable) were slightly better than opinions of JD Vance (42% favorable, 46% unfavorable). Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who ended his third-party presidential bid and endorsed Trump in August, was less popular than the two running mates (41% favorable, 43% unfavorable). The spotlight is not kind to Biden, whose sharply negative favorability rating (40% favorable, 57% unfavorable) slipped significantly from four years ago (50% favorable, 48% unfavorable). 2024 FNVA Methodology Statement: The Fox News Voter Analysis, conducted in partnership with the Associated Press, provides a comprehensive look at voting behavior, opinions, and preferences as America votes. It is based on surveys of the U.S. electorate conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago with voting results from The Associated Press. For the 2024 General Election, the FNVA results are based on a probability sample of registered voters drawn from state voter files, samples of self-identified registered voters from a probability-based national panel, and samples of self-identified registered voters from opt-in online panels. The FNVA survey of the American electorate was conducted in all 50 states, October 28 to November 5, concluding at the end of voting on Election Day. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
Major battleground states extend polling hours in key precincts: What to know
Several battleground states extended the hours of polling sites on Tuesday, citing unexpected wait times, technical issues, and other issues for voters in key precincts. Here’s a rundown of the states and precincts impacted so far. Pennsylvania In Pennsylvania, where state polling locations are scheduled to close at 8 p.m. voters saw extensions in Luzerne County, where local election officials said residents will have until 9:30 p.m. to cast their ballots. BATTLEGROUND STATES’ RECOUNT RULES VARY WIDELY, HERE’S A LOOK AT HOW THEY WORK Voters in line prior to 8 p.m. will still be able to vote in the county’s regular voting system, state officials said, and voters who get in line after 8 p.m. will be able to vote by provisional ballot. Earlier Tuesday, the Pennsylvania Department of State announced a two-hour extension of polling hours in Cambria County, citing a “software malfunction” that temporarily delayed the scanning of ballots in the precinct. Voters in Cambria County will have until 10 p.m. to vote, two hours after the 8 p.m. deadline, though any ballots cast after 8 p.m. must be made using provisional ballots. North Carolina In North Carolina, state election officials extended voting hours by 30 minutes in the precincts of Burke County and Wilson County. Voters there will have until 8 p.m. to cast their ballots — longer than the 7:30 p.m. deadline in the rest of the state. THE 1.6M VOTERS WHO COULD DETERMINE THE US ELECTION DON’T CURRENTLY RESIDE IN THE COUNTRY Georgia Georgia also announced an extension for voters in the Atlanta-area precincts of Cobb County, Fulton County, and Gwinnett County. Two polling sites in Fulton County were evacuated earlier Tuesday due to several “non-credible” bomb threats, prompting county officials to apply for an application to extend voting hours through 7:30 p.m. In Gwinnett County, officials said voters at a separate polling location that was also the target of a bomb threat will have until 8 p.m. to cast their ballots. This is a breaking news story. Check back here for updates. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
When will we know who won the US election?
With millions of voters expected to show up to the polls today, the world will be anxiously watching for the election results to start pouring in on Tuesday night. Here is what you need to know about the 2024 presidential election results. THESE ‘BELLWETHER’ COUNTIES COULD DETERMINE NEXT PRESIDENT Kentucky (eight electoral votes) will be the first state to close its polls at 6 p.m. Eastern. For most of the eastern half of the country, voting polls will close between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., while polls on the West Coast will close at 11 p.m. Eastern. The last states to close will be Hawaii (four electoral votes) and Alaska (three electoral votes), which will close their polls at midnight and 1 a.m. respectively. Election Day results have historically often been announced just hours after the polls close. However, recent elections have required longer waiting periods before all the votes can be tallied, and a winner can be declared. One reason for this is the prevalence of mail-in absentee voting. Fourteen states legally require that mail-in ballots be counted only after polls close on Election Day. 2024 VOTING: HERE’S WHEN POLLS CLOSE FOR ALL 50 STATES ON ELECTION DAY The first election results of the night will likely begin being called after 7 p.m. Eastern. Results for some of the critical swing states such as Pennsylvania (19 electoral votes) will likely not be called till much later. In 2020, news outlets called the election in President Biden’s favor four days after Election Day. In 2016, the race was called in Trump’s favor at 3 a.m. the day after Election Day. The closer the election, the longer it will take to know the result. Barring an unexpected landslide victory by either candidate, the winner of the 2024 presidential election may not be known until a day or several days after Election Day. Election results may also be further delayed by legal challenges by either former President Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris. With 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the presidency, the 2024 presidential election is expected to be extremely close. There are seven states – Pennsylvania, Arizona, Georgia, North Carolina, Michigan, Wisconsin and Nevada – considered close swing states. Experts will be closely watching these states as they will likely determine who the next president will be. Here is when polls will close in each of the swing states. 7 p.m. Eastern – Georgia (16 electoral votes) 7:30 p.m. Eastern – North Carolina (16 electoral votes) 8 p.m. Eastern – Pennsylvania (except for Cambria County, which will close at 10 p.m. Eastern due to electronic voting system software issues) 9 p.m. Eastern – Michigan (15 electoral votes), Arizona (11 electoral votes) and Wisconsin (10 electoral votes) 10 p.m. Eastern – Nevada (six electoral votes) You can stream Fox News election coverage live online. You can also keep track of the election results on Fox News Digital’s live election blog.