Fox News projects Democrats hold onto key seat in battleground Michigan
The Fox News Decision Deck projects that Democrats will hold onto a crucial open Senate seat in battleground Michigan, in a highly competitive and expensive race that drew plenty of national dollars and attention. Three-term Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin will defeat former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers in the race to succeed Sen. Debbie Stabenow, a Democrat who has held the seat for nearly a quarter-century. “Congratulations to Congresswoman Slotkin on her victory, I wish her the best as she serves the people of Michigan in the Senate,” Rogers said in a statement minutes after Fox News, other networks, and the AP called the race for Slotkin. CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS 2024 ELECTION RESULTS And pointing to former President Trump’s White House victory over Vice President Kamala Harris, Rogers added he was “proud to have run on the ticket with our President-elect, Donald J. Trump, and I have no doubt that he is going to help move Michigan and America forward.” Rogers is a one-time FBI special agent who later served as chair of the House Intelligence Committee during his tenure in Congress. A one-time GOP critic of former President Trump who mulled a White House run of his own in 2024, Rogers became a strong supporter of the Republican presidential nominee and won his endorsement. Slotkin also has a national security background. She worked for the CIA and in the Pentagon before winning election to Congress. With a competitive contest in Michigan, both campaigns, the party committees and outside groups shelled out millions of dollars in the race. And it was one of the top potential picks up for the GOP, as they won back the Senate majority for the first time in four years, thanks to pickups on other states across the country. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
Harris now the second Dem candidate to lose to Trump and not speak to supporters election night
Vice President Kamala Harris standing up her devastated Democratic supporters last night is drawing attention to a similar choice by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in November 2016. Both Democrats would have become the country’s first female president if they beat Trump. In 2016, when the race was called for Trump, Clinton did not address her supporters until the following morning. Harris will speak to supporters Wednesday evening. At the time, some critics blasted Clinton for not giving a consolation speech that same night at the Javits Center in New York. Clinton instead allowed her campaign manager, John Podesta, to briefly speak to supporters. CHECK OUT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POWER RANKINGS IN THE 2024 ELECTION On the following day, Clinton urged her supporters to “accept this result, and then look to the future.” “Donald Trump is going to be our president. We owe him an open mind and the chance to lead,” she said. Likewise, on Tuesday night, Harris supporters trickled out of the watch party at Howard University once they learned from a Harris spokesperson she would not be addressing the crowd. Users on social media quickly took note and critiqued the VP for not showing face after supporters waited hours for her to come out. “Kamala Harris had like 10,000 people at her watch party and didn’t even show up,” one user on X wrote. “Apparently their time meant nothing to her. That final act is so reflective of why she lost.” Another user wrote, “Harris didn’t even show up to her own campaign party last night to greet her supporters. It just goes to show what an elitist she is and messed up the party is to think this is ok.” Harris called Trump on Wednesday to formally concede the race. Clinton called Trump on election night in 2016 to concede. According to a staff memo sent out by Harris’ campaign manager Jen O’Malley Dillon obtained by Fox News, Dillon said, “Losing is unfathomably painful” on Wednesday. HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS ELECTION RESULTS “Just a few moments ago, the Vice President connected with President Trump to concede the race,” the email read. “In the call, she told him that she would work with President Biden to ensure a peaceful transfer of power, unlike what we saw in 2020. She also made clear that she hopes he will be a President for all Americans.” Harris was selected by the DNC during the summer after President Biden dropped out of his re-election bid following his poor debate performance against Trump, and just one week after an assassination attempt against him. Harris previously ran for president in 2020, but her campaign was short-lived. She dropped out in December 2019, citing lack of campaign funds. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
Harris concedes presidential race, sends message to campaign staff: ‘Losing is unfathomably painful’
Vice President Kamala Harris has connected with former President Donald Trump and conceded the race in a letter to her campaign staff stating that “the work of protecting America from the impacts of a Trump Presidency starts now.” In a letter obtained by Fox News, Harris said she had called Trump “to ensure a peaceful transfer of power, unlike what we saw in 2020.” The letter continues, “I don’t have words to express the gratitude I have for everyone getting this email. You left everything on the field. You built a first-rate, historic Presidential campaign in basically 90 days. You navigated things that no one has ever had to navigate, and likely no one will ever have to again.” Harris said she also made clear that she hopes he will be a “President for all Americans.” SUPER BOWL CHAMP T.J. WARD TAKES SWIPE AT HARRIS AFTER ELECTION DEFEAT: ‘WE ARE BETTER OFF’ “You stared down unprecedented headwinds and obstacles that were largely out of our control. We knew this would be a margin of error race, and it was. And, your work mattered: the whole country moved to the right, but compared to the rest of the country, the battleground states saw the least amount of movement in his direction,” Harris wrote. “It was closest in the places we competed. That speaks to both the work you did, and the scale of the challenge we ultimately couldn’t surmount.” LIBERAL TEARS AFTER HARRIS LOSS CONJURES UP MEMORIES OF 2016 CLINTON DEFEAT Harris is expected to make public comments later Wednesday afternoon during a speech at Howard University in Washington, D.C. “I’ll leave you with this: losing is unfathomably painful. It is hard. This will take a long time to process. But the work of protecting America from the impacts of a Trump Presidency starts now,” Harris vowed. HARRIS WORLD BLAME GAME BEGINS AFTER CRUSHING LOSS TO TRUMP “I know the Vice President isn’t finished in this fight, and I know the very people on this email are also going to be leaders in this collective mission. View this as the beginning, not the end. It will be hard work. But as the boss says: hard work is good work. And I look forward to standing beside you.” Trump campaign communications director Steven Cheung released a statement mentioning Harris’ call with Trump. “President Donald J. Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris spoke by phone earlier today where she congratulated him on his historic victory,” Cheung said. “President Trump acknowledged Vice President Harris on her strength, professionalism, and tenacity throughout the campaign, and both leaders agreed on the importance of unifying the country.” President Biden reached out by phone and spoke with Vice President Harris and congratulated her on a historic campaign, Fox News senior White House correspondent Peter Doocy reported. Following his call with Harris, Biden also spoke by phone with Trump and congratulated him on his victory. During their call, Biden expressed his commitment to ensuring a smooth transition and emphasized the importance of working to bring the country together. He also invited President-elect Trump to meet with him in the White House. The staff will coordinate a specific date in the near future. Biden is expected to address the nation on Thursday to discuss the election results and the transition. Trump defeated Vice President Harris, who entered the presidential race just over 100 days ago after Biden, who won the Democratic primaries, was convinced to stand down. Trump will be the only president to serve two nonconsecutive terms other than Grover Cleveland, who was elected in 1884 and again in 1892. Fox News Digital’s Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
Harris waiting to address base after loss shows ‘lacking a grasp of American democratic tradition’: analysts
Vice President Kamala Harris’ abiding silence following President-elect Trump’s victory suggests an inability to step up as a leader for her base, legal scholars say. The Democratic nominee has not yet spoken to her supporters, nor encouraged them to accept the election results, since Trump was named the victor of the 2024 presidential race early Wednesday morning. Two sources confirmed to Fox that the Harris campaign was radio silent Wednesday morning and did not provide talking points to surrogates, donors or influencers. The vice president is expected to deliver remarks at Howard University at 4 p.m. EST on Wednesday, where she will address Americans for the first time since losing the presidential race to Trump. However, analysts say she should not have waited until the afternoon after the election to address her base. Jonathan Turley, a legal scholar and a Fox News contributor, said Trump’s clear path to victory should have prompted her to concede sooner. HISTORIAN WITH STREAK OF ACCURATE FORECASTS SINCE 1984 FALLS SHORT AFTER 2024 TRUMP VICTORY “The true test of leadership is to step forward when it is most needed. Half of this population is deeply aggrieved by this decision. Part of that angst and anxiety was fueled by the rage rhetoric and panic politics on the left, including the Harris campaign,” Turley told Fox News Digital. TRUMP VOWS TO LEAD ‘GOLDEN AGE OF AMERICA’ IN VICTORY SPEECH: ‘FIX EVERYTHING’ “Just as voters were going to the polls, the New York governor declared a majority of voters to be ‘unAmerican.’ This is the call of leadership to step forward and acknowledge the victory. There are no major challenges or questions. The election is over,” Turley added. “The only remaining matter is a concession. It has to be more than an afterthought in the late afternoon the following day. It needs to be rendered when it is most needed.” Legal analyst Andy McCarthy, a FOX News contributor and a senior fellow at the National Review Institute, suggested that remaining out of sight since the election results is a “graceless” misstep. “I’d just conclude that this is yet another indication – among countless indications – that she was neither substantively nor temperamentally up to the presidency,” McCarthy told Fox News Digital. “There is no apparent legal strategy at work. She is simply being graceless and suggesting that she and her team do not know what to do… even though what to do is obvious: concede, congratulate the new president, and pledge to cooperate in an efficient transition.” “I think this has less to do with democracy per se than with Harris’s lacking a grasp of American democratic tradition,” McCarthy continued. “Perhaps she figures Trump doesn’t rate consideration due to his refusal to accept the 2020 election results. But if that’s the case, it’s not sensible, it’s spiteful.” Harris was not present at her victory event at Howard University on Tuesday night, which came to an abrupt end ahead of Trump being named the winner of the presidential race. Despite not making any public appearances or remarks since election night, Harris reportedly called Trump to congratulate him on winning the race ahead of her speech Wednesday afternoon, according to a senior Harris aide. Fox News’ Jacqui Heinrich contributed to this report.
Election night winners and losers: 2024 edition
In the wake of former President Donald Trump’s historic win projected by the Fox News Decision Desk, several winners and losers of the 2024 election have become clear. Here are those who came out on top on Election Day and those who didn’t quite meet expectations. MITCH MCCONNELL SINGS TRUMP CAMPAIGN PRAISES: ‘SHARPER OPERATION THIS TIME’ Trump Trump defied all expectations, even some of the more conservative-leaning estimates of the 2024 election. By notable margins, Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris in several key battleground states, being projected by the Fox News Decision Desk to win the election by amassing the necessary 270 electoral votes before a number of other top swing states had been called. Republicans Trump’s top of the ticket projected victory was followed by significant victories for Republicans across the board. Senate Republicans were projected by the Fox News Decision Desk to retake the majority in the Senate in 2025, racking up wins in West Virginia, Ohio and Montana, which were previously blue. There are still multiple outstanding Senate races in swing states, giving the party hope for an even larger majority. FOX NEWS DECISION DESK PROJECTS GOP TAKES BACK SENATE MAJORITY IN DEVASTATING BLOW TO DEMS Chuck Schumer Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is one of the biggest losers in this particular election, as voters decisively removed his party from the majority in the upper chamber. He will instead lead the minority in the new Congress. Democrats suffered projected losses in West Virginia, Ohio and Montana, effectively killing any chance they had of keeping the majority. They also failed to flip any of their Republican targets, such as Texas or Florida. There are still several Senate races in swing states yet to be called that could increase the GOP’s majority over them. FOX NEWS PROJECTS TRUMP BEATS HARRIS IN WISCONSIN, FLIPPING ‘BLUE WALL’ STATE BACK TO RED Pollsters Political polls failed to accurately predict the projected decisive victory Trump saw in the 2024 election. The RealClearPolitics polling averages under-estimated the former president, putting him behind Harris in swing states that he was projected to win and showing Trump leading by a smaller margin than he ultimately did in other battlegrounds. A respected Iowa pollster’s results predicted the state would be led by Harris, and ended up being off by double digits as Trump took Iowa. FOX NEWS DECISION DESK PROJECTS REPUBLICAN DEB FISCHER HOLDS SENATE SEAT DESPITE INDEPENDENT CHALLENGE Democrats As a whole, the Democratic Party was dealt a devastating blow by voters across the country. Not only was their presidential nominee categorically rejected by the American people, but the implications of that loss further dragged down candidates across the board, per the Fox News Decision Desk’s projections. Incumbent senators in some swing states are in battles for their political lives that could take days to resolve. This comes as the party has already lost two blue-held seats in Ohio and Montana. Republicans in the House are also feeling bullish that they could complete the GOP trifecta in Washington, D.C. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub
House Dem projected to hold onto seat in closely watched race eyed by GOP as potential flip
Democratic Rep. Emilia Sykes is projected to survive her closely watched re-election bid by defeating her GOP challenger. The Associated Press called the race for Ohio’s 13th Congressional District for Sykes over former Ohio state Sen. Kevin Coughlin on Wednesday just before 3 p.m. ET. Sykes, a first-term Democrat who won in 2022 by five points, was defending her seat in a district that includes parts of two counties that former President Trump comfortably won in 2020. “This is as 50/50 of a district as it comes,” Sykes said. “It has been rated as such all across the country and there are all eyes on Ohio’s 13th Congressional District.” LEAKED VIDEO EXPOSES DEM STAFFER ADMITTING ‘QUIET PART OUT LOUD’ IN FIERY TIRADE: ‘OPEN THE F—ING BORDER’ Sykes comes from a well-established political family in Akron. Both her parents served as state lawmakers and her father, Vernon Sykes, currently serves as a state senator in Ohio. VULNERABLE HOUSE DEM DODGES QUESTION ON VP HARRIS’ RECORD AS ‘BORDER CZAR’: ‘DON’T KNOW WHO KAMALA HARRIS IS’ Coughlin has served in Ohio as both a state representative and state senator and has spent over 10 years since leaving office in the business sector. The Sykes campaign criticized Coughlin for his time as a lobbyist and accused him of being a “self-serving politician” who would legislate as extreme on the issue of abortion. Coughlin has accused Sykes of not living in the district, an allegation she denies, and the Summit County Board of Elections recently deadlocked along party lines investigating a complaint about her residency and voting status. Ohio’s 13th District was a race that Republicans had focused time and money on after identifying it as one of their best opportunities to flip a seat and maintain control of the House.
Outgoing LA DA says America’s shift is ‘heartbreaking’ after losing re-election bid
Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón said America’s shift is “heartbreaking” and wished Nathan Hochman the best after losing his re-election bid early Wednesday. “The rightward shift across America last night is heartbreaking,” Gascón said in a statement. “Democrats have a long road ahead, but the work is more vital than ever, and our commitment will not waver. Nevertheless, I have called Mr. Hochman and wish him the best as Los Angeles County’s next district attorney. I’m deeply proud of what we’ve accomplished over the past four years and grateful to the communities who have been and will always be the heart of criminal justice reform.” Hochman, a former federal prosecutor, campaigned as a “hard middle” candidate while rejecting several of Gascón’s liberal policies, which Hochman attributed to increased crime and a lack of consequences for juvenile offenders. NATHAN HOCHMAN OUSTS EMBATTLED LIBERAL PROSECUTOR GEORGE GASCÓN AS LA COUNTY DA AMID CRIME CONCERNS “The voters of Los Angeles County have spoken and have said enough is enough of DA Gascon’s pro-criminal extreme policies; they look forward to a safer future. As DA, I look forward to representing all of the people, whether they voted for me or not, since their safety will be my responsibility,” Hochman told Fox News Digital in a statement. Hochman confirmed that Gascón called him Wednesday morning to concede the race and vowed to work with Hochman on a smooth transition, saying “It was a positive call.” GASCON RACE: LA PROSECUTOR ‘INTIMIDATED’ WITH GUN ON DOORSTEP FILES LAWSUIT AS EMBATTLED DA FIGHTS FOR HIS JOB Crime was considered a top issue of the election cycle, with FBI data showing a 4.5% increase in violent crime from 2021-2022. Hochman would often spotlight rising violent crime across the country during debates and received the support of local police unions despite Gascón’s previous service as a police officer. LA PROSECUTOR SAYS BOSS GASCON SENT COPS TO INTIMIDATE HER AT HOME AFTER BLOWING WHISTLE ON SOFT-ON-CRIME MEMO Gascón has previously faced two recall attempts amid growing discontent with progressive policies statewide. He is facing multiple lawsuits, including one from the union representing the prosecutors who work in his office for withholding information on a close ally in an alleged violation of the California Public Records Act (CPRA). Gascón is also facing about two dozen retaliation lawsuits from rank-and-file prosecutors in his office who have previously blown the whistle on actions they view as soft on crime, unfair to victims and potentially illegal. One deputy district attorney was awarded a $1.5 million settlement last year after she sued for retaliation. Deputy DA Shawn Randolph argued she had been transferred to a lesser position after raising concerns about various Gascón policies that may have violated victims’ rights under Marsy’s Law. Fox News Digital’s Stephen Sorace and Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.
Justice Department looking to wind down Trump criminal cases ahead of inauguration
The Justice Department is looking to wind down two federal criminal cases against President-elect Trump as he prepares to be sworn in for a second term in the White House — a decision that upholds long-standing policy that prevents Justice Department attorneys from prosecuting a sitting president. In making this argument, Justice Department officials cited a memo from the Office of Legal Counsel filed in 2000, which upholds a Watergate-era argument that asserts it is a violation of the separation of powers doctrine for the Justice Department to investigate a sitting president. It further notes that such proceedings would “unduly interfere in a direct or formal sense with the conduct of the Presidency.” “In light of the effect that an indictment would have on the operations of the executive branch, ‘an impeachment proceeding is the only appropriate way to deal with a President while in office,’” the memo said in conclusion. Former Attorney General Bill Barr also backed this contention Wednesday in an interview with Fox News Digital, noting that after Trump takes office in January, prosecutors will be unable to continue the cases during his term. TRUMP VOWS TO LEAD ‘GOLDEN AGE OF AMERICA’ IN VICTORY SPEECH: ’FIX EVERYTHING’ Barr told Fox News Digital that a Trump-appointed attorney general could immediately halt all federal cases brought by current Special Counsel Jack Smith in Washington, D.C., and Florida. The charges in D.C. stem from Trump’s alleged efforts to overturn the outcome of the 2020 presidential election. In Florida, they are centered on Trump’s handling of classified documents after leaving the White House in 2020. And though Trump would be powerless to halt two state cases filed in Georgia and New York, Barr said local prosecutors and judges need to move on from the “spectacle” of prosecuting the president-elect. “Further maneuvering on these cases in the weeks ahead would serve no legitimate purpose and only distract the country and the incoming administration from the task at hand,” Barr said. He also noted that voters were well aware of the criminal allegations against Trump when they voted to re-elect him for a second term. “The American people have rendered their verdict on President Trump, and decisively chosen him to lead the country for the next four years,” Barr said. “They did that with full knowledge of the claims against him by prosecutors around the country and I think Attorney General [Merrick] Garland and the state prosecutors should respect the people’s decision and dismiss the cases against President Trump now.” This is a breaking news story. Check back soon for more developments.
McConnell expects filibuster to remain intact with Republicans winning control of the Senate
With Republicans projected to win the Senate majority in the 2024 election, “the filibuster will stand,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell noted on Wednesday. Even when one party controls a slim majority of Senate seats, the other party can still block legislation from advancing due to the significant threshold required for overcoming the filibuster. “In 1975 the Senate reduced the number of votes required for cloture from two-thirds of senators voting to three-fifths of all senators duly chosen and sworn, or 60 of the 100-member Senate,” senate.gov notes. THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO THE MEANING OF A REPUBLICAN SENATE – AND WHAT’S AHEAD FOR THE HOUSE Fox News Media contributor Jonathan Turley tweeted early on Wednesday, “Roughly ten minutes ago, the “end of the filibuster” movement suddenly went silent. In the morning, the rights of the minority will suddenly become the cause célèbre of Washington…” “Consider the differences in the political parties—in our hour of victory, Republicans will defend the minority rights of Democrats to filibuster policies they object to,” Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said in a post on X. “Think about that @CNN — when you bray about fascism and an end to democracy.” Some Democrats have expressed support for the idea of abolishing the filibuster to ram through their priorities. HARRIS CALLS FOR ELIMINATING FILIBUSTER TO PASS ‘ROE’ ABORTION BILL INTO FEDERAL LAW “Abolish the filibuster. Codify Roe. Expand the Supreme Court. Protect abortion rights by any means necessary. We need all of the above. This is an emergency,” Democratic Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri tweeted in 2022. Vice President Kamala Harris called for nixing the filibuster to enact “protections for reproductive freedom …” But while McConnell suggested on Wednesday that he believes the filibuster is “very secure,” he won’t be at the helm of the Senate GOP much longer. SEN. MIKE LEE WARNS DEMOCRATS WOULD ‘RULE AMERICA UNCONTESTED FOR 100 YEARS’ IF THEY SWEEP 2024 ELECTIONS He announced earlier this year that he would not seek another term as Senate Republican leader.
Democrat Vicente Gonzalez wins re-election, defeating Mayra Flores in Texas
Incumbent Democrat Rep. Vicente Gonzalez Jr. won re-election, defeating former Republican Rep. Mayra Flores to represent Texas’ 34th Congressional District, The Associated Press projected Wednesday. With 99% reporting, Gonzalez led Flores 51% to 48%. It was rated a Lean Democrat race in the Fox News Power Rankings. CHECK OUT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POWER RANKINGS IN THE 2024 ELECTION Before the 2022 midterm elections, Gonzalez had been representing Texas’ 15th Congressional District. But after the 2020 census, the district was redrawn due to redistricting. Flores was elected to represent the district in a special election in June 2022, after then-Democrat Rep. Filemon Vela Jr. resigned. But during the 2022 midterms, Gonzalez and Flores faced off for the 34th Congressional District seat, with Gonzalez defeating Flores for a full term. Gonzalez, a lawyer, was born and raised in South Texas and was raised in a military family. In the 118th Congress, he served on the House Financial Services Committee and the House Select Committee on Economic Disparity and Fairness in Growth. Gonzalez works on veterans’ issues, and has touted his efforts to help constituents “cut through red tape” at the VA. Flores was the first Mexican-born woman to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. She was born and raised in Burgos, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Flores, on her campaign website, says she came to the U.S. at six years old legally and became a “proud, naturalized American citizen.” Flores is a respiratory care practitioner and worked to care for elderly and disabled patients with chronic respiratory issues during the COVID-19 pandemic. Flores is married to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent and is a mother. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.