Democrats eye Texas statewide races
Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate, Texas State Rep. Gina Hinojosa (L) and Democratic U.S. Senate candidate, Texas State Rep. James Talarico take the stage during a Dia de los Muertos concert rally at The Espee on November 01, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas.
Chip Somodevilla | Getty Images
A statewide win in Texas has eluded Democrats since the 1990s, but they’re hopeful the losing streak will end on Tuesday. Democratic state Rep. James Talarico is in a tight race against GOP Attorney General Ken Paxton for Senate. State Rep. Gina Hinojosa is challenging Republican incumbent Greg Abbott for governor, with Abbott is favored to win. Hinojosa and Talarico are the two best shots Democrats have had at winning statewide in Texas since Beto O’Rourke lost by less than three percentage points to Sen. Ted Cruz in 2018.
— Justin Papp
S&P 500 and Nasdaq rise, Dow retreats in Election Day trading
The three major averages on Tuesday
Despite Tuesday’s mixed picture, stocks have had a positive year. The S&P 500 has advanced by more than 10% in 2026, while the Dow and Nasdaq Composite gained about 8% and 9%, respectively.
Follow live market updates here.
— Alex Harring, Sean Conlon
Westchester County, New York, polling sites see paper ballot scanning glitches
A voter scans their ballot at a polling location inside Columbia University Irving Medical Center’s William Black Medical Research Building on the final day of early voting for the midterm election in New York, US, on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026.
Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Voters in Westchester County, New York, reported experiencing problems getting their paper ballots scanned at polling sites.
The Westchester County Board of Elections said it was aware of the issue, urged voters to remain in line, and said paper ballots would be placed in “designated orange emergency ballot bags, which will remain secure and monitored.”
“These ballots will subsequently be counted in accordance with applicable election procedures,” the board said. “No voter should be discouraged from participating in this election because of this issue. Your voice matters. Your vote matters.”
Westchester is located to the north of New York City.
— Dan Mangan
Consumer sentiment has soured over recent months
A man walks past posters highlighting high food and gas prices and urging people to vote in Dallas, Texas, on November 2, 2026.
Ricardo Arduengo | Afp | Getty Images
Consumers have reported feeling increasingly pessimistic the state of the economy over the last year. The question now is if that discontent will affect how they vote.
The University of Michigan’s closely followed consumer sentiment survey dropped about 10% in September compared with a year ago. The index fell to all-time lows earlier this year.
The Conference Board said consumer confidence hit its lowest level since 2014 in September. Confidence rebounded in October, which the Conference Board attributed in part to easing gas prices.
— Alex Harring
Senate seats previously thought out of reach for both parties are now in play
Democrats are competing for Senate seats in traditionally red states like Kansas, Mississippi and South Carolina and Texas where GOP candidate quality and Trump’s low favorability have hampered Republicans. Meanwhile, the GOP looks competitive in New Hampshire and Minnesota, where Democrats tend to dominate but are in tight races against formidable Republican opponents.
— Justin Papp
Voters face ‘low hire, low fire’ job market
A voter casts their ballot at a polling location inside the Guilford County Agricultural Center on the final day of early voting in the midterm election in Greensboro, North Carolina, US, on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026.
Al Drago | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Economists and monetary policymakers have largely described today’s job market as stable but not booming, setting the backdrop for today’s elections.
The unemployment rate in September came in at 4.2%, down from 4.4% a year prior. Jobless claims in recent weeks have fallen to around their lowest since the 1960s.
Still, there are some worrying signs beneath the surface. For instance, the number of people classified as long-term unemployed — or for at least 27 weeks out a job — has surged this year. That’s a feature of what many economists have described as a “low-hire, low-fire” job market, in which companies are reluctant to both lay off staff and bring on new employees.
Average hourly earnings rose 3% in September compared with a year prior, marking the slowest 12-month increase since 2021. But consumer prices climbed 3.7% in the same period, meaning shoppers had less purchasing power compared with a year ago.
— Alex Harring
A referendum on Trump
President Donald Trump speaks at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, in Washington, D.C., Nov. 2, 2026.
Finn Gomez | Getty Images News | Getty Images
Tuesday’s elections could be a referendum on Trump, whose policies have angered voters and weighed down Republicans. Losses in the House or Senate, or both, could derail his legislative agenda as he enters his final two years in office. And a poor GOP performance would likely usher in an era of intense congressional oversight aimed at Trump, his associates and companies that have cozied up to the administration in the last two years.
— Justin Papp
About The Author
