APPLENEWS - STORY ADD
Election 2026 live results: Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms projected to be 1st Black woman governor
Republican Byron Donalds is projected to become Florida's first Black governor.
Projections for winners are coming in for some of the key races in the high-stakes midterm elections.
There are several key House and Senate races that could determine the balance of power in Congress as well as significant races for governor around the country. The elections could ultimately determine how effective President Donald Trump's agenda is in the back half of his second term.
Watch ABC beginning at 7 p.m. EST for live Election Night 2026 coverage and results. Also streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.
Key Headlines
Democrat Rebecca Bennett flips NJ congressional seat
Democratic candidate Rebecca Bennett is projected to win the race in New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District, flipping the district held by Republican Rep. Tom Kean, Jr.
Kean faced controversy over a monthslong absence from Congress, which he later said was because of depression.
Bennett is a former Navy helicopter pilot who has also worked in the healthcare business.
-ABC News' Oren Oppenheim
White House in 'defiant' mood, official says
The White House's mood is "defiant" as results are coming in, a White House official told ABC News.
After weeks of President Donald Trump urging voters to pretend like he is on the ballot this election, the White House official is now highlighting that Trump wasn't actually on the ballot.
"President Trump was not on the ballot, and it's proven that Trump voters show up when he is on the ballot," the official said when asked if they had any response to tonight's results so far.
The official added: "Also, candidate quality matters, and President Trump did a better job promoting many of the candidates on the ballot than the candidates did themselves."
-ABC News' Nicholas Kerr
Polls close in 5 states
Polls in five states closed at 10 p.m. ET: Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and Utah.
New York AG Letitia James projected to win reelection
Democratic New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Trump adversary, is projected to win reelection against Republican challenger Saritha Komatireddy.
James gained national attention through her 2022 lawsuit against Trump, his company and members of his family alleging net worth inflation. The lawsuit led to a $454 million civil fraud judgment that was thrown out by an appeals court in 2025.