Political Spectrum

Democrats will control the Senate in January, CBS News and NBC News project, after the November 3 midterms. As of Thursday, November 5, the party had secured at least 54 seats. NBC lists seven flips: Iowa, Kansas, Ohio, Maine, North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas. Democrats also held Georgia, New Hampshire and Michigan, where Abdul El-Sayed beat former Rep. Mike Rogers and, CBS notes, becomes the first Muslim senator.

Among the upsets: James Talarico beat Attorney General Ken Paxton in Texas, the first Democrat Texas has sent to the Senate since 1988 (NBC); Elon Musk spent more than $150 million to boost Paxton, CBS reports. Pastor Adam Hamilton ousted Sen. Roger Marshall in Kansas, Troy Jackson defeated Sen. Susan Collins in Maine, and Annie Andrews beat Darline Graham in South Carolina. Republicans held Nebraska (Sen. Pete Ricketts over independent Dan Osborn), Montana and Florida.

The Alaska and Mississippi races were uncalled at the cutoff. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer vowed to "entangle" President Trump "in legislative razor wire" when he defies the law; Majority Leader John Thune said Republicans "will not stand idly by" as Democrats try to unwind their work. Trump told reporters he would "probably" get along with Democrats "unless they want to be destructive, but I have the power of the veto."

The U.S. Senate race in Mississippi was uncalled at the cutoff. By midday Thursday, November 5, Democrat Scott Colom led Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith by just over 1,700 votes, CBS reports; CBS rates it a toss-up. At the end of Wednesday's count, WDAM reports, Colom had 464,926 votes (49%) to Hyde-Smith's 463,788 (48.9%).

Secretary of State Michael Watson says about 3,600 mail ballots are outstanding, plus an unknown number of affidavit (provisional) ballots from voters whose eligibility must be confirmed. Mail ballots must arrive within five business days; counties have until November 13 to certify. Mississippi has no recount provision, so the plurality winner takes the seat. Colom's campaign estimates 15,000 affidavit ballots; Magnolia Tribune cites unconfirmed reports of up to 18,000.

The NRSC and Hyde-Smith's campaign asked all counties to separate and preserve affidavit ballots; Colom's campaign called it a "desperate stunt." The DSCC has sent lawyers to monitor the count. A Colom win would make him the first Democrat Mississippi has elected to the Senate since 1982, and its first Black senator since 1881.

There were 41 local ballot measures on data centers in 10 states on November 3, according to Ballotpedia, and voters sided against data centers in every one but Harwood, North Dakota, CNBC reports. Ohio had 21 of them; several towns wrote data center bans into their charters, some limited to so-called hyperscalers. Kansas towns including Emporia and El Dorado passed bans, and Joliet, Illinois, voters said no to an advisory question on AI data centers, Reason reports. The results are preliminary, and trackers' counts differ slightly.

The issue also ran at the top of the ticket. In Ohio, Sherrod Brown ousted Sen. Jon Husted after calling him "the face of data centers," and Governor-elect Amy Acton supports a "conditional moratorium." In Texas, Gina Hinojosa blamed Gov. Greg Abbott for the rapid buildout. In a CNBC voter poll, 56% said data centers were a crucial or major factor in their vote.

The industry's Data Center Coalition told Fox Business that data centers bring jobs, tax revenue and investment.

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever offered his resignation to King Philippe on Monday, November 2, after his five-party coalition failed to agree on the 2027 budget and a roughly €10 billion savings plan through 2029. The palace said the king "is holding his decision in suspense" and would consult the majority parties' leaders from Tuesday; De Wever was due back at the palace on Friday, November 6, after the cutoff. The king warned that "the country cannot afford a prolonged political crisis."

The dispute reportedly pits the francophone center-right MR against the centre-left Vooruit and Les Engagés, according to the Belga news agency as cited by Eunews. Belgium ran a deficit of 5% of GDP last year against the EU's 3% ceiling and is under an EU excessive deficit procedure. Under Belgium's constitution the king can refuse the resignation, keep it pending to give the parties time, or accept it and leave a caretaker government with limited powers. In November 2025, De Wever instead asked for a 50-day extension. Unions have called a national strike for November 23.

Democrats will take control of the House in January, both CBS News and NBC News project. Estimates differ slightly and were still moving at the cutoff: NBC's Decision Desk projected at least 258 Democratic seats, a number the party hadn't reached since 1993, while CBS put Democrats on pace for about 256. CBS counted 42 districts shifted to Democrats and two to Republicans, with dozens of races still uncalled.

Notable results include Democrat Cait Conley defeating Rep. Mike Lawler in New York's Hudson Valley, Kristina Knickerbocker beating 23-year Rep. Mike Turner in Ohio, and Richard Ojeda beating Rep. Richard Hudson, chair of the House GOP campaign arm, in North Carolina. Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur kept her redrawn Ohio seat. NBC's exit poll put Trump's disapproval at 62%.

Speaker Mike Johnson told staff he will not run for minority leader, sources told CBS. Democratic Whip Katherine Clark launched a bid for majority leader; Republicans Erin Houchin and Lisa McClain are contesting the GOP conference chair. House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar said Democrats will pass bills on housing, health care, gas, groceries and utilities costs.