Voters in several key states from Kentucky to Mississippi, Virginia to New Jersey, and Pennsylvania to Ohio vote Tuesday to determine the outcomes of many major races including two governor’s races, majorities in a bunch of state legislatures, and ballot initiatives and judicial races that could help steer the future of the country.
It is the last major national regularly scheduled election before the 2024 presidential election, when incumbent Democrat President Joe Biden will likely face off against former GOP President Donald Trump a year from now. Insiders from both political parties and media figures will be looking for clues from the results about the mood of the electorate and whether or not the recent spate of terrible polls for Biden rings true with actual voters.
The outcomes on Tuesday could also seriously impact several states on how they are governed, including with the possible election of new governors in Kentucky or Mississippi — or the reelection of their current governors — and with possible majority party shifts in state legislative chambers in Virginia or less likely New Jersey.
What’s more, the intensity of the issue of abortion in the reddening state of Ohio will be put to the ballot test as voters decide on Issue 1 — while the future of many major issues including how the 2024 election will be administered could be impacted by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court race.
Polls begin closing in Kentucky at 6 p.m. local time — 6 p.m. Eastern for the eastern part of the state, and 7 p.m. Eastern for the western part of the state which is in the Central Time zone. At 7 p.m. Eastern, the polls also close in Virginia. The polls close in Ohio at 7:30 p.m. Eastern. The polls close in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Mississippi at 8 p.m. Eastern.
Follow along here on Breitbart News for live results, breaking news, and analysis from across the country.
UPDATE 7:46 p.m. ET:
It’s worth noting if Cameron does end up losing this in the end as some expect he will that the Republican Governors Association (RGA) chairwoman Gov. Kim Reynolds of Iowa–whose literal job it is to elect GOP governors–did not spend the last day before the election trying to get GOP voters to turn out in Kentucky. She instead was palling around with the failing 2024 presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in Iowa, where she endorsed him, while former President Donald Trump–who spent all day Monday in court–actually did do his best to help Cameron win by holding a tele-rally for him the night before the election after his court proceedings ended earlier.
Nonetheless, it’s not over yet, as Cameron has made up significant ground since Wasserman called it. But depending on what’s still out, and what will be coming in, that call will probably hold as others are noting similar things.
UPDATE 7:30 p.m. ET:
The polls are now closed in Ohio, where voters are deciding on abortion and marijuana legalization ballot initiatives.
UPDATE 7:25 p.m. ET:
Dave Wasserman of the Cook Political Report is calling it for Beshear in Kentucky:
I’ve seen enough: Andy Beshear (D) wins reelection in #KYGOV, defeating Daniel Cameron (R).
— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) November 8, 2023
No major news organizations are calling it yet, but not a good sign for Cameron at all. Wasserman is basically never wrong on these things.
UPDATE 7:22 p.m. ET:
Some initial results are beginning to trickle in in Virginia–though it’s far too early to make sense of these very early returns per the New York Times.
UPDATE 7:20 p.m. ET:
Even so, there are some positive signs for Cameron elsewhere:
For those who forget their history, the 2004 Dem Senate candidate started off the night with about 60%, then lost at the end of the evening once smaller counties reported.
IOW, Kentucky is the reverse of Virginia.
— John Couvillon (@WinWithJMC) November 8, 2023
UPDATE 7:19 p.m. ET:
Beshear is running ahead of where he did in 2019 in several places–which is not good for Cameron:
Anderson Co. looks complete: Cameron (R) wins it 55%-45%, but Bevin (R) won it 56%-42% in ’19. Another solid result for Beshear (D). #KYGOV
— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) November 8, 2023
Bell Co. looks complete and it’s another great result for Beshear (D): he loses it 59%-41% after losing it 62%-37% in ’19. #KYGOV
— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) November 8, 2023
Tiny Nicholas Co. up to 90% in, and good numbers for Beshear (D): won it 50%-49% in ’19, up 56%-44% there now. #KYGOV
— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) November 8, 2023
Cameron is going to need to make up serious ground in other places to make up these differences.
Looking at these numbers so far, I’d much rather be Andy Beshear (D) than Daniel Cameron (R). #KYGOV
— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) November 8, 2023
UPDATE 7:12 p.m. ET:
The Times has 23 percent reporting now in Kentucky, and Beshear is up 59 percent to 41 percent over Cameron.
UPDATE 7:02 p.m. ET:
There are some mixed signs in the early Kentucky results–some good news for Beshear:
Best sign for Beshear (D) right now: Taylor Co., where Cameron (R) is leading by just 57%-43% w/ 97% in, per DDHQ. Bevin (R) won 61%-37% there in 2019. #KYGOV
— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) November 7, 2023
But also some good news for Cameron:
OTOH, seeing signs of slippage for Beshear (D) in the eastern coalfields, where he’s got narrower margins over Cameron (R) in Elliott & Magoffin Cos. than he had in ’19. #KYGOV
— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) November 7, 2023
UPDATE 7:00 p.m. ET:
The polls are now closed in all of Kentucky and in Virginia.
UPDATE 6:55 p.m. ET:
Now 10 percent is in in Kentucky per the Times, and Beshear leads 62 percent to 38 percent. Again, most of this is the cities and early vote–the “blue mirage” we’ve been warning of–and the Democrat lead will shrink considerably.
UPDATE 6:46 p.m. ET:
Some of the cities just came in, and now with 7 percent reporting in Kentucky, Beshear has taken a big lead–61.3 percent to 38.7 percent. This will shrink significantly.
UPDATE 6:44 p.m. ET:
Things are looking good in some places for Cameron:
Boone County:
EV 3600-2800 Beshear
Precicnt 1200-900 Cameron13% E Day swing to Cameron. We have us a race, folks. This was a 56% Bevin County.
— John Couvillon (@WinWithJMC) November 7, 2023
UPDATE 6:42 p.m. ET:
This is interesting and perhaps worth watching if this race is close — a gas leak at a polling place in Kentucky reportedly led to a judge keeping the hours open an extra half hour:
A judge granted a 30-minute extension for two polling locations in Louisville due to a gas leak and police pursuit https://t.co/Kf9ZBEeSDT
— WDRB News (@WDRBNews) November 7, 2023
UPDATE 6:38 p.m. ET:
Two percent in now in Kentucky, per the Times, and Cameron leads by about 3,300 votes–56.8 percent to 43.2 percent.
UPDATE 6:36 p.m. ET:
More here about the “blue mirage” warnings in Kentucky:
And as @Redistrict just noted, “beware the blue mirage” – unless something is WAY off, I expect a 12% more Rep Election Day vote.
— John Couvillon (@WinWithJMC) November 7, 2023
I do want to emphasize that the Early Vote was +10 Dem, while registered voters are +2 Rep. and only 12K votes cast thus far out of an estimated (per SOS) 1.6M.
— John Couvillon (@WinWithJMC) November 7, 2023
8 small counties EV in. 48% Beshear now, 37% in 2019. But assuming a large Election Day swing, this will be a close race. If NO swing, then Beshear wins, as these are Republican counties.
— John Couvillon (@WinWithJMC) November 7, 2023
UPDATE 6:33 p.m. ET:
While the early vote totals are favoring Beshear in Kentucky–Cameron is running behind other Republicans–some are warning to beware of a “blue mirage” there tonight:
Beware a blue mirage in #KYGOV as the earliest results in these rural red counties are going to be the most favorable for Beshear (D), those margins will improve for Cameron (R) as EDay vote comes in.
— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) November 7, 2023
So things could easily swing Cameron’s way. It’s way too early to tell.
UPDATE 6:31 p.m. ET:
broader breakdownHere is a of races nationwide this evening from Semafor’s Dave Weigel–there are many interesting school board races mentioned throughout–that is worth reading as the nation awaits more results.
UPDATE 6:28 p.m. ET:
It’s still very early in Kentucky, but a story to watch is that other Republicans in statewide races are running far ahead of Cameron–not a good sign for the GOP nominee:
What’s also interesting is that the other statewide Reps are running about 15% ahead of Cameron in those counties.
— John Couvillon (@WinWithJMC) November 7, 2023
He has work to do in the election day vote if he’s going to make up the lower numbers in the early vote totals.
UPDATE 6:25 p.m. ET:
reportedThe Associated Press earlier on Tuesday there were major problems in Pennsylvania with voting machines–depending on how close this race is it could be something worth watching.
UPDATE 6:20 p.m. ET:
according toThe polls have closed in much of Kentucky and the first results are coming in. Daniel Cameron, the GOP gubernatorial candidate, is up with an early lead over incumbent Democrat Gov. Andy Beshear. With 1 percent in the New York Times, Cameron is up 58 percent to 42 percent–and has an approximately 1,300 vote lead.
