Four Election Day contests to watch

by Amee LaTour - 11/07/23 4:03 PM ET

Evening Report

WELCOME TO ELECTION DAY! Several states and localities are holding races Tuesday, including for marquee legislative and gubernatorial offices.

Here are four things to watch tonight:

1️⃣ Control of the Virginia legislature

Democrats have a narrow majority in the state Senate, while Republicans have a narrow majority in the House of Delegates. Forecasting site CNalysis rates both chambers “lean Democratic.”

Virginia is the only southern state that hasn’t tightened abortion restrictions in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade last year.
Virginia Republicans, with the support of Gov. Glenn Youngkin, have tried to further restrict abortion, but Democrats in the legislature have blocked the effort.
Some other policy areas that could be affected by the election: Guns, education and crime.

2️⃣ Ohio’s constitutional amendment on abortion

Voters will decide whether to amend the Ohio Constitution to include abortion protections through fetal viability. The election comes as the conservative-majority Ohio Supreme Court weighs a more restrictive policy in the state. Read more: Abortion is on the ballot in Tuesday’s key elections

3️⃣ Beshear-Cameron battle in Kentucky

Kentucky’s popular Democratic governor, Andy Beshear, is expected to have a competitive election against Attorney General Daniel Cameron (R).

Democrats have framed Cameron as divisive and extreme, including on the issue of abortion. Republicans have sought to tie Beshear to President Biden and criticized him for vetoing legislation restricting gender-affirming care and sports participation for some transgender people.

AP: In the Kentucky governor’s race, the gun policy debate is both personal and political

4️⃣ Mississippi gubernatorial race

Democrat Brandon Presley is hoping for an upset against incumbent Tate Reeves (R) in this deep red state.

From The Hill’s Julia Mueller: “Presley has sought to stress the state’s welfare scandal, which centers on the misuse of funds in the state. Reeves has been name-checked in the matter but has not been charged with any wrongdoing.”
Reeves, for his part, has the endorsement of former President Trump, who’s sought to tie Presley to Biden.

AP: M ississippi voters will decide between a first-term GOP governor and a Democrat related to Elvis

⏱ Here’s when polls close tonight

Welcome to Evening Report! I’m Amee LaTour, catching you up from the afternoon and what’s coming tomorrow. Not on the list? Subscribe here.

CATCH UP QUICK

Republican House leaders urged sending aid to Israel and spoke against calls for ceasefires or “pauses” to Israel’s ground invasion of Gaza during remarks Tuesday, accompanied by family members of people held hostage by Hamas.
The Senate confirmed Monica Bertagnolli to lead the National Institutes of Health (NIH), filling a nearly two-year vacancy.
Senate Republicans meet today to try to find a solution to Sen. Tommy Tuberville‘s (R-Ala.) military holds as Democrats propose a standing resolution to work around them.

GOVERNMENT FUNDING

Senators mull ‘maxi-bus’ as funding deadlines approach

With Congress trying to avoid a massive omnibus package combining all 12 bills to fund the government, the Senate’s plan has been to pass four “minibus” packages containing three bills each.

But with only one minibus clearing the chamber so far, senators are mulling another option: a “maxi-bus” — containing the other nine.

The Hill’s Alexander Bolton breaks down how this departs from recent history.

(Reminder: The House has passed seven individual appropriations bills.)

CONGRESS

House to vote again on Tlaib censure

The House is expected to vote on at least one censure resolution against Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) on Wednesday. A second resolution is up for a procedural vote later Tuesday. Both have been introduced by Republicans.

Tlaib, the only Palestinian American in Congress, has come under intense criticism for comments she’s made about Israel, though several Democrats have argued she’s exercising her free speech rights.
The Michigan progressive drew widespread backlash after posting a video featuring the phrase “from the river to the sea,” a slogan used by Hamas that Jewish organizations have condemned as antisemitic. Watch her response to the criticism here.

IN OTHER NEWS

SCOTUS hears gun restriction case

The Supreme Court heard oral arguments Tuesday in a case challenging a federal law that criminalizes gun possession for people under domestic-violence restraining orders.

The Hill’s Zach Schonfeld explains the decision in the case “stands to impact an array of pending gun law challenges in lower courts, advocates on both sides say. A broadly written opinion could even reach as far as impacting Hunter Biden’s criminal case.”

MORE: Supreme Court appears inclined to uphold gun ban for domestic abusers

Hogan PAC ad criticizes right, left on Israel, Ukraine

A new ad from former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan‘s PAC criticizes people on the left opposed to supporting Israel and those on the right opposed to further aid to Ukraine. Hogan has left the door open to a third-party presidential bid in 2024.

OP-EDS IN THE HILL

“Friendships can survive disagreements about abortion. Here’s how.” — Elizabeth Grace Matthew, who writes about culture, politics, and religion. (Read here)

“It’s time to recalibrate our Election Day expectations” — Omeed Alerasool, an attorney at Elias Law Group. (Read here)