Democrats Win Congress; Jeffries to be Speaker, Hochul Retains NY

Governor Hochul re-elected as Democrats strengthen state legislature

Governor Kathy Hochul won re-election in New York, defeating Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman.

Hochul improved her 2022 performance in all 62 New York counties, although results for Westchester County remain pending. She exceeded the 2024 presidential election margin of Kamala Harris in New York by 7 percentage points.

Despite her statewide performance, Hochul lost support in 30 upstate New York counties.

Democrats are expected to control 111 of 150 Assembly seats and 47 of 63 state Senate seats, regaining a Senate supermajority.

Democrats gained at least 20 seats in county legislatures and boards of supervisors, while Republicans flipped 11 seats previously held by Democrats. Three Suffolk County state legislature seats flipped from Republican to Democratic, contributing to a potential Democratic supermajority in Albany.

Five-term Republican Senator Susan Collins lost her reelection bid in Maine.

In Ohio, the race to succeed Governor Mike DeWine remains competitive, with candidate Amy Acton holding a slight lead in polls. A victory for Acton would make her the first Democratic governor elected in Ohio in 20 years.

Representative Haley Stevens endorsed Republican Mike Rogers for Senate over Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, despite losing the Michigan Democratic primary to El-Sayed in August. Stevens told NewsNation that "voting is always worth it" regarding the backlash to her endorsement. A New York Times/Siena poll from November 1 showed El-Sayed leading Rogers 53% to 42% among likely voters.

Norm Eisen of Democracy Defenders Action is working with election officials to prepare for potential federal interference, including the seizure of ballots or machines. UCLA law professor Rick Hasen has urged judges to order copies of ballots if federal authorities attempt to seize election materials, allowing certification to proceed.

Long Island incumbents hold seats as local races conclude

All four congressional incumbents on Long Island won re-election to their seats in Washington, D.C..

Republican Nick Lalota won the 1st Congressional District by two percentage points, a decrease from his 11-point victory in 2024. Republican Andrew Garbarino won the 2nd Congressional District by three percentage points, down from his 20-point victory in 2024.

Democrat Tom Suozzi defeated Republican Mike Lipetri in Nassau County for the second consecutive election cycle.

Joe Scianablo won the election for Hempstead Town Supervisor, defeating incumbent John Ferretti in a rematch of the 2025 election.

Republicans will maintain control of the Nassau County legislature, though a win by Chin would reduce their majority to one seat.

Congressional flips and regional shifts in New York

Democrats flipped two House seats in New Jersey, leaving the Republican Party with one seat in the state. Democrats maintained gains in the Hudson Valley and Central New York.

Democrat Cait Conley defeated two-term Republican incumbent Mike Lawler in the 17th District.

Democrats improved on their 2024 margins in 23 of the 25 US House districts where enough votes were counted to compare.

Record campaign spending and the rise of the Working Families Party

The 2026 election cycle was the most expensive in New York history, with over $500 million spent by campaigns, committees, and outside groups, compared to $460 million in 2024. Governor Hochul outspent Blakeman by $15 million, with rideshare company Uber spending nearly $15 million on super PACs supporting her.

Democrat Sarah Rogerson defeated Republican Jim Tedisco in a Saratoga-area state Senate race with nearly $2 million spent on her behalf.

Hochul received over 360,000 votes on the Working Families Party ballot line, allowing the party to surpass the Conservative Party for the Row C ballot position.

Election logistics and Westchester scanner issues

Nearly 60 million people voted early, with approximately half of those votes cast in person and half by mail, according to the University of Florida’s Election Lab. These 60 million early votes represent nearly half of the 122 million total votes cast in the 2022 midterm elections. Michael McDonald of the University of Florida’s Election Lab notes that early voting data shows relative engagement levels but cannot reliably predict final election outcomes. 24, 2026.

The Westchester County Board of Elections reported that paper ballot issues are preventing voting machines from accepting ballots at various polling locations. Lawler stated on social media that there were problems with ballot scanners in Westchester County. Conley stated that the scanner issue in Westchester County was being addressed in a bipartisan manner. New York Attorney General Letitia James is monitoring the scanner issues in Westchester County and confirmed that voters can still cast ballots at polling locations.

Voters in Collingswood approved the sale of alcohol, ending restrictions that had been in place for a century, according to News 12 New Jersey.

Political fallout and future legislative priorities

The incoming Democratic majority is expected to prioritize issues such as housing costs, general affordability, and oversight of the Trump administration.

Donald Trump held at least nine virtual tele-rallies and spoke at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington D.C. on the Monday before the election. President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that he was not on the ballot and would have won in a landslide if he had been. Retired Seaford Representative Peter King stated, "It is time for the Republican Party to separate itself from President Trump and follow its own lead," citing Trump's "increasingly confusing and narcissistic behavior".

President Donald Trump stated on Fox News that the U.S. will stop paying aid to Israel by the end of the year, citing a prior agreement with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.