After the election: Looking at results Live
MPR News' full coverage of the 2018 midterm elections, including the latest breaking news, analysis and results.
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Your 2018 midterm election guide: What to watch for hour by hour
There are dozens of competitive races across the country that will determine control of the House, Senate and governors' seats. Here are the pivotal seats that could unlock what happens. -
Advice for staying sane on Election Day (and night)
As a general rule, the earlier you start seeing something that claims to be authoritative -- or even indicative -- the less likely it is to be so. -
Why every vote matters -- elections decided by a single vote (or a little more)
Many Americans say they are disaffected with the system of politics and sit on the sidelines, especially in midterms. But not voting can have consequences. Just look at these races. -
Where do I vote? And other questions you might have on Election Day
You've done your research and know exactly who you want to vote for -- but do you know if you're registered to vote? Do you know where your polling place is? Here's how you can find out. -
On the line: Trump, Democrats battle in campaign's final day
By KEN THOMAS, Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — An epic battle for control of Congress and the future of Donald Trump's presidency was wrapping up Monday as both parties made their final appeals to voters.
Reprising his frantic campaigning during the final days of his 2016 race, Trump was barnstorming the country with rallies in Ohio, Indiana and Missouri, returning to the White House well after midnight.
Democrats in Congress were poised to make gains in the House, seeking to flip 23 seats to regain control of the chamber and serve as a check on Trump's policies. The party's task was much more difficult in the Senate, where Republicans hold a narrow 51-49 majority but Democrats are defending 10 seats in states won by the president two years ago.
The two parties were also tangling in several crucial governors' races, including in Midwest battleground states such as Wisconsin, Ohio, Iowa and Michigan. Florida and Georgia, meanwhile, could make history by electing their states' first black governors — and leading Democrats such as former President Barack Obama made special pitches for Andrew Gillum in Florida and Stacey Abrams in Georgia in the final days.
A look at midterm campaign activities on Monday:
TRUMP
Campaigning in Ohio, Trump declared that "everything is at stake" as he sought to bolster the campaign of Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine, the Republican candidate for governor.
In Cleveland, Trump bashed DeWine's Democratic opponent, Richard Cordray, whom he declared "a bad person" who "has hurt a lot of people."
Earlier in the day, Trump said during a tele-town hall organized by his re-election campaign that the media would treat the midterm results as a referendum on his presidency.
"Even though I'm not on the ballot, in a certain way I am on the ballot," Trump said. "The press is very much considering it a referendum on me and us as a movement."
The president asserted that if Democrats win, they will work to roll back everything he's tried to accomplish during his first two years as president. "It's all fragile," he said on the call.
Trump was holding his final three get-out-the-vote rallies in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Cape Girardeau, Missouri, where he was being joined by special guest Rush Limbaugh.
OBAMA
Bearing boxes of doughnuts, former President Barack Obama and Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine made a surprise visit to a Fairfax, Virginia, campaign office to visit with volunteers working to generate a large voter turnout.
Obama, still hoarse from days of campaigning, told volunteers that issues like health care and opportunities for working families are "on the ballot," along with the nation's character. "Who we are is on the ballot," he said.
"You're going out there, you're going to make sure that people vote to start making things better," Obama said. "And when you do that, then the spirit of America is going to shine. Alright? Let's get to work."
The former president campaigned in recent days in Florida, Georgia, Indiana and Illinois for a slate of Democrats running in key Senate and gubernatorial races.
The event brought Obama back together with Kaine, a former Virginia governor who was among the first elected officials in the nation to endorse his presidential campaign in 2008.
GEORGIA GOVERNOR
The battle for Georgia governor intensified in its final hours as Abrams, the Democrat, and Republican Brian Kemp framed the race as a stark choice for the state and prepared for another month of campaigning if no one wins a majority.
Abrams slammed Kemp as a "bald-faced liar" who abused his powers as the sitting secretary of state when he suggested over the weekend, without offering evidence, that the Georgia Democratic Party tampered with the state's online voter database.
Kemp insisted there was reason to suspect a hacking attempt, but declined to give details.
"I'm not going to get into the specifics of the investigation," Kemp told reporters. "But I can tell you I would not be calling Homeland Security, the FBI and the GBI unless we had information that we needed them to look at." -
Want your absentee vote to count? Do not mail completed absentee ballots.
All completed absentee ballots must be i… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… -
Couldn't ask for a better endorsement of early voting in Minneapolis! There is still time for you to have this #EuphoricElectionsExperience yourself - all four sites are open until 5:00pm today!by Mpls Elections via twitter 11/5/2018 9:23:25 PM -
Where 8th District candidates have spent their campaign cash trib.al/Rk9bHiH https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DrP9LizWkAAWECn.jpg
by Duluth News Tribune via twitter retweeted by MatthewLiedke 11/5/2018 9:07:37 PM -
Not registered to vote? Minnesota has Election Day voter registration.
Learn what documentation you need to bring with: bit.ly/2yCj1kj
#mnvotes https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DrRIC-VWsAQXJ8O.jpgby RamseyCounty via twitter 11/5/2018 9:00:39 PM -
I have been waiting to vote since 2016 and requested my early ballot as soon as I could. I don't think I am alone in that I am willing to crawl over broken glass to vote this year.
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The lack of really good candidates from either major party in a number of races coupled with the fact that you can't vote for a third party candidate that you agree with more without likely helping out the major party candidate you most disagree with are great reasons to ditch First Past the Post in favor of a better election system. I'm excited to vote tomorrow, but I wish we could all vote for the candidates we most liked instead of having to vote strategically.
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I am voting with high anxiety thinking of my children and grandchildren. I am also bringing my brother to vote - he usually does not vote. He will even be voting differently than I will be in some areas. This bothers me slightly, as he is not as informed in some of the issues... But, I am glad he is going to vote. This will be a big deal that he does vote. I am, however, dreading outcomes. DREADING!
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I early voted weeks ago straight blue ticket. Wondering about MN 08, haven't seen much polling there which is surprising in what is supposed to be a close race.
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The Candidates on the Democratic side are millionaires. They are not common people. They are as much pawns iin the hands of industry lobby as the Republicans,
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I am millennial. Naturalized Citizen who is tired of all this love and fairness etc. etc. from the Democrats. While my values are very closely aligned to what Democrats propose I believe both parties are hypocrites. So Kerri yes I will vote to give a message. even though there is very little I agree with the GOP I will vote GOP down the ticket. As I an immigrant I do believe America is for Americans.
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I'm a first-year millennial. I'm voting straight Democrat out of a sense of morality. The GOP in this country and in this state are not a check on Donald Trump's rhetoric. When I was a kid, America looked up to it's scientists like heroes, now we question obvious findings on man-made climate change. We never would have dreamed of putting kids in cages. We were beginning to take real steps away from racism and sexism. Donald Trump represents a real regression away from this progress. I'm also tired of giant tax cuts for corporations and the ultra-wealthy. The GOP tries some form of corporate tax cuts at the expense of the average worker every time they have a majority. Then we achieve a giant deficit and celebrate with an economic downturn. We have to stop this cycle.
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I'm voting in the 8th a straight Democratic ticket. I'm a baby boomer and I stopped voting 'idealistically' years ago. In my maturity - I'm a realist. I don't agree with anyone that says there is no difference between the two major parties. There is a HUGE difference on many, many issues. I still feel optimistic about the human race and as long as I do, I will be a Democrat. We all do better when we all do better. Period.
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Hey there. 26, latino, transgender, and living below the poverty line. I am voting straight blue this ticket, but doing so reluctantly. I am fed up with the forcing of a two party system on not just Minnesotans, but on the entire nation. I would prefer to vote green party in the AG race, because the third party candidate has a platform most closely aligned with my vote. But I feel guilted into even considering voting for him because I know it could split the vote and result in a win for Wardlow, which would be worse for us all.
Elections and politics in this country no longer feel like candidates are fighting for the best interests of their constituents. It feels like watching football, and we all have to choose a team to cheer for every season. It's exhausting, and I feel like my vote truly doesn't count when I have to vote for the "lesser of two evils" and not who I actually support out of fear. The same thing happened in 2016 when Bernie Sanders campaigned as an independent until it was no longer viable, was forced into running with the DFL. We all know how that ended. I'm not saying he would have been a perfect candidate, but he certainly would have been a better option than the ones we were given. I'm tired of watching the same thing happen over and over. Why are we even putting third parties on the ballot as an option if no one is supposed to vote for them?
I know it's easier said than done, but until votes overwhelmingly tilt toward candidates outside the binary and show those in office that we're tired of a two-party game show, nothing will change. If we keep saying "they can't win," they won't. If we keep refusing to vote for them, they won't win. If you don't support them, they can't move ahead. When are we going to get off our butts and start seriously refusing to adhere to a system that only benefits the ones elected to it? -
I am ambivalent about voting this year. I will vote, but in the 8th CD, I can not stomach voting for any sulfide mining promoters (so all corporate Dems and Repugs are out). I reject the notion that a vote for Skip Sandman is a vote for Stauber. Elections have been stolen without third party involvement. I voted for Nader and LaDuke in 2000 and I’m still glad I did. I will probably write in Painter for Senate.
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I was born in 1996, so the final year such that I'm considered a milenial. I am also trans and non-binary, and started coming out the year Trump was elected. If there is anyone who has a reason to be pessimistic about this election it's me. But I'm not. I'm going to et to vote for three women at the top of the ballot here in Minneapolis, including a trans person (Paula Overby for green party). I'm excited to see such great representation. But I also know that this one election won't change everythin. It'll take time. It's another step. We need to keep on fighting!
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I am among the millions of GOP supporters who avoid conflict and ridicule by being silent. No yard signs, no bumper stickers, no arguments. But we will be coming out in force Tuesday. I predict another massive "upset" that Dems don't see coming.
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Voting Democrat but really looking forward to the re-emergence of a viable third party for the 2020 POTUS. At the national level not excited about the duolopy we find ourselves in.
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I've been a proud, mildly apolitical, ticket splitter in the past. Not this year. Gave money to Democrats local and national, knocked over 1000 doors, texted 5,000 voters, made 500 phone calls and helped with 500 postcards. Best part of all the GOTV work is it was wonderful therapy.
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I am voting tomorrow with my children and grandchild in mind. I always vote, and this time, I am incredibly nervous and anxious. I don't know if I can handle another wake up like 2016. I am also bringing my brother - who never votes. He took the MPR quizzes and ended up with a huge mix. I believe he is uninformed. But, I am still proud of him for voting! BTW, we are in our late 40's.
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Please remind folks that voting a straight ticket does not complete the job. There are many important nonpartisan races that require the voter select a candidate individually.
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I'm voting straight GOP this year due to the behavior from Democrats in the Kavanaugh hearings. Also, the economy is fantastic right now, best jobs report in a decade on Friday, I don't want to mess with that.
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I disagree with the idea that it is the cities vs. outstate Minnesota. I am a Saint Paulite but I also recognize we need to support the farmers and rural voters as well.
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I live in a heavily one-party district in Minneapolis proper. However, there are numerous state-wide elections going on this year that make it worthwhile for me to get out to vote since (1) all of them will have a major impact on my own & my fellow Minnesotans' future well-being, (2) many of them could go either way & (3) I see one party's candidates as clearly having a better governing agenda should they obtain power. These are the vital stte-wide spots of which I speak: MN's Governor & AG, and 2 US Senate seats (1 of which is a toss up).
Whether you agree with my societal values or you oppose them: election day is the one day where we all get to flip the script & govern the people who govern us the rest of their terms. For tomorrow only, we are the bosses and our politicians are our employees under review. Go vote, people!!! -
Optimistic, but long term. Demographically, Mellinials will supplant baby boomers in the upcoming years. It’s important we vote so that millennial issues are part of the conversation, if not part of the policy of future lawmakers. Student loan debt, gender equity, LGBTQ rights. We need to vote so politicians understand that they finally have to start caring about these issues.
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Millennial, and first time early voter. Also, only the 2nd or 3rd time voting in a midterm. I feel as a woman, if I do not vote then I am saying it is ok for men to control my body and my life. As a sexual assault survivor, I am saying it is ok to assault people and continue to do so with no repercussions. I voted for those I felt would uphold my values and protect me, and our was basically a straight democratic ticket. Whether we win or not, at least I know my choices will cancel out the ones of my grandfather (whom I love dearly, but we could not be further apart politically)
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Completely agree with @ND. I'm hiding the razor blades Wednesday.
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Voting because I can't look in the mirror mornings unless I do. This is the first year I ever door knocked for a campaign. I did that out of a sense of hope and fear both; hope that it will make a difference and fear or what will happen if I failed to do as much as I could to counteract a general slide towards toward the dark side - not the better angels- of our national nature taking control. Kudos and thanks to Ken and Kerri for inspiration and thoughtful listening to our questions and opinions. Wow and now Angela is on with Kerri. I am so glad to hear her voice.
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I'm a 24 year old Millennial voting with a sense of optimism because I have reached out to my friends of a similar age and some of them are voting with real purpose and optimism in the Midterms for the first time. Additionally, I have lived in the 3rd district of Minnesota all my life, and I finally feel like there is a chance that a Democratic candidate (Dean Phillips) may win. I'm voting tomorrow, straight Democratic, excited and optimistic!
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Millenial here - I vote out of obligation and, if I'm honest, fear. I am afraid of how climate change will affect our world, and at the very least I know that we need people in power who believe climate change is a problem that needs to be addressed. So, yes, I voted straight DFL.