2022 midterm election results

Florida voters will reelect Republican Sen. Marco Rubio to a third term over Democratic Rep. Val Demings, CNN projects, an outcome that is sure to harden arguments that the Sunshine State is no longer the purple battleground of yesteryear.

Rubio trailed in fundraising throughout the race and operated a low-key campaign with few public events and just one debate. But it was enough to defeat Demings in a state that has been trending red since the last midterm cycle, when another Senate contest was decided in a recount.

The race in Florida entered the election cycle as one to watch. The decision by Demings to challenge Rubio provided a much-needed shot in the arm to a Florida Democratic Party that has struggled to nominate strong candidates. As a Black woman and former Orlando police chief, Demings offered a counter to Republican narratives that Democrats were soft on crime. Demings also proved to be a formidable fundraiser, pulling in more money than Rubio every quarter she was in the race. 

But Demings’ background in law enforcement did not deter Rubio from running ads tying her to anti-law enforcement sentiments in her party, and he often touted the endorsement of most of the state’s elected sheriffs and its police unions.  

Republican voters now outnumber Democrats by more than 300,000 in Florida, a complete reversal from the last time Rubio appeared on the ballot. Under the state’s rightward lurch, Rubio embraced former President Donald Trump, his one-time rival, and he became an original cosponsor to a national 15-week abortion ban introduced by Sen. Lindsey Graham, even as Demings and Democrats tried to make the election a referendum on abortion access. 

Rubio’s victory comes six years after he nearly bowed out of politics following his failed presidential campaign. As Florida’s senior senator, he will resume his post as one of the Republican Party’s most influential voices on foreign policy at a time of growing tension around the globe over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, China’s rise as a world power and widespread economic unrest over inflation. 

The son of Cuban immigrants, Rubio was first elected to the US Senate in 2010 in a three-way race against Democrat Kendrick Meek and then-Gov. Charlie Crist, who ran as an independent. Rubio won reelection in 2016 over Democrat Patrick Murphy. Rubio previously served as a state lawmaker in Florida, where he rose to speaker of the state House.  

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey will win reelection, CNN projects, defeating Democrat Yolanda Flowers. 

Ivey first became governor in 2017 when former GOP Gov. Robert Bentley resigned.  

The Alabama governor did have to fend off a primary challenge from Lindy Blanchard, the former ambassador to Slovenia in the Trump administration, who criticized Ivey for issuing mask mandates to combat the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Gov. Ron DeSantis, Florida’s hard-charging Republican leader who became a household name during the pandemic, will win a second term leading the Sunshine State, CNN projects, thwarting Democrat Charlie Crist’s attempt to take back his old job. 

With the campaign for reelection behind him, the focus of DeSantis’ political future will now turn to 2024. A decision is looming on whether he rides his political success in Florida into a national campaign for the White House, where he may find himself on a collision course with former President Donald Trump. 

On the campaign trail, DeSantis spent little time on Crist, instead focusing on President Joe Biden and his nationalized political battles. His campaign released a series of compelling, sharply produced videos and ads geared as much toward his growing national following on social media and email as Florida voters. In one labeled "Top Gov," DeSantis, who served as a Navy lawyer, cosplayed as a fighter pilot as he shared his "rules of engagement" for "dogfighting" with the "corporate media." In another, his wife Casey DeSantis delivered an emotional account of her battle with breast cancer. His final ad suggested God created DeSantis to be a fighter.  

En route to his victory, DeSantis built an unprecedented cash advantage over Crist and his $31 million campaign. Half of the $200 million DeSantis raised came from donations of $50,000 or more, though he also received tens of thousands of small contributions from across the country. As of November 3, DeSantis had $66 million unused between his two political committees. Sources close to the governor's team previously told CNN that DeSantis' political operation had explored how to leverage leftover campaign money for a federal race. 

Crist struggled to gain traction after winning the primary against state Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried in late August. His campaign was further hampered by the September arrival of Hurricane Ian, which brought the race to a screeching halt and postponed a planned rally and fundraiser with Biden and the race's only scheduled debate. Biden did Crist no favors when he complimented DeSantis' handling of Ian during a joint appearance in Fort Myers Beach.  

Crist attempted to make DeSantis' known political aspirations into an issue in the race. During their only debate, Crist challenged DeSantis to vow to serve a full four-year term if reelected as governor. DeSantis declined. In a canned line he appeared to read off a paper, DeSantis said of his future political ambitions: "The only worn-out, old donkey I'm looking to put out to pasture is Charlie Crist."  

In a second term, DeSantis has promised to eliminate permits to carry firearms and further "expand pro-life protections," though he has not outlined what those might be.  

DeSantis was first elected to the US House in 2012. He was reelected twice, though he resigned his third term early after securing the Republican nomination for governor in 2018. DeSantis defeated a more establishment-backed candidate in that primary on the back of an endorsement from Trump. 

It’s 8 p.m. ET, and polls are closing in the following states:  

Polls are also closing in some House districts in Kansas, Michigan and Texas.  

One thing to note: Polls in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, will stay open until 10 p.m. ET, according to an order from Judge Lesa S. Gelb. Attorneys petitioning for the extension of time cited a paper shortage at polling locations that ultimately resulted in the inability to print paper ballots and necessitated the use of emergency and provisional ballots, resulting in delays for voters. 

Here’s what to know about the key races happening in Pennsylvania: The state that put President Biden over the top in 2020 is home to some of the most important Senate and gubernatorial races in the country.  

Republicans are hoping to hold on to an open Senate seat with former TV personality Mehmet Oz, while Lt. Gov. John Fetterman is hoping his nontraditional appeal can help him move the seat into the Democrats’ column. 

State Attorney General Josh Shapiro is trying to maintain Democratic control of Pennsylvania’s governorship in a race that has taken on added importance because the governor appoints the official responsible for elections. Shapiro’s opponent is Republican state Sen. Doug Mastriano, who was a central figure supporting Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election. 

See an hour-by-hour guide to Election Night poll closings here. 

CNN’s Priya Krishnakumar and Will Mullery contributed reporting to this post.  

Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia who is locked in tight reelection race with Republican Herschel Walker, lost some support among Black and Hispanic voters in Tuesday’s closely watched election, compared with the special runoff election the Democrat won in 2021, according to the preliminary national results of the exit poll conducted for CNN and other news networks by Edison Research.

The votes in Georgia continue to be counted, but the race is widely expected to be close.

Roughly 9 in 10 Black voters and nearly 6 in 10 Hispanic voters in Georgia supported Warnock, but he lost several percentage points among each group, the preliminary exit polls found.

Warnock also shed a few percentage points of support among men who cast ballots and among voters age 64 and younger. However, the senator gained a small amount of support among White voters, who make up nearly two-thirds of the electorate, and among senior citizens.

Still, Walker was the candidate of choice among more than two-thirds of White voters, as well as among a majority of men who cast ballots.

A majority of women who voted and around 8 in 10 non-White voters opted for Warnock.

More than half of voters age 45 and older cast ballots for Walker, while nearly 6 in 10 younger voters selected Warnock.

More than three-quarters of Ohio voters said the nation’s economy was “poor” or “not so good,” according to the preliminary results of the Ohio Exit Poll conducted for CNN and other news networks by Edison Research.

And nearly three-quarters of Buckeye State voters said inflation has caused their family severe or moderate hardship, with nearly 2 in 10 saying their difficulties were severe.

More than half of those who cast ballots said that President Joe Biden’s policies are hurting, while about one-third said they are helping.

The president is not that popular among Ohio voters – more than half disapprove of him, with more than 4 in 10 approving.

The top election official for the city of Milwaukee told reporters Tuesday evening that she expects an overall turnout of 70-75% of registered voters from that area of the state. 

Claire Woodall-Vogg, executive director of the City of Milwaukee Election Commission, told reporters that this is close to the same level of turnout as what was seen in 2018 and the number of absentee ballots will likely be lower than what was initially expected. 

Milwaukee is one of 38 municipalities in Wisconsin that processes its absentee ballots at a “central count,” or a single location, according to the Wisconsin Elections Commission.

In Milwaukee and other central count cities, absentee votes are reported only after they are all counted, while elsewhere in the state, absentee and in-person votes are generally counted and reported at the same time. 

As of Tuesday morning, more than 60,000 voters in Milwaukee had returned absentee ballots, more than in any other municipality in the state. 

Woodall-Vogg said election workers at the Milwaukee central count are still on track to finish tallying the city’s absentee ballots by 10 p.m. or 11 p.m. CT on Tuesday night.

Based on early voting tallies coming in on two key races in Georgia, some voters are voting for one party's candidate in the Senate race, but then choosing another party's candidate in the gubernatorial race.

For example, Democratic nominee and Sen. Raphael Warnock has more actual votes than Democratic candidate for governor Stacey Abrams on the same ticket.

Early results show Warnock with about 80,000 more votes than Abrams, "meaning people are voting for Raphael Warnock, and then not voting for Abrams," CNN's John King explained, adding that some of those votes are going to Republican incumbent Gov. Brian Kemp.

This is visible specifically in Democratic-leaning Fulton County, which includes Atlanta, where GOP nominee Herschel Walker has fewer than 65,000 votes while Republican incumbent Gov. Brian Kemp has received about 79,000 votes so far.

The early numbers show "Herschel Walker underperforming the governor," King said in his analysis.

Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson spent Election Day in Oshkosh with his family after casting his ballot at the Oshkosh Town Hall with his wife, his campaign told CNN.

The Republican also spent time with his grandchildren and dialed into some GOTV radio hits and teletown halls with supporters. 

For his part, Democratic challenger Mandela Barnes spent the day in the Democratic stronghold of Milwaukee, hopping from college campus to college campus to greet students at Milwaukee Area Technical College, UW-Milwaukee, and Marquette University.

He tweeted: “students at Marquette are fired up and ready to send Ron Johnson packing. So inspired by all of y’all and your determination to be the change you seek.”

If elected, Barnes would be the nation’s second-youngest senator — older only than Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff.

View Barnes' tweet: