North America

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Republican Gov. Bill Lee breezed by without a primary challenger in Tennessee, built up a huge campaign cash advantage and has largely ignored his Democratic opponent, Jason Martin, en route to the general election.

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Democrat Gretchen Whitmer hopes to secure a second term as Michigan’s governor and fend off a late push from political newbie and Republican challenger Tudor Dixon as the two face off in the battleground state’s Tuesday election.

Whitmer is once again leading a female-dominated statewide ticket and has made abortion rights a centerpiece of her campaign, telling voters that women’s “fundamental rights” are at risk in the upcoming election after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the right to an abortion and threw the issue to the states earlier this year.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — In Tuesday’s election, Republicans are hoping to take a northwestern Indiana congressional seat that has been a Democratic stronghold since the 1930s in the GOP-dominated state.

National Republicans targeted first-term Democratic Rep. Frank Mrvan for defeat as part of their push toward regaining a majority in the closely divided U.S. House, throwing their support behind Jennifer-Ruth Green, a Black U.S. Air Force veteran.

FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP) — Three Democratic congresswomen in Virginia are looking to survive tough reelection bids Tuesday in a midterm election season where Republicans are looking to regain control of the House of Representatives.

Elaine Luria, Abigail Spanberger and Jennifer Wexton were all elected to Congress in 2018. All three are top targets of the GOP in this election cycle.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott sought a record-tying third term Tuesday while Democrat Beto O’Rourke reached for an upset in America’s biggest red state in one of the most expensive midterm races in the U.S.

More than 5 million early votes had already been cast ahead of Election Day in Texas, where anger over the Uvalde school shooting that left 19 children and two teachers dead in May intensified an already heated contest in which both candidates’ campaigns combined spent more than $200 million.

ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp and Democratic challenger Stacey Abrams are facing off in a rematch of the state’s last governor’s race, with both seeking a remarkable achievement.

Kemp, who was a developer before serving as a state senator and secretary of state, could clinch another term despite attacks from former President Donald Trump that threatened to snuff out support in his own party.

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks rose in afternoon trading on Wall Street Tuesday as Americans head to the polls to vote in midterm elections that are being heavily influenced by inflation and the threat of a recession.

The S&P 500 rose 1.3% as of 12:13 p.m. Eastern. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 517 points, or 1.6% to 33,341 and the Nasdaq rose 1.5%.

Bond yields fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury slipped to 4.15% from 4.22% late Monday.

MIAMI (AP) — Nicole strengthened to a tropical storm Tuesday as it churned toward the northwestern Bahamas and Florida’s Atlantic coastline, forecasters said.

A range of warnings and watches remain in place. Many areas are still reeling from damage caused by Hurricane Ian, which hit Florida’s southwestern Gulf Coast as a Category 4 storm in late September, before dumping heavy amounts of rain across much of central part of the state. Forecasters said heavy rain could fall on areas still recovering from Ian’s flooding.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Joe Biden’s record is on the ballot even if his name isn’t. And no matter what Tuesday’s midterm elections bring, his presidency is set for profound changes.

In public, Biden professed optimism to the end, telling Democratic state party officials on election eve that “we’re going to surprise the living devil out of people.” In private, though, White House aides have been drawing up contingencies should Republicans take control of one, or both, chambers of Congress — a scenario Biden said would make his life “more difficult.”

(AP) --- Final voting began without major hitches Tuesday in midterm elections under intense scrutiny after two years of false claims and conspiracy theories about how ballots are cast and counted.

With polls open across most of the country, no big problems were reported early on, though there were hiccups in some places, which is typical on any Election Day.