2022 midterms live updates: Latest election news from AP
WASHINGTON (AP) — Election Day is here. It’s not a presidential year, but these are high-stakes elections nonetheless. Among the things to watch: Will the expected red wave be a ripple or a tsunami? What effect will the Supreme Court decision striking down Roe v. Wade have? And what will we know before we go to bed tonight? While there are some races the AP can call as soon as polls close, other winners might take a lot longer to identify. AP’s VoteCast surveys indicate high inflation and worries about the future of American democracy were significant factors in voters’ decisions.
VoteCast: Inflation, democracy drive demoralized US voters
WASHINGTON (AP) — The AP VoteCast survey shows that voters have become deeply discouraged about the state of America and its future. High inflation and concerns about the fragility of democracy are heavily influencing their decisions in Tuesday’s midterm elections. The detailed portrait of the American electorate is based on preliminary results from VoteCast, an extensive survey of more than 90,000 voters nationwide conducted for The Associated Press by NORC at the University of Chicago. Half of voters say inflation factored significantly in their vote. Groceries, gasoline, housing, food and other costs have shot up in the past year and given Republicans a vehicle for criticizing President Joe Biden. Slightly fewer — 44% — say the future of democracy was their primary consideration.
In Maryland, Moore aims to be state’s first Black governor
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Democrats Wes Moore and U.S. Rep Anthony Brown are aiming to make Maryland history. Moore hopes to become the state’s first Black governor and Brown is running to be Maryland’s first Black attorney general in Tuesday’s election. Moore is running against Republican Dan Cox, a state legislator endorsed by former President Donald Trump. Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-1 in Maryland. Trump lost to President Joe Biden in 2020 in Maryland after receiving only 32% of the vote. Moore and Cox are running to replace Republican Gov. Larry Hogan, who is term limited.
Powerball ticket sold in California snags record $2.04B win
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Someone who bought a Powerball ticket in Southern California has won a record $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot. The winning numbers drawn Tuesday morning at the Florida Lottery draw studio in Tallahassee were: white balls 10, 33, 41, 47 and 56, and the red Powerball was 10. The jackpot ticket was sold at Joe’s Service Center in Altadena, northeast of Los Angeles. The business will receive a maximum Powerball bonus of $1 million. The Multi-State Lottery Association said Monday night’s scheduled drawing was delayed by nearly 10 hours until Tuesday because a participating lottery had issues processing sales. The jackpot was by far the largest lottery jackpot ever won, topping the previous record $1.586 billion prize won by three Powerball ticketholders in 2016.
Zelenskyy open to talks with Russia — on Ukraine’s terms
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine’s president has suggested he’s open to peace talks with Russia but is sticking to Kyiv’s demands. Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s appeal to the international community to “force Russia into real peace talks” reflected a softening of his refusal to negotiate with Moscow while Russian President Vladimir Putin is in power. But Zelenskyy’s preconditions appear to be non-starters for Moscow, so it’s hard to see how his latest comments would advance any talks. Western weapons and aid have been key to Ukraine’s ability to fight off Russia’s invasion. Support for Ukraine has garnered strong bipartisan support in the U.S. Congress, but growing conservative opposition could complicate that if Republicans take control of the House in Tuesday’s elections.
Takeaways: Bold proposals and ‘net zero’ criticism at COP27
SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt (AP) — The second day of leaders’ speeches at the UN’s climate conference included bold proposals, recommendations to crack down and standardize “net zero” claims and continued discussion about the situation of a jailed pro-democracy activist who is on a hunger and water strike. The annual climate summit, known as COP27, comes at a time that extreme weather events, exacerbated by climate change, are more frequent and destructive.
Tropical Storm Nicole churns toward Bahamas, Florida
MIAMI (AP) — Tropical Storm Nicole is forecast to strengthen to a hurricane as it churns toward the northwestern Bahamas and Florida’s Atlantic coastline. A range of warnings and watches remained in place Tuesday throughout the region. Nicole is expected to cross the Bahamas later Tuesday and strengthen into a Category 1 hurricane before making landfall in Florida on Wednesday night or Thursday. Many areas are still reeling from damage caused by Hurricane Ian, which struck in late September. The hurricane center says Nicole’s exact path remains uncertain but some Florida counties — including Flagler, Palm Beach and Volusia — have called for mandatory evacuations beginning Wednesday morning.
Review: In ‘Wakanda Forever,’ an empire mourns and rebuilds
Made in the wake of tragedy, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” reverberates with the agony of loss, piercing the usually less consequential superhero realm. Like someone going through the stages of grief, Ryan Coogler’s movie is at turns mournful and rootless, full of rage and blessed with clarity, Associated Press Film Writer Jake Coyle writes in his review. In the fantastical Marvel Cinematic Universe where mortality is almost always a plaything, wrestling with the genuine article, in the death of T’Challa star Chadwick Boseman, makes for an unusually uncertain, soul-searching kind of blockbuster-scale entertainment. “Wakanda Forever” opens in theaters Thursday.
Jeff Cook, co-founder of country band Alabama, dies at 73
NEW YORK (AP) — Guitarist Jeff Cook, who co-founded the successful country group Alabama, has died. He was 73. Cook had Parkinson’s disease and disclosed his diagnosis in 2017. A representative for the band says he died Tuesday at his home in Destin, Florida. The Country Music Hall of Fame says that as a guitarist, fiddle player and vocalist, Cook landed eight No. 1 songs on the country charts between spring 1980 and summer 1982 alongside cousins Randy Owen and Teddy Gentry. Cook steered Alabama up the charts with such hits as “Song of the South” and “Dixieland Delight.”
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