Election Brief: Zero days to go, voting in full swing with control of Congress at stake

Welcome to Fox News’ Election Brief, a newsletter with the latest updates from the 2022 midterm elections campaign trail. Subscribe now to get Fox News' Election Brief in your inbox. 

NEVER MISS A MOMENT — Polls are open, and the stakes couldn't be higher. Check out our live coverage of election night results, major updates and more at Fox News' midterms live blog.

TOP STORIES

IT'S ELECTION DAY: President Biden predicts that Democrats will "surprise the living devil out of a lot of people" in Tuesday’s midterm elections, when roughly a third of the Senate, all 435-members of the House of Representatives, and governors’ offices in 36 of the 50 states are up for grabs. 

But with Democrats facing historical headwinds (the party that wins the White House traditionally suffers major setbacks in the ensuing midterm elections) and a very rough political climate fueled by record inflation, soaring crime and a crisis at the nation’s southern border, all accentuated by his own rebounding but still underwater approval ratings, the president’s election eve forecast appears optimistic. 

Republicans aim to regain majorities in both the House of Representatives and Senate in Tuesday’s contests, while maintaining and potentially increasing their current control of a majority of governorships and state legislative chambers. Read more from Fox News' Paul Steinhauser: DEMOCRACY 2022: Voters head to the polls with congressional balance of power on the line

VANDALIA, OHIO - NOVEMBER 07: Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a rally at the Dayton International Airport on November 7, 2022 in Vandalia, Ohio.  (Drew Angerer)

READY OR NOT: After more than a year and a half of early moves in the 2024 presidential election cycle, the starting gun in the next White House race fires immediately after Tuesday’s midterm elections. 

"There have been a half dozen or more Republicans who have been circling around the midterms as a pretense for running for president – road testing some messaging," longtime GOP consultant David Kochel, a veteran of dozens of Iowa political campaigns, told Fox News. One of the biggest and expected moves in the next White House race could happen almost immediately. Read more from Fox News' Paul Steinhauser: Ready or not, here comes the opening kick-off in the 2024 White House race

APOCALYPSE 2022: House Majority Whip James Clyburn, D-S.C., blamed the right's "demonization of Nancy Pelosi" for the attack on Paul Pelosi in their San Francisco home, saying that this is what happens in a country that follows "Germany in the early ‘30s." 

When asked why Americans should vote to keep Democrats in control of Congress, despite record-high inflation and rising gas prices, Clyburn downplayed economic concerns. "I think that people should be voting in their own self-interest. And their self-interest is much more than what you may or may not be paying for gas or a loaf of bread," he said. Read more from Fox News' Sophia Slacik and Andrew Murray: House Majority Whip: US 'on track to repeat' Nazi Germany, downplays inflation ahead of midterms

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EXPERT PREDICTIONS: While several political insiders are divided over who will take control of the Senate and the House, others believe Republicans will take majority in both chambers. Read more from Fox News' Kyle Morris and Andrew Murray: Political experts issue midterm election predictions, most conclude GOP will take House and Senate is toss-up

CAMPAIGN TRAIL UPDATES

POLLING INFO: Check out Fox News Digital's guide to when polls close and open across the country: ELECTION DAY: What time do polls open and close across the nation?

Fox News breaks down when the polls will open and close on Election Day.  (Mark Kauzlarich/Bloomberg)

WISHFUL THINKING: Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams has unequivocally declared her intention to defeat incumbent Republican Gov. Brian Kemp in an Election Day message. "My name is Stacey Abrams and I intend to be the next governor of the great state of Georgia," Abrams tweeted Tuesday, as voters head to the ballot box. Abrams, who unsuccessfully ran against Kemp in 2018, has trailed the Republican governor in the polls despite record fundraising. Read more from Fox News' Chris Pandolfo: Stacey Abrams' Election Day message: 'I intend to be the next governor' of Georgia

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, left, and Democratic challenger, Stacey Abrams.  (AP )

ALL IN ON ABORTION: After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June, giving the states the authority to place restrictions on abortion, Democrats went all in on the issue and made it a focal point of midterm messaging, despite other pressing voter concerns. Despite inflation and border security being detrimental to a majority of voters, Democrats spent $320 million campaigning on abortion this election cycle, while neglecting other pressing issues that are of top importance to voters. According to AdImpact, Democrats only spent $31 million on advertisements addressing inflation and about $140 million on ads regarding crime. Read more from Fox News' Aubrie Spady and Andrew Murray here: 'They don’t have a winning message': Dems spend $320M on abortion ads, 10 times more than on crime, economy

0 DAYS TO GO…

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