How Election Week 2022 Went Down

There are clearly a few solid reasons to keep an eye on North Carolina’s 13th District, but I may as well add to the list, just for good measure. Hines is also worth watching because he’s a young candidate who aligns incredibly closely with the far right. There’s a general idea — and, to be fair, research to back it — that younger Americans are more liberal as a whole, but someone like Hines clearly challenges that narrative. How young Republicans step into the shoes of the party will be important as Gen Z is starting to come of running-eligible age, and between Hines and Karoline Leavitt in New Hampshire’s 1st District, tonight could be a preview of what is to come down the road.

Right now, there is a lot more support for the abortion-rights position in Kentucky’s ballot amendment (56 percent) than for the Democratic Senate candidate (42 percent). Which, if that continues to be the case, could pose a conundrum for Democrats. It’s a sign, on the one hand, that voters are rejecting stances on abortion that are outside the mainstream — and which many Republicans are embracing. But … they’re not necessarily voting for Democrats as a result.

Meanwhile, in North Carolina’s Senate race, Democrat Cheri Beasley currently leads Republican Ted Budd 58 percent to 41 percent (with about 36 percent of the expected vote in). Of course, it’s still early, so we won’t get too ahead of ourselves here. Plus, for Democrats, North Carolina has recently been more of a white whale than a bird in hand: In fact, no Democrat has won a statewide federal race there since 2008.