KANSAS CITY— A&nbsp; man whose family farming operation is the setting of a reality TV show pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to a multi-million dollar fraud scheme involving federal crop insurance benefits he was not entitled to receive, according to the United State's Attorney.

Steve A. McBee, 52, Gallatin, Missouri, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to a federal information that charges him with one count of federal crop insurance fraud. McBee, the owner of McBee Farming Operations, stars in the reality TV series “The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys” streaming on Peacock.

By pleading guilty today, McBee admitted that he engaged in fraudulent activity from 2018 to 2020 that caused an economic loss to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, McBee must pay restitution as determined by the court. The total loss claimed by the government is $4,022,123. Additionally, McBee must forfeit to the government $3,158,923.

McBee admitted that he made a false report to Rain and Hail, a company reinsured by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation. McBee submitted fraudulent documents to Rain and Hail that underreported his total 2018 corn crop by approximately 674,812 bushels and underreported his total 2018 soybean crop by approximately 155,833 bushels. As a result of these false reports, McBee received $2,605,943 in federal crop insurance benefits to which he was not entitled, as well as $552,980 in federal crop insurance premium subsidies to which he was not entitled, for a total of $3,158,923.

McBee admitted that his farming operation sold more than 1.2 million bushels of corn and nearly 416,000 bushels of soybeans to another party in 2018. However, McBee’s crop insurance records reported that his farming operations produced only 340,476 bushels of corn and 190,171 bushels of soybeans.

In addition to the specific felony charge to which he pleaded guilty today, McBee admitted he committed additional fraud in 2019 and 2020.

McBee provided false information to Rain and Hail to obtain insurance for the McBee farming operation’s 2019 soybean crop by misrepresenting that soybeans were the first crop in certain fields when wheat had already been harvested from those fields.&nbsp; The Rain and Hail crop insurance policy only allowed insurance coverage on the first crop planted on a piece of land during a given crop year.&nbsp; As a result of the double cropping during the 2019 crop year, McBee was paid federal crop insurance benefits to which he was not entitled.

McBee also provided false information when he obtained crop insurance through NAU Country Insurance in 2020. McBee’s farming operation planted corn after the last planting date in 2020, which made the crop ineligible for insurance. McBee provided false plant dates on crop insurance documents to NAU Country Insurance. As a result, McBee received federal crop insurance benefits to which he was not entitled.

Under federal statutes, McBee is subject to a sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730860749356.png" alt="The McBee Dynasty image courtesy Peacock&nbsp; Network" />
 <figcaption>The McBee Dynasty image courtesy Peacock&nbsp; Network</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY— A&nbsp; man whose family farming operation is the setting of a reality TV show pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to a multi-million dollar fraud scheme involving federal crop insurance benefits he was not entitled to receive, according to the United State's Attorney.Steve A. McBee, 52, Gallatin, Missouri, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to a federal information that charges him with one count of federal crop insurance fraud. McBee, the owner of McBee Farming Operations, stars in the reality TV series “The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys” streaming on Peacock.By pleading guilty today, McBee admitted that he engaged in fraudulent activity from 2018 to 2020 that caused an economic loss to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, McBee must pay restitution as determined by the court. The total loss claimed by the government is $4,022,123. Additionally, McBee must forfeit to the government $3,158,923.McBee admitted that he made a false report to Rain and Hail, a company reinsured by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation. McBee submitted fraudulent documents to Rain and Hail that underreported his total 2018 corn crop by approximately 674,812 bushels and underreported his total 2018 soybean crop by approximately 155,833 bushels. As a result of these false reports, McBee received $2,605,943 in federal crop insurance benefits to which he was not entitled, as well as $552,980 in federal crop insurance premium subsidies to which he was not entitled, for a total of $3,158,923.McBee admitted that his farming operation sold more than 1.2 million bushels of corn and nearly 416,000 bushels of soybeans to another party in 2018. However, McBee’s crop insurance records reported that his farming operations produced only 340,476 bushels of corn and 190,171 bushels of soybeans.In addition to the specific felony charge to which he pleaded guilty today, McBee admitted he committed additional fraud in 2019 and 2020.McBee provided false information to Rain and Hail to obtain insurance for the McBee farming operation’s 2019 soybean crop by misrepresenting that soybeans were the first crop in certain fields when wheat had already been harvested from those fields.&nbsp; The Rain and Hail crop insurance policy only allowed insurance coverage on the first crop planted on a piece of land during a given crop year.&nbsp; As a result of the double cropping during the 2019 crop year, McBee was paid federal crop insurance benefits to which he was not entitled.McBee also provided false information when he obtained crop insurance through NAU Country Insurance in 2020. McBee’s farming operation planted corn after the last planting date in 2020, which made the crop ineligible for insurance. McBee provided false plant dates on crop insurance documents to NAU Country Insurance. As a result, McBee received federal crop insurance benefits to which he was not entitled.Under federal statutes, McBee is subject to a sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

Reality TV star admits to multi-million dollar crop insurance fraud

WASHINGTON (AP) —In a statement, former President George W. Bush said he and his wife, Laura, “join our fellow citizens in praying for the success of our new leaders at all levels of government.”

Some top former Republican officials, including Bush’s vice president, Dick Cheney, had endorsed Harris. But Bush remained neutral.

Bush also thanked “President Biden and Vice President Harris for their service to our country.”

“The strong turnout in this election is a sign of the health of our republic and the strength of our democratic institutions,” said Bush, who called the election a “free, fair, safe, and secure election.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730837835990.png" alt="File photo&nbsp;courtesy Margo Martin Deputy Director of Communications" />
 <figcaption>File photo&nbsp;courtesy Margo Martin Deputy Director of Communications</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —In a statement, former President George W. Bush said he and his wife, Laura, “join our fellow citizens in praying for the success of our new leaders at all levels of government.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730912550313.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Some top former Republican officials, including Bush’s vice president, Dick Cheney, had endorsed Harris. But Bush remained neutral.Bush also thanked “President Biden and Vice President Harris for their service to our country.”“The strong turnout in this election is a sign of the health of our republic and the strength of our democratic institutions,” said Bush, who called the election a “free, fair, safe, and secure election.”

Read former President Bush's statement on Trump election victory

RILEY COUNTY– Law enforcement are investigating deadly stabbing in Manhattan and have made an arrest.

Just after 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, police responded to a report of a stabbing in the 3000 block of Arbor Drive in Manhattan, according to a media release from the Riley County Police Department.

Officers located Tabatha Deer, 24, of Mountain Home, Arkansas, who had sustained multiple stab wounds. EMS transported Deer to Ascension Via Christi Hospital for treatment. She was later airlifted to Stormont Vail Hospital in Topeka, where she succumbed to her injuries.

The suspect, Hunter Smith, 24, of Manhattan, was apprehended at the scene yesterday and taken into custody before being transported to Stormont Vail Hospital for treatment of his injuries. On Wednesday, Smith was formally arrested on requested charges of first-degree murder, with bond set at $1 million.

RILEY COUNTY– Law enforcement are investigating deadly stabbing in Manhattan and have made an arrest.Just after 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, police responded to a report of a stabbing in the 3000 block of Arbor Drive in Manhattan, according to a media release from the Riley County Police Department.Officers located Tabatha Deer, 24, of Mountain Home, Arkansas, who had sustained multiple stab wounds. EMS transported Deer to Ascension Via Christi Hospital for treatment. She was later airlifted to Stormont Vail Hospital in Topeka, where she succumbed to her injuries.The suspect, Hunter Smith, 24, of Manhattan, was apprehended at the scene yesterday and taken into custody before being transported to Stormont Vail Hospital for treatment of his injuries. On Wednesday, Smith was formally arrested on requested charges of first-degree murder, with bond set at $1 million.

Police: Woman injured after Kansas knife attack has died

Democratic governor’s $2 million PAC failed to diminish GOP leverage in Legislature

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/allison-kite/">ALLISON KITE</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/max-mccoy/">MAX MCCOY</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas Republicans appear to have preserved the two-thirds edge in the House and Senate despite a costly effort by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly to diminish the supermajority and make it easier to veto legislation.

Democrats hoped to gain two seats in the House and three in the Senate to break the GOP advantage, but unofficial results indicated Republican candidates prevailed in eight of nine closely watched House contests and in five of six Senate races central to the power struggle.

Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach celebrated accomplishments of Republican legislative candidates and said it was time to use that partisan leverage to change the Kansas Constitution to allow governors to nominate people to the Kansas Supreme Court subject to confirmation by the Senate.

“Kansans rejected the liberal agenda and expanded Republican supermajorities,” Kobach said. “Now it’s time to reform how we select our justices.”

State Rep. Nick Hoheisel, a Wichita Republican with a big lead on his Democrat rival, put it simply: “A good night for the Right Future of Kansas.”

In nine hotly contested House races, unofficial results with all precincts reporting indicated Democratic Rep. Virgil Weigel of Topeka held off Republican challenger Pennie Boyer-Kloos of Berryton by a margin of 55% to 45%. That was a rare bright spot in the Democratic Party’s ledger.

In Hutchinson, Democratic Rep. Jason Probst appeared to lose his reelection campaign against Republican Kyler Sweely. The margin, with all precincts reporting, was 52% for Sweely and 48% for Probst. Democratic Reps. Dennis Miller of Olathe and Allison Hougland of Olathe also appeared to lose as well.

Other GOP victories, based on preliminary vote counts: Leawood Rep. Carl Turner deflected Democrat Ace Allen; Lenexa Rep. Laura Williams outran Democrat Betsey Lasister; Shawnee Rep. Angela Stiens defeated Democrat Vanessa Vaughn West; and Wichita Rep. Sandy Pickert beat Democrat Veronica Gillette.

Among six Senate races considered influential in terms of the supermajority, Democratic incumbent Sen. Usha Reddi of Manhattan was down 500 votes against Republican challenger Brad Starnes of Riley. With all precincts reporting in that race, Starnes was up 51% to 49% for Reddi.

Incumbent Democratic Sen. Jeff Pittman of Leavenworth trailed Republican Jeff Klemp by 61 votes out of more than 30,000 cast. The race could be headed to a recount.

Two Senate incumbents viewed as vulnerable by Democrats, Republican Mike Thompson of Shawnee and Kellie Warren of Leawood, likely won another four-year term by 2,000-vote margins against Democratic challengers. In the competition for two open Senate seats in Olathe, Republican Rep. Adam Thomas and GOP candidate T.J. Rose also looked to have won by solid margins.

Winners for more than one-third of the 165 seats in the Kansas Legislature were known before polls opened Tuesday, but that reality concealed keen interest among Republicans and Democrats in the outcome of other races for House and Senate.

Fifty-eight seats in the Legislature — 50 in the House and eight in the Senate — were unofficially settled in the August primary. The victor of those 58 contests didn’t draw a general election opponent, so they were allowed to relax and watch as others sweated out the fall campaign. Of the 58, Republicans claimed 37 seats and Democrats the remaining 21.

Republican leaders of the Legislature, including House Speaker Dan Hawkins and Senate President Ty Masterson, devoted years to redrawing legislative boundaries, setting a voter-friendly agenda and recruiting Republican legislative candidates to build upon the GOP supermajority.

“We need our supermajorities in order to override some of the mess that we’re in, right?” Masterson said.

Kelly, in her second term as governor, created a $2 million PAC and endorsed candidates with potential of flipping House and Senate seats to help her push back against the GOP agenda.

In the days prior to the November election, the governor said she was confident Democrats would claim two House seats and three Senate seats to end the supermajority ahead of the 2025 legislative session.

“The most important thing is to be able to break the supermajority that has existed for way too long,” Kelly said. “It is very difficult to govern when you have folks who are dedicating themselves to ensuring that you don’t get anything done, so the administration is not successful. It is time to switch that out.”

The Democratic National Committee invested $660,000 in Kansas to try to break the GOP supermajorities, DNC officials said.

Hawkins said preservation of the GOP supermajority was important because Kelly has been too quick to veto bills. He disagreed with the governor’s rejection of legislation on election security as well as gender-affirming health care and sports participation by transgender individuals. He denounced her use of authority to line-item veto clusters of specific budget appropriations.

And, to the deep frustration of Kansas GOP leadership, Kelly kicked to the curb a series of tax-reduction bills developed by Republican lawmakers. That deadlock led to a special session in 2024 that produced the compromise expected to cut state tax revenue by $1.2 billion over three years.

Masterson, who has led the Senate since 2021, said he was stunned Kelly voted legislation during the regular 2024 session that would have trimmed income, sales and property taxes.

“Her shifting reasons for vetoing tax relief have now morphed into the absurd, especially when the state she governs is awash with billions in surplus money that belongs to the people,” Masterson said. “She has opted for the ‘my-way-or-the-highway’ approach.”

Democratic Sen. Ethan Corson, a Fairway Democrat who took a 12,000-vote lead over Republican challenger Dave Dannov when results started rolling in, said he would have welcomed a voter revolt that toppled the GOP’s two-thirds edge in the Legislature.

“The Republican supermajority has stood in the way of common sense policies like Medicaid expansion, and instead pursued an agenda that includes attacks on the LGBT community and stripping Kansans of the ability to make their own health care decisions,” he said.

In Emporia, incumbent Republican Rep. Mark Schreiber said he tried not to get wrapped up in “a lot of hyperbole and the drama that goes on,” opting instead to “stick to the facts and explain my position.”

“I think that comes back to my science background — I’m a biology graduate,” he said. “It just never caught on with me to call people names. It’s kind of childlike, and both sides do it, but for me I’d just as soon stick to the issues.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730901175451.png" alt=" Gov. Laura Kelly, who expressed confidence Democrats would break the Republican supermajorities in the state House and Senate, makes opening remarks at a Democratic watch party Tuesday night in Overland Park. Unofficial results indicate Republicans appear to have preserved their two-thirds majorities in the House and Senate. (Chloe Anderson for Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Gov. Laura Kelly, who expressed confidence Democrats would break the Republican supermajorities in the state House and Senate, makes opening remarks at a Democratic watch party Tuesday night in Overland Park. Unofficial results indicate Republicans appear to have preserved their two-thirds majorities in the House and Senate. (Chloe Anderson for Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Democratic governor’s $2 million PAC failed to diminish GOP leverage in Legislature</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/allison-kite/">ALLISON KITE</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/max-mccoy/">MAX MCCOY</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a> TOPEKA — Kansas Republicans appear to have preserved the two-thirds edge in the House and Senate despite a costly effort by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly to diminish the supermajority and make it easier to veto legislation.Democrats hoped to gain two seats in the House and three in the Senate to break the GOP advantage, but unofficial results indicated Republican candidates prevailed in eight of nine closely watched House contests and in five of six Senate races central to the power struggle.Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach celebrated accomplishments of Republican legislative candidates and said it was time to use that partisan leverage to change the Kansas Constitution to allow governors to nominate people to the Kansas Supreme Court subject to confirmation by the Senate.“Kansans rejected the liberal agenda and expanded Republican supermajorities,” Kobach said. “Now it’s time to reform how we select our justices.”State Rep. Nick Hoheisel, a Wichita Republican with a big lead on his Democrat rival, put it simply: “A good night for the Right Future of Kansas.”In nine hotly contested House races, unofficial results with all precincts reporting indicated Democratic Rep. Virgil Weigel of Topeka held off Republican challenger Pennie Boyer-Kloos of Berryton by a margin of 55% to 45%. That was a rare bright spot in the Democratic Party’s ledger.In Hutchinson, Democratic Rep. Jason Probst appeared to lose his reelection campaign against Republican Kyler Sweely. The margin, with all precincts reporting, was 52% for Sweely and 48% for Probst. Democratic Reps. Dennis Miller of Olathe and Allison Hougland of Olathe also appeared to lose as well.Other GOP victories, based on preliminary vote counts: Leawood Rep. Carl Turner deflected Democrat Ace Allen; Lenexa Rep. Laura Williams outran Democrat Betsey Lasister; Shawnee Rep. Angela Stiens defeated Democrat Vanessa Vaughn West; and Wichita Rep. Sandy Pickert beat Democrat Veronica Gillette.Among six Senate races considered influential in terms of the supermajority, Democratic incumbent Sen. Usha Reddi of Manhattan was down 500 votes against Republican challenger Brad Starnes of Riley. With all precincts reporting in that race, Starnes was up 51% to 49% for Reddi.Incumbent Democratic Sen. Jeff Pittman of Leavenworth trailed Republican Jeff Klemp by 61 votes out of more than 30,000 cast. The race could be headed to a recount.Two Senate incumbents viewed as vulnerable by Democrats, Republican Mike Thompson of Shawnee and Kellie Warren of Leawood, likely won another four-year term by 2,000-vote margins against Democratic challengers. In the competition for two open Senate seats in Olathe, Republican Rep. Adam Thomas and GOP candidate T.J. Rose also looked to have won by solid margins.Winners for more than one-third of the 165 seats in the Kansas Legislature were known before polls opened Tuesday, but that reality concealed keen interest among Republicans and Democrats in the outcome of other races for House and Senate.Fifty-eight seats in the Legislature — 50 in the House and eight in the Senate — were unofficially settled in the August primary. The victor of those 58 contests didn’t draw a general election opponent, so they were allowed to relax and watch as others sweated out the fall campaign. Of the 58, Republicans claimed 37 seats and Democrats the remaining 21.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730900932435.png" alt=" Incumbent Rep. Mark Schreiber, R-Emporia, talks with Democratic challenger Mic McGuire on Tuesday night at the Lyon County courthouse. When the two spoke, it was apparent from nearly complete returns that Schreiber would be reelected. (Max McCoy/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Incumbent Rep. Mark Schreiber, R-Emporia, talks with Democratic challenger Mic McGuire on Tuesday night at the Lyon County courthouse. When the two spoke, it was apparent from nearly complete returns that Schreiber would be reelected. (Max McCoy/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Supermajority showdown</h2>Republican leaders of the Legislature, including House Speaker Dan Hawkins and Senate President Ty Masterson, devoted years to redrawing legislative boundaries, setting a voter-friendly agenda and recruiting Republican legislative candidates to build upon the GOP supermajority.“We need our supermajorities in order to override some of the mess that we’re in, right?” Masterson said.Kelly, in her second term as governor, created a $2 million PAC and endorsed candidates with potential of flipping House and Senate seats to help her push back against the GOP agenda.In the days prior to the November election, the governor said she was confident Democrats would claim two House seats and three Senate seats to end the supermajority ahead of the 2025 legislative session.“The most important thing is to be able to break the supermajority that has existed for way too long,” Kelly said. “It is very difficult to govern when you have folks who are dedicating themselves to ensuring that you don’t get anything done, so the administration is not successful. It is time to switch that out.”The Democratic National Committee invested $660,000 in Kansas to try to break the GOP supermajorities, DNC officials said.Hawkins said preservation of the GOP supermajority was important because Kelly has been too quick to veto bills. He disagreed with the governor’s rejection of legislation on election security as well as gender-affirming health care and sports participation by transgender individuals. He denounced her use of authority to line-item veto clusters of specific budget appropriations.And, to the deep frustration of Kansas GOP leadership, Kelly kicked to the curb a series of tax-reduction bills developed by Republican lawmakers. That deadlock led to a special session in 2024 that produced the compromise expected to cut state tax revenue by $1.2 billion over three years.Masterson, who has led the Senate since 2021, said he was stunned Kelly voted legislation during the regular 2024 session that would have trimmed income, sales and property taxes.“Her shifting reasons for vetoing tax relief have now morphed into the absurd, especially when the state she governs is awash with billions in surplus money that belongs to the people,” Masterson said. “She has opted for the ‘my-way-or-the-highway’ approach.”Democratic Sen. Ethan Corson, a Fairway Democrat who took a 12,000-vote lead over Republican challenger Dave Dannov when results started rolling in, said he would have welcomed a voter revolt that toppled the GOP’s two-thirds edge in the Legislature.“The Republican supermajority has stood in the way of common sense policies like Medicaid expansion, and instead pursued an agenda that includes attacks on the LGBT community and stripping Kansans of the ability to make their own health care decisions,” he said.In Emporia, incumbent Republican Rep. Mark Schreiber said he tried not to get wrapped up in “a lot of hyperbole and the drama that goes on,” opting instead to “stick to the facts and explain my position.”“I think that comes back to my science background — I’m a biology graduate,” he said. “It just never caught on with me to call people names. It’s kind of childlike, and both sides do it, but for me I’d just as soon stick to the issues.”

Election night results show Republicans preserving supermajorities in Kansas House, Senate

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump was elected the 47th president of the United States on Wednesday, an extraordinary comeback for a former president who refused to accept defeat four years ago, sparked a violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, was convicted of felony charges and survived two assassination attempts.

With a win in Wisconsin, Trump cleared the 270 electoral votes needed to clinch the presidency.

The victory validates his bare-knuckle approach to politics. He attacked his Democratic rival, Kamala Harris, in deeply personal – often misogynistic and racist – terms as he pushed an apocalyptic picture of a country overrun by violent migrants. The coarse rhetoric, paired with an image of hypermasculinity, resonated with angry voters – particularly men – in a deeply polarized nation.

As president, he’s vowed to pursue an agenda centered on dramatically reshaping the federal government and pursuing retribution against his perceived enemies. Speaking to his supporters Wednesday morning, Trump claimed he had won “an unprecedented and powerful mandate.”

The results cap a historically tumultuous and competitive election season that included two assassination attempts targeting Trump and a shift to a new Democratic nominee just a month before the party’s convention. Trump will inherit a range of challenges when he assumes office on Jan. 20, including heightened political polarization and global crises that are testing America’s influence abroad.

His win against Harris, the first woman of color to lead a major party ticket, marks the second time he has defeated a female rival in a general election. Harris, the current vice president, rose to the top of the ticket after President Joe Biden exited the race amid alarm about his advanced age. Despite an initial surge of energy around her campaign, she struggled during a compressed timeline to convince disillusioned voters that she represented a break from an unpopular administration.

Trump is the first former president to return to power since Grover Cleveland regained the White House in the 1892 election. He is the first person convicted of a felony to be elected president and, at 78, is the oldest person elected to the office. His vice president, 40-year-old Ohio Sen. JD Vance, will become the highest-ranking member of the millennial generation in the U.S. government.

There will be far fewer checks on Trump when he returns to the White House. He has plans to swiftly enact a sweeping agenda that would transform nearly every aspect of American government. His GOP critics in Congress have largely been defeated or retired. Federal courts are now filled with judges he appointed. The U.S. Supreme Court, which includes three Trump-appointed justices, issued a ruling earlier this year affording presidents broad immunity from prosecution.

Trump’s language and behavior during the campaign sparked growing warnings from Democrats and some Republicans about shocks to democracy that his return to power would bring. He repeatedly praised strongman leaders, warned that he would deploy the military to target political opponents he labeled the “enemy from within,” threatened to take action against news organizations for unfavorable coverage and suggested suspending the Constitution.

Some who served in his first White House, including Vice President Mike Pence and John Kelly, Trump’s longest-serving chief of staff, either declined to endorse him or issued dire public warnings about his return to the presidency.

While Harris focused much of her initial message around themes of joy, Trump channeled a powerful sense of anger and resentment among voters.

He seized on frustrations over high prices and fears about crime and migrants who illegally entered the country on Biden’s watch. He also highlighted wars in the Middle East and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to cast Democrats as presiding over – and encouraging – a world in chaos.

It was a formula Trump perfected in 2016, when he cast himself as the only person who could fix the country’s problems, often borrowing language from dictators.

“In 2016, I declared I am your voice. Today I add: I am your warrior. I am your justice. And for those who have been wronged and betrayed, I am your retribution,” he said in March 2023.

This campaign often veered into the absurd, with Trump amplifying bizarre and disproven rumors that migrants were stealing and eating pet cats and dogs in an Ohio town. At one point, he kicked off a rally with a detailed story about the legendary golfer Arnold Palmer in which he praised his genitalia.

But perhaps the defining moment came in July when a gunman opened fire at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. A bullet grazed Trump’s ear and killed one of his supporters. His face streaked with blood, Trump stood and raised his fist in the air, shouting “Fight! Fight! Fight!” Weeks later, a second assassination attempt was thwarted after a Secret Service agent spotted the barrel of a gun poking through the greenery while Trump was playing golf.

Trump’s return to the White House seemed unlikely when he left Washington in early 2021 as a diminished figure whose lies about his defeat sparked a violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. He was so isolated at the time that few outside of his family bothered to attend the send-off he organized for himself at Andrews Air Force Base, complete with a 21-gun salute.

Democrats who controlled the U.S. House quickly impeached him for his role in the insurrection, making him the only president to be impeached twice. He was acquitted by the U.S. Senate, where many Republicans argued that he no longer posed a threat because he had left office.

But from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, Trump – aided by some elected Republicans – worked to maintain his political relevance. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the California Republican who at the time led his party in the U.S. House, visited Trump soon after he left office, essentially validating his continued role in the party.

As the 2022 midterm election approached, Trump used the power of his endorsement to assert himself as the unquestioned leader of the party. His preferred candidates almost always won their primaries, but some went on to defeat in elections that Republicans viewed as within their grasp. Those disappointing results were driven in part by a backlash to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that revoked a woman’s constitutional right to an abortion, a decision that was aided by Trump-appointed justices. The midterm election prompted questions within the GOP about whether Trump should remain the party’s leader.

But if Trump’s future was in doubt, that changed in 2023 when he faced a wave of state and federal indictments for his role in the insurrection, his handling of classified information and election interference. He used the charges to portray himself as the victim of an overreaching government, an argument that resonated with a GOP base that was increasingly skeptical – if not outright hostile – to institutions and established power structures.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who challenged Trump for the Republican nomination, lamented that the indictments “sucked out all the oxygen” from this year’s GOP primary. Trump easily captured his party’s nomination without ever participating in a debate against DeSantis or other GOP candidates.

With Trump dominating the Republican contest, a New York jury found him guilty in May of 34 felony charges in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election through a hush money payment to a porn actor who said the two had sex. He faces sentencing later this month, though his victory poses serious questions about whether he will ever face punishment.

He has also been found liable in two other New York civil cases: one for inflating his assets and another for sexually abusing advice columnist E. Jean Carroll in 1996.

Trump is subject to additional criminal charges in an election-interference case in Georgia that has become bogged down. On the federal level, he’s been indicted for his role in trying to overturn the results of the 2020 election and improperly handling classified material. When he becomes president on Jan. 20, Trump could appoint an attorney general who would erase the federal charges.

As he prepares to return to the White House, Trump has vowed to swiftly enact a radical agenda that would transform nearly every aspect of American government. That includes plans to launch the largest deportation effort in the nation’s history, to use the Justice Department to punish his enemies, to dramatically expand the use of tariffs and to again pursue a zero-sum approach to foreign policy that threatens to upend longstanding foreign alliances, including the NATO pact.

When he arrived in Washington 2017, Trump knew little about the levers of federal power. His agenda was stymied by Congress and the courts, as well as senior staff members who took it upon themselves to serve as guardrails.

This time, Trump has said he would surround himself with loyalists who will enact his agenda, no questions asked, and who will arrive with hundreds of draft executive orders, legislative proposals and in-depth policy papers in hand.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730891151412.png" alt="" />
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 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump was elected the 47th president of the United States on Wednesday, an extraordinary comeback for a former president who refused to accept defeat four years ago, sparked a violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, was convicted of felony charges and survived two assassination attempts.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Former President Trump: &quot;Many people have told me that God spared my life for a reason and that reason was to save out country and to restore America to greatness and now we are going to fulfill that mission together.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/2wTYk219vL">pic.twitter.com/2wTYk219vL</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1854072522091745743?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>With a win in Wisconsin, Trump cleared the 270 electoral votes needed to clinch the presidency.The victory validates his bare-knuckle approach to politics. He attacked his Democratic rival, Kamala Harris, in deeply personal – often misogynistic and racist – terms as he pushed an apocalyptic picture of a country overrun by violent migrants. The coarse rhetoric, paired with an image of hypermasculinity, resonated with angry voters – particularly men – in a deeply polarized nation.As president, he’s vowed to pursue an agenda centered on dramatically reshaping the federal government and pursuing retribution against his perceived enemies. Speaking to his supporters Wednesday morning, Trump claimed he had won “an unprecedented and powerful mandate.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Sen. JD Vance: &quot;I think that we just witnessed the greatest political comeback in the history of the United States of America.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/07l3cIiklu">pic.twitter.com/07l3cIiklu</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1854067034289574277?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The results cap a historically tumultuous and competitive election season that included two assassination attempts targeting Trump and a shift to a new Democratic nominee just a month before the party’s convention. Trump will inherit a range of challenges when he assumes office on Jan. 20, including heightened political polarization and global crises that are testing America’s influence abroad.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Former President Trump: &quot;We overcame obstacles that nobody thought possible. It is now clear that we&#39;ve achieved the most incredible political -- Hey! Look what happened! Is this crazy?!?&quot; <a href="https://t.co/M3AZkFe3vh">pic.twitter.com/M3AZkFe3vh</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1854065386922119560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>His win against Harris, the first woman of color to lead a major party ticket, marks the second time he has defeated a female rival in a general election. Harris, the current vice president, rose to the top of the ticket after President Joe Biden exited the race amid alarm about his advanced age. Despite an initial surge of energy around her campaign, she struggled during a compressed timeline to convince disillusioned voters that she represented a break from an unpopular administration.Trump is the first former president to return to power since Grover Cleveland regained the White House in the 1892 election. He is the first person convicted of a felony to be elected president and, at 78, is the oldest person elected to the office. His vice president, 40-year-old Ohio Sen. JD Vance, will become the highest-ranking member of the millennial generation in the U.S. government.There will be far fewer checks on Trump when he returns to the White House. He has plans to swiftly enact a sweeping agenda that would transform nearly every aspect of American government. His GOP critics in Congress have largely been defeated or retired. Federal courts are now filled with judges he appointed. The U.S. Supreme Court, which includes three Trump-appointed justices, issued a ruling earlier this year affording presidents broad immunity from prosecution.Trump’s language and behavior during the campaign sparked growing warnings from Democrats and some Republicans about shocks to democracy that his return to power would bring. He repeatedly praised strongman leaders, warned that he would deploy the military to target political opponents he labeled the “enemy from within,” threatened to take action against news organizations for unfavorable coverage and suggested suspending the Constitution.Some who served in his first White House, including Vice President Mike Pence and John Kelly, Trump’s longest-serving chief of staff, either declined to endorse him or issued dire public warnings about his return to the presidency.While Harris focused much of her initial message around themes of joy, Trump channeled a powerful sense of anger and resentment among voters.He seized on frustrations over high prices and fears about crime and migrants who illegally entered the country on Biden’s watch. He also highlighted wars in the Middle East and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to cast Democrats as presiding over – and encouraging – a world in chaos.It was a formula Trump perfected in 2016, when he cast himself as the only person who could fix the country’s problems, often borrowing language from dictators.“In 2016, I declared I am your voice. Today I add: I am your warrior. I am your justice. And for those who have been wronged and betrayed, I am your retribution,” he said in March 2023.This campaign often veered into the absurd, with Trump amplifying bizarre and disproven rumors that migrants were stealing and eating pet cats and dogs in an Ohio town. At one point, he kicked off a rally with a detailed story about the legendary golfer Arnold Palmer in which he praised his genitalia.But perhaps the defining moment came in July when a gunman opened fire at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. A bullet grazed Trump’s ear and killed one of his supporters. His face streaked with blood, Trump stood and raised his fist in the air, shouting “Fight! Fight! Fight!” Weeks later, a second assassination attempt was thwarted after a Secret Service agent spotted the barrel of a gun poking through the greenery while Trump was playing golf.Trump’s return to the White House seemed unlikely when he left Washington in early 2021 as a diminished figure whose lies about his defeat sparked a violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. He was so isolated at the time that few outside of his family bothered to attend the send-off he organized for himself at Andrews Air Force Base, complete with a 21-gun salute.Democrats who controlled the U.S. House quickly impeached him for his role in the insurrection, making him the only president to be impeached twice. He was acquitted by the U.S. Senate, where many Republicans argued that he no longer posed a threat because he had left office.But from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, Trump – aided by some elected Republicans – worked to maintain his political relevance. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the California Republican who at the time led his party in the U.S. House, visited Trump soon after he left office, essentially validating his continued role in the party.As the 2022 midterm election approached, Trump used the power of his endorsement to assert himself as the unquestioned leader of the party. His preferred candidates almost always won their primaries, but some went on to defeat in elections that Republicans viewed as within their grasp. Those disappointing results were driven in part by a backlash to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that revoked a woman’s constitutional right to an abortion, a decision that was aided by Trump-appointed justices. The midterm election prompted questions within the GOP about whether Trump should remain the party’s leader.But if Trump’s future was in doubt, that changed in 2023 when he faced a wave of state and federal indictments for his role in the insurrection, his handling of classified information and election interference. He used the charges to portray himself as the victim of an overreaching government, an argument that resonated with a GOP base that was increasingly skeptical – if not outright hostile – to institutions and established power structures.Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who challenged Trump for the Republican nomination, lamented that the indictments “sucked out all the oxygen” from this year’s GOP primary. Trump easily captured his party’s nomination without ever participating in a debate against DeSantis or other GOP candidates.With Trump dominating the Republican contest, a New York jury found him guilty in May of 34 felony charges in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election through a hush money payment to a porn actor who said the two had sex. He faces sentencing later this month, though his victory poses serious questions about whether he will ever face punishment.He has also been found liable in two other New York civil cases: one for inflating his assets and another for sexually abusing advice columnist E. Jean Carroll in 1996.Trump is subject to additional criminal charges in an election-interference case in Georgia that has become bogged down. On the federal level, he’s been indicted for his role in trying to overturn the results of the 2020 election and improperly handling classified material. When he becomes president on Jan. 20, Trump could appoint an attorney general who would erase the federal charges.As he prepares to return to the White House, Trump has vowed to swiftly enact a radical agenda that would transform nearly every aspect of American government. That includes plans to launch the largest deportation effort in the nation’s history, to use the Justice Department to punish his enemies, to dramatically expand the use of tariffs and to again pursue a zero-sum approach to foreign policy that threatens to upend longstanding foreign alliances, including the NATO pact.When he arrived in Washington 2017, Trump knew little about the levers of federal power. His agenda was stymied by Congress and the courts, as well as senior staff members who took it upon themselves to serve as guardrails.This time, Trump has said he would surround himself with loyalists who will enact his agenda, no questions asked, and who will arrive with hundreds of draft executive orders, legislative proposals and in-depth policy papers in hand.

 🎥Donald Trump is elected the 47th president of the U.S.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/senate-house-election-updates-11-5-2024#00000192-feae-dd3b-abfa-feeef4820000">seized control of the U.S. Senate</a>&nbsp;late Tuesday after flipping Democratic held seats, holding onto GOP incumbents and wresting away the majority for the first time in four years.

The unexpected battleground of Nebraska pushed Republicans over the top. Incumbent GOP Sen. Deb Fischer brushed back a surprisingly strong challenge from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nebraska-senate-fischer-osborn-independent-ab39436a44e7d14b3c7bb320d15c7d29">independent newcomer Dan Osborn</a>.

Democrats watched their efforts to salvage their slim majority&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">slip out of reach</a>.

Early in the night, Republicans flipped one seat in West Virginia, with the election of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/west-virginia-senate-justice-elliott-7376ed0ceb9bebd0766190fb14cc0e69">Jim Justice</a>, the state's governor, who replaced retiring Sen. Joe Manchin, and then another in Ohio when Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown lost to wealthy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-senate-ohio-brown-moreno-74c4b91e5866215d4201377fefcadad0">newcomer Bernie Moreno</a>.

Democratic efforts to oust firebrand Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-texas-ted-cruz-colin-allred-e791c362621efac9fac78a3a146f77d1">Ted Cruz</a>&nbsp;of Texas and Rick Scott of Florida collapsed.

And there are more Senate races still to come. The focus now turns to the Democratic “blue-wall” states of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, where Democrats are fighting to protect seats and avoid a Republican sweep of the Senate.

It's a political coda for outgoing Senate GOP Leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mitch-mcconnell">Mitch McConnell</a>, who has made a career charting the path to power and recruiting wealthy Republicans in races that topped $2 billion with outside spending.

With control of Congress&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">at stake,</a>&nbsp;the contests for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elections-congress-house-senate-trump-harris-ae84dca1bfe82a270912ae0788d3b437">House and Senate</a>&nbsp;will determine which party holds the majority and the power to boost or block a president’s agenda, or if the White House confronts a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-house-chaos-elections-democrats-republicans-divide-50e562326d5c1d8a43cc86381d5705f5">divided Capitol Hill</a>.

The House races are in a state-by-state slog. For Republicans, it’s a chance to gain full control of Congress as they try to sweep into power. For Democrats, a House majority will give them an important check on the GOP’s power and force compromise in Washington.

In the end, just a handful of seats, or as little as one, could tip the balance in that chamber.

The key contests are playing out alongside the first presidential election since the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/january-6-cases/">Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol</a>, but also in unexpected corners of the country after what has been one of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-campaign-house-republicans-majority-elections-ef7ef9a498e1c7a04971bf28b59c81f7">most chaotic congressional sessions</a>&nbsp;in modern times.

Top House races are focused in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-election-new-york-house-67b4dd98abe707d221ff857e0787c2c6">New York</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-house-democrats-republicans-majority-3dbc01320adc71a7eeb7d7f025032550">California</a>, where Democrats are trying to claw back some of the 10 or so seats where Republicans have made surprising gains in recent years with star lawmakers who helped deliver the party to power.

Other House races are scattered around the country in a sign of how narrow the field has become. Only a couple of dozen seats are being seriously challenged, with some of the most contentious in Maine, the “blue dot” around Omaha, Nebraska, and in Alaska.

Vote counting in some races could extend well past Tuesday.

Several states will send&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-senate-harris-black-women-maryland-54c411e0a0f4d3d84de95246b09be304">history-makers</a>&nbsp;to the new Congress.

Voters elected&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-senate-harris-black-women-maryland-54c411e0a0f4d3d84de95246b09be304">two Black women to the Senate</a>, Democrat Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware and Democrat Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland, in a historic first.

Blunt Rochester won the open seat in her state while Alsobrooks defeated Maryland’s popular former governor, Larry Hogan. Just three Black women have served in the Senate, and never before have two served at the same time.

And in New Jersey, Andy Kim became the first Korean American elected to the Senate, defeating Republican businessman Curtis Bashaw. The seat opened when Bob Menendez resigned this year after his federal conviction on bribery charges.

In the House, candidate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2024-elections-delaware-primary-politics-21f05b9b8c25a93c83cc80d213d0f8ee">Sarah McBride</a>, a Democratic state lawmaker from Delaware who is close to the Biden family, won her race, becoming the first openly transgender person elected to Congress.

What's still unclear is who will lead the new Republican Senate, as longtime leader McConnell prepares to step down from the post.

South Dakota Sen. John Thune, the No. 2 Republican, and Texas Sen. John Cornyn, who previously held that post, are the front-runners to replace McConnell in a secret-ballot election scheduled for when senators arrive in Washington next week.

Voters said the economy and immigration were the top issues facing the country, but the future of democracy was also a leading motivator for many Americans casting ballots in the presidential election.

AP VoteCast, an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/ap-votecast-faq">expansive survey</a>&nbsp;of more than 110,000 voters nationwide, found a country mired in negativity and desperate for change as Americans faced a stark choice between former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;and Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>.

Congress plays a role in upholding the American tradition of peacefully transferring presidential power. Four years ago, Trump sent his mob of supporters to “fight like hell” at the Capitol, and many Republicans in Congress voted to block&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden’s</a>&nbsp;election. Congress will again be called upon to certify the results of the presidential election in 2025.

“We’re in striking distance in terms of taking back the House,” House Democratic leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hakeem-jeffries">Hakeem Jeffries</a>, who is in line to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-elections-house-hakeem-jeffries-democrats-speaker-f503bef15e57604206e88c53edb3ad57">make history as the first Black speaker</a>&nbsp;if his party wins control,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-election-2024-california-hakeem-jeffries-da82b5dad17cc3f02bdb0fbceb8c1d43">told The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;during a recent campaign swing through Southern California.

But House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">Mike Johnson</a>, drawing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-speaker-mike-johnson-majority-trump-election-65d7217e4541cd314849c9a0da2b0081">closer to Trump,</a>&nbsp;predicts Republicans will keep “and grow” the majority. He took over after Kevin McCarthy was booted from the speaker’s office.

One of the most-watched Senate races, in Montana, may be among the last to be decided. Democrat Jon Tester, a popular three-term senator and “dirt farmer” is in the fight of his political career against Trump-backed Tim Sheehy, a wealthy former NAVY Seal, who made derogatory comments about Native Americans, a key constituency in the Western state.

In the Southwestern states, Arizona firebrand Republican Kari Lake has struggled against Democrat Ruben Gallego in the seat opened by Sen. Krysten Sinema’s retirement. In Nevada, Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen has been holding out against newcomer Sam Brown.

Democrats had intensified their challenges to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-elections-texas-florida-cruz-scott-tester-f22d2f79790478a41f486e3957cfe4be">Cruz and Scott</a>&nbsp;in states where reproductive rights have been a focus in the aftermath of the Supreme Court decision rolling back abortion access. Scott defeated Democrat Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, a former member of Congress.

While Texas hasn’t elected a Democrat statewide in almost 30 years, Colin Allred,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ted-cruz-texas-senate-colin-allred-abortion-immigration-91d4b5877fb9d6467fecfe6ff4f1ddcd">a Dallas-area congressman</a>&nbsp;and former NFL linebacker, positioned himself as a moderate and leaned into his support for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/abortion">reproductive rights</a>&nbsp;amid Texas’ abortion ban, which is one of the strictest in the nation.

Brown’s loss in Ohio to Moreno, an immigrant from Bogota, Colombia, who built a fortune as a luxury car dealer and blockchain entrepreneur, puts the Democrats on the edge of losing Senate control. A three-term senator, he is the first incumbent to lose reelection.

The Ohio race between Brown and Moreno, who was backed by Donald Trump, is the most expensive of the cycle, at some $400 million.

What started as a lackluster race for control of Congress was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-volunteers-2024-campaign-cef723e29a2ef11c293f07906b550fcd">instantly transformed</a>&nbsp;once Harris stepped in for Biden at the top of the ticket, energizing Democrats with massive fundraising and volunteers that lawmakers said reminded them of the Obama-era enthusiasm of 2008.

Billions of dollars have been spent by the parties, and outside groups, on the narrow battleground for both the 435-member House and 100-member Senate.

Fallout from redistricting, when states redraw their maps for congressional districts, is also shifting the balance of power within the House, with Republicans gaining three seats from Democrats in North Carolina and Democrats picking up a second Black-majority seat in Republican-heavy Alabama.

Lawmakers in the House face voters every two years, while senators serve longer six-year terms.

If the two chambers do in fact flip party control, as is possible, it would be rare.

Records show that if Democrats take the House and Republicans take the Senate, it would be the first time that the chambers of Congress have both flipped to opposing political parties.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730861742225.png" alt="Texas reelected Senator Ted Cruz-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Texas reelected Senator Ted Cruz-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/senate-house-election-updates-11-5-2024#00000192-feae-dd3b-abfa-feeef4820000">seized control of the U.S. Senate</a>&nbsp;late Tuesday after flipping Democratic held seats, holding onto GOP incumbents and wresting away the majority for the first time in four years.The unexpected battleground of Nebraska pushed Republicans over the top. Incumbent GOP Sen. Deb Fischer brushed back a surprisingly strong challenge from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nebraska-senate-fischer-osborn-independent-ab39436a44e7d14b3c7bb320d15c7d29">independent newcomer Dan Osborn</a>.Democrats watched their efforts to salvage their slim majority&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">slip out of reach</a>.Early in the night, Republicans flipped one seat in West Virginia, with the election of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/west-virginia-senate-justice-elliott-7376ed0ceb9bebd0766190fb14cc0e69">Jim Justice</a>, the state's governor, who replaced retiring Sen. Joe Manchin, and then another in Ohio when Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown lost to wealthy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-senate-ohio-brown-moreno-74c4b91e5866215d4201377fefcadad0">newcomer Bernie Moreno</a>.Democratic efforts to oust firebrand Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-texas-ted-cruz-colin-allred-e791c362621efac9fac78a3a146f77d1">Ted Cruz</a>&nbsp;of Texas and Rick Scott of Florida collapsed.And there are more Senate races still to come. The focus now turns to the Democratic “blue-wall” states of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, where Democrats are fighting to protect seats and avoid a Republican sweep of the Senate.It's a political coda for outgoing Senate GOP Leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mitch-mcconnell">Mitch McConnell</a>, who has made a career charting the path to power and recruiting wealthy Republicans in races that topped $2 billion with outside spending.With control of Congress&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">at stake,</a>&nbsp;the contests for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elections-congress-house-senate-trump-harris-ae84dca1bfe82a270912ae0788d3b437">House and Senate</a>&nbsp;will determine which party holds the majority and the power to boost or block a president’s agenda, or if the White House confronts a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-house-chaos-elections-democrats-republicans-divide-50e562326d5c1d8a43cc86381d5705f5">divided Capitol Hill</a>.The House races are in a state-by-state slog. For Republicans, it’s a chance to gain full control of Congress as they try to sweep into power. For Democrats, a House majority will give them an important check on the GOP’s power and force compromise in Washington.In the end, just a handful of seats, or as little as one, could tip the balance in that chamber.The key contests are playing out alongside the first presidential election since the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/january-6-cases/">Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol</a>, but also in unexpected corners of the country after what has been one of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-campaign-house-republicans-majority-elections-ef7ef9a498e1c7a04971bf28b59c81f7">most chaotic congressional sessions</a>&nbsp;in modern times.Top House races are focused in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-election-new-york-house-67b4dd98abe707d221ff857e0787c2c6">New York</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-house-democrats-republicans-majority-3dbc01320adc71a7eeb7d7f025032550">California</a>, where Democrats are trying to claw back some of the 10 or so seats where Republicans have made surprising gains in recent years with star lawmakers who helped deliver the party to power.Other House races are scattered around the country in a sign of how narrow the field has become. Only a couple of dozen seats are being seriously challenged, with some of the most contentious in Maine, the “blue dot” around Omaha, Nebraska, and in Alaska.Vote counting in some races could extend well past Tuesday.Several states will send&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-senate-harris-black-women-maryland-54c411e0a0f4d3d84de95246b09be304">history-makers</a>&nbsp;to the new Congress.Voters elected&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-senate-harris-black-women-maryland-54c411e0a0f4d3d84de95246b09be304">two Black women to the Senate</a>, Democrat Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware and Democrat Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland, in a historic first.Blunt Rochester won the open seat in her state while Alsobrooks defeated Maryland’s popular former governor, Larry Hogan. Just three Black women have served in the Senate, and never before have two served at the same time.And in New Jersey, Andy Kim became the first Korean American elected to the Senate, defeating Republican businessman Curtis Bashaw. The seat opened when Bob Menendez resigned this year after his federal conviction on bribery charges.In the House, candidate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2024-elections-delaware-primary-politics-21f05b9b8c25a93c83cc80d213d0f8ee">Sarah McBride</a>, a Democratic state lawmaker from Delaware who is close to the Biden family, won her race, becoming the first openly transgender person elected to Congress.What's still unclear is who will lead the new Republican Senate, as longtime leader McConnell prepares to step down from the post.South Dakota Sen. John Thune, the No. 2 Republican, and Texas Sen. John Cornyn, who previously held that post, are the front-runners to replace McConnell in a secret-ballot election scheduled for when senators arrive in Washington next week.Voters said the economy and immigration were the top issues facing the country, but the future of democracy was also a leading motivator for many Americans casting ballots in the presidential election.AP VoteCast, an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/ap-votecast-faq">expansive survey</a>&nbsp;of more than 110,000 voters nationwide, found a country mired in negativity and desperate for change as Americans faced a stark choice between former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;and Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>.Congress plays a role in upholding the American tradition of peacefully transferring presidential power. Four years ago, Trump sent his mob of supporters to “fight like hell” at the Capitol, and many Republicans in Congress voted to block&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden’s</a>&nbsp;election. Congress will again be called upon to certify the results of the presidential election in 2025.“We’re in striking distance in terms of taking back the House,” House Democratic leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hakeem-jeffries">Hakeem Jeffries</a>, who is in line to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-elections-house-hakeem-jeffries-democrats-speaker-f503bef15e57604206e88c53edb3ad57">make history as the first Black speaker</a>&nbsp;if his party wins control,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-election-2024-california-hakeem-jeffries-da82b5dad17cc3f02bdb0fbceb8c1d43">told The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;during a recent campaign swing through Southern California.But House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">Mike Johnson</a>, drawing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-speaker-mike-johnson-majority-trump-election-65d7217e4541cd314849c9a0da2b0081">closer to Trump,</a>&nbsp;predicts Republicans will keep “and grow” the majority. He took over after Kevin McCarthy was booted from the speaker’s office.One of the most-watched Senate races, in Montana, may be among the last to be decided. Democrat Jon Tester, a popular three-term senator and “dirt farmer” is in the fight of his political career against Trump-backed Tim Sheehy, a wealthy former NAVY Seal, who made derogatory comments about Native Americans, a key constituency in the Western state.In the Southwestern states, Arizona firebrand Republican Kari Lake has struggled against Democrat Ruben Gallego in the seat opened by Sen. Krysten Sinema’s retirement. In Nevada, Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen has been holding out against newcomer Sam Brown.Democrats had intensified their challenges to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-elections-texas-florida-cruz-scott-tester-f22d2f79790478a41f486e3957cfe4be">Cruz and Scott</a>&nbsp;in states where reproductive rights have been a focus in the aftermath of the Supreme Court decision rolling back abortion access. Scott defeated Democrat Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, a former member of Congress.While Texas hasn’t elected a Democrat statewide in almost 30 years, Colin Allred,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ted-cruz-texas-senate-colin-allred-abortion-immigration-91d4b5877fb9d6467fecfe6ff4f1ddcd">a Dallas-area congressman</a>&nbsp;and former NFL linebacker, positioned himself as a moderate and leaned into his support for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/abortion">reproductive rights</a>&nbsp;amid Texas’ abortion ban, which is one of the strictest in the nation.Brown’s loss in Ohio to Moreno, an immigrant from Bogota, Colombia, who built a fortune as a luxury car dealer and blockchain entrepreneur, puts the Democrats on the edge of losing Senate control. A three-term senator, he is the first incumbent to lose reelection.The Ohio race between Brown and Moreno, who was backed by Donald Trump, is the most expensive of the cycle, at some $400 million.What started as a lackluster race for control of Congress was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-volunteers-2024-campaign-cef723e29a2ef11c293f07906b550fcd">instantly transformed</a>&nbsp;once Harris stepped in for Biden at the top of the ticket, energizing Democrats with massive fundraising and volunteers that lawmakers said reminded them of the Obama-era enthusiasm of 2008.Billions of dollars have been spent by the parties, and outside groups, on the narrow battleground for both the 435-member House and 100-member Senate.Fallout from redistricting, when states redraw their maps for congressional districts, is also shifting the balance of power within the House, with Republicans gaining three seats from Democrats in North Carolina and Democrats picking up a second Black-majority seat in Republican-heavy Alabama.Lawmakers in the House face voters every two years, while senators serve longer six-year terms.If the two chambers do in fact flip party control, as is possible, it would be rare.Records show that if Democrats take the House and Republicans take the Senate, it would be the first time that the chambers of Congress have both flipped to opposing political parties.----------

Republicans take Senate majority for first time in 4 years

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Derek Schmidt won election to a U.S. House seat representing Kansas on Tuesday. Schmidt defeated Democrat Nancy Boyda in the 2nd Congressional District of eastern Kansas.

 Both candidates were trying to make a political comeback, seeking a seat that was open because two-term Republican Rep. Jake LaTurner didn't run again. Schmidt served 12 years as Kansas attorney general before narrowly losing the 2022 governor's race to Democratic incumbent Laura Kelly. Boyda was the last Democrat to represent the 2nd District in Congress. She held the seat in 2007 and 2008. The Associated Press declared Schmidt the winner at 11:13 p.m. EST.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Derek Schmidt won election to a U.S. House seat representing Kansas on Tuesday. Schmidt defeated Democrat Nancy Boyda in the 2nd Congressional District of eastern Kansas.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Thank you to the voters in Kansas’s 2nd Congressional District who made our victory tonight possible! Our great nation has serious problems, and we need serious people to address them. As your Congressman, I will work hard every day to faithfully represent our citizens as we work… <a href="https://t.co/M8taSckodF">pic.twitter.com/M8taSckodF</a>&mdash; Derek Schmidt (@DerekSchmidtKS) <a href="https://twitter.com/DerekSchmidtKS/status/1854010304033706054?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div> Both candidates were trying to make a political comeback, seeking a seat that was open because two-term Republican Rep. Jake LaTurner didn't run again. Schmidt served 12 years as Kansas attorney general before narrowly losing the 2022 governor's race to Democratic incumbent Laura Kelly. Boyda was the last Democrat to represent the 2nd District in Congress. She held the seat in 2007 and 2008. The Associated Press declared Schmidt the winner at 11:13 p.m. EST.

Former Kan. AG Schmidt wins 2nd District House seat for the GOP

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Rep. Tracey Mann won reelection to a U.S. House seat representing Kansas on Tuesday. Mann won his third term by defeating Democrat Paul Buskirk in a sprawling 1st Congressional District that is a safe seat for the GOP. Mann is a former Kansas lieutenant governor who was first elected to Congress in 2020. The district includes western and much of central Kansas but also Buskirk's hometown of Lawrence in northeastern Kansas. Buskirk is a psychologist who provides academic counseling for the athletics department at the main University of Kansas campus in Lawrence. The Associated Press declared Mann the winner at 10:41 p.m. EST.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730865070941.png" alt="Tracey Mann" />
 <figcaption>Tracey Mann</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Rep. Tracey Mann won reelection to a U.S. House seat representing Kansas on Tuesday. Mann won his third term by defeating Democrat Paul Buskirk in a sprawling 1st Congressional District that is a safe seat for the GOP. Mann is a former Kansas lieutenant governor who was first elected to Congress in 2020. The district includes western and much of central Kansas but also Buskirk's hometown of Lawrence in northeastern Kansas. Buskirk is a psychologist who provides academic counseling for the athletics department at the main University of Kansas campus in Lawrence. The Associated Press declared Mann the winner at 10:41 p.m. EST.

Tracey Mann wins reelection to U.S. House in Kan. 1st Congressional District

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri voters enshrined abortion rights in the state constitution Tuesday, a result that is expected to undo a near-total ban on the procedure.

The measure guarantees people's right to make decisions about their reproductive health, such as whether to get an abortion, take birth control or get in vitro fertilization.

“Today, Missourians made history and sent a clear message: decisions around pregnancy, including abortion, birth control, and miscarriage care are personal and private and should be left up to patients and their families, not politicians," Missourians for Constitutional Freedom campaign director Rachel Sweet said in a statement.

Members of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America “mourn the lives that will be lost," the organization's state affairs director, Sue Liebel, said in a statement.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-ballot-measures-harris-trump-florida-missouri-49c9073cbb6056b66a8a7d0d099795d1">Voters in eight other states</a>&nbsp;decided Tuesday whether to add the right to abortion to their state constitutions.

Missouri currently allows abortions only in cases of medical emergencies. There are no exceptions for rape or incest. The amendment does not explicitly undo the law, meaning abortion-rights advocates will need to sue to overturn the ban.

The measure allows the state legislature to enact restrictions or bans on abortion after viability — a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-viability-ballot-initiatives-2024-roe-fcf440373973b01f740912cd3bbd98a4">sticking point</a>&nbsp;for some abortion-rights supporters. The term “viability” is used by health care providers to describe whether a pregnancy is expected to continue developing normally or whether a fetus might survive outside the uterus. Though there's no defined time frame, doctors say it is sometime after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-technology-science-health-birmingham-7fc806f3c06aeae94c5d6ed1b06a6461">21st week</a>&nbsp;of pregnancy.

Advocates had worried that failing to include such limits would sink their chances of passing abortion protections. But others cautioned against giving the state's Republican-controlled Legislature the power to enact regulations that could effectively end access to the measure.

The campaign ultimately made room for restrictions to late-term abortions in the Missouri amendment.

Just getting on Missouri's ballot was an uphill battle. The Republican attorney general and auditor fought publicly over the estimated cost of the amendment.

Attorney General Andrew Bailey&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-ballot-attorney-general-auditor-fbe60ab843041b3509c5275e8a703207">argued</a>&nbsp;the amendment would cost $51 billion in lost tax revenue because allowing abortions could mean fewer residents. The auditor and judges disagreed, instead setting the cost estimate closer to $51,000.

And a Missouri appeals court last year ruled against Republican Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft's summaries of the ballot measures, which described proposed amendments as allowing “dangerous and unregulated abortions until live birth.” Judges ruled Ashcroft's language was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-ballot-constitution-ruling-edb5f44fc0f9799d01cda22cd1f70b40">politically partisan</a>.

Republicans nationwide have been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/democracy-ballot-initiatives-abortion-republicans-ohio-missouri-c48033311370f071ccece0da975818cb">trying for years</a>&nbsp;to raise the bar for voter-referred constitutional amendments to be put on the ballot, as well as raise the threshold for those amendments to be enacted.

GOP infighting and a record-breaking, 50-hour&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-constitution-ballot-democracy-67bea9bcf4aeeb8d47aff8c716e2298a">Democratic filibuster</a>&nbsp;in May killed the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-constitution-amendment-democracy-democrat-voters-filibuster-7996412ccfdfb5b8ee4aa28d77c34610">latest Republican</a>&nbsp;push to make amending Missouri’s constitution harder, an effort that in part had been aimed at thwarting an upcoming ballot measure on abortion-rights.

Missouri requires a simple majority to pass constitutional amendments.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-ballot-election-c284f4fe17a23b63a4528bc2b2051943">latest challenge</a>&nbsp;to the amendment was raised by abortion opponents and Republican state lawmakers who argued that voters were not informed about the list of abortion laws it could repeal. The Missouri Supreme Court disagreed, requiring Ashcroft to place the measure on the ballot.

Missouri voters also approved a measure prohibiting ranked-choice voting. Other measures on the state ballot include measures to legalize sports betting; allow a casino at the Lake of the Ozarks; and raise the minimum wage gradually from $13.75 to $15 an hour and require paid sick leave.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725887984419.png" alt=" Supporters of a proposed ballot measure to legalize abortion up until the point of fetal viability gathered at a rally hosted by Missourians for Constitutional Freedom in Kansas City (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> Supporters of a proposed ballot measure to legalize abortion up until the point of fetal viability gathered at a rally hosted by Missourians for Constitutional Freedom in Kansas City (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri voters enshrined abortion rights in the state constitution Tuesday, a result that is expected to undo a near-total ban on the procedure.The measure guarantees people's right to make decisions about their reproductive health, such as whether to get an abortion, take birth control or get in vitro fertilization.“Today, Missourians made history and sent a clear message: decisions around pregnancy, including abortion, birth control, and miscarriage care are personal and private and should be left up to patients and their families, not politicians," Missourians for Constitutional Freedom campaign director Rachel Sweet said in a statement.Members of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America “mourn the lives that will be lost," the organization's state affairs director, Sue Liebel, said in a statement.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-ballot-measures-harris-trump-florida-missouri-49c9073cbb6056b66a8a7d0d099795d1">Voters in eight other states</a>&nbsp;decided Tuesday whether to add the right to abortion to their state constitutions.Missouri currently allows abortions only in cases of medical emergencies. There are no exceptions for rape or incest. The amendment does not explicitly undo the law, meaning abortion-rights advocates will need to sue to overturn the ban.The measure allows the state legislature to enact restrictions or bans on abortion after viability — a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-viability-ballot-initiatives-2024-roe-fcf440373973b01f740912cd3bbd98a4">sticking point</a>&nbsp;for some abortion-rights supporters. The term “viability” is used by health care providers to describe whether a pregnancy is expected to continue developing normally or whether a fetus might survive outside the uterus. Though there's no defined time frame, doctors say it is sometime after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-technology-science-health-birmingham-7fc806f3c06aeae94c5d6ed1b06a6461">21st week</a>&nbsp;of pregnancy.Advocates had worried that failing to include such limits would sink their chances of passing abortion protections. But others cautioned against giving the state's Republican-controlled Legislature the power to enact regulations that could effectively end access to the measure.The campaign ultimately made room for restrictions to late-term abortions in the Missouri amendment.Just getting on Missouri's ballot was an uphill battle. The Republican attorney general and auditor fought publicly over the estimated cost of the amendment.Attorney General Andrew Bailey&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-ballot-attorney-general-auditor-fbe60ab843041b3509c5275e8a703207">argued</a>&nbsp;the amendment would cost $51 billion in lost tax revenue because allowing abortions could mean fewer residents. The auditor and judges disagreed, instead setting the cost estimate closer to $51,000.And a Missouri appeals court last year ruled against Republican Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft's summaries of the ballot measures, which described proposed amendments as allowing “dangerous and unregulated abortions until live birth.” Judges ruled Ashcroft's language was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-ballot-constitution-ruling-edb5f44fc0f9799d01cda22cd1f70b40">politically partisan</a>.Republicans nationwide have been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/democracy-ballot-initiatives-abortion-republicans-ohio-missouri-c48033311370f071ccece0da975818cb">trying for years</a>&nbsp;to raise the bar for voter-referred constitutional amendments to be put on the ballot, as well as raise the threshold for those amendments to be enacted.GOP infighting and a record-breaking, 50-hour&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-constitution-ballot-democracy-67bea9bcf4aeeb8d47aff8c716e2298a">Democratic filibuster</a>&nbsp;in May killed the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-constitution-amendment-democracy-democrat-voters-filibuster-7996412ccfdfb5b8ee4aa28d77c34610">latest Republican</a>&nbsp;push to make amending Missouri’s constitution harder, an effort that in part had been aimed at thwarting an upcoming ballot measure on abortion-rights.Missouri requires a simple majority to pass constitutional amendments.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-ballot-election-c284f4fe17a23b63a4528bc2b2051943">latest challenge</a>&nbsp;to the amendment was raised by abortion opponents and Republican state lawmakers who argued that voters were not informed about the list of abortion laws it could repeal. The Missouri Supreme Court disagreed, requiring Ashcroft to place the measure on the ballot.Missouri voters also approved a measure prohibiting ranked-choice voting. Other measures on the state ballot include measures to legalize sports betting; allow a casino at the Lake of the Ozarks; and raise the minimum wage gradually from $13.75 to $15 an hour and require paid sick leave.

Missouri votes to overturn state's abortion ban

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic Rep. Sharice Davids won reelection to a U.S. House seat representing Kansas on Tuesday. The third-term congresswoman defeated Republican nominee Prasanth Reddy, a physician and immigrant from India whom some Republicans saw as an ideal candidate for Overland Park, in the Kansas City suburbs. Davids initially flipped this seat in 2018, becoming the first lesbian Native American member of Congress. The Associated Press declared Davids the winner at 11:35 p.m. EST.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic Rep. Sharice Davids won reelection to a U.S. House seat representing Kansas on Tuesday. The third-term congresswoman defeated Republican nominee Prasanth Reddy, a physician and immigrant from India whom some Republicans saw as an ideal candidate for Overland Park, in the Kansas City suburbs. Davids initially flipped this seat in 2018, becoming the first lesbian Native American member of Congress. The Associated Press declared Davids the winner at 11:35 p.m. EST.

Democrat Sharice Davids wins reelection to U.S. House in Kan. 3rd Congressional District

HARVEY COUNTY— One person is in police custody after an investigation found dozens of illegal explosive devices in a Newton garage.

On Tuesday morning a suspect fled from a North Newton Police officer during an unrelated traffic stop, according to a media release from the city of Newton.

 Newton Police assisted in the chase and eventually located the suspect in a garage in the 500 block of East 11th Street in Newton. While in the garage, officers found about 60 suspicious items consistent with homemade explosives.

The Wichita Bomb Squad and ATF agents examined the items and believed them to be illegal explosive materials. The items were rendered safe early in the investigation, but out of an abundance of caution, police cordoned off the area. The items were taken to a safe location and destroyed at around 5:3op.m.

One resident of the house is in custody, and police are seeking one other person of interest.

The original suspect from the traffic stop is not believed to have any connection to the location or residents of the property. He was arrested on misdemeanor warrants.

HARVEY COUNTY— One person is in police custody after an investigation found dozens of illegal explosive devices in a Newton garage.On Tuesday morning a suspect fled from a North Newton Police officer during an unrelated traffic stop, according to a media release from the city of Newton. Newton Police assisted in the chase and eventually located the suspect in a garage in the 500 block of East 11th Street in Newton. While in the garage, officers found about 60 suspicious items consistent with homemade explosives.The Wichita Bomb Squad and ATF agents examined the items and believed them to be illegal explosive materials. The items were rendered safe early in the investigation, but out of an abundance of caution, police cordoned off the area. The items were taken to a safe location and destroyed at around 5:3op.m.One resident of the house is in custody, and police are seeking one other person of interest.The original suspect from the traffic stop is not believed to have any connection to the location or residents of the property. He was arrested on misdemeanor warrants.

Police find illegal explosives in garage at Kansas home

The presidential campaign is coming to a close.

As with previous elections, the candidates have largely stuck to the swing states they’ll need to try to reach the 270 electoral votes required to claim the presidency. The U.S.’s unique Electoral College method of electing the president forces the candidates to appeal to voters in the states that could go either way, rather than trying to win the nation’s popular vote.

Seven states are considered in play this year, representing less than 20% of the U.S. population. Of those, the Democratic and Republican presidential tickets have focused most on Pennsylvania, the swing state with the greatest number of electoral votes.

Going back to March, when President Joe Biden was the presumed Democratic nominee, here are the number of visits the campaigns have made to those seven states through Monday, according to Associated Press tracking of the campaigns’ public events:

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730745545807.png" alt="Where the Democratic and Republican presidential tickets have held campaign events since March 2024, when Democrat Joe Biden and Republican Donald Trump had won enough delegates to clinch their parties' nominations. It includes stops by Democratic nominee Kamala Harris since Biden dropped out of the race on July 21, and shows campaign events by Republican JD Vance since July 17 and Democrat Tim Walz since Aug. 6, the dates they joined their respective tickets as the vice presidential nominees. The map does not include the sites of the presidential or vice presidential debates, or stops by either side related to Hurricane Helene relief efforts.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Where the Democratic and Republican presidential tickets have held campaign events since March 2024, when Democrat Joe Biden and Republican Donald Trump had won enough delegates to clinch their parties' nominations. It includes stops by Democratic nominee Kamala Harris since Biden dropped out of the race on July 21, and shows campaign events by Republican JD Vance since July 17 and Democrat Tim Walz since Aug. 6, the dates they joined their respective tickets as the vice presidential nominees. The map does not include the sites of the presidential or vice presidential debates, or stops by either side related to Hurricane Helene relief efforts.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>The presidential campaign is coming to a close.As with previous elections, the candidates have largely stuck to the swing states they’ll need to try to reach the 270 electoral votes required to claim the presidency. The U.S.’s unique Electoral College method of electing the president forces the candidates to appeal to voters in the states that could go either way, rather than trying to win the nation’s popular vote.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724427243614.png" alt="Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall shared on social media a photo welcoming Trump Vice Presidential pick JD Vance to Kansas on August 22.&nbsp; The Associated Press map does not include this visit" />
 <figcaption>Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall shared on social media a photo welcoming Trump Vice Presidential pick JD Vance to Kansas on August 22.&nbsp; The Associated Press map does not include this visit</figcaption>
 </figure>Seven states are considered in play this year, representing less than 20% of the U.S. population. Of those, the Democratic and Republican presidential tickets have focused most on Pennsylvania, the swing state with the greatest number of electoral votes.Going back to March, when President Joe Biden was the presumed Democratic nominee, here are the number of visits the campaigns have made to those seven states through Monday, according to Associated Press tracking of the campaigns’ public events:1. Pennsylvania — 802. Michigan — 633. Wisconsin — 504. North Carolina — 455. Arizona — 276. Georgia — 267. Nevada — 25

See where Presidential candidates made campaign stops

Balloting settles races for Kansas Legislature, Congress and municipal government

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/allison-kite/">ALLISON KITE</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/max-mccoy/">MAX MCCOY</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

LECOMPTON — Paola resident Cameron Mott, a registered Republican for more than half a century, paid special attention to the 2024 election cycle.

His attentiveness wasn’t anchored in city council, county commission, state legislative or congressional contests dotting the Tuesday ballot. He was primarily invested in outcome of the presidential showdown between Republican Donald Trump, who prevailed in 2016 and lost in 2020, and Democrat Kamala Harris, the vice president who stepped into the void created when President Joe Biden withdrew under pressure.

“I voted for Harris, and I’m a registered Republican since 1972,” he said. “It’s just Trump. He was a total disaster. He wasn’t qualified and never should have been president. I never saw any behavior that was presidential.”

Mott voted by advance ballot and was relaxing on Election Day at a Lecompton playground with Spring Hill’s Martha Heavilin and her 2-year-old son, Rubin. Voters flowed in an out of the nearby polling station in Lecompton, just a stone’s throw from Constitution Hall that played a role in the Bleeding Kansas crisis over slavery.

Heavilin, a registered Democrat since 18 years of age, said she was dedicated to exercising her right to vote. That sentiment acknowledged every vote mattered regardless of outcome, she said. In this election, Heavilin said, she thought it was important to cast a vote for U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, the Democrat who serves the 3rd District covering Johnson, Anderson, Franklin and Miami counties and half of Wyandotte County in the Kansas City area.

“I was keen to keep Sharice Davids in office,” Heavilin said. “I find her incredibly responsive to people. I tend to vote blue, but I have two children. The last pregnancy got a little scary at the end. For any woman to be pregnant and want to end that pregnancy for valid reasons and not be able to is scary.”

Abortion took center stage in the reelection campaign of Davids, an advocate for abortion rights. She was challenged by Republican Prasanth Reddy, a physician endorsed by the Kansans for Life PAC.

In the 2024 election cycle in Kansas, voters will determine the 125 members of the Kansas House and 40 members of the Kansas Senate. The state will elect four members to the U.S. House, including at least one newcomer because U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner decided not to seek reelection in the 2nd District. In addition, Kansans were asked to make decisions on local ballot issues, city and county commission races and judicial retention decisions.

Brent Smith of Lenexa said he split his ticket by voting for Harris for president, but Republicans for Congress and the Legislature. Smith said he’s a fiscally conservative independent voter and has never cast a ballot for Trump. Smith said Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, are a “better fit.”

In Johnson County, the presidential election also loomed large as issues from abortion to border security and democracy itself were on voters’ minds.

Brittany Nicholson, 38, joined her son Darrius Comeaux, 20, as he voted for the first time. Nicholson cajoled Comeaux into posing for a photo as they left the Roeland Park Community Center, both having voted for Harris for president.

“Democracy,” Nicholson said. “That was really the most pressing issue for me.”

Nicholson said she also was concerned about Project 2025, a wide-ranging policy document published by a conservative think tank. While Trump has denied involvement in producing the document, many former Trump staffers contributed to it. Nicholson said she likes that Harris has proposed helping first-time homebuyers with up to $25,000 toward a down payment.

Calley Saye, 47, said she voted a straight Democratic ticket. She said she “can’t stand Donald Trump.”

“I think he is the worst thing that’s ever happened to our country,” Saye said, “and I would really like to see someone decent in office. And I’m excited about having a female president.”

Saye said while the presidential race was her biggest concern, she was excited to cast her vote for down-ballot Democrats, including U.S. Rep. Davids. Saye said she felt strongly that women should have the right to seek an abortion.

“It’s kind of sad that we’re going back in time,” Saye said.

In August 2022, Kansas voters unexpectedly rejected by a wide margin a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution that would have nullified a Kansas Supreme Court decision that identified a fundamental right in the state’s Bill of Rights granting women the right to end a pregnancy. This constitutional right remained in Kansas after repeal by the U.S. Supreme Court of the landmark precedent of Roe v. Wade that granted abortion rights nationally.

In Lawrence, Adela Solis took a break from work to outline reasons it was important for Kansans to express themselves at the ballot box. She took the opportunity to vote on local ballot questions about reforming the size and management structure of the city commissioner. She voted on a measure that would dedicate tax dollars to housing issues.

But it was the diminishing of abortion rights across the United States that served as a decisive motivator.

“The fact that women are moving backwards,” Solis said. “And that there are some men out there who think that’s okay. It’s so egregiously awful. I thought Puritanism ended.”

Abortion was similarly top-of-mind for voters who selected Trump for president.

Hannah Lackamp, 22, voted for Trump in Lenexa with abortion on her list of concerns. She voted for him four years ago in the first presidential election after she turned 18.

“I don’t want to kill babies,” Lackamp said. “That’s kind of like my biggest thing.”

Tiffany and Noah Strain, both 30, walked to the polls in Roeland Park with their four children and cast ballots for Trump and down-ballot Republicans, driven primarily by their opposition to abortion.

“We value life,” Noah Strain said. “… If you don’t value that sort of life at that level, then everything else just doesn’t really matter.”

Beyond that, they said, the former president was better for the economy. Tiffany Strain said it’s difficult to know what Harris’ policies are other than opposing Trump.

“Some things that really bother me about (Harris),” she said, “are that she’s really into the pathos arguments. It’s all about feelings. It’s all about how she sounds rather than the actual things she’s talking about.”

The couple said they voted for Evan McMullin in 2016, who waged a write-in campaign, because they were skeptical of Trump. But Trump’s four years in office persuaded them to vote for him in his first reelection bid in 2020.

In Emporia, after Sandy and Keith Carnes cast their votes at White Auditorium, Keith Carnes said he voted “Republican all the way.”

“I did it because I don’t want another four years like this,” Carnes said. “We need a change.”

Sandy Carnes said there was no disagreement in their household over politics and that she also turned out to vote for Trump. But, she said, she would accept the choice voters make, no matter who wins.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730846524398.png" alt="Cameron Mott and Martha Heavilin, with Rubin between them, said during a playground visit to Lecompton that both felt a strong commitment to participating in voting Tuesday. Mott, a Republican, voted for Democrat Kamala Harris for president. Heavilin, a Democrat, said it was important to stand up for abortion rights. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Cameron Mott and Martha Heavilin, with Rubin between them, said during a playground visit to Lecompton that both felt a strong commitment to participating in voting Tuesday. Mott, a Republican, voted for Democrat Kamala Harris for president. Heavilin, a Democrat, said it was important to stand up for abortion rights. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Balloting settles races for Kansas Legislature, Congress and municipal government</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/allison-kite/">ALLISON KITE</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/max-mccoy/">MAX MCCOY</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>LECOMPTON — Paola resident Cameron Mott, a registered Republican for more than half a century, paid special attention to the 2024 election cycle.His attentiveness wasn’t anchored in city council, county commission, state legislative or congressional contests dotting the Tuesday ballot. He was primarily invested in outcome of the presidential showdown between Republican Donald Trump, who prevailed in 2016 and lost in 2020, and Democrat Kamala Harris, the vice president who stepped into the void created when President Joe Biden withdrew under pressure.“I voted for Harris, and I’m a registered Republican since 1972,” he said. “It’s just Trump. He was a total disaster. He wasn’t qualified and never should have been president. I never saw any behavior that was presidential.”Mott voted by advance ballot and was relaxing on Election Day at a Lecompton playground with Spring Hill’s Martha Heavilin and her 2-year-old son, Rubin. Voters flowed in an out of the nearby polling station in Lecompton, just a stone’s throw from Constitution Hall that played a role in the Bleeding Kansas crisis over slavery.Heavilin, a registered Democrat since 18 years of age, said she was dedicated to exercising her right to vote. That sentiment acknowledged every vote mattered regardless of outcome, she said. In this election, Heavilin said, she thought it was important to cast a vote for U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, the Democrat who serves the 3rd District covering Johnson, Anderson, Franklin and Miami counties and half of Wyandotte County in the Kansas City area.“I was keen to keep Sharice Davids in office,” Heavilin said. “I find her incredibly responsive to people. I tend to vote blue, but I have two children. The last pregnancy got a little scary at the end. For any woman to be pregnant and want to end that pregnancy for valid reasons and not be able to is scary.”Abortion took center stage in the reelection campaign of Davids, an advocate for abortion rights. She was challenged by Republican Prasanth Reddy, a physician endorsed by the Kansans for Life PAC.In the 2024 election cycle in Kansas, voters will determine the 125 members of the Kansas House and 40 members of the Kansas Senate. The state will elect four members to the U.S. House, including at least one newcomer because U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner decided not to seek reelection in the 2nd District. In addition, Kansans were asked to make decisions on local ballot issues, city and county commission races and judicial retention decisions.Brent Smith of Lenexa said he split his ticket by voting for Harris for president, but Republicans for Congress and the Legislature. Smith said he’s a fiscally conservative independent voter and has never cast a ballot for Trump. Smith said Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, are a “better fit.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730846475974.png" alt=" Brittany Nicholson and her son, Darrius Comeaux, cast their ballots for Kamala Harris for president Tuesday at the Roeland Park Community Center. (Allison Kite/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Brittany Nicholson and her son, Darrius Comeaux, cast their ballots for Kamala Harris for president Tuesday at the Roeland Park Community Center. (Allison Kite/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Project 2025 and Trump</h2>In Johnson County, the presidential election also loomed large as issues from abortion to border security and democracy itself were on voters’ minds.Brittany Nicholson, 38, joined her son Darrius Comeaux, 20, as he voted for the first time. Nicholson cajoled Comeaux into posing for a photo as they left the Roeland Park Community Center, both having voted for Harris for president.“Democracy,” Nicholson said. “That was really the most pressing issue for me.”Nicholson said she also was concerned about Project 2025, a wide-ranging policy document published by a conservative think tank. While Trump has denied involvement in producing the document, many former Trump staffers contributed to it. Nicholson said she likes that Harris has proposed helping first-time homebuyers with up to $25,000 toward a down payment.Calley Saye, 47, said she voted a straight Democratic ticket. She said she “can’t stand Donald Trump.”“I think he is the worst thing that’s ever happened to our country,” Saye said, “and I would really like to see someone decent in office. And I’m excited about having a female president.”Saye said while the presidential race was her biggest concern, she was excited to cast her vote for down-ballot Democrats, including U.S. Rep. Davids. Saye said she felt strongly that women should have the right to seek an abortion.“It’s kind of sad that we’re going back in time,” Saye said.In August 2022, Kansas voters unexpectedly rejected by a wide margin a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution that would have nullified a Kansas Supreme Court decision that identified a fundamental right in the state’s Bill of Rights granting women the right to end a pregnancy. This constitutional right remained in Kansas after repeal by the U.S. Supreme Court of the landmark precedent of Roe v. Wade that granted abortion rights nationally.In Lawrence, Adela Solis took a break from work to outline reasons it was important for Kansans to express themselves at the ballot box. She took the opportunity to vote on local ballot questions about reforming the size and management structure of the city commissioner. She voted on a measure that would dedicate tax dollars to housing issues.But it was the diminishing of abortion rights across the United States that served as a decisive motivator.“The fact that women are moving backwards,” Solis said. “And that there are some men out there who think that’s okay. It’s so egregiously awful. I thought Puritanism ended.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730846434621.png" alt="Tiffany and Noah Strain cast their ballots for Donald Trump for president Tuesday at the Roeland Park Community Center. (Allison Kite/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Tiffany and Noah Strain cast their ballots for Donald Trump for president Tuesday at the Roeland Park Community Center. (Allison Kite/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Skepticism about Harris</h2>Abortion was similarly top-of-mind for voters who selected Trump for president.Hannah Lackamp, 22, voted for Trump in Lenexa with abortion on her list of concerns. She voted for him four years ago in the first presidential election after she turned 18.“I don’t want to kill babies,” Lackamp said. “That’s kind of like my biggest thing.”Tiffany and Noah Strain, both 30, walked to the polls in Roeland Park with their four children and cast ballots for Trump and down-ballot Republicans, driven primarily by their opposition to abortion.“We value life,” Noah Strain said. “… If you don’t value that sort of life at that level, then everything else just doesn’t really matter.”Beyond that, they said, the former president was better for the economy. Tiffany Strain said it’s difficult to know what Harris’ policies are other than opposing Trump.“Some things that really bother me about (Harris),” she said, “are that she’s really into the pathos arguments. It’s all about feelings. It’s all about how she sounds rather than the actual things she’s talking about.”The couple said they voted for Evan McMullin in 2016, who waged a write-in campaign, because they were skeptical of Trump. But Trump’s four years in office persuaded them to vote for him in his first reelection bid in 2020.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730846390542.png" alt="Keith and Sandy Carnes on Tuesday morning outside the White Auditorium in Emporia, where they had just cast their votes. Both said they were primarily interested in the presidential election rather than state or local races. (Max McCoy/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Keith and Sandy Carnes on Tuesday morning outside the White Auditorium in Emporia, where they had just cast their votes. Both said they were primarily interested in the presidential election rather than state or local races. (Max McCoy/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>In Emporia, after Sandy and Keith Carnes cast their votes at White Auditorium, Keith Carnes said he voted “Republican all the way.”“I did it because I don’t want another four years like this,” Carnes said. “We need a change.”Sandy Carnes said there was no disagreement in their household over politics and that she also turned out to vote for Trump. But, she said, she would accept the choice voters make, no matter who wins.“Whatever the results, I will support them as best I can,” she said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730846352287.png" alt=" Rezty Felty, a 58-year-old Tonganoxie resident, shows off Kamala Harris-themed nails after voting. (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Rezty Felty, a 58-year-old Tonganoxie resident, shows off Kamala Harris-themed nails after voting. (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Leavenworth County vibe</h2>In Tonganoxie, voters left polling cubicles inside the Sacred Heart Catholic Church proud of doing their civic duty. There were expressions of anxiety and optimism about outcomes on Election Day.Rezty Felty, 58, said this election felt particularly important. A regular voter and almost 30-year resident of Tonganoxie, Felty had a set of Kamala Harris-themed fingernails for the occasion.“Because we had one side that seemed to be pulling for the whole country and another side that seemed to be dragging us into fascism,” Felty said.Sue Hicks, 60, expects to retire soon and about worries about economic slippage. She said she voted for Trump “because I’m not better off than I was four years ago.” She said high property taxes and an income that doesn’t stretch as far as it used to were factors in her presidential decision, but would welcome a feeling of hope in American politics.Nicole Martin, 51, felt similarly. She said the rising cost of living and illegal immigration informed her votes.“I need my stocks to go up,” she said. “I need my food to go down. I need my gas to go down.”Loren Harrell, 28, said reproductive rights and rights for fellow LGBTQ+ community members were top of mind when voting for president.“Those were the kind of big things for me, but I know in this area I’m a bit of an outlier,” Harrell said.Some of the voters in the Leavenworth County community of about 6,000 people said they voted to represent their conservative values while others voted to keep certain candidates out of office.Sarah Dunkle, 21, is a first-time voter. She came to the polls with her mother, 63-year-old Robin Thompson, and she said she was proud to be able to represent a younger generation.Thompson was most interested in the presidential race, but Dunkle said she made sure to pay attention to local races too.“It’s important to me who’s going to be running the country,” Thompson said.