Congressional elections live updates: House and Senate up for grabs as early results trickle in

Republican U.S. Rep. John Curtis won a Utah U.S. Senate seat Tuesday. The office is being vacated by Sen. Mitt Romney. Curtis beat Democrat Caroline Gleich, a mountaineer and environmental activist. Curtis was heavily favored to win against the lesser-known Democrat in deeply Republican Utah. The moderate Republican congressman has been compared to Romney for pushing back against Donald Trump and other members of his party who have falsely claimed climate change is a hoax. Curtis leads the Conservative Climate Caucus on Capitol Hill and is the former mayor of Provo. The Associated Press declared Curtis the winner at 10:00 p.m. EST.

Republican Greg Gianforte won election as governor in Montana on Tuesday, beating Democrat Ryan Busse. Gianforte is a former software mogul who served four years in Congress before being first elected to the job in 2020. Republicans have dominated the last several election cycles in Montana. Busse, a former gun company executive, failed to gain traction with a campaign that focused on property tax increases under Gianforte's leadership. Income taxes fell under Gianforte and the number of jobs in the state rose sharply. His running mate was Lt. Gov. Kristen Juras. The Associated Press declared Gianforte the winner at 10:00 p.m. EST.

A judge has ordered polling places to remain open two extra hours in nine precincts in an eastern Arizona county after a rocky start to Election Day that included malfunctioning equipment and a lack of printed ballots.

Apache County Superior Court Judge Michael Latham agreed to keep the polls open at the request of the Navajo Nation, which filed a lawsuit asking for extended hours due to the problems.

Meanwhile, bomb threats to polling places at schools in neighboring Navajo County prompted some to close momentarily and one to evacuate and send students home for the day.

Authorities said they received email bomb threats at four locations in Navajo County, including at least three polling sites. They determined the threats were not credible.

Democrats deployed celebrities to keep their voters fired up while they wait in long lines to cast their ballots.

Paul Rudd handed out water to students at Temple University in Philadelphia. Jennifer Garner, Josh Gad, Mark Cuban and Demi Lovato communicated with voters via FaceTime in various battleground states.

Republicans have also encouraged their voters to stay in line, even after polls close."Hi Republicans. We're doing really well," Donald Trump said in a social media video. "If you're in line, stay in line."

In Maryland, voters approved a ballot measure that would codify reproductive freedom and protect access to abortion in the state.

The amendment would also protect patients and health care providers from any criminal charges imposed by abortion bans in other states.

Democratic Senate candidate Angela Alsobrooks , who was elected Tuesday night, made the issue core to her campaign, saying one of her first actions in Congress would be to sponsor legislation to codify Roe into federal law.

Her Republican opponent, former Gov. Larry Hogan, also indicated he would support such a measure. But Alsobrooks pointed to Hogan's veto of a bill in Maryland to expand abortion access in 2022.

Republican Mike Kehoe defeated Democrat Crystal Quade to win the Missouri governor's race on Tuesday. Kehoe is Missouri's lieutenant governor. Quade is the state House minority leader. Kehoe will succeed GOP Gov. Mike Parson, who was barred by term limits from seeking reelection. Kehoe was favored to win the heavily Republican state, but Quade and other Democrats had hoped to get an edge this year with an abortion rights amendment on the ballot. Kehoe opposes the amendment. Parson handpicked Kehoe to be second in command in 2018, when Parson left his seat as lieutenant governor to become governor. The Associated Press declared Kehoe the winner at 9:45 p.m. EST.

Johnson became speaker a little more than a year ago after eight Republicans joined with Democrats in booting Kevin McCarthy from the job.

The social conservative inherited many of the same troubles that plagued his predecessor when it comes to unifying the conference. He has had to rely on Democratic votes to keep the federal government open and needed their help to prevent the kind of mutiny that toppled McCarthy.

Johnson tied his political fortunes to Trump, showing up at the latter's hush-money trial in New York and embracing his claims of political persecution.

Johnson will be favored to remain as speaker if House Republicans maintain their majority, but could face a serious challenge as the Republican leader should the Democrats take control of the chamber.

Only three Black women have held Senate seats in the nation's history, but that is about to change.

Democrats Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware and Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland have won Senate seats, and they will be the first Black women to serve together in the Senate.

The other Black women who have served as senators are Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois, Laphonza Butler of California and current Vice President Kamala Harris of California.

Ohio is sending its electoral college votes to Donald Trump , but the state is also key to Democrats' bid to keep control of the Senate and win the House.

Sen. Sherrod Brown, the only Democrat to win a nonjudicial statewide race in Ohio in over 10 years, is running for a fourth term by appealing to working-class voters and making access to abortion a top priority.

He is being challenged by Republican Bernie Moreno, a wealthy businessman backed by Donald Trump.

The state could have big consequences for the House as well. Democrats are defending a trio of House seats that are seen as competitive.

Democrat Angela Alsobrooks won the U.S. Senate seat in Maryland on Tuesday. Alsobrooks defeated popular Republican former Gov. Larry Hogan in a closely watched race with control of the Senate potentially at stake. Alsobrooks prevailed in a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-1, but Hogan's popularity as a two-term governor made him one of the strongest competitors for a Senate seat in Maryland in decades. Alsobrooks, who will be the state's first Black senator, is the chief executive of Prince George's County, Maryland's second most populous jurisdiction next to the nation's capital. The Associated Press declared Alsobrooks the winner at 9:32 p.m. EST.

Jeffries succeeded Rep. Nancy Pelosi as the lead House Democrat after Republicans gained control of the chamber in the 2022 mid-terms and Democrats looked for a generational change in leadership.

Jeffries made sure Democrats delivered the votes necessary to prevent a federal default and to subsequently keep the government open.

But he declined to provide Kevin McCarthy with the Democratic votes he needed to stay on as speaker when eight members of the GOP revolted against McCarthy.

If Democrats are able to gain the House majority, he would almost assuredly be elected the next House speaker.

Democratic Rep. Andy Kim, who won election to Senate from New Jersey, said that "as a son of immigrants" he never imagined he would become the first Korean American to serve in the chamber.

"I'm deeply humbled and grateful to NJ and for everyone who got us here," Kim wrote on X, the website formerly known as Twitter. "I promise I'll serve with honor and integrity as a public servant for all."

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a Democrat from New York and one of the most prominent progressive voices in Congress, has won reelection to a fourth term in the House.

Few members of Congress are known simply by their initials, but AOC is one of them.

Her 13 million-plus followers on X, formerly known as Twitter, show she is a voice that draws peoples attention to issues such as immigration, climate and the war in Gaza.

Nebraska, surprisingly, has turned into a state to watch in the race for Senate control.

Early in campaign season, Republican Sen. Deb Fischer was thought to be cruising to reelection there, but she faced a spirited challenge from independent Dan Osborn.

A former union leader, Osborn has gained steam in his campaign by eschewing political parties with a populist message.

Senate Republicans have poured money into the state to help Fischer out in the final days of the campaign, but Osborn's long-shot run has buoyed Democratic hopes of keeping control of the chamber.

However, it's not clear how much his victory would help Democrats because Osborn has said he won't caucus with either party if elected.

Don't expect the earliest returns to clearly indicate the final outcome. Wisconsin begins processing absentee votes on Election Day. In Milwaukee, they've often been added later in the night and led to shifts in favor of Democratic candidates.

: Results won't come quickly. Votes aren't reported until all precincts have reported or one hour after the state's polls close. The earliest numbers are mostly mailed ballots. Heading into Election Day, registered Republicans turned in more than registered Democrats. It's not clear which party will benefit more from votes cast in person or arriving on Election Day.

: Most of the state is in Central time and has been reporting initial votes since 8 p.m. ET. About half of the state's expected vote has been reported and Cruz leads by nearly 5 percentage points. He's winning both votes cast on Election Day and in advance so far.

Democrats are hopeful they might have a chance to win a Texas Senate seat there for the first time in 20 years. It's a longshot, but a victory there would buoy their hopes of retaining a Senate majority.

Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, a hardline conservative, is defending his seat from Democrat Colin Allred, a House lawmaker who represents the Dallas area. Allred's underdog campaign has repeatedly hammered Cruz for the state's abortion ban. It does not allow exceptions in cases of rape or incest.

Meanwhile in Michigan, a Senate seat is open after Sen. Debbie Stabenow retired. Republican Mike Rogers, a former House lawmaker, is running against Democrat Elissa Slotkin, a current House member.

Republican Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming won a third full term on Tuesday. Barrasso beat Democrat Scott Morrow, a retired postal worker union official from Laramie. Barrasso has risen to the third-ranking GOP position in the U.S. Senate and is the ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. An orthopedic surgeon and former state lawmaker from Casper, Barrasso was appointed to the Senate in 2007. He won his next three elections by wide margins. The Associated Press declared Barrasso the winner at 9:00 p.m. EST.

Republican Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota won a second term on Tuesday. The former House member and public utilities regulator beat Democrat Katrina Christiansen in her second bid for the Senate. Cramer's 2018 Senate victory against Democrat Heidi Heitkamp was a closely watched, hotly contested race that helped Republicans win control of the Senate that year. Cramer has been a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump, who visited North Dakota twice in 2018 to campaign for Cramer. The Associated Press declared Cramer the winner at 9:00 p.m. EST.

U.S. Rep. Kelly Armstrong won North Dakota's race for governor on Tuesday. The third-term Republican congressman and attorney bested Democratic state Sen. Merrill Piepkorn to succeed two-term Gov. Doug Burgum, who didn't seek a third term. Armstrong continues Republicans' dominance in North Dakota, where the party has held the governor's office since 1992 and a Democrat has not won a statewide race since 2012. Armstrong also is a former state senator and state party chair. The Associated Press declared Armstrong the winner at 9:00 p.m. EST.

Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand was reelected to a U.S. Senate seat representing New York on Tuesday. Gillibrand defeated Republican Mike Sapraicone, a retired New York City police detective. Gillibrand has been New York's junior senator since 2009. In Washington, she's been a voice against sexual harassment and assault in the military. She ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2019, but dropped out of the race after polling and fundraising struggles. New York hasn't elected a Republican to the Senate since Al D'Amato won in 1994. The Associated Press declared Gillibrand the winner at 9:00 p.m. EST.

Republican U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts of Nebraska won election Tuesday to the seat he was appointed to nearly two years ago. Ricketts, a former two-term Nebraska governor, defeated Democratic challenger Preston Love Jr., an 81-year-old longtime community activist in Omaha. Love had painted Ricketts - one of the wealthiest members of the U.S. Senate - as privileged and out of-touch with most voters. But Ricketts easily prevailed in the heavily conservative state. Ricketts will serve out the remaining two years of the six-year term left vacant by former Republican Sen. Ben Sasse, who resigned in 2022. The Associated Press declared Ricketts the winner at 9:00 p.m. EST.

Rep. Jim Jordan, the Republican chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and a Donald Trump loyalist, has won reelection to a 10th term in the House representing a conservative district in central Ohio.

Jordan has spent the run-up to the election campaigning for Republicans across the country. Many see his activities as a shadow race of sorts to become GOP leader, particularly if it loses the majority and members seek a fresh start.

Jordan denies he's running for any leadership job.

Jordan made an unsuccessful bid to become speaker when eight Republicans joined with Democrats in ousting then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

Trump endorsed Jordan, but more centrist Republicans viewed him as too extreme and objected to rewarding someone on the party's right flank after some had helped oust McCarthy.

Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein won North Carolina's election for governor on Tuesday, defeating Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson. Stein succeeds term-limited Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper. He previously served in the state Senate and earlier as head of Cooper's consumer protection division when Cooper was attorney general. Stein's campaign flooded the airwaves with anti-Robinson ads about Robinson's past inflammatory comments. Robinson's campaign also faced upheaval after a CNN report alleged that he made explicit posts years ago on a pornography website's message board. Robinson denied the allegations. Democrats have now won eight of the state's past nine gubernatorial elections. The Associated Press declared Stein the winner at 8:50 p.m. EST.

Gov. Josh Shapiro said the threats had been called in to polling locations across the state, but that so far there is "no credible threat" to the public.

Shapiro, a Democrat, spoke at a news conference. In a statement, the Pennsylvania State Police said they were working with local partners to respond, if needed.

Neither Shapiro or police gave more details about who might be behind the bomb threats or why Shapiro believed there was no threat to the public.

Polls closed in the presidential battleground state at 8 p.m., except for two jurisdictions where judges granted requests for extensions.

All eyes Tuesday in Michigan were on college campuses, where long lines in 2022 had helped drive the nation's highest youth voter turnout.

Adam Lacasse, president of Michigan College Democrats, said that on the University of Michigan's campus, "most everybody that we've talked to has said they have already voted."

Lacasse added that on campuses in Michigan he noticed "a shift in young men voting Republican, while young women are voting overwhelmingly Democrat."

"Most every young woman who I've talked to has been super excited to vote for Kamala," said Lacasse.

Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum said Tuesday that about 67% of the county's same day voter registrations came from East Lansing, where Michigan State University is located and where Kamala Harris visited Sunday night.

Democrat Matt Meyer won the election for Delaware governor Tuesday, defeating Republican Michael Ramone. With his victory over the state's GOP House minority leader, Meyer maintains the hold on the governor's office that Democrats have had for more than 30 years. Meyer currently serves as chief executive of Delaware's most populous county. His path to the governor's office opened up when he defeated Lieutenant Gov. Bethany Hall-Long in a Democratic primary. Hall-Long was the Democrat establishment favorite but was plagued by a campaign finance scandal. The Associated Press declared Meyer the winner at 8:36 p.m. EST.

In Massachusetts, the group Lawyers for Civil Rights warned that multiple precincts in Boston ran out of ballots, including in the city's Hyde Park, Roslindale and West Roxbury neighborhoods.

In some locations, ballots were replenished but only after wait times of up to two hours, the group said.

The secretary of the commonwealth's office said the Boston Elections Department opted not to send all their ballots to polling places.

Secretary of State William Galvin told the department to send ballots using police cars. Poll workers were also told get contact information for voters who chose not to wait. Those voters have been contacted and anyone in line at 8 p.m. will be able to vote.

Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, a conservative provocateur who led the effort to remove his own party's House speaker, has won reelection to a fifth term in the House.

The election in the northwest Florida district wasn't expected to be competitive.

Gaetz is an unwavering supporter of Donald Trump who appears at many of his rallies and has also been out on the campaign trail helping several of the arch-conservatives in the Republican conference in their efforts to win reelection.

The House Ethics Committee has undertaken a long-running probe of Gaetz, including whether he engaged in sexual misconduct and illicit drug use.

He has denied any wrongdoing and declared recently he would no longer "voluntarily participate" in the investigation.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, the conservative firebrand who specializes in incendiary political speech, has been reelected to a third term serving a staunchly Republican district in northwest Georgia.

Greene defeated Democrat Shawn Harris, a retired Army general and farmer.

The race was not expected to be competitive.

Greene has generated a national profile fighting with Democrats, spreading conspiracy theories online and even trying to boot her own party's leadership as she unsuccessfully tried to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson from the job this year.

One person she doesn't criticize is Donald Trump as she carefully links her brand with his.

About a quarter of voters said they didn't know enough to form an opinion about Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, the Democrat who unsuccessfully tried to oust Republican Sen. Rick Scott.

That's according to AP VoteCast, an expansive survey of more than 4,700 voters in the state.

Of those who had an opinion, about 4 in 10 said they viewed the former representative in a favorable light.

Voters were far more familiar with Scott, the state's former governor who has his eye on GOP leadership roles during a second term in the Senate.

About half of voters said they viewed him favorably and half did not.

The FBI is warning that several fabricated videos are misusing its name and insignia to promote false claims of problems at the polls.

A written statement purported to come from the FBI urges media and bloggers not to publish information about attacks at polling stations, saying dissemination of stories about violence could cause such incidents to increase.

The FBI says that statement is false and did not come from the bureau.

One fabricated video that impersonates the FBI and a federal government agency urges schools to suspend educational activities through November 11 because of the risk of violence, shootings and riots. Another claims the FBI received 9,000 complaints about malfunctioning voting machines.

The FBI says neither video came from the bureau and the contents of both are false.

The FBI did not identify who might be responsible.

Pennsylvania is not just a major player in the the presidential race.

It will also go a long way in deciding who controls the majority in the House next year.

Three Democratic incumbents look to fend off Republican challengers in competitive races.

Rep. Matt Cartwright is seeking reelection to a seventh term in a district that Trump carried in 2020. Another perennial Republican target is Rep. Susan Wild. They represent neighboring districts with similar geographies: small cities, suburbs and stretches of rural eastern Pennsylvania. First-term Democratic Rep. Chris Deluzio is also in a competitive race in the western part of the state.

Meanwhile, Democrats are hoping to unseat hard-right Republican Rep. Scott Perry, a Trump loyalist and the former chairman of the most conservative wing within the GOP majority — the House Freedom Caucus.

Maryland: The first results will include early in-person and absentee votes, which could mean an early lift for Democrat Angela Alsobrooks since those votes typically have favored Democrats in the past. That margin could shrink if Election Day votes arrive with a greater makeup of Republicans. Republican former Gov. Larry Hogan is trying to become Maryland's first GOP U.S. senator in over 30 years.

Pennsylvania: Many of the counties' earliest results include mailed-in ballots. State data show almost twice as many registered Democrats voted in advance this year as registered Republicans, so that could be good for Democratic candidates. But early leads could change as more Election Day votes are counted.

Michigan: The state might count faster this year because of a legal change that allows counties to open and process mailed ballots before Election Day. In the past Republicans have tended to do better in first returns but then saw their margins narrow as big counties like Wayne, home to Detroit, released their Democratic-leaning mailed ballots.

Republican Sen. Rick Scott won a second term in Florida on Tuesday, defeating Democrat Debbie Mucarsel-Powell in a Senate race that Democrats had been eyeing as a potential pickup. Scott served two terms as governor of Florida before defeating then-Sen. Bill Nelson in 2018 in a race so close it went to a mandatory recount. The closeness of that race and the strengths of Mucarsel-Powell, a former congresswoman from Miami, had Democrats arguing the seat was in play . Scott has already announced he will seek to succeed Sen. Mitch McConnell as majority leader in the next Congress. The Associated Press declared Scott the winner at 8:01 p.m. EST.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse won reelection to a U.S. Senate seat in Rhode Island on Tuesday. Whitehouse won a fourth term by defeating Patricia Morgan, a Republican state representative who served as the state's first female minority leader. Whitehouse, who served as Rhode Island's U.S. Attorney and state attorney general before being elected in 2006, has long championed efforts to combat climate change and worked to protect Medicare and Social Security benefits. More recently, he has fought to reduce health care costs, reform the Supreme Court and remove dark money from elections. The Associated Press declared Whitehouse the winner at 8:00 p.m. EST.

Massachusetts Democratic U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren won a third term in office on Tuesday, fending off a challenge from Republican John Deaton, a former U.S. Marine and cryptocurrency attorney. Warren, a vocal critic of former President Donald Trump, came in third in Massachusetts in her 2020 bid for president. The former Harvard law professor, 75, remains popular in the heavily Democratic state. A prominent voice for the more liberal wing of the Democratic Party, Warren had said she was running for reelection to end corruption in Washington, make the economy work for the middle class and protect democracy. The Associated Press declared Warren the winner at 8:00 p.m. EST.

Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy won a third term representing Connecticut in the U.S. Senate on Tuesday. Murphy defeated Republican small business owner Matt Corey in a repeat of their matchup in the 2018 election. Corey had pitched himself to voters as "the fighter Donald Trump needs by his side." Murphy has been in the Senate since Joe Lieberman retired in 2013. On the campaign trail, Murphy touted his record - including his efforts on gun safety - and spoke of this year's election having huge stakes. Connecticut hasn't elected a Republican to the Senate since Lowell Weicker won in 1982. The Associated Press declared Murphy the winner at 8:00 p.m. EST.

Republican U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn won reelection to a second term in the U.S. Senate representing Tennessee on Tuesday. Blackburn is the first female U.S. senator from the Volunteer State. The Republican's 2018 Senate victory against former Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen marked a rightward shift in Tennessee's politics, where voters had previously elected more centrist senators. Blackburn first got involved in politics in 1999 after being elected to the Tennessee Senate. She made a name for herself as one of the key state lawmakers who helped lead the revolt against a proposed Tennessee income tax in the early 2000s. The Associated Press declared Blackburn the winner at 8:00 p.m. EST.

Democratic Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester won the U.S. Senate contest in Delaware on Tuesday, defeating Republican Eric Hansen. Rochester has served as Delaware's lone representative in the U.S. House since 2017. She will now replace retiring Democrat Tom Carper in the Senate, having been handpicked by Carper as his successor. Rochester is poised to become one of only a handful of Black women to serve in the Senate. Hansen, a businessman who ran a largely self-funded campaign, was making his first bid for public office. The Associated Press declared Blunt Rochester the winner at 8:00 p.m. EST.