Russian billionaire admits to interfering in U.S. elections
Yevgeny Prigozhin controls Concord Management and Consulting LLC.
Alexander Zemlianichenko | AP
Russian businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin said he interfered in past U.S. elections and would proceed doing so in the long run, the primary such admission from a figure who has been formally implicated by Washington in efforts to influence American politics.
In comments posted by the press service of his Concord catering firm on Russia’s Facebook equivalent VKontakte, Prigozhin said: “We’ve got interfered (in U.S. elections), we’re interfering and we are going to proceed to interfere. Fastidiously, accurately, surgically and in our own way, as we all know learn how to do.”
The remark was posted on the eve of the U.S. midterm elections in response to a request for comment from a Russian news site.
“During our pinpoint operations, we are going to remove each kidneys and the liver without delay,” Prigozhin said. He didn’t elaborate on the cryptic comment.
Prigozhin, who’s sometimes called “Putin’s chef” because his catering company operates Kremlin contracts, has been formally accused of sponsoring Russia-based “troll farms” that seek to influence U.S. politics.
— Reuters
Virginia could offer Tuesday’s first hint at how Republicans might perform nationwide
State Senator Jennifer Wexton, a Democrat from Virginia and U.S. Representative candidate, greets attendees during a campaign rally in Manassas, Virginia, U.S., on Sunday, Nov. 4, 2018.
Andrew Harrer | Bloomberg | Getty Images
One among the primary states to shut its polls Tuesday night will likely be Virginia, where voting ends at 7 p.m. ET. For those watching election results at home, there are three House races within the commonwealth whose outcomes could offer clues as to how Republicans will fare nationwide of their quest to win a giant majority within the House.
All three races feature female Democratic incumbents locked in tight contests against relatively moderate Republican challengers, two of them women.
In Virginia’s 2nd District, which incorporates Virginia Beach, Democratic Rep. Elaine Luria is seen as particularly vulnerable in her race against state Sen. Jen Kiggans.
Within the seventh District, which incorporates Washington D.C.’s most outer suburbs and two rural counties, former CIA agent turned Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger is facing Prince William County Supervisor Yesli Vega, a former police officer. Crime and abortion have dominated the airwaves within the campaign.
Further north, in essentially the most affluent and well educated a part of the state just outside D.C., Democratic Rep. Jennifer Wexton is defending her seat against Hung Cao, a Navy veteran, within the tenth District. President Joe Biden won Wexton’s district by double digits in 2020.
— Christina Wilkie
Here’s when Election Day polls close in each state
An indication is seen as voters line up for the U.S. Senate run-off election, at a polling location in Marietta, Georgia, January 5, 2021.
Mike Segar | Reuters
Every state runs its own elections, which implies poll closing times vary significantly on Election Day. Below is a listing of when polling places close in each state.
Schedules are organized by state, not by time zone. So for instance, while half of Kentucky is the Eastern time zone and the opposite half of it’s Central time, polls will close at 6 p.m. ET across the state, so it’s listed under 6 p.m.
This isn’t an official list and a few counties keep polls open longer to accommodate heavy turnout, so please check along with your local election board to find out when your individual polls close.
6 p.m.
Kentucky and Indiana
7 p.m.
Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, Latest Mexico, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont, Virginia and Wyoming
7:30 p.m.
Arkansas, North Carolina, Ohio and West Virginia.
8 p.m.
Alaska, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Washington, D.C., Idaho, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Latest Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin.
9 p.m.
Latest York
NOTE: Latest Hampshire closing times vary county by county, but none is sooner than 7 p.m. Tennessee also varies, as does North Dakota, where polls close between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.
— Christina Wilkie
Abortion rights are on the ballot in these states. Here’s what you should know
A billboard against Proposal 3, a ballot measure which might codify the correct to an abortion, is seen along I-75 outside of Detroit, Michigan, U.S., November 6, 2022.
Evelyn Hockstein | Reuters
Voters in California, Kentucky, Michigan and Vermont will resolve in the course of the midterm elections whether abortion is protected under their state constitutions.
But Michigan and Kentucky are shaping up because the two biggest battlegrounds on abortion within the midterms. Michigan is poised to grow to be a refuge of constitutionally protected abortion rights within the Midwest, where access is shrinking.
Kentucky, however, is about to entrench its abortion ban unless reproductive rights activists pull off an upset victory within the conservative Southern state.
— Spencer Kimball
Five states will resolve whether to legalize recreational marijuana
Members of the DC Marijuana Justice community hold a 51 blow-up joint on the National Mall ahead of President Joe Bidens address to a joint session of Congress to call on the administration to take motion on legalization and expungement of criminal records on Wednesday, April 28, 2021.
Tom Williams | CQ-Roll Call, Inc. | Getty Images
Voters in a handful of states – including 4 that traditionally favor Republicans – are set to determine Tuesday whether to legalize recreational marijuana, paving the best way for its sale and cultivation in newly regulated markets across the country.
Arkansas, Maryland, Missouri, North Dakota and South Dakota could join 19 other states and the District of Columbia, which have already legalized recreational marijuana. The votes come a few month after President Joe Biden urged state and native officials to follow his lead in pardoning those convicted on prior federal charges of easy marijuana possession.
— Stefan Sykes
Latest Twitter CEO Elon Musk backs GOP-led Congress as critics query his tweets, handling of the platform
Musk’s plan to purchase Twitter has apprehensive policymakers all over the world.
Joe Skipper | Reuters
Twitter’s latest CEO Elon Musk threw his support behind Republicans of their bid to take congressional majorities within the midterm elections, saying that “shared power curbs the worst excesses of each parties.”
“Subsequently I like to recommend voting for a Republican Congress, on condition that the Presidency is Democratic,” Musk wrote in a tweet addressed “to independent-minded voters.”
In a follow-up tweet, Musk added, “Hardcore Democrats or Republicans never vote for the opposite side, so independent voters are those who actually resolve who’s in charge!”
Musk’s tweets, and other facets of his leadership, have come under intense scrutiny because the billionaire boss of Tesla and SpaceX acquired Twitter last month for $44 billion.
The succession was marked by massive layoffs, a bristling reception from some promoting groups and confusion in regards to the platform’s policy changes. An everyday flow of eyebrow-raising commentary from Musk, most of it from his own Twitter account, added more chaos into the combination.
He blamed “activist groups” for Twitter suffering a “massive drop in revenue … regardless that nothing has modified with content moderation.” Days later, Musk announced that any Twitter handles impersonating people without clearly labeling themselves parody accounts “will likely be permanently suspended.”
He has also hit back at lots of his critics, including progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and has replied favorably to quite a few outstanding conservative media figures.
— Kevin Breuninger
The 2024 cycle begins: Trump, others key figures drop hints
Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a rally ahead of the midterm elections, in Miami, Florida, U.S., November 6, 2022.
Marco Bello | Reuters
The fight for the midterms should be in full swing, nevertheless it’s clear that some key figures are already laying the groundwork for 2024 and beyond.
Former President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly hinted he may seek the White House again, this weekend dropped a few of his strongest suggestions yet.
“I promise you within the very next very, very, very short time period, you are going to be so glad, okay,” Trump said Saturday at a rally in Pennsylvania for GOP Senate nominee Dr. Mehmet Oz and gubernatorial hopeful Doug Mastriano. “We’ll take it back and you are going to be hearing about it very soon. Very, very, very soon.”
Trump, who never conceded his loss to President Joe Biden in 2020, considered announcing his next presidential bid at that rally, but opted to not distract from the Oz and Mastriano campaigns, a source told NBC News on Sunday.
Trump at that rally also took a shot at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, widely seen as having presidential ambitions, calling him “Ron DeSanctimonious.”
Meanwhile, GOP Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas has reportedly decided against a run for president in the following cycle. And Biden has privately told allies he’s planning to run again, news outlets have reported.
— Kevin Breuninger
Use this guide to follow the highest Senate races on Election Day
Tuesday’s midterm elections will determine which party takes control of the Senate, seizing the ability to steer investigative committees, advance major laws and potentially approve — or block — President Joe Biden’s judicial nominees.
Candidates in a handful of must-win Senate races seem like in a dead heat within the polls, and Republicans need to choose up only one seat to realize a majority.
Use CNBC’s guide to the highest Senate races to maintain track, and learn necessary facts about each candidate.
— Kevin Breuninger
2022 election spending expected to exceed $16.7 billion
A neon voting sign is displayed on a truck during a midterm campaign election stop by Senator Raphael Warnock in Augusta, Georgia, U.S., November 5, 2022.
Bob Strong | Reuters
The 2022 elections are expected to cost over $16.7 billion, making them the costliest midterms ever, in keeping with a study by the nonpartisan OpenSecrets.
“No other midterm election has seen as much money on the state and federal levels because the 2022 elections,” said Sheila Krumholz, OpenSecrets’ executive director. “We’re seeing record-breaking totals spent on elections up and down the ballot.” Election Day is Tuesday.
The fight for control of the House and Senate specifically saw massive spending, in keeping with the OpenSecrets data. Republicans hope to win back control of each chambers for the ultimate two years of President Joe Biden’s first term.
Outside groups spent about $1.9 billion to influence federal elections through Oct. 31, blowing past the 2018 midterm outside spending record of $1.6 billion, adjusted for inflation.
Two Republican political motion committees have led the best way in outside spending for federal races.
The Senate Leadership Fund, a brilliant PAC aligned with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has poured over $205 million into the midterms while backing Republicans running for Senate. The Congressional Leadership Fund, a hybrid PAC supported by House GOP leaders, has spent greater than $188 million.
Megadonors from each side of aisle have poured thousands and thousands of dollars into the 2022 midterms. The highest donors this cycle going into Election Day include billionaires George Soros, Richard Uihlein, Ken Griffin and Sam Bankman-Fried.
— Brian Schwartz
Dems and GOP send out their heavy hitters in final weekend
It was a busy weekend on the campaign trail as each parties sent out their all-star surrogates in the ultimate days leading as much as the Nov. 8 midterm elections.
Former U.S. President Barack Obama campaigns on stage for John Fetterman, Pennsylvania Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate, as Gisele Fetterman stands nearby, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S., November 5, 2022.
Quinn Glabicki | Reuters
Republican candidate for Arizona Governor Kari Lake is joined onstage by Steve Bannon, former advisor to U.S. President Donald Trump, during a campaign stop on the Arizona First GOTV Bus Tour in Queen Creek, Arizona, U.S., November 6, 2022.
Brian Snyder | Reuters
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton joins a rally to support Democratic Senator Catherine Cortez Masto ahead of the election in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. November 6, 2022.
David Swanson | Reuters
Former U.S. President Donald Trump’s longtime associate and political advisor Roger Stone attends a rally ahead of the midterm elections, in Miami, Florida, U.S., November 6, 2022.
Marco Bello | Reuters
Georgia Senate candidate Herschel Walker speaks at a rally in Hiram, Georgia on November sixth, 2022.
Nathan Posner | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images
U.S. President Joe Biden, former President Barack Obama, Democratic U.S. senatorial candidate John Fetterman and Democratic nominee for Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro campaign in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. November 5, 2022.
Kevin Lamarque | Reuters
Former U.S. President Donald Trump looks on as Pennsylvania Republican U.S. Senate candidate Dr. Mehmet Oz speaks at a pre-election rally to support Republican candidates in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, U.S., November 5, 2022.
Mike Segar | Reuters
US President Joe Biden and Latest York Governor Kathy Hochul wave during a rally for Democratic candidates at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, Latest York, November 6, 2022.
Saul Loeb | Afp | Getty Images
Rev. Raphael Warnock, Democratic Senator for Georgia is joined by director Spike Lee at a midterm election campaign event in Savannah, Georgia, U.S., November 6, 2022.
Bob Strong | Reuters
— Getty Images | Reuters