Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Democrats Appear To Hold Onto House But Hopes For Senate Dim
NPR: Democrats' Hopes For Senate Majority Fade As GOP Beats Back Challenges
Republicans appear poised to retain a narrow Senate majority after winning a number of tough races and with others remaining too close to call. The GOP currently holds a 53-47 seat majority (with 2 Independents — Angus King of Maine and Bernie Sanders of Vermont — caucusing with Democrats). Democrats need to win four seats to flip the chamber, after Alabama Sen. Doug Jones lost to Republican Tommy Tuberville, the former Auburn football coach. Jones' reelection chances were always tough competing in a state that overwhelmingly backs President Trump. The Democrats' target would shrink to three seats if Joe Biden wins the White House, because his vice president would break the tie in a 50-50 Senate. (Walsh, 11/4)
USA Today: Democrats Are Expected To Retain Control Of The House, But It's Not The Broad Expansion Analysts Predicted
Democrats are expected to retain control of the House of Representatives but optimistic projections that they would be expanding their already robust margin are falling short. Instead, Republicans have enjoyed some bragging rights, unseating freshmen incumbents in South Florida, New Mexico, Oklahoma and South Carolina, while successfully defending what looked to be several vulnerable seats in Texas and elsewhere. And early Wednesday, the GOP claimed its biggest prize by knocking off 15-term Democratic Rep. Collin Peterson of Minnesota. (Hayes, Morin and King, 11/4)
NPR: Marjorie Taylor Greene, Who Endorsed QAnon, Wins House Seat In Georgia
Marjorie Taylor Greene, a controversial Republican who has expressed support for the baseless QAnon conspiracy theory, has won her campaign in Georgia’s 14th Congressional District. Her victory had been expected ever since Greene won her party’s nomination; the district is heavily Republican, and her long-shot Democratic rival dropped out of the race in September. He still won 21% of the vote, according to The Associated Press. (11/3)
Also, in state legislative races —
NPR: Delaware’s Sarah McBride Becomes Nation’s First Openly Transgender State Senator
Transgender activist Sarah McBride has defeated Republican Steve Washington in Delaware to become the nation’s first openly transgender state senator. McBride previously made history in 2016 when she spoke at the Democratic National Convention, becoming the first transgender person to do so at a major-party convention. McBride interned at the White House during the Obama administration and served as the national press secretary for the Human Rights Campaign. She celebrated her win tonight, saying on Twitter, “I hope tonight shows an LGBTQ kid that our democracy is big enough for them, too.” (Saxena, 11/3)
Politico: GOP State Legislature Candidate In North Dakota Who Died Of Covid Wins Election
A Republican in North Dakota has won a seat in the state legislature — nearly a month after he died of complications from Covid-19. David Andahl was 55 when he died on Oct. 5, after winning a heated primary with an incumbent committee chairman. Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) had endorsed the Bismarck rancher, saying, “we need more Trump Republicans in the State Legislature.” (O'Donnell, 11/4)
