LIVE BLOG: AP: Democrats have won the US Senate, ending Republican dominance in Washington

By a sizeable margin in each proposition, Buffalo voters approved all 11 charter changes that were on the ballot this Election Day.

The charter changes included proposals that affected budget reforms, the creation of temporary task forces, and acting elected officials.

With more than 94% of the polling districts reporting, here's how each proposal was approved:

Ballot for Board Information: 67.1%
Ballot for Budget Reform: 86.1%
Ballot for Mayoral Succession: 82.4%
Ballot for Election Reform Task Force: 90.5%
Ballot for Holdovers and Inactive Boards: 76.2%
Ballot for Acting Elected Officials: 91%
Ballot for Charter Revision Commissions: 71%
Ballot for Civilian Police Advisory Commission: 72%
Ballot for Creation of Temporary Task Forces: 73.4%
Ballot regarding Mayoral Succession: 76.6%
Ballot for Human Rights Commission: 81.7%

The state Assembly 143rd District race between Democrat Ryan Taughrin and Republican Patrick Chludzinski is coming down to the wire, and could fall within the margin of an automatic recount.

With 91 of 92 voting districts reporting, Taughrin leads 50.35-49.61% — a margin of 336 votes. According to state election laws, an automatic recount is triggered if the margin is 0.5% or less. At the moment, Taughrin leads by 0.7%.

Mic Smith

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AP

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats have retaken control of the U.S. Senate, delivering a decisive rebuke of Republican control of governance in Washington and ushering in a new era of congressional resistance to President Donald Trump.

The midterm elections that came to a close Tuesday channeled voters’ deep frustration with high prices, the war in Iran and concerns about government corruption. The House remains too early to call, but Democrats have already flipped seven seats as they try to win the majority in that chamber as well.

Democratic control of the Senate will profoundly reshape Trump’s final two years in office and likely hamstring his ability to push his agenda, including his hopes for sustaining a conservative shift to the Supreme Court.

Trump has promised he would use his veto power to block Democrats’ agenda, forecasting the potential for gridlock in Washington.

Democrats charted an extraordinary path to Senate victory through some of the most conservative states in the nation.

Josh Turek defeated Rep. Ashley Hinson in Iowa and Adam Hamilton ousted Sen. Roger Marshall in Kansas as part of a cascade of stunning victories. James Talarico defeated Ken Paxton in Texas, Annie Andrews upset Darline Graham in South Carolina, Sherrod Brown beat Sen. Jon Husted in Ohio and Roy Cooper took an open North Carolina seat.

Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff won reelection in Georgia, defeating Rep. Mike Collins and denying Republicans a seat they had once seen as a top pickup opportunity. Rep. Chris Pappas won a Senate race in New Hampshire, defeating former Sen. John Sununu to replace retiring Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen.

In the House, Democrats were marching toward control after defeating six Republicans in key battleground races. Republican Reps. Tom Kean of New Jersey and three Republicans in Pennsylvania, Ryan Mackenzie, Scott Perry and Rob Bresnahan, lost reelection and Democrats won open seats in North Carolina and Kentucky. Democrats need a net gain of three seats for a majority.

The elections will drastically shift power in Washington. Democrats had been cautiously optimistic heading into Tuesday as they watched Republicans spend the campaign’s final stretch pumping tens of millions of dollars into states and districts that Trump won handily two years ago, and watched Trump campaign across some of the reddest states. They had bet that discontent over Trump’s failure to stop inflation and perceptions that he's focused more on gilding the nation’s capital than easing their pain at the pump will turn the tide in their favor.

Republicans had held out hope their money advantage would help stem the tide, but they were bracing to lose control of the U.S. House and fighting to hang onto the U.S. Senate — an outcome that seemed unlikely earlier this year, given a map widely seen as favoring their party.

On the Republican side, Sen. Ashley Moody won a special election in Florida to finish the term of Marco Rubio, who became Trump’s secretary of state in 2025. Wyoming Rep. Harriet Hageman won a Senate seat in Wyoming, replacing retiring Sen. Cynthia Lummis.

In the House, Democrat Jamie Ager beat Republican Jennifer Capps Balkcom in North Carolina to give the party its first House flip. Another Democratic flip came in New Jersey, where former Navy helicopter pilot Rebecca Bennett defeated Rep. Tom Kean, who missed four months of votes in Washington this year as he underwent treatment for depression, a diagnosis he did not disclose until his return.

BTPM News

Democratic challenger Steven Meyer has defeated Republican incumbent Michael Kearns in the race for Erie County Clerk.

With 95.3% of the vote in, Meyer leads Kearns 51.5-48.5% and declared victory at the county's Democratic headquarters at the Town Ballroom.

Soon after, Kearns seemingly conceded defeat from the Erie County GOP's HQ, admitting he'd need most, if not all, of the final votes to go his way.

Five state Assembly hopefuls have declared victory: Patrick Burke (D-District 142), Becky Wydysh (R-District 145), Adam Bojak (D-District 149), William Conrad III (D-District 140), Karen McMahon (D-District 146).

• Burke leads Gary Dickson 50.8-47% with 42 of 95 districts reporting.
• Wydysh leads Nathan McMurray 54.4-42.8% with 72 of 76 districts reporting.
• Bojak leads Frank Bogulski 63.6-34.2% with 25 of 87 districts reporting.
• Conrad leads Mohammed Faisal 70-22.1% with 72 of 98 districts reporting.
• McMahon leads Terence McGuire 65-33% with 24 of 63 districts reporting.

GOP incumbent Nick Langworthy has defeated Democratic challenger Aaron Gies in the House District 23 race, according to the Associated Press. Langworthy leads 59-41% with 83% of the vote in.

Some more results starting to come in, as incumbents Letitia James (D-Attorney General), Thomas DiNapoli (D-Comptroller), and April McCants-Baskin (D-NY State Senate District 63) all declare victory.

• James leads Saritha Komatireddy 63.4-36.6% with 62% of the vote in.
• DiNapoli leads Joseph Hernandez 65.5-31.7% with 62.1% of the vote in.
• McCants-Baskin leads Geoffrey Szymanski 69.1-30.8% with 84.8% of the vote in.

As Democrats celebrate early wins across the state and country on Election Night, early returns on the 23rd House District race show Democratic challenger Aaron Gies out to a lead over Republican incumbent Nick Langworthy.

With 15% of the votes in, Gies has 54.1% of the vote — 26,135 votes — compared to Langworthy's 45.8% — 22,134 votes.

In other House races, Democratic incumbent Tim Kennedy leads GOP's Dennis Hannon 58.1-41.9% with 6% of votes in the 26th District race and Democratic challenger Alissa Ellman leading GOP incumbent Claudia Tenney 54.4-45.5% with 26% of the vote in.

Comptroller of Erie County Kevin Hardwick discussed his plans to run for Erie County Executive, citing concerns for the county, particularly its financial health.

"We've found a lot of waste in county government," Hardwick told BTPM News' I'Jaz Ja'ciel at the Town Ballroom, Democratic campaign headquarters. "We we found $320,000 missing. We found the person who missed it, who who took it. We found a counterfeit check there for another $300,000 plus."

Hardwick said he will formally announce his candidacy for Erie County executive "in the next few weeks." Although that official announcement is forthcoming, the search engine data for KevinHardwick.com currently reads, "Kevin Hardwick – Candidate for Erie County Executive."

Democrat Kathy Hochul wins reelection for governor in New York, defeating Bruce Blakeman, according to the Associated Press.

Polls have closed in New York — although voters in line are still able to cast a ballot — and early voting results are starting to come in, including from the nearly 100,000 Erie County voters who voted early.

With just over 114,000 votes counted, Kathy Hochul leads Bruce Blakeman 64.4-34.8% with fellow Democrats Thomas DiNapoli (Comptroller) and Letitia James (Attorney General) out to similar leads.

Amanda Robert

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BTPM News

Less than an hour before polls closed in New York, Erie County Republican Committee Chair Michael Kracker projected confidence in his party's potential to score victories across a wide variety of races, starting with the governorship.

"Bruce Blakeman is running one of the largest counties in the United States of America," Kracker said of the Nassau County Executive, who is challenging incumbent Kathy Hochul. "He's doing an outstanding job. He's been reelected in a district with a heavy Democratic overlay, because they know that he's standing up for the taxpayers and what they believe in."

One race where the GOP has an incumbent running is for Erie County Clerk, where Michael Kearns looks to retain his seat against Democratic challenger Steven Meyer.

"There is only one Mickey Kearns, and he does an amazing job," Kearns said. "The public knows how hard he works on their behalf."

Kracker said the local state Assembly races — District 142 between Patrick Burke (D) and Gary Dickson (R), District 143 between Ryan Taughrin (D) and Patrick Chludzinski (R), and District 145 between Nathan McMurray (D) and Becky Wydysh (R) — all will be close, but he likes his candidates' chances.

"I feel that we have the right candidates," Kracker said. "We've put in great campaigns, and we have an opportunity to win all three of these races tonight."

The U.S. Department of Justice, which sent staff members to polls across the country for the first time to "ensure election integrity," sent four members of its department to Erie County, according to Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz.

Poloncarz said the county's Board of Elections and Department of Law met with DOJ staff a week ago, which prompted no red flags as to the nature of their presence.

"Though our legal team was prepared to act if necessary to prevent election interference," he said.

Poloncarz added: "As reported to me today, four DOJ staff have been monitoring election sites in Buffalo and no issues have been raised. If any occur we will be prepared to act."

Michael Mroziak

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BTPM News

Erie County Democratic Committee Chair Jeremy Zellner was making a last-minute push to potential voters Tuesday just hours before polls closed.

However, those who have already showed up have Zellner feeling optimistic.

"I'm hoping for a robust after-work crowd that comes out to vote, but I think you've got a strong gubernatorial race going on right now with Governor Hochul," Zellner said from his county party headquarters at the Town Ballroom. "I think people are responding across the state to her message. I think they're rejecting her opponent's message, who is just literally taking all of Donald Trump's talking points and regurgitating them."

Nearly 100,000 county voters took to the polls during early voting, and Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said on BlueSky that trends show more than 50% of registered voters in the county will vote.

As for how those voters will vote? Zellner stopped short of calling an impending blue wave, instead lauding those who have taken the time to volunteer and knock on doors.

"We've got some great people who've put their lives aside this year to go out and get elected and serve the community, and we feel like we're in good shape tonight," he said.

About 40% of registered voters in Erie County had cast a ballot as of 3 p.m. Tuesday afternoon, Elections Commissioner Howard Johnson told BTPM News.

This turnout, about 259,000 voters so far, outpaced what the county saw in the 2022 gubernatorial race, Johnson said.

About 100,000 of those votes came from the nine-day early voting period, and the county has received about 17,000 absentee ballots so far, Johnson said.

The early voting results and the absentee ballots that have been counted at the time will be released when polls close at 9 p.m.

Brian Chojnacki

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BTPM News

Election Day is here and Western New Yorkers were out casting their ballots throughout the region early this morning and through the day.

Among the many issues motivating voters are police support, immigration regulations, affordability, and lower costs of healthcare.

Liz and Kevin Barlog, two physicians leaving a polling location on Elmwood Avenue in Buffalo, said fear, corrupt practices, and affordability in the healthcare industry must change.

"We're both physicians, so we need to ouster [U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.," Kevin said. "He has done nothing but create fear, and the anti-vaccination campaign has to stop."

Liz added: "People can't afford healthcare. That's a right that everybody should have. Basic healthcare, and that's been a problem for many years."

The Barlogs say many private practices are struggling to survive because of it, most who finish their medical training join either a venture capital group or a hospital-based practice, where they become salaried employees. They said House District 26 Democratic incumbent Tim Kennedy is someone they support to help make these changes.

In Hamburg, Michael Cerrone believes the state is in better hands with Bruce Blakeman as governor — compared to incumbent Kathy Hochul — because, he said, Blakeman promotes more honest principles.

"I'm against Kathy spending all our money on these immigrants that get free healthcare, free money, free food, and everything," Cerrone said. "And us have to work 40 hours a week plus to pay for that, and we can barely ferret out groceries. So that's why I'm voting for Bruce."

Up in Wheatfield, Ryan Larson said that, although he isn’t 100% confident in Hochul, he believes she is the better option than Blakeman.

"I think it's important to keep Kathy Hochul in office," Larson said. "I do think that she's had some good initiatives, and you don't always 100% agree with everything people do, but I think the alternative is not great."

Also in Wheatfield, mother Kristen Phillips said her adult children moved out of state because of economic conditions in New York. She hopes a change in governor could help bring them back.

"My kids are doing very well, so I'm happy for them," Phillips said. "But New York ran them out. My husband is a business owner ... and it is near impossible to run a business in New York State."

The New York State Assembly District 145 seat includes Niagara Falls, Grand Island, North Tonawanda and many rural communities in Niagara and Northern Erie Counties.

Democrat Nate McMurray and Republican Becky Wydysh are battling to replace Angelo Morinello, who has held that seat for the past 10 years.

One voter in Wheatfield, Philip Hasley, believes McMurray is the best option.

"He has ideas about how to get a better shake for the middle class," Hasley said. "I think he has a real willingness to work hard. I like the way he related to people and understood their problems and talked to them."

The nine days of early voting saw a grand total of 99,283 voters in Erie County hit the polls prior to Nov. 3, according to the county's Board of Elections.

Here's a breakdown of voter turnout for each of the nine days.

Saturday, Oct. 24: 13,220
Sunday, Oct. 25: 10,396
Monday, Oct. 26: 12,440
Tuesday, Oct. 27: 12,147
Wednesday, Oct. 28: 10,923
Thursday, Oct. 29: 10,146
Friday, Oct. 30: 10,770
Saturday, Oct. 31: 9,829
Sunday, Nov. 1: 9,305

Results from early voting should be released soon after polls close at 9 p.m., giving us an early look at how races are shaping up.