Axios

President Biden on Wednesday said the "giant red wave" that some predicted would come during the midterm elections "didn't happen."

Driving the news: "This was supposed to be a red wave," Biden said during a news conference at the White House. "You guys were talking about us losing 30 to 50 seats. ... That's not going to happen."

There is no evidence of voter fraud in Tuesday's midterm elections, Homeland Security's cybersecurity agency said Wednesday.

Driving the news: "We have seen no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes, or was any way compromised in any race in the country," Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency director Jen Easterly said in a statement.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison won re-election in Tuesday’s midterms, the Associated Press reported.

The big picture: The Democratic incumbent faced a challenge from Republican Jim Schulz, an attorney and political newcomer, in what was seen as one of Minnesota's most hotly contested races.

Former President Trump is facing waves of blame after key Republican candidates lost in midterms.

The big picture: There was no red wave. As of this morning, control of the Senate is undetermined, but appears to be leaning toward Democrats. The House is headed for a very narrow GOP majority, but is also uncalled.

Several Asian Americans made history across the U.S. during the midterm elections Tuesday night.

Driving the news: Among them are Shri Thanedar (D), who will be the first Indian American representative for Michigan, and Aruna Miller (D), who will be the first immigrant and first Asian American elected to statewide office in Maryland.

Voters in at least one state and the District of Columbia approved minimum wage increases through ballot measures during the midterm elections.

Why it matters: With the federal minimum wage set at $7.25 per hour since July 2009, at least 30 states and D.C. have passed and implemented minimum wage increases above the federal minimum, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

The high-profile contest between Georgia Republican Herschel Walker and incumbent Democrat Sen. Raphael Warnock will head to a runoff after neither candidate received more than 50% of the vote in the midterm election, Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger announced Wednesday.

Why it matters: Both parties view the state as crucial to their chances of holding a majority in the Senate. The move to a runoff is reminiscent of Georgia's two 2020 Senate races.

Voters in two states approved legalizing recreational cannabis through ballot initiatives on Tuesday's midterm elections, per the Associated Press.

Why it matters: Before Election Day 2022, at least 20 states and the District of Columbia had legalized cannabis for nonmedical use.

Republican Sen. Ron Johnson clinched victory against Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes in Wisconsin’s Senate race, the Associated Press reported.

Why it matters: Johnson's victory underscores the strength of the conservative movement in the Badger State, a pivotal battleground of the midterm elections.

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chair Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.) on Wednesday conceded his House race to Republican opponent Mike Lawler, Maloney's spokesperson told Axios.

Why it matters: Maloney's loss is a rare instance of a campaign chief losing their own re-election, highlighting a disappointing showing for New York Democrats even as the party saw shockingly strong performances in races across the country.

Historic firsts:

• Where Black candidates made history in the midterm elections
• Where LGBTQ candidates made history in the midterm elections
• Where Asian Americans made history in the midterm elections
• Women score multiple firsts in historic midterm races
• The Latinos who made history in the midterm elections

Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin won re-election in Michigan’s newly created 7th District, edging out Republican state Sen. Tom Barrett, the Associated Press reports.

Why it matters: Slotkin earned the support of Rep. Liz Cheney last month in the Republican lawmaker’s first formal endorsement of a Democratic candidate.

At least 80 people who have questioned the 2020 election results won seats in the House last night — cementing a sizable MAGA caucus.

Why it matters: Their victories could impact the 2024 presidential election, reshape congressional priorities and weaken institutional leaders.

Nevada's midterm election results have been delayed, according to local election officials, leaving the state's high-stakes Senate race outcome in the balance as of early Wednesday.

Driving the news: Two counties where the vast majority of Nevada voters reside aren't expected to start counting some mail-in ballots until Wednesday, The Nevada Independent reported.

Republican candidates who have rejected the results of the 2020 presidential election are running in hundreds of midterm races — including dozens of competitive contests — set to be decided on Tuesday.

Why it matters: Many of these positions have substantial power over the administration of elections or the certification of them. If elected, they would have powerful perches from which to disrupt future elections.

Former President Trump’s political staying power is on the ballot Tuesday as candidates he elevated in midterm primaries now face competitive general elections.

Why it matters: Trump’s ability to clear primary fields and handpick nominees demonstrated his continued grip on the GOP, but if his candidates consistently underperform other Republicans it could threaten to hamper plans for a political comeback.

Democrat John Fetterman defeated Republican Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania's U.S. Senate race, flipping a key seat previously held by a Republican, the Associated Press reported.

Why it matters: Democrats capitalized on one of their best opportunities to flip a Senate seat in a swing state after Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) announced his retirement.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Angie Craig has defeated Republican challenger Tyler Kistner to win a third term representing a suburban Twin Cities swing seat, The Associated Press reported.

The big picture: The rematch between Craig and Kistner in the 2nd Congressional District was seen as one of the most competitive House contests in the nation.

GOP Sen. Mike Lee won Utah's U.S. Senate race Tuesday night against independent challenger Evan McMullin, securing a third term in office, according to the Associated Press.

By the numbers: As of Tuesday night, the Trump-backed incumbent had garnered about 55.22% of votes, compared to McMullin's 41.33%, preliminary results showed.

Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer defeated Trump-endorsed Tudor Dixon to be re-elected as Michigan's governor, the Associated Press reported.

Why it matters: Whitmer, 51, has vowed to use her office to protect abortion access and make Michigan a top target for large manufacturing projects.

The White House denounced WNBA star Brittney Griner's transfer to a penal colony in Russia at a so-far undisclosed location on Wednesday morning.

Details: The transfer process began on Friday, a day after she met with U.S. embassy officials, her attorneys said, per ESPN, which first reported the news.

Democrat Stacey Abrams has conceded the Georgia gubernatorial race to Republican Gov. Brian Kemp after a closely watched rematch.

Driving the news: Kemp’s win comes as no surprise to pundits and pollsters after he maintained a lead in public polling averages for months. The Associated Press called the race at 12:45am ET.

Democratic state Sen. Wiley Nickel beat out Republican political newcomer Bo Hines in the race to represent one of North Carolina's most interesting congressional districts, the Associated Press reported.

Why it matters: Nickel’s narrow victory in a district that spans suburban and rural areas gives Democrats something to celebrate on a night when they lost the state's U.S. Senate race.

• Democrats will hold seven of North Carolina’s 14 U.S. House seats; just two years ago, Republicans had a 10-3 edge in the state’s delegation.

The intrigue: Nickel, who was elected to the state Senate in 2018's blue wave, has sought to brand himself as a moderate in an attempt to pull the district's moderate voters, despite the fact that he has repeatedly voted to the left of his fellow Democrats in the chamber. 

• Hines, 27, has often been compared to disgraced Republican Rep. Madison Cawthorn, who lost his primary in May after a slew of scandals. Hines has repeatedly rejected that comparison. 

Rep. Henry Cuellar won a 10th term on Tuesday, defeating Cassandra “Cassy” Garcia for Texas' 28th Congressional District, the Associated Press called.

Why it matters: The predominantly border region, which encompasses a swath of South Texas up to the southeastern edge of San Antonio, was a GOP target and was at risk of losing its position as a Democratic stronghold.

Democrat Josh Shapiro was elected Pennsylvania's next governor, defeating Trump-backed Republican challenger Doug Mastriano, the Associated Press reported.

Why it matters: Shapiro, who is the state’s attorney general, has said he'll be a firewall against state Republican-led efforts to limit abortion access, impose voting restrictions and loosen gun laws.

U.S. Sen. Patty Murray has defeated Republican challenger Tiffany Smiley, crushing GOP hopes for an upset in reliably blue Washington state.

Driving the news: The Associated Press called the race for Murray on Tuesday night after early election returns showed the incumbent up by about 14 percentage points on election night.

Republican incumbent Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger won re-election, after challenger Democratic state Rep. Bee Nguyen announced she had conceded the race.

Catch up quick: Raffensperger appears to have been rewarded by Democratic and independent voters after his high-profile refusal to assist former President Trump’s effort to overturn Georgia’s 2020 election.

Republican Rep. Ted Budd beat Democrat Cheri Beasley in North Carolina by racking up votes in rural parts of the state, the Associated Press reported.

Why it matters: Budd’s win is a sign that Democrats in the state were unable to counter this year's expected "red wave," driven in part by rising inflation and President Biden's low approval ratings.

Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz won re-election in Tuesday’s midterms, the Associated Press reported.

Why it matters: The incumbent Democrat overcame a tumultuous first term marked by COVID-19 and the murder of George Floyd to win another four years as the state's chief executive.

Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) defeated Republican challenger Don Bolduc to secure a second term in the U.S. Senate.

Why it matters: New Hampshire’s Senate race was among Republicans' best opportunities to pick up a seat this year, but Hassan dwarfed Bolduc in fundraising and the Republican candidate aligned himself with former President Trump in a state that Trump lost twice.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) acknowledged Tuesday night that his party's midterm results were thus far underwhelming, telling NBC: "Definitely not a Republican wave, that's for darn sure."

Why it matters: With tailwinds that included an unpopular Democratic president, persistent inflation, and historical trends that favor the party out of power, some Republicans had high expectations for winning dozens of seats in the House and comfortably winning the Senate.

Venture capitalist and author J.D. Vance has defeated Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan in Ohio's pivotal open Senate race, the Associated Press reported.

Why it matters: Vance's conversion from fervent Donald Trump critic to full-throated supporter and election denier attracted the former president's endorsement — propelling his victory in a state Trump won comfortably twice.

Sen. Chuck Grassley beat Democrat Michael Franken in Tuesday's election, extending his record as one of the longest-serving U.S. Senators in history, according to the Associated Press.

Why it matters: The race will help determine which party holds majority control of the U.S. Senate.

Republican Virginia state Sen. Jen Kiggans beat two-term Democratic Rep. Elaine Luria on Tuesday evening in one of the country’s most tightly contested U.S. House races, the Associated Press reported.

Why it matters: The Virginia Beach-anchored district, which was rated as a toss-up by Cook Political Report, was a focus of the GOP’s push to win back the House.

Gov. JB Pritzker won his second term as Illinois governor — and it doesn't seem to be close.

• The Associated Press called the win for Pritzker over state Sen. Darren Bailey mere seconds after the polls closed.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom — who faced a recall effort last year — defeated Republican state Sen. Brian Dahle in his re-election bid Tuesday night, the Associated Press reports.

• Yes, but: The victory was little surprise in a state with twice as many registered Democrats as Republicans, and with Newsom outraising Dahle by a 10:1 ratio.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott secured a third term Tuesday, defeating Democrat Beto O’Rourke, per the Associated Press.

Why it matters: The victory sets up Abbott for a 2024 presidential run, although he has not said whether he wants to pursue the White House.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger held onto her seat Tuesday evening, per the Associated Press, beating back a challenge by Yesli Vega, a Trump-endorsed county supervisor who made national headlines for her inaccurate comments on pregnancies resulting from rape.

Why it matters: Virginia's 7th Congressional District, which Spanberger has represented since 2019, is one of a handful of closely contested races in the country expected to determine control of the House of Representatives.

People across the country braved a growing storm in Florida, snowfall in the West and record heat in the Gulf Coast to cast their votes in the 2022 midterms.

Why it matters: The midterms will determine balance of power in Congress and have implications for the 2024 presidential race. These photos show people voting across various states.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet pushed back against Republican momentum nationwide in the midterms, defeating GOP rival Joe O'Dea in Colorado, the Associated Press reported.

Why it matters: President Biden and other top party leaders traveled to Colorado to shore up support for the two-term lawmaker.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis easily won his re-election contest against an election-denying Republican rival and helped carry Democrats to big victories statewide.

Driving the news: The popular governor took 58% of the vote compared to 40% for challenger Heidi Ganahl, according to preliminary totals at 11:30pm.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' resounding victory over Democrat Charlie Crist — fueled by the strongest GOP showing in Miami-Dade County in two decades — has cemented his position as a 2024 presidential contender.

Why it matters: The big, broad win is a massive show of force against former President Trump, whose blessing propelled DeSantis to office. DeSantis is the first GOP governor to win Miami-Dade County, a Democratic stronghold, since Jeb Bush's re-election in 2002. He did so by double digits.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee cruised to a second term Tuesday, defeating his Democratic challenger Jason Martin by a wide margin despite a relatively muted re-election campaign.

• The Associated Press called the race within minutes of polls closing.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds was re-elected Tuesday night — defeating Democratic challenger Deidre DeJear, according to the Associated Press.

Why it matters: Reynolds' campaign primarily focused on her record as governor and how she handled the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Her win is an affirmation that her Republican supporters, as well as independents, approve of her work.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) has easily fended off her Democratic challenger Marcus Flowers, even as he raised a remarkable amount of money in the deep-red district, per the Associated Press.

Why it matters: In just two years in office, Greene has set herself apart as one of the most high profile — and controversial — members of the Republican caucus in Washington.

Gov. Mike DeWine defeated Democratic challenger Nan Whaley in his bid for re-election, the Associated Press projected.

Why it matters: After a first term largely devoted to handling the COVID-19 pandemic, the Republican now has another four years to focus on other state priorities like mental health care and children's services.

Democrat Wes Moore has won the Maryland governor's race over Trump-backed state delegate Dan Cox, the Associated Press reported Tuesday. Moore will become the state's first Black governor.

• His running mate, former state delegate Aruna Miller, will be the first Asian American elected statewide.

Floridians have re-elected Republican Ron DeSantis as governor of Florida over former Gov. Charlie Crist, the Associated Press reported.

Why it matters: DeSantis' easy victory will fuel speculation that he's ready to set his sights on the White House in 2024.

Republican Sen. Marco Rubio defeated his Democratic challenger, Rep. Val Demings, in Tuesday's election, the Associated Press reported.

Why it matters: Rubio's re-election victory reinforces that Florida, which elected President Obama twice, may no longer be a swing state.

Maxwell Alejandro Frost, a 25-year-old Democrat, became the first member of Generation Z — those born between 1997 and 2012 — elected to Congress after defeating Republican Calvin Wimbish in Florida's solidly blue 10th Congressional District.

Why it matters: Frost, after being sworn in, will be the sole congressional representative of Gen Zers, an overwhelmingly Democratic-leaning generation that’s set to become the biggest U.S. voting cohort and a substantial portion of the country’s workforce.

Two of the three races below will likely determine Senate control, while the third gives a major preview of the GOP's political future.

1. Georgia is where Republicans lost control of the Senate two years ago. The state requires a 50%+ majority to win, so we could have a runoff that delays a balance of power shift until Dec. 6. Tonight features Herschel Walker (R) vs. Raphael Warnock (D).
2. Pennsylvania is where Joe Biden, Donald Trump and Barack Obama all campaigned last weekend. It's an open Senate seat that's been GOP-held, potentially offsetting Democratic losses in other states. Tonight is John Fetterman (D) vs. Mehmet Oz (R).
3. Arizona matters because GOP gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake — a former TV news celebrity — has been described as a potential Trump heir, but the state elected Joe Biden in 2020. Lake is running against Democratic nominee Katie Hobbs.

A Maricopa County, Arizona, judge rejected a request by Republican organizations and candidates to extend voting by three hours in response to widespread problems with tabulation machines rejecting ballots due to printer problems.

• The RNC and other plaintiffs wanted polling places in the county to stay open until 10pm instead of closing at 7.
• Judge Timothy Ryan said he'd seen no evidence that any voters were denied their right to cast ballots.