Axios

Three moderate Democratic candidates for governor who broke with their party on several key issues performed particularly well on election night.

Why it matters: At a time when voters are tired of extremes, these moderate Democrats executed a winning playbook by underscoring their differences with the national party.

One of the clearest trends that emerged from election night: Most extreme Republican nominees badly underperformed, costing the GOP very winnable races and control of the Senate.

Driving the news: In the Senate, Trump-endorsed Blake Masters in Arizona and Adam Laxalt in Nevada were the final two GOP candidates to fall as Democrats held onto their majority.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, on Sunday highlighted incoming members of her group and touted the CPC's growing power within the House Democratic Caucus.

Why it matters: Jayapal has been a central player in Congress' legislative fights over the last two years —even withholding her caucus' votes in order to get a vote on progressive legislation.

Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) on Sunday threatened Elon Musk to "fix" his companies "or Congress will," hours after Musk mocked the senator for demanding answers about Twitter's verification process.

Driving the news: The exchange comes days after Markey tweeted to Musk, attaching a letter, demanding Twitter to explain how a Washington Post reporter was able to successfully set up a verified account impersonating the senator.

The outcome of the midterm elections was a rejection of extremism, Republican New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu said Sunday on ABC’s “This Week.”

Why it matters: Election deniers, political violence and other forms of extremism at large threaten democracy, but Democrats securing control of the U.S. Senate for another two years means that voters are saying "enough is enough," Sununu said.

In the wake of midterm elections, more American voters prefer that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis be the Republican nominee for president in 2024 than former President Trump, according to a new YouGov poll.

Why it matters: Some Republicans have blamed Trump for the party's failure to materialize a "red wave" in last week's elections, which also dented Trump's public perception as a kingmaker within the Republican Party.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) told NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday that Democrats should raise the debt ceiling during Congress' lame-duck session.

Why it matters: It's still unknown which party will control the House in the next Congress, but Republicans have considered using the debt ceiling to obtain spending cuts from the Biden administration if they control the majority in the chamber, Axios' Alayna Treene reports.

Former Trump White House senior adviser Stephen Miller laid out a number of issues that he saw as the reason Republicans failed to materialize a "red wave" during the midterm elections during an appearance on Fox News Channel's “Sunday Morning Futures,” including issues with funding and messaging.

Driving the news: Democrats have clinched control of the Senate while the House remains too close to call, with Republicans leading by a thin margin.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Sunday her congressional colleagues are encouraging her to run for another term as Democratic leader.

Why it matters: The comment is the starkest indication yet that Pelosi is mulling another run for the position she's held variably as speaker and minority leader for nearly two decades.

Former President Trump "has not been a force for good, so I don't think his candidacy is a force for good for our country," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Sunday on ABC's "This Week," when asked about an "imminent announcement" expected this week from the former president.

Driving the news: Trump suggested Monday, during a GOP campaign event in Ohio, that he'll be making a "very big" announcement from Mar-a-Lago on Nov. 15, ending months of speculation — and repeated teases — of a potential presidential run.

With Democrats having held back a "red wave" and secured control of at least one chamber of Congress, President Biden believes that Congress should move to codify Roe v. Wade," White House senior adviser Anita Dunn told CBS' "Face the Nation" on Sunday.

Driving the news: The first major election of the post-Roe era yielded new protections for abortion rights in several states, Axios' Oriana Gonzalez writes.

President Biden on Sunday celebrated the news that Democrats had clinched control of the Senate, telling reporters that he was "incredibly pleased" by the result.

Driving the news: Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) won her bid for re-election over former Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt late Saturday night, officially handing Democrats control of one chamber of Congress.

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) won her bid for re-election, defeating former Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt, and handing Democrats control of the Senate, the Associated Press reported.

Why it matters: Cortez Masto’s crucial victory comes after Arizona was called for incumbent Democrat Sen. Mark Kelly and Democrat John Fetterman flipped a key Senate seat in Pennsylvania.

Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Pérez has defeated Joe Kent, a far-right Republican endorsed by former President Trump, delivering a major upset in Washington's 3rd Congressional District, the Associated Press reported Saturday night.

Why it matters: Gluesenkamp Pérez's win will turn the district in southwest Washington blue for the first time in 12 years, giving Democrats an important pickup as they fight to limit GOP gains in Congress.