Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Americans are voting in the midterm elections today. The day’s other major stories are a flare-up of U.S.–Iran tension near the Strait of Hormuz and the aftermath of a deadly jet crash in Florida.

Midterms: Control of Congress on the line

Polls opened across the country this morning after more than 57 million Americans had already voted early, according to the University of Florida Voting Lab. All 435 House seats, 35 Senate seats and 36 governorships are on the ballot.

Republicans hold a razor-thin House majority of 218 seats plus an independent who normally caucuses with them, against 214 Democrats, with two vacancies. In the Senate they hold 53 seats to the Democrats’ 47. CBS News’ Battleground Tracker estimated on Oct. 25 that Democrats were on track to win 229 House seats. Its range ran from 215, which would leave Republicans a narrow majority, to 237.

Closing out a monthlong campaign blitz, President Trump acknowledged the historical headwinds facing his party. “For some reason, the sitting president doesn’t win the midterms,” he said Monday at the Reflecting Pool, adding that Republicans “gave this a very strong shot.”

Several Senate contests are drawing particular attention:

• Texas: Polls show a tight race between Democrat James Talarico and Republican Ken Paxton. Democrats believe frustration over the economy and immigration enforcement could pull Hispanic voters back toward their party, while Republicans say Democratic enthusiasm is still muted.
• Alaska: The race has drawn scrutiny because a second candidate named Dan Sullivan, nearly identical to the incumbent Republican’s name, is on the ballot. Democrat Mary Peltola has said she knew nothing about his recruitment. The winner will be decided by ranked-choice voting.
• Maine: Sen. Susan Collins faces Democrat Troy Jackson, and some voters describe themselves as unenthusiastic about their options.

Courts and the ballot fight

In a ruling that shaped the final hours of the campaign, the Supreme Court on Monday denied a Trump administration request to force California to set aside mail ballots from 20,000 people it alleges are noncitizens. The one-line, unsigned order noted no dissents. A federal district judge had earlier faulted the administration’s process for identifying the alleged noncitizens, calling it “rife with uncertainty and errors.” Confirmed instances of noncitizen voting are rare, and it is a violation of federal law.

A judge also tossed out a Justice Department lawsuit that sought to block Alaska from certifying its Senate results if Sullivan loses.

Iran: Strikes reported as Trump downplays the conflict

Overseas, the Wall Street Journal reported that U.S. forces carried out strikes around the Strait of Hormuz on the eve of the election. Several explosions were reported overnight on Qeshm Island and in the port city of Bandar Lengeh. U.S. officials described the operation as defensive, meant to stop Iranian forces from threatening commercial shipping. They said an Iranian missile had targeted an American fighter aircraft.

The president has played down the idea of renewed fighting. “We had a war with Iran. We won,” Trump told reporters Monday, and he said oil prices were falling on hopes of a settlement. Vice President JD Vance said the administration feels good about the prospects for a negotiated settlement. Iran’s foreign ministry, for its part, said the next move belongs to Washington and repeated its demand that the U.S. naval blockade be lifted. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard also claimed to have downed three U.S. drones, which the U.S. military has not independently confirmed. The conflict began Feb. 28 with U.S.–Israeli strikes.

Florida: Nine dead in Learjet crash

In Palm Beach County, investigators are examining how a Learjet 60 crashed in Florida, killing nine. The jet went down in a residential area of Greenacres, leaving a fireball and a large crater near a busy road. It had taken off from Texas bound for the Bahamas. Gov. Ron DeSantis called it “a cataclysmic plane crash.”

Air traffic control recordings show the pilot reporting ice and moderate turbulence before declaring “Mayday.” Officials believe severe weather may have been a factor. The pilot reported the jet descending at 10,000 feet per minute.

What to watch tonight

CBS News’ primetime election coverage starts at 7 p.m. ET. Some key races are not expected to be decided on election night. Results are changing quickly, so check official and wire-service tallies before drawing conclusions.