Israel Wakes to a Tie, the Speaker Makes His Promise, and the Polls Say a Fight Is Coming
This morning’s ledger has no clear winner in Israel, a constitutional promise from House Speaker Mike Johnson, and a poll suggesting the U.S. midterms are heading into a close, hard-fought finish.
In Israel, exit polls and early counts point to a deadlock between Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc and the opposition bloc aligned with Gadi Eisenkot. Neither appears to have secured the parliamentary majority needed to form a government. Netanyahu says he will pursue a right-wing coalition; Eisenkot says his bloc is ahead and has urged Netanyahu to accept defeat. These are preliminary indications, not final results. The Associated Press, Guardian and Times of Israel are tracking the count and what comes next. Coalition negotiations, not exit polls alone, will determine who can govern.
In New York, Johnson campaigned with Representative Mike Lawler as part of a final blitz across thirteen states before next week’s midterms. Johnson called concerns that Republicans might contest an election loss “absurd,” saying he would follow the Constitution and administer oaths to members after states certify results. He also dismissed polls showing Democratic leads as inaccurate, according to CNBC and USA Today.
The latest PBS News/NPR/Marist poll gives Democrats a lead among likely voters on the generic congressional ballot. It also finds many voters see their choice as a vote against the president. More than thirty million ballots have already been cast nationally, but polls measure opinion, not election results.
For neighbors, the practical steps are simple: check your registration and polling place, and rely on election officials for certified results. What are you watching most closely this week: the campaign trail, the polling, or the count in Israel? Share your thoughts with the community.
