‘Get ready’: Trump says he will ‘very probably’ run again for president in 2024
Florida’s Republican governor Ron DeSantis has cruised into a second term despite an ominous pre-election threat from Donald Trump, according to projections by The Associated Press.
Mr Trump had warned that Mr DeSantis “could hurt himself very badly” if he attempts to run for president in 2024, as many people have speculated that he might.
Mr Trump had still not congratulated Mr DeSantis more than 90 minutes after the APcalled the race, although he had told reporters earlier in the day that he voted for him in his home county in Florida.
Meanwhile, the former president himself wasted no time in pushing baseless claims of voter fraud and calling for his followers to protest before the midterm polls had even closed.
His party appears to have had an extremely disappointing night. Despite Joe Biden’s grim approval rating, the GOP lost a crucial Senate seat in Pennsylvania and is struggling to net the two others it needs to take control of the chamber. The House, meanwhile, is still in play, with Democrats holding a higher-than-expected number of vulnerable seats across the country.
Follow along below for live updates.
Another reason for Trump to worry
A resentful and humiliated Republican Party is far from Donald Trump’s only problem after last night’s suprising results. As Politico’s Kyle Cheney reports, there are now two full years in which his myriad legal troubles can engulf him:
Among the figures most intimidating to the former president is New York Attorney General Letitia James, who is suing him and his company for allegedly engaging in multi-million dollar tax fraud in their real estate business. She was handily re-elected last night, as expected. Maroosha Muffazar reports:
Andrew Naughtie9 November 2022 11:30
JD Vance drops Trump from victory speech
Ohio Senate candidate and now senator-elect JD Vance was one of Donald Trump’s success stories in this year’s primaries, shooting to the top of the field after the ex-president’s endorsement – but how he’s won his race, he has forgone the most obvious opportunity to express his gratitude:
Unlike many right-wing candidates running in vulnerable seats, Mr Vance at no point pivoted away from Trump-style rhetoric in the general election, instead doubling down on numerous relatively extreme positions.
Andrew Naughtie9 November 2022 10:58
ICYMI: Trump reveals he voted for Ron DeSantis
Trump turned out to cast his ballot in Palm Beach, Florida, on Tuesday.
The former president, joined by his wife Melania, briefly spoke to reporters as he emerged from the polling place, revealing that he had voted to re-elect his rival Ron DeSantis.
“I think we’re going to have a great night, it’s going to be great for the country,” he said of the elections at hand.
“No matter who you vote for, you have to vote. It’s so important. This is going to be a very important election.
“Hopefully the right thing will happen.”
Mr Trump also coyly replied to a query about his own election ambitions in 2024, dropping another hint at when he will announce his presidential run.
“I think Tuesday [15 November] will be a very exciting day for a lot of people, and I look forward to seeing you at Mar-a-Lago,” he said.
The Independent’s Gustaf Kilander has more:
Megan Sheets9 November 2022 09:00
Trump allies win bigly
Whatever the overall results, many of Mr Trump’s personal allies have prospered in today’s voting.
Marco Rubio, Matt Gaetz, JD Vance, and former Trump PR aide Sarah Huckabee Sanders all enjoyed strong showings, writes my colleague John Bowden in Washington DC.
Io Dodds9 November 2022 07:54
ICYMI: Trump unleashes on Truth Social after voting
After casting his vote in…