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Over 122 million people voted in this year’s midterms, with nearly 49% of eligible voters casting ballots, and Democrats flipped both chambers.

What’s Congress lookin’ like?
In the 100-seat Senate, the AP reports Democrats will control at least 54 seats. So far, seven states saw red Senate seats turn blue: Iowa, Kansas, Ohio, Maine, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas. Races in Mississippi and Alaska remain too close to call (see live updates).

Democrats are also projected to have the largest House majority in decades: leading 252-155 with 28 races yet to be called.

President Trump and VP Vance attributed Republicans’ losses to the Iran War, while some GOPs blamed Trump for ignoring issues like affordability, calling on him to change course.

Stocks have spent the week on a rollercoaster: climbing ~2% Wednesday before plummeting 4.3% yesterday (the S&P 500’s worst day since April 2025).

What else happened?
The U.S. also passed some historic milestones:

(A correction: On Wednesday we said “Virginia passed a state constitutional amendment legalizing abortion in the first two trimesters,” but it’s more complicated than that. Read our correction.)

What’s next?
Democrats are mapping out their next-two-years agenda:

Current Senate majority leader Thune (R-SD) has vowed that Republicans “will not stand idly by” but will work with Trump to block “Democrat extremism.”

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PRAY WITH US
Ruler of All Nations, thank You for the privilege to live in a free society with the opportunity and responsibility of electing our leaders. Because of this great privilege and freedom, some of us are happy today, and some of us are wrestling with disappointment, discouragement, and even sorrow.

Even as these political tides shift and leaders change, may we always remember: our home country is not this one, our true Leader does not hold an earthly office, our hope is in something greater. Train us to zealously pursue the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, never allowing ourselves to break fellowship over party or policy.
Amen. (Read this full prayer here.)

Uncle Sam is ending $3.8B in annual military funding to Israel.

As Americans carefully inked ovals Tuesday, President Trump announced he’d made a deal with PM Netanyahu “months ago” to end aid after this year. Currently, Congress-approved funding runs through 2028. #47 also said Washington would still sell U.S.-made weapons to the Middle Eastern ally but won’t foot the bill.

Trump said “they no longer need” financial support and the move will eliminate a “bad talking point” Democrats have leveraged against Republicans.

Netanyahu has publicly supported a ten-year sunsetting of funds, but Tuesday’s move reportedly surprised Israel’s Defense Ministry and marks a major shift in U.S.-Israel relations. Since WWII, Israel has received more cumulative American aid than any other country (visualize the totals here), but this summer, nearly half of voters felt the U.S. was “too supportive” of Israel.

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Verse to consider whether a relationship in your life is beginning, ending, or entering a new era… “Love one another deeply as brothers and sisters. Take the lead in honoring one another.… Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Give careful thought to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes. If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”
Romans 12:10-18 (CSB) (read full passage)

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NASA’s Swift telescope plunged back to Earth Wednesday, ending its 22-year study of galactic explosions. After orbiting 11x longer than expected and chronicling 1,400 supernovas, solar storms started pushing the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory earthward. An orbit-boosting robot failed to reach it this summer, and all 3,200lbs of one of NASA’s premier telescopes made a fiery reentry over Indonesia. See Swift’s out-of-this-world pics of cosmic bursts.

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An “endless cruise” came to an abrupt… end after it ran out of gas money. Last week, Florida-based start-up Villa Vie Residences suspended operations amid “extraordinary increases in fuel costs,” forcing its 200 passengers to disembark in Cambodia after two years at sea. Passengers tried to raise funds to keep the voyage afloat, but the cruise liner now faces auction (see what ship residents had paid up to $439,999 for).


Get the jelly! A new study found ~35% of infants diagnosed with peanut allergies might not actually be allergic. Australian researchers gave 778 babies a supervised food challenge ~6 months after their first reaction; many safely tolerated the legumes. Some may have outgrown it, but researchers say standard tests alone often misdiagnose infants, unnecessarily forcing them to skippy the spread.


Nintendo’s throwin’ it back to 1998. The Mario-maker released a revamped The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time yesterday, and gamers have given it the best reviews of 2026 so far (TBD if GTA 6 steals the lead on November 19). Nintendo hopes releasing the remake exclusively to the Switch 2 will boost lagging sales for the $500 console. See Link’s makeover.


Cristiano Ronaldo is hanging up his #7 Portugal jersey. Instagram’s most-followed person (~679M followers) announced his retirement from his national team yesterday. After 23 years in Portuguese red, the 41-year-old’s name tops the men’s record books for international goals (146) and appearances (234). With 985 career goals, he’ll keep playing for Saudi club Al-Nassr, chasing his 1,000th (watch some of his best ever).

His Majesty covers heaven and earth...

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