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| Democrats scrape by in New Jersey governor’s race after disaster in Virginia – as it happened | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Democrat Phil Murphy wins re-election in New Jersey by narrow margin | |
| The Federal Reserve has announced it is winding down the massive stimulus program it put in place at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic amid fears that the central bank may have to raise rates soon to control rising inflation. Fed officials have been debating for months over whether and when to taper the stimulus programs that it set up to head off the economic headwinds caused by the pandemic. They announced on Wednesday that they would begin cutting that stimulus by $15bn a month but left interest rates unchanged. | The Federal Reserve has announced it is winding down the massive stimulus program it put in place at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic amid fears that the central bank may have to raise rates soon to control rising inflation. Fed officials have been debating for months over whether and when to taper the stimulus programs that it set up to head off the economic headwinds caused by the pandemic. They announced on Wednesday that they would begin cutting that stimulus by $15bn a month but left interest rates unchanged. |
| Phil Murphy won re-election and kept his seat as New Jersey governor in a tight race that was widely viewed as a referendum on the Democrat’s leadership throughout the pandemic. The governor issued stringent health orders to slow the spread of Covid-19 and has earned high marks from constituents for his leadership during the pandemic. He was one of the first governors who required Covid-19 vaccinations for public school teachers. But his opponent Jack Ciattarelli, like many Republican politicians across the US, seized on growing backlash and frustrations over mask mandates, school closures and other pandemic restrictions. | Phil Murphy won re-election and kept his seat as New Jersey governor in a tight race that was widely viewed as a referendum on the Democrat’s leadership throughout the pandemic. The governor issued stringent health orders to slow the spread of Covid-19 and has earned high marks from constituents for his leadership during the pandemic. He was one of the first governors who required Covid-19 vaccinations for public school teachers. But his opponent Jack Ciattarelli, like many Republican politicians across the US, seized on growing backlash and frustrations over mask mandates, school closures and other pandemic restrictions. |
| Democrat Terry McAuliffe formally conceded the race for the governorship of Virginia to his Republican rival Glenn Youngkin. The latter pulled off a stunning upset last night that is deemed by many as an ominous sign for the ultimate success of Joe Biden’s administration and presidency. | Democrat Terry McAuliffe formally conceded the race for the governorship of Virginia to his Republican rival Glenn Youngkin. The latter pulled off a stunning upset last night that is deemed by many as an ominous sign for the ultimate success of Joe Biden’s administration and presidency. |
| House Speaker Nancy Pelosi put a paid family leave provision back into their $1.75 trillion social and environmental spending bill that’s the flagship of Biden’s Build Back Better legislative agenda. Democratic US Senator Joe “everyone’s a president” Manchin of West Virginia is opposed to that, which bodes ill in the upper chamber. Speaking to reporters in the bowels of the Capitol moments ago, he said the new proposal lacked detail and the Build Back Better agenda is already a “mammoth” rejigging of “the whole entire tax code”. | House Speaker Nancy Pelosi put a paid family leave provision back into their $1.75 trillion social and environmental spending bill that’s the flagship of Biden’s Build Back Better legislative agenda. Democratic US Senator Joe “everyone’s a president” Manchin of West Virginia is opposed to that, which bodes ill in the upper chamber. Speaking to reporters in the bowels of the Capitol moments ago, he said the new proposal lacked detail and the Build Back Better agenda is already a “mammoth” rejigging of “the whole entire tax code”. |
| In Buffalo, NY – the socialist rising star who appeared poised to take the mayor’s seat has conceded to an incumbent governor running a write-in campaign. | In Buffalo, NY – the socialist rising star who appeared poised to take the mayor’s seat has conceded to an incumbent governor running a write-in campaign. |
| India Walton, the democratic socialist who gained national attention when she defeated mayor Byron Brown in the primaries, was the only mayoral candidate printed on the ballot Tuesday. But Brown, who distributed more than 100,000 stamps bearing his name so that voters could press it onto their ballots, appears poised to win back his seat. | India Walton, the democratic socialist who gained national attention when she defeated mayor Byron Brown in the primaries, was the only mayoral candidate printed on the ballot Tuesday. But Brown, who distributed more than 100,000 stamps bearing his name so that voters could press it onto their ballots, appears poised to win back his seat. |
| Brown, who was supported by the progressive senators Bernie Sanders and Elizibeth Warren, and joined on the campaign trail by the representative Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, appears to have floundered due to a lack of support from the state’s Democratic establishment. | Brown, who was supported by the progressive senators Bernie Sanders and Elizibeth Warren, and joined on the campaign trail by the representative Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, appears to have floundered due to a lack of support from the state’s Democratic establishment. |
| Ahead of the election, Jay S Jacobs, the chair of the New York State Democratic Committee, declined to endorse her. He said in a Spectrum News interview: “Let’s take a scenario, very different, where David Duke — you remember him, the grand wizard of the KKK — he moves to New York, he becomes a Democrat, he runs for mayor in the city of Rochester ... I have to endorse David Duke? I don’t think so. Now, of course, India Walton is not in the same category.” | Ahead of the election, Jay S Jacobs, the chair of the New York State Democratic Committee, declined to endorse her. He said in a Spectrum News interview: “Let’s take a scenario, very different, where David Duke — you remember him, the grand wizard of the KKK — he moves to New York, he becomes a Democrat, he runs for mayor in the city of Rochester ... I have to endorse David Duke? I don’t think so. Now, of course, India Walton is not in the same category.” |
| Critics including Brown and his supporters characterized Walton, a registered nurse and political newcomer, as an inexperienced, radical choice, echoing Republican critiques of progressive Democrats. | Critics including Brown and his supporters characterized Walton, a registered nurse and political newcomer, as an inexperienced, radical choice, echoing Republican critiques of progressive Democrats. |
| Today, Walton wrote on Twitter: “It seems unlikely that we will end up with enough votes to inaugurate a Walton administration in January.” | Today, Walton wrote on Twitter: “It seems unlikely that we will end up with enough votes to inaugurate a Walton administration in January.” |
| “Every dirty trick in the book was tried against us,” she wrote. “We knew that would be the case. When you take on the corrupt and the powerful you can’t expect them to play fair.” | “Every dirty trick in the book was tried against us,” she wrote. “We knew that would be the case. When you take on the corrupt and the powerful you can’t expect them to play fair.” |
| My colleague Kari Paul reports on Facebook and the climate crisis: | My colleague Kari Paul reports on Facebook and the climate crisis: |
| Misinformation about the climate crisis runs rampant on Facebook, a new study has found, and comes mostly from a handful of “super polluter” publishers. | Misinformation about the climate crisis runs rampant on Facebook, a new study has found, and comes mostly from a handful of “super polluter” publishers. |
| Ten publishers are responsible for 69% of digital climate change denial content on Facebook, a new study from the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) has found. The outlets, which the report labels the “toxic ten”, include several conservative websites in the US, as well as Russian state media. | Ten publishers are responsible for 69% of digital climate change denial content on Facebook, a new study from the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) has found. The outlets, which the report labels the “toxic ten”, include several conservative websites in the US, as well as Russian state media. |
| Breitbart, a far-right news site once run by former Trump strategist Steve Bannon | Breitbart, a far-right news site once run by former Trump strategist Steve Bannon |
| Western Journal, a Conservative news site | Western Journal, a Conservative news site |
| Newsmax, which has previously been sued for promoting election fraud conspiracies | Newsmax, which has previously been sued for promoting election fraud conspiracies |
| Townhall Media, founded by the Exxon-funded Heritage Foundation | Townhall Media, founded by the Exxon-funded Heritage Foundation |
| Media Research Center, a “thinktank” that received funding from Exxon | Media Research Center, a “thinktank” that received funding from Exxon |
| Washington Times, founded by self-proclaimed messiah Sun Myung Moon | Washington Times, founded by self-proclaimed messiah Sun Myung Moon |
| The Federalist Papers, a site that has promoted Covid misinformation | The Federalist Papers, a site that has promoted Covid misinformation |
| Daily Wire, a conservative news site that is of the most engaged-with publishers on Facebook | Daily Wire, a conservative news site that is of the most engaged-with publishers on Facebook |
| Russian state media, pushing disinformation via RT.com and Sputnik News | Russian state media, pushing disinformation via RT.com and Sputnik News |
| Patriot Post, a conservative site whose writers use pseudonyms | Patriot Post, a conservative site whose writers use pseudonyms |
| The Center for Countering Digital Hate used NewsWhip, a social media analytics tool, to analyze 6,983 climate crisis denial articles that were featured in Facebook posts in the last year. | The Center for Countering Digital Hate used NewsWhip, a social media analytics tool, to analyze 6,983 climate crisis denial articles that were featured in Facebook posts in the last year. |
| The articles included condemnations of the “cult of ‘climate change’” whose “worship” risks people’s future or told readers not to “worry too much about CO2 baking the planet”. Together, the posts raked up 709,057 interactions. | The articles included condemnations of the “cult of ‘climate change’” whose “worship” risks people’s future or told readers not to “worry too much about CO2 baking the planet”. Together, the posts raked up 709,057 interactions. |
| Facebook strongly rejected the study in a statement, with a spokesman saying the analysis from CCDH “uses a flawed methodology designed to mislead people about the scale of climate misinformation on Facebook”. | Facebook strongly rejected the study in a statement, with a spokesman saying the analysis from CCDH “uses a flawed methodology designed to mislead people about the scale of climate misinformation on Facebook”. |
| He added that the 700,000 interactions mentioned in the report on climate denial represent 0.3% of the over 200m interactions on public English-language climate change content from pages and public groups over the same time period. | He added that the 700,000 interactions mentioned in the report on climate denial represent 0.3% of the over 200m interactions on public English-language climate change content from pages and public groups over the same time period. |
| Read more: | Read more: |
| And more on Cop26: | And more on Cop26: |
| Analysis: Glenn Youngkin’s victory comes as the president’s agenda has stalled and danger looms for the party in Congress. | Analysis: Glenn Youngkin’s victory comes as the president’s agenda has stalled and danger looms for the party in Congress. |
| Joe Biden exuded confidence. “We’re going to win,” the US president told reporters before departing Cop26 in Glasgow. “I think we’re going to win in Virginia.” | Joe Biden exuded confidence. “We’re going to win,” the US president told reporters before departing Cop26 in Glasgow. “I think we’re going to win in Virginia.” |
| But as Biden returns to Washington, he faces questions about why his prediction was so wrong – and whether Democrats’ loss in the most important election of the year will send his presidency into a downward spiral. | But as Biden returns to Washington, he faces questions about why his prediction was so wrong – and whether Democrats’ loss in the most important election of the year will send his presidency into a downward spiral. |
| Republican Glenn Youngkin’s surprise victory over the Democrat Terry McAuliffe in the race for governor of Virginia is a brutal rebuke for Biden, who had personally invested in the race, twice making the short trip from Washington to campaign for McAuliffe at rallies. | Republican Glenn Youngkin’s surprise victory over the Democrat Terry McAuliffe in the race for governor of Virginia is a brutal rebuke for Biden, who had personally invested in the race, twice making the short trip from Washington to campaign for McAuliffe at rallies. |
| It will particularly sting because Donald Trump, whom he defeated in Virginia by 10 percentage points in last year’s presidential election, will doubtless seek to claim credit for the result and savor his revenge. | It will particularly sting because Donald Trump, whom he defeated in Virginia by 10 percentage points in last year’s presidential election, will doubtless seek to claim credit for the result and savor his revenge. |
| But the truth is that this election was more about the current president than the spectre of the last one. | But the truth is that this election was more about the current president than the spectre of the last one. |
| Biden’s ambitious agenda has stalled in Congress. By his own admission, the inertia has sucked oxygen away from priorities such as a police reform and voting rights, disillusioning the activists who fuel Democratic turnout. Inflation and gasoline prices are up. Global supply chains are buckling. And Biden’s sunny predictions for post-withdrawal Afghanistan were as off the mark as his predictions for Virginia. | Biden’s ambitious agenda has stalled in Congress. By his own admission, the inertia has sucked oxygen away from priorities such as a police reform and voting rights, disillusioning the activists who fuel Democratic turnout. Inflation and gasoline prices are up. Global supply chains are buckling. And Biden’s sunny predictions for post-withdrawal Afghanistan were as off the mark as his predictions for Virginia. |
| The president’s sagging approval rating of 42% combined with historical headwinds to drag McAuliffe down. Nothing energizes a political movement like opposition: the president’s party has lost every election for governor of Virginia over almost half a century – the exception was McAuliffe himself in 2013. | The president’s sagging approval rating of 42% combined with historical headwinds to drag McAuliffe down. Nothing energizes a political movement like opposition: the president’s party has lost every election for governor of Virginia over almost half a century – the exception was McAuliffe himself in 2013. |
| But this time McAuliffe failed to inspire. The chairman of Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential primary campaign had a distinct whiff of Clinton 2016: a career politician imbued with a sense of entitlement who constantly found himself on the defensive against an upstart candidate drawing bigger crowds. | But this time McAuliffe failed to inspire. The chairman of Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential primary campaign had a distinct whiff of Clinton 2016: a career politician imbued with a sense of entitlement who constantly found himself on the defensive against an upstart candidate drawing bigger crowds. |
| Read more: | Read more: |
| Murphy won reelection following a tight race that was widely viewed as a referendum on the Democrat’s leadership throughout the pandemic | Murphy won reelection following a tight race that was widely viewed as a referendum on the Democrat’s leadership throughout the pandemic |
| The governor issued stringent health orders to slow the spread of Covid-19 and has earned high marks from constituents for his leadership during the pandemic. He was one of the first governors who required Covid-19 vaccinations for public school teachers. But his opponent Jack Ciattarelli, like many Republican politicians across the US, has seized on growing backlash and frustrations over mask mandates, school closures and other pandemic restrictions. | The governor issued stringent health orders to slow the spread of Covid-19 and has earned high marks from constituents for his leadership during the pandemic. He was one of the first governors who required Covid-19 vaccinations for public school teachers. But his opponent Jack Ciattarelli, like many Republican politicians across the US, has seized on growing backlash and frustrations over mask mandates, school closures and other pandemic restrictions. |
| With his narrow victory, Murphy became the first Democratic governor to win reelection in New Jersey in 44 years. A former executive at Goldman Sachs and ambassador to Germany, Murphy has the advantage of Democrats’ 1.1m registered voters. That the race remained so close well into Wednesday evening is likely to be an encouraging sign for Republicans ahead of the midterms, especially taken with the party’s victory in Virginia’s gubernatorial election. | With his narrow victory, Murphy became the first Democratic governor to win reelection in New Jersey in 44 years. A former executive at Goldman Sachs and ambassador to Germany, Murphy has the advantage of Democrats’ 1.1m registered voters. That the race remained so close well into Wednesday evening is likely to be an encouraging sign for Republicans ahead of the midterms, especially taken with the party’s victory in Virginia’s gubernatorial election. |
| Phil Murphy has won re-election and will be keeping his seat as New Jersey governor. | Phil Murphy has won re-election and will be keeping his seat as New Jersey governor. |
| The AP called the race just now. | The AP called the race just now. |
| After Senate Republicans filibustered the John R Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which would restore a key provision of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, Joe Biden issued a statement imploring: “Let there be a debate and let there be a vote.” | After Senate Republicans filibustered the John R Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which would restore a key provision of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, Joe Biden issued a statement imploring: “Let there be a debate and let there be a vote.” |
| The bill wasn’t expected to go far in the Senate, where Republicans have made clear they would block it. But Democrats put it forward anyway, as a way to pressure West Virginia moderate Joe Manchin. | The bill wasn’t expected to go far in the Senate, where Republicans have made clear they would block it. But Democrats put it forward anyway, as a way to pressure West Virginia moderate Joe Manchin. |
| My colleague Sam Levine explains: | My colleague Sam Levine explains: |
| Read more: | Read more: |
| At least six candidates who won elections yesterday attended the “Stop the steal” rally on 6 January, the AP reports: | At least six candidates who won elections yesterday attended the “Stop the steal” rally on 6 January, the AP reports: |
| Adam Gabbatt and agencies report: | Adam Gabbatt and agencies report: |
| The supreme court appeared poised to ease gun control regulation, after several justices expressed scepticism on Wednesday over a New York law that places restrictions on who can carry concealed firearms. | The supreme court appeared poised to ease gun control regulation, after several justices expressed scepticism on Wednesday over a New York law that places restrictions on who can carry concealed firearms. |
| The case could lead to more guns on the streets of New York and California, and affect restrictions on carrying firearms in airports, bars, churches and schools. | The case could lead to more guns on the streets of New York and California, and affect restrictions on carrying firearms in airports, bars, churches and schools. |
| The case centers on a New York law that prohibits people from carrying a concealed handgun in public unless they can demonstrate a need to carry the weapon. | The case centers on a New York law that prohibits people from carrying a concealed handgun in public unless they can demonstrate a need to carry the weapon. |
| Several members of the conservative-dominated court, including Samuel Alito and the three justices nominated by Donald Trump, appeared to question whether the law was constitutional. | Several members of the conservative-dominated court, including Samuel Alito and the three justices nominated by Donald Trump, appeared to question whether the law was constitutional. |
| The case, which comes after a spate of mass shootings and a rise in gun violence, has been brought by two private citizens and the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association, an affiliate of the National Rifle Association. The NRA is a gun rights lobbying group that has received tens of millions of dollars in donations from the gun manufacturers. | The case, which comes after a spate of mass shootings and a rise in gun violence, has been brought by two private citizens and the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association, an affiliate of the National Rifle Association. The NRA is a gun rights lobbying group that has received tens of millions of dollars in donations from the gun manufacturers. |
| The NYSRPA argues that the New York law is too restrictive, and that the two citizens had their applications to carry handguns at all times unfairly denied. Should the court decide in the gun organization’s favor, it could dramatically increase the number of people eligible to carry concealed firearms as they go about their daily lives. | The NYSRPA argues that the New York law is too restrictive, and that the two citizens had their applications to carry handguns at all times unfairly denied. Should the court decide in the gun organization’s favor, it could dramatically increase the number of people eligible to carry concealed firearms as they go about their daily lives. |
| Under the New York law, people applying for a license to carry firearms at all times must prove they have a “special or unique danger to their life”. | Under the New York law, people applying for a license to carry firearms at all times must prove they have a “special or unique danger to their life”. |
| Read more: | Read more: |
| Hello live blog readers, we’ll hand over to our colleague Maanvi Singh on the US west coast now, who’ll steer you through the next few hours of politics news. It’s been a very lively day with no sign of things letting up, so please stay tuned! | Hello live blog readers, we’ll hand over to our colleague Maanvi Singh on the US west coast now, who’ll steer you through the next few hours of politics news. It’s been a very lively day with no sign of things letting up, so please stay tuned! |
| Here’s where things stand: | Here’s where things stand: |
| The US Federal Reserve has announced it is winding down the massive stimulus programme it put in place at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic amid fears that the central bank may have to raise rates soon to control rising inflation. | The US Federal Reserve has announced it is winding down the massive stimulus programme it put in place at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic amid fears that the central bank may have to raise rates soon to control rising inflation. |
| New Jersey’s governor’s race is close to fruition and, although it has not be called yet, Democrat Phil Murphy has inched ahead of his Republican rival. | New Jersey’s governor’s race is close to fruition and, although it has not be called yet, Democrat Phil Murphy has inched ahead of his Republican rival. |
| Democrat Terry McAuliffe formally conceded the race for the governorship of Virginia to his Republican rival Glenn Youngkin, who pulled off a stunning upset last night that is deemed by many an ominous sign for the ultimate success Joe Biden’s administration and presidency. | Democrat Terry McAuliffe formally conceded the race for the governorship of Virginia to his Republican rival Glenn Youngkin, who pulled off a stunning upset last night that is deemed by many an ominous sign for the ultimate success Joe Biden’s administration and presidency. |
| House Speaker Nancy Pelosi led Democrats in the House in putting a paid family leave provision back into their $1.75 trillion social and environmental spending bill that’s the flagship of Joe Biden’s Build Back Better legislative agenda. | House Speaker Nancy Pelosi led Democrats in the House in putting a paid family leave provision back into their $1.75 trillion social and environmental spending bill that’s the flagship of Joe Biden’s Build Back Better legislative agenda. |