celebrate mccarthy as the potential speaker and the house gains, but that is not the case. instead, going into tonight, here i was talking to the rnc chair, and she said look at those virginia races as a bellwether. well, since then, that race for abigail spanberger has been called. that was one republicans were hoping to flip. that is now -- she has won that race. and some of these others, like the one in rhode island that we were following as well, has not panned out in their favor. so a quiet night here. not a lot of republicans being very talkative right now as these results come in. >> some interesting results from the state of arizona that may surprise you. cbs news is changing its characterization in the battleground of arizona in the senate race. the cbs news race rating is now lean democratic for senator mark kelly, the former astronaut there.

and in that closely watched arizona gubernatorial race between republican kari lake and secretary of state katie hobbs, the race now leans democratic. >> this has been so neck and neck, norah, throughout this whole campaign. >> and kari lake, a former fox local news anchor, a star on the campaign trail that has garnered so much national attention. i do want to go first to kris van cleave who is there in scottsdale, arizona. kris, quite a development tonight. >> reporter: norah, kari lake is just taking the stage here at the republican watch party. republicans still think they can close this gap based on what they believe was higher than expected day-of voting turnout. i've talked to democrats on the various campaigns here. they feel like their early vote numbers are something to be really excited about. so you're hearing a lot of confidence from democrats. republicans saying it's going to be a long night.

what's been interesting here is several of the speakers that have come onto this stage here at the gop watch party have already started brandishing conspiracy theories about the election issues here in maricopa county, using words like "rigged" and "criminal." we need to be clear that there's no evidence that anyone was unable to vote today in maricopa county despite the technical issues. you know, kari lake has just started her address. we're going to listen in to see what she says about the race. but so far, republicans here are stressing patience as there's a lot of votes yet to count. >> you're watching cbs news, "america decides."

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>> announcer: this is the "cbs overnight news." i'm caitlin huey-burns in washington. thanks for staying with us. it is the morning after election day. most of the races have been called, but due to the millions of mail-in ballots, many close contests will not be decided for a few days or even longer. while those votes are tabulated, president biden is preparing to travel to egypt later this week to attend the u.n. climate change summit. ian lee reports. >> reporter: it's a global problem demanding a global solution. more than 100 world leaders have descended on egypt to discuss the climate change crisis.

>> we are on a highway to climate hell with our foot still on the accelerator. >> reporter: at this year's climate conference, national leaders will tell their own stories of devastation, like pakistan, which suffered its worst flooding in recent history. record rain melting glaciers and a severe heat wave swamped a third of the country over the summer, leaving millions homeless and causing $40 billion in damage. europe witnessed one of its driest, hottest summers this year with wildfires sweeping large parts of the continent. and in the u.s., more than half of the country is experiencing drought as the mighty colorado and mississippi rivers run dry. >> the clock is ticking. we are in the fight of our lives, and we are losing. >> reporter: activists say they're fighting for the survival of future generations. >> the young demographic, the biggest demographic on earth, we are 1.4 billion, but we are also the most affected and we are

disproportionately impacted. >> reporter: for the first time, young people will go from the streets to a seat at the conference table, allowing them to share their climate concerns with world leaders. ian lee, cbs news. one of the loudest voices at the climate change summit belongs to a young activist from uganda. ben tracy has her story. >> climate change has got to go. >> we don't need any more words. we need real action. >> reporter: vanessa nakate benefits from the clarity of youth. the 25-year-old climate activist is tired of politicians saying a lot about the climate crisis and then doing too little about it. >> the climate crisis is impacting people right now, and yet we are still, you know, holding conferences. we are still holding summits, and yet people continue to suffer. >> and so your point is stop talking, start doing? >> exactly. >> reporter: scientists warn

that the impacts of climate change are accelerating, and efforts to curb planet-warming pollution are not nearly enough. nakate, whose influential activism has landed her on the cover of "time" magazine, now finds herself in some ways representing a continent of 1.4 billion people that is uniquely vulnerable. >> we've seen some of the worst impacts of the climate crisis, you know, across africa. it is heartbreaking and frustrating because you didn't cause this crisis, but then you are suffering the impacts. >> reporter: africa accounts for the smallest share of planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions, a fraction of what china, the u.s., and the european union emit. but climate change is punishing the african continent all the same. rising sea levels, record flooding, and extreme heat waves and drought are intensifying famine and displacing entire communities. >> communities are struggling to find food to eat.

they're struggling to find water because their entire place is dry. >> reporter: nakate started a youth climate movement in her native uganda in 2019 by protesting on the street. >> we are unstoppable. >> reporter: she says she was inspired by swedish climate activist greta thunberg, who waged her own climate strike when she was just 15. >> what is it do you think young people understand about climate change that a lot of adults don't seem to? >> i think young people understand the science of climate change and what is really happening. i think they understand the urgency of the problem. but it's important to know that young people can't do this alone. people say, you know, the future is in your hands. but the people with the money to transform communities, they hold, you know, the power to effect change. >> in africa, we've really had crazy floods.

>> reporter: in 2020, nakate spoke truth to the powerful at the world economic forum in davos, switzerland. she then posed for a photograph with four other young climate activists, all of them white, including greta thunberg. but when the associated press released the photo that was printed around the world, nakate was cropped out. >> that was one of the most, you know, heartbreaking moments in my activism. >> the world is so cruel. >> reporter: in an emotional ten-minute video she posted to twitter, nakate said it wasn't just her face that was being erased. >> does it mean that i have no value as an african activist or the people from africa don't have any value at all? >> one of the key things that i emphasized during the press conference was the need to listen to every voice. so it was heartbreaking for me to see that picture and not see myself there. >> it certainly reinforced the message you were trying to deliver in a really unfortunate way. >> and it really showed how those that are on the front

lines are not on the front pages. >> reporter: the a.p. later apologized and nakate has used that experience to fuel her fight for climate justice and make sure african faces and voices are seen and heard. >> a promise gives hope for a while. but when it's broken, it brings disappointment. we need real action, and real action is possible. >> reporter: i'm ben tracy in new york. >> the "cbs overnight news" will be right back.

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its non-habit forming and powered by the makers of nyquil. and republicans. in 1994, only 6% of voters held an unfavorable opinion of both parties. today, that number stands at 27%. it got a lot of people clamoring for another option. brook silva-braga reports on the upstart forward party. >> reporter: what does it look like to start a new political party? >> that one seat could be critical. >> that one seat could be critical. >> reporter: christine todd whitman, the former republican governor of new jersey, and andrew yang, the onetime democratic candidate for president, are finding out. >> there are other parties out there. there's a green party. there's a libertarian party. but i think what you're attempting is different or bigger than that. when was the last time someone in america accomplished what you're attempting?

>> well, nobody really has. well, i guess you could say the republican party. that's how it started, as a third party. >> we're talking 1860. >> right, exactly. it was a while ago. >> reporter: ever since, republicans and democrats have controlled america's government and the forward party argues the growing us versus them conflict between the parties -- >> and there's nothing smart about you, joe. >> reporter: -- is at the root of america's current problems. >> you're the worst president america has ever had. come on. >> we have to re-imagine what american politics can be because this version is going to tear us apart. it's going to lead to strife, bloodshed, dysfunction, and worse. >> we've seen it. >> your enemy is not your fellow american. it's not your friend and neighbor, but it's a system that actually profits from turning us against each other. >> what does the forward party stand for? >> we stand for free people, thriving communities, and a vibrant democracy. >> and we'll have a platform, but it's not going to be the kind of platform the people are used to seeing. >> reporter: meaning it won't be

that specific on policy. the party is staking out mostly centrist, often vague positions because, they say, most americans are themselves centrists who just want to see things get done, even on issues as contentious as abortion. >> most people believe in some form of choice for women, 15 weeks, 20 weeks. it used to be 20 weeks. you can get people there, but we're being told, no, you can't. they don't want to solve the problems because they want to use them against the other side. george w. bush sent a bill to the hill on immigration reform, and it was a place to start. they never even held hearings on it. neither side wanted to give the other a win. >> two-thirds of americans say we ought to have more than two parties. >> reporter: lee drutman is a political scientist at the new america foundation. >> so why don't we? >> well, we don't because we have a system of elections that makes it hard for third parties to compete. >> reporter: dozens of other

democracies have some form of proportional representation. a party winning 20% of the vote gets roughly 20% of the seats. >> 19% to ross perot. >> reporter: in the u.s., winning 20% of the vote gets you nothing. >> but governor clinton got an overwhelming majority in the decisive electoral vote. >> you tend to have just two parties because votes for anything other than one of the top two parties winds up being wasted. >> reporter: in his book, "breaking the two-party doom loop" drutman recommends a change that would help third parties. having fewer larger congressional districts, but electing several people from each one. finishing third would make you a congressperson. enacting some kind of electoral reform is so essential to a third party's chances, it's become the forward party's core priority. >> the only two policy positions that we really ask of people is open primaries and ranked choice voting. >> reporter: open primaries and

ranked choice voting are already a.ing used in fees in a contest for an open congressional seat this past summer, 48 candidates competed in a single open primary, including republican sarah palin and nick begich, independents like al gross and democrats including mary peltola. the top four advanced though gross dropped out. in the general election, voters ranked their choices in order of preference. the candidate with the fewest first place votes, begich, was eliminated, and his votes redistributed to those voters' second choice. because many of them preferred the democrat to his fellow republican, peltola, who finished fourth in the primary, won the seat. >> you have right now independents who are on the outside looking in. if you give independents a real voice, then you wind up with different results. and our recommended changes don't advantage one party or another. they advantage the voters. >> reporter: while the party works to popularize the new

rules it needs to thrive, it's also trying to influence the system as it is, by endorsing independent-minded candidates this cycle and planning to run their own congressional and senate candidates in 2024. but not necessarily a presidential ticket. >> we'll do anything we can to make sure that donald trump does not get near the white house, and so we would not in any way be a spoiler in that kind of a contest. >> reporter: so why even care about a fledgling party that might not even run for president? well, forward says it could manage a shortcut to power in just the next few months, using something called the fulcrum strategy. >> how many senators does it take to determine policy at this point? it might just be one. and there's a chance that the forward party can have, like, that kind of power. >> reporter: whether the country wants the forward party is yet to be voted on. drutman says a successful third party will probably have to stake out more specific, compelling policy positions than forward has so far. >> we tend to view our system as

fixed, as unchangeable, as we've just got to muddle through, but it's not. we can choose.

lots of teenagers feel the political system is stacked against them, and they want the right to vote at 16. michael george reports. >> reporter: 17-year-old andreas geffert already has a passion for politics, but he wasn't sure how to get involved in his hometown of chevy chase, maryland. >> the idea just popped up in my head. what about 16-year-olds voting in local elections? >> reporter: he spoke with his town council, made presentations by zoom, and successfully got the town charter amend. >> all in favor. >> aye. >> why do you think 16-year-olds should be allowed to vote? >> i think 16-year-olds should be allowed to vote because it will increase voter turnout and civic engagement down the line. >> reporter: a small number of communities nationwide are considering allowing 16 and 17-year-olds to vote in local elections only.

five towns in maryland are already doing it. it passed in berkeley and oakland, california, though it hasn't been implemented yet. and this november, it's on the ballot in culver city, california. >> this is not a partisan issue. >> reporter: andrew wilkes runs vote 16 usa, a nonprofit organizing teens to fight for the right to vote. >> they're writing letters to their local legislators and mayors, and in many ways, they're being the change they want to see in the world. >> reporter: but there is skepticism. culver city's former mayor wrote an argument against the change, saying, quote, these are not elections with training wheels so your children can warm up for the big elections. these are big elections. and some worry teens aren't mature enough to make their own informed choice. >> the research simply doesn't indicate that youth voting is a mirroring of what their parents have done. >> a lot of these local issues affect us. >> reporter: geffert argues if he can get a job and pay taxes on his salary, he should have a voice. michael george, cbs news, new york.

>> that's the overnight news for this wednesday. reporting from the nation's capital, i'm caitlin huey-burns. this is cbs news flash. i'm lilia luciano in new york. ballots are being counted with control of congress hanging in the balance. cbs news rates the house as leaning republican, but at this hour, tight contests are keeping the senate a toss-up. but democrats did score a big victory in pennsylvania. john fetterman spoke to supporters in pittsburgh after defeating republican dr. mehmet oz in a bruising battle. at the white house, president biden made congratulatory calls to democrats. the administration saying the red wave predicted by republicans had not materialized.

tonight, america decides. the biggest night in politics. who will control congress and the governors' mansions across the nation? tonight, the future of our country on the ballot. >> announcer: this is the "cbs overnight news", reporting tonight from cbs news election headquarters in times square. >> congratulations to governor brian kemp. >> i can't tell you how honored i am to be your governor. >> we need another stark reminder that we have incompetent people running the show in arizona. >> tonight i humbly stand before

you as your governor-elect, knowing that you met this moment. >> welcome back to our cbs news election night coverage. we do want to check in on some of the big races of the night. cbs news is now changing an important race characterization. we are now categorizing the pennsylvania senate race as likely democratic towards john fetterman. this would be a democratic pickup, a formerly republican-held seat, a very big deal. fetterman tweeting right now that he expects to be the next senator from the keystone state. let's take a look at wisconsin. take a look at this. the senate race is now lean republican there. there are still some outstanding

ballots from milwaukee. getting interesting and conflicting information on that race. and in arizona, cbs news characterizes the senate race there as lean democratic, which would be a hold for the democratic senator incumbent there, senator mark kelly. let's take a look now at georgia. all eyes on that state with 94% of the vote in, that race still a toss-up. and that very well could end up in a runoff with some of the sources i'm talking with tonight believe that that may be the case. we should now take a look at the battle for control of congress. you see the numbers there. dead even right now. still a number of these races outstanding. i want to go now to robert costa, our chief election and campaign correspondent. you're from pennsylvania. you spent a lot of time there with both campaigns. what are you hearing? >> it was just a few months ago i drove to pennsylvania in the morning to conduct a breakfast interview with john fetterman.

he never showed up. it was that morning he had a stroke. i sat down with him a few days ago, and he said he did that debate with mehmet oz because he wanted to show pennsylvania voters that he's absolutely fit to serve, his quote. so he endured what many people thought was an uncomfortable debate for him. he had to use closed captioning during the debate and during a recent interview for cbs news. but as our data shows, it looks like he's in a strong position right now to potentially win this senate race. he's claiming he will be the next pennsylvania senator on twitter tonight. >> we should talk about nevada because that is such an important state. democrats consider senator cortez masto their most vulnerable democrat. major garrett. >> that's exactly right. that's not an insult. democrats did look at this race and feel that catherine cortez masto was the most vulnerable of the ■incumbentstryingtoholdon to a democratic seat. now, for our eagle-eyed viewers and those who are watching the bar go by and watching the cbsnews.com website, tracking

votes coming in, they might have been alarmed maybe 30 minutes ago to see nevada voted 1% and then, boom, instantly jumped to 44%. my colleague, david becker, will explain why that was in a minute. here's where we have the race as a toss-up. we have a little bit of results in from reno, carson city, a little bit coming in from las vegas. but this race is clearly a toss-up. 44%. they're more coming in. but why did it go instantaneously from 1% to 44%? there's nothing askew there. nothing is going wrong. >> let's go to caitlin huey-burns, our cbs news political correspondent. she is at an empty ballroom. what's happening there? >> reporter: good evening, norah. as you can see this ballroom behind me is very empty indeed. not the kind of atmosphere you would expect from republicans who think that they would be encountering a wave election. it is midnight here, and the ballroom has been pretty empty the whole entire night. republicans were expecting to pick up a lot of seats. this was expected to be an

event, an event to really celebrate mccarthy as the potential speaker and the house gains, but that is not the case. instead, going into tonight, here i was talking to the rnc chair, and she said look at those virginia races as a bellwether. well, since then, that race for abigail spanberger has been called. that was one republicans were hoping to flip. that is now -- she has won that race, and some of these others, like the one in rhode island that we were following as well, has not panned out in their favor. so a quiet night here. not a lot of republicans being very talkative right now as these results come in. >> some interesting results from the state of arizona that may surprise you. cbs news is changing its characterization in the battleground of arizona in the senate race. the cbs news race rating is now lean democratic for senator mark kelly, the former astronaut

there. and in that closely watched arizona gubernatorial race between republican kari lake and secretary of state katie hobbs, the race now leans democratic. >> this has been so neck and neck, norah, throughout this whole campaign. >> and kari lake, a former fox local news anchor, a star on the campaign trail that has garnered so much national attention. i do want to go first to kris van cleave who is there in scottsdale, arizona. kris, quite a development tonight. >> reporter: norah, kari lake is just taking the stage here at the republican watch party. republicans still think they can close this gap based on what they believe was higher than expected day-of voting turnout. i've talked to democrats on the various campaigns here. they feel like their early vote numbers are something to be really excited about. so you're hearing a lot of confidence from democrats. republicans saying it's going to be a long night.

what's been interesting here is several of the speakers that have come onto this stage here at the gop watch party have already started brandishing conspiracy theories about the election issues here in maricopa county, using words like rigged and criminal. we need to be clear that there's no evidence that anyone was unable to vote today in maricopa county despite the technical issues. you know, kari lake has just started her address. we're going to listen in to see what she says about the race. but so far, republicans here are stressing patience as there's a lot of votes yet to count. >> you're watching cbs news, america decides.

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we're going to see what happens. look, the policies of the democrats are beyond description. >> the right to choose is on the ballot. your right to vote is on the ballot. >> with the right majorities, we'll take step one to winning back america. >> democracy itself is on the ballot. the stakes are high. >> and one back to our cbs news election night headquarters here in new york. let's go back to major garrett and anthony salvanto for something you'll see only on cbs news. >> norah, we've heard on social media all about influencers. i'm not one of them, but i've

read books about it, you know. there are influencers in politics too, and cbs has drilled down on our polling data to find out the four most important influential groups in this midterm election. anthony, who are they, and what do they care about? >> we define this by the way people define themselves and see politics, starting with those pressured parents you were just talking about. they told us during the pandemic that that negatively impacted their kids, and then inflation hit their finances, and that caused stress. the trump true believers. these are folks who consider themselves not only republicans but maga republicans, loyalty to the former president is important, but also election denialism. they insisted on that in their nominees. that's been the center of the gravity in the republican party so far. the restoring roe voters. these are women who have been motivated to vote, usually democratic, by opposition to the overturn of roe v. wade. the key for them tonight is how many are there? can democrats turn them out in large enough numbers to maybe save their house chances?

and then finally, the young and restless. the big mystery here is will young people show up? thy could be determinative if they do, but so far, major, the exit polls show they're not. >> and what are the theories of the young and restless have is that older generations had it easier in america than they do, and that might motivate them to show up. those are the four influencers, norah. we'll be watching them all night. >> pivotal to braek it down that way. we don't want to say people fall into natural categories. it's more complex. >> what's also more com flex is that you have the restoring roe voters. within that is a number of people who are actually anti-abortion rights. so, for example, the trump true believers, i think it's 97% of them are supporting president trump. 81% of the restoring roe voters are supporting democrats. they favor the republicans over the democrats, but they're a pretty sizeable number. they're the democrats who wanted parental leave, who wanted child care and elder care.

they were in for the build back better legislation that never got anywhere for president biden. >> what about that, that the democratic party thought so much had changed after the dobbs

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evening about these influencers in the election for this midterm election, and we identified pressured parents. we said they would be important. anthony salvanto can now explain new data that we've just uncovered to explain how important and why. >> so we have cbs news exclusive polling of voters, including voters we talked to today, how did you vote? what was the motivation behind your vote? i want to focus in on the pressured parents because they're so important. we talked about them. their kids were stressed by the covid pandemic. now they're stressed by inflation. look at this, major. not only that, but they have school-age children. they think joe biden could be doing more. their key issues were the economy. i can report right now that pressured parents started out as

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you reach for the really good stuff. zzzquil ultra helps you sleep better and longer when you need it most. its non-habit forming and powered by the makers of nyquil. of control as the polls have shown. >> out of control. and they have good reason to feel that way looking at the mental health crisis, the formula crisis, the covid crisis, pediatric hospitalizations right now are at this incredible level up and down many cities in the united states. i'm looking at stats on education. 44% of public schools in this country have full or part-time vacancies according to the education department. they don't have teachers. they don't have bus drivers. they don't have people in their everyday life that they need to encounter to help parent their children. national average test score declines in math for fourth and eighth graders, largest ever recorded. people feel out of control. they can measure it, and they have been through it, and they

are exhausted. >> i want to bring in scott macfarlane who covers congress for us for an issue we've not touched on tonight because you're over at the semiautomatic desk. we have been at cbs news airing elections since the 1940s. but this is the first time we've put a democracy desk for these important issues. scott. >> the question is does everything you just discussed transcend the issue of democracy? president biden and many democrats have said democracy is on the ballot tonight. there isn't just a stream or a trickle. there's a tidal wave of election denying candidates on the ballot. 308 in the federal or statewide races, including a majority of those running for the u.s. house for republicans. what do we mean by election denialism? candidates that meet one of any of these six criteria, include those who sowed seeds of doubt about the 2020 election, those who question the legitimacy of president biden's election. and they're not just in some states. they're in 48 states across the country at the statewide or federal level. they're doing well so far. the election denialism

candidates. it's an indication that democracy as an issue, norah, is just not resonating more than those issues you just described. >> scott macfarlane -- >> what does it mean, scott, for just a second because the democrats hit the democracy issue very hard. but it doesn't seem to resonate, as you said, with voters because they're thinking when you look at what they care about, it's the prices. it's crime. it's the economy. democracy is not on the list. republicans also said that democracy matters to people. why is that not resonating? don't we all want -- don't we all want a democracy? >> there are so many voters who are worrie about what's right in front of them at this moment versus this long-term aspiration for all americans, that democracy stay intact. i'll tell you, though, if this election were being held january 7th, 2021, might it have landed more powerfully with america, which saw the horrific, unique american moment? >> scott mcfarland, all right. you're watching cbs news,

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>> $2.04 billion. >> somebody is holding on to a very important piece of paper this morning. >> reporter: a single still unidentified winner purchased the golden ticket at joe's service center in altadena, california. >> i always say that good luck to the winner. >> this time it was true. >> reporter: joe received a $1 million check for selling that winning ticket. a syrian immigrant, he came to the u.s. more than 40 years ago with only a few thousand dollars. money is amazing, but that is important? >> no. there's a lot more important than the money. the family. family more important than anything in the world. >> what's your message for the winner? >> oh, man. go away and live your life, the best life ever that you possibly can live. >> reporter: now, there are 22 tickets out there that matched five of the numbers, worth more than $1 million each. in california, the wehinner has year to come forward, and that name will be made public. norah. >> i agree, though.

love and family the most important thing. thank you, christina. sky watchers were treated to a spectacular unar

we're going to turn now to florida where millions of people along the atlantic coast are bracing for what could be a rare november hurricane, the first since 1985. warnings are posted from boca raton to daytona beach as tropical storm nicole gains strength. mike bettes is tracking nicole for us at the weather channel. >> norah, good evening. we know nicole is on a collision course with florida. it's a tropical system now, has a much better presentation on satellite. winds have increased throughout the day. it's likely to intensify before landfall late wednesday into thursday. hurricane warnings in effect here as well as tropical storm warnings and tropical storm watches across florida that extend up into georgia. the track has remained pretty consistent, likely to be a category 1 hurricane at landfall. and then quickly racing off into the northeast. but a heavy dose of wind and

rain over the next 48 hours across florida and beyond as it comes inland, potentially even over the gulf of mexico, picked up by a big snowstorm in the middle of the country and forced across new england. the good news is by this weekend, expected to exit in the canadian maritimes, improving weather by saturday. >> mike bettes, thank you. it was a marvelous day for a moon dance. the sun, moon, and earth aligned for a celestial event known as the beaver blood moon lunar eclipse. it was visible across north and central america, asia, australia, and new zealand. nasa posted a composite showing the progression of the eclipse at the kennedy space center in florida. the moon's reddish hue is caused by the scattering of light in the atmosphere. and that's the overnight news for this wednesday. for some of you, the news continues. for others, check back later for cbs mornings. and remember you can follow us online anytime at cbsnews.com. reporting from new york city, i'm norah o'donnell.

this is cbs news flash. i'm lilia luciano in new york. ballots are being counted with control of congress hanging in the balance. cbs news rates the house as leaning republican, but at this hour, tight contests are keeping the senate a toss-up. but democrats did score a bill victory in pennsylvania. john fetterman spoke to supporters in pittsburgh after defeating republican dr. mehmet oz in a bruising battle. at the white house, president biden made congratulatory calls to democrats. the administration saying, the red wave predicted by republicans had not materialized. in florida, former president donald trump watched results at mar-a-lago. he later claimed on social media that republicans had, quote, a

great evening. download the cbs news app on your cell phone or connected tv. i'm lilia luciano, cbs news, new york. tonight, america decides. the biggest night in politics. who will control congress and the governors' mansions across the nation? tonight, the future of our country on the ballot. >> announcer: this is the "cbs overnight news, " reporting tonight from cbs news election headquarters in times square. congratulations to governor brian kemp. >> i can't tell you how honored i am to be your governor. >> and we needed another stark reminder that we have incompetent people running the show in arizona. >> tonight i humbly stand before

you as your governor-elect, knowing that you met this moment. >> welcome back to our cbs news election night coverage. we do want to check in on some of the big races of the night. cbs news is now changing an important race characterization. we are now categorizing the pennsylvania senate race as likely democratic towards john fetterman. this would be a democratic pickup, a formerly republican-held seat, a very big deal. fetterman tweeting right now that he expects to be the next senator from the keystone state. let's take a look at wisconsin. take a look at this. the senate race is now lean republican there. there are still some outstanding ballots from milwaukee. getting interesting and

conflicting information on that race. and in arizona, cbs news characterizes the senate race there as lean democratic, which would be a hold for the democratic senator incumbent there, senator mark kelly. let's take a look now at georgia. all eyes on that state. with 94% of the vote in, that race still a toss-up, and that very well could end up in a runoff with some of the sources i'm talking with tonight believe that that may be the case. we should now take a look at the battle for control of congress. you see the numbers there. dead even right now. still a number of these races outstanding. i want to go now to robert costa, our chief election and campaign correspondent. you're from pennsylvania. you spent a lot of time there with both campaigns. what are you hearing? >> it was just a few months ago i drove to pennsylvania in the morning to conduct a breakfast interview with john fetterman. he never showed up. it was that morning he had a

stroke. i sat down with him a few days ago, and he said he did that debate with mehmet oz because he wanted to show pennsylvania voters that he's absolutely fit to serve, his quote. so he endured what many people thought was an uncomfortable debate for him. he had to use closed captioning during the debate and during a recent interview for cbs news. but as our data shows, it looks like he's in a strong position right now to potentially win this senate race. he's claiming he will be the next pennsylvania senator on twitter tonight. >> we should talk about nevada because that is such an important state. democrats consider senator cortez masto their most vulnerable democrat. major garrett. >> norah, that's exactly right. that's not an insult. democrats did look at this race and feel that catherine cortez masto was the most vulnerable of the incumbents trying to hold on to a democratic seat. now, for our eagle-eyed viewers and those who are watching the bar go by and watching the cbsnews.com website, tracking votes coming in, they might have

been alarmed maybe 30 minutes ago to see nevada voted 1% and then, boom, instantly jumped to 44%. my colleague, david becker, will explain why that was in a minute. here's where we have the race as a toss-up. we have a little bit of results in from reno, carson city, a little bit coming in from las vegas. but this race is clearly a tos toss-up, 44%. there's more coming in. but why did it go instantaneously from 1% to 44%? there's nothing askew there. nothing is going wrong. >> let's go to caitlin huey-burns, our cbs news political correspondent. she is at an empty ballroom. caitlin, what's happening there? >> reporter: hi. good evening, norah. as you can see, this ballroom behind me is very empty indeed. not the kind of atmosphere you would expect from republicans who think that they would be encountering a wave election. it is midnight here, and the ballroom has been pretty empty the whole entire night. republicans were expecting to pick up a lot of seats. this was expected to be an

event, an event to really celebrate mccarthy as the potential speaker and the house gains, but that is not the case. instead, going into tonight, here i was talking to the rnc chair, and she said look at those virginia races as a bellwether. well, since then, that race for abigail spanberger has been called. that was one republicans were hoping to flip. that is now -- she has won that race, and some of these others, like the one in rhode island that we were following as well, has not panned out in their favor. so a quiet night here. not a lot of republicans being very talkative right now as these results come in. >> some interesting results from the state of arizona that may surprise you. cbs news is changing its characterization in the battleground of arizona in the senate race. thnacbner mark kelly, the former astronaut there.

and in that closely watched arizona gubernatorial race between republican kari lake and secretary of state katie hobbs, the race now leans democratic. >> this has been so neck and neck, norah, throughout this whole campaign. >> and kari lake, a former fox local news anchor, a star on the campaign trail that has garnered so much national attention. i do want to go first to kris van cleave who is there in scottsdale, arizona. kris, quite a development tonight. >> reporter: norah, kari lake is just taking the stage here at the republican watch party. republicans still think they can close this gap based on what they believe was higher than expected day-of voting turnout. i've talked to democrats on the various campaigns here. they feel like their early vote numbers are something to be really excited about. so you're hearing a lot of confidence from democrats. republicans saying it's going to be a long night. what's been interesting here is

several of the speakers that have come onto this stage here at the gop watch party have already started brandishing conspiracy theories about the election issues here in maricopa county, using words like "rigged" and "criminal." we need to be clear that there's no evidence that anyone was unable to vote today in maricopa county despite the technical issues. you know, kari lake has just started her address. we're going to listen in to see what she says about the race. but so far, republicans here are stressing patience as there's a lot of votes yet to count. >> you're watching cbs news, "america decides."

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>> announcer: this is the "cbs overnight news." i'm caitlin huey-burns in washington. thanks for staying with us. it is the morning after election day. most of the races have been called but due to the millions of mail-in ballots, many close contests will not be decided for a few days or even longer. while those votes are tabulated. president biden is preparing to travel to egypt later this week to attend the u.n. climate change summit. ian lee reports. >> reporter: it's a global problem demanding a global solution. more than 100 world leaders have descended on egypt to discuss the climate change crisis. >> we are on a highway to

climate hell with our foot still on the accelerator. >> reporter: at this year's climate conference, national leaders will tell their own stories of devastation, like pakistan, which suffered its worst flooding in recent history. record rain melting glaciers and a severe heat wave swamped a third of the country over the summer, leaving millions homeless and causing $40 billion in damage. europe witnessed one of its driest, hottest summers this year with wildfires sweeping large parts of the continent. and in the u.s., more than half of the country is experiencing drought as the mighty colorado and mississippi rivers run dry. >> the clock is ticking. we are in the fight of our lives, and we are losing. >> reporter: activists say they're fighting for the survival of future generations. >> the young demographic, the biggest demographic on earth, we are 1.4 billion, but we are also the most affected and we are

disproportionately impacted. >> reporter: for the first time, young people will go from the streets to a seat at the conference table, allowing them to share their climate concerns with world leaders. ian lee, cbs news. one of the loudest voices at the climate change summit belongs to a young activist from uganda. ben tracy has her story. >> climate change has got to go. >> we don't need any more --. we need more action. >> reporter: vanessa benefits from the clarity of youth. the 25-year-old climate piag a doi too little abo . the c crisis is impacting people right now, and yet we are still, you know, holding conferences. we are still holding summits, and yet people continue to suffer. >> and so your point is stop talking, start doing? >> exactly. >> reporter: scientists warn that the impacts of climate

change are accelerating, and efforts to curb planet-warming pollution are not nearly enough. nakate, whose influential activism has landed her on the cover of "time" magazine, now finds herself in some ways representing a continent of 1.4 billion people that is uniquely vulnerable. >> we've seen some of the worst impacts of the climate crisis, you know, across africa. it is heartbreaking and frustrating because you didn't cause this crisis, but then you are suffering the impacts. >> reporter: africa accounts for the smallest share of planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions, a fraction of what china, the u.s., and the european union emit. but climate change is punishing the african continent all the same. rising sea levels, record flooding, and extreme heat waves and drought are intensifying famine and displacing entire communities. >> communities are struggling to find food to eat.

they're struggling to find water because their entire place is dry. >> reporter: nakate started a youth climate movement in her native uganda in 2019 by protesting on the street. >> we are unstoppable. >> reporter: she says she was inspired by swedish climate activist greta thunber, who waged her own climate strike when she was just 15. >> what is it do you think young people understand about climate change that a lot of adults don't seem to? >> i think young people understand the science of climate change and what is really happening. i think they understand the urgency of the problem. but it's important to know that young people can't do this alone. people say, you know, the future is in your hands. but the people with the money to transform communities, they hold, you know, the power to effect change. in africa, we've really had crazy floods.

>> reporter: in 2020, nakate spoke truth to the powerful at the world economic forum in davos, switzerland. she then posed for a photograph with four other young climate activists, all of them white, including greta thunberg. but when the seeshed press released the photo that was printed around the world, nakate was cropped out. >> that was one of the most, you know, heartbreaking moments in my activism. the world is so cruel. >> reporter: in an emotional ten-minute video she posted to twitter, nakate said it wasn't just her face that was being er erased. >> does it mean that i have no value as an african activist or people from africa don't have any value at all? >> one of the key things that i emphasized during the press conference was the need to listen to every voice. so it was heartbreaking for me to see that picture and not see myself there. >> it certainly reinforced the message you were trying to deliver in a really unfortunate way. >> and it really showed how

those that are on the front lines are not on the front pages. >> reporter: the a.p. later apologized and nakate has used that experience to fuel her fight for climate justice and make sure african faces and voices are seen and heard. >> a promise gives hope for a while. but when it's broken, it brings disappointment. we need real action, and real action is possible. >> reporter: i'm ben tracy in new york. >> the "cbs overnight news" will be right back. from the world's #1 selling nerve care company. nervive contains alpha lipoic acid do you struggle with occasional nerve aches to in your hands or feet?ve aches, weakness and discomfort. try nervivenerve relief from the world's #1 selling nerve care company. nervive contains alpha lipoic acid to relieve occasional nerve aches, weakness and discomfort. try nervivenerve relief. (computer keys clicking) (mouse clicks) - shriners hospitals for children is awesome! my favorite people in shriners

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blocking heartburn before it starts. one pill a day. 24 hours. zero heartburn. dissatisfied with both democrats and republicans. in 1994, only 6% of voters held an unfavorable opinion of both parties. today, that number stands at 27%. it got a lot of people clamoring for another option. brooke silva-braga reports on the upstart forward party. >> reporter: what does it look like to start a new political party? >> that one could be critical. >> reporter: kristi todd whitman, the former republican governor of new jersey, and andrew yang, the onetime democratic candidate for president, are finding out. >> there are other parties out there. there's a green party. there's a libertarian party. but i think what you're attempting is different or bigger than that. when was the last time someone in america accomplished what

you're attempting? >> well, nobody really has. well, i guess you could say the republican party. that's how it started, as a third party. >> we're talking 1860. >> right, exactly. it was a while ago. >> reporter: ever since, republicans and democrts have controlled america's government and the forward party argues the growing us versus them conflict between the parties -- >> and there's nothing smart about you, jeff. >> reporter: is at the root of america's problems. >> you're the worst president america has ever had. come on. >> we have to re-imagine what american politics can be because this version is going to tear us apart. it's going to lead to strife, bloodshed, dysfunction, and worse. >> we've seen it. >> your enemy is not your fellow american. it's not your friend and neighbor, but it's a system that actually profits from turning us against each other. >> what does the forward party stand for? >> we stand for free people, thriving communities, and a vibrant democracy. >> and we'll have a platform, but it's not going to be the kind of platform the people are used to seeing. >> reporter: meaning it't b

that spec on policyut my centriof positns us the say, most americans are themselves centrists who just want to see things get done, even on issues as contentious as abortion. >> most people believe in some form of choice for women, 15 weeks, 20 weeks. it used to be 20 weeks. you can get people there, but we're being toald, no, you can'. they don't want to solve the problems because they want to use them against the other side. george w. bush sent a bill to the hill and it was a place to start. they never held hearings on it. neither side wanted to give the other a win. >> two-thirds of americans say we ought to have more than two parties. >> reporter: lee drutman is a political scientist at the new america foundation. >> so why don't we? >> well, we don't because we have a system of elections that makes it hard for third parties to compete.

>> reporter: dozens of other makes have some form of proportional representation. a party winning 20% of the vote gets roughly 20% of the seats. >> 19% to ross perot. >> reporter: in the u.s., winning 20% of the vote gets you nothing. >> but governor clinton got an overwhelming majority in the decisive electoral vote. >> you tend to have just two parties because votes for anything other than one of the top two parties winds up being wasted. >> reporter: in his book, "breaking the two-party doom loop" drutman recommends a change that would help third parties. having fewer larger congressional districts, but electing several people from each one. finishing third would make you a congress person. enacting some kind of electoral reform is so essential to a third party's chances, it's become the forward party's core priority. >> only two policy positions that we really ask of people is open primaries and ranked choice voting. >> reporter: open primaries and

ranked choice voting are already being used in a few places, including recently alaska in a contest for an open congressional seat this past summer, 48 candidates competed in a single open primary. including republicans sarah pail in, and independents like al gross, and mary pell tow la. the top four advanced though gross dropped out. in the general election, voters ranked their choices in order of preference. the candidate with the fewest first place votes, begich, was eliminated, and his votes redistricted to those voters' second choice. because many of them preferred the democrat to his fellow republican, pelt 0, la, who finished fourth in the primary, won the seat. >> you have right now independents who are on the outside looking in. if you give independents a real voice, then you wind up with different results. and our recommended changes don't advantage one party or another. they advantage the voters. >> reporter: while the party works to popularize the new rules it needs to thrive, it's

also trying to influence the system as it is, by endorsing independent-minded candidates this cycle and planning to run their own congressional and senate candidates in 2024. but not necessarily a presidential ticket. >> we'll do anything we can to make sure that donald trump does not get near the white house, and so we would not in any way be a spoiler in that kind of a contest. >> reporter: so why even care about a fledgling party that might not even run for president? well, forward says it could manage a shortcut to power in just the next few months, using something called the fulcrum strategy. >> how many senators does it take to determine policy at this point? it might just be one. and there's a chance that the forward party can have, like, that kind of power. >> reporter: when the country wants the forward party is yet to be voted on. drutman says a successful third party will probably have to stake out more specific, compelling policy positions than forward has so far. >> we tend to view our system as

fixed, as unchangeable, as we've just got to muddle

lots of teenagers feel the political system is stacked against them, and they want the right to vote at 16. michael george reports. >> reporter: 17-year-old andreas gefer already has a passion for politics, but he wasn't sure how to get involved in his hometown of chevy chase, maryland. >> the idea popped up in my head. what about 16-year-olds voting in local elections. >> reporter: he spoke with his town council, made presentations by zoom, and successfully got the town charter amend. >> all in favor. >> aye. >> why do you think 16-year-olds should be allowed to vote? >> i think 16-year-olds should be allowed to vote because it will increase voter turnout and engagement down the line. >> reporter: a small number of communities nationwide are considering allowing 16 and 17-year-olds to vote in local

elections only. five towns in maryland are already doing it. it passed in berkeley and oakland, california, though it hasn't been implemented yet. and this november, it's on the ballot in culver city, california. >> this is not a partisan issue. >> reporter: andrew wilkes runs vote 16 usa, a nonprofit organizing teens to fight for the right to vote. >> they're writing letters to their local legislators and mayors, and in many ways, they're being the change they want to see in the world. >> reporter: but there is skepticism. culver city's former mayor wrote an argument against the change, saying, quote, these are not elections with training wheels so your children can warm up for the big elections. these are big elections. and some worry teens aren't mature enough to make their own informed choice. >> the research simply doesn't indicate that youth voting is a mirroring of what their parents have done. >> a lot of these local issues affect us. >> reporter: gefer argues if he can get a job and pay taxes on his salary, he should have a

voice. >> that's the overnight news for this wednesday. reporting from the nation's capital, i'm caitlin huey-burns. this is cbs news flash. i'm lilia luciano in new york. ballots are being counted with control of congress hanging in the balance. cbs news rates the house as leaning republican, but at this hour, tight contests are keeping the senate a toss-up. but democrats did score a big victory in pennsylvania. john fetterman spoke to supporters in pittsburgh after defeating republican dr. mehmet oz in a bruising battle. at the white house, president biden made congratulatory calls to democrats. the administration saying the red wave predicted by republicans had not materialized. while in florida, former president donald trump watched results at mar-a-lago. he later claimed on social media that republicans had, quote, a

great evening. download the cbs news app on your cell phone or connected tv. i'm lilia luciano, cbs news. new york. tonight, "america decides." the biggest night in politics. who will control congress and the governors' mansions across the nation? tonight, the future of our country on the ballot. overnit news," reportin e "cbs tonight from cbs news election headquarn >> congratulations to governor brian kemp. >> i can't tell you how honored i am to be your governor. >> and we needed another stark reminder that we have incompetent people running the show in arizona.

>> tonight i humbly stand before you as your governor-elect, knowing that you met this moment. >> welcome back to our cbs news election night coverage. we do want to check in on some of the big races of the night. cbs news is now changing an important race characterization. we are now categorizing the pennsylvania senate race as likely democratic towards john fetterman. this would be a democratic pickup, a formerly republican-held seat, a very big deal. fetterman tweeting right now that he expects to be the next senator from the keystone state. let's take a look at wisconsin. take a look at this. the senate race is now lean republican there. there are still some outstanding ballots from milwaukee.

getting interesting and conflicting information on that race. and in arizona, cbs news characterizes the senate race there as lean democratic, which would be a hold for the democratic senator incumbent there, senator mark kelly. let's take a look now at georgia. all eyes on that state. with 94% of the vote in, that race still a toss-up, and that very well could end up in a runoff with some of the sources i'm talking with tonight believe that that may be the case. we should now take a look at the battle for control of congress. you see the numbers there. dead even right now. still a number of these races outstanding. i want to go now to robert costa, our chief election and campaign correspondent. you're from pennsylvania. you spent a lot of time there with both campaigns. what are you hearing? >> it was just a few months ago i drove to pennsylvania in the morning to conduct a breakfast interview with john fetterman. he never showed up.

it was that morning he had a stroke. i sat down with him a few days ago, and he said he did that debate with mehmet oz because he wanted to show pennsylvania voters that he's absolutely fit to serve, his quote. so he endured what many people thought was an uncomfortable debate for him. he had to use closed captioning during the debate and during a recent interview for cbs news. but as our data shows, it looks like he's in a strong position right now to potentially win this senate race. he's claiming he will be the next pennsylvania senator on twitter tonight. >> we should talk about nevada because that is such an important state. democrats consider senator cortez masto their most vulnerable democrat. major garrett. >> norah, that's exactly. it's not an insult. democrats did look at this race and feel that catherine cortez masto was the most vulnerable of the incumbents trying to hold on to a democratic seat. now, for our eagle-eyed viewers and those who are watching the bar go by and watching the cbsnews.com website, tracking votes coming in, they might have

been alarmed maybe 30 minutes ago to see nevada voted 1% and then, boom, instantly jumped to 44%. my colleague, david becker, will explain why that was in a minute. here's where we have the race as a toss-up. we have a little bit of results in from reno, carson city, a little bit coming in from las vegas. but this race is clearly a toss-up, 44%. there's more coming in. but why did it go instantaneously from 1% to 44%? there's nothing askew there. nothing is going wrong. >> let's go to caitlin huey-burns, our cbs news political correspondent. she is at an empty ballroom. caitlin, what's happening there? >> reporter: hi. good evening, norah. well, as you can see, this ballroom behind me is very empty indeed. nt the kind of atmosphere you would expect from republicans who think that they would be encountering a wave election. it is midnight here, and the ballroom has been pretty empty the whole entire night. republicans were expecting to pick up a lot of seats. this was expected to be an

event, an event to really celebrate mccarthy as the potential speaker and the house gains, but that is not the case. instead, going into tonight, here i was talking to the rnc chair, and she said look at those virginia races as a bellwether. well, since then, that race for abigail spanberger has been called. that was one republicans were hoping to flip. that is now -- she has won that race. and some of these others, like the one in rhode island that we were following as well, has not panned out in their favor. so a quiet night here. not a lot of republicans being very talkative right now as these results come in. >> some interesting results from the state of arizona that may surprise you. cbs news is changing its characterization in the battleground of arizona in the senate race. the cbs news race rating is now lean democratic for senator mark kelly, the former astronaut there.

and in that closely watched arizona gubernatorial race between republican kari lake and secretary of state katie hobbs, the race now leans democratic. >> this has been so neck and neck, norah, throughout this whole campaign. >> and kari lake, a former fox local news anchor, a star on the campaign trail that has garnered so much national attention. i do want to go first to kris van cleave who is there in scottsdale, arizona. kris, quite a development tonight. >> reporter: norah, kari lake is just taking the stage here at the republican watch party. republicans still think they can close this gap based on what they believe was higher than expected day-of voting turnout. i've talked to democrats on the various campaigns here. they feel like their early vote numbers are something to be really excited about. so you're hearing a lot of confidence from democrats. republicans saying it's going to be a long night. what's been interesting here is

several of the speakers that have come onto this stage here at the gop watch party have already started brandishing conspiracy theories about the election issues here in maricopa county, using words like "rigged" and "criminal." we need to be clear that there's no evidence that anyone was unable to vote today in maricopa county despite the technical issues. you know, kari lake has just started her address. we're going to listen in to see what she says about the race. but so far, republicans here are stressing patience as there's a lot of votes yet to count. >> you're watching cbs news, "america decides."

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we're going to see what happens. but we could have a very big night. look, the policies of the democrats are beyond description. >> your right to choose is on the ballot. your right to vote is on the ballot. >> with the right majorities, we'll take step one to winning back america. >> democracy itself is on the ballot. the stakes are high. >> and welcome back to our cbs news election night headquarters here in new york. let's go back to major garrett and anthony salvanto for something you'll see only on cbs news. >> norah, we've heard on social media all about influencers. i'm not one of them, but i've

read books about it, you know. there are influencers in politics too, and cbs has drilled down on our polling data to find out the four most important influential groups in this midterm election. anthony, who are they, and what do they care about? >> we define this by the way people define themselves and see politics, starting with those pressured parents you were just talking about. they told us during the pandemic that that negatively impacted their kids, and then inflation hit their finances, and that caused stress. the trump true believers. these are folks who consider themselves not only republicans but maga republicans. loyalty to the former president is important, but also election denialism. they insisted on that in their nominees. that's been the center of the gravity in the republican party so far. the restoring roe voters. these are women who have been motivated to vote, usually democratic, by opposition to the overturn of roe v. wade. the key for them tonight is how many are there? can democrats turn them out in large enough numbers to maybe save their house chances? and then finally, the young and

restless. the big mystery here is will young people show up? they could be determinative if they do, but so far, major, the exit polls show they're not. >> and one of the theories the young and restless have is older generations had it easier in america than they do, and that might motivate them to show up. those are the four influencers, norah. we'll be watching them all night. >> pivotal to break it down that way. we don't want to say people fall into natural categories of republican or democrat or independent. it's more complex. >> what's also more complex is that you have the restoring roe voters. within that is a number of people who are actually anti-abortion rights. so, for example, the trump true believers, i think it's 97% of them are supporting president trump. 81% of the restoring roe voters are supporting democrats. so it's messy. the same is true with pressured parents. they favor the republicans over the democrats, but there are a pretty sizeable number of the democrats who wanted parental leave, who wanted child care and elder care, that were in the

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in the election for this midterm election, and we identified pressured parents. we said they would be important. anthony salvanto can now explain new data that we've just uncovered to explain how important and why. >> so we have cbs news exclusive polling of voters, including voters we talked to today, how did you vote? what was the motivation behind your vote? i want to focus in on the pressured parents because they're so important. we talked about them. their kids were stressed by the covid pandemic. now they're stressed by inflation. look at this, major. not only that, but they have school-age children. they think joe biden could be doing more. their key issues were the economy. i can report right now that pressured parents started out as 13% of the electorate before 13% of the electorate before th restless nights fogging up your day? tonight, try new zzzquil pure zzzs sleep plus next day energy with melatonin to help you fall asleep naturally... plus extended-release b-vitamins. wake up feeling refreshed. pure zzzs. sleep better. wake up your best. ♪♪

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i put it on once, no more touch ups! secret had ph balancing minerals; and it helps eliminate odor, instead of just masking it. so pull it in close. secret works. people are feeling uneasy, out of control as the polls have shown. >> out of control. and they have good reason to feel that way looking at the mental health crisis, the formula crisis, the covid crisis, pediatric hospitalizations right now are at this incredible level up and down many cities in the united states. i'm looking at stats on education. 44% of public schools in this country have full or part-time vacancies according to the education department. they don't have teachers. they don't have bus drivers. they don't have people in their everyday life that they need to encounter to help parent their children. national average test score declines in math for fourth and eighth graders, largest ever recorded. people feel out of control. they can measure it, and they have been through it, and they

are exhausted. >> i want to bring in scott macfarlane who covers congress for us for an issue we've not touched on tonight because you're over at the democracy desk. we have been at cbs news airing elections since the 1940s. but this is the first time we've put a democracy desk for these important issues. scott. >> the question is does everything you just discussed transcend the issue of democracy? president biden and many democrats have said democracy is on the ballot tonight. there isn't just a stream or a trickle. there's a tidal wave of election denying candidates on the ballot. 308 in the federal or statewide races, including a majority of those running for the u.s. house for republicans. what do we mean by election denialism? candidates that meet one of any of these six criteria, including those who sowed seeds of doubt about the 2020 election, those who questioned the legitimacy of president biden's election. and they're not just in some states. they're in 48 states across the country at the statewide or federal level. they're doing well so far, the election denialism candidates. it's an indication that

democracy as an issue, norah, is just not resonating more than those issues you just described. >> scott macfarlane -- >> what does it mean, scott, for just a second because the democrats hit the democracy issue very hard. but it doesn't seem to resonate, as you said, with voters because they're thinking when you look at what they care about, it's the prices. it's crime. it's the economy. democracy is not on the list. republicans also said that democracy matters to people. why is that not resonating? don't we all want -- don't we all want a democracy? >> there are so many voters who are worried about what's right in front of them at this moment versus this long-term aspiration for all americans, that democracy stay intact. i'll tell you, though, if this election were being held january 7th, 2021, might it have landed more powerfully with america, which saw the horrific, unique american moment? >> scott macfarlane, all right. you're watching cbs news, "america decides."

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suffering from sinus congestion, especially at night? try vicks sinex stop chuggin'. for instant relief that lasts up to 12 hours. vicks sinex targets congestion at the source, relieving nasal congestion and sinus pressure by reducing swelling in the sinuses. try vicks sinex. listen, i'm done settling. because this is my secret. i put it on once, no more touch ups! secret had ph balancing minerals; and it helps eliminate odor, instead of just masking it. so pull it in close. secret works. today's powerball drawing was historic not only because it had the largest jackpot ever, topping $2 billion, but also because it was delayed nearly half a day. cbs's christina ruffini reports tonight from the los angeles suburb of altadena, california, where the one winning ticket was sold. >> reporter: across the country this week, americans exercised their right to hope.

>> $2.04 billion. >> somebody is holding on to a very important piece of paper this morning. >> reporter: a single still unidentified winner purchased the golden ticket at joe's service center in altadena, california. >> i always say that good luck to the winner. >> this time it was true. >> for someone, it's a dream come true. >> reporter: joe chahayed received a $1 million check for selling that winning ticket. a syrian immigrant, he came to the u.s. more than 40 years ago with only a few thousand dollars. money is amazing, but is that important? >> no. the love more important than the money. the family. family more important than anything in the world. >> what's your message for the winner? >> oh, man. go away and live your life, the best life ever that you possibly can live. >> reporter: now, there are 22 tickets out there that matched five of the numbers, worth more than $1 million each. in california, the winner has a year to come forward, and that name will be made public. norah. >> i agree, though. love and family the most important thing.

thank you, christina. sky watchers were treated to a spectacular lunar eclipse today.

we're going to turn now to florida where millions of people along the atlantic coast are bracing for what could be a rare november hurricane, the first since 1985. warnings are posted from boca raton to daytona beach as tropical storm nicole gains strength. mike bettes is tracking nicole for us at the weather channel. hey there, mike. >> norah, good evening. we know nicole is on a collision course with florida. it's a tropical system now, has a much better presentation on satellite. winds have increased throughout the day. it's likely to intensify before landfall late wednesday into thursday. hurricane warnings in effect here as well as tropical storm warnings and tropical storm watches across florida that extend up into georgia. the track has remained pretty consistent, likely to be a category 1 hurricane at landfall and then quickly racing off into the northeast. but a heavy dose of wind and

rain over the next 48 hours across florida and beyond as it comes inland, potentially even over the gulf of mexico, picked up by a big snowstorm in the middle of the country and forced across new england. the good news is by this weekend, expected to exit in the canadian maritimes, improving weather by saturday. >> mike bettes, thank you. it was a marvelous day for a moon dance. the sun, moon, and earth aligned for a celestial event known as the beaver blood moon lunar eclipse. it was visible across north and central america, asia, australia, and new zealand. nasa posted a composite showing the progression of the eclipse at the kennedy space center in florida. the moon's reddish hue is caused by the scattering of light in the atmosphere. and that's the overnight news for this wednesday. for some of you, the news continues. for others, check back later for cbs mornings. and remember you can follow us online anytime at cbsnews.com. reporting from new york city, i'm norah o'donnell.

this is cbs news flash. i'm lilia luciano in new york. ballots are being counted with control of congress hanging in the balance. cbs news rates the house as leaning republican, but at this hour, tight contests are keeping the senate a toss-up. but democrats did score a big victory in pennsylvania. john fetterman spoke to supporters in pittsburgh after defeating republican dr. mehmet oz in a bruising battle. at the white house, president biden made congratulatory calls to democrats. the administration saying the red wave predicted by republicans had not materialized. in florida, former president donald trump watched results at mar-a-lago. he later claimed on social media that republicans had, quote, a

great evening. download the cbs news app on your cell phone or connected tv. i'm lilia luciano, cbs news, new york. it's wednesday, november 9th, 2022. this is the "cbs morning news." control of congress. democrats and republicans are still fighting over who will run the house and the senate for the remainder of president biden's term. we'll bring you the results of the key races that have been called. runoff in georgia. the hotly contested senate race between raphael warnock and herschel walker is still too close to call. what they're saying about the contest. and bracing for impact. hours after casting their ballots, florida residents are now preparing to be lashed by wind and rain from yet another powerful storm. good morning, and good to be with you. i'm anne-marie green. this year's midterms have been

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