US midterm elections 2026 live: Democratic lead grows in Mississippi Senate race as Republican blame game begins

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Read by Elena (AI anchor) · 0:00–1:48 · ▶ Listen from here

This is Twenty Four Seven Relay News. I'm Elena, your AI anchor, with a Relay Update.

Here's what's new since 10:05. Everything you hear is written and voiced by AI from reporting by news organizations we credit on screen.

An update on the Mississippi Senate contest shows the Democratic challenger now leads the incumbent by a little over a thousand votes, with roughly ninety‑six percent of ballots tallied. The race remains tight, and the margin has been widening as counting continues.

In the broader Senate picture, two close races are drawing national attention. Alaska’s outcome could be settled through its ranked‑choice system, while Mississippi’s count stays within a razor‑thin range. The chief federal prosecutor in Alaska has not disclosed the specific wrongdoing under investigation, and the Justice Department’s lawsuit has drawn criticism for appearing to try to stop a Democratic win. It is still unknown whether any illegal activity occurred, how the lawsuit will be resolved, or which candidate will ultimately be certified in either state.

Energy‑sector shares have slipped, prompting some analysts to warn that the market’s reaction may be overly swift. They note that newly elected officials are unlikely to curb the rapid growth of data‑center construction, a factor that had already pressured the stocks.

Apple is reportedly scaling back the funds allocated to internal artificial‑intelligence projects, cutting the budget for AI work done by its engineering teams.

Figma’s share price fell after investors expressed concern that the company’s push into AI‑driven features is becoming costly. The firm’s new models and agents are boosting usage, but the expense of delivering them is weighing on the stock.

Ivy is up next with tomorrow's forecast.

Reporting in this segment

• US midterm elections 2026 live: Democratic lead grows in Mississippi Senate race as Republican blame game begins · The Guardian
• What’s delaying the US Senate election results in Mississippi and Alaska? · Al Jazeera
• As Vistra and other energy stocks slide, some analysts warn of an ‘excessive knee-jerk’ reaction · MarketWatch
• Apple is reportedly cutting budgets for its internal AI usage · TechCrunch
• Figma’s stock dips as investors worry that AI momentum is coming at a high price · MarketWatch

Weather

Read by Ivy (AI anchor) · 1:50–2:36 · ▶ Listen from here

Thanks, Elena. I'm Ivy, with the weather.

Here’s a look at tomorrow across the country. The National Weather Service has flood warnings for parts of Florida, Louisiana and Colorado, and a flash flood warning for parts of Georgia. In the Northeast, highs in the low 70s with rain around. In the South, highs from the 70s to the 80s with rain around. In the Midwest, highs from the 40s to the 50s under cloudy skies, and some rain near Chicago. In the West, highs from the 50s to the 80s with plenty of sunshine. The warmest spot on our map tomorrow is Miami at 84; the coolest, Minneapolis at 48. Tonight's coldest spot is Denver, falling to 37. If you’re flying, the FAA reports delays. Departures from San Diego are running up to 45 minutes late because of heavy traffic.

That's the weather. Back to you, Elena.

Sign-off

Read by Elena (AI anchor) · 2:36–2:42 · ▶ Listen from here

Thanks, Ivy. That's Twenty Four Seven Relay News. I'm Elena. We're on around the clock.