Election Day Eve: NY, NJ candidates make final push in key 2026 midterm races

Well, the countdown is on. Early voting has ended in the polls. We open tomorrow morning at 6 o'clock. Finally, the day is here. Candidates across the tri state are making their final pitch today. Jessica Formosa breaking down some of the key races, especially in our area. Jessica, good morning. Good morning, Dan and Rosanna. Indeed, they are making their final push for voters as we are now one day away from Election Day. Early voting did end yesterday, and here in New York City, more than 690,000 voters have already cast their vote. And according to the State Board of Elections, more than 1.7 million voted early, which is more than half a million more who voted in the states. last midterm election in 2022. So let's get into some of these races here. All right, let's start with the race for New York governor. The latest poll shows Democratic incumbent Governor Kathy Hochul leading Republican challenger Bruce Blakeman by double digits. The governor was in Astoria, Queens on Sunday, holding babies alongside Mayor Zoramamdani and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. She made a stop at a Buffalo Bills bar, shaking hands with voters. Blakeman making his final push to voters on Long Island. He He appeared at a golf course in Suffolk County in Northport, campaigning alongside Congressman Nick LaLotta. He was on Fox News Saturday night this weekend, where he spoke about bringing everyone who fled New York back. Is it true that Nessie fled New York because of high taxes? Yes, it's absolutely true, as everybody else has fled. But they will come back in abundance when I cut taxes, cut utility rates, and make safer communities. Who's going to win by more points, Governor? You or the bills today? Oh, that is a tough one. Well, we're already up 10, so probably the bills. Let's watch the game, guys. In the race for attorney general, incumbent Letitia James also has a double-digit lead over Republican Saritha Kamataredi, 54 to 39 percent. That's according to the latest Siena poll. James was first elected back in 2018. She is making her case for a third term, while her challenger argues the office needs to put a greater focus on public safety. Let's take a look at the congressional races. There are three congressional races drawing national attention in our area. The first New York 17th district, which covers. ...covers parts of the lower Hudson Valley. Republican Mike Lawler facing Democrat Kay Conley. This race has become a major focus in the fight for control of the House. This is a district that voted for Kamala Harris for president in 2024, but also re-elected Lawler to Congress. Now the question is whether he can hold on to that same support. And on Long Island in the 3rd District, incumbent Democratic Congressman Tom Suozzi is facing a rematch with Republican Mike LaPetrie, who lost to Swazi by two. 2.5% in 2024. Okay, and across the Hudson in New Jersey, Republican Tom Cain Jr. is facing Democrat Rebecca Bennett in a race that can also help determine who will take control of the House. Cain took a four-month leave of absence after revealing he had been diagnosed with depression and received hospital treatment. Meanwhile, new voter registration numbers show Democrats have been making gains in the district, but Republicans still maintain an overall registration advantage. So later on this morning, Governor Kathy Hochul will be in. in Harlem campaigning. She will spend her day here in the city. Bruce Blakeman will start his morning on Long Island in Bethpage, and then he is scheduled to travel upstate. So if you haven't voted, tomorrow is your day to vote. Dan, Rosanna. All right, race to the finish. Jessica, thank you very much. Let's head over to Michigan, another important race there. It could determine which party controls the U.S. Senate. And on Sunday, that closely watched race took a stunning turn when the Democratic... Congresswoman Haley Stevens endorsed the Republican candidate Mike Rogers. Stevens lost to the Democratic nominee to Abdul Syed in August. Yesterday, she said she decided to withdraw her support after El Syed, after she was uninvited from a campaign event with him last week. Michigan is a swing state, and I have a divided household, as some of you have heard, up until last night. But even my own mother cast her vote for Mike Rogers as my own father cast his vote for Abdul. I'm honored to have Haley Stevens' support today. I'm honored to have earned that vote. Well, Al-Sayed dismissed the significance of losing the endorsement of one of Michigan's most prominent Democrats. At the end of the day, I actually don't think about Haley Stevens. See what I'm saying? Like, I think about the, like I said, the 9,999,998 people who are not those two. Because you know what? I'm just less interested in the politics of it all than I am in the policy of it all. Well, the Congresswoman's party has turned on Stevens. The chairman of Michigan's Democrats says she is no longer a member of the state party. In a social media post, New York Senator Chuck Schumer wrote, quote, This is a despicable betrayal from Representative Stevens. Keep it locked in to Fox 5. Plus Fox 5 Plus, Fox Local. Our election night coverage will begin tomorrow. We're streaming with all your results coming in and winners and declared races all across the area and the nation. It's going to be an exciting night.