CNN Live Event/Special Aired November 07, 2023 - 16:00 ET THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. Aired November 07, 2023 - 16:00 ET THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. [16:00:30] WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: I'm Wolf Blitzer in Washington, along with Kaitlan Collins, and this is AMERICA'S CHOICE, ELECTION DAY IN AMERICA -- your headquarters for all of the crucial races and issues driving voters to the polls today. The key contests are being decided right now in Virginia, Mississippi, Kentucky, and Ohio. KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN HOST: The first polls close and just hours from now in these races could help us get a sense of where the voters are ahead of next year's presidential election. We're going to see if abortion rights will continue to be the driving force that is so clearly was in last year's elections after the Supreme Court overturned Roe versus Wade. Abortion access is directly on the ballot in Ohio tonight where voters are deciding whether to enshrine the right to one into the state's constitution. BLITZER: We are also certainly closely monitoring competitive governors contests in Kentucky and Mississippi, both deeply red, Republican states. Along with a high stakes struggle for control of the government of Virginia, where all 140 seats in both the House and the Senate there are up for grabs. COLLINS: We have live team coverage of it all. Jessica Dean is in Richmond, Virginia. But we start tonight with Kyung Lah in Columbus Ohio. Kyung, obviously, you are in the most populated county in the state. That's Franklin County, Ohio. What have voters been saying as we've been casting their ballots today? KYUNG LAH, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, what you are hearing and what you are seeing here, at least in this one polling place, and you're right, Kaitlan, this is a populated county. There are a lot of people coming through this particular polling case. So, this is just one snapshot of one place. But I want you to take a look at what we're not just hearing, but seeing. You can see the number of people. This is an off year election at a polling place. This is known as a busier place. They didn't expect it to be this busy. And this is the sort of traffic that they've seen throughout the day, people checking in, getting the ballots here at this table, and they're heading over to the voting booths to cast their ballot. What is motivating people here? What they are telling us is that it is issue one, it is deeply personal, that they have decided to make the time, because they are fueled by it. And they want to make their voices heard. But when you also ask them what is motivating them to come out they also understand that Ohio is poised to make a real statement leading into 2024. I want you to listen to a couple of voters that we spoke with. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's a big thing that directly affects people's lives, and they want to come out and give their opinion on how it should -- how the law should be in Ohio. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This election in Ohio is going to really set the tone for the rest of the country. I'm hopeful. I'm really hopeful. (END VIDEO CLIP) LAH: Now, both of those voters decided to vote in support of Issue 1, in enshrining those rights into the state constitution. That's not the case across the state. What we are hearing from both sides of Issue 1 is that they believe that this will be a battle up until the very end when polls close at 7:30. They still have people knocking on doors, Kaitlan and Wolf, they think it is going to be very close -- Wolf, Kaitlan. COLLINS: Yeah, we'll be watching closely. Kyung Lah, thank you. BLITZER: Let's head over to Richmond, Virginia, right now. That's where the Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin is hoping to gain full control of the state legislature. Jessica Dean is on the scene for us, so we are following, what, 140 races. What are you looking for, Jessica? JESSICA DEAN, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, just to remind everybody out there watching, the Republican governor here, Glenn Youngkin, is not on the ballot himself. He's in the middle of his term. But it's a bit of a proxy battle, because he is asking Virginians to give him full Republican control of the state legislature. Up until now, Democrats have been in control of the Senate here and Republicans have been in control of the House. And so, he is going around, he's been all over the state, and in the closing days, really making the case, asking Virginians to give him that full control so that he could enact his agenda further. One key issue, abortion. Governor Youngkin had pushed for and offered up a 15-week abortion ban worth noting, Virginia is the only southern state that has not seen further restrictions on abortion since Roe versus Wade was overturned. That's because the Democrats and the Senate stopped that from happening, so you can see how this is a key issue that is being played out in all of these races all across the state. And Youngkin is saying that he believes that this is really a 15-week ban is a bit of a compromise. It's not as far as a six-week ban that we've seen in places like Florida and Iowa. [16:05:15] And, of course, Democrats have leaned heavily into the messaging saying that those rights should not be curbed at all. So, we are seeing that certainly play out. And it also speaks to Youngkin as an individual, as a governor. What will this mean for him if he's able to really push forward his brand of Republican politics? He certainly a conservative, but he's not necessarily a MAGA Republican. And so, there are some things we are looking for in that regard as well, to see just how well he can do. And one more thing to keep in mind here in Virginia, the reason we watch in politics what happens in Virginia and he's off your elections is because often, what happens in these off year elections correlates with what we see the following year in these federal elections. So, in 2019, the Democrats flip the House, they flip the Senate, then we saw Biden win the state by 10 points. In 2021, Republicans took back the House and then, of course, in 2022, we saw Republicans on Capitol Hill take back the House as well. So that's, again, why we like to keep our eye on what happens here in Virginia. BLITZER: Very important. Jessica Dean in Richmond, Virginia, for us, we'll be getting back to you early and often. Thank you very, very much. Kaitlan? COLLINS: And, Gloria Borger, I mean, as we look at this, Virginia is the only Southern state without an abortion ban in place. And if Glenn Youngkin is successful and Republicans keeping the House and taking control of the Senate, it's the first time the governor would have control of everything, and I think a decade. GLORIA BORGER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: And it also even more of a national figure than he already is. If he's able to do that, it would be quite a feat. The interesting thing to me about watching this Virginia race is the way the language has changed on abortion. And now, Karen, we are shaking our head, yes, because now Republicans are no longer talking about a ban on abortion because that's a bad word, the word now is limiting abortion. And what Youngkin is saying around the state is, look, the people who say that we want to ban abortion are lying to you. We don't want to ban abortion. We want to limit abortion in a sensible way and he meant -- we'll see if he's making any headway with that. KAREN FINNEY, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: It's a very important -- BLITZER: All right, let's listen to the governor right now. The Virginia governor, Glenn Youngkin, has used abortion to try to motivate voters to turn out for Republicans in the general assembly in Virginia. Listen and watch this. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) GOV. GLENN YOUNGKIN (R), VIRGINIA: We've been completely straightforward and clear. I will back a bill to protect life 15 weeks. This is a choice between no limits and reasonable limits. (END VIDEO CLIP) BLITZER: So, what do you think? How is that argument going to go? FINNEY: You know, most voters still see 15 weeks as a ban. That's what the polling is showing because the conversation has really shifted particularly post the fall of Roe v. Wade where people say, a woman and her doctor should make the decision. Every woman has a different health care situation. So when you put a sort of blanket ban, whether it's 15 weeks or six weeks or however many weeks, that starts to make people nervous. It also makes people nervous in Virginia because with a Republican governor and a full Republican legislature, what else would they do? Is this a slippery slope? But exactly right, the language matters. Next in Ohio, there were a lot of back and forth battles about the actual language that is on the ballot which is different than the actual language of what the amendment to the state constitution would say. JOHN AVLON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: But, I mean, I think the flow through Ohio and Virginia as we are seeing Republicans try to adjust their strategy, they realize that they have lost every single time since the overturning of Roe when an anti-abortion bill has been put forward, even in deep red states. So, now, they are trying to say that the Democrats position as what is extreme and they are trying to put it as maximalist. Look, I think that Youngkin is trying to clear out this middle lane. But it is disingenuous to say that a ban is a ban. Words have meaning. (CROSSTALK) AVLON: Maybe 15 weeks, that's reasonable to a lot of people, but it is still setting a ban with exceptions importantly in the case -- JONAH GOLDBERG, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yeah, look, I actually think that if Republicans had credibility on the 15-week ban thing, there's room here, nationally, according to a lot of polls that I have seen, for the last 10 or 20 years, out says not that is sort of a happy compromise in the middle for a lot of Americans who don't like extremes on other end. AVLON: Sure. GOLDBERG: The problem I think that they got is that, you know, Tip O'Neill, may he rest in peace, was, you know, the shelf life on the phrase "all politics is local" is over. AVLON: Yeah. GOLDBERG: So when you see Republicans and other states calling for a complete and total ban and even sometimes talking about prosecuting women and all of that, people are thinking about the national brands of these parties and races. So, even though I think that Youngkin is making a plausible and defensible pitch here, I don't think that a lot of voters are hearing, oh, well, he's being a reasonable person. I can trust all of the Republicans. [16:10:01] MARGARET HOOVER, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: It's also, by the way, I mean, Youngkin is still framing this as a ban and the backdrop of this issue is not a right was taken away from women. And so, it's women who are charged up to solidify, to codify that right in the states when they can. That's why they came out in Kansas and in Ohio earlier. FINNEY: Right, and Kentucky, by the way. HOOVER: And in Kentucky. So to your point, it's a national issue but it's, again, the backdrop is something that was taken away and it is also worth reminding people, 80 percent of Americans favor some kind of abortion. Yes, with restrictions, or in some cases, 38 percent of Republicans do. So this is just -- while you see Youngkin trying to make this little dance, it doesn't represent -- COLLINS: Given how radioactive this issue has been for Republicans and maybe we're going to learn tonight if it still is or if Republicans have learned how to push back on the messaging on this, why is Youngkin pushing this? HOOVER: Well, Youngkin -- first of all, Youngkin does not speak for all Republicans. Youngkin is actually -- COLLINS: In Virginia, why is he pushing it? HOOVER: Well, I what is a really interesting statement is we will see whether it actually motivates people, because I don't think that the ban on abortion is going to motivate people to the polls in favor of Youngkin's platform. I think if anything -- GOLDBERG: That's part of the reason why he's not talking about it very much. (CROSSTALK) FINNEY: But here is the problem it is the candid. The other candidate in the legislative races, they were talking about it, Democrats have been on offense on this issue so I think Youngkin realized he better get ahead of it because his candidates were saying ban. They were saying horrible things. And so, he's trying to reclaim the narrative. I don't know that it's going to work. BORGER: Right, it was never part of his narrative when he was trying to run for governor, he was talking about schools and education. And so, what he's trying to do is sort of find some middle ground here -- AVLON: Yeah. BORGER: -- you know, 15 weeks, which polls show that a lot of folks would say was okay, but he's got a problem because it is definitional, right? Is it a ban? Is it a limit? Is it, what is it? COLLINS: Well, I guess we'll see what the voters decide. BORGER: Is it a restriction? COLLINS: I mean, they are going to the polls. It will be very interesting and revealing to see if it is something that drives them to the polls. We'll actually be joined, speaking of another state where abortion is going to be a key issue tonight, that's Ohio. We're going to speak to a former Ohio congressman, Tim Ryan. He'll be with us in just a moment with his predictions on the vote in his state, and why the Democrat is calling for President Biden to drop out of the 2024 race. That's next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [16:16:20] BLITZER: We're back with our special coverage of Election Day in America. Ohio is the seventh state where voters are weighing in right directly on the issue of abortion since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade. Joining us now is the former Democratic Congressman for Ohio, Tim Ryan, he also ran for president back in 2020. Congressman, thanks so much for joining us. Let's begin with your state of Ohio. As you, know in all six states before Ohio, voters overwhelmingly upheld abortion rights for women. Do you expect that to happen once again tonight in your state of Ohio? And how will the results in Ohio impact the national conversation about abortion rights? TIM RYAN (D), FORMER U.S. REPRESENTATIVE: Well, I think that we will win this in Ohio. I think that the latest poll had it at about 57 percent for the amendment, for Issue 1, and I think that's probably going to hold. We have obviously almost all of the Democrats, I think half of independents, even four in 10 Republicans who are pro-choice, moderate Republicans are voting for the Amendment. So I think that it should pass. And I think that it will send a signal that really, America, nobody wants to get into a whole big conversation about abortion every single day of their lives. But they know it's an essential right that should be left to the woman and thought that this is a country that respects freedom, and that women are citizens of this country and they deserve that freedom to make those very difficult decisions. BLITZER: As you know, Congressman, Ohio has seen millions of dollars and ad money spent on this very controversial issue of abortion. Many of these ads are full of misinformation about this particular initiative. How concerned are you that voters may not necessarily know exactly what they are voting for? RYAN: Well, there's always a concern, but there have been ads on both sides. I think that there has been a really good ground game on the supportive of Issue 1, a lot of door-knocks, and a lot of people out on the ground throughout the state. I think that will win the day. But you do worry that people catch snippets of things about, you know, parents and those kinds of things, which has all been debunked clearly over the last few weeks and months. And so, I think -- I think it's going to pass. I think we'll be good. And, you know, kudos to all of the men and women in Ohio who've been running a very aggressive campaign on behalf of Issue 1. BLITZER: While I have you, Congressman, I will get to another very sensitive issue. Yesterday, you told CNN's Kasie Hunt that you don't think President Biden should run for reelection. Who do you think should be running on the Democratic side in his place? RYAN: Well, I don't have an answer for that one. And let me be very clear, Wolf, if it is Joe Biden against Donald Trump, I will be 1,000 percent with Joe Biden. I think that Trump is a threat to our democracy, and a threat to our country. And you're seeing that every single day on the news just yesterday in court. The guy would be vindictive. He would go after people. He would use the attorney general's office that would go after people, U.S. attorneys across the country. And that's a very dangerous proposition. So I would be with President Biden 100 percent in that regard. I just believe that we need generational change in this country. People are so frustrated and I think that the presidents message on the economy of telling people that they're doing better than they're doing is not going to work. And I wish -- I wish that would stop because I'm on the ground in Ohio and I hear what people are saying. Bacon is more expensive, gas is more expensive, groceries are more expensive. Rent is more expensive. So, lower growth is not helping matters. We need to focus on their concerns and when you don't meet -- and, Wolf, you know this, when you don't meet people where they are emotionally, they stop thinking you're understanding the challenges that they're going through every single day. And that is a very high risk. [16:20:18] And that's why Donald Trump, no matter the circumstances that he's in, if you're struggling out there, you're going to say that I was doing better in 2020 than I'm doing now. At least it really feels that way to me. And so, the pitch needs to be that we understand you are struggling and we are reindustrializing the country. We're bringing chips back. We're bringing manufacturing back. If it's not happening soon enough, and I'm going to bust my rear end to make sure that we get your families where they need to be. Not telling them they're doing better, not quoting macroeconomic statistics. Stop with that. It's not going to work. BLITZER: Let me repeat the question. Is there a specific -- RYAN: It puts us at risk to put Trump back in the White House. BLITZER: Is there a specific younger Democrat you're looking at right now to potentially challenge Biden for the nomination? RYAN: I wouldn't give you any names that anybody else has talked about over the past months. We've got have a number of really talented governors. We've got, you know, talented senators. You look at the number and I'm not sure it matters all that much because if you look at the number against Trump, if a generic Democrat, they went 55-45. And so, I hope -- and again, I love Joe Biden. I will support Joe Biden 100 percent if he's running against Donald Trump. No question about that. But what I am saying is, I hope we can get a new generation of leadership, I think that the country is ready to move on, we have to start healing. And that's the direction that we need to move in, and there's plenty of confident people. I hope that the Republicans elect someone who has the guts to take on Trump. The country has got to heal. We've got to move on from this. And I think I represent the frustrations of millions of people in the country. BLITZER: Former Democratic Congressman Tim Ryan of Ohio, thank you very much for joining us. RYAN: Thanks, Wolf. Appreciate it. COLLINS: Karen Finney, I mean, what do you make? FINNEY: I knew that was coming -- (LAUGHTER) COLLINS: How did you know? FINNEY: Yeah. COLLINS: I've been listening to him say, you know, what the White House is doing when they -- in the Biden campaign, when they hear these concerns, they see them, we will be watching if they potentially have any drag on races tonight. You know, obviously, Biden is not on the ballot. What did you make about what they said how they're not doing enough to address that? FINNEY: I think that to take polls seriously. But again, we have a year. So, I don't think that we have to have our hair on fire. That being said, clearly, because we've had a number of polls note that have said the same thing, the "what" in terms of the data, the numbers, we need to understand why people feel that way. And that's where the campaign is. You heard me say this. That is where the messaging comes in. Why are people feeling that way? And why is the message not actually moving voters towards President Biden? Because clearly, what they've been doing isn't working. I agree with the congressman on that. So, there needs to be some type of change up in terms of the messaging, and also proably how we're reaching people. ALVON: Do you mind just explain how to do it, though, right? I mean, he just showed why he remains one of the best communicators in the Democratic Party. And really, he should be messaging the White House. He said stop talking about macroeconomics. Stop -- there are a lot of good statistics. The Biden team can point to about how the economy has improved. But if people aren't feeling it in their own lives, you need to meet them where they live. And a lot of this is about inflation that's still -- it's still hurting people, but he is making it from the perspective of northeast Ohio, you know, saying talk about manufacturing, meet people where they are, talk like a human being. And that kind of common sense Democratic perspective from a red state is what the Democrats need more of right now. BORGER: I think the fear is among Democrats that I talk to is that they are losing Democratic constituents and they have to figure out a way to get them back. They are not doing as well with minority voters. COLLINS: And Biden's really don't. BORGER: Young voters are bleeding. They're going away. HOOVER: When the polls are like Gloria is talking about, my experience working in politics is that it doesn't change of the messaging. It's a changeup from the top, okay? This is coming from the top. You can't communicate differently about Biden. You couldn't do it about George W. Bush after Katrina and the Iraq war. The messaging isn't going to change the formed opinions people have. FINNEY: Yeah. HOOVER: And -- FINNEY: So, here's why I disagree having worked in campaigns over 30 years. There is something that you called the informed vote. So you poll, you ask the direct question and you say did you know that ABC? Then you ask again. That information comes to what you see. What is going to move people either towards or against. I'm not saying, again, I think that they clearly need -- (CROSSTALK) FINNEY: But we're not going to have -- Joe Biden is not going to drop out. That's not reality. BORGER: It's the way they feel. It's the way they feel. COLLINS: But he should. BORGER: You know, you talk about younger voters which I have been looking at and it's astonishing to me that they're just -- FINNEY: Agreed. BORGER: -- disappearing. [16:25:01] And the reason is, they say that the main reason is the economy. They trust Donald Trump on the economy, more than Joe Biden by 28 points. FINNEY: But that's one poll. Let's be clear, they also care about reproductive rights, they care about climate change. BORGER: Yes. FINNEY: And, by the way, when we talk about the economy, it means very different things. For Black voters, racism is the economy, because if I'm dealing with racism, I'm not getting a raise. I'm not getting the job opportunities that I think that I deserve. And for Black voters, they are concerned more hasn't been done. Similarly with women and reproductive rights. So, understanding how they feel means not just one issue, how they feel about that issue. GOLDBERG: I can just tell you that all of the Democrats, none of the Democrats running are talking about supporting Joe Biden. They're not talking about how they are linked with Joe Biden. They realize that Joe Biden is a deadweight on them, and in these races, that should tell you something about how -- what sets up for the 2024. BLITZER: All right. We're just going to continue this conversation down the road. But right now, there is more news we're following. Will the deep red state of Kentucky oust its Democratic governor? Will Elvis Presley's second cousin turn the governor's mansion in Mississippi blue? The state of both of those key races, we have details, that's coming up. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [16:30:43] COLLINS: This election day, we are following two key governor's races with high stakes. In Kentucky, incumbent Democratic Governor Andy Beshear fighting to turn his race into a referendum on abortion rights against the Republican attorney general in the state, Daniel Cameron. In Mississippi, incumbent Republican Governor, Tate Reeves, deeply unpopular amid questions of his involvement in one of the biggest public fraud scandals to ever happen in the state's history. His Democratic challenger, Brendan Presley, of course, is related to Elvis. Much more to know about him. Dianne Gallagher is standing by in Jackson. But first, we are going to go to Eva McKend who is live on the ground in Louisville. Eva, this is a race where we have seen the Republican try to kind of nationalize this race while Governor Beshear has tried to keep it more tied to local issues happening in Kentucky. EVA MCKEND, CNN CORRESPONDENT: He has, Kaitlan. We have seen abortion really become a potent issue, even in this state. Governor Beshear has really elevated this conversation. We were at the polls this morning and we spoke to one woman, and she said that was a key issue that she was voting on. She was concerned about the future of reproductive rights in this country. Beshear also has a searing ad that has played time and time again, of a woman by the name of Hadley who was a victim of sexual assault. Hadley also joined him on the campaign trail. And he uses her story as a way to basically call out Republicans who do not support exceptions for rape or incest. So, this is something that has been heavily elevated here of Governor Beshear's victorious tonight, we could see Democrats also try to use this same playbook. But still, Daniel Cameron, the attorney general, is a serious competitor here. He's worked overtime to try to tie Governor Beshear to President Biden. Biden, of course, not popular here in Kentucky, Kaitlan. COLLINS: Yeah, the Democratic governor in a very red state. Eva McKend, we'll continue to check in with you. Thank you for that. BLITZER: Right now, we want to go to Mississippi where the governor's race has not been this competitive in over 20 years. CNN's Dianne Gallagher is joining us right now from a canvas event for Brandon Presley. The Democratic challenger, Dianne, why is this race all of a sudden so close? DIANNE GALLAGHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I think that the question right now for people in Mississippi is can this state elected Democrat as governor, actually I have Brandon Presley with me right now. Hi, how are you, sir? This is a Democratic candidate. This is your final event. You've crisscrossed the entire state. Everyone wants to know, can Mississippi actually elected a Democrat as governor? BRANDON PRESLEY (D), MISSISSIPPI GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: I think that we are going to win tonight. I've been in all 82 counties. The energy in this race has been amazing. The fact that we have knocked on over 260,000 doors in the state, we have folks ready behind me to talk more doors this afternoon. GALLAGHER: How do you convince Republicans, though, to vote for you? I know you've run on a populist message but how do you convince them to go? I've been out of the polls and a lot of people tell me that even if they don't like Tate Reeves they have a hard time voting for someone who isn't a Republican. PRESLEY: Yeah, we've been proud to get Republican support throughout this campaign. I think that this election is as much a referendum on saving our hospitals, ethics reform, and the fact that Tate Reeves is one of the most unpopular governors in America, and Mississippians know he's out of touch with them. And that I would be a governor that would be in touch with Mississippians and the issues in Mississippi. This campaign has never been about national politics. He's trying to make it that way. It's been about the issues in our state, and how we can have a governor that would go to work to fix those. GALLAGHER: Has it been difficult being attached to national politics and being attached to national governments running in the state for you? PRESLEY: Well, I think more than anything else, we've kept this centric to the state of Mississippi. This is about whether or not our hospitals are going to be open for the next four years. It's about whether or not we end the corruption of Tate Reeves or we have had the largest public corruption scandal in state history under his leadership. And so, it's not -- this has not been about national politics. I disagreed with the national party plenty throughout this campaign. And it has been more about Mississippi than anything else. And I think that's why we're going to win tonight. GALLAGHER: You talked quite a bit about expanding Medicaid in Mississippi. One of the few remaining states that has failed to do so. [16:35:00] Again, this populist message that you are running on, I've talked to people who have said it is the idea of cutting taxes. Is that is what's going to, you believe, push you over the finish line in a very unexpected -- I mean, this would be an upset here if you want. PRESLEY: Yeah, I think we are going to win. I think, look, I'm a populist, I've said clearly that I am a populist from the beginning. The issues in Mississippi are not right and left. It is about those of us who have been pushed on the outside, versus a hand select little few led by Tate Reeves on the inside. That's why we are attracting support from traditional Republicans and independents, of course, from Democrats throughout the state because this is a campaign for the people. I've said that I wanted to build a coalition of black Mississippians, and white Mississippians, and Republicans, and Democrats to take back the governor's office for the people of the state. Whether it'd be cutting the grocery tax, which we have the highest tax on food in America, Tate Reeves has done nothing about getting that tax taken off of our work. People have had 12 years to do it. I think that that is a message that has resonated. And they realize I'm a fighter. Tate Reeves has been a very low energy governor and he doesn't have any guts and backbone. I'm willing to stand up and fight. GALLAGHER: All right. Thank you so much, Brendan Presley. I appreciate your time. You know, Wolf, sometimes you get the candidate right as they come in. I will point out that he's tried to tie Tate Reeves to that welfare scandal, where $77 -- $77 million worth of welfare funds were misspent, and instead funneled to the politically connected and celebrities. Many people watching may know that Brett Favre is counted as one of those defendants in that, while Tate Reeves was lieutenant governor at that time, not the governor at that time. He's never been accused of anything involving that, though his name has come up. Reeves said he believes he could get himself across the finish line, that Mississippi is reliably a Republican state. BLITZER: We shall see. All right. Dianne Gallagher in Jackson, Mississippi, for us, thank you. COLLINS: Karen Finney, even if you are Elvis's second cousin -- KAREN FINNEY, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yes. COLLINS: -- can you become the next Democratic governor of a state like Mississippi? FINNEY: We'll see. I will tell you one thing that is interesting, a Jim Crow era law was repealed and that law has the impact. It was diluting the impact of the Black vote. So, actually, Black voters will have a much bigger say this time. It will be interesting to see if that will make up the difference. BORGER: To the point that we were discussing before, what we did in here, Brendan Presley say a lot, is Joe Biden. And, you know, I'm with Joe Biden all the way, and look at what he did on that infrastructure bill for all of us. And look at what he did for all of us during the pandemic. He -- GOLDBERG: Also to the point we were talking about earlier, he's pro- life. He's not talking about abortion -- BORGER: Yeah, he's not talking abortion. GOLDBERG: He is running as a very conservative Democrat. BORGER: Right. JOHN ALVON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Yeah, by the way, that is all good and healthy for the country in terms of wanting to kill our divides. Democrats, any big state parties, again, and Democrats need -- we need the rural Democrats and red state Democrats, and what you heard from Brandon Presley right now was kind of a master class in how to communicate from that perspective. And we'll see if it works. Eighty percent of the state legislator seats in Mississippi are uncontested. That's separate kind of scandal. That may have an impact on turnout and ground game. But that kind of messaging, that -- you know, just Democrats need to find a way, you don't need an ideological litmus test and cultural war issues to define every candidate and every region in the country. That's a loser, not a winner. HOOVER: This is -- this is -- this is why I married my husband. The Aaron Sorkin "West Wing" version of a political sort of good boy. Sixty-two percent of Mississippi is a registered Republicans. Not even 30 percent are Democrats. So while you can aspire the sort of the change you can believe in, the likelihood that Mississippi votes for a Republican, returns Republicans, it's just -- (CROSSTALK) AVLON: Keep hope alive. First competitive race in 20 years. BORGER: Well, there is the Presley factor. AVLON: That's right. COLLINS: We'll keep an eye on it. And also, of course, Kentucky is a much more competitive race. We will check back there in a moment. Also next, we are going to go to the ground in Israel. How the country is now marking a month. It is hard to believe that it has already been that long, since the October 7th attacks. A live update, next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [16:43:06] BLITZER: In Israel today, a nation pausing to mark exactly one month since the horrific Hamas terror attack on October 7th. The scale of the assault is still almost hard to imagine. More than 1,400 Israelis killed, men, women, and children, and 240 -- more than 240 taken hostage into Gaza. CNN's Ed Lavandera is joining us live. He's in Jerusalem today. Ed, it has to be an incredibly emotional day, today. ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It was, Wolf. To mark the one month anniversary of the October 7th attack, hundreds gather here at the Western Wall, one of the most holy sites in the world. They came to mourn the hostages, and to plead for their release. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) LAVANDERA (voice-over): Israelis gathered at the Western Wall Tuesday night to mark the one month passing of the October 7th attack, holding a mass prayer for the return of the hostages held in Gaza. One mother was surrounded by the families of other hostages as she pleaded for her son's return. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He was kidnapped, marched by gunpoint onto a Hamas pick up truck and lead into Gaza. And that was 32 days ago. The hostages have been underground in Gaza for 32 days! LAVANDERA: It's a sign of unity in the country still coming to terms with a terrorist attack that has once again plunged the Middle East into war. ORLY BARKIMA, VOLUNTEER: I think the country is in trauma. I think that we still don't get it, you know? It's beyond grasping. It is something that is non-human. LAVANDERA: Every night, a group of volunteers gathers in Tel Aviv and in cities around the country, handing out ribbons to show solidarity with the families of hostages. [16:45:02] BARKIMA: They want the families to feel as if all the people are with them. They are not alone in their struggle and we won't stop and we won't take off the ribbons until they are back here in Israel. LAVANDERA: While the yellow ribbons are prominently waving in many places, there is an undercurrent of anger and political division simmering across the country. Much of it directed at senior Israeli government officials, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet was shouted away from a hospital a few weeks ago, as she tried to visit attack victims. To cope with the tension and anger and aftermath of the October 7th attacks, Scialom Zarrugh turned his anger into a volunteer mission out of his Tel Aviv restaurant with a group called (INAUDIBLE) which means giving to help others. For weeks, they cooked and packaged meals for Israeli soldiers and the victims of the attacks who have been displaced from their homes. As you do all of this work, you think about the day that there will be peace, is peace even possible? SCIALOM ZARRUGH, RESTAURANT OWNER: We definitely are looking forward, we pray every morning, afternoon, evening for the piece to come over us, and the world. (END VIDEOTAPE) LAVANDERA (on camera): And, Wolf, the prayers tonight at the Western Wall here in Jerusalem where about national unity, focusing on the soldiers, and the hostages. But this country also knows that in the months ahead, they will have to come to terms with the political division that divided them so intensely before October 7th -- Wolf. BLITZER: Yeah, and certainly a lot of depression in Israel right now as I can testify, I was with you just a few days ago, Ed. Thank you very much, Ed Lavandera, joining us from Jerusalem. With Israel now signaling its postwar plans for Gaza, the White House is warning against a reoccupation. We'll have details when we come back. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [16:51:19] BLITZER: Israel's defense minister says that Israeli troops are now fighting Hamas right in the heart of Gaza City, and declaring today that after the war ends, Israel will, quote, retain complete freedom of action of the Gaza Strip. COLLINS: And those comments come after we heard from the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, talking about what the situation in Gaza could look like last night. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: I think that Israel will for an indefinite period will have the overall security responsibility because we've seen what happens when we don't have it. (END VIDEO CLIP) COLLINS: And joining us now is Barak Ravid. He's the Middle East expert, political reporter for "Axios". Barak, thanks very much for coming in. Does Israel actually have a plan for what happens if, it is a big if, if it destroys Hamas and takes control over all of the Gaza Strip? Does Israel have a plan for what it is going to do? BARAK RAVID, FOREIGN POLICY REPORTER, AXIOS: Wolf, the short answer is no, okay? There's no plan. But the longer answers that I think that there's a sort of principles that you can start to see. First principle is obviously that Hamas is not going to be control of Gaza and not going to rule Gaza. And the second principle is what we've heard from Netanyahu and from the minister of defense that the Israel will retain overall security responsibility for Gaza Strip. I don't think that means reoccupying Gaza forever, obviously not. But I do think it is more what do you see in the West Bank in recent years, and especially after the second intifada. Meaning the IDF will keep some forces inside Gaza, not the numbers you will see right now, and we will go on almost daily raids into Gaza to rule out whatever is left of Hamas the day after. BLITZER: Because remember, what is about a month or so ago, shortly after the Hamas attack on Israel, President Biden said that it would be a big mistake for Israel to reoccupy Gaza. RAVID: Yes, I don't -- again, I don't think that it is going to be, you know, Netanyahu was meeting a few people several days ago. It was a closed meeting. One of them asked them, are you going to -- are we going to reoccupy Gaza in the sense of, you know, rebuilding settlements? And Netanyahu didn't -- he didn't answer but he did something like that. You know? And I think that that's the state of mind right now. He is not interested in, you know, reoccupying Gaza. He is not interested in rebuilding the settlements there. That's not the plan. But the question is, whether he's really in control of his government because inside his government are -- you know, several people that have very strong views about retaking the clock back to before Israel pulled out with Gaza in 2005 and rebuilding settlements there. And that would be a whole different story. BLITZER: Yeah, even though he claimed to me once that he is the ultimate decision maker in his cabinet clearly, that has shifted since what has happened a month ago. I think that the more pressing question for the White Houses are going to be a cease-fire or tactical pause, or humanitarian pause, whatever they are calling it, each day of the week, the reporting is that President Biden wants to see a three-day pause? But that doesn't seem to be something that Netanyahu publicly is prepared to accept. RAVID: Yes. So, yesterday, President Biden called Netanyahu again, I think that it was their 10th or 11th phone call. And he told him very clearly, listen, there is a proposal on the table, it includes a three-day pause and the fighting. It includes Hamas releasing between 10 to 15 hostages, and it includes that doing those three days, the reason that Aiden claimed those three days are needed it's because Hamas claims that it doesn't know exactly where all the hostages are. So it will use those three days in order to gather this information, and give a full list of the names of the hostages that are right now in Gaza. [16:55:02] The problem is, the Israeli side, and Netanyahu told this to Biden yesterday. He told them, listen -- you know, it's a trick. They're only interested in Israel helping them. They don't trust Hamas. And they think that after a three-day cease- fire, nobody around the world will really support Israel if it resumes the fighting in Gaza. COLLINS: Barak Ravid, great reporting as always. Thank you for sharing that with us. RAVID: Thank you. BLITZER: Thank you. COLLINS: We have much more to come tonight. John King is here at the magic wall right after this. He is going to lay out the key stakes and the key races that we are watching this election day. Plus, our very first CNN exit polls are ahead. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) CNN Live Event/Special Aired November 07, 2023 - 17:00 ET THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. [17:00:08] WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: I'm Wolf Blitzer in Washington along with Kaitlan Collins. And this is America's choice Election Day in America. Any moment now we're expecting the very first exit polls in some of the key races we're closely watching. Right now, voters are deciding crucial contests and ballot measures across the country, including in Virginia, Mississippi, Kentucky and Ohio. KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN HOST: Abortion rights is a big through line tonight in some of these key races, particularly in Ohio, where the issue is directly on the ballot, a constitutional amendment that would enshrine the rights to an abortion. There are also governor's races with high stakes that we are keeping a close eye on in Kentucky, also checking on Mississippi, both deep red states. In the state of Virginia, every legislator is up for reelection. BLITZER: And it all comes just exactly 10 weeks before the first contest of this presidential primary season. We have team coverage. Eva McKend is joining us from Louisville, Kentucky. Kyung Lah is in Columbus, Ohio. And that's where we begin. Kyung, you're there with Ohioans united for reproductive rights, the watch party that's going on. What are you anticipating tonight? KYUNG LAH, CNN NATIONAL REPORTER: Well, as they look ahead to what tonight is going to look like, what we are hearing from this pro Issue 1 group is that they expect that the early returns will be favorable for them. The question will be, according to the spokesman as quote, "Where do we land?" Here's what they are encouraged by. And I want to show you this video of a polling place that we've spent most of the day today. This is a Democratic stronghold, and it's images like this where turnout has been strong in those Democratic quarters. That the pro Issue 1 people, the groups that want this to pass to have the abortion rights enshrined in the Constitution, they feel very encouraged that turnout strong, that enthusiasm is high and that passions are high. When you talk to people about why they are coming out, they all, almost unilaterally who we've spoken with say that they are here because of Issue 1. With two and a half hours left to vote, there are, both sides, the pro and anti-Issue 1 forces say that they are out knocking on doors that they believe it will be a race to the finish. And neither side, even though they are encouraged by the turnout, neither side is saying this is going to be a slam dunk. Wolf and Kaitlan, they believe that it will be very close throughout the evening. BLITZER: We shall see. Kyung Lah reporting for us. Thank you very much. COLLINS: And the polls will close in parts of Kentucky. And just under an hour the key race that we are watching, Democratic incumbent governor, Andy Beshear, going up against Republican candidate attorney general for the state, Daniel Cameron. Eva McKend is watching this closely from Louisville tonight. Eva, obviously, we have seen, you know, what this race could mean. What people are looking into it, not just for the state, but also there are questions of what it could mean for Democrats nationally, looking to how Governor Beshear has run this race depending on how things go tonight for him. EVA MCKEND, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, absolutely, Kaitlan. Is because he's adopted this strategy that really centers this idea of team Kentucky. He has been over the pandemic, natural disasters, a number of tragedies in this state. And that allowed him to really stray away from partisanship and lead with this idea of Kentuckians first. And you know, when we were at the polls today speaking to voters, some of them said that that was something that really resonated with them because they are tired of the bitterness of our politics. But listen, Attorney General Daniel Cameron, the Republican in this contest, he really presents a threat to Governor Beshear. What we have seen is that the Trump endorsement matters in a state like this one, Trump winning Kentucky in 2020 by nearly 30 points, and the attorney general has been able to campaign on that heavily, as well as really make this argument that he would be better suited to work with the Republican controlled state legislature here and that this state should have representation that reflects their conservative values, Kaitlan?. COLLINS: Yes, it's a waste -- race we're going to be watching very closely to see. I mean, what those voters decide? Do they keep a Democratic governor in that deep red state? Eva McKend, we'll check back in with you. Thank you. BLITZER: John King is here with me over at the magic wall. He's going to be here all night long. It'll be a long night. First of all, let's start off in Virginia. What are you looking for? JOHN KING, CNN HOST: Is this like 2020 when Joe Biden won by 10 points? Is the turnout like that to voters especially in the swing areas in the suburbs? Is that how they're voting, Democratic, right? They're voting for the House of Delegates, they're voting for the state senate, legislative elections. So this is the county map. It's not the presidential race, but isn't electorate like that. Or is it more of an electorate like this when Glenn Youngkin just narrowly won election as governor. Now, if you notice, I'm going to go through two areas here, around Richmond and up here in the D.C. suburbs, right? Let's go out here, let's go to Loudoun County. There are a couple including a very key state, Senate race out here in Loudoun County stretches into Fauquier County some House of Delegates races. Look at Youngkin, 44 to 55 seats. So you say wow, he got beat in the suburbs, but he only got beat there by 10 points, right, 11 points right there. [17:05:14] If you go to the presidential race in 2020 and look at that, Donald Trump got trounced. So, Glenn Youngkin think he has the formula to bring Republicans back, make them more competitive, maybe not when the suburbs, Wolf, but be more competitive. In places like Loudoun and in places like Henrico County down here just outside of Richmond, that's where the key legislative is, whether it's the House of Delegates or the State Senate, most of the key races are in the suburban area where Youngkin ran a lot stronger. You see there, that's a blowout, right? That's almost 30 points right there in the governor's race. If you come here back to 2021, excuse me, you come here you see Youngkin still getting beat but by not by a bigger margin. You can win on the margins, Republican performance in the suburbs. Can Glenn Youngkin sell the suburbs on a 15 week abortion restriction abortion ban? Call it what you will, that's what he's campaigning on. He's trying to recreate the abortion debate, it will be decided in the suburbs. BLITZER: Let's go to Ohio right now. Because there's a pair of very big ballot initiatives that people are looking at, including a constitutional amendment on the issue of abortion. KING: And again, the same issue the suburbs. So here's a blank map. The votes will come in later tonight, right? So a couple areas to watch. Not just Cleveland in the suburbs, but look how I stretch this out up to Lake County. Come over here Toledo in the suburbs, Columbus in the suburbs, Cincinnati in the suburbs. Now why do I do that? I want to come back to the 2020 presidential map, right? This is a red state. This is a state Donald Trump won quite comfortably. See, Cleveland up here but look up here, not just Cleveland in the suburbs around it. Again, the abortion issue, if you look at Kansas, a red state, if you look at Michigan, a blue to a purple state. When they had initiatives after the Dobbs decision, it was suburban voters, including a lot of Republicans said no, the Supreme Court went too far in abortion. Do the voters in a place like Lake County go that far? Let me take this off and bring this out. This is a county, look, Donald Trump lopsided, right? It's the suburbs, more affluent suburbs outside of Cleveland. What does this look like tonight on the abortion question? Again, the urban areas, the abortion rights forces need big turnout and Democratic strongholds, but they also need to make inroads in more traditional Republican areas. Suburbs, more exurban areas out here. That's what we'll be looking for. BLITZER: In Kentucky right now, let's take a look at Kentucky, the Governor Andy Beshear. He's got a tough race. What do you see? KING: So, again, sound like a broken record, but close elections in America are decided in the suburbs. And if you look here, and you look out here, right? Let's go back, so this is Daniel Cameron running. Let's look here, right? You go back to the presidential race here in 2020, you see, that's Donald Trump country, right? Even the Cincinnati suburbs, right? This is a big red state. Donald Trump won by such a lopsided margin. But here and here. Now look at Governor Beshear win in 2019. You go back to this -- you go back to this race here. You see this? Look at this, Andy Beshear won the suburbs south of Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky, the Cincinnati suburbs Andy Beshear won, out here, he won. Again, look at the blue in this map when Andy Beshear ran four years ago, look how different it is when Donald Trump went, Andy Beshear, a more moderate Democrat is competitive, more competitive in the suburbs than other Democrats, certainly more competitive than Joe Biden was, Wolf. And that is the question tonight. Is this a presidential electorate? Can he go back? Can he -- can Andy Beshear recreate his 2019 map, which was favorable to him? Or does it look more like a presidential map? If it looks more like a presidential map, then you will see Mr. Cameron as the next governor of Kentucky. Wolf. BLITZER: John King at the magic wall. It's going to be a long night for you. We'll stay in very close touch. Meanwhile, the very first exit polls are just coming into CNN right now. CNN's Political Director David Chalian is joining us right now. He has brand new numbers for us. So, so far, what are they telling us, David? DAVID CHALIAN, CNN POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Yes, these are preliminary exit polls, Wolf, out of Ohio. And just remember, this is a survey of voters who voted today, as well as voters who voted before Election Day, whether they voted early in person or by mail. All the voters are represented here. And in these early numbers, look at this, we asked should abortion be legal in all or most cases are illegal in all or most cases. And if you add up the 29 percent that say legal in all cases and the 33 percent of Ohio voters who say it should be legal in most cases, you see you are well over a majority of Ohio voters today say that abortion should be legal in all or most cases. We also asked about feelings about the Supreme Court overturning Roe v Wade. Look here, 18 percent of Ohio voters today say they're enthusiastic about the overturn, 17 percent satisfied, 21 percent dissatisfied 39 percent of voters in Ohio today, Wolf, say they're angry about Roe v Wade being overturned. You see where the passion is on this issue. And that's among all voters looking at it among female voters in Ohio today. And that anger number goes up to 45 percent of female voters in this Ohio election today are angry about the overturning of Roe v. Wade. We also asked, who do you trust to handle more, which party do you trust to handle the issue of abortion? Forty-nine percent say the Democratic Party, 42 percent say the Republican Party. These numbers look like the kind of numbers that the pro-abortion rights movement, those looking to get Issue 1 passed in Ohio and enshrine abortion rights into the Constitution, these are the numbers they've been looking for, and believe they're more likely on course for that than not. But these are early numbers, and we'll see when the votes get counted when they come in. [17:10:26] BLITZER: We certainly will. These are the first exit polls, there's going to be several more. David Chalian, thank you very, very much. COLLINS: And David makes a good point, Wolf, obviously, you know, these are early numbers, we'll wait to see what the numbers actually look like once the polls do close. But Margaret, when you look at this, and that third number that David showed there, feelings about SCOTUS, about the Supreme Court overturning Roe versus Wade, this was asked to female voters, and the number for the percentage that feels angry is still at 45 percent. It was at 48 percent in 2022. Clearly, that number has not changed much. MARGARET HOOVER, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: And then if you have the dissatisfied, you get 65 percent, right? This is the majority like a strong majority of people. By the way, if you also add all of the cases, and all of the people who believe abortion should be legal, at least in some cases, it's 85 percent of the exit polling results. So, not only has opinion not changed, it has Romaine -- it has remained robust in the column of women having the ability to choose their health care whether to have an abortion or not. That is, you know -- the messaging is just so clear. And the reflection as a Republican is that Republicans have not figured out how or why they are getting beat on this issue. They just haven't figured it out. So, I look forward to seeing just exactly how that shows up in the polls. GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, they haven't been able to move the needle from 2022. And, you know, the question we always ask him politics is, will this issue, will people feel as strongly about it a year from now as they did a year ago or will it fade? And looking at our numbers in 2022, you know, in -- people were angry 39 percent now, but 37 percent in 2022. Same thing. So, it has not faded. And you're right, Republicans haven't figured out how to get their arms around this and turn this case around for them. But maybe they can't. I don't know. JONAH GOLDBERG, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Yes. Look, I think if these numbers are accurate, I'm pretty skeptical, but early exit polls. COLLINS: Yes. It should be. It's an early -- BORGER: Yes, exactly. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They have an (inaudible) right now. BORGER: Yes, yes. GOLDBERG: I have reflexive burn reactions through, because I've been so scarred by that. But if these are actually reflective of where the actual final electorate is on this -- UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. GOLDBERG: -- this is a huge win for the pro-abortion rights crowd. I don't think there's any way you can interpret that otherwise. At the same time, I am -- first of all, again, I'm skeptical about all that. I do think that the thing that the Republicans are struggling with is that they did not have a post Roe plan -- UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. GOLDBERG: -- at all. And for most of our political lives, abortion was a better issue for Republicans for turning out voters and a better issue for Democrats for raising money, that now appears to have flipped and Republicans do not have a plan on the ground for how to deal with it. COLLINS: Even though they worked for decades to get what happened, achieve to get that. GOLDBERG: It's often very shocking when the dog catches the car. KAREN FINNEY, CNN POLITICAL CONTRIBUTOR: Car. OK. Yes. But during -- GOLDBERG: What does this do? FINNEY: -- the course of that time, having been involved with the reproductive rights movement, we were working very hard to understand the people that we call in the mushy middle, right, to move from. When I started at near all Fortress America as a board member, six in 10 Americans supported Roe v. Wade, it's now eight in 10 Americans. And as we've seen, that number is deepening. But I'll tell you the number on here that I find fascinating is the who would you trust more, that 49 percent, 42 percent. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. FINNEY: Because guess what? That's also the case in Virginia that -- the voters trust Democrats over Republicans on this issue. So, when this issue is front and center, it looks like Democrats as what could win. BORGER: Why isn't that margin larger? Why isn't that margin larger, though, given -- FINNEY: It's an early -- BORGER: -- for the rest of this -- COLLINS: And for those who are seeing, it's 49 percent Democratic Party, 42 percent for the Republican Party, when the question is asked, who do you -- FINNEY: Yes. COLLINS: -- trust more to handle abortion? JOHN AVLON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Look, as a card carrying centrist, I over subject to the phrase, the mushy middle, it's demeaning. FINNEY: Yes. OK. AVLON: But particularly on abortion -- FINNEY: Sorry. AVLON: -- I want to make a strong case here, the actually -- the old Clintonian formation, which was formulation, which was safe, legal and rare, between a woman, her doctor, her family and her God turns out to have been right in terms of a super majority of American support. This is one of many issues in which we should not have maximalist opinions driving the decision. And what I think most Americans understood was this was kind of rammed through the Supreme Court. All of a sudden, folks we had been saying for a long time, it was states rights. All of a sudden, Congress started pushing a national abortion ban contradicting that argument. And people were saying, well, you took away a freedom that I -- that had been plays for 50 years, it's a complex personal issue. But this is some trying to find a middle ground in preserving a right that had been taken away. And whether Republicans have any future of this issue, I guess that's what Nikki Haley and Glenn Youngkin are trying to carve out. But there's no question, if these polls are right, Republicans remain on the back foot. This will be the seventh election in which they have been repudiated on this issue since Roe. [17:15:19] BLITZER: And it's an important point, if these polls, Gloria, are right, it's a continuation of what we've seen ever since Roe v. Wade. BORGER: Right. Look, I mean, it's exactly the same almost if -- these are early, but the evidence is here, that people feel very strongly about this. And, you know, maybe the reason the Republicans have been able to find a way to get around it is that people are angry about it. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. BORGER: And it's not just women, it's women and men. And they, you know, they are the dog that caught the bus, right? Because there was no plan B unless you were listening to Mike Pence, you know, who said you have to outlawed federally, et cetera. That's not going to fly. So, what are Republicans do now, Donald Trump, we've heard him try and make like a real estate deal. Like, OK, well, maybe 15 weeks would be OK. But you know, this is an emotional issue, and you can't treat it like any other issue. So -- COLLINS: Yes, a lot of them are not sticking out clear positions on this. BORGER: No, they're not. HOOVER: There's a multiplicity of -- I mean, what Republicans said always was that what's happening now, federalism, is actually what the solution should be. Just let it go back to the states, let Ohio codify their constitution like Kansas, Kansas law. It just turns out that the party was just too fractured and too many fragments of it had much more extreme views and those are ascendance. BLITZER: Let me just remind, everyone, these are the early exit poles -- GOLDBERG: Yes. BLITZER: -- not the final numbers by any means. They will be coming up fairly soon. We'll see what those final numbers are. So what might today's elections tell us about 2024? We'll be back with our panel in just a moment. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [17:20:48] BLITZER: Back to our special coverage of Election Day in America. Tonight, state and local races will not only determined which political party will have control in the coming years, but it will also serve as tea leaves for 2024. President Biden and Donald Trump likely watching these contests very, very closely tonight. And let's talk a little bit, Gloria, if Democrats have a big night tonight, I assumed that this issue of abortion rights will presumably help them looking ahead. BORGER: Oh, yes. Yes. I think this issue of abortion rights is the wind at their back and it could be in a in a bunch of races. I think the question that's interesting to me is could somebody like Governor Beshear and Kentucky, who is a popular Democrat in a state where Joe Biden is unpopular, can he win? Can he manage to win and override those sort of negative coattails, right? And that is something that the Whitehouse will be looking at also, because, you know, if you're popular, does it matter if the president is unpopular? That's something they've got to really be considering. COLLINS: I don't even know if he has mentioned President Biden's name at all -- BORGER: Probably not. COLLINS: -- while he's been campaigning. It's not like they've appeared together. I mean, he has definitely tried to focus on just Kentucky and not at all focusing in trying to bring the President in the Democratic national politics. HOOVER: In fact major super PAC outside independent expenditure group. So spent loads of money on attack ads against Beshear tying him to Biden in favor of Daniel Cameron. That's just how much of a weight he has around a snack. AVLON: Beshear already defied political gravity once, right? I mean, he beat a Republican who was an unpopular incumbent governor in the middle of Trump's term. He comes -- you know, his father had previously been governor, so there's a certain brand name that makes him more of a local brand rather than a national political brand. But I'd say this race is one of the most fascinating ones to watch, because both these candidates are extraordinarily talented, whoever wins, I think will be a national figure. Because for Beshear, if he wins reelection in Kentucky, a state that Donald Trump won twice by, you know, more than 20 points, he will show that there's a red state Democratic connects with rural voters. That's a very big deal. If Daniel Cameron wins, he will not only be the first black Republican governor in Kentucky's history, but the first black Republican governor since Reconstruction. And that will be a national of national resonance as well. GOLDBERG: Yes, I agree it's going to be really interesting. Kentucky's also just what political scientists call weird. COLLINS: Technical term. GOLDBERG: I don't like to bring up all the jargon, but you know, Kentucky wasn't really a southern state, it's kind of demographically a Midwestern state, but Kentuckians consider themselves southern. AVLON: Kind of border state. GOLDBERG: It's a strange place. It's Appalachian, which again -- UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. GOLDBERG: -- is kind of strange. And the -- AVLON: Yes. GOLDBERG: And it's the one state where you have a McConnell machine and a Trump machine coexisting -- UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Together. GOLDBERG: -- in a very weird way. AVLON: Bluegrass and bourbon. GOLDBERG: And so you got this guy running on Kentucky first not mentioning Joe Biden. If Beshear wins, I don't know that Biden gets to say, oh, this speaks well of my chances in 2024. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. GOLDBERG: I just think it's just this weird thing going on over there. That was interesting. But it's not like Biden's going to have any chances of winning Kentucky -- UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Right. GOLDBERG: -- or any state, you know, like it. BORGER: No, but it shows that someone can win without him. Right? GOLDBERG: Yes. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Right, right. BORGER: And that's important for them to know since he's not exactly popular right now. GOLDBERG: Yes. BORGER: Yes. GOLDBERG: He did great substitute for Biden's running mate. FINNEY: I think we should give Beshear a little bit of credit. AVLON: Yes. FINNEY: He has 60 percent popularity. AVLON: Yes. BORGER: Yes. FINNEY: He's also running on a very strong record. I mean, he has, from what I understand, stayed very close to the electorate, visits rural Kentucky very frequently and often and has really -- people feel like he's really delivered. So, the, you know, pathway in a red state is also you have to stay connected to your voters. They've got to see you out and about and know that you are working for them and keep your race focused on those issues. COLLINS: But my question is also when you look at a state like Virginia where every legislator is up for reelection as we know because of how they changed the redistricting and pit some people in the same party against one another. When you look at how that has been brought and how Youngkin has instructed people to talk about abortion politics, that 15 week limit that he that he is seeking, how does that factor into if that is successful, if that does work for Republicans, what people look at compared to how Governor Youngkin has helped run that and how a former President Trump plays a role in 2024? [17:25:17] GOLDBERG: Yes, I mean, Virginia is really interesting because both parties have put real resources behind finding candidates who are more moderate -- COLLINS: Yes. GOLDBERG: -- more sort of in the middle electable. The Democrats put up a bunch of guys who have law enforcement or military background. Youngkin tried to find a whole bunch of mini knees who can sort of not scare suburban voters in Northern Virginia. And I mean, for the passionate centrist here, the future kind of lies in those kind of -- AVLON: Yes. GOLDBERG: -- moving the goalposts closer towards the center of American politics. And so it'll be interesting to read. I don't know that you can read -- the tea leaves are going to be all that interesting for 2024. You're going to have some House delegates. We're going to get elected with 20,000, 30,000 people voting and that's just not necessarily -- HOOVER: But what it does say about 2024, Jonah, and I think for the Republican side is if Youngkin takes the House and the Senate, this is seen as a massive victory for him. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. GOLDBERG: Sure. HOOVER: And that is a win for Republicans who are looking for somebody other than Donald Trump. GOLDBERG: Sure. HOOVER: Even if he doesn't get it, right? Even if he, you know, he's missed these filing deadlines, I think there is still a dream out there, particularly in the donor class -- UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. HOOVER: -- on the Republican side, that Youngkin, John said these things. GOLDBERG: They're lighting bode (ph) of candles nightly. HOOVER: They are. FINNEY: Yes. HOOVER: And regardless of how realistic that is, what it does is reflect that there really is still a significant portion of the Republican Party that hopes for something other than Donald Trump -- GOLDBERG: For sure. HOOVER: -- for the nomination. And so this will give steam -- this will put wind in those sails. BORGER: But you know, it's interesting because Donald Trump has been talking a little bit about what Youngkin have been talking about, right? A compromise of 15 weeks. Now, he's not talking about it in the same way that Youngkin is. But if I were looking at that, and I were Donald Trump, I'd be saying, oh, yes, well, maybe that's a good idea. Yes, maybe I'll do that. FINNEY: Yes. BORGER: And if I'd be looking at that and I were Joe Biden, I'd say, well, you know, yes, that was smart of Youngkin to do that. He'd be a tough competitor -- UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sure. BORGER: -- for me. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sure. FINNEY: Thankfully, the Republican rules will make it hard for Youngkin as I understand -- BORGER: Yes, yes. FINNEY: -- to get in the race. BORGER: Yes. FINNEY: Although there is a lot of hoping and praying. Look, I think the -- but you know, to your point, Youngkin has put a lot of his personal credibility on the line in this race. Many of the ads he ran were actually not about the candidates, they were about him. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right. FINNEY: So he really tied those candidates to him and his agenda. So, just as it could play very well for him, the flip side is we could see his decline afterwards if they lose. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. BLITZER: Let me ask you, what does it say to you that we didn't see the incumbent president out there on the campaign trail for some of these Democratic candidates? AVLON: It says those Democratic candidates didn't want the incumbent -- BORGER: Yes. AVLON: -- president on the campaign trail. I will say that we -- BLITZER: We didn't saw Trump out there on the campaign trail much either. AVLON: No, but you know, to win primaries, of course, you know, Republicans (inaudible). We -- he's tied up record. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. AVLON: We saw that, though, remember, even in Obama's first term, you know, a lot of Democratic candidates not wanting to be seen with him in 2009, 2010, 2011. And so, look, I do think all politics is local. Yes, I'll invoke Tip O'Neill. But if you look, statistically, the Virginia State House races do seem to be predictive. And the argument Youngkin's making has been interesting. He's been saying, look, elect Republicans so I can have people in the statehouse who will work with me, not against me. In a way it's an argument for functional government. COLLINS: All right, that's two Tip O'Neill reference. AVLON: Yes. COLLINS: It will mark that down on our white board. We'll keep counting them all night long as we wait for these polls to close. The big question right now is still will a right to an abortion become a part of the Constitution in Ohio. The Republican governor of that state is urging voters not to vote for that measure. He is here live next to explain why he thinks it goes too far. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [17:33:19] COLLINS: Ohio is now the seventh state where voters have had the chance to weigh in directly on the issue of abortion rights after the Supreme Court overturned Roe versus Wade. And all of the six previous states both red and blue, voters have chosen to protect a woman's right to get an abortion. I'm joined now by the governor of Ohio Republican Mike DeWine. Governor, thank you for being here. This issue on the ballot tonight is called Issue One it's about abortion rights. Do you believe it's going to pass or is it going to fail? GOV. MIKE DEWINE (R-OH): Well, I really don't know. I saw what your exit questions were and I watched you. So well I prefer to wait until we see what at what actually comes in. What I do know is that Issue One just goes much, much too far. It allows abortion at any point in the pregnancy. And that's, you know, if you break down where people are the majority of people in Ohio if you ask them, do you believe abortion should be able to occur late, late into the term? Most of them are going to say no. So, this goes much, much further than were, I think most Ohioans are. It also threatens -- COLLINS: But governor -- DEWINE: Sure. Go ahead. COLLINS: It also threatens what? DEWINE: I said if it threatens the parental consent law in Ohio. Ultimately this will be decided by a court. But parental consent law it threatens which basically requires a parent to be involved if a minor is making this very, very important decision. COLLINS: Well, let me start with your first point because you're saying it goes too far that it would allow these late term abortions, of course as you know as well as I do, only about 1 percent of abortions in the U.S. according to the CDC happen after 21 weeks but the language that's actually in this amendment it's pretty short and straightforward. It says abortion may be prohibited after fetal viability, which as you know, is generally determined to be around 23 to 24 weeks. So it does say you can prohibit it. [17:35:20] DEWINE: Oh, look, we've talked to constitutional scholars. There's an exception to that which you have to also know, if you're looking at the exception says, for the health of the mother, health of the mother has been defined extremely broadly by the United States Supreme Court, in the abortion case. And so the exception really takes over everything. And so it would allow an abortion, right up until the time of birth. And look, we have experienced with this in Ohio, we have a guy by the name of Martin Haskell who developed this partial birth abortion, he's the one who developed it, basically deliver the baby, kill the baby, deliver parts of the way, kill the baby and then deliver the rest of the baby. We outlawed that in Ohio. We outlawed it nationally for any case involving interstate commerce. But that would certainly be overturned, or very likely be overturned. This constitutional amendment was passed. COLLINS: You're talking about the health of the mother being broadly determined? I mean, that's a determination that's made by a doctor who they have a duty to follow medical science, did they not? DEWINE: It's made by the person at the Planned Parenthood clinic whose performs abortion after abortion every single day. COLLINS: But just a doctor. DEWINE: So that person is making that decision. Just let me finish, that person is making that decision. And they're the person who -- then there's no under this, this there's absolutely no appeal. You look at the language in this constitutional amendment. The state may not interfere directly, indirectly. And it goes on and on. And then it has this huge exception for the health of the mother. And look at the Supreme Court decision. That was handed down with a defined health of the mother. They define it as -- it could be a question of poverty, it could be a question of I have too many children. It could be any number of different things. That's what the United States Supreme Court said. And so in all likelihood, that's what we will end up with in Ohio. COLLINS: But Governor, this amendment is short, it's only about 200 words. It doesn't say anything about finances. And it also doesn't say anything about parental consent, something you just said would be threatened. But Republican attorney general in north state said nothing about parental consent is mentioned in this amendment. I mean, you can read it, it's quite short. DEWINE: Well, there's no doubt there's nothing mentioned about parental consent. I just explained it. If you go back, if you look at the language in the amendment, it talks about an individual. Look, these are very smart, ACLU lawyers who wrote this. They knew exactly what they were doing. If they want to say, only an adult and not a child, they would have used the word woman they didn't. They use the word, an individual. So it's clear what they were trying to do. This is a right for an individual. And it's clear, it's very clear that a court very well could art -- could come to the conclusion that a child, you know, has that individual right, and that would -- this is a constitutional amendment. This is not just a law. This is a constitutional amendment, that constitutional amendment, will trump any law that we have on the books if they're in direct conflict with each other? COLLINS: But Governor, I got to push back on what you said about the finances being considered when a doctor is considering the health of a mother who is considering having an abortion here. Can you name one instance, where that has ever happened? DEWINE: Look, all I know is what the United States Supreme Court said. And if you told me you you've read the same decision. And you know, it's an extremely broad. Look, even people who are pro-choice on this issue -- COLLINS: But has this ever been happened -- has that ever happened were someone got an abortion because they were citing their finances, governor. DEWINE: You will not let me finish. Look, the Supreme Court, the United States has defined this extremely broadly. And so it's very, very clear that even people who are pro-choice, who are in favor of Issue One, many of them will admit, yes, this will allow an abortion at anytime. COLLINS: Governor, my last question, if this amendment does what you say it does, if it goes too far, and you don't believe that voters should vote for it, why not just have the language of the amendment actually on the ballot because it's not actually on there. Instead, it's a summary from your Republican secretary of state when the amendment is quite brief and straightforward about what it does do. DEWINE: Look, everybody's had an opportunity to look at this. The thousands of these, hundreds of thousands of these copies have been made of this. People have had a chance to look at it. It's not a question of the language. It's a question of understanding with legal experts how this is going to be likely interpreted by courts in the in the future. [17:40:02] COLLINS: Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, we'll see what the voters decide tonight. Thank you for your time tonight. DEWINE: Thank you. BLITZER: Now we're going to get reaction to that and much more with our panel. And we're also waiting for some new exit polls as our election day coverage continues. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) BLITZER: Right now we're getting new exit polls in from Ohio. Let's go to CNN's political director David Chalian. He has these brand new numbers. David, so what are we hearing about who's fired up? Who fired up the voters more in Ohio? CHALIAN: Yes, it's a good question. We'll remember these are preliminary exit poll numbers. They could shift over the night as we get more information. And it's a survey of voters who voted both today in person as well as those who voted before Election Day, either by mail or at an early voting site. But we wanted to look at the different coalition. So look first, we asked folks, this is among the folks who voted yes on Issue One, the pro-abortion rights supporters in Ohio today. [17:45:08] Sixty three percent of those that voted yes are angry about the overturning of Roe v. Wade. And 48 percent you see hear of those who say that abortion should be legal in all cases. That's the plurality position there. Now contrast that, Wolf, with those who voted, no, these are the anti-abortion rights folks, the pro-life supporters who voted no on the issue today in Ohio. Thirty-nine percent feel enthusiastic about the overturning of Roe, Wolf, but that does not compare to that 63 percent who felt angry on the other side. And in terms of whether or not abortion should be illegal in most cases, you see, 56 percent of those who voted no on this issue today in Ohio, say that abortion should be illegal in most cases. It's just 24 percent who say that it should be illegal in all cases. So you see that the passion, the anger, the energy, that's on the side of the people voting yes today, the pro-abortion rights voters in Ohio, Wolf. BLITZER: Interesting numbers indeed. David Chalian, thank you very much. COLLINS: And Karen just to -- I want to make sure it's clear for everyone because this is confusing given we covered an issue one in Ohio not that long ago. FINNEY: Yes. COLLINS: The vote no on that was to raise the threshold of what it would require to add something to Ohio's constitution. FINNEY: Correct. COLLINS: Voting in the affirmative here is a vote for yes, for abortion rights. A vote no is a vote against adding and enshrining abortion rights into the constitution. FINNEY: Correct. COLLINS: What stands out to you from these numbers? FINNEY: I think what stands out to me is something we've been talking about tonight, which is the passion and the anger and the frustration is still very hot and people have not. And early on after Roe v. Wade was struck down, I think people thought, well, women will just, you know, they'll be OK. They'll be worried about their pocketbooks. Instead, again, it's about taking away a fundamental right, and particularly with younger voters who see this as an issue of freedom and bodily autonomy. I'll be interested to see the breakdown of who turned out in terms of the demographics because again, young voters have been very motivated on this issue. COLLINS: Yes. And these are just early numbers, we'll continue to monitor them. The first polls are about to close in just a few moments, some of the final predictions from our great political minds. That's next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [17:51:36] BLITZER: The first polls are closing in just a matter of a few minutes. Let's get back to our panel. And I want to ask everyone, Gloria, starting with you. What's the big thing you're looking forward to seeing tonight? BORGER: Well, obviously the one thing we're all looking for is how potent an issue of abortion still is after Dobbs. We've spent a lot of time talking about that. But I'm also going to look to see how strong the power of incumbency is. When you look in the state of Kentucky, Andy Beshear, popular Democrat in a ruby red state, can he survive? Can Glenn Youngkin do, even though he's not on the ballot, can he do what he wants to do, which is take credit for turning the legislature Republican? BORGER: You know, I think that's sort of an interesting side issue to all of this, which is how much of an advantage to incumbents have and that goes also in the state of Mississippi, where there's apparently a race and Tate Reeves has some problems, but he's the incumbent. So we'll see. BLITZER: What's the big thing you're watching for? AVLON: I mean, look, Tate Reeves got more than a few problems. But what I'm looking for is to see whether or not these two Democratic governors in the Deep South, one incumbent one challenger, Brandon Presley can pull it off. Because that is a really interesting sign about how our politics are actually more interesting and complex than we -- they seem to be when we do everything from a red state versus blue state predetermined lens. So that's something to look at. The other thing is that these elections are about more than just about abortion. My wife, corrected me, that's fair enough. But -- COLLINS: -- having a spouse at the table. AVLON: It's true. But, you know, if abortion -- if this exit polls are indicative what's happening in Ohio, it's going to be, you know, the third or fourth deep red state that has rejected attempts to clamp down on abortion rights. And I wonder if that given that Donald Trump created this Supreme Court that delivered that, if that's bad news for him, going forward, not a strength, but a profound weakness, given his sort of trying attempts to sort of make things more -- HOOVER: You did two things, you're supposed to do one thing. AVLON: You're right. Fair enough. HOOVER: So I'm doing them fast. First, I want to look at, I'm actually very curious to see how Glenn Youngkin does if he's able to deliver this one and then how that impacts the Republican field and the Republican nomination. The second thing I'm looking for is something none of us have talked about and it's so unsexy, but it's so important for 2024. I'm looking at how quickly and efficiently and how much integrity these elections and the process of counting these ballots has. If there are crickets, from all of these states that have administered fair elections with a high degree of confidence, we have had a merciful recess from the MAGA crowd that wants to instill doubt in our ability to administer free and fair elections. COLLINS: Karen and Jonah, I wonder what you made? I mean you just heard the Ohio governor's closing message on a major issue in his state, one of the biggest issues that people are watching tonight. I wonder what you made of that? GOLDBERG: Yes. So I actually agree with DeWine and I think you're all wrong in your rejection of his argument. I think immediately if this thing passes, it's going to go to courts, they're going to challenge every single restriction on abortion in the state and it's going to be a court challenge for a very long time. People need to remember, look, I mean I think the abortion is that again, I'm so skeptical of these exit polls, so skeptical, but if they are right, that's going to pass and but you got to remember, you know, Ohio is a state that Trump won by what, eight. And DeWine won by 25. This idea that all of the wind is on the back on liberals because of this one singular abortion issue I think belies the fact that our politics are a lot more complicated than they may seem. [17:55:05] COLLINS: So you're skeptical that it is powerful before us continuing in every way. GOLDBERG: No. I think it's a really powerful force. I don't think we're going to learn how Joe Biden is going to beat Donald Trump from these elections. I think this stuff is going to be forgotten in 10 days, Donald Trump is going to start sit, you know, talking in court, like an escape monkey from a cocaine study. And we'll all forget about all of this stuff. FINNEY: So I'm going to look I'm looking at the demographics of what the breakdown of the turnout is, and all of these places, what are black voters doing? What are Latino voters doing? What are suburban white women doing? I think that's going to -- and what are young voters doing? That, well, if there's a level of enthusiasm, that's going to tell us a lot about whether or not what we have to do to keep them turning back out in 2024. How about that? That was less than a minute. One thing John, one. GOLDBERG: The date of collection in this race is going to be really important, but that's just not visible. FINNEY: Yes. BLITZER: We're all going to be watching this very closely. Kaitlan, my pleasure being with you, thank you very much. COLLINS: Of course, Wolf, always good to be by your side. BLITZER: And that's it for us tonight. Keep it right here for continuing live coverage throughout the night as the results come in. America's choice, election night in America with Jake Tapper and Erin Burnett begins in just a moment. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) CNN Live Event/Special Aired November 07, 2023 - 18:00 ET THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [18:00:19] ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST: Right now, voters are casting ballots in key races across the country and giving us an early read on what they're thinking as the nation is heading into an unprecedented presidential election year that could test American democracy as it's never been tested before. This is CNN's coverage of America's Choice 2023. I'm Erin Burnett. JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: And I'm Jake Tapper. We are about to get the first results of the night, possible clues about the political trends in 2024 and the potentially historic and divisive rematch between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. Polling places just closed in the eastern half of Kentucky. The commonwealth has one of two governor's races tonight, new measure of the Democrat's strengths and weaknesses on Republican turf. Popular Democratic Governor Andy Beshear is fighting to keep his job in Kentucky, where President Biden is very unpopular. Beshear is facing a strong challenge from Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron, who is aiming to be Kentucky's first black governor. And in Mississippi, Democrat Brandon Presley, Presley, that's right, a second cousin of Elvis, he's facing off against Republican Governor Tate Reeves. Presley is running an unusually competitive race in a state that has had GOP governors for 20 years. Now, Virginia has one of the most consequential battles tonight. Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin is hoping his party will win full control of the Virginia legislature for the first time in a decade. And that would open the door to passing his conservative education agenda and new abortion restrictions in the commonwealth, which trends blue in presidential elections. In red-leaning Ohio, we're watching a very significant test of that abortion issue and its potential impact in 2024. Ohioans are deciding whether to guarantee access to an abortion in the state's Constitution. And that vote could continue or end an unbroken series of ballot victories for abortion rights supporters ever since Roe v. Wade was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court. Also tonight, we're going to release an exclusive new CNN poll on the 2024 presidential race with just two months to go before the leadoff Republican contest in Iowa. There is so much more ahead as more polling places close and as we stand by for the first results from parts of Kentucky, where voting just ended. But right now, let's go to Eva McKend at Governor Beshear's headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky. Eva, what's the thinking inside the Beshear camp right now? EVA MCKEND, CNN NATIONAL POLITICS REPORTER: Well, Jake, we know that the governor is currently in Frankfurt at the governor's mansion, watching at least some of the returns with his family. What I can say is that Democrats feel cautiously optimistic going into tonight. They feel confident in the strategy that the governor has employed, and that really has been straying away from partisanship. He has overseen natural disasters in the states, tragedies, the pandemic. And all the while, he's really branded himself as part of Team Kentucky and says that Kentuckians many policy issues they can agree on. But Republicans here have always said that the math is always going to be challenging for Beshear in this ruby red state. We know that Jefferson County will be an important county to watch. In 2019, Beshear did very well there, capturing it by over 100,000 votes, only to do well again tonight if he's going to pull off this victory in this red state. Jake? TAPPER: All right, Eva McKend in Louisville, Kentucky. Let's go to Kyung Lah in Columbus, Ohio. She's tracking the state's abortion rights ballot measure. Kyung, has there been last minute campaigning on this issue? KYUNG LAH, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's still happening. As we are speaking, Jake, there's 90 minutes left on the clock and both sides of this issue. It is known here as issue one, say that they are continuing to make the call, say, hit those undecideds, to still try to persuade to the very, very last minute and to get people to the polls because the polls don't close until 7:30. I'm hearing that from both sides. They believe that it is going to be the defining issue of '23 leading into '24. What they are expecting here, I am at a pro issue one event. And what they expect is that as those first returns start to come in tonight, it will be favorable for them, favorable for the abortion choice rights group, on enshrining those abortion rights into the state Constitution. [18:05:07] But what they're really cautioning people about is that it's those early votes that come in first that are counted and those tend to lean to the Democrats. And so as the night goes on, those numbers are going to start to shift as other parts of the state come in. And the question will be, quote, where do we land? That is what we are hearing from one of the activists here at this event. They are encouraged by the turnout, though, Jake. The question is where is that turnout, who are those voters and will it be for the groups that are supporting issue one, and a real trust of this Democratic theory on abortion. TAPPER: All right. Kyung Lah in Columbus, Ohio, we'll come back to you a lot of times throughout the night. Thanks so much. And I am at the magic wall right now with who else but John King, John, we're expecting a lot of very tight races tonight. What are you going to keep your eye out for? JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Let's start by looking at -- we have our very first votes. We have our very first votes in in the Kentucky governor's race, and as Kyung just noted, it's early in the night. What matters is later tonight. But we'll count them all as they come in. The incumbent Democrat, Andy Beshear, with the very narrow 12-vote early lead in just this one county out here. But what are we looking for tonight? Whether it's the abortion initiative in Ohio, whether it's the legislative races in Virginia, whether it's this race right here in Kentucky, the suburbs, and can abortion right forces continue their momentum? If they do, then Democrats perform well in the suburbs, or that ballot initiative will perform well in the suburbs, and they come out on top. If not, Virginia, you mentioned, Governor Youngkin trying to sell a compromise, 15 weeks with exceptions for rape, incest, life of mother. He thinks that's a way to not maybe win the suburbs, but to compete more strongly in the suburbs. Donald Trump, the Republican Party, collapsed in the suburbs under Trump. Youngkin thinks he has a way back. So, we're going to start here. These are the first votes. As you noted, this is a Democratic incumbent running in a very red state. Here's the test. Is the Beshear brand stronger than the Biden drag? Because Biden is so unpopular in this state. So, let's look at this map. Look at when Donald Trump ran for president in Kentucky. This was not close. This is a red, red, red state, right? Look at the margin here. But look up here, and look over here and look out here, right? Just watch that. Lexington County -- this is Jefferson County, where Louisville is, Fayette County, where Lexington is. 25 percent of the population lives there. That's where your African-American Democratic base is. Beshear has to run it up there. But when he won in 2019, Jake, look at that. See the blue? See all that blue in places Trump won? Andy Beshear, as Eva was noting, runs as a guy from Kentucky, as a centrist Democrat, as one of you, as your governor, his dad was governor. The family has a brand there that has been able to survive big Republican tides. Can he do it tonight when the president of the United States is so unpopular? If he does, see those suburbs? That's Cincinnati, the Northern Ohio suburbs out here, the further out. But he also competes in rural areas. This is one of the few Democrats, the Kansas governor would be another, one who compete in the rural areas right here as you watch him come out. So now let's come back and let's come live. Let me clear this out. We have some early votes in Mississippi as well. But let's pull this back out and take a look. That's 2019. Let's come up here. Make sure we look at the right map. See, we're starting to fill him in. Daniel Cameron now has the lead. It was 112 for Andy Beshear. Now it's 773 for the Attorney General, Mr. Cameron. But, again, very early on, population centers are where you see the big cities. But this is why election nights are great. We start to get the votes. We count them. And this part of the state, the polls are still open. It's divided by the Eastern and Central Time zone. So, we got a long way to go, but we're starting to get votes. TAPPER: And Beshear is -- for those who are not familiar, he's the son, as you noted, of a former very popular Democratic governor who is close with Mitch McConnell, the very powerful Republican Senate leader. Andy Beshear also who casts himself as I'm the guy that makes the trains run on time. I'm the guy who gets disaster relief after we're hit by tornadoes. I'm not a culture warrior. I'm just a good governance governor. KING: Pragmatic, centrist Democrat. We got through COVID together. I get you through natural disasters. You know me. You know my family. You know I care most about Kentucky. Running against this is -- Mitch McConnell has a great relationship with Andy Beshear, has a great relationship with his father. But this is a former McConnell staffer. This is a McConnell protege, Daniel Cameron. He would be, as you noted, the first black governor of Kentucky. He'd also be the first elected black governor in the United States. Mitch McConnell views him as the potential face of a post-Trump Republican Party. And yet, because this state is so Trumpy, what is Daniel Cameron touting in his ads? Trump's endorsement. And so he's the future in some ways, but his success in this election could be tied to Trump as well, promoting the endorsements. TAPPER: First elected black Republican governor. KING: Republican governor. TAPPER: Yes, yes, absolutely. Dana Bash? DANA BASH, CNN HOST: Thanks, Jake and John. Look, this is a night that we are going to be looking at with all of the states and the districts inside of Virginia to see where the electorate is right now, one year out from 2024. We've been looking at polls. We have been talking to voters and listening to focus groups. But this is really going to be a moment where the voters are going to give us some breadcrumbs about what they want and what they don't want. [18:10:02] ABBY PHILLIP, CNN HOST: Yes, and as these off-year elections often are, they try to really distill some of the political chaos. And I think probably this year feels even more chaotic than in many past years because of all of the different factors that are coming into play. It's the economy, it's abortion, it's the unpopularity of the incumbent. It's the unpopularity of the leader of the other party, the Republican Party, Donald Trump. But I do think that it is interesting that now for the second cycle in a row, we are seeing abortion playing such a central role in some of these key states in places where you would not expect it, basically in the south. And the fact that that is the case in and of itself, I think, tells you a lot about how unsettled this electorate is, how this is not where this issue seems to have always been, where Republicans have felt like they could run on it pretty safely and not had to worry about electoral consequences. That's really changed. So, we'll see how that goes. But Biden is on the ballot in these states, Trump is on the ballot in these states as well, Trumpism. And those are all of the themes that are going to carry us into the next year. I think it might give us some clarity. But as we all often do, we just have to caution, there's still a long way between now and even next year. So, these breadcrumbs might lead us to next November, but a lot of things could happen that could disrupt that path. KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN HOST: But they definitely will. Well, that's why, I mean, I love Election Day, because we've been looking at the polls, we've been talking to voters, but when you actually get to see what they decide, that really is the most revealing and can give you a snapshot. It's not a prediction for what's going to happen next year. At this point, before the 2020 election, COVID had not even happened yet. So, you truly have no idea. But it is interesting to see, is abortion politics still fueling voters the way that we've seen it happen, since after the Supreme Court overturned Roe versus Wade. I mean, in Ohio, it will be fascinating there. We just spoke to the governor of Ohio. He's a Republican. He's urging Republican voters, all voters, to not vote for that issue that would enshrine abortion rights in Ohio's Constitution. But in our early exit polls, and they're early, it is still seeing voters who have, you know, a lot of anger, at least women voters, when it comes to the issue of abortion. BASH: And in Virginia, the governor who's not on the ballot, Glenn Youngkin, is trying to get Republican control over the legislature by taking the abortion issue on head-on in a way that we haven't seen Republicans do, certainly didn't in the midterms. KASIE HUNT, CNN HOST: Well, I mean, what's going on with Glenn Youngkin in Virginia is, frankly, what I'm obsessed with tonight. I mean, it's the storyline that I feel like has got the most engagement kind of across the board on all the issues. Obviously, in Ohio, abortion is critical as well. But is Glenn Youngkin giving Republicans a roadmap to run in places, you know, where people don't like Donald Trump? Can he succeed in doing that? Can he be out front? Can Republicans run on abortion? He's giving them a potential roadmap. It's unclear to me whether or not voters are going to go for it. But, you know, I will say the one thing, I've been talking to sources this morning, and the most interesting feedback I've sort of started to get, especially from Democrats, is that they are picking up that the electorate is just, one person used the word torched in an email to me, right? They are over it. They are exhausted. They are like, everything is weighing down on people, whether it's the war in the Middle East, whether it's inflation, whether it's all of that, they're just exhausted. BASH: And usually that means bad news for an incumbent or the incumbent party, but it's so mixed up right now because of where the parties are in these various, let's just focus on today, in these various states. PHILLIP: But we've seen that exhaustion before. We saw it in 2020, we saw it in 2022, where in our exit polls going into both of those cycles, voters told us they didn't like either party, they didn't like either incumbent, they were dissatisfied with the direction of their political leaders, and yet that was not necessarily predictive of voters voting in any one way or another. So, it's an important feature these days, especially of the electorate, but how that will land is, I think, still very unclear. HUNT: Abortion is very emotional, right? And that's a key test here. Is that emotion still there? BASH: A lot to talk about and we have all night to do it as we see the votes come in. HUNT: We have better company, Dana. BASH: Back out to Jake. BURNETT: At any moment, we expect more votes to drop in the high stakes Kentucky governor's race, and we're counting down to our first possible chance to make projections tonight. There is much more ahead on CNN's special coverage of America's Choice 2023. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [18:18:31] TAPPER: Welcome back. And I have a key race alert for you from the commonwealth of Kentucky. If you look, the votes are coming in from the eastern part of Kentucky and Attorney General Daniel Cameron, the Republican, who is challenging the incumbent Democrat. Daniel Cameron is 814 votes ahead. He is 57.2 percent of the vote. The incumbent Democratic governor, Andy Beshear, has 42.7 percent of the vote. We don't even know what percentage of the vote this is going to represent because the polls are still open in the western part of the state. This is just a little bit of the vote in, just a little shaving of it. But this is the vote that we have in as of right now. Let's go to Mississippi now, another governor's race where a Democrat named Presley is hoping to shake up the governor's race and unseat the Republican governor there, Tate Reeves. Dianne Gallagher is covering all the action. She is in Jackson, Mississippi. And, Dianne, the king, Elvis, is he actually playing any sort of role in this race? DIANNE GALLAGHER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I can tell you that the Democratic candidate, Brandon Presley, has not shied away from mentioning his very famous second cousin. But what they say they're paying attention to more is exactly what you see here in Jackson right now. These lines that are sort of snaking around the New Jerusalem Baptist Church polling place that we're in at the moment. [18:20:03] And part of that is because for the first time since 1890, voting for governor in Mississippi will be determined only by the popular vote. They amended the state Constitution to reform the way that all statewide officials, including governors, are elected under the old system candidates had to win a majority of the popular vote and a majority of statehouse districts. Now, voting rights groups as well as Democrats have long said that that old process will -- that it diluted black voters and Mississippi has the highest percentage of black residents in the nation. Now, look, Presley says that he has a diverse Coalition of supporters that range from the Tennessee border all the way to the gulf shores. But I will tell you, Jake, that Democrats are watching here in Jackson, as well as the Delta area, very closely, saying they feel like black turnout could give them an indicator of whether or not the Democrat could potentially pull off an upset. TAPPER: All right. Dianne Gallagher in Jackson, Mississippi, thanks so much. We're getting some new exit poll information out of Ohio right now. And this is obviously a bellwether looking ahead to the 2024 election. David Chalian has those numbers. David? DAVID CHALIAN, CNN POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Jake, as you know, Ohio has been leaning red of late in presidential politics, but we took this opportunity in our exit poll to get a sense of those showing up to vote in Ohio today what they think about President Biden and Donald Trump. President Biden's approval rating in the Buckeye State, 41 percent of the voters today participating in this election, those who also voted earlier represented in this exit poll, 41 percent approve, 57 percent disapprove. That's about what Biden's average is nationally. Then we asked folks, should Joe Biden be running for president? Look at these results. Nearly three quarters of voters in Ohio today say, no, Joe Biden should not be running for re-election. Only 26 percent of Ohio voters say he should. Donald Trump is not popular either, but his numbers are a bit better than the president's, 64 percent, nearly two-thirds of Ohio voters to say, Trump should not be running for president. About a third say, he should. Clearly, this is not a matchup Ohioans are looking for. And when it comes to the issue of abortion, again, these early exit polls do indicate we asked whether or not abortion should be legal in all cases. Most cases, look at the top two figures there, Jake, if you add up 33 percent and 29 percent, more than six in ten voters in Ohio today say abortion should be legal in most or all cases. That is a robust turnout of the pro-abortion rights movement, which as you know, abortion rights very much on the ballot there in Ohio, Jake. TAPPER: Yep, absolutely. David Chalian, thank you so much. Let me throw it to Erin Burnett in New York. Erin? BURNETT: All right, Jake. And, you know, looking at these exit polls, Audie, I think one thing interesting. You see a shift, not just that people care about this issue. But if you look at Ohio, right, as David was just saying, you add up people who think it should be legal, abortion should be legal in some or most cases, 62 percent. That was 51 percent in the year 2020. So, you've seen actually a real and definitive shift in the electorate just in the past few years. AUDIE CORNISH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I think one of the things people should sort of keep an eye on over the next couple of months is how have both Democrats and Republicans altered their messages around abortion rights in the aftermath of the midterm elections. In the case of the Ohio ballot, it specifically mentions not just abortion but about contraceptives, about other decisions related to a woman's body. And I think framed around the issue of would you want all these rights taken away and also abortion, it's a very different question and could explain some of the numbers we're seeing. But it's one of the things I'm keeping on the rest of the night. BURNETT: And fascinating, David, because when you look at it, it's very clear where voters stand on this issue. And in Ohio, it's not that you're looking through this issue to get a lens on how people voted on a candidate, right? These are the issues that are actually on the ballot tonight, Abortion. DAVID URBAN, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Listen, Audie nail that, right? It's how it's being talked about, right? So, Republicans blew it in 2020, in the past, instead of saying, would you would you vote to codify Roe versus Wade, right? That's how it should have been presented, right? Because if you'd say where you vote to codify Roe versus Wade, people would say, well, sure, we'd do that, right? That's not how it was presented, right? You know, Republicans went and said, this is the state's rights issue. Let's states do it. And then as soon as that happened, they said, wait, we don't want -- we want to take it away from the states. We want a federal ban. And -- CORNISH: Or the state, they said, we want a little more. URBAN: We want more and more and more, we want to ban it. So, Republicans got burned last time. And now they're trying to walk it back a little bit. You see Glenn Youngkin messaging a little differently, right? We'll see how it works tonight. But Audie said, you know, she nailed it, Democrats are onto something. You're going to see they're going to keep expanding that beachhead, right, on this issue. And we'll see if it continues to be salient tonight. ALYSSA FARAH GRIFFIN, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: And, listen, this was largely a hypothetical debate the issue around life and abortion rights when Roe was the law of the land. That fundamentally changed under Dobbs. And you've seen how positions have -- I have not seen a policy position move so rapidly on the right, the most pro-life, consistently pro-life Republican members now saying they would support 15 weeks, when it used to be we want to throw a Roe on the ass sheep of history. [18:25:12] That is because they are hearing from voters. Ohio was a red state. You know, Trump won at 53 to Joe Biden 45. BURNETT: Right. It used be like you can get to the White House on Ohio but it became a red state. GRIFFIN: It's very much a red state but this is an -- these exit polls mark kind of the national polling, which is about 69 percent of Americans favor some access to abortion. BURNETT: All right. So, David, if you look through it, though, and you say, okay, look, through abortion and is it a penumbra, as one would say, if you're going to look at abortion -- I'm just looking at -- DAVID AXELROD, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: (INAUDIBLE) something back from back in the days with these fancy words. URBAN: Your leather-bound books. BURNETT: Trying to see what it is what we can see through this. AXELROD: Yes. BURNETT: Interesting in these same exit polls, you know, you see people -- they -- should Biden be running in 2024 in Ohio, 72 percent no, should Trump be running, 64 percent no. AXELROD: Yes. BURNETT: So, there's great dissatisfaction with both, in fact, more for Biden, if you look at it in this exit poll, even as the view on abortion itself is very clear. AXELROD: Yes. Well, I think people are separating the question. We'll see how it plays out in 2024. But, you know, we've had 40 -- I think 40 elections this year of different sorts around the country. In 38 of the 40, Democratic turnout was way elevated and I think this has a lot to do with it. And you see it playing out tonight not just in Ohio but Andy Beshear's race has largely been attacking Cameron on abortion. And to Audie's point, you see his response has been to try and shift the discussion to parental consent. And you see Republicans doing that. They're searching for a way to fight back. But it is a powerful engine right now for Democratic turnout. VAN JONES, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: No. I mean, look, basically, what you're seeing is abortion is the car the Republicans are the dogs that caught the car, now they're getting backed over, just keep backing over them backing over them backing over them because they went too far. And I think the only thing I think that's interesting tonight is that you do have something that's the equivalent of a woolly mammoth or a dodo bird, which is a pro-choice Democrat in Mississippi, Presley, the cool guy, versus a crook in Mississippi. And actually in that state, somebody who's a pro-choice person may actually elevate themselves. But across the board, I think the Republicans went too far. KATE BEDINGFIELD, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: You know, and I think this is actually also an issue that opens up. It gives a little bit of a message opening for Democrats on other issues, too. Because what you've seen as a Democratic message about Republicans taking away your rights, taking away your freedoms, that's really resonated. We see in this polling people feel threatened specifically on abortion. But that also opens up credibility on other issues. And so especially as Democrats are grappling with Joe Biden's lack of popularity in Ohio, for example, this gives them an opening to say, this is not just about reproductive health. This is also about a broader agenda to take away your rights. And so I think as Democrats are looking for ways to expand this beyond just abortion, that's one way to do it. BURNETT: Yes, it could be used as an issue that could help Biden, where obviously, when you look at these approval numbers and people wanting him to run, obviously struggling. All right, all staying with us through the night, and all of you, please stay with us, because we are getting closer to the end of all voting in both Kentucky and Virginia. We've got some new results coming in. And Dana going to be speaking live with the Virginia governor, Glenn Youngkin, about the Republicans fight for control of the General Assembly, and, of course, the ongoing speculation about his a political future. We'll be back in a moment. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [18:32:57] TAPPER: And we're back with our live coverage of America's Choice 2023. And you're looking at live pictures of folks voting in Mississippi where a heated governor's race is unfolding. But now let's go to the battle for control of the legislature in the commonwealth of Virginia. Jessica Dean is following that. She's in Richmond. Jessica, what is the Republican's strategy as they try to flip Democratic seats? JESSICA DEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Jake, it's three-pronged and, Jake, some of it might surprise people based on what we've heard from former President Donald Trump and other Republicans. I spoke to a source close to the Youngkin operation, and they said they've really applied three key things here. Number one, aggressively encourage early voting and vote by mail. That's what's different than a lot of Republicans over the last several years. Travel into deep blue parts of the state and also just keep Youngkin on a very consistent message. And that has been what they've tried to do again and again as they seek to flip the Senate, the state Senate here, which is currently held by Democrats. Now, I'm where the Democrats are going to gather tonight. Of course, they are hoping to do the opposite. But Youngkin and his team have really put a tremendous amount of resources, Jake, and expanding early voting for Republicans, and encouraging early voting and vote by mail for Republicans. So, we'll see if that actually works to their benefit here. Democrats, of course, have a large advantage because their voters have been used to doing that, and he wants to obviously push an abortion ban that would be 15 weeks with the exception for life of the mother, incest and rape. And that's something that Senate Democrats foiled for him that says, part of his agenda that he'd like to get through. Jake? TAPPER: All right. Jessica Dean, thanks so much. Dana? BASH: Thanks, Jake. And now, let's hear directly from the Virginian governor about what's at stake tonight, Governor Glenn Youngkin. Thank you so much for being here. You are not on the ballot. You are hoping, though, as Jessica was reporting, that you can win tonight so that you have a Republican- controlled legislature across the board. [18:35:05] How are -- you've been out campaigning a lot. How are you feeling about what's happening on the ground? GOV. GLENN YOUNGKIN (R-VA): Well, Dana, first of all, thank you for having me, and I feel great. And it's based on the fact that I think we've had a great campaign by so many of our great candidates. And it really reflects a great 22 months in the commonwealth of Virginia. We've delivered on every promise that we made. And today, we see Virginia at the top of job growth, number three in the nation over the last 22 months when we started out in the bottom third of job growth, 230,000 more Virginians working today than when we started. We've delivered $5 billion of tax relief during this time period and we promised Virginians we'd go to work to get the cost of living down in Virginia. And that's a track record that I think Virginians are going to the polls today. And I invite them to hopefully extend our license to lead, help us keep our house, and flip our Senate so that we can do even more. BASH: So, you mentioned a lot of economic issues. One of the other issues that you have been and your allies have been pushing hard is the issue of abortion. And one of the most fascinating things about your strategy, Governor, has been the way that you are taking what a lot of Republicans in the midterms ran away from the issue of abortion and trying to address it in a way that a lot of strong anti-abortion groups were hoping. For example, as you talked about, I know, today, saying that it is a 15-week limit, not using the word ban, and, of course, with exceptions after 15 weeks. Is your hope that not only that helps in Virginia, but that you're providing a roadmap for other Republicans? YOUNGKIN: Dana, abortion is one of the toughest issues in Virginia, and it's one of the toughest issues around the country. And as we presented our strategy and what we will absolutely deliver for Virginians, we wanted to be really clear that I support a bill to protect life at 15 weeks when a baby feels pain, at a time when exceptions can be made in the case of rape and incest and the mother's life is at risk. And I think this is a really important point because where the other side has been is to extend abortion all the way up through and including birth, paid for with taxpayer money. And so that was way too extreme for Virginians. And I think it was really important for folks to understand that this is a choice between no limits and reasonable limits. And across Virginia, while I know abortion is an important topic, the number one topic that I hear over and over again is how the Biden economy is making life so difficult. Nearly 60 percent of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck, inflation is stealing their hard earned money. They're worried about jobs. And that's why I do believe that if we can come to a common place on abortion, we, of course, can bring to Virginians a reduced cost of living, tax relief, great jobs, excellence in education, safe communities, and that's what people want. BASH: Yes. And I just want to say that you mentioned that a lot of Democrats want abortion up until birth, even in Virginia, yes, there are, it allows right now -- the current law allows for doctors to consult for very, very limited situations. But I want to turn to what this might mean for next year, for 2024. Donald Trump, he is still far and away the leader in the Republican primary. He endorsed you for governor back in 2021. Are you ready to return the favor, endorse him? YOUNGKIN: Well, of course, we are laser-focused on 2023. And, Dana, I'd say that I think there's still about 20 or 25 minutes left for Virginians to come out and vote, and I'd encourage them, please come out and vote and make your voice heard. Send me a team into Richmond that can work with me, not fight against me. We can get a lot done. BASH: And after the polls close, are you going to endorse? YOUNGKIN: And, Dana, after polls close, I'm not going to endorse anyone. I think that voters should choose who the nominee is, and then, of course, I will support the Republican nominee. BASH: Are you going to get in at all, any chance in 2024? YOUNGKIN: Dana, I've been asked this so much, so many times over the course of the last year. I'm humbled by it. I'm focused on Virginia. We've got a lot of work to do. And I think tonight we're going to demonstrate that the work that we've been doing has been not only appreciated by Virginians but they're willing to give us our majority back in our House and help us flip the Senate so we can do even more. This is so important for Virginians, and I think it's important for the nation to demonstrate that we, in fact, can take a state that just 24 months ago was completely controlled by Democrats. And with common sense policies, we can turn the direction and take it from falling behind to leading. And that's one of the most important things I think we can demonstrate today and going forward. BASH: Thank you, Governor, I didn't hear a no there. Didn't hear a yes, but didn't hear a no. Governor, thank you so much. I appreciate your time tonight. [18:40:00] Jake? TAPPER: Thanks, Dana. And as the governor noted, we are just a few minutes away. We're closing in on the first votes from Virginia where polling places are closing at the top of the hour. We're also getting closer to unveiling CNN's new 2024 presidential poll and what it reveals about a potential Biden-Trump rematch. It's all coming up as voters are casting ballots across the nation. Stay with us. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) TAPPER: Welcome back. We have a key race alert for you now in the Kentucky governor's race. If you look, Attorney General Daniel Cameron, a Republican, is 814 votes ahead. He leads right now with 3 percent of the vote in. He's at 51 percent. The incumbent Democratic governor, Andy Beshear, is at 49 percent. A lot of votes still to be counted. In fact, a lot of polls are still open there. Let's walk over to the magic wall, where we can talk to John King about some of the results coming in from Kentucky as well as what he's seeing in the great state of Ohio. John? [18:45:08] KING: So, let's start with Kentucky. You made the key point. It's 3 percent of the estimated vote. So we got a long way to go in the count. TAPPER: Yeah, a lot of counties. KING: And this part of the state, the Central Time zone, part of Kentucky, is still voting for another, oh, 15, 16 minutes. But we love to count votes. And so you have a very close race so far. We expect a very competitive race here throughout the night. Not much to make of what we see so far, except that the votes are starting to come in. I say that because if you look here, Jefferson County, where Louisville is, Fayette County, where Frankfort is, then you start moving over here, Paducah, Owensboro, Bowling Green, about 25 percent of the state population lives in Jefferson and Fayette right there. So there's no votes in from the biggest population centers. If you look at the other dots on the map, that gets you over 30 percent of the population. So we have a long way to go here. But what are we watching for? Number one, you know, here and here is where the governor, the Democrat, Andy Beshear, the incumbent, needs to run it up. Those are your African-American base, your Democratic party, the close in suburbs that have become so Democratic. He asks where he needs to run it up. But Andy Beshear, family brand -- we talked about this earlier, family name very well known in the state, has a unique brand. Can he overcome the Biden drag? We'll see that in the suburbs as it plays out. You mentioned Ohio. Polls closed there at the top of the hour. It's a ballot initiative on the map there. So, obviously, it's an empty map right now. Here's the question you know, should the Ohio constitution have a constitutional right to abortion right? And so what are we going to look for? Remember, Kansas sent the first shock wave here after the Dobbs decision. Ruby red Kansas said, whoa, Supreme Court went too far. A lot of Republicans said Supreme Court went too far. Republicans looking to ban abortion, you're going too far. That's what Kansas said. Will another red state say that? If you look at the 2020 results here, the presidential race, you know, Donald Trump won this state by eight points. It is a red state, pockets of blue. You see them around Cleveland. But here's what I'm looking for. Oops, sorry about that. You go to come to Lake County, right? A more conservative suburb outside north of Cleveland, up along the lake. Some of the suburbs here around Toledo. And the more exurban areas as you move out that Donald Trump carried. That's what we want to watch tonight. You know, in the Democratic blue areas, the abortion rights forces are going to win. The question is, as we saw in Kansas, as we saw in Michigan, do more conservative Republican suburbs and exurbs say no, Supreme Court, you went too far down? Dana was just talking about the implications of this in Virginia. A lot -- we'll get a lot of clues tonight about voters in a blue state presidential level. But a Republican governor of Virginia, in a very red state here in Ohio are Republicans, especially Republicans in the suburbs and the exurbs saying, whoa, that went too far. TAPPER: Yeah, we've seen six states go in the abortion rights direction in since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. And three of them are Republican. We've seen Kentucky, we've seen Kansas and we've seen Montana, all go in that direction. Straight ahead, critical round of poll closings. We are standing by for results when all voting ends in the commonwealths of Kentucky and Virginia. Tonight's contests are teeing up the 2024 election as we're about to release CNN's exclusive new poll on President Biden, former President Trump and the 2024 presidential race. First, we're going to squeeze in this quick break. Stay with us. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [18:52:17] TAPPER: And we have another key race for you alert in the commonwealth of Kentucky, looking at the governor's race there, and Andy Beshear, the incumbent Democratic governor has pulled ahead as the votes have come in. He is now almost 20,000 votes ahead. Governor Beshear has 58.2 percent of the vote. The Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron has 41 percent, 41.8 percent of the vote. That's what 8 percent of the estimated vote in, still a lot of votes to count. We're standing by for the last polling places to close in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Voting is also about to end in Virginia, where we are following a very consequential battle. GOP Governor Glenn Youngkin and his party are hoping that Republicans can win full control of the Virginia general assembly, the House of Delegates. That would clear the way for Youngkin to advance his conservative education agenda as well as his proposed restoring actions on abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Virginia's off year elections are often seen as bellwethers of bigger presidential battles ahead. As we close in on the end of voting in Kentucky and Virginia in this year, let's check back in with Eva McKend, who is covering the governor's race in Kentucky. She's in Louisville. Eva, what are you hearing from Democrats about what is driving their votes. MCKEND: Yeah, Jake, what has been remarkable to see is abortion really served as a base motivator for Democrats here in Kentucky. We met voters that are really fired up about this issue. And it's not that these Democratic voters in places like Fayette and Jefferson County wouldn't have already been inclined to support Democratic Governor Andy Beshear. It's that this really got them to pay attention to this off year election. And that is so vital at a time when only about half of the state's registered voters are expected to participate. That is why we saw Governor Beshear center this so much. He has this searing ad that played featuring a young woman who is the victim of sexual assault as a way to illustrate that Republicans, many of them in this state, including historically Daniel Cameron, do not accept exceptions for rape and incest. And that is actually the current law here. So we've seen this become a hugely galvanized rising issue for Democrats here. We have to see now by how much and if this is going to be the issue that brings the governor over the edge here, Jake. TAPPER: All right. Eva McKend in Louisville, Kentucky, thanks so much. Let's go to Ohio now where we find Kyung Lah. Big abortion rights, referendum on the ballot there. And, Kyung, what are activists on both sides of this issue expecting this evening? [18:55:03] LAH: What they are expecting this evening is that it is going to be very, very close. That's what I've heard from both sides, that they expect that the early initial returns because the early vote will be counted first. And it tends to favor Democrats that it will favor the pro-Issue 1 advocates, enshrining abortion rights into the constitution. But as the night wears on, it will be a question of whether that lead can hold. That will be the big question. If it does, what we are hearing from the Issue 1 advocates, the pro-abortion forces, what they are saying is that there will have been one message that will be tested here in Ohio and will have rung true. It is that the government needs to stay out of the personal lives of voters. That was the message that they pushed all along. They are very aware this is a Republican controlled state, that they need Republicans and independents, libertarians to come out and support this measure. If they are successful, that is the message that will win here -- Jake. TAPPER: All right. Kyung Lah in Columbus, Ohio, thanks so much. And I'm back here at the magic wall with John King. And, John, we saw Governor Beshear, the Democratic incumbent, jump ahead as the votes came in. Where did this new batch of votes come from? KING: And it went from a very close race to what is a healthy lead right now with only 10 percent of the vote. So everybody stay with us as we go. But how did that happen? Well, last time you were here, I was saying the major population centers, we had nothing. And now we do have Jefferson County. By far, it's more than 17 percent of the state population. So we finally got some votes in there, still only 16. But you see, this is the -- this is number one. Your Democratic African-American base number two, you're close in suburbs which have trended Democratic. The question for Governor Beshear is, can he keep them? Can he keep them in this election? Right now at 76 percent. When he won election four years ago, he was at 67 percent in Jefferson County. So at the moment, he's over- performing. If he stays near that number, he'll be reelected. But again, 16, largely early votes, they tend to be Democratic mail in ballots and things. So let's wait and go through. But he's doing what he needs to do so far. That's Jefferson County there. And then you come over here to Fayette County, where Lexington is. Again, it's your second largest county in the state. He's running at 80. If you go back four years ago, I think he was in the high 60s. Let's go back and take a look, 66 percent four years ago. And he beat an unpopular incumbent governor four years ago. But so -- if you're Andy Beshear and you're looking at this now, you're above if he stays there, game over. But again, it's 20 percent of the vote. And these tend to be what you get the mail in early ballots, which tend to be Democratic. But if you are him, you're meeting your metrics. If there's one place you're worried about, but it's only 20 percent of the vote, Campbell County up here, Cincinnati, Ohio. These are suburbs in northern Kentucky. They're essentially the Cincinnati suburbs. Andy Beshear won this last time. Donald Trump won it in 2020. It's only 2 percent of the state population. But if you're always looking in a rematch, an incumbent running again can he match his map last time? This is a county he did win last time. So we'll keep an eye on that. If he keeps running up the margins like he is in Louisville and Lexington at the moment, he could offset that. But you're at 11. So we have a long way to go. But Governor Beshear is grateful to see the big early margins in the population centers. TAPPER: Can I see how he did four years ago up there in those Cincinnati suburbs? KING: Yeah, sure. So if you come here for Andy Beshear, carried these suburbs. He carried them both. If you look at Campbell county here and you look at come over here, come back this way, why are we stuck? Well, let me come out and see. All right. There we go. Campbell and Kenton there. That time it came up. Sometimes she plays tricks on you. You see Andy Beshear just barely, right? Just barely. But if you look at -- you come to the 2020 presidential race, Donald Trump won one these quite healthy. So that that has been the Beshear brand. He can compete in traditionally Republican areas. The question is, can he keep that going tonight as you're heading into 2024, as you have the incumbent president as a Democrat underwater, he just flipped it. See, if you stay at the magic wall long enough. Now, you're up to 32 percent and he flipped it. So that's why we say that's -- that's for me fun. I know partisans at home don't find this fun when things are jumping around. TAPPER: Do you like the voters to have a -- KING: Yeah, it's just this is why live on election night while you're standing here things can change, and while this is the most important number. That's significant. You're meeting your early metrics. If you're Andy Beshear at the moment, you're happy. But you also know you have a long way to go in a very, very competitive state. TAPPER: So if you're Daniel Cameron, what are the areas that you're looking for to drive up count? Obviously, you want to eat into Beshear's count in the population centers, but what are some places you really want to drive up your vote? KING: So you pick a rural county here, right? You come out to the more rural areas, 30 percent of the vote in. So this we're having a hypothetical conversation. We need that number to get higher. But he's at 59 percent right there right now. And you see the number. There's an off year election. It's not going to match presidential turnout. But you want the juice this up. Look at the presidential race in these counties when you come in here now, right? Donald Trump gets 80 percent, 81 percent, right? Daniel Cameron needs to track Trump. If Andy Beshear is running strong in Fayette and Jefferson in the Democratic areas, and if he's close to where he was four years ago, even in the suburbs, then Daniel Cameron essentially has to in the rural areas, track Trump. But this is this has been Andy Beshear's gift. If you -- if you look at go back to the 2019 race, right, this is Andy Beshear in 2019. See all this blue? See all this blue out here? This is a Democrat governor in a very red state, running strong. Now try to find it. When you look at the presidential race, Joe Biden only won two counties. Joe Biden won two counties in Kentucky. Andy Beshear, when he ran for governor, won a boatload, because of the brand, the family name. CNN Live Event/Special Aired November 07, 2023 - 19:00 ET THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. [19:00:01] The question is, Jake, can he come close to matching this? JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: All right, John King. All voting -- all voting is about to end in Kentucky and in Virginia, Kentucky's Democratic Governor Andy Beshear is seeking reelection in and CNN is saying that it is too early to call. The polls closed at 7:00 p.m. and it is too early to call the governor's race in Kentucky. We're also going to say that in Virginia, it is too early to call the general assembly. No surprise, the polls just closed. It is too early to call the general assembly. That is a ferocious battle going on right now. Let's walk over to the panel and we'll talk with Abby and Dana and Kaitlan and Kasie about what's going on. I have to say, the Glenn Youngkin interview was really interesting. One of the things that's so fascinating is he is trying to steer a path for the Republican Party that is a non-MAGA path. He had a boot camp. He picked ten candidates in divisive primaries and conventions. He went ten for ten. He took them to this boot camp that he had the debate coach. He tried to encourage them to accept that Joe Biden won the 2020 election, which would be something that you would think he wouldn't have to get people to agree to. And they're all very, very conservative. I'm not saying that they're moderates, but they are not MAGA candidates per se. DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, and that's, of course, if you look at any of the ads that the Democrats are running, that is the template that all of these Republicans are MAGA candidates. What I and maybe I'm misreading this, I'd love to get everybody else's take. What I thought was really interesting is despite the fact that Youngkin is leaning in and having the candidates lean into this notion of if you elect a Republican full legislature, we will pass a 15-week limit, not a ban, but a limit on abortion. When I asked him about how things are going, he talked all about the economy, not about abortion. When I asked him about abortion, he talked about it, and then turned to the economy. He's -- I don't know what that says about what he's seeing. KASIE HUNT, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: It's very clear that he is in the final days trying to look at this and say, oh, I got to change the subject. Like, we'll see how the results play out. But if you read how his body language is shaping up, it's going to be a rough night. ABBY PHILLIP, CNN HOST: He also described it as an issue that they can get to a compromise on, to move on and talk to other things. That's a really interesting way of framing it, almost as if it's like, let's just put -- put aside these controversial issues that are basically the third rail of politics and have been for some time. So that we can get to the stuff that I think we're on more solid footing on. And I'm not sure that's really going to work because as we've been discussing, this is a front of mind issue for voters, for Democratic voters, certainly, but for a lot of more moderate voters, particularly women who actually are very open to republic policies. But on this issue, they have been coming out in state after state and they have been saying we do not want to go this far. I would be curious. I mean, I'm curious to see about a 15-week abortion ban with even with the exceptions that they've laid out, because a lot of voters have not really wanted the government to even go there, even if they personally believe that abortion should not happen. BASH: It is an interesting test case because they're playing in the suburbs on that very issue. KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN CHIEF CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, and I think part of the line is being blurred on when we talk to candidates about how many weeks of an abortion ban that they would support. I think right now, where voters seem to be and tonight will be really revealing to see where they are in 2023 is just hearing abortion ban period makes people think of the fact that in some states there are near-total bans on these abortions. Virginia is one of the last southern states where there isn't a near- total ban. And I think part of the question has been was he wise to introduce this 15 week idea that he's been pushing is more moderate, calling it a limit? It's still a ban after 15 rebranding, even though they're changing the language on it. The question is how do voters respond to that? And was it wise for him to go and to push this? Is it a successful route? I don't think it's totally clear. TAPPER: The other thing is, whatever he wants, whatever Governor Youngkin wants to call it and whatever the candidates he's picked are now agreeing to, the Democrats get to say what they want to say, too. And for those of us who don't change the channel, when the commercials come on, that's all the Democrats are talking about in the state legislative races that all the Democratic ads are about abortion, 100 percent. This Republican delegate can idiot this Republican state Senate candidate is going to ban abortion, period. Full stop. That's entirely what Democratic candidates, at least in northern Virginia, what they're running on. [19:05:05] PHILLIP: The problem is that if you are going to try to carve a non- MAGA path for the Republican Party, you have to give the base something. And that's, I think, why Youngkin has ended up in this place on abortion. They have to offer the base something on this issue that is a bedrock of modern day Republican politics. That's -- a 15- week abortion ban is actually not a very Trumpy thing, but it is central to the Republican base. And I think this is why this is a test. If you take Trumpism, and election denialism out of the picture, can you do enough to motivate a Republican leaning voters to get them out to the polls and bring in more moderates? We'll find out. But that is what he is testing right now. But, you know, it's interesting. BASH: You know, it's interesting you say it's MAGA. And I think this is a little bit of a Rorschach test because. Yes, if you are very, very conservative on the issue of abortion, you could say, okay, it's pretty good. It's at least there's a there's a ban or a limit, whatever you want to call it, starting at the second trimester. What he's trying to do is appeal to suburban women or people who are looking at the abortion issue and saying, you know what? I don't think that there should be abortion allowed in an unlimited way. But they also don't think that there should be a total ban. They're trying to find the word he used was compromised. I don't know if it exists. HUNT: The fall -- the fall of Roe versus Wade was an absolute political disaster for Republicans. It just was. It was an absolute political disaster. They have to figure out how to grapple with it. Glenn Youngkin wants to have a national profile. All the ads he aired in Virginia, they were not about these individual candidates. They were about Glenn Youngkin, right? He fronted this. This was supposed to be the springboard for his whatever he's going to do next on the national stage, whether that's now or in however many years. And it's really looking like it didn't work. And I mean, to Abby's point, he is caught between a Republican base that cares deeply about this issue and the realities of trying to win voters in the suburbs. I mean, this is why Democrats have been doing so well. TAPPER: And it's not just the suburbs of Virginia, as we've seen. It's the voters in the suburbs in Kansas. HUNT: Kansas City and in Columbus. TAPPER: And Kentucky. We're going to see what happens in Ohio tonight, in Montana, to the truth of the matter is, is that there are a lot of Republicans throughout the country, including in red states that do not approve of Roe v. Wade being overturned. HUNT: A smart Republican also mentioned to me that this is going to be on the ballot in Arizona in 2024, which is a critical swing state. COLLINS: It'll be on the ballot in a lot of states if it's successful. HUNT: Arizona being a very, very important swing state. TAPPER: More votes ahead as we're on the brink of getting the first results on that. Abortion rights ballot measure in Ohio and we're moments away from revealing the results of CNN's exclusive new 2024 presidential poll. I know what it says. Don't you want to know? It includes a new snapshot of Biden versus Trump one year before the potential rematch. That's after this break. You're going to have to stick around to find out. Stay with us. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [19:11:37] ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST: And we have a key race alert in the state of Kentucky. Polls are closed there. This race tightening just a bit as the results start to come in. Obviously, Andy Beshear, the Democratic incumbent, is ahead right now 58.2 percent of the votes so far. Daniel Cameron, the GOP, the GOP challenger, current attorney general right now, at 41.8 percent. And as you can see, just over 20 percent of the votes are in already. So that is the key race alert there as those votes start to come in and counting just tightening a little bit in these past few moments. All polls, of course, now closed in the state of Kentucky. And as we are watching that state, a crucial one tonight. We're getting our first look at the results from CNN's new 2024 presidential poll. Our political director, David Chalian, is here with the very first of this. And we're going to be going through this, David, through the night, because there is a lot of substance in this poll. Let's start with what you see as the biggest headline here. DAVID CHALIAN, CNN POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Yeah, Erin, there is a lot in this poll. And again, this is a poll. It's a snapshot in time. It's a year out, but it is instructive as it sets the stage. Take a look at the horse race here between Donald Trump and Joe Biden. You see that Donald Trump has a narrow lead among registered voters, 49 percent to 45 percent. That's just outside the margin of error. I want to show you some key groups that were critical to Joe Biden's election as president in 2020. And they are not at the level of support that he needs them to be. Take a look here at independents. You see 45 percent Trump, 41 percent Biden. That was a Biden-plus 13 group in the 2020 election. These are registered voters. It's a poll comparing to actual voters in 2020, but instructive. Take a look at Black voters, 73, Biden to 23 Trump in our poll. That's a 50 point lead, except Joe Biden three years ago won Black voters by 75 points in that election. Latino voters basically dead even here, 50. Biden, 46 percent Trump. That was a group Joe Biden won by 33 points. And look at young voters. They are -- they are deadlocked, 47 percent Biden, 48 percent Trump. That was a very strong Biden group. He won them by roughly 24 points, just three years ago. Some key attributes the key qualities of the candidates, the strong qualities here for Joe Biden. Respect the rule of law, 51 percent of our poll respondents say that applies to Joe Biden. Only 35 percent say that that applies to Donald Trump. Honest and trustworthy. You see that Joe Biden best Donald Trump by nine percentage points on that score. Flip it to Donald Trump's strongest attributes, an effective world leader. He is 12 points ahead of Biden on that score, 48 percent to 36. And has the necessary stamina and sharpness to serve as president only 25 percent of our poll respondents a quarter say that is true of Joe Biden. Double that 53 percent say that is true of Donald Trump. And just in terms of motivation, Erin, we are seeing in our poll that Republican and Republican leaning independent voters, 71 percent of them extremely motivated to vote, 61 percent of Democrats and Democratic leaners say so. That's an enthusiasm advantage. And finally, neither one of these candidates are popular with the American public. [19:15:01] Look at their favorable numbers. Joe Biden is at 36 percent favorable, 59 percent unfavorable. Donald Trump's at 38 percent favorable, 56 percent unfavorable. And when we look at those who say an unfavorable opinion of both of them, Donald Trump is actually winning them in this poll by nine points. And he did win that group back in 2016 of what we call the double haters, those that didn't like Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. That was part of his path to the White House in 2016. Here he is also winning with the so-called double haters, Erin. BURNETT: The double haters, the double negative, turning out to be a positive for him. All right. Thank you very much, David Chalian. All right. And as I said, there's so much substance here. Let's get straight to our panel to go through what David just shared. So, Kate, obviously, you know the president well. You've spent a lot of time with him. This is obviously a grim poll for him on every front. But I want to highlight one thing David Chalian just said. When you break it down by independents, Black voters, women and young voters, 18 to 34 right now, Trump is winning by one point call that a dead heat. Biden won it by 24 points last time around. That's a stunning slide. KATE BEDINGFIELD, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yeah, look, I mean, this is not a good poll for Joe Biden. The best thing in this poll for Joe Biden is the date on it, which is November 7th, 2023, and not 2024. It's not a great poll. However, there are things here that I think give him a pathway, show a pathway for him. So, he obviously has a lot of work to do with some of the core components of the Biden coalition, including voters of color, including young voters. But we're seeing in results as they're coming in tonight, there is incredible enthusiasm and energy for the Democratic position on issues like abortion. We know that there's enthusiasm on issues like climate. There are issues that speak to young voters where Biden and the Democrats have an opportunity to draw a really strong contrast. So no question that he has his work laid out for him. No question the campaign knows that. I know from talking to folks on the campaign, they certainly don't have their head in the sand on this. But I think given what we see here about people's faith in Biden as somebody who's honest and trustworthy, which gives you a credibility opening, people are open to hearing from you if they believe that you're truthful. And then on these issues that we're actually seeing play out in real time in elections where we know Biden and Democrats have, the more popular. BURNETT: So can you hit your horse to an abortion issue or something. Van, okay, but drilling down here. Kate touching on some of these issues with young voters, independents, Black voters, Latino voters -- Latino voters, Biden's winning 50-46. He won it by 33 points last time around. Black voters, 73 to 23. Biden won by 75 last time, and won one point there to go a little bit deeper among Black men, Trump actually wins by three points in this poll, 49 to 46. VAN JONES, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yeah, shocking, shocking. First of all, overall, the Biden-Harris coalition could be called the Humpty Dumpty coalition right now, just falling apart, just falling apart. The Latino vote on the ground, the youth vote on the ground, the Black vote on the ground. This is -- this is not good. Now, there is a year to turn it around. The Black male, that's a stunner. Black women have been in the lead, but Black men haven't been that far behind. I think you've got a constituency that is losing hope and looking for change. There is a lot of the things that Black men were voting for didn't happen yet. Nothing yet on voting rights, nothing yet on police reform, nothing yet on criminal justice reform. So, a lot of those issues that were important for Black male voters haven't been addressed yet, and the economic pain is real. The last thing I'll say is a lot of Black male voters are non-college working folks. And some of the stuff that is non-college working, that's working for white working class guys can also work for Black working class guys. But you can't just expect for Black men to stand in long lines or Black women to stand in long lines, get nothing done on policy specifically to them, and then stay in this coalition. BURNETT: Alyssa, there's also the reality of some of these points that David just went through respects the rule of law. Okay? Biden crushes Trump on that honest and trustworthy. He does better, but only by nine points. Effective world leader, Trump significantly better than Biden. ALYSSA FARAH GRIFFIN, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: This stood out to me. BURNETT: Forty-eight percent think that Trump is an effective world leader, as opposed to Joe Biden's 36 percent. Now, I traveled with President Trump. You know, to some degree, a president is victim of circumstance as Joe Biden is governing at a time Israel and Hamas are at war. Ukraine is at war. He's dealing with a world that feels like it's on fire. But I -- my caution to the Biden folks is I think these numbers actually only risk going down for him. Progressives on the left are not where Joe Biden is with Israel. Now, granted, I'm much closer as a Republican voter to where Joe Biden's been on Israel, but most Republicans are not going to flip from Republican position on it. So I think that that's what I'd be keeping my eye on. But at a time when whether it's China and Taiwan that Trump is seen as a more effective world leader is stunning. And it was a big part of the campaign message. We are going to be democracy. We're going to be the party of democracy. We're going to rebuild the NATO coalition, and we're going to lead on the world stage. [19:20:02] And that's just not translating to voters. DAVID AXELROD, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: You don't think -- you don't think -- you don't think they pulled Kim Jong Un, do you? Listen, I just want to say one thing about the thing that nobody's discussed here. I mean, Kate said the best thing about this poll is the date. I think the best thing probably is that Trump is terribly unpopular and therefore deeply vulnerable himself at the end of the day. But the date that people are looking at is the date on the president. And that is reflected in this poll. And that's the hard part, because it's a hard thing. You can fight on issues. And I think Democrats have the high ground on issues and you're going to see it perhaps tonight in the results in these elections. We don't know yet, but it sure feels that way. But how you deal with that and it becomes a strength issue. I mean, I'm stunned, honestly, by the effect of, you know, leader in the world, because Joe Biden has shown great leadership. He should be given strength points and they're not giving them to him. DAVID URBAN, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yeah, real quickly, I was going to say, the one question here, the whole race comes down to this question, has a stamina and sharpness to serve effectively as president. That's the race. That's the race. And, Kate, to your point, 25, one year from now, that's not getting any better. That's going to get worse. You can't fix that. BEDINGFIELD: But part of what Trump is benefiting from here on all of this is sort of receding to the background, which is a crazy thing to say about Donald Trump. But it's true. It's true when Donald Trump is front and center and he is making all sorts of bombastic, crazy statements every day, it will feel like more of a contrast. That's what that's what's not reflected in this poll. BURNETT: Audie, quickly. AUDIE CORNISH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I think you have a point. Trump is just not on stage. So it's easy to have hazy memories about what he is actually -- URBAN: Stamina, stamina. (CROSSTALK) CORNISH: And I don't think stamina is going to improve either. BURNETT: I'll stay with because as I said, we've gone through a little bit of this and there's a lot more to talk about and we are just minutes away from the end of voting in Ohio, crucial new test of voter sentiment on abortion. These issues that the group is talking about here, how it may play into 2024. Those results, plus a vote there also on legalizing marijuana, all ahead. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [19:25:59] TAPPER: And we have another key race alert for you when it comes to the Kentucky governor's race. With 32 percent of the vote in, Democratic incumbent Governor Andy Beshear remains in first place. He is 61,384 votes ahead with. 56.3 percent of the vote over his Republican challenger, the attorney general of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Daniel Cameron, who has 43.7 percent of the vote. That's with about a third of the vote in right now. We are also closing in on the first results from Ohio, where voting ends just minutes from now at 7:30 eastern. In one of the most closely watched contests tonight, voters in red leaning Ohio are deciding whether to amend the Ohio state constitution to establish in that Constitution a right to an abortion. A yes vote would make Ohio the seventh state where voters backed abortion rights since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year. This is an important task of this issue for Democrats who are making abortion rights central to their message in 2024. Ohioans are also making a choice on whether to become the 24th state in the United States to legalize recreational marijuana use for adults. With just minutes to go before voting ends in Ohio, let's go over to John King, who has more on the vote in Kentucky. So, John, Governor Beshear is maintaining his lead. I am wondering how much of this is just because of the early voting and how much of this is because of the vote that is coming in is coming from population centers that are generally Democratic? KING: It's all the above in the sense that you do have votes coming in Jefferson County, by far, 17 percent of the population, the largest county, the most Democratic county, he's at 70 percent there. Only 22 percent of the vote. And so, you know, let's see if Cameron can in -- come the early votes tend to be counted first. They have been for years disproportionately Democratic. We don't know if that's the case tonight, but they have been. So you're looking at the two largest counties, Jefferson and now Fayette here, Lexington and the suburbs around it, and Andy Beshear in the votes counted so far is more than meeting his metrics. This is up to 84 percent of the estimated. So if he stays above 70 percent here, as this plays out that's a very strong Democratic turnout. The number -- the number we got to look at the math, compare the math to turnout off year election. But it's a governor's race. Here's your question, though. Right? So you see all the gray down here, that means we have no votes, right. So let's let me draw a line. We have a lot of gray over here. Let's just come through this and do this all the way across the state. Nothing there, right? Many of these are small rural counties, so there's not a lot of math. But let's just go back in time to 2020. Let's go to the presidential race. That's Trump country, right? That's Trump country. So we'll conservatives vote for Daniel Cameron, and will they turn out not in presidential numbers. That's not going to happen even in a governor's race. But can they can they get turnout in those counties? So we don't know the answer to that question yet. So we have to wait to see, number one, how big are Cameron's margins by percentages? But number two, the math, because you need just like when Trump does in competitive states, this is not a competitive state presidentially, but in a competitive state. Republicans need to run it up in the rural areas, not just with their percentages, but with math to offset the big urban areas that are going overwhelmingly so far for Andy Beshear. But again, only 22 percent here, Cameron, the state attorney general, one of the questions Andy Beshear is incredibly popular with the Democratic base, a big African-American base in Louisville and in the Lexington and the Frankfort area. Can Daniel Cameron, the Black attorney general, cut into that at all? He's been on the statewide ballot before, so it's an interesting question when you have two people who have won statewide running against each other. But at the moment, the governor is more than meeting his metrics. We talked earlier about the Cincinnati suburbs up here. This is more rural, more exurban. I mean, over here, Campbell County, you come to Kenton County here, Covington, if you've ever flown into Cincinnati, that's your airport is actually in Kentucky. You drive across the bridge. Andy Beshear has talked a lot about that bridge, right? Yes he worked with Joe Biden on that bridge, but he also worked with Mitch McConnell on that bridge. TAPPER: Right. KING: He has talked a lot about this bridge right here, saying I get things done. [19:30:01] That's not -- that's not a Democratic bridge. It's not a Republican bridge. I get things done. So the question is, can he sell that brand in what is a tough climate? David Chalian was just going through the poll about Joe Biden. If Joe Biden's numbers are that bad nationally, imagine what they are in the state of Kentucky, right? And so, Jake, part of the challenge is can the popular incumbent Democrat governor sell his personal brand and overcome what in Kentucky would fairly be the Biden drag? We'll see. TAPPER: All right, John King, thanks so much. And we are just moment away from the end of voting in Ohio. And we have a key race alert for you. It is too early to call on a constitutional right to abortion in the state of Ohio. Voters there going to the polls to decide whether or not to enshrine abortion rights in the Ohio state constitution. Let us go to CNN's Jeff Zeleny right now. He's in Miami. That is the site of tomorrow's Republican presidential debate, the third. Jeff, how closely are the Republican candidates for following tonight's results, especially on this contentious issue of abortion rights? JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, Jake, the Republican candidates and in fact, leaders across the Republican Party are watching these results very carefully on abortion, particularly in Virginia and Ohio, even a Supreme Court race in Pennsylvania. And here is why -- they are mindful of the landmines that abortion created for the Republican Party in the 2022 midterm elections. For decades, of course, abortion was a motivating factor, more on the Republican side. That changed dramatically after the Supreme Court decision in the Dobbs case. So Democrats, of course, are holding this out as one of their top opportunities, they believe, to fire up their own voters. So the candidates are watching this very carefully and there are some differences between the Republican candidates, as we will hear at the debate tomorrow night here in Miami. Nikki Haley, for example, the former South Carolina governor, the former U.N. ambassador, has struck more of a middle ground. That has really helped her earn some support in suburban areas with some suburban voters. Even Donald Trump, the former president, has said privately to advisers that he believes abortion is a losing issue. So he does not stress that very much at all. Of course, here in Florida, the governor, Ron DeSantis, he has signed a six-week ban. But, Jake, this is why it matters at a 30,000-foot view as Republicans try and win control of the Senate, hold control of the House and win back the White House, abortion could be front and center as well. It could also be on the ballot in places like Arizona, here in Florida, even in Missouri. So the outcome of the abortion measures tonight certainly will play a huge role in our politics for the next year -- Jake. TAPPER: All right. Jeff Zeleny in Miami, Florida, thank you so much. Really appreciate it. You know, the idea that Donald Trump is trying to avoid this when with the exception of Mitch McConnell, there is no one person more responsible for the overturning of Roe v. Wade more than Donald Trump is just remarkable. He is the one who appointed those three justices who were the key votes, who overturned Roe v. Wade. PHILLIP: He created a list of judges based on -- TAPPER: He didn't create it. PHILLIP: He didn't create it. He endorsed a list of judges based on largely their view on this issue. He picked from that list, as he promised, was able to appoint three Supreme Court justices. But don't forget, Donald Trump, before he was running for president as a Republican, was actually a pro-choice Democrat on this issue. So I don't think that a lot of Republicans, if you know his history, are totally surprised by that. He's also in some ways very politically astute about what works for him politically and he sees what we all saw in 2022, which is that this is not an issue that worked for Republicans. Even Republicans who were playing in these races who saw what was happening day to day, they thought that they were on good footing. And then election night came and it didn't turn out that way. So Trump is seeing that and he's looking out for Trump and a lot of these Republicans on the right who supported him, the Susan B. Anthony List and others are frankly furious with him about how he's positioned himself. But the reason he's not backing off is because he's looking forward to 2024 and he doesn't think. TAPPER: Let me just interrupt for one second, because if anyone on home who caught me peering over there, we have we have some votes coming in. We have 2 percent of the vote in from Ohio. And again, this is just a small fraction of the votes in. But the constitutional right to abortion is taken an early lead with 78.8, well, now it's 75.8 percent saying yes, 24.2 percent saying no. That's a 59,819 vote lead. Again, that's just 3 percent of the vote in. We have a lot of votes to count out of Ohio, but that is some raw numbers that we have. BASH: Yeah. And in the other referenda that we've seen, it's been about 58, 59 percent in favor of abortion rights. [19:35:06] And that's one of the things that's really interesting about Ohio is to see if it's going to be the same. And remember, there was an earlier attempt to raise the threshold, to make it above 60 percent in order for this to go through, which failed. And that just gives you a sense of how the people in Ohio who are against this, who are anti- abortion, understand even in a red state, which effectively Ohio is, it's not totally it's pretty it's pretty red. Sherrod Brown doesn't want to hear that, but it's on the presidential level. It has been for several cycles. And so, as you said, now it's 3 percent and it's very, very early. But not only will the total be interesting, but the final percentage. COLLINS: I also think the way they're messaging it is so interesting to me. The amendment is about 200 words. It's very straightforward and it's really easy to read. It's not actually on the ballot. Instead, it's a summary by the Republican secretary of state who is pushing that, raising the threshold in August, which failed fabulously. And so, we were talking to the Ohio governor earlier about this and if they think that it's just the amendment itself, the constitutional right to an abortion in Ohio's constitution is what voters should vote against, that language is not actually in the ballot. And instead, they've talked about late term abortions being allowed, even though, of course, the CDC says only fewer than 1 percent of people in the us get a late term abortion. They've talked about parental rights, even though the Republican attorney general in the state has said there's no mention of parental rights in this amendment. So the messaging on this has been really confusing. And so I do think it'll be interesting to see what the takeaway is from voters and how close the margin is, regardless of which way they vote. HUNT: I think the fundamental thing here, all of the language, the messaging is confusing. There's a lot of numbers thrown around 15 weeks, six weeks that the other thing, the fall of Dobbs just created this fundamental difference in reality, where Republicans are no longer galvanized by this issue the way they were because they won the fight. So they've kind of laid down their arms a little bit. The voters, I mean, the groups have not, but they have a much harder time galvanizing voters to get out on this, the same way Democrats had trouble convincing people that, no, they really did actually have to work harder to protect Roe versus Wade. The Democrats now have all the cards on this. And fear is an incredibly motivating force in politics as much as we don't want it to be. And Democrats are more afraid right now than Republicans are. PHILLIP: And look, I think there is there is a difference. I keep talking to Republicans about their referendum on abortion. There's a difference for a lot of voters in what they personally believe and what they want to see in the law in their particular state. TAPPER: There was always a nudge, nudge, wink, wink that Republicans would convey to voters like we're never going to really actually overturn Roe v. Wade. People may not remember, but before the 2004 election, Laura Bush, the first lady, even kind of suggested it. I think it was on the "Today Show" that maybe she was even kind of pro-choice. I mean, there was always just this suggestion that Republicans weren't really ever going to do anything about it. And guess what? The anti-abortion forces in the Republican Party, they heard that and they said, no, we're serious about this. And that's -- that's when Donald Trump signed off on that list that you were just talking about. We're closely watching those early results from the abortion rights ballot measure in Ohio. And the first results from that Mississippi governor's race are just around the corner when polling places closed at the top of the hour. Coming up next, Erin Burnett will press Senator Tim Scott about his uphill fight for the GOP presidential nomination against Donald Trump, amid questions about whether a Trump Biden rematch is all but inevitable. Stay with us. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [19:42:35] BURNETT: All right. We have a key race alert for you right now in the state of Kentucky. All polls are closed. Andy Beshear, the incumbent Democratic governor, right now leading with 53.4 percent of the vote, 331,000 plus votes. Daniel Cameron, the Republican attorney general, trailing right now, 46.7. You see these results are dynamic and moving as we speak. But right now, just in these past few minutes, we've gone up to 40 percent of the vote reporting there. In the state of Ohio, two crucial measures on the ballot, the one here, abortion right now with just about 5 percent of the vote in. You can see 66.7 percent of voters in Ohio are supporting that constitutional right for abortion. Just a third of voters are voting no, very few votes in right now. But that is consistent with the exit polls, as we saw them on that issue earlier this evening. As we stand by for more votes and more information coming in here, I want to bring in the U.S. senator and Republican presidential candidate, Tim Scott of South Carolina, and he joins us all from Miami tonight. Senator, I very much appreciate your time. And I just want to start with some of the information that we're getting out of our latest poll here at CNN. Look, you've repeatedly said, Senator, that a main reason not to have Donald Trump as a Republican nominee is that he isn't electable. Two weeks ago, you said, quote, I don't think he can win in a general election. The latest poll that we have here now, though, does show Trump narrowly leading Joe Biden in a head to head matchup. "The New York Times" poll, of course, over the weekend showed Trump leading Biden in five of the six most crucial battleground states. Does all of this show to you that Trump is, in fact, electable at this time? SEN. TIM SCOTT (R-SC), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, what it says in that same poll is that a generic Republican, someone like myself, a unique, qualified, optimistic Republican does even better than the former president. So what we know is if we want a red wave from the top of the ticket to the bottom of the ticket, we have to have a candidate who persuades independents to join us, and from a consistently conservative platform to change America into all that we can be. And that means we're focusing on restoring hope, creating opportunities, and protecting the America we all love. BURNETT: All right. I want to drill down on a couple of points here in this night, of course, before a presidential debate that you will be on the stage for. But first, one more point from our CNN poll that just came out that stood out. It does show that 23 percent of Black voters choose Trump. [19:45:00] Now, that is nearly double his 2020 levels in some exit polls. Interestingly, in our poll, if you drill down, Senator -- and Van Jones was saying this stunned him. But if you drill down, men of color, Trump wins -- 49 percent to 46 percent in our latest poll. SCOTT: (INAUDIBLE). BURNETT: Actually wins men of color, and I hear you say, wow. I mean, how do you even respond to that? And what in your record makes you think you could do better than Trump? SCOTT: Well, I've already done better than Trump in my own home state. But here's the fact -- I was on the south side of Chicago just a few weeks ago. I had an opportunity to go to an inner city church and preach the gospel. One of the things we see with African American voters are that they are sick and tired of being told by the Democrat Party to sit down, shut up and to vote blue. They want results. They want quality education for their kids. They want to make sure that there are entrepreneurs and jobs in the community. On the south side of Chicago, we saw an opportunity for artists and contractors to be trained. We saw the opportune to improve the quality of education. That message resonates. What we saw in 2016 to 2020 was a 50 percent increase in Black votes for Republicans. I believe that any Republican, any great opportunity party candidate will poll better and attract more minorities into our party because of the challenges that we see with Joe Biden and the dereliction of his duty and the optimistic, positive message that is resonating within the Black community, especially with Black men. BURNETT: I want to ask you about Iowa because the governor there obviously has made a decision to endorse Governor DeSantis. You say you're all in there. Kim Reynolds, of course, did endorse DeSantis. And at a stop today, she said, I welcomed candidates. They had their chance, referring obviously, to you and your other rivals. A new "Des Moines Register" poll has you right now in fourth place in Iowa. Do you still think you can win there? SCOTT: Yes, absolutely, Erin. One of the things I've learned is that the more time I spend in Iowa, the better we do. We continue to do town halls. We'll be back there on Thursday. I'm excited to get back to the state. I do believe that the road to the White House runs right through the evangelical base of Iowa voters who will be turning out in the caucus. I've got a couple of months to make my case, and we're going to use those months to make my case and become our nominee. BURNETT: I want to ask you one more question here about some developments on the Israel front. SCOTT: Sure. BURNETT: And I know you've been very outspoken about that. The White House today did say that that the President Biden does not believe that Israeli forces should be reoccupying Gaza after this year. And that, of course, came in response to Prime Minister Netanyahu's comments in which he said specifically that Israel will have overall security responsibility in Gaza for -- the crucial word, Senator, is an indefinite period after the war. So, an indefinite period of security and occupation. Do you support that or do you agree with the Biden White House that that is not appropriate? SCOTT: Well, there's no question that what we should remember is why Prime Minister Netanyahu has talked about Gaza in this fashion, whatsoever. It's because Hamas created the greatest travesty of justice since the Holocaust against the Jewish people. Their objective is to wipe Jews off of the planet. Giving Prime Minister Netanyahu and the state of Israel all the time they need to wipe Hamas off the map is our only objective at this point. Making sure that there's a shoulder to shoulder relationship, no daylight, so that Prime Minister Netanyahu can continue his objective and to do it successfully. And the faster he accomplishes that objective, the more lives we actually will save. BURNETT: Senator Tim Scott, thank you very much. I appreciate your time tonight. All of us do. SCOTT: Thank you, Erin. God bless. BURNETT: All right. And we are just minutes away from 8:00 Eastern. That is when polling places are scheduled to close in the state of Mississippi. And there we are awaiting the first results in a red state showdown between an incumbent Republican governor and a person who happens to be a second cousin of Elvis Presley. You won't want to miss that. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [19:53:21] TAPPER: And we have a projection in Kentucky. CNN is projecting that the incumbent secretary of state, Michael Adams, will be reelected, defeating a Democrat, Buddy Wheatley. And CNN is projecting that in the attorney general race, Russell Coleman, the Republican, will defeat Democrat Pamela Stevenson. That is an open seat, the attorney general, because the incumbent attorney general is running for governor. Let us all check also check out, of course, what is going on in the key race alert we have here for the governor's race in the state of Kentucky, the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Democratic incumbent Governor Andy Beshear, with 50 percent of the vote in remains ahead, 39,520 votes ahead, with 52.7 percent of the vote against the Republican attorney general, Daniel Cameron, who has 47.3 percent of the vote. That is 50 percent of the vote in. Let us look at Ohio right now, where there is a referendum on whether or not there should be a constitutional right to an abortion in the state constitution. With 13 percent of the vote in, yes is ahead by more than 175,000 votes, 67.7 percent for yes. No has 32.3 percent of the vote. So far, yes is in the lead. Yes, would of course, enshrined abortion rights with within in the Ohio constitution. But again, there is still 87 percent of the vote left to count. We're standing by for results from more key races across the country that could preview the political trends in 2024. In deep red Mississippi, for example, the big question tonight, does conservative Democrat Brandon Presley, the second cousin of Elvis Presley, have a shot at defeating the Republican incumbent governor, Tate Reeves -- Tate Reeves, who has been caught up in a corruption scandal? [19:55:14] Presley has national party funding and name recognition because, of course, of his second cousin. A new rule requiring candidates in that state to get a majority of the vote means this governor's contest could go to a runoff for the first time ever. We are also watching a high profile mayor's race in the great city of Philadelphia. The Democrat, Cheryl Parker, is poised to become the city's first ever female mayor. The former city council member faces Republican David Oh. History also could be made in Houston, Texas. Prominent Democratic Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee is aiming to be the first Black woman elected mayor of Houston. She and Democratic State Senator John Whitmire are leading a crowded field in the nonpartisan mayoral contest there. A new wave of results are coming at the top of the hour, but until then, let's go back to John King. John, this Kentucky race is fascinating because CNN was able to call the secretary of state and attorney general races for the Republicans pretty quickly. We are not able to do that with the governor's race. KING: You're not able to do that. But you just said two Republicans have won statewide tonight. And yet the Democratic governor is leading by five points with about a little more than half of the vote estimated counted. That tells you something, right there about the strength of the Andy Beshear brand and the strength of his campaign in a year, when you talked about the national poll and this is a very red state. If Joe Biden nationally, his numbers are as bad as they are nationally, you know how bad they are in Kentucky. TAPPER: I can't even imagine. KING: Right. And so and so here's Andy Beshear right now doing more than he has to do. Again, 53. We need to wait and we need to go through. But in the big Democratic areas, he's running it up. He got 67 percent here four years ago. He's getting 69 percent at the moment, only a quarter of the vote. If he stays close to that, think about the math. It's the state's largest county. It's popped up, just popped up to 30. And he went up to 70 percent right there. And so you come back in here right now, you just look the map is filling in. Joe Biden won two counties in this state, two counties in the state. Look at all those blue counties. Andy Beshear right now is filling in the map, a ways to go. But a Democratic governor, a tough climate at the moment, looks like he's on a path to reelection. We'll count the rest. TAPPER: All right. Let's go to Dianne Gallagher now, who has some breaking news out of Mississippi. Dianne, what are you learning? DIANNE GALLAGHER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Jake, a chancery court judge just extended the voting hours here in Hinds County, a very populous area in Mississippi by one hour, meaning that polls will instead close at 9:00 p.m. Eastern, 8:00 p.m. Central Time. The judge in his order said that a number of precincts in Hinds County ran out of ballots during Election Day and are continuing to run out of ballots. And others may run out going forward. I'm reading from this order that just came down, noting that it takes time to deliver more ballots to the precincts. And look, Jake, you can see, I mean, we have plenty of people who are waiting in line here. They still have additional time to get out and vote and this is something that I was just speaking with a Democrat Party official here in Hinds County who told me they were very encouraged by turnout here. This is something that the Presley campaign was looking at as well. Look, the Tate Reeves campaign, the incumbent governor, has said that they feel that they have run a race that is heavy on his accomplishments, as well as working to tie Presley to national Democrats. But, look, they are encouraged. The Democrats here in Mississippi, by the turnout they are seeing so far. The precinct captain that we just spoke with at this location says she is seeing close to double what she saw in the past elections at this particular location. They're looking at high turnout. And now here in Hinds County, an additional hour to get the vote out because of those ballots running out. The secretary of state did issue a statement noting that his office is not responsible for ballots. That is the county offices, but that they are in constant communication with local officials and relaying those complaints from the election protection line to them, noting that normally they have of Mississippi law charges counties to present just 60 percent of the active voter count and they will continue trying to get those ballots as these precincts run out here in Hinds County, Jake. TAPPER: Fascinating. Dianne Gallagher, thank you so much. Nothing, nothing can get out the vote more than the idea of possibility, I think. KING: Look, you have a lot of attention because it's Elvis Presley, second cousin. But here's a Democrat conservative Democrat running in a very Republican state, 20 plus years since a Republican governor talking about health care, talking about taking the Medicare, Medicaid money from Washington to give health care to working people, health care, we know has in recent elections been a huge turnout. Now we're talking about abortion a lot. But before the Dobbs decision, it was health care. There was helping Democrats turn out votes. Does it work in a place like this? We shall see. But I just want to show you where she is. She's Jackson here. This is Hinds County. It is by far the number one. It's the largest, most populous county of the state. CNN Live Event/Special Aired November 07, 2023 - 20:00 ET THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. [20:00:00] [20:00:00] JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It is about eight percent of the population. And it is, if you go back in history to the presidential race, Joe Biden did not do well in the state of Mississippi, but he did in Hinds County. So the fact that they just have voters in line, if you're the Democratic candidate in a Democratic county, that you have voters in line and the court said, give them an extra hour, let's let people vote, that would encourage you. I want to come out to the main map, because look, this is not a kind state, it has not been a kind state to Democrats, especially at the presidential level, but even at the statewide level in a very long time. So Democrats who think they might be having a good night, easy. JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: Easy. KING: Right. TAPPER: Right. KING: But, a court leaving the ballot opened, Dianne saying there are lines there, and this race that we know is unusually competitive, it means you keep watching it. Now let's come back to where we are as we wait. We still have no votes in in Mississippi. We do here, another one, again, in this tough national climate for Democrats, you have an incumbent Democratic governor in a very red state, 56 percent of the voting now, right? I told you earlier, watch down here and a lot of them are starting to slowly fill in, right? These are the conservative counties, but Daniel Cameron, getting only 51 percent of the vote there. Let's just go back in time to 2019, Andy Beshear getting 46 percent, so the incumbent doing a little better. But here's what you look at here. Go back to the presidential race, Donald Trump getting 74 percent here. And so the margins -- the margins are not going Daniel Cameron's way if you know that in the urban areas that Andy Beshear is running it up. TAPPER: But take it back to Matt Bevin, if you could. KING: Pick one. Here we go. Yes. Matt Bevin, 2019. TAPPER: So Matt Bevin, 2019. But the thing the thing to point out here is that Matt Bevin was incredibly unpopular. So the idea that Daniel Cameron and again, this is early, the votes are still coming in in Muhlenberg County -- KING: But let's come to real time, so remember that, 4,500 votes for Matt Bevin in the fall -- TAPPER: Fifty-two percent. KING: Fifty-two percent. You come back here we are now. TAPPER: So he's underperforming. As of right now, we can still -- but he is underperforming, Daniel Cameron and Matt Bevin, and again, this is going to be filled in. he is going to do better than that. But -- KING: Could be early ballots, which tend to be more Democratic, but to your point, here's another way to look at it. Here's the race filling in right now, right? And so this is compared to 2019, right? Is Andy Beshear over performing himself? Yes. In every one of these counties, even the ones that are red, Andy Beshear, at the moment, 56 percent of the vote in. This can change, but at the moment, he is running ahead of his election four years ago, in most of the state. If you're an incumbent and you're over performing your last election, I can't we have to see how much of these are mail-in ballots, how much of these are early ballots. There is more to come. But if you're Andy Beshear at the moment, you're looking at this map. You're winning those two counties out there I told you about you know, Trump won. Andy Beshear won. Can he hold them? He's holding them. He's adding to his wins out here. More blue counties than he had last time at the moment, he should do it. But if you're in the Beshear headquarters, you're now up to 56 percent of the estimated vote. He won by 6,000 votes last time. TAPPER: Right. KING: He is ahead by 45-plus, 46-plus now. A ways to go, but if you're a Democratic incumbent in this climate, you like what you see on the map. TAPPER: Right. And again, early yet. We still have 44 percent of the vote left to come in. My point is Daniel Cameron is regarded within the GOP and even I think just within political circles in Kentucky, nonpartisan ones, as something of a superstar, right? KING: Yes. TAPPER: He is regarded highly as somebody with a very bright political future. You do not want Matt Bevin to be overperforming you in any way, shape, or form. He was a political dud. KING: Well, he was a dud who also had some -- he had some institutional Republican state problems because he ran against Mitch McConnell. TAPPER: People hated him. KING: In the tea party primary -- TAPPER: People hated him. KING; And then he became governor, but a lot of Republicans still didn't like him. TAPPER: Right. KING: And McConnell didn't like him because he ran against him in a primary. He lost, but then he became governor. So yes, Cameron is much more liked in the party, and you see the numbers go. We have to get to the final number, but you're right. He is considered a rising star. TAPPER: Right. KING: A rising state star who they like to be a national star for the Republican Party. He was, as one of the Republican attorneys general, that if Andy Beshear can hold on to this, you know, he's not a very flashy guy, right? He's not -- you know, a lot of people say, oh, he's boring. Oh, he's dull. Oh, guess what, if he holds on to this, he's going to get a lot of attention of how did you do that here? TAPPER: Right. And again, it is caveats, he still could win. I'm not saying he won't. And if he doesn't, he still could go on to become a senator and a presidential. I'm not saying anything along those lines. I'm just saying he wants to be doing much better right now than he is right now. KING: Yes. He is not running up numbers in the rural areas where Trump did so well. Again, he's at 59 percent. You go back to the presidential race right there, Trump is at 77. TAPPER: Right. KING: So it just shows you that Andy Beshear is competitive with Republican voters. Joe Biden is getting 22 percent in this county, come back to where we are now, Andy Beshear is getting 40 percent. So again, that's 80 percent of the voting in that one Ohio County. So Andy Beshear is proving that people who voted for Donald Trump for president are voting for Democrat, Andy Beshear for governor. Plain and simple. TAPPER: Show me some of the other Democratic counties where Andy Beshear needs to really drive up the vote. KING: So here's where you just run it up and it is only 30 percent of the vote. Again, we talked about this. Remember, we do in the presidential race. We had such a small percentage of the votes in Philadelphia and Joe Biden had 80 percent. Well, he only has 30 percent in, he's getting 70 percent. Now again, this -- it is disproportionately early voting that trend Democratic, so watch if it stays, but if -- [20:05:03] He got 67 percent in Jefferson County, it's 17 percent of the state population. If he got 67 percent four years ago, if he's at 70 percent, he's going to win the election. If he stays at 70 percent or near 70 percent, in -- big just because of the population. And so he's above his metric there. Now, you move over here to Fayette County. Again, they are up. So there's two ways to look at this. He's getting 72 percent of the vote, which is three or four points higher than he did four years ago. You're almost done. So there's not a lot more math coming in there. But that's more than what he -- more than what your metric was if you were using Matt Bevin as your metric. He's ahead of that. And again, up here in two counties, Donald Trump won both of these counties against Joe Biden. Andy Beshear, he has 10 points. It's 10 points, but it's 10 points in place Donald Trump won with the presidential race, by almost 20 -- TAPPER: Right. KING: You know, by almost 20. So you have Any Beshear proving in places -- I mean, I'm going to do this again. This is Andy Beshear, all of those blue counties right now, he is leading, we're not done. We have to still count votes. That's Andy Beshear's ability in red state, Kentucky. That's Joe Biden's. Two. Two. It's a red state. It's a conservative state. You know, Joe Biden was never going to have a chance here. But this is the state that early -- in 2016, when the results started to come in in Kentucky, this was our first clue that we knew Donald Trump was going to win in 2016, but the turnout. He was outperforming Romney, outperforming Bush. People were coming out of the woodwork to vote for Donald Trump. So Kentucky does give you clues about enthusiasm, and at the moment in 2023, in this national climate for Andy Beshear, at the moment, again, to be fighting this off with a 44,000-vote lead is quite impressive. One other quick point if I can, I just wanted to come to Ohio on the constitutional right to abortion. TAPPER: Yes. KING: It's leading quite comfortably right now including Donald Trump on Lake County. We used to go out all the time when Ohio was competitive, people would go out to Stark County as a swing County in Ohio, it's where Canton Ohio, with people who would go out there and say this is your bellwether county in America. Donald Trump won it quite handily. It's not a bellwether county anymore. It's a Republican county and yet, 64 percent at the moment, 20 percent of the vote in in Stark County, 20 percent vote in statewide in a state Donald Trump carried handily, a lot of this up here was red for Trump. It's green for yes, on abortion rights. TAPPER: Go back to Kentucky for one second, then I'm going to throw it to Dana. Just the one other thing just when it comes to bellwethers, and we don't know how this night is going to end for either Mr. Cameron or Mr. Beshear, but the last five governor's races in Kentucky were bellwethers for how the country was going to vote for president the next year. The last time Beshear won, a Democrat -- Beshear won, the Democrat took the White House and all the times before that. How Kentucky goes into governor's race for the last five cycles, the White House followed their lead. We'll see what happens next time and we'll see how it goes tonight -- Dana Bash. DANA BASH, CNN ANCHOR AND POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Thanks. Very, very interesting. And on that note about Kentucky, how the voters are going to go is what we're watching, but also the two candidates, the characters who we are watching in Kentucky are each very, very interesting because they're both young and they are both unique. I mean, obviously Daniel Cameron is an African-American running as a Republican in Kentucky and then Andy Beshear, if he wins will be a second-term Democratic governor in Kentucky. So no matter who wins, it will be an instant national profile and looking at them for what it means for the future of their parties. KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR AND CHIEF CORRESPONDENT: Also, the question of you know what politics matters and as Governor Beshear has tried to kind of localize the race to a degree, that is not what Daniel Cameron has tried to do. He's tried to tie Andy Beshear to President Biden multiple times throughout this campaign, based on the numbers right now and who knows, we'll see what they look like. I mean, it doesn't appear to be working, and remember when Daniel Cameron won a very crowded primary, there were a lot of Republicans who wanted to run against Governor Beshear, he came out and said, you know, the MAGA culture, the Donald J. Trump culture is alive and well in the state of Kentucky and Trump obviously endorsed him in this race. That does not appear to have helped him at this point, based on what we're seeing right now. BASH: I just want to say, as we're talking about Kentucky, the polls in Mississippi did just close at the top of the hour, about nine minutes ago, we are waiting for those votes to come in. ABBY PHILLIP, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT AND ANCHOR OF "INSIDE POLITICS SUNDAY": Yes, I mean, I think Kentucky is such an interesting example of how voters can sometimes hold multiple thoughts in their minds at the same time. It's a state that has been basically power sharing at some of these state level positions for some time. Andy Beshear, a Democrat in a pretty red state where he has a Republican Secretary of State, a Republican attorney general. We just called the Secretary of State race and the Attorney General race for the Republicans tonight, so that could very well continue. Sometimes, and we have to remember this, sometimes voters are not taught totally driven by ideological concerns and in fact, in some of these states and we see this sometimes in Virginia actually quite a lot, they like to see their government kind of split up, so that there isn't full control over the levers of power by one political party. [20:10:17] And particularly at a time where the mood is so incredibly negative and sour, I think we could be seeing so much more of that as we go forward. I think that's what we saw in 2022 when Republicans were expecting a red wave, and voters said, hold on, we're going to split this up a little bit, because we think both parties need a check on their power in this moment. KASIE HUNT, CNN ANCHOR AND CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: Yes, I mean, a couple of things. Kentucky, first of all, still has -- and I kind of love this because as our politics have flattened and become national, right, it starts -- it's mattered a little less what's going on in a state. Beshear is a family name in Kentucky, right? It's got a long tradition of how they're Democrats -- BASH: His father was Governor. HUNT: Exactly. Having Democrats win in statewide offices, so there is some of that still at play here, which I think, you know, makes for a little bit more of an interesting thing. I had one smart democratic source point out that they think in their numbers that that voters are still looking at how people handled COVID and people felt good about how Andy Beshear handled that then, which I thought was potentially interesting. But I think big picture, you know, what does it say about Joe Biden? And what might happen in 2024? I kind of wonder if it doesn't give a little bit of credence to the argument they're trying to make the Joe Biden has been continually underestimated. And at the end of the day, he's going to come out on top. Because we did see that, we have seen that and, you know, the numbers are so bad in the polls that I don't necessarily always want to give this to them when they're trying to spin us and tell us no, this is fine. It's fine. It's all going to be fine. But the reality was, we did count him out after New Hampshire. He came back. There have been several instances where that's happened. Part of me wonders if the trend that you know if it's continuing, what does that mean for him? We'll see. BASH: Well, the votes are still coming in in Kentucky, in the governor's race as we were just talking about. Also on the abortion rights ballot measure in Ohio. We are also waiting for the results to start coming in, in Mississippi where polls closed almost 12 minutes ago and we're digging deeper into CNN's exclusive new poll, the bleak message for President Biden from a disgruntled electorate. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [20:15:54] TAPPER; And we have a key race alert for you, when it comes to the battle for the Virginia legislature. Let me turn right now to the Virginia legislature. In the House of Delegates, Democrats are leading in 40 seats. Republicans are leading in 43. You need 51 of those seats to control the House of Delegates. In the Virginia State Senate, Democrats are currently leading in 17 seats, Republicans are leading in 18 seats needed to control the State Senate of Virginia, 21. Right now Democrats control the State Senate, Republicans control the House of Delegates. There is an effort by both parties to control each one. We're getting more results from CNN's new 2024 presidential poll and CNN's David Chalian has those numbers. David, what are voters saying about the job President Joe Biden has done as president? DAVID CHALIAN, CNN POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Jake, the country has soured on Joe Biden. There's just not another way to put it. According to our latest CNN poll conducted by SSRS, a national poll gives us this snapshot in time, Biden's approval rating is 39 percent in our poll, 61 percent disapprove of the job he is doing. Look at it by party, you see that even among his fellow Democrats, he's only at 77 percent approval in this poll, only a third of Independents approve of the job he's doing, and of course, as you might imagine, only five percent of Republicans. How are things going in the country today? Badly say nearly three- quarters of respondents in this poll, 72 percent, things are going badly in the country today. Only 28 percent say they're going well. Again, that astonishing number on whether or not Biden has the stamina and sharpness to serve effectively as president, only 25 percent of poll respondents say that he does have the stamina, 74 percent say no. And I know you're a history buff like I am, and so look here on this chart of where Biden's modern day predecessors were in their approval rating at this point in their presidency. And Jake, you see, Biden is down there between Donald Trump and Jimmy Carter. You may know that is down in the category of one-term presidents. He clearly wants to turn that around, and he's got a year to do so -- Jake. TAPPER: All right, David Chalian, thanks so much. Erin Burnett, throwing to you in New York. ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST: All right, so let's talk through some of this. David Axelrod, let's start with where David Chalian just finished. The territory of one-term presidents going back to Jimmy Carter. I jotted this down, Jimmy Carter was at 32 percent. That's worse. DAVID AXELROD, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yes. BURNETT: Okay, but that's about as bad as it can get. AXELROD: Yes, I mean, he lost -- look, the difference here is that he isn't running against Ronald Reagan. He's not running against some fresh face. He's running against Donald Trump and that's what gives him hope, and I think also -- BURNETT: Who is the only other person at that low level, close to that low level. AXELROD: I mean, his numbers are equally bad, though on you know, in other polling and in some -- here, there are comparatives, as we talked about earlier on this foreign leadership question and so on that are discouraging. I would only say this, whether it's fair or not and Joe Biden has a lot of accomplishments to his credit -- he led the country through the pandemic. And, you know, while inflation is still the prism through which people are looking at the economy; on jobs and some other measures, he's done quite well. Despite all of those facts, he and maybe no incumbent president at this juncture is going to win a referendum on their own performance. He has to frame the choice and he has to frame it aggressively and he has to frame it right away because if nothing else, these are -- these are flashing red light here. BURNETT: Oh, so David went through Independents and I just want to say overall of course, right now, you've got Independents -- political Independents, 45 percent Trump, 41 Biden. [20:20:10] And as David was just laying out only a third of Independents think that Joe Biden is doing a good job. You know, there are, you know, many who make the argument that Independents is where you win and lose, that people end up going to their corners and Independents is where a race is lost. AUDIE CORNISH, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: I also say Independent are very affected by the sort of distance to win the election is going to be, it's a year out. We don't know how close they're paying attention and what they see in Trump. And you know, one of the things I think I'm most compelled by is that, and David and I talked about this earlier, Barack Obama grew his electorate, right? He broadened that coalition. But I don't ever remember anybody saying Joe Biden was added to the ticket, because he really drew the youngs and in the bipods (ph). ALYSSA FARAH GRIFFIN, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: But he do very well on the young. CORNISH: Maybe, but I don't think -- AXELROD: By the way, the one place he is doing well in these polls is among voters over 65. CORNISH: Exactly. BURNETT: By the way, I know what you're shaking around, I know. Are you about to do it again? CORNISH: I think I know. DAVID URBAN, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I am not going to go back. I'm going to go back to my Chalian board. I am just going to say that the one thing that can't be fixed. CORNISH: I understand the stamina thing. URBAN: The thing that can't be fixed is stamina. The other point, I just want to put -- that number to point at, 71 to 61, right? The enthusiasm gap. David talked about that. That's substantial. CORNISH: Well, that's what I'm talking about. I think there is a return -- URBAN: Not substantial. That's huge. CORNISH: Go ahead. KATE BEDINGFIELD, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Go ahead, Audie. Go ahead. But can we just go to what is actually happening tonight, right? So we have voters voting tonight. We have -- and we have a long way to go. There are a lot of votes still coming in. Obviously, a lot of races yet to be called. A lot going on. But so far, we are seeing lower Republican turnout than was anticipated. We are seeing Democrats turnout. We obviously see the numbers in Ohio, abortion clearly motivating voters. So you know, there is a lot of opportunity here. Yes, is there work for Joe Biden to do on these numbers? Of course, I think he would say that if you were sitting here. But there is an enormous opportunity for him, because these issues, there's enormous space for him to grow. And so I think we should rather than looking at a poll a year out which yes, does it have some informative information? Of course, it does. All polls do. But no poll is definitive. But people are voting right now. GRIFFIN: I've been trying to make sense. And I apologize, because we've just been torturing Kate tonight, but I've been trying to make sense of this number that is a dream to Republicans where voters ages 18 to 34, Trump is outperforming with them. Gen Z and millennials are the two biggest voting blocs going into this election. That is not traditional that they would be siding more with the Republican candidate over the Democrat on issues, whether it's climate change, reproductive rights, they tend to skew liberal. I think it goes back to the magic issue of age. And despite the fact that Donald Trump and Joe Biden are only three years apart, perception becomes reality in politics. URBAN: The vigor. BURNETT: So there are, of course, as we all know, in the political discourse in this country, Van, Democrats who say that anyone who votes for Trump somehow has some sort of a closet racist, or that no Latino would vote for Trump because of the wall and his immigration policies. And yet, in those two groups, that is not what you see at all in this poll. VAN JONES, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: That's because these groups are not monolithic. Part of what's going on here, is that there is a college-noncollege dynamic happening among people of color. Sometimes, it looks like a gender gap because you have more Black women with college degrees than Black men. But there is a college-noncollege dynamic here, and I think what you're beginning to see is the working class is beginning to slide more and more toward the Republican Party, and that's something that I don't think that Democrats are prepared for, have responded to well yet. Sometimes Democrats seem to like we're the party of people who eat a lot of kale. Right? That that's the most important criteria -- AXELROD: Well, you don't? And want to teach you how to eat kale. JONES: Exactly. But the good news is -- BURNETT: Who likes kale? JONES: The good news is this: We are a year out. The good news is that we are a year out and I am glad that we're getting this news on this election night and not one in a year from now. BURNETT: All right, all stay with us. Still ahead, will Democratic governor, Andy Beshear's lead hold in Kentucky? The crucial question right now as more results are coming in there. And standing by right now, for the first big round of results in the Mississippi governor's race, we'll be back with all of that in just a moment. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [20:28:09] TAPPER: Let's go now into the key contests in the Virginia legislature where CNN is able to make some projections in the early going in the battle for control of both the Virginia House of Delegates and the Virginia State Senate. In the House of Delegates, CNN can project, the Democrats have won 23 races while Republicans have won eighteen so far. A reminder, 51 seats are needed to control that chamber, which is currently controlled by Republicans. In the Virginia Senate, CNN can project that five Democrats have won their contest compared to six Republicans; 21 seats are needed to control the Virginia Senate. Let's look at the other boards that we have going right now. A key race alert, right now with the Kentucky governor's race with 65 percent of the vote in, incumbent Democratic governor, Andy Beshear remains ahead by 38,387 votes with 52 percent of the vote in, still ahead; Republican attorney general, Daniel Cameron, who has 48 percent. We are still waiting for 35 percent of the vote. Let's look at Ohio right now where there is a referendum to put a constitutional right to abortion in the state constitution. Yes, right now is far in the lead with 22 percent of the vote in, 235,720 votes ahead to be precise with 63.4 percent of the vote. No has 36.6 percent of the vote. In Mississippi, with just a little bit of the vote in, the Democrat Brandon Presley is ahead by 537 votes with 71.4 percent of the vote; incumbent Republican governor ,Tate Reeves has 26.6 percent, but that is just a few votes. We're still waiting for some serious numbers to start coming in in Mississippi. John Kane, you're looking exactly at what I want you to be looking at, which is Kentucky. We have 66 percent of the vote in. I know we're still waiting. And I know that anything could happen. But boy, Governor Beshear has got to be feeling pretty good right now, I would think. [20:30:26] JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Very good. Very good. And look, there's no reason to get way out ahead of the numbers, right? That is a path. Your eyes tell you. Your eyes don't lie to you. You have a Democratic incumbent and a very tough climate, who just barely won last time by about 6000 votes, who's 37,000 votes ahead with 52% of the vote. 52/48, it's a four-point race. It's competitive. So you can say, why don't you call it? Well, because he's ahead. Let's just say he's ahead. He's running an impressive campaign. He's meeting all his tests. But you see the gray, there are still 13, 14 counties. Last time I counted where we have no votes yet. No votes. Most of them I'll just pop one up randomly, Monroe County, bottom half of the state is 120 counties in Kentucky. This one's 97 in terms of population, 0.2% of the state population. So they're not a lot of votes there. So Daniel Cameron could get 60% or 70%. That's not a lot of math. However, you come over here Daviess County, this is the seventh largest county in the state. It's about two, two and a half percent of the statewide population. So you wait, just to be cautious, especially in an age when people are questioning election results or questioning is the media getting out ahead of itself. Let's just count votes, let's just count votes. But if you're in the Andy Beshear headquarters right now, you're looking at that, and you're thinking we not only met our metrics, in a lot of places, we're exceeding our metrics. I did this earlier. And I said, you know, is he overperforming? How he ran four years ago, right? And I said, let's be careful, because we read about 50% of the vote then. So let's look at it again. Right, let's click that up here. Just about everywhere. I mean, it -- TAPPER: Explain what we're looking at right now, because I don't understand. KING: So every one of these counties that has illuminated, Andy Beshear is running stronger now than he did four years ago when he won in 2019. So even these red counties, even in places where Daniel Cameron is winning, Andy Beshear is doing better than he did four years ago. So you say, wow, he's getting, you know -- he's getting whipped here, right, whooped. But he's doing better than he did four years ago. If you come back here, and you look and you come in here, 29% 20 -- you know, it's 27%. So you might not think that's a big deal. But you're -- TAPPER: It adds up. KING: It adds in the small rural counties, that's how Trump wins in places. Here you see the small rural counties, Trump runs it up, with huge numbers, any votes Andy Beshear can get in these red places, is bonus. So you take that off, and you come back to the real vote. Now, this is the full vote. That's 2019. TAPPER: That rural county had, he's up like about 1000 votes than where he was last time. KING: Right. TAPPER: There's 120 counties? KING: 120 counties. So if you're up 50 votes here, 60 votes there, all performing last time. And so then the question -- if Andy Beshear is doing that, then Daniel Cameron's only option is to take it back in places like this, right, in the Democratic areas and he's not. Andy Beshear is running ahead. He was 67% in Jefferson County, by far, the biggest largest most populous county 17.2%, statewide population. He was at 67%, four years ago. He's running at 72% now. So if -- it's the simple way to look at it, is Andy Beshear is getting even in these red places. He's getting votes. He's -- somebody is not competitive, but he's getting votes. And Daniel Cameron is not chipping into his margins in the Democratic areas. And again, this is what Andy Beshear is doing at the moment. And you just look at this state. Joe Biden won two counties. He won Jefferson and he won Fayette. Andy Beshear is winning, is even adding. It's not done yet, but he's winning more counties now than he did four years ago, which tells you as an incumbent governor in a tough climate, he's been able to sell to brands that sell that message that this is not about Democrats or Republicans. This is about getting through COVID together. This is about building roads together. This is about dealing with disasters together up against a strong candidate. OK, who's this? He's won statewide. (CROSSTALK) TAPPER: Oh sure. Superstar Republican, people have a lot of hopes and dreams for him. Even if he does not win tonight. You're not -- you haven't heard the last of Daniel Cameron. Let me ask you a question that we're going to hear from some Biden supporting Democrats tonight and tomorrow assuming that Andy Beshear is lead holds, which is, is this Andy Beshear defying the Biden drag, or are we underestimating Joe Biden? I mean, I know what I think. And I think I know what you think but -- but there are going to be Biden supporting Democrats out there who say, why aren't you giving Biden credit for what's going on here with Andy Beshear? KING: Because Joe Biden won two counties in this state. You know, it's -- TAPPER: OK. KING: When I first started doing this -- TAPPER: Right. KING: When I first came, it was 1988. Kentucky had Democratic senators. Kentucky was considered semi competitive. TAPPER: Are you referring to Wendell Ford? KING: Wendell Ford was from -- you know, and so it's not anymore. It nationally, it is a red state. However, look, Kate Bedingfield made the point earlier, right? Democrat, if Democrats have a good night tonight, does that tell you that running on issues like abortion, Andy Beshear, he also runs running on his name and his brand. The Biden brand is not strong right now. The Biden brand is not strong right now. (CROSSTALK) [20:35:02] TAPPER: But the issue -- but the issue template might be strong. KING: On the issue template, maybe. Yes, maybe especially again -- TAPPER: OK. KING: Joe Biden, you know, come to the initiative in Ohio. I'm not going to posit tonight that Joe Biden is going to be competitive in Ohio. That's not a criticism of Joe Biden. Donald Trump won Ohio by eight points. It's been trending Republican for a long time. However, right now with about a quarter of the vote in the Constitution right to abortion, right? Donald Trump won Lake County. Donald Trump won Starr County. Donald Trump won a lot of these green counties that are voting in favor of abortion rights. That issue is working for progressives, abortion right forces, Democrats call them what you will, but the issue is working for them. The issue clearly worked for Andy Beshear, who, you know, it's interesting, we don't have exit polling in Kentucky. It would be fascinating to have a study in Kentucky after this. How much of it is the Beshear brand, which in Kentucky is a lot stronger than the Biden brand, right? It's a family name. It's a legendary family in the state. And how much of it is issues. That's a great study and a great debate. Let's get through the election first. TAPPER: Too closely watched governor's races in Kentucky and in Mississippi, unfolding right now, as Democrats test their strength in these red states. More votes coming in. Stay with us. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [20:40:05] TAPPER: We have a key race alert for you now. We're getting some new votes in from Mississippi, from the important governor's race there and you see that incumbent Republican governor Tate Reeves has taken the lead. He has 397 votes ahead of his Democratic challenger. Governor Reeves with 56.4% of the vote. Democratic challenger Brandon Presley who is second cousins with the great Elvis Presley has 41.1% of the vote. Now to CNN's Jessica Dean. Oh, you want to go to Kentucky? OK. Cool, the Kentucky governor's race, the Democratic incumbent governor there is 52,168 votes ahead with 52.4% of the vote. Still ahead, still leading over to the Attorney General the Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron, who is 47.6% of the vote. That's with 74% of the vote in. We're still waiting for about a quarter of the vote in. But Governor Beshear has had a commanding lead for much of the night. In Ohio, where Ohio residents were voting on whether or not there should be a constitutional right to an abortion whether the state constitution should be amended. The yes votes with a commanding lead with about a quarter of the vote in, 219,784 votes ahead. Yes, with a 61% vote count as of now no with 39%. Yes, with a commanding lead as it is had all night. We still have about three quarters of the vote to come in. Now, we go to CNN's Jessica Dean, who is in Virginia, following the high stakes fight for the control of the General Assembly and House of Delegates and the State Senate. Jessica, you have a special guest. JESSICA DEAN, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I do. Jake, as we are waiting for all of these results to come in just to give everyone the state of play, as we went into election night, every house and Senate seat in the state of Virginia are up for grabs. And currently Democrats hold the Senate Republicans hold the House. And of course, Democrats are hoping to flip the house. And I'm here with delegate Don Scott, who is the Minority Leader of House Democrats here in Virginia, you're hoping that that changes and you are poised to be House Speaker, the first black person to ever hold that title if it happens. What are you seeing tonight? And what are you taking away as we're watching these election results come in? DON SCOTT, (D) VIRGINIA STATE HOUSE MINORITY LEADER: Thank you. I believe that voters are sending a message to all of us. Democrats and Republicans that the number one issue that they care about is freedom. They want bodily autonomy. Women want control of their own bodies. They don't want the government in the middle between them and their doctors. They want to make their own decisions. And people want to have voting choice. People want to make sure that we take care of the everyday kitchen table issues, make sure we take care of economy, go back to the bases, make sure that people have a fair shot in this economy, make sure that we provide in great health care, make sure providing a first-class education to our children, and making sure that we keep our schools safe from gun violence. And I think those are the issues that are resonating with voters today. DEAN: And, you know, we national media, we've talked a lot about the abortion issue. Democrats have really leans heavily into that here in Virginia, Governor Glenn Youngkin has proposed a 15 week ban with the exception for rate and says for the life of the mother. He has not emphasized it as much on the campaign trail. When asked about it, he'll talk about it. But you all have really leaned into that message. Why? SCOTT: Well, we think that women have told us we didn't have a choice, because this is the concerns of the voters hand. People want to believe that we're living in a country where women can make their own choices about their own bodies. And that's a basic right, that intimacy around your own body and debate to make that decision. My mother is 88 years old. I never thought I have a 14-year-old daughter. I never thought that we live in a world after Roe was overturned that my 88-year-old mother would have more rights than my 14-year-old daughter. And that's what's resonated with voters throughout this week, not leaning into it. We've listened to voters and voters have told us that -- that's what they care about. And so we've come up with policy prescriptions to be able to make sure that we keep Roe, the law and the Commonwealth of Virginia. DEAN: And this is an off of year election is, is how you say it. There's not really anyone at the top of the ticket to drive turnout. These are very local races. How do you convince your voters it's worth voting? SCOTT: Well, Tip O'Neill said years ago, all politics is local. And what it is, is once you connect to your local voters in my community where I live in Portsmouth, and every single look at we have 100 unique seats in the House of Delegates. And every single one of those communities are different. So what may be a top priority and one district may be different. And so it's so important that you connect with each and every community. And if we do that, then voters will come out and off of year elections like this, it's about a 30% to 40% turnout and presidential year 75% of registered voters turnout. So we need to make sure that we're connecting with those voters, getting as many as we can to turn out and we're getting in some areas where Democrats will take charge hopefully, because we're getting crazy turnout. We're getting turnout that's -- that's mimicking presidential youth turnout. [20:45:00] DEAN: All right delegate Don Scott, thanks so much for stopping by. We appreciate it. Jake, we're sending back to you. TAPPER: Thanks Jessica, really appreciate it. I'm back here at the Magic Wall, one of my favorite places to be in the entire world. And we're looking at this map, which has an interesting we placed Hawaii and Alaska we were just noting. KING: Yes. TAPPER: This is -- they haven't moved, right? This is wrong? KING: They have not moved. We often -- TAPPER: OK. KING: We often have data here on big busy election night. We have 50 states. So they're down there a little bit. Yes, it's -- TAPPER: OK. Because I wanted to make sure because I am making -- KING: There are Middle School -- our kids in middle school right now are saying that's not how I teach you to jog. TAPPER: OK. So I was making Christmas plans that -- KING: Right. TAPPER: So OK. KING: It's a sort of a flight. TAPPER: I was going to say, but also probably less warm. So -- but these fights, especially in Virginia, and especially in Kentucky right now, they're being fought in the suburbs. And tell me about what's going on in the suburbs, especially in Kentucky right now. KING: So we're going to watch to see if a pattern emerges, right? TAPPER: Yeah. KING: Throughout the night, this is what the Democrats are hoping. Number one, we're up to 74% now. And the governor, the Democratic incumbent has a 51,000-vote lead. So we're still waiting. Still waiting to see these gray counties. We're being cautious here. But that is a governor on the path, not there yet, not to the finish line. But he is on the path to re-election in a very tough climate, a Democrat in a red state in the middle of this income economy, the middle of the President being underwater. This is -- this is a very impressive path. We're not to the finish line yet. So let's show you. Andy Beshear, you see all that -- you see all that blue out there. Let me just bring this up here. Let's just look at suburban counties. OK. And this will pull out of the way just a second. You can see more of it. But you see in the suburban counties here, especially the bigger ones, around Louisville, around Lexington, around Frankfort, the Cincinnati suburbs here. Andy Beshear winning most of the suburban counties. That's how you win competitive elections in tight states. Democrats tend to run it up in the urban areas. Republicans tend to run it up in the rural areas and the competitive battlegrounds. You're from one of them Philadelphia, the collar counties around Philadelphia. That's where close elections are won. Democrats have succeeded in the suburbs in recent years when I started this. That's how George H.W. Bush became president. He ran around Philadelphia. He won in. TAPPER: Yeah. KING: So look at this in Kentucky tonight, right? There's one, the Democrat is winning in the suburbs. One of the things he ran on was abortion. Republicans are harsh on abortion. Stay with me. For Andy Beshear, we're not to the finish line, that message appears to be working. So let's come up here now to a different issue in a very different state. In Ohio, the question is, the constitutional right to an abortion. TAPPER: Yeah. KING: About a quarter of the vote in, Donald Trump won this state by eight points. It has a Republican governor, Republican statewide -- Republican officials, yes, on a constitutional right to abortion is getting 60% of the vote right now in a red state. And so this is the entire state. And you see the green is yes. All right, these are more rural areas. But so again, let's bring up the same comparison. Take a look at it. You bring up the -- the suburban counties. That's a lot of green, right? This is the American suburbs, just like in Kansas. The Kansas City suburbs in Kansas, the Topeka suburbs, that was the first vote after the Dobbs decision. In a very red state, suburban voters in Kansas who vote Republican for President, who vote Republican for a lot of things said no, on this issue. Suburban voters in Ohio who vote Republican on a lot of things, right, let's -- let's just circled some of these counties. Let's do this. That one's democratic. But watch this. Now, you're going to see -- you're going to see some blue in here. Let's come up here. You're going to see some blue in here for Joe Biden in 2020. But you're also going to see something else. TAPPER: Wow. KING: See that red? TAPPER: Lot of red. KING: These are in counties won by Donald Trump. Some of them convincingly, voters are saying we want a constitutional right to an abortion, right? And so here's the question. Right, here's the question. I mean, I'm not going to your state, not your Commonwealth, not tonight. This is Commonwealth night, though. So as you come back to Ohio, you come back to issue one. And you see this in the suburbs, we see it in Kentucky. We see it in Ohio. Does it happen in Virginia? That is the question. If we can slide over here, then we just look, we're waiting for these results to come in, right? Here's the current balance of power, right? You have, you know, Republicans up narrowly in the House of Delegates, you have Democrats up narrowly in the State Senate. And so then you come -- let's just use the Senate map, this is what we're looking at now. Redrawn districts, this is the state of play. We don't have a live data feed from Virginia because of legislative races. But where are the key races? The key races are up here in the Washington suburbs and down here in the Richmond suburbs. So if the pattern continues, that's what we're looking for, or has Governor Youngkin with the 15-week proposal, found a middle ground that stops the momentum of the abortion right forces. It seems to be working Kentucky tonight. It looks like it's working in Ohio tonight. Here's test number three. Still to be answered. TAPPER: All right, both parties are watching the numbers come in from Kentucky, from Mississippi, from Ohio, and Virginia as I try to read the message voters are sending. Coming up, we're learning how the Biden campaign is interpreting these numbers, so far after this quick break. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [20:53:53] ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST: And a key race alert right now in the state of Kentucky, Governor Andy Beshear right now ahead. 15.1% here solidly ahead right now, ahead of Daniel Cameron, the current Attorney General, Republican candidate for governor, 46.9. Right now, we have 82% of the vote in, in Kentucky. So right now Governor Beshear is maintaining that. So obviously extremely solidly that he has right now, 82% of the vote in and we're getting the Biden campaign's reaction to tonight's results so far. I want to go straight to our Senior White House Correspondent MJ Lee. MJ, obviously, these are in several crucial states, very specific races, but ones that could be hugely significant. So how closely is the President watching them? MJ LEE, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: (Off mic). BURNETT: All right, obviously I'm sorry. I wasn't sure if it was just me, sometimes it's just my ear, but obviously we couldn't hear. We get MJ back. We'll go to her, but I do want to go to Jeff Zeleny because he's been following the Republican presidential candidates and what they're looking at tonight. So Jeff, on that front, how are they responding, not only to tonight's votes as we are watching this come in, but to the poll that we've been, David Chalian has been going through bit by bit here through the night that CNN just came out with which, frankly, is very dismal poll for President Biden. [20:55:17] JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, Erin, a year before the 2024 election, not all Republicans are celebrating President Biden's low approval rating, and those headwinds that are facing him on inflation, on the economy and more. And here is why, a central part of their argument for the last several months at all the debates, including the one here tomorrow night has been that Trump can't win, that Trump cannot beat Joe Biden. Well, the poll numbers and just the overall sense of the sour mood of the country now are essentially have a race that argument or certainly watered down that argument for Republican candidates. So in a nutshell, Erin, the weakness of President Biden has helped President Trump. I talked to a senior adviser to a Republican candidate tonight and said that Biden's pain has been Trump's gain. And this advisor was not being glib. They said this simply has been a fact of life of this campaign that Biden's weakness has built up President Trump. So this is something that we'll see tomorrow night at the debate here tomorrow, Erin. BURNETT: Right. Thank you, and I'm sorry to interrupt you, but I do want to get to Jake. Because I know, Jake, we've got to keep projection in a crucial race tonight. TAPPER: That's right, Erin. CNN can now make a projection in a marquee race this evening. CNN is projecting that Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, a Democrat has been reelected, it says a very significant win for Democrats. Beshear, who ran as a defender of abortion rights in a largely Republican Commonwealth, Kentucky, is defeating Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron. Again, incumbent Democrat, Andy Beshear, has won a second term as governor in ruby red, Kentucky. Let's go to Eva McKend now who is in Louisville at Beshear headquarters. Eva McKend, I have to say, not only are we calling it for Beshear, it's not even 9 p.m. yet. Big, big win for the incumbent Democratic governor in red Kentucky. EVA MCKEND, CNN NATIONAL POLITICS REPORTER: Yes, Jake, it is a significant victory for Governor Beshear. And you know, as I've been speaking to Democrats, they were hopeful. But they did not think that it would be called this early. They say that it's really a testament to the strategy that the governor employed. He's well known, well liked in this state. But he often emphasized an inclusive strategy of reaching out in the final weeks of this campaign to voters that are often described as forgotten voters. And he was at the helm during several natural disasters in this state as well as the pandemic. I spoke to a woman today and she told me, you know, during the pandemic, he took care of us. By the results tonight, it seems as though voters in Kentucky have rewarded him for it, Jake. TAPPER: Indeed, Eva McKend in Lowville, Kentucky, thank you so much. And let's talk about this, is this -- it's already -- I'm already going to go right there. Is this a template for Democrats nationwide? Is that the Beshear template? Is there Josh Shapiro in Pennsylvania? Is there something here for others to follow in terms of reaching across the aisle, reaching out to working class Democrats, working class individuals, and on and -- on and on? ABBY PHILLIP, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Maybe the lesson here is run your own race. I mean, I think when you talk to Democrats who are running on issues and in campaigns across the country, every single one of these races is different in a certain way. And each one of these candidates has to be, as both parties will say the right fit for their state, their district, their, you know -- their geography, and also navigate these issues. I think that's what Andy Beshear did very well. He identified abortion as an issue that he was being attacked on, but that he could also go on offense on. He had some -- some significant issues in his state in terms of a mass shooting that he performed, I think, very well in terms of dealing with it on a national platform. And those things helped him. He's also well liked. He happens to also have a very well-known family. All of those things, help him playing those things to your advantage help. But you didn't see him here, hugging Joe Biden, hugging national Democrats, even hugging just a national narrative in his state. I don't think you're going to see a lot of that, frankly, from either party in this coming cycle. Because the poll -- what the polls have really show us is that both parties at a national level are particularly toxic in this country. DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, I don't -- Yes, I don't -- … CNN Live Event/Special Aired November 07, 2023 - 21:00 ET THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. [21:00:00] DANA BASH, CNN HOST: I don't know that this is transferable, in off- year elections, or off off-year elections, as this is. You sort of look for the tea leaves, and what, it means, for the next election. And we are looking at a lot of questions. And I don't know how many answers we got. In this particular case, he is such a unique character. Not only does he have the name ID. But he's well-liked, which is not nothing, in these times, when people just don't like politicians. I mean, I don't know that they ever really loved politicians. But even more so, right now. KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN HOST: Yes. BASH: And really, the authenticity factor. COLLINS: And Abby's right. He over -- that mass shooting happened. It killed a friend of his. He actually had to tell his friend's wife that his friend had been killed, in that. BASH: Yes. COLLINS: He also oversaw flooding, and the response there, in the State that I think earned him goodwill, with voters there. One interesting part was how he chose to lean in on the abortion messaging. That was a national message that he took there. He painted Daniel Cameron as this extremist in that. Even though, staying and being re-elected, he's not really going to have the power to change those laws, because he still does have a very Republican legislature that he's dealing with. But it is interesting, seeing the different through lines, and what could be potentially helpful, with Democrats still leaning in on abortion, on that message, even in a really red state. KASIE HUNT, CNN HOST: I mean, over and over again, my sources say yes, OK, Biden's got problems. People aren't feeling great. But they really don't like the extremism of the Republican Party. And at the end of the day, that's going to carry Biden in 2024. I mean, we'll see. I mean, I think, Dana, you're right, to point all the reasons why this is not an exact template, for presidential race. BASH: Yes. HUNT: Of course. But I do think there's a lot here for Democrats to learn from. BASH: And if you look at the opposite, let's say, Beshear lost, then it would be "Oh my gosh. It's a big, big warning time for Joe Biden." I mean, of course, that's what the way it would have been played. HUNT: Right. BASH: So, that is, it's certainly better for Joe Biden and better for Democrats, when you look ahead to next year that Andy Beshear won. And -- but I do think that the key here is what it tells, what it should tell politicians, what it should tell America, about how to actually be an effective politician. And the answer is to be an effective leader. ABBY PHILLIP, CNN HOST: But can we also talk about the extremism bit that you just mentioned, Kasie? HUNT: Yes. PHILLIP: I mean, Daniel Cameron was supposed to be the kind of friendly face, on a MAGA-friendly Republican. So, he wasn't like a hard-charging flame-thrower. But he was -- he said a lot of positive things, about Donald Trump. He didn't alienate himself, from that. JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: He was endorsed by Trump, right? PHILLIP: He was endorsed by Trump. TAPPER: Yes. PHILLIP: He didn't alienate himself from the far-right. But he did it in a way that made him seem likable. He was potentially a new face, for the Republican Party, a Black man, in a red state, trying to broaden the -- at least the appearance of the party. That didn't work. I mean, look, there are a multitude of factors here. But I think we should point out, it did not work, in this case, to put a friendlier face, on a MAGA Republican. TAPPER: I do -- PHILLIP: And there's something to be said for that. TAPPER: I do want -- you said he -- that Governor Beshear painted Daniel Cameron as an extremist on abortion. But I think his position was rather extreme though, right? I mean, his position was he was -- COLLINS: Right. He just highlighted it. TAPPER: Yes. I mean, he was anti-abortion. Period. Right? I mean, like he just had a very anti-abortion position. COLLINS: He had to come out actually, and because of that Beshear ad, of the 12-year-old girl, who said she was raped by her stepfather, Daniel Cameron had to come out and say he did favor exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother. TAPPER: So, the other question I have is, we've talked about how, and we'll see what the results are, of the Ohio referendum. But there, since Roe v. Wade was overturned, since the Dobbs decision, there have been six States that have weighed in, on abortion. And Kansas, Montana and Kentucky are among them. So, I'm not exactly sure what the Kentucky ruling was. But Kentucky has already weighed in, on this issue, on the abortion rights side, I believe. So, the idea that this issue is going to continue to haunt Republicans, including in red States? And maybe it wouldn't, for example, haunt Republicans, in Alabama, for example. But in States that have trended blue, in the last 20 years? It seems as though Governor Beshear really played that to his advantage, in a major way, because he -- if you look at the maps that John was showing us, a little while ago, he really dominated in the suburbs, in places that Donald Trump won. PHILLIP: Right. TAPPER: In 2020. PHILLIP: One thing about the abortion dynamics, that we've been seeing is that key distinction, it's when abortion is put to voters, they tend to vote in support of abortion rights, broadly. [21:05:00] But when you see abortion being banned, as it is, in much of the South, it is usually, when existing Republican legislators and governors move to ban it, not putting it to the voters, but they themselves feeling empowered, by whoever put them in office, move to ban it. And so, that's why I think an argument, against a governor, on this issue of abortion, even when it's not on the ballot, can be very potent, because I think voters understand the role that governors have, and legislators have, in basically passing abortion restrictions, without the voters, actively having a say-so. And they are pushing -- BASH: Which is put up to the test (ph) in Virginia. PHILLIP: And they are pushing back on that. BASH: Yes. PHILLIP: In some cases. HUNT: Yes. So, Jake, to answer your question. Forgive me, for using Google, to answer your question. TAPPER: Yes, please do. Please do. HUNT: Yes. There -- Kentucky voters rejected a ballot measure that would have denied constitutional protection for abortion. So, it was a victory for abortion rights supporters. But the bottom line is that Kentucky has one of the most draconian bans, in the country. There was a trigger law passed in 2019 that went into effect, when Dobbs was overturned. So, voters there are feeling the effects of what a ban like this does. But to go back to something you were saying, Abby about, I mean, I was thinking about, yes, David Cameron obviously has a different profile, from Glenn Youngkin, in certain important ways. But we're both saying the same things about them, right? PHILLIP: Yes. HUNT: Kinder, gentler Republicans, like -- PHILLIP: I actually think they have a very similar profile -- HUNT: Right. PHILLIP: -- in some ways, except that maybe Cameron is a little bit more openly embracing of the Trumpism, right? HUNT: Right. But the -- PHILLIP: But yes. HUNT: The bottom line here is I don't -- I mean, we're still waiting on the results from Virginia. But I will say, all the Democrats, I'm talking to, are very optimistic. And it really looks like that is just not a package that is selling right now. TAPPER: So, let's throw to John King, to find out where we are, on this Ohio referendum, dealing with abortion rights. John? JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Jake, about 37 percent of the estimated vote in, so ways to go in the count. But, and this is a very important "But," yes, the Ohio constitution should have the right to an abortion, in the state constitution, is getting 58 percent of the vote, if you add that up right now, and it's 229,000 votes plus is the margin. And if you look at the map, the green is yes, on abortion rights, in the state constitution. And if you take a look at that, in Cleveland, in Columbus, in Cincinnati, it's winning in the urban areas. And guess what? It's winning in all the suburban areas, around Youngstown, Akron, Cleveland, Toledo, Cincinnati, this is a romp, if you will. Donald Trump won this state by eight points, right? It has a Republican governor, who is anti-abortion. The voters of Ohio? It's not done yet. We're still counting votes, and we have not projected this one yet. But just like in the Kentucky race, it gets overwhelming, at some point. You're just trying to be extra cautious, and count the rest of the votes, as they come in. So, let's just see where we are. You go up here. Lucas County, this is where Toledo is, sixth largest county in the state. Only 26 percent of the vote in. So, you watch it. You see if the trend shifts. 74 percent right now. So, the one argument could be these are early votes, mail- in votes. So you wait to see if other votes come in. That's what we do. But it's pretty overwhelming. Then, you come over here to Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Jake -- Cuyahoga, Jake and 78 percent. So, the math is the math. TAPPER: All right, John, we have a major projection to share with you right now. CNN projects that voters, in Republican-leaning Ohio, have approved the ballot measure, to establish a state constitutional right, to an abortion, Ohio becoming the seventh state, in the nation, where voters have backed abortion rights, since Roe v. Wade was overturned, last year. The Ohio vote is likely to reinforce Democrats' plans to make abortion rights central, to their message, in 2024. Again, CNN projecting the abortion rights ballot measure, in red-Ohio, will be approved. And that is a celebration, you're looking at, right now, of abortion rights supporters, in Columbus, Ohio, celebrating their victory, this evening, adding to the state constitution, the abortion rights, now enshrined in their state constitution. Erin Burnett? ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST: All right, Jake. And Kate Bedingfield, I mean, that's the celebration that you're focused on. That's the train that you say Biden needs to get on. DAVID URBAN, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yes, good news, for Kate. BURNETT: There you go. KATE BEDINGFIELD, FORMER BIDEN WHITE HOUSE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: Yes. BURNETT: You have had a -- you've had a tough night. BEDINGFIELD: I -- BURNETT: So, go ahead. BEDINGFIELD: Thank you. Yes. I mean, look, there are -- there's discussion now. It's funny. I think Dana was saying -- I think it was Dana, who was saying, if Beshear had lost, it would be like "Biden was a drag." And now, because he's won, it's like, "Well, did Joe Biden really help? I don't know." BURNETT: Yes. BEDINGFIELD: But look, Daniel Cameron spent $13 million (ph), in paid advertising, in this race. And most of it was hitting Joe Biden, trying to tie Biden to Beshear. So, Republicans made a really full- throated effort, to try to make this race, about Joe Biden. It did not drag Andy Beshear down. And so, the other thing I would say, I noticed a CNN reporter, tweeting that the Kentucky governor's race has predicted the presidential cycle. DAVID AXELROD, FORMER OBAMA SENIOR ADVISER: Yes, yes. BEDINGFIELD: For the last five cycles. AXELROD: Yes. BEDINGFIELD: So, if we're going to talk -- if we're going to spend -- URBAN: Calm down, Axelrod. Calm down. BEDINGFIELD: -- if we're going to spend, tonight, talking about -- AXELROD: No, no, no, I -- BEDINGFIELD: -- a year from now, then let's look at -- let's look at this, and -- AXELROD: I think that's true. And I think what you're seeing around the country -- BEDINGFIELD: Yes. AXELROD: -- seems to be consistent with what we've seen, all year, in race after race, which is, Democratic turnout is high. [21:10:00] Now, the polls suggest that Republican enthusiasm is greater than Democratic enthusiasm. But in the real-world tests, at least in this year, and in 2022, that hasn't been the case. And the question is does that carry forward into 2024, and how do the complicated feelings about the presidential candidates, enter into it? But -- VAN JONES, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: While -- AXELROD: -- this is a better night. URBAN: Yes. But -- AXELROD: A better night. JONES: Let me -- before we get to up in the atmosphere, I just want to say, ordinarily, I would be very sad, if a Black guy ran for governor, and lost. But I'm not sad today, because of Breonna Taylor, was the reason that you saw no movement of African Americans, toward him, not just because he's Republican, but because he had a chance to put in jail, the Police officers who murdered, Breonna Taylor. Prosecutors said there was plenty of evidence to do so. And he chose not to. And so, for some people, they were voting for Andy -- for Beshear. Some people were voting about Breonna Taylor. BEDINGFIELD: So -- yes. AUDIE CORNISH, CNN HOST: Also want to throw out there that Beshear, it's a little bit of a vote for competence, in terms of like -- URBAN: Yes. CORNISH: Right? The voters were happy with -- URBAN: The flood. CORNISH: -- how he dealt with the floods. URBAN: Yes. CORNISH: -- how we dealt with COVID. And McConnell -- AXELROD: And shootings. CORNISH: -- Mitch McConnell, and the President -- ALYSSA FARAH GRIFFIN, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yes. CORNISH: -- all stood side by side, with Beshear, about infrastructure spending. BURNETT: Right. CORNISH: So, it's not as though he was this like Liberal Democrat, from out of state, something-something. URBAN: Like if people eat kale. CORNISH: Yes. He's a political -- he's the sign of a political dynasty. BURNETT: Right. AXELROD: He's also a really talented presence, on television. And, you see him in these very moving situations, tragedies, in which he shows great empathy. CORNISH: Leadership. FARAH GRIFFIN: Right. AXELROD: And I will tell you that without question, he will be now leaping into the discussion, about 2028 -- JONES: Impressive (ph). AXELROD: -- and the presidential race. BURNETT: Well, and but to this point, OK? So, you look at what's happening, tonight. Huge victory in Ohio for abortion rights. Democratic, very significant victory, in Kentucky, in a red state. You talk about the enthusiasm. AXELROD: Competitive race, going on, in Mississippi. BURNETT: You're not seeing the enthusiasm -- competitive race going on. So, there's all that strength, that energy, that enthusiasm. CORNISH: Yes. URBAN: So -- BURNETT: And then, you got a poll that's abysmal for Biden, right? AXELROD: Yes. BURNETT: So, what's the gap there? AXELROD: Well, that's what we're going to find out. But -- CORNISH: Yes. Well, no, can I jump in here? BURNETT: Yes. AXELROD: But -- CORNISH: I mean, the details do matter. And when it comes to the Ohio ballot measure, it was specifically talked about not just abortion, but about your contraceptive rights, but about miscarriage, also about not being penalized -- BURNETT: Right. CORNISH: -- if you end up -- BURNETT: But in a world, where these things are happening, it is a little jarring -- CORNISH: But I'm not saying it's not a -- BURNETT: -- to the incumbent Democratic president doing so poorly. CORNISH: -- it's not a yes-no, abortion yes-no. That's not how it's actually playing out, vote to vote, state to state. In Kentucky, the ads about abortion didn't actually mention abortion. So, I think the lessons we want to take away is how did people talk about these things? How did they frame it for the voters? And is that something you can bring forward for the next couple of months? URBAN: Yes. And I'd just say, also, if you look at the polls, I've not been able to drill down on this. But there's a gap, between where Biden is, in down ballot, Democrats, right? So Biden, terrible numbers. In Pennsylvania, for example, and the New York Times, in the polling that I've seen, Biden does terribly. Bob Casey's kind of holding his own, right? In most of these States, the down ballot candidates, Democrats, are still OK. There's a drag from -- AXELROD: This does -- FARAH GRIFFIN: But that is the -- URBAN: There's a disconnect. FARAH GRIFFIN: That's the opposite of the Trump factor here. URBAN: No, no. FARAH GRIFFIN: So, while Trump had a really good night, in terms of his polling that we put out. His candidates are not doing well. Daniel Cameron -- AXELROD: Well, he didn't have a good night in the polling. FARAH GRIFFIN: Well he did better than -- AXELROD: He really didn't. FARAH GRIFFIN: To say, he did better than Biden. AXELROD: I mean, he's as unpopular as Biden. FARAH GRIFFIN: But just note that Daniel Cameron's closing message was, "I'm backed by Donald Trump." And he lost. I would note that Kentucky Secretary of State won re-election, Michael Adams, a Republican, who had beat election deniers, to become Secretary of State, and won by 61 percent, outperforming Daniel Cameron. JONES: Right. FARAH GRIFFIN: So again, election deniers go down, and Trump is a drag on the ticket. BURNETT: Right. And it is interesting, when you get to the top, and you get to these polls, what does that actually really mean, right? Because when you got, rubber meets the road, you're seeing something a bit different. All right, well, contests in Ohio and Kentucky are now decided. We have made those calls. And we are now waiting to see another crucial race. That is the Mississippi governor's race, and how that will play out. A lot of votes still outstanding there. Too early to call it. And we expect to hear from the Kentucky Governor, Andy Beshear, at any moment, now that he is projected to win re-election. We'll be right back. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [21:17:55] TAPPER: And we're bringing you live pictures, from the Commonwealth of Kentucky, where Democratic governor, Andy Beshear, is expected to speak any minute now, about his re-election victory. Standby for that. But right now, let's go to Kaitlan Collins. Kaitlan? COLLINS: Yes. I want to talk about the stakes of tonight's race, and the 2024 election, with Republican presidential candidate, Vivek Ramaswamy, also from Ohio. We just made a key race alert there. Obviously, Vivek, voters there, voting yes on issue one, to enshrine the right to an abortion, in the state's constitution. Do you think that's a warning sign for Republicans? VIVEK RAMASWAMY, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Look, I voted no on that, earlier today, before flying down here to Miami. But my view is on the merits, our pro-life movement, and I am part of it, needs to be better about the way we discuss this issue, actually talk about greater access to adoption, to child care, further -- even go further to sexual responsibility for men. I think that too few of us are talking about these issues that can say "We're not in this." It's not about a men's rights versus women's rights issue. It's a human rights issue. The fact of the matter is Clarence Thomas brought up an example, in the Dobbs case, of a pregnant woman, who was assaulted, and asks the question of "Who in this country would say that that criminal doesn't deserve liability for that death?" I haven't met one yet, Kaitlan. And so, I think we're more united on the pro-life instincts than the pro-life movement has actually been good at representing so far. But we need to talk about the issue very differently, in order to bring people along here. I will say that it was also outspent in Ohio, by many multiples, the yes versus no. And so, the influence of money in politics, I think, showed up in this result as well. COLLINS: Well, a lot of money was spent on the other side. But do you really think it's a messaging issue, and not just that voters clearly believe that they should have the rights that they had, when before Roe versus Wade was overturned? RAMASWAMY: Well, I think some of this is substance. It's not just messaging, actually being, walking the walk, when it comes to being pro-life on, access to contraception, to adoption, to even child care. [21:20:00] And as I said, a missing lever that we really ought to embrace, on the right, is greater sexual responsibility for men, codified in the law, in an era of genetic paternity tests, put more of a burden, financially and otherwise, on the father, when it's a confirmed paternity test. I think those are winning pads forward for us. That combined with different messaging, yes, I do believe will win many Americans over. If you look at a state, like Iowa, not that different, in many respects than Ohio, I mean, they're very different States. But when you look at a red versus blue divide? Iowa went for a six-week ban, with growing majorities, for this -- legislators, who supported it. So, I do think the framing and the messaging and the context actually does matter. COLLINS: But Iowa is -- RAMASWAMY: I don't think this should be a sign that the Republican Party should abandon a pro-life position. COLLINS: Iowa is Iowa, home to a lot of evangelicals. I mean, Ohio is a deeply red state. RAMASWAMY: Yes. COLLINS: You don't think this is a sign that your party is on the wrong side of the abortion issue? RAMASWAMY: I think it is a sign that the Republican Party needs to graduate, in how not only we talk about this issue, but putting substance, into what it means to be pro-life. And I, for my part, I'm doing that. I think I'm the only candidate talking about codifying in the law, greater sexual responsibility for men. But I think the less we make this about men's rights versus women's rights? COLLINS: But is that what voters want, you think? RAMASWAMY: But really in substance, say we're all in this together. I think so. I think so, absolutely. COLLINS: But a right to an abortion? RAMASWAMY: And it's going to be up to the voters, to decide. It should be driven by the States. And so, it's up to the people, to speak up at the State level. But I do think that if we frame this issue correctly, this need not be some sort of final sign that we take. This was a lost battle in Ohio today. I'm disappointed about that. I think there are deep reflections, in the Republican Party, and in the pro-life movement, about how to improve from here. But abandoning the pro-life cause, I don't think is the right answer. I think the right answer is opening up other ways, where we can walk the walk, in terms of being pro-life, from adoption, to contraception, to sexual responsibility for men, and codified into law. COLLINS: So? RAMASWAMY: And I favor all of those things. COLLINS: Just to be clear, you think the issue is how Republicans are talking about abortion, or talking about contraception and adoption, not the actual issue of being against abortion access? RAMASWAMY: Not just talking about it, as I mentioned, Kaitlan, but I think being willing to stand, for substantive provisions in the law, that codify greater responsibility, for men, in cases of confirmed paternity tests, and also greater access to options, like contraception, adoption, and otherwise. So, I think that substantive difference can make a difference. It's not just a verbal question. But yes, I do think that that will change the outcomes, versus what we're seeing, tonight. COLLINS: Yes, well, clearly voters in Ohio disagreed, since they just voted to pass this by -- that they did vote to pass this. Indeed, it now is part of the state's constitution. You've talked about how this is a State's issue. Obviously, you're running to be the Republican candidate, for president. If you were president, would you sign a federal abortion ban, into law, if it was on your desk? RAMASWAMY: I've been crystal clear about this. I would not. And the reason why is I'm a 10th Amendment absolutist. I practice what I preach, and my commitment to the Constitution. This should not be a federal issue. So, here's what I'd do, from a federal perspective. Stop federal funding for Planned Parenthood. I think the federal government has no place, in tilting the scales, using money. But I do not think it is the place for the federal government, to get involved in either codifying Roe versus Wade into law. But unlike many other Republican candidates, I stand on the side of principle, because that's a constitutional limit. Roe versus Wade was correctly overturned. But we have to practice what we preach, when it comes to the Constitution. This is an issue for the States. And I say this as somebody who's disappointed by the outcome in Ohio today. But for me, it is about principle over politics, when it comes to my commitment to the Constitution. I also think that if we federalize this issue, as Republicans? COLLINS: Yes. RAMASWAMY: When the shoe fits the other foot, and Democrats are in charge? It will not go well, for the pro-life cause, at the federal level either. COLLINS: Well? RAMASWAMY: More babies, unborn babies will die, over the next 30 years, I believe -- COLLINS: I will say -- RAMASWAMY: -- if this issue is federalized. COLLINS: I will say -- RAMASWAMY: So, I stand by that. COLLINS: -- Mr. Ramaswamy that -- I mean, Donald Trump predicted who -- put those Supreme Court justices in place that overturned Roe versus Wade, that this is hurting Republicans, at the ballot box. But we have other news about another race in your home state. RAMASWAMY: Yes. COLLINS: I want you to stand by for just a moment. We're going to get that update, and then we'll come back to you, in just a moment. TAPPER: We have a new projection for you, from Ohio. CNN is projecting that Ohioans have approved a ballot measure, to legalize recreational marijuana use, for adults. Ohio becomes the 24th state, in the nation, to make recreational pot use, legal. Again, CNN projects the Ohio ballot initiative on marijuana has been approved. Kaitlan? COLLINS: And, Mr. Ramaswamy, we were just talking about how you voted on issue one, the abortion rights issue. How did you vote on the marijuana issue, this morning? [21:25:00] RAMASWAMY: I voted no, on that one, specifically for two reasons. One is, I think, it's an abandonment of the rule of law, when you have one set of rules, at the federal level, but state laws that contradict federal law. I don't think that helps our commitment to the rule of law. I think it creates a lot of confusion in this country. And also the tax proceeds here were directed towards purposes that I think have no place, equity programs or otherwise that are completely irrelevant to the measure at issue. So, having studied it, I came down on the side of no. But I did hear the update that you just provided. And, at the end of the day, we live in a constitutional republic. That means we live by what the people vote for, according to the rules of that constitutional republic. And so, that is what it is. COLLINS: Do you -- RAMASWAMY: And I understand that. But I disagree with the outcome that was reached. COLLINS: Do you feel out of touch with your other Ohioans, and given the fact that you voted no, on the abortion rights issue, and you voted no, on the marijuana issue, and both appear -- or both have passed? RAMASWAMY: And we're talking about 40s-plus percent in each case. So, I think to call that out-of-touch-with-Ohioans, I think, is out of touch, Kaitlan, with all due respect. We do have -- COLLINS: I was just asking your thoughts. RAMASWAMY: -- issues, we do need to sort out in this country. Yes. I don't think you're asking my thoughts. You were asking me, if I feel out of touch, because I sided with 45 percent of people rather than 55 percent of people, or wherever the numbers end up shaking out. The reality is, I think we have legitimate substantive debates, we ought to have, in this country. My view is let's have them respectfully, in the open, where every citizen's voice and vote counts equally. And you know what? That's the way a constitutional republic works. Our side, I think, needs to do a better job of not only how we message but how we stand for the substance of our principles. I think there's a reasonable conversation to be had, about the federal -- at the federal level, about how we evolve our drug laws. But I think the disconnect between state-level laws that are drastically different than the federal laws, create confusion, and create, I would say, an abandonment of the culture of the rule of law in this country. And that's why I voted no. COLLINS: Yes. Vivek Ramaswamy, great to have you with us, on that Ohio news, given you are an Ohio voter. Thank you so much. We'll see you in Miami, tomorrow night. Obviously. I mean, he said he voted yes -- or voted no, on the abortion rights issue, to hear him talk about how he believes the issue is how Republicans are talking about male responsibility for pregnancies, adoption. He thinks that's the issue, not necessarily the stance that abortion access should be limited. TAPPER: We just talked about the fact that, that the same people, same body politic that voted to send Mike DeWine and J.D. Vance to the Senate, voted to legalize abortion, and recreational marijuana use, this evening? PHILLIP: Yes, what is going on, in Ohio? TAPPER: I mean, what's going on in Ohio? I mean, this is before they legalized marijuana usage. PHILLIP: Look, I mean, Kaitlan, to your point about the -- look, you always go to the messaging problem, when you have a policy problem. I think that that's kind of what you're seeing here with Ramaswamy. It's not, I don't think that voters don't understand what banning abortion, or not banning abortion means. I mean, this has been a dominant issue, in American politics, for 50 years. And so, right now, voters are just getting a chance to vote on it. They haven't really had that opportunity, in a long time. BASH: Yes. PHILLIP: And when they are voting on it, they are deciding it's really a question, I think, for voters of, "What do I want my government to do? And what do I want" -- HUNT: Yes. PHILLIP: -- "to be able to do by yourself?" Now even if you don't yourself want to don't -- you don't agree with abortion, you would never have one, you don't think people should have one? When you ask people the question, "What should my government do?" We are finding that they are saying, "I don't want my government to be a part of those decisions." TAPPER: But you think it's a -- BASH: And you're -- TAPPER: -- you think it's a libertarian argument? PHILLIP: I don't think it's libertarian in a political sense. I think it is just simply that -- I mean I've talked to voters about this. And they just simply say, "That's not what I would do. But I just don't think that the government should be in charge of that." BASH: Well, except for on abortion, well that there are a lot of Republicans who consider themselves libertarian, except abortion, because they don't -- they consider that in its own category. But what I do think is really fascinating, and listening to Vivek Ramaswamy, is how many knots, Republicans are sort of putting themselves in, to figure out a way, to talk about anything other than what you were pressing him on, which is the fundamental rights that many, many women think that they had, rightly so, and that were taken away, with the Dobbs decision. And the fact that he was talking about it through the prism of men, and what men could do, I'm not really sure how that's going to -- HUNT: I mean, can we just call a spade a spade, with Vivek? BASH: -- how that's going to fly. HUNT: I mean? TAPPER: I'm sorry. I do need to interrupt, because one of the big winners of the evening, Kentucky incumbent governor, Beshear, is about to speak. Let's go to that live, in Louisville. [21:30:00] (AUDIENCE CHEERS & APPLAUSE) (AUDIENCE CHANTS "ANDY") (AUDIENCE CHEERS) GOV. ANDY BESHEAR (D-KY): Thank you, Kentucky. (AUDIENCE CHEERS & APPLAUSE) BESHEAR: Tonight, Kentucky made a choice. (AUDIENCE CHEERS) BESHEAR: A choice not to move to the right or to the left, but to move forward, for every single family. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. (AUDIENCE CHEERS & APPLAUSE) BESHEAR: A choice to reject Team R or Team D, and to state clearly that we are one, Team Kentucky. (AUDIENCE CHEERS & APPLAUSE) BESHEAR: A choice of Jack Harlow over Sarah Huckabee Sanders. (AUDIENCE CHEERS & APPLAUSE) BESHEAR: And tonight -- (AUDIENCE CHEERS & APPLAUSE) BESHEAR: -- and tonight, the people of Kentucky elected me, as just the third two consecutive term governor in our history. (AUDIENCE CHEERS & APPLAUSE) BESHEAR: But folks, this wasn't my win. This was our victory. (AUDIENCE CHEERS & APPLAUSE) BESHEAR: It was a victory that sends a loud clear message, a message that candidates should run for something, and not against someone. (AUDIENCE CHEERS & APPLAUSE) BESHEAR: That a candidate should show vision and not sow division. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. (AUDIENCE CHEERS & APPLAUSE) BESHEAR: And a clear statement that anger politics should end right here, and right now. (AUDIENCE CHEERS & APPLAUSE) BESHEAR: Just -- just look at what we were up against. Five Super PACs. My opponent's super PAC, Mitch McConnell's Super PAC, Rand Paul's Super PAC, the Club for Growth -- (AUDIENCE BOOING) BESHEAR: -- the Republican Governors Association, all running ads, full of hate and division. And you know what? We beat them all at the same time. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. (AUDIENCE CHEERS & APPLAUSE) BESHEAR: This election shows who we are, as Kentuckians. We are a proud people, who take care of each other. We believe in the golden rule that says we love our neighbor as ourselves. And the parable of the Good Samaritan that says we are all each other's neighbors. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Right. BESHEAR: No exceptions. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. (AUDIENCE CHEERS & APPLAUSE) BESHEAR: Our neighbors aren't just Democrats. They're not just Republicans. They're not just Independents. Every single person is a child of God. And they are all, our neighbor. (AUDIENCE CHEERS & APPLAUSE) BESHEAR: We get through the hard times, and we get through them together. We get to the good times, and we get to them together. And wow, are we getting to them? (AUDIENCE CHEERS & APPLAUSE) BESHEAR: Kentucky is on a historic win streak. The two best years of economic development, in the history of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. (AUDIENCE CHEERS & APPLAUSE) BESHEAR: We're building the Brent Spence companion bridge without tolls. (AUDIENCE CHEERS & APPLAUSE) BESHEAR: We're four-laning the entire Mountain Parkway. (AUDIENCE CHEERS & APPLAUSE) BESHEAR: And we're pushing I-69 forward so fast that Indiana is scrambling to catch up. (AUDIENCE CHEERS & APPLAUSE) BESHEAR: We're bringing clean drinking water, to our counties, and we are running high speed internet access, to every home in Kentucky. (AUDIENCE CHEERS & APPLAUSE) BESHEAR: We're building the two biggest battery plants, on planet Earth. (AUDIENCE CHEERS) BESHEAR: And the cleanest, greenest recycled paper mill in this country. (AUDIENCE CHEERS & APPLAUSE) BESHEAR: We have record high budget surpluses and record low unemployment. We created almost 50,000 new jobs, $27.8 billion in new private sector investments. So tonight, I stand here, excited and optimistic, about what we're going to do, these next four years, together. [21:35:00] (AUDIENCE CHEERS & APPLAUSE) (AUDIENCE CHANTING "FOUR MORE YEARS") BESHEAR: Over these next four years, it's time for a couple things. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. (AUDIENCE CHEERS WITH "YES") BESHEAR: First, it's time to get our educators the big pay raise they deserve. (AUDIENCE CHEERS & APPLAUSE) BESHEAR: It's time for universal pre-K for every Kentucky child. (AUDIENCE CHEERS & APPLAUSE) BESHEAR: We're going to keep attracting new jobs, and new industries, building our workforce, building the Kentucky we have always dreamed of. (AUDIENCE CHEERS) BESHEAR: And it's amazing that we're here. Because we have been through a lot together, devastating tornadoes in the West, historic flooding in the East. And after each, I made a promise, a promise that I would help rebuild every home, and every life. And thanks to the people of Kentucky, and thanks to this election, we're going to see that promise through. (AUDIENCE CHEERS & APPLAUSE) BESHEAR: I pledge, tonight, to continue to be a governor, who serves all our people, regardless of your party, and regardless of who you voted for. (AUDIENCE CHEERS & APPLAUSE) BESHEAR: These next four years, we have an opportunity, an opportunity, to come further together. This is our chance to build that Commonwealth, we have always dreamed of, to stop the fighting, to push away the division. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. BESHEAR: To recognize that we have more that unites us that can ever pull us apart, and that the opportunity, right in front of us, is more promising than at any time in our lifetimes. (AUDIENCE CHEERS & APPLAUSE) BESHEAR: I have a lot of thank-yous. First, to my parents. (AUDIENCE CHEERS & APPLAUSE) BESHEAR: To Steve and Jane Beshear, thank you for all your support, your service and your leadership. I love you. (AUDIENCE CHEERS & APPLAUSE) BESHEAR: To my wife, Britainy. (AUDIENCE CHEERS & APPLAUSE) BESHEAR: And to my kids, Will and Lila. (AUDIENCE CHEERS & APPLAUSE) BESHEAR: You were the reason, I do this, but you're the reason I do everything. I love you all so much. (AUDIENCE CHEERS & APPLAUSE) BESHEAR: Hadley is here, tonight. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. (AUDIENCE CHEERS & APPLAUSE) BESHEAR: She is the brave young woman, who came forward, to share her story, to speak, for so many that couldn't speak for themselves. And because of her courage? (AUDIENCE CHEERS & APPLAUSE) BESHEAR: Because of her courage, this Commonwealth is going to be a better place. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. BESHEAR: And people are going to reach out for the help they need. Thank you, Hadley. (AUDIENCE CHEERS & APPLAUSE) BESHEAR: Thanks to my close friends, here tonight. And I just want to take a minute, to recognize that we've lost some incredible people recently, who stood on a similar stage, with us, just four years ago. I know they're smiling down. I know they're so pleased at where we're going. And I know they know that we love them, and that we will see them, again. I want to say thank you to every volunteer and field organizer that did the hard work of knocking doors. (AUDIENCE CHEERS & APPLAUSE) BURNETT: Here, our now re-elected Governor of Kentucky, according to our projection, giving his acceptance speech. (AUDIENCE CHEERS & APPLAUSE) BESHEAR: That type energy that helped us win. (AUDIENCE CHEERS & APPLAUSE) BURNETT: Interesting, David, that someone, as we were listening here, it was commentary saying this was an acceptance speech that tended to -- (AUDIENCE CHEERS & APPLAUSE) BESHEAR: I want to thank the entire campaign staff, and my campaign manager -- (AUDIENCE CHEERS & APPLAUSE) BURNETT: -- sort of an announcement. I mean, it did sound very big. AXELROD: Yes. BURNETT: And it seems -- AXELROD: This seems like a -- BESHEAR: -- Eric Hyers -- AXELROD: -- this seems like something you want to take down the road. BESHEAR: -- who ran a perfect race. [21:40:00] (AUDIENCE CHEERS & APPLAUSE) AXELROD: And I don't mean just the roads of Kentucky, which he mentioned at some length there. CORNISH: Yes. AXELROD: But around the country. And there's no doubt he's going to be a person that people are interested. And we've all seen him, as I said earlier, at these tragic moments. But -- JONES: And well, I mean -- AXELROD: But the whole idea, I think, if you think about what the country will be looking for, down the road? JONES: Yes. AXELROD: It's going to be someone, who can bring people together. It's going to be youth. It's going to be energy. And it's going to be projecting a vision of the future. BURNETT: Yes. JONES: And we haven't had a guy like that since Bill Clinton, a good southern governor, that's able to reach across the party divide, the racial divide. So, I think, tonight's an important night, for the country that there's help on the way, not for 2024, maybe 2028. BEDINGFIELD: David, he's 45. He will be 46, on November 29th. JONES: Yes. BEDINGFIELD: He -- obviously it's a red state. He wins. One of his key lines there, to the point that David was making, about the roads that he's talking about, in the future, not left, not right, but forward. URBAN: And toll-free, by the way, just toll-free. BEDINGFIELD: Right, which he said toll-free. URBAN: Toll-free, he mentioned that. BEDINGFIELD: That's a local part of the politics is the toll-free. URBAN: The people of Kentucky are very grateful about it. AXELROD: I don't know. He outspent -- he outspent Cameron by $18 million. So, it wasn't exactly toll-free. URBAN: Well, listen, he's obviously -- he comes from -- he comes from a political dynasty in Kentucky. He's obviously a gifted political athlete. AXELROD: Yes. URBAN: We're going to see him around. He gave a great speech. He's a personable guy. He's out there. JONES: Good family. CORNISH: But before -- URBAN: He's going to -- you're going to see him again. BEDINGFIELD: I'll say -- CORNISH: There's also -- BEDINGFIELD: OK. CORNISH: -- pent-up demand for leadership. I mean, one thing about being in a gerontocracy is that if everyone at the top of all of these tickets is elderly? URBAN: Ouch. CORNISH: Sorry. Then, there's a whole generation -- FARAH GRIFFIN: Yes. CORNISH: -- of people, who aren't necessarily getting their shot. AXELROD: Right. CORNISH: I mean, listen to us all talking about 2028. So, I think that there's going to be a hunger, for, voters as they see speeches, like his, or any other, in the next couple of years to say, "Gosh, who's next?" BURNETT: Right. Well, at the least what you see in the polls is such incredible dissatisfaction, right, with the choices that voters have, right? So, there'll be a hunger, to hear anything new. FARAH GRIFFIN: Well, I was going to say before we coordinate him, the future Democratic leader for 2028? He ran -- CORNISH: What do you mean, Alyssa? FARAH GRIFFIN: He ran as a consummate moderate. BURNETT: Yes. FARAH GRIFFIN: He actually intentionally addressed the abortion issue, without using the word, "Abortion," did not make it a focal point. He focused on effective results for the State of Kentucky. JONES: Right. FARAH GRIFFIN: He talked about the bipartisan infrastructure results he delivered, how he responded to floods. So, I think that he actually ran border-line right-of-center on particular issues. This is somebody with tremendous talent. There's a future there. But this is also not where the National Democratic Party is. AXELROD: I think if Scott Jennings, were here, and not in Kentucky, with his friend, Daniel Cameron, he would disagree with you a little, because whenever I've had a discussion with him, he'd say, he -- and not for the cameras, he'd say, he's really a liberal in disguise. JONES: Yes. AXELROD: So, I think that, you know, I'm not sure. And no one's coronating him. FARAH GRIFFIN: Right. AXELROD: Listen, the first person to -- that first tweet I saw congratulate him, came from J.B. Pritzker, the Governor of Illinois, who's been investing in campaigns, all around the country. There are lots of young Democrats -- JONES: And the other thing too -- AXELROD: -- Democratic leaders, who are waiting to emerge. JONES: Yes, the other thing too is I think we'd spent a lot more time, on people's position, as opposed to personality. AXELROD: Yes, yes. BURNETT: Yes. JONES: People are looking for something, like they have -- URBAN: Right. JONES: Half the stuff we talk about? AXELROD: You're right. JONES: Regular folks can't follow that all. But if somebody is a leader and somebody can bring people together? I think they get a shot. BEDINGFIELD: Yes. And I think that also, we talked a little bit about reaching across the aisle. And, I would disagree a little bit, Alyssa, in that I think there are actually a lot of Democrats, in our party, who do want to reach across the aisle, who get me -- are met with a lot of opposition, by Republicans. And I think one of the things that gets lost sometimes, particularly in primaries, when people are, when this sort of most -- the most extreme voices are the most vocal, is that actually the majority of Americans want to see their leaders reach across the aisle, and they want to see them work together. And that frequently gets lost. But it is actually, at the end of the day, it is something that motivates people to turn out and vote. Obviously, Governor Beshear is somebody who can do that. But I think there are other Democrats who can do that. AXELROD: Yes. BURNETT: Is there anything Biden can learn from this? BEDINGFIELD: Well, look, I think this is actually a very Biden-esque campaign. Biden also talks a lot about reaching across the aisle. In fact, during the 2019 primary, he was pilloried, for talking about being able to reach across the aisle, and he was told that's not what Democratic voters want to hear. BURNETT: Yes. AXELROD: Yes. But that -- BEDINGFIELD: And that's actually been the core of his message. AXELROD: You're so right. BEDINGFIELD: And he's been able to get things done. AXELROD: You're so right, because -- BURNETT: Looks how (ph) David. AXELROD: Because if you look at the candidates, who have been nominated, by the Democratic Party, over the last many cycles, it isn't generally the most liberal candidate. It's generally more center-left candidates, who have the ability to work across parties. BURNETT: Exactly. URBAN: And then they get in. And then they govern -- BURNETT: Right. URBAN: -- they govern center-left, once they get in. BURNETT: All right. AXELROD: No, I'm saying they're center-left. (CROSSTALK) BURNETT: OK. AXELROD: Looks like you're sending that pause (ph) doing pretty well -- BURNETT: We got plenty of time left. BEDINGFIELD: Bipartisan infrastructure laws. BURNETT: And the Democrats, of course, are celebrating, in Kentucky, a significant win there, for Governor Beshear. Jake? [21:45:00] TAPPER: All right. The big question, of course. But do they have a shot in Mississippi? We're waiting for more votes to drop in the governor's race there. And, of course, can Democrats beat back this Republican push, for full control of the Virginia Legislature? Critical results coming up. Stay with us. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) TAPPER: Welcome back. We have another key race alert, for you now, in the great State of Mississippi. Governor Tate Reeves, the incumbent Republican is 47,541 votes ahead with 56.6 percent of the vote. He's ahead of his Democratic challenger, Brandon Presley, who has 41.9 percent of the vote. It's about one-third of the vote is in, 34 percent of the vote is in. And let us go to look at the votes, with our friend, John King. I know it's only about a third of the vote in. Still, this is not the results that Democrats were hoping for. So, when it comes to Brandon Presley, should he anticipate that he's going to have a Blue Christmas? KING: I'm going to say -- TAPPER: I'm very proud of myself. This the only one I've told all night. [21:50:00] KING: Thank you very much. TAPPER: Thank you. Thank you very much. KING: Yes. So, look, let's just wait till we get Hinds County. This is the biggest county, in the State, by population. It's about 8 percent of the state population. Remember, when Dianne Gallagher was there earlier, the Democrats went to court, got a judge to extend the voting, a little bit. TAPPER: Yes. KING: So, we have no votes from Hinds County yet. And so, mathematically, you look at this. Only about a third of the vote in. That's a big lead. That's a big lead. Let's be honest about it. 57 percent to 42 percent, that's a big lead, in a red state, the Republican governor has pulled out to a big early lead. We do have a lot of gray. That means counties, where we have no votes at all. So, you just want to be cautious, and wait. Again, especially, this is the big one. And it's a Democratic stronghold. But you'd have to see something quite overwhelming there. But you still count them. And we see how we go. You look around elsewhere. You come down, just looking in the blue counties, to see what you do, is, at this point in the night, you're looking, so what's blue, right? The Democrat's behind. So, what's blue? 80 percent of the vote in. It's a pretty small county population-wise. TAPPER: Teeny county. KING: Yes. So there's not a lot of math to make up here, right? So, you come in, you look at some of these other blue counties, let's just move up here, only 4 percent of the vote in. But again, 15 (ph) of 82. So, it's in the -- it's in the top half, top third, when it comes to population, but still relatively small. So, my theory on these things is, it looks like Governor Reeves is out to an early lead. However, with the largest counties still out, and a Democratic stronghold still out, where we saw from our own reporter on the scene, long lines, let's let them count votes. And let's see, does Hinds County, when this comes in, does it substantially change those percentages? If it does, then, you keep counting, counting. If it doesn't, then you know the math is not enough. TAPPER: So, just on the basic math of it, how does Brandon Presley have to do, in these big Democratic counties, in order to make this competitive, like 90 percent of the vote, like what does he have to do? KING: This is like a Biden in a Philadelphia. You need -- it's around 80 percent of the vote, somewhere like that. And that even might not be enough, in a State, that has not voted Democrat, for governor, in 20-plus years. Let's not -- we're not -- I'm not trying to tell people at home, "Stay up. Stay up. Stay up. The Democrat might win here." The Democrat is not likely to win, in Mississippi. However, this is a comp -- has been a competitive race into it. And this is the largest county, in the State, and a Democratic stronghold that even let's just go back to the presidential race. You see all this red. Go back to the presidential race. Joe Biden did not have a good night, in Mississippi. He got 41 percent of the vote. But you see, from Jackson, and up the western part of the state, there are a lot of Democratic counties here, along the river, and the like. So, can it happen? Yes. So, let's come back, right? So remember, this is the blue part of the State. Now we come back here, and look at the governor's race, and that's what's not filled in, right? So. TAPPER: So that's the Democratic part of the State? KING: Yes. This is the stretch Joe Biden won. Now, these are not -- these are not giant population centers, right? 0.9 percent of the population. 1.5 percent of the population. 0.1 percent of the population. So, there's not a ton of votes out there. But this is the flip side of what we always say about Donald Trump. It is Donald Trump in most States that runs it up in the rural areas. TAPPER: Right. KING: To offset what happens to the Democrats. So, let's give Mr. Presley a chance. Let's see, let's watch as these votes come in, and see if you have A, are you winning by lopsided percentages, in all these counties? And B, is turnout high? Have you generated Democratic turnout in a way that might change the math? TAPPER: What are the population centers other than Jackson, where Brandon Presley has to run up the vote? KING: Well that's the hard part in the sense that this is the number one county, in the State, and we have nothing, right? So, we're going to move around a little bit. That's number one. So now, you're moving around, you're looking at other places. So you come down here, to Biloxi, Jackson County. Fifth, it's the fifth largest, 20 percent of the vote in. He's running ahead. 10 points. That's decent math. Is it enough? That's the question, right? Yes. TAPPER: How did Biden do in Jackson County? KING: So, you come back here, and you come to the thing. Boom. 31 percent. So, he's over -- he's over-performing Biden. TAPPER: OK. KING: Down here. Over-performing Biden. The question is, is it enough, right? Because it was so lopsided, it was so lopsided for Trump here. But there's one. And then, you come up here, I just want to come up here, south of Tupelo, these are just such small counties, so that's 2 percent of the popular -- 2 percent of the population, 36 percent in, again, so you're looking at 2,000 votes, there, 2,400 votes there. The question is can you double that a little bit more, as you go? When you're looking at 58,000, you know? But if you can get 2,000 here, a couple hundred here, it's possible. And we'll know more -- we'll -- it's much easier to do the small math, when you get the big math. And we have nothing here right now. So, that will tell us how late you're up and how closely you're counting the small places. TAPPER: So, so far, Mr. Presley is outperforming Biden, from what we can tell, early on with only 38 percent. KING: Yes. TAPPER: But you really have to outperform Biden, in a State, like Mississippi. KING: Right. TAPPER: Unlike -- KING: Remember, outperforming Biden means you're outperforming 41 percent. TAPPER: Right. KING: So, if you need 50 percent, you have to dramatically outperform Biden. That's the issue. But, again, I'm a big believer in counting. And when you -- when you have the biggest -- when you have the biggest Democratic areas still out, and you know, Joe Biden won that part of the state, then there's every reason to just wait and see. [21:55:00] We're up to 40 percent of the vote. It's a 58,000 vote lead. Just want to peek around a couple other places, just to see where you see blue. Only 9 percent of the vote in. But again, it's tiny, less than 1 percent of the population. But you're winning 67 percent to 33 percent. So, there is something. Mr. Presley, Jake, clearly has appeal, in these rural areas. He clearly has sold his message. The question is Trump brought people out of the woodwork to vote. Can Presley do that? Looks bleak at the moment. But we got a lot of votes still to count. So, we watch. TAPPER: All right, John, thanks so much. And we have a projection now in a big city mayor's race that we're watching. In the great City of Philadelphia, CNN projects that Democrat, Cherelle Parker, will become the very first woman, to win the Mayor's office, in that heavily Democratic city. The former City Council Mayor will defeat Republican, David Oh. Congratulations to Mayor Cherelle Parker, in the great City of Philadelphia. Another key race that we're watching, the battle for control, of both chambers of the Virginia State Legislature. Democrats have an advantage, right now. But will that hold? Our election coverage will continue after this. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) CNN Live Event/Special Aired November 07, 2023 - 22:00 ET THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [22:00:04] JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: Key race alert and a reminder where we are, a good night for Democrats in two key races this evening. incumbent Governor Andy Beshear won re-election in Kentucky and an abortion rights ballot measure passed in ruby red Ohio. Still undecided as of now the Mississippi governor's race, and, of course, well, here's where we are on that with 43 percent of the vote, incumbent Republican Governor Tate Reeves is ahead by 55,383, he's a up at 56 percent of the vote. Democrat Brandon Presley, a second cousin of Elvis Presley, has 42.5 percent of the vote. When it comes to the battle for the Virginia legislature, let's take a look at the Virginia House delegates, Democrats are currently leading in 53 of those races Republicans are leading in 47. That would be, if it holds, a pickup for Democrats of the control of the House of delegates. In the Virginia state Senate, which is currently controlled by Democrats, Democrats are leading in 22 races, Republicans are leading in 18. This has not been decided. This is just where they are leading. But right now, as of as of now on these numbers, it looks like a good night for Democrats. Over at CNN's -- over -- let's go to M.J. Lee now. And M.J., the president spoke to the Kentucky governor, Andy Beshear, this evening. M.J. LEE, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Jake. And here at the White House, there is already a mood of celebration. The president has been watching election results come in tonight from the White House residence with a couple of his close advisers. And he just sent out this tweet he said across the country tonight, democracy one and MAGA lost. Voters vote, polls don't. Now, let's go win next year. Of course there's a donation pitch there as well. Look, there are two things that the campaign and the White House are both saying that they feel vindicated about. First thing is when they look back on this Kentucky race, they say there is a model for Democrats to successfully run on the Biden record. They say that they've seen the governor run on the bipartisan infrastructure law. And you saw in his speech, the governor's speech tonight, he mentioned the Brent Spence Bridge. This is famously the bridge that brought together President Biden, Mitch McConnell, Beshear, and others in a rare show of bipartisanship. And you will hear the campaign continuing to say that it does help Democrats to run on the Biden record. Of course, what they won't say as readily is that the reason some of these candidates are running separate from the president is because he remains deeply unpopular. And the second is they are feeling really good about the vindication they are getting, that abortion remains a really salient issue. This is something they felt very good about last year as a show of political force, in a way to drive out their base. And they say that they have gotten that again this year as well and it will remain a top issue heading into next year. TAPPER: All right. M.J. Lee at the White House, thanks so much. We're getting a new window into Republican reaction now to the abortion rights measure that passed in Ohio. Manu Raju is on Capitol Hill with that. Manu, what are Republicans saying? MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, they're actually downplaying this loss. I've talked to several of the top Republicans here in the House about the outcome of the Ohio voters approving that constitutional amendment to affirm abortion rights. Several of them said -- simply say that the 2024 election will turn on other issues. They don't believe abortion will be that salient issue that the White House hopes it will be come next year. That's the view of Jim Jordan who is, of course, an Ohio Republican, someone who tried to become the speaker of the House himself, but he said that the issues in his view will be determined by things like crime, things like immigration. Abortion, he says, will not be in voters; minds, at least he hopes, come next year. Another House Republican leader told me that he does not believe it will be determinative at all in key House races. And then the speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, someone who's made abortion issues -- anti-abortion issues central to his political identity, I asked him about this and about this being the seventh state to affirm abortion rights, he declined to comment, Jake, said that he wanted to look into this a little bit more here. But in talking to Republicans they don't believe this is a big problem for them even though last year, the election 2022 did not go their way in large part because of abortion. Jake? TAPPER: All right. Manu Raju on Capitol Hill, thanks so much. Erin Burnett? ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST: Right, Jake. So, okay, Alyssa just heard what Manu is reporting from Jim Jordan, but no comment on what happened in Ohio on abortion but it's going to be crime and immigration to look at, don't look at abortion over there. ALYSSA FARAH GRIFFIN, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Took a similar path to Vivek Ramaswamy, basically saying, maybe it's a messaging thing or it's a different issue. Abortion is the issue. But I want to note something. The man who is the most responsible for the Dobbs decision, Donald Trump, actually has been ahead of other Republicans in creating distance on the issue of abortion. [22:05:06] What I mean by that is he obviously chose the Supreme Court justices that led to that ruling, but he, about six months back, said a federal ban is a huge mistake. He was criticized by Republican outside groups, by fellow candidates. He does seem to uniquely get how damaging the politics of going all in on a full-on ban are. So, there's going to be this weird cognitive disconnect. Can he convince the voters? I'm actually fairly moderate on the issue, even though he's who got the country to where it is on the issue. DAVID AXELROD, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: He's sort of, I shouldn't use the word get-out-of-jail free card in this context, I guess, but he's got a pass because of those court appointments. And he hasn't been touched in this campaign. Some of them went after him for opposing the six-week ban and calling it cruel. So, he's positioned himself smartly. Can I just say one thing about this, though? The Republican Party unanimously in the House elected a speaker a couple of weeks ago, Mike Johnson, who is one of the most ardent anti-abortion rights members of the United States Congress. For Jim Jordan to say, oh, this isn't going to affect us next year, he's delusional. And every one of those swing districts, those members are going to be held accountable. KATE BEDINGFIELD, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I think it's also interesting. You know, there's been a lot of talk about, has Glenn Youngkin charted a new course, a new messaging frame for Republicans here. And we'll see obviously what happens in Virginia. But, you know, we heard him interviewed earlier, and really, fundamentally, his message was a very, you know, what you would traditionally call a pro- life message. I mean, he switched the word limit for ban. But, you know, he didn't talk at all about protecting the right of a woman to make her own health care decisions, or for that to be between her and her doctor. He didn't use -- if he's serious about trying to find some sort of new middle ground for Republicans, he didn't use any of the language that is meaningful to people who are -- who feel strongly about protecting abortion rights. So -- BURNETT: It's interesting, when we were talking about this briefly off camera, so I'll put it on camera. So, Van, you know, when you look at The New York Times poll broadly mirroring the one that CNN just put out, but it had the battleground states and it has Trump ahead of Biden five out of six, right? So, when you think about how are you going to motivate things? I understand it's a year out, it's a snapshot in time, but if you take the abortion issue, is there a way at this point for it to become a part of the voting in any of those states in a way that could actually get -- harness some of this enthusiasm that you're seeing tonight on that issue and put it behind Biden? VAN JONES, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I think so. And I think what you're starting to see tonight, look, you brought this poll out, and it was like you just dropped a big brick on everybody's head because it's all it said is like Democrats, Biden is in trouble. And now tonight, actually it looks like there's reason for hope. There's a heartbeat out there, and the heartbeat is out there when you've got some leadership, you've got people reaching out across the aisle, and when you have issues like abortion. I think people are going to be cross-pressured between despair and hope, between wanting to send the Democrats a message but not wanting to live in Trump's nightmare world. So, the game is not over. But I think if you look at the difference between the polling data and the performance at the actual polls, you see this thing is still in motion. AUDIE CORNISH, CNN HOST: Part of it is that is the context, right? People didn't think that democracy and election rights issue would be the salient issue during the midterms until there was just person after person who was an election denier who was actually running for office. It's the same thing with the abortion issue. It's not that the issue itself drives people. It's that do you have someone on the ballot who is speaking in a way that you feel threatened one way or another? And that context will be meaningful depending on the state. It's not just abortion general, right? It's in Ohio. This -- voters have been asked now multiple times, hey, do you want to enshrine an abortion ban in one way or another, and they're repeatedly rejecting it. The more you're talking about it, the more you're putting it in front of the voters, the more you're creating a salient issue that even if there might not have been one before. DAVID URBAN, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Look, Republicans are going to have to figure out a new path forward if they're going to win, if we're going to want to win. Abortion has been on the ballot in Kansas, you know, in Kansas, right? BURNETT: In Kansas, yes. URBAN: In Kansas, Kentucky, Ohio now, over and over. At some point, the Republican Party has to wake up and say, what are we doing wrong here, right? We have to fix this. We have to fix how we talk about it. We have to fix how we think about it. We're going to keep losing, right? They're going to have to be -- AXELROD: So, the question is, can you do that within the context of a party that demands -- URBAN: Well, that's -- in therein lies a rub, right, because everyone has to get through a primary, right? Kate was talking about earlier, you know, we want to see these -- you know, people want to see in America these really nice political figures who kind of chart a middle path. And, of course, that's what everyone wants to see. But we're not going to get there because the party system is set up to reward extremes on both sides. Those candidates never make it out of a primary. You know, most people in the -- all Congress -- CORNISH: I wouldn't say it's the party system. One would argue it is also gerrymandering and all these -- URBAN: Well, that's what I was going to say. So, when you have 435 members of Congress and there are 400 Congress people who sit at home and don't worry about an opponent, they're more worried about losing in a primary than they are in a general election, right? It makes things being -- it's very tough kind of being moderate, right, in America. [22:10:13] GRIFFIN: To Kate's point about it can't just be the messaging, it has to be the policy, well 15 weeks are supported by 68 percent of Americans. Now, that doesn't mean that many don't want more access to abortion beyond that, but that is a fairly moderate place where the broadest swath of America is, but you have to then actually sell that, and you have to talk about what an overarching vision is. And this is where the GOP continues to lose it. It is, it's paid parental leave, it's greater access to foster care, it is contraceptives. You have to have a comprehensive plan and say we are going to be the most pro-woman party if we're going to say there's going to be restrictions on one side of abortion. BURNETT: Right. And also do people vote, you know, when you talk about 68 percent of people support that, okay, but do they think in those terms, right? We were talking about it actually and we didn't get to talk to Tim Scott about it, but he had supported a 20-week ban, then a 15-week ban, right? And it's 62 percent in the exit poll of Ohio of people said they supported legal in most or all cases. So, how do -- do people get to a level at a voting booth of what does most or all mean to me or is it a feeling? GRIFFIN: Well, exactly, and I think that you have to put it into the stark terms of about, you know, that gets to about 4 months in or roughly 4 months and 15 weeks. And I think for a lot of people, that potentially seems like a reasonable place to be, but it's very different when somebody is in the situation of a crisis pregnancy, which again goes back to why you have to have all the resources on the front end to try to keep as few women from being in that position. BURNETT: But all this conversation tonight and what we saw in Ohio, Kate, does this put more air into the balloon of the abortion discussion? Because I feel like a couple weeks ago, a lot of people were saying, okay, that had its moment. It had its moment. People are passionate about it. Now, they've lost that passion. Has that changed now? BEDINGFIELD: Well, I'm not sure it had ever changed because voters were clearly still feeling passionate, right? I mean, you're absolutely right that the political discourse, the political conversation had kind of moved on, but that wasn't, turns out actually, where voters are. So, I think, you know, to Alyssa's point, you know, I think people don't necessarily sit and think about, you know, six weeks versus 15 versus 20, 26. Some do. Most don't. I think most feel this larger sense that their rights are being taken away. Choice is being taken away. Their freedom is being taken away. And so, you know, in a state like Virginia where I would agree that most voters there would probably tell you that 15 weeks, with some exceptions for the health of the mother, you know, is a reasonable place to be, it doesn't feel like that when what Youngkin and the Republicans are saying is we're pulling back from what's currently allowed, which is 26. JONES: And, again, it's not the math. It's the meaning. It's the intention. I mean, and so I think the Republican Party has given a signal that they are willing to crush people's rights in the name of some kind of ideology and Democrats are saying, we respect you more than that. It's not going to be the math. It's going to be the intention. BURNETT: It's just interesting. You've got Republicans at the point where most people agree, but the feeling that's coming from it is different, I guess. AXELROD: I think there's a patina of extremism that has infected the Republican Party. That isn't a both parties thing. I think it really is a problem for the Republican Party. You can dominate primaries that way. Very hard to win general elections that way. BURNETT: All right. All stay with us, and there's so much more ahead, as Republicans fight to keep their grip on the governor's office in Mississippi. We are watching that one right now. And what do tonight's results mean for President Biden after these crucial wins already notched for Democrats in both Kentucky and Ohio? (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [22:17:07] TAPPER: We have a key race alert for you in Mississippi. The governor's race there, the incumbent Republican governor, Tate Reeves, is still 73,223 votes ahead, 56.4 percent, ahead of Democrat Brandon Presley, who has 42.2 percent of the vote. Let's go to Virginia now, where there's a ferocious battle for control of the legislature in the House of Delegates. Democrats are leading in 53 of the races and 47 races Republicans are leading. In the state Senate, Democrats are leading in 21 of the races, Republicans in 19. And the Democrats already control the state Senate. Right now, the Republicans control the House of Delegates. If these races continue, as they are right now, that would be a pickup of one of the Houses, one of the legislature's, in Richmond. We'll see how that shakes out. John King, what have you got for me here? JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: So, let's focus on Mississippi then get back to the broader dynamic. You keep asking the question, is it possible? As you noted, Governor Reeves, the Republican incumbent, Tate Reeves, his lead has increased since the last time we had this conversation. And that has happened even as more votes have come in, in this Democratic belt in the western part of the state. I just want to show you, just bring in who lives here. If you come in and look at who lives in this part of the state, this is a largely -- you see the deeper the color here, the higher the percentage of black voters in this area. It is a traditionally Democratic area in the western part of the state, and that is where the Democrat, Brandon Presley, is getting votes. But as more of that has filled in, so here's the one place we're still waiting. We have nothing from the largest county in the state, Jackson. The suburbs around it, this gets more rural as you move out here. So, here's the mathematical challenge, right? No votes. It's a predominantly Democratic area. So, you say, wait, let's just wait and be cautious. It would be, you know, just not right to call the race until you get votes from this area. However, the Democratic candidate four years ago beat Tate Reeves by 40,000 votes in Heinz County. So, let's just hypothetically say that happened here. That would still not be enough, right? And so you're still looking, there's more votes coming in, but there's still some votes out in the Republican area. So, this looks like the governor is on a path, but we need to wait and see what happens in here. So, that's the one thing outstanding, plus those Virginia races. But now let's just go back to that dynamic. So, what's happening tonight, right? At the beginning of the night, we said, what does tonight tell us? Will tonight tell us important things that we can carry over into 2024? TAPPER: I think it is. KING: Right. So, that's the challenge, right? So, a Democratic incumbent, a guy who says, we should work with the other party, talks a lot about roads and infrastructure, sounds like Joe Biden, right, presents themselves as a moderate. Okay, let's say, ish, okay, wish wins convincingly, right, wins convincingly. That's a big deal in a very red state. That's a big deal. That's a yes for Democrats, right? So, then you come up to Ohio, a red state. Abortion right forces not only winning but winning by 11 points right now, right, in a state Donald Trump won by eight. Wow, that's a big deal, right? And so now you have what's happening in Virginia, where if the Democrats hold the state Senate, that's another victory for the abortion position. [22:20:04] That's another victory -- TAPPER: And pick up the House of Delegates. KING: If they do that, that's a huge rebuke of Governor Youngkin. TAPPER: Well, you also didn't mention the fact that one of the reasons, I think, Beshear won, one of the reasons of many, is that he painted the attorney general as an anti-abortion extremist. KING: Exactly. TAPPER: And so, I mean, the abortion theme, I think, is a big part. KING: Yes. So, Democrats, yes, it's help without a doubt, helping Democrats in a red state. Constitutional amendment passing, again, pro-abortion rights amendment passing in a red state. And so then you come to Virginia, I'm just going to bring up the 2020 map here. We don't have live feed from the legislative race. But in a state, Joe Biden won by ten points and Governor Youngkin won just barely by three points, two years later, Governor Youngkin was trying to say, I can win in the suburbs, I can elect these legislators, and we will ban abortion after 15 weeks. If he does not get the assembly, that would be another. We'll see what happens with the results. That would be another. So, we're having this conversation about momentum for the Democrats. We're still waiting on Virginia. But momentum for the Democrats and the abortion issue, the way they characterize it in Kentucky, momentum in Ohio. And yet, what were we talking about earlier tonight? Our brand new CNN poll, let me just come back to the presidential race, that shows Joe Biden in a ton of trouble, a ton of trouble. Our national poll, combined that with The New York Times/Siena College poll, where he was losing here, losing here, losing here, losing here, losing here and losing here. And so -- TAPPER: That's not good. KING: That's not good. Thank you very much. That's excellent. And so what this looks like is this. TAPPER: Yes. KING: Donald Trump -- five of those six states, Donald Trump won in 2016 and was president. In 2020, Joe Biden takes them back, and he's president. So, which is it? Are Democratic issues having a great night in Kentucky, red state, Ohio, red state, Virginia, bluish purple state. So Democrats should be celebrating or should we be looking at the Biden poll and Democrats should be saying, oh no, right? And so this is David Chalian. You're looking at this poll. Is this -- yes, it's a good, tonight looks like a good night for the Democrats. Is there a carryover? DAVID CHALIAN, CNN POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Tonight is undoubtedly a good night for the Democrats. There's no doubt about it. And it's not just issues. You noted Beshear's identity as part of this, his political identity. I think what we are seeing tonight is that -- and, by the way, tonight, guys, builds on a year of successes and special elections. TAPPER: Oh, yes. CHALIAN: Builds on last year's midterm elections where they overperformed expectations largely on the issues of abortion rights and democracy. So, Democrats have been on a run here. And I think when we look at the poll, you see that there is a Biden problem more than there is a Democratic Party problem. So, we asked in our poll, in dealing with the nation's issues, Biden is mostly part of the problem or the solution. Overall, 61 percent said he's part of the problem. Look at this breakdown here. Obviously, 95 percent of Republicans say he's part of the problem. Two thirds of independents, 67 percent say in dealing with the nation's issues, Biden is mostly part of the problem, and a quarter of Democrats. Now, one other data point for you from our poll. Look at the generic congressional ballot. This is the, which party do you want to control Congress for next year. It's tied 48 percent to 47 percent. So, the generic Democrat for running for Congress here is overperforming what Joe Biden is doing. And Joe Biden's problem, as we talked about with black voters, Latino voters, young voters, it's in his own house. He has work to do, which, by the way, is why the Biden folks feel somewhat like they do have a path out of this doldrum moment that they're in because they have to revitalize and enthuse their own folks who have already been with them. It's not a guarantee that he can do that, but that's a lot easier than trying to go in and dig in and convert people. And so it is within his own house that we see this diminishment of support. A quarter of Democrats say he's part of the problem. That's not -- I mean, Andy Beshear didn't win that big without winning a slew of Trump voters also. This -- what we're seeing tonight is the Democratic brand is not in trouble here. Joe Biden is in trouble. KING: So, can Joe Biden in the year between now and then, A, his personal structural issues, vitality, is he up to the job? That's a big problem. The issues portfolios, as David notes, the Democrats seem to be able to use it to their advantage. That's it. Can he can he reinforce his personal characteristics on which are weak at the moment and get the issues portfolio that helps even in a place like this? You got a whole year. We'll see. TAPPER: Yes. And this will be the first post-Roe presidential election we've ever had, which is another wild card thrown into the entire mix. A key race for Republicans is still undecided right now with more than half of the vote reported in the Mississippi's governor race. [22:25:00] Up next, we're going to talk to a Republican presidential candidate, Chris Christie, about tonight's results and what that all says about the political climate in 2024. Stay with us. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) BURNETT: All right, we have a key race alert right now in the state of Mississippi in the governor's race. As you can see, Tate Reeves of the Republican right now ahead 56.4 percent, ahead of the Republican -- the Democrat, I'm sorry, Brandon Presley at 42.2 percent. Heinz County, where Jackson is, is still outstanding. And, obviously, that's significant, often quite predictive. So, no one making a call as we await for Heinz County there, but closely watching the Mississippi governor's race right now. Abby? Thanks Erin. ABBY PHILLIP, CNN HOST: Thanks, Erin. While we wait on that, let's just get more tonight on some of the key races and the 2024 race with Republican Presidential Candidate Chris Christie, who's also the former governor of the state of New Jersey. Governor Christie, in Ohio tonight, the big story is that voters have yet again voted to codify abortion rights there. Is the Republican Party on the wrong side of this issue when it comes to the average American voter? [22:30:03] CHRIS CHRISTIE, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, Abby, look, I think that, you know, for 50 years, conservatives have been arguing that this was not a Federal issue, that it should be decided state by state. I've certainly felt that way. And I think you've got to let it be decided state by state, and that's exactly what's happening. And so the voters are getting their opportunity to speak. The Supreme Court took that away from voters for 50 years with Roe versus Wade. I support voters making these choices and states making these choices. And whatever the results are, are what the people want them to be. And that was my whole argument with Roe from the beginning in terms of what they did legally. They took this out of the hands of the people and put it in the hands of nine justices on the Supreme Court. That was wrong. And now let each state make their own decisions. You're gonna have great variation across the country in terms of what people want. PHILLIP: So back in 2015, you supported a 20-week federal abortion ban. I think you know, as well as I do, a lot of folks on the right, some of these anti-abortion groups, they really do want this to come to the federal level. Likely, if there's a Republican president, if you were the Republican president, they would want to bring it to your desk. If they did that. Given what we've seen tonight, would you sign a bill that banned abortion at the federal level at any amount of weeks? CHRISTIE: I think I just answered that, Abby. What I said was that, you know, the people of the state should have the right to make this call. They have the right to make this call now. PHILLIP: So just to be clear, so that's a no you would not support? CHRISTIE: Well why don't you let me -- Abby? PHILLIP: You would not sign anything at the federal level that bans abortion? CHRISTIE: Abby, Abby, if you let me finish my answer, I'd be happy to give you a complete answer. What I'm saying to you is that I want this entire 50 state experiment to go forward. And let's see what all 50 states have to say about this. If at some point there was a clear consensus amongst all 50 states about some number of weeks, that would be something I'd be willing to consider, but would have to be a consensus that was formed by the 50 states. PHILLIP: So I just wanna be clear. If anti-abortion groups came to you and said, we want to know what your position is on any federal ban, you would say, no support for a federal ban unless all 50 states voted in favor of a federal ban. Is that correct? CHRISTIE: No, that's incorrect. You mischaracterized my position. What I said was there's going to be all kinds of different positions. In my home state of New Jersey, you can have an abortion up to the ninth month. In the state of Oklahoma, there's no abortion unless the woman's health or her life is at risk. And there's going to be all kinds of different variations in between. If bringing all those together, there was a consensus at some midpoint that could get 60 votes in the United States Senate and come to a president's desk. I'd consider that. But I don't see that happening anytime soon. And quite frankly, I want all the states to be able to make their own judgments on this before the federal government even considers weighing in. PHILLIP: So, also tonight in a very red state, the state of Kentucky, the Democratic incumbent, He beat a rising star in your party, Daniel Cameron. Cameron was also notably endorsed by Trump. He was embraced by him and embraced Trump himself. Was that a mistake on his part? CHRISTIE: Daniel Cameron was a rising star in the Republican Party until he decided to throw his lot in with Donald Trump. I mean, let's face it, Donald Trump is political and electoral poison down ballot. Down ballot, his endorsement has led to Republican defeats in the House, in the Senate, rather, and the House in '18. In '20, we lost the United States Senate and the White House. In '22, we underperformed miserably. And tonight you're seeing us lose again. Daniel Cameron made a huge mistake by embracing Donald Trump and selling his soul to him. That's what he did. And the voters of Kentucky, very red state as you noted, gave their verdict on politicians who sell their soul to Donald Trump. PHILLIP: It's looking to be, Governor Christie, a potentially good night for Democrats in Kentucky and Ohio on that ballot measure, even in the state, the Commonwealth of Virginia. Is there a risk here that Republicans are too overconfident that Biden can be beat when it seems like voters seem open at least to the Democratic party and even some of the policies that have been on the table in this off-year election? CHRISTIE: Any Republican who's overconfident about beating Joe Biden next year is a foolish Republican. The President's incumbency will be a very strong tool on his behalf. And so if he is the candidate for the Democratic Party, which appears he will be, he will always be a difficult opponent. [22:35:02] He defeated an incumbent president himself just three years ago. So I don't think anybody should be overconfident. But what we should be concerned about is if we're going to absolutely put a loser up against him. Donald Trump lost to him in 2020. Donald Trump has led us to losers up and down the ticket for the House, for the Senate, and in governorships. This has been a disastrous run for the Republican Party with Trump picking these candidates and embracing them and independent voters all across this country rejecting him. That's why, Abby, I've been out there making the case against Donald Trump in a way that none of these other candidates have. The other four candidates are gonna be on the stage with me tomorrow night all raised their hand and said they would support Donald Trump, even if he was a convicted felon. I mean, this is the path to defeat. We have to defeat Donald Trump in the primary to have any chance of beating Joe Biden in the general election. That's why I want to continue to make this argument on the debate stage. Folks should go to chrischristie.com and donate to keep me up on that stage, because I'm the only one who's willing to take it directly to Donald Trump. PHILLIP: All right, Governor Christie, thank you. CHRISTIE: Abby, thanks for having me. Always good talking to you. PHILLIP: And back to you, Erin. BURNETT (voice-over): All right, Abby, well, stay with us because we're getting more votes from the governor's race in Mississippi, the Republican incumbent right now holding his lead, but most crucial county still outstanding. Plus that high stakes battle for control of the Virginia legislature is still unfolding. We're gonna get updates and show you how much it may matter for the 2024 election after this break. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [22:40:43] TAPPER: We got another key race alert for you. It's in Mississippi. Governor Tate Reeves, the Republican incumbent, is 73,203 votes ahead, with 55.5 percent of the vote. That's ahead of Democratic challenger Brandon Presley, who has 43 percent of the vote. That's with 62 percent of the estimated vote in. That's a sizable amount of the vote in. John King, there's still quite some vote to come in. We got about 37 percent of the vote still remaining to come in, but 62 percent, that is a lot and the margin here, 12 points or so, is quite sizable. KING: It is and so you're getting close. You're getting close to the range unless the numbers change dramatically and change dramatically very quickly. And this is what we're waiting for. The last couple of times you've been here, Hinds County. So we just started, that's our first. TAPPER: Just to remind people, I'm sorry to interrupt. The biggest county. KING: The biggest county in the state by far, 8 percent of the statewide population and also a very Democratic county, right? So if you're in Philadelphia, I'm sorry it's Pennsylvania, this is Philadelphia for in Ohio this is Cleveland right here in California this is Los Angeles this is where you know you're gonna get a lot of Democratic votes however the question is it enough? 86 percent at 13 percent of voted so that you look at that you think I thought well we're behind but that's big math. Can he hold 86 percent as we get up to 100? That's really the challenge here because if you look at this you come back I just want to bring it out again so here's the race right now let's go back four years ago. And look, Tate Reeves won, you know, 52-46 or six point race 47 if you round that up a five-point race it bring that up. So what happened here? You know, it was 78-22, but you see the vote margin there so 40,000 votes right? 40,000 votes the Democrat won Hinds county by then, and you come back here now we don't know how much brain and he's gonna win Hinds county the Democrats go to win Hinds county, we don't know how by how much? But look, if it's a 40,000-vote margin, it's not enough. Because we're filling in everywhere else. You see these other gray areas, there will be, you know, a few more thousand more votes coming in. 62 percent, a fair amount of votes still coming in. But the percentages out here, as you get into these places where you see 80 percent of the vote in, you move over here and see tiny small county, still only 4 percent of the vote in a blue place, but 81 percent here. So there's just not much more math to be done. The big math to be done is all right here and so I'm just gonna see as we wait here with the 13 percent a minute ago we're still there. So now you wait and you see mathematically possible, maybe mathematically probable your eyes don't lie. TAPPER: So, I know you don't like it when I touch your map but could you -- KING: Be my guest. TAPPER: Are you sure? KING: Sure. TAPPER: So I'm just gonna go to Hinds county so I don't have to touch. Okay, Hinds County so it's about a 7,000-vote margin right with 13 percent so translating that out if he if Brandon Presley kept up this margin and won by 65,000 votes in just this one county KING: Right. TAPPER: Possible not probable but possible, 65,000. I know it's not enough in that one county but that gets in spitting distance -- KING: That's why we haven't called it because you just -- you just you'd be conservative and let's just count them. Some people in a hurry. TAPPER: I'm not saying I'd put my hands on. I'm not saying I would bet on any money on it, but what I'm just saying it's possible. KING: Yet, it's possible in the back half of the book but we're not in the final chapter until we know where that gets us. Does it get it close enough to then grind it out from 80 percent to 95 percent in the places where all the votes aren't in yet. Again, I would say improbable, but not impossible, which is why we count votes, which is why every now and then we are surprised. TAPPER: Yeah, now are there enough telltale signs though that would cause people to be calling the race right now? KING: Oh, there are just some people, again, you just did the math. You did exactly the way people on decision desks are doing it, right? So this was a 40,000-vote margin four years ago, if he keeps this percentage and if turnout is equal, then he has the potential to be higher than a 40,000-vote margin. Jim Hood had 70 something, he's at 86, so it's conceivable that instead of a 40,000-vote margin it's a 50 or 55 or maybe even a 60,000-vote margin. So then you're saying, okay, well what would that get you, and then what do I still have out here on the board, right? So you have no votes at all here, but it's 0.6 percent of the population, right? [22:45:01] Now, it's Presley's gonna win here. He's going to win here. And he's gonna win probably by a sizable margin. This is a Democrat plus 41 in a presidential year. Joe Biden won this county. Again, it's only one percent population, but he won it by 40 points. TAPPER: So tell me, show me how Joe Biden won this county. What did he get? KING: There you go. 70 percent. TAPPER: Okay, so he, 4,000 votes. KING: 4,000 votes. TAPPER: Okay, and show me the other one that. KING: Where were we? We were down here and let's just make sure were in the same place for this year now we get you know you know if you're you know case TAPPER: So, it was also what was it for Jim for Joe Bident on those? KING: Now, we're really going down again and we come here by now. TAPPER: And some 5,000. I mean -- KING: So, if you get, let's get back to that right race TAPPER: But if we're not going to have that kind of turnout though. KING: But you know I said that's not a presidential turnout, but you're talking about if it was 2,000 instead of 4,000 right? So this is why it matters to discuss. TAPPER: It's a very improbable KING: Correct. TAPPER: I would not put any money on. KING: Correct, but -- TAPPER: But, who knows? KING: But we can't? TAPPER: Right. What you really need to know is you need more votes to come in from Hinds county? KING: You need, you need to get, you need to see when you get to 50, 60, 70 percent TAPPER: That's what it. KING: If that number still above 80 and not just a percentage, what's the turnout compared to the last election? The other raw numbers you need, you need, yes, the percentages help. But if there's only 10,000 votes, the percentage doesn't help you. If there's 100,000 votes, then you're doing business. TAPPER: We're gonna squeeze in a quick break. We'll be right back. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [22:50:54] BURNETT: All right, we're back with CNN's live coverage of "America's Choice 2023." We do have some breaking news though to share with you from Capitol Hill right now. A development there, the House of Representatives just voting to pass a resolution to censure the Democratic representative, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, over comments critical of Israel that she had made in support of Palestinians amid Israel's war against Hamas. She had defended the use of the phrase from the river to the sea which of course is generally viewed as a call for the extermination, the elimination of Israel. She had defended the use of that phrase and now the censure, which is a major and rare rebuke. The vote was 234 to 188. Four Republicans voted against. Twenty-two Democrats voted in support of the censure resolution. My panel with me here now, the context here David Axelrod, obviously, I mean, this is a significant development coming on Capitol Hill. This particular issue right now, the war, Israel's war against Hamas, is right now front and center in the political discourse and in polls and crucial, you know, battleground states. AXELROD: Yes, well Michigan in particular, where Biden got strong support from the Arab American community around Detroit, which is pretty significant, and there's been a precipitous drop in support. There and obviously among young people where there's a tremendous amount of division about the strong support the president's given Israel, given the attacks of Israel on Gaza and Hamas. But you know, from the River to the Sea does have meaning, and she did distort what the meaning of that was. It does mean the elimination of Israel, and that's certainly what Hamas means by it. BURNETT: Absolutely. AXELROD: So, you know, that is, to a lot of folks, me included, an offensive notion. BURNETT: Kate, you know, interesting in the context here of Biden, who has tried to walk a line here, speaking for a possible ceasefire for humanitarian reasons, a brief one, but still obviously very much in support of Israel's right to defend itself. What do you make of a vote count here on this, in this context? 234 to 188, incredibly split. 22 Republicans though, joining the more Democratic side, and, I'm sorry, Democrats, and four Republicans against. BEDINGFIELD: Yeah, well, I mean, it speaks to how divided the country is about this and how emotional people are, understandably. I mean, this is a horrific thing. We are seeing just awful, horrible, just incredibly, incredibly awful images every single day, really heart- rending. So, of course, it's understandable that people are upset and that they're emotional. I think, you know, the politics of this, I think what President Biden has tried to do, you know, is to express support for Israel. Let's not forget, I'm not sure there's another country in the world that could be attacked via a terror attack in the way that Israel was on October 7th where the United States would say you don't have a right to retaliate. So the president, I think, has been incredibly supportive. Remember, he also went to Israel in the days after the attack in part to put his arm around Netanyahu to help guide. So I think that gets lost sometimes in the intense rhetoric, which is understandable, but let's not forget --- AXELROD: -- essentially accused the president of being a party to a genocide. I mean, that's very- BURNETT: Are you surprised, David, by the split, though, that we've seen in this country, sort of, I think it has taken some by surprise to see the backlash on the Democratic left on this issue. This didn't used to be an issue where there was a lot of space between the two parties. AXELROD: Now, listen, I mean, this has been going on for years. The BDS movement on college campuses has been festering for years and years and years, and it's been quietly festering. And now to raise its ugly head and it's for everyone to see. And I think, look, it should be widely condemned. I mean, this is a great step here on the floor. Shouldn't be acceptable in any form. [22:55:04] GRIFFIN: There's a massive generational shift on this issue that I think Democrats have to wrap their arms around. When you have someone like Hillary Clinton definitively saying people who are calling for a ceasefire do not understand Hamas and then having students walk out, a consummate Democrat who's worked in foreign policy her entire career. Young people, there is polling that shows they don't understand the Holocaust, they don't understand the history of the region, why the Israeli statehood came about. You can support the Palestinian people, you can support a two-state solution, but you have to be able to condemn terrorism, which is where I think Rashida Tlaib screwed up. BURNETT: All right. All of you, thank you very much. As our continuing coverage of the breaking election developments continues, we've got more key races to call in these hours ahead, and our coverage continues with Laura Coates and Abby Phillip after a brief break. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) CNN Live Event/Special Aired November 07, 2023 - 23:00 ET THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [23:00:16] LAURA COATES, CNN HOST: You're looking live at election night in America. Triumph for some, desolation for others, and lessons, frankly, for everyone. ABBY PHILLIP, CNN HOST: That's right, Laura, that election night map tells us quite a lot about what you at home are feeling about the direction of the country, about abortion, about which party gets your vote on policy. But there are also some new polls that at the same time hammer home the deep, deep alienation with the current president of the United States. You're watching CNN's special live coverage, Election Night in America. I'm Abby Philip in Washington. COATES: And I'm Laura Coates here in New York. I mean, Abby, if you're a Democratic consultant, this should be a good night. CNN projects that Kentucky's Democratic governor is going to win against a rising Republican star in a state Donald Trump carried by 26 points. Now, voters in red Ohio prove abortion is still a very powerful motivator. Tonight, CNN projects they said yes to enshrining abortion access in their Constitution. And yet new CNN poll numbers confirm just how high a hurdle President Biden has been facing with voters heading into 2024. Talking about young voters, independents, Black voters, Latino voters. That's really the core of the Biden coalition. And one year out from the presidential contest, it looks very, very unstable. Let's get right to John Berman at the magic wall. John, what a night. Walk us through already the big headline out of Kentucky and what we're still waiting to hear for in Mississippi. JOHN BERMAN, CNN HOST: You got it. So, in Kentucky, CNN has projected that the incumbent Democratic Governor Andy Beshear will win re- election. And he has overperformed Joe Biden everywhere in this state. Remember, Joe Biden won only two counties for president in 2020. He won here in Jefferson County where Louisville is, and he won where Lexington is right there, Fayette County. Andy Beshear, he swept many more counties than Joe Biden did. It overperformed Biden everywhere and overperformed his own performance from four years ago, practically everywhere as well. All these states that are colored in, red and blue, Andy Beshear is doing better than he did four years ago. So, you can see in democratic counties like Jefferson County, where Louisville is, Andy Beshear got 70% of the vote this time. Four years ago, he got 67%. So, he stretched that. But he also was able to do that in other counties as well. If you look here in Daviess County, where Owensboro is, Andy Beshear won that county with 51% of the vote, we're projecting right now. Four years ago, it was actually a republican county. So, you can see Andy Beshear able to really extend his lead. And one other thing I want to point out because we're going to be looking at this all night long and, frankly, all year long, suburban counties, which could be a battleground. There aren't tons in Kentucky, but there are some, and you can see here that -- actually, let me put it on, make sure we're looking at this election -- in 2023, you can see that Andy Beshear won most of the suburban counties here, including flipping this one from four years ago. So, a good night for the Democrats in Kentucky, a good night in places where they wanted to do well. Let's look at Mississippi right now where we have not currently projected a winner. The incumbent Republican, Tate Reeves, is leading by 10 points right now with 71% in. The reason we have not projected this race is because of Hinds County right here, the most populous county in the state, is where Jackson is, you can see just 13% of the vote in right now. So, a lot of vote left to be counted there. How much vote? It's hard to say. Four years ago, if you look at Hinds County, you can see the Democrat four years ago won by 40,000 votes. But there were just 70 -- I say just -- there were 70,000 votes total in that county. If you look right now at Mississippi, you can see Tate Reeves is leading by 65,000 votes. So, would there be enough votes in Hinds County alone to make the difference? Probably not. But we want to wait and see. We want to count those votes. There are also some counties where there's almost no vote. Actually, the vote just did come in here. Washington County, we were looking at, there was none of this before. COATES: Okay. BERMAN: This all just came in right now. You can see Brandon Presley there. The Democrat who is, by the way, second cousin with Elvis Presley, he is leading in that county by some 4,000 votes. Let me look at Tupelo, Mississippi. The birthplace of Elvis Presley, Lee County, Brandon Presley is actually trailing in the birthplace of his second cousin, Elvis Presley, Laura. COATES: With all the hype and the movies, too. That's surprising for a lot of reasons. But it's helpful to think about what happened then and now. [23:05:00] But what about Virginia? What's happening? That's a very big barometer. BERMAN: So, Virginia, we have a different type of data coming in. I can't show you county by county breakdowns, but I can tell you where Democrats and Republicans are leading. Both chambers and the assembly are up. Every seat is up. In the Senate, right now, Democrats are leading in 21 of the Senate seats. They would need 21 to control. So, they are in position, if things hold, to control the Senate. They are currently in control of the state Senate in Virginia. So, this would be a hold for them there. We can look at the House of Delegates now as well. The House of Delegates, if I pull that up right there, you see that Democrats are leading. This number is actually a little outdated. I understand now Democrats are leading in 53 of the House of Delegates races. They would need 51 to control. If this holds, this would be a flip, Laura, and Democrats would then control both chambers of the Virginia Assembly. And this would be a setback for the incumbent Republican governor, Glenn Youngkin, who wanted what they're calling the trifecta. He wanted to control the governor's mansion and have Republicans control both chambers. If things stand right now, he would control the mansion, but neither chamber in the assembly. COATES: The trifecta, some say he wants the presidency. It's a very crucial moment to be able to flip the entire legislative branch in Virginia for other reasons. But I want to go back. It's already in real time right now. Go back to Hinds County. Tightening up there already. BERMAN: All right, let's look back at Hinds County. You have information for me here. Hinds County right here, that is where Jackson is, 34% of the vote in. All right, it's not tightening. He's actually widening the lead in Hinds County with 34% in. You can see Brandon Presley has 87% of the vote. He's got a 20,000-vote lead there. That is a big lead and it's bigger, I think, than the Democrat had four years ago. So, he's overperforming the Democrat from four years ago. He needs to probably do even better than that. So, right now, a wide lead in Hinds County, which is bringing him closer, closer to Tate Reeves who is still at 53%. One thing I do want to point out, there is a new law in Mississippi, that if neither of the candidates gets above 50%, 50% plus one, there will be a runoff. So, as you're watching the vote come in from Hinds County and there's still a lot of vote to come in from there, maybe that's what everyone should be watching for if it's enough to drive Tate Reeves below 50% statewide. COATES: We'll keep watching what's going on here. Take me to Ohio right now because the abortion issue, really prominent. BERMAN: All right. Ohio, this is -- there was a ballot initiative to enshrine abortion rights in the state Constitution. CNN has projected that will win. Abortion rights have won in Ohio, which I will remind people, in the vote for president in 2020, Donald Trump won by about 8%. Right now, if you're looking at the abortion initiative, abortion right is leading by about 11%. And I can show you the counties that Trump won in Ohio right now. Every county that has a color here, green or orange is a county that Trump won. So, you can see all the green counties here where abortion right is leading, Trump actually won. So, you could think of that, if you're a Democrat, an abortion rights supporting Democrat, you could think of that as a flip. Abortion rights flipped in every county here that's green. That's an interesting way to look at it. One other way to look at this is in again, suburban counties. This is something that we're going to be talking about for a long time here. These are the counties we consider suburban counties. You can see green, abortion rights leading in most of the suburban counties here. And if I just circle these areas here to show you again roughly where these suburban counties are, and I remind you where Donald Trump won four years ago, you can see, yes, there are a few blue counties, but a lot of red. A lot of red suburban counties flipped, in essence, to abortion rights. And so, Democrats looking at this think, hey, you know what, abortion rights, this could be a potent issue, a potent enough issue to turn some counties that had been voting Republican. COATES: A really important point, and we'll talk to our strategists and also a lot of people talking about what will happen based on these figures in other states. John, stand by. I will come back to you a lot throughout the night. Abby? PHILLIP: Laura, so much there in those maps. I want to bring it in to the studio here with my panel. Astead Herndon, start with you. The state of Kentucky, this is going to become sort of like the golden -- golden boy halo on Andy Beshear, that very popular Democratic governor winning in a ruby red state a second term. Is this potentially a roadmap for any other Democrat who is not named Beshear, which is a pretty famous last name in that state? ASTEAD HERNDON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: I mean, it's important to note the local factors that really matter there. Of course, he has that kind of local brand in the state. [23:10:00] But I do think it provides somewhat of a roadmap for Democrats that they're going to take. If you're candidates who are not Joe Biden, try to refocus these issues on protecting abortion rights, on focusing on kind of Republican attempts to pull the abortion issue kind of out of where public opinion is. And you have seen Democrats really hammer home on that message, and it played really to Beasher's strengths. And so, I think that becomes somewhat of a model here for kind of Democrats to play off nationally. But what we really see, I think, across the board is a split between the health of maybe the Democratic Party broadly and what Joe Biden can do kind of himself if we're looking ahead to 2024. And so, I think that there are signs for Democrats' down ballot that shows that their voters are still really engaged, that they really understand the stakes of the election. Things like abortion are really still driving voters in a way that really gives them signs. But there's also really clear evidence, I think, that we have coming from CNN's polling, Times polling, others every week, that may not translate individually to Joe Biden because he has the unique issue of his age. PHILLIP: So, who wants to help me make sense of this? Joe Biden in this polling, it's really dismal. Some numbers that are -- if you're a Democrat, Black voters, young voters, it would be really scary if this were November 2024. But at the same time, Democrats are having a good night. They're having a good night in Ohio, they're having a good night in Kentucky, and they're having a good night potentially in Virginia. How does this make sense? JANE COASTON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well, I think that part of this is that I think the American electorate has not yet come to terms with the fact that there's a likely chance that we are going to have a Joe Biden versus Donald Trump election again. I think that you've seen the numbers when it's Joe Biden versus a generic Democrat, who would obviously be perfect and wonderful, or when it's Donald Trump versus a generic Republican. But that's not what we're going to get. I think that you're seeing again and again that the American people want someone else. They're just not likely to get it. You're also seeing that Republicans once again have decided that abortion is going to be an issue they can win on. We heard from the Youngkin team saying that 15 weeks is something everyone can agree on. They kept talking about how rational and a very centrist approach to take. And I think that Americans who have been around for longer than 10 seconds are aware that when they say 15 weeks, they don't mean it. We have heard again and again and again and again that Republicans want to limit abortion rights. And Americans were listening to that and said, no. They said no in Ohio, they said no in Virginia, and they said no in Kentucky. And let's also keep in mind that Ohio just legalized recreational marijuana. Like these are issues that I think attract young people. They attract people who are not traditional Democratic voters. But I think it's important to separate those issues from the fact that many Americans are saying, I don't want to have another Trump-Biden election. PHILLIP: I mean, what does this mean for Joe Biden in your view? KRISTEN SOLTIS-ANDERSON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Yeah, I mean, if you take a look at some other polls that have come out showing this hypothetical generic Republican or generic Democrat against either Trump or Biden, you see exactly the dynamic that Jane described, and you see really big swings, particularly with groups like young voters. The New York Times-Sienna poll that came out over the weekend showed that Joe Biden against Donald Trump was running close to even with young voters. And as someone who studied young voters for a long time, I was like, hang on everybody, young voters are not Republican. PHILLIP: And the CNN poll had very similar results. SOLTIS-ANDERSON: Right. And then when you look at it against Joe Biden, against sort of -- pardon me, Donald Trump against generic Democrats, suddenly, the numbers snap back into place. It is not that young people have all swung to the right. It is that they uniquely look at Joe Biden and go, this can't possibly be the guy we're going to vote for, right? And so, I think Democrats have some really hard choices to make in the coming weeks ahead. PHILLIP: I was just talking, Mark Preston, to Chris Christie in the last hour, and he was very eager to say, when you look at the Kentucky race, Daniel Cameron, who was endorsed by Donald Trump, who hugged Donald Trump, who coddled some of the election lies even, all of that, he lost. And Trump was just saying that his endorsement, just a couple days ago, his endorsement was going to be the surge to push Cameron over the top, and that did not happen. MARK PRESTON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, remember when Donald Trump after the election talked about how great his percentage was on his endorsements, but then if you looked at the endorsements, many of those people that were running didn't even have challengers, right? So, he inflated his numbers. I think when you look in Kentucky, I think Daniel Cameron had to endorse Donald Trump. Even if you look at the CNN poll right now, Donald Trump has a 76% approval rating nationally. That's with every one of these court cases going on against him. That's with all the video footage we have of January 6 right now. Donald Trump is a force in the Republican Party that we have never seen certainly in our lifetime. The question is, though, for Chris Christie, who I think, you know, 10 years ago, Chris Christie is like the atypical Republican candidate that you want out on the stump. Ten years later, you look at these numbers, you look at the CNN poll, Chris Christie's approval rating amongst Republicans is over 50%. Now, I don't think that's fear to Chris Christie, but I think it does go to show you where the Republican Party is right now. PHILLIP: Oh yeah, absolutely. And you know what? Andy Beshear outperformed Joe Biden. [23:15:00] But he also outperformed Andy Beshear, really blowing himself his last performance out of the water, which shows growth even among probably some Trump voters in the state of Kentucky, which should be something of a wake-up call for Republicans. Everyone, stick around. Laura, you've got a lot more to discuss over there. COATES: We really do, Abby, because it's a huge night in America. I want to bring in my panel of CNN political commentators. We've got Ashley Allison, we have Alice Stewart, we have Geoff Duncan and Jamal Simmons, all experts in their own right. I want to really lean into what's going on in Ohio, though, because we know normally in any election, Roe v. Wade is almost always on the ballot. With the Dobbs decision, no more. And yet abortion is still on the ballot. You're from Ohio. I want to start with you, Ms. Ohioan, and ask you, what do you make of this? Are you surprised that they are coming out this way? ASHLEY ALLISON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I'm not. And one of the reasons why I think Ohio continues to trend more and more red is because the investment in the Democratic Party has continued to decrease and decrease after Obama won in 2012. Ohio is a very diverse state. It has Appalachia. It has the steel mills of Toledo and Youngstown, Ohio, where I'm from. It has Cincinnati, where the airport is actually in Kentucky. And then it has Columbus, which is a booming metropolitan area with Ohio State, the second largest university in the country. So, when you have a state like that, the diversity allows for a complexity of way the way the voter shows up. In August, there was a tell that in a special election, in August of all years of 2023, Ohio voters still showed up and said, we don't want you to change the way you get a constitutional amendment in the state. And because of that, then they showed up again and said, and now we want to enshrine abortion into our Constitution. And so, again, I think it's a tell that Republicans are a bit out of touch with this issue and it will be a forecast on how Sherrod Brown can actually win next year in the Senate race. Joe Biden probably won't win Ohio, but can Sherrod Brown hold his Senate seat in 2024? COATES: That's a good point. GEOFF DUNCAN, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: There's no doubt that Republicans are misfiring on abortion, right? And when you lose a state, a ballot issue like this in a state like Ohio and others, then obviously something is misfiring. I think the fundamental flaw that Republicans have taken into this conversation around abortion is it has become a primary issue. And so, everybody tries to outwrite them -- each other in a primary process. I watched it play out in Georgia in the illustrious Herschel Walker Senate debacle, to be nice. I watched a stage full of candidates, Republican candidates, just go one after another, after another, after another, saying that they didn't believe in any exceptions. I can't imagine that makes any sense in any shape or any corner of the country to stand up there and say that you don't believe in any exceptions even if you're in a pro-life stance. I think the conversation has got to shift and it's going to take a long time to do this. But look, almost every American is pro-life and pro-choice. It's just about where on the calendar does that come in. And we need to shape that argument in a way that's empathetic and compassionate, not bombastic and demonizing the other side on this. COATES: Some said Roe v. Wade did that with the test. That obviously is gone. But what do you think? ALICE STEWART, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, when you have a state like Ohio, very red state, coming forth with this position on the abortion issue, it should be a wake-up call -- excuse me -- to the pro-life community. It's, you know, 55% for restoring the abortion provisions in the state Constitution to 44. That's a real wake-up call to the pro-life community. And I think moving forward, having been someone that has fought really hard for many years to overturn Roe v. Wade, the issue was to put this back in the hands of the states. It has been back in the hands of the states on ballot initiative after ballot initiative since Roe v. Wade was overturned. Every single time, voters in the states voted to protect abortion rights. So, the pro-life community needs to look at this. To Geoff's point, let's reshape the conversation. This needs to be more about limits on abortion. Where do we agree on? Let's make sure we have protections for rape, incest, and life of the mother, and look at reasonable limits on abortion. Fifteen weeks, I think most people would agree is reasonable. And have the conversation from there, because I can guarantee you, I'm sure Ashley will agree, Democrats will use this as an issue in the 2024 election. More states will probably put this on the ballot because it certainly turns out voters. But Republicans need to shift the conversation more to limits as opposed to an outright -- COATES: (INAUDIBLE) thinks that way. But I ask you, Jamal, because when you're talking, it feels a little bit like moving the goalpost. You say you want the people to decide in a state. Well, if time after time, they've made the decision, and then you say, well, actually, I guess I'm not framing this correctly for you, does it undermine the voter's intelligence and are they onto it? JAMAL SIMMONS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: The voters have just decided, whatever the issue is, they're not really for taking away a woman's right to make the choices about her own body when it comes to her reproductive choices. You know, I remember last year when I was at the White House last year, I remember everyone thought that election was going to be about the economy. There was a "New York Times" poll on October 17th, I know we were all talking about a "Times" poll from the other day, October 17th, that said the economy was the most important issue, it was going to be more important than abortion, and Republicans were headed to a big victory. It's not what happened, right? [23:20:00] And I think the same thing we're seeing now, ever since we had those pink pussycat hat marches right after Donald Trump won his election, we have seen the women of America stand up again and again and again when it's time to talk about MAGA and say, no, thank you. I was watching one race in Virginia, particularly Russet Perry, who is a state senator running for state Senate in Virginia, District 31. That race was all about crime. She was being tagged as soft on crime, and then she was tagging her opponent about being an abortion extremist. She has won that race with 53% of the vote about. Right? We are seeing this again and again. Last thing I'll say on this, I was talking to a pollster friend earlier today. He said when it comes to young voters, which Democrats are very concerned about right now, when it comes to young voters, it's Donald Trump and abortion are the one-two punch. Right? When young voters realize Donald Trump is the one who's on the ballot, and then they think about the Supreme Court and what it did with abortion, it moves young voters back to the camp of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. I think that we all need to simmer down a little bit and let this election play out. COATES: I think that was loaded. I think there might be a poll. You're referencing about simmering down. (LAUGHTER) Something tells me there was something recently that happened that made the Biden camp a little bit nervous. We're still waiting on results in Mississippi and also Virginia on this election night in America. We'll be back in just a moment. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [23:25:40] PHILLIP: We are still waiting for results in Virginia and in Mississippi, and we've just gotten an update there. Let's go straight to John Berman at the magic wall. John, what's happening right now? BERMAN: Yes, still county votes in Mississippi, Abby. You can see the Republican Tate Reeves, the incumbent is leading by about 8% right now, about 56,000 votes. But there is still a giant county outstanding. Hinds County, the most populous county in the state, you can see has just 34% reporting. And in this county, it is the most democratic county in the state as well, you can see Brandon Presley, the Democrat, is leading by 20,000 votes, nearly 75%. So, there's a lot more vote to come in there. How much vote? It's a little hard to tell what the ultimate total will be. But if you look at four years ago in Hinds County, the Democrat won there with 77% of the vote. There were about 70,000 votes total in that county. So, project that out again to now 70,000 votes. Can they expect 40,000 or more votes? They're unclear, but it might be enough to narrow this lead that Tate Reeves has even more. And in Mississippi, if neither candidate takes above 50% of the vote, 50% plus one, there will be a runoff. So, that's something we're watching very closely now as these votes come in. And there are still a few other counties that'll go down to 75%. Everything you see here colored in is a county that's got less than 75% of the vote in. Hinds County, the most populous, but there are a lot of the blue counties there as well. So, still counting, Abby. PHILLIP: Yeah, still counting. But just to underscore, the question here is whether one of these candidates will get above 50%. Otherwise, we could still be looking at a runoff in this race. John Berman, stand by for us. We are still, as you can see here, counting these votes. We have much more to come as we watch these results come in from Virginia, also from Mississippi. More of CNN's special live coverage coming up, next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [23:32:10] COATES: Welcome back to CNN special live coverage. Right now, a major projection. CNN projects that Democrats will hold on to their majority in the Virginia State Senate. The House remains undecided. But Democrats are currently ahead there. But we are still not ready to make a projection there. Let's go back to John Berman to break it all down. John, walk us through these numbers. BERMAN: Yeah, let's take a look at this right now. At this moment, there are 21 Democrats leading in Senate races in Virginia. CNN projects that they will control the state Senate. That's a hold for them. They currently control the Senate. But this is significant because the incumbent Republican governor, Glenn Youngkin, he has laid a lot on the line. He has gone all in to try to get control of both chambers, the Senate and the House of Delegates, to give him the trifecta. So, we could have the governor's mansion, the Senate, and the House of Delegates. He's not going to get there. CNN projects that Democrats will control the Senate. And if you look at the House of Delegates right now, where things stand, Democrats are leading there as well. So, it's possible this night could get even worse for Glenn Youngkin. One of the issues that Democrats have tried to lean into in this election, abortion rights, something that we saw in Ohio, we saw in Kentucky. We're seeing it at play here in Virginia as well. Democrats will likely credit their mentioning and campaigning on abortion rights as something that helped them maintain now control of the state Senate and has them leading in the House of Delegates and dealing a setback to a popular Republican governor. Laura? COATES: John Berman, so important to remember, this was a governor who has only has one term and he wanted to have a lot under his belt. Maybe he wants to run for the presidency in the future. Abby? PHILLIP: Laura, we've got the perfect person potentially to talk to about all of those developments. Joining me now is the former Republican governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, Bob McDonnell. Governor, thanks for joining us. BOB MCDONNELL, FORMER VIRGINIA GOVERNOR: Hi, Abby. PHILLIP: Hi there. So, look, a very significant consequential date for your state and for your governor. Glenn Youngkin really put it all on the line here, saying to voters, give me full control of this government, and I can give you a conservative agenda. Did voters tonight reject that agenda? MCDONNELL: Well, it looks like the Republicans are going to pick up one seat in the Senate but not enough to take the majority. So, the Democrats will control there. I think it's too close to call right now in the House from everything that I've seen. But, you know, a couple of things that really, I guess, surprised me. Glenn Youngkin did a terrific job getting Republicans to believe in early voting. And so, the ballot numbers early on for the Republicans were terrific, but the margin on Election Day seemed to be about, you know, be about even (ph), which wasn't. [23:35:00] Republicans had won Election Day in these past couple of years. But the second thing is, you know, Youngkin is a popular governor, President Biden is way underwater in Virginia, and on things like crime and major investments in education and taxes where there were major tax cuts for the people, all of which were popular initiatives, it's surprising that Glenn Youngkin's efforts and his popularity didn't carry -- didn't carry more weight today. And I think the obvious issue was abortion in the wake of the Dobbs decision, decisions going back now to the states under the federalist principles. It looks like that issue was -- turned out to be a winning issue for the Democratic Party. Their messaging of calling it a ban after 15 weeks or even before is the way they message it. Even though the Republicans that indicated Democrats had no limits up to birth, it seemed like the messaging went in favor of the Democratic Party and for suburban women. That's where the Republicans lost today. PHILLIP: Was that a mistake for Youngkin to make this election cycle in Virginia about a 15-week abortion ban, given what we now are seeing in all of these different states? A lot of American voters, when this is put to them, they reject that. Was it a mistake for him to do that? MCDONNELL: See, I don't think he really made it about that. He made the Republican position pretty clear early on that this was about a 15-week limit, and after that, exceptions to rape, incest and life of the mother, but said that, look, we believe in parental notification, parental consent, informed consent, abandon, partial birth, abortion, all of which are very much supported by 70% plus of Virginians. And so, the argument was that the Democrats were the ones that were radical with favoring abortion up until the moment of birth, which they admitted in several of the legislation. So, I'm surprised that contrast, Abby, didn't carry the day with suburban women because that's more in tune with where they say that they actually -- where they actually are. And so, focusing on crime and education and tax cuts and so forth as a contrast to the democratic position, I thought, would win. I look at my election in 2009. I got to my opponents who spent most of this time talking about my position on abortion, and I said, yeah, I'm pro-life, but look, I'm going to fix your roads, I'm going to improve your schools, I'm going to make -- carry the day on some of the kitchen table issues, and that won by 18 points. So, I'm surprised we're so purple now in Northern Virginia that we didn't win. PHILLIP: Look, just really quick, I mean, does this complicate Glenn Youngkin's argument, potentially, that he wants to have a national platform, that he couldn't sell this message even in his home state, a purple state like Virginia? MCCONNELL: I think that's too early to say that. He's still a very popular governor. You know, high 50s in a purple state. I think that says a lot about his ability to lead. We're going to end up with not having a republican majority, which is what he sought after. But the ultimate change in both houses is going to be essentially nominal, one or two votes. But I think that, you know, with his popularity and Biden's unpopularity, I just thought we'd have a different outcome. PHILLIP: Yeah. It is very interesting. Interesting also that this is coming as a surprise to you, too. Governor Bob McDonnell, thank you for joining us. Good timing to have you on tonight. And we are still awaiting some important results to come in tonight from Virginia, still waiting to find out about the House of Delegates there and also from the state of Mississippi, and how worried should the president's campaign be about these new and troubling CNN poll numbers? We'll have much more on CNN special live coverage just ahead. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [23:43:36] COATES: You're watching CNN's special live coverage. It is election night in America, and CNN is projecting the Democrats will maintain control of the Virginia State Senate. Right now, they lead the House of Delegates as well, but CNN is not yet ready to make a projection. CNN's data guru, Harry Enten, is here at the magic wall. Harry, talk to me about what history tells us about what impact the Virginia race could actually have next year. HARRY ENTEN, CNN SENIOR DATA REPORTER: I think the question is, why the heck should anyone outside the state of Virginia care about the results that we're seeing tonight, right? We're keep concentrating on these individual states. Let me give you a reason why perhaps they should care. And that is that the outcome of the Virginia Senate is actually a pretty good bellwether of what happens in the next year's presidential race. So, if you look at 2019, for example, Democrats won there, Joe Biden won here in 2020. 2015, the GOP won, then Donald Trump won. 2011 was a tie, Obama won. But then go back to 2008, the Democrats won. 2000, you can see that. 2008, Obama won. 2007, the Democrats won. So, the fact is, in three of the last four election cycles, who wins the Virginia Senate has told us who's going to win the next year's presidential race. And that, to me, is a reason why, even if you don't live in the state of Virginia and you don't even care about the state politics, you could actually care if you care about national politics because there's a telltale sign. COATES: Well, there's also Kentucky, though. [23:45:00] I heard that was a bellwether. Are they one and the same? ENTEN: Yes. In fact, Kentucky is actually a better bellwether, four for four. Democrats win in 2019. Biden wins in 2020. 2016, Trump won. A year before the GOP won, 2011, it was Andy Beshear's father, Steve Beshear, who won in 2011 and 2007, forecasted Obama wins in both 2012 and 2008. And I think this ultimately comes down to the question I think a lot of us are going to be asking over the next 24 to 48 hours. The polls are saying one thing, the results, when people are actually voting, are saying something entirely different. And based upon recent history, hey, Democrats really have to like what happened in Kentucky and they really have to like as well what happened in Virginia because the next year, if history holds, right, maybe Joe Biden is, in fact, going to win reelection even though the polls perhaps at this point aren't too favorable for him. COATES: The real question is what happens if Virginia and Kentucky are at odds, and then which one is going to be the true bellwether. I guess one that has the derby is one that will win in the end. Harry Enten, stand by. Look, the numbers, as he indicated, they're pretty bleak for President Biden. It is not looking good, frankly, across the board. The strategy for the White House going forward, we'll talk about, next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) [23:50:35] PHILLIP: We have some breaking news. We are getting word now that the Democratic challenger to the Republican in Mississippi, the incumbent, has just called to concede. John Berman, what can you tell us about that? BERMAN: All right, right now, you can see that the incumbent Republican governor, Tate Reeves, leads by about 49,000 votes, by about 6%. Eighty-two percent of the vote is in right now. CNN still hasn't projected a leader, but you're reporting now that Brandon Presley, the Democrat, has called to concede. One of the reasons we have not projected a winner yet is because Hinds County, which is the most populous county in the state, home to Jackson, Mississippi, has only about 59% reporting. And you could see Brandon Presley has a huge lead there. He's leading by 30,000 votes. So, he could pick up a chunk more votes there. A lot more votes in Hinds County. But Brandon Presley, apparently, doesn't believe it will be enough to close the margin. What's interesting is in Mississippi, if you do not get above 50%, if neither candidate gets above 50%, there would be a runoff in the state. And apparently, again, Brandon Presley might be doing the math in his head thinking that even though Hinds County only has 59%, even if he does pick up several thousand more votes there and close that margin, it would not be enough to get Tate Reeves below 50%. So perhaps that what is what is fueling that call that you're reporting on right now, Abby. PHILLIP: Yeah, exactly. I mean, these candidates are doing more than just math in their head. They're looking at their own data. They're looking at their precinct data and seeing things that we may not have yet based on the official data. But that's why you might see a concession call before this is officially called by news organizations like CNN. We were just showing you just moments ago both Brandon Presley and Tate Reeves at the podiums, at their respective campaign events tonight. A big race that was pretty closely watched by a lot of people in part because this is a state, Mississippi, where you have an incumbent governor in Tate Reeves who was embroiled in a huge scandal. It looked like an opportunity potentially for Democrats to pick up that seat in a state that has the largest non-white population of any state in the South. It could be a particularly interesting moment, but it was not to be for Democrats. John Berman, stand by for us. We'll continue to come back to you as we continue to wait on those results. I want to bring in our panel now. Mark Preston, this is a little bit of a different narrative from what we've been seeing tonight, but not a huge surprise. I mean, Mississippi is a deep red state. It would be a highly unusual thing if a Democrat were to win there. But in the context of all the other moves that we've seen tonight by voters, this is a disappointment for Democrats. PRESTON: Disappointment for Democrats, but I would say in some ways a win for Democrats because you saw energy and focus on a state the Democratic Party really hasn't paid a whole lot of attention towards. I remember being down there, Abby, back, and I guess it was 2019, and talking to the Democratic Party chairman at the time. He had no money, was basically on his own. He was -- he was a local lawyer just trying to hold things together. And look, there are more Republicans registered to vote in Mississippi. But again, if you're a Democratic Party that's at least talking about Mississippi, it means that you're doing, you know, well elsewhere. So, again, a loss for Democrats, but it's not like a devastating loss. PHILLIP: Yeah. And look, the results tonight are going to be dissected and bisected by both parties. Kristen Soltis-Anderson, if you're looking at this tonight, you're a Democrat, you're a Republican, what do you realistically take away going into 2024? SOLTIS-ANDERSON: So, if you're a Democrat, what you're taking away is we're going to run on the issue of abortion because even with all of these headwinds, even with Joe Biden not being very popular, even with voters preferring Republicans on the economy, and even with voters telling pollsters like me that the economy is their number one issue, it seems as though an issue like abortion is enough of a driver and a turnout machine for Democrats that they should lean into it. For Republicans, the message needs to be, when you don't invest in these races, when you don't pay attention to these races, this is kind of what happens, number one. And number two, Donald Trump is not the turnout machine kingmaker that you might think he is. Even in a state like Kentucky that Donald Trump won by a large margin, he comes in, he endorses Daniel Cameron, he's my guy, this guy is not a Mitch McConnell Republican, well, maybe Mitch McConnell Republicans actually do quite well in Kentucky. [23:55:07] PHILLIP: Donald Trump is not the kingmaker, but neither is Glenn Youngkin, apparently. COASTON: Yeah, I think we're seeing multiple -- in multiple races, we're seeing that Glenn Youngkin's efforts to attempt to achieve the trifecta to prove that he can be in performance only a reasonable Republican. Let's keep in mind that he's just wearing a vest. That's all that's happening here. But he seems to have not achieved his goals. He's not getting the trifecta. He might lose the House of Delegates. We aren't sure yet. But I think that we're seeing that all of the talk about him potentially jumping to the presidential race, all of that should stop now. PHILLIP: We'll see if it -- we'll see about that. We'll see about that. Everyone, stand by for us. We've got a lot more to come this election night in America. Democrats are celebrating some big wins in both Kentucky and in Ohio, and we're watching the results out of Virginia. More from CNN special live coverage, next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)