&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating

(JASO) – Sheriff Tim Morse reports that on November 2, 2024,

Shortly after 4a.m. November 4, Sheriff's Deputies and police responded to a report of domestic violence at 619 ½ Vermont Ave. in Holton, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

During the course of the investigation the Sheriff’s Office obtained a search warrant for the residence. William Daniel Collins, 39, of Holton, was arrested on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of a hallucinogenic drug, possession of drug paraphernalia and domestic battery. 

 Samantha Leighanne Gresham, 33, of Morrill, was arrested on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730900695414.png" alt="Collins photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Collins photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating(JASO) – Sheriff Tim Morse reports that on November 2, 2024,Shortly after 4a.m. November 4, Sheriff's Deputies and police responded to a report of domestic violence at 619 ½ Vermont Ave. in Holton, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730900662437.png" alt="Gresham photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Gresham photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>During the course of the investigation the Sheriff’s Office obtained a search warrant for the residence. William Daniel Collins, 39, of Holton, was arrested on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of a hallucinogenic drug, possession of drug paraphernalia and domestic battery. Samantha Leighanne Gresham, 33, of Morrill, was arrested on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Sheriff: Drug bust after violent incident at Kansas home

WASHINGTON (AP) — Special counsel Jack Smith is evaluating how to wind down the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/">two federal cases against Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;before the president-elect takes office in light of longstanding Justice Department policy that says sitting presidents cannot be prosecuted, a person familiar with the matter said Wednesday.

Smith charged Trump last year with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc">plotting to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-indictment-classified-documents-miami-8315a5b23c18f27083ed64eef21efff3">illegally hoarding classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate</a>. But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-day-trump-harris-white-house-83c8e246ab97f5b97be45cdc156af4e2">Trump's election defeat of Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;means that the Justice Department believes he can no longer face prosecution in accordance with department legal opinions meant to shield presidents from criminal charges while in office.

The person familiar with Smith's plans was not authorized to discuss the matter by name and spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press.

By moving to wind down the cases before the inauguration in January, Smith and the Justice Department would be averting a potential showdown with Trump, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fire-special-counsel-jack-smith-b0d3d24286fbe0c461a901a33ec78d62">said as recently as last month</a>&nbsp;that he would fire Smith “within two seconds” of taking office. It would also mean Trump would enter the White House without the legal cloud of federal criminal prosecutions that once carried the potential for felony convictions and prison sentences.

Smith’s two cases charge Trump in a conspiracy to undo the election results in the run-up to the Capitol riot, and with retaining top secret records at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida and obstructing FBI efforts to recover them.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-donald-trump-merrick-garland-government-and-550c01de053c08db4d53ca57f315feb6">He was appointed to the position in November 2022 by Attorney General Merrick Garland.</a>

The classified documents case has been stalled since July when a Trump-appointed judge, Aileen Cannon,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-smith-c66d5ffb7ba86c1b991f95e89bdeba0c">dismissed it on grounds that Smith was illegally appointed</a>. Smith has appealed to the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, where the request to revive the case is pending. Even as Smith looks to withdraw the documents case against Trump, he would seem likely to continue to challenge Cannon's ruling on the legality of his appointment given the precedent such a ruling would create.

In the 2020 election interference case, Trump was scheduled to stand trial in March in Washington, where more than 1,000 of his supporters have been convicted of charges for their roles in the Capitol riot. But the case was halted as Trump pursued his sweeping claims of immunity from prosecution that ultimately landed before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Trump could be emboldened by the Supreme Court’s ruling in July,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/elections/2024/supreme-court-rules-ex-presidents-have-broad-immunity-dimming-chance-of-a-pre-election-trump-trial/">which granted former presidents expansive immunity from prosecution</a>&nbsp;for acts taken in the White House and explicitly put off-limits any alleged conduct involving Trump’s discussions with the Justice Department. That included his efforts to use the Justice Department to conduct sham election fraud investigations as part of his bid to stay in power.

The conservative-majority Supreme Court sent the case back to U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan to determine which of the other allegations in the indictment, if any, could move forward to trial.

In response,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-capitol-riot-jack-smith-a4b4d7821c1a6d1f5076ec68f5ba7170">Smith’s team last month filed a 165-page brief</a>&nbsp;laying out new evidence to persuade the judge that the actions alleged in the indictment were taken in Trump's private capacity as a candidate — not as commander-in-chief — and therefore can remain part of the case. Trump’s lawyers are scheduled to file their response later this month.

In New York, meanwhile,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-merchan-hush-money-sentencing-immunity-a4635cbd1a619b00588d1ebcc3c7b9cc">Trump is fighting to overturn his felony conviction</a>&nbsp;and stave off a potential prison sentence for falsifying business records related to a $130,000 hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels just before the 2016 election. It is the only one of his criminal cases to go to trial.

A judge is expected to rule next week on whether to uphold or toss the verdict in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s July ruling that presidents have broad protections from prosecution.

Judge Juan M. Merchan has said he will issue a ruling on Trump’s dismissal request on Nov. 12, one week after Election Day. The judge has penciled in Nov. 26 for sentencing, “if necessary.” Punishments range from a fine or probation to up to four years in prison.

Though Trump technically has no authority as president to shut down a state-level prosecution like the one in New York, his victory nonetheless calls into question that case&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fulton-county-fani-willis-trump-courtney-kramer-105147df7e97766e311e5e2a12a17c90">as well as a separate pending case in Fulton County, Georgia</a>&nbsp;charging him with plotting to subvert that state’s election in 2020.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661941600753.jpeg" alt="This image contained in a court filing by the Department of Justice on Aug. 30, 2022, and redacted by in part by the FBI, shows a photo of documents seized during the Aug. 8 search by the FBI at President elect Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. (Department of Justice via AP)" />
 <figcaption>This image contained in a court filing by the Department of Justice on Aug. 30, 2022, and redacted by in part by the FBI, shows a photo of documents seized during the Aug. 8 search by the FBI at President elect Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. (Department of Justice via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Special counsel Jack Smith is evaluating how to wind down the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/">two federal cases against Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;before the president-elect takes office in light of longstanding Justice Department policy that says sitting presidents cannot be prosecuted, a person familiar with the matter said Wednesday.Smith charged Trump last year with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc">plotting to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-indictment-classified-documents-miami-8315a5b23c18f27083ed64eef21efff3">illegally hoarding classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate</a>. But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-day-trump-harris-white-house-83c8e246ab97f5b97be45cdc156af4e2">Trump's election defeat of Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;means that the Justice Department believes he can no longer face prosecution in accordance with department legal opinions meant to shield presidents from criminal charges while in office.The person familiar with Smith's plans was not authorized to discuss the matter by name and spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press.By moving to wind down the cases before the inauguration in January, Smith and the Justice Department would be averting a potential showdown with Trump, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fire-special-counsel-jack-smith-b0d3d24286fbe0c461a901a33ec78d62">said as recently as last month</a>&nbsp;that he would fire Smith “within two seconds” of taking office. It would also mean Trump would enter the White House without the legal cloud of federal criminal prosecutions that once carried the potential for felony convictions and prison sentences.NBC News first reported Smith's plans.Smith’s two cases charge Trump in a conspiracy to undo the election results in the run-up to the Capitol riot, and with retaining top secret records at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida and obstructing FBI efforts to recover them.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-donald-trump-merrick-garland-government-and-550c01de053c08db4d53ca57f315feb6">He was appointed to the position in November 2022 by Attorney General Merrick Garland.</a>The classified documents case has been stalled since July when a Trump-appointed judge, Aileen Cannon,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-smith-c66d5ffb7ba86c1b991f95e89bdeba0c">dismissed it on grounds that Smith was illegally appointed</a>. Smith has appealed to the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, where the request to revive the case is pending. Even as Smith looks to withdraw the documents case against Trump, he would seem likely to continue to challenge Cannon's ruling on the legality of his appointment given the precedent such a ruling would create.In the 2020 election interference case, Trump was scheduled to stand trial in March in Washington, where more than 1,000 of his supporters have been convicted of charges for their roles in the Capitol riot. But the case was halted as Trump pursued his sweeping claims of immunity from prosecution that ultimately landed before the U.S. Supreme Court.Trump could be emboldened by the Supreme Court’s ruling in July,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/elections/2024/supreme-court-rules-ex-presidents-have-broad-immunity-dimming-chance-of-a-pre-election-trump-trial/">which granted former presidents expansive immunity from prosecution</a>&nbsp;for acts taken in the White House and explicitly put off-limits any alleged conduct involving Trump’s discussions with the Justice Department. That included his efforts to use the Justice Department to conduct sham election fraud investigations as part of his bid to stay in power.The conservative-majority Supreme Court sent the case back to U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan to determine which of the other allegations in the indictment, if any, could move forward to trial.In response,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-capitol-riot-jack-smith-a4b4d7821c1a6d1f5076ec68f5ba7170">Smith’s team last month filed a 165-page brief</a>&nbsp;laying out new evidence to persuade the judge that the actions alleged in the indictment were taken in Trump's private capacity as a candidate — not as commander-in-chief — and therefore can remain part of the case. Trump’s lawyers are scheduled to file their response later this month.In New York, meanwhile,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-merchan-hush-money-sentencing-immunity-a4635cbd1a619b00588d1ebcc3c7b9cc">Trump is fighting to overturn his felony conviction</a>&nbsp;and stave off a potential prison sentence for falsifying business records related to a $130,000 hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels just before the 2016 election. It is the only one of his criminal cases to go to trial.A judge is expected to rule next week on whether to uphold or toss the verdict in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s July ruling that presidents have broad protections from prosecution.Judge Juan M. Merchan has said he will issue a ruling on Trump’s dismissal request on Nov. 12, one week after Election Day. The judge has penciled in Nov. 26 for sentencing, “if necessary.” Punishments range from a fine or probation to up to four years in prison.Though Trump technically has no authority as president to shut down a state-level prosecution like the one in New York, his victory nonetheless calls into question that case&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fulton-county-fani-willis-trump-courtney-kramer-105147df7e97766e311e5e2a12a17c90">as well as a separate pending case in Fulton County, Georgia</a>&nbsp;charging him with plotting to subvert that state’s election in 2020.

Dept. of Justice will end their criminal cases against Donald Trump

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;said Wednesday that “we must accept the results of this election” as she encouraged supporters to continue fighting for their vision of the country after her loss to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>.

The Democratic vice president said the battle would continue "in the voting booth, in the courts and in the public square.”

“Sometimes the fight takes a while,” she said. “That doesn’t mean we won’t win.”

Harris delivered her remarks at Howard University, her alma mater and one of the country's most prominent historically Black schools, in the same spot where she hoped to give a victory speech.

“While I concede this election, I do not concede the fight that fueled this campaign,” Harris said.

Her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, was in the audience. So were Reps. Nancy Pelosi, the former House speaker, and Barbara Lee, both from Harris’ home state of California.

Before her speech, Harris called Trump to concede the election and congratulate him on his victory. She said, “We will engage in a peaceful transfer of power.”

Harris, once viewed as a potential savior for the Democratic Party after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;'s reelection campaign stalled, is reckoning with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-day-trump-harris-white-house-83c8e246ab97f5b97be45cdc156af4e2">a profound rejection</a>&nbsp;by American voters in this year's presidential election.

She trailed in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">every battleground state</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump</a>, a man she described as an existential danger to the country's foundational institutions. And Trump appeared on track to win the popular vote for the first time in his three campaigns for the White House — even after two impeachments, felony convictions and his attempt to overturn his previous election loss.

Biden plans to address the election results on Thursday. The White House said he spoke with Harris and Trump on Wednesday, and he invited the president-elect to meet with him soon.

David Plouffe, a top Harris adviser, said campaign staffers “left it all on the field for their country.”

“We dug out of a deep hole but not enough,” he said. “A devastating loss."

In a bitter footnote for Harris, as the sitting vice president she is expected to oversee Congress' ceremonial certification of the election.

It's the same role Mike Pence played four years ago, when Trump directed his supporters to march on the U.S. Capitol. Although critics said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/january-6-cases/">the violent insurrection</a>&nbsp;crystallized Trump's threat to American democracy, that ultimately did not dissuade voters from electing him again.

Harris became the Democratic candidate after Biden, who was already struggling to convince voters that he could serve as president until he was 86 years old, stumbled badly in his June 27 debate with Trump.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-drops-out-2024-election-ddffde72838370032bdcff946cfc2ce6">He dropped out of the race</a>&nbsp;on July 21 and endorsed his vice president, who swiftly unified the Democratic Party around her candidacy.

It was a remarkable twist of fate for Harris. Four years earlier, her own presidential campaign had flamed out and revealed the political limitations of someone once dubbed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnSG7515hWo">“the female Barack Obama.”</a>&nbsp;Even though Biden chose Harris as his running mate, she languished in the role after taking office as the first woman, Black person or person of South Asian descent to serve as vice president.

Some Democrats started writing her off when they pondered the party's future after Biden. But Harris found fresh purpose after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;in 2022, and she became the White House's leading advocate for abortion rights.

Harris also made a more concerted effort to network with local politicians, business leaders and cultural figures, forging connections that could serve her down the road. The moment arrived sooner than she anticipated, and she was catapulted into the presidential race with Biden's departure only a month before the Democratic National Convention.

Harris instantly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-joe-biden-donald-trump-election-90b9d5c6dc5553703af88dfa442a6bac">reset the terms of the contest</a>&nbsp;with Trump. She was 18 years younger and a former courtroom prosecutor going up against the first major presidential candidate convicted of crimes.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-joe-biden-donald-trump-1cc8b3e7b308b6178c04931d0fa1e79b">Her candidacy energized Democrats</a>&nbsp;who feared they were destined for defeat with Biden at the top of the ticket.

But she also faced steep odds from the beginning. She inherited Biden's political operation with just 107 days until the end of the election, and she faced a restless electorate that was eager for change.

Although Harris pitched “a new way forward," she struggled&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-biden-legacy-question-83f3d9128ff9e916ff5832e269da1f1e">to meaningfully differentiate herself</a>&nbsp;from the unpopular sitting president. In addition, she had limited time to introduce herself to skeptical voters, who never cast a ballot for her in a presidential primary.

Democrats now face the prospect of picking up the pieces during a second Trump presidency, and it's unclear what role Harris will play in her party's future.

“The work of protecting America from the impacts of a Trump Presidency starts now," wrote Jen O’Malley Dillon, Harris' campaign chair, in a letter to staff. "I know the Vice President isn’t finished in this fight, and I know the very people on this email are also going to be leaders in this collective mission.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730928890800.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;said Wednesday that “we must accept the results of this election” as she encouraged supporters to continue fighting for their vision of the country after her loss to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Watch Vice President Kamala Harris&#39; complete concession speech here: <a href="https://t.co/iAnYEZYd0z">https://t.co/iAnYEZYd0z</a> <a href="https://t.co/j8r6WMlrYC">pic.twitter.com/j8r6WMlrYC</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1854351315012370542?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Democratic vice president said the battle would continue "in the voting booth, in the courts and in the public square.”“Sometimes the fight takes a while,” she said. “That doesn’t mean we won’t win.”Harris delivered her remarks at Howard University, her alma mater and one of the country's most prominent historically Black schools, in the same spot where she hoped to give a victory speech.“While I concede this election, I do not concede the fight that fueled this campaign,” Harris said.Her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, was in the audience. So were Reps. Nancy Pelosi, the former House speaker, and Barbara Lee, both from Harris’ home state of California.Before her speech, Harris called Trump to concede the election and congratulate him on his victory. She said, “We will engage in a peaceful transfer of power.”Harris, once viewed as a potential savior for the Democratic Party after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;'s reelection campaign stalled, is reckoning with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-day-trump-harris-white-house-83c8e246ab97f5b97be45cdc156af4e2">a profound rejection</a>&nbsp;by American voters in this year's presidential election.She trailed in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">every battleground state</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump</a>, a man she described as an existential danger to the country's foundational institutions. And Trump appeared on track to win the popular vote for the first time in his three campaigns for the White House — even after two impeachments, felony convictions and his attempt to overturn his previous election loss.Biden plans to address the election results on Thursday. The White House said he spoke with Harris and Trump on Wednesday, and he invited the president-elect to meet with him soon.David Plouffe, a top Harris adviser, said campaign staffers “left it all on the field for their country.”“We dug out of a deep hole but not enough,” he said. “A devastating loss."In a bitter footnote for Harris, as the sitting vice president she is expected to oversee Congress' ceremonial certification of the election.It's the same role Mike Pence played four years ago, when Trump directed his supporters to march on the U.S. Capitol. Although critics said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/january-6-cases/">the violent insurrection</a>&nbsp;crystallized Trump's threat to American democracy, that ultimately did not dissuade voters from electing him again.Harris became the Democratic candidate after Biden, who was already struggling to convince voters that he could serve as president until he was 86 years old, stumbled badly in his June 27 debate with Trump.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-drops-out-2024-election-ddffde72838370032bdcff946cfc2ce6">He dropped out of the race</a>&nbsp;on July 21 and endorsed his vice president, who swiftly unified the Democratic Party around her candidacy.It was a remarkable twist of fate for Harris. Four years earlier, her own presidential campaign had flamed out and revealed the political limitations of someone once dubbed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnSG7515hWo">“the female Barack Obama.”</a>&nbsp;Even though Biden chose Harris as his running mate, she languished in the role after taking office as the first woman, Black person or person of South Asian descent to serve as vice president.Some Democrats started writing her off when they pondered the party's future after Biden. But Harris found fresh purpose after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;in 2022, and she became the White House's leading advocate for abortion rights.Harris also made a more concerted effort to network with local politicians, business leaders and cultural figures, forging connections that could serve her down the road. The moment arrived sooner than she anticipated, and she was catapulted into the presidential race with Biden's departure only a month before the Democratic National Convention.Harris instantly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-joe-biden-donald-trump-election-90b9d5c6dc5553703af88dfa442a6bac">reset the terms of the contest</a>&nbsp;with Trump. She was 18 years younger and a former courtroom prosecutor going up against the first major presidential candidate convicted of crimes.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-joe-biden-donald-trump-1cc8b3e7b308b6178c04931d0fa1e79b">Her candidacy energized Democrats</a>&nbsp;who feared they were destined for defeat with Biden at the top of the ticket.But she also faced steep odds from the beginning. She inherited Biden's political operation with just 107 days until the end of the election, and she faced a restless electorate that was eager for change.Although Harris pitched “a new way forward," she struggled&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-biden-legacy-question-83f3d9128ff9e916ff5832e269da1f1e">to meaningfully differentiate herself</a>&nbsp;from the unpopular sitting president. In addition, she had limited time to introduce herself to skeptical voters, who never cast a ballot for her in a presidential primary.Democrats now face the prospect of picking up the pieces during a second Trump presidency, and it's unclear what role Harris will play in her party's future.“The work of protecting America from the impacts of a Trump Presidency starts now," wrote Jen O’Malley Dillon, Harris' campaign chair, in a letter to staff. "I know the Vice President isn’t finished in this fight, and I know the very people on this email are also going to be leaders in this collective mission.”

🎥Vice President Kamala Harris' complete concession speech

NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. stock market, Elon Musk’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tesla-stock-trump-election-b54454aaabd4cbe1e1e1c9754649b869">Tesla</a>, banks and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bitcoin-crypto-donald-trump-election-c2e2a1a895288c5e9c0df2721012a5bb">bitcoin</a>&nbsp;all stormed higher Wednesday as investors made bets on what&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-harris-presidential-election-takeaways-d0e4677f4cd53b4d2d8d18d674be5bf4">Donald Trump’s return to the White House</a>&nbsp;will mean for the economy and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-election-trump-global-reaction-7f7d4c5f6b84f263d7c49bb4978ab418">world</a>. Among the losers the market sees: the renewable-energy industry and potentially anyone worried about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-inflation-tariffs-taxes-immigration-federal-reserve-a18de763fcc01557258c7f33cab375ed">higher inflation</a>.

The S&amp;P 500 rallied 2.5% for its best day in nearly two years. The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 1,508 points, or 3.6%, while the Nasdaq composite jumped 3%. All three indexes topped records they had set in recent weeks.

The U.S. stock market has historically tended to rise&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-stocks-volatility-bonds-economy-retirement-59201a39bffd596b253021a6526a4b60">regardless of which party wins</a>&nbsp;the White House, with Democrats scoring bigger average gains since 1945. But Republican control could mean big shifts in the winning and losing industries underneath the surface, and investors are adding to bets built earlier on what the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-wins-second-term-policies-de3dcf0f173b42602b258042fd7aaafb">higher tariffs, lower tax rates and lighter regulation</a>&nbsp;that Trump favors will mean.

“The markets are scrambling to figure out what happens next, but for the time being, the market is pricing in a higher growth and higher inflation outlook,” Peter Esho of Esho Capital said.

Of course, how much change Trump effects in his second term will likely depend on whether his fellow Republicans win control of Congress, and that’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/maine-election-2024-house-golden-theriault-a40d15b56af47193171e6da358d591c2">still to be determined</a>. That could leave room for snaps back in some of Wednesday’s big knee-jerk movements.

Nevertheless, the market is cleaving between rather clear winners and losers following Trump’s dramatic win. Among them:

Bank stocks led the market higher, in part on hopes that a stronger economy would mean more customers getting loans and paying them back with interest. They also rallied on hopes for lighter regulation from a Republican White House. JPMorgan Chase soared 11.5%, and financial stocks had the biggest gain by far among the 11 sectors that make up the S&amp;P 500. Capital One Financial climbed 15%, and Discover Financial jumped 20.2% for some of the market's biggest gains on speculation their pending merger will more easily get federal clearance under Trump.

Trump has pledged to make the country “the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-harris-elections-crypto-cryptocurrency-treasury-blockchain-29df24818d03e557c6c434533052b33c">crypto capital</a>&nbsp;of the planet” and create a “strategic reserve” of bitcoin. The price of bitcoin hit an all-time high above $76,480, according to CoinDesk, and was recently just under $76,100. Companies in the crypto industry also jumped, including trading platform Coinbase’s 31.1% leap.

Musk has become a close ally of Trump, exhorting the former president’s run. While Trump may end up hurting the electric-vehicle industry broadly by limiting government subsidies, analysts say Tesla could gain somewhat of an advantage by already being such a big player in the industry. Tesla revved 14.8% higher, while rival Rivian Automotive fell 8.3%.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-media-stock-musk-x-social-5328feb1a782cc65bd05b7e30756b8db">company behind Trump’s Truth Social</a>&nbsp;platform rose 5.9% after earlier nearly 35% earlier in the day. It regularly trades more on Trump’s popularity than on prospects for its profits. Its rise came even after it filed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/truth-social-donald-trump-media-earnings-d2cf7bd5483660080f678ba74deb6c52">unaudited financial documents</a>&nbsp;with regulators on Tuesday saying it lost $19.2 million during the latest quarter and that its sales weakened from a year earlier.

A Trump-led Washington could push for tougher enforcement of the nation’s borders, which could mean more business for companies that work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. GEO Group, which runs ICE processing centers, surged 42.1%.

Trump’s America-First policies could help companies that focus on customers within the United States, rather than big multinationals that could be hurt by increased tariffs and protectionism. The Russell 2000 index of smaller stocks, which are seen as more domestically focused than the big stocks in the S&amp;P 500, jumped 5.8%. That was more than double the S&amp;P 500’s gain.

Investors see Trump’s policies potentially leading to stronger economic growth, which helps push prices down for Treasurys and their yields up. Tax cuts under Trump could also further swell the U.S. government’s deficit, which would increase its borrowing needs and force yields even higher. The yield on the 10-year Treasury jumped to 4.43% from 4.29% late Tuesday, which is a major move for the bond market. It’s up substantially from August, when it was below 4%.

Investors also see Trump’s policies likely adding to future inflation, particularly tariffs, which can add costs to U.S. households’ bills.

“Trump keeps openly telling people that he will increase tariffs not just on China but with every trade partner,” said Andrzej Skiba, head of BlueBay U.S. Fixed Income at RBC Global Asset Management. “We’re talking 10% tariffs across all global partners. This is a big deal because this could add 1% to inflation. If you add 1% to next year’s inflation numbers, we should say bye to rate cuts.”

A drop-off in immigration could also mean a crunch of available workers for employers, which could force companies to raise wages for workers faster and put more upward pressure on inflation.

Expectations for interest rate cuts, MUDDLED

Much of Wall Street’s run to records this year was built on expectations for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-election-inflation-economy-prices-rates-302de435f48e4de701a15dc99880fc9d">coming cuts to interest rates by the Federal Reserve</a>, now that inflation seems to be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-interest-rates-economy-federal-reserve-cd6d9712bfd484d6e1bc4ccb958dcf23">heading back down to its 2% target</a>. Easier interest rates help boost the economy, but they can also give inflation more fuel.

The Fed will announce its latest decision on interest rates Thursday, where the expectation is still for a cut, according to data from CME Group. But traders are already paring back forecasts for how many cuts the Fed will provide through the middle of next year.

Foreign currencies, DOWN against the dollar

Trump has vowed to sharply hike tariffs on imports from China, Mexico and other countries, raising worries about trade wars and disruptions to the global economy. A measure of the U.S. dollar’s value against several major currencies climbed 1.6%, which means that those other currencies fell.

The euro sank 1.5%, and the South Korean won fell 1.2% The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-trump-taxes-imports-inflation-consumers-prices-c2eef295a078a76ce2bb7fedb0c5e58c">Mexican peso</a>, which has been falling against the dollar since the summer, in part on worries about a possible Trump re-election, fell early in the day but then pared its loss.

Trump is a fan of fossil fuels, encouraging production of oil and natural gas. His win sent solar stocks sharply lower, including a 10.1% fall for First Solar and 16.8% slide for Enphase Energy.

The only stock with a bigger loss in the S&amp;P 500 was Super Micro Computer, which said its sales for the latest quarter could come in below its prior forecast. Its stock sank 18.1%.

All told, the S&amp;P 500 rose 146.28 points to 5,929.04. The Dow surged 1,508.05 to 43,729.93, and the Nasdaq composite jumped 544.29 to 18,983.47.

NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. stock market, Elon Musk’s Tesla, banks and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bitcoin-crypto-donald-trump-election-c2e2a1a895288c5e9c0df2721012a5bb">bitcoin</a>&nbsp;are all storming higher Wednesday as investors bet on what Donald Trump’s return to the White House will mean for the economy and world. Among the losers the market sees: the value of the Mexican peso and potentially anyone worried about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-inflation-tariffs-taxes-immigration-federal-reserve-a18de763fcc01557258c7f33cab375ed">higher inflation</a>.

The S&amp;P 500 was jumping by 2.1% in early trading and on track to top its all-time high set last month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 1,292 points, or 3.1%, as of 9:35 a.m. Eastern time, while the Nasdaq composite was 2.1% higher.

The U.S. stock market has historically tended to rise&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-stocks-volatility-bonds-economy-retirement-59201a39bffd596b253021a6526a4b60">regardless of which party wins</a>&nbsp;the White House, with Democrats scoring bigger average gains since 1945. But Republican control could mean big shifts in the winners and losers underneath the surface, and investors are adding to bets built earlier on what the higher tariffs, lower tax rates and lighter regulation that Trump favors will mean.

Of course, how much change Trump will be able to effect will likely depend on whether his fellow Republicans win control of Congress, and that’s still to be determined. That could leave room for snaps back in some of Wednesday’s big knee-jerk movements. Nevertheless, the market is cleaving between rather clear winners and losers following Trump’s dramatic win. Among them:

Bank stocks led the market higher, in part on hopes that a stronger economy would mean more customers getting loans and paying them back with interest. They also rallied on hopes for lighter regulation from a Republican White House, which could also spur more mergers and buyouts where investment banks could earn fees. JPMorgan Chase rose 8.3%, and the 5.1% jump for financial stocks in the S&amp;P 500 was by far the biggest gain among the index’s 11 sectors.

Trump has pledged to make the country “the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-harris-elections-crypto-cryptocurrency-treasury-blockchain-29df24818d03e557c6c434533052b33c">crypto capital</a>&nbsp;of the planet” and create a “strategic reserve” of bitcoin. The price of bitcoin hit an all-time high above $75,000, according to Coindesk, and was recently up 7% at nearly $74,000. Other cryptocurrencies also rallied, including dogecoin, which is a favorite of Musk. Companies in the crypto industry jumped, including trading platform Coinbase’s 19.4% leap.

Musk has become a close ally of Trump, exhorting the former president’s run. While Trump may end up hurting the electric-vehicle industry broadly by pulling government subsidies, analysts say Tesla could gain somewhat of an advantage by already being such a big player in an industry. Tesla revved 15.1% higher, while rival Rivian Automotive fell 7.3%

Investors see Trump's policies potentially leading to stronger economic growth, which helps to push prices down and yields up for Treasurys. The yield on the 10-year Treasury jumped to 4.47% from 4.29% late Tuesday, which is a major move for the bond market. It's up substantially from August, when it was below 4%.

Investors also see Trump's policies adding to future inflation, which likewise pushes up Treasury yields.

“Trump keeps openly telling people that he will increase tariffs not just on China but with every trade partner," said Andrzej Skiba, Head of BlueBay U.S. Fixed Income at RBC Global Asset Management. "We’re talking 10% tariffs across all global partners. This is a big deal because this could add 1% to inflation. If you add 1% to next year’s inflation numbers, we should say bye to rate cuts.”

Much of Wall Street's run to records this year was built on expectations for coming cuts to interest rates by the Federal Reserve, now that inflation seems to be heading back down to its 2% target. The Fed will announce its latest decision on interest rates on Thursday, where the expectation is still for a cut, according to data from CME Group.

But traders are already paring back their expectations for how many cuts the Fed will make through the middle of next year.

FOREIGN CURRENCY VALUES, down against the dollar

Trump has talked about raising tariffs, which would likely mean Trump has also vowed to sharply raise tariffs on imports from China, Mexico and other countries, darkening the outlook for Chinese exporters at a time when Beijing has relied heavily on ramping up manufacturing to try to revive its slowing economy. The value of the Mexican peso fell another 2.3% against the dollar.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730904710641.png" alt="File photo courtesy Margo Martin Deputy Director of Communications" />
 <figcaption>File photo courtesy Margo Martin Deputy Director of Communications</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. stock market, Elon Musk’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tesla-stock-trump-election-b54454aaabd4cbe1e1e1c9754649b869">Tesla</a>, banks and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bitcoin-crypto-donald-trump-election-c2e2a1a895288c5e9c0df2721012a5bb">bitcoin</a>&nbsp;all stormed higher Wednesday as investors made bets on what&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-harris-presidential-election-takeaways-d0e4677f4cd53b4d2d8d18d674be5bf4">Donald Trump’s return to the White House</a>&nbsp;will mean for the economy and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-election-trump-global-reaction-7f7d4c5f6b84f263d7c49bb4978ab418">world</a>. Among the losers the market sees: the renewable-energy industry and potentially anyone worried about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-inflation-tariffs-taxes-immigration-federal-reserve-a18de763fcc01557258c7f33cab375ed">higher inflation</a>.The S&amp;P 500 rallied 2.5% for its best day in nearly two years. The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 1,508 points, or 3.6%, while the Nasdaq composite jumped 3%. All three indexes topped records they had set in recent weeks.The U.S. stock market has historically tended to rise&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-stocks-volatility-bonds-economy-retirement-59201a39bffd596b253021a6526a4b60">regardless of which party wins</a>&nbsp;the White House, with Democrats scoring bigger average gains since 1945. But Republican control could mean big shifts in the winning and losing industries underneath the surface, and investors are adding to bets built earlier on what the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-wins-second-term-policies-de3dcf0f173b42602b258042fd7aaafb">higher tariffs, lower tax rates and lighter regulation</a>&nbsp;that Trump favors will mean.“The markets are scrambling to figure out what happens next, but for the time being, the market is pricing in a higher growth and higher inflation outlook,” Peter Esho of Esho Capital said.Of course, how much change Trump effects in his second term will likely depend on whether his fellow Republicans win control of Congress, and that’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/maine-election-2024-house-golden-theriault-a40d15b56af47193171e6da358d591c2">still to be determined</a>. That could leave room for snaps back in some of Wednesday’s big knee-jerk movements.Nevertheless, the market is cleaving between rather clear winners and losers following Trump’s dramatic win. Among them:<h2>Bank stocks, UP</h2>Bank stocks led the market higher, in part on hopes that a stronger economy would mean more customers getting loans and paying them back with interest. They also rallied on hopes for lighter regulation from a Republican White House. JPMorgan Chase soared 11.5%, and financial stocks had the biggest gain by far among the 11 sectors that make up the S&amp;P 500. Capital One Financial climbed 15%, and Discover Financial jumped 20.2% for some of the market's biggest gains on speculation their pending merger will more easily get federal clearance under Trump.<h2>Crypto, UP</h2>Trump has pledged to make the country “the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-harris-elections-crypto-cryptocurrency-treasury-blockchain-29df24818d03e557c6c434533052b33c">crypto capital</a>&nbsp;of the planet” and create a “strategic reserve” of bitcoin. The price of bitcoin hit an all-time high above $76,480, according to CoinDesk, and was recently just under $76,100. Companies in the crypto industry also jumped, including trading platform Coinbase’s 31.1% leap.<h2>Tesla, UP</h2>Musk has become a close ally of Trump, exhorting the former president’s run. While Trump may end up hurting the electric-vehicle industry broadly by limiting government subsidies, analysts say Tesla could gain somewhat of an advantage by already being such a big player in the industry. Tesla revved 14.8% higher, while rival Rivian Automotive fell 8.3%.<h2>Trump Media &amp; Technology Group, UP</h2>The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-media-stock-musk-x-social-5328feb1a782cc65bd05b7e30756b8db">company behind Trump’s Truth Social</a>&nbsp;platform rose 5.9% after earlier nearly 35% earlier in the day. It regularly trades more on Trump’s popularity than on prospects for its profits. Its rise came even after it filed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/truth-social-donald-trump-media-earnings-d2cf7bd5483660080f678ba74deb6c52">unaudited financial documents</a>&nbsp;with regulators on Tuesday saying it lost $19.2 million during the latest quarter and that its sales weakened from a year earlier.<h2>Private-prison operators, UP</h2>A Trump-led Washington could push for tougher enforcement of the nation’s borders, which could mean more business for companies that work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. GEO Group, which runs ICE processing centers, surged 42.1%.<h2>Stocks of smaller companies, UP</h2>Trump’s America-First policies could help companies that focus on customers within the United States, rather than big multinationals that could be hurt by increased tariffs and protectionism. The Russell 2000 index of smaller stocks, which are seen as more domestically focused than the big stocks in the S&amp;P 500, jumped 5.8%. That was more than double the S&amp;P 500’s gain.<h2>Treasury bond prices, DOWN</h2>Investors see Trump’s policies potentially leading to stronger economic growth, which helps push prices down for Treasurys and their yields up. Tax cuts under Trump could also further swell the U.S. government’s deficit, which would increase its borrowing needs and force yields even higher. The yield on the 10-year Treasury jumped to 4.43% from 4.29% late Tuesday, which is a major move for the bond market. It’s up substantially from August, when it was below 4%.<h2>Inflation worries, UP</h2>Investors also see Trump’s policies likely adding to future inflation, particularly tariffs, which can add costs to U.S. households’ bills.“Trump keeps openly telling people that he will increase tariffs not just on China but with every trade partner,” said Andrzej Skiba, head of BlueBay U.S. Fixed Income at RBC Global Asset Management. “We’re talking 10% tariffs across all global partners. This is a big deal because this could add 1% to inflation. If you add 1% to next year’s inflation numbers, we should say bye to rate cuts.”A drop-off in immigration could also mean a crunch of available workers for employers, which could force companies to raise wages for workers faster and put more upward pressure on inflation.<h2>Expectations for interest rate cuts, MUDDLED</h2>Much of Wall Street’s run to records this year was built on expectations for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-election-inflation-economy-prices-rates-302de435f48e4de701a15dc99880fc9d">coming cuts to interest rates by the Federal Reserve</a>, now that inflation seems to be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-interest-rates-economy-federal-reserve-cd6d9712bfd484d6e1bc4ccb958dcf23">heading back down to its 2% target</a>. Easier interest rates help boost the economy, but they can also give inflation more fuel.The Fed will announce its latest decision on interest rates Thursday, where the expectation is still for a cut, according to data from CME Group. But traders are already paring back forecasts for how many cuts the Fed will provide through the middle of next year.<h2>Foreign currencies, DOWN against the dollar</h2>Trump has vowed to sharply hike tariffs on imports from China, Mexico and other countries, raising worries about trade wars and disruptions to the global economy. A measure of the U.S. dollar’s value against several major currencies climbed 1.6%, which means that those other currencies fell.The euro sank 1.5%, and the South Korean won fell 1.2% The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-trump-taxes-imports-inflation-consumers-prices-c2eef295a078a76ce2bb7fedb0c5e58c">Mexican peso</a>, which has been falling against the dollar since the summer, in part on worries about a possible Trump re-election, fell early in the day but then pared its loss.<h2>Rewnewable energy stocks, DOWN</h2>Trump is a fan of fossil fuels, encouraging production of oil and natural gas. His win sent solar stocks sharply lower, including a 10.1% fall for First Solar and 16.8% slide for Enphase Energy.The only stock with a bigger loss in the S&amp;P 500 was Super Micro Computer, which said its sales for the latest quarter could come in below its prior forecast. Its stock sank 18.1%.All told, the S&amp;P 500 rose 146.28 points to 5,929.04. The Dow surged 1,508.05 to 43,729.93, and the Nasdaq composite jumped 544.29 to 18,983.47.------------NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. stock market, Elon Musk’s Tesla, banks and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bitcoin-crypto-donald-trump-election-c2e2a1a895288c5e9c0df2721012a5bb">bitcoin</a>&nbsp;are all storming higher Wednesday as investors bet on what Donald Trump’s return to the White House will mean for the economy and world. Among the losers the market sees: the value of the Mexican peso and potentially anyone worried about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-inflation-tariffs-taxes-immigration-federal-reserve-a18de763fcc01557258c7f33cab375ed">higher inflation</a>.The S&amp;P 500 was jumping by 2.1% in early trading and on track to top its all-time high set last month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 1,292 points, or 3.1%, as of 9:35 a.m. Eastern time, while the Nasdaq composite was 2.1% higher.The U.S. stock market has historically tended to rise&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-stocks-volatility-bonds-economy-retirement-59201a39bffd596b253021a6526a4b60">regardless of which party wins</a>&nbsp;the White House, with Democrats scoring bigger average gains since 1945. But Republican control could mean big shifts in the winners and losers underneath the surface, and investors are adding to bets built earlier on what the higher tariffs, lower tax rates and lighter regulation that Trump favors will mean.“The markets are scrambling to figure out what happens next, but for the time being, the market is pricing in a higher growth and higher inflation outlook,” Peter Esho of Esho Capital said.Of course, how much change Trump will be able to effect will likely depend on whether his fellow Republicans win control of Congress, and that’s still to be determined. That could leave room for snaps back in some of Wednesday’s big knee-jerk movements. Nevertheless, the market is cleaving between rather clear winners and losers following Trump’s dramatic win. Among them:BANK STOCKS, upBank stocks led the market higher, in part on hopes that a stronger economy would mean more customers getting loans and paying them back with interest. They also rallied on hopes for lighter regulation from a Republican White House, which could also spur more mergers and buyouts where investment banks could earn fees. JPMorgan Chase rose 8.3%, and the 5.1% jump for financial stocks in the S&amp;P 500 was by far the biggest gain among the index’s 11 sectors.CRYPTO, upTrump has pledged to make the country “the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-harris-elections-crypto-cryptocurrency-treasury-blockchain-29df24818d03e557c6c434533052b33c">crypto capital</a>&nbsp;of the planet” and create a “strategic reserve” of bitcoin. The price of bitcoin hit an all-time high above $75,000, according to Coindesk, and was recently up 7% at nearly $74,000. Other cryptocurrencies also rallied, including dogecoin, which is a favorite of Musk. Companies in the crypto industry jumped, including trading platform Coinbase’s 19.4% leap.TESLA, upMusk has become a close ally of Trump, exhorting the former president’s run. While Trump may end up hurting the electric-vehicle industry broadly by pulling government subsidies, analysts say Tesla could gain somewhat of an advantage by already being such a big player in an industry. Tesla revved 15.1% higher, while rival Rivian Automotive fell 7.3%TREASURY BOND PRICES, downInvestors see Trump's policies potentially leading to stronger economic growth, which helps to push prices down and yields up for Treasurys. The yield on the 10-year Treasury jumped to 4.47% from 4.29% late Tuesday, which is a major move for the bond market. It's up substantially from August, when it was below 4%.INFLATION WORRIES, upInvestors also see Trump's policies adding to future inflation, which likewise pushes up Treasury yields.“Trump keeps openly telling people that he will increase tariffs not just on China but with every trade partner," said Andrzej Skiba, Head of BlueBay U.S. Fixed Income at RBC Global Asset Management. "We’re talking 10% tariffs across all global partners. This is a big deal because this could add 1% to inflation. If you add 1% to next year’s inflation numbers, we should say bye to rate cuts.”Much of Wall Street's run to records this year was built on expectations for coming cuts to interest rates by the Federal Reserve, now that inflation seems to be heading back down to its 2% target. The Fed will announce its latest decision on interest rates on Thursday, where the expectation is still for a cut, according to data from CME Group.But traders are already paring back their expectations for how many cuts the Fed will make through the middle of next year.FOREIGN CURRENCY VALUES, down against the dollarTrump has talked about raising tariffs, which would likely mean Trump has also vowed to sharply raise tariffs on imports from China, Mexico and other countries, darkening the outlook for Chinese exporters at a time when Beijing has relied heavily on ramping up manufacturing to try to revive its slowing economy. The value of the Mexican peso fell another 2.3% against the dollar.RENEWABLE ENERGY STOCKS, down

U.S. stocks stormed to records, bitcoin jumps after Trump's victory 

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mayasmith/">MAYA SMITH</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Far-right Republicans were poised to win two of five seats up for election on the Kansas State Board of Education, shifting the board’s power to a conservative bloc.

With moderate board members on their way out and four conservatives already in place, the board is positioned for an ideological shake-up. Candidates differentiated themselves along the campaign trail on issues like parental rights, public school funding and school safety.

Democrats appeared to maintain three positions on the board, based on unofficial results late Tuesday from the Kansas Secretary of State’s Office.

Incumbent Democrat Melanie Haas appeared to win reelection in the 2nd District with 62% of the votes in a three-way race and all precincts reporting.

She faced Republican challenger Fred Postlewait and independent Kiel Corkran for the seat that represents public school districts in Johnson and Wyandotte counties.

“Kansans were actually doing their homework,” Haas said by phone from a watch party in Overland Park. “They realized Democrats are the ones who are supporting their public schools.”

The conservative bloc of candidates used “issues like culture wars to try to kind of pick a fight,” without a “background in professional education,” said Haas, who was first elected in 2020 and is the board’s current chair.

In the northeastern 4th District, Republican Connie O’Brien and Democrat Kris Meyer were embroiled in a close race most of the night. O’Brien led Meyer by 2 percentage points, according to preliminary results.

O’Brien did not respond to Kansas Reflector’s request for comment.

Meyer said the results did not look good “for the future of Kansas education,” as “ultra conservative candidates that are looking to eradicate public schools” are positioned to take over majority voting power on the board.

“But we’ll keep working hard in the field to support our teachers and make sure our local boards are prepared for what is down the road,” she said.

Democrat Beryl New, a former Topeka educator, led Republican Bruce Schultz, a retired professor of anatomy and physiology at Kansas State University, with about 57% of votes for the 6th District seat, which encompasses school districts in the Lawrence and Topeka areas, according to early results. The current board member, Republican Deena Horst, chose not to seek reelection.&nbsp;

“There are conversations about vouchers, about privatizing education, and I know people have reasons for their agendas, but what we ought to always remember is that there are young people whose families cannot afford anything other than public education,” New said Tuesday.

New also said she recognizes the reasons for school vouchers and privatizing education, but public schools are often the only option for families.

“So to keep that opportunity safe, we have to keep all our resources going in that direction to make sure every child, whether their parents are millionaires or their parents live in the rescue mission, that they can be guaranteed a high-quality public education with all the resources they need, with public funding going directly in public schools,” she said.&nbsp;

In the Wichita-area 8th District, Democratic incumbent Betty Arnold led Republican Jason Carmichael with 54% of votes, per early results.

In the 10th District in south-central Kansas, early results show Debby Potter, a conservative Republican, leading Jeffrey Jarman, a Democrat, with 60% of votes in a three-way race.

“This is a seat that normally runs unopposed,” Potter said.&nbsp;

She said she has been visiting Topeka for the past three years in preparation for a seat on the board.

“I’m just ready to do what I’ve been preparing for for the past three years,” she said.

This year’s early Republican winners align with the current board’s conservative faction on issues like strengthening religion in schools, arming teachers, installing parental oversight of instructional and functional decisions and reevaluating public school funding.&nbsp;

The Democratic candidates have promoted fully funding public schools and rejecting voucher programs that could detract from that funding.

In the 4th District, O’Brien, a former teacher and state representative, beat out two other Republican hopefuls in the August primary to clinch the general election nomination. Her Democratic opponent, Meyer, has been outspoken about the board’s current conservative members. Those four board members — Danny Zeck, Michelle Dombrosky, Cathy Hopkins and Dennis Hershberger — are not up for reelection until 2026. O’Brien has characterized herself in the past as a conservative.

The 4th District seat is being vacated by Democrat Ann Mah, who didn’t seek reelection. She said she worries a shift to the right could mean a continued rejection of federal funding, inadequate mental health resources for students and further departure from technical education opportunities.

“I think we’ve been doing some good things for kids that would be put at risk if the board changes direction,” she said.

The 10th District in south-central Kansas was contested in a three-way race. Jarman, a Democrat and professor, Potter, a conservative Republican, and Kent Rowe, an independent and active Green Party member, vied for the position vacated by moderate Republican Jim McNiece.

The state board is tasked with oversight of the Kansas State Department of Education and supervision of public schools, but it has little control over state funding, a responsibility of the legislative branch.

Election totals have not yet been finalized, and 3,447 of Kansas’ 4,126 precincts were reporting preliminary results as of 11 p.m. Tuesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730918802942.png" alt="Five seats on the mostly moderate Kansas Board of Education were up for election in 2024 positioning the board for an ideological shake-up. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Five seats on the mostly moderate Kansas Board of Education were up for election in 2024 positioning the board for an ideological shake-up. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mayasmith/">MAYA SMITH</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a> TOPEKA — Far-right Republicans were poised to win two of five seats up for election on the Kansas State Board of Education, shifting the board’s power to a conservative bloc.With moderate board members on their way out and four conservatives already in place, the board is positioned for an ideological shake-up. Candidates differentiated themselves along the campaign trail on issues like parental rights, public school funding and school safety.Democrats appeared to maintain three positions on the board, based on unofficial results late Tuesday from the Kansas Secretary of State’s Office.Incumbent Democrat Melanie Haas appeared to win reelection in the 2nd District with 62% of the votes in a three-way race and all precincts reporting.She faced Republican challenger Fred Postlewait and independent Kiel Corkran for the seat that represents public school districts in Johnson and Wyandotte counties.“Kansans were actually doing their homework,” Haas said by phone from a watch party in Overland Park. “They realized Democrats are the ones who are supporting their public schools.”The conservative bloc of candidates used “issues like culture wars to try to kind of pick a fight,” without a “background in professional education,” said Haas, who was first elected in 2020 and is the board’s current chair.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730918754527.png" alt=" Kansas State Board of Education candidate Melanie Haas poses for a portrait at the Democratic watch party on Nov. 5, 2024, in Overland Park. (Chloe Anderson for Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Kansas State Board of Education candidate Melanie Haas poses for a portrait at the Democratic watch party on Nov. 5, 2024, in Overland Park. (Chloe Anderson for Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>In the northeastern 4th District, Republican Connie O’Brien and Democrat Kris Meyer were embroiled in a close race most of the night. O’Brien led Meyer by 2 percentage points, according to preliminary results.O’Brien did not respond to Kansas Reflector’s request for comment.Meyer said the results did not look good “for the future of Kansas education,” as “ultra conservative candidates that are looking to eradicate public schools” are positioned to take over majority voting power on the board.“But we’ll keep working hard in the field to support our teachers and make sure our local boards are prepared for what is down the road,” she said.Democrat Beryl New, a former Topeka educator, led Republican Bruce Schultz, a retired professor of anatomy and physiology at Kansas State University, with about 57% of votes for the 6th District seat, which encompasses school districts in the Lawrence and Topeka areas, according to early results. The current board member, Republican Deena Horst, chose not to seek reelection.&nbsp;“There are conversations about vouchers, about privatizing education, and I know people have reasons for their agendas, but what we ought to always remember is that there are young people whose families cannot afford anything other than public education,” New said Tuesday.New also said she recognizes the reasons for school vouchers and privatizing education, but public schools are often the only option for families.“So to keep that opportunity safe, we have to keep all our resources going in that direction to make sure every child, whether their parents are millionaires or their parents live in the rescue mission, that they can be guaranteed a high-quality public education with all the resources they need, with public funding going directly in public schools,” she said.&nbsp;In the Wichita-area 8th District, Democratic incumbent Betty Arnold led Republican Jason Carmichael with 54% of votes, per early results.In the 10th District in south-central Kansas, early results show Debby Potter, a conservative Republican, leading Jeffrey Jarman, a Democrat, with 60% of votes in a three-way race.“This is a seat that normally runs unopposed,” Potter said.&nbsp;She said she has been visiting Topeka for the past three years in preparation for a seat on the board.“I’m just ready to do what I’ve been preparing for for the past three years,” she said.This year’s early Republican winners align with the current board’s conservative faction on issues like strengthening religion in schools, arming teachers, installing parental oversight of instructional and functional decisions and reevaluating public school funding.&nbsp;The Democratic candidates have promoted fully funding public schools and rejecting voucher programs that could detract from that funding.In the 4th District, O’Brien, a former teacher and state representative, beat out two other Republican hopefuls in the August primary to clinch the general election nomination. Her Democratic opponent, Meyer, has been outspoken about the board’s current conservative members. Those four board members — Danny Zeck, Michelle Dombrosky, Cathy Hopkins and Dennis Hershberger — are not up for reelection until 2026. O’Brien has characterized herself in the past as a conservative.The 4th District seat is being vacated by Democrat Ann Mah, who didn’t seek reelection. She said she worries a shift to the right could mean a continued rejection of federal funding, inadequate mental health resources for students and further departure from technical education opportunities.“I think we’ve been doing some good things for kids that would be put at risk if the board changes direction,” she said.The 10th District in south-central Kansas was contested in a three-way race. Jarman, a Democrat and professor, Potter, a conservative Republican, and Kent Rowe, an independent and active Green Party member, vied for the position vacated by moderate Republican Jim McNiece.The state board is tasked with oversight of the Kansas State Department of Education and supervision of public schools, but it has little control over state funding, a responsibility of the legislative branch.Election totals have not yet been finalized, and 3,447 of Kansas’ 4,126 precincts were reporting preliminary results as of 11 p.m. Tuesday.

Kansas State Board of Education election results favor conservative power

WASHINGTON (AP) —Vice President Kamala Harris called President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday to congratulate him on his election victory, a senior Harris aide said.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the call.

The aide said Harris discussed the importance of a peaceful transfer of power with Trump ahead of her planned concession speech Wednesday afternoon.

Harris will deliver a concession speech Wednesday at 4 p.m. (EST), her office announced.

Harris will speak at Howard University, her alma mater in Washington, where her supporters watched returns Tuesday night before being sent home after midnight as President-elect Donald Trump pulled ahead in battleground state results

President Joe Biden has called President-elect Trump to congratulate him on his election victory and to invite him to the White House to discuss the transition.

The White House said staff would coordinate a date “in the near future.” Biden plans to address the nation on the election results, which will have sharp implications for his legacy on Thursday. Biden also spoke with Vice President Harris to congratulate her on her campaign.

Trump completes ‘Blue Wall’ sweep, just as he did in 2016

With Donald Trump’s victory in Michigan, he completes a sweep of the Great Lakes “Blue Wall” states that Kamala Harris had considered her smoothest path to victory.

Trump managed the same sweep of Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania in 2016, when he defeated Hillary Clinton. President Joe Biden outpaced Trump in those states in 2020.

Unlike Clinton’s campaign in 2016, Harris campaigned heavily across the region through September and October. The vice president spent all day Sunday in Michigan, but she was unable to match Biden’s level of support, most notably in Wayne County, where Detroit offers a trove of Democratic votes.

Trump was active in the region, as well, and he improved on his 2020 margins across the three key states.

US stock market and bitcoin surge on Trump’s return to office

Investors are betting on what Trump’s return to the White House will mean for the economy and the world.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-markets-rates-china-93421462d761eb1402d813cb381fe6e9">The Dow jumped 1,200 points, or 2.8% early Wednesday</a>&nbsp;and major stocks including Elon Musk’s Tesla and bitcoin soared.

Trump Media &amp; Technology Group, the company behind the Truth Social platform, also surged.

Nikki Haley calls Trump’s win ‘a great moment for democracy’

Former Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley, who became one of Trump’s more vocal challengers in the 2024 Republican primary before eventually endorsing him, said on her radio show Wednesday that he “defied gravity” with his win.

“He got through two assassination attempts. He got through two impeachments, he got through numerous indictments, and America still elected him because, at the end of the day, they knew what they were getting with Donald Trump. And that’s what they wanted to see,” she said.

Haley called it “a great moment for democracy.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730919280862.png" alt="Vice President elect JD Vance and President elect Donald Trump at their victory celebration Tuesday night-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Vice President elect JD Vance and President elect Donald Trump at their victory celebration Tuesday night-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —Vice President Kamala Harris called President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday to congratulate him on his election victory, a senior Harris aide said.The person spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the call.The aide said Harris discussed the importance of a peaceful transfer of power with Trump ahead of her planned concession speech Wednesday afternoon.Harris will deliver a concession speech Wednesday at 4 p.m. (EST), her office announced.Harris will speak at Howard University, her alma mater in Washington, where her supporters watched returns Tuesday night before being sent home after midnight as President-elect Donald Trump pulled ahead in battleground state results<h2>Biden calls to congratulate Trump</h2>President Joe Biden has called President-elect Trump to congratulate him on his election victory and to invite him to the White House to discuss the transition.The White House said staff would coordinate a date “in the near future.” Biden plans to address the nation on the election results, which will have sharp implications for his legacy on Thursday. Biden also spoke with Vice President Harris to congratulate her on her campaign.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730922517952.png" alt="Associated Press" />
 <figcaption>Associated Press</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Trump completes ‘Blue Wall’ sweep, just as he did in 2016</h2>With Donald Trump’s victory in Michigan, he completes a sweep of the Great Lakes “Blue Wall” states that Kamala Harris had considered her smoothest path to victory.Trump managed the same sweep of Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania in 2016, when he defeated Hillary Clinton. President Joe Biden outpaced Trump in those states in 2020.Unlike Clinton’s campaign in 2016, Harris campaigned heavily across the region through September and October. The vice president spent all day Sunday in Michigan, but she was unable to match Biden’s level of support, most notably in Wayne County, where Detroit offers a trove of Democratic votes.Trump was active in the region, as well, and he improved on his 2020 margins across the three key states.<h2>US stock market and bitcoin surge on Trump’s return to office</h2>Investors are betting on what Trump’s return to the White House will mean for the economy and the world.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-markets-rates-china-93421462d761eb1402d813cb381fe6e9">The Dow jumped 1,200 points, or 2.8% early Wednesday</a>&nbsp;and major stocks including Elon Musk’s Tesla and bitcoin soared.Trump Media &amp; Technology Group, the company behind the Truth Social platform, also surged.<h2>Nikki Haley calls Trump’s win ‘a great moment for democracy’</h2>Former Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley, who became one of Trump’s more vocal challengers in the 2024 Republican primary before eventually endorsing him, said on her radio show Wednesday that he “defied gravity” with his win.“He got through two assassination attempts. He got through two impeachments, he got through numerous indictments, and America still elected him because, at the end of the day, they knew what they were getting with Donald Trump. And that’s what they wanted to see,” she said.Haley called it “a great moment for democracy.”

Biden, Harris call President-elect Trump to congratulate him on win

KANSAS CITY— A&nbsp; man whose family farming operation is the setting of a reality TV show pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to a multi-million dollar fraud scheme involving federal crop insurance benefits he was not entitled to receive, according to the United State's Attorney.

Steve A. McBee, 52, Gallatin, Missouri, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to a federal information that charges him with one count of federal crop insurance fraud. McBee, the owner of McBee Farming Operations, stars in the reality TV series “The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys” streaming on Peacock.

By pleading guilty today, McBee admitted that he engaged in fraudulent activity from 2018 to 2020 that caused an economic loss to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, McBee must pay restitution as determined by the court. The total loss claimed by the government is $4,022,123. Additionally, McBee must forfeit to the government $3,158,923.

McBee admitted that he made a false report to Rain and Hail, a company reinsured by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation. McBee submitted fraudulent documents to Rain and Hail that underreported his total 2018 corn crop by approximately 674,812 bushels and underreported his total 2018 soybean crop by approximately 155,833 bushels. As a result of these false reports, McBee received $2,605,943 in federal crop insurance benefits to which he was not entitled, as well as $552,980 in federal crop insurance premium subsidies to which he was not entitled, for a total of $3,158,923.

McBee admitted that his farming operation sold more than 1.2 million bushels of corn and nearly 416,000 bushels of soybeans to another party in 2018. However, McBee’s crop insurance records reported that his farming operations produced only 340,476 bushels of corn and 190,171 bushels of soybeans.

In addition to the specific felony charge to which he pleaded guilty today, McBee admitted he committed additional fraud in 2019 and 2020.

McBee provided false information to Rain and Hail to obtain insurance for the McBee farming operation’s 2019 soybean crop by misrepresenting that soybeans were the first crop in certain fields when wheat had already been harvested from those fields.&nbsp; The Rain and Hail crop insurance policy only allowed insurance coverage on the first crop planted on a piece of land during a given crop year.&nbsp; As a result of the double cropping during the 2019 crop year, McBee was paid federal crop insurance benefits to which he was not entitled.

McBee also provided false information when he obtained crop insurance through NAU Country Insurance in 2020. McBee’s farming operation planted corn after the last planting date in 2020, which made the crop ineligible for insurance. McBee provided false plant dates on crop insurance documents to NAU Country Insurance. As a result, McBee received federal crop insurance benefits to which he was not entitled.

Under federal statutes, McBee is subject to a sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730860749356.png" alt="The McBee Dynasty image courtesy Peacock&nbsp; Network" />
 <figcaption>The McBee Dynasty image courtesy Peacock&nbsp; Network</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY— A&nbsp; man whose family farming operation is the setting of a reality TV show pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to a multi-million dollar fraud scheme involving federal crop insurance benefits he was not entitled to receive, according to the United State's Attorney.Steve A. McBee, 52, Gallatin, Missouri, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to a federal information that charges him with one count of federal crop insurance fraud. McBee, the owner of McBee Farming Operations, stars in the reality TV series “The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys” streaming on Peacock.By pleading guilty today, McBee admitted that he engaged in fraudulent activity from 2018 to 2020 that caused an economic loss to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, McBee must pay restitution as determined by the court. The total loss claimed by the government is $4,022,123. Additionally, McBee must forfeit to the government $3,158,923.McBee admitted that he made a false report to Rain and Hail, a company reinsured by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation. McBee submitted fraudulent documents to Rain and Hail that underreported his total 2018 corn crop by approximately 674,812 bushels and underreported his total 2018 soybean crop by approximately 155,833 bushels. As a result of these false reports, McBee received $2,605,943 in federal crop insurance benefits to which he was not entitled, as well as $552,980 in federal crop insurance premium subsidies to which he was not entitled, for a total of $3,158,923.McBee admitted that his farming operation sold more than 1.2 million bushels of corn and nearly 416,000 bushels of soybeans to another party in 2018. However, McBee’s crop insurance records reported that his farming operations produced only 340,476 bushels of corn and 190,171 bushels of soybeans.In addition to the specific felony charge to which he pleaded guilty today, McBee admitted he committed additional fraud in 2019 and 2020.McBee provided false information to Rain and Hail to obtain insurance for the McBee farming operation’s 2019 soybean crop by misrepresenting that soybeans were the first crop in certain fields when wheat had already been harvested from those fields.&nbsp; The Rain and Hail crop insurance policy only allowed insurance coverage on the first crop planted on a piece of land during a given crop year.&nbsp; As a result of the double cropping during the 2019 crop year, McBee was paid federal crop insurance benefits to which he was not entitled.McBee also provided false information when he obtained crop insurance through NAU Country Insurance in 2020. McBee’s farming operation planted corn after the last planting date in 2020, which made the crop ineligible for insurance. McBee provided false plant dates on crop insurance documents to NAU Country Insurance. As a result, McBee received federal crop insurance benefits to which he was not entitled.Under federal statutes, McBee is subject to a sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

Reality TV star admits to multi-million dollar crop insurance fraud

WASHINGTON (AP) —In a statement, former President George W. Bush said he and his wife, Laura, “join our fellow citizens in praying for the success of our new leaders at all levels of government.”

Some top former Republican officials, including Bush’s vice president, Dick Cheney, had endorsed Harris. But Bush remained neutral.

Bush also thanked “President Biden and Vice President Harris for their service to our country.”

“The strong turnout in this election is a sign of the health of our republic and the strength of our democratic institutions,” said Bush, who called the election a “free, fair, safe, and secure election.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730837835990.png" alt="File photo&nbsp;courtesy Margo Martin Deputy Director of Communications" />
 <figcaption>File photo&nbsp;courtesy Margo Martin Deputy Director of Communications</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —In a statement, former President George W. Bush said he and his wife, Laura, “join our fellow citizens in praying for the success of our new leaders at all levels of government.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730912550313.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Some top former Republican officials, including Bush’s vice president, Dick Cheney, had endorsed Harris. But Bush remained neutral.Bush also thanked “President Biden and Vice President Harris for their service to our country.”“The strong turnout in this election is a sign of the health of our republic and the strength of our democratic institutions,” said Bush, who called the election a “free, fair, safe, and secure election.”

Read former President Bush's statement on Trump election victory

Democratic governor’s $2 million PAC failed to diminish GOP leverage in Legislature

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/allison-kite/">ALLISON KITE</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/max-mccoy/">MAX MCCOY</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas Republicans appear to have preserved the two-thirds edge in the House and Senate despite a costly effort by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly to diminish the supermajority and make it easier to veto legislation.

Democrats hoped to gain two seats in the House and three in the Senate to break the GOP advantage, but unofficial results indicated Republican candidates prevailed in eight of nine closely watched House contests and in five of six Senate races central to the power struggle.

Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach celebrated accomplishments of Republican legislative candidates and said it was time to use that partisan leverage to change the Kansas Constitution to allow governors to nominate people to the Kansas Supreme Court subject to confirmation by the Senate.

“Kansans rejected the liberal agenda and expanded Republican supermajorities,” Kobach said. “Now it’s time to reform how we select our justices.”

State Rep. Nick Hoheisel, a Wichita Republican with a big lead on his Democrat rival, put it simply: “A good night for the Right Future of Kansas.”

In nine hotly contested House races, unofficial results with all precincts reporting indicated Democratic Rep. Virgil Weigel of Topeka held off Republican challenger Pennie Boyer-Kloos of Berryton by a margin of 55% to 45%. That was a rare bright spot in the Democratic Party’s ledger.

In Hutchinson, Democratic Rep. Jason Probst appeared to lose his reelection campaign against Republican Kyler Sweely. The margin, with all precincts reporting, was 52% for Sweely and 48% for Probst. Democratic Reps. Dennis Miller of Olathe and Allison Hougland of Olathe also appeared to lose as well.

Other GOP victories, based on preliminary vote counts: Leawood Rep. Carl Turner deflected Democrat Ace Allen; Lenexa Rep. Laura Williams outran Democrat Betsey Lasister; Shawnee Rep. Angela Stiens defeated Democrat Vanessa Vaughn West; and Wichita Rep. Sandy Pickert beat Democrat Veronica Gillette.

Among six Senate races considered influential in terms of the supermajority, Democratic incumbent Sen. Usha Reddi of Manhattan was down 500 votes against Republican challenger Brad Starnes of Riley. With all precincts reporting in that race, Starnes was up 51% to 49% for Reddi.

Incumbent Democratic Sen. Jeff Pittman of Leavenworth trailed Republican Jeff Klemp by 61 votes out of more than 30,000 cast. The race could be headed to a recount.

Two Senate incumbents viewed as vulnerable by Democrats, Republican Mike Thompson of Shawnee and Kellie Warren of Leawood, likely won another four-year term by 2,000-vote margins against Democratic challengers. In the competition for two open Senate seats in Olathe, Republican Rep. Adam Thomas and GOP candidate T.J. Rose also looked to have won by solid margins.

Winners for more than one-third of the 165 seats in the Kansas Legislature were known before polls opened Tuesday, but that reality concealed keen interest among Republicans and Democrats in the outcome of other races for House and Senate.

Fifty-eight seats in the Legislature — 50 in the House and eight in the Senate — were unofficially settled in the August primary. The victor of those 58 contests didn’t draw a general election opponent, so they were allowed to relax and watch as others sweated out the fall campaign. Of the 58, Republicans claimed 37 seats and Democrats the remaining 21.

Republican leaders of the Legislature, including House Speaker Dan Hawkins and Senate President Ty Masterson, devoted years to redrawing legislative boundaries, setting a voter-friendly agenda and recruiting Republican legislative candidates to build upon the GOP supermajority.

“We need our supermajorities in order to override some of the mess that we’re in, right?” Masterson said.

Kelly, in her second term as governor, created a $2 million PAC and endorsed candidates with potential of flipping House and Senate seats to help her push back against the GOP agenda.

In the days prior to the November election, the governor said she was confident Democrats would claim two House seats and three Senate seats to end the supermajority ahead of the 2025 legislative session.

“The most important thing is to be able to break the supermajority that has existed for way too long,” Kelly said. “It is very difficult to govern when you have folks who are dedicating themselves to ensuring that you don’t get anything done, so the administration is not successful. It is time to switch that out.”

The Democratic National Committee invested $660,000 in Kansas to try to break the GOP supermajorities, DNC officials said.

Hawkins said preservation of the GOP supermajority was important because Kelly has been too quick to veto bills. He disagreed with the governor’s rejection of legislation on election security as well as gender-affirming health care and sports participation by transgender individuals. He denounced her use of authority to line-item veto clusters of specific budget appropriations.

And, to the deep frustration of Kansas GOP leadership, Kelly kicked to the curb a series of tax-reduction bills developed by Republican lawmakers. That deadlock led to a special session in 2024 that produced the compromise expected to cut state tax revenue by $1.2 billion over three years.

Masterson, who has led the Senate since 2021, said he was stunned Kelly voted legislation during the regular 2024 session that would have trimmed income, sales and property taxes.

“Her shifting reasons for vetoing tax relief have now morphed into the absurd, especially when the state she governs is awash with billions in surplus money that belongs to the people,” Masterson said. “She has opted for the ‘my-way-or-the-highway’ approach.”

Democratic Sen. Ethan Corson, a Fairway Democrat who took a 12,000-vote lead over Republican challenger Dave Dannov when results started rolling in, said he would have welcomed a voter revolt that toppled the GOP’s two-thirds edge in the Legislature.

“The Republican supermajority has stood in the way of common sense policies like Medicaid expansion, and instead pursued an agenda that includes attacks on the LGBT community and stripping Kansans of the ability to make their own health care decisions,” he said.

In Emporia, incumbent Republican Rep. Mark Schreiber said he tried not to get wrapped up in “a lot of hyperbole and the drama that goes on,” opting instead to “stick to the facts and explain my position.”

“I think that comes back to my science background — I’m a biology graduate,” he said. “It just never caught on with me to call people names. It’s kind of childlike, and both sides do it, but for me I’d just as soon stick to the issues.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730901175451.png" alt=" Gov. Laura Kelly, who expressed confidence Democrats would break the Republican supermajorities in the state House and Senate, makes opening remarks at a Democratic watch party Tuesday night in Overland Park. Unofficial results indicate Republicans appear to have preserved their two-thirds majorities in the House and Senate. (Chloe Anderson for Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Gov. Laura Kelly, who expressed confidence Democrats would break the Republican supermajorities in the state House and Senate, makes opening remarks at a Democratic watch party Tuesday night in Overland Park. Unofficial results indicate Republicans appear to have preserved their two-thirds majorities in the House and Senate. (Chloe Anderson for Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Democratic governor’s $2 million PAC failed to diminish GOP leverage in Legislature</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/allison-kite/">ALLISON KITE</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/max-mccoy/">MAX MCCOY</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a> TOPEKA — Kansas Republicans appear to have preserved the two-thirds edge in the House and Senate despite a costly effort by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly to diminish the supermajority and make it easier to veto legislation.Democrats hoped to gain two seats in the House and three in the Senate to break the GOP advantage, but unofficial results indicated Republican candidates prevailed in eight of nine closely watched House contests and in five of six Senate races central to the power struggle.Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach celebrated accomplishments of Republican legislative candidates and said it was time to use that partisan leverage to change the Kansas Constitution to allow governors to nominate people to the Kansas Supreme Court subject to confirmation by the Senate.“Kansans rejected the liberal agenda and expanded Republican supermajorities,” Kobach said. “Now it’s time to reform how we select our justices.”State Rep. Nick Hoheisel, a Wichita Republican with a big lead on his Democrat rival, put it simply: “A good night for the Right Future of Kansas.”In nine hotly contested House races, unofficial results with all precincts reporting indicated Democratic Rep. Virgil Weigel of Topeka held off Republican challenger Pennie Boyer-Kloos of Berryton by a margin of 55% to 45%. That was a rare bright spot in the Democratic Party’s ledger.In Hutchinson, Democratic Rep. Jason Probst appeared to lose his reelection campaign against Republican Kyler Sweely. The margin, with all precincts reporting, was 52% for Sweely and 48% for Probst. Democratic Reps. Dennis Miller of Olathe and Allison Hougland of Olathe also appeared to lose as well.Other GOP victories, based on preliminary vote counts: Leawood Rep. Carl Turner deflected Democrat Ace Allen; Lenexa Rep. Laura Williams outran Democrat Betsey Lasister; Shawnee Rep. Angela Stiens defeated Democrat Vanessa Vaughn West; and Wichita Rep. Sandy Pickert beat Democrat Veronica Gillette.Among six Senate races considered influential in terms of the supermajority, Democratic incumbent Sen. Usha Reddi of Manhattan was down 500 votes against Republican challenger Brad Starnes of Riley. With all precincts reporting in that race, Starnes was up 51% to 49% for Reddi.Incumbent Democratic Sen. Jeff Pittman of Leavenworth trailed Republican Jeff Klemp by 61 votes out of more than 30,000 cast. The race could be headed to a recount.Two Senate incumbents viewed as vulnerable by Democrats, Republican Mike Thompson of Shawnee and Kellie Warren of Leawood, likely won another four-year term by 2,000-vote margins against Democratic challengers. In the competition for two open Senate seats in Olathe, Republican Rep. Adam Thomas and GOP candidate T.J. Rose also looked to have won by solid margins.Winners for more than one-third of the 165 seats in the Kansas Legislature were known before polls opened Tuesday, but that reality concealed keen interest among Republicans and Democrats in the outcome of other races for House and Senate.Fifty-eight seats in the Legislature — 50 in the House and eight in the Senate — were unofficially settled in the August primary. The victor of those 58 contests didn’t draw a general election opponent, so they were allowed to relax and watch as others sweated out the fall campaign. Of the 58, Republicans claimed 37 seats and Democrats the remaining 21.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730900932435.png" alt=" Incumbent Rep. Mark Schreiber, R-Emporia, talks with Democratic challenger Mic McGuire on Tuesday night at the Lyon County courthouse. When the two spoke, it was apparent from nearly complete returns that Schreiber would be reelected. (Max McCoy/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Incumbent Rep. Mark Schreiber, R-Emporia, talks with Democratic challenger Mic McGuire on Tuesday night at the Lyon County courthouse. When the two spoke, it was apparent from nearly complete returns that Schreiber would be reelected. (Max McCoy/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Supermajority showdown</h2>Republican leaders of the Legislature, including House Speaker Dan Hawkins and Senate President Ty Masterson, devoted years to redrawing legislative boundaries, setting a voter-friendly agenda and recruiting Republican legislative candidates to build upon the GOP supermajority.“We need our supermajorities in order to override some of the mess that we’re in, right?” Masterson said.Kelly, in her second term as governor, created a $2 million PAC and endorsed candidates with potential of flipping House and Senate seats to help her push back against the GOP agenda.In the days prior to the November election, the governor said she was confident Democrats would claim two House seats and three Senate seats to end the supermajority ahead of the 2025 legislative session.“The most important thing is to be able to break the supermajority that has existed for way too long,” Kelly said. “It is very difficult to govern when you have folks who are dedicating themselves to ensuring that you don’t get anything done, so the administration is not successful. It is time to switch that out.”The Democratic National Committee invested $660,000 in Kansas to try to break the GOP supermajorities, DNC officials said.Hawkins said preservation of the GOP supermajority was important because Kelly has been too quick to veto bills. He disagreed with the governor’s rejection of legislation on election security as well as gender-affirming health care and sports participation by transgender individuals. He denounced her use of authority to line-item veto clusters of specific budget appropriations.And, to the deep frustration of Kansas GOP leadership, Kelly kicked to the curb a series of tax-reduction bills developed by Republican lawmakers. That deadlock led to a special session in 2024 that produced the compromise expected to cut state tax revenue by $1.2 billion over three years.Masterson, who has led the Senate since 2021, said he was stunned Kelly voted legislation during the regular 2024 session that would have trimmed income, sales and property taxes.“Her shifting reasons for vetoing tax relief have now morphed into the absurd, especially when the state she governs is awash with billions in surplus money that belongs to the people,” Masterson said. “She has opted for the ‘my-way-or-the-highway’ approach.”Democratic Sen. Ethan Corson, a Fairway Democrat who took a 12,000-vote lead over Republican challenger Dave Dannov when results started rolling in, said he would have welcomed a voter revolt that toppled the GOP’s two-thirds edge in the Legislature.“The Republican supermajority has stood in the way of common sense policies like Medicaid expansion, and instead pursued an agenda that includes attacks on the LGBT community and stripping Kansans of the ability to make their own health care decisions,” he said.In Emporia, incumbent Republican Rep. Mark Schreiber said he tried not to get wrapped up in “a lot of hyperbole and the drama that goes on,” opting instead to “stick to the facts and explain my position.”“I think that comes back to my science background — I’m a biology graduate,” he said. “It just never caught on with me to call people names. It’s kind of childlike, and both sides do it, but for me I’d just as soon stick to the issues.”

Election night results show Republicans preserving supermajorities in Kansas House, Senate

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump was elected the 47th president of the United States on Wednesday, an extraordinary comeback for a former president who refused to accept defeat four years ago, sparked a violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, was convicted of felony charges and survived two assassination attempts.

With a win in Wisconsin, Trump cleared the 270 electoral votes needed to clinch the presidency.

The victory validates his bare-knuckle approach to politics. He attacked his Democratic rival, Kamala Harris, in deeply personal – often misogynistic and racist – terms as he pushed an apocalyptic picture of a country overrun by violent migrants. The coarse rhetoric, paired with an image of hypermasculinity, resonated with angry voters – particularly men – in a deeply polarized nation.

As president, he’s vowed to pursue an agenda centered on dramatically reshaping the federal government and pursuing retribution against his perceived enemies. Speaking to his supporters Wednesday morning, Trump claimed he had won “an unprecedented and powerful mandate.”

The results cap a historically tumultuous and competitive election season that included two assassination attempts targeting Trump and a shift to a new Democratic nominee just a month before the party’s convention. Trump will inherit a range of challenges when he assumes office on Jan. 20, including heightened political polarization and global crises that are testing America’s influence abroad.

His win against Harris, the first woman of color to lead a major party ticket, marks the second time he has defeated a female rival in a general election. Harris, the current vice president, rose to the top of the ticket after President Joe Biden exited the race amid alarm about his advanced age. Despite an initial surge of energy around her campaign, she struggled during a compressed timeline to convince disillusioned voters that she represented a break from an unpopular administration.

Trump is the first former president to return to power since Grover Cleveland regained the White House in the 1892 election. He is the first person convicted of a felony to be elected president and, at 78, is the oldest person elected to the office. His vice president, 40-year-old Ohio Sen. JD Vance, will become the highest-ranking member of the millennial generation in the U.S. government.

There will be far fewer checks on Trump when he returns to the White House. He has plans to swiftly enact a sweeping agenda that would transform nearly every aspect of American government. His GOP critics in Congress have largely been defeated or retired. Federal courts are now filled with judges he appointed. The U.S. Supreme Court, which includes three Trump-appointed justices, issued a ruling earlier this year affording presidents broad immunity from prosecution.

Trump’s language and behavior during the campaign sparked growing warnings from Democrats and some Republicans about shocks to democracy that his return to power would bring. He repeatedly praised strongman leaders, warned that he would deploy the military to target political opponents he labeled the “enemy from within,” threatened to take action against news organizations for unfavorable coverage and suggested suspending the Constitution.

Some who served in his first White House, including Vice President Mike Pence and John Kelly, Trump’s longest-serving chief of staff, either declined to endorse him or issued dire public warnings about his return to the presidency.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730891151412.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump was elected the 47th president of the United States on Wednesday, an extraordinary comeback for a former president who refused to accept defeat four years ago, sparked a violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, was convicted of felony charges and survived two assassination attempts.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Former President Trump: &quot;Many people have told me that God spared my life for a reason and that reason was to save out country and to restore America to greatness and now we are going to fulfill that mission together.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/2wTYk219vL">pic.twitter.com/2wTYk219vL</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1854072522091745743?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>With a win in Wisconsin, Trump cleared the 270 electoral votes needed to clinch the presidency.The victory validates his bare-knuckle approach to politics. He attacked his Democratic rival, Kamala Harris, in deeply personal – often misogynistic and racist – terms as he pushed an apocalyptic picture of a country overrun by violent migrants. The coarse rhetoric, paired with an image of hypermasculinity, resonated with angry voters – particularly men – in a deeply polarized nation.As president, he’s vowed to pursue an agenda centered on dramatically reshaping the federal government and pursuing retribution against his perceived enemies. Speaking to his supporters Wednesday morning, Trump claimed he had won “an unprecedented and powerful mandate.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Sen. JD Vance: &quot;I think that we just witnessed the greatest political comeback in the history of the United States of America.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/07l3cIiklu">pic.twitter.com/07l3cIiklu</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1854067034289574277?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The results cap a historically tumultuous and competitive election season that included two assassination attempts targeting Trump and a shift to a new Democratic nominee just a month before the party’s convention. Trump will inherit a range of challenges when he assumes office on Jan. 20, including heightened political polarization and global crises that are testing America’s influence abroad.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Former President Trump: &quot;We overcame obstacles that nobody thought possible. It is now clear that we&#39;ve achieved the most incredible political -- Hey! Look what happened! Is this crazy?!?&quot; <a href="https://t.co/M3AZkFe3vh">pic.twitter.com/M3AZkFe3vh</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1854065386922119560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>His win against Harris, the first woman of color to lead a major party ticket, marks the second time he has defeated a female rival in a general election. Harris, the current vice president, rose to the top of the ticket after President Joe Biden exited the race amid alarm about his advanced age. Despite an initial surge of energy around her campaign, she struggled during a compressed timeline to convince disillusioned voters that she represented a break from an unpopular administration.Trump is the first former president to return to power since Grover Cleveland regained the White House in the 1892 election. He is the first person convicted of a felony to be elected president and, at 78, is the oldest person elected to the office. His vice president, 40-year-old Ohio Sen. JD Vance, will become the highest-ranking member of the millennial generation in the U.S. government.There will be far fewer checks on Trump when he returns to the White House. He has plans to swiftly enact a sweeping agenda that would transform nearly every aspect of American government. His GOP critics in Congress have largely been defeated or retired. Federal courts are now filled with judges he appointed. The U.S. Supreme Court, which includes three Trump-appointed justices, issued a ruling earlier this year affording presidents broad immunity from prosecution.Trump’s language and behavior during the campaign sparked growing warnings from Democrats and some Republicans about shocks to democracy that his return to power would bring. He repeatedly praised strongman leaders, warned that he would deploy the military to target political opponents he labeled the “enemy from within,” threatened to take action against news organizations for unfavorable coverage and suggested suspending the Constitution.Some who served in his first White House, including Vice President Mike Pence and John Kelly, Trump’s longest-serving chief of staff, either declined to endorse him or issued dire public warnings about his return to the presidency.While Harris focused much of her initial message around themes of joy, Trump channeled a powerful sense of anger and resentment among voters.He seized on frustrations over high prices and fears about crime and migrants who illegally entered the country on Biden’s watch. He also highlighted wars in the Middle East and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to cast Democrats as presiding over – and encouraging – a world in chaos.It was a formula Trump perfected in 2016, when he cast himself as the only person who could fix the country’s problems, often borrowing language from dictators.“In 2016, I declared I am your voice. Today I add: I am your warrior. I am your justice. And for those who have been wronged and betrayed, I am your retribution,” he said in March 2023.This campaign often veered into the absurd, with Trump amplifying bizarre and disproven rumors that migrants were stealing and eating pet cats and dogs in an Ohio town. At one point, he kicked off a rally with a detailed story about the legendary golfer Arnold Palmer in which he praised his genitalia.But perhaps the defining moment came in July when a gunman opened fire at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. A bullet grazed Trump’s ear and killed one of his supporters. His face streaked with blood, Trump stood and raised his fist in the air, shouting “Fight! Fight! Fight!” Weeks later, a second assassination attempt was thwarted after a Secret Service agent spotted the barrel of a gun poking through the greenery while Trump was playing golf.Trump’s return to the White House seemed unlikely when he left Washington in early 2021 as a diminished figure whose lies about his defeat sparked a violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. He was so isolated at the time that few outside of his family bothered to attend the send-off he organized for himself at Andrews Air Force Base, complete with a 21-gun salute.Democrats who controlled the U.S. House quickly impeached him for his role in the insurrection, making him the only president to be impeached twice. He was acquitted by the U.S. Senate, where many Republicans argued that he no longer posed a threat because he had left office.But from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, Trump – aided by some elected Republicans – worked to maintain his political relevance. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the California Republican who at the time led his party in the U.S. House, visited Trump soon after he left office, essentially validating his continued role in the party.As the 2022 midterm election approached, Trump used the power of his endorsement to assert himself as the unquestioned leader of the party. His preferred candidates almost always won their primaries, but some went on to defeat in elections that Republicans viewed as within their grasp. Those disappointing results were driven in part by a backlash to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that revoked a woman’s constitutional right to an abortion, a decision that was aided by Trump-appointed justices. The midterm election prompted questions within the GOP about whether Trump should remain the party’s leader.But if Trump’s future was in doubt, that changed in 2023 when he faced a wave of state and federal indictments for his role in the insurrection, his handling of classified information and election interference. He used the charges to portray himself as the victim of an overreaching government, an argument that resonated with a GOP base that was increasingly skeptical – if not outright hostile – to institutions and established power structures.Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who challenged Trump for the Republican nomination, lamented that the indictments “sucked out all the oxygen” from this year’s GOP primary. Trump easily captured his party’s nomination without ever participating in a debate against DeSantis or other GOP candidates.With Trump dominating the Republican contest, a New York jury found him guilty in May of 34 felony charges in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election through a hush money payment to a porn actor who said the two had sex. He faces sentencing later this month, though his victory poses serious questions about whether he will ever face punishment.He has also been found liable in two other New York civil cases: one for inflating his assets and another for sexually abusing advice columnist E. Jean Carroll in 1996.Trump is subject to additional criminal charges in an election-interference case in Georgia that has become bogged down. On the federal level, he’s been indicted for his role in trying to overturn the results of the 2020 election and improperly handling classified material. When he becomes president on Jan. 20, Trump could appoint an attorney general who would erase the federal charges.As he prepares to return to the White House, Trump has vowed to swiftly enact a radical agenda that would transform nearly every aspect of American government. That includes plans to launch the largest deportation effort in the nation’s history, to use the Justice Department to punish his enemies, to dramatically expand the use of tariffs and to again pursue a zero-sum approach to foreign policy that threatens to upend longstanding foreign alliances, including the NATO pact.When he arrived in Washington 2017, Trump knew little about the levers of federal power. His agenda was stymied by Congress and the courts, as well as senior staff members who took it upon themselves to serve as guardrails.This time, Trump has said he would surround himself with loyalists who will enact his agenda, no questions asked, and who will arrive with hundreds of draft executive orders, legislative proposals and in-depth policy papers in hand.