Newsletter: Today: Flipping That House

As the midterm election dust settles, the Democrats will control the House of Representatives, the Republicans will control the Senate, and polarized politics still control the national discourse.

TOP STORIES

Flipping That House

After two years of Republican control of the White House and both chambers of Congress, Democrats are poised to have a much stronger voice by taking back the House of Representatives, even as the GOP solidified its hold on the Senate. The midterm election, widely seen as a referendum on President Trump, also highlighted the partisan divide between red rural areas and blue cities and suburbs. In a bit of a surprise, Trump called to congratulate Democratic House leader Nancy Pelosi, the front-runner to become speaker once again. In a speech, she vowed to provide “checks and balances” on his administration but also reached out to the president and his party.

The Politics of Polarization

So what does this all mean? Though Trump tweeted about the night’s “tremendous success,” the Democrats’ victory in the House gives them license to investigate him and his associates for the next two years, not a prospect any president would relish. As Washington bureau chief David Lauter writes in this analysis, the election results left neither side with a clear majority and “point to two more years of political trench warfare and the worsening of major problems” such as an immigration system both parties say is broken, healthcare, the federal debt and income inequality.

More From the Election Nationwide

-- The latest results from across the U.S. and California, all in one handy graphic.

-- Key governors races: Florida elected Trump stalwart Rep. Ron DeSantis; in Georgia, Democrat Stacey Abrams was trailing in a tight race against GOP Secretary of State Brian Kemp; in Kansas, Democrat Laura Kelly defeated Republican Kris Kobach; and Democrat Jared Polis will become Colorado’s first openly gay governor.

-- Sen. Ted Cruz held off a bold challenge from Democrat Beto O’Rourke to keep the Texas Senate seat in Republican hands.

-- A record number of women ran for office. Here’s how many have won so far.

-- Medicaid was a victor in elections across the country, paving the way for coverage gains for poor Americans.

-- Most voting went off without a hitch, but there were complaints of malfunctions, confusion and long lines.

New Leader of the ‘Resistance’

There was never much doubt that Gavin Newsom would win to become California’s next governor — a victory he easily achieved Tuesday. The real question is how he will govern. Newsom is expected to shift state politics and policy even further to the left of Gov. Jerry Brown, with a campaign agenda that included a state-sponsored healthcare system, universal preschool and more funding for higher education. Newsom also stands to be more aggressive in taking on the Trump administration and Republicans in Congress.

More From the Election in California

-- Dianne Feinstein easily won reelection to her fifth full U.S. Senate term, pushing past state Sen. Kevin de León.

-- Blue state: Democrats were poised to capture at least seven of eight statewide constitutional offices, with Republicans being shut out once again.

-- Propositions: Voters rejected Proposition 10, a ballot measure to expand rent control in California, and defeated Proposition 6, which would have repealed recent increases in the state gas tax and vehicle fees.

-- GOP Rep. Devin Nunes has warded off the toughest political challenge he faced in years, claiming victory over Democrat Andrew Janz.

-- Meanwhile, newly reelected Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff is really looking forward to investigating Trump.

-- Early returns showed Jim McDonnell leading in his reelection bid as Los Angeles County sheriff.

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FROM THE ARCHIVES

From the Los Angeles Times’ city room, it’s the midterm election … of Nov. 7, 1950. Reporter Bob Hartmann commented on the results for KTTV, which The Times owned from 1949 until 1963. The last three call letters stood for “Times TV.”

CALIFORNIA

-- The city of L.A. is starting to back off on allowing Airbnb-style rentals in rent-controlled apartments.

-- An attorney for former L.A. County Sheriff Lee Baca tried to convince a panel from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals that Baca was unfairly convicted.

-- Immigration officials have stopped allowing a volunteer group to visit people at Otay Mesa Detention Center unless its members agreed not to talk with the media or other groups about conditions inside.

HOLLYWOOD AND THE ARTS

-- In theory, movies are an escape from partisan politics. That won’t be the case this awards season.

-- Richard Madden, whose “Game of Thrones” character Robb Stark was killed off five years ago, has some roles that should finally get people to see him in a new light.

-- Composer Lawrence English is using civil defense air raid sirens to stage concerts all over Los Angeles this week.

NATION-WORLD

-- On election day, Border Patrol officials postponed a “caravan-related exercise” in El Paso, home to Senate candidate Beto O’Rourke, “out of an abundance of caution.”

-- Fentanyl, the deadly opioid that contributed to rapper Mac Miller’s death, is increasingly being found in street drugs.

-- The Maldives is now dependent on China in a way few could have imagined, and the island nation’s new leaders are just beginning to learn how deeply in debt it is to Beijing.

-- In France, authorities arrested six suspects in connection with an alleged plot to attack President Emmanuel Macron.

BUSINESS

-- Fox News issued a rebuke of hosts Sean Hannity and Jeanine Pirro for appearing onstage at Trump’s Missouri rally in support of Republican candidates, but did not reveal whether they faced any disciplinary action.

-- Google has moved a step closer to transforming the historic Spruce Goose hangar in Playa Vista into a state-of-the-art office and production facility.

-- Have you received those robocalls offering health insurance? Don’t fall for their traps.

SPORTS

-- Dodgers General Manager Farhan Zaidi has accepted an offer to become the San Francisco Giants’ president of baseball operations.

-- The L.A. Kings defeated the Anaheim Ducks and gave new interim coach Willie Desjardins some hope.

OPINION

-- The House vote was a referendum on Trump — and he lost.

-- Columnist Gustavo Arellano writes an obituary for old Orange County, dead at age 128.

WHAT OUR EDITORS ARE READING

-- Three World War I poems are brought to life in this animated film. (Poetry Foundation)

-- A lot of doctors are beginning to hate their computers for coming between them and their patients. (The New Yorker)

-- Scientists appear to be a step closer to understanding how Egypt’s pyramids were built. Hint: no extraterrestrial intervention. (The Guardian)

ONLY IN CALIFORNIA

Grammy-nominated artist Moby decided to rock the vote on election day the way he knows best: going on a surprise mini-tour of three Orange County cities in support of Democratic candidates. But he kept things short. “We’re only gonna play for a couple of minutes,” he said, “because, obviously, you guys have way more important things to do with your time than listen to a middle-aged bald guy play music.”

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