Biden calls dibs on 2024: In an afternoon press conference about the midterms, the 79-year-old President said he intended to run for reelection but added that he would "would make a final decision early next year," according to the New York Times. Sorry, Kamala. : ( As for the results of the current election, Biden struck an optimistic note about the developing red ripple, inviting the probable GOP-led House of Representatives to work with him on stuff. 

That GOP-led House won't even work with each other on stuff: Leaders of the right's odious factions began angling for leadership positions early Wednesday, and backbiting for the #3 spot has been going on for weeks, Politico reports. These people will work on nothing but shutting down the government and launching wasteful, aimless investigations of their political enemies. 

My response to the Biden presser more or less aligns with this impersonation of Slavoj Zizek: 

But we're getting ahead of ourselves: To keep control of the Senate, Democrats need to win two of the following three uncalled races: Nevada, Arizona, Georgia. Georgia will go to a December 6 runoff, according to the Washington Post. Officials say we should have Arizona vote totals by Friday, according to Reuters. Nevada might take... some time: 

Democratic control of the House remains possible but still largely exists within the realm of fantasy. The dreaded New York Times needle estimates the Republicans taking the House with a 13-seat majority. But if shit like this keeps happening, then that could change stuff: 

But Congress isn't everything, you know? Democrats now fully control four states that start with the letter 'M.' Welcome to the progressive laboratory of democracy, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, and Minnesota.

The US now has two lesbian governors: Democratic House Speaker Tina Kotek will serve as Oregon's next executive, the Oregonian reports. Take that, stupid Nike guy!!! If the Dems keep their majorities in Salem, then Kotek aims to "increase Oregon’s supply of affordable housing and homeless shelters" and more quickly stand up the state's paid family leave program. Kotek also joins newly elected Massachusetts governor Maura Healey as the nation's first openly lesbian governors. 

Let's take a little break from election news: Did you read Hannah's update on the Ingraham High School shooting? Oy. 

SPD apparently scares the shit out of kids after school shooting: The cops conducted SWAT exercises near an elementary school in Wallingford today, less than 24 hours after a school shooting. According to the Seattle Times, the school principal and the school district say SPD failed to notify them of the drills. The cops say they gave the school a heads-up 10 days ago. First comms person to send me that email wins.  

Do you have plans this weekend? Now you do. 

Redfin lays off more than 860 workers: That's on top of the 500 jobs the Seattle-based real estate brokerage cut this summer. The company now also plans to shutter its house-flipping business in the wake of a cooler market, the Seattle Times reports. All of this hardship is brought to you by Jerome Powell's big, dumb hammer. 

Washington state ballot drop update: Aside from Seattle's election reform battle, the close races we're watching around the state include the battle for Congress in central and southwest Washington, the Secretary of State's race, three legislative seats up for grabs in Whatcom County, two legislative races in Kitsap, one close one in Island County, one close-ish one right here in King County, and another down in southwest Washington. If state Dems keep and/or pick up all those seats, then they'll add three seats to their House majority, one to their Senate majority, stop two election-deniers from going to Congress, and keep Steve Hobbs away from anything having to do with climate change. Big stuff! 

The numbers released the day after election day mostly represent the dregs of last night's count. The real trend-spotting starts tomorrow. But around the state, last nights leads more or less stayed the same, plus or minus less than half a point. Up in Whatcom County, however, the Republican candidates for the Senate and House races gained a full half point. I grimace. 

This evening, King County Elections dropped another 52,350 ballots countywide, including a little more than 18,600 in Seattle. They're still scanning in ballots from drop boxes and vote centers last night, so they're not sure how much they have left to count this week. But with today's drop, north Seattle State House candidate Darya Farivar, King County Prosecutor candidate Leesa Manion, Seattle Municipal Court Judge candidate Pooja Vaddadi, and the "Yes" on Seattle's election reform increased their leads by less than half a point. The significant leads from South Seattle State House candidate Chipalo Street and South King County state Senate candidate Claudia Kauffman decreased by less than half a point. By 4 pm tomorrow, we'll know if either of those trends continue. 

I leave you with a smooth and expansive jam to calm your election anxiety.