America voted.
But you knew that already, so we’ll make this quick.
Big winners included abortion rights proponents and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a potential 2024 GOP presidential contender.
Among the notable losers: a predicted red wave and former President Donald Trump. Alas, Trump is not one to acknowledge electoral defeat. The question becomes: Will the Republicans who’ve enabled him finally do so and move on?
Still to be decided: Georgia’s crucial U.S. Senate race, which is headed to a Dec. 6 runoff between Democratic incumbent Raphael Warnock and Republican challenger Herschel Walker. In the general election campaign, the two offered clashing religious messages, as noted by The Associated Press’ Bill Barrow. For more insight on Tuesday’s voting, check out these religion stories:
• Abortion rights scored the biggest midterm victory (by Yonat Shimron and Jack Jenkins, Religion News Service)
• Republicans win on inflation but lose on abortion (by Daniel Silliman, Christianity Today)
• After wins at the ballot, abortion rights groups want to ‘put this to the people’ (by Sarah McCammon, NPR)
• Catholic leaders say abortion referendum results ‘does not bode well for the future’ (by John Lavenburg, Crux)
• Despite Mastriano’s loss, don’t count out Christian nationalism (by Jack Jenkins, RNS)
• In existential midterm races, Christian prophets become GOP surrogates (by Michelle Boorstein, Washington Post)
• Between Kanye and the midterms, the unsettling stream of antisemitism (by Michael Paulson and Ruth Graham, New York Times)
• In ‘God made a fighter’ ad, DeSantis paves way to replace Trump as anointed one (by Jack Jenkins, RNS)
• U.S. tensions are high. Chaplains at the polls tried to keep peace (by Fredrick Kunkle, Washington Post)
• Hasidic rabbi assails Trumpism rampant among the Orthodox (by Jacob Kornbluh, Forward)
• Texas voters elect first-ever Muslim state lawmakers (by Sarah Bahari, Dallas Morning News)
Power Up: The Week’s Best Reads
1. Explainer: Laws and customs in Qatar ahead of 2022 World Cup: The autocratic country “has sought to portray itself as welcoming to foreigners but traditional Muslim values remain strong in the hereditarily ruled emirate,” The Associated Press’ Isabel Debre explains.
Qatar “says it will loosen up for the unprecedented influx of tourists. But fans attending the World Cup should be mindful of Qatar’s laws and cultural customs, including policies for alcohol, drugs, sexuality and dress code.”
In a related story, the AP religion team’s Mariam Fam and Luis Andres Henao report that some LGBTQ fans are skipping the World Cup, fearing hostility.
2. Who wants to live with Catholic nuns? College co-eds: “At Pennsylvania’s Neumann University, undergraduates share a convent with sisters,” The Wall Street Journal’s Melissa Korn reports.
“Sisters and students are now getting in the habit of meeting up for nature walks, trading travel tips, planning knitting lessons, extending occasional dinner invitations and marveling at the lives one another leads,” this front-page A-Hed feature notes.
CONTINUE READING: “Faith And Politics: Winners And Losers In The 2022 Midterm Elections” by Bobby Ross, Jr., at Religion Unplugged.