NBC election night 'lean' calls
The gist
NBC News will air 13 consecutive hours of midterm election coverage, its longest ever for a midterm.
Senate control likely hinges on eight close races, so calls may take days.
How it unfolded
- Oct 31, 2026Deadline reports NBC News plans 13 hours of coverage, 5 p.m. ET Tuesday to 6 a.m. ET Wednesday, the most ever for a midterm, with Hallie Jackson opening as first exit poll findings are released.
- Nov 2, 2026NBC News says its teams rehearsed election night with simulated race projections; Lapinski and the Decision Desk will make the calls.
- Nov 3, 2026NBC's Decision Desk says Senate control likely comes down to eight races rated toss-ups (Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, Ohio, Texas) or lean Democratic (Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire); Democrats need five of the eight.