For big events, there’s just nothing like print. Even as newspapers cut their print operations and embrace e-editions as a transitional measure, there’s just something that feels historic about putting a story on the front page, fretting over the headline and photo choice until it properly encapsulates a moment in time (or, at least, until there’s no more time left to fuss before deadline).
For the 2022 midterms, with high-profile races in a smattering of states and long vote counting times leaving some races still up in the air, that meant there were a lot of headlines to write Tuesday night that could still stand by Wednesday morning. Strategies vary from photo-heavy features on residents going to the polls, to as-updated-as-humanly-possible returns for the public record.
Here’s a collection of newspaper front pages in states with much-watched races, via Freedom Forum.
Pennsylvania
In Pennsylvania, Democrat and Attorney General Josh Shapiro won the governor’s race over Republican state Sen. Doug Mastriano, and Democrat John Fetterman defeated Republican Mehmet Oz in a much-watched campaign. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Wednesday front page says Fetterman declared victory in an early morning tweet and the race had not been called by the Associated Press as of 1 a.m. The difference a deadline makes in a headline is stark, as the AP called the race for Fetterman at 1:51 a.m.
Georgia
In Georgia, with its high-profile Senate match between Democratic incumbent Raphael Warnock and Republican challenger Herschel Walker as well as Democrat Stacey Abrams’ unsuccessful run for governor against incumbent Republican Brian Kemp, 2020 was a lesson that results could take quite a while to be fully settled. Wednesday’s Atlanta Journal Constitution gave its lead story slot in the print product to a story on Election Day as an event, not any results-tallying.
Michigan
In Michigan, a tight gubernatorial race between incumbent Democrat Gretchen Whitmer and Republican challenger Tudor Dixon. By the deadline for the Wednesday paper, Whitmer lead Dixon with around 32% of the votes left uncounted and no official call from the AP. The AP would call the race for Whitmer at 1:20 a.m. A key U.S. House race between incumbent Democrat Elissa Slotkin and Republican challenger Tom Barrett, which was called for Slotkin at 3:08 a.m., didn’t make the front page.
Arizona
The Arizona Republic split their front-page midterms package into two stories, one on the experience of residents going to the polls and the other on glitches impacting voting machines at polling sites. Hotly contested races for Governor and Senate are still undecided.
Wisconsin
In Milwaukee, Wednesday’s front page featured story was on Election Day as an event, with Wisconsinites heading to the polls, and referring readers to their website for up-to-date elections returns. A smart choice, given the news of the night: incumbent Democratic governor Tony Evers won re-election, but the Senate race between Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson and Democratic challenger Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes is still uncalled as of Wednesday morning.
Ohio
With less intrigue than other states, Ohio’s high-profile Senate race between U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, a Democrat, and Republican challenger J.D. Vance was called in Vance’s favor by the Associated Press a little after 11 p.m. The “Hillbilly Elegy” author’s victory was one of many for the GOP in the state, with incumbent Gov. Mike DeWine staving off challenger Nan Whaley.
Florida
In Florida, there would be no waiting around for vote counts or uncertainty heading into Wednesday morning, as it was clear early in the night that Republicans would see decisive victories in races across the board. Incumbent Gov. Ron DeSantis handily won over challenger Charlie Crist, and incumbent Sen. Marco Rubio defeated Democratic challenger Val Demings.
Texas
In Texas, Democrat Beto O’Rourke’s gubernatorial run against incumbent Republican Gov. Greg Abbott was unsuccessful as Republicans won major seats across the state.
