NBC Prepares for a Long Election Night as Results Take Shape
NBC News chief data analyst Steve Kornacki returned to the network’s election coverage on November 3, appearing in a planned 13-hour broadcast. He described the marathon as a nonstop night of incoming results and information, with his familiar Big Board at the center of the coverage. This year, he wore dark trousers rather than his usual khakis.
The network said it could project control of both chambers of Congress on election night if results showed Democrats winning decisively. Democrats were favored in public polling for the House and several closely watched Senate contests. But determining the winners was expected to take longer if the races proved tight; NBC said a better-than-expected night for Republicans might not become clear until the following day.
Kornacki has said he relies on Diet Coke during election coverage, keeping it close at hand as results arrive. He has described eating during the broadcast as something that can make him tired, and said he tries to eat earlier in the day. Dunkin’ coffee was also added to his provisions for this year’s shift, though he said the pace and steady stream of new information help carry him through.
The night’s coverage also drew attention to how networks frame the results. A commentator noted that MS NOW host Rachel Maddow had acknowledged the network’s coverage would have a slant, while mocking NBC’s discussion of when it might call races. With votes still being counted, projections and control of Congress remained dependent on the results.
Voters’ Choice Could Put Democrats in Control of Congress
The 2026 midterms opened with Democrats favored in public polling for the House and several pivotal Senate contests, raising the possibility of a change in control of both chambers. NBC News said it could project a Democratic sweep on election night if the results made that outcome clear.
But voters would have to wait longer for a verdict if the contests were close. The network said a stronger-than-expected Republican showing might not be apparent until the next day, underscoring that control of Congress would depend on votes still being counted rather than early expectations.
NBC’s 13-hour election broadcast featured analyst Steve Kornacki, who returned to track results at the Big Board. He said the stream of new information and the energy of election night help sustain him through the marathon. He typically drinks Diet Coke and avoids eating during coverage because he believes food makes him tired.
The networks’ own framing also became part of the night’s conversation. MS NOW’s Rachel Maddow acknowledged that her network’s coverage would carry a slant. At the same time, NBC’s comments about when it might call races drew criticism from a commentator who saw an uneven standard in how possible outcomes were described. The results, not the networks’ expectations, would determine who governs.
Networks’ Election-Night Framing Faces Scrutiny as Votes Come In
Election-night coverage faced scrutiny alongside the vote count on November 3. NBC News said it might call control of both chambers that night if Democrats won decisively, while a Republican performance better than expected might not be clear until the following day. That distinction became a target for criticism as the network prepared its 13-hour broadcast.
Democrats were favored in public polling for the House and several key Senate races, but those expectations were not results. The outcome could take time to settle, particularly if contests were close. Voters would decide control of Congress, while networks would have to wait for enough evidence before making projections.
MS NOW host Rachel Maddow also acknowledged that her network’s election coverage would have a slant, drawing a sarcastic response from a commentator. The episode highlighted how openly partisan framing has become part of election-night television, even as audiences look to networks to explain what the vote count shows.
NBC analyst Steve Kornacki returned for the long shift, using the network’s Big Board to follow incoming results. He has said he keeps Diet Coke nearby and avoids eating during coverage because he finds that food can make him sleepy. He also had Dunkin’ coffee available, though he said the steady arrival of new information helps keep him going.
