👉 "I congratulate President Trump on his election as 47th President of the United States of America, as well as Vice President-elect J.D. Vance and their families," Bush said in a statement.
"I also thank President Biden and Vice President Harris for their service to our country," he continued.
"The strong turnout in this election is a sign of the health of our republic and the strength of our democratic institutions. Laura and I are grateful to the election officials, poll workers, and volunteers who oversaw a free, fair, safe, and secure election.
"We join our fellow citizens in praying for the success of our new leaders at all levels of government. May God continue to bless our great country."
The former president had declined to make an endorsement in the 2024 race.
Posted by Chris Pandolfo
5 hours ago
Seattle police arrest 5 black bloc demonstrators in election night protest
Seattle police arrested five demonstrators at an election night protest near the city's Capitol Hill neighborhood, authorities said.
The suspects were taken into custody for property damage after leaving anarchist and pro-Palestinian graffiti on public property, according to the Seattle Police Department.
"Protest making its way south along 12 Ave E./E Pike St. Arrests being made for property damage at this time. Announcements have been made to the crowd via loud speakers," SPD posted on social media at 6:45 p.m.
The Seattle Times reported that at least a couple dozen people dressed in black had gathered in Capitol Hill, near where the infamous "autonomous zone" was established in 2020 during the George Floyd riots.
Police said the group had dwindled to a "dozen people" shortly after arrests began. By 6:17 p.m. the group had broken up.
The protesters were not identified with any major party candidate or campaign for political office.
Casey campaign declines to concede: 'More votes that need to be counted'
Casey campaign declines to concede: 'More votes that need to be counted'
Senator Bob Casey, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, during a campaign event with US Vice President Kamala Harris, not pictured, outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US, on Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are separated by the narrowest of margins in polls, which show Tuesdays election is a coin flip, and by a chasm in their future vision for the worlds premier economic and military power. Photographer: Hannah Beier/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey's campaign expressed confidence that the senator will be re-elected Wednesday morning even though he trails Republican challenger David McCormick by more than 50,000 votes.
“There are more votes that need to be counted in areas like Philadelphia and it’s important that every legal ballot will be counted. When that happens we are confident the Senator will be re-elected," Casey spokesperson Maddy McDaniel told Fox News.
McCormick, a businessman, currently has 3,307,213 votes while Casey, a three-term incumbent and son of a popular former governor, has 3,255,237. Nearly 97% of precincts are reporting results in Pennsylvania, according to the Associated Press.
A Republican victory in Pennsylvania would expand the GOP's incoming Senate majority to at least 53 seats and ease the path for President-elect Trump's nominees to serve in a new administration.
Earlier, Fox News projected Trump to win Pennsylvania with 50.7% of the vote, defeating Vice President Kamala Harris, who earned 48.4%.
Here's how VP-elect JD Vance's Senate seat will be filled
With Sen. JD Vance poised to take on the role of vice president next year, Ohioans will need someone else to fill his Senate seat
Initially, Ohio's governor will tap someone to fill the void caused by Vance vacating the seat. Later, there will be a special election to fill the remainder of Vance's Senate term, according to Ohio law.
"The appointee shall hold office until the fifteenth day of December succeeding the next regular state election that occurs more than one hundred eighty days after the vacancy happens," Ohio law states.
"At that next regular state election, a special election to fill the vacancy shall be held, provided, that when the unexpired term ends within one year immediately following the date of such regular state election, an election to fill the unexpired term shall not be held, and the appointment shall be for the unexpired term," Ohio law stipulates.
Since current Ohio Gov. Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, is slated to select Vance's temporary replacement, the seat should remain in GOP hands.
A special election will be held in November 2026, according to cincinnati.com