Election 2026 live results: Democrats take House, Acton projected winner in Ohio gov. race

The White House's mood is "defiant" as results are coming in, a White House official told ABC News.

After weeks of President Donald Trump urging voters to pretend like he is on the ballot this election, the White House official is now highlighting that Trump wasn't actually on the ballot.

"President Trump was not on the ballot, and it's proven that Trump voters show up when he is on the ballot," the official said when asked if they had any response to tonight's results so far.

The official added: "Also, candidate quality matters, and President Trump did a better job promoting many of the candidates on the ballot than the candidates did themselves."

-ABC News' Nicholas Kerr

Polls in five states closed at 10 p.m. ET: Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and Utah.

Democratic New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Trump adversary, is projected to win reelection against Republican challenger Saritha Komatireddy.

James gained national attention through her 2022 lawsuit against Trump, his company and members of his family alleging net worth inflation. The lawsuit led to a $454 million civil fraud judgment that was thrown out by an appeals court in 2025.

Members of President Donald Trump's Cabinet, senior White House staff and political advisers are currently gathered in the East Room monitoring election results as they come in, according to a White House official and sources familiar with the matter.

Trump and Vice President JD Vance joined the election night watch party in the East Room later in the evening, sources familiar with the matter said. 

-ABC News' Katherine Faulders, Nicholas Kerr and Michelle Stoddart