Three of the broadcast networks — ABC, CBS and NBC — are ditching their primetime lineups tonight to offer live coverage of the midterm election.
This is kind of wall-to-wall coverage the networks usually reserve for the race for the White House. But the 2018 election cycle has attracted intense interest among voters and pundits who see the election as a referendum on Donald Trump‘s presidency.
Democrats are hoping for a “blue wave” of angry voters to wash over the ballot boxes, and sweep the party into control of the House of Representatives (though the Senate appears a long-shot, if polling can be believed). The Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court confirmation hearings, and Trump’s recent attacks on the Central American migrants walking to the U.S. border, appear to have activated the GOP’s base.
All of that electoral drama is bound to boost viewership, and justifies pre-empting The Connors on ABC, This Is Us on NBC and NCIS on CBS.
Of course, the cable news networks — CNN, MSNBC and Fox News Channel — will continue to provide up-to-the-minute election coverage long into the night.
CBS kicks off coverage at 8 PM Eastern, with CBS This Morning co-hosts Norah O’Donnell, Gayle King, John Dickerson, Bianna Golodryga and CBS Evening News anchor Jeff Glor leading the network’s coverage of Campaign 2018.
ABC News similarly kicks off its coverage at 8 PM Eastern, with George Stephanopoulos leading coverage from ABC News election headquarters in New York. He will be joined by World News Tonight anchor David Muir, This Week co-anchor Martha Raddatz, chief White House correspondent Jonathan Karl, senior White House correspondent Cecilia Vega, Senior Congressional correspondent Mary Bruce and World News Tonight weekend anchor and chief national affairs correspondent Tom Llamas.
The network’s live streaming coverage begins at 4:30 PM Eastern, with Nightline co-anchor Dan Harris, senior Washington reporter Devin Dwyer and Bruce hosting. FiveThirtyEight will also have analysis throughout the day.
Coverage gets underway at 9 PM at NBC News, with Nightly News anchor Lester Holt and TODAY co-anchor Savannah Guthrie leading coverage, joined by Meet the Press moderator and NBC political director Chuck Todd and Megyn Kelly.
The Fox broadcast network will carry its usual Tuesday night lineup. Cable sibling Fox News Channel will begin live election coverage beginning at 6 PM Eastern, co-anchored by chief political anchor and Special Report’s Bret Baier and The Story’s Martha MacCallum.
FOX Business Network also will provide special live coverage of the midterm elections starting at 8PM Eastern, with senior vice president and managing editor Neil Cavuto anchoring coverage with a special five-hour edition of CAVUTO: Coast to Coast. He’ll be joined by the network’s economic and political experts, including Lou Dobbs and global markets editor Maria Bartiromo, Stuart Varney and Trish Regan.
Online, Facebook Watch will feature live election coverage from a range of news publishers, including ABC News Live, its breaking news partner.
As polls close across the country, Peter Hamby, host of Snapchat’s Good Luck America, will bring Snapchatters a series of exclusive episodes throughout midterm election night. New episodes will air throughout the evening starting at 6 PM ET, and will include updates on the most important races.
The Washington Post will also go live for the first time on Snapchat with exclusive election night coverage and analysis.