By Eleanor Ever Loyal
Three days after the election, Washington is quiet on the floor and busy on the count. Neither chamber of Congress meets today, the President travels to Florida for remarks at Cape Canaveral, and the two Senate races still being counted — in Alaska and Mississippi — will set the size of the incoming Senate majority, not its party.
The Day Ahead
Congress. Neither chamber meets today. The House adjourned on Thursday after its pro forma session; its next meeting is 12:00 p.m. Eastern on Monday, November 9 (House Clerk floor summary, November 5). The Senate held a pro forma session on Thursday, conducted no business, and returns for business on Monday, November 9, at 3:00 p.m. Eastern, to resume consideration of the motion to proceed to H.R. 2347, the Survivor Justice Tax Prevention Act — described by the Senate as the legislative vehicle for the permitting reform bill — with a cloture vote at approximately 5:30 p.m. Eastern (Senate Daily Press, November 5). No roll-call votes had been recorded in either chamber as of this morning.
The White House. The weekend guidance lists, for Friday: executive time at 8:00 a.m. Eastern, an in-town pool call at 9:00 a.m., a pre-tape interview at 10:30 a.m., policy meetings at 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., and a Diwali celebration at 1:30 p.m., each closed press. The President then departs for Cape Canaveral, Florida, and delivers remarks at 6:00 p.m. Eastern at the John F. Kennedy Space Center, for pre-credentialed media, before departing for Palm Beach (White House weekend guidance, November 6–8, 2026).
The Supreme Court. The Court hears no argument today. Its next arguments are Monday, November 9, in Nielsen v. Watanabe (No. 25-417), on whether the Ninth Circuit erred in recognizing a Bivens cause of action, and Hoffmann v. WBI Energy Transmission (No. 25-159), on compensation in a pipeline eminent-domain case (supremecourt.gov hearing list, November 2026 session).
The Pentagon. No Defense Department public briefing is listed in the sources checked this morning.
The Federal Register. Today’s issue reschedules the first meeting of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), which had been set for today, to Friday, November 13, 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. Eastern, by livestream (Federal Register, November 6, 2026, Doc. 2026-22668).
What Moved
The Pentagon chief’s response. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted a video message on Thursday vowing to continue in his role and defending the Iran war, Reuters reported. President Trump, asked on Thursday about possible staffing changes, praised Mr. Hegseth, according to Reuters. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries asked in a social media post why Mr. Hegseth remained in the position, Reuters reported. Democrats, who take control of Congress in January, have said they intend to conduct oversight of the Pentagon, including the Iran war, according to Reuters.
Each side’s account of the result. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer told reporters on Wednesday that his party’s mandate is to put a check on the administration at home and abroad and to end the Iran war, Reuters reported. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said the President “has effectively restored American strength on the global stage” and that his foreign policy decisions “have never been motivated by politics,” according to Reuters.
The count moved in Mississippi. Democrat Scott Colom’s lead over Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith widened, in the figures set out in The Power Count below. The Associated Press has not called the race.
The Power Count
The incoming Senate stands at 54 seats for Democrats, including the independents who caucus with them, and 44 for Republicans, with two races uncalled, according to the AP tally. Neither uncalled race affects control — only the final margin.
In Mississippi, Decision Desk HQ results updated November 6 at 3:29 a.m. Eastern counted 467,233 votes for Mr. Colom, 465,146 for Ms. Hyde-Smith, and 20,013 for Ty Pinkins — a margin of 2,087 votes, with more than 95 percent of the estimated vote counted. That replaces the 1,138-vote lead the AP reported on November 5. Secretary of State Michael Watson said on November 4 that approximately 3,600 absentee-by-mail ballots remained outstanding, along with an unknown number of affidavit ballots. Affidavit voters have until November 10 to present identification; counties have until November 13 to submit certified results.
In Alaska, Democrat Mary Peltola leads Republican Senator Dan Sullivan by 637 votes — 102,962 to 102,325 — with an estimated 74 percent of ballots counted, according to AP results reported November 6. The AP has not called the race. If no candidate passes 50 percent of first-choice votes, the ranked-choice tabulation is scheduled for November 18, according to the Alaska Division of Elections.
In the House, the AP count checked this morning listed 249 seats called for Democrats and 156 for Republicans; 218 of 435 seats make a majority, and the AP called control of the House for Democrats early Wednesday.
One Thing to Watch
The President’s remarks at Cape Canaveral at 6:00 p.m. Eastern — the only public address on today’s published guidance. What the President says there, about the incoming Congress, the Iran war, or neither, will be the clearest signal available today of how the administration intends to approach the session that begins on Monday.
The Library Lens
PCAST is the President’s external advisory body on science and technology, co-chaired by the Assistant to the President for Science and Technology and the Special Advisor for AI and Crypto. Today’s rescheduling is a scheduling notice only — no policy decision is announced in it — noted here because the council’s remit includes advice on emerging technologies.
— Eleanor Ever Loyal
From The Library — the estate of our family.