Today's top stories, with context, in just 15 minutes.   

On today's podcast:   

1) Democrats won control of both chambers of the US Congress in a midterm election landslide that amounted to a rejection of President Donald Trump following widespread voter discontent with the economy and the war in Iran. The Democratic rout sets up the first real check on Trump’s power in Washington since he returned to the White House last year, as the party rode a wave of voter dissatisfaction driven by the cost-of-living. The incoming Congress is sure to investigate Trump, his administration and businesses and stymie his legislative agenda.   

2) Democrats' control of Congress is weighing on the shares of Tesla and SpaceX Shares. A so-called blue wave in the midterms will fan concerns about tighter regulations around artificial intelligence and call into doubt a potential merger of Tesla and SpaceX. Empowered Democrats may be able to slow down the potential merger, with Congress unable to single-handedly kill a deal, according to First New York's Vikram Rai.   

3) Democrats scored a landslide victory in New York, flipping a marquee House seat and making deep inroads into some of the state’s most reliably conservative territory. Governor Kathy Hochul cruised to reelection by a double-digit margin, outperforming her six-point victory from 2022, while Democrat Cait Conley ousted Republican Representative Mike Lawler in the Hudson Valley. The victories marked a reversal from the political forces that reshaped New York in 2024, when Trump made striking gains across the state, particularly in New York City and its suburbs.