Opinion Today: Your guide to the election

Coverage to guide you through the day (and night).

View in browser|nytimes.com November 5, 2024 By Patrick Healy Mr. Healy is the deputy Opinion editor. It's Election Day in America, and my Times Opinion colleagues and I are in the same boat as a whole lot of voters. "I've never covered a presidential campaign like this one where I had no certainty at this stage of who is up and who is down," writes the Opinion columnist David Brooks in a round-table conversation this morning. He is joined by colleagues Ross Douthat, Michelle Goldberg and Tressie McMillan Cottom in exploring what this election is all about and what America might look like under a Trump or Harris presidency. They offer some predictions, too, and a road map of what to watch for Tuesday night (Michigan and North Carolina, but also Virginia, Ohio and Indiana). One big question is whether so-called late-deciding voters — who pick candidates at the last minute, often based on feelings and mood — will break in favor of Kamala Harris or Donald Trump. For our final Opinion focus group before the election, we spoke to 15 late-deciding voters from Pennsylvania, Georgia and other swing states about why they ended up preferring a candidate and who they think will win. Trump also comes in for a reassessment from the Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer Jon Meacham, who writes about his biggest regret regarding the former president, and the Opinion contributing writer Megan Stack delves into how she voted early for Harris while the horrors of Gaza weighed on her conscience. Starting at 6 p.m., we hope you'll come to nytimes.com for Opinion's live commentary about the election results: Our columnists, editorial board writers and other colleagues will have a live chat through the night about the swing state results, the winners and losers in Senate and House races, the undecided contests and what we're learning about the country, and the columnists Ezra Klein and Ross Douthat will have a two-way conversation about the election and America's future. Read Opinion's coverage: David Brooks, Ross Douthat, Michelle Goldberg and Tressie McMillan Cottom 'I Will Be Thrilled to Be Wrong': Four Columnists Brace for Election Night Who will win the presidency, House and Senate? What is the election about? And what happens next for America? By David Brooks, Ross Douthat, Michelle Goldberg and Tressie McMillan Cottom Why These 15 Late-Deciding Swing State Voters Give the Edge to Harris The group discussed Kamala Harris and Donald Trump on the edge of the 2024 election. By Patrick Healy, Adrian J. Rivera and Frank Luntz Guest Essay I'm a Presidential Historian. This Is My Biggest Regret About Trump. I used to think of Trump as a dangerous but recognizable demagogue. Now I see him as a genuine aberration in our history — and a unique threat to the nation. By Jon Meacham Guest Essay I Voted for Harris but Gaza's Horrors Weigh on My Conscience The Biden administration bears responsibility for the mass murder and starvation of Palestinian civilians. By Megan K. Stack Here's what we're focusing on today: Editors' Picks Guest Essay These are the Latino Voters Who Could Sway This Election This multiracial and multiethnic demographic could transform American politics. By Yael Martínez More From Opinion Election Day Is Long. Give Us Five Minutes to Help You Get Through It. A guided meditation to help you get through Election Day. By Eliza Barclay Jamelle Bouie Don't Let Trump Make America Into an Image of Himself We cannot become what he wants us to be. By Jamelle Bouie The Anti-Anxiety Election Day Menu Is the uncertainty of the election making your stomach growl? Try these quick, mildly comforting recipes! By Walter Green The Opinions Have Election Anxiety? These Five Minutes Can Help. A short meditation to get you through Election Day. 9 MIN LISTEN Guest Essay Advice From a Psychotherapist on How to Cope Today The unknown is the most difficult thing for the brain to navigate. By Gary Greenberg The Shady Gimmick Behind Elon Musk's Million-Dollar Game No, those "winners" weren't random. By Farah Stockman Mayor of America's 'Blackest City' Still Worried About Black Male Voters If Obama made no difference in their lives, many say, why would Harris? By Charles M. Blow Paul Krugman Why Trump's Supporters Should Also Be Wary if He Returns to Power If autocracy comes to America, don't assume it'll be soft. By Paul Krugman Michelle Goldberg We've Been Underestimating the Scale of Women's Fury If Trump loses on Tuesday, we'll know why. By Michelle Goldberg Quincy Jones's Half-Century of Unforgettable Music His originality crossed a wide range of genres. By Brent Staples We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. Games Here are today's Mini Crossword, Wordle and Spelling Bee. If you're in the mood to play more, find all our games here. Forward this newsletter to friends to share ideas and perspectives that will help inform their lives. They can sign up here. Do you have feedback? Email us at opiniontoday@nytimes.com. If you have questions about your Times account, delivery problems or other issues, visit our Help Page or contact The Times. Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for the Opinion Today newsletter from The New York Times. To stop receiving Opinion Today, unsubscribe. 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