Republicans split over how to move on after heavy midterm losses

Republicans are weighing how to move forward after Tuesday's midterm elections left the party with its thinnest ranks on Capitol Hill in decades. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called the result an "extinction-level event," and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz called it a "Watergate-level repudiation." AP reports that Trump has refused to acknowledge responsibility and blamed candidates.

HuffPost reports Trump called it "largely true" that the Iran war was the real reason, as Vice President JD Vance said, and added he would do it again. On Friday, Trump made Stephen Miller White House chief of staff and announced support for Republican National Committee chair Joe Gruters, while co-chair KC Crosbie plans to run for chair in January. House Republicans must choose between Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan as their leader once they are back on Capitol Hill.

The Washington Times reports that a group of Senate Republicans wants the Senate leadership elections delayed until the cause of the losses is determined. A New York Times report run by The Boston Globe says that Turning Point USA's political arm spent nearly $20 million backing Andy Biggs, who lost Arizona's governor race to Gov. Katie Hobbs by more than 10 percentage points.

For drivers, HuffPost reports Trump has set a record for days overseen in a calendar year with average gas prices above $4 a gallon, and Trump said the Iran war pushed gas up "a little bit, short term." AP reports Congress could face tough votes on keeping the federal government open after Dec. 11.