NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-05-2025 9AM EST

Episode Date: November 5, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Corva Coleman. Democrats won key campaigns in yesterday's off-year elections. Democrats won gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia. And the Democratic Socialist, Zoran Bamdani, has won election as New York City's next mayor. NPR's Domenico Montanaro says the Democrats zeroed in on pocketbook issues, which are top of mind for most voters. In all of the marquee races, people rated the economy as either the most important issue or close to it. And every race, in every single one, more than six and ten sided with the Democrats.

NPR's Domenico Montanaro reporting. President Trump says yesterday's elections were not good for Republicans. Speaking to GOP senators at the White House this morning, Trump partly blamed the election outcome on the federal government shutdown. It's now a record 36 days old. He's again urging Republican senators to overturn the filibuster. Trump says it would allow the them to pass a spending bill and reopen the government. Republican senators have been very reluctant to do this. Voters in California easily approved a ballot measure yesterday. It's aimed at trying to send five more Democrats to Congress in next year's midterm elections. From member station KQED in San Francisco, Marisa Lagos, has more. Voters in this solidly Democratic

state overwhelmingly approved the initiative, known as Proposition 50. Its passage is a huge win for California Governor Gavin Newsom and House Democrats, who crafted the measure in August after President Donald Trump demanded Texas redraw its maps to give the GOP five more safe house seats. Speaking Tuesday night, Newsom said Prop 50 was about holding Trump accountable. And so I want to thank everybody that stood up not just for our democracy, but stood up for those that feel bullied and intimidated. Republicans called the measure anti-democratic and warned it will result in large swaths of the state losing their voice in Congress. From NPR News, I'm Marisa Lagos in San Francisco.

Colorado voters will raise taxes to pay for food assistance. Lucas Brady Woods has more. The measure will increase taxes on Coloradoans who make $300,000 a year or more by an average of about $500. Most of the money collected will pay for Colorado's free school meals program. It will also help cover the state's share of SNAP or food stamps after Congress cut funding for the program this summer. Anya Rose is with hunger-free Colorado, which backed the initiative. More than ever, we need these state supports and we need to make sure in our communities

that we don't let people go hungry. The measure is expected to raise over $27 million for SNAP in the next fiscal year and about double that for school meals. For NPR News, I'm Lucas Brady Woods in Denver, Colorado. You're listening to NPR News. Officials in Louisville, Kentucky, say the death toll from yesterday's plane crash has now risen to nine people. Louisville mayor Craig Greenberg says authorities are still working through the debris at the crash site. The UPS cargo plane was trying to take off when it caught fire and exploded.

A growing number of people are turning to artificial intelligence for emotional support. It's not out of curiosity, but out of frustration. NPR's Windsor Johnston reports that some are finding comfort in talking to chatbots when human therapy falls short. Anna Sherlock says she couldn't be fully honest with her human therapist. So she turned to a chatbot named chatty Betty, no emotional labor, no judgment. For some of us, AI, and talking to a chatbot is the only place that's ever actually felt safe. But psychologist Marissa Cohen says there are real risks. constantly being affirmed and validated, that can essentially unintentionally strengthen distorted

behavior. And it can normalize potentially harmful thinking. Most AI chatbots are not regulated and can't detect crisis. Windsor Johnston and PR News. The supermoon is coming tonight. It's when the moon gets to its closest point to the earth. It will also be full. NASA says that means the moon will look like it's 14% larger and nearly one-third brighter than it usually is. There will be another supermoon in December. I'm Corva Coleman, NPR News.