Arizona, election, Trump, Senate, House, fire, climate change, inflation, veterans: daily briefing

Ruben Gallego is on track to become Arizona’s first Latino senator. Congress returns to work on Tuesday as President-elect Donald Trump transitions to a second term. Forecasters are warning that there is a high risk of a wildfire in New Jersey continuing to spread on Tuesday amid strong winds and low humidity levels.

I am Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. Celebrate World Kindness Day with a free doughnut.

Democrat Ruben Gallego is making Arizona history

Ruben Gallego, a child of immigrants who found his way to Harvard, Iraq and Congress, was set to defeat Republican Kari Lake on Monday night. Gallego will move to the Senate after five terms in the U.S. House of Representatives and two terms in the Arizona House of Representatives before that.

In a disappointing election cycle for Democrats, Gallego was the only seat his party flipped in the Senate as the GOP swept to control Congress and the presidency. Gallego, 44, posted a message on X Tuesday morning that read: “Gracias Arizona!”

Mike Waltz, Lee Zeldin, Stephen Miller Win Roles in Trump’s Second Admin

President-elect Donald Trump’s administration comes to mind. Former Rep. Lee Zeldin was tapped to serve as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, while longtime aide Stephen Miller was named deputy chief of staff for policy. Trump announced late Sunday that former Immigration and Customs Enforcement director Tom Homan would join the administration as “border czar.” And Rep. Elise Stefanik, RN.Y., has been nominated by Trump for ambassador to the United Nations and has accepted the offer, USA TODAY reported Monday. Here’s a full list of Trump appointments we know about so far.

More news to find out now

what’s the weather like today Check your local forecast here.

The battle to succeed McConnell

A high-stakes election begins this week to choose the successor to Republican leader Mitch McConnell, who will play a major role in the next administration’s vision for the country. McConnell — the longest-serving Senate party leader in American history — is stepping down as leader in January. Three senators are running to replace him in Wednesday’s closed-door election. The leading candidates are Sen. John Thune, RS.D., who is currently the second-in-command in the Senate GOP as Republican whip, and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, who also served as whip and previously led the House of Representatives. GOP Senate campaign. Read more

Why did fires break out on the east coast this fall?

A drought-fueled wildfire near the New Jersey-New York border has left an 18-year-old volunteer firefighter dead, burned thousands of acres, and forecasters warned Tuesday of an increased risk of spreading. The fire is one of several burning throughout the weekend in New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Connecticut — the result of historically dry conditions in the region that were only slightly improved by the quarter-inch of rain that fell on Sunday Monday evening. The Northeast faces wildfires every fall season, but what has meteorologists and state officials of particular concern this year is a record-setting drought in the region that is fueling an explosive increase in wildfires of vegetation. Read more.

Today’s speakers

All Social Security retirees should do so by November 20

The Social Security program has many rules and can be complex, and there are certain dates that retirees should mark on their calendars. It can be helpful for retirees to know how much they will receive from Social Security for the coming year so they can start budgeting. That’s why all retirees should create their personal Social Security account by November 20. Here’s how to do it and what to look for.

Photo of the Day: Honoring Those Who Served

Americans of all ages gathered across the country Monday to celebrate Veterans Day, an opportunity to honor those who have served in the military. See more photos.

Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot him an email at [email protected].