hello and welcome to all our viewers joining us here in the united states, around the world, and streaming on cnn max. i'm rosemary church. just ahead, abortion rights advocates get a major win in ohio. we'll explain how this might impact the race for the white house as we break down tuesday's election results in key states across the u.s. plus, israeli forces now say they are inside gaza city as the hostages of hamas have now been held for over a month. and g7 foreign ministers pledged to remain united as war rages in ukraine and in the middle east. >> live from cnn center, this is "cnn newsroom" with rosemary church. >> results from key off-year elections around the u.s. have broad glimmers of hope to democrats ahead of next year's presidential showdown, and the power of abortion politics is becoming increasingly clear. in kentucky, governor andy beshear has one reelection making him one of the few democratic leaders in red or predominantly republican states, and he made abortion rights a major issue in his campaign. in mississippi, cnn projects republican governor tate reeves has won a second term, defending brandon presley, the second cousin of rock legend elvis. in virginia, democrats have taken full control of the state legislatures, hanging on to the senate and flipping the house of delegates. abortion was not directly on the ballot, but was a motivating issue for democrats. in the key swing state of ohio, voters delivered a strong rebuke to republicans trying to restrict abortion access. the right to an abortion is now enshrined in the state constitution. ohio also voted to legalize recreational marijuana, becoming the 24th state to do so. well, more now on that historic abortion vote in ohio. cnn's kyung lah reports. >> reporter: abortion rights will be enshrined in ohio state constitution. that is the result here in ohio, according to cnn projections. it is the first republican state to take such a move. and this was a hard battle, fought on both sides of what's known as issue 1, the effort to enshrine those efforts into the state constitution. when cnn called the results of this election, projecting the results, i want you to take a listen to this room. it is a watch party of those who supported issue 1. [ cheering ] you can hear the cheering for yourself. others, i actually saw a woman burst into tears. it was jubilation as those results were read. now the supporters of issue 1 say that they won by trying to keep this as nonpartisan an issue as possible, urging voters that this was about keeping government out of their lives. the group that was against issue 1 said in a statement it is heartbroken, but it will regroup and aim to 2024 in battleground states. and in regard to those battleground states, it's sending shockwaves through states like arizona, where abortion rights advocates there are also trying to get such a measure on that 2024 ballot. a republican from arizona, a consultant tells me tonight that his party should be, quote, scared. kyung lah, cnn, columbus, ohio. mississippi's republican governor tate reeves clinched his reelection after a successful campaign against democrat brandon presley, elvis presley's second cousin. here's what reeves told supporters tuesday night. >> you've heard me say a thousand times throughout this campaign, but mississippi has momentum, and this is mississippi's time. >> cnn's dianne gallagher has more details now from mississippi. >> reporter: republican governor tate reeves declaring victory on election night, telling his crowd of supporters here in this ballroom that his opponent, democrat brandon presley had called to congratulate him on winning reelection and concede the race. now reeves, a republican who had been dealing with low approval numbers as the incumbent governor, told his supporters that he spoke with former president donald trump on election night and that trump relayed a message of love to the people of mississippi for re-electing tate reeves. his opponent, democrat brandon presley had run on a platform of populism, essentially telling voters that he wanted to cut grocery taxes and expand medicaid, but also on name recognition, his second cousin elvis presley helped democrats get that word out across the state, but again, not enough to push him over the threshold. reeves linking presley with national democrats throughout the campaign and even here in his victory speech on tuesday night. we did get a delay in results in mississippi due in part to ballot shortages in the state's most populous county, hines county, the home of jackson. a judge did delay the closing of polls for about an hour on tuesday to allow people to continue voting as lines of voters snaked around all throughout jackson, mississippi. again, though, reeves first elected governor in 2019 here in mississippi, reelected on tuesday night. dianne gallagher, cnn, flowood, mississippi. in kentucky, newly reelected democratic governor andy beshear celebrated his victory. he said sticking to the issues secured the win. >> this was our victory. it was a victory that sends a loud, clear message, a message that candidates should run for something and not against someone. >> cnn's eva mckend has more now from louisville. >> reporter: a significant victory for incumbent democratic governor andy beshear. democrats going into election day were hopeful, but did not think that this victory would be as commanding. several key ingredients leading to success here for beshear, one being his name. his father served as governor for two terms. so they're a known entity in this state. something else is that he was at the helm during several natural disasters in this state, the pandemic, other tragedies, and during those efforts, he really branded them as team kentucky, reminding kentuckians that they're all on the same team. and that is a message, a message that transcended partisanship and seems to have resonated with some conservatives in this state that while they supported former president donald trump, they also supported governor beshear. one woman telling us governor beshear during the pandemic, he took care of us. it seems as though those voters tonight rewarding him for it. eva mcken, cnn, louisville, kentucky. >> we are one year out from election day 2024, and a new cnn poll shows former u.s. president donald trump narrowly leading president joe biden 49-45% among registered voters in a hypothetical rematch. biden is also getting low marks for how he is handling his job as president with an approval rating of just 39% and 61% disapproving of his performance. our poll also shows support for biden is significantly weakened now among veral groups that he previously won by wide margins. 45% of independent voters prer trump now. black voters overwhelmingly picked biden, while latino and younger voters are almost evenly split between the two candidates. and about a third of the respondents say the economy is the most important issue heading into next year's election. last hour, i spoke with senior political analyst ron brownstein and asked about the mixed messages democrats are getting. on one hand, they are doing better than expected in elections, but the latest poll numbers for president biden are troubling. >> the polls are telling us one thing that is real, and that is that americans are dissatisfied with president biden's leadership. they are unhappy about the economy, and they question whether he has the physical and intellectual capacity to do the job for another four years. but what these elections are telling us is that even when all of those doubts are present, when you have an actual campaign that focuses voter attention on whether they want to entrust republicans with power, they may choose to vote for democrats any way, despite all those doubts about biden. and if that instinct is especially powerful in the large metro areas, the urban centers, and inner suburbs that were the consistent thread in the results tonight, whether it was kentucky, virginia, ohio, or pennsylvania, where the state supreme court election, in all of those cases, democrats dominated in the population centers where there were trump era republican cultural agenda is pretty consistently unpopular. >> and ron, on the other side of the political divide, what is the message for republicans here in the wake of these big wins for democrats tuesday night, including, of course, ohio residents voting to enshrine abortion rights in their state's constitution? >> well, look, i mean, republicans have lots of reason to be optimistic. as i said, the doubts about biden are real. you can't just kind of wave them away from these election relative humidities. but i think the message for republicans is that the biggest problem they have had in the last few elections really since trump became a dominant figure in the party is still there, which is that in these well educated and diverse populous and mostly prosperous inner suburbs, there are too many voters who question whether democrats are delivering for their interests, who still won't vote for republicans because they consider them a threat to their rights and their values and to democracy itself. and it does suggest that it is premature to assume that all of those doubts about donald trump and kind of the trump era gop cultural agenda have dissipated in those places. i think right now the polls are telling us that we're seeing a lot of dissatisfaction with biden that is primarily what is being registered in the polls. what the election results are telling us, when you have campaigns that can focus voters on the choice and ask them to also consider, whatever their doubts about democrats, whether they want trump-style republicans in position to implement their agenda on abortion, on book bans, on voting and other issues, you can get a very different result in a broad array of states, but consistently in those big suburban and urban population centers. still to come, the latest on the war between israel and hamas as israeli forces encircle and say they have entered the largest city in the palestinian territories. and later, u.n. secretary of state antony blinken joins other foreign ministers from the g7 in tokyo. we'll have the latest on the diplomatic meeting. back in just a moment. for wont of a better phrase, seeing gaza as some kind of puppet of the israeli government. with president mahmoud abbas in the 19th year of his four-year term, and going into gaza immediately after this war would hardly enhance his understanding with the palestinian people. perhaps further down the road. and abbas actually said to u.s. secretary of state antony blinken when he was in town saying the p.a., the palestinian authority could take control but only if there were strides towards an independent palestinian state. and that seems fanciful right now. it's really hard to see what the ideal solution, a good solution would be for the gaza strip after this war. perhaps some kind of peacekeeping force under the auspices of the u.n. or maybe friendly arab states. but it's a very difficult situation and hard to see what precisely would transpire. for now, as i said, i don't think anyone knows what is going to happen there. and from israel's perspective, the overwhelming focus remains on that military campaign which it says is making progress. rosemary? >> all right. our thanks to elliott gotkine for that live report from london. appreciate it. on tuesday, scores of palestinians fled south from northernrn gaza by foot,t, taki advantage of a corridor opened by the idf. one of gaza's primary highways was open for four hours for people to pass through. they cararried little to nothin on them. some waved white flags or held government idsds as they movove hoping for safe passagage. > translator:r: i would liki go to the e south. i don't know how that can happen. some people are saying they're checking idsds.. we want a safe passage because i have little children with me and an old woman who is disabled. wewe don't know what will happe to us. we ask the govovernments and th countries to create a safe passage for us to enter. i will try my luck now.. i don't t know if i will be ali or dead. will they send me back or arrest meme? only god knows. >> they toldld me i shouldld ma the id clear to be safe. i came from al shatta. we walked a lot. >> it has been one month and one day since hamas terrorists attacked israel, killing and abducting hundreds of people and opening a floodgate of rage and pain across the country. that pain has not abated, especially for family members of hamas hostages. cnn's ed lavandera shows us how they're keeping their loved ones in the spotlight. ♪ >> reporter: israelis gathered at the western wall tuesday night to mark the one-month passing of the october 7th attack, holding a mass prayer for the return of the hostages held in gaza. one mother was surrounded by the families of other hostages as she pleaded for her son's return. >> he was kidnapped, marched by gunpoint on to a hamas pickup truck and led into gaza. and that was 32 days ago. the hostages have been underground in gaza for 32 days! >> bring them home now! bring them home now! >> reporter: it's a sign of unity in a country still coming to terms with a terrorist attack that has once again plunged the middle east into war. >> i think the country is in trauma. i think that we still don't get it, you know. it's beyond grasping. it's something that is nonhuman. >> reporter: every night, a group of volunteers gathers in tel aviv and in cities around the country, handing out yellow ribbons to show solidarity with the families of hostages. >> they want the families to feel as if all the people are with them. they're not alone in their struggle. and we won't stop, and we won't take off the ribbons until they are back here in israel. >> reporter: while the yellow ribbons are prominently waving in many place, there is an undercurrent of anger and political division simmering across the country. much of it directed at senior israeli government officials. a member of prime minister benjamin netanyahu cabinet was shouted away from a hospital a few weeks ago as she tried to visit attack victims. to cope with the tension and the anger in the aftermath of the october 7th attack, this man turned his anger into a volunteer mission out of his tel aviv restaurant with a group which means giving to help others. for weeks they've cooked and packaged meals for israeli soldiers and the victims of the attacks who have been displaced from their homes. as you do all of this work, do you think about the day that there will be peace? is peace even possible? >> we're definitely looking forward for that. we pray every morning, afternoon, evening for the peace to come for us and all of the world. >> ed lavandera, cnn, jerusalem. the house voted to pass a resolution to censure democratic congresswoman rashida tlaib for her comments criticizing the israeli government and supporting palestinians amid the israel-hamas war. tlaib is the only palestinian-american in congress. four republicans voted against the measure, but 22 of tlaib's fellow democrats voted in favor of the public reprimand. tlaib posted a video to social media of protesters chanting "from the river to the sea," which the anti-defamation league says has long been a rallying cry for those calling for the destruction of israel. >> from the river to the sea. >> we will remember in 2024. >> before the vote, tlaib gave an impassioned speech on the house floor defending her remarks, and democrats and republicans also took to the floor in a heated debate over the resolution. >> i'm the only palestinian american serving in congress, mr. chair, and my perspective is needed here now more than ever. i will not be silenced, and i will not let you distort my words. >> her voice matters. she is the only palestinian american in the congress and this is a representative body. her perspective represents many that she -- her perspective reflects many that she represents, especially when it's not twisted. >> i believe that actions have consequences, and i believe that after a long string of antisemitic remarks and hate-filled rhetoric, censure is an appropriate consequence for the gentlelady from michigan. >> the time has expired. >> means never again. >> to compare a modern democracy with a repressive terror state is wrong, but it is also wrong for congress to take this action at a time when we have serious issues that we face, to take an action and take down the words, to strike the words to censure a fellow member. no matter how incorrect we believe she may be is wrong. we lower ourselves when we try to take action against someone else for their words. >> tlaib has said the phrase "from the river to the sea" is an aspirational call for freedom, human rights, and peaceful co-existence, not death, destruction or hate. and still to come, much more on election night in america. democrats scoring big wins in kentucky, ohio, and virginia, and the power of abortion politics is front and center. welcome back to our viewers here in the united states and canada and all around the world. i'm rosemary church, and this is "cnn newsroom." an update on the latest u.s. elections now. one of the big takeaways is that abortion rights matter to many voters in crucial swing states. democrats are celebrating key wins in virginia where they swept the legislature, hanging on to the senate and taking control of the house of delegates. that's after the virginia governor vowed to outlaw abortion after 15 weeks in most cases had republicans won full control. in deeply republican kentucky, democratic governor andy beshear won reelection after campaigning on reproductive rights. and in ohio, voters have chosen to enshrine abortion rights in their state constitution. well, some senior house republicans are downplaying the ohio ballot measure, insisting abortion won't be a driving issue in next year's major elections. but ohio's jim jordan expressed disappointment with his state's decision. >> i'm on the side of protecting the sanctity of human life. i'm worried there are going to be less kids who are going to enjoy the -- enjoy life and be able to experience the gift of life that -- because of this issue is now constitutional. >> and here you can see all the states where abortion is banned or restricted since the u.s. supreme court overturned roe v. wade last year. ohio is among the green states where it is legal. the orange states show where abortion is banned. cnn's jeff zeleny picks up the story. >> reporter: for the next year, as republicans try to win the senate, keep their narrow majority in the house, and indeed win back the white house, abortion will be front and center in their strategy. the lessons of tuesday night's elections in virginia, in ohio, and in kentucky certainly serve as a reminder that abortion is still a very potent issue, and now it has become a motivating factor for democrats. of course, since the supreme court overturned roe v. wade with the dobbs decision a little more than a year ago, there are so many examples now election after election where republicans are largely on the losing side of this argument. we're going to see much of this discussion at a republican presidential debate here in miami on wednesday. there has been a difference of viewpoint to some degree about the way forward on abortion. nikki haley, forever, the south carolina governor has tried to strike somewhat of a middle ground. donald trump for his part will not be participate manage the debate, but he has tried to not dwell on abortion. he believes it's a losing issue in the words that he has spoken to some of his advisers. but look for democrats to try and turn this to their advantage over the next year. in fact, it could be one of their big motivating factors. so there is no doubt, as republi