Today's Top Stories from NBC News

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2025

In today's newsletter: Former Vice President Dick Cheney, a defense hawk and architect of the second Iraq war, dies at 84. NBC News' Chief Data Analyst Steve Kornacki breaks down what to know about Election Day. And, the U.S. looks to an ally in Asia to help revitalize shipbuilding.

Here's what to know today.

▼ The Lead

What's at stake for both parties in today's elections

(Matt Rourke / AP)

Tonight, two races for governor will offer clues as to how Republicans and Democrats might appeal to different types of voters in future elections.

NBC News' Chief Data Analyst Steve Kornacki looked at the races in Virginia and New Jersey and how the Donald Trump era has affected both parties' campaigns.

Republicans have gained ground in those two blue-leaning states since Trump's heavy losses there in 2020.

Today's elections will show just how durable those advances were, hinging in part on the progress the Republican Party under Trump made with groups that once voted more strongly against the GOP, such as Latino voters.

Democrats have spent the last year focused on how to reverse those trends, nominating candidates without baggage from the party's 2024 election loss.

The two states saw similar results in the last presidential election, but the races have gone differently this year.

In Virginia, Democrat Abigail Spanberger enters Election Day with a clear polling lead over Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears. And in New Jersey, Democrat Mikie Sherrill holds a smaller advantage in most surveys over Republican Jack Ciattarelli.

Read Kornacki's full analysis of the places and trends to watch when the votes get tallied tonight.

More election news:

Here is a look at the key races up for grabs across the country and the major dynamics shaping them.

Trump endorsed former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a lifelong Democrat running as an independent, in New York's mayoral election.

A super PAC supporting Cuomo ran a late ad that depicts Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani in front of video of the Twin Towers crashing down on 9/11.

Former Vice President Dick Cheney, a defense hawk and architect of the second Iraq war who served for decades in Congress and three Republican administrations, died Monday night of complications from pneumonia and cardio and vascular disease, his family said in a statement. He was 84.

Cheney served as vice president under President George W. Bush and as defense secretary under his father, President George H.W. Bush. Before that he served in the U.S. House as a Republican from Wyoming and as White House chief of staff for President Gerald Ford.

Read the full story.

White House tells judge it will partially fund SNAP

The Trump administration said in court filings that it would use contingency funds to provide partial SNAP benefits in November after a judge ordered the Department of Agriculture to disburse funding for the program. The administration said that it would use all $4.65 billion in contingency funds, which will cover about half of each eligible household's benefits this month.

The administration said it would need at least $4 billion in additional government funds to provide full SNAP benefits, also known as food stamps.

The filing noted that because the administration was using the contingency funds, there would be no remaining funds for new SNAP applicants, "disaster assistance, or as a cushion against the potential catastrophic consequences of shutting down SNAP entirely."

Read the full story.

More politics news:

After foodbanks and SNAP recipients spent weeks bracing for a suspension of federal food assistance, the benefits appeared to be partially salvaged. But the disruption is already wreaking havoc on the normally steadfast program.

The Treasury Department said inflation "remained above the target of 2 percent in the third quarter," even as Trump and administration officials continue to assert that there is no inflation.

As the government shutdown nears its second month, airports across the country are feeling its impact, with flight delays piling up because of staffing shortages.

Trump turns to an ally to revitalize U.S. shipbuilding

During his three-country Asia tour last week, Trump talked a lot about shipbuilding. "We're not really building ships," he said, "and we're going to start, and we're going to have a very thriving shipbuilding industry." And he thinks South Korea may be the place to make it happen.

The U.S. ally has made shipbuilding a key pillar of its trade talks, pitching it as "Make America Shipbuilding Great Again." A shipyard on one island churns out both commercial and military ships at a far faster rate than U.S. yards, aided by the world's largest dry dock and crane. Last year China booked 74% of the world's new orders for commercial ships, according to one firm's shipping data. South Korea booked 17%, while the U.S. only booked 0.2%.

Shipbuilding is a crucial economic and security issue for the U.S., which relies on ocean shipping for 80% of its international trade.

Read the full story.

▼ Read All About It

Jon Stewart will continue to host Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" through December 2026, keeping the political satirist in the chair for next year's midterm congressional and gubernatorial elections.

Six people have died and 25 people have been hospitalized from a listeria outbreak linked to now-recalled precooked pasta meals.

Jonathan Bailey was announced as People magazine's sexiest man alive for 2025. Bailey captured hearts as Lord Anthony Bridgerton in Netflix' period drama "Bridgerton." He's also starred in "Jurassic World: Rebirth," as well as "Fellow Travelers."

Diane Ladd, the prolific actor who earned Academy Award nominations for her spirited performances in Martin Scorsese's "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore," David Lynch's "Wild at Heart" and Martha Coolidge's "Rambling Rose," has died.

An Oklahoma sex offender was arrested after 13 years on the run, enrolled at an upstate New York college under an alias, having allegedly faked his own abduction in 2012 to avoid a second criminal case, according to officials.

▼ Staff Pick

Golden state of mind

Consider how hard it is to be the best in the world at your profession. Now, consider doing it in another job, too. Meet Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, the 26-year-old track star who has excelled in both the 400 meters and the 400-meter hurdles on the way to becoming one of the most dominant American athletes, regardless of the sport.

McLaughlin-Levrone has won eight gold medals at either the Olympics or track's world championships in the past five years, while going nearly undefeated. I've interviewed McLaughlin-Levrone for years, and always wondered what keeps her motivated, and how high she sets her ambitions. This time, she told me that what drives her is expanding her repertoire — again — when the Olympics arrive in Los Angeles in 2028.

– Andrew Greif, sports reporter

▼ NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified

The NBC Select team reviewed dentist-recommended remedies for dry mouth, plastic-free sponges and a few of Brooke Shields' favorite products — including a hand salve made for winter skin.