Daily Briefing: 'Gracias, Arizona!'

Ruben Gallego is on course to become Arizona's first Latino U.S. senator. Congress returns to work on Tuesday against the backdrop of President-elect Donald Trump's transition to a second term. Forecasters are warning that there is a high risk of a New Jersey wildfire continuing to spread further Tuesday amid strong winds and low humidity levels.

🙋🏼‍♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. Celebrate World Kindness Day with a free doughnut.

Democrat Ruben Gallego makes Arizona history

Ruben Gallego, a child of immigrants who found his way to Harvard, Iraq, and Congress, was projected 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 broadly 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 early Tuesday that said: "Gracias, Arizona!"

• Gallego’s win is yet another close finish that required several days of counting to resolve. The GOP is still only five seats away from dominance in the House as of Tuesday morning (follow live results).
• Consecutive high-profile loss for Lake: On Election Day, she told reporters she intended to accept the results of the race. Lake never conceded her 2022 gubernatorial loss and spent years in court fruitlessly trying to overturn that election result — and waged a bitter, personal campaign against Gallego.
• Gallego will be a significant departure from his predecessor, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., whose popularity plummeted during the Biden era, leading her to quit the Democratic Party and, later, quit a reelection campaign that never really started.

Mike Waltz, Lee Zeldin, Stephen Miller earn roles in second Trump admin

President-elect Donald Trump's administration is coming into view. Former Rep. Lee Zeldin was tapped to serve as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, while longtime adviser Stephen Miller was named deputy chief of staff for policy. Trump announced Sunday evening former Immigration Customs Enforcement director Tom Homan will be a part of the administration as "the border czar." And Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., has been named as Trump's nominee for ambassador to the United Nations and she has accepted the offer, Paste BN reported Monday. Here's a full list of the Trump appointments we know so far.

More news to know now

• Netanyahu acknowledged Israel was behind a Hezbollah pager attack.
• More than two dozen escaped monkeys have been recaptured and are in good health.
• Teaching doesn't pay well, but these education jobs have higher salaries.
• A Spirit Airlines plane was struck by apparent gunfire in Haiti.
• A Disney cruise rescued four people in distress off the coast of Bermuda.

What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here.

The battle to succeed McConnell

A high-stakes election commences this week to pick Republican leader Mitch McConnell's heir, who will play a major role in the incoming administration's vision for the country. McConnell – the longest-serving Senate party leader in American history – is stepping down from his leadership post in January. Three senators are running to replace him in an election that will take place behind closed doors Wednesday. The top contenders are Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., who is currently second-in-command in the Senate GOP as Republican whip, and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, who has also served as whip and previously led the Senate GOP’s campaign arm. Read more

Why have wildfires been erupting across the East Coast this fall?

A wildfire fueled by drought near the New Jersey-New York border left an 18-year-old volunteer firefighter dead, burned through thousands of acres and forecasters are warning of an increased risk of spread Tuesday. The blaze is one of several that burned throughout the weekend in New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Connecticut – the result of historically dry conditions across the region that were only slightly improved by the quarter-inch of rain that fell Sunday night into Monday. The Northeast experiences wildfires every fall season, but what has meteorologists and state officials especially concerned this year is a record-setting dry spell in the region that is fueling explosive growth of wildfires. Read more.

• Are you in New Jersey? Track the blaze here.

Today's talkers

• Judith Jamison, acclaimed Alvin Ailey American dancer and director, has died at 81.
• Harriet Tubman was posthumously honored as a general in a Veterans Day ceremony.
• Yes, we are entertained again by the outrageous sequel that is "Gladiator 2."
• Jason Kelce and Stevie Nicks is the Christmas duet we all needed.
• It's World Kindness Week: See how a doctor's kindness brought shelter dogs to safety.

All Social Security retirees should do this by Nov. 20

The Social Security program has many rules and can be complex, and there are certain dates retirees should mark on their calendars. It can be helpful for retirees to know the amount they will receive from Social Security for the following year so they can begin budgeting. That's why all retirees should create their personal my Social Security account by Nov. 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 on Monday to observe Veterans Day, an opportunity to honor those who have served in the military. See more photos.

Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at Paste BN, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com.