News 431K views since yesterday

Steve Kornacki traces his first election-night surprise to Indiana

In NBC News's post-midterm interview, Tom Llamas asks about prediction markets, preparation and the internet's fascination with the man at the board.

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NBC News Story of November 7, 2026Trari Newsroom

Why this story? One of NBC News's most watched videos since yesterday, with 431,395 views.

Steve Kornacki reacts to viral moments during the midterm election

Things we can learn from the video

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1:22Unexpected Indiana county returns gave Kornacki an early signal of the Democratic trend.
1:52Kornacki argues that prediction markets largely followed polling rather than anticipating results independently.
3:31He describes preparing for a wider range of competitive battlegrounds than in earlier election cycles.
5:50Llamas shows Kornacki viral edits and viewer questions about his election-night appearances.
6:45Kornacki explains his election-day fasting routine and says he owns only one necktie.
7:34Kornacki sees footage of a lookalike contest held at a Queens bar.

An unexpected county result in Indiana was Steve Kornacki's first signal that the midterms were heading somewhere different. Speaking with Tom Llamas on NBC News, he recalls seeing the numbers arrive early in the evening, then watching the pattern spread.

"Every single county practically everywhere that came in after that, I was seeing the same thing," Kornacki says of the Democratic wave.

His retrospective makes a distinction between anticipating a result and reacting to information. Asked about prediction markets, Kornacki argues that they largely followed traditional polling rather than independently identifying what was coming. He also describes preparing for a wider range of competitive battlegrounds than in previous election cycles, while acknowledging how quickly actual returns can disrupt a plan.

The interview drew roughly 430,000 views since yesterday, the most among NBC News's new uploads. It also gives Kornacki a chance to encounter the other result of his election coverage: compilations of his startled reactions, fan edits and a lookalike contest at a Queens bar.

Llamas opens with a montage of Kornacki saying "Wow." Later, the questions turn to his election-day routine. Kornacki says he avoids eating during coverage, then ate Cheez-Its, grapes and trail mix after leaving the set.

The wardrobe explanation is even simpler. "This is the only tie I own," he says, before adding: "I don't even know how to tie it."

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