In a special Election Day edition of "Salon Talks," SalonTV's Amanda Marcotte and Dean Obeidallah break down the key themes and races at stake. While Democrats remain cautiously optimistic, Salon is looking at the overall messages voters across America are sending at the polls.

"I think there is a lot of anxiety that we're going to see these people come out of the woodwork again and they're going to vote their racial resentments again," Marcotte said, referencing the 2016 election.

On the other hand, Obeidallah added, "When we see the people lining up to vote and the surge in voters and voter registration in states like Texas, I don't think all of a sudden a million older people are like, 'You know, I finally should vote.' I think it's younger people, people who are first time citizens, people who are going to tend to be Democrats are registering."

Watch the video above to hear why Trump wanted his messaging to be tinged with fear, rather than focusing on positive spots like the economy. And check out Salon's full Election Day Analysis for conversations around how voter suppression is affecting turnout and the possible outcomes for Nancy Pelosi.

SalonTV host Dean Obeidallah is also the host of the daily national SiriusXM radio program, "The Dean Obeidallah Show" on the network's progressive political channel. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook.