It has been nearly three weeks since the 2020 presidential race was called for Joe Biden, declaring him the 46th President of the United States. But as Americans were glued to their television screens over the course of election week, some news anchors became the surprise stars of the election, among them MSNBC journalist Steve Kornacki. 

Kornacki began his news career in 2002 as a reporter for PoliticsNJ.com, a New Jersey political news site. Now, he is a National Political Correspondent for NBC News and MSNBC across all platforms. This election season, Kornacki gained a notorious amount of attention due to his mental math skills, and in-depth analysis of the results, which prompted viewers to come back for more of his coverage. 

With in-person social gatherings limited, the internet and news anchors became the primary source for America to watch the election. Even if anchors had no new developments, viewers could still see where the race stood, day or night. Kornacki was a constant feature on the MSNBC network, enthusiastically standing near his digital electoral map as he broke down the votes in key battleground states. 

While the election was chaotic and stressful, Kornacki became a distraction for many spectators. On social media sites such as TikTok and Twitter, an assortment of memes and gifs were posted about Kornacki’s commitment to delivering viewers the most up-to-date election information. The Twitter hashtag #TrackingKornacki went viral, as people admired his persistence in not giving up on the results. 

Kornacki’s coverage even caught the eye of multiple celebrities such as Chrissy Teigen and former Saturday Night Live cast member Leslie Jones. Teigen and Jones spent most of the week appreciating as well as expressing concern for the political correspondent as he worked for 45 hours without sleeping or taking any breaks. “He seems good at his job because he stood there for a long time,” Edina High School freshmen Maricel Alexander said.

Steve’s thorough explanations and data-driven analysis of the election provided his audience with an in-depth understanding of the possible outcomes in crucial swing states. “I think that his coverage made sense to many people, especially myself since he was unbiased about the election. Though many people have their own different ways of understanding political topics, he explained the fundamental parts of the election well,” EHS freshmen Rachel Bond said. 

Ultimately, Kornacki won the hearts of millions of Americans, becoming a viral breakout star of the election. Viewers watching him believed he helped them gain a better understanding of the election through his detailed and data-based explanations. Although the election is over, the Kornacki craze still lingers as fans wait four more years to see their energetic news anchor again.