Pennsylvania House back to 101-101 deadlock after Democrat’s resignation
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is back to a 101-101 partisan split with the resignation of a Democratic lawmaker Thursday, teeing up another special election to determine the chamber’s majority early next year. The resignation of Rep. John Galloway, of Bucks County, had been expected for months after his election as a magisterial district judge in November. But it was made official after the chamber concluded its final business of the year late Wednesday, wrapping up a monthslong budget feud. A special election will be held Feb. 13. In the interim, Democrats who control chamber has scheduled no voting days for January and February while it is slated to be deadlocked. PENNSYLVANIA SENATE CLEARS WAY FOR SPENDING ON SCHOOL CHOICE, STUDENT-TEACHER STIPENDS If Republicans win the special election, it would grease the skids for GOP priorities to make it to Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro’s desk, or go out to the voters through constitutional amendments. But Democrats have sought to defend their razor-thin majority since last year’s election, when they flipped enough seats to take the speaker’s rostrum for the first time in more than a decade. In the period of about a year, voters have cast ballots in three special elections determining party control. In those elections, Republican efforts to clinch seats in Democratic strongholds fell short. Republicans had long controlled Bucks County, a heavily populated county just north of Philadelphia. But the county has shifted left in recent years, helping Democrats win control of the county and many of its legislative seats. Galloway ran unopposed in 2022. He was reelected in 2020 with 60% of the vote in a district that leans Democratic. With the slim margin, Democrats have advanced a number of the party’s priorities — more funding for public education, broadened LGBTQ+ rights and stricter gun laws — but still have had to contend with the GOP-controlled Senate. Tensions between the chambers had embroiled the Legislature in a five-month stalemate over the budget, after negotiations soured between the Senate and Shapiro, who could not get the House to pass a school voucher program, a priority for GOP lawmakers. For months, funding for a number of programs was locked in the Legislature. Meanwhile, Rep. Joe Kerwin, a Republican from Dauphin County, will be on extended leave while he is deployed to East Africa in the Army National Guard. It will leave the Republican Party at 101 lawmakers, but he will not cast votes while deployed.
Union protesters blow cigarette smoke at NJ lawmakers as Atlantic City smoking ban remains in limbo
With prospects for a smoking ban in Atlantic City’s casinos looking hazier than ever, workers who want smoking banned took matters into their own hands, lips and lungs Thursday. Members of the United Auto Workers union disrupted a meeting of a state Assembly committee that had been scheduled to take a preliminary vote on a bill to ban smoking in the casinos by lighting cigarettes and blowing smoke toward legislators. That vote was canceled Wednesday night when one of the main champions of workers who want smoking banned in the gambling halls gave up on a bill that would end smoking in the nine casinos, and embraced some measures the casino industry wants, including enclosed smoking rooms. ATLANTIC CITY REPORTS OVER $280M IN THIRD-QUARTER EARNINGS That had some employees burning mad — literally. Seven members of the union, which represents dealers at three casinos in Atlantic City, began smoking in the meeting hall of the State House Annex, where, like virtually all other workplaces in New Jersey, smoking is prohibited. “We’re not allowed to smoke in your workplace, but you’re allowed to smoke in ours,” Daniel Vicente, a regional director of the union, told lawmakers through a cloud of exhaled smoke. He and the others were soon escorted from the hearing room by State Police, and released without charges. “They say it’s OK for secondhand smoke to be blown in our faces all day, every day,” Vicente said afterward. “We wanted to know if it’s OK if we did that in their workplace. They said it was inappropriate and not allowed here.” Angry workers said they want the state’s top Democratic leadership to force a vote on the original bill that would impose a total smoking ban, but the likelihood of such a vote remains unclear. State Sen. Vince Polistina, a Republican from the Atlantic City area who has appeared with casino workers at rallies in favor of a smoking ban, said the original bill is going nowhere. He said he’s writing a new measure incorporating proposals favored by the casino industry while still working toward the goal of keeping secondhand smoke away from workers and customers who don’t want it. “My conversations with leaders in both houses make it clear that there is not enough support for this bill,” he said, referring to the original measure that would ban smoking without exceptions. “It is disappointing that after two years of advocating and building support with our colleagues, we still do not have the necessary support in the Legislature to get a full smoking ban passed.” Polistina said he expects to introduce the new bill next year after the current legislative session ends. It would prohibit smoking at table games; gradually reduce smoking at slot machines over 18 months, with specific distances between table games and the nearest smoking-permitted slot machines; and give the casinos 18 months to build enclosed rooms where gamblers could still smoke, but which would be staffed by employees who volunteer to work in them. That proposal was denounced last week by Shawn Fain, international president of the United Auto Workers, which represents dealers at three Atlantic City casinos. He called the idea of smoking rooms “preposterous” and called on lawmakers to pass the original smoking ban bill. If enacted in early 2024, Polistina’s measure would end smoking on the unenclosed casino floor by the fall of 2025, he said. That did not go over well with the many casino workers. Pete Naccarelli, a Borgata dealer and a leader of the employee anti-smoking movement, said Polistina is “copying and pasting casino executive talking points and attempting to present them as a credible solution. It’s shameful and disgusting.” Senate President Nicholas Scutari declined comment Thursday. A spokesperson for Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin did not immediately respond to a request for comment. ATLANTIC CITY’S DECISION TO NARROW MAIN ROAD SPARKS TRAFFIC SAFETY CONCERNS New Jersey’s public smoking law specifically exempts casinos — something that workers have long sought to change. But the casinos oppose a smoking ban on competitive grounds, saying Atlantic City would lose business and jobs to casinos in neighboring states where smoking is permitted. Workers dispute that, citing research showing business improved at numerous casinos after a smoking ban. Recently, the industry has floated a proposal for enclosed smoking areas, but has not publicly spelled out the details. The Casino Association of New Jersey declined earlier this week to provide details on its vision for smoking rooms. In a statement Thursday, the group said, “It is clear that more and more people realize that the bill, as drafted, will have a significant adverse effect on Atlantic City’s economy.” Vicente said union members who disrupted the meeting made their point. “Do I think this is going to change their minds and get a smoking ban passed? No,” he said. “Did we show them how angry we are that we’re the only ones who have to put up with this in our workplaces? Absolutely.”
White House refutes report of Biden-Harris split on Palestinians
The White House on Thursday doubled down on its insistence that there is “no daylight” between President Biden and Vice President Harris regarding support for the Palestinian people. At the daily White House press briefing, Fox News’ Peter Doocy asked National Security Council spokesman John Kirby about a Politico report that said Harris has urged Biden to show more concern for Palestinian casualties in the Israel-Hamas war. Kirby said the White House has already refuted “the basic premise of the story, that there’s some sort of daylight between the vice president and the president.” KAMALA HARRIS AT ODDS WITH BIDEN OVER ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR, WANTS MORE SUPPORT OF PALESTINIANS: REPORT “I found the headline of the story interesting — that the vice president is pushing the White House to, you fill in the blank,” he said. “Last I looked, the vice president is part of the White House. She’s part of the team. And if she wasn’t offering her advice and counsel to the president on innumerable issues, that would be a story. Her job is to provide advice and counsel to the president.” Politico on Thursday cited three unnamed sources in a report that said Harris has been urging White House officials, including Biden, to show more sensitivity to Palestinian civilians. KAMALA HARRIS’ NEW CAMPAIGN SPOKESMAN CALLED FOR DEFUNDING THE POLICE, PACKING THE SUPREME COURT Harris has reportedly argued internally that the White House needs a “day after” plan for when the fighting in Gaza stops and believes the U.S. should be “tougher” on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A senior administration official told Politico the vice president has called for being “more forceful at seeking a long-term peace and two-state solution.” DEM LAWMAKER SCREAMS OVER KAMALA HARRIS’ HOLIDAY PARTY SPEECH, IGNITING RESPONSE: ‘RIGHT NOW, I AM SPEAKING’ In response to the story, Harris’ press secretary, Kristen Allen, said, “There is no daylight between the president and the vice president, nor has there been.” She emphasized that the White House’s unified message is that Israel has a right and responsibility to defend itself, that humanitarian aid must be allowed to enter Gaza, that innocent Palestinians should be protected and that the U.S. “remains committed to a two-state solution.” Kirby added that the “entire leadership team” in the Biden administration “wants to see no civilian casualties, wants to see the Israelis be more surgical, more precise” in their strikes on Hamas. “The president is comfortable and confident that in Vice President Harris he has a real teammate and a significant leader who understands the foreign policy direction that he’s trying to take this country and our leadership on the world stage, and is candid, forthright, educated, smart and willing to tell him exactly what she thinks,” Kirby said.
Congress greenlights psychedelic treatment bill for active duty service members suffering from PTSD
The measure would allow supervised clinical studies with active duty members. Psychedelic treatments for PTSD have found conservative supporters in the state for years.
Biden admin creates pathway with eco groups to shutter energy source serving millions of Americans
The White House, in coordination with Native American tribes and environmental groups, announced actions Thursday that provide a pathway for breaching, or removing, four hydroelectric dams in Washington state to protect salmon. As part of the announcement, the federal government entered into a legal agreement with the Pacific Northwest tribes and environmental organizations filed earlier in the day in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon. Under that agreement, the tribes and eco groups — which had sued the federal government in an effort to forcibly breach the dams — agreed to stay the litigation through 2028. “President Biden understands that the Columbia River System is the lifeblood of the Pacific Northwest, and for the first time under his direction, federal agencies are putting all hands on deck to support regional and Tribal efforts to restore wild salmon in the region,” White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Chair Brenda Mallory said in a statement. Mallory said the agreement charts a new path to restore the river. Environmental activists, Democrats and tribes have argued that the four federally-managed dams, which are located on the lower Snake River winding through Idaho and Washington before feeding into the Columbia River and Pacific Ocean, have decimated salmon and steelhead populations by blocking natural migratory patterns. HOUSE PANEL TO PROBE BIDEN ADMIN’S NEGOTIATIONS WITH ECO GROUPS TRYING TO TEAR DOWN KEY POWER SOURCE “Today’s historic agreement marks a new direction for the Pacific Northwest,” added White House clean energy czar John Podesta. “Today, the Biden-Harris Administration and state and Tribal governments are agreeing to work together to protect salmon and other native fish, honor our obligations to Tribal nations, and recognize the important services the Columbia River System provides to the economy of the Pacific Northwest.” Democratic Govs. Tina Kotek of Oregon and Jay Inslee of Washington, several involved tribes, including the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla, and environmental groups like Earthjustice which represented plaintiffs in the case, all applauded the agreement as an unprecedented path forward. MAJOR US POWER SOURCE FACING EXTINCTION THANKS TO RED TAPE, SPARKING CALLS FOR REFORM The agreement includes $1 billion for wild fish restoration and a plan to develop new clean energy power operated by tribes. And it further establishes the so-called Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative which includes a “comprehensive new roadmap” for salmon recovery involving a call to replace the energy, transportation, irrigation and recreation services provided by the lower Snake River dams, so they can be breached, according to Earthjustice. The initiative explicitly recommends that dams are breached within two fish generations, or approximately 8 years. While there isn’t an explicit plan to breach the dams, an action that the White House has acknowledged would require congressional approval, the agreement does include commitments to begin replacing the services provided by the dams. “Congress — and Congress alone — can authorize removal of the dams on the lower Snake River. Bureaucrats, activist litigation, nor this administration’s radical agenda will determine the fate of any of the Northwest’s federal dams,” Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “This litigation effort was useless: It occurred behind closed doors, between two parties who wanted the same end result — to tear out our dams, and it completely excluded Idahoans who rely on the River System for its energy, transportation, agriculture, and recreation benefits,” he continued. “I will continue to fight any breaching efforts, and, at every turn, I will reject the Biden administration’s efforts to usurp Congressional authority.” BIDEN ADMIN PLAN TO RELEASE PREDATOR NEAR RURAL COMMUNITIES FACES WIDESPREAD OPPOSITION: ‘A HUGE THREAT’ Risch, other Republican lawmakers, power industry groups and agriculture groups have all loudly objected to any plan involving the breaching of the dams, pointing to their clean energy output and vital services providing passage for barges traveling along the river. The dams were constructed in the 1960s and 1970s by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers primarily to ensure the Snake River was passable for such barge transportation. However, since then, the main benefit has been their reliable clean energy output. They still provide about 8% of the state’s electricity, enough to serve millions of residents, and have a large total capacity of 3,000 megawatts. Removing the dams would also likely chip away at U.S. climate goals since their energy production would likely need to be replaced by fossil fuel alternatives. According to federal data, replacing hydropower generated by the dams with natural gas generation would increase carbon emissions by up to 2.6 million metric tons per year, the equivalent of 421,000 passenger cars. In addition to the impacts on energy and climate ambitions, removing the four Snake River dams would harm agriculture exports. Aided by the dams, barges traveling along the Columbia River system carry about 60% of Washington’s annual wheat exports and a staggering 40% of the nation’s total wheat production. “Instead of working with all interests, the U.S. Government chose for months to hold secret negotiations and refused to share any details with us, let alone allow our participation,” the executive directors of Northwest RiverPartners, the Public Power Council, and the Pacific Northwest Waterways Association, which collectively represent power utilities, ports, agriculture companies and other businesses dependent on the dams, said last month. “It is not surprising, then, that this proposal turns its back on over three million electricity customers as well as the farming, transportation, navigation, and economic needs of the region,” they continued. “By purposely excluding our respective organizations from the negotiations, literally millions of Northwest residents were deprived of fair representation in this process.” That statement came after lawmakers led by Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., wrote to President Biden, calling for him to reject any agreement involving the breaching of dams. The letter included a leaked mediation document that paved the way for Thursday’s announcement.
Northern Louisiana district judge dies after unspecified illness
A north Louisiana district judge has died following an undisclosed illness. District Attorney Schuyler Marvin, whose office covers Bossier and Webster parishes, confirmed Wednesday that state District Judge Lane Pittard passed away overnight at his home, KTBS-TV reported. He was 66. For more than a decade, Pittard served as the lead prosecutor at the Bossier-Webster District Attorney’s office. He was in his second term as a 26th Judicial District Judge serving in Division C. FORMER KENTUCKY GOV. JULIAN CARROLL DEAD AT 92 U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, in a statement, described Pittard as a “humble leader and a dedicated jurist who served our area honorably.” “He was a longtime friend who will be sorely missed by us and countless many others. Kelly and I join everyone in praying for the Pittard family and the community surrounding the 26th Judicial District Court,” said Johnson, who represents Louisiana’s 4th Congressional District, which covers 16 parishes in the northwest and western regions of the state. Pittard grew up in Minden and graduated from Northwestern State University in 1978 with a degree in business administration. After graduating from the University of Arkansas Law School in 1992, he and his family moved to the Shreveport-Bossier area where he began his career in law and managed a private law practice for 20 years. Bossier Parish Clerk of Court Jill Sessions told KTBS-TV that the parish has “suffered a tremendous loss.” “If you’ve spent one moment with Judge Pittard, then you can hear the laugh and feel the warmth of his smile from these pictures,” Sessions said. “As the news breaks with the sadness, while the courthouse flags are lowered, and while we are all in a state of heartache, he is looking down on us strumming an old classic or hymn on his bass guitar.” Pittard’s term was scheduled to expire in December 2026. However, he submitted his resignation notice to be effective next year. Qualifying for a special election to fill the remainder of the term began Wednesday. The election is March 23. Funeral arrangements are pending.
White House silent on reported Biden administration staffers protesting president’s Israel policy
The White House is remaining silent after dozens of reported Biden administration staffers protested their boss’s Israel policy on Wednesday, calling for a cease-fire in the Jewish nation’s war against terrorists. The protesters, wearing masks and sunglasses at night to hide their faces, called for Biden to push for a cease-fire in the war started by the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas’ surprise attack on innocent Israelis. “Ceasefire” was spelled out with lit candles in front of the protesters with a sign behind them reading, “President Biden, your staff demands a ceasefire.” ‘SHAMEFUL’: AOC BLASTS BIDEN ADMIN FOR BLOCKING UN GAZA CEASE-FIRE RESOLUTION The protesters ranged from career Biden administration staffers to political appointees, according to multiple media reports. The group, Staffers for Ceasefire, told Fox News Digital that “the protest was organized by current Biden administration staffers and the participants were also current staffers from across the administration.” Fox News Digital asked the Biden White House multiple times whether the president had any comment on his staffers’ reported protest over his foreign policy, whether he knows who the protesters are, and whether the protesters would face disciplinary actions. The White House did not answer Fox News Digital’s questions. Former State Department official Josh Paul, who said he had quit his job over the president’s Israel-Hamas war policies, read remarks prepared by the organizers of the protest, he confirmed to Fox News Digital. “The temporary cease-fire ended 13 days ago, and we have been horrified to see the full resumption of killings, displacement and bombardment of Palestinian civilians in Gaza,” Paul said, according to reported prepared remarks. “A temporary pause to this violence was never enough,” he continued. “We must move with urgency to save as many lives as possible and achieve an immediate, permanent cease-fire agreement and the return of all hostages.” “The American people and respected institutions like the United Nations are pleading for a cease-fire, but this administration has yet to listen. We demand President Biden and members of the Cabinet to speak up: call for a permanent cease-fire, a release of all hostages and an immediate de-escalation now.” BIDEN TELLS DONORS ISRAEL IS LOSING SUPPORT GLOBALLY Typically, presidential administration staffers and appointees do not protest their boss’s policies but rather work to further them, sometimes despite their own personal goals or views. It is exceedingly rare to see staffers actively and anonymously protest a president’s policies, and even rarer when it involves a close U.S. ally like Israel. The news comes after Biden warned that Israel is losing global support in its continued war against Hamas, according to the White House press pool. Israel’s ongoing conflict with Hamas began after the terrorist group launched an attack on Israeli civilians, infiltrating the country on October 7 and killing more than 1,200 Israelis. Fox News Digital’s Timothy H.J. Nerozzi contributed reporting.
Fox News Politics: WH prickles at ‘baseless,’ ‘no evidence’ Biden impeachment
Welcome to Fox News’ Politics newsletter with the latest political news from Washington D.C. and updates from the 2024 campaign trail. Subscribe now to get Fox News Politics newsletter in your inbox. What’s happening: – New York court rejects Trump’s appeal of gag order… – Former prosecutor who allegedly scuttled Hunter Biden probe ‘refused’ to answer Judiciary Committee questions… – Senate delays Christmas break to work on border deal… White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre blew up Thursday when pressed by a reporter on President Biden “lying” about past interactions with his son Hunter’s business associates, declaring there was “no evidence” the president did anything wrong. Jean-Pierre also lashed out at House Republicans over the vote to approve an official impeachment inquiry against Biden, accusing them of “wasting their time,” but the interaction began with New York Post reporter Steven Nelson asking why Biden interacted with so many of his family’s business associates, which contributed to the inquiry’s launch. “What we’re seeing from House Republicans is wasted time. And it is certainly, you know, a baseless political slant. That’s what we’re seeing. And they’re leaving. House Republicans are leaving this week to go, you know, enjoy a nice holiday. Right? As most Americans should. But what happened to the funding to Ukraine?” Jean-Pierre responded. Earlier Thursday, the White House said House Republicans were “dithering” by leaving for Christmas break without approving additional Ukriane funding, aid to Israel, or addressing the border. ‘HE’S WORRIED’: Biden reportedly lashes out at some aides who bring up Hunter Biden …Read more TWO TO TANGO: Dance troupe in bizarre White House Christmas video has a history of far-left activism …Read more ‘LUNATICS’: Energy experts blast John Kerry’s UN act shutting down fossil fuels …Read more BIG BUCKS: Hunter Biden claimed he didn’t ‘stand to gain anything’ in controversial Burisma role despite making millions …Read more BOWING OUT: Georgia GOP Rep. Drew Ferguson joins growing list of politicians departing Congress after 2024 …Read more ‘DELUSIONAL’: GOP lawmakers skeptical about voting on border deal as Dems threaten to delay Christmas break …Read more ‘SILENT EPIDEMIC: Senate report sounds alarm on surge in fentanyl deaths among older Americans …Read more APATHY WINS: Just 1 in 4 Michigan Democrats enthusiastic about Biden being the nominee: poll …Read more STRIKE IT DOWN: Ramaswamy says SCOTUS should strike down FDA approval of abortion pill …Read more FRIENDLY FIRE: Newsom pressed on San Francisco’s homeless woes in late-night stop: ‘Can’t blame it on conservatives’ …Read more POWERED UP: Dem, Republican unleash effort to loosen China’s stranglehold on EV supplies amid Biden’s green energy push …Read more ‘ABSOLUTE EMBARRASSMENT’: Critics demolish liberal DC mayor for forgetting where her own city’s metro lines go …Read more WOKE REVOKED: Oklahoma governor signs executive order banning DEI in state institutions …Read more EXCLUSIVE INVITE: Boston mayor defends excluding White people from holiday party …Read more Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Andy Biggs calls for contempt charges against Eric Swalwell for aiding Hunter Biden
EXCLUSIVE: A GOP lawmaker on the House Oversight Committee is calling for Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., to be punished by Congress for helping Hunter Biden on Wednesday morning. Swalwell had reserved a spot outside the Senate side of the U.S. Capitol where Hunter Biden later made a brief statement to the press before skipping a planned deposition by the House Oversight Committee. “Nobody gets to do that,” Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., told Fox News Digital of Hunter Biden’s deliberate absence. “He was sent subpoenas. He was told to appear.” “We’re going to vote to hold him in contempt. We probably need to vote Eric Swalwell in contempt, because the rumor is that Mr. Swalwell aided and abetted him by setting up his facilities so he could have his [press] conference across the way.” WH SPURNS BIDEN FAMILY ‘CONSPIRACY THEORIES’ AHEAD OF LIKELY IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY VOTE, HUNTER BIDEN DEPOSITION Swalwell admitted to Politico on Wednesday that he had reserved the spot for Hunter Biden, telling the outlet, “There is absolutely zero evidence Hunter or his father acted corruptly. . . . So I’m not going to sit quietly and let MAGA Republicans do Trump’s bidding in Congress.” Fox News Digital reached out to his office for comment but did not immediately hear back. HUNTER BIDEN FACES BACKLASH AFTER DEFYING SUBPOENA WITH PRESS CONFERENCE ‘STUNT’: ‘HOLD HIM IN CONTEMPT!’ House Republicans are seeking to hear from Hunter Biden and the president’s brother James Biden as part of their probe into whether President Biden committed any impeachable offenses. They suspect that he used his position as vice president in the Obama administration to enrich himself and his family. Lawmakers wanted to hear from Hunter Biden in detail about his involvement with foreign businesses in China and Ukraine. He is also currently under federal investigation over tax and firearms charges. If the House holds Hunter Biden in contempt over skipping his deposition, which Biggs called for, the conservative Republican argued that precedent should compel Attorney General Merrick Garland to charge him. HUNTER BIDEN CLAIMED HE DIDN’T ‘STAND TO GAIN ANYTHING’ IN CONTROVERSIAL BURISMA ROLE DESPITE MAKING MILLIONS “He went after Steve Bannon and several others. He should go after Mr. Biden as well,” Biggs said, citing Bannon’s contempt charge for failing to cooperate with the now-defunct January 6 select committee’s investigation. “We were all sitting there. We had a court reporter there, Democrats were there. Republicans were there. We were ready . . . Mr. Biden chose not to come.” A defiant Hunter Biden told reporters on Wednesday morning, “For six years, I have been the target of the unrelenting Trump attack machine, shouting, ‘Where’s Hunter?’ Well, here’s my answer: I am here,” “I am here to testify at a public hearing, today, to answer any of the committees’ legitimate questions. Republicans do not want an open process where Americans can see their tactics, expose their baseless inquiry or hear what I have to say,” he said.
Haley’s momentum in the GOP presidential race appears to be paying off: ‘The funding is coming through’
Addressing a standing-room-only crowd at a weekday morning town hall in New Hampshire, Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley noted that “it’s been a great couple of weeks for us.” Minutes earlier, the former ambassador to the United Nations and former South Carolina governor was introduced to the crowd – many of whom were seeing her on the campaign trail for the first time – by popular Republican Gov. Chris Sununu, who endorsed Haley on Tuesday. Haley has enjoyed momentum in the polls in recent months, thanks in part to well-received performances in the first three GOP presidential primary debates. She leapfrogged Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for second place in New Hampshire, which holds the first primary and second overall contest in the Republican nominating calendar. Haley also aims to make a fight of it in Iowa – the state whose Jan. 15 caucuses lead off the GOP nominating calendar – where the latest polls suggest she is close to pulling even with DeSantis for a distant second place behind former President Donald Trump, who remains the far and away frontrunner in the race as he makes his third straight White House bid. ‘WE’RE ALL IN’ – SUNUNU BACKS HALEY IN MAJOR 2024 ENDORSEMENT In an interview with Fox News ahead of her town hall, Haley said her campaign’s momentum is starting to pay off when it comes to fundraising. “We’ve been talking to people on the ground. We do see that the funding is coming through. We see it on the website. We see that a lot of people are going to Nikki Haley dot com and donating, and we appreciate the support,” Haley touted. “The energy is really good. It’s good on the ground. It’s good around the country.” Her campaign spotlighted that November was their largest online fundraising month of the cycle, and that December is already outpacing November “with no signs of momentum slowing down.” Haley’s team also showcased that since the first GOP presidential debate in August, they’ve raised more each subsequent month. And showing off their grassroots appeal, they noted that 95% of donations to the campaign have been $200 or less. SUNUNU ON HALEY’S 2024 RIVALS: ‘I THINK THEY SHOULD ALL GET OUT’ The campaign and affiliated committees hauled in over $11 million during the July-September third quarter of 2023 fundraising, up nearly $4 million from the second quarter. But Haley’s fundraising, while impressive, trailed DeSantis by around $4 million and lagged far behind Trump’s massive $45 million third quarter haul. Separate from the fundraising, Sununu said he’s sensing the campaign’s energy on the ground. “I’ve done town halls with all the different candidates the past three months. These are the biggest and most energetic town halls I’ve done to date with any candidate,” he told Fox News following the Thursday town hall in Atkinson. Sununu, a vocal GOP critic of Trump who mulled his own 2024 White House bid before deciding in June against a presidential run, had long said he would make an endorsement in the race ahead of next month’s New Hampshire primary. In November, he said he had narrowed his choices down to Haley, DeSantis and former Gov. Chris Christie, a longtime Sununu friend who is making his second White House bid. CHRIS CHRISTIE VOWS ‘I’M NOT GOING ANYWHERE. SO LET’S BE REALLY CLEAR ABOUT THAT’ The governor, who teamed up with Haley at four town halls since Tuesday, pointed to Wednesday evening’s campaign event in Keene, New Hampshire. “Last night was a great example, where you literally had hundreds and hundreds of people who had to get turned away. The energy was through the roof,” he said. “She’s got this amazing spark. Her numbers are moving. And now we’re throwing a little gasoline on it and people are loving it.” Sununu’s endorsement of Haley was a setback for Christie, who’s repeating his strategy from his unsuccessful 2016 Republican presidential run of placing all his chips in New Hampshire. He stands in third place in Granite State polls, a couple of points behind Haley. “I would have been happy to accept his support,” Christie said of Sununu, as he spoke with reporters Wednesday evening after holding a town hall in Londonderry, New Hampshire. But he downplayed the significance of the Sununu endorsement, arguing, “I would have known exactly what it meant. It meant one vote. And it would have been nice to hang around with him, and we could have done a buddy show like he and Nikki are doing, but in the end, these voters are not going to be told by anybody who to vote for.” “I’m disappointed. I’m not going to be stupid about it. It’s disappointing not to get it, but on the other hand, it doesn’t change my strategy here one bit,” he highlighted. Christie said he was staying in the race, telling Fox News Digital, “I’m not going anywhere, so let’s be really clear about that.” The former New Jersey governor took aim at Haley early and often during the town hall, starting with what he called her “word salad” answers when it comes to the combustible issue of abortion. Later, he accused her of “political pandering.” “The voters in this state have a right to know where she stands. Not just her happy talk. They have a right to know where she stands,” Christie told reporters after the town hall. Christie said Haley’s “unwilling to do it. She wants to be everything to everybody on that issue [abortion]. It’s too important an issue, it’s too personal an issue, and it’s too serious an issue to not answer it directly. I’ve answered it directly. She hasn’t.” Asked about Christie’s criticism, Haley told Fox News on Thursday, “He’s saying I say one thing in one state and one thing in another. That’s because I was asked two different questions. The first question was, if you were governor and the people of South Carolina wanted a six-week abortion law, would you support it? And I said