New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu expected to endorse Nikki Haley for president
NEWFIELDS, N.H. – Republican Gov. Chris Sununu of New Hampshire is expected to endorse former ambassador to the United Nations and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, multiple GOP sources confirmed to Fox News. The endorsement of the popular governor of the state that holds the first primary and second overall contest in the Republican presidential nominating calendar is all-but-certain to occur when the two team up Tuesday evening at a Haley campaign event in Manchester, New Hampshire. Sununu’s political team released a media advisory early Tuesday morning announcing that the governor would join Haley and make remarks at a town hall at 6 p.m. ET at the McIntyre Ski Area in Manchester. And in a statement to Fox News, the governor said “I look forward to joining Nikki at her town hall this evening – it’s going to be a lot of fun!” SUNUNU TEAMS UP WITH HALEY, DESANTIS, AND CHRISTIE AS HE DECIDES ON A 2024 ENDORSEMENT The endorsement could potentially sway some independent and moderate voters who often play an influential role in New Hampshire’s crucial presidential primary. Sununu has long been a vocal critic of former President Donald Trump, the commanding front-runner for the 2024 GOP nomination as he makes his third straight White House run. The governor flirted with his own presidential bid before announcing in early June that he wouldn’t seek the White House in 2024. Since then, he’s said he would eventually endorse in the Republican nomination race and has teamed up repeatedly with many of the GOP contenders as they’ve campaigned in New Hampshire. MEET THE REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR IN DEMAND WITH THE GOP PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES – OTHER THAN TRUMP In recent weeks, he’s said that he had narrowed his endorsement choice down to three candidates – Haley, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Christie returns to the campaign trail in New Hampshire with two events on Wednesday, and DeSantis is expected back in the Granite State on Friday. Haley, who has enjoyed momentum in the polls in recent months, thanks in part to well-received performances in the first three GOP presidential primary debates, leapfrogged DeSantis for second place in New Hampshire and her home state, which holds the first southern contest. Christie stands in third place in most of the latest surveys in New Hampshire. 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 Trump. TRUMP HOLDS A MASSIVE LEAD IN THE POLLS WITH FIVE WEEKS TO GO UNTIL THE IOWA CAUCUSES Early this past summer, at the New Hampshire GOP’s annual cookout, Haley was introduced by Sununu. After exchanging a hug, Haley kicked off her comments to the crowd by saying, “You’ve got a great governor.” With a joke that elicited plenty of laughter, she said, “Governor, I very much worry about your health. What I’m thinking is, I don’t want you to over-stress. I don’t want you to get out there and do too much. So I think what’s best is, go ahead and endorse me now.” Haley was kidding, but in the ensuing months she’s jokingly asked Sununu about an endorsement a handful of times. Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds of Iowa early last month endorsed DeSantis. Since then, Reynolds has joined DeSantis at multiple stops on the Hawkeye State campaign trail. Sununu told Fox News Digital last month that his endorsement would also be much more than just a one-day announcement. “If I get behind a candidate, I’m going to get behind a candidate,” he emphasized. And he later added that he’d put muscle behind his endorsement, “110%.” “That’s the fun part. Are you kidding? I’m not going to do an endorsement and sit on my hands. When I do an endorsement, it’s going to be a six-, seven-, eight-, nine-week push, whatever it is, to really make sure folks know where we are. I tend to not leave anything on the table,” he emphasized. And Sununu, who’s won election and re-election to four two-year terms as New Hampshire governor, said he’d help whichever candidate he backed “put together a ground game. I think we know how to do it pretty well here.” But he’s also tempered expectations that his endorsement might move the needle in the Granite State, telling Fox News last month that “I’m never a big believer that endorsements matter as much as the press think they do.” WAS THE REAL WINNER SO FAR IN THE REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES THE GUY WHO DIDN’T SHOW UP? Longtime New Hampshire-based Republican strategist Jim Merrilll, a veteran of numerous presidential campaigns, told Fox News the endorsement was “a big deal.” “There’s no endorsement in New Hampshire you’d rather have. And it’s clear he’s going to use it early and often to support Haley.” “Chris Sununu is the Shohei Otani of New Hampshire politics. He’s a remarkably gifted, best-in-class talent. He’s our state’s most successful and impactful Republican of his generation. So his endorsement of Nikki Haley makes this the best day of her campaign and gives her a heck of a clean up hitter down the stretch,” Merrill emphasized. Sununu’s backing of Haley comes a couple of weeks after she landed the endorsement of Americans for Prosperity Action, the political wing of the influential and deep-pocketed fiscally conservative network founded by the billionaire Koch Brothers. AFP Action has pledged to spend tens of millions of dollars and mobilize its formidable grassroots operation to boost Haley and help push the Republican Party past Trump. Trump continues to hold a very large double-digit lead over Haley, DeSantis and the rest of the remaining field of rivals for the nomination in the latest polls in New Hampshire, Iowa, South Carolina, and in national surveys. But Sununu said last month that Trump’s “got a floor, but he’s also got a ceiling,” “And when
Dublin school stabbing suspect to be arrested ‘within days’ after attack on woman, kids ignited riots: report
The yet-to-be named Dublin stabbing suspect who has been hospitalized for weeks after a knife attack on a woman and three children that prompted a night of rioting will reportedly be arrested “within days” after waking from a coma. The five-year-old girl seriously wounded in the November 23 attack outside Gaelscoil Cholaiste Mhuire, an all-Irish primary school on Parnell Square East in Dublin’s city center, remains hospitalized in critical condition at Temple Street Children’s Hospital, where she “is still fighting,” according to her family. The assailant, initially identified by local outlets as an Algerian immigrant in his 50s who has lived in Ireland for 20 years and became a naturalized Irish citizen at some point, is accused of plunging a knife into the chest of the five-year-old outside the Dublin school. The attacker soon allegedly turned his knife on a school caretaker, Leanne Flynn Keogh, who intervened. The woman remained in critical condition for more than a week afterward, but she reportedly has since been moved out of intensive care at The Mater Hospital, and is still recovering, according to the Irish Mirror. A six-year-old girl and a five-year-old boy were also injured, but they both were released from the hospital within days of the incident. The man, badly beaten by passersby who jumped into action, had been in an induced coma for a number of days after the attack but is now awake, the Irish Mirror reported Monday. Irish police, known as gardai, are looking to question the suspect as soon as medical professionals deem fit and are expected to arrest the suspect “within days,” according to the outlet. IRELAND ANTI-HATE LAW PUSHED IN WAKE OF DUBLIN RIOTS COULD CRIMINALIZE MEMES, POSES FREE SPEECH CONCERNS Gardai will bring their evidence before the Director of Public Prosecutions and reportedly will push for an attempted murder charge, an offense that carries a penalty of up to life in prison. The outlet also reported the man appeared in Dublin District Court on charges of possessing a knife and criminal damage to a car in May, but a judge took no further action then. “Our little girl is a warrior. She is still fighting. She remains in the PICU with hopes of moving to the ward before the end of the year,” the family of the critically injured five-year-old girl wrote in a GoFundMe update on Saturday. “We can all feel the love and prayers every second of the day. Had it not been for all of our friends, family and everyone’s support, we wouldn’t have had the strength to stand, and for that we thank you all.” ‘IRISH LIVES MATTER’ GRAFFITI IN BELFAST, SIGNS AGAINST ‘REHOUSING’ ILLEGAL MIGRANTS SPARK HATE PROBE: REPORT According to the Irish Mirror, Irish police are still trying to establish a motive for the attack but have found nothing to suggest a terrorism link after searching the suspect’s laptop. Warren Donohoe, an Irish father passing by Parnell Square at the time with his wife and own daughter, has been credited for tackling and pinning down the assailant, while a Brazilian food delivery driver, Caio Benicio, hopped off his motorcycle and reportedly began beating the suspect with his bike helmet. A 17-year-old French chef in training at a nearby restaurant, Alan Loren-Guille, also intervened to help wrestle the knife away and was later congratulated by French President Emmanuel Macron by phone. Another Brazilian man, IT professional Eder Santos, said he was cycling past at the time and tried to help, The Irish Times previously reported. The knife attack prompted hundreds of people fed up with mass migration into Ireland to descend on Dublin that night when shop windows were smashed, and cars and public transportation were set ablaze. In the aftermath of the riots, which included clashes with police, Ireland’s prime minister further pushed for an anti-hate law, which critics condemn as an affront to free speech on social media, possibly criminalizing memes condemning mass migration or otherwise deemed politically offensive.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear begins second term with oath renewal: ‘We must face this challenge’
Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear renewed his oath of office early Tuesday during a ceremony at Kentucky’s Capitol, launching his second term after notching a convincing reelection victory that could offer a roadmap for his party’s broader efforts to make inroads in Republican strongholds. Beshear, 46, was sworn in shortly after midnight before a gathering of family, friends and supporters — a Bluegrass State ritual every four years to ensure continuity at the head of state government. In a speech meant to resonate beyond Kentucky’s borders, Beshear called for a governing style that embraces “compassion and empathy” and that rejects the politics of anger and division. DEMOCRAT ANDY BESHEAR WINS GOVERNOR RACE IN DEEP-RED KENTUCKY, A MAJOR BLOW TO REPUBLICAN HOPES AHEAD OF 2024 “I ran for office to leave a better world for my children, for all of our Kentucky children,” he said. “And this is our chance, Kentucky’s chance, to be different and to make a difference. To be both an economic and a moral leader for this country. So we must face this challenge, the way we always do, together.” Beshear pledged to continue the Bluegrass State’s “record-breaking economic win streak” and to keep pushing for greater investments in public education. But his most pointed words were aimed at political strategies that he said are “meant to make one American, one Kentuckian an enemy of another.” “One of the most difficult challenges before us is that politics and sometimes even our governance has become poisonous and toxic,” he said. “What’s supposed to be an exchange of ideas has devolved into grievances and attacks. Some appear to think that it’s just a game, that no target is off limits, that no lie is too hurtful.” The middle-of-the night formality preceded a full day of inaugural events Tuesday, including a worship service, a parade and a public swearing-in ceremony on the Capitol steps. Beshear will lay out themes for the second half of his governorship during his inaugural speech in the afternoon. KENTUCKY GOV. BESHEAR URGES FUTURE ADOPTION OF DISASTER RELIEF MODEL TO AVOID DELAYS The governor defeated Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron in last month’s election, extending Beshear’s winning streak in a state that otherwise has swung decidedly toward the GOP. His victory, in one of the nation’s most closely watched campaigns of 2023, sets him up to be on the national radar in coming years when the country looks for a new generation of leaders. Beshear’s reelection continued a family dynasty that has defied the Bluegrass State’s tilt toward the GOP. His father, Steve Beshear, is a former two-term governor. Andy Beshear took the oath of office with his hand on a Bible given to his parents as a gift on their wedding day. The same family Bible was used when Steve Beshear was sworn in as attorney general, lieutenant governor and both times as governor, and when Andy Beshear was sworn in as attorney general and now twice as governor. In winning reelection by more than 67,000 votes, Andy Beshear emphasized his stewardship over record economic growth, railed against what he said was his opponent’s extreme position on abortion and cultivated a reputation as an empathetic leader through a series of crises, including tornadoes, flooding and the global pandemic. He downplayed partisanship by distancing himself from national Democrats while stressing such everyday issues as improvements to public schools and infrastructure. While Beshear and Democratic Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman won as a ticket, Republicans swept all other statewide constitutional offices on the November ballot. Coleman also was sworn in for a second term during the late-night ceremony. As usual, the solemn occasion elicited giggles when Beshear and Coleman reached the part of their oaths in which they swore they’ve never fought a duel with deadly weapons or been involved in one in any way. Beshear’s hold on the governorship continues an era of divided government in Kentucky, where Republicans have locked in overwhelming majorities in both legislative chambers. During his first term, Beshear wrangled with GOP lawmakers over a series of policy issues. DEMOCRAT GOV. ANDY BESHEAR SAYS KENTUCKY GOVERNOR RACE ‘HAS NOTHING TO DO’ WITH BIDEN AS VOTERS HEAD TO POLLS The afternoon inauguration ceremony will include a performance by country music star Tyler Childers, a native of eastern Kentucky. The inaugural parade will focus on the past and future — symbolized by the choice of health care workers and educators as grand marshals. They’ll represent the health care professionals who treated Kentuckians during the pandemic and natural disasters that hit Kentucky during Beshear’s first term, and the teachers who are preparing the next generation of Kentuckians. By the end of Andy Beshear’s second term, a Beshear will have presided in the Kentucky governor’s office for 16 of the last 20 years. Term limits will prevent the younger Beshear from seeking reelection when the next governor’s race occurs in 2027. Four years ago, Andy Beshear was elected governor by about 5,100 votes in ousting the Republican incumbent, Matt Bevin. In 2015, Beshear won by a mere 2,200 votes in being elected attorney general.
Florida lawmakers consider bill that would allow killing bears to protect property
The Florida Legislature is taking up a bill Tuesday that would create a “Self Defense Act” against bears, allowing a person to use lethal force if they feel “threatened” and believe “that using such force is necessary to protect himself or herself on his or her private property.” Information from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) that is going to be presented to lawmakers from the House Agriculture, Conservation and Resiliency Subcommittee will discuss the history of the Florida black bear, and the species’ growing population since being taken off the threatened species list in 2012. Although FWC says human-bear conflicts have risen across the state, “particularly in residential areas, where bears often search for food,” bear advocates say Florida House Bill 87 is not necessary. “If you move into this area, you have to do your homework,” Seminole County resident Joe Humphreys told FOX 35 Orlando. “Do your due diligence.” WATCH: FLORIDA BEAR ATTACKS, TAKES OFF WITH REINDEER CHRISTMAS DECORATION Humphreys said he is a “staunch supporter” of the Second Amendment’s right to self-defense, but does not believe a similar law should apply to wild animals. The proposed bill strictly states that people cannot lure or provoke a bear. Anyone who were to kill a bear also cannot keep it or sell it afterward; rather, they would have to turn it into FWC within 24 hours. Earlier this month, a Florida black bear was caught on a home’s surveillance camera asserting its dominance over the home’s Christmas reindeer decor in Longwood in the middle of the night. In November, a Florida black bear was caught on camera stealing a food delivery order of $45 worth of Taco Bell from a family’s front porch, also in Longwood. FLORIDA BEAR CAUGHT ON CAMERA STEALING FOOD DELIVERY ORDER OFF FAMILY’S PORCH In October, a bear set off a Lake County woman’s doorbell camera in the middle of the night, and she said it was not her first encounter with what she says is a family of bears. “The mother bear dragged our deep freezer off of our porch and emptied it out in the yard. Like it’s big, huge, heavy, I couldn’t even stand it up by myself, but [she] dragged it out and emptied all the contents out all over the yard,” Elizabeth Martin told FOX 35. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Those against HB 87 told the TV station they would rather see people use less lethal deterrents, like bear spray and securing their garbage. The bill was co-introduced by representatives Dr. Joel Rudman and Michelle Salzman, who are both Republicans. Fox News’ Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report.
Harvard President Claudine Gay to remain in post
Harvard President Claudine Gay is expected to remain in her post after her congressional testimony on antisemitism sparked widespread public outrage last week. The Harvard Corporation, the university’s governing body, issued a statement of support for Gay on Tuesday morning. “As members of the Harvard Corporation, we today reaffirm our support for President Gay’s continued leadership of Harvard University. Our extensive deliberations affirm our confidence that President Gay is the right leader to help our community heal and to address the very serious societal issues we are facing,” the Corporation said. The statement was first reported by the Harvard Crimson. HARVARD SWARMED BY TRUCK BILLBOARDS CALLING FOR PRESIDENT TO RESIGN IN WAKE OF UPENN FALLOUT Harvard University did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Gay, University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill and Massachusetts Institute of Technology President Sally Kornbluth each faced intense backlash after they appeared before Congress last week and were grilled about their handling of antisemitism on their respective campuses following the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel in October. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., questioned the Ivy Leage presidents about pro-Palestinian protests allowed on their campuses, and whether calls for the genocide of Jewish people heard at some of these demonstrations constituted bullying or harassment under their respective school codes of conduct. “At Harvard, does calling for the genocide of Jews violate Harvard’s rules of bullying and harassment?” Stefanik asked Gay specifically. “It can be, depending on the context,” Gay responded. “Antisemitic speech when it crosses into conduct that amounts to bullying, harassment, intimidation – that is actionable conduct and we do take action,” Gay said when pressed to answer “yes” or “no” if calls for the genocide of Jews breaks school rules. OVER 500 HARVARD FACULTY MEMBERS SUPPORT UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT IN LETTER TO BOARD AFTER ANTISEMITISM HEARING “So the answer is yes, that calling for the genocide of Jews violates Harvard code of conduct, correct?” Stefanik asked. “Again, it depends on the context,” Gay said. “It does not depend on the context. The answer is yes and this is why you should resign,” Stefanik responded. “These are unacceptable answers across the board.” Those remarks, and similar comments from Magill and Kornbluth, outraged Jewish groups, prominent alumni and bipartisan lawmakers who demanded that each university chief resign immediately. BILL ACKMAN SAYS HARVARD BOARD RESISTED FIRING UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT TO AVOID APPEARANCE OF ‘KOWTOWING’ TO HIM Gay apologized for her comments in a statement released after the hearing. “I got caught up in what had become at that point, an extended, combative exchange about policies and procedures,” Gay said. “What I should have had the presence of mind to do in that moment was return to my guiding truth, which is that calls for violence against our Jewish community — threats to our Jewish students — have no place at Harvard and will never go unchallenged. Substantively, I failed to convey what is my truth.” The Harvard Corporation pointed to Gay’s apology in its statement and acknowledged that the university’s initial response to the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on Israel should have been “an immediate, direct, and unequivocal condemnation.” “Calls for genocide are despicable and contrary to fundamental human values. President Gay has apologized for how she handled her congressional testimony and has committed to redoubling the University’s fight against antisemitism,” the Corporation said. MIT, HARVARD FACE MOUNTING PRESSURE ON ‘CHOICE TO DEFEND TERRORIST SYMPATHIZERS’ AFTER UPENN PRESIDENT RESIGNS So far, only Magill has voluntarily stepped down from her position. The MIT Corporation issued a statement of “full and unreserved support” for Kornbluth last week amid mounting calls for her resignation. Earlier, billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman, a Harvard alumnus who has been critical of the university’s response to antisemitism, said the Corporation was reluctant to fire Gay. Ackman claimed that reporters informed him one of the reasons for the board’s decision was that they did not want the public to know they were “kowtowing” to him. “I have been told now by two reporters that one of the factors that made it challenging for the @Harvard board to fire Gay was that they were concerned it would look like they were kowtowing to me,” Ackman wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “In other words, the reporters explained, quoting the trustees: ‘Had Bill just stopped tweeting, we would have come to the right answer.’ So much for Veritas,” he continued. More than 700 Harvard faculty members signed a letter sent to the governing board on Sunday supporting Gay amid calls for her termination. The Harvard Alumni Association Executive Committee and Harvard’s Black Alumni & Allies also each wrote separate letters on Monday offering “unequivocal support” for the university’s president. The Harvard Corporation reiterated that Gay has its unanimous support. “In this tumultuous and difficult time, we unanimously stand in support of President Gay. At Harvard, we champion open discourse and academic freedom, and we are united in our strong belief that calls for violence against our students and disruptions of the classroom experience will not be tolerated,” the Corporations said. “Harvard’s mission is advancing knowledge, research, and discovery that will help address deep societal issues and promote constructive discourse, and we are confident that President Gay will lead Harvard forward toward accomplishing this vital work.” Fox News Digital’s Emma Colton, Danielle Wallace and Landon Mion contributed to this report.
Harvard President Claudine Gay to remain in post: Harvard Crimson
Harvard President Claudine Gay is expected to remain in her post after her Congressional testimony on antisemitism sparked widespread public outrage last week. The Harvard Corporation, the university’s governing body, will issue a statement of support for Gay on Tuesday morning, the Harvard Crimson reported, citing a source familiar with the board’s decision after it met Monday to discuss the matter. Harvard University did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Gay, University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill and Massachusetts Institute of Technology President Sally Kornbluth each faced intense backlash after they appeared before Congress last week and were grilled about their handling of antisemitism on their respective campuses following the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel in October. HARVARD SWARMED BY TRUCK BILLBOARDS CALLING FOR PRESIDENT TO RESIGN IN WAKE OF UPENN FALLOUT Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., questioned the Ivy Leage presidents about pro-Palestinian protests allowed on their campuses, and whether calls for the genocide of Jewish people heard at some of these demonstrations constituted bullying or harassment under their respective school codes of conduct. “At Harvard, does calling for the genocide of Jews violate Harvard’s rules of bullying and harassment?” Stefanik asked Gay specifically. “It can be, depending on the context,” Gay responded. “Antisemitic speech when it crosses into conduct that amounts to bullying, harassment, intimidation – that is actionable conduct and we do take action,” Gay said when pressed to answer “yes” or “no” if calls for the genocide of Jews breaks school rules. OVER 500 HARVARD FACULTY MEMBERS SUPPORT UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT IN LETTER TO BOARD AFTER ANTISEMITISM HEARING “So the answer is yes, that calling for the genocide of Jews violates Harvard code of conduct, correct?” Stefanik asked. “Again, it depends on the context,” Gay said. “It does not depend on the context. The answer is yes and this is why you should resign,” Stefanik responded. “These are unacceptable answers across the board.” Those remarks, and similar comments from Magill and Kornbluth, outraged Jewish groups, prominent alumni and bipartisan lawmakers who demanded that each university chief resign immediately. BILL ACKMAN SAYS HARVARD BOARD RESISTED FIRING UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT TO AVOID APPEARANCE OF ‘KOWTOWING’ TO HIM Gay apologized for her comments in a statement released after the hearing. “I got caught up in what had become at that point, an extended, combative exchange about policies and procedures,” Gay said. “What I should have had the presence of mind to do in that moment was return to my guiding truth, which is that calls for violence against our Jewish community — threats to our Jewish students — have no place at Harvard and will never go unchallenged. Substantively, I failed to convey what is my truth.” So far, only Magill has voluntarily stepped down from her position. The MIT Corporation issued a statement of “full and unreserved support” for Kornbluth last week amid mounting calls for her resignation. MIT, HARVARD FACE MOUNTING PRESSURE ON ‘CHOICE TO DEFEND TERRORIST SYMPATHIZERS’ AFTER UPENN PRESIDENT RESIGNS Earlier, billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman, a Harvard alumnus who has been critical of the university’s response to antisemitism, said the Corporation was reluctant to fire Gay. Ackman claimed that reporters informed him one of the reasons for the board’s decision was that they did not want the public to know they were “kowtowing” to him. “I have been told now by two reporters that one of the factors that made it challenging for the @Harvard board to fire Gay was that they were concerned it would look like they were kowtowing to me,” Ackman wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “In other words, the reporters explained, quoting the trustees: ‘Had Bill just stopped tweeting, we would have come to the right answer.’ So much for Veritas,” he continued. More than 700 Harvard faculty members signed a letter sent to the governing board on Sunday supporting Gay amid calls for her termination. The Harvard Alumni Association Executive Committee and Harvard’s Black Alumni & Allies also each wrote separate letters on Monday offering “unequivocal support” for the university’s president. Fox News Digital’s Emma Colton, Danielle Wallace and Landon Mion contributed to this report.
Iowa GOP debate uncertain as Nikki Haley noncommittal, Christie and Ramaswamy unlikely to qualify
Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley has not committed to appearing at the final GOP presidential primary debate in Iowa, raising questions as to whether it will happen. So far, only Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has committed to appearing on the debate stage, while former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy face slim chances of even qualifying. Haley’s current noncommittal stance comes after she bore the brunt of attacks during the third GOP debate last week. Haley is still calling on former President Donald Trump to participate in the January debate, however. “When it comes to President Trump as well, I think he’s going to have to get on a debate stage here in Iowa because you’re fighting for Iowans’ votes. I think he’s got to sit there and do the groundwork,” Haley told a local Iowa TV station. HALEY GRILLED BY DEBATE OPPONENTS, SOCIAL MEDIA OVER RECORD ON TRANS ISSUES: ‘WILL CAVE TO BIG DONORS’ “You can’t have an election and not appear on a debate stage in front of the people who are going to be voting for you,” she added. NIKKI HALEY LAUNCHES FIRST CAMPAIGN AD, CALLS FOR ‘MORAL CLARITY,’ MOVING ON FROM ‘CHAOS AND DRAMA’ CNN, which is set to host the January debate, is requiring candidates to show three national or Iowa polls with the candidate at 10% or higher. One of the three polls must be an Iowa poll, however. Christie has little chance of meeting that standard, and the closest Ramaswamy has come is 5% support in an Iowa poll by NBC News and the Des Moines Register, according to Axios. HALEY CELEBRATES MOMENTUM AS GOP RIVALS RAMP UP ATTACKS: ‘THESE GUYS KNOW WE’RE SURGING’ DeSantis’ campaign took a swing at Haley over being noncommittal in a statement to the outlet. “After that loss, it is no wonder why Haley has failed to confirm she will join Ron DeSantis on the debate stage in Iowa and New Hampshire next month,” spokesman Bryan Griffin said. Meanwhile, Haley spokeswoman Olivia Perez-Cubas said the candidate would be “debating in Iowa,” but made no specific commitments. “Since the RNC pulled out of the debates, many new offers have come in. We look forward to debating in Iowa and continuing to show voters why Nikki is the best candidate to retire Joe Biden and save our country. That debate should include Donald Trump,” Perez-Cubas said.
I’m a Texas homeowner. When will I see my tax cut?
Tax policy is messy. Here are a few tips to help you understand what the recent voter-approved tax cuts mean for your mortgage.
As suicide rate increases, gun safety advocates call for more firearm regulations
A recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report showed a new record for people using firearms in suicides. Texas gun safety and mental health advocates say the report highlights a need for gun laws the state does not have.
House Rules Committee to consider resolution to formalize Biden impeachment inquiry
The House Rules Committee is set to meet Tuesday morning to consider a resolution that would formalize the impeachment inquiry against President Biden. If the resolution framework is passed out of committee, a source familiar told Fox News Digital that a full House vote on the floor to formalize the investigation could take place as soon as Wednesday. HOUSE OVERSIGHT DEMOCRAT QUIETLY MEETING WITH GOP LAWMAKERS IN EFFORT TO QUASH IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY: SOURCES The House impeachment inquiry, which is led by House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan and Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, was launched by then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in September. While the inquiry was launched, it was never formally voted on the House floor. Sources familiar with the effort to formalize the inquiry told Fox News Digital that the move would strengthen subpoena power for the committees as part of their investigation. CONGRESS AIMS TO HOLD VOTE TO INITIATE BIDEN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY A formalized inquiry would strengthen existing subpoenas in court and force individuals to comply, as Biden officials and family members — like Hunter Biden — have pushed back on their compelled testimony or document production. For example, Hunter Biden was subpoenaed for a deposition set for Dec. 13, but his attorney, Abbe Lowell, said the president’s son would not comply and would only testify in a public setting. Comer and Jordan have threatened to hold the president’s son in contempt of Congress if he doesn’t show up on Wednesday. BIDEN WAS IN DIRECT CONTACT WITH HUNTER’S BUSINESS PARTNERS USING EMAIL ALIAS AS VP The chairmen are investigating any foreign money received by the Biden family, whether President Biden was involved in his family’s foreign business dealings, and steps allegedly taken by the Biden administration to “slow, hamper, or otherwise impede the criminal investigation into the President’s son, Hunter Biden, which involves funds received by the Biden family from foreign sources.” HUNTER BIDEN’S EX-BUSINESS ASSOCIATE TONY BOBULINSKI DEMANDS BIDEN ‘STOP LYING’ ABOUT 2017 MEETING The top Democrat on the Oversight Committee, Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., has been quietly and informally meeting with Republicans ahead of the meeting in an effort to quash the inquiry altogether. Sources said Raskin has been meeting with “right-wing to more moderate members” in an effort to counter GOP arguments, investigative steps and evidence collected throughout the investigation. Those sources told Fox News Digital that some Republicans, in recent days, have been “especially receptive to seeing the Administration’s record of cooperation with investigators.” NATIONAL ARCHIVES TO HAND OVER 62,000 BIDEN RECORDS TO HOUSE GOP, INCLUDING EMAILS USING ALIASES Meanwhile, Fox News Digital has obtained “fact sheets” that House Oversight Democrats plan to share with both Democrats and Republicans to support their efforts to quash the impeachment inquiry. “These fact sheets are a hat-in-hand, fact-based appeal to House Republicans,” a senior House Democrat aide told Fox News Digital. “Republicans may not be getting all of the facts from Mr. Comer, so we are making sure that they have the full picture as they decide whether to endorse this impeachment effort.” EXCLUSIVE: JOE BIDEN ALLEGEDLY PAID $5M BY BURISMA EXECUTIVE AS PART OF BRIBERY SCHEME, ACCORDING TO FBI DOCUMENT But Comer told Fox News Digital that it is “ironic Democrats continue to say there is no evidence and then at every turn seek to prevent the Oversight Committee from gathering evidence.” JOE BIDEN RECEIVED $40K IN ‘LAUNDERED CHINA MONEY’ FROM BROTHER IN 2017, COMER SAYS “Despite Democrats’ best efforts, the House Oversight Committee has produced evidence revealing Joe Biden knew about, participated in and benefited from his family cashing in on the Biden last name,” Comer told Fox News Digital. “We will continue to follow the facts and hold this president accountable for his corruption.” The White House has blasted the inquiry. President Biden has maintained he has never been in business with his son or spoken to him about his foreign business ventures.