Trump holds massive lead in Iowa 5 weeks from caucuses that kick off GOP race: poll
Former President Trump is expanding his already formidable lead in the state that leads off the Republican presidential nominating calendar, according to a new and highly reputable poll. The former president stands at 51% support among those likely to take part in Iowa’s Republican presidential caucuses, with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis a distant second at 19%, and former ambassador to the United Nations and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley at 16%, according to the latest NBC News/Des Moines Register/Mediacom poll. The survey, conducted Dec. 2-7, was released on Monday, with five weeks to go until the Jan. 15 Iowa caucuses. Trump’s lead over the rest of the field of 2024 GOP nomination rivals – which has expanded by five points since October – is the largest recorded so close to a competitive Republican caucus in the history of the survey, which is considered by many to be the gold standard of Iowa caucus polling. WAS THE REAL WINNER SO FAR IN THE REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES THE GUY WHO DIDN’T SHOW UP? J. Ann Selzer, the pollster who has conducted the survey for the past three decades, pointed to the recent winnowing of the once large Republican presidential field and noted that “the field may have shrunk, but it may have made Donald Trump even stronger. I would call his lead commanding at this point.” Trump is aiming for a big victory next month in the caucuses to try and bring the nomination race to an early conclusion, so he can focus on a rematch with President Biden, who defeated him in the 2020 election. TRUMP CAMPAIGN PREVIEWS ‘EXTREMELY AGRESSIVE’ PUSH IN IOWA Trump’s large double-digit lead in the survey is fueled in part by strong support of evangelical voters – who enjoy outsized influence in Iowa Republican politics – and likely first-time caucus goers. Additionally, nearly three-quarters of Iowa Republicans who believe Trump can defeat Biden in next year’s general election – despite the former president’s numerous legal challenges – back Trump. Trump made history earlier this year as the first former or current president to be indicted for a crime, but his four indictments – including in federal court in Washington, D.C., and in Fulton County court in Georgia on charges he tried to overturn his 2020 presidential election loss – have only fueled his support among Republican voters. The new poll in Iowa is also the latest to suggest that Trump supporters are more enthusiastic and committed to support their candidate than those backing the former president’s GOP rivals. As Fox News first reported last week, the Trump campaign said it was shifting into a higher gear in the final weeks leading up to the Iowa caucuses. “We have an extremely aggressive operation and an extremely aggressive schedule,” Trump campaign senior adviser Chris LaCivita told Fox News Digital. LaCivita previewed that the Trump campaign is planning a slew of Iowa visits not only from the former president, but also from “dozens of surrogates that are going to be storming the state campaigning… in every venue that has people.” He said there were “close to 1,500-1,600 precinct captains throughout the state that, literally, their sole job is to run each individual caucus that takes place and making sure that the list of the targeted voters supporting President Trump show up.” Trump’s campaign said it was not taking anything for granted. Looking ahead to the final stretch leading up to the caucuses, LaCivita said “our only concern is complacency.” DeSantis, meanwhile, earlier this month fulfilled his goal of stopping in all of Iowa’s 99 counties. He has repeatedly been joined on the campaign trail in the Hawkeye State by popular Iowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds, who endorsed him in early November. Also backing DeSantis was Bob Vander Plaats, president and CEO of The Family Leader, an influential social conservative organization in the state. DeSantis has repeatedly vowed he will pull off an upset by winning Iowa. DESANTIS STOPS IN ALL OF IOWA’S 99 COUNTIES, BUT WILL IT HELP HIM CLOSE THE GAP WITH TRUMP? 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, has leapfrogged DeSantis for second place in New Hampshire, which holds the first primary and votes second in the Republican nominating schedule, and her home state, which holds the first southern contest. She also aims to make a fight of it in Iowa, where the new poll is the latest to suggest she is close to pulling even with DeSantis for second place. Two weeks ago, Haley landed the backing 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. The new NBC News/Des Moines Register/Mediacom survey indicates multimillionaire biotech entrepreneur and first time candidate Vivek Ramaswamy at 5% support in Iowa. Ramaswamy, who has spent millions of his own money on his campaign, has predicted that he will pull off a “surprise” in Iowa, where he has spent plenty of time reaching out to voters. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who is making his second bid for the White House, stands at 4% support in the poll. However, Christie has not campaigned in the Hawkeye State, as he concentrates most of his time and resources in New Hampshire. The poll also indicates former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson at 1%. Hutchinson remains in the 2024 race even after failing to make the stage at the past three Republican presidential nomination debates. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
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Key McConnell ally makes endorsement in crucial swing state race that could flip Senate red
EXCLUSIVE: A key ally of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has decided which candidate he will support in one crucial swing state race that could ultimately determine whether Republicans win back control of the Senate in 2024. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., announced Monday his endorsement of Republican Arizona Senate candidate Kari Lake, a conservative firebrand and former 2022 gubernatorial candidate, in her bid to flip the seat currently held by independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, a former Democrat. “Kari Lake is the fighter Arizona needs to secure the border, unleash American Energy Independence, and lower the cost of living. Joe Biden’s policies have been a disaster for Arizona and Kari Lake will stand up to the Biden agenda and put Arizonans first. Let’s send Kari to the Senate and take back the majority,” Cotton said in a statement to Fox News Digital. KARI LAKE OFFERS SOLUTION TO REPUBLICAN ELECTION LOSSES, PREDICTS GOP VOTERS WILL ‘SHOW UP’ FOR ONE MAJOR NAME IN 2024 “I am grateful for the endorsement of Sen. Cotton, someone who served our country honorably in the military and has been a conservative warrior in the Senate. I look forward to working with Sen. Cotton to secure our border and get America back on track from Joe Biden and Chuck Schumer’s far-left agenda,” Lake told Fox. The race is expected to be one of the most closely watched of the 2024 election cycle as Republicans aim for a majority in Congress’ upper chamber, which Democrats currently control by a slim 51-49 margin with the support of Sinema and her fellow independents, Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Angus King of Maine. With Cotton’s backing, Lake has secured the support of two top senators, the other being Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., as well as House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik of New York and a number of other House Republicans. She also has the backing of former President Trump, who endorsed her via video during her campaign launch in October, and multiple state and local officials in Arizona and across the country. 2024 WHITE HOUSE HOPEFULS SHRED DOJ, ‘DEEP STATE’ OVER TIMING OF HUNTER BIDEN INDICTMENT: ‘SLOW-WALKED’ Lake’s only major challenger in the race for the Republican nomination so far is Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb. Whichever Republican wins the nomination will likely face Phoenix-area Democrat Rep. Ruben Gallego in the general election. Sinema has not yet said whether she will run for reelection. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
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Top White House aide worked at law firm heavily involved with corporate entities tied to Hunter, Biden family
A White House aide who has held multiple positions in the Biden administration, including White House deputy staff secretary, previously spent nearly two decades at a Delaware law firm that was heavily involved with corporate entities tied to Hunter Biden, his business associates, and other Biden family members. Michael Hochman, a top lawyer for more than 17 years at Monzack Mersky McLaughlin and Browder, originally co-founded by Biden in 1970 before he started his Senate career, is currently serving in his third Biden White House position, his LinkedIn profile shows. Between January 2021 and June 2022, Hochman served as the White House deputy staff secretary before joining the White House’s recently created Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD), which advises Biden on cybersecurity policy and strategy. Hochman started out as the deputy general counsel and deputy chief of staff before being promoted to chief of staff last November. In a recent profile piece, Hochman described his role as having “an enterprise-wide view of the work of the office” and said it’s “like working for a start-up” with the “long hours and all the challenges that come from building something new.” SPECIAL COUNSEL HITS BACK AT HUNTER BIDEN REQUESTING TRUMP, BARR SUBPOENAS Hochman’s jump to the Biden White House will likely raise questions from Republicans as the House Oversight Committee dives into his past work at the law firm and communications with Hunter Biden as they continue investigating his foreign business dealings. A Fox News Digital review found several emails between Hochman and Hunter during the Obama-Biden administration, in addition to nearly a dozen Biden-linked corporate entities that were registered through the law firm where Hochman spent most of his career. The review found that Monzack Mersky McLaughlin and Browder has served as the registered agent for Owasco LLC, Rosemont Seneca Advisors, and Robinson Walker LLC, which is owned by Hunter’s former business partner Rob Walker. Fox News Digital previously reported that members of the Biden family received more than $1 million in payments from accounts related to Walker’s LLC and their Chinese business ventures involving CEFC affiliate State Energy HK in 2017. HUNTER’S EX-BUSINESS ASSOCIATE BLASTS BIDEN’S NEW CLAIM ABOUT SON’S BUSINESS DEALINGS: ‘COMPLETE MALARKEY’ Multiple Biden family accounts, including those belonging to Hunter, Hallie Biden and an unnamed Biden, also received approximately $1.038 million from the same Walker LLC account after Bladon Enterprises, which reportedly belonged to Gabriel “Puiu” Popoviciu, a Romanian tycoon, deposited over $3 million between November 2015 to May 2017. According to a 2017 email from Walker, which was obtained by the Senate Finance Committee, Walker viewed himself as a “surrogate” for Hunter and his uncle, Jim Biden, when “gauging [business] opportunities.” Owasco LLC and Rosemont Seneca Advisors are directly tied to Hunter and were also incorporated by Hochman’s former firm. A 2016 email from Hunter’s longtime business partner, Eric Schwerin, reveals that Owasco was set up to “hold Hunter’s investment interests in a variety of work related entities. Owasco, LLC owns a 100% interest in Rosemont Seneca Technology Partners (RSTP) I, RSTP II Alpha and RSTP II Bravo. Owasco, LLC also owns 75% of Skaneateles, LLC and via Skaneateles, LLC and its subsidiaries…” In 2017, Joe and Jill Biden used Monzack Mersky and Browder as the registered agent to set up two S-corporations, Celticcapri Corp. and Giacoppa Corp., the business entities used “to receive [millions of dollars in] royalties from their writing and speaking engagements.” The law firm was also a registered agent for multiple Biden campaign committees, the Beau Biden Foundation, Livelihood, an apparel company founded by Hunter’s sister, Ashley Biden, and JBB SR., INC., which is associated with Biden’s brother, James Biden. JBB is one of the entities that the House Oversight Committee is investigating after they discovered that it received hundreds of thousands of dollars from Walker’s LLC. “I have said for months that the Bidens’ corrupt influence peddling scheme will go down as the greatest political scandal of our lifetime, and likely in the history of the country,” House GOP Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York told Fox News Digital. “Joe Biden is compromised. House Republicans are committed to delivering the transparency and accountability that the American people demand and deserve from their elected officials and public servants.” DEFIANT HUNTER BIDEN SAYS REPUBLICAN ‘MOTHERF—ERS’ ARE ‘TRYING TO KILL ME’ Stefanik’s comment comes as House Republicans appear primed to officially move forward with an impeachment inquiry against Biden for alleged corruption charges as early as this week, which could spark an impeachment vote in the House early next year. Hunter’s ties to Hochman extend to email communications throughout the Obama administration, in addition to Hochman visiting Biden’s vice presidential residence multiple times for holiday parties. In May 2014, Hochman emailed Hunter and said he was running with Beau Biden, Hunter’s now-deceased brother and a college roommate, longtime friend of Hochman’s, and that Burisma was “briefly” discussed. “Went running with Beau yesterday and we were talking briefly about Burisma. Good news. I’m pretty familiar with this industry (at least domestically) – my father-in-law is heavily involved in the Marcellus shale gas play in Pennsylvania – the largest source of natural gas in the United States,” Hochman said. “He is extremely knowledgeable and well-connected in those parts. He’d love to discuss with you; would you be willing to talk with him? Also, a good excuse for me to come down and see you guys in DC. Let me know.” It is unclear whether Hunter took Hochman up on the offer to chat with Hochman’s father-in-law. Fox News Digital reached out to Hochman’s father-in-law for comment but did not receive a response. COMER, JORDAN DEMAND HUNTER BIDEN APPEAR FOR DEPOSITION, SAY HE WILL NOT RECEIVE ‘SPECIAL TREATMENT’ Another email from early 2014 shows Hochman pitching Hunter a new client, whom he describes as a “good friend of the family’s, and a client of MMMB,” referring to his law firm. “Eugene Amobi is the principal member of Tech International Corp., a good friend