Desantis, Haley, Ramaswamy, sitting side-by-side, get personal during ‘family discussion’ in Iowa
DES MOINES, IOWA – They’ve traded fire from behind podiums on the Republican presidential debate stage. But White House rivals Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former ambassador and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy sat down together on Friday around the same table for a very different discussion in front of a large crowd of social conservative voters in Iowa, the state whose caucuses kick off the 2024 GOP presidential nominating calendar. All three candidates shared personal and at times emotional stories at a presidential Thanksgiving forum hosted by The Family Leader, a politically active and influential social conservative group in a state where evangelical voters play an outsized role in Republican politics. And each of the candidates spotlighted the difficulties they endured in having children as they showcased their opposition to legalized abortion. COULD THIS IOWA EVANGELICAL LEADER’S ENDORSEMENT PUT DENT IN TRUMP’S COMMANDING LEAD? “I actually haven’t shared this story before,” Ramaswamy said as he described his wife Apoorva’s first pregnancy. “About three and a half months in… one day she woke up, she was bleeding. She had a miscarriage. We lost our first child,” Ramaswamy shared. Moments later, he signaled for his young son to join him on stage. DeSantis also noted his wife Casey’s miscarriage, and shared publicly for the first time how the two of them prayed for a child during a trip to Israel soon after their marriage. TRUMP, DESANTIS OR HALEY — WHO BENEFITS AS TIM SCOTT DROPS OUT OF THE RACE? “We got back to the United States, and a little time later, we got pregnant,” DeSantis continued. “But unfortunately, we lost that first baby.” Haley also discussed the difficulties she had in getting pregnant. And Haley doubled down on comments on her stance on abortion that she made last week at the third Republican presidential debate, in which she urged Americans to find consensus when it comes to limiting abortions. Family Leader president and CEO Bob Vander Plaats noted that Haley’s debate comments sounded “pro-choice” to some evangelicals and asked the presidential candidate to “assure them why that’s not a pro-choice answer.” Haley reiterated that she is “unapologetically pro-life” and emphasized that “our overall goal is how do we save as many babies as possible and support as many moms as we can.” “I think you can look at my entire record as governor. I fought for life whether it was a pain-capable bill, whether it was making sure that women had to wait to see an ultrasound before they made a decision,” said Haley said as she pointed to her two-terms steering South Carolina. And Haley, who served as ambassador to the United Nations during former President Donald Trump’s administration, touted that “they said that I was the most pro-life ambassador they had ever had represent the U.S. at the United Nations because we did everything we could to make sure our taxpayer dollars never went towards anything that would take that life away or abortion.” When Vander Plaats pressed Haley on whether she would have signed a six-week abortion bill into law when she was governor,” she quickly answered “Yes. Whatever the people decide, you should do.” “I think it’s right to be in the hands of the people. I think that the people decided this was put in the states; that’s where it should be. Everybody can give their voice to it.” WITH NINE WEEKS TO GO UNTIL THE FIRST VOTES IN THE GOP PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION RACE, THIS CANDIDATE REMAINS IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT Nicole Schlinger, a longtime Iowa-based strategist with close ties to evangelicals, told Fox News that “this was the answer that I think Iowans were waiting for from Amb. Haley on life issues… I think that was very positive.” “Gov. DeSantis really came alive during the second half of this forum,” added Schlinger, who’s neutral in the GOP presidential nomination race. “This was a very pro-DeSantis crowd. He got the biggest applause.” While Haley and DeSantis have repeatedly clashed in recent weeks as they battle for second place in the polls behind Trump, who remains the commanding front-runner for the GOP presidential nomination, there were no fireworks on Friday. And the recent acrimony between Haley and Ramaswamy was also not evident at the forum. “I don’t want to know what is bad about the other person,” Vander Plaats, who moderated the forum, said as he explained the ground rules. “I want to have an adult conversation about the future of this country.” Trump, who was invited to the forum, declined to attend. It was the second major presidential cattle call hosted by the Family Leader that Trump skipped this year. The former president will return to Iowa on Saturday, to headline a rally. The forum was briefly interrupted by a climate protester, who shouted, “Repent! Repent!” “How can you guys talk about being pro-life when our children’s future is on fire? ” the protester said before being escorted out of the hotel ballroom in downtown Des Moines where the event was held. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
Trump, family attend funeral for sister Maryanne Trump Barry in New York City
Former President Donald Trump and his family attended the funeral of his sister, Maryanne Trump Barry, at a church in New York City on Friday, The New York Post reported. Barry, a retired judge and assistant U.S. attorney, passed away on Nov. 13 at the age of 86. According to The Post, “a somber-looking” Trump was joined by former First Lady Melania Trump, sons Donald Jr., and Eric, daughter Ivanka and a number of others at St. Ignatius of Loyola Church on Park Avenue on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. TRUMP TO REMAIN ON COLORADO BALLOT AFTER JUDGE REJECTS 14TH AMENDMENT CHALLENGE TO ELIGIBILITY Trump waited with his family on the sidewalk outside to greet the hearse carrying Barry’s coffin before entering the church. The Post reported that New York Archbishop Cardinal Timothy Dolan performed the blessing over Barry’s body. Barry was a former federal appellate judge who retired in April 2019, according to the New York Times. The newspaper, citing people familiar with the matter, reports that she passed away at her home in New York City’s Manhattan borough, with one person saying she was found Monday morning. COULD EVANGELICAL LEADER’S ENDORSEMENT UPEND TRUMP’S MASSIVE LEAD BEFORE IOWA’S CAUCUS? In 2016, Trump called his sister a “highly respected judge” while noting they disagree on public policy issues. Four years later, Trump dismissed secret audio recordings released of Barry saying he had “no principles” and was “cruel.” “Every day it’s something else, who cares?” Trump said in a statement at the time, according to the Washington Post. LEFT-WING COMEDIAN MICHAEL RAPAPORT SAYS VOTING FOR TRUMP ‘ON THE TABLE’ IF ANTI SEMITISM NOT ADDRESSED IN US The Washington Post’s story about the recordings appeared one day after the White House hosted a private memorial service for Robert Trump, the president’s younger brother, who died Aug. 15, 2020, at age 71. During her legal career, Barry worked as a federal prosecutor before being nominated by then-President Ronald Reagan to the Federal District Court in New Jersey in 1983, the New York Times reported. In 1999, then-President Bill Clinton appointed her to the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, the newspaper added. Fox News’ Greg Norman and Houston Keene contributed to this report.
Arizona State University cancels event featuring Rep. Rashida Tlaib
Arizona State University canceled an on-campus event where Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., was going to speak Friday. The event was organized by the Arizona Palestine Network, which is not an on-campus organization at ASU. Tlaib was going to give a speech at the “Palestine is an American issue” event. An ASU spokesperson told Fox News Digital the event didn’t follow university policies and procedures. “Organizers of events using ASU facilities must be properly registered with ASU and must meet all university requirements for crowd management, parking, security, and insurance. In addition, the events must be produced in a way which minimizes disruption to academic and other activities on campus. The event featuring Congresswoman Tlaib was planned and produced by groups not affiliated with ASU and was organized outside of ASU policies and procedures. Accordingly, that event will not take place today on the ASU Tempe campus,” the spokesperson said. PRO-PALESTINIAN RALLIES IN NYC AND DC INTERRUPT CROWDED HUBS DURING RUSH-HOUR COMMUTE The Arizona Palestine Network responded to the cancelation on Facebook, calling it “completely unacceptable.” “Rashida Tlaib must be heard on campus as the only Palestinian member of Congress who plans to speak on an American issue at this event. ASU cannot claim to hold free speech as a principle while denying Palestinians their voices on campus. Cancelling this event puts the university in direct contradiction with its charter as a university ‘measured not by whom it excludes, but by whom it includes and how they succeed,’” the group wrote. ANTISEMITISM EXPOSED Tlaib’s appearance in Arizona would have come just over a week after the House of Representatives voted to censure her over anti-Israel comments she made. The text of the resolution accused her of “promoting false narratives regarding the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel and for calling for the destruction of the state of Israel.” Tlaib, a Palestinian American, took criticism for sharing a video on X that included the pro-Palestinian phrase, “From the river to the sea.”
Mexico’s president praises Biden for not building border walls
Mexico’s President Andrés Manuel López Obrador on Friday praised President Biden for being the “first president in the United States in recent times who has not built walls.” López Obrador made the remark while meeting with Biden in San Francisco, adding that “we wish to assist the people in their countries of origin when they are forced to migrate.” “I would like to also take this opportunity to greet our paisanos, the Mexican migrants who are living and making a life and working in the United States,” he continued. “Around 40 million people have made the United States their second home, their second country, and I would also like to inform those who may not be aware of this that in recent years there are many American citizens who are moving to Mexico to stay there or to live in Mexico.” “So welcome, because we are brotherly countries,” López Obrador added. BIDEN ADMINISTRATION APPROVES $950 MILLION IN CONTRACTS FOR BORDER WALL REPAIR, UPGRADES Biden said while sitting next to Mexico’s president, “We’re working side by side to combat arms trafficking, to tackle organized crime and to address the opioid epidemic, including fentanyl.” The meeting comes two weeks after Fox News Digital reported that the Biden administration approved $950 million in contracts to repair and upgrade part of existing border wall construction in Arizona, California and Texas, using money from Trump-era congressional appropriations. NEWS PHOTOGRAPHER SHOT DEAD IN CARTEL-DOMINATED MEXICAN BORDER HUB In court documents, first reported by the New York Post, the Department of Homeland Security said that Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has awarded contracts for repair work and “system attribute installation” in the San Diego, El Centro, El Paso and Tucson Sectors. Remediation work includes closing gaps, installing gates and improving roads and drainage systems. “System attribute installation” includes putting in cameras, roads and detection technology to enhance the border wall. Other contracts include installing anti-climb features on the wall in San Diego, IT support and environmental planning. None of the money was awarded for additional wall construction. Fox News’ Adam Shaw contributed to this report.
Missouri’s voter ID law is back in court. Here’s a look at what it does
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — A trial for a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Missouri‘s new photo identification requirement for voters is scheduled to begin Friday. Here is a look at the function of the law and why voting rights groups are suing: WHAT THE LAW DOES Missouri’s GOP-led Legislature last year capped off a nearly two-decade-long push by Republicans and passed a law requiring voters to show photo identification to cast a regular ballot. WIDESPREAD SUPPORT FOR VOTER ID AND MAKING EARLY VOTING EASIER: NATIONAL POLL People without a government-issued photo ID can cast provisional ballots to be counted if they return later that day with a photo ID or if election officials verify their signatures. The law requires the state to provide a free photo identification card to those lacking one to vote. LEGAL CHALLENGES The Missouri League of Women Voters, NAACP and two voters sued to overturn the law last year, arguing the change makes casting ballots unconstitutionally difficult for some voters. Cole County Presiding Judge Jon Beetem, who also will hear arguments in the trial beginning Friday, dismissed the case in October 2022. He found neither of the two voters “alleged a specific, concrete, non-speculative injury or legally protectable interest in challenging the photo ID requirement.” The Missouri ACLU and Missouri Voter Protection Coalition, who sued on behalf of the plaintiffs, have since added another voter to the lawsuit and asked Beetem again to find the voter ID requirement unconstitutional. ARGUMENTS AGAINST THE LAW The newest plaintiff is John O’Connor, a 90-year-old Columbia, Missouri, resident with poor vision who needs help walking. When the law took effect last year, O’Connor had an expired passport and driver’s license, which are not acceptable forms of identification to vote under state law. His lawyers argued he eventually obtained a non-driver’s license with the help of his wife, but only because officials accepted his expired driver’s license despite guidance from the state Revenue Department that long-expired licenses are not acceptable records to use when seeking new IDs. “Even when a voter obtains the underlying documentation, voters who lack transportation, cannot get to the DMV or other government agencies during their hours of operation, or have a disability or impairment that prevents them from accessing a DMV, the voter is still unable to surmount the burdens to obtaining a photo ID,” the plaintiffs’ lawyers wrote in a pretrial brief. ARGUMENTS FOR THE LAW Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s office is defending the law in court. The state lawyers argue that, so far, no one has been turned away at the polls because of the law. Missouri provides free non-driver’s licenses for voting to those who do not already have a driver’s license or have a current license. The health department’s Bureau of Vital Records provides free birth certificates to those seeking their first non-driver’s license in order to vote if the applicant does not have a current driver’s license. “There is not a severe burden on the right to vote as the State has gone to great lengths to help voters obtain IDs,” Bailey wrote in a court brief. VOTER ID ELSEWHERE The National Conference of State Legislatures reports 36 states request or require identification to vote, of which at least 20 ask for a photo ID. Other Republican-led states are moving in the same direction as Missouri as they respond to conservative voters unsettled by unfounded claims of widespread fraud and persistent conspiracy theories over the accuracy of U.S. elections. Critics characterize such requirements as an overreaction that could disenfranchise eligible voters. For the first time this year, Ohio voters were required show photo identification to cast ballots in person. The new law eliminated previously acceptable non-photo options, such as a utility bill, bank statement, government check or paycheck. State-issued photo IDs are available free of charge Missouri Republicans are not the only ones who had to fight for years to enact ID requirements. North Carolina’s voter photo identification law, enacted nearly five years ago by the Republican-controlled legislature but blocked by litigation, is just now being implemented. Registered voters there can get free IDs at their county election offices if they provide their name, date of birth and the last four digits of their Social Security number. Nebraska lawmakers this summer passed a voter ID law allowing a wide array of photo identification that voters can present at the polls. IDs include passports, driver’s licenses, military and tribal IDs and Nebraska college IDs. Expired IDs are allowed if they have the voter’s name and photo. Residents of hospitals, nursing homes and assisted living centers will be able to use patient documents that include a photo.
Stacey Abrams’ brother-in-law arrested on human trafficking, battery charges
The brother-in-law of former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, a Democrat, has been arrested in Florida on charges of human trafficking, battery and lewd or lascivious touching of a minor, according to the Office of the State Attorney for the 13th Judicial Circuit. “Jimmie Gardner, a youth motivational speaker and brother-in-law of former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, is facing serious charges of human trafficking and is currently in jail in Hillsborough County with no bond. Gardner is scheduled to face a judge in first [court appearance] in Tampa tomorrow,” the office said in a Friday press release. Tampa Police stated that the incident occurred early Friday morning at the Renaissance Hotel at International Plaza when 57-year-old Jimmie Gardner allegedly engaged in sexual acts with a 16-year-old girl before assaulting her during an altercation. GEORGIA REPUBLICANS DUNK ON VOTING LAW CRITICS AFTER MLB ALL-STAR GAME RETURNS TO ATLANTA Gardner allegedly met the minor at 1:43 a.m. and invited her into his hotel room, which she accepted, before offering to pay her for sex. “The victim initially agreed but later told Gardner that she no longer wanted to engage and he became angry,” police said. “Gardner advised the victim that she needed to leave his hotel room. The two got involved in a verbal altercation that escalated to a physical dispute after Gardner placed his hands around the victim’s neck, impeding her breathing.” “After the dispute, Gardner left the hotel room, and the victim called 911.” STACEY ABRAMS’ VOTING GROUP ACCUSED OF ‘POOR FINANCIAL RECORD-KEEPING’: REPORT Police said they found the victim at the scene when they arrived, but that Gardner had already left the hotel. He later turned himself in to the Tampa Police District 1 Office, and was charged with “human trafficking, lewd and lascivious touching of certain minors, and battery.” According to the Office of the State Attorney, Gardner spent 25 years in prison for sexually assaulting two women in West Virginia in 1987, but was later exonerated. Gardner is the husband of U.S. District Court Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner, Abrams’ sister, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama in 2014 before being unanimously confirmed by the Senate. Fox News Digital has reached out to Abrams and Judge Gardner for comment.
North Carolina mayoral race decided by coin toss
A coin flip on Friday decided who would become mayor of a south-central North Carolina city when the two leading candidates were tied after all the ballots were tallied. Robert Burns and Bob Yanacsek each received 970 votes in the race to become mayor of Monroe. There had been five names on the Nov. 7 ballot. Burns won the coin toss. At Friday’s Union County elections board meeting, Yanacsek and Burns waived their right to seek a recount. State law says the outcomes of tied races are determined by lot. DEMOCRATIC NC LAWMAKER FOREGOES RE-ELECTION, BUT CONSIDERS STATEWIDE OFFICE At the coin toss, Yanacsek called heads but the coin flipped by an election official came up tails, leading to celebration from Burns’ supporters. The two men shook hands and hugged briefly. The board then voted to declare Burns the winner. Burns will succeed Marion Holloway, who did not seek reelection in Monroe, a city of 35,000 roughly 25 miles southeast of Charlotte. Burns highlighted his family, faith and business background on his campaign website. “It’s been an awesome run so far, and now it’s all in God’s hands,” Burns said in a social media video minutes Friday before the coin flip. Yanacsek, a former Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer, posted a video after the vote asking supporters not to be discouraged by the outcome. “We didn’t lose the election. We lost a coin toss,” he said.
Democrat seeks recount in razor-thin Virginia House race
Kimberly Pope Adams, the Democratic candidate in a central Virginia House of Delegates race that remains uncalled by The Associated Press, is seeking a recount. Adams said in a statement Thursday that the election results, which show just 78 votes separating Adams and GOP incumbent Kim Taylor, “are far too close for anyone to declare outright victory.” “The people of the 82nd House District deserve to know with absolute certainty who is the winner of this race and Virginia law affords them that right. For that reason, I am seeking a recount of the vote,” Adams said. VIRGINIA SENATE NAMES CAUCUS LEADERS FOR UPCOMING LEGISLATIVE SESSION Taylor, who has served in the House since 2022, previously declared victory. The competitive 82nd District covers Petersburg, Surry County and parts of Prince George and Dinwiddie counties. The outcome of the race won’t have implications for the balance of power in the House. Democrats secured a narrow majority on Election Day and are on track to have either 51 or 52 seats in the 100-seat chamber come January. Virginia doesn’t have automatic recounts. Candidates can request, and pay for, recounts if the margin between the top two candidates is 1 percentage point or less. Recounts are paid for by the government if the margin is less than 0.5 percentage points. The AP will not call the race until the recount is complete.
Trump to remain on Colorado ballot after judge rejects 14th Amendment challenge to eligibility
Former President Donald Trump’s name will remain on the Colorado 2024 presidential primary ballot, a judge ruled Friday. “The court orders the Secretary of State to place Donald J. Trump on the presidential primary ballot when it certifies the ballot on January 5, 2024,” U.S. District Court Judge Sarah B. Wallace wrote in her ruling. The decision came following a legal challenge seeking to disqualify Trump from appearing on the ballot, citing the 14th Amendment. BIDEN USES TRUMP’S OWN WORDS AGAINST HIM IN BID TO RECAPTURE THIS MAJOR VOTING BLOCK FOR DEMS IN 2024 The lawsuit sought to use the Disqualifications Clause, or Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, which bars individuals who have “engaged in insurrection or rebellion” against America or who have aided those engaged in such activities from holding office, and specifically cited Trump’s alleged involvement in the Capitol riot of Jan. 6, 2021. Watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), as well as six Colorado voters, filed the lawsuit in September, one of multiple legal attempts in a number of states across the country aiming to prevent Trump winning another four years in the White House. CREW, a left-wing organization that often targets Republicans, was optimistic Friday morning that the ruling would fall in their favor. NEW YORK JUDGE LIFTS TRUMP GAG ORDER IN CIVIL FRAUD TRIAL OVER FREE SPEECH CONCERNS In a statement following the ruling, Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung called it “another nail in the coffin of the un-American ballot challenges.” “With this decision, Democrats’ 14th Amendment challenges have now been defeated in Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota and New Hampshire. These cases represent the most cynical and blatant political attempts to interfere with the upcoming presidential election by desperate Democrats who know Crooked Joe Biden is a failed president on the fast track to defeat,” he said. “The American voter has a Constitutional right to vote for the candidate of their choosing, with President Donald J. Trump leading by massive numbers. This right was correctly preserved in Colorado today and urge the swift disposal of any and all remaining Democrat ballot challenges. Onward to total victory in 2024, we will Make America Great Again!” he added. JUDGE IN TRUMP’S GEORGIA ELECTION INTERFERENCE CASE ORDERS ‘SENSITIVE’ EVIDENCE WITHHELD FROM PUBLIC The decision comes after a Michigan judge ruled Wednesday in a similar lawsuit that Trump would also remain on that state’s primary ballot, which followed the Minnesota Supreme Court and a federal judge in New Hampshire previously dismissing other challenges. Trump is the first former president in United States history to face criminal charges. He was indicted during special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into alleged interference in the 2020 election and the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot. He faces criminal charges in Georgia, New York and from Smith’s separate investigation into his alleged mishandling of classified documents. Trump pleaded not guilty to all charges, which included conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding and conspiracy against rights. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub. Fox News’ Brooke Singman and Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.
New Jersey to continue offshore wind push despite top contractor’s withdrawal
Despite the loss of two major offshore wind farm projects when Danish developer Orsted pulled out of New Jersey, the state is moving forward with its plans to support and grow the nascent industry. The state Board of Public Utilities on Friday voted to seek bids for a transmission facility into which several offshore wind projects can plug, an important part of getting the power from ocean-based wind turbines into the onshore electrical grid. But on a more elemental level, Friday’s vote represented a vote of confidence in offshore wind from a state that wants to be the East Coast leader in the industry. DEVELOPERS MAKE PLEDGE TO FINISH NJ’S FIRST OFFSHORE WIND FARM BY 2025 “Recent setbacks will not prevent us from moving forward with our commitment to offshore wind,” said Christine Guhl-Sadovy, the board’s president. “Offshore wind is and continues to be the economic development opportunity of a generation, and remains a key tool in climate change mitigation.” The board authorized a solicitation of proposals for an energy transmission system. That system would be “an open-access transmission facility, located either in the Atlantic Ocean or onshore, used to facilitate the collection of offshore wind energy or its delivery to the electric transmission system in this state,” according to a 2019 law. It would include concrete structures and empty pipes through which power cables would pass. They would be installed in a single construction effort, capable of servicing multiple offshore wind farms. James Ferris, the deputy director of the board’s clean energy division, said that installing the project all at once “would minimize environmental and community impacts by resulting in a single shore crossing.” Those eligible to apply include power transmission developers and owners, and offshore wind developers, Ferris said. The board vote came nearly three weeks after Orsted, the world’s largest offshore wind developer, scrapped its Ocean Wind I and II projects off the coast of New Jersey. The company cited inflation, supply chain problems and a failure to secure as many government financial subsidies as it wanted as reasons the projects were no longer feasible. That sent shock waves through the offshore wind industry. It also heartened its opponents, who said Orsted’s decision to walk away from New Jersey and write off $4 billion in losses, mostly due to the cancellations, shows the industry is inherently unprofitable without massive government subsidies. Shortly after Orsted scraped its projects, numerous community groups celebrated, and promised to oppose other pending wind farms, including one by Atlantic Shores, a project by EDF/Shell. 4 NEW OFFSHORE WIND PROJECTS PLANNED IN NEW JERSEY “The communities of southern New Jersey are surely celebrating the end of the project,” said Joseph Mancini, mayor of Long Beach Township. “New Jersey can harness sustainable energy solutions more effectively without succumbing to the industrialization of the ocean. There are smarter, more considerate avenues to explore that protect our state’s interests and national natural treasures.” As the vote was happening, the Southern New Jersey Development Council, a business group, reaffirmed its support for offshore wind projects, calling them “a shining example of responsible environmental stewardship and economic revitalization.” “Yes, Orsted’s cancellation of the Ocean Wind I and Ocean Wind II projects was a setback, but New Jersey’s continued commitment to offshore wind power is a beacon of hope for a future where renewable energy takes center stage in our fight against climate change, said Marlene Asselta, the group’s president. Proposals are due by April 3.