Powerful GOP fundraising group calls Rep. Wesley Hunt’s speculative Senate bid a wasteful “vanity project”
In a memo, the National Republican Senate Committee asked Hunt’s donors to tell him to stop wasting resources and endorse Sen. John Cornyn’s reelection.
New Uvalde records reveal how school district changed course on supporting police chief
The details were revealed in more than 25,000 pages of records released after a yearslong legal fight by news outlets including ProPublica and The Texas Tribune.
Texas Legislature’s long summer ends with Democrats marginalized, Republicans triumphant and unified
Democrats in the Texas House began the year by elevating a new speaker and left Austin relegated to the sidelines in the one chamber that had granted them at least scraps from the table.
Professors want to leave Texas because of tense political climate, survey says
Professors’ concerns included the state’s DEI ban and new limits to faculty influence at colleges and universities.
Texas Rep. James Talarico to launch Democratic primary bid for U.S. Senate
The Austin Democrat has made a name for himself with his viral social media presence. His entry to the race pits him against former U.S. Rep. Colin Allred in the increasingly crowded primary.
Texas’ new parental consent law leaves school nurses confused about which services they can provide to students
The law’s authors urged districts to use “common sense.” But some nurses worry they could violate the law and face discipline for providing basic care without a parent’s approval.
Joe Kennedy III blasts RFK Jr. after fiery Senate hearing, fueling Kennedy family infighting: ‘He must resign’
Joe Kennedy III on Friday denounced his cousin Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as “a threat to the health and wellbeing of every American” in a blistering social media post. The rare public rebuke comes one day after RFK Jr.’s contentious Senate hearing, deepening a family feud that has fractured one of America’s most famous political dynasties. Kennedy’s statement, viewed more than 1.2 million times, opens the curtain behind the extraordinary rift inside the political dynasty. Once synonymous with Democrat unity, the Kennedys are now split over RFK Jr.’s embrace of President Donald Trump and his appointment to HHS Secretary under a “Make America Healthy Again” agenda. Joe Kennedy’s demand that his cousin resign marks a dramatic escalation of the feud. INTO THE ARENA: HOSTILE DEMOCRATS, SKEPTICAL REPUBLICANS TEAR INTO KENNEDY ON THE HILL In 2024, five of RFK Jr.’s siblings issued a joint statement blasting his endorsement of Trump as “a betrayal of the values that our father and our family hold most dear. It is a sad ending to a sad story.” Caroline Kennedy later urged senators to block her cousin’s cabinet nomination, writing in a January 2025 letter that he was a “predator” who was “addicted to attention and power” and “unqualified” to lead HHS. On Sept. 4, RFK Jr. appeared in a hearing before the Senate Finance Committee. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., accused him of firing CDC scientists and replacing them with “cranks” and “conspiracy theorists” who were “endangering children, leaving parents confused and scared.” TRUMP STANDS BY RFK JR. AFTER HEATED SENATE HEARING: ‘I LIKE THE FACT THAT HE’S DIFFERENT’ As Joe Kennedy wrote in his post, “None of us will be spared the pain he is inflicting… Those values are not present in the Secretary’s office. He must resign.” His cousin Jack Schlossberg, President John F. Kennedy’s grandson, piled on in real time, mocking RFK Jr.’s testimony: “RFK LOSER is choking so badly LIVE.” With Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s controversial tenure in Trump’s cabinet, the Kennedy dynasty’s divisions are now spilling into public view with some of the sharpest blows coming from within. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The Department of Health and Human Services did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Andrew Cuomo has breakfast meeting with Rev. Al Sharpton as he trails Mamdani in NYC mayoral race
Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is running for New York City mayor, met with Rev. Al Sharpton on Friday. Cuomo shared a photo of the meeting at a New York City restaurant on his social media, writing, “Great breakfast catching up with my old friend, @real_sharpton.” Sharpton also shared the photo on his social media, saying they had a “breakfast meeting,” and that Democratic candidate and front-runner for mayor, Zohran Mamdani – who identifies as a Democratic socialist — would be on his MSNBC show “PoliticsNation” this weekend. Cuomo was likely reaching out to the politically influential Sharpton for an endorsement, the New York Post reported, saying the former governor – who resigned in 2021 amid sexual misconduct allegations – asked the civil rights activist to “have an open mind” about the race. TRUMP WANTS ‘2 PEOPLE TO DROP OUT’ TO SET UP A ‘1-ON-1’ MAYORAL RACE WITH MAMDANI IN NYC “I’m very impressed with Mamdani, but I’ve known Andrew for 40 years, going back to the ’80s with his father,” Sharpton told the Post, referring to late former Gov. Mario Cuomo. The meeting comes as current Democratic Mayor Eric Adams, who dropped out of the Democratic primary and is running as an Independent, is rumored to be considering dropping out of the race for a potential job offer in the Trump administration. Adams has denied planning to drop out. TRUMP SAYS CUOMO’S GOT A ‘GOOD SHOT’ OF BEATING MAMDANI IN NYC MAYOR ELECTION A recent Sienna College poll shows Mamdani ahead of his opponents by double digits with 44% support, 25% for Cuomo, 12% for Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa and 7% for Adams. Sharpton had previously called on Cuomo to drop out of the race after Mamdani beat him in the Democratic primary. “I think, in the best interest of the legacy of Andrew Cuomo, that he ought to let them have the one-on-one race,” he said, referring to Mamdani and Adams during an interview on MSNBC in July. “He can endorse one or the other, and let them have a battle over what is best for New York.” Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi told the Post: “Governor Cuomo and Reverend Sharpton have stood side by side for decades, fighting for justice and progress. They meet from time to time over breakfast to discuss issues critical to the city, the state, and the nation. Today’s meeting was both productive and positive.” Fox News Digital has reached out to Cuomo and Sharpton for comment. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The election will be in November.
ICE tells Kilmar Abrego Garcia he’ll be deported to tiny African country
An attorney representing the Department of Homeland Security and ICE has notified high-profile illegal immigrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia that he will be deported to the tiny African nation Eswatini, after the alleged gang member’s lawyers said he fears persecution in 22 other countries. According to a removal notice shared with Fox News by ICE sources, the agency notified Abrego Garcia that in light of his claims of fear of persecution or torture in nearly two dozen other countries, “we hereby notify you that your new country of removal is Eswatini, Africa.” “Dear Mr. Abrego Garcia,” the notice reads, “As you know, the United States seeks to remove you from the United States based on your final order of removal. Currently, you are designated to be removed to Uganda. Your attorney has informed us, however, that you fear persecution or torture in Uganda.” The ICE notice states, “That claim of fear is hard to take seriously, especially given that you have claimed (through your attorneys) that you fear persecution or torture in at least 22 different countries.” ABREGO GARCIA CASE PROMPTS KEY DOJ OUSTINGS, CLEARS WAY FOR TRUMP DEPORTATION AGENDA The notice lists 22 countries, including El Salvador, Uganda and twenty Latin American countries. “Nonetheless,” the notice states, “we hereby notify you that your new country of removal is Eswatini, Africa.” DHS also reposted a copy of the notification on its official X account with the caption, “Homie is afraid of the entire western hemisphere.” Following his March deportation to his home country of El Salvador, Abrego Garcia has become a cause célèbres for many Democrats charging the Trump administration of denying immigrants their due process. He was returned to the U.S. in June and is currently standing trial for human smuggling related to a 2022 traffic stop in Tennessee in which he was found transporting several non-citizens across the country. ABREGO GARCIA HEARD SAYING TWO WORDS DURING ICE ARREST Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has also alleged that Abrego Garcia is a member of the Salvadoran MS-13 as well as a “human trafficker, serial domestic abuser, and child predator.” He is currently being kept at an immigration detention center in Virginia while his case is ongoing after U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis, an Obama appointee, ruled to temporarily block Abrego Garcia’s deportation to Uganda. Chris Newman, an attorney for Abrego Garcia’s family, has categorically denied DHS’ allegations, telling Fox News Digital, “None of those things are true, full stop.” ABREGO GARCIA RENEWS PUSH FOR ASYLUM IN US, REVEALS NEW COUNTRY WILLING TO ACCEPT HIM He said that “in essence” what the Trump administration has done “is to use the highest office in the land to blackmail an innocent man into sacrificing his constitutional rights.”
Trump endorses Hinson in 2026 race to keep key Senate seat red
President Donald Trump on Friday endorsed Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson as she runs to succeed retiring GOP Sen. Joni Ernst in Iowa. Hinson — a former TV news anchor who is in her third term representing Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District, which covers the northeastern portion of the state — showcased her support for Trump as she launched her Senate campaign on Tuesday. “I’m running to be President Trump’s top ally in the United States Senate,” she said. And in a Fox News Digital interview this week, Hinson highlighted that she’s “proud to stand” with Trump. Trump, in a social media post, said, “I know Ashley well, and she is a WINNER!” HINSON LAUNCHES SENATE BID IN RACE TO SUCCEED IOWA’S ERNST “I know Ashley well, and she is a WINNER! A Loving Wife and Proud Mother of two sons, Ashley is a wonderful person, has ALWAYS delivered for Iowa, and will continue doing so in the United States Senate,” the president said. “Ashley Hinson will be an outstanding Senator, and has my Complete and Total Endorsement – SHE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN!” Trump’s support followed earlier endorsements from Senate Majority Leader Sen. John Thune and the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), which is the Senate GOP’s campaign arm. “We need conservative fighters in the Senate — and that’s exactly what we’ll get with Ashley Hinson,” Thune wrote early Friday as he endorsed Hinson. And NRSC chair Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina said, “Having traveled Iowa with Ashley, I know she is the fighter the Hawkeye State needs to deliver President Trump’s agenda in 2026 and beyond.” Hinson doesn’t have the GOP primary field to herself. Former state Sen. Jim Carlin and veteran Joshua Smith had already entered the primary ahead of Ernst’s announcement. But the support from Trump, Thune, and the NRSC will further boost Hinson, who was already considered the frontrunner for the nomination, and will likely dissuade any others from entering the primary. The president’s clout over the GOP is immense, and his endorsement in a Republican primary is extremely influential. Hinson’s campaign launch came a few hours after Ernst, in a social media video, officially announced that she wouldn’t seek re-election in next year’s midterms. “After a tremendous amount of prayer and reflection, I will not be seeking re-election in 2026,” the 55-year-old Ernst, who was first elected to the Senate in 2014, said in a video posted to social media. TRUMP NOT ON BALLOT BUT FRONT-AND-CENTER IN 2025 ELECTIONS Ernst, a retired Army Reserve and Iowa National Guard officer who served in the Iraq War, had been wrestling for months over whether to run for re-election in 2026. And in her video, she said, “This was no easy decision.” Ernst first grabbed national attention 11 years ago with her “make ’em squeal” ads as she won the high-profile Senate election in Iowa in the race to succeed retiring longtime Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin. And Ernst highlighted in her video that “11 years ago, Iowans elected me as the first female combat veteran to the U.S. Senate, and they did so with a mission in mind – to make Washington squeal. And I’m proud to say we have delivered. We’ve cut waste, fraud, and abuse across the federal government.” Hinson, in a social media post, thanked Ernst for her “incredible service to our state and nation” as well as for her friendship. “Iowa is better off thanks to your selfless service,” she said. In an Iowa radio interview on Tuesday, she said that among her priorities as she runs for the Senate are “secure borders, keeping men out of girls’ sports, cutting taxes for our working families, standing up for Iowa agriculture and helping our young Iowans who are trying to buy a house and start a family.” Hinson also pledged to campaign across all 99 of Iowa’s counties, starting with a kick-off event on Friday. And as she entered the race, Hinson was endorsed by Republican Sens. Jim Banks of Indiana, Katie Britt of Alabama, and Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma. House Majority Leader Rep. Steve Scalise, Majority Whip Rep. Tom Emmer, House Republican Leadership Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik and Iowa House Majority Leader Bobby Kaufmann also backed Hinson. Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) communications director Maeve Coyle, following Hinson’s announcement, argued that “Republicans failed to convince Joni Ernst to run for reelection, and now they may be stuck with Ashley Hinson, who has repeatedly voted to raise costs and make life harder for Iowans by voting to slash Medicaid, cheering on the chaotic tariffs that threaten Iowa’s economy, voting against measures to lower the cost of insulin, and threatening Social Security.” Responding, Hinson told Fox News Digital, “I think they’re misinformed at best.” And she charged that “when I hear the lies and the fearmongering coming out of the left, it’s to only cover up for the fact that they have no message and no real leader other than Bernie and AOC and now Mamdani in New York,” as she referred to Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and New York City Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani. “If that’s the direction they want to take our country, I think Iowans are going to reject that wholeheartedly,” she predicted. FOUR KEY SENATE SEATS THE GOP AIMS TO FLIP IN NEXT YEAR’S MIDTERM ELECTIONS Iowa was once a top battleground state that former President Barack Obama carried in his 2008 and 2012 White House victories. But the state has shifted to the right in recent election cycles, with President Donald Trump carrying the state by nine points in 2016, eight points in 2020, and by 13 points last November. Republicans currently hold both of the state’s U.S. Senate seats – Ernst and longtime Sen. Chuck Grassley – and all four of Iowa’s congressional districts, as well as all statewide offices except for state auditor, which is held by Democrat Rob Sand, who’s running for governor next year. But Democrats in Iowa