Cuban regime’s reported return to meddling in US elections a ‘badge of honor’ for targeted critics
With a presidential election drawing near, 90 miles off the U.S. mainland, the Communist Cuban government is reportedly attempting to once again influence down ballot races as it did two years ago. One such target-rich area is reportedly South Florida, where a large majority of Cuban émigrés and Cuban-Americans now live after their families escaped the regime long controlled by the Castro brothers. In a Monday briefing with reporters, an ODNI official confirmed the Cuban government is attempting to counter American candidates opposed to the communist regime, according to the Miami Herald. During the 2022 election, the intelligence community discovered Cuba had attempted to “denigrat[e]” certain candidates there. Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., who was born in Cuba and represents the Florida Keys and part of Miami-Dade, said at the time he believed he was one such target. LAWMAKERS TORCH FEDS’ CUBA REGULATION ADJUSTMENT AS ‘LIFELINE TO GREATEST ENEMY IN OUR HEMISPHERE’ Other lawmakers suspected of being targets of Cuban interference at the time included fellow Miamians Mario Diaz-Balart and Maria Elvira Salazar — both Republicans. A source told Fox News Digital that one avenue the Cubans have used to target such lawmakers is to utilize social media so-called “bots” that attack Republicans from the political right, to make them unpalatable to the greater electorate. Salazar said Tuesday she is the “No. 1 enemy… in Congress” of Miguel Diaz-Canel’s regime in Havana. “[I]t is no surprise to me that they are trying to subvert our elections,” said Salazar, who notably represents “Little Havana,” just west of downtown Miami. “Our American democracy is stronger than these weak attempts to silence their critics. We will be watching in 2024.” TOP REPUBLICAN, 70, CALLS CHEATLE’S SLOPED ROOF DEFENSE ‘THE FINAL STRAW’ Gimenez added Tuesday that he wears “like a badge of honor” the target Cuba has reportedly placed on him. The former Miami-Dade County mayor quipped that his goal is to remain in Congress longer than the regime remains in El Capitolio Nacional. Diaz-Canel is the first non-Castro to rule the island since Fulgencio Batista was overthrown in 1959. “I would expect myself, Maria and Mario would be their main targets again — along with Sen. Rick Scott,” Gimenez said in the interview. “I guess it’s something that we live with here in South Florida: the fact that the Cuban regime thinks that we are their enemies.” “We are their enemies. We want freedom for the Cuban people. And we won’t stop until we get freedom for the Cuban people. So, take your best shot, what can I say?” When asked whether Congress can or should act against Cuba’s efforts, Gimenez was hesitant. “I’m not sure what Congress can do about it,” he said, adding that if they were to do anything it would very likely fall in the censorship or “fact-checking” realm. He said he opposes censorship and has concerns that fact-checkers “fact-check” based inherently on their own ideological bend — suggesting such action would do more harm than good. “The responsibility really lies with the people and to determine what they’re reading is true or false,” he said. “So, I’m not concerned about it that much.” At the other end of the Tamiami Trail, Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., also condemned Cuba’s behavior. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “The Communist Cuban regime is an oppressive dictatorship that has inflicted unimaginable horrors on the Cuban people,” the Naples lawmaker said. “In South Florida, we stand for freedom. In South Florida, we stand for human rights. And in South Florida, we will never surrender to the evils of communism,” he said. Donalds said such election interference from across the Florida Straits should never be tolerated. Fox News Digital reached out to the ODNI for comment, and was provided a copy of the agency’s report on foreign election “threats” during the 2022 cycle — wherein Cuba was cataloged beside Iran, China and Russia. Much of the report was redacted, but in unredacted pieces of the Cuba section, the agency assessed that Havana tried to undermine “electoral prospects of specific U.S. congressional and gubernatorial politicians it perceived as hostile.” The report indicated that political parties across the board, including Republicans and Democrats, were the focal points of attention. It further highlighted that South Florida’s heightened interest in the island nation made it a particularly susceptible hotspot for influence. Another angle the Cuban government has sought to influence American voters has been through the media. According to the report, they have sought to build relationships with journalists who share their opposing views of Congress’ Cuba critics. Gimenez said that sounded like a good strategy for the malign regime, while quipping, “The fact they can find useful idiots in the American media — that’s a problem for the useful idiots.”
Schumer silent on Biden oil purchase after blasting Trump for ‘bailing out Big Oil’
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., didn’t criticize President Biden’s Department of Energy for a massive oil purchase to help replenish the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), despite slamming former President Trump in 2020 for attempting to include a similar purchase in a stimulus package. The DOE announced a 4.65 million barrel oil purchase on Monday for the purpose of working to replenish the SPR, which has been tapped by the Biden administration to assist with high gas prices. The department bought the oil for an average price of $77. GOP, DEM SENATORS UNITE TO CONDEMN ‘HORRIFYING’ TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT “From the beginning, this administration has put the economic and energy security of the American people first. This milestone is a proof point that when the Biden-Harris Administration makes and implements a plan, we deliver for the American people,” Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said in a statement. “As promised, we have secured the 180 million barrels back to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve released in response to Putin’s war in Ukraine – and we accomplished this while getting a good deal for taxpayers and maintaining the readiness of the world’s largest Strategic Petroleum Reserve,” she continued. SCHUMER WON’T COMMIT TO SENATE VOTES FOR BIDEN’S LONG-SHOT RADICAL SCOTUS OVERHAUL There was little response to the oil purchase, which was not heavily advertised by the president or the White House. For Democrat and Republican lawmakers, it went largely undetected as the investigation into the failures that led to the attempted assassination of Trump earlier this month attracted most of their attention. Further, two key pieces of legislation related to online safety for minors and a potential expansion to the child tax credit were slated for votes during the week, drawing additional attention away. TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT: NEW TEXTS SHOW LOCAL POLICE SCRAMBLE TO ASSIST WITH COVERING RALLY Schumer’s office did not provide comment to Fox News Digital when asked if there was a difference between Trump and Biden’s oil purchases for the SPR and whether the president was similarly “bailing out” large oil companies. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Trump’s administration sought to include $3 billion for purchasing oil to replenish the SPR at a low price in the $2 trillion pandemic stimulus package. Oil was roughly $30 per barrel in March 2020 as prices trended sharply downward. The Trump administration’s proposal was ultimately excluded from the final draft of the legislation following significant push back from Democrats. CORNYN DRIVES RECORD FUNDRAISING AS SENATE LEADER RACE TO SUCCEED MCCONNELL DRAWS NEAR Schumer had referred to the Trump administration’s request as a “$3 billion bailout for big oil,” as reported at the time by Roll Call. The Trump campaign did not provide comment to Fox News Digital.
Senate passes bill to protect kids online and make tech companies accountable for harmful content
The Senate overwhelmingly passed legislation Tuesday that is designed to protect children from dangerous online content, pushing forward with what would be the first major effort by Congress in decades to hold tech companies more accountable for the harm that they cause. The bill, which passed 91-3, has been pushed by parents of children who died by suicide after online bullying or have otherwise been harmed by online content. It would force companies to take reasonable steps to prevent harm on online platforms frequently used by minors, requiring them to exercise “duty of care” and ensure that they generally default to the safest settings possible. KIDS AND SMARTPHONES: HOW YOUNG IS TOO YOUNG? EXPERTS REVEAL IMPORTANT RECOMMENDATIONS The House has not yet acted on the bill, but Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has said he is “committed to working to find consensus.” Supporters are hoping that the strong Senate vote will push the House to act before the end of the congressional session in January. The legislation is about allowing children, teens and parents “to take back control of their lives online,” said Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, who wrote the bill with Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee. He said that the message to big tech companies is that “we no longer trust you to make decisions for us.” The bill would be the first major tech regulation package to move in years, and it could potentially pave the way for other bills that would strengthen online privacy laws or set parameters for the growing use of artificial intelligence, among others. While there has long been bipartisan support for the idea that the biggest technology companies should face more government scrutiny, there has been little consensus on how it should be done. Congress passed legislation earlier this year that would force China-based social media company TikTok to sell or face a ban, but that law only targets one company. “This is a good first step, but we have more to go,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. If the child safety bill becomes law, companies would be required to mitigate harm to children, including bullying and violence, the promotion of suicide, eating disorders, substance abuse, sexual exploitation and advertisements for illegal products such as narcotics, tobacco or alcohol. To do that, social media platforms would have to provide minors with options to protect their information, disable addictive product features and opt out of personalized algorithmic recommendations. They would also be required to limit other users from communicating with children and limit features that “increase, sustain, or extend the use” of the platform — such as autoplay for videos or platform rewards. The idea, Blumenthal and Blackburn say, is for the platforms to be “safe by design.” “The message we are sending to big tech is that kids are not your product,” Blackburn said at a news conference as the Senate passed the bill. “Kids are not your profit source. And we are going to protect them in the virtual space.” Several tech companies, including Microsoft, X and Snap, have supported the legislation. But NetChoice, a a tech industry group that represents X and Snap, along with Google, TikTok and Meta Platforms, called it unconstitutional. Carl Szabo, a vice president and counsel for the group, said in a statement that the law’s “cybersecurity, censorship, and constitutional risks remain unaddressed.” He did not elaborate. Blumenthal and Blackburn have said they worked to find a balance between forcing companies to become more responsible for what children see online while also ensuring that Congress does not go too far in regulating what individuals post — an effort to head off potential legal challenges and win over lawmakers who worry that regulation could impose on freedom of expression. In addition to First Amendment concerns, some critics have said the legislation could harm kids who wouldn’t be able to access information on LGBTQ+ issues or reproductive rights — although the bill has been revised to address many of those criticisms, and major LGBTQ+ groups have decided to support the proposed legislation. The bill also includes an update to child privacy laws that prohibit online companies from collecting personal information from users under 13, raising that age to 17. It would also ban targeted advertising to teenagers and allow teens or guardians to delete a minor’s personal information. Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey, sponsored the original legislation in 1998 — the last time Congress passed a child online safety law — and worked with Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana on the update. Markey said that the online space “has come a long way” since the first bill and new tools are needed for parents as teens have struggled with mental health. As their bill stalled for several months, Blumenthal and Blackburn worked closely with the parents of children who have been harmed by social media — either by cyberbullying or social media challenges, extortion attempts, eating disorders, drug deals or other potential dangers. At an emotional news conference last week, the parents said they were pleased that the Senate is finally moving ahead with the legislation. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER Maurine Molak, the mother of a 16-year-old who died by suicide after “months of relentless and threatening cyberbullying,” said she believes the bill can save lives. She urged every senator to vote for it. “Anyone who believes that children’s well-being and safety should come before big tech’s greed ought to put their mark on this historic legislation,” Molak said.
Biden top adviser Anita Dunn leaves White House for super PAC supporting Harris
President Biden’s senior adviser Anita Dunn, who has longtime ties to former President Barack Obama, is leaving the White House to join a top Democratic super PAC to support its efforts to elect Vice President Harris in November, Fox News has learned. Dunn served as a political strategist and adviser to Biden on his 2020 campaign and served in the White House during his first term. “Four years ago, when I launched my campaign for the battle for the soul of our nation, I was grateful Anita Dunn was right there with me. I’ve known Anita throughout my career,” Biden said in a statement Tuesday. “She’s served our nation through three Administrations and countless campaigns for candidates at every level. She’s not only a key senior member of our team that helped us win a historic election in 2020 – she’s also been an invaluable part of our White House.” KAMALA HARRIS’ TREATMENT OF STAFF UNDER SCRUTINY AS REPORTS OF POOR OFFICE CULTURE RESURFACE Biden said Dunn is “tough and tested, and her experience and intellect have helped us deliver historic results for the American people.” “I deeply value her counsel and friendship and I will continue to rely on her partnership and insights as we finish the job over the next six months,” Biden said. Dunn said it has been “an honor and privilege to serve in this White House, with this President and this team, during this transformational term.” Fox News has learned that Dunn is joining Future Forward, the super PAC, and will help with their efforts on behalf of Harris as the presumptive Democratic nominee. It’s unclear what specific role Dunn will be assuming at Future Forward or what her duties will entail. Before joining the White House, Dunn served as a senior adviser on Biden’s presidential campaign. A source told Fox News that Dunn was widely credited with having steered the 2020 Biden campaign “so ably” after Iowa and New Hampshire – an interim period before then-Biden campaign manager Jen O’Malley Dillon was brought on board. Dunn also previously served as a chief strategist for Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign and then served as his White House communications director until 2009. But sources told Fox News that Dunn was effectively exiled from Biden’s inner circle in the days and weeks following his disastrous debate performance against former President Trump in June. Dunn played a heavy role in preparing Biden for that showdown. A source told Fox News that when Biden decided to announce the suspension of his re-election campaign amid pressure from within the Democratic Party after the debate, Dunn found out about his decision just one minute before the public – on a call with the rest of Biden’s staff. HARRIS NOW BACKING AWAY FROM SEVERAL FAR-LEFT STANCES SHE ONCE PROMOTED Multiple sources told Fox News there was a long-standing rift between Hunter Biden, Dunn, and Dunn’s husband, Bob Bauer. Bauer had advocated that Biden keep his son’s legal issues far away from the White House. After the debate, sources said Hunter “got his way” and the inner circle began to exclude Dunn. A source familiar with Dunn’s exit said she could have remained in her role should she have chosen to.
Tech groups challenge Texas law requiring parental consent for kids’ social media accounts
In a lawsuit, the industry groups argue a new state law violates First Amendment free speech rights.
New Secret Service chief grilled on ‘pattern of negligence’ within agency after Trump assassination attempt
FIRST ON FOX: A group of House Republicans is accusing the U.S. Secret Service of a potential “pattern of negligence” amid continued fallout over the attempted assassination of former President Trump. Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., is leading a letter to acting USSS Director Ronald Rowe raising alarms about a recent report suggesting the agency could be facing some negative revelations in a forthcoming Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Inspector General report about the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. “It is unfathomable that an assassin was able to gain access to and fire shots at President Trump from an unsecure building with a direct line of sight to the rally stage. It is equally unfathomable that public reporting suggests that U.S. Secret Service had identified the building as a potential vulnerability and failed to include that vulnerability within the security perimeter or otherwise ensure the security of the roof,” the lawmakers wrote of the July 13 shooting at Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. TRUMP SHOOTING: TIMELINE OF ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW GUNMAN EVADED SECURITY The letter then pivoted to a Politico report, stating, “Public reporting indicates that the Secret Service is in possession of a draft report by the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General (DHS OIG) focused on Secret Service’s preparation for and response to events on January 6, 2021.” “The story specifically states that the release of the report ‘could cast light on a series of embarrassing security lapses for the agency,’” the letter said. “Congress, and the American people, deserve to understand whether the security lapses at the July 13, 2024, rally are part of a larger pattern of negligence on the part of the Secret Service.” TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT: TEXTS REVEAL OFFICERS WERE AWARE OF THOMAS CROOKS 90 MINUTES BEFORE SHOOTING Republicans are asking Rowe for a summary of the DHS watchdog report’s findings and recommendations for the Secret Service, and how those steps were carried out ahead of the Trump rally shooting, by July 31. The letter is also signed by Reps. Eli Crane, R-Ariz., and Harriet Hageman, R-Wyo. The Secret Service has been under a mountain of scrutiny in the wake of the shooting, which saw a 20-year-old gunman kill one rally attendee and critically injure two others. Trump himself was shot in the ear and rushed offstage by security agents. TRUMP RALLY SHOOTING VICTIMS’ FAMILIES BREAK SILENCE, THANK COMMUNITY FOR ‘OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT’ The pushback led to the resignation of former Director Kimberly Cheatle last week after a heated House Oversight Committee hearing. Rowe testified in an equally high-pressure scenario before the Senate on Tuesday, where he told lawmakers on the Homeland Security and Judiciary committees that the rally shooting was a “failure” of his agency. Fox News Digital reached out to the Secret Service for comment.
Potential Harris VP pick ripped for ‘weird’ socialism comparison to ‘neighborliness’
Minnesota’s Democratic Gov. Tim Walz was blasted on social media after telling a group of Democrats that socialism is what some people would call “neighborliness.” “Don’t ever shy away from our progressive values,” the Minnesota Democrat said on a “White Dudes for Harris” call on Monday night. “One person’s socialism is another person’s neighborliness.” The comment was widely criticized by conservatives on Twitter, including Manhattan Institute senior fellow Ilya Shapiro, who responded on X with “weird,” a reference to recent Democratic attacks against GOP presidential candidate JD Vance and former President Trump. “Neighborliness killed members of my family,” journalist Karol Markowicz posted on X. BLACK MALE VOTERS HAVE SURPRISING REACTION DURING MSNBC ROUNDTABLE WHEN ASKED ABOUT COMMUNITY TRUMP SUPPORT “One person’s gulag is another person’s vacation home,” conservative commentator Ryan James Girdusky posted on X. “Oozing of desperation from the man who let Minneapolis burn for days,” former Minnesota gubernatorial candidate Mike Murphy posted on X. “Send this guy to campaign in South Florida,” National Review’s Jim Geraghty posted on X. KAMALA HARRIS’ TREATMENT OF STAFF UNDER SCRUTINY AS REPORTS OF POOR OFFICE CULTURE RESURFACE “Socialism = ‘neighborliness’ for the freakish Left… Shows how far we’ve fallen that the Governor of one of our states feels free to say this,” American Majority CEO Ned Ryun posted on X. “Taking people’s stuff at gunpoint doesn’t make you a good neighbor,” Nate Madden, an adviser to Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, posted on X. Fox News Digital reached out to Walz’s office for comment but did not receive a response. Walz is widely believed to be on VP Kamala Harris’ short list for vice president and it was reported Tuesday that she is expected to make her decision by next week. “Whether he makes it or not, there’s no doubt MN Gov. @Tim_Walz is running the most aggressive campaign for VP in the field,” former Obama adviser David Axelrod said this week. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
Harris’ running mate faces renewed scrutiny after his ‘weird’ socialism comparison resurfaces
Minnesota’s Democratic Gov. Tim Walz was blasted last week on social media after telling a group of Democrats that socialism is what some people would call “neighborliness” in a clip that has received renewed attention after he was announced as VP Kamala Harris’ 2024 running mate on Tuesday morning. “Don’t ever shy away from our progressive values,” the Minnesota Democrat said on a “White Dudes for Harris” call last week. “One person’s socialism is another person’s neighborliness.” The comment was widely criticized by conservatives on Twitter, including Manhattan Institute senior fellow Ilya Shapiro, who responded on X with “weird,” a reference to recent Democratic attacks against GOP presidential candidate JD Vance and former President Trump. “Neighborliness killed members of my family,” journalist Karol Markowicz posted on X. BLACK MALE VOTERS HAVE SURPRISING REACTION DURING MSNBC ROUNDTABLE WHEN ASKED ABOUT COMMUNITY TRUMP SUPPORT The clip resurfaced on Tuesday morning shortly after Walz was named as Harris’ VP pick. “This is the most radical ticket in American history,” GOP Senator Mike Lee posted on X. “This is the most extreme ticket in history,” the Senate Republicans X account posted. KAMALA HARRIS’ TREATMENT OF STAFF UNDER SCRUTINY AS REPORTS OF POOR OFFICE CULTURE RESURFACE “Walz’s statement that socialism is mere ‘neighborliness’ is a lie that disregards the harsh realities countless families have faced under socialist regimes,” Virginia Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares posted on X. “My own family members were arrested and jailed in Cuba, victims of a system that masquerades oppression as community care,” he continued. “Socialism crushes any form of dissent, stripping away freedoms, ultimately failing to deliver on its ‘promises’. This is a direct threat to our American ideals.” “The single great self-damning quote against a progressive I’ve seen in a long time!” Author Justin Hart posted on X. Fox News Digital reached out to Walz’s office and the Harris campaign for comment but did not receive a response. Walz, 60, was named Harris’ running mate after weeks of speculation where many pundits believed Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro would ultimately be selected. Walz is a former U.S. Army National Guard member and a former teacher who has raised his profile in recent weeks as an effective advocate for Harris. He grew up in a small town in Nebraska, and was also a football coach and union member at a high school in Minnesota before getting into politics. Recently, he attacked former President Trump and his running mate JD Vance as “weird,” a viral insult the Harris campaign has embraced. A former member of Congress from a Republican-leaning district, Walz has proven appeal with rural, white voters, though he has also championed progressive policies as governor, such as free school meals and expanded paid worker leave. While Minnesota is a solidly Democratic state, it is close to Wisconsin and Michigan, two crucial battlegrounds. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub. Reuters contributed to this report
Project 2025 leader steps down amid criticism from Trump
The leader of the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 has stepped down amid unrelenting criticism of the program from former President Donald Trump and Democrats’ continued efforts to link Trump’s campaign to the project. Billed by Heritage as a blueprint for a future Republican administration to restructure many parts of the U.S. government, Project 2025, also known as the Presidential Transition Project, launched in April 2022 and is not associated with Trump’s campaign. Trump called the program “absolutely ridiculous and abysmal” as the then-Biden campaign was zeroing in, pointing to the 900-page conservative plan to steer voters away from a second Trump administration. TRUMP SLAMS HERITAGE FOUNDATION’S TRANSITION PLAN, CLAIMS PARTS ARE ‘RIDICULOUS’ AND ‘ABYSMAL’ Kevin Roberts, president of Heritage, issued a statement Monday confirming that the project’s leader, Paul Dans, would be stepping down. HERITAGE RECOMMENDS DOJ, FBI OVERHAUL FOR NEXT GOP PRESIDENT TO END ‘RADICAL LIBERAL AGENDA’ “Under Paul Dans’ leadership, Project 2025 has completed exactly what it set out to do: bringing together over 110 leading conservative organizations to create a unified conservative vision, motivated to devolve power from the unelected administrative state, and returning it to the people. This tool was built for any future administration to use,” said Roberts. CONSERVATIVE ORG PREPARES AGGRESSIVE PLAN FOR DHS OVERHAUL IF REPUBLICANS WIN WHITE HOUSE IN 2024 “When we began Project 2025 in April 2022, we set a timeline for the project to conclude its policy drafting after the two party conventions this year, and we are sticking to that timeline. Paul, who built the project from scratch and bravely led this endeavor over the past two years, will be departing the team and moving up to the front where the fight remains,” he continued. “We are extremely grateful for his and everyone’s work on Project 2025 and dedication to saving America. Our collective efforts to build a personnel apparatus for policymakers of all levels—federal, state, and local—will continue,” he said.
VP Kamala Harris could name one of these 5 Democrats as her running mate
Vice President Kamala Harris could name her running mate as soon as later this week or next week. Harris quickly coalesced Democratic Party support in the two days after President Biden’s blockbuster July 21 announcement that he was ending his 2024 re-election bid against former President Trump and endorsing his vice president. With Harris now considered the party’s presumptive presidential nominee – thanks to what her campaign says are verbal commitments of support from a majority of the delegates attending the upcoming Democratic National Convention in Chicago – focus has now turned to whom she’ll choose as her running mate. A number of the politicians considered near the top of her list have been campaigning on behalf of the vice president the past few days. 2024 AD WARS: TRUMP, HARRIS, RACE TO DEFINE THE VICE PRESIDENT A couple of potential contenders – such as North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer – in recent days have taken their names out of the mix. But with the clock ticking toward the expected announcement, here are five top Democrats who are believed to still be in contention to serve as the vice president’s running mate. The 60-year-old Kelly, a former Navy pilot and NASA astronaut, has represented swing state Arizona in the Senate since 2020. He won a special election to succeed the late GOP Sen. John McCain, becoming the first Democrat in four decades to hold the seat. Kelly easily won re-election in 2022. HOW LONG WILL THE HARRIS ‘HONEYMOON’ IN THE POLLS LAST? As a border-state Democrat, Kelly has highlighted his differences with the Biden-Harris administration when it comes to combating the influx of migrants over the southern border with Mexico. That could come in handy as the Trump campaign and Republicans repeatedly blast Biden and Harris over the issue of border security. Kelly is the husband of former Rep. Gabby Giffords of Arizona, who was severely injured in a 2011 shooting and has become a prominent gun safety advocate. BORDER SENATOR EYED AS VP PICK COULD HELP HARRIS WITH KEY WEAKNESS The senator would not only help Harris with the electoral map and the message, but also with the money. Kelly is a proven fundraiser who hauled in nearly $90 million for his 2022 re-election, when he won a full term in the Senate. Shapiro, 51, served six years as Pennsylvania’s attorney general before winning election as governor in 2022. If named to the ticket, it’s likely the governor would give the Democrats a boost in Pennsylvania, a crucial northeastern battleground state. Shapiro could also make history as the first Jewish vice president in the nation’s history. The governor, who has been campaigning on behalf of Harris in Pennsylvania the past few days, obviously helps her with the map, but also with money, as Shapiro raised big bucks for his 2022 gubernatorial victory and has continued to build strong bonds with top dollar national donors. The 60-year-old Walz is in his second term as governor of Minnesota, a state that Democrats have reliably won in presidential elections but which is now considered to be competitive. Walz can also showcase a slew of progressive policy victories, including protecting abortion rights, legalizing recreational marijuana and restricting gun access. While Minnesota isn’t considered a top battleground state, the Trump campaign since the spring has signaled that it would try to put the state in play. But having the plainspoken Walz on the national ticket could also help Harris in the two neighboring Midwestern swing states – Wisconsin and Michigan. And Walz, the chair of the Democratic Governors Association, has helped steer the organization to record-breaking fundraising this year. The former South Bend, Indiana, mayor went from long shot to a top contender for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. As transportation secretary, the 42-year-old Buttigieg has been one of Biden’s most visible Cabinet members, often speaking out on behalf of the administration in TV interviews. Buttigieg, a Rhodes scholar who also served in the war in Afghanistan, made history as the first openly gay person confirmed to a presidential Cabinet position. While Indiana is solidly red, Buttigieg now calls neighboring battleground Michigan home. He’s also a veteran of the Sunday talk shows and cable news networks, who would help Harris with the message, and has presidential level fundraising experience from his 2020 White House bid. The 46-year-old Beshear was elected attorney general in 2015 and four years later won election as governor in deep red Kentucky. Last November, he was re-elected by five points in a state Biden lost by 26 points in 2020. Beshear is following in his father’s footsteps. Steve Beshear won election and re-election as Kentucky governor in 2007 and 2011. The younger Beshear has been effective in keeping his distance from the national party by focusing on state issues and highlighting economic progress and his handling of natural disasters. But he’s also spotlighted his support for abortion rights and his progress on health care and education. While Beshear on the ticket wouldn’t help Harris with the map – Kentucky’s bright red in presidential elections – he’s drawn stark contrasts with Trump running mate Sen. JD Vance in interviews the past week, which could help with the message. As for the money, Beshear has built bonds with national donors. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.