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In bruising battle with Trump, Harris urges supporters to not ‘pay too much attention to the polls’

In bruising battle with Trump, Harris urges supporters to not ‘pay too much attention to the polls’

SAVANNAH, Ga. — She’s been riding a wave of energy and momentum since replacing President Biden atop the Democrats’ 2024 presidential ticket nearly six weeks ago, but Vice President Harris is urging caution in her battle against former President Trump. “This is going to be a tight race until the very end,” Harris told supporters on Thursday at a packed arena in this historic coastal city in Georgia, one of seven crucial battleground states that will likely determine the outcome of the presidential election. Harris, speaking after a slew of polls released over the past 24 hours indicated a margin-of-error race in the key swing states and new national surveys suggested Harris with the edge, told the crowd at Savannah’s Enmarket Arena “let’s not pay too much attention to the polls because we are running as the underdog.” “We have some hard work ahead of us. But we like hard work. Hard work is good work,” Harris said to cheers. “And with your help, we are going to win this November.” NEW FOX NEWS POLL NUMBERS IN 4 KEY BATTLEGROUND STATES For much of this year, polls suggested a close contest between President Biden and Trump as they faced off in a rematch of their 2020 showdown. But Trump opened up a small but significant lead in the weeks after the president’s disastrous performance against his predecessor in their late-June debate showdown in Atlanta. But Harris has enjoyed a surge, both in polling and in fundraising, since replacing Biden after her boss in a blockbuster announcement ended his re-election campaign on July 21. KAMALA HARRIS DEFENDS POLICY REVERSALS AS SHE SITS FOR HER FIRST INTERVIEW SINCE REPLACING BIDEN ATOP DEMOCRATS’ 2024 TICKET Harris’ rally in Savannah came at the end of a two-day swing through parts of southeastern Georgia with her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. And she arrived at the arena about two hours after sitting for her first network interview since becoming the Democrats’ standard-bearer. Georgia had long been a reliably red state in White House elections until Biden narrowly edged Trump in 2020 to become the first Democrat in nearly three decades to capture the state. And in runoff elections two months later, the Democrats flipped both of the state’s GOP-held Senate seats. But fast-forward to this summer, as Biden was facing a rising chorus of calls from within his own party to end his 2024 bid, Trump built a lead in Georgia. Harris’ trip this week sends a signal that Democrats feel the state is once again in play. “Georgia, for the past two election cycles, voters in this very state … have delivered,” Harris told the crowd. “You did that, and so now we are asking you to do it again,” she said. “Let’s do it again.” THIS STATE MAY DECIDE THE 2024 SHOWDOWN BETWEEN HARRIS AND TRUMP Georgia’s popular two-term conservative governor agrees that his state’s very competitive. “Certainly this is a battleground state,” Gov. Brian Kemp said during a Fox News Digital interview on Tuesday. “I’ve been saying for a long time that the road to the White House is going to run through Georgia. And there’s no path for former President Trump to win, or any Republican … to get to 270 without Georgia,” Kemp said. But Kemp, who on Thursday headlined a fundraiser in Atlanta for Trump, added that Georgia “should be one that we win if we have all the mechanics that we need. And I’m working hard to help provide those in a lot of ways and turn the Republican vote out and make sure that we win this state in November.” The vice president, in her rally, reiterated her themes of preserving democracy, increasing access to affordable health care and child care, and protecting abortion access. But Harris was interrupted twice during her rally by demonstrators protesting the Biden-Harris administration’s stance in support of Israel in its deadly war with Hamas in Gaza. Both protesters were removed as the crowd cheered and chanted, “Kamala, Kamala.” Harris paused her speech, saying that people “have a right” to be heard. And then she addressed the conflict in the Mideast, saying “the president and I are working around the clock. … We’ve got to get a hostage deal and get a cease-fire done now.” Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Trump signals support for changing Florida heartbeat bill: ‘need more time’

Trump signals support for changing Florida heartbeat bill: ‘need more time’

Former President Donald Trump said Florida’s six-week abortion ban “is too short,” signaling he could vote in favor of a ballot initiative to overturn the six-week ban on abortions in the state.  “I think the six-week is too short, there has to be more time,” Trump told an NBC News reporter when asked how he will vote on Florida’s Amendment 4 that will appear on the ballot for November elections. “I’ve told them that I want more weeks,” he continued.  The reporter then pressed if Trump will vote in favor of the amendment. “I am going to be voting that we need more than six weeks. Look, just so you understand, everybody wanted Roe v. Wade terminated for years, 52 years. I got it done. They wanted it to go back to the states. Exceptions are very important for me, for Ronald Reagan, for others that have navigated this very, very interesting and difficult path,” Trump responded.  JD VANCE VOWS TRUMP WOULD NOT IMPOSE FEDERAL ABORTION BAN, VETO IT IF COMES ACROSS DESK The Trump campaign told Fox News Digital on Thursday evening that the 45th president has not yet revealed how he will vote on the Amendment.  “President Trump has not yet said how he will vote on the ballot initiative in Florida, he simply reiterated that he believes six weeks is too short,” Trump campaign national press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.  HARRIS REPEATS DEBUNKED CLAIM TRUMP WANTS TO ‘BAN’ ABORTION DURING FIRST CAMPAIGN RALLY SINCE BIDEN QUIT RACE Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed The Heartbeat Protection Act into law last year, which banned most abortions after six weeks of gestation. This year, Florida residents will vote on Amendment 4, Right to Abortion Initiative, which works to overturn the ban.  “No law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider. This amendment does not change the Legislature’s constitutional authority to require notification to a parent or guardian before a minor has an abortion,” the amendment reads.  Trump also addressed the interview and his remarks regarding Amendement 4 during an event in Potterville, Michigan, on Thursday when he  “She asked me about abortion. And I handled it very nicely. Because you know what? That’s so overplayed. We have abortion. We have the whole thing brought back into the states where it belongs. That’s where everybody wanted it for years and years and years, and they are voting on it,” he said of the interview with NBC News.  “And I happen to believe in the exceptions Ronald Reagan did, for life of the mother, rape, incest. The exceptions – probably 90% of the people [support exceptions]. But, you know, I was just telling this reporter the real problem, and the real radicals on that issue are the Democrats. Where you can have an abortion in the ninth month. And in six states, you’re allowed to kill the baby after the baby is born,” he added.  THREE HARRIS DNC ATTACK LINES AGAINST TRUMP THAT WERE INACCURATE OR FALSE Republicans and religious leaders in the state have railed against the pro-choice amendment in Florida, including DeSantis who said the amendment potentially passing would represent “the end of the pro-life movement.”  “If you care about building a culture of life in this state or this country, them winning in Florida I think really represents the end of the pro-life movement,” DeSantis said earlier this month during an event at Jesuit High School in Tampa, the Tampa Bay Times reported.  “If you look at the state of Florida, we do not have a pro-life majority,” DeSantis warned. “We’ve got a big chunk, but we don’t have a majority. If only people that are pro-life oppose it, it very well might pass.” Catholic leaders in the state have also slammed the amendment as “extremely grave” and urged all “Floridians of goodwill” to vote against it.  “We urge all Floridians of goodwill to stand against the legalization of late-term abortion and oppose the abortion amendment. In doing so, we will not only protect the weakest, most innocent, and defenseless of human life among us but also countless women throughout the state from the harms of abortion,” said the Catholic bishops of Florida in a statement on Amendment 4. TRUMP SAYS PROJECT 2025 ‘GOES WAY TOO FAR’ WITH ABORTION RESTRICTIONS Trump had previously voiced his displeasure with DeSantis signing the ban on abortion after six weeks last year, calling it a “terrible mistake” and “terrible thing.”  The 45th president’s comments come as Vice President Kamala Harris and her 2024 presidential campaign claim Trump would impose a federal abortion ban if re-elected to the White House, which Harris cited in her nomination acceptance speech last week at the DNC in Chicago.  SOFTENED ABORTION LANGUAGE IN TRUMP-APPROVED GOP PLATFORM IRKS SOME SOCIAL CONSERVATIVES “Children who have survived sexual assault, potentially being forced to carry a pregnancy to term. This is what’s happening in our country because of Donald Trump. And understand, he is not done. As a part of his agenda, he and his allies would limit access to birth control, ban medication abortion and enact a nationwide abortion ban, with or without Congress,” Harris said.  Trump has denied that he would impose a federal abortion ban, instead advocating that abortion laws be left up to individual states.  Ohio Sen. JD Vance, Trump’s 2024 running mate, also addressed Democrats’ claims that Trump would impose a federal ban if re-elected in an interview on Sunday.  “Democrats made the case this week, and beyond this week, that Donald Trump, if elected, will impose a federal ban on abortion if he wins. Now, Donald Trump says he won’t. But can you commit, senator, sitting right here with me today, that if you and Donald Trump are elected, that you will not impose a federal ban on abortion?” “Meet the Press” host Kristen Welker asked Vance in an interview that aired Sunday.  “I can absolutely commit

Bedminster drafts VIP security plan after Trump assassination attempt

Bedminster drafts VIP security plan after Trump assassination attempt

Federal, state and local officials convened a meeting in New Jersey Thursday focused on improving protection for “high-profile figures” and ensuring financial support to communities like Bedminster, which was not used to funding such endeavors. State Sen. Doug Steinhardt, R-Belvidere, convened the meeting in Bedminster, where Trump owns a golf club he frequently visits. It featured officials from the township; Rep. Tom Kean Jr., R-N.J.; law enforcement; and other leaders. Steinhardt, a former NJGOP chair who represents Trump’s club, said the assassination attempt in neighboring Pennsylvania prompted him to organize all potential stakeholders in this way. “President Trump has been a champion for our country, and it’s our duty to ensure his safety and the safety of all our leaders,” Steinhardt said.  TRUMP ASSASSINATION TASK FORCE REBUFFS PARALLEL CONGRESSIONAL PROBE “The recent attack is a stark reminder of the growing threats they face. We cannot allow our communities to bear the financial burden of these enhanced security measures alone.” Steinhardt later told Fox News Digital after the meeting that he and the other stakeholders took a “significant step in the right direction.” “[We] reaffirmed that when high-profile figures visit our towns, the financial burden of providing enhanced security shouldn’t fall on local taxpayers,” Steinhardt said.  “As we move forward, I’m optimistic that we can strike the delicate balance required for Secret Service and local communities to protect leaders like President Trump during this period of heightened political unrest.” When asked about the meeting, Kean’s office cited legislation freshly drafted by the lawmaker that would authorize the Secret Service to reimburse state and local governments when their resources are used to coordinate VIP security. The agency had come under scrutiny after the Butler incident for allegations it did not properly work with the Pennsylvania State Police and other agencies to prevent a threat like shooter Thomas Crooks. Bedminster Mayor Larry Jacobs said in a statement he called Kean when the Secret Service requested township resources to help protect Trump’s club. BUTLER LAWMAKER SLAMS ‘INAPPROPRIATE’ TREATMENT OF LOCAL POLICE AFTER TRUMP INCIDENT: ‘THROWN UNDER THE BUS’ “Bedminster has always been willing to step up and answer the call to keep every resident in our town safe, and that includes the former president,” Jacobs said. The rural community, at the crossroads of interstates 78 and 287 in the middle of the state, was not used to budgeting that kind of appropriation. “We fully appreciate the Secret Service’s request, especially in light of the July 13 assassination attempt. However, this request could easily run into six figures and is simply too much for our small town to foot,” Jacobs said, calling Kean’s Presidential Security Resources Reimbursement Act the right solution. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP A Somerset County official echoed those sentiments in her own statement shared by Kean. Particularly in the time since New York state has pursued Trump in court, the former president has appeared to frequent his Bedminster club more than his namesake tower about an hour to the east. With that trend likely to continue, properly securing the Raritan Valley and providing the resources to local and state concerns to do so remains paramount, officials added.