Matt Gaetz survives revenge primary amid Kevin McCarthy feud
Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz survived a primary challenge Tuesday backed by his nemesis, former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. McCarthy spent $3 million on Aaron Dimmock’s campaign against Gaetz. Dimmock is a former Navy aviator and director of the Missouri Leadership Academy. Last year, Gaetz led a group of eight Republicans to oust McCarthy from the speakership with the help of Democratic members, spawning a feud between the two. McCarthy’s attacks on Gaetz stem from a House Ethics Committee investigation into alleged sexual misconduct and drug use. But the allegations aren’t new, and Gaetz had a loyal following in his district, making Tuesday’s result the likely outcome. KEVIN MCCARTHY SAYS MATT GAETZ SHOULD GET PROFESSIONAL HELP AFTER VIRAL SPAT: ‘HE LOOKS VERY UNHINGED’ As of this summer, Gaetz is still under investigation by the House Ethics Committee. The bipartisan committee, led by Rep. Michael Guest, R-Miss., issued a statement in June saying that it needs to further review allegations against Gaetz involving sexual misconduct, illicit drug use and accepting improper gifts. WHY MEMBERS OF CONGRESS DECIDE THEY ‘GOTTA GET OUT OF THIS PLACE’ The committee also accused Gaetz of being uncooperative with its probe and said it had “difficulty in obtaining relevant information” from him. Gaetz has denied all the allegations. STRATEGISTS PIN GOP SENATE HOPES ON TRUMP BASE COMING ‘HOME’ AHEAD OF ELECTION
Biden’s preferred candidate, Mucarsel-Powell, wins Florida Dem Senate primary
The South Florida Democrat who previously held the title of first Ecuadorian American in Congress has defeated her primary challengers as she seeks the seat currently held by Republican Sen. Rick Scott. Former Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell was projected to win the Democrat primary on Tuesday evening, according to the Associated Press. Scott, won his own contested race Tuesday, has led Mucarsel-Powell in a likely matchup by mid single-digits in recent polls. Biden has endorsed Mucarsel-Powell, previously referring to her as Florida’s “next U.S. senator.” Mucarsel-Powell immigrated to the U.S. as a teenager and won the Florida Keys-centric seat currently held by Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., for one term in 2018. She previously worked in the nonprofit sector. Her challenger, Stanley Campbell, appeared to focus his campaign directly on Scott, expressing confidence he would win the nomination. “I’m going to beat Rick Scott like he stole something,” Campbell said during a recent visit to a Baptist church, according to the Florida Phoenix. FLASHBACK: GOP FLIPS FLORIDA CONGRESSIONAL SEAT, SPEAKING TO DEMOCRAT STRUGGLES IN SOUTHERN TIP OF STATE He has criticized the fact that many Democrats were already calling Mucarsel-Powell the “nominee” prior to Tuesday’s contest, the outlet reported. Veteran and community organizer Rod Joseph highlighted his military service on his campaign website and said he had been nicknamed “The Truth” for “steadfast adherence to honesty and integrity.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP A native of Haiti, Joseph said on his campaign website he wanted to ensure access to quality health care and champion criminal justice reform as “cornerstone[s]” of his mission to “foster equality, justice and opportunity for all.”
Sen Rick Scott staves off GOP challengers in key Senate primary
Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., the Sunshine State’s senior senator, successfully staved off a primary challenge Tuesday night and will be the GOP’s nominee for re-election in November. Scott, a former health care executive, also previously launched an intraparty bid to succeed Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., as the Republican leader in the upper chamber. Scott barely survived a challenge from current NASA administrator Bill Nelson by about one-eighth of a percentage point in his 2018 race. Scott now faces the winner of the Democrat primary, former Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell. RICK SCOTT RESPONDS TO BIDEN ATTACKS: UNFIT FOR OFFICE A noted swing state for decades, Florida has been increasingly shifting comfortably toward the Republican column in recent races. In 2000, the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Bush v. Gore put an end to the tallying of “hanging chads” on paper ballots as the Sunshine State narrowly went to pick then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush in the presidential election. These days, the state has reliably re-elected statewide Republicans, including Gov. Ron DeSantis, who trounced former Rep. Charlie Crist, D-Fla., in 2022. Scott has been a reliable ally of former President Trump and currently sits on the Senate Homeland Security, Budget, Aging and Armed Services committees. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP On his campaign website, primary challenger John Columbus described himself as a “modern millennial Florida man with a big dream and patriotic spirit.” Columbus said he wants America to remain a “beacon of freedom” and that a change is needed in Washington, D.C. Meanwhile, Keith Gross said he was running to buck the “Washington Uniparty” and that “spineless RINO Republicans have sold our country out to foreign nations and corrupt insiders.” Gross also plugged his support for Trump.
UAW’s Shawn Fain says he wouldn’t have spoken at RNC after DNC snubs Teamsters boss
CHICAGO– United Automobile Workers (UAW) President Shawn Fain said he would not have spoken at the Republican National Convention (RNC) last month like fellow union leader Sean O’Brien after Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign apparently snubbed the Teamsters president this week. Fain spoke with a small group of reporters on the sidelines of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) on Tuesday, the day after he gave an impassioned speech calling former President Trump a “scab” and advocating strongly for Harris’s victory. Meanwhile O’Brien told Fox News’ Neil Cavuto in a televised interview on Tuesday that he has not yet heard from Democrats about his request to speak at the convention. Fox News Digital asked Fain what he thought of the snub, and of O’Brien’s decision to speak at Trump’s convention last month — the first union boss in the RNC’s 121-year history to do so. UNION LEADER’S PROVOCATIVE RNC SPEECH DRAWS IRE FROM SOME IN ORGANIZED LABOR Fain stayed mum about his thoughts on Harris and Democrats ignoring O’Brien but said he did not fault the Teamsters leader on his decision — but said he did not see any use in doing so himself. “Sean O’Brien has his reasons for doing what he’s doing. I mean, you know, I think what he said is genuine, that he has members that he knows are going to vote that way. And you know, he’s reaching out to both parties, I just — we have a difference in philosophy on that,” Fain said. “I mean, if the Republican Party gave me a reason to believe they cared about workers, we would, you know, entertain things like that. But I don’t see any evidence of that.” Fain accused Republicans of voting against “every piece of legislation” in Congress “that pertains to making things better for working-class people.” PLANNED PARENTHOOD OFFERING FREE ABORTIONS, VASECTOMIES AT DNC “So I don’t know why I’d go stay in the Republican Convention and speak to that when they have no interest in it. I mean, if they start showing an interest in working with people, it’s one thing, but they don’t. And so, you know, I don’t, I don’t believe that. I want our members to understand there’s not any doubt where we stand in this election.” Fain added that “we don’t tell people how to vote,” but “it’s our job to put the facts in front of you and give you the proper information about what’s best for labor.” And Fain did make it clear where he stood during his Monday night speech, rousing the supportive crowd into chants calling Trump a “scab.” A UAW spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the union has sold “thousands” of shirts with the phrase since Fain’s remarks. DEMS’ SENATE CAMPAIGN CHAIR SAYS DEMS SKIPPING CONVENTION ‘KNOW WHAT’S BEST’ FOR THEM Fox News Digital reached out to the Teamsters for comments on his latest remarks. O’Brien told Fox News Channel host Neil Cavuto on Tuesday that the Harris campaign agreed to a roundtable with the Teamsters general executive board and with rank-and-file members — but said he was not taking their silence on the DNC to heart. “I could take it personally, but I honestly think maybe my invitation got lost in the U.S. Postal Service. And next time, they should try and ship a little guaranteed delivery,” O’Brien said. He also defended his appearance at the RNC, telling Fox News Channel, “Look, the the DNC failed to invite one of the most powerful unions in the country there. And, you know, I’m going to criticize them for that as well.” ‘I’m a lifelong Democrat, always will be a lifelong Democrat, and never going to change my party affiliation. Look, you heard my speech at the RNC. It was all about the American worker, all about labor. Any opportunity that I get as a leader of the greatest union in the world to showcase our value and our work to the greatest country in the world. I’m going to take that opportunity to do it. And if the far left want to criticize me and attack me, that’s okay. If the far right wants to do the same. That’s great,” O’Brien said.
Sen. Mark Kelly responds to question on serving in potential Harris Cabinet
EXCLUSIVE: Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., responded to a question about his level of interest in a Cabinet-level role in a potential Kamala Harris administration. After speaking at the Veterans and Military Families Council meeting during the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday, Kelly joined Fox News Digital for an interview about the presidential race. The Arizona senator was asked by Fox News Digital if he would be interested in serving in Vice President Kamala Harris’ cabinet if she won the presidential election in November, specifically in secretary positions in the Departments of Defense (DOD) or Homeland Security (DHS). GOP SENATORS KICK OFF TRUMP CAMPAIGN DNC COUNTER-PROGRAMMING: HARRIS ‘DOESN’T HAVE A CLUE’ “I’m focused on doing everything I possibly can over the next 77 days to make sure that Tim Walz and Kamala Harris are successful on November 5th. That’s my goal,” he said, not indicating whether he’d want to join their administration. Kelly’s answer was similar to his responses earlier this month when he was being considered and vetted as a potential running mate for Harris. He repeatedly told reporters that it wasn’t about him, and he was focused on making sure Democrats win in November. STRATEGISTS PIN GOP SENATE HOPES ON TRUMP BASE COMING ‘HOME’ AHEAD OF ELECTION The Democratic senator’s background as a 25-year Navy combat veteran puts him at a unique vantage point and makes him a very likely contender for a potential stint as the secretary of defense if he were interested. Similarly, Kelly’s role as senator of a border state, who has made clear his concerns regarding illegal immigration, could leverage his standing on a list of possible DHS secretaries. One sticking point for the Arizona Democrat in the 2024 election is respect for veterans and their families. “Do you expect somebody, Donald Trump to really care about military families when he doesn’t even care about the service members that have put their lives on the line and regard them as suckers and losers?” he asked on Tuesday. “Of course you wouldn’t.” DEM SOCIALIST SENATOR RALLIES BEHIND HARRIS’ PRICE-FIXING PLAN: ‘IMPORTANT STEP FORWARD’ However, former President Trump has denied the anonymously sourced report that said he called deceased soldiers “suckers” and “losers.” He has denied doing so, writing on Truth Social, “Only a sicko with an axe to grind would suggest that anyone would make such a statement.” But his denial hasn’t stopped opponents, Kelly and President Biden included, from holding it against him. “You need somebody who cares about our veterans and cares about our service members,” Kelly told Fox News Digital. DEM-ALIGNED GROUP HAMMERS HARRIS’ FORMER VP SHORTLISTER FOR TURNING ‘HIS BACK’ ON BLACK STUDENTS According to the senator, “a President Harris will make sure that we continue to modernize our military, to make sure our service members can win in conflicts, whether it’s in the Western Pacific, in Europe, in the Middle East, anywhere.” He further described the “tremendous amount of energy” at the DNC, where Harris is being celebrated as the new Democratic nominee for president after Biden suspended his campaign. But Kelly said the enthusiasm isn’t confined to Chicago. “Arizona is often thought of as sort of a red state,” he explained. But, “I’ve never seen any energy like this before, in that arena,” the Democrat said in reference to Harris’ recent rally in the state. “It’s hard to imagine what it’s going to be like in October. It’s going to be off the charts,” he predicted. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub
Pro-life groups answer Planned Parenthood abortion van with outreach near DNC
Pro-life groups countered Planned Parenthood’s mobile abortion clinic Tuesday morning by staging a protest against its services and presenting an alternative van equipped with an ultrasound machine and abortion pill reversal medication. John Mize, CEO of Americans United for Life, was one of the pro-life individuals outside the clinic just a few blocks away from the Democratic National Convention (DNC), attempting to talk to women going into the Planned Parenthood van about their options. “This is a very serious and a very complex situation that’s being trivialized by Planned Parenthood,” Mize told Fox News Digital. “It’s being diminished, and it’s being disrespected, the fact that this is a very complicated, very complex decision that these women are making, and, unfortunately, it’s a carnival. They have blow-ups. They have food trucks. It’s a bit of a show, unfortunately, and it diminishes the severity and significance of vulnerable women.” CHICAGO GETS ‘WEIRD’ FOR DNC WITH ABORTION TRUCKS, INFLATABLE IUD AND FREE VASECTOMIES, CONSERVATIVES SAY Planned Parenthood Great Rivers of St. Louis announced in an X post that a bus is headed to the DNC in Chicago on Aug. 19-20 to offer free services. As of Tuesday, a Planned Parenthood worker told Fox News Digital it was only performing medicinal abortions and was fully booked. “Here we come, Chicago! Our mobile health clinic will be in the West Loop with @ChiAbortionFund & @TheWienerCircle Aug 19-20, providing FREE vasectomies & medication abortion,” the post said. “EC will also be available for free without an appointment.” Protesters outside the clinic held signs that said “Abortion takes a human life” and “It’s Not Too Late.” Women who left the Planned Parenthood van declined to talk to the media. Across the street from where Planned Parenthood had its mobile setup alongside a vibrant taco truck blasting music, another pro-life group set up shop with its own van decked out with ultrasound equipment and abortion-reversing drugs. Bridget Van Means, CEO of Thrive Nation, a national network of pro-life health care, headed the van’s operations. CHICAGO GETS ‘WEIRD’ FOR DNC WITH ABORTION TRUCKS, INFLATABLE IUD AND FREE VASECTOMIES, CONSERVATIVES SAY “We support women whether they choose motherhood, which, of course, we champion. We’re also with them if they choose abortion. We know there can be a lot of heartbreak after that, and so we’re able to support them,” Van Means told Fox News Digital Tuesday. “We have had a few people come by,” Van Means added. “The women are so tense, and they’re so upset, and this is a little bit of a circus over here. They have blow-ups. They’re giving away hot dog coupons with the abortion. They have a food truck. We really think it does not provide the appropriate level of respect or dignity to women who are very upset.” SOFTENED ABORTION LANGUAGE IN TRUMP-APPROVED GOP PLATFORM IRKS SOME SOCIAL CONSERVATIVES Democrats have made the issue of abortion a central theme in campaigns across the country this election year, including warning that Republican control of Congress, in tandem with another four years in the White House for former President Trump, would mean a nationwide ban. Since the reversal of Roe v. Wade and Vice President Kamala Harris stepping in to replace President Biden, the Democratic Party has doubled down on rhetoric surrounding a “woman’s right to choose.” On day one of the DNC, abortion took center stage. Several speakers spoke at length about it being one of the central issues of the Democratic Party’s 2024 platform. Fox News Digital’s Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report.
Maxwell Frost wins contentious Dem primary battle for Florida’s 10th District
Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla. emerged with the win in the Democrat primary for Florida’s 10th Congressional District on Tuesday. Frost now faces the winner of the Republican primary, which features Tuan Lee facing off with Willie Montague. Frost, who is serving in his first term in Congress, was thought to be the favorite in the race, though some of his controversial positions cracked open the door to his primary challengers, most notably his shift to full-throated support for military aid to Israel. The incumbent Democrat, who previously worked as the national advance manager for Vermont independent Sen. Bernie Sanders‘ 2020 presidential campaign, made headlines in 2022 after being the first member of Generation Z elected to Congress, including an admission that his credit was too poor for him to qualify for an apartment in Washington, D.C. 29 DAYS: KAMALA HARRIS HAS NOT HELD A PRESS CONFERENCE SINCE EMERGING AS PRESUMPTIVE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE Frost also campaigned on improving the situation at the U.S. southern border, arguing during a candidate forum last month that there needs to be a streamlined process for asylum applicants. “What we have to understand is we don’t have open borders,” he said, according to a report in the Orlando Sentinel. “We do have a legal system of asylum, which is a legal right for people to claim asylum. So, what we need to do is pass legislation to get more asylum attorneys, judges, more personnel down there so this process can be sped up.” But White, one of Frost’s opponents, said at the same forum that the border needs to be secured and that current immigration laws need to be followed. KAMALA HARRIS SUPPORTERS UNSURE WHEN ASKED ABOUT VP’S POLICY ACCOMPLISHMENTS “One of the first things that needs to be done is to follow existing laws that are already on the books to secure our border,” White said. “Secondly, we have to understand that we are not an open-door policy any longer, that we cannot afford it. We have other people within the United States who need the resources that can be utilized in their own communities.” Darius, who worked in business before the congressional run, earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Broward College. He focused his campaign on making life more affordable for low- and mid-income earners, promising to help reduce rent and make health care more affordable. Election experts such as the Cook Political Report, Decision Desk HQ and Sabato’s Crystal Ball rate the district as safe for Democrats. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
Brian Mast wins GOP primary for Florida’s 21st Congressional District
Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla. won the hotly contested race for the Republican nomination for Florida’s 21st Congressional District on Tuesday. Mast now moves on to face Democrat Thomas Witkop, who ran unopposed in the Democrat primary, in November’s election. Mast, who has been representing the district since 2017, faced a spirited challenge from Businessman Rick Wiles, a media entrepreneur with 25 years of podcasting and film-producing experience. BIDEN COMMITTED ‘IMPEACHABLE CONDUCT,’ ‘DEFRAUDED UNITED STATES TO ENRICH HIS FAMILY’: HOUSE GOP REPORT Mast has run since 2016 on “draining the swamp” in Washington, D.C., arguing that the Biden-Harris administration has sent money to foreign countries while ignoring everyday Americans. “This place is a swamp. I also sit on the Foreign Affairs Committee, and daily I’m forced to watch the administration send dollars out the door to foreign countries in ways that in no way whatsoever benefit the American people,” Mast said in an interview, according to WJNO. Mast has also been a vocal advocate for term limits, saying in the interview that he is “fine” with being forced out of Congress himself to “reform the overall system.” For his part, Wiles vowed to serve a maximum of three terms if he were elected and also promised to cut funding to foreign wars. POLITICAL PARALLELS BETWEEN 1968 AND 2024 AS DEMOCRATS RETURN TO CHICAGO “I’m opposed to funding any foreign war. If I went to Congress, I would cut off money for all foreign wars. If another country wants to have a war, let them pay for it themselves, let their soldiers fight it. Don’t get America involved in your fights,” Mast said, according to WJNO. Wiles made an issue of Mast’s support for Israel, including an incident in which Mast was pictured wearing an Israeli military uniform in Congress and admitting to traveling to the Jewish state to participate in Israel Defense Forces (IDF) activities. “Brian Mast dishonored every member of the American Armed Forces and all our veterans by wearing an IDF uniform and volunteering to serve in Israel,” Wiles said. “He particularly insulted my good friends in the USS Liberty Veterans Association who lost 34 shipmates during a surprise IDF attack in 1967.” Election experts such as the Cook Political Report, Decision Desk HQ and Sabato’s Crystal Ball all rate the 21st District as a safe Republican seat. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
Cory Mills wins reelection in Florida’s 7th Congressional District
Former combat veteran and incumbent Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., won the Republican primary to defend his seat in Florida’s 7th Congressional District Tuesday night. Mills, who served in both Afghanistan and Iraq, has represented the seat since 2023. The veteran received a certificate of appreciation from the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad after being injured twice while overseas. The Republican congressman was a staunch former President Trump supporter throughout his first term, standing with Trump in Manhattan criminal court in May as the former president faced 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. CLOSE CONTEST BETWEEN TRUMP AND HARRIS IN THIS BATTLEGROUND STATE TURNED RED: POLL Mills defended his seat against veteran and Republican challenger Mike Johnson. Johnson served in the military for 30 years, joining the Army during the Vietnam War. Before launching a bid for the House, Johnson ran for the Florida Senate in 2022.
Rob Reiner praises Harris camp, DNC for ‘protecting’ anti-Israel agitators’ ‘right to protest’
EXCLUSIVE: Actor and director Rob Reiner praised the Harris campaign for supporting anti-Israel agitators’ right to protest the Democratic National Convention (DNC) Monday. Reiner briefly spoke with Fox News Digital on the first night of the DNC, just hours after protesters broke through multiple rounds of fencing and nearly breached the event’s security perimeter. Asked about his thoughts on the demonstrations, Reiner said, “Well, that’s what’s … great about America. That we have the right to protest, and that we give everybody the freedom to protest. It’s in the Constitution. GET THE LATEST UPDATES FROM THE 2024 CAMPAIGN TRAIL, EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS AND MORE AT OUR FOX NEWS DIGITAL ELECTION HUB “And this campaign is about protecting the Constitution and protecting those people’s right to protest outside,” Reiner said. The issue of Israel has driven a wedge between the far-left and others within the Democratic Party, particularly since Hamas’ Oct. 7 surprise attack that killed over 1,000 Israelis, mainly civilians. Thousands of protesters have descended on Chicago, accusing President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris of encouraging a “genocide” in Gaza by providing arms to Israel in its invasion of the Palestinian territory. Flags bearing Hamas’ insignia were seen among the demonstrators, as well as posters calling for a “global intifada.” BIDEN SAYS DNC ANTI-ISRAEL AGITATORS ‘HAVE A POINT,’ RIPS TRUMP AS ‘NOT WORTHY’ OF OVAL OFFICE Fox News Digital witnessed demonstrators shaking fences feet from the United Center, where the DNC’s main events are taking place. Activists were pushed back beyond the security perimeter by police as the activists threw water bottles and picket signs at officers. Reiner, an outspoken Democratic celebrity, posted on X just days after the Oct. 7 attack, “As a Jew, I don’t care if you’re pro Palestinian or pro Israeli. Hamas is the epitome of evil. And anyone who condones their barbarism is evil. Full stop.” MAN WAVING HAMAS FLAG OUTSIDE DNC SAYS ‘EVERY PALESTINIAN SUPPORTS HAMAS,’ PRAISES TERROR GROUP FOR OCTOBER 7 In his conversation with Fox News Digital, Reiner also discussed the contrast between how the Harris and Biden campaigns portrayed their fight against former President Trump, the latter having painted it as a dark existential struggle. Harris’ still-young campaign has depicted her as a happy warrior bringing “joy” to Americans. “What that means is we’re going to win,” Reiner said. “Because I think Americans ultimately are positive and want good things for this country and not talking about disaster and doom and gloom.” Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.