Stefanik touts GOP momentum in blue stronghold, implications for Trump in 2024: ‘Democrats have a NY problem’
House Republican Conference Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., spoke to Fox News Digital ahead of the 10-year anniversary of her major primary victory en route to her election to Congress, reflecting on turning a red tide in a blue stronghold and the implications that growing GOP momentum in New York could mean for former President Trump come Election Day. “Absolutely, Democrats have a New York problem. New York is increasingly Republican, is increasingly pro-Trump,” Stefanik said in an interview with Fox News Digital. “We won the House majority out of New York, beating back Democrats’ illegal attempt to gerrymander and illegally draw districts. We won fair district lines not once, but twice. I’m proud that New York picked up more seats than any other state when it came to winning the majority in the House. And we’re the last line of defense.” “President Trump knows and cares deeply about New York, given, you know, he is originally a New Yorker himself, pays very close attention and understands that we will expand this House majority by holding on and flipping seats in New York from blue to red,” Stefanik said. “There is not a single swing district, not just in New York, but across the country where Joe Biden is pulling ahead. President Trump is pulling ahead in every single House district across the country. And that’s why Democrats are running scared, not just in New York, but nationwide.” A decade ago on Monday, Stefanik defeated opponent Matt Doheny in a June 24, 2014, GOP primary by more than 20 points. She cruised to victory again that November, besting Democrat Aaron Wolf in the general election to replace retiring Democratic Rep. Bill Owens in New York’s 21st Congressional District, becoming the youngest woman ever elected to serve in Congress in United States history at the time. ANOTHER HOUSE MEMBER CALLS ON NEW YORK DEMOCRATIC GOV. HOCHUL TO PARDON TRUMP: ‘YOUR SOLEMN DUTY’ That district previously had been won by former President Obama twice. Reflecting back now, Stefanik told Fox News Digital she is grateful not only to Republican voters, but to the independent and Democrat voters in the 2014 election who helped set her on the trajectory to build a strong GOP infrastructure locally, resulting in Republicans flipping multiple county seats and town leadership level positions in a down-ballot red wave in upstate New York. “I’m proud to be one of the strongest supporters of President Trump. And my district really tells the story of today’s growing Republican Party,” she said. “It is Trump country and Elise country now.” While Democrats have performed well nationally over the past two years, Republican candidates have won key races in New York, where several House seat pick-ups proved critical to the GOP regaining control of the lower chamber of Congress by a razor-thin margin. New York is the host of half a dozen competitive House races in 2024 on the heels of a criminal trial against Trump and at a time when President Biden and fellow Democrat, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, are seeing record-low approval ratings. “It is a referendum on Democrats’ failed policies, and it’s a referendum on Joe Biden-Kathy Hochul failed policies both at the federal level, but of course, at the state level as well,” Stefanik said of growing GOP momentum in the Empire State. “And we’re continuing to make inroads as Republicans in New York because we represent American values, we represent the rule of law, support law enforcement, we support border security. We support pro-economic growth, lowering taxes, not raising taxes that we continue to see coming out of Albany and Joe Biden.” During a presidential election year, the Democratic Party – in New York, in particular – appears to be struggling as progressives and more mainstream party members battle on messaging regarding Israel’s war against Hamas terrorists following the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks. “Squad” member Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., in a profanity-laced speech in the Bronx, recently lashed out against AIPAC, the pro-Israel group supporting his Democratic challenger, Westchester County Executive George Latimer, in the upcoming primary contest where race has also taken center stage. Stefanik, whose questioning of the presidents of Harvard, UPenn and MIT over failures in dealing with anti-Israel campus protests in December, argued that antisemitism is “a part of today’s Democratic Party.” SQUAD’ MEMBER APOLOGIZES FOR CALLING OCT. 7 RAPES PROPAGANDA: ‘I AM NOT GOING TO BE PERFECT’ “That was not a prepared question. That was a moral question. And I thought it was important to ask a direct moral question. And I was stunned and shocked and appalled by the morally bankrupt answers,” Stefanik said. “But I was proud to demonstrate clearly needed moral leadership on the global stage to combat the scourge of antisemitism. Frankly, antisemitism is a part of today’s Democratic Party, and it needs to be rooted out, and it needs to be destroyed and not allowed to fester the way antisemitism is wreaking havoc on these college campuses, putting Jewish students, Jewish faculty, Jewish community members at risk every day.” Turning to November’s election, Stefanik argued that Trump, following his conviction in New York, is gaining more support in response to “the weaponization of the courts to go after Joe Biden’s chief political opponent.” “And the epitome of that has been Alvin Bragg’s illegal and unconstitutional targeting of President Trump,” she told Fox News Digital. “I have led the effort in terms of legal and ethics complaints, official complaints against Alvin Bragg and the rigged corrupt process. And I’m going to continue to do that. There is no one who has led more opposition in the House or the Senate when it comes to exposing the corruption of Alvin Bragg, where we have a violent crime crisis in New York. Yet he’s doing Joe Biden’s political bidding.” The congresswoman has pointed to how the Republican Party is expanding and growing under Trump’s leadership, highlighting historic new GOP support from African American voters, Hispanic American voters and Asian
‘What happened is…’: SC on Delhi HC staying Arvind Kejriwal’s bail
On June 21, the High Court ordered an interim stay on bail while reserving its order. The order of the High Court had come on a plea of the Enforcement Directorate seeking stay on the release of Kejriwal.
Biden admin accused of ‘brazen’ attempts to ‘weaponize’ unionization ahead of election
The Biden administration came under fire recently over the latest allegation its agencies are meddling with American workers and government contractors to appeal to deep-pocketed unions in an election season. President Biden has long burnished his support for and from unions, telling a crowd at a 2023 Chicago address: “I meant what I said when I said I’m going to be … the most pro-union president in American history. And I make no apologies for it.” A new group pledging oversight and accountability over public-sector unionization, and the “control” unions have over government officials, told Fox News Digital they found one example particularly egregious: The new Public Labor Union Accountability Committee, which Fox News Digital exclusively learned named Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson as its senior adviser on Thursday, took aim at the “arming” of public sector unions ahead of the election. Thompson and PLUAC accused Health & Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra of an “all-out push” to force Medicare call center contractors to unionize in recent months. MIKE POMPEO CALLS RANDI WEINGARTEN ONE OF ‘THE MOST DANGEROUS PEOPLE’ IN THE US Thompson told Fox News Digital that public sector unions are “doing everything they can to disrupt American institutions and take advantage of the American public for years to come.” While being hailed as a positive development for the workers by its proponents, the feds requested the Medicare contractor rebid its $7 billion contract for approximately 10,000 employees, according to Fast Company. The outlet noted that some workers in right-to-work states, mainly in the Deep South, where union membership can’t be forced, went on strike. In December, Becerra and another HHS official issued a statement announcing the department’s proposal to request such contractors re-bid or enter a “labor harmony agreement” with public sector unions. “In the interest of customer service and continuity of operations, CMS will, under the legally required process, recompete its contract for the Medicare and ACA Marketplace call centers,” the statement read, in part. In commentary published by the Washington Times, former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker claimed that labor harmony agreements are the “favored weapon of these unions to pressure businesses into project-labor agreements even if businesses and certain employees do not wish to unionize.” “If history is a guide, this action will raise costs and slow down service,” wrote Walker, who famously faced an ultimately unsuccessful 2012 recall election supported by a consortium of what he described as “union bosses and liberal special interests.” JUDGE ORDERS UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA WORKERS END STRIKE PLUAC officials said that the move amounted to election-year politicking to appease Biden’s allies in union leadership at the expense of the American worker. “What Secretary Becerra and President Biden are attempting to do is beyond brazen even for Washington, D.C. standards,” PLUAC spokesman Doug Mayer said. “They are clearly hell-bent on pushing the interests of union bosses and political allies ahead of vulnerable seniors seeking basic help from Medicare.” Mayer said the effort would give union organizers an unfair advantage and that the unions would be able to act against the collective will of their new worker-members – and ultimately lead to less productivity in the call centers. Mark Mix, president of the National Right to Work Committee – which advocates against compulsory unionism – told Fox News Digital the Medicare call center example constitutes a “naked political giveaway to union bosses.” Mix said that Biden is counting on union leadership pouring hundreds of millions of dollars via dues into his reelection bid. “Biden may not be popular with rank-and-file workers, but he intends to appeal to the union officials who control how billions of forced union dues dollars are spent.” “The fact is, Medicare call center employees are already able to unionize under federal law, so mandating these top-down union organizing agreements isn’t about what the employees want, but merely about bolstering union boss power,” Mix said. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Meanwhile, in Congress, a top Republican on the issue said the administration is “selling out seniors” who rely on Medicare call center workers. “We know this administration doesn’t care about workers, but to jeopardize service for seniors is especially shameful,” said Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., the top Republican on the HELP committee, which focuses on labor and pensions, shared with Fox News Digital a report that his office composed cataloging several situations he deemed “weaponiz[ation of] executive authority” over U.S. labor policy. He cited a Department of Labor independent contractor reclassification rule, claiming that it dismantles the gig economy and puts 27 million Americans at risk of no longer being able to work as independent contractors exempt from unionization. The rule’s official summary, however, claims that such workers “play an important role in the economy,” and that the stipulation is “not intended to disrupt” their businesses. While the Department of Labor did not respond to a request for comment on the matter, its information sheet on the rule change emphasized that the adjustment is “aligned with longstanding case law” and that the administration does not foresee disruption to independent contractors who are correctly classified as such. Cassidy added in separate comments that Becerra’s agency trying to renegotiate a nine-year contract two years in has nothing to do with any claims about improving services for seniors. “It is a Biden administration sacrificing continuity of care for older Americans to benefit large labor unions just before a presidential election,” said Cassidy, who himself is a medical doctor. The Department of Health & Human Services did not respond to multiple attempts to procure comment for this story. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trump’s legal team back in court in Florida classified documents case
Former President Trump’s legal team is back in court on Monday after a Friday hearing in which both sides argued the legality of Special Counsel Jack Smith’s appointment in the classified document case against the former president. The hearing continues Monday when the two sides again discuss matters related to Smith’s appointment as well as a limited gag order that prosecutors have requested to bar Trump from comments they fear could endanger the safety of FBI agents and other law enforcement officials involved in the case. Trump’s lawyers have said any speech restrictions would infringe on his free speech rights. Cannon initially rejected the prosecution’s request on technical grounds, saying Smith’s team had not sufficiently conferred with defense lawyers before seeking the restrictions. Prosecutors subsequently renewed the request. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon heard hours of arguments Friday from lawyers for both sides, with Trump attorney Emil Bove asserting that the Justice Department risked creating a “shadow government” through the appointment of special counsels to prosecute select criminal cases. YOUNG TRUMP SUPERFAN BROUGHT TO TEARS WHILE MEETING FORMER PRESIDENT Bove mentioned the term “shadow government” while describing a situation in which inferior officers, unconfirmed by the Senate, are put in power. “These are the risks we are running,” he said. Prosecutors said there was nothing improper or unusual about Smith’s appointment, with James Pearce, a member of Smith’s team, at one point saying, “We are in compliance. We have complied with all of the department’s policies.” Cannon did not make a decision on Friday and is expected to issue a written order on the matter in the coming days. CELEBS SHOWER BIDEN WITH CAMPAIGN CASH BUT COULD UNDERCUT ‘SCRANTON JOE’ IMAGE On Tuesday, Trump’s team is expected to argue in another hearing that the search of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, Florida, on Aug. 8, 2022, that turned up the classified documents was illegal and all the evidence found in the search should be thrown out. Trump’s team will also argue that the search could have been done informally with Trump’s consent. Trump faces charges stemming from Smith’s investigation into his possession of classified materials. He pleaded not guilty to all 37 felony counts from Smith’s probe, including willful retention of national defense information, conspiracy to obstruct justice and false statements. Trump was also charged with an additional three counts as part of a superseding indictment from the investigation, an additional count of willful retention of national defense information and two additional obstruction counts. The Associated Press and Fox News Digital’s Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
Nevada Democrats sue to keep RFK Jr., Green Party off November ballot
The Nevada Democratic Party has launched two separate legal maneuvers to disqualify independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and the Green Party ticket from ballot access in the November election. While both the Biden camp and former President Trump have criticized Kennedy, Democrats in particular still appear sore eight years after figures showed votes for Green Party presidential nominee Jill Stein in three swing states accounted for more than Hillary Clinton’s losing margin. Earlier this week, the Nevada secretary of state’s office announced the Green Party had collected enough signatures to make the ballot. Just as in 2016, Stein was named their nominee, after the party nominated self-described “ecosocialist” Howie Hawkins III in 2020. However, the Nevada Democratic Party has since filed a lawsuit challenging the signatures, reportedly claiming too many were invalid to meet the approximate-10,000 threshold cited this week by Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar. RFK JR DENOUNCES ‘SPOILER’ LABEL Aguilar said the Green Party had submitted 15,000 valid signatures, while the party claimed to have submitted nearly 30,000 overall, according to the Nevada Independent. The Nevada Democrats were able to review a sampling of signatures following a records request, which then led to the lawsuit. The party did not respond to multiple attempts by Fox News Digital to procure comment, but executive director Hillary Barnett said in a statement to the Reno Gazette-Journal that the party “filed this challenge to preserve our rights to inspect the petitions consistent with Nevada state law.” In a statement to Fox News Digital, the Green Party of the United States called the Democrats’ lawsuit “frivolous” and intended to divert attention away from third-party support in this cycle. RFK JR: I WAS THE FIRST PERSON CENSORED BY THE BIDEN ADMIN “[T]here will be a choice in November that stands against war, genocide and climate catastrophe and for national health care, workers’ rights and the funding of an eco-socialist Green New Deal to address the current climate crisis,” the statement read. “Their Party has abandoned working people, so the only way the Democrats think they can win the White House is by blocking our candidate from the ballot. This is what voter suppression looks like.” In regard to Kennedy, Nevada Democrats said the scion of one of its party’s most popular families is ineligible to be on the ballot because he is registered with a disparate group of political parties in various states. Kennedy, who is a registered Democrat in New York, is running on several lines, including his self-founded We The People Party in two states and the Reform Party in Florida. The Democrats reportedly argued state law mandates Kennedy be registered without political party affiliation to run as an Independent in the state. In a statement obtained by the Nevada Independent, Barnett said Nevada has a reasonable process for attaining ballot access and that Kennedy has not met its requirements. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP While Kennedy’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment, his campaign did previously sue Aguilar’s office claiming a policy requiring a third-party candidate name a running mate before gathering petition signatures is unconstitutional. Kennedy’s campaign claimed the law violates the First and 14th Amendments, and campaign counsel Paul Rossi told The Associated Press that “the court must prohibit what was either rank incompetence or partisan political gamesmanship by the secretary from invalidating petition signatures afforded the highest First Amendment protection by the United States Supreme Court.” In a statement responding to the lawsuit, Aguilar said Nevada has long respected third-party candidates running for office and that “each of those candidates managed to attain ballot access by following the law.”
US prosecutors recommend criminal charges for Boeing, report says
US Justice Department has until July 7 to prosecute aircraft giant over breaches of settlement related to fatal crashes. Prosecutors in the United States are recommending that criminal charges be brought against Boeing after finding the plane maker violated a settlement related to two fatal crashes, two people familiar with the matter told the Reuters news agency. The US Department of Justice (DOJ) must decide by July 7 whether to prosecute Boeing. The recommendation by prosecutors handling the case has not been previously reported. In May, officials determined the company breached a 2021 agreement that had shielded Boeing from a criminal charge of conspiracy to commit fraud arising from two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019, involving the 737 MAX jet. Under the 2021 deal, the Justice Department agreed not to prosecute Boeing over allegations it defrauded the Federal Aviation Administration so long as the company overhauled its compliance practices and submitted regular reports. Boeing also agreed to pay $2.5bn to settle the investigation. Boeing declined to comment. It has previously said it has “honoured the terms” of the 2021 settlement, which had a three-year term and is known as a deferred prosecution agreement. Boeing has told the Justice Department it disagrees with its determination that the company violated the settlement, Reuters reported this month. A spokesperson for the Justice Department declined to comment. The two sides are in discussions over a potential resolution to the Justice Department’s investigation and there is no guarantee officials will move forward with charges, the two sources said. The internal Justice Department deliberations remain ongoing and no final decisions have been reached, they added. Criminal charges would deepen an unfolding crisis at Boeing, which has faced intense scrutiny from US prosecutors, regulators and lawmakers after a panel blew off one of its jets operated by Alaska Airlines mid-flight on January 5, just two days before the 2021 settlement expired. The sources did not specify what criminal charges Justice Department officials are considering, but one of the people said they could extend beyond the original 2021 fraud conspiracy charge. Alternatively, instead of prosecuting Boeing, the DOJ could extend the 2021 settlement by a year or propose new, stricter terms, the sources said. In addition to financial penalties, the strictest settlements typically involve installing a third party to monitor a company’s compliance. The DOJ can also require the company to admit its wrongdoing by pleading guilty. Boeing may be willing to pay a penalty and agree to a monitor, but believes a guilty plea, which typically incurs additional business restrictions, could be too damaging, said one of the sources. Boeing derives significant revenue from contracts with the US government, including the Department of Defense, which could be jeopardised by a felony conviction, one of the sources said. Relatives of the victims of the two fatal 737 MAX crashes have long criticised the 2021 agreement, arguing that Justice Department officials should have prosecuted the company and its executives. At a Senate hearing in June, Chief Executive Dave Calhoun acknowledged the company’s shortcomings in safety and apologised to the families who lost loved ones. Last week, the families pressed prosecutors to seek a fine against the plane maker of nearly $25bn and move forward with a criminal prosecution. Adblock test (Why?)
Australia’s grocer chains face billion-dollar fines over supplier treatment
Violators of industry code of conduct to be subject to fines of up to 10 percent of annual turnover. Australia will impose hefty fines on supermarket chains found to be abusing their bargaining power over suppliers. Under the rules announced by the government on Monday, supermarket chains earning more than 5 billion Australian dollars ($3.3bn) in annual revenue will be required to comply with a previously voluntary industry code of conduct. The changes will cover Woolworths, Coles, Aldi and Metcash, which together make up more than 80 percent of the market, and could expand to retailers such as Costco as their revenues grow. Breaches of the code will be subject to fines of up to 10 percent of annual turnover, leaving retailers liable to pay billions of dollars in penalties. The government said it would also establish an anonymous supplier and whistle‑blower complaints mechanism within the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. “This is about getting a fair go for families and a fair go for farmers. Our efforts will help to ensure our supermarkets are as competitive as they can be so Australians get the best prices possible,” Treasurer Jim Chalmers said on Monday in a joint statement with the assistant competition minister, Andrew Leigh, and the agriculture minister, Murray Watt. “We’re cracking down on anti‑competitive behaviour in the supermarkets sector so people get fairer prices at the checkout,” the statement said. The changes come after a report by Craig Emerson, a former competition minister, found that the previous code failed to address the “imbalance of bargaining power” between supermarkets and their suppliers. In his report, Emerson said suppliers reported fearing retaliation by supermarkets if they complained and that an effective code needed a “credible threat of effective enforcement and not be undermined by the threat of signatories walking away from their commitments”. Australia has one of the most concentrated grocery markets in the world. Woolworths and Coles, the largest and second-largest players, together account for about two-thirds of all sales. Research released by the consumer group Choice last week found that there was less than a one dollar price difference between the two chains when comparing a typical basket of groceries. Adblock test (Why?)
Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 850
As the war enters its 850th day, these are the main developments. Here is the situation on Monday, June 24, 2024. Fighting Four people were killed and more than 100 injured in a Ukrainian attack on the Russian-annexed city of Sevastopol on the Crimean Peninsula. The Russian Ministry of Defence said that air defences shot down four of the five Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) long-range missiles used in the attack, while the fifth exploded in midair. Russian-appointed officials said fragments fell on a beach to the north of the city where people were enjoying a day out. It claimed, without evidence, that the United States bore responsibility for the attack. Neither the US nor Ukraine have commented. Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. The peninsula is internationally recognised as part of Ukraine. At least one person was killed and 11 injured after Russia launched an apparent glide bomb attack on the northeastern city of Kharkiv, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said. Mayor Ihor Terekhov said that about half of Kharkiv was without electricity because of the attack. At least two people were injured and dozens of residential and other buildings were damaged in a Russian missile attack on the Kyiv region, according to Ruslan Kravchenko, the head of the region’s state administration. Kyiv, its surrounding region and several other areas across Ukraine were under air raid alerts for about an hour on Sunday morning, starting at 4.50am local time (01:50 GMT). Ukraine’s energy operator, Ukrenergo, said that rolling electricity blackouts would be imposed nationwide throughout Monday because of increased Russian attacks on power stations. The Ukrainian Navy released photos that it said confirmed the destruction of a warehouse that Russia was using to launch and store Iranian-designed Shahed drones. Navy officials said training instructors and cadets were killed in the attack on Friday night in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region. Moscow has not commented on the reports, although officials said air defences shot down several drones in the region overnight on Friday. Weapons Serbia has sold hundreds of millions of dollars of ammunition to Western countries, which has probably helped Ukraine’s fight against Russia, Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic told the United Kingdom’s Financial Times in an interview. Pak Jong Chon, one of North Korea’s top military officials, criticised the US over its expanding military support for Ukraine and said Russia had the “right to opt for any kind of retaliatory strike”, the state-run KCNA reported. Adblock test (Why?)
18th Lok Sabha’s first session begins today: PM Modi to take oath, Opposition to raise paper leak issue
The MPs from the several states will then take the oath in alphabetical order
Exclusive: Trump takes debate prep to campaign trail, calls it a winning strategy
As we get closer to the CNN Presidential Debate, both President Biden and former President Donald Trump are now preparing to take the stage. Biden is prepping out at Camp David, while Trump hit the campaign trail in Philadelphia. Fox News Correspondent Alexis McAdams caught up with Trump before his rally to find out how he is getting ready. “Well, this is really the best strategy right here. We have all these people out here and they are screaming questions. I look forward to the debate,” Trump said. Trump asked the crowd during his rally at Temple University what his approach should be on stage. CNN DEBATE MODERATOR JAKE TAPPER’S SHARPEST ANTI-TRUMP COMMENTARY OVER THE YEARS “How should I handle him? Should I be tough and nasty, and just say, ‘you’re the worst president in history.’ Or should I be nice and calm and let him speak?” Trump asked. Though no matter his demeanor, Trump told Fox News that he is not worried about Biden’s debate preparations and feels confident in his own ability. “Well, I think if he prepares, he’ll be fine. Then he will forget it within about an hour after preparing. So, we’ll see what happens. We’ll see what happens,” Trump said. The former president is on a swing state tour, recently hitting Michigan, Wisconsin, Georgia, and Pennsylvania – a list of states Trump won back in 2016 but lost in 2020. According to recent polls, Trump is doing better in those states this time around. Gaining support with young and nonwhite voters, who say they are upset with Biden’s handling of the economy and Gaza. According to a recent Marist College Poll, Trump is leading Biden by two points in Pennsylvania, a key state on the road to the White House. Trump told Fox News he could be anywhere, but is choosing to stop in urban areas, including a cheese steak shop in South Philly. TRUMP SAYS ‘FEW COMMUNITIES HAVE SUFFERED MORE UNDER THE BIDEN REGIME THAN PHILADELPHIA’ IN RALLY STOP “It’s not a game plan. It’s just there’s a lot of love. You know, they want hope. There’s no hope with this guy. Biden is the worst president we’ve ever had. There’s no hope. I’m saying the people need hope. I go out, I see the greatest people. So, we’re in the middle of a pretty rough area and it’s a love fest,” said Trump. Some voters waited for hours outside the rally in record heat. Many said they wanted to hear more about the former president’s plans to fix the border, crime and inflation. This, as a recent Fox News Poll found, 32 % of voters say the economy is in excellent or good shape. It is the highest approval rating on the topic so far during Biden’s presidency. Though, the sentiment seems to be negative when you talk with voters. “I need to make money to feed my family. I used to pay $200 a week for groceries… now I pay $450 a week. I’m not even making that anymore. So, it’s killing me,” said one Philadelphia voter. TRUMP, BIDEN AIM TO USE DUELING RALLIES IN THESE STATES POST-DEBATE TO PUT EACH OTHER ON DEFENSE So far, Trump has not announced a vice president pick. But, said he does know who he will choose. “Well, if you knew that, you would probably be up for a major raise. We have a lot of viewers who say, ‘who do you like, who do you like? ’There are so many different answers. We have a lot of good ones. I’ll be announcing it right around the time of the convention,” Trump said. After the debate, both candidates plan to stay in the South. Biden will stop in North Carolina, a state he lost to Trump back in 2020. Trump will head to a rally in Virginia. It has been two decades since a Republican carried the commonwealth state in the race for the White House. The former president plans to change that. “We are actually two points up in Virginia. Virginia is not a state that a Republican generally wins and has not won in decades. We are leading in Virginia, and we are leading in Minnesota. That one hasn’t been won since 1972. I think we’re going to win a lot of places that people never even thought about, because our country is in dire shape to put it mildly. It’s doing badly,” Trump said.