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One year after Biden’s unprecedented exit from 2024 race, Democrats poll numbers at rock bottom

One year after Biden’s unprecedented exit from 2024 race, Democrats poll numbers at rock bottom

One year ago on Monday, then-President Joe Biden stunned the political world by ending his campaign for re-election. Biden’s exit from the 2024 White House race also rocked the Democratic Party, which went on to suffer setbacks on Election Day, as the party lost control of the presidency, the Senate and fell short in its bid to win back the House majority. One year later, the Democratic Party is still reeling. Just 28% of Americans view the party favorably, according to a CNN poll conducted July 10-13 and released last week. That’s the lowest mark for Democrats in the entire history of CNN polling, going back over 30 years. BIDEN’S STUNNING EXIT, ONE YEAR LATER The CNN poll is far from an outlier. Just 19% of voters questioned in a Quinnipiac University national poll give Democrats in Congress a thumbs up on how they’re handling their duties, with 72% disapproving. That’s an all-time low since Quinnipiac University first began asking congressional approval questions in their surveys 16 years ago. HEAD HERE TO CHECK OUT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POLLING The Democratic Party has been in the political wilderness since November’s elections. Not only did the party lose power, but Republicans made gains among Black, Hispanic and younger voters, all traditional members of the Democratic Party’s base. Since President Donald Trump‘s return to power earlier this year, an increasingly energized base of Democrats is urging party leaders to take a stronger stand in pushing back against the president’s sweeping and controversial second-term agenda. Their anger is directed not only at Republicans, but at Democrats they feel aren’t vocal enough in their opposition to Trump. That has fueled a plunge in the Democratic Party’s favorable ratings, which have hit historic lows in several surveys this year. The trend is reflected in the new Quinnipiac poll, which was conducted July 10-14. Just 39% of Democrats approve of the way Democrats in Congress are handling their jobs, with 52% disapproving and 9% not offering an opinion. “The approval numbers for Democrats can be characterized as flat out terrible,” Quinnipiac University polling analyst Tim Malloy said. While the approval ratings for Republicans in Congress aren’t as “terrible” as the Democrats, they’re nothing to brag about. Only a third of voters questioned in the poll said they approved of the way congressional Republicans were handling their duties, with 62% giving them a thumbs down. However, just over three-quarters of Republicans (77%) said they approved of the way GOP lawmakers on Capitol Hill were handling their jobs, with just one in five disapproving. Additionally, in the CNN poll, while not as bad as the Democrats, the favorable rating for the Republican Party registered at a low 33%. Meanwhile, Trump’s approval ratings in both polls remain underwater, at 40%-54% in the Quinnipiac survey and 44%-56% in the CNN survey. Trump started his second tour of duty in the White House with approval ratings in positive territory, but his numbers quickly sank underwater in many polls. The president’s approval ratings were in negative territory in 13 of the 17 polls conducted so far this month. The CNN survey has a silver lining for the Democrats. The poll indicates that Democrats are more energized than Republicans in voting in next year’s midterm elections, when the GOP will be defending its thin House and Senate majorities. Seventy-two percent of Democrats and independents who lean toward the party said they are extremely motivated to vote next year, 22 points higher than the share of Republicans and GOP-aligned voters who said they were extremely motivated to vote.

Zohran Mamdani fires back at White House mispronouncing his name: ‘M-A-M-D-A-N-I’

Zohran Mamdani fires back at White House mispronouncing his name: ‘M-A-M-D-A-N-I’

Zohran Mamdani, the 33-year-old Democrat nominee for mayor of New York City, capitalized on his media literacy when White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt referred to him as “Zamdani” during a press briefing. “The name is Mamdani. M-A-M-D-A-N-I,” the democratic socialist said in a viral TikTok video from the New York City mayoral debate set to the beat of Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl.” When asked about President Donald Trump not endorsing a candidate in the New York City mayoral election, Leavitt said Trump “absolutely does not want to see Zamdani elected, who is a known Communist, who supports the abolishment of private property [and] the defunding of police…” Leavitt added that it would be a “disaster for New York and for this country” if Mamdani wins this November.  THE REVOLUTION WILL BE LIVESTREAMED: HOW ZOHRAN MAMDANI WON THE NYC PRIMARY ONLINE “I think it would be quite telling that this individual, a known Communist, has been spending time in Washington this week, meeting with leaders on Capitol Hill. This is truly where the Democrat Party is headed. Clearly, they learned nothing from November 5th and the president’s overwhelming victory,” Leavitt said.  DEM SOCIALIST’S NYC PRIMARY UPSET SIGNALS ‘GENERATIONAL’ SHIFT IN DEMOCRATIC PARTY, STRATEGISTS SAY Mamdani would be the first Muslim and first millennial mayor of New York City if elected this November.  Despite meeting with House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., last week in New York City, Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who also plans to meet with Mamdani, have yet to endorse his mayoral campaign.  Mamdani also met with Democratic leaders in Washington, D.C., last week, as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., hosted a “Communication and Organizing Skillshare Breakfast” with the mayoral candidate.  Ocasio-Cortez, the progressive champion and youngest woman elected to Congress, was an early endorser of Mamdani. Members of the progressive “Squad,” such as Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., attended the breakfast, and Mamdani later met with Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who also endorsed his primary campaign.  During the New York City primary debate, Mamdani fired back at former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who lost the primary but has decided to remain in the race as an independent candidate. “The name is Mamdani,” the young progressive snapped after Cuomo repeatedly mispronounced his name. The video has since gone viral on social media as TikTok users have mashed up his fiery reaction to the beat of “Hollaback Girl.” It’s a social media strategy reminiscent of former Vice President Kamala Harris’ brief presidential campaign in 2024, which was fueled by “Mamala” memes and “Brat Summer” references.  Mamdani’s mayoral campaign played into the hands of an evolving – and chronically online – New York City electorate.  Scrolling through Mamdani’s social media, his TikTok and Instagram pages resemble that of a New York City influencer. From the film-like filters and consistent fonts on his vertical videos, to the cameos from celebrities, including model Emily Ratajkowski and comedian Bowen Yang, Mamdani’s videos have amassed millions of views.  “I would think that he would have a good shot at winning,” Trump told reporters of Cuomo last week.  Mamdani campaign spokesperson, Jeffrey Lerner, was quick to seize on Trump’s comments, writing that “we would like to congratulate Andrew Cuomo on earning Donald Trump’s endorsement. Obviously, this triumph speaks for itself. The question now is whether Cuomo will embrace Trump’s support publicly or continue to just accept it in private.” Trump has criticized Mamdani’s campaign on Truth Social and repeatedly when speaking to reporters.  “As President of the United States, I’m not going to let this Communist Lunatic destroy New York. Rest assured, I hold all the levers, and have all the cards,” Trump said, vowing to save New York City from the socialist candidate. 

Columbia professors demand answers as White House finalizes negotiations with Ivy League university

Columbia professors demand answers as White House finalizes negotiations with Ivy League university

FIRST ON FOX: Several Columbia University professors, faculty and staff members sent a letter to the college’s acting president and board of trustees urging university leaders to consider reforms to combat antisemitism on campus as the White House nears a deal to restore funding to the school. The faculty members who signed the letter requested to remain anonymous. The letter, obtained by Fox News Digital, outlines several action items the Ivy League school can implement in a deal with the Trump administration to combat the rise in antisemitic activity the campus has dealt with since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. In March, President Donald Trump rescinded more than $400 million in federal grants to the university due to potential violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. “We are invested members of Columbia’s community seeking to restore the university’s moral clarity and institutional resilience,” the letter reads. “We are calling for leadership not just in academic endeavors, but in equity, safety, and accountability.” REPORT SUGGESTS TRUMP, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY CLOSE TO NEW FUNDING DEAL “[Columbia] can lead the nation in showing that academic excellence and moral integrity go hand in hand,” the group wrote. The key components of what the dozens of signees are seeking include accountability for professors who are pushing antisemitic narratives on students, reinstating and restoring the reputation of faculty members who received reprimands for being outspoken supporters of Israel, reprimanding and issuing consequences for students involved in destructive rioting and protesting, and eliminating curriculum that promotes antisemitism.  “The Trump administration must address antisemitic classroom indoctrination and lack of viewpoint diversity, impose real accountability for student and faculty antisemitic conduct violators, reform admissions and hiring, and make necessary leadership changes,” Ari Shrage, co-founder of the Columbia Jewish Alumni Association, told Fox News Digital.  ISRAELI COLUMBIA PROFESSOR LEAVES SCHOOL OVER FAILURE TO ADDRESS ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTS “The Trump administration has the opportunity to enact real change which will fulfill their promise of eradicating antisemitism,” Shrage said. As recently as May, more than 80 protesters were arrested at Columbia’s Butler Library, adding to the previous hundreds who have been arrested during intense riots, protests and demonstrations on campus. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION FORMALLY SUBPOENAS HARVARD UNIVERSITY OVER FOREIGN STUDENT INFORMATION Fox News Digital spoke to a senior White House official directly involved in negotiations with Columbia University, who said that requests similar to what the professors and faculty called for in the letter could be included in a deal.  Such items include updated policies surrounding face masks worn by protesters on campus, reviewing the Middle Eastern Studies curriculum at the school, and ensuring that students are treated equally in an environment that instills American values. The White House also told Fox that there would be examination of racial hierarchy and an oppressor mentality toward specific religious or racial groups. A deal may include changes to hiring and admissions practices that target these groups unfairly, increased transparency for foreign gifts and related disclosure requirements. The Trump administration is optimistic that a deal will be reached in the near future. HOUSE COMMITTEE ALLEGES BIDEN ADMIN USED FUNDS TO BACK ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTESTS IN ISRAEL As for the Ivy League institution, a spokesperson from Columbia told Fox “the University remains engaged in productive discussions with the federal government to meaningfully address their concerns and move forward towards a resolution.” Columbia has already taken several actions to address antisemitism on campus since negotiations have been underway, including an announcement from acting President Claire Shipman outlining initiatives to combat antisemitism just last week. “In my view, any government agreement we reach is only a starting point for change,” Shipman explained in the community letter. “Committing to reform on our own is a more powerful path. It will better enable us to recognize our shortcomings and create lasting change.” While an exact timeline for when an agreement will be reached remains unclear, both the university and the White House confirmed to Fox News Digital that negotiations are productive and progress is being made.