Texas sent $223 million to rural communities to fix water infrastructure after 2023 election
Texas voters will decide Tuesday whether the state should continue spending $1 billion a year to secure the state’s water supply. Part of that investment will be spent to find new water supply.
Two Republicans and a Democrat face off in special election for North Texas Senate seat
Tarrant County voters are choosing between Leigh Wambsganss, John Huffman and Taylor Rehmet in the race to fill the seat Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock vacated in June.
It’s Election Day in Texas. Here’s what to watch.
Texans will decide the fate of 17 proposed amendments to the state Constitution and vote in special elections for Congress and the state Senate.
George W. Bush calls Dick Cheney’s death a “loss to the nation”
Cheney, who was Bush’s vice president, died Monday at 84.
The 2025 election that may determine if Republicans hold House in 2026 midterms
It’s Election Day in California, where a ballot initiative will make a huge impact on next year’s battle for the U.S. House majority whether it passes or fails. California voters are deciding whether to pass a ballot proposition which would dramatically alter the state’s congressional districts, putting the left-leaning state front-and-center in the high-stakes political fight over redistricting that pits President Donald Trump and the GOP against the Democrats. California state lawmakers this summer approved a special proposition on the November ballot to obtain voter approval to temporarily sidetrack the state’s nonpartisan redistricting commission and return the power to draw the congressional maps to the Democrat-dominated legislature. Early voting by mail in the contest has been underway for a month. The effort in California, which could create five more Democratic-leaning congressional districts, aims to counter the passage in the reliable red state of Texas of a new map that aims to create up to five right-leaning House seats. Failure to approve what’s known as Proposition 50 would be a stinging setback for Democrats. OBAMA ENDORSES NEWSOM CALIFORNIA REDISTRICTING PROP 50 Two-term Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is seen as a likely 2028 Democratic presidential contender, is spearheading the push to pass the proposition. “If we lose here, we are going to have total Republican control in the House, the Senate and the White House for at least two more years,” Newsom emphasized in a recent fundraising appeal to supporters. “If we win here, we can put a check on Trump for his final two years.” HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING, ANALYSIS, ON 2025 ELECTIONS The push by Trump and Republicans for a rare mid-decade redistricting is part of a broad effort by the GOP to pad its razor-thin House majority to keep control of the chamber in the 2026 midterms, when the party in power traditionally faces political headwinds and loses seats. Trump and his political team are aiming to prevent what happened during his first term in the White House, when Democrats reclaimed the House majority in the 2018 midterm elections. Missouri last month joined Texas as the second GOP-controlled state to pass congressional redistricting ahead of next year’s elections. The new map in Missouri is likely to give the GOP another right-leaning seat. And North Carolina’s Republican-controlled legislature also passed a new map, which is likely to score another congressional seat for the GOP. Republican-controlled Indiana is on deck, with a special legislative session getting underway this week. But unlike those states, California voters need to weigh in before giving redistricting power back to the legislature in Sacramento. “Heaven help us if we lose,” Newsom said in a fundraising pitch. “This is an all-hands-on-deck moment for Democrats.” FIVE KEY 2025 RACES TO WATCH Proponents and opponents of Proposition 50 raised hundreds of millions of dollars in fundraising, with much of the money being dished out to pay for a deluge of ads on both sides. One of the two main groups countering Newsom and the Democrats labeled their effort “Stop Sacramento’s Power Grab.” Getting into the fight was former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who was the last Republican governor of California. During his tenure as governor, Schwarzenegger had a starring role in the passage of constitutional amendments in California in 2008 and 2010 that took the power to draw state legislative and congressional districts away from politicians and placed it in the hands of an independent commission. NORTHERN CALIFORNIA VOTERS WEIGH IN ON PROP 50 REDISTRICTING FIGHT “That’s what they want to do is take us backwards — this is why it is important for you to vote no on Prop 50,” Schwarzenegger said in an ad against Proposition 50. “Democracy — we’ve got to protect it, and we’ve got to go and fight for it.” But as Election Day neared in California, the Yes forces had dramatically outraised the No forces, and public opinion polling indicated majority support for the proposition. Even before Trump initiated his redistricting push, Ohio was under court order to redraw its maps. That could boost Republicans in a one-time battleground state that now leans right. Republicans in GOP-dominated Florida are also mulling congressional redistricting. And Democrats in heavily blue Maryland are weighing a redistricting push, while the Democrat-controlled legislature in Virginia is already pushing redistricting. Other states considering altering their maps are Democrat-dominated Illinois and red states Kansas and Nebraska. Meanwhile, Democrats could possibly pick up a seat in Republican-dominated Utah, due to a new, more competitive map, mandated by a judge.
Kennedy pushes plan to halt Congress pay during government shutdown
FIRST ON FOX: A Republican senator wants to stop members of Congress from receiving paychecks as federal workers go without pay during the ongoing government shutdown. As the shutdown enters its 35th day, federal employees, air traffic controllers and other employees have either missed paychecks or received only partial pay. Members of Congress, however, are constitutionally required to get a paycheck, even if the government is closed. Some lawmakers have said that they would forego a paycheck, while others have introduced legislation to prevent their colleagues from getting paid. SENATE REPUBLICANS PLOT LONGER-TERM FUNDING BILL AS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN CONTINUES Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., jumped into that arena and has two bills that would both halt lawmakers from getting paid as the shutdown continues and deal with the constitutional issue. “I don’t see missing paychecks or empty dinner plates as leverage or bargaining chips,” Kennedy said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “My bills ensure Congress feels the same pain as the folks we’re failing to pay — our troops, air traffic controllers, and federal workers. If we can’t do our jobs and fund the government, we don’t deserve a paycheck — plain and simple.” One of the bills, the “No Shutdown Paychecks to Politicians Act,” would see lawmakers go without pay for every day that a shutdown is underway. Members of Congress on average make $174,000 a year. That number can fluctuate depending on whether a lawmaker is in a leadership position. GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN SPARKS GOP PLAN TO PENALIZE LAWMAKERS WITH NEW SALARY TAX Kennedy’s desire to see that lawmakers don’t get paid runs into the Constitution, however. Article I, Section 6 of the Constitution requires that “Senators and Representatives shall receive a Compensation for their Services, to be ascertained by Law, and paid out of the Treasury of the United States.” Then there is the 27th Amendment, ratified in 1992, which prevents Congress from passing a law affecting its pay during the current congressional term. That’s where his other bill, “Withhold Member Pay During Shutdowns Act,” comes into play. That legislation would sidestep the 27th Amendment by not cutting pay to lawmakers, but instead withholding it in escrow until after the November 2026 elections. MORE LAWMAKERS SAY THEY’RE REJECTING PAYCHECKS AS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN DRAGS ON That bill is also being carried in the House by Rep. Bryan Steil, R-Wis., who said in a statement to Fox News Digital, “If service members, men and women of federal law enforcement, and other essential employees are working without pay during the Schumer shutdown, members of Congress should not be paid either.” Kennedy’s effort is not the only legislative attempt to stop lawmakers from getting paychecks during the shutdown. Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, introduced legislation that would impose a tax, similar to Kennedy’s bill, that would increase each day that the Senate is in session. Then there’s a constitutional amendment proposed by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., last week that would require lawmakers forfeit their paychecks. That money would then be sent to the U.S. Treasury Department to help pay down the national debt. Passing a constitutional amendment requires that two-thirds of the House and Senate advance the proposal and then be ratified by three-fourths of the states.
The true cost of the 2025 Elections
The year after a presidential election is typically the low point when it comes to campaign trail action, but 2025 is not your typical off-year election. Between competitive races for governor in New Jersey and Virginia, a high-profile showdown for New York City mayor that’s grabbed plenty of national attention, and the Proposition 50 ballot initiative in California in the bitter battle between President Donald Trump and Republicans versus Democrats over congressional redistricting, 2025 has been a beehive of campaign activity. And that means plenty of money has been inserted into this year’s campaigns. HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING ON THE 2025 ELECTIONS As of early October, New Jersey Democratic gubernatorial nominee Rep. Mikie Sherrill had raised roughly $17.5 million dollars, with GOP rival Jack Cittarelli at $16.5 million. Sherrill, as of a month ago, had spent around $11 million on her campaign, with Ciattarelli dishing out nearly $13 million. FIVE KEY 2025 RACES TO WATCH In Virginia, the Democratic nominee for governor, former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, hauled in nearly $12 million in fundraising in October alone, with Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears raking in $9.5 million last month. In New York City, where there are fundraising and spending caps, Democratic Party nominee Zohran Mamdani hauled in nearly $17 million in public and private contributions, with Independent candidate former Gov. Andrew Cuomo at $12.5 million and GOP nominee Curtis Sliwa raising nearly $6 million. And none of these figures include the tens of millions of dollars dished out in all three races by outside groups, such as super PACs. Meanwhile, the Prop 50 battle in California, the nation’s most populous state, saw a surge in spending. A whopping $140 million was dished out as of last month in the battle between Democrats and Republicans in left-leaning California to return control of congressional redistricting from the current non-partisan commission back to the Democrat-dominated legislature. The Yes on Prop 50 forces pulled in nearly $100 million, vastly outraising and spending the No forces.
Sexual predators, drug traffickers among ICE’s ‘worst of the worst’ roundup in Virginia
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests in Virginia have nearly tripled under President Donald Trump’s leadership compared to the previous administration, prompting Homeland Security to call out some of the state’s “worst of the worst” dangerous and violent offenders captured just last week in the state. The undocumented immigrant offenders highlighted by DHS came from Central America and the Caribbean, including El Salvador, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Jamaica, and the Dominican Republic. Meanwhile, their crimes ranged from drug smuggling to domestic violence, rape, “carnal abuse,” making terroristic threats, extortion and more. “This past week, ICE took down sexual predators, drug traffickers, rapists, abusers and other violent thugs across the Commonwealth,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “These arrests underscore the reality of open border and sanctuary policies that allowed criminals around the world to come to America and roam free across our country. Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, the U.S. is closed to lawbreakers. We will continue to use every available tool to make America safe again.” MAJOR BLUE COUNTY IN HOT SEAT AFTER VIOLENT ILLEGAL ALIEN ARRESTED 10 TIMES FINALLY NABBED BY ICE One of the offenders from Guatemala, Westher Antonio Jacobo Morales, was previously deported in 2016, but committed a felony when he chose to come back and re-enter illegally once again, according to DHS. Arrested last week by ICE officers in Richmond, Morales has a rap sheet that includes rape, extortion and violating a court order. A second offender from Guatemala, Daniel Soc-Patzan, entered the country illegally in 2013 and was issued a final order of removal that same year. He was arrested last week by ICE officials in Richmond as well. According to DHS, Soc-Patzan has a rap sheet including multiple infractions for assault and aggravated domestic violence. Meanwhile, another illegal immigrant criminal highlighted by DHS had a criminal history involving “carnal abuse” and sexual assault. That individual, Harvin Francisco Rivera-Diaz, was arrested last week in Richmond after illegally crossing the southern border from Nicaragua in 2022 under the former Biden administration. Adolfo Flores Ramirez, an illegal immigrant from El Salvador, was arrested the same day, in Northern Virginia’s Loudoun County. His criminal history included charges of driving under the influence, domestic violence and assault. In addition to undocumented immigrants from Central America, ICE officials in Virginia picked up criminal illegal aliens from the Caribbean as well. BIDEN-ERA ‘UNVETTED’ IMMIGRANTS NABBED AFTER VIRGINIA HIGHWAY GUNFIRE AS BORDER DEBATE HITS GOVERNOR’S RACE One from Jamaica, Shannovan Emeil Facey, was issued a final order of removal in 2013 but has managed to stay in the United States until now after his arrest in Richmond. His criminal history includes drug smuggling, drug possession and weapons charges, according to DHS. A second criminal illegal alien from the Caribbean included a man from the Dominican Republic who was arrested last week by ICE agents in Norfolk. The man, Elvin Tiburcio Mirambeaux, has a criminal history including making terroristic threats and drug possession. Past “worst of the worst” roundups include arrests made in Los Angeles of illegal immigrant gang members, murderers and child predators. For example, Mexican national Juan Carlos Marin-Hipolito was convicted of murder and sentenced to 50 years to life in prison, DHS said. Diego Fernandez-Martinez, also from Mexico, had convictions for carjacking, vehicle theft, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance for sales, robbery and prisoner in possession of a weapon, according to DHS, which noted he was also a member of the Surenos gang. Meanwhile, a “worst of the worst” Halloween weekend roundup included arrests of criminal illegal aliens convicted of intercourse with a minor, sexual abuse, kidnapping, homicide and other serious crimes. DHS highlighted that 70% of ICE arrests are of criminal illegal aliens charged or convicted of a crime in the U.S., according to a statement to Fox News Digital. With multiple important statewide elections in Virginia looming, Fox News Digital reached out to Virginia candidates for governor and attorney general, including Democrat gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger, Republican gubernatorial candidate Winsome Earle-Sears, Democrat Attorney General candidate Jay Jones and Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares, for comment on these recent arrests. “Disobedience of the law has no place in Virginia. Attorney General Miyares has proven time and again that violent offenders, including those in our country illegally, will face swift and uncompromising justice when they harm innocent Virginians,” representatives for Miyares said. “Jay Jones, on the other hand, would take our Commonwealth in the opposite direction. He intends to turn Virginia into a sanctuary state, tying the hands of law enforcement and endangering every law-abiding Virginian.” Jones, Spanberger and Sears didn’t respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.
Meet the candidates aiming to make history in the 2025 Elections
There’s plenty on the line on Election Day 2025, with the top ballot box contests viewed as crucial barometers ahead of the battle for Congress in next year’s midterm elections. Bragging rights and political momentum are at stake for Democrats and Republicans as two states will choose new governors, while the nation’s most populous city will vote for a new mayor in a high-profile showdown. And California, the country’s most populous state, will decide whether to jump into the bitter battle over congressional redistricting that’s pitting President Donald Trump and the GOP against the Democrats. But this year’s elections could also be one for the record books, as a handful of top candidates aim to make history. HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING, ANALYSIS, ON THE 2025 ELECTIONS The 34-year-old democratic socialist state lawmaker from the New York City borough of Queens shocked the political world in June with his convincing win over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and nine other candidates to capture the Democratic Party’s mayoral nomination. FIVE KEY RACES TO WATCH IN THE 2025 ELECTIONS Now Mamdani, the Ugandan-born frontrunner in the New York City mayoral race, could make history as the city’s first Muslim and first millennial mayor. Virginia’s Republican nominee for governor made history four years ago when she won election as the state’s first female lieutenant governor. Earle-Sears, who was born in the Caribbean island nation of Jamaica and immigrated to the U.S. as a 6-year-old, served in the Marines and is a former state lawmaker, would make history again if she wins Tuesday’s election. She would become the nation’s first Black woman to win election as a governor, as well as Virginia’s first female governor. The former CIA officer and former three-term member of Congress, who is the Democratic Party’s gubernatorial nominee, would also break barriers with a win. FIRST TIME VOTING? HERE IS THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO BALLOT BOXES, CRITICAL ISSUES ON ELECTION DAY If she secures victory, Spanberger would also become the first woman elected governor in Virginia. New Jersey has elected a woman as governor. Republican Christine Todd Whitman won two terms in the 1990s. But Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill, her party’s gubernatorial nominee this year in New Jersey, would become the first female Democrat to win the Garden State’s governor’s office if she comes out on top in Tuesday’s election. Both major party nominees for Virginia lieutenant governor will land in the record books if elected. Democratic nominee state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi would make history as the first Muslim and first Indian American elected as Virginia lieutenant governor. And Republican nominee John Reid would become the first openly gay man elected lieutenant governor. Omar Fateh has already landed in the record books as the first Somali American and Muslim elected to the Minnesota Senate. He would make history again if he is elected as Minneapolis’s first Muslim and Somali American mayor.
Will Election Day 2025 be remembered as the rise of the socialists?
Looking out over a sea of supporters, New York City Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani told a boisterous crowd that his campaign is a “movement of the masses.” With a week and a half until Election Day, some 10,000 supporters gathered to hear Mamdani and his two most high-profile supporters, progressive champions Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York. Mamdani, the 34-year-old democratic socialist state lawmaker from the New York City borough of Queens, shocked the political world in June with his convincing win over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and nine other candidates to capture the Democratic Party’s mayoral nomination. HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING ON THE 2025 ELECTIONS Fast-forward four months, and Mamdani’s on the cusp of making history as the first Muslim and first millennial mayor of the nation’s most populous city, which would give the Democratic Socialists of America their biggest electoral boost ever. A Mamdani general-election victory in New York City would also be seen as another sign of the rise of the socialist-aligned wing of the Democratic Party. HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS POLLING IN THE 2025 ELECTIONS And a Gallup poll conducted in August indicated two-thirds of Democrats viewed socialism positively, while only 42% of Democrats saw capitalism in the same favorable light. But Cuomo, fighting for a political resurrection after resigning as governor four years ago amid multiple scandals, argues that he’s the real Democrat in New York City’s mayoral race, and charges that Mamdani’s democratic socialist agenda would trigger an exodus of people and business. “The socialists want to take over the Democratic Party. That’s what Bernie Sanders is all about. That’s what AOC is all about,” Cuomo recently claimed. Some Republicans view a Mamdani victory as a political gift that will keep on giving. NEW YORK CITY VOTERS EMBRACE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISM Since his primary victory in late June, Republicans have aimed to make Mamdani the face of the Democratic Party. And if he’s elected mayor, they’ll increasingly work to link Mamdani to vulnerable Democrats up for re-election in next year’s midterms. “We saw our clearest sign yet that this radical insurgent movement in the Democrat Party is succeeding, and they are ending what has always been known as the Democrat Party in America,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told reporters last week, after Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the top House Democrat, endorsed Mamdani. But moderate Democrats push back at the GOP’s messaging. “I love New York, but it’s a very liberal place, and I don’t know that you can necessarily apply that to the rest of the country,” Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen of Tennessee said after Mamdani’s stunning primary victory. Other Democrats point to the party’s nominees for governor in New Jersey and Virginia, moderates Rep. Mikie Sherrill and former Rep. Abigail Spanberger. Meanwhile, a new center-left group named “Welcome,” in their inaugural report, argued that left-leaning ideas and rhetoric have badly weakened the Democratic Party. And the group is urging Democrats to jettison some of the party’s progressive language about race and LGBTQ issues.