Cruz-Vance rivalry heats up as Texas senator suggests VP is ‘feeling insecure’
Sen. Ted Cruz accused Vice President JD Vance of “feeling insecure” after Vance suggested the Texas Republican was already running for president in 2028, escalating a public clash between two possible contenders for the GOP nomination. “In my experience, people engage in political bomb-throwing when they’re feeling insecure,” Cruz told Politico in a phone interview Saturday, responding to Vance’s claim in an interview with NBC News that it was “really obvious” Cruz was already running for president. “So he’s welcome to make whatever comments he likes,” Cruz told Politico. “I’m going to keep focusing on the midterms and helping us win on Election Day in the next 30 days.” THE ONE LINE FROM JD VANCE’S GOP KEYNOTE THAT REVEALS HIS VISION FOR AMERICA Vance made the accusation in an NBC News interview on Thursday. “It is really obvious to me that, at this very moment, Ted Cruz is running for president,” Vance told the outlet. “At this moment, I’m not. I’m trying to help elect Republicans. That’s what I’m going to keep on doing.” Vance is considered a possible contender for the 2028 Republican presidential nomination. Cruz, who ran for the GOP nomination in 2016, has left open the possibility of another White House bid. “I’ll certainly be part of the discussion,” Cruz told MS NOW in August when asked about the 2028 race. EXCLUSIVE: INSIDE VANCE’S INTIMATE CAPITOL HILL HUDDLE AS REPUBLICANS CONFRONT TOUGH MIDTERM TERRAIN Cruz told Politico on Saturday that he remains focused on helping Republicans keep control of the House and Senate in November, pointing to his campaign travel on behalf of GOP candidates in Georgia, Iowa, Nebraska, South Carolina and his home state of Ohio. He told the outlet he also plans to travel to Alaska, Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina this month. “Over the last 10 years, there’s no Republican in the country who has campaigned for more Senate candidates, more House candidates, more gubernatorial candidates than I have, and this year will be no exception,” Cruz told the outlet. That campaigning has included helping Vance during his successful 2022 Senate run in Ohio. “Indeed, ironically, I spent a full day on the road with JD Vance, campaigning with him when he was running for Senate in Ohio,” Cruz told Politico. “I was very glad he won that race. I was very glad to help him.” Vance has also been campaigning for Republican candidates, with appearances in Texas and Florida last week. He is scheduled to hold a rally in Alaska on Monday.
Tech powerhouse’s regulatory push bears similarities to a notorious Washington strategy
Anthropic, the artificial intelligence company behind the Claude chatbot, has pushed for greater government regulation of AI in ways that echo elements of the Washington playbook employed by convicted fraudster Sam Bankman-Fried during his time as a cryptocurrency entrepreneur, a review of public records shows. Both Anthropic and Bankman-Fried poured millions of dollars into Washington influence campaigns while publicly arguing that government rules were needed to make their respective industries safer, although the money flowed through notably different channels. Critics in both industries have accused them of using regulation to strengthen their competitive positions. Bankman-Fried’s political operation later became part of a criminal case involving illegal campaign contributions, while Anthropic’s spending has consisted of disclosed lobbying and advocacy efforts. Anthropic, for its part, denies this characterization. Bankman-Fried, meanwhile, later said his public posture on regulation was essentially “just PR” in a social media direct-message exchange published days after FTX collapsed. Anthropic has been pushing Washington to put guardrails around the fast-moving AI industry, warning that increasingly powerful models could pose serious national security and public safety risks. CEO Dario Amodei has called for mandatory testing and auditing of advanced models, while the company has spent millions lobbying policymakers and backing groups that support tougher AI rules. WHITE HOUSE MEETS AI FIRM ANTHROPIC AMID POLITICAL TENSIONS, PENTAGON DISPUTE The push comes as Anthropic is increasingly engaging with a Trump administration that has made rapid AI development and U.S. dominance in the technology a major priority, warning that falling behind could carry economic and national security consequences. Amodei joined other major tech executives at the White House on Sept. 29, where they signed a voluntary agreement outlining safety standards for companies developing powerful AI systems. Before being convicted of fraud, Bankman-Fried lobbied Washington for a regulatory system for crypto led by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, presenting it as necessary to protect customers and bring clarity to the industry. He was a prominent supporter of the Digital Commodities Consumer Protection Act (DCCPA), legislation that would have created such a framework — with campaign finance records showing that he cut checks to the bill’s sponsors in the Senate. At the time, some crypto advocates opposed the DCCPA as overly favorable to centralized exchanges such as FTX. Prosecutors later alleged that Bankman-Fried and his co-conspirators flooded the political system with tens of millions of dollars in illegal contributions as part of an effort to increase FTX’s influence in Washington and help advance favorable legislation. Bankman-Fried justified his efforts on the grounds that public safety was at stake, using similar rhetoric to that employed by Anthropic in its quest to regulate AI development. “We need regulatory oversight and customer protection,” he said on social media weeks before FTX collapsed. Testifying before Congress, he argued that crypto regulation should provide “system safety and soundness.” GOP LAWMAKERS SMELL SOMETHING ELSE BEHIND BIG TECH’S AI DOOMSDAY WARNINGS: ‘SOMETHING ELSE GOING ON’ Anthropic has also pursued a lobbying strategy that calls for government regulation, warning lawmakers that advanced AI poses serious national security and public safety risks. Amodei told the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2023 that AI poses “extraordinarily grave threats to U.S. national security” and called for a mandatory “testing and auditing regime” with the power to block deployment of models found unsafe. “Do you guys remember what Sam Bankman-Fried was doing when he was caught red-handed? Aggressively lobbying Washington to ban his competitors,” Brian Chau, the founder of a news platform that leverages AI to aid in investigations, said in response to a piece written by Amodei calling for federal AI regulation. “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” Anthropic’s pro-safety rhetoric, much like Bankman-Fried’s, is backed by large amounts of cash. The firm has spent close to $7 million on lobbying efforts from 2025 through the middle of 2026, per federal disclosures, and has set aside $40 million to Public First Action, a 501(c)(4) tied to the super PAC Public First, which is being spent to advance pro-regulation talking points. “Anthropic is running a sophisticated regulatory capture strategy based on fear-mongering. It is principally responsible for the regulatory frenzy that is damaging the startup ecosystem,” former Trump administration AI advisor David Sacks posted to X in October 2025, responding to Anthropic’s strategy. DAVID MARCUS: BIG TECH INVENTED AI DOOMSDAY TO DUCK REAL LIFE PROBLEMS Much like some crypto advocates argued that the Bankman-Fried-backed DCCPA would have harmed his smaller competitors, Anthropic has been accused of supporting bills, namely California’s SB 53, that allegedly would harm less established AI labs. In the face of criticism, Anthropic has maintained that its commitment to public safety is genuine and pushed back against claims that its legislative activity is disadvantageous to smaller competitors. “Some have suggested that we are somehow interested in harming the startup ecosystem. Startups are among our most important customers,” Amodei wrote in October 2025, noting that SB 53 exempted companies with gross revenues below $500 million. While labs with revenue below the threshold are partially exempted, lower-income firms that use a certain amount of computational resources are still subject to transparency requirements under SB 53. Brian Chau, founder and CEO of the AI-assisted investigative publication Effort News, has also compared Anthropic’s public messaging about unreleased models to Bankman-Fried’s messaging as FTX unraveled. “I remember when FTX was going down SBF would make up a new cope narrative every week and all the FTX stans would instantly believe him,” Chau wrote in response to an article about an unreleased Anthropic model. Anthropic and representatives for Bankman-Fried did not respond to multiple requests for comment when reached by Fox News Digital.
Rahm Emanuel urges Dems not to impeach Trump if they win the House
Former Chicago Mayor and White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel urged his fellow Democrats not to attempt to impeach President Donald Trump if they win control of the House of Representatives next month. Emanuel made the statement during a Sunday appearance on NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” saying Democrats should instead pursue ethics reform. “Short answer: No, because it’s not going anywhere, and it’s going to be a food fight, and it’s just going to be we return to the politics of fighting,” Emanuel said when asked about impeaching Trump. HOUSE DEMS PLOT TRUMP INVESTIGATION BLITZ IF THEY SEIZE MAJORITY “You’re never going to get an impeachment,” he added. “Then if you do that, you just basically prove all Washington is what the American people think. It’s Disneyland on the Potomac. Deliver the change. Deliver a comprehensive ethics package that uses the investigations to then deliver change.” The statement comes as Democrats hold a significant advantage over Republicans heading into the final weeks before the midterm elections. REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: DEMOCRATS FACE AN IMPEACHMENT TRACTOR BEAM THAT COULD DERAIL THEIR AFFORDABILITY MESSAGE In the House, Democrats are projected to win 215 seats compared to 201 for the GOP, meaning the left only needs three more victories out of the 19 possible toss-up races to clinch a majority. Republicans would need to win at least 17 of those races. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., has declined to say whether he would support impeachment proceedings against Trump, though appeared to suggest this summer that it would not be a top priority. STEWART EXPECTS SCHUMER, JEFFRIES TO DISAPPOINT IF THE DEMS WIN BACK THE HOUSE AND SENATE “We haven’t ruled anything in or ruled anything out in terms of accountability. What we have said is that our focus is going to be to make life more affordable for the American people. We have to drive down the high cost of living,” Jeffries told NBC in June when asked about impeachment. Emanuel, who served two terms as mayor of Chicago and as chief of staff for former President Barack Obama, is one of several prominent Democrats rumored to be eyeing a 2028 presidential run. RAHM EMANUEL LAYS OUT FIVE-POINT ETHICS PLAN, SAYS DEMOCRATS SHOULD LEARN FROM GOP-LED STATES ON EDUCATION Emanuel has styled himself as a moderate Democrat opposed to infiltration by the democratic socialists, but that hasn’t stopped him from expressing support for far-left candidates like Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan. “You think people wanna support defunding the police? You think they wanna support open borders, open prisons? Run on it. I don’t, and that’s not the party’s position,” Emanuel told Fox News Digital in an interview last week. “Now, we will have healthy debate among progressive and pragmatic wing of the party. That’s what a coalition party looks like. But that is it. You had a party convention!” RAHM EMANUEL WARNS ‘BERNIE BROS’ COULD SINK DEMOCRATS BY SADDLING MODERATES WITH SOCIALIST AGENDA While speaking at the Texas Tribune Festival, Emanuel didn’t hesitate to praise Democratic Texas Senate nominee James Talarico, calling him “strong” and admiring Talarico for being “comfortable” about discussing his faith. But when asked by Fox News Digital moments later whether he supports El-Sayed’s candidacy, Emanuel initially hedged. 2026 MIDTERMS STATE OF PLAY: KEY RACES UNFOLD AS STEVENS, EL-SAYED BATTLE IN MICHIGAN “Look, I mean, it doesn’t matter what I do… it matters what the Michigan voters think,” he told Fox News Digital. “And that’s what’s gonna determine this in this effort. And I support the Democrats winning the Senate.” “So, in effect, you do hope that he wins that race for Democrats,” Fox News Digital followed. “Yeah,” Emanuel answered. Fox News’ Joseph Wulfsohn contributed to this report.
Neighborhood backlash collides with America’s tech arms race — but is this the plan to fix it?
A national security push to expand the infrastructure behind America’s technological ambitions is running into resistance from the communities being asked to host it, pitting Washington’s race to stay ahead of China against mounting local backlash. Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, D-Va., who represents America’s “Data Center Alley,” warns that backlash could obstruct the very buildout Washington considers a national priority unless Congress steps in — arguing that community buy-in is necessary to keep expansion moving. “The communities are being steamrolled by the industry,” Subramanyam told Fox News Digital. “They’re not feeling like anyone’s listening to them.” Subramanyam is pitching a four-part federal plan aimed at breaking what he sees as a false choice between unchecked development and outright moratoriums. The proposal addresses siting, power costs, energy and water measurement, and security for the facilities and surrounding communities. TRUMP’S DATA CENTER PUSH FRACTURES CONGRESS AS LOCAL ANGER EXPLODES: ‘GRASPING AT STRAWS’ “If you are concerned about a race with China, when it comes to building data centers and AI, you should want to work with us on a plan to get community buy-in for where to build data centers,” Subramanyam said. His Fair Share Act would push states to require large power users to cover more of the infrastructure costs needed to serve them, according to the plan. HOMEOWNERS IN THE HEART OF AMERICA’S AI BOOM ARE GETTING AN UNEXPECTED PAYOFF “At the federal level, if we say that we’re going to take away some of your federal funding if you do this, then it will be a no-brainer,” he said, arguing data centers should “pay their fair share for the infrastructure that needs to be built because of them.” The tension surfaced again this week as Fox News Digital reported on complaints of noise and encroachment from a massive data center built against an Ashburn cul-de-sac. Subramanyam said many residents in his district understand the need for the infrastructure but object to how he says its costs and burdens are distributed. Loudoun County says data center revenue has helped it lower its real-property tax rate, from $1.145 per $100 of assessed value in 2016 to $0.805 in 2026, according to the county. But Subramanyam argued residents must weigh those benefits against costs he says can appear elsewhere, particularly on utility bills. “What’s not OK is feeling like they come in, jack up utility costs and we pay for their power infrastructure,” he said, also citing water, air quality and other community concerns. The industry disputes that data centers are driving higher residential power bills. The Leesburg-based Data Center Coalition has cited a recent analysis by energy consulting firm E3 that found no historical evidence that data centers increased residential electricity costs under existing rate structures. Fox News Digital reached out to the trade group, which is based in Data Center Alley, for comment on the package. Subramanyam argues infrastructure with national implications cannot continue developing “ad hoc” under a patchwork of state and local rules. CHINA ‘THROWING GASOLINE ON THE FIRE’ IN AI DATA CENTERS RACE, SAY LAWMAKERS Other pieces of the plan would establish federal standards for siting and measurement and develop protections against security threats, including attacks on critical infrastructure overseas. “I know that localities do zoning, states do energy policy and other related things, but Congress and the federal government need to get involved,” Subramanyam said. AMERICA’S REDDEST STATE CHASES BILLION-DOLLAR BOOM AS OTHERS SOUR ON MASSIVE EMERGING INDUSTRY Those concerns have also become a focus of state action. Gov. Abigail Spanberger unveiled a September framework aimed at strengthening local control, shifting more infrastructure costs onto major power users and setting new standards for water use and grid reliability. “In the years before I took office, data centers came to Virginia, and the commonwealth did not have a clear or coordinated plan to address their impacts on Virginians — on their electric bills, their water, their land, their air, or their quality of life,” Spanberger told Fox News Digital. Leaders across the political spectrum, from Spanberger to Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, have crafted plans and emphasized the issue’s importance on multiple fronts. Just across the Blue Ridge, West Virginia has taken a different approach, creating a microgrid program designed to attract large projects. Critics have raised concerns about limits on local government powers, while proponents have mapped out potential property tax elimination. Jefferson County stakeholders recently debated the issue with the state’s data-economy liaison at a forum in Shepherdstown, where county Commissioner Cara Keys criticized the potential loss of local control while the liaison maintained that project approvals would be handled judiciously, according to WVMetroNews. “Two things can be true: You can support data centers, and you can be against the guardrails lacking in [the law],” Keys said. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER For Subramanyam, the sharply different approaches on either side of the Blue Ridge illustrate the patchwork he says Washington must address before local resistance hardens further. “The only plan I’ve seen is either to do nothing or a full moratorium,” he said. “And to me, neither of those is a viable option moving forward.”
One southern state’s rise is making it America’s new ‘economic center of gravity’
DALLAS — As companies and capital flow away from traditional financial hubs like New York and California, one southern state is making an increasingly aggressive bid to become America’s next financial powerhouse. Speaking with Fox News Digital from the Texas Stock Exchange’s Dallas headquarters, former Congressman Jeb Hensarling, a strategic advisor to the exchange, said Texas is already becoming “the economic center of gravity in America.” “Texas is really becoming the economic center of gravity in America,” Hensarling said. “As New York is increasingly shoving capital out, Texas is saying, ‘You’re welcome.’ We put out the welcome mat, whereas New York, capital isn’t really made to feel at home, and capital wants to go where it’s made to feel at home.” AMERICA’S NEXT ECONOMIC POWERHOUSE MAY BE RISING IN RED-STATE TERRITORY The Texas Stock Exchange, which received Securities and Exchange Commission approval last year, is designed to compete with the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq by giving companies another venue to go public and list their shares. Supporters say the exchange is the latest sign the Lone Star State is evolving from a destination for corporate relocations into a financial center capable of challenging Wall Street. “Texas has been a great place to do business for decades,” Hensarling said. “But increasingly, it’s a great place to headquarter your business. Over the last couple of legislative sessions, because of laws passed, it’s a great place to incorporate your business. And really the last piece of that puzzle was the Texas Stock Exchange, which is now making Texas the best place to list your company and to go public.” THIS STATE ISN’T JUST GROWING — ITS ECONOMY IS GETTING RICHER PER RESIDENT The exchange has already secured primary listings from companies such as Energy Transfer, Dillard’s, Sunoco and Texas Capital Bank. Hensarling said backing from major financial firms such as JPMorgan and BlackRock, along with executives recruited from competing exchanges, demonstrates the venture is more than a branding exercise. “They don’t put their capital in places where they think it’s going to lose money,” Hensarling said. “It’s a lot of validation from the market already.” Hensarling also dismissed criticism that “Y’all Street” is little more than a catchy slogan. “If it was gimmicky, I’m not really sure the competition would be all of a sudden setting up offices here,” he said. Hensarling pointed to the exchange’s financial backers, executives recruited from rival exchanges and companies that have chosen Texas as their primary listing as evidence that it has quickly become a credible competitor. Hensarling said the exchange is simply the latest chapter in Texas’ broader economic ascent. “People are coming to Texas because, again, capital is made to feel welcome,” he said. “It’s an economic juggernaut… all in all, they’re coming here because this is where, economically, the action is.”
Latino voters swing back to Democrats ahead of midterm elections: poll
Latino voters are swinging away from President Donald Trump and Republicans ahead of the midterm elections, according to new polling from NBC News and Telemundo. The poll surveyed 800 registered Latino voters across the U.S. from Sept. 21-28, finding that 69% say they disapprove of Trump’s performance, compared to just 27% who approve. Meanwhile, roughly 66% say Trump’s deportation policies have gone too far, and 75% say Trump has mishandled the economy and cost of living, the poll found. FOX NEWS POLL: MAJORITY SAYS IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT HAS CROSSED THE LINE The poll likewise found that Democrats hold a huge advantage over the GOP among Latino voters, despite Republicans making gains with the demographic in 2024. Asked which party they would like to see in control of Congress, 59% of Latino voters said Democrats, compared to 35% who wanted Republicans. FOX NEWS POLL: SQUEEZED BY COSTS, FRUSTRATED VOTERS TURN TO THE DEMOCRATS Democrats had just a 12-point lead among Latino voters going into the 2024 elections, showing that Trump and the GOP have lost some of the ground they gained with the voting group. The GOP still shows drastic improvement among Latino voters over the last decade, however. In 2016 and 2018, Latino support for a GOP Congress sat at just 21% and 26% respectively. LEE CARTER: THE SUMMER POLLS MISSED THE POINT: VOTERS ARE MOVING — AND THE MIDTERMS BEGIN NBC News and Telemundo conducted the poll via phone interviews and online surveys via text message. The poll advertises a margin of error of 3.5%. The data is the latest in a series of polls showing Democrats have a large advantage over Republicans heading into the midterm elections. Trump argued at a political rally in Dayton, Ohio, on Saturday night that the bad polling numbers have failed to account for his influence on the elections. “These fake polls, they don’t account for one thing. They don’t account for the fact that Trump is out campaigning. They never thought this was good. They never thought this was going to happen,” Trump told a cheering crowd. “With you at my side, we have always prevailed and prevailed by a lot and got record-setting votes and record-setting victory,” Trump said. “We’ve won every battle. We’ve defeated every hope. We’ve overcome every threat. And now we are on the cusp of beating the communists, socialist, radicalized lunatics and villains once and for all. We’re going to put them down once and for all.” In the House of Representatives, Democrats are projected to win 215 seats compared to 201 for the GOP, meaning the left only needs three more victories out of the 19 possible toss-up races to clinch a majority. Republicans would need to win at least 17 of those races.
‘Phantom’ Obamacare accounts spark new crackdown as Oz targets broker fraud
Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, is urging health insurers to work only with brokers who record their conversations with Obamacare applicants, escalating the Trump administration’s crackdown on unauthorized enrollments that officials say have cost taxpayers billions. Vice President JD Vance announced Tuesday that the administration’s anti-fraud task force will be removing 750,000 fraudulent recipients enrolled in Obamacare, saying the move will save American taxpayers $2.2 billion. “These [Obamacare enrollees] are phantom accounts,” Oz told Fox News Digital. “There are no human beings involved in these accounts. BOMBSHELL REPORT EXPOSES HEALTHCARE FRAUD SCHEMES AS TAXPAYERS LOSE UP TO $521 BILLION ANNUALLY He continued, “Why do I think that? We reached out to them. We wanted to know, have you filed any claims? We don’t see anything. Have you ever responded to any questions we’ve asked you? Do you have a Social Security number? Without that, I can’t tell if you made enough money to be on Obamacare or maybe too much to be.” Oz told Fox News Digital that the administration is encouraging health insurance companies to get involved in the anti-fraud push. “From now on, we’re asking insurance companies to work with brokers who record the conversations,” Oz said. “Why wouldn’t you?” he said. “What are you nervous about? What are you worried about? Why don’t you want me to hear what you discussed?” OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT UNCOVERS $500M IN FRAUD AND WASTE IN FEDERAL HEALTH BENEFITS PROGRAMS The move would help create transparency among the recipients who are applying to receive aid through Obamacare, ideally showing that the customer authorizing the transaction is verifiable and actually qualifies for the program. “I’m trying to make sure you had a real discussion to explain the policies and truly tried your best to get the right people in the right programs,” Oz said about the administration’s proposal. “Otherwise, we have massive corporate fraud.” Oz also told Fox News Digital the administration discovered 1.1 million people receiving benefits from Obamacare that did not have a Social Security number. “The 760,000 accounts that we terminated, we took out because the American taxpayers should not be paying fraudulent brokers to lie about people who don’t exist, collect premiums and run away with the money,” Oz said. VANCE TO HOST CONGRESS AT WHITE HOUSE TO DISCUSS LEGISLATIVE ACTION ON FRAUD The Treasury Department has begun handing out refund checks of $500 to roughly 1 million Americans, along with a letter from President Donald Trump slamming the Biden administration for overcharging taxpayers “to fund the operation of HealthCare.gov.” “I don’t know what’s driving this desire to hurt our ability to regulate,” Oz said. “But I can tell you, for sure, we have other tricks up our sleeve to make sure we don’t let the American people get taken advantage of.”
Top Republican unloads on rise of ‘anti-American’ candidates heading into midterms: ‘You got to be kidding’
LEWISTON, MAINE – Rep. Tom Emmer, on the first stop of a 56 district blitz across the country rallying Republican voters, spoke to Fox News Digital about what he describes as an “anti-American” sentiment in the Democratic Party and his party’s message on the economy. “We’re not talking about socialists, these are communists, Marxists and anarchists,” Emmer, the Republican House majority whip, told Fox News Digital this week about the rise of far-left candidates in the Democratic Party. “You got to be kidding. They want us to call them democratic socialists, there’s nothing democratic about these people.” Emmer, who was in Maine campaigning for Republican House candidate Paul LePage, specifically took issue with Democratic Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed. EL-SAYED, MAMDANI BRANDED ‘HAIR TONIC SALESMEN’ IN BRUTAL JAB FROM TOP HOUSE REPUBLICAN “This guy says ridiculous things like U.S. NFL football is an example of toxic masculinity, he supports a terrorist who believes that America deserved to lose 3,000 people on 9-11, and he’s got this Piker guy who’s just shooting his mouth off on everything anti-American,” Emmer said. “These people are anti-American more than anything else. It’s time that we have great candidates like Paul LePage, which is why I’m here, who loves his state, loves this country and believes in the promise of America. We should be out there celebrating it and defending it, not tearing it down, that’s why you vote for Paul.” With six weeks to go until Election Day and early voting already underway in a handful of states, the conventional wisdom is that Republicans may be in for some setbacks in the midterms. HOUSE CONSERVATIVES UNLEASH MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR MIDTERM BLITZ AGAINST DEM ‘SOCIALIST’ INSURGENCY As it defends its fragile House and Senate majorities, the GOP is fighting political history, which has traditionally seen the president’s party lose congressional seats during the midterms. It’s also battling high costs at the grocery stores and gas pumps tied to what polls show is an unpopular war with Iran, as well as President Donald Trump‘s underwater approval ratings. But Democrats are saddled with their own issues, from an ideological civil war between the party’s left wing and the establishment that has handed Republicans plenty of political ammunition, to a brand image that’s nothing to brag about. Add to that the Democrats’ major disadvantage as the GOP floods the airwaves with attack ads. Fox News Digital asked Emmer what he would say to Republican voters in the current political climate in terms of defending the administration’s record. “First off, remember, the Biden administration put this economy in the ditch, literally,” Emmer said. “Inflation we hadn’t seen in 40 years. Donald Trump and Republicans in the House and the Senate have been putting this economy back on track. We can talk about all the investment and everything else, but we have to be very sensitive to the fact that $4 gas, $6 diesel is unacceptable, but I would argue it still isn’t enough to vote for a communist.”
WATCH: Dem senators dodge backing Kamala Harris in potential 2028 run: ‘Very messy’
Former Vice President Kamala Harris is leaving the door open to another White House bid in 2028, but Democratic senators aren’t rushing to line up behind their party’s 2024 nominee. “Well, I’ve backed her before, but there’ll be other contenders this time,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., told Fox News Digital. “I’ve made no decisions about who I would support.” “I think we’re going to have a very, very, very messy and very big primary,” Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., said. “It’s going to be every Tom, Dick and Harry. And that’s probably where it should be.” HARRIS KEEPS 2028 DOOR OPEN AS SHE HITS MIDTERM CAMPAIGN TRAIL, WARNS ‘28 WON’T MATTER’ WITHOUT 2026 “We’ve got a lot of people who are going to run and I think we should sort that out after the midterms,” Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., said. Harris returned to the campaign trail last week alongside Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed, while continuing to leave open the possibility of another White House bid. Asked in Detroit whether she would run in 2028, Harris said she had not decided and urged Democrats to focus on November, warning that “’28 won’t matter” without success in 2026. “We’re focused on 2026,” said Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, D-Md. “We’re gonna win back the House and the Senate.” She continued, “I love Kamala Harris. I have a very personal friendship and relationship. She’s amazing. I think anybody who wants to run should. She’s obviously very well qualified. We need to focus on ’26.” DEMOCRATS SHY AWAY FROM QUESTIONS ON WHETHER HARRIS SHOULD RUN FOR PRESIDENT IN 2028 “This is going to be a wide open primary, and again, that’s democracy at its best,” Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., said. “Everyone who wants to run should be able to run for office here.” Another potential 2028 contender is Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., who represents the party’s progressive wing. Ocasio-Cortez describes herself as a democratic socialist. NEWSOM ROASTED ONLINE FOR ‘STAGED’ FLY-FISHING INTERVIEW WITH CNN ANCHOR WHERE HE DROPPED MAJOR 2028 HINT California Gov. Gavin Newsom is another potential 2028 contender, although he said last month that he would not run if Harris enters the race. “We should have a lot of candidates running so we have a very broad discussion about the future of this country,” Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., said. A July University of New Hampshire Granite State Poll found Ocasio-Cortez leading the prospective 2028 Democratic primary field in New Hampshire with 22% support among likely Democratic primary voters. Harris registered 5%. Neither Harris nor Ocasio-Cortez has announced a 2028 campaign.
Dems hand GOP fresh midterm weapon by opposing widely used voter ID
Senate Democrats’ recent rejection of voter ID is giving Republicans fresh ammunition in the midterm fight, putting them on the opposite side of a practice that is common across the country and broadly popular with voters in both parties. Republicans have developed a cynical view of why Democrats won’t play ball with voter ID, arguing that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and his caucus don’t want to give the GOP a win heading into the midterm elections. “Democrats are gonna vote against it because they don’t want to give the president a win,” Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., told Fox News Digital. “They don’t want to give Republicans a win. They’ll screw the country and stuff.” DOZENS OF HOUSE DEMOCRATS REJECT BILL FUSING CONGRESSIONAL STOCK BAN WITH FEDERAL VOTER ID Republicans’ latest attempt to pass a federal voter ID law, which was paired with another popular issue to ban insider trading in Congress, comes months after initially launching their push to pass the SAVE America Act, a high priority for President Donald Trump that Schumer and Democrats have time and again rejected. Earlier this year, Democrats argued that voter ID isn’t so bad, it’s just how Republicans were approaching it that they disagreed with — Schumer dubbed the SAVE America Act “Jim Crow 2.0” and contended it would disenfranchise Black and Brown voters. “Democrats support voter ID,” Schumer said on a press call earlier this year. “In fact, we included it, and it is included, in our Freedom to Vote legislation several years ago.” INSIDE THE SENATE’S CHAOTIC ALL-NIGHTER THAT LEFT TRUMP’S SAVE AMERICA ACT ON THE SHELF But as the months have dragged on, an issue that voters overwhelmingly support has become a place for Democrats to dig their heels into the dirt against. Requiring identification to vote is already a practice in 36 states. Of those, 23 require photo ID, while 13 accept another form of identification, such as a bank statement. Nine of those states have Democratic senators. “We already have it,” Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., told Fox News Digital. “I mean, Virginia has a voter ID law that our citizens really like.” “Virtually every state has a voter ID law,” he continued. “So, what, there has to be a one size fits all federal thing for states [that[ are already doing this?” SCHUMER, DEMOCRATS SAY THEY SUPPORT VOTER ID, THEN BLOCK GOP AMENDMENT TO REQUIRE IT Republicans say that the Democratic resistance has a more nefarious intent. Requiring voter ID would allegedly nuke some of their voter base, illegal immigrants, and therefore lower their chances of winning in federal elections. “Well, it’s evident Democrats want to make it easier to cheat,” Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., told Fox News Digital. ” Republicans want to make it easier to vote, make sure nobody’s cheating. And that’s where we are on this voter ID, an 80/20 issue or not even more.” Barrasso argued that identification is required in several mundane instances of life, from boarding a plane to buying a beer — and even to get into some rallies held by Democratic candidates during this election cycle. “They’re complete hypocrites on this,” Barrasso said. “But [what] we need to do is elect more Republicans to be able to win these elections and make sure we have people here that see what the American people see, which is, you have to have a photo ID to vote.”