District judges’ orders blocking Trump agenda face hearing in top Senate committee
The Senate Judiciary Committee is holding a hearing to examine the influx of nationwide orders against the Trump administration by federal district judges. Last week, Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, revealed the details of the event, set one day after the House committee’s hearing on the same subject. “Since the courts and the executive branch are on an unsustainable collision course, Congress must step in and provide clarity,” he said in a statement last week. “Our hearings will explore legislative solutions to bring the balance of power back in check.” WHITE HOUSE WARNS OF TRUMP VETO IF TIM KAINE ‘STUNT’ VOTE TO CANCEL TARIFFS PASSES SENATE The hearing, titled, “Rule by District Judges II: Exploring Legislative Solutions to the Bipartisan Problem of Universal Injunctions,” will feature testimony from John N. Matthews Professor of Law at Notre Dame Samuel Bray, partner at Boies Schiller Flexner Jesse Panuccio, who was previously the acting associate attorney general at the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the chairman of the DOJ’s Regulatory Reform Task Force and vice chairman of the DOJ’s Task Force on Market Integrity and Consumer Fraud, as well as Agnes Williams Sesquicentennial Professor of Federal Courts at Georgetown University Law Center Stephen I. Vladeck. After revealing details of the hearing, Grassley rolled out his own bill to tackle the issue. CORY BOOKER STAFFER ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY CARRYING PISTOL WITHOUT LICENSE AT CAPITOL “These nationwide injunctions have become a favorite tool for those seeking to obstruct Mr. Trump’s agenda,” he wrote in an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal. “More than two-thirds of all universal injunctions issued over the past 25 years were levied against the first Trump administration. In the past two months alone, judges have issued at least 15 universal injunctions against the administration—surpassing the 14 President Biden faced throughout his four-year term.” Grassley’s legislation would restrain the lower courts’ ability to issue nationwide orders, and they would no longer be able to stop “legitimate executive action” by granting orders to entities or individuals who are not parties to the lawsuit. While similar bills have been introduced by Grassley’s GOP colleagues in both the Senate and House, it is unclear whether the issue will get floor votes, as it would need to amass more than 60 votes in the upper chamber to beat the filibuster. HAWLEY OFFICIALLY A YES ON DR. OZ AFTER SECURING COMMITMENTS ON TRANSGENDER, ABORTION ISSUES Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has not elaborated much on the issue and, when asked about it, he told reporters, “At the end of the day, there is a process, and there’s an appeals process. And, you know, I suspect that’s ultimately how it’s going to be ended.” President Donald Trump has made his frustration with nationwide injunctions clear, urging action on them publicly. ‘BLINDSIDED’: HOW STEFANIK’S TRUMP NOMINATION AS UN AMBASSADOR IMPLODED “Unlawful Nationwide Injunctions by Radical Left Judges could very well lead to the destruction of our Country!” the president said in a recent Truth Social post. “These people are Lunatics, who do not care, even a little bit, about the repercussions from their very dangerous and incorrect Decisions and Rulings.” “If Justice Roberts and the United States Supreme Court do not fix this toxic and unprecedented situation IMMEDIATELY, our Country is in very serious trouble!” he continued.
Dems say Wisconsin voters ‘decisively’ rejected Trump, Musk after liberal wins state Supreme Court seat
Democrats across the country celebrated after the liberal-leaning candidate won a high-profile election on Tuesday for a seat on Wisconsin’s Supreme Court, protecting the liberal majority on the bench. Dane County Circuit Court Judge Susan Crawford defeated conservative-leaning Brad Schimel, a former state attorney general who currently serves as a state circuit court judge in Waukesha County. Schimel was endorsed by President Donald Trump, and the president’s billionaire senior advisor, Elon Musk, spent millions of dollars to oppose Crawford’s candidacy. After a massive infusion of money from Democrat-aligned and Republican-aligned groups from outside Wisconsin, which turned the race into the most expensive judicial election in the nation’s history, the election partially transformed into a referendum on Trump’s action during the early months of his second term in the White House. Following Crawford’s victory, Democrats said voters in Wisconsin, a battleground state, sent a clear message to reject Trump, Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency — which is led by Musk — as well as the Republican Party’s agenda. LIBERAL WINS FIRST MAJOR 2025 STATEWIDE BATTLEGROUND ELECTION IN RACE TURNED INTO TRUMP-MUSK REFERENDUM Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers wrote: “Wisconsinites proved we will not be bought — not by the richest or most powerful people in the world or anyone else.” Musk had handed out $1 million checks at a rally in Green Bay on Sunday evening to two Wisconsin voters who had already cast ballots in the contest and had signed a petition to stop “activist judges.” Wisconsin’s Democrat state attorney general sued to block the payments, but the state Supreme Court refused to weigh in. “This election was about the resilience of the Wisconsin and American values that define and unite us,” Wisconsin’s governor said in a statement. “This election was about doing what’s best for our kids, protecting constitutional checks and balances, reaffirming our faith in the courts and the judiciary, and defending against attacks on the basic rights, freedoms, and institutions we hold dear.” “For anyone who mistakenly believes actions and decisions in Washington are neither seen nor heard here in Wisconsin or states across our country, the people of Wisconsin responded tonight,” he added. Sen. Tammy Balwin, D-Wisc., said Wisconsin voters “showed tonight that their votes are not for sale!” WISCONSIN VOTERS DECIDE TO ENSHRINE VOTER ID LAW IN STATE CONSTITUTION: ‘BIG WIN FOR REPUBLICANS’ “Judge Crawford is a common sense judge who has always been guided by the same basic values she learned growing up in Chippewa Falls,” Baldwin said on X. “She believes in doing the right thing, she has fought to protect our rights and freedoms, and she will be a fair and impartial Justice on the WI State Supreme Court!” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said that “[a]nyone who counted Democrats out was dead wrong.” “Wisconsin voters tonight sent a decisive message to Elon Musk, Donald Trump, and DOGE by rejecting an extreme Republican for their Supreme Court: our Democracy is not for sale,” he said in a statement. “Democrats are in the fight to keep our country.” “Elon Musk spent millions in a failed scheme to buy a Wisconsin Supreme Court seat,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., wrote on X. “Voters decisively rejected Donald Trump, Musk and the rapidly deteriorating Republican brand. Back up off the American people.” Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., wrote on X: “Congratulations to Wisconsin’s newest Supreme Court Justice, Susan Crawford! The voters spoke loud and clear: Wisconsin is not for sale.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “Wisconsin beat the billionaire,” Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said on X, referring to Musk. California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Crawford’s victory was an “amazing win for Wisconsin and the entire country.” Wisconsin’s high court is likely to rule on crucial issues like congressional redistricting, voting and labor rights and abortion. Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser and Charles Creitz contributed to this report.
Maryland reparations bill advances, Gov. Wes Moore dodges questions on whether he supports the measure
A Maryland bill to establish a commission to study reparations – including financial restitution – is moving forward, as it is expected to clear its final hurdle in the House of Delegates, while the governor attempts to dodge questions about whether he supports the proposal. The bill, a priority for the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland, passed the Senate in the middle of last month before Crossover Day, which marks the unofficial deadline for legislative leaders in the General Assembly to move bills to the other legislative chamber that they plan to send to the governor for final approval. The bill received a favorable vote in its assigned House committee on Friday, WBFF reported. It is expected to be voted on in the full House before the legislative session adjourns next week. Senate Minority Whip Justin Ready, a Republican, told WBFF he does not understand why the reparations bill is being advanced as the state faces a $3.3 billion deficit, which is expected to increase even more to $6.7 billion by fiscal year 2028. NTSB SAYS LACK OF ‘VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT’ BY MARYLAND OFFICIALS PRECEDED DEADLY KEY BRIDGE COLLAPSE “We don’t have the money right now to be exploring these options, period,” Ready told the outlet. “[T]he issue of reparations, I’m sure elicits strong opinions, but the fact is, it’s just something that’s not financially feasible, whether you think it’s a good idea or not.” “I question whether using taxpayer money would ever be appropriate in this context,” he added. “Even going back to when reparations were paid to survivors of the Holocaust, they went after companies that were involved. Not after taxpayers.” The proposed commission is expected to initially cost Maryland taxpayers $54,500 annually, according to the nonpartisan Maryland Department of Legislative Services. Similar reparations commissions have been created by state governments in California, Colorado, Massachusetts, New York and Illinois. DEM GOV SAYS MD, WITH $3B DEFICIT, HAS BEEN DOING DOGE ‘BEFORE ANYONE KNEW WHAT [IT] WAS’ Last year, the California Reparations Task Force released a report following a two-year study in which the state was called on to issue a formal apology for slavery and other racial injustices and to offer financial payouts. The report recommended a financial restitution formula that would provide eligible recipients with up to $1.2 million each, although state lawmakers have not yet held a vote to authorize the first payments. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat, has dodged questions about his state’s bill since it was introduced in January. He was asked at the time if he supported the measure, but turned his focus to economic priorities. “Nah, we are going to work with the Maryland General Assembly on a whole collection of different issues,” Moore told WBFF at the time. “Our focus is economic advancement; our focus is economic growth. It’s making sure we can really meet people where they are, make life more affordable. That we are modernizing of state government.” The governor was asked again about the issue during his visit to celebrate the Baltimore Orioles’ home opener on Monday afternoon at Pickles Pub. WBFF attempted to speak with him, but the requests were denied. The outlet reached out to the governor’s office after his appearance at the pub, but his spokesperson’s response did not address the questions about the reparations bill. Ready told WBFF that the bill could harm the national attention Moore has received over the past year. “I don’t think Gov. Moore would want this on his desk because I think it is a distraction to trying to get real problems solved,” Ready said. “[T]here may be some people it motivates, in some way, but a lot of those are kind of on the fringes.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP If the law is enacted in its current form, the commission must provide its preliminary report by January 1, 2027, and a final report by November 1, 2027.
Wisconsin voters decide to enshrine voter ID law in state constitution: ‘Big win for Republicans’
Wisconsin will enshrine the state’s voter ID law in the state constitution after voters approved the proposal on Tuesday. The Associated Press called the vote at 9:48 p.m. EST. Wisconsin already requires that voters have photo ID in order to participate at the polls, but the measure now elevates that law to a constitutional amendment. VAST MAJORITY OF AMERICANS SUPPORT PHOTO ID REQUIREMENT TO VOTE, NEW POLL SAYS President Donald Trump celebrated the law being added to the state constitution on Truth Social after the vote was called Tuesday night. “VOTER I.D. JUST APPROVED IN WISCONSIN ELECTION. Democrats fought hard against this, presumably so they can CHEAT. This is a BIG WIN FOR REPUBLICANS, MAYBE THE BIGGEST WIN OF THE NIGHT. IT SHOULD ALLOW US TO WIN WISCONSIN, LIKE I JUST DID IN THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, FOR MANY YEARS TO COME!” the president wrote. Nine states, including Wisconsin, require that voters present photo ID, though Wisconsin’s requirements are the strictest, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. There are laws in 36 states requiring or requesting that voters show some sort of identification, the NCSL said. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Liberal wins first major 2025 statewide battleground election in race turned into Trump-Musk referendum
WAUKESHA, Wis. — The liberal-leaning candidate is projected to win a high-profile and historically expensive election in Wisconsin on Tuesday, protecting progressive majority control of the battleground state’s Supreme Court, which is likely to rule on crucial issues like congressional redistricting, voting and labor rights, and abortion. The Associated Press projects that Dane County Circuit Court Judge Susan Crawford will defeat Brad Schimel, a former state attorney general who currently serves as a state circuit court judge in Waukesha County. Schimel, the conservative-aligned candidate in the race, was endorsed by President Donald Trump. With a massive infusion of money from Democrat-aligned and Republican-aligned groups from outside Wisconsin, which turned the race into the most expensive judicial election in the nation’s history, the contest partially transformed into a referendum on Trump’s sweeping and controversial moves during the opening months of his second tour of duty in the White House. Also front and center in the electoral showdown was someone who, along with Trump, was not on the ballot: billionaire Elon Musk, the president’s top donor and White House adviser. THE OTHER MAJOR ELECTIONS TODAY – IN THIS RED STATE – ARE ALSO A REFERENDUM ON TRUMP Musk, the world’s richest person and chief executive of Tesla and SpaceX, who has taken a buzz saw to the federal government workforce as he steers Trump’s recently created Department of Government Efficiency, dished out roughly $20 million in the Wisconsin race through aligned groups in support of Schimel. And Musk, in a controversial move, handed out $1 million checks at a rally in Green Bay on Sunday evening to two Wisconsin voters who had already cast ballots in the contest and had signed a petition to stop “activist judges.” Wisconsin’s Democrat state attorney general sued to block the payments, but the state Supreme Court refused to weigh in. WHY ELON MUSK HANDED OUT MILLION DOLLAR CHECKS IN WISCONSIN Calling the election a “super big deal,” Musk said it was critical to the Trump agenda. “I think this will be important for the future of civilization,” he said. “It’s that significant.” Musk wasn’t the only mega-donor on the right playing in the Wisconsin showdown. Shipping magnates Richard and Elizabeth Uihlein, who are among the biggest conservative contributors in the nation, also provided millions in support of Schimel and the Wisconsin GOP. “If you told me six months ago this was what was going to happen, I would not have believed it. But yeah … some parts of this are way beyond my control anymore,” Schimel said in a Fox News Digital interview during a bus tour stop Monday just outside Green Bay. Schimel, who launched his bid 16 months ago, added that “other people can treat this how they want. If they think they want to make it a referendum on the president or Elon Musk, so be it.” “This is a referendum on Wisconsin,” he said. “Can we restore objectivity to the Wisconsin Supreme Court?” BIG-MONEY WI HIGH COURT RACE WILL HAVE NATIONAL EFFECTS, AS REDISTRICTING, UNIONS, TRANS ISSUES AT STAKE Schimel also leaned in to the endorsement from Trump. A TV ad running in the closing stretch of the race spotlighted that voting for Schimel would protect Trump’s agenda. The candidate also wore a “Make America Great Again” hat at some campaign stops during the final weekend ahead of the election. Schimel spotlighted his final blitz to reach out to voters. “We are doing six to eight rallies every single day in cities across the state,” he said. “People are turning out in huge numbers, and we’ve got other surrogates going out around the state where we’re not, doing the exact same thing. It’s absolutely about getting those voters out.” And Schimel also got a boost from the conservative powerhouse organization Americans for Prosperity. The group said its grassroots army has connected with nearly 600,000 voters in Wisconsin since last November’s election. Trump, who narrowly carried Wisconsin in both of his White House victories, said the state is important because its Supreme Court can settle disputes over election outcomes. “Wisconsin’s a big state politically, and the Supreme Court has a lot to do with elections in Wisconsin,” the president said Monday at the White House. “Winning Wisconsin’s a big deal, so, therefore, the Supreme Court choice … it’s a big race.” Schimel’s camp and other conservatives repeatedly argued that a continuation of the liberal majority on Wisconsin’s high court could lead to unfavorable congressional redistricting in the state, which could spell doom for two Republican lawmakers: Reps. Derrick Van Orden and Bryan Steil, chair of the House Administration Committee. TRUMP, OBAMA, WEIGH IN ON HIGH COURT SHOWDOWN IN KEY BATTLEGROUND Asked about the conservatives shining a spotlight on potential congressional redistricting, Crawford told reporters on Monday that “it’s just not appropriate for me as a judge to express a view on that, especially on an issue that someday could come before the Wisconsin Supreme Court again. That’s why I don’t speak to the issue.” Tuesday’s election was the first statewide contest held since Trump returned to the White House, and it was an opportunity for plenty of voters to vent against the president and his policies. Crawford enjoyed a surge in fundraising, thanks in part to an energized base eager to resist Trump and Republicans. “People are really motivated and want to make sure that we protect the Wisconsin Supreme Court,” Crawford said in a Fox News Digital interview after a rally in Madison on the eve of the election. BATTLEGROUND STATE SHOWDOWN: DEMOCRATS TARGET ELON MUSK Crawford argued that voters “don’t want to see some outsider, some billionaire, come in and try to buy a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, which is what Elon Musk is trying to do.” At her rally, Crawford said “this election is going to determine all of our fundamental rights and freedoms.” But Crawford also benefited from outside money, with roughly $2 million infused into the race by left-leaning financier George Soros, long a boogeyman
Elon Musk visits CIA headquarters to discuss DOGE cuts
Elon Musk visited Central Intelligence Agency headquarters on Tuesday to discuss his government efficiency program. The visit was the first for Musk since the creation of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which is charged with rooting out wasteful federal spending and shrinking the government. CIA Director John Ratcliffe who invited Musk, posted a photo of him and the tech billionaire at the spy agency headquarters. ATLANTIC REPORTER PUBLISHES MORE TEXTS ABOUT ATTACK ON HOUTHI TARGETS “Had a great visit and meeting with @ElonMusk to discuss his ideas and progress so far in making our government more efficient!” Radcliffe wrote. “I look forward to working with Elon and his team to ensure that CIA remains the premier intelligence Agency in the world.” Fox News Digital has reached out to the CIA. In the first months of the Trump administration, Musk and DOGE have attempted to slash government spending, including offering buyouts to and laying off workers en masse. TRUMP TEAM’S SIGNAL CHAT LEAK SPARKS DEBATE OVER SECURE COMMUNICATIONS Musk met with NSA chief Gen. Timothy Haugh last week to discuss the Trump administration’s priorities, Politico reported. Earlier this month, the CIA fired some probationary employees and recent hires, according to the New York Times. However, on Monday a federal judge in Virginia blocked the Trump administration’s move to fire more than a dozen intelligence agency employees who worked on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs.
‘JFK’ director Oliver Stone calls on Congress to reopen investigation into Kennedy assassination
Filmmaker Oliver Stone urged legislators in Washington, D.C., Tuesday to reopen the investigation into the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and reassess everything from the crime scene to the courtroom, including the rifle and bullets used, fingerprints and the autopsy. President Donald Trump issued an executive order since returning to the Oval Office in January to release the long-concealed materials about the assassination of Kennedy and records on the assassinations of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The 80,000 pages of JFK files were released March 18, giving experts and conspiracy theorists a trove of material to prove or disprove how Kennedy was killed in Dallas, Texas, Nov. 22, 1963. In his opening statements Tuesday, Stone, whose 1991 film “JFK” examined the investigation into Kennedy’s assassination, raised an issue with the CIA’s handling of files he requested to see regarding the assassination. TRUMP ANNOUNCES HE WILL RELEASE 80,000 JFK ASSASSINATION FILES ON TUESDAY, GOING TO BE ‘VERY INTERESTING’ “Although mandated by law from the Central Intelligence Agency, which operated and still operates as a taxpayer-funded intelligence agency that arrogantly considered itself outside our laws,” Stone said, “they say things like, ‘We will get back to you on that,’ and they never do. “Nothing of importance has been revealed by the CIA in all these years,” he continued, adding other records show illegal criminal activities in every facet of U.S. foreign policy in nearly every country on Earth. “Just to begin, Cuba, Vietnam, Indonesia, Egypt, South America, the Middle East. We could write a whole separate history of our country from the viewpoint of the countries, yet we do not know and are not allowed to know anything about the CIA’s true history of the United States, which is almost, I believe, the real story.” He then called for the Task Force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets, chaired by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., to reopen the investigation into Kennedy’s assassination, picking up what the Warren Commission failed to do. WEEKS AFTER EPSTEIN FILE FALLOUT, A NEW DEADLINE LOOMS IN THE RELEASE OF THE RFK AND MLK FILES The Warren Commission, after an investigation, found no evidence that Lee Harvey Oswald or Oswald’s assassin, Jack Ruby, were part of any conspiracy, domestic or foreign, to kill the president. It said at the time that one bullet that struck Kennedy passed through him and struck Texas Gov. John Connally, hitting his back, thigh, chest and wrist. Critics of the commission’s findings call it the “magic bullet theory.” “I ask the committee to reopen what the Warren Commission failed miserably to complete,” Stone said. “I ask you in good faith, outside all political considerations, to reinvestigate the assassination of this President Kennedy, from the scene of the crime to the courtroom … which never happened, but which means the chain of custody on the rifle, the bullets, the fingerprints, the autopsy that defies belief, and that if it were a murder, we’d have given to the poorest man dying in a gutter. “Let us reinvestigate the fingerprints of intelligence all over Lee Harvey Oswald, from 1959 to 1960 – his violent death in 1963 — and, most importantly, this CIA, whose muddy footprints are all over this case, a true interrogation.” FBI UNCOVERS THOUSANDS OF UNDISCLOSED RECORDS CONNECTED TO JFK’S ASSASSINATION Stone spoke about Deputy CIA Director James Angleton, who, before he died, talked about Allen Dulles, Richard Helms and others he referred to as the “Grand Masters.” “He did say, ‘If you were in a room with them, you were in a room full of people that you had to believe would deservedly end up in hell. I guess I will see them soon,’” Stone said. “This is our democracy. This is our presidency. It belongs to us. Treat us with respect.” Stone said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter in January that Trump deserved “praise” for the order to release the JFK assassination files. Despite pleas to open the investigation, the FBI notes on its website that after conducting some 25,000 interviews and running down tens of thousands of investigative leads, “the FBI found that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone.” Oswald was killed shortly after the Kennedy assassination. Fox News Digital’s Alex Nitzberg contributed to this report.
Milwaukee polling places running out of ballots amid ‘historic turnout’ by voters
The City of Milwaukee is running out of ballots due to “historic turnout” on Tuesday night, as Badger State residents stand in line at polling places to decide whether the Wisconsin Supreme Court will lean conservative or liberal. FOX 6 Milwaukee reporter Jason Calvi reported the developments on Tuesday night. At least seven polling sites have run out of ballots, per the Milwaukee Elections Commission. The sites are expecting more ballots soon, though the polls closed at 8 p.m. Milwaukee officials also noted that Wisconsin residents in line by 8 p.m. are still eligible to vote. “We are working diligently to replenish ballots,” the Milwaukee Elections Commission wrote on Facebook. TRUMP ANNOUNCES PLAN TO CHOP DOWN MAGNOLIA TREE PURPORTEDLY PLANTED BY ANDREW JACKSON: ‘MUST COME TO AN END’ The Wisconsin Supreme Court currently has a 4-3 liberal majority. The court race has attracted attention across the country, as both Democrat and Republican-aligned groups from outside Wisconsin have dedicated money and resources to swaying the race. It’s been interpreted as a referendum on President Donald Trump’s second administration so far. Notably, Tesla CEO Elon Musk hosted an America PAC town hall in Green Bay on Sunday night, where he handed two $1 million dollar checks to two voters who signed a petition against “activist judges.” TRUMP ADMIN REVIEWING BILLIONS IN GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS, GRANTS FOR HARVARD AMID ANTISEMITISM ALLEGATIONS Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul unsuccessfully asked for an emergency injunction to stop Musk from handing out the checks, but the state’s highest court declined to hear Kaul’s arguments. “The reason for the checks is that, it’s really just to get attention,” Musk said while holding a gigantic check. “It’s like, we need to get attention… somewhat inevitably, when I do this… it causes the legacy media to, like, kind of lose their minds.” Musk’s attorneys maintained that the payments are “intended to generate a grassroots movement in opposition to activist judges, not to expressly advocate for or against any candidate.” Fox News Digital’s Sophia Compton and Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
Former DeSantis official defeats Dem for Matt Gaetz’s House seat
Republican Jimmy Patronis, the former Florida chief financial officer under Gov. Ron DeSantis, fended off his Democrat opponent and successfully won the race to succeed former Rep. Matt Gaetz in Florida’s special election on Tuesday. President Donald Trump notably carried the district by 37 points in the 2024 election. The 1st Congressional District special election, in addition to the one in the 6th District to replace U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, are being viewed by some as early referendums for Trump’s second term. HAWLEY OFFICIALLY A YES ON DR. OZ AFTER SECURING COMMITMENTS ON TRANSGENDER, ABORTION ISSUES Trump voiced his support for Patronis on Tuesday morning, urging people to vote. “Jimmy Patronis, Chief Financial Officer and Fire Marshall for the Great State of Florida, is running an incredible Campaign for Congress in Florida’s 1st Congressional District!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “A fourth generation Floridian from the beautiful Panhandle, and owner of an iconic seafood restaurant, Jimmy has been a wonderful friend to me, and to MAGA. As your next Congressman, Jimmy will fight hard alongside of me to Grow our Economy, Cut Taxes, Secure our Border, Stop Migrant Crime, Strengthen our Brave Military/Vets, Restore American Energy DOMINANCE, and Defend our always under siege Second Amendment.” ‘BLINDSIDED’: HOW STEFANIK’S TRUMP NOMINATION AS UN AMBASSADOR IMPLODED “Florida, Election Day is TODAY. GET OUT AND VOTE FOR JIMMY PATRONIS. Jimmy has my Complete and Total Endorsement — HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!,” Trump added. The Republicans had an advantage in Patronis’ race, but Valimont managed to significantly outraise her opponent, which flashed some warning signs. HOW TRUMP-BLOCKING JUDGES MANAGED TO GET PAST SENATE JUDICIARY HAWKS Her fundraising topped the Republican’s by a nearly five-to-one margin. Gaetz resigned from the House of Representatives last year after Trump revealed his plan to nominate him to be attorney general. However, it became clear that the controversial House Republican had an uphill battle to get support from GOP senators. JOSH HAWLEY BELIEVES HIS BILL CAN STOP ‘RESISTANCE’ JUDGES FROM ‘PROVOKING A CRISIS’ Just days after Trump’s announcement, and after a number of meetings in the Senate, Gaetz officially withdrew from consideration. Pam Bondi was then nominated by Trump for the role and ultimately confirmed as attorney general.
GOP state senator wins Florida special election, extends GOP House majority
Trump-endorsed Republican state Sen. Randy Fine emerged victorious in one-of-two special elections in the Sunshine State on Tuesday night. Fine will be taking over former Congressman Mike Waltz’s seat in Florida’s 6th Congressional District, after Waltz vacated the seat to become President Donald Trump’s National Security Advisor. Fine outlasted Democrat Josh Weil, a public school employee and political newcomer who raised nearly 10 times more than Fine. Florida’s sixth district, located on the Sunshine State’s Atlantic coast from Daytona Beach to just south of Saint Augustine and inland to the outskirts of Ocala, was carried overwhelmingly by former GOP congressman Waltz in 2024. President Trump also won the 6th Congressional District in 2024 by a significant margin – 30 points. SCOOP: TRUMP ALLY DONALDS SHOWCASES CAMPAIGN CASH SURGE SINCE ANNOUNCING FLORIDA GOVERNOR RUN The Republican’s victory came in the closest election for Florida’s sixth district since 2018, when former Congressman Waltz beat out his Democrat opponent by13 points. Each subsequent election, Waltz won at least 60% of the vote. Tuesday’s unusually close race, widely seen as a referendum on President Trump’s first few months in office, carries implications for the broader battle for power in Congress. There were fears that a loss in both, or either, of Florida’s Tuesday special elections would deal a significant blow to the Republican majority in the House of Representatives, which has dwindled since Trump plucked numerous Republican House members, such as Waltz, to join his cabinet. CORY BOOKER STAFFER ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY CARRYING PISTOL WITHOUT LICENSE AT CAPITOL Amid these concerns, GOP New York Rep. Elise Stefanik’s nomination to be Trump’s Ambassador to the United Nations was pulled. Weil’s ability to drum up a campaign war chest worth nearly $10 million, dwarfed Fine’s which held a little under $1 million. However, in the final week before Tuesday’s election, outside Republican-aligned groups doled out around $1 million for advertising in an attempt to help boost Fine. Tuesday’s victory notches one more seat in the House for Republicans, expanding their slim five-vote majority by one more. Following Tuesday’s victory President Trump took to social media to congratulate Fine and Fine thanked the President for his support.