This sparsely populated red state quietly climbed to the top of America’s financial rankings
Of the 50 U.S. states, 24 don’t have enough money to cover their bills. Meanwhile, one under-the-radar red state stands apart from the rest, according to a new analysis of state finances. North Dakota ranked No. 1 in Truth in Accounting’s 2026 Financial State of the States report, ending fiscal year 2025 with $21 billion more than it needed to pay the state’s bills. That financial cushion gave North Dakota the highest “Taxpayer Surplus” in the country at $72,300. The taxpayer surplus figure does not mean that the state’s residents receive that amount of money back in their pockets at the end of the year — rather, it represents each taxpayer’s share of the state’s surplus under the group’s methodology. The divide between the states with surplus versus those with burden matters, especially when the economy weakens. States with stronger balance sheets have more room to weather downturns, maintain public services and meet retirement obligations, while states carrying large unfunded debts can face tougher choices over taxes, spending and borrowing when revenues fall. THINK YOUR STATE IS EXPENSIVE? NEW DATA REVEALS WHERE AMERICANS FACE THE HIGHEST COST-OF-LIVING North Dakota’s financial position was bolstered by its Legacy Fund, a state investment fund built with oil tax revenue. Although oil, gas and coal tax revenues declined amid lower energy prices, strong investment earnings and federal grant revenue helped offset the drop, according to the report. North Dakota was followed in the rankings by Alaska, Wyoming, Utah and Tennessee. The five states all had taxpayer surpluses ranging from $11,400 in Tennessee to topping out in North Dakota with $72,300. Those handful of states’ financial position stands in sharp contrast to nearly half the country. The report found that 24 states did not have enough available assets to cover their financial obligations. New Jersey ranked last, with a $162.3 billion shortfall. Truth in Accounting translates that gap into a $45,800 “Taxpayer Burden,” the highest in the country. Connecticut ranked 49th, followed by Illinois, Massachusetts and California. The bottom five states had taxpayer burdens ranging from $16,000 in California to $45,800 in New Jersey. THE RED STATES CHARGING AHEAD WITH AMERICA’S WEALTH AS RIVALS WATCH BILLIONS SLIP AWAY Long-term retirement obligations are a major source of pressure on state finances. Across the country, states had $775 billion in unfunded pension liabilities and $490 billion in unfunded retiree health care obligations in fiscal 2025, according to the report. Despite those shortfalls, most states improved financially in 2025. Strong investment returns boosted pension assets and helped reduce unfunded pension obligations, though Truth in Accounting cautioned that those gains can reverse when markets fall. AN OVERLOOKED RED STATE QUIETLY BUILT ONE OF AMERICA’S MOST COMPETITIVE TAX SYSTEMS
Most dramatic moments from Rep Mike Lawler’s fiery debate against Dem Cait Conley in battle for House control
Tensions flared on the debate stage Wednesday night, where Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., faced off against Democrat military veteran Cait Conley to represent their suburban New York district in Congress. Lawler is vying for a third term representing the Empire State‘s 17th Congressional District. One of the few swing seats left in Congress, the race could prove decisive for which party controls the House of Representatives for the latter half of President Donald Trump’s term. Below are some of the most dramatic moments during their one-hour head-to-head on PIX11 News: HOW ONE NYC SUBURB COULD DECIDE WHICH PARTY CONTROLS THE HOUSE While the debate was filled with the two political rivals criticizing each other, one tense moment came when Lawler turned his ire on moderator Dan Mannarino. Mannarino had asked both Conley and Lawler what should be done to rein in Immigration and U.S. Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents who run afoul of their own guidelines, invoking the recent shooting of an illegal immigrant in the Bronx by federal officers while the man’s 5-year-old was in the car. Lawler pointed to the man’s rap sheet and accused Democrat state leaders of creating the situation with their sanctuary policies and Gov. Kathy Hochul’s recent bail reforms. He also accused Conley of supporting those policies. The moderator began, “Mr. Lawler, I just want to follow up. The question was, how do you ensure if ICE agents do not follow through objectives, and what’s the discipline —” “I understand the question,” Lawler said amid the cross-talk. PROTESTS ERUPT IN THE BRONX AFTER ICE AGENT SHOOTS MAN DURING IMMIGRATION OPERATION “But you didn’t answer the question,” Mannarino said. “I understand the question. But here’s the problem, Danny,” Lawler shot back. “You guys want to focus on a gangbanger who has put people in harm’s way? I want to make sure that our communities are safe.” ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ACCUSED OF MURDERING COLLEGE STUDENT DIALS INTO HEARING FROM HOSPITAL BED The GOP incumbent notably used the immigration standoff to pivot to the case of Sheridan Gorman, a teen from his district who was shot and killed near her college campus in Chicago earlier this year. The accused is an illegal immigrant who was previously arrested for shoplifting but was never turned over to ICE due to Chicago‘s sanctuary policies. Conley called Gorman’s death an “atrocious crime,” while Lawler repeatedly said over her, “It was preventable.” SHERIDAN GORMAN’S MOM SCORCHES DEM LAWMAKERS SHE SAYS REFUSED TO HEAR FAMILIES OF SLAIN AMERICANS “Can I finish?” an irate Conley shot back. “It was an atrocious crime committed in Chicago. And that man should have been deported. And I do support federal agents and federal law enforcement, federal immigration enforcement, making sure that we deport violent criminals.” Lawler then pointed out, however, that the man would only have been deported if the sanctuary laws were not in place — laws he has repeatedly accused Conley of supporting along with her fellow Democrats. “This is important,” Lawler began as the moderator tried to regain control. “If you think he should have been deported when he was arrested for shoplifting, he should have been turned over to ICE. Under the new law that you support, he will not be turned over to ICE, and he will be released under cashless bail.” “Mr. Lawler, there’s not a cross-examination round, so thank you,” the moderator said. Conley quipped at her GOP rival, “If you wanted to be the moderator, you should have volunteered.” At another point, the candidates were asked whether there should be a federal definition or law for consent to help stop sexual assault. Conley took the moment to attack Lawler for being allied with Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, a fellow House Republican who has been accused of domestic violence by his wife. Miller has denied the allegations. Lawler said their matter was “tragic” and should be dealt with in family court without blaming either side. He then accused Conley of taking money from former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, who was revealed to be a client in a 2008 federal probe into a prostitution ring. Spitzer was never criminally prosecuted and resigned from his governorship amid the scandal. “I’m sorry. I do not need — I do not need you to mansplain to me, domestic abuse and sexual assault against women,” Conley snapped. “Don’t start. I do not need you to mansplain to me, Mike.”
Woke megachurch pastor, Dem nominee called for repentance over White privilege in wake of George Floyd, BLM
A former pastor and candidate running to make history in deep-red Kansas once suggested that people should repent for their White privilege as protests against the death of George Floyd rippled through the country. During the tumultuous summer of 2020, just days after Floyd’s killing in Minnesota, Adam Hamilton called on his congregation at the Church of the Resurrection to recognize their White privilege and repent. “Like part of what I know is that, is that I grew up in a way that I’m blind to certain things in our society,” Hamilton said during a sermon dubbed “Jesus, Protests and Repentance.” “I just am. And I have certain benefits by virtue of being educated, White and male, right?” KANSAS DEMOCRAT BEGS KAMALA HARRIS NOT TO CAMPAIGN WITH HIM, ‘PLEASE DO NOT COME TO MY STATE’ “And we don’t like to hear that, especially White folks don’t like to hear that. But there are benefits that come along with that,” he continued. Hamilton is running against Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., in what has become one of the tightest races of this midterm cycle, despite Kansas’ near-century-long history of not sending a Democratic candidate to the Senate. “Roger Marshall wants to talk about anything other than his history of suing and jailing mothers and protecting predators by voting against releasing the Epstein Files,” Tyson Brody, a spokesperson for Hamilton’s campaign, told Fox News Digital. “Once again, he’s attacking Adam for something Roger said himself. Roger’s own pastor called Adam ‘middle of the road.’ Kansans are tired of high gas and grocery prices and ready for a senator who won’t divide us by race, religion, income, or ability to pay a medical bill at 18% interest.” Republicans acknowledge that they are facing headwinds going into November’s election, but until recently, the contest between Marshall and Hamilton wasn’t of much concern for the GOP. SCHUMER WARNS OF REPUBLICAN ADVANTAGE THAT COULD CHANGE THE BATTLE FOR SENATE CONTROL Now, the race has taken a turn and been rated a toss-up by the Cook Political Report as voters fume over the cost of fuel, groceries and other economic pain. In response, national Republicans are beginning to dump more resources into the contest to ensure that they maintain the seat. Throughout the race, Marshall has largely aligned himself with President Donald Trump, only rarely breaking from the administration on certain decisions — last month he called for more advance notice and cooperation between the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Kansas government after federal immigration agents descended on the southern part of the state. Marshall has painted Hamilton as a “woke” megachurch pastor, delivering left-leaning ideals from the pulpit. ‘JESUS WAS A RADICAL’: PROGRESSIVES INVOKE CHRIST TO SELL LEFT-WING AGENDA ON CAMPAIGN TRAIL So has an outside group based in Massachusetts, the Main Street Fund, which ran an ad in Kansas that spliced portions of two different sermons and charged that Hamilton was “way too woke for Kansas,” shortly after Hamilton won his primary, The Kansas City Star reported. During the sermon from June 2020 amid the Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests, Hamilton pushed back against rioting and looting, and argued that while the BLM movement was the focal point at the time, all lives matters. “Of course all lives matter,” Hamilton said. “Everybody understands white lives matter, blue lives matter.” Hamilton continued in his sermon posted on the church’s YouTube page in June 2020 amid the Black Lives Matter protests, “When I’m stopped by the police, I’m never afraid that they’re gonna pull a gun on me.” “But every African American man that I know is worried about what might happen when a police pull him over,” Hamilton said at the time. “It’s not that all the police are bad, they’re gonna do something like that, but there’s this fear underneath there. And so the hands go on the steering wheel at 10 and 2. They’ve been taught that from the time they were children. Right?” “I wasn’t taught that, because I don’t have to be afraid of that. Right? And there’s a whole host of other things that are just a part of life. You know, I can … well, you get the idea. There are benefits and privileges to my place in life. I have to recognize that,” he continued. “To see that. And then I have to listen. I have to listen and understand, and finally be able to see the brokenness in myself, and my indifference. Before I can do anything to help anyone else, I have to have a conversion. I have to repent.” And Marshall, who was running for his first term in the Senate at the time, struck a similar somber tone as Hamilton six years ago. In various posts to social media and interviews with local outlets, Marshall condemned Floyd’s slaying and pushed for reforms that would ensure what happened in Minnesota and to federal Protective Services Officer Patrick Underwood, who was killed in a drive-by shooting just days after Floyd’s death. “Additionally, Republicans called on Congressional Democrats to work across the aisle to make sure that what happened to George Floyd and Patrick Underwood never happens again, and significant bipartisan reform can be passed,” Marshall said on Facebook following a House Judiciary hearing on police practices and law enforcement accountability.
Press freedom groups that blasted Trump turn fire on Dem governor over alleged media retaliation
A coalition of prominent press freedom organizations that have blasted President Donald Trump’s treatment of journalists is now accusing Democratic Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, a Trump critic himself, of retaliating against news outlets scrutinizing his administration. The accusations came in an Oct. 13 letter from the Freedom of the Press Foundation and six other journalism and civil liberties organizations. The groups raised concerns about the Moore administration’s decision to subject even routine inquiries from reporters at Sinclair-affiliated news outlets and The Baltimore Sun to additional legal review. The additional review came amid a defamation lawsuit filed against Moore by David Smith, executive chairman of Sinclair Broadcast Group and majority owner of The Baltimore Sun. Maryland agencies have explicitly cited Smith’s lawsuit in written responses to reporters, informing journalists at Sinclair-affiliated outlets that their inquiries would be referred to legal counsel before receiving a response. Moore himself has previously criticized Trump’s treatment of journalists. During a Sept. 20 appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union,” the Maryland governor condemned the president’s decision to bar reporters from CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House, accusing Trump of treating the Constitution “like it is a suggestion box simply because he does not like the coverage.” WHITE HOUSE WON’T BACK DOWN AS ATTORNEY PREDICTS HOW TRUMP’S LATEST PRESS TUSSLE WILL PLAY OUT IN COURT “It’s particularly offensive that Moore seeks to boost his national profile by slamming the Trump administration’s unconstitutional attempts to ban disfavored media outlets from the White House when he’s engaged in such similar antics himself,” Seth Stern, chief of advocacy at the Freedom of the Press Foundation, said in a statement accompanying the letter. The press freedom groups that joined in condemning Moore, including the Committee to Protect Journalists, PEN America, Reporters Without Borders and the Society of Professional Journalists, argued that journalists should not face different treatment from government officials because of a dispute involving their outlets’ ownership, drawing a comparison to the Trump administration’s restrictions on certain White House reporters. Moore’s office strongly disputed the allegations in a statement to Fox News Digital on Wednesday, insisting that reporters have continued receiving responses from state agencies despite the additional legal scrutiny. BALTIMORE SUN OWNER THREATENS MD GOV WES MOORE WITH LAWSUIT OVER WHAT HE CALLS A DEFAMATORY EPSTEIN LINK “The central premise of this letter is completely false. There is no blanket refusal to engage,” Ammar Moussa, Moore’s senior press secretary and director of media strategy, told Fox News Digital. “In the last week alone, state agencies and the Governor’s Office have answered dozens of questions from Sinclair outlets, and we’re happy to let them share those responses.” “David Smith chose to sue the Governor. Having our legal team look over inquiries is basic due diligence, not a blackout,” Moussa continued. “A litigant doesn’t get to dictate how the state protects itself, but that hasn’t stopped our agencies from doing their jobs for the people of Maryland.” The dispute traces back to a defamation lawsuit Smith filed against the governor in July. Smith accused Moore of making false and damaging statements about him during a television interview, including remarks Smith interpreted as suggesting he had ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Smith, whose media holdings include The Baltimore Sun, has been a frequent target of criticism from Moore, who has accused the newspaper’s ownership of advancing a political agenda aligned with Trump. Smith maintains that the governor’s remarks crossed the line from political criticism into defamation. The lawsuit was filed by Smith personally, rather than the news organizations whose reporters have since faced additional legal review of their inquiries. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER “We urge you to instruct all Maryland agencies that Smith’s lawsuit against you is a personal matter and not an excuse to send media requests into a legal review black hole, and to cease any other unlawful retaliation against news outlets you personally dislike,” the coalition letter stated. “It is particularly jarring that, while government agencies under your watch stonewall reporters based on flimsy pretexts, you take to the airwaves to condemn the Trump administration’s unconstitutional ban of news outlets the president doesn’t like from the White House,” the letter continued. “Yes, Trump frequently turns his personal grudges into censorial government policy, to the detriment of the public. But your own conduct appears not much different.”
Former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt opens up about Trump, motherhood
Former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt offered a glimpse into her relationship with President Donald Trump during a candid Instagram Q&A, praising her former boss as “kind and uplifting” while opening up about personal life decisions. Leavitt, 29, fielded a variety of questions from her Instagram followers while traveling Wednesday, touching on everything from Trump’s personality to her career plans and life as a mother of two. When asked whether Trump was nice or kind, Leavitt offered insight into his personality. “Yes! He’s the best boss,” she said. LEAVITT PULLS BACK THE CURTAIN ON TRUMP’S ‘TENSE,’ UNFILTERED PRIVATE TALKS WITH PUTIN, XI, STARMER “People don’t see this side of him because the media doesn’t show it but he has been nothing but kind and uplifting to me, even since departing,” she continued. “He’s also hilarious. Love him!” Leavitt, who served as press secretary from January 2025 until August 2026, also addressed a question about landing another job after her decision to leave the White House to spend more time with her children. “As Press Sec, I was working in the office 60+ hours a week, traveling the world, and always on call 24/7,” she said. “Now, I am home with my kids every day and doing some TV hits. These things are not the same, ma’am.” KAROLINE LEAVITT INVITED AS A GUEST ON ABC’S ‘THE VIEW’ AFTER LEAVING WHITE HOUSE ROLE Leavitt also confirmed that she would officially begin working as a Fox News Channel contributor next month. “I will be officially joining Fox News as a TV Contributor on November 1st, so I will continue making appearances on various shows!” she wrote. FOX News Media CEO Suzanne Scott announced Leavitt’s new role earlier this month, and she is expected to provide commentary across the network’s programming. Leavitt previously worked in Trump’s first administration as a presidential writer and assistant press secretary before running for Congress as a Republican in New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District in 2022. She also served as communications director for then-House Republican Conference Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik. When asked for career advice for people hoping to succeed in public relations or politics, Leavitt encouraged them to gain practical experience before graduating. KAROLINE LEAVITT ANNOUNCES BIRTH OF SECOND CHILD, A GIRL “My advice to people who want to get into politics or comms is to get real world experience when you’re in college,” she said. “You’ll be taught a lot of things in the classroom, but work experience is where you’re really going to learn the game.” Leavitt said she interned at NBC Sports Boston because she initially considered becoming a sideline sports reporter. She also worked at a local news station before securing a White House internship. “Just try to apply for internships, say yes to every opportunity that you can and don’t spend your summers hanging out, spend your summers working and gaining that real world experience, which will help you later in your career.” Leavitt, who made history as the youngest White House press secretary, was also asked how she spends her free time. “I don’t have free time. As a mom of two littles, I’m lucky if I can take a shower in peace. But it’s the season of life I’m in and I wouldn’t have it any other way!!!!” Fox News Digital’s Brian Flood contributed to this report.
Pentagon sends hundreds of Army troops to Latin America for training as drug-trafficking campaign expands
The U.S. military is deploying several hundred Army soldiers to Latin America for training and joint exercises with regional forces as the Trump administration expands its campaign against drug-trafficking networks, Fox News confirmed. The deployment involves soldiers from the Army’s 10th Mountain Division based at Fort Drum, New York, with the first troops from a roughly 600-soldier battalion expected to deploy to Panama, according to The New York Times, which first reported the deployment. A senior U.S. official confirmed to Fox News that the troops are being forward-staged under U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), which will determine where they are ultimately deployed. According to The Times, the troops will first deploy to a new jungle training facility in Panama before eventually training with local forces in Colombia and Honduras. EXCLUSIVE: TRUMP’S NEW SECURITY ALLIANCE FACES FIRST REAL-WORLD TEST DEEP IN SOUTH AMERICA AS TROOPS DEPLOY The troops could also support U.S. special operations personnel who are advising local militaries conducting raids against suspected drug traffickers, the outlet reported. Separately, several hundred soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division are expected to help staff a new Western Hemisphere military command based in Miami. The deployment comes as the Pentagon continues military operations targeting suspected drug traffickers across Latin America and the Caribbean. US MILITARY STRIKES ALLEGED NARCO-TRAFFICKING VESSEL IN CARIBBEAN, KILLING 4 ‘NARCO-TERRORISTS’ Since the campaign began more than a year ago, U.S. forces have conducted dozens of strikes, with more than 235 people killed. Gen. Francis Donovan, commander of SOUTHCOM, previously said the military was considering operations against trafficking networks on land. “Do I see land strikes as options? Yes. We want all options at the table,” Donovan said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal. “Those actions might be strikes, arrests, or the takedown of a safe house,” he continued. “It could even be something as routine as increasing the use of cargo scanners at border checkpoints.” TRUMP ADMIN’S LIST OF US-DESIGNATED ‘FOREIGN TERRORIST’ GROUPS IN LATIN AMERICA EXPANDS TO 21 Donovan added that the goal was to create “total systemic friction” for the cartels. The Trump administration has pursued agreements with allied nations that could allow it to expand military operations against trafficking networks onto land in multiple Latin American countries. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth previously said during a visit to Panama in August that Colombia, Guatemala and Honduras had agreed to allow the U.S. to carry out joint military operations against criminal groups within their borders, although Guatemala denied reaching such an agreement.
Tension erupts during House midterm debate as Lawler fact-checks New York Democrat opponent on immigration
Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., faced off against Democrat opponent Cait Conley Wednesday night in a one-hour debate filled with interruptions and fiery accusations less than three weeks before Election Day. Lawler is vying for a third term representing New York’s 17th Congressional District, a politically moderate area in the New York City suburbs that could decide the fate of who controls the House of Representatives for the final years of President Donald Trump’s term. Lawler called out Conley for misrepresenting his voting record, Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act and her own stance on immigration enforcement. Conley, meanwhile, tried to paint Lawler as a Trump acolyte who put the needs of Washington Republicans ahead of the people of his district. Their most heated clashes came on the immigration front, when the moderator referenced the recent shooting of an illegal immigrant by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents last week in New York City while the man’s 5-year-old child was in the car. DEM CANDIDATE CLEARS CROWDED FIELD TO FACE TRUMP-BACKED INCUMBENT IN NY “I believe that border security is national security and that we do need immigration enforcement to ensure that violent criminals and drug cartels and human traffickers and terrorist organizations aren’t in our communities and that they are deported,” Conley said. “But what we are seeing right now with the conduct of ICE is posing a public safety hazard. To your point, last week, they shot into a car where there was a 5-year-old child. I’ll tell you, as a law enforcement officer, you’re not permitted to do that kind of stuff.” NEW YORK GOVERNOR DEBATE HEATS UP AS BLAKEMAN, HOCHUL SPAR OVER TRUMP, SANCTUARY STATUS, ICE SHOOTING Lawler, however, pointed out the man has a lengthy criminal rap sheet and was seen by some as a danger to his community. He also argued the shooting would never have happened had local law enforcement not been barred from handing him over to ICE by New York’s sanctuary laws. He said Conley “supports making New York a sanctuary state, prohibits cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration officials.” WATCH: LAWLER UNLOADS ON RASKIN AFTER FIERY IMMIGRATION HEARING: ‘GROW THE F— UP’ Lawler later pivoted the discussion to Sheridan Gorman, the college student from his district who was killed while out with her friends near her campus in Chicago earlier this year. The illegal immigrant accused of killing her was previously charged with shoplifting, but Chicago sanctuary laws prevent local law enforcement from handing him over to ICE. Conley called Gorman’s death “an atrocious crime” while repeatedly pointing out it took place in Chicago. Lawler attempted to intervene multiple times to call it “preventable,” to which an irate Conley responded, “Can I finish?” “And I do support federal agents and federal law enforcement, federal immigration enforcement, making sure that we deport violent citizens,” she said. DHS BOSS REVEALS OVAL OFFICE PLAN TO ‘WITHHOLD FUNDING’ FROM SANCTUARY CITIES AFTER AGGRESSIVE NEW YORK BUST Lawler then argued, however, that Conley’s support of sanctuary policies runs counter to that. “If you think he should have been deported when he was arrested for shoplifting, he should have been turned over to ICE. Under the new law that you support, he will not be turned over to ICE, and he will be released under cashless bail,” Lawler said. It prompted the moderator to step in, telling Lawler there was no “cross-examination round.” Elsewhere in the debate, Lawler accused Conley of having “literally just lied” that Lawler voted with Trump “100% of the time.” 10 DEMOCRAT-HELD HOUSE SEATS REPUBLICANS COULD FLIP TO SAVE THEIR MAJORITY “I’ve been rated the third most independent member of my conference. And I have taken on the president on numerous issues, including lifting the cap on SALT, including extending Haitian TPS, including passing an extension for the ACA enhanced premium tax credit despite his objections,” Lawler said. Earlier in the debate, Conley tried to accuse Lawler of supporting tax breaks for companies that build data centers as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill. Lawler shot back, “I know you just moved here from Virginia, so it’s hard for you to understand the local communities, but the fact is … the provision you referenced in the Working Families Tax Cut Act is $80 billion for 100% expensing for every business in America to expense plant, property and equipment. “Are you against our small businesses in the Hudson Valley being able to expense their plant, property and equipment and hire more people? Your attack on that rings hollow. You clearly don’t understand what’s actually in the tax bill. And part of the problem is you don’t pay property taxes.” Amid the drama were moments of civility. Both candidates shook hands after their spirited debate and thanked each other for appearing. Lawler also thanked Conley for her military service. The district is a pivotal one for control of the House next year. Lawler is one of three House Republicans who won a district that former Vice President Kamala Harris also won in 2024. And in an election that’s expected to be brutal for the GOP, both sides are pouring millions of dollars into the fight.
Trump torches Democrats at Arizona rally, warns they will ‘destroy our country’ ahead of midterms
President Donald Trump brought a blunt warning to Arizona voters Wednesday, declaring Democrats would “destroy our country” as he blasted their State of the Union conduct and urged supporters to turn the state red from top to bottom. With Election Day less than three weeks away, Trump rallied behind Rep. Andy Biggs, the Republican gubernatorial nominee, and a slate of GOP candidates during a campaign stop in Bullhead City, taking aim at Democrat Gov. Katie Hobbs and calling for a victory in honor of Charlie Kirk. “On election night, Arizona is going to prove that America does not belong to those who hate it,” Trump said. “America belongs to those who love, love, love, love — love it.” TRUMP CAMPAIGN INSIDER REVEALS STRATEGY BEHIND MIDTERM BLITZ THAT WHITE HOUSE HOPES PAYS OFF BIG Biggs joined Trump onstage and pointed back to the president’s February State of the Union address to Congress, accusing Democrats of refusing to stand when Trump challenged lawmakers about their commitment to Americans. “Vote Republican top to bottom,” Biggs told the crowd. “Let’s turn Arizona red.” TRUMP ISSUES BLUNT MIDTERM WARNING; VANCE GREETED WITH ‘48’ CHANTS: TOP TAKEAWAYS FROM GOP CONVENTION Trump seized on the criticism, shifting to lawmakers’ reactions to a veteran honored during the speech. “Not one Democrat smiled or clapped,” Trump said. “And that’s when I looked at them, and I said, ‘You people are crazy.’ JOHN FETTERMAN DEFENDS TRUMP SUPPORTERS, CONDEMNS FELLOW DEMOCRATS’ ‘F— TRUMP’ STRATEGY “But that’s what we have,” he continued. “They’ll destroy our country.” Trump’s account combined separate moments from the Feb. 24 address. He awarded the Medal of Honor to retired Navy Capt. E. Royce Williams, who was 100 at the time, as Trump recalled Wednesday. He also recognized World War II veteran George “Buddy” Taggart. MICHAEL MONSOOR HAD AN ESCAPE ROUTE; THE MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT CHOSE TO SAVE HIS TEAMMATES INSTEAD The partisan stand-or-sit confrontation came when Trump asked lawmakers to affirm that the government’s first duty was to protect American citizens rather than illegal immigrants. Republicans rose while many Democrats remained seated. Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania separately said he stood to recognize honored guests, including veterans. On Wednesday, Trump also aimed repeated personal attacks on Hobbs, who Biggs is seeking to unseat, calling her a “low IQ individual.” BATTLEGROUND DEM GOVERNOR TORCHED FOR ‘DRUNKEN SAILOR’ SPENDING GOP CRITIC SAYS IS SYMBOLIC OF BIGGER PROBLEM Trump praised Biggs’ running mate, former state Sen. Sine Kerr, who is seeking to become Arizona’s first lieutenant governor. Biggs selected Kerr in July for the newly created office. TRUMP FLEXES GOP MUSCLE IN ARIZONA PRIMARIES AS DEMS DODGE FAR-LEFT UPSET Trump also urged supporters to elect Republican secretary of state candidate Alex Kolodin, calling him “a warrior for election integrity” as he attacked Democratic incumbent Adrian Fontes. “You look good. Central casting, actually,” Trump told Kolodin, joking that he looked “a little bit nerdy.” Trump gave shoutouts to Republican Reps. Paul Gosar, Abe Hamadeh and Eli Crane, describing Hamadeh and Crane as “warriors.” He also praised congressional candidate Mark Lamb, calling him “a friend of mine” and urging voters to send him to Washington to represent Arizona’s 5th Congressional District. The rally also included a tribute to Kirk, whom Trump remembered on what he said would have been the conservative activist’s 33rd birthday. “A great person, a great man, a great friend of mine,” Trump said as the crowd chanted, “Charlie! Charlie!” Trump offered support to Kirk’s widow, Erika, and their family before turning the remembrance into a call to vote. “In Charlie’s honor, we want you to go out and vote,” Trump said. “He’d be out there fighting like nobody else. So, let’s have a big victory in honor of Charlie Kirk.”
Federal agents seize phone of Rep Ilhan Omar in raid tied to immigration fraud probe
Federal authorities seized a cellphone belonging to Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., during a Monday raid on her Washington, D.C., home as part of a criminal fraud investigation into her immigration paperwork. Omar’s immigration history is facing renewed scrutiny, with investigators issuing more than a dozen subpoenas to her family members following the raid on her residence. Investigators are examining whether Omar’s family lied about her age when she immigrated to the United States in 1995. Omar became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2000. The probe centers on whether the age listed on her application differed from her actual birth date. WATCH: ILHAN OMAR DENIES FEDS HAVE CONTACTED HER AFTER BORDER CZAR HOMAN CONFIRMS ‘CRIMINAL’ INVESTIGATION She was reported as 17 years old at the time she acquired citizenship, making her eligible to receive citizenship automatically through her father’s naturalization. Questions surrounding Omar’s age resurfaced after her congressional staff contacted a Minnesota public library months after she took office to request that her birth year in historical records be changed from 1981 to 1982. HOMAN CONFIRMS ‘CRIMINAL’ INVESTIGATION INVOLVING ILHAN OMAR, SAYS HE KNOWS ‘THINGS ARE GOING ON’ Omar’s husband, Tim Mynett, expressed confidence when asked about the investigation into his wife. “My wife came here when she was 12 years old as a child war refugee,” Mynett told Fox News Digital this week. “No concerns.” ILHAN OMAR’S EMBATTLED HUSBAND APPEARS AT SCENE OF HSI RAID IN MIDST OF CRIMINAL FRAUD INVESTIGATION Authorities are also examining paperwork submitted by Omar’s late father, Nur Omar Mohamed, regarding his application to enter the U.S., investigating whether statements on his filings were untruthful. Omar has denied any wrongdoing and accused the Trump administration of weaponizing federal law enforcement against political opponents. DEMOCRATS HAVE ‘DIRTY HANDS’ OVER COMPLAINTS ABOUT OMAR RAID WEEKS BEFORE ELECTION, EX-PROSECUTOR SAYS “For a decade, Donald Trump has relentlessly targeted Congresswoman Ilhan Omar with inflammatory rhetoric, repeatedly putting a target on her back,” her office said in a statement. “Now, those attacks have escalated to a pointless federal raid. The Congresswoman has done nothing wrong. No president should be able to use the power of the federal government to intimidate his political enemies.” In addition to the immigration probe, a separate inquiry is underway regarding Omar’s federal financial disclosures. Officials noted that financial disclosure review is unrelated to the raid on her home. Fox News Digital has reached out to Omar’s office. Fox News Digital’s Stepheny Price contributed to this report.
DOJ threatens emergency legal action against California over suspected noncitizen voters
The Justice Department is threatening emergency legal action against California election officials unless they take steps to prevent suspected noncitizens from voting in November’s midterm elections, setting a Thursday deadline as state officials push back. In letters sent Tuesday, Acting Deputy Attorney General R. Trent McCotter demanded that California Secretary of State Shirley Weber and Los Angeles County Registrar Dean Logan review a list of potentially ineligible voters within 48 hours. The DOJ instructed officials to segregate ballots from individuals whose citizenship cannot be verified and warned it would seek emergency legal relief if its demands were not met by noon Eastern on Oct. 15. A DOJ spokesperson told Fox News Digital that thousands of potential foreign nationals ineligible to vote have been identified on California’s voter rolls statewide, not just in Los Angeles County. MAP IT: DOJ ILLEGAL VOTING CRACKDOWN SWEEPS 17 STATES AS RAZOR-THIN ELECTIONS FACE SCRUTINY “This should not be controversial, as the criminal statute is clear: only American citizens may vote in federal elections. It is a federal crime for noncitizens to vote in U.S. elections, and the DOJ is asking California to ensure that is not occurring,” the spokesperson said. California Attorney General Rob Bonta, a Democrat, pushed back during a Wednesday news conference, accusing the Trump administration of attempting to intimidate voters and promoting false allegations of widespread voter fraud. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT CHARGES 16 ACROSS MULTIPLE STATES WITH ALLEGED ILLEGAL VOTING, ELECTION CRIMES “There is no widespread voter preference, voter fraud problem. It doesn’t exist. It is a lie. It is a conspiracy theory,” Bonta said. Bonta said his office is working with the secretary of state and Los Angeles County officials to review their options. STATE DEPARTMENT CONSIDERS SHARING PASSPORT RECORDS FOR VOTER CITIZENSHIP CHECKS Meanwhile, Logan said his office received a password-protected USB drive purportedly containing voter records but has not accessed it because of cybersecurity concerns. “We have not accessed the drive because doing so would conflict with established data privacy and information security protocols. We do not consider the device a secure medium. Additionally, the letter does not specify the number of individuals involved or describe the information contained in the records,” he said. The dispute comes as Californians are already casting ballots ahead of the Nov. 3 election. Federal law prohibits noncitizens from voting in federal elections, though the DOJ has not established that the individuals identified have cast illegal ballots.