Russia secretly bolstered Iran’s missile arsenal before war with US, records uncover
Russia played a larger role in the Iran war than previously disclosed, with internal defense industry documents revealing how Moscow built up the country’s arsenal ahead of its conflict with the U.S. A Russian contract is tied to 90 launchers for precision-guided missiles with the destination as Tehran, according to documents obtained and published by Ukrainian defense intelligence research group Dallas Analytics offering new details on the extent of Moscow’s military support for Iran before war erupted. President Donald Trump has repeatedly downplayed Russia’s role in the conflict — as recently as last month, saying that he did not believe they are helping Iran “at all.” IRAN TAPS FINANCIAL LIFELINE, RUSSIAN ARMS AS TRUMP ESCALATES ‘CRUSHING’ ECONOMIC WARFARE Russian production records show components were allocated for 90 APU-L twin-rail launchers under a contract identified as “K-10,” with shipments within the Russian production chain scheduled from late 2024 through December 2025. Other internal Russian documents obtained by Dallas Analytics explicitly identify “K-10” as Iran. An October 2022 supply request for equipment for a Yak-130 aircraft lists the consignee as “‘K10’ Iran” and was countersigned by the acting head of the Russian Defense Ministry’s 704th Military Representation. The K-10 designation can also be traced to Russian military hardware that ultimately reached Iran. An internal Russian production schedule listed six Yak-130 aircraft for a consignee identified as K-10. Iranian state media later showed the aircraft entering service in September 2023, and Dallas Analytics said the tail number of one Iranian Yak-130 matched the number listed for K-10 in the Russian factory records. The APU-L launchers are designed to carry Russia’s LMUR, a precision-guided missile also known as Product 305 or the Kh-39. The roughly 230-pound missile carries a 55-pound warhead and can be guided in flight by an operator using an electro-optical seeker and two-way radio link. FOREIGN LEADER ON PUTIN’S DOORSTEP SOUNDS ALARM OVER IRAN FUELING MOSCOW’S WAR MACHINE Iran had already publicly announced plans to acquire Russian Mi-28 attack helicopters, one of the platforms capable of carrying the weapon. The first export-variant Mi-28NE helicopters were photographed in Iran in January 2026. The paperwork also shows involvement by Russia’s Defense Ministry. A May 2024 letter accompanying the K-10 production schedule was co-signed by the head of the ministry’s 123rd Military Representation. The documents do not establish whether the completed launchers ultimately reached Iran, though Dallas Analytics told Fox News Digital the contract itself is “a very strong proof” of the transfer. SATELLITE IMAGES MAY HAVE TIPPED OFF IRAN BEFORE US BASE ATTACK, TOP REPUBLICAN WARNS The findings add new detail to a military relationship the Trump administration has repeatedly played down during the war. U.S. intelligence has assessed that Russia provided Iran with information on the location of American military assets and, more recently, satellite imagery and weapons components, according to reports. But administration officials have said that support has not materially affected the U.S. campaign. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Russian assistance was not impeding U.S. military operations, while Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has said the U.S. was tracking Moscow’s support and accounting for it in its battle plans. The Trump administration has separately sought to disrupt Iran’s foreign weapons procurement as Tehran works to rebuild its military capabilities. The Treasury Department has targeted networks it says helped Iran seek weapons and components abroad, including efforts to acquire Chinese-made man-portable air-defense systems. Just this week, the State Department sanctioned a Russia-based individual it said was involved in efforts to help Iran procure Chinese-made man-portable air-defense systems, or MANPADS. Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House, State Department and Department of War for comment.
Blue wave battered GOP strongholds across America, but one red state held the line
On a night when Democrats made major gains across the country, South Dakota emerged as one of the few Republican strongholds where the GOP largely held its ground — even as Democrats made inroads around Sioux Falls. Republican Gov. Larry Rhoden won roughly 63.5% of the vote Tuesday, nearly matching President Donald Trump’s 63.4% performance in 2024. Republicans also swept the state’s other statewide races and maintained overwhelming control of the legislature, despite Democrats picking up four seats. Rhoden’s victory came against Democrat Dan Ahlers, who described himself as a “conservative Democrat” and campaigned on affordability, rural healthcare, education and other kitchen table issues. But his moderate pitch did little to narrow the GOP’s commanding statewide advantage, with Ahlers finishing at just 36.5% of the vote. South Dakota’s results stood in contrast to several other deeply Republican states where the GOP maintained control but saw its margins shrink considerably. In Idaho and Wyoming, Republican gubernatorial candidates won comfortably but finished with smaller shares of the vote than President Donald Trump secured in 2024. South Dakota’s gubernatorial result, by comparison, remained virtually unchanged. DESANTIS CALLS GOP MIDTERM LOSSES ‘EXTINCTION-LEVEL EVENT’ — AND EXPLAINS WHY FLORIDA SURVIVED David Jolly, the Democratic nominee in Florida, ran a campaign with similar themes to Ahlers’ — pointing to the fact that he used to be a Republican and, like Ahlers, prioritized affordability and healthcare while on the campaign trail. Jolly cut the GOP’s vote share to just 50%, roughly six points below the party’s 2024 presidential performance. Tennessee’s Democratic gubernatorial nominee inflicted a similarly sharp cut on Republicans’ margins by employing a similar strategy. Even down the ballot, South Dakota Republicans largely held their ground, though Democrats managed to flip four legislative seats in the Sioux Falls area, marking their first legislative gains in the state since 2008. The losses were concentrated around the state’s largest city, where a growing population and a less conservative political landscape have created more opportunities for Democrats, according to University of South Dakota political scientist Julia Hellwege. Opposition to large data-center projects also resonated with some voters in the area, according to a local Democratic official. “South Dakota Republicans did well because we took on the issues that mattered to the people of our state and delivered real results for them,” South Dakota’s Republican House speaker, Jon Hansen, told Fox News Digital. “The bottom line is that we ran on tackling the issues that mattered to people, and then we delivered real results for the people on those issues. Not just talk, not just excuses, but real solutions. It’s what our people deserve, and it’s what we delivered for them.” FOX NEWS VOTER POLL: 2026 MIDTERM ELECTIONS USHER IN A BLUE WAVE AS DEMOCRATS WIN CONTROL OF CONGRESS Hansen pointed to property tax cuts enacted by the legislature, regulations aimed at preventing utility costs from rising amid data center build-outs, curbing corporate eminent domain and balancing the state’s budget, among other efforts, as crucial in the South Dakota GOP’s success on Tuesday night. South Dakota’s unemployment rate has been hovering around 2% since last September, roughly half the rate of the United States at large. Average wages also increased by about 4% in the state over the course of 2025. All of this occurred as South Dakota remained one of the most affordable states in the country, though rising rent costs outpaced wage growth in 2025, according to data collected by Realtor.com. At the federal level, Republican Sen. Mike Rounds cruised to victory with 60.5% of the vote, though the GOP wasn’t entirely immune to the national shift. South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley won the state’s at-large congressional seat with roughly 64% of the vote, down from the 72% fellow Republican Dusty Johnson secured in 2024. South Dakota’s relatively modest legislative losses stood in sharp contrast to other Republican strongholds. In Texas, Democrats flipped 21 GOP-held state House seats, while Republicans in New Hampshire were on track to fall from the 222 House seats they won in 2024 to just 107. DEMOCRATS SEIZE MAJORITY OF GOVERNORS’ OFFICES IN ELECTION-NIGHT SHIFT Republicans in Arizona, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Georgia, North Carolina and Michigan all lost control of at least one chamber of their state legislatures on Tuesday night. “Those Republicans who lost on Nov. 3 did so because their actions (or inaction) didn’t match their promises to voters. We didn’t have that problem in South Dakota under our leadership,” South Dakota’s GOP House Majority Leader, Rep. Scott Odenbach, told Fox News Digital.
DOJ shake-up continues with head of national security division, US attorney in Miami resigning
John Eisenberg, the head of the National Security Division at the Department of Justice, is stepping down from his post, multiple sources told Fox News on Friday. Shortly after Fox News learned of Eisenberg’s resignation, Attorney General Todd Blanche announced it on social media. “He has served with distinction, strengthening our nation’s ability to address threats, both foreign and domestic,” Blanche said. “Under his leadership, the Division advanced President Trump’s mission to make America safe by prosecuting terrorists and working with our law enforcement partners to disrupt planned attacks on the American people.” This was Eisenberg’s second stint serving under President Donald Trump. In Trump’s first term, Eisenberg was an assistant and deputy counsel to the president, as well as a legal advisor to the National Security Council, which advises presidents on foreign policy matters. Less than an hour before Eisenberg’s departure was made public, Blanche announced the resignation of Jason Reding Quiñones, the U.S. Attorney for Florida’s Southern District. Quiñones’ office was perhaps most known for its indictment of Raúl Castro, the former president of Cuba who took over after his brother Fidel Castro’s nearly 50-year reign. “We are grateful for Jason’s leadership in combatting violent crime, drug trafficking, sex trafficking, and transnational crime,” Blanche said. “Jason has served the Department multiple times over his distinguished career, and we thank him for his service to this country.” These two departures come just a day after Harmeet Dhillon, who headed up the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, announced she’d be leaving as well.
Reporter’s Notebook: How midterms may change the House impeachment equation for Hegseth
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., plans to reintroduce articles of impeachment for Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth next week. The chances are increasingly high that the House could in fact impeach Hegseth. Why? Massie tried to impeach Hegseth before the midterms. But the House adjourned a day early in September, nixing Massie’s effort. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., condemned the effort by Massie. But insisted that he didn’t send members home early because of fear that the House had the votes to impeach Hegseth. So Massie’s articles of impeachment expired. But he will reintroduce them next week. Under the rules, the House must consider them within two days. THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO MASSIE SAYING JOHNSON IS SENDING THE HOUSE HOME EARLY TO PREVENT HEGSETH IMPEACHMENT It’s possible the House could move to table the articles, or send them to committee, euthanizing the effort. But a growing number of House Republicans have grumbled about Hegseth. Any effort to dismiss the articles in the House might not work. It’s about the math. All Democrats are likely to vote to impeach. There are some Republicans who have said privately they’d like to impeach. Now, after the midterms, you have more Republicans hoping to build distance between themselves and President Trump. Moreover, the war in Iran contributed directly to the GOP’s thumping. So even more Republicans may be willing to impeach. Finally, the GOP may have attendance problems. Members who lost — or were shocked that they lost — might not show up. In other words, there may be more Democrats in the House next week than Republicans. Don’t forget that some Republicans are now looking for a scapegoat after the election. DEMS SEIZE THE SENATE AS BLUE TIDAL WAVE CRASHES DEEP INTO TRUMP COUNTRY, TOPPLES GOP STRONGHOLDS A simple majority is necessary to impeach. Then the House would send the articles of impeachment to the Senate. Under Senate rules of impeachment, the Senate must at least receive and consider the articles. But it could move quickly to dismiss. That’s what happened when the Senate considered articles of impeachment for former Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas a few years ago. The bona fide “trial” part of the process never happened where the Senate heard arguments, listened to witnesses and took evidence. It takes a simple majority to dismiss such articles. Again, this could happen under a Republican-controlled Senate. But how might outgoing Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, Thom Tillis, R-N.C., and Bill Cassidy, R-La., vote? That’s to say nothing of Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, John Curtis, R-Alaska, Todd Young ,R-Ind., and others. STATE OF PLAY: BLUE WAVE SWEEPS DEMOCRATS INTO POWER, WITH KEY RACES STILL HANGING IN BALANCE It takes a two-thirds vote to convict and remove in a Senate impeachment trial. In addition, unlikely legislation, articles of impeachment carry over into the new Congress. Would a new Democratically-controlled Senate want to get bogged down in an impeachment trial from the start? Especially when new Democrats want to vote on affordability and health care? Or, would a Democratic Senate embrace the idea of a full-blown impeachment trial for Hegseth – especially since the execution of the war in Iran seems to be one of the main reasons for this week’s electoral shellacking?
‘Money out of politics’ ballot measure sparks First Amendment fight in battleground state
Michigan voters approved a ballot initiative called Proposal 2, pitched to them as a way to curb pay-to-play donations and get money out of politics. But the measure has also triggered a federal First Amendment lawsuit alleging its separate speech and disclosure provisions could ensnare journalists, nonprofits and policy researchers who discuss elected officials. Michiganders for Money Out of Politics, also known as MOP UP Michigan, said the lawsuit was expected after voters approved Proposal 2. Campaign manager Maura Cowley said the group is “confident Proposal 2 will withstand legal scrutiny” after organizers said they submitted more than 560,000 signatures to place the measure on the ballot. The Mackinac Center for Public Policy, which filed the lawsuit, says it is not challenging the initiative’s central pay-to-play restrictions on political contributions from utility companies and government contractors. Its lawsuit instead targets provisions imposing reporting and disclosure requirements on certain communications that refer to candidates or “promote, support, attack or oppose” candidates or ballot questions, even without expressly urging voters to support or oppose them. “Michigan voters deserve the freedom to research, debate, and report on the policies that shape their lives. But Proposal 2 is a Trojan horse: while it claims to target corruption, it would expose the Mackinac Center, its supporters, and ordinary Michiganders to criminal penalties and harassment simply for discussing public policy,” Patrick Wright, the Mackinac Center’s vice president of legal affairs, said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital. SURVEY REVEALS COLLEGE STUDENTS’ GROWING INTOLERANCE FOR FREE SPEECH Under Proposal 2, any person — not just a campaign or political committee — who makes “electioneering communications” aggregating at least $5,000 in a calendar year would have to file a report within 10 days. Additional reports would be required after each additional $5,000 in covered communications. The reports would include the dates and costs of the communications, candidates mentioned, vendors paid and information about donors who contributed more than $100 for the purpose of making the communications. Proposal 2 defines “electioneering communications” as public messages — including broadcasts, print publications, mailings, telephone calls, internet communications and other forms of general public communication — that reference a clearly identifiable candidate, regardless of whether they contain express advocacy, within 100 days of a general election or 30 days before a primary or special election. The communication must also be targeted to the relevant electorate where the candidate appears on the ballot, according to the provision. Mackinac argues the measure leaves important questions unanswered, including which expenses count toward the $5,000 threshold, what it means for a donor to contribute “for making electioneering communications,” and how the state will determine whether a communication is targeted to the relevant electorate. SUPREME COURT STRIKES DOWN LIMIT ON PARTY CAMPAIGN SPENDING IN COORDINATION WITH CANDIDATES The Mackinac Center’s lawsuit also challenges Proposal 2’s expansion of the definition of an election-related “expenditure.” The amended definition includes public communications that “promote, support, attack, or oppose” a candidate or ballot question, regardless of whether they expressly advocate for or against the outcome. Under the proposal’s revised committee definition, an organization that spends at least $500 on such expenditures could be treated as a political committee if the state determines the spending was intended to influence voters. Brett Nolan, an Institute for Free Speech attorney representing Mackinac, told Fox News Digital that the new electioneering-communications reporting provision contains no express exception for neutral reporting, legislative voting records or policy research. Proposal 2 does retain an existing exemption for certain news stories, commentary and editorials from being treated as campaign spending, but Mackinac argues that exemption does not resolve the reporting requirements for electioneering communications. Mackinac’s complaint points specifically to its MichiganVotes project, policy scorecards, a neutral policy brief about Proposal 2, magazines, radio programs, podcasts and public-policy events as examples of speech that could be swept up in the new requirements because those materials sometimes discuss elected officials or candidates. GOP LAWMAKERS URGE SUPREME COURT TO STRENGTHEN FIRST AMENDMENT PROTECTIONS FOR STREET PREACHERS “The Supreme Court has said several times in recent years that disclosure mandates like this create an ‘inevitable’ chilling effect on free speech because the risk of political harassment (or worse) is so significant. The more costs we impose on those who want to exchange ideas and discuss public policy, the fewer of those people we will have,” Nolan said. “This law goes much further than addressing any interest the state may have in transparency about those who are funding campaigns and election advocacy,” he continued. “The notion that the government has an interest in monitoring people who talk about public policy if they dare mention an elected official is antithetical to the First Amendment.” The lawsuit against Proposal 2 seeks to block the electioneering-communications reporting requirement and the political-committee rules as applied to Mackinac — not to overturn Proposal 2 in its entirety. The measure is set to take effect 10 days after the official declaration of the vote, and no later than Dec. 3, according to the lawsuit. “This lawsuit is no surprise,” Cowley said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “The corporations bankrolling our opposition have been gearing up for this lawsuit since Proposal 2 first qualified for the ballot, if not before.” SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER According to MOP UP Michigan, besides curbing pay-to-play political donations, Proposal 2 is designed to close what the group calls an “issue-ad loophole” — the ability to discuss candidates or ballot questions without expressly urging voters to support or oppose them in order to avoid certain disclosure rules. “Last night, Michiganders spoke loud and clear, voting to pass Proposal 2 with an overwhelming majority and delivering a resounding mandate to end pay-to-play politics and put power back where it belongs – with the people,” Cowley continued. “The bottom line is that we are confident Proposal 2 will withstand legal scrutiny, and we were fully expecting and are prepared to take on this challenge.”
Red states have spent decades dominating a key corner of the economy — will the blue wave change that?
DALLAS — Red states have quietly outpaced their blue-state counterparts in commercial real estate investment returns for years, according to a new study highlighting stark differences in state economic policies. But sweeping Democratic gains in Tuesday’s midterm elections — even in traditionally deep-red strongholds — are raising questions about whether those states can maintain their economic advantages as the political landscape shifts in the new year. Mitch Flax, founder and chief investment officer of Net Equity Capital, told Fox News Digital his research was sparked by the observation that commercial real estate investors based in blue states were reluctant to invest in their own markets. The findings underscore a broader economic battle playing out across the country as businesses and wealthy Americans relocate across state lines, bringing jobs, investment dollars and tax revenue with them while potentially leaving financial holes in the states they abandon. CEO SAYS DOING BUSINESS IN STATE ‘SUCKS’ AS COMPANY HEADS TO TEXAS AMID CALIFORNIA EXODUS “I had a large family office based out of Chicago who lives in California who said, we don’t invest in real estate in blue states,” Flax recalled. Coming on the heels of the 2026 midterms, the study also raises questions about whether the state-level tax and business policies that have helped fuel growth in red states will remain intact as Democrats make political gains and begin to enact their agenda. The encounter prompted Flax to examine nearly 24,000 commercial real estate transactions to determine whether political differences between states were associated with investment performance. Researchers used a proxy to estimate returns and classified states as red or blue based on their votes in the 2024 presidential election. Flax attributed the performance gap identified in his analysis largely to differences in state-level business policies, arguing that those policies influence where companies relocate, jobs are created and, ultimately, where capital flows. AMERICA’S NEXT ECONOMIC POWERHOUSE MAY BE RISING IN RED-STATE TERRITORY The findings come as corporate migration toward lower-tax states rose in recent years, with Texas emerging as a major destination for companies relocating from costly coastal hubs. Flax says that Texas is on track to be the next Singapore-style “tax haven” for companies, due to its policies attracting business and industry. “We’ve all seen the movie ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ — get ready for Crazy Rich Texans, because that movie is coming,” he said. It’s unclear how Tuesday’s results will impact that prediction after Texas flipped a U.S. Senate seat blue with Senator-elect James Talarico beating Ken Paxton, who was backed by President Donald Trump, and Democrat Governor-elect Gina Hinojosa beating Republican Gov. Greg Abbott. As Fox News Digital previously reported, a CBRE analysis found that 725 companies relocated their headquarters between 2018 and 2025. Dallas-Fort Worth led the nation with 111 relocations, followed by Austin with 88 and Houston with 31. Meanwhile, the San Francisco Bay Area, a deep blue enclave, recorded a net loss of 163 corporate headquarters during the same period, as companies cited taxes, labor regulations and rising living costs among their reasons for leaving. THIS STATE ISN’T JUST GROWING — ITS ECONOMY IS GETTING RICHER PER RESIDENT Flax, however, also argued that population shifts and corporate relocations are symptoms of a deeper economic divide, with underlying business policies shaping investment decisions and determining where capital flows. “Most of the large asset managers out there are underwriting population in this migration flow. But the reality is that’s a symptom,” Flax told Fox News Digital. “When you look at exactly what’s causing it, it’s pure structural business policy,” he added. Flax said those policies can trigger a ripple effect across the commercial real estate market as businesses relocate, workers follow and demand grows for housing, retail and office space. “Migration is the symptom, but it’s a cascade, right? So policy draws people and companies and then every kind of commercial real estate follows,” Flax said. “Apartments follow migration, retail follows rooftops, office follows jobs, warehouse follows logistics.”
Progressive group’s 182-page blueprint maps out potential Dem investigations into Trump, corporate allies
A progressive policy organization led by former aides to President Joe Biden and former aides to progressive Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. assembled a detailed blueprint for potential Democratic congressional investigations to target President Donald Trump and his allies beyond the White House, which could foreshadow the goals of the 120th Congress. Groundwork Collaborative’s dossier, obtained and analyzed by Fox News Digital, maps Trump donors and corporate allies for potential Democratic congressional investigations. Leaders in big tech and CEOs of large corporations are likely to be among the targets of the anti-Trump crusade. A longtime Democratic Senate staffer familiar with the process told Fox News Digital that the Democratic majorities on these committees already plan to exclusively focus on targeting allies and donors of the president, going as far as targeting the ones who donated to the new White House ballroom, once they move into the majority. HOUSE GOP LAUNCHES DEFENSE PLAN TO SHIELD TRUMP FROM LOOMING DEMOCRAT INVESTIGATIONS However, the staffer did not see the document, which specifically says to target those who gave to the ballroom, library, Trump’s inauguration and campaign. Reports had said it was obtained by House committees as well, but a House Judiciary Committee aide for Democrats told Semafor it was “one of many” and dismissed it, saying, “We all get a lot of emails.” But nevertheless, it could still show signs of where people on the left want the new Democratic majorities to go. Other plans outlined in the document include targeting Trump-aligned corporations, such as Tesla, Apple, Amazon, Oracle, Trump Media and World Liberty Financial. The letter also mentions Palantir’s Alex Karp and Coinbase’s Brian Armstrong by name, with possible hearings involving executives from OpenAI, Meta, Google, Microsoft, Oracle and others. TAX BREAKS HELPING FUEL TRUMP’S LATEST TECH PUSH JUST LANDED IN DEMS’ CROSSHAIRS Other priorities include investigating Trump’s personal finances, proposing congressional scrutiny of Trump’s tax arrangements, cryptocurrency businesses and alleged preferential treatment of corporate donors. The document continues, urging the committees to expand federal oversight of artificial intelligence, outline investigations into AI companies and proposals to restrict algorithmic pricing, workplace surveillance and certain autonomous AI technologies. This includes investigating the Trump administration’s Medicare AI program, which uses the WISeR model, employing artificial intelligence systems to screen prior authorization requests in traditional Medicare to determine whether specific outpatient procedures are medically necessary. The document adds that committees should increase scrutiny of private businesses through hearings, document demands and potential legislation targeting major employers, landlords, insurers and technology companies. TRUMP CMS FACES BIPARTISAN PUSHBACK OVER MEDICARE PROPOSAL TIED TO BIDEN-ERA DRUG PRICING LAW “We just had a midterm election where Democratic candidates across the country made the point that corporations have been doing very well for the last several years, while the typical family has been getting squeezed with higher prices and worse service,” Bharat Ramamurti, a former deputy director of the National Economic Council who coordinated with Groundwork on the dossier, told Fox News Digital. “The oversight agenda is about trying to understand and figure out what exactly are these corporations doing, who’s responsible for these decisions, and then what, as policymakers, can folks in Congress do about it,” Ramamurti added. Pages later in the document also mention plans for restricting corporate ownership and pricing practices. It discusses measures aimed at institutional housing investors, algorithmic rent-setting and corporate pricing systems. The document proposes investigating a reported settlement involving Trump’s tax audits, including requesting information about the Chicago tower audit and questioning Treasury officials. Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.
Former US senator and West Virginia governor Jay Rockefeller dies at 89
Former U.S. Senator and West Virginia governor John D. “Jay” Rockefeller IV has died at the age of 89. The Democratic political figure was from the prominent Rockefeller family of New York. He served in the Senate for just shy of 30 years. WHAT THE 2026 MIDTERM RESULTS MEAN FOR CAPITOL HILL West Virginia polititical figures spoke highly of Rockefeller in statements on Friday. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.V., said in a post on X, “Deeply saddened by the passing of former Senator and Governor Jay Rockefeller. Jay dedicated his life to serving West Virginia and our nation, leaving a lasting legacy. He was always a true gentleman who treated me with respect, kindness, and encouragement. “Over the years, we developed a wonderful friendship that transcended politics, and I will always be grateful for that. Above all, Jay loved his family. Charlie and I are keeping Sharon, their children and grandchildren, and the entire Rockefeller family in our prayers,” she added. FORMER GOP WHIP, ARIZONA SEN JON KYL DEAD AT 84 Former Sen. Joe Manchin, who is also a former West Virginia governor, described Rockefeller as a “mentor.” “I looked up to Jay as a mentor and as a friend. When I ran for my first full term in the U.S. Senate in 2012, Jay was on the front lines and helped me every step of the way. He showed me how to be an effective U.S. Senator and best represent our state. He couldn’t have been a better mentor or tutor,” Manchin wrote in part of a longer post on X. Manchin, a longtime Democrat, announced toward the end of his Senate tenure that he switched “to register as an independent with no party affiliation.” ROCKEFELLER HEIR VANISHED IN TRIBAL WATERS AFTER EERIE LAST WORDS Sen. Jim Justice, R-W.V., also commented on Rockefeller’s death, noting in a post on X, “Senator Jay Rockefeller’s passing is sad news to all of West Virginia. His years of dedicated service as Governor and Senator truly reflect the love he had for his great state. Senator Rockefeller worked hard for West Virginians and made a difference in countless lives. Cathy and I send our deepest love and prayers to Sharon, their children, and the entire Rockefeller family.” Justice, who is also a former governor, won one West Virginia gubernatorial race as a Democrat then later won another contest as a Republican. Current Gov. Patrick Morrisey, who is a Republican, said in part of a statement that Rockefeller’s “work helped shape our state and left a lasting mark on the lives of generations of West Virginians. His decades of service deserve our respect and gratitude, and his legacy will remain an important part of West Virginia’s history.”
‘We didn’t expect this’: Texas Democrats stunned as blue wave topples GOP stronghold
AUSTIN, Texas — As the Democrats’ blue wave began to slam into Texas, Richard Torres, a Texan who has voted blue his entire life, kept peering at the results pouring in on reporters’ screens all around him. And when it was announced Texas state Rep. James Talarico had toppled Ken Paxton, he sat down to take it in. Torres was the former chair of the Williamson County Democratic Party, where Talarico grew up and attended high school in Round Rock, Texas. He never thought that Texas Republicans would be swept away by the oncoming blue wave. TEXAS’ RED WALL FACING ITS BIGGEST THREAT IN DECADES AS REPUBLICANS SCRAMBLE TO DEFEND IT “We started seeing some changes, but not what we expected tonight,” Torres told Fox News Digital. “We didn’t expect this tonight.” When asked why a deep-red stronghold like the Lone Star State had become so rapidly blue, Torres said that it started at the top with President Donald Trump and should serve as a message to GOP candidates and officials across the state. “I think it sends a message that they’re on the wrong track, and they’ve been for a while, but they won’t accept the problems we have with the president,” Torres said. “They’re totally supporting him. I don’t know why.” “But they don’t see the problems that we’re having in this country with all the things that have happened with the war going on and things of this type,” he continued. “And they just seem to support him on it. This is a referendum against Trump.” STATE OF PLAY: BLUE WAVE SWEEPS DEMOCRATS INTO POWER, WITH KEY RACES STILL HANGING IN BALANCE Talarico and several other Democratic candidates, including Gov.-elect Gina Hinojosa, shattered the GOP’s grip on Texas, serving Republicans in Congress a stiff blow as their majorities in both chambers rapidly evaporated Tuesday night. And the incoming lawmaker didn’t just squeak by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. He beat the Trump-backed candidate, who was not the first choice of Republicans in Washington, by over 12 percentage points, or well over 1 million votes, in a state that Trump won in 2024 by nearly 14 points. To secure that win, Talarico needed to capture Republicans and Democrats in Texas. One of those Republicans, James, told Fox News Digital that he had always voted for the GOP until this election. TEXAS SENATE VICTOR JAMES TALARICO LAYS OUT COMMON GROUND WITH TRUMP, VOWS TO ‘WORK TOGETHER’ “I’ve been a Republican my whole life, but I’m voting Democratic this year because I think we need to,” James said. “The Republicans have lost their way, I believe.” While the optimism at the watch party was palpable, be it through the pumping music or over half a dozen mobile bars with lines dozens of people deep, there was still a cautious anxiety among some voters. Particularly after Democrats had gotten so close to flipping the Senate seat before in 2018, when former Texas state Rep. Beto O’Rourke gave Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, a run for his money. O’Rourke would end up losing by roughly two points, but the exuberance that turned to heartbreak wasn’t soon forgotten by the Lone Star State’s Democratic voters. As results began to roll in and the crowd’s energy began to explode, Beverly, another longtime Texas resident and voter, said Tuesday night was bigger than Texas. “This feels like a now or never moment in the entire United States,” she said. “We either turn things around or we might as well kiss it all goodbye.”
Bitter Fetterman-El-Sayed feud threatens to complicate Schumer’s Senate unity push
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called for Democratic Party unity Wednesday following the midterm elections, but a bitter feud between Sen. John Fetterman and Sen.-elect Abdul El-Sayed could complicate efforts to unite the caucus in the 120th Congress. The two Democrats traded personal insults throughout the 2026 election cycle, clashing over U.S. military assistance to Israel, Medicare for All and the ideological direction of the Democratic Party. “You put one ogre on a pike, and then everyone else gets the message,” El-Sayed, D-Mich., reportedly told progressive donors during a private Zoom call, arguing that challenging moderate Democrats in primary elections would send a message to the party’s establishment. CHUCK SCHUMER AFTER SWEEPING DEMOCRATIC MIDTERM VICTORIES: ‘I’LL BE RE-ELECTED AS MAJORITY LEADER’ Fetterman, D-Pa., has been an outspoken supporter of U.S. military assistance to Israel, including funding for its Iron Dome missile defense system, and he has backed military action against Hezbollah and Iran. El-Sayed, meanwhile, campaigned against the war in Iran and opposed taxpayer-funded military operations and U.S. aid to Israel. A longtime Democratic Senate staffer told Fox News Digital that they would “not be surprised” if tensions emerged between the two lawmakers but expressed confidence that their loyalty to the Democratic Party would outweigh their personal disagreements. FETTERMAN CLAIMS DEMOCRATIC ‘BIG TENT’ HAS MORE ROOM FOR ‘AMERICA DESERVED 9/11’ THAN ISRAEL SUPPORT The staffer added that Fetterman has faced criticism from other members of the Senate Democratic caucus, though those disagreements have not necessarily prevented lawmakers from working together. During a televised primary debate, El-Sayed confirmed that his “ogre on a pike” remark was directed at Fetterman, accusing the Pennsylvania senator of having “abandoned his elected values” through his support for U.S. military assistance to Israel. DEMS CLASH OVER AIPAC MONEY, ‘OGRE’ ATTACK AND ELECTABILITY DURING CRUCIAL SENATE DEBATE El-Sayed later doubled down on his criticism, arguing against funding foreign defense systems such as Israel’s Iron Dome while American schools struggle with limited resources. Fetterman fired back, referring to El-Sayed as the “Pontiac Platner” in an apparent jab at the Maine Democrat Graham Platner, who dropped out of his Senate race this election season under the weight of multiple scandals. FETTERMAN ‘DARES’ EL-SAYED TO STICK WITH PIKER, CLAIMS MICHIGAN NOMINEE HAS ‘LITTLE MAN SYNDROME ENERGY’ The Pennsylvania senator also accused El-Sayed of seeking to become the “head of our emerging pro-Hamas wing here in the party,” criticizing his positions on Israel. El-Sayed’s campaign appearances with left-wing streamer Hasan Piker, who previously said “America deserved 9/11,” further fueled the dispute, prompting Fetterman to publicly condemn Piker’s remarks. The tensions escalated after El-Sayed narrowly defeated Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., in the Democratic primary by less than one percentage point. Days before the general election, reports emerged that El-Sayed’s campaign had barred Stevens from attending its final campaign events, drawing another sharp rebuke from Fetterman. MICHIGAN DEMOCRAT HALEY STEVENS BACKS EL-SAYED AFTER NARROW PRIMARY DEFEAT, CALLS SOCIALISM ‘DANGEROUS’ “Rep. Haley Stevens simply held Abdul El-Sayed accountable for his views on Israel and fixation with Jewish money. El-Sayed is going after a woman and banning her from campaign events for having an opinion,” Fetterman told Jewish Insider. “He has the worst case of little man syndrome I’ve ever seen,” Fetterman added. DEM INSURGENT TURNS ON THE CHARM WITH PARTY ESTABLISHMENT AS SCHUMER LEAVES BITTER FEUD HANGING Despite the public hostility, the Democratic Senate staffer’s assessment suggests the two lawmakers could ultimately set aside their differences to advance their party’s legislative priorities. The feud could nevertheless present an early test for Schumer, D-N.Y., as he seeks to maintain unity among Senate Democrats, particularly on divisive issues such as U.S. foreign policy and the party’s progressive agenda. El-Sayed, Fetterman and Schumer did not respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.