Fox News Poll: Cost-of-living concerns weigh on GOP in midterms
When voters rate the economy and the president negatively just weeks before Election Day, the incumbent party is vulnerable, and that’s certainly the case in the latest Fox News survey. The economic landscape is stark. Six in 10 voters say the cost of living is their top economic worry, overshadowing government spending (15%), jobs and income inequality (7% each), tariffs (6%) and taxes (5%). Majorities rate the economy negatively (74%) and expect it to worsen next year (53%), while two-thirds are dissatisfied with how things are going in the country (66%). Few, 18%, say their family is better off compared to two years ago. Independents say they’re worse off (52%) and think the economy will get worse (70%). FOX NEWS POLL: IT’S A LONE STAR SENATE SHOWDOWN BETWEEN TALARICO AND PAXTON A majority of voters, 55%, say inflation is “not at all” under control. That’s up from a low of 45% earlier this year, and includes 30% of Republicans. President Donald Trump’s lowest job rating is on inflation: 22% approve, a new low. Last summer, 36% approved. Four years ago, before the 2022 midterms, 29% approved of former President Joe Biden’s performance on inflation. Disapproval of the job Trump is doing has reached 77% on inflation, 70% on the economy, 69% on tariffs and 64% on foreign policy. A smaller share, but still a majority, disapprove of his handling of immigration (56% disapprove), while border security is the only issue that is close to positive (50% approve, 50% disapprove). Trump’s overall job approval is 36%, his lowest ever in a Fox News survey for either term. It had been holding steady at 39% since May. The decline is mainly driven by decreases among voters under age 45, those with annual household income below $50,000, non-White voters, and those without a college degree. FOX NEWS POLL: MICHIGAN VOTERS SPLIT BETWEEN EL-SAYED AND ROGERS Approval stands at a low of 76% among Republicans. That’s down 3 points since last month, 12 points since September 2025, and 16 points since early in his second term (March 2025). As in most midterms, voters are prone to punish the party in power: 7 in 10 say they will vote to send a message to Trump, with nearly twice as many expressing opposition (47%) as support (25%). If the election were today, 54% of voters say they would back the Democratic candidate in their House district and 45% would support the Republican. That is outside the margin of error and is a wider lead than last month when Democrats were ahead by 51%-44%. The race narrows among those saying they are certain to vote, with the Democratic candidate ahead by 52%-46%. The survey finds about the same number self-identify as Democrats (43%) and Republicans (41%), and both parties feel equally certain about voting (62% and 64% respectively), while more Democrats (61%) than Republicans (52%) say they are extremely interested in the election. Party loyalty is solid: 98% of Democrats support their party’s candidate, and 94% of Republicans back theirs. Independents favor the Democrats by 26 points. The Democratic candidate is the choice among Whites with a degree, those under age 45, women, union households and Hispanics. The Republican is ahead among Whites without a college degree (White men without a degree in particular), those 65 and over, voters who attend religious services regularly, military veterans and White evangelical Christians. While 43% of Hispanic voters supported Trump in the 2024 election, just 31% prefer the Republican candidate this year. “When the country is this closely divided in terms of partisanship, slight differences in defection and turnout rates can make all the difference,” said Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who helps conduct the Fox News Poll with Democrat Chris Anderson. “Republicans have time to close these apparent gaps, but it’s getting late.” Meanwhile, Democrats lead on 10 out of 13 issue concerns. The top five voter concerns are government corruption (60% extremely concerned), inflation (58%), gas prices (50%), government leadership (49%), and healthcare (48%). And double digits more trust the Democrats than the Republicans to handle each of those. Republicans retain the advantage on crime (by 10 points) and border security (R+8), while views are closely divided on immigration (R+3). The Democrats are seen as better on healthcare (D+22), inflation (D+16), gas prices (D+12), voting rights (D+12), election integrity (D+12), government leadership (D+11), what’s taught in public schools (D+11), artificial intelligence (D+10), government corruption (D+10) and foreign policy (D+9). Republicans have lost ground on key issues compared to four years ago, when more voters trusted them by 21 points on border security, 13 points on inflation and 9 points on foreign policy. Other issues that voters are extremely concerned about are the Iran war (42%), immigration (35%), crime (34%), voter suppression (32%), AI technology (32%), what’s taught in public schools (29%), voter fraud (28%) and border security (25%). While corruption in government and inflation are the top two worries about both parties, far more Democrats (72% and 70%) than Republicans (47% and 49%) are extremely concerned. The issue that helps explain the Democrats’ advantage isn’t an issue at all. By a 14-point margin, more voters think the Democrats will do a better job “fighting for people like you.” Majorities of White voters with a college degree (53%), men (52%), women (60%) and non-White voters (77%) think Democrats will fight for them. Whites without a college degree are split 49-49%. Despite their issue advantage, just 35% say Democrats have a clear plan for dealing with the country’s problems, and 33% say the same about the Republicans. That reverses the Republican advantage from July 2025, when 43% said the Republicans had a clear plan compared with 33% for the Democrats. There’s deep dissatisfaction with lawmakers: 15% approve of Congress, while 84% disapprove. Remarkably, that’s above the low of 9% approval in October 2013. Both parties are viewed negatively. The Democratic Party is underwater by 16 points (42% favorable, 58% unfavorable), while ratings of the GOP are net negative by 23
Expert calls California ‘Wild West’ for surrogacy after couple charged with abusing surrogate-born children
The case of a California couple recently accused of abusing children born to surrogates exposes the pitfalls of an industry one expert described as the “wild west.” Guojun Xuan, 66, and his wife, Silvia Zhang, 39, were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit child abuse. Authorities said the couple operated their own surrogacy agency out of their home in Arcadia, California. “I say it all the time. It’s the wild, Wild West,” Kallie Fell, executive director of the Center for Bioethics and Culture, told Fox News Digital. SURROGATE WHO REFUSED ABORTION TAKES FIGHT TO SUPREME COURT AS BABY’S LIFE HANGS IN BALANCE Xuan and Zhang allegedly abused more than a dozen surrogate-born children — some as young as 2 months old — inside their multimillion-dollar Arcadia residence. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman called the alleged abuse “appalling and revolting.” OHIO MOM OF 16 CRADLES STOMACH IN COURT, PLEADS NOT GUILTY IN SEVERE ABUSE CASE INVOLVING OWN CHILDREN “This was not a home where these children were loved and nurtured,” Hochman said when announcing the charges. “This was a home where these young children were systematically beaten and punished if they did not do what they were told.” In addition to the alleged abuse, the couple operated Future Spring Surrogacy from their home, recruiting surrogates and paying them tens of thousands of dollars. At least eight surrogates reported aggressive tactics and false statements regarding the family’s living situation, officials said. SURROGATE WHO REFUSED ABORTION ASKS SCOTUS TO INTERVENE AS BABY COULD BE MOVED OUT OF TEXAS “The thing about the case is that I wish it was shocking for me,” said Fell, who opposes commercial surrogacy. “Because of the space I work in, I get to hear shocking stories around the globe — things that people don’t realize the surrogacy industry has grown into. It’s not just a place where couples who have been struggling with infertility go as a last resort to have a child.” “I mean, this has really turned into, if you have enough money to pay for it, then you can, by any means necessary, really have a child in California,” she added. SURROGATE, CALIFORNIA COUPLE CLASH IN COURT AS NEWBORN FIGHTS FOR LIFE AFTER HEART SURGERY Unlike in some states, a license is not required in California to open a surrogacy agency, and there is no comprehensive regulatory framework to oversee the industry across the state. Surrogacy is a billion-dollar global market used to help couples who are unable to conceive or carry a child. The issue, Fell noted, is that while the process is accessible to anyone who can afford it, there are no meaningful regulatory safeguards for the children born to surrogates. “I was a foster parent,” she said. “My husband and I went through gobs of courses, gobs of home studies, background checks, everything — really under a microscope. The same is not true for surrogacy. It doesn’t apply.” As the surrogacy boom has expanded, foreign nationals — many from China — have increasingly used American surrogates to have children, according to a 2024 report by the Heritage Foundation. Because commercial surrogacy is completely illegal inside China, wealthy Chinese individuals and couples frequently look abroad, primarily to the U.S., to grow their families. While banned or heavily restricted in several other countries, cross-border surrogacy is not regulated at the federal level in the U.S., opening the door for foreign clients to secure American birthright citizenship for the resulting children, according to the conservative think tank. “We absolutely need to close our borders to international surrogacy,” Fell said. “Why do we need folks from overseas coming, renting wombs here in the United States?”
Hochul dodges when pressed over victims of illegal immigrant crime: ‘Will you apologize?’
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declined to directly apologize to the families of people killed by illegal immigrants after Republican challenger Bruce Blakeman confronted her over the issue during Tuesday night’s gubernatorial debate. Hochul instead turned the exchange toward Americans killed by federal immigration agents. Looking directly at Hochul as he brought up several victims, Blakeman asked what she had to say to families who will “never get to sit at another Thanksgiving dinner, never be able to open their presents on their Christmas tree. “Will you apologize to them, and will you please return Sheridan Gorman’s parents’ calls to talk to you about your sanctuary policy?” he said. NEW YORK GOVERNOR DEBATE HEATS UP AS BLAKEMAN, HOCHUL SPAR OVER TRUMP, SANCTUARY STATUS, ICE SHOOTING Jose Medina-Medina, an illegal immigrant from Venezuela, faces charges related to the fatal shooting of Sheridan Gorman, an 18-year-old Loyola University Chicago student from Yorktown, New York, as she walked with friends near her campus late at night. Her death has fueled calls for change from her parents, who have taken aim at sanctuary policies that limit cooperation between local law enforcement and ICE. Hochul responded by calling all crimes “heartbreaking,” adding, “I abhor all crimes, regardless of the perpetrator.” She went on to say her administration has spent billions to “help law enforcement do their jobs” and reduce crime across the state. SHERIDAN GORMAN’S MOM SCORCHES DEM LAWMAKERS SHE SAYS REFUSED TO HEAR FAMILIES OF SLAIN AMERICANS “We have driven down crime to historic lows, especially violent crimes like shootings and murders, and that didn’t come easy,” she said. “That took a lot of work. I’ve had to change laws. I’ve got to allocate more money.” Hochul did not directly answer Blakeman’s request for an apology or his question about returning Gorman’s parents’ calls. Instead, she brought up Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who were shot and killed during separate confrontations with federal immigration agents in Minneapolis in January. “When you’re talking about ICE, what I find so shocking is that when an American mother was murdered by ICE agents, you said that her killing was justified,” she fired back. MULLIN CALLS MAMDANI’S ANTI-ICE RHETORIC ‘DANGEROUS’ FOLLOWING NEW YORK SHOOTING She said Blakeman did not have an answer when asked whether Pretti’s death was “justified,” saying, “I find those answers just reprehensible, so you won’t apologize. I apologize for any pain that has happened to anyone.” The exchange set off a wave of social media scrutiny, with critics accusing Hochul of not caring about the victims. “INSANE! Kathy Hochul can’t even apologize to victims of crimes committed by illegal aliens – or promise to return their calls,” RNC Research posted on X. “She couldn’t care less,” radio host Brett Winterble posted on X. “Disgusting,” Republican National Committee spokesperson Kristen Cianci posted on X. “NO APOLOGY. No ownership of the sanctuary policies,” Richard Sementa, executive producer of “The Mark Levin Show,” posted on X. “BOOM! Bruce Blakeman put Kathy Hochul’s immigration policies on trial, live. Bruce Blakeman: “What do you say to their families, Kathy?” Families of victims want answers, and Hochul still hasn’t given them one,” conservative influencer Gunther Eagleman posted on X. Voters will decide between Hochul and Blakeman in the upcoming November election to determine who will serve as New York governor.
Trump scores win from liberal-leaning 9th Circuit in ICE enforcement showdown
The Trump administration scored a victory at a liberal-leaning appeals court Wednesday, which temporarily blocked a section of a California law requiring plainclothes federal law enforcement agents to show their badges and identification when carrying out operations. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the Trump administration was “certain to succeed” in its lawsuit against California, finding that the No Vigilantes Act’s identification requirement violates the Constitution’s supremacy clause, which says federal law takes priority when it conflicts with state law. “Section 10 explicitly overrides the federal government’s power to determine whether, how, and when to publicly identify its officers,” the panel wrote. The preliminary injunction comes from a federal appeals court that has repeatedly clashed with the Trump administration over some of its signature immigration policies, including blocking efforts to withhold federal funding from sanctuary cities in 2018, restricting attempts to tighten asylum eligibility that same year and refusing to reinstate Trump’s travel ban targeting several predominantly Muslim countries in 2017. FEDERAL COURT BLOCKS NEWSOM’S BID TO SHACKLE ICE IN TRUMP IMMIGRATION WIN The ruling comes as a major blow to California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, widely viewed as a 2028 presidential hopeful. Newsom has positioned himself as a leading opponent of Trump’s immigration agenda, signing a series of laws aimed at protecting immigrant communities, restricting federal immigration enforcement operations and increasing oversight of federal agents in the state. The Trump administration sued California over provisions in the No Vigilantes Act and No Secret Police Act, which restricts law enforcement officers from wearing face coverings, in November 2025. Judge Christina Snyder, a Clinton-appointed judge, initially blocked the No Secret Police Act’s mask restriction for federal officers but declined to block the No Vigilantes Act’s identification requirement. The Trump administration appealed Snyder’s decision on the identification requirement, and the 9th Circuit temporarily blocked its enforcement in February before granting an injunction pending appeal in April. FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKS NEW YORK LAW BANNING ICE AGENTS FROM WEARING MASKS California argued that its identification requirement did not amount to an unconstitutional regulation of the federal government because a state law crosses that line only when it “impose[s] substantial burdens on federal operations.” But the appeals court ruled that the state never had the authority to directly regulate federal officials. “The burden of the regulation on federal operations, whether substantial or otherwise, is irrelevant,” the court wrote. The liberal appeals court ruling drew praise from Trump administration officials, including Brett Shumate, assistant attorney general for the Justice Department’s Civil Division. DOJ WARNS FORMER RED STATE IS BECOMING THE NEXT CALIFORNIA AS GOVERNOR EMBRACES ICE LIMITS “The Ninth Circuit agrees that California cannot regulate federal law enforcement,” Schumate wrote on X. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER “Today, the Ninth Circuit again affirms what common sense makes clear: California cannot regulate how Federal law enforcement officers carry out their jobs authorized by Congress,” Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward, Jr. wrote on X. “Today’s decision is a huge WIN for protecting the safety of our Nation’s law enforcement officers and ensuring @POTUS ‘s promise to enforce our Nation’s immigration laws.” Fox News Digital reached out to Newsom’s office for comment.
Trump-backed GOP candidate who ousted scandal-plagued incumbent warns against ‘never-ending war’ with Iran
For 14 years, Ryan Elijah reported on Central Florida’s biggest stories from the television newsroom. Now, he is on a mission to represent the same community in Congress. Elijah stepped into a contentious GOP primary in which he warned that incumbent Cory Mills was at risk of losing the Republican-leaning district to the Democrats, following a series of personal and professional scandals. Elijah won a convincing victory in the August 18 Republican primary, receiving 47% of the vote to Mills’ 34%. Trump, who had originally endorsed Mills, later claimed that he had privately encouraged the embattled congressman to withdraw from the race. REP CORY MILLS DRAWS FIRST REPUBLICAN CHALLENGER AS SEXUAL MISCONDUCT ALLEGATIONS, EXPULSION THREAT MOUNT Recently, the veteran television journalist sat down with Fox News Digital to discuss his views on Iran, affordability, and immigration, while pledging to remain an independent voice in Congress, and a strong advocate for Volusia and Seminole counties. Elijah did not take the decision to leave working in media lightly, but felt a call to leadership: “I love my job. It’s something I could have retired from TV and been perfectly happy. But I think we all look for the time you’re asked to step up and lead. And for me, that was this time. When we saw how the primary was playing out, it just became clear that we were going to lose this election in November. “And I decided that we had the connections in this community to throw our hat in the ring. We had the trust from the community and the primary played out a lot like we thought it would, where people wanted a choice. I think that’s what primaries are all about in Seminole County and Volusia County spoke really loud. In that primary, and now I think they put us in a great spot to hold this seat in November.” Elijah pledges to put transparency and accountability front and center for the constituents of the seventh district: “Well, I think transparency and accountability are huge issues. I think when I talk to people, they don’t feel like they’re heard very much in Washington. And I think that you have to be transparent about whatever you can. And first of all, if you have nothing to hide, that’s the best way to be transparent because you can exactly show your business dealings and how your life dealings are. “And that’s something we’ve talked about a lot…and then in terms of accountability, no one is above the law. And that’s a message that Americans want to hear, whether you’re a Democrat or Republican, there are laws for a reason, and we have to make sure those laws are upheld.” As the military engagement with Iran is rattling global energy markets and pinching Americans’ pocketbooks, Elijah concedes the need to thwart a nuclear Iran, but also is wary of another forever war: GOP RISING STAR HELPED TOPPLE TRUMP-BACKED INCUMBENT. NOW HE’S CAUGHT LEADERSHIP’S EYE “This is a decade-long issue and a conflict between Iran and its proxies, where they have targeted and they have killed Americans. So the U.S. military right now is trying to end that conflict. But as representatives, we have to listen to the American people. We have to listen to central Floridians. “And they have been very clear on this. They’re concerned about it. They are concerned this is going to be a never-ending war. They don’t want that. I don’t want that either. I share that belief, which is why I think we need to draw this conflict down. And we need to make sure that Iran is not a nuclear threat.” On the immigration issue, Elijah cites improvement under GOP leadership on the issue, but argues that enforcement focus should remain on criminals: “This is another issue where I think you have to look at where we’ve come from. When you let tens of millions of illegal people into this country, you’re going to have issues that take a long time to fix. And I think if you look at the way there has to be a federal, a local, and a state cooperation with immigration, that’s what it takes to work. Which is why when I talk to all the sheriffs in our district that are endorsing us, they’re handling immigration much better than other parts around the country because they have that cooperation. “We need to start with the criminals. We have got many criminals still here illegally in the United States. That’s what they focused on in central Florida. That’s what ICE needs to focus on, removing the criminals. And there’s a compassionate way to handle this as we’ve got an issue that is not going to be fixed in just six or 12 months.” Elijah consistently emphasizes that he will be an independent voice for the district, not a partisan rubber stamp: “Well, I’ve said a lot. Look, I ran in this primary without the president’s endorsement. I’ve been an independent voice in this and I’ve told a lot of people that ask me that question. “As you can imagine, I go to a lot of doors. That’s a question: ‘Will you support the president? Will you not support the president?’ And what I tell them is, if it’s a policy that supports our country and supports our district, I’m going to support that policy. “More often than not, I will because I’m a Republican. I like a lot of those policies. If there’s a policy I disagree with, we won’t. So in that situation, that’s where things are at.” Finally, Elijah acknowledges that affordability, while lacking a quick and easy fix, is the defining 2026 issue for much of the electorate: “I think the number one thing that we hear from people, and that’s affordability, and that’s not an easy fix, but I think what they want out of government is accountability. We talked about that before, that government is going to be accountable on its spending, on
WATCH: Georgia Senate debate erupts over white supremacy allegations, Epstein ties in fiery exchange
Georgia’s contentious U.S. Senate race erupted into a heated confrontation Tuesday night as Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., accused GOP challenger Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., of allowing the dissemination of “neo-Nazi propaganda” inside his own home, prompting Collins to fire back over Ossoff’s financial support from a billionaire with ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The exchange unfolded during the candidates’ second and final debate ahead of the Nov. 3 general election, which was hosted by the Atlanta Press Club and broadcast by Georgia Public Broadcasting network. During the debate, Ossoff sought to tie his GOP opponent to White nationalism and repeatedly demanded that Collins commit to stopping the dissemination of hateful rhetoric involving his campaign staff, in particular Collins’ son-in-law, which Ossoff alleged has continued despite blowback. Meanwhile, Collins accused his Democrat opponent of fueling threats against his family, refusing to return campaign support connected to LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman and questioned Ossoff over his support for candidates linked to controversial streamer Hasan Piker. DEM ‘EPSTEIN CLASS’ ATTACK BACKFIRES AS TOP CANDIDATES FUNDED BY EPSTEIN-TIED BILLIONAIRE “How weak a person do you have to be to be unable to stop someone under your own roof from disseminating neo-Nazi propaganda while you run for the Senate?” Ossoff asked, referencing reporting about his opponent’s son-in-law, David Alan Scheer II, who was the subject of a CNN investigation about sharing Nazi propaganda imagery, promoting antisemitic conspiracy theories and polling his online followers about whether he should produce a video titled “Why Gen-Z Doesn’t Hate Hitler.” “How about this, Mike? We can shake hands on it,” Ossoff continued to press. “Will you commit tonight that for the remainder of this campaign, it’s just three weeks, Mike, you won’t allow any more neo-Nazi propaganda to be produced from your house? Can you make that commitment?” Collins responded by accusing Ossoff of inflaming hostility toward his family, pointing to threats he said he and his son-in-law had received. “I’m a little tired of this, Jon,” Collins said. “There’s a crazy person in jail right now because of your rhetoric,” he alleged, before saying he had received another threat just the previous day. JON OSSOFF SILENT ON SPLC INDICTMENT AFTER TAKING MORE THAN $700K FROM AFFILIATE OF INDICTED GROUP “You have not denounced, you’ve not condemned Reid Hoffman, one of your largest donors out there, one that’s been supporting you with over $1 million,” Collins shot back. “Why don’t you denounce that? Why don’t you return that money?” Collins was referring to Reid Hoffman, the billionaire LinkedIn co-founder and major Democratic donor whose past relationship with Epstein has drawn scrutiny. Hoffman has acknowledged meeting with Epstein after the financier’s 2008 conviction for sex offenses and visiting his private island. Hoffman also contributed $7,000 directly to Ossoff’s campaign and $1 million to a political action committee supporting the Georgia Democrat, according to previously reported campaign finance records. Earlier in the debate, Collins went further, accusing Hoffman of sending Epstein ice cream with a message referencing girls, while again pressing Ossoff to reject his financial support. “Jon Ossoff, his number one donor, one of his largest donors, is Reid Hoffman, the same guy that’s in the same files, the same guy that sent ice cream, ice cream to Jeffrey Epstein on his birthday and said, ‘This is for the girls,’” Collins said during an earlier exchange in the debate. THUNE-ALIGNED GROUPS UNLEASH HISTORIC WAR CHEST TO DEFEND SENATE MAJORITY: ‘WINNING MESSAGE’ The Wall Street Journal previously reported that Hoffman sent Epstein ice cream in 2014 with a message indicating it was intended for him or “for the girls.” Hoffman has apologized for his association with Epstein, which he said stemmed from fundraising activities involving the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and has not been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein’s crimes. Ossoff rejected the Hoffman comparison, however, arguing that the allegations against Collins involved someone living in the congressman’s home rather than a political donor. “Mike, if any of these folks were based in my house, then I’d understand you to ask me to take responsibility for them,” Ossoff said. “What I asked you, Mike, was, can you commit for just three weeks to stop the production of neo-Nazi propaganda from your home?” Earlier in the debate, Collins was directly questioned about concerns from Black Georgians over allegations of White-nationalist ties involving members of his political operation. “I condemn any sort of hate speech, antisemitism, hate of any kind. It’s abhorrent,” Collins responded, adding that he had fired staffers when controversies arose. Collins also sought to turn the accusations back on Ossoff by criticizing his support for Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed and invoking left-wing streamer Hasan Piker, who Collins blasted for saying the U.S. deserved 9/11, and promoting anti-Semitism. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER “He hangs his hat on this Abdul El-Sayed, you know, the guy that hates Israel — best friends with Hasan Piker, who said that America deserves 9/11,” Collins said Tuesday night. Ossoff has previously condemned Piker’s rhetoric, telling The Atlanta Journal-Constitution through a spokesperson that he “unreservedly rejects reckless and dangerous rhetoric” suggesting political advocacy justifies violence against Jewish Americans or any other community.
Iowa Dem Senate candidate says he’s too busy campaigning to attend all state House votes
Democratic Iowa State Rep. Josh Turek defended his attendance record after being called out by his opponent, Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, during a Tuesday night debate for the state’s open Senate seat. Hinson remarked on Turek’s absences while responding to a question posed to both candidates about Iowa’s rising cancer rates. “You have to show up to vote for things like pediatric cancer research, and I’ve invested in legislation to make sure that we’re redirecting those resources to get to where it needs to go to help get to the bottom of this cancer crisis,” Hinson said. As Fox News Digital first uncovered, Turek missed 261 votes in Iowa’s state legislature from Jan. 12, 2026, through May 3, representing nearly 58% of the total votes during that time. The debate’s moderator asked Turek directly why he missed the votes. DEM SENATE HOPEFUL RIPPED AS ‘ABSENTEE LEGISLATOR’ AFTER MISSING NEARLY 60% OF VOTES “I have gone out there, and I have met with Iowans all over the state, all 99 counties, hundreds of public forums,” Turek responded. FOX NEWS POLL: TUREK, HINSON IN CLOSE IOWA SENATE RACE “Meanwhile, Ashley Hinson, since she’s decided to run for U.S. Senate, has not done one in-person town forum. Also, in my first three years in the legislature, [I had] more than a 90% attendance record,” Turek continued. “I want to ask again, though, why did you miss those votes?” the moderator repeated. MEDIA NARRATIVE PREDICTING BLUE WAVE IN KEY BATTLEGROUND STATE NOT MESHING WITH LOCAL REPUBLICANS: ‘FIRED UP’ “I’m out campaigning. I’m out meeting Iowans all over all 99 counties. I’ve done hundreds of in-person town halls. Meanwhile, Ashley Hinson, since she’s running for the U.S. Senate, has not done a single in-person town hall,” he said. Hinson objected to the notion that she hasn’t done any town halls during the campaign cycle. FOX NEWS POLL: A CLOSE SENATE CONTEST IS BREWING IN IOWA “I’ve done more town halls than the percentage of time he showed up to work this year. 42% of the time is all Rep. Turek showed up to work this year. That’s two out of every five days of work,” Hinson said. “Iowans, if you’re watching tonight, you should know if you don’t show up to work two out of five days, you’re not getting a promotion. You’re getting fired. I am proud of my bipartisan record working with both parties to get things across the finish line. I rank in the top 20% of bipartisan lawmakers in Congress and I have a 99% attendance record even while running a statewide campaign,” she concluded. OBAMA ENDORSES DEMOCRATIC IOWA STATE REP RUNNING FOR US SENATE AGAINST TRUMP-BACKED HOUSE REPUBLICAN Turek, before the moderator moved on, chimed in, adding, “She also missed 193 votes.” A spokesperson for the Hinson campaign clarified to Fox News Digital that the 193 votes Hinson missed accounted for her entire time in Congress, while the 261 votes Turek missed were in the 2026 legislative session alone. IOWA GOP GOVERNOR NOMINEE RECOUNTS VIRAL CLASH THAT PUT OBAMA ON THE SPOT AT 2009 TOWN HALL The Hinson campaign also disputed the idea that she hasn’t held any town halls. “Since being elected to Congress, Ashley Hinson has held 47 in-person town halls and more than 30 telephone town halls — speaking directly to Iowans about the issues that matter most to them,” Billy Fuerst, the Hinson campaign communications director, told Fox News Digital. TRUMP-BACKED IOWA US SENATE HOPEFUL SAYS IRAN WAR MUST ‘BE BROUGHT TO A SUCCESSFUL AND IMMEDIATE END’ “Ashley has a 98.8% lifetime voting record while Josh Turek registered a 42% voting record in the State House this year. Ashley missed 16% (94 of 553) of committee amendment votes over the course of her congressional tenure, but has been present for all final passage votes (final passage votes include the amendment language) in her time on the Appropriations Committee — 70 total bills since 2021,” Fuerst concluded. Rep. Turek and his campaign did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital for comment. Fox News Digital’s Leo Briceno contributed to this report.
Jamaica accepts first flight of third-country deportations from US amid looming Supreme Court battle
Jamaica began receiving third-country deportations from the U.S. this week, with the first flight of migrants arriving on Tuesday. President Donald Trump’s administration has used the third-country policy to deport migrants who claim that their home countries are too dangerous to return to. Tuesday’s flight saw 22 migrants land at Kingston’s Norman Manley International Airport in Jamaica. VENEZUELANS, CUBANS, COLOMBIANS ARRIVE IN AFRICAN NATION UNDER TRUMP DEPORTATION DEAL Jamaican authorities signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the U.S. in June to allow transfers to begin. The agreement caps the number of migrants arriving to 25 “per fortnight.” Jamaica’s Ministry of National Security and Peace and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade released a joint statement clarifying the new program on Tuesday, according to NBC News. LIBERIA AGREES TO ACCEPT 1,200 THIRD-COUNTRY DEPORTEES FROM US WITHIN A YEAR “The government reiterates that this is a transit arrangement intended to facilitate the return of Third Country Nationals to their country of origin or other receiving countries, with the support of the IOM (International Organization for Migration),” the statement read. “The arrangement will not be funded by the Government of Jamaica,” it continued. “No third-country national with criminal antecedents will be permitted to transit through Jamaica.” FEDERAL APPEALS COURT DEALS BLOW TO TRUMP DEPORTATION AGENDA Third-country deportations have faced heavy attacks from critics of the Trump administration, and the Supreme Court is set to consider the legality of the policy in December. The Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration in September to continue its deportations while the question is being litigated. TRUMP PLANS TO DEPORT IRANIANS TO VIOLENCE-PLAGUED CENTRAL AFRICAN NATION IN NEW DEAL Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson said they would have denied the administration’s request for a stay. The decision gives the administration the immediate relief it sought as it presses ahead with third-country removals, even as the Supreme Court has yet to decide whether the policy remains. The dispute centers on the Trump administration’s efforts to remove illegal aliens to third countries. Lower courts have not categorically prohibited those removals but have required procedures intended to give aliens an opportunity to raise claims that they could face persecution or torture in the destination country.
Foul-mouthed anti-war protesters repeatedly derail Hegseth’s remarks at Army event in DC
Protesters repeatedly interrupted War Secretary Pete Hegseth’s headline appearance at the Army’s biggest annual conference on Wednesday, calling him a “war criminal” and a “coward” in protest of the Iran war. At least five times in the first half hour of a panel, foul-mouthed anti-war protesters shouted at Hegseth, calling him a “f—ing Nazi” among other insults. Hegseth responded with chuckles and sarcastic comments, at first — but his reactions became increasingly short and irritated as he slammed the “semi-coordinated” attack as one-by-one protesters emerged among the crowd in Washington, D.C. PETE HEGSETH HEADS TO CAPITOL HILL TO DEFEND TRUMP’S IRAN WAR AS 60-DAY CONGRESSIONAL DEADLINE LOOMS “You’re not a warrior you’re a coward!” one demonstrator shouted at Hegseth. “Children in Gaza are starving! He is a war criminal!” “She thinks highly of me,” the Pentagon chief quipped after one outburst, which led to brief applause from the crowd. The protesters were spread among the room and waited a few minutes between outbursts to interrupt the panel with their anti-war messages. As Hegseth saw a pattern emerging among the outbreaks, he acknowledged: “Appears we have a bit of a tactic.” “The protesters are spouting off slogans, Iran really will never have a nuclear weapon,” he later added. The demonstrators were forcibly removed by security for the event — with at least one woman needing to be carried out of the room by multiple officers while she continued to scream her protest. The panel with Hegseth included acting Army Secretary Adam Telle, acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao, Air Force Secretary Troy Meink and assistant Secretary for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict Derrick Evans. As the disruptions continued, the speakers stopped pausing amid the din of shouting and tried to talk over the protesters. It’s unclear how the protesters received credentials to attend the event known as AUSA, which brings together Army brass and the defense contractors that service them. EMERGING TECH HAS NEW ARMY LEADERS WARNING TROOPS CAN’T ‘AI’ THEIR WAY TO VICTORY ON THE BATTLEFIELD The panel focused on Project Agincourt, the Pentagon’s initiative to accelerate the development and deployment of autonomous weapons and military systems. Hegseth joined senior leadership from the service branches to discuss how the military plans to integrate drones, robotics and other autonomous technologies.
NPR affiliate apologizes for sponsoring anarchist event linked to anti-ICE attackers
An NPR affiliate is apologizing after sponsoring an anarchist book fair that publicly expressed solidarity with defendants prosecuted over a violent attack on a Texas ICE detention facility that left a police officer wounded. New Hampshire Public Radio (NHPR) acknowledged it “erred” by accepting an invitation to sponsor and host a table at the “New Hampshire Anarchist Book Fair” in Hanover, New Hampshire, saying the decision ran afoul of its standards against involvement in activities that could be viewed as political. “NHPR erred in accepting an invitation to sponsor and host a table at the Anarchist Book Festival in Hanover on Saturday,” the station said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital by NHPR President and CEO Jim Schachter. “Our code of ethics makes clear that we should not compromise the integrity of our journalism by involvement in anything that can be viewed as political.” NPR GETS $80 MILLION GIFT FROM DEMOCRATIC MEGADONOR IN MAJOR BOOST AFTER LOSING GOVERNMENT FUNDING “No one from NHPR’s newsroom was aware of or involved in the decision to participate in this event,” the statement added. “We remain committed to our mission of independent, trustworthy journalism for everyone in New Hampshire, and we are evaluating our internal processes to ensure mistakes like this don’t happen again.” The controversy centers on promotional materials for the event that declared, “Solidarity with the Prairieland Defendants” — a reference to defendants prosecuted in connection with a July 4, 2025, attack on the Prairieland Detention Center, an ICE facility in Alvarado, Texas. RUBIO PUTS ENTIRE WORLD ON NOTICE AGAINST RISE OF ‘POISONOUS’ FAR-LEFT TERROR ‘MASKED AS EQUALITY’ Federal prosecutors said members of what they described as a North Texas Antifa cell launched a coordinated attack on the facility, using fireworks and vandalism to draw law enforcement officers outside while armed participants positioned themselves nearby. An Alvarado police officer responding to the scene was shot in the neck. Nine defendants were later convicted of federal offenses stemming from the attack, while seven others pleaded guilty to providing material support to terrorists, according to the Justice Department. “NHPR didn’t ‘err,’ they got caught,” posted the Carroll County Republicans on X. “There better not be any taxpayer money going to this domestic terrorist allied corporation.” SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER “NHPR promoting Antifa (shocking, I know),” added New Hampshire state Rep. Kristin Noble. Referring to NHPR’s statement that its journalists were not aware of the event, state Rep. Keith Ammon quipped: “Don’t feel bad. I thought it was a fair about cookbooks.”