House Republicans aim to turn Democratic civil war into midterm weapon
NEW CITY, N.Y. – The battle for the House majority will be won or lost in congressional districts like New York-17, NY-3, and NY-4, three crucial swing seats in suburban New York City. And as Republicans work to hold onto their razor-thin House majority in this autumn’s midterm elections, they view the ongoing battle between the left-wing and the center-left establishment for the future of the Democratic Party as political ammunition as they portray Democrats as radicals. “Democrats have gone further and further and further to the left with no end in sight,” Republican Rep. Mike Lawler argued in a Fox News Digital interview. Lawler, a two-term lawmaker who represents NY-17, which covers much of New York City’s northern suburbs, spoke soon after three far-left Democrats backed by socialist New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani defeated more moderate, establishment-backed rivals in showdowns that drew outsized national attention. MEET THE FAR-LEFT INSURGENTS WAGING WAR ON THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY Two of primary winners were aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and two of the defeated candidates were congressional incumbents. “My district is impacted significantly by what happens in New York City. Many of my constituents work in the city, they’re cops, firefighters, nurses, teachers,” Lawler said. He charged that “these radical socialists are taking over the Democratic Party, not just for Congress, but the state legislature. And as I said last year, Zohran Mamdani would become the face of the Democratic Party and its leader, and that is precisely what he is doing.” Lawler’s Democratic challenger in the midterms is not backed by either the DSA or two other far-left groups, the Justice Democrats and the Working Families Party. DEMOCRATIC PARTY CIVIL WAR HITS DEBATE STAGE IN CRUCIAL PRIMARY SHOWDOWN But Lawler, pointing to Democratic nominee Cait Conley’s stance on key issues, argued, “The fact is that she agrees with them from a policy standpoint, even if she doesn’t couch herself in the same title of socialist.” “My opponent would be a rubber stamp for the radical socialists who are coming, and she wouldn’t have the ability to stand up to these people and push back, and the fact is the Democrats have gone further and further and further to the left with no end in sight,” he charged. But Rep. Suzan DelBene, chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said that any GOP push to paint Democrats as far left radicals are “desperate attacks.” “The midterms will ultimately be a referendum on who is going to lower costs and help improve the lives of everyday Americans – which House Republicans have failed spectacularly to do. In the purple, majority making districts, ” DelBene argued in a statement to Fox News Digital. She charged that “Republicans already know they’ve lost the American people, and that’s why they are resorting to desperate attacks that aren’t actually about the pocketbook issues, but just baseless spin that falls flat with voters who are eager to reject Republicans.” Conley, a West Point graduate and military combat veteran who was awarded three Bronze Stars during six deployments to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, pushed back on Lawler’s criticism. DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB “Voters are sick of political insiders, politicians, political operatives who care more about their next reelection than they do solving the actual problems with the time they are given to represent their people,” Conley told Fox News Digital, indicating Lawler, a political strategist before serving as a state lawmaker and then winning election to Congress. Conley emphasized that “we need new leaders, not people who are part of the political insider network.” The race in NY-17 is among two to three dozen across the country that will determine if the GOP holds its razor-thin House majority. So are the showdowns in NY-3 and NY-4, which are located in New York City‘s eastern suburbs on Long Island. “I think it will definitely affect us in Nassau County since we’re a border county,” Jeanine Driscoll, the GOP nominee in NY-4 told Fox News Digital, as she referred to the far-left Democratic victories in neighboring New York City. “Bringing in three ultra left wing people who are proclaiming themselves to be socialists, really communists, is going to wake people up.” SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER Driscoll, the receiver of taxes in the town of Hempstead, America’s largest township by population, is challenging Democratic Rep. Laura Gillen, who flipped the district two years ago. Just to the north, in NY-3, Republican nominee Mike LePetri is facing off against veteran Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi, who narrowly topped LePetri in 2024. “Frankly, the people of Long Island and northeast Queens are scared. They’re concerned about the future of America if you have the Democrat Party take over the House of Representatives,” LePetri told Fox News Digital. Gillen and Suozzi are among a group of moderate House Democrats who earlier this year launched the “Promise to America,” a centrist political pledge that rejects socialism, supports secure borders, and promotes fiscal responsibility and economic growth. “I call myself a new kind of old-fashioned Democrat. Someone who believes in the traditional values,” Suozzi said in a recent “Fox and Friends” interview. Suozzi emphasized, “We’re for capitalism, not socialism. We’re for safety, not lawlessness. We’re proud of America. Not ashamed of America. And we need to be promoting those things.” “There are people in the Democratic Party that are left of center that don’t agree with the far left. And we just need to do a better job organizing because you’ll see big rallies for people who are extremists, far right, far left, but if I show up and say ‘hey lets work together to solve the problems that we face in our country,’ you’re not going to get a big rally for that,” Suozzi said. But LePetri charged that Suozzi “is two faced. He says one thing, but votes exactly with his conference.” And Driscoll, speaking of Gillam, argued, “they
Trump’s housing chief paints a grim picture for homeownership in one major American city
Trump’s housing chief is taking aim at New York City’s housing agenda, arguing the policies championed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani would worsen affordability rather than solve it by discouraging private investment. “Socialist progressive policies never work,” Turner told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview. “To try to implement those policies in one of our greatest cities in the world — you will see people leaving New York in droves. Businesses and families can’t afford it.” Turner’s comments come as Mamdani has made housing affordability a centerpiece of his administration, backing policies like rent freezes for stabilized apartments and higher taxes on corporations and wealthy residents to fund affordable housing. He also wants local government to play a larger role in addressing New York City’s housing shortage. NEW YORK CITY IS ABOUT TO TEST MAMDANI’S PROGRESSIVE ECONOMIC VISION, HERE’S WHAT TO KNOW As America’s largest city and one of its most expensive housing markets, New York has become a focal point in the national debate over how to address affordability. Turner’s criticism reflects the Trump administration’s broader affordability strategy, which, in contrast to Mamdani, emphasizes reducing regulations, expanding the nation’s housing supply and encouraging private-sector investment rather than increasing government’s role in the market. The Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary told Fox News Digital that states such as Florida and Texas are “ahead of the game” on addressing the affordability crisis because they have prioritized homebuilding and reducing regulatory barriers that drive up costs. He argued New York should follow a similar approach, saying affordability improves when governments make it easier for builders to construct new homes rather than expand their role in the housing market. “That’s what we’re doing now is easing the regulatory environment, bringing the cost down, raising the supply so builders can build and homeowners can buy,” Turner said. ‘AMERICAN HOUSES ARE FOR AMERICAN PEOPLE’: TRUMP HOUSING CHIEF INSISTS IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN WILL LOWER COSTS Turner contrasted that approach with the policies championed by Mamdani in the nation’s largest city, arguing his approach discourages the investment needed to increase housing supply. “The policies that he’s putting forth are not encouraging, they’re discouraging,” Turner said. “People want to go a place where they can get the government out of the way. The government is not the answer. The private sector is the answer. Family is the answer. Church and faith is the answer.” Turner predicted that Mamdani’s governing philosophy would ultimately fail. “Mamdani and his policies are the complete opposite of that,” Turner said. “So no, they’re not gonna work, period.” Mamdani has argued his proposals are necessary to address New York City’s housing affordability crisis, contending that stronger tenant protections and expanded public investment would help ease rising costs for working families. Mamdani’s office did not respond to Fox New Digital’s request for comment.
SEE IT: Massive NYC homeless encampment fuels backlash against Mamdani
A sprawling homeless encampment stretching roughly 12 blocks along Manhattan’s West Side is alarming people who live, work and visit nearby, with several telling Fox News Digital that the city is not doing enough to address the tents, trash and reported illegal activity. “I think it’s embarrassing,” said Joan G., a woman who did not want to reveal her last name told Fox News Digital near the encampment. A nearby construction-site security guard who identified himself only as “Joe the Dog Man” also criticized the city’s response. “I just don’t think enough is being done,” he said. HOUSING FIRST IS A DISASTER. I SAW SACRAMENTO’S HOMELESS CHAOS FIRSTHAND Mamdani initially paused encampment sweeps after taking office, fulfilling an early campaign promise, but later introduced a revised removal policy that gives homeless-services teams seven days to conduct outreach before an encampment can be dismantled. “They gotta clean them up, they gotta keep on top of them,” Joe said. “This seven-day stuff, or whatever it is now, is really not working.” City outreach workers visited the encampment this week and were seen primarily collecting trash while many tents remained in place. Joe told Fox News Digital he believed that police should be given greater authority to enforce the city’s rules. “I think we need to enforce and give the police the right to do their job,” he said. The encampments near the Intrepid Museum have drawn complaints about blocked sidewalks, trash and illegal activity. “It’s terrible,” Joe said. “Drugs, prostitution and everything else in between.” SOCIAL MEDIA ERUPTS AFTER MAMDANI’S FAR-LEFT SUPPORTERS TURN ON HIM OVER HOMELESS SHELTER: ‘OOPS’ Some people at the encampment appeared to be drawing power from utility poles, prompting an NYPD response Tuesday. “The NYPD has not been given the green light to clean this encampment up, but we are ready to do so,” an NYPD spokesperson told Fox News Digital. The New York Post reported that sex workers were bringing customers to tents and nearby bathrooms, citing interviews with people in the area. Fox News Digital has not independently verified that claim. The encampment runs from 34th Street to 46th Street along 11th Avenue. The encampment’s proximity to the Intrepid Museum and Javits Center has also raised concerns about its effect on tourism. Karen, a visitor from Belgium, said she was disappointed by what she viewed as the government’s failure to support homeless people. “It’s sad that they’re not getting the support they promised them,” Karen said. “I don’t know how it works here in America, but yeah, like when a politician promises to help people, they should help everyone.” Mamdani made expanding housing assistance and changing the city’s treatment of homeless New Yorkers central parts of his mayoral campaign. The socialist mayor promised to expand the city’s housing voucher program but later appealed a court order requiring its expansion. His administration said the appeal was necessary to pursue an expansion that would be financially sustainable over the medium and long term. “Shame on us. We have so much wealth in this city,” Joan said of the conditions and the city’s failure to house people living on the street. SEATTLE CLEANED UP FOR THE WORLD CUP BUT ONLY WHILE THE WORLD WAS WATCHING, COMMENTATOR SAYS “I’m okay with paying more,” she continued. “Taxpayer dollars help people who don’t have a place to stay — give them shelter, give them food, help them get trained, get a job, whatever.” Mamdani said earlier this week that the encampments would be cleared, although he did not give a specific timetable. Mamdani’s office did not respond to a request for comment. “Make this a better place for everyone, make it a better place for tourists,” Joan said. “This is not a great look for us,” she continued. “Great city. We can do better.”
WATCH: House Dems dodge questions on socialist agenda that threatens to abolish key institutions
Prominent House Democrats appeared caught off guard when asked about the newly announced plan by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) that calls to destroy the current America’s political system — eliminating the Senate, president and Supreme Court. “I don’t support that,” Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., said when asked about the new agenda. “I haven’t read the proposal.” The revision to the DSA platform, “Workers Deserve More” plans to abolish the Senate entirely and replace the president and Supreme Court with an executive branch and judiciary elected by and subordinate to Congress. BERNIE SANDERS, DSA REVEAL DEMANDS FOR DEM PARTY AFTER SOCIALISTS SWEEP NEW YORK ELECTIONS Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., one of the most progressive Democrats in Congress, dodged answering questions on the new socialist agenda from Fox News Digital. “I’m not a member of the DSA, so I can’t comment on any documents that they put out,” Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., said. The political commitments of the program are split into three sections, with the last section calling “for a unicameral, proportional legislature (abolishing the Senate) and a parliamentary system (abolishing the presidency), among other goals.” The platform additionally calls for the complete abolishment of U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE), pardoning all immigrants, including those who have committed crimes, and defunding the Department of War. DSA CO-CHAIR PUSHES BACK ON SOVIET UNION COMPARISONS, WANTS PRISONS TO BE ‘LESS NECESSARY’ The organization has publicly advocated for ICE to be abolished since 2018 and its current platform calls for a slew of other extreme immigration reforms, including an “immediate end to all deportations,” “extending full voting rights to people with criminal convictions and noncitizens” and easing restrictions on immigration control for migration between countries. The far-left plan comes as the socialist agenda is proving to be making its way into the mainstream Democratic party as several DSA members and self-proclaimed socialists have been beating out more moderate Democrats in many of this year’s primary elections. Aguilar told Fox News Digital that he was “not at all” worried about the wave of far-left, socialist candidates complicating the Democratic party’s agenda. “I look forward to working with all our colleagues who run as Democrats,” Aguilar said. DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS ERUPT OVER 2028 ENDORSEMENT AS AOC SPECULATION GROWS: ‘DANGEROUS PATH’ In a statement published Friday in Democratic Left, the DSA’s official magazine, the organization laid out the formal requirements for these socialist candidates to receive an endorsement from DSA. ” Workers Deserve More will have a formal role in DSA’s national candidate endorsement process. Candidates will “be expected to accept and promote DSA’s program, and align their own campaign platforms with its contents to the best of their ability,” according to the resolution calling for a new Workers Deserve More .” The endorsement requirement means the platform is more than a policy wish list as candidates seeking a DSA endorsement are expected to campaign in line with its agenda, even as House Democrats like Omar, Khanna and Aguilar tell Fox News Digital they had either not read the proposal or declined to comment on it.
WATCH: Lawmakers reveal where they stand on congressional term limits after recent health scares
Amid renewed questions of age and health in Congress, lawmakers are split on whether they should implement some form of term limits, capping the number of terms any one person can serve as an elected federal representative. Despite the relative popularity of the idea of term limits, the debate hinges on whether implementing such a policy would inhibit voter choice and make it harder for Capitol Hill to retain institutional expertise. That’s the concern of Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Mont. ‘THIS IS NOT NORMAL’: AOC UNLOADS ON MCCONNELL’S PROLONGED ABSENCE “The voters will decide who they want. We have term limits, and we have age limits and that is the voter. And if they decide they want to elect an 80-year-old or 100-year-old that’s up to the voters,” Sheehy said. Rep. Glen Grothman, R-Wisc., echoed Sheehy’s thinking. “I think the voters — when they’re electing, if they want to elect Grassley, you shouldn’t take that right away from them,” Grothman said, referring to Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, the oldest serving member of Congress. Grassley is 92 years old. Although Grassley himself remains in good health, concern about other senior members of Congress has reentered the public eye in recent weeks. Most recently, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., 71, unexpectedly died in office last week. Before that, Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., 84, and Rep. Tom Kean Jr., R-N.J., 57, prompted public speculation after extended absences due to health reasons. LINDSEY GRAHAM, SOUTH CAROLINA SENATOR WHO ROSE FROM SMALL-TOWN ROOTS TO GOP POWER BROKER, DIES AT 71 In light of those recent events, Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said he believes that lawmakers should recognize their own personal limits but seemed hesitant to agree that one bar should be set for all members. “People ought to know when it’s time to step aside,” Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said. “I’ve never been a big supporter of legislative term limits. I’ve served two terms in every position I’ve held until this one. I’m in my third term, but I’ve kind of limited myself before because I feel like you should make opportunities for others. And there’s always a trail on the pool of people who are willing to do it,” Warner said. Other lawmakers disagreed, arguing that the oldest members of Congress had shown that most officeholders would strive to extend their stay in power as long as possible. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, believes that the necessary path is term limits. “I’d like to see limits on everybody. And the best limit would be term limits and that’s what we should pass,” Cruz said. “I’ve authored a constitutional amendment that would limit all senators to two terms and limit all House members to three terms. An overwhelming majority of Americans support that, and that would solve the problem effectively because you wouldn’t have people staying here forever.” UNLIKELY BIPARTISAN SENATE DUO SEEKS TO PERMANENTLY BAN EX-LAWMAKERS FROM LOBBYING That’s also the position of Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., who said the long tenure of some lawmakers likely goes against the original design for the country. “I’ve been in favor of term limits before I came to Congress. I think the last thing that we need are professional politicians up here. I don’t think that the founding fathers ever meant for it to be that way. Too much power invested in one person — absolute power corrupts absolutely,” Marshall said.
Major appeals court declares New Jersey AR-15 ban unconstitutional in landmark Second Amendment ruling
A federal appeals court on Friday struck down New Jersey‘s ban on semiautomatic rifles and magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds, prompting the National Rifle Association (NRA) to call the decision a “historic victory” in a case the gun-rights organization has litigated since 2018. In a sweeping en banc ruling, the Philadelphia-based 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held that New Jersey’s assault-firearm and large-capacity magazine restrictions violate the Second Amendment. The court expanded a lower court’s ruling by declaring the state’s so-called “assault-firearm” ban unconstitutional as it applied to the full class of semiautomatic rifles, not just the AR-15, and also struck down New Jersey’s ban on semiautomatic rifles and its restrictions on magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds. DOJ SUES DENVER OVER BAN ON ‘ASSAULT WEAPONS’ AS CITY’S DEM MAYOR SAYS IT ‘WILL NOT BE BULLIED’ “This is an NRA case that we’ve been litigating since 2018, so it’s a monumental win,” Justin Davis, managing director of public affairs for the National Rifle Association, told Fox News Digital. The NRA celebrated the decision in a statement, calling it a major victory for gun owners nationwide. “Today marks a historic victory for the NRA, the Second Amendment, and law-abiding Americans,” the organization said. INSIDE TRUMP’S UNPRECEDENTED BATTLE PLAN TO EXPAND SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS THROUGH JUSTICE DEPARTMENT “The Third Circuit has struck down these unconstitutional so-called assault weapons bans and magazine bans in New Jersey, affirming what we’ve always known: the right to keep and bear arms, including commonly-owned rifles and standard-capacity magazines, is fundamental and cannot be infringed by politicians who prioritize control over constitutional freedoms.” “This ruling protects the rights of millions of responsible gun owners in the Garden State and serves as another benchmark in our efforts to dismantle gun control across the country.” Writing for the majority, U.S. Circuit Judge Arianna Freeman, a Biden appointee, said the Supreme Court’s Second Amendment decisions in District of Columbia v. Heller, New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen and subsequent cases require governments to show modern firearm restrictions are consistent with America’s historical tradition of firearm regulation. Applying that framework, the court concluded New Jersey failed to meet that burden. LAWYER WHO BEAT HAWAII GUN LAW CALLS STATE’S RELIANCE ON BLACK CODE ‘DISGRACEFUL’ The majority held that New Jersey’s ban on semiautomatic rifles violates the Second Amendment and reversed the district court’s decision upholding the state’s ban on magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds. The opinion said New Jersey enacted its “assault-firearms law” in 1990, following a California elementary school shooting. According to the court, the governor at the time described the banned firearms as “guns capable of wholesale destruction” that were “designed to wipe out the greatest number of people in the shortest possible time.” The majority concluded that semiautomatic rifles and magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds are protected by the Second Amendment and that New Jersey failed to demonstrate the restrictions are consistent with America’s historical tradition of firearm regulation. Several judges dissented, arguing the banned firearms are unusually dangerous military-style weapons that states have long had authority to regulate and that the decision conflicts with every other federal appeals court to uphold similar state restrictions.
Time enough at last: What’s next after the House passes bill to do away with Daylight Saving Time?
There are 86,410 seconds in a day. 1,440 minutes. The most daylight in Washington, D.C. emerges in June, stretching 14 hours and 57 minutes. The shortest is near the winter solstice, clocking in at a scant nine hours and 29 minutes. Congress can’t change any of that. But it can alter how we perceive it. Lawmakers routinely fork over to public tax cuts, economic stimulus and the elimination of a cumbersome law or policy. Awarding something to the voters is part of the Congressional DNA. So even though time is finite, lawmakers are again trying to give people something: more daylight. The House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved the Sunshine Protection Act this week, 308-117. HOUSE PASSES SUNSHINE PROTECTION ACT TO MAKE DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME PERMANENT No. Our sun wasn’t in jeopardy of going supernova — although it is about halfway through its 10 billion year lifespan. Lawmakers weren’t safeguarding it. But they wanted you to think they were. The Sunshine Protection Act permanently shifts the U.S. onto Daylight Saving Time. That’s a congressionally contrived temporal statute. In other words, with adoption of the bill, we will never shift back to Standard Time again. No more “springing forward” or “falling back.” We’re on Daylight Saving Time now. And we are here to stay if this becomes law. “Polling shows that two-thirds of Americans want to unlock the clock. My bill is simply a solution to make Daylight Saving Time permanent,” said Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.), one of the chief sponsors of the legislation. “Allowing an extra hour of sunlight in the evening gives families more time for outside sports activities and school.” An extra hour of sunlight? Really? In other words, it’s really the same amount of light – or lack thereof – at 7 p.m. under Daylight Saving Time that we could experience at 6 p.m. under Standard Time. But Congress is in the giving business. “Why are we forcing families, businesses, and communities to adjust their schedules every spring and fall? The twice-yearly clock change is a relic of the past that no longer reflects the way Americans live,” said Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.) Perhaps it’s an idea whose time has come. The biannual time change is maddening. My mother taught second grade at the same elementary school I attended in rural Ohio. One year, the school custodian got to work early on the Monday morning after the fall time change. He began to reset the clocks in each classroom. He maneuvered from south to north through the building, updating the clocks in the kindergarten. Then onto the first grade. Second grade after that. Third grade. Finally, fourth grade. But as you traversed the school, each clock ran two to three minutes behind the one the custodian set previously. We theorized that he looked at his watch, say around 7:10 a.m. – and proceeded to set each clock to 7:10 – regardless of the actual time. By the time you got to fourth grade, the clocks were nearly 20 minutes behind schedule. As they say, timing is everything. Only an episode involving my mother and grandmother tops the school’s time warp. My mother once called my grandmother to remind her the time change would kick in at 2 a.m. on Sunday. My grandmother was incredulous. “You mean I have to sit up until two o’clock in the morning to change it?” she asked. Establishing a year-around time isn’t something worth losing sleep over. Most just hate the exercise. HOUSE PASSES DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME REFORM AS TRUMP SIGNALS SUPPORT FOR ENDING CLOCK CHANGE “People in Tennessee wanted it gone. It’s ridiculous. In the fall it starts getting dark around 5:00. Kind of depresses me. Really kind of a doggy downer. So I’m kind of digging the fact that we’re going to fix it,” said Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) Only one member spoke out in opposition when the House debated the time-change bill: Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.) Her grievances focused on why Congress was even considering the legislation when it wasn’t trained on bread-and-butter subjects which could be key in the midterms. “We aren’t voting on bills right now that would reduce the sky-high costs of food, fuel, health care, or addressing the President’s war in Iran. Instead, we’re considering a bill that was deadly and dangerous in the past, in the ‘70s,” said Dean. Dean is referring to an experiment in 1974. Congress voted in late 1973 to park the nation on Daylight Saving Time for two solid years. This would help combat the OPEC oil embargo and fuel shortages. It was a disaster. Kids in Washington, DC headed for school around 8:30 a.m. It’s unclear whether the custodian properly adjusted the clocks. But it was “jet black” in DC, according to one news account from the time. Some kids set off for school with flashlights illuminating their paths. You might not give politics the time of day. But the time of day infuriated Americans in the mid-1970s. Seventy-nine percent of those surveyed embraced the year-round time switch in December 1973. But that number plunged to 42 percent by August 1974. Future Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole (R-Kan.) offered a measure to torpedo the Daylight Saving Time project. It passed. And by fall, everyone was falling back. A House panel examining the issue declared that changing the clocks “must be balanced against a majority of the public’s distaste for the observance of Daylight Saving Time.” In 2022, the Senate unexpectedly approved a year-round Daylight Saving Time bill. But it languished as the House hit the snooze button. Now the House approved an updated version of the legislation. President Trump called switching the clocks “ridiculous.” Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) even discussed the issue with him this week. “He seems to be very enthusiastic about it. I would put it that way. And I think we’re going to move the bill pretty quickly,” said Kennedy. “Some of my colleagues are opposed to it. They’re entitled with their opinion. But I think
Democrats turn on congressional hopeful after ‘hiding’ LGBTQ+ views from Muslim voters
A Washington state Democrat hoping to unseat a longtime member of Congress is facing a revolt from within her own party, after reportedly saying she left LGBTQ+ rights off her campaign website because she feared alienating Muslim voters. Seattle Red first reported that Democrat organizations were reconsidering their endorsements of Melissa Chaudhry, a progressive Democrat challenging longtime Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., in Washington’s 9th Congressional District, after comments she made during an endorsement interview with The Stranger. When asked why her website did not mention LGBTQ+ issues, Chaudhry replied, “because a lot of Muslims do not feel that way, unfortunately,” according to The Stranger. The comments quickly sparked backlash from Democrat LGBTQ+ activists, with the Washington State Stonewall Democrats urging organizations to reconsider and rescind their endorsements of Chaudhry. DEMOCRATS CAUGHT ON CAMERA COACHING CANDIDATE ON HOW TO BE ‘AUTHENTIC’ IN 2026 MESSAGING “Her comments are disqualifying because they reveal a deliberate choice to hide her positions on LGBTQ+ rights while actively seeking Democratic endorsements,” Washington State Stonewall Democrats chair Andrew Ashiofu told Fox News Digital. “Anyone running as a Democrat should be bold enough to stand with our community. When a candidate chooses concealment instead of clarity, it raises serious concerns about honesty, integrity, and alignment with core Democratic values,” he added. Ashiofu said the organization is urging groups to revisit their endorsements because “transparency and trust are foundational to the Democratic endorsement process.” “When a candidate admits to hiding key civil-rights positions or tailoring their message to avoid acknowledging LGBTQ+ people, that undermines the integrity of every organization that endorsed her in good faith,” he said. “Democratic groups deserve full honesty from candidates, and we believe her comments warrant a reevaluation of any support she has received.” TEXAS CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE CLAIMS SHE NEVER CALLED FOR ‘INTERNMENT CAMPS’ AFTER PARTY LEADERS CONDEMN HER The Washington State Stonewall Democrats specifically called on organizations that have endorsed Chaudhry, including the 11th, 33rd, 37th and 43rd District Democrats, to reconsider their support. Ashiofu also told Fox News Digital that neither Chaudhry nor her campaign has contacted the organization since the controversy became public. “Our position is straightforward: LGBTQ+ rights are not optional within the Democratic Party. They are foundational,” he said. “Candidates seeking Democratic support must be willing to champion our community openly, consistently, and without hesitation,” Ashiofu continued. “When a candidate admits to hiding their stance or misleading voters and endorsing bodies, that is a breach of trust. Democratic organizations should hold candidates to the highest standards of transparency and integrity because our community deserves nothing less.” DEM CIVIL WAR HITS PRIMARY DEBATE STAGE IN FIERY BATTLEGROUND SHOWDOWN: ‘WHAT ARE YOU HIDING?’ The controversy expanded beyond LGBTQ+ issues after The Stranger also reported that Chaudhry said she intended to run as a Democrat before switching to the Green Party if elected to Congress. The outlet also reported that she asked the information not be made public during the endorsement process. That revelation prompted additional concern among local Democrat leaders. According to The Stranger, members of the 33rd District Democrats have discussed changing their bylaws because current rules do not allow an endorsement to be rescinded once it has been awarded. Conservative radio host and Seattle commentator Jason Rantz, who first reported the controversy for Seattle Red, said the dispute underscores competing priorities within the Democratic coalition. “Democrats built their coalition on the promise that every marginalized identity group wins simultaneously, and Melissa Chaudhry just proved the pandering doesn’t always work,” Rantz told Fox News Digital. “When intersectionality forces progressives to rank Muslim voters against LGBTQ activists, somebody gets thrown overboard. Now the same party that preaches inclusion is rewriting its own bylaws to purge one of its own, because in the so-called oppression Olympics, there’s always a loser on the podium.” Chaudhry pushed back on the criticism in a post on X, insisting she has supported LGBTQ+ rights throughout her life. “For the record: I’ve supported full equality for LGBTQ+ people my entire life — not since this campaign started. My entire life,” she wrote. Chaudhry said her only sibling is LGBTQIA+, that she helped found her high school’s Gay Straight Alliance “back when we had to keep the meeting location secret for our own safety,” and that one of her closest friends is “a disabled lesbian woman raising her family against immense stigma.” “This is not a talking point for me. It is the fabric of my life,” she wrote. Chaudhry also accused the media of misrepresenting her remarks, writing, “The media that ignored three years of rape and death threats against a federal candidate is now running with a lie. I’m setting the record straight — in my own voice.” She also has said the atmosphere during the endorsement interview contributed to her remarks, describing the meeting as hostile, according to The Stranger. Smith, who has represented Washington’s 9th Congressional District since 1997, faces multiple challengers in the Democratic primary, including Chaudhry. Chaudhry’s campaign did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
WATCH: Inside look at the dangerous cartel human smuggling tunnels still being used at border
Despite President Donald Trump’s tight clamp on the border, cartels are continuing to attempt to smuggle humans and narcotics by going underground using a vast network of storm drain tunnels in El Paso. U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) elite Confined Space Entry Team gave Fox News an exclusive look inside the narrow tunnels, which stretch for miles across the region. There are 32 entry points into the tunnels from the Rio Grande and hundreds of exit points throughout the city. The team said this makes patrolling the tunnels a game of “whack-a-mole” because smugglers can pop out of storm drains at any point. According to CBP, it is much more difficult for Border Patrol agents to detect and intercept smugglers using these secret routes. Nevertheless, they use technology to detect movement underground, monitor entry points and strategically position teams to intercept groups. The greatest challenge, a team member told Fox News, is the heat and the time spent in the tunnels’ thick, low-oxygen air. He said that often by the time they encounter a cartel smuggler, “you’re already exhausted, and now, you have to potentially fight with someone underground.” EXCLUSIVE: GUATEMALAN NATIONALS PLEAD GUILTY TO HORRIFIC HUMAN SMUGGLING CRASH THAT KILLED 56, INJURED 100+ “You can’t call for backup; you can’t call for help. It’s just you and your team versus everybody else,” he said. Team members said that the number of migrants being smuggled through the tunnels has dropped dramatically under Trump. Whereas there would regularly be groups of 40 to 60 people moving through the tunnels, agents now typically encounter two or three at a time. Still, the smugglers have not stopped entirely. Reports indicate that cartels have significantly increased their fees for would-be illegal immigrants to take the tunnel routes, with migrants paying $20,000 to $30,000 per person to be guided through the underground routes. MEXICAN NATIONAL SENTENCED IN BORDER CHILD SMUGGLING CASE INVOLVING THC-LACED CANDY CBP also said that smugglers are increasingly using social media to recruit and train guides to navigate the hazardous passageways. The conditions underground are perilous, with poor air quality and intense heat, and El Paso daytime summer temperatures often exceed 100 degrees. To prepare for this mission, the elite CBP team undergoes specialized training to operate underground, monitor oxygen levels and navigate the tunnels. Fox News got this exclusive look as the Department of Homeland Security announced this week that June marked 14 consecutive months of zero releases at the border, continuing what it touted as an “unprecedented trend of historically low border crossings.” TRUMP REVERSES DHS POLICY, ORDERS ICE TO RESUME VEHICLE STOPS AFTER ONE-DAY PAUSE Daily apprehensions at the border are down 94 percent from what they were during the Biden administration, according to DHS. Meanwhile, CBP has broken staffing records this spring, the agency announced, reaching 21,471 agents — the most in the agency’s 102-year history. Fox News Digital’s Leo Briceno contributed to this report.
Paul Pelosi charged with misdemeanor hit-and-run in Napa Valley
Paul Pelosi, the husband of former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., was formally charged with a misdemeanor hit-and-run Friday following an incident earlier this month, according to authorities. The Napa County District Attorney’s Office announced the filing Friday, charging Pelosi, 86, with misdemeanor hit-and-run and an infraction for unsafe turning movement stemming from a July 3 incident. According to the criminal complaint, Pelosi allegedly damaged a parked Tesla before leaving the scene without attempting to identify the vehicle’s owner or leave the information required under California law. Deputies later located Pelosi roughly a half-mile away, where he allegedly told officers he had intended to return to the scene. PAUL PELOSI, 86, FACES A HIT-AND-RUN CHARGE AFTER STRIKING A PARKED CAR IN NAPA COUNTY: SHERIFF’S OFFICE Prosecutors contend those actions formed the basis for both the misdemeanor charge and the accompanying traffic infraction. The district attorney’s office said it does not typically issue news releases announcing misdemeanor hit-and-run cases involving only property damage, but made an exception because of the “significant public and media interest” surrounding Pelosi. Pelosi was allegedly behind the wheel of a burgundy Maserati convertible when the July 3 collision occurred, according to the criminal complaint. A venture capitalist, he has long maintained a residence in Napa County. The complaint does not mention whether anyone else was in the vehicle at the time of the alleged incident. PELOSI STAFFER PUMPS THE BRAKES WHEN PRESSED ON HUSBAND’S HIT-AND-RUN: ‘THAT’S ENOUGH’ The case marks the second high-profile traffic-related legal matter involving Pelosi in recent years. In 2022, he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor DUI after a separate Napa County crash and was sentenced to probation, ordered to pay restitution and fines, complete a DUI education program and install an ignition interlock device. The New York Times also reported that Pelosi was behind the wheel during a fatal crash in 1957 in nearby San Mateo County, which claimed the life of his 19-year-old brother, though a jury cleared him of any wrongdoing. The Times also noted that Pelosi has had driving infractions in recent years in four Bay Area counties, including San Francisco, Marin, San Mateo and Napa. Infractions reportedly include driving the wrong way down a one-way street, speeding, using a cellphone without a hands-free device, and failing to stop at a red light. Authorities have scheduled Pelosi’s first court appearance for Aug. 14 in Napa County Superior Court. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP The Napa County District Attorney’s Office included a copy of the criminal complaint with its announcement of the charges. This is a developing story; check back later for updates. Fox News Digital’s Brittany Miller and Elaine Mallon contributed to this reporting.