Obama jumping into New Jersey gubernatorial race at 11th hour is ‘desperate,’ voters say
President Barack Obama‘s campaign efforts in New Jersey to support Rep. Mikie Sherrill’s race to serve as the Garden State’s governor was a “Hail Mary” pass from Democrats that generated “fake excitement,” conservative voters told Fox News Digital during a Turning Point Action rally in South Jersey Monday afternoon. “I’ll say this as an African-American, we’re done hearing Barack Obama try to tell us how we’re supposed to vote,” New Jersey voter Shawn Crump told Fox News Digital Monday afternoon. “Because, full disclosure, I was a Democrat. I worked on his campaign in 2008, and he just let us down. He let this country down, but he especially let down a lot of African-Americans. So we really don’t want to hear him tell us how we were supposed to go.” Crump was among a group of Republican voters who traveled to Medford, New Jersey, Monday afternoon for a Turning Point Action rally to mobilize further support for Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli in the final hours before Election Day. The rally was billed as a “Super Chase” event, where community members then head out to remind voters to submit their ballots. Ciattarelli did not attend this specific rally. Attendees heard from local conservative leaders before hitting the road to knock on doors and remind people to get out and vote in the final hours of the election. OBAMA’S PRESENCE AND TRUMP’S POLICIES CONSUME 11TH HOUR RALLY TO KEEP NJ BLUE Obama traveled to Newark, New Jersey, Saturday evening, where he held a rally with Democrat candidate Sherrill. New Jersey is a historically deep blue state that previously voted to elect a Republican governor in 2013, when former Gov. Chris Christie was elected, and previously voted to elect a Republican president in 1988, when George H.W. Bush defeated Michael Dukakis. “Let’s face it, our country and our politics are in a pretty dark place right now,” Obama told the audience Saturday, taking a shot at President Donald Trump and his administration. “It’s hard to know where to start, because every day this White House offers up a fresh batch of lawlessness and carelessness and mean-spiritedness. And just plain old craziness.” SHERRILL INSISTS NJ A DEM STRONGHOLD AHEAD OF OBAMA VISIT, REJECTING GOP MOMENTUM: ‘NOT A PURPLE STATE’ Republicans are on a mission to flip the state red and are motivated by Trump’s inroads with Jersey voters in 2024. Trump cut his 2020 loss from 16 points in the state down to six points in 2024, and flipped five counties to the GOP. Joe Sereday, chairman of the Burlington County Young Republicans, reported to Fox Digital that enthusiasm is high among voters casting ballots for Ciattarelli and added that Obama’s campaigning in the state signaled desperation for the party in a state that is historically blue. “I think it’s kind of old news now,” Sereday said, adding that Obama deserves respect as a former president, but that he sees issues with the campaigning efforts. “Usually when the Democrats roll in these big names — Obama, who else was here, Andy Kim, Cory Booker — usually that means they’re in trouble.” WITH LEGACY ON THE LINE, OBAMA HITTING CAMPAIGN TRAIL TO BOOST DEMOCRATS IN KEY GOVERNOR ELECTIONS He added: “Usually when they bring in Obama and the wash-ups, hate to say some of the wash-ups, usually that means they’re desperate.” Cliff Maloney, CEO of Citizens Alliance and the founder of campaign efforts PA Chase and NJ Chase, told Fox Digital that Obama’s presence in New Jersey was a “Hail Mary” pass from Democrats. “I just think it’s all AstroTurf. I think it is fake excitement,” Maloney, who attended the rally as a speaker to mobilize New Jersey voters. “They’re kind of just hyping things and trying to sensationalize it. Nobody’s excited about (Sherrill). And that’s something that you can’t fix that.” “You can bring an Obama. You can bring in whoever. At the end of the day, New Jersey has an 800,000 registration advantage to Democrats and we’re here in the state telling you it’s competitive,” Maloney added. “So win or lose, the fact that this is a place that Democrats have to spend resources, time, energy, and money, this is not even supposed to be a competitive race. We’re in a dead heat right now. We are in the game. This is a competitive grace. And if Jack pulls this off, it will be an earth-shattering moment in the political world.” New Jersey’s notoriously high taxes and spiraling energy costs are top concerns for voters, with locals telling Fox Digital that protecting Christianity and “truth” is also on the ballot in 2025. SHERRILL PULLS OUT ALL STOPS WITH OBAMA ENDORSEMENT, STAR-STUDDED NEW JERSEY CAMPAIGN PUSH AS RACE TIGHTENS “My concerns are actually Christianity, people not being told the truth, obviously abortion and our children in schools, they need to learn things that are really truthful,” local South Jersey voter Valerie told Fox News Digital. “I do feel like we are going to flip the state,” she added. “I’m hoping that a lot of Republican voters come out and they don’t stay home, because if they do come out, I think we’ll win.” Local voter and pastor Jeff Kliewer told Fox Digital that pro-life and homeschooling issues are also factoring into voting decisions. “The pro-life issue is still huge,” Kliewer said. “It’s one of the biggest. And for us, in New Jersey, a number of the pregnancy centers have been under attack by the Democratic machine under Phil Murphy, and it’s only gonna get worse if they hold power. So I know a lot of the leaders of those pregnancy centers are trying to help girls, but they’re constantly under pressure. So there’s that issue.” “Secondly, the homeschool families, there’s a lot red tape that’s being introduced against homeschooling. Although New Jersey has been one of the freest states for homeschooling, that might change if we don’t keep good people in office here,” he continued, adding taxes are at the top of
Former governor breaks years of political silence to make major announcement in pivotal race
Former New Jersey Gov. Thomas Kean, a Republican who has largely avoided politics for years, has endorsed Jack Ciattarelli for governor, saying New Jersey “needs a change” and describing the GOP nominee as a “compassionate” and “decent” leader he’s known for decades. Kean served as New Jersey’s 48th governor from 1982 to 1990 and came from a family that produced generations of American political leaders, including William Livingston, the state’s first constitutional governor, according to the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University. Kean announced his endorsement Monday on social media, urging voters to back Ciattarelli in Tuesday’s election. “I haven’t been involved in partisan politics for a number of years, but this year is different,” Kean said in a video shared by Ciattarelli on X. “New Jersey needs a change and needs a change badly. Jack Ciattarelli is that change.” TRUMP-BACKED CIATTARELLI GETS MAJOR CAMPAIGN TRAIL SURPRISE ON ELECTION EVE In the video, Kean praised Ciattarelli’s character and work ethic. “We’ve got a lot to do in New Jersey,” he continued. “I’ve known Jack for 25 years. He’s compassionate, he’s decent, he works hard, and he’d be a great Governor for New Jersey.” The GOP nominee has narrowed the gap with Democratic rival Rep. Mikie Sherrill in a highly competitive race to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy. MAGA STAR JOINS CIATTARELLI ON CAMPAIGN TRAIL IN NEW JERSEY AS REPUBLICANS AIM TO FLIP GOVERNOR’S OFFICE In his post Monday, Ciattarelli said Kean set the standard for effective leadership. “Now it’s our turn to bring that kind of government back,” he said. “Let’s get out and vote for real change, real results, and a brighter future for New Jersey.” Before becoming governor, Kean served in the New Jersey Assembly, where he became the youngest speaker in state history. As governor, he pushed major education reforms, strengthened environmental protections, and promoted the slogan “New Jersey and You: Perfect Together.” TRUMP JUMPS INTO NEW JERSEY RACE AS GOP CHASES RARE FLIP OF GOVERNOR’S SEAT He won re-election in 1985 with nearly 70% of the vote, one of the largest margins in state history. After leaving office, he became president of Drew University, where he oversaw significant growth in funding and facilities. Later in his career, then-President George W. Bush appointed Kean in 2002 to chair the 9/11 Commission. His bipartisan leadership on the panel elevated him to national prominence and cemented his reputation as one of New Jersey’s most respected public figures. New Jersey and Virginia are the only states that hold gubernatorial elections the year after a presidential race, contests that often draw national attention as early tests of voter sentiment ahead of the midterms. Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
Trump backs Cuomo and threatens to cut federal funding if ‘Communist Mamdani’ wins NYC mayor race
President Donald Trump publicly endorsed Andrew Cuomo on Monday while threatening to withhold federal funding from New York City if Zohran Mamdani, who he labeled a “Communist”, wins the mayoral election. In a lengthy post on Truth Social, he also warned that the city would face “total economic and social disaster” under Mamdani’s leadership. “If Communist Candidate Zohran Mamdani wins the Election for Mayor of New York City, it is highly unlikely that I will be contributing Federal Funds, other than the very minimum as required, to my beloved first home, because of the fact that, as a Communist, this once great City has ZERO chance of success, or even survival!” he wrote in the post. “It can only get worse with a Communist at the helm, and I don’t want to send, as President, good money after bad. It is my obligation to run the Nation, and it is my strong conviction that New York City will be a Complete and Total Economic and Social Disaster should Mamdani win,” he added. CUOMO SAYS TRUMP WILL DEPLOY NATIONAL GUARD, SLASH NYC FUNDS IF MAMDANI WINS MAYOR’S RACE The president’s post also marked his latest attempt to guide New Yorkers at the polls. “A vote for Curtis Sliwa (who looks much better without the beret!) is a vote for Mamdani,” Trump added. ANDREW CUOMO WARNS TRUMP WILL ‘TAKE OVER’ NEW YORK CITY IF MAMDANI WINS “Whether you personally like Andrew Cuomo or not, you really have no choice. You must vote for him, and hope he does a fantastic job. He is capable of it, Mamdani is not!” Speaking at a press event in New York on the eve of the election, Mamdani responded to the president’s Truth Social post. “The MAGA movement’s embrace of Andrew Cuomo is reflective of Donald Trump’s understanding that this would be the best mayor for him,” he said. “Not the best mayor for New York City, not the best mayor for New Yorkers, but the best mayor for Donald Trump and his administration.” ZOHRAN MAMDANI LAUNCHES ANTI-TRUMP TOUR ACROSS FIVE BOROUGHS IN NEW YORK CITY Mamdani also responded to Elon Musk supporting Cuomo on Monday, saying “the reason that the President of the United States of America, the reason that one of the wealthiest men in the world are both trying to get involved at the last minute, is that they know we will accomplish everything we have run on.” Mamdani also referred to Cuomo as “Trump’s puppet” and said Andrew Cuomo was previously “being funded by the same billionaire donors that gave us Donald Trump’s second term.” “I did not, however, anticipate Andrew Cuomo going from being Donald Trump’s puppet to being so nakedly his parrot,” he added. The socialist mayoral candidate went on to speak out about Trump’s threat to withhold federal funding from the city, and labeled it unlawful. “It is not the law,” Mamdani told reporters. “And too often we treat everything that comes out of Donald Trump’s mouth as if it is already legal, just by virtue of who is saying it.”
Trump headlines Election Eve tele-rallies in New Jersey and Virginia gubernatorial races
TOTOWA, N.J. – Hours before the polls open, President Donald Trump is making a final pitch in Tuesday’s statewide elections in New Jersey and Virginia, in an effort to turn out MAGA voters who often sit out off-year elections when Trump isn’t on the ballot. The president will headline tele-rallies on Election Eve in both New Jersey and Virginia, which are the only two states that hold races for governor the year after a presidential election. The New Jersey and Virginia gubernatorial showdowns typically receive outsized national attention and are seen as a key barometer ahead of next year’s midterms, when the GOP will be defending its slim House and Senate majorities. And this year’s elections are also seen as the first major ballot box test of Trump’s unprecedented agenda since his White House return. “Jack will be a GREAT Governor, and has my Complete and Total Endorsement,” Trump wrote Sunday night in a social media post as he praised New Jersey Republican gubernatorial nominee Jack Ciattarelli. “He will never let you down.” TRUMP-BACKED CIATTARELLI GETS MAJOR SURPRISE ON ELECTION EVE Ciattarelli has narrowed the gap with Democratic rival Rep. Mikie Sherrill in blue-leaning New Jersey, in the race to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy. “We appreciate what the president is doing to get the base excited, and remind them that they got to vote, as do all New Jerseyans. The future of our state hangs in the balance. Get out and vote,” Ciattarelli told Fox News Digital on Monday, after a campaign stop in this northern New Jersey borough. While Democrats have long dominated federal and state legislative elections in New Jersey, Republicans have been very competitive in gubernatorial contests, winning five out of the previous ten elections. FIVE RACES TO WATCH ON ELECTION DAY 2025 While the president’s approval and favorable ratings remain underwater in New Jersey, Trump made major gains in New Jersey in last year’s presidential election. He lost the state by only six percentage points, a huge improvement over his 16-point deficit four years earlier. And while Democrats still outnumber Republicans in the Garden State, the GOP has made significant voter registration gains since Ciattarelli came close to upsetting Murphy four years ago. The president’s tele-rally for Ciattarelli follows a similar one a week and a half ago, on the eve of early voting. The purpose of the tele-rallies is to help energize MAGA supporters, many of whom are low-propensity voters who often skip casting ballots in non-presidential election years. Trump’s tele-rally in New Jersey last month included robocalls to over 180,000 people, encouraging them to join the tele-rally and to get out and vote. TRUMP TAPS MASSIVE WARCHEST TO ENERGIZE MAGA VOTERS IN ELECTION 2025 FINAL PUSH “Republicans need to maximize all the Trump supporters they can find. It’s been clear the last several election cycles that there’s a bit of a drop-off between supporters of the president and down-ballot Republicans,” veteran GOP strategist Jesse Hunt told Fox News. Hunt, a former Republican Governors Association communications director, said that “in order to have success in competitive states like New Jersey or Virginia, you have to make sure that every single Trump voter that was there in 2024 shows up to vote.” Trump endorsed Ciattarelli ahead of the June GOP gubernatorial primary, with his backing helping Ciattarelli to an easy nomination victory. But Trump has refrained from endorsing the Republican gubernatorial nominee in Virginia, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears. Earle-Sears is facing off with former Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger in race to succeed term-limited GOP Gov. Glenn Youngkin. HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING ON THE 2025 ELECTIONS Trump and Gov. Glenn Youngkin headlined a Thursday tele-rally for the entire Virginia Republican ticket, which also includes Lt. Gov. nominee John Reid and incumbent Attorney General Jason Miyares. Similar to New Jersey, Trump also lost Virginia in last year’s presidential elections but made major gains in comparison to his 2020 finish in the state. “VIRGINIA AND NEW JERSEY, REMEMBER THIS: A VOTE FOR A REPUBLICAN MEANS SUBSTANTIALLY LOWER ENERGY PRICES,” Trump argued in an Election Eve social media post. “FAILING TO VOTE TOMORROW IS THE SAME AS VOTING FOR A DEMOCRAT.” The Democratic National Committee (DNC), in a statement, argued that Earle-Sears and Ciattarelli, were’ “extreme Trump loyalists.” “Jack Ciattarelli and Winsome Earle-Sears are so out of touch with voters in New Jersey and Virginia that they’re inviting America’s least-popular President to stump for them just hours before polls open on Election Day,” DNC Communications Director Rosemary Boeglin claimed. Trump’s Monday evening tele-rallies come as the president is also making a final multimillion-dollar investment in Tuesday’s statewide elections in New Jersey and Virginia. Trump’s political team made a withdrawal from the president’s massive political war chest, with New Jersey and Virginia each receiving roughly $1 million for get-out-the-vote microtargeting efforts, Fox News confirmed this weekend. “What you’ve seen just in the last couple of days is the president and all of our Republican forces have put even more money behind our efforts to turn out our votes because that’s what it’s gonna come down to,” Joe Gruters, chairman of the Trump-aligned Republican National Committee (RNC), said Saturday on Fox News’ “The Big Weekend Show.” Meanwhile, the DNC has dished out over $7 million – a party record – for get-out-the-vote and organizing efforts this summer and autumn in New Jersey, Virginia and Pennsylvania, where Democrats are fighting to retain three state supreme court seats. “I’ve always taken the position that every election matters, whether it’s an on year off year, whether it’s a local election, a federal election, every inch of ground that we gain here adds up,” DNC chair Ken Martin told Fox News Digital last week. And Martin is confident his party’s investment in 2025’s most consequential elections will pay off. “I do expect that we’ll win those elections in New Jersey and Virginia,” he said. “We feel pretty bullish about our chances.”
Protester trolls Spanberger with transgender pedophile’s mugshot as he’s due in nearby court
A protester holding a sign with the image of Richard Cox, a man convicted on child sex charges, appeared at Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger’s campaign stop in Annandale on Sunday. The protester sought to criticize Spanberger’s stance on allowing transgender students to use school bathrooms that align with their gender identity. The issue for which Cox was called the “poster boy” has again roiled the campaign trail in Virginia, as Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears has continued to press Spanberger to state whether biological males should solely use the men’s bathroom. The protester appeared in front of Spanberger’s parked campaign bus during a Sunday stop in Annandale, an upper-middle-class suburb about halfway between Fairfax and Washington, D.C. “Abigail supports men in girl’s locker rooms,” the sign read, and the camera remained focused on him for several moments before a Spanberger staffer appeared to engage with members of the press about how the candidate would be exiting the home she was visiting. PRESSURE MOUNTS ON VIRGINIA DEMS TO CLEARLY STATE VIEW ON TRANS BATHROOMS AFTER BOMBSHELL EMAILS The staffer mentioned the “narrow streets” the bus would have to navigate upon leaving. A Fox News journalist onsite recounted that it appeared staff did not want the protesting man to be further recorded. Cox was scheduled to appear in court in neighboring Arlington County on Monday on more sex-crime-related charges — as Fairfax’s elected Democrat prosecutor has been under fire for declining to pursue Cox as vigorously for similar allegations in his ongoing case. SEX OFFENDER CALLED ‘POSTER BOY’ FOR GOP’S TRANSGENDER IDEOLOGY CONCERNS FACES COURT HEARING Cox, born male and holding a sex-crime rap sheet going back more than 30 years, recently began identifying as a female – and complained to Arlington school district officials about being ostracized for his choice of restroom at a school-run aquatic center. During their only debate in Norfolk in October, Earle-Sears repeatedly pressed Spanberger to take a position on the issue and to explain her refusal to call for scandal-plagued attorney general candidate Jay Jones to withdraw. “If your little girl comes home and said she was forced to undress in a locker room with a biological boy, what would you say? She’s crying. What would you say?” Earle-Sears said to Spanberger, who ignored the question. FORMER ROANOKE WOMEN’S SWIMMER RIPS SPANBERGER FOR REFUSING TO COMMIT TO PROTECTING WOMEN’S SPORTS “Abigail Spanberger voted for the so-called Equality Act. That vote says a grown man can walk naked into your daughter’s locker room and if she’s uncomfortable, she’s the problem,” the Republican said in an October statement citing Spanberger’s congressional record. “Virginia, our daughters are not the problem, politicians like Abigail are.” Spanberger said in September that Virginia had a “process in place where, on an individual, one-by-one basis, schools, parents, principals, coaches were making decisions based on fairness, competitiveness, and safety where a child might be able, or might not be able, to play in a particular sport.” When asked about Cox, Spanberger spokeswoman Libby Wiet told The Federalist that the sex offender is a “predator who should be in jail.” “Abigail is a parent of three daughters in Virginia public schools and a former federal law enforcement officer who went after child predators — nothing is more important to her than the safety of Virginia’s kids,” Wiet said. The election is Tuesday.
Green energy company in the hot seat after bald eagles knocked out of the skies
FIRST ON FOX: The Trump Department of the Interior is fining a green energy company over $30,000 after their wind turbines knocked two American bald eagles out of the sky, according to a violation notice reviewed by Fox News Digital. The notice reveals that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing a fine of $32,340 against Ørsted Onshore North America after two bald eagles were discovered dead near wind turbines in Plum Creek, Nebraska, and Lincoln Land, Illinois. The violation notice says the company violated the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act by killing the eagles without what is called an “incidental take permit.” The first bald eagle was discovered dead in March 2024 near a turbine at Ørsted’s Plum Creek facility in Wayne County, Nebraska. The eagle’s remains were taken to the National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Laboratory for a necropsy, at which it was determined the fatality was caused by a collision with a wind turbine. A year later, another bald eagle was found dead on April 18, just 200 yards from a turbine in Lincoln Land, Illinois. The necropsy results similarly showed that the eagle’s death was consistent with a wind turbine collision. FEDERALLY PROTECTED BIRDS FORCE HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAM TO REARRANGE SCHEDULE Because the Ørsted facilities did not have permits to kill the eagles, the Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing civil penalties of $16,170 per violation, totaling $32,340. The bureau is giving Ørsted 45 days to respond to the notice before sealing the penalties. A spokesperson for the Plum Creek Wind and Lincoln Land Wind facilities told Fox News Digital that Ørsted received the letter issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on October 29 and the company “will continue to engage and cooperate with USFWS on this matter.” A subsidiary of Danish clean energy conglomerate Ørsted A/S, Ørsted Onshore operates 13 wind farms across the country. According to its website, Ørsted A/S is a global clean energy leader that develops, constructs, and operates offshore and land-based wind farms, solar farms, energy storage facilities, and bioenergy plants. Ørsted also operates offshore wind farms across the globe, including in the U.S. EXCLUSIVE: TRUMP ADMIN NIXES GIANT WIND FARM APPROVED ‘LAST-MINUTE’ BY BIDEN TEAM Ørsted was one of the companies touted by the Biden White House as an example of its successful clean energy goals and economic plan. The company’s controversial offshore projects in New Jersey, Ocean Wind 1 and Ocean Wind 2, made headlines in 2023 and were ultimately canceled due to economic factors, delivering a blow to former President Joe Biden’s green energy goals. The company’s website states that its mission is to “create a world that runs entirely on green energy.” “We are building and shaping America’s clean energy industry, creating jobs, boosting economies, partnering with local communities, and conserving nature,” a statement on Ørsted’s website says. The violation notice states that though Ørsted does not have any prior wildlife violations, it says the company continued to not hold an eagle take permit despite realizing the danger its turbines presented to airborne wildlife after the first eagle was killed in 2024. It also notes that Ørsted showed good faith by voluntarily notifying the bureau of the kills and cooperating with instructions to preserve the carcasses. SYMBOL OF AMERICAN FREEDOM KNOCKED OUT OF THE SKIES BY GREEN ENERGY TURBINES Nonetheless, the notice reads that “the gravity of these violations is serious,” noting that “while bald eagle numbers have increased markedly from pre-listing lows, the species still faces myriad threats from humans.” “Bald eagles and golden eagles are trust species of the United States and of religious and cultural significance to Native Americans,” the notice continues, adding, “The U.S. government takes its responsibility to protect eagles seriously.” U.S. Secretary of Interior Doug Burgum has previously criticized solar and wind projects, saying they are “destabilizing our grid and driving up prices.” “When you think about the green new scam, it was pro-China and it’s anti-American and it’s also unaffordable and unreliable,” Burgum said on Jesse Watters Primetime in June.
Winsome Earle-Sears leads GOP ticket in final ‘elevator pitch’ to voters before Election Day
Virginia gubernatorial candidate Winsome Earle-Sears led the state’s Republican ticket in delivering a final message to voters ahead of Election Day on Monday. Earle-Sears and her fellow candidates made the comments during a gaggle with reporters at a campaign event inside a Virginia diner. A reporter asked Earle-Sears what her “elevator pitch” would be to convince any Virginia voter who still remains on the fence about her race against Democrat Abigail Spanberger. “Do you like what we’ve been doing in Virginia? Well, Abigail Spanberger was never part of it. She hasn’t been part of creating any of these jobs. She hasn’t been part of helping Virginia to remain safe and secure,” Earle-Sears said, calling Spanberger “soft on crime.” She then handed the question off to Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares, who is running to keep his position. Miyares pointed to extensive economic and job growth that has been secured under the leadership of Gov. Glenn Youngkin and Earle-Sears as lieutenant governor. WINSOME EARLE-SEARS REBUKES SPANBERGER PLAN TO UNDO VIRGINIA’S ICE PACT: ‘THIS IS NOT HARD’ “We’ve seen the most remarkable four-year turnaround that any state has seen in modern American history,” Miyares said. “We’ve gone from almost the bottom in job creation, we’ve been one of the last to open our schools. We had eight straight years up until 2021 of more individuals moving out of Virginia than moving to Virginia, something that had not happened in over 100 years.” “And you’ve seen this remarkable turnaround. $140 billion in new investment that’s coming to Virginia. That’s greater than the last four governors combined. One and a half job openings for every Virginian looking for a job. The highest labor force participation rate we’ve ever seen,” he added. Miyares went on to point to his own record as the state’s top prosecutor, saying he slashed murder rates that were at a 20-year high when he entered office and put “more cops on the streets” to target repeat violent offenders. SPANBERGER DEFENDS ABORTION AD CRITICIZING SEARS AFTER BERNIE WARNS AGAINST HIGHLIGHTING ISSUE Monday morning’s campaign event came after Spanberger held a rally in Falls Church, Virginia, on Sunday night, featuring Virginia Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner. The final days before Election Day have seen Democrats trying to keep Earle-Sears off of the campaign trail by forcing her to remain in the state’s capital. Her husband Terrance Sears blasted Democrats at a rally last week as legislators tied down the gubernatorial candidate with redistricting efforts. “I was pissed off because of what the Democrats have done to my wife,” Sears, a retired Marine Corps lieutenant, at the Oct. 31 rally. “And let me tell you that I’m thoroughly pissed off now.” “She would’ve loved to have been here with you, but you see the games that they’re playing and the shenanigans that they’re pulling to keep her off the campaign trail. … If you do not want to become Maryland or California, then you need to get out there and vote,” he said. Fox News’ Charles Creitz contributed to this report.
Mamdani vows to defy Trump in fiery final march from Brooklyn Bridge to City Hall ahead of Election Day
Mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani struck a defiant tone in an early morning speech Monday in response to President Donald Trump’s “threats” to block federal funding to New York City if the democratic socialist is elected Tuesday. Mamdani marched across the Brooklyn Bridge to City Hall at sunrise in a dramatic demonstration on the eve of Election Day. Flanked by supporters, local officials and Attorney General Letitia James, Mamdani promised to fight back against the Trump administration. “What we have seen in cities and states across the country is the necessity of, not just using the bully pulpit but also the courts, to ensure that every dollar that a municipality is owed is a dollar that is paid,” Mamdani said. “And I will take every single day, after this election, to put together my city government, my city hall, to ensure that it is prepared not only for the threats from Donald Trump, but also the threats from an affordability crisis that has put one in four New Yorkers in poverty.” Trump told CBS’ Norah O’Donnell on “60 Minutes” Sunday that if Mamdani wins, it is “going to be hard for me, as the president, to give a lot of money to New York.” ZOHRAN MAMDANI LAUNCHES ANTI-TRUMP TOUR ACROSS FIVE BOROUGHS IN NEW YORK CITY “Because if you have a communist running New York, all you’re doing is wasting the money you’re sending there,” Trump added. ZOHRAN MAMDANI VOWS TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST TRUMP’S THREAT TO WITHHOLD FEDERAL FUNDING FOR NYC The president has criticized Mamdani’s mayoral campaign since the self-described democratic socialist defeated former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary in June. Trump refers to Mamdani as a “100% Communist Lunatic” or “my little communist” — a moniker Mamdani rejects. This summer, after securing the Democratic Party’s nomination, Mamdani hosted a week-long “Five Boroughs Against Trump” campaign throughout New York City. “I’m not a fan of Cuomo one way or the other, but if it’s going to be between a bad Democrat and a communist, I’m going to pick that bad Democrat all the time, to be honest with you,” Trump said on “60 Minutes.” Mamdani on Monday referenced Trump’s aforementioned comments as an endorsement of Cuomo. Trump has refused to endorse Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa, who is also on the ballot. “Late last night, Andrew Cuomo received Donald Trump’s endorsement,” Mamdani claimed. “If elected as mayor, our city will only descend deeper into a darkness that has forced too many of our neighbors to flee and made it impossible for working people to live lives of dignity.” When reached for comment, Cuomo campaign spokesperson Rich Azzopardi told Fox News Digital that Mamdani is “lying” about Trump endorsing the former governor. “There’s only one candidate in this race who has a record of fighting for New York and battling the Trump administration when it was in New York’s best interest and winning, and that’s Andrew Cuomo. We’re not going to let him gaslight his way through Election Day,” Azzopardi said. While Cuomo has the gubernatorial experience of going head-to-head with Trump during his first administration, Mamdani on Monday vowed to create an “alternative” to the Trump administration in City Hall. “We see Donald Trump make these kinds of threats to this city and to its elected officials on a regular basis,” Mamdani said. “The difference that we offer is a movement that will be unbowed by these threats, and we need not look far for an inspiration on how exactly to continue to fight for that which is correct in the city and in this state.” Joined by Trump-foe James, who pleaded not guilty last week to two felony charges of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution, Mamdani said the attorney general “continues to show the courage that New Yorkers are desperate to see in elected officials, a courage to hold everyone to account to the same set of laws.” James filed the lawsuit against The Trump Organization in 2019, which found Trump and his company liable for civil fraud last year. She has also filed multiple lawsuits against the Trump administration this year, rejecting his executive orders and seeking to unleash federal funding. “Donald Trump may speak as if it is his decision, but this is money that this city is owed. This is money that we will expect to collect,” Mamdani said Monday. As Mamdani heads into Election Day, the democratic socialist is positioning himself as the candidate best equipped to challenge Trump, while attempting to connect Cuomo to the president. “We have long known that Andrew Cuomo is Donald Trump’s puppet in this race. What we did not quite expect is for him to become his parrot in the final days, as well,” Mamdani said. The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s comment request.
Senate returns to work as government shutdown nears longest in US history over Obamacare fight
The Senate returns to Washington, D.C., this week as the government shutdown nears a record-shattering milestone and as lawmakers remain entrenched in their positions. Come late Tuesday night, the government shutdown will officially become the longest on record, at 36 days, smashing through the previous record etched into the history books in early 2019. And while that record approaches, and payday deadlines are missed and federal benefits dry up, the Senate is still largely in a holding pattern. Still, there was newfound optimism among some lawmakers as bipartisan talks increased last week, and many hope that same momentum carries into this week. TRUMP’S ‘NUCLEAR’ DEMAND NOT LANDING FOR SENATE REPUBLICANS AMID SHUTDOWN But for now, neither side is budging from the positions they’ve maintained since Oct. 1, when the shutdown officially began. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and his Democratic caucus want a deal on expiring Obamacare premium subsidies before they agree to reopen the government. Saturday was when open enrollment officially began nationwide. They’ve long warned that unless a deal was made before open enrollment, Americans that rely on the subsidies would see their premiums spike, despite the subsidies not expiring until the end of this year. “People are going to see drastic, drastic increases in their healthcare costs,” Schumer said last week. “People are going to sit at the dinner table Friday night with a pit, with a hole in the pit of their stomach, and say, ‘How are we going to do this?’” FOOD STAMP BENEFITS FOR 42 MILLION AMERICANS IN JEOPARDY TODAY AMID SHUTDOWN Senate Republicans largely agree that there needs to be an extension of some kind to the subsidies, but they also want a host of reforms made to the program that was enhanced under former President Joe Biden. And Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has offered Senate Democrats a vote on the Obamacare subsidies, but they say that’s not enough and demand that President Donald Trump get involved. Trump officially returned to the country after a near weeklong trip to Asia but still appears to be keeping the shutdown at an arm’s length. While Schumer and his Democratic caucus’ demands have remained laser-focused on expiring Obamacare subsidies, they have also blamed Trump for not funding federal food benefits as he did in 2019, and Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., have called for a meeting with the president. GOVERNMENT ENTERS LONGEST FULL SHUTDOWN IN US HISTORY WITH NO END IN SIGHT But Trump won’t meet with the top congressional Democrats until the shutdown ends — a point he and Republicans have made time and time again. And he won’t budge on healthcare negotiations until the government reopens, either. “I’m not going to do it by being extorted by the Democrats who have lost their way,” Trump said on CBS’ “60 Minutes.” “There’s something wrong with these people.” Meanwhile, Trump has urged Senate Republicans to get rid of the 60-vote filibuster threshold in the upper chamber. Doing so is a proverbial third rail for Senate Republicans and a longstanding priority for Senate Democrats. He renewed that call over the weekend in posts on Saturday and Sunday to his social media platform Truth Social. “Republicans, you will rue the day that you didn’t TERMINATE THE FILIBUSTER!!! BE TOUGH, BE SMART, AND WIN,” he said.
Energy secretary reveals how US nuclear tests will work
Energy Secretary Chris Wright revealed the U.S. will not be testing nuclear explosions, putting to rest questions over whether the Trump administration would reverse a decades-old taboo. Testing will instead involve “the other parts of a nuclear weapon,” Wright told Fox News’ “The Sunday Briefing.” “I think the tests we’re talking about right now are systems tests,” he explained. “These are not nuclear explosions. These are what we call noncritical explosions.” His comments came after President Donald Trump announced the U.S. would reignite “nuclear testing” because other nations were doing so. The president made the announcement on the way to a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. WITH A NUCLEAR BACKDROP, TRUMP EASES TENSIONS WITH XI BUT MERELY RETURNS TO THE STATUS QUO He didn’t specify whether he meant explosives, which haven’t been tested by the U.S. since 1992, or the weapons that carry them. The only nation to conduct a detonation test in the last 25 years is North Korea in September 2017. The president said he’d directed the Pentagon — which is responsible for testing nuclear-capable vehicles — to resume testing. The Energy Department would have jurisdiction over testing explosives. TRUMP BREAKS 33-YEAR NUCLEAR TESTING SILENCE AS WORLD BRACES FOR DANGEROUS NEW ARMS RACE “We’ve halted it years — many years — ago,” Trump said last week. “But with others doing testing, I think it is appropriate that we do also.” Asked on Friday to clarify whether the U.S. would begin “detonating nuclear weapons for testing,” the president responded, “I’m saying that we’re going to test nuclear weapons like other countries do.” Trump claimed in a CBS “60 Minutes” interview over the weekend that U.S. adversaries were secretly testing nuclear weapons. “Russia’s testing nuclear weapons, and China’s testing them, too,” he said. “You just don’t know about it.” China is rapidly expanding its nuclear silo and is expected to have nearly 1,000 warheads by 2030, according to Pentagon assessments. But Beijing has not conducted a nuclear weapons test since 1996. Russia has not been confirmed to have tested a weapon since 1990, but last week did claim to test two delivery vehicles: an undersea torpedo known as Poseidon and a nuclear-powered cruise missile. In 1996, the United Nations adopted a nuclear test ban treaty. The U.S. signed the treaty, but the Senate rejected its ratification. Most other nuclear-armed states also did not ratify the document. Still, it created a global norm against nuclear weapons testing. The U.S. regularly tests unarmed nuclear-capable weapons. Additionally, non-explosive or “subcritical” tests, which involve fissile materials but stop short of producing a chain reaction, have been conducted at the Nevada National Security Site for years. Officials say these experiments help validate computer models that simulate how aging warheads behave, allowing scientists to verify performance without explosive testing. The U.S. has conducted more than two dozen such tests since the late 1990s. “And again, these will be nonnuclear explosions,” Mr. Wright said. “These are just developing sophisticated systems so that our replacement nuclear weapons are even better than the ones they were before.” Washington is currently undergoing a three-decade, $1.7 trillion transformation effort to replace aging warheads with updated versions.