Resurfaced Mamdani interview ignites internet frenzy over alleged ‘fake’ Ugandan accent
A resurfaced 2016 interview with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani sparked conservative backlash Wednesday after critics accused him of using a “fake” Ugandan accent while promoting his mother’s Disney film. While promoting Queen of Katwe during a 2016 interview on South Africa‘s Kaya 959 radio station, Mamdani discussed Ugandan culture, dance and music, telling the host he was “from Uganda” but also grew up in New York. “The difference for me is I’m from Uganda, but I also grew up in New York. In New York, you go out, some guys are very hesitant to dance,” Mamdani said. “You know, if they’re not grinding, they’re just standing. In Kampala, you will just not find that. People are all dancing. Everybody’s dancing, men, women and it’s fantastic that way.” AOC ACCUSED OF PUTTING ON NEW ACCENT DURING MEMPHIS RALLY: ‘GOING FULL KAMALA’ The clip, which also resurfaced last year, quickly spread across social media again and prompted a wave of mockery. “Look at theater kid commie Mamdani running another fake accent and appropriating African culture. Communists are all frauds. EVERY single one. Don’t ever trust a communist, or else you’ll get Galloway’d and stranded in a gulag,” former Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt posted on X. In another post on X, The Benny Show host Benny Johnson wrote, “UNEARTHED: Zohran Mamdani does an obviously fake Ugandan accent while promoting a Disney movie based in Africa. How many Democrats have been caught using fake accents at this point? They’re all frauds.” “Anyone else notice Mamdani’s accent change? He must’ve studied at Obama University,” Twitter Spaces host and conservative social media commentator Tara Bull posted on X. MAMDANI’S ‘DERANGED’ ISRAEL TAKE RESURFACES AS HE TARGETS NETANYAHU “Nobody does a fake accent better than a Democrat politician,” the Daily Wire posted on X. “Has Zohran Mamdani ever explained when adopting another culture’s accent is “cultural appropriation” and when it is “authenticity”? He had plenty to say about everyone else’s privilege at Bowdoin,” Former Crazy Eddie CFO and convicted fraudster Sammy Antar posted on X. Conservative Brief, a right-wing political news website, also posted on X, “Another One?! Here’s some footage found of NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani attempting to use a fake Ugandan accent while promoting a movie based in Africa. What is with the Democrats and their fake accents?!” FLASHBACK: MAMDANI’S HISTORY OF DODGING QUESTIONS ABOUT WHERE HE STANDS ON KEY ISSUES “When did Disney start to suck? When they hired the directors son who had a fake Ugandan accent. He didn’t mind “big corporations” when they were signing his checks,” Kevin Smith, host of Loud Majority Live, posted on X. Mamdani, who holds dual U.S. and Ugandan citizenship, was born in Uganda, raised in South Africa and moved to New York City at age 7. The film, directed by Mamdani’s mother, Mira Nair, is based on the true story of Ugandan chess prodigy Phiona Mutesi. Mamdani is credited as the music supervisor and third assistant director and appears in a brief on-screen cameo. Fox News Digital reached out to the mayor’s office for comment.
Trump’s pick for top law enforcement official gets crucial last-minute lifeline for confirmation
As Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s confirmation appeared headed for sure defeat, one on-the-fence Senate Republican gave him, and President Donald Trump, a vital lifeline. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., has remained quiet throughout this and last week on how he would vote on Blanche, who barely survived his confirmation vote from the Senate Judiciary Committee. Now, after conversations with Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Justice (DOJ), the pieces are in place to confirm Blanche. “I will vote for Mr. Blanche,” an emotional Cassidy said on the Senate floor. “I’ll be criticized for this vote. What’s new? But the people of Louisiana can be assured that I worked hard to understand the issue and to make the right decision.” COLLINS DROPS THE HAMMER ON TRUMP’S PICK TO LEAD DOJ, JEOPARDIZING PATH TO CONFIRMATION With Cassidy’s green light, Blanche has a chance, even with Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., missing in action. But to be confirmed, Senate Republicans will need an assist from Vice President JD Vance. Still, it’s unclear whether the Senate will actually vote on Blanche on Friday, which could be the upper chamber’s grand finale of the summer before it exits Washington, D.C., for the remainder of August. Cassidy explained that after a series of conversations with Blanche and former DOJ officials, including former Attorney General Bill Barr, he reached the conclusion to support Trump’s pick, even after having sparred with the president since being ousted from office by him earlier this year. He contended that Blanche has been “criticized for things over which he has no control,” like Trump’s pardons of Jan. 6, 2021, rioters who stormed Capitol Hill, but was still leery of his role in the nearly $2 billion anti-weaponization fund, which the president has signaled he wants to revive. But he argued it would be better to have an attorney general confirmed by the Senate that could, if needed, stare down Trump on issues. “I am realistic that President Trump can be unrelenting on this, but this will be true no matter who the attorney general is,” Cassidy said. “And this is the rationale for having a Senate-confirmed attorney general with more leverage to push back.” TRUMP’S AG PICK SURVIVES — FOR NOW — AS REPUBLICANS QUESTION IF WHITE HOUSE DEAL WILL HOLD It comes after Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, announced that she would not support Blanche’s nomination to be the nation’s top prosecutor and law enforcement official, dealing another blow to his rocky confirmation process. Her defection, despite a heavy lobbying effort by Blanche that saw him make the trek to Alaska, means that Senate Republican leadership can’t afford to lose any more votes to get him across the finish line, given that Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., though now back home, has still not returned to the Senate. Murkowski acknowledged Blanche’s visit to Alaska and heavy lobbying effort throughout the last few weeks, but it’s his connection to President Donald Trump’s nearly $2 billion anti-weaponization fund, and broader concerns of a weaponized Justice Department, that proved the nail in the coffin for her. “The politicization — even weaponization — of the Department did not start with this administration but has accelerated during it,” Murkowski said in a statement. “I take issue with the handling of the release of the Epstein files; the sweeping immunity protections granted to the President, his family, and their businesses; the statements that have been made to anti-abortion groups; and the repeated targeting of individuals ranging from former administration staff to sitting U.S. Senators.“ “I am also keenly aware that the Department’s nearly $2-billion dollar slush fund—which likely would have rewarded January 6 protesters—is only off the table because this nomination is pending and the Senate has leverage,” she continued. “Once we vote, that will end, and there is no telling what the future holds.” TRUMP THREATENS TO YANK HIS OWN AG NOMINEE AS GOP REVOLT GROWS To Murkowski’s latter issue, several lawmakers on both sides of the aisle acknowledge that though Blanche and the DOJ agreed to permanently rescind the fund in writing to Sens. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., and John Cornyn, R-Texas, there’s nothing stopping Trump from reviving it. And on several occasions, he’s made clear he wants to see it come back. “The country needs an Attorney General who will check the worst impulses of this administration,” Murkowski said. “I hope Mr. Blanche is able to achieve that, if confirmed, but I simply do not have confidence that will be the case.” Before making her decision, Trump already took a swipe at her during an interview with Punch Bowl News published Friday morning. “I’m against Murkowski,” Trump said. “I do more for Alaska than any president in history. No president’s done for Alaska what I’ve done. She’s not good.”
Smithsonian’s taxpayer funds face chopping block as GOP demands accountability for ‘woke’ history
FIRST ON FOX: House Republicans are threatening the Smithsonian’s federal funding amid GOP outrage over the museum system’s presentation of American history. “The Smithsonian is accountable to the taxpayers. So defunding them in certain ways, or tying their funds to requirements, I think is probably the best way to ensure that we bring the Smithsonian back to its required mandate,” Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., told Fox News Digital. “And that is to tell the truth about the American story, and to tell about the exceptionalism of this country and its people.” Congress allocates roughly $1 billion in taxpayer dollars to the Smithsonian Institution every year, which oversees 21 museums and the National Zoo. It also receives private funding. But Republicans have heaped scrutiny in recent weeks on the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, accusing its curators of long painting an overly critical and “woke” picture of the country’s past while ignoring its triumphs. TRUMP V. SMITHSONIAN: A TIMELINE OF HOW THE WHITE HOUSE FIGHT OVER ‘WOKE’ HISTORY UNFOLDED Clyde, who is on the House Appropriations Committee — which is one of two panels on Capitol Hill tasked with mapping out how Congress spends part of the yearly budget — suggested that using the legislative branch’s power of the purse could compel museum curators to change that. “We can tie funding to specific requirements, and I think that might be the most effective way to go — saying that… ‘You have to highlight the exceptionalism. You have highlighted the good things that [the Founding Fathers have] done. You know, there’s no perfect country because there’s not a perfect person. But we are the best there is on the planet Earth,” Clyde said. Another House Appropriations Committee member, Rep. Ben Cline, R-Va., told Fox News Digital, “The Smithsonian’s role is to teach historic facts, not to put our country under a political kaleidoscope of woke ideology.” WATCH: SMITHSONIAN DIRECTOR ADMITS SHE SEES HISTORY AS ‘TOOL’ OF ‘SOCIAL JUSTICE’ AFTER EXPLOSIVE HEARING “As Congressional Appropriators, it is our duty to ensure that taxpayer dollars are being used responsibly. If the Smithsonian is unable and unwilling to have an objective view of our Nation’s history, House Republicans will have to act,” Cline said. Rep. Michael Cloud, R-Texas, a third House appropriator, told Fox News Digital that stricter guardrails on Smithsonian funding are “justified.” “Congress has the responsibility to ensure those funds are used to celebrate and preserve Amrican history, not distort it,” Cloud said. President Donald Trump signed an executive order late last month directing Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to utilize existing avenues “to restore trust in the Smithsonian Institution,” including installing “temporary exhibits or signage on [federally owned] sidewalks, walkways, and land used by the public that corrects inaccurate information presented in the Museum.” The issue came before Congress in July when Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, led a hearing where Republicans accused the National Museum of American History of promoting a politicized agenda on issues of race, class, gender and sexuality, at the expense of accurate teachings. The Committee on House Administration, led by Rep. Bryan Steil, R-Wis., led a similar hearing scrutinizing the Smithsonian’s teachings. TRUMP ORDERS SIGNS OUTSIDE SMITHSONIAN MUSEUM AMID ROW OVER ITS DEPICTION OF AMERICAN HISTORY Democrats, on the other hand, have accused Republicans of trying to “whitewash” controversial moments in history while erasing the struggles and contributions of the country’s minority populations. “They want to rewrite the history of this country and take away the resources and leadership of people who have fought, marched and served this country for generations,” Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., said during Gill’s hearing. “We refuse to let historians, artists, scholars, and people who love these institutions with their entire hearts to be punished by an administration that is trying to exercise…political control, and rewrite American history.” The House and Senate are both working through proposals to fund the government for fiscal year (FY) 2027, which begins on Oct. 1. The House proposal would allocate roughly $961 million to the Smithsonian Institution, an 11% reduction from the current level. But there’s still a long way to go before both chambers strike a deal, with time for House conservatives to push for new guardrails or even less funding. Fox News Digital reached out to the House Appropriations Committee for comment.
Church protesters could face tougher penalties under rare bipartisan crackdown
There’s a rare show of bipartisan unity in the House of Representatives this week, as lawmakers from opposite sides of the aisle come together to crack down on destructive protests targeting houses of worship. Reps. Brad Knott, R-N.C., and Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., are introducing a bill to make it a crime to knowingly disrupt or impede people from attending a religious service. That includes demonstrations taking place within 100 feet “from any pedestrian or vehicular entryway of any house of worship, during the period beginning 1 hour before the start of and ending 1 hour after the conclusion of a scheduled religious service,” according to legislative text obtained by Fox News Digital. VIDEO SHOWS MOB OF TEENS INVADING NYC CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY IN SOCIAL MEDIA STUNT A violation of those guidelines would carry a $2,500 civil fine on the first offense, a $5,000 penalty on the second offense, and $10,000 for a third. The bill does carve out limitations, however, such as demonstrations that are taking place with a federal, state, or local government-issued permit. The text’s language also specifically classifies disruptions based on things like volume, duration, and impact, rather than the content of speech — meaning the First Amendment is still protected. “Today, many Americans are unable to worship without fear of harassment, assault, or other forms of intimidation. The right to worship freely is foundational to our nation and was one of the motivations for its founding. No American should ever feel that their choice is between worshiping in fear and not worshiping at all,” Knott said. FIRST ON FOX: TRUMP DOJ REACHES SETTLEMENT WITH PRO-LIFE PROTESTER TARGETED BY BIDEN ADMIN Suozzi said he supports people’s right to peacefully protest but “attendees of religious services should not be harassed, threatened, intimidated, or targeted for practicing their faith.” At least four states adopted laws banning the disruption of religious services earlier this year, the Associated Press reported. It followed an incident in which Minnesota demonstrators upended service at a church where a federal immigration official was reportedly a pastor.
Fatal air ambulance crash exposes growing GPS danger facing US flights
Federal investigators say a fatal New Mexico air ambulance crash unfolded after the crew lost GPS navigation while the U.S. military was conducting a scheduled jamming exercise — a chain of events that is raising new questions about whether civilian aviation is prepared for an era of electronic warfare. The National Transportation Safety Board’s preliminary report found the Beech King Air crew reported losing GPS capability minutes after departing Roswell, New Mexico, May 14 as the military conducted a planned GPS-denial exercise. Air traffic controllers twice asked officials to halt the jamming while assisting the flight, though investigators have not determined whether the interference caused or contributed to the crash. The crew took off from Roswell, New Mexico, shortly before midnight on an air ambulance flight to Ruidoso, New Mexico, according to the preliminary report. Before the flight, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had issued a notice to airmen warning that a scheduled military GPS jamming exercise could disrupt satellite navigation across a radius of hundreds of miles around White Sands Missile Range. Minutes after departure, the pilots reported losing GPS capability and requested assistance from air traffic controllers, who twice asked the military to suspend the jamming exercise. Three other aircraft in the area also reported GPS outages. The crew later reported the airport in sight and requested a visual approach. After the military resumed the exercise, the aircraft descended toward the runway but struck the Capitan Mountains, killing both pilots and two flight nurses. The National Transportation Safety Board has not determined whether the GPS interference contributed to the crash. The crash comes as aviation authorities worldwide warn that GPS interference is becoming a growing operational hazard. The FAA now advises pilots to be prepared to fly without GPS because intentional jamming is “of greater and growing concern,” while the U.N.’s aviation agency has warned that interference can affect aircraft far beyond conflict zones. In its 2026 guidance, the agency said the hazards associated with GPS jamming and spoofing have “rapidly spread” in recent years and cited industry data showing reports of GPS loss increased 65% in the first half of 2024 compared with the previous year. The agency warned that interference can cause pilots to deviate from assigned flight paths, misreport their position, lose situational awareness and struggle to transition safely to backup navigation. Todd Humphreys, director of the University of Texas’ Radionavigation Laboratory, said the crash also raises questions about whether the navigation technology used in many civilian aircraft has kept pace with evolving GPS jamming threats. Humphreys said many FAA-certified cockpit GPS receivers rely on older technology that is more susceptible to jamming than newer commercially available systems. “The iPhone that the pilot carried was almost certainly a better GPS receiver inside than the FAA-certified receiver providing navigation guidance to the aircraft,” Humphreys told Fox News Digital. Unlike illegal consumer GPS jammers, military electronic warfare systems are designed to deny satellite navigation across large operational areas so troops can train in conditions resembling combat. In the New Mexico exercise, the FAA warned GPS disruptions could extend hundreds of miles from White Sands Missile Range. INSIDE AMERICA’S LASER REVOLUTION AS THE MILITARY NEARS BIG BATTLEFIELD BREAKTHROUGH Humphreys argued that while newer GPS technology has become more resilient to interference, aviation certification has moved too slowly to keep pace with the evolving threat from jamming and spoofing. Humphreys’ concerns echo warnings from international aviation regulators. In March 2025, the International Civil Aviation Organization, along with the International Telecommunication Union and International Maritime Organization, warned of increasing GPS jamming and spoofing incidents that can affect aircraft “far beyond the immediate affected area,” creating safety risks across multiple flight regions. Paul Deres, vice president of operations at the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Air Safety Institute, said the focus should remain on pilot preparation and proficiency, noting that today’s general aviation fleet includes a wide range of older and newer avionics designed to improve situational awareness. “Technology can always fail, and it does,” Deres said. European regulators have repeatedly updated guidance for pilots and air traffic controllers in response to growing GPS interference, most recently in July after analyzing additional jamming and spoofing incidents. The FAA declined to comment on the ongoing investigation, but said it issues notices alerting pilots to planned GPS disruptions and maintains backup navigation systems to help aircraft navigate during satellite outages. Asked about Humphreys’ criticism that FAA-certified GPS receivers have not kept pace with newer technology, the agency did not directly address the claim. GPS interference has become a growing challenge for commercial aviation in parts of Europe and the Middle East, where airlines routinely encounter jamming and spoofing linked to regional conflicts. “There are some in the community who believe that we have passed the point of peak safety in aviation, maybe four years ago,” Humphreys said, pointing to the rise of GPS jamming, spoofing and other forms of hybrid warfare that can disrupt aircraft navigation. But it remains relatively uncommon in U.S. airspace outside of military testing. In March 2025, multiple commercial airliners approaching Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport near the nation’s capital received false collision alerts that forced several crews to perform go-arounds. Congressional testimony later revealed the alerts were triggered by Secret Service and U.S. Navy counter-drone testing. Regardless of whether investigators ultimately link the GPS outage to the crash, the report documents how quickly a routine medical flight became a complex navigation emergency after the crew reported losing satellite guidance. The National Transportation Safety Board preliminary report describes a chain of events in which the crew lost GPS shortly after departure, requested assistance from air traffic control, and later opted to continue visually toward the airport before striking terrain. As drones become more prevalent, GPS jamming as a form of counter-drone operations only will become more common. “Nation states have woken up to the fact that this is one of the ways they can protect themselves from drones,” he said. “We’ve got to move more quickly on the
Trump-backed incumbent loses primary after super PAC bankrolled by Dems meddled in race
Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., was defeated in a primary challenge on Thursday evening by Republican challenger Charlie Hatcher, a farmer and the state’s former commissioner of agriculture. Although the primary was far from a top-watched contest coming into the 2026 primaries, it served as a microcosm of larger forces at play in the Republican Party. From a break in endorsements between President Donald Trump and Tennessee’s Republican Governor Bill Lee to millions being pumped into the district over environmental policy, the race attracted attention well beyond its borders. The Invest in Tomorrow Coalition super PAC had spent roughly $2 million opposing Ogles and supporting Hatcher. The group has raised $6.7 million this year, making Ogles a sizable portion of their spending this cycle. TOP TRUMP ALLY WARNS SUPER PAC BANKROLLED BY DEM BILLIONAIRE IS MEDDLING IN GOP PRIMARY The way that Ogles sees it, it’s an attempt to show Republicans what happens when lawmakers attempt to claw back government funding for renewable energy sources. Like many other Republicans, Ogles has called to scale back renewable energy investments made under the Biden Administration. “When you have a group spending roughly $2 million in a Republican primary, that tells you how much money they’re making off of government subsidies, and they’re upset that the government welfare has been taken away from them,” Ogles told Fox News Digital in an interview. A Fox News Digital review of FEC filings discovered that the super PAC is bankrolled by Chris Larsen, the California-based billionaire chairman of Ripple, a financial technology company that, according to its website, offers crypto solutions for businesses. Larsen is also a frequent Democratic donor, having contributed $5,444,975 to support Kamala Harris’s failed presidential campaign. More than just his opposition to government-backed renewable energy initiatives, Ogles thinks it’s his proximity to Trump that has made him a target. “It’s because I’m close to the president. It is because I am outspoken. And quite frankly, it is because I speak plainly on these issues,” Ogles said. GOP GOVERNOR ENDORSES CANDIDATE CHALLENGING TRUMP-BACKED CONGRESSMAN IN REPUBLICAN US HOUSE PRIMARY For his own part, Hatcher, a fifth-generation Tennessee dairy farmer, has pitched himself as someone unencumbered by the political scene and ensnaring interests. “I think there’s something missing in Washington. There’s a lack of farmer common sense. There’s a lack of work ethic. One of my strengths is problem-solving, looking for solutions, looking for collaborations and supporting the Trump Administration and Speaker Johnson on their agenda,” Hatcher said in a campaign video. Notably, Tennessee’s Republican governor put his weight behind Hatcher late on Tuesday evening, citing a personal relationship between them. “He served as my commissioner of agriculture; I know Charlie. I know his conservative values and how much he loves our country. Charlie has stood with President Trump since day one,” Lee said in a video. Trump, who has endorsed Ogles, reaffirmed his support for the conservative firebrand ahead of the primary. “Andy will be really enshrined as one of the best congressmen that you’ll ever see. He’s just fantastic,” Trump said. “Andy has always been there when we needed him and when I needed him. He’s been a great help. He’s been a source of inspiration to a lot of people in Congress,” Trump said in a post to Truth Social earlier this year. TENNESSEE PASSES NEW CONGRESSIONAL MAP LIKELY TO FLIP FINAL DEM SEAT AS PROTESTS ERUPT INSIDE CAPITOL Having captured the Republican nomination, Hatcher now advances to a general election he’s heavily favored to win on Nov. 3. He won re-election in 2024 in a 56.9% to 39.5% victory over Maryam Abolfazli.
Mamdani repeatedly sidesteps questions on reported plan to revive tax hikes on wealthy New Yorkers
New York City democratic socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani repeatedly sidestepped questions Thursday about reported plans to launch a public pressure campaign this fall pushing tax hikes on wealthy New Yorkers and corporations. Mamdani reportedly plans to build public support after Labor Day for similar proposals that Gov. Kathy Hochul previously rejected in early 2026. The reported push is expected ahead of the New York Legislature’s return to Albany in January 2027 and Hochul’s re-election campaign this fall, according to The New York Post. During an interview with Fox 5 New York, Mamdani repeatedly declined to answer questions about the potential campaign before later saying such discussions would only come after the November election. Asked whether he had spoken with Hochul about the reported campaign, Mamdani did not answer directly, instead using the opportunity to tout the opening of 2,000 free child care seats for New Yorkers through their policy efforts. NYC MAYOR MAMDANI CALLS THREAT OF RICH PEOPLE LEAVING NYC OVER TAXES ‘IMAGINED’ “The governor and I are in constant communication and, frankly, I appreciate her partnership because if it wasn’t for the governor, then we wouldn’t have been able to stand together to announce that we had more than 5,000 New Yorkers come forward to apply for these 2,000 free child care seats,” he said. “And I’m so excited about that, and the fact that we’re going to expand to 12,000, and the work that’s still to come.” The reporter then pressed Mamdani on whether the Democratic Socialists of America would join the potential campaign this fall, but he again declined to answer directly, saying his focus remains on the present. BERNIE SANDERS, DSA REVEAL DEMANDS FOR DEM PARTY AFTER SOCIALISTS SWEEP NEW YORK ELECTIONS “My focus right now is where we are, which is August, and ensuring that everything that we’re doing is keeping New Yorkers safe amidst a heat wave and preparing for the school year,” Mamdani said. “A lot of the conversation about what comes after November, I think, is a conversation for what comes after November.” “So you don’t plan to launch a campaign to tax the rich before the November election?” the reporter asked. “The conversations I’ve been having with the governor and with my team are about the here and now and there will always be time for the conversations that come after that,” Mamdani said. MAMDANI EXTENDS DEADLINE FOR NYC HOMEOWNERS TO SEEK EXEMPTION FROM NEW PIED-À-TERRE TAX The reported campaign would revive a previous push by Mamdani to close the city’s multibillion-dollar budget gap through tax increases, a proposal Hochul previously rejected. Mamdani’s earlier plan called for raising the city’s personal income tax rate on filers earning $1 million or more, a move he projected could generate roughly $3 billion annually, while also increasing corporate tax rates. As an alternative, Hochul and Mamdani jointly advanced the state’s first pied-à-terre tax, an annual surcharge on certain high-value second homes, which passed in May 2026. State and city officials have projected the measure could raise about $500 million annually. Mamdani also said his May 2026 executive budget closed what his administration described as an inherited $12 billion budget gap, crediting aggressive savings, new investments, his partnership with Albany and new tax revenue, including the pied-à-terre tax. Mamdani’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
Squad-backed ‘Tennessee Three’ lawmaker wins House primary in newly redrawn district
Squad-backed Tennessee state Rep. Justin Pearson, District 86, part of the trio of lawmakers in his state referred to as the “Tennessee Three,” won the Democratic primary Thursday in Tennessee’s newly redrawn 9th Congressional District. Pearson defeated state Sen. London Lamar, District 33, community activist Marion LaTroy Alexandria-Williams and attorney Jim Torino. He will face Brent Taylor, the Republican nominee who was endorsed by President Donald Trump, in November with his campaign warchest of millions of dollars he has raised throughout his campaign, significantly outpacing his Democratic opponents. The Memphis-area state lawmaker entered the primary with the backing of prominent Democrats who are part of the progressive group of lawmakers called “the Squad,” including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., and Summer Lee, D-Pa., who all joined Pearson at a campaign rally in Memphis last month. ‘SQUAD’ MEMBER’S COMEBACK BID THWARTED AS ESTABLISHMENT DEMS NOTCH VICTORY AGAINST SOCIALISTS Known for his fiery, preacher-style speeches, Pearson has also received support from national left-wing groups including Justice Democrats, the Working Families Party, MoveOn and Indivisible. Pearson rose to national prominence in 2023 as one of the “Tennessee Three” lawmakers who participated in a gun-control protest on the state House floor following the Covenant School shooting in Nashville that killed three young kids and three adults. Republican lawmakers subsequently expelled Pearson and fellow state Rep. Justin Jones over the protest, though they later regained their seats. A third Democrat, Gloria Johnson of Knoxville, avoided expulsion by a single vote, according to local media reporting. ‘JUMPING SHIP’: HOUSE DEM FINDS EXIT STRATEGY AFTER SCOTUS RULING SHIFTS ADVANTAGE TO GOP The open-seat primary won by Pearson on Thursday followed a redrawing of Tennessee’s congressional map that divided Memphis among three Republican-leaning districts and prompted longtime Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., to retire. Before the new map, heavily Democratic Memphis was largely kept together in the 9th District, giving Tennessee Democrats one reliable congressional seat in an otherwise deeply Republican state. Cohen has been the lone Democrat in Tennessee’s nine-member House delegation alongside eight Republicans since 2023, but the new map favors the GOP in all nine districts.
Conservative firebrand who went viral with anti-CCP ad survives key primary
U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., cruised to victory in a GOP primary on Thursday evening in a race to replace outgoing Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee. With the nomination in tow, Blackburn is likely to become the next governor in the Volunteer State — a state that hasn’t elected a Democrat to its top executive role since 2006. Lee, who has served in the role since 2019, is term-limited and cannot seek re-election. He last won reelection in a 64.9% to 32.9% victory over Democratic challenger Jason Martin, a businessman and doctor. DEMS RALLY AROUND BEST HOPE TO DEFEND GOVERNOR’S MANSION FROM GOP TAKEOVER Notably, Lee did not endorse anyone in the three-way Republican race for the 2026 nomination but noted that he had a close relationship with Blackburn when she announced her candidacy. “I’ve been friends with Marsha for a long time, and she served as my congressman and representative in the General Assembly. I’m proud we have really good people running for governor in this state,” Lee told local outlets. Blackburn, for her own part, promised to continue focusing on issues that Republicans have made centerpieces to the GOP platform in Washington, D.C. She highlighted immigration as one such issue. “As governor, I’ll deport illegals, stop the flow of drugs and drug money. We will crack down on Cartels, restrict cash transfers to drug havens and hit criminals and illegals where it hurts — in their wallets,” Blackburn said in a campaign video. Blackburn also promised to prevent China from buying up Tennessee land, punctuating her commitment with a viral ad where she crushed a fortune cookie. “It doesn’t take a fortune cookie to figure it out. Here in Tennessee we’re going to stop communist China and protect Tennessee land,” she remarked. President Donald Trump also did not issue an endorsement in the race, saying that he had ties to one of Blackburn’s challengers: Rep. John Rose, R-Tenn. TRUMP MAY HAVE ENDORSED DARLINE GRAHAM, BUT GOP SENATE HOPEFULS AREN’T BACKING DOWN Rose, an 8th-generation farmer and the millionaire founder of Transcender Corp., an IT certification company, has served in the Tennessee legislature since 2019. In his gubernatorial campaign, he pitched himself as a homegrown candidate focused on local solutions to local problems. “I know that anything is achievable in Tennessee because I have lived it. Now, I’m asking for you to give me the chance to bring opportunity to all Tennesseans,” Rose said in a campaign video. On his website, Rose highlighted five key areas of focus, including education, infrastructure, healthcare, energy and economic and community development. A third candidate, State Rep. Monty Fritts, had run on a more aggressive, small-government platform. “My number one priority is leaving more money in your pockets, in your purses and in your country bankrolls rather than sending it to Nashville,” Fritts said in a campaign video. On his website, Fritts touted positions like shrinking the size of Tennessee’s budget, protecting citizen rights against encroaching government power and increasing parent input in education. Fritts attracted controversy earlier this year when, as part of his campaign, he called for a ban on mosques and other “pagan religions.” 5 MEXICAN CARTEL BOSSES CHARGED IN WEAPONS, DRUG TRAFFICKING, TIMESHARE FRAUD SCHEMES, DOJ SAYS “Islam is a little different story than perhaps other religions are, in that it’s not necessarily a religion; it’s a political movement,” Fritts said. “It’s that movement that, if you don’t submit, perhaps you are executed. I feel that Islam is incongruent with both our U.S. and Tennessee Constitution,” Fritts told local outlets. Having cleared the primary, Blackburn will run in the state’s general election on Nov. 3 against her Democratic opponent, Memphis City Councilwoman and Chief Public Defender Jerri Green.
EXCLUSIVE: Oversight Project sues to block Maryland Democrats’ redistricting measure backed by Gov Moore
EXCLUSIVE: A new lawsuit set to be filed in Maryland seeks to block a redistricting amendment backed by Democrat Gov. Wes Moore from appearing on the November ballot, arguing state officials advanced the measure after the state’s own legislative analysts concluded the statutory deadline for certifying ballot questions had already passed. The complaint, filed Thursday night in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court by the conservative watchdog group Oversight Project and reviewed by Fox News Digital, argues HB 2100 could not lawfully reach voters because Maryland’s July 1 deadline for certifying statewide ballot questions expired more than a month before lawmakers convened a special session to approve the proposal. The Oversight Project, which filed the lawsuit with Republican lawmakers, argues approval of the amendment could pave the way for an 8-0 Democratic congressional delegation. SUPREME COURT DEALS BLOW TO VIRGINIA DEMOCRATS IN FIGHT OVER STATE COURT ELECTION MAP RULING HB 2100 would ask voters to amend the Maryland Constitution so state constitutional standards governing compactness and boundaries would no longer apply to congressional districts. The Oversight Project describes itself as working “to expose and root out corruption in government, among elected officials, and in our most influential organizations to ensure power resides with the American People.” Its filing points to a Department of Legislative Services fiscal note stating that “the new statutory deadline of July 1 for certification of ballot questions” had already passed. The fiscal note also states that election officials were required to publicly post the full text of a proposed constitutional amendment at least 90 days before Election Day. According to the complaint, lawmakers then added the phrase “notwithstanding any other provision of law” to HB 2100 less than an hour before the joint committee hearing began. The plaintiffs argue the language was intended to override Maryland’s certification, notice and public comment requirements after those deadlines had already elapsed. The complaint further alleges Democratic sponsors characterized the amendment as merely “technical” in the House, while Senate debate reflected that lawmakers understood the statutory timeline could no longer be met. The filing cites remarks by Democratic state Sen. Cheryl Kagan during floor debate. VIRGINIA DEMS ACCUSED OF ILLEGALLY ‘STEAMROLLING’ STATE LAW THAT COULD UPEND REDISTRICTING CRUSADE “There is no time to comply with the plain language of the law with our new law because July 1st is in the rearview mirror,” Kagan said, according to the complaint. “There’s no time to have the Secretary of State draft language, to have it published, to have a comment period, to have it modified. It’s just not an option.” Maryland GOP Delegate Matt Morgan, one of the plaintiffs, told Fox News Digital the disputed language was introduced at 11:08 a.m. for a noon committee hearing. “They have the law. They’re supposed to follow it. They didn’t,” Morgan said. “And now we’re going to take it to court and see what the judges have to say about it.” DEMS CIRCLE THE WAGONS BY BLAMING GOP FOR THEIR GERRYMANDERING RESPONSE AHEAD OF MIDTERMS: ‘VERY DESPERATE’ Morgan said Democratic leadership later described the amendment as “technical” on the House floor. “The truth is that that was their way of trying to get around them missing all these statutory deadlines,” he said. Republican Delegate Kathy Szeliga, another plaintiff, said legislators had only hours to review the revised language while the public had no opportunity to comment. “The public got absolutely no time to look and weigh in on the amended language,” Szeliga told Fox News Digital. “So, it just reeks of a naked political, partisan power grab on the Democrats’ behalf.” According to the complaint, the proposal is intended to overturn the practical effect of a 2022 state court ruling holding that those constitutional standards applied to congressional redistricting. Democrats hold seven of Maryland’s eight U.S. House seats. REDISTRICTING WAR INTENSIFIES AS GOP SUFFERS SETBACKS IN TWO STATES Moore has publicly defended the amendment as a response to Republican-led redistricting efforts in other states, saying it would ensure “Marylanders — and no one else — have the final say over their representation.” The lawsuit asks the court to bar state officials from certifying, printing, distributing, tabulating or canvassing votes on the amendment and requests expedited review because of the approaching election calendar. Moore’s office, the Maryland Attorney General’s Office and the Maryland State Board of Elections did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.