Viral Jeffrey Epstein lookalike announces run for Palm Beach mayor, promises free Botox and bagels
A viral internet lookalike, free Botox and imported New York bagel water are not usually the ingredients of a mayoral campaign. Peter Simel, the Florida man who went viral earlier this year as “Palm Beach Pete” over his uncanny resemblance to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, says he is now “seriously considering” a run for mayor of Palm Beach — with a platform centered around “living your best life.” Simel’s social media following exploded into the hundreds of thousands after a viral video sparked conspiracy theories online, described the effort as “a movement” during an interview with Fox News Digital. “We’re seriously considering, and it’s a movement,” Simel said. “We want to make Palm Beach really cool and great.” FLORIDA MAN MISTAKEN FOR JEFFREY EPSTEIN SENDS INTERNET INTO FRENZY: ‘I’M JUST ME BEING ME’ Simel’s internet fame exploded almost overnight after a video of him driving a convertible along Interstate 95 in South Florida spread online earlier this year, with stunned social media users insisting the silver-haired driver looked eerily similar to Epstein. In the now-viral clip, a person filming Simel can be heard shouting, “Epstein’s alive! Epstein’s alive!” “My name is Peter, and I am now ‘Palm Beach Pete’ on the internet,” Simel told Fox News Digital. “About two months ago, I was driving down I-95 and someone videoed me and said ‘Epstein’s alive.’” NEW YORK-STYLE BAGEL WATER WARS HEAT UP AS ICONIC BRANDS BATTLE FOR SNOWBIRDS The Palm Beach resident said the attention snowballed almost immediately. “We had 200,000 followers in less than two days, and I got deplatformed,” he said. “This whole thing occurred, and it has a mind of its own, the internet.” Simel later launched an Instagram account under the handle “@not.epstein” and began leaning into the viral fame that transformed him into an unlikely internet personality. ‘MEMBERS ONLY: PALM BEACH’ STAR SLAMS ‘NASTY’ RUMORS THAT SHE’S BEING KICKED OUT OF MAR-A-LAGO Simel, 71, is a former International Tennis Federation (ITF) Masters competitor. During the interview, Simel repeatedly emphasized wellness, fitness and enjoying the Palm Beach lifestyle as central themes of his campaign platform. “I’m still realizing how big it is,” Simel said of his viral fame. “I guess the best litmus test is when people come up to me in the street [saying], ‘Palm Beach Pete, we love you, you’re the GOAT, you’re a legend.’” Now, Simel appears to be transforming that momentum into a campaign-like movement complete with merchandise, slogans and a series of playful policy proposals. ‘MEMBERS ONLY’ STAR FIRES BACK AT PALM BEACH CRITICS, SAYS THEY’RE ‘EXACTLY THE PEOPLE’ THE SHOW EXPOSES Simel’s website includes campaign hats and proposals such as “Free Botox for All Palm Beach Residents,” and “Free Convertible Use for 1 Year,” expanded pickleball courts and a proposal to import New York City water for “better pizzas & bagels.” Palm Beach County election records reviewed by Fox News Digital on Wednesday did not show any officially qualified mayoral candidates, and candidates cannot formally qualify for the race until 2027. Fox News Digital also reached out to Palm Beach Mayor Danielle Moore’s office regarding Simel’s announcement, but did not immediately receive a response. THONG-WEARING ELDERLY MAN DIDN’T DO HIMSELF ANY FAVORS BY TELLING AN OFFICER TO “JUMP ROPE FOR ME, BABY DOLL” “Everyone on the island of Palm Beach gets the use of a convertible for a year and see how they enjoy it because it’s all about living your best life,” Simel said. Simel also proposed free drinks at Palm Beach’s iconic clock tower, dog-walking services and “fitness trainer[s] for life so you can live longer and pay taxes longer.” “And then the funny one at the end,” he added, “is everyone gets free mother-in-law therapy.” Asked how he planned to fund proposals ranging from free Botox to imported New York water, Simel repeatedly emphasized that the campaign would be “self-funded.” “I’m self-funding it,” he said. Despite the lighthearted platform, Simel insisted he is genuinely considering entering the race. “I’m seriously considering throwing my hat into the ring,” he said. “You can’t qualify until 2027 so we’re just doing our due diligence.” Simel stressed that he does not view the effort as a traditional political campaign. “I’m not affiliated with any political party,” he said. “I just want to keep the people together and bring people together and keep it as a great community.” Asked about the current mayor’s apparent silence, Simel laughed off the situation. “I have no comment, other than the comment I just made,” he joked. Simel described the campaign less as a conventional political effort and more as a broader internet-fueled movement centered around positivity and Palm Beach culture — even if arguably the town’s most famous resident, President Donald Trump, calls it home when he’s not in Washington, D.C. “In this day and time, and we have so much division and such uncertainty in the world, it’s kind of nice to have someone on a platform enjoying the benefits of living a good life and making the most out of what Palm Beach can be,” he said. The viral sensation also said he has no plans to alter his appearance despite the comparisons that launched him into internet fame. “I’ve always looked like this,” he said. “I’m a better version of that unnamed person. And I’m not gonna change for anybody.” “I’m me, I’m 71 years old. It works. I have a full head of hair. I’m lucky. I’m youthful. I’m vibrant. Nothing’s gonna change. I’m just gonna get more energetic.” Simel said he already has a team helping him manage the sudden internet fame and potential campaign operation. “We’re interviewing people for a position as campaign manager and marketing,” he said, adding that much of the effort would likely be digitally driven through influencers and online creators. “My demographic are Gen Zs and these influencers have such a hold or such an influence on them,” he said. “As I get more followers, it gets bigger and bigger.” The response from family members,
Rabid anti-Israel activists set to hit the streets tonight in Mamdani’s Manhattan
Jewish New Yorkers, beware. The same rabid anti-Israel activists who have harassed Jews at synagogues in recent weeks in violent protests, flown the flag of Hamas and Hezbollah and stomped on the Israeli flag are returning to the streets tonight at Time Square in midtown Manhattan to rage-bait Israelis and Jews attending a “Jerusalem Real Estate Expo” at Times Square. The protest underscores how anti-Israel activist groups are continuing to escalate their pressure campaigns against pro-Israel and Jewish events across the city, despite mounting criticisms of antisemitism. Earlier this week, Jewish and Muslim leaders led a protest at Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s residence at Gracie Mansion, asking that he address the growing antisemitism in the city. Community leaders say these protests put more pressure on Mamdani who joined anti-Israel protests many times before he ran for the mayor’s office. In college, he was a founding member of his school’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine, which also seeks “the return” of Palestinians to modern-day Israel and a one-state solution that claims modern-day Israel for Palestinians, essentially destroying the state of Israel. The planned confrontation unfolded at 6:30 p.m. at the New York Hilton Midtown, where anti-Israel protesters are expected to target attendees and organizers connected to the real estate event. The anti-Israel group sponsoring the protest tonight is the New York and New Jersey chapter of PAL-AWDA, a group that is seeking “the return” of Palestinians to modern-day Israel. The group advocates for completely dismantling the state of Israel, and it rejects discussions of a two-state solution, demanding Palestinian control of modern-day Israel from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea, or as they chant, “from the river to the sea.” VIDEO SHOWS CLASHES ERUPT OUTSIDE SYNAGOGUE AS ANTI-ISRAEL MOB WREAKS HAVOC AT REAL ESTATE EXPO PAL-AWDA group regularly participates in demonstrations targeting Jewish and pro-Israel gatherings across New York City, alongside activists from Within Our Lifetime and the Muslim American Society’s New York chapter, which are also expected to send members to the protest. Al-Awda activists protested outside a Queens synagogue two weeks ago and targeted another synagogue event on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Within Our Lifetime is led by its fiery co-founder, Nerdeen Kiswani, and Muslim American Society members are led by Abdullah Akl, a youth and outreach coordinator for the 501(c)(3) religious nonprofit. These groups have worked together with the network of far-left organizations that have organized anti-Israel protests and student encampments, like the People’s Forum, the ANSWER Coalition and the Party for Socialism and Liberation, which have been funded and supported by Neville Roy Singham, a controversial American Marxist tech tycoon living in Shanghai, supporting the Chinese Communist Party. It isn’t clear if those groups will send their members, but there is usually a lot of cross-pollination. One regular anti-Israel protest participant, Anas Shuaib, 27, told Fox News Digital: “I will be at the Hilton event to stop land theft of Palestinian land and expose Zionist control of America.” The “Jerusalem Real Estate Expo,” scheduled from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday at the Hilton, promoted the event as “the Israeli capital’s greatest real estate opportunities … all under one roof.” MAMDANI FACES A MUSLIM PROBLEM AHEAD OF GRACIE MANSION PROTEST In response, the PAL-AWDA New York and New Jersey chapter quietly announced its demonstration, titled “Stop the Sale of Stolen Palestinian Land.” Fox News Digital sent requests for comment to several of the organizations participating in the real estate event but didn’t hear back, and PAL-AWDA didn’t respond to a request for comment. Promotional material for the protest describe the expo as an “illegal land expo and settler recruitment fair” featuring the “Mayor of Jerusalem,” with the mayor’s title placed in quotation marks. Al-Awda used imagery in its protest advertisement that critics say symbolized the elimination of the Jewish state. The graphic featured a keyhole replacing the “O” in “Stop the Sale,” alongside a full map of modern-day Israel placed inside the “O” in “Stolen,” imagery commonly used by anti-Israel activists to reject Israel’s existence as a sovereign state. The renewed demonstrations are likely to intensify scrutiny on Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who already faced criticism Tuesday night as Jewish and Muslim protesters gathered outside Gracie Mansion to protest what they described as rising antisemitism and the city’s handling of anti-Israel activism. Fox News Digital’s Kyle Schmidbauer contributed to this report.
Mamdani skips Israel Day Parade despite joining other cultural celebrations
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani won’t be attending the city’s annual Israel Day Parade on Sunday, a break from decades-long tradition, despite attending other events celebrating the city’s diverse cultural landscape. Since 1964, every mayor in the city has attended the Jewish celebration, which comes amid record levels of antisemitism and weeks of anti-Israel demonstrations outside synagogues and Jewish communal institutions across New York. Despite his absence, the mayor pledged to provide security and the necessary permits for the safety of those who will be participating. MAMDANI WON’T ATTEND ISRAEL DAY PARADE, BREAKING DECADES-LONG MAYORAL TRADITION AMID ANTISEMITISM SURGE Mamdani indicated that he would not attend as a matter of political principle. He has voiced frequent criticism of Israel following the Hamas Oct. 7, 2023, attack on the Jewish state and, upon taking office in January, scrapped an order that barred city agencies from participating in the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel. “I look forward to joining and hosting many community events celebrating Jewish life in New York and the rich Jewish history and culture of our city,” Mamdani’s spokesman told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. “While I will not be attending the Israel Day Parade, my lack of attendance should not be mistaken for a refusal to provide security or the necessary permits for its safety,” the statement continued. “I’ve been very clear: I believe in equal rights for all people everywhere. That principle guides me consistently.” Fox News Digital has reached out to the mayor’s office. MAMDANI REFERENCES PALESTINIAN ‘GENOCIDE’ DURING ST PATRICK’S DAY EVENT Despite his stance against Israel, the mayor has participated in other celebrations, including this year’s St. Patrick’s Day celebration, during which he compared the historic plight of the Irish to the “genocide” in Palestine amid Israel’s war with Hamas. At the city’s Lunar New Year Parade in March, Mamdani was in attendance with Gov. Kathy Hochul. In June, New York will host the annual Puerto Rican Day Parade, one of the largest parades in the city. While the mayor hasn’t confirmed if he will attend this year’s event, he has a history of participating in the festivities. He was in attendance in 2025 while on the campaign trail, as well as at the Pakistan Independence Day Mela in Brooklyn that same year. He also participated in the India Day Parade last year. During his mayoral campaign, Mamdani said he would likely miss many parades, saying he wanted to focus on core issues instead. Earlier this month, Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist, became the first NYC mayor in decades to address a May Day rally, also known as International Workers’ Day. In October, the city’s Columbus Day Parade will make its way down Fifth Avenue. Last year, he chose to skip the event, which was ultimately canceled due to high winds — a decision that drew criticism from Italian-American advocacy groups, especially after a 2020 social media post resurfaced showing him giving the middle finger to a Columbus statue in Queens. Fox News Digital’s Ariella Noveck contributed to this report.
Fox News Poll: Voters see AI regulation as urgent, rank safeguards ahead of innovation
As debates about artificial intelligence (AI) regulation intensify, the latest Fox News Poll finds that most registered voters believe it is urgent for the federal government to address the issue, and protecting the public interest should take priority over promoting innovation. Nearly 8 in 10 think it is extremely (40%) or very (37%) urgent for the government to address AI regulations. FOX NEWS POLL: FAITH IN HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE US IS COLLAPSING In addition, while more than half say both the federal government (51%) and the tech industry (54%) should have a great deal of responsibility, slightly more say it should fall to the tech side. Another 39% say state governments should have a great deal of responsibility. While voters across demographic groups broadly agree AI regulation is vital and both government and the tech industry have responsibility, there is a notable generational divide on urgency. FOX NEWS POLL: VOTERS SEE WELFARE FRAUD AS COMMON, STILL MOSTLY FAVOR PROTECTING BENEFITS OVER CRACKDOWNS By a 15-point margin, fewer voters under age 30 view regulating AI as urgent (69%) than those ages 65 and over (84%). When asked what regulations should be prioritized, more voters favor protecting public interests (80%) than promoting innovation (19%) by a 61-point margin. While majorities of all age groups prioritize protecting the public, there is still a generational divide: two-thirds of those under 30 favor it (66%), compared to nearly 9 in 10 voters ages 65+ (88%). Partisan differences are smaller, though Democrats (83%) and independents (82%) are somewhat more likely than Republicans (77%) to prioritize protecting the public interest. CLICK HERE FOR CROSSTABS AND TOPLINE While voters largely agree AI regulation is needed, they are split on whether the U.S. should coordinate with other countries: 51% favor coordination, while 49% prefer the U.S. act independently. The generational gap is less pronounced here, as voters under 30 are divided (49% coordinate vs. 50% act independently) while voters 65 and over favor coordinating with others by 9 points (54% vs. 45%). Partisan divisions are starker, as 6 in 10 Democrats favor coordinating with other countries while 6 in 10 Republicans back acting independently. Independents are divided, 50% each. Conducted May 15–18, 2026, under the direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News survey includes interviews with a sample of 1,002 registered voters randomly selected from a national voter file. Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines (109) and cellphones (635) or completed the survey online after receiving a text (258). Results based on the full sample have a margin of sampling error of ±3 percentage points. Sampling error for results among subgroups is higher. In addition to sampling error, question wording and order can influence results. Weights are generally applied to age, race, education, and area variables to ensure the demographics are representative of the registered voter population. Sources for developing weight targets include the most recent American Community Survey, Fox News Voter Analysis, and voter file data.
White House drops eerie aliens ‘walk among us’ warning — but the truth is much closer to home
FIRST ON FOX: The White House has a new message on aliens: They are not coming from outer space — they are already here and ICE is tracking them. The Trump administration launched Aliens.gov on Thursday, a space-themed immigration enforcement website that turns UFO-style “disclosure” language into a live dashboard on illegal immigrant arrests, migrant encounters and immigration operations nationwide, Fox News Digital learned. “They walk among us,” the website reads. “For 60 years, the U.S. government has kept a closely guarded secret. Aliens have been walking among us, living in our neighborhoods, and interacting with us in our daily lives. They’ve shopped in the same stores, attended the same classes as our children, and lived seemingly normal human existences.” “With one exception — they do not belong here.” DHS LAUNCHES ‘WORST OF THE WORST’ WEBPAGE TARGETING ALLEGED CRIMINAL ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS NATIONWIDE Fox News Digital exclusively reviewed the White House site, which packages immigration enforcement data as a tongue-in-cheek “alien transparency” project while making a more pointed political argument on illegal immigration. “This is a first of its kind effort to draw eyeballs to the fact that the previous administration’s porous border didn’t just put families in border states at risk, many across the country were in harm’s way,” a White House official told Fox News Digital. The website features a U.S. heat map tracking “alien arrests,” showing where migrants are being detained by officials, alongside a real-time counter displaying that there have been more than 3 million migrant encounters. Using ICE arrest data, users can search by city, state or alleged crime to view local immigration arrests. The database displays arrest dates, criminal charges, countries of origin and suspected gang affiliations. “Millions arrived under the cover of darkness and embedded themselves directly into our society. Countless presidents, congressmen, and senior officials knew exactly what was happening. Instead of protecting American citizens, they chose to cover it up and even accelerate the invasion,” the new website states. “Until one man finally had the courage to tell the truth. Bold. Unapologetic. Unafraid. President Trump was the first to call out the real danger Aliens pose to every American family, every community, and the future of our nation,” the website said. “The truth is no longer out there. It is right here. Right now.” The data on the site will be updated on a rolling basis, and will also be included on the existing White House app, Fox News Digital learned. LAWMAKERS DEMAND ‘IMMEDIATE’ PROBE INTO ANTI-ICE TRACKING APP: ‘TARGET ON THEIR BACKS’ The platform also features an ICE tip line encouraging users to “report suspicious aliens.” The new website follows the Department of War releasing two waves of declassified UAP files as part of a broader transparency effort directing agencies to search internal databases for decades-old reports involving unexplained aerial activity after years of public skepticism surrounding government secrecy and UFO investigations.
China-linked spy site expansion in Cuba raises alarms near key US military bases
As the Trump administration ramps up pressure on Cuba, renewed scrutiny is falling on expanding intelligence infrastructure on the island that analysts say could help China and Russia monitor sensitive U.S. military activity near Florida. New reporting and satellite analysis of a major Cuban signals intelligence facility outside Havana have intensified concerns about foreign surveillance capabilities positioned near Key West naval operations, Homestead Air Reserve Base and launches from Cape Canaveral. Recent reporting, including a Wall Street Journal report citing U.S. officials who believe Chinese and Russian intelligence personnel and capabilities in Cuba have significantly expanded in recent years, has renewed focus on the island’s role in foreign intelligence gathering against the United States. CHINA’S SPYING IN CUBA SPARKS ALARM ON CAPITOL HILL AFTER FRESH SATELLITE IMAGES SHOW SURVEILLANCE BUILDUP Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently acknowledged that Cuba hosts Russian and Chinese intelligence presence near Florida, while Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., warned the facilities pose “a big threat” to nearby military operations. “They’re 90 miles from our coast. They’re friends with our enemies,” Scott told Fox News Digital. “It’s a big threat. … It’s very significant risk to us.” Analysts caution that highly sensitive U.S. military communications likely are encrypted and difficult to intercept directly. But facilities like Bejucal, Cuba, can still help adversaries track how U.S. military assets move, communicate and operate over time by monitoring electronic signatures and communications patterns. “You might not know what one system talking to another system is saying, but you know that they talk to each other,” CSIS fellow Matthew Funaiole told Fox News Digital. “Over time that helps reveal operational patterns.” Funaiole said the facilities likely are more useful for mapping military activity and identifying electronic signatures than directly intercepting sensitive communications. “That helps you understand where assets are operating, how systems communicate and whether there’s unusual activity taking place,” he said. The renewed focus comes as the Trump administration sharpens its crackdown on Havana through expanded sanctions, criminal charges against former Cuban leader Raúl Castro and tougher warnings about Chinese and Russian influence operating near the U.S. mainland. Scott pointed specifically to military operations at Naval Air Station Key West, which supports military aviation training and testing, and Homestead Air Reserve Base, which hosts fighter aircraft and homeland defense missions, and testing ranges in the Gulf of America. The renewed attention also follows a May 2025 analysis from the Center for Strategic and International Studies identifying new construction at the Bejucal, Cuba, signals intelligence site outside Havana, including a significantly larger circularly disposed antenna array, or CDAA, which analysts say could improve the facility’s ability to monitor air and maritime activity across the region. CHINA EXPANDS SPACE FOOTPRINT IN LATIN AMERICA, RAISING MILITARY ALARMS IN AMERICA’S BACKYARD The Bejucal, Cuba, site has undergone visible changes in recent years. In its May 2025 report, CSIS identified a new circularly disposed antenna array under construction at the facility replacing an older and smaller array previously located nearby. Circularly disposed antenna arrays are used for high-frequency direction finding, allowing operators to identify the origin of radio signals across long distances. CSIS said the systems can potentially track signals from thousands of miles away. Funaiole noted the technology dates back to the Cold War, when the Soviet Union operated extensive intelligence infrastructure in Cuba aimed at monitoring the United States. “CDAAs are old technology,” he said. “But China clearly sees a value” in them. CSIS previously identified similar Chinese-built CDAA facilities at military outposts in the South China Sea, including on Mischief Reef and Subi Reef. Analysts and U.S. officials have long suggested China has access to or involvement with Cuban intelligence facilities, though publicly available evidence has not definitively established direct Chinese control of the sites. Rubio recently said Cuba hosts “Russian and Chinese intelligence presence” near the United States, while the Biden administration acknowledged in 2023 that Chinese intelligence collection activity tied to Cuba was an “ongoing issue” and said Beijing had upgraded intelligence collection facilities on the island in 2019. “I’m not going to comment on military matters or national security threats directly linked to the United States with specificity,” Rubio told reporters May 21. “Here’s what I can tell you. Cuba not only has weapons that they’ve acquired from Russia and China over the years, but they also host Russian and Chinese intelligence presence in their country not far from where we’re standing right now.” “So Cuba’s always posed a national security threat to the United States.” The White House referred to Rubio’s comments when asked for comment. The Pentagon, Cuban embassy and Chinese embassy did not return a request for comment. China repeatedly has denied involvement in surveillance facilities in Cuba, while Cuban officials have dismissed allegations of Chinese spy operations on the island as “totally untrue” and politically motivated. Funaiole cautioned that expanding infrastructure does not necessarily mean large numbers of foreign personnel are physically operating at the facilities full-time. “There’s certainly more capabilities, and you’re going to need personnel to support that in one way or the other,” he said. “But you don’t physically have to be on the ground to benefit from these facilities.” Cuba has long played a role in foreign intelligence gathering against the United States. During the Cold War, the Soviet Union operated the Lourdes signals intelligence complex near Havana, which monitored U.S. military and communications activity for decades. Analysts say the same geographic advantages that once made Cuba valuable to Soviet intelligence continue to make it attractive to U.S. adversaries today. “Physical distance matters,” Funaiole said. “If you’re trying to monitor the U.S. as an adversary, it makes sense to try and have access to facilities in Cuba.” That proximity places Cuban intelligence infrastructure near a dense concentration of sensitive U.S. military and aerospace activity, including U.S. Southern Command in Doral, Florida — the military command responsible for operations in Central and South America and the Caribbean. Funaiole said facilities like Bejucal, Cuba, may be especially useful for identifying shifts in military
Democrat infighting erupts as Colin Allred slammed for defeating LGBTQ congresswoman
Democratic infighting erupted after a handful of prominent lawmakers railed against former Rep. Colin Allred following Tuesday’s runoff election win, citing the Black Democrat’s decision to unseat Texas’ sole openly lesbian lawmaker. Reps. Mark Takano, D-Calif., and Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., co-chairs of the Democrat-aligned Equality Caucus’ political arm, sharply criticized Allred for challenging Rep. Julie Johnson in the Democratic primary for a deep-blue Dallas-anchored House seat. “It’s no secret that, without Julie, Texas — and likely the entire South — will lose openly LGBTQ representation in Congress,” the Equality PAC co-chairs wrote in a statement Wednesday. “Many in our community remain deeply hurt by Colin Allred’s decision to challenge one of our own.” “As he moves forward, he bears a responsibility to help heal those divisions and rebuild trust with the communities impacted by this race,” they added. JASMINE CROCKETT BACKS COLIN ALLRED IN TEXAS DEMOCRATIC US HOUSE PRIMARY RUNOFF The statement marked a notable rift in the party that has embraced identity politics, pitting a Black Democrat who is straight against a White lesbian lawmaker. Prominent Democratic-aligned commentators blasted the statement as unhelpful to the party’s election efforts. “Oh my god, this kind of whining is so off-putting. Straight people are allowed to run for office,” journalist Josh Barro wrote on social media. “Leave this s— in Woke 1, besties,” Tré Easton, a former senior aide to Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., said in response to the Equality PAC statement. The Equality PAC’s attack on Allred also comes as House Democratic leadership has accused Republicans of trying to gut Black representation in Congress by pursuing redistricting in southern states. “In addition to trying to rig the midterm elections, they want to decimate Black and Latino representation in Congress,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said of Republicans on MS NOW earlier in May. CENTRIST DEMS TURN ON FAR LEFT AFTER THE ELECTION: ‘IDENTITY POLITICS’ IS ‘ABSOLUTELY KILLING US’ The Equality PAC contributed at least $484,000 to Johnson’s campaign, the Texas Tribune reported. Johnson also serves as a vice-chair of the group. Allred comfortably defeated Johnson Tuesday by a nearly 8-point margin in the Democratic primary runoff election. The decisive victory ends Johnson’s short-lived career after she succeeded Allred in the House when he launched a failed Senate bid against Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, in 2024. The former congressman chose to challenge Johnson late last year after suspending his campaign for Texas’ 2026 Senate race. Spokespersons for Allred and Johnson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Despite inflammatory comments, Platner holds 9-point lead over Collins in new poll
The intense media scrutiny and Republican attacks facing Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner of Maine over his controversial and inflammatory past online comments and his now-removed but well-publicized tattoo on his chest that resembled a Nazi symbol don’t appear to be slowing him down. A new public opinion poll shows Platner holding an upper single-digit lead over longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine in a race that is among a handful that will likely decide if the GOP holds its slim 53-47 majority in the Senate in this year’s midterm elections. Platner, a progressive candidate backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, stands at 51% support among likely Maine voters, with Collins at 42%, in a Pine Tree State poll conducted by the University of New Hampshire. Six percent of respondents were undecided, with 2% backing other candidates. The survey is the latest public opinion poll to indicate Platner, an oyster farmer and Army and Marine veteran who served in combat in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, leading Collins, a moderate Republican who is seeking a sixth six-year term in the Senate representing left-leaning Maine. WHAT MAINE VOTERS TOLD FOX NEWS DIGITAL ABOUT GRAHAM PLATNER’S CONTROVERSIES Ninety-one percent of Democrats questioned said they’d vote for Platner in the general election, with 87% of Republicans backing Collins. The senator held a slight 47%-44% edge over Platner for the support of independents. The poll was released two weeks ahead of Maine’s primary. Platner is considered the Democrats’ presumptive nominee after two-term Democratic Gov. Janet Mills, who was backed by Senate Democratic Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer and other establishment leaders, suspended her campaign a month ago. Mills cited fundraising concerns and polling woes for her decision to end her bid. But the governor’s name will remain on the primary ballot. According to the poll, Platner stands at 76% support for the Democratic nomination, with Mills at 10% and longshot Senate contender, David Costello of Brunswick, who spent decades working in state and federal government, at 3%. Collins faces no challengers for the Republican Senate nomination. PLATNER CONFRONTED OVER PAST ON-LINE CONTROVERSIAL COMMENTS Platner, who advocates an economically populist agenda as he takes aim at corporate influences and advocates for the working class as he runs for the Senate, has been criticized by Collins and other Republicans as too extreme for Maine. “I believe that will be the conclusion of Maine voters. But, obviously, I don’t take anything for granted,” Collins said when asked in a Fox News Digital interview earlier this month if Platner was too far to the left. But Platner, in a Fox News Digital interview a week later, argued, “What’s radical is somebody like Susan Collins, who, for decades now, has made sure that we pass policies that are going to help corporations and billionaires to the detriment of working people, supporting over and over and over again, illegal and insane foreign wars.” Platner, amid a slew of media stories, has come under fire from Republicans in recent weeks over his past controversial comments from last decade, after he returned from combat tours of duty, as well as more recent comments earlier this decade, that he made on Reddit. WHAT GRAHAM PLATNER SAID IN A FOX NEWS DIGITAL INTERVIEW Platner apologized for his controversial Reddit posts after they made headlines last fall soon after he launched his Senate campaign. But confronted by Fox News Digital last week near his home in Maine, Platner declined to apologize both to voters and a Purple Heart recipient when asked about a deleted Reddit post where he said the wounded soldier “didn’t deserve to live.” Meanwhile, Platner has said he got the skull and crossbones tattoo in 2007 while drinking with fellow Marines stationed in Croatia. He said that he covered up the tattoo with a new design after learning last year that it resembled a Nazi symbol. DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB It’s not just Republicans who are taking aim at Platner over the comments and the tattoo. A few Democrats are also speaking out. Democratic Rep. Jake Auchincloss of Massachusetts this week reiterated his criticism of Platner. “As I said months ago, I find Platner’s Nazi tattoo and his commentary about it personally disqualifying,” Auchincloss wrote Tuesday in a social media post. “If it were me, I’d vote for someone else in the Maine Democratic primary.” The Pine Tree Poll was conducted May 21-25, with an overall sampling error of plus or minus 2.6 percentage points.
Ex-counterterrorism chief warns of ‘major problem’ that could force US ‘back into the war on Iran’s terms’
Former National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent claimed that by having military assets in the vicinity of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the U.S. is at risk of being compelled “back into the war on Iran’s terms.” “A major problem w/ the status quo of having our forces within reach of the Iranians is that we could easily be forced back into the war on Iran’s terms,” Kent asserted in a Thursday post on X. “If we withdraw now we retain the ability to strike from a distance & take away Iran’s ability to draw us back into the war. Thankfully it appears that we didn’t take casualties, we won’t always be so fortunate,” he added. IRAN CLAIMS URANIUM ENRICHMENT AS ‘RED LINE’ IN TALKS WITH TRUMP AS US DOWNS DRONES OVER HORMUZ Kent, who quit the counterterrorism post in March because of his opposition to the Iran war, made the comments when sharing a post issued by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). “At 10:17 p.m. ET on May 27, Iran launched a ballistic missile toward Kuwait that was successfully intercepted by Kuwaiti forces. This egregious ceasefire violation by the Iranian regime occurred hours after Iranian forces launched five one-way attack drones that posed a clear threat in and near the Strait of Hormuz. All drones were successfully intercepted by U.S. forces which also prevented a sixth drone launch from an Iranian ground control site in Bandar Abbas,” CENTCOM’s Thursday post noted. TRUMP SAYS IRAN IS ‘NEGOTIATING ON FUMES,’ BELIEVES REGIME THOUGHT THEY COULD OUTWAIT HIM “U.S. Central Command and regional partners remain vigilant and measured as we continue to defend our forces and interests from unjustified Iranian aggression,” CENTCOM added. Kent has suggested that it would be in America’s interests to withdraw its forces from the area. TOP COUNTERTERRORISM OFFICIAL RESIGNS IN PROTEST OF US WAR AGAINST IRAN “Operation Midnight Hammer proved we can strike inside Iran from the U.S. without relying on our bases in the region. Operation Epic Fury proved that our bases in the region are a liability not an asset. Our bases give Iran easy to reach targets. Pulling out now works in our favor, not Iran’s,” he wrote in a post.
Dems in Maine’s Trump-friendly district back Platner despite party backlash
Democrats running to replace retiring Rep. Jared Golden in Maine’s Trump-friendly 2nd Congressional District are lining up behind controversial Senate candidate Graham Platner despite mounting backlash from centrists within their own party. After Gov. Janet Mills, D-Maine, exited the Senate race in late April, the three leading Democratic contenders vying for the open House seat backed Platner, the presumptive Democratic nominee, ahead of the June 9 primary. Unlike the Democrats seeking to replace him, Golden has not publicly backed Platner and indicated to the Portland Press Herald that he does not plan to get involved in the Senate race. Maine State Auditor Matt Dunlap and former congressional aide Jordan Wood explicitly endorsed Platner’s campaign. State Sen. Joe Baldacci, a Democrat with establishment support, also signaled support in a statement criticizing former Gov. Paul LePage, R-Maine, who is running unopposed for the GOP nomination in the 2nd District. DEMOCRATS BREAK WITH SCANDAL-PLAGUED GRAHAM PLATNER, WARN OF ‘CIVIL WAR’ IN PARTY But the candidates have been largely silent on Platner’s inflammatory social media posts and controversy over his covered-up tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol — issues that have fueled backlash from some elected Democrats. Fox News Digital reached out to Baldacci, Wood and Dunlap’s campaigns and did not hear back. Their alignment with Platner could complicate Democrats’ already difficult path to holding the swing seat vacated by Golden, who won re-election in 2024 by fewer than 3,000 votes, despite the district’s Republican tilt. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the open House race “Likely Republican,” citing the rural district’s red hue and Golden’s decision not to seek re-election. Dunlap, who is seeking to occupy the contest’s progressive lane, is scheduled to appear with Platner at a get-out-the-vote rally next week. The event is being headlined by left-wing populist Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., who has endorsed both Dunlap and Platner. “With Graham Platner now the clear choice, I am prepared to rally behind his candidacy,” Dunlap wrote on social media. “He will be a phenomenal United States senator.” BERNIE SANDERS DEFENDS MAINE SENATE CANDIDATE UNDER FIRE FOR REDDIT COMMENTS “He is the kind of leader Maine has been waiting for, as demonstrated by the strong support he has generated,” he continued. The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), House Republicans’ campaign arm, is seeking to exploit the candidates’ ties to Platner in one of the reddest districts held by a Democrat in the country. “By continuing to embrace Graham Platner, Matt Dunlap and Joe Baldacci have shown a stunning lack of judgment that Mainers will not overlook,” NRCC spokeswoman Maureen O’Toole told Fox News Digital. Their support for Platner stands in stark contrast to centrist Democrats, such as Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., and Rep. Jake Auchincloss, D-Mass., who have sharply rebuked Platner’s campaign. Auchincloss, a Jewish Democrat, has argued that Platner’s Nazi-linked tattoo and his remarks defending it are “personally disqualifying.” Meanwhile, senior Democrats in Washington have largely declined to comment on Platner’s slate of controversies or distance themselves from the Senate hopeful. Melissa DeRosa, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s chief of staff, told Fox News’ Bret Baier earlier this week that disagreement over Platner’s candidacy among Democrats is indicative of a burgeoning rift within the party. “The Maine race really demonstrates the civil war that’s happening within the Democratic Party, and there are a lot of Democrats, moderate Democrats like myself, who will not cry tears should we lose Maine,” DeRosa said. “I mean, that would be a pickup to begin with.”