Tlaib under fire for working to unseat two Jewish House Democrats in Florida: ‘No coincidence’
Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., is being criticized by Florida’s lone Jewish Republican in Congress as she works to unseat two fellow House Democrats. Tlaib is appearing at a rally in Fort Lauderdale Friday held by left-wing groups in support of three congressional candidates, according to a flier posted on Instagram, including two socialists running to unseat Reps. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., and Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla. “I think that it’s no coincidence that she’s coming to target two of the remaining Jewish Democrats,” Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital. JEFFRIES DECLINES TO BACK WASSERMAN SCHULTZ AS BLACK LEADERS REVOLT OVER DISTRICT SWITCH “It won’t be well received in Florida,” he continued. “How it’s received in a Democratic primary — look, the Democrats are lost. But I’m going to hope that Florida Democrats are smarter than national Democrats because the Jew hatred side of the Democratic Party is not good for America.” Tlaib has been a power player on the far left so far this election cycle as candidates linked to the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) dominate establishment Democrats in key elections across the country. But DSA-linked candidates have also been accused of criticism against Israel that approaches antisemitism, according to the group’s opponents, while being sympathetic to terror groups like Hamas. Tlaib, the first Palestinian American woman in Congress, has faced bipartisan criticism for her comments on Israel and Jewish people. The Michigan congresswoman has denied accusations of antisemitism. FORMER BERNIE SANDERS OFFICIAL ACCUSES SENATOR OF PUSHING MOST ANTISEMITIC CANDIDATES ‘IN A GENERATION’ But Fine said Tlaib was a “vocal supporter of Hamas” and said the far left was making Jews in America feel unsafe. “I think the Democratic Party is lost, and I think it’s dangerous. I don’t know that it’s lost and dangerous in Fort Lauderdale or Florida, but nationally, the kinds of people that the Democrats are nominating, these are people who do not love America,” Fine said of the far-left surge. “They hate it. They are here to destroy it, and no one embodies that better than Rashida Tlaib.” DSA-linked candidates have already toppled House Democrats in New York, Colorado and Michigan. Also in Michigan, socialist politician Abdul El-Sayed defeated establishment-backed Rep. Haley Stevens for the party’s nomination for Senate. DEMS’ LEFTWARD LURCH GETS LEGS AS EL-SAYED’S MICHIGAN SENATE VICTORY SPARKS PARTY DEBATE Tlaib campaigned with El-Sayed and other DSA candidates across the U.S. Friday’s rally is called Chomp the Oligarchy and is being hosted by progressive groups like Gen Z For Change and Florida Youth Justice Coalition. Moskowitz and Wasserman Schultz’s campaigns did not respond to requests for comment on Tlaib’s appearance. Tlaib’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment on Fine’s remarks. Tlaib and other Democrats have previously accused Fine of anti-Muslim racism. Moskowitz, who represents Florida’s 23rd Congressional District, is running for re-election in the 25th Congressional District, which was recently redrawn to give Republicans a better shot in the general race. Wasserman Schultz is running in the newly redrawn 20th Congressional District, a majority-Black district that leans heavily Democratic, sparking backlash for potentially impacting the area’s historically Black representation.
Trump says Karoline Leavitt will leave White House press secretary role, become outside advisor
President Donald Trump announced that White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt will leave her role at the end of the month to spend more time with her family. Leavitt confirmed her departure in a lengthy post on X, saying she made the “bittersweet decision” after concluding she could not balance the demands of serving as press secretary with being the mother she wants to be to her two young children. “Serving as the White House Press Secretary over the past year and a half has been the honor and adventure of a lifetime,” Leavitt wrote. Leavitt thanked Trump for giving her the opportunity to work in the West Wing, travel and represent his administration from the White House briefing room. LEAVITT VOWS TRUMP WILL DELIVER ‘ENTERTAINING’ SPEECH AT HIS RETURN TO WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS’ DINNER “Most of all, I am thankful to the President for entrusting me with the distinct privilege of speaking on his behalf at the White House podium. I have spoken with great pride about the many historic accomplishments of this Administration, and I have relished holding the liberal media accountable and ensuring the American people hear the truth about President Trump’s successes.” Leavitt said becoming a mother again while holding one of the White House’s most demanding public-facing jobs ultimately drove her decision to leave. “Being a mother and welcoming a new baby while working in one of the most demanding jobs in the world has been the most rewarding yet challenging season of my life, to say the least. The truth is since returning to the White House after the birth of my daughter, I have felt in my heart that I cannot be the best mom my two young children deserve while devoting the constant time, energy, and attention required of the White House Press Secretary — and that is why I have ultimately made the bittersweet decision to depart the White House and embark on a new chapter in my life.” LEAVITT RIPS BLUE STATE’S EXPLOSIVE NONCITIZEN VOTER-ROLL ADMISSION: ‘NOT A COINCIDENCE’ Leavitt said she will remain involved with Trump and Republican politics after leaving the White House. “President Trump has asked me to continue serving as a top advisor to him on the outside, and I will always remain a vocal advocate for MAGA and the Republican Party.” She also made clear that she plans to remain politically active. “My fight is entering a new phase, but it is far from over.” KAROLINE LEAVITT ANNOUNCES BIRTH OF SECOND CHILD, A GIRL Leavitt, 28, became the youngest White House press secretary in history when Trump returned to office in January 2025. She previously served as national press secretary for Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign and worked in the White House press office during his first administration. Leavitt recently returned to the White House after taking leave following the birth of her second child, a daughter, in May. Trump separately praised Leavitt in announcing her departure, calling her one of his most trusted aides and saying she would become one of his top outside advisors. “Our wonderful White House Press Secretary, and one of my most trusted aides, Karoline Leavitt, will be departing her role at the end of the month so she can spend more time with her beautiful young children and family, a decision I totally understand and respect!” Trump said. “Karoline will now be one of my top outside advisors, and an influential voice within the Republican Party, as we work to defy History, and conclusively win the Midterm Elections.” Trump praised Leavitt’s work in the White House and on his political campaigns. “Karoline has been a real leader in the White House, and has done a phenomenal job fighting for Justice, Liberty, and Freedom, since 2018, including our Historic Re-Election Campaign of 2024. Karoline has been one of the best White House Press Secretaries in the History of the Office. Thank you, Karoline, for a job well done!” Vice President JD Vance also praised Leavitt following the announcement, pointing to both her effectiveness as press secretary and the demands of the job for a young parent. “Karoline Leavitt has one of the hardest jobs in the Administration — dealing with the relentless attacks from the fake news media. She did the job with grace, wit and a smile on her face. She’s been one of the most effective voices in articulating and defending the President’s agenda, and I’m incredibly grateful to her.” Vance said he understood the challenges Leavitt faced balancing the position with raising a family. “I’ve had the opportunity to get to know Karoline over the past few years, and I know how difficult yet rewarding a constant job like this can be for a young parent. We’re sad to see her go, but I know she’ll continue to do great things.” White House chief of staff Susie Wiles called Leavitt “nothing short of extraordinary” and praised her ability to balance her professional and family responsibilities. “You have taken on one of the toughest jobs in Washington with confidence, discipline, grace and an unmatched ability to deliver the President’s message. Simply put, you are the greatest @PressSec.” Wiles also praised Leavitt as a wife and mother and said she was “excited to see what your next chapter looks like.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio also wished Leavitt and her family well following the announcement. “Karoline has been a critical part of President Trump’s team and has played a pivotal role in the historic accomplishments of the most transparent administration in American history. Wishing her and her family nothing but the best in their next chapter!” FBI Director Kash Patel also praised Leavitt and pointed to her next chapter. “Thank you, Karoline. A true friend and one of the greatest to ever stand at that podium,” he wrote on X. “You handled the job with strength and clarity. Grateful for everything you gave this fight. Excited for what’s next. -DKP” Erika Kirk also congratulated Leavitt on her tenure, praising
Former SPLC official arrested as feds expand case over alleged $4M scheme involving extremist groups
A former top Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) official was arrested on charges Wednesday as federal prosecutors unveiled sweeping new allegations that donated money was allegedly secretly funneled to extremists and used for activities including recruiting members, staging rallies and buying materials for Ku Klux Klan robes and cross burnings. Heidi Beirich, 59, of Palm Springs, California, was charged alongside the SPLC with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to submit false statements to a federally insured bank. The second superseding indictment also charges Beirich with a conspiracy to commit concealed money laundering. Beirich was served with an arrest warrant Wednesday morning, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Alabama. Attorney General Todd Blanche confirmed the arrest during a news conference Wednesday in Washington, D.C., and said the federal investigation remains ongoing. FIRST ON FOX: SPLC’S TAX-EXEMPT STATUS UNDER THREAT AFTER FIERY CAPITOL HILL HEARING “I think, as alleged in the indictment, this individual participated in the scheme as alleged,” Blanche said. “I believe she was part of the effort to open bank accounts and complete fictitious companies names and make payments that to individuals for reasons that were not, that were not accurate as described.” FBI Director Kash Patel also weighed in on the news via X, writing that Beirich was at the “center” of the bureau’s ongoing investigation. “As alleged, Heidi Beirich was at the center of our ongoing investigation into SPLC and their previously alleged criminal activity – where SPLC knowingly misled donors, who believed their money was being used to dismantle violent extremist organizations – when in fact, part of those donations were instead being used to pay senior leadership within those extremist groups,” Patel wrote. The 26-page indictment obtained by Fox News Digital alleges the SPLC secretly funneled at least $4.1 million in tax-exempt donor funds between 2007 and 2023 through bank accounts supposedly belonging to businesses unaffiliated with the organization. Prosecutors allege the money paid “field sources” who were leading or affiliated with violent extremist organizations. Prosecutors allege donor money was used to attend and host extremist rallies, recruit members, grow and create extremist chapters, publish extremist literature and buy materials for KKK robes, hoods and cross burnings. The indictment also alleges two KKK members who wanted out of the movement were encouraged by the SPLC to remain and offered monthly payments and expenses. One of the most explosive allegations centers on a source identified as “F-9,” whom prosecutors say infiltrated the neo-Nazi National Alliance and received more than $1.2 million from the SPLC during the period covered by the indictment. Prosecutors allege Beirich oversaw payments to F-9 while also having a romantic relationship with him, with the pair sharing a home and two bank accounts. FIRST ON FOX: SPLC’S LEGAL WOES GROW AS JIM JORDAN FIRES LATEST SALVO AT LEFT-WING GROUP Between 2015 and 2021, approximately $140,000 in donor money flowed from the SPLC’s operating account through a “Tech Writers” account and ultimately into joint bank accounts held by Beirich and F-9, prosecutors allege. The indictment says the money accounted for approximately 66% of all funds deposited into their joint accounts and alleges Beirich used donor money to pay the couple’s personal living expenses. The indictment also alleges F-9 broke into an extremist organization’s headquarters in 2014 and stole approximately 25 boxes of documents. Prosecutors allege that, with Beirich’s knowledge, donor money was used to copy the stolen material before it was returned and that Beirich used the copies as the basis for an SPLC “Hatewatch” story. The indictment alleges Beirich later paid another source approximately $6,000 in donor money to then falsely take responsibility for the burglary. “The indictment unsealed today reflects the continued work of federal investigators and prosecutors in examining this alleged scheme,” U.S. Attorney Thomas Govan said. “We look forward to presenting the evidence in court and allowing the judicial process to determine the facts and the defendants’ responsibility for the alleged crimes.” Beirich is expected in federal court in Riverside, Calif., Wednesday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. PT, sources tell Fox News. The SPLC has previously denied wrongdoing and moved to dismiss the federal case. An indictment contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. “Taking on violent hate and extremist groups is among the most dangerous work there is, and we believe it is also among the most important work we do. The actions taken by the DOJ will not shake our resolve,” the SPLC said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “We remain steadfast in our fight for justice and in our commitment to ensuring the promise of the Civil Rights movement becomes a reality for all. We are confident in our position and look forward to presenting the evidence and making our case in court.” Fox News Digital’s Asra Nomani, and Fox News’ David Spunt and Bill Mears contributed to this report.
Illegal immigrant charged with brutal slaying one day after California judge released him
A California judge in the Bay Area released an illegal immigrant who had been in custody on burglary charges one day before prosecutors say he murdered a 68-year-old retiree in his Martinez neighborhood. Marcos Iriarte-Valdez had a prior criminal record and was facing burglary charges stemming from at least two incidents elsewhere in Contra Costa County, just east of San Francisco, when a judge in the Democratic-majority county ordered him released. The Department of Homeland Security told Fox News Digital it placed an immigration detainer on Iriarte-Valdez Sept. 23, 2025. The DHS said that Valdez was from Venezuela with citizenship in Spain. “Valdez is charged with murder, inflicting corporal injury on spouse, three counts of burglary, receiving known stolen property, trespassing, entering non-commercial dwelling, loitering, as well as convicted of violation of court ordered protective order,” the department said in a statement. Prosecutors also added three enhancements against Valdez: a special circumstance that the murder occurred during or immediately after a burglary, personal use of a deadly weapon — a knife — and committing the offense while released on bail or his own recognizance. FLORIDA CONGRESSMAN MOVES TO IMPEACH JUDGE WHO ORDERED CONVICTED CUBAN PLANE HIJACKER FREED FROM ICE “CA Governor [Gavin Newsom] must not release this murderer from jail and turn him over to us so we can REMOVE him from our nation,” the department later tweeted about Iriarte-Valdez, who is from Venezuela but reported to have Spanish citizenship. “Sanctuary politicians must stop putting politics above public safety. This type of insanity leads to more crimes and more innocent victims,” DHS said in a statement to Fox News Digital. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s chief deputy director of communications, Diana Crofts-Pelayo, told Fox News Digital: “This individual should face justice for his alleged crime. California takes public safety seriously, and nothing in California law prevents federal authorities from enforcing federal immigration law. The federal government has billions of dollars and substantial resources to enforce federal law—they do their job instead of blaming California for ICE’s enforcement failures.” Iriarte-Valdez is accused of murdering 68-year-old Todd Stewart of Martinez, who had lived on his quiet street for about 40 years, during an attempted burglary, prosecutors said. Contra Costa prosecutors previously charged Iriarte-Valdez in connection with burglaries at occupied residences in April. He was on pretrial release in that case when he was arrested Tuesday for allegedly violating a home detention condition, then ordered released on his own recognizance on Wednesday, one day before Stewart was killed. Prosecutors said Iriarte-Valdez tried to run from Stewart’s residence after Stewart encountered him in a garage, then stabbed and killed him. Fox News Digital reached out to the Martinez Police Department, Contra Costa Superior Court and District Attorney Diana Becton’s office for comment. WATCH: DEM DEMANDS ‘ONE CASE’ WHERE SANCTUARY CITIES DIDN’T TURN OVER ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS; DHS PROVIDES LIST DHS said Iriarte-Valdez was legally admitted to the U.S. during the George W. Bush administration but has since been classified as an “illegal alien.” “The safest way to arrest and remove criminal illegal aliens from our streets is by lodging arrest detainers. Because sanctuary cities refuse to work with ICE law enforcement, criminal illegal aliens are released from jails into American communities to perpetuate more crimes. Seven of the top 10 safest cities in the United States cooperate with ICE,” a DHS spokesperson said, adding that Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin continues to target the “worst of the worst.” A homeowner targeted by Iriarte-Valdez in his April alleged burglary spree expressed shock that the man had been released. FEDS ADMIT FAILURE TO DISCLOSE MURDER WARRANT TO JUDGE WHO ORDERED RELEASE OF DOMINICAN MIGRANT The homeowner told FOX’s San Francisco affiliate his 83-year-old wife saw Iriarte-Valdez’s reflection and screamed, “and I think he took off.” SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER “The judge uses his discretion or her discretion. I don’t know who the judge was, so, you know, who am I to argue?” the man said of the unnamed judge who released Iriarte-Valdez last week. READ THE CHARGING DOCUMENTS: Iriarte-Valdez is being held without bail. Valdez pleaded not guilty Wednesday. He is due back in court on Tuesday, September 1. The judge could not be reached for comment. Fox News Digital’s Stepheny Price contributed to this report.
Tim Scott goes scorched earth on El-Sayed: ‘He’s for Hamas, but he’s against America’
FIRST ON FOX: The Senate GOP’s elections chief said Michigan voters have a clear-cut choice: pick a Trump-backed Republican or support an insurgent progressive who is “for Hamas.” “By going with [Dr. Abdul] El-Sayed, you’re talking about socialism, Marxism, communism, and someone who seems to just not like America,” Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., told Fox News Digital. “The only thing he’s not against, Hamas. He’s for Hamas, but he’s against America.” Scott, who chairs the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), and Republicans are ramping up their rhetoric against El-Sayed, who eked out a win to secure the Democratic nomination for Senate in Michigan last week against the more moderate Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich. PEGGY FLANAGAN WAS MINNESOTA’S NO 2 OFFICIAL AS MASSIVE FRAUD SCANDAL EXPLODED UNDER STATE’S WATCH They’re pouncing on unearthed hot takes he’s made in the past and his proximity to Twitch streamer Hasan Piker in their quest to paint El-Sayed as a far-left candidate with extremist ties. Republicans believe that they have a real shot at flipping Michigan’s open seat after Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., opted to retire. Scott and company view former Rep. Mike Rogers, who was the GOP nominee in 2024, as the man to secure the seat. “I always believe that the wind’s at my back, and I always believed that momentum’s on our side,” Scott said. “And there’s no doubt about it when you look at the underlying conditions that you’d much, much, much rather be Mike Rogers than El-Sayed.” REPUBLICANS GET THE DEMOCRAT THEY WANTED AS SOCIALIST ABDUL EL-SAYED WINS MICHIGAN SENATE PRIMARY For starters, Rogers has President Donald Trump’s backing in a state that he won by just over 1 point in 2024, a roughly 4-point swing from 2020, when former President Joe Biden nabbed the state. Rogers also hasn’t had to deal with a messy primary like his previous run against Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., who eked out a victory over the former House Intelligence Committee chair by just over 20,000 votes. “Two years ago, it was a slog for Mike Rogers. He had a very expensive primary in August, and then essentially a 60-day sprint to the finish line,” Scott said. “This time he has more cash than ever, a better ground game than ever.” “He is a strong, powerful, positive candidate. He is well known in Michigan. And so what we’re going to see as we head towards the finish line is Michiganders will make the right decision for their future, for America’s future, and it will be Mike Rogers,” he continued. “I will say on the other side, it is not going to the past, it’s going to a different, an alternate universe.” WATCH: SCHUMER’S ANTI-CORRUPTION SPEECH DERAILED AFTER HECKLER BRANDS HIM ‘GENOCIDAL MANIAC’ El-Sayed, meanwhile, has dealt with the inverse. He’s just over a week out from a bitter primary fight against Stevens and Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, who eventually dropped out roughly a month before the primary election. He emerged victorious despite being vastly outspent in one of the most expensive primaries ever, and after running a campaign that pushed further left than the Democratic establishment and against Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. Shortly after his victory, Schumer and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., who leads Senate Democrats’ campaign arm, went about stitching together the wounds from the primary bloodbath. “Democrats are united by a common purpose: putting a check on Donald Trump by defeating his Republican enablers and taking back the Senate,” they said in a joint statement. “We look forward to working with Abdul and Democrats across Michigan to win this seat in November.” Though Schumer and the Democratic establishment didn’t back El-Sayed, Scott contended that his rise was emblematic of the Democratic Party’s lurch to the left, particularly as moderate Democrats have been felled by progressive challengers throughout this midterm election cycle across the country. “There’s no doubt Abdul El-Sayed represents the worst part of the Democrat Party, which is becoming, unfortunately, the most consistent voice coming out of the Democratic Party,” Scott said. El-Sayed’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Mamdani’s team said NYPD would accompany his wife on Middle East vacation — cops say that’s not true
The New York Police Department (NYPD) will not provide a security detail to Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s wife during her upcoming vacation to two terror hotspots in the Middle East, despite the mayor’s office claiming otherwise. “The NYPD does not send officers to countries with level 4 travel advisories for discretionary reasons such as personal travel,” a spokesperson for the law enforcement agency told Fox News. Mamdani’s wife, Rama Duwaji, is planning to travel to Syria and Lebanon to visit family in September, according to the New York Post. Both of those countries are on the State Department’s “Do Not Travel” list due to terrorism concerns. MAMDANI’S WIFE CO-HOSTS LUXE MUSLIM RETREAT CASTING VIRGIN MARY AS ‘PALESTINIAN WOMAN’ UNDER OCCUPATION The mayor’s office had previously confirmed that Duwaji would have an NYPD security detail on the trip. “Upon the strong recommendation of the NYPD, the first lady’s security detail will be joining her when she travels to visit family in Syria and Lebanon,” Mamdani’s spokeswoman Dora Pekec reportedly said. But later, as it became clear that the NYPD would not be making the overseas trek, the mayor chalked the confusion up to a staff “miscommunication” when asked about it by news outlet PIX11 on Tuesday. NYPD Detectives’ Endowment Association (DEA) President Scott Munro furiously slammed the implication that NYPD detectives would accompany the city’s First Lady to the Middle East. MAMDANI CLASHES WITH DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS’ PUSH TO ABOLISH POLICE AND PRISONS “Our detectives put themselves in harm’s way every day protecting New Yorkers,” said Munro. “The DEA would never remain silent if our members were asked to travel to a dangerous, off-limits foreign country for anything other than a legitimate law-enforcement or intelligence operation.” “Our detectives are needed here in New York City protecting residents and fighting crime,” he added. Mamdani has a long history of trashing the very police department he thought would accompany and provide security for his wife to the dangerous Middle Eastern countries on New York City taxpayer’s dime. “There is no negotiating with an institution this wicked & corrupt. Defund it. Dismantle it. End the cycle of violence,” Mamdani said in reference to the NYPD in a viral 2020 post on X. “We don’t need an investigation to know that the NYPD is racist, anti-queer & a major threat to public safety,” he said in another 2020 post, adding in a follow-up: “What we need is to #DefundTheNYPD.” JON STEWART PRESSES MAMDANI ON WHERE HE BREAKS WITH FELLOW DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS ON PRISONS AND BORDERS “Queer liberation means defund the police,” he said in yet another post. The mayor, who has also faced scrutiny for his anti-Israel views and recently called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “war criminal” while calling for his arrest, derogatorily linked the NYPD to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). “We have to make clear that when the boot of the NYPD is on your neck, it’s been laced by the IDF,” Mamdani, who was a keynote speaker, said during a panel discussion at the Democratic Socialists of America’s 2023 national convention. During his campaign for mayor of the most populated U.S. city, Mamdani said the exact opposite, explicitly stating that he did not want to defund the police. SEE IT: MAMDANI BOOED OFF STAGE AT NEW YORK CITY PRO-POLICE CELEBRATION: ‘WALKED OFF IN SHAME’ Still, it appears there is no love lost between Mamdani and the NYPD. Just last week, he was booed offstage when he tried to speak at a pro-police event in Staten Island. Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani’s office for comment.
Dem in key swing race missed nearly half her state House votes while taking taxpayer salary: ‘No show’
FIRST ON FOX: Former Democratic state Rep. Christina Bohannan missed nearly half of her votes in Iowa’s House of Representatives during her final year in office as she campaigned for a congressional seat in the battleground district, records show. In 2022, Bohannan missed 348 of 773 floor votes, or about 45% of all votes, according to the legislature’s records, despite stressing the importance “for leaders to show up” three years later. Bohannan is running for Congress in Iowa’s 1st Congressional District, a race the Cook Political Report ranks as a “toss up” in November as Republicans attempt to preserve their razor-thin majority in the House of Representatives. Some of the skipped votes involved bills addressing protections for sexual abuse victims, volunteer firefighters and first responders, Iowa’s dairy industry, agricultural programs, emergency 911 services and juvenile justice reform. IOWA DEM WHO TOUTED ‘STRONG WORK ETHIC’ MISSES MORE THAN HALF OF HER HOUSE VOTES “Liberal Christina Bohannan says leaders should ‘show up’ and then is a no-show herself,” Emily Tuttle, a spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee, said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Missing half your job while collecting your taxpayer-funded paycheck isn’t leadership worthy of a promotion. It’s the kind of performance that would get you fired anywhere else.” The absences stand in contrast with Bohannan’s past comments. In an Oct. 6, 2025, post on X, she wrote that she had the “honor of speaking” with more than 100 voters at a candidate forum representing five Iowa counties. “At a time when so much is uncertain, it’s more important than ever for leaders to show up and talk directly with Iowans,” she added. Similarly, in a 2021 interview with Bleeding Heartland, an Iowa politics blog, Bohannan was described as planning to spend “a lot of time on legislative work during the 2022 session” with the rest of her efforts focused on her congressional campaign. Bohannan served one term in the Iowa House from 2021 to 2023 before launching her first campaign for Congress. BATTLEGROUND DEM CALLED PATRIOTISM ‘SENSITIVE AND CONTROVERSIAL’ DURING DEBATE OVER THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE She is challenging incumbent Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, for a third time in the 1st Congressional District, which includes Davenport and Iowa City, after losing by about seven points in 2022 and roughly 800 votes following a recount in 2024. But Bohannan remained on the state’s legislative payroll during that period. According to state legislative records, Iowa lawmakers earned a $25,000 annual salary in 2022, plus $175 per day per diem for up to 100 days, or $17,500. The Democratic lawmaker has also faced mounting criticism for her past comments and middle-class messaging on the campaign trail. ‘QUEEN OF DEI’ RUNNING FOR CONGRESS RIPPED HER RURAL STATE AS ‘BACKWARDS’ ON PODCAST Fox News Digital previously reported that Bohannan warned Iowa could be seen as “backwards” over limits on diversity training at public schools and universities and “look like a backwater” over restrictions on transgender athletes. Other reports revealed that Bohannan and her husband owned a waterfront Sarasota, Florida, condo valued between $500,001 and $1 million, in addition to a $1.55 million Iowa City home while campaigning as a hard-working, middle-class advocate who understands what it’s like “to still struggle to put food on the table.” Fox News Digital reached out to Bohannan’s campaign for comment.
Tafoya makes ‘common sense’ pitch to disaffected Democrats as she vows to fight Minnesota’s ‘socialist lurch’
EDINA, MN – As socialist candidates continue to score victories across the country and take more control of the Democratic Party, Minnesota GOP Senate nominee Michele Tafoya is making her pitch to voters from all parties who still believe in “common sense.” “We do not want to see a socialist lurch anywhere in this country, and in particular in Minnesota, so I will do whatever I can to stand up against this movement toward Democrat socialism,” Tafoya told Fox News Digital on Tuesday shortly after voting in a suburb outside Minneapolis. “Socialism does not work.” “There is absolutely a home for every voter in Minnesota that wants common sense, that wants a return to sanity, that wants to see kids learn in school again, that wants accountability for this fraud, who wants the fraud never repeat itself, who wants crime rates to go down again,” Tafoya told Fox News Digital. “There is room for you. We are the common sense candidacy and we’re gonna represent a lot more than just conservatives in this state.” Hours later, Tafoya went from Republican Senate candidate to Republican Senate nominee as she convincingly won her primary and moves on to face Minnesota Democratic Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan in the general election in November. MINNESOTA HOUSE SPEAKER LISA DEMUTH WINS GOP GUBERNATORIAL PRIMARY TO REPLACE TIM WALZ IN NOVEMBER When reached by phone after her victory, Tafoya reiterated her commitment to crossing party lines to reach disaffected Democrats. “Our state has been going in the wrong direction at the speed of sound and people who love Minnesota are brokenhearted, and we see that this has happened under the watch of career politicians single-party rule, for many years now they’ve brought us to this place it’s time for change and I think we’re going to appeal to voters across the political spectrum to stand up and say we’re not going to continue to re-elect the people that got us to this place to begin with,” Tafoya told Fox News Digital. FAILED PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE WINS DEM PRIMARY FOR MIDWEST GOVERNOR AMID FRAUD SCANDAL FALLOUT Tafoya is aiming to become the first Republican to win statewide office in Minnesota since 2006. Tafoya’s opponent in November, progressive Minnesota Democratic Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, has drawn criticism over the massive fraud scandal in the state that forced Gov. Tim Walz to drop his re-election bid, given that she has served alongside him since 2019, as well as her far-left positions that include abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). “It is time to hold them accountable, and we’re going to do that by firing them,” Tafoya said. “And we’re gonna hire people who are outsiders, who are willing to come in and fix this with new ideas and not just bend to party politics as the establishment always does.” Tafoya, whose message to disaffected Democrat voters is similar to the pitch Michigan GOP Senate nominee Mike Rogers made last week in his race against his opponent Abdul El-Sayed, told Fox News Digital she is looking forward to speaking to Democrats and independents in the coming months. “When you run in a primary, you’re talking to mostly your own voters,” Tafoya said. “Now I’m excited to reach out to those disaffected Democrats who feel that the party has left them, who feel like they’re homeless politically. We’re gonna open the doors to them and I can’t wait to talk to all those independents and share their ideas. So that’s what I’m looking forward to.”
Blakeman cuts into Hochul’s New York governor’s race lead in new poll, as likely voters give DSA judgment
New York Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul’s lead over Republican candidate Bruce Blakeman is slipping, according to a new Siena University poll released Wednesday, as likely voters in New York also gave a negative 30-47% favorability rating to the Democratic Socialists of America. With under three months to go until Election Day, Hochul leads Blakeman 49-39% among likely New York State gubernatorial voters, down from 52-32% when registered voters were asked the same question in June. “At this point four years ago, August 2022, when Hochul was just finishing her first year as governor, she led her opponent, former Republican Congressman (and current EPA Administrator) Lee Zeldin by 14 points, 53-39%, before going on to ultimately win the election by six points, 53-47%,” Siena pollster Steven Greenberg said in a statement. Blakeman, who is the current Nassau County executive, said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital on Wednesday that “All of the polls we have seen in the last two months have us virtually tied with Kathy Hochul,” and, “This poll is always off and continues to be off.” HOCHUL SAYS STEFANIK WOULD’VE BEEN TOUGHER GOP OPPONENT THAN BLAKEMAN IN SURPRISING SWIPE AT RIVAL “We know and she knows this race is neck and neck. Kathy Hochul is desperate for people to believe that she is way ahead when she knows that her high taxes, soaring electric bills, and increased crime have made her the worst governor in America,” Blakeman added. The latest Siena University Poll was conducted between Aug. 3–6 among 811 New York likely voters, with an overall margin of error of +/- 4.6 percentage points for those who answered the entire survey. Hochul Campaign Spokesperson Ryan Radulovacki told Fox News Digital on Wednesday that “The difference in this race is crystal clear: Governor Hochul has put money back in New Yorkers’ pockets at every opportunity, invested billions in public safety, and stood up against Donald Trump’s endless attacks on this state – ‘MAGA all the way’ Bruce Blakeman, who’s literally campaigning with Trump himself, jacked up property taxes and let violent crime spike to decade highs on his watch – and that’s what we continue to see voters respond to.” The Siena poll found that likely voters believe Hochul will do a better job than Blakeman on making prices more affordable for average New Yorkers, 48–41%, and increasing the supply of affordable housing, 51–35%. NEW YORK SHERIFFS ‘MAD AS HELL’ AS HOCHUL PUSHES TO BAN KEY LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERSHIP Respondents were more divided over the issues of keeping New Yorkers safe, where Hochul led 47-44%, and addressing undocumented immigrants living in the state, where she was ahead 45-44%, according to the Siena Research Institute. “Not surprisingly, both candidates are holding on to their partisan bases, as Hochul leads among Democrats 80-8% and Blakeman leads among Republicans 84-9%. Likely independent voters favor Blakeman by a narrow five-point margin, 45–40%,” Greenberg said. “Hochul holds a commanding 64-19% lead in New York City, but trails Blakeman in the downstate suburbs by eight points, 49-41%. They are running virtually even in upstate, as well as among men and with white voters; Hochul has large leads with women, Latinos and Black voters,” he added. The Siena Research Institute also said it asked voters about the Democratic Socialists of America for the first time. The progressive political group has been exerting its influence on elections across America, with member Zohran Mamdani winning the New York City mayoral race last year. The poll found that the group had a negative favorability rating. “Democrats view the DSA favorably, 50–21%, while 82% of Republicans and 57% of independents have an unfavorable view of the DSA,” the Siena Research Institute said. Fox News Digital’s Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.
Spanberger’s rough rural reception draws Hillary Clinton parallels
Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger was roasted for her visit to a nearly century-old fiddling convention in southwestern Virginia, with the area’s state delegate comparing her unfavorably to failed presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton. Clinton famously surprised the hosts of New York’s “Breakfast Club” radio program in 2016 when she said she regularly carries hot sauce in her purse — a remark critics said echoed Beyoncé Knowles and amounted to political pandering to Southern and Black voters during her 2016 race against then-businessman and reality TV star Donald Trump. Del. Wren Williams, a Republican who represents Galax, where the 90th Annual Old Fiddlers’ Convention took place, told Fox News Digital he was proud of constituents who made their feelings about the governor known peacefully but strongly. DEM GOVERNOR BOOED AT VIRGINIA OLD FIDDLERS’ CONVENTION Williams said it was clear to those assembled that Spanberger was trying to “pander” to rural residents, who have pushed back on several of the governor’s priorities, including the judicially halted redistricting effort and a slew of what Richmond Republican leaders have called “the bad bills.” “[It was] about like Hillary Clinton and her hot sauce – nobody was buying it,” Williams said. Over the weekend, Spanberger and her public safety chief, Galax native Stanley Meador, were booed after Meador introduced the governor. Meador previously served as special agent in charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office during the “anti-Catholic memo” controversy that drew congressional scrutiny. Williams told Fox News Digital that people in Galax and surrounding Carroll County — atop the Blue Ridge and just over the border from Andy Griffith’s “Mount Pilot” area of North Carolina — have felt ignored by Spanberger and said their reaction was justified. SUPREME COURT DEALS BLOW TO VIRGINIA DEMOCRATS IN FIGHT OVER STATE COURT ELECTION MAP RULING “These are my constituents, the same ones that she just disarmed, tried to force into one single congressional district that represented their political views, and lied every step of the way while jockeying for the national Democratic Party nod for her shot at first female president,” Williams said, referring to another parallel between Spanberger and Clinton. Galax, currently represented in Congress by Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Va., would have sat at the edge of the only remaining Republican-held district under Richmond Democrats’ proposed 10-1 congressional map, which a bipartisan group of Virginia Supreme Court justices blocked earlier this year. Virginia’s top state Republican — whose district is not far west of where Spanberger got booed — told Fox News Digital the incident proved to the governor that her policies run counter to what his neighbors want from Richmond: “Southwest Virginians have never been shy about standing up for their values and their way of life,” said House Minority Leader Terry Kilgore of Gate City. “When you try to take away their voice in Congress, go after their Second Amendment rights, and drive up their power bills to pay for a green energy agenda they don’t want and can’t afford, folks are going to let you know how they feel,” he said. Former Attorney General Jason Miyares, a top figure in the “Vote No” coalition opposing Spanberger’s redistricting effort, said in a statement that the crowd’s response was predictable. “Governor Spanberger booed in Galax. Turns out when you break your campaign promise, attempt a leftist power grab pushing an unconstitutional gerrymandering effort in order to silence rural Virginia voices, coupled with massive tax increases, it results in a frosty reception,” Miyares said. WATCH: SPANBERGER KNOCKED FOR ‘BAIT AND SWITCH’ HYPOCRISY AS POPULARITY PLUMMETS AMID REDISTRICTING FIASCO “Spanberger finally had to face the music,” another Virginia user wrote on X. Other critics contrasted Democrats’ strength in Northern Virginia with opposition to Spanberger in more rural parts of the state. “These folks booing are showing how the vast majority of those of us in Virginia feel… not those communists in the blue suburbs of DC,” Diane Cheesbrough wrote on X. “She needs to go and take Tim Kaine and Mark Warner and Eugene Vindman with her.” TRUMP BLASTS SPANBERGER AHEAD OF VIRGINIA MEETINGS, SAYS STATE FACES TAX BASE EXODUS LIKE NEW YORK, CALIFORNIA Radio host Scott Adams added that rural voters “are not forgetting” the redistricting controversy. “Southwest Virginia just delivered the message in person,” he said. “Virginians are done with her,” added former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla. Some observers, however, credited Spanberger with going to Galax and Carroll County despite her weak electoral support in the area. VIRGINIA VOTERS CEMENT SWING DISTRICT REMATCH AFTER DEMS’ REDISTRICTING FAIL “Abigail Spanberger lost [the independent city of] Galax 68 to 32 and showed up anyway,” said Democratic strategist Matt Royer. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER “A Republican would have tucked tail and stayed at home when it comes to events in places they lost, like Jason was yesterday. She won Virginia by 15 and still went to one place that booed her. That is the job.” Fox News Digital reached out to Spanberger and Clinton for comment.