Hillary Clinton still fuming over Electoral College, calls it an ‘abomination’ in new Netflix series
Failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is still railing against the Electoral College, which cost her the presidency in 2016, calling it an “abomination” in a trailer for the new Netflix docuseries titled “The American Experiment.” In a trailer for the upcoming series, which is executive-produced by Tom Hanks, Clinton remarks, “Well, I personally think the Electoral College is an abomination. For obvious reasons.” Set to drop today, the new five-part docuseries marks 250 years of U.S. independence by examining “how American democracy has been built, challenged, and reimagined” over the course of its centuries-long history, according to Netflix’s Tudum. In addition to Clinton, the series will feature interviews with dozens of politicians and historians, including former Vice Presidents Kamala Harris, Mike Pence and Al Gore, as well as Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. The push for abolishing the Electoral College, which was instituted in 1787, has gained increased support in some corners of the left, especially after Clinton’s 2016 loss to President Donald Trump. Though Clinton won the national popular vote, Trump secured several key swing states that gave him the Electoral College edge, sending him to the White House. WHAT IS THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE? HOW DOES IT WORK? After her loss, Clinton lambasted the system, calling it “the god-forsaken Electoral College” in her 2017 memoir “What Happened.” In an interview with CNN host Anderson Cooper, Clinton reaffirmed her call to abolish the Electoral College, referring to it as “an anachronism that was designed for another time” that “no longer works.” “We’ve moved toward one person, one vote, that’s how we select winners,” she continued, adding, “I think it needs to be eliminated, I’d like to see us move beyond it.” Months before Trump’s 2024 victory over Harris, Clinton again raised concerns about the Electoral College, saying in an interview with The 19th, “We are the underdog, that just kind of goes with the territory when we have the Electoral College staring at you.” Trump defeated Harris both in the Electoral College and in the popular vote. Fox News Digital reached out to Clinton for additional comment. CARVILLE WARNS DEMS NEED ‘SOMEBODY THAT CAN WIN THIS GOD— THING’ WHEN ASKED IF AOC IS VIABLE FOR 2028 In the trailer for the new docuseries, Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., states that “the founders themselves were not in love with the Electoral College” and “it was defective from the beginning.” “We have a problem that a minority of the population, because of the structure of the Electoral College — in some cases, over the objections of the majority — is ruling the majority,” added Lofgren. Discussing Clinton’s interview, director Brian Knappenberger told Variety, “I knew I would be asking former Secretary of State and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton about one of the most painful moments of her life.” JEMELE HILL FALSELY CLAIMS ELECTORAL COLLEGE IS ENTIRELY ‘ROOTED IN SLAVERY’ AND IT COST KAMALA THE ELECTION “She has rarely spoken candidly about that election night and we’re really happy she talked about it for the series,” said Knappenberger, adding, “She has a unique perspective as one of only five people in American history to lose the presidency after winning the popular vote. The 2016 election also stands out because Hillary Clinton defeated Donald Trump in the popular vote by such a significant margin.” Fox News Digital also reached out to Netflix, Knappenberger and Lofgren for comment.
US forces kill senior ISIS leader in Syria: CENTCOM
A U.S. airstrike last week in Syria killed a top ISIS leader, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Wednesday. CENTCOM “forces conducted an airstrike in northwest Syria, June 19, that resulted in the death of a senior ISIS leader,” according to a press release. “The precision strike killed Ali Husayn al-‘Ulaywi and is part of ongoing U.S. efforts to disrupt and eliminate terrorists seeking to attack Americans abroad or the U.S. homeland. CENTCOM forces continue to work alongside regional partners,” CENTCOM added. TRUMP EXPANDS TURKEY AMBASSADOR’S DIPLOMATIC ROLE, ADDING IRAQ, SYRIA AMID MIDDLE EAST TENSIONS “CENTCOM and our partners remain committed to rooting out remaining remnants of ISIS to ensure its enduring defeat,” CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper said in a statement. “We will continue to defend the U.S. homeland, our service members, and allies and partners across the region.” The Middle East is not the only area where the American military has been active lately. NEARLY 200 INJURED SERVICE MEMBERS COMPETE IN 2026 WARRIOR GAMES The U.S. military conducted a deadly strike killing three alleged “narco-terrorists” on June 18, according to U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM). “Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations. Three male narco-terrorists were killed during this action,” SOUTHCOM noted. SOUTHCOM also reported another strike days later. “On June 21, at the direction of the commander of U.S. Southern Command, Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations. Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Caribbean and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations,” SOUTHCOM reported. US MILITARY CONDUCTS STRIKE ON ANOTHER VESSEL CARRYING ALLEGED NARCO-TRAFFICKERS, KILLING 2 “Two male narco-terrorists were killed during this action, and there were six male survivors. Following the engagement, USSOUTHCOM immediately notified U.S. Coast Guard to activate the Search and Rescue system for the survivors,” according to SOUTHCOM.
Commanding general of the US Army in European and African theater is unexpectedly stepping down
The U.S. Army’s commanding general of forces in Europe and Africa is stepping down after roughly a year and a half at the coveted post, Fox News has confirmed. Gen. Christopher Donahue — who also leads NATO’s Allied Land Command — will relinquish his command on July 2, according to a statement from the Army. Donahue’s deputy, Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie, will take over his duties after July 2. Donahue submitted his retirement papers at the request of War Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has sought to shrink the number of generals and prioritize adding new GIs. He is the latest military leader of more than two dozen to leave or retire early under Hegseth’s leadership. “The Army thanks Gen. Donahue for his leadership of U.S. Army Europe and Africa,” the Army said in a statement provided to Fox News. ARMY CHIEF OF STAFF ORDERED TO RETIRE IMMEDIATELY AS HEGSETH CONTINUES PENTAGON SHAKEUP Donahue is best known as the last U.S. soldier to leave Afghanistan in August 2021, marking the end of America’s nearly 20-year war launched after the Sept. 11 attacks. The moment he stepped onto a C-17 cargo plane was captured in an iconic photo taken through night vision goggles. At the time, he was the commander of the 82nd Airborne Division and was brought in to oversee security at Hamid Karzai International Airport during the chaotic withdrawal. The Marines, not Donahue’s forces, were in charge of securing Abbey Gate at the airport, which was attacked by a member of ISIS-K in a suicide bombing that killed 13 U.S. service members and roughly 170 Afghan civilians. Donahue’s leadership of the evacuation, which saw roughly 124,000 Afghan citizens airlifted from the country, drew praise from both Democrats and Republicans, even though the broader withdrawal strategy was criticized as rushed and haphazard. HEGSETH ORDERS PENTAGON TO LAUNCH COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW INTO ‘CATASTROPHIC’ 2021 AFGHANISTAN WITHDRAWAL President Donald Trump attacked former President Joe Biden over this for years, and last May, Hegseth ordered a new investigation of the withdrawal following earlier probes of the operation by the Pentagon, U.S. Central Command, the State Department and Congress. A West Point graduate and a career special operations commander, Donahue led the Delta Force units in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was then picked to be the 82nd Airborne Division commander from July 2020 to March 2022, before being appointed to his current position by Biden in December 2024. As a top commander in Europe, Donahue coordinated military aid to Ukraine after the Russian invasion in February 2022. Officials told Fox News that his involvement in that war has made him the U.S. Army’s preeminent expert on drone warfare. Within the Army, Donahue was seen as one of the most seasoned soldiers with more combat experience than most. He was also thought to be someone who had the potential to become chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, according to The Associated Press. Donahue’s departure coincides with discussions inside the Army to downgrade U.S. Army Europe and Africa from a four-star to a three-star command, according to sources who spoke to Fox News. This would come after Hegseth told NATO allies last week he would be leading a six-month review of American forces in Europe. “This will be a real review. It will be designed to ensure that NATO is moving fast and irreversibly toward Europe leading, stepping up to take primary responsibility for the defense of Europe,” he told NATO officials in Brussels. “It’s a review that some countries will fail and others will pass with flying colors.” The Pentagon and the Army did not immediately comment on Donahue’s exit, which was first reported by The Atlantic. Donahue will need a presidential waiver to retain his four-star retirement benefits, since he hasn’t had his fourth star for the requisite three years. Fox News National Security Correspondent Jennifer Griffin and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Trump heads to Capitol Hill for pivotal meeting as Senate GOP divisions deepen
President Donald Trump on Wednesday will face a Senate GOP hungry for wins ahead of pivotal midterm elections and desperate for a path forward as squabbles and the president’s own abrupt decisions derail their march to November. Trump hasn’t come to the Capitol to meet with the Senate GOP in over a year, and much has changed in the dynamic between him and Republicans in the upper chamber. He’s successfully ousted two incumbents, Sens. Bill Cassidy, R-La., and John Cornyn, R-Texas, temporarily derailed Republicans’ $70 billion immigration enforcement package, and for the time being, has thwarted a bipartisan attempt at reauthorizing the nation’s controversial spying powers. REPUBLICANS BREAK WITH TRUMP TO REBUKE IRAN WAR — BUT IT WON’T CHANGE POLICY “The question is, do we want to win the midterms?” Cornyn said. “And my question is, how do we get all on the same page and get unified rather than squabbling amongst ourselves?” There are several items that could be on the docket Wednesday, including the memorandum of understanding with Iran and the next moves on reauthorizing Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). But Trump’s main focus is expected to be the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, stalled voter ID and proof of citizenship legislation that Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has time and again told the president Republicans don’t have the votes to pass. Trump canceled a planned signing ceremony for the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act — a bipartisan bill pushed by the White House — that was scheduled to occur in the U.S. Capitol before his meeting with Senate Republicans. Republican leaders and their staff were busy erecting a stage lined with nearly a dozen American flags for the bill signing when the news broke. “Today’s Housing News Conference and Signing is hereby cancelled until such time as we pass the desperately needed SAVE AMERICA ACT, which I consider to be a National Emergency,” Trump said on Truth Social just over an hour before the ceremony was to kick off.” Thune was on the Senate floor when Trump issued the Truth post and said as he walked out, “I guess I would say, at this point, I don’t have any observation.” TOP SENATE REPUBLICAN RIPS INTO TRUMP’S IRAN DEAL, SAYS $300 BILLION MAKES OBAMA DEAL LOOK LIKE ‘A PITTANCE’ “Look, we have to be able to get proof of citizenship when you vote,” he said. “Otherwise, we don’t have elections. We have to be able to get voter ID. So John is a leader, and hopefully he can get the votes.” Trump’s appearance in the Senate is spurred by an invitation from Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., who, ahead of the meeting, laid out a roadmap of legislative goals for the next six months, including passage of the SAVE America Act. “We need to make a clear distinction as to who the good guys are and who the bad guys are,” Scott wrote in a letter to colleagues. “We have to demonstrate what Republicans stand for and what Democrats stand for through action, not rhetoric.” Thune acknowledged Scott’s legislative roadmap, and said that when the GOP met “as a family, as a team, that we can look at some of the things that we all want to work together on to try and get done before, before this election.” TOP REPUBLICAN PITCHES TRUMP PLAN TO STOP SHUTDOWNS, EXPOSE ‘BAD GUYS’ BLOCKING VOTER ID LAW “And there are things that I believe will create a record of accomplishment that our candidates can run on,” Thune said. “And that will enable us to take an argument to the American people that will persuade them that they want to keep majorities here in Congress, in the United States Senate, and in the House that are Republican to work with this president to get good things done for this country.” “We’re just going to talk about SAVE America,” Trump told reporters on Tuesday. “We have to get — we have to pass the SAVE America Act, which is voter ID, which is proof of citizenship, etc. We have to pass it. So we’re going to have to talk about that and many other things.” When asked about Thune repeatedly saying Republicans have a math problem, Trump said, “You know, he’s a leader. John is a leader. That’s what being a leader is about.” Republicans’ struggles to pass the package are two-pronged. Democrats won’t support it, and Republicans aren’t united to pass it — points that have been proven a handful of times on the Senate floor over the last several months. The SAVE America Act has become a sore subject among Republicans, particularly as a handful of proponents, spurred by Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, continue to claim a viable path forward when many in the GOP don’t see one. It’s led to infighting on social media and eruptions during the Senate GOP’s closed-door lunches. Whether those frustrations in particular play out in front of Trump remains to be seen. “My guess is, a lot of people will want to talk,” Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said. “We have a lot of people who like to talk. That’s why we have a lot of meetings that really should be emails. But I don’t know what’s gonna happen tomorrow.” Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said that it was likely a “low-stakes” lunch with the president that wouldn’t erupt into fury between the branches of government. “I’ve never been in a meeting with any president with a group of senators that got to be combative and nasty, but maybe that’s not the right meeting,” Hawley said. Some of Trump’s and the administration’s biggest critics in the Senate GOP hope that there can be a respectful dialogue that focuses on their wins over the last year and a half, and what future wins can look like with the few months remaining between June and November. “I want us to focus on all the positives that we’re missing, because too many
Trump to kick off Great American State Fair as 250th anniversary celebrations take over National Mall
President Donald Trump will kick off the Great American State Fair Wednesday evening as part of celebrations surrounding the nation’s 250th anniversary. “President Trump promised the greatest 250th birthday celebration in American history, and Freedom 250 is proud to help deliver it for the American people,” Freedom 250 CEO Keith Kranch told Fox News Digital. “This celebration is about what makes America exceptional—our freedom, our faith, our optimism, and our people. We are honored to welcome President Trump as he helps kick off these historic festivities tomorrow and begin a nationwide celebration of our Nation’s 250th birthday,” Krach added. The fair brings together all 50 states and six U.S. territories for a national celebration stretching from the Capitol to the Washington Monument featuring military flyovers, musical performances and civic programming. Trump announced he will deliver remarks after a handful of musical artists pulled out of their musical performances, turning the bash into a “Make America Great Again Rally.” TRUMP FLOATS REPLACING 250TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT WITH MASSIVE MAGA RALLY AFTER ARTISTS PULL OUT The event is scheduled to run from June 25 through July 10, 2026, celebrating patriotism to bring together the nation for a celebration of unity. TRUMP’S DC BEAUTIFICATION PUSH WINS RARE DEM PRAISE AS PRESIDENT SNAPS LANDMARKS BACK TO LIFE Trump’s anticipated remarks follow his signature last week on a Memorandum of Understanding with Iran, launching a 60-day negotiating period aimed at preventing Tehran from ever obtaining nuclear weapons capability. Ahead of the fair, several musical artists who had been scheduled to perform withdrew from the event, criticizing it as partisan. Vanilla Ice was among the few performers who remained committed, describing the opportunity to perform as an “honor.” The world’s fair-scale event will have pavilions touching on five national themes: Made in America, American Heartland, American Innovates, The American Canvas, and Faith & Family. There will also be a 110-foot Ferris wheel and the refurbished Smithsonian carousel for families to enjoy. The U.S. has hosted over two dozen variations of the world’s fair since first hosted in Philadelphia in 1876, according to the State Department. Freedom250, the nonpartisan group helping coordinate the broader America250 effort, said the fair will feature food, games, exhibits and themed attractions designed to showcase the country’s culture, history and innovation.
Far-left surge: Mamdani-backed candidates oust Dem establishment incumbents
New York City’s socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani did it again. One year after sending political shock waves across the country with his New York City Democratic primary victory on his way to winning election as mayor of the nation’s most populous city, Mamdani tested the limits of his political powers. And he easily passed the test, upending the Democratic Party establishment as a trio of Mamdani-endorsed far-left congressional candidates won their primaries over more moderate incumbents and rivals. Mamdani was the biggest winner on Tuesday, but President Donald Trump also covered his bases, as New York, Maryland, Utah and South Carolina held primaries and runoff elections. DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB Democrats lurching left The mayor’s most shocking victory came in New York’s 13th Congressional District, where Mamdani-backed candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier, a 32-year-old community organizer and democratic socialist, narrowly topped incumbent Democrat Adriano Espaillat, the 71-year-old Congressional Hispanic Caucus chair and the first Dominican American elected to the U.S. House. Espaillat, who has been in Congress for a decade, was supported by a slew of party leaders, including New York Gov. Kathy Hochul. MAMDANI-BACKED SOCIALIST WITH HISTORY OF ANTI-AMERICAN RHETORIC WINS VICIOUS DEM PRIMARY RACE In the race to succeed retiring Democratic Rep. Nydia Velazquez, Mamdani-endorsed state Assembly Member Claire Valdez, who is also aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America, downed Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso by double digits. Reynoso, who was supported by Velazquez, was downed by more than 20 points. “Tonight, we haven’t just won an election. We have declared that this movement is durable — that it is growing, and that it will not stop until working people are no longer asked to just build the table, no longer just offered a seat at the table, but will run the table,” Valdez said in declaring victory. And a third Mamdani-backed congressional candidate, progressive Brad Lander, crushed incumbent Democratic Rep. Dan Goldman. Lander, the former New York City comptroller, ran against Mamdani last year in the crowded Democratic primary field but became one of his biggest backers in the general election. Chevalier, Valdez, and Lander showcased the mayor’s platform of focusing on affordability in a city with one of the nation’s highest costs of living. And all three were very critical of Israel. MAMDANI STANDS BY FELLOW SOCIALIST CANDIDATE DESPITE RESURFACED FAR-LEFT, ANTI-AMERICAN POSTS Lander, who is Jewish, said in his victory speech, “You can criticize Israel and not be antisemitic. You can be an anti-Zionist and not be antisemitic It was a risky bet for Mamdani, just six months into his tenure as New York City mayor, to take on the establishment, but he comes out of the primary as an emboldened kingmaker in the party. Mamdani, who campaigned relentlessly for all three congressional candidates, had emphasized that the Democratic Party “must change.” And on Tuesday night, at the Valdez primary celebration, the mayor said, “Let’s hear it for a politics…that will never forget working people. For a politics that is ready to write a new chapter in our party’s history, and for a politics that realizes the old politics that got us to this crisis, is not the politics that’s going to get us out of this crisis.” Progressive Rep. Ro Khanna of California, a potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender, said that the results in New York City “shows we have a new party.” But the results also give Republicans, who have long cast Mamdani as a radical, more ammunition to use him as a cudgel as they work to hold their razor-thin House majority in this year’s midterm elections. REPUBLICANS RELENTLESSLY USE MAMDANI AS SOCIALIST CUDGEL TO BASH VULNERABLE DEMOCRATS “Tonight wasn’t just a bad night for so-called ‘Leader’ Hakeem Jeffries. It was the night the Democrat establishment officially surrendered to Zohran Mamdani and the socialist wing of their party. Every House Democrat, in safe and competitive districts alike, will now answer to the radicals calling the shots. And Americans should be terrified by where the Democrat Party is headed,” National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Mike Marinella argued in a statement. Trump wins again The power of the Trump endorsement in GOP primaries was tested again, this time in New York. And the president prevailed. Trump-backed first-time candidate Anthony Constantino, a businessman and former boxer, defeated Robert Smullen, a retired Marine Corps colonel and New York assemblyman who had the backing of the state party, in the upstate New York race to succeed retiring GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik. Meanwhile, in South Carolina’s Republican gubernatorial runoff, Trump couldn’t lose. That’s because he endorsed both candidates in the race to succeed term-limited GOP Gov. Henry McMaster. State Attorney General Alan Wilson defeated Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette in a landslide. TRUMP CAN’T LOSE IN HIGH PROFILE REPUBLICAN RUNOFF Trump endorsed Evette late last month, a week and a half before the gubernatorial primary. Evette finished on top of a crowded field of contenders in the primary election, with Wilson second. The field also included Reps. Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman, and multimillionaire businessman Rom Reddy. Since no candidate won a majority of the vote, as the top two finishers, Evette and Wilson advanced to Tuesday’s runoff. Mace and Norman endorsed Wilson after failing to advance to the runoff. And Wilson was also backed a week ago by Sen. Ted Cruz, the conservative firebrand from Texas. Trump, meanwhile, made an 11th-hour endorsement on Friday, backing Wilson in addition to his earlier endorsement of Evette, in what appeared to be a move by the president to hedge his bet. Wilson, who topped Evette by a more than two-to-one margin as the votes continued to be counted, gave a shout-out to the president in his victory speech. “I believe he recognized what we’ve been doing,” Wilson said of Trump. “I think he saw the fight in our campaign and the energy in our campaign. I think he likes a fight. I think that’s what won him over.”
Top Dem beats progressive who likened himself to Bernie Sanders in closely watched race
Bill Ferguson, Maryland‘s Democratic Senate president, beat back a surprisingly serious challenge from a progressive candidate who goes by the social media moniker “Captain Bobby” in what became the state’s most closely watched race. Though state Senate races rarely garner much national attention, Ferguson’s challenger, activist Bobby LaPin, drew outsized attention for his offbeat online presence, where he repeatedly accused Ferguson of being too establishment. LaPin, an Army veteran, charter boat owner and social media personality, pitched himself to voters by saying, “I’m a Bernie Sanders” while calling Ferguson “a Chuck Schumer,” according to News From the States. On Tuesday night, Ferguson fended off LaPin’s challenge, winning 56.6% of the vote to LaPin’s 43.4%. Ferguson’s primary victory in deep-blue Maryland Senate District 46, which is centered in Baltimore, all but guarantees he will retain his seat. MARYLAND LT GOV REJECTS TRUMP’S CORRUPTION CLAIMS OVER MAIL-IN VOTING ERROR: ‘IT HAPPENS’ LaPin took particular issue with Ferguson’s opposition to a redistricting bill that would have eliminated Maryland’s sole Republican congressional seat. LaPin’s campaign website ripped Ferguson, saying he “single-handedly prevented Maryland from answering Trump’s assault on democracy by preventing redistricting efforts championed by the Democratic Caucus of the U.S. Congress, the Maryland State Senate, and Governor Wes Moore.” As Maryland Senate president, Ferguson rebuffed a push by Moore and national Democratic leaders to redraw Maryland’s congressional districts. Ferguson reportedly called the proposed map “objectively unconstitutional,” according to The Washington Post. He also stated that “the legal risks are too high, the timeline for action is dangerous, the downside risk to Democrats is catastrophic,” according to WTOP. TRUMP CALLS FOR DOJ PROBE INTO MARYLAND MAIL-IN BALLOT ERROR, SUSPECTING ‘CORRUPT’ GOV WES MOORE TIES The move drew heavy criticism from many Democrats. Questions were raised when Maryland Gov. Wes Moore conspicuously declined to endorse Ferguson despite Ferguson serving as one of the state’s most powerful Democrats. Despite the controversy and buzz, Ferguson held a clear money advantage over LaPin. SOCIALIST SURGE: MAMDANI FLEXES GROWING POLITICAL MUSCLE AS HE TAKES ON DEM ESTABLISHMENT At age 43, Ferguson has held the state Senate seat since 2011. He was just 27 when he was first elected, becoming the youngest state senator in Maryland history. In 2020, he was unanimously elected president of the Maryland Senate, making him the second-youngest person to hold that office in state history. Ferguson’s background is in education, and he earned a law degree from the University of Maryland School of Law.
‘Party of Zohran’: Mamdani emerges as Democratic kingmaker after socialist allies sweep NYC primaries
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani cemented his status as a political kingmaker after all three Democratic Socialist candidates he backed won their primary races. Major upsets unfolded in New York City on Tuesday night as Mamdani-backed candidates Brad Lander and Darializa Avila Chevalier defeated incumbent Reps. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., and Adriano Espaillat, D-N.Y., respectively. And in the open 7th Congressional District, Democratic Socialist Claire Valdez won in spite of outgoing incumbent Rep. Nydia Velázquez, D-N.Y., endorsing another candidate. The victories for the Mamdani-backed candidates have sparked questions about where the Democratic Party is headed is headed and whether the traditional party establishment’s influence is waning. MAMDANI DISCOURAGES HAKEEM JEFFRIES PRIMARY CHALLENGER, TELLS CITY COUNCIL MEMBER TO ‘FOCUS’ ON NYC Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., alleged that House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., cut a deal with Zohran Mamdani to ensure New York City Council member Chi Ossé did not challenge him, claiming Jeffries feared he would lose if Ossé entered the race. “Tonight’s results in New York City prove one thing, @RepJeffries cut a deal with @ZohranKMamdani to save himself and threw everyone else under the bus,” Lawler wrote on X, alleging that Ossé would have primaried Jeffries. “The Democrat party has officially become the party of Zohran, AOC, & Bernie,” Lawler continued. SOCIALISTS CHEER ‘SHOCKWAVE’ PRIMARY NIGHT AS DSA-BACKED CANDIDATES WIN, ADVANCE ACROSS THE MAP Bad Hombre, a conservative social media account on X, claimed that the Democratic Party now belonged to Mamdani and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., pointing to far-left progressive pickups also in New Jersey and in Pennsylvania primary races. “If you’re John Fetterman, switching to the GOP never looked better,” Bad Hombre wrote. If you’re Chuck Schumer, you’re drafting your retirement speech and learning how to grill a burger. AOC is coming for that Senate seat. Jeremy Carl, a senior fellow at Claremont Institute, argued that the outcomes reflected broader ideological and demographic shifts within New York City, warning that the city had become a “post-American city” and predicting similar changes nationwide. REPUBLICANS RELENTLESSLY USE MAMDANI AS SOCIALIST CUDGEL TO BASH VULNERABLE DEMOCRATS “The radicalism of these soon-to-be Congressmen is going to be a headache for Democrat leadership in the House and a gift to the GOP,” Carl wrote. “The future of the Democrat party is radical and post-American in it’s (sic) orientation. Since all of these candidates are in the world’s media capital, they are going to get tons of attention,” Carl continued. “That isn’t going to play well for the Dems in 2026 and 2028.” Jason Rantz said that the wins for Mamdani Tuesday could work in Republicans’ favor as they work to paint the Democratic Socialists as the new direction of the Democratic Party. “Republicans are very obviously going to take advantage of this, and it’s going to hurt the Democrats nationwide,” Rantz said on CNN. “You could win in New York, you could win in Seattle, you can win in Portland, in Los Angeles. But that’s where you’re going to win. “And if we’re able to define the Democrats who have tried to run away from this label of being socialist, being open borders, being, you know, pro-crime or anti-Israel, if that’s the goal of the Democratic Party to run from that. Yeah, you’re not going to be able to do that anymore,” Rantz continued.
Biden appointee crushes comeback bid by billionaire wine mogul David Trone
Former Rep. David Trone, D-Md., fell short in his comeback bid to return to Congress after pouring millions of his personal fortune into the race to unseat an incumbent Democrat. Rep. April McClain Delaney, D-Md., defeated Trone on Tuesday in a bruising primary battle for a gerrymandered House seat in western Maryland, according to The Associated Press. The intraparty contest was one of the costliest primaries of the 2026 cycle, with more than $32 million spent between both candidates, who had considerable wealth at their disposal to boost their respective campaigns. It is unclear whether total spending eclipsed the Kentucky primary battle that resulted in the defeat of Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., which recently earned the title of the nation’s most expensive House primary. DHS FIRES BACK AFTER DEM BILLIONAIRE DAVID TRONE CLAIMS ICE IS ‘EXECUTING PEOPLE’ Trone, the billionaire founder of the alcohol retailer Total Wine & More, put more than $25 million of his wealth into the race. Delaney, a freshman lawmaker who served in the Biden administration, spent at least $7 million of her own money to fend off Trone’s primary challenge for a second House term. She previously served in the Biden administration as a political appointee in the Commerce Department. Though both candidates had few policy differences, Trone sharply criticized Delaney for voting for the GOP-authored Laken Riley Act in early 2025. Delaney later said she regretted supporting the law, which requires the detention of illegal immigrants accused or convicted of certain crimes. Delaney also denounced Trone for touting support from former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in an advertisement focused on his defense of abortion rights, despite not receiving a formal endorsement. Trone, who represented the district for three terms, previously bankrolled a failed 2024 Senate bid with more than $60 million of his fortune, losing to now-Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, D-Md. He notably endorsed Delaney to succeed him in Congress. FROM WASSERMAN SCHULTZ TO GOLDMAN, DEMOCRATIC INCUMBENTS ARE FIGHTING FOR SURVIVAL Maryland’s Democratic establishment rallied around Delaney’s campaign in a notable display of unity against Trone’s insurgent campaign. Gov. Wes Moore, D-Md., Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks, D-Md., Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., and former House Minority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., endorsed Delaney’s re-election campaign. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., also backed Delaney’s campaign. Meanwhile, Trone touted the endorsement of the state’s largest teachers union. Neither Delaney nor Trone reside in the district, which stretches from the rural, Republican-leaning northwestern corner of the state to the heavily Democratic and suburban Montgomery and Frederick counties. Both Democrats live in the affluent Potomac, Md., suburb near Washington, D.C. President Donald Trump came within six points of winning the Democratic-leaning district in 2024, but national Republicans do not view the seat as a top pickup opportunity. Delaney’s husband, John Delaney, previously represented the seat from 2013 to 2019 before launching a failed campaign for president in 2020.
Mamdani-backed socialist with history of anti-American rhetoric wins vicious Dem primary race
A controversial socialist who once called the United States “a f—–g disgrace” and was backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, ousted a five-term Democratic incumbent in New York’s 13th Congressional District. Darializa Avila Chevalier, 32, is a community organizer who studied at Columbia University where she was known for leftist agitation and her membership in a group called Columbia University Apartheid Divest that would later post “Death to America” on its social media. She defeated Rep. Adriano Espaillat, D-N.Y. on Tuesday. Avila Chevalier, who positioned herself further to the left than powerful progressives including former Vice President Kamala Harris, has faced scrutiny for her stance on private property, police, borders and calls to nationalize large swaths of the private sector in now-deleted posts from 2018 to 2022. In a 2021 repost, Avila Chevalier said that abolishing borders, prisons and police is “possible, necessary, and the only moral way forward,” and later echoed posts that said “all deportation is wrong” and, “Yes, literally abolish the border,” according to one report. FROM WASSERMAN SCHULTZ TO GOLDMAN, DEMOCRATIC INCUMBENTS ARE FIGHTING FOR SURVIVAL “This country is a f—–g disgrace,” she said in a post. “I forgot to get napkins so I just wiped my hand on the American flag behind me,” she reportedly said in yet another. She reportedly called former President Joe Biden a “rapist” and “war criminal,” chastised Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., for his “liberal Zionism,” and said “F–k Kamala Harris.” Despite this, with Mamdani’s backing and an increasingly left-leaning voter bloc in New York, Avila Chevalier secured the Democratic nomination. MAMDANI REVEALS IN RESURFACED VIDEO HOW ONE OF HIS ‘GREATEST VICTORIES’ BENEFITTED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS In a recent debate with Espaillat, who came to the United States illegally before becoming a naturalized citizen and running for office, Avila Chevalier doubled down on her belief that no illegal aliens should be deported from the U.S., even if they have committed violent crimes and served prison or jail time. She also once blasted Black and Arab men for “fetishizing ugly colonizer women,” referring to white women. Despite the controversy, Mamdani, who first endorsed Avila Chevalier in May, stuck by his endorsement and tested his socialist coattails. “When it comes to Darializa’s campaign, I had not seen those tweets and what I’ve heard from her and what I know a lot of others in the district that have heard from her is that her views have evolved and that the campaign she is running on is reflective of what she’s going to be fighting for,” Mamdani said when confronted by the candidate’s controversial comments. “And frankly, when I see a candidate who has a record like she does of freeing New Yorkers who are unjustly detained by ICE, of standing up for the working person who has often been left out of our politics, especially in a district that has so many of the same themes that we’re speaking of today — a fear of displacement, a fear of being pushed out of a place you helped to build — I think that she would be an incredible champion for that district and for the city as a whole,” he continued. Under its geographic boundaries, NY-13 encompasses Upper Manhattan and part of the West Bronx. The district has never been represented by a Republican, and Avila Chevalier is all but guaranteed to win November’s general election now that she’s clinched the Democratic nomination.