EXCLUSIVE: Inside the secretive mine DOGE helped drag out of a decades-old bureaucratic black hole
BOYERS, Pa. — Deep inside a limestone mine more than 230 feet underground, the Trump administration marked what it called the “Last Day of Paper” for federal retirements Tuesday, giving Fox News Digital rare access to the long-secretive Pennsylvania facility where millions of government records helped keep the retirement process trapped in an analog system for decades. “It was unlike anything I’d ever seen before, which I think is the reaction that I generally hear from lots of people… I believe that many [government employees] have just been constrained by a system that does not allow innovation and does not allow some element of risk-taking,” U.S. Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor told Fox News Digital in a sit-down interview. “The only thing I did that was different than any other predecessor was we gave people permission to actually solve the problems that I knew needed to be solved,” he continued. FEDERAL HR OFFICE PULLS BACK CURTAIN ON SWEEPING NDA PLAN AIMED AT CURBING GOVERNMENT LEAKS For decades, retirement applications were physically mailed between federal agencies before arriving at OPM’s Retirement Operations Center in Boyers, which houses over 400 million paper records and where workers manually processed roughly 10,000 retirements each month. OPM celebrated moving from the paper system to digitized records, explaining the millions of documents languishing in the mine will be shredded. OPM functions as the federal government’s human resources department, overseeing the policies, benefits and personnel systems that affect millions of civilian federal employees and retirees. Kupor said the Biden administration and previous officials had discussed modernizing the online retirement application, but the effort never gained momentum. “The idea of the online retirement application was an idea,” he said. “I think what happened was it never got traction.” The federal retirement system has relied on a largely paper-based process since it opened in the 1980s. Over the years, officials launched multiple modernization efforts, including pilot programs and attempts to digitize retirement applications. Despite those initiatives, the government remained dependent on paper until the Trump administration accelerated adoption of OPM’s Online Retirement Application following Musk’s public criticism of the system. The underground operation became a national symbol of government bureaucracy after Elon Musk revealed its existence last year, calling it “like a time warp,” while in the Oval Office. “Now people can retire as soon as they want, instead of waiting six months for paper to be carried into a mine,” Musk exclusively told Fox News Digital. READ: DR. OZ PUTS ALL 50 GOVERNORS ON NOTICE OVER BILLIONS LOST TO MEDICAID FRAUD Kupor shared that both Musk and U.S. Chief Design Officer Joe Gebbia deserve an “enormous amount of credit.” “It’s a great example to me of the more meta level of what Elon and the DOGE team was doing, which is rethink processes from ground zero, be creative in terms of what the solutions are and recognize that, look, you have to actually make significant change if you want to ultimately drive efficiency in the government,” said Kupor. Iron Mountain provides secure archival storage for numerous museums, archives, cultural institutions and government agencies. Its holdings include materials for Getty Images, CBS, Disney, artifacts related to the Flight 93 National Memorial—near Shanksville, Pennsylvania—and Holocaust-related collections, Fox News Digital learned. TRUMP SAYS ANTI-FRAUD EFFORTS ARE UNCOVERING BILLIONS IN WASTE, CLAIMS SAVINGS COULD BALANCE BUDGET “We have a great team who does a lot of security, and obviously we’re in a building here with other very highly secure agencies. There’s a number of kind of three-letter agencies who also have records here,” said Kupor. “I think by far the benefits of obviously getting off paper going to electronic records. Way outweigh any potential risks we might have from a security perspective,” said Kupor when asked about any security concerns the physical copies presented. Kupor argued that government innovation is key to reducing costs for taxpayers. PENTAGON ANNOUNCES INVESTIGATION INTO LEAKS, WHICH COULD INCLUDE POLYGRAPH TESTS “I think what the president has done and told us is take the skills that you have around innovation and creative thinking and apply that to modernization for the government and if we do that, we’ll not only improve the quality of service, but that is where we get efficiency,” said Kupor. “That’s how we actually deliver more for the American people without constantly going to have to go back to the till and ask Congress for more money.”
Walz post calling SCOTUS girls’ sports ruling ‘cruel’ backfires online as critics reveal what’s even crueler
Minnesota’s Democratic Gov. Tim Walz faced backlash from conservatives on social media after denouncing Tuesday’s Supreme Court ruling on transgender athletes in women’s sports by calling it “cruel.” “As the Supreme Court says states can be cruel to trans kids, my message is clear: Here in Minnesota, we stand with and value our trans neighbors and youth,” Walz posted on X as the Supreme Court was ruling in favor of West Virginia and Idaho against trans athletes who sued to gain access to girls’ sports. Walz’s comment was immediately blasted on social media by conservatives, many of whom are from Minnesota. “What’s cruel is making a teenage girl, already uncomfortable in her own skin, change in a locker room next to a naked boy,” Minnesota Republican state Sen. Julia Coleman posted on X. “What’s cruel is letting our girls get the s— kicked out of them by biological males on the field and lose out on scholarships and more chances to compete. What’s cruel is putting your base above female safety and opportunities.” U.S. SENATE COMMITTEE MAKES NEW TRANS ATHLETE FINDINGS AGAINST USA HOCKEY “Once again you disregard the laws of America,” retired Minnesota State Patrol Lt. John Nagel, running for Congress as a Republican in Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District, posted on X. “You don’t support women’s rights. You don’t stand for anything. You are the face of everything that is wrong with the Democratic party.” “Which Minnesota girl deserves to lose her spot on a team to a male athlete?” True North Legal attorney Renee Carlson posted on X. MARTINA NAVRATILOVA SAYS SHE TRIED TO WARN KAMALA HARRIS’ CAMPAIGN ABOUT TRANS ATHLETES: ‘NOBODY WOULD LISTEN’ “Tim Walz calls it ‘cruel’ that the Supreme Court ruled to protect young girls and keep men out of their sports,” a Republican National Committee account posted on X. “What’s actually ‘cruel’ is advocating for the gender mutilation of children and letting men in their locker rooms you sicko.” “True cruelty to these children is perpetuating the LIE that they can be a different gender,” Minnesota Republican state Sen. Michael Holmstrom posted on X. “The consequence of which is the destruction of lives — and the victimization of girls across the state. The DFL has lost reality.” WALZ APPROVAL RATING CRATERS TO LOWEST LEVEL EVER AND TRAILS TRUMP AMID MASSIVE FRAUD SCANDAL: ‘TIRED OF IT’ “Worst Governor in America,” Townhall columnist Dustin Grage posted on X. “Thankfully we have exposed him and he’ll be headed to retirement soon. Good riddance, Tim.” Fox News Digital reached out to Walz’s office for comment. Walz later in the day explained that his state’s position on girls in boys sports won’t change as a result of the ruling, Fox 9 Minneapolis reported. “The Supreme Court has allowed states to be as cruel as they want to be to transgender people,” Walz told reporters. “They’ve also allowed states like Minnesota to be as kind and welcoming as they can, so I kind of view this as a mixed bag.” “We’re going to view it as a positive considering what could have been done. In Minnesota, we can continue to treat our transgender athletes and youth with dignity and humanity and respect. We’ll continue to do that, nothing will change there. Anything that gets kids involved, I want them to be involved. This idea of folks who have never been to any youth event are hell-bent on making sure some kid doesn’t participate in bowling is ludicrous. I think Minnesotans find there’s a lot of other things to worry about than three little kids wanting to play sports somewhere.” In the highly anticipated rulings in West Virginia v. B.P.J. and Little v. Hecox, the high court upheld state laws requiring student-athletes to compete on sports teams that correspond with their biological sex at birth rather than their gender identity. The Supreme Court ruled 6-3. Now, more than half of the states in the U.S. are empowered to enforce the protection of women’s sports without fear of a legal challenge. However, there are still 23 states, including California, New York and Massachusetts, that don’t have any such laws, and some of those have laws to protect trans athletes in girls’ sports. Fox News Digital’s Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.
Trump takes inaugural flight aboard new Air Force One ahead of library debut honoring famed outdoorsman
President Donald Trump is taking his first presidential flight aboard a newly retrofitted Boeing 747 serving as Air Force One on Wednesday, traveling to Medora, North Dakota, to mark the opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library and promote a conservation push tied to America’s 250th birthday. “This will be the first flight of what I think is maybe the greatest commercial plane ever built. I said to Boeing, what’s the best one? He said, ‘this is the best plane ever built, and you’re going to have the privilege of flying it,’” Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews. Trump is traveling aboard a $400 million Boeing 747-8i donated by the government of Qatar and refurbished for presidential use. Trump is also set to meet with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and other officials in Medora, where he will mark the opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library and promote Roosevelt’s conservation legacy. NEW AIR FORCE ONE TAKES FLIGHT AS TRUMP UNVEILS REVAMPED PRESIDENTIAL AIRCRAFT “I’m excited about the first flight. It’s something nobody’s ever seen anything like it. Even you people, with all your experience and all of your talents, you will never see anything like it. They just completed it. They made it appropriate for a president,” Trump added. “That means the security and all of the different bells and whistles they put on very complex stuff.” He said the previous plane was around 36 years old and Americans should be proud of the new plane. “It would be parked next to the new ones like this. It really didn’t look appropriate for our country… you can do two things. You can low-key it or you can show it,” added Trump. NEW AIR FORCE ONE TAKES FLIGHT AS TRUMP UNVEILS REVAMPED PRESIDENTIAL AIRCRAFT Trump and Burgum will arrive at the museum with a ceremonial Rough Riders horseback escort before touring the presidential center later on Wednesday. Roosevelt was known for his passion for the outdoors – dramatically expanding federal protection of natural resources and public lands. He established national parks, created national monuments and strengthened the U.S. Forest Service. “The nation behaves well if it treats the natural resources as assets which it must turn over to the next generation increased, and not impaired,” Roosevelt famously said, which is inscribed on the museum’s wall. BIDEN-APPOINTED JUDGE ORDERS TRUMP TO RESTORE SLAVERY, CLIMATE CHANGE REFERENCES AT NATIONAL PARKS Trump will sign the “Great American Outdoors Act Reauthorization,” which centers on previous legislation signed by the 45th and 47th president but renews funding in honor of America’s 250th birthday. “As America prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary, Congress has a historic opportunity to reauthorize President Trump’s Great American Outdoors Act and secure a lasting conservation legacy for future generations,” an Interior Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “Reauthorizing this program will accelerate long-overdue infrastructure improvements, restore our most treasured public lands, and ensure America’s iconic places continue to thrive.” The act continues investing about $1.9 billion per year for deferred maintenance projects, such as repairing roads, bridges, trails, campgrounds, visitor centers and water systems on public lands.
Soros network targets deep-red Mississippi in bid to flip Senate seat
Mississippians haven’t elected a Democrat to the Senate in nearly four decades, but powerful backers of the Magnolia State’s underdog candidate believe that by dumping money into the race they can overcome the hump. Scott Colom, a district attorney, is squaring off against incumbent Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., in deep-red Mississippi, and some of his top backers, including billionaire philanthropist George Soros’ top advisor, believe that he is primed to flip the seat. During a call earlier this month with Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., former Rep. Joe Kennedy, D-Mass., and Soros’ top advisor, Michael Vachon, Colom’s backers laid out his path forward. MISSISSIPPI’S GOP GOVERNOR DROPS ELECTION PLEDGE IN HUGE SETBACK FOR TRUMP’S MIDTERM PLAN “Scott can win in Mississippi,” Vachon said on the call. “The conditions are right in a way that they’ve never been before at the national level and at the local level. He’s a great candidate running against a very weak candidate, and people across the country are angry about the state of the nation.” Vachon contended that there was one key hurdle for Colom, “Not enough people know who he is and that he’s running.” “Once people know who he is and know his story and know he’s running, then they want to vote for him,” he said. “And, you know, what stands in the way of that name recognition, honestly, is money, right?” TALARICO TOUTS TEXAS ROOTS AS OUT-OF-STATE CASH POWERS SENATE CAMPAIGN According to filings from the Federal Election Commission, members of the Soros family have donated nearly $30,000 to Colom’s campaign this cycle. “This comes as no surprise,” Nathan Calvert, Hyde-Smith’s communications director, said. “Scott Colom has always relied on the backing of out-of-state liberal elites, and now George Soros’ political network and Elizabeth Warren are openly treating Mississippi as the next stepping stone to enacting their radical national agenda.” Money from Soros also colored Colom and Hyde-Smith’s first clash, where the lawmaker torpedoed his nomination to serve as a district court judge in Mississippi under the Biden administration. WARREN TELLS TRUMP TO ‘SIGN THE DAMN BILL’ AS BIPARTISAN HOUSING PACKAGE REMAINS STALLED IN WASHINGTON At the time, she used the veto power each home-state senator has, known as a blue slip in the upper chamber, to weigh in on a judicial nominee — it’s a tradition that President Donald Trump has demanded be done away with to nullify Democratic resistance to his own judicial nominees. Colom argued that his record as district attorney was “proof of how I make decisions: based on the evidence and the law, not based on who’s writing the checks.” “I’m running a grassroots campaign powered by Mississippians, and the only voices I will ever listen to are theirs, not those of donors or special interests,” Colom said. “That’s the difference between me and Cindy Hyde-Smith, who answers to whoever cuts her the biggest check, while Mississippians pay the price.” “Just ask the fertilizer companies under federal investigation, who gave to her campaign while Mississippi farmers are paying more for fertilizer,” he continued. Indeed, Hyde-Smith has received $14,000 in donations from fertilizer industry donors since 2018, including $11,000 from Koch Industries and $3,000 from Nutrien, both of which are under federal investigation for allegedly inflating fertilizer prices. Meanwhile, Warren painted her vision of what a Democratic majority in the Senate could look like, aided in part by a hopeful Colom victory in November. “I know you’ve already talked about other things we can do here, but we need to deliver by passing the John Lewis Voting Rights Act — guarantee the right to get your vote counted,” Warren said on the call, “ending gerrymandering anywhere in the United States, and, my own personal favorite, it’s time for D.C. statehood.”
One of America’s oldest manufacturers says AI is creating jobs — not replacing them
Before Henry Ford rolled out the Model T, before the Wright brothers took to the skies and before the Statue of Liberty welcomed millions to America’s shores, Corning was already charting a course of innovation that continues today. Best known to many Americans for the glass products that have been fixtures in kitchens for generations, Corning has also spent decades developing technologies that quietly transformed the modern world. From the glass used in Thomas Edison’s light bulbs to the durable screens protecting billions of smartphones. Nearly 175 years after its founding, Corning is once again helping shape a technological revolution. As demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure surges, the New York-based manufacturer is ramping up production of optical fiber, the backbone of the high-speed networks powering AI. The company is also partnering with NVIDIA, the chipmaker at the center of the AI boom, to create 3,000 jobs in two states. NVIDIA CEO JENSEN HUANG SAYS AI WILL RESHAPE WORK LIKE THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION AND THE U.S. ‘SHOULD ABSOLUTELY LEAD’ At a time when many Americans worry artificial intelligence will replace human workers, Corning Chairman, CEO and President Wendell Weeks says the opposite is happening inside one of the nation’s oldest manufacturers. “AI is a huge job creator, and it’s a huge manufacturing job creator,” Weeks told Fox News Digital. He said the AI boom is driving demand for Corning’s optical fiber while fueling the company’s fastest period of growth in nearly two centuries. “As a 175-year-old company, we’re going through our fastest growth period,” Weeks said. “We will probably double our size over the coming years and almost all of our new hires will be in advanced manufacturing, a significant part of them right here in America.” That growth is already taking shape on Corning’s factory floors. NVIDIA CEO JENSEN HUANG: WE ARE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE AI REVOLUTION “As the world develops and tells us what it needs, we’re right there at the forefront,” Emily Capek, planning supervisor at Corning’s Wilmington, North Carolina, facility told Fox News Digital. She said employees are seeing firsthand how demand for AI platforms is driving the need for Corning’s products. “Right now, the world needs our glass optical fiber to support the AI demand we’re seeing,” Capek said. “It’s a great feeling on the factory floor.” Her comments reflect a much broader trend. While much of the attention surrounding AI has focused on chipmakers and software developers, companies like Corning are supplying the glass technology that connects AI systems and supports the industry’s rapid expansion. That investment is already translating into the opening of new U.S. factories and creation of American jobs. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER Earlier this year, NVIDIA partnered with Corning to build three advanced optical manufacturing facilities in North Carolina and Texas. It’s expected to create more than 3,000 jobs across both states while expanding Corning’s U.S. optical manufacturing capacity tenfold. Having worked with innovators such as Apple co-founder Steve Jobs during his career, Weeks said he’s proud to now partner with NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang as Corning helps build the infrastructure powering the AI revolution. While companies like NVIDIA have become synonymous with artificial intelligence, Weeks said many people overlook the role optical fiber plays in connecting AI systems. “The common story is AI being powered by chips, but actually, those chips are connected by glass,” Weeks said. The AI manufacturing boom isn’t just fueling growth at longtime American companies like Corning. It’s also attracting foreign investment into U.S. manufacturing. Wistron, a Taiwan-based electronics manufacturer, is establishing AI supercomputer manufacturing operations in Texas for NVIDIA, bringing advanced manufacturing jobs to the state. “Building in America is essential for speed, resilience and strategic advantage,” Wistron Chairman Simon Lin told Fox News Digital. “Texas offers the talent, industrial strength, and strategic location to help power the next generation of AI infrastructure, while creating durable, high-value jobs at scale for the local workforce,” he added. As America marks 250 years of independence, Weeks said the country’s next chapter of innovation will depend not only on breakthrough ideas, but on manufacturing them at home. “The tools change, but the approach doesn’t,” Weeks said.
EXCLUSIVE: Millions of newborns to receive special Social Security cards celebrating America’s 250th birthday
EXCLUSIVE: Millions of babies born during America’s 250th anniversary celebration will receive a first-of-its-kind commemorative Social Security card under a new Social Security Administration (SSA) initiative obtained exclusively by FOX Business. The limited-edition cards, available only to children born in the United States between July 2 and Dec. 31, 2026, will feature the official Freedom 250 logo while functioning exactly like a standard Social Security card, according to an announcement from the Social Security Administration shared with FOX Business. Unlike commemorative coins, stamps or anniversary merchandise, these cards will become one of the very first official federal documents millions of American children ever receive. Only babies born during the six-month window will receive the Freedom 250 design, making it a once-in-a-generation keepsake tied to the nation’s 250th birthday. FIRST ON FOX: BEHIND THE SCENES OF ARLINGTON’S MEMORIAL DAY TRIBUTE FOR AMERICA’S 250TH BIRTHDAY “Freedom 250 is a celebration of America’s storied history and the monumental moments that have shaped our nation, including the creation of Social Security over 90 years ago,” SSA Commissioner Frank J. Bisignano said. “The next generation of Americans born during this historic year will receive limited-edition Social Security cards bearing the Freedom 250 logo. Under the leadership of President Donald J. Trump, we are strengthening Social Security, improving service, and building an SSA to serve Americans today and in the future.” The commemorative designation is reserved exclusively for original cards issued through the agency’s Enumeration at Birth (EAB) program during the qualifying period. Babies born before July 2 or after Dec. 31, 2026, along with anyone requesting a replacement Social Security card, will receive the standard version instead. FIRST ON FOX: BEHIND THE SCENES OF ARLINGTON’S MEMORIAL DAY TRIBUTE FOR AMERICA’S 250TH BIRTHDAY Parents won’t have to submit any extra paperwork, pay additional fees or sign up for the commemorative version. According to SSA, the commemorative cards will automatically be issued through the Enumeration at Birth program, which allows parents to request a Social Security number while completing birth registration paperwork at hospitals, birthing centers or through licensed midwives. The agency said the cards will be produced at no additional cost to families or taxpayers. The commemorative design does not change a child’s Social Security number or the legal function of the card. Replacement and duplicate cards issued after the initial enrollment period will not include the Freedom 250 designation, according to SSA. WHAT SCAMMERS DO THE WEEK YOUR SPOUSE DIES SSA has issued Social Security numbers through the Enumeration at Birth program since 1987, a partnership with hospitals and state vital records offices. More than 3.5 million children are born in the United States each year, meaning millions of families could receive the commemorative card during the six-month rollout. The agency also warned parents to beware of scammers seeking to capitalize on the announcement. “SSA will never call, text, or email you requesting payment to obtain a commemorative card for your child or otherwise,” the agency said, adding that parents do not need to register or provide any information beyond the standard birth registration process. The commemorative rollout comes as the Trump administration has launched other initiatives focused on young Americans, including Trump Accounts, tax-advantaged investment accounts intended to help eligible families begin saving for their children’s futures. For most Americans, a Social Security card is among the first official federal documents they receive. For babies born during America’s 250th year, it will also serve as a lasting reminder that he or she entered the world during a special moment in our nation’s history.
House Dem urges transparency by public officials after GOP colleague reveals reason for extended absence
Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., said Tuesday that public officials have an obligation to be transparent about lengthy absences, after Rep. Tom Kean Jr., R-N.J., disclosed that his recent months-long time away from Congress was for treatment for depression. Kean had been missing House votes for months before returning on Tuesday. “As someone who has lived with depression, I have deep sympathy for anyone struggling with mental illness. I might not be alive today were it not for a prolonged hospitalization and proper medication. I know the value of taking a medical leave firsthand,” Torres wrote in a post on X. GOP CONGRESSMAN REVEALS MYSTERY ILLNESS THAT SIDELINED HIM FROM CONGRESS FOR NEARLY FOUR MONTHS “At the same time, public office carries a duty of transparency. When a public official is absent for an extended period, the public has a right to an honest explanation,” he continued. “Transparency deepens the public’s empathy, whereas secrecy breeds suspicion. When in doubt, err on the side of transparency. Tell the truth, and tell it early. The public is often most forgiving of those who level with them,” Torres asserted. Kean disclosed the reason for his months-long absence during a Tuesday House floor speech. MISSING GOP CONGRESSMAN REVEALS HE’S ‘MORE ENERGIZED THAN EVER’ TO RETURN TO WASHINGTON “Several months ago, due to health concerns, I entered the hospital for some testing. I did not believe that this would result in a long-term stay. I was given the diagnosis of depression,” he noted. “But, as the over 48 million of my fellow Americans being treated for this illness have come to discover, there is no timeline for healing. There is no timeline for recovery. Only the work of getting better one day at a time,” Kean said later during the speech. SWING-SEAT REPUBLICAN SIDELINED BY ‘SERIOUS’ ILLNESS MISSES 88 VOTES AS MAJORITY HANGS BY THREAD Former Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., commented on Kean’s announcement, declaring in a post on X, “While we can certainly have compassion for him, and should, being in congress is not a right. There are 700,000 other people in his district, and could have done the job. It’s absolutely unforgivable to pretend this wasn’t a dereliction of duty.”
Anti-Trump senator defeated by far-left rival after heated gubernatorial primary
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser defeated Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., in Colorado’s Democratic primary for governor Tuesday, blocking Bennet’s attempted move from the Senate to the governor’s residence and putting Weiser in position as the favorite to replace term-limited Democratic Gov. Jared Polis. Weiser’s win over Bennet, a three-term senator and former 2020 presidential candidate, marked a major upset in one of the most closely watched Democratic primaries of the year. The winner of the Democratic nomination is favored in November in a state where Democrats have dominated recent statewide elections. The result also means Bennet is expected to remain in the Senate, avoiding what would have been a major vacancy fight had he won the governorship in November. COLORADO DEPUTY COULD FACE MASSIVE FINE FOR SHARING INFORMATION WITH IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES “Phil has dedicated his life to the law, justice, and public service,” says Weiser’s campaign website. “As your Governor he will continue to advance the rule of law, protect our democracy, and promote justice for all. Phil Weiser will continue to defend and protect every Coloradan across the state.” The primary battle pitted two high-profile Colorado Democrats against each other — Bennet, a three-term senator and former 2020 presidential candidate, and Weiser, the state’s two-term attorney general. Polis, a Democrat, is barred by term limits from seeking another term after eight years in office. MAMDANI-BACKED SOCIALISTS LOOK TO TAKE NEW YORK PLAYBOOK NATIONWIDE AFTER PRIMARY VICTORIES Bennet entered the primary with support from much of Colorado’s Democratic establishment, with his campaign listing endorsements from more than 200 Colorado leaders, including Sen. John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., Reps. Joe Neguse, D-Colo., Jason Crow, D-Colo., and Brittany Pettersen, D-Colo., along with state legislative leaders and labor groups. Weiser’s campaign, meanwhile, touted support from former Colorado Gov. Roy Romer, former Rep. Ed Perlmutter, former Denver Mayor Federico Peña, former Sen. Tim Wirth and a long list of local officials, state lawmakers and progressive organizations. Bennet argued during the race that he could be more effective fighting Trump and advancing policy as governor, while Weiser leaned on his experience as Colorado’s attorney general and his legal background as he made the case for his own campaign. Barb Kirkmeyer was leading the Republican primary for governor Tuesday evening as the Dem primary was called. Whether Kirkmeyer or one of her trailing opponents, Victor Marx or Scott Bottoms, the GOP nominee faces an uphill battle against Weiser in November.
Ex-talk show host will take on former chief advisor to Kamala Harris’ husband
Jessica Killin won the Democratic primary in Colorado’s 5th Congressional District on Tuesday, setting up a November match-up against incumbent Rep. Jeff Crank, R-Colo., for the Colorado Springs-based seat. Killin, a former Army captain and former chief of staff to second gentleman Doug Emhoff, defeated fellow Army veteran and nonprofit leader Joe Reagan, according to the Associated Press. The result means she will take on Crank, who ran unopposed in the Republican primary and is seeking a second term representing the district, which is centered on Colorado Springs and most of El Paso County, including several military-heavy communities. Killin entered the race as a first-time candidate with national support and strong fundraising, while Reagan, who ran for the seat in 2024, leaned on his local roots, combat service and nonprofit work helping veterans open businesses. PROGRESSIVE MOMENTUM HITS SPEED BUMP AS VETERAN DEMOCRAT FENDS OFF CHALLENGER IN COLORADO MAMDANI-BACKED SOCIALISTS LOOK TO TAKE NEW YORK PLAYBOOK NATIONWIDE AFTER PRIMARY VICTORIES The general election will test whether Democrats can make gains in a Republican-leaning district that includes Fort Carson and the Air Force Academy, along with fast-growing Colorado Springs suburbs. The race drew national attention from Democrats because the Colorado Springs-based district, long a Republican stronghold, has shown signs of becoming more competitive. The Colorado Sun reported that Trump’s margin in El Paso County, which largely overlaps with the 5th District, fell from 22 points in 2016 to 10 points in 2024, while Republican margins in the House race have also narrowed over the past decade. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) added Killin to its Red to Blue program, signaling national Democrats viewed the Republican-held seat as a potential pickup opportunity, even though the district remains GOP-leaning. The district’s current incumbent, Crank, is a former Capitol Hill staffer of seven years, who subsequently moved back home to Colorado where he served as Vice President for the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce, Chief Operating Officer at nonprofit Americans for Prosperity and president of his own real estate investment company, according to his campaign website. Crank’s background in broadcasting includes hosting both The Jeff Crank Show in Colorado and the American Potential Podcast. Killin aligned herself with a centrist Democratic push shortly before the primary, signing onto an initiative that described its signatories as “capitalist, not socialist” and emphasized public safety, fiscal responsibility, secure borders and national pride. Meanwhile, Killin said during an online news conference that candidates aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America “should not be the face of our party,” according to local news outlet Colorado Politics.
Mamdani comparisons follow Colorado Democrat into pivotal House race after primary win
Manny Rutinel, a Democratic candidate for Congress in Colorado’s 8th Congressional District, won a primary race on Tuesday evening, securing his party’s bid to challenge incumbent Rep. Gabe Evans, R-Colo. Rutinel, a member of the state’s House of Representatives, faces one of the country’s most competitive races that could help decide the balance of power in Washington, D.C., where Republicans hold a governing trifecta across the House, Senate and Oval Office. Democrats see seats like this district as a prime opportunity to pry away the GOP’s narrow grip on the House, where they have a slim majority. Evans, the current seat holder, won the election in 2024 by just 0.8%. REPUBLICAN GABE EVANS WINS COLORADO’S 8TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, BEATING INCUMBENT YADIRA CARAVEO Rutinel, a former state legislator, has pitched himself as a Democrat ready to protect government programs against GOP cuts and protect minorities against government overreach. On his website, he lists protecting Social Security and Medicaid, expanding tax credits, ending Trump’s immigration crackdown, and lowering housing costs among his top priorities. “I was raised on Medicaid. It’s deeply personal for me and now Donald Trump and Gabe Evans are trying to destroy it to give tax breaks to their billionaire buddies,” Rutinel said in a campaign video posted to Instagram. “I’m afraid of Donald Trump continuing to destroy our democracy and our economy and making life impossible for working people and Latino immigrants across the country.” REPUBLICANS TARGET 2 KEY DEMOCRATIC RACES WITH MAMDANI CONNECTION STRATEGY Because his platform includes elements like expanding taxes on the rich and universal healthcare, Republicans have made efforts to paint Rutinel as in the same vein as New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani. “Those policies may sell in New York, but Coloradans aren’t buying it,” a spokesperson for Gabe Evans told Fox News Digital when asked about the similarities back in November. Evan’s campaign echoed that thinking in its reaction to Rutinel’s win on Tuesday evening. “Democrats have chosen a far-left, radical socialist, Mamdani-wanna-be extremist — someone who supports eliminating oil and gas, defunding law enforcement, calling farmers and ranchers horrific and threatening the industries that power our economy. As a former cop, Army veteran, grandson of Mexican immigrants, husband, father and the proud Representative of this district, I’ll continue fighting to protect and uplift Colorado’s hardworking families while keeping our communities safe and our economy strong,” Evans said in a statement. The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) also issued a statement on Tuesday evening. “The socialist takeover of the Democrat Party is no longer confined to deep-blue strongholds. The radicals are taking over battleground districts, putting must-win seats out of reach for Democrats and sinking their chances of flipping the House,” Mike Marinella, a spokesperson for the NRCC said. Moreover, the Congressional Leadership Fund, an arm of the House Republican fundraising apparatus, highlighted a video posted to Instagram of a Mamdani campaign rally, offering it as proof that Rutinel belongs in the same bucket as Mamdani. The video briefly shows someone who appears to be Rutinel standing behind Mamdani. SCOOP: HOUSE REPUBLICANS LINK MAYOR-ELECT MAMDANI TO VULNERABLE CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS “What does the CO-08 race have in common with the NYC Mayoral Race? Democrat Manny Rutinel is campaigning in both,” CLF pointed out in one of its ads. Having secured his party’s nomination, Rutinel will face off against Evans in the general election on Nov. 3.