Texas Weekly Online

Riley Moore tromps opponents in heated West Virginia Republican House primary

Riley Moore tromps opponents in heated West Virginia Republican House primary

West Virginia state Treasurer Riley Moore has easily won a heated Republican primary in his home state and will likely be headed to Congress following the November general election. Moore led the closest of his four opponents by a margin of more than 25 points when the Associated Press called the race. Former Air Force Brig. Gen. Chris “Mookie” Walker, who had been considered Moore’s most competitive challenger, trailed in a surprising third place. Both campaigns spent roughly the same amount of money on the race. DC MAYOR RIPPED FOR PRIVATE JET FLIGHT TO GOLF TOURNAMENT WHILE CRIME PERSISTS, APPROVAL RATINGS NOSEDIVE The primary devolved into a contentious mudslinging contest between the Moore and Walker campaigns. Moore’s victory means he will likely be the next member of Congress to represent the state’s 2nd Congressional District, considering election analysts rate the race as either “solid” or “safe” Republican. Moore comes from a West Virginia family with a legacy of holding public office, including his grandfather, who served as the state’s governor, and his aunt, Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito. He was first elected to office in November 2016 as a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates and later as state treasurer in the 2020 election. Moore spent his time in office as a staunch opponent of “woke” environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing standards, which critics say allocate investment funds based on political agendas, such as combating climate change. And he ran as a proponent of America First policies. He was also an early supporter of former President Trump’s current bid for the White House, endorsing him in February 2023. Moore will face Democratic nominee and Navy veteran Steven Wendelin in November. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Blinken, guitar in hand, sings ‘Rockin’ in the Free World’ in Kyiv bar during Ukraine trip

Blinken, guitar in hand, sings ‘Rockin’ in the Free World’ in Kyiv bar during Ukraine trip

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday took the stage at a bar in Ukraine’s capital to play guitar and sing Neil Young’s 1989 hit “Rockin’ in the Free World” with a local band. The jam session came a day after Blinken spent a day meeting with senior officials, civil society figures and university students when he exhorted them against being discouraged in their ongoing fight against Russia.  Blinken assured Ukrainians on his visit that they are not alone and that billions of dollars in American military aid on its way after months of political delays will make a “real difference” on the battlefield. The performance, and a series of sunny comments from Blinken about Ukraine’s battlefield prospects, was a startling juxtaposition to what analysts have called one of the most dangerous moments for Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. US TREASURY PUTS SANCTIONS ON 1 RUSSIAN MAN, 3 COMPANIES FOR ATTEMPTING TO EVADE SANCTIONS Russian forces have taken swaths of territory along Ukraine’s northeast border, and thousands of civilians in the Kharkiv region have fled the increasingly intense attacks. BLINKEN MAKES UNANNOUNCED DIPLOMATIC TRIP TO UKRAINE AFTER CONGRESS APPROVES $60B IN MILITARY AID Blinken told Ukrainian leaders during his visit to Kyiv that despite a lengthy delay in U.S. military aid that left them vulnerable to these renewed Russian military strikes, more weaponry is coming and some has already arrived. He made the case even as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appealed to him personally for more air defense systems to protect civilians under intense Russian fire in the northeast. Blinken, on his fourth trip to Kyiv since the war began, also lambasted Russian President Vladimir Putin for underestimating Ukraine’s determination to fight back. Despite his assurances, Moscow’s troops have captured around 40 to 50 square miles in recent days in the northeast Kharkiv region, including at least seven villages, according to open-source monitoring analysts.  “We know this is a challenging time,” Blinken told Zelenskyy after arriving on an overnight train from Poland. But, he added that U.S. military aid is “going to make a real difference against the ongoing Russian aggression on the battlefield.” Congress approved a long-delayed foreign assistance package last month that sets aside $60 billion in aid for Ukraine, much of which will go toward replenishing badly depleted artillery and air defense systems. Since then, the Biden administration has announced $1.4 billion in short-term military assistance and $6 billion in longer-term support. Zelenskyy thanked Blinken for the aid but said more is necessary, including two Patriot air defense systems urgently needed to protect Kharkiv. The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Larry Hogan wins Republican Senate primary in Maryland; GOP aims to flip Democratic-held seat

Larry Hogan wins Republican Senate primary in Maryland; GOP aims to flip Democratic-held seat

It’s on to the general election for Larry Hogan after the former two-term Republican governor was quickly declared the winner of the GOP Senate primary in blue-state Maryland. The Associated Press projected Hogan would win the nomination just over 30 minutes after the polls closed in Maryland at 8 p.m. ET. He now advances to a general election showdown that may decide whether the Republicans win back the Senate majority in November. The general election winner will succeed retiring longtime Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin. With Democrats hoping to protect their fragile Senate majority, Hogan’s late entry into the race in February gave them an unexpected headache in a state previously considered safe territory. Hogan, who left office at the beginning of 2023 with positive approval and favorable ratings, was considered the overwhelming favorite for the GOP nomination in a field that included roughly half a dozen candidates. CONTENTIOUS PRIMARIES IN THREE STATES SET UP CRUCIAL GENERAL ELECTION SHOWDOWNS Hogan will face off in November against either three-term Rep. David Trone, one of the wealthiest members of Congress, or Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, who steers Maryland’s second-most populous county. Trone and Alsobrooks were the clear frontrunners in a crowded Democratic primary race that turned into a combustible fight over whether electability outweighs diversity. WHY SENATE GOP CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE CHAIR IS CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC ABOUT WINNING BACK MAJORITY Trone, the co-founder and co-owner of Total Wine and More, invested more than $50 million of his own money in his primary campaign. “The polls say I’m the only candidate who can beat Larry Hogan. And I intend to use every ounce of my energy to do just that. The stakes are just too damn high,” he said in one of his final ads. While Trone massively outspent Alsobrooks, she enjoyed the backing of much of the state’s Democratic establishment, including endorsements from Gov. Wes Moore, Sen. Chris Van Hollen and five House members. Alsobrooks, pushing back in a recent ad on insinuations from Trone that she’s not experienced enough to handle the Senate, argued that “while my opponent focuses on fighting, I’ll focus on working for you.” While Democrats control the Senate by a razor-thin 51-49 margin, Republicans are looking at a favorable election map this year with Democrats defending 23 of the 34 seats up for grabs. Three of those seats are in red states that former President Trump carried in 2020 — Ohio, Montana and West Virginia, where Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin is not running for re-election. Five more are in crucial general election battleground states. Now Democrats will be forced to spend time and resources defending the open Senate seat in Maryland. Hogan, a successful business leader before entering politics, won the governorship in 2014 and was re-elected to a second term in 2018. But he faces a steep uphill climb as he runs for the Senate during a presidential election year in the overwhelmingly blue state. While the GOP has had success in gubernatorial elections, no Republican has won a Senate election in Maryland in nearly four decades. “It’s much more difficult effort than anything I’ve done before. It’s almost never happened,” the 67-year-old Hogan acknowledged in an interview with Fox News’ Mark Meredith. “I’m an underdog. No question about that. And that’s why we’re working hard.” The Senate Democrats’ campaign committee is spotlighting that if elected, Hogan would caucus with Republicans and that his victory could give the majority in the chamber to the GOP. “Marylanders know that a vote for Republican Larry Hogan is a vote to turn the Senate over to Republicans so they can pass a national abortion ban and push forward Republicans’ extreme policies. That’s a disqualifying agenda for Maryland voters. Democrats have won every statewide federal election in Maryland for the past 40 years, and 2024 will be no different,” Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spokesperson Amanda Sherman Baity told Fox News in a statement. Hogan, a vocal critic of former Preisdent Trump, mulled a run for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination and made numerous trips in 2022 to New Hampshire, the state that holds the first primary in the GOP nominating calendar. But in March of last year, Hogan announced he wouldn’t seek his party’s nomination. During his last year as governor, Republican leaders in the nation’s capital and in Maryland heavily courted Hogan to run for the Senate in the 2022 midterm elections. But Hogan declined, saying in a news conference in February that year that “as I have repeatedly said, I don’t aspire to be a United States senator.” Fast-forward two years and Hogan changed his mind after another full-court press by national Republican leaders. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice wins Senate GOP primary

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice wins Senate GOP primary

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice sailed to victory in the state’s Senate Republican primary on Tuesday evening, boosting the GOP’s already-high hopes of flipping the critical seat. Justice had been the favorite to win ever since he entered the race last year.  He beat out a crowded primary field that included House Rep. Alex Mooney, R-W. Va., Justice’s leading opponent, who is a member of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus. Mooney had consistently sought to paint Justice as a “RINO,” or a “Republican In Name Only.” But it appears that Justice’s popularity in the state and pivot to the right were enough to overwhelm attacks against his credibility in the GOP. WHY SENATE GOP CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE CHAIR IS CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC ABOUT WINNING BACK MAJORITY Justice is a former Democrat who announced he was switching party affiliations on stage during a rally with former President Trump in 2017. Trump announced in October that he was backing Justice, writing on Truth Social, “Big Jim Justice, the Governor of the Great State of West Virginia (I LOVE WEST VIRGINIA!), is BIG in every way, but especially in his wonderful HEART! Strong on the Border, our Great Military & Vets, CLEAN COAL & Energy Dominance, the Economy, Stopping Inflation, & Protecting our 2nd Amendment, Big Jim will be a Great UNITED STATES SENATOR, and has my Complete & Total Endorsement. HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!!!” THIS SENATE CANDIDATE CAUGHT ON CAMERA SCREAMING AT REPORTER The ex-president swept West Virginia by roughly 40 points in the 2020 presidential election. Justice’s victory on Tuesday night also gives Republicans good odds of winning the state’s Senate seat in November, particularly because of Sen. Joe Manchin’s decision not to seek re-election. Manchin, D-W.Va., a moderate Democrat who’s fended off past challenges in an increasingly red state, revealed in November 2023 that this Senate term would be his last. TRUMP EDGES BIDEN IN THESE KEY BATTLEGROUND STATES Justice had said in response to Manchin’s announcement, “Senator Joe Manchin and I have not always agreed on policy and politics, but we’re both lifelong West Virginians who love this state beyond belief, and I respect and thank him for his many years of public service.” Mooney had been endorsed by the conservative group Club For Growth. In addition to Trump, Justice’s backers included the Senate GOP’s campaign arm, the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), and the Senate Leadership Fund, an outside group linked to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.