California voters shoot down proposed ban on forced prison labor
California voters shut down a ballot effort that would have banned the use of forced labor as a punishment for crime in the state. The measure, known as Proposition 6, would have amended the state’s constitution to ban forced labor in all circumstances. The state’s constitution currently allows for an exception for forced labor bans in the case of punishment for crimes. The measure was part of a wider movement among far-left Democrats in California who want the state to atone for past racism against Black residents. Activists previously failed to push through reparations bills in September. A representative for Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., who supported the measure, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. NATHAN HOCHMAN OUSTS EMBATTLED LIBERAL PROSECUTOR GEORGE GASCON AS LA COUNTY DA AMID CRIME CONCERNS Democratic assembly member Lori Wilson, who helped push the ballot measure, addressed the failure in a statement. “While it’s disappointing that our measure to remove slavery from California’s constitution was not approved by the voters, this setback does not end the fight,” Wilson wrote in a statement. “Together, we will continue pushing forward to ensure that our state’s constitution reflects the values of equality and freedom that all Californians deserve.” The measure’s failure comes months after a pair of reparations-related bills for the descendants of enslaved Black Americans failed to pass in the California legislature in early September. Authored by Democrat state Sen. Steven Bradford of Inglewood, Senate Bill 1331 would have created a new state fund for reparations, while Senate Bill 1403 would have established a state agency to oversee these efforts and determine who would be eligible. PELOSI PRAISES CA BILL GIVING ILLEGAL MIGRANTS MONEY TO BUY HOMES: ‘AMERICAN DREAM’ ‘AVAILABLE TO MORE PEOPLE’ These measures were considered key components of some lawmakers’ ambitious efforts to pass legislation aimed at atoning for what they said was a legacy of racist policies that drove disparities for Black people, from housing to education to health. Bradford said the bills didn’t move forward out of fear that Gov. Gavin Newsom would veto them. “We’re at the finish line, and we, as the Black Caucus, owe it to the descendants of chattel slavery, to Black Californians and Black Americans, to move this legislation forward,” Bradford said, urging his colleagues to reconsider Saturday afternoon.
Trump to install ‘energy czar’ to dismantle Biden climate rules: report
President-elect Donald Trump reportedly plans to install an “energy czar” to scale back energy and climate regulations implemented under the Biden administration. Six sources familiar with Trump’s transition team told the New York Times that a series of executive orders and presidential proclamations have been drafted related to climate and energy, aimed at rolling back Biden-era clean energy regulations that some critics argue have hurt the economy. Other plans Trump and his transition team are reportedly discussing include installing an “energy czar” to help cut regulations on domestic energy production and potentially moving the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) headquarters outside of Washington, D.C. “The American people re-elected President Trump by a resounding margin giving him a mandate to implement the promises he made on the campaign trail,” Trump-Vance transition spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told Fox News Digital when asked to confirm the details about Trump’s reported plans. “He will deliver.” News of the policy plans from Trump and his transition team comes amid speculation over who will staff his various agencies, including those governing environmental policies. The Times suggested that former Republican presidential candidate and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum was being floated as a potential candidate to be Trump’s “energy czar.” The outlet also pointed to Dan Brouillette, who served as Trump’s energy secretary during his first tenure as president. US TO TIGHTEN RESTRICTIONS ON ENERGY DEVELOPMENT TO PROTECT STRUGGLING SAGE GROUSE “President-elect Trump will begin making decisions on who will serve in his second administration soon,” Leavitt told the Times when it reached out to confirm details about the new post. “Those decisions will be announced when they are made.” Besides plans to install an “energy czar” and potentially move the EPA’s headquarters out of Washington, the potential executive actions reportedly drafted by Trump’s transition team would pull the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Agreement, expand drilling and mining on federal lands, and would loosen regulations around fossil fuel pollution. BIDEN-HARRIS EPA FUNDING ‘RADICAL, LEFT-LEANING’ ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS CALLING TO END FOSSIL FUELS: REPORT Prior to the Times’ report on Trump’s potential energy policy plans, the president-elect said while running his campaign that he would peel back Biden administration regulations intended to cut carbon emissions, and has also said he would stymie green energy initiatives within Biden’s signature climate legislation, the Inflation Reduction Act. “The green agenda is an elitist agenda,” Trump transition team co-chairman Howard Lutnick told Fox Business’s Maria Bartiromo. “Who is the strongest? Where? The Ivy League on the East Coast. Right? They’re the ones that are [pushing] climate change.” Lutnick added that “real” Americans are “not talking climate change” but are focused on kitchen-table issues impacting their pocketbooks.
Trump’s ‘border czar’ warns Dem govs rejecting Trump deportation plan: ‘Get the hell out of the way’
Thomas Homan, who President-elect Donald Trump appointed as “border czar” on Sunday night, has a clear message for any Democratic governors who oppose the planned mass deportation operation. “If they’re not willing to help, then get the hell out of the way because [Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)] is going to do their job,” Homan, who was acting ICE director during the first Trump administration, told Fox News Digital in an interview on Friday. Trump announced on Sunday that Homan will be appointed “border czar” and would be in charge of the borders and “all Deportation of Illegal Aliens back to their country of origin” in the new administration. DEM GOVERNOR THREATENS TO USE ‘EVERY TOOL’ TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST TRUMP-ERA DEPORTATIONS Before that announcement, Fox News asked Homan about comments by Democratic governors who have indicated they will not work with the administration on the mass deportation of illegal immigrants. Mass. Gov. Maura Healey said last week that “every tool in the tool box has got to be used to protect our citizens, to protect our residents and protect our states and to hold the line on democracy and the rule of law as a basic principle.” “No. Absolutely not,” she said last week when asked if state police would help with deportations. Homan, a Fox News contributor, suspects some “sanctuary” jurisdictions will work with the administration. “They’re not going to say it, but with all the alien crime and the young women being sexually assaulted and murdered, some sheriffs have been coming forward and working with us behind the scenes,” he said. However, while he said it would be useful to have the “force multiplier” of assistance from state and local governments, and for agents to have access to county jails where serious illegal immigrant criminals are locked up, he said that a lack of that aid would not stop the operations. “If you don’t want to work with us, then get the hell out all the way, we’re going to do it. What it means is, rather than send 100 people to Boston, we’re going to send 200 agents to Boston. We’re going to get the job done,” he said. “We have a mandate. I think the American people just gave President Trump a mandate. That’s why he’s elected — to secure the border, save lives and deport people, especially national security threats and public safety threats. So if you’re not going to help us, step aside, but don’t get in our way, because there will be consequences.” Homan said that the immediate focus will be on those illegal immigrants with criminal convictions or charges, as had been the focus under the first Trump administration. ‘LIBERATION DAY’: WHAT TO EXPECT FROM PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP ON BORDER SECURITY, IMMIGRATION “It’s not going to be a massive sweep of neighborhoods, it’s not going to be massive raids. It’s going to be a targeted enforcement operation,” he said. However, he warned that it does not mean anyone is off the table. “If you’re in a country illegally, you’ve got a problem.” Homan argues that with millions of people having entered illegally across the southern border under the Biden administration, there has to be consequences for those who are found not to have a valid asylum claim, or else there is no true due process. “There will be a massive deportation operation because we had massive never seen before illegal immigration where 90% will be ordered removed. It’s common sense,” he said. He also said that many illegal immigrants will likely leave by themselves when incentives to cross the border are ended. As for how many can be removed, he says that will depend on the resources made available. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS “It depends on resources, depends on the money. But I guarantee you that President Trump means what he says and there will be a green light to enforce our laws and secure that border. And that’s going to require a mass deportation operation,” he said. Homan, a former New York police officer, Border Patrol agent and ICE chief, had been widely expected to play a key role in the mass deportation operation. A Washington Post article in 2016 said that Homan “deports people. And he’s really good at it.” Homan said Friday of his potential role in the administration, “Here’s what I’ll say. I have not asked for a position. I have certainly not asked for a cabinet position. President Trump knows that if he needs me to do a deportation operation, if he needs me to secure the border. I stand ready to help any way I can. And he’ll decide what he wants me to do or if he wants me to do it.” Instead, he emphasized the threat posed at the border and the determination in the upcoming administration to solve it. “The southern border is the biggest national security vulnerability I’ve seen in my lifetime. It should be a nonpartisan issue. People shouldn’t be making death threats against me, hating on me. Securing the border should be a nonpartisan issue,” he said. “And we’re going to do it …I don’t care what people’s opinions are, we’re going to get it done.”
Trump allies back Rick Scott in GOP Senate leader race as they look to influence secret ballot
Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., began receiving a deluge of endorsements from President-elect Donald Trump-aligned conservatives following his decisive re-election victory last week, including support from billionaire X owner Elon Musk and several of his Senate colleagues. “Rick Scott for Senate Majority Leader!” Musk wrote on his platform on Sunday. The Tesla CEO endorsed Trump in the 2024 election and became a fixture of his campaign as the election inched closer. In fact, Trump has reportedly vowed to include Musk in his administration, claiming he will tap him to run a commission on government efficiency. SCHUMER WON’T ALLOW DAVE MCCORMICK AT SENATE ORIENTATION, CITING OUTSTANDING PA BALLOTS Scott also racked up endorsements from former presidential candidates Vivek Ramaswamy and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Sens. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., Rand Paul, R-Ky., Ron Johnson, R-Wis., Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., and Marco Rubio, R-Fla. Prior to last week, there were only two public endorsements in the Senate Republican leader race. Sens. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., and Mike Rounds, R-S.D., backed Senate Minority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., soon after he launched his bid for leader in the spring. SENATE LEADER CONTENDER JOHN THUNE RESPONDS TO NEW TRUMP LITMUS TEST AHEAD OF ELECTION Before endorsing Scott, Musk criticized Thune, writing on X, “(Republican) Senator Thune is the top choice of Democrats.” Scott, Thune and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, are the current contenders to succeed Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. The election will be conducted via secret ballot on Wednesday. Cornyn received his first public endorsement from Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., who cited the Texas senator’s support for legislation that he has spearheaded. While many figures close to Trump have gotten behind Scott, the president-elect himself has not made an endorsement. He also has not said whether he plans to. CORNYN TOUTS LIFETIME FUNDRAISING PROWESS FOR GOP IN FINAL CASE TO SUCCEED MCCONNELL However, Trump has made some requests of the candidates. “Any Republican Senator seeking the coveted LEADERSHIP position in the United States Senate must agree to Recess Appointments (in the Senate!), without which we will not be able to get people confirmed in a timely manner,” he wrote on X. “Sometimes the votes can take two years, or more. This is what they did four years ago, and we cannot let it happen again. We need positions filled IMMEDIATELY! Additionally, no Judges should be approved during this period of time because the Democrats are looking to ram through their Judges as the Republicans fight over Leadership. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. THANK YOU!” Scott quickly shared his agreement with Trump. Cornyn, who spoke with Trump on the subject on Sunday, vowed to stay in session until the president-elect’s appointments can be confirmed, including on weekends. He also noted that “the Constitution expressly confers the power on the President to make recess appointments.” TIM SCOTT LAUNCHES BID TO CHAIR NRSC AS GOP SEEKS TO CAPITALIZE ON NEW MINORITY GAINS Thune responded exclusively to Fox News Digital, signaling he was open to Trump’s request. “I’ve spent eight months carefully listening to my colleagues about their vision for the next chapter of the Senate Republican Conference, especially as we hit the ground running with President Trump,” he said in a statement. “One thing is clear: We must act quickly and decisively to get the president’s cabinet and other nominees in place as soon as possible to start delivering on the mandate we’ve been sent to execute, and all options are on the table to make that happen, including recess appointments. We cannot let Chuck Schumer and Senate Democrats block the will of the American people.” Recess appointments refer to the president’s ability to fill federal vacancies that occur while the Senate is in recess. This power is outlined in the Recess Appointments Clause of the Constitution. For the president to unilaterally make these appointments, the Congress must be in recess, which the House and Senate leadership must agree to go into. Fox News Digital reached out to Scott’s office for comment.
GOP senator offers to ‘personally escort’ McCormick to Senate orientation after Schumer hold
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, has offered to “personally escort” Republican Pennsylvania Senator-elect Dave McCormick into the Capitol to attend the new-senator orientation after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., moved to block him. “I’m willing to personally escort @DaveMcCormickPA into the Capitol for new-senator orientation. I’d like to see how they’d keep him out if he literally walked into ‘the room where it happens’,” Lee wrote from his personal X account Sunday. Lee said Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Missouri, “has indicated he’ll join the effort.” “I’d welcome other senators to join us!” Lee added. “I’ll be right there alongside you, Mike,” Sen. Katie Britt, R-Alabama, responded. “Dave McCormick is the Senator-elect for Pennsylvania. And deserves to be at orientation alongside every other member of his freshman class.” SCHUMER WON’T ALLOW DAVE MCCORMICK AT SENATE ORIENTATION, CITING OUTSTANDING PA BALLOTS A Schumer spokesperson told Fox News Digital that McCormick was not invited because at the time there were still “over 100,000 ballots left to be counted” in Pennsylvania’s Senate race, claiming that the contest “has not been decided.” “As is custom, we will invite the winner once the votes are counted,” the spokesperson said. Fox News Digital reached out to McCormick’s campaign for comment on Schumer’s refusal and Lee’s offer, but they did not immediately respond. The Associated Press on Thursday called the race in favor of McCormick over three-term Democratic incumbent Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey. Casey has not conceded, citing the thousands of ballots still to be counted. “I have dedicated my life to making sure Pennsylvanians’ voices are heard, whether on the floor of the Senate or in a free and fair election,” Casey wrote on X on Thursday. “It has been made clear there are more than 100,000 votes still to be counted. Pennsylvania is where our democratic process was born. We must allow that process to play out and ensure that every vote that is eligible to be counted will be counted. That is what Pennsylvania deserves.” According to the Pennsylvania elections results website, McCormick led Casey by 40,145 votes as of Monday morning, a margin of 0.58%, just above the margin that triggers an automatic recount. McCormick was leading by more than 30,000 votes when the AP called the race at 4:09 p.m. Thursday. Though there were an estimated 91,000 votes still outstanding at that time, the AP asserted that there were not enough in areas supporting Casey for him to make up the difference. In an appearance on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures,” McCormick said he was up by “by something like 40,000 votes, which is a very significant margin,” so “mathematically, there’s no path for Senator Casey to win.” “And ultimately, Senator Casey’s going to have to decide when he’s willing to acknowledge that,” McCormick added. PA SEN-ELECT MCCORMICK THANKS CASEY FAMILY FOR DECADES OF SERVICE AS DEMOCRAT DECLINES TO CONCEDE “Schumer is not allowing @DaveMcCormickPA to participate in Senate orientation this week because Casey refuses to concede the race,” Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., wrote on X. “What happened to all the demands that our leaders accept the outcome of the elections?” Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego, of Arizona, also had not been invited to the new-senator orientation. While he is ahead, the AP has yet to call the Arizona Senate race between Gallego and Republican Kari Lake. The winner will replace outgoing Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, who left the Democratic Party two years ago. “In 2018 my race wasn’t called for 6 days. I jumped on a redeye to DC to make senate orientation-I learned so much & made lasting relationships that week,” Sinema wrote on X. “Dave McCormick & Ruben Gallego will be Senators for PA & AZ. They should be invited to orientation & start learning the job.” Fox News’ Julia Johnson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Pro-Palestinian protesters plan anti-Veterans Day gathering at Columbia University: ‘DISGUSTING’
Pro-Palestinian protesters at Columbia University are coordinating an anti-Veterans Day gathering to instead celebrate “those martyred by the Israel-US war machine,” just months after a congressional probe was launched into antisemitism on the Ivy League campus. According to a flyer for the gathering, the protest is scheduled for noon on Monday, Veterans Day, at the Sundial, which the university describes as “a highly trafficked location and is often used as a campus landmark for gathering.” “We reject this holiday and refuse to celebrate it. The American war machine should not be honored for the horrors unleashed on others,” the flyer promoted on social media reads. “Instead we will celebrate martyrs day in honor of those martyred by the Israel-US war machine,” the flyer says. NETANYAHU CONDEMNS ANTISEMITIC POGROM IN AMSTERDAM, WARNS WORLD LEADERS ATTACKS WILL SPREAD IF DON’T ACT News of the gathering garnered backlash on social media, including from the Columbia Jewish Alumni Association, who condemned the “atrocious behavior.” “This post by CUAD is absolutely DISGUSTING,” the group wrote in a post on X. “They ‘reject’ VETERAN’S DAY??? We unequivocally condemn this disgraceful attempt to pervert and disrespect the sacrifices of our military veterans.” TWO JEWISH STUDENTS AT DEPAUL UNIVERSITY TARGETED ON CAMPUS BY MASKED ATTACKERS “Wonder if these activists at @Columbia realize that veterans won and preserved their right to protest?” Craig Bruce Smith, an associate professor of National Defense University, wrote on X. “In an attempt to become even more unpopular, the students in Columbia University Apartheid Divest say they will reject Veterans Day and celebrate ‘martyrs day’ instead,” wrote Steve McGuire, Paul & Karen Levy Fellow in Campus Freedom at the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, on X. The protest comes just months after the Ivy League university was plagued with anti-Israel protests following the Oct. 7 massacre in Israel. The House Ways and Means and the Education and the Workforce committees have been leading an investigation into antisemitism on college campuses, including Columbia University, since April that they say has “uncovered a deeply worrisome, systemic culture of antisemitism at a large number of elite American universities across the country.” A spokesperson for Columbia University told Fox News Digital that they will be monitoring the gathering. “Columbia is proud of our students, faculty and staff who are veterans, and we are grateful for their service and sacrifice and the invaluable contributions they offer to our community. The University honors its veterans on Veterans Day and every day, and we are proud to be participating in the New York Veterans Day Parade tomorrow, as we have for more than a decade,” the university said in a statement. “We are aware that a small group has called for a demonstration today, and our public safety team is monitoring for any disruptions to campus activity. As always, we are committed to preserving our core mission to teach, create, and advance knowledge.”
Here are the Democrats who may eventually run for president in 2028
The Democratic Party is soul-searching in the wake of last week’s stunning setbacks both in the presidential election and the down-ballot races. A wave of incriminations and finger pointing is well underway, and more earnest autopsies of what went wrong and how to make corrections will soon commence. Concurrent with those efforts are talks about who will steer the Democratic Party going forward, and looking down the road, which potential contenders may eventually make a bid to lead the party in the next presidential election. While 2028 may seem like a long way away, recent history shows that the early moves in the next White House race start – well – very early. HOW TRUMP WON: THE DETAILS FROM THE FOX NEWS VOTER ANALYSIS The unofficial starting gun for the 2024 race was fired by former President Donald Trump less than two months after leaving the White House, with a CPAC speech that teased his eventual 2024 presidential campaign. A few weeks later, the first visits to the key early voting states of Iowa and New Hampshire by potential GOP presidential contenders were also underway. Fast-forward four years and expect similar actions by Democratic politicians who may harbor national ambitions. With the soon-to-be 82-year-old President Biden exiting the national stage, and Vice President Kamala Harris, in the wake of her sound defeat last week by Trump, retrenching, the road to the 2028 nomination appears wide open. “The jockeying for 2028 took a brief pause when Harris became the nominee and looked to be in a strong position, which would have meant shutting out potential candidates for the next 4 to 8 years. Now, though, it’s wide open, and it won’t be long before we see clear maneuvering from a litany of candidates,” seasoned Democratic political strategist Chris Moyer told Fox News. SOME RACES AREN’T OVER: CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS 2024 ELECTION RESULTS Moyer, a veteran of a handful of presidential campaigns, noted that “this will include travel to states like New Hampshire and South Carolina and Nevada, presumably under the auspices of helping candidates in the midterms. Democratic voters in the early states will soon want to find someone they can get excited about and a future to look forward to in the midst of the misery of another four years of Trump in the White House. These potential candidates will be more than happy to oblige.” The results of the 2026 midterm elections will have a major impact on the shape of the next White House race. For now, however, here is an initial look at Democratic Party politicians considered to be potential 2028 presidential contenders. Gov. Gavin Newsom of California California Gov. Gavin Newsom was a top surrogate for President Biden during the president’s re-election bid. With the blessing of the White House, the two-term California governor debated then-Republican presidential candidate and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis last year on Fox News. Newsom’s travels on behalf of Biden brought him to New Hampshire and South Carolina, two crucial early voting states on the Democratic Party’s nominating calendar. After the vice president, his friend and fellow Californian, replaced Biden atop the Democrats’ 2024 ticket, the governor continued – after a pause – his efforts to keep Trump from returning to the White House. With Trump’s election victory last week, Newsom became one of the Democratic Party leaders getting ready to lead the opposition. The governor announced that California state lawmakers would meet to quickly take legislative action to counter Trump’s likely upcoming agenda. The 57-year-old Newsom’s second term in Sacramento will finish at the end of next year, right around the time the 2028 presidential election will start to heat up. Gov. JB Pritzker of Illinois Illinois Gov JB Pritzker, similar to Newsom, is already taking steps to Trump-proof his state. “You come for my people, you come through me,” Pritzker told reporters of his efforts to protect Illinois. Pritzker was also a high profile surrogate on behalf of Biden and then Harris during the 2024 cycle. Those efforts brought Pritzker to Nevada, a general election battleground state and an early voting Democratic presidential primary state, and New Hampshire. However, before he makes any decision about 2028, the 59-year-old governor must decide if he will run in 2026 for a third term steering Illinois. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan Two-term Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer grabbed plenty of attention and became a Democratic Party rising star in 2020 when she feuded with then-President Trump over COVID pandemic federal assistance and survived a foiled kidnapping attempt. Trump, at the time, called her “that woman from Michigan.” Along with Newsom and Pritzker, Whitmer’s name was floated as a possible replacement for Biden following his disastrous debate performance against Trump in late June, before the president endorsed Harris and the party instantly coalesced around the vice president. Whitmer was a leading surrogate for Biden and then for Harris and made a big impression on Democratic activists during a stop this summer in New Hampshire on behalf of Harris. The governor is term-limited and will leave office after the end of next year. Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, the 51-year-old first-term governor of Pennsylvania, was on Harris’ short-list for vice presidential nominee. Even though the vice president named Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate, Shapiro remained a top surrogate on behalf of his party’s 2024 national ticket. However, his two-day swing in New Hampshire during the final full week ahead of Election Day did raise some eyebrows and 2028 speculation. After Harris lost battleground Pennsylvania to Trump, there was plenty of talk within the party that Harris had made the wrong choice for her running mate. Shapiro, who has a track record of taking on the first Trump administration as Pennsylvania attorney general, is expected to play a similar role with the former president returning to the White House. The governor will be up for re-election in 2026. Gov. Wes Moore of Maryland Maryland Gov. Wes
Biden, Harris to appear together for first time since Election Day at Veterans Day ceremony
President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are expected to appear together for the first time since Election Day at a Veterans Day ceremony on Monday. Biden and Harris are to participate in a Presidential Armed Forces Full Honor Wreath-Laying Ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at 11 a.m. ET, according to the president’s public schedule. First lady Jill Biden and second gentleman Doug Emhoff are also scheduled to attend. Afterward, Biden is expected to deliver remarks at the National Veterans Day Observance at the Memorial Amphitheater. Harris, the first lady and second gentleman will be in attendance as well. As Democrats pick up the pieces after President-elect Donald Trump’s decisive victory, some of Harris’ backers are expressing frustration that Biden’s decision to continue his re-election campaign until the summer — despite long-standing concerns about his age, inflation and border security – all but sealed his party’s surrender of the White House. “The biggest onus of this loss is on President Biden,” Andrew Yang, who ran against Biden in 2020 for the Democratic nomination and endorsed Harris’ unsuccessful run, said, according to The Associated Press. “If he had stepped down in January instead of July, we may be in a very different place.” PSAKI ADMITS DEMS MADE A MISTAKE BY TRYING TO REACH NEVER-TRUMP VOTERS AND IGNORING DISAFFECTED DEMOCRATS “Maybe in 20 or 30 years, history will remember Biden for some of these achievements,” Thom Reilly, co-director of the Center for an Independent and Sustainable Democracy at Arizona State University, told the AP. “But in the shorter term, I don’t know he escapes the legacy of being the president who beat Donald Trump only to usher in another Donald Trump administration four years later.” On Thursday, Biden delivered a short address in the White House Rose Garden regarding the election results. SANDERS DOUBLES DOWN ON HIS CRITICISM OF DEMOCRATS, FIRES BACK AT PELOSI’S PUSHBACK “I know it’s a difficult time. You’re hurting. I hear you and I see you. But don’t forget, don’t forget all that we accomplished,” Biden said in the address attended by Cabinet members and top aides but not by Harris. “It’s been a historic presidency. Not because I’m president. Because what we’ve done, what you’ve done. A presidency for all Americans.” Biden said he had congratulated Trump over the phone, and the two are expected to meet on Wednesday to discuss the presidential transition. The president issued a statement shortly after Harris delivered her concession speech Wednesday, praising her for running an “historic campaign” under “extraordinary circumstances.” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Democrats got caught up in a wave of anti-incumbency in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic that upturned governments in democracies around the globe irrespective of ideology. She did not directly respond to questions about criticism that Biden waited too long to bow out. “He believed he made the right decision,” Jean-Pierre said. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
House majority hinges on 18 uncalled races, with Republicans just 4 seats away
There remain 18 races in the House of Representatives that have yet to be called, and the GOP needs to win just four to secure control over the chamber. Here is where each of these tight races sit as of Monday. At-large district Democratic incumbent Rep. Mary Sattler Peltola is in a tight race in Alaska’s at-large congressional district, where she is trailing Republican entrepreneur Nick Begich. As of Monday morning, Begich holds a 4-point lead at 49.5% of the vote compared to Peltola’s 45.5%. The vote count sits at 125,222 to 115,089, with roughly 80% of the vote counted. ALL EYES ON CALIFORNIA AS HOUSE MAJORITY STILL HINGES ON TIGHT RACES 6th Congressional District The race in Arizona’s 6th Congressional District is tight, with the Republican candidate barely leading. Republican Rep. Juan Ciscomani, a first-term lawmaker, is barely leading former Democratic state lawmaker Kirsten Engel in a 49.1% to 48.5% race as of Monday morning. The vote count sits at 180,913 to 178,820 with 83% of votes counted. 13th Congressional District Republican Rep. John Duarte is leading former Democratic state assembly member Adam Gray in California’s 13th Congressional District, but the highly contested race remains uncalled as of Monday. Roughly 61% of the vote has been counted, and Duarte holds a 51.3% to 48.8%. The pair is separated by just over 3,000 votes, however. 21st Congressional District Incumbent Democratic Rep. John Costa leads his Republican challenger, Michael Maher, in a 50.5% to 49.5% race as of Monday morning. So far, 66% of the vote has been counted, and Costa’s lead is just over 1,000 votes. 22nd Congressional District Republican incumbent Rep. David Valado leads Democratic Challenger Rudy Salas in a 53.6% to 46.6% race as of Monday. Valado holds a lead of just under 10,000 votes with 77% of the vote counted. 39th Congressional District Democratic incumbent Rep. Mark Takano holds a 12-point lead over his Republican challenger, David Serpa, as of Monday. Takano holds a 21,000-vote lead with 70% of votes counted. 41st Congressional District Republican incumbent Rep. Ken Calvert holds a 51.4% to 48.6% lead over Democratic challenger Will Rollins. Roughly 70% of the vote has been counted as of Monday, and Calvert’s lead sits at roughly 8,000 votes. 45th Congressional District Incumbent Republican Rep. Michelle Steel leads her Democratic challenger Derek Tran with 51.1% of the vote as of Monday. Roughly 80% of the votes have been counted, and Steel’s lead sits at roughly 6,000 votes. 47th Congressional District The race to succeed outgoing Democratic Rep. Katie Porter in California’s 47th Congressional District is also razor-thin. Republican Scott Baugh, a former state assembly member, and state Sen. Dave Min, a Democrat, are vying for the open seat, and Min holds a less than 1% lead. Roughly 80% of the vote has been counted, and Min’s lead sits at just over 3,000 votes. SHUTDOWN STANDOFF LOOMS IN CONGRESS’ FINAL WEEKS BEFORE TRUMP’S RETURN TO WHITE HOUSE 49th Congressional District Democratic incumbent Rep. Mike Levin holds a 3-point lead over Republican challenger Matt Gunderson as of Monday morning. With 77% of votes counted, Levin’s lead sits at roughly 11,000 votes. 8th Congressional District Rep. Yadira Caraveo, a Democrat, is trailing Republican state Rep. Gabe Evans in Colorado’s 8th Congressional District by less than 1% with 96% of the vote counted. 1st Congressional District Republican incumbent Rep. Mariannet Miller-Meeks holds a less than 1% lead over challenger Christina Bohannan with 99% of the vote counted. Miller-Meeks’ lead sits at just under 1,000 votes. 6th Congressional District The 6th District has no incumbent in the race, and Democratic candidate, Cleo Fields, leads his Republican opponent, Elbert Guillory, by 13 points with 99% of the vote reported. Fields’ lead sits at just under 49,000 votes as of Monday. 2nd Congressional District Democratic incumbent Jared Golden holds a razor-thin lead over Republican challenger Austin Theriault as of Monday. With 98% of the votes counted, Golden’s lead sits at less than 800 votes. 9th Congressional District Democratic incumbent Marcy Kaptur leads her Republican challenger, Derek Merrin, by less than 1 point with 99% of the votes counted. Kaptur’s lead sits at just over 1,000 votes as of Monday. 5th Congressional District Republican incumbent Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer is trailing her Democratic challenger, Janelle Bynum by nearly 3 points with 87% of the votes counted Monday. Bynum’s lead sits at just over 10,000 votes. 4th Congressional District Republican incumbent Rep. Dan Newhouse leads his Democratic challenger, Jerrod Sessler, by 5 points with 84% of the votes counted. Newhouse’s lead sits at just over 12,000 votes as of Monday morning.
Iran’s Axis of Resistance explained | Start Here
The Axis of Resistance is a network of groups that have been a key part of Iran’s defence strategy for years. But we’ve now seen Israel and Iran attack each other directly, while Israel has invaded Lebanon to go after the biggest group in the axis, Hezbollah. So what does this mean for the balance of power in the region, and where does the Axis of Resistance fit into it now? #AJStartHere with Sandra Gathmann explains. This episode features: Barbara Slavin | Distinguished fellow, Stimson Center Dina Esfandiary | Senior adviser, MENA Program, International Crisis Group Mohammad Marandi | Professor of English Literature and Orientalism, University of Tehran Randa Slim | Senior fellow, Middle East Institute Ali Vaez | Iran project director, International Crisis Group Abas Aslani | Senior research fellow, Center for Middle East Strategic Studies Adblock test (Why?)