Assam: Mobile internet services to be suspended in state today due to…
This would be the third such instance in two months.
Trump vows at Pennsylvania rally to slash energy costs, lift LNG pause and ‘frack, frack, frack’
Former President Trump vowed Saturday to slash U.S. energy costs in half if re-elected, seizing on oil and gas policies to draw a sharp contrast with Kamala Harris in the crucial swing state of Pennsylvania. Speaking to voters at a rally in State College, Trump vowed to lift the U.S. pause on U.S. liquefied natural gas export terminals, embrace fracking and otherwise undo what he described as the “disastrous” energy policies enacted under the Biden administration. “Starting on day one of my new administration, I will end Kamala Harris’ war on Pennsylvania energy,” Trump told the crowd. “And we will frack, frack, frack.” BIDEN CLAPS BACK AT TRUMP IN FIERY PITTSBURGH SPEECH: ‘HE’S A LOSER’ Fracking, the process of using pressurized fluids to extract natural gas from shale rock, is a controversial technology and one Harris previously pledged to ban when seeking the presidency in 2019. But fracking is necessary to access the vast gas resources tucked away in Pennsylvania. The state is not only a pivotal battleground state with 19 electoral votes. It’s also the second-largest natural gas producer in the U.S. Although Harris has repeatedly reiterated her support for fracking on the campaign trail this election cycle, some Republicans and gas groups have sought further assurances from the campaign as Election Day draws closer, citing the four years of mixed messaging they saw under Biden. In the absence of that clarity, Trump has attempted to fill in the blanks on Harris’ policies himself. VOTER REGISTRATION FRAUD PROBE INVOLVING 2,500 APPLICATIONS CONFIRMED BY PA. ELECTION OFFICIALS Harris, he said Saturday, has been against fracking “her whole life.” She’s been against “anything having to do with anything underground,” Trump told the audience. “She’ll build a windmill,” he said, “to kill all your birds.” Trump blamed Harris for what he views as the Biden administration’s failures on U.S. oil and gas production, including its outsize focus on electric vehicle manufacturing and production, the shuttering of aging power plants and the spike in energy prices, which increased by as much as 50% in the Keystone State. He described the U.S. natural gas export pause, ordered by President Biden in January, as “Kamala’s ban.” During a second term, Trump pledged, all that would change. “Your energy prices will be cut in half within 12 months from Jan. 20, which is when we would take over,” he told the packed stands of supporters, who responded with roars of applause. Some had been lined up outside the central Pennsylvania arena for hours to hear Trump speak, long before the doors opened at noon, almost six hours before he eventually danced his way onstage. Several attendees said they’d been waiting since dawn to see Trump, and the promises made by the former commander in chief did not seem to disappoint them, if their cheers were any indication. “We’re going to fix it very fast,” Trump told the audience. “Kamala broke it, and I will fix it.” Democrats, he said, “waged a war on your commonwealth like never before.” “They annihilated your steel mills, decimated your coal jobs, assaulted your oil and gas jobs and sold off your manufacturing jobs to China and other foreign nations all over the world. “You’re going to come back under the Trump administration.” Trump vowed to remedy what he described as the “disgusting failures” of the Biden administration in the energy sector and beyond. “This will be America’s golden age,” he said, “and every problem facing us will be solved.” Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub
Trump, Stefanik campaign for vulnerable NY Republicans as Big Apple kicks off early voting
Former President Trump is campaigning for vulnerable House Republicans in New York Saturday evening alongside House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., a source familiar with the effort told Fox News Digital. Saturday also marked the first day of early in-person voting in the Empire State. A source told Fox News Digital early voting would be a central focus of the telephone rally, or “tele-rally,” with key Republicans including Trump urging as many as 1 million listeners not to wait until Election Day to cast ballots. “New York is Trump country,” Stefanik said. “Hardworking New Yorkers support President Trump in record numbers. Far left New York Democrats like Kamala Harris and Kathy Hochul have failed our state, and their polling numbers are in free fall. I am incredibly grateful that President Trump continues to invest in our key battleground districts in New York.” CHECK OUT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POWER RANKINGS IN THE 2024 ELECTION Stefanik and her team are dialing out to nearly 1 million Trump supporters in a bid to raise enthusiasm ahead of Nov. 5, the source familiar with planning said. Other New York Republican lawmakers expected on the call include representatives Nick LaLota, Anthony D’Esposito, Mike Lawler, Marc Molinaro and Brandon Williams, the source said. Republican candidates Mike LiPetri and Alison Esposito are also expected. “The GOP momentum is palpable across the Empire State, and President Trump’s personal investment in the fight to flip New York red and win in battleground congressional districts like mine proves that New Yorkers will play a vital role in the Republican resurgence this year,” D’Esposito told Fox News Digital. CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS POLLING IN THE HARRIS-TRUMP PRESIDENTIAL RACE The GOP won the House majority in 2022 in part because of a suburban rebellion in New York and California against the states’ progressive crime policies. Several of the lawmakers expected on the call are in districts President Biden won in 2020. But the Saturday evening call is a sign of confidence for Republicans in the traditionally blue stronghold. Republicans hope discontent with the economy and the border will be enough to propel them to victory in dozens of tight races. IN BID FOR DISGRUNTLED REPUBLICANS, HARRIS TEAMS UP WITH CHENEY IN GOP BIRTHPLACE Esposito said Trump’s support was “crucial” this year. “Events like tonight’s tele-town hall are essential in connecting our candidates with voters and encouraging everyone to make their voices heard at the polls,” she told Fox News Digital. Stefanik, who is hosting the call, was the first member of the 118th Congress to endorse Trump for re-election. It comes the day before Trump has a rally at Madison Square Garden featuring a litany of top figures in the GOP. Members of House GOP leadership, including Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.; House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La.; and Stefanik are all expected to attend.
Trump earns endorsement from ‘highly respected’ Muslim leaders in battleground state
Former President Trump earned endorsements from “highly respected” Muslim leaders and Imams during a campaign rally in the battleground state of Michigan. Trump, speaking to a crowd in Novi, Michigan, on Saturday afternoon, called the group of Muslim leaders “highly respected,” before bringing them onstage. “I’m thrilled to accept the endorsement of these highly respected leaders,” Trump told the thundering crowd. ‘KIND OF DISGUSTING’: HARRIS MAKES MOVE THAT COULD BACKFIRE IN CRITICAL SWING STATE The group of leaders cited Trump’s commitment to ending wars and ensuring global peace as a primary reason for their support, describing him as a leader who “promises peace, not war.” “We, as Muslims, stand with President Trump because he promises peace, not war!” Imam Belal Alzuhairi said. “We are supporting Donald Trump because he promised to end war in the Middle East and Ukraine,” Alzuhairi said. “The bloodshed has to stop all over the world, and I think this man can make that happen. I personally believe that God saved his life twice for a reason.” Mayor Bill Bazzi, the first Muslim and Arab American elected mayor of Dearborn Heights, Michigan was also present at the rally to express support for Trump. MAYOR OF MUSLIM-MAJORITY MICHIGAN CITY ENDORSES TRUMP: ‘RIGHT CHOICE FOR THIS CRITICAL TIME’ “We’re going to stop the wars, we’re going to make the United States safe again, and we’re going to make the world safe,” Bazzi said. “What a nice endorsement,” Trump said after Bazzi’s speech. “These are great people.” The Muslim leaders official endorsement came after Amer Ghalib, the mayor of the Detroit-area suburb Hamtramck, announced his support of Trump in a Facebook post on Oct. 20. “Though it’s looking good, he may or may not win the election and be the 47th president of the United States, but I believe he is the right choice for this critical time,” Ghalib wrote in Arabic on his Facebook page. “I’ll not regret my decision no matter what the outcome would be, and I’m ready to face the consequences. For this, and for many other reasons, I announce my support and endorsement for the former, and hopefully, the next President of the United States, Donald Trump.” Ghalib’s endorsement of Trump comes after the two met in Flint earlier this week for a private 20-minute conversation. Ghalib told The Detroit News that Trump “knew a lot about me before the meeting.” “We talked about various topics including the debates, the polls updates, the statistics of votes in Michigan and Wayne County, the Arab American concerns and the Yemeni Americans in particular. We also talked about the situation in Yemen,” Ghalib said. The critical swing state of Michigan has seen record-breaking early voting numbers so far. According to data on the Michigan Department of State’s dashboard, over 1.2 million voters in Michigan have already cast a ballot in this year’s election, taking advantage of either early voting and mail-in balloting, while shattering the previous record for early ballot returns in the state. Fox News Digital’s Bradford Betz and Michael Lee contributed to this report.
Israeli forces detain medics, patients after violent raid on Gaza hospital
Israeli forces have withdrawn from Kamal Adwan Hospital after detaining dozens of medics and some patients, and causing widespread damage to one of the last functioning hospitals in northern Gaza, the Health Ministry in the besieged enclave has said. The medical facility is in disarray after it was raided and shelled amid Israel’s three-week offensive in the north, with a top Gaza Health Ministry official urging the World Health Organization (WHO) to evacuate the wounded from the hospital considered a lifeline for people in northern Gaza. “The smell of death has spread around the hospital,” Marwan al-Hams, director of field hospitals at Gaza’s Health Ministry, told Al Jazeera, adding that the Israeli forces destroyed the hospital’s medical supplies during their raid to prevent the medics from saving the wounded. More than 600 people, including patients and those accompanying them were housed in the hospital before it was raided on Friday. Medics said on Saturday that at least 44 out of the hospital’s 70-member team had been detained by the army. Later, it was reported that 14 of those detained, including the hospital’s director Hussam Abu Safia, were released. “A critical shortage of medical supplies, compounded by severely limited access, are depriving people of life-saving care,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO chief, posted on X on Saturday. Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum reporting from Deir el-Balah in central Gaza said that the Israeli forces caused widespread damage to the pharmaceutical warehouse and the ICU. “Everyone knows that Kamal Adwan Hospital is considered a medical lifeline for the two-thirds of Palestinians in northern Gaza.” ‘Shooting from all directions’ Outside the hospital, hundreds of spent bullet cartridges littered the floor. Footage shared by the Health Ministry revealed damage to buildings and vandalised wards. Nurse Mayssoun Alian said Israeli forces surrounded the hospital in the morning “and there was shooting from all directions. “They evacuated all those who were sheltering here. They separated the men from women and made two queues. It was very humiliating for our men since they were stripped of their clothes,” she told Al Jazeera. There was chaos inside the hospital with patients lying on the floor, including in the hallways, according to footage accessed by Al Jazeera. A patient and witness in the hospital told Al Jazeera that Israeli forces first shelled the courtyard at about 5am (03:00 GMT) on Friday. “Thirty minutes later, bulldozers destroyed everything, including the tents housing the displaced,” he said. “They destroyed the hospital’s pharmacy and riddled the hospital with bullets. They started calling for Dr Hussam over the loudspeakers.” At least two children died inside the intensive care unit when Israeli forces destroyed the generators and oxygen station on Friday, medics said. ‘Medicide’ Kamal Adwan Hospital spokesperson Hisham Sakani told Al Jazeera that the latest assault marks the 14th time that the hospital has come under Israeli fire. Israel has repeatedly attacked hospitals since it launched the devastating war on October 7, 2023. More than 42,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and large parts of Gaza lay in ruins. At least 17 out of 35 hospitals across the Strip are partially functioning. On Friday, the UN special rapporteur on health used a new term – medicide – to describe the widespread and systematic attacks by Israel on healthcare workers and facilities. Gaza’s Health Ministry stated that all detained medical personnel were held by the Israeli military without access to food or water. According to the ministry, three nurses were injured, and three ambulances were destroyed. Among those taken was Mohamed Obeid, head of the orthopaedics department at Al-Awda Hospital nearby, though his current location remains unknown, according to the hospital. Footage shared on social media on Saturday showed hospital director Abu Safia, mourning the loss of his minor son, who was killed during the two-day Israeli assault. An Israeli military spokesperson declined to comment on the report. On Friday, the Israeli military stated it had conducted operations near the hospital based on intelligence indicating the presence of “terrorists and terrorist infrastructure” in the area. A Palestinian man walks past the rubble after Israeli forces withdrew from the area around Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza [Reuters] A spokesperson from the UN agency for children said northern Gaza is a disaster zone after the Israeli military’s three-week ground incursion. “Attacks have been escalating, hospitals and schools used as shelters haven’t been spared,” UNICEF’s Rosalia Bollen told Al Jazeera. “It’s been extremely difficult to bring supplies to the north with only 224 trucks reaching. But 224 trucks is the number we’d like to get in on a daily basis, not for an entire month. In the hospitals, there’s no food or water for patients. There’s no fuel, no electricity.” The Health Ministry reported that Israeli military strikes on Jabalia, Beit Hanoon, and Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza have killed approximately 800 people over the course of a three-week offensive. A damaged ambulance is seen at the Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahiya [AFP] Adblock test (Why?)
Could the Republicans lose the House? Five US congressional races to watch
With only days to go before the general elections in the United States, it can seem like the tight presidential race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump is sucking up all the attention. But on the November 5 election day, crucial battles will also unfold for both chambers of Congress: the Senate and the House of Representatives. However, unlike in the Senate, where only a third of the seats are up for grabs, all 435 seats in the House of Representatives will be on the ballot this election cycle. The races will be scattered across every corner of the US. After all, the House assigns a certain number of seats to each state based on population size, and each seat has a specific district within the state to represent. Every two years, the House faces the prospect of a shake-up, with re-elections for all its members. And this year, the Republican Party is playing defence, hoping to protect its majority in the chamber. Currently, Republicans control 220 seats, compared with 212 for the Democrats. At stake is the power to pass — or block — new legislation. But the House is also endowed with special abilities: Only the lower chamber of Congress can launch revenue bills and impeach federal officials. Experts have identified 34 House seats as vulnerable to flipping parties this November. What are some of the narrowest races to watch? Explore five of the nail-biters below. Representative Anthony D’Esposito is attempting to fend off a second attempt by Laura Gillen to unseat him [Brendan McDermid/Reuters] New York’s 4th district The state of New York has long been a Democratic stronghold. But zoom into the state, and the electoral map becomes a patchwork of red and blue districts. Nowhere is this more apparent than on Long Island, a political battleground jutting into the Atlantic Ocean. Long Island is home to some of New York’s most competitive House races, including the battle for the 4th congressional district. The district is minutes away from the urban bustle of Manhattan, but it has a suburban, laid-back vibe. It is also notable as one of the wealthiest enclaves in New York. Both Democrats and Republicans have won the area in recent years. For instance, in the 2020 presidential race, Joe Biden won the 4th district by 15 percentage points, and his fellow Democrat, Kathleen Rice, handily defended her seat for a final term in the House. But two years later, a new House election was held — and the seat fell to Republican hands. Now, incumbent Republican Anthony D’Esposito is facing a rematch from his rival from that race, Democrat Laura Gillen. D’Esposito is a former New York Police detective running on what he calls his record of common sense. He has hammered Gillen as lax on crime and immigration, but he has also faced criticism for allegedly giving a lover a part-time job on the government payroll. Gillen, meanwhile, has said she would push for more law enforcement and border security. “I will work with anyone, from any party, to secure our southern border,” she says in a campaign advertisement. The rivalry between Gillen and D’Esposito goes back years: During her time as supervisor for the town of Hempstead, Gillen clashed with the town board, of which D’Esposito was a member. Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris greets incumbent Representative Don Davis in Greenville, North Carolina, on October 13 [Jonathan Drake/Reuters] North Carolina’s 1st district: North Carolina is the newest swing state this election cycle, with Democrats and Republicans almost evenly matched in statewide polls. Experts speculate Harris could be the first Democratic presidential candidate to claim the state since 2008, if the vote goes in her favour. But one prominent corner of North Carolina is also primed for a flip. That would be the 1st congressional district, located in northeast North Carolina, on the border with Virginia. There, incumbent Democrat Don Davis is facing a stiff challenge in a contest that raises questions about race and redistricting. The 1st congressional district has long been considered part of the US South’s “Black Belt”, a series of districts where the number of Black residents either surpasses or equals the number of white ones. About 40 percent of the district’s residents are Black. The last time the district elected a Republican was in 1883. Since the 1990s, its representatives have all been Black, too. But both of those streaks could end on November 5. The district was one of four areas subject to a lawsuit in December 2023, when voting rights activists argued that district boundaries had been redrawn to lessen the power of Black voters. The new borders of District 1 carved out some Black neighbourhoods and incorporated other, largely white areas. Ultimately, the lawsuit was dismissed. But the map could still play a role in who wins. Currently, there are seven Democrats and seven Republicans from North Carolina in Congress. Davis, an Air Force alum, is in a tight race against a fellow veteran, retired Army Colonel Laurie Buckhout, a political newcomer. Davis, however, is known for bucking his own party, voting with Republicans on several occasions. Representative Mike Garcia serves a district that includes parts of northern Los Angeles [J Scott Applewhite/AP Photo] California’s 27th district: Earlier this month, Trump — the Republican presidential candidate — made a curious choice. He travelled to California’s Coachella Valley in the crucial final weeks of the election to hold a rally. It seemed like a counterintuitive move: After all, isn’t California a deep blue state, long held by Democrats? Despite its reputation as a liberal bastion, the state could hold the key to controlling the House of Representatives, and both parties are pumping millions of dollars into district-level campaigns there. One of the hottest prizes is California’s 27th district, which sits on the northern border of Los Angeles. During the 2020 presidential race, District 27 was one of only five areas in California that chose a Republican as a representative — but also backed
Will Iran respond to Israel’s latest attack?
Israel attacked Iran early on Saturday and said its objectives have been achieved. Israel launched air strikes against several Iranian military targets early on Saturday. It said the strikes were in response to what Israel called months of continuous attacks from Iran. Meanwhile, Tehran said the damage was limited. Israel has stepped up its attacks against Iranian-backed groups in Lebanon, Syria and Iran. Now, the Iranian leadership is threatening to retaliate. But could this cycle of violence lead to a broader regional conflict? Presenter: Cyril Vanier Guests: Yossi Beilin – Former Israeli minister of justice who initiated negotiations at the Oslo Peace Accords Mohammad Marandi – Professor of American studies at the University of Tehran Roxane Farmanfarmaian – Professor of modern Middle East politics at the University of Cambridge Adblock test (Why?)
Biden claps back at Trump in fiery Pittsburgh speech: ‘He’s a loser’
President Biden took aim at former President Trump at a campaign event in Pennsylvania Saturday, using his remarks to cast his predecessor as an anti-labor leader who, if re-elected, would renege on some of the union’s hardest-fought gains. Speaking at an event in Pittsburgh, Biden repeatedly described Trump as a “loser” who doesn’t care about union workers and would gladly do away with benefits like health care and pension plans if he won the presidency a second time. “Donald Trump is a loser,” Biden told the audience. “He’s a loser of a candidate, and he’s a loser of a man. “I’ve never been this direct,” Biden added. “But I tell you what, [Trump] is about making sure you push people down. He thinks the way you get ahead is to push people down.” His remarks were tailored specifically to union workers in Philadelphia, a group that has until recently been a reliable bedrock of support for Democratic candidates. But labor politics have shifted in recent years, especially in Rust Belt states, to favor Trump, many workers citing his accessible rhetoric and appeal to working-class voters. Some longtime unions have altogether declined to endorse a presidential candidate in 2024, citing the split ideology among their members. Many also remain lukewarm about Harris’ campaign, viewing her as doing little to win their vote in the months since entering the presidential race. BIDEN STUMBLES THROUGH EVENT, REFERS TO FORMER REP. GIFFORDS IN PAST TENSE: ‘NOTHING WRONG WITH ME’ Biden’s speech Saturday attempted to rectify that, even as most of his remarks were focused on criticizing the former president, whom he noted has tried “51 times” to eliminate health care coverage for union employees. “The last thing we need is for Trump to get elected, to take away all the things we’ve done,” he said. “How many of you have pensions now? How many of your families have pensions?” Biden asked. Trump, he said, “opposes it.” He also made an indirect swipe at Tesla founder and Trump ally Elon Musk, criticizing an unnamed “illegal worker” who has used his funds and public persona to stump on behalf of the former president. “Turns out the wealthiest man in the world, now [Trump’s] ally, was an illegal worker here,” Biden told the audience, though he stopped short of mentioning Musk by name. PHILLY’S FIREFIGHTERS UNION BACKS BOB CASEY’S RIVAL IN SENATE RACE The Biden administration did not immediately respond to a request from Fox News Digital for clarification about the president’s remark. Musk is one of Trump’s highest-profile supporters and has donated more than $118 million to a super PAC supporting his re-election. The unsparing criticism in the speech was something new from Biden, now a lame-duck candidate in his final two months of the presidency. And that knowledge may have invigorated the outgoing president, whose voice got louder and stronger as his speech continued. “There is more to do, and Kamala is going to make it happen,” Biden said, imploring the crowd once again to vote in the Nov. 5 election. “I can think of no man who has thought less of the American worker,” Biden said of Trump. He is a man with “no character,” and who “doesn’t give a d— about union members.”
Harris ripped by Trump campaign after Beyoncé doesn’t perform at packed rally: ‘They lied to build a crowd’
Former President Trump blasted Vice President Kamala Harris Saturday over an appearance with Beyoncé at which critics say Harris and the media intentionally misled attendees into thinking the superstar would perform. “Beyoncé went up and spoke for a couple of minutes and then left, and the place went crazy,” Trump told a crowd in Michigan. “They booed the hell out of everybody. They thought she was going to perform. What happened was my opponent got up and started speaking, and they booed the hell out of her. It’s crazy. They have to use people to get people to come, and then they send buses. We don’t send buses. Everybody comes. We’re just going to make America great again. It’s very simple.” Several media outlets, including MSNBC, promoted Beyonce’s appearance with Harris in Houston on Friday by saying that the music superstar would perform, prompting criticism from conservatives who accused Harris of intentionally misleading the public. Beyoncé did speak, but she did not perform. “They lied to build a crowd,” Trump senior adviser Tim Murtaugh posted on X. FROM ‘JOYFUL’ TO ‘FASCIST’ – WHY KAMALA HARRIS ADOPTED BIDEN’S PLAYBOOK ON BLASTING TRUMP “Promising a concert from a huge pop star who then did not perform is the most perfect metaphor for the Harris campaign that anyone could dream up, only it really happened,” Murtaugh added. “Beyoncé really showed up at the rally only to speak for a few seconds and not perform, leaving Kamala Harris to be *booed* by her fans,” Red State writer Bonchie posted on X. “Watching this campaign operate is like watching a naked man smear himself in honey and run through a bear cage.” VANCE RIPS HARRIS IN BATTLEGROUND GEORGIA: ‘STOP TELLING AMERICANS THEY’RE BAD’ FOR WANTING ‘SECURE BORDER’ “So will MSNBC and all the other outlets who ran with this burn their sources who falsely told them that Beyoncé would be performing at the Kamala rally?” author and journalist Jerry Dunleavy posted on X. “Or did they just make it up?” Videos circulated on social media on Friday night appearing to show some of the 30,000 fans in attendance booing and becoming disgruntled though it was unclear what the specific reason was. “The Beyoncé concert featuring Kamala has devolved into a total and complete disaster in which Kamala is barely audible on the feed,” an account run by the Trump campaign posted on X. “Humiliating! Fox News Digital reached out to the Harris campaign and MSNBC but did not receive a response. Beyoncé, whose hit song “Freedom” has been adopted by the vice president as her campaign trail anthem, spoke ahead of Harris and introduced her at the event, which leaned heavily into reproductive rights. “It’s time for America to sing a new song,” Beyoncé said as she formally endorsed the vice president in her White House race against Trump. “Ladies and gentlemen, please give a big, loud, Texas welcome to the next President of the United States, Vice President Kamala Harris.” And she emphasized that “I’m not here as a celebrity, I’m not here as a politician, I’m here as a mother. A mother who cares deeply about the world my children and all of our children live in. A world where we have the freedom to control our bodies.” Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
Philly’s firefighters union backs Bob Casey’s rival in Senate race
The firefighters’ union representing Pennsylvania’s largest city endorsed Republican businessman David McCormick in the hotly contested U.S. Senate race Thursday. The president of IAFF Local 22, the union representing more than 4,500 firefighters and first responders in Philadelphia, said this election cycle was the first time they’d met with Sen. Bob Casey, Jr. over his 12 years in office. “Dave McCormick possesses all the qualities that will catapult us forward,” union president Mike Bresnan said at a press conference announcing the endorsement. “We are confident that Dave McCormick will show up when we need him. He is unequivocally the right choice for senator at this pivotal moment in our country’s history.” Speaking at the Northern Liberties-based union hall, McCormick said that first responders see first-hand how parts of Philadelphia and the country at-large are struggling and facing the repercussions of lax criminal justice policies. “We’re here today to talk about exactly why these folks are voting for change, as opposed to the status quo,” he said. “We have urban decay, skyrocketing murder rates. They’re making sections of this incredible city a terrifying place to raise children,” he said, as he stood only a mile or so from Kensington, the North Philadelphia neighborhood often dubbed “America’s largest open-air drug market.” He pointed to “Soros-funded prosecutors” in terms of progressive law enforcement policies, naming Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, a Democrat, as one who has “undermined the rule of law” in his work. “[Casey] has essentially supported policies that have made the jobs of these [firefighters and first responders] a lot tougher. He supports liberal prosecutors like Larry Krasner. He refuses to stand up for a tough order and tough border policies and voted against a total of $800 million in funds for opioid and narcotic detection in the Senate.” McCormick added that Casey also voted against Kate’s Law, a bill that would mandate minimum imprisonment for illegal immigrant felons, after a young woman was murdered by a Mexican national several years ago on a San Francisco pier. The Republican nodded to the fact that the IAFF’s local in Philadelphia endorsed Casey in his re-election bid against former Hazleton mayor and U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, R-Pa., in 2018, appearing to suggest that the nod his way this year was groundbreaking. McCormick concluded by criticizing Casey and others over the closure of the PYREX manufacturing plant in Charleroi, Washington County, Pa., where the company is based. “He ignored the union workers there for weeks. He only spoke to them after he heard that I was standing with them in solidarity.” Adding to the endorsement, Bresnan said Thursday that McCormick “is unequivocally the right choice for senator at this pivotal moment in our country’s history.” Philadelphia, both the largest and bluest city in Pennsylvania, has received more attention from statewide Republicans in recent races. In 2022, Dr. Mehmet Oz visited Kensington to treat the drug addicts in the infamous neighborhood. Former President Donald Trump also stopped just outside the city limits in Trevose recently for his widely-covered “shift” at the local McDonald’s’ drive-thru. Trump had held an event in Center City earlier in the campaign cycle to celebrate the release of new, branded footwear he was hawking. The former president’s 2016 win was bolstered by votes in Philadelphia’s once-reliably moderate-Republican western and northern suburbs – an area that became disaffected with the right in 2020 in supporting Joe Biden and in 2022 in helping to elect Gov. Josh Shapiro. Fox News Digital reached out to the Casey campaign for comment but did not hear back by press time.