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Rick Scott gains new Senate endorsements out of candidate forum on eve of leader election

Rick Scott gains new Senate endorsements out of candidate forum on eve of leader election

Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., earned two more endorsements following what Republican senators described as a wide-ranging discussion with the three candidates to succeed outgoing Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. According to Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, who held the leader candidate forum, the issues that Scott, Senate Minority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, were asked about included those that were procedural, substantive and policy-related — such as the debt deficit and illegal immigration. The senators were also prompted on how closely they would work with President-elect Donald Trump’s administration. Lee, who endorsed Scott before even exiting the meeting, said that the Florida senator is “a little more aligned with the president’s agenda.” JOHN THUNE SNAGS 2 MORE ENDORSEMENTS IN COMPETITIVE GOP LEADER RACE TO SUCCEED MCCONNELL And while he doesn’t think Thune or Cornyn would “deliberately” seek to cause friction with Trump, he noted that “past can be prologue in some ways.” Lee’s comment was presumably in reference to Thune’s once-fractured relationship with Trump, which he has since worked to repair.  Thune left the forum expressing satisfaction with the discussion, telling reporters there were “lots of good questions.” When asked if he had a sense of the level of support behind him, the South Dakota Republican said, “you never know until the voters vote.” DEM REP RUBEN GALLEGO BEATS KARI LAKE IN BATTLE FOR ARIZONA SENATE SEAT Scott also notched the backing of Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., directly following the forum. She endorsed him after asking the senators multiple questions, including “how they would give conservatives a more meaningful voice in the Senate and for specific details as to how they would immediately implement President Trump’s mass deportation operation,” a source familiar told Fox News Digital.  Another Scott-endorser, Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., who was the first to back him last week, was particularly pleased with the meeting. “Regardless of the outcome, I think just that meeting alone is going to forge a better leader — whoever the conference likes,” he told reporters.  PUBLIC PRESSURE CAMPAIGN BOOSTING RICK SCOTT COULD FALL FLAT WITH SENATE GOP COLLEAGUES, STRATEGISTS SAY He further claimed one of the newly elected incoming senators was so impressed by the meeting that they said, “This is why I came here to have this kind of quality discussion.” But not everyone was impressed by the Florida Republican. “Scott’s remarks didn’t do much to impress or sway members,” one source with knowledge told Fox News Digital. “He focused more on his time as a businessman instead of priorities for the Senate.” A Thune endorser, Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., told Fox News’ Chad Pergram that he thought “there’s a possibility” that someone could reach a majority of 27 votes on the first secret ballot.  TRUMP ALLIES BACK RICK SCOTT IN GOP SENATE LEADER RACE AS THEY LOOK TO INFLUENCE SECRET BALLOT Mullin also claimed Trump “could come in at the hour of the election.” The president-elect is slated to be on Capitol Hill Wednesday, the same day as the leader election, to meet with GOP lawmakers.   Scott is publicly endorsed by additional Sens. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., Rand Paul, R-Ky., Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., and Marco Rubio, R-Fla. Cornyn is supported by Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., and Thune has the backing of Sens. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., and John Hoeven, R-N.D. Many senators have not said who they will be voting for.  The elections begin at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday. 

Republican Gabe Evans wins Colorado’s 8th Congressional District, beating incumbent Yadira Caraveo

Republican Gabe Evans wins Colorado’s 8th Congressional District, beating incumbent Yadira Caraveo

Republican challenger Gabe Evans has defeated Democratic Rep. Yadira Caraveo for Colorado’s 8th Congressional District, one of the nation’s most closely watched races, according to the Associated Press. Evans previously served in the U.S. Army and Colorado Army National Guard as a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter pilot and company commander. In addition to his service in the military, Evans, a first-term state representative from Fort Lupton, also served as an Arvada police officer for more than a decade.  COLORADO AIRBNB HOST FACES $16K IN DAMAGES AFTER SUSPECTED MIGRANT GANG MEMBERS ‘DESTROY’ PROPERTY Former President Trump gave Evans his “Complete and Total Endorsement” earlier this year, writing in a post to Truth Social, “A decorated Army helicopter pilot and police officer, Gabe will be an INCREDIBLE Fighter in Congress and will work hard to Grow the Economy, Lower Inflation, Uphold the Rule of Law, Defend the Border, Promote American Energy, and Support our Great Military and Police.” Caraveo, a pediatrician, campaigned hard on abortion access and associated Evans with the policies and rhetoric of Trump. COLORADO SECRETARY OF STATE SITE ‘IMPROPERLY’ DISPLAYED PARTIAL PASSWORDS FOR VOTING SYSTEMS Immigration was a key issue during the campaign in a district that’s nearly 40% Latino and was expected to play a pivotal role in determining which party controls Congress. Caraveo was one of 211 Democrats who voted against the Secure the Border Act of 2023. That measure, which passed in the House, would have expanded the type of crimes that make someone ineligible for asylum, limited the eligibility to those who arrive at ports of entry, mandated a system similar to the E-Verify employment eligibility verification system and created additional penalties for visa overstay. Caraveo was also one of the many House Democrats who voted against a GOP-led effort in the House to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. During her previous tenure in the Colorado state House of Representatives, Caraveo joined other Democrats from across the nation to send a letter urging the Biden administration to relax immigration rules and “divest from immigration enforcement agencies like ICE and CBP.” Colorado’s 8th District comprises most of Adams County, a large portion of Weld County, and part of Larimer County north of downtown Denver. Fox News Digital’s Kyle Morris contributed to this report

Republican David Valadao wins re-election to US House in California’s 22nd Congressional District

Republican David Valadao wins re-election to US House in California’s 22nd Congressional District

Incumbent Republican Rep. David Valadao won re-election to the U.S. House in California’s 22nd Congressional District in the San Joaquin Valley. The highly contested race was considered to be a tossup. Republican Gabe Evans was also declared the winner in Colorado’s 8th Congressional District on Tuesday night. Valadao and Evans’ victories now put the GOP two wins away from a majority in the House.  The breakdown currently stands at: 216 Republicans to 206 Democrats. There are still 13 races to be called as of Tuesday evening. The congressional race was a high-stakes rematch between Valadao and Democratic challenger Rudy Salas. Valadao, who has represented the district since 2013 – except for one term from 2019-21 – is one of the few Republicans to have survived in a largely Democratic-leaning district the last few years. The district also has more registered Democrats than Republicans. REMATCH SET BETWEEN GOP REP. VALADAO, DEMOCRATIC CHALLENGER IN BATTLEGROUND CALIFORNIA DISTRICT Valadao is known for his moderate positions that sometimes go against the more conservative wing of his party. He voted to impeach former President Trump, which made him both a target of Trump allies and a key figure for Democrats seeking to flip the seat.  Salas, a former state assemblyman, sought to unseat Valadao after narrowly losing in 2022. Salas, who has strong ties to labor unions and the state’s agricultural workers, has aimed to mobilize the electorate in CA-22’s majority-Latino district, which encompasses parts of California’s Central Valley.  The 22nd District has faced significant challenges, including water shortages, illegal immigration issues and economic concerns. Both candidates boast deep local roots. In 2022, Valadao beat Salas by less than 4,000 votes.

Trump selects South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem to run Department of Homeland Security

Trump selects South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem to run Department of Homeland Security

President-elect Trump announced on Tuesday that he will appoint South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem to serve as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. “Kristi has been very strong on Border Security,” a statement released by the Trump transition team read. “She was the first Governor to send National Guard Soldiers to help Texas fight the Biden Border Crisis, and they were sent a total of eight times.” GOV. KRISTI NOEM REFLECTS ON TRUMP WIN, SAYS DEMOCRATS ‘TRY TO PUT WOMEN IN A BOX’ “She will work closely with ‘Border Czar’ Tom Homan to secure the Border, and will guarantee that our American Homeland is secure from our adversaries,” the statement added. This is a breaking news story. Check back with us for updates.

Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy to lead Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency

Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy to lead Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency

President-elect Trump announced that billionaire Elon Musk and former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy will lead the Department of Government Efficiency. Trump said that the pair will work together to “dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” “It will become, potentially, ‘The Manhattan Project’ of our time,” the announcement on Tuesday evening said. “Republican politicians have dreamed about the objectives of ‘DOGE’ for a very long time.” The president-elect said that Musk and Ramaswamy will provide “advice and guidance from outside of Government, and will partner with the White House and Office of Management & Budget to drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” TRUMP’S PICKS SO FAR: HERE’S WHO WILL BE ADVISING THE NEW PRESIDENT Trump said that the agency will be focused on creating a more efficient U.S. government that looks to make “life better for all Americans.” “Importantly, we will drive out the massive waste and fraud which exists throughout our annual $6.5 Trillion Dollars of Government Spending. They will work together to liberate our Economy, and make the U.S. Government accountable to ‘WE THE PEOPLE.’” Trump said.  “Their work will conclude no later than July 4, 2026 – A smaller Government, with more efficiency and less bureaucracy, will be the perfect gift to America on the 250th Anniversary of The Declaration of Independence. I am confident they will succeed!” In a X post, Ramaswamy reacted to his appointment. “We will not go gently, Elon Musk,” he wrote in the post. WILLIAM MCGINLEY TAPPED AS TRUMP’S WHITE HOUSE COUNSEL Ramaswamy has been a vocal supporter of Trump after he suspended his presidential campaign in Jan. 24. Similarly, Musk has been a key component to Trump’s campaign – with the tech entrepreneur crisscrossing key battleground states leading up to the 2024 election. In response to his position in Trump’s White House, Musk wrote: “Threat to democracy? Nope, threat to BUREAUCRACY!!!” The world’s richest man, who said he voted for former Democratic presidential candidates including President Biden in the past, endorsed Trump this summer following the first assassination attempt on the 45th president on July 13.  The slew of Trump Cabinet positions came quickly after the president-elect’s landslide victory against Vice President Kamala Harris. Trump has selected top Republicans, with the president-elect expected to select Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to serve as his Secretary of State and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as secretary of Homeland Security.  In addition, Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., has been tapped for United Nations ambassador and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee as ambassador to Israel.