Israel killed over 3,100 people in Lebanon since October 2023: Ministry
Israeli attacks across Lebanon have killed at least 3,103 people and injured 13,856 others since October last year, according to Lebanon’s Ministry of Health. Since the genocide in Gaza began, Israel has also been at war with the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, which is an ally of the Palestinian group Hamas, and expresses solidarity with the people in Gaza. In September this year, Israel expanded its war from Gaza into southern Lebanon. On Thursday, Lebanon’s Ministry of Health also said that Israeli strikes killed at least 53 people and wounded 161 others over the past 24 hours. Five Malaysian peacekeepers from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), three Lebanese soldiers and three Lebanese civilians were among the wounded after an Israeli raid in south Lebanon’s main city of Sidon. In a statement, UNIFIL reminded “all actors to avoid actions putting peacekeepers or civilians in danger”, adding that “differences should be resolved at the negotiating table, not through violence”. UNIFIL, as well as unarmed technical observers known as UNTSO, have long been stationed in southern Lebanon to monitor hostilities along the demarcation line between Lebanon and Israel, known as the Blue Line – drawn by the UN in May 2000 to divide the two countries. Reporting from Beirut, Al Jazeera’s Imran Khan said the Israeli attack on the UNIFIL location was crucial. “The Awali checkpoint is one of the places where Israel issues a forced evacuation order. It tells people to go north of the Awali River. That’s where the checkpoint is,” Khan said. “So they’re telling people to go north of that particular checkpoint, but they’re also hitting that checkpoint as well. This is very, very concerning for UNIFIL, which has been attacked nearly 20 times since Israel announced its ground invasion,” Khan added. Israel also bombarded Beirut’s southern suburbs. “Death has become a matter of luck. We can either die or survive”, Ramzi Zaiter, a resident of south Beirut, told the AFP news agency. The Israeli strikes on Lebanon came after Hezbollah said it carried out a missile attack targeting a military base near Israel’s Ben Gurion International Airport on Wednesday. The Lebanese armed group said it had also targeted the “strategic Stella Maris naval base for monitoring and surveillance” with missiles northwest of Haifa in Israel on Thursday. In its war update, the Israeli military said around 40 projectiles crossed into northern Israel from Lebanon but were intercepted. The military added that in recent weeks, five Israeli soldiers were killed and 16 others wounded in combat in southern Lebanon. ‘Protect Lebanon’s historic sites’ Also on Thursday, more than 100 Lebanese lawmakers issued an appeal to the UN, demanding the preservation of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in areas being heavily bombed by Israel. Lebanon is home to six UNESCO World Heritage sites, including Roman ruins in Baalbek and Tyre, where Hezbollah holds sway. The destruction in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, with a Roman temple in the background [Sam Skaineh/AFP] In Baalbek, Israeli strikes on Wednesday destroyed a heritage house and damaged a historic hotel near the city’s Roman temples, according to local authorities. In a letter addressed to the head of UNESCO, Lebanese MPs stated, “During the devastating war on Lebanon, Israel has caused grave human rights violations and atrocities.” The letter demanded the protection of Lebanon’s historic sites in Baalbek, Tyre, Sidon, and other invaluable landmarks “currently at risk due to the escalation of the atrocities”. On Monday, Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati called for a ceasefire “to protect our country’s cultural heritage, including the ancient archeological sites of Baalbek and Tyre”. Meanwhile, some in Lebanon are hopeful a new leadership in the United States, where Republican Donald Trump has won the presidency, might bring them a reprieve. “Many believe that no significant diplomatic efforts will take place until Trump, the US president-elect, assumes office in January,” said Al Jazeera’s Zeina Khodr, reporting from Beirut. Adblock test (Why?)
Russia’s Putin says ready for dialogue with ‘courageous’ Trump
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has congratulated Donald Trump on winning the United States election, saying Moscow was ready for dialogue with the Republican president-elect. In his first public remarks since Trump’s win, Putin on Thursday praised the US leader’s courage during an assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 14. “He behaved, in my opinion, in a very correct way – courageously, like a real man,” Putin said at the Valdai discussion club, an international forum, in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. Asked whether he was open to holding talks with Trump, the Russian leader said, “Ready”. Putin, 72, also said that Trump’s comments “about the desire to restore relations with Russia, to help end the Ukrainian crisis, in my opinion, deserves attention at least”. The Kremlin earlier welcomed Trump’s claim that he could negotiate an end to the conflict in Ukraine “in 24 hours” but emphasised that it would wait for concrete policy steps. During his presidential campaign in the US, Trump said that he could bring peace to Ukraine within 24 hours if elected, but he has given few details on how he would seek to end the biggest land war in Europe since World War II. As to what he expects from a second Trump administration, Putin said, “I don’t know what will happen now. I have no idea.” “For him, this is still his last presidential term. What he will do is his matter,” Putin said. Earlier, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow remembered Trump’s words on resolving the war in Ukraine but that the incoming US president “exaggerated” the speed at which he could do it. “If the new administration is going to look for peace, not for the continuation of the war, it will be better in comparison with the previous one,” Peskov said. Meanwhile, Ukraine is scrambling to put pressure on its allies for more support in its fight against Russia following Trump’s victory. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was among the first world leaders to congratulate Trump. “We agreed to maintain close dialogue and advance our cooperation. Strong and unwavering US leadership is vital for the world and for a just peace,” Zelenskyy said in a post on X on Wednesday. But in his plan to end the war, Trump suggested that Ukraine might have to cede territory to Russia to reach a peace deal, something Ukraine has rejected and US President Joe Biden never suggested. Speaking to European leaders at a summit in Hungary, Zelenskyy blasted those urging him to give in to some of Putin’s hardline demands and urged Europe and the US not to loosen ties following the election of Trump. “There has been much talk about the need to yield to Putin, to back down, to make some concessions … It’s unacceptable for Ukraine and unacceptable for all Europe,” Zelensky said. “We need sufficient weapons, not support in talks. Hugs with Putin won’t help. Some of you have been hugging him for 20 years, and things are only getting worse,” he said. Zelenskyy also urged Europe and the US to preserve their strong ties following Trump’s victory. “We do hope that America will become stronger. This is the kind of America that Europe needs. And a strong Europe is what America needs. This is the connection between allies that must be valued and cannot be lost,” he said. Meanwhile, reports say Biden plans to rush billions of dollars in security assistance to Ukraine before he leaves office in January. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the US has already provided more than $64.1bn in military assistance to Ukraine, according to the data by the US Department of State. Adblock test (Why?)
Trump 2.0: Who is going to be in the US president-elect’s administration?
EXPLAINER As a second Trump administration looms, intense jockeying for key spots in his forthcoming cabinet has begun. Who’s in? And who’s out? Donald Trump is carefully considering his cabinet picks following his historic presidential election victory over Democratic nominee Kamala Harris on Tuesday. Trump had reportedly avoided detailed cabinet discussions until after the election results were clear. Now, as names emerge, here’s a closer look at who might be part of the next administration, from seasoned Republican figures to unexpected newcomers. JD Vance – Senator, Ohio, and vice president-elect President-elect Donald Trump and his running mate Senator JD Vance, stand on stage at an election night watch party at the Palm Beach Convention Center on November 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Florida [Evan Vucci/AP] Ohio Senator JD Vance has quickly risen as a prominent GOP voice, going from never-Trumper to loyal running mate. Despite once comparing Trump to Hitler, ideologically Vance is aligned with the 47th president’s MAGA base, particularly on issues like national security and US-China relations. A former venture capitalist and author, Vance is a staunch advocate of Trump’s America First agenda. He’s a sharp critic of Joe Biden’s foreign policy and will bring a populist stance to the Oval Office. Robert F Kennedy Jr – Presidential candidate, environmental lawyer Robert F Kennedy Jr dropped his campaign for the Democratic Party, opting instead to run as an independent, before sacking his campaign altogether to stump for Trump [File: Mark Makela/Reuters] One-time Democrat, Robert F Kennedy Jr, ran on an unsuccessful independent ticket for president this election cycle, before ending his campaign to become a Trump surrogate. He weathered a number of gaffes that came to light during his campaign, including admitting to short-term memory loss due to “brain worms”, abandoning a dead bear in a park, and accusations that he sexually assaulted his family’s live-in nanny in 1998. A purveyor of vaccine conspiracies, Trump predicted he’d tap Kennedy to “go wild on health,” per The New York Times. His first act of business if appointed? Kennedy said he would push to “advise all US water systems to remove fluoride from public water”. Vivek Ramaswamy – Biotechnology entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy speaks during a rally for Republican presidential nominee and US presidential nominee Donald Trump, at Madison Square Garden, in New York City on October 27, 2024 [Carlos Barria/Reuters] Vivek Ramaswamy, an entrepreneur-turned-politician, made a name for himself in the 2024 Republican primary with his anti-“woke” agenda and government reform. Ramaswamy, a vocal critic of Big Tech censorship and bureaucratic overreach, could take a role in the Department of Commerce or a technology-focused post, driving policies that challenge Silicon Valley and reinforce free speech. While he’s a longtime friend of JD Vance, he has portrayed himself as differing from the next vice president ideologically, casting himself in a more libertarian mould, as opposed to Vance’s support for elements of economic populism. Marco Rubio – Senator, Florida US Senator Marco Rubio speaks during the rally of Republican presidential nominee and former US President Donald Trump, at Mullett Arena in Tempe, Arizona on October 24, 2024 [Go Nakamura/Reuters] Senator Marco Rubio, who was repeatedly attacked by Trump in the 2016 Republican primaries, has been a vocal critic of Biden’s stance on national security and foreign policy; he’s strongly anti-Russia and anti-China. Rubio, who was tapped as a potential vice presidential pick, has experience in foreign affairs positions, making him a strong candidate for secretary of state or another foreign policy role. He aligns closely with Trump’s emphasis on prioritising American interests. Elon Musk – CEO, Tesla, SpaceX Elon Musk has become one of Trump’s most important supporters [File: Evan Vucci/AP] Another billionaire eyeing a top spot in Trump world, Elon Musk was central to Trump’s decisive victory at the polls. Musk endorsed Trump shortly after the assassination attempt against the president-elect at a Butler, Pennsylvania rally. The tech tycoon was a fixture on the incoming president’s campaign trail, mobilising the MAGA vote at rallies and online with a super PAC he set up. Days before Trump was catapulted back to the White House, the X owner pledged to overhaul the federal government as a “secretary of cost-cutting” if awarded a cabinet position. However, Musk may decide he’s better suited for an oversight role, rather than a position like secretary of energy, which would involve congressional approval hearings. Doug Burgum – Governor, North Dakota North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum walking into the spin room before a presidential debate between Republican President-elect President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris on September 10, 2024, in Philadelphia [Matt Slocum/AP] Doug Burgum ran a longshot primary campaign against Trump, in which the incoming president steamrolled the North Dakota governor. But could the gambit have paid off in the long run? Burgum’s failed primary effort significantly boosted his profile on the national stage. His experience in managing North Dakota’s natural resources positions him as a suitable candidate for secretary of the interior. He is likely to focus on balancing energy development with conservation efforts, overseeing public lands, and implementing policies that support both economic growth and environmental stewardship. John Ratcliffe – Former director of national intelligence Former Representative John Ratcliff testifies before a Senate Intelligence Committee nomination hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington on May 5, 2020 [Gabriella Demczuk/AP] John Ratcliffe, who served as director of national intelligence under Trump, is a trusted ally with deep experience in intelligence and cybersecurity. Known for his loyalty to Trump and expertise in “counterterrorism”, Ratcliffe could resume a similar role, focusing on cybersecurity threats and intelligence reform. His reappointment would signal a continuity in Trump’s approach to national security and information integrity. Adblock test (Why?)
New Jersey governor says he’ll ‘fight to the death’ against Trump actions ‘contrary to values’
In a Q&A following President-elect Donald Trump’s victory, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy warned he will “fight to the death” against the administration if he detects behavior “contrary to our values.” “[A]s we respect the peaceful transition of power, if there is any attack on the Garden State or any of its communities from Washington, I will fight back with every fiber of my being,” Murphy said. “If there’s an opportunity for common ground, we will seize that as fast as anybody,” he conversely added. State Assembly Minority Leader John DiMaio, R-Hackettstown, told Fox News Digital that Murphy is “missing the message” voters sent Tuesday with the initial rhetoric. “It’s time for the governor to recognize that his values may not reflect the values of New Jerseyans as widely as he assumes.” NJ RESIDENTS HIT WITH DOUBLED BILLS AS LAWMAKERS FUME AT MURPHY’S ‘ENERGY DISASTER PLAN’, DEMAND HEARINGS “While Murphy is prepared to spend resources on political battles with Trump, it’s hard to see how that aligns with the priorities of struggling families, working taxpayers and business owners who want more focus on their needs,” DiMaio said. Murphy, who will begin his final year in Trenton after Trump is inaugurated, credited Trump with his “uncanny ability to connect with people, even if it’s not in their own interests,” after the Republican came proverbially close to taking the blue bastion. While Murphy rejected a reporter’s query about New Jersey being in play in the future, he commented that Trump only lost it by 4%, compared to 16% in 2020. “I do not believe we are a swing state,” he said, adding that outside of Rep. Tom Kean Jr.’s victory along the Route 22 corridor, he was happy with the down-ballot results. Kean is a Republican. GOP LAWMAKER TORCHES OFFSHORE WIND PROJECTS AS MAYOR WARNS OF ‘STAR WARS’ BACKDROPS He pointed to Republicans’ success in messaging on the immigration crisis, adding the caveat that their winning rhetoric may not have matched the facts on the ground. Trump won Passaic County, an ethnically diverse New York City suburb, but down-ballot races skewed Democrat. Murphy pointed to that as an example of voters selecting Trump personally rather than Republicans writ large. He suggested the same was true in North Carolina, noting Trump won the state but Democrat Attorney General Joshua Stein was elected governor. “Just as it is our responsibility to continue to stand up against any threat to our state or to our people, it is also our responsibility to take any opportunity that presents itself to work with [Trump] to protect and uplift the people of our state because that is what responsible leaders do,” Murphy added. He also credited Trump with quickly approving the new Portal North Railroad Bridge in Secaucus and assisting during the coronavirus pandemic. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP As for responding to Trump’s governance, Murphy said that during the last administration, when Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was reportedly conducting raids in search of illegal immigrants, he took an inventive tack. “There was a time when ICE was just randomly showing up on street corners and apprehending … brothers and sisters from the immigrant community,” Murphy said. The governor, who lives in Middletown Township near Sandy Hook, said he heard an “area near where I live was at-risk.” “I just went there one night with my [security] detail and just hung out there,” he said, noting ICE then didn’t show. “Whether that scared them off or not I don’t know, but it’s an example of a small step that we’re willing to try anything if its contrary to our values.” As the 2025 gubernatorial race to replace him is about to heat up, Murphy said his three-point win in 2021 may have been “the canary in the coalmine” for Democrats in the state to assess the political landscape.
‘Abandon Harris’ movement flipped Dearborn to Trump on Election Day
The Dearborn, Michigan-led movement to ditch President Biden and later Vice President Kamala Harris ended up throwing its support behind President-elect Trump on Election Day. “They were seeing that President Trump was giving a little attention to the Arab and Muslim community and Vice President Harris was sort of shutting down our community,” Mike Hachem, a Dearborn-based leader of the Abandon Biden movement, said of Dearborn voters in an interview with Fox News Digital Thursday. The comments come after Trump’s victory in the 2024 election, with the president-elect carrying the critical battleground state of Michigan along the way. That victory was in no small part because of the Detroit suburb of Dearborn, a city with the largest per capita Muslim population in the country that sent a shocking message by supporting Trump’s bid to return to the White House. HARRIS MAKES LAST-DITCH APPEAL TO MICHIGAN’S MUSLIM VOTERS Traditionally a dependable Democratic voting bloc, displeasure with the Biden administration’s handling of the conflict in Gaza caused many Muslim Americans in Michigan to spark a movement to “Abandon Biden,” resulting in over 100,000 voting “uncommitted” instead of supporting the president’s re-election bid during the Democratic primary earlier this year. That angst over the administration’s handling of the war carried over to Harris when she was elevated to the top of the Democratic ticket, with activists around Dearborn arguing the vice president had not done enough to earn back the votes of the city’s Muslim community. But despite the widespread dissatisfaction with Democrats, many in the community expressed skepticism about throwing their support behind Trump, with some pointing to a first term that featured robust support for Israel and restrictions on travel from multiple Muslim-majority countries to the United States. Hachem, who would go on to help launch the Arab Americans for a Better America PAC, set out to change that, teaming up with like-minded members of the community and raising funds that were used for outreach and advertisement in support of Trump in the Dearborn area. FOX NEWS PROJECTS FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP TO WIN MICHIGAN Meanwhile, Trump seemingly began to pick up some momentum with Muslim leaders in the state, earning the endorsement of multiple Muslim mayors and religious leaders in southeast Michigan. The combined effort seemingly paid off, with Trump winning 42.5% of the vote in Dearborn, while Harris won just 36.2% and Green Party candidate Jill Stein, who also made a large appeal to the Dearborn community, pulling in 18.37%. The result marked a stark departure from how Dearborn voted in the 2020 election, which saw 68.97% of the city’s voters support Biden compared to just 29.72% who supported Trump. This year also saw Trump take nearby Dearborn Heights, another city with a large Muslim population, with 44% of that city’s voters casting ballots for the former president compared to 38% who supported Harris. “The Arab and Muslim population looked at it as, ‘Hey, we’re getting the attention now, we’re getting the recognition that we fought 60 years to get, and now President Trump is putting us on the stage,’” Hachem said. “President Trump is acknowledging that we exist and that we are part of the fabric of this nation.”
After election, Texas House speaker race remains up for grabs
Neither Speaker Dade Phelan, nor his current opponent Rep. David Cook, have enough public support yet from the GOP caucus to win the nomination.
Top Republican privately backing Thune to succeed McConnell in GOP leader race
National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) Chairman Steve Daines, R-Mont., is privately urging other Senate Republicans to cast their ballots in favor of Senate Minority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., a source familiar told Fox News Digital. The Montana Republican has not publicly endorsed Thune but is planning to support him in the secret ballot on Nov. 13 to determine who will succeed Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., as the head of the party. Up until last month, Daines was still being speculated as a potential contender for leader. The senator had repeatedly skirted questions about whether he would join the race, noticeably not ruling it out. However, he confirmed to Fox News in October that he would not seek the leadership post. RICK SCOTT SEES RED WAVE AS ‘BEST CASE SCENARIO’ FOR SENATE LEADER BID AS HE LOBBIES TRUMP FOR SUPPORT Daines’ office did not provide comment to Fox News Digital in time for publication. The leader position is currently being sought by Thune and Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Rick Scott, R-Fla. McConnell, 82, announced in February that he would not run for leader again in the next Congress. He is the longest-serving party leader in Senate history. The very influential Kentucky Republican won’t be endorsing a successor ahead of the election, Fox News also confirmed. CHUCK SCHUMER PREPS FOR RETURN TO SENATE MINORITY AFTER GOP VICTORY Before Daines dispelled speculation that he would launch a campaign for leader, Trump told allies following McConnell’s announcement that he would like to see the Montana senator run to succeed him. That was prompted by the president-elect’s good relationship with Daines, the source shared. ELECTION NIGHT WINNERS AND LOSERS: 2024 EDITION Senators have kept quiet throughout the months leading up to the leader race, opting instead to focus on the 2024 elections. Very few Republicans have made revealing public comments about the candidates or whom they were leaning toward. MITCH MCCONNELL SINGS TRUMP CAMPAIGN PRAISES: ‘SHARPER OPERATION THIS TIME’ Only three senators have made public endorsements, with Sens. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., and Mike Rounds, R-S.D., who announced support for Thune earlier this year, and Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., who recently backed Scott and urged Trump to endorse him as well. Trump has not weighed in, and it is unclear whether he plans to. His team did not immediately provide comment to Fox News Digital.
Trump-backed PA Senate candidate flips longtime Dem seat red in nail-biter election
Republican Pennsylvania Senate candidate Dave McCormick was declared victorious in his high-stakes election against longtime Democrat Sen. Bob Casey on Tuesday. Casey has served in the Senate since 2008 and ultimately became a stalwart within the Democratic Party. For example, he voted on legislation President Biden supported 98.5% of the time, according to FiveThirtyEight data. The Casey name also has deep roots in the state, with Bob Casey Sr., the senator’s father, serving as the Keystone State’s governor from 1987 to 1995 after years of serving in various other elected roles. The longtime senator, however, faced what was described as his most difficult re-election effort to date, squaring up against Republican businessman Dave McCormick. McCormick is an Army combat veteran and former CEO of hedge fund Bridgewater Associates who served as the undersecretary of commerce for industry and security as well as undersecretary of the treasury for international affairs in former President George W. Bush’s administration. ‘LIES THROUGHOUT’: TRUMP-BACKED CHALLENGER, LONGTIME DEM SENATOR FACE OFF IN HEATED BATTLEGROUND DEBATE Political eyes have been locked on Pennsylvania this election cycle after it yet again emerged as a key battleground state for the presidential race. Trump narrowly won the state in his successful 2016 election against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, while President Biden declared victory in the Keystone State in the 2020 election. MCCORMICK SEIZES ON PENNSYLVANIA SENATE RACE GAP, LAYING BORDER BLAME ON CASEY The race was rated as “leans Democrat” by both the Fox News Power Rankings and the Cook Political Report, with Casey himself acknowledging this year that it would be a “close, tough race.” Biden campaigned for Casey in their shared home state, with the president lauding the senator as “a man that kids can look up to.” On the other side of the aisle, McCormick earned Trump’s endorsement in the Keystone State. “He’s a good man. He wants to run a good ship,” Trump said during a rally in April. “He’s a smart guy. He was a very successful guy. He’s given up a lot to do this.” PHILLY VOTERS SOUND OFF ON ECONOMY: ‘EVERYBODY IS STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW’ The two have sparred over issues such as immigration, abortion, spiraling inflation and law enforcement in their campaigns and during their debates. BIDEN WILL ‘ABSOLUTELY’ HURT LONGTIME DEM SENATOR’S CHANCES OF RETAINING BATTLEGROUND STATE SEAT: MCCORMICK Casey campaigned on a platform of protecting access to abortion, lowering “greedflation,” preserving Pennsylvania’s “energy legacy” while also working “to protect our environment” and bolstering infrastructure in rural areas. McCormick campaigned on reeling in inflation under the Biden-Harris administration, securing the border, curbing crime, defending the Second Amendment and expanding the Keystone State’s energy sector. The high-stakes election put both candidates under the national spotlight, including earlier this year when police leaders in the state slammed Casey for aligning himself with a pro-defund the police group as he geared up for the election. He was also dinged by McCormick and other conservatives for rhetoric blaming spiraling inflation on corporations’ alleged greed, which he calls “greedflation.” McCormick came under fire from Casey and Democrats for splitting his time between Pennsylvania and Connecticut, where his children attend school, painting him as a Keystone State outsider. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
Blue state governor summons legislature in response to Trump win: ‘Ready to fight’
Blue state Gov. Gavin Newsom said Thursday he is calling an emergency special session to bolster the state’s legal response to any future attacks from the incoming Trump administration. The special session will focus on safeguarding “civil rights, reproductive freedom, climate action, and immigrant families,” Newsom’s office said in a press release. “California is ready to fight,” Newsom said on X. “Whether it be our fundamental civil rights, reproductive freedom, or climate action – we refuse to turn back the clock and allow our values and laws to be attacked.” His action comes just a day after Newsom said he “will seek to work with the incoming president.” NATHAN HOCHMAN OUSTS EMBATTLED LIBERAL PROSECUTOR GEORGE GASCON AS LA COUNTY DA AMID CRIME CONCERNS The special session will convene on Monday, Dec. 2. Newsom is urging his state legislature to earmark more funds for the California Department of Justice and other state agencies with additional resources to mount legal challenges. “The funding will support the ability to immediately file litigation and seek injunctive relief against unlawful federal actions,” Newsom’s office said. During Trump’s first term, Newsom launched lawsuits against the federal government more than 100 times. “We learned a lot about former President Trump in his first term – he’s petty, vindictive, and will do what it takes to get his way no matter how dangerous the policy may be,” Mike McGuire, Democratic state Senate president pro tempore, said in a statement. PROPOSITION 36 OVERWHELMINGLY PASSES IN CALIFORNIA, REVERSING SOME SOROS-BACKED SOFT-ON-CRIME POLICIES “California has come too far and accomplished too much to simply surrender and accept his dystopian vision for America. This is why we’re moving with speed and investing in our legal defense.” Meanwhile, Republican Brian Jones, state Senate minority leader, said the special session “is clearly just another political stunt,” and a “desperate attempt to distract from Democrats’ significant losses across California on Tuesday – in the state Senate, state Assembly, U.S. House, and on key ballot measures, including Prop 5’s defeat and Prop 36’s overwhelming win.” “Californians have made it clear: affordability is their top concern,” Jones said. “Yet, even with the massive deficit he created, Gov. Newsom wants to hand his attorney general a blank check to wage endless battles against the federal government – while our own state is on fire, both literally and metaphorically.” California, a sanctuary state for illegal immigrants, abortions and transgender transition treatments for children, could be targeted by the Trump administration, especially considering Trump’s mass deportation plan of illegal immigrants. Newsom, leader of the progressive blueprint of the country, isn’t the only Democrat who is preparing to Trump-proof their states ahead of his inauguration. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James, who’ve spent years prosecuting and disparaging Trump, vowed to fight back against any potential “revenge or retribution” that may be coming their way now that he will be returning to the White House. DONALD TRUMP WINS 2024 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION Hochul offered congratulations to Trump during a press conference on Wednesday while also commending his opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris and running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, for a “hard-fought campaign that really lifted up so many issues that matter to Americans.” “I want to be very clear that while we honor the results of this election and will work with anyone who wants to be a partner in achieving the goals of our administration in our state, that does not mean we’ll accept an agenda from Washington that strips away the rights that New Yorkers have long enjoyed,” Hochul said Wednesday. Fox News Digital’s Greg Wehner contributed to this report.
McCormick eyes ‘ruby red’ county to put him over the top in tight PA Senate battle
Longtime Democratic Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey and Republican challenger Dave McCormick are still wading through their election results, with McCormick’s campaign saying that even though the race is tight, the Republican will prevail. “McCormick is up 30,679 votes with more to come, as ruby red Cambria County is still outstanding. While votes continue to be counted, any way you slice it, Dave McCormick will be the next United States Senator from Pennsylvania,” Elizabeth Gregory, McCormick’s communications director, said in a comment Thursday provided to Fox News Digital. More than 98% of the votes have been tabulated in the high-stakes Senate race, with McCormick showing a slight lead over Casey, at 48.94% to Casey’s 48.49% support, Fox News’s race results show. The results are too close to make an official call, and they will likely face a recount. As of Thursday afternoon, 31,503 difference in McCormick’s favor. Cambria County, which is home to the city of Johnstown, is a reliably red jurisdiction that was granted a two-hour extension of polling hours on Tuesday after a “software malfunction” temporarily delayed the scanning of ballots in the precinct. The county has voted for Republican presidential candidates each cycle since Mitt Romney’s 2012 run. BATTLEGROUND STATES’ RECOUNT RULES VARY WIDELY, HERE’S A LOOK AT HOW THEY WORK Pennsylvania has three recount options: statewide automatic recounts ordered by the secretary of the commonwealth; recounts ordered by a county election board; and recounts that are ordered by the court. ‘VINDICTIVE’: DEMOCRAT IN TIGHT SENATE RACE BLASTED BY GOP RIVAL FOR SWIPE AT MCDONALD’S AFTER TRUMP VISIT An automatic recount would occur in this case if a candidate’s margin of victory is no more than 0.5% of total votes cast. A recount submission must be submitted to the Pennsylvania Secretary of State’s office no later than 5 p.m. on the second Thursday after Election Day. The Casey campaign touted earlier Thursday that they, too, are confident that the senator will end the campaign with another re-election win. KEY BATTLEGROUND STATE VOTER REGISTRATION DATA SHOWS INFLUENTIAL SHIFTS FAVORING GOP “The count in Pennsylvania is still continuing,” Casey for Senate spokesperson Maddy McDaniel said earlier on Thursday. “Yesterday, the vote margin shrunk by 50,000 votes and this race is now within half a point, the threshold for automatic recounts in Pennsylvania. With tens of thousands more votes to be counted, we are committed to ensuring every Pennsylvanian’s vote is heard and confident that at the end of that process, Senator Casey will be re-elected.” Casey has served in the Senate since the 2006 cycle. He faced his most uphill election battle this year against McCormick, an Army combat veteran and former CEO of hedge fund Bridgewater Associates. Fox News Digital’s Breanne Deppisch contributed to this report.