WATCH: Ilhan Omar refuses to address police raid on home her son shares with felon roommate
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., gave the cold shoulder when asked to weigh in on her son’s home being raided by police after his convicted felon roommate was arrested. Minneapolis police officers found while carrying out a search warrant on August 25 multiple weapons and ammunition in the shared home of Omar’s son, Adnan Hirsi, 20, and his roommate Abdulrahman Abdi, 22. The warrant was obtained after Abdi was pulled over in a routine traffic stop and was found to have no driver’s license or proof of insurance. Abdi was released and the car was impounded, but a firearm was later found. As a convicted felon, it is illegal for Abdi to possess a firearm, so the property that he shares with Abdi was raided. CAUGHT ON CAMERA: SQUAD DEM SQUIRMS WHEN PRESSED ON VANCE DOJ FRAUD PROBE Omar’s son is not accused of any wrongdoing, nor is Omar, but the incident raised concerns over Hirsi’s close affiliations. The congresswoman, meanwhile, refused to give her take on the latest controversy. “What do you know about the situation, why it happened in the first place?” Omar was asked as she walked through the halls of Capitol Hill. She ignored the inquiry and walked away, but was hounded with more questions on the matter. “Are you going to advise your son to move from his place? Away from that situation? We were just wondering what you thought about the whole thing,” she was pressed in follow-ups. FEDERAL APPEALS COURT UPHOLDS CONTROVERSIAL ILLINOIS BAN ON SEMIAUTOMATIC GUNS The Minnesota lawmaker, Somali refugee and first hijab-wearing woman elected to Congress, continued to walk in silence as she was peppered with questions. Omar’s office did not immediately respond to a request from Fox News Digital. Abdi, who faces a weapons charge, was released the day after he was arrested. He was arrested 10 times in the past and has a felony speeding conviction stemming from an arrest in 2024 for driving more than 100 miles per hour. JD VANCE SAYS DOJ LOOKING INTO IF ILHAN OMAR COMMITTED IMMIGRATION FRAUD AMID BROTHER-MARRIAGE ALLEGATIONS Omar takes a strict stance on firearm regulation, advocating for the closure of the gun show loophole and the implementation of “red flag” laws to temporary block individuals deemed a threat to public safety from accessing guns. She has also voted in support of legislation to prohibit the sale of assault style weapons and to strengthen the universal background check system. “Not a good look for Ilhan Omar,” Right-wing activist Benny Johnson wrote on X. Fox News Digital reached out to the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Department for comment.
Presidential flip? GOP insider predicts Trump change of mind on key AI policy ahead of midterms
EXCLUSIVE: A GOP insider making the conservative case for regulating artificial intelligence development predicts President Donald Trump’s full-throated support for data center expansion will soon change after he hears from the American people on the midterm campaign trail. In an interview with Fox News Digital, Amy Kremer, a close Trump ally, Republican National Committee member and founder of “Humans First,” warned that the voice of the average American is being left out of the ongoing AI data center debate. She believes that is about to change as the president prepares to hit the campaign trail in support of Republicans ahead of the midterms this fall. Right now, Kremer asserted that Trump is “only hearing one side of the story from big tech.” “He’s getting ready to go out on the campaign trail, and I think he’s going to hear more from the American people on the data center side of things. And I hope he does,” she said, adding, “I know the president, and his heart, and he would not like the way the Americans are being treated.” MAGA BEGINS TO CRACK AS 2026 GOP ROSTER BACKS AWAY FROM TRUMP’S TECH VISION Kremer was pivotal in founding the modern Tea Party movement and through the years established several pro-Trump political action committees, including the “Great America PAC,” the first and largest grassroots organization founded in 2016 to support then-candidate Trump. Now, she is the chairwoman of “Humans First,” a political group calling for an “America First approach to AI” that it says would keep the U.S. ahead of China while protecting American families, communities and jobs. She said that while Trump has made it clear that he wants America to lead on AI development, she believes that innovation and safety are “not mutually exclusive.” “I love the president. He has been an amazing president. I know he wants us to lead the world in technology and innovation, and I support him in that,” she said, while noting, “There’s this narrative out there that [with] innovation, you have to forego safety, and it’s just not accurate. It’s not true.” TEA PARTY FOUNDER LAUNCHES NATIONWIDE ‘DATA CENTER REVOLT’ AGAINST AI DATA CENTER EXPANSION As the GOP gathers in Dallas for its first midterm convention, Humans First unveiled a new data center policy outline that it is urging the president and Republicans in Congress and state legislatures to adopt. The plan, obtained exclusively by Fox News Digital, calls for greater local control over data center development and rejects the use of eminent domain for land seizures. The plan opposes federal and state “efforts to strip communities of that authority,” including through a federal data center moratorium, which many opponents of AI development have called for. Instead, the plan calls for local communities to be given the ability to welcome or reject new data center developments through zoning and land-use processes. Additionally, the plan rejects what it describes as “blank-check tax breaks” and subsidies and states that “any incentives must be transparent and tied to enforceable benefits for the community.” The plan calls for full transparency on data center development, stating that “before approval, communities deserve to know the project’s end user, electricity demand, water use, land requirements, infrastructure costs, tax incentives, permanent jobs and environmental impacts.” It also calls for protection for ratepayers so that families and small businesses do not pay higher electric bills. Instead, it states that data centers should pay the full cost of the power generation, transmission, grid upgrades and infrastructure they require. TRUMP SAYS GOVERNORS, MAYORS SHOULD WELCOME AI DATA CENTERS NATIONWIDE Two other provisions address some of the most controversial aspects of AI data center development: local water usage and development on farmland, which the plan refers to as a “strategic American resource that should be protected.” The way Kremer put it? She posited that “there are more regulations on a hot dog that you buy on a street corner in New York City than there are on these big tech companies with this technology.” SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER “We are not anti-AI, we’re not anti-technology, and we’re not anti-data centers,” she explained. “What we are is we want the American people to have a seat at the table and a voice in this conversation.” “We can lead on innovation, we absolutely can,” she said. “But that doesn’t mean that it has to be on the backs of the American taxpayers.”
Trump makes stunning first-of-its-kind cash promise in bid to rally GOP voters at Dallas midterm convention
DALLAS — President Donald Trump delivered the keynote speech on day one of the GOP’s inaugural midterm convention, alternating between touting his successes in office and rallying thousands of supporters for Republican candidates ahead of November’s general election before making a promise to American voters. In a stunning move, Trump made a promise unheard of in the history of American politics — offering a cash prize should Republicans keep control of Congress. “I can make this promise to you, and here is my promise,” he said. “If the Republicans win the House of Representatives and the United States Senate, both of them, because of our economic — tremendous economic success like in history, we’ve never had anything like what’s happening. but because of our tremendous strength and success economically — I will issue a dividend to every adult citizen in the United States of America for $5,000. Very much like a successful company will do a cash distribution to its shareholders.” TRUMP’S UNUSUAL ROLE AT MIDTERM CONVENTION REVEALED AS SCHEDULE GOES PUBLIC “It will be called the ‘Trump dividend,’” he added. Trump opened the speech by grading his own performance since taking office for a second time in January 2025, saying he’s “doing a great job.” He quickly shifted to addressing the historical challenge that incumbent parties rarely retain control of Congress in midterm elections. JOHNSON DOWNPLAYS GOP’S MIDTERM WOES AS DEMOCRATS EYE HOUSE TAKEOVER: ‘I AM VERY BULLISH’ “But I say, why is it that no matter how well you’re doing, we see not a president — Democrat or Republican — almost never wins the midterms?’ said Trump. “We’ve got to change that because we have something going that’s so good we can’t let that string be broken. So I’m asking you to pretend that I’m on the ballot. I’m on the ballot, just one more time.” During his effort to rally GOP voters to help Republicans hang onto the House and Senate, Trump made sure to give credit to Republicans on Capitol Hill for their work in passing his agenda. MILLIONS TAP TRUMP TAX CUTS THIS FILING SEASON AS REFUNDS TOP $3,400 “Our Republican Congress puts thousands of dollars into the pockets of working families with the largest tax cuts in the history of our country,” he said. “So we had the largest in history. We gave you no tax on tips, no tax on overtime and no tax on Social Security for our great seniors.” He said his administration’s efforts on critical issues will be crushed if the GOP loses majorities in either or both chambers of Congress. TRUMP ADMIN MARKS 15 STRAIGHT MONTHS WITH ZERO BORDER RELEASES AS APPREHENSIONS PLUNGE 94% “Because if we lose, you’re going to lose your border,” he said. “You’re going to lose your tax cuts. You’re going to lose your safety and security. You’re going to lose your wealth.” Fox News polling shows Trump is underwater with voters on the economy, cost of living and inflation. Sixty-five percent of voters disapprove of his handling of the economy. The president also defended the military conflict in Iran, saying he has received criticism over rising gas prices tied to the conflict but arguing that “I’m right,” because Iran was one month away from securing a nuclear weapon. Inflation has risen from 2.4% to 3.4% since the war began in February, while gas prices have also increased. RECORD GAS PRICES SQUEEZE AMERICANS AS SUMMER TRAVEL SEASON ENDS, MIDTERMS LOOM AND IRAN WAR WAGES ON Republicans who spoke to Fox News Digital on day one of the convention weren’t concerned with Trump’s economic policies. “I believe that Trump is doing the right thing,” one RNC attendee told Fox News Digital. “The tariffs are bringing a lot of money back, you know, correcting the national debt. And that’s gonna improve everything across the board.” “I feel like as soon as we bring this conflict in Iran to a close, we’ll start seeing the full effects of President Trump and the greatness that he’s done as far as the economy, the great thing of tariffs, and some of the products of the Trump economy in the golden age,” said Jacquez Jones of Texas. Later, Trump shifted his sights to Texas’ high profile U.S. Senate race between Republican state Attorney General Ken Paxton and Democrat state Rep. James Talarico. “We have to elect Ken Paxton,” he said, segueing into border security, a top issue under both Trump administrations. “Together, we’re going to continue to have — we have the strongest borders now in the history of our country.” ‘FAKE’ MODERATE TALARICO’S TEXAS SURGE TESTS PAXTON IN FIGHT TO HOLD CRUCIAL GOP SENATE SEAT “We have the lowest level of illegal immigration ever recorded in our country,” he said, adding that zero illegal immigrants have entered the country through Texas in 16 months. “And therefore zero have been admitted into Texas where they used to be running around, running rampant, killing people, destroying many houses and farms, and ruining property values and creating havoc all over the state of Texas,” he said. During the speech, he also took aim at Democratic Senate candidates Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan and former Gov. Roy Cooper in North Carolina. LONGTIME GOP AIDE DEFECTS TO DEM RISING STAR AS TEXAS SENATE BATTLE FOR CORNYN’S SEAT HEATS UP He also touted what he described as foreign policy wins. After the arrest of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Trump boasted about “the biggest oil deal” ever, which he said might be “the biggest deal in the history of our country.” “65 billion barrels are ours,” Trump said. “And you know what they say it is lifetime 500 years.” Later, Trump transitioned to slamming the GOP’s far-left opponents. “In this election, the Democrats have nominated the most extreme and dangerous group of candidates for the House and Senate ever to seek office,” he said. “These people are radical left communists. Many of them. Not all of them, but many of them in state after state. The
Fetterman teases where his true loyalty lies after surprise appearance at GOP convention
DALLAS — A rogue Senate Democrat toying with the idea of leaving his party drew a hard line in the sand after making a surprise appearance at the GOP’s Trump-centric convention. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., has been welcomed with open arms by Republicans to join the party after he floated leaving his own caucus, and spurred further speculation that he would jump ship after dropping a video introducing his colleague, Sen. Dave McCormick, R-Pa., at the Republican National Committee’s midterm convention on Wednesday. But in a statement to Fox News Digital, the progressive-turned centrist said that he wasn’t turning his back on the Democratic Party, even as the knives have come out to cut him loose from the Senate. DEM SENATOR DELIVERS SURPRISE VIDEO AT REPUBLICAN CONVENTION BACKING MCCORMICK “My remarks introduced Dave McCormick as a great American and friend. We are in different parties, but we are both Team PA,” Fetterman said. “We have delivered hundreds of millions of dollars back to Pennsylvania, fought for improved transportation and affordable housing, and the Steel Way of Life.” “I’m a lifelong Democrat who votes overwhelmingly with my party — and should the Senate flip in November, I will still be the 51st vote that I ran on,” he continued. Fetterman started his career in the Senate after besting Dr. Mehmet Oz in a tight race for power in 2022, where he clinched a historically thin Democratic majority in 2022 running on a progressive platform. TOP REPUBLICAN NAMES WHO HE SAYS IS REALLY LEADING DEMOCRATS — AND IT’S NOT SCHUMER OR JEFFRIES But since then, he has become a thorn in Democrats’ side, and challenged the direction of the party. Earlier this year, Fetterman warned that if Democrats became more entrenched in anti-Israel policy positions, he would exit the party, and has taken jabs at the party’s direction during this midterm election cycle as far-left progressives, like Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan, have emerged as standard-bearers. Fetterman has routinely bucked Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and his colleagues on a handful of key issues, like President Donald Trump’s war in Iran or voting with Republicans to end the marathon government shutdown last Fall. FETTERMAN FACES DEM REVOLT AS BOMBSHELL REPORT FUELS PUSH TO OUST HIM: ‘DISGRACE’ His latest edict followed a bombshell report that alleged through leaked texts with his aides that the maverick Democrat would often brush off duties of his office, like meeting with paralyzed veterans or charging that a three-hour funeral service for slain police officers was a “non-starter.” And Republicans would gladly welcome him into the fold. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said in July that he and others in the Senate GOP have had “had conversations with him in the past … about the challenges he faces in his caucus.” “And, you know, there are many of us who I think would welcome the opportunity to have him join the Republican conference,” Thune said. But for now, Fetterman is staying put even if Democrats flip the Senate in November.
EXCLUSIVE: 25 years after 9/11, ICE says more than 2K known or suspected terrorists have been deported
EXCLUSIVE: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has deported more than 2,000 known or suspected terrorists from the U.S. since President Donald Trump took office in January 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) tells Fox News Digital, as the nation prepares to mark 25 years since the 9/11 terrorist attacks. DHS said ICE arrested more than 2,150 known or suspected terrorists between Jan. 20, 2025, and Sept. 9, 2026, and deported 2,015 during that period. “As we reflect on the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, the brave men and women of ICE continue to carry out their duty to protect the homeland and keep the American people safe,” DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said in the department’s announcement. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S IMMIGRATION PUSH FUELS ICE’S BIGGEST ARREST MONTH IN AGENCY HISTORY Mullin said ICE had arrested more than 2,100 known or suspected terrorists and deported more than 2,000, adding that the anniversary underscored the department’s commitment to “eternal vigilance.” DHS pointed to several recent cases involving alleged terrorists and members of designated foreign terrorist organizations. WHITE HOUSE UFC TERROR PLOT ‘RINGLEADER’ IS A MEXICAN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT, DHS CONFIRMS In June, federal authorities arrested Abraham Hermosillo Alvarez, a Mexican national DHS described as the suspected ringleader of an alleged mass-casualty plot targeting UFC Freedom 250 at the White House. DHS said Alvarez overstayed a visitor visa that expired in 2001 and later received DACA status in 2014. ICE lodged a detainer following his arrest. Days earlier, ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) arrested Felipe Linares De Oliveira Dell Aquilla, a Brazilian national DHS identified as a former commander of two designated foreign terrorist organizations. Authorities said they recovered a handgun, cash and multiple electronic devices after a vehicle and foot pursuit in North Carolina. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION SAYS FEDERAL AUTHORITIES HAVE ARRESTED MORE THAN 10,000 SUSPECTED GANG MEMBERS DHS said Aquilla was wanted in Brazil on criminal association and extortion charges and was allegedly holding his wife against her will while preparing to flee to Mexico. ICE lodged a detainer after his arrest, while investigators pursued additional firearm and kidnapping charges. Four Venezuelan members of Tren de Aragua also pleaded guilty in May to charges stemming from a 2024 Bronx shooting that killed two people. DHS said all four had entered the United States illegally between 2022 and 2023. REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: 9/11 IS JUST A HISTORY CHAPTER FOR A NEW GENERATION OF AMERICANS The announcement comes as the nation prepares to mark 25 years since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, which killed nearly 3,000 people in New York City, at the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania. The attacks prompted the largest overhaul of the nation’s homeland security apparatus in decades, including the creation of DHS in 2002 and ICE the following year. Friday’s anniversary will commemorate the victims of the attacks and the first responders who rushed into danger, while marking a quarter-century of U.S. efforts to prevent another large-scale terrorist attack on American soil.
Talarico says he ‘missed the mark’ as he backtracks on controversial woke statements
In a Fox News exclusive interview, Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico came out in favor of banning gender surgery for minors and opposed transgender-identifying men competing in women’s sports. Talarico also backtracked on several of his more controversial claims, including saying there are six genders and that “God is nonbinary.” This comes as the Texas Senate race, which is surprisingly close according to recent Fox News polling, enters its final months. The race is considered critical to both parties’ chances of securing a Senate majority. Talarico is facing Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican who has faced controversies of his own. A Republican loss in Texas would significantly impact President Donald Trump’s ability to implement his agenda. Fox News spoke with Talarico at a food drive campaign event in Dallas on Tuesday. Talarico’s event took place as the first-ever GOP midterm convention kicked off just miles away in downtown Dallas. TALARICO CAMPAIGNS WITH SURGEON WHO OPERATED ON TRANSGENDER MINORS: ‘WOLF IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING’ Asked whether he would vote as a U.S. senator in favor of a national ban on gender surgery for minors, Talarico answered, “Absolutely.” He said, “I’ve been consistent on this issue,” explaining his opposition to a Texas bill to ban transgender surgeries on minors by saying the measure “was overly broad.” “If you go back and check, I voted for a major amendment to limit the bill to banning surgeries for minors,” he said. “As a lawmaker, my job is to try to sift through everything the bill does. And sometimes there’s stuff in it that’s really harmful, and I have no choice but to oppose the bill as a whole.” “It’s why I try to use amendments, to narrow the focus of the bill so that it does exactly what we intend it to do,” he continued. “It’s what I tried to do with that piece of legislation, and unfortunately the amendment I supported was unsuccessful.” In 2023, as a member of the Texas House of Representatives, Talarico voted against a state bill titled SB 14, which prohibited certain gender surgery, puberty blockers and certain hormone treatments for minors. There were 18 amendments to the bill proposed by Democrats, all of which Talarico voted in favor and all of which ultimately failed. In the same interview, Talarico acknowledged that men in women’s sports is a significant issue in Texas. He said, “I oppose trans athletes playing in girls’ sports if it endangers safety or fairness.” “Every sport has to be safe and fair. As a former public school teacher, I care a lot about our student athletes. I care a lot about our students. And so, I will oppose trans athletes playing in girls’ sports if it risks safety or fairness,” he said. Talarico’s comments mark a shift from his earlier position as a Texas state lawmaker. In 2021, while serving on the Texas House Public Education Committee, he opposed SB 29, which sought to require public-school athletes to compete based on the biological sex listed on their birth certificate, calling the issue a “manufactured problem.” Later that year, he voted against HB 25, which enacted similar restrictions into Texas law. JAMES TALARICO ADMITS PAST COMMENTS ‘MISSED THE MARK’ WHEN CONFRONTED ON CLAIMS LIKE GOD IS ‘NON-BINARY’ He also addressed perhaps his most controversial statement, which he made in 2021, while opposing a Texas bill to keep men out of women’s sports. Talarico said on the state House floor that “God is both masculine and feminine and everything in between. God is non-binary.” “I was being provocative with that statement. I get that,” Talarico admitted, explaining, “What I was trying to say is that you can’t use human categories to define God, and that’s not controversial theologically. In fact, the late Charlie Kirk, the late Pope Benedict all said the same thing.” Talarico continued, claiming “these comments are being clipped out of context to try to distract from Ken Paxton’s career of corruption.” “You mentioned [Paxton] being acquitted in the state Senate. That was after two of his billionaire megadonors gave the lieutenant governor a $3 million check to buy his acquittal,” Talarico said. “So, Ken Paxton is the most corrupt politician in Texas and he’s gonna try to clip some of my comments, including comments where I was being a little provocative in order to try to distract from that career.” Fox News Digital reached out to the Paxton campaign for a response. LONGTIME GOP AIDE DEFECTS TO DEM RISING STAR AS TEXAS SENATE BATTLE FOR CORNYN’S SEAT HEATS UP Regarding his past comment about there being more than two genders, Talarico said he does not currently believe there are six sexes. “I’ve missed the mark on some of my past statements. I will be the first to admit it,” he said. “What I meant is that there are two sexes, and then there’s a small percentage of people with genetic abnormalities.” “Obviously didn’t say it correctly. There are not six sexes. There are two, and I think the reason that politicians in that convention center across the street want to talk about six sexes is because they don’t want to talk about $6 diesel,” he said. Though he walked back these controversies, Talarico did not hold back on his criticism of the Supreme Court, which he described as “infected” with corruption, saying it “needs to be overhauled.” SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER He said that if elected, “You’re going to expect that I will vote for overhaul to the Supreme Court. That will include binding codes of conduct for our justices. It’ll include term limits, and I am open to a discussion about expanding the number of justices.” Following these controversies, Talarico pledged to keep his message focused on affordability for the remainder of the campaign. “Everywhere I go across the state of Texas, people are struggling to survive in this economy. They are struggling to afford the basics: groceries, gas, utilities, healthcare. And that’s what I’m going to be
George W Bush recalls moment with Derek Jeter before nerve-wracking pitch at Yankee Stadium after 9/11
Former President George W. Bush recalled Wednesday a lighthearted moment he shared with New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter before throwing out a ceremonial first pitch at Yankee Stadium just weeks after 9/11. Bush told the story alongside Condoleezza Rice, his national security advisor at the time of the attacks, during a reunification event at the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas, Texas. During the World Series in October 2001, Bush said he was feeling the pressure of leading the nation through a fragile moment when Jeter told him before the game, “Don’t bounce it, they’ll boo you.” As the audience chuckled at the joke, Bush recalled feeling the raw emotions inside the NYC stadium as he walked to the mound at center field. GEORGE BUSH WELCOMES TOP OFFICIALS TO HIS HOME STATE FOR 9/11 REMEMBRANCE ON 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF ATTACKS “I looked at the catcher, he looked really tiny, and the ball felt really heavy,” Bush said. While scanning the faces in the crowd, Bush said he could imagine people thinking, “You can knock down our buildings, but you d— sure not going to touch our soul.” AMERICA’S HEARTLAND COMES FACE-TO-FACE WITH 9/11 HISTORY AS 25TH ANNIVERSARY NEARS Bush recalled throwing the ball, which made it over the plate, and described the moment as “memorable.” “I mean, it was an amazing feeling,” he said. This coming Friday will mark the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, when al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial airplanes in a coordinated attack against the United States. Two of the flights struck New York City’s Twin Towers at the World Trade Center, sending both buildings crashing down and causing mass casualties. A third flight struck the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., while the fourth crashed in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Nearly 3,000 people died in the terror attacks, including hundreds of firefighters and police officers.
Dem senator delivers surprise video at Republican convention backing McCormick
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., delivered a surprise video message at the GOP midterm convention Wednesday night, praising President Donald Trump and Republican Sen. Dave McCormick while rejecting what he described as the Democratic Party’s “extremes and socialism.” “I’m a commonsense Democrat. I’m always going to stand with America,” Fetterman said. “I’m always going to reject the extremes and socialism and that anti-American way of life.” Fetterman introduced McCormick, who is seeking re-election to the Senate, as “the kind of senator that gets the job done” and someone who will “fight for Pennsylvania.” FETTERMAN LEANS ON UNLIKELY GOP ALLY AS DEMS SHARPEN THEIR KNIVES OVER EXPLOSIVE REPORT Standing in front of an iconic U.S. steel mill, Fetterman said he was proud to work with McCormick and Trump to defend Pennsylvania’s steel industry, which remains a central part of the state’s economic and political identity. “That’s exactly the kind of thing that we will work together and will work with President Trump to fight and defend the steel way of life right here in the Steel Valley,” Fetterman said. The message was notable because Fetterman is a sitting Democratic senator appearing at the Republican Party’s first midterm convention, where Trump is expected to rally GOP voters ahead of the Nov. 3 elections. His appearance also highlighted his increasingly strained relationship with Democratic leaders and the party’s left wing. Fetterman has repeatedly broken with Democrats on issues including Israel, immigration and Trump’s military actions against Iran. He has remained one of the most outspoken Democratic supporters of Israel in the Senate and has criticized members of his party who have sought to limit U.S. support for the country. Fetterman has also backed tougher immigration enforcement and supported some Trump administration nominees, positions that have drawn criticism from Democrats. Fetterman has said he would consider leaving the Democratic Party if it became “the anti-Israel party,” though he has not indicated that he plans to switch parties. The senator’s relationship with McCormick has also fueled speculation about his political future. The two Pennsylvania senators previously faced one another in the 2022 Senate race, when Fetterman defeated Republican nominee Mehmet Oz and McCormick lost the GOP primary. CAN THE ‘BEST SHOWMAN IN POLITICS’ DELIVER AGAIN? GOP BETS ON TRUMP AT HISTORIC MIDTERM CONVENTION Since then, Fetterman and McCormick have developed an unusually close relationship. Their campaigns formed a bipartisan joint fundraising committee in July, an arrangement that drew attention because the two senators belong to opposing parties. McCormick has also sought to emphasize his ties to Pennsylvania’s industrial base and his support for the state’s steelworkers. Fetterman’s video allowed him to reinforce that message while presenting McCormick as a senator willing to work across party lines. The appearance does not mean Fetterman is switching parties, but it is likely to intensify questions about whether he can maintain support from Democratic voters as he continues to align himself with Trump and Republican priorities. It also gives Republicans a high-profile Democratic voice to showcase as they argue that the party’s coalition is expanding beyond traditional GOP voters. “A different party,” Fetterman said of McCormick. “But I’m proud to count him as my great friend.”
Dem incumbent becomes first sitting governor to lose primary since 2018
Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee lost his Democratic primary Wednesday to businesswoman Helena Foulkes, becoming the first sitting governor in the country since 2018 to be denied his party’s nomination. Foulkes, a former CVS executive and current Costco board member, defeated McKee in a rematch of their closely fought 2022 Democratic primary, when McKee edged her by just a few percentage points. McKee’s defeat Wednesday adds another incumbent to a growing list of officeholders ousted during the 2026 primary season. McKee first became governor in 2021 after Gov. Gina Raimondo left office to serve as Commerce Secretary in the Biden administration. The former Cumberland mayor and two-term lieutenant governor went on to win his first full term in 2022 after narrowly emerging from a crowded Democratic primary that included Foulkes. INCUMBENT GOP GOVERNOR ROLLS TO PRIMARY VICTORY AFTER KEEPING TRUMP AT A DISTANCE The last sitting governor to lose his party’s nomination was Kansas Republican Gov. Jeff Colyer. Colyer lost the 2018 GOP primary to then-Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, backed by Donald Trump at the time, by fewer than 400 votes. Foulkes has spent decades in the private sector, including as a senior executive at Rhode Island-based CVS Health, and later served as CEO of Hudson’s Bay Company. She sits on Costco’s board of directors. Her 2026 campaign marked Foulkes’ second bid for elected office after finishing second to McKee in the 2022 Democratic gubernatorial primary. EX-DEM LOBBYIST FOR COMPANY THAT PROMOTED ADDICTIVE OPIOID CLEARS KEY GUBERNATORIAL HURDLE The rematch centered in part on the candidates’ competing arguments over their records and leadership. Foulkes criticized McKee’s management of state government, including his administration’s handling of the Washington Bridge, which was abruptly closed over structural concerns in December 2023 and remains under reconstruction. McKee defended his administration’s record and repeatedly targeted Foulkes’ tenure at CVS, suggesting she is an out-of-touch corporate executive and going after her leadership role at the company amid its controversial handling of prescription opioids. Foulkes will advance to the November general election as a favorite against the winner of the Republican primary between Aaron Guckian, the GOP’s 2022 nominee for Rhode Island lieutenant governor, and retired business executive Elaine Pelino. Independent candidates Ken Block, Jasjit “Jay” Gotra and Christopher “CD” Reynolds will also be part of the general election action in November, according to The Rhode Island Current.
Illegal alien ordered removed years ago charged in crash that killed newly engaged 23-year-old teacher
A previously deported illegal alien allegedly drove drunk before flipping his SUV into oncoming traffic and killing a newly engaged Ohio teacher, authorities said. Alvaro Uribe-Gonzalez, a 33-year-old Mexican national who federal officials say illegally returned to the U.S. after being deported, now faces aggravated vehicular homicide and other charges in the death of 23-year-old Cameron Lyon. Lyon’s fiancée, 23-year-old Abrielle Kerns, was seriously injured in the fiery Sunday evening crash on U.S. Route 33 in Fairfield County, according to her family. The Ohio State Highway Patrol initially described Kerns’ injuries as non-life-threatening, but relatives said she remained in intensive care “fighting to recover” as the family grappled with Lyon’s death. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT SUSPECT CHARGED IN CRASH THAT KILLED POLICE OFFICER AND HIS GIRLFRIEND “This is an unconscionable tragedy because it was preventable,” Republican Ohio gubernatorial nominee Vivek Ramaswamy wrote. “This perpetrator shouldn’t have ever been in our country, let alone permitted to remain here.” Ramaswamy pointed to Uribe-Gonzalez’s alleged drunken driving and immigration history as he vowed to take action if elected governor. “But he ended up driving drunk & killed an innocent young man in Ohio. I won’t tolerate this in our state,” Ramaswamy wrote. “So devastating. It doesn’t have to be this way. I’ll fix it in Ohio next year & will go hard as necessary.” The Ohio State Highway Patrol said Lyon was driving west when Uribe-Gonzalez’s eastbound GMC Terrain went off the right side of the highway shortly after 6 p.m. DAD OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT DUI VICTIM ISSUES WARNING TO AMERICANS OVER LAX DRIVER’S LICENSE LAWS Uribe-Gonzalez allegedly overcorrected, veered across the roadway and overturned into the westbound lanes, slamming into Lyon’s Chevrolet Trax. The GMC then caught fire. Lyon was treated at the crash site but died a short time later, the patrol said. Uribe-Gonzalez suffered minor injuries. Investigators said alcohol is suspected to have played a role in the crash. Uribe-Gonzalez was charged with aggravated vehicular homicide, driving under the influence of alcohol and operating a motor vehicle without a valid license. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lodged a detainer with the Fairfield County Jail the day after his arrest, asking local officials not to release him before federal agents can take custody. ILLEGAL ALIEN CHARGED WITH KILLING 4 YOUNG PEOPLE IN WRONG-WAY DUI CRASH ON OKLAHOMA HIGHWAY The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Uribe-Gonzalez first entered the country illegally through Texas in January 2020 and was arrested by Border Patrol. An immigration judge issued a final removal order Jan. 11, 2020, and the Trump administration deported him to Mexico April 14 of that year, according to DHS. Federal officials said Uribe-Gonzalez later illegally crossed back into the U.S. at an unknown date and location. “This illegal alien has been charged with aggravated vehicular homicide and driving under the influence of alcohol after allegedly causing a car crash that killed 23-year-old Cameron Lyon in Ohio,” DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said. ICE URGES NORTH CAROLINA TO KEEP ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CHARGED IN TRIPLE-FATAL HIT-AND-RUN BEHIND BARS “Cameron had his whole life ahead of him, and that life was stolen by this criminal who never should have been in our country in the first place.” Mullin said ICE wants Ohio officials to cooperate with the detainer so Uribe-Gonzalez can be taken into federal custody and removed from the country. Lyon had recently begun his first teaching job and was well-loved by staff and students at Crestline Exempted Schools, according to a fundraiser for his family. A graduate of Otterbein University, Lyon was remembered as a cherished son, brother and friend whose death left his family and community devastated. THREE-TIME DEPORTED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CHARGED WITH KILLING NORTH CAROLINA GIRL, 6, AFTER RUNNING STOP SIGN Lyon and Kerns had recently become engaged and were preparing to begin their life together. The couple had moved into a home that had been in Lyon’s family for generations and were renovating it together, according to Earthly Pottery Co., where Kerns worked. “We are devastated by this needless tragedy and miss him dearly,” organizers of the fundraiser for Lyon’s family wrote. A separate fundraiser organized by Kerns’ aunt and uncle said the family was standing beside her through the “shock, pain and uncertainty” of the difficult days following the crash. “Everyone who knew Abrielle and Cameron could see the love they shared and the future they were building together,” the family wrote. ILLEGAL ALIEN ACCUSED OF KILLING DAD, TRYING TO FLEE AFTER DRUNKEN CRASH – FEDS RIP BIDEN-ERA RELEASE The money raised will help cover Kerns’ medical bills and the mounting challenges she faces as she recovers and begins rebuilding her life without Lyon. “Her world has been turned upside down, and the physical and emotional hardships ahead will be enormous,” organizers wrote. The tragedy has rippled through the community as local businesses rallied around Kerns and Lyon’s family. Millersport Coffee announced it will donate a portion of its weekend sales to support Lyon’s family and help cover Kerns’ medical needs. “The entire Kerns family is like family to us,” the coffee shop wrote. “We are incredibly thankful that she survived, while we grieve with her and the Lyon family over the heartbreaking loss of her fiancé, Cameron Lyon.” ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT WHO KILLED NASHVILLE RESTAURANT OWNER TO FACE ICE DEPORTATION AFTER PRISON Earthly Pottery Co. said Kerns had helped teach its classes, while Lyon was always willing to lend a hand when the business needed help. “Their little lives were taking shape and we got a front row seat,” the business wrote. “We were texting earlier in the day about getting her studio all set up.” The shop summed up the loss now gripping those who knew Lyon. “A family has lost a son, a brother, a classroom has lost their teacher, friends have lost their friend,” Earthly Pottery Co. wrote. The crash remains under investigation.