Mamdani’s wife’s ‘student sketchbook’ art is Hunter Biden effect all over again, says US artist
Rama Duwaji, the wife of New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, is reminiscent of Hunter Biden, according to a leading U.S. artist, because of her rising profile, connections and politically charged “sketches.” “She will be vastly promoted by the art establishment because of who she is and what she is communicating,” conservative political artist Jon McNaughton told Fox News Digital. His comments came after Duwaji had been sharing her mostly black-and-white drawings online for months. “In the art world, who you are can have a huge effect on marketability. Just look at Hunter Biden,” he added. “Hunter gained notoriety for his art through his political connections.” MAMDANI’S GOD SQUAD: THE CLERICS, ACTIVISTS AND POLITICAL OPERATIVES WHO HAVE HIS BACK As democratic socialist Mamdani, 34, was about to be elected as New York City mayor, Duwaji shared a post on Instagram about art. “Things I saw in October that made me want to make art,” she wrote, before listing 14 artistic items she enjoyed. “I don’t recall seeing an elected official’s spouse do this,” said McNaughton. “They seem like a couple that share the same values and politics. Her art is likely to resonate with those who elected him,” he added. “It feels like a student sketchbook of ideas.” The former president’s son, meanwhile, launched his own art career in 2021, exhibiting abstract works. His paintings reportedly sold for as much as $500,000, per The Washington Post. In an interview with The New York Times, Hunter said painting “put my energy towards something positive.” “It keeps me away from people and places where I shouldn’t be,” he added. MEET MAMDANI’S RADICAL ADVISORY CIRCLE THAT INCLUDES COMMUNIST ACTIVIST, ANTI-ISRAEL ADVOCATES Despite maintaining a low profile during her husband’s campaign, Duwaji stirred some controversy when she shared an Instagram post in October of a Palestinian influencer known for celebrating Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, terror attacks, according to media reports. Per the New York Post, the Brooklyn-based animator and illustrator posted an image honoring Saleh al-Jafarawi. She reportedly captioned her post, “Beloved Jafarawi,” followed by four broken-heart emojis. “As she explained in her posts, her art reflects her personal beliefs and serves as a way to communicate her heart and mind to others,” added McNaughton. “For those who resonate with her message, it will make perfect sense — though it’s unlikely to change anyone’s mind. Ultimately, it stands as a reflection of herself,” he added. DNC EMBRACES SOCIALIST MAMDANI AS RESURFACED ANTI-ISRAEL REMARKS RAISE ALARM: ‘BIG TENT PARTY’ In March, Duwaji also shared a post depicting Mahmoud Khalil, the Palestinian-Algerian activist detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). “On Saturday night, Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian-Algerian activist, was snatched by ICE from his Columbia-owned apartment in NYC without notice,” Duwaji wrote on Instagram, next to an animated sketch of Khalil. “This is an attack on freedom of speech, and sets a scary f—ing precedent for anyone who speaks up for what’s right. Resist,” she wrote. The artist, a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University’s Communication Arts and Design program, also shared a post in October with an animated sketch of a boat with the title, “Eyes On The Global Sumud Flotilla.” INSIDE THE MAMDANI MACHINE: SOROS CASH, SOCIALISTS AND RADICAL IMAMS ENGINEERED ZOHRAN MAMDANI’S PATH TO POWER “Her art has a modern illustrative quality, woodcut aesthetic, and a mix of Gothic and Art Nouveau,” explained McNaughton. “Every good idea begins with a sketch. We work out the concept using simple forms and later develop it into something more. I’ve seen many sketchbooks of students similar to these. That’s not an insult, just an observation,” he said. “Her animation of ‘Eyes on Jenin’ reminded me of George Floyd with the knee on the neck. She uses the same visualization that led to the BLM riots,” he added. “The painting uses the metaphor of a knee on the neck like the George Floyd death.” MAMDANI’S GOD SQUAD: THE CLERICS, ACTIVISTS AND POLITICAL OPERATIVES WHO HAVE HIS BACK Duwaji met Mamdani on the dating app Hinge in 2022. They became engaged in October 2024, celebrating their engagement in Dubai. The couple later married in a civil ceremony in New York City in early 2025 and held a three-day Indian wedding in Uganda in August. “Art has a powerful capacity to bring focus to a movement. While some people perceive political art as propaganda, artists throughout history have used their creations to speak for or against the political tide,” said McNaughton. “Most galleries and museums look for a great story, and being on the correct side of politics opens doors and boosts sales,” he added. “It’s only considered propaganda if it’s commissioned by the state, or if you happen to be conservative. Pun intended,” McNaughton concluded. Fox News Digital reached out to Zohran Mamdani’s office for comment.
Dem senator reveals deal that secured shutdown’s fate — says it was ‘worth it’ to stop federal layoffs
Democrats didn’t get what they were looking for after pushing the nation into its longest shutdown on record, but to Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., that doesn’t necessarily mean they came away empty-handed. Kaine said that although Democrats failed to achieve concessions on the emergency Obamacare COVID-era subsidies at the center of the 41-day standoff, it was the resolution’s language on federal employees that ultimately drew his support. Kaine, who brokered the bill’s prohibition against reductions in force (RIFs), joined seven other Democrats to advance the legislation. MIKE JOHNSON SPEAKS OUT AFTER SENATE BREAKTHROUGH ON GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN “We reached a meeting of the minds at about 5:45 this afternoon. I walked into the caucus meeting with just a kind of deadpan face, and they were like, ‘What’s going on?’ I said, ‘We’ve got the language we need.’” “Why did they finally give me the moratorium on mischief on RIFs? They needed my vote,” Kaine said. Kaine said Republicans may have been more inclined to meet his demands on federal employees following Democratic victories on election night last week in Virginia, New Jersey, New York and California. The bill that cleared the Senate’s filibuster hurdle on Sunday would fund the government through Jan. 30. It also includes three of the government’s 12 year-long spending bills; language on the legislative branch, agriculture, and Veterans Affairs and military construction. It did not include any language on extending the expiring Obamacare tax credits that Democrats had demanded. Democrats, led by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., wanted at least a one-year extension of those subsidies, which are set to expire at the end of the year. GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN BECOMING LONGEST IN US HISTORY AS DEMOCRATS DIG IN ON OBAMACARE Instead, Kaine secured a guarantee that the Trump administration would not conduct any more mass federal worker layoffs — at least until Jan. 30. The bill also requires the government to reinstate the employees it let go during the shutdown, with back pay included. Ahead of the agreement he reached on Sunday, Kaine had told his party’s leadership he might break with the majority of Democrats if it meant protecting federal employees from further layoffs. “He disagreed,” Kaine said of his conversation with the minority leader. “I went to Sen. Schumer at the start of this and told him, ‘Here’s where I am, and here’s where I’m likely to be. I’m with you for a long time, but if there’s a path forward that can help this federal workforce, which is so huge in Virginia, you [have to] know I’m going to be real sensitive to that.’” Virginia has the third-largest federal workforce presence of any state, according to research by the Library of Congress. SENATE RETURNS TO WORK AS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN NEARS LONGEST IN US HISTORY OVER OBAMACARE FIGHT The restrictions against RIFs could extend beyond the January lifetime of the spending bill. “The CR has a provision that automatically comes into the next CR,” Kaine said, referring to the short-term spending package commonly referred to as a continuing resolution or CR. “It’s kind of wonky. There’s a separate provision that says once it’s in, it stays in unless it’s affirmatively repealed.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP When asked if the government shutdown was worth it, Kaine said he thought so. “To federal employees who are not going to be traumatized by RIFs going forward? Yeah,” he said.
Reporter’s Notebook: Paul stands firm against spending bill as shutdown clock ticks
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., was the only Republican who broke with his party and voted no on the test vote to break a filibuster on the deal to reopen the government. Paul voted nay because he wanted a guarantee of a change in the bill regarding hemp. The measure prevents “unregulated sales” of “intoxicating hemp-based” products at gas stations and small retailers. It preserves the sale of non-intoxicating CBD in other hemp-related products. So if the Senate got 60 votes last night to break the filibuster and only needs 51 to pass the bill, why is the Senate stymied by Paul? GOVERNMENT LIMPS DEEPER INTO SHUTDOWN CRISIS WITH NO DEAL IN SIGHT It’s about speed. Buckle up for this next part. It gets complicated. The vote last night was on breaking a filibuster to proceed to the original House-passed spending measure from September. That needed 60 yeas. HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO WHAT TO EXPECT TONIGHT ON THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN Therefore, the Senate has just broken a filibuster to begin work on the bill. By rule, the Senate can run out 30 hours of debate after breaking the filibuster, unless Paul relents. That would get us to a minor procedural vote to actually get on the bill by dawn Tuesday morning. That is, unless there’s an agreement with Paul — or, for that matter, other Democratic senators to expedite things. But wait. There’s more. The intention of Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D. — and this was done with a wink and a nod to secure an agreement last night — is for him to file what’s called a “substitute” amendment. A substitute simply removes the House’s old bill text and replaces it with the new spending package. But because this is a substitute amendment, Thune must then file cloture to break a filibuster on that. By rule, Thune could not do that until Tuesday. Cloture petitions require an intervening day before ripening. So that means the Senate could not vote to break a filibuster on the substitute (e.g. the new bill) until Thursday. Again, that needs 60 yeas. And if there’s no deal, the Senate could bleed out another clock before voting yes or no on the substitute. Presumably that would be Friday. GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN RISK GROWS AFTER DEMS BLOCK TRUMP-BACKED EXTENSION FOR A 2ND TIME But we’re not done yet. If the Senate adopts the new text on Friday, then Thune must file cloture again on the underlying bill on Friday, wait a day (Saturday) and then have a vote to break a filibuster on that (again needing 60 votes) Sunday. This scenario means that the Senate would finally pass the newly revamped spending bill next Monday. And it would mean that the House doesn’t tackle the bill until Tuesday or Wednesday next week. So it really stretches out the government shutdown. But it’s also why it’s in the interest of Thune to get a deal with Paul to accelerate things. Otherwise, Paul or the Democrats who oppose the bill can really slow things down and extend the shutdown.
Democrats attempt last-ditch effort to save Obamacare subsidies as shutdown end draws near
House Democrats attempted a last-ditch maneuver to secure an extension of COVID-19-era emergency Obamacare subsidies on Monday. Rep. Glenn Ivey, D-Md., took to the floor in a pro forma session asking the mostly empty chamber to unanimously approve its passage. “I ask unanimous consent to extend the ACA tax credits,” Ivey said, referring to Obamacare. HOUSE REPUBLICANS DIVIDED OVER OBAMACARE AS GOP EYES FIX AFTER SHUTDOWN If successful, Ivey’s motion would have allowed the bill to clear the chamber without a single vote. His attempt failed, however, as the chair, Rep. Adrian Smith, R-Neb., drowned out Ivey by gaveling over his motion. Ivey’s unorthodox maneuver highlights divisions among Democrats as the government looks toward a resolution on the shutdown, and it comes after the Senate advanced a bill on Sunday evening that would reopen the government through Jan. 30. ‘THE PANDEMIC’S OVER’: GOP, DEM SENATORS SPAR ON CAMERA OVER COSTLY OBAMACARE SUBSIDIES Since the beginning of the shutdown, Democrats led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., have demanded that lawmakers extend expiring emergency subsidies passed in 2021 as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now that the supplemental funding will phase out at the end of the year, Democrats have raised alarm that a sudden stop to federal assistance will leave many policyholders facing higher premiums overnight. But the resolve to continue holding out over the credits cratered among Democrats on Sunday when eight of them voted with Republicans to put the government on track to end the 40-day government shutdown that began on Oct. 1. OBAMACARE SUBSIDIES AT CENTER OF DEM SHUTDOWN FIGHT ‘FUEL’ HEALTHCARE COST INFLATION, CONSERVATIVES SAY Democrats in the House of Representatives have largely called the vote a capitulation to Republican demands, noting that Democrats have not secured any substantive agreements on the subsidies themselves. Having cleared the threat of a filibuster on Sunday evening, the Senate will likely advance the short-term spending bill within the next two days. Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has said the House will consider it as soon as possible once it passes the Senate.
New Hampshire governor recruits NYC business owners fleeing Mamdani ‘regime’
A large van covered in rotating digital posters circled Midtown Manhattan last week after democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani won a dramatic New York City mayoral election. New Hampshire Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte’s re-election campaign sent a van covered with ads reading: “NYC business owners: Mamdani got you down? Come on up to New Hampshire for no Communism, less red tape, and less taxes,” and various phrases encouraging New Yorkers to head north. “New Hampshire has a lot to offer anyone who is looking to leave NYC ahead of the Mamdani regime,” Ayotte told Fox News Digital. “We are the safest state in the nation, the best for economic opportunity, and we have some of the lowest taxes anywhere. Whether you own a business or just want to keep more of your hard-earned money — come on up to the Granite State. We’d love to have you!” Mamdani, who has pledged to raise taxes in order to fund his vision of free buses and free child care, was elected mayor of New York City Tuesday. ‘DEMOCRATS ARE NERVOUS’ ABOUT POTENTIAL ZOHRAN MAMDANI VICTORY, NEW REPORT WARNS “Come to New Hampshire,” one slide on the side of the truck read. “We’ll help your business make the switch, and you can keep more of your hard-earned money!” The mayor-elect has not shied away from his commitment to implementing socialist policies in the Big Apple. His tax hike proposals have reportedly discouraged individuals from moving to the city and are pushing some New Yorkers to flee the five boroughs altogether. Fox News Digital’s Kristen Altus spoke with developer Isaac Toledano, the CEO of Miami-based BH Group, who said his company has closed more than $100 million in signed contracts, which is twice as much as the previous year, from New York buyers in just the past few months. ZOHRAN MAMDANI LAUNCHES ANTI-TRUMP TOUR ACROSS FIVE BOROUGHS IN NEW YORK CITY “During COVID the first exodus was less about taxes, and more about access to schools and a more ‘normal’ way of life. Don’t get me wrong, taxes were a motivation, but not the sole motivation,” Mitch Roschelle, real estate expert and managing director at Madison Ventures, told Fox News Digital. “Fast forward to the Mamdami era. The next exodus from NYC will be led by residents who are already paying their fair share and do not want to fund the bevy of social welfare programs that lay ahead,” Roschelle added. According to a report from the Office of the New York State Comptroller, the population of NYC fell 5.3% from April 2020 to July 2022. For comparison, the number of New Yorkers that left the city during that time is more than the entire population of Long Beach, California. “The exodus may not be immediate, and I suspect it will be tied to the school year for families,” Roschelle continued. “The spring will be the big test of the prevailing group—think about migration.” “That said, any change in public safety, or a major tax increase on the ‘rich’ will dramatically accelerate exits from NYC,” Roschelle added. Mamdani will be officially sworn into office on Jan. 1, 2026.
Another House Dem drops out of 2026 rat race as party faces generational reckoning
Continuing a trend of retiring figures in the 119th Congress, Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-N.J., announced that she will not seek re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives next year. “I made a commitment years ago to always lead the charge on behalf of those I represent, and I believe I have fulfilled that commitment to the very best of my abilities. I have always stood on the front lines in the fight for principled progressive policies,” Coleman said in a post on X. HOUSE DEM DEFLECTS ON WHETHER ELECTION IS A WARNING TO DEMOCRATS, DEMANDS PARTY ‘STAND STRONG’ “While I am not seeking re-election, there is still more to be done in my last year in public office. I absolutely intend to continue serving my constituents in the 12th District straight through to the last day of my term.” Coleman has represented New Jersey since 2015 and before that served the Garden State as a state legislator from 1998 until her arrival in Congress. She last won re-election in 2024 in a 61.2%-36.4% victory over Republican challenger Darius Mayfield. Even without the advantage of incumbency, Republicans are unlikely to capture New Jersey’s 12th Congressional District. Coleman, 80, is just the most recent lawmaker to announce retirements among Democrats, marking a changing tide in the composition of the party’s more senior membership. Her announcement follows that of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., who, at age 85, similarly announced last week she would not pursue re-election in 2026. NANCY PELOSI WILL NOT SEEK RE-ELECTION, ENDING DECADES-LONG HOUSE CAREER Other notable Democrats leaving Congress next year include Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H. — ages 80 and 78 respectively. Questions about age have persisted on Capitol Hill as — across both parties — figures like Pelosi and Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., pose questions about how far legislators should push their public service. McConnell, who led Republicans as Senate Majority Leader, will also not pursue reelection. REPUBLICAN SEN. JONI ERNST OF IOWA MAKES IT OFFICIAL: SHE’S NOT SEEKING RE-ELECTION NEXT YEAR Coleman said she believed she needed to step down to make way for new figures in the party. “I believe now is the time to pass the torch to the next leader who will continue leading this charge,” Coleman said.
Democrats fight to block Trump’s ‘reckless and unnecessary’ call to restart nuclear testing
Senate Democrats want to curb President Donald Trump’s ability to unilaterally resume nuclear testing, as the president suggested the U.S. would do on an “equal basis” with Russia and China moving forward. While Trump did not elaborate and clarify what reinstating nuclear testing would involve, Senate Democrats are seeking to put some limitations in place for the executive branch amid concerns that launching the first nuclear test in more than 30 years would prompt near-peer adversaries like China to follow. As a result, Sens. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., and Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., introduced the No Nuclear Testing Without Approval Act Friday. The measure prohibits the U.S. from conducting a nuclear test unless a foreign state first conducts a nuclear test, and would require Congress to sign off on such nuclear tests. “Restarting nuclear testing would be reckless and unnecessary,” Kelly said in a Friday statement. “We’ve already conducted more than a thousand tests and know our warheads work. This would just risk triggering a dangerous chain reaction, potentially encouraging countries like China to do the same and advance their own technology.” ENERGY SECRETARY REVEALS HOW US NUCLEAR TESTS WILL WORK Trump’s call to reinstate nuclear testing struck a chord with those in Nevada, where the bulk of U.S. nuclear testing from 1951 to 1992 was conducted at the Nevada Test Site. The area is now known as the Nevada National Security Site, which aims to safeguard the U.S.’ nuclear weapons stockpile. But the site is the only location currently in the U.S. where a nuclear test could be administered, according to the lawmakers. “Nevadans were blindsided when President Trump said he could revive the outdated, misguided practice of detonating nuclear weapons just 60 miles from my hometown of Las Vegas,” Cortez Masto said in a Friday statement. “No administration should have the authority to set off nuclear bombs on American soil without any oversight or outreach to the states that would bear the burden of these dangerous tests.” Likewise, Rosen emphasized the gravity of resuming nuclear testing, and said that “a decision of this magnitude should not be made lightly or on a whim by an erratic President.” Reps. Steven Horsford and Susie Lee, both Democrats from Nevada, are expected to introduce companion legislation in the House. RUSSIA DRAWING UP PLANS TO CONDUCT NUCLEAR TESTS AFTER TRUMP ANNOUNCEMENT Trump announced in October just ahead of a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping that the U.S. would revive nuclear weapons testing — even though the U.S. has not done so since 1992. “They seem to all be nuclear testing,” Trump later told reporters on Air Force One. “We don’t do testing — we halted it years ago. But with others doing testing, it’s appropriate that we do also.” It wasn’t immediately clear what Trump meant in terms of reviving nuclear testing, since no country has launched a known nuclear test since North Korea in 2017. China and Russia last conducted known tests in the 1990s, when Russia was still the Soviet Union. The White House told Fox News Digital Monday that Trump had made his stance clear and that testing would occur on a reciprocal basis. “Democrats should spend less time trying to usurp the president’s executive authority and more time working with the administration to advance peace through strength,” White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said. TRUMP BREAKS 33-YEAR NUCLEAR TESTING SILENCE AS WORLD BRACES FOR DANGEROUS NEW ARMS RACE Even so, experts said that Trump may have been referring to beefing up testing of nuclear-powered weapons, or moving ahead with secretive, low-yield nuclear weapons testing. Furthermore, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said that testing will involve “the other parts of a nuclear weapon” and that nuclear explosions wouldn’t occur. “I think the tests we’re talking about right now are systems tests,” Wright said in an interview with Fox News November 3. “These are not nuclear explosions. These are what we call noncritical explosions.” Trump’s statement came days after Russia announced it had successfully tested its new, nuclear-powered Burevestnik cruise missile, which NATO has dubbed “Skyfall.” As a result, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, said it’s critical the president responds to those like Russian President Vladimir Putin, who have nuclear weapons. “When you have a madman that has nuclear weapons like Putin does and he starts rattling his saber, it’s important for the president to respond,” Risch told reporters on Oct. 30. “And he responded in a way that is reasonable.” Fox News’ Chad Pergram contributed to this report.
VP’s office responds to PA gov who said Vance betrayed Appalachian roots with ‘bull—- politics’ over SNAP
Vice President JD Vance’s office hit back Monday at Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who used a Philadelphia press conference to criticize Vance while outlining the state’s contingency plan to keep SNAP (food stamp) benefits flowing during the government shutdown. Shapiro had joined 24 states to successfully sue the USDA over November’s SNAP benefit suspension. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania itself was not a plaintiff, as Republican Attorney General David Sunday was not involved. Shapiro referenced Vance’s “Hillbilly Elegy” and the Ohioan’s strong bonds with his elders in Breathitt County, Kentucky – the heart of Appalachia – as he lit into what he described as the vice president’s “bull—- politics” that belie his Appalachian roots. “America has a president and a vice president that don’t give a damn about all Americans,” he added. SCHUMER, DEMS CALL ‘BULL—-‘ ON TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OVER FOOD STAMP SHUTDOWN THREAT Vance press secretary Taylor Van Kirk responded in comments to Fox News Digital on Monday, saying the governor should “take a look in the mirror if he wants to see who is to blame for this Democrat shutdown.” She said Shapiro and Democrats supported “Schumer’s shutdown” and in doing so “screwed over working-class men and women.” “While little Josh was whining like a child about the problems his own party created, the Trump administration has been crafting a deal with commonsense Democrats to reopen the government and fund SNAP benefits,” Van Kirk added. YOUNGKIN DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY OVER ‘DEMOCRAT SHUTDOWN’ DEPLETING SNAP BENEFITS FOR 850K VIRGINIANS Shapiro had joined his fellow Montgomery County Democrat Val Arkoosh to discuss the SNAP freeze’s effects and what he and Arkoosh – the state’s human services chief — were doing to help affected families. When a reporter told Shapiro that Vance criticized the court order demanding the release of SNAP funds, the governor said that he would expect President Donald Trump to do so but that Vance’s history wouldn’t presage the same response. “JD Vance is a total phony… [he] rose to some prominence by writing a book about growing up in Appalachia, where there’s a whole lot of people who get SNAP,” Shapiro said. VANCE BLAMES SCHUMER’S FEAR OF AOC PRIMARY CHALLENGE AS SHUTDOWN CAUSE The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), led by permanent co-chair Gayle Manchin and 2025 co-chair Gov. Wes Moore of Maryland, considers 423 counties from Alabama to New York part of Appalachia, including three-quarters of Pennsylvania. ARC reported 1.4 million families in its region are on SNAP, including 14% of families in Appalachian Pennsylvania. “[Vance] made millions of dollars on the backs of telling their stories, and then he turned his damn back on those very people who he likes to write about and claim as his own,” Shapiro said. He added that Vance professes to be a person of faith, and cited a passage from the book of Deuteronomy that says people should respond to those in need with an open hand. IN A SNAP, TRUMP BLAMED FOR BLOCKING FOOD ASSISTANCE TO LOW-INCOME FAMILIES “So for JD Vance now to turn around after claiming all these things his whole life and literally go to court to stop hungry people from eating, that is not only phony, it’s shameful.” “You’ll excuse me for getting emotional about it, but when I see hungry people in my state who are hungry because of JD Vance’s bull—- politics, that makes me angry. And that’s why I went to court.” At the presser, Shapiro explained that Arkoosh’s office was able to fund SNAP through a state disaster declaration and directing millions of dollars to food banks through the Feeding Pennsylvania program. “Republicans in Congress must work across the aisle to quickly reopen the government and protect food assistance and access to health care for the millions of people in Pennsylvania and around the country still at risk because of this continued inaction,” Arkoosh said in a statement. The war of words could preview a potential 2028 matchup as both Vance and Shapiro are considered top potential contenders for their parties’ presidential nominations next cycle.
Senate hopes to blow through procedural hurdles in bid to reopen government
The ball is rolling to reopen the government, but there is still much left to do in the Senate before the record-shattering shutdown comes to an end. Sunday night’s successful vote, which saw eight Senate Democrats splinter from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and their colleagues, was a massive step forward in the shutdown slog. But there are several votes left and procedural roadblocks that could be weaponized that could grind the Senate’s march to advance its package to the House to a halt. If all 100 senators agree to fast-track the process, the package could move as quickly as Monday night. SENATE DEMOCRATS CAVE, OPEN PATH TO REOPENING GOVERNMENT But if not, the bipartisan plan could stagnate in the upper chamber for several days. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., was optimistic that the Senate could finish its work Monday night but said that would be up to Senate Democrats. “Obviously, there are objections from the left, but as long as the votes are there to proceed, we will move forward, and hopefully without a lot of disruption or delay or fanfare right now,” Thune said. “The point is, we are on a path to get the government reopened, and we should try to get it done as soon as possible.” Schumer didn’t say whether Democrats would block any attempt to move the process along but did blame President Donald Trump and Republicans for the shutdown, which stretched into its 41st day on Monday. The core of Democrats’ shutdown demands rested on a guarantee that expiring Obamacare subsidies would be dealt with before Schumer released the votes to reopen the government. But, the deal that was struck among bipartisan negotiators only reaffirmed Senate Majority Leader John Thune’s, R-S.D., earlier promise of a vote once the shutdown ended. SENATE DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICANS REACH DEAL TO REOPEN GOVERNMENT “Democrats demanded that we find a way to fix this crisis and quickly,” Schumer said. “But Republicans have refused to move an inch, so I cannot support the Republican bill that’s on the floor, because it fails to do anything of substance to fix America’s healthcare crisis.” Whether Senate Democrats are in line with a cohesive strategy to block the package remains to be seen. But Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., told Fox News Digital that he “didn’t hear anything” about objections or blocks during the Democratic caucus’ closed-door meeting Sunday night. “I think a lot of us are just kind of taking in the information we heard today, talking to each other as Senate colleagues, and then we’re gonna make determinations later,” he said. And Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who was furious at the outcome of the deal, appeared to put any chance of him objecting on ice. SENATE IN LIMBO AS THUNE EYES LONG HAUL UNTIL SHUTDOWN ENDS “I understand that the way the process has been developed, it is impossible to delay the votes that are going to take place,” Sanders said. “And if that were not the case, that is certainly what I would do.” Still, there is a worry that there may be some dissension within the GOP’s ranks from Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. Paul is unhappy with the addition of language in the three-bill spending package that he argued would kneecap the hemp industry in his state, which played out in a battle between him and fellow Kentucky Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell earlier this year. A spokesperson for Paul told Fox News Digital that Paul affirmed “his commitment to reopening the government without delay. However, he objects to the inclusion of provisions in the government-funding package that unfairly target Kentucky’s hemp industry — language that is unrelated to the budget and the government-reopening goal.” And Paul further doused the notion that he would object with cold water, noting that he had filed an amendment to strike the provision in the bill. “Just to be clear: I am not delaying this bill,” he said on X.
Every county in one blue state shifts further left in 2025 governor race despite GOP hopes
Every county in New Jersey shifted further to the left during the high-stakes 2025 gubernatorial election when compared to the 2021 race, according to post-election data. New Jersey Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill emerged victorious in her campaign to serve as the Garden State’s top leader, defeating Republican candidate Jack Ciattatrrelli, who also ran as the GOP’s gubernatorial nominee in 2021. The election was highly anticipated following the 2024 federal election, which showed the deep blue state move closer to the right as voters increasingly voted for President Donald Trump — though not enough for the state overall to flip red. Trump saw five counties flip red, and narrowed his 2020 losses in the state from 16 points to six points in 2024. The inroads gave hope to Republicans in the state that voters could move toward Ciattarelli, but post-election data shows voters overall shifted further to the left in 2025. DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD OF TRUMP CUT NEW JERSEY REPUBLICANS DOWN TO SIZE The 2021 gubernatorial election teed up a battle between incumbent Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy and Ciattarelli in his second campaign for Drumthwacket, the official residence of the New Jersey governor. Murphy earned 51.2% of the vote that year, compared to Ciattarelli’s 48% support. In 2025, Sherrill earned 56.5% of the total 3,256,410 votes cast compared to Ciattarelli’s 42.8%. Fox News Digital took a look at the New Jersey counties that recorded the biggest shifts, including in counties that historically have been more conservative. Along the Jersey Shore, where voters frequently lean more to the right, Monmouth County saw a roughly 10-point shift to the left compared to the 2021 election, with Ciattarelli securing 54% of the total votes in 2025 compared to winning 58.8% of the vote in 2021, Associated Press election data shows. While nearby Ocean County saw a 1.4 point margin shift in 2025 toward the Democrats. FOX NEWS POLL: NEW JERSEY GOVERNORSHIP REMAINS DEMOCRATIC WITH SHERRILL WIN New Jersey is home to 21 counties, which stretch from small city jurisdictions nestled in New York City’s backyard, to neighborhoods of sprawling mansions and vast farmlands that bookend the state in the north and south. Each of the counties saw a shift to the left, with Sussex County in the most northern portion of the state seeing a 16.2 point shift, according to the Associated Press’ data. Sussex County is another county that historically leans to the right, and saw Ciattarelli earn 66.8% of the total vote in 2021, falling to 59.2% in 2025. Cumberland County, located in South Jersey, also saw a 16.2 margin shift benefiting Democrats compared to the 2021 gubernatorial election, according to the Associated Press’ data. The 2021 election saw 55.6% of its voters support the Republican ticket, but dropped to 47.6% in 2025, delivering Sherrill a win in the coastal county. FINAL FACEOFF: DEMOCRAT, REPUBLICAN NOMINEES IN KEY RACE FOR GOVERNOR BLAST EACH OTHER ON DEBATE STAGE When comparing the 2025 gubernatorial election to the 2024 federal election, five counties flipped back to the Democrats. Trump flipped Gloucester, Cumberland, Atlantic, Morris and Passaic just over a year ago, but each of those counties voted for Sherill in 2025. The New Jersey election cycle was one of just a handful of high-profile campaigns during the off-year cycle, with Democrats also winning Virginia’s gubernatorial election, and socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani elected as the next mayor of New York City. The 2025 elections are viewed as a bellwether for the 2026 midterms, when the political party holding the White House typically loses seats in Congress.