Bipartisan lawmakers unveil Obamacare extension as pressure grows on Johnson for play call
A bipartisan group of House lawmakers has introduced legislation aimed at keeping COVID-19 pandemic-era Obamacare subsidies alive for another two years. Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., and Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., co-chairs of the Problem Solvers Caucus, have told reporters for weeks that they are working on such a measure as Capitol Hill scrambles to avert skyrocketing health insurance costs for millions of Americans beginning next year. Democrats in Congress voted twice during the pandemic to expand the availability of premium tax credits for Obamacare, also called the Affordable Care Act (ACA), to make sure more Americans had access to healthcare coverage. Those enhanced subsidies are set to expire at the end of this year. BIPARTISAN DEAL ON OBAMACARE SUBSIDIES FADES AS REPUBLICANS PUSH HSA PLAN A majority of House Republicans have signaled they are not open to extending them, at least not without significant reforms. Conservatives in particular have panned the enhanced subsidies as a COVID-era relic that benefited insurance companies rather than Americans themselves. But some GOP lawmakers have joined Democrats in warning that failing to extend them at least temporarily at this point will result in millions of Americans seeing their healthcare premiums skyrocket while Congress does nothing to help. House Republicans are now largely looking to Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and their leaders for the next move. Johnson has said he intends to hold a vote on some kind of healthcare package before the end of this year, while panning Obamacare as a long-broken system badly in need of reforms. HOUSE GOP SPLITS OVER OBAMACARE FIX AS COSTS POISED TO SPIKE FOR MILLIONS One House GOP source told Fox News Digital that they expect Johnson to lay out a roadmap on healthcare at Republican lawmakers’ weekly conference meeting on Wednesday morning. The bipartisan bill released Tuesday is being pushed by a group of four Democrats and four Republicans — Fitzpatrick, Suozzi, along with Reps. Don Bacon, R-Neb., Rob Bresnahan, R-Pa., Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., Jared Golden, D-Maine, Don Davis, D-N.C., and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash. Fitzpatrick called the legislation “a practical, people-first fix that protects families now, while preserving the space to keep working toward a stronger, smarter, more affordable healthcare system.” “When the stakes are this high, responsible governance means securing 80% of what families need today rather than risking 100% of nothing tomorrow,” he said in a statement. In addition to extending the enhanced Obamacare subsidies for two years, the bill also “stops unauthorized plan and subsidy changes by requiring consent and prompt notification before any modifications take effect,” according to a press release. It would also rein in pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) profits and expand access to health savings accounts (HSAs) — two reforms that other rank-and-file House Republicans have been advocating for. But it’s not clear yet if House GOP leaders would put the bill on the floor for a chamber-wide vote, nor if it has the backing of their Democratic counterparts. Still, there are ways to force a vote on legislation without leadership’s approval. One of those methods is called a discharge petition, which requires signatures from a majority of House lawmakers to override leaders’ wishes to vote on a given bill. ABORTION RESTRICTIONS CREATE MAJOR ROADBLOCK FOR BIPARTISAN OBAMACARE SUBSIDY DEAL IN SENATE Fox News Digital asked Fitzpatrick last week if a discharge petition could be filed, but he did not give a direct answer, instead saying that the bill would be released imminently. Bacon told Fox News Digital on Tuesday that a discharge petition is a realistic possibility but cautioned, “It would be wiser to see if we have 60 votes in the Senate first.” The plan is one of several put forward by House Republicans to deal with the looming healthcare cliff. Republican Study Committee Chairman August Pfluger, R-Texas, introduced legislation last week to allow states to opt out of Obamacare altogether while radically expanding the availability of HSAs. And late last week, a bipartisan group of House lawmakers introduced a plan to extend the enhanced Obamacare subsidies — with income caps and extra guardrails against fraud — for a year. The Senate, meanwhile, is expected to vote this week on Democrat-led legislation to extend the enhanced subsidies, though it’s likely to fail. It’s not yet clear if Senate Republicans will put up their own counter-proposal.
House Democrat drops re-election bid after Texas redraws congressional map
Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Texas, announced on Monday that he will not seek re-election to Congress and will instead run for Tarrant County judge. “I’m running because this county deserves a leader who will unite our communities, protect our democracy, expand economic opportunity, and fight for every family,” the lawmaker said in a statement. Veasey has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2013. SCOTUS ALLOWS TEXAS TO USE TRUMP-PUSHED REDRAWN CONGRESSIONAL REDISTRICTING MAP FAVORING REPUBLICANS He represents the Lone Star State’s 33rd Congressional District, which has been redrawn in the state’s new congressional maps. Veasey is challenging incumbent Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare. “Congressman Veasey brings a consistently liberal Washington record of being soft on crime, weak on border security, and supportive of higher taxes,” O’Hare campaign spokesperson Nick Maddux said in part of a statement. EX-HOUSE DEMOCRAT DROPS OUT OF TEXAS SENATE RACE AS JASMINE CROCKETT CANDIDACY RUMORS SWIRL Veasey said in part of his statement, “Tarrant County is at a crossroads. I’ve seen firsthand how racially gerrymandered maps were designed to weaken the power of Black and Latino voters in North Texas — communities I have spent my entire career fighting for. The people here deserve leadership grounded in truth, service, and respect — not division, extremism, and political stunts. I refuse to sit on the sidelines while County Judge Tim O’Hare drags this community backward.” Former Rep. Colin Allred, a Democrat, dropped his U.S. Senate bid and announced that he will instead run for the House seat in the “newly drawn” 33rd Congressional District. DEMOCRAT ADMITS ‘OF COURSE’ JASMINE CROCKETT IS A FACTOR IN HIM DROPPING OUT OF TEXAS SENATE RACE House Democratic Rep. Julie Johnson, who currently represents the state’s 32nd Congressional District, is also running for the new 33rd District.
GOP lawmaker unveils bill to ensure fathers shoulder 50% of pregnancy expenses
FIRST ON FOX: A House Republican is mounting an effort to make it easier for women to keep and raise their babies after birth. Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, is unveiling a bill called the Supporting Healthy Pregnancy Act that would ensure pregnant mothers get financial support from the father even before their child is born, Fox News Digital learned first. It’s an effort by the Republican Party to affirm its pro-family ideology as Democrats continue to accuse the GOP of being anti-choice while also being unwilling to support women who keep their babies. GOP RISING STAR REVEALS HOW TRUMP’S AGENDA WILL BE CRUCIAL TO KEEPING SENATE SEAT RED, LANDS KEY ENDORSEMENTS Hinson’s bill would require states to establish systems where the biological father of a child is required to pay at least 50% of out-of-pocket costs for medical expenses associated with a pregnancy and delivery, including health insurance premiums. There are certain limitations on costs incurred, however, and abortion costs are excluded altogether. The payments must also be requested by the mother before the father is legally obligated to make them. Single mothers are currently eligible to request a legal order for child support beginning at birth in most states, meaning many are left to deal with the costs associated with pregnancy. TRUMP ENDORSES HINSON IN 2026 RACE TO KEEP KEY SENATE SEAT RED It’s the latest piece in a package of bills Hinson introduced related to helping women through maternity. Another bill Hinson introduced would mandate that pregnant women in higher education institutions know what rights and resources they have on campus in an effort to give them more options aside from abortion. A bipartisan bill co-led with Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet, D-Mich., would expand access to and career training for midwives, particularly in underserved parts of the country. “I’m a mom on a mission to make life easier for my fellow moms and families. That’s why I’m working to expand access to maternal care, ensure women have resources throughout pregnancy and beyond, and improve child care options for growing families,” Hinson, who is running for Senate in Iowa, told Fox News Digital. “Strong families make a strong nation, and we should work together to support the parents and women who are building America’s future,” she said. “As a mom of two, I’m proud to be a leader in that fight for Iowa and for families nationwide.”
Federal judge approves releasing Ghislaine Maxwell case grand jury material
A federal judge has ruled the Justice Department can release investigative materials from the criminal prosecution of Ghislaine Maxwell, citing the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Judge Paul Engelmayer has granted the DOJ’s motion to unseal the grand jury transcripts and exhibits in Maxwell’s criminal case with some redactions. FEDERAL JUDGE ORDERS UNSEALING OF EPSTEIN CASE GRAND JURY RECORDS Engelmayer’s ruling comes just ahead of the Dec. 19 deadline to release records related to the Epstein case. “In the case of the Maxwell and Epstein grand juries, under the Act, public disclosure of such materials is the rule, subject to the limited exceptions set out in the Act. The Act thus requires the Attorney General to make public the Maxwell grand jury materials, subject to the withholdings and redactions that the Act permits,” Engelmayer’s ruling reads. Maxwell, who was convicted of sex trafficking charges in December 2021, is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence. Her attorney said that she took no position on the requested unsealing of records but noted that the release could harm Maxwell’s plan to file a habeas petition, according to The Associated Press. HOUSE VOTES OVERWHELMINGLY TO FORCE DOJ TO RELEASE JEFFREY EPSTEIN FILES Engelmayer’s decision is the second in the past week approving the release of Epstein-related files. Last week, Judge Rodney Smith moved to allow the DOJ to release transcripts from an abandoned federal grand jury probe from the 2000s. The Epstein Files Transparency Act requires the DOJ “to publish (in a searchable and downloadable format) all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials in DOJ’s possession that relate to the investigation and prosecution of Jeffrey Epstein.” The act was passed in November and paves the way for the public to have more insight into the infamous cases against the late disgraced financier. There is a possibility that a judge could rule to release grand jury transcripts from the 2019 Epstein criminal case prior to the deadline under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The AP noted that attorneys for the Epstein estate did not take a position on the unsealing of records. The DOJ is reportedly working with survivors and their attorneys to redact records to protect survivors’ identities and prevent the dissemination of sexualized images, according to the AP. Fox News Digital reached out to the Justice Department for comment. The Associated Press contributed to this report. This is a developing story, please check back for updates.
White House official presses allies to free AI from innovation-killing regulations
White House science and technology advisor Michael Kratsios opened a meeting of G7 tech ministers by urging governments to clear regulatory obstacles to artificial intelligence adoption, warning that sweeping new rule books or outdated oversight frameworks risk slowing the innovation needed to unlock AI-driven productivity. Kratsios, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy director, spoke Tuesday at the G7 Industry, Digital and Technology Ministers’ Meeting in Montréal, Quebec. “The United States is committed to promoting private-sector-led development of AI systems, applications, and infrastructure, to protect and foster innovation. This primarily requires us to throw off regulatory burdens that weigh down innovators, especially in the construction of the infrastructure that undergirds the AI revolution,” said Kratsios in a draft of his remarks obtained by Fox News Digital. “However, we also recognize the benefits of AI will not be fully realized by complete de-regulation. Regulatory and non-regulatory policy frameworks that safeguard the public interest while enabling innovation are necessary to earn the public trust in AI technologies that will allow broad deployment and fast adoption.” TRUMP LAUNCHES ‘GENESIS MISSION’ TO SUPERCHARGE US SCIENTIFIC AI INNOVATION The U.S. official told Fox News Digital that the White House wants its allies to build a “trusted AI ecosystem defined by smart, sector-specific regulations tailored to each nation’s priorities and designed to accelerate innovation.” “Together, we can deliver transformative growth, keep critical data secure, and ensure the future of AI is built on freedom and human ingenuity,” Kratsios added. President Donald Trump has put artificial intelligence at the forefront of his administration, appointing David Sacks as his “AI czar” and issuing an executive order in January that rolled back many of the federal government’s previous AI safety and oversight policies in an effort to speed deployment — a move critics say could weaken safeguards and increase risks as the technology spreads. Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform Monday that he will issue a “One Rule” executive order later this week to establish a single national framework for artificial intelligence regulation, arguing that U.S. dominance in the technology will be “destroyed in its infancy” if he doesn’t. WHEN AI CHEATS: THE HIDDEN DANGERS OF REWARD HACKING “We are beating ALL COUNTRIES at this point in the race, but that won’t last long if we are going to have 50 States, many of them bad actors, involved in RULES and the APPROVAL PROCESS. THERE CAN BE NO DOUBT ABOUT THIS!” he said in part. “You can’t expect a company to get 50 Approvals every time they want to do something. THAT WILL NEVER WORK!” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis criticized the notion of stripping states of jurisdiction to regulate AI, arguing on X in November that it amounts to a “subsidy” to Big Tech and would prevent states from “protecting against online censorship of political speech, predatory applications that target children, violations of intellectual property rights and data center intrusions on power/water resources.” “The rise of AI is the most significant economic and cultural shift occurring at the moment; denying the people the ability to channel these technologies in a productive way via self-government constitutes federal government overreach and lets technology companies run wild,” DeSantis added. “Not acceptable.”
Jasmine Crockett uses Trump’s ‘Low IQ’ insults to launch her Texas Senate campaign in debut ad
Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas launched her Senate campaign Monday with an ironic ad using President Donald Trump’s past insults against her, prompting a flurry of reactions on social media. Her campaign was announced in a video posted on X on Monday afternoon. In the ad, Crockett was shown standing as Trump’s verbal jabs played in the background. “How about this new one they have? Their new star, Crockett. How about her? She’s the new star of the Democrat Party, Jasmine Crockett. They’re in big trouble,” Trump is heard saying in the video. “Somebody said the other day, she’s one of the leaders of the party. I said you gotta be kidding,” the audio of Trump continued. RISING DEMOCRAT STAR JAMES TALARICO JUMPS INTO KEY SENATE RACE IN TEXAS “Oh man, oh man. She’s a very low IQ person…now they’re gonna rely on Crockett. Crockett’s gonna bring them back.” The ad was well-received by liberal commentators on X, who described it as a strong debut. “Jasmine Crockett’s launch ad is brilliant,” Ed Krassenstein wrote. Jasmine Crockett is running for the United States Senate and Republicans should be terrified,” Democratic strategist Adam Parkhomenko said. “She’s smart, fearless, relentless, and she doesn’t back down from anybody. This is the matchup Texas deserves. Let’s go.” On the other side of the political aisle, conservatives and critics reacted to the ad with mockery. “I never thought I’d say this but I agree with every word of this Jasmine Crockett ad,” commentator Matt Walsh wrote. ‘DIVA’ CROCKETT SLAMMED IN SCATHING REPORT ALLEGING ‘TOXIC STAFF ENVIRONMENT’ WHERE STAFF IS BERATED TO TEARS “A few months ago it was reported that Jasmine Crockett’s phone lock screen is a photo of herself,” Republican operative Matt Wolking claimed. “Today, her launch ad continues the theme.” Speaking at a campaign event in Texas on Monday, Crockett said that “gloves have been off” and that she was “jumping into the ring.” “I’m asking for your support to be the next United States Senator from the greatest state of Texas,” she said. “They tell us that Texas is red. They are lying, we’re not. The reality is that most Texans don’t get out to vote.” Crockett also said that she made the decision to run after learning that “the numbers were strongest for my candidacy for United States Senate.” “I could have played it safe and continued serving in the United States House of Representatives for as long as my constituents would have me, but I didn’t choose to do that because Texas, this moment we’re in now, is life or death, and it’s all or nothing,” she said. “It’s now or never. We find ourselves at a crossroads.” Her campaign launch event had a lively atmosphere, including an impromptu performance by a musical artist named Cameron McCloud. McCloud performed a rap song with the verses, “They only trying to scare her out running because they think she’ll win / Listen, thought I told y’all we ain’t never scared / Now look who name on the docket / Got two words for every racist bigot, Jasmine Crockett.” “Amen, Amen… make some noise for Jasmine Crockett one time,” McCloud said to a cheering audience. Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
Trump cabinet members do pull-ups at airport to launch $1B family travel program nationwide
Members of the Trump administration knocked out pull-ups at Reagan National Airport on Monday as they rolled out a $1 billion initiative aimed at making the holiday rush healthier and more kid-friendly. Video showed Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. doing 20 pull-ups with his shirt untucked as people counted each time he lifted his chin above the bar. After Kennedy dropped back to the ground, Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stepped up to the bar and completed 10 pull-ups. The display kicked off the administration’s “Make Travel Family Friendly Again” campaign, a program aimed at easing some of the most common frustrations families face when flying. NEW TSA PROGRAM LAUNCHED TO ELIMINATE DOUBLE SCREENINGS FOR INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS Duffy said the initiative is intended to make every part of the travel day more seamless, from navigating security with young children to finding places to exercise or nurse. The $1 billion announced Monday is designed to help airports build more play areas and exercise spaces for kids, add mothers’ rooms or nursing pods, create family screening lanes at security checkpoints, and install sensory rooms for children with special needs. Airports can also pitch their own projects if they focus on improving the family travel experience. NOEM TEASES ‘NEXT BIG ANNOUNCEMENT’ THAT MAY CHANGE AIRPORT SECURITY RULE Duffy said bringing about a “Golden Age” of travel required focusing on families. “Bringing about a Golden Age in travel has to involve making the family travel experience happier and healthier,” he said. “Today’s announcement demonstrates the Trump Administration’s commitment to enacting a Family First agenda and improving the lives of the American people.” Kennedy emphasized the health side of the effort, saying everyone who passes through a U.S. airport should have “access to fresh, whole foods.” DUFFY URGES SENATE TO PASS BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL’S $12.5B AIR TRAFFIC SYSTEM FIX He pointed to Farmer’s Fridge and similar grab-and-go vendors as examples of how airports could make healthier meals as convenient as fast food. Alongside federal funding for terminal upgrades, the administration is encouraging airports and private partners to expand nutritional options in terminals nationwide. The goal, Kennedy said, is to set a standard where healthy eating is part of daily life even when people are rushing to catch a flight. “Everyone who passes through an airport in this country should have access to fresh, whole foods,” Kennedy said. “Secretary Duffy and I are working to ensure our airports set the standard for a future where healthy eating is part of daily life – travel days included.”
Trump threatens 5% tariff on Mexico over water treaty violations affecting Texas farmers
President Donald Trump warned Monday that Mexico’s failure to deliver water owed under a decades-old treaty is harming Texas farmers and could trigger a new tariff if the country does not immediately release a critical share of its required supply. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said Mexico must release 200,000 acre-feet of water through the 1944 Water Treaty before Dec. 31 or face a 5% tariff. “Mexico continues to violate our comprehensive Water Treaty, and this violation is seriously hurting our BEAUTIFUL TEXAS CROPS AND LIVESTOCK,” the president wrote. “Mexico still owes the U.S over 800,000 acre-feet of water for failing to comply with our Treaty over the past five years.” “The U.S [sic] needs Mexico to release 200,000 acre-feet of water before December 31st, and the rest must come soon after,” Trump continued. “As of now, Mexico is not responding, and it is very unfair to our U.S. Farmers who deserve this much needed water. That is why I have authorized documentation to impose a 5% Tariff on Mexico if this water isn’t released, IMMEDIATELY.” AMERICA’S QUIETEST CROP IS SET TO TAKE CENTER STAGE IN TRUMP–XI TALKS “The longer Mexico takes to release the water, the more our Farmers are hurt. Mexico has an obligation to FIX THIS NOW,” he added. Texas farm groups warned last year of a disastrous season for citrus and sugar as Mexican and U.S. officials worked to resolve a dispute over the 1944 treaty that supplies U.S. farmers with critical irrigation. The two countries have clashed over the treaty before, but drought-driven shortages were the most severe in nearly 30 years. TRUMP TO UNLEASH $12B FARM RESCUE AS CHINA TRADE RESET HITS US GROWERS In April, the Trump administration and Mexican officials reached a deal to ensure Texas farmers get much-needed water from the Rio Grande, less than a month after Trump accused Mexico of withholding water promised under the treaty. Under that agreement, Mexico committed to send water from international reservoirs and increase U.S. flow from six of Mexico’s Rio Grande tributaries through the end of the current five-year water cycle. DEAL STRUCK BETWEEN US AND MEXICO TO ENSURE TEXAS FARMERS GET MUCH-NEEDED WATER U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins called the measure a significant step forward and said the Trump administration welcomes Mexico’s continued cooperation in support of American agriculture. Under the 1944 Water Treaty, Mexico agreed to deliver 1.75 million acre-feet of water over five years from the Rio Grande. In exchange, the U.S. agreed to deliver 1.5 million acre-feet to Mexico from the Colorado River. But Mexico has fallen short at times, leading to severe water shortages in the Rio Grande Valley for farmers and ranchers. Those shortages have killed crops and jobs and threatened the region’s economy.
Top GOP senator says Crockett announcement exposes how ‘radical’ Dems are nationwide
EXCLUSIVE: The chair of the Senate Republican campaign arm says that Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett’s entry into the high-profile Senate race in Texas is a key sign of the Democrats’ shift to the left. “I think it says something about who the Democrats are nationally, not just in Texas. What it says is that they’ve been overrun by this radical left agenda that focuses on rhetoric, not reality,” National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) chair Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., claimed in an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital on Monday. Scott spoke soon after Crockett, the progressive firebrand and vocal critic of President Donald Trump and Republicans, filed paperwork and formally announced her 2026 campaign for the Senate. Crockett’s campaign announcement, which was expected, will likely further rock a high-profile and heavily contested Senate race in Texas, which, on the Republican side, includes incumbent Sen. John Cornyn and GOP primary rivals state Attorney General Ken Paxton and Rep. Wesley Hunt. FIERCE TRUMP CRITIC CROCKETT SHAKES UP HIGH STAKES SENATE RACE The race is one of a handful across the country that may determine if the GOP holds its Senate majority in next year’s midterm elections. Scott — pointing to comments by Crockett comparing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Democratic-led cities to “slave patrols” in southern states prior to the Civil War — said they were “disgusting, repugnant, but consistent with the philosophy of this new Democrat Party that’s filled with socialism.” CROCKETT SPENDS EYE-POPPING AMOUNT OF CAMPAIGN CASH ON THIS The senator from South Carolina also highlighted Crockett’s comments last month to CNN praising New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and saying that the democratic socialist politician “could do a Masterclass for all Democrats on communication.” “I can’t think of a more clear depiction of what she believes is a path forward for Democrats,” Scott insisted. Republicans have repeatedly aimed to make Mamdani the new face of the Democratic Party as they attempt to portray Democrats as far-left radicals. The announcement by Crockett, a rising-star Democrat who has a large social media footprint thanks to her viral jabs at Republicans and her verbal sparing on social media with Trump, came hours after one of the two Democrats already running for the Senate in 2026 abandoned his bid. Former Rep. Colin Allred, who was making his second straight bid for the Senate in right-leaning Texas, on Monday morning ended his campaign and instead launched a congressional campaign as he seeks to return to the House. EX-NFL STAR ABANDONS SENATE BID AS JASMINE CROCKETT NEARS MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT But Democratic state Rep. James Talarico, a former middle school teacher and Presbyterian seminarian who is also seen as a rising Democratic Party star, remains in the Senate primary, setting up a face-off between two surging contenders with formidable fundraising. Crockett’s entry into the Senate race, and her showdown with Talarico, may shift the spotlight off of the GOP primary, where Cornyn, the longtime incumbent who hails from the party’s establishment wing, has cut into the one-time large lead by Paxton, a MAGA firebrand, with Hunt in third, according to public opinion polling. The concern among Republicans is that Paxton, who has been battered over the past decade by a slew of scandals and legal problems and who is now dealing with a messy divorce, would put the seat in play if he won the GOP nomination. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Scott, and the NRSC are backing Cornyn. But Crockett’s Senate candidacy may change the political equation. While her aggressive push-back against Trump and the GOP should play well with the left, it could deflate her chances of winning next November among Texas’ general election electorate. Asked if Crockett’s entry into the race improves the GOP’s odds of holding the seat next year, Scott said: “The truth of the matter is a simple formula. John Cornyn, our nominee, Texas remains red. Period. Full stop. End of discussion.” Scott said the NRSC is “focused on one thing and one thing only, and that’s keeping Texas red, and that means John Cornyn must be our nominee, and he wins, period. So it’s not who the Democrat is, it’s who we are. And John Cornyn is the best representative for Texas this cycle that we’ll ever see.” By dropping out of the race, Allred will likely allow Democrats to avoid a costly and messy primary runoff in the spring, giving the party more time to consolidate around their nominee and raise much-needed campaign cash. Meanwhile, with Cornyn, Paxton, and Hunt all taking aim at each other in a combustible primary, the GOP nomination appears headed towards a runoff, which would be triggered if no candidate tops 50% in the early March primary. Asked if he’s concerned about the GOP nomination battle extending to a primary runoff, Scott predicted that “Cornyn will win the primary and Cornyn will win the general election.”
Top Mamdani appointee faces heat amid promise to make NYC more affordable: ‘Embodiment of inflation’
FIRST ON FOX: Four-term chairperson of the Republican National Committee (RNC), Ronna McDaniel, is calling out mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani for hypocritically running a campaign focused on making New York City more affordable, arguing that his selection of a former Biden administration official, Lina Khan, as a top advisor will serve to undermine that. McDaniel, tapped last week to lead the Competitiveness Coalition, a right-leaning nonprofit focused on advancing free market principles, penned a letter to Mamdani in one of her first major national moves since leaving the RNC. McDaniel called on the mayor-elect to fire Khan, President Joe Biden’s former Federal Trade Commission (FTC) chair, who Mamdani appointed as co-chair of his transition team. McDaniel said that if the NYC mayor-elect is really going to be true to his word about lowering costs for New Yorkers, he cannot have someone like Khan in his administration who “is not only a flashback to the dreaded Biden days that 77 million Americans rejected by re-electing President Trump,” but also holds a history of “policy prescriptions [that] have failed before and will again.” MAMDANI ECONOMIC ADVISOR IS REPARATIONS ACTIVIST WHO SAYS ‘DEVALUATION OF BLACK LIVES’ INGRAINED IN US SYSTEM “He’s saying one thing and doing another by putting her as the co-chair of his transition team,” McDaniel told Fox News Digital. “Lina Khan, for us, represents the embodiment of inflation in this country, and Bidenomics. I think she’s the best example of somebody who raised prices across this country by fighting entrepreneurship, and innovation, and big business, and capitalism.” During Khan’s tenure as Biden’s FTC chair, she garnered a reputation as a fierce crusader against big business. McDaniel’s letter said that “early reports” from the business community in New York have indicated they are prepared for a “rehash” of the playbook Khan ran at the FTC under Biden. One example cited in the letter was Khan’s alleged opposition to a proposed merger between Amazon and the Massachusetts-based company iRobot, designer of the popular self-cleaning vacuum called Roomba. According to McDaniel’s letter, Khan’s opposition contributed to the company’s subsequent bankruptcy, and resulted in 350 iRobot employees losing their jobs amid a 31% cut to the company’s workforce. McDaniel also said in her letter that Khan sent taxpayer resources to regulators overseas in Europe “in their quest to apply more red tape” to American companies operating in the European Union. TOP MAMDANI TRANSITION LEADER WAS HEAVILY INFLUENCED BY SOROS NETWORK DURING BIDEN ADMIN “Later in her term, reports even surfaced that Khan was communicating with Temu, a Chinese-owned company linked to the Chinese Communist Party, in an attempt to gather damaging information on American retailers,” McDaniel wrote to Mamdani. “Surely we can agree that handicapping American innovators to benefit their CCP-linked rivals harms our geopolitical standing.” Mamdani’s appointment of Khan serves to illustrate that the mayor-elect doesn’t care about inflation or “what Bidenomics did to the people of New York and across the country,” McDaniel added in an interview with Fox News Digital, noting that over-regulation by Mamdani is a real concern for her. Businesses will flee New York City for places with better tax rates and less regulation that allow them to grow, do better and thrive, McDaniel argued. “When you look at what Mamdani ran on, these things that sound good but in practice won’t be good – rent control, government-run grocery stores, free bussing, raising the corporate tax rate … it sounds good, but it’s not tenable and what it means is that businesses will say, ‘Guess where I’m not going to do business in? New York City. I’m going to go to states that have better tax rates, that have less regulation, that will allow me to pay my employees and grow,” McDaniel contended. “That’s why socialism is sometimes confusing, especially for young voters,” the former RNC chair added. “All it means is an inefficient, loaded government that will cost more taxpayer money and will cost you more and leave less jobs in the long run.” Fox News Digital reached out to Khan and Mamdani’s staff for comment but did not receive a response in time for publication.