NationalWatch

President Donald Trump took to social media on Wednesday morning to showcase the power of his political endorsements, touting that the candidates he backed went 37-0 in Tuesday’s GOP primaries from coast to coast.

“We won all races last night. Every one of them,” Trump told reporters.

The brute force of the president’s endorsement power and the immense grip he has on the Republican Party were on full display in a number of high-profile ballot-box showdowns, including Trump-backed Ed Gallrein ousting Rep. Thomas Massie in the GOP primary in Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District, a race that grabbed outsized national attention.

But Trump’s heavy hand in this year’s primaries could cause repercussions in the autumn, when Republicans will be defending their razor-thin House and slim Senate majorities in the midterm elections.

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While those concerns will mount as the midterms creep closer, on Tuesday night the political headline was Trump once again successfully flexing his muscles to exert payback on Republicans who defied him.

Two weeks after purging five state senators in Indiana’s primary who had opposed his push for congressional redistricting, and three days after helping to oust Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana — as the senator who, five and a half years ago, voted to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial lost his bid for renomination — Trump obliterated Massie.

Massie, who for 14 years has represented Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District, in the northeastern part of the red-leaning state, has long been one of Trump’s most vocal GOP critics in Congress. The libertarian-minded lawmaker has repeatedly taken aim at the president over foreign policy, including the Iran war and unconditional U.S. military aid to Israel. And he’s also been a thorn in Trump’s side for successfully pushing for the release of government files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

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Gallrein’s nearly ten-point victory over Massie in a race that was expected to be much closer represents a major win for Trump’s political operation and pro-Israel allied groups, who spent aggressively to unseat the sitting lawmaker.

Speaking at his victory celebration, Gallrein thanked Trump for his support, saying, “My focus is on advancing the president’s and the party’s agenda to put America first and Kentucky always.”

Taking to social media after Massie’s defeat, White House communications director and longtime Trump aide Steven Cheung warned, “Do not ever doubt President Trump and his political power. F–k around, find out.”

Veteran Republican strategist and communicator Ryan Williams told Fox News Digital, “The Republican Party is Trump’s party, and if you cross him, he’ll hit back at you ten times as hard and defeat you. He’s getting better at this as time goes on. His grip on the party has increased, not decreased.”

“Anybody at this point who doesn’t understand this will be out of a job if they cross the president,” Williams emphasized.

Meanwhile, Rep. Andy Barr of Kentucky, backed by Trump in recent days, cruised to the Republican Senate nomination in the race to succeed retiring Sen. Mitch McConnell, a former longtime Senate GOP leader.

And Sen. Tommy Tuberville, a top Trump ally in the Senate, easily captured the GOP gubernatorial nomination in solidly red Alabama.

But some Trump-backed candidates will have to wait a little longer before securing a ticket to the general election.

Republican Lt. Gov. Burt Jones of Georgia finished first in the GOP gubernatorial primary, but didn’t top 50%, forcing a runoff next month with billionaire businessman Rick Jackson.

It was the same story in Alabama, where Trump-backed Rep. Barry Moore finished first but will need another victory in next month’s runoff to secure the Republican Senate nomination in the race to succeed Tuberville.

And this past weekend, Trump-backed Rep. Julia Letlow was forced into a runoff with Louisiana Treasurer John Fleming as Cassidy was sent packing.

Trump putting his hand on the scale in red states like Louisiana, Alabama and Kentucky shouldn’t be an issue in the general election, but it could be in battleground Georgia, and in red-leaning Texas, where Democrats are hoping to win a U.S. Senate election for the first time in nearly four decades.

Democrats feel Trump gave them an early Christmas gift by endorsing MAGA firebrand and ally and supporter Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over longtime GOP Sen. John Cornyn with one week to go until the runoff election for the Republican nomination.

“Ken is a true MAGA Warrior who has ALWAYS delivered for Texas, and will continue to do so in the United States Senate,” Trump wrote in a social media post as he announced his backing of Paxton, which likely ends Cornyn’s hope of winning renomination.

The winner of the GOP runoff will face off in the autumn with rising Democratic Party star state Rep. James Talarico, who has built a massive war chest this year while Cornyn and Paxton have traded fire in their combustible race.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, the National Republican Senatorial Committee and many GOP leaders in the nation’s capital saw Cornyn as the candidate better equipped to successfully defend the seat in Texas, which Democrats are trying to flip as they work to win back the chamber’s majority.

That’s because Paxton has faced a slew of scandals and legal problems that have battered him over the past decade, as well as his ongoing messy divorce.

Some Republicans are concerned this could be a flashback to 2022, when then-former President Trump flexed his muscles in the GOP primaries, with some of his picks, including Georgia’s Herschel Walker, falling short in the midterms, as Republicans failed to win back the Senate.

“Trump got his way in most of the primaries in 2022 also. Didn’t portend great results in the general election,” vocal Trump critic and GOP consultant Sarah Longwell posted on social media Tuesday night.

Williams said, “The president has shown that he puts personal loyalty over political considerations even when it puts a safe seat at risk.”

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And pointing to this year’s midterms, when the GOP as the party in power will face traditional headwinds as well as an extremely challenging political climate, Ryan said, “That’s the situation Republicans find themselves dealing with heading into what should be a challenging midterm election.”

Voters are increasingly pessimistic about the economy and President Trump’s handling of key issues, while a majority opposes continued U.S. military involvement in Iran even as most believe the U.S. is winning the war. That’s according to a new Fox News national survey.

Affordability continues to dominate the political landscape.

Fifty-eight percent flag the cost of living as their top economic worry, up from 50% in February. This eclipses other issues, such as government spending (16%), jobs (8%) and tariffs (8%).

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More than three-quarters also say the economy is in bad shape (77%), worse than last month (73%) and a year ago (71%). Only 23% rate it positively, the lowest in more than a year. 

The pessimism is personal too. A slim majority of voters (51%) say their family’s finances are worse now than two years ago. Before the 2022 midterm elections, 44% said the same. 

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All that helps explain the deterioration in Trump’s ratings on the economy.  A year ago, 56% of voters disapproved and last month it was 66%; now, it’s 71%.  The increase since April comes from a 7-point rise in disapproval among Republicans. 

Notably, approval of Trump on the economy among non-MAGA Republicans (36%) is more in line with independents (18%) than with MAGA Republicans (74%).  The president’s overall approval on handling the economy stands at just 29%, down from 34% in April. 

Trump gets his lowest ratings on inflation, where only 24% approve — down from 35% in January. Inflation marks a rare issue where a slim majority of Republicans (51%) disapprove of Trump. It reaches 85% among independents and 96% among Democrats.

His job numbers are also net negative on foreign policy (38-62%). Until this month, border security was the one issue where Trump received a positive rating. Now voters are split (49-51%) on his border security performance, pushing his ratings underwater for the first time this term. That shift comes even as 45% of voters say border security is better today than two years ago, while 29% say it’s worse.

Approval of Trump’s overall job performance is 39%, down 3 points since last month and 10 points since his second term started — and only 1 point above his lowest in October 2017.  A record 61% disapprove of the job he’s doing, including 48% who strongly disapprove. 

Since April, approval has declined among some of his key constituencies, such as rural Whites (-6 points), White men without a degree (-5), and Republicans (-3). 

Trump approval is at all-time lows among Republicans (80%), non-MAGA Republicans (54%), Whites (43%) and rural voters (43%).

“Despite consistently strong GOP support, the president’s numbers are leaking a bit,” says Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who conducts the Fox News Poll with Democrat Chris Anderson. “Make no mistake; it’s all about affordability. Independents jumped ship in 2025, and now non-MAGA Republicans and other core constituencies are wavering.”

Plus, in the long run, more voters think Trump’s policies will hurt the country (57%) than help it (34%). The share saying “hurt” is up 6 points since last April. Fully 88% of MAGA Republicans say his policies will help, while only 43% of non-MAGA Republicans agree.

Meanwhile, gas prices are squeezing voter budgets: 86% call rising prices a problem, including 51% who label them a “major” problem. Concern is nearly universal for the broader economy, where 96% see gas prices as a problem and 75% call it “major.”

When assigning blame for gas prices, voters aimed heavily at domestic factors, with about 8 in 10 pointing to Trump’s policies, domestic oil companies, and government regulations. However, they overwhelmingly view the Iran war as the primary driver, with 91% saying it is responsible.

Iran

Two-thirds think the U.S. is winning the war in Iran, yet opposition to U.S. military action increased to 60%, up from 55% last month. 

Half think the war will last a year (18%) or more (33%), unchanged since March, while 6 in 10 favor a limited timeframe for U.S. involvement in Iran, including 3 in 10 war supporters and 4 in 10 Republicans. 

Almost all Republicans (89%) and two-thirds of independents believe the U.S. is winning the war, while more than half of Democrats say Iran is winning (56%). Generationally, voters under age 30 are the most likely to believe the U.S. is winning (79%), yet they are also some of the most opposed to the war (67%).

Among voters who have served in the military, 55% support the U.S. action against Iran and 72% believe the U.S. is winning the war.

Last summer, voter concern about Iran getting a nuclear bomb was at a record high 78%.  Today, it’s at a record low 56%, down from 66% in March.  Concern since March is down among Democrats (-13 points), independents (-11), and Republicans (-6).

Poll-pourri

While 45% approve of Trump’s handling of the U.S.-China summit, a 54% majority disapproves.

That matches views of the negotiation’s outcome: 52% believe Chinese President Xi Jinping got more of what he wanted compared to 46% for Trump.  More than a quarter of Republicans (27%) join majorities of Democrats (75%) and independents (56%) in thinking Xi won the summit, as do nearly a quarter of those who otherwise approve of Trump’s handling of the trip (24%). 

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Conducted May 15-18, 2026, under the direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News survey includes interviews with a sample of 1,002 registered voters randomly selected from a national voter file. Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines (109) and cellphones (635) or completed the survey online after receiving a text (258). Results based on the full sample have a margin of sampling error of ±3 percentage points. Sampling error for results among subgroups is higher. In addition to sampling error, question wording and order can influence results. Weights are generally applied to age, race, education, and area variables to ensure the demographics are representative of the registered voter population. Sources for developing weight targets include the most recent American Community Survey, Fox News Voter Analysis, and voter file data.

Fox News’ Victoria Balara contributed to this report.

Three in 10 voters believe the recent assassination attempt against President Donald Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner was staged, according to a Fox News national survey. 

Thirty percent say the shooting was fabricated, including 13% of voters who think it was “definitely” staged. That said, a narrow 52% majority believes the attack was real, with nearly one-third saying it “definitely” happened (31%). 

One in five is unsure whether it was real or fake (18%). 

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The alleged gunman behind the April 25 attack, Cole Tomas Allen, has pleaded not guilty to the four felony charges filed against him by the Justice Department. The incident marked the third attempt on Trump’s life, following two separate assassination attempts in 2024.

Public attitudes surrounding the attack suggest the erosion of a shared reality may have reached a critical tipping point.  Most notably, the partisan divide on the attack’s authenticity is stark.  The survey finds almost half of Democrats (49%) and voters who backed Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris in 2024 (48%) believe the shooting was staged, while just 10% of Republicans say the same.

Meanwhile, 79% of Republicans believe the event was real, as do 77% of 2024 Trump voters.  That number climbs to 87% among Republicans who identify as MAGA supporters.  By comparison, just 31% of Democrats agree the attack was real.

Views among independents are mixed: 41% say it was real and 34% believe it was staged.

Uncertainty about whether the incident was real or not is highest among independents, with one quarter unsure (25%), followed by 2 in 10 Democrats (21%), and 1 in 10 Republicans (11%).

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Republicans under age 45 are more than five times as likely as older Republicans to think the shooting was staged (22% vs. 4%). 

Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who conducts Fox News polls with Democrat Chris Anderson, stresses that the assassination attempt was undoubtedly real, warning that a growing denial of facts threatens the political process.

“When partisan polarization and political cynicism prevent us from agreeing on a common and obvious set of facts, it undercuts our ability to diagnose problems and develop policy solutions,” Shaw says. “This is especially troubling given that younger voters are among the most cynical about our politics and institutions.”

“These findings show what happens when public skepticism becomes embedded in the political culture,” adds Anderson. “When people are told that every major event could be manipulated or manufactured, disbelief itself becomes the default reaction.”

Voters under age 35 are nearly twice as likely as those ages 65 and over to think the shooting was fabricated (38% vs. 20%), as seniors are among those most likely to say it was real (65%).

There’s also a gender gap, as more women (35%) than men (25%) consider it staged. 

More than 6 in 10 White evangelical Christians believe the shooting happened, while 2 in 10 don’t.

Conducted May 15-18, 2026, under the direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News survey includes interviews with a sample of 1,002 registered voters randomly selected from a national voter file. Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines (109) and cellphones (635) or completed the survey online after receiving a text (258). Results based on the full sample have a margin of sampling error of ±3 percentage points. Sampling error for results among subgroups is higher. In addition to sampling error, question wording and order can influence results. Weights are generally applied to age, race, education, and area variables to ensure the demographics are representative of the registered voter population. Sources for developing weight targets include the most recent American Community Survey, Fox News Voter Analysis, and voter file data.

Fox News’ Victoria Balara contributed to this report.

FIRST ON FOX: An illegal alien living in California who used his underage niece with special needs and his nephew to produce child pornography was sentenced Monday to 50 years in prison.

Angel Emilio Rodriguez-Marroquin, a Guatemalan citizen, initially pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including producing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) that featured his own niece and nephew, both 8, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said.

“This depraved illegal alien from Guatemala pleaded guilty to producing and possessing child pornography, which included footage of him assaulting his own nephew and niece with special needs,” said Acting Assistant DHS Secretary Lauren Bis. “This monster would not have been in our country in the first place if it weren’t for the Biden Administration’s disastrous open borders that released him into our country.”

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Rodriguez-Marroquin was arrested on Nov. 22, 2025, by federal authorities on suspicion of production of child pornography and possession of child pornography.

In addition to his conviction in the U.S., he is also the subject of a child exploitation investigation in Guatemala, which is being led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

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Fox News Digital has reached out to his legal team.

Rodriguez-Marroquin first illegally entered the U.S. in 2024 and was released by the Biden administration, DHS said.

The Trump administration has blamed Biden immigration policies for the influx of illegal immigrants into the U.S., which led to a surge in crime.

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“In just the first months of 2026, the Trump Administration has arrested scores of depraved illegal alien killers, rapists, and violent sexual predators who were enabled, protected, and unleashed by the Radical Left’s open borders agenda — policies Democrats are desperate to restore,” the White House said in an April 10 news release highlighting some of the worst offenders.

President Donald Trump is confident that his pick for U.S. Senate in the Lone Star State will easily defeat Democrat James Talarico, whom he called unelectable because “he’s a vegan in Texas.”

Talarico is a prominent state lawmaker who was only recently propelled to the national stage after winning the Democratic Senate nomination in Texas earlier this year. He has been widely lambasted by conservatives for his history of controversial statements, including claiming, “God is non-binary” and that “sex is a spectrum.”  

While speaking with reporters before boarding Air Force One on Wednesday morning, Trump predicted that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who he endorsed this week, will “win very substantially” in the upcoming primary runoff with incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas.

He then forecasted Paxton will “go on to defeat a very defective candidate that believes in six genders, and he takes hits at Jesus Christ, and he’s wearing a mask six months ago, anybody wearing a mask six months ago doesn’t get it.”

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He then ripped into Talarico, saying, “And he’s vegan, he’s a vegan in Texas.”

“You can’t get elected as a vegan in Texas,” Trump insisted.

Trump’s comments reference an unearthed 2022 clip of Talarico giving a speech and calling reducing meat consumption “existential.”

“We have heard, I think, heard more and more issues of animal welfare. I think, not just because it’s the right thing to do, and it’s the moral thing to do, but also… necessary to fight climate change,” Talarico said, adding, “It is now existential that we try to reduce our meat consumption, and that we try to respect animals.”

“So, I am proud to say that our campaign has officially become a non-meat campaign,” Talarico continued. “So, we are only buying vegan products from our local vegan businesses.”

Talarico can be seen wearing a mask during the speech.

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His resurfaced comments caused a significant stir in Texas, where beef cattle production is a multi-billion-dollar industry and the state’s largest agricultural segment.

“Who wants to tell him that cattle is the #1 commodity in Texas?” the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Senate Republicans’ campaign arm, wrote on X.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, labeled Talarico a “freak” who wants to “ban BBQ.”

“Vote Republican this November. The steaks couldn’t be higher,” Cornyn wrote.

Amid the backlash, the Talarico campaign blasted out a photo of the candidate wearing a Texas flag shirt and taking a large bite out of a turkey leg.

“Official Statement from James Talarico on Vegan Accusations,” the campaign wrote.

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In response to Trump’s criticisms on Wednesday, JT Ennis, a spokesperson for Talarico’s campaign, told Fox News Digital that “as costs continue to rise and corruption in Washington runs rampant, James is focused on taking power back for working people and bringing down the price of gas, groceries, and health care.”

“James is building a people-powered movement to take on this broken, corrupt political system — not any one politician, not any one political party, but the billionaire mega donors and puppet politicians who have made life more expensive for Texans while enriching themselves,” said Ennis.

President Donald Trump split with immigration hawks by defending Chinese students in the U.S. while also softening on Chinese-owned farmland — creating friction inside MAGA and unexpected overlap with moderate Democrats.

Fox News’ Sean Hannity asked Trump in a recent interview from Beijing about concerns surrounding Chinese nationals attending school in the U.S. and China-linked entities purchasing farmland, including in sensitive areas like near a North Dakota military base that raised eyebrows earlier this decade.

Republicans have long warned that Chinese student visa programs could expose U.S. research and state secrets to the Chinese Communist Party, while GOP officials like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Nebraska Sen. Deb Fischer have pushed for tougher restrictions on Chinese ownership of American farmland.

“It’s not that I love it. You want to see farm prices drop; you want to see farmers lose a lot of money just take that out of the market. But they’ve had a lot of land for a long time. Obama did nothing about it,” Trump said.

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Trump also defended allowing Chinese students to study in the U.S., calling them “good students” and arguing that banning them would unnecessarily inflame tensions with Beijing.

“I frankly think that it’s good that people come from other countries and they learn our culture and many of them want to stay here,” Trump said, while admitting that it “doesn’t sound like a very conservative position – and I’m a conservative… commonsense guy. I think MAGA is ‘common sense,'” he said.

The comments triggered backlash from the right wing of the MAGA movement, with former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene disputing, “No — that’s not commonsense.”

“Trump says it’s insulting to tell China their students can’t go to our universities, imagine being an American student and receiving a rejection letter while 500,000 Chinese students get in,” Greene said, according to the left-wing New Republic. “And no – it’s not OK for China to buy our farmland.”

Some Democrats, however, appeared heartened by Trump’s more moderate stance on a major sticking point in the immigration field.

Fox News Digital reached out to top Democrats on the moderate New Democrat Coalition’s Border Security Working Group.

Chairman Gabe Vasquez of New Mexico told Fox News Digital that while he disagrees with Trump “on a lot” regarding immigration enforcement, he will continue to support efforts to bring new blood into the American economy.

“I have long supported building America’s workforce by encouraging the best and brightest across the world to come study in the U.S. and build their careers and families here,” said Vasquez.

“Congress should expand more legal pathways for students to stay here and start businesses, grow the American economy, and help our country fill critical needs in key industries like healthcare, manufacturing, quantum AI and engineering.” 

A Vasquez spokesperson added that the lawmaker, however, agrees with conservatives on one point where Trump differed — that Chinese nationals should not be permitted to purchase U.S. farmland.

“Food security is national security,” the spokesperson said.

Speaking to Hannity, Trump added: “I could tell [Xi], I don’t want any students, it’s a very insulting thing to say to a country. They would then immediately go out and start building universities all over China.”

Trump argued that without the influx of Chinese students, middling and lower-tier universities would begin dying on the vine financially.

Lora Ries, former counsel for the House Judiciary Committee’s immigration subcommittee and a 30-year policy expert now with the Heritage Foundation, told Fox News Digital that universities have grown too dependent on foreign students because they often pay “full freight” — and made the case for scrutinizing the education system rather than keeping it propped up with foreign tuition.

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“It is no longer a level playing field for American students to get into these universities. We also know many of these universities are producing degrees that don’t have a great return on investment: gender studies, et cetera. So why on earth do we want to keep universities that depend on those sorts of degrees afloat?” Ries said.

“We shouldn’t justify continuing to bring in high levels of foreign students to keep so many universities in business when the Big-Ed model is absolutely upside-down.”

According to Ries, Chinese and other foreign student blocs exacerbate the difficulty American students face getting into colleges — while native students are also not finding meaningful jobs after graduation.

Ries said the issue is “right up Trump’s alley,” but not in the way the president posited on “Hannity.” She said Trump could shake up “Big-Ed” by incentivizing quality degrees and disincentivizing ones that leave American graduates occupationally stranded.

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When it comes to the adage about jobs Americans supposedly won’t do, she pointed to the medical field, which has seen an influx of foreign students.

“You can’t say medicine is a job that Americans won’t do, so what’s going on?” she said.

She also noted that Chinese nationals cannot come to live in America without the knowledge of — and often information-sharing with — the CCP, which itself poses a risk.

“Also, Chairman Xi can say, ‘Well, America is in decline,’ as he just did in this summit.”

When asked for comment, a White House spokesperson directed Fox News Digital to the president’s remarks to Hannity.

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Trump’s comments set up a new potential divergence between presidential policy and conservative politics among some of his current and former most ardent supporters, including Greene.

It also, however, potentially opens up a rare immigration dialogue with Democrats like Vasquez and his coalition of moderates, who have been trying to advance their own fixes to the broken system.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy turned the tables on two Democratic senators who accused him of allowing companies under his oversight to bankroll his “Great American Road Trip,” firing back by highlighting donations they received from industries and groups tied to policies they regulate.

In celebration of America’s 250th birthday, the bipartisan America 250 commission sanctioned Duffy’s participation in a 10-state road trip with his family to encourage tourism. The expedition was funded by the nonprofit organization “The Great American Roadtrip,” which received donations from major travel and car companies, including Toyota, Boeing and Enterprise. Duffy’s road trip was turned into a five-part YouTube series.

During a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing Tuesday, Sens. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., argued that donations tied to Duffy’s “Great American Road Trip” raised concerns about corporate influence over Duffy while Americans grapple with high gas prices.

“You’ve been recording a promo of yourself and not working to lower the cost, so this show is incredibly out of touch with where Americans are,” Murray said. “It really raises some serious ethics concerns about who you answer to, because the people organizing your show solicited corporate sponsors and promised rewards at each level of funding.”

SEAN DUFFY: TAKE A GREAT AMERICAN ROAD TRIP AND REDISCOVER OUR AMAZING COUNTRY

Duffy denied that promises were made to corporate sponsors of the nonprofit. However, Murray referenced a pitch deck released by the nonprofit outlining perks associated with different donation levels. At the highest level, donors are guaranteed placement of their logo in up to 10 produced videos and six VIP invitations to receptions, roundtables and networking events hosted by the nonprofit.

“If someone from the healthcare industry gives you $2 million, what do they get for it?” Duffy countered to Murray, referring to campaign donations.

“You have jurisdiction,” Duffy continued. “I do not. You have jurisdiction. $2 million to put your face on TV, to buy steak dinners. Dinners, to go on vacation.”

Duffy then rattled off specific donation amounts Murray has received from major healthcare corporations.

“Pfizer gave you $102,000,” Duffy said.

Like Murray, Gillibrand branded Duffy’s participation in “The Great American Roadtrip” as a vacation for Duffy and his family.

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“It shouldn’t be paid for by people that you oversee,” Gillibrand told Duffy.

Duffy then noted that Gillibrand’s campaign has received $7 million in political contributions from law firms and attorney groups.

But Gillibrand said her donations had “nothing to do with” the topic at hand.

“This hearing is about you and this administration,” Gillibrand told Duffy. “This hearing, you are the witness. I am not the witness.”

Duffy accused Gillibrand of flying private, eating steak dinners and vacationing on the dime of law firms and legal groups.

Gillibrand denied ever having flown private. However, in 2022, Gillibrand spent the second most in Congress on chartered flights, according to Newsweek. The senator’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.

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In both exchanges, Duffy defended his participation in “The Great American Roadtrip,” arguing it is about bringing Americans together.

“As we can see from this hearing, there’s a lot of partisanship in America,” Duffy said. “Seeing your country, experiencing your country through the window of a car is a beautiful thing. It actually unites America.“

The House passed a sweeping housing bill backed by President Donald Trump on Wednesday, handing Republicans a potential affordability win ahead of November’s midterms. 

Lawmakers voted overwhelmingly 396-13 to send the bipartisan measure aimed at boosting housing supply and homeownership to the Senate, where it will need final sign-off before being signed into law by the president.

“The White House supports the House’s housing bill thanks to the changes that were made,” a White House official told Fox News Digital. 

The president’s support is a major victory for House GOP leadership, who defied a pressure campaign from the Senate to pass the upper chamber’s rival housing bill without any changes.

TRUMP-BACKED AFFORDABLE HOUSING OVERHAUL CLEARS SENATE, WHILE HOUSE GOP RAISES RED FLAGS

The amended House bill’s future remains uncertain in the Senate, where it will need to overcome a 60-vote threshold and potential frustration over the lower chamber’s modifications.

The final House bill struck out a controversial provision in the Senate-passed measure that required single-family homes owned by large investors for the purpose of renting to be sold off within seven years. 

Critics argued the measure could reduce housing supply and would hurt the build-to-rent industry, which provides rental options for Americans priced out of homeownership.

The package preserved a ban on large institutional investors from buying new single-family homes. That provision is a top priority of the Trump administration, as well as leading progressives, such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., who argues it would help individual homebuyers compete with well-funded investors.

Large institutional investors own just a sliver of the nation’s housing stock.

Seven in 10 voters said they would support a ban on large investors owning more than 350 homes from purchasing more, according to a May survey commissioned by the Bipartisan Policy Center. Support dipped among some supporters when respondents were told the provision could reduce the supply of rental homes.

“This bill prioritizes American families by expanding homeownership, enhancing affordability, reducing burdensome regulations that drive up costs, and increasing housing supply nationwide,” House Financial Services Chairman French Hill, R-Ark., said in a statement. “Importantly, it delivers on President Trump’s call to limit institutional investors from competing with the American people as they seek to purchase a home.”

GOP CAN’T AGREE ON KEY PART OF TRUMP’S HOUSING AFFORDABILITY PUSH AS INFIGHTING CONTINUES

Still, the bill faced resistance from some conservatives over an unrelated provision regulating central bank digital currencies (CBDC).

Thirteen conservative lawmakers associated with the House Freedom Caucus voted against the bipartisan housing measure over concerns about language temporarily banning CBDCs, which they argue would open the door to unchecked financial surveillance.

GOP privacy hawks have long pushed for a permanent ban and have argued that a short-term prohibition would permit the Federal Reserve to issue a digital token after it expires in 2030.

“A temporary ban is the worst of both worlds: political cover today, a clear runway tomorrow,” Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, wrote in an op-ed for The Washington Reporter this week. “Make it permanent, or take it out.”

GOP leadership has pointed to the housing bill as part of Republicans’ broader push to address cost-of-living issues ahead of the midterm elections.

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“Increased housing costs and lack of quality supply are two issues that impact nearly every American family,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said at a news conference on Wednesday, adding that the House measure is a “strong bipartisan package that will put more American families into homes.”

“This is something that every American in this country is going to be happy to see, to have lower housing costs,” House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., said.

Graham Platner, presumptive Democratic Senate nominee in Maine, once stated that some people should be killed for their political beliefs, according to a newly surfaced Reddit post.

“There are times in this world when, for the good of tolerance and humanity, you need to kill a motherf—er,” Platner wrote on his now-deleted Reddit account in September 2013. “Sadly most people who are true believers in tolerance and humanity find that activity repulsive. Which I suppose is morally good, but pragmatically a shortfall.”

Platner was responding to a blog post about left-wing antifascist (Antifa) protestors attacking the offices of a far-right nationalist political party in Greece.

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The Platner campaign did not respond to a request for comment when reached by Fox News Digital on Wednesday.

Platner is running effectively unopposed in Maine’s Democratic primary in June with the ultimate goal of flipping one of Maine’s Senate seats blue in the 2026 midterms in November.

As recently as April 2020, Platner claimed on Reddit that he was a member of his local chapter of the Socialist Rifle Association — a leftist response to the National Rifle Association. The SRA, a nonprofit based in Wichita, Kansas, provides firearms training and education to leftists to further the goal of providing a “rebuff against reactionary right wing firearms culture,” according to its website.

In a post describing his left-wing drift after leaving the military, Platner stated “still got the guns though, I don’t trust the fascists to act politely.” Platner had described Republicans, such as President Donald Trump, as fascists using his Reddit account. 

He also classified himself as a “socialist” and “communist” in comments made under the moniker “P-Hustle” on Reddit, but has since tried to distance himself from those labels during his run for U.S. Senate.

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Platner has issued a general apology for the thousands of controversial and vulgar resurfaced posts.

In addition to repeatedly expressing support for political violence, the former Marine also identified as a communist, used slurs, complained about black people not tipping and called white people living in rural America “stupid.”

“I’m sorry for this. Just know that it’s not reflective at all of who I am,” Platner said of his previous comments posted online.

“I don’t want you to judge me on the dumbest thing I ever wrote on the internet. I would prefer if people could judge me on the person I am today,” he added.

While Platner used homophobic slurs and made some politically incorrect comments, he also expressed support for gay rights and opposition to racism in his Reddit comments.

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He explained his coarse language as a byproduct of the “crude humor” and “offensive language” he had become accustomed to while serving as a Marine in Afghanistan. 

Maine Gov. Janet Mills dropped out of the state’s Senate primary on April 30, leaving behind only minor opponents for Platner and clearing the way for him to run in the general election. Polling generally shows Platner ahead of incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins, though she has significantly outperformed polls in past elections.

Two Democrats running to replace Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., are set to duke it out for the Democratic nomination next month. 

Tuberville’s decision to vacate his seat in the upper chamber and pursue a gubernatorial bid in Alabama triggered a mad dash from both parties to find his replacement. 

While several Republicans with elected experience were jockeying for the job, the Democratic field was filled with fresh political blood. Everett Wess and Dakarai Lariett were the top vote getters in the race, and due to Alabama’s runoff rules, will again square off on June 16. 

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The duo, neither of whom have held elected office before, emerged from a four-way primary in deep red Alabama. 

And while the state has largely had Republican representation in the Senate for decades, save for former Sen. Doug Jones’s, D-Ala., stint in office after winning a special election in 2017, Democrats are still hopeful they can make headway there.

But given the historical grip that the GOP has had on the state, it’ll be an uphill battle come November. 

Meanwhile, Republicans got a step closer to finding their anointed successor to Tuberville Tuesday night. 

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But determining which candidate will come out on top is still weeks away, given that several Republican hopefuls jumped into the race. And in Alabama, if a candidate doesn’t get a majority of votes, a runoff is triggered.

Out of the field of seven candidates, Rep. Barry Moore, R-Ala., and Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall emerged from the clash. They will again square off on June 16. 

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It will also be another test of President Donald Trump’s endorsement power in Alabama, where his track record has not been 100%.

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Moore, who announced his candidacy to Fox News Digital last year, has Trump’s backing. It’s an endorsement he re-upped during a recent tele-rally urging support for the three-term member of the House. 

“He’s a true America First Patriot who’s been with me from the very beginning,” Trump said during the rally.

Former Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., whose biting wit, liberal politics and mastery of financial policy made him one of the most recognizable members of Congress for more than three decades, has died at 86.

Frank died late Tuesday, Jim Segel, Frank’s former campaign manager and close friend, confirmed to The Associated Press.

“I have been trying to decide, by the way, personally, whether it’s better to be an icon or an emoji,” Frank, with his caustic wit, told CNN’s “State of the Union” in a May 3 interview while in hospice for congestive heart failure. He disclosed before his death that his condition had left him with little energy but not much pain.

“Essentially, after 86 years, my heart’s just wearing out,” Frank, who appeared gaunt, told Jake Tapper.

Frank represented Massachusetts in the House from 1981 to 2013, serving 16 terms and becoming chairman of the House Financial Services Committee during the 2008 financial crisis. His name became attached to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, the sweeping 2010 law he co-authored with then-Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., after the collapse of the housing market and the near-failure of the U.S. financial system.

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The law, signed by President Barack Obama on July 21, 2010, imposed new rules on major financial firms, derivatives, mortgage lending and consumer protection.

For supporters, Dodd-Frank was the most consequential financial regulatory overhaul since the New Deal, an attempt to rein in Wall Street excess and prevent another taxpayer-backed rescue of large institutions. For Republican critics, including President Donald Trump, it became a symbol of regulatory overreach. It was partially repealed in 2018, providing regulatory relief to community and mid-sized banks.

For Frank, it was the capstone of a career built on unapologetic liberalism, legislative detail and a willingness to fight in public.

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Frank was also a pioneer for gay rights in American politics. In 1987, while already serving in Congress, he publicly came out as gay, becoming the first sitting member of Congress to do so voluntarily. He later became the first sitting U.S. representative to enter into a same-sex marriage when he married his longtime partner Jim Ready in 2012.

He then retired from Congress after more than 30 years, after more than 30 years in the House.

Born Barnett Frank on March 31, 1940, in Bayonne, New Jersey, he graduated from Harvard University in 1962 and later earned a law degree from Harvard Law School. He worked for Boston Mayor Kevin White and Rep. Michael Harrington before winning a seat in the Massachusetts Legislature in 1972. He served there until his election to Congress in 1980.

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Frank’s first bill as a Massachusetts lawmaker sought to bar discrimination in housing and employment based on sexual orientation, an early marker of the civil rights work that would define much of his public life. The bill failed, but Frank later pointed to the gay rights movement’s incremental strategy as a model for other causes.

While Frank says Democrats and the broader left had made progress forcing inequality onto the national agenda, but he warned contentious cultural issues dividing and taking over the party. He wrote a book before his time in hospice, which is due to be released Sept. 15: “The Hard Path to Unity: Why We Must Reform the Left to Rescue Democracy.”

America has, he postulated, “enabled people who wanted to use that as a platform for a wide range of social and cultural changes, some of which the public isn’t ready for.”

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“Even when I agree with them on the end, I think they make a mistake by taking the most controversial parts of the agenda and turning them into litmus tests,” he added.

Even in hospice, Frank remained politically engaged and characteristically unsparing, rejecting the biggest, newest voices in the Democratic Party for turning America away from the standard bearers.

“I am concerned that, among some in my party, there has been a flavor of the month tendency, so that someone who is new and hasn’t been able to do much is somehow preferred over people who understand the importance of hard work to get controversial things adopted,” he said.

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Frank’s career was not without controversy. In 1990, the House reprimanded him for improper use of political influence involving parking tickets and probation officers for a personal friend. The reprimand did not end his career; he won reelection that year and continued to build influence, eventually rising to chair the Financial Services Committee.

Frank was at the center of Congress’ response to the 2007-09 financial crisis, helping negotiate legislation aimed at tightening oversight of banks and nonbank financial firms, increasing transparency in derivatives markets, creating the Financial Stability Oversight Council and strengthening mortgage-lending standards.

His papers, held by the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, document a career that touched financial reform, gay rights, housing policy, immigration, military spending, environmental protection and local Massachusetts issues including fishing regulation and commuter rail.

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Asked what he wanted people to remember about him, Frank deflected with the dry humor that made him a favorite of political reporters and a feared opponent in hearings.

“Oh, that I was smart enough and learned enough about the reaction not to answer that question,” he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

FIRST ON FOX: In observance of Memorial Day, country stars, veterans and lawmakers will host a candlelight ceremony to mark America’s 250th birthday at the Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia Monday.

“Memorial Day is a sacred reminder that freedom is never free. We honor the brave men and women who gave their lives defending America and its founding principles that we hold dear,” said the event’s master of ceremonies, Veteran Affairs Secretary Doug Collins, to Fox News Digital. “Their sacrifice is the foundation of American freedom, and we thank God for their courage.” 

Organizers shared event details and rendering with Fox News Digital for a national celebration honoring America’s heroes during a pivotal year bringing together country music stars and officials.

“Set against the sacred grounds of Arlington National Cemetery, the evening will serve as a powerful national tribute to America’s fallen heroes through storytelling, music, remembrance, and reflection,” said Freedom250, the nonpartisan group helping coordinate the broader America250 effort, said in a press release.

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Grammy Award-winning country music artist Gretchen Wilson will take the stage to perform.

“I am overwhelmed to have been asked to honor the fallen heroes and their families this Memorial Day. What a sacred place, I pray I do it justice,” said Wilson.

A newly released rendering shared first with Fox News Digital showed an aerial view of the amphitheater where the event will take place.

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The program will honor Medal of Honor recipient, West Point graduate and Vietnam prisoner of war Capt. Humbert “Rocky” Versace, highlighting his faith, leadership and resilience during his time in captivity.

The evening will also honor Capt. Daniel W. Eggers, a U.S. Army Special Forces officer, Green Beret and Citadel graduate who was killed in Afghanistan while serving alongside Afghan commandos in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel, Fox News Digital learned. 

Eggers was remembered for his humility, courage and unwavering commitment to his fellow soldiers, said Freedom250 in a press release.

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Veteran and national security leader Jason Beardsley, Medal of Honor recipient Maj. Gen. Patrick Henry Brady, noted historian Dr. Mark Moyar and members of the Eggers family are expected to share personal reflections on military service, sacrifice and the lasting human cost of freedom during the evening’s tribute.

“Memorial Day is about more than remembrance,” said Jason Beardsley, a veteran of the United States Navy and Army Special Operations Forces, said in the press release. “It is about preserving the legacy of those who gave everything for this country and ensuring future generations understand the true cost of freedom.”

There will also be a wreath-laying and National Memorial Day Observance both streamed live.

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The wreath laying pre-program will additionally have a performance by veteran and country singer Craig Morgan.

The candlelight tribute will begin at 8:30 p.m. ET on Monday and conclude at 10:00 p.m. ET.

California Republican gubernatorial frontrunner Steve Hilton blasted Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom for “fear mongering” after the governor suggested he had a contingency plan if Democrats appeared at risk of being shut out of the general election.

California’s primary election is just two weeks away, and under the state’s jungle primary system — where the top two vote-getters advance regardless of party — both Democrats and Republicans fear they won’t be represented in the general election.

Newsom expressed his concern about a Republican shutdown last Thursday during a news conference, explaining that he has a “break the glass scenario” to ensure Democrats aren’t “locked out.”

“There’s many people that have a deep understanding of what it would look like if Democrats were locked out, and we’re going to do everything to make sure that doesn’t happen,” Newsom said. “I’ll leave it there.”

JOY REID BLASTS CA DEMS FOR LETTING GOP CONTENDERS TAKE LEAD IN GOVERNOR’S RACE

Fox News Digital reached out to Newsom’s office for further comment.

Hilton claimed that Newsom’s comments were a tactic to split Republican voters between himself and Republican candidate Chad Bianco.

“He’s not trying to stop a ‘top two Republican’ outcome because that is not possible and never was,” Hilton said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Chad Bianco is far behind in the polls and fundraising, and has no chance of being in the top two.”

GOP CANDIDATE BIANCO’S TWO-WORD JAB AT KATIE PORTER DRAWS GASPS FROM CALIFORNIA DEBATE AUDIENCE

RealClearPolitics’ polling averages show Hilton leading the pack of candidates, with Democratic candidate Xavier Becerra in a close second. Meanwhile, Bianco trails in fourth place.

Hilton argued it would be Newsom’s “ideal scenario” to have two Democrats facing off, saying it would deflect attention from Newsom’s “appalling record” as he eyes a 2028 presidential run.

“Newsom and the Democrats are fearmongering over a R vs R matchup in the general election precisely to encourage Republicans to split their votes, thus guaranteeing an all-Democrat top two,” Hilton said in a statement for Fox News Digital.

In a video posted to X on Tuesday, Hilton called on his Republican opponent Bianco to drop out of the race, in an effort to ensure a Republican is on the ballot.

Political strategists have said there is a valid fear among both Democrats and Republicans that their party could be shut out of the general election due to the jungle primary system, which went into effect after voters approved it in a statewide referendum in 2010.

“This is really the first gubernatorial election where there’s no obvious winner, so that’s why it’s such a tense thing,” Richard Winger, owner of Ballot Access News, told Fox News Digital.

Winger and former Democratic state Sen. Dario Frommer pointed to other races where the seat was open and two candidates of the same party were running against each other in the general election.

“The Republicans were shut out in the California U.S. Senate primary in 2018 when the top two vote getters were Kamala Harris and Rep. Linda Sanchez, and there have been other races where either Republicans or Democrats were shut out of the general election because of the top two,” Frommer, who is now a legislative strategist, told Fox News Digital.

“I think early on there was genuine, genuine concern of the Democratic party, because there were so many Democratic candidates that Hilton and Bianco were going to be the top two vote getters,” Frommer told Fox News Digital. “Now that’s changed a bit.”

Frommer said that, based on current polling, the top two vote-getters appear likely to be Hilton, Becerra, and Democratic candidate Tom Steyer.

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But at the same time Frommer said Democrats aren’t in the clear either.

“Usually, there’s a lot more people overall voting by this point, and they’re not, and so I think that concern is real for Democrats, that people wait too long to fill out their ballots, and there’s only two Republican candidates,” Frommer told Fox News Digital.

The fear of either party being shut out of the general election this fall has prompted Democratic strategist Steven Maviglio to organize a ballot initiative campaign to eliminate the jungle primary system, a measure that could appear on the 2028 ballot.

“I think if two Republicans make the ballot, or if two Democrats make the ballot, then voter outrage will be high, and that will only focus on just what a failed experiment this is,” Maviglio said of the jungle primary system.

After Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., lost the Republican U.S. House primary in Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District to President Donald Trump-backed challenger Ed Gallrein on Tuesday, former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene declared that the future of the GOP had been “destroyed.”

“I am proud and thankful to have served in the U.S. House of Representatives with my friend Thomas Massie, a giant among weak pathetic men. Releasing the Epstein files was our demise. But it was worth every single bit because now everyone knows the truth. You are ruled by the Epstein class that cares nothing about you and your elected leaders are bought and controlled by a foreign lobby,” she wrote in a post on X.

“Tonight the future of the Republican Party was destroyed. The Real America First Movement will rise led by the younger generations, who hate the old guard with an unquenchable passion. Let us pray that we have a country left by the time these creatures are gone,” Greene added.

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Massie fired back at GOP Rep. Erin Houchin of Indiana after the congresswoman wrote in a post on X, “Happy to deliver the news to President @realDonaldTrump the results from the KY Primary and his defeat of Thomas Massie. Well done, @TeamTrump! Congratulations @EdGallrein!” 

“How do his boots taste?” Massie replied.

The congressman began his concession speech by saying, “I would’ve come out sooner but I had to call my opponent and concede and it took awhile to find Ed Gallrein in Tel Aviv.”

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Republican Rep. Randy Fine of Florida posted a graphic that depicted Massie with large tears and labeled the lawmaker a “LOSER.”

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. declared in a post on X that “The power of Donald Trump is real.”

“Congratulations to Ed Gallrein for an amazing victory against serious opposition. I believe he will bring a lot to the U.S House of Representatives. He is a warrior and businessman — someone who has truly sacrificed for our nation,” Graham wrote. 

TRUMP CALLS OUT REP THOMAS MASSIE: ‘KENTUCKY, GET THIS LOSER OUT OF POLITICS’ TUESDAY

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“As to Rep. Massie, we had many differences but I always admired the fact that he stayed true to his beliefs and fought for his causes. I wish him and his family well,” the senator added.

One of the nation’s most narrowly divided swing congressional districts chose its Democratic nominee Tuesday evening, as Bob Brooks was projected to win in Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District.

The contested primary brought Democratic Party divisions front and center, featuring firefighters union boss Bob Brooks — endorsed by both Gov. Josh Shapiro and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. — former federal prosecutor Ryan Crosswell, Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure and EMILY’s List-endorsed candidate Carol Obando-Derstine, who is seen as the preferred pick of the district’s last Democratic representative, former Rep. Susan Wild of Allentown.

Brooks received several high-profile endorsements from Shapiro, Sanders, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Lt. Gov. Austin Davis and top state Democrats, including House Majority Leader Matt Bradford of Skippack and Sen. Vincent Hughes of Northwest Philadelphia.

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Brooks also earned the endorsement of the mayor of the area’s largest city — Allentown, the third-largest city in the commonwealth.

Meanwhile, McClure — the only current local officeholder in the race — did not immediately gain traction against Brooks.

Brooks appeared to weather intraparty controversy after old social media posts expressing more moderate or conservative views resurfaced — including one using an off-color sexual term to describe former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick for criticizing law enforcement during the BLM era.

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Crosswell was born in nearby Schuylkill County but for many years worked in Washington for the Justice Department. He was one of several prosecutors who resigned in protest of the Trump administration dropping a federal probe into former New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Adams has since become less critical of the right and has often dinged his successor, Zohran Mamdani, on social media.

The district’s tri-city hub of Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton — known locally as “A.B.E.” or “The Valley” — has a blue-collar history that has at times entered the national consciousness through Billy Joel’s famous anthem about Bethlehem Steel and other firms “closing all the factories down,” while the now-blighted SteelStacks often serve as both a backdrop for what once was and a rallying call for politicians pushing what comes next.

That “next” has included a wave of new warehouses and firms dedicated to interstate commerce, along with growth tied to the tech sector.

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Farmland in the northern part of the district is gradually being developed into homes and warehouses — to the chagrin of many longtime residents — as an influx of people from higher-tax New Jersey and New York, along with the area’s changing socioeconomic makeup, brings more liberal and progressive voters into a once “Reagan Democrat”-style region rooted in agriculture and union labor.

The district’s current boundaries still reflect that contrast, as the farther north one travels, the more rural, agrarian or forested — and conservative — the area becomes. Wild drew criticism twice for appearing to insult the Trump-supporting swath of Carbon County, the only one of the district’s three counties entirely within the 7th Congressional District to vote for Mackenzie in 2024.

The Republican in the race, Rep. Ryan Mackenzie of Lower Macungie, was a state representative in western Lehigh County for many years before upsetting Wild by one percentage point in 2024.

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Mackenzie has since drawn praise from President Donald Trump and criticism from the left, whose protesters often gather outside his office and spill onto busy Cedar Crest Boulevard in southwest Allentown.

As the House GOP’s narrow majority hangs in the balance, it remains to be seen which side is energized enough to turn out for its candidate in a race the nation will be watching closely.

The quest to find the one candidate that can beat Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., isn’t quite over yet, with a runoff between a political outsider and an experienced lawmaker teed up for next month. 

Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., and former college football coach Derek Dooley are headed to a runoff election on June 16 in a state of particular political consequence for either party hoping to keep or gain power in the Senate.

The contest comes after a bruising primary between Collins, Dooley, and Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Ga., and a battle that President Donald Trump has so far avoided. 

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His endorsement, as in other races, could make or break either Collins’ or Dooley’s chances moving forward.

Dooley has embraced the outsider moniker, arguing that he would side with Trump in ways that benefit Georgians. 

“As your Senator, I’ll never forget that you’re the boss and D.C. politicians need accountability,” Dooley said on X. “Term limits. Ban insider trading. End government shutdowns. I’ll fight to end politics as usual in Washington.”

Collins has heavily leaned into his MAGA bonafides in trying to court the president to back him in the race.

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“Georgia needs the right Republican to take on Jon Ossoff,” Collins said on X. “Someone who’s delivered, has the conservative record to prove it, and had President Trump’s back when it mattered most.”

But for Ossoff’s campaign, it doesn’t matter which opponent they face in November. 

“Regardless of which Trump puppet makes it out of this messy and brutal GOP primary, they will be bruised and terminally inseparable from the toxic president,” Ossoff campaign spokesperson Ellie Doughtery told Fox News Digital in a statement. “Meanwhile, the juggernaut Ossoff campaign will continue building insurmountable momentum to win decisively in November.”

While Trump has stayed out of the race, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, who Republicans heavily lobbied to run for the Senate until he ultimately declined, has weighed in.

Kemp threw his support behind Dooley, a family friend that he believes can bring a shake-up to the GOP establishment, given his lack of political experience.

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“I want to win our Senate seat back,” Kemp said before Election Day. “We haven’t done so well in U.S. Senate races here in the state of Georgia in the last several cycles, and we have one more opportunity to try to get one of our Senate seats back. And we got to have the right person to do that.”

The runoff could turn into another political battle between Kemp and Trump, who have sparred since the 2020 election. And Dooley and Collins would act as surrogates in the back and forth should the president decide to get involved. 

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Meanwhile, Democrats are confident that Ossoff will hold on to his seat despite being the only Senate Democratic incumbent running for re-election in a state Trump won in 2024. But the infighting among Republicans and Ossoff’s battle-tested track record have encouraged Democrats that they can win in November.

Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., who, like Ossoff, beat an incumbent and again won against a Trump-backed opponent in 2023, had some advice for Republicans hours before polls closed. 

“I want to offer a word of encouragement,” Warnock told Fox News Digital of the GOP’s infighting. “They should keep that up.”

Gov. Brad Little, R-Idaho, is one step closer to a third term after vanquishing a crowded field of challengers on Tuesday.

Little defeated seven opponents in Idaho’s Republican gubernatorial primary, according to The Associated Press.

He was backed by President Donald Trump, who gave the incumbent his “complete and total endorsement,” before he publicly announced his re-election decision.

Several Republicans challenged Little from the right, including retired police officer Mark Fitzpatrick. The lesser-known candidate faced scrutiny over his comments toward members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — an important constituency in the state.

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Little supported a bill earlier this year imposing criminal penalties on transgender people who decide to use a bathroom or locker room that does not correspond with their biological sex. The ban extends to private businesses, making it one of the most far-reaching bathroom laws in the country.

The two-term governor also recently signed a bill into law blocking public schools from supporting certain teachers’ union activities with taxpayer dollars.

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He ran his re-election campaign largely on deregulation, school choice and tax cuts.

Little, who previously served as a member of the Idaho State Senate and lieutenant governor, was first elected in 2018.

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The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates Little’s re-election contest as “solid Republican,” meaning the race is not expected to be competitive. 

The Republican-heavy state has not elected a Democrat as governor since 1990. Trump won Idaho by roughly 36 points in 2024.

Vernon Jones and Tim Fleming are heading to a runoff after neither claimed at least 50% of the vote in Georgia’s Republican primary for secretary of state on Tuesday.

The Republican field included Jones, Fleming, Gabriel Sterling, Kelvin King and Ted Metz, while Democrats Cam Ashling, Dana Barrett, Adrian Consonery Jr. and Penny Brown Reynolds competed for their party’s nomination for Georgia’s top election officer.

The race underscored how disputes stemming from the 2020 presidential election, including claims from President Donald Trump that the contest was stolen, continue to shape debates over voting laws and election security years later.

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The winner of the runoff on June 16 will advance to the general election in November, where control of the office overseeing voter registration, election certification and ballot administration is expected to remain a closely watched issue in one of the nation’s most competitive battleground states.

Sterling, Georgia’s former chief operating officer in the secretary of state’s office, entered the race with statewide name recognition after publicly defending Georgia’s handling of the 2020 election.

Jones, a former Democratic state lawmaker turned Trump ally, campaigned as a staunch supporter of the president and emerged as a fierce critic of the state’s election system.

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King is a general contractor who previously ran for U.S. Senate and is married to State Election Board member and conservative commentator Janelle King.

Fleming previously worked in the secretary of state’s office when current Republican Gov. Brian Kemp held the position. The former chairman of the Georgia Republican Party pitched himself as a conservative focused on tightening election procedures.

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Metz, the Libertarian Party’s 2022 gubernatorial nominee, also joined the GOP primary field.

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican who drew national attention after rejecting efforts to overturn the state’s 2020 presidential election results, is running for governor.

This is a developing story. Check back for the latest election results and updates.

Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, moved one step closer to a fourth Senate term after trouncing two GOP challengers in a primary contest Tuesday evening.

Risch, 83, comfortably won Idaho’s Republican primary shortly after polls closed, the Associated Press reported.

He was endorsed by President Donald Trump, who has cruised to victory in the solidly Republican state every time he has appeared on the ballot since 2016. 

The Idaho Republican is chairman of the influential Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which has jurisdiction over the State Department and approves all ambassador appointments.

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That perch has put Risch at the center of Senate debates over Trump’s war in Iran, the military intervention in Venezuela and continued arms sales to Israel, among other hot-button topics.

He was first elected to the upper chamber in 2009 and previously served as the state’s governor and lieutenant governor.

The Idaho contest is one of more than a dozen Republican-held Senate seats this year that are not considered competitive. 

Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority in the upper chamber. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is attempting a long-shot bid to flip control in November’s midterm elections that would require Democrats to pick up four GOP-held seats.

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David Roth, a realtor who has previously run for statewide office, won the Democratic nomination.

Former state Rep. Todd Achilles, another candidate in the race, is running as an independent. Achilles is a former Democratic legislator who resigned from the state legislature to challenge Risch.

Idaho has not elected a Democrat to the upper chamber in more than half a century.

Former state House Minority Leader Christine Drazan won Oregon’s Republican primary for governor on Tuesday, emerging from a crowded field of candidates seeking the chance to flip the governor’s mansion in a state Democrats have controlled for nearly four decades.

The Republican field included former Portland Trail Blazers player and businessman Chris Dudley, state Rep. Ed Diehl and Marion County Commissioner Danielle Bethell.

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Drazan entered the race as one of the best-known Republicans in the state following her close 2022 loss to Kotek.

Diehl focused his campaign on lowering taxes and reducing state spending, while Bethell emphasized homelessness, public safety and government accountability.

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Dudley, a 16-year NBA veteran, campaigned as a political outsider with backing from prominent Oregon business figures, including Nike co-founder Phil Knight.

Republicans in the race focused heavily on homelessness, public safety, drug policy and the high cost of living, arguing Democratic leadership in Salem and Portland has failed to adequately address those issues.

The GOP has not won an Oregon governor’s race since 1982, but the Republican Party believes voter frustration over crime, homelessness and affordability could make the race more competitive this midterm cycle.

Drazan will now face incumbent Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek in November.

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Kotek has faced criticism over homelessness, including rising unsheltered populations and struggles to expand housing capacity, as well as education and transportation funding, though she drew little opposition in her bid for a second term.