NationalWatch

California Democratic gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra advanced to the state’s general election Friday night, according to an Associated Press race call.

The AP called the race for Becerra at 7:50 p.m. EDT, sending the former U.S. health secretary and ex-California attorney general into the November contest to succeed term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton appeared headed for a November showdown. AP vote totals showed Becerra with 26.7% of the vote and Hilton with 26.4%, while Democrat Tom Steyer finished third with 21.0%.

In a statement following the race call, Becerra touted the result as a victory for working Californians and said his campaign would carry its message into the fall election.

HILTON, BECERRA IN THE LEAD WITH VOTES STILL BEING COUNTED IN BATTLE FOR CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR

“The people of the great state of California, in the greatest nation on earth, have spoken — loudly and proudly,” Becerra said. “We will not be bought. We will not be bullied. And we are never backing down. November, here we come.”

Becerra’s campaign also said the result makes him the first Latino candidate to advance from a California gubernatorial primary to a general election, calling it a historic milestone for the state.

If elected in November, Becerra would become California‘s first Latino governor since Romualdo Pacheco, who briefly served as governor in 1875.

In a post on X after the race was called, Becerra wrote, “More than ever, California needs our voices and our values. To the people and the voters of California, this is your state. Este es tu estado.”

AWKWARD MOMENT KICKS OFF INTERVIEW WITH EX-BIDEN ADVISER, DRAWING DERISION FOR DEM CALIFORNIA GOV CANDIDATE

Becerra, a former California attorney general, served as Health and Human Services secretary in former President Joe Biden’s administration before launching his gubernatorial campaign.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Hilton, a former Fox News host and conservative commentator backed by President Donald Trump, also advanced in the state’s top-two primary system, setting up a high-profile general election contest in November.

Results have not yet been certified.

President Donald Trump says he wants incoming Acting Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Bill Pulte to “start the process” of firing intelligence community officials, he told the Wall Street Journal in an interview published Friday.

Trump on Tuesday tapped Pulte to take over for the current DNI Tulsi Gabbard, who resigned in May after her husband was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer.

Pulte, who will take over in the interim when Gabbard’s resignation becomes official on June 30, has apparently been tasked with reducing the number of employees at the 18 intelligence agencies over which the DNI presides.

“I’d like to see it smaller. I think there are a lot of people in there that shouldn’t be there,” Trump told the Wall Street Journal, referring to the intelligence community.

TRUMP NAMES BILL PULTE ACTING DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE

The selection of Pulte, who currently serves as Trump’s Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, has reportedly irked a swath of lawmakers, including former Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., who publicly criticized the move.

“We don’t need a weaponized DNI. We need professionals there,” Thune said.

But Pulte’s outsider status was explicitly what made Trump inclined to pick him the first place, he explained to the Wall Street Journal.

GABBARD LAUNCHES ‘ODNI 2.0,’ WITH PLAN TO CUT WORKFORCE BY 40%

“You’re less shackled,” he told the outlet. “It sort of gives you more power, you know, for a somewhat limited period of time.”

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump assuaged concerns that Pulte would have difficulty being confirmed by the Senate if picked for the role on a permanent basis. He ensured the public that an active search for a permanent replacement was ongoing and that Pulte’s interim status would benefit him.

“Frankly, it might be good for him to shake it up before people come,” Trump said. “Because, if he reduced the size, in conjunction with me…and in conjunction with possibly the person coming in…he can do a lot of the hard work and we wouldn’t have to saddle somebody that goes in,” Trump told the Wall Street Journal.

TULSI GABBARD CHANGES TUNE ON CONTROVERSIAL INTELLIGENCE TOOL FOLLOWING GOP LOBBYING

Pulte, who also chairs the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac government-sponsored entities (GSEs), has already affected legislative outcomes.

After six Senate Republicans joined with the Democrats to block a bill reauthorizing the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Vice Chairman Mark Warner, D-Va., warned that Democrats would not vote for the reauthorization as long as Pulte was in charge of intelligence.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“I don’t see how you get the necessary Democrat votes… that would get them to 60,” Warner said.

Fox News Digital contacted the offices of Leader Thune and Senator Warner and reached out to Bill Pulte for further clarity.

President Donald Trump on Friday announced a major expansion of his administration’s initiative aimed at helping Americans access discounted prescription medications.

In a Truth Social post, Trump said the government-backed website TrumpRx.gov has added 160 prescription drugs, bringing the total number of discounted medications available through the program to more than 800.

“I am pleased to announce that TrumpRx.gov is adding another 160 Prescription Drugs, at highly discounted prices, for a new total of over 800 of the most commonly-used Prescription Drugs,” Trump wrote.

“TrumpRx.gov will now provide clear, transparent, and DISCOUNTED offerings for FOUR OUT OF FIVE of every prescription filled by Americans,” he added.

TRUMP ENDS BIDEN’S DRUG PRICE NIGHTMARE — AMERICANS GET REAL RELIEF WITH TRUMPRX

Trump unveiled the initiative in February, arguing that Americans have long paid more for prescription drugs than consumers in many other countries.

The website was launched after the administration finalized agreements with 16 major pharmaceutical companies under so-called “most-favored-nation” pricing arrangements.

Under the agreements, participating drugmakers received tariff-related exemptions while agreeing to lower prices for certain medications and extend discounted pricing to eligible cash-paying consumers through TrumpRx, according to the administration.

MARK CUBAN SHOOTS DOWN PRESIDENTIAL BID AS HE TEAMS UP WITH TRUMP ADMIN TO CUT HEALTHCARE COSTS

Companies including Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk are participating in the program and have agreed to reduce prices on popular GLP-1 weight-loss medications.

Administration officials have also highlighted discounts on a range of other products, including inhalers, HIV treatments, diabetes medications and fertility drugs.

TrumpRx.gov allows users to search for discounted medications, view estimated savings and generate coupons for participating prescriptions.

SOARING MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG PRICES TARGETED IN TRUMP’S NEW EXECUTIVE ORDER

Trump said the initiative builds on efforts from his first term to reduce prescription drug costs.

“I was proud to make History during my First Term when we lowered Drug Prices, even if by a tiny percentage, because this amounted to a HUGE change compared to other presidents only raising Drug Prices, endlessly and significantly, every year,” Trump wrote.

“Then, during my Second Term, I decided to go BIG with Most Favored Nations Pricing — That is to say, we pay no more or, ideally, less than any other Country for the same exact Drug,” he continued. “Now we are cutting Prices, and cutting them by a LOT, sometimes by 400 or 500 or 600 Percent!”

HERE’S HOW TRUMP’S TARIFFS ON CHINA COULD IMPACT DRUG PRICING AND OTHER HEALTHCARE COSTS

Trump also claimed the program has generated significant savings for consumers.

“These Most Favored Nations Deals have already, in fact, saved American Patients over 400 Million Dollars since the launch of TrumpRx.gov,” he said.

The president further argued that tariffs played a key role in securing the pricing agreements.

“Of course, Most Favored Nations would not be possible without my use of TARIFFS, which are getting other Countries to ‘pay up’ instead of relying on American Patients getting ripped off, as they were for decades until I ordered an immediate ‘stop’ to this very unfair and, frankly, foolish situation,” Trump wrote.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“This is all great news, and I have instructed my Administration to secure more Most Favored Nations Deals, more Partnerships, and Lower Prices for every American Patient,” he added.

Fox News Digital’s Emma Bussey contributed to this report.

Prominent Democrats who once argued misconduct allegations against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh warranted investigation and public scrutiny are taking a different approach after abuse allegations surfaced against Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner.

Multiple former girlfriends of Platner, who is running to unseat Republican Sen. Susan Collins in Maine, described troubling conduct to The New York Times, with one former girlfriend accusing him of physical aggression during their relationship.

Platner has denied the allegations and called them politically motivated.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, one of Platner’s highest-profile supporters, declined to comment on the allegations, while Sen. Chris Coons said to CNN on Thursday he was extending Platner “a measure of grace” while adding, “I think it’s important that anyone who is a candidate to serve in the Senate, or who serves in the Senate, be held accountable for their conduct.”

GRAHAM PLATNER DENIES DAMNING NEW REPORT ALLEGING ABUSE AS ‘SIMPLY NOT TRUE’

Other top Democrats have either remained silent or continued backing Platner’s campaign despite the allegations.

The response marks a contrast from prior years, when many of the same Democratic lawmakers argued allegations against Republican figures, including Kavanaugh and President Donald Trump, warranted public scrutiny, investigation and accountability.

According to the New York Times report, former girlfriend Lyndsey Fifield alleged that Platner regularly grabbed her by the shoulders, sometimes hard enough to leave marks, and on one occasion yanked her from a taxi by her wrist. Fifield also alleged that during an argument, Platner twisted her arm behind her back, shoved her into a bedroom and held the door shut so she could not leave.

DEM SENATOR BANKROLLING PLATNER’S CAMPAIGN RIPPED FOR DOWNPLAYING ABUSE ALLEGATIONS FROM EX-GIRLFRIEND

“There are some allegations in this piece that are simply not true. Anything alleging physicality, anything alleging I knew what my tattoo was, these are the statements of somebody politically motivated,” Platner told MS Now Thursday. “That is not true.”

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., who was scheduled to campaign with Platner Friday, reaffirmed his support.

Before the latest allegations surfaced, reports already had revealed Platner had exchanged sexually explicit messages with multiple women while married. Rather than distancing themselves from the candidate, top Democrats continued to support his Senate bid.

SENATE CANDIDATE GRAHAM PLATNER SENT EXPLICIT TEXTS TO MULTIPLE WOMEN WHILE MARRIED, WIFE SAYS: REPORT

“At the beginning of our marriage, I made mistakes, and Amy held me accountable for them,” Platner said of the messages, referring to his wife, Amy Gertner.

Platner flew to Washington Tuesday to meet with Democratic senators and address the sexting scandal.

“I’m very optimistic we’re going to win Maine,” Gillibrand, who leads the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), said after meeting with Platner.

Democrats reportedly asked Platner during a closed-door meeting whether any other controversies would emerge about his personal life, and Platner said they would not.

The physical abuse allegations did not become public until Thursday. 

“He lied to everybody,” Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., told reporters. “He said that there wasn’t any after his Nazi tattoo situation, and now there’s more and more other things.”

“So I assume, you know, it’s like they say, for every ranch you see in Texas, there are 50 that you haven’t seen. So I’m sure there are plenty more ranches in P Hustle’s life.”

After Christine Blasey Ford accused Kavanaugh of sexual assault in 2018, Sanders argued the allegation was serious and warranted further investigation before a Senate vote.

“The Senate should not vote on this nomination until that investigation is completed,” Sanders said at the time.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren similarly demanded scrutiny of allegations against Kavanaugh, arguing Ford deserved to be heard and calling for a delay in the confirmation process.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, one of the Senate’s most outspoken advocates on sexual misconduct issues, also backed Ford’s allegations being fully examined during the confirmation fight. Gillibrand said at the time that Ford’s account raised serious concerns about Kavanaugh’s fitness for a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer likewise called for Kavanaugh’s confirmation process to be delayed after Ford’s allegations became public, arguing the claims warranted additional scrutiny before the Senate proceeded with a vote.

Schumer repeatedly sidestepped questions about the sexting controversy after meeting with Platner in Washington, responding, “We’re going to beat Susan Collins and take back the Senate.” When pressed further, Schumer declined to elaborate and asked reporters, “Any other subject?”

Fox News Digital has reached out to the above Democratic senators and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee for comment on the latest allegations and none replied before publication of this story. Platner’s campaign also did not return a request for additional comment.

Not all progressives have stood by Platner.

Cheyenne Hunt, leader of the youth advocacy group Gen Z For Change, withdrew her endorsement of Platner after the allegations became public. 

Hunt, who previously organized against former Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., over sexual assault allegations, said political considerations should not outweigh accountability.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“We have the responsibility to do what is right even when it’s politically inconvenient,” Hunt said in a video posted to social media. “Women cannot be an acceptable sacrifice for the next election.”

Platner has maintained that he did not know the tattoo resembled the Nazi-linked Totenkopf symbol until reporters began scrutinizing it during his Senate campaign in 2025. 

Fifield, who dated Platner from 2013 to 2015, told The New York Times that Platner referred to the tattoo as “my Totenkopf” and was aware of its meaning years earlier. Platner has denied that claim.

California’s still-unsettled election results are the consequence of the state’s vote-by-mail system, according to election law expert Hans von Spakovsky, who said the process can keep ballots moving through verification and counting for days and even weeks after Election Day.

The Golden State is continuing to count ballots cast in its June 2 primary elections, a process that has extended beyond Election Day due to the state’s election laws, administrative procedures, and vote-counting policies, said von Spakovsky. The delay is not the result of an isolated incident or unexpected complication but stems from the structure of its electoral system before final results can be certified. 

“There are four reasons why California takes so long,” von Spakovsky, senior legal fellow at Advancing American Freedom, told Fox News Digital on Friday. “First of all, it’s almost entirely a mail election now.”

The Los Angeles mayoral race has captured the nation’s attention as Republican-aligned candidate Spencer Pratt awaits a tally determining if he or Democrat-aligned Nithya Raman will advance to the runoff election in November against incumbent Democrat Karen Bass. While former Health and Human Services secretary under the Biden administration, Xavier Becerra, Republican Steve Hilton and Democrat Tom Steyer are still duking it out for the top two spots in the state’s jungle primary process ahead of the general election in November. 

LA TIMES EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBER DEFENDS CALIFORNIA’S SLOW VOTING PROCESS AS ‘ELECTION INTEGRITY’ IN ACTION

Von Spakovsky identified what he said are the four causes for the delay in final tallies: mass mail voting, a seven-day post-Election Day ballot receipt window, a 22-day cure period for signature issues, and high volumes of provisional ballots that must be individually investigated.

Of the four causes of the delay, von Spakovsky said California’s mail-ballot rules cause the greatest concern because it dramatically slows the counting process. With the vast majority of ballots cast by mail, election officials must spend additional time verifying and processing those ballots before they can be counted, extending the timeline for final results.

“You can go vote in person, but like in the 2024 election, out of 16 million votes that were cast in the presidential election, 13 million were by mail. It takes much longer to process a mail-in ballot than a ballot that’s cast at a polling place,” he said.

Mail-in ballots allow voters to cast their ballots from home, avoid long lines and grew in popularity during the pandemic.

Ballot drops are still rolling in and once they do, counties then have additional time to process, verify and tabulate those ballots, with counting expected to continue through June 15.

CALIFORNIA REPUBLICANS LAUNCH VOTER ID BALLOT PUSH, NEED 875K SIGNATURES BY DEADLINE

Von Spakovsky pointed to postmarks on ballots as a key vulnerability in counting ballots.

“California law says, ‘We’ll count absentee ballots or mail-in ballots received up to seven days after Election Day if they’re postmarked by Election Day. But if the postmark’s missing, or it’s blurry, and we can’t read it, we will just go by whatever date the voter wrote inside the envelope,’” he said.

He said the state’s election rules are too permissive, pointing to policies such as not requiring voter ID, automatic voter registration, and lengthy post-election ballot processing periods, which he argued invite fraud or irregularities.

California is one of eight states, along with Washington, D.C., that automatically sends mail ballots in to all active registered voters in their universal vote-by-mail policy. 

President Donald Trump singled out the state’s election process this week, announcing that U.S. attorneys are looking into Los Angeles as the mayoral race remains pending.

“Without commenting on any specific investigation, my office has multiple election fraud investigations underway in coordination with @FBILosAngeles,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli wrote on X Thursday.  “We will follow the evidence wherever it leads and prosecute any violations of federal election law to the fullest extent.”

“The state has stonewalled every effort to verify that only eligible U.S. citizens are registered to vote. This case is now before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal. My office will not look the other way. We will investigate and prosecute. Every legal vote deserves to be counted. Every illegal vote cancels one out,” he added.

Democrats have played down concern over the process to count the ballots, including Becerra saying those who bemoan the amount of time it takes are working “to undermine confidence in our elections.”

“We count every ballot. Thank you for your patience as we give democracy time to work,” Steyer wrote on X, citing Trump’s recent comments on the election. 

HILTON SAYS SPENCER PRATT CAMPAIGN REFLECTS GROWING REVOLT AGAINST CALIFORNIA’S ‘ONE-PARTY RULE’

Viral rumors have spread across social media since June 2, including claims that Pratt did not receive a single vote out of about 24,000 Los Angeles ballots that rolled in. 

“That’s a lie,” the California Attorney General’s Office told Fox News Digital, pointing to an X statement from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s press office debunking the claims as “disinformation” and a “lie.” 

The California governor sent a letter to state election officials in May calling on them to swiftly tabulate the upcoming elections, while focusing the letter on building and maintaining confidence in voting. 

“We must continue building confidence in our elections and ensure not only that every vote is counted, but that every vote is trusted. We must acknowledge that the longer the voting count takes, the more mis- and disinformation spreads. That means we must do all that we can to tabulate votes quickly and accurately. Time is of the essence in preventing election lies from taking hold,” he wrote. 

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

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

Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., criticized Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, during Wednesday’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing after she accused the Trump administration of “terrorizing immigrant communities” during a session focused on the denaturalization of individuals convicted of fraud and other crimes.

Hirono, a naturalized citizen, remarked on the SCAM Act, or the Stop Citizenship Abuse and Misrepresentation Act, during the hearing, titled “Protecting American Citizenship III: Denaturalization and its Constitutional Limits.” She argued that the bill would impose stricter requirements on naturalized citizens than those born in the United States.

“I happen to be the only naturalized citizen sitting on this committee, and I am horrified by the implication that naturalized citizens basically get second-class citizenship,” she said. “As a naturalized citizen, I’m proud of it. I can’t think of a more undemocratic, un-American thing to do to someone who chooses to become a U.S. citizen than to hold this over their heads and treat us like second-class citizens.”

EMMER INTRODUCES NEW BILL TO STRIP CITIZENSHIP FROM FRAUDSTERS AND TERRORISTS: ‘YOU’RE GOING HOME’

“We can talk about people 10 years later who commit murder or heinous acts, but the SCAM Act also allows people to be prosecuted for welfare fraud,” she added.

Schmitt subsequently accused Hirono of defending criminals—including rapists, murderers, and fraudsters—who he said were ripping off taxpayers.

“What I’m saying in this bill is if you do those things to the American people, if you take advantage of taxpayers… if you commit a terrorist act, if you commit wholesale welfare fraud, within 10 years, you’re damn right we’re deporting you,” he shot back. “If you are convicted in a court of law of these crimes, absolutely we should not only convict you, but we should deport you. Gone. And if you think that’s some sort of negative assertion toward me, I’ll take it. I love it.”

The Trump administration has claimed that anti-fraud efforts have uncovered billions of dollars, enough to potentially balance the budget.

WHITE HOUSE-BACKED GOP BILL WOULD REVOKE CITIZENSHIP AFTER SOMALI FRAUD SCANDAL

“Vice President JD Vance and Republicans are doing a great job hunting down Fraud in the various States,” Trump wrote Wednesday on Truth Social. “Billions of Dollars is being found, and we’ve just started!”

Republicans have called for naturalized U.S. citizens to be stripped of their citizenship if they are convicted of certain crimes, including fraud.

Schmitt recalled the case of Mirsad Ramic, who refused to recite the oath of allegiance and instead recited an Islamic oath and cursed non-Muslims at his 2009 naturalization ceremony. Ramic later joined the Islamic State terror group.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Schmitt also noted that Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, the suspected gunman in the Old Dominion University shooting who killed one person and injured two others, was also a naturalized U.S. citizen who had previously been convicted of providing material support to ISIS.

The GOP’s campaign message about a porous border resonated with voters in 2024. Voters routinely listed border security as the first or second most important issue to them in multiple polls ahead of the last election.

But how about ahead of the midterms?

Well, the border is sealed. The nation’s economic outlook is shaky as the war in Iran drags on. Gas prices are skyrocketing. And the hallmark of President Donald Trump’s legislative agenda — The One Big Beautiful Bill — hasn’t materialized as a campaign juggernaut.

HEALTHCARE, ECONOMY AND THE ‘ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL’: WELCOME TO THE MIDTERMS

So Republicans are seeking an issue they hope will connect with voters this fall.

They may have settled on fraud. And returned to a favorite old punching bag.

“I’m just going to give you a couple facts,” declared House Republican Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain, R-Mich., at the GOP’s weekly press conference Wednesday morning. “The Biden Administration thought it was really important to spend $20 million for Sesame Street in the Middle East. They gave $8 million to make mice transgender.”

McClain continued about the Biden Administration providing “free housing and cars for illegals,” adding that “under Biden federal agencies handed out taxpayer dollars with weak oversight, loose control and almost no accountability.”

The government weaponization fund waylaid Congressional Republicans. They’re still trying to figure out what to shove into some sort of an economic package which they can pitch to the voters this fall. So for now, Republicans are focusing on fraud.

“Crazy says fraudsters should be protected. Crazy says the American people’s hard earned tax dollars should be given to criminals who are stealing their money. That’s crazy,” said McClain.

TRUMP SAYS ANTI-FRAUD EFFORTS ARE UNCOVERING BILLIONS IN WASTE, CLAIMS SAVINGS COULD BALANCE BUDGET

House Republicans planned debate on three bills this week to root out fraud in government programs. One bill would enhance oversight over childcare block grants. Another bill would help prevent people from bilking a program which provides emergency aid to society’s most needy. A third measure would target “ghost students” and crack down on fraud in student aid programs.

“The integrity of the programs matter because the taxpayers are not going to support them when they’re filled up with fraud. And it doesn’t matter if it’s child care or SNAP. The American citizens want the fraud eliminated from the system,” argued Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga.

Some Democrats found the anti-fraud message to be a little absurd.

“They’re not dealing with affordability. The President is saying he’s not concerned. Second, all of us are against fraud. I’ve yet to meet any politician who, when asked ‘Are you for fraud?’ says ‘Yes.” We’re all against it,” said Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt.

Another Democrat believes Republicans are focusing on the wrong things with fraud.

“What I would love to see is an investigation of fraud and corruption involving the Trump administration, and the Trump family. There’s not a day that goes by that there’s another story about Trump kids benefiting from some government contract,” said Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va.

On Wednesday, Republicans launched a hearing probing alleged Medicaid fraud in Ohio. This came after they unearthed various forms of fraud in Minnesota. Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, claims that bad actors from the Somali community operate in both states.

I’M OHIO’S STATE AUDITOR — MEDICAID FRAUD IS NOT JUST A WASHINGTON PROBLEM

“You’ve got the largest Somali population in the United States is in Minnesota. The second largest in the United States is in Ohio. Now, it’s not politically correct to say, but the reality is this fraud is coming predominantly from that community,” said Gill.

 At the hearing, Gill charged that Somalis “are moving from Ohio to Minnesota and back to Ohio.” He added that “it certainly seems to have some overlap.”

Gill tangled with Democrat Ohio State Sen. Nickie Antonio.

“Would you like to see more immigration from Somalia?” Gill asked the state lawmaker.

“As far as I’m processing your question, I have to say that I was almost brought to tears just now,” replied Antonio.

The two yelled over one another.

“Seventy percent of Somali immigrants are on welfare,” said Gill.

“The rate and the level of hateful rhetoric is based on false information is shocking to me,” responded Antonio.

“They’re defrauding your state at an astounding rate. Most Ohioans have a problem with that,” piled on Gill.

But Antonio pushed back, arguing that Republicans have controlled key positions of power in the Buckeye State for the past 15 years.

“[Republicans] hold the House, the Senate, the governor’s office and four statewide offices. If there is fraud in Medicaid, it has happened on the Republican majority’s watch. Perhaps it’s time to clean Ohio’s house,” rebutted Antonio.

MINNESOTA FRAUD HEARING SPARKS IMMIGRATION CLASH AS GOP LAWMAKER SPOTLIGHTS SOMALI WELFARE DATA

A recent Fox poll found that more than 70 percent of those surveyed believe fraud is “very common” in government welfare programs. Since it’s an election year, Republicans hoped to dare Democrats to oppose their anti-fraud efforts when the bills hit the floor.

“For some of the Democrats who might vote against the fraud bills today, will you guys try to weaponize and boomerang those on members who vote no today?” yours truly asked House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La.

“I think their own voters are going to be questioning that,” replied Scalise. “If Democrats vote no on that, it’s going to a hard vote to explain.”

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y, opposed the GOP’s anti-fraud efforts. But he gave Democrats from battleground districts a wide berth to decide what to do.

“Democrats are going to make a decision based on what’s the right thing to do for the district that they represent. And I trust every single Democrat, particularly those who are in swing districts, to do the right thing for the people that they’re privileged to represent,” said Jeffries.

On Wednesday afternoon, the House passed the childcare fraud bill. Only four Democrats voted yea.

GOP MUST RACE FOR NEW ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ TO SLASH COSTS BEFORE MIDTERMS, TOP HOUSE REPUBLICANS WARN

But Republicans yanked the bill focused on fraud in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) bill. The reason? One senior House GOP leadership source said the bill lacked the votes and “needed a little work.” Another Republican source said attendance issues among Republicans might inhibit passage of the bill.

So what about the ghost student bills? Well, that measure was a legislative phantasm. The House didn’t conduct votes until Wednesday this week. The House then ghosted everyone on Friday, leaving the Capitol a day earlier than planned.

This trio of fraud measures are “messaging” bills in Congress. It’s doubtful that these plans will become law. But the leadership believes it’s important to “message” a subject like this to voters. And also point to votes where Democrats opposed such efforts.

But for all of the focus on fraud by House Republicans, they only managed to pass one of their three messaging bills this week.

That’s a .333 average. Baseball old-timers Paul Waner and Eddie Collins both boasted .333 batting averages for their career. They’re in the baseball Hall of Fame. But a .333 average isn’t Cooperstown-worthy on Capitol Hill.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

That said, Republicans will tee up several other anti-fraud measures next week. So there’s a reprieve. However, if the GOP doesn’t bat 1.000 on their fraud bills next week, some voters may designate them for assignment.

Or maybe ghost them at the polls.

Former Attorney General Pam Bondi revealed that Todd Blanche, who at the time was second in command at the Justice Department, was put in charge of the release of the millions of documents from the Epstein files during her closed-door hearing before Congress late last month. 

“As the head of a large department with broad responsibilities, I did not lead every aspect of this effort nor conduct that document review myself,” Bondi said during the hearing. “I delegated that oversight over this process to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.” 

The House Oversight Committee released its transcript from Bondi’s May 29 hearing just a day after President Donald Trump announced he intended to nominate Blanche as his permanent attorney general nominee, potentially complicating Blanche’s confirmation as senators on both sides of the political aisle have heavily criticized the files’ rollout.

Blanche has been serving as Acting Attorney General since April 2, when Trump announced Bondi’s dismissal.

LAPSED EPSTEIN DEADLINE UNDERSCORES CHALLENGE OF REVIEWING TROVES OF FILES IN 30 DAYS

The release of the transcript, which placed responsibility for the Epstein files rollout squarely on Blanche’s shoulders, comes just days after Blanche announced during a hearing that the Justice Department will be eliminating its controversial Anti-Weaponization Fund, which was created to compensate alleged victims of politicized prosecution and labeled a “slush fund” for Trump and his supporters by critics. The Justice Department’s handling of the Epstein files and the Anti-Weaponization Fund, both overseen by Blanche, has drawn concern from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers.

Bondi’s testimony revealed that Blanche had been her point man on the Epstein files and was tasked with briefing her on the release of the Epstein files.

The former attorney general found herself in hot water last July following a joint release by the Justice Department and FBI finding that there was no evidence that convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who is alleged to have hundreds of underage victims, had kept a client list.

BONDI SAYS EPSTEIN CLIENT LIST ‘SITTING ON MY DESK RIGHT NOW’, AND IS REVIEWING JFK, MLK FILES

The joint statement, which Bondi said during May’s hearing was penned by Blanche and not her, comes after months of the Trump administration teasing the release of the Epstein files. In February 2025, Fox News’ John Roberts asked Bondi about the release of Epstein’s “client list,” which Bondi responded by saying that it was “sitting on her desk.” Bondi and the White House clarified after the fact that she was referring to the files as a whole and not Epstein’s “client list.”

Members of Congress asked Bondi why Blanche interviewed Epstein’s co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell, who was in prison, weeks after the joint memo release. Bondi replied by saying Blanche “was leading the Epstein matter and the release of everything from the beginning.”

Once Trump signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act in November 2025, Bondi stated Blanche oversaw the release of millions of documents, which entailed overseeing the redaction process, including its protocols and guidelines, determining which documents were privileged and making corrections to redactions.

DOJ’S EPSTEIN DISCLOSURE DRAWS FIRE FOR WEBSITE GLITCHES, MISSING DOCUMENTS, REDACTIONS

“He was in charge of the process and the entire release of the Epstein files,” Bondi said.

But the Justice Department faced scrutiny over failures to redact all identifiable information from some of Epstein’s victims, allegations that some redactions were heavy-handed and that some documents were completely missing, prompting a bipartisan group of senators to send a letter in March requesting that the Government Accountability Office lead an investigation into the Justice Department’s redaction process.

“Not only has DOJ withheld files, but those records that were disclosed are largely information that was already public,” the letter stated. “Even those records are so heavily redacted that there are serious questions as to whether the Department is properly applying the limited exceptions for redaction that are permitted under the Act. Moreover, several records appear to have been removed, without explanation, from the files the Department did release.”

SENATE REPUBLICAN DEMANDS STATE, FEDERAL COURTS ‘IMMEDIATELY UNSEAL ALL’ EPSTEIN DOCS

However, Bondi said during the hearing that she was not blaming Blanche and that the error rate for the redaction was 1%, which was what Blanche had told her.

“He managed this investigation — and it was a Herculean task — with very little error,” Bondi said during the hearing. “And Todd did an excellent job, in my opinion, and is doing an excellent job as our Attorney General.”

Following her closed-door testimony, Bondi pushed back on allegations from Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., that she is pushing the blame of the Epstein Files rollouts on Blanche.

“NOT TRUE,” Bondi posted on X. “I praised Acting AG Blanche’s management of this Herculean task. I said his ethics are beyond reproach and that he is an incredible Attorney General.”

A White House spokesperson said that Blanche was doing an “excellent job” and will continue to perform well.

“Todd Blanche is an American patriot who fearlessly fought on behalf of President Trump against the Democrats’ illegal and unprecedented lawfare campaign,” said Abigail Jackson, a White House spokeswoman. “The President’s entire team at the Department of Justice is doing a great job advocating for sanity, law and order, and policies that keep Americans safe.”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Blanche’s nomination is also expected to face scrutiny from Democrats who have questioned whether the former Trump defense attorney can serve as an independent attorney general. Last month, Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., launched a Senate Judiciary Committee inquiry based on allegations that Blanche disregarded ethics guidance advising him to recuse himself from matters at the Justice Department involving Trump, who he previously served as a personal lawyer to.

Fox News Digital reached out to Senate Judiciary Committee leadership and the Justice Department for comment.

Former National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent endorsed South Carolina Republican U.S. Senate primary candidate Mark Lynch, calling incumbent GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham a “war hawk, neocon.”

South Carolinians who would like to “stop sending billions of dollars overseas” and “stop us from getting entangled in endless foreign wars in the Middle East,” have the opportunity “to do all of us a great service and vote to get Lindsey Graham out of office this Tuesday, June 9th,” Kent declared in part of a video message posted to social media on Thursday.

“Vote for Mark Lynch,” Kent urged, calling Lynch “the America First candidate” and asserting that Lynch “is the best postured right now to get the war hawk, neocon, Lindsey Graham out of office.”

Graham campaign press secretary Abby Zilch said in a statement to Fox News Digital, “Mark Lynch is touting an endorsement from a man that President Trump called a ‘SLEAZEBAG,’ ‘LEAKER,’ and a ‘LOSER.'”

EX-COUNTERTERRORISM CHIEF WARNS OF ‘MAJOR PROBLEM’ THAT COULD FORCE US ‘BACK INTO THE WAR ON IRAN’S TERMS’

“This is to be expected since Lynch wants ‘more Massies’ in Congress,” Zilch wrote. “Senator Graham is proud to have the complete and total endorsements of President Trump, Governor McMaster, Senator Tim Scott, Congressman Russell Fry, Congressman Joe Wilson, Congressman William Timmons, National Right to Life, SC Citizens for Life, Tea Party Express, and Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Lynch’s campaign on Friday. The candidate noted in a Thursday post on X that he was “honored” to have Kent’s endorsement.

Trump, who endorsed Graham for re-election last year, blasted Lynch in a Truth Social post earlier this year.

“Senator Lindsey Graham is doing a fantastic job. He is running against a LUNATIC named Mark Lynch, who supports perhaps the Worst Congressman in the History of our Country, Thomas Massie, of the Great Commonwealth of Kentucky. I don’t have to go into great detail, but needless to say, Mark Lynch would be a DISASTER for the Republican Party, and Lindsey Graham just, GETS THE JOB DONE. VOTE FOR LINDSEY ALL THE WAY. MAGA!” Trump declared in the April Truth Social post.

Lynch has previously expressed support for Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who lost his GOP primary in Kentucky last month.

“We need more MTGs and Gaetzes and Massies. Zero question about it,” Lynch wrote in a March post on X, referring to former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, former Rep. Matt Gaetz and Massie.

Massie, who has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since late 2012, lost the Republican congressional primary in Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District last month to Trump-endorsed challenger Ed Gallrein, a former Navy SEAL.

In part of a Thursday Truth Social post, Trump declared, “This Tuesday, June 9th, all Republicans in South Carolina should vote for Lindsey Graham — HE HAS MY COMPLETE AND TOTAL ENDORSEMENT, AND WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN!”

FOUR SENATE REPUBLICANS AGAIN UNITE WITH DEMS TO BLOCK TRUMP’S SAVE AMERICA ACT

Kent quit his government post back in March, citing his opposition to the Iran war.

“I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby,” Kent wrote in his resignation letter.

Trump said in part of an April Truth Social post that Kent “was really a SLEAZEBAG, and some would say, on top of it all, A LEAKER!” The president added he didn’t “know whether or not that was true” and called Kent “a LOSER.”

LINDSEY GRAHAM WARNS REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS TRYING TO ‘DESTROY’ TRUMP IS A LOSING GAME AFTER CASSIDY DEFEAT

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Graham has served in the U.S. Senate since 2003.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., slammed Senate Republicans after most of them voted to pass a bill to greenlight billions of dollars in funding for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

The measure passed 52-47, mostly along party lines, though one Republican, Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, joined Democrats in voting against passage.

“Tonight, Senate Republicans passed a rotten bill that makes their priorities painfully clear: more money for Donald Trump, more power for Donald Trump, and nothing to lower costs for working families. Republicans refused to permanently outlaw Trump’s $2 billion slush fund, leaving taxpayers to rely on nothing more than a promise from Donald Trump’s personal fixer. That is not accountability. That is a permission slip,” Schumer said in a statement.

TRUMP SCORES VICTORY DESPITE GROWING GOP DIVIDE AFTER SENATE PASSES $70B ICE, BORDER PATROL FUNDING PACKAGE

“They pumped another $70 billion into Trump’s personal police force, defended Trump’s corrupt ballroom, and protected his slush fund for cop-beaters— all while voting against Senate Democrats’ efforts to lower the cost of housing, health care, gas, and childcare,” Schumer continued. “The Republican agenda is now written in black and white: a slush fund for Trump, tax dodges for Trump, a ballroom for Trump, and a private militia for Trump. For hard-working Americans? Nothing. Democrats are fighting to put money back in Americans’ pockets. Republicans are fighting to put more power, more money, and more weapons in Donald Trump’s hands.”

The Justice Department said in a statement last month “that as a part of the settlement agreement in President Donald J. Trump v. Internal Revenue Service, the Attorney General established ‘The Anti-Weaponization Fund’ to provide a systematic process to hear and redress claims of others who suffered weaponization and lawfare.”

The DOJ explained, “The Fund will receive $1.776 billion and will come from the judgment fund, which is a perpetual appropriation allowing DOJ to settle and pay cases.”

DOZEN GOP REBELS FAIL TO PERMANENTLY KILL TRUMP’S CONTROVERSIAL $2B FUND

During a congressional hearing on Tuesday, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said that the DOJ will never move forward with the plan for the anti-weaponization fund, which he said had not been “set up yet,” noting that no commissioners had been named and no claims had been made yet.

ACTING AG BLANCHE REVEALS FATE OF TRUMP’S ‘ANTI-WEAPONIZATION FUND’ UNDER PRESSURE FROM HOUSE LAWMAKERS

“After tonight’s vote, it’s clear to Americans that Republicans refused to outlaw Donald Trump’s $2 billion slush fund,” Schumer said in another statement released by Senate Democrats. “Now the whole country can see the truth: Republicans fought like hell to protect Donald Trump and his slush fund but didn’t lift a finger to help working Americans lower their costs.”

“Senate Republicans tried to bury their radical agenda in the dead of night, but Democrats forced them to answer for it — amendment after amendment, vote after vote. Republicans voted against building 7 million new affordable homes, against lowering gas prices, against cracking down on health insurance companies that deny Americans coverage, against making childcare more affordable, and so much more. Again and again, Republicans chose Trump instead. While families are struggling to get ahead, Senate Republicans just voted to help Trump bleed them dry,” Schumer added.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The package would still need to clear the House of Representatives before heading to President Donald Trump.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was shouted at during a House Ways and Means Committee hearing this week by a Chicago-area Democrat amid a heated exchange over the Trump economy.

Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Ill., followed several other Democrats in condemning rising prices during the Iran conflict, while Bessent repeatedly pushed back on assertions about his policies by pointing to higher commodity prices during the Biden administration.

At one point in the exchange, Bessent slammed Schneider’s Democrat-run Illinois for driving people away through its own economic policies — a comment that incensed the lawmaker.

Bessent first jabbed at Schneider after the Democrat asked whether he wanted to “correct the record” on a prior statement about the Iran conflict being “ended,” asking the secretary whether Iran was no longer a threat to Israel or U.S. allies and whether its offensive weaponry had been destroyed.

TOP FIERY MOMENTS AS DEMOCRATS CLASH WITH TREASURY SECRETARY BESSENT IN CHAOTIC HILL HEARINGS

Bessent smiled and asked if that meant Schneider was “in agreement” with President Donald Trump — as the Democrat had listed off all the president’s goals otherwise ridiculed by critics.

“Unless an American life is lost, he does not believe that he will have to restart the kinetic attacks,” Bessent said.

Schneider became increasingly agitated and reclaimed his time as the back-and-forth grew heated.

Schneider connected the Iran conflict with increased commodities prices, saying that the cost of living is continuing to rise and blaming Bessent and his boss for overseeing such spikes.

Bessent countered that the Treasury calculated the current core inflation rate at 2.8%, close to the Federal Reserve’s 2% goal, and quipped to Schneider that “you can list off the most expensive groceries that have had the biggest price increases.”

HOW TRUMP HANDED THE DEMOCRATS A GIFT BY SEEMING TO DISMISS FINANCIAL WORRIES OF AMERICANS

When Schneider responded that Bessent was out of touch and reiterated that he blamed Trump tariffs for commodity spikes for his Chicago-area constituents, Bessent smiled and offered him an invitation on how to fix that.

“Well, you Democrats should know — no wonder so many people are leaving Illinois. Why don’t you come see me in South Carolina?” Bessent said, as Schneider continued in an elevated tone and claimed people were not leaving the Land of Lincoln.

“You’re saying Illinois doesn’t have net outbound migration?” Bessent quipped.

Schneider then changed the subject to Trump’s settlement with the IRS over former Booz Allen Hamilton contractor Charles Littlejohn’s leak of his and others’ tax returns.

When Schneider fumed that no one, including Trump, is “above the law,” Bessent said that the president is also not “beneath the law” and blamed Schneider’s party for “weaponizing the system.”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“His taxes should never be leaked. No taxpayer information should be leaked…” Schneider began before Bessent injected his dry humor again.

“Then, congressman, would you like to apologize to the president right now on behalf [of your party]?”

Customs and Border Protection stopped two separate vehicles and confiscated over $300,000 worth of narcotics over the span of a day.

The apprehensions continue to demonstrate the high volume of narcotics that smugglers are attempting to bring across the southern U.S. border, even as immigration numbers have plummeted in recent months.

On Sunday, May 17, agents at the San Ysidro Port of Entry referred a 2013 Honda Civic for secondary inspection. After an imaging system detected anomalies in the car’s firewall, they discovered six packages of white fentanyl powder worth roughly $113,600 along with 8.4 pounds of cocaine worth an estimated $161,600.

CBP OFFICERS SEIZE OVER $14M OF ALLEGED METHAMPHETAMINE AT SOUTHERN BORDER

That same day at the Calexico East Port of Entry, about 100 miles away, a 2011 Nissan Cube was also sent for secondary inspection. Agents there discovered 63 packets of methamphetamine after a scan of that vehicle detected anomalies in its flooring.

Officials praised both detections.

“Sunday may be a day of rest for many, but criminals don’t take days off, and neither do our CBP officers,” San Diego Director of Field Operations Sidney Aki said.

“Our officers remain vigilant around the clock, and these significant seizures are a direct result of their commitment to keeping dangerous drugs like these from entering our country.”

SOUTHERN BORDER APPREHENSIONS PLUNGE MORE THAN 90% FROM YEAR AGO IN APRIL, CBP SAYS

The agency believes its operations are a continuation of efforts laid out by President Donald Trump and DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, even as immigration border crossings have come down.

Since the end of 2024, border crossings have plummeted, going from over 144,000 encounters in December 2024 to just 10,000 in April.

Even so, CBP has reported several high-profile smuggling attempts that have sought to bring weapons, narcotics and humans across the U.S. border.

ARREST OF GANG MEMBER CONVICTED OF MURDER PUTS DEM STATE’S SANCTUARY POLICIES ON BLAST

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Recently, CBP has released reports on how it had prevented a car carrying a rocket-propelled grenade launcher from crossing the border, detected dozens of immigrants crammed into a semi-truck and even detained a boat off the coast of the Dominican Republic with the help of a Black Hawk helicopter.

“CBP officers along the southwest border stop illegal activity, including the smuggling of drugs and humans, and facilitate lawful entry for millions of legitimate travelers into the United States,” CBP said in a statement.

The Senate failed to move one step closer to extending the nation’s spy powers amid brewing consternation against President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the nation’s intelligence agencies. 

Nearly every Senate Democrat and six Senate Republicans banded together to block a procedural hurdle to reauthorize the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) in the wee hours of Friday morning. The stumble comes as the deadline to make a move on the spy powers next week rapidly approaches. 

What would have likely been a bipartisan vote was marred by Trump’s pick to oversee the nation’s intelligence agencies as Director of National Intelligence (DNI), Bill Pulte. 

CONGRESS EXTENDS CONTROVERSIAL SPY LAW FOR 45 DAYS AFTER SENATE REJECTS HOUSE BILL

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., argued that Congress couldn’t “afford to go dark” by not reauthorizing FISA, and hoped that Senate Democrats could have a change of heart on the matter next week when the upper chamber returns. 

Complicating matters for Thune is that, given Republicans who outright dislike the program, he will need Democrats to reauthorize FISA. 

“We need some help from Democrats, obviously, and I think it’s a terrible irresponsible position that they’ve taken,” Thune said. “But we’ll find out if that changes.”

Pulte currently serves as the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, and was tapped by Trump earlier this week to fill in for ex-DNI Tulsi Gabbard, who exited the position last month.

HOUSE PASSES FISA RENEWAL IN BIPARTISAN VOTE, PUTTING PRESSURE ON SENATE BEFORE LOOMING DEADLINE

The choice left Republicans scratching their heads, and elicited fury among Democrats. 

Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., the top-ranking Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, warned that Democrats wouldn’t support reauthorizing FISA if Pulte were in charge. 

“I don’t see how you get the necessary Democrat votes… that would get them to 60,” Warner said.

Lawmakers are concerned because Pulte has no experience in the intelligence field, and in the role of DNI, would be charged with overseeing the country’s 18 intelligence agencies. 

HOUSE PUNTS TRUMP SPY POWERS EXTENSION AFTER CONSERVATIVES BLOCK DEAL, FORCING END-OF-MONTH SHOWDOWN

“I know what he’s been doing in the housing sector,” Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said. “I’m not so familiar with why the president would have selected him.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., charged that Trump’s move to pick Pulte “appears to have been a hastily considered backroom deal based on loyalty to Trump, not the security of our nation.”

“The timing of this announcement could not be worse, with just over a week until FISA 702 authorities expire,” Schumer said. “This announcement and its timing clearly make passing an extension of FISA much harder.” 

Meanwhile, Senate Republican leadership hopes to have their bipartisan bill completed and shipped to the House before the June 12 deadline. 

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Pulte’s appointment further complicates a fight over FISA that has, so far, led to Congress punting twice on the issue, particularly over disagreements with the controversial Section 702.

The spy law fight is one of the few horseshoe issues in Congress that blends Democrats and conservatives in a push for stronger privacy protections. Section 702 allows the government to spy on foreign nationals abroad. 

However, nothing in the law prevents it from collecting data on Americans if they happen to be involved in those communications.

Texas, Florida and other booming red states aren’t just winning the migration race because of lower taxes and warmer weather — they’ve also embraced an anti-regulation housing strategy that many high-cost states have resisted.

As Americans and businesses continue pouring into southern states, the influx is testing whether fast-growing regions can add enough homes and infrastructure to keep pace. And southern states are keeping up by decreasing regulations that put roadblocks up for faster construction of new builds.

Housing industry leaders say southern states that have prioritized new construction have been better positioned to accommodate growth, while markets burdened by restrictive zoning rules, lengthy permitting processes and other regulatory hurdles have struggled to add supply and keep home prices in check.

ONE SOUTHERN CITY YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF IS GROWING FASTER THAN ANYWHERE ELSE IN AMERICA

That willingness to build has become a competitive advantage, according to Jim Tobin, president and CEO of the National Association of Home Builders.

“Those economies are wide open. They are inviting more businesses, they’re generally low-tax states and they’ve made housing a priority,” Tobin told Fox News Digital. “They’ve got the land and the will and courage to let builders build in those areas to meet the housing demand for those new jobs.”

The strategy is becoming increasingly important as Americans continue relocating from high-cost coastal markets to lower-tax states.

While rapid population growth can strain roads, utilities and public services, housing experts say states that pair infrastructure investments with homebuilding efforts are better equipped to accommodate newcomers without worsening housing shortages.

ONE TYPE OF PROPERTY IS QUIETLY SAVING AMERICANS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS

But rapid growth comes with its own challenges, particularly when infrastructure fails to keep pace with new development.

“One of the main complaints is that infrastructure does not keep up with that influx of population or housing growth,” Tobin said. “States that find themselves ahead of the curve are planning those two critical components, infrastructure and housing, together and are going to be better prepared for growth in the future.”

Even states that have prioritized homebuilding continue to face cost pressures that can drive up home prices. According to the National Association of Home Builders, government regulations account for roughly 24% of the cost of a typical single-family home, adding nearly $95,000 to the average price of a new house.

For multifamily housing, the burden is even higher. Tobin said regulations account for roughly 41% of the cost of a typical apartment or multifamily unit, underscoring the role government rules can play in shaping housing affordability.

AMERICA’S NEXT ECONOMIC POWERHOUSE MAY BE RISING IN RED-STATE TERRITORY

The costs have drawn renewed attention from policymakers in Washington searching for ways to increase housing supply and improve pricing.

Tobin pointed to a bipartisan housing package moving through Congress that aims to encourage local governments to reduce regulatory barriers to development and adopt policies that make it easier to build new housing.

The legislation comes as housing affordability remains a top concern for many Americans, with elevated mortgage rates and limited inventory continuing to put homeownership out of reach for many first-time buyers.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The issue has also taken on greater political significance ahead of the midterm elections, as voters continue to rank the cost of living among their top economic concerns.

“The answer to the housing crisis in the country is more supply,” Tobin said. “This bill will absolutely help us build more supply affordably.”

As the Trump administration weighs diplomacy and military pressure against Iran, a political clock is ticking at home.

Even if the Strait of Hormuz — the global oil choke point largely shuttered since the conflict with Iran due to Iranian attacks — reopened immediately, it could take months for oil flows to return due to logistical bottlenecks involving trapped tankers, swollen inventories and damaged oil infrastructure, according to Kpler oil analyst Matt Smith, pushing normalization of global energy markets closer to the Nov. 3 midterm elections. 

“It’s then going to take until the fourth quarter of the year for things to return to normal,” Smith said.

The question facing Republicans is whether the economic consequences of the conflict will outlast the conflict itself. While the White House continues to pursue a diplomatic resolution with Iran, strategists and energy analysts say disruptions to global energy markets could linger long after any agreement is reached, leaving voters with months of elevated costs heading into the midterms.

TRUMP CONFIRMS ‘CRAZY’ NETANYAHU CLASH AS QUESTIONS MOUNT OVER PUSH TO HOLD FIRE ON HEZBOLLAH TERRORISTS

The economic effects are already visible. 

The national average price of regular gasoline stood at $4.241 per gallon Thursday, according to AAA, up from $3.144 a year earlier — an increase of nearly 35%.

Moody’s Analytics estimates the conflict has cost American households roughly $100 billion throughout the past three months, or about $750 per household, through higher fuel, transportation and related costs.

To some, the conflict already has gone on long enough to create lasting political consequences.

“There is a timeline and we’ve already passed it,” GOP strategist Doug Heye told Fox News Digital.

The White House rejected the notion that the conflict could become a long-term political liability, arguing that any economic disruption would be temporary.

“President Trump remains laser-focused on keeping the American people safe, lowering costs for working families, and making our country greater than ever before,” White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers told Fox News Digital. “The President and his energy team anticipated short-term market disruptions, communicated them openly to the American people, and implemented an aggressive plan to mitigate any impacts.”

Rogers said Trump “will never allow Iran to possess a nuclear weapon” and argued that “when the President forces this conflict to a successful end, gas prices will drop back to multi-year lows and global energy markets will be much more stable in the long term.”

“We were promised that this would be a short operation, and repeatedly told it would all be over in 24–48 hours,” he went on. “This is no longer a blip.”

Others see a narrow window remaining.

“I think that it really needs to be resolved by July Fourth,” Republican strategist John Feehery told Fox News Digital. “If it’s not resolved by July Fourth, I don’t think the economy is going to have time to really kind of get going on all levels.”

Feehery’s July 4 benchmark coincides with a period in which the White House hopes to shift public attention toward the kickoff of America’s 250th anniversary celebrations.

The administration has alternated between signaling that a deal is near and warning that military action remains possible. More recently, Trump has expressed frustration with the pace of negotiations, saying they had become “very boring” and that he “couldn’t care less” if the talks collapsed because Iran was taking too long, while also predicting that oil prices would “be dropping like a rock” in the near future and maintaining that a deal remains possible.

But regardless of how the negotiations conclude, strategists argue that economic relief must arrive soon if Republicans hope to avoid carrying the conflict’s fallout into the midterms.

Republicans enter the midterms defending a narrow House majority that many analysts view as vulnerable to the traditional midterm backlash against a president’s party. The Senate landscape is more favorable to Republicans, though several races in states such as North Carolina, Maine, Ohio and Texas are expected to be closely watched.

Feehery argued that the political impact of the conflict ultimately will have less to do with uranium stockpiles, enrichment levels or the details of any final agreement than with whether voters feel economically secure.

“They don’t care about that,” Feehery said when asked about the substance of a potential deal. “From the voters’ minds, they’re not worried about far-flung issues. They’re worried about the economy at home.”

TRUMP THREATENED TO ‘BLOW UP’ OMAN — WHY THE TINY GULF KINGDOM IS CAUGHT BETWEEN DC AND IRAN

“George H. W. Bush kicked Saddam Hussein out of Kuwait and his approval ratings were around 91%, and he lost the next election,” Feehery said.

Even if a diplomatic breakthrough comes in the coming weeks, Americans may not see immediate relief at the pump.

Smith said the U.S. has been insulated from the worst supply disruptions because of its own domestic production, but the country is increasingly serving as an energy supplier to regions cut off from Middle Eastern flows.

“We’re likely going to be seeing higher prices coming through in the U.S. because of that because, you know, we’re getting to a scarcity issue,” Smith said.

As Asian countries replace lost Middle Eastern crude and Europe seeks alternative sources of jet fuel, overseas buyers are increasingly competing for American energy exports, he said.

“Countries outside of the U.S. are bidding up U.S. prices,” Smith said.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

For Republicans, the concern is that the economic fallout could outlast the conflict itself.

“Even if this were all over tomorrow, prices won’t immediately come back to normal and if or when they do, voters don’t get a refund from the high bills they’ve already paid,” Heye said.

A sitting Democratic Senator, who is one of Graham Platner’s top donors, is now drawing backlash for shrugging off the most recent allegations of misconduct that have followed the controversial Maine Senate candidate.

Platner has received $10,000 in the form of two $5,000 donations from Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse’s, D-R.I., leadership PAC, according to Federal Election Commission records reviewed by Fox News Digital.

One donation from Whitehouse’s Ocean PAC came in March of this year. Another one was made last October. Notably, the most recent donation was made before former governor Janet Mills, a second Democratic candidate for Senate, suspended her campaign at the end of April.

Although Whitehouse’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment, the donations show the high degree of confidence lawmakers like Whitehouse have in Platner’s ability to unseat the moderate Republican incumbent, Susan Collins, R-Maine, currently holding office in a blue-leaning state.

WATCH: DEM SENATORS EXCUSE PLATNER’S CONDUCT AT CRISIS HUDDLE WITH EMBATTLED MAINE CANDIDATE

Whitehouse has been among Platner’s most constant supporters among lawmakers in the U.S. Senate, calling the controversial candidate “wonderfully appealing” in an interview with Politico.

“He’s off to a really strong start and has a wonderfully appealing local background and story,” Whitehouse said.

Whitehouse has remained supportive of Platner even as troubling details have emerged of Platner’s past web history, views and personal conduct. Most recently, reporting for the New York Times chronicled accounts from several of Platner’s former romantic interests, including allegations of rape fantasies, heavy drinking and violent episodes.

Despite the troubling allegations, Whitehouse told reporters he wasn’t alarmed by the reporting.

“Seems like a lot of nothing. I mean, the only one who had anything to say that seemed ‘unsettling’ was a woman who works for right-wing political operations,” Whitehouse reportedly told NOTUS after reading the article.

His reaction drew immediate backlash online.

“Whitehouse is the guy who grilled Brett Kavanaugh about ‘boofing.’ Just unreal,” Washington Free Beacon reporter Chuck Ross wrote in a post to X, recalling Whitehouse’s grilling of President Donald Trump’s 2018 Supreme Court Justice nominee over high-school slang in a search for possible improprieties.

SENATE CANDIDATE GRAHAM PLATNER SENT EXPLICIT TEXTS TO MULTIPLE WOMEN WHILE MARRIED, WIFE SAYS: REPORT

“To the people just now learning that Sheldon Whitehouse is an amoral cretin, your ignorance to this point has been a choice,” GOP consultant Luke Thompson wrote on X.

“Is there a more contemptible man in the Senate than Sheldon Whitehouse?” TPUSA spokesperson Andrew Kolvet wrote on X.

“:Sheldon Whitehouse, ringleader of the smearing of Kavanaugh, is a very bad person,” Capital Research investigative researcher Parker Thayer wrote on X.

“What an absolute dirt bag,” Republican operative Matt Whitlock wrote on X. “Dismissing a vivid account of physical abuse because it happened to a Republican operative is the most [Sheldon Whitehouse] thing I’ve ever heard.”

Amber Duke, the Editor-in-chief of the DailyCaller, also blasted Whitehouse’s seemingly uneven application of scrutiny.

“What happened to this energy, Sen?” Duke said, highlighting a Tweet Whitehouse had put out during Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearing.

“Today I stand with women who are brave enough to come forward with their stories of abuse and mistreatment. They deserve to be heard and credible allegations must be investigated. We must believe survivors, not bully them,” Whitehouse had written at the time.

“Sheldon Whitehouse is the same guy who accused Brett Kavanaugh of being a rapist because he wrote ‘boofing’ in his yearbook,” conservative writer Bonchie wrote on X.

Apart from the Thursday report, Platner has received backlash for making off-color remarks on sexual abuse, race and terror, for a tattoo associated with Nazi imagery, and, most recently, for potentially interacting with several women outside his marriage in inappropriate ways.

Platner has also called himself a “communist” in previous posts online.

Among other resurfaced comments, Platner once blamed rape victims for failing to protect themselves in a now-deleted Reddit post.

“How about people just take some responsibility for themselves and not so f—ed up when they wind up having sex with someone they don’t mean to?” Platner wrote in 2013.

Whitehouse has his own controversial past, including details about his family having a membership at the exclusive Bailey’s Beach Club, formerly known as Spouting Rock Beach Association, which is rumored to have an all-White clientele.

“I think the people who are running the place are still working on that, and I’m sorry it hasn’t happened yet,” Whitehouse said in 2017, referring to allowing minority members. “It’s a long tradition in Rhode Island, and there are many of them. And we just need to work our way through the issues.”

SENATE DEM CANDIDATE WHO WROTE HE ‘BECAME A COMMUNIST’ NOW SAYS HE WAS JOKING

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Platner, who looks poised to take the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, met with senators earlier this week, reassuring them about his prospective candidacy.

Maine will hold its Senate primaries next Tuesday.

Senate Republicans managed to stitch together a unified front to advance President Donald Trump’s roughly $70 billion immigration enforcement package, but divisions over the president’s agenda were laid bare after a marathon day of votes. 

Passage of the budget reconciliation package geared toward funding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol for the next three and a half years closes a long, drawn out chapter in the Senate that began during the longest shutdown in history. 

It’s a point that Senate Republicans tried to return to throughout the day, reiterating that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Democrats had forced their hands after refusing to fund immigration operations without a plethora of reforms. 

DOZEN GOP REBELS FAIL TO PERMANENTLY KILL TRUMP’S CONTROVERSIAL $2B FUND

“Democrats would not agree to anything, and eventually they walked away altogether, presumably because they thought that it would serve them better to have an issue for November,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said.

But the day, and preceding weeks, were dominated by a growing rift between Senate Republicans and the Trump administration that threatened to blow up the process altogether. 

First, it was the inclusion of $1 billion in funding for security upgrades to Trump’s ballroom, which was later stripped out. 

Then, it was the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) announcement that a nearly $2 billion “anti-weaponization” fund was being launched to allow people who felt targeted by the government to make a claim from the pot of taxpayer money.

GOP ADVANCES ICE FUNDING PACKAGE AFTER FORCING TRUMP’S CONTROVERSIAL $2B FUND INTO RETREAT

Several Senate Republicans worried that the money could be accessed by Jan. 6, 2021, rioters who were convicted of assaulting police.

Schumer and Democrats leaned into that open wound and spent much of the marathon, “vote-a-rama” vote series trying to spell a permanent end to the fund, despite acting Attorney General Todd Blanche vowing that the administration would no longer pursue it. 

“Do we believe that Donald Trump, who has lied to us day in and day out, do we believe that he will be able to resist getting his sticky fingers in the slush fund when it would benefit himself and his family? No way, no way,” Schumer said.

GOP LEVERAGES ICE FUNDING PACKAGE TO MAKE TRUMP’S CONTROVERSIAL $2B FUND ‘NEVER EXIST’ 

Many of the amendments pushed by Democrats placed Republicans in tough bids for reelection, Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, Jon Husted, R-Ohio, and Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, into politically challenging positions. 

Republicans tried to kill it, too, causing tensions on the Senate floor to rise. 

“It’s not that tense,” Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said. “I mean, I’ve seen worse. Nobody’s stabbed anybody yet.”

Still, the process nearly came to a grinding halt because of the fund at the start of the marathon vote series when Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., and others wanted to ensure that GOP attempts to end the fund would get a vote, too. 

“I just wanted to optimize the chances of success,” Cassidy said of the delay. 

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Ultimately, despite a dozen Republicans voting for Sen. Thom Tillis’, R-N.C., amendment, and X voting for Cassidy’s, all attempts to thwart future bids to revive the fund failed. 

The ballroom also came back into the picture when six Republicans joined Senate Democrats to prevent construction on the colossal structure from going forward without congressional approval.

Then there was an attempt by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., to attach the SAVE America Act to the reconciliation package, which met Republican resistance and ultimately failed, too. 

The package now heads to the House, where Republicans are expected to pass it by the end of the week.

The House floor erupted into chaos Wednesday after Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, accused Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., of having ties to terrorist groups, including Hezbollah.

The shouting match came during a heated debate over a resolution that would force President Donald Trump to withdraw U.S. forces from Lebanon. Tlaib, a progressive lawmaker and member of the Squad, is expected to force a vote on the measure Thursday, arguing that the United States should not assist Israel’s war in Lebanon. 

Her resolution does not mention Hezbollah, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization in Lebanon and a proxy force of the Iranian regime. Republicans seized on the omission, arguing the measure would aid Hezbollah and that its supporters were acting as the group’s “proxies.”

“Hezbollah is a terrorist organization … and its members are butchers that you like to hang out with to a certain extent,” Miller said on the House floor Wednesday evening, referring to Tlaib.

REP RASHIDA TLAIB MOVES TO BLOCK US OPERATIONS IN LEBANON BUT IGNORES HEZBOLLAH

When Tlaib responded by yelling, Miller retorted, “Are we getting a little emotional?” 

Tlaib then responded, “That is an attack on my character,” and demanded that Rep. Jay Obernolte, R-Calif., the presiding chair, rule that Miller’s remarks were out of order.

Obernolte ultimately struck the Ohio lawmaker’s words from the record after the House floor was frozen for more than an hour while lawmakers deliberated.

Miller was barred from speaking on the House floor for the rest of Wednesday.

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast, R-Fla., then delivered a statement on Miller’s behalf, saying, “Yes, I said it. I own it, and I stand by it.” 

Mast also attempted to enter materials into the record about Tlaib’s alleged association with terrorist groups, but the Michigan Democrat objected. The documents included a Fox News Digital story from 2023 reporting that Tlaib was a member of a private Facebook group that glorified Hamas’ Oct. 7 invasion of Israel.

TRUMP URGED TO LOOK INTO US FUNDING OF LEBANESE ARMY AMID ACCUSATIONS OF ITS TIES TO HEZBOLLAH

Tlaib’s resolution targeting U.S. forces in Lebanon is likely to die on the House floor Thursday amid bipartisan opposition. The measure is expected to divide Democrats, and it is unclear how House Democratic leadership will vote.

GOP lawmakers have also argued the resolution is “dangerous” because it could affect U.S. military operations in the country to protect the American embassy in Beirut and train the Lebanese Armed Forces to fight Hezbollah.

Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Ill., a co-sponsor of the resolution, did not answer directly when asked by Mast whether she would like to see U.S. forces stay in the country to help train Lebanon’s army to combat the terrorist group.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“He’s having a different debate here,” Ramirez insisted.

FIRST ON FOX: As the Trump administration continues negotiations with Iran, it is also taking its message directly to the Iranian people.

In a video obtained by Fox News Digital, the State Department bypasses Iran’s leadership to tell ordinary Iranians that their country’s problems stem not from its citizens, but from a government that “chooses confrontation over opportunity.” 

“The Iranian people are not the problem. A leadership that fears openness and chooses confrontation over opportunity is the problem.”

The video will run Thursday in Persian language outlets Iran International and BBC Persian.

IRAN PROTESTERS EMBOLDENED BY TRUMP ADMIN’S PERSIAN MESSAGING AFTER OBAMA-BIDEN INACTION, ACTIVISTS SAY

The video is likely to be viewed by some regime opponents as symbolic support at a time when many critics of the Islamic Republic have called for more concrete measures from Washington.

It also comes as millions of Iranians regain access to the outside world after months of digital isolation. 

Iranian authorities recently began restoring internet access following an 88-day nationwide blackout that was initially imposed during anti-government protests and later expanded after the outbreak of war with the United States and Israel. Internet monitoring groups say connectivity has improved, though significant restrictions remain in place across the country.

Earlier in 2026, anti-government protests spread across the country and evolved into one of the most serious challenges to the Islamic Republic in decades before being crushed by a sweeping government crackdown. Protesters faced mass arrests, internet blackouts and lethal force from security services, according to human rights groups and international monitors.

Iran’s opposition remains fragmented, divided among monarchists, reformists, ethnic movements and other factions, and intelligence assessments have questioned whether any unified alternative is positioned to take power should the Islamic Republic fall.

Throughout the new video, the State Department, through a narrator speaking Farsi, emphasizes themes of freedom, opportunity and self-determination, portraying the Iranian people as capable of building a more prosperous future while suggesting the country’s leadership has prevented it from reaching its full potential.

“When Americans see Iran, we see a great people with a rich history and a generation full of talent and potential,” the video’s translation says. “Today, millions of Iranians want what people everywhere want: opportunity, stability, a chance to speak freely, and live without fear. Iran has the talent, resources, and educated young people to be among the world’s most prosperous nations.”

“The future of Iran should be shaped by its people, not by intimidation or fear. It should be built by the people themselves,” the video goes on. “Iran’s story is still being written. Its best chapter may still lie ahead.”

MIKE POMPEO: OPERATION EPIC FURY IS RIGHTEOUS — AND REGIME CHANGE MUST FOLLOW

“The Iranian people deserve to hear the truth directly, without the lies and propaganda of a regime that has spent decades violently suppressing dissent, enriching itself, and ignoring the needs of its own citizens,” State Department spokesperson Tommy Piggott told Fox News Digital about the video.

“Speaking directly to the people of Iran is important because our disagreement has never been with them, it has always been with a regime that prioritizes funding terror and pursuing a nuclear weapon over the aspirations, prosperity, and freedom of the Iranian people. By speaking directly to them, we’re making clear that America stands with the people of Iran.”

The outreach comes as U.S. and Iranian officials continue discussing a potential agreement, creating the unusual dynamic of Washington negotiating with Iran’s government while simultaneously telling its citizens that the regime is holding the country back.

The message echoes comments from President Donald Trump earlier in 2026 suggesting that meaningful political change in Iran would ultimately have to come from within the country.

“We hope the Iranian people can overthrow the government,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on March 2, shortly after the U.S. launched offensive strikes known as Operation Epic Fury.

While the Trump administration has publicly maintained that negotiations with Tehran remain active, significant obstacles remain, including Iran’s nuclear program, sanctions relief and security arrangements in the Strait of Hormuz.

Rubio told lawmakers in recent days that any agreement would require major Iranian concessions and insisted the administration would not ease sanctions simply in exchange for reopening the strategic waterway.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The protests featured prominently in administration messaging at the time, with Trump and other senior officials voicing support for demonstrators and drawing a distinction between the Iranian people and the country’s leadership.

Iran’s mission to the United Nations could not immediately be reached for comment.

The Republican nominee for governor in Iowa pulled back the curtain for Fox News Digital on the time he went viral for stumping Barack Obama at a 2009 town hall centered on the then-president’s namesake legislation.

Zach Lahn pulled off an upset victory Tuesday night when he defeated Trump-backed Republican Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa, for the party’s nomination for governor.

But 17 years ago, when he was a student at the University of Colorado Boulder, Lahn confronted Obama at a town hall where the 44th president was promoting the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare. The old clip went viral after his Tuesday win.

At the time of the exchange, the video was circulated by late conservative radio titan Rush Limbaugh, who praised Lahn as “amazing,” and said that with “one simple question that Obama can’t answer, [he] nukes the entire foundation of Obamacare.”

The candidate in what will be a hotly contested Iowa gubernatorial race posted the clip to his social media in May, but it gained widespread traction after Tuesday’s primary election.

GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE IN KEY 2028 WHITE HOUSE ELECTION CYCLE STATE ANNOUNCES RECORD FUNDRAISING HAUL

Lahn recounted the moment to Fox News Digital on Thursday and remembered how shocked he was to be called upon at the event. Lahn and his roommate purchased tickets to the 2009 event in Grand Junction and then drove eight hours round trip twice to attend the event — first to pick up tickets and again days later to attend the town hall.

“You know, I was young, and, I was in college at the time, going to University of Colorado Boulder, and so I was pretty fired up about this whole healthcare discussion,” he said. “It was just my entrance, sort of, into some of the political discussions.”

Speaking to Obama in 2009, Lahn said: “We all know the best way to reduce prices in this economy is to increase competition.”

“How in the world can a private corporation providing insurance compete with an entity that does not have to worry about making a profit, does not have to pay local property taxes, they’re not subject to local regulations? How can a company compete with that?” he questioned.

REPUBLICANS DIVIDED OVER WHETHER TO SALVAGE OBAMACARE — OR REPLACE IT — AHEAD OF SUBSIDY DEADLINE

“I don’t want generalities — I’m not looking for philosophical arguments. I’m just asking a question,” he asserted.

Obama thanked him for the question, and then for the first time during the Obamacare debate, said he might not be in favor of the public option, which would have allowed Americans to buy government-run health insurance alongside private insurance.

“Certainly they can’t compete if the taxpayer is standing behind the public option just shoveling more and more money in,” Obama replied. “That’s certainly not fair, and so I’ve already said I would not be in favor of a public option of that sort because that would just mean more expenses out of our pockets and we wouldn’t be seeing much improvement in quality.”

WATCH: DOCTOR-LAWMAKER BLAMES OBAMACARE FOR DRIVING HEALTH COSTS HIGHER

There was no public option when Obamacare became law.

“Ultimately, what came out of it was, maybe in an inadvertent way, he mentioned for the first time that they might not have the public option in Obamacare,” Lahn told Fox News Digital. “Then right afterwards, Fox and CNN and these people wanted to talk to me because Obama had just said that this key part of his plan may not be included, and then it ended up not being included.”

For another minute or so, Obama stuttered through an answer to Lahn’s question about competition, wrestling publicly with the idea that private insurance companies would also have to borrow money at high interest rates, something else the government would not have to do.

TRUMP WILL MAKE AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN WITH AN UNLIKELY COALITION

Lahn told Fox News Digital he wasn’t quite satisfied with Obama’s answer at the time, describing it as “word salad.”

“I feel like most politicians today, like, they can’t give me a real answer or they or they dance around something and never get to the real issue,” he said.

Lahn, a farmer and businessman who has centered much of his campaign on making Iowa healthy again and was strongly backed by the MAHA wing of the conservative movement, now squares off with Democratic Auditor of Iowa Rob Sand.

Though he stepped away from politics for several years to build his business and run his family farm, Lahn’s passion for issues plaguing Iowans drew him back into the fold.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“I really haven’t been involved in this in over a decade, and these issues that I’m running on I truly care about, whether it’s all these kids leaving Iowa, our family farms, our education system or the outlier cancer rate that we are in the world.”

“I don’t know how much longer we can go as a state without addressing these issues.”