NationalWatch

As voters head to the polls in key races in multiple states on Tuesday, it is crucial to know the importance of casting a ballot on Election Day despite this one not taking place in a presidential election year.

One of the main reasons voters in Mississippi, Kentucky and Virginia should show up to the polls is that every one of the races is well within the grasp of either party to win, so turnout is crucial for each side making their case as to why they are the best choice for your vote.

In Kentucky, voters will determine whether to re-elect incumbent Democrat Gov. Andy Beshear to another term, or to replace him with the commonwealth’s Republican attorney general, Daniel Cameron. Beshear remains one of the most popular governors in the country but has expressed support for the Biden administration, while Cameron has leaned heavily on former President Trump’s endorsement.

DEMOCRAT GOV. ANDY BESHEAR SAYS KENTUCKY GOVERNOR RACE ‘HAS NOTHING TO DO’ WITH BIDEN AS VOTERS HEAD TO POLLS

Voters in Mississippi will have a similar choice as Democrat Brandon Presley, the second cousin of famed rock-n-roll legend Elvis Presley, seeks to oust incumbent Republican Gov. Tate Reeves, who is also backed by Trump. Reeves won the governorship by just over 5% in 2019, but Democrats have poured large amounts of money into the race and see it as a potential flip opportunity.

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Virginia’s voters must decide which party they want representing them in both houses of the state legislature, the Republican-controlled House of Delegates and Democrat-controlled Senate both have narrow majorities.

Kentucky polls close at 6:00 p.m. local time while polls in Virginia and Mississippi close at 7:00 p.m. local time.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser and Clare O’Connor contributed to this report.

Voters in Kentucky, Mississippi and Virginia are heading to the polls Tuesday as Republicans look to complete a trifecta of victories in crucial governor races, as well as grow their majorities in the Virginia state legislature in hopes of building momentum for the party ahead of the 2024 elections where control of the White House and both chambers of Congress will be up for grabs.

Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron is vying to unseat incumbent Democrat Gov. Andy Beshear in Kentucky while Democrat Brandon Presley, the second cousin to famed rock-n-roll legend Elvis Presley, is hoping to do the same to incumbent Republican Gov. Tate Reeves in Mississippi.

Virginia Republicans are aiming to build on the slim majority they hold in the House of Delegates (51-46) and win control of the state Senate where Democrats hold the upper hand (22-17) to show the party remains competitive in the battleground state that has increasingly leaned left in recent presidential elections and other statewide offices.

DEMOCRAT GOV. ANDY BESHEAR SAYS KENTUCKY GOVERNOR RACE ‘HAS NOTHING TO DO’ WITH BIDEN AS VOTERS HEAD TO POLLS

Wins for Republicans in Kentucky and Mississippi would mark three major victories for the party after Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry flipped the state’s governor seat red last month when he defeated his opponent who was endorsed by term-limited Democrat Gov. John Bel Edwards.

The Kentucky gubernatorial race appears to be the most competitive with neither candidate showing a clear advantage over the other. Beshear has sought to keep the race focused on local issues and has pushed back on the notion that President Biden’s unpopularity, coupled with his expressed support for the administration, could tip the scale in Cameron’s favor.

At the same time, Cameron has leaned into former President Donald Trump’s endorsement of his campaign as he hopes to capitalize on Trump’s popularity across the state. However, Beshear has maintained his status as one of the most popular governors in the country despite being one of the few remaining Democrat governors to lead a red state – a popularity that is greater than Trump’s among Kentuckians.

KENTUCKY GOVERNOR RACE IN DEAD HEAT AS GOP CHALLENGER MAKES FINAL PITCH TO VOTERS, LEANS INTO TRUMP SUPPORT

In deep-red Mississippi, Republicans are fending off a surge of unexpected amounts of national Democrat money into the race despite no Democrat governor being elected there since 1999. 

So far, the Washington-based Democratic Governors Association has donated nearly $6 million to Presley’s campaign. In 2019, the group gave just over $2 million to Jim Hood, the then-Democrat candidate for governor who lost to Reeves.

Presley’s big push is for Medicaid expansion and he calls himself a tax-cutting Democrat. On the campaign trail, he tells the story of his difficult childhood, being raised by a single mom after his father was murdered. 

Reeves was first elected governor in 2019, but previously served two terms as lieutenant governor and two terms as state treasurer. Like Cameron, he has also leaned heavily into Trump’s endorsement of his campaign, which came last week.

SARAH SANDERS WADES INTO ‘CRUCIAL’ KENTUCKY GOVERNOR RACE AS REPUBLICANS LOOK TO FLIP SECOND SEAT FROM DEMS

With Republicans holding an advantage in the state, Presley hopes turnout among Democrats, especially Black voters, might propel him past Reeves, who won his first term by little more than 5%.

In Virginia, national Democrats and Republicans have spent millions on races for control of both houses of the state legislature with the election also being viewed in political circles as a key barometer ahead of the 2024 elections for president, control of Congress and other key governorships.

Virginia Republicans won elections for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general two years ago – their first statewide victories in a dozen years – and they flipped the House of Delegates. 

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Now, Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin aims to hold the GOP’s narrow majority in the state House and recapture control of the state Senate to give Republicans nationwide another boost ahead of next year’s elections.

Polls close at 6 p.m. local time in Kentucky and 7 p.m. local time in Mississippi and Virginia.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Fox News’ Clare O’Connor and Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders is scheduled to endorse her one-time boss, former President Donald Trump, for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.

The endorsement will take place Wednesday night at the former president’s rally in his adopted home state of Florida, Fox News confirmed on Monday.

The rally is seen as a counter programming move by Trump, as the event is being held in Hialeah, Florida, simultaneously as the third GOP presidential primary debate just a few miles away in Miami. 

Trump – the commanding front-runner for the nomination as he makes his third straight White House run – is once again skipping out on participating in the debates with his Republican rivals.

TRUMP WINS MAJOR HOME STATE ENDORSEMENT IN SNUB TO DESANTIS

Sanders, the daughter of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, served as White House press secretary for two of Trump’s four years in office. And she’s been a strong Trump ally since he left the White House.

But Sanders, who was convincingly elected Arkansas governor last November, had stayed neutral until now in the GOP presidential primary race. Her holding off on making an endorsement irritated the former president, according to sources in Trump’s political orbit.

WITH IOWA CAUCUSES CLOSING IN, TRUMP REMAINS DOMINANT FRONT-RUNNER 

“It’s not a question between right versus left anymore. It’s normal versus crazy, and President Biden and the left are doubling down on crazy,” Sanders said in a statement. “The time has come to return to the normal policies of the Trump era which created a safer, stronger, and more prosperous America, and that’s why I am proud to endorse Donald Trump for President.”

Trump, in a statement, emphasized that “we had great success in the White House and it’s an honor to have Sarah’s endorsement. I look forward to having her at the big rally in Hialeah this Wednesday.”

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Word of Sanders’ backing of Trump, which was first reported by NBC News, came as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis formally landed the endorsement of Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, at a rally in Des Moines, Iowa Monday evening.

DeSantis and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who served as ambassador to the United Nations during the Trump administration, are currently battling for second place in the polls in Iowa and the other crucial early voting states.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Officials at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) assisted in the creation of a “disinformation” group at Stanford University that worked to “censor” the speech of Americans prior to the 2020 presidential election, according to a number of communications outlined in a report by the House Judiciary Committee.

Detailed in the House panel’s 103-page staff interim report, the emails and internal communications showed how the group, identified as the Election Integrity Partnership (EIP), worked with DHS’ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to alert, suppress and remove certain online speech in coordination with big tech companies.

One such email – sent July 31, 2020, by a top director at the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab, an EIP partner – described the CISA’s role in the censorship effort.

“I know the Council has a number of efforts on broad policy around the elections, but we just set up an election integrity partnership at the request of DHS/CISA and are in weekly comms to debrief about disinfo,” wrote Graham Brookie, the lab’s senior director.

BIDEN AGENCY ‘LIKELY’ VIOLATED FREE SPEECH BY WORKING WITH BIG TECH TO CENSOR ELECTION CONTENT: COURT

According to the report, which Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, highlighted in a post to X, the communications showed how “the federal government and universities pressured social media companies to censor true information, jokes, and political opinions.”

“This pressure was largely directed in a way that benefitted one side of the political aisle: true information posted by Republicans and conservatives was labeled as ‘misinformation’ while false information posted by Democrats and liberals was largely unreported and untouched by the censors,” the report noted. “The pseudoscience of disinformation is now – and has always been – nothing more than a political ruse most frequently targeted at communities and individuals holding views contrary to the prevailing narratives.”

Along with countless Americans, certain right-leaning media outlets, and conservative commentators whose views were censored, the report also noted that prominent figures like then-President Donald Trump, North Carolina GOP Sen. Thom Tillis, Georgia GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Kentucky GOP Rep. Thomas Massie had their social media postings marked as “misinformation.”

Other posts from former politicians, including former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, were also flagged by the groups as “misinformation,” according to the report.

The report went on to note that under the influence of CISA’s Countering Foreign Influence Task Force, the federal government’s effort was to “censor Americans engaged in core political speech in the lead up to the 2020 election.”

DHS noted in May 2020, according to the report, that it could not “openly endorse” a type of system to flag misinformation. Stanford’s EIP took up the effort two months later, in July 2020.

NEW DOCS REVEAL HOW DHS ARGUED THEY HAVE AUTHORITY TO CENSOR ‘MISINFORMATION’

“According to the internal notes of a call between Facebook employees and DHS personnel regarding a ‘Misinformation Reporting Portal,’ ‘DHS cannot openly endorse the portal, but has behind-the-scenes signaled that [the National Association of Secretaries of State]/[the National Association of State Election Directors] has told them it would be easier for many states to have ‘one reporting channel’ and CISA and its ISAC would like to have incoming the same time that the platforms do.’ Less than two months later, the EIP would be established to serve that very purpose,” the report noted.

The CISA’s Countering Foreign Influence Task Force used a process known as “switchboarding,” described in the report as the “federal government’s practice of referring requests for the removal of content on social media from state and local election officials to the relevant platforms.”

“Brian Scully, testified during his deposition in Missouri v. Biden that switchboarding was ‘CISA’s role in forwarding reporting received from election officials … to social media platforms,’ the report stated.

One past email from Scully that was featured in the report informed members of the Colorado Secretary of State’s office that he had alerted parody accounts to Twitter. Another one made it known that he had requested for Facebook to remove a post about the election that had been deemed misinformation.

A disclaimer featured on several of the CISA emails noted that its requests were “voluntary” and that the agency “neither has nor seeks the ability to remove what information is made available on social media platforms.”

YALE STUDENT SAYS NEWSPAPER’S CENSORSHIP OF HAMAS RAPE FROM HER COLUMN PART OF WIDER CAMPUS PROBLEM

The Judiciary staff report also noted that students at Stanford worked simultaneously at the CISA and EIP.

“Not only were there a number of university students involved with the EIP, at least four of the students were employed by CISA during the operation of EIP, using their government email accounts to communicate with CISA officials and other ‘external stakeholders’ involved with the EIP,” the report said.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, CISA Executive Director Brandon Wales said the agency “does not and has never censored speech or facilitated censorship.”

“Every day, the men and women of CISA execute the agency’s mission of reducing risk to U.S. critical infrastructure in a way that protects Americans’ freedom of speech, civil rights, civil liberties, and privacy,” Wales said.

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“In response to concerns from election officials of all parties regarding foreign influence operations and disinformation that may impact the security of election infrastructure, CISA mitigates the risk of disinformation by sharing information on election literacy and election security with the public and by amplifying the trusted voices of election officials across the nation,” he added.

EIP was described in the report as a “consortium of ‘disinformation’ academics led by Stanford University’s Stanford Internet Observatory (SIO) that worked directly with the Department of Homeland Security and the Global Engagement Center, a multi-agency entity housed within the State Department, to monitor and censor Americans’ online speech in advance of the 2020 presidential election.”

FIRST ON FOX: Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee are investigating a deal the Biden administration reached with civil rights groups over the separation of thousands of migrant family units at the southern border during the Trump administration — seeking information about what they say are “egregious” stipulations in the deal.

Chairman Jim Jordan and immigration subcommittee Chairman Tom McClintock have written to Attorney General Merrick Garland requesting documents about the settlement announced last month in a lawsuit launched by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) over the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” policy to prosecute all illegal entries at the border. That policy resulted in the separation of minors from their parents before it was ultimately reversed.

The settlement would block any future separations for eight years, while also providing authorization for parents of separated children to come to the U.S. under humanitarian parole for three years and work in the United States. The families receive housing aid for up to a year as well as healthcare and legal aid.

BIDEN ADMINISTRATION BORDER SETTLEMENT WITH ACLU WOULD LIMIT FUTURE SEPARATIONS FOR 8 YEARS

“The practice of separating families at the southwest border was shameful. This agreement will facilitate the reunification of separated families and provide them with critical services to aid in their recovery,” Garland said in a statement at the time of the settlement.

But Jordan and McClintock accuse the administration of providing a “grab-bag of U.S. taxpayers-funded services” to illegal immigrants “all because in 2018 the U.S. government prosecuted, under the existing criminal code enacted by Congress, illegal aliens for illegally entering the United States with their children.”

“As if the Department’s stipulation is not egregious enough, the settlement also allows an illegal alien to escape criminal prosecution for illegally crossing the border solely because the alien is traveling with a child,” they say. “Because that legally dubious prohibition in the settlement lasts for eight years, it prevents future administrations from taking definitive steps to control the border.”

The lawmakers argue that it allows for a loophole to be exploited by cartels, amid an already ongoing crisis at the southern border, and say that it is already leading to cartels posing as minors’ relatives to ensure entry into the U.S.

“The settlement will no doubt have a similar effect, with both children and the American people left to suffer because of the perverse incentives of President Biden’s failed border policies,” they say.

They are requesting documents related to decisions to provide social services and limit prosecutions to migrants, documents related to the consideration of payments to class members, and an explanation for the legal basis for limiting future administrations from adopting similar policies. 

The DOJ confirmed to Fox that it had received the letter.

Separately, the Committee has also sent letters to a number of officials in the Executive Office of Immigration Review (EOIR), seeking transcribed interviews with multiple officials and immigration judges over its handling of the enormous immigration court backlog.  

MAYORKAS CONFIRMS OVER 600,000 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS EVADED LAW ENFORCEMENT AT SOUTHERN BORDER LAST FISCAL YEAR 

They highlight statistics showing that nearly half a million cases were dismissed, terminated or closed between Jan 2021 and July 2023, which they say raises “serious questions” about whether the agency is “fairly, expeditiously, and uniformly interpreting and administering the Nation’s immigration laws.

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The letters come as the border continues to see sky-high numbers of migrants. There were more than 269,000 encounters in September, a new monthly record which also brought FY23 to the highest yearly encounter number on record. The Biden administration has called for more funding for border operations from Congress, including a recent $14 billion supplemental funding request.

Fox News’ Louis Casiano contributed to this report.

PRESTONSBURG, Ky. – EXCLUSIVE: Democrat Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said Monday that his race to win re-election in deep-red Kentucky “has nothing to do” with President Biden and his unpopularity with voters across the state.

Speaking with Fox News Digital at a campaign stop in rural Eastern Kentucky just one day before Election Day, Beshear said he was “confident” in his chances of beating his Republican opponent, Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, and argued the election wasn’t about who was in the White House, but rather what’s going on in the houses of Kentuckians across the commonwealth.

“We’re confident that we’re going into Election Day ahead, but we’ve always been prepared for a close race. And the only poll that matters is the one that comes out on Election Day,” he said, adding that voters could see how “red-hot” Kentucky’s economy is, and that, regardless of party registration, Kentuckians “want to keep that going.”

KENTUCKY GOVERNOR RACE IN DEAD HEAT AS GOP CHALLENGER MAKES FINAL PITCH TO VOTERS, LEANS INTO TRUMP SUPPORT

When asked about his expressed support for the Biden administration, despite the president having an underwater approval rating with Kentuckians, and what he would tell undecided voters concerned over that support, Beshear said that was ultimately not what the race was about.

“The governor’s race has nothing to do with who’s in the White House. It has to do with what’s going on in your house. It has to do with bringing in good jobs. We’ve got the second and third-best years for wages in our history. It’s about expanding health care, so you don’t have to drive two hours or take two buses to see a doctor,” Beshear said.

“At the end of the day, this should be about who the best candidate is with the best plan and the best track record. You know, far too much of our country is Team Red or Team Blue team or Team D. What we need to be is Team Kentucky. That’s exactly why I’m running for reelection,” he said.

SARAH SANDERS WADES INTO ‘CRUCIAL’ KENTUCKY GOVERNOR RACE AS REPUBLICANS LOOK TO FLIP SECOND SEAT FROM DEMS

Beshear went on to say that his number one accomplishment during his term as governor was bringing more private investment into the state, as well as the “huge” opportunities he said it was creating for Kentuckians.

“It’s about 50,000 jobs, building the two biggest battery plants on planet Earth, home to the biggest investment in the history of Ford and of Amazon. It’s about building a better life where people can look at their kids and grandkids and say, ‘Wow, they’re going to have more opportunity than I could have ever dreamed up.’ That’s what being governor is about, getting things done and creating that better life,” he said.

The race between Beshear and Cameron is one of the most watched in the off-year election cycle, and is being looked at as an opportunity for Republicans to capitalize on Biden’s unpopularity and build momentum going into the 2024 elections.

SOROS-FUNDED GROUP DISPARAGES BLACK GOP GOVERNOR CANDIDATE AS UNCLE TOM: ‘ALL SKINFOLK AIN’T KINFOLK’

Democrats, on the other hand, would like to stymie those hopes by showing they can win in Republican-leaning states with candidates like Beshear that appeal to liberal, moderate and conservative voters.

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Polls close at 6 p.m. local time on Tuesday.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., took a shot at California Gov. Gavin Newsom over the weekend over what many have referred to as a “shadow” presidential campaign against President Biden.

“Let me say something that might be uncomfortable,” Fetterman said at a Democratic Party dinner in Iowa over the weekend. “Right now there are two additional Democrats running for Pennsylvania, excuse me, running for president right now. One, one is a congressman from Minnesota. The other one is the governor of California. They’re both running for president, but only one had the guts to announce it.”

Fetterman continued, “I got to tell you, let me say I got an opinion. If you are a Democrat that wants to criticize and go after Joe Biden, our president, just go ahead and write a check for Trump.”

The Pennsylvania Democrat was referencing a recent announcement from Democratic Rep. Dean Phillips that he will be running a primary challenge to Biden while Newsom has faced accusations in recent months of vying for the job without officially announcing.

WHO IS BIDEN CHALLENGER DEAN PHILLIPS? 5 THINGS TO KNO

“This trip here, he’s trying to build a base,” GOP Congressman Doug LaMalfa told Fox News Digital last month in response to some high profile trips Newsom has taken, including to China, as speculation grows that President Biden may not run for a second term. “He’s running the back channels until Biden takes himself out and the party says, ‘Man we’re going to get killed on this.'”

Fetterman’s swipe at Newsom comes around the same time a New York Times-Siena College poll showed that Biden trails former President Trump in the key swing states of Nevada, Georgia, Arizona, Michigan and Pennsylvania.

THREE WAYS BIDEN CHALLENGER DEAN PHILLIPS IS SENDING DEMOCRATS VALUABLE ADVICE

A Monmouth University poll released earlier this month showed that 76% of voters agreed Biden, 80, was “too old” to serve another term, compared to just 48% who said the same about Trump, 77. 

Newsom has denied he’s running for president multiple times, and when asked, he told NewsNation’s Chris Cuomo in September that he’s “not worthy of that conversation” and that Biden “deserves it.”

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The offices of Newsom and Fetterman did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. 

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A Florida governor wins reelection by record numbers and later finds himself running as a party conservative in a crowded presidential primary. In New Hampshire, he tip-toes around the explosive abortion rights issue, discusses ongoing Israeli military operations, promises he’ll secure the Mexican border and warns that the current administration’s fiscal insanity will cause more inflation, not reduce it.

While it sounds like Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2023, this was former Florida Democratic Gov. Reubin Askew in 1984. Askew dropped out of the race after finishing eighth in New Hampshire. DeSantis is looking to avoid a similar fate as he prepares for the third GOP debate this week in his home state.

IOWA GOV. KIM REYNOLDS TO ENDORSE DESANTIS OVER TRUMP, SOURCES SAY

If DeSantis or former President Donald Trump eventually is elected president next year, it would be the first time Americans have chosen a Floridian to lead them. Trump was a New York snowbird with a second home in Palm Beach when he was first elected, but he later lost as a full-time Floridian.

So while Florida is home to Disney World’s Hall of Presidents, that’s not the place to look for representation from the nation’s third-largest state. And even if home court advantage gives DeSantis an opening to talk about his accomplishments in the Sunshine State, there’s no historical evidence to suggest it will help him in the race itself.

“I really have no idea why this is the case,” said former Gov. Jeb Bush, who was considered the frontrunner for the 2016 Republican presidential primary before Donald Trump’s ascent reshaped the party.

Florida has long been influential in national politics — never more so than in 2000 when there were five weeks of recounts and court challenges before George W. Bush carried the state and won the presidency, by 537 votes. And more and more Floridians have sought the presidency as its population has exploded and Republicans chased Democrats out of power in Tallahassee.

Early in the 2016 presidential cycle, many political observers thought former Gov. Bush or Sen. Marco Rubio would win the Republican nomination to challenge Democrat Hillary Clinton. Trump at first wasn’t taken seriously by either campaign — until he blasted both of the Floridians with insults as he rose to the top of the GOP pile.

It wasn’t the moment for either. Bush would have been the third member of his family to become president, and Trump’s nickname of “Low Energy Jeb” seemed to stick at a time when voters were in no mood for an establishment candidate with a whiff of inevitability, maybe even entitlement.

Rubio brought youthful energy to the campaign, but he never found his footing against a brawling candidate who specialized in branding and dubbed him “Little Marco.” Rubio tried to match Trump with branding of his own, taunting Trump about the size of his hands at one point, but the shift in strategy only seemed to diminish him further — and by then Trump was well on his way to the GOP nomination.

By 2020, Trump had become a Floridian himself, changing his residence and voter registration to Florida, a state he desperately needed to win to earn a second term in the White House. He did carry the state but lost to President Joe Biden in the Rust Belt, thus adding his name to the list of Floridians who lost a presidential bid. That list keeps growing but includes Askew, Bush, Rubio, and former Sen. Bob Graham.

There is another notable asterisk. President Andrew Jackson was the first territorial governor of Florida in 1821, but it was a short stint to keep him busy as he tried to retire. It’s described as “a troublesome few months” before he returned home to Tennessee and eventually ran for the White House from the Volunteer State.

“If you track Jackson’s progress towards being a presidential candidate, Florida has very, very little to do with it,” said Daniel Feller, a Jackson historian and professor emeritus at the University of Tennessee. “Florida didn’t do much damage to his national reputation, but it certainly didn’t help it any.”

Politics were decidedly different then anyway. Jackson basically took the job as a favor to President James Monroe after the U.S. took over the territory from Spain.

“It was understood from the very beginning between Jackson and Monroe that this was going to be a temporary appointment,” said Feller, noting Jackson’s wife wasn’t a fan of the idea. “Jackson didn’t think Rachel would like it very much and he was right about that. Rachel hated it.”

Florida had a sparse population when it became a state in 1845. The federal census five years earlier counted fewer than 55,000 people, nearly half of whom were African American slaves. It wasn’t until air conditioning became more affordable and effective in the middle of the 20th century that the state’s population started to grow.

That changed in a hurry, though. It more than doubled from fewer than 2 million in 1940 to more than 5 million in 1960 and hasn’t stopped growing. And its demographics shifted from a Southern, agricultural state to a hodgepodge population more reflective of the nation as a whole.

While north Florida and the Panhandle remain largely Southern in their outlook, the rest of the state is an eclectic mix.

Immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, and other Latin American countries have a large presence in South Florida, central Florida has a large Puerto Rican population, conservative Midwesterners have moved to the southwest Gulf coast in droves and liberal New Englanders have migrated to the southeast Atlantic Coast. There’s plenty of intermingling between those groups, but a large majority of the state’s population was born outside of Florida.

As the population has changed, the state’s politics have shifted. What had been the key swing state in 2000 has been reliably Republican in the past two presidential contests.

Democrats dominated the state Legislature for decades, but Republicans’ power has grown steadily this century. Democrats always had an advantage in voter registration until two years ago. Now Republicans have about 5.2 million registered voters compared to about 4.6 million Democrats.

The GOP has easily held the Legislature and governor’s office since 1999. While Republicans continue to be unstoppable in state politics, the state has been less predictable in presidential years. Since the 2000 recount, it supported Bush for re-election, Barack Obama twice and Trump twice.

Trump is once again leading in Florida polls. While he won’t participate in Wednesday’s debate in Miami, he is holding a rally nearby in a city that’s 95% Hispanic or Latino, a signal he’s seeking to boost support with the state’s Hispanic voters.

The one sure bet is that Floridians will keep trying to win the White House. If neither DeSantis nor Trump win in 2024, there’s always 2028 and the possibility Rubio and DeSantis run again, perhaps joined by former governor and current Sen. Rick Scott, who has long been speculated to have presidential ambitions.

Former Republican strategist Rick Wilson of Florida, who worked on the presidential campaigns of both George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, said the state has been a political late bloomer on the national scene.

“Florida is a state that didn’t really reach its political maturity as early as others,” said Wilson, a founder of the Lincoln Project, which opposes both Trump and DeSantis. “We had a much longer puberty where we were a backwater.”

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That all could change soon enough.

“The money’s here, the importance of the vote is here, the importance of the electoral college is here,” he said. “Now we need somebody who actually has the skills.”

A pair of legal experts weighed in on how former President Trump’s court testimony may have affected his case in New York.

Trump testified in his non-jury civil trial on Monday stemming from New York Attorney General Leticia James’ lawsuit against him and his Empire State businesses.

The former president exchanged fire with Judge Arthur Engoron while being questioned by Kevin Wallace, a lawyer from the New York Attorney General’s Office.

TRUMP, JUDGE ENGORON TRADE JABS DURING FORMER PRESIDENT’S TESTIMONY IN CIVIL TRIAL STEMMING FROM NYAG LAWSUIT

George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley told Fox News Digital that watching “Trump being called for testimony is like waiting for the green flag at NASCAR” in that many “are coming for the car crashes.”

“There was an obvious disconnect in the testimony,” Turley said. “Trump seemed to be speaking to the public, but neither a jury nor a television camera was present. Instead, he was technically speaking to a judge who repeatedly expressed frustration with the tenor and length of the answers.”

Turley said that the “fact is that these cases have only increased Trump’s popularity” and that with “every indictment, he seems to gain five percentage points.”

“At this rate, with four more indictments, he could be elected by general acclamation,” Turley said. “The problem for Trump is the underlying law. The New York law does not require an actual victim or even loss of money.”

“That law became an easy vehicle for James to fulfill her pledge to bag Trump if elected,” Turley continued, referencing the New York attorney general’s campaign promise to take legal action against the former president.

“There are two cases being made in that courtroom. James is making the case to bar Trump from business in New York while Trump is making the case for reelection,” he continued.

“Both may be succeeding,” he added. “James seems to have a sympathetic court while Trump seems to have an increasingly sympathetic public.”

Attorney and conservative commentator Andy McCarthy told Fox News Digital he does not think the former president’s testimony will help or hurt his case because it “has already been decided.”

“The judge and state’s attorney general are elected Democrats,” McCarthy said. “The AG ran vowing to use the power of her office against Trump.”

“The judge told Trump before the trial even started that he had already lost the case and all the trial was going to be about was how much he was going to have to pay ($250M or more) in addition to being put out of business in [New York],” McCarthy continued.

“The judge is going to do what he’s going to do regardless of Trump’s testimony,” he added.

The civil trial stems from James’ lawsuit against Trump, his family and his businesses. James alleged that Trump defrauded banks and inflated the value of his assets.

Trump has denied any wrongdoing and has repeatedly said his assets were actually undervalued. Trump has repeatedly said his financial statements had disclaimers, requesting that the numbers be evaluated by the banks.

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After a break in his testimony, Trump again took the stand, defending himself and his businesses and blasting the investigation.

“We shouldn’t be having a case here because we have a disclaimer clause that every court holds up except this judge,” Trump said, referring to the disclaimers on all of his financial statements and statements of financial condition.

“They’re trying to hurt me – especially her,” Trump said, referring to James, “for political reasons.”

Trump went on to call James a “political hack,” saying she used her investigation and lawsuit against him “to become governor, to become attorney general.” The former president was referring to James’ campaigns in which she vowed to “get Trump.”

Fox News Digital’s Brooke Singman and Maria Paronich contributed reporting.

Former President Trump demanded a jury Monday after his unprecedented time on the stand, calling the civil trial against him and his businesses a “disgrace” and saying New York Attorney General Letitia James has “no case.” 

Trump described his forced testimony as “election interference,” while maintaining that his net worth is “far greater” than financial statements during testimony Monday.

The former president and 2024 Republican presidential frontrunner took the stand Monday morning in the non-jury civil trial stemming from Attorney General Letitia James’ lawsuit against him, his family and his businesses. James alleged Trump defrauded banks and inflated the value of his assets.

TRUMP, JUDGE ENGORON TRADE JABS DURING FORMER PRESIDENT’S TESTIMONY IN CIVIL TRIAL STEMMING FROM NYAG LAWSUIT

Trump has denied any wrongdoing and has repeatedly said his assets were actually undervalued. Trump has repeatedly said his financial statements had disclaimers, requesting that the numbers be evaluated by the banks.

“I think this case is a disgrace,” he said, adding that people are being “murdered” in New York, and James is “watching this case.”

“It’s a disgrace. It is election interference because you want to keep me in court all day long,” Trump said while on the stand, after testifying for more than five hours. “And Judge…I want a jury.”

One of Trump’s attorneys, at the end of the former president’s testimony, said that in “33 years,” they have “never had a witness testify better.”

“An absolutely brilliant performance by President Trump. He’s not backing down. He’s told everyone the facts,” the Trump attorney said. “Now that the American people know what’s going on, maybe something will change.”

James, a Democrat, sued Trump, his children and the Trump Organization last year, alleging he and his company misled banks and others about the value of his assets. James claimed the former president’s children – Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka and Eric – as well as his associates and businesses, committed “numerous acts of fraud and misrepresentation” on their financial statements.

James filed the lawsuit against Trump “under a consumer protection statute that denies the right to a jury,” a Trump spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

“There was never an option to choose a jury trial,” the spokesperson said. “It is unfortunate that a jury won’t be able to hear how absurd the merits of this case are and conclude no wrongdoing ever happened.” 

During Trump’s unprecedented testimony Monday, New York Judge Arthur Engoron tried to cut him off from providing lengthy answers to state lawyers’ questioning, and even said: “I don’t want to hear everything he has to say.”

TRUMP UNLOADS ON JUDGE, NYAG FOR TARGETING HIM ‘FOR POLITICAL REASONS’ DURING UNPRECEDENTED TESTIMONY

But Trump defended himself and his businesses while on the stand, and blasted the investigation, lawsuit and non-jury trial.

“We shouldn’t be having a case here because we have a disclaimer clause that every court holds up except this judge,” Trump said, referring to the disclaimers on all of his financial statements and statements of financial condition.

“They’re trying to hurt me — especially her,” Trump said, referring to Attorney General Letitia James. “For political reasons.”

Trump went on to call James a “political hack,” saying she used her investigation and lawsuit against him “to become governor, to become attorney general.” The former president was referring to James’ campaigns, in which she vowed to “get Trump.” 

“This is a political witch hunt, and she should be ashamed of herself,” Trump said. “The fraud is her.”

Engoron, in September, ruled that Trump and the Trump Organization committed fraud while building his real estate empire by deceiving banks, insurers and others by overvaluing his assets and exaggerating his net worth on paperwork used in making deals and securing financing.

“He ruled against me without knowing anything about me,” Trump said on the stand. “He called me a fraud, and he didn’t know anything about me.”

Trump went on to slam Engoron for undercutting the value of his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida — a property Engoron valued at $18 million.

“$18 million, he said—And I’m a fraud for not valuing the property? How do you call a man a fraud when you have a property 50 to 100 times more?” Trump said. You believed the political hack back there and that’s unfortunate.”

Trump attorney Alina Habba on Monday also slammed Engoron and James, saying the judge “yelled” at her.

“I don’t care who you are, you have a right to hire a lawyer who can put objections on the record,” Habba said outside the court during a break. “You have a right to hire a lawyer who can stand up and say something when they see something wrong.”

TRUMP TAKES THE STAND IN CIVIL TRIAL STEMMING FROM NEW YORK ATTORNEY GENERAL LETITIA JAMES LAWSUIT

“But I was told to sit down today. I was yelled at and I’ve had a judge who is unhinged, slamming table,” Habba continued. “Let me be very clear. I don’t tolerate that in my life. I’m not going to tolerate it. And you know what? You shouldn’t either, because not every American citizen gets a camera and a microphone.”

Habba went on to blast James, saying she “taunted” Trump before she “came into office, before you saw one record, one statement of financial condition — you taunted him.”

“You said his administration was too male and too pale,” Habba said. “Those are her words.” 

Meanwhile, Trump was asked questions about terms of loan agreements, and handed documents about specific loans. 

ERIC TRUMP TESTIFIES HE HAD ‘NO INVOLVEMENT’ IN TRUMP ORGANIZATION’S STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL CONDITION

“This loan was paid off in full, with no default — no victims. The loan was paid off in full, the bank was thrilled…the bank liked me very much…the loan is since gone,” Trump testified. 

When asked why the loan was paid ahead of schedule, Trump testified: “Because we have a lot of cash…My son [Eric] recommended it and I said, ‘do what you want to do.’” 

Trump repeatedly testified that he believes he complied with loan agreements. 

But Trump maintained that his net worth was “far greater than the financial statements, far greater.” 

TRUMP BLASTS MANHATTAN JUDGE, DEFENDS HIS ‘VERY GOOD CHILDREN’ AMID TRUMP ORG CIVIL TRIAL FROM NYAG LAWSUIT

“The numbers of my net worth are far more than the financial statement,” Trump said. “Therefore, you have no case.” 

Trump, again, cited the disclaimers on his financial statements, testifying that those disclaimers told “the lender of the money to go out and do your own work.” 

“It says do your own due diligence,” Trump said. 

The judge said: “It sounds like a broken record.”  

Trump fired back, saying it was because the attorney kept “asking the same question.” 

Trump’s defense chimed in, saying that if the attorney from James’ office “wants to ask the same questions, he’ll get the same answers.” 

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Trump’s testimony concluded Monday afternoon. His daughter, Ivanka Trump, who was dismissed as a defendant in the case this summer, is set to testify on Wednesday. 

Ohio voters will head to the voting booth on Tuesday to vote on a measure that will enshrine abortion access into the state’s constitution in an election that is believed to be a bellwether for how states will be governed on abortion post the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade.

What does a “yes” or “no” vote on Ohio Issue 1 mean?

Voters in Ohio who vote “yes” on Issue 1 are voting to approve an amendment that would “establish in the Constitution of the State of Ohio an individual right to one’s own reproductive medical treatment, including but not limited to abortion” and “create legal protections for any person or entity that assists a person with receiving reproductive medical treatment.” A “no” vote continues with the status quo in terms of Ohio laws already on the books and leaves current abortion restrictions intact.

Who supports and opposes the ballot measure?

“Yes” on Issue 1 supporters include Ohioans United for Reproductive Right, a coalition of pro-abortion groups, Planned Parenthood, the Human Rights Campaign and the ACLU of Ohio who argue the vote is about “who makes personal decisions for yourself and your family – you or the government.”

Opponents of Issue 1 include top elected Republicans in the state, Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, many faith based groups including the Catholic Conference of Ohio, and Christians for Civic Virtue.

LEFT-WING DARK MONEY NETWORK BANKROLLING ANTI-ISRAEL GROUPS DROPS MILLIONS PUSHING OHIO ABORTION AMENDMENT

Last month, a bipartisan group of 100 Black pastors signed a letter opposing Issue 1 writing that it is “more extreme than Roe v. Wade” and “will allow for painful, late-term abortions through all nine months of pregnancy – even after an unborn baby can feel pain.”

“It will permit our children to undergo abortions without parents knowing. And it will continue to rob generations of Black women and men of the insurmountable joy of parenthood,” the letter said. 

Parents rights advocates have also been involved opposing Issue 1 including Protect Women Ohio.

“The ACLU paid out-of-state signature collectors to lie to Ohioans about their dangerous amendment that will strip parents of their rights, permit minors to undergo sex change operations without their parents’ knowledge or consent, and allow painful abortion on demand through all nine months,” PWO spokesperson Amy Natoce said.

Top Republicans in Ohio have warned the “extreme” ballot measure goes “too far” and goes even farther than Roe v. Wade. 

ABORTION ON DEMAND: THESE 6 STATES ALLOW WOMEN TO GET PREGNANCY-ENDING DRUGS BY PHONE OR ONLINE

“It’s pretty clear that this constitutional amendment just goes farther, much further than what the average Ohioan approves,” Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine told Fox News Digital last month. “If a voter is comfortable with abortion up until the time of birth, they’re probably going to be okay with this amendment — if they’re comfortable with parents not being involved in the most important decision their daughter will ever make or certainly has made up until that point in her life. If they’re okay with that, then they should vote for this,” DeWine added. 

Ohio’s Republican attorney general, Dave Yost, published a report on what he believes a “Yes” vote would mean for the future of abortion in Ohio and wrote that the language of the amendment “creates a new, legal standard that goes beyond what Roe and Casey said.”

ABORTIONS, GENDER TRANSITIONS FOR MINORS COULD BE ENSHRINED IN STATE CONSTITUTION, PARENTS’ GROUP WARNS

“The Amendment would not return things to how they were before Dobbs overruled Roe, and is not just ‘restoring Roe,’” Yost said. “It goes further.”

Yost wrote that several abortion restrictions in the state would be invalidated if the new amendment passes including the Heartbeat Act, the Down Syndrome discrimination law, and the law prohibiting partial birth abortion.

Additionally, Yost concludes that several other aspects related to abortion might not immediately be invalidated but will face serious legal challenges with an “uncertain outcome” in courts due to the vague language. Those issues include 24-hour waiting period and informed consent, Ohio law that requires a doctor to inform a minor’s parents before performing an abortion on a pregnant minor, abortion pill safety regulations, limits against taxpayer funds for abortion providers.

Both sides of the argument have accused the other side of running misleading ads and voters have expressed confusion on what the amendment will actually do

“I think that most people are trying to understand if this amendment would give them more health protections and our stance has been it actually takes away basic health and care protections for women,” Mehek Cooke an attorney who serves as spokesperson for Protect Women Ohio, told Fox News Digital. 

“The other side continues to say that Ohio law contains no exceptions for the life of the mothers actually Ohio law permits abortions up until 22 weeks with the exception of immediate serious risk to the mother. There are several exceptions in Ohio law and we’ve really had to correct that misinformation.”

Cooke told Fox News Digital that Ohio law currently protects serious medical conditions during pregnancy, something she has experienced first hand, and that the other side has used “scaremongering” tactics by claiming women will not be able to access medical treatment if the ballot measure fails.

Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights spokesperson Lauren Blauvelt said in an ACLU press release last month that its the opponents of Issue 1 that are the “extremists” who are “trying to take away our rights and mislead voters.”

“Voting NO hands your most personal family decisions over to the GOVERNMENT,” Blauvelt said.

Abortion supporters and opponents nationwide will be watching to see how the amendment fares in a red state that former President Trump carried by 8 points and if any lessons will be learned in other states planning to vote on abortion after the reversal of Roe 

Mini Timmaraju, president and CEO of Reproductive Freedom for All, said Ohio offers a vital proving ground heading into next year’s presidential election, when Democrats hope the abortion issue can energize supporters in contests up and down the ballot. Abortion-related initiatives could be on the ballot across the country, including in the presidential swing states of Arizona, Nevada and Pennsylvania.

“When we’re able to see how our messaging impacts independents and Republicans and persuades them that this fundamental freedom is important to protect in Ohio, that’s going to be something that we can implement looking at 2024,” she said.

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The battleground on abortion shifted to the states last summer, when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned its Roe v. Wade decision, erasing federal abortion protections that had been in place for half a century. Since then, voters in six states — California, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Montana and Vermont — have either supported measures protecting abortion rights or rejected efforts aimed at eroding access.

Turnout in the election that concludes Tuesday is expected to be robust, building on the enthusiasm from the summer, organizers say. Local election officials anticipate 40% to 50% of registered voters will participate, according to the Ohio Association of Election Officials. That’s higher than a typical off-year November election and up from the 39% turnout in August.

Associated Press contributed to this report

Former U.S. Rep. Peter Meijer, R-Mich., whose family founded the Meijer supermarket chain, is running for his state’s vacant Senate seat.

Meijer lost his seat after he and nine other House Republicans voted to impeach former President Trump over the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol.

“My wife and I prayed hard about this race and how we can best serve our state and our nation. We considered every aspect of the campaign, and we are confident we have the best chance of taking back this seat for the Republicans and fighting hard for a conservative future,” Meijer said in his campaign debut on Monday morning.

FIRST ON FOX: SENATE REPUBLICANS BUILD WAR CHEST FOR EVENTUAL GOP NOMINEES IN CRUCIAL 2024 STATES

“We are in dark and uncertain times, but we have made it through worse. The challenges are great, but so is our country. If we are to see another great American century, we need leaders who aren’t afraid to be bold, will do the work, and can’t be bought.”

Meijer had lost the 2022 Republican primary for his House seat to former Trump administration official John Gibbs. 

FLASHBACK: HOUSE SPEAKER KEVIN MCCARTHY ANNOUNCES FORMAL IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY AGAINST PRESIDENT BIDEN

As part of a strategy to ensure an easier path to victory in general elections, House Democrats’ campaign arm targeted Meijer and other Republicans in swing districts by elevating more polarizing rivals.  

Gibbs, who ran to Meijer’s right, subsequently lost to freshman Rep. Hillary Scholten, D-Mich.

Senate Republicans are eyeing Michigan as a prime pickup opportunity after Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., announced she would not seek re-election. 

Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., is the current frontrunner for the Democratic nomination to replace her.

FORMER REP. MIKE ROGERS LAUNCHES REPUBLICAN SENATE CAMPAIGN FOR OPEN SENATE SEAT IN BATTLEGROUND MICHIGAN

Meanwhile, Meijer joins an increasingly competitive GOP primary. Former Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., is also in the race after being courted by the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Senate Republicans’ campaign arm. 

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Former Detroit Police Chief James Craig is also in the field of candidates.

Meijer’s family founded and owns the primarily-Midwestern Meijer supermarket chain. The one-term Republican congressman is also an Army Reserve veteran, having served in Iraq.

Former President Trump testified on the stand Monday that New York Judge Arthur Engoron and New York Attorney General Letitia James are “trying to hurt” him for “political reasons” while blasting the “very unfair” and unprecedented non-jury civil fraud trial.

The former president and 2024 Republican presidential frontrunner took the stand Monday morning in the civil trial stemming from James’ lawsuit against him, his family and his businesses. James alleged Trump defrauded banks and inflated the value of his assets.

Trump has denied any wrongdoing and has repeatedly said his assets were actually undervalued. Trump has repeatedly said his financial statements had disclaimers, requesting that the numbers be evaluated by the banks.

TRUMP, ENGORON TRADE JABS DURING FORMER PRESIDENT’S TESTIMONY IN CIVIL TRIAL STEMMING FROM NYAG LAWSUIT

During Trump’s unprecedented testimony Monday, Engoron tried to cut him off from providing lengthy answers to state lawyers’ questioning, and even said, “I don’t want to hear everything he has to say.”

After a break in his testimony, Trump again took the stand, defending himself and his businesses, and blasting the investigation, lawsuit and non-jury trial.

“We shouldn’t be having a case here because we have a disclaimer clause that every court holds up except this judge,” Trump said, referring to the disclaimers on all of his financial statements and statements of financial condition.

“They’re trying to hurt me — especially her,” Trump said, referring to Attorney General Letitia James. “For political reasons.”

Trump went on to call James a “political hack,” saying she used her investigation and lawsuit against him “to become governor, to become attorney general.” The former president was referring to James’ campaigns, in which she vowed to “get Trump.” 

“This is a political witch hunt, and she should be ashamed of herself,” Trump said. “The fraud is her.”

James, a Democrat, sued Trump, his children and the Trump Organization last year, alleging he and his company misled banks and others about the value of his assets. James claimed the former president’s children — Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka and Eric — as well as his associates and businesses, committed “numerous acts of fraud and misrepresentation” on their financial statements.

Engoron, in September, ruled that Trump and the Trump Organization committed fraud while building his real estate empire by deceiving banks, insurers and others by overvaluing his assets and exaggerating his net worth on paperwork used in making deals and securing financing.

“He ruled against me without knowing anything about me,” Trump said on the stand. “He called me a fraud, and he didn’t know anything about me.”

Trump went on to slam Engoron for undercutting the value of his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, a property Engoron valued at $18 million.

“$18 million, he said — and I’m a fraud for not valuing the property? How do you call a man a fraud when you have a property 50 to 100 times more?” Trump said. “You believed the political hack back there, and that’s unfortunate.” 

A state attorney, Kevin Wallace, who was leading the questioning of Trump, asked if the former president was “done.”

“Done,” Trump said.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. 

Former President Trump blasted Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds ahead of her expected endorsement of his primary opponent Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, warning that the move would bring her to “the end of her political career in that MAGA would never support her again.”

Reynolds is expected to endorse DeSantis over Trump for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination at a rally in Des Moines on Monday evening. 

“If and when Kim Reynolds of Iowa endorses Ron DeSanctimonious, who is absolutely dying in the polls both in Iowa and Nationwide, it will be the end of her political career in that MAGA would never support her again, just as MAGA will never support DeSanctimonious again,” Trump posted. “Two extremely disloyal people getting together is, however, a very beautiful thing to watch.”

IOWA GOV. KIM REYNOLDS TO ENDORSE DESANTIS OVER TRUMP, SOURCES SAY

He added, “They can now remain loyal to each other because nobody else wants them!!!”

Trump also posted over the weekend that Reynolds told him “that she was going to remain NEUTRAL because I was, ‘Thank you President Trump,’ FIRST IN THE NATION.”

“She wanted to campaign with everyone. I told her that I should have ‘remained neutral’ when she asked me to help her get elected, and that I didn’t want or need her to campaign with me,” he said. “I am now 41+ Points up in Iowa!”

Trump went on to reflect on his past support of Reynolds, citing a Morning Consult poll, which says Renyolds is “America’s most unpopular governor.”

“That’s because people don’t like disloyalty!” he said. “I opened the position for Reynolds, so she became Governor of Iowa, by moving Terry Branstad to China as Ambassador. I then helped her when she was substantially down and losing to the Democrat Candidate, and worked hard to get her Elected, including an Endorsement and Big TRUMP Rallies.

“Very importantly, I was the sole reason that Iowa remained FIRST IN THE NATION,” he said. “I was Strong on Ethanol, DeSantis voted against it, and other things bad for Iowa, like wanting to destroy Social Security and Medicare.”

TRUMP WINDS MAJOR HOME-STATE ENDORSEMENT IN SNUB TO DESANTIS

“Despite all of this, Reynolds remained Neutral on Endorsements, and she is now America’s most Unpopular Governor, and Ron DeSanctimonious is Second,” Trump continued. “That’s what happens when you are disloyal to those that got you there!”

Trump’s comments come ahead of the expected endorsement Monday night. Reynolds, the popular two-term GOP governor of the state, is set to join DeSantis at his rally in Des Moines as a “special guest,” according to a social media account associated with the Florida governor’s presidential campaign.

Iowa plays a crucial role in the race for the White House, as its caucuses for half a century have kicked off the GOP presidential nominating calendar. Additionally, Reynolds faced criticism from Trump earlier this year for her pledge to stay neutral in the presidential nomination race, which is in line with previous Iowa governors. 

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While she remained neutral in the 2024 GOP nomination battle as the field of contenders grew to over a dozen candidates, Reynolds – who convincingly won re-election to a second term last year – had repeatedly not ruled out endorsing as the Jan. 15 Iowa caucuses neared.

DeSantis has concentrated the vast majority of his campaign trail time and resources in Iowa the past couple of months and has so far made stops in 87 of the Hawkeye State’s 99 counties.

Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report. 

Former President Trump is set to take the stand Monday to testify in the non-jury civil trial stemming from New York Attorney General Letitia James’ lawsuit alleging he defrauded banks and inflated the value of his assets.

The former president and 2024 GOP frontrunner has repeatedly cast James’ years-long investigation and lawsuit as a “disgrace” and an attack on his business and his family.

TRUMP BLASTS MANHATTAN JUDGE, DEFENDS HIS ‘VERY GOOD CHILDREN’ AMID TRUMP ORG CIVIL TRIAL FROM NYAG LAWSUIT

Trump has denied any wrongdoing and has repeatedly said his assets were actually undervalued. Trump has repeatedly said his financial statements had disclaimers, requesting that the numbers be evaluated by the banks.

James, a Democrat, sued Trump, his children and the Trump Organization last year, alleging he and his company misled banks and others about the value of his assets. James claimed the former president’s children – Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka and Eric – as well as his associates and businesses, committed “numerous acts of fraud and misrepresentation” on their financial statements.

James also claimed Trump and his family “inflated” their net worth “by billions of dollars.”

The judge presiding over the trial, New York Judge Arthur Engoron, in September, ruled that Trump and the Trump Organization committed fraud while building his real estate empire by deceiving banks, insurers and others by overvaluing his assets and exaggerating his net worth on paperwork used in making deals and securing financing.

ERIC TRUMP TESTIFIES HE HAD ‘NO INVOLVEMENT’ IN TRUMP ORGANIZATION’S STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL CONDITION

Trump has maintained that his financial statements are “phenomenal.”

“There was no victim here – the banks were represented by the best, biggest, most prestigious law firms in the state of New York – actually in the country, some of the biggest law firms,” Trump said when the trial began. “The banks got back their money, there was never a default, it was never a problem, everything was perfect. There was no crime.” 

Trump has appeared in court for several days of the trial in New York City since it began early last month.

His last appearance was during the testimony of his former attorney Michael Cohen, who Trump has repeatedly, and sarcastically, said is James’ “star witness.” 

But Cohen, during his time on the stand, admitted that the former president did not ask him to inflate his finances on a personal financial statement.

NEW YORK JUDGE FINES TRUMP $10K VIOLATING PARTIAL GAG ORDER IN CIVIL FRAUD TRIAL

“Trump didn’t ask you to inflate the numbers on his personal statement, correct?” Trump attorney Clifford Roberts asked.

“Correct,” Cohen replied.

During re-direct questioning by Colleen Faherty, an attorney in the New York Attorney General’s Office, Cohen was offered an opportunity to expand on his answer.

“Trump did not specifically say, ‘Michael, go inflate the numbers,’” Cohen said, but claimed Trump “speaks like a mob boss,” and said he understood what Trump wanted.

Defense attorneys did not re-cross examine Cohen, and instead, again asked for a verdict – Engoron “absolutely denied.”

Trump briefly took the stand during that appearance and was fined $10,000 for violating the partial gag order imposed by Engoron. The gag order blocked all parties from making derogatory statements about court staff.

TRUMP DEFENDS ‘PHENOMENAL’ FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AHEAD OF ‘DISGRACE’ OF TRIAL OUT OF ‘CORRUPT’ NYAG JAMES PROBE

Engoron first fined Trump $5,000 for violating the order on social media the week prior, and threatened imprisonment if further violations were committed.

Trump’s testimony will be his first public testimony, amid legal battles in multiple jurisdictions. Trump was indicted four times this year: once stemming from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s investigation; twice from Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigation; and in Fulton, County, Georgia.

Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges across all jurisdictions. Trials in those cases are expected to begin in 2024 – many during the presidential primary cycle.

His testimony comes after both of his sons took the stand in the trial last week.

Both Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump maintained that they had no involvement in the creation of financial statements, and said the Trump family did nothing wrong.

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After his testimony on Friday, Eric Trump stressed that the Trump Organization is an “unbelievable company.”

“We’ve never had a default, we’ve never missed a loan payment, we have thousands of employees,” Eric Trump said Friday. “I promise you, we’re going to win it because we haven’t done a damn thing wrong.”

He’s not on the ballot, but Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin of Virginia could end up being the biggest winner in Tuesday’s off-year elections.

Youngkin aims to hold the GOP’s narrow majority in the state House and recapture control of the state Senate, where Democrats currently hold a fragile majority. And while he’s not up for re-election, the governor has become the face of the Virginia showdowns, which are seen as a crucial bellwether ahead of the 2024 elections.

“We’ve got work to do. And the work to do right now is to hold the House and flip the Senate. Hold the House and flip the Senate,” Youngkin has emphasized as he’s crisscrossed the Commonwealth this autumn, headlining rallies in support of Republican legislative candidates.

As a first-time candidate who hailed from the party’s business wing, Youngkin edged out former Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe in 2021 to become the first GOP candidate in a dozen years to win a gubernatorial election in the one-time swing state that had trended towards the Democrats the previous decade.

VIRGINIA’S LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS A CRUCIAL 2024 BAROMETER

His victory energized Republicans and instantly made Youngkin a rising star in the GOP.

Now, his goal is total Republican control of the state government in Richmond, which would allow Youngkin to push through a conservative agenda.

YOUNGKIN SHATTERING FUNDRAISING RECORDS IN VIRGINIA

Youngkin, mostly through his Spirit of Virginia PAC, has hauled in a record $22.5 million, with much of the funds paying for mailers, digital spots, and TV ads to encourage Republicans to head to the polls.

“I’m asking for your vote. Elect a Republican team to back me up and I promise, we’ll deliver,” Youngkin pledges in his closing TV commercial ahead of Election Day.

And the governor embraces the national attention on his state’s legislative showdowns.

“I believe it should be a bellwether because Virginia leads,” he told Fox News. “I think we can lead and demonstrate that in a state that was lost, a state that was totally controlled by Democrats, we can in 24 short months come together, Republicans, independents, and yes, some Democrats and choose common sense conservative leadership and policies that work…I think other states should take notice.”

After Youngkin’s victory two years ago, some pundits quickly viewed him as a possible 2024 White House contender.

A number of top conservative donors who don’t support former President Donald Trump — the current commanding front-runner in the GOP nomination race — this autumn have quietly increased their efforts to persuade Youngkin to run for the White House.

That pressure will vastly increase if the GOP takes total control of Virginia’s government in next week’s elections.

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Youngkin has demurred on any 2024 talk.

“I’m humbled by the fact that people are paying attention to what we’re doing in Virginia and supportive of what we’re doing,” he said. “I’m glad the nation is watching, but we’ve got work to do here.”

It’s getting late in the game for a White House hopeful to jump into the 2024 race.

But former Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell of Virginia, who spoke with Fox News as he joined the governor on the campaign trail in Norfolk, Virginia last week, said “there’s a window, a very short, slim, window. But if there’s somebody who can do it, it’s Glenn Youngkin.”

Veteran Virginia-based political scientist David Richards said he’s “beginning to wonder if he’s waited too long.”

“At this point, is it getting too late?” asked the political science chair at the University of Lynchburg.

Looking to the next cycle, Richards added he thinks Youngkin is “setting himself up for 2028.”

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday invited former President Donald Trump to visit the war-torn nation.

Appearing on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Zelenskyy made the invitation to Trump in response to the current GOP front-runner’s promise to end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours if reelected.

“I invite President Trump. If he can come here, I will need … 24 minutes to explain to President Trump that he can’t manage this war,” Zelenskyy said. “He can’t bring peace because of Putin.”

“He’s very welcome,” Zelenskyy added, falling short of answering host Kristen Welker’s question if Trump would “have Ukraine’s back” if reelected in 2024.

Zelenskyy also reacted to reporting by NBC News that the United States and European officials have quietly begun talks around Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations.

SPEAKER JOHNSON PUSHES TO COUPLE UKRAINE AID AND BORDER: ‘TAKE CARE OF OUR OWN BORDER FIRST’

The Ukrainian president said he is not ready to begin that dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin, remarking, “We can’t trust terrorists because terrorists always come back.”

Zelenskyy also suggested American soldiers could eventually be pulled into a wider European conflict if the United States does not bolster support for Ukraine, according to Reuters.

“If Russia will kill all of us, they will attack NATO countries, and you will send your sons and daughters [to fight],” Zelenskyy said on NBC.

President Biden has called on Congress to support a $106 billion supplemental spending bill to allocate an estimated $61.4 billion for Ukraine, $14.4 billion for Israel, $13.6 billion for protection along the U.S.-Mexico border and about $10 billion for humanitarian aid.

RUSSIA TEST-LAUNCHES NUCLEAR-CAPABLE MISSILE FROM NEW SUBMARINE

But House Republicans under new Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., passed their own spending proposal to fast-track $14.3 billion in aid for Israel but commit Ukraine aid as a separate matter. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., refuses to bring the bill for a vote in the upper chamber. Biden said he’d veto it.

Asked if he feels defeated, Zelenskyy said he’s “feeling strong” and has a lot of energy but that “doesn’t mean we want to fight all of our lives.”

“The price is high, like I said,” he said. “But we are not ready to give our freedom to this f—ing terrorist Putin. That’s it. That’s why we are fighting.”

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Zelenskyy also rejected the notion that the war with Russia has reached a stalemate: “I don’t think that this is a stalemate. … We have done a lot. We had a very difficult situation. They thought that they would checkmate us, but this didn’t happen.”

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds will endorse Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis over former President Donald Trump for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination at a rally in Des Moines on Monday evening, sources familiar with the planning of the event confirmed to Fox News.

The endorsement is seen as a boost for DeSantis’ presidential hopes as polls see the governor trailing front-runner Trump in a distant second.

Reynolds, the popular two-term GOP governor of the state, is set to join DeSantis at his rally in Des Moines as a “special guest,” according to a social media account associated with the Florida governor’s presidential campaign.

Reynolds faced criticism from Trump earlier this year for her pledge to stay neutral in the presidential nomination race, which is in line with previous Iowa governors. The Iowa caucuses have kicked off the GOP presidential nominating calendar for half a century.

TRUMP WINDS MAJOR HOME-STATE ENDORSEMENT IN SNUB TO DESANTIS

While DeSantis appears to have gotten crucial support from Reynolds, seven state legislators from Florida endorsed Trump last week, including five state Republicans who flipped their support from DeSantis, according to the Trump campaign.

“We’re going to win the Florida primary for the third straight time, and we’re going to win the state by a landslide next November,” Trump told a lively crowd Saturday evening in Kissimmee, Florida, before calling to the stage several Florida lawmakers who switched their endorsements from DeSantis.

The latest flips came two days after U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, DeSantis’ predecessor as governor, announced his support for Trump. Scott reaffirmed his choice Saturday, without ever mentioning DeSantis.

“You might have seen that I endorsed President Trump,” Scott said to rapturous applause from the crowd. “I don’t think there’s any question in my mind. He is the one person running that can really bring strength back to our country.”

DONORS FRUSTRATED AT DESANTIS’ INABILITY TO GAIN TRACTION, TAKE ‘HARD LOOK’ ELSEWHERE FOR TRUMP ALTERNATIVE

As DeSantis and Trump remain locked in picking off Republican support from each other, a close eye is being kept on the endorsement of another early-state governor: New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, a vocal GOP Trump critic.

Sununu has said he’ll endorse one of the Republican presidential candidates ahead of the New Hampshire primary.

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Sununu told Fox News Digital in September that “when someone strikes my fancy… I’ll let everybody know.”

Fox News’ Bryan Llenas and The Associated Press contributed to this report.