NationalWatch

Jewish organizations are speaking out as self-identified democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani prepares to take the reins of America’s most populous city.

The UJA-Federation of New York, JCRC-NY, ADL New York/New Jersey, AJC New York and the New York Board of Rabbis issued a joint statement after Mamdani’s victory in the high-stakes race.

“New Yorkers have spoken, electing Zohran Mamdani as the next Mayor of New York City. We recognize that voters are animated by a range of issues, but we cannot ignore that the Mayor-elect holds core beliefs fundamentally at odds with our community’s deepest convictions and most cherished values,” the statement said.

SOCIALIST SHOCK WAVE: ZOHRAN MAMDANI STUNS NYC AS VOTERS HAND POWER TO DEMOCRATS’ FAR-LEFT FLANK

“We call on Mayor-elect Mamdani and all elected officials to govern with humility, inclusivity, and a deep respect for the diversity of views and experiences that define our city.

“Our agenda remains clear. We will hold all elected officials, including Mayor-elect Mamdani, fully accountable for ensuring that New York remains a place where Jewish life and support for Israel are protected and can thrive.”

Anti-Defamation League (ADL) CEO Jonathan Greenblatt told Fox News Digital that, “[The] ADL has the backs of all Jewish New Yorkers at this time of record antisemitism in our country and in New York City in particular. Today we are launching a new initiative featuring a tip line for antisemitic incidents and a ‘Mamdani Monitor’ to track policies and appointments, expanding our existing work to protect Jews everywhere. Like with every other elected official, we will judge the mayor-elect on what he does to keep Jewish New Yorkers safe.”

In 2023, the UJA-Federation of New York released a study showing that the Big Apple was home to nearly 1 million Jewish people. At the time, Brooklyn was the borough with the most Jews, with 462,000 calling it home, according to the UJA-Federation of New York. Brooklyn was followed by Manhattan, which was home to 277,000 Jews, then Queens with 150,000, Staten Island with 38,000 and the Bronx with 33,000.

Mamdani has faced criticism from the Jewish community over his refusal to condemn the phrase “globalize the intifada” and his stance on Israel, including his vow to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he entered the city while Mamdani was mayor.

Following Mamdani’s victory, Minister for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Amichai Chikli wrote in an op-ed for Fox News that “the city that once stood as the world’s beacon of liberty has handed the keys of power to a Hamas sympathizer.”

“It is almost unthinkable that New York — the proud and historic center of Jewish life — could become the American city where Jews no longer feel at home or safe,” Chikli added.

ANTISEMITISM WATCHDOG ISSUES SCATHING ‘ALARM BELL’ REPORT ON MAMDANI AS NYC ELECTION NEARS

Shortly before the election, the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP) released a report highlighting its concerns about Mamdani.

“It is incumbent on voters to understand the ideological context that Zohran Mamdani comes from and espouses,” Charles Asher Small, founding director of the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP), said in an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital.

The phrase “globalize the intifada” is seen by many Jews as a call to violence in reference to the first and second intifadas in Israel, both of which were intense yearslong periods of terror attacks. The phrase became a common chant as anti-Israel agitators used it at demonstrations during the Israel-Hamas war. 

In its report, ISGAP slammed Mamdani for his refusal to condemn the phrase and his attempt “to distance himself from the slogan by describing it as merely an expression of support for Palestine.”

ISGAP also objected to Mamdani’s characterization of Israel’s actions in Gaza following the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks as a “genocide.”

AJC CEO Ted Deutch also commented on the matter in a post-election email to supporters of his organization.

“The Mayor-elect’s refusal to condemn ‘globalize the intifada’ and use of the term ‘genocide’ when describing Israel’s defensive war against Hamas is chilling,” Deutch wrote. “The intifadas weren’t abstract political movements — they were waves of terror that slaughtered innocent Jews on buses, in pizza shops, and at nightclubs. When protesters chant this phrase, they’re calling for that violence to spread worldwide. And to call Israel’s self-defensive military operation a ‘genocide’ is not only factually and legally inaccurate, it provides fuel for extremist actors to turn to violence.”

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to scold potential Jewish Mamdani voters.

“Any Jewish person that votes for Zohran Mamdani, a proven and self-professed JEW HATER, is a stupid person!!!” Trump said in a Truth Social post Tuesday.

MAMDANI RIPPED BY RIVALS FOR UNPOPULAR STANCE DURING FIERY NYC DEBATE: ‘YOU WON’T SUPPORT ISRAEL’

Despite criticism, Mamdani has made statements claiming he would protect Jewish New Yorkers from antisemitism. During the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year, Mamdani wrote on X that he would do “everything in my power to protect Jewish New Yorkers.” The comment was made in response to an attack at a synagogue in England.

He also said during the election that it “pains” him when people call him an antisemite.

“And it pains me to be called an antisemite. It pains me to be painted as if I am somehow in opposition to the very Jewish New Yorkers that I know and love and are such a key part of this city,” Mamdani told reporters during his campaign.

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Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani’s campaign, the UJA-Federation of New York, the JCRC-NY, ADL New York/New Jersey and the New York Board of Rabbis.

Fox News Digital’s Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report.

FIRST ON FOX: A top parents’ rights in education group has filed an official complaint with the U.S. Department of Education alleging possible Title IX violations at Princeton University, saying the Ivy League institution forced female students to share “gender-neutral” restrooms with gaps in the stalls. 

The complaint from Defending Education says the university offers 250 “gender-inclusive” restrooms, all gender dorms, and prescribes gender hormone replacement therapy to students, “despite federal law and federal directives to the contrary.”

The university’s bathroom policy at two colleges, Yeh College and New College West, “appears to violate Title IX” by forcing over 500 students to share gender-neutral bathrooms that have “multiple showers and toilet stalls,” where residents must walk through common spaces to get to those stalls, the complaint states.

“First-year Princeton students cannot ‘opt out’ of the communal bathroom arrangement because Princeton ‘randomly assigns’ first-year students to one of several residential colleges,” the complaint explains. “As a result, Princeton forces female students to use ‘communal bathroom stalls [that] have gaps, which makes using them feel less safe and private,’ and which create situations where female students ‘walk in on guys literally peeing standing up with the door open.’”

CLICK HERE FOR MORE CAMPUS RADICALS COAST TO COAST

The complaint points to female students who have spoken out against the bathroom policies, including women who told the school newspaper in 2025 that they don’t feel “comfortable” and feel “unsafe.”

“In short, the reality of biological sex is a fiction at Princeton University,” Defending Education writes.

Additionally, the complaint takes issue with the graduation ceremony practices at Princeton, saying that the prestigious institution offers a ceremony called the “Rose Graduation” which celebrates “women and fem accomplishments and achievements” along with a “Lavender Graduation” that celebrates “queer and trans accomplishments and achievements.”

WATCH: STAFF AT TOP UNIVERSITY REVEAL SCHEME TO CONTINUE DEI UNDER ‘CHANGED’ NAMES

The letter calls for the university to “correct its violations of federal law immediately” and for the Department of Education to “investigate” the “unlawful policies and practices.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Princeton University for comment.

“Princeton University, one of the nation’s oldest universities, has a long and prestigious history,” Sarah Parshall Perry, vice president and legal fellow at Defending Education, told Fox News Digital.

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“But of late, it has confused sex with gender identity, proudly boasting of its efforts to be one of the most ‘transgender friendly’ institutions in the nation. But Princeton’s bathroom, housing, graduation, and medical policies flout federal law, and federal directive, and violate the rights of Princeton’s female students to equal education on the storied campus.”

During his first two weeks in office, President Donald Trump signed several education-related executive orders on school funding and antisemitism, and launched a federal review of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) practices in federally funded institutions.

Additionally, the Trump administration launched an investigation into a Colorado school district for allegedly “discriminating against its female students” after a girls’ restroom was reportedly converted into an “all-gender” facility, while the boys’ restroom remained for males only. 

During his first week in office, the president launched a federal review of DEI teachings and practices in educational institutions receiving federal funding, in an effort to restore “merit-based opportunity.”

Fox News Digital reached out to DOE for comment.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., took over Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s post-election news conference Wednesday, knocking the Democratic Party for their lack of support in political races in New York and Maine.

“Well, the party leadership did not support [mayoral candidate Zohran] Mamdani in New York,” Sanders said in front of the Senate podium. “Party leadership is not supporting [Senate hopeful Graham] Platner in Maine. And I think he’s going to win… I think there is a growing understanding that leadership, and defending the status quo and the inequalities that exist in America, is not where the American people are.”

Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist, won the mayoral race in New York City and Democrat Mikie Sherrill secured the New Jersey governorship.

California’s Proposition 50 was also passed after being placed on the ballot, and Democrats will maintain control of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court as Justices Christine Donohue, Kevin Dougherty and David Wecht won their respective retention races.

MAMDANI ACCUSES JOHNSON OF TRYING TO ‘DISTRACT’ AS HOUSE SPEAKER CALLS JEFFRIES’ ENDORSEMENT THE END OF DEMS

Prior to Sanders’ outburst, Schumer, D-N.Y., spoke with reporters, bashing Republicans as the government shutdown stretches into its 36th day, making it the longest shutdown in U.S. history.

“Last night, Republicans felt the political repercussions [of the Trump administration’s policies],” Schumer said. “It should serve as nothing short of a five-alarm fire to the Republicans. Their high-cost house is burning, and they’ve only got themselves to blame. As loudly and clearly as could possibly be done, from one end of the country to the other, the American people said enough is enough.”

SCHUMER SILENT AS VAN HOLLEN BLASTS ‘SPINELESS’ NY DEMOCRATS OVER MAMDANI SNUB

Schumer said he and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries demanded Wednesday morning President Donald Trump sit down with them to discuss healthcare issues.

“Last night was a really good night for Democrats and our fight to lower costs, improve health care and reach a better future for our country,” Schumer said. “But more importantly than that, last night was a great night for American families that are struggling now to make ends meet, because the election showed that Democrats’ control of the Senate is much closer than the people and the prognosticators realize. The more Republicans double down on raising costs and bowing down to Trump, the more their Senate majority is at risk.

“… When Leader Jeffries and I met with Donald Trump in the White House a month or so back, we told him this was going to happen. We warned him that if he didn’t do something, working with us to address the health care needs of America, and instead insisting on no negotiation with Democrats, that was a recipe for disaster for the country, and it would come back to haunt them. Last night should make it clear to Republicans that they simply cannot continue to ignore not only us, but the American people, for the good of the whole country.”

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Democratic leaders have been urging Republicans in both the House and Senate to confront the surge in health insurance premiums tied to the expiration of Affordable Care Act subsidies.

At the same time, funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has lapsed.

Though several stopgap measures have been proposed by Republicans, including a GOP-led bill blocked Tuesday, Congress has yet to reach an agreement.

A House Democrat representing a district that President Donald Trump won in 2024 is not seeking re-election next year.

Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, announced his plans in an op-ed for the Bangor Daily News on Wednesday, a day after Democrats’ sweeping electoral victories in Virginia, New Jersey, California and New York City.

“I have never loved politics. But I find purpose and meaning in service, and the Marine in me has been able to slog along through the many aspects of politics I dislike by focusing on the good work that Congress is capable of producing with patience and determination,” Golden wrote.

“But after 11 years as a legislator, I have grown tired of the increasing incivility and plain nastiness that are now common from some elements of our American community — behavior that, too often, our political leaders exhibit themselves.”

HEAD HERE FOR FOX NEWS ELECTION 2025 COVERAGE

Golden has represented Maine’s 2nd Congressional District since 2019. He’s managed to hold on to the seat through his constituents voting for President Donald Trump in both 2020 and 2024.

The moderate Democrat — also a Marine Corps veteran — has been known to frequently break from his own party, including on the recent government shutdown vote in September.

He shared more of his concerns with the left in his retirement announcement, criticizing both Republicans and Democrats for the current state of politics in the country.

“We have seen mainstream Republicans stand by as their party was hijacked first by Tea Party obstructionists and then by the MAGA movement and its willingness to hand much of Congress’ authority to the president,’ Golden wrote.

“I fear Democrats are going down the same path. We’re allowing the most extreme, pugilistic elements of our party to call the shots. Just look again at the shutdown. For as long as I can remember, we have opposed shutting down the government over policy disputes. We criticized Republicans for taking hostages this way. But this year, reeling from the losses of the last election, too many Democrats have given into demands that we use the same no-holds-barred, obstructionary tactics as the GOP.”

And despite his seat being a prime target for Republicans every two years, Golden said that did not factor into his decision.

“I don’t fear losing. What has become apparent to me is that I now dread the prospect of winning. Simply put, what I could accomplish in this increasingly unproductive Congress pales in comparison to what I could do in that time as a husband, a father and a son,” he wrote.

“I have long supported term limits and while current law allows me to run again, I like the idea of ending my service in Congress after eight years — the length of term limits in the Maine Legislature.”

SOCIALIST SHOCKWAVE: ZOHRAN MAMDANI STUNS NYC AS VOTERS HAND POWER TO DEMOCRATS’ FAR-LEFT FLANK

Golden’s seat had been ranked a “toss-up” by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, which also rated his district slightly in favor of the GOP at R+4.

House Republicans’ campaign arm wasted no time in seizing on Golden’s announcement, releasing its own statement shortly after his op-ed was published.

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“Serial flip-flopper Jared Golden’s exit from Congress says it all: He’s turned his back on Mainers for years and now his chickens are coming home to roost. He, nor any other Democrat, has a path to victory in ME-02 and Republicans will flip this seat red in 2026,” National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) spokeswoman Maureen O’Toole said in a release to reporters.

Beyond his frustration with partisan politics, however, Golden also revealed that the heightened political environment also pushed him to re-consider his congressional career.

Golden said earlier this year that he and his family had to spend Thanksgiving in a hotel room after receiving a bomb threat at their home.

House Democrats’ campaign arm thanked Golden for his service in its own statement upon his retirement.

“I sincerely commend Jared for all the work he has done for Mainers, from lowering costs to protecting lobstermen’s jobs and fighting for veterans,” Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) Chair Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., said. “He has devoted his life so far to service, first as a Marine, then in the Maine legislature, and in Congress since 2019. He embodies Maine’s independent spirit and I wish him and his family all the best in their next chapter.”

President Donald Trump on Wednesday cast New York City’s mayoral result for democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani as a hard left turn, telling a business audience in Miami that Democrats had “installed a communist” to lead the nation’s largest city and adding that he still wants the Big Apple to succeed. 

“But the communists, Marxists, socialists and globalists had their chance, and they delivered nothing but disaster. And now let’s see how a communist does in New York. We’re going to see how that works out,” Trump said.

Trump’s comments came during a wide-ranging speech marking the one-year anniversary of what he called the “single most consequential election victory,” referring to his 2024 presidential win.

He used Tuesday’s outcome in New York to sharpen a broader contrast with his administration’s agenda, saying voters face a choice “between communism and common sense.” At one point, he quipped that Miami could become a refuge for “those fleeing communism in New York City.”

DESANTIS BLASTS NYC’S ‘BALLISTIC PODIATRY’ AFTER ZOHRAN MAMDANI WINS MAYOR’S RACE AND FLORIDA EXPECTS EXODUS

In his remarks, Trump touted what he described as strong economic momentum, renewed manufacturing investment and tighter border enforcement. 

He argued that America is entering a “golden age,” saying his administration has “the strongest economy, the strongest borders, the strongest military” and claiming “trillions and trillions of dollars” are flowing back to the country.

Trump, a native New Yorker who rose to prominence through his real estate and branding ventures across Manhattan, built and managed landmarks, including Trump Tower and the Wollman Ice Rink renovation in Central Park. 

MAMDANI SAYS HE WON’T BE INTIMIDATED BY ANY TRUMP THREATS ABOUT DEPLOYING NATIONAL GUARD

He moved his primary residence to Florida in 2019 but has frequently pointed to his decades in the city to show what he calls its decline under Democrat leadership.

Trump also praised Miami’s growth and acknowledged local officials and guests in attendance during his remarks Wednesday.

Returning to New York near the close of his remarks, Trump repeated that he wants the city to do well despite its new direction.

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“We’ll help them a little bit,” he said. “Every day my administration will fight, fight, fight, and America will win, win, win.”

The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for additional comment.

Many political observers nationwide equated an upset win by Virginia Attorney General-elect Jay Jones and the Democratic ticket as a “demonic” example of the left putting politics ahead of decency.

A majority of Virginia voters ignored scandals that roiled Jones’ campaign, including his envision of murdering a top Republican lawmaker and their children, to put him in office and unseat more than a dozen GOP state delegates.

“They overlooked it because they hate Trump more than they care about what … the Virginia attorney general[-elect] said,” Outkick founder Clay Travis told Fox News on Wednesday.

“Miyares did an incredible job. This is an example of outrage at Trump motivating the turnout,” Travis said on “America’s Newsroom.”

LIBERAL MEDIA DOWNPLAYS SCANDAL OF DEM VIRGINIA AG HOPEFUL JAY JONES’ TEXTS FANTASIZING MURDER OF GOP LAWMAKER

Travis said Trump was clearly a driving force and that there were some Spanberger voters who split tickets in favor of outgoing Attorney General Jason Miyares, but that Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears’ losing margin was too much in an era of rare ticket-splitting.

He said one key observation is that Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger received 600,000 fewer total votes than Trump himself did in the president’s losing battle in Virginia one year prior.

When Trump is off the ballot, Republicans also don’t appear to turn out to vote, he said – as figures from heavily conservative southwestern Virginia bore that out Tuesday night.

JAY JONES INVOKES TRUMP NEARLY 50 TIMES DURING VIRGINIA AG DEBATE, TIES MIYARES TO ‘MAGA’

WTAR radio host Kerry Dougherty, who co-hosts an AM dial show in Hampton, wrote on X that Virginia needs to “buckle up.”

“Democrats last night installed a deranged sociopath in the attorney general’s office. A man who may find his law license suspended over chicanery with community service hours. Yep, they preferred him to a moderate, smart and successful Republican. We’re in deep trouble.”

Elsewhere, Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, argued that the political left shows little concern for victims of political violence, calling Jones’ victory the latest proof.

“A deranged lib murders Charlie Kirk, and Democrats respond by electing a sociopath who – in his own words – wants his political opponents and their children dead. Truly demonic,” Gill, wrote on X.

“Truly evil,” added Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier.

VIRGINIA DEMOCRATS HAVE A VIOLENCE PROBLEM

Uthmeier tried to help Miyares in the closing days of the race, appearing with him, Earle-Sears and now-outgoing Dels. Geary Higgins, R-Lovettsville, and Ian Lovejoy, R-Warrenton, at a closing-days rally in New Baltimore.

Virginia Republican voters were also vocal the morning after – as one wrote that it’s clear his neighbors would be alright if he was dead.

“At least I now know that all of my neighbors with Jay Jones signs up are okay with political violence,” the voter wrote on X.

SOCIAL MEDIA ERUPTS AFTER DISGRACED DEM NOMINEE LEANS ON TRUMP ATTACKS IN VIRGINIA AG DEBATE

“I can no longer in good conscience be associated with them. They obviously want me dead too.”

Conservative commentator Benny Johnson played out the scenario such Jones voters may have thought through before voting:

“Democrats in Virginia saw these texts from Jay Jones and decided ‘yup, he has my vote’,” Johnson said.

JAY JONES’ ‘TWO BULLETS’ SCANDAL OVER VIOLENT TEXTS EXPECTED TO DOMINATE VIRGINIA AG DEBATE

“Truly evil. You can’t live in a country with people that want you dead.”

Jack Posobiec, a conservative commentator and editor at Human Events, responded to Jones’ post-scandal win with his own recollection of political violence:

“I saw a leftist murder Charlie Kirk and I saw them celebrate it,” Posobiec said.

“While conservatives have spent the last few weeks arguing with each other, Democrats just elected an Attorney General who openly fantasizes about murdering us and watching our children die in our arms,” added commentator Matt Walsh.

“These people are the enemy. What more do you need to see? Seriously. What more do you need to see?”

“Ruthless” podcast producer Leigh Wolf wrote on X that the election results in Virginia are the “first empirical evidence” in the public sphere that proves Democrats writ-large support political violence as a tool to achieve power.

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“They saw with their own eyes this absolute psycho go into graphic detail about the need to murder children as a means of achieving political outcomes, and they voted yes,” Wolf said.

“You can’t hand wave away violence as the actions of a few fringe radicals when you affirmatively vote in favor of those tactics.”

In their responses to Jones’ victory, voices on the left steered clear of the question of condoning violence, including one of the attorney general-elect’s top backers, Senate President L. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth.

Lucas posted a clip drawn from Fox News video of Jones greeting voters in Norfolk, which an official at the Republican Attorney General’s Assocation trimmed down to show the Democrat appearing to try to kick a dog in a potentially playful manner.

Lucas re-envisioned that clip as a GIF of Jones making the kicking motion toward the dog – but instead hitting Attorney General Jason Miyares, whose avatar went flying upward toward the sky.

Elsewhere, Democratic state Sen. Mamie Locke of Hampton commented that Democrats wins instead showed that her party won because “Republicans cannot govern, do their jobs and would rather shut the government down than feed people or provide them health care.”

“And, Trump, you were on the ballot. Maybe not literally, but your failed policies were,” Locke said. “Voters told you how they felt about those failures. Your efforts to distract, distort, discourage, discredit, and destroy this country has Virginians and citizens all over America fighting back. This is just the beginning.”

Anti-Trump commentator Tim Miller also commented on X about those observers expressing fears as some conservatives have.

After conservative commentator Megyn Kelly said that “God save Republicans and their children in VA,” Miller called it “the first known case of Spanberger Derangement Syndrome.”

Fox News Digital also reached out to Lt. Gov.-elect Ghazala Hashmi for her view on whether Jones’ election and that of Democrats writ large should be connected with a passivity toward political violence.

Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content. Here’s what’s happening…

-Supreme Court to weigh Trump tariff powers in blockbuster case

-NYC fire chief announces resignation after Mamdani wins mayoral race

-Minneapolis Democratic Mayor Jacob Frey wins re-election after fending off socialist challenger

David Hogg celebrates Zohran Mamdani’s win, calls on Dems to reignite the ‘American Dream’

As Zohran Mamdani declared victory in New York City, former DNC vice chair David Hogg told Fox News Digital that Democrats heading into the midterms should focus on restoring voters’ faith in the American Dream.

After losing up and down the ballot in 2024, Democrats secured victories in the most-watched races of this off-year election cycle — from a socialist shockwave in New York City, Democratic-led redistricting success in California and gubernatorial wins in New Jersey and Virginia.

“No other city is like New York City,” Hogg said Tuesday night. “No other state is like Virginia or New Jersey. The lesson that will be learned here tonight is not that every policy in New York should be replicated around the country. It’s that listening and telling voters what you are actually going to do to lower prices works.”…READ MORE.
 

White House

JUSTICES REVOLT: Barrett and Sotomayor tag-team interrogation of Trump lawyer on tariff powers

‘SO EASY TO WIN’: Trump appears to jab defeated Republicans, saying it’s ‘easy’ to win elections ‘when you talk about the facts’

MIDTERM MATH: Vance delivers post-election reality check, contends GOP must make life affordable or get walloped in 2026

Capitol Hill

FEELING BLUE: Vulnerable House Dem criticizes ‘extreme’ left in shocking 2026 announcement

CAPITOL SCRUTINY: Pentagon faces bipartisan criticism over lack of communication with Congress

BERNIE’S REVOLT: Bernie Sanders crashes Schumer news conference, criticizes Democratic Party leadership

DEMS DIG DEEPER: Senate Dems emboldened in shutdown strategy after election sweep

Across America 

ELECTION PROTECTION: Texas passes constitutional amendment explicitly prohibiting noncitizen voting

MISSING MARGINS: Inside Jay Jones and the Democrats’ late surge to upset wins across Virginia, from the suburbs to the shore

CAMPUS RADICALS: Top university hit with scathing federal complaint calling for probe into ‘unsafe’ and ‘unlawful’ DEI agenda

ACCOUNTABILITY CALL: Jewish groups issue post-election warning to Mamdani as he prepares to lead New York City

‘CONGRATS, MAYOR’: Heir to billionaire Soros fortune cheers Mamdani election with penthouse photo

DOG WHISTLE: Mamdani victory speech draws concern as NYC mayor-elect vows ‘no problem too large for government to solve’

Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.

Following Zohran Mamdani’s decisive mayoral victory in New York City Tuesday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., dodged a question on whether the self-proclaimed democratic socialist is the future of the Democratic Party.

“You had record turnout in New York City for this election. Would you say that Mamdani is the future of the Democratic Party?” a reporter asked Jeffries during Wednesday’s press conference on Capitol Hill.

“Well, what Democrats have done all across the country is lean into the issue of affordability because of the fact that America’s too expensive costs are too high, and Donald Trump and Republicans, not only have they not done anything about it, they’ve made it worse as a result of the Trump tariffs as a result of them detonating the clean energy economy,” Jeffries responded.

“That’s why electricity bills are skyrocketing. And now, of course, they’re forcing these dramatically increased health care premiums to be visited upon the American people.”

SOCIALIST SHOCK WAVE: ZOHRAN MAMDANI STUNS NYC AS VOTERS HAND POWER TO DEMOCRATS’ FAR-LEFT FLANK

Jeffries was also asked whether he is personally comfortable having the city he represents, the most populous city in America, run by a socialist.

In response, Jeffries simply answered that Mamdani “is the mayor-elect of the City of New York. It’s incumbent upon everyone to make sure that he’s successful.”

Although Mamdani was quickly endorsed by some of the country’s most progressive leaders, such as Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., the Democratic Party’s top leadership was slower to give its blessing. Jeffries did not answer whether he would be endorsing Mamdani until just before early voting began Oct. 24. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., never issued an endorsement of Mamdani. However, he called his electoral victory “historic.”

Mamdani, a 34-year-old immigrant from Uganda, is the first Muslim mayor of New York City.

WILL ELECTION DAY 2025 BE REMEMBERED AS THE RISE OF THE SOCIALISTS?

Despite dodging these questions, Jeffries received an identical question earlier in the week about whether Mamdani is the future of the Democratic Party, prompting him to say, “I think the future of the Democratic Party is going to fall, as far as we‘re concerned, relative to the House Democratic Caucus and members who are doing a great work all across the country as it relates to our need to both take back control of the House.” 

Jeffries called Tuesday night’s election a “big night for the American people” and a “big night for the Democratic Party.”

Besides New York City, Democrats notched major victories in California, Virginia and New Jersey. Jeffries called the election results “a decisive repudiation of Donald Trump and failed Republican policies.”

This comes as the government shutdown over expiring Obamacare subsidies and healthcare benefits enters day 36, becoming the longest closure in U.S. history.

Senate Democrats have voted 14 times to reject a House-passed continuing resolution budget bill that would reopen the government.

Despite this, Jeffries indicated he believes Tuesday’s election showed the country is blaming President Donald Trump and Republicans for the shutdown and that more Democratic victories are in store in 2026.

VANCE DELIVERS POST-ELECTION REALITY CHECK, CONTENDS GOP MUST MAKE LIFE AFFORDABLE OR GET WALLOPED IN 2026

“We’re going to take back control of the United States House of Representatives. So, let’s be very clear about that,” he said. “Based on the environment that we know exists, which, as Democrats, we’ve been telling you for the last several months, is the reality. But now it’s been confirmed by the American people.”

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He also praised the passage of a California redistricting proposition, which was backed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, saying it will further help Democrats retake the House.

“Stay tuned because more is coming,” he said. “Republicans are going to be unable to gerrymander their way into rigging the midterm elections. That scheme is over. Buried dead in the ground. And, so, we’re going to take back control of the House and fight for every inch of territory.”

Kansas leaders brought criminal charges Wednesday against Joe Ceballos, the mayor of a small city in rural Kansas, alleging he voted in several elections but is not a U.S. citizen.

Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab and Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, both elected Republicans, announced that they brought six charges in Comanche County against Ceballos, a lawful permanent resident from Mexico, for voting in elections in 2022, 2023 and 2024.

Ceballos is the mayor of Coldwater and previously served as a city councilman.

States are required by law to have mechanisms in place to regularly clean voter registration lists, also known as voter rolls. The process includes using external databases to screen for noncitizens, which Kobach, a longtime immigration hawk and ally of President Donald Trump, said is not error-proof.

“Noncitizen voting is a real problem. It is not something that happens once in a decade. It is something that happens fairly frequently,” Kobach said, echoing the broader sentiments of Republicans who say voter fraud is a pressing issue.

MAINE VOTERS DEFEAT VOTER ID BALLOT INITIATIVE, APPROVE ‘RED FLAG’ GUN RESTRICTIONS

Ceballos’ charges, which include perjury and voting without being qualified, according to the complaint reviewed by Fox News Digital, carry a maximum penalty of more than five years in prison. Ceballos did not respond to a request for comment.

Kobach, who previously served as Kansas secretary of state, has a long history of pushing for tougher immigration enforcement and stricter voter ID laws. In 2018, he lost a high-profile federal lawsuit after attempting to enforce a state law that required voters to provide physical documentation of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote, which a court found exceeded the necessary requirements to confirm citizenship, in violation of federal election laws.

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

The court said at the time that the state law could not “be justified by the scant evidence of noncitizen voter fraud before and after the law was passed.”

Kobach did not detail how state officials came to learn that the mayor and former city councilman is allegedly a noncitizen, but he said investigators had “unassailable evidence” against Ceballos.

Kobach said city officials, such as mayors, are also required by law to be U.S. citizens, which the attorney general said was “worth noting” but not a criminal offense. Ceballos was on the ballot for reelection on Election Day, but the official results have not been certified yet.

“In large part, our system right now is based on trust, trust that when the person signs the registration or signs the poll books saying that he is a qualified elector or that he is a United States citizen, that the person is telling the truth,” Kobach said. “In this case we allege that Mr. Ceballos violated that trust.”

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Kobach and Schwab said they recently began taking advantage of a federal government database that helps cross-check voter rolls with immigration records that they expect will lead them to identify more voting violations.

Ceballos’ first court appearance is Dec. 3. 

Zohran Mamdani vowed Tuesday night during his victory address to “turn the page” on old-guard New York City Democrats, but within less than 24-hours the mayor-elect of New York City announced a transition team comprised of folks with ties to the administrations of Bill de Blasio, Eric Adams, Michael Bloomberg and Joe Biden. 

“Let tonight be the final time I utter [Andrew Cuomo’s] name, as we turn the page on a politics that abandons the many and answers only to the few,” Mamdani said Tuesday evening as he touted a new political order for New York City at his victory address at the Brooklyn Paramount theater. Meanwhile, the next morning, Mamdani named an all-female transition team comprised of four co-chairs and an executive director. 

The co-chairs are Maria Torres-Springer, a former top aide under former mayors de Blasio and Michael Bloomberg, and soon-to-be former mayor Adams; Lina Khan, the Biden administration’s Federal Trade Commission chair; Melanie Hartzog, a former New York City budget director who served as the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services under de Blasio; and Grace Bonilla, a former Bloomberg and de Blasio aide appointed to lead the former’s Task Force on racial equity and Inclusion. Elana Leopold, a former senior aide for de Blasio, was tapped to be the transition team’s executive director.

WILL ELECTION DAY 2025 BE REMEMBERED AS THE RISE OF THE SOCIALISTS? 

Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani for comment but did not get a response in time for publication.  

“The polls have barely closed and already the incoming mayor is breaking one of his core promises to shake up the status quo and usher in a new day. New York City started a downward spiral under the de Blasio Administration, and now some of its main players are returning to the halls of power,” said Republican strategist Colin Reed. “And former FTC Chair Lina Khan became synonymous with her hostility toward businesses large and small during the Biden Administration and one of the ringleaders of Bidenomics.”

Khan, in particular, has been accused of sidelining career staff in favor of fresh blood from a cadre of dark money nonprofits, which coincided with a forceful antitrust strategy that mirrored the organizations’ goals. The FTC, under Khan’s leadership, credited individuals brought up from these nonprofits for help in crafting policy and messaging in posts on its website, and in a report to Congress in 2022.

FLASHBACK: WILDEST MOMENTS MAMDANI OVERCAME ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL TO BECOME NYC’S NEXT MAYOR 

Mamdani, a New York state assemblymember who ran as the Democratic candidate for New York City mayor, defeated former Empire State Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa in the Big Apple’s mayoral contest.

During Mamdani’s victory speech Tuesday night, the mayor-elect also slammed corporate interests, telling his supporters that New Yorkers have been betrayed by those elected officials who care more about their own enrichment. “We refuse to let them dictate the rules of the game anymore. They can play by the same rules as the rest of us.”

Meanwhile, Mamdani’s election victory was being cheered on by Alex Soros, the son of billionaire philanthropist George Soros, who has helped fund left-wing campaigns stretching from district attorneys to federal elections. In 2022, the younger Soros succeeded his father as chair of the board of directors of the massive $25 billion Open Society Foundations he runs his activism through. 

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Alex Soros’ support of Mamdani is not a surprise, with the Open Society Foundations reportedly donating $37 million across the last decade to left-wing groups that ultimately promoted Mamdani’s nomination this year, such as the Working Families Party, the New York Post reported in July.

Fox News Digital’s Greg Norman and Emma Colton contributed to this report.

EXCLUSIVE: Ultimate Fighting Championship pioneer and legend Royce Gracie has endorsed a pro-law enforcement candidate who is running for governor in California.

One of the biggest names in mixed martial arts and the first UFC champion, Gracie made a name for himself by taking down much larger opponents through precision and skill.

Now he is weighing into the political sphere in the race to replace Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is term-limited and widely rumored to have 2028 presidential ambitions.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Gracie said he is endorsing sheriff Chad Bianco’s long-shot bid to replace Newsom in 2026. Gracie, a three-time UFC champion, called Bianco a “fighter” who is “exactly who we need.”

KATIE PORTER SAYS SHE REGRETS VIRAL OUTBURSTS AT REPORTER, STAFFER

“When Gavin Newsom closed businesses, schools, and churches, one person stood against him, Sheriff Chad Bianco,” Gracie told Fox News Digital.

“Chad Bianco didn’t fold. He’s a fighter, and a fighter is exactly who we need as Governor of California,” he added, saying, “We need his strength to turn this state around after the mess Gavin Newsom has created.”

Bianco, who is a vocal Trump supporter and the sheriff of Riverside County, just east of Los Angeles, announced his gubernatorial candidacy back in February, saying, “Californians deserve better.”

He has framed his candidacy around restoring safety and a better quality of life to California.

“This campaign will not be about the divide between Republicans and Democrats. It will be about the common goal we all have for a better California,” Bianco emphasized at his campaign launch.

“As Californians, we want leadership that actually cares about the cost of living …and leaders who will do something about it,” Bianco said in his address. “We want homes we can afford. We want air conditioning when it’s hot, not rolling blackouts. We want water for the crops and animals that feed us. We want the opportunity to achieve the California Dream, not be prevented from it because of red tape and regulation from government. We want honesty and transparency from our elected officials. We want lower taxes and less government waste. We want sanity restored and common sense to prevail.”

PELOSI SPOKESMAN SIDESTEPS RETIREMENT RUMORS AS DEM PRIMARY THREATS WAIT IN WINGS

Bianco, who has worked in law enforcement for more than three decades, was first elected sheriff in 2018. A vocal critic of Newsom and soft on crime policies, Bianco was one of the leaders who helped push California’s Proposition 36 ballot measure to a landslide victory in last November’s elections. The measure, which took effect in December, mandates stiffer penalties and longer sentences in California for certain drug and theft crimes.

In response to Gracie’s endorsement, Bianco told Fox News Digital that “Californians are waking up, and we are going to clean up this state.”

“Gavin Newsom has been chasing away Californians in record numbers,” he said, adding, “I’m grateful for the support of patriots like Royce Gracie.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Newsom’s office for comment but did not receive a statement by the time of publication. 

Bianco is facing a steep uphill battle to win as a Republican in deep blue California. It has been nearly two decades since a Republican won a statewide race.

Though still early, the current frontrunner to be Newsom’s successor is former Democratic Rep. Katie Porter, a progressive who has made resisting President Donald Trump a central theme of her campaign.

CALIFORNIA FIREFIGHTERS TOLD TO IGNORE SIGNS OF A FIRE: REPORT

Xavier Becerra, former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary under the Biden administration and former California attorney general, is also running for the Democratic nomination.

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The Democratic and Republican primaries will be held on June 2 next year and the general election will be on Nov. 3.

President Donald Trump appeared to take a swipe at Republican candidates who lost on Tuesday while addressing the America Business Forum in Miami, Fla., on Wednesday.

After listing a series of his accomplishments, Trump said it’s “so easy to win elections when you talk about the facts.” 

“Almost 2 million American-born workers are employed today, more than when I took office. That’s nine months ago. Can you imagine?” Trump said. “And I tell Republicans, if you want to win elections, you gotta talk about these facts. You know, it’s so easy to win elections when you talk about the facts.”

He then added that, “These are things you have to talk about. It doesn’t just happen, you got to tell them. It’s wonderful to do them, but if people don’t talk about them, then you can do not so well in elections.”

OPIONION: ARE YOU BETTER OFF SINCE DONALD TRUMP TOOK OFFICE?

On Tuesday, Republicans lost several major races, including gubernatorial elections in New Jersey and Virginia, as well as the mayoral race in New York City. While Trump backed former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo for mayor over Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, he still made the jab at Republicans generally.

“One year ago, we were a dead country. Now we’re a country that’s considered [one of] the hottest countries anywhere in the world,” Trump said, crediting his administration with getting 600,000 Americans off of food stamps and creating jobs for 1.9 million Americans. He highlighted the supposed increase in jobs, saying that nearly 2 million more Americans were employed than when he entered office less than a year ago.

SOCIALIST SHOCKWAVE: ZOHRAN MAMDANI STUNS NYC AS VOTERS HAND POWER TO DEMOCRATS’ FAR-LEFT FLANK

While Trump touted his achievements for the working class, Zohran Mamdani, hot off his victory in New York City, gave a different analysis earlier Wednesday.

During an appearance on “Good Morning America,” Mamdani contrasted himself and Trump. Mamdani argued that, unlike the president, he is ready to solve the “cost of living crisis” for Americans who are struggling.

Mamdani also said that Trump is “someone who ran an entire presidential campaign on the promise of cheaper groceries and is now, as the president, making it harder for Americans to afford those groceries by cutting SNAP benefits.”

Trump, who was marking the anniversary of being elected for a second presidential term, did not shy away from taking a swipe at Mamdani as well.

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“We lost a little bit of sovereignty last night in New York, but we’ll take care of that. Don’t worry about it,” he told the crowd in Miami on Wednesday.

Republicans have largely blamed the lapse in SNAP benefits on Democrats as the parties battle it out in D.C. amid the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.

Justice Amy Coney Barrett had pointed questions Wednesday about the law Donald Trump invoked to impose global tariffs, joining several other justices on the right and left in voicing skepticism about the president’s ability to use a tool he has deemed critical to carrying out his economic agenda.

Solicitor General John Sauer repeatedly argued during the lengthy 2½-hour oral arguments that the emergency law Trump used to enact the tariffs for nearly every U.S. trading partner contained language about regulating imports, which Sauer said included using tariffs. The relevant statute permits the president to “regulate … nullify [and] void … importation,” but it does not use the word “tariff.” Barrett pressed Sauer on this point.

“Can you point to any other place in the code or any other time in history where that phrase together, ‘regulate importation,’ has been used to confer tariff-imposing authority?” Barrett, a Trump appointee, asked.

SUPREME COURT PREPARES TO CONFRONT MONUMENTAL CASE OVER TRUMP EXECUTIVE POWER AND TARIFF AUTHORITY

Sauer noted one other trade law that had served as a precursor to the emergency law in question, but Barrett appeared unconvinced, repeating her question as Sauer failed to offer direct responses.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor, an Obama appointee, interjected, asking Sauer to “just answer the justice’s question.”

Sotomayor at one point noted that no president has ever used the emergency law, known as the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, to impose tariffs, though Sauer argued that President Richard Nixon’s tariffs were used that way even if the IEEPA did not exist at that stage.

“It’s a congressional power, not a presidential power to tax,” Sotomayor said. “And you want to say tariffs are not taxes. But that’s exactly what they are. They’re generating money from American citizens, revenue.”

The liberal justice noted that Congress has always used the phrase “regulate and tax” together, suggesting that the absence of any mention of tariffs or taxes in a law’s language was deliberate and that Congress purposely did not grant that power to the president.

“Are you telling us that, with respect to its use of ‘regulate’ in other statutes, the taxing reference is superfluous? They didn’t need to do that?” Sotomayor asked.

TRUMP ASKS SUPREME COURT FOR URGENT RULING ON TARIFF POWERS AS ‘STAKES COULD NOT BE HIGHER’

Both Barrett and Sotomayor also drilled down on other verbs in the statute, underscoring the absence of tariff powers.

“To me, things like ‘nullify’ and ‘void’ have definite meanings. I agree with you that ‘regulate’ is a broader term, but those words, I think, are powerful,” Barrett said.

Sotomayor was more blunt, “The verbs that accompany ‘regulate’ have nothing to do with raising revenues in the form of taxes.”

The case has become one of the most closely watched of the term and has presented a novel question to the high court that Trump framed this week as “life or death.”

“Our Stock Market is consistently hitting Record Highs, and our Country has never been more respected than it is right now,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “A big part of this is the Economic Security created by Tariffs, and the Deals that we have negotiated because of them.”

Sauer told the justices that Trump views the trade deficit and opioid epidemic as “country killing and not sustainable” and that he has chosen to address them by using the IEEPA to impose tariffs. Sauer highlighted the success of the trade agreements Trump has made with top foreign competitors, like China, because of the president’s tariff choices.

“Unwinding those agreements, [Trump] warns, would expose us to ruthless trade retaliation by far more aggressive countries and drive America from strength to failure with ruinous economic and national security consequences,” Sauer said.

Sauer argued the emergency law gives the president the power to regulate importation and that “the power to tariff is a core application of that,” even if not explicitly stated in the law.

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In addition to the liberal justices and Barrett, other Republican-appointed justices conveyed skepticism, including Chief Justice John Roberts, who questioned how far presidential emergency powers go under the law.

“The exercise of the power is to impose tariffs, and the statute doesn’t use the word tariffs,” Roberts said.

Republican and Democratic lawmakers used a routine Senate Armed Services Committee nomination hearing Tuesday to air their frustrations with the Pentagon over what they described as its lack of communication with Congress on key policy decisions and national security issues.

The hearing focused on three key nominations — two for the Department of War, Austin Dahmer and Robert Kadlec, and one for the Air Force, Michael J. Borders, Jr.

Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Roger Wicker, R-Miss., introduced the three nominees, underscoring the significance of the roles they could assume.

Wicker noted that Dahmer, nominated to be assistant secretary of war for strategy, plans and capabilities, would oversee the Pentagon’s global posture, guide implementation of the National Defense Strategy (NDS), and help develop plans to implement President Donald Trump’s foreign policy agenda.

SENATE ADVANCES 2026 DEFENSE BILL AFTER WEEKS OF DELAY AS SHUTDOWN DRAGS ON

“I make this point in particular because I’ve noticed an unsettling trend this year. At times, the Pentagon officials have pursued policies that are not in accord with President Trump’s orders or seem uncoordinated within the administration,” he said.

The top Republican pointed to the Pentagon’s announcement last week that it would discontinue the rotational deployment of an infantry brigade combat team in Romania, arguing it appeared at odds with President Trump’s remarks that U.S. troops would not be withdrawn from Europe.

A press release from U.S. Army Europe and Africa said the discontinuation of the brigade team is “not an American withdrawal from Europe or a signal of lessened commitment to NATO and Article 5.”

PENTAGON SCALES BACK TROOPS FROM NATO EASTERN FLANK, DENIES AMERICAN WITHDRAWAL FROM EUROPE

“Rather this is a positive sign of increased European capability and responsibility. Our NATO allies are meeting President Trump’s call to take primary responsibility for the conventional defense of Europe,” the press release read in part. “This force posture adjustment will not change the security environment in Europe.”

Wicker added that members were struggling to receive information from the Pentagon’s policy office and haven’t been able to consult with it “in a meaningful way.”

War Secretary Pete Hegseth and Deputy War Secretary Steve Feinberg directed Pentagon personnel to coordinate all interactions with Congress through the department’s central legislative affairs office, according to an Oct. 15 memo obtained by Breaking Defense.

HEGSETH ORDERS HUNDREDS OF MILITARY COMMANDERS TO VIRGINIA FOR UNPRECEDENTED MEETING

The move is seen by some lawmakers as an effort to limit information sharing with Congress, though the Pentagon says it is intended to improve coordination and transparency in its communications with lawmakers.

“The Department intends to improve accuracy and responsiveness in communicating with the Congress to facilitate increased transparency. This review is for processes internal to the Department and does not change how or from whom Congress receives information,” said Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell in a statement to Breaking Defense.

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., pressed Dahmer at the hearing on what he viewed as a series of Pentagon policy missteps, pointing to a March pause in U.S. aid to Ukraine, a canceled June meeting between Japanese and U.S. officials and a review of the AUKUS agreement.

“I understand that media reports can be wrong, believe me, but it just seems like there’s this pigpen-like mess coming out of a policy shop that you don’t see from, say, intel and security and acquisition and sustainment,” Cotton said.

Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., said Congress wasn’t being treated as an “Article 1 co-equal branch.”

“We see no sense of urgency to relate to Congress. We see no sense of urgency to connect with Congress pre-publication of the NDS,” she explained. 

Senate Armed Services Committee ranking member Jack Reed, D-R.I., also criticized Dahmer for seeming to have a “veil of ignorance” about key events and decisions, despite performing the duties of deputy undersecretary of war since March.

Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, called out top Pentagon policy official Elbridge Colby for being difficult to reach before asking Dahmer, Kadlec and Borders Jr. to commit to returning senators’ calls the same day if confirmed.

“The guy you’re going to work for [Colby] has been really bad on this. The worst in the administration,” Sullivan said, noting it was easier to get in touch with Hegseth and Trump. “Man, I can’t even get a response and we’re on your team.”

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Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson told Fox News Digital in a statement: “All DoW components engage with Congress on a very regular basis, in line with guidance established by the Secretary to ensure that we are being as responsive and transparent as possible. The Policy organization alone, under the leadership of Under Secretary Colby, has briefed Congress dozens of times, in both classified and unclassified settings, in addition to other meetings. The Department values its relationship with the Hill, and we look forward to continuing to work collaboratively with Congress to support a robust national defense.”

Senate Democrats are riding high after a wave of victories on Election Day and view Democratic candidates’ performances as an indicator that their shutdown strategy is working.

As the government shutdown officially entered record-breaking territory in its 36th day, Senate Democrats felt emboldened by the election results, and saw the blowout wins across the country as an indictment against President Donald Trump and Republicans, particularly on the matter of expiring Obamacare premium subsidies.

Still, some Senate Democrats are mulling an off-ramp from the shutdown and considering an offer from Republicans that would guarantee them a vote on the expiring subsidies in exchange for supporting the House-passed continuing resolution (CR).

SENATE DEMOCRATS EYE EXIT FROM RECORD-BREAKING SHUTDOWN AS PRESSURE INTENSIFIES

But some warn that caving now for the promise of a vote would be the wrong move.

“If they cave now and go forward with a meaningless vote, I think it will be a horrible policy decision, and I think politically, to the Democrats,” Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said. “And you know, they’re going to come into the 2026 election. Some of you may have heard the expression, when we fight, we win. You ever hear that? Well, when you cave, you lose.”

Some Republicans fear that the election may have caused Senate Democrats to dig deeper into their position and remain united in their shutdown game plan.

President Donald Trump, during a breakfast at the White House with the Senate GOP Wednesday morning, contended that the “shutdown was a big factor, negative for the Republicans,” on election night.

“I think the Democrats, you know, may feel emboldened by it, but I think that people are going to get past election results fairly quickly and start remembering that they’ve just unilaterally decided to shut down the government,” Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., told Fox News Digital. “So I think it could be maybe a weak bump, but at the end of the day, we’re going to get back to the reality that we’ve got to fund the government.”

SCHUMER PUSHES SHUTDOWN INTO RECORD BOOKS AFTER REJECTING GOP BILL A 14TH TIME

Republicans are also not budging from their shutdown strategy as the closure drags on. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., offered Senate Democrats a vote on the expiring subsidies and wants to jump-start the government funding process by tying a small package of spending bills to the CR.

“Can this be over now? Have the American people suffered enough or do the Democrats need more?” Thune said on the Senate floor.

Despite his and the GOP’s offer, and Trump’s offer to meet with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., after the shutdown ended on the expiring subsidies, Senate Democrats do want more.

“Republicans shouldn’t ignore us anymore for their own good and the country’s good,” Schumer said on the Senate floor. “So this morning, Leader Jeffries and I once again demanded a meeting with the president. It’s time to sit down and negotiate with Democrats to bring this Republican shutdown to an end.”

SENATE REPUBLICANS PLOT LONGER-TERM FUNDING BILL AS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN CONTINUES

Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., whose home state elected Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill in a blowout double-digit win over Republican Jack Ciattarelli, contended that Trump “certainly feels weaker.”

“This was a resounding defeat for Donald Trump,” Kim said. “He should have woke up this morning and just immediately said, ‘I — we need to negotiate. We need to find an end to this shutdown.’”

And Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., agreed with Sanders’ outlook that Democrats should dig in and not cave.

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But whether it strengthened Senate Democrats’ hand in trying to get Trump to the negotiating table, he was skeptical.

“If you’re dealing with rational actors, yes, are we dealing with rational actors? I have no idea,” Gallego told Fox News Digital. “This is a man that’s going across the country and redistricting the hell out of the country, and amid this redistricting to help save him from potentially dealing with a Democratic-controlled Congress, and now he’s basically going to assure a Democratic Congress by screwing up the one thing that is entirely under his control, which is making sure these premiums don’t go up.”

The son of billionaire philanthropist George Soros released an image of himself standing beside Zohran Mamdani in a penthouse, writing after his election that, “The American dream continues!”

“So proud to be a New Yorker!” Alex Soros said on X. “Congrats, Mayor Zohran Mamdani.”

Alex Soros is the son of Open Society Foundations founder George Soros, who has helped fund left-wing campaigns stretching from district attorneys to federal elections. Alex Soros succeeded his father as chair of the board of directors of the massive $25 billion nonprofit in 2022.

Hours after his post, Mamdani appeared on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” declaring, “I think you have to raise taxes on the top 1% of New Yorkers.”

SOROS EMPIRE HEIR REVEALS WHO HE’S ‘PROUD’ TO BACK IN HIGH-STAKES NYC MAYORAL RACE

Alex Soros’ support of Mamdani is not a surprise, with the Open Society Foundations reportedly donating $37 million across the last decade to left-wing groups that ultimately promoted Mamdani’s nomination this year, such as the Working Families Party, the New York Post reported in July.

The younger Soros is a New York native.

FOX NEWS VOTER POLL: CHANGE CANDIDATE MAMDANI DEFEATS LEGACY POLITICAL FIGURES

“I was proud to support and vote for the Democratic candidate for mayor,” Soros told The New York Times in an emailed statement on Election Day.

Alex Soros’ support of Mamdani comes as President Donald Trump has slammed Mamdani as a “communist.” Trump has also criticized the Soros family over their donations to left-wing causes and candidates, including calling for investigations into George and Alex Soros.

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“Soros, and his group of psychopaths, have caused great damage to our Country! That includes his Crazy, West Coast friends. Be careful, we’re watching you!” Trump wrote on Truth Social in August.

FIRST ON FOX: Citing frustrations with persistent crime, a trio of North Carolina lawmakers is urging Democratic Gov. Josh Stein to deploy the National Guard in Charlotte, saying the state of the city has become “increasingly dire.”

“Recently, the city faced eight homicides in seven days. The murder rate in uptown Charlotte is now 200% higher than it was a year ago,” the letter states. “According to the Fraternal Order of Police, aggravated assaults involving knives or guns have risen from 86 in 2024 to 111 in 2025, and personal strong-arm robberies have increased from 26 to 31 in the same period.”

Rep. Mark Harris, R-N.C., one of the letter’s authors, said the request doesn’t just come from the state’s congressional delegation.

“This is not just my idea. This is the Fraternal Order of Police that had come, saying that they believed this is important and asking the governor and mayor to step up and do it,” Harris said, alluding to a similar letter published by Charlotte-Mecklenburg law enforcement earlier this year. 

MAJOR CITY POLICE UNIONS SUPPORT FEDERAL TROOP DEPLOYMENTS, BUT LOCAL LEADERS ARE PUSHING BACK

The letter’s three signatories, Harris, Rep. Pat Harrigan and Rep. Chuck Edwards, all represent the Charlotte area.

The North Carolina letter comes as President Donald Trump has used the National Guard to bring attention to crime in cities like Washington, D.C., Memphis, Chicago and others. So far, the administration has deployed the National Guard to six urban areas and floated deployments in another five — even as courts weigh the use of federal troops to address domestic crime.

The letter from the North Carolina lawmakers pointed to those deployments as a template for success. 

“Other cities have deployed the National Guard and seen positive results. In Washington, D.C., when President Trump deployed troops under his lawful authority, the city promptly saw a reduction in crime, including twelve consecutive days without a single homicide,” the letter states.

That’s also the thinking of members of the House Republican Conference leadership. Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., called it a continuation of the administration’s work. Scalise serves the conference as majority leader — the No. 2 Republican in the chamber.

“Millions of Americans don’t feel safe in many once-great cities, and President Trump is working with House Republicans to change that. As we’ve seen in D.C. and Memphis, President Trump took decisive action, cleaned up our streets, and made those cities safer,” Scalise said. 

“I commend my colleagues from North Carolina for calling out the violent crime in Charlotte and working to make the city safer for residents and visitors, and encourage more leaders to do the same,” he added.

MEMPHIS RESIDENTS SPLIT OVER NATIONAL GUARD DEPLOYMENT TO FIGHT CITY’S CRIME

According to the Charlotte Police Department’s quarterly statistics report, violent crimes, commercial burglaries and larcenies from automobiles have all gone up in Charlotte since last year. But other crimes like homicides, rapes, property crimes and arson have come down modestly from levels in 2024. In many categories, Charlotte’s current crime levels are meaningfully lower than rates in 2022 and 2023, with some exceptions. 

Harris thinks they could go lower.

He doesn’t envision the National Guard deployment as a long-term solution to fighting crime. Instead, Harris believes the increased law enforcement presence could create an opening for the local police force to find their footing.

“What I hope comes out of it is that in that time, the police are able to go after whoever these bad guys are, that are threatening this environment of crime. And then, at the end of the day, it’s going to create a hope, an outcry from the public that says, ‘We’re not going to accept our crime-ridden city anymore.’” 

When asked what needs to change to make Charlotte’s safety a constant, with or without the National Guard, Harris said the city needs to prioritize its policies and resources on keeping violent offenders off the streets.

“After the murder of Iryna Zarutska, it brought to light a real issue with not keeping criminals behind bars,” Harris said, referring to the 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee who was stabbed to death on a Charlotte train.

CHARLOTTE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER CALLS OUT ‘PAPER-THIN’ CRIME STATISTICS AFTER UKRAINIAN REFUGEE’S KILLING

“In her case, the guy had been arrested 14 times, been put out on the street. These are things that have a lot of issues to be addressed. That’s a judiciary issue.” 

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Although past efforts to deploy the National Guard have been met with protest from Democratic governors in other states, Harris hopes that Stein will work with the Trump administration as needed if it becomes clear a deployment is needed.

Stein’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

President Donald Trump compared Democrats to Japanese kamikaze pilots who conducted suicide missions during World War II, amid the ongoing government shutdown.

Trump’s remarks come on the heels of his Asia trip, where he visited Japan, as the government shutdown has lasted for 36 days – marking the longest one in U.S. history.

“I think they’re kamikaze pilots,” Trump told Republican senators at a breakfast at the White House on Wednesday. “I just got back from Japan and talked about the kamikaze pilots. I think these guys are kamikaze. They’ll take down the country if they have to.”

Additionally, Trump said he didn’t think Democrats were taking enough of the blame for their role in the shutdown.

DEMOCRATS AT A BIG DISADVANTAGE IN SHUTDOWN AS TRUMP STARTS SLASHING THEIR PROGRAMS

“It is Democrat-created, but I don’t think they’re getting really the blame that they should,” Trump said, adding that the government must open soon.

The government ran out of funding that prompted the partial shutdown on Oct. 1, due to gridlock between Senate Republicans and Democrats over a short-term funding bill to fund the government through Nov. 21.

The stalemate between Republicans and Democrats stems from healthcare provisions in a potential funding measure. Trump and Republicans claim Democrats want to provide illegal immigrants healthcare, and have cited a provision that would repeal part of Trump’s tax and domestic policy bill known as the “big, beautiful bill” that reduced Medicaid eligibility for non-U.S. citizens.

TRUMP FLIPS HIS SHUTDOWN APPROACH, LEAVING CONGRESS TO TAKE THE HEAT

But Democrats say this isn’t the case and have said they want to permanently extend certain Affordable Care Act subsidies that are set to expire at the end of 2025.

Trump also stated that the shutdown was the reason that Republicans lost several key races – including the Virginia and New Jersey gubernatorial elections – on Tuesday.

SENATE REPUBLICANS PLOT LONGER-TERM FUNDING BILL AS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN CONTINUES

“Exactly one year ago, we had that big, beautiful victory,” Trump said. “But I thought we’d have a discussion after the press leaves about what last night represented and what we should do about it. And also about the shutdown and how that relates to last night.”

“I think if you read the pollsters, the shutdown was a big factor. Negative for the Republicans, and that was a big factor,” Trump said.

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Meanwhile, Senate Democrats refused to back Republican’s stopgap funding bill on Tuesday to reopen the government. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said that his party remains firm that it will not support a measure that doesn’t include extensions for the Affordable Care Act subsidies.

“The only plan Republicans have for healthcare seems to be to eliminate it, and then to tell working people to go figure it out on their own,” Schumer said Tuesday. “That’s not a healthcare plan. That’s cruel.”

Democrat Zohran Mamdani won the New York City mayoral election, securing broad swaths of the electorate and defeating independent candidate Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa. His campaign for a new direction was the answer many New Yorkers were searching for.

Preliminary results from The Fox News Voter Poll, a survey of more than 4,700 registered voters in the city, shows that Mamdani’s road to victory was aided by a young, racially diverse coalition of New Yorkers. He won most demographic groups by a wide margin.

Mamdani, who will be one of New York’s youngest mayors, benefited from a strong coalition of young voters. Three-quarters of voters under age 30 voted for the Democrat, while older voters, namely seniors, broke for Cuomo by double digits.

ZOHRAN MAMDANI STUNS NYC AS VOTERS HAND POWER TO DEMOCRATS’ FAR-LEFT FLANK

Voters under 30 had the most intense support for the Democratic candidate, with over three-quarters supporting him.                  

Mamdani was the favored candidate across all racial groups, performing best among Black and Asian voters. The race was closer among Hispanic voters, who ultimately broke for Mamdani by single digits. Cuomo lost White voters by a small margin, while a boost in support from White male voters helped him remain competitive.

Mamdani was also favored among voters with college degrees, while voters without college degrees went for Cuomo.

FOX NEWS POLL: HOW SPANBERGER WON VIRGINIA GOVERNOR

Two thirds of Democrats sided with Mamdani over Cuomo, while just 3 in 10 Democrats voted for the former Democratic governor. After President Donald Trump gave a last-minute endorsement of Andrew Cuomo, 7 in 10 Republicans voted for the independent candidate rather than their own party nominee, Curtis Sliwa, who earned the support from about a quarter of his party. The largest portion of independents supported Cuomo, while a smaller number supported Mamdani.  

Around a quarter of New York City voters would describe themselves as a democratic socialist. Among Democrats, that number jumps to nearly 4 in 10. By wide margins, these voters back the self-described democratic socialist.

Among New York City Republicans, about half identified as MAGA. They split their vote between Sliwa and Cuomo, with about two-thirds favoring the independent.

Jewish voters backed Cuomo by a nearly two-to-one margin. Among this key voting bloc, there was a clear generational divide: about half of Jewish voters under 45 supported Mamdani while about 7 in 10 of those over 45 supported Cuomo.      

Cuomo also maintained winning margins among Catholics and other Christian voters. Mamdani, who will become the first Muslim mayor of New York City, won the majority of Muslims, non-religious voters and Protestants.

Most New York voters felt the candidates’ positions on Israel were at least a minor factor in deciding their vote for mayor. Those who said it was a major factor in their vote were evenly split, while those who felt it was only a minor factor preferred Mamdani. Israel was a major factor in the vote for about half of Jewish voters, who overwhelmingly broke for Cuomo. 

In a hypothetical two-way matchup between Mamdani and Cuomo, voters split their support between the two leading candidates, with Mamdani still receiving a higher share than Cuomo, albeit by a smaller margin.

But voter excitement for Mamdani was decisive – most of his supporters said their vote was for him rather than against his opponents. Cuomo supporters were split: slightly more said their vote was against his opponents than for him. Sliwa supporters were particularly enthusiastic about their candidate: three quarters of his supporters said their vote was for the Republican.

Among voters who made their decision in the past week, Cuomo held a double-digit lead over Mamdani. For those who have known before October or earlier, Mamdani was their favored candidate.

Despite national attention in the election, local issues drove most voters, not national figures: about two-thirds said President Donald Trump was not a factor in their vote, while about 3 in 10 said their vote was in opposition to Trump. Most New York City voters disapprove of the job he is doing as president.

HOUSE REPUBLICANS LINK MAYOR-ELECT MAMDANI TO VULNERABLE CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS

In a city with three times as many Democrats as Republicans, Democrats were viewed favorably by just over half of voters. Results by party show there are some growing pains among Democrats. A sizable number – about 1 in 4 – view their own party unfavorably. The Republican Party is viewed unfavorably by about two-thirds of voters overall.

First-time voters made up over 15% of the city’s electorate and overwhelmingly favored Mamdani. He also received majority support from non-native New Yorkers, while those who were born and raised in the city backed the former governor.

Affordability was a defining issue in this race. Roughly 6 in 10 voters identified the cost of living as the most important issue facing the city, followed at a distance by crime. Voters prioritizing the cost of living went for Mamdani, while crime-concerned voters backed Cuomo.

Against this backdrop of rising costs, economic sentiment leaned decidedly negative, with most describing the city’s economy as not so good or poor. Voters with a negative outlook split their support among Mamdani and Cuomo and those with a positive view preferred Mamdani. 

In terms of their own economic situation, the bulk of voters said they were holding steady. These voters gave about equal shares of their vote to Mamdani and Cuomo. For the remaining portion who are falling behind, Mamdani was again the candidate of choice.

Closely entwined with affordability concerns, over 8 in 10 voters said the cost of housing where they live was at least a minor problem, including roughly 7 in 10 who described it as a major problem. After running on a platform prioritizing affordability and rent stabilization, Mamdani received the majority of voters who feel housing is a problem.

About 6 in 10 New York City voters are renters, and this group backed Mamdani by substantive margins. For the other 4 in 10 voters who are homeowners, Cuomo was their candidate of choice.

About 6 in 10 voters feel raising city taxes would do more to hurt the city’s economy than help. Cuomo took the support of this group, while those who felt taxes would help the city preferred the self-described Democratic socialist.

Crime was a significant issue throughout the campaign. About 8 in 10 voters felt it was at least a minor problem. Cuomo did best among voters who described crime as a major problem.

Immigration ranked low out of five issues tested in the survey, with only 1 in 10 voters saying it was the most important issue facing the city. More voters think the next mayor should not cooperate with the Trump administration on immigration enforcement. Those who wanted to prioritize cooperation sided with Cuomo, while Mamdani voters preferred the opposition.

In an election between experienced politicians and a relative newcomer, voters were divided between wanting a candidate who will bring needed change and one who has the right experience. Voters looking for change sided with Mamdani while voters prioritizing experience preferred Cuomo. For those who wanted a candidate to work for people like them, Mamdani received the largest share of support.

Voters overall saw Cuomo’s policies as more realistic than the other candidates. The largest share of voters – about 6 in 10 – said the former governor’s policies were realistic, compared to just 4 in 10 who said the same about Mamdani and Sliwa.

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METHODOLOGY 

The Fox News Voter Poll is based on a survey conducted by SSRS with New York City registered voters. This survey was conducted October 22 to November 4, 2025, concluding at the end of voting on Election Day. The poll combines data collected from registered voters online and by telephone with data collected in-person from Election Day voters at 30 precincts across the city. In the final step, all the pre-election survey respondents and Election Day exit poll respondents are combined by adjusting the share of voting mode (absentee, early-in-person, and Election Day) based on the estimated composition of the city’s final electorate. Once votes are counted, the survey results are also weighted to match the overall results in each state. Results among more than 4,700 New York City voters interviewed have an estimated margin of sampling error of plus or minus 2.1 percentage points, including the design effects. The error margin is larger among subgroups.

Following a night of Democratic electoral victories in New York City, Virginia, New Jersey, California and elsewhere, one-time GOP presidential candidate and former DOGE chief Vivek Ramaswamy admitted, “We got our a–es handed to us.”

Ramaswamy, who is running for Ohio governor, said there are two “key lessons” for Republicans to take away from the Election Day blowout.

“We got our a–es handed to us in New Jersey, Virginia and New York City. Democrats swept all three,” said Ramaswamy.

“There’s two key lessons for Republicans, listen carefully,” he went on.

OHIO DONORS DITCH TIM RYAN, POUR NEARLY $220K INTO VIVEK RAMASWAMY’S GOVERNOR BID

In light of the GOP’s crushing defeats Tuesday night, Ramaswamy said that Republicans need to focus their messaging on affordability and avoid playing into “identity politics.”

“Our side needs to focus on affordability. Make the American dream affordable, bring down costs: electric costs, grocery costs, healthcare costs and housing costs. And lay out how we’re going to do it,” he said.

“Number two, cut out the identity politics, it doesn’t suit Republicans, it’s not for us, that’s the woke left’s game, not ours,” Ramaswamy went on.

“We don’t care about the color of your skin or your religion. We care about the content of your character, that’s who we are,” he said.

TRUMP IGNORES ELECTIONS AS DEMOCRATS STUMBLE ON THE WAY TO LIKELY VICTORIES

Republicans suffered decisive defeats in several key races across the country on Tuesday night. This came despite several of the Democratic candidates being wrapped in controversy and scandal.

In Virginia, Democrat Jay Jones successfully unseated Republican incumbent Attorney General Jason Miyares. Just weeks before Election Day, Jones had to apologize for resurfaced text messages he sent a colleague in which he fantasized about putting “two bullets” in the head of a Republican opponent. Jones also sent messages voicing that he believed the Republican’s “fascist” children should die.

In New Jersey, now Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill was also caught up in controversy over her alleged role in a massive cheating scandal during her time at the U.S. Naval Academy. Sherrill was not accused of cheating. However, she said she was kept from participating in her commencement because she refused to divulge information on some of those involved. A former classmate of Sherrill’s, meanwhile, suggested that she was not being honest about the extent of her involvement in the scandal.

TRUMP REACTS TO DEMOCRATIC VICTORIES, SUGGESTS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN IS TO BLAME

Ramaswamy left Ohio for short stints in recent weeks to stump for now-defeated GOP gubernatorial candidates Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears in Virginia and Jack Ciattarelli in New Jersey.

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At the time, Ramaswamy said that GOP victories in both elections would “set the table for even bigger and more decisive victories, hopefully in places like Ohio next year.”