NationalWatch

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.

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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.”

New York City socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani cruised to victory on Tuesday night, defying the laundry list of critics who railed against him over several high-profile controversial stances and statements.

Communist label

Mamdani dismissed the “communist” label throughout the campaign, maintaining that he is a democratic socialist.

His past comments promoting the abolition of private property, seizing the means of production, claiming billionaires shouldn’t exist and calling for free government programs earned him the communist label from some, including President Donald Trump. 

Mike Gonzalez, the Angeles T. Arredondo E Pluribus Unum senior fellow at The Heritage Foundation, told Fox News Digital earlier this year that Mamdani is “absolutely a communist” who “repeats lines out of the ‘Communist Manifesto’ and other writings by Karl Marx.”

“When Marxists today say they are socialists, they usually want to convey the impression that they believe in elections and not just in shooting your way into power,” Gonzalez added. “Of course, that election often ends up being the last free and fair one. Witness Venezuela.”

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Anti-Israel positions

Days before the election, an antisemitism research institute released a comprehensive report that summarized its concerns about Mamdani’s stances on Israel and concluded he shouldn’t become the next mayor of New York City.

Mamdani faced heated criticism on the campaign trail, including hundreds of rabbis signing a letter opposing him for positions dating back to his time in college co-founding his school’s Students for Justice in Palestine chapter all the way up to this year when he was hesitant to definitively condemn the term “globalize the intifada.”

Mamdani sparked a political firestorm last month, drawing outrage from the law enforcement community after posting a smiling photo with Imam Siraj Wahhaj, a Brooklyn cleric who served as a character witness for the mastermind of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and has been a longtime defender of convicted terrorists, raising funds for their legal defenses.

Mamdani, a 34-year-old New York state assembly member, has been an outspoken critic of Israel and has even vowed to have Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrested if he visits New York City. 

“I call Zohran Mamdani a jihadist because he is. Zohran Mamdani is a raging antisemite,” New York GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik said in August. 

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“Mamdani is the definition of a jihadist as he supports Hamas terrorists which he did as recently as yesterday, when he refused to call for Hamas terrorists to put down their arms — the same Hamas terrorist group that slaughtered civilians including New Yorkers on October 7, 2023.”

In July, a Jewish advocacy group blasted Mamdani for sharing a video mocking Hanukkah Jewish traditions on social media.

Mamdani also faced criticism over the anti-Israel positions of his Columbia University professor father, Mahmood, who previously compared Abraham Lincoln to Adolf Hitler and appeared sympathetic to suicide bombers in a book he authored.

“I think critiques of the state of Israel are critiques of a government, as opposed to critiques of a people and of a faith,” Mamdani told MSNBC this week. “And my job is to represent every single New Yorker, and I will do so no matter their thoughts and opinions on Israel and Palestine, of which millions of New Yorkers have very strong views — and I’m one of them.” 

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Defunding the police

Public safety was one of the most talked about issues on the campaign trail, resulting in a constant debate about Mamdani’s calls in 2020 to “defund the police.”

Before his mayoral campaign, Mamdani called the New York Police Department “racist” and said in 2023, “We have to make clear that when the boot of the NYPD is on your neck, it’s been laced by the IDF.”

“I think what scares a lot of New Yorkers about the policy positions taken by Zohran Mamdani over the years is that he has exhibited not just a lack of appreciation for the men and women that stand on that [police] line, but a visceral disdain for them, which has led him to push for things like defunding and dismantling the police,” Rafael A. Mangual, senior fellow and head of research for policing and public safety at the Manhattan Institute, told Fox News Digital in August, shortly after a gunman killed four people in midtown Manhattan, including a NYPD police officer. 

“It’s not so much as just that he said, well, I wanna allocate some of this money to other places. He has gone so far as to say that we should dismantle the entire department.”

Mamdani attempted to distance himself from his previous positions on the campaign trail and apologized to them in a Fox News interview in October.

“Will you do that right now?” Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum asked. 

“Absolutely,” Mamdani said, turning to face the camera directly. “I’ll apologize to police officers right here because this is the apology that I’ve been sharing with many rank-and-file officers. And I apologize because of the fact that I’m looking to work with these officers, and I know that these officers, these men and women who serve in the NYPD, they put their lives on the line every single day. And I will be a mayor.”

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Columbus Day incident

In July, Mamdani sparked a social media firestorm after a post resurfaced of him giving the middle finger to a statue of Christopher Columbus.

“Take it down,” Mamdani posted in June 2020, along with a photo showing what is presumably his gloved hand raising the middle finger toward a statue of the famed Italian explorer in Astoria, New York.

In a post around the same time, Mamdani asked his followers in a poll who should be honored instead of Columbus with options that included, “Tony Bennett (Astoria native, music icon) Walter Audisio (Communist partisan, killed Mussolini) Sacco & Vanzetti (Executed due to anti-Italian sentiment).”

The winners of the poll were Sacco and Vanzetti, two anarcho-communists executed in 1927.

Some in the Italian community took offense to the post, according to a New York Post report, including Columbus Heritage Coalition President Angelo Vivolo.

“We will defend Columbus Day and Columbus statues,” Vivolo said. 

“He is being disrespectful to the Italian American community.” Vivolo added. “If you offend one community, you offend all communities.”

Despite the criticisms and opposition from high-profile lawmakers across the country, Mamdani’s campaign focused on affordability, pushing back against Trump, and taxing the rich guided him to a commanding victory on Tuesday night.

Mamdani’s victory is expected to be a rallying cry for Republicans as they look to paint him and his socialist agenda as the face of the Democratic Party heading into next year’s midterms. 

“The Democrat Party has surrendered to radical socialist Zohran Mamdani and the far-left mob who are now running the show,” National Republican Committee spokesman Mike Marinella told Fox News Digital on Tuesday night. 

“They’ve proudly embraced defunding the police, abolishing ICE, taxing hard-working Americans to death, and replacing common sense with chaos. Every House Democrat is foolishly complicit in their party’s collapse, and voters will make them pay in 2026.” 

Fox News Digital’s Deirdre Heavey contributed to this report.

Senate Democrats are trying to figure out their exit strategy from the ongoing government shutdown as lawmakers on both sides remain cautiously optimistic that the end is near.

At hand are offers Senate Republicans have made since nearly the beginning of the shutdown, which crept into record-breaking territory Tuesday night.

Among the options Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and his caucus mulled were a vote on expiring Obamacare subsidies, attaching a host of spending bills to the government funding extension and likely extending the House-passed continuing resolution (CR) until December or January.

Following a nearly three-hour, closed-door lunch, Schumer gave little indication as to what Democrats’ move would be. He noted that the longer-than-usual caucus lunch went well, and that Senate Democrats were “exploring all the options.”

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If enough Senate Democrats join Republicans to reopen the government and take up the GOP’s offer, they’d effectively be caving after spending 36 days entrenched in their position that they needed an ironclad deal on the expiring Obamacare premium subsidies.

Like Schumer, many Democratic lawmakers were tight-lipped about their discussions.

“It’s still a work in progress,” Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., said.

One part of the equation is tacking on a trio of spending bills, known as a minibus, that would fund military construction and the Department of Veterans Affairs, the legislative branch, and agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration.

Senate appropriators, who have been the main protagonists of increased bipartisan talks, believe that jump-starting the government funding process could be the key to ending the shutdown.

“The reason we’re in this position is that we have not passed appropriations bills,” Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., said. “So beginning to break the logjam through doing that, we think would be incredibly effective.”

GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN BECOMING LONGEST IN US HISTORY AS DEMOCRATS DIG IN ON OBAMACARE

The other part of the equation is a guarantee from Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., that Senate Democrats would get a vote on a bill that dealt with the expiring Obamacare subsidies.

But that attempt is almost certain to fail, given that Senate Republicans want to see major reforms made to the program.

“It’s a universe that I think is pretty well-defined and established,” Thune said. “I’ve said this before, but the question is whether or not we’ll take ‘yes’ for an answer.”

That’s where the deep-seated lack of trust that Senate Democrats have for their counterparts across the aisle and of President Donald Trump comes in that has underscored much of the shutdown. One of their demands is to have the healthcare bill voted on by a simple, 50-vote majority, which Thune and Republicans scoffed at.

Still, Senate Democrats are eyeing more of a solution to the healthcare issue rather than the promise of a process, which Thune has given.

“I’m interested in negotiation, but a negotiation that ends up — that ends in a piece of legislation being passed,” Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said. “An agreement to take a vote that Republicans are guaranteeing will fail doesn’t sound like an outcome that helps regular Americans.”

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

Others, particularly progressives in the Senate Democratic caucus, don’t want to see Schumer or their colleagues back down, even as federal workers and air traffic controllers go unpaid, and as the administration has wavered on funding federal food benefits despite a court order to do so.

“If the Democrats cave on this, I think it will be a betrayal to millions and millions of working families who want them to stand up and protect their healthcare benefits,” Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said.

Despite promises of a vote, Republicans argue they can’t predetermine the future outcome nor guarantee that a Democratic proposal would pass.

“[Thune] has said from Day 1 that he would provide them with a vote,” Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., said. “What he can’t do is provide them with an outcome.”

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Rounds is one of a handful of Senate Republicans who has engaged in bipartisan talks throughout the shutdown and was hopeful that over a dozen Democrats would cross the aisle to reopen the government.

“I think they’re tired of this,” Rounds said.

Democrat Mikie Sherrill defeated Republican Jack Ciattarelli in the New Jersey gubernatorial race, powered by strong support from Black voters, women, and younger voters. Her victory secures Democrats a third straight term in the governor’s office — the first time that’s happened since 1961 — reflecting the state’s enduring blue tilt despite recent Republican gains.

Preliminary data from the Fox News Voter Poll, a survey of more than 4,400 registered New Jersey voters, showed Sherrill performed well with Black voters, voters under age 30, women, and college degree holders.

There was also a 20-point gender gap: about 6 in 10 women backed Sherrill while about 5 in 10 men favored Ciattarelli. Sherrill’s domination among women continued across all age groups, with her highest level of support coming from women under 30.

While Republicans have made gains among young men in recent elections, younger men in New Jersey sided with the Democrat this time.

The gender divide also extended to parents: moms broke for Sherrill nearly 2 to 1 while dads preferred Ciattarelli by a little over 10 points.

Sherrill’s multiracial coalition proved crucial to her win: she received support from over 9 in 10 Black voters and almost 7 in 10 Hispanic voters.

Hispanic voters – who have been a focus of Republican courtship in recent years – did not support Republicans as much as they hoped. Ultimately, they sided with the Democrats by over 30 points. White voters overall broke for Ciattarelli, largely fueled by a 20-point gap in his support among White men. White women closely divided their vote between Sherrill and Ciattarelli, with marginally more favoring the Democrat.

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The majority of voters with a college degree backed Sherrill, while voters without a degree slightly favored Ciattarelli. Ciattarelli carried the Republican stronghold of White men without a college degree by over 40 points.

Both candidates benefitted from the support of over 9 in 10 voters among their respective parties. Among the crucial swing group of independents, Sherrill was favored by just over half. Additional support from 6 in 10 self-described moderates provided her with the boost needed to win statewide.

About half of New Jersey Republicans identified as MAGA, and they nearly all threw their support behind Ciattarelli.

For 1 in 10 voters, this was the first time they voted in a gubernatorial election, and they backed Sherrill by 2 to 1.

Despite Sherrill’s Navy background, over half of military households voted for Ciattarelli. Among union households, Sherrill narrowly held on to Democratic support, taking just over half.

DEMOCRAT MIKIE SHERRILL WINS NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR RACE, KEEPS STATE BLUE AGAINST REPUBLICAN CHALLENGE

By a 2 to 1 margin, more voters have a negative view of how things are going in the country today than a positive view. These voters strongly broke for Ciattarelli.

Even with Trump off the ballot, his presence still played a defining role in the election. About 7 in 10 Sherrill supporters said their vote was to send a message of opposition to President Trump, while about a quarter of Ciattarelli voters said their vote was in support of the president.

Trump’s approval rating among Garden State voters is underwater, with over half saying they disapprove.

Among the national parties, views of the Democratic Party are split down the middle, while views of the Republican Party lean unfavorable.

Issues of affordability clearly dominated voter concerns, with taxes coming in at the top, closely followed by the economy. Voters prioritizing taxes broke for Ciattarelli by over 20 percentage points, while voters who prioritized the economy favored Sherrill by a slightly wider margin. For voters who saw healthcare as a top issue, Sherrill received the bulk of support.

Nearly all voters said property taxes were at least a minor problem where they live, and 7 in 10 called it a major problem.

Rising electricity costs also loomed large in the race, with nearly 9 in 10 voters indicating it was a problem. Voters who said both property taxes and electricity costs were a major problem were more apt to support Ciattarelli, while those who only classified it as a minor problem supported Sherrill.

Fighting against these rising costs, voters understandably had a more pessimistic outlook on the state’s economy than optimistic. About 6 in 10 who have a negative view voted for Ciattarelli, and 3 out of 4 with a positive outlook backed Sherrill.

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Against this economic backdrop, 1 in 4 New Jersey voters said they are falling behind financially. The largest number, 6 in 10, said they are holding steady, and only a small fraction report they’re getting ahead. For the quarter of voters falling behind, Sherrill received majority support, while voters who are holding steady split their support about evenly between the candidates.

Voters are split on whether the next governor should cooperate with the Trump administration on immigration enforcement. But in response to the administration’s current actions, over half of voters think it’s gone too far, while about 3 in 10 say it’s about right.

Voters in the Garden State said bringing needed change, sharing their values, and working for people like them were some of the most important candidate qualities in deciding their vote. Change-motivated voters went for Ciattarelli, while those who prioritized value sharing and working for people like them favored Sherrill 2 to 1.

The accusations about Sherrill’s Naval Academy graduation failed to dissuade voters from supporting her, as voters who prioritized honesty favored Sherrill by more than 40 points. More voters thought she ran a mostly fair campaign than thought Ciattarelli’s campaign was mostly fair. Sherrill also benefitted from a net-positive favorability rating, with over half of Garden State voters rating her favorably. The impact of a negative campaign cycle could have hurt Ciattarelli — about half of voters felt he ran a mostly unfair campaign and have an unfavorable view of the Republican.

Amid this heated race for governor, political corruption was on the mind of many New Jersey voters, with 9 in 10 identifying it as at least a minor problem. Those who saw it as a major problem were more likely to side with Ciattarelli, while those who saw it as only a minor problem favored Sherrill.

By a 2 to 1 margin, more Sherrill voters said their vote was in support of their candidate than against their opponent. Ciattarelli voters were even more enthusiastic, with 8 in 10 voting in support of the Republican.

Among the late-deciding voters, Sherrill was favored by almost 7 in 10.

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Term-limited Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy’s job rating is underwater as he prepares to leave office. After over a decade of Democratic leadership, roughly 1 in 5 Democrats disapprove of the job he’s done as governor. Independents have mixed feelings, with about equal numbers approving as disapproving, and nearly all Republicans disapprove.

METHODOLOGY

The Fox News Voter Poll is based on a survey conducted by SSRS with New Jersey 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 per state. 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 state final electorate. Once votes are counted, the survey results are also weighted to match the overall results in each state. Results among all more than 4,400 New Jersey 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.

Democratic County Commissioner Eileen Higgins and Republican candidate Emilio González, backed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, will advance to a Dec. 9 runoff to determine Miami’s next mayor after no candidate received more than 50% of the vote.

The top two candidates emerged from a crowded field of 13 and will face off to succeed term-limited Republican Mayor Francis Suarez.

If no candidate receives 50% or more of the votes, the top two candidates must compete in a runoff in the race for mayor.

Higgins, the Miami-Dade County commissioner elected in 2018, represents parts of Miami Beach, Downtown, Brickell, Coral Way, Little Havana and West Flagler, according to the county’s website.

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Miami Democrat Higgins is a former engineer, marketing executive and Peace Corps Belize country director, a position she accepted in 2006. She later worked as a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. State Department. 

“There’s going to be no drama,” Higgins said during her closing statement at a mayoral debate Oct. 16. “There’s going to be no corruption. There’s going to be no yelling. It’s just me, every day, going to work on your behalf to get things done — the things you’ve told me you want to see happen in this city. The city that you love. The city that I love. The city that should be the best place on earth.”

She campaigned on affordability, restoring trust in Miami City Hall “by cutting red tape that stops homeowners and small businesses from moving forward,” funding police and first responders, improving transportation, and protecting the environment, according to her campaign’s website.

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President Donald Trump, who also is a Florida resident, did not endorse a candidate. 

Although the mayoral race didn’t draw the same national attention as New York or gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia, it was marked by past scandals and political jabs from both Democratic and Republican candidates. In September, a Florida judge blocked the city’s plan to delay the November election to 2026 without voter approval, following a lawsuit by mayoral candidate and former City Manager Gonzalez.

Gonzalez, the leading Republican contender, was endorsed by DeSantis and Florida Republican Sen. Rick Scott. He previously served as a bilingual surrogate for Trump’s presidential campaign, worked on the president’s transition team and was later named a senior fellow at the America First Policy Institute.

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He campaigned on modernizing city services, cutting property taxes, easing regulations for small businesses, boosting police presence and reducing government spending, according to his campaign’s website.

He said at the mayoral debate Oct. 16, “We need reform and we need reform bad,” after a loss of public trust in local government. 

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“Our municipal government has failed our residents,” he said at the debate. “That’s why we’re here, all of us. We’ve let them down. We’ve left them down and they don’t trust us.”

“Public service and being mayor has to be vocational,” he added. “It isn’t about making money, it isn’t about making my ego bigger, it isn’t about setting me up for another office or clickbait or this or that. It’s vocational, you’ve got to want to do it.” 

The 2025 Miami mayoral race also included former Miami Mayors Joe Carollo and Xavier Suarez, the father of current Mayor Francis Suarez, and Alex Díaz de la Portilla, Christian Cevallos, June Savage, Alyssa Crocker, Elijah John Bowdre, Ken Russell, Laura Anderson, Michael Hepburn and attorney Kenneth James DeSantis, who is not related to Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.

Democrat Abigail Spanberger defeated Republican Winsome Earle-Sears to win the Virginia governor’s race, tallying significant leads among reliable Democratic groups while capitalizing on economic worries and the deep unpopularity of President Donald Trump in the state.

Spanberger will be the first woman to hold the office in the Old Dominion State.

The former Virginia congresswoman replaces term-limited Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin, who was the first Republican to win a statewide election in Virginia in 12 years when he was elected in 2021. That race surprised many in that it was much closer than the 2020 presidential race the year before, where Biden defeated Trump by 10 points. This year it was the other way around, with Spanberger well exceeding the 2024 presidential margin that saw Harris over Trump by only six points.

Trump was undoubtedly a factor in the race, even though he wasn’t on the ballot. Close to six in ten Virginia voters disapproved of the job he is doing, while more than half said they strongly disapprove. The vast majority of these voters backed Spanberger.

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Two-thirds of Spanberger supporters said their vote was expressly to show opposition to the president. That compares to about one-third of those backing current Lt. Governor Earle-Sears who said theirs was to show support.

Aside from those sending a signal of opposition to Trump, Spanberger’s strong appeal to Black voters, college graduates and the young was more than enough to offset Earle-Sears’ strength among White men, White evangelicals and those with no college degree, according to near-final data from the Fox News Voter Poll, a survey of more than 4,000 Virginia voters.

Not even the prospect of voting for the first Black woman governor of any state seemed to move Black voters, who backed Spanberger by about a nine to one margin.

Spanberger also benefited from a significant gender gap. Indeed, 65% of women backed her compared to 35% for Earle-Sears, a 30-point advantage; and men supported Earle-Sears by 4 points (48% for Spanberger, 52% Earle-Sears) – leaving a gender gap of 34 points, one of the largest in recent memory.

Neither party is very popular in the state, half of voters said they have an unfavorable opinion of Democrats, and more than half felt that way about Republicans.

Between the two candidates, however, Spanberger garnered a net-positive rating – more than half had a favorable opinion of her – compared to Sears, and more than half viewed her unfavorably.

Voters continue to be happy with Youngkin. More than half approved of the job he is doing as governor.

The top characteristic Virginia voters wanted in a candidate was someone who shares their values, followed by someone who is honest and trustworthy.

Values voters broke for Earle-Sears while Spanberger carried those looking for honesty.

Spanberger focused heavily on the economy during the campaign, specifically banging home the deleterious effects that Trump administration efforts to upend government in DC are having on Virginia, home to a large number of federal workers.

More than six in ten of those federal employees backed Spanberger.

The economy was by far the top issue for Virginia voters – with close to half ranking it as the most important. Those voters broke significantly for Spanberger.

Healthcare was the second most important concern – another issue Spanberger hit hard in the wake of the federal government shutdown and people facing the possible loss of health benefits.

Those voters who said healthcare was their number one issue went overwhelmingly for Spanberger – by about four to one.

Overall, Virginia voters – about six in ten – think the economy is doing pretty well. Those voters backed Earle-Sears.

But when it comes to their own family’s finances, most said they were either holding steady or falling behind. Both of those groups went for Spanberger.

And of the six in ten voters who said the federal budget cuts had affected their family finances, they backed Spanberger as well.

Two issues that got significant attention from Earle-Sears in the campaign were controversies about trans rights, and the disclosure of violent texts from the Democratic candidate for Attorney General.

Fewer than half of voters found the texts sent by Democrat Jay Jones, threatening a fellow lawmaker, disqualifying from the job of attorney general. Those who did broke strongly for Earle-Sears.

The rest, though – who said the texts were concerning but not disqualifying, were not a concern, or who simply didn’t know enough – went strongly for Spanberger.

It was suspected that some voters might split their votes, backing Spanberger for governor but Republican Jason Miyares for attorney general. That did not happen. Those Democrats defecting to Miyares remained in the single digits, and Jones was declared the winner.

On transgender rights, voters have mixed views. Half said support has gone too far – the position Earle-Sears took, with special emphasis on its effect on schools and girls’ sports. The other half, however, said support has not gone far enough, or it’s been about right.

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Those who said it’d gone too far backed Earle-Sears by almost four to one, while those who disagreed went hard for Spanberger.

In the end, the headwinds of Trump’s unpopularity and the ire of the vast number of federal workers in the state was too much for Earle-Sears to overcome.

Only about a third of Virginia voters are happy with the direction the country is going, and while these voters overwhelmingly backed Earle-Sears, the other two-thirds went big for Spanberger. Of the four in ten who are actually angry about how things are going, almost all of them – more than nine in ten – backed Spanberger.

Asked about Trump’s immigration enforcement efforts, more than half say it has gone too far, and, perhaps not surprisingly, most of these voters backed Spanberger.

Almost all Democrats voted for Spanberger, as did a few Republicans. Earle-Sears was unable to generate any sort of crossover appeal, while winning most Republicans. The small group of independents favored Spanberger.

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Methodology

The Fox News Voter Poll is based on a survey conducted by SSRS with Virginia 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 per state/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 state/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 4,500 Virginia 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.

The race to replace the late Democratic Rep. Sylvester Turner in Texas’ 18th Congressional District advanced to a runoff election between Democrats Christian Menefee and Amanda Edwards.

The congressional seat, which covers some of the most densely populated portions of Houston, has been empty since Turner’s sudden death on March 5.

A Democratic stronghold, there were 16 candidates in the race, seven Democrats, five Republicans, three independents and one Green Party candidate.

Menefee, an attorney and Houston city council member, won 32% of the vote as of late Tuesday night and Edwards, who currently serves as Harris County attorney, brought in 26%. Because neither candidate took home 50% of the vote to win the seat, they will have to face off again in a runoff election in February.

TRUMP’S SHADOW LOOMS OVER TEXAS RACE AS HUNT ACCUSES CORNYN OF BETRAYAL

Due to the passing of Texas’ mid-decade redistricting bill, the district will split into districts 9, 29 and 18. However, this change will not happen until March and will not impact the runoff election.

Though both candidates have been vocal critics of President Donald Trump, Menefee has been endorsed by the Congressional Progressive Caucus Political Action Committee. He has been praised by the likes of Reps. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., Greg Casar, D-Texas, and Maxwell Frost, D-Fla. 

In a joint statement, the three called Menefee a “proven fighter” against “Republican overreach” and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Attorney Ken Paxton and the Trump administration.

“As the youngest person and first African-American to serve as chief civil lawyer for Texas’s largest county, Christian Menefee has a demonstrated record of standing up to Republican overreach and delivering results for working families,” the three said in the statement. “He has won multi-million dollar settlements holding corporations accountable for emissions deception and deceptive marketing and has protected communities by taking on polluters and discriminatory landfill expansion. He has taken on Greg Abbott, Ken Paxton and the Trump administration. Christian is the proven fighter Texas’s 18th district needs. We are proud to back his campaign.”

MEXICAN IMMIGRANT-TURNED-CONGRESSWOMAN BLASTS DEM CLAIMS TEXAS REDISTRICTING HURTS HISPANIC VOTE

Menefee has also boasted in campaign ads about being called a “radical attorney” by the Trump White House.

Edwards, meanwhile, has been endorsed by groups such as EMILY’s List and Elect Democratic Women.

Edwards’ campaign website emphasizes building a healthier, safer and more equitable District 18.

TEXAS DEMOCRAT VOWS TO ‘GO ACROSS YOUR NECK,’ MAKES THROAT-SLASHING GESTURE WHILE REJECTING ‘GO HIGH’ MANTRA

She states that “under President Trump’s leadership, our country has seen devastating attacks on our democracy, divisive rhetoric that weakened communities, and policies that have harmed the middle class and working families.”

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Turner died at age 70, having only served in Congress for just months. He also served as mayor of Houston for eight years, from 2016 to 2024. He replaced the late Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee, who also died in office in 2024, after serving in Congress for 29 years.

California voters have passed a ballot initiative that will have a huge impact on next year’s battle for the U.S. House majority.

According to the Fox News Decision Desk, voters in California approved Proposition 50, which would dramatically alter the state’s congressional districts, putting the left-leaning state front and center in the high-stakes political fight over redistricting that pits President Donald Trump and the GOP against the Democrats.

“Donald Trump poked the bear. And the bear roared back,” two-term Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is seen as a likely 2028 Democratic presidential contender and who spearheaded the push to pass the proposition, said.

Approval of the ballot initiative in the nation’s most populous state will temporarily sidetrack California’s nonpartisan redistricting commission and return the power to draw the congressional maps to the Democrat-dominated legislature.

The effort in California, which could create five more Democratic-leaning congressional districts, aims to counter the passage in the reliable red state of Texas of a new map that aims to create up to five right-leaning House seats. Failure to approve what’s known as Proposition 50 would have been a stinging setback for Democrats.

OBAMA ENDORSES NEWSOM CALIFORNIA REDISTRICTING PROP 50

“If we lose here, we are going to have total Republican control in the House, the Senate and the White House for at least two more years,” Newsom emphasized in a recent fundraising appeal to supporters. “If we win here, we can put a check on Trump for his final two years.”

HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING, ANALYSIS, ON 2025 ELECTIONS

The push by Trump and Republicans for a rare mid-decade redistricting is part of a broad effort by the GOP to pad its razor-thin House majority to keep control of the chamber in the 2026 midterms, when the party in power traditionally faces political headwinds and loses seats.

Trump and his political team are aiming to prevent what happened during his first term in the White House, when Democrats reclaimed the House majority in the 2018 midterm elections.

“California voters have sent a strong and clear message that they will not stand by while Republicans try to rig the 2026 election,” Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chair Rep. Suzan DelBene argued in a statement. “By overwhelmingly voting to pass Proposition 50, Californians are fighting back against the GOP’s disastrous record of raising costs and ripping away health care from millions, all to give tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy.”

But Rep. Richard Hudson, chair of the rival National Republican Congressional Committee, charged that “no matter how Democrats redraw the lines to satisfy Gavin Newsom’s power grab, they can’t redraw their record of failure, and that’s why they will fail to take the House majority. Even under this new map, Republicans have clear opportunities to flip seats because Californians are fed up with Democrat chaos.”

Missouri last month joined Texas as the second GOP-controlled state to pass congressional redistricting ahead of next year’s elections. The new map in Missouri is likely to give the GOP another right-leaning seat.

North Carolina’s Republican-controlled legislature also passed a new map likely to score another congressional seat for the GOP. Republican-controlled Indiana is on deck, with a special legislative session getting underway this week.

But, unlike those states, California voters needed to weigh in before giving redistricting power back to the legislature in Sacramento.

“Heaven help us if we lose,” Newsom said in a fundraising pitch. “This is an all-hands-on-deck moment for Democrats.”

FIVE KEY 2025 RACES TO WATCH

Proponents and opponents of Proposition 50 raised hundreds of millions of dollars, with much of the money being dished out to pay for a deluge of ads on both sides.

One of the two main groups countering Newsom and the Democrats labeled its effort “Stop Sacramento’s Power Grab.”

Getting into the fight was former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the last Republican governor of California.

During his tenure as governor, Schwarzenegger had a starring role in the passage of constitutional amendments in California in 2008 and 2010 that took the power to draw state legislative and congressional districts away from politicians and placed it in the hands of an independent commission.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA VOTERS WEIGH IN ON PROP 50 REDISTRICTING FIGHT

“That’s what they want to do is take us backwards. This is why it is important for you to vote no on Prop 50,” Schwarzenegger said in an ad against Proposition 50. “Democracy — we’ve got to protect it, and we’ve got to go and fight for it.”

But as Election Day neared in California, supporters had raised dramatically more than opponents of the proposition, and public opinion polling indicated majority support for the proposition.

Even before Trump initiated his redistricting push, Ohio was under court order to redraw its maps. That could boost Republicans in a one-time battleground state that now leans right.

Republicans in GOP-dominated Florida are also mulling congressional redistricting. And Democrats in heavily blue Maryland are weighing a redistricting push, while the Democrat-controlled legislature in Virginia is already pushing redistricting.

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Other states considering altering maps are Democrat-dominated Illinois and red states Kansas and Nebraska.

Meanwhile, Democrats could possibly pick up a seat in Republican-dominated Utah due to a new, more competitive map, mandated by a judge.

The Minneapolis mayor’s race will advance to ranked choice voting after none of the candidates received at least 50% of the vote in Tuesday’s election, The Associated Press has reported.

Minneapolis allows voters to rank up to three candidates in its municipal races. The field for mayor included more than a dozen candidates. As of 10:41 p.m. EST Tuesday, Jacob Frey and Omar Fateh had received the most first-choice results.

Fateh made waves on the national political stage this year, drawing comparisons to Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral campaign in New York City after The Minnesota Star Tribune dubbed him the “Mamdani of Minneapolis.”

The 35-year-old son of Somali immigrants who became the first Somali-American elected to the Minnesota state Senate in 2020 challenged incumbent Frey head-on this year, criticizing the comparatively moderate Democrat for failing to “meet the needs of our changing society.”

ILHAN OMAR ERUPTS AT OWN PARTY FOR RENEGING ON SOCIALIST CANDIDATE’S ENDORSEMENT: ‘INEXCUSABLE’

Fateh was endorsed by Minnesota’s Democratic-Farmer-Labor party this summer, the first endorsement of a Minneapolis mayoral candidate in 16 years, before DFL Chairman Richard Carlbom rescinded the coveted endorsement a month later. 

“I am incredibly honored to be the DFL endorsed candidate for Minneapolis Mayor. This endorsement is a message that Minneapolis residents are done with broken promises, vetoes, and politics as usual. It’s a mandate to build a city that works for all of us,” Fateh said on X in July. 

MINNEAPOLIS DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST OMAR FATEH VOWS TO PROTECT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM ‘HOSTILE’ TRUMP ADMIN

“After a thoughtful and transparent review of the challenges, the Constitution, Bylaws & Rules Committee found substantial failures in the Minneapolis Convention’s voting process on July 19th, including an acknowledgment that a mayoral candidate was errantly eliminated from contention. As a result, the Constitution, Bylaws & Rules Committee has vacated the mayoral endorsement,” Carlbom said the following month. 

But with the backing of the Twin Cities’ chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America and “Squad” member Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., who represents Minneapolis in the U.S. House of Representatives, Fateh’s progressive campaign maintained momentum.

There were 15 mayoral candidates on the ballot in Minneapolis Tuesday after the city did not hold a mayoral primary. And while candidates can still identify politically, city races in Minneapolis are officially nonpartisan.

In an attempt to consolidate support against the incumbent frontrunner Frey, Fateh urged his supporters to rank pastor DeWayne Davis and attorney Jazz Hampton as their second and third choices.

In Minneapolis, if a candidate receives more than 50% of first-choice votes, that candidate wins outright.

But if no one gets a majority, counting moves to additional rounds. After each round, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and those ballots are redistributed to the next-ranked candidate on each voter’s ballot. The process continues until one candidate has a majority and can be declared the winner.

According to The Associated Press, every mayoral race in Minneapolis since 2013 has gone to at least a second round of ranked-choice voting. 

Frey ousted an incumbent in 2017 after six rounds of tabulation. Then, in 2021, Frey won re-election after two rounds.

The last mayor’s race took the national stage after the murder of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis in 2020, triggering national and international protests rejecting police brutality amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gov. Tim Walz, D-Minn., who was former Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate last year and is up for re-election next year, and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., endorsed Frey’s campaign this year.

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And Minneapolis was once again in the national spotlight this year. 

The city is still reeling from a massacre at a back-to-school Mass at Annunciation Catholic Church in August, where two children were killed and 17 others were injured when a shooter opened fire before committing suicide. 

Associated Press contributed to this report

Democrats claimed victory in a trio of high-stakes elections that largely focused on economic anxiety and affordability issues. 

New Jersey Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill defeated Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli in the New Jersey governor’s race, while former Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger defeated Republican challenger Winsome Earle-Sears in the Virginia gubernatorial race. In the Empire State, Socialist New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani claimed victory over former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an independent, and Republican Curtis Sliwa. 

The three sweeps come as Republicans worked to make inroads in the historically liberal or left-leaning jurisdictions, including campaigning on lowering taxes.

In all three elections, the economy and affordability were top concerns, according to polling data, with the liberal candidates leaning into blaming the White House for economic anxiety. 

TRUMP LOOMS LARGE OVER KEY ELECTION DAY 2025 CONTESTS DESPITE NOT BEING ON BALLOT

In New Jersey, voters reported that the state’s notoriously high taxes and the economy were their top issues heading into the polling stations, according to Fox News Voter Poll data. In Virginia, half of voters reported that the economy was their top issue, more than double the number who reported healthcare as their top concern, according to Fox polling data. 

In New York City, affordability was by far voters’ top concern, according to Fox News Voter Poll data, with Mamdani notching a significant win over his challengers. Mamdani ran on policies such as city-run groceries to lower food costs, eliminating bus fares, implementing rent freezes on rent-stabilized units and other affordable housing proposals.

Voters responded by voting for Democrats following President Donald Trump‘s decisive win over former Vice President Kamala Harris just more than a year ago in a federal election that also focused on the economy amid spiraling inflation woes. 

Trump and other conservatives have railed against Mamdani as a “communist” who threatens New York City’s massive economy and a symbol of American capitalism, while left-wing supporters have championed he will ease the cost burden on residents facing sky-high rent, taxes and food costs. 

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

“Zohran Mamdani, a 100% Communist Lunatic, has just won the Dem Primary, and is on his way to becoming Mayor,” Trump wrote on Truth Social in June. “We’ve had Radical Lefties before, but this is getting a little ridiculous. He looks TERRIBLE, his voice is grating, he’s not very smart.”

The trio of high-profile Democrats who won their elections campaigned in part against Trump administration policies and affordability woes. 

“Donald Trump needs to answer directly to Virginians on why he is actively cutting Virginia jobs and hurting the Virginia economy,” Spanberger said in October. “The Trump Administration has taken a sledgehammer approach to governing that has hurt Virginia’s workers, businesses, and economy.”  

Sherrill pitched the current economy as a “catastrophe,” including claiming Trump’s tariffs would be disastrous. 

DEMOCRAT IN KEY GOVERNOR RACE KEEPS DISTANCE FROM NYC’S MAMDANI

“Donald Trump just implemented the biggest tax increase in my lifetime — an economic catastrophe for New Jersey families,” Sherrill said in April as Trump announced increased tariffs on foreign nations. “This will raise costs to the tune of almost $4,000 per year, and many companies have already announced layoffs. No wonder the Wall Street Journal called it the ‘dumbest trade war in history.'” 

New Jersey, a historically deep blue state, was viewed as the most likely to potentially flip red after the 2024 federal election showed Trump made inroads with Garden State voters, including flipping five counties to the GOP. 

Following Spanberger’s win Tuesday, she celebrated that she will reinvigorate the Old Dominion State’s economy. 

“Virginia chose pragmatism over partisanship,” Spanberger said. “We chose our commonwealth over chaos.” 

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“You all chose leadership that will focus relentlessly on what matters most — lowering costs, keeping our communities safe and strengthening our economy for every Virginian,” she said.

Trump responded to the Democrat wins Tuesday with a quote from pollsters that the ongoing government shutdown was partially due to the Republican losses. 

“‘TRUMP WASN’T ON THE BALLOT, AND SHUTDOWN, WERE THE TWO REASONS THAT REPUBLICANS LOST ELECTIONS TONIGHT,’ according to Pollsters,” Trump posted on Truth Social. 

All three justices on the ballot in Pennsylvania will keep their jobs after winning races on Tuesday in an election that had threatened to change the state Supreme Court’s liberal composition.

Democrats will continue to hold a 5-2 majority on the state’s highest court, a result of voters overwhelmingly choosing to retain Democratic justices Christine Donohue, Kevin Dougherty and David Wecht. The Associated Press called the races at about 10 p.m. local time.

“Tonight, folks across our Commonwealth sent a resounding message by voting to retain all three Supreme Court Justices who will continue to defend the rule of law, safeguard our elections, and protect our constitutional rights,” Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro said in a statement.

REPUBLICANS MOUNT CAMPAIGN TO FLIP PENNSYLVANIA SUPREME COURT’S DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY

The race attracted an unusual amount of attention as state and national groups poured what The Associated Press estimated to be more than $15 million into it, exceeding spending in past retention elections and underscoring the stakes of changing the court majority.

Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices serve 10-year terms and can be retained for consecutive terms until they reach the age of 75, at which point they must retire. Donohue, who is 72, will be unable to serve out another full term.

Republicans’ fight with the judiciary has intensified this year as judges have routinely thwarted President Donald Trump’s agenda. Their defeat in Pennsylvania, a battleground state that has seen high-stakes election litigation in recent years, comes after they suffered a bitter loss in an expensive Supreme Court race in another swing state, Wisconsin, in April.

5 KEY RACES TO WATCH ON ELECTION DAY 2025

Trump weighed in on the race this week, calling for the ouster of the three justices. Trump said they “ruled for Sleepy Joe Biden over and over, and interfered in the 2020 Election” and that it was “time for Justice.”

The odds had been stacked against the GOP in Pennsylvania since only one justice, Russell Nigro, had ever been voted out through a retention race. Nigro was defeated in 2005 amid public outrage over legislative and Supreme Court justice pay raises.

Republicans dedicated their spending and resources to attempting to persuade voters that ousting the justices would be a well-deserved referendum on the Supreme Court’s controversial decisions surrounding COVID-19 lockdowns and election rules. Democrats argued that a loss would threaten women’s access to abortion and reproductive health services.

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The state’s highest court rejected Republicans’ attempt to toss out 2.5 million mail-in ballots in the 2020 election but delivered a mixture of smaller wins and losses to the GOP in the 2024 election over mail-in and provisional ballot lawsuits.

In 2020, the state Supreme Court also upheld Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro’s order temporarily shutting down non-essential businesses in the state because of COVID-19. 

Left-wing billionaire Alex Soros, the son of billionaire philanthropist George Soros, told the New York Times he cast a ballot for Socialist New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.

“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 is the son of Open Society Foundations founder Geroge 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. 

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

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. 

NYC OFFICIAL EXPOSES MAMDANI’S ‘MARXIST PLAYBOOK’ IN REVEALING NEW FOX NATION SPECIAL

The 2025 election cycle only includes a handful of high-profile elections, including the New York City mayoral race that pits Socialist candidate Mamdani against former Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo — who is running as an independent after losing the Democratic primary to Mamdani — and Republican challenger Curtis Sliwa. 

The cycle also includes a pair of highly anticipated gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia, as well as a special election in California where voters are deciding whether to redistrict the state’s congressional lines. George Soros contributed $10 million to California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s ballot initiative to redistrict the state, the New York Times reported back in September. 

Alex Soros’ support of Mamdani comes as President Donald Trump slams the mayoral candidate as a “communist,” as well as his ongoing crusade against the Soros family over their donations to left-wing causes and candidates, including calling for investigations into George and Alex Soros.  

‘DEMOCRATS ARE NERVOUS’ ABOUT POTENTIAL ZOHRAN MAMDANI VICTORY, NEW REPORT WARNS

“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. 

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Fox News Digital reached out to the Open Society Foundations Tuesday evening for additional comment on Soros’ support of Mamdani but did not immediately receive a reply. 

The Fox News Decision Desk has projected that Democratic state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi will become the next lieutenant governor of Virginia. 

Hashmi was born in Hyderabad, India, grew up in Georgia and has represented Chesterfield County in the Virginia state Senate in her most recent public role.

She has a doctorate in American literature from Emory University and her campaign repeatedly highlighted her curriculum vitae as a public educator.

She was a professor at the University of Richmond as well as the nearby J. Sergeant Reynolds Community College, where she was the first director of its Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning.

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Hashmi was the only statewide candidate in the Virginia sweeps to repeatedly decline invitations and challenges to debate her opponent.

That opponent, Richmond broadcaster John Reid, in turn released a 45-minute mock debate video in which Hashmi’s public policy positions were highlighted in-fact, but by an AI version of the lieutenant governor-elect.

Hashmi is also the first South Asian to have served in the state Senate.

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She is primed to preside over the upper chamber in the lieutenant governor’s most visible role – where she will wield the gavel over a narrowly-divided, Democratic majority Senate.

Hashmi’s campaign focused on supporting public education, expanding Medicaid and protecting abortion rights.

She also emphasized climate change, environmental protection and affordable housing — themes that align with mainstream Democratic priorities.

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On the campaign trail, Hashmi also reportedly said she hopes to lead a repeal of Virginia’s “Right to Work” law, which provides protections for workers against being required to join unions as a prerequisite for employment.

She also presaged a contentious relationship with President Donald Trump, saying that his second term is “worse than the first time around,” and that the mogul has surrounded himself with “villainous creatures,” according to Annandale Today.

President Donald Trump warned that the fate of the United States hangs in the balance ahead of Wednesday’s hearing in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on his use of tariffs in a test of his presidential powers. 

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the upcoming case is “literally, LIFE OR DEATH for our country.”

The high court will consider whether Trump has the authority to impose tariffs on America’s trading partners.

The Trump administration argues in legal briefs that the justices should back the president’s tariffs and overturn rulings by two lower courts that struck them down.

TRUMP’S TARIFF POWER GRAB BARRELS TOWARD SUPREME COURT

The court must decide whether a tariff is essentially a tax on imported goods. Trump has defended his use of tariffs as critical to national security.

“With a Victory, we have tremendous, but fair, Financial and National Security,” Trump wrote. “Without it, we are virtually defenseless against other Countries who have, for years, taken advantage of us.”

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

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

Trump has argued that the outcome will determine whether presidents can use tariffs freely as a tool for both economic leverage and national security.

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“Other countries use tariffs against us, and we weren’t able to openly and freely use tariffs against them,” Trump said. “I’ll give you an example – China. That was going to be a disaster for the world, and I was able to settle it very quickly, very easily because I was able to use tariffs. It’s total national security, and economic health is also part of national security, by the way.”

President Donald Trump has nominated Elon Musk ally Jared Isaacman to serve as NASA administrator — after yanking his nomination for the role earlier in 2025. 

Isaacman, a commercial astronaut and founder and CEO of payment processing company Shift4 Payments, originally was tapped for the post, but Trump rescinded his nomination in May amid tension between Trump and Musk.

“Jared’s passion for Space, astronaut experience, and dedication to pushing the boundaries of exploration, unlocking the mysteries of the universe, and advancing the new Space economy, make him ideally suited to lead NASA into a bold new Era,” Trump said in a social media post Tuesday.

Trump originally said when he revoked Isaacman’s nomination for the position that the move came after “a thorough review of prior associations.”

NASA AT A CROSSROADS: TRUMP’S PLAN TO REFOCUS, EXPLORE AND BEAT CHINA

Furthermore, Trump said he would select a “new Nominee who will be Mission aligned, and put America First in Space.”

Isaacman’s ties to Musk include being an investor in SpaceX, and leading two private spaceflight missions with SpaceX, including Inspiration4. The 2021 Inspiration4 mission marked the first time an all-civilian crew orbited Earth.

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Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy has been serving as the acting NASA administrator since July.

This is a breaking news post and will be updated.

Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares, a Republican, is encouraging voters to split their ticket between himself and Democrats also on the ballot — in an apparent snub of GOP gubernatorial candidate Winsome Earle-Sears.

Miyares is running for another term as the commonwealth’s top cop against Democrat Jay Jones, a former member of Virginia’s House of Delegates.

He posted a video on X Tuesday alongside a voter who apparently voted for both himself and Democrat gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger, writing, “Dave’s splitting his ticket — you can too.”

OBAMA ENDORSES SPANBERGER, ATTACKS REPUBLICANS IN VIRGINIA GOVERNOR’S RACE ADS

“I’m here in beautiful Stafford, I got a chance to meet with voters. I got to meet Dave, who’s here, who’s splitting his ticket,” Miyares said.

The voter named Dave said, “Absolutely. Yeah, no, I voted already, early voting. I voted for Spanberger for governor. I voted for you for attorney general.”

“This is not a time, nor that many times in my life, been where I’ve voted straight down the ticket. So here I am,” Dave said.

Earle-Sears and Miyares had campaigned together multiple times during this election.

JASON MIYARES TOUTS RECORD ON CRIME, FENTANYL AS JONES SCANDAL ROILS VIRGINIA RACE

But Miyares’ Election Day appeal to split-ticket voters is a testament to Virginia’s status as a battleground state, where Democrats are gunning to take back both the governor’s mansion and the attorney general’s seat.

It comes after President Donald Trump notably did not mention Earle-Sears’ name during a tele-rally for Virginia voters on Monday night.

“Get out and vote tomorrow for Jason Miyares, it’s so important,” Trump said, also urging voters to vote for “the Republicans up and down the ballot. We have Republicans up and down.”

Voters in Virginia and several other states are heading to the polls for Election Day to decide a handful of key roles, in races that could be considered bellwethers for the 2026 midterms.

Earle-Sears currently serves as lieutenant governor to GOP Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who is barred from seeking a second consecutive term under Virginia state law. She is also a Marine Corps veteran.

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Spanberger is a former member of the House of Representatives and ex-CIA operations officer.

Either candidate is poised to make history as Virginia’s first female governor.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said he will impose a steep tariff on New Yorkers moving to his state after voting on Election Day ends.

Abbott, a Republican, made the announcement Monday, a day before New Yorkers headed to the polls to choose a new mayor in what has been a closely watched race between Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, a socialist, and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

“After the polls close tomorrow night, I will impose a 100% tariff on anyone moving to Texas from NYC,” Abbott posted on X.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Abbott’s office for comment.

ANDREW CUOMO WARNS TRUMP WILL ‘TAKE OVER’ NEW YORK CITY IF MAMDANI WINS

The power to impose tariffs falls under the federal government’s authority, not the states.

The NYC mayoral race is one of the most anticipated contests this year. President Donald Trump has endorsed Cuomo, who is running as an independent.

CUOMO SAYS TRUMP WILL DEPLOY NATIONAL GUARD, SLASH NYC FUNDS IF MAMDANI WINS MAYOR’S RACE

On Monday, Trump said he would most likely halt federal funds — aside from the minimum required — to New York if Mamdani is elected.

“It can only get worse with a communist at the helm, and I don’t want to send, as president, good money after bad,” he wrote on Truth Social. “It is my obligation to run the nation, and it is my strong conviction that New York City will be a complete and total economic and social disaster should Mamdani win.”

Trump said he would rather see a Democrat with a record of success than Mamdani, a former state assemblyman.

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“He was nothing as an assemblyman, ranked at the bottom of the class, and as mayor of, potentially, again, the greatest city in the world, HE HAS NO CHANCE to bring it back to its former glory!” he added.

The White House slammed New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani after he linked the Trump administration to threats against voters in New Jersey.

On Tuesday, as New Jerseyans went to cast their ballots, bomb threats forced voters out of multiple polling places. While the threats were found to be non-credible, they still caused a disruption to those looking to exercise their right to vote for the Garden State’s next governor. When asked about the threats in his neighboring state, Mamdani made comments that raised eyebrows and rocked the West Wing.

Mamdani called the threats “incredibly concerning” and said that he believed they were “an illustration of the attacks we’re seeing on our democracy.”

“We have to understand this as part of the general approach the Trump administration has taken to trying to intimidate voters with baseless allegations of voter fraud as a means of trying to repress the voice of Americans across this country,” Mamdani said.

MAMDANI VOWS TO DEFY TRUMP IN FIERY FINAL MARCH FROM BROOKLYN BRIDGE TO CITY HALL AHEAD OF ELECTION DAY

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Mamdani’s remarks were “completely irresponsible” and not based in fact.

“I think they are completely irresponsible, and they are based on zero evidence. And I think this is just another example of how the Democrat Party unfortunately stands for nothing. All they stand against is President Donald Trump. And I think it’s quite sad to see that we have someone at the top of the ticket on an Election Day today saying such things about the president, when he obviously had absolutely nothing to do with those threats,” Leavitt said in response to a question from Fox News’ Jacqui Heinrich.

On Monday, Trump, who has been an outspoken critic of Mamdani, backed former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the mayoral race.

“I would much rather see a Democrat, who has had a record of success, WIN, than a communist with no experience and a record of COMPLETE AND TOTAL FAILURE. He was nothing as an assemblyman, ranked at the bottom of the class and, as mayor of potentially, again, the greatest city in the World, HE HAS NO CHANCE to bring it back to its former glory!,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

TRUMP BACKS CUOMO AND THREATENS TO CUT FEDERAL FUNDING IF ‘COMMUNIST MAMDANI’ WINS NYC MAYOR RACE

“We must also remember this — A vote for Curtis Sliwa (who looks much better without the beret!) is a vote for Mamdani. Whether you personally like Andrew Cuomo or not, you really have no choice. You must vote for him, and hope he does a fantastic job,” Trump added. “He is capable of it, Mamdani is not!”

Trump, a native New Yorker, also said that if Mamdani were to win, it would be “highly unlikely that I will be contributing federal funds, other than the very minimum as required, to my beloved first home.”

Cuomo responded, saying that Trump “doesn’t support me,” but rather “he opposes Mamdani.”

“He believes that Mamdani is an existential threat to New York,” Cuomo added.

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“The MAGA movement’s embrace of Andrew Cuomo is reflective of Donald Trump’s understanding that this would be the best mayor for him,” Mamdani said at a press event in New York on the eve of the election. “Not the best mayor for New York City, not the best mayor for New Yorkers, but the best mayor for Donald Trump and his administration.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani’s campaign for comment on Leavitt’s response.

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

FIRST ON FOX: Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, is formally introducing impeachment articles against U.S. District Judge James Boasberg on Tuesday for his role in the “Arctic Frost” probe.

Republican allies of President Donald Trump have been criticizing Boasberg after news broke that he was the judge who signed off on subpoenas and other measures in former Special Counsel Jack Smith’s probe.

“Chief Judge Boasberg has compromised the impartiality of the judiciary and created a constitutional crisis. He is shamelessly weaponizing his power against his political opponents, including Republican members of Congress who are faithfully serving the American people within their jurisdiction,” Gill told Fox News Digital.

“Judge Boasberg was an accomplice in the egregious Arctic Frost scandal where he equipped the Biden DOJ to spy on Republican senators. His lack of integrity makes him clearly unfit for the gavel. I am proud to once again introduce articles of impeachment against Judge Boasberg to hold him accountable for his high crimes and misdemeanors.”

MAJOR PHONE CARRIERS REVEAL JACK SMITH’S SUBPOENAS FOR REPUBLICAN SENATORS’ RECORDS

Gill’s resolution accused Boasberg of one count of abuse of power, according to text obtained first by Fox News Digital.

“Ignoring his responsibility to wield the power of his office in a constitutional manner, Chief Judge Boasberg granted Special Counsel John L. Smith authorization to issue frivolous nondisclosure orders in furtherance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation project codenamed ARCTIC FROST,” the text said.

“These nondisclosure orders covered Members of Congress who were acting in accord with their legislative duties and privileges guaranteed by Article 1, Section 6, Clause 1 of the U.S. Constitution.”

WHO IS JAMES BOASBERG, THE US JUDGE AT THE CENTER OF TRUMP’S DEPORTATION EFFORTS?

The redacted Arctic Frost documents were made public late last month by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa. They included subpoenas of phone records for 10 senators and one House lawmaker, and gag orders sent to Verizon and AT&T instructing them not to notify lawmakers of the subpoena. Verizon complied, but AT&T did not.

Both the subpoenas and gag orders were signed by Boasberg, according to the documents — a detail that prompted fresh criticism and indignation from Republicans, including Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who blasted the investigation as “worse than Watergate” and a gross violation of prosecutorial powers.

Under the Stored Communications Act, federal judges exercise discretion in signing off on such orders — they are not automatic. It is unclear what materials Boasberg would have reviewed in this particular case before authorizing the tolling records of the senators, as much of the information and materials in the probe remain classified or are heavily redacted. 

Republicans named in the subpoenas have argued they are potential violations of the Speech and Debate Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which protects lawmakers from being arrested or questioned by law enforcement for things they say or do in their legislative roles. 

Those protections are not absolute, however, and the clause remains the subject of ongoing, spirited debate over the separation of powers and what degree of protection members of Congress should enjoy from the other two branches of government.

It is not the first time Boasberg has caught negative attention from Trump or his allies.

The federal judge was the target of Republican impeachment threats earlier this year after he issued an order temporarily pausing Trump’s migrant deportation flights to El Salvador.

Gill and other GOP lawmakers pushing impeachment resolutions backed off of those threats after House Republican leaders suggested it was not the most potent route to affect change.

As Big Apple voters head to the polls on Tuesday to pick their next mayor, President Donald Trump asserted that any Jewish person who casts a ballot for Democratic socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani is “stupid.”

“Any Jewish person that votes for Zohran Mamdani, a proven and self professed JEW HATER, is a stupid person!!!” the president claimed in a Truth Social post on Tuesday.

Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani’s campaign for comment.

NYC MAYORAL CANDIDATE ZOHRAN MAMDANI DRAWS CRITICISM FOR HAND-EATING RICE, IGNITING DEBATE

Earlier this year, Mamdani said that “it pains” him “to be called an antisemite.”

Mamdani, who is a Muslim, includes the words “Democratic Socialist” on his X profile.

In part of a post last month on X, Mamdani declared, “As Mayor, I will do everything in my power to protect Jewish New Yorkers, as I will every faith community.”

Mamdani has declined to condemn the phrase “globalize the intifada,” but he has said that it is not language that he employs.

An antisemitism watchdog group issued a scathing “alarm bell” report on Mamdani this week ahead of Election Day. 

The Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP) report warned that Mamdani “has repeatedly declined to condemn the slogan ‘globalize the intifada,’ ignoring the fact that the word ‘intifada’ is synonymous with terror attacks, suicide bombings, and incitement to kill Jews.”

The report also states that Mamdani “downplayed” the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre carried out by Hamas while characterizing Israel’s response as “genocide,” and hits him for introducing a bill to “punish New York charities that support Israel.”

AOC PUSHES BACK AFTER GOP LAWMAKER CALLS MAMDANI’S ARABIC CAMPAIGNING A ‘HUMILIATION’

Trump has urged voters to back former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the contest.

“A vote for Curtis Sliwa (who looks much better without the beret!) is a vote for Mamdani,” Trump declared in a portion of a Monday Truth Social post, delivering a slap in the face to Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa, who had performed poorly in polling.

CURTIS SLIWA COMPARES HIMSELF TO BRAVEHEART, VOWS TO FIGHT NYC’S SOCIALIST MACHINE WIN OR LOSE

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“Whether you personally like Andrew Cuomo or not, you really have no choice. You must vote for him, and hope he does a fantastic job. He is capable of it, Mamdani is not!” the president asserted.

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