NationalWatch

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UPDATED 1:24 PM PT – Monday, October 24, 2022

Texas Governor Greg Abbott is holding a commanding lead in his bid for re-election.

A poll released on Monday by Emerson College and The Hill showed Greg Abbott (R-Texas) with 52% support among likely voters. His Democrat opponent, Beto O’Rourke, had 42% support from likely voters. Four percent of voters are undecided.

The survey also showed that 55% of respondents favor Governor Abbott, compared to the 45% who favor O’Rourke.

The survey was conducted from October 17th until October 19th. 1,000 general election voters were polled. The margin of error is 3 percentage points.

The top issue driving the vote is the economy. 45% of respondents said that the current state of the economy is the most critical issue.

In turn, Abbott has promised to keep Texas’s economy thriving.

“Companies are moving here and small businesses are booming, offering jobs throughout the Texas community, giving everyone a chance to continue to succeed,” Abbott said. “As your Governor, I will ensure that Texas will continue to thrive.”

45th President Donald J. Trump rallied supporters in south Texas over the weekend to vote for Abbott and his other endorsed candidates.
In Texas, early voting starts on Monday and runs until November 4th.

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Rep. Tenney to Newsmax: 'Most Serious, Difficult Time' With a 'Weak President' (Newsmax/"The Chris Salcedo Show")

By Charles Kim | Monday, 24 October 2022 07:31 PM EDT

Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y., told Newsmax Monday that the nation is facing the “most serious” and “difficult” time she has ever seen during her life, and doing it with bad Democratic policies and a “weak president” in President Joe Biden.

“I think we are at probably the most serious, most difficult time I have experienced in my lifetime,” Tenney said during “The Chris Salcedo Show” Monday. “With a president who is very weak. Obviously cognitively impaired, and also a liar.

She said that Biden, a life-long politician, “has always been corrupt,” and used his power to “leverage” his own ambitions and financial interests, as well as to hurt others such as U.S. Supreme Court conservative Justice Clarence Thomas during his Senate confirmation hearings in the early 1990s.

“I remember the old days when he destroyed [Supreme Court nominee Judge Robert] Bork because he would have been the key vote on the court [at that time],” she said. “[Biden] did the same thing to Justice Thomas.”

She said Biden is willing to do anything he has to in order to push the Democratic agenda, whether or not it is good for the American people and proved that time and time again.

Tenney said that things are even worse now because he is in decline due to his age, and his present ability to do the job should be looked at.

“This is a guy who is the commander-in-chief, he is the leader of the free world, he is the president of the United States,” she said. “Now is the time to really look at his ability to be president, not just because of the horrible policies he is behind, but because of the cognitive state of affairs.”

She said that major issues like inflation would not be so big if Biden and the Democrats did not have so many bad policies, and instead, followed the lead of former President Donald Trump, keeping his energy and economic policies in place, including energy independence.

“It is really the fulcrum, effecting everything in our economy right now,” she said. “Whether it’s supply chains, or heating fuel, which is coming up on being a big issue [this winter].”

She said the $7 trillion in spending by Democrats since they won the majority in the House and have a one-vote advantage in the evenly split Senate with Vice President Kamala Harris, is making inflation worse, above 8%.

“This is a huge problem,” she said. “This is causing inflation, the Democrats admit, but change the subject, talk about abortion, and all of this other stuff that is not affecting us.”

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Biden, Obama, to Campaign in Pa. for Shapiro, Fetterman Pennsylvania's Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman waves to supporters after speaking at Dickinson Square Park in Philadelphia on October 23, 2022, as he campaigns for the US Senate. (Kriston Jae Bethel / AFP via Getty)

By Nick Koutsobinas | Monday, 24 October 2022 07:14 PM EDT

President Joe Biden will campaign alongside former President Barack Obama in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh on Nov. 5 to garner support for Democrats John Fetterman and Josh Shapiro in Pennsylvania's gubernatorial and Senate race, an inside source tells Axios.

In a last dash effort approaching midterm voting's final days on Nov. 8, Democrats are placing their party's most notorious assets in swing-state Pennsylvania.

Currently, Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Fetterman is currently neck and neck with Republican Mehmet Oz in a Senate race. In the gubernatorial race, State Attorney General Shapiro has held a lead over state Sen. Doug Mastriano, a Republican.

According to FiveThirtyEight's aggregated weighted polling, Oz, who had been lagging behind in the polls, now appears to be narrowing his margin with Fetterman. As of Monday, the Trump-endorsed television doctor, according to FiveThirtyEight, is within 2.6 percentage points of zeroing in on Fetterman's lead. In mid-August, FiveThirtyEight had Oz 12 percentage points behind.

On Oct. 28, Biden, as well as Vice President Kamala Harris, will attend a Pennsylvania Democratic Party dinner to fundraise for Fetterman and Shapiro. Tickets for the event range in price from $150 to $10,000.

Original Article

Habba to Newsmax: Trump Appearances Provide More Value Than Ad Buys (Newsmax/"Spicer & Co.")

By Nicole Wells | Monday, 24 October 2022 07:13 PM EDT

Alina Habba, spokesperson for MAGA Inc., told Newsmax Monday that, while the super PAC is going to continue spending money in the final days before the election, former President Donald Trump’s appearances at events and rallies provide even more value than ad buys.

“The reality is we’ve spent $9 million in the last two weeks alone – that’s not a small amount of money,” Habba said during an appearance on Newsmax’s “Spicer & Co.” “We’re going to keep spending money and we’re going to make sure everyone gets to where they need to be on Nov. 8, but, more importantly, we’ve got to get people out and voting and I think Donald Trump is the best voice for that.”

According to Politico, Republicans have been heavily outspent in races across the country and party strategists have been anxious for Trump to help financially.

Save America, the former president’s leadership PAC and one of the most well-funded political entities, had a cash reserve of about $100 million in late September – money that could be transferred to MAGA Inc., Politico reported.

According to Habba, roughly a third of people attending Trump rallies are first time attendees or have never voted before and hundreds of thousands of people have attended.

“This is where the value is,” she said. “So yes, we are spending money, but don’t forget there’s something else: We have Donald Trump who’s leading in the polls for the GOP, he’s helping push these people [candidates], he’s helping get their message out, and that is invaluable.”

When asked if MAGA Inc. has plans to buy ads in places with closely watched congressional races, such as New Hampshire or Washington state, Habba demurred and said she didn’t want to give the Democrats “a shoo-in to go after us even more.”

“I won’t show our cards just yet,” she said. “We’re going to make sure we’re good Nov. 8.”

Habba stressed that Trump’s presence was the most important part of winning back control of Congress in two weeks.

“TV ads are important, they are watched by many,” she said. “But, more importantly, Donald Trump has to go out there and he’s got to keep doing what he’s doing.”

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Utah's Sen. Lee Still Leads Democrat-Backed 'Romney Independent' McMullin (Newsmax)

By John Gizzi Monday, 24 October 2022 06:34 PM EDT Current | Bio | Archive

Despite an unusual coalition of Democrats and followers of Sen. Mitt Romney, R.-Utah, independent Senate hopeful Evan McMullin is clearly not catching on in the twilight days of his campaign against Utah’s senior GOP Sen. Mike Lee.

No survey has yet to show McMullin — a former congressional staffer who ran for president as an independent in 2016 — leading stalwart conservative and two-termer Lee.

According to a just-completed Deseret News poll of likely voters statewide, Lee leads McMullin by 42 to 37 percent. Another 12 percent say they do not know who they would pick and 5 percent said they would vote for the Independent American or Libertarian candidates.

“I don’t believe the race is really that close,” veteran GOP consultant Lew Moore of Provo (UT) told Newsmax, adding that McMullin’s strength in the Beehive State was widely overestimated in ’16 (He ended up drawing 21.54 percent, compared to 27.46 for Hillary Clinton and 45.54 percent for Donald Trump).

In a state that last sent a Democrat to the U.S. Senate in 1970, the Democratic organization opted against nominating a candidate and instead gave its blessing to “never Trumper” McMullin.

More interestingly, Lee’s Senate colleague Romney has steadfastly refused to support the senior senator for re-election and many of his supporters are firmly in the McMullin camp.

Moore pointed out that “the elite here tried to bring us ranked choice voting, like Romney’s buddy [moderate GOP Sen.] Lisa Murkowski did to Alaska. That really would have given the McMullin plot a chance. But fortunately, it has so far been relegated to a pilot municipal project.”

Under the ranked choice rules, voters cast ballots for their first choice candidate as well as second and third choices — regardless of party. Should no candidate receive a majority of first choice votes, the bottom candidate is eliminated and his or her second choice is counted among the top vote-getters.

Now used for all offices in Alaska and to pick most offices in Maine, ranked choice has a pattern of favoring more centrist candidates over conservatives.

With backing from Democrats and non-conservative Republicans, McMullin says he opposes “total bans on abortion, onerous limits on birth control, and criminalization of women in desperate situations” and advocates “for sensible legislation that improves support for women, children and families.”

But syndicated columnist and best-selling author Mollie Hemingway recently reminded Utahans that McMullin in ’16 criticized Trump for not being pro-life enough and criticized the Republican hopeful’s refusal to say “I want Roe v. Wade overturned.”

“I’m the only pro-life candidate in the race,” McMullin tweeted on October 19, 2016, noted Hemingway.

With two weeks to go before Utahans elect a senator, Evan McMullin’s unusual candidacy has drawn swatches of publicity nationwide. Whether that translates into a strong showing at the polls remains to be seen.

John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.

Original Article

WSJ: Saudi Crown Prince Mocks Biden in Private, 'Questioning His Mental Acuity' Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia looks on in the Oval Office at the White House May 13, 2015 in Washington, DC. (Olivier Douliery – Pool/Getty)

By Brian Pfail | Monday, 24 October 2022 06:18 PM EDT

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman mocked President Joe Biden after rejecting his request to delay the oil deal until after the midterms.

The 37-year-old Saudi prince "mocks President Biden in private, making fun of the 79-year-old’s gaffes and questioning his mental acuity," Saudi government insiders told the Wall Street Journal.

The crown prince told his advisers he had not been impressed with Biden since he was vice president and that he "much preferred" former President Donald Trump.

The prince, colloquially known as "MBS," led OPEC+ in its decision to cut production by 2 million barrels per day, leading to gas price increases one month before the U.S. midterm elections.

During a CNN interview last week, Biden said he promises to "reevaluate" Washington’s relationship with Riyadh. The Saudis say they are looking to do the same.

Biden met with MBS in July, starting the meeting with a controversial fist bump. Saudi officials felt Biden "didn’t want to be there and was uninterested in the policy discussion," according to the Journal.

The crown prince was angered when Biden mentioned the human rights violations, including the 2018 death of Jamal Khashoggi. Early in his presidency, Biden also released a report linking MBS to Khashoggi’s dismemberment.

Despite MBS’ alleged disdain for Biden, the kingdom asserted its motivations for cutting production were purely economic.

In an interview, the Saudi foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan said, "Our economic agenda is critical to our survival. It’s not just about energy and defense." He also said MBS bad-mouthing Biden was "entirely false" and that "the kingdom’s leaders have always held the utmost respect for U.S. presidents."

Saudi officials told the Journal that they have grown frustrated with the relationship with the West, viewing it only through oil and security interests. They plan to use profits from oil prices to modernize other sectors of their economy and build a “post-oil future.”

The next OPEC+ meeting is scheduled for early December. In the same month, the European Union plans to enact its embargo on Russian oil and G7 nations cap the price of Russian crude oil.

Original Article

OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 10:07 AM PT – Monday, October 24, 2022

Arizona gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake has dismissed speculation she may run as vice president on a potential Trump-led ticket in 2024.

During an interview with ABC News on Sunday, Lake said she plans on serving as governor for two terms if elected. The Republican noted she is hearing a lot about 2024 on the campaign trail. However, Lake added that she believes the media is trying to scare voters to make them think she is going to leave.
Lake also said she plans on being the worst nightmare of ‘fake news’ in Arizona for eight years.

This comes as recent polling indicates that Lake is on track to defeat Democrat Katie Hobbs in November.

Original Article Oann

Trump Calls on 'The View' to Fire Alyssa Farah Griffin (Newsmax)

By Theodore Bunker | Monday, 24 October 2022 05:00 PM EDT

Former President Donald Trump on Monday called for ABC’s “The View” to fire co-host Alyssa Farrah Griffin, his former communications director.

“Alyssa Farah totally misrepresented her true feelings about me and the Trump Administration in order to get her job at ratings disaster CNN, and a seat with the low IQ people at The View,” Trump said on Truth Social, his social media platform.

“Look at what she said about me, and that doesn’t include the beautiful letter she sent and other statements she made. They should fire her for misrepresentation or fraud. Release the letter, Alyssa!”

He went on to share several tweets that Farah Griffin made after leaving the White House but before she joined "The View," saying that her time in the Trump administration had been “an honor of a lifetime.”

Farah Griffin has rejected claims that she has shifted her “fundamental views” as a conservative, but she said in a statement earlier this year that working in the White House “fundamentally changed how I see the world and our role in it,” and she said she resigned “after Trump lost and began espousing the election lies.”

She told National Review, “I’m a conservative who believes in limited federal government and a robust national defense. I do, however, think that most people who have served in the highest levels of government, who hold the highest level security clearances, as I do, often become less dogmatic in their views as they learn more and are exposed to more.”

Original Article

Trump Calls on 'The View' to Fire Alyssa Farah Griffin (Newsmax)

By Theodore Bunker | Monday, 24 October 2022 05:00 PM EDT

Former President Donald Trump on Monday called for ABC’s “The View” to fire co-host Alyssa Farrah Griffin, his former communications director.

“Alyssa Farah totally misrepresented her true feelings about me and the Trump Administration in order to get her job at ratings disaster CNN, and a seat with the low IQ people at The View,” Trump said on Truth Social, his social media platform.

“Look at what she said about me, and that doesn’t include the beautiful letter she sent and other statements she made. They should fire her for misrepresentation or fraud. Release the letter, Alyssa!”

He went on to share several tweets that Farah Griffin made after leaving the White House but before she joined "The View," saying that her time in the Trump administration had been “an honor of a lifetime.”

Farah Griffin has rejected claims that she has shifted her “fundamental views” as a conservative, but she said in a statement earlier this year that working in the White House “fundamentally changed how I see the world and our role in it,” and she said she resigned “after Trump lost and began espousing the election lies.”

She told National Review, “I’m a conservative who believes in limited federal government and a robust national defense. I do, however, think that most people who have served in the highest levels of government, who hold the highest level security clearances, as I do, often become less dogmatic in their views as they learn more and are exposed to more.”

Report: New Swing-State Polls Suggest November Red Wave (Newsmax)

By Luca Cacciatore | Monday, 24 October 2022 04:35 PM EDT

A slew of new surveys in battleground states have shown impressive swings towards Republicans in recent weeks, setting up what could be a massive red wave, CNBC reported.

In Ohio, the Senate race remains tight between Republican venture capitalist J.D. Vance and Democratic Congressman Tim Ryan. According to Spectrum News/Siena College's latest poll, the pair is tied at 46% each.

But a plurality of Ohio voters, 40%, said they preferred Republican control of the House and Senate compared to 33% who said the same of Democrats. Further, Ryan boasted a 3-point lead in the same poll last month.

Polling in Ohio has also historically favored Democrats, with former President Donald Trump winning the state by an 8-point margin in 2020, despite survey aggregations showing President Joe Biden within 1 point.

The GOP's nominee for Arizona governor, former local news anchor Kari Lake, holds a 3-percentage-point advantage in The Daily Wire's latest survey against Democratic opponent Katie Hobbs, 49.2% to 46.4%.

Lake's growing lead comes amid her vocal criticisms of the current Arizona secretary of state for refusing to debate her at any point during the race.

Instead, Lake claimed on Newsmax's "John Bachman Now" that Hobbs negotiated a special deal with PBS for her own half-an-hour interview.

"What she's doing is trying to destroy the entire debate system that we've had for two decades here in Arizona, and I will not take part in her destruction of that," the Republican candidate said. "They will either put us together on a debate stage, or they're not going to get any of me."

Meanwhile, polls in Texas' gubernatorial race show incumbent Gov. Greg Abbott's lead over Democratic challenger Beto O'Rourke nearing or at double-digits.

A recent University of Texas poll shows the Republican governor up 11 points, 54% to 43%. Furthermore, 54% of respondents said they supported Abbott's Cabinet transporting illegal immigrants to Northern cities.

Original Article

Trump Trashes Fraud Trial — Ongoing 'Democrat Witch Hunt' (Newsmax)

By Fran Beyer | Monday, 24 October 2022 02:31 PM EDT

Former President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to blast the criminal tax fraud trial of his New York-based company that began Monday, calling it more of “the highly partisan Democrat Witch Hunt” that’s dogged him in and out of office.

Trump ripped the state court trial, where the Trump Organization’s former chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg is expected to take the stand.

“After viewing millions of pages of documents over many years, charges were brought against a long time Trump executive who they ‘tortured’ & threatened for years, for not paying taxes on the use of company cars, the use of a company apartment, & the education of his grandchildren,” Trump wrote.

Dismissing the trial as “the highly partisan Democrat Witch Hunt,” Trump wrote “no such ‘fringe benefits” case has ever been brought criminally(?) in the U.S., & right during the important Mid-Term Elections, of course!”

In a second post, Trump continued the sharp criticism.

“Can you imagine, the failed Manhattan District Attorney, Cy Vance (at the time), took Crooked Hillary Clinton’s lawyers, from her and the Democrats Law Firm, Paul Weiss, Rifkind…., and gently placed them into the District Attorney’s Office in order to PROSECUTE ‘TRUMP’,” he wrote.

“They have GREAT liability for doing this! It got so bad that various prosecutors quit because they thought that Donald Trump was being treated so badly and unfairly — and it continues. In the end, Justice Must Prevail!”

Weisselberg is expected to be accused of awarding "off the books" benefits to some senior executives.

The Manhattan district attorney's office last year hit Trump's namesake real estate company and Weisselberg, who pleaded guilty in August to helping the company defraud tax authorities for 15 years — and is expected to be a star witness along with the company’s controller Jeffrey McConney.

Susan Necheles, a lawyer for the Trump Organization, said in a virtual hearing last week that challenging Weisselberg's admission that he hid information from the accountants would be part of the company's defense.

"Weisselberg will testify he believed everything he was doing was wrong," Necheles said during the video conference. "We think he's lying, and we want to show that."

The process of choosing a jury started with Justice Juan Merchan presiding over the trial in Manhattan that he said would last six weeks.

The judge told more than 100 prospective jurors about the charges, the fact that the defendants have pleaded not guilty and that proof of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt would be required for conviction.

The criminal case is separate from a $250 million civil lawsuit filed by the New York attorney general against Trump, three of his adult children, and his company in September, accusing them of overstating asset values and his net worth to get favorable bank loans and insurance coverage.

Trump's other legal troubles include a federal criminal investigation into the removal of government documents from the White House when he left office last year.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Original Article

Sen. Rubio Says Campaign Volunteer 'Brutally Attacked' in Political Violence Incident (Newsmax)

By Solange Reyner | Monday, 24 October 2022 01:43 PM EDT

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., says one of his campaign volunteers was “brutally attacked” by four people who told him Republicans weren’t allowed in their neighborhood.

“Last night one of our canvassers wearing my T-shirt and a Desantis hat was brutally attacked by 4 animals who told him Republicans weren’t allowed in their neighborhood in #Hialeah #Florida,” Rubio tweeted Monday. “He suffered internal bleeding, a broken jaw & will need facial reconstructive surgery.”

The incident comes after President Joe Biden decried “mega MAGA Republicans” who “think it’s alright to threaten violence” in a Sunday interview on MSNBC.

GOP Chair Ronna McDaniel in early September called out Biden for his divisiveness and attacks on voters.

“Joe Biden's wretched attacks on millions of Americans have fueled attacks on pregnancy centers, Republican offices, and an assassination attempt on a Supreme Court Justice,” she said in a statement.

“His agenda has pitted neighbors against each other, rewarded the wealthy while punishing working families, and trampled on the rights and freedoms of Americans.”

Fox News in early October reported an uptick in several instances of political violence following Biden’s warning that supporters of former President Donald Trump pose threats to the country.

Original Article

Trump Touts Tshibaka, Blasts Sens. Murkowski, McConnell (Newsmax)

By Brian Pfail | Monday, 24 October 2022 01:30 PM EDT

Former President Donald Trump promoted senate candidate Kelly Tshibaka, while blasting Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Sen. Mitch McConnell on Truth Social.

The post read: "Kelly Tshibaka is a STAR for Alaska, which is trying to get rid of one of the WORST Senators in existence, Lisa Murkowsky. Kelly has my Complete and Total Endorsement and is leading in the Polls, but the Old Broken Crow, Mitch McConnell, a puppet for China along with his 'wife,' Coco Chow, is pouring millions into the State so that his political Hack, 'Impeacher' Lisa Murkowsky, can sneak out a victory under corrupt Rank Choice voting. Shady Mitch should use that money for other R's. VOTE KELLY!"

Murkowski, a Republican, is regarded as a moderate and a swing vote. The Alaska Republican Party censured her following her vote to convict Trump of incitement of insurrection in his second impeachment trial. Murkowski opposed Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court and supported Ketanji Brown Jackson's.

McConnell has previously signaled to the Republicans to support Murkowski, despite Trump's pledge to campaign against her. According to FiveThirtyEight, Murkowski has voted with Biden's position 67% of the time.

In 2021, Trump endorsed Tshibaka. The Republican Party of Alaska also endorsed her.

Original Article

Texas Polls: Abbott Topping O'Rourke, Trump Beating Biden (Newsmax)

By Brian Pfail | Monday, 24 October 2022 11:45 AM EDT

Monday polls show Texas remaining red as GOP Gov. Greg Abbott is beating Democrat challenger Beto O'Rourke by nine points.

The Spectrum News/Siena poll found Abbott at 52% and his rival at 43%. The Hill/Emerson poll showed much the same, with Abbott at 53 and O'Rourke at 44.

O'Rourke champions himself as the "gun-control" candidate, a controversial stand in Texas. Former President Donald Trump warned that Democrats are against "oil, God, and guns" at his Save America rally Saturday night, which aired live on Newsmax.

"They're against oil, God, and guns, and they say they're going to do well in Texas," he said. "I don't think so."

Polling by Hill/Emerson has Trump leading President Joe Biden by seven points. Trump carries a 33-0 record in the GOP primaries in Texas, pressing on the reversal of his policies under the Biden administration, in particular the issue of the southern border.

"We have a bad subject, because when you look at what's happening in our country, it's a bad subject," said Trump.

The former president endorsed Abbott, a conservative Republican that staunchly defends 2nd Amendment rights and border control.

"Go out and vote up and down the slate, vote for good, great Republicans," Trump said to the crowd. "You are an incredible group of people. You're tough, you're brave, and brilliant.

"Americans deserve a Congress and president that protect the borders of our nation. It's called, a very simply policy: America First."

Original Article

Cook Report: Dem NY Rep. Maloney's Race Moved to 'Toss Up' (Newsmax)

By Fran Beyer | Monday, 24 October 2022 11:22 AM EDT

The Cook Political Report on Monday changed its rating from "lean Democrat" to "toss up" for the House seat of Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chair Sean Patrick Maloney of New York.

The report's U.S. House editor Dave Wasserman wrote Maloney faced a potential "historic shock" in the Nov. 8 midterm election.

"When Republicans' top Super PAC announced an ad buy against Democratic Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney in April, many assumed it was a gambit to troll or distract the DCCC chair," Wasserman wrote.

"But two weeks out from Election Day, Maloney finds himself in deep danger, simultaneously fighting for his political life in his Hudson Valley seat and desperately trying to prevent Democrats from being swept out of the House majority."

Wasserman pointed to the dollar gap in spending between outside Republican and Democratic groups — about $3.5 million to $384,000 — as well as GOP momentum in New York state, where GOP gubernatorial contender Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., has been closing the gap in his race against New York's Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul, The Hill noted.

"A Maloney defeat would be a historic shock: a sitting House campaign committee chair hasn't lost reelection since 1992 (when NRCC Chair Guy Vander Jagt lost his primary), though DCCC Chair Cheri Bustos came close to losing in 2020 (52%-48%) and NRCC Chair Tom Reynolds came close in 2006 (52%-48%). A sitting chair hasn't lost a general election since 1980, when DCCC Chair Jim Corman lost his seat in California," Wasserman wrote.

Maloney, who represents the 18th Congressional District, decided to run in the 17th Congressional District after redistricting pushed Rep. Mondaire Jones, D-N.Y., the current rep there, into running in the 10th — where he lost his primary, The Hill reported.

Wasserman wrote that Maloney lost some of his biggest bases of support with the move, though the 17th district is more Democrat-leaning.

With the midterms closing in, Democrats are trying to limit the number of expected House losses.

"Look, I'm a gay guy with an interracial family in a Trump district; I didn't win this seat five times by not worrying about it," Maloney told the Times Union in an interview posted Sunday. "You have to do your work. You have to go out and make your case."

"So, of course, I worry about it. I run like I'm behind. That's why I've been successful."

Original Article

GOP Senate Contender Levy to Newsmax: 'I'll Win' on Economy Republican candidate for U.S. Senate Leora Levy talks to delegates at the State Republican Convention, May 7, in Mashantucket, Connecticut. (Jessica Hill/AP)

By Fran Beyer | Monday, 24 October 2022 10:46 AM EDT

Connecticut GOP Senate candidate Leora Levy told Newsmax on Monday she's confident her state's "real Election Day election" will vault her to a win over incumbent Democrat Sen. Richard Blumenthal.

In an interview on Newsmax's "Wake Up America," Levy said she's been encouraged by polling that shows her running neck and neck with Blumenthal, who is seeking a third term.

Leora expressed confidence despite Blumenthal's larger campaign spending outlay.

"In Connecticut, 80-90% of our voters vote on Election Day — this is a real Election Day election," said Levy, who has gotten an endorsement from former President Donald Trump.

"The polls show that if my message gets out … I go above 50%, and he loses," she asserted. "I'll win this Senate seat. We'll get back to common-sense economic policy so life can be affordable again, we will address interference of a government of parents and their children."

One poll had shown Blumenthal with a double-digit lead but a recent survey found that margin much smaller, the nonprofit Connecticut Mirror reported. Levy said she's encouraged by that polling — and points to voters' concerns about the rising cost of oil and spiking crime.

"It feels great on the ground … people know they don't have to live this way, that life is unaffordable, crime has increased tremendously … there is a shortage of home heating oil," she said, adding about the oil cost hikes that "it was reported that Connecticut oil dealers will be rationing to its customers."

"We are going to have to go through a winter without the means to heat our homes fully. It's terrible," she said.

She also maintained that Connecticut voters are also alarmed at the rising rate of crime in the state.

"No matter what part of the state I go to people are talking about crime whether it's … car thefts … muggings in broad daylight … even armed robbery in formerly safe type communities," she said.

"This never happened before," she added, saying it was the "direct cause" of the state's Police Accountability law.

"Last week we buried two of our hero cops from Bristol … murdered because this law created … an anti-police climate," she said.

Original Article

Mark Morgan to Newsmax: Biden Admin Lying About Border Security

Central American refugees board a truck on their way north to the U.S. border, Oct. 10, 2018. (Getty Images)

By Fran Beyer | Monday, 24 October 2022 08:43 AM EDT

Former Customs and Border Patrol leader and FBI veteran Mark Morgan told Newsmax Monday that the increase in migrant border crossings is far greater than the Biden administration admits, calling Vice President Kamala Harris’ characterization of the influx a “lie.”

In an interview on Newsmax’s “Wake Up America,” Morgan, who helmed the CBP in both the Obama and Trump administrations, noted the most recent figures released by the Biden administration show the total number of illegal crossings in September were 227,547 — a 12% increase from the prior month.

“They need to compare it to the last month of the Trump administration, you’re gonna see a 300, 400, 500% increase difference,” Morgan said.

“Our borders are wide open; they’s not secure,” he said, batting back Harris’ assurances.

“The truth is that essential resources are pulled off line” at the border, he asserted.

“In the first 22 months [of the Biden administration] the number is actually well over 5 million,” he said. “We’ve turned over operational control over to the cartels … the American people have been seeing this with their own eyes for the last 20 months.”

“We know drugs pouring [into the country] in record numbers,” Morgan said, citing the fiscal year number at “2.7 million total encounters.”

“They also arrested over 40,000 criminal aliens,” he said.

He added: “Although the men and woman on border protecttion are doing one heck of a job on the front lines,” Americans are not hearing “the real numbers … of what’s getting away.”

According to Morgan, “somewhere between 600,000 to 700,000” migrants are “getaways.”

”It’s absolutely outrageous and ridiculous that this vice president calls [the border] secure,” he said. “It’s a lie.”

Morgan also blasted the flow of the deadly drug fentanyl across the border from drug cartels.

“How many more Americans have to die before we make this administration reverse course,” he asked. “Enough is enough.”

“The leading cause of death [of those] between 18- to 45-years-olds in this country is fentanyl,” he said, noting that “95% come from the southern border.”

“For every pound of fentanyl we seize, 3-4 pounds are getting away, coming here and killing Americans,” he said.

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Original Article

Mark Morgan to Newsmax: Biden Admin Lying About Border Security (Newsmax/"Wake Up America")

By Fran Beyer | Monday, 24 October 2022 09:17 AM EDT

Former Customs and Border Patrol leader and FBI veteran Mark Morgan told Newsmax on Monday the increase in migrant border crossings is far greater than the Biden administration admits, calling Vice President Kamala Harris' characterization of the influx a "lie."

In an interview on Newsmax's "Wake Up America," Morgan, who helmed the CBP in both the Obama and Trump administrations, noted the most recent figures released by the Biden administration show the total number of illegal crossings in September were 227,547 — a 12% increase from the prior month.

"They need to compare it to the last month of the Trump administration, you're gonna see a 300, 400, 500% increase difference," Morgan said.

"Our borders are wide open; they's not secure," he said, batting back Harris' assurances.

"The truth is that essential resources are pulled off line" at the border, he asserted.

"In the first 22 months [of the Biden administration], the number is actually well over 5 million," he said. "We've turned over operational control over to the cartels … the American people have been seeing this with their own eyes for the last 20 months."

"We know drugs pouring [into the country] in record numbers," Morgan said, citing the fiscal year number at "2.7 million total encounters."

"They also arrested over 40,000 criminal aliens," he said.

He added: "Although the men and woman on border protection are doing one heck of a job on the front lines," Americans are not hearing "the real numbers … of what's getting away."

According to Morgan, "somewhere between 600,000 to 700,000" migrants are "getaways."

"It's absolutely outrageous and ridiculous that this vice president calls [the border] secure," he said. "It's a lie."

Morgan also blasted the flow of the deadly drug fentanyl across the border from drug cartels.

"How many more Americans have to die before we make this administration reverse course," he asked. "Enough is enough."

"The leading cause of death [of those] between 18- to 45-years-olds in this country is fentanyl," he said, noting that "95% come from the southern border."

"For every pound of fentanyl we seize, 3-4 pounds are getting away, coming here and killing Americans," he said.

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Judge Rules for California Baker Over Same-Sex Wedding Cake (Dreamstime)

Monday, 24 October 2022 08:37 AM EDT

A California judge has ruled in favor of a bakery owner who refused to make wedding cakes for a same-sex couple because it violated her Christian beliefs.

The state Department of Fair Housing and Employment had sued Tastries Bakery in Bakersfield, arguing owner Cathy Miller intentionally discriminated against the couple in violation of California's Unruh Civil Rights Act.

Miller's attorneys argued her right to free speech and free expression of religion trumped the argument that she violated the anti-discrimination law. Kern County Superior Court Judge Eric Bradshaw ruled Friday that Miller acted lawfully while upholding her beliefs about what the Bible teaches regarding marriage.

The decision was welcomed as a First Amendment victory by Miller and her pro-bono attorneys with the conservative Thomas More Society.

"I'm hoping that in our community we can grow together," Miller told the Bakersfield Californian after the ruling. "And we should understand that we shouldn't push any agenda against anyone else."

A spokesperson said the fair housing department was aware of the ruling but had not determined what to do next. The couple, Eileen and Mireya Rodriguez-Del Rio, said they expect an appeal.

"Of course we're disappointed, but not surprised," Eileen told the newspaper. "We anticipate that our appeal will have a different result."

An earlier decision in Kern County Superior Court also went Miller's way, but it was later vacated by the 5th District Court of Appeal, which sent the lawsuit back to the county.

The decision comes as a Colorado baker is challenging a ruling he violated that state's anti-discrimination law by refusing to make a cake celebrating a gender transition. That baker, Jack Phillips, separately won a partial U.S. Supreme Court victory after refusing on religious grounds to make a gay couple's wedding cake a decade ago.

Trump Blasts Jan. 6 Committee for Not Investigating Voter Fraud, Pelosi (Getty)

By Jeremy Frankel | Sunday, 23 October 2022 09:55 PM EDT

Former President Trump strongly criticized the House January 6 Select Committee for omitting any discussion on voter fraud that had occurred during the 2020 elections, as well as deciding not to investigate House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s rejection of his offer of military protection days before the riot at the Capitol.

"Why didn’t the January 6th Committee of Unselects discuss the massive voter fraud in the 2020 Presidential Election, which is the thing that led to the tremendous protest. Also, no talk of Pelosi turning down military protection three days before January 6th. Why?" Trump posted to Truth Social on Sunday.

The Democrat-led committee issued a subpoena to Trump on Friday, demanding he testify by November 14th.

Pelosi had appeared earlier Sunday on MSNBC, where she told host Jonathan Capehart that she doesn’t think Trump is "man enough to show up."

"I don’t think his lawyers will want him to show up because he has to testify under oath. But I don’t think he’ll show up. I don’t think he is man enough. We’ll see if he is man enough to show up. And the public should make their judgment. No one is above the law! If we believe that, then they should make a judgment about how he responds to that request," Pelosi added.

Original Article