NationalWatch

Rep. Fitzgerald to Newsmax: 'No Doubt' McCarthy Will Be Next Speaker Rep. Scott Fitzgerald, R-Wis. (Getty Images)

By Sandy Fitzgerald | Thursday, 17 November 2022 11:24 AM EST

There's "no doubt" that Republican Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy will wield the Speaker's gavel in January, Rep. Scott Fitzgerald told Newsmax on Thursday before House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's planned announcement about the future of her political career now that Democrats have lost the House majority.

"Everything in D.C. was about the excitement of us capturing the majority last night," Fitzgerald, a Wisconsin Republican said on Newsmax's "Wake Up America." "There was a lot of excitement. And now, today, it seems that almost all the House's actions are in the shadow of what Speaker Pelosi is going to announce today. Is she going to step aside, or is she going to try to hang in there again? No one really knows."

One report, from the Washington news outlet Puck News, said Pelosi, who was to speak at noon ET, will say she plans to drop back from her leadership role and endorse Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., but her spokesman said that "anybody who tells you they know what she will do is a liar."

Meanwhile, McCarthy, R-Calif., needs votes from 218 Republicans to become speaker. During an early meeting vote this past week, 31 party representatives said they did not support him, but Fitzgerald said he believes McCarthy will get the votes he needs to take the seat.

"I don't think there's any doubt about that," Fitzgerald said. "I think there's a little bit of a power play to see if we can't kind of negotiate some stuff."

But still, "I can tell you there is overwhelming momentum for him," said Fitzgerald. "A lot of the stuff that he has been working on over the last two years, and even before that, if you go back four years, are things that I think are going to help manage this conference, and it's going to be tough."

Many new Republicans are coming into the House, Fitzgerald added, as a "lot of top-tier, wonderful people have been elected," and a House Speaker must be ready as Republicans plan to be "going back to doing real business."

This means no more proxy voting, and that there will be "no more magnetometers at the door," said Fitzgerald.

"One of the votes we took yesterday is we want to re-establish that the U.S. capitol is open to the public and to any of our constituents who want to visit us on a regular basis," said Fitzgerald. "It means you're going to have to be in D.C. and you're going to have to do your job."

Fitzgerald also talked about former President Donald Trump's presidential campaign announcement this week, calling it exciting, but saying there is also a "side discussion in Republican circles" about Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his success on Election Day and about Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin after the turnabout he created with his election last year.

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Original Article

Super PAC Boosts DeSantis' Possible White House Run (Newsmax)

By Jeffrey Rodack | Thursday, 17 November 2022 11:00 AM EST

An independent super PAC was formed by a man who has supported former President Donald Trump to help Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' potential run for the White House.

According to McClatchy newspapers' Washington, D.C., bureau, political strategist John Thomas shifted his allegiance from Trump to DeSantis and has set up the "Ron to the Rescue" super PAC.

Thomas said he formed the political action committee because DeSantis is "the future of the party. … As much as people in the party still like Trump, they like winning more," Thomas, founder and president of the political advertising and consulting firm Thomas Partners Strategies, told McClatchy.

Thomas said he formed the super PAC as a result of the poor showing by Trump-backed candidates in the midterms.

"If you're a Trump supporter, I think it's fair to say that Trump was not a net positive," in the midterm elections, Thomas said.

He noted he first began organizing the political action committee during the summer, "but was convinced to go ahead with it after the midterm results.

"What was really surprising about it was not just the original people who were pro-DeSantis, but our group was getting populated with people that are kind of like myself. We're not ‘Never Trumpers.' We're actually quite pro-Trump. We just want to win."

But Thomas said he expects a Trump vs. DeSantis campaign to get nasty.

"It's going to become a civil war, and that's inevitable," Thomas said. "Trump is not going to go quietly into the night. The former president is known to be vindictive against people who defy him. But the time has come to pass the gavel and it's very clear that DeSantis is the one who can win and the former president is not.

"We think DeSantis is the future of the party who can put together the coalitions necessary, particularly with college-educated white women, Latinos and these critical groups."

Thomas said his super PAC will commend Trump for having a "spine of steel," for having refocused the agenda of the Republican Party electorate.

"But we need to be appreciating him as the party elder, and less of a party leader," Thomas said. "While we're very thankful for Trump's service, it's time to move on."

Trump, turning a deaf ear to establishment calls to hold off and Democrat efforts to stop him, officially declared his 2024 presidential campaign Tuesday night.

"This will not be my campaign," he said. "This will be our campaign all together, because the only force strong enough to defeat the massive corruption we are up against is you the American people. It's true. The American people, the greatest people on Earth. We love them all. And we love both sides. We're going to bring people together. We're going to unify."

DeSantis, who has not announced whether he will run for president in 2024, did not respond to a request for comment from McClatchy.

Original Article

House Republicans Make Investigation of Biden a Top Priority (Newsmax)

Charlie McCarthy Thursday, 17 November 2022 04:42 PM EST

After winning control of the U.S. House of Representatives, Republicans said on Thursday that investigating President Joe Biden and his family's business dealings will be their top oversight priority when they formally take power next year.

Rep. James Comer, a Kentucky Republican who is expected to chair the House Oversight and Reform Committee, told reporters that the panel will investigate bank reports and claims by anonymous whistleblowers that he said show connections between the president and the business activities of his 52-year-old businessman son, Hunter Biden.

"I want to be clear. This is an investigation of Joe Biden. That's where the committee will focus in this next Congress," Comer told reporters.

"This committee will evaluate the status of Joe Biden's relationship with his family's foreign partners and whether he is a president who is compromised or swayed by foreign dollars and influence," Comer said, saying that the committee has obtained two suspicious activity reports filed by major banks.

A White House statement accused House Republicans of planning to go after Biden "with politically motivated attacks chock full of long-debunked conspiracy theories."

"President Biden is not going to let these political attacks distract him from focusing on Americans' priorities," said the statement by Ian Sams, spokesman for the White House Counsel's office.

Hunter Biden has for years been the focus of unrelenting attacks by former President Donald Trump and his Republican allies who have accused him of wrongdoing relating to Ukraine and China, among other matters. He also publicly detailed his struggles with substance abuse and has worked as a lobbyist, lawyer, investment banker and artist.

Hunter Biden disclosed in December 2020 that federal prosecutors in Delaware were investigating his tax affairs, though they have not charged him with any crime. He has denied wrongdoing.

Hunter Biden never held a position in the White House or on his father's campaign. The president has said he has not discussed foreign business dealings with his son and has said his Justice Department would have independence in any investigation of a member of his family.

The House Republicans' probe will begin to unfold next year, as the U.S. political calendar heads toward the 2024 presidential election, in which Biden said he currently intends to seek re-election.

More than a dozen House Republicans appeared alongside Comer at a Wednesday press conference, many of them staunch allies of Trump, who announced his own 2024 White House run on Tuesday.

Republicans outlined the coming investigation in terms that appeared to echo allegations leveled against Trump by Democrats, who investigated the business dealings of the former president and his family.

Trump was impeached twice by Congress, once for allegedly pressuring Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to investigate Biden and his son ahead of the 2020 presidential election, and once over the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the Capitol.

Trump was acquitted by Senate Republicans both times.

The looming House Oversight investigation of Biden will coincide with a House Judiciary Committee probe into allegations of political influence at the Justice Department under Biden.

Comer and Rep. Jim Jordan, an Ohio Republican who is expected to chair the judiciary panel, pledged to oversee evidence-based investigations that conform to the Constitution.

Original Article

Poll: Majority of Hispanic Voters Want Tougher Border Enforcement A border patrol agent talks to a group of migrants, mostly from African countries, before processing them after they crossed the U.S.-Mexico border, taken from Tijuana, Baja California state, Mexico, on November 11. (Guillermo Arias/Getty Images)

By Jeffrey Rodack | Thursday, 17 November 2022 08:31 AM EST

Fifty-seven percent of Hispanics who voted in the midterms say the government is doing too little to reduce illegal borders crossings, according to a new poll by Rasmussen Reports and NumbersUSA.

Here are highlights from the poll released on Wednesday:

• 17% say border enforcement is about right, compared to 16% who say the government is doing too much enforcement. The remainder were uncertain.
• 44% say the Biden administration is doing a poor job handling illegal immigration, while 21% say it is doing a fair job. Eighteen percent said it is doing a good job, and 13% said it was doing an excellent job.
• 46% favor immigration policies that reduce the level of legal immigrations, while 43% want immigration policies that increase the level of legal immigrations.
• 43% say they would vote for President Joe Biden in a hypothetical match for the White House with former President Donald Trump compared to 42% who said they would vote for Trump. Ten percent said they would vote for someone else.
• 48% say they voted for the Democrat candidate in their Senate race, while 39% say they voted for the Republican.
• 50% say they voted for the Democrat candidate in their district's House race, compared to 40% who say they voted for the Republican.

The poll, conducted Nov. 9, surveyed 515 Hispanic voters who cast their ballots in the midterms. The margin of error is plus or minus 4 percentage points.

OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 4:25 PM PT – Wednesday, November 16, 2022

A federal judge has blocked the Biden administration from enforcing Title 42 which is a policy allowing the government to deport illegal immigrants for health concerns.

On Tuesday, Obama-appointed U.S District Judge Emmett Sullivan handed down the ruling, calling the policy arbitrary and that it violates federal law.

In 2020, Title 42 was enforced by 45th President Donald J. Trump to stop COVID-19 from spreading from migrants coming through the southern border.

And after initially trying to kill it, the Biden administration kept it in place to the dissatisfaction of far-left lawmakers.

Sullivan granted a request from the administration to suspend his ruling for five weeks on Wednesday. As a result, they now have until December 21st to end the policy.

Original Article Oann

OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 3:10 PM PT – Wednesday, November 16, 2022

Former First Lady Melania Trump praised her husband’s bid for the White House and supports his decision to run again.
In an exclusive interview with Breitbart News, Melania said that she believes Trump will return America to peace, love, and prosperity during his second term.

In addition, the Trump administration’s achievements has had a great effect on all Americans.
On Tuesday night, the 45th President announced his 2024 presidential campaign from his Mar-a-Lago estate, pledging to return the country to law-and-order and economic success.

Original Article Oann

GOP Rep. Valadao Leads in California Race Still Too Close to Call (Newsmax/"Prime News")

By Nick Koutsobinas | Wednesday, 16 November 2022 11:01 PM EST

Rep. David Valadao, R-California, leads the still too close to call race in Carolina's 22nd District over his Democrat opponent Rudy Salas.

Coming on the heels of Republicans clinching a majority in the House, Valadao could soon add to the tally as he leads his opponent 52.8% to 47.2%. But despite his lead, only 67% of the votes have been tallied.

Valadao was one of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach former President Donald Trump in early 2021 after Trump left office. He was targeted in the GOP primary but remains one of only two of those 10 impeachment GOP seats still in Congress, if he wins.

The other, Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., has officially be declared the winner in his race for reelection.

Newsmax has called the Republican Party the new House majority, having clinched 219 seats to 209 for the Democrats. There remain 7 races too close to call, two of which are led by Republicans.

Original Article

Democrats Hold on to US House Seat in Maine Via Ranked Vote (Dreamstime)

PATRICK WHITTLE Wednesday, 16 November 2022 10:39 PM EST

Democrats held on to a swing district in Maine, as two-term U.S. Rep. Jared Golden beat back a challenge from a former congressman via ranked choice voting for the second time in four years.

Golden won reelection via the ranked round, Maine’s secretary of state, Shenna Bellows, said Wednesday. He defeated Republican Bruce Poliquin, who held the seat from 2014 to 2018.

Golden had entered the ranked round trailing in 2018, but this election he began the instant runoff with a lead over Poliquin and independent candidate Tiffany Bond.

During the ranked round, votes for third-place finisher Bond were redistributed to the second choices of those who voted for her. Bond was also the third-place finisher in 2018.

State police were deployed around the district to retrieve ballots and memory devices before this year’s ranked tabulation. The retrieval schedule was not made public, but workers for the state were able to start the painstaking vote verification process on Monday. The ranked tabulation then took place Wednesday.

Golden had declared victory in the race last week, and treated the ranked round as a formality this time. He said before the count began that his appeal in rural Maine helped carry him to victory.

“There's a number of towns we've consistently outperformed the party, outperformed the top of the ticket,” Golden said. “We've held onto those towns when some Democrats who used to represent them have lost.”

Golden is a Marine Corps veteran who has occasionally deviated from Democratic leadership on major issues, including President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan, which he has opposed. Poliquin is a former investment manager and served two years as Maine’s state treasurer.

During the race, Poliquin tried to portray Golden as too liberal for the district. He has voiced opposition to ranked choice voting in the past and filed a lawsuit, later withdrawn, against the method in 2018.

Democrats should make changes such as cutting back on wasteful spending and working to reduce fuel prices, Poliquin said in a Facebook post before the results were announced.

“Biden, Pelosi, Golden and the Democrats should put politics aside and use some common sense to do what’s right while they wield all the authority,” Poliquin wrote. “Maine seniors and families are hurting and winter is just around the corner.”

The politically mixed and geographically vast district is one of two in Maine and includes the state’s second- and third-largest cities, Lewiston and Bangor. It is mostly made up of rural areas in northern and western Maine and the state’s Down East coastline.

The district handed an electoral vote to former President Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020. Trump performed even better there in 2020 than in his first election, but Golden held on to the seat that year.

Bond, an attorney, said she felt it was significant that the voters who picked her first ultimately decided the election.

“I’m encouraged that the fate of Maine’s 2nd Congressional District is going to be decided by voters that put candidate quality over the millions wasted on this election," Bond said. “I hope in future years it’s the majority of us that take away the power to buy our elections.”

Original Article

Democrats Hold on to US House Seat in Maine Via Ranked Vote (Dreamstime)

PATRICK WHITTLE Wednesday, 16 November 2022 10:39 PM EST

Democrats held on to a swing district in Maine, as two-term U.S. Rep. Jared Golden beat back a challenge from a former congressman via ranked choice voting for the second time in four years.

Golden won reelection via the ranked round, Maine's secretary of state, Shenna Bellows, said Wednesday. He defeated Republican Bruce Poliquin, who held the seat from 2014 to 2018.

Golden had entered the ranked round trailing in 2018, but this election he began the instant runoff with a lead over Poliquin and independent candidate Tiffany Bond.

During the ranked round, votes for third-place finisher Bond were redistributed to the second choices of those who voted for her. Bond was also the third-place finisher in 2018.

State police were deployed around the district to retrieve ballots and memory devices before this year's ranked tabulation. The retrieval schedule was not made public, but workers for the state were able to start the painstaking vote verification process on Monday. The ranked tabulation then took place Wednesday.

Golden had declared victory in the race last week, and treated the ranked round as a formality this time. He said before the count began that his appeal in rural Maine helped carry him to victory.

"There's a number of towns we've consistently outperformed the party, outperformed the top of the ticket," Golden said. "We've held onto those towns when some Democrats who used to represent them have lost."

Golden is a Marine Corps veteran who has occasionally deviated from Democratic leadership on major issues, including President Joe Biden's student loan forgiveness plan, which he has opposed. Poliquin is a former investment manager and served two years as Maine's state treasurer.

During the race, Poliquin tried to portray Golden as too liberal for the district. He has voiced opposition to ranked choice voting in the past and filed a lawsuit, later withdrawn, against the method in 2018.

Democrats should make changes such as cutting back on wasteful spending and working to reduce fuel prices, Poliquin said in a Facebook post before the results were announced.

"Biden, Pelosi, Golden and the Democrats should put politics aside and use some common sense to do what's right while they wield all the authority," Poliquin wrote. "Maine seniors and families are hurting and winter is just around the corner."

The politically mixed and geographically vast district is one of two in Maine and includes the state's second- and third-largest cities, Lewiston and Bangor. It is mostly made up of rural areas in northern and western Maine and the state's Down East coastline.

The district handed an electoral vote to former President Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020. Trump performed even better there in 2020 than in his first election, but Golden held on to the seat that year.

Bond, an attorney, said she felt it was significant that the voters who picked her first ultimately decided the election.

"I'm encouraged that the fate of Maine's 2nd Congressional District is going to be decided by voters that put candidate quality over the millions wasted on this election," Bond said. "I hope in future years it's the majority of us that take away the power to buy our elections."

Original Article

Alina Habba to Newsmax: '24 Is Looking Bright' for Trump Amid Legal Wins (Newsmax/"Prime News")

By Luca Cacciatore | Wednesday, 16 November 2022 10:37 PM EST

Donald Trump's personal attorney Alina Habba told Newsmax on Wednesday that the former president's chances at winning appear optimistic in the wake of several legal victories.

"I think 2024 is looking bright right now," Habba told "Prime News." "We've had tremendous wins in the legal world, as you know, this week. The team is doing amazing. We beat Michael Cohen, we beat Mary Trump, and we're going to keep them coming."

She was referencing U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman's decision to throw out former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen's lawsuit, which alleged the former president and then-Attorney General William Barr threw Cohen back in prison over his tell-all memoir.

The lawyer also mentioned a New York judge's dismissal of a suit filed by Trump's sister Mary Trump, who claimed the billionaire siphoned money from her multimillion-dollar inheritance after their father, Fred Trump, Jr., died in 1981.

"The spirits are up as they should be, and he had a great response," Habba said of Trump touting the victories during his announcement of seeking the presidency Tuesday night. "He was tremendous last night, and I'm very proud."

Habba sounded off on media claims Trump announced his run early as to avoid legal trouble stemming from the House Jan. 6 committee, emphasizing the former president is "the most persecuted and prosecuted man I've ever met in my life."

"I can tell you the one thing he did is he didn't do this for legal reasons; he did this for the country. Period. The end," she proclaimed. "Anybody who says otherwise – it's just fake news."

About NEWSMAX TV:

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Original Article

Alina Habba to Newsmax: '24 Is Looking Bright' for Trump Amid Legal Wins (Newsmax/"Prime News")

By Luca Cacciatore | Wednesday, 16 November 2022 10:37 PM EST

Donald Trump's personal attorney Alina Habba told Newsmax on Wednesday that the former president's chances at winning appear optimistic in the wake of several legal victories.

"I think 2024 is looking bright right now," Habba told "Prime News." "We've had tremendous wins in the legal world, as you know, this week. The team is doing amazing. We beat Michael Cohen, we beat Mary Trump, and we're going to keep them coming."

She was referencing U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman's decision to throw out former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen's lawsuit, which alleged the former president and then-Attorney General William Barr threw Cohen back in prison over his tell-all memoir.

The lawyer also mentioned a New York judge's dismissal of a suit filed by Trump's sister Mary Trump, who claimed the billionaire siphoned money from her multimillion-dollar inheritance after their father, Fred Trump, Jr., died in 1981.

"The spirits are up as they should be, and he had a great response," Habba said of Trump touting the victories during his announcement of seeking the presidency Tuesday night. "He was tremendous last night, and I'm very proud."

Habba sounded off on media claims Trump announced his run early as to avoid legal trouble stemming from the House Jan. 6 committee, emphasizing the former president is "the most persecuted and prosecuted man I've ever met in my life."

"I can tell you the one thing he did is he didn't do this for legal reasons; he did this for the country. Period. The end," she proclaimed. "Anybody who says otherwise — it's just fake news."

About NEWSMAX TV:

NEWSMAX is the fastest-growing cable news channel in America!

• Find NEWSMAX in over 100 million U.S. homes via cable/streaming – More Info Here
• Watch NEWSMAX TV online – See It Here
• Download the FREE NEWSMAX App on Your Smartphone to Watch Now!

US House Win by Ex-Combat Pilot Cements Republican Control (Getty Images)

MICHAEL R. BLOOD Wednesday, 16 November 2022 10:25 PM EST

Republican Rep. Mike Garcia, a former Navy fighter pilot, scored an upset U.S. House win in a strongly Democratic district Wednesday, handing the GOP control of the chamber and giving the party a rare reason to celebrate in a state dominated by Democrats.

The conservative Republican was reelected to a third term in a district that has a 12.5-point Democratic registration edge and was carried by then-presidential candidate Joe Biden by double digits in 2020. It was Garcia's third consecutive victory over Democrat Christy Smith, a former legislator.

Garcia was first elected in a special election in May 2020, then was reelected two years ago by just 333 votes. He faced an even tougher challenge this year, after his left-leaning district was redrawn and became more solidly Democratic.

With nearly 75% of the ballots counted, Garcia had 54.2%, to 45.8% for Smith.

Garcia, who flew over 30 combat missions during Operation Iraqi Freedom, is the sole GOP House member with a district anchored in heavily Democratic Los Angeles County.

It takes 218 seats to control the House. With the addition of the latest California results, Republicans have locked down 218 seats so far with Democrats claiming 211.

In another key race in the state, Democratic Rep. Mike Levin beat back a tough challenge from Republican businessman Brian Maryott in a Southern California district that straddles Orange and San Diego counties.

With nearly all the votes counted, Levin had 52.65%, to 47.4% for Maryott.

Levin said he was eager to return to Washington to continue working on affordable health care, climate change and assistance for veterans. Biden traveled to the district in the election's closing days in hopes of giving Levin a boost.

Garcia's win, which gave Republicans House control, came with a splash of political sass, arriving in a state so solidly Democratic that a Republican hasn’t won a statewide race since 2006. It is also home to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco. California is known nationally as a liberal monolith, but pockets of conservative strength remain, mainly in the Southern California suburbs and rural and farming stretches.

But even with the wins, Republicans will remain a small minority within the state’s congressional delegation.

Of the state's 52 seats — the largest delegation in Congress — GOP candidates had captured just nine as of Wednesday. Counting continued in five districts, although one was a matchup between two Democrats.

Smith, a former legislator, had argued Garcia was out of step with district voters: He was endorsed by then-President Trump in 2020, then joined House Republicans who rejected electoral votes from Arizona and Pennsylvania and opposed Trump’s impeachment after the Capitol insurrection. She also highlighted Garcia’s opposition to abortion rights.

Garcia emphasized his military service and pointed to his vote supporting $2,000 stimulus checks as one example of his political independence. He’s also stressed local issues, including concern over illegal marijuana cultivation.

In California, the primary House battlegrounds are Orange County — a suburban expanse southeast of Los Angeles that was once a GOP stronghold but has become increasingly diverse and Democratic — and the Central Valley, an inland stretch sometimes called the nation’s salad bowl for its agricultural production.

The tightest remaining contest in the state emerged in the Central Valley, where Democrat Adam Gray seized a tissue-thin lead over Republican John Duarte for an open seat in District 13.

Underscoring the closeness of the race, Gray’s campaign formed a committee to begin raising money to finance a possible recount. The latest returns showed Gray leading by 600 votes, with nearly 85% of the ballots tabulated.

In Orange County, Democratic Rep. Katie Porter was holding a nearly 3-point edge over Republican Scott Baugh in one of the nation’s marquee races. Baugh had slashed her lead in half earlier this week, but Porter, a star of the party’s progressive wing, rebounded. About 90% of the votes had been counted.

In the Central Valley’s 22nd District, where about two-thirds of the votes have been counted, Republican Rep. David Valadao, who voted to impeach then-President Donald Trump, had a 5.6-point margin over Democrat Rudy Salas.

Original Article

US House Win by Ex-Combat Pilot Cements Republican Control (Getty Images)

MICHAEL R. BLOOD Wednesday, 16 November 2022 10:25 PM EST

Republican Rep. Mike Garcia, a former Navy fighter pilot, scored an upset U.S. House win in a strongly Democratic district Wednesday, handing the GOP control of the chamber and giving the party a rare reason to celebrate in a state dominated by Democrats.

The conservative Republican was reelected to a third term in a district that has a 12.5-point Democratic registration edge and was carried by then-presidential candidate Joe Biden by double digits in 2020. It was Garcia's third consecutive victory over Democrat Christy Smith, a former legislator.

Garcia was first elected in a special election in May 2020, then was reelected two years ago by just 333 votes. He faced an even tougher challenge this year, after his left-leaning district was redrawn and became more solidly Democratic.

With nearly 75% of the ballots counted, Garcia had 54.2%, to 45.8% for Smith.

Garcia, who flew over 30 combat missions during Operation Iraqi Freedom, is the sole GOP House member with a district anchored in heavily Democratic Los Angeles County.

It takes 218 seats to control the House. With the addition of the latest California results, Republicans have locked down 218 seats so far with Democrats claiming 211.

In another key race in the state, Democrat Rep. Mike Levin beat back a tough challenge from Republican businessman Brian Maryott in a Southern California district that straddles Orange and San Diego counties.

With nearly all the votes counted, Levin had 52.65%, to 47.4% for Maryott.

Levin said he was eager to return to Washington to continue working on affordable health care, climate change and assistance for veterans. Biden traveled to the district in the election's closing days in hopes of giving Levin a boost.

Garcia's win, which gave Republicans House control, came with a splash of political sass, arriving in a state so solidly Democratic that a Republican hasn't won a statewide race since 2006. It is also home to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco. California is known nationally as a liberal monolith, but pockets of conservative strength remain, mainly in the Southern California suburbs and rural and farming stretches.

But even with the wins, Republicans will remain a small minority within the state's congressional delegation.

Of the state's 52 seats — the largest delegation in Congress — GOP candidates had captured just nine as of Wednesday. Counting continued in five districts, although one was a matchup between two Democrats.

Smith, a former legislator, had argued Garcia was out of step with district voters: He was endorsed by then-President Trump in 2020, then joined House Republicans who rejected electoral votes from Arizona and Pennsylvania and opposed Trump's impeachment after the Capitol insurrection. She also highlighted Garcia's opposition to abortion rights.

Garcia emphasized his military service and pointed to his vote supporting $2,000 stimulus checks as one example of his political independence. He's also stressed local issues, including concern over illegal marijuana cultivation.

In California, the primary House battlegrounds are Orange County — a suburban expanse southeast of Los Angeles that was once a GOP stronghold but has become increasingly diverse and Democratic — and the Central Valley, an inland stretch sometimes called the nation's salad bowl for its agricultural production.

The tightest remaining contest in the state emerged in the Central Valley, where Democrat Adam Gray seized a tissue-thin lead over Republican John Duarte for an open seat in District 13.

Underscoring the closeness of the race, Gray's campaign formed a committee to begin raising money to finance a possible recount. The latest returns showed Gray leading by 600 votes, with nearly 85% of the ballots tabulated.

In Orange County, Democrat Rep. Katie Porter was holding a nearly 3-point edge over Republican Scott Baugh in one of the nation's marquee races. Baugh had slashed her lead in half earlier this week, but Porter, a star of the party's progressive wing, rebounded. About 90% of the votes had been counted.

In the Central Valley's 22nd District, where about two-thirds of the votes have been counted, Republican Rep. David Valadao, who voted to impeach then-President Donald Trump, had a 5.6-point margin over Democrat Rudy Salas.

Original Article

Rep. Biggs to Newsmax: Trump's Term Limit Push 'Not a Bad Idea'

Rep. Andy Biggs (Getty)

By Nick Koutsobinas | Wednesday, 16 November 2022 10:27 PM EST

Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., praised on Newsmax former President Donald Trump's call for "term limits" made during his announcement to run for president.

"That's not a bad idea," Biggs said on "Eric Bolling: The Balance" regarding term limits in Congress. "You know what else I'd like to see? How about a term limit on lobbyists? How about if you've served in Congress, you can't lobby? How about a term limit on bureaucrats? … This place is so deep and swampy; it's not just members of Congress; it's kind of everybody. It oozes out from the halls of Congress as well."

In his speech on Tuesday, Trump said, "We must conduct a top-to-bottom overhaul to clean out the festering rot and corruption of Washington, D.C.

"To further drain the swamp, I will push for a constitutional amendment to impose term limits on members of Congress … And I will ask for a permanent banning of taxpayer funding for campaigns, a lifetime ban on lobbying for former members of Congress and cabinet members.

"I see what they make," Trump adds. "They leave the White House or they leave Congress, and they are paid millions and millions and millions of dollars a year; you know you have to have a ban."

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Original Article

Rep. Biggs to Newsmax: Trump's Term Limit Push 'Not a Bad Idea' Rep. Andy Biggs (Getty Images)

By Nick Koutsobinas | Wednesday, 16 November 2022 10:27 PM EST

Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., praised on Newsmax former President Donald Trump's call for "term limits" made during his announcement to run for president.

"That's not a bad idea," Biggs said on "Eric Bolling The Balance" regarding term limits in Congress. "You know what else I'd like to see? How about a term limit on lobbyists? How about if you've served in Congress, you can't lobby? How about a term limit on bureaucrats? … This place is so deep and swampy; it's not just members of Congress; it's kind of everybody. It oozes out from the halls of Congress as well."

In his speech on Tuesday, Trump said, "We must conduct a top-to-bottom overhaul to clean out the festering rot and corruption of Washington, D.C.

"To further drain the swamp, I will push for a constitutional amendment to impose term limits on members of Congress … And I will ask for a permanent banning of taxpayer funding for campaigns, a lifetime ban on lobbying for former members of Congress and cabinet members.

"I see what they make," Trump adds. "They leave the White House or they leave Congress, and they are paid millions and millions and millions of dollars a year; you know you have to have a ban."

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Original Article

OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 2:12 PM PT – Wednesday, November 16, 2022

FBI Director Chris Wray evades the question about the bureau’s involvement with the January 6th protest.

During a Congressional hearing Tuesday, Wray claimed it is false to assume that FBI informants instigated violence during the protest.

However, he did not confirm or deny whether the FBI was involved in any other capacity.

Republican lawmakers focus of Ray Epps and other suspected FBI informants who called for violence on January 6th.

Republicans are ramping up pressure to expose political bias at the FBI and its alleged role in U.S. politics touting investigations after forming a House majority in January 2023.

Original Article Oann

Art Laffer to Newsmax: 'Free Markets Know How to Solve Problems, Biden Doesn't'

(Newsmax/"Rob Schmitt Tonight")

By Luca Cacciatore | Wednesday, 16 November 2022 10:08 PM EST

Economist Art Laffer said Wednesday on Newsmax that President Joe Biden's proposal to keep oil in the U.S. for winter could create bigger problems down the line.

On "Rob Schmitt Tonight," the onetime adviser to former presidents Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump stressed that "free markets know how to solve problems … and Biden doesn't.

"It's a generic problem when you start trying to control markets and making them do things they're not supposed to do. They're going to pop up with a problem here; you try to fix that one, and it's just like … whack-a-mole," Laffer said.

"Just let markets clear," he continued. "Let people produce oil and energy. Take those price controls off and just let them go."

Laffer also commented on a series of layoffs from massive corporations, including Disney, Meta, Amazon and Twitter, stressing that there is a growing possibility of America's economic downturn getting worse.

"We've had a very bad first two quarters of this year. Negative, I would call it a recession. You can argue with the term," Laffer said. "The third quarter is 2.6% growth. I don't know what the fourth quarter is. But this has been a secular decline for the U.S. that is really very serious."

He added that it is unlikely "this will change course anytime soon," warning about the long-term effects of economic mismanagement in the U.S.

"We all understand we need regulation. We all understand we need government. We all understand we need taxes. But just do them right," Laffer said.

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Original Article

Art Laffer to Newsmax: 'Free Markets Know How to Solve Problems, Biden Doesn't' (Newsmax/"Rob Schmitt Tonight")

By Luca Cacciatore | Wednesday, 16 November 2022 10:08 PM EST

Economist Art Laffer said Wednesday on Newsmax that President Joe Biden's proposal to keep oil in the U.S. for winter could create bigger problems down the line.

On "Rob Schmitt Tonight," the onetime adviser to former presidents Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump stressed that "free markets know how to solve problems … and Biden doesn't.

"It's a generic problem when you start trying to control markets and making them do things they're not supposed to do. They're going to pop up with a problem here; you try to fix that one, and it's just like … whack-a-mole," Laffer said.

"Just let markets clear," he continued. "Let people produce oil and energy. Take those price controls off and just let them go."

Laffer also commented on a series of layoffs from massive corporations, including Disney, Meta, Amazon and Twitter, stressing that there is a growing possibility of America's economic downturn getting worse.

"We've had a very bad first two quarters of this year. Negative, I would call it a recession. You can argue with the term," Laffer said. "The third quarter is 2.6% growth. I don't know what the fourth quarter is. But this has been a secular decline for the U.S. that is really very serious."

He added that it is unlikely "this will change course anytime soon," warning about the long-term effects of economic mismanagement in the U.S.

"We all understand we need regulation. We all understand we need government. We all understand we need taxes. But just do them right," Laffer said.

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Original Article

Sarah Palin to Newsmax: Trump Won't Make McCain's Mistakes (Newsmax/"Eric Bolling The Balance")

By Eric Mack | Wednesday, 16 November 2022 10:41 PM EST

Former Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin, still in ranked-choice voting purgatory in Alaska's uncalled House race, does not know the direction former President Donald Trump will go with his VP pick this go around, but she does know what he will not do.

He will not make the mistake of her former running mate, the late John McCain and his advisers did, Palin told Wednesday night's "Eric Bolling The Balance" on Newsmax.

"Trump's going to do what Trump's going to do," Palin told guest host Carl Higbie when asked her to handicap the candidates for Trump's next running mate. "He's not going check a bunch of boxes like probably Sen. McCain's campaign did — Steve Schmidt and those yahoos who thought that they knew me better than I know myself — and check some boxes, thinking that they could control a candidate.

"Trump isn't like that, and that's refreshing. It's good. It's why he doesn't like to be called a politician, because, really, he's not a politician."

Before the 2024 presidential campaign, Republicans need to be warned about the stacking the deck scheme of ranked-choice voting, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., funding Alaska GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski's campaign to ultimately turn around and back the Democrat against Republican House candidates in Alaska, said Palin, who called Murkowski a Republican in name only.

"I am so glad that you're aware of what's going on up here with this new ranked-choice voting and Sen. McConnell taking GOP donations and handing them to Lisa Murkowski, you know the consummate RINO, so that Lisa Murkowski could use those GOP funds to defeat people like me and others in races," Palin said. "In fact, Lisa Murkowski endorsed — instead of me in the congressional race — endorsed the Democrat.

"So it baffles me that Sen. McConnell was just reelected in the leadership role."

A few rogue anti-Trump Republicans are the only true threats to the GOP, according to Palin.

"There isn't so much infighting within the ranks of the GOP — no, it's just leadership — those who are obsessed with partisanship, power plays and titles and money and control," she continued. "There aren't that many of them. But they are controlling. I've been butting heads with them for 30 years now that I've been involved in politics. I see it all the time. I see that in my congressional race.

"What President Trump needs to be careful with — and I'm so thankful that he's running — he needs to be careful of the shenanigans that will go on between now and when the vote is taken for POTUS, with ranked choice voting and it's spreading across the country. It's not just here in Alaska now, but President Trump can't get the electoral votes even up here in Alaska if ranked-choice voting is adopted and is a given throughout states, and if it stays in Alaska."

The anti-Trump forces cannot win, because conservative Americans will lose under ranked-choice voting scams, Palin warned.

"My mission is to get rid of it up here in Alaska, because the GOP establishment in Alaska and elsewhere — again it's not that many of them — they essentially choose who they want as the nominee and they don't like President Trump, I'll be honest with you," Palin said. "Behind closed doors they don't want Trump so they will put up other Republicans, or RINOs, or Democrat plants — as I just saw in my own race — to go head to head with Trump because ranked-choice voting eliminates primaries. So it's a free for all. It's unconstitutional, too. It's not one man, one vote."

Palin's House race remains stuck in ranked-choice vote counting, one of just seven Houses still to close to call, according to Newsmax midterm election projections.

"So President Trump was up here in a rally, Carl, and he explained to the audience, you know, even in this congressional race, he said, 'Your fourth-most popular candidate can actually win this thing; it doesn't matter how many first-place votes you get; with ranked-choice voting, you're gunning for the second- and third-place rankings that other candidates get,'" Palin lamented. "It's complicated. It's convoluted and the way that the GOP machine works, like Sen. McConnell and his ilk, even Trump cannot get, in the deep, deep red state of Alaska, cannot get those electoral votes.

"So we have to make sure there are no shenanigans going on."

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NEWSMAX is the fastest-growing cable news channel in America!

• Find NEWSMAX in over 100 million U.S. homes via cable/streaming – More Info Here
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• Download the FREE NEWSMAX App on Your Smartphone to Watch Now!

Original Article

Sarah Palin to Newsmax: Trump Won't Make McCain's Mistakes (Newsmax/"Eric Bolling The Balance")

By Eric Mack | Wednesday, 16 November 2022 10:41 PM EST

Former Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin, still in ranked-choice voting purgatory in Alaska's uncalled House race, does not know the direction former President Donald Trump will go with his VP pick this go around, but she does know what he will not do.

He will not make the mistake of her former running mate, the late John McCain and his advisers did, Palin told Wednesday night's "Eric Bolling The Balance" on Newsmax.

"Trump's going to do what Trump's going to do," Palin told guest host Carl Higbie when asked her to handicap the candidates for Trump's next running mate. "He's not going check a bunch of boxes like probably Sen. McCain's campaign did — Steve Schmidt and those yahoos who thought that they knew me better than I know myself — and check some boxes, thinking that they could control a candidate.

"Trump isn't like that, and that's refreshing. It's good. It's why he doesn't like to be called a politician, because, really, he's not a politician."

Before the 2024 presidential campaign, Republicans need to be warned about the stacking the deck scheme of ranked-choice voting, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., funding Alaska GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski's campaign to ultimately turn around and back the Democrat against Republican House candidates in Alaska, said Palin, who called Murkowski a Republican in name only.

"I am so glad that you're aware of what's going on up here with this new ranked-choice voting and Sen. McConnell taking GOP donations and handing them to Lisa Murkowski, you know the consummate RINO, so that Lisa Murkowski could use those GOP funds to defeat people like me and others in races," Palin said. "In fact, Lisa Murkowski endorsed — instead of me in the congressional race — endorsed the Democrat.

"So it baffles me that Sen. McConnell was just reelected in the leadership role."

A few rogue anti-Trump Republicans are the only true threats to the GOP, according to Palin.

"There isn't so much infighting within the ranks of the GOP — no, it's just leadership — those who are obsessed with partisanship, power plays and titles and money and control," she continued. "There aren't that many of them. But they are controlling. I've been butting heads with them for 30 years now that I've been involved in politics. I see it all the time. I see that in my congressional race.

"What President Trump needs to be careful with — and I'm so thankful that he's running — he needs to be careful of the shenanigans that will go on between now and when the vote is taken for POTUS, with ranked choice voting and it's spreading across the country. It's not just here in Alaska now, but President Trump can't get the electoral votes even up here in Alaska if ranked-choice voting is adopted and is a given throughout states, and if it stays in Alaska."

The anti-Trump forces cannot win, because conservative Americans will lose under ranked-choice voting scams, Palin warned.

"My mission is to get rid of it up here in Alaska, because the GOP establishment in Alaska and elsewhere — again it's not that many of them — they essentially choose who they want as the nominee and they don't like President Trump, I'll be honest with you," Palin said. "Behind closed doors they don't want Trump so they will put up other Republicans, or RINOs, or Democrat plants — as I just saw in my own race — to go head to head with Trump because ranked-choice voting eliminates primaries. So it's a free for all. It's unconstitutional, too. It's not one man, one vote."

Palin's House race remains stuck in ranked-choice vote counting, one of just seven Houses still to close to call, according to Newsmax midterm election projections.

"So President Trump was up here in a rally, Carl, and he explained to the audience, you know, even in this congressional race, he said, 'Your fourth-most popular candidate can actually win this thing; it doesn't matter how many first-place votes you get; with ranked-choice voting, you're gunning for the second- and third-place rankings that other candidates get,'" Palin lamented. "It's complicated. It's convoluted and the way that the GOP machine works, like Sen. McConnell and his ilk, even Trump cannot get, in the deep, deep red state of Alaska, cannot get those electoral votes.

"So we have to make sure there are no shenanigans going on."

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NEWSMAX is the fastest-growing cable news channel in America!

• Find NEWSMAX in over 100 million U.S. homes via cable/streaming – More Info Here
• Watch NEWSMAX TV online – See It Here
• Download the FREE NEWSMAX App on Your Smartphone to Watch Now!