NationalWatch

FIRST ON FOX: A conservative super PAC is blanketing the airwaves with a new advertisement slamming Texas Democratic Senate candidate Rep. Colin Allred, who is locked in a high-profile race against Republican incumbent Sen. Ted Cruz. 

The pro-Cruz Truth and Courage PAC is rolling out a $3 million dollar ad buy in Texas hitting the Democratic congressman over his previous support of allowing biological males to compete in sports against female opponents.

“Texas girls are tough,” the 30-second version of the ad says, as it shows young women training for various sporting events. “But they’re facing a new opponent they can’t beat by digging deeper.”

“Colin Allred could have stopped men from competing in women’s sports, but instead, he voted against our daughters,” the ad continues before it shows a man resembling Allred with the name “Allred” on his jersey, tackling one of the girls.

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A pro-Cruz super PAC is spending $3 million to hit Rep. Colin Allred, left, on his position on boys in girls sports. (Fox News)

“What kind of man does that?”

There is also a 60-second version of the ad that shows him in a couple of photos with then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. As the ad shows the photos, the narrator says Allred “voted against the Protection of Women and Girls Act of 2023. He stood with woke progressives and radical Democrats, not our daughters.”

The ad, which will also run in Spanish, cites Allred’s vote in Congress against The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2023, which passed the House on a party line vote with President Biden saying he would veto it if it got to his desk.

“This is a disgusting, false attack, and another example of how Ted Cruz only wants to divide Texans,” Allred campaign spokesperson Josh Stewart told Fox News Digital. 

“He’ll say anything to distract from his dangerous abortion ban that is putting women’s lives at risk, trying to raise the retirement age for Social Security and Medicare and fleeing to Cancun during a deadly winter storm.” 

Cruz won his last Senate race by about three points in 2018, and some experts believe that this year’s race could be close again. 

While the Real Clear Politics polling average shows Cruz with a five-point lead in the race, there are some troubling signs for the Republican incumbent, including recent polls showing Cruz with a lead close to within the margin of error.

TEXAS DEM’S SENATE AD FEATURES BORDER WALL HE ONCE BLASTED AS ‘RACIST’

Rep. Colin Allred, D-Texas. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

“Texas will stay red this November and Ted Cruz will win re-election,” Jimmy Keady, the founder and president of JLK Political Strategies, recently told Fox News Digital.

“But Republicans should not take the threat of losing this state lightly. As the Republican Party makes a play for blue states, Democrats are going to start making a play for red states… to hold these seats, Republicans will have to stay disciplined on messaging and prioritize candidate recruitment.”

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Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) questions U.S. Secret Service Acting Director Ronald Rowe, during a hearing about the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally, convened by the Senate Judiciary and Homeland Security Committees in Washington, D.C., on July 30, 2024. (ALLISON BAILEY/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)

Fox News Digital’s Michael Lee contributed to this report

The Democratic candidate for senate in Maryland has pulled significantly ahead of her Republican rival, according to a recent poll. 

The Washington Post-University of Maryland poll released Thursday shows Democrat Angela Alsobrooks holding an 11% lead over her rival, Republican Larry Hogan.

Alsobrooks is leading Hogan 51% to 40%, according to the Washington Post-University of Maryland poll. 

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Maryland Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate and Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks speaks at a campaign event on Gun Violence Awareness Day at Kentland Community Center in Landover, Maryland. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

The gap between them among likely voters is surprising, given that both candidates enjoy a similar level of popularity with respondents.  

Approximately 53% of respondents expressed favorable impressions of Hogan, compared to 27% who reported an unfavorable impression. Respondents gave Alsobrooks a 50% favorability rating, compared to 22% unfavorability.

Registered voters in the poll ranked the economy as the most important issue of the November elections, followed by immigration and then abortion.

MARYLAND SENATE RACE POLL SHOWS DEMOCRAT ALSOBROOKS LEADING GOP’S HOGAN, DESPITE ONE IN THREE NOT KNOWING WHO SHE IS

The Washington Post-University of Maryland poll was conducted between Sept. 19 and Sept. 23 with a sample size of 1,012 registered voters. 

It has a reported margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.

With Democrats outnumbering Republicans by a roughly two-to-one margin in the state, Hogan will need a good chunk of cross-over voters to have a chance and has been highlighting his opposition to Trump and his independence from his party as he runs for the Senate.

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Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan speaking at an annual meeting of the Republican Jewish Coalition. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Hogan, who flirted with a 2024 White House run before deciding against it, stood out from most other Republicans this spring for publicly calling for the guilty verdicts in Trump’s criminal trial to be respected.

Hogan skipped July’s Republican National Convention, where Trump was formally nominated, and has said he would not be voting for the former president. Hogan’s campaign, after the former president’s comments, spotlighted in a statement that “Governor Hogan has been clear he is not supporting President Trump just as he didn’t in 2016 and 2020.” 

Republicans are also aiming to flip seats in Ohio and Montana, two states Trump comfortably carried four years ago. And five more Democratic-held seats up for grabs this year are in crucial presidential-election battleground states.

Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser and Julia Johnson contributed to this report.

Earlier this year, the Biden administration eased sanctions on Venezuela in efforts to persuade dictator Nicolas Maduro to hold free and fair elections. It didn’t work. 

Now, Latin America watchers say, it’s time to bring back those sanctions in full force – by canceling the licenses for U.S.-based oil and gas companies to do business there. 

The U.S. reinstated sanctions on the gold mining industry that were lifted earlier this year under the Barbados Agreement in April, as Maduro continued to crack down on the opposition, including by barring opposition primary winner Maria Corina Machado from running.

It allowed the expiration of some sanctions relief and export licenses, but critics say the administration left major carve-outs for U.S.-based companies doing business there. 

VENEZUELA SAYS FOURTH US CITIZEN ARRESTED IN PLOT TO KILL PRESIDENT MADURO 

In July, Venezuela’s National Electoral Commission claimed that Maduro won 51.2% of the vote, defeating the Unity Platform candidate Edmundo González, backed by Machado. But precinct-level vote counts published by the opposition show González winning by a large margin. The U.S. government recognized González as the winner on August 1, yet Maduro still clings to power. 

In September, U.S. officials unveiled new personal sanctions against Maduro and his acolytes over human rights abuses. “The individual sanctions are meaningless and obviously haven’t changed [Maduro’s] behavior one bit,” Victoria Coates, former deputy national security advisor and senior advisor at the Department of Energy under Trump, told Fox News Digital. 

The U.S. government recognized González as the winner on August 1, yet Nicolas Maduro, above, still clings to power. ( Jesus Vargas/Getty Images)

Maduro officials have enforced the election results they claim through harsh post-election repression of protesters, including charging González with terrorism before he sought refuge in the Spanish embassy. González said last week he was “forced” to accept the Maduro win before being allowed to seek asylum in Spain.

“They’ve done nothing serious to try to challenge the results of the fraudulent election, to support the folks who are trying to get the information out, and then to offer an off-ramp to Maduro.”

BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IMPOSES SANCTIONS AGAINST VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT MADURO’S ‘CRONIES’

“Get him out of the country, figure out what his terms are,” Coates went on. “By the way, there are a bunch of the senior military brass in Venezuela who like to spend a lot of time in Miami. Is that something you want to hold at risk?”

“They could see if they could have some conversations with them about what a transition would look like. But rather than doing any of that, they’re just letting the oil flow.”

“The administration is, on the one hand, doing some actions that would make it appear that it is heightening enforcement against the Maduro regime,” Andres Martinez-Fernandez, lead Latin America policy adviser at Heritage’s Allison Center for National Security, told Fox News Digital.

“But it’s clearly holding off on really restating and fully pressuring the Venezuelan government with sanctions and economic restrictions, particularly when it comes to the oil sector.”

One option would be to cancel the remaining licenses for big oil companies like Chevron to make deals with PDVSA, the country’s state-owned oil company. Chevron scored a license to do business with the oil-rich state in 2022 after Maduro had expressed an openness to conducting fair elections. The White House left open the possibility for other companies to apply for such licenses to take advantage of the nation’s oil-rich reserves. 

“The oil licenses, which only benefit Maduro and his cronies, should have been canceled as soon as they refused to recognize the real results of the election showing his loss by two million votes,” Rep. Maria Salazar, R-Fla., chair of the House Foreign Affairs Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, told Fox News Digital. 

“The failure to make these decisions is sending a clear signal around the world that United States leadership is weak, and you can get away with whatever you want.”

Opposition presidential candidate Edmundo González leads a demonstration against the official election results that declared that President Nicolas Maduro won re-election in Caracas, Venezuela (AP Photo/Cristian Hernandez)

“We want them canceled … this is a lifeline to the regime,” opposition adviser Rafael de la Cruz said in reference to the licenses during a panel discussion hosted by the New York-based Council of the Americas business organization earlier this month. 

He said the presence of U.S. oil companies serves to “normalize … de facto dictatorship that he is trying to set up in Venezuela.”

The National Security Council has said its sanctions are designed to ​​”hold Nicolas Maduro and his representatives accountable for its electoral fraud and violent repression, without harming the everyday Venezuelan people.” 

But critics say that oil money rarely flows down to everyday Venezuelans, nearly 80 percent of whom fall below the poverty line.  

“The primary sanction facing the Venezuelan people is the regime itself,” Andres Martinez-Fernandez said. 

“The Venezuelan regime uses its revenue primarily not to support the Venezuelan people, but to ensure its own grasp on power, whether that’s through buying loyalty in the military or sowing discord abroad” he went on. 

A supporter shouts slogans during a protest against the result of the presidential election (Jesus Vargas/Getty Images)

“[The sanctions] never should have been lifted, they got scammed,” Senator Marco Rubio, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital. 

Why, exactly, the Biden administration hasn’t taken enforcement action is up for debate. 

Coates believes it is “to keep domestic energy prices low before the election.” 

Martinez-Fernandez said there could be heavy lobbying involved behind the scenes, and the administration could be worried that removing U.S. companies from the scene would create a space for China to swoop in and set up operations.  

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“The administration is still hoping beyond reason that there is a path to a sort of negotiated settlement with the regime,” he said. “This is what the administration did earlier in the year and late last year with the removal of sanctions, and then dangling the threats of reinstating them. And clearly, that had none of the desired effects.” 

Chevron spokesman Bill Turenne said in a statement: “We remain committed to conducting our business in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, both in the U.S. and the countries where we operate.”

Former President Donald Trump struck back at Vice President Kamala Harris by releasing what he says is Harris’ version of a “Project 2025” on Thursday.

The list of policies Trump accuses Harris of supporting comes in reference to the Heritage Foundation’s own Project 2025. Democrats have sought to tie Trump to the Heritage project, but he says he has not read it and does not support it.

Trump argued on social media that Harris’ “Project 2025” includes such policies as “Citizenship for 20 million illegals” and “taxpayer funded reparations,” among other things.

Trump later followed up with a post highlighting inflation in key swing states that took place during the Biden-Harris administration.

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While Trump has denied any connection to Project 2025 throughout the campaign cycle, he most clearly divorced himself from it during his debate against Harris earlier this month.

Harris attempted to smear Trump as radical by citing some of the policies in the Heritage document.

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“On this debate tonight, you’re gonna hear from the same old tired playbook. A bunch of lies, grievances, and name-calling. What you’re gonna hear tonight is a detailed and dangerous plan called Project 2025 that the former president intends on implementing if he were elected again,” Harris said at the time.

Trump and Harris have accused each other of holding radical positions throughout the 2024 campaign cycle. (Getty Images)

Trump flatly rejected any involvement with the group, however.

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“As you know, and as she knows better than anyone, I have nothing to do with Project 2025. That’s out there. I haven’t read it. I don’t want to read it purposely. I’m not going to read it,” Trump responded.

Trump has denied any connection with the Heritage Foundation’s “Project 2025.” (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

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“This was a group of people that got together. They came up with some ideas, I guess some good, some bad. But it makes no difference,” he added. “Everybody knows I’m an open book. Everybody knows what I’m going to do.”

North Carolina gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson hired an attorney who previously worked for former President Trump to investigate allegations that Robinson made controversial comments on a porn website. 

Robinson, the current Republican lieutenant governor running against Democratic state Attorney General Josh Stein to replace Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper in the battleground state, hired the Binnall Law Group from northern Virginia to investigate the claims raised in a CNN report published earlier this week. 

“Normally, something like this, an investigation, you know, run by the Department of Justice and the FBI would take months or years,” Binnall told Fox News Digital. “We can’t do that in this case because the voters need an answer before the election. And so we are going to move very quickly and still give them a very fulsome report.” 

“He absolutely denies saying any of the things that are in the CNN piece,” Binnall said of Robinson. “What my investigation is going to do is we are going to follow the facts. We are going to investigate this strenuously. We are going to leave no stone unturned. We’re going to be very, very aggressive. And the citizens of North Carolina deserve nothing less than a full investigation of this matter, which is what we are going to do.”

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North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson takes the stage before former President Trump at a campaign event on Aug. 14, 2024, in Asheville, North Carolina. (Grant Baldwin/Getty Images)

“It’s been made very clear to us that we have the full ability and full resources to do that investigation. And if at the end of that investigation, it ends up that the reporting from CNN and other outlets is false, then we will take full and appropriate action based on that,” Binnall said. “One of the problems with these October surprise hype reporting pieces on someone is it doesn’t give you the full amount of time to fully respond, to show the voters that the allegations were just wrong and that the voters could end up being deceived. And so, for that reason, my team understands the importance of moving quickly – very, very quickly and decisively in order to get to the truth, in order to get to a point where we can have full accountability for the true facts of this case.” 

The CNN report claimed to have uncovered comments Robinson made more than a decade ago on a porn site messaging board, including describing himself as a “black NAZI;” saying he enjoyed transgender pornography; saying that he preferred Hitler to then-President Barack Obama in 2012; and criticizing the late Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. as “worse than a maggot.” 

Robinson has denied saying those words, but Republicans have begun to distance themselves from the candidate, who, if elected, would be North Carolina’s first Black governor. Trump did not mention Robinson, who he endorsed before the March primary and has spoken at other Trump events, during the Republican presidential nominee’s campaign rally in Wilmington, North Carolina, Saturday. 

The Republican Governors Association on Monday said it was not renewing its ad buy in North Carolina. In an X post Wednesday, Robsinson said he spoke with Republican leaders across the state and made it clear that “this is an election about policies, not personalities. Now is not the time for intra-party squabbling and nonsense.” 

“The allegations against me are outright lies, fabricated to distract voters from Josh Stein’s disastrous record,” Robinson said in a statement to Fox News Digital regarding the investigation. “The great people of North Carolina deserve the truth, and I am fully committed to ensuring they get it with complete transparency.”

Though the probe is in its early stages, Binnall, who also has represented former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and former Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., in the past, said that his investigators include a former FBI agent, and that they are working expeditiously. Though he does not know yet where the investigation will lead, Binnall said he could involve the FBI or the Justice Department if appropriate. 

Trump campaign attorney Jesse Binnall arrives for a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing to discuss election security and the 2020 election process on Dec. 16, 2020, in Washington, D.C.  (Greg Nash-Pool/Getty Images)

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“We are at the very beginning of our investigation right now,” Binnall told Fox News Digital. “But the one thing that I know from my years as a lawyer is that it is very normal for people, especially in politics, to be able to skew the facts in order to tell a particular narrative. And there’s any number of different ways with technology and other ways out there right now that this information could be manipulated. We do not know the full extent of what that might be yet.” 

Binnall did not point a finger at CNN, but rather claimed that “there are left-wing actors in this country that have in their playbook time and again to lie and mislead the American people by dropping stories and allegations late in the political cycle and trying to mislead people,” As examples, he cited claims put forth in the media before the 2020 election that the Hunter Biden laptop story might have been disinformation, as well as unproven allegations that Trump colluded with Russia before the 2016 election.

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump kisses his granddaughter Carolina Trump as he speaks at a campaign event at Wilmington International Airport in Wilmington, N.C., Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024.  (AP Photo/Chris Seward)

“Wait to see how the facts develop. Wait and see. And judge for yourself, because these are very scandalous allegations,” Binnall said. “I think there’s a reason that they weren’t brought out until very late in the campaign. But we’re going to get to the bottom of it, and so for the voters in North Carolina, I just say to wait and judge the facts for yourself.”

When the CNN report first dropped, Robinson published a video statement comparing it to the “high-tech lynching” that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas said he faced when, during his Supreme Court confirmation process, he was accused of sexually harassing Anita Hill. 

Binnall agreed that that is what his client is up against. “Clarence Thomas went through hell. I think all Americans know that now. It was a high-tech lynching against Clarence Thomas, an attempt to try to destroy a very, very good man in that very well could be the same thing here,” Binnall said. “But rather than guess what the facts are going to be, we are going to follow the facts. We are going to let the facts guide us in this case.”

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“When someone has nothing to hide, what they want is a full investigation,” Robinson’s attorney added. “And that’s why I think it’s important that Mr. Robinson went right out to us in order to conduct this investigation and then to take appropriate action based on those results.” 

The states of Illinois, North Dakota, Florida and Michigan all began early voting on Thursday as the 2024 election continues to get underway.

Here is all the information about the elections in each state and how to vote.

Michigan is one of the most competitive states this cycle

Michigan shocked the country in 2016 when it backed former President Trump by 0.23 points, or a mere 10,704 votes.

Since then, the state has delivered for Democrats, with a nearly 3 point win for President Biden, the election and re-election of Governor Gretchen Whitmer, and in the last midterms, a state government trifecta.

Even so, this will be a competitive race. Recent high-quality polls have Harris ahead by 2 to 5 points; in each case within the margin of error.

Democrats do well in the southeastern part of the state, and Biden was able to win in 2020 by bringing out Black voters and gaining in the Detroit metro area. Flipping Kent County, home to Grand Rapids and a representative mix of urban, suburban, and rural vote, was also crucial to his victory. Trump will need to take it back for a statewide win in 2024.

Michigan’s population grew by 2% over the last full decade, with growth concentrated in the Grand Rapids area. Since then, the state has experienced decline, especially in Detroit.

The Great Lake State will also vote for a new senator after Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow decided not to run for reelection this year. House Rep. Elissa Slotkin hopes to keep the seat in Democratic hands and has an edge in this competitive race. She faces GOP candidate and former Rep. Mike Rogers.

Both the presidential and senate races are ranked Lean D on the Fox News Power Rankings.

Key downballot races in today’s early voting states

Across the states that begin early voting today, there are four competitive U.S. House races in Illinois and Michigan:

• Michigan’s 7th district: Slotkin is vacating this south central Michigan district, which she flipped on a 5.4 point margin in the midterms. This year, it’s a battle between two former state senators; Democrat Curtis Hertel and Republican Tom Barrett. This race is a Toss Up on the Fox News Power Rankings.
• Michigan’s 8th district: Next door, the 8th district is also without an incumbent. Rep. Dan Kildee is retiring after 12 years in the House, making this a race between Democratic state senator Kristen McDonald Rivet and Republican businessman Paul Junge. The seat includes Flint and the Tri-Cities area, so winning working class vote will be critical. It’s also a Toss Up on the Power Rankings.
• Michigan’s 10th district: Republican incumbent Rep. John James has the edge in the 10th district; he’s up against Democrat and former judge and prosecutor Carl Marlinga. The district includes southern Macomb County and Rochester. Holding on to outer suburban vote there will be critical to a GOP win. This is a Lean R race.
• Illinois’s 17th district: In northwest Illinois, Democratic Rep. Eric Sorensen won this seat on a four point margin in 2022 and is fighting for a second term. He faces Republican judge Joe McGraw this time around. Sorensen has the edge in this Quad Cities-area district. The race is ranked Lean D on the Power Rankings.

How to vote in Illinois

This is a guide to registration and early voting. For comprehensive and up-to-date information on voter eligibility, processes and deadlines, please go to Vote.gov and the election website for Illinois.

Voting by mail

Illinois began absentee voting on Thursday. Applicants do not need to provide an excuse to receive a ballot. The state must receive a ballot application by Oct. 31, and that ballot must be delivered to state officials by Nov. 5.

Early in-person voting

Illinois also began early in-person voting on Thursday, and it will continue through Nov. 5.

Voter registration

Illinois residents can register to vote online through Oct. 20. They can register by mail through Oct. 8, and they can register in-person at any point during early voting or on election day.

How to vote in North Dakota

This is a guide to registration and early voting. For comprehensive and up-to-date information on voter eligibility, processes and deadlines, please go to Vote.gov and the election website for North Dakota.

Voting by mail

North Dakota began absentee voting on Thursday. Applicants do not need to provide an excuse to receive a ballot. The state must receive a ballot application by Nov. 4, and that ballot must be delivered to state officials by Nov. 4.

Early in-person voting

Some North Dakota counties began early in-person voting on Thursday. Others start later or do not offer early voting at all. Check the state’s website for more information.

Voter registration

All eligible citizens can vote in North Dakota elections without prior registration.

Four states began early voting on Thursday.

How to vote in Florida

This is a guide to registration and early voting. For comprehensive and up-to-date information on voter eligibility, processes and deadlines, please go to Vote.gov and the election website for Florida.

Voting by mail

Florida began absentee voting on Thursday. Applicants do not need to provide an excuse to receive a ballot. The state must receive a ballot application by Oct. 24, and that ballot must be delivered to state officials by Nov. 5.

Early in-person voting

Start dates for early in-person voting vary by county in Florida. Check the state’s website for more information.

Voter registration

Florida residents can register to vote online, in-person or by mail through Oct. 7.

How to vote in Michigan

This is a guide to registration and early voting. For comprehensive and up-to-date information on voter eligibility, processes and deadlines, please go to Vote.gov and the election website for Michigan.

Voting by mail

Michigan began absentee voting on Thursday. Applicants do not need to provide an excuse to receive a ballot. The state must receive a ballot application by Nov. 1, and that ballot must be delivered to state officials by Nov. 5.

Early in-person voting

Start dates for early in-person voting vary by county in Michigan. Check the state’s website for more information.

Voter registration

Michigan residents can register to vote online or by mail through Oct. 21. They can register in-person at any point during early voting or on election day.

The White House is expected to announce new actions to reduce gun violence, Fox News has learned.

According to a senior administration official, President Biden is poised to sign an executive order that will address key priorities for combating firearms threats, including eliminating gun conversion devices and establishing an emerging firearms threats task force.

The executive order will also aim to improve school-based active shooter drills to better prepare students for emergency situations.

The executive order comes just days after the mass shooting in Birmingham, Alabama on Sept. 21 that left four dead and 17 wounded. It also comes as former President Trump has survived two attempted assassinations in recent months.

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President Biden is poised to sign an executive order to reduce gun violence. (REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)

The White House says firearm technology is rapidly evolving and Biden’s actions are aimed at reducing two key emerging threats: machine gun conversion devices and 3D printed firearms. 

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The senior administration official said conversion devices, those that aid in converting semi-automatic pistol into a fully automatic firearm, are already illegal under federal law but are continuing to be used in crime and recovered by law enforcement agencies across the country. 

The senior administration official said conversion devices are already illegal under federal law. (SAMUEL CORUM/AFP via Getty Images)

The relatively new 3D printed firearms are built from computer code downloaded from the internet, making them widely available. They also lack serial numbers, which often help investigators trace firearms recovered at crime scenes. These 3D printed firearms can also be built with non-metal materials, making them undetectable by magnetometers used to secure airports, courthouses, and event spaces, the senior administration official said.

Biden’s executive order will establish an emerging firearms threats task force consisting of leadership from various federal departments and agencies. 

The mass shooting in Birmingham, Alabama on Sept. 21 left four dead and 17 wounded. (WBRC)

It will be tasked with issuing a report within 90 days that includes an assessment of the threat posed by machine gun conversion devices and 3D printed firearms, the senior administration official said.

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The assessment will also include a review of federal agencies, operational and legal capacities to detect, intercept and seize these firearm and firearm components. 

Finally, it will direct the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the attorney general, the secretary of Health and Human Services, and the U.S. Surgeon General to develop and publish new active shooter drills. 

Nick Rojas contributed to this report.

Next week’s highly anticipated vice presidential debate between Republican Ohio Sen. JD Vance and Democrat Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, while sure to generate buzz, is unlikely to make much difference in pushing undecided voters toward either presidential candidate, former President Trump or Vice President Harris, insiders agree.

Even so, experts who spoke to Fox News Digital did say there could be some indirect impact that can’t be completely discounted in a very close race.

“The VP debate is usually pretty [low-profile], they usually don’t get as much attention as the presidential debates,” Christopher Devine, author of “Do Running Mates Matter?: The Influence of Vice Presidential Candidates in Presidential Elections,” told Fox News Digital in an interview.

Devine suggested that while the upcoming debate will probably result in some viral moments, it won’t have the same level of interest or influence on voters as the 2008 VP debate when Sarah Palin on Republican John McCain’s ticket stole the spotlight in her matchup with then-Sen. Joe Biden.

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Sen. JD Vance, left, and Gov. Tim Walz (Fox News Digital photo illustration/Getty Images)

“But the running mate does have what we call an indirect effect on vote choice in that it influences what people think of the presidential candidate, knowing that Donald Trump could have picked anybody and chose JD Vance or that Kamala Harris could have picked anyone and chose Tim Walz, and how they perform on the debate stage,” Devine added.

Tevi Troy, a presidential historian and a former George W. Bush Cabinet member, agreed but said their performances will reflect more of an impact on the public’s view of themselves. 

“Many VP debates are completely forgettable,” Troy told Fox News Digital.

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Vice President Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

“This year might be different, and it might be different because of the whole Harris-Walz hide-the-ball campaign where she didn’t run for the nomination, so she wasn’t scrutinized,” he continued. “Then she’s been very reluctant to have any unscripted interviews since then, and when she does, it’s usually with a very friendly reporter, and even in the debate against Trump, there’s a perception that the moderators were harder on him than they were on her.”

“There have been a number of instances where Walz has [been] asked about her views, and he kind of ducks what her views are because if they say what she’s been in the past, which is pretty liberal, [one of the] most liberal U.S. senators, then that’s not popular and not helpful to her political prospects,” Troy added. “But Vance also has a number of things from his past that have surfaced, that have led to bad stories, like the cat-lady thing, for example, and Walz has not been shy about willing to go after Vance and criticize.”

FOX NEWS POLL: HARRIS TOPS TRUMP BY 2 POINTS

Former President Trump and Ohio Sen. JD Vance (REUTERS/Mike Segar )

After the Harris-Trump debate, a Fox News Poll this month found that voters thought Harris performed better than Trump. 

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With no further presidential debates in the works before November, the running mates will likely be making the final head-to-head case to voters for their respective campaigns. 

Each candidate is sure to jab the other, with Vance likely zeroing in on Walz’s progressive policies in Minnesota and Walz likely to paint Vance as extreme, citing earlier statements on abortion prior to joining the Trump ticket.

The CBS vice presidential debate airs Tuesday, Oct. 1, at 9 p.m. ET and will be simulcast on Fox News Channel and Fox Business Network.

RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina Republicans are taking both a data-driven and hand-to-hand approach to target key voters in the battleground state whose electoral votes are historically decided by just a small fraction of people.

Republicans won North Carolina in the past three presidential elections, but the results have consistently come down to just a couple of thousand votes, with former President Trump winning by about 4% in 2016 and 1% in 2020. The last Democrat to win the state, former President Obama in 2008, won by less than 14,000 votes.

As Republicans ramp up their get out the vote efforts this cycle, leaders at the forefront of the movement told Fox News Digital that they are focusing their resources on encouraging early voting and delivering their message to the key 1% to 2% that could swing the election for either party.

Jason Simmons, chair of the North Carolina Republican Party, told Fox News Digital that there has been an “overwhelming” response to their knocking on doors and grassroots activism.

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North Carolina Republican Party Chair Jason Simmons spoke with Fox News Digital about this cycle’s efforts to get out the vote. (Fox News Digital)

“We’ve been very engaged with all of our grassroots activists and have a very enthusiastic response. People are fired up. As I travel from one end of the state to the next, you see our Trump captains really engaging with the voters of North Carolina, taking the message of why it’s important in this year to go out more so than ever,” Simmons told Fox. “They’re out there every day knocking [on] doors, making phone calls, talking to the voters of North Carolina about the issues that matter most.”

Republicans in the state are also using data to help turn out the vote for residents who haven’t been engaged in voting in past elections.

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“It’s really drilling down into the data and identifying those voters that we know will vote our way, especially the low- to mid-propensity voters, by getting in front of them and talking to them about those issues that matter most to them and then encouraging them to make that plan and to go vote,” Simmons said.

After speaking with voters across the state, Simmons said the economy, inflation and the southern border are the issues of top concern among North Carolina voters. 

Republicans are also investing in encouraging early voting this cycle, and according to Dallas Woodhouse, state director for a conservative training outfit, American Majority, the data reveals that more early voting would benefit the GOP in 2024.

“We have field teams out right now educating conservative voters about the importance of actually voting early, voting by mail in North Carolina, how it is safe to vote by mail. We’re trying to turn around some of the trends that were difficult for conservatives in 2020 and 2022,” Woodhouse said. “What we know is that the earlier you get the vote in, the more efficient it is for candidates, for parties. And if you wait till the last minute, you are at risk of illness and bad weather and your cost per vote goes way out.”

Woodhouse said that by Election Day, America Majority expects to have knocked on half a million doors in the state, reached a million voters by phone and a million and a half voters through text messages.

A canvasser for American Majority, a conservative training outfit, is shown in North Carolina. (Fox News Digital)

“All you can do is go out and fight every day, go out, push the message of free markets, limited government, strong national defense, and get people out to vote what they do from theirs up to them.”

Woodhouse added that the presidential race in North Carolina is going to be “razor-close to the end.”

“The fact is, North Carolina is razor-close. … So, voter by voter or house by house, that’s what you’re into: hand-to-hand political combat to get every single voter to the polls.”

Mark Robinson, North Carolina’s lieutenant governor and the Republican gubernatorial candidate, recently came under fire after CNN published a report alleging that Robinson had previously made salacious comments, such as referring to himself as a “Black Nazi” on pornographic websites in the late 2000s. Just days later, his campaign released a statement that staff in various senior roles had stepped down. 

Republican presidential nominee former President Trump speaks during a campaign event on Sept. 25, 2024, in Mint Hill, N.C. (Evan Vucci)

“It’s very unfortunate, and it’s disturbing, troubling, the remarks that we’ve seen and the allegations attributed to Mark Robinson,” Simmons told Fox of the recent controversy. “But ultimately, it’s up to him to go and talk to the voters of North Carolina and show them that these are not his words, his values. And we’ll continue to talk to the voters of North Carolina about those issues that matter most to them.”

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Both Trump and his Democrat opponent, Vice President Harris, have been campaigning throughout the Old North State with just weeks left until the highly anticipated presidential contest on Nov. 5.

Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance took an apparent jab at Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris during an event in Michigan, when he echoed a talking point about her upbringing that she often repeats at her own events.

When speaking to a group of supporters in Traverse City, Vance mentioned he also “grew up in a working class family” and knows what it takes to stand up for the middle class in an election year unsettled by high inflation and crippling costs.

“Now, look, a lot of you know my story and a lot of you know where I came from. Look, I grew up in a working-class family. And so, when the Democrats — when Kamala Harris — talks about her middle class background, when the Democrats talk about how they stand for working people, they’re not telling the truth,” Vance said.

He added: “They’re lying to you.”

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Republican vice presidential nominee, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, spoke to supporters during a campaign event at the Northwestern Michigan Fair grounds on September 25, 2024 in Traverse City, Michigan.  (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

In his remarks, Vance said voters can look back to how many Democrats in positions of power during the COVID-19 pandemic sought to enforce lockdowns and to keep them in place while Americans were desperate to return to work.

“Here’s how we know they’re lying to you,” he continued. “Remember back a few years ago when there were a lot of nurses, a lot of people in a lot of industries that were losing their jobs because they refused to take the COVID shot? Now, I believe if you want to take the Covid shot, take the shot. If you don’t want to take the COVID shot, don’t take the COVID shot. But listen, it is disgraceful for Kamala Harris to say that she stands for the American working man when she fired millions of American working men and women from their jobs for not doing what Kamala Harris would tell them to do.”

Vance was visiting Michigan as the state represents an important background for former President Trump’s re-election chances and for down-ballot races like former Rep. Mike Rogers, who is running to represent Michigan in the U.S. Senate.

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After commending Rogers, Vance turned his attention to the current vice president.

“I don’t know if you saw the news but Kamala Harris has decided to give her first solo national interview,” Vance said. “I’ve watched a couple of these interviews, local journalists with Kamala Harris, and I’ve realized why it is that Kamala Harris doesn’t give interviews. And the answer is that every time she answers a question, I think we gain about 100,000 votes, me and Donald Trump.”

“They ask Kamala, of course, because she’s the vice president and she is the reason why we have sky-high inflation and a wide open border, what are you going to do? What is your specific plan to solve the inflation crisis that’s making it unaffordable to buy groceries and housing? And Kamala will say, well, did you know that I grew up in a middle-class family, I had a very nice lawn back there in Berkeley, California,” he continued. “It’s like, well, that might be true. What the hell does that have to do with lower inflation?”

Vance added: “Or they’ll say, Kamala Harris, we’ve got a war in every new continent across the country. Kamala Harris, your administration has in some ways led to the policies that caused this conflict. How are you going to solve it as President of the United States? And Kamala Harris will say, well, did you know that I worked at McDonald’s for about three months when I was a teenager?”

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The Republican senator’s tirade against the Democratic nominee by arguing she fails to offer specifics in her answers.

“I think my friends, all of us watching this interview are saying to ourselves, what is Kamala Harris? What is she actually planning to do for the American people? And the answer is we don’t know. [But] we don’t have to guess that much because she’s been the vice president for three and a half years and she hasn’t done a thing. So let’s dispense with this idea that Kamala Harris is going to fix the very problem she caused.”

Vance spoke to a crowd during a rally at the Berks County Fairgrounds on September 21, 2024 in Leesport, Pennsylvania.  (Matthew Hatcher/Getty Images)

And, “Kamala Harris is why we have sky-high inflation. Kamala Harris is why you can’t afford groceries or housing. Kamala Harris is why the world is at war right now in nearly every single continent. Kamala Harris is why the border is wide open. And Kamala Harris, you want a promotion? The message from Michigan is you’re fired. Go back to San Francisco where you belong.”

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Michigan, along with Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, are the Democrats’ so-called “blue wall,” which the party reliably won for a quarter-century in presidential elections.

This stronghold completely crumbled during Trump’s successful 2016 presidential run, when he narrowly carried all three states. However, Biden narrowly won back all three states in 2020.

FIRST ON FOX: Republican senators introduced a series of measures on Wednesday aimed at taking a comprehensive approach to curbing the Chinese Communist Party’s influence in the west. 

Sens. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., and Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., led the introduction of several pieces of legislation in the Senate, all focused on targeting different aspects of China’s involvement in America, including at universities and in the U.S. agricultural sector. 

“The CCP is the single greatest threat to America’s national security and financial independence,” Ricketts told Fox News Digital in a statement. “A CCP-led world would mean coercion instead of choice, tyranny instead of liberty, and dictatorship instead of democracy. The only way to combat this threat is with a strong, strategic, all-of-government approach. These bills move us closer to that.”

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Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a speech at a meeting in Beijing, Sept. 20, 2024. (Xie Huanchi/Xinhua via Getty Images)

The Nebraska Republican introduced five bills: to protect domestic food supply chains; to disincentivize university endowments from investing in “adversarial entities”; to prevent tax breaks for investing in Chinese, Russian, Iranian, North Korean, or Belarussian companies; to stop U.S. market participation and ownership in businesses that are sanctioned for human rights violations; and to prohibit index funds from purchasing Chinese stocks. 

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 Sen. Pete Ricketts makes a speech during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing in Washington, D.C., May 3, 2023. (Celal Gunes/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Schmitt also introduced a measure that would bar members of the CCP and their relatives from obtaining student visas to attend American universities. 

“The Chinese Communist Party remains our most significant adversary, both militarily and economically. It makes no sense for American universities to continue educating the children and other family members of CCP officials. These more than 100,000 admission slots should go to American students,” Schmitt told Fox News Digital in a statement. 

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Sen. Eric Schmitt speaks at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, July 16, 2024. (Reuters/Mike Segar)

“If you are associated with a foreign organization that is actively working to undermine the United States, you should certainly not have the continued privilege of being educated on our college campuses. The Protecting Higher Education from the Chinese Communist Party Act fortunately puts an end to these special privileges.” 

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The Guard of Honor of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army performs a flag-raising ceremony on China’s Army Day on Aug. 1, 2024 in Nanchang. (Ma Yue/VCG via Getty Images)

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The senators’ legislation comes as Republicans continue to sound the alarm over CCP influence and current U.S. vulnerabilities. 

Americans increasingly agree with their warnings, with about half saying that limiting both China’s power and influence should be a top priority for the U.S. when it comes to foreign policy. Another 42% believe it should be given some priority, according to a Pew Research Center survey earlier this year. 

EXCLUSIVE: House Speaker Mike Johnson is calling on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to fire Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States after she allegedly organized a U.S. taxpayer-funded visit to a battleground state ahead of the 2024 presidential election, Fox News Digital has learned. 

Ukraine’s ambassador to the U.S., Oksana Markarova, organized a tour of an American manufacturing site for Zelenskyy over the weekend in Pennsylvania, a key battleground state ahead of November’s election. 

Speaker Mike Johnson (Getty Images)

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Johnson, R-La., said that tour was led by a “top political surrogate” for the Democratic presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, and “purposely excluded” Republicans. Johnson called it clear “election interference.” 

“I demand that you immediately fire Ukraine’s Ambassador to the United States, Oksana Markarova,” Johnson wrote in a letter to Zelenskyy exclusively obtained by Fox News Digital Wednesday. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attends a joint press conference with Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, in Kyiv, Ukraine, Sept. 20, 2024.  (Christoph Soeder/Pool Photo via AP)

“As you have said, Ukrainians have tried to avoid being ‘captured by American domestic politics,’ and ‘influencing the choices of the American people’ ahead of the November election,” Johnson wrote. “Clearly, that objective was abandoned this week when Ambassador Markarova organized an event in which you toured an American manufacturing site.

“The facility was in a politically contested battleground state, was led by a top political surrogate for Kamala Harris, and failed to include a single Republican because – on purpose – no Republicans were invited,” Johnson continued, adding the tour was “clearly a partisan campaign event designed to help Democrats and is clearly election interference.” 

Johnson said the “shortsighted and intentionally political move has caused Republicans to lose trust in Ambassador Markarova’s ability to fairly and effectively serve as a diplomat in this country.” 

“She should be removed from her post immediately,” he wrote.  

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi of California, left, shakes hands with Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova during an event unveiling a photography exhibit about the war in Ukraine April 28, 2022, at the Capitol in Washington.  (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Johnson stressed that “all foreign nations should avoid opining on or interfering in American domestic politics.” 

“Support for ending Russia’s war against Ukraine continues to be bipartisan, but our relationship is unnecessarily tested and needlessly tarnished when the candidates at the top of the Republican presidential ticket are targeted in the media by officials in your government,” Johnson wrote. 

“These incidents cannot be repeated.” 

Johnson thanked Zelenskyy for his “prompt attention to this matter.” 

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“I trust you will take immediate action,” Johnson said. 

Zelenskyy over the weekend visited a Pennsylvania ammunition factory alongside two Pentagon leaders — the assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology and the Pentagon’s top weapons buyer. 

Zelenskyy also met with Pennsylvania Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro, who was said to be on the short list to be considered as Harris’ running mate before she chose Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

Zelenskyy recently participated in interviews and was critical of former President Trump and his running mate JD Vance, calling the Ohio senator “too radical.”

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro at the Celebration of Freedom ceremony during Wawa Welcome America July 4, 2023, in Philadelphia. (Gilbert Carrasquillo/GC Images)

The House Oversight Committee is now investigating the Biden-Harris administration’s alleged use of taxpayer-funded resources to fly Zelenskyy to Pennsylvania ahead of the November presidential election. 

Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., announced the investigation Wednesday and is seeking records regarding the administration’s alleged “misuse of government resources” to allow Zelenskyy to “interfere in the 2024 presidential election.” 

“The Committee seeks to determine whether the Biden-Harris Administration attempted to use a foreign leader to benefit Vice President Harris’ presidential campaign and, if so, necessarily committed an abuse of power,” Comer wrote Wednesday in a letter to the White House, Justice Department and the Pentagon. 

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Comer said his committee is investigating the circumstances that led to “justify” the administration’s transport of Zelenskyy on a Department of the Air Force aircraft to Pennsylvania. 

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House, Pentagon, Justice Department and Harris campaign for comment. 

China hawks are calling out Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, for failing to impose a TikTok ban on government-issued devices in his state, particularly considering more than 75% of other states did so amid national security concerns. 

When asked in 2022 whether Walz planned to ban the Chinese-owned social media app on Minnesota-issued devices, the Democrat governor said his team was looking at the issue “holistically” and that he was deferring to tech experts in his administration for “recommendations.” Walz also drew an equivalency between TikTok and X, formerly Twitter, arguing the Elon Musk-owned platform “can be somewhat dangerous.”

“That equivalence goes to, I think, a broader confusion on the left that privacy is a protection from ourselves, from these big businesses. Not a protection from the government,” said Trent England, executive director of Save Our States, a conservative nonprofit dedicated to defending the constitutional power of states. “They’re more trusting toward state actors in general… Elon Musk, however powerful people think he is, he’s not the Chinese Communist Party.”

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Walz’s decision not to implement a TikTok ban on Minnesota’s government-issued devices stands in contrast with the actions of numerous other states, and is also out of step with the Biden administration. 

In December 2022, President Biden signed a bill banning TikTok from all federally issued devices. This year, Biden went even further when he signed an additional bill in April to ban TikTok nationwide, unless its Chinese-owned parent company, ByteDance, divests its entire stake in the social media company by next year.

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Meanwhile, at least 39 separate states implemented a TikTok ban on government-issued devices. Many of those bans were initiated by governors, while others were introduced by the state legislature and later approved by the governor.

The federal and state bans have also coincided with warnings from the nation’s top law enforcement agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which has said it has “a number” of “national security concerns” related to the U.S. operations of TikTok. “They include the possibility that the Chinese government could use it to control data collection on millions of users or control the recommendation algorithm, which could be used for influence operations if they so chose, or to control software on millions of devices, which gives it an opportunity to potentially technically compromise personal devices,” FBI Director Christopher Wray told Congress in 2022.

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Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, a Republican, called the decision to ban TikTok from government devices “common sense.”

“In the digital age, defending our state’s technology and cybersecurity infrastructure and protecting digital privacy have to be a top priority for us as a state,” said Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, after signing an executive order banning TikTok on government devices.

The TikTok video streaming app is seen in this illustration photo in Warsaw, Poland on Sept. 23, 2024. (Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Evers also pointed out how he, similar to Walz, consulted with cybersecurity and law enforcement experts.

“I trust the professionals who work in this field, and it was important for me to consult with and get advice from experts in law enforcement, cybersecurity and counterintelligence, including the information technology experts working within DOA-DET, to make the best decision to protect state technologies, and ultimately, the people of Wisconsin.”

England told Fox News Digital on Wednesday that he thinks Walz’s actions are a “throwback” to an earlier era of U.S.-China relations when the prevailing attitude was not to view China as an adversary.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speaks to a gathered crowd of supporters during a campaign rally at the Highmark Amphitheater on Sept. 5, 2024 in Erie, Pennsylvania. (Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)

“Walz is still in this ’90s mindset that we’re going to fix China by engaging with them, which effectively means looking the other way when they’re stealing intellectual property, or engaging in what looks like espionage, or what obviously is espionage,” England said. “I think Walz is really a throwback to an earlier era of China relations that most people have determined was a failure.”

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Earlier this month, TikTok argued in federal court that Biden’s proposed nationwide ban on TikTok if ByteDance does not divest itself is unconstitutional. “The law before this court is unprecedented and its effect would be staggering,” attorneys for TikTok said in court earlier this month, according to the Associated Press. 

A TikTok creator wears a button showing support for the social media app. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Additionally, several pro-TikTok activists also rallied outside the courthouse in support of the social media platform. One content creator, Paul Tran, told The Associated Press that being able to make TikTok videos gave his company the lift it needed to stay competitive. “TikTok truly invigorated our company and saved it from collapse,” Tran told reporters.

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Fox News Digital reached out to both Walz’s office and the Harris campaign for comment but did not hear back prior to publication time.   

EXCLUSIVE: The House Judiciary Committee is investigating the Justice Department after it released the manifesto of the suspect charged with the attempted assassination of former President Trump, warning that the move could inspire potential copycat offenders and “cause additional harm to occur.”

Fox News Digital obtained a letter House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, sent to Attorney General Merrick Garland Wednesday, after the Justice Department released Ryan Routh’s letter, or manifesto, outlining his plans to assassinate Trump. 

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Routh was arrested after a Secret Service agent saw his rifle poking through a chain-link fence at Trump International Golf Course in West Palm Beach, Florida, while the former president was golfing. 

The DOJ, in a court filing this week, released Routh’s letter “to the world,” in which he explained his effort was “an assassination attempt on Donald Trump.” Routh offered $150,000 to someone who could “complete the job” if he failed. 

The letter was released as evidence in a detention memo by the Justice Department in an effort to ensure Routh’s detention. 

The House Judiciary Committee is investigating the Justice Department after it released the manifesto of the suspect charged with the attempted assassination of former President Trump. (Getty Images)

“During your tenure as Attorney General, the Department has generally refused to release details about so-called ‘manifestos’ written by the perpetrators of high-profile crimes,” Jordan wrote. “Yet, earlier this week, in a public court filing, the Department released a letter in which the man who sought to assassinate President Donald J. Trump in Florida on September 15, 2024, offered a $150,000 bounty on President Trump.” 

Jordan warned that the decision to release that manifesto “seems to contravene the Department’s stated policy that ‘public access to legacy tokens,’ more commonly known as manifestos, ‘will contribute to further attacks’ by ‘spark[ing] incredibly intense interest and study’ by potential copycat offenders and providing a blueprint for future attackers.” 

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“The Department’s decision to broadcast the attempted assassin’s bounty on President Trump – at the same time that the Department is aggressively and unconstitutionally prosecuting President Trump – raises significant concern that the Department could cause additional harm to occur,” Jordan wrote. 

Rep. Jim Jordan walks through the Longworth House Office Building in Washington, D.C. (Anna Rose Layden/Getty Images)

Jordan is now requesting the Justice Department share all documents and communications referring to the FBI’s May 2023 “Protection of Legacy Tokens” memo, and all records referring or relating to the release of the would-be assassin’s letter to “The World.” 

Jordan demanded those records by Oct. 9 at 5 p.m. 

The Justice Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

Routh, 58, has been charged by the Justice Department with attempted assassination of Trump, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. 

Routh has also been charged federally with possessing a gun with a scratched-out number and with possessing a gun illegally as a felon, though more serious charges are likely pending. The weapon had a round in the chamber and was loaded with a total of 11 rounds. 

Attorney General Merrick Garland speaks during a news conference at the Department of Justice, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Routh is the second would-be assassin who attempted to take Trump’s life this year.

“The Justice Department is committed to using the full force of our authorities to thoroughly investigate every lead and ensure accountability into this matter,” Garland said Wednesday. “Our nation has now experienced two assassination attempts against the former president in just the last three months.” 

Garland added: “That is abhorrent.” 

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Trump was hit in the ear by a bullet fired by Thomas Crooks, who was killed by federal agents after he opened fire at the former president’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13. 

The U.S. Secret Service (USSS) is investigating an agent accused of sexually assaulting a staffer working on Vice President Harris’ presidential campaign.

Real Clear Politics first reported the allegations Wednesday. According to four USSS sources, the incident took place last week in Wisconsin.

According to the report, several USSS agents and Harris campaign staffers were in Green Bay to work on security measures for an upcoming rally. The campaign event in Green Bay ended up not taking place, and the campaign switched the rally location to Atlanta, Georgia, after holding a rally in Madison, Wisconsin, on Friday.

The staffers and agents later drank at a local restaurant after finishing up their work for the day. They eventually moved over to the victim’s hotel room – where the alleged assault took place.

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A Harris campaign staffer accused a Secret Service agent of sexual assault last week, reports say. (Getty Images / iStock)

The suspect, who was intoxicated at the time, had forced himself on the victim and began groping her, the report claims. The incident was witnessed by other people.

The suspect was reportedly so drunk that his coworkers kicked him out of their hotel room, and he fell asleep in the hallway.

A Secret Service spokesperson confirmed an investigation to Fox News Digital, but did not disclose if it involved a Harris staffer.

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Vice President Harris speaks during a campaign event in Madison, Wis., on Friday. (Alex Wroblewski/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“The U.S. Secret Service Office of Professional Responsibility is investigating a misconduct allegation involving an employee,” the spokesperson said. “The Secret Service holds its personnel to the highest standards.”

“The employee has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.”

Vice President Harris waves during a campaign event in Madison, Wis., on Friday.  (Alex Wroblewski/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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Harris’ office said in a statement that “we have zero tolerance for sexual misconduct,” and that the office takes “safety of staff seriously,” according to the Associated Press.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Harris campaign for comment.

Congress took a significant step toward averting an end-of-month partial government shutdown just weeks before Election Day.

In a victory for Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., a majority of Republicans voted for the measure – it passed 341 to 82, with 132 House GOP lawmakers in favor. All the 82 “no” votes were Republicans.

Faced with an Oct. 1 deadline and little bipartisan progress on fiscal year 2025 spending priorities, the House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a short-term extension of the current fiscal year’s federal funding levels to keep the government open through Dec. 20.

The measure, known as a continuing resolution (CR), gained wide bipartisan support – though more Democrats voted for it than Republicans, as expected.

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U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson is pictured in front of the U.S. Capitol. (Getty Images/AP)

A large contingent of Republicans, still angry with House GOP leaders for passing last year’s federal funding bills in two large segments rather than forcing the Democrat-held Senate to consider 12 appropriations bills individually, were always likely to vote against extending those measures.

The federal funding debate has been a lightening rod for political drama, particularly during the 118th Congress. Last year’s government funding stand-off precipitated the ouster of Johnson’s predecessor by a group of House Republicans.

Fiscal conservatives are frustrated about punting that fight into December, arguing it puts the House GOP majority in the position of being forced to reckon with a massive “omnibus” spending bill right before the end-of-year holidays rather than work through their 12 individual appropriations bills.

“I’ve said this in public forum – we are condemned to a Christmas lame-duck omnibus,” Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital on Tuesday.

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Rep. Matt Gaetz, left, precipitated the ouster of ex-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, right, after he passed a CR last year. (Getty)

House Freedom Caucus member Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., said, “I think that’s the preview of coming attractions, unfortunately.”

But Johnson swore both in public and private that the House would not take up an omnibus in December.

“There won’t be a Christmas omnibus. Somebody asked me in the hallway a little while ago, ‘Will there be mini-buses?’ We don’t want any buses. We’re not going to do any buses.”

Allies of former President Trump, meanwhile, have called for a CR into the new year in the hopes he will win the White House and carry Congress along with him.

House GOP leadership staff suggested to Fox News Digital over the weekend that it’s more likely Johnson will aim for a CR to do just that in December rather than consider an omnibus.

That would line up with his original plan for a more conservative CR – one that offered a six-month funding extension into March and was coupled with a measure to prevent noncitizens from registering to vote in U.S. elections.

MCCARTHY’S ‘FINAL STRUGGLES’ THREATEN TO HAUNT JOHNSON’S GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN FIGHT

Rep. Ralph Norman said he is not optimistic about avoiding an end-of-year omnibus (Getty Images)

The initial plan failed after a rebellion by 14 Republicans. Some defense hawks worried about the effect of a six-month CR on military readiness, while a group of fiscal conservatives balked at the principle of the CR itself.

The new plan is a more straightforward funding extension, though it adds $231 million for the U.S. Secret Service after two foiled assassination attempts against Trump.

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And while the Democrat-led White House and Senate were both poised to reject Johnson’s initial CR, President Biden and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., have signaled they’re supportive of the recent deal.

The bill is expected to be considered in the Senate on Thursday, after which it heads to the White House for Biden’s signature. 

Welcome to Fox News’ Politics newsletter with the latest political news from Washington D.C. and updates from the 2024 campaign trail. 

What’s happening…

-Legislators with medical backgrounds debunk claims that pro-life laws responsible for maternal death…

-Fox News releases new power rankings on 2024 presidential election…

-Harris campaign won’t share what type of gun she owns…

Loose Lips

Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s trip to the U.S. this week may complicate his relationship with the U.S., particularly if Republicans take power in the November election.

He flew on an Air Force C-17 plane to visit an arms producer in Scranton, Pennsylvania – a swing state – signed bombs with the state’s Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro and called former President Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance, “too radical.” 

The Ukrainian president said he didn’t think Trump knew how to bring an end to the war and told the United Nations General Assembly the war with Russia “can’t be calmed by talks” and Russian President Vladimir Putin can “only be forced into peace.” That didn’t sit well with people in Trump’s orbit…Read more

White House

‘DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY’: Justice Department backs UN claim relief workers accused of aiding Hamas are immune …Read more

ZELENSKYY ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL: Comer investigating Biden-Harris admin’s alleged use of taxpayer funds to fly Zelenskyy to Pa. …Read more

NOT A DENIAL: DOJ inspector general does not deny FBI informants were among Jan. 6 crowd …Read more

Capitol Hill

BEHIND THE BLUE CURTAIN: Sneak peek into Dems’ plans for Trump if they win House majority in November …Read more

FEARMONGERING: Legislators with emergency medicine background dismiss fears over Georgia’s heartbeat law …Read more

CCP INFLUENCE: GOP senators eye comprehensive China strategy to curb influence …Read more

‘ELECTION INTERFERENCE’: House Speaker Johnson calls on Zelenskyy to fire Ukraine’s ambassador to US over Pennsylvania trip …Read more

‘COPYCATS’: House Judiciary investigating DOJ for release of Routh manifesto offering $150k Trump bounty …Read more

‘LEVERAGE ALL OPTIONS’: Bill would ban Afghan aid until Americans released …Read more

Tales from the Trail

POWER RANKINGS: Fox News Power Rankings: Harris ticks up and Senate Republicans take charge …Read more

NO DETAILS: Harris campaign won’t provide info on type of gun she owns, last time she went to range …Read more

WHO’S MORE ACCESSIBLE?: Trump-Vance have done significantly more interviews than Harris-Walz …Read more

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani speaks at a press conference in Tehran, Iran, Jan. 8, 2024. TO GO WITH “Iran condemns Israel’s assassination of senior Hezbollah commander”  (Shadati/Xinhua via Getty Images)

Across America

IRAN HACK: Trump campaign hack was Iran’s ‘explicit tipping of the scales’ for Harris, expert says …Read more

‘TRUST THE PROFESSIONALS’: Walz failed to ban TikTok on government devices despite nat sec concerns …Read more

‘HUMAN ERROR’: Wisconsin Republican demands probe after city sends out 2,000 duplicate absentee ballots …Read more

HANDWRITTEN NOTE: Top Secret Service agent on July 13 heard about credible Trump threats on TV …Read more

‘STRANGE CIRCUMSTANCES’: Trump points out Iranian president’s large security detail in NYC despite potential Iranian plot to assassinate him …Read more

‘DIRECT ATTACK ON OUR DEMOCRACY’: Trump assassination suspect indicted in Miami court …Read more

KILLER MOM: Susan Smith brags from behind bars in bid for early release from prison …Read more

BREAKING NEWS: Illegal alien who was caught and released at border is accused of killing girlfriend in Maryland …Read more

‘TRUMP TRAIN’: Cleared defendants liken case to lawfare campaign against former prez …Read more

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.

PITTSBURGH — Vice President Harris pledged to lower child care and elder care costs as part of her push to help middle-class Americans cope with rising prices during her highly touted economic address in which she also repeatedly took aim at her rival for the White House, former President Trump.

Speaking at the Pittsburgh Economic Club in the must-win battleground state of Pennsylvania, the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee outlined the three pillars of her economic agenda: lower costs, investing in American innovation and entrepreneurship, and leading global competitors in the industries of the future.

Pointing to persistent inflation, which has dogged President Biden’s administration and provided Trump with plenty of political ammunition to fire at Harris, the vice president said that despite recent economic “positive steps … the cost of living in America is just too high.”

But Harris also said Trump “has no intention of lowering costs” and that he’s made it harder for small businesses to function as the backbone of the nation’s economy.

WHAT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POWER RANKINGS IN THE 2024 ELECTION SHOW

Republican presidential nominee former President Trump speaks about the tax code and manufacturing on Sept. 24, 2024, in Savannah, Ga. (AP/Evan Vucci)

And one day after Trump in a speech in battleground Georgia vowed to create manufacturing jobs by raising tariffs on overseas rivals and lowering taxes on U.S.-based manufacturers, Harris took aim.

Harris said Trump “makes big promises on manufacturing. Just yesterday, he went out and promised to bring back manufacturing jobs.”

She then said that during Trump’s four years in the White House, “[M]anufacturing jobs went down across our country and across our economy. All told, almost 200,000 manufacturing jobs were lost during his presidency, starting before the pandemic hit, making Trump one of the biggest losers ever on manufacturing.”

THIS PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE HAS UPPER HAND IN 2024 CASH DASH

And the vice president also blasted Trump over the nation’s trade deficit with China.

“Donald Trump also talked a big game on our trade deficit with China, but it is far lower under our watch than any year of his administration while he constantly got played by China,” she said.

And she described Trump as someone who wants to help the wealthy and big businesses, but not average Americans.

“For Donald Trump, our economy works best if it works for those who own the big skyscrapers, not those who actually build them, not those who wire them, not those who mop the floors,” she said.

Democrat presidential nominee Vice President Harris addresses the Economic Club of Pittsburgh on the Carnegie Mellon University campus in Pittsburgh on Sept. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

The Trump campaign, returning fire, put out a statement moments after the vice president’s address ended headlined “Kamala’s Speech Full of Lies.”

Spotlighting a line from her address, Trump campaign national press secretary Karoline Leavitt said “Kamala Harris is right about one thing — it’s time to turn the page. She’s had three and a half years to prove herself, and she has failed.”

Pointing to economic conditions the past three and a half years under President Biden’s administration, Leavitt said “personal savings are down, credit card debt is up, small business optimism is at a record-low, and people are struggling to afford homes, groceries, and gas. Every time Kamala speaks, it becomes increasingly clear that ONLY President Trump will Make America WEALTHY Again.”

WHICH PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE HOLDS THE EDGE ON THE ECONOMY?

Trump mockingly calls Harris “Comrade Kamala” and says she’s a far-left socialist.

Apparently pushing back, the vice president, near the top of her speech, spotlighted that “I’m a capitalist. I believe in free and fair markets. I believe in consistent and transparent rules of the road to create a stable business environment. And I know the power of American innovation.”

Harris, in her address, detailed plans for new tax incentives that would aim to spark next-generation industries critical to the economy and national security.

Vice President Harris takes aim at former President Trump during her economic address in Pittsburgh. (Fox News/Paul Steinhauser)

And the vice president shined a spotlight on her proposals to provide first-time home buyers $25,000 to help with down payments and a $6,000 tax credit for families with newborns.

“When we lower the cost and ease the burdens people face, we will not only make it … easier for them to meet their obligations as caregivers, we will also make it more possible for them to go to work and pursue their economic aspirations,” she said. “And when that happens, our economy as a whole grows stronger.”

With less than six weeks until Election Day on Nov. 5 and with early in-person voting or absentee balloting underway in nearly two dozen states, just about every poll indicates the economy remains the top issue on the minds of Americans.

And while the nation’s economic recovery from the pandemic-inflicted recession continues, high prices remain a leading concern among voters.

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When it comes to which presidential candidate can better handle the economy, Trump continues to have the edge, but his margin over Harris differs dramatically depending on the poll.

The former president is up 13 points over the vice president in a post-debate survey from the New York Times and Siena College, 11 points in a CNN poll and favored by seven points in an ABC News/Ipsos survey also conducted after the showdown.

But Trump’s advantage over Harris on the economy stands at five points in the latest Fox News poll and two points in an AP/NORC survey.

In Pennsylvania, a new Monmouth University survey indicated Trump holding a three-point edge over Harris when respondents were asked which candidate is more trusted to handle the economy.

Pennsylvania, with 19 electoral votes up for grabs, is the biggest prize among the seven key battleground states whose razor-thin margins decided Biden’s 2020 presidential election victory over Trump and will likely determine whether Harris or Trump succeeds Biden in the White House.

Hours before Harris arrived in Pittsburgh, a new public opinion poll from Muhlenberg College indicated the vice president and Trump deadlocked at 48% in the Keystone State. It was the latest survey to point to an incredibly close contest in the must-win state.

Fox News’ Mark Meredith and Deirdre Heavey contributed to this report.

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

The Senate passed a short-term spending bill on Wednesday, avoiding a partial government shutdown at the end of the month and allowing lawmakers up for re-election to head home early to campaign. 

By a vote of 78 to 18, senators approved a spending bill that will keep funding steady until Dec. 20, known as a continuing resolution (CR). 

It passed in the House hours before being taken to the floor in the upper chamber, with representatives approving the spending bill 341 to 82. 

132 Republican House members voted in favor of it. The bill saw 82 votes against it, all of which were cast by Republicans.

Lawmakers avoided a partial shutdown with only days to spare, despite a GOP demand that the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act be included. Several Republicans in Congress had insisted the SAVE Act be attached to the spending bill, including some in the Senate. 

GOP SENATORS EYE COMPREHENSIVE CHINA STRATEGY TO CURB CCP INFLUENCE

Chuck Schumer, right, said the spending bill needs to be done in a bipartisan manner. (Reuters)

The SAVE Act would require proof of citizenship in order to register to vote. 

A short-term bill that included that measure failed in the House of Representatives when Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., brought it for a vote last week, effectively killing hopes for a CR with the SAVE Act attached.

TOP SECRET SERVICE AGENT IN PITTSBURGH SAYS HE WAS KEPT IN DARK ON ‘CREDIBLE’ THREAT AHEAD OF BUTLER RALLY

People arrive to cast their vote during the early voting for presidential race and local elections in Minnesota on Sept. 20, 2024.  (Christopher Mark Juhn/Anadolu via Getty Images)

The House voted down the stopgap bill 202 to 220, with several Republicans voting against it and two voting “present.” Three vulnerable Democrats voted in favor of it. 

A CR with the SAVE Act had also been backed by former President Donald Trump, who urged Republicans not to accept a spending deal that did not include it. But while Trump encouraged it, Republicans both publicly and privately worried that their party would be blamed for a shutdown. 

JOE MANCHIN SAYS HE WON’T ENDORSE HARRIS OVER SUPPORT FOR ELIMINATING FILIBUSTER

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign event, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024, in Mint Hill, N.C. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., even laid the groundwork for blaming the GOP for a potential shutdown in recent floor remarks, labeling the possibility as a “Trump shutdown.”

“Democrats and Americans don’t want a Trump shutdown,” he claimed. 

DEMS LOOK TO FORCE VOTES ON EMERGENCY ABORTION AS ABORTION PILL DEATHS MAKE HEADLINES

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) gestures onstage during Day 2 of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago on Aug. 20, 2024.  (REUTERS/Mike Segar)

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Republicans decided not to prolong the fight over the CR and potentially risk a government shutdown, which is attributed by some in part to incoming severe weather that would make it difficult for senators to get back to their home states and looming competitive elections that they want to get on the campaign trail for. 

While the CR will keep the government in full operation past the initial appropriations deadline, it sets up another potential standoff before Christmas and a GOP-dreaded omnibus measure that squeezes several necessary legislative items into one massive bill. 

A conservative think tank and its public-policy oversight arm filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) suit against the Biden administration seeking any records relating to advice the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) may have offered in regard to the 25th Amendment.

Heritage Foundation Oversight Project attorney Kyle Brosnan characterized the OLC as the equivalent of a White House “law firm” that provides legal advice to the executive branch and its officers, adding the timeline for any responsive documents is June 1 to the present day.

Under Section 4 of the 25th Amendment, a majority of the “principal officers” of the Cabinet would transmit to the Senate president pro tem – currently Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. – a declaration that the sitting president can no longer perform his duties. The vice president would then be named “acting president.” The amendment was ratified following the Kennedy assassination.

In the past, temporary cases have arisen, such as President George W. Bush providing a written declaration that Vice President Dick Cheney would assume his powers while he underwent a medical procedure.

DEMOCRAT STATE OFFICIALS LARGELY BACK BIDEN AFTER DEBATE, AS PARTY CHARI SUGGESTS GOP PULLS TRUMP NOM

President Biden speaks to the United Nations. (Getty Images)

In that regard, prior to filing the suit, Brosnan said the Heritage Foundation made a media request through its press arm, the Daily Signal, to the offices of each of the Cabinet secretaries, and then followed up with FOIA requests with each for such communications.

Oversight Project President Mike Howell noted that one Cabinet agency provided an email response that appeared to show the “White House was taking over the comms” on the matter, in his words. 

In a Wednesday interview with the two attorneys, Howell added that concerns about President Biden’s ability to perform his duties are not new, and the media have particularly recently appeared to make such a case, and that discussions in the media and elsewhere spurred the Oversight Project to use legal means to find out whether any such communications exist.

“We don’t have to take George Clooney’s word for it,” he said, referring to how the longtime Democrat and actor publicly stated following the CNN debate that Biden showed signs of decline at a prior fundraiser.

He further pointed to first lady Jill Biden’s unusually prominent role in a recent Cabinet meeting, which was met with some public backlash.

Howell said Congress has largely shirked its duty to provide oversight when it comes to the question, “Who is really running our country?”

FLASHBACK: BIDEN’S CABINET DOUBLES DOWN ON SUPPORT FOR PRESIDENT FOLLOWING DEBATE 

The Heritage Foundation building on July 30, 2024, in Washington, D.C. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

“The media clearly decided it can’t be Kamala Harris, who would be the constitutional successor or somebody else other than Harris/Biden. Right now, an unelected person is, most likely performing the duties of the president with Biden [conducting] ceremonial duties only when his physical state allows. And so Congress controls the timeline,” he said.

Another reason the 25th Amendment is a key topic at present is that there is a very real chance that former President Trump could have been put in a coma or killed by recent attempted assassins, Howell said.

He predicted the trend could continue if Trump were elected, given the heated political rhetoric in some corners on the left.

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President Biden flanked Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the White House on Friday, Sept. 20. (AP/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

However, positing that Democrats have been loath to even consider utilizing the amendment under the current presidency, it gives Trump and Republicans room to excuse a future Trump presidency from being held to a higher standard when it comes to cognition or ability to perform duties.

“Any of those [assassination attempts] are one day likely to partially… The left has no leg to stand on to say the 25th Amendment needs to be invoked.”

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Justice Department and the White House for comment on the lawsuit.