NationalWatch

Nick Frentz, a Democratic state senator from Minnesota, is coming to the defense of vice presidential candidate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as he faces claims regarding his leadership and criticism over state policy.

Several Republican state lawmakers told Fox that Walz was “difficult” to work with during their time working alongside him in the legislature.

Frentz, who currently represents the city of North Mankato, painted a different picture, telling Fox News Digital that in his experience, Walz is “very straightforward and very easy to work with.”

“He was a high school teacher and football coach in the ’90s when he started his family in Mankato. He’s genuine, down to earth. He’s honest. He’s the kind of person that you can enjoy,” Frentz said in an exclusive interview. “His rural roots are real, and his commitment to everybody in the country, including rural America, is quite real. And I think his record says that.”

HARRIS BECOMES BETTING MARKET FAVORITE FOR FIRST TIME AFTER WALZ PICK

Minnesota State Sen. Nick Frentz, left, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz fishing at Madison Lake. (Nick Frentz)

“We’ve passed legislation that’s had bipartisan support. We haven’t always agreed and so, if ‘difficult’ to work with means we don’t always agree, then I guess. But I think a better description would be he’s a Democrat governor in a state that leans Democrat, and while both Democrats and Republicans haven’t got what they wanted, I think the state as a whole has done very well,” he said. 

Frentz also countered claims that Walz leans heavily to the left, a charge brought forth by Minnesota GOP Chair David Hann, who branded Walz as “far from a moderate,” and the Trump campaign, which has labeled Walz a “radical.”

VIRAL HARRIS-WALZ CAMO HAT RAISES $1 MILLION, DRAWS NRA SCORN

“We support biofuels — very important to our agriculture economy. He’s been a leader on that. We’ve supported water infrastructure that small towns and rural areas need very badly. And we support a tax policy, including cuts to Social Security taxes. So all of those things show a commitment to greater Minnesota. And as he used to say, ‘I don’t just represent greater Minnesota. I wake up there,'” said Frentz.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz awaits the arrival of Vice President Kamala Harris at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport in Saint Paul, Minnesota, on March 14. (Stephen Maturen)

The governor has also been heavily criticized for his handling of the 2020 riots that saw several local businesses burned down and the Third Precinct police station abandoned after the murder of George Floyd. 

“What I criticize is that half the people that were arrested were not from the Twin Cities metro area,” Frentz said. “Every state leader has to stand for the proposition that Americans have the freedom to peaceably assemble. But it ends when they start doing damage to property. And I think Gov. Walz felt that way, too.”

Walz has “the right voice” for “not simply supporting policies and legislation that help rural America, but also opposing things that are not good for rural America,” he said.

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“I have never heard him say a bad word about southern Minnesotans, whether they vote Republican or Democrat,” Frentz added. “I think that’s exactly the kind of leadership the country needs. ‘All in it together’ doesn’t mean we don’t disagree, but I’d want people to know this is someone who has visited farms with us, someone who has talked about rural issues, someone who cares about the agriculture, economy, and someone who is not just talking about it, but has passed bills and those bills that are in the interest of rural America.”

A coalition of Republican states are suing the Biden administration to prevent it from making some illegal immigrants eligible for Obamacare, just days before the 2024 presidential election.

A rule published in May would allow illegal immigrants who came as children and are protected from deportation via the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program to be eligible for healthcare through the Affordable Care Act.

Currently, all illegal immigrants are prohibited from accessing the program. The administration said it predicts that the rule, which would go into effect in November, would result in over 100,000 uninsured illegal immigrants being allowed to access insurance.

THESE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR OBAMACARE AFTER BIDEN RULE CHANGE 

Fifteen states, led by Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, claim that the regulation violates federal law that bars giving benefits to illegal immigrants and violates the Act itself.

Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach participates in a ceremony honoring fallen law enforcement officers at the Statehouse, May 3, 2024, in Topeka, Kansas. (AP Photo/John Hanna)

The ACA, as passed by Congress, limits eligibility to citizens or nationals of the U.S. and those “lawfully present,” the complaint says.

“Illegal aliens shouldn’t get a free pass into our country. They shouldn’t receive taxpayer benefits when they arrive, and the Biden-Harris administration shouldn’t get a free pass to violate federal law. That’s why I am leading a multistate lawsuit to stop this illegal regulation from going into effect,” Kobach said in a statement.

The attorneys general of Alabama, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Virginia have all signed on to the lawsuit.

HHS did not respond to a request for comment.

REPUBLICAN STATES ASK FEDERAL JUDGE TO END ‘UNLAWFUL’ DACA PROGRAM 

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) rule would allow DACA recipients to apply for coverage through HealthCare.gov and state-based marketplaces by making what HHS calls “technical modifications” to the definition of “lawfully present” used to determine eligibility.

In a statement on the rule, President Biden renewed his calls for those he called “Dreamers” to be granted a pathway to citizenship along with others of millions of illegal immigrants.

HARRIS AND WALZ BOTH SUPPORT AMNESTY FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS 

“I’m proud of the contributions of Dreamers to our country and committed to providing Dreamers the support they need to succeed. That’s why I’ve previously directed the Department of Homeland Security to take all appropriate actions to ‘preserve and fortify’ DACA. And that’s why today we are taking this historic step to ensure that DACA recipients have the same access to health care through the Affordable Care Act as their neighbors,” he said.

“On Day One of my administration, I sent a comprehensive immigration reform plan to Congress to protect Dreamers and their families. Only Congress can provide Dreamers permanent status and a pathway to citizenship. Congress must act.”

Vice President Harris, in a separate statement, made a similar appeal.

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“President Biden and I will continue to do everything in our power to protect DACA, but it is only a temporary solution. Congress must act to ensure Dreamers have the permanent protections they deserve,” she said.

Get the latest updates on the ongoing border crisis from the Fox News Digital immigration hub

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy claims to have enough signatures to appear on the ballot in all 50 states.

Kennedy spoke with Fox News’s Neil Cavuto on Friday, discussing his impact on the main parties’ campaigns and his chances at victory.

“Right now we have enough signatures to be on all 50 states,” Kennedy said when asked about his eligibility nationwide. 

JOE ROGAN DENIES ENDORSING RFK JR. FOR PRESIDENT, SAYS HE ONLY MEANT TO SAY HE LIKES HIM ‘AS A PERSON’

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks during the Freedom Fest at the Caesars Forum Conference Center in Las Vegas. (Daniel Jacobi II/Las Vegas Review-Journal/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

He continued, “We’ve handed most of them in, some of the states are not yet certified, but we’re gonna be on the ballot in all 50 states, for sure.”

Cavuto questioned why Kennedy is only officially registered on the ballot in approximately eight states so far — the independent candidate said that the hold-up was due to state governments.

“A lot of the states, Neil, don’t certify until mid-August. So, we’ve turned in our signatures, the signatures have been accepted, and they’re gonna be certified.”

RFK JR. ADMITS TO DUMPING DEAD BEAR CUB IN CENTRAL PARK AS ROSEANNE BARR LISTENS IN BIZARRE VIDEO

Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, is challenging Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump in the 2024 election this November. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images; Joe Lamberti/AFP via Getty Images)

“It’s just the states [holding] it up — nobody can get on the ballot. Nobody can be on more ballots than we are now,” Kennedy said.

A survey conducted by Ipsos this week found Kennedy is polling around 5% among voters in seven swing states: Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Georgia, North Carolina, Arizona and Nevada

While far from positioned for victory, Kennedy’s small base of support could prove critical in a race that is otherwise a dead heat.

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Independent Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. gives a keynote speech during the Bitcoin 2024 conference at Music City Center in Nashville, Tennessee.  (Jon Cherry/Getty Images)

In the same swing state poll, Vice President Kamala Harris received 42% of the vote share in the seven swing states, compared to former President Trump’s 40% — a razor-thin margin separating the two main party candidates. 

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, visited Amanda E. Stout Elementary in the city of Reading on Friday to highlight the $1.1 billion in additional public education funding included in the commonwealth’s new budget.

This comes just days after Shapiro was shunned as Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate for November’s presidential election as she prepares to face former President Donald Trump. Harris instead selected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to join the Democratic ticket.

Shapiro and Pennsylvania Education Secretary Dr. Khalid N. Mumin met with students, teachers and legislators at the elementary school to celebrate the record funding for public K-12 education allocated through the 2024-25 budget.

The $1.1 billion in total increases for K-12 public education funding represents the largest year-over-year boost in Pennsylvania’s history, according to the governor’s office.

HARRIS SNUBBING SHAPIRO MAKES LIBERAL JEWS IN HOLLYWOOD FEEL ‘NOT WELCOME’ AMONG DEMOCRATS: REPORT

Governor of Pennsylvania Josh Shapiro is seen at the Celebration of Freedom Ceremony during Wawa Welcome America on July 04, 2023, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Gilbert Carrasquillo/GC Images)

“In the bipartisan budget I signed into law last month, Pennsylvania will invest $11 billion in K-12 public education for our students and teachers — that’s $1.1 billion more than last year, a record amount,” Shapiro said in a statement. 

“We came together to make the largest investment in K-12 public education in the Commonwealth’s history — because there is nothing more important than investing in our kids and their future — all while building on the progress we’ve made on student teacher stipends, mental health resources, and environmental school repairs.”

The governor was joined for a ceremonial bill signing by Reading School District Superintendent Jennifer Murray, Reading Education Association President Brian Benkert, Reading School District 11th grader Jose Martinez and local and state legislators.

“And we’re not only delivering more funding, but also fixing how we drive out that money to our schools under a new formula that directs funding to the districts who need it most – the districts that have been chronically underfunded,” the governor said.

The Reading School District, which Amanda E. Stout Elementary School is part of, will receive about $40 million more than last year as part of the new budget. In April, the district received a more than $325,000 grant for mental health support from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.

Of the $1.1 billion in education funding increases, nearly $526 million will be distributed through a new adequacy formula aimed at giving money to the schools that need it the most, according to a press release from the governor’s office.

The bill also increases special education funding by $100 million and Career and Technical Education by $30 million.

KAMALA HARRIS’ DECISION TO BYPASS JOSH SHAPIRO SHOWS SHE’S ‘BENT THE KNEE TO THE FAR-LEFT,’ SAYS JD VANCE

Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro speaks at the state Capitol, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Jan. 17, 2023. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, file)

The budget will set aside $100 million for mental health and physical safety resources, $20 million for school safety and security improvements and $3 million for menstrual hygiene products for students in schools.

It will also double funding for student teacher stipends to a total of $20 million.

“I could not be happier to be back on my old home turf here in Reading with Governor Josh Shapiro,” Mumin said. “As I reflect on my time spent here in Reading as Superintendent, I can’t help but be amazed to see how much things have changed in education over the years. I remember when Reading School District was one of the most underfunded and under-resourced school districts in the Commonwealth.” 

“Today, thanks to the historic investments that Governor Shapiro has made two years in a row — the focus and attention that this Administration has given to education in Pennsylvania and the commitment to continuing that support — our schools are poised for generations of greatness,” he continued.

The Amanda E. Stout Elementary School has more than 800 students, and school officials have said public funding for the school has long fallen behind that of other districts.

Public education advocates previously sued, leading to a court ruling that said Pennsylvania’s school funding system was unconstitutional and unfair to poorer districts.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro smiles during an appearance at the Pennsylvania Press Club, Nov. 20, 2023, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. (AP Photo/Marc Levy)

Education officials in Reading said the new budget is a step in the right direction.

“As a traditionally underfunded district, the Reading School District welcomes this unprecedented support,” Murray said. ‘These investments represent a critical step toward educational equity, and we are eager to witness the positive impact on our students and educators.”

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Shapiro said at the ceremonial bill signing in Reading: “I’m coming back next year to double down on our mission and continue to make sure public education is a priority in Pennsylvania.”

Last year, Shapiro supported a school voucher program to give families $100 million for private school tuition and school supplies before abandoning the proposal amid pressure from fellow Democrats and deciding to do a line-item veto to remove that funding from that year’s budget, saying in July 2023 he did not want Pennsylvania to be “plunged into a painful, protracted budget impasse while our communities wait for the help and resources this commonsense budget will deliver.”

EXCLUSIVE: GOP Sen. John Thune of South Dakota says he’s stepping up his efforts on the campaign trail this year because “this is our golden opportunity” to win back the Senate majority.

“It’s kind of really a make-or-break moment for Republicans in the Senate. If we don’t get it done this time, the next two cycles aren’t great for us,” Thune said in an exclusive national interview with Fox News. 

Thune, who as Senate minority whip is the No. 2 GOP lawmaker in the chamber, emphasized that “we’ve got to maximize the opportunity we have this time around to get north of 50,” adding that “it would be great to get well north of 50.”

WHAT THE SENATE GOP CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE CHAIR TOLD FOX NEWS ABOUT WINNING BACK THE MAJORITY

Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., the Senate minority whip, campaigns on behalf of Pennsylvania’s GOP Senate nominess Dave McCormick in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on Monday.

Democrats, as they try to maintain or extend their fragile 51-49 majority in the Senate, are playing plenty of defense as they defend 23 of the 34 seats up for grabs in November.

One of those seats is in West Virginia, a deep red state that former President Trump carried by nearly 40 points in 2020. With moderate Democrat-turned-independent Sen. Joe Manchin, a former governor, not seeking re-election, flipping the seat is nearly a sure thing for the GOP.

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

“We’re hoping we’re going to have the White House, that Trump will be successful, and the House, and if we can get the Senate, we’ll be in a position to do some things,” Thune emphasized.

6 KEY SENATE SEATS REPUBLICANS AIM TO FLIP IN NOVEMBER 

Thune says he’s doing “everything we can” to help fundraise and campaign on behalf of Republican Senate nominees challenging incumbent Democrats “to get as many of these folks across the finish line as possible.”

The senator — who is one of two top contenders to succeed longtime Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell, who’s stepping down from his leadership post at the end of the year — was interviewed ahead of a two-day campaign swing earlier this week in Pennsylvania with GOP Senate nominee Dave McCormick.

“I’ve been out with a lot of the candidates,” he noted. 

Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, right, campaigns with Pennsylvania’s GOP Senate nominee Dave McCormick, left, in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, on Monday. (Friends of John Thune)

Thune said he made stops earlier this summer on the campaign trail in Arizona, Michigan and Ohio, and he attended six fundraising events in the nation’s capital last week for GOP Senate candidates before heading to Minnesota on Thursday to headline another finance event for Eric Hovde, the Republican Senate nominee in neighboring Wisconsin.

And he said that he’ll be heading to Nevada and Utah later this month. 

“Doing whatever we can to help the team, and a lot of that is just getting money in the bank so they can get their message out,” he said.

As is tradition in presidential election years, the battle at the top of the ticket can influence Senate races one notch down the ballot.

Asked how the replacement of President Biden with Vice President Kamala Harris at the top of the Democrats’ ticket impacts the Senate races, Thune said that “there’s no question it’s a new race, and our Senate candidates have to do the best they can to benefit from what happens at the top of the ticket.”

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But he also emphasized, “I still think the issue set is the same, and I think it’s going to be very hard for [Harris] to try and distance herself from the border and the inflationary spiral that’s been created by their policies… I think those issues are going to weigh heavily on voters’ minds. So if it’s about the issues, I think we are really well positioned to win and that should help down-ballot, too.”

Thune highlighted that GOP Senate candidates need “to run their own campaigns and define their opponents and define themselves in a way that creates a contrast. I’ve always maintained that elections are about differences, and the differences couldn’t be more stark between the two parties… I think our candidates have to capitalize on that.”

At the top of the ticket, Trump has increasingly attacked and insulted Harris over the past two weeks.

But Thune is cautioning Senate candidates not to stray from the issues and “don’t take the bait” from the presidential race.

Republicans wasted a perfect opportunity in 2022 to win back the Senate majority they lost in the 2020 elections. But Thune emphasized that “our side is doing a lot better job targeting voters this time around and making sure that we’re turning out and getting people to the polls way better than we did two years ago.”

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., speaks with reporters after a meeting with fellow Republicans at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on June 4. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

As for his own race against longtime Sen. John Cornyn of Texas — the previous Senate GOP whip — to succeed McConnell, Thune said he’s “been sitting down and meeting with all of our incumbent senators about the leadership position, and also being out on the campaign trail with these candidates helps build relationships that I think will be important when that vote happens.”

Thune, who has served two decades in the Senate, touted his own legislative record of accomplishment and said, “I think people are going to be looking for leadership that is able to produce results and get things done.”

“I hope to be able to make that argument when the time comes,” he added. “In the meantime, we’re just working on getting the majority.”

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

Supporters of Vice President Kamala Harris spoke to Fox News Digital on Friday, outside the Desert Diamond arena in Glendale, Arizona where she and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, later took the stage.

Fox News Digital asked attendees to define Harris’ border policy and whether they also supported it. The discussion often led to a wide variety of follow-ups.

“I like all of them actually,” one woman said of Harris’ policies.

“Because she stands for, I think, the average person in America. I don’t think she is extreme in any aspect.”

This split shows Gov. Tim Walz, Vice President Kamala Harris and migrants at the southern border. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images, Andrew Harnik/Getty Images and Christian Torres/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Asked about the border, the woman said Harris will get America through the border crisis because she will fully be in charge:

“She was the vice president, remember, not the president,” she said. 

“So the policies that she will implement, I think, will make a difference at the border. And we still have Mark Kelly,” she said, referring to the retired astronaut-turned-Democratic senator who joined his wife, Gabby Giffords, onstage later in the evening.

The woman added she believes Harris will “bridge the gap” between Democratic and Republican disagreements on border policy.

She cited the bill authored by Sens. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., and James Lankford, R-Okla., as an example of something Harris supported but was unable to see through.

“There was a bill that went forward that, was not signed because Trump did not want that signed,” she said. “There’s nothing perfect about it, but it’s just that we’ll be willing to work on, finding ways to get people through in a way that does not disturb us in America, but also helps those who need to.”

ARIZONA KAMALA HARRIS RALLY SPEAKERS COURT ‘JOHN MCCAIN REPUBLICANS’ AS MAN BRINGS VP BORDER MAP

A group of over 100 migrants attempting to enter the US illegally rush a border wall Thursday, March 21, 2024. In the process, the migrants knock down Texas National Guardsmen before they are halted by the border wall. (James Breeden for New York Post / Mega)

A trio of women attending the rally from nearby Phoenix took time to give their take on Harris’ border policy as well.

“I think that her policy aligns with Biden’s policy on that particular topic, and I think his approach is a very healthy one,” one of the women said.

“I think there are a lot of laws already in place to manage border policy… and people who are here on asylum,” the second woman added. 

“That’s what the administration is currently doing – they’re following the law,” she said, adding that it is key to ascertain whether asylum seekers have legitimate asylum claims.

A woman walking up to the east entrance of the Desert Diamond said she’s “not really sure about the border” when asked about Harris’ stance.

“I support it,” she said. “I’m not to the extreme where Trump is [which is] out of control – I’m to the extreme where we definitely we need some border control.”

When asked if Harris will bring about such control, the woman replied, “Presently, I hope so — I hope and pray, yes.”

Lance, a veteran from Goodyear, Ariz., who wore a “Veterans For Harris; I’m not a Loser” shirt, said Republicans do focus a lot on the border, but that Biden and Harris also worked on the crisis as well.

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He indicated he was more disappointed with Trump’s behavior in office than he was on other fronts, remarking that the GOP nominee pledged to get an infrastructure plan through but never did.

“I definitely believe in a woman’s right to choose, and equality for all people, including LGBTQ people,” he added “This veteran is married to another man, and I want that right to not only continue in the future, but to be there for the younger generation.”

“Whether it’s health care, taxing the billionaires and corporations instead of just giving them tax cuts – and claiming to be foreign for the average citizen, like Trump does, [Harris and Walz] are really for the average person. And I think that their economic policies are going to be far better than the policies coming out of the [Trump] White House.”

“[Trump’s] health care policy was going to be like ‘no one ever saw before’ and he was right because no one ever saw it.”

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Lance said he identifies as a “left-liberal” and urged all Democrats who are not “100% satisfied” with Harris that the party must unite across ideological lines to instead “preserve democracy.”

“I’m going to be 71 years old in a month, and in my entire life, I feel this is the most dangerous and treacherous time in the United States of America.”

Democratic vice presidential candidate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, whose military service has come under heavy scrutiny, “misspoke” in a 2018 video where he is heard talking about his handling of weapons “in war,” a Harris campaign spokesperson said Friday.

“Governor Walz would never insult or undermine any American’s service to this country — in fact, he thanks Senator Vance for putting his life on the line for our country. It’s the American way,” the Harris campaign spokesperson said in a statement to NBC News. 

“In making the case for why weapons of war should never be on our streets or in our classrooms, the Governor misspoke. He did handle weapons of war and believes strongly that only military members trained to carry those deadly weapons should have access to them, unlike Donald Trump and JD Vance who prioritize the gun lobby over our children,” the spokesperson added.

I SERVED WITH TIM WALZ AS A REPUBLICAN IN THE HOUSE. HE’LL BE A GOOD VICE PRESIDENT

Democratic vice presidential candidate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speaks during a campaign event on Aug. 7. (Andrew Harnik)

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Harris campaign and the campaign of former President Trump. 

The 2018 video clip shows Walz discussing gun control and referring to his own military background. 

“We can make sure that those weapons of war, that I carried in war, is the only place where those weapons are at,” Walz said in the clip, which was posted by Harris’ campaign on Tuesday.

Republicans, led by vice presidential candidate JD Vance, have criticized Walz’s military service. Walz served 24 years in the National Guard but never deployed to a war zone. In 2003, he deployed with his unit to Vicenza, Italy in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, the name for the war in Afghanistan. 

He retired in 2005, several months before the unit deployed to Iraq. 

Vance, a Marine Corps veteran who served in Iraq, has accused Walz of “stolen valor.”

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“I wonder Tim Walz, when were you ever in war?” Vance said at an event in Michigan. “What was this weapon you carried into war? What bothers me about Tim Walz is this stolen valor garbage. Do not pretend to be something that you’re not.”

“I’d be ashamed if I was him and I lied about my military service like he did,” he added. 

Once again, former Vice President Kamala Harris was interrupted at a rally by anti-Israel protesters. 

While the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee was attempting to talk about her newly chosen running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Friday evening, chants from protesters somewhere in the crowd broke out. 

They were at first drowned out by the approximately 15,000-person crowd’s chants of “USA! USA!” but as they continued to protest, Harris chose to address them. 

“Here’s the thing. We are all in here together,” she said at Glendale’s Desert Diamond Arena, “because we love our country. We’re here to fight for our democracy, which includes respecting the voices that I think that we are hearing from.”

KAMALA HARRIS SHUTS DOWN ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTERS DURING CAMPAIGN SPEECH IN MICHIGAN: ‘I’M SPEAKING’

The protesters were at first drowned out by the approximately 15,000-person crowd’s chants of “USA! USA!” but as they continued to protest, Harris chose to address them.  (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

She added, “And let me just say this on the topic of what I think I’m hearing over there. Let me just speak to that for a moment, and then I’m going to get back to the business at hand. So, let me say, I have been clear. Now is the time to get a cease-fire deal and get the hostage deal done. Now is the time. And the president and I are working around the clock every day to get that ceasefire deal done and bring the hostages home. So, I respect your voices, but we are here to now talk about this race in 2024.”

Around four or five protesters were removed from the rally. 

Her address to the protesters comes two days after she received praise and criticism when she told protesters: “You know what? If you want Donald Trump to win, then say that. Otherwise, I’m speaking.” 

While some criticized her clapback shown in a clip that circulated on social media, the 59-year-old had actually affirmed their right to protest at first. 

Harris held a rally at Glendale’s Desert Diamond Arena Friday evening.  (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

ANTI-ISRAEL VOTERS WARN HARRIS WON’T GET THEIR VOTE WITHOUT A CEASE-FIRE: ‘THIS IS OUR LEVERAGE’

“I’m here because we believe in democracy. Everyone’s voice matters, but I am speaking now. I am speaking now,” she first told the demonstrators who chanted: “Kamala, Kamala you can’t hide! We won’t vote for genocide.”

But when they refused to stop, she became less patient. 

Anti-Israel protesters at Harris’ Detroit rally on Wednesday.  (Adam J. Dewey/Anadolu via Getty Images)

She also briefly met with supporters from the Uncommitted National Movement, which has been urging President Biden to support a cease-fire by voting uncommitted in the primaries, before her rally in Detroit. 

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“Michigan voters want to support you, but we need a policy that will save lives in Gaza right now,” the co-founder of the group told Harris during the meeting, according to NBC News. “I meet with community members every day in Michigan who are losing tens and hundreds of family members in Gaza. Right now, we need an arms embargo.”

Biden was also frequently interrupted by anti-Israel protesters while he was still running for president. 

GLENDALE, Ariz. – With Arizona front and center in the 2024 election, introductory speakers at Vice President Harris’ rally in Glendale made overtures to moderate Republicans by invoking one of the GOP’s past presidential nominees.

Rep. Gregory Stanton, D-Ariz., who represents the eastern Phoenix suburbs, called on “John McCain Republicans” to support the Harris-Walz ticket, portraying it as the moderate option.

Mesa Republican Mayor John Giles echoed those comments, saying that as a lifelong member of the GOP, he does not recognize his party.

“It has been taken over by extremists,” Giles said, adding it also has forced “people from the [political] center” out of the party.

AZ’ KARI LAKE TEARS INTO KAMALA HARRIS ON BORDER: THE ONLY WALZ SHE SUPPORTS IS HER VP PICK

Former President Trump and former U.S. Sen. John McCain. (Getty Images)

“You don’t owe a damn thing to that political party,” Giles added, saying it would be “displaced loyalty” to support Donald Trump.

“In the spirit of the great Sen. John McCain, please join me in putting country over party and stopping Donald Trump and protecting the rule of law, protecting our constitution and protecting the democracy of our great country.”

McCain, who died in 2018, had an icy relationship with Trump, especially after McCain signaled a thumbs-down after casting the deciding vote against repealing ObamaCare.

The two often traded barbs, with McCain withdrawing any future support for Trump after the release of the Billy Bush tape during the 2016 cycle and Trump commenting on McCain’s service in Vietnam.

9/11 TERRORIST FEARS TRUMP WILL GET ELECTED AND EXECUTE HIM

Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate, and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, onstage during a campaign event in Philadelphia. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

On Friday, Giles, who remains an office-holding Republican, called Harris the “capable, just and fair leader our country deserves.”

He also criticized Trump’s focus on the border crisis, claiming his party’s nominee is not trying to fix the crisis but use it for his “own political purposes.”

Of “John McCain Republicans” who may be at Friday’s rally, Stanton added, “We are glad that you are here, and we are excited to earn your support.”

Other mayors who spoke included Tempe’s Corey Woods and Phoenix’s Kate Gallego, the ex-wife of Democratic senatorial candidate Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., whom officials also urged support for against former news anchor Kari Lake.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Trump campaign for comment.

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Late Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., left, stands with late former U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn., during a walk-through of the 2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Outside the rally, John from Avondale stood in line with Harris-Walz supporters while holding a hand-drawn poster resembling a Google Maps GPS graphic depicting the “fastest route” from the Desert Diamond Arena to the southern border at Nogales.

“Too many Americans are getting killed from illegals from across our border because it’s so wide open,” said John, who added he did not expect to be allowed in with the poster.

“Not only that, but sooner or later, they’re going to start taking all our jobs.”

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Appearing to address the rallygoers around him, John quipped, “And I don’t know about all these people if they have jobs, but sooner or later that’s going to happen.

“Not only that, your prices are going to go up with taxes because someone has to support 20 million illegal aliens, and that ain’t going to be me. That’s why I’m not voting for Miss Harris.”

Fox News Digital’s Sophia Compton contributed to this report.

There are 88 days until Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 5.

But if Americans vote like they did in the last two election cycles, most of them will have already cast a ballot before the big day.

Early voting starts as soon as Sept. 6 for eligible voters, with seven battleground states sending out ballots to at least some voters the same month.

It makes the next few months less a countdown to Election Day, and more the beginning of “election season.”

VANCE PRAISED FOR ‘ABSOLUTE FIRE’ TAKEDOWN OF HARRIS-WALZ ‘TAG TEAM’ RIOT ENABLERS: ‘MAKE AMERICA BURN AGAIN’

Former President Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. (Getty Images)

States have long allowed at least some Americans to vote early, like members of the military or people with illnesses. 

In some states, almost every voter casts a ballot by mail.

Many states expanded eligibility in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic made it riskier to vote in-person.

That year, the Fox News Voter Analysis found that 71% of voters cast their ballots before Election Day, with 30% voting early in-person and 41% voting by mail.

Early voting remained popular in the midterms, with 57% of voters casting a ballot before Election Day.

TIM WALZ’S SELECTION AS HARRIS RUNNING MATE DRAWS SKEPTICISM, EVEN AMONG ANTI-TRUMP FIGURES

A voter fills out a ballot in Lake Orion, Michigan. (Nic Antaya/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Elections officials stress that voting early is safe and secure. Recounts, investigations and lawsuits filed after the 2020 election did not reveal evidence of widespread fraud or corruption. 

The difference between “early in-person” and “mail” or “absentee” voting.

There are a few ways to vote before Election Day.

The first is early in-person voting, where a voter casts a regular ballot in-person at a voting center before Election Day.

The second is voting by mail, where the process and eligibility varies by state.

Eight states vote mostly by mail, including California, Colorado, Nevada and Utah. Registered voters receive ballots and send them back.

Most states allow any registered voter to request a mail ballot and send it back. This is also called mail voting, or sometimes absentee voting. Depending on the state, voters can return their ballot by mail, at a drop box, and/or at an office or facility that accepts mail ballots.

In 14 states, voters must have an excuse to vote by mail, ranging from illness, age, work hours or if a voter is out of their home county on Election Day.

States process and tabulate ballots at different times. Some states don’t begin counting ballots until election night, which delays the release of results.

Voting begins on Sept. 6 in North Carolina, with seven more battleground states starting that month

This list of early voting dates is for guidance only. For comprehensive and up-to-date information on voter eligibility, processes and deadlines, go to Vote.gov and your state’s elections website.

The first voters to be sent absentee ballots will be in North Carolina, which begins mailing out ballots for eligible voters on Sept. 6.

Seven more battleground states open up early voting the same month, including Pennsylvania, Georgia, Wisconsin, Michigan and Nevada.

KAMALA HARRIS HAS AVOIDED INTERVIEWS FOR MORE THAN TWO WEEKS SINCE BECOMING DEM NOMINEE

Early voters cast their ballots in Ferndale, Michigan. (Nic Antaya/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

September deadlines

In-person early voting in bold.

Sept. 6

• North Carolina – Absentee ballots sent to voters

Sept. 16

• Pennsylvania – Mail-in ballots sent to voters

Sept. 17

• Georgia – Absentee ballots sent to military & overseas

Sept. 19

• Wisconsin – Absentee ballots sent

Sept. 20

• Arkansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Utah, Wyoming – Absentee ballots sent to military & overseas
• Minnesota, South Dakota – In-person absentee voting begins
• Virginia – In-person early voting begins
• Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia – Absentee ballots sent

Sept. 21

• Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Kansas, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, Oregon, South Carolina, Washington – Absentee ballots sent to military & overseas
• Indiana, New Mexico – Absentee ballots sent
• Maryland, New Jersey – Mail-in ballots sent

Sept. 23

• Mississippi – In-person absentee voting begins & absentee ballots sent
• Oregon, Vermont – Absentee ballots sent

Sept. 26

• Illinois – In-person early voting begins 
• Michigan – Absentee ballots sent
• Florida, Nevada – Mail-in ballots sent
• North Dakota – Absentee & mail-in ballots sent

Sept. 30

• Nebraska – Mail-in ballots sent

October deadlines

Oct. 4

• Connecticut – Absentee ballots sent

Oct. 6

• Michigan – In-person early voting begins 
• Maine – In-person absentee voting begins & mail ballots sent
• California – In-person absentee voting begins & mail ballots sent
• Montana – In-person absentee voting begins
• Nebraska – In-person early voting begins 
• Georgia – Absentee ballots sent
• Massachusetts – Mail-in ballots sent

Oct. 8

• California – Ballot drop-offs open
• New Mexico, Ohio – In-person absentee voting begins
• Indiana – In-person early voting begins
• Wyoming – In-person absentee voting begins & absentee ballots sent

Oct. 9

• Arizona – In-person early voting begins & mail ballots sent

Oct. 11

• Colorado – Mail-in ballots sent
• Arkansas, Alaska – Absentee ballots sent

Oct. 15

• Georgia – In-person early voting begins
• Utah – Mail-in ballots sent

Oct. 16

• Rhode Island, Kansas, Tennessee – In-person early voting begins
• Iowa – In-person absentee voting begins
• Oregon, Nevada – Mail-in ballots sent

Oct. 17

• North Carolina – In-person early voting begins 

Oct. 18

• Washington, Louisiana – In-person early voting begins
• Hawaii – Mail-in ballots sent

Oct. 19

• Nevada, Massachusetts – In-person early voting begins 
• Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, Idaho, North Dakota, South Carolina, Texas – In-person early voting begins 
• Colorado – Ballot drop-offs open

Oct. 22

• Hawaii, Utah – In-person early voting begins 
• Missouri, Wisconsin – In-person absentee voting begins

Oct. 23

• West Virginia – In-person early voting begins

Oct. 24

• Maryland – In-person early voting begins

Oct. 25

• Delaware – In-person early voting begins

Oct. 26

• Michigan, Florida, New Jersey, New York – In-person early voting begins 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Oct. 30

• Oklahoma – In-person early voting begins 

Oct. 31

• Kentucky – In-person absentee voting begins

The Republican Party is urging the nation’s highest court to allow Arizona to enforce its proof of citizenship requirements ahead of the November election.

The Supreme Court is being asked to allow enforcement of sections of an Arizona law requiring documented proof of citizenship to cast a ballot in the presidential election, including voting by mail.

The Republican National Committee and state GOP lawmakers have filed an emergency appeal with Justice Elena Kagan, who has jurisdiction over time-sensitive applications from Arizona. 

SUPREME COURT REJECTS MISSOURI EFFORT TO BLOCK SENTENCING, GAG ORDER AGAINST TRUMP IN NEW YORK CASE

The United States Supreme Court building is seen in Washington, D.C. Republicans are asking the court to allow Arizona to implement voting laws that would require proof of citizenship in order to cast a ballot. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Kagan has the discretion to act alone or bring in her eight colleagues to decide the case, Republican National Committee v. Mi Familia Vota.  

She will likely ask opponents of the law to weigh in with written briefs, which would be due in the coming days. 

A federal judge had blocked enforcement of the law, prompting the appeal to the high court for temporary relief.

LEONARD LEO SAYS EFFORTS TO ‘DELEGITIMIZE’ SUPREME COURT THROUGH MEDIA ATTACKS ARE MEANT TO UNDERMINE RULINGS

The now-stalled 2022 state law requiring proof of citizenship was challenged by civil rights groups and the Arizona Democratic Party. 

Rolls of “I Voted” stickers are stored at the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Center (MCTEC) in Phoenix, Arizona. The Arizona proof of citizenship requirement for voters was shot down by a federal judge, prompting the state to turn to the Supreme Court for relief. (PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)

A 2013 Supreme Court ruling previously limited when states could impose such restrictions when voting in federal elections.

A high court order on enforcement in the Arizona case is expected in the coming days or weeks.

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This comes as Vice President Kamala Harris — the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee — and her running mate Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) plans to rally in the state later Friday, a key election battleground.

Former President Trump’s plane was diverted to Billings, Montana, on Friday due to a mechanical issue, a Billings airport official said. 

The Republican presidential nominee is scheduled to hold a rally in nearby Bozeman, Montana, Friday evening, and is still expected to make it.

Bozenman is about a two-hour drive from Billings. 

“I just landed in a really beautiful place: Montana. So beautiful, flying over, and you just look down and that’s the way it’s supposed to be,” Trump said in a video from his plane posted to social media, making no mention of any plane issues or of the diversion. “I’m here to do some fundraisers and most important to support Tim Sheehy who’s running for the U.S. Senate and we think he’s going to do really well. We’re going to have a rally. And it’ll be a lot of fun.” 

TRUMP, HARRIS IN DEAD HEAT IN POLL OF SEVEN CRITICAL BATTLEGROUND STATES 

 Trump walks off the plane at the Philadelphia International Airport on June 22, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Sheehy is running against current Democratic Sen. Jon Tester in the state. 

It’s not clear if Trump will fly on to Bozeman or drive in a motorcade, the local FOX affiliate reported.

Trump is speaking at Montana State University at 8 p.m. mountain time, and is expected to draw thousands of supporters. 

TRUMP-ENDORSED NAVY SEAL TIM SHEEHY WINS REPUBLICAN NOMINATION IN MONTANA SENATE RACE TO UNSEAT JON TESTER

Bozeman airport CEO Brian Springer told the outlet that Trump’s plane had landed in Billings and that the motorcade that had expected him to land in Bozeman had left. 

Trump flies on his private plane, nicknamed Trump Force One, which is a Boeing 757 that includes a living room, flat screen TV and a lounge.

“I’m a worker, right? I’m not a pleasure guy. I’m a worker guy, and it’s a tremendous plane for that. It’s got great speed, and all that energy gets us to where we’re going on time,”Trump told Fox News in January while giving a private tour of his plane. 

Trump’s plane in Atlanta, Georgia in April.  (Megan Varner/Getty Images)

He told Fox News that while he loves his plane, Air Force One, the plane flown by the president, is “very special.” 

“Air Force One is always Air Force One, even if this is nicer,” Trump joked. “Air Force One is still Air Force One. I mean it represents something very special.” 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Trump campaign for comment. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.  

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…

-Trump and Harris campaigns in a dead heat…

-A “Squad” Democrat turns on Walz…

-Progressive women’s groups silent on Doug Emhoff’s affair in previous marriage…

Ukraine Punches Back

Ukraine on Friday continued its efforts to bring the war onto Russian soil as fighting rages on in Russia’s Kursk region, while “massive” drone strikes were also carried out against military and government targets in at least four other western regions.

Russia’s Lipetsk region, which sits just north of Kursk, came under attack by Ukrainian drone strikes early Friday in which an ammunition depot and warehouse were reportedly hit …Read more

A soldier of Ukraine’s National Guard 15th Brigade launches a reconnaissance drone Leleka to determine Russian positions near the front line in Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine, Monday, July 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Andriy Andriyenko)

White House

HUNKERING DOWN: Biden heads to Delaware after only one WH event …Read more

Capitol Hill

HIGH DEMANDS: Republicans ask Supreme Court to allow Arizona proof of citizenship law to be enforced …Read more

‘FAR FROM MODERATE’: Former MN lawmakers reveal one key thing every American must know about Walz …Read more

This split shows Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rep. Ilhan Omar and Gov Tim Walz. ((Photo by Steven Ferdman/GC Images, Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images and Andrew Harnik/Getty Images))

Tales from the Trail 

‘YOU LOSE CREDIBILITY’: CNN panel has heated debate over Kamala Harris’ lack of engagement with media …Read more

MARGIN OF ERROR: Trump and Harris in dead heat among voters in seven swing states: poll …Read more

DOOR OPENED?: Walz pick does little to persuade Dearborn’s anti-Biden/Harris voters …Read more

‘WE ARE SUFFERING’: ‘Squad’ Dem challenger rips Walz for pushing same ‘dangerous’ policies as far-left radicals …Read more

HATS OFF: Viral Harris-Walz camo cap raises $1 million, draws NRA scorn …Read more

‘WALZ’ WORK: Senate candidate Kari Lake rips Harris’ border cred at campaign event …Read more

Across America

FLASHBACK: Walz claimed ‘responsibility to ensure’ 2020 riots would end before another night of chaos …Read more

CHOPPING BLOCK: Venezuela’s Maduro bans X for 10 days following exchange with Elon Musk …Read more

‘THINK BEFORE YOU POST’: UK threatens jail time for offensive posts amid anti-immigration riots …Read more

‘KISS MY A–‘: Michigan man repeatedly curses at judge, gets hit with six misdemeanor charges …Read more

WOMEN’S GROUPS SILENT: Progressive women’s groups silent on Doug Emhoff’s affair in previous marriage …Read more

Subscribe now to get the Fox News Politics newsletter in your inbox.

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

Former top Biden adviser Anita Dunn is taking aim at Democratic Party leadership, as well as the mainstream news media, in a striking interview in which she accused them both of “horrible” attacks against the still-sitting President Biden. 

Dunn, who recently left the White House to join the Harris campaign, spoke to Politico about the fallout from the disastrous presidential debate this summer, in which Biden stumbled through a number of answers and which ultimately led to him being replaced on the ticket by Vice President Kamala Harris.

Dunn said the debate itself wasn’t that bad, it was what followed that would be critical.

BIDEN HUNKERS DOWN AT DELAWARE BEACH HOUSE AFTER ONLY PUBLIC EVENT OF THE WEEK 

“So [former President] Trump didn’t gain any ground in the debate whatsoever. And we actually picked up a few votes in the group. So it was a bad debate, but it didn’t feel catastrophic at all, certainly in terms of voters,” she said.

“And I think other people who did independent research saw roughly the same thing. If you go back and you look at the polls, what you will see is you didn’t see much movement whatsoever coming out of the debate because the structure of this campaign had been fairly static for a long time, and the debate didn’t change that.”

Anita Dunn, senior adviser to President Biden, center, and White House Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs Reema Dodin, right, arrive for a lunch meeting with Senate Democrats at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on July 22, 2021. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

“What did change it was 24 days of unremitting negative, horrible attacks on Joe Biden,” she said.

When asked to clarify who those attacks came from, Dunn pulled no punches: “From his own party and from the press.”

She also said that after that debate there was a press atmosphere that was “just unremittingly negative” and was made worse by leaders of the party speaking out.

BIDEN HOSTS TEXAS RANGERS AT WHITE HOUSE 

“Clearly there were leaders of the party who decided to go ahead and go very public. And that gave permission to other people to go public,” she said.

Dunn was asked if an example of that was when former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., went on TV twice in the days after the debate.

“Absolutely,” she said.

PELOSI ADMITS BIDEN CAMPAIGN WASN’T ON ‘PATH TO VICTORY’ 

Dunn later side-stepped a question about whether Biden is still angry at Pelosi, as well as former President Obama and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. — while also taking another swipe at some in leadership.

“The task in front of us is to win this election and to not let Donald Trump become president again and to win the House of Representatives, which had certain leaders in 2022 done a slightly better job, maybe we would control today, but we don’t,” she said.

Tensions have been simmering internally within the Biden camp. NBC News reported that those tensions boiled over in light of the debate, with Biden family members discussing whether Dunn should be fired — reportedly angered by her suggestion first son Hunter Biden keep a low profile.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

Dunn was asked about a letter sent by President Biden to lawmakers saying he wasn’t getting out of the race, which she admits backfired on some members. When asked if Hunter was involved, she said: “That is not true.”

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is facing scrutiny from Republicans over what they say are pro-China remarks, including an interview in which the Democratic vice presidential nominee said he does not agree with the idea there needs to be an adversarial relationship with the communist government.

Walz worked briefly in China as a teacher, traveling to Guangdong in 1989 for a teach abroad program to teach English and American history. He later became a member of Congress and governor of Minnesota. 

The Wall Street Journal, citing local media reports, reported that one trip to China doubled as his honeymoon in 1994, and he planned his wedding date to coincide with the fifth anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown.

In an interview from 2016, Walz said he believed there was potential for a strong relationship between China and the U.S., although he also said China needed to play “by the rules” on human rights and the environment.

FORMER MINNESOTA LAWMAKERS UNLOAD ON HARRIS’ ‘PARTISAN’ VP PICK TIM WALZ: ‘VERY THIN-SKINNED’ 

Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate, and Gov. Tim Walz, the Democratic vice presidential candidate, appear on stage together during a campaign event at Girard College Aug. 6, 2024, in Philadelphia.  (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

“I’ve lived in China and, as I’ve said, I’ve been there about 30 times. … I don’t fall into the category that China necessarily needs to be an adversarial relationship. I totally disagree, and I think we need to stand firm on what they’re doing in the South China Sea, but there’s many areas of cooperation we can work on,” he said in the interview with Agri-Pulse Communications.

In the interview, he noted he was on the congressional executive commission on China, a bipartisan commission that focuses on human rights.

Walz taught the same year as the Tiananmen Square crackdown by the communist regime against pro-democracy protesters. He later started a company to organize trips to China and, as he noted in his remarks, has visited the country dozens of times, conducting summer education trips to China. The New York Post reported that he said after his initial travel there, “No matter how long I live, I will never be treated that well again.”

It’s brought criticism from some on the right who believe Walz is soft on the threat coming from the Chinese Communist Party.

Former acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell said “communist China is very happy with [Walz] as Kamala’s VP pick.”

“No one is more pro-China than Marxist Walz,” Grenell said.

James Hutton, a former assistant secretary at the Department of Veterans Affairs, said Walz “doesn’t see China as a problem.”

“This is a guy who will have to learn the truth of the vicious nature of the dictatorship in Beijing. Communist tyranny may not be a bad thing to Walz, but the rest of the world knows. Walz is dangerous.”

“Tim Walz owes the American people an explanation about his unusual, 35-year relationship with Communist China,” Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said.

The flag of China is flown behind a pair of surveillance cameras outside the Central Government Offices in Hong Kong, China, July 7, 2020.  (Roy Liu/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The Harris campaign and some Democrats have pushed back against that criticism. 

“Throughout his career, Gov. Walz has stood up to the CCP, fought for human rights and democracy and always put American jobs and manufacturing first. Republicans are twisting basic facts and desperately lying to distract from the Trump-Vance agenda: praising dictators and sending American jobs to China,” spokesperson James Singer said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

“Vice President Harris and Governor Walz will ensure we win the competition with China and will always stand up for our values and interests in the face of China’s threats.” 

WHERE DOES TIM WALZ STAND ON ISRAEL?

Others, including Washington Post columnist Josh Rogin, noted that Walz criticized Beijing for cultural genocide in Tibet and Xinjiang in 2009, accompanied Speaker Nancy Pelosi on a visit to Tibet and had met with the Dalai Lama. He has also co-sponsored resolutions on key human rights issues.

Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., told the Post his selection is “an affirming signal that a Harris-Walz administration would continue to make human rights a key part of the United States’ relationship with China.”

Meanwhile, on Chinese social media platform Weibo, opinions were split on what the Walz pick indicated.

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“I feel like he should be the one running for president,” one user said.

“In 2014, he said in an interview with U.S. media that he ‘cares a lot about human rights and democracy in China.’ He was also a member of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China. He has bad intentions,” another said.

Fox News’ Eryk Michael Smith contributed to this report.

Controversy over Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s military service record is at the heart of Capitol Hill’s latest political firestorm, with veterans on both sides of the aisle chiming in on the new Democratic vice presidential candidate.

Republicans are accusing Walz of misrepresenting details about his 24-year career in the National Guard — GOP lawmakers who served in the military have attacked him for leaving the National Guard to run for Congress shortly before his unit deployed to Iraq.

Democratic veterans in Congress jumped to his defense, pointing out that Walz served past his 20-year retirement eligibility mark and dismissing the GOP attacks as baseless.

“The veterans’ community is incensed right now that Tim Walz refuses to answer questions about his military record,” Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., the first former Green Beret elected to Congress, told Fox News Digital. “[He] has misled voters about his military rank, and it appears he abandoned his men prior to their deployment to Iraq. We expect leaders to lead by example and this ain’t it.”

JD VANCE ACCUSES TIM WALZ OF ‘LYING’ ABOUT MILITARY SERVICE: ‘STOLEN VALOR GARBAGE’

From left: Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., a former Green Beret, is leading House GOP attacks on Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s military record, while Democratic veterans like Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., are playing defense. (Getty Images)

Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., a retired Navy SEAL who served multiple combat tours, told Fox News Digital, “He abandoned his soldiers and their families at the time they needed him most, before a combat deployment. He sat on the sidelines in Minnesota as his soldiers risked their lives in Iraq. This is a Cardinal Sin for anyone that has served our nation honorably. God forbid he is ever a heartbeat away from becoming the Commander in Chief.”

The Harris campaign countered the GOP offensive with a press call hosted by House Democratic military veteran Reps. Jason Crow, D-Colo.; Jake Auchincloss, D-Mass.; and Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J.

“We have officers and enlisted who have all said he’s an exemplary, admirable soldier,” said Auchincloss, a former Marine, adding that attacks against Walz were cast “in bad faith.”

Crow, a retired Army Ranger, said, “It just shows how morally bankrupt they are. They have no ideas. They have no vision for the future. All they can do is attack and lie and twist and contort.”

The controversy kicked off when Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, former President Trump’s running mate and a former Marine, accused Walz of “stolen valor.”

VP KAMALA HARRIS PICKING GOV. TIM WALZ AS RUNNING MATE MET WITH MEDIA SCORN: ‘SUCH A WEIRD CHOICE’

Vice President Kamala Harris chose Walz as her running mate earlier this week. (Reuters/Kevin Mohatt/Pool)

“When the United States Marine Corps, when the United States of America, asked me to go to Iraq to serve my country, I did it. I did what they asked me to do, and I did it honorably, and I’m very proud of that service,” Vance said during a media event this week.

Crow responded to Vance on X, “Falsely maligning a fellow veteran’s service for personal gain is beyond the pale. You’ve lost your way.”

Walz had served in the National Guard for 20 years before retiring and re-enlisting after the Sept. 11 terror attacks. He retired two months before his unit received orders to deploy to Iraq, spurring accusations among critics that he left to avoid deployment.

“Tim Walz served honorably. He served for 24 years,” Auchincloss said Thursday. “He made his decision to run for the United States Congress before his battalion got notice of impending deployment to Iraq.”

CNN FACT-CHECKS TIM WALZ ABOUT ‘ABSOLUTELY FALSE’ CLAIM HE CARRIED WEAPONS ‘IN WAR’

He also contrasted his record to Trump’s, who has been accused by his critics of dodging the Vietnam War draft for his deferrals on medical grounds, and accused him of a “despicable track record of disparaging veterans.”

The Minnesota governor has never deployed to a combat zone. Vance served in Iraq for six months in a noncombat role following the 2001 attack.

Walz was also discovered to have claimed several times that he retired as a command sergeant major, which is not accurate — he reverted to his previous rank upon retirement because he did not complete the necessary corresponding coursework, the National Guard has said.

Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., also criticized Walz. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

It prompted the Harris-Walz campaign to update his biography page from saying he was a “retired Command Sergeant Major” to having “served as a command sergeant major.”

Where Walz spent his deployment has also generated back-and-forth between the right and left. During his re-enlistment, Walz deployed to Italy in 2005 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, according to the National Guard.

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He said in a resurfaced C-SPAN interview, “My battalion provided base security throughout the European theater from Turkey to England in the early stages of the war in Afghanistan.”

That has been seized on by critics who have accused him of falsely claiming to have deployed to Afghanistan. It’s not clear from reports, however, that Walz has ever said he deployed to Afghanistan.

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

Fox News’ Jennifer Griffin contributed to this report

MINNEAPOLIS – A former Republican Minnesota lawmaker and the head of the state Republican party slammed Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz, telling Fox News Digital he is a pure “partisan and abandoned the city during the 2020 Black Lives Matter riots, which was echoed by another former Walz colleague. 

“It was absent,” Minnesota GOP Chair David Hann told Fox News Digital about Walz’s leadership as the city of Minneapolis was destroyed by Black Lives Matter rioters in 2020, resulting in hundreds of buildings being destroyed and an estimated $500 million in damage.

Walz has faced criticism for waiting several days to call in the National Guard, which Hann tells Fox News Digital was a decision made for political reasons. 

“He didn’t do anything for three days, and I think it’s because he was fearful of alienating this left-wing base that is the Democratic Party,” Hann said. “They were talking about this as a protest against police violence,” Hann said. “I think that if he were to call in the National Guard when it started to get out of control, that would have been seen as, oppositional to their narrative of, we’re just out here protesting, you know, excessive police force.”

HARRIS VP PICK TIM WALZ’S TOP FIVE ‘WEIRD’ MOMENTS IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Gov. Tim Walz waited several days to call in the National Guard as riots destroyed Minneapolis in 2020. (Getty Images)

 “So, he did nothing for three days until it got completely out of hand. And it was really unbelievable. We would see these things on the news, and I’ve lived here most of my life and know the city very well,” he said. “It was just hard to believe that this was going on and that the governor was doing literally nothing.”

Hann, who served as minority leader of the Minnesota Senate, told Fox News Digital that as the city was burning, he knew of multiple people, including the Republican majority leader at the time, who tried to urge Walz to call then President Trump for assistance.

“He wouldn’t do it,” Hann said. “It only took after about four days that he finally did that, when it was clear that this thing was not going to stop on its own. So he was completely absent. He has never acknowledged that it was his responsibility that he failed.“

Hann told Fox News Digital that four years later, the city has yet to fully recover from the destruction.

WHERE DOES TIM WALZ STAND ON ISRAEL?

MN GOP Chair David Hann speaks to Fox News Digital (Fox News Digital)

“It’s still, I call it a ghost town,” Hann said. “A few weeks ago, I had a meeting in downtown Minneapolis. I try to avoid going there as much as I can. This was on a Tuesday or Thursday morning, 10:00 in the morning. I drove down there. It was like 7:00 Sunday morning. There were no cars. There were no people. There was no activity. It was just dead.”

Hann continued, “There’s no places to eat. In the evening, people don’t want to be around. There are sports, you know, basketball games or baseball games with people that do not want to stay around the city after dark. And at one point, Minneapolis was a pretty good city for nightlife. Not anymore. People are fearful. The crime is out of hand and carjackings, shootings. We’re a high crime place now, which is unbelievable, and this is all under the watch of Governor Walz because he has failed to try to address the crime, and he has gotten himself aligned with this defund-the-police movement.”

Hann told Fox News Digital that he also believes that Walz is a far more partisan politician than the narrative is letting on.

“Partisan, divisive, very thin-skinned, mean-spirited,” Hann said. “He does not like to be challenged. He does not like people to differ with him, and he can get angry if he thinks that you’re not agreeing with him sufficiently.”

Building goes up in flames during the George Floyd riots. (Getty Images)

Hann added that Republicans he has spoken to called Walz the “most difficult guy to deal with they’ve ever had to deal with.”

A former Republican state senator in Minnesota who worked alongside Walz for several years, interviewed under anonymity in order to speak more freely, echoed Hann’s claim and shared with Fox News Digital that it was “very frustrating” and “difficult” to work with Walz.

“He doesn’t handle stress very well. He gets very, very angry and displays it,” they said.

“He’s very nice, very engaging. Comes off like everybody’s friend. But it’s very treacherous as far as what he’s done to the state and his vision,” the former lawmaker added. “He’s got a veneer of extreme liberalism that is quite obvious now.” 

When it came to decision-making, the former state senator claimed that Walz listened to “the last person that got to him.”

The Minnesotan said they are “very concerned” about a potential Harris-Walz presidency, urging voters to “listen to what he’s saying, you can’t decipher it. He talks and talks and never really answers the questions.”

Fox News Digital asked Hann, now that Walz has become the vice presidential nominee and is being introduced to a brand new national audience, what is the most important thing people should know about Walz’s tenure as governor.

“I hope the word gets out that Governor Walz is partisan and he’s very much aligned left, left-wing politically, and he is far from a moderate and is unwilling to try to work with people who differ with him,” Hann said.

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Democratic vice presidential candidate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speaks during a campaign event on August 7, 2024, in Detroit, Michigan. Kamala Harris and her newly selected running mate are campaigning across the country this week. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

“I think his record as governor has not been good for the people of the state. His allies are this, left-wing political base, public employee unions. That’s where his base is. That’s what he caters to. But for most of us who are just trying to, you know, live our lives, take care of our families, start businesses. It’s tough and he doesn’t seem to have much empathy for that.”

The Harris Walz campaign pointed Fox News Digital to a recent Fox op-ed from a Republican who worked with Walz that praised his bipartisanship along with other quotes from former colleagues calling him someone who works across the aisle.

The campaign also pointed to newly unearthed audio first reported by ABC News where Trump said he was “very happy” with Walz’s handling of the riot and calling him an “excellent guy.”

The Trump campaign told ABC News those comments were made after Walz sent in the National Guard.

CHANDLER, Ariz. — Arizona U.S. Senate Republican nominee Kari Lake spoke out Thursday on the dangers she said the Democratic presidential ticket presents for her state, particularly in terms of border security.

Lake, speaking at a campaign event with several families affected by border violence and smuggling, also spoke to Fox News Digital after the event concluded.

Ahead of Vice President Kamala Harris’ scheduled rally on Friday in Glendale, Lake said the Democratic presidential nominee will again come to Arizona without stopping at the southern border.

Lake criticized Harris’ proverbial role as the “border czar,” and praised the “build the wall” policies of Republican presidential nominee, former President Donald Trump.

“Apparently the only Walz [Harris] supports is her VP pick…” Lake quipped, in reference to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

JD VANCE RIPS HARRIS’ LATEST WORD SALAD: ‘SIGNIFICANCE OF THE POWER OF DIPLOMACY’

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Lake invited Harris to go to the border after her rally, adding that “people don’t like her here.”

“We’re living in the nightmare [Harris, President Biden and U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego] created,” she said.

Lake said her Democratic opponent Gallego, who is vying to succeed retiring Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., has “rubber stamped” Biden-Harris border agenda items.

Lake added that Harris, Walz and Gallego represent the “three musketeers of nightmarish policy.”

In that regard, Lake dismissed claims Republicans are not united behind her after she narrowly lost her previous state gubernatorial bid to Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs.

She noted that Karrin Taylor Robson — with whom she had a contentious 2022 gubernatorial primary — endorsed her, while also pointing out the prevalence of everyday-American Democrats who have voiced support for her bid.

9/11 TERRORIST FEARS TRUMP WILL GET ELECTED AND EXECUTE HIM

U.S. Senate candidate Kari Lake, R-Ariz, speaks during the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee last month.  (Reuters/Mike Segar)

At the event, held at a Maricopa County Republican Party office in Chandler, Lake was flanked by U.S. Reps. Eli Crane and Andy Biggs, as well as the families affected by the open border.

Among those in attendance were parents who lost children to the fentanyl crisis, as well as a local resident and former Democratic voter, Jade Gillon, who said, as an African American, she supports Trump because life was better under his administration, regardless of race.

Lake invited Gillon to the podium to offer remarks in which she contrasted her life under Trump versus Biden.

“I’m working six days this week,” Gillon said, going on to suggest Democrats engage in fearmongering against Trump. 

“I’m doing worse under this administration than Donald Trump’s administration — yet I’m told to be afraid of a man who made my life better? Make it make sense.”

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Ruben Gallego, Kamala Harris and Kari Lake. (Getty Images)

During his remarks, Crane criticized the media for failing to report on concerns about Biden’s acuity, while claiming Walz’ controversy over his true military record is “pretty standard in D.C.”

“I think one of the things I’m most concerned about when I look at Kamala and her VP choice is how cozy they are with socialism,” Crane added.

“Some of the things that they’ve said about socialism and how it’s next to, or liken it to being a good neighbor, if that’s what you guys want. If that’s what the American people want, we can continue to ride this pain train.”

In response, Gallego For Arizona campaign spokesperson Hannah Goss countered the Democrat is a Marine combat vet who indeed believes in border security and has fought to hire more border agents while in Congress.

“[Gallego has fought to] fix our broken asylum system, crack down on fentanyl trafficking, and invest in proven technology — all to increase our border security,” Goss said.

“Meanwhile, Kari Lake is a power-hungry liar who will do or say anything to gain power, even if it means launching desperate, false attacks on Ruben’s record.”

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Thursday’s event also highlighted the coalition “Democrats & Former Democrats for Kari Lake & America First” following Harris’ campaign’s announcement of “Republicans for Harris.” 

Gallego similarly launched “Republicans and Independents for Ruben” in the key swing state. Gallego notably also voted with the otherwise Republican majority on the “Laken Riley Act.”

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

Fox News’ Jamie Vera and Landon Mion contributed to this report.

Former President Donald Trump and current Vice President Kamala Harris are neck-and-neck in key swing states, according to a poll released Wednesday.

A survey conducted by Ipsos found the Republican presidential nominee and his Democratic opponent are in a dead heat struggle for seven swing states: Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Georgia, North Carolina, Arizona and Nevada.

Harris receives 42% of the vote share in the seven swing states, compared to Trump’s 40% and independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy’s 5%.

HARRIS REPLACING BIDEN SOLIDIFIES TRADITIONAL BLUE STATES, GIVES DEMS A BETTER NATIONAL OUTLOOK

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks at the National Association of Black Journalists, NABJ, convention in Chicago, Illinois.  (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Ipsos said in their report that the “margin on the ballot is well within the margin of error, indicating a race that is too close to call.”

Approximately 52% of respondents in the swing states said that inflation is the most important issue facing the country, while 32% said immigration is the most pressing matter.

The Ipsos poll was conducted between Jul. 31 and Aug. 7 — the Harris campaign announced Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate on Aug. 6.

WALZ DOESN’T MOVE NEEDLE WITH RURAL VOTERS, DATA SHOWS

Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris waves as she boards Air Force Two prior to a departure at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport in Detroit, Michigan. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Pollsters have not had enough time to effectively survey the impact of Walz’s selection on Harris’s chances.

The campaign has made it a point to highlight Walz’s Midwestern roots and everyman persona, introducing him as “Coach Walz” during rallies in a nod to his time as a teacher and high school football coach.

Harris will lean on Walz in the critical Midwestern swing states of Michigan and Wisconsin, where the Minnesota governor can point to his regional ties.

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Democratic vice presidential candidate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz listens at a campaign rally in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

The Ipsos poll utilized a representative probability sample of 2,045. 

Respondents consisted of U.S. adults 18 or older living in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Ipsos reports a margin of sampling error of +/- 3.1 percentage points.

Voters in Dearborn, Michigan, who led a movement against President Biden’s bid for re-election, are unlikely to support Vice President Harris even after she tapped Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate.

“Nope,” Mike Hachem, a Dearborn leader of the Abandon Biden movement, told Fox News Digital when asked if the choice of Walz might move the needle toward Harris in the community. “He means nothing for the Arab and Muslim community, especially in Michigan. He’s just a younger Joe Biden.”

The plain answer comes as some have speculated that Harris’ decision to choose Walz over Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, the only Jewish candidate under consideration, was done in an effort to appease far-left members of the Democratic Party more sympathetic to Gazans and thousands of voters in Dearborn, who could hold the key to a victory in the critical swing state of Michigan.

HARRIS SNUBBING SHAPIRO MAKES LIBERAL JEWS IN HOLLYWOOD FEEL ‘NOT WELCOME’ AMONG DEMOCRATS: REPORT

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (Anthony Souffle/Star Tribune via AP/File)

Leaders of the National Uncommitted Movement, which was inspired by the Listen to Michigan campaign and Abandon Biden movements, had the chance to briefly speak with Harris before her campaign event in Detroit on Wednesday. According to a New York Times report about the conversation, the leaders stressed their demand that the U.S. place an arms embargo on Israel and also asked for a meeting with the vice president to discuss the demand, something she told them she was open to.

Reports of the meeting quickly sparked fears among supporters of Israel that Harris was open to the idea of an embargo, an idea her national security adviser sought to clarify.

“[Harris] has been clear: she will always ensure Israel is able to defend itself against Iran and Iran-backed terrorist groups,” the adviser, Phil Gordon, said in a post on X. “She does not support an arms embargo on Israel. She will continue to work to protect civilians in Gaza and to uphold international humanitarian law.”

Nevertheless, the moment demonstrated the fine line Harris will have to walk to win Michigan: expressing sympathy and understanding for those most upset about the carnage in Gaza while maintaining support for Israel.

Hachem said there is nothing Harris can do to gain the support of much of the Dearborn community, noting the vice president actually moved in the wrong direction when she shouted down protesters who disrupted her remarks at the Detroit rally.

COMIC MICHAEL RAPAPORT SAYS HARRIS LOST HIS VOTE OVER ISRAEL: ‘CAN’T SUPPORT PARTY THAT IS FOR THIS BULLS—‘

“She alienated the Arab and Muslim community even further,” he said, noting that many members of the community are “ready to support” former President Trump over the Harris ticket.

Former President Trump (Sean Rayford/Getty Images/File)

But Abed Ayoub, the national executive director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, signaled a more optimistic tone, telling Fox News Digital that while choosing Walz didn’t help Harris gain support from within the Muslim community, the choice did at least leave the door open.

“He can connect with people, he seems like an overall nice guy, but that doesn’t win, that’s not going to be enough to win votes and to win the support of the community back,” Ayoub said. 

Instead, Ayoub argued that the choice at the very least gave a lifeline to Harris, whereas a choice of Shapiro likely would have shut the door on any chance the vice president had to pick up supporters in the Arab community.

“His opposition to student encampments, things he said in the past, the way he has degraded Arabs and Palestinians,” Ayoub cited as a few of the reasons Shapiro on the ticket would close the door on support. “He has a record of being anti-Arab, anti-Palestinian through his career and most of his adult life.”

Democrat presidential nominee Vice President Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, arrive at a campaign rally in Philadelphia on Aug. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

With Walz on the ticket instead, Ayoub said Harris now must focus on policy changes that would potentially help her pick up support going forward. He cited a potential arms embargo of Israel as a step that would help her gain traction within the community.

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“They should take immediately clear policy positions,” Ayoub said. “Give their immediate commitment early on rather than waiting.”

The Harris campaign did not respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.

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