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GOP gubernatorial frontrunner Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Wis., is warning voters that a potential general-election matchup with socialist state Rep. Francesca Hong could determine whether socialism gains a foothold in Wisconsin as Tuesday’s primary approaches.

Tiffany, speaking to Fox News Digital alongside former Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, said the election could determine whether Wisconsin becomes a “firewall” against the spread of socialism as far-left candidates continue to beat out moderate Democrats throughout the country in primary elections.

“Is the heartland going to be the firewall that stops this movement of socialism coming from, especially the East Coast?” Tiffany said. “And I think Wisconsin will be. We’ll be the place that stops socialism.”

SCOTT WALKER: DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS ARE COMING FOR MY STATE. THIS IS HOW WE BEAT THEM

Hong, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), backs progressive policies such as calling for the defunding of the police, abolishing prisons, creating public banks and grocery stores, universal childcare and a $20 minimum wage.

Her “TAX THE RICH” plan proposes raising state income taxes by 1% for couples making over $431,000 and individuals making over $323,000.

“I think what Francesca Hong stands for is the antithesis of America,” Youngkin said. “She wants to defund police, close prisons. She wants to get rid of the military. She wants to get rid of the presidency. I mean, these are all the things that the DSA stands for and she is a card-carrying member.”

“I just know my friends and neighbors, including some who are Democrats, they are not crazy,” Tiffany said. “They do not believe in some of these crazy policies, abolish prisons, abolish police, highest tax rates that you could possibly have. I mean they do not accept that.”

WISCONSIN DEM SOCIALIST GUBERNATORIAL HOPEFUL DODGES WHETHER SHE STILL WANTS TO ‘ABOLISH POLICE’

Past social media posts from Hong have drawn scrutiny, including a 2021 post stating that police “exist to uphold white supremacy” and posts calling to abolish the U.S. Senate and criticizing Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day.

She has since walked back some of her comments, although she recently refused to give a direct answer asking for her current stance on defunding the police, but acknowledging her inability to do so as governor.

“[They are] going to do everything they can to walk them back, but people see through this,” Tiffany said. “Those flip-flops, people know about that already and they’re going to know about it as we go through the final, you know, couple months of the campaign. They see through that type of stuff when you are not genuine.”

When asked to respond to Tiffany’s criticism by Fox News Digital, Hong characterized her past posts as some “bad takes.”

“You have some hot takes, sometimes bad takes on Twitter,” Hong said about the posts. “And I let my feelings out into the world.”

Republicans, like Tiffany and Youngkin, have sought to portray Hong’s progressive record as a liability for the battleground state.

JOHNSON TURNS DEMOCRATS’ SOCIALIST CIVIL WAR INTO NEW WEAPON FOR MIDTERMS

“This is a moment for the heartland of America to stand up for America,” Youngkin said of the race.

Tiffany, a Trump-endorsed member of the House Freedom Caucus and a former dairy farmer, spoke to Fox News Digital about the race as he and Youngkin held last-minute campaign events on home ownership and school choice leading up to Tuesday’s primary.

Hong has argued that Democratic voters are fed up with the party establishment, claiming her candidacy appeals to a variety of both Democrats and Republicans, who disagree with President Donald Trump and his aligned candidates.

TOP WISCONSIN DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST CANDIDATE CONFRONTED ON PAST ‘DEFUND POLICE’ RHETORIC

Tiffany and Hong enter Tuesday as the frontrunners in their respective primaries, with Tiffany running against medical service technician Andrew Manske, and Hong facing off against three other Democratic candidates — Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, former Wisconsin Department of Administration secretary Joel Brennan and democratic state Sen. Kelda Roys.

“[Tiffany] is what’s gonna be on the ballot against someone who literally wants to deconstruct America,” Youngkin said.

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“This is what this election eventually is gonna be about — common sense against crazy.”

A socialist leader squirmed during a tense Sunday interview after a local California television anchor pressed her on the real-life ramifications of the radical party’s calls to abolish police and prisons.

In an interview with NBC 4 Los Angeles, anchor Conan Nolan posed pointed questions to Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) National Political Committee Member Frances Gill on the topics of law enforcement, immigration and the movement’s other far-left proposals.

After a brief back-and-forth over what defunding the police means and how that would be applied in practice, Gill resorted to deflecting by refusing to engage in ‘hypotheticals.’

DSA CO-CHAIR PUSHES BACK ON SOVIET UNION COMPARISONS, WANTS PRISONS TO BE ‘LESS NECESSARY’

“What we really want to see is a horizon where folks are not reliant on armed enforcement to meet our public safety needs,” Gill conceded.

“Right, but it says ‘defund police’ on your website — that’s your goal — and also to get rid of prisons and jails, correct?” he pressed, to which Gill answered affirmatively.

“So if my daughter is assaulted and raped, is there any agency that would seek to find her assailant and bring him to justice?” asked Nolan.

“Of course, yeah of course—” said Gill before the host jumped back in with a follow-up question.

“What would it be if not police and where would he be if not a jail?” asked Nolan.

SOCIALIST HOUSE NOMINEE’S RADICAL LAW-AND-ORDER VISION: ‘WHAT ARE ILLEGALS?’

“So I guess I really want to avoid getting caught into these hypotheticals and talk about the reality that we’re actually facing right now,” Gill dodged.

That reality, she said, is the city spending “outrageous amounts on police and policing,” instead of addressing real issues plaguing Los Angeles. She suggested that the lack of street lights, substance abuse treatment and mental healthcare are all contributing to a lack of public safety and rise in crime.

The pair then clashed over voter demographics in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary, won by DSA-adjacent candidate Abdul El-Sayed — closely associated with extremist streamer Hasan Piker, who once said America deserved 9/11. The two palled around on the campaign trail.

2026 MIDTERMS STATE OF PLAY: KEY RACES UNFOLD AS STEVENS, EL-SAYED BATTLE IN MICHIGAN

Nolan noted that El-Sayed’s support came overwhelmingly from college-educated voters like Gill, and that El-Sayed lost the state’s 15 counties where the majority of voters did not have a college degree, characterizing the latter as the “working class” that DSA claims to support. Noting that she has $500,000 in student debt, Gill said college-educated voters like herself believed their degrees would lead to prosperity, but ultimately they found themselves downwardly mobile because society’s “scales are tipped in one direction to benefit the rich.”

On the issue of border security, Gill became defensive and questioned whether Nolan was acting in “good faith” when he quizzed her about whether there would be any border security if, like the DSA promotes, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was abolished.

DEM REP HENRY CUELLAR REJECTS DSA AGENDA, SAYS SOCIALISTS ARE TRYING TO ‘USE’ DEMOCRATIC PARTY

“I guess I don’t understand why we kind of constantly get pinned on these particular questions when the immediate reality of the situation is that immigration enforcement is absolutely out of control, needs to be addressed immediately and we know that in Los Angeles, like, more than almost any other city in the country,” she said.

She also denied that former President Joe Biden opened the borders. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data show that the agency encountered at least 11 million people during Biden’s presidency.

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Under President Donald Trump, that number has waned to fewer than 10,000 per month, and the administration touts that zero illegal aliens have been released into the country since retaking office.

Fox News Digital reached out to DSA for comment on Gill’s interview.

Conservatives online aren’t willing to forgive and forget the destruction caused by woke activists over the past several years after Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., flippantly cast aside the behavior as a thing of the past.

AOC, an original member of the so-called Squad of progressives elected to Congress in 2018, brushed off in a Sunday morning interview the first wave of ‘woke,’ which she helped champion.

“You don’t get to spend years pushing to fundamentally transform the country, divide it on racial lines, inject DEI into every institution, and then try to brush it off as a minor misunderstanding when your worldview turns out to be extremely unpopular with the American people,” said Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, on X in response to her comments.

ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ SHRUGS OFF PAST ‘DEFUND THE POLICE’ COMMENTS, JOKING ‘WOKE 1 WAS CRAZY’

ABC “This Week’ host Jonathan Karl briefly pressed the congresswoman, who is a member of the New York chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), on radical comments made by fellow socialist and Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong in 2020 and 2021.

“I have a local city councilman that has this saying, ‘Woke 1 was crazy,'” Ocasio-Cortez said while grinning. “And I think that what’s important is that we have to assess what a candidate is saying now.”

But the political right isn’t ready to extend an olive branch to proponents of woke-ness like AOC, no matter which version or iteration of the movement they are pushing.

“AOC and the far-left said these issues were existential just a couple of years ago. They said we needed to reorder our entire society and nation around them… ” said one X account with more than 350,000 followers. “Now they are laughing it all off, admitting they got swept up and couldn’t think logically. You are not fit to lead.”

“Never forget that AOC led Woke 1 charge,” said conservative commentator Steve Guest.

HASAN PIKER MAKES AOC HIS 2028 PICK FOR PRESIDENT, SAYS IT’S ‘NOT EVEN A QUESTION’

AOC’s posts from that time period demonstrate as much, like several where she claimed men could have periods.

“Not just women! Trans men & non-binary people can also menstruate,” she tweeted in 2021, earning 64,000 likes on the social media platform. “Some women also don’t menstruate for many reasons, including surviving cancer that required a hysterectomy. GOP mad at this are protecting the patriarchal idea that women are most valuable as uterus holders.”

In a follow-up post, she wrote: “Trans, two-spirit, and non-binary people have always existed and will always exist. People can stay mad about that if they want, or they can grow up.”

“AOC is going to run for president in 2028. Now she’s saying Democrat policies in 2020 era — woke 1 she calls it — were all crazy,” said Outkick founder Clay Travis. “Many of us remember being ripped for opposing all these insane policies. Now Dems want to pretend that era never happened.”

There is speculation that the four-term congresswoman will throw her hat into the ring for the Democratic nomination for president during the 2028 election cycle. So far, however, she has dodged questions on the subject of her political future.

If she were to launch a bid, it’s likely the party would push AOC to shift further towards center left if she wants to earn the backing — and the money that comes with it — of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and the rest of the Democrat establishment.

“Democrats think they can brush this off without actually conceding anything. ‘Wow man, those 2010s were crazy and 2020 was insane, wasn’t it?’ You don’t get to laugh away the generational enemies you created,” said commentator Christian Heiens.

“Does calling Woke 1 crazy mean you now oppose any of the ideological positions that Wokeism demanded of you? Of course not. They haven’t changed their minds about anything,” he continued. “These things have come to define the Left at this point. No Democrat can oppose them without losing their primary.”

AOC TAKES PAGE FROM BIDEN PLAYBOOK IN DODGING INTERVIEWS WITH NATIONAL PRESS

Other online critics called for further explanation about what qualities of “Woke 1” Democrats like AOC now oppose that they once publicly supported.

“If you’re going to go with the line ‘Woke 1 was crazy,’ I think we need a bit fuller of an account of why you and these other politicians became crazy and what you all learned about how not to do it again,” said Josh Barro, who bills himself as a political centrist.

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Fox News Digital reached out to AOC’s office for comment, but did not hear back at time of publication.

Conservatives piled on former Vice President Kamala Harris after she warned Americans would have to “prove who you are” under the SAVE America Act, arguing her criticism inadvertently turned into a sales pitch for the Republican-backed bill.

“Incredible SAVE America Act saleswoman,” wrote conservative commentator Eric Daughetry on X.

Harris posted a video on her X account Friday discussing midterm elections while highlighting the SAVE Act, including lamenting to voters that “you’re going to have to have proof of who you are.”

She added the bill will require “a passport, which a lot of Americans don’t have, or a birth certificate. Same point, obstacles to make it difficult for you to register to vote.”

SCHUMER SAID ‘DEMOCRATS SUPPORT VOTER ID’ — THEN EVERY SENATE DEMOCRAT VOTED AGAINST GOP BILL

Trump has made passage of the SAVE Act a top priority for his administration, pushing the stalled election legislation through a series of pressure tactics, including tying it to defense spending and threatening housing legislation.

The clip went viral among conservatives, with Trump even pinning the video to the top of his profile on Truth Social.

“The Jim Crow comparisons are tired. The poll tax is gone. Jim Crow is gone. Proving you’re an American citizen before voting in an American election is not oppression. It’s common sense,” said Texas Rep. Wesley Hunt in response.

WATCH: ELISSA SLOTKIN SAYS SAVE AMERICA ACT WOULD MAKE IT ‘HARD FOR ANY DEMOCRAT’ TO WIN AN ELECTION

“This is CRAZY- imagine a world where you have to prove who you are,” said former White House press secretary Sean Spicer.

“She needs to hang it up,” wrote Oversight Project vice president of litigation Jeff Clark.

“Kamala Harris complains that if the SAVE America Act passes, people will have to prove who they are in order to register to vote,” wrote conservative commentator Benny Johnson.

“Wonder why Kamala Harris thinks this is a bad thing,” posted Elon Musk’s political action committee America.

“Kamala Harris on the SAVE Act: it would require Americans to ‘prove who you are’ to vote. Trump reposted her clip himself,” said Fox News anchor Sean Hannity.

REPUBLICAN SAYS TRUMP’S TOP ELECTION PRIORITY ‘DEAD’ IN SENATE AS GOP FRACTURES AHEAD OF MIDTERMS

Trump has warned about the need for voter ID laws for years, including from the 2016 campaign trail.

With Congress out of session and the midterms approaching, Trump is continuing to push lawmakers to prioritize passage of the SAVE Act, keeping pressure on Republicans to act when they return to Washington. 

Democratic lawmakers have argued the SAVE Act would create unnecessary barriers for eligible voters, most notably potentially disenfranchising them.

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Fourteen states and Washington, D.C., do not require most voters to present identification when voting in person.

President Donald Trump announced in a Sunday Truth Social post that assistant to the president and White House staff secretary Will Scharf will soon serve as White House counsel.

“It is my Great Honor to announce that, effective September 1st, Will Scharf will become Assistant to the President and White House Counsel, replacing a man, David Warrington, who has done a truly outstanding job as White House Counsel and, before that, for my Presidential Campaign. David will be going on to the Private Sector,” Trump said in the post.

“Will has done an amazing job in his current role as White House Staff Secretary, and has also served as Chairman of the National Capital Planning Commission. I know Will well! He previously represented me in numerous cases, including at the Supreme Court, during the Biden Administration’s corrupt and illegal campaign of Weaponization,” the president continued.

BLANCHE SURVIVES REPUBLICAN DEFECTORS AS TRUMP GETS HIS NEW ATTORNEY GENERAL

“He also previously served as a Federal Prosecutor, worked as an attorney in private practice, clerked for two Federal Appeals Court Judges, and was a top student at both Princeton University, and Harvard Law School. Will is Tough, Strong, and Smart! He also loves our Country, and respects the Law. Will Scharf will do a great job as White House Counsel!” Trump added.

Scharf is the man who has sometimes been seen handing the president documents to sign and explaining the purpose of each item.

White House chief of staff Susie Wiles congratulated Scharf in a post on X, which White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt retweeted.

“Warmest congratulations to Will Scharf as he will soon take the helm as White House Counsel. There is so much winning ahead!” Wiles wrote.

TRUMP PRAISES SUSIE WILES’ CANCER FIGHT IN SURPRISE GALA VIDEO: ‘WINNING IT DECISIVELY’

“And to my friend Dave Warrington: thank you for your tenure as White House Counsel, Trump-Vance campaign counsel, and President Trump’s loyal attorney. The White House Counsel’s Office helped deliver 24 Supreme Court victories and the confirmation of 54 judges. And much more. I can’t wait to see what’s next for you. It will most certainly be fantastic!” Wiles added.

Conservative commentator Josh Hammer, who in 2023 announced that he and Scharf had co-founded “Jews Against Soros,” told Fox News Digital during a Monday phone call that he thought Trump “hit a grand slam home run with” Scharf, who will be a “tremendous boon to the White House counsel’s office.”

TRUMP LAWYER WILLIAM OWEN SCHARF PICKED FOR ‘CRUCIAL’ WHITE HOUSE ASSISTANT ROLE

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Hammer indicated that they did not really have the time to develop the Jews Against Soros effort, but said that he and Scharf were “fed up with the idea that” criticism of left-wing political megadonor George Soros represents “a dog whistle for antisemitism,” while Soros, Hammer asserted, funds “a ton of antisemitism and anti-Israel activity worldwide.”

A California lawmaker is fighting back against an environmental regulation that he says is raising costs for Americans across the country via a “hidden tax” on a variety of goods.

Rep. Vince Fong, R-Calif., is leading legislation to roll back a Biden administration-era regulatory rule that effectively allows California to levy massive cost penalties on shipping vessels docked in its ports.

“It’s a massive hidden climate tax that’s being imposed on every single ship that’s coming into California. And so all of those costs now are getting passed on to consumers,” Fong told Fox News Digital in an interview. “Our ports, they work through and process over 40% of all the containers that come into the United States.”

CALIFORNIA SUES TRUMP EPA OVER MOVE TO SUBJECT STATE VEHICLE EMISSIONS WAIVERS TO CONGRESSIONAL REVIEW

Fong’s legislation would target the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) authorization allowing California to enforce the rule, called the Vessel At Berth regulation, which was granted in 2020 under Gov. Gavin Newsom’s tenure.

It lets the California Air Resources Board (CARB) force a number of large vessels like cargo ships to shut off their diesel engines and instead use a state-approved emissions strategy when docked in the Golden State’s ports. A failure to do so could result in potentially tens of thousands of dollars of penalties — costs that Fong said are then passed to people buying goods delivered by those ships.

Without the Biden administration’s green light, the deep blue state would be rendered mostly toothless. That’s why the Trump administration asked Congress to initiate a review of the rule in July 2026, which is what Fong’s legislation would pave the way for.

A Senate counterpart to his bill was introduced by Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, who told Fox News Digital that families in his state “pay the price” when California imposes new mandates.

The Port of Los Angeles is consistently ranked as the busiest in the country in terms of traffic, followed by the Port of Long Beach — both in California.

THE OVERLOOKED WAY THE IRAN WAR IS MAKING GROCERIES, AMAZON PACKAGES AND NEW HOMES MORE EXPENSIVE

Currently, most large ships that do not shut off their diesel engines and plug into the state’s electrical grid or use some mode of electric energy instead could see tens of thousands of dollars per day in penalties. Similar to cars, ships need to run their engines to power lights, temperature regulation and other onboard systems.

Fong argued that because current infrastructure hasn’t caught up to allow universal compliance, it inevitably leads to shipping companies paying penalties. He said those penalties affect a variety of goods.

“When you order something on Amazon, when a small business is buying product to put products on their shelves, when grocery stores are trying to get products into the stores, when you’re trying to buy gasoline — all of those things come through either the port, or it comes through some type of mechanism through a ship,” he said. “And so when you add additional costs on our transportation system and our shipping network, those costs ripple throughout the entire supply chain.”

It comes at a time when Americans across the country are feeling the strain of the high cost of living, which has emerged as a central issue in the coming midterm elections.

Fong said failing to roll back California’s mandate could keep a precedent in place allowing other states to similarly seek the EPA’s permission to enforce such standards.

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“You have shipping companies that have paid hundreds of millions of dollars in penalties, if you aggregate it all. And as this goes on, this could ripple throughout the United States,” Fong said. “You have other states now that are looking at California and say, well, if they’re gonna do it, we might do it too. So this could grow exponentially.”

FIRST ON FOX: The U.S. State Department announced on Monday that it has revoked more than 175,000 visas during President Donald Trump’s administration so far.

The announcement comes less than two years since Trump started his second term.

“Under President Trump, the United States Department of State has revoked more than 175,000 visas from foreign nationals who violated the terms of their visas, committed crimes, called for violence against U.S. citizens, defrauded Americans, abused our immigration system, or endangered national security,” the State Department noted.

FOREIGN DRUNK DRIVERS COULD FACE SWIFT BOOT OUT OF COUNTRY UNDER TRUMP’S ‘AMERICA FIRST’ CRACKDOWN

“The majority of these visas were revoked due to law enforcement encounters for a range of criminal activity, with assault, driving under the influence, theft, and drug crimes being the leading causes. A significant share of visas were revoked for reckless driving, sexual assault, child abuse, fraud and embezzlement, and other crimes,” according to the department.

The department pointed to some examples of individuals who allegedly committed heinous crimes.

TRUMP SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDERS TARGETING BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP, BIRTH TOURISM AFTER SUPREME COURT SETBACK

It indicated some of the individuals whose visas were revoked included “A foreign national who was charged with felony rape and sexual battery – including of a victim who was mentally disabled” and “A foreign national charged with felony kidnapping, human trafficking, and sexual exploitation of a minor.”

The department also pointed to the issue of birth tourism.

“A U.S. embassy in North Africa revoked over 100 visas for ‘birth tourist’ parents who came to the United States primarily to give birth so their children would get U.S. citizenship,” the department noted.

TRUMP ADMIN REVOKES BRAZILIAN AMBASSADOR’S VISA IN ESCALATING DIPLOMATIC FEUD

“Under President Trump and Secretary Rubio’s leadership, the State Department will continue to identify, investigate, and revoke the visas of foreign nationals who threaten the safety of the American people. A U.S. visa is a privilege, not a right. The Department remains committed to using every tool available to protect our communities from those who abuse it,” the department declared.

Fox News’ Nicholas Kalman contributed to this report

FIRST ON FOX: House Republicans have adopted a new weapon on the campaign trail as they fight to keep control of Congress for the latter half of President Donald Trump’s term — using Democrats’ own intraparty civil war against them.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is unveiling a website on Monday that will highlight the contrast between what he calls “common sense and crazy.”

The name for the new initiative is “Contrast for America,” a play on the Newt Gingrich-led “Contract with America” GOP policy platform used during the 1994 midterm election.

That same year saw a massive red wave help the GOP retake the House and Senate for the latter two years of former President Bill Clinton’s first term, and Republicans are hoping to harness that energy now as they fight an uphill battle to retain the House and Senate.

MIKE JOHNSON PREDICTS GOP COULD GAIN UP TO EIGHT SEATS IN MIDTERMS, DEFYING HISTORICAL TRENDS

The website is divided into five separate parts, beginning with a video message from Johnson that includes a montage of Fox News clips and compares images of unrest in U.S. cities to videos of patriotic displays of the country’s 250th anniversary.

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. It must be fought for. It must be protected. It has to be taught, passed along to the next generation. Thirty-five years ago, Republicans and Democrats in Congress, they were fighting communism on a distant shore. Now it’s here,” Johnson says in the video.

The website also includes a timeline of failed communist governments throughout the world, followed by dueling lists that show what Republicans are running on versus what Democrats’ far-left insurgency is pushing.

SOCIALIST VICTORIES SHOW DEMS’ DESCENT DOWN ‘DEADLY PATH OF COMMUNISM,’ JOHNSON WARNS

It comes as candidates linked to the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) surge to the top of Democratic primaries across the United States, even toppling establishment and progressive incumbents in places like Colorado and New York.

Johnson’s website highlights those specific DSA-linked candidates along with Republicans who are endorsed by House GOP leaders.

“House Republicans have delivered working families tax cuts to put more money in your pocket, a secure border, safer streets, American energy dominance, an end to woke indoctrination for our kids, and renewed American strength abroad. Meanwhile, Democrats have surrendered to the socialist and communist far-left that wants to abolish borders, defund police, abolish prisons, raise your taxes, and shred our Constitution, leaving America less safe, less prosperous, and less free,” Johnson told Fox News Digital in a statement.

“By highlighting this decisive contrast for America and our common sense polices and America first candidates, House Republicans are ready to defy history and win the midterms.”

100 DAY SPRINT TO THE MIDTERMS KICKS OFF AS REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS CLASH FOR CONTROL ACROSS THE COUNTRY

Political history shows that the party in power in the White House usually loses one or both houses of Congress during the midterm elections.

But the slate of DSA victories is giving Republicans new hope that they can buck tradition.

Among the DSA’s policy goals are abolishing the Senate, police, and the prison system, extending voting rights to noncitizen permanent residents, and establishing public ownership of large corporations.

DSA candidates have also called for abolishing the nation’s borders and granting mass amnesty to people in the U.S. illegally.

It’s a message Johnson has made on the campaign trail already as he’s campaigned in Wisconsin, North Carolina, Washington, Oregon, and Alaska, with plans to hit a total of 30 districts across 18 states.

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Whether the message is potent enough to buck decades of political history, however, will become clear in November.

Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., asserted that all Muslim public servants in the U.S. pose a threat to the nation.

“Every single Muslim holding public office in America is a trojan horse, and a threat to both national security and our republic,” Mace declared in a Friday post on X. “We refuse to be silent.”

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., condemned Mace’s comments and insisted that Republicans should do so as well.

EL-SAYED TOUTS ENDORSEMENT FROM PASTOR WHO PRAISED NOTORIOUS ANTISEMITE INFAMOUS FOR CALLING JEWS ‘TERMITES’

“This is absolutely disgusting and dangerous. Republicans must denounce this blatant Islamophobia. To Muslim communities across America: I will always stand with you,” Jayapal wrote in a Saturday post on X.

Mace, in part of a post replying to Jayapal, wrote, “Islam must be confronted and Islam must be removed from civil society in the US.”

IMAM WHO PRAYED BEFORE CONGRESS FACES FORMAL REBUKE AFTER CELEBRATING GRAHAM’S DEATH

California state Sen. Scott Wiener, who is running for the U.S. House in San Francisco, wrote, “Nancy Mace is on yet another bender demonizing Muslims and advocating to strip them of full citizenship. She is a vile person.”

Owen Jones, a British man who describes himself on X as a “Socialist, antifascist, writer in various places,” shared Mace’s post and wrote in a Saturday post, “This is a Republican Congresswoman. If she spoke like this about Jewish Americans, she would right be regarded as a loud-and-proud Nazi. Islamophobia is spiralling out of control in the US.”

Mace shared Jones’ post and wrote on Sunday, “If not wanting to be blown up, stabbed, or rammed by a car by a radical Islamist in the United States of America makes us Islamophobes, then so be it.”

DEMS IN THE HOT SEAT FOR SKIPPING CRUCIAL HEARING ON RADICAL GROUP HIDING IN US: ‘EMBARRASSMENT’

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Mace, who has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2021, ran unsuccessfully in the Republican South Carolina gubernatorial primary this year.

Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, has released a video on X saying she and her congressional staff involved in a Toledo, Ohio, car accident earlier this month are in good shape, thanking the well-wishes for helping fuel her “very rapid recovery.”

“As I move to physical rehabilitation, sharing a message with the thousands who shared good wishes from our community, across our region, our country, and around the world,” the longest-serving woman in U.S. House history, Kaptur, 80, wrote on X and sharing the video.

“It’s made a huge difference in my very rapid recovery. Each of you continue to uplift my spirit as we move forward. Thank you!”

Kaptur, a 22-term House member serving since 1983, and her staffer Keegan Zimmerman were in a vehicle traveling to a church service when it was struck in what police described as a “hit-skip” crash near Detroit and Central avenues in Toledo. Ohio law uses the term hit-skip for a driver’s failure to stop following a crash.

OHIO REP MARCY KAPTUR HOSPITALIZED AFTER HIT-AND-RUN CRASH ON WAY TO CHURCH

“Dear friends, first of all, thank you so very, very much for the thousands of good wishes that are coming from our community, across our region, our state, our country, and even around the world,” Kaptur says in the video, where she is seated on what appears to be a wheelchair in front of an office window. “Really, it’s made a huge difference in my very rapid recovery.

“I want to thank all of you on behalf of myself, my beautiful staff, including Keegan Zimmerman who was with me on that fateful day on Sunday a week ago. He also is in good shape. And I’m working my way back and am so grateful for all of the help that has been given to me in this effort.”

The House is on August recess, giving her additional time to recover before returning to Washington, D.C.

“We will not return to Washington until next month, so I’m blessed to have time to recover fully, and I want to thank the first responders, the fire and rescue squads, the police, and all of the medical personnel that served us at such a fateful moment,” she added in the video.

TRUMP-BACKED REPUBLICAN ADVANCES TO FACE VULNERABLE DEMOCRAT IN KEY HOUSE BATTLEGROUND

She is seeking another term in November in a rematch against former Ohio State Rep. Derek Merrin after narrowly defeating him in 2024. The race will be a key battleground in the bellwether state of Ohio.

In 2024, she won by just more than the 0.5% margin that would have triggered an automatic recount, with a Libertarian candidate snagging about 4% of the vote.

But, she is recovering after the crash where she suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was active and alert after the collision, her office reported after the crash.

“It was not a pleasant experience and there were wounds that resulted, but let me tell you we have to be very grateful in this region to have the kind of dedicated medical staff that exists at Mercy St. Vincent’s treating patients from across this region, many of are underserved,” she said in the video. “Absolute dedication to saving lives. I was just so impressed.”

TOP DEMOCRAT LAWMAKER SUFFERS MINOR INJURIES IN DELAWARE CAR CRASH

Kaptur closed the video by showing viewers a handmade get-well card she received from a child. The card included a drawing of a brown dog named Charlie, whom Kaptur jokingly described as “half-human.”

“We’ve heard from many people of many ages, and I received this card from a young gentleman named Avery,” she said. “Isn’t this sweet? That’s his dog, Charlie. And he and I happen to be friends. And he was worried about me. So he did this card for me.

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“And I’ll just read it for you: It says, ‘Get well soon’ – with Charlie, with hearts, because I really love this dog, Charlie. He’s half-human. And signed Melanie, Adam, Eli, and Avery.”

“These are wonderful people, and they uplift your spirits, and each of you uplift my spirit as we move forward.”

Rep. Gabriel Vasquez, D-N.M., voted against the package that implemented President Donald Trump’s “no tax on tips” law despite calling for a permanent implementation of the policy just a month later.

“Tipped workers deserve to take home more of their hard-earned pay,” Vasquez told local outlets in August.

Vasquez, along with the rest of his Democratic colleagues, voted against President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” which became law on July 4 and included the no-tax-on-tips provision.

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But unlike most Democrats who have soundly condemned almost every facet of the tax and border security package, Vasquez’s call to further extend portions of the bill highlights his attempts to win over one of the most competitive districts in the country.

To at least one Republican onlooker, it’s a thinly-veiled ploy to sway on a policy he ultimately tried to stop.

“Defund the police Gabe Vasquez wants to raise taxes, rip away benefits from workers, and make families’ lives harder. New Mexicans want none of Vasquez’s radical agenda,” Reilly Richardson, a spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee, said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

Responding to questions about his vote, Vasquez’s campaign said he had opposed other measures included in the Big Beautiful Bill, such as reforms to Medicaid parameters that implemented an 80-hour work requirement for non-disabled adults ages 19-64 beginning in 2027.

“Vasquez would have happily voted for a permanent no tax on tips policy that didn’t kick millions of hardworking families off Medicaid and food assistance and push our rural hospitals to the brink of closure,” Patricia Socarras Santiago, a campaign spokesperson, said.

The campaign also highlighted recent jobs reports, arguing that Trump’s proposals weren’t doing enough to confront job stability in the hospitality industry.

“The Administration’s latest jobs report today tells the truth about our tipped worker economy under MAGA leadership, and it’s not pretty: tipped workers in fields like hospitality are losing their jobs, and inflation is outpacing any gain made by a temporary no tax on tips policy.” 

Notably, Vasquez isn’t calling for an expansion of the current law.

“The current sham version of ‘no tax on tips’ isn’t going to cut it,” Vasquez said as he called for its expansion. “The reality is, under the law Republicans just passed, every worker will still pay taxes on tips and overtime.”

His proposal, which he introduced earlier this year as H.R. 1314 or the TIPS Act, would eliminate subminimum wages, the taxable, low-end salary that most tipped workers earn. In New Mexico, for instance, employees must pay workers $2.13 per hour.

‘PAWN STARS’ ICON RICK HARRISON SAYS TRUMP TAX POLICIES CHANGE EVERYTHING FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

Vasquez’s language would also make the policy permanent. Trump’s policy, set under the Big Beautiful Bill, has a four-year lifespan before expiring in 2028.

On Tax Day in April, Vasquez highlighted his bill in a press release and slammed the Trump administration for, in his view, misinforming voters about what the no-tax-on-tips provision does and doesn’t do. He noted that taxes still apply to overtime pay and that only businesses earning over a set amount qualify for the policy.

“Tax Day is no one’s favorite time of year, but I worry this filing season is going to be especially frustrating for a lot of folks. Many hardworking New Mexicans may be surprised when they file and realize they don’t qualify for the tax relief they were promised,” Vasquez said.

“New Mexicans deserve honesty. Instead of confusing, temporary policies, I’m focused on real solutions that help workers and seniors actually keep more of their hard-earned pay and benefits in their pockets — not with the IRS.”

SCOOP: HOUSE REPUBLICANS TARGET DOZENS OF VULNERABLE DEMOCRATS ON EVE OF TAX FILING DEADLINE

Having captured the party’s nomination by running unopposed in the primary, Vasquez now looks ahead to the Nov. 3 general election, where he will face off against Republican nominee Greg Cunningham, a veteran and former DEA narcotics officer.

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Vasquez last won re-election in a 52.1% to 47.9% victory over Republican challenger Yvette Herrell.

As wars spread, trade tensions escalate and inflation remains stubbornly high, governments around the world are quietly buying more gold, a sign many are preparing for a future they believe will be more uncertain.

A new World Gold Council survey found that 89% of central banks expect global gold reserves to grow over the next year, while a record 45% plan to add to their own holdings. Central banks are the institutions that manage a country’s money and financial reserves.

For everyday Americans worried about rising prices, growing government debt and what comes next for the economy, the trend is worth paying attention to.

A SINGLE TRUMP ANNOUNCEMENT SPARKS BILLIONS IN LOSSES ACROSS GOLD AND SILVER

Some experts say central banks buying more gold is a sign they expect today’s economic and geopolitical uncertainty to stick around.

That’s because gold has long been considered a safe place to put money during wars, market turmoil and periods of high inflation because it isn’t tied to the economy or policies of any one country.

Why governments are buying gold

For decades, central banks have invested heavily in U.S. Treasurys — government debt backed by the U.S. and considered among the world’s safest investments.

But Cavatoni said many countries are now adding gold because they want another layer of protection against inflation, global instability and economic turmoil.

WHAT TRUMP’S NEXT PICK TO LEAD THE FEDERAL RESERVE MEANS FOR YOUR WALLET

“They’re looking at diversifying,” Cavatoni said. “And gold fills that need because it provides liquidity, diversification and protection against inflation and geopolitical uncertainty.”

The World Gold Council survey backs that up.

About 90% of central banks said gold’s performance during times of crisis is one of the main reasons they hold it. Another 84% cited its role as a long-term store of value and inflation hedge, while 83% said it helps diversify their reserves.

Those reasons have fueled a global buying spree.

Who’s buying?

While China has received much of the attention, it isn’t alone. Central banks around the world have been steadily increasing their gold reserves.

According to Cavatoni, Poland, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, the Czech Republic, Chile, Jordan and Ghana have also been among this year’s biggest buyers.

While the United States still owns more gold than any other country, much of today’s buying is coming from developing economies looking to rely less on foreign currencies they don’t control.

“The U.S. has no natural need to continue to accumulate more reserves in the form of gold,” Cavatoni said.

The survey also found that nearly three-quarters, or about 74%, of central banks expect the U.S. dollar’s share of global reserves to be lower five years from now, while they expect gold’s share to increase.

What does this mean for everyday people?

The same concerns driving governments to buy gold are also attracting individual investors.

One trend that surprised Cavatoni is that even with gold trading near record highs, people aren’t rushing to sell.

“It tells me a couple of key things,” Cavatoni said. “People are less likely to let go of their gold.”

For everyday investors, the trend doesn’t necessarily mean they should rush out and buy gold. But it does offer a window into how some of the world’s largest financial institutions are preparing for uncertainty, with central banks placing greater value on diversification and protection against economic and geopolitical risks.

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And individual investors appear to be showing a similar mindset.

Instead of cashing in, both investors and many central banks are holding on to or building their gold positions, a sign that they see gold less as a short-term investment and more as long-term financial insurance in an increasingly unpredictable world.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., revealed that she is freezing her eggs, opening up about the deeply personal decision in a series of Instagram Story videos while saying the procedure will give her more control over her future and using the announcement to criticize the Trump administration’s policies on women’s reproductive health.

The progressive “Squad” member posted the videos Saturday, explaining that she had spent years considering the procedure and saving for it before deciding to undergo fertility preservation.

Ocasio-Cortez said she wanted to be open about the process because women are often not taught enough about their reproductive health or family-planning options.

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“I have made the decision to start freezing my eggs,” Ocasio-Cortez said.

“I was weighing it for a very long time, and I think that I was saving for it for a very long time.”

Ocasio-Cortez, who was first elected to Congress at 28, said serving in office at a young age meant navigating major life decisions publicly in a way many people do not.

“When you get elected young, you have to grow up in the public eye in a time that most people usually get to grow more privately,” she said.

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The New York Democrat said she hoped sharing the experience would help normalize conversations about fertility, pregnancy, menopause, perimenopause, PCOS and other aspects of women’s health that she believes are too often overlooked.

“As women in general, we are not taught about our bodies,” Ocasio-Cortez said, referencing puberty, pregnancy, perimenopause, menopause and conditions including PCOS.

“I think we need to show more depictions of women having full lives in every context and every choice,” she added.

Ocasio-Cortez framed the move as an effort to take more control over her future.

NEW JERSEY DEMOCRATS ADVANCE BILL CRIMINALIZING INTERFERENCE WITH ABORTION, TRANSGENDER HEALTHCARE

“This is a choice that I am making to feel more in control of my life,” she said. “If people want to make assumptions about my decision, let them make those assumptions. I feel empowered to make this choice.”

She acknowledged that being able to undergo the procedure was a privilege and said advances in technology had helped make egg freezing more financially accessible.

Ocasio-Cortez then pivoted to politics, saying she was aware there could be a “political tax” associated with disclosing such a personal decision and arguing that female politicians face scrutiny around marriage, pregnancy and family planning that male politicians often do not.

She also blamed the Trump administration for what she described as an increasingly hostile environment for women’s reproductive choices.

LATE-TERM ABORTION TAKES FRONT SEAT AS BLUE STATE RUSHES TO EXPAND ACCESS BEFORE SESSION ENDS

“In the political context that we’re in, in an administration that is dedicated to politicizing women’s bodies and taking our choices away from us and punishing us around decisions to be pregnant or not be pregnant,” she said.

“Frankly, this administration has made pregnancy more dangerous than probably at any point in the last 30-plus years,” Ocasio-Cortez added.

“We’re going to take our power back,” she said. “And we have to talk about it.”

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment on Ocasio-Cortez’s remarks.

SEE IT: MARK KELLY BLAMES TRUMP’S AGENDA FOR BOOSTING AOC AS DEMS PRESIDENTIAL PICK

The announcement quickly drew criticism from some conservatives on social media, including Turning Point USA spokesman Andrew Kolvet, who argued that Ocasio-Cortez’s decision reflected what he described as a broader progressive message prioritizing careers over starting families.

“This is the message progressives spread when it comes to family formation, and one of the reasons why fertility rates are cratering,” Kolvet wrote on X.

“Just freeze your eggs, kids! Pursue that career, even if you’ve been engaged for 4 years to a man you’ve known since college,” he continued.

“AOC turns 37 in a few weeks so if she got pregnant tomorrow it would already be a geriatric pregnancy. This is not female ‘liberation,’ it’s a cautionary tale.”

FDA TO REVIEW 7 POPULAR PEPTIDES TOUTED FOR WEIGHT LOSS, HEALING AND LONGEVITY

Ocasio-Cortez has been engaged to longtime partner Riley Roberts since May 2022.

Her egg-freezing announcement comes roughly seven years after the New York Democrat famously warned in 2019 that “the world is gonna end in 12 years if we don’t address climate change,” leaving about five years remaining under that timeline.

Ocasio-Cortez said she plans to take viewers through parts of the egg-freezing process, including the hormone injections required ahead of egg retrieval.

She said she had already filmed herself unboxing her medications and administering her first shot.

The congresswoman said she would even give herself one of the injections in the green room before appearing on an ABC morning show.

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“I’m gonna take my shot in the green room before my interview,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “Because women can do anything.”

“I think it’s bad— that I’m gonna be, you know, giving myself shots in the green room, get my glam on, roll out, talk about international events, domestic policy, elections, pop out, live my life, do my thing.”

President Donald Trump escalated his criticism Sunday over the dismissed Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool vandalism case, pointing to a National Park Service employee’s account that former Olympian David Hearn “violently” ripped and tugged at the pool’s coating before authorities arrived.

Trump shared a screenshot from court documents on Truth Social that detailed interviews with two National Park Service employees who were cleaning the interior of the Reflecting Pool when Hearn approached the area.

According to the document, one employee, identified as W-1, said Hearn initially used his cellphone to take what the employee believed were photos or video of damage to the pool.

WHITE HOUSE CONDEMNS ‘TARGETED SABOTAGE’ OF REFLECTING POOL AS REPAIRS PUSHED PAST JULY 4 CELEBRATION

The employee then alleged Hearn “knelt, placed both hands into the reflecting pool, below the surface of the water, and started to ‘violently’ rip and tug at a large portion of the blue pool coating,” according to the document Trump posted.

The filing further states that W-1 asked a second NPS employee to contact police and told Hearn not to touch or pull at the coating. Hearn allegedly responded that NPS personnel were “awfully sensitive about the pool” and continued tugging at the coating until National Guard soldiers arrived.

Trump pointed to the witness account Sunday as he continued pressing his case after federal prosecutors moved to dismiss the felony charge against Hearn earlier this month.

“ALERT: A National Park Service career employee, a highly credible witness, saw David Hearn (ActBlue) in broad daylight vandalize the Reflecting Pool by ‘violently’ ripping and tugging at the Pool’s somewhat delicate coating,” Trump wrote.

TRUMP URGES JEANINE PIRRO TO REVISIT DROPPED LINCOLN MEMORIAL REFLECTING POOL VANDALISM CASE

The president said the employee provided the account to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in early July and argued that the statement bolstered his claim that at least some of the damage was caused deliberately.

Trump also alleged that other incidents occurred around the Reflecting Pool, including the use of an “acid like material” on newly installed grass beside the pool, where “86 47” was allegedly written.

“There was substantial other damage to the Reflecting Pool, also but, unfortunately, there is no video or proof, other than the damage, itself,” Trump wrote.

Trump acknowledged in the same post that contractors were responsible for a portion of the problems at the pool, saying there was “some contractor error” as crews rushed to finish the renovation ahead of July 4, but he described that damage as limited.

TRUMP SHARES NEWS OF ‘CRYSTAL CLEAR’ REFLECTING POOL, CALLS FOR VANDALISM SUSPECT’S ARREST

“We are working on the Pool, and it will reopen shortly,” Trump said, adding that security cameras have been and are being installed.

The latest post comes days after Trump urged U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro to revisit the case after prosecutors dropped the charge against Hearn.

Hearn was indicted July 2 on one count of felony destruction of property after U.S. Park Police alleged he grabbed and pulled at a loose portion of the pool coating on June 19 and continued after being told to stop by a National Park Service employee. Officials initially alleged the damage exceeded $1,000.

Pirro’s office later said prosecutors had received only “barebones” reports from the Department of the Interior before seeking the indictment and were not initially given records documenting broader problems with the pool coating’s installation.

FORMER US OLYMPIAN DAVID HEARN INDICTED IN ALLEGED REFLECTING POOL VANDALISM

Prosecutors said documents produced after the indictment showed that some of the Reflecting Pool damage was tied to flawed installation by contractor Atlantic Industrial Coatings and a push to finish the project before events surrounding the America 250 celebration.

“Had DOI been forthcoming with the information clearly in its possession, the government would not have sought a grand jury indictment,” prosecutors wrote in seeking dismissal.

The government said the newly disclosed evidence made it difficult to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Hearn caused the damage alleged in the indictment. Prosecutors asked for the case to be dismissed without prejudice, leaving open the possibility that charges could be brought again.

OLYMPIAN CHARGED IN REFLECTING POOL VANDALISM DONATED THROUGH DEM FUNDRAISING GIANT

Trump has repeatedly challenged Pirro’s decision, saying last week that he “disagree[d] 100%” with the U.S. attorney and later accusing her of having “choked” under pressure in the case.

Hearn’s attorneys, Norm Eisen, Mary Dohrmann and Steve Levin, previously said the case “should never have been brought” and accused the administration of wrongly arresting and charging a man they said “did nothing wrong.”

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Trump, however, argued Sunday that the witness account shows the Reflecting Pool damage wasn’t caused by faulty construction alone, pointing to the government’s own court filing to support his claim.

Fox News Digital’s Brie Stimson and Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.

Certain migrant communities are helping to drive widespread fraud that has cost taxpayers billions of dollars, Vice President JD Vance told Fox News Digital.

In an interview in his office in the West Wing of the White House last week, Vance discussed his work leading the fraud task force under President Trump. Vance said his team has found a clear pattern of collaboration involving migrant communities.

“You definitely see patterns where certain communities,” Vance said. “It’ll start as maybe one Somali person takes advantage of the system, or realizes you don’t even have to have children to get money from these programs. You could just claim that you have children, there’s no verification. Then, word spreads like wildfire, and that program gets tapped into by the same members of that community.”

TRUMP TOLD DONORS ‘WE NEED TO ELECT JD,’ SOURCE CONFIRMS, AS HE WEIGHS VANCE OR RUBIO IN 2028

Vance, who is also leading ongoing negotiations with Iran and recently welcomed a new addition to his family, has a robust portfolio. He was tapped to tackle fraud after the issue exploded in Minneapolis earlier this year and is now working with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz and other agencies.

In recent months, hundreds of hospice and home health agencies suspected of fraud in Minnesota and California have had federal payments suspended, and a number of other states are also under the watch of the task force. Vance said the fraud his team has uncovered has many victims.

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“The first and the most obvious victim is the American taxpayer,” Vance said. “You give your money to the federal government, and you expect the federal government, even if you disagree with the policy behind it, you expect that money to go to the people that it’s supposed to go to.”

“When a new mom goes to apply for help for herself and her baby, the money isn’t there anymore,” said Vance, whose office is adorned with artwork by his kids, a rosary, a photo of him and Usha kissing on Mount Rushmore and a glass replica of a diet Mountain Dew can.

“Or, you have autistic kids who benefit from services that are meant to go to the families of children with autism, and you have fraudsters who get rich off these programs,” he added. “Sometimes they don’t even have children, much less autistic children enrolled.”

FBI ADDS 2 FUGITIVES TO ‘MOST WANTED FRAUDSTERS’ LIST AMID HISTORIC $6.5B HEALTHCARE TAKEDOWN: PATEL

Vance revealed that roughly $230 billion in fraud has been uncovered since Trump took office and that $55 billion in federal payments to suspected fraudsters has been halted.

Last week, federal and state law enforcement charged 19 defendants accused of participating in schemes involving more than $4 million in claims submitted to Medicare and Medicaid, according to the Department of Justice.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday also announced a plea agreement involving the final defendant in a previously charged 21-defendant case tied to more than $1.7 million in claims in the Keystone State.

Prosecuting fraudsters is one thing, but Vance said that recouping the money presents yet another challenge, since much of it has already been spent.

“Getting money back is very hard,” Vance said. “Once it’s gone out the door, it’s very hard to get it back.”

“What we’ve done most effectively is actually just stop the money from going out the door in the first place, because that’s the only real way to ensure the American people don’t lose it.”

At the end of last year, reports and social media coverage from independent journalist Nick Shirley exposed a network of daycare centers, like the “Quality Learing (sic) Center,” that were allegedly fraudulent and operated mostly by Somali immigrants.

OWNER OF DAYCARE IN VIRAL NICK SHIRLEY VIDEO CHARGED IN $4.6M DAYCARE FRAUD SCHEME, PROSECUTORS SAY

The reports sparked swift action from the administration, and former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem deployed DHS and ICE agents to the streets of Minneapolis to catch and deport Somali immigrants in the country illegally. The deployment sparked a clash between local residents and federal agents that exploded into violent riots across the Twin Cities.

While the duties of a vice president vary from one administration to another, Trump has leaned heavily on his No. 2. Vance has traveled abroad twice to meet directly with Iranian leaders and regularly provides updates on the negotiations to the press. That role came after Trump appointed Vance as the head of the White House’s anti-fraud task force in May, dubbing him the “Fraud Czar.”

Despite his array of assignments, Vance, who recently turned 42, and his wife, first lady Usha Vance, had their fourth child last month, making him the first sitting vice president to have a child in more than 150 years.

“Kids have a way of forcing you to focus on them, even when things are crazy at work,” Vance said. “[I was] with my six-year-old this morning, who was making like zoo animal noises, and I was like, ‘Buddy, what are you doing?’ And he said, ‘I just want you to get off the stupid phone.’ And I said, ‘Alright, this can wait.'”

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Whether in his current role or possibly as Trump’s would-be successor, Vance believes his family values make him better at his job.

“Kids are so, they’re so in their own little world that they sort of force you to go into their world, and that’s a very, very good thing,” he said. “It’s good for my psychology. I think it’s good for my soul, but it’s a very good thing. The job obviously has its demands and the schedule can get kind of crazy.”

Vance, who at 44 would be just a year older in 2028 than John F. Kennedy was when he was elected president, has always demurred when asked about running for president. But although Trump recently told reporters it is “way too early” for him to endorse a successor, he has sent mixed signals.

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“At the end of the day, we need to elect JD,” Trump said during an Oval Office meeting with donors last month, a source with knowledge of the comments confirmed to Fox News Digital on Thursday. The Washington Post was the first to report the president’s comments.

The deadline for Ohio Republicans to replace Rep. Max Miller on the November ballot has now passed, effectively locking in the embattled congressman as the GOP nominee in Ohio’s 7th Congressional District.

Miller, who has resisted calls to end his re-election campaign, would have needed to withdraw by Saturday evening to give Republican officials enough time to select a replacement and complete the steps needed to meet Monday’s 4 p.m. certification deadline under Ohio election rules.

Instead, Miller is staying in the race despite mounting pressure from fellow Republicans to step aside over domestic-abuse allegations made by his ex-wife, Emily Moreno, the daughter of Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno.

FOX NEWS POLL: DEMOCRATIC UNITY, REPUBLICAN CROSSOVERS SHAPE OHIO SENATE RACE

As Fox News Digital previously reported, the controversy escalated last week when Sen. Moreno publicly called on his former son-in-law to resign from Congress, bringing a years-long family dispute and contentious divorce into the national political spotlight.

Moreno had previously avoided publicly weighing in on the dispute, but broke his silence after Miller posted a livestream denying allegations of domestic and child abuse. Moreno accused Miller of increasingly “erratic and dangerous behavior” and said he should not serve in the House of Representatives.

Miller has denied the allegations, saying no court or agency has substantiated claims that he committed abuse and that he has never been criminally charged in connection with the dispute. He has also sued his ex-wife for defamation.

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With the withdrawal window now closed, Republicans have no apparent path to replace Miller on the ballot through a voluntary withdrawal.

The controversy comes as Republicans fight to protect their narrow House majority. Miller represents a district that has generally favored the GOP, with President Donald Trump carrying it by roughly 11 points in 2024.

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Miller is now poised to face Democrat Brian Poindexter, a union ironworker, in November, giving Democrats an opportunity to compete for a Republican-leaning seat that otherwise would have been expected to remain in GOP hands.

WARREN, MIch. – Fresh off her Republican primary win, veteran meteorologist and Congressional candidate Terri DeBoer told Fox News Digital she is ready to flip the state’s Third Congressional District back over to the GOP.

“The one thing that we’re really hearing over and over again is people are ready for a change,” DeBoer said of her bid to unseat incumbent Dem. Rep. Hillary Scholten. “They are ready to be represented by someone who shares the same common sense West Michigan values as they do, and I’m the best candidate to fill the bill.”

DeBoer, a 61-year-old mother of three who worked for several television stations in western Michigan over a 30-year career, is looking to shake up a district that was held by Republicans for decades before Scholten seized it in 2022.

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DeBoer said the Democratic Party has lost its way and is aligning with candidates who undermine what “makes America so great.”

Looking beyond her own race, DeBoer pushed back when asked whether Abdul El-Sayed’s Senate primary victory signals growing support for a progressive agenda within the Democratic Party.

“What I hear when I knock on doors, when I walk down the street, when I’m at the grocery store, people say, ‘Thank you. Thank you for being willing to step forward in a common sense way to represent our values, because quite simply, the other side is no longer representing the values of West Michigan,’” she said.

El-Sayed, a far-left progressive, narrowly defeated Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., in one of the nation’s most closely watched Democratic primaries last week.

“I believe that when people truly understand what is at stake here, the very future of America and the freedoms that we have enjoyed, that I think the choice is very clear,” she said.
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DeBoer added there is a disconnect between Scholten’s “moderate” image on the campaign trail and her voting record in Congress.

“I believe the biggest point of contrast, quite frankly, is that for the last few campaign cycles she has campaigned as though she’s a very moderate individual, and yet her voting record in Congress is in stark contrast to that,” she said.

Scholten’s vote against the SAVE America Act and her support for “boys in girls’ locker rooms, boys in our girls’ sports” are examples of this contrast, according to DeBoer. Scholten voted against a bill that would ban transgender women and girls from competing on female school sports teams in January 2025, according to U.S. House voting records,

But DeBoer, who previously told Fox News Digital she considers herself an outsider in this race, said her positions are more closely aligned with voters and that she would bring “common-sense values” to Washington if elected.

Turning to the issues driving the race, DeBoer said affordability is the most pressing concern as the costs of groceries, energy, housing and healthcare rise. Her campaign website also lists securing the border, expanding healthcare choice, supporting reliable energy and reducing regulations on small businesses among her priorities.

“People are working harder than ever before and feeling like they’re falling behind everything,” she said.

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To address the higher costs, DeBoer called for cutting “reckless” federal spending and eliminating government waste, fraud and abuse “that robs all of us of the economic freedom that we have in America.”

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“We really need to make America affordable again,” she said.

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

Texas Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico needs to flip some Republican voters this November to win in the largest red state in the U.S., but his opponents are calling out claims of Republicans backing him as inauthentic, if not fraudulent.

“Any chance that Talarico has building any type of Republican coalition is a pipe dream for him,” Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters told Fox News Digital in an interview. “Nobody is going to follow him. He’s completely out of touch with Texans.”

Gruters’ rebuke came after women voters interviewed on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” claimed to be Republican crossover supporters, only to have longstanding ties to Democrats and anti-President Donald Trump groups – not exactly people that would be voting for Republican Senate nominee Ken Paxton in one of the Senate’s biggest ticket races in the battle for the majority.

“The people that he had come out and say that they were on his team have been proven to be basically Democrat, liberal activists that have been supporting Democrat candidates for 10-plus years,” Gruters continued.

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“I just don’t believe it,” Gruters said. “This is Kamala Harris‘ ‘White Dudes for Kamala.’ It just doesn’t exist. It’s a wannabe or an attempt at them to try to build some crossover support.”

Talarico has emphasized building a broad coalition in his campaign, which says it intends to “go everywhere and talk to everyone” ahead of the November election.

But Republicans have seized on the political histories of some of Talarico’s backers as evidence the outreach is less bipartisan than advertised.

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One of women presented as a Republican mother supporting Talarico has identified in subsequent reporting as Mindy McClure. She has Federal Election Commission filings associated with her showing repeated ActBlue contributions benefiting Democratic candidates and political groups dating back to 2018, including Kamala Harris and The Lincoln Project – an anti-Trump political activist group.

“When you have policies like mutilating children, saying that God has six different genders and is non-binary and all this other stuff, you can’t expect that Republicans are going to hop on and think that they’re going to be a on board to this liberal clown show that he’s operating down there in Texas,” Gruters said.

The primary-voting history of another woman featured in the campaign’s outreach was exposed by a record showing more participation in Democratic than Republican primaries.

When reached for comment Sunday, the Talarico campaign said the women have no official ties to the campaign, but the spokesperson pointed to the MSNBC interview, noting they had previously voted for Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott – one of which vowed to never do again.

Talarico has also showcased the support of former Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley, a longtime Republican who endorsed the Democrat at a recent campaign event.

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Whitley ran as a Republican judge, but his recent endorsements are on the left. The former county judge endorsed Democrat Mike Collier against Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick in 2022 before backing Harris for president and Democrat Colin Allred for U.S. Senate in 2024. All those Democrats lost to Republicans, as did Beto O’Rourke to Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, by less than 3 points in 2018.

That history has given Republicans an opening to argue that Talarico is largely attracting voters who had already broken with GOP nominees before the current Senate contest.

“He’s not Beto: Beto was actually a decent candidate, as liberal as he was,” Gruters said, delivering his oft-used moniker to Talarico for his “freakish” policy positions in a campaign for Senate in the deeply conservative state. “This guy makes Beto look like a conservative.

“Tala-freako has no chance, because people aren’t buying into the stuff that he’s peddling.”

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Texas is famously a state that Trump says votes on “God, guns and oil,” so the RNC chair says those not on board with Trump or those staples are “not the right candidate for Texas” and “not the right candidates for the U.S. Senate” in the state.

“We don’t need a weak members,” Gruters said. “We need a strong MAGA warriors. And that’s exactly what Ken Paxton will provide is he will bring: Strength to the U.S. Senate on behalf of Texas and will represent them well.”

Paxton survived a potential Texas state impeachment effort just about three years ago. Two of those Republican Texas State House impeachment managers that voted to impeach Paxton in an attempt that died in the state Senate are now campaigning for Paxton.

Republican State Rep. Jeff Leach introduced Paxton at an Allen, Texas, campaign rally last week, and state Rep. Briscoe Cain introduced Paxton at a Houston rally. Both are backing Paxton over Talarico.

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There had been some concern Paxton – endorsed by Trump – was not an ideal GOP nominee, having ousted sitting Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, who was a four-term senator and won by nearly double digits in 2020. Cornyn was “a great U.S. senator for a long time,” Gruters admitted, stopping short of saying whether Cornyn will stump for Paxton like those impeachment managers that have come home for him.

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

“I think he is raising money right now for all the Republicans in the Senate, still hosting events, and so I don’t know personally if he’s come out and endorsed Ken Paxton yet, but I’m sure that he is still on board with making sure that we have the MAGA warriors in place to support the president’s agenda moving forward,” Gruters said.

The Trump endorsement is not undefeated in marquee Senate races, as Herschel Walker (Georgia) and Dr. Mehmet Oz (Pennsylvania) lost in 2022 despite Trump’s backing, but those key losses were by non-politicians that do not have Paxton’s state-wide campaign infrastructure.

“You got to remember Ken Paxton won this state a couple of times in the general,” Gruters added. “He won a primary against a strong incumbent [Cornyn] that’s been there for a long time by a couple hundred thousand votes.”

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Paxton told Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures” on Sunday that he has “outraised every Republican in the country,” but he urged the Senate Leadership Fund – which has long-running ties to Senate incumbents like Cornyn – now-conservative billionaire Elon Musk and Trump’s $800 million MAGA Inc. coffers need to help him keep the Senate seat.

“I’m trying to raise money during the summer in Texas, which is challenging, so we’re hoping the Senate Leadership Fund, Elon Musk, President Trump come in now because we’re trying to accumulate,” Paxton told host Maria Bartiromo. “We’re raising money for October right now and September, not now.

“We don’t have the money for now. So that’s allowed [Talarico] to just keep advertising that he’s a moderate Democrat when he’s in reality a socialist.”

Despite long-running Democrat hopes and tens of millions of campaign spending to flip Cruz’s seat, Gruters predicted this Paxton-Talarico race would not be the biggest dollar one of this cycle – that will wind up being North Carolina, he said.

“People want this race to be the biggest race in the country, but it really won’t be because at the end of the day, Paxton has proven time and time again that he’s a winner – he’s a winner in this state,” Gruters said amid slow-moving funding for Paxton’s campaign against the big Talarico Democrat dollars.

“Texas is ruby red. It’s not going to go left and vote for somebody who wants to mutilate children, put boys in girls locker rooms and who, you know, says he has faith on Sunday then goes woke on Monday. It just not going happen. Texas is a hardcore Republican state.

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“And so, yes, listen, a lot of money, Texas is a massive state, a lot resources from California are pouring in because these California liberals like Tala-freako. But I don’t think it’s going to help him at the end of the day. Paxton is going to win this race.”

Both parties see Gen Z voters as a crucial bloc that could help tip the balance in November as Republicans and Democrats battle for control of Congress, with the GOP seeking to keep President Donald Trump’s agenda moving and Democrats pushing to retake Capitol Hill and steer the legislative agenda.

And as the Democratic Party grapples with the growing appeal of democratic socialism among young voters, Republicans are seizing on the trend to rally their own young base.

But conservative college students gathered at Young America’s Foundation’s Freedom at 250 conference in Washington, D.C., told Fox News Digital that economic pressures — from inflation to the housing crunch — are not only helping drive some of their peers toward democratic socialism but that they themselves share those same concerns.

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“I think a lot of young people are feeling a little bit hopeless right now, Courtney Graves, a rising senior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, told Fox News Digital. “They want to be able to have a home when they grow up. They want to be able to have a nice life and a good-paying job. And what we’ve been seeing is that when those things don’t come to fruition, people tend to go to the extremes.”

Graves’ comments come as financial milestones such as buying a home, have been perceived as increasingly difficult for younger Americans. A Pew Research Center survey published in July found that 87% of Americans say buying a home is harder for young adults today than it was for their parents’ generation.

A recent report from Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies found that nearly half of renters spent more than 30% of their income on housing in 2024, and nearly half of Americans ages 18 to 29 received financial help to cover an expense over the past year, according to a Federal Reserve report released in May.

But Graves, who is the granddaughter of immigrants who escaped Communist-controlled Latvia, argued that embracing free-market policies is the best way for people to achieve the American Dream and that the Republican Party needs to work on its messaging to make that case clearer to young Americans.

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 “I think free markets are the way to have a successful and prosperous life,” Graves said. “It’s what leads to job growth, it’s what leads to being able to buy a home at the end of the day, have a family and just overall live a great quality of life and have a strong country.”

While affordability remains top of mind for Americans this midterm cycle, Brody Baker, a University of Iowa student, praised President Donald Trump for bringing more accountability to the White House compared to former President Joe Biden’s presidency.

“I think we get more clarity of what’s happening with the United States as of today,” Baker said.

“With the administration being able to say, ‘hey, we have some criticisms,’ Baker said, “there’s some issues with gas being so high, with how the economy, for some it’s hurting a lot, and for some, it’s hurting a little.”

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For University of Minnesota senior Jackson Barrick, pocketbook concerns are just one slice of the pie.

He pointed to the country’s immigration and border security policies and foreign policy as issues weighing most heavily on him. Barrick said Trump has done a “fantastic” job with his immigration enforcement agenda.

“I think it’s a really good step in terms of making sure that we have a good future going forward in the United States and protecting the homeland,” Barrick said.

But college students are also worried about a newer issue: artificial intelligence.

Nick Kammerzell, a recent University of Georgia graduate, said AI is the issue that most concerns him about America’s future.

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“I think that it’s very scary,” Kammerzell said. “I think one of the biggest things that I’m concerned about with the AI issue is censorship and bias within AI. I think a lot of young people are becoming very dependent on it as their source of truth.”

“I think there’s a lot of opportunities for abuse and manipulation with that,” Kammerzell added, arguing the technology could potentially be used to warp people’s opinions.

Young Americans are also more skeptical of AI than older generations. A Pew Research Center survey published in June found that 48% of adults ages 18 to 29 expect AI to have a negative impact on society over the next two decades, compared with 37% of those 50 and older. Younger adults were also more likely to worry that AI could negatively affect their own lives.

Baker also expressed concerns over the algorithms created by social media companies.

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“You are given by Instagram — all these big platforms — your algorithm, your viewings, and you’re leaned towards, and you push towards a certain agenda, or you’re pushed towards a certain idea,” Baker said, arguing this is creating staunch political divides with Americans.

Republican Colorado gubernatorial nominee and Marine veteran Victor Marx is assembling an all-Marine ticket that he says can bring the “steely spines” needed to combat a democratic socialist movement gaining ground in races around the country.

“There’s never been a successful socialism program, and I’ll say socialism, it’s just a transitionary word for communism. Let’s just say it for what it is,” said Marx in an interview with Fox News Digital.

Marx won Colorado’s primary race in June, campaigning on public safety, social conservatism and cost of living. His victory came as the Democratic Party’s left flank scored a series of primary wins nationally, including in Colorado, where democratic socialist Melat Kiros upset longtime incumbent Rep. Diana DeGette. Colorado’s primary results were mixed overall, but Kiros’ victory extended a broader run of wins by progressive and democratic socialist candidates across the country.

Marx’s answer to what he sees as socialism gaining ground nationally — and a leftward shift at home: Send in the Marines. He has tapped retired Marine Col. George Markert as his running mate, creating an all-Marine ticket that Marx says can bring military discipline and “steely spines” to Colorado government.

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“People know what they’re going to get when they get Marines. We’ve got hard foreheads, steely spines. And high integrity,” said Marx.

Markert has spent more than 30 years in the Corps, including senior leadership assignments at U.S. Central Command and the 2nd and 4th Marine Logistics Groups.

Markert transitioned into the private sector, overseeing infrastructure-related field operations across North America.

Marx, who is also the founder of All Things Possible Ministries, is pitching himself and his running mate as political outsiders, arguing that they have the discipline and accountability needed to take on a socialist movement.

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Marx contrasted that approach with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), which he described as “organized, they’re well-funded, they are focused on reshaping Colorado from the top down.”

The DSA, which endorsed Kiros, supports the eventual abolition of police — a position that puts public safety at the center of the political divide.

That debate comes as Colorado continues to grapple with crime rates well above national levels.

In 2024, Colorado recorded about 476 violent crimes and 2,593 property crimes per 100,000 residents — roughly 28% and 41% higher, respectively, than the national rates calculated by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Statistics.

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“They’re more focused on policing speech than protecting families. While residents are worried about crime, gang activity, state leaders are advancing this ideology with policies that threaten our free speech and punish people for the beliefs,” said Marx.

Marx took aim at his opponent, Colorado Democratic Attorney General Phil Weiser, arguing that increased government spending has not translated into better results for Coloradans.

Weiser has repeatedly challenged the Trump administration in court as attorney general, including over Trump’s efforts to restrict birthright citizenship and immigration-related policies.

“[H]e hasn’t made our state safer. It’s softer on crime, and we’ve experienced it,” Marx said. “So folks are ready for a change.”

Marx said government officials in Colorado are not delivering as “hardworking taxpayers” are “paying more while the government delivers less.”

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“We’re one election away. It’s either me, or it’s a Democrat. And I lay the DSA at the Democrats’ feet. It didn’t come through the Republican Party or Independents. It came through the Democrats,” Marx said. 

Fox News Digital reached out to Weiser for comment.