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Bruce Blakeman, the Republican candidate in New York’s gubernatorial race, said Wednesday that attendees at this year’s Sept. 11 memorial ceremony should turn their backs on New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani if he attends.

“I would equate this to a wake. You don’t go to a wake if you’re not welcome,” Blakeman, whose nephew was killed in the South Tower on Sept. 11, 2001, and who currently serves as Nassau County executive, told reporters.

“I think it’s completely appropriate if family members ask him not to come, but if he does come, I think there’s a respectful and peaceful way to protest that and I would suggest that people turn their back on the mayor,” he said.

FIREFIGHTER BROTHER OF 9/11 VICTIM INCENSED BY ‘RADICAL’ MUSLIMS WINNING KEY DEM PRIMARIES

Blakeman argued Mamdani’s refusal to condemn the phrase “globalize the intifada” should disqualify him from attending the ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks.

“He’s not welcome there because he has yet to say anything in opposition to the global intifada. As a matter of fact, it seems like he supports that phrase, which is part of the reason why we had the tragedy we had on 9/11,” Blakeman said.

Mamdani’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.

The mayor has said he still plans to attend the ceremony.

9/11 FAMILIES PUSH TO BAN MAMDANI FROM 25TH ANNIVERSARY REMEMBRANCE OVER ‘HOSTILE’ RECORD

“I will proudly honor the families, the survivors, the first responders forever impacted by that horrific terror attack by standing alongside them at this year’s 9/11 commemoration — reaffirming that we will never forget the solemn day…” Mamdani said last week.

His comments came after relatives of Sept. 11 victims launched a petition urging the National September 11 Memorial & Museum to bar Mamdani from attending the ceremony in Lower Manhattan.

“Concerns have been raised about Mr. Mamdani’s public positions, associations, and responses to rhetoric that many perceive as hostile to these shared values,” the Change.org petition states.

“Given these concerns, we respectfully ask that the organizers carefully consider whether Mr. Mamdani’s participation would align with the intention of the ceremony and the expectations of the families most directly affected by the tragedy.”

JEWISH LEADERS FAULT MAMDANI RHETORIC AS UPPER WEST SIDE STABBING, HATE CRIME PROBE CONTINUES

A spokesperson for the 9/11 Memorial & Museum previously told Fox News Digital that the organization has “intentionally worked to keep the commemoration free of politics because remembering those we lost on 9/11 should never be a partisan issue.”

“Government officials from across the political spectrum, including every sitting president, governor, and mayor since 9/11, have attended the ceremony simply to bear witness — they do not deliver remarks and are asked to remain in a designated area,” the spokesperson added.

Former New York Gov. George Pataki was also asked Wednesday whether Mamdani should attend the ceremony.

“It’s my nature to be inclusive, and that is my instinct, but Sept. 11 is different. So, I may have comments on that,” Pataki said, according to the New York Post.

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Fox News Digital’s Charles Creitz contributed to this report.

The Senate quietly moved its solution to halt a government shutdown through another key step as the tenuous truce between Republicans and Democrats continues to hold.

In the midst of a hectic, albeit open-ended and uncertainty-laden schedule, the upper chamber advanced its continuing resolution (CR) unanimously on Wednesday. 

While not the final vote, it’s a strong sign that neither side wants to thrust the federal government into uncertainty as the midterms near.

It marks a sharp departure from the shutdown politics of the last year and follows Senate Republicans’ hand-wringing for months that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., would once again lead his caucus to the brink and shut the government down for political gain.

DEMOCRATS BLINK AS SCHUMER HELPS GOP CLEAR KEY SHUTDOWN HURDLE

For now, that’s not happening.

And Schumer is saying that Democrats have wanted to keep the lights on in a bipartisan manner all along.

He contended that the CR, negotiated between the top Republican and Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, was a major victory for Democrats, particularly for its design to “stave off Trump’s disgraceful effort to withhold federal grants from vital projects.”

“I mean, what kind of country is this? You have two identical projects, one in a red state and one in a blue state funded the same way, same clean record,” Schumer said. “He cancels the blue state one and says the red state one is OK.”

TRUMP ADMIN PAUSING OVER $1B IN MEDICAID PAYMENTS TO MINNESOTA, CALIFORNIA OVER FRAUD, COMPLIANCE CONCERNS

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Trump administration are pushing for more control over federal grants, which critics like Schumer and others warn could be used as a political cudgel to dictate which states do and don’t get a flow of federal dollars.

If the CR passes and is signed by Trump, it will pause that rule change until Dec. 11, when the stopgap expires.

But Republicans say it’s not quite the victory Schumer thinks it is.

BOMB-THROWER DEM MAKES SHOCKING PROMISE TO KICK SCHUMER TO CURB DURING SENATE DEBATE

Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., countered that Schumer may think he won with the deal, but, in reality, it just delayed the inevitable for the White House’s plans for grant-funded projects.

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“I think he’s going to go back to his base and say, ‘I got the OMB rule killed,’” Kennedy said. “Well, he didn’t. I mean, I’ve talked to [OMB Director] Russ Vought, and the president this morning about that, and the rule can be ready by Dec. 11. So, no harm, no foul.”

President Donald Trump has become the most targeted U.S. leader on record among both sitting and former presidents, facing threat-related incidents roughly every two to three months in recent years.

Trump has survived three major assassination attempts and nearly a dozen other threat-related incidents over the past two years alone. Overall, he has faced nearly 20 known threats since first taking office in 2017.

By comparison, every other U.S. president targeted in an assassination attempt faced just one, except President Gerald R. Ford, who survived two. Those presidents include Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, James A. Garfield, William McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman, John F. Kennedy, Gerald R. Ford, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama. 

Four of those presidents — Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley and Kennedy — were killed.

FROM TRAINED ASSASSINS TO RALLY STAGE RUSHERS, HERE’S EVERY KNOWN ATTEMPT ON TRUMP’S LIFE SINCE 2016

Seven known threat-related incidents occurred during Trump’s first presidency, while four occurred during his 2024 campaign, including two assassination attempts. His second presidency has already seen eight additional incidents, including a third assassination attempt.

Major assassination attempts

July 2024: The first assassination attempt on Trump came during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, when a gunman opened fire from a nearby rooftop, killing one spectator and critically wounding two others. The shooter, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, struck Trump in the upper right ear before being killed by a Secret Service sniper.

September 2024: Two months later, Secret Service agents spotted a gunman hiding in bushes with a rifle near Trump’s Florida golf course while the then-presidential candidate was golfing. The suspect, Ryan Wesley Routh, was arrested and later sentenced to life in prison.

TWO MEN SHOT AT TRUMP’S BUTLER RALLY SUE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OVER SECRET SERVICE ‘PREVENTABLE FAILURES’

April 2026: A major security breach occurred during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner while Trump was in attendance. The suspect, Cole Allen, allegedly charged a security checkpoint armed with multiple weapons, shot an officer and was later taken into custody.

First presidential campaign trail

Trump’s first three security incidents unfolded during his 2016 campaign before he ever took office.

March 2016: An attendee at a Trump campaign rally in Dayton, Ohio, attempted to rush the stage before being arrested. The suspect, Thomas DiMassimo, 22, told police he intended to grab the microphone and shout that Trump was a racist but reportedly did not intend to harm him. He was later sentenced to one year of probation.

June 2016: Three months later, a British national attending a Trump campaign rally in Las Vegas attempted to grab a police officer’s handgun from her holster, according to a federal criminal complaint. The suspect, Michael Steven Sandford, initially told an officer he wanted Trump’s autograph before trying to seize the weapon and later admitting he intended to kill Trump. He was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison.

November 2016: Secret Service agents rushed Trump off the stage during a campaign rally in Reno, Nevada, after an attendee shouted “gun.” Authorities found no weapon but briefly detained Austyn Crites, 33, who said he had brought a sign that said “Republicans Against Trump.” Trump returned to the stage minutes later to finish his remarks.

First presidency (2017-2021)

September 2017: A man stole a forklift and drove it toward Trump’s presidential motorcade in an apparent attempt to overturn the presidential limousine in North Dakota. The suspect, Gregory Lee Leingang, later pleaded guilty to federal charges and was sentenced in 2019 to time served and one year of supervised release.

October 2018: A Navy veteran in Utah was charged after ricin-laced letters addressed to Trump and other officials were intercepted before delivery. William Clyde Allen III was charged with five federal counts but was later found incompetent to assist in his defense.

August 2020: Trump was abruptly escorted out of a briefing room during a televised news conference after a Secret Service officer shot a man who threatened to kill people near the White House. The suspect, Myron Basil Berryman, 51, of Forestville, Maryland, was found unarmed and arrested on a charge of assaulting a law enforcement officer, according to the Metropolitan Police Department.

September 2020: A suspect mailed a ricin-laced letter to Trump that was intercepted before reaching the White House. The sender, Pascale Cecile Veronique Ferrier, a dual citizen of Canada and France, admitted to manufacturing ricin at her home in Canada and was later sentenced to 262 months in prison, equivalent to more than 21 years, followed by lifetime supervised release.

Second presidential campaign trail

Trump then faced two assassination attempts and two additional threat-related incidents during his 2024 presidential campaign.

July 2024: One day prior to the Butler assassination attempt, federal authorities arrested a Pakistani national accused of orchestrating a murder-for-hire plot targeting Trump and other U.S. officials on behalf of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The suspect, Asif Merchant, was later convicted in federal court in March 2026.

November 2024: After the second assassination attempt on Trump in September 2024, the Justice Department disclosed another alleged Iranian murder-for-hire plot targeting Trump. The suspect, Farhad Shakeri, was accused of being an Iranian government asset who had been tasked with planning the assassination of Trump. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in March 2026 that Shakeri had been killed in a U.S. military operation.

Second presidency (2025-current)

Just 1½ years into his second presidency, Trump has faced seven additional threat-related incidents and one assassination attempt.

May 2025: A Florida man was arraigned in federal court after allegedly writing a letter to an official at the Charlotte Correctional Institution claiming he had “orchestrated the most daring Presidential assassination that this country has ever seen” and that “Donald J. Trump must perish.” The suspect, Christopher Davies, later admitted he wanted to kill Trump and was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison.

July 2025: Authorities arrested a Texas man after he allegedly threatened Trump on social media ahead of the president’s visit to the state following the July 4 flooding along the Guadalupe River. The suspect, Robert Herrera, was later sentenced to two years in prison.

August 2025: Authorities arrested a Georgia man after he allegedly posted a comment on a TikTok livestream threatening to shoot Trump. The suspect, 29-year-old Jauan Rashun Porter, wrote, “So there’s only one way to make America great and that is putting a bullet in between Trump’s eyes.” He was later sentenced to more than three years in federal prison.

FBI DISRUPTS ALLEGED EXPLOSIVE-DRONE PLOT TARGETING WHITE HOUSE UFC EVENT, OFFICIALS SAY

February 2026: An armed man drove into the secure perimeter of Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach as another vehicle was exiting the property. The suspect, 21-year-old Austin Tucker Martin, was fatally shot by authorities.

April 2026: Officials unsealed a federal criminal complaint against a Kentucky man accused of posting a series of politically violent threats on Instagram between January and late March 2026. 

The suspect, 23-year-old Kadrioan Serainity Santiago, allegedly threatened to cut Trump with a razor blade and feed his skin to stray dogs. He also threatened to kill the next member of law enforcement who interacted with him, encouraged violence against ICE agents and posted comments saying, “I’m filled with political violence.”

June 2026: Law enforcement officials uncovered an alleged terrorism conspiracy targeting Trump’s UFC event at the White House just four days before the mixed martial arts event was scheduled to take place. Eight men were indicted in an alleged plot to fly explosive-laden drones into the event and open fire on attendees as they fled, according to authorities.

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August 2026: Authorities arrested a suspect who was allegedly photographing and recording security preparations ahead of a scheduled fundraising dinner at the Trump National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. The suspect, Jeanine John Taele, 38, was found carrying a 16-round magazine loaded with ammunition, while investigators recovered an additional pistol and a fake “security protection agent” badge from his truck.

President Donald Trump shared a pair of lighthearted moments with a toddler during a Nevada event Wednesday, first stepping in to stop the young boy from wandering off-stage before joking, “I don’t want him to be [former President Joe] Biden and fall off the stage.”

The moment unfolded after Trump invited Sandra and Brad, a Las Vegas couple, on stage at the Red Rock Casino Resort and Spa with their two young children as he touted his administration’s Trump Accounts and “no tax on tips” initiatives.

As the child’s mother, Sandra, began to address the crowd, the toddler appeared ready to make a break for it before Trump quickly reached out to stop him from leaving the stage.

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

“I don’t want him to be Biden and fall off the stage,” Trump quipped, drawing laughter from the audience.

The playful exchange wasn’t the family’s only memorable moment with the president.

Later, after Sandra told Trump, “He did want to say a little something to you, Mr. President,” Trump replied, “Yes, thank you, thank you very much.”

The toddler then babbled briefly before his mother softly prompted him, “Thank you for my Trump Account.”

DEMOCRATIC MARYLAND GOV WES MOORE PRAISES TRUMP ACCOUNTS AS ‘SMART POLICY’

“Thank you for my Trump Account,” the little boy repeated into the microphone, prompting an uproar of applause from the crowd.

“Good job,” Trump responded with a smile, clapping for the toddler as the audience continued cheering.

Earlier in the event, Trump introduced the family by explaining that Sandra works as a waitress at a Las Vegas casino, while Brad serves as an officer with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.

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Trump said the couple had benefited from his administration’s tax policies and were investing in Trump Accounts for their two children.

“It’s a beautiful family,” Trump said as they joined him on stage.

Trump is a father of five and has 11 grandchildren.

EXCLUSIVE: Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., is introducing new legislation that works to restrict illegal aliens from reaping federal housing benefits, blocking loopholes and cutting off access for sanctuary cities to receive federal community development grants.

“[Illegal immigrants] have been allowed to participate in federally subsidized housing programs,” Hagerty told Fox News Digital. “They’re using American taxpayer dollars to jump to the front of the line while putting Americans at the back of the lines. It’s got to stop.”

The End Housing Welfare for Illegal Aliens Act is part of a larger effort by both the Trump administration and GOP members of Congress to halt illegal immigrants and sanctuary cities’ ability to thrive, which they claim often comes at the expense of benefits for the American people.

HOUSE REPUBLICANS MOVE TO MAKE TRUMP’S BORDER POLICIES PERMANENT

“The Trump administration has taken a look at this,” Hagerty said. “The preliminary estimates are 24,000 of these illegals are utilizing HUD programs. Again, crowding out Americans that would be deserving of these programs and, again, putting illegals into these positions.”

The bill Hagerty is putting forward codifies the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) efforts to close loopholes that allow illegal immigrants to receive federal benefits on taxpayer-funded housing if they are roommates with eligible individuals.

“HUD housing assistance is intended for U.S. citizens and certain eligible noncitizens, yet HUD resources serve only a quarter of eligible households in need,” HUD said in a statement. “Meanwhile, a recent HUD and DHS audit of all assisted households identified nearly 200,000 tenants with incomplete or unknown eligibility verification. Furthermore, HUD estimates approximately 24,000 illegal aliens, ineligibles and fraudsters in 20,000 ‘mixed status households’ benefit from HUD assistance.”

Hagerty’s bill, if passed, would enforce this proposed rule by HUD Secretary Scott Turner under all administrations.

“This current administration is going to do everything it can, I’m certain, to stop this type of fraudulent behavior,” Hagerty said. “But what I want to do is preclude this from happening if there were ever to be another Democrat administration.”

GOP SENATORS RALLY AROUND NEW DHS PROPOSAL TARGETING SANCTUARY CITIES: ‘SHOULD PAY A PRICE’

Hagerty also said the legislation would eliminate Biden-era incentives for sanctuary cities by denying these cities access to Community Development Block Grants (CBDG), federal funding that supports affordable housing, infrastructure and local services.

He also argued that, under the Biden administration, the adoption of sanctuary city policies was incentivized because those lacking citizenship documentation are still included in population counts when considering congressional representation.

“What the Biden administration did, they were creating incentives for people to come here illegally,” Hagerty said. “You think about where they situated sanctuary cities — in blue states, where they’re losing population, where they’re losing voters.”

“Why?” Hagerty said. “Because you can count these illegal aliens for the purpose of allocating congressional districts. You can count them for the purpose of locating electoral votes. That is the motive behind the crime.”

‘AMERICA FIRST’ IMMIGRATION OVERHAUL BILL WOULD CODIFY TRUMP’S CAMPAIGN PROMISES ONCE AND FOR ALL

The bill would require public housing authorities to verify citizenship before providing housing assistance. This would change the law so agencies “shall” verify citizenship, meaning they are legally required to do so, instead of saying they only “may” do so.

It would also specifically bar illegal immigrants from being eligible for both Section 202 and Section 811, which provide affordable housing for low-income elderly and people with disabilities.

“Illegal aliens are pushing out and crowding out people that are disabled, American taxpayers that are disabled, elderly that are disabled,” Hagerty said.

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Hagerty’s efforts to crack down on any negligence in restricting illegal immigrants from federal programs comes amid a broader fight by the Trump administration and Republicans in Congress to crack down on illegal immigration throughout the country.

“The goal is to pass the legislation,” Hagerty said. “And I think if you polled Americans, you’d find this is extraordinarily popular.”

President Donald Trump escalated his attacks on Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed Wednesday, singling out the progressive candidate as “full of s—” while arguing Democrats are embracing communism.

The remarks came hours after El-Sayed narrowly defeated Rep. Haley Stevens in Michigan’s Democrat Senate primary, winning by less than one percentage point after The Associated Press called the race early Wednesday.

He will face Republican Mike Rogers in November for the Senate seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Gary Peters.

Trump devoted several minutes of his Las Vegas speech to attacking democratic socialist candidates, arguing they are advancing communist ideas and calling communism “the greatest threat” facing the United States.

SOCIALIST SURGE: FAR-LEFT DEMOCRATS TEST NATIONAL PLAYBOOK AFTER BLUE-CITY PRIMARY SHOCKS

“These people are dangerous and frankly, they are lunatics. They’re crazy, and we can’t let them get into office,” Trump said. “Communism is the greatest threat to our country in its history, including even World War One, World War Two, Pearl Harbor, 9/11. I think it’s the greatest threat.”

The White House later amplified that portion of Trump’s remarks on social media, posting simply: “Communism is the greatest threat to our country.”

Trump mocked what he said communist policies would mean for Americans.

“Would you like a free house? We’ll take one from your neighbor. Would you like free rent? We’ll take it from whoever. We’ll take your building away from the landlord,” Trump said. “What they don’t say, and what Republicans should say, is that at the end of the year, you’ll have nothing but death, squalor, poverty. You’ll have a life of hell.”

LIZ PEEK: MICHIGAN CAN STOP THE SOCIALIST FEVER RAGE — OR WATCH IT SWALLOW THE SENATE

The president pointed to Venezuela as an example of what he said happens when communist policies take hold.

“Look at Venezuela, where it was such a rich country 20 years ago,” Trump said. “Every time this has happened, you go through squalor … filth, crime, death, destruction, embarrassment. You lose your home. You lose your apartment.”

Trump then singled out El-Sayed by name, drawing one of the loudest reactions of the night.

“When I watch Abdul, he’s full of s—,” Trump said.

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

El-Sayed’s victory gives Democrats a progressive nominee in one of the country’s most closely watched Senate races. Backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., El-Sayed campaigned on Medicare for All, getting money out of politics and ending U.S. military aid to Israel.

He has described himself as a capitalist and has distanced himself from the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), though Republicans have frequently tied him to the broader democratic socialist movement.

Trump later returned to a familiar theme from the second term of his presidency.

“If you remember, during my State of the Union speech, I made a very strong statement. I said that America will never be a socialist country,” Trump said. “I was right.”

The president argued Democrats now want to move beyond socialism.

TRUMP HAILS AMERICA AS ‘MOST EXCEPTIONAL NATION EVER TO EXIST’ IN MOUNT RUSHMORE SPEECH

“What I didn’t say is what they’re trying to do. They want to skip socialism. They want to go right down to the bottom of the barrel. That’s communism,” Trump said. “They want it to be a communist country. We’re not letting them have it as a communist country, not even for a minute.”

Trump closed by vowing to defeat what he called the Democrat Party’s leftward movement.

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“Together we will defeat communism, socialism and Marxism in America once and for all,” Trump said. “It’s defeated. It’s going to go down. It always goes down.”

The White House and El-Sayed’s campaign did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.

Fox News Digital’s Andrew Mark Miller, Kiera McDonald, and Robert Schmad contributed to this reporting.

President Donald Trump on Wednesday notched a major immigration victory after a federal judge acknowledged that the court order blocking the administration from ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for hundreds of thousands of Haitians is no longer in effect following the Supreme Court’s ruling in Mullin v. Doe.

The ruling marks the culmination of a years-long legal battle over the Biden administration’s expansion of Haiti’s TPS designation and delivers a significant immigration victory for Trump, who repeatedly campaigned on ending the Biden administration’s expanded TPS protections for Haitians.

The issue became a centerpiece of the 2024 election, after Trump and then-running mate JD Vance blamed the Biden administration’s Haiti TPS policies for the influx of Haitian migrants into Springfield, Ohio, where residents raised concerns about traffic safety, strained public services and cultural clashes.

BLUE STATE LEADERS ERUPT AFTER SUPREME COURT’S DECISION ENDING TPS PROTECTIONS FOR HAITIANS, SYRIANS

The controversy later exploded onto the national stage after Trump referenced residents’ claims that migrants were taking ducks and geese from parks and eating household pets.

The White House did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment by publication time.

U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes wrote Wednesday that her earlier order staying the Department of Homeland Security‘s (DHS) termination of Haiti’s TPS designation “is no longer in effect” following the Supreme Court’s decision and the D.C. Circuit’s subsequent mandate.

While the underlying lawsuit will continue, the administration is no longer barred by the injunction from moving forward with ending TPS protections for an estimated 330,000 to 350,000 Haitians living in the U.S. The remaining litigation centers on whether the administration acted with unconstitutional racial animus in terminating the designation.

LIBERAL COURT STUNS WITH RULING THAT HANDS TRUMP MAJOR IMMIGRATION WIN

The Supreme Court ruled in June that the TPS statute bars judicial review of the administration’s non-constitutional decisions to terminate TPS designations and found the plaintiffs’ equal protection challenge was unlikely to succeed. The Court reversed the lower courts and remanded the case for further proceedings.

DHS General Counsel James Percival pushed back on reports suggesting Wednesday’s order itself ended Haiti’s TPS designation, arguing the protections effectively expired when the Supreme Court’s mandate issued July 27 and that Reyes’ order merely acknowledged that legal reality.

“Haiti TPS ended when the Supreme Court mandate issued on July 27,” Percival wrote on X. “I will give Judge Reyes kudos though for taking the L with grace and not doing something bonkers like many of her colleagues.”

Haiti first received TPS following the country’s devastating 2010 earthquake, but the designation remained in place for 16 years through multiple administrations. The Biden administration later expanded and extended protections for hundreds of thousands of Haitians already living in the U.S.

MORE THAN 100 HAITIAN IMMIGRANTS WITH VIOLENT OFFENSE AND SEX CRIME CONVICTIONS DEPORTED: DHS

After reviewing conditions in Haiti, former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem determined the country no longer met the statutory requirements for TPS and announced the administration’s decision to terminate the designation, arguing the humanitarian program had been extended well beyond its intended temporary purpose. The move triggered the legal challenge that ultimately reached the Supreme Court.

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Following the SCOTUS decision, DHS announced Haiti’s TPS designation terminated effective July 27, and that employment authorization documents issued under the designation were no longer valid. The department instructed employers to reverify the work authorization of affected employees.

The State Department currently maintains a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory for Haiti because of widespread gang violence, kidnappings and civil unrest.

Fox News Digital’s Danielle Wallace and Michael Lee contributed to this report.

Abdul El-Sayed, moments after capturing the Democratic Party’s nomination in Michigan’s Senate race, sparked online controversy for his word choice in challenging Republican nominee Mike Rogers to a series of five debates.

“I know you’re going to say no because you’re a coward. Five debates. Alright?” El-Sayed said.

“You and I both know that you will wither in front of your own crimes, but I’m gonna make sure Michiganders know about them. By the time we’re done, you are not going to have safe quarter from people holding you accountable for what you’ve done,” El-Sayed continued.

The language of “safe quarter” is raising eyebrows among viewers online.

The online backlash demonstrates how closely the Michigan Senate race is being watched across the country and how viewers are analyzing every move of El-Sayed, in particular.

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

The former local public health official succeeded in his race against Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., a more establishment candidate with the backing of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., despite being heavily outspent.

His campaign has been a proxy for larger questions in the Democratic Party: whether the progressive label and promises of aggressively expanded public sector involvement will resonate with their base over the relative safety of establishment messaging.

But it has also invited scrutiny.

Conservatives ripped El-Sayed on social media for attacking Rogers’ out-of-state vacation home while he owned multiple rental properties overseas. Doug Powers, a longtime editor and contributor for Twitchy, believes it clashes with El-Sayed’s financial disclosures revealing that he owns property not just out of the state but also overseas.

“If I’m the Rogers campaign, I’m putting this in an ad. ‘A socialist who owns property in Dubai and India is attacking me for having a vacation house in Florida while threatening me in my home state?’” Powers wrote in his own post to social media.

“’No safe quarter from people holding you accountable’ is commie messaging,” he added.

“The easy rebuttal for Mike Rogers here is to point out that El-Sayed owns property in a luxury development in Dubai,” Chuck Ross, an investigative reporter for The Washington Free Beacon, pointed out.

“Is Dubai in Florida?” yet another account wrote.

Fox News Digital previously reported that El-Sayed’s most recent financial disclosure exposes how El-Sayed and his wife own at least two foreign properties in Bangalore, India and Dubai. The Dubai property is worth up to $250,000.

Other conservatives slammed El-Sayed for the tone of his message and suggested it was putting a target on the back of his Republican rival.

LIZ PEEK: MICHIGAN CAN STOP THE SOCIALIST FEVER RAGE — OR WATCH IT SWALLOW THE SENATE

Scott Jennings, the conservative political personality and media commentator on CNN, bashed El-Sayed’s phrasing at the victory press conference.

“Abdul el Sayed threatening the safety of his opponent while the Jewish Democrat AG of Michigan says she can’t go to a Dem convention because she’s not safe, either. Does everyone see what’s happening here?” Jennings wrote in a post to X, referring to recent developments in the Wolverine state over anti-Semitic comments.

Brian Newberry, a Rhode Island state representative and former minority leader, echoed Jenning’s concern.

“Democratic U.S. Senate nominee, who pals around with [a] guy who celebrates 9/11, tells his Republican opponent that he will ‘not have safe quarter’ in his home state. Who the hell does this guy think he is?” Newberry wrote, hinting at El-Sayed’s association with Hasan Piker, a progressive streamer who has drawn backlash for past comments of his own.

“And will any — and I mean ANY — Democrat condemn this rhetoric?”

AG Hamilton, a popular conservative X account, called on El-Sayed to bring more clarity to the statement.

“Someone should ask el Sayed what exactly this means because it certainly comes off as a threat of political violence aimed at his opponent,” the account wrote. 

El-Sayed’s campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the phrasing or on whether the online reactions were overblown.

DEMS SELECT THEIR CANDIDATE TO FACE LONGTIME GOP LAWMAKER WHO BALKED AT VIRGINIA REDISTRICTING

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In his remarks on Wednesday morning, El-Sayed continued to press his case against Rogers.

“Mike Rogers is a guy whose politics and vision and perspective are old. Mike Rogers is a guy who has never shied away from a corporation he could do a favor for,” El-Sayed said.

“If you want a senator who’s going to lick some boots, fine. Go vote for Mike Rogers. But if you want a senator who’s going to stand up to Donald Trump, then you’ve got your option right here.”

With the Democratic primary in the rear-view mirror, El-Sayed will face off against Rogers in the state’s general election on Nov. 3.

Democratic lawmakers were missing during Wednesday’s Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing, skipping a hearing on the Muslim Brotherhood’s alleged network inside the United States and drawing a blistering rebuke from Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.

“You may notice that there are empty chairs on the Democrat side of the dais,” Cruz said as he opened the hearing by pointing out every Democratic member of the subcommittee refused to attend. “The American people should ask themselves why not a single member of the minority decided that a hearing on terrorism was worth their time? It is an embarrassment.”

Cruz tied the Democrats’ boycott to Abdul El-Sayed’s primary victory, arguing the timing helped explain why no Democratic members attended. Cruz accused the party of embracing a candidate who had campaigned alongside left-wing streamer Hasan Piker. 

Cruz cited Piker’s past statement that “America deserved 9/11” and asked the witnesses what El-Sayed’s rise said about the direction of the Democratic Party.

HASAN PIKER UNLOADS ON ‘ISLAMOPHOBIC PIECES OF S—‘ DEMOCRATS AS EL-SAYED FACES PARTY UNITY TEST

“Abdul El-Sayed, the son-in-law of a leading member of several Brotherhood groups, won Michigan’s Democrat primary for U.S. Senate. Perfect timing for this hearing. Probably explains why no Democrats are here, and none intend to attend,” Cruz said. 

“Because their campaign is now openly embracing terrorist organizations waging war on America.”

The five Democratic members of the subcommittee — senators Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, Alex Padilla of California and Peter Welch of Vermont — announced beforehand that they would not attend. In a joint statement, the senators accused Cruz of staging a “political creepshow” that scapegoated Muslim Americans.

“Scapegoating Muslims may be a Texas Republican strategist’s idea of ‘solid gold’ to whip up their voters, but Democrats have no intention of indulging this political creepshow, particularly after the recent violence targeting places of faith,” they said. “Our focus is the costs families face thanks to rampant, non-stop Trump corruption.”

Blumenthal separately told reporters Wednesday that Democrats refused to attend because the hearing “could well be used as an anti-Muslim, Islamophobia kind of show trial.”

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The Connecticut Democrat added that he planned to meet with members of the Muslim community who shared concerns about the Muslim Brotherhood, “which appears to be a terrorist organization,” while advocating for “tolerance and inclusion.”

The offices of Whitehouse and Welch referred Fox News Digital to the joint statement when asked why the senators chose to boycott rather than attend and challenge the witnesses directly. The offices of Hirono and Padilla had not responded by publication time.

Cruz and the hearing’s witnesses rejected the Democrats’ characterization of the proceeding as an attack on Muslims generally.

Lara Burns, a retired FBI special agent who helped lead a terrorism-financing investigation into what was once the largest Muslim charity in the United States, the Holy Land Foundation, warned that Americans should not disregard evidence because it is politically controversial.

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“For decades, narratives have been intentionally seeded into public discourse that portray terrorist organizations as resistance movements,” Burns testified before arguing Americans cannot “ignore evidence introduced in federal court simply because that evidence is politically uncomfortable.”

“The history of this network is not in question,” she added. “It was made public decades ago, but few paid attention. Now is the time to pay attention and understand the facts.”

FIRST ON FOX: A top Florida official is slapping Anthony Fauci with a subpoena over alleged “profiting” from federal guidance that hurt businesses, residents.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced Wednesday he has issued an investigative subpoena against former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease Director Anthony Fauci.

The subpoena is part of a state probe into Fauci’s awards, incentives and guidance that impacted Florida’s residents and their businesses during the coronavirus pandemic.

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The announcement comes after Uthmeier, along with Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., pledged to have Fauci investigated at the state level following his Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee hearing last week when he pleaded the Fifth 111 times and references were made to his blanket federal pardon from former President Joe Biden.

“We issued a formal subpoena to Dr. Fauci under Florida state law, seeking a breadth of documents ranging to what he knew when he knew it, his doubts about the safety and efficacy of vaccines that he’s out there promoting, and we’re really focused in on his self-dealing,” Uthmeier announced on Fox News.

“Evidence has come to light that he was trying to personally profit off of this. This is outside of his government duties, his official role: He’s trying to pursue book deals, awards, get connected with high rollers that might help him come into millions and millions of dollars. This is wrong, and it could go towards a deceptive trade practice, fraud, public nuisance, you name it. I think there’s many aspects of Florida law that now are implicated.”

Uthmeier said the activities he is being subpoenaed over were revealed largely through his diary – several hundred pages of writings made on a federal server that Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., released last week.

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“We know one award in particular, he made $900,000 on that,” he said, appearing to refer to Fauci receiving approximately that amount from the Dan David Prize from Tel Aviv University.

Uthmeier said that when a bureaucrat is issuing directives and mandates he is privately questioning while also deriving a profit from that work, it raises legal questions.

“It starts as a civil inquiry,” Uthmeier said. “But we’re going to tie in all aspects of Florida common law, things ranging from deceptive trade, fraud, public nuisance, nothing is off the table.”

The subpoena asks for awards Fauci applied to, considered or received from any organization, including those within the state of Florida, relating to the pandemic.

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It also asks for information on professional opportunities offered to or considered by Fauci, as well as interactions and communications with Florida businesses, media outlets and communities regarding COVID-19 vaccination sites, social distancing and mask orders, and school closures.

A pair of other states expressed encouragement at the news.

West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey alleged Fauci’s refusal to answer Paul’s questions is “concerning” and that the American people deserve to know whether they were misled or “manipulated.”

“Both my Office and I support Attorney General Uthmeier’s efforts to uncover the truth,” McCuskey said in a statement obtained by Fox News Digital.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill added that the public “deserves answers to about a million questions related to the pandemic, its origins, and the government’s actions in response.”

Murrill alleged Fauci had lied and said that “we just don’t know how much” so.

“But he lied about something as basic as keeping a diary. The truth will come out.”

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Fox News Digital reached out to Schertler Law, counsel for Fauci, for comment.

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Fox News Digital’s Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division testified before the Senate on Wednesday in a confirmation hearing that could shape the future direction of the government’s fight against Big Tech.

If confirmed, Adam Candeub, a longtime telecommunications law scholar and former Federal Communications Commission general counsel, would take control of some of the most consequential antitrust cases in decades, including the Justice Department’s landmark lawsuits targeting Google’s dominance in online search and Apple’s control over the App Store and its rules for developers.

The cases could determine how aggressively the government pursues antitrust cases against the country’s largest technology companies.

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As head of the Antitrust Division, Candeub would oversee those cases and decide whether to continue the Justice Department’s aggressive antitrust efforts against the largest technology companies.

Candeub has emerged as one of the conservative movement’s most prominent critics of Big Tech, arguing that dominant online platforms have accumulated too much power and that regulators have historically overlooked the larger impact of technology companies on competition, speech and public discourse.

“Big Tech’s market power undermines our Nation’s culture of vibrant democratic deliberation,” Candeub testified before Congress in March 2023. “Elon Musk’s Twitter files demonstrated that Big Tech has indeed limited particular groups, including dissenters, from important Government policies from full participation in national political discussions.

“This power to exclude threatens all Americans,” Candeub continued. “Power to silence one group of Americans will be used sooner or later to silence another.”

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Candeub has pushed for changes to Section 230, the federal law that protects online platforms from being held liable for much of the content posted by users. During Trump’s first administration, he served at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, where he helped lead efforts to narrow those legal protections for online platforms under Section 230.

And in his contribution to Project 2025, the conservative policy blueprint developed by the Heritage Foundation for a potential second Trump administration, Candeub argued that antitrust enforcement failed to account for the influence of major technology platforms over competition and the flow of information being shared.

“The large internet platforms have transformed the U.S. economy, streamlining consumer purchases, networking billions of people, and altering long-established business practices,” Candeub wrote. “Despite their enormous size, they have avoided significant antitrust liability or prosecution. The reasons for this are not entirely clear.”

Candeub’s nomination has drawn support from former Justice Department officials, including former Attorney General Bill Barr, who appointed Candeub as an associate deputy attorney general in 2020 during the first Trump administration.

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Barr praised Candeub’s expertise in telecommunications law and his academic background, describing him as a knowledgeable and capable leader for the Antitrust Division.

“I think he’ll be a strong leader, and he’s very knowledgeable,” Barr told Fox News Digital. “I think he’ll be balanced and fair and apply the law.”

Barr is among more than a dozen current and former Justice Department officials who signed a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee supporting Candeub’s nomination. The letter highlighted his experience at the FCC, the Office of the Associate Attorney General, the NTIA and his work as a law professor at Michigan State University.

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“Adam Candeub has the experience and the qualifications to live up to that storied legacy,” the letter stated, arguing that the Antitrust Division’s next leader must be prepared to address the growing challenges posed by technology, social media and artificial intelligence.

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“The Division’s next leader must be able to meet those questions with both intellectual seriousness and practical judgment,” the letter continued. “Mr. Candeub is uniquely qualified to do so.”

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Sen. Dick Durbin said on X that he recently met with Candeub to discuss issues including merger reviews, Section 230 reform and efforts to protect children online.

The Senate confirmed the next director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as viral outbreaks wreak havoc across the country, and as lawmakers worry whether they’ve found someone to stand up to President Donald Trump’s top health official.

The upper chamber confirmed Dr. Erica Schwartz to be the next CDC director on Wednesday along party lines. Her confirmation comes as a Cyclospora outbreak, commonly known as the diarrhea parasite, carves its way across the U.S. from contaminated lettuce.

Schwartz is the latest person to lead the agency during Trump’s second term in a position that has seen nearly a half dozen different names and faces helming the nation’s disease-fighting outfit.

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She almost didn’t make the cut for a full confirmation vote.

Lawmakers on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee grilled Schwartz on whether she would actually stand up to the Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his position on vaccines.

Notably, HELP Committee Chair Bill Cassidy, R-La., who proved the decisive vote to confirm Kennedy last year, didn’t buy whether she would just take orders or make scientific and medically-based decisions.

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When pressed during her initial committee hearing whether she would buck orders that were politically motivated, Schwartz told Cassidy, “The secretary will absolutely allow me to be CDC director.”

“I feel like I’m having to go after this question a little bit more firmly than I feel like I should,” Cassidy said. “You can be CDC director and just take orders. We need a CDC director that will actually stand up to crazy, stupid things being said that undermine faith in immunization.”

That changed, though, and Schwartz cleared her committee test. Cassidy, who has used his newfound freedom to test the waters against the administration after being ousted by a Trump-backed opponent in his primary, said the agency “needs someone who understands that the way to prevent vaccine-preventable diseases is to reassure the public that vaccines are safe and effective.”

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“I’m confident that she knows what she is doing and will stand against those who do not,” he said.

Schwartz, who served as deputy surgeon general during Trump’s first term, is not the first CDC director to be confirmed during this Congress.

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The first was Susan Monarez, who lasted only a month in the role.

Monarez received glowing praise from Trump during her confirmation process, but was swiftly booted from the position over what appeared to be a disagreement with Kennedy over vaccines.

Julian Beaudion, the Democratic candidate who was challenging Republican Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota, announced he is dropping his election bid, a move that leaves independent candidate Brian Bengs going head-to-head against the incumbent lawmaker.

“As many of you know, we experienced a devastating house fire while continuing to navigate significant personal financial hardship,” Beaudion explained in part of a lengthy statement issued Tuesday. “Through it all, my wife, Inkka, and our daughters have shown incredible strength. They have sacrificed more than anyone should ever be asked to sacrifice for a campaign. Today, my first responsibility is to them.

“After the fire, an opponent and those associated with the opponent, hit my family and I with intimidating threats to drop out of this race,’ he said in the statement.

“Those attacks were personal and never about politics. The mental and physical safety of my family is my priority and for this reason alone, I step aside. This is a time for my family to heal and for South Dakota voters to choose a Senator. Not a time for me to talk of specific threats and attacks. But rest assured that time will come.”

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Beaudion said he will not back either of the remaining candidates in the contest.

“Let me be clear, I will not be endorsing or supporting Brian Bengs in this race,” he noted. “Likewise, I cannot support Senator Mike Rounds.”

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Bengs, who ran for U.S. Senate as a Democrat in 2022 but lost to GOP Sen. John Thune, said in a post on X, “I commend Julian Beaudion’s patriotic decision to make this a two-person race and put South Dakota first. Now South Dakotans who want to vote against Washington’s cost-raising agenda and corruption can come together regardless of party. Let’s look forward to November and retiring Big Money Mike Rounds.”

South Dakota Democratic Party Chair Shane Merrill said in a statement, “Julian would have made an outstanding U.S. Senator for South Dakota.”

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“Every city, town, and reservation he’s visited, people truly felt like they were being heard. Julian is the kind of leader we need in Congress. He is fair, understanding and open minded. That is why he would have won in November. While I am saddened that he is leaving the race, I respect his decision to focus on his family. Thank you Julian for your dedication to the people of South Dakota,” Merrill noted.

Progressive Democrats are taking their war against President Donald Trump’s handling of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to the skies with a new effort led by far-left Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich.

Tlaib introduced a bill on Tuesday aimed at blocking ICE and Border Patrol agents from accessing air travelers’ data called the No TSA Data for ICE Act, which would curb federal immigration officials’ ability to arrest noncitizens at U.S. airports.

The legislation would stop ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) from being able to use data gathered by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which includes passenger screening records, travel records, and personally identifiable passenger information purchased from private data brokers.

A TSA spokesperson ripped into Tlaib in response and argued the bill would make the U.S. vulnerable to terror threats. “As we approach the 25th anniversary of the horrific terror attacks of 9/11, it’s not shocking that some in the Democrat Party would want to neuter the Department of Homeland Security’s ability to protect Americans from terrorists,” the spokesperson said.

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“DHS was established to prevent information silos that could create blind spots against threats. Does Rep. Tlaib want our enemies to be empowered to attack the U.S. again?” the TSA spokesperson said.

The bill would also block the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from barring an individual from trusted traveler programs like TSA PreCheck based on their First Amendment-protected activity, like attending protests or speaking out against the administration.

Tlaib’s bill has little chance of getting a vote in the current Republican-controlled Congress.

If enacted, it could significantly curb the ability of DHS’s separate entities to coordinate immigration enforcement.

The Michigan Democrat said in a statement that the TSA was “complicit in ICE expanding its chaos and cruelty to target our communities in our airports.”

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“Through an information-sharing agreement signed in 2025, TSA is readily offering up our immigrant residents to suffer at the hands of ICE agents so they can fulfill their daily arrest quota. One source from ICE even said it makes for ‘easy targets’ at airports—a disgusting exploitation of immigrants in status limbo,” Tlaib said. “Immigrants should be able to safely fly in this country without the fear of arrest or deportation.”

Democrats have near-universally hammered the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown since the president came back to the White House in January 2025.

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The criticism fueled the longest partial government shutdown in history, with DHS going unfunded for 76 days as Democrats protested federal immigration agents’ killing of two U.S. citizens earlier this year — which also drew ire from Republicans.

Vice President JD Vance, who chairs President Donald Trump’s Task Force To Eliminate Fraud, said during remarks on Wednesday that the effort has identified $230 billion of suspected fraud so far.

“We’ve been able to stop $56 billion in fraudulent payments that would’ve otherwise gone to fraudsters, rather than to the people who need them,” he said at a task-force roundtable event with lawmakers.

Vance called for reforms to help tackle the fraud.

VANCE TO HOST CONGRESS AT WHITE HOUSE TO DISCUSS LEGISLATIVE ACTION ON FRAUD

He said when the federal government distributes money to states for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the federal government has “no visibility into who is ultimately getting those benefits.”

He said that if California provides “those food stamp benefits to an illegal alien, to a violent criminal, the federal government has no visibility, and sometimes the states themselves have no visibility.”

“So we need to work with Congress, and we need some legislation that would actually force some data sharing between the state governments and the federal governments,” the vice president said.

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Vance also floated the idea of tougher sentencing against those convicted of fraud.

White House deputy chief of staff for policy and Homeland Security advisor Stephen Miller called for “strict, clear, mandatory minimums” for fraudsters, saying they should be slapped with “a very substantial prison sentence.”

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“That change alone would be watershed for fighting fraud because it would mean that the Department of Justice would be able to, through prosecuting a few hundred or thousand cases in a year, be able to chill the criminal conduct of millions,” Miller said.

Republican voters in Michigan’s 8th Congressional District chose Thomas J. Smith as their challenger to freshman Democratic Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet on Wednesday – defying President Donald Trump’s endorsement of opponent Amir Hassan – in one of several House races the GOP hopes will help expand its majority in November.

The district stretches across Flint, Saginaw, Midland and Bay City, and has become increasingly competitive in recent election cycles. Al Lemmo also vied for the nomination.

Smith was a longtime GM employee, according to his website.

“We need strong conservative leadership that protects our constitutional freedoms, supports working families, secures our borders, and restores accountability in Washington,” he said on his website.

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Smith reportedly suspended his campaign in July and endorsed Lemmo, according to the Detroit News, while Trump endorsed Hassan and invited him onstage at a recent rally.

Hassan spoke then about how many members of his family worked for GM. “The contrast is clear, the time is now,” Hassan said. “Protecting America, getting back to the fundamentals… that’s what we’re doing this cycle.”

HOUSE REPUBLICANS AIM TO TURN DEMOCRATIC CIVIL WAR INTO MIDTERM WEAPON

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Lemmo, a retired Army automotive mechanical engineer, ran on a pro-life and pro-onshoring platform.

DEMOCRATS TARGET MORE GOP HOUSE SEATS AFTER SOCIALIST VICTORIES ROCK LEFT-WING PRIMARIES

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Smith recorded just over 50% of the vote by Wednesday morning, and was declared the winner by the Associated Press.

Smith told the Detroit News he is “humbled and honored that Republicans have chosen me to take the fight to Kristen McDonald Rivet.”

Rivet, who was a state senator representing Bay City before her tenure in Congress, won her primary Tuesday.

She defeated the GOP’s Paul Junge by about six points in 2024’s contests.

House GOP divisions are erupting on the midterm campaign trail as Republicans fight an uphill battle to keep control of Congress for the latter half of President Donald Trump’s term.

The infighting touched down in Florida on Wednesday, where two House Republicans are endorsing a primary opponent to incumbent Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., who is facing multiple investigations into his finances and allegations of domestic abuse, among other claims. Mills has denied any wrongdoing.

Reps. Mike Haridopolos, R-Fla., and Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., announced they’re backing former sports reporter Ryan Elijah for Mills’ seat, and said they “urge our fellow Republicans to join us in supporting him.”

“Ryan Elijah is an excellent candidate and will ensure victory for us in Florida 7,” Haridopolos told Fox News Digital.

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Notably, President Donald Trump has endorsed Haridopolos, Luna and Mills for re-election.

It comes after another GOP source told Fox News Digital that some Florida Republicans were worried about the chances of keeping Mills’ seat if he won the primary next Tuesday, Aug. 11.

The nonpartisan Cook Political Report downgraded its projection for Republicans from “Solid R” to “Likely R” earlier this year. And with a Cook rating of R+5, Democrats could be within striking distance if Republicans see a tough enough cycle in November.

Mills is under investigation by the House Ethics Committee and the Department of Justice (DOJ), according to a source, though he has consistently insisted that he has not done anything wrong.

WATCH: CORY MILLS BLASTS DOJ PROBE AS ‘POLITICAL OP’ AHEAD OF FLORIDA PRIMARY

The Republican military veteran dismissed reports of a DOJ investigation as a “desperate lie” by his opponents and said on X late last month, “We are not aware of any DOJ investigation, nor has there been any confirmation of such investigation by DOJ or FBI, and would fully cooperate if there was one.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Mills for a response to Haridopolos and Luna’s endorsement.

Mills is one of several House Republicans whose allegations of misconduct are posing a headache for the GOP on the campaign trail.

Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-N.C., announced overnight that he would drop his re-election bid after an explosive report detailed sexual harassment accusations by two young female staffers. Edwards has denied those accusations but has admitted to at times making staff feel uncomfortable.

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And Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, has been accused of domestic abuse by his ex-wife and former father-in-law, Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, and is facing pressure from congressional Republicans to drop out of his race as well. One House GOP source called the situation a “f—— trainwreck” in comments to Fox News Digital.

Miller has denied any wrongdoing and asked the House Ethics Committee to initiate an investigation in order to clear his name. The former Trump aide has resisted calls to exit the race, insisting he will win in November and that the public accusations from his ex-wife are a bid to derail his political career.

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All three House seats are on the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) target list, meaning Democrats are pouring money and resources into those races.

One House Republican, who was granted anonymity to speak freely, told Fox News Digital that all three should drop out of their races, stating, “We must lead by example.”

Mills’ primary debate is Wednesday night.

After a grueling, messy campaign, a far-left progressive has taken on the Democratic establishment and won.

Abdul El-Sayed felled Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., to secure the Democratic nomination for Senate in what became one of the ugliest Democratic primary races in the country. El-Sayed will now face former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers, who was uncontested in the GOP primary, in November.

Big money, the Democratic old guard and attacks on El-Sayed’s Democratic Socialist leanings dominated the primary, and leave the last man standing on the Left bruised and battered heading into the showdown with Rogers.

The face-off to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters, who backed Stevens, is a must-win contest for Democrats and one of roughly a dozen general election Senate races expected to determine whether Republicans retain their narrow majority.

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Before primary Election Day, El-Sayed was already looking ahead to his battle with Rogers, and hoping to curry favor with Stevens’ voters in the process.

“I think we all understand the risk of Donald Trump. We all understand the risk of Mike Rogers,” El-Sayed told Fox News Digital. “This is a guy who is not going to stand up and take on the war machine. He’s not going to stand up and take on Big Pharma. He’s not going to stand up and take on big tech.”

“He is going to do the bidding of large corporations,” he continued. “I think everybody understands what the stakes are. So I’m looking forward to welcoming everybody who might have voted differently in the primary.”

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El-Sayed, an epidemiologist and a former Wayne County health director who unsuccessfully ran for governor as an insurgent candidate in 2018, would become the nation’s first Muslim senator if elected. He has made support for “Medicare for All” a major component of his campaign.

He has also called for abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement and has been a vocal critic of Israel during its war against Hamas, characterizing Israel’s actions in Gaza as “genocide” against Palestinians.

More than $80 million was spent on the primary, making it the most expensive Democratic Senate nomination contest in history. Much of the money came from outside groups supporting Stevens or opposing El-Sayed. The largest spender was United Democracy Project, a political action committee aligned with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which is best known by its acronym AIPAC.

“We all knew that they were going to spend their money. We didn’t know they were going to spend $70 million of their money. We didn’t know that they were going to outspend us $11 to $1. And yet we’re still standing,” El-Sayed highlighted in his speech.

El-Sayed urged party unity and took aim at former Rep. Mike Rogers, the Republican Senate nominee.

Stevens also targeted Rogers during her primary night speech.

“Whoever wins is going to go and take on Mike Rogers. Republicans are going to do everything they can to throw all the dirt, all the mud, the kitchen sink at us because they want to keep the U.S. Senate red, so Mike Rogers can keep rubber-stamping Donald Trump’s ridiculous agenda,” she argued.

Of the two candidates, Republicans wanted El-Sayed, and old-guard Democrats feared his victory the most. The GOP is leaning into the bloody primary, too, hoping that the battle damage will have staying power in the weeks ahead until November. 

“Not only is Rogers a battle-tested candidate who has coalesced the support of Michigan’s entire GOP ecosystem, but he will also be the beneficiary of Democrats’ dysfunction come November,” a Republican operative told Fox News Digital. “Abdul El-Sayed has emerged from this cycle’s Democratic primary more damaged than ever and susceptible to more onslaughts of criticism from within their own party.”

His surge in the polls sent Democrats scrambling to back Stevens, forcing Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Peters off the sidelines.

Peters told Fox News Digital that Stevens was a proven winner who had previously flipped a red district to blue, and that ultimately, the main goal was recapturing control of the Senate.

“But it doesn’t happen if we lose Michigan,” Peters said.

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Stevens acknowledged the former in an interview with Fox News Digital, where she said, “Rogers has made it very clear that, you know, this gets easier if I am not the nominee.”

That’s because Republicans are leaning into El-Sayed being the more “extreme” of the two over his staunch opposition to U.S. aid for Israel, nixing corporate money in elections and pushing Medicare for all, which have all been underscored by his prior comments to defund police and recent “ogre on a pike” gaffe.

Still, his policy positions are hallmarks of the progressive movement that have earned him endorsements from the likes of Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.

And his victory marks another loss for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who backed Stevens in her failed bid to claim the Democratic nomination. 

“Abdul El-Sayed’s victory marks another devastating loss for Chuck Schumer in his civil war with Bernie Sanders as Democrats position Mike Rogers to defeat socialism’s newest standard-bearer in November,” National Republican Senatorial Committee spokeswoman Bernadette Breslin told Fox News Digital.

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Rogers was game for either, but did toss a jab in at El-Sayed in an interview with Fox News Digital.

“We feel confident we’re going to beat either one of those candidates that come out of that race,” Rogers said. “They’ve both have gone off to the left.”

“They are very radical, and they are way too extreme for Michigan,” he continued. “I mean, Abdul, he has his own special sauce of crazy.”

Kansas Democrats have made their choice in one of the most crowded primary battles in the nation and are backing a political newcomer with an eye-popping campaign war chest.

Adam Hamilton emerged victorious in an 11-way primary Tuesday night in the race to take on incumbent Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., who is running for a second term in the upper chamber.

And he has a line of attack against Hamilton already teed up.

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“Look, this guy is a woke, big megachurch pastor,” Marshall told Fox News Digital. “He’s too woke for Kansas. I think all we have to do is share his own sermons … with the Kansas people, and they’re gonna realize that he’s too woke for Kansas.”

Hamilton’s campaign countered in a statement to Fox News Digital that Marshall’s voting record spoke for itself.  

“Roger Marshall would rather attack a church whose community is one of the largest sources of food donations in his alleged home state than talk about why he constantly votes for higher prices, why he’s been hiding from Kansans for over 500 days, and why only 27 named Kansans donated to his campaign last quarter,” Tyson Brody, a spokesperson for Hamilton’s campaign, said. 

History is on the side of Marshall, who previously served four years in the House before making the leap to the Senate in 2020. That’s because Kansas has not sent a Democrat to the Senate in nearly a century. The last time was in the 1930s, when Kansans elected former Sen. George McGill. He only served one term before being ousted by a Republican.

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Still, Marshall is not resting on his laurels as he stares down another likely funding disadvantage.

National Republicans aren’t dumping resources into Kansas like they are in other states, given that Marshall is a strong incumbent and valuable campaign cash is needed in tougher contests in Texas, Maine and Ohio.

While Kansas is not on Senate Republicans’ radar as a battleground state, there is big money flowing in that could make Marshall’s bid for another term complicated.

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Hamilton, who leads the nation’s largest United Methodist church and congregation, has raised just north of $4.1 million since launching his campaign in February, according to financial filings with the Federal Election Commission.

Marshall, on the other hand, has raised just over $6.2 million during this cycle.

“Well, this is probably why my staff tells me, no matter what the polls show, they tell me that we’re down by three points, and we did get outspent about four to one last time around. Regardless, we’re gonna keep working hard,” Marshall said.

And as precious campaign resources flow to other marquee races during this cycle, where the GOP has more vulnerable incumbents up for reelection than Democrats, Marshall isn’t asking for a handout.

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He wants the resources from major GOP campaign arms, like the National Republican Senatorial Committee or the GOP leadership-aligned Senate Leadership Fund, to stay put.

“I guess we’re trying to not need to do that,” Marshall said. “That’s what our hope is, is that they won’t need to do that. Leader McConnell was super helpful last time. So, you know, they’re keeping tabs on this. We got to, you know, we’re all one big happy family here, so we’re hoping we don’t need them.”

Democrats are hoping their new candidate will be able to keep the governor’s mansion Democrat in deep red Kansas as they put up Cindy Holscher to face the Republican nominee Ty Masterson in the Nov. 3 general election.

Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly is term-limited, and the party is hoping to extend their hold on the governor’s office despite Kansas’ strong Republican lean. Meanwhile, the GOP views the open-seat race as a prime opportunity to reclaim the governorship after two terms under Kelly.

The Democratic field featured state Sens. Ethan Corson and Cindy Holscher, along with Overland Park Mayor Curt Skoog.

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On the Republican side, voters had a crowded field from which to select their candidates.

Secretary of State Scott Schwab, Senate President Ty Masterson, Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt, former Johnson County Commissioner Charlotte O’Hara, businessman Nick Reinecker, businessman Philip Sarnecki and former Johnson County Sheriff Stacy Rogers duked it out for the nomination.

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The primary in the Sunflower State coincided with a closely watched constitutional amendment that would replace the current system of appointing Kansas Supreme Court justices by instead holding direct elections.

The proposal, backed by Republican lawmakers, comes after years of criticism from conservatives over the state’s judicial selection process. If approved, it would amend the Kansas Constitution to require Supreme Court justices to be elected rather than selected through the state’s nominating commission system.

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The winner of November’s election will become Kansas’ next governor after Kelly reaches her term limit in January.

The governorship has frequently changed hands in recent election cycles, with voters alternating between Democratic and Republican leadership in Kansas despite its strong red tendencies, including voting 57% for President Donald Trump in 2024.