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Steve Hilton, a legal immigrant and political newcomer running as a Republican for governor of California, said the “absolute failure on every front” by current Gov. Gavin Newsom and Democrats means the GOP has a real shot at pulling off an upset in the Golden State.

Though California has long since been written off by many as a progressive stronghold, the most recent polling indicates Hilton may be right.

On Wednesday, Berkeley’s Institute of Governmental Studies released a poll showing Hilton leading California voter preferences at 17 percent. Another Republican, Riverside Sheriff Chad Bianco, follows at 16 percent. Both Republicans are ahead of the two top Democratic names, Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., and former Rep. Katie Porter, who are each at 13 percent.

“I know people look at California and assume that it’s going to be Democrat forever. It’s a deep blue state, but people here are sick of it. There’s a revolution brewing in California,” Hilton told Fox News Digital, adding, “This is our year.”

CALIFORNIA GOP LAUNCHES PETITION TARGETING NEWSOM PAROLE BOARD OVER SEX OFFENDERS

Hilton, an entrepreneur who immigrated to California from the United Kingdom in 2014, credits Newsom and years of one-party Democratic rule with voters waking up to the “complete disaster” unfolding in California.

“It’s not just the visible signs of failure that you see when you look at California. You know the homelessness crisis, by far the worst in the country. The crime that’s out of control, the smash-and-grab rates, the videos of that — those things are visible. But if you actually look under the hood, as it were, of daily life in California, it is an absolute failure on every front,” he said, emphasizing, “It’s not just that we’re doing badly in California under Gavin Newsom, we are the worst-performing state.”

He said that California’s sanctuary policies are a perfect illustration of this.

“People are infuriated when they see illegal immigrants in our state getting rewarded and getting away with crime and getting away with things that just regular Californians wouldn’t be able to get away with,” he said.

“It’s an insult to regular, hardworking California taxpayers when they see people who are here illegally getting things for free that they have to pay for.”

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

The same Berkeley poll indicated that 42 percent of California voters consider a candidate’s ability to “aggressively fight Trump administration policies” important in selecting their preferred candidate. Additionally, 28 percent believe a candidate holding progressive views is important.

California saw some of the most dramatic expressions of anti-Trump sentiment in his first year, with anti-ICE riots breaking out throughout the summer.

TRUMP QUESTIONS NEWSOM’S FITNESS FOR WHITE HOUSE, CITING HIS DYSLEXIA

However, even with this, there is concern among Democratic strategists that the liberal and progressive vote will be split among the high number of Democratic candidates running for governor. Due to California’s unique top-two primary system, a fractured Democratic vote could mean Hilton and Bianco are the only two candidates to advance to the November general election.

Hilton is confident that Republicans can capitalize on dissatisfaction with Newsom’s tenure as governor to propel them to victory. He referred to the anti-ICE agitators as a “very loud, well-organized, often well-funded minority of activists.”

“It’s activists, political activists on the far left who are pushing this,” he said. “Most regular people believe that our laws should be properly enforced. That’s the majority position, I would say even in California.”

Regarding his stance on the issue, Hilton said that as governor, he would “not accept California sanctuary state law,” and would “very clearly and strongly work with the federal administration to enforce the law.”

“I have absolutely no doubt that standing up for the enforcement of the law and saying very clearly that, of course, this is America, and we want to welcome immigrants to our country, but it has to be done the right way, and if you break our laws to come here, then you shouldn’t be here. And it’s as simple as that,” he explained.

NEWSOM KNOCKED FOR ‘INSANE’ CALIFORNIA GAS PRICES AFTER BLAMING TRUMP FOR RISING COSTS

Being from a family of immigrants himself — his parents fled to the U.K. from communist Hungary — Hilton said he is solidly “pro-immigration,” while noting, “But it’s got to be controlled.”

“I hear all the time that we should be offering a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants. There is a pathway of citizenship. It’s called legal immigration. I just took it. It is available,” he said.

Hilton concluded that while some conservatives may have written off California, he believes the gubernatorial race has an impact on the entire country.

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“So many of the terrible policies that are infecting the rest of the country, they all started here. The gender extremism, the climate extremism. All this nonsense, it started here in California,” he said. “So, if we beat them here, then we are doing something very important for the whole country.”

“That’s why I think it’s a race that actually really matters a lot.”

Fox News Digital reached out to the Swalwell and Porter campaigns for comment. 

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard on Tuesday issued a post on X in which she noted that President Donald Trump targeted Iran based on his conclusion that the regime “posed an imminent threat.”

She issued the post in the wake of Joe Kent’s resignation from his role as National Counterterrorism Center director over his opposition to the Iran war that Trump launched more than two weeks ago in conjunction with Israel.

“Donald Trump was overwhelmingly elected by the American people to be our President and Commander in Chief. As our Commander in Chief, he is responsible for determining what is and is not an imminent threat, and whether or not to take action he deems necessary to protect the safety and security of our troops, the American people and our country,” Gabbard noted in her post.

WHITE HOUSE, AFTER TOP COUNTERTERRORISM OFFICIAL QUITS, SAYS TRUMP HAD ‘STRONG’ EVIDENCE IRAN WOULD ATTACK US

“The Office of the Director of National Intelligence is responsible for helping coordinate and integrate all intelligence to provide the President and Commander in Chief with the best information available to inform his decisions,” she added.

“After carefully reviewing all the information before him, President Trump concluded that the terrorist Islamist regime in Iran posed an imminent threat and he took action based on that conclusion,” Gabbard wrote.

TRUMP BIDS GOODBYE TO INTEL OFFICIAL WHO RESIGNED OVER IRAN: ‘GOOD THING THAT HE’S OUT’

Kent publicly shared his resignation letter on Tuesday, asserting that Iran did not pose an imminent threat to the U.S.

“I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran,” Kent wrote.

“Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby,” he asserted in the resignation letter.

TOP COUNTERTERRORISM OFFICIAL RESIGNS IN PROTEST OF US WAR AGAINST IRAN

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Trump pushed back on Tuesday, saying that “it’s a good thing that he’s out because he said that Iran was not a threat. Iran was a threat. Every country realized what a threat Iran was. The question is whether or not they wanted to do something about it.”

FIRST ON FOX: A group of House conservatives are putting Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., on notice: quickly pass a Trump-backed election bill or expect the House of Representatives to block every Senate measure.

Two dozen House Republicans, led by Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., are vowing to oppose any Senate bill until the House-passed Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act clears the upper chamber.

“We made a promise to the American people. It’s time to deliver,” the Republicans wrote in an open letter to Thune, first obtained by Fox News Digital. “Consider this our filibuster.”

It’s a notable division between Republicans controlling the majorities in both houses of Congress.

REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: TRUMP’S SAVE ACT ULTIMATUM RUNS INTO SENATE REALITY

House Republicans have threatened for weeks to derail Senate legislation until President Donald Trump signs the measure into law. The SAVE America Act would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and photo identification for voters at the ballot box.

It comes as the Senate kicked off a marathon process Tuesday to debate the SAVE America Act, though the measure is ultimately expected to fail given unanimous opposition from Senate Democrats and Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Thom Tillis, R-N.C.

The group of House conservatives is calling on Senate leadership to pursue a talking filibuster to steer around the 60-vote requirement and pass the bill with a simple majority. However, internal divisions among Republicans have kept the conference from pursuing that approach. Thune has also warned a talking filibuster could backfire on Republicans if Democrats were to saddle the bill with Democrat-authored amendments.

REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: GOP WEIGHS ‘NUKING’ FILIBUSTER TO PASS TRUMP’S SAVE ACT

Despite clear math problems in the Senate, the group of House conservatives said they will continue to ratchet up the pressure. They also slammed Thune for beginning debate on the bill without having the votes to advance the measure to a vote on final passage.

“Continuing the same old kabuki shows is unacceptable, and the American people deserve better,” Fine told Fox News Digital in a statement. “Majority Leader John Thune can say whatever he wants about my colleagues and me holding the line, but we won’t tolerate Washington’s games any longer.”

“In the last election, the American people overwhelmingly elected President Trump and gave him and the Republican Party a mandate to Make America Great Again. Core to that mandate was a promise to restore confidence in the security of our elections — to guarantee that only Americans vote in them,” the House lawmakers wrote in the letter.

It’s not clear the defecting group has the numbers to immediately derail Senate legislation with significant bipartisan support. 

Forty-one conservatives revolted Tuesday on the House floor against Senate legislation that would reauthorize a program supporting small businesses. The measure still sailed through the House after nearly all Democratic lawmakers backed it.

However, House conservatives’ threats could still hamper efforts by Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to steer party-line legislation through the chamber.

TRUMP URGES CONGRESS TO PASS SAVE AMERICA ACT, FULLY FUND DHS AS TSA WORKERS GO WITHOUT PAY

With just a razor-thin majority, Johnson can currently only afford to lose one House Republican on any legislation that does not have Democrats’ support.

“On Sunday, President Trump announced that he will not sign any additional legislation until the SAVE America Act is passed out of the Senate. The President has also called on the Senate to use the talking filibuster to secure passage of the SAVE America Act immediately, superseding everything else. We agree,” the letter said. “Until that occurs, we, the undersigned, are prepared to vote NO on any Senate bill on the House Floor.”

A Senate GOP aide shot back at the House Republicans over their effort, saying, “Republicans fighting Republicans over congressional procedure is definitely a recipe for midterm success.” The aide added that Thune’s office has not received the letter as of the time of publication of this story.

It comes weeks after a group of House Republicans pushed Johnson on a lawmaker-only call to reject any Senate-led legislation until the SAVE America Act was passed.

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“If we’re going to go to war against our own party in the Senate, there may be implications to that,” Johnson said at one point, according to people on the call. “So we want to be thoughtful and careful.”

The letter notably did not make a carve-out for a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill, despite the White House assuring that Trump would make an exception for a spending bill to end the partial government shutdown.

FIRST ON FOX: A top conservative organization advocating parents’ rights is descending on Capitol Hill Wednesday to meet with both Republicans and Democrats on the subject of transgender issues and other agenda items.

Moms For Liberty is taking its “parents pledge” to Congress, with group members expected to sit down with Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and others in a bid to grow support for its movement to define what rights parents have over their children while in school and other places outside their immediate control.

“Moms for Liberty brought 100 members from across 20 states to Capitol Hill,” the group’s co-founder and CEO Tina Descovich told Fox News Digital.

CHLOE COLE ACT AIMED AT BLOCKING MINORS FROM UNDERGOING LIFE-ALTERING TRANSGENDER SURGERIES, GOP LAWMAKER SAYS

She said members of Congress would join President Donald Trump in signing their pledge, which Descovich called “a commonsense promise to the American people that you support their rights.”

The pledge states, “I pledge to honor the fundamental rights of parents, including, but not limited to the right to direct the education, medical care, and moral upbringing of their children. I pledge to advance policies that strengthen parental involvement and decision-making, increase transparency, defend against government overreach, and secure parental rights at all levels of government.”

Among the group’s legislative priorities, Fox News Digital was told, are to eliminate school-based health clinics, oppose any policy that circumvents parental authority in schools, and require schools to give parents full access to curriculum, lesson plans, evaluations, and learning standards.

On the issue of transgender policies, Moms for Liberty is pushing to maintain sex-specific spaces like school sports and restrooms, as well as the biological definition of sex and promoting pronoun usage consistent with students and staff members’ sex.

Moms for Liberty was established in 2021 to fight COVID-19 pandemic restrictions on students.

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Since then, it’s ballooned into a nationwide group with multiple chapters across the country.

And their meeting with Johnson on Wednesday is notable in that it’s a sign of their influence and Republicans’ focus on culture war issues like parental rights, even as they fight an uphill battle to keep control during the November midterms.

FIRST ON FOX: FBI Director Kash Patel is expected to tout a list of his agency’s top reforms and accomplishments under President Donald Trump’s second term during a Senate hearing Wednesday on worldwide threats impacting the United States.

Patel is set to address several reforms during the hearing, which is being held by the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, including expanded biometric collection overseas, sending more agents into the field from D.C., doubling the size and funding for drone utilization, a new first-of-its-kind training center meant to assist local law enforcement with counter-drone training, new artifical intelligence initiatives to support intelligence collection, among several other reforms, Fox News Digital has learned ahead of his planned remarks.

In addition to Patel, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard is also slated to testify alongside Patel at the hearing Wednesday, as well as Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director John Ratcliffe, Director of the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency, James Adams, and Acting Commander of U.S. Cyber Command, William Hartman.  

FBI SPOX UNLEASHES ON MEDIA’S ‘TRANSPARENT SPIN JOB’ THAT RECENT FIRINGS WERE ‘DEVASTATING’ TO IRAN WORK

“Under President Trump’s leadership, this FBI has been rebuilt into a faster, more accountable force focused on protecting Americans and crushing violent crime. We’ve surged agents out of Washington and into the field, expanded biometric screening overseas to stop threats before they reach our homeland, overhauled our intelligence and operations systems, and strengthened partnerships and technology to move at the speed of today’s threats,” Patel is expected to say. “This is a results-driven FBI delivering real security for the American people.”

Patel is also expected to tout a laundry list of accomplishments that the FBI has racked up over the last year, including disrupting 1,800 gangs and criminal enterprises, seizing over 2,250 kilos of fentanyl, and several statistics highlighting major arrests, including a 112% increase in violent crime arrests, almost 350 cyber indictments, 6,000 child victims located, 1,700 child predators arrested, among many other accomplishments.

Democrats have charged Patel with politicizing the FBI, but Patel and Republicans have argued that the current efforts are aimed at doing just the opposite. 

“You’ve begun the important work of returning the FBI to its law enforcement mission,” Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, told Patel during a September Senate hearing. “It’s well-understood that your predecessor left you an FBI infected with politics.” 

“As I’ve committed to you during my confirmation hearing and my conversations with you, this FBI will not be weaponized anymore in either side of the aisle,” Patel added during the September hearing on FBI oversight.  

FBI BUSTS CONVENIENCE STORE CLERKS FOR ‘STAGED ARMED ROBBERIES’ TO APPLY FOR IMMIGRATION BENEFITS

One reform aimed at reducing agency politicization at the FBI includes an end to what Patel has described as “politicized” threat-banding. Threat-banding is the process of assigning certain threats, such as White Supremacy violence, to high-priority categories. 

Under former FBI Director Christopher Wray, in 2020, the agency had indicated it would be elevating racially motivated violent extremism to a “national threat priority,” with Wray indicating it was at the “top of the priority list” for the agency. 

During Wray’s tenure under former President Joe Biden, a leaked memo from the FBI’s Richmond, Virginia field office, warned about the violent domestic extremism threat allegedly posed by traditionalist Catholics, leading to GOP anger and concern that Catholics were being targeted based on biased information.

Meanwhile, Patel’s push to make the FBI less Washington-centric and more Main Street-focused resulted in the FBI sending more than 1,000 agents, who were originally positioned in the nation’s capital, to locations around the country. Patel told lawmakers last year during congressional testimony on Capitol Hill that this priority allows the FBI to “focus our resources where they’re needed the most.” 

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Increasing federal and state cooperation, including via a first-of-its-kind counter-drone operations training center in Alabama, where state and local law enforcement can learn about federal law enforcement techniques. Additionally, the FBI has been ramping up its counter-drone capabilities, doubling the current size of their efforts, per Patel. 

Patel also has led initiatives to ramp up the FBI’s utilization of artifical intelligence, such as new working groups meant to test artificial intelligence’s ability to process large volumes of national security and intelligence information. Efforts to streamline communications and improve threat detection systems have also been a focus of the FBI during Trump’s second term. 

Another big change Patel is ushering into the agency includes strengthening and providing more funding to the FBI’s Threats Screening Center, renamed by the agency last year from the Terrorist Screening Center. The aim is to expand the system to assist with more than just terrorism-related threats, but also threats from cartels and others impacting border security.   

Senate Republicans dug in for the long haul as they embarked on their floor takeover and signaled that the hours of debate that crept well beyond the upper chamber’s usual twilight business hours was just the beginning.

The GOP launched its plan to control the Senate floor earlier Tuesday and spent the ensuing hours lauding and defending the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act as Senate Democrats hammered the bill as a tool of voter suppression.

But without Democratic support, the bill is destined to fail. And the vote to open the marathon debate session, which lawmakers predict could last days if not weeks, was an indicator that the support didn’t exist in the upper chamber to pass the SAVE America Act.

GOP TRIGGERS MARATHON SENATE FIGHT TO EXPOSE DEMS’ OPPOSITION TO TRUMP-BACKED VOTER ID BILL

Still, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, the bill’s sponsor in the upper chamber and the lawmaker who led lobbying efforts with Senate Republican leadership to get the bill on the floor, argued late Tuesday night that Senate Republicans would be remiss to waste the opportunity ahead of them.

“This is our moment,” Lee said. “Stand for a simple principle; let the American people see who is willing to defend their sacred right to vote and who is not.”

Several other lawmakers took to the floor throughout the late afternoon and evening, with debate often weaving in and out of the topic at hand and stretching into other matters of the day, like President Donald Trump’s war in Iran or honoring the Ohio service members who died in a midair refueling mission in the Middle East.

Democrats charged that the bill went far beyond just voter ID and was designed to suppress a plethora of groups from voting.

TRUMP VOTER ID PUSH FACES SENATE TEST AS GOP REBELS THREATEN TO SINK BILL

Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., accused Republicans of using the floor exercise to distract from other pressing issues.

“Instead of focusing on the affordability crisis or trying to save us from endless wars, Senate Republicans are once again doing Donald Trump’s bidding,” Padilla said. “This time, they’re making his conspiracy-fueled election takeover bill their top priority.”

Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., said that repeated probes and investigations found that “you are more likely to get struck by lightning than for a non-citizen to vote.” Republicans argue the bill is explicitly designed to end that practice.

Merkley countered that the legislation was about “rigging the November election.”

“And that’s exactly what Trump said — ‘You give me this bill, my party will win November and every other election for a long time to come,’” Merkley said.

Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., who is leading an amendment to include several changes to the bill requested by Trump, argued that “a republic has the right to distinguish citizens from noncitizens.”

“That should not be controversial,” Schmitt said. “That should not even be difficult. The vote is not a global entitlement. The vote is not a participation trophy for anyone who happens to cross our borders.”

SENATE GOP EYES BLAME GAME AS TRUMP-BACKED SAVE ACT HEADS FOR DEFEAT

The floor debate is expected to continue for the next several days. In the meantime, some Republicans believe they can wear down Senate Democrats enough to pass the legislation, despite the challenge of the 60-vote filibuster threshold.

Lee and a cohort of like-minded Republicans pushed for Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., to turn to the talking filibuster to pass the SAVE America Act, which, after possibly several weeks of debate, would lower the threshold to pass the bill to a simple majority.

Despite pressure from within his conference, Trump, and conservatives beyond the walls of Congress, the notion became an insurmountable math problem that Republicans couldn’t unify behind.

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Lee, however, was ready for the long haul Tuesday night.

“Let’s face it, there is no legitimate reason to oppose this bill,” Lee said. “And I stand by that, and I will continue to stand by that in the coming days and weeks. And I’m ready for many, many weeks. We’re going to stay on this bill until it damn well passes, because the American people demand and deserve nothing less than that.”

Senate Democrats are set to grill Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., during his confirmation hearing on Wednesday, his first hurdle to becoming the next Homeland Security chief.

Mullin’s confirmation hearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee comes as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) remains shuttered over Democrats’ desire for stringent reforms to the agency’s immigration enforcement operations.

Senate Democrats on the panel plan to use those demands to gauge Mullin’s willingness to make changes at the agency. They have argued since current DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s reassignment from the position that changes must go beyond a shift in personnel.

FIRED DHS CHIEF KRISTI NOEM FACES CRIMINAL REFERRAL FROM CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS

“He’s made some pretty incendiary statements that reflect his resistance to reform and would make him unqualified, unless he has a clear explanation and even retraction,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., told Fox News Digital.

When asked if he wanted guarantees on changes to the agency, Blumenthal said Mullin “needs to make commitments for reform.”

“If he fails to make commitments to far-reaching and fundamental reform, he should be defeated and rejected,” he said.

Mullin also has an icy relationship with Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who chairs the committee. When asked how the hearing could go, Paul said, “Come tomorrow, and you’ll find out more.”

Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., the top-ranking Democrat on the Homeland committee, said that he plans to give Mullin a fair shake but has questions about his colleague’s views on how the agency could change with him at the helm.

KRISTI NOEM FIRED FROM HOMELAND SECURITY POST AMID RECENT TURMOIL

“Certainly, I’d like to get his assessment of how he sees things currently and what he might change,” Peters told Fox News Digital. “That would be a fair range of questions.”

Senate Republicans are sprinting to move Mullin through the process, given that President Donald Trump wants Mullin in and Noem out by March 31. The confirmation hearing is the first step, and despite Democratic resistance, Mullin will likely clear that hurdle and head for a full vote in the Senate later this month.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said he and his leadership team haven’t tried to corral votes for Mullin, but noted that Democrats would “decide to turn on one of their colleagues in the Senate” after getting exactly what they wanted: Noem replaced.

DEM SENATORS CALL TO FUND DHS AFTER VOTING TO BLOCK IT 4 TIMES AMID SHUTDOWN FIGHT

“He’s got good, strong relationships on the other side of the aisle,” Thune said. “And I mean, this is what the Democrats were clamoring for. They wanted a new change and shake-up in the leadership, and it’s now happening.”

While Mullin will walk into a hearing that will test his relationship with colleagues across the aisle, he does have at least one Democratic friend on the committee.

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Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., who almost immediately came out in support of Mullin’s nomination, said he is still having conversations with the lawmaker about reforms to DHS. Fetterman planned to meet with Mullin ahead of the hearing.

“Is it controversial to talk to members of the opposite party? It might be controversial for some people, but that’s going to be an ongoing dialogue with him,” Fetterman said. “You know, I’ve said it, he’s a good dude, and I got to know him on a CODEL over the years.”

As Gov. JB Pritzker aims to make history as the first Democrat to win three terms as Illinois governor, the potential 2028 presidential contender now knows which Republican challenger he’ll face off against in this year’s election.

Former state Sen. Darren Bailey on Tuesday topped three rivals to win the Republican gubernatorial nomination, The Associated Press reported.

Bailey, a farmer, is a familiar face to Illinois Republicans. The conservative firebrand, a strong supporter of President Donald Trump and his MAGA movement, trounced the competition in the 2022 GOP primary before losing to Pritzker by more than 12 points in the general election.

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This time around, Bailey defeated conservative commentator Ted Dabrowski, who was backed by some major Republican mega donors; video gambling magnate Rick Heidner, who was able to self-fund from his personal fortune; and DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick.

Pritzker was unopposed and cruised to the Democratic nomination.

PRITZKER FLEXES POLITICAL MUSCLE IN ILLINOIS’ SENATE PRIMARY

The governor, a member of the Pritzker family that owns the Hyatt hotel chain and who has launched several venture capital and investment startups, has seen his national profile skyrocket over the past year as he’s become a top Democrat leading the resistance to Trump’s unprecedented second-term agenda.

This year’s gubernatorial election, in which Pritzker is the clear favorite in Democrat-dominated Illinois, is seen by political pundits as a tune-up for the governor as he likely gears up for a 2028 White House run.

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Fox News’ Hannah Brennan contributed to this story

Illinois Republicans on Tuesday selected Don Tracy as their nominee for the open U.S. Senate seat created by Sen. Dick Durbin’s retirement, sending them into a general election race in a state Democrats have long dominated at the federal level.

Former Illinois GOP Chair Don Tracy entered the race as one of the best-known Republicans in the field and quickly emerged as an early fundraising leader. 

His campaign focused on lowering living costs through market competition, greater consumer choice and negotiated prescription drug prices.

Tracy is seeking the seat being vacated by Durbin, the Senate’s longtime No. 2 Democrat, who announced he would not seek reelection in 2026, ending a Senate tenure that began with his election in 1996 and setting off a scramble in both parties for one of Illinois’ highest-profile offices.

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The Republican primary field also included attorney Jeannie Evans, businessman Casey Chlebek, R. Cary Capparelli, Pamela Long and Jimmy Lee Tillman.

Polls in Illinois closed at 7 p.m. Central on Tuesday.

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On the Democratic side, Rep. Robin Kelly, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton are competing to succeed Durbin. 

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has thrown his sizable war chest behind Stratton in a primary that is viewed as a test of his political clout in his home state as he likely gears up for a 2028 presidential run. The governor has seen his national profile skyrocket over the past year as he’s become a top Democrat leading the resistance to President Donald Trump’s second-term agenda.

Meanwhile, Krishnamoorthi is the clear fundraising frontrunner in the race and has spent big bucks to run ads. And a super PAC funded by crypto titans has shelled out nearly $10 million to back him.

Tracy now advances to the general election, where he will try to compete in a state that has trended decisively Democratic in federal contests. Indeed, whoever wins the Democratic nomination will be considered the clear front-runner in the general election in a state where no GOP contender has won statewide in a dozen years.

Melissa Bean, the former congresswoman who represented Illinois’ 8th Congressional District more than a decade ago, has won Tuesday’s primary election to retake the seat from retiring Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., who is running for Senate.

Bean entered Tuesday with a reported fundraising advantage of more than $1 million in the primary in the district, a Democrat-friendly zigzag of Chicago suburbs in Cook, Kane and DuPage counties west of the city proper.

Bean last represented the district from 2005 to 2011, when she was upset during the Tea Party wave as now-former Rep. Joe Walsh — one of President Donald Trump’s biggest GOP critics — eked out a victory by less than half a percentage point.

Walsh was eventually defeated by now-Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., who herself was replaced by Krishnamoorthi, a native of New Delhi, India.

ILLINOIS DEM SENATE CANDIDATES SPLIT ON BACKING SCHUMER AS LEADER

Krishnamoorthi hopes to be the latest senator elected from the district, as he vies to replace the retiring Land of Lincoln Democratic mainstay Sen. Richard Durbin.

Prior to Bean’s first tenure, Republican Phil Crane held the seat beginning in 1969, and before him, future Bush Pentagon chief Donald Rumsfeld — reflecting a marked political lurch to the left in the Chicago area in recent years.

IT consultant Junaid Ahmed faced off against Bean and other candidates in Tuesday’s race, running on a more progressive platform.

Ahmed’s platform included “realizing self-determination for Palestine and ending the Israeli occupation of Gaza and the West Bank,” according to the local CBS affiliate, as well as Medicaid expansion, green energy investments and canceling student loan debt.

WEALTHY ELITES BANKROLL DEM SENATE CANDIDATE WHO HAS REPEATEDLY TOUTED ‘GRASSROOTS’ CAMPAIGN

Candidate and former Krishnamoorthi aide Yasmeen Bankole was endorsed by Durbin. Bankole is currently a trustee for the village of Highland Park, Illinois, and also supports a Medicare-for-all plan, undoing President Donald Trump’s tariffs and raising the minimum wage, according to the outlet.

Other candidates in the race included business executive Sanjyot Dunung, activist Neil Khot, Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison, Army JAG officer Dan Tully and ex-DOJ counterterrorism staffer Ryan Vetticad.

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The Democratic victor is expected to be moderately favored in November given the current political makeup of the D+5 district, and will face the winner of the Republican primary.

Candidates there included accountant Kevin Ake, software company owner Jennifer Davis, retired Chicago cop Herbert Hebein, and business executive Mark Rice.

Far-left social media influencer and former Media Matters journalist Kat Abughazaleh has lost her bid to replace a longtime House Democrat in Illinois.

Abughazaleh was one of 15 people running in a crowded primary to replace Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., who is retiring after nearly 30 years in Congress.

She lost to Daniel Biss, the mayor of Everston, Ill., and a former state lawmaker.

SENATE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN CHAIR REVEALS HOW MANY SEATS HE’S AIMING FOR IN 2026

The race to replace Schakowsky in Illinois’ 9th Congressional District, a safe blue seat, has been a battle of the ages.

Abughazaleh, 26, is part of an increasingly politically active coterie of left-wing Gen Z activists who have been critical of the Democratic establishment.

Her campaign website touts “a new type of Democratic campaign,” warning, “If you’re a right-wing billionaire or a member of the Democratic consultant class, this campaign isn’t for you.”

SOCIALIST WINS PILE UP AFTER GOP’S BRUTAL 2025 OFF-YEAR ELECTION LOSSES

She notably said during a primary debate that she did not support the continued leadership of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.

The progressive influencer also got indicted on federal charges late last year related to an incident in which agitators allegedly attacked an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) vehicle outside a Chicago suburb holding facility.

Fine, who is supported by groups linked to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), said she would back Jeffries. She was the most moderate of the three front-runners.

Biss did not weigh in. He was the only candidate backed by Schakowsky in the race.

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Before becoming mayor of the Chicago suburb of Evanston, Biss ran for governor but lost his primary to Illinois’ current leader, Gov. JB Pritzker.

The 9th Congressional District includes part of Chicago and its northern suburbs and is rated D+19 by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report.

The winner of Tuesday night’s primary was all but assured to win the general election in November.

Democratic Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton of Illinois is now a giant step closer to becoming only the fifth Black woman elected to the Senate in the nation’s history.

Stratton on Tuesday topped Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly, her top two rivals among a crowded field of contenders, in a contentious and extremely expensive Democratic Senate primary, the Associated Press reports.

Stratton, a former state lawmaker who has served two terms as lieutenant governor under Gov. JB Pritzker, a fellow Democrat, will now be considered the clear frontrunner in blue-leaning Illinois to succeed Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin, who’s retiring at the end of the year after three decades in the Senate.

PRITZKER FLEXES POLITICAL MUSCLE IN ILLINOIS’ SENATE PRIMARY

The Democratic Senate primary, as well as down-ballot battles for a quartet of Chicago-area open House seats, were hotbeds for contentious party disagreements over battling illegal immigration and policy towards Israel, how best to push back against President Donald Trump‘s unprecedented second-term agenda, and the generational struggles among Democrats.

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Krishnamoorthi, who was born in India and immigrated to the U.S. with his family as a child, was the clear fundraising frontrunner in the Democratic primary, and spent big bucks to run ads. And a super PAC funded by crypto titans has shelled out nearly $10 million in support of Krishnamoorthi.

But Stratton was backed by Pritzker, who had plenty on the line in the Senate primary.

That’s because the billionaire governor and potential 2028 White House contender, who was unopposed for his party’s nomination as he seeks to become the first Democrat to serve three terms steering the nation’s sixth-most populous state, dipped into his large war chest to dish out millions to fund a super PAC supporting Stratton

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The Senate primary was viewed as a test of Pritzker’s political clout in Illinois as he likely gears up for a 2028 presidential run. The governor has seen his national profile skyrocket over the past 14 months as he’s become a top Democrat leading the resistance to Trump.

Latin Grammy-winning singer Bobby Pulido, now the Democratic nominee in Texas’ 15th Congressional District, appeared in a controversial music video depicting lewd behavior.

In a 2010 music video for his song “Dias de Ayer,” Pulido portrayed a character wrapped in a red blanket engaging in indecent acts and appearing to expose himself to a woman seated next to him on a plane.

According to the New York Post, Pulido faced questions from the Mexican press about his sexuality following the release of the video.

“People are opening up more. I can even tell you that when I started my career, I saw the whole situation (of gays) very differently. At first, they said I was gay; there were rumors that I was like that,” Pulido said in a 2010 interview with the outlet El Norte, translated from Spanish.

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Pulido responded to comments about sexuality in several posts, including a 2019 post on his personal X account: “Igualmente amigo, no homo.”

In a 2015 post, Pulido taunted pharmaceutical executive Martin Shkreli, who later served a seven-year prison sentence, writing, “Don’t drop the soap a–hole.”

After announcing his campaign last fall, Pulido faced scrutiny over resurfaced posts linking to explicit websites on his personal X account, as well as a post that appeared to show him urinating on President Donald Trump’s Hollywood Walk of Fame star.

DEM OFFICIAL PLEADS GUILTY TO CHILD ABUSE FOR DRIVING DRUNK AT TRIPLE LEGAL LIMIT, ENTERS DIVERSION PROGRAM

The Democratic nominee also drew backlash over past vulgar attacks against Trump, including posting the Spanish translation of “f— your mother.”

“I’d like to give you the biggest ‘f— you,’ you piece of s—, a–hole, d— head, son of a b—-,” Pulido wrote in another post.

Pulido also drew attention after previously describing himself as a “winter Texan” for spending much of the year in Mexico.

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Pulido is vying for the seat currently held by Rep. Monica De La Cruz, R-Texas, a two-term incumbent.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Pulido for comment.

Fox News Digital’s Leo Briceno contributed to this report.

Democrat Patty García secured her party’s nomination for Illinois’ 4th Congressional District after a controversial last-minute decision by her former boss, incumbent Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García, not to seek re-election allowed her to run unopposed.

A heavily Hispanic district situated in Chicago and its suburbs, Illinois’ 4th Congressional District is considered one of the deepest-blue House districts in the country, giving García a marked advantage in the November general election.

After serving on Rep. García’s staff since his 2019 election, she is widely considered his handpicked successor. The two are not related. Rep. García sparked controversy last fall when he announced he would not seek re-election two days after the filing deadline had passed. The maneuver left only García on the ballot, forcing progressive candidates Byron Sigcho-Lopez and Mayra Macías to run as independents.

PROGRESSIVE GROUP APPEARS TO ADVOCATE FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR GUARANTEED INCOME PROGRAMS

Critics called the maneuver an unfair attempt by Rep. García to tip the scales in his district’s next election. The House later passed a resolution of disapproval against him, led by fellow Democrat Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash. Nearly two dozen House Democrats defied Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., to vote in favor of the rebuke.

The measure passed 236 to 183, with 23 Democrats joining Republicans to rebuke Rep. García. Four lawmakers voted “present” — Reps. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., Suhas Subramanyam, D-Va., and Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio.

CHICAGO TEACHERS UNION CALLS FOR SCHOOL SHUTDOWN ON MAY DAY TO PROTEST TRUMP

García is a Chicago native and longtime Democratic political strategist who has served as Rep. García’s chief of staff since 2023. She is running on a progressive platform that closely mirrors her boss’s priorities and is pro-union and a staunch opponent of President Donald Trump.

Her campaign website states that immigration enforcement is “being used to terrorize working-class communities.” She has pledged to work to abolish U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, with her website stating, “Patty has confronted abusive tactics head-on and will fight for dignity, due process, and to abolish ICE so families can live without fear.”

The general election in District 4 will be a clash among progressives. Sigcho-Lopez is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, a socialist political group that has seen a resurgence in American politics with the election of figures such as New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

ILLINOIS GUARANTEED INCOME ADVOCATES PUSH FOR PERMANENT STATEWIDE CASH HANDOUT PROGRAM

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Meanwhile, Macías states on her campaign website that she is running for Congress “because everything she has fought for is being rolled back and the community that raised her is being directly targeted by the Trump Administration.”

Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Elkind and Leo Briceno contributed to this report.

Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller beat out former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., D-Ill., and State Sen. Robert Peters, D-Ill., in a Democratic primary race on Tuesday evening, teeing up her bid to represent one of the state’s many reliably blue seats.

Miller centered her campaign on healthcare issues like affordability and maternity on her website and social media.

“In Congress, I’ll defend reproductive rights and lower costs,” Miller, a former board member for Planned Parenthood, said in a campaign video.

She raised $1.9 million, according to FEC records, dwarfing contributions from Peters and Jackson.

DHS HITS BACK AT ILLINOIS COUNTY CLERK WHO TOLD ICE TO STAY AWAY FROM PRIMARY POLLING PLACES

JESSE JACKSON’S FAMILY SAYS ILLINOIS SENATE ENDORSEMENT RELEASE WAS NOT AUTHORIZED

Miller looks to fill the seat of Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Ill., a seven-term incumbent pursuing a bid for U.S. Senate.

As one of 17 commissioners, Miller helped manage the affairs of Cook County, including managing its finances, meeting state and federal requirements and overseeing county operations.

Miller first joined the Cook County Board of Commissioners in 2018. Before her time with Cook County, she served in leadership positions in a number of organizations, including as a now-former board member of Planned Parenthood of Illinois, vice president of Illinois Democratic Women and president of Democratic Women of South Suburbs, according to her website.

ILLINOIS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR SEEKING US SENATE SEAT RELEASES VIDEO OF PEOPLE SAYING ‘F— TRUMP’

Illinois’ Second Congressional District begins at its northernmost point in the heart of Chicago and stretches down about a two-hour drive south along the state’s border with Indiana.

The district has been a Democratic stronghold for 70 years. Kelly, its incumbent, last won reelection in 2024 by a 35.1% margin over Republican challenger Ashley Ramos.

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Its last Republican representative, Richard B. Vail, lost reelection in 1952.

Having secured the Democratic nomination for the district, Miller will face off against Mike Noack in November, a truck driver who is running unopposed as the Republican candidate.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday blasted mail-in voting as “corrupt as hell” as the SAVE America Act heads to the Senate floor for debate.

Trump made the remarks during the Shamrock Bowl presentation with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin, telling the crowd “the biggest thing coming up is the SAVE America Act in the Senate.”

He said the legislation focuses on voter identification and proof of citizenship, while also taking aim at “corrupt” mail-in ballots.

“We’re the only country in the world that does it that way. Corrupt as hell,” Trump said. “Then we added two more…One is no men in women’s sports. That seems like an easy one. I believe that’s the 99%. And no transgender mutilation of our children. None. That’s only polling at 98%.”

REPS. FINE, SELF, HARRIS, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH: WE’LL BLOCK THE SENATE UNTIL THE SAVE ACT PASSES

“Hopefully the Senate is going to be able to get that. You can’t ask for five better things,” he continued. “It’s so good for our nation. I mean, who would not have voter ID, who would not have, proof of citizenship? And, the only people who would want not to have that or people that want to cheat. It’s very, very simple. We can’t let that happen.”

The SAVE America Act would require proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in federal elections and mandate voter identification at the polls, measures Republicans argue are necessary to secure elections.

The president’s remarks followed Senate Republicans moving to bring the SAVE America Act to the Senate floor, aiming to force Democrats to take a public position on the Trump-backed measure.

TRUMP URGES CONGRESS TO PASS SAVE AMERICA ACT, FULLY FUND DHS AS TSA WORKERS GO WITHOUT PAY

Lawmakers voted 51-48 to begin debate on the bill, an initial step forward with Democrats remaining unified in opposition.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, was the only Republican to vote against advancing the measure, while all Democrats voted no. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., did not vote.

The procedural move opens the door for debate on the legislation, with GOP leaders expected to allow amendments and extended discussion in the days ahead.

REPUBLICANS SHRED ‘NONSENSE’ DEM CLAIMS AGAINST TRUMP-BACKED VOTER ID BILL

Senate Majority Leader John Thune is expected to eventually file to end the debate, which would set up a final vote requiring 60 votes to move forward.

Republicans would need support from Democrats to reach that threshold, making the bill’s path forward uncertain.

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Democrats have opposed the legislation, arguing existing laws already prohibit noncitizens from voting and warning the requirements could create barriers for eligible voters.

Mail-in voting expanded significantly during the 2020 election and remains widely used in several states, including some led by Republicans.

The White House is digging in against congressional Democrats, revealing several compromises the administration has been willing to make on immigration enforcement to end the government shutdown.

In a letter from a White House official obtained by Fox News Digital, the administration laid out five key concessions to congressional Democrats who have continued to block funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in a bid to get stringent reforms to immigration operations.

It’s the first peek behind the closely guarded veil of the funding stalemate and comes after congressional Democrats broke the ice with yet another counteroffer to the White House late Monday night, which the administration balked at as the shutdown entered its 32nd day.

FIRED DHS CHIEF KRISTI NOEM FACES CRIMINAL REFERRAL FROM CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS

“The Democrats have once again responded with a counteroffer that does not indicate the seriousness that this moment needs,” a senior White House official said.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., countered that the White House wasn’t negotiating seriously, either.

“The issue is, they’re not getting serious,” Schumer said. “The key issues of warrants when you bust into someone’s house, the key issue of identity of police and no masks, they haven’t budged on those.”

The letter, sent to Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Katie Britt, R-Ala., included compromises on several demands that have been a top priority for Schumer and Democrats but notably lacked requirements for agents to obtain judicial warrants and demands that agents go maskless.

“The use of administrative warrants is a long-standing practice for administrations, and ultimately that will be a subject of future conversations, but the administration is unwilling to return to the Biden status quo of open borders,” the official said.

DEM SENATORS CALL TO FUND DHS AFTER VOTING TO BLOCK IT 4 TIMES AMID SHUTDOWN FIGHT

Still, the letter did check off several asks for Democrats, including expanding the use of body-worn cameras for DHS agents, save for agents in undercover operations, coupled with plans to hold onto the footage to allow for more congressional oversight.

The Trump administration also offered to limit immigration enforcement at sensitive locations, including hospitals and schools, with exceptions to national security, flight risks and public safety. The administration also plans to adhere to congressional oversight of DHS detention facilities and vowed to enforce the use of visible identification for DHS agents.

Another compromise was to ensure that any U.S. citizens are not deported and plans to codify not “knowingly detaining a U.S. citizen, except when the person violates a state or federal law that makes the citizen subject to arrest.”

Democrats’ counter did little to move the needle for Republicans.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., characterized the White House’s compromises as going “above and beyond” and noted the administration had made offers to raise spending on body-worn cameras to $100 million and “include audits by the Inspector General, you know, and reviews for non-compliance.”

KATIE BRITT BLASTS DEMOCRAT FOR PLAYING ‘POLITICAL GAMES’ WITH SHUTDOWN AMID AIRPORT CHAOS

“I mean, there’s a whole bunch of stuff in there that they’re just things that, in my view, have been significant gives on the part of the White House, but the Democrats seem intent on dragging out this political issue,” Thune said.

And Britt, who Thune tapped to lead negotiations on behalf of the GOP, said she was still trying to get Democrats in a room to negotiate.

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Britt told Fox News Digital she believed “there are many of my Democratic colleagues” that wanted to find a way out of the shutdown, too, and noted that during the 43-day shutdown there had been talks happening the whole time.

“I mean, it’s past time for us to do that, and so I’m going to keep pushing it,” she said. “But do you realize that, how many days into this — and we have yet to sit down and talk about it — I mean it’s actual insanity.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt pushed back Tuesday on “false claims” in the resignation letter of the nation’s top counterterrorism official, saying President Donald Trump had “strong and compelling evidence” that Iran was going to attack the United States first. 

Joe Kent wrote on X earlier this morning that, “After much reflection, I have decided to resign from my position as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, effective today.” Kent said he could not in “good conscience” support the ongoing war with Iran, claiming that “Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.” 

“There are many false claims in this letter but let me address one specifically: that ‘Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation,” Leavitt responded. “This is the same false claim that Democrats and some in the liberal media have been repeating over and over.” 

“As President Trump has clearly and explicitly stated, he had strong and compelling evidence that Iran was going to attack the United States first,” she added.

TRUMP BIDS GOODBYE TO INTEL OFFICIAL WHO RESIGNED OVER IRAN: ‘GOOD THING THAT HE’S OUT’ 

Leavitt said, “This evidence was compiled from many sources and factors,” and, “President Trump would never make the decision to deploy military assets against a foreign adversary in a vacuum.” 

The press secretary said Iran is the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism – a sentiment that House lawmakers agreed with earlier this month when they passed a resolution containing the same language. 

“The Iranian regime is evil. It proudly killed Americans, waged war against our country, and openly threatened us all the way up to the launch of Operation Epic Fury,” Leavitt continued. 

EU PUSHES FOR END OF IRAN WAR IN A MANNER WHERE ‘EVERYBODY SAVES FACE’ 

“Iran was aggressively expanding their short-range ballistic missiles to combine with their naval assets to give themselves immunity – meaning they would have a degree of a capabilities that would give them immunity to hold us and the rest of the world hostage,” she added. “The regime aimed to use those ballistic missiles as a shield to continue achieving their ultimate goal – nuclear weapons.” 

Leavitt said the president “ultimately made the determination that a joint attack with Israel would greatly reduce the risk to American lives that would come from a first strike by the terrorist Iranian regime and address this imminent threat to America’s national security interests.” 

She also slammed the “absurd allegation that President Trump made this decision based on the influence of others, even foreign countries,” calling Kent’s claim “insulting and laughable.” 

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“President Trump has been remarkably consistent and has said for DECADES that Iran can NEVER possess a nuclear weapon,” Leavitt said. “As someone who actually witnesses President Trump’s decision-making process on a daily basis, I can attest to the fact that he is always looking to do what’s in the best interest of the United States of America — period. America First.” 

A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) investigation in Florida busted a “deeply disturbing” illegal animal cruelty operation involving baby monkeys by U.S. citizen Francisco Javier Ravelo.

According to the Justice Department, Ravelo, 36, pleaded guilty in federal court to distributing videos depicting the torture of both adult and baby monkeys that involved mutilation and burning. The DOJ said Ravelo personally distributed more than 40 torture videos and that his actions violated the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act, which was signed into law by President Donald Trump during his first term.  

Ravelo now faces up to seven years in prison.

The DOJ said the animal cruelty scheme was exposed by an investigation by ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), which is the primary criminal investigations arm of the Department of Homeland Security.

ORGANIZED AND TECHNOLOGICAL: ICE RESISTANCE GROUPS POSING GROWING DANGER, WARNS FORMER TOP NSA, DHS OFFICIAL

Jason Reding Quiñones, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, called the case “deeply disturbing” and evidenced a willingness on the part of Ravelo to “inflict suffering without remorse.”

“As a former state court trial judge who presided over domestic violence cases, I was trained to recognize lethality factors, warning signs that violence is escalating. Deliberate cruelty to animals is one of the clearest red flags,” he said. “It reflects a willingness to dominate, torture, and inflict suffering without remorse.”

Quiñones condemned Ravelo’s actions in no uncertain terms, calling it a “serious federal crime” that he said “fuels a market built on brutality.”

Adam Gustafson, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, commented that “if you are involved in this sadistic activity, we will prosecute you.”

Meanwhile, Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons said that while Ravelo “didn’t count on HSI being able to track him down, pull together evidence and present it to the judge … now he knows better.”

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT FROM VENEZUELA LEARNS SENTENCE FOR BITING ICE AGENT, WITH INJURY SEEN IN PHOTO

“Homeland Security Investigations pieced together the case that led to Ravelo’s guilty plea,” said Lyons, adding, “I hope this serves as a warning to others who acquire or distribute this kind of content: HSI will find you, and you’ll end up in federal court just like Ravelo did.”

Upon signing the PACT Act in 2019, Trump said, “It is important that we combat these heinous and sadistic acts of cruelty, which are totally unacceptable in a civilized society.”

Trump said that the passage of the PACT Act was “something that should have happened a long time ago.”

This year, Trump also launched a new multi-agency initiative to strengthen enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act, specifically targeting chronic puppy mill violators and dogfighting rings. The move was commended by Humane World for Animals.

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In a statement announcing the initiative, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said that Trump administration agencies are “taking historic actions” to hold chronic pet welfare violators accountable.

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The agency said the initiative “will boost compliance with existing laws, protect our companion animals,” and reiterates that the Trump administration “stands with the majority of Americans” who are pet owners.

Senate Republicans on Tuesday successfully launched their floor takeover to put Senate Democrats on record against Trump-backed voter ID legislation.

It’s a move to shift the spotlight from internal GOP divisions over the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act onto Senate Democrats, who are ultimately withholding the needed votes to pass the bill.

“Not a single Democrat will support the SAVE Act. It is a radical bill,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said on the Senate floor. 

“And if Republicans try to burn time on this legislation here on the floor, we will oppose them for as long as it takes.”

TRUMP VOTER ID PUSH FACES SENATE TEST AS GOP REBELS THREATEN TO SINK BILL

It’s also the culmination of a pressure campaign on Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., from President Donald Trump, conservatives in his conference and a fervent online campaign to put the bill on the floor.

Trump said he spoke with Thune Monday morning about the forthcoming process and said “he’s trying.”

“I hope John Thune can get it across the line,” Trump said.

When asked if Trump understood the path forward, Thune said, “Well, I think he wants us to fight for our position, which we will, and then we’ll see what the Democrats want to do.”

Still, opening up what will be a multi-day marathon debate on the bill wasn’t without its hiccups. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, joined all Senate Democrats to block the legislation. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., who threatened to do everything he could to block the bill, did not vote. 

While the lobbying campaign from Sens. Mike Lee, R-Utah; Rick Scott, R-Fla.; and Ron Johnson, R-Wis., was partly successful in getting the bill on the floor, it is still destined to fail.

Lee said during a video call on X Monday that he and Trump were confident they could win the floor fight if Republicans “get this thing teed up, and we do not leave it until it’s passed.”

SENATE GOP EYES BLAME GAME AS TRUMP-BACKED SAVE ACT HEADS FOR DEFEAT

Lee and a cohort of Republicans pushed Thune to enact a talking filibuster to effectively wear down Senate Democrats and lower the threshold to pass the SAVE America Act to just a simple majority vote.

But there wasn’t unanimous support among Republicans for the move, making a novel idea into a math problem that could easily backfire on the GOP, given that Republicans don’t have the votes to block several Democratic amendments that would drastically change the bill.

“If your senators don’t support using the talking filibuster to pass the SAVE America Act, you might need to replace them,” Lee said on X.

With the initial hurdle passed, the Senate will now begin the marathon debate and amendment process. Amendment votes will only come at the tail end of the floor battle and will require Republicans to take another procedural test that Democrats could block. 

And each amendment, which Republicans will control, has to hit a 60-vote threshold, meaning that none of the provisions that Trump wants to be attached to the bill will survive.

TRUMP-BACKED VOTER ID BILL FACES GOP RESISTANCE AS TILLIS VOWS TO STOP IT

Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., will head off the flurry of amendments with a package of add-ons that include Trump’s desired modifications to the bill.

Those include ending mail-in ballots, with exceptions for military service members, disabilities and illness; banning men from women’s sports; and halting transgender surgeries on minors.

Halting mail-in balloting isn’t a home run among Republicans, with many pushing back on a sweeping end to the practice.

Johnson acknowledged that hurdle before the vote and agreed that absentee ballots couldn’t be halted altogether, but lawmakers should find “reasonable restrictions” on the practice.

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“I’ve argued myself you can’t ban absentee ballots, or I’m not gonna be able to vote,” Johnson told Fox News Digital. “I’m here on Tuesdays in Washington, you know. So, you have to have absentee ballots, but there’s got to be restrictions on it.”

Senate Democrats could inflict maximum pain as the floor battle rages, too, turning to procedural moves to bog down the process that could derail the timing of Sen. Markwayne Mullin’s, R-Okla., confirmation hearing as the GOP sprints to install him as Trump’s next Department of Homeland Security chief.