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A Democrat hoping to flip one of the country’s most competitive House seats called her state a “backwater” over Republican efforts to bar transgender athletes from girls’ and women’s sports, according to unearthed footage obtained by Fox News Digital.

House candidate Christina Bohannan made the comments during a 2021 legislative forum while opposing a GOP proposal barring biological males from competing on female sports teams.

Bohannan’s comments could provide fresh ammunition for Republicans as the repeat candidate seeks a third bid against Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, in a swing district that President Donald Trump carried by more than eight points in 2024.

“They’re introducing these bills and making these comments to try to make a point,” Bohannan, who previously served in the Iowa state legislature, said, referring to her GOP colleagues. “And I think even that is really damaging to people and sends a very bad message about our state that’s going to make the state look like a backwater.”

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Iowa, under Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds, enacted a transgender athletes ban in 2022. Bohannan voted against the measure.

The comments are the latest instance of Bohannan torching Iowa for rejecting left-wing policies.

Bohannan also said in 2021 the Hawkeye State would be seen as “backwards” if lawmakers approved a bill prohibiting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) training at public schools and universities. Reynolds signed the legislation later that year.

“I think that it’s going to send a very bad message about Iowa and that it is going to seem like…this backwards state that doesn’t understand there are things like systemic racism,” the Democrat hopeful said on the “Under the Dome” podcast in 2021.

Bohannan notably served as chairwoman of the University of Iowa College of Law’s DEI committee, where she urged students to support the Black Lives Matter movement, Fox News Digital previously reported. In that role, she sent students a letter encouraging them to financially contribute to several activist funds, some of which supported defunding police.

Bohannan lost to Miller-Meeks by fewer than 800 votes in 2024, making it the closest House race in the nation. She also launched a failed run for the seat in 2022.

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The nonpartisan Cook Political Report says the rematch contest is a “toss-up.”

The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), which is aggressively working to re-elect Miller-Meeks to a third House term, sharply criticized Bohannan’s remarks in a statement to Fox News Digital.

“Liberal Christina Bohannan didn’t just vote against protecting girls’ sports, she mocked Iowans for standing up for women and girls,” NRCC spokeswoman Emily Tuttle said.

“Bohannan has made it clear she’s for they/them, not Iowa families,” Tuttle continued, invoking Trump’s signature attack line against former Vice President Kamala Harris.

Fox News Digital reached out to Bohannan for comment.

Bohannan’s remarks come as transgender issues continue to split Democrats, while public polling has shown broad support for limiting girls’ and women’s sports to biological females.

A New York Times/Ipsos poll released in 2025 found that nearly eight in 10 Americans opposed biological males participating in women’s sports. Roughly 70% of Democrats or Democrat-leaning respondents held the same position, according to the survey.

Miller-Meeks cheered the Supreme Court in June upholding state-level bans on biological males participating on female sports teams.

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“Today’s Supreme Court decision is a win for girls’ sports,” the Iowa lawmaker said in a statement following the ruling. “I have and will continue to fight to ensure every female athlete has a fair chance.”

Bohannan, by contrast, did not appear to publicly comment on the ruling.

Fox News Digital’s Elaine Mallon contributed to this report.

Walls full of bullet holes and police in “full armor” were among the sights that greeted a group of U.S. House lawmakers who recently traveled to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, a city that has been ravaged by gang rule since the July 2021 assassination of its former president.

“The gangs will essentially block the streets with rubble, with debris, they’ll dig giant ditches in the road, and so these military and police units can’t traverse,” House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital. “Some of these areas are like Afghanistan, and it is probably the poorest place I’ve ever been through in my life.”

Mast led a group of bipartisan members of Congress on a trip to Venezuela and Haiti recently, which he said was the first congressional delegation in either country in a decade.

In Haiti, they were hosted by the country’s prime minister, whose palace “a year ago, would have been a war zone,” Mast said. “They have been actively working to take back land across the breadth of Port-au-Prince.”

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But while he saw signs of slow improvement thanks to an international coalition of forces as well as a U.S. paramilitary group run by Erik Prince, Mast said the realities of gang violence were ever-present.

A video he was shown, for example, depicted Haitian gang torture of a heavy machinery operator helping police clear gang-made blockages in the city streets.

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“They took this guy who was this equipment operator, and for working with the police, they kidnapped his family. And then they told him they’ll trade his family for him. He turned himself over,” Mast said.

“They brutally killed him. I mean it’s all on video. They cut off his ears, fed him his own ears…Then they hacked at him for probably at least five minutes with machetes. His limbs looked like a Christmas tree afterwards, with just bone and skin and other things coming off of him, until ultimately they killed him. That is who these gangs are.”

And it’s not just adult allies of the local police forces suffering from gang violence, according to the Florida Republican. Another chilling incident Mast said he became aware of while in Haiti was the kidnapping of a 6-year-old U.S. citizen by a local gang who he said may have committed sexual crimes against her.

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“There was a 6-year-old American citizen girl. I don’t want to say that she was raped, but there were health issues that led to believe that she was also raped, as a 6-year-old girl, by these gangs,” Mast said. “It appears as though we were able to secure the release yesterday.”

He said there was ultimately an “agreement” on the ransom money the girl’s family would pay after she had been held hostage for at least 46 days.

“It appears as though we were able to get an exchange finally made yesterday. But again, it’s just another example of who these gangs are and the forces that are being brought to bear, to bring them to heel,” Mast said.

A State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the administration has no higher priority than the safety and security of Americans, and that it was aware of reports of an American child kidnapped for ransom in Haiti but would not provide further details out of respect for the family’s privacy.

Beyond the current level of assistance, however, Mast said he doubted there was more the U.S. could do to help the country as a whole.

“This started with political people starting gangs there for their own benefit. And most of the politicians there are beyond guilty of pillaging their own country instead of doing something good for their country. That’s how Haiti is in the state that it’s in,” he said.

It comes as thousands of Haitians in the U.S. are facing a potential return to their home country after the Trump administration ended their temporary protected status (TPS) that was first granted after an earthquake in 2010.

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Mast argued, however, that the return of those Haitians who did not get permanent residency in those 16 years could potentially help bolster security there.

“One of the big things would be to take the able-bodied males and put them into the police and military, which are actively recruiting, which were so decimated by the TPS taking place in the first place,” he said. “All of these people took the chance to say ‘Okay, I’m leaving,’ and it left their forces that are supposed to protect the country essentially with no forces, which is one of the other parts of how the gangs came to be.”

The top Republican on New Jersey’s Judiciary Committee says she repeatedly warned state officials that automatic voter registration lacked adequate safeguards but was routinely dismissed, as thousands more noncitizens have now been been found on sensitive systems.

Sen. Kristin Corrado, R-Totowa, told Fox News Digital that Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s motor voter controversy reinforced Republican demands for a bipartisan investigation with subpoena power, warning the administration’s review was too narrowly focused and likely failed to capture the full scope of the problem.

“We didn’t just reach out to the Motor Vehicle Commissioner. We reached out to Secretary of State [at the time, Lt. Gov. Taheshia Way]. We were not satisfied with the answers that we got from the motor vehicle commissioner, which I can tell you were basically, ‘we have signs up, they’re put on notice… that if you’re not a citizen, you can’t register to vote’.”

“So people were on the honor system. We did not think that was acceptable or satisfactory or enough of a safeguard,” she said, adding that the common refrain was of an “honor system.”

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Corrado and others, including Senate Minority Leader Anthony Bucco, are now demanding a bipartisan special-investigation with subpoena power.

Asked if they had heard from Senate President Nicholas Scutari, D-Linden, Corrado said his team indicated they wanted to wait for Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s own internal probe to finish.

“I have concerns about that because this independent investigation is very limited in scope. It is limited to what they’re calling the motor vehicle ‘glitch’,” she said, warning scrutiny should go far beyond the initial area of discovery.

Shortly after Corrado’s spoke to Fox News Digital, reports surfaced that roughly 75,000 noncitizens had been summoned for jury duty through state databases, according to multiple reports, broadening the controversy beyond the Motor Vehicle Commission and prompting additional Republican calls for a wider investigation.

Corrado pointed to her repeated requests over the years for clarity on the security of the voting systems and how she was rebuffed as proof the probe needs to be substantial.

Asked about the demand for a full-scale investigation, Scutari credited what the governor is already doing and said he would hold fire until her probe finishes.

“A healthy democracy depends on the security of our voter registration systems and the stewardship of the individuals entrusted with ensuring our elections are free, fair, and accessible. It also depends on public trust, and Governor Sherrill deserves credit for being transparent about these failures… [and] launch[ing] an independent investigation…,” Scutari said in-part, confirming Corrado’s comment he would wait for it to finish.

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Former Gov. Phil Murphy’s spokesman Mahen Gunaratna also told Fox News last week that his boss had “no knowledge” of the issues at the MVC.

“I find that hard to believe, but it’s incredibly troubling that the governor did not know what his cabinet members were doing or what was going on right underneath him,” Corrado responded.

“All [this] put our election integrity at risk, all questions that have to be answered. And the only way to answer those questions is through a bipartisan, legislative committee.”

State Joint Budget Committee ranking member Declan O’Scanlon agreed the scandal validated GOP concerns.

“The fact is that the people in charge for so long said this absolutely was impossible; Republicans were ‘conspiracy theorists’,” said O’Scanlon, R-Little Silver.

“There are some folks on the extreme on both sides, but those of us in the middle who have said there are real issues here and they were ignored, and we were accused of being conspiracy theorists, only to find out that we were absolutely right; again.”

O’Scanlon said he believed the motor-voter revelations were the “tip of the iceberg,” and was hours later proven true, as reports surfaced about the 75,000 noncitizens summoned for jury duty.

“This has the potential to be a real scandal,” he warned, agreeing that subpoena-powered hearings are a must.

“We need to get on this quickly because we have elections coming up that are critical, that could be slim margins. And also you want the people of New Jersey to believe in the integrity of their voter rolls and their elections,” he said.

“We shouldn’t dig this hole any deeper.”

Fox News Digital reached out to NJCourts and to Sherrill’s office for comment.

Peter McAleer, a spokesman for the state court system, told Fox News Digital the jury system pulls from the MVC as well as taxation and elections department lists, with the taxation department legally being permitted to have noncitizens on its own rolls.

“Prospective jurors are asked about their citizenship and other qualifications when they complete the mandatory juror qualification questionnaire. Prospective jurors must certify that they understand that if they submit a knowingly false answer, they can be subject to punishment for contempt of court,” he said. “Approximately 75,000 individuals per year are disqualified from juror service based solely on lack of United States citizenship.”

Corrado and Bucco also dropped a bill to eliminate motor-voter and implement voter-ID and regular audits of election data systems.

“New Jerseyans need more than just excuses and finger pointing, they deserve action, and there are commonsense steps we can take right now,” said Bucco, R-Morristown.

“Get the MVC out of the voter registration business.”

State Sen. Joe Pennacchio, R-Boonton, who recently requested additional scrutiny from Attorney General Todd Blanche himself, told Fox News Digital on Saturday the 75,000 figure is a red-flag that Trenton can’t police itself.

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“The disclosure that 75,000 noncitizens were summoned as potential members of juries screams for a thorough federal investigation,” Pennacchio said in a Monday statement.

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“The governor has blamed [French software firm] IDEMIA, the Murphy administration and of course President Donald Trump for their ever-increasing numbers,” he said, calling Sherrill’s investigatory effort a “whitewash.”

“As the scope of this problem grows daily and with the refusal of the Democratic Legislature to investigate, it is obvious the U.S. Attorney General’s office must take charge,” he said.

Two Democratic candidates locked in a race to fill the seat left by the late Rep. David Scott, D-Ga., advanced to a runoff election on Tuesday evening after failing to capture 51% of the vote.

The winner of the election will add another Democratic seat in a narrowly divided House of Representatives where Republicans hold 218 seats and Democrats control 212. Adding even one more Democratic member puts increased pressure on Republicans to remain united on party-line legislation.

Marcye Scott, the daughter of David Scott, and Everton Blair, chair of the Gwinnett County School Board, will face off against each other in a runoff to represent the Peach State’s 13th Congressional District on Aug. 25.

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A third candidate, Caesar Gonzales, a Republican, did not advance, receiving only 8.7% of the vote.

Georgia’s 13th Congressional District House seat became open when David Scott, 80, died in office back in April. His office did not disclose a cause of death.

Shortly after his death, Marcye Scott announced her candidacy to fill his seat, pitching herself as the best candidate to continue her father’s legacy.

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“That would be what I definitely want to do, to make sure that his voters, his constituents, do not miss out on what he was offering,” Scott said.

Scott has made roads and infrastructure, public safety and transportation key priorities of her campaign, highlighting constituent outreach work she did for her father.

For his own part, Blair has pitched himself as a candidate looking to push back on President Donald Trump’s cuts to areas like the Department of Education.

“You can’t fix a system that’s being dismantled from the top. Right now, Donald Trump is getting rid of the Department of Education and cutting money from schools that already have the least. That doesn’t just hurt some office in Washington. It hurts the kid in the back of the classroom in this district,” Blair said during a campaign visit.

On his website, Blair lists Medicare-for-all, increasing the minimum wage and raising teacher pay among his top priorities.

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Although the winner will have secured the seat in the special election, they must still win a general election in November to fill the seat for a full term.

David Scott last won re-election in 2024 in a 71.8% to 28.2% victory over his Republican challenger Jonathan Chavez.

Massachusetts lawmakers are taking steps toward prioritizing the hiring of American Muslims for state government positions under a permanent so-called Muslim commission.

The group would help recommend Americans who practice Islam to appointed government positions in the New England state at the same time the Trump administration is moving to dismantle such diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs nationwide — teeing-up a standoff between local leaders and the president.

A proposed bill would create a panel of 11 Muslims appointed by Democratic Gov. Maura Healey and other state officials to represent the Islamic faith on issues such as business, economy, healthcare and other concerns.

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The Muslim commission would influence government recruiting and, “Identify and recommend qualified American Muslims for appointive positions at all levels of government, including boards and commissions, as the commission considers necessary and appropriate,” according to language in the bill.

“Massachusetts has always prided itself on being a leader in equality and civil rights, a legacy this bill builds upon,” said Democratic state Sen. Jamie Eldridge, the bill’s primary sponsor.

“American Muslims in my district and across the Commonwealth enrich our communities as students, healthcare workers, educators, small business owners, and civic leaders,” Eldridge added in the press release on the proposal. “This commission will help the state better understand and address the challenges they face, while strengthening inclusion and civic participation. “

Senate Bill S.2134 currently sits in the state’s Senate Ways and Means Committee after clearing initial committee markups and votes.

Muslims account for an estimated 2% to 3% of Massachusetts’ population, according to approximate figures from Pew Research Center and the U.S. Census.

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Massachusetts’ push comes as President Donald Trump has made it a mission of his administration to cut back on DEI programs in the private sector, as well as in the federal government.

“President Trump was resoundingly elected with a mandate to end divisive, racist policies and restore merit and efficiency,” White House spokesperson Allison Shuster told Fox News Digital.

“DEI ran rampant during the Biden Administration, and Americans ultimately paid the price for these destructive policies with a restricted labor pool, higher operational costs, and workforce inefficiencies,” Shuster added. “The Trump Administration will always promote equal treatment under the law for every American, regardless of race or ethnicity.”

The president’s team has terminated federal DEI-related contracts and eliminated DEI federal government programs.

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Part of Trump’s initiative during his first 100 days with the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was to put an end to programs that prioritized hiring and representation in the workplace based on applicants’ protected classes.

Many Republicans, including the president and Musk, claimed that DEI was “reverse discrimination” that provided unfair preferences against majority groups in the U.S.

Gov. Healey’s office did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the legislation.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat, is demanding that Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., prove he is fit to continue serving in Congress after he was discharged this week following a lengthy hospital stay or resign from office.

In a letter to McConnell, the governor urged the 84-year-old senator to directly address the people of Kentucky about his ability to serve.

“I am calling on you to directly and verbally address the people of Kentucky and provide proof of your capacity to serve, or resign,” Beshear wrote to McConnell.

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Beshear made the demand after McConnell’s office announced on Monday that he had been discharged from the hospital but had not yet been medically cleared to leave the rehabilitation facility where he has been undergoing physical therapy and return to office.

The senator’s office said he would miss a major Kentucky political event and upcoming Senate votes.

“I’m still working hard to get back to my full schedule of work in the Senate and in Kentucky, keeping up with intense physical therapy per my doctors’ orders. Unfortunately, that means I won’t be able to make it to Fancy Farm, Kentucky, this Saturday … As always, I appreciate all of your continued well wishes, and I’m looking forward to getting back to the Senate and to Kentucky soon,” McConnell said in a statement.

McConnell was hospitalized on June 14 and later revealed that it was due to a fall at his home.

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“Since his discharge from hospital care, he has maintained a strenuous course of physical therapy and rehabilitation, including multiple sessions a day designed to rebuild strength and reduce the risk of future falls. His bout with childhood polio continues to be a significant factor in his mobility. He is not yet medically cleared to leave the rehab facility and return to the office,” the Attending Physician’s office said in a statement.

Beshear first urged McConnell earlier this month to release more information about his health after weeks of no public comments.

The governor also sent a letter on Tuesday to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., calling on him to investigate McConnell’s condition if the senator does not prove that he is capable of continuing his term.

“All of this speculation and even this letter could have been avoided with a minimal amount of transparency,” Beshear wrote to Thune.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the offices of Beshear, McConnell and Thune.

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Since he was hospitalized last month, McConnell’s office has issued major updates on July 12 and July 27, with each notice featuring a photograph.

This comes amid intensified public scrutiny of aging elected officials in recent years over mental gaffes and deaths in office.

Former Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., died in 2023 and former Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., died earlier this month. Former President Joe Biden suspended his re-election campaign in 2024 in the face of bipartisan pressure due to his age and mental acuity. President Donald Trump’s fitness to serve has also been questioned by Democrats who have raised concerns about his mental acuity, age and health, pointing to various gaffes, several hospital visits and visible bruises on his hands.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Lawmakers are seeking to expose foreign nationals who may be funneling money and donations through tax-exempt organizations to political committees as the House Ways and Means Committee passed a bill that would revise reporting requirements for tax-exempt groups.

The Foreign Funding Transparency Act, which passed 23-18 in the committee last Wednesday, would require tax-exempt organizations to collect and report to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) donations received from foreign nationals.

“For far too long, foreign influence and interference have plagued our tax-exempt sector,” committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., said in a statement. “Foreign donations have no place in American politics, particularly when the sole goal is to manipulate our public discourse, promote propaganda and support violence.”

Smith noted that many of the protests and demonstrations that take place across the U.S. appear to be grassroots but are actually well-organized and well-funded, often by groups within what he described as “shadowy networks.”

“As the Ways and Means Committee conducted its investigation into the nation’s tax-exempt sector, it became clear that shadowy networks of well-funded organizations have been enjoying lucrative tax benefits for decades, while simultaneously accepting donations and direction from foreign nationals,” Smith added. “From the outside, it looks like a movement, but once you see how the money flows, it becomes clear that this is a machine,” he added. 

The bill’s passage came just a week after Secretary of State Marco Rubio called for global cooperation at a summit in Washington to combat far-left political terrorism.

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“For far too long, however, our counterterrorism doctrine has had a blind spot – a blind spot when it comes to extremist violence from the political left,” Rubio said. “Even today, the very idea that far-left terrorism could be a serious threat is treated as a right-wing fever dream, or worse, as a dangerous fascist conspiracy.”

While Rubio didn’t mention any organizations or individuals by name, the House Ways and Means Committee noted Marxist Neville Roy Singham in a statement about the bill’s passage.

Singham, a 72-year-old American now based in Shanghai and who sold his tech company for $785 million in 2017, is known to fund pro-Chinese Communist Party groups operating in the U.S. He has funneled $278 million into the broad network of nonprofits since 2017, according to a Fox News Digital investigation.

The funneling of funds through nonprofit networks has been a key point of concern for lawmakers and the Trump administration. Major contributors, including Singham, often have dispersed funds through shell 501(c)(3) nonprofits, which subsequently contributed to various tax-exempt organizations.

RUBIO’S CALL TO COMBAT GLOBAL FUNDERS OF FAR-LEFT TERRORISM COULD PUT SINGHAM IN CROSSHAIRS

During his address to more than 60 countries earlier this month, Rubio noted that networks have been coordinating across multiple countries, providing training instructions and using encrypted communication to facilitate unrest. He said international cooperation was critical to disrupting the financing of dangerous organizations, some of which were working with hostile foreign states.

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Singham did not respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.

FIRST ON FOX: Americans could soon cash in on exposing fraud as President Donald Trump’s Treasury Department prepares to launch a program paying whistleblowers, Fox News Digital has learned.

The Treasury Department has created an online tip line that incentivize Americans to bring allegations of fraud directly to the administration in an effort to increase transparency and crack down on abuse of taxpayer dollars. The website encourages people to “blow the whistle on fraud, money laundering and sanctions/tax violations.”

And those who report explicit details of legitimate fraudulent transactions could see a pay day for their information.

“Whistleblowers play a critical role in protecting the integrity of our financial system,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox News Digital.

THE WAR ON FRAUD IS HERE, AND VICE PRESIDENT VANCE IS LEADING IT FROM THE FRONT

“Today, Treasury launched a new webpage that brings our whistleblower programs together in one place, making it easier to find information and navigate the reporting process,” he continued.

Awards for whistleblowers could range between 10% and 30% of the total amount in penalties recovered from successful enforcement operations carried out by the Departments of Treasury and Justice.

The rollout marks the latest step in the Trump administration’s broader campaign to root out fraud across federal programs after officials argued billions in taxpayer dollars have been lost to waste, abuse and organized criminal schemes.

The program works alongside the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud — a federal initiative led by Vice President JD Vance that President Donald Trump established by executive order earlier this year. It also mirrors a similar program that was used to root out illicit money movements in Minnesota in the midst of the Feeding Our Futures fraud scandal.

The new website consolidates Treasury’s existing whistleblower programs into a single public portal, allowing for fraud report submissions to go through one website that routes tips to the department’s various enforcement bureaus.

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It also serves as a hub for Treasury’s broader anti-fraud campaign, with initiatives ranging from Internal Revenue Service (IRS) fraud investigations and sanctions enforcement to financial institution alerts, whistleblower protections and the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, led by Vance.

“Fighting fraud is a core national security and taxpayer protection mission for Treasury,” a Treasury spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “Secretary Bessent has directed the Department to modernize its tools, strengthen partnerships with financial institutions and law enforcement, and aggressively pursue those who steal from the American people. Treasury is committed to preventing fraud before it occurs, disrupting criminal networks that exploit government programs, and holding bad actors accountable.”

Both the new whistleblower program and anti-fraud task force were created in response to the massive fraud scandal in Minnesota that triggered investigations that later exposed taxpayer dollar abuse statewide.

The exposed fraud included allegations that the state’s Somali community was exploiting social services to send millions of dollars to those unqualified to receive financial assistance, including al Qaeda-linked terror groups.

“President Trump has been clear that Americans have a right to know that their tax dollars are not being diverted to fund acts of global terror or to fund luxury cars for fraudsters,” a statement from Bessent featured on the new website reads. “At Treasury, we follow the money.”

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“We did it with the mafia, we have done it with all the cartels, and we’re doing it with the Somali fraudsters,” he went on in the public statement. “We are going to offer whistleblower payments to anyone who wants to tell us the who, what, when, where and how this fraud and money laundering occurred.”

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The portal provides direct reporting links to Treasury bureaus including the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, the IRS and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, allowing tips to be routed to the agency best equipped to investigate them.

Treasury has not yet specified how whistleblower payments will be calculated or which cases would qualify for financial rewards.

Marcye Scott, the daughter of late Rep. David Scott, D-Ga., and former Gwinnett County school board chair Everton Blair advanced Tuesday to an Aug. 25 runoff in the special election to serve the remainder of the late Congressman Scott’s term before the winner of November’s regular election takes office for a full-term beginning in January.

Neither candidate captured the 50% majority needed to win the seat outright, according to the Associated Press, which called the race around a quarter to 9 o’clock East Coast time. Scott had received 47.5% of the vote and Blair had received 36.1% when the race was called around 8:45 p.m. eastern, with 85% of the expected vote counted. Republican Caesar Gonzales was far behind in third with just 8.5%.

The runoff will determine who serves the final weeks of the late-Congressman’s term in the heavily Democratic metro Atlanta 13th Congressional District following his death in April at age 80. It will not determine who represents the district for the next full two-year term beginning in January; voters held a separate primary for that term in May, with the general election set for Nov. 3.

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Democratic state Rep. Jasmine Clark won the regularly scheduled May primary for the full term with roughly 56% of the vote and will face Republican Jonathan Chavez in November. Blair, the only special-election candidate who also competed in that regular May primary, finished third with approximately 12%.

Regardless of party affiliation, all candidates appeared together on one special-election ballot Tuesday. Georgia law allows a candidate who receives more than 50% to win outright, but sends the two leading candidates to a runoff when no one reaches that mark. Six names appeared on the ballot, although Democrat Tony Brown was disqualified after the check he submitted for the $5,220 qualifying fee bounced, according to the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office, which indicated votes cast for Brown would not count.

The remaining field included Scott, Blair Gonzales, Attorney Carlos Moore and Republican candidate Fayth Park.

Scott announced during her father’s early-May funeral in Atlanta that she planned to run in the special election to complete his term. Scott has cast herself as the candidate best positioned to complete her father’s unfinished work, particularly his outstanding federal funding requests, with her campaign noting how she worked alongside her father for more than two decades, playing an active role in his campaign operations, fundraising, constituent outreach and community engagement.

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“Right after my dad passed, a lot of the City Council or the commissioners and chair people, they wanted to know what was going to happen with these projects,” Scott said following her father’s death, according the Atlanta-Journal Constitution. “And that’s really why I’m running: to complete that.”

Her runoff opponent, Blair, was elected to the Gwinnett County Board of Education in 2018 and was elected board chairman a few years later in 2021.

According to Blair’s campaign website, the former high school math teacher earned a bachelor’s degree in applied mathematics and a doctorate in education leadership from Harvard University, as well as a master’s degree in policy, organization and leadership from Stanford University. Blair’s campaign has highlighted that education-policy background and his prior elected service on the Gwinnett County school board.

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The winner of the August runoff will add another Democratic vote to a narrowly divided House. Republicans officially hold 218 seats, compared with 212 Democrats and four vacancies, while independent Rep. Kevin Kiley of California continues to caucus with Republicans despite defecting from the GOP earlier this year. Once the Georgia winner is sworn in, Democrats would hold 213 seats, compared with a 219-member Republican-aligned bloc.

The 13th District includes portions of Clayton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Henry and Newton counties, along with all of Rockdale County. David Scott carried the district with approximately 72% of the vote in 2024. In the presidential race that same year, then-Vice President Kamala Harris received roughly 71% of the district’s vote, compared with about 28% for President Donald Trump.

South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden fended off a primary challenge from businessman and Bitcoin evangelist Toby Doeden on Tuesday, winning the first gubernatorial primary runoff in state history and advancing to the November general election.

The Associated Press called the race for Rhoden within minutes of final polls closing. He had received 70.5% of the vote compared with Doeden’s 29.5% at the time it was called, with approximately 25% of the expected vote counted.

The election marked the first time South Dakota voters were asked to settle a gubernatorial nomination through a primary runoff. State law requires a runoff between the two leading candidates when no contender for governor, U.S. Senate or U.S. House receives at least 35% of the primary vote.

TRUMP-BACKED FIREBRAND WINS ARIZONA GOP GOVERNOR PRIMARY, SETTING UP HIGH-STAKES SHOWDOWN

The head-to-head contest followed a four-way June primary in which Doeden finished first with 30.6% of the vote and Rhoden placed second with 25.2%, leaving both short of the 35% needed to secure the nomination outright. Rhoden became governor in early 2025 after Kristi Noem left to join the Trump administration, while Doeden entered the race as a businessman and political newcomer.

Doeden also built a public profile as a Bitcoin evangelist. He said he began investing “very, very heavily” in the cryptocurrency around 2020 after devoting roughly 500 hours to researching it, eventually converting nearly all the cash reserves from his companies that he did not expect to need into Bitcoin.

“I will buy bitcoin forever, every single day,” Doeden previously said on his podcast, according to the South Dakota Searchlight. “We mine bitcoin, we buy bitcoin.”

Doeden also supported legislation that would have allowed the South Dakota Investment Council, which manages public employee pension funds and other state investments, to invest in Bitcoin. He went further by calling for South Dakota to establish a state Bitcoin reserve – a move state investment and budget officials opposed.

TRUMP FLEXES GOP MUSCLE IN ARIZONA PRIMARIES AS DEMS DODGE FAR-LEFT UPSET

Tuesday’s winner advances to face former Democratic state Sen. Dan Ahlers in November. South Dakota has not had a Democratic governor since Harvey Wollman left office in 1979, and no Democrat has been elected to the office there since Richard Kneip won re-election in 1974. Wollman became governor automatically as lieutenant governor when Kneip resigned.

In the run-up to Tuesday’s primary runoff, property taxes were among the defining issues of the campaign. Doeden campaigned on eliminating property taxes, while Rhoden’s campaign portrayed Doeden’s proposal as fiscally reckless, arguing it could leave local governments and schools with a major funding shortfall.

Meanwhile, Rhoden’s campaign highlighted other tax relief measures that the governor signed back in March, which Rhoden’s campaign website describes as the “largest” property tax cut in the state’s history.

During the race, Doeden portrayed Rhoden as part of South Dakota’s entrenched political class, declaring after the June primary that “the career politicians told me” an outsider could not break through against three longtime officeholders.

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Rhoden pushed back on the attack, saying Doeden was trying to “make hay” out of calling him a career politician and describing that characterization as “such a warped viewpoint,” during an interview with the South Dakota Public Broadcasting network. Rhoden argued that his years in the Legislature gave him practical experience writing laws and then returning home to live under them.

President Donald Trump did not publicly weigh in with an endorsement in the runoff, according to a review by Fox News Digital. Trump thanked Rhoden by name during his July 3 remarks at Mount Rushmore but did not mention the governor’s race. Doeden, meanwhile, campaigned as a “fierce Trump supporter” who said he would help implement the president’s “America First agenda.”

A new law in Maine will limit state and local law enforcement agencies’ cooperation with federal immigration officials.

The law is set to take effect on Wednesday, along with other measures that seek to restrict the state’s cooperation with civil immigration enforcement.

The “ICE Out of Policing” law restricts state and local law enforcement agencies, including jails, from assisting federal authorities with civil immigration enforcement.

Law enforcement agencies will be prohibited from reaching out to Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol agents for translation services if they encounter a person who does not speak English, and they generally may not provide personal information for civil immigration enforcement, although the law includes exceptions for criminal investigations and certain legally permitted information exchanges.

TRUMP-APPOINTED JUDGE TORPEDOES DOJ LAWSUIT AGAINST MINNESOTA’S SANCTUARY IMMIGRATION RULES

The law also restricts local and state agencies from holding people for ICE based solely on civil immigration enforcement, and jails generally will be prohibited from notifying ICE about nonpublic inmate release dates or honoring civil detainer requests, subject to exceptions involving serious crimes, outstanding warrants, final removal orders and certain public-safety concerns.

Another law also taking effect on Wednesday generally prohibits employees at public schools, state colleges, public libraries, healthcare facilities and child-care facilities from voluntarily allowing immigration officers into nonpublic areas or granting access to protected records without a judicial warrant or other applicable legal authority.

A third law restricts landlords from disclosing tenants’ personal information without consent, including information related to immigration status, while preserving exceptions for warrants, subpoenas, emergencies and certain legitimate housing or legal purposes.

The policing measure became law without Mills’ signature in January. Mills signed the schools, libraries and healthcare measure in April, while the tenant-privacy measure became law without her signature later that month.

Several Maine cities, including Portland, Lewiston, Waterville and Rockland, have already adopted their own laws restricting local police from communicating with ICE and Border Patrol.

Local governments across the country have also sought to pass similar legislation.

The Maine State Police announced in December that it would begin following the policing restrictions before the law took effect. Some agencies continued contacting immigration officials, while Scott Stewart, president of the Maine Chiefs of Police Association, warned that limiting cooperation could expose Maine agencies to federal funding cuts or increased enforcement.

Immigrant rights advocates said the new laws will improve community trust in Maine officials to ensure public safety, regardless of immigration status.

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

The ACLU of Maine, Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition and civil legal aid provider Maine Equal Justice held a news conference on Tuesday about the new laws targeting ICE operations, according to the Portland Press Herald.

Sue Roche, executive director for the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, said she was aware of more than 50 incidents last year where state and local police contacted immigration officials, leading to arrests.

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“The vast majority of people who have been handed over to ICE or Border Patrol by Maine’s law enforcement were people in lawful immigration processes who had no criminal record,” Roche said.

Fox News Digital has reached out to ICE for comment.

The Senate took its first major step in fulfilling one of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham’s biggest desires: levying bone-crushing sanctions against Russia.

A bipartisan swell carried the sanctions package through its first hurdle, which has gone through several iterations in the time since it was first formulated by Graham and Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.

“The basic, core function of the bill is to stop purchases of Russian oil and gas from fueling Putin’s war machine, and we’re at a really pivotal time for Ukraine,” Blumenthal said.

LINDSEY GRAHAM’S FINAL MISSION NEARS FINISH LINE AS WORLD LEADERS GATHER TO HONOR HIM

And the package that survived Tuesday night, just hours after lawmakers, world leaders and family said their last Washington, D.C., goodbyes to the longtime senator has once again been revamped.

A bipartisan group led by Blumenthal and Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., who picked up her older brother’s sanctions crusade, announced that a deal had been reached to rename the package in honor of the late lawmaker, and tack on additional sanctions against Iran.

Lawmakers argue that the best way to remember Graham, and cement his legacy into law, is to pass the newly-minted Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, particularly as a symbol of his ferocious support for Ukraine.

LINDSEY GRAHAM’S SISTER CARRIES ON LATE SENATOR’S WORK, BECOMING SOUTH CAROLINA’S FIRST FEMALE SENATOR

Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, told Fox News Digital that “literally the first conversation I ever had with Lindsey Graham was about Russia sanctions.”

“I know he was very passionate about this and I know that sanctions are one of the best tools we have for bringing wars to an end without having to commit any of our military,” Husted said.

The bill, as Blumenthal noted, still focuses on kneecapping Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war effort by targeting Moscow’s top financial gainer: oil and gas sales.

BRINGING THE WAR TO PUTIN’S FRONT DOOR: IS UKRAINE’S ENERGY STRIKE STRATEGY WORKING?

But it also extends sanction authority against Iran that hampers funding to the country’s weapons and energy sectors as the administration and negotiators abroad seek to find a long-lasting peace agreement for the war in the Middle East.

Also, still in the legislation are targeted sanctions against Putin, Russian officials and Russian military leaders, up to 500% tariffs on Russian imports, tariffs of up to 100% on countries buying Russian energy, like China and India.

It also gives President Donald Trump flexibility for when to turn off some aspects of the sanctions, among others.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a close ally of Graham’s, made the journey to Washington to attend his funeral, and meet with President Donald Trump and lawmakers in the process to push the sanctions bill and a deal for more anti-ballistic defenses in the war against Russia.

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Zelenskyy said on X that, “First and foremost, I offered President Trump our condolences on the passing of Lindsey Graham. He was a true friend of Ukraine.”

“The President and I discussed licenses for Patriot interceptor production and several other ideas that could help,” Zelenskyy said. “We also spoke about diplomacy – it’s important that the diplomatic process be reinvigorated.”

Senate Democrats demanded a new, experienced person to lead the nation’s spy agencies, but when given the chance, they rejected President Donald Trump’s latest pick.

Still, their resistance was not enough to stop Republicans from confirming Jay Clayton to be the next Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to replace former DNI Tulsi Gabbard. Clayton, who was tapped to be the top prosecutor in Manhattan last year, was confirmed on a party line vote Tuesday.

He will replace acting DNI and Federal Housing Finance Agency director Bill Pulte, whose interim appointment prompted Senate Democrats to demand an immediate, permanent replacement over fears that Pulte would weaponize the nation’s 18 intelligence agencies or try to dismantle them.

SENATE CLEARS WAY FOR TRUMP’S TOP SPY AS KEY ANTI-TERROR PROGRAM REMAINS IN LIMBO

Clayton’s confirmation was thought to be a means to an end for the ongoing standoff over Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), a tool that has been used to thwart several terror plots, including a planned mass-casualty event at a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna, Austria.

However, they changed their tune when it came time to vote, and after a contentious confirmation hearing where only Republicans voted to send him to the Senate floor.

“As Senate Republicans move to once again confirm an inexperienced and unqualified nominee to a position of massive national security consequence for years to come, one thing remains clear — this type of politicized leadership will only make Americans less safe,” Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said in a statement.

Boiled down, the Section 702 program allows the U.S. government to collect intelligence on foreigners abroad who are using U.S. communication systems, and it serves as a major part of Trump’s daily intelligence briefing.

LAWMAKERS SCRAMBLE AFTER TRUMP DERAILS BID TO REVIVE KEY COUNTERTERRORISM TOOL DAYS AFTER FBI THWARTS UFC PLOT

But it also sweeps up communications from Americans who are talking to foreign suspects — a key issue that threatened reauthorization among privacy hawks in both parties well before Pulte’s appointment and Clayton’s subsequent nomination.

The program expired, however, last month in response to Pulte’s appointment, despite warnings from Republicans that allowing Section 702 to go dark could have dire national security consequences.

And Clayton’s confirmation, for now, does not appear to be breaking through the partisan logjam. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., and the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, told Fox News Digital that the pressure wasn’t on to reauthorize FISA.

“Democrats have refused to pass a bipartisan FISA bill until a new DNI is confirmed,” a spokesperson for Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Tom Cotton, R-Ark., told Fox News Digital. “Now that Jay Clayton is confirmed, it’s time for them to stop playing politics with national security and put up the votes to give our intelligence community the tools it needs to keep this country safe.”

TRUMP’S DNI PICK CLEARS KEY HURDLE, REVIVING PATH FOR NATION’S TOP ANTI-TERROR SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM

“You know … we don’t have the immediate time pressure because the communication providers are still cooperating,” Warner said.

Before the deadline to reauthorize, lawmakers had differing trains of thought on what would exactly happen should it go completely dark. Some argued that it would slowly draw down, given that FISA courts had already authorized continued intelligence gathering until 2027.

Others worried that telecommunications giants, like Google, would ignore agreements without explicit authorization from Congress.

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But, as Warner noted, the latter isn’t happening.

Still, it leaves Clayton and the intelligence community on a murky path forward in the months ahead. And there’s not much time left on the Senate’s calendar to tackle the issue. The upper chamber is slated to leave Washington after the first week of August, and won’t return until early September. From there, keeping the government open will be a top priority for Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday praised the teenage lifeguard who went viral after rescuing a young boy from towering waves in Santa Cruz, California, saying he wants to invite the teen to the White House and potentially award him a high civilian honor.

The lifeguard, identified as 16-year-old Ryder on social media, was captured in a heart-stopping video Saturday battling massive surf as he repeatedly disappeared beneath crashing waves while maintaining a relentless grip on the child he was rescuing.

After seeing the dramatic rescue, Trump said the teen deserved national recognition. 

“We’re going to bring this heroic young man, and his family, into the White House with, perhaps, the boy he saved, to give him a High Civilian Honor. Very brave, he deserves it!” Trump said in a post on X. 

HEROIC 16-YEAR-OLD LIFEGUARD RESCUES CHILD FROM MONSTER SURF IN HEART-STOPPING VIDEO

The Santa Cruz State Lifeguard Association (SCSLA) confirmed to Fox News Digital that its lifeguard did an “excellent job” during the rescue, praising him for saving a life.

Hours earlier, Eric Trump also praised the rescue on social media, calling for the teen to receive the nation’s highest civilian recognition. 

“Give this 16-year-old lifeguard the highest civilian honor. This is truly the best of America! Well done!” he said. 

The rescue drew thousands of reactions online, with many praising Ryder for battling powerful waves that appeared too dangerous even for bystanders who attempted to help. 

One person claiming to have witnessed the rescue said it lasted far longer than the viral video showed. Beachgoers reportedly formed a human chain in an effort to help before it was eventually broken apart by the pounding surf, according to social media users. 

MAN, WOMAN KILLED IN RIP CURRENT AS LIFEGUARD SHORTAGE LEAVES DANGER ZONES IN BEACH DESTINATION

After pulling the child safely onto the beach, Ryder reportedly sprinted past his lifeguard tower to get aid as paramedics arrived to evaluate the boy, the witness said. Despite the dramatic rescue, Ryder later returned to duty and continued watching over beachgoers for the rest of the evening. 

The rescue may have come during Ryder’s first season as a lifeguard. California State Parks requires state lifeguards to be at least 16 years old.

Another social media user who said she knew Ryder emphasized how extraordinary the rescue was. 

“I’m not sure how many people know how hard it is to hold onto someone like that in the ocean, during these heavy conditions and pounding shore break. This lifeguard handled it like a pro, pulled him in most of the way solo and never gave up. That is a feat in itself, especially in those conditions. A true Hero & waterman. I seriously hope he gets recognized for this,” the user said. 

Other people claiming to have witnessed the incident said the surf had initially appeared relatively calm, with many beachgoers standing at the water’s edge when a massive wave suddenly crashed ashore. 

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“It was so big it nearly reached us by our things all the way up the beach!” the witness said. 

Seabright Beach is known for its powerful shore break, with waves shaped by swells arriving from multiple directions, creating hazardous conditions even for experienced swimmers.

Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., argued that President Donald Trump is driving Democratic voters toward far-left candidates like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez after the New York Democrat topped a recent 2028 presidential primary poll.

A recent New Hampshire poll found Ocasio-Cortez was the top choice among likely Democratic voters for the party’s 2028 presidential nomination. Kelly placed third with 9% support, behind Ocasio-Cortez and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, while ahead of California Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Vice President Kamala Harris. The poll comes as several self-described Democratic Socialists have defeated more moderate Democrats in recent primary elections, showing the growing influence of the party’s progressive wing.

Kelly has teased a run for president in 2028, recently saying in an NBC interview that it is part of an ongoing discussion with his family that he has “plenty of time” to decide on.

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

“I don’t know about her message, but people are really struggling,” Kelly told Fox News Digital about why Ocasio-Cortez was Democrats top 2028 pick.

Fox News Digital asked Kelly why Ocasio-Cortez and other candidates associated with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) are resonating with the Democratic voters ahead of upcoming election seasons.

“The policies of this president — supporting billionaires over hardworking people,” Kelly said. “1% of the country now owns more wealth than the middle class, and I think it’s a response to that.”

BERNIE SANDERS, DSA REVEAL DEMANDS FOR DEM PARTY AFTER SOCIALISTS SWEEP NEW YORK ELECTIONS

In 2021, Federal Reserve data showed the top 1% of households now hold more wealth than the bottom 60% combined for the first time since the central bank began tracking the data in 1989.

Trump has defended his economic agenda as aimed at boosting middle-class Americans through tax relief and lower costs, pointing to efforts to extend the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, eliminate taxes on tips and overtime pay and lower energy costs.

Kelly said voters’ frustration with Trump’s policies is driving support for candidates like Ocasio-Cortez, while also criticizing the president more broadly.

LIZ PEEK: TRUMP IS STARVING THE MACHINE THAT CREATES AMERICA’S SOCIALIST REVOLUTIONARIES

“It’s unfortunate we have people like this running the government and I think people are really frustrated,” Kelly said about Trump to Fox News Digital.

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“I mean this president doesn’t prioritize anybody but him and his family,” Kelly said. “The corruption is just off the charts. “

In an emotional farewell Tuesday, President Donald Trump paid tribute to the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., recounting how their relationship evolved from fierce political foes into close allies and friends.

Trump said the turning point came after he publicly revealed Graham’s cellphone number during a campaign rally in Bluffton, S.C., in 2015 — a decision he acknowledged Tuesday was a mistake.

“As you remember, Lindsey and I did not exactly get off to the best of starts,” Trump said during his eulogy address at the Washington National Cathedral, adding that Graham had said something “nasty” when they were both running for the 2016 presidential nomination.

“So naturally, I did something that I shouldn’t have done,” the president continued. “I shared his personal cellphone number with the millions of people that happened to be watching that particular day as I made a speech, a very important speech.”

FROM ‘DISGRACE’ TO ‘FAMILY’: TRUMP’S REMARKABLE JOURNEY WITH LINDSEY GRAHAM

“And I remember the number (202) 228-0292 if anybody wants to give it a shot,” Trump went on, sparking laughter in the room.

“His phone exploded. He said, ‘I had that number for 20 years.’ His phone totally — I don’t know what he did with it. But it exploded,” Trump said. “That was the beginning of a friendship, in a way.”

“But it was Lindsey who had the last laugh, because while I blew up his phone all for one day, we became great friends and Lindsey did not stop calling me for the next 10 years,” Trump continued.

The unlikely friendship grew to include frequent rounds of golf and late-night phone calls as Graham became a leading advocate for Trump’s legislative agenda.

Since Graham’s death earlier this month, Trump has repeatedly spoken about the senator’s constant presence in his life.

LINDSEY GRAHAM’S FINAL MISSION NEARS FINISH LINE AS WORLD LEADERS GATHER TO HONOR HIM

And before the service began, before the cameras began rolling, before the speeches, and before Graham’s casket arrived, the Washington National Cathedral became a gathering place for those who the late lawmaker knew, worked alongside, advocated for, and, at times, fought.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, two of Graham’s closest allies on the world stage, both attended — holding court separately among the sea of lawmakers and Cabinet members filing into the cathedral.

Much of the Senate attended, too, including Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., who wore a suit. A rare sight not seen even at Trump’s second inauguration.

Meanwhile, Trump’s affection for Graham was visible throughout his remarks.

He called him a “beloved friend, a devoted brother, a respected statesman, a giant of the United States Senate, and a true American original who left us much too soon.”

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“For more than 30 years, nothing of consequence happened in this Capitol without Lindsey Graham knowing about it,” Trump reflected. “Nothing of significance happened anywhere in the world without Lindsey Graham having a view on it. And no bill became law… without Lindsey Graham having a say in it. He was a man who gave America the full measure of his good and mighty heart.”

Rep. Haley Stevens, R-Mich., repeatedly called Abdul El-Sayed the “celebrity” candidate in the Michigan Senate race during Monday’s Senate Democratic debate, arguing that El-Sayed’s podcast, books and political activism pale in comparison to her time in Congress.

The race between Stevens and El-Sayed has become a microcosm of the battle over the Democratic Party’s future. On Aug. 4, Democratic voters will decide whether to back Stevens, who has the support of the Democratic establishment, or El-Sayed, a socialist-supported challenger who has called for abolishing ICE and is strongly critical of the United States’ support for Israel.

In her opening remarks, Stevens rattled off her qualifications as the Democratic Party’s best chance of winning the Senate race, pointing to flipping her seat in 2018, being named Michigan’s most effective Democratic lawmaker by the Center for Effective Lawmaking in 2025 and being endorsed by Democratic Michigan Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

“My only focus is you,” Stevens said. “Abdul is running for celebrity. Republicans are propping up his campaign, and Mike Rogers, just the other day said in a secret phone call that he made it easier for him to win, that he’s the one he wants to run against.”

DEM CIVIL WAR HITS PRIMARY DEBATE STAGE IN FIERY BATTLEGROUND SHOWDOWN: ‘WHAT ARE YOU HIDING?’

Stevens was referring to a phone conversation Republican candidate Mike Rogers had with supporters last month in which he said his campaign would be in “good shape” if El-Sayed were the nominee.

“Look, this isn’t about the D.C. or New York influencer crowd,” Stevens said. “This is about putting Michigan first.”

Later in the debate, Stevens said she is standing up to Trump’s “abuses of powers,” while taking a dig at Abdul by saying she’s doing so without “shouting into a bullhorn, not getting in front of the first camera I see, but doing the hard work.”

SWING-STATE POLL SPELLS TROUBLE FOR FAR LEFT AS SCHUMER-BACKED CANDIDATE DOMINATES WITH CRITICAL VOTING BLOCS

“Look, my opponent here, Abdul, he is such a talented guy,” Stevens said, referring to his three books and his podcast America Dissected. “He’s had all this attention, but the deal is, we don’t need a celebrity candidate. We don’t need a celebrity.”

Stevens then pointed to her six years in the House of Representatives, saying she has been committed to “hard, unglamorous work.”

“That’s going to stand up to this junk that is wreaking havoc and causing chaos right before our very eyes,” Stevens said.

Stevens suggested that Abdul’s Senate campaign is just another “rung on the ladder” for him, pointing to his failed 2018 gubernatorial bid.

“It didn’t work out, so he started the podcast, he wrote the books, and now he’s running for Senate, and he’s already bought the website for president,” Stevens said.

In response, El-Sayed accused Stevens of “cowardice” over her past votes to increase ICE funding, saying the agency should be completely abolished.

MICHIGAN SENATE CANDIDATE ABDUL EL-SAYED DODGES QUESTION ON WHETHER HE STILL SUPPORTS DEFUNDING THE POLICE

“So yeah, I’m going to take the bullhorn and I’m going to say that I think we need to abolish ICE because I am not afraid of what they’re going to say about me,” he said.

He also suggested that Stevens’ focus on his public health podcast was a distraction from the issues that matter most to voters, such as affordability.

“Congresswoman, if you enjoy podcasts about public health, I welcome you to take a listen. You seem very concerned about that,” El-Sayed said. “I’m more concerned about the fact that people can’t pay for their gas, they can’t pay for their groceries.”

The open Senate race in Michigan has garnered national attention, with outside groups spending more than $52 million on the race through mid-July, most of it in support of Stevens, according to an OpenSecrets analysis of FEC reports.

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El-Sayed, who is backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-Vt., has painted Stevens as the candidate of large super PACs such as AIPAC, while saying he has not received a single dollar from corporate interests or super PACs. Before running for Congress, El-Sayed served as Wayne County director of Health and Human Services.

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Meanwhile, the Republican party has deemed Michigan to be one of best pickup opportunities in its effort to maintain control of the Senate.

Fox News Digital reached out to El-Sayed and Stevens’ campaigns for comment.

Acting Director of National Intelligence William Pulte has announced a fifth wave of office downsizing.

“Good News! In addition to the Historic DECLASSIFICATIONS (Transparency!) by the President, we are, this morning, Executing a 5th and Near Final Round of TERMINATIONS, an approximately 30% Staff Reduction from Weeks Ago,” he wrote in a Tuesday post on X.

“The Intelligence Community must protect the American people, NOT the political whims of the bloated and corrupt elite class,” he added.

ACTING DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE ANNOUNCES 4TH WAVE OF LAYOFFS

Pulte on Sunday had announced the completion of a fourth batch of layoffs from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI).

“Since becoming Acting Director of National Intelligence, our team has been smartly, and carefully, reducing the size of ODNI, re-focusing ODNI on national security, the law, and the statute. As of this evening, we just finished a 4th round of thoughtful, measured layoffs. Thank you!” he declared in a Sunday night post on X.

In a July 10 post, he had stated, “U.S. National Intelligence is operating more efficiently and effectively than ever before, and today, we started a third round of reducing redundant, or non-critical, personnel. DNI’s future is exceptionally bright, and will be focused on following the law and the statute.”

Pulte, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, took on the role of acting DNI last month as Tulsi Gabbard, who had been serving as DNI, departed the role due to her husband’s cancer battle.

TRUMP’S DNI PICK JAY CLAYTON LOCKS HORNS WITH DEMOCRATIC SENATOR IN FIERY CONFIRMATION HEARING CLASH

Prior to when Pulte took the helm at ODNI last month, The Wall Street Journal reported that during an interview, President Donald Trump said he had informed Pulte that he thought the ODNI was “unnecessary and/or too big.”

“I’d like to see it smaller. I think there are a lot of people in there that shouldn’t be there,” the president said, pointing to Obama and Biden administration carryovers, according to the Journal. Asked if he was calling on Pulte to terminate workers, the president stated that he wanted Pulte to “start the process,” noting that the eventual DNI nominee should carry on that effort, the outlet reported.

In part of a June Truth Social post, Trump declared, “I have named William Pulte to be Acting Director of National Intelligence, who will take over on June 19th, and have asked him to execute the immediate and needed downsizing of the office, reverting staff to their home agencies.”

Fox News Digital reached out to ODNI on Tuesday asking for clarification on the reported 30% staffing reduction.

SENATE CLEARS WAY FOR TRUMP’S TOP SPY AS KEY ANTI-TERROR PROGRAM REMAINS IN LIMBO

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Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said during a Senate floor speech last month that he had spoken with the acting DNI, who he says agreed “that we need to return the ODNI to its original size, scope, and mission by spinning off some of these functional… centers and sending intelligence officers who have been detailed there back to their home agencies so they can do actual intelligence work.”

“He informed me that yes, a small handful of front office personnel are leaving federal employment, which is not at all uncommon when a senior leader leaves an agency or one comes into an agency,” Cotton said. “He also said that a few dozen, around 45 or 50, career officers are, in fact, returning to their home agencies.”

Trump last month announced that he was tapping U.S. District Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton as his DNI nominee.

The Senate is slated to vote on confirming Clayton on Tuesday night.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., on Tuesday released the private diaries of Dr. Anthony Fauci, the controversial former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and chief government spokesperson during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The released documents show Fauci privately confronted possibilities about the virus’s origins that he publicly downplayed. On Jan. 31, 2020, he recorded that scientists considered deliberate insertion of the virus possible and agreed it required further expert review, despite later public recommendations suggesting the contrary.

He later privately questioned CDC and FDA competence, admitted officials had overstated mask ineffectiveness and repeatedly described testing and supply failures.

FAUCI’S NEWLY RELEASED COVID DIARIES REVEAL BIZARRE FIXATION ON FAME AS PANDEMIC DEATHS MOUNTED

Throughout his time as NIAID director, he made note of conversations, decisions and his thoughts about actions taken by politicians and other officials. What Paul released is Fauci’s historical record containing almost-daily entries.

“Later in the pandemic, he gloried in the positive attention he was receiving from legacy media and demonized those who questioned his official narrative — like me,” Paul said — alluding to heated exchanges during congressional hearings when Paul grilled Fauci over his pandemic response.

“Many entries in Fauci’s daily historical account completely undermine the official narrative that Fauci and other public health officials espoused,” Paul wrote in his introduction to the documents.

SLACK MESSAGES RELEASED BY RAND PAUL APPEAR TO SHOW AUTHORS OF KEY COVID-19 ORIGIN PAPER HELD PRIVATE DOUBTS

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Paul said the “first alarm” went straight to the octogenarian immunologist, as he and two other medical experts examined the furin cleavage site in the virus and deliberated about the aforementioned genomic insertion and whether it truly escaped from a Chinese lab.

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“Before most Americans knew there was an origins debate, the government’s top infectious-disease official was already confronting the lab scenario,” Paul said.

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Former Vice President Kamala Harris backed Democratic Maine U.S. Senate candidate Troy Jackson.

“I know what it is like to step up to the plate with a short runway to Election Day. Troy will have just 101 days between his nomination for Senate and when voters in Maine will cast their ballots,” Harris said in a Monday fundraising email.

Harris was tapped as the 2024 Democratic presidential nominee after incumbent President Joe Biden dropped out in the wake of a widely-panned debate performance against then-former President Donald Trump.

MAINE DEMOCRATS CROWN TROY JACKSON AS PLATNER REPLACEMENT AS FRESH SCRUTINY CLOUDS SENATE RESET

Jackson, a former state senator who ran unsuccessfully in the Democratic Maine gubernatorial primary this year, was tapped as the U.S. Senate nominee at the Maine Democratic Party’s U.S. Senate Nominating Convention on Saturday. The general election will be on Nov. 3.

Graham Platner, who won the 2026 Maine Democratic U.S. Senate primary last month, dropped out of the race earlier this month in the face of a rape allegation, though he had asserted, “Any accusation of non-consensual behavior is categorically false.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Jackson’s campaign on Tuesday.

BERNIE SANDERS REJECTS REGRET OVER EARLY GRAHAM PLATNER SUPPORT DESPITE ‘WARNING SIGNS’

Jackson is challenging long-serving incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins, who has been in office since 1997.

Collins campaign spokeswoman Blake Kernen said in a statement to Fox News on Monday that Harris “knows exactly what he’s going through.”

FORMER PLATNER ALLY TROY JACKSON LOCKS DOWN DELEGATES AS TOP RIVALS FOR DEMOCRATIC SENATE NOMINATION DROP OUT

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“Nice to see two people bond over their shared passion for completely bypassing primary voters,” the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) noted in a Monday statement to Fox News.

The Associated Press, Fox News’ Alexis McAdams and Fox News’ Jessica Sonkin contributed to this report.