Vulnerable Nevada Democrat touts bipartisanship despite voting with Biden 99% of time


A vulnerable Nevada Democrat touted her bipartisanship and willingness to go against the Democratic Party, but Republicans are pointing out her voting record that paints a different picture. 

In an ad released on Monday, incumbent Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., highlighted a report that names her one of the most bipartisan lawmakers, adding, “I won’t walk the party line.”

“I promise to do what’s right for Nevada, not my party leaders,” she said in the ad.

TRUMP THROWS SUPPORT BEHIND REPUBLICAN BUSINESSMAN LOOKING TO FLIP WISCONSIN SENATE SEAT: ‘GO OUT AND WIN’

Chuck Schumer, Jacky Rosen, Joe Biden

Rosen, center, has voted in line with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, left, and President Biden during her time in the Senate. (Getty Images/File)

However, Rosen was revealed to have voted with President Biden 98.6% of the time last year. Both Rosen and fellow Democrat Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto were in virtual lockstep with both Biden and the party, according to an analysis from FiveThirtyEight that examined all final votes that the president made his stance known about.

Rosen’s agreement with Biden has further appeared to increase during her time in the Senate. According to a previous look at data from the 117th Congress from 2021 through 2022, Rosen sided with Biden 92.5% of the time.

In the current 118th Congress, she has additionally voted with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., 95% of the time. Rosen and Schumer have voted together on 463 votes deemed major and have disagreed on just 23, per a ProPublica analysis of voting records.

Jacky Rosen

Rosen has touted her bipartisan reputation on the campaign trail. (Madeline Carter/Las Vegas Review-Journal/Tribune News Service via Getty Images/File)

TRUMP LEADING BIDEN IN 6 BATTLEGROUND STATES: POLL

“Jacky Rosen is struggling in the polls, so she is lying to Nevada voters and trying to cover up her record of being a rubber-stamp for Joe Biden and Chuck Schumer’s agenda,” National Republican Senatorial Committee spokesperson Maggie Abboud said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

Kristy Wilkinson, spokesperson for Republican Senate front-runner Sam Brown, criticized Rosen, saying her voting record “isn’t bipartisan.”

“Putting what Joe Biden wants over what Nevadans need is not bipartisan. Nevadans will see right through it,” she added.

Fellow Republican Senate candidate Jeff Gunter, the former ambassador to Iceland under President Trump, criticized Rosen’s ad, calling it “another desperate attempt to fool Nevada voters by the far-left’s rubber stamp in the Senate.”

Democratic Nevada Sen. Jacky Rosen (left) and former Republican Nevada Senate candidate Sam Brown.

Rosen is likely to face Brown in November if he wins the GOP primary. (Getty Images)

Another GOP Senate hopeful, former Air Force pilot Tony Grady, slammed Rosen as an “extreme Democrat” who acts as a rubber stamp for Biden’s “extreme agenda.”

Rosen spokesperson Johanna Warshaw pushed back on this in a statement to Fox News Digital: “Jacky Rosen has been ranked one of the most bipartisan and effective Senators in the nation because of her proven record of political independence and working across party lines to deliver for Nevada.”

Sen. Jacky Rosen

Rosen’s percentage of voting with Biden has increased during her time in the Senate. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough/File)

The rankings referenced by Warshaw include several analyses of the 117th Congress and lawmakers’ relative bipartisanship and effectiveness. The McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University and the Lugar Center ranked Rosen the ninth-most bipartisan senator between 2021 and 2022. The Bipartisan Index used by the entities takes into account sponsorships and co-sponsorships of legislation.

The University of Virginia and Vanderbilt University Center for Effective Lawmaking additionally recognized Rosen as the seventh-most effective Senate Democrat, also analyzing her role in the 117th Congress. Scores for lawmakers were based on “the proven ability of a legislator to advance her agenda items through the legislative process and into law.”

Further, Warshaw pointed to a CQ Roll Call analysis of votes in 2023, which showed Rosen as the Senate Democrat who voted against her party third-most often.

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“The facts are clear that Jacky has never hesitated to put partisanship aside to do what’s right for our state,” the spokesperson said.

Rosen’s ad pushing a bipartisan image came days before nonpartisan election analyst Cook Political Report shifted its rating for the Nevada Senate race on Wednesday. The battleground state matchup was moved from “Lean Democrat” to “Toss Up,” joining only three other races: Arizona, Montana and Ohio.

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



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Texas, Biden admin square off in circuit court over blocked anti-illegal immigration law


Texas on Wednesday defended its anti-illegal immigration law in oral arguments before a federal appeals court panel as the law remains on hold due to a legal challenge from the Biden administration.

Gov. Greg Abbott signed the legislation, SB 4, in December, which allows local police to arrest illegal immigrants and for judges to order them deported.

However, the law has been on hold due to a challenge from the Biden administration, which says the law is unconstitutional, hurts international relations and impedes the federal government’s enforcement of immigration law. 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

Razor wire in Eagle Pass's Shelby Park

Texas authorities set up razor wire in Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, defying a Biden administration order to end the state’s seizure of the area along the Rio Grande. (Matt Finn)

“[Texas’] efforts, through SB 4, intrude on the federal government’s exclusive authority to regulate the entry and removal of noncitizens, frustrate the United States’ immigration operations and proceedings, and interfere with U.S. foreign relations,” the Department of Justice said in its initial lawsuit.

Texas has argued that the law is necessary due to the Biden administration’s alleged failure to secure the southern border and enforce immigration law, and on Wednesday it argued before the three-judge panel that the ongoing crisis at the border is unprecedented.

“There’s always been people who cross the border,” Solicitor General Aaron Nielson said. “But before, we talked about hundreds of thousands. Now, we talk about millions. Before, we talked about tens of thousands of unaccompanied minors. Now, we talk about hundreds of thousands. Before, we talked about a few countries. Now, we talk about essentially all countries.”

BIDEN, TEXAS FEUD OVER ANTI-ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION LAW AS MIGRANTS RUSH BORDER: WHAT TO KNOW

He also said that Texas has been offering more assistance and resources, something that the Biden administration has said it needs.

“Texas all along has been doing everything within our power to encourage the federal government to do what Congress has directed and address the border crisis. And the answer that we have received at every turn is ‘we don’t have the resources.’ We get that. We understand that. But here, Texas has come forward with additional resources, saying, ‘Let us protect the border,’” he said.

The DOJ has said that enforcing federal immigration law is the federal government’s job, while representatives of the American Civil Liberties Union presenting arguments cited estimates of more than 80,000 arrests a year if it went into effect.

“No one has disputed that this is going to be a massive new system, if it’s allowed to go into effect,” said Cody Wofsy, deputy director of the ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project.

MIGRANT ENCOUNTERS AT SOUTHERN BORDER HIT NEW FEBRUARY RECORD HIGH

The Biden administration has previously pointed to a 2012 Supreme Court ruling that invalidated parts of an Arizona law because it clashed with the scope of the federal government. However, on Wednesday, at least one judge seemed skeptical about the court’s ability to block the entirety of the Texas law.

“As far as I can tell, never in the history of the nation has the United States achieved what they’ve achieved in this case, which is a facial invalidation of a statute that never went into effect, with no course of action, which is an extraordinary achievement,” said Judge Andrew Oldham, a Trump appointee.

ANOTHER RED STATE MOVES STEP CLOSER TO ENACTING TEXAS-STYLE ANTI-ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION BILL

The court had previously blocked the law from going into effect, but it was then briefly allowed to go into effect by the U.S. Supreme Court before being kicked back down and blocked again by the Fifth Circuit.

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It is one of a number of such measures being passed or moved forward by states across the U.S. Louisiana, Iowa and Tennessee are all states that have bills under consideration that would do either the same or similar to what Texas is seeking to do.

Fox News’ Jake Gibson contributed to this report.





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A new election law battle is brewing in Georgia, this time over voter challenges


  • Republican lawmakers in Georgia have passed a bill that would allow for people to be removed from voting rolls through ‘challenges to voter eligibility.’
  • Supporters of the bill say such challenges help prevent fraud, while opponents say the bill ‘could hurt legitimate voters.’
  • The bill awaits Gov. Brian Kemp’s signature or veto.

ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia has been rocked by furious battles over election laws ever since Democrat Stacey Abrams’ narrow loss to Republican Brian Kemp in the 2018 governor’s race.

The statewide brawl burst into the national consciousness in 2021, when Republicans — under pressure from GOP activists who pushed Donald Trump’s false claims that he lost the 2020 election because of widespread fraud — rammed through a sprawling law placing new restrictions on voters.

GEORGIA SEC OF STATE SENDS LARRY DAVID LETTER LAMPOONING ‘CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM’S FOCUS ON STATE’S ELECTION LAW

Now, with only months to go before a likely rematch between Trump and President Joe Biden, Georgia is tinkering with state election laws once again. Just last week, Republican lawmakers passed a new bill that would allow the removal of people from the voting rolls through challenges to voter eligibility. It awaits Kemp’s signature or veto.

Georgia State Capitol

Ever since Democrat Stacey Abrams lost to Republican Brian Kemp in the 2018 governor’s race, Georgia has had furious battles over state election laws. (iStock)

Supporters say such challenges prevent fraud by rooting out duplicate records and removing voters who have moved out of state. Opponents allege they misuse data and will put legitimate voters through a legal wringer.

Here’s a closer look at the issue:

WHAT’S A VOTER CHALLENGE?

Georgia, along with other states, allows citizens to file challenges to an individual’s eligibility to vote, such as when they have personal knowledge of a neighbor moving out of state. Now, however, residents are increasingly challenging large numbers of voters through the use of impersonal data, including the National Change of Address list maintained by the U.S. Postal Service. Others comb through the rolls looking for people not registered at residential addresses. A Texas group called True the Vote challenged 364,000 Georgia voters prior to two U.S. Senate runoffs in 2021. Since then, individuals and groups have challenged about 100,000 more.

WHAT MOTIVATES CHALLENGERS?

Under federal law, Georgia can only remove someone from the rolls if they don’t respond to a mailing at their registered address and then don’t vote in two subsequent federal general elections. That process can take five years. Republican activists who support challenging large numbers of voters say that’s too long.

“These are voters who moved some months or years before voting at their old address, went back and showed a driver’s license they knew they had not updated, claimed to still live there, and they were handed the ability to vote,” said Mark Davis, a Gwinnett County resident who said he’s been combing voter rolls for decades. He testified for Republicans at a Feb. 15 state Senate hearing that helped shape this year’s legislation.

WHY DO SOME OPPOSE CHALLENGES?

Opponents describe the mass-voter challengers as “vigilantes” who are upsetting the balance between updating voter rolls and ensuring everyone has the right to vote.

“There are folks here who want to pretend we have a massive problem with our rolls and that if there is a name of a dead person on the rolls, that’s a real security risk,” Rep. Saira Draper, an Atlanta Democrat who opposed the bill, said last week. “But set aside the fearmongering and the logical leaps, and the facts reveal that actual voter fraud in Georgia is infinitesimally small.”

Fair Fight Action, a group founded by Abrams that unsuccessfully sued over the True the Vote challenges, argues such challenges disproportionately target younger and poorer voters, including African Americans, because they move more often. Interim Fair Fight CEO Lauren Groh-Wargo said she believes Republicans are trying to win Georgia elections by pushing out Democratic-leaning voters.

Opponents also note that the challengers happen to include party activists and Trump allies who backed Trump’s false claims. One of them is Brad Carver, head of the Georgia Republican Party’s Election Confidence Task Force and one of 16 Republicans who falsely claimed to be legitimate electors for Trump in Georgia. Also involved is Cleta Mitchell, a former Trump lawyer who took part in the January 2021 phone call during which Trump urged Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to “find” enough votes to overturn Biden’s Georgia victory.

“I cannot believe that we are still bending over to accommodate election deniers, conspiracy theorists and unindicted co-conspirators when it comes to election policy,” Draper said.

WHAT WOULD THE NEW BILL DO?

The bill defines probable causes for removing voters from the rolls, among them death, evidence of voting or registering in another jurisdiction, a tax exemption indicating a primary residence elsewhere, or a nonresidential address. Most controversially, the new bill says that the National Change of Address list can be considered, though not exclusively. Opponents say the list is unreliable.

It’s not clear how the law will change things, though, as the state has never issued guidelines to counties on how to handle challenges. That means some may accept them based on the probable causes outlined in the bill, while others could reject mass challenges outright.

WHAT DO OPPONENTS SEE AS THE PROBLEMS?

Opponents of the new bill say it could hurt legitimate voters. For example, people sometimes live at a place of business, which would be considered a nonresidential address. Officials with Raffensperger’s office say there are more reliable types of information, such as driver’s license data, to confirm a voter’s eligibility.

Gabriel Sterling, Raffensperger’s chief operating officer, testified in February that removing voters from the rolls too aggressively could lead to lawsuits under the National Voter Registration Act.

“When you do loose data matching, you get a lot of false positives,” Sterling said. “When you get a lot of false positives … that’s when you get sued, and that’s when you have a lot of problems doing list maintenance.”

The bill also says homeless people must use the county voter registration office as their address instead of where they live. Opponents say that could make it harder for homeless citizens to cast ballots because their registered polling place might be far away.

COULD CHALLENGED VOTERS BE SCARED AWAY?

Opponents say receiving a voter challenge letter in the mail is a scary experience, and voters may have to make time to appear at a county meeting to defend their eligibility.

A federal judge ruled in January, however, that challenges don’t amount to illegal intimidation under the Voting Rights Act.

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ARE THERE GROUNDS FOR A LAWSUIT?

The American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia has already threatened to sue if Kemp signs the bill into law.

The National Voter Registration Act says states and counties can’t make systematic changes to voting rolls within 90 days of a federal election. The Georgia bill would allow challenges to be accepted and voters removed from the rolls up until 45 days before an election.



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Biden campaign faces backlash for omitting full context of Trump’s ‘animal’ comment: ‘Another hoax’


A social media account belonging to President Biden’s re-election campaign was slammed on social media after it posted a clip that left out key context from former President Donald Trump’s speech on illegal immigrants committing violent crimes across the U.S.

The account, under the username Biden-Harris HQ, posted a 7-second clip of Trump saying illegal immigrants are “animals” — but cut out Trump’s statement from just seconds before that shows the comment was directed to migrants recently convicted of murder.

“Democrats said please don’t call immigrants ‘animals.’ I said, no, they’re not humans, they’re animals,” Trump is seen saying in the short clip posted by the campaign account, leaving out key context from moments before where the former president was discussing the illegal immigrant arrested for the murder of Laken Riley.

In Trump’s full statement, left out by the Biden account, he said “just a few weeks ago I met with the grieving family of Laken Riley,” adding that the 22-year-old was “barbarically murdered by an illegal alien animal. Democrats said please don’t call immigrants ‘animals.’ I said, no, they’re not humans, they’re animals.”

BIDEN RIPPED IN NEW AD SPOTLIGHTING HIS IMMIGRATION RECORD AS BORDER CRISIS ESCALATES: ‘TRUMP WAS RIGHT’

President Biden, former President Trump split

President Biden (left) and former President Donald Trump. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images | Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

In the speech, Trump was discussing recent examples in which young Americans have been killed by illegal immigrants who came over the southern border. Specifically, he mentioned 25-year-old Ruby Garcia, who was allegedly murdered by an illegal immigrant that was deported in 2020, but re-entered the U.S. during Biden’s term.

The Trump team, along with many conservatives, blasted the Biden campaign for not including the full context of the quote.

“Why is the Biden campaign constantly jumping to the defense of bloodthirsty illegal alien murderers who killed American citizens? President Trump was clearly speaking of Laken Riley’s killer here,” Team Trump posted on X.

TRUMP SPOTLIGHTS ‘BIDEN’S BORDER BLOODBATH’ DURING STOP IN CRUCIAL BATTLEGROUND STATE HE LOST IN 2020

Laken Riley posted held by Trump rally attendee

Laken Riley’s killing has gripped the nation as the border crisis continues. (Elijah Nouvelage)

“Democrats can’t even say Laken Riley’s name but will get angry when Trump refers to her killer as an animal,” State Freedom Caucus Network Comms Director Greg Price posted on X.

“Crazy how the Biden campaign account can push lies like this all day and never be fact checked,” comedian Tim Young posted on X.

“Another day and another hoax from the Biden campaign,” Donald Trump, Jr. posted on X. “It’s bloodbath part two. Here is the full video where Trump is clearly calling the illegal who murdered Laken Riley an animal. Does Biden think her killer is a good person and not an animal???”

“Biden defending Riley’s accused murderer,” Trump senior adviser Stephen Miller posted on X.

“Biden’s misinformation is disgusting — a pathetic, embarrassing, contemptuous affront to Americans who just want to feel safe in their own backyards,” a social media account belonging to the Republican National Convention posted on X. “Never before has an American president defended illegal aliens over his country’s own citizens.”

The Biden campaign clip has been viewed almost 5 million times on X.

The Biden campaign did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Trump held rallies in both Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Green Bay, Wisconsin, on Tuesday, giving two speeches that both focused heavily on immigration and President Biden’s role in that issue.

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Migrants, predominantly from Venezuela, cross the Rio Grande

Migrants cross the Rio Grande in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, on Dec. 5, 2023. (David Peinado/Anadolu via Getty Images)

“I’m here tonight to declare that Joe Biden’s border bloodbath… this is a border bloodbath — ends the day I take the oath of office,” Trump told the Green Bay crowd. 

“With your vote, I will seal the border. I will stop the invasion. I will end the carnage, bloodshed and killing, and we will crush the human traffickers.”



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Dems lose it over GOP plan to rename DC airport after Trump: ‘Find a federal prison’


Democrats are reacting furiously to a new GOP proposal to rename Washington, D.C.’s main international airport after former President Donald Trump.

Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, R-Pa., unveiled a bill backed by six of his fellow House Republicans to change the name of Washington Dulles International Airport to Donald J. Trump International Airport.

While the bill likely has little chance of being passed in the current Congress, it did succeed in triggering the ex-president’s critics when the legislative text was unveiled on Tuesday.

TRUMP SPOTLIGHTS ‘BIDEN’S BORDER BLOODBATH’ DURING STOP IN CRUCIAL BATTLEGROUND STATE HE LOST IN 2020

A split image of former President Trump and Democrat Rep. Gerry Connolly

A GOP proposal to rename Washington, D.C.’s main international airport after former President Donald Trump has Democrats, including Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., angry. (Scott Olson/Getty Images | Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

“Donald Trump is facing 91 felony charges. If Republicans want to name something after him, I’d suggest they find a federal prison,” said Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., whose district partially covers Dulles.

The rest is in the district represented by Rep. Jennifer Wexton, D-Va., who sounded off, “This is just another in a long list of instances where extreme House Republicans have shown how unserious & delusional they are.”

TRUMP AIMS TO LEVEL PLAYING FIELD IN FUNDRAISING BATTLE WITH BIDEN AS GOP BILLIONAIRES COME TO THE RESCUE

“Let’s get to work on the real issues the American people sent us here for — not renaming an airport after someone who sought to undermine our democracy,” Wexton said.

Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va., said he was at the transit hub with worried families when Trump’s travel ban on terror-prone countries, most of them predominantly Muslim, was fueling “chaos” at major airports.

Dulles airport travelers

Washington Dulles International Airport is frequently used by lawmakers and foreign officials. (Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)

“One of Trump’s first acts as president was a racist Muslim ban that blocked permanent American residents from their own country,” Beyer said. “I went to Dulles to try to help innocent people caught up in the chaos. I remember grandparents detained for hours as their terrified families waited.”

Reschenthaler’s fellow Pennsylvanian, Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Pa., said, “Dulles is an old, ugly airport that no one wants to see. So I think this is a fitting tribute to [the 45th president].”

BIDEN RIPPED IN NEW AD SPOTLIGHTING HIS IMMIGRATION RECORD AS BORDER CRISIS ESCALATES: ‘TRUMP WAS RIGHT’

Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill., called the bill’s supporters “children, competing for the attention of an abusive parent.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Reschenthaler for comment on the Democrats’ response.

Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, R-Pa.

Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, R-Pa., introduced the Republican bill. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, Pool)

Reschenthaler told Fox News Digital of his bill on Tuesday, “As millions of domestic and international travelers fly through the airport, there is no better symbol of freedom, prosperity and strength than hearing ‘Welcome to Trump International Airport’ as they land on American soil.”

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Dulles is a busy international hub that’s critical for lawmakers and other Washington officials’ travel, particularly for airlines and routes that do not operate out of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, its smaller domestic counterpart also located in Virginia.

Dulles was ranked 33rd out of 764 U.S. airports in terms of passenger traffic in 2023, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. With domestic and international travel combined, roughly 25 million passengers went through Dulles last year.



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Jill Biden snaps at mention of poll with president trailing Trump in six swing states: ‘No, he’s not


Jill Biden is attempting to dismiss recent dismal polling that shows former President Donald Trump is leading her husband President Joe Biden in all but one battleground state.

The first lady was asked about the state of Biden’s re-election campaign during an appearance on “CBS Mornings” Wednesday, and was specifically questioned on a recent Wall Street Journal survey that found the Democratic incumbent is trailing former President Trump in six of seven 2024 swing states.

CBS host Tony Dokoupil began asking the first lady about the polling results before she cut him off to say “no, he’s not losing.”

“No, he’s not losing in all the battleground states. He’s coming up,” Jill Biden said before the host could finish asking the question.

DARK MONEY MACHINE BIDEN, TOP DEMS BENEFIT FROM MILLIONS IN SECRETIVE ELECTION CASH

Jill and Joe Biden exiting the White House as Marine guards salute

President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden arrive for the annual Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, on April 1, 2024. (Jim Watson)

“He’s even or doing better,” Jill added. “You know what, once people start to focus in, and they see their two choices, it’s obvious that Joe will win this election.”

The first lady was also asked if she was at all worried about President Biden’s re-election efforts, responding “no, no, no. I feel that Joe will be re-elected.”

The referenced Wall Street Journal poll, released Tuesday, found that Trump is currently leading Biden in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and North Carolina — states that will play a crucial role in securing a win on the November ballot. The results found that Biden was tied with Trump in Wisconsin, but did not secure any leads in the battleground states survey.

TRUMP SAYS BIDEN ‘ORCHESTRATED’ LEGAL CHALLENGES AHEAD OF CAMPAIGN STOPS IN BATTLEGROUND STATES

According to reports, Biden himself reportedly has grown increasingly frustrated and worried over his re-election efforts.

President Joe Biden at podium, flanked by US flags

President Joe Biden speaks at a campaign event at Pullman Yards on March 9, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Megan Varner/Getty Images)

NBC News previously reported that he began to “shout and swear” in a January meeting when informed that his poll numbers had dipped in the battleground states of Michigan and Georgia over his handling of the Israel-Hamas war, a lawmaker familiar with the situation told the publication.

Biden’s alleged outburst came as he has long believed he is not getting the credit he deserves in several areas, the outlet noted. Privately, another source told the publication that he regularly pushes aides about what parts of his accomplishments he should highlight in different states.

The report also said he is surrounded by “protective aides who want to minimize the chances of a flub,” something he has dealt with in recent months as he has made several blunders that have called into question his mental acuity. 

Trump at lectern with "Stop Biden's Border Bloodbath" sign on it

The latest Wall Street Journal poll found former President Donald Trump is leading Biden in all but on key battleground states. (Spencer Platt)

“The man’s been successful for decades in Congress and became vice president and president,” a source told NBC News. “If you try to change the person, you’re making a mistake. Let the president go out there and do his thing.”

Biden’s frustration follows other Democrats fretting over his age and energy. According to past reports, he has consistently held several closed-door meetings with his top donors to alleviate their anxieties about the 2024 election.

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The first lady was also asked if she was at all worried, responding “No, no, no i feel that Joe will be re-elected.”



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Trump backs Nebraska movement to implement ‘winner-take-all’ electoral system


Former President Trump is cheering on efforts in Nebraska to change the state electoral system to “winner-take-all.”

Nebraska is one of only two states in the U.S. that do not use the winner-take-all system, the other being Maine. The two states assign votes in the Electoral College based on district, sometimes leading to Democrats snagging an extra delegate from the mostly red state. 

Gov. Jim Pillen came out in support of a bill introduced by a state senator seeking to align Nebraska’s electoral system with the rest of the country.

TRUMP SPOTLIGHTS ‘BIDEN’S BORDER BLOODBATH’ DURING STOP IN CRUCIAL BATTLEGROUND STATE HE LOST IN 2020

“I am a strong supporter of Senator [Loren] Lippincott’s winner-take-all bill (LB 764) and have been from the start. It would bring Nebraska into line with 48 of our fellow states, better reflect the founders’ intent, and ensure our state speaks with one unified voice in presidential elections,” Pillen said in a Tuesday statement. 

Jim Pillen speaks

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen speaks during a ceremony in Statuary Hall. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)

He added, “I call upon fellow Republicans in the Legislature to pass this bill to my desk so I can sign it into law.”

Trump published a copy of the governor’s statement to his proprietary social media platform, Truth Social, on the same day.

NEBRASKA GOVERNOR TIGHTENS RESTRICTIONS ON GENDER TRANSITION TREATMENTS FOR MINORS

This was followed by a separate post voicing support for changing Nebraska to a winner-take-all system.

READ THE NEBRASKA ‘WINNER-TAKE-ALL’ BILL: MOBILE USERS, CLICK HERE

“Governor Jim Pillen of Nebraska, a very smart and popular Governor, who has done some really great things, came out today with a very strong letter in support of returning Nebraska’s Electoral Votes to a Winner-Take-All System,” Trump wrote via Truth Social on Tuesday.

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Former President Donald Trump

Former President Donald Trump appears in a campaign-style ad posted to his Truth Social account. (Donald Trump/Truth Social)

“Most Nebraskans have wanted to go back to this system for a very long time, because it’s what 48 other States do – It’s what the Founders intended, and it’s right for Nebraska,” Trump added.

A change to winner-take-all would almost certainly benefit Republicans by allowing the red majority of Nebraska to dominate and prevent minority blue factions from capturing a single delegate, as has happened in the past.



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Trump rakes in hefty March fundraising haul as campaign aims to close cash gap with Biden


Former President Trump and the Republican National Committee raked in a substantial amount of cash in March, possibly assuaging concerns from some that the campaign was trailing the money brought in by President Biden.

Fox News Digital confirmed Trump and the RNC brought in $65.6 million in March and ended the month with $93.1 million in cash on hand in news that was first reported by Politico.

“President Donald J. Trump has again created a fundraising juggernaut among Republicans. While he has been the presumptive nominee for the Republican Party for less than a month, the RNC and Trump campaign are one unified operation and focused on victory,” RNC Chairman Michael Whatley said in a statement. 

We’re raising funds and making strategic investments to get out the vote and protect the ballot. We are going to win BIG in just 31 weeks.”

TRUMP AIMS TO LEVEL PLAYING FIELD IN FUNDRAISING BATTLE WITH BIDEN AS GOP BILLIONAIRES COME TO THE RESCUE

side by side images of Donald Trump and joe Biden

Donald Trump and Joe Biden (Getty Images)

“Our campaign, working together with the RNC, has been steadily ramping up our fundraising efforts, and our March numbers are a testament to the overwhelming support for President Trump by voters all across the spectrum,” Susie Wiles, senior adviser to the Trump campaign, added. 

“Republicans may not be beneficiaries of the self interested largess from Hollywood and Silicon Valley elites, but President Trump is proud to be supported by donations from voters who are the backbone of this nation, which will fuel Republicans up and down the ballot.”

BIDEN RIPPED IN NEW AD SPOTLIGHTING HIS IMMIGRATION RECORD AS BORDER CRISIS ESCALATES: ‘TRUMP WAS RIGHT’

Donald Trump wearing a red make america great again hat

Former President Donald Trump (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

The figure is significantly more than the $62 million that Trump raised in March 2020 when he was running for re-election.

February FEC filings showed Biden’s re-election campaign outraised the Trump campaign by a two-to-one margin in February and enjoyed a $71 million to $34 million cash-on-hand advantage at the end of that month.

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Joe Biden talking at podium, making a fist

President Biden promotes his economic agenda in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Jan. 18, 2024. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)

The Biden campaign has not yet announced its March fundraising haul but said it raised $53 million in February, ending the month with $155 million on hand. 

Trump has been attempting to close the fundraising gap with Biden as the former president also struggles to pay his mounting legal bills, with just seven months to go until the November election.

Trump is set to hold a major fundraiser at his Mar-a-Lago resort on Saturday in a push to both close the fundraising gap and trounce a record $26 million haul that Biden brought in during a recent Radio City Music Hall event featuring former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton.

The Biden campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. 



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Americans agree on most core values, think our democracy functions poorly, poll finds


Despite the country’s deep political polarization, most Americans share many core beliefs about what it means to be an American, according to a new poll.

The poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that about 9 in 10 U.S. adults say the right to vote, the right to equal protection under the law and the right to privacy are extremely important or very important to the United States’ identity as a nation. The survey also found that 84% feel the same way about the freedom of religion.

The results, which included perspectives on a number of different freedoms and rights, have only small variances between Republicans and Democrats except on the right to bear arms, which Republicans are more likely to see as core to the nation’s identity. The overall findings are striking because they come at a time of extreme partisanship when political agreements seem rare and concerns are heightened over the potential for violence during a volatile presidential election year.

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“If you get a bunch of normal people at random and put them in a room together and chat about issues, there’s a lot more convergence than you might imagine,” said Michael Albertus, a political science professor at the University of Chicago.

A more pessimistic assessment of the country was reflected in another finding — that only about 3 in 10 Americans believe the nation’s democracy is functioning well. About half say the U.S. is a poorly functioning democracy, while 14% say the U.S. is not a democracy.

The tension between the broad consensus on the country’s fundamental values and discontent with how well its form of government is working is not a surprise, experts say.

The Capitol is seen as water sprinklers soak the National Mall on a hot summer morning

A new poll finds that most Americans share many core values about what it means to be an American, despite the country’s deep political polarization. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

“Part of it is really our leaders are not reflecting the electorate, and they behave in a way that’s much more polarized than what the electorate is,” said Lilliana Mason, a political scientist at Johns Hopkins University.

Most Americans, she said, “are pretty moderate, but they’ve been riled up to hate people of the other party for being different from them culturally, racially and religiously.”

The AP-NORC poll also found broad agreement on the importance of some key values for the U.S.’s identity as a country. About three-quarters of U.S. adults agree that a democratically elected government is extremely or very important, and about 8 in 10 think the same about the ability of people living in the U.S. to get good jobs and achieve the American dream.

But what achieving that dream means — and which values are most fundamental to American culture — isn’t something all Americans agree on.

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Democrats are more likely than Republicans — 71% to 38% — to believe that the ability to come to the U.S. from elsewhere in the world to escape violence or find economic opportunities is core to the country’s identity. A majority of Republicans, 58%, think a culture grounded in Christian values and beliefs is an essential characteristic, compared to only 18% of Democrats.

Juan Sierra, 51, a naturalized citizen whose family immigrated from the Dominican Republic after a hurricane destroyed his father’s cement business, said it is very important to him that the U.S. be seen as a place of opportunity.

The industrial technician in Port St. Lucie, Florida, said he believes democracy is working and will continue to do so “as long as there are good people in government.”

Sierra also said it was extremely important that people have freedom of religion, although he had concerns over the nation’s identity being tied to Christianity.

“We’re seeing what happens right now when laws are passed and decisions are made based on someone’s religion,” he said, citing the Alabama Supreme Court ruling in February that frozen embryos can be considered children and be afforded legal protections, a decision that temporarily halted IVF procedures in the state.

Susan Johnson, a 76-year-old Republican living in the Dallas suburbs, said the nation’s standing as a beacon to others who need refuge is very important, but said that could not override concerns about border security.

“We need people working,” she said. “We just need them to come the right way.”

Johnson also said she believes it’s extremely important that the nation’s identity be grounded in spirituality.

“Whether or not you’re Mormon or a Muslim or a Christian, they just have to have some higher power to reach up to,” she said. “The country is going to fall apart if we don’t believe in God.”

The poll found few divisions on democracy as a system in theory, but it identified one notable gap: younger Americans between the ages of 18 to 29 were less likely than those 60 and older to say the U.S. is a well-functioning democracy. They’re also less likely than older Americans to believe that some characteristics are essential to the U.S.’s character as a nation, including having a democratically elected government. About 6 in 10 younger adults see this as important, compared to about 9 in 10 older adults.

Palakjot Singh, a 21-year-old college student in Fresno, California, identified himself as a Republican and said he had a better quality of life when Donald Trump was president. He said the U.S. is not a well-functioning democracy in part because people are not open to debating different points of view compared to previous generations.

“There is not good communication,” he said. “Nobody is sitting together trying to get to one point.”

Howard Lavine, a political science professor at the University of Minnesota, said the generational split is understandable. Many younger people don’t remember a time when those with opposing views and from different political backgrounds could get together and “come over to your house.” Their frame of reference is the hyper partisanship of the Trump years, he said.

Joe Lagle, 55, a retired Air Force veteran in Colorado Springs who said he has not voted for either President Joe Biden or Trump, said the nation’s various rights are “all important” but believes they are being eroded by intolerance and well-meaning but shortsighted people.

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Mike Maloy, 41, an engineer in Greensboro, North Carolina, said having those rights and freedoms “doesn’t necessarily mean the U.S. is a functioning democracy.”

“Everything is run by a handful of people and their corporations,” he said. “That’s not a democracy.”

A Democrat, Maloy cited as an example this year’s presidential primary in North Carolina, when Biden was the lone candidate on the ballot. He called that “frustrating” and said the result was that voters “had no choice.”



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Republican Ron Eller chosen in Mississippi 2nd District runoff, to face Democratic Rep. Thompson in November


Ron Eller won a Republican primary runoff Tuesday in Mississippi’s 2nd Congressional District and will face longtime Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson in the Nov. 5 general election.

Eller, who is a military veteran and physician assistant, defeated Andrew Scott Smith, who has worked in farming and commercial real estate. They had advanced to the Republican runoff as the top candidates in a three-person primary March 12.

Thompson has represented the majority-Black district since winning a special election in 1993, and President Joe Biden won the district by 27 percentage points in 2020.

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Thompson is the ranking Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee and was unopposed for his party’s nomination in the district this year. Thompson said he wants to decrease prescription drug costs, invest in historically Black colleges and universities, reduce student loan debt and build the middle class “by making sure the wealthy pay their fair share.”

Republican candidate for Mississippi's 2nd Congressional District Ron Eller

Republican candidate for Representative of Mississippi’s 2nd Congressional District, Ron Eller, poses for a photo. Eller won a runoff election against Andrew Scott Smith on April 2, 2024. (Eric Eller/Ron Eller for Congress Campaign via AP)

Eller, who ran unsuccessfully for the 2nd District Republican nomination in 2022, has said he supports construction of a U.S.-Mexico border wall and expansion of domestic energy production.

After winning the runoff Tuesday, Eller told The Associated Press that he believes all Americans want good places to raise their families, with strong schools and clean air and water.

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“It’s time to put that party nonsense behind us,” Eller said. “We need to work as a people and a nation together.”

The district stretches along the Mississippi River on the western side of the state, through the flatlands of the Delta and into the capital of Jackson.

Voters in the 2nd District supported Democrat Joe Biden over Republican Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election, 63% to 36%.



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Oklahoma city council member recalled for connection to white supremacist group


Voters in the northwest Oklahoma city of Enid ousted a city council member with ties to white nationalism, according to unofficial results posted Tuesday on the Oklahoma Election Board website.

With all four precincts reporting in Enid’s Ward 1, results show voters chose to recall 42-year-old Judd Blevins. They instead selected Cheryl Patterson, a grandmother and longtime youth leader at an area church, to fill the seat.

Blevins, an Iraq War veteran, was narrowly elected to the seat last year despite his ties to white nationalist groups.

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Blevins acknowledged at a community forum last week that he marched in the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017. He also admitted being connected to the now-defunct white supremacist group Identity Evropa.

Judd Blevins, left, a city councilor in Enid, Oklahoma, speaks to Enid resident Frank Baker

Judd Blevins, left, then-city councilor in Enid, Oklahoma, speaks to Enid resident Frank Baker on March 26, 2024, before a community forum. Blevins was ousted in a recall vote on April 2, 2024, and replaced by Cheryl Patterson. (AP Photo/Sean Murphy)

When asked at the forum to explain his involvement in the rally and his ties to Identity Evropa, he responded: “Bringing attention to the same issues that got Donald Trump elected in 2016: securing America’s borders, reforming our legal immigration system and, quite frankly, pushing back on this anti-white hatred that is so common in media entertainment.”

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The recall effort in Oklahoma was launched by two longtime Enid residents, best friends Connie Vickers and Nancy Presnall, both Democrats in a county where Republicans have a nearly 4-to-1 advantage in voter registration.



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Republican Senate candidate in crucial race in key battleground state reports $6.2 million haul


FIRST ON FOX – Dave McCormick, the Republican candidate running for the Senate in the swing state of Pennsylvania, is showcasing a second straight formidable fundraising quarter.

McCormick reports bringing $6.2 million in the January-March first quarter of 2024 fundraising, according to figures shared first with Fox News on Wednesday. 

The haul includes $1 million contributed by McCormick, a former hedge fund executive, West Point graduate, Gulf War combat veteran and Treasury Department official in former President George W. Bush’s administration.

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Dave McCormick hauls in $6.2 million the past three months in his bid for Senate in the Keystone State

Republican Senate candidate Dave McCormick launches a campaign bus tour, in Lititz, Pennsylvania, on Feb. 10, 2024 (Dave McCormick campaign)

The money raised by McCormick the past three months comes close to the $6.4 million he brought in during the fourth quarter of last year. That haul also included $1 million of his own money.

McCormick will face off in November against longtime Democratic Sen. Bob Casey, in a high profile and expensive race which could ultimately decide whether the GOP wins back the Senate majority.

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Casey, who served a decade as the state’s auditor general and then treasurer before winning election to the Senate in 2006, has yet to announce his first quarter fundraising figures. Candidates running for federal office have until later this month to file their reports with the Federal Election Commission.

Casey, the son of a popular former governor, raised $3.6 million in the fourth quarter.

Sen. Bob Casey

Senator Bob Casey, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, speaks during a Senate hearing in Washington, DC, on Thursday, March 9, 2023. Photographer: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

McCormick, who is making his second straight Senate run, was part of a crowded and combustible battle for the 2022 GOP nomination. He ended up losing the nomination by a razor-thin margin to celebrity doctor and cardiac surgeon Mehmet Oz, who secured a primary victory thanks to a late endorsement from former President Donald Trump. Oz ended up losing the general election to Democrat John Fetterman.

This time around, McCormick faces no major opposition in the GOP primary in Pennsylvania later this month. He is backed by longtime Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell and the Pennsylvania GOP, and was encouraged to run by the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which is the party’s Senate campaign arm.

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McCormick – as he was in 2022 – is once again facing incoming fire over his residency.

McCormick, who grew up in northeast Pennsylvania and who is the son of the Keystone State’s first state university system chancellor, was attacked for owning a house in an affluent part of Connecticut, where he lived for years before buying a home in Pittsburgh ahead of his 2022 Senate campaign.

Dave McCormick posts a second straight strong fundraising report

Republican Senate candidate Dave McCormick marches in the annual Saint Patrick’s Day parade in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on March 16, 2024. McCormick marched alongside his wife Dina Powell. (Dave McCormick campaign)

Pennsylvania Democrats have repeatedly charged that “the real David McCormick is a mega-millionaire Connecticut hedge fund executive who is lying about living in Pennsylvania.”

But McCormick campaign spokeswoman Elizabeth Gregory told Fox News that “Pennsylvanians from across the commonwealth are joining the movement to elect Dave McCormick, a 7th-generation Pennsylvanian, combat veteran, and PA job creator who will bring new leadership and fresh ideas to the Senate.”

“Dave is exactly the kind of candidate who can beat Bob Casey, secure a Senate majority and get this country back on track,” she emphasized.

Democrats currently control the U.S. Senate with a 51-49 majority, but Republicans are looking at a favorable Senate map this year, with Democrats defending 23 of the 34 seats up for grabs. 

Three of those seats are in red states that Trump carried in 2020 — Ohio, Montana and West Virginia, where Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin is not running for re-election. And Pennsylvania is one of five key general election battlegrounds where the Democrats are defending seats. Democrats may also have to worry about holding the open Senate seat in blue Maryland, where former GOP Gov. Larry Hogan is running.

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



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Longtime Dem Senator’s social media shows repeat posts on George Floyd, but 0 results for Laken Riley


Longtime Democrat Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey Jr. has yet to say anything on social media about the recent murder of nursing student Laken Riley, but he has tweeted nearly two dozen times about the 2020 killing of George Floyd, according to a review of the battleground state lawmaker’s social media accounts.

Fox News Digital reviewed Casey’s official Senate X account as well as his campaign X account and found he has tweeted at least 23 times underscoring the tragedy surrounding Floyd’s death in 2020 during an interaction with police in Minneapolis. When searching for any tweets on Riley, the accounts turned up empty.

Fox News Digital repeatedly reached out to Casey’s campaign regarding the tweets on Floyd versus none on Riley but didn’t receive comment.

Casey has long been a Pennsylvania Democrat stalwart, first winning his election to the U.S. Senate in 2007 and serving in a state where his father was elected governor in 1987. Casey has said this year’s election will be a “tough race” as he works to hold onto his seat in a swing state that will likely help determine the results of this year’s presidential election.

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Sen. Bob Casey

Sen. Bob Casey Jr., D-Pa. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images)

Casey is anticipated to face off against Republican Dave McCormick following the state’s primaries in April. McCormick is an Army combat veteran and former CEO of hedge fund Bridgewater Associates. He served as the Commerce Department’s undersecretary of commerce for industry and security as well as undersecretary of the treasury for international affairs under former President George W. Bush.

Riley’s murder has become a rallying cry for Republicans this year as they demand the Biden administration drastically strengthen its immigration policies, similar to how Floyd’s killing ushered in demands from Democrats to defund police departments and overhaul policing in the U.S.

Riley, 22, was discovered beaten to death in February after going for a run on the University of Georgia’s campus. The Augusta University student crossed paths with Venezuelan national Jose Antonio Ibarra, according to authorities, and died from blunt force trauma to the head.

Ibarra, 26, was charged with Riley’s murder. He entered the U.S. through El Paso, Texas, in 2022 and was freed on border parole. He first lived in New York City, where he was arrested for endangering a child, before moving to Athens, Georgia.

LAKEN RILEY’S MOTHER SPEAKS OUT ABOUT ‘AVOIDABLE TRAGEDY’ AFTER DAUGHTER’S FUNERAL

Laken Riley smiles wearing a brown top

Laken Riley, a nursing student at the University of Georgia, was found dead near a lake on campus on Feb. 22, 2024. An illegal migrant has been charged with her murder. (Laken Riley/Facebook)

Floyd was killed on May 25, 2020, in Minneapolis after police officers pinned him to the ground by kneeling on his neck and body after he was accused of using counterfeit money at a convenience store. Floyd’s death was soon followed by massive protests and riots across the nation demanding police departments be defended; there was also a spike in the nation’s violent crime rate as police pulled back from patrolling and some officers left the force in record numbers in response to anti-police rhetoric.

Casey’s X accounts show repeated tweets remembering Floyd, including on Father’s Day in 2020 when he took a moment of silence in memory of Floyd and other Black Americans who died during interactions with police, and called for reforms to the U.S. justice system.

Casey, who has positioned himself as a supporter of law enforcement, outlines on his Senate page that “we must reform” policing systems. He came under fire last month from leaders in law enforcement in the Keystone State for “aligning” himself with a “defund the police” group, Indivisible Philadelphia, and its state chapter, Pennsylvania Indivisible. The group threw their endorsement behind Casey ahead of his election battle against McCormick this year. 

George Floyd in undated photo

George Floyd (AP Images/File)

“[Casey] wants to hide his culpability in the tragic murder of Laken Riley,” said Nate Sizemore, McCormick’s campaign press secretary, when asked about Casey’s silence on Laken Riley.

McCormick campaigns in Pittsburgh

Pennsylvania Republican Senate candidate Dave McCormick greets supporters at the Indigo Hotel during a primary election night event on May 17, 2022, in Pittsburgh. (Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)

“Casey’s support for sanctuary cities, his opposition to a border wall, his votes against funding that could have saved 4,000 Pennsylvanians from fentanyl overdoses – it’s all enabling the deaths of Americans and the terrorizing of our communities. Pennsylvanians are fed up with this empty suit who won’t put their safety and the safety of their children first.”

Photo shows a person holding a sign reading "Defund Police" at a protest in 2020

Demonstrators are shown during a protest over the death of a Black man, Daniel Prude, after police put a spit hood over his head during an arrest on March 23, 2020, in Rochester, New York. (Reuters/Brendan McDermid)

Casey has voted against measures such as former President Trump’s border wall and a bill that would disqualify illegal migrants from being counted in the U.S. Census. He’s endorsed fellow Democrats like former Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney, who reinstated the city’s sanctuary city status.

COOKIE MONSTER HIDES SEN BOB CASEY’S REPLY ON X AFTER DEM SOUGHT CAMPAIGN DONATION: ‘CAN YOU CHIP IN?

Following Riley’s death, Republican lawmakers rallied around Georgia Rep. Mike Collins, who introduced the Laken Riley Act, which would require Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials to issue detainers and take custody of illegal migrants if they commit certain theft-related crimes, among other measures. The bill received widespread support in the House, passing 251-170, while the Senate’s version of the bill was subsequently blocked in the Democrat-led upper chamber.

Casey has voted in recent years against a similar bill called Kate’s Law, which is named after California woman Kate Steinle who was shot and killed by a Mexican national in 2015. If enacted, Kate’s Law would impose mandatory minimum prison sentences on foreign nationals with aggravated felony convictions who illegally reenter the U.S. after being deported.

PENNSYLVANIA POLICE SLAM LONGTIME DEM SEN CASEY ‘ALIGNING’ HIMSELF WITH DEFUND THE POLICE GROUP: ‘DANGEROUS’ 

“Senator Casey believes that all perpetrators of violent crimes should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Casey’s office told the New York Post in February when asked about Kate’s Law, adding that Casey “believes that we need concrete solutions to secure the border and fix our broken immigration system, not political games.”

Laken Riley in a medical coat in a grassy field

Laken Riley (Allyson Phillips/Facebook)

Riley’s murder has become a focal point of the immigration crisis in the U.S. as Republicans continue slamming Biden’s border policies that have led to more than 7 million migrants entering the U.S. since 2021. A handful of Democrats, such as Casey, have avoided talking about Riley, while Republicans, like Sen. Ted Budd, R-N.C., have argued that “the Democrat party’s commitment to open borders is causing otherwise preventable tragedies to occur again and again.”

Bob Casey Jr.

Sen. Bob Casey Jr., D-Pa. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call)

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During the State of the Union last month, Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican, heckled Biden to “say her name,” meaning Riley’s name, with the president responding that Riley was murdered by an “illegal.” The president held up a button in memory of Riley and added that his “heart goes out to” Riley’s parents.

Casey is running unopposed in the state primary, which will be held on April 23.



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Pro-life advocates sound alarm on ‘extreme’ Florida abortion vote that Dems hope could swing general election


The Florida Supreme Court ruled on Monday that a ballot measure enshrining abortion into the state’s constitution can be voted on in November which prominent pro-life advocates tell Fox News Digital will involve a “misleading” playbook that is too “extreme” for Florida voters.

While Monday’s ruling upheld a 15-week abortion ban signed into law by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and cleared the way for the imminent enforcement of a 6-week ban, which Democrats have already attacked as “MAGA extremism”, it also approved a ballot measure in November allowing Florida voters to decide whether to enshrine abortion access into the state constitution.

The Florida ruling comes shortly after voters in Ohio, where Trump won by 8 points in 2020, overwhelmingly voted in favor of a constitutional amendment allowing abortion. Several pro-life advocates spoke to Fox News Digital about what the post-Roe v. Wade battle will look like in Florida.

“The abortion businesses pushing this extreme amendment know the heartbeat law is supported by the majority of Floridians and second- and third-trimester abortion is wildly unpopular,” Katie Glenn Daniel, Tampa lawyer and SBA Pro-Life America State Policy Director, told Fox News Digital. 

OHIO VOTERS APPROVE AMENDMENT ENSHRINING ABORTION ACCESS INTO STATE CONSTITUTION

Anti-abortion protesters in Los Angeles

A group of anti-abortion protesters crashes the Women’s March Action Rally for Reproductive Rights at Mariachi Plaza in Los Angeles, California, on Oct. 8, 2022. ( DAVID MCNEW / AFP via Getty Images)

“That’s why they will use tens of millions of dollars like they did in Ohio to use fear and deception because they know their extreme policy is wildly unpopular. Despite the clear fact that emergency care continues to be available to pregnant women in all 50 states, they will rely on the lie women won’t receive medical care and sow confusion that puts women’s lives in danger.”

Daniel explained that in order to avoid a similar result as Ohio, prominent Floridians must persuasively articulate what the abortion measure means for residents.

“Gov. Ron DeSantis must be at the forefront of protecting Florida from Big Abortion’s attempt to eliminate the rights of unborn children, parents, women, and girls,” Daniel said. “Gov. DeSantis signed protections for babies who feel pain and have a heartbeat into law and now he must lead in defending those protections.”

Since Roe v. Wade was overturned and the issue was given back to the states, Republicans have suffered several defeats at the ballot box that many pundits attribute to poor messaging on abortion from the GOP but some pro-life advocates, including Caitlin Connors, southern regional director for SBA Pro-Life America, have made the case that Democrats are not where the majority of Americans are on abortion. 

PRO-LIFE GROUPS REJECT MEDIA NARRATIVE THAT GOP CAN’T WIN ON ABORTION AFTER OHIO DEFEAT: ‘NOT A LOSING ISSUE’

“The media narrative that late-term abortion is a political winner is wrong. Since Dobbs we’ve seen strong pro-life candidates like Senator Rubio stand strong for life and win,” Connors told Fox News Digital. 

“The Democrats know their candidates suffer when they get on a debate stage and are confronted directly on the extreme position to legalize 2nd and 3rd trimester abortions, so they are trying to use deceptive amendments to cover their tracks. Their extreme position is not a winner with the American people and Republicans must continue to expose the Democrat position for voters across America.”

Prominent Democrats have already begun promoting the idea that a wave of turnout for the abortion measure will not only constitutionally override the state’s current abortion bans but could also benefit President Biden’s effort to carry Florida in November which would be a crushing blow to former President Trump’s campaign. 

More and more people are realizing how wrong these bans are and you’ve seen it across the country, whenever there have been ballot initiatives, no matter how red the state is, the people rise up for women’s reproductive freedom here,” North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper told reporters during a Biden-Harris campaign conference call on Wednesday. 

FOX NEWS POLL: RECORD NUMBER SAY ABORTION SHOULD BE LEGAL

Ohio pro abortion rally

An activist seen holding a placard that says protect safe, legal abortion during the protest.  ((Photo by Megan Jelinger/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images))

“So the more Republicans do here, the worse it’s going to get for them at the ballot box, as it should, because this is an issue that people care about all across the country.”

I think the empirical evidence suggests that we have a good shot for this,” Florida Democratic State Rep. Fentrice Driskell said on the call. “And it’s tough to ignore the electoral implications. The last time that a Democratic presidential candidate won Florida was when there was an anti-abortion measure on the ballot. So this is something that Floridians pay attention to. That was President Barack Obama in 2012. So I am optimistic that it will pass the finish line in November.”

Republicans outnumber Democrats in Florida by a wide margin and a recent Politico analysis suggested that recent abortion ballot measures did not significantly boost Democrat turnout. Still, Biden campaign manager Julie Chávez Rodríguez said on the zoom call, “We definitely see Florida in play.”

After the Ohio defeat, pro-life groups assessed that part of the reason for the result was being massively outspent and pointed to what they said was misleading language in the abortion amendment, two things that they say must be addressed in Florida. 

“Our campaign will ensure that Florida voters won’t be fooled by the misleading amendment language and ensure that the abortion industry and out of state abortion extremists who have spent nearly $20 million on their campaign so far won’t succeed in their efforts to enact one of the most extreme abortion amendment proposals in America,” Sara Johnson, grassroots director of Florida Voters Against Extremism, told Fox News Digital. 

“No law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider,” the ballot measure, known as Amendment 4, states. “This amendment does not change the Legislature’s constitutional authority to require notification to a parent or guardian before a minor has an abortion.”

Florida Republican Attorney General Ashley Moody, in an amicus brief that was denied by the court, argued the wording is misleading for several reasons including not defining the term “viability.” 

“The ballot summary here is part of a … design to lay ticking time bombs that will enable abortion proponents later to argue that the amendment has a much broader meaning than voters would ever have thought,” Moody argued in a previous brief.

“The ballot language incorrectly implies that the amendment will not impact parental rights when their children seek abortions. Currently, Florida requires parental consent, with limited exceptions, before a physician can perform an abortion on a minor,” SBA Pro-Life America argued in a brief. 

“If the proposed amendment passes, this statute will likely be another casualty. The loss of parental consent is obscured in the ballot language, which highlights that the proposed amendment will not change the constitutional right to parental notification, leading voters to assume that the right to parental consent will be similarly untouched.”

ABORTION PILL USE HAS SPIKED IN RECENT YEARS, NEW REPORT REVEALS: ‘SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE’

Abortion protesters

Abortion rights adovcates gather in front of the J Marvin Jones Federal Building and Courthouse in Amarillo, Texas (MOISES AVILA/AFP via Getty Images)

“Not only will this measure bring dangerous late-term abortions back to Florida, but it will allow girls who aren’t old enough to get their ears pierced on their own get an abortion without a parent’s okay,” SBA added in a press release

“Those girls and the women who have abortions will be put at risk when this measure eliminates every abortion health regulation on the books. In a state where 25% of abortion centers failed inspections it’s no surprise they want to be completely unregulated to increase their profits at the expense of women, girls, and babies.”

Stephen Billy, VP of State Affairs for SBA Pro-Life America, told Fox News Digital that major pro-abortion groups will be pumping money into the state. 

“Planned parenthood and other abortion businesses, with support from the ACLU, are the major backers of this initiative,” Billy said. “And with good reason—they stand to benefit most if Florida becomes a late-term abortion destination and the state cannot enforce basic health and safety guidelines or even inspect their facilities. One thing is certain, their message won’t explain how extreme this amendment is and won’t focus on the ACLU’s new lawsuit in Ohio where they’re challenging whether an informed consent law allowed under Roe is permitted after the amendment.”

Pro-abortion groups have pointed out that abortion restrictions have been implemented across the entire deep south since Roe’s reversal and suggested the Florida vote will be a rallying cry against those nationwide efforts.

Laura Goodhue, executive director of the Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates, said in a statement her organization had seen the negative impact from abortion bans on patients in Florida. “Today’s decision paves the way for Florida voters to stop these ridiculous abortion bans once and for all,” she said.

Constitutional amendments in Florida must pass with at least 60% of the vote, a larger percentage of the vote than any statewide abortion measure has yet won.

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Ron DeSantis

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis  ((Photo by SERGIO FLORES/AFP via Getty Images))

“With abortion on the ballot, Republicans in Florida have the opportunity to be resoundingly clear on where they stand on the issue of abortion and the value of all life,” Florida GOP State Sen. Erin Grall told Fox News Digital. 

“As an issue where lives all across Florida will be deeply and dramatically affected if this were to pass, I know Republicans will be emphasizing their support of pro-life protections and communicating on this important issue with compassion, which is in contrast with the deeply unpopular Democrat agenda for unlimited abortion in Florida.”

Reuters contributed to this report



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3 months and 28 days: LGBTQ events clog calendar as White House faces backlash over Easter announcement


Amid backlash about the White House proclaiming Transgender Day of Visibility on Easter Sunday, Fox News Digital found an extensive list of LGBT-focused holidays celebrated throughout the year, including a handful recognized by the White House. 

“On Transgender Day of Visibility, we honor the extraordinary courage and contributions of transgender Americans and reaffirm our Nation’s commitment to forming a more perfect Union — where all people are created equal and treated equally throughout their lives,” said a White House statement recognizing Transgender Day of Visibility on Easter Sunday, the most holy holiday for Christians. 

“Today, we send a message to all transgender Americans: You are loved. You are heard. You are understood. You belong. You are America, and my entire Administration and I have your back,” it added. 

“Now, therefore, I, Joseph R. Biden Jr., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 31, 2024, as Transgender Day of Visibility.”

BIDEN SLAMMED ON SOCIAL MEDIA AFTER ANNOUNCING TRANSGENDER DAY OF VISIBILITY ON EASTER SUNDAY

President Joe Biden salutes

President Biden salutes while arriving during an event in the Indian Treaty Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., Nov. 27, 2023. (Michael Reynolds/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Conservatives and other critics of the White House ripped the decision to recognize Transgender Day of Visibility on Easter, calling it an attack on Christianity. International Transgender Day of Visibility was created by activists more than 10 years ago and is celebrated each year on March 31, while the date of Easter Sunday changes from year to year. 

AMERICANS AREN’T BUYING BIDEN’S ‘DEVOUT CATHOLIC’ LABEL, POLL FINDS

The Trump campaign called on Biden to apologize for the proclamation. 

We call on Joe Biden’s failing campaign and the White House to issue an apology to the millions of Catholics and Christians across America who believe tomorrow is for one celebration only — the resurrection of Jesus Christ,” Karoline Leavitt said. 

BIDEN SKEWERED AS ‘WORLD’S WORST CATHOLIC’ WHO CHEAPENS IRISH AND CATHOLIC IDENTITY

Others on social media pointed out that cities, universities, LGBT organizations and government officials celebrate similar calendar events throughout the year. Fox News Digital found at least 28 other related holidays celebrated in the U.S., including International Asexuality Day, International Day of Pink, Day of Silence, Harvey Milk Day, Pansexual and Panromantic Awareness Day and International Drag Day. 

There are also entire months devoted to LGBT causes or commemorations, including Pride Month in June, LGBT History Month in October and Transgender Awareness Month in November. 

Trans kid protest

Protesters during a rally in Minnesota. (Michael Siluk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Not every holiday throughout the year is recognized by the White House or high-ranking lawmakers, but holidays are celebrated by advocacy groups in cities such as Seattle or on college campuses. 

The Biden White House has celebrated at least seven other holidays celebrating and commemorating LGBT issues, including National Coming Out Day in October; Lesbian Day of Visibility in April; International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia in May; Pride Month in June; Spirit Day in October; Intersex Awareness Day in October; and Transgender Day of Remembrance in November. 

President Biden

President Biden speaks at the LSU Tigers’ championship celebration at the White House Washington D.C., May 26, 2023. (Celal Gunes/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

The Biden administration has celebrated Transgender Day of Visibility each year since 2021 on March 31, and White House spokesman Andrew Bates said Biden, as a Christian, is working to bring “people together” with the event. 

“As a Christian who celebrates Easter with family, President Biden stands for bringing people together and upholding the dignity and freedoms of every American,” Bates said in comment to Fox News Digital on Sunday. 

WHITE HOUSE DOUBLES DOWN ON INCLUSIVENESS MESSAGE AMID BACKLASH OVER TRANSGENDER DAY OF VISIBILITY ON EASTER

“Sadly, it’s unsurprising politicians are seeking to divide and weaken our country with cruel, hateful and dishonest rhetoric. President Biden will never abuse his faith for political purposes or for profit.”

Biden, who is Catholic, did post a message Sunday celebrating Easter and Jesus’ resurrection. 

“Jill and I send our warmest wishes to Christians around the world celebrating the power of hope and the promise of Christ’s Resurrection this Easter Sunday,” he posted Sunday morning. 

LGBT parade

A person displays trans pride flags during the NYC Pride March in New York, June 25, 2023. (Bing Guan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The Biden administration has a long history promoting and supporting the LGBT community, including last year when the president hosted the White House’s largest Pride celebration in its history, according to Reuters. Biden has repeatedly vowed to combat discrimination against the gay community and spoke in support of the trans community during his State of the Union address earlier this month. 

The White House has previously come under fire from critics during events heralding the LGBT community, including last year when a transgender model and activist took off her top at a Pride event at the White House and cupped her breasts in photos and for inviting an anti-police nonbinary drag queen to attend the Respect for Marriage Act signing in 2022. 

Republicans have continued hammering the Biden administration online for celebrating the holiday on the same day as Easter. 

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Blinken calls for ‘celebration’ of trans holiday on Easter


Secretary of State Antony Blinken became the latest Biden administration official to mark Transgender Day of Visibility, which has sparked controversy for being celebrated the same day as Easter.

“Transgender Day of Visibility is a celebration of the courage and resilience of transgender, nonbinary and gender non-confirming persons who exist in every country and culture around the world,” Blinken said in a statement Sunday. 

“On this day, the United States recognizes the achievements and progress that trans persons have made in the global struggle for equality and re-affirms its commitment to supporting the equality, inclusion and full recognition of the human rights of transgender persons.”

The statement comes after President Biden sparked backlash with a similar statement Friday, marking Sunday as a day to “honor the extraordinary courage and contributions of transgender Americans.”

TRUMP DEMANDS BIDEN ISSUE APOLOGY OVER ‘BLASPHEMOUS’ TRANS VISIBILITY DAY ON EASTER SUNDAY: ‘APPALLING’

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken (Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images)

Conservatives on social media questioned the timing of the White House celebration, noting the day falls on Easter Sunday, one of the holiest days of the Christian calendar.

“The Biden White House has betrayed the central tenet of Easter — which is the resurrection of Jesus Christ,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said on X. “Banning sacred truth and tradition—while at the same time proclaiming Easter Sunday as ‘Transgender Day’—is outrageous and abhorrent. The American people are taking note.”

“I am absolutely disgusted that Joe Biden has declared the most Holy of Holy days — a self proclaimed devout Catholic — as Transgender Day of Visibility,” former Olympic gold medal-winning decathlete Caitlyn Jenner said. “The only thing you should be declaring on this day is ‘HE is Risen’.”

The White House celebration also earned the scorn of former President Trump, and Trump’s national press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, called on Biden to issue an apology for the statement.

Trump speaks in Ohio

Former President Trump, a Republican presidential candidate in 2024, speaks during a Buckeye Values PAC Rally in Vandalia, Ohio, March 16, 2024.  (Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP via Getty Images)

BIDEN SLAMMED ON SOCIAL MEDIA AFTER ANNOUNCING TRANSGENDER DAY OF VISIBILITY ON EASTER SUNDAY 

“We call on Joe Biden’s failing campaign and the White House to issue an apology to the millions of Catholics and Christians across America who believe (Sunday) is for one celebration only — the resurrection of Jesus Christ,” Leavitt said.

In Blinken’s statement, the secretary of state noted that “trans persons face violence, suppression, and infringements on their human rights and fundamental freedoms” in other parts of the world, but he argued the United States is urging “partners around the globe to work with the United States in fighting for a world in which transgender persons are free to live safely and openly as themselves.”

The White House argued the celebration always falls on March 31 and that Easter is not always the same day, and it issued a statement in response Saturday, calling the backlash over its celebration of the day divisive.

President Joe Biden

President Biden (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)

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As a Christian who celebrates Easter with family, President Biden stands for bringing people together and upholding the dignity and freedoms of every American,” the statement said. 

“Sadly, it’s unsurprising politicians are seeking to divide and weaken our country with cruel, hateful and dishonest rhetoric. President Biden will never abuse his faith for political purposes or for profit.”

The State Department did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.



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Hochul echoes WH with New York Transgender Day of Visibility on Easter, orders landmarks lit for occasion


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The state of New York will have 13 landmarks lit in celebration of Transgender Day of Visibility Sunday, joining the White House in observation of the day.

One World Trade Center, the Empire State Plaza and Niagara Falls are just a few of the locations that “will be lit light pink, white and light blue,” a press release from the office of Gov. Kathy Hochul states. 

“I am proud of the strength transgender New Yorkers display every day and want to make one thing clear: You are always welcome in New York. You are loved,” Hochul said. 

Events scheduled around the world include panels and speakers in Cincinnati and Atlanta, marches in Melbourne and Philadelphia and an inclusive roller derby league game on New York’s Long Island. A picnic is planned in the English town of Hitchin.

TRUMP DEMANDS BIDEN ISSUE APOLOGY OVER ‘BLASPHEMOUS’ TRANS VISIBILITY DAY ON EASTER SUNDAY: ‘APPALLING’

Perhaps the highest-profile U.S. event is a rally scheduled for Sunday on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

President Biden was slammed on social media Saturday after marking Easter Sunday, the most solemn Christian holiday, “Transgender Day of Visibility.”

BIDEN SLAMMED ON SOCIAL MEDIA AFTER ANNOUNCING TRANSGENDER DAY OF VISIBILITY ON EASTER SUNDAY

Day of Visibility rainbow umbrella

A demonstrator casts a shadow on a rainbow-colored umbrella during a march to celebrate International Transgender Day of Visibility in Lisbon March 31, 2023. (AP Photo/Armando Franca, file)

While March 31 has been designated to honor the transgender movement in the U.S. since Biden took office and internationally since 2009, this year it falls on Easter Sunday, one of the most important days for Christians celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

“On Transgender Day of Visibility, we honor the extraordinary courage and contributions of transgender Americans and reaffirm our Nation’s commitment to forming a more perfect Union — where all people are created equal and treated equally throughout their lives,” a statement released by the White House said. 

HUCKABEE SLAMS BIDEN FOR RECOGNIZING ‘TRANS VISIBILITY DAY’ ON EASTER SUNDAY: ‘GONE TO LA LA LAND’

Day of Visibility 2023

A person holds up a sign that says “Trans People Belong in Alabama” during a rally outside the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Ala., on International Transgender Day of Visibility March 31, 2023. (AP Photo/Kim Chandler, File)

“Transgender persons deserve to live authentically, safely and with dignity,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement released Easter Sunday. 

International Transgender Day of Visibility was first organized in 2009 by Rachel Crandall-Crocker, the executive director and co-founder of Transgender Michigan, according to The Associated Press. 

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“I think that once a person understands us, it’s hard to discriminate against us,” she said in an interview. “I created it because I wanted a time that we don’t have to be so lonely. I wanted a day that we’re all together all over the world as one community. And that’s exactly what we are.”

Fox News’ Haley Chi-Sing, Anders Hagstrom and the Associated Press contributed to this report. 



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White House doubles down on inclusiveness message amid backlash over Transgender Day of Visibility on Easter


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As President Biden faces heated backlash over marking March 31 as “Transgender Day of Visibility,” which falls on Easter Sunday this year, the White House has issued a response standing by the president’s remarks.

White House spokesman Andrew Bates released a statement saying those critical of Biden’s inclusiveness message are trying to further divide the country.

“As a Christian who celebrates Easter with family, President Biden stands for bringing people together and upholding the dignity and freedoms of every American,” Bates said in a statement. “Sadly, it’s unsurprising politicians are seeking to divide and weaken our country with cruel, hateful and dishonest rhetoric. President Biden will never abuse his faith for political purposes or for profit.”

While March 31 has been designated to honor the transgender movement internationally since 2009, this year it falls on Easter Sunday, one of the most important days for Christians celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

BIDEN SLAMMED ON SOCIAL MEDIA AFTER ANNOUNCING TRANSGENDER DAY OF VISIBILITY ON EASTER SUNDAY

Biden, Easter bunny

President Biden and first lady Jill Biden at the annual Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., April 10, 2023. (Celal Gunes/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images, File)

“On Transgender Day of Visibility, we honor the extraordinary courage and contributions of transgender Americans and reaffirm our Nation’s commitment to forming a more perfect Union — where all people are created equal and treated equally throughout their lives,” a statement released by the White House Saturday said.

“Today, we send a message to all transgender Americans: You are loved. You are heard. You are understood. You belong. You are America, and my entire Administration and I have your back,” it added. “Now, therefore, I, Joseph R. Biden Jr., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 31, 2024, as Transgender Day of Visibility.”

President Joe Biden

Biden on Saturday announced “Transgender Day of Visibility” is March 31, the same day as Easter Sunday this year. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

After the announcement, prominent Christians, politicians and commenters on social media unleashed a firestorm of vitriol directed at Biden and his administration.

Former President Trump called for an immediate apology to millions of Christians and Catholics, and his national press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, described Biden’s proclamation as an example of the Biden administration’s “years-long assault on the Christian faith.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., accused the Biden administration of betraying what Easter Sunday stands for after the White House also banned religious egg designs in its Easter Art Event, which, like the annual Easter Egg Roll, is part of the White House’s Easter traditions.

“The Biden White House has betrayed the central tenet of Easter — which is the resurrection of Jesus Christ,” Johnson posted on X. “Banning sacred truth and tradition—while at the same time proclaiming Easter Sunday as ‘Transgender Day’—is outrageous and abhorrent. The American people are taking note.”

Franklin Graham, a prominent Christian evangelist and son of the late Billy Graham, wrote that Biden and his administration have “little respect” for God.

“This once again shows how little respect President Biden and his administration have for God,” Graham wrote, in part. “On the most significant day of the Christian calendar, when the Church around the world celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ who died and shed His blood for the sins of mankind, the Biden administration uses this opportunity to flaunt sin, to glorify sin, and to celebrate sin.”

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves called Biden’s declaration a “shocking” and “intentional attempt” at insulting Christians across America.

BIDENS ANNOUNCE THEME FOR EASTER EGG ROLL ON WHITE HOUSE LAWN

“President Biden has declared that Easter Sunday is now Transgender Day,” Reeves wrote. “This is an intentional attempt to insult and mock Christians across America. Shocking — but not surprising. In Mississippi, we will proudly celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the forgiveness of sinners.”

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem echoed Tate’s sentiments, writing that the Biden White House is making it clear that people of faith “have no place in America.”

“Joe Biden and his White House have made it clear that people of faith, particularly Christians and our Bible-believing views, have no place in his America. We must change that on November 5 by electing @realdonaldtrump.”

Former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy called Biden out in a post on X, writing, “Joe Biden just proclaimed that ‘Transgender Visibility Day’ is on Sunday, March 31st. I wonder how he came up with that date.”

Caitlyn Jenner, former Olympic gold medal-winning decathlete, wrote on X that the “only thing you should be declaring on this day is ‘HE is Risen’.”

“I am absolutely disgusted that Joe Biden has declared the most Holy of Holy days – a self proclaimed devout Catholic – as Transgender Day of Visibility,” Jenner wrote. “The only thing you should be declaring on this day is ‘HE is Risen’.”

America’s top diplomat, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, released his own statement Sunday affirming “Transgender Day of Visibility” as a “celebration” of the “courage and resilience” of trans persons, though he noted it is “clear that there is still much work to do.”

Blinken speaking in Tokyo

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in his own statement Sunday that Transgender Day of Visibility was a “celebration” of the “courage and resilience” of trans persons, though he noted it is “clear that there is still much work to do.” (Jonathan Ernst/Pool Photo via AP, File)

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Fox News’ Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, Haley Chi-Sing and Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report. 



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Trump demands apology from Biden over ‘Trans Day of Visibility’ on Easter Sunday


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After President Biden sparked fury by declaring March 31 “Transgender Day of Visibility,” which this year is also Easter Sunday, former President Trump called for an immediate apology to millions of Christians and Catholics.

Trump’s national press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, called it “appalling and insulting” that Biden “formally proclaimed Easter Sunday as ‘Trans Day of Visibility.’”

Leavitt said the president’s announcement is an example of the Biden administration’s “years-long assault on the Christian faith.”

“We call on Joe Biden’s failing campaign and the White House to issue an apology to the millions of Catholics and Christians across America who believe tomorrow is for one celebration only — the resurrection of Jesus Christ,” she said.

LIBERAL CHURCHES CELEBRATE TRANSGENDER DAY OF VISIBLITY ON EASTER THIS YEAR: ‘DRAG ME TO CHURCH’

Trump and Biden split image

In a press release, former President Donald Trump’s national press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, called it “appalling and insulting” that Biden “formally proclaimed Easter Sunday as Trans Day of Visibility.” (Getty Images)

Leavitt said the Biden administration’s move comes after the White House banned religious egg designs in its Easter Art Event.

The art contest is part of the White House’s Easter traditions, which include the annual Easter Egg Roll.

The flier for the contest states that an Easter egg design submission “must not include any questionable content, religious symbols, overtly religious themes, or partisan political statements.” 

The Easter Bunny gestures to President Joe Biden during the annual Easter egg roll on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., on April 18, 2022. (Stefani Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)

While March 31 has been designated to honor the transgender movement since Biden took office, this year it falls on Easter Sunday, one of the most important days for Christians, as they celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

“On Transgender Day of Visibility, we honor the extraordinary courage and contributions of transgender Americans and reaffirm our Nation’s commitment to forming a more perfect Union — where all people are created equal and treated equally throughout their lives,” a statement released by the White House read.

BIDEN SLAMMED ON SOCIAL MEDIA AFTER ANNOUNCING TRANSGENDER DAY OF VISIBILITY ON EASTER SUNDAY 

“Today, we send a message to all transgender Americans:  You are loved.  You are heard.  You are understood.  You belong.  You are America, and my entire Administration and I have your back,” it continued. “NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 31, 2024, as Transgender Day of Visibility.”

Former president Donald Trump waves

Former President Trump called for President Biden to issue an apology. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Trump’s call for an apology from Biden came after prominent politicians and conservative commentators declared outrage over the ‘Transgender Day of Visibility’ on the most solemn Christian holiday. 

“The Biden White House has betrayed the central tenet of Easter — which is the resurrection of Jesus Christ,” House Speaker Mike Johnson posted on X. Banning sacred truth and tradition—while at the same time proclaiming Easter Sunday as ‘Transgender Day’—is outrageous and abhorrent. The American people are taking note.”

Caitlyn Jenner, former Olympic gold medal-winning decathlete, wrote on X that the “only thing you should be declaring on this day is ‘HE is Risen’.”

“I am absolutely disgusted that Joe Biden has declared the most Holy of Holy days – a self proclaimed devout Catholic – as Transgender Day of Visibility,” Jenner wrote. “The only thing you should be declaring on this day is ‘HE is Risen’.”

Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., wrote on X: “This is the left’s new religion. They want people worshiping the trans flag instead of God. They must be stopped.”

EASTER IS MARCH 31 THIS YEAR. HERE’S WHY MANY CHRISTIANS WILL WAKE UP BEFORE SUNRISE TO CELEBRATE

Former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy called Biden out on X, formerly Twitter, writing, “Joe Biden just proclaimed that ‘Transgender Visibility Day’ is on Sunday, March 31st. I wonder how he came up with that date.”

Rep. Alex Mooney, R-W.Va., echoed Ramaswamy’s sentiments as he blasted Biden for the “coincidence on the timing.”

BIDEN SKEWERED AS ‘WORLD’S WORST CATHOLIC’ WHO CHEAPENS IRISH AND CATHOLIC IDENTITY

“Joe Biden has proclaimed Easter Sunday as ‘Transgender Day of Visibility,’” Mooney wrote on X. “What a coincidence on the timing, right? This is a direct assault on Christianity. Yet another attack on religion and traditions by this administration.”

Tennessee Republican Rep. Diana Harshbarger said the announcement was “intentional” and slammed it as a “blatant disregard.”

“This is a direct assault on Christianity. It’s evident the left is determined to undermine our religion and traditions,” she wrote on X. “This isn’t just blatant disregard, it’s intentional.”

Conservative commentator Benny Johnson shared a screenshot of the White House statement, writing alongside it, “What a slap in the face to all Christians in America…”

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Fox News’ has reached out to the Trump campaign and the Biden Administration for comment.

Fox News Digital’s Haley Chi-Sing and Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report. 



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Connecticut becomes one of last states to allow in-person early voting


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Connecticut has become one of the last holdout states to allow early in-person voting ahead of the state’s presidential primary on Tuesday. 

Saturday was the last day for early voting before Tuesday, which was marked by low turnout. 

Only 13,476 voters out of both Democrats and Republicans in the state came out to cast an early ballot. There are around 1.2 million voters registered for both parties in the state. 

WITH EYE TOWARD 2024 ELECTION, REPUBLICANS MAKE BIG PUSH FOR EARLY VOTING IN 2023

Early voting signs

Signs dot the Town Green in Colchester, Conn., reminding people that they can vote early in the state’s presidential primary.  (AP Photo/Susan Haigh)

Voters passed a constitutional amendment in 2022 by 60% for the initiative, and the Senate last year approved a bill to allow 14 days of early voting for the general election. 

“This is a historic moment for Connecticut,” Stephanie Thomas, Secretary of the State, said in a statement after early voting began last Tuesday. “We now have so many more opportunities for people to go out and vote.”

She added, “We asked voters to help us test the system and make their voices heard, and voters of Connecticut answered the call.” 

The state has strict requirements to be eligible to vote by absentee ballot. 

Some Republicans had been concerned about voter security connected to early voting. 

An early voting sign in front of a building

A sign reminding people that they can cast their votes early in the April 2 presidential primary in Connecticut is seen outside Stonington Town Hall in Stonington, Conn. 

LARA TRUMP SAYS RNC MUST USE ‘LEGAL BALLOT HARVESTING’ FOR FIRST TIME TO STAY COMPETITIVE AGAINST DEMOCRATS

But Peggy Roberts, the Republican registrar of voters in Stonington, said the rollout has been “organized and secure.”

Voters “like the fact that they’re not having to stand in line,” she said. “In every town there’s a few people who think that it’s easy to cheat and they’re seeing that it’s not easy to cheat. It’s very organized and secure.”

When a voter casts an early ballot in the state, they’re immediately marked as having voted in the Centralized Voter Registration System to prevent cheating. 

Roberts added that looking up voters in the computer database has been time-consuming and may need to be streamlined before the general election. 

A split of Trump and Biden

President Biden and former President Trump have already clinched their parties’ nominations.  (Photo by ELIJAH NOUVELAGE/AFP via Getty Images | Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

Republican voter JoLynn Brochu, who voted early, worried there’s “Too much opportunity for cheating,” with the new system, but chose to do it anyway because, “I know Democrats take that opportunity at a much higher rate than Republicans do. So I think it’s important for Republicans to start doing the same thing.”

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Four states — Alabama, Delaware, Mississippi and New Hampshire — still don’t allow early voting. Delaware previously allowed early voting, but it was ruled unconstitutional in February. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 



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