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GOP blasts Virginia amendment as maps could swing delegation to 10-1 Democratic advantage

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 19:24:42 -0400

Ahead of a special election on Tuesday, Virginia Republicans blasted a proposed constitutional amendment in their state that could soon cost them their congressional seats, calling the effort the most "unfair" of a string of redrawn maps across the country.

Rep. Rob Wittman, R-Va., believes it’s a sentiment shared by voters.

"I was with a group of Virginia Watermen this morning from across the state and they're [feeling] the same way. They say ‘no, we're not going to let them turn us into a state that's only governed by a portion of the state,’" Wittman said.

The Virginia redistricting effort, which requires a statewide vote to go into effect, follows similar shakeups in Texas, California, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio and Utah.

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But unlike many of those other states that already have a distinct party advantage one way or another, Virginia’s GOP blasted what they saw as a drastic power swing they say misrepresents the state’s purple voter base.

If successful, the new maps would temporarily turn the current 6-5 congressional split to a 10-1 advantage for Democrats by stretching the borders of traditionally Republican areas across Democratic strongholds. The state's normal process, conducted by a nonpartisan redistricting commission, would go back into effect in 2030 at the next U.S. census.

With up to four more seats, Democrats hope to recapture control of the House of Representatives, where a razor-thin majority favors Republicans — for now.

The GOP holds a 217-213 advantage in the chamber.

Democrats supporting the idea argue that Virginia is key to balancing out Republican-led gerrymandering efforts that began in Texas, describing the push as purely retaliatory.

"Virginia’s redistricting referendum gives voters the power to respond to a president who says he’s ‘entitled’ to more GOP seats in Congress before Americans vote in the midterms [and] to efforts in other states to give those seats to him," Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger said in a post after teeing up the vote last month.

Former Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin argued that the state’s current makeup more accurately reflects Virginia’s population.

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"We have fair maps today that represent Virginians, and what this constitutional amendment would mean is that we go to the most unfair maps in America, and therefore, 'no' is the right vote," Youngkin said.

Although the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that politically favoring one party through the design of state’s district is constitutional, the practice, better known as gerrymandering, has been banned in Virginia since a constitutional referendum in 2020.

However, the Virginia Supreme Court ruled that the state could temporarily amend its constitution to allow the implementation of new maps.

"’Do you want to restore fairness in elections temporarily?’" Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-Va., said, referencing the phrasing of the referendum.

"It's insane how that question is worded. So wrong how it's written. But here we are. This is our chance to use our voice and our vote. And that's very powerful. But the ball is in our court.'"

Rep. Rob Wittman, R-Va., argued that undoing that prohibition now would be a mistake — even if it's temporary in nature.

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"Virginians spoke in 2020; you know what they said? By a supermajority, they said no to gerrymandering. They said: ‘Let's have a bipartisan determination of these districts.’ And by the way, they've been shown to be the most bipartisan districts across the United States," Wittman said.

Polls open in Virginia at 6:00 a.m. and close at 7:00 p.m.

Spanberger faces ‘bait-and-switch’ backlash in final hours before redistricting referendum

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 15:43:10 -0400

Opponents of Virginia Democrats’ redistricting referendum are accusing Gov. Abigail Spanberger of a "bait and switch," pointing to her campaign-trail pledge of "no plans" to redraw the state's congressional map ahead of Tuesday’s vote.

Former Virginia Govs. George Allen and Glenn Youngkin, along with a slew of top conservatives, have opposed the effort, which would redraw the commonwealth’s 6-5 Democratic map to a 10-1 map crafted by Senate President L. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, and backed by Spanberger.

"Behold the great bait and switch," Del. Michael Webert, R-Fauquier, said, sharing a screenshot of October reporting highlighting Spanberger’s apparent pledge not to support what she now is vocally behind.

"Vote No," said Webert, whose district forms a boundary between the Washington, D.C., suburbs set to accrue political power if the referendum passes and the hundreds of miles of rural expanse south and west that are poised to lose their voice.

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The latter is a major concern for U.S. Rep. Ben Cline, a Botetourt Republican whose district runs from Roanoke to the northernmost West Virginia line at Berryville along the Blue Ridge Mountains and Shenandoah Valley, which Cline said stand to lose their otherwise homogenous voice in Washington.

Cline told Fox News Digital how Spanberger was previously a colleague on the House Agriculture Committee and "loved to talk about her connection to Virginia agriculture."

"My district is currently the most agriculture-based district in Virginia and she has chopped it into five different districts and parceled it out to Northern Virginia Democrats to use to make their numbers work," he said, adding that the referendum is offensive to Virginia farmers in particular.

In separate comments to "Ruthless", Cline expounded on that point, saying the people of his current district stand to lose their voice because they will be split into five "spaghetti strands" originating from Arlington and Fairfax.

"But we're optimistic we're going to be able to stop the governor in her tracks," he said.

OBAMA URGES VIRGINIANS TO VOTE YES ON REDISTRICTING MEASURE THAT COULD GIVE DEMOCRATS 4 MORE HOUSE SEATS

"They’ve pulled her ad from even running, yeah, because she's so unpopular," he said.

Spanberger had been featured in a multi-million-dollar advertising campaign encouraging voters to support the redistricting referendum, but the Virginia Scope reported that ad was recently pulled from circulation.

"[The situation] slid south for her and that’s what happens when you play bait-and-switch with the voters," Cline said.

However, the Vote YES campaign denied Cline’s characterization in a statement to Fox News Digital.

"This is false," the campaign said. "We’re running a strong statewide campaign featuring a range of voices — including Governor Spanberger. This election is about stopping Trump’s power grab and leveling the playing field — and that’s exactly what a YES vote does."

In his remarks to "Ruthless," Cline also cited the fact several Fairfax-area Democrats are already launching bids for the yet-unconfirmed "lobster"-shaped redrawn seat that is the most prominent slice of his district.

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"I didn’t think Dan Helmer could find Shenandoah Valley on a map, but yet he’s going to be campaigning and asking for votes [here]," he said of the far-left delegate from Fairfax who helped spearhead the redistricting effort itself.

Helmer, a combat veteran, also crafted the commonwealth’s sweeping gun control bill lambasted as a "gun grab."

"You have a leader in the Virginia House of Delegates, on the Democratic side, who crafts maps for his benefit… They’re enacting laws to help them get elected to Congress, not enacting laws to help Virginians get ahead" Del. Joe McNamara, R-Roanoke, told the Virginia Mercury of Helmer’s position.

When asked about Cline and others criticizing his decision to run in the redistricted district, Helmer told Fox News Digital that as the Virginia House Democrats’ campaign chair, he already succeeded in such rural areas.

"I've campaigned in every corner of this district — from Rockingham to Louisa, Arlington to Powhatan. Because of those efforts, 14 MAGA Republicans [in the state legislature] are now unemployed and doom scrolling LinkedIn instead of harming Virginia families — and this November, we're going to add Ben Cline to that list," Helmer said.

Several other Democrats including former first lady Dorothy McAuliffe and JP Cooney — an ex-aide to Jack Smith — are also running there.

Turning to the new maps, only Rep. Morgan Griffith’s district stands to remain Republican.

House Minority Leader Terry Kilgore, R-Gate City, represents much of that district in Richmond and has joined barnstorming efforts by Youngkin and former Attorney General Jason Miyares across his far southwestern district.

Youngkin’s 2021 victory was pegged in-part to Republicans running up the score in albeit sparsely populated counties like Wise, Scott, Dickenson and Lee, and the same strategy appeared afoot in the closing weeks of early voting.

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In Dickenson County, home to late music legend Ralph Stanley, Kilgore recently joined local leaders to call for a surge to the polls.

"We just want everybody to vote ‘No’," he said, as state Sen. Todd Pillion, R-Bristol, reported 500 people had already early voted in the sparse county that day.

"We can win this," Kilgore said. "We do not want Fairfax County controlling our congressional districts and we want to protect rural Virginia."

At the other end of the commonwealth, where another rural region is set to be sliced up and attached to Fairfax, Rep. Rob Wittman of the Northern Neck echoed concerns similar to Cline’s.

"Governor Spanberger said it clearly: ‘I have no plans to redistrict Virginia’. But now, Richmond politicians are pushing a referendum to do exactly that—redraw congressional maps in the middle of the decade," Wittman said.

"A 10-1 map would erase millions of voices – that's not representation; that's partisan gerrymandering," he said.

Tazewell County Circuit Court Judge Jack Hurley — who issued an injunction against the referendum until the state Supreme Court stepped in — also led criticism of the term "restore fairness" being used on the ballot as the official description of what voting yes would do.

Hurley said the language was unconstitutionally misleading and that "[it] would lead a voter to believe he or she were doing something unfair by voting against the proposed amendment."

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While the higher court mooted whether the election could move forward, filings from plaintiffs and defendants on the merits of the case are due Thursday – when the bench will ultimately decide whether to undo any prospective passage of the referendum.

Fox News Digital reached out to Spanberger, Helmer and Virginians for Fair Elections for comment.

CBS host presses former AG Eric Holder on defending partisan redistricting efforts in Virginia

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 14:26:03 -0400

CBS anchor Margaret Brennan pressed Eric Holder on Sunday over whether Democratic-backed redistricting efforts in Virginia amount to partisan "stacking the deck," as the former Barack Obama official defended the proposal as a response to Republican-led map drawing nationwide during an appearance on "Face the Nation."

"So by holding this referendum and changing the maps, how do you guarantee that this is temporary and that this doesn’t keep happening?" Brennan asked, after questioning how drawing maps along partisan lines is not simply "stacking the deck."

Holder, who chairs the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, framed the push as part of a broader effort to counter Republican gains in states such as Texas, North Carolina, and Missouri.

"This is really a national fight. It’s not a fight only about Virginia," Holder said. "What Virginia is doing, what California did is only in response to that which Republicans started in Texas."

SOROS-BACKED GROUP AMONG LIBERAL ORGS PUMPING EYE-POPPING CASH INTO VIRGINIA GERRYMANDERING EFFORT

Brennan pointed to Virginia’s existing bipartisan redistricting commission, suggesting it already provided a fairer system and questioning why Democrats were seeking to alter it.

"In Virginia, there already was a bipartisan commission that was set up to do these things… that sounds fair," Brennan said.

Holder responded that the current proposal is limited in scope and tied directly to voter approval.

"The measure itself says that it is time-limited," Holder said. "It is only for this cycle, an additional cycle, and after the census that could be changed again."

BATTLE FOR THE HOUSE RUNS THROUGH VIRGINIA AS COURT OKS HIGH-STAKES REDISTRICTING VOTE

Brennan further pressed whether the move signaled Democrats lacked confidence in winning under current conditions, noting historical midterm trends and political headwinds facing the president’s party.

"Why do Democrats need to do this? It sounds like it’s acknowledging that the Democratic Party can’t win on its own," Brennan said.

Holder rejected that characterization, framing the effort as a necessary countermeasure.

"The Democrats can certainly win if it’s a fair fight," Holder said. "It wasn’t going to be a fair fight nationally if you try to steal seats in Texas, in North Carolina, and in Missouri."

Brennan also cited Holder’s past statements opposing partisan gerrymandering, including warnings that it leads to governments that do not reflect voter preferences and contributes to political gridlock.

GLENN YOUNGKIN ACCUSES GOV SPANBERGER OF 'ILLEGAL AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL' GERRYMANDERING IN VIRGINIA MAP FIGHT

"If we don’t respond to that which they are trying to do, we could lose our democracy," Holder said. "And not have the ability to get back to that fairness fight."

Brennan also raised criticism from redistricting advocates, including concerns that proposed maps in Virginia could dilute Black political influence.

"What’s in this for us?" Brennan said, referencing criticism from the National Black Nonpartisan Redistricting Organization.

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"That’s simply untrue," Holder responded. "Do you think that another two years of unchecked Trump power is in the best interest of African-Americans in this nation? No."

"I hope we’ll pass federal legislation that will ban partisan gerrymandering just outright and do away with this altogether," Holder said.

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GOP strategists called to DC as Trump team confronts rising midterm headwinds

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 13:35:00 -0400

With the six-month mark until Election Day 2026 closing fast, President Donald Trump’s top political advisers are meeting behind closed doors Monday with dozens of leading Republican political consultants from across the country for a strategy session as the party defends its razor-thin House and slim Senate majorities in the midterms.

The meeting, organized by White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, who was co-chair of Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, and Deputy Chief of Staff James Blair, comes as the party in power in the nation’s capital faces traditional political headwinds and is expected to lose congressional seats. Republicans are also battling a challenging political climate fueled by persistent inflation, rising gas prices tied to what polls show is an unpopular war with Iran, and the president’s underwater approval ratings.

The gathering, which was first reported by Politico, is aimed at establishing better coordination and sharing of data and strategy between the White House political team and consultants advising candidates in midterm showdowns.

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The meeting also comes two weeks after Trump announced that Blair would temporarily step down from his White House role to steer midterm strategy from the outside. The president said in a social media post that Blair would take "a short leave of absence to lead the charge from the outside" against Democrats, and after the midterms would "return again to the White House, so we can finish the job."

This is the second major gathering ahead of the midterms. Wiles, Blair and other top Trump political advisers met in February at the party’s Capitol Hill Club with Cabinet officials and their top aides to discuss promoting the Trump agenda and other midterm messaging.

Trump made a two-day swing last week to Nevada and Arizona, two crucial swing states in this year's elections, to highlight the tax cuts that congressional Republicans passed, and which he signed into law last summer.

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The president's stops were part of a full-court press last week by Republicans, around last Wednesday's tax filing deadline, to spotlight the tax cuts, which they insist will give them a political boost with voters in the midterms.

The tax cuts were a key component of Republicans’ massive domestic policy measure, which passed almost entirely along party lines in the GOP-controlled House and Senate.

The law, originally titled the One Big Beautiful Bill Act but rebranded as the Working Families Tax Cuts, is stuffed full of Trump's 2024 campaign trail promises and second-term priorities, including extending the president's signature 2017 tax cuts and eliminating taxes on tips and overtime pay.

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But much of the GOP messaging last week was overshadowed by coverage of the war with Iran and Trump's very public spat with the pope.

Republicans in Congress are increasingly concerned about the political climate ahead of the midterms.

"If we lose the midterms, it'll be because we didn't talk about what moms and dads are worried about when they lie down to sleep at night...and that's primarily the cost of living, GOP Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana said Saturday in an appearance on Fox News' "The Big Weekend Show."

And pointing to the tax cuts, Kennedy said the "One Big Beautiful Bill is going to help a lot of people in terms of their taxes and a lot of small businesses. And that's what I wish the president would talk more about. If we talk about it, we'll win the midterms."

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Despite the Democratic Party's poll numbers hitting all-time lows over the past year, Democrats are energized heading into the midterms thanks to a slew of off-year-election and special election victories and over performances, thanks in part to their laser focus on affordability since Trump returned to the White House.

The Democratic National Committee, in an email release Monday to supporters, claimed that "Republicans are in trouble ahead of the midterms — and they know it."

Eric Holder accuses GOP of 'stealing seats' while defending 'fair' Democratic redistricting push

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 11:52:19 -0400

Top Virginia redistricting proponent and former Attorney General Eric Holder defended Democrats’ proposed changes to the Old Dominion’s congressional map, accusing Republicans of "stealing seats" in Missouri and Texas.

Voters go to the polls Tuesday to decide whether to "restore fairness" — in the words of the Democrat-crafted referendum itself — by essentially approving a new congressional map that would redraw Virginia's districts to favor Democrats over Republicans 10-1.

In a CBS News interview, anchor Margaret Brennan pressed Holder on the need for a new map, noting that a president’s party — in this case the GOP — already historically underperforms in midterm elections.

Holder denied the move is an acknowledgment that the Democratic Party can’t win "on its own" and said that they can definitely win if it is a fair fight.

GLENN YOUNGKIN ACCUSES GOV SPANBERGER OF 'ILLEGAL AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL' GERRYMANDERING IN VIRGINIA MAP FIGHT

"What were we supposed to do, nothing?" Holder asked, citing Texas’ decision to redraw its districts at the behest of President Donald Trump and similar Republican-led redistricting efforts in Missouri and North Carolina.

Holder did not mention that Indiana legislative Republicans balked at calls to similarly redraw their map to favor the GOP, and Maryland Democrats also rejected a push to redraw their districts, ultimately preserving House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris’ Eastern Shore seat.

Holder said Democrats couldn’t allow Republicans to "stack the deck" nationally and "try to steal seats."

"All we are trying to do is meet them and try to make the system as fair as it possibly can be, and that’s all this is about," he said.

Holder’s comments sparked online criticism, as Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and others pushed back on the former Obama "wingman’s" logic.

"It’s only partisan gerrymandering and ‘stealing seats’ when Republicans do it," Lee said on X.

VA DEM REJECTS ‘POWER GRAB’ CLAIMS ON SPANBERGER REDISTRICTING AS GOP WARNS 10–1 MAP WOULD SPLIT RURAL VOTE

"When it’s Democrats, it’s about ‘making the system as fair as it can be’ -- Democrat logic is exhausting."

Fox News contributor and media critic Joe Concha noted that Brennan also did not bring up several recent case of Democrats doing exactly what Holder criticized Republicans for.

"Margaret didn’t bother to push back and bring up the fact that several blue states have done this for years," Concha said.

Critics have often pointed to the fact that the entirety of New England lacks a Republican member of congress, despite the true D-to-R population proportion.

Like the proposed Virginia map, which includes several districts painstakingly drawn into Fairfax County and another intentionally drawn to connect interior cities like Charlottesville, Lynchburg and Roanoke, Democratic states like Illinois have created similar awkwardly-drawn maps.

Reps. Eric Sorensen and Nikki Budzinski’s districts notably form thin, arcing lines connecting various Illinois cities that are otherwise nowhere near each other and not in a straight line or contour.

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Sorensen’s covers Rockford, Moline, Peoria and Bloomington, while Budzinski’s snakes from East St. Louis to Decatur and Urbana while incidentally collecting a thin line of rural areas that happen to be in between.

In Maryland, until recently, the third district was in several distinct pieces connected only by waterways and tributaries — to the extent a federal judge derisively called it a "broken-winged pterodactyl" flying over Balt-Wash suburbs.

DAVID MARCUS: Desperate Dems tap Obama to pitch Virginia gerrymandering lies

Sat, 18 Apr 2026 08:31:32 -0400

As the Commonwealth of Virginia and the nation are waking up to the dastardly effort by Democrats to disenfranchise GOP voters with a ridiculous new district map giving them 10 House representatives to just one for Republicans, former President Barack Obama has been tapped to help them lie their way across the finish line.

With voters set to hit the polls on Tuesday, it is Obama coming in from the bullpen to be the closer.

The former president seems to be in more TV ads these days than he was when he was back in his political prime. In his soft, dulcet tones, he tells Virginians that giving Democrats 90% of the Old Dominion's Congressional seats, when over 45% of Virginians are Republicans, is to create "fairness."

One can almost see George Orwell giving a sarcastic golf clap.

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He also assures everyone that the measure is temporary, Democrats are only going to disenfranchise working-class voters in the south of the state once, and then go back to normal in 2030, you know, unless there is another emergency. . . .

It is telling in many ways that Barack "If You Like Your Doctor, You Can Keep Your Doctor" Obama is the man who the Democrats think is their greatest weapon. One must admit that when it comes to lying and deceit, he does have a way with words.

The lying started before Obama even took office, when he claimed as a candidate that his deep Christian beliefs compelled him to oppose gay marriage, a canard that his top aide David Axelrod would not only eventually admit was a lie, but one that they laughed about.

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And make no mistake, they were laughing at the voters.

Throughout his presidency, the lies increased. Obamacare did not let you keep your doctor, the Benghazi attack was not started by a YouTube video, he did really set a red line in Syria on chemical weapons that he failed to defend.

Now, we are also learning from Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard that Obama played a key role in his administration’s effort to investigate and, let's just be honest, smear Donald Trump during the 2016 presidential race.

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As if all of this were not enough, bringing it all closer to Virginia is Obama’s lying about Trump’s 2017 Charlottesville, speech in which he said there were very fine people on both sides of the Confederate statue debate, and it was contorted to absurdly suggest Trump supported White supremacists.

One way to know that Obama and the Democrats are lying about redistricting, aside from the fact that their lips are moving, is that they refuse to either show the new map in their advertising, or to mention they are giving themselves a 10-1 advantage instead of the current 6-5 split.

Had Virginia Democrats embraced a more modest plan that gave them an 8-3 advantage, they might have been able to show the map and actually describe what they are doing. But the overreached, and now they can’t.

VIRGINIA DEMS ACCUSED OF ILLEGALLY ‘STEAMROLLING’ STATE LAW THAT COULD UPEND REDISTRICTING CRUSADE

So, why do Democrats think it is Obama who can effectively disguise their disgusting power grab as a much-needed act of fairness? Because that has always been his job: to mask radical and dangerous policies as common-sense moderate positions.

In the 1970s and 1980s, Democrats were desperate for the "next JFK," and they eventually kind of found one in Bill Clinton. Today, the party is still searching for its next Obama, but having yet to find one, Barry still must play the part.

One would think that every Democrat with an eye towards the White House, of whom there are approximately 8,000, would be stumping in Virginia. After all, they want to be perceived as fighters. So where are they?

OBAMA ENDORSES VIRGINIA REDISTRICTING CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT THAT COULD HELP DEMS GAIN 4 SEATS

Where are Gavin Newson, Pete Buttigieg and Kamala Harris?

It turns out that Virginia Democrats, led by their radical in moderate clothing Gov. Abigail Spanberger, created a map so unfair, so toxic, that nobody wants to be tied to it except Obama, who will never run for office again.

In the final days of this redistricting election, Democrats are not dipping into their bench but rather into their hall of fame. It is old timers' day every day with Obama suiting up and taking the field.

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Does Obama still have his political magic? The juice to move the needle and get this bloody disenfranchisement of poor, White voters over the top?

Democrats believe he does, and if they win on Tuesday, expect to see a lot more of Obama between now and the 2028 presidential election.

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BROADCAST BIAS: Major media ignored Swalwell scandal until Democrats wanted him gone

Sat, 18 Apr 2026 07:00:44 -0400

The natural instincts at the broadcast network news divisions are to play up Republican scandals and controversies and bury troubling stories about Democrats. So, it’s interesting when they pick up a Democrat scandal, drive a Democrat out of office, and then drop the story like a hot potato.

This is what happened with Rep. Eric Swalwell, who recently was the leading Democrat in California’s "jungle primary" for governor. On Friday night, April 10, CNN broke the story that four women accused him of sexual harassment. On Sunday night, Swalwell dropped out of the governor’s race. On Monday night, he resigned from Congress. That’s two news cycles and he’s gone. The networks seemed to lose interest after Wednesday morning.

The Washington Free Beacon reported these charges were coming on April 6, so the network bias by omission for four days was unsurprising. But clearly within Democrat circles, wheels were turning. The polls in this primary often showed two Republicans winning the top two seats for the general election. So, it looked like time to shrink the Democrat field of candidates.

On Saturday morning, CBS anchor Kelly O’Grady announced: "Under fire! Eric Swalwell faces calls to end his campaign for governor of California after the Democratic congressman is accused of sexual assault. The leading members of his party who are pulling their support, and what Swalwell is saying about the accusations." Even with this promotional introduction, the apparent bombshell drew only 88 words when it surfaced late in the show.

HOUSE LAWMAKERS EXPRESS DISGUST OVER SWALWELL NOT BEING EXPOSED SOONER: 'IT'S SHAMEFUL':

The Sunday shows threw in quick, sometimes nebulous questions about Swalwell’s fate. On ABC, "This Week" host Jonathan Karl couldn’t be more specific than "serious sexual misconduct allegations." NBC’s "Meet the Press" host Kristen Welker asked both Florida Republican Rep. Byron Donalds and Washington Democrat Rep. Pramila Jayapal about Swalwell, and both said Swalwell should go. CBS’s "Face the Nation" didn’t bring the scandal up.

On Sunday night, CBS "Weekend News" sounded the notes of doom, that House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries wanted Swalwell out, and Adam Yamaguchi reported, "All 21 Democratic endorsements for Swalwell [for governor] have been withdrawn."

The broadcast reports would include Swalwell’s insistence that the allegations were false, but their overall tone was funereal. He was gone, and the problem was the atmosphere for young women working as staffers on Capitol Hill. This could also reflect several days of considering the allegations without airing them. By the time the allegations were breaking TV news, Swalwell’s fate had been decided.

SWALWELL'S FALL FROM GRACE SPARKS DEMOCRAT RUSH TO RETURN CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS AMID SCRUTINY

On ABC’s "The View" on Monday, only Whoopi Goldberg protested this abrupt result, insisting Swalwell denied the allegations, and that he shouldn’t have to resign before Trump does: "55 people can come out and say they should drain the swamp, but if you are not draining from the top, I don't know if people are going to take it seriously."

Strangely, the late-night comedians completely avoided mocking Swalwell as his career came apart. This was especially shocking from ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel, who hosted Swalwell making his announcement that he was running for governor last November, vowing to be a "fighter and protector." That sounds bizarre now. On Thursday night, Kimmel referred briefly to Swalwell’s resignation … in a joke about Colorado Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert.

The Washington Post tweeted:

"Rep. Eric Swalwell’s (D) fall left many asking how someone who was dogged by persistent rumors of inappropriate behavior toward women could have risen so high and so fast in a party that says it supports women’s rights." One obvious reason is the typical bias by omission.

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Democrats — including his mentor former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and his best friend in Congress, Arizona Democrat Sen. Ruben Gallego — professed complete ignorance until the last minute of Swalwell’s so-called "double life." These kinds of denials explain why the press lacks any investigative ambition. None of them wants to be on the wrong side of Pelosi.

Reporter Bethany Allen said on X that she heard information on Swalwell's behavior in 2020 when at Axios, but because it wasn't her beat, she simply passed it along and never reported it. When conservatives pounced on that, she blamed the conservative media, like it’s supposed to be their job to expose Democrats, not the liberal media.

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Democrat strategist Michael Trujillo posted on X Thursday morning that a reporter with Politico was working on verifying the rumors on Swalwell when he was running for president for a few months in 2019: "Two days before he was scheduled to sit down with this reporter Swalwell dropped out of the race. The energy disappeared to potentially take him out."

Journalists could say there’s a chasm between rumors of sexual misconduct and verifiable allegations. But it could be argued that the broadcast networks didn’t wait for verification before spreading wild rumors about conservatives, as in the Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh confirmation process. The burden of proof is much lighter on the right. It didn’t matter that one of the most aggressive pushers of wild Kavanaugh allegations was one Eric Swalwell.

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Joy Reid blasts California Dems for letting GOP contenders take lead in governor’s race

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 20:00:08 -0400

Former MSNOW host Joy Reid said on "The Joy Reid Show" that California Democrats failed to properly vet the gubernatorial field, allowing two Republican candidates to sit at the top of the race while broader concerns about Democratic preparedness went unaddressed.

Reid framed her criticism around the stakes of the contest, warning that control of California was central to Democratic electoral success.

"What we really care about out here in these streets is that California doesn’t go Republican," she said.

Reid emphasized the state’s importance in presidential politics, arguing Democrats could not afford missteps in such a critical stronghold.

JON STEWART BLASTS CALIFORNIA DEMS, WARNING THEIR EIGHT CANDIDATES MAY SPLIT VOTE, LEAD TO GOP VICTORY

"You cannot become president as a Democrat without California," Reid said. "Do you see how many electoral college votes they have? That number is 54."

The segment shifted to her concerns about Democratic strategy when Reid questioned whether party officials had conducted sufficient vetting and opposition research during the primary.

"Do y’all not have an oppo research arm inside of the Democratic Governor’s Association?" Reid asked.

CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITY CANCELS GUBERNATORIAL DEBATE AFTER BACKLASH FOR ALL WHITE CANDIDATES

She argued that internal failures allowed "flawed" Democratic candidates to advance, while the GOP remained competitive in the race.

"If you let California fall into the hands of somebody who we can’t guarantee would run a free and fair election in the state of California, then, you know what, Democrat, that would be on you if 2028 is cooked because you all let Eric Swalwell get to the front of the line without a simple basic oppo research vet," Reid said.

Reid said she had learned opposition research was being prepared by political opponents but had not yet surfaced publicly, raising questions about timing.

TRUMP BACKS HILTON AHEAD OF CALIFORNIA GOP VOTE, TESTING BIANCO’S GRIP ON PARTY ENDORSEMENT

"I learned over the weekend that there were people who were preparing huge amounts of oppo on the right to dump on this guy once he got closer to the primary," she said.

"They were going to wait until right before the primary," Reid added. "Democratic Party, what is the plan here?"

Reid reiterated the broader national implications, comparing California’s importance to Democrats with Texas for Republicans.

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"In the same way that if Republicans ever lost the 40 electoral college votes in Texas, they couldn’t win an election. Same goes for Democrats and California," she said.

"Y’all didn’t think maybe y’all should leak to a system, and maybe there was some issues?"

Fox News Digital reached out to the California Democratic Party for comment, but did not immediately hear back.

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Carville says possibility of Fetterman switching parties is 'real threat' to Dems' Senate plans

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 21:00:12 -0400

James Carville and Al Hunt of "Politics War Room" speculated whether Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., may switch parties and throw Democrats’ Senate plans in disarray.

As Carville and Hunt took questions from listeners, one asked why Fetterman, who has been known for taking surprisingly bipartisan stances, doesn’t just go all the way and switch parties.

"I am not a big Fetterman fan," Carville said, adding he thinks Fetterman is often motivated by wanting to see his name featured in newspapers.

"He may switch because they are going to correctly say if he wants to run again — I don’t know, but most politicians do — he has no chance in a Democratic primary.

FETTERMAN TORCHES DEMOCRATIC PARTY IN NEW BOOK: 'ELITIST,' 'LOST TOUCH' WITH WORKING CLASS

"If I am the Republicans, I go to Fetterman," Carville continued. "I said, ‘If you switch your final two years in the Senate, we will give you prime committee assignments. You will be relevant. You will be loved in here.’

"And that’s why I am saying the Democrats need to have a big year in the Senate because picking up four seats may not be enough. That’s a real threat."

The best scenario, Carville argued, was one where Democrats win enough Senate seats a Fetterman defection would not matter. But a potential Fetterman defection may shake up Democratic plans in a closer victory.

DAVID MARCUS: CAN JOHN FETTERMAN SAVE THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY FROM ITSELF?

Carville went on to argue that three Senate races will reveal whether Democrats are heading for a massive wave or just a narrow win, assuming the party has a "monster year."

One scenario discussed was Democrats eking out a modest victory, winning just enough seats to control the chamber, in which case every single vote matters. And in that case, the possibility of someone like Fetterman switching parties becomes a real threat that could undermine their majority.

"If you win all three of them, you're going to probably pick up, you know, eight or 10 seats. If you don't win any of them, the Fetterman nightmare could come true," Al Hunt warned.

Fox News Digital reached out to Fetterman and did not receive an immediate reply.

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Obama urges Virginians to vote yes on redistricting measure that could give Democrats 4 more House seats

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 13:44:50 -0400

Former President Barack Obama is urging Virginians to vote in favor of a congressional redistricting ballot measure that, if passed, could give Democrats a big boost in this year's midterm elections.

"By voting yes, you have the chance to do something important — not just for the Commonwealth, but for our entire country," Obama said in the video. "By voting yes, you can push back against the Republicans trying to give themselves an unfair advantage in the midterms."

The video by the former president, who remains one of the most popular former presidents and whose favorable ratings among Democrats remain high a decade after leaving the White House, was released Friday on the eve of the final day of early voting ahead of Tuesday's statewide referendum.

If the ballot measure is successful, it would give the Democrat-controlled legislature — rather than the current nonpartisan commission — temporary redistricting power through the 2030 election. It could result in a 10-1 advantage for Democrats in Virginia's congressional delegation, up from their current 6-5 edge.

OBAMA ENDORSES VIRGINIA REDISTRICTING CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT THAT COULD HELP DEMS GAIN 4 SEATS

That would give Democrats four additional left-leaning U.S. House seats ahead of the midterms as the party tries to win back control of the chamber from the GOP, which holds a razor-thin majority.

"By voting yes, you can take a temporary step to level the playing field. And we're counting on you," Obama said in the video.

Republicans call the Democrats' redistricting effort an "unconstitutional power grab." Democrats counter that it's a necessary step to balance out partisan gerrymandering already implemented by Republicans in other states at the urging of President Donald Trump.

The video by Obama is the former president's latest effort tied to the referendum. He has previously appeared in ads released by Virginians for Fair Elections, the Democrat-aligned group working to pass the ballot initiative.

Virginians For Fair Maps, the leading Republican-aligned group opposing redistricting, is using past comments by Obama against political gerrymandering in its ads opposing the referendum.

"Because of things like political gerrymandering, our parties have moved further and further apart, and it’s harder and harder to find common ground," the former president says in a clip showcased in the spot.

A separate group that is also urging Virginians to vote no has sent mailers across the state featuring Obama's image alongside a six-year-old quote from the former president saying, "For too long, gerrymandering has contributed to stalled progress and warped our representative government."

Supporters of redistricting have dramatically outraised and outspent groups opposed to the referendum. But polling suggests support for the ballot initiative is only slightly ahead of opposition amid a surge in early voting.

Virginia is the latest battleground in the high-stakes fight between Trump and the GOP versus Democrats over congressional redistricting.

BATTLE FOR THE HOUSE RUNS THROUGH VIRGINIA AS COURT OKS HIGH-STAKES REDISTRICTING VOTE

Aiming to prevent what happened during his first term in the White House when Democrats reclaimed the House majority in the 2018 midterms, Trump last spring first floated the idea of rare, but not unheard of, mid-decade congressional redistricting.

The mission was simple: redraw congressional district maps in red states to pad the GOP's fragile House majority to keep control of the chamber in the midterms, when the party in power traditionally faces political headwinds and loses seats.

When asked by reporters last summer about his plan to add Republican-leaning House seats across the country, the president said, "Texas will be the biggest one. And that’ll be five."

Republican Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas called a special session of the GOP-dominated state legislature to pass the new map.

But Democratic state lawmakers, who broke quorum for two weeks as they fled Texas in a bid to delay the passage of the redistricting bill, energized Democrats across the country.

Among those leading the fight against Trump's redistricting was Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom of California.

REPUBLICANS TARGET VIRGINIA GOVERNOR IN BID TO DEFEAT DEMOCRAT-BACKED REDISTRICTING

California voters in November overwhelmingly passed Proposition 50, a ballot initiative that temporarily sidetracked the left-leaning state's nonpartisan redistricting commission and returned the power to draw the congressional maps to the Democratic-dominated legislature.

That is expected to result in five more Democratic-leaning congressional districts in California, which aimed to counter the move by Texas to redraw their maps.

The fight quickly spread beyond Texas and California.

Republican-controlled Missouri and Ohio and swing state North Carolina, where the GOP dominates the legislature, have drawn new maps as part of the president's push.

In blows to Republicans, a Utah district judge late last year rejected a congressional district map drawn by the state's GOP-dominated legislature and instead approved an alternate that will create a Democratic-leaning district ahead of the midterms.

Republicans in Indiana's Senate in December defied Trump, shooting down a redistricting bill that had passed the state House. The showdown in the Indiana statehouse grabbed plenty of national attention.

Florida is next up.

Two-term Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and state lawmakers in the GOP-dominated legislature are hoping to pick up an additional three to five right-leaning seats through a redistricting push during a special legislative session that kicks off April 28.

Hovering over the redistricting wars is the Supreme Court, which is expected to rule in Louisiana v. Callais, a crucial case that may lead to the overturning of a key provision in the Voting Rights Act.

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If the ruling goes the way of the conservatives on the high court, it could lead to the redrawing of a slew of majority-minority districts across the county, which would greatly favor Republicans.

But it is very much up in the air when the court will rule and what it will actually decide.

Minnesota Republicans reveal which far-left candidate they want to challenge in open Senate race

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 07:30:17 -0400

Republican strategists and lawmakers are hoping that when voters head to the polls in November to elect the next U.S. Senator of Minnesota, they’ll be forced to choose between either a Republican candidate — or Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan.

In a Democratic primary that has yet to play out, House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., believes Flanagan would give Republicans better odds than her opponent, Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn.

"You've got the radical Left that is really upending the party. It's that crazy Marxist anarchist group that is in Minneapolis, especially with a primary," Emmer said in an interview with local media.

"Think about this. You've got Angie Craig, who will have all the money. But she knows that her numbers are in the tank against this radical, wild, wild-eyed Peggy Flanagan, the current lieutenant governor. So, guess who shows up [to the primary]? All the crazies from Minneapolis."

EX-NFL REPORTER LAUNCHES GOP SENATE BID, REVEALS HOW SHE WILL FLIP SCRIPT ON STATE'S 'CRISIS OF LEADERSHIP''

"Peggy Flanagan is likely going to be their candidate, and that is good for us," Emmer said.

The assessment isn’t unique to Emmer.

The Democratic race began in February of last year when Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., sparked a four-way Democratic primary with news that she would not pursue reelection in 2026.

In addition to Craig and Flanagan, Billy Nord, an anti-establishment activist, and Melisa López Franzen, a former minority leader of the Minnesota Senate, announced bids for the seat. But it didn’t take long for Craig and Flanagan to emerge as the clear-cut frontrunners.

Craig, a former journalist, businesswoman and a current four-term U.S. congresswoman, has $4.8 million in cash on hand, according to FEC records.

Flanagan, Minnesota’s lieutenant governor for the past seven years, has $1.1 million cash on hand.

Nord has not reported contributions with the FEC and López dropped out of the race in May of last year.

DEMOCRAT IN KEY SENATE PRIMARY SAYS SHE ‘REGRETS’ VOTE ON LAKEN RILEY ACT, DRAWS GOP BACKLASH

While Republican onlookers believe both frontrunners can be described as "far-left," many have pointed out Flanagan shares platform similarities with more polarizing, high-profile Democrats — such as New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani and has shared the same platform as Gov. Tim Walz, whom she has called an "incredible partner." Walz was hammered during his failed 2024 vice presidential bid for all of his far-left proposals.

In the view of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, that makes for a Republican advantage.

"She, too, supports Medicare for All, wants to 're-imagine' policing and attended anti-ICE protests where she called on people to "put their bodies on the line" to defend illegal immigrants from ICE," the NRSC said in a press release.

More notably, Republicans believe Flanagan’s greatest liability is a tenure that overlaps with recent revelations of up to $9 billion in fraud through government benefit programs.

Through scores of schemes, fraudsters in Minnesota allegedly siphoned funding from government programs like daycare centers and health clinics while returning no benefits, greatly exaggerating their services and pocketing government funding.

The fraud revelations made national news last year, raising questions about how state leadership could have missed the sheer size of the losses.

DFL party Chair Mike Erlandson told the Minnesota Star Tribune he believes fraud will remain front-and-center in the minds of voters.

"I don’t think there’s any way that this issue isn’t still being talked about in November. And anybody that was a party to it, whether you’re a legislator or Lt. Gov. Flanagan, if she’s the nominee, is going to have to answer questions around it," Erlandson said.

NRSC Chairman Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., echoed that sentiment.

"From allowing billions of dollars in fraud to vilifying law enforcement, the Walz-Flanagan administration has failed Minnesotans," Scott wrote in a post to X.

For her own part, Flanagan's campaign told Fox News Digital she likes her chances to win in a general election, pointing to Minnesota's solidly-blue track record of sending Democrats to the U.S. Senate.

"Minnesota hasn't voted for a Republican statewide in over 20 years — with Trump in the White House and the chaos ICE inflicted on Minnesotans, this is not going to be Craig's or the GOP's year," Alexandra Fetissoff, a Flanagan campaign spokeswoman, said.

"Peggy Flanagan is the only candidate in this race who has won statewide, the only candidate not taking corporate money and the only candidate that hasn't enabled Trump's ICE. Minnesotans know Peggy and trust her leadership, and that's why she'll be the next Senator from Minnesota."

MICHELE TAFOYA SAYS MINNESOTA NEEDS POLITICAL OUTSIDER 'WITH A SPINE' IN REPUBLICAN SENATE BID

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When asked if he stood by his comments on the Minnesota primary, Emmer said he believes Republicans will run a competitive race, regardless of the Democratic nominee.

"Minnesotans will reject both of these far-left, fraud-enabling radicals who would only dig our state into an even deeper hole than it's already in. Good luck to Flanagan and Craig as they continue fighting tooth and nail to win over the cop hating, open-border extremist base while alienating commonsense Minnesotans," Emmer said.

Craig and Flanagan will face off in the primary on Aug. 11. Fox News Digital reached out to Craig for comment.

Carville tells Dems to quietly prepare power grab with DC, Puerto Rico statehood and Supreme Court packing

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 06:00:28 -0400

Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville suggested on Thursday that Democrats should quietly prepare to launch a variety of structural changes to ensure a political advantage once they regain power.

Carville and co-host Al Hunt of the "Politics War Room" podcast took questions from listeners on an episode released Thursday. One asked whether Democrats should "flood the zone with a corrective implementation policy using their majority to simultaneously enact a myriad of structural changes to save our democracy and preserve our rights" if they return to power in 2029.

"I’ve got some thoughts about what the Democrats should do [when] they return to power in 2029," Hunt replied. "But, you know, I haven't thought it through thoroughly, yet. I'm really focused on what they should do when they win the House and maybe the Senate in 2027, and that's to hold Trump as accountable as they possibly can."

Carville, however, offered a more aggressive plan of action, saying, "If the Democrats win the presidency and both houses of Congress, I think on day one, they should make Puerto Rico [and] D.C. a state, and they should expand the Supreme Court to 13. F--- it. Eat our dust."

CARVILLE PREDICTS TRUMP WON'T BE PRESIDENT NEXT YEAR, THREATENS DEMOCRATIC RETRIBUTION

Statehood for Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico are believed to overwhelmingly favor Democrats, likely giving them four more Senate seats. This move, along with expanding the Supreme Court, would likely be viewed by Republicans as a power grab in the pursuit of ensuring a party’s political dominance.

"They've done everything they could," Carville continued. "They held up the 2000 election. They stole it. They've stolen Supreme Court seats. They've gerrymandered everything that you can."

In order to make these changes happen, Carville advises Democrats not to publicly advertise them.

"Don't run on it. Don't talk about it. Just do it," he said.

He then complained about how low-populated states are able to elect too many senators.

JAMES CARVILLE URGES DEMOCRATS TO CONSIDER EXPANDING SUPREME COURT IF THEY REGAIN POWER

Carville has made bombastic predictions before, such as believing before the election that Trump, having returned to the White House, would jail journalists and commentators like himself.

But after the first few months of Trump’s presidency, Trump’s once seemingly unbreakable coalition has shattered as some of his most prominent backers have accused him of betraying key campaign promises. With experts predicting defeat for Republicans in the midterm elections, Carville thinks the already stymied president will resign from the presidency afterward.

He has also predicted that political and legal retribution will not only target Trump, but his family, their spouses, and his allies.

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Minnesota Dems unite to block Walz, Ellison impeachment push, sparking online outrage: 'They're panicking'

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 14:48:12 -0400

Conservatives on social media erupted with outrage Thursday after Democratic lawmakers in Minnesota united to block a Republican effort to investigate further and impeach Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison.

A resolution taken up by the Minnesota House Rules and Legislative Administration Committee to launch an impeachment investigation and allow the committee to hold hearings, issue subpoenas and further investigate the massive fraud scandal was blocked after all eight Democrats on the committee voted against it, Fox 9 Minneapolis reported.

The lawmakers deadlocked 8-8 on a straight party-line vote.

"This is a fundamentally unserious proposal by a fundamentally unserious party who isn't interested in governing," Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL) Rep. Michael Howard said about the move.

COMER TO SAY TIM WALZ 'ENABLED FRAUD,' FAILED WHISTLEBLOWERS IN BOMBSHELL MINNESOTA HEARING

"Gas prices are rising because of Trump's illegal war in Iran. Health care, housing and childcare costs are spiking. We have hospitals closing, yet this is what we're going to do today? A bill that's absolutely going nowhere, dead on arrival."

On social media, conservatives blasted the Minnesota Democrats for not taking seriously the unfolding fraud scandal, which is estimated to have cost taxpayers a total of up to $19 billion.

"Despite years of whistleblower reports, dozens of hearings & local news stories, & court convictions, Democrats CONTINUE to block any investigation of Tim Walz," Minnesota House Fraud Committee Chair Rep. Kristin Robbins, R-Minn., who is running for governor, posted on X.

"They protect each other to protect their political base. @amyklobuchar is just part of the protection racket."

"Minnesotans lost $9B in taxpayer dollars to just 14 Medicaid programs under Tim Walz’s administration," Townhall columnist Dustin Grage posted on X. "Today, every single Democrat in Rules Committee voted to block an investigation into that fraud. Absolutely disgusting."

TAFOYA RIPS WALZ 'DODGING' ACCOUNTABILITY IN HEARING, UNVEILS PLAN TO FIGHT FRAUD: 'FULL WEIGHT OF THE LAW'

"Look at their campaign contributions," Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., posted on X.

"They're panicked and don't want anyone finding out how this was allowed to happen," conservative influencer Eric Daugherty posted on X. "REMOVE WALZ FROM OFFICE and start the criminal proceedings for complicity!"

"You don't block investigations into fraud unless you're benefiting from the fraud," conservative commentator Shawn Farash posted on X.

"When one party does not want accountability or transparency, When one party knows that massive fraud exist but refuses to investigate that fraud, the people must stand up and demand they be held accountable," Jay Feely, a former NFL kicker who is running for Congress as a Republican in Arizona, posted on X.

AUDIO OF ELLISON MEETING WITH CONVICTED FRAUDSTERS RESURFACES AS LAWYER ALLEGES WALZ, AG SHARE BLAME

"This is why all spending and every program at the federal level and state level should be on Blockchain for everyone to see."

After publication, House DFL Floor Leader Jamie Long told Fox News Digital in a statement, ""We have a month left in the legislative session. Instead of using that month to work on issues Minnesotans are asking us to focus on – like affordability, gun violence prevention, and recovering from Operation Metro Surge – the GOP is trying to spend it on a political circus."

"I hope at some point Republicans decide they want to join us in getting real work done to improve people’s lives."

Walz dropped his bid for re-election in January as pressure to address systemic fraud mounted. He testified in front of Congress months later along with Ellison in a fiery hearing that left conservatives unsatisfied over the answer to the question of what the two elected officials knew about the fraud and what they did to stop it.

Walz has rebuffed calls for him to resign, prompting Minnesota Republicans to take various actions to further investigate or impeach him.

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Impeaching or removing either Walz or Ellison would be a difficult uphill battle for Republican lawmakers in Minnesota given the current makeup of the Minnesota Legislature. Impeachment requires a simple majority vote in the House.

However, the House is evenly split, making it nearly impossible for Republicans to pass articles of impeachment without significant Democratic defections or a major shift in control.

Removing an official from office requires a two-thirds supermajority vote in the Senate, where the DFL holds a narrow one-seat majority.

Republicans rip 4 blue states for keeping taxes on tips, overtime after Trump reprieve

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 10:05:32 -0400

Four Democrat-led states that rejected President Donald Trump's policy of no taxes on tips and overtime pay are getting called out by Republicans for going against efforts to increase affordability.

The governors of the three largest Democrat-run states, California, New York and Illinois, are continuing to tax tips and overtime against Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act, while Colorado will require taxpayers to report how much is deducted federally so it can be added back for state taxes in future years.

"Gov. Hochul and Albany Democrats believe your money is their money: They are picking the pockets of waitresses, bartenders, and first responders who work overtime just to make ends meet in a state that already has the highest tax burden in the country," Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., told Fox News Digital.

"No wonder working people and jobs continue to flee New York in record numbers, and we’re consistently among the worst in outmigration every year."

AVERAGE TAX REFUND TOPS $3,700 MIDWAY THROUGH FILING SEASON, TREASURY SAYS

With "affordability" a key political issue, Republicans countered with a Tax Day narrative against the governors of those four blue states that are facing midterm gubernatorial campaigns, including Hochul, who is running for re-election and California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who terms out this year.

"California Democrats talk a lot about making life more affordable, but when given the chance to let hardworking Californians keep more of what they earn, Gov. Newsom and the state legislature refused to update the state’s tax code," Rep. David Valadao, R-Calif., told Fox News Digital. "No tax on tips or overtime would provide real relief to service workers, first responders, and families across our state, and it’s disappointing to see Sacramento turn its back on them."

DOORDASH DRIVER HAILS KEY TRUMP POLICY AFTER DELIVERING MCDONALD'S TO WHITE HOUSE: 'I'M GOING TO ENJOY IT'

Illinois Republican Party Chair Kathy Salvi says that while Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is running for re-election in the nation's third-largest blue state, he is really positioning himself for a 2028 presidential campaign on the agenda of obstructing Trump.

"Last year, President Trump delivered the largest tax cut in American history, putting millions of dollars back in the pockets of Americans; this commonsense legislation is good for Illinois, but wannabe president, JB Pritzker would rather slam the door shut on opportunity and relief, knowing full well that he supported and empowered Joe Biden's economic disaster," Salvi told Fox News Digital.

"The sad truth is that if President Trump is for it, JB Pritzker will always be against it."

NASHVILLE ARTISTS PRAISE TRUMP'S NO-TAX-ON-TIPS POLICY ONE YEAR INTO PRESIDENCY

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, who is termed out and among names potentially running in the 2028 Democratic presidential primary, was called out by Rep. Gabe Evans, R-Colo., for action to tax overtime pay in future years.

"As a former cop in Colorado, I know firsthand how important overtime pay is to first responders, blue-collar workers, and hardworking families across America — that’s why I was proud to stand with Republicans to deliver no tax on overtime at the federal level," Evans told Fox News Digital.

"But while we fought to give Coloradans relief, Gov. Polis and state Democrats held a special session to re-tax overtime pay, ensuring families never see the benefits they earned. The contrast couldn’t be clearer."

SCOOP: HOUSE SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON'S ALLIES UNLEASH $10M CAMPAIGN TO SPOTLIGHT TRUMP TAX CUTS

Hochul's office told Fox News Digital that she "proposed eliminating the state income tax on tips in her 2026 State of the State,"

"The governor is committed to putting money back into workers pockets," Hochul spokeswoman Kristin Devoe wrote in a statement to Fox News Digital, claiming, "Republicans who oppose her affordability agenda are trying to rewrite the script."

"Governor Hochul is focused on delivering real relief for hardworking New Yorkers, not playing political games," Devoe added.

Fox News Digital reached out to the offices of Newsom, Pritzker and Polis for comment, but they did not immediately respond.

While the governors' seats in those four blue states are likely safe due to deep Democratic voter registration advantages, down-ballot races do have a narrative to carry under the Trump banner and the no tax on tips or overtime policy.

"Democrats are risking every race — from gubernatorial to congressional races — all to fund their insatiable appetite for taxing and fee-ing Americans into the ground," RNC spokeswoman Delanie Bomar told Fox News Digital.

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The Senate Finance Committee charted the One Big Beautiful Bill Act "wins" in all 50 states, including those four blocked by Democratic leaders where there still remains a permanent 20% deduction for many small business owners and a $1,500 increase in the standard deduction for millions of families.

California: More than 3.1 million small business owners and 15.3 million families benefited.
New York: More than 1.5 million small businesses, nearly 8.6 million families.
Illinois: More than 1 million small businesses, almost 5.5 million families.
Colorado: Almost 600K small businesses, nearly 2.6 million families.

GOP zeros in on South Texas Dem who urged Trump to 'allow people to cross freely'

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 12:53:32 -0400

FIRST ON FOX: A Democratic congressman representing a South Texas district that Donald Trump carried by double digits is emerging as a top Republican target, with the GOP arguing Rep. Vicente Gonzalez’s shifting border record has left him politically exposed at home.

Though traditionally a Democratic stronghold, heavily Hispanic South Texas has trended sharply Republican in recent election cycles. Gonzalez narrowly won his 2024 election over former Rep. Mayra Flores by less than three percentage points. Additionally, the Texas redistricting push last year made Gonzalez’s district seven points more Republican. The race is widely considered a toss-up leaning Republican — one of the few pickup opportunities for the GOP in an unfavorable political climate.

Republican National Committee spokesperson Zach Kraft told Fox News Digital that Gonzalez’s record on border security and former President Joe Biden has come back to bite him, leaving him "like a fish out of water" in his district.

Gonzalez, however, dismissed these criticisms as Republicans "grasping at straws." He emphasized that "If you look at my record, you’ll see I was one of the toughest Democrats in the country on President Biden’s approach to our southern border, and I continue working to fix our broken immigration system, support CBP and Border Patrol, and rid our streets of criminals."

HOUSE CANDIDATE PREDICTS HISTORIC RISE OF ‘NEW GENERATION’ IN CONGRESS AS PARTIES TARGET KEY DEMOGRAPHIC

Under the redrawn Texas congressional map, Gonzalez’s district in the Rio Grande Valley is one that President Donald Trump won by 10 points in 2024, according to the Texas Tribune.

Highly optimistic about the GOP’s chances, Kraft said that South Texans "do not want to go back to the Biden days where cartels controlled the border and endangered the lives of farmers, families, and Border Patrol agents."

Gonzalez opposed construction of a border wall in 2019, calling it a "4th-century solution to a 21st-century problem," according to CBS News.

The outlet also quoted Gonzalez denying there was a crisis at the border in 2019, saying, "When people talk about violence streaming across the border, it's just nonsense."

During the Biden administration, Gonzalez took a mixed approach to border policy, at times urging the White House to curb "disorderly" crossings while also pushing for expanded asylum pathways and a more "humane process" for migrants. In 2023, he was critical of Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott's efforts to secure the border, accusing him of "grandstanding... about the way he is treating brown people," according to the Rio Grande Guardian.

DEM CANDIDATE BLASTED BY GOP OPPONENT OVER JOKE ABOUT BANDMATE CONVICTED OF CHILD SEX ABUSE

At the same time, Gonzalez said that by adding additional penalties to crossing illegally after the end of Title 42, Biden and then-Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas "positively impacted our border," adding, "and that's a fact."

"People could point fingers and say things, but the reality is, undocumented crossings are down by 70%," he said.

Border crossings briefly dropped by roughly 65% to 70% after the end of Title 42, a COVID-era public health order that allowed authorities to quickly expel illegal border crossers. However, crossings climbed to record highs later that year, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data. Approximately 11 million border encounters occurred over the course of Biden’s four years in office, according to DHS.

In Biden’s final year in office, Gonzalez voted for a House resolution condemning the "national security and public safety crisis" at the southern border, warning that migrants were arriving in "historic numbers." He has also said the border was "out of control" under the Biden administration.

Since Trump returned to the Oval Office, Gonzalez has also gone on the record, saying, "I'm happy to see that the border is under control," according to the Rio Grande Guardian.

In an unearthed interview last year, Gonzalez urged Trump to "lighten up" enforcement and "allow people to cross freely" if vetted, arguing such migrants are "a very important part of our economy."

DEM CANDIDATE'S UNEARTHED 'WINTER TEXAN' COMMENT COULD HAUNT CAMPAIGN

During the same interview, Gonzalez asserted, "We need to find a pathway" for illegal immigrants who have been in the country for decades to "be here legally, pay taxes, pay Social Security and really get them out of the shadows."

Gonzalez’s Republican opponent, Eric Flores, an Army veteran and former prosecutor, told Fox News Digital, "South Texas has paid the price for his total failure."

"Vicente Gonzalez built his record on policies that opened the border and tied the hands of the very federal agents sworn to protect us," he went on. "I’ve worked alongside Border Patrol and law enforcement on the front lines, both as a soldier and as a federal prosecutor. I will always stand with them."

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In response, Gonzalez told Fox News Digital, "Eric Flores and the NRCC [National Republican Congressional Committee] are drowning and grasping at straws."

"If you look at my record, you’ll see I was one of the toughest Democrats in the country on President Biden’s approach to our southern border, and I continue working to fix our broken immigration system, support CBP and Border Patrol, and rid our streets of criminals — something this administration claims it is doing, but instead let DHS shutdown and fixates on targeting law-abiding individuals and their families," he said.

"The truth is, Republican voters in South Texas are turning away from the extreme mass deportation policies Rubber Stamp Eric will support. The same ones that have led to American citizens being murdered on our streets and labor shortages that are making housing and other essentials more expensive."

Fox News Digital also reached out to a spokesperson for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee for comment.

DAVID MARCUS: Why Democrats' harebrained popular vote scheme might backfire

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 10:52:40 -0400

The 250th birthday of the United States of America makes our nation one of the longest-running representative democratic systems of government in world history, so of course, harebrained Democrats think it is broken and must be fixed.

This week, Virginia became the 18th state to sign on to an interstate compact to pledge its votes to the winner of the national popular vote in presidential elections, rather than these states sending electors who support the candidate who won each state’s individual race.

So, for example, had this compact been complete and in place in the 2024 presidential election, Virginia, which voted for Democrat Kamala Harris, would have sent its 13 electoral votes to popular vote winner Donald Trump instead.

So, why do Democrats want to break up a successful system that has spanned a quarter of a millennium? Well, notwithstanding Trump’s surprise popular vote win in 2024, the last two men to become president by winning the Electoral College while losing the popular vote were Republicans: Trump in 2016 and, before him, George W. Bush.

DEMOCRATS SAY TRUMP REDISTRICTING PUSH BACKFIRING AS VIRGINIA ADVANCES NEW HOUSE MAPS

In an act of hubris worthy of a Greek tragedy, the Democrats seem convinced that they will never be on the losing end of this stick.

The good news for Virginia voters who do not wish to sacrifice their own choice for president to the whims of the entire nation is that this compact will not go into effect until there are enough states to make up the 270 electoral votes needed to win.

If it does get that far—that is, if enough states join to make the members of the compact a decisive majority in the Electoral College—our presidential elections may never look the same again.

RNC SUES TO STOP DEMOCRATS' VIRGINIA REDISTRICTING PUSH

One could argue, and Democrats often do, that we already have a situation in which only a handful of swing states decide our recent presidential elections. But importantly, which states are swing states is not set in stone, as it would be with a compact.

For example, Florida and Virginia were swing states fairly recently. Now, the former is reliably red, and the latter basically blue, while states like Arizona and Georgia have become jump balls.

The upside to the swing state system is that it forces national campaigns to focus on the diverse regional interests of places like Pennsylvania, Michigan and New Mexico instead of simply trying to appeal to the entire nation all at once.

VIRGINIA CONGRESSMAN SAYS SPANBERGER WANTS TO 'TURN US INTO NEW ENGLAND'

The compact would also raise very serious concerns about the integrity of our presidential elections, because even if a state wanted to enforce voter ID, or clear its voter rolls or reduce mail-in voting, it wouldn’t matter, because the final result could be bound by states without such measures.

This is one of the myriad reasons why the Save America Act, which Republican leadership in the Senate refuses to push through by nuking the filibuster, is so absolutely vital. If Democrats manage to kill the Electoral College, then we will need standard, federal voting laws.

Much like the effort in Virginia, on the ballot next Tuesday, to redistrict the commonwealth’s congressional districts from a 6-5 Democrat advantage to a 10-1 advantage in a state that is close to 50/50, this compact seems designed to steal votes from conservatives.

SPANBERGER'S 'UNCONSTITUTIONAL' PUSH TO REDEFINE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS MAKES VOTERS 'NULL AND VOID': CRITICS

This compact isn’t just a solution in search of a problem, which would be bad enough. It is, in fact, a naked power grab meant to ensure that Democrats win presidential elections, not to make them more fair.

Another wrinkle in the tale of this anti-democratic compact is that blue states are looking at taking a population beating in the 2030 census as Americans flee high-tax, semi-socialist states like California and New York, and move to places like West Virginia, Tennessee, Texas and Florida.

According to the Brennan Center for Justice, only Texas and Florida, both ruby red, will gain electoral votes going into the next decade.

Naturally, Democrats, more interested in winning than fairness once again, would like to see their sly little compact erase those red-state advantages.

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It's always the same thing with Democrats. They never believe that they actually lose any elections fair and square. When they lose, it is always the fault of an allegedly broken system, not their own bad ideas.

Hopefully, Virginia will be the final state to sign on to this ridiculous and anti-American compact. For two and a half centuries, the Electoral College has served our nation well, and there is no reason to abandon it now.

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On filing deadline, GOP blasts Democrats for opposing Trump tax cuts, ‘making life more expensive’

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 10:58:31 -0400

FIRST ON FOX: On the deadline for Americans to file their taxes, Senate Republicans are targeting Democrats for voting against tax cuts the GOP passed and President Donald Trump signed into law last summer.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), the Senate GOP’s campaign arm, on Wednesday launched ads in seven key Senate battleground races highlighting how "Democrat candidates opposed the Working Families Tax Cuts that led to an 11% increase in Americans’ tax refunds this year."

The spots, released on Tax Day 2026, were first shared with Fox News Digital.

The digital ads come as the GOP works to protect its slim 53-47 Senate majority in the midterms when the party in power typically faces political headwinds and loses congressional seats. The GOP also faces a rough political climate fueled by persistent inflation, rising gas prices tied to what polls show is an unpopular war with Iran, and Trump’s underwater approval ratings.

EXCLUSIVE: HOUSE REPUBLICANS TARGET 'VULNERABLE' DEMOCRATS FOR VOTING AGAINST TAX CUTS

But Republicans have for weeks spotlighted the tax cuts, which they insist will give them a political boost with voters in the midterms.

"Working families across the country have enough on their plates, but Democrats like Jon Ossoff go to Washington and fight to take more money out of their pockets," NRSC Communications Director Joanna Rodriguez argued, as she pointed to Ossoff, the first-term senator from Georgia whom Republicans view as the most vulnerable Democrat seeking re-election this year.

Rodriguez also emphasized that "President Trump and Senate Republicans are working tirelessly to deliver for working families, including higher take-home pay and lower taxes."

DEMOCRATS BUILD MOMENTUM, BUT SENATE REPUBLICANS STILL IN DRIVER'S SEAT IN BATTLE FOR MAJORITY

The spots, backed by a modest buy, will also run in Alaska, Iowa, Michigan, New Hampshire, North Carolina and Ohio.

The narrator in the ads emphasized that "President Trump and Senate Republicans delivered real savings for hard-working families" and accused Democrats of "opposing tax cuts for first responders, rejecting tax savings for service workers, and denying more money for senior citizens."

The tax cuts were a key component of Republicans’ massive domestic policy measure, which passed nearly entirely along party lines in the GOP-controlled House and Senate.

The law is stuffed full of Trump's 2024 campaign trail promises and second-term priorities, including extending the president's signature 2017 tax cuts and eliminating taxes on tips and overtime pay.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota, speaking on the Senate floor Wednesday morning, said, "I suspect Tax Day doesn't rank high on Americans' favorite days of the year, but I'd wager that a lot more Americans were pleasantly surprised this year when they went to file their taxes because thanks to Republicans Working Families Tax Cuts bill, a lot more Americans kept a lot more of their hard-earned money this year."

Democrats have criticized the tax cuts, arguing they disproportionately benefit the wealthy and corporations.

Earlier this year, DSCC Chair Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand told Fox News Digital that due to the "very harmful climate that President Trump is creating, we have all the makings of a blue wave."

The NRSC’s ads targeting Democrats follow positive spots it released last month spotlighting "the success of the Working Families Tax Cuts."

And the NRSC points to internal polling that it says shows that an overwhelming majority of voters are more likely to support candidates that fight for Republican economic initiatives.

But other surveys indicate that Americans are far from pleased with the amount they pay in taxes.

A record 70% of voters questioned in a Fox News national poll conducted late last month said the taxes they pay are "too high," marking an 11-point increase from a year earlier, and the highest level of dissatisfaction since the question was first asked in 2004.

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The new ads from the NRSC are part of a major push by the GOP this week to spotlight the tax cuts.

On Tuesday, as Fox News Digital first reported, the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), the House GOP's campaign arm, launched ads targeting 28 potentially vulnerable Democrats in the midterms for voting against the tax cuts.

Speaker Mike Johnson held a tax cut event on the Capitol steps on Wednesday morning. And hours earlier, in an interview on Fox Business' "Mornings with Maria," Trump touted to host Maria Bartiromo that "the refunds are really significant, and it makes it less complicated to do your tax return. Much less complicated."

Dem fundraising giant in the hot seat as GOP lawmakers demand answers over dodged subpoena

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 19:00:57 -0400

House Republicans are demanding ActBlue, a top Democratic campaign fundraising apparatus, turn over international communications, probing whether the organization knowingly misled lawmakers and dodged subpoenas to hide weaknesses in its screening process to weed out illegal, overseas donations.

House Administration Committee Chairman Bryan Steil, R-Wis., House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., collectively laid out their demands in a letter published on Tuesday.

"For more than a year, the Committees have conducted oversight regarding ActBlue’s 'fundamentally unserious approach to fraud prevention,’" the letter reads.

"Recent reporting … strongly suggests that ActBlue deliberately obstructed the Committees’ investigation, including through misleading statements and noncompliance with our subpoenas."

BREAKING THE FOURTH WALL: LEFT-WING GROUPS DEFIANT AS GOP SHEDS LIGHT ON GROUPS TIED TO CHINA

The letter is addressed to Regina Wallace-Jones, the CEO and president of ActBlue, and is the most recent entry in investigations that began in 2023 when Republicans originally raised concerns about foreign donations possibly influencing American elections.

In response to inquiry from Fox News Digital, a spokesperson for ActBlue said the organization has never shied away from congressional requests.

"The reality is that ActBlue has cooperated with these partisan and biased Congressional inquiries, producing thousands of pages of non-privileged documents and responding to detailed requests over many months. Throughout this process, we have been forthcoming and transparent in our correspondence with Congress. We will not be intimidated by partisan theater," De'Andra, the director of ActBlue's external communications, said.

"No other platform does more to protect the integrity of small-dollar democracy. Regardless of party," she added.

Tuesday's letter follows New York Times reporting on a memo from Covington & Burling, a law firm, warning that gaps in its screening armor could present "a substantial risk for ActBlue."

The memo, on its own, does not implicate wrongdoing or indicate that ActBlue accepted international donations. Even so, the reporting caught the eye of Republicans in Congress.

Steil, Jordan and Comer are collectively asking ActBlue to produce two internal documents to examine the internal understanding ActBlue may have had about its own weaknesses.

The first is a resignation letter from General Counsel Aaron Ting — a document Republicans contend centers on liabilities created by ActBlue’s donation security.

Republicans believe the second, a message from ActBlue’s former legal counsel Zain Ahmad, relates to an ignored whistleblower complaint about those practices.

HOUSE HEARING RAISES RED FLAGS OVER FORMER TECH MOGUL'S ‘CCP NETWORK’ ALLEGEDLY FUNDING OF FAR-LEFT GROUPS

Republicans have already requested those documents before, but haven’t received them.

"There is considerable reason to believe that ActBlue may have deliberately withheld this responsive material to impede our investigation," the letter states.

For its own part, ActBlue has claimed it makes every effort to ensure its fundraising complies with legal requirements.

In ActBlue’s own letter published in Nov. 2023, Wallace-Jones, the CEO, affirmed that the organization maintained the highest standards for scrutiny of its fundraising.

"Our approach is multilayered, with checks and confirmations occurring throughout the donation process to verify donors and donor information," Wallace-Jones wrote.

"These measures, which include compliance measures, technological tools, and manual reviews, help to ensure the identity of donors, root out potential foreign contributions, and protect donors from financial fraud."

In statements to Fox News Digital, Act Blue described that its process requires Card Verification Values (CVVs) for credit card donations, uses IP addresses, a kind of digital footprint, to identify foreign-sourced contributions, applies an industry standard Address Verification System (AVS) and manually reviews donations.

It also partners with an external fraud prevention tool that "evaluates 140 factors, including card type, issuer country and address changes."

OVERSIGHT DEMANDS DOJ ANSWERS ON FOREIGN FUNDING OF AGITATOR GROUPS AS IRAN, ANTI-ICE PROTESTS CONTINUE

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Republican lawmakers have given ActBlue two weeks to produce the requested documentation, setting a deadline for April 28, 2026.

"Absent these steps, the Committees are prepared to use available mechanisms to enforce our subpoenas," the letter reads.

Critics blast Democrats after Swalwell resignation, say saga shows ‘how politics really works’

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 12:15:29 -0400

Anger over the sexual abuse allegations that led to Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., resigning from Congress is reaching a fever pitch as one critic claimed the saga exposes "how politics really works" in the United States.

While maintaining his innocence, Swalwell, a seven-term congressman and former Democratic presidential candidate, announced Monday he would resign from Congress following sexual assault allegations from multiple former staffers. On the same day, Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, who admitted to an affair with a staffer who later died by suicide, also announced his resignation from Congress. Their departures have prompted new calls to purge Congress of perpetrators of sexual abuse.

After Swalwell announced his resignation, Dale Stark, a political pundit and veteran, reacted, "The Swalwell saga perfectly shows how politics really works in America. They’ve had this dirt on him for years and sat on it until he stepped out of line."

Stark added that this "explains why no matter who you vote for, you get the same results," adding, "One nation under blackmail."

ERIC SWALWELL ACCUSED OF PAYING NANNY WITH CAMPAIGN FUNDS WHILE SHE LACKED WORK AUTHORIZATION

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis took a similar line, decrying the Democratic leadership for not taking action against Swalwell sooner.

"The Democrat Party was aware of this guy’s behavior but never said anything until the party was threatened with getting shut out of the governor race," DeSantis wrote.

Until these allegations surfaced, Swalwell was a frontrunner in the California gubernatorial race to succeed term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom. Swalwell announced he was suspending his campaign for governor on Sunday. His sudden ouster, however, has many speculating that deeper forces are at play.

Conservative pundit and podcaster Michael Knowles suggested Swalwell’s ouster was the result of political maneuvering by the Democrats.

"So the Dems improve their chances in the CA gov race and also avoid putting their members on record in a vote to expel, and all it cost them was a replaceable congressman, whose seat will now be filled by another Dem," he wrote. "Gotta give the devils their due: they're good at the game."

Kari Lake, a former Republican candidate for both Arizona governor and senator, reacted that she is "glad Eric Swalwell is finally on his way out of Congress," but cautioned, "He should take the rest of the creeps with him. Washington is infested with them."

"The American people are fed up with this depraved, disgusting behavior from our so-called leaders," she wrote on X. "It's time to restore basic decency, respect, & real accountability in our nation's capital."

SWALWELL'S 'BEST FRIEND' IN CONGRESS TURNS ON HIM AFTER BOMBSHELL ALLEGATIONS TORPEDO HIS POLITICAL CAREER

Pundit Scott Jennings reacted, "Democrats and people in the media are openly admitting something shameful and horrifying: They ALL KNEW about Eric Swalwell."

"They said nothing, leaving the victims to suffer in silence. But why? The answer is obvious," he went on. "To protect this Looney Tunes Eric Swalwell because he was good at going out and attacking Donald Trump. I mean, let’s be honest, that’s why he was under their protection."

Meanwhile, some suggested that there are more members of Congress who must be ousted.

SWALWELL’S FORMER DEM RIVAL UNLOADS ON HIS ‘LIGHTWEIGHT’ CAREER AS SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS EMERGE

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Madison Cawthorn, a former Republican congressman who sparked backlash after alleging he was invited to an orgy by fellow lawmakers and had witnessed cocaine use, wrote a cryptic post that "Swalwell is not the only one."

"I warned you all about what goes on in Washington. Why is everyone acting surprised?" Cawthorn wrote on X.

Democrats build midterm momentum, but Republicans still in driver's seat in Senate majority battle

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 12:14:01 -0400

A leading nonpartisan political handicapper predicts that the Democrats' path to winning back the Senate majority in this year's midterm elections is getting wider thanks to a rough political climate for the GOP, but that capturing control of the chamber remains a "tall order."

The Cook Political Report on Monday shifted the ratings in four key Senate races in favor of the Democrats, but added that Republicans "remain the narrowing favorites to retain the upper chamber."

Republicans currently control the Senate 53-47 but are battling stiff political headwinds, as the party in power in the nation's capital traditionally loses seats in the midterms. The GOP faces a rough political climate fueled by economic concerns amid persistent inflation, as well as rising gas prices tied to what polls show is an unpopular war with Iran and President Donald Trump's underwater approval ratings.

"Right now, we see the likeliest outcome is a one to three seat Democratic pickup — still just out of reach of the four seats the party needs to reclaim the majority," Cook Report Senate and Governors Editor Jessica Taylor said in a release.

SNUBBED BY TRUMP, THESE GOP CANDIDATES ACT LIKE THEY HAVE HIS ENDORSEMENT ANYWAY

The Cook Report shifted the race to succeed retiring GOP Sen. Thom Tillis in battleground North Carolina from toss-up to lean Democrat. Former two-term Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper is facing off against former Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley in what will likely be one of the most expensive and competitive Senate showdowns in the nation this autumn.

In battleground Georgia, where Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff is running for a second six-year term, the Cook Report also moved the race from toss-up to lean Democrat. Republicans view Ossoff as the most vulnerable Senate Democrat seeking re-election this year, but he has built a massive war chest while the GOP faces a three-way primary battle for its nomination.

STRATEGY SESSION: TRUMP TEAM HUDDLES ON MIDTERM MESSAGING

In red-leaning Ohio, where appointed Republican Sen. Jon Husted will face off in November against former longtime Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown, the Cook Report shifted their ranking from lean Republican to toss up, noting that "even recent GOP polling" has indicated the race is all knotted up.

The Cook Report also shifted Nebraska, a red state where GOP Sen. Pete Ricketts will face a general election challenge from independent candidate Dan Osborn, from solid Republican to likely Republican.

"We concede that these ratings changes are coming as Trump is at a new polling low and still navigating a yet-to-be-resolved war in Iran. So it’s possible things could rebound for his party or that they could find a rallying cry to get his base out in November — a summer Supreme Court retirement certainly wouldn’t hurt," Taylor noted.

And she pointed out that "Democrats are still contending with messy primary fights in Maine, Michigan, Minnesota and Iowa, where Republicans are rooting for flawed or bruised nominees to emerge. And Republicans will have a significant institutional financial advantage."

FOX NEWS POLL: AN EARLY LOOK AT THE 2026 MIDTERMS

National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) Chair Sen. Tim Scott acknowledged in a Fox News Digital interview last month that "there's no doubt the climate has gotten more and more difficult by the day, it seems like at times."

But Scott added that he remains "incredibly optimistic" the GOP can not only hold but expand its current majority.

The rival Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), in an email to supporters titled "Democratic Odds of Taking the Senate Increase as Four Ratings Shift in Their Favor," spotlighted the Cook Report's ratings shift.

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Earlier this year, DSCC Chair Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand told Fox News Digital she was "very optimistic that with the quality of candidates that we have, with the recruiting failures and the poor candidates the Republicans have, and this very harmful climate that President Trump is creating, we have all the makings of a blue wave."

Senate Republicans race to fund ICE, CBP without Democrats as shutdown drags on

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 12:06:14 -0400

Senate Republicans are moving to fast-track funding for immigration enforcement without any Democratic support as a partial Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown stretches into its second month.

The upper chamber returns to Washington, D.C., on Monday, and the GOP already has its plan in motion to bypass Democrats’ blockade of funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

With President Donald Trump's blessing, they are using the budget reconciliation process to front-load funding for immigration enforcement for the remainder of his presidency. Taking that route doesn’t require any Democratic votes, but Republicans will have to put aside any differences they have if they want the legislation to work.

SENATE GOP VOWS TO ‘GO IT ALONE’ ON ICE FUNDING AS DEMS DOUBLE DOWN ON SHUTDOWN

Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who chairs the committee that will launch the reconciliation process in the Senate, met with Trump on Friday to lay the groundwork for the package.

Trump said on Truth Social shortly afterward, "Reconciliation is ON TRACK, and we are moving FAST and FOCUSED."

"Radical Left Democrats like Cryin’ Chuck Schumer, and Hakeem ‘High-Tax’ Jeffries, will do their best to stop us, but we don’t need their votes on this Bill, as long as Republicans UNIFY, and stick together," the president said.

"I am calling for the Bill to be done no later than June 1st, and on my desk," he continued. "The Department cannot wait any longer for full funding. We must beat the Radical Left Democrats at their own game."

Trump’s push for a focused package is what Senate Republicans had been hoping for, given that several other items, like the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, making their way into the bill could slow down work or get nixed by the rules that reinforce the process.

GRAHAM EYES ‘DOWN PAYMENT’ ON TRUMP-BACKED SAVE ACT WITHOUT DEMOCRATIC SUPPORT

"The reconciliation train is on the tracks," Graham said on "Special Report." "We're gonna have a very specific bill coming out before June 1 that will fund the Border Patrol and ICE for the entire presidency, the three years left of President Trump."

Keeping both chambers in alignment will be key, too, given that reconciliation will officially start in the House.

The whole reason Republicans are coalescing behind a reconciliation strategy is because of the ongoing DHS shutdown. The Senate, before leaving Washington for a two-week break, again passed a funding bill that carves out spending for ICE and parts of CBP.

It remains unclear when the House, which returns on Tuesday, will vote on the Senate-passed DHS funding bill.

House Republicans are frustrated that, after passing their own 60-day extension to reopen the agency, they again have to consider the Senate bill.

GOP INFIGHTING REPLACES CLASH WITH DEMS, DERAILS PATH TO END HISTORIC DHS SHUTDOWN

Many in the conference want to see the Senate make actual progress on a reconciliation bill before voting to fund DHS, while others on House Speaker Mike Johnson’s, R-La., right flank would rather fund the entirety of Homeland Security through reconciliation.

And a source familiar told Fox News Digital that House GOP leadership is waiting to see the upper chamber take concrete steps on a reconciliation package funding ICE and the Border Patrol before holding a lower chamber vote on the Senate bill.

Resistance in the House would guarantee that the partial shutdown, which hit 58 days on Monday, will continue.

Barrasso urged Johnson to pass the bill quickly to fund the rest of DHS, including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and others.

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"I would recommend that the speaker of the House take it up and pass it as soon as possible," Barrasso said on "The Faulkner Focus."

Meanwhile, he noted that Senate Republicans have already been working on their budget resolution, which will kick off the reconciliation process in the upper chamber, for the last two weeks, and blasted Democrats for spending weeks blocking DHS funding.

"It's critical to get FEMA up again," Barrasso said. "The Coast Guard, cybersecurity, all those things are necessary. The Democrats are against the security of this homeland, and it is just wrong, and we're gonna put an end to it using reconciliation."

Fox News Digital's Adam Pack contributed to this report.

The states revealed as best to start a family amid cratering belief in the American Dream

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 06:00:36 -0400

For those chasing the American dream, a new study has some insightful information about what it takes to attain it – along with data that might determine the best states to set down roots.

Declining marriages and broken families are crippling predominantly blue states, while red states thrive with better economic mobility, education and lower crime, according to a 2026 Family Structure Index released Tuesday by the Ohio-based Center for Christian Virtue.

In partnership with the Institute for Family Studies, the report examined three core factors: marriage rates, family stability and fertility rates. It also tracked cost of living, religious participation, family instability and education levels, finding wide gaps across states that affect the "health and attainability of the American Dream."

"This report should serve as a wake-up call for policymakers and community leaders across the country," CCV President Aaron Baer told Fox News Digital.

TAX AND RUN: HOW NY AND CALIFORNIA ARE BLEEDING PEOPLE AND PROSPERITY

Baer added that government programs alone "can’t replace strong families."

"No amount of paid family leave, childcare subsidies or social experimentation will rebuild the foundation that families provide," he said. "If those policies were enough, states like California and New York would be leading the way. The data show otherwise. If we’re serious about reducing poverty and expanding opportunity, we need to strengthen the institutions that have always made America strong: faith, family and economic freedom."

The report finds that only 1 in 3 Americans believe in the American Dream.

The index clearly shows geographic divides. Red states like Utah rank first in family stability, while blue states like New Mexico trail behind.

Rocky Mountain and Great Plains states generally have higher marriage and fertility rates, according to the report.

Behind Utah, the rest of the top five states for family stability were Idaho, Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota.

The bottom five states: Vermont, Nevada, Louisiana, Rhode Island and New Mexico.

These differences are now impacting where people choose to live, according to the report.

South Carolina, for example, has seen marriage rates rise and its ranking on this list improve, while Hawaii has fallen as marriage rates decline and housing costs remain high.

HERITAGE FOUNDATION WARNS AMERICA 'DANGEROUSLY CLOSE' TO FAMILY BREAKDOWN POINT OF NO RETURN

As these pressures grow, more Americans are leaving high-cost blue states for more affordable red states.

"Strong families are the foundation of a healthy society," Baer said in a press release. "This report shows that when family structure weakens, the effects ripple outward to our schools, our communities and our economy. But it also makes clear that this is not inevitable. There is a solution and a path forward."

Notably, the report highlights a clear link between family structure and economic outcomes.

States with more married parents saw lower child poverty rates, better educational outcomes, less crime and stronger economies, while those with higher shares of single-parent households face long-term challenges.

Other contributing factors also emerged.

States with higher religious participation saw higher birth rates, while expensive housing markets are tied to lower fertility rates, according to the report. Education also plays a role as more college-educated adults are more likely to form stable families due to economic security.

Since 2000, the national index score has dropped from 100 to 87.3, signaling a decline in family structure, the report added. While marriage rates have stabilized in recent years, fertility rates continue to fall and pose lasting constraints for future generations.

However, these trends do vary across both red and blue states, according to a CCV spokesperson, who said the report "also underscores that these trends are not confined to any one region or political ideology."

The findings have prompted calls for policy changes focusing on strengthening families and economic conditions.

NEW POLL FINDS AMERICANS LIKELY TO SEE EACH OTHER AS ‘MORALLY BAD’ — BUT EXPERT SAYS STRONG FAMILIES CAN HELP

"The lesson going forward is clear," Baer said. "Red and blue states alike should advance policies that make housing more affordable, ensure good-paying jobs are within reach, keep taxes low and expand access to quality education."

Baer added this comes down to the impact of stable households.

Stable two-parent homes are linked to higher college graduation rates and a better shot at reaching the middle class, the report said. Married adults are also about 80% less likely to live in poverty than single adults.

"Family structure is one of the strongest predictors we have for whether children and communities are thriving," Brad Wilcox, University of Virginia sociology professor and lead researcher, said in a press release. "States that are doing well in this area have markedly lower levels of child poverty, as well as higher rates of economic mobility and homeownership."

For many, economic realities have continued to fuel skepticism about the American Dream. Since 1980, fewer adults ages 25 to 54 have been able to buy homes, and only about 50% of those born in the 1980s earn more than their parents—down from 90% among those born in the 1940s.

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Marriage rates fell sharply from 2000 to 2010, followed by a 17% drop over the next decade, as "upward mobility has been cut nearly in half over two generations," the report said.

"This isn’t just about statistics," Baer said. "It’s about real children and real futures. If we want to see our nation thrive, we have to be serious about strengthening marriage and supporting families in every community."

Trump blasts Spanberger ahead of Virginia meetings, says state faces tax base exodus like New York, California

Sat, 11 Apr 2026 12:03:09 -0400

President Donald Trump slammed Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger ahead of meetings in the state Saturday, warning her policies are triggering a tax base exodus similar to New York and California.

Trump, in an early morning Truth Social post, said the Democratic governor had imposed a wave of taxes he argued were draining the state’s economic strength.

"She is adding so many Taxes, a Food and Beverage Tax, Digital Services Tax, Utilities Tax, and more," Trump wrote. "It has lost its Energy, Vitality, and Strength. People are leaving that would never have even thought of doing so!"

Trump’s comments come as Republicans have criticized Democrats in the state legislature over a slate of tax and revenue proposals, warning the measures could hurt Virginia’s business climate, though the governor has not publicly supported or signed the measures referenced by Trump.

GLENN YOUNGKIN ACCUSES GOV SPANBERGER OF 'ILLEGAL AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL' GERRYMANDERING IN VIRGINIA MAP FIGHT

"New companies that signed to come into the Commonwealth under Governor Youngkin are now looking for ways to get out — Break their Deal," he said.

The president, who said he was heading to Virginia for meetings at Trump National Golf Club, drew comparisons to high-tax states like New York and California, which he has frequently criticized.

"We have a similar situation in New York and, most of all, in California, where Rich, Job Producing people and companies are being forced to FLEE at levels never seen before," Trump wrote.

He added that California’s tax base was "literally disappearing" as wealthy individuals and corporations relocate, warning Virginia could face a similar trajectory.

VA DEM REJECTS ‘POWER GRAB’ CLAIMS ON SPANBERGER REDISTRICTING AS GOP WARNS 10–1 MAP WOULD SPLIT RURAL VOTE

"Remember, once people and companies leave, they are never coming back!" Trump said.

Spanberger pushed back on the criticism in a post on X, arguing Trump and his allies were mischaracterizing her policies.

"The president and his allies are talking about taxes that our state legislature never even voted on and I certainly didn't sign," she wrote. "Why? Because if they don't flood the zone with fake news about fake taxes, people might hear about the bills I am signing to lower energy costs, strengthen our schools, make housing more affordable, and bring billions of dollars of business investment to Virginia."

Spanberger has supported a broader set of revenue measures since taking office, including proposals targeting digital services and business activity, as part of an effort to fund priorities such as education and health care.

A spokesperson for Spanberger’s office also issued a statement criticizing Trump’s claims.

"Virginians are tired of Donald Trump’s lies," the spokesperson told Fox News Digital. "Governor Spanberger has signed dozens of bipartisan bills to contend with high housing, healthcare and energy costs for Virginians — and not any of the taxes President Trump and his allies are lying about."

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The spokesperson added that businesses have announced "more than $500 million in new investment in the commonwealth since Governor Spanberger took office in January," while accusing Trump of focusing on politics instead of economic stability.

"The ballgame changed when the President — whose been busy raising costs for Virginians by starting a reckless war that has skyrocketed inflation and driven gas prices up to $4 — strong-armed states into drawing more Republican congressional seats that he asserted he was 'entitled' to before the midterms," the governor's spokesperson added. "As prices rise in Trump’s economy, Governor Spanberger will continue her work with both parties to address the high housing, healthcare, and energy costs that Virginians are feeling."

On Saturday, House Speaker Mike Johnson and former Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin also took aim at Spanberger as a state vote on redistricting approaches during a rally in Rockingham County opposing Democrats' proposed 10-1 gerrymander ahead of the April 21 referendum election.

"She talks like a moderate, and she governs like a Marxist," Johnson said. "I mean, this is serious stuff."

Johnson also warned that the outcome in Virginia could have national implications, citing the GOP’s narrow House majority.

Youngkin, meanwhile, accused Spanberger of weakening public safety policies in the state.

"She says she’s going to stand for public safety, and she makes Virginia a sanctuary state after one of the most successful federal-state collaborations in the entire country," Youngkin said. "We arrested thousands of violent criminals who are here illegally, and she put a stop to it."

Spanberger defeated Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears in the 2025 gubernatorial race, securing a Democratic win. Youngkin was not eligible for re-election under state law.

Spanberger campaigned on issues including health care and abortion rights, while positioning herself as a more moderate alternative despite GOP criticism of her voting record.

Fox News Digital's Preston Mizell contributed to this report.

DAVID MARCUS: Virginia's battle over gerrymandering betrays our broken politics

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 17:17:50 -0400

I met Debbie having a cigarette outside my hotel this week. She is 80, a great-grandmother of eight, and smokes as much as I do. She was up from rural Georgia, and asked me, in the sweetest voice you ever heard, what all the ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ signs on the roads were about.

I gave Debbie a thumbnail explanation of the referendum set for April 21 over whether to amend the state constitution, change the Virginia U.S. House of Representatives district maps and go from a 6-5 advantage for Democrats to a 10-1 advantage. She simply smiled and said, "Well, these days, everyone’s yelling about something or other."

I was struck by her words. It had been my son’s job on the mostly bucolic drive south through the commonwealth to count the yard signs, a task he well remembers from the last election that also keeps him off his phone, sort of.

We found about 20 ‘Yes’ signs and 15 ‘No’ signs, the former mostly in pricey suburbs, the latter in the rural areas Democrats are seeking to forcibly turn blue. One sign was up on a tractor, but through Debbie’s eyes, I saw how absurd this display really was.

GLENN YOUNGKIN ACCUSES GOV SPANBERGER OF 'ILLEGAL AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL' GERRYMANDERING IN VIRGINIA MAP FIGHT

It is surreal, almost out of a Jonathan Swift novel, to drive hundreds of miles seeing signs that read simply "Yes," or "No." No context, no meaning, just pick a side. And that’s exactly how this campaign in Virginia feels.

Jodie is a Democrat in her 40s and is a teacher in the Newport News area.

"This isn’t about the moral high ground," she told me, adding, "because they don’t care about the moral high ground and if only we do, we lose."

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This sounded an awful lot like the Republicans I spoke to in Texas recently defending their own redistricting, which they very plausibly say was in response to New England being 40% Republican yet has no GOP House members.

Liam, a retired lifelong Virginian and Republican, seemed to understand this dynamic.

"It’s obviously unfair and anti-Democratic, but then they say 'Texas did it, too,' so everyone just goes with their own team," he told me.

PRIMARY PAUSE, POLITICAL FIRESTORM: HIGH-STAKES ELECTIONS THIS MONTH TAKE CENTER STAGE

Another woman chimed in, overhearing us to simply say, "It’s a bloodbath now. Nobody talks."

From the earliest moments of our Republic, and even 100 years earlier in England, wise men of government had feared that parties or factions would be the death of constitutional governance because they would put their differences ahead of the nation’s good.

In his farewell address, George Washington, who attended college here in Williamsburg, warned us all of parties and of the "ill-founded jealousies," that can lead to "frightful despotism."

SPANBERGER ONCE BLASTED GERRYMANDERING AND NOW BACKS AMENDMENT CRITICS SAY COULD ERASE VIRGINIA GOP

Virginia’s redistricting, which effectively disenfranchises thousands of Republicans, is a good example of it.

To go from a 6-5 margin to 10-1 is so fabulously anti-democratic and beyond the pale that many Republicans feel certain that if they point this out, surely saner heads will prevail.

The problem is that Democratic voters I talk to know it's sketchy, they know Barack Obama is lying about it being about fairness in local TV ads, but they don’t care. For them, the Republicans are worse and must be beaten.

RNC SUES TO STOP DEMOCRATS' VIRGINIA REDISTRICTING PUSH

Among the ironies of this happening in Virginia, the state that produced James Madison, author of our Constitution, is that the special election referendum in two weeks will have very low turnout, despite constitutional amendments supposedly requiring the highest bar of popularity possible.

This referendum could easily be the difference between President Donald Trump spending the next two years in impeachment purgatory or being free to lead. Not only will it be decided by a very small group of people, they are barely talking to each other, from what I can tell.

My warning to Virginia Republicans is that winning hearts and minds won’t win this fight. It needs all the ground game it can muster, all the knocking on doors, and yes, all the road and yard signs, because this really will be, as they say, all about turnout.

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In the end, Debbie is right. Sadly, this referendum in the birthplace of constitutional representation has turned into little more than people yelling about something. I guess at least this time, on the ride home she will know what they are yelling about.

Vote yes, Vote No, Vote Yes, Vote No. It's like the old Bugs Bunny routine. Maybe one side should try the old switcheroo, reverse psychology trick. At this point, it would represent more erudite discourse than anyone, other than maybe Debbie, seems to be offering.

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RNC takes Virginia to court, blasts ‘nonresident voting’ loophole in election fight

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 15:49:40 -0400

The Republican National Committee (RNC) is leading a lawsuit against Virginia, accusing the state of violating state law by allegedly accepting ballots from people who have never lived in the state.

Under federal law, military service members stationed overseas and their spouses are allowed to cast absentee ballots based upon the state of their last residence.

But a Virginia statute allows voters who have never lived in the state to cast a ballot based on Virginia being their parent’s last eligible voting location.

The lawsuit comes just months away from a contentious midterm election cycle as the Republican Party fights to keep control of both chambers of Congress.

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This lawsuit is the fourth filed by the RNC contesting loopholes in state laws that allow both children of military service members and children of former Virginia residents living abroad to vote in elections even if they have never lived in the state. In addition to Virginia, 27 other states permit "nonresidents" to vote in both state and federal elections based on their parents’ last place of residence.

"The Virginia Constitution clearly states you must show proof of residency in order to vote in Virginia elections, so what we're trying to do here at the RNC is make sure that Virginia elections are truly for Virginians and close that loophole where people who have never even lived in the state or sometimes even the country so they cannot register to vote in Virginia," RNC Election Integrity Communications Director Ally Triolo told Fox News Digital.

Roughly 2.8 million American citizens older than the age of 18 live abroad, according to the Federal Voting Assistance Program. It is unclear how many of them voted who have never lived in the United States, but the RNC said it is actively looking at state voter rolls.

The RNC, RITE PAC and conservative grassroots organizer Matthew Hurtt filed for injunctive relief in the Circuit Court for the City of Richmond, Virginia, against the Virginia State Board of Elections and the Virginia Department of Elections Monday.

"People who have never lived in Virginia — or even in the United States — should not be voting in Virginia’s elections," Republican Party Chairman Joe Gruters said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

"Virginia officials are ignoring the Virginia Constitution and allowing ineligible voters to cast ballots. The RNC and RITE PAC are taking this action to enforce the law and ensure nonresidents are not diluting the votes of Virginians."

Hurtt, who also serves as the chairman of the Arlington GOP, referred Fox News Digital to an email he sent to Arlington GOP committee members, explaining why he joined the lawsuit.

"Through this lawsuit, we are asking the court to declare the relevant statutes unconstitutional and to require election officials to limit voting to individuals who meet Virginia’s residency requirements," Hurtt wrote.

"This effort is about ensuring that Virginia elections are conducted in accordance with the Constitution and that the rules governing voter eligibility are applied consistently and lawfully."

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The lawsuit named seven elected officials as defendants as well, including Fairfax County, Virginia, Electoral Board General Registrar Eric Spicer. Fairfax, Virginia, GOP Chairman Steve Knotts previously praised Spicer for his efforts to strengthen election integrity in the county.

"Defendant Spicer has registered voters who stated on their registration forms: 'I am a U.S. citizen living outside the country, I have never lived in the United States.' This practice violates the Virginia Constitution," the lawsuit stated.

The RNC did not provide an estimate when Fox News Digital asked how many people may have voted this way in Virginia.

Similar lawsuits have been filed by the RNC against Michigan, Arizona and North Carolina over election officials counting ballots from "never residents."

During litigation, state officials in North Carolina pointed to both the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA), a federal law, and a state law, the Uniform Military and Overseas Voters Act (UMOVA), in support of allowing nonresidents to vote.

The UMOVA granted a provision allowing for individuals born overseas to former North Carolina residents to vote in the state.

But in April 2025, an appeals court in North Carolina ruled in favor of the RNC, determining that the state's election board was violating the state Constitution by allowing voters who never lived in the state. State officials appealed the decision to North Carolina's Supreme Court, but the case was dismissed.

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"We fought this in North Carolina," Triolo said. "We had a successful win, and we have two more active cases fighting the same fight in Arizona and Michigan. We are committed at the RNC to stopping any abuse of our elections. We know that voters deserve free, fair, and secure elections. So the RNC is confident with its win that we already had on this issue. We'll continue to see more wins moving forward."

Triolo shared with Fox News Digital that the RNC has more than 120 active lawsuits across the country in its fight to close loopholes and strengthen election integrity.

"The RNC is fighting tooth and nail to protect the ballot box," Triolo said. "This is one of our key priorities here, which is ensuring that our elections are fair, they're free, they're transparent, they are secure."

The Virginia Department of Elections declined to comment.