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    Florida Lawmaker Makes Announcement on 2024 Plans

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    0
    Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    Florida Senator Rick Scott (R) is shutting down speculation of a White House run…at least for 2024.

    On Wednesday, Sen. Scott announced he will seek another term in the Senate in 2024. According to The Hill, the Florida Senator announced his intentions during an appearance in South Florida and also unveiled a list of hires that includes several longtime campaign hands. 

    “I’ve never lost an election and I don’t intend to now,” Scott said in a statement. “We’ve worked hard to turn Florida into a red state that elects Republicans up and down the ballot. But I never take anything for granted.”

    “The people of Florida have elected me three times so far to fight for conservative values, stand up to Joe Biden and the radical, woke Democrats, and bring common-sense to Washington. We’re going to keep fighting to do the things the people of Florida elected me to do.”

    The Senator’s announcement comes after Republicans failed to win back the upper chamber last year, a failure that some blamed on Scott.

    Despite the GOP’s unsuccessful effort to win back the Senate majority, the Florida Senator launched an unsuccessful bid to unseat Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) as Senate minority leader.

    Scott remains a powerful political force in his home state. Prior to winning his Senate seat in 2018, he served two terms as Florida governor. 

    Mike Pompeo Offers New Insight into Possible Presidential Run

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    22
    Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo raised eyebrows when he was recently asked if he plans to launch a presidential campaign in 2024, possibly teeing up a challenge against his old boss Donald Trump.

    During a “Faith and Freedom Barbecue” event in South Carolina hosted by Rep. Jeff Duncan, Pompeo stopped short of confirming his next political move but was clear to note he would not let any outside actors influence his decision to run for office. The event is known to attract political donors as well as presidential hopefuls, other high profile Republicans in attendance included Governor Henry McMaster and Senator Tim Scott, who has also been floated as a possible presidential contender.

    Mediaite reports:

    “We’re going to make our decision based on if we think this is the right place for us to serve,” Pompeo said. “If I come to believe I ought to become president, that I have something to offer the American people, I will run no matter who all decides to get in and who else decides not to get in the race.”

    The remark was a thinly-veiled shot at the former president who has not shied away from saying he’s seriously considering a third run for the White House. Trump’s repeated hints regarding his potential campaign have caused some conservatives to hold off on making their own decisions regarding the race.

    In April, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley said she planned to support Trump in 2024 and would not launch her own campaign against him.

    “I would not run if President Trump ran, and I would talk to him about it. That’s something that we’ll have a conversation about, at some point, if that decision is something that has to be made,” she remarked.

    This is hardly the first hint Pompeo has dropped that he’s seriously considering a run for president. In June, Fox News host Maria Bartiromo asked the ex-Secretary of State about his political ambitions.

    “Are you planning to run for president in ’24?” she asked.

    “Well, thanks for the compliment,” Pompeo deflected. “We need to build an American majority and an American coalition.”

    “I’m working on 2022 all across the country helping to get folks elected,” he added. “And Susan and I will work and pray and decide how we’re going to best serve America as we move forward.”

    Does Mike Pompeo have what it takes to take on Trump? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!

    Trump’s Ex-Wife Nominates Herself For VP

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    5

    A shocking turn of events…

    Former President Donald Trump’s ex-wife, Marla Maples, recently said she was open to being his running mate during an interview

    “I’m open. I’m open to whatever way that I can serve,” Maples said in an interview with the U.K. publication, The Evening Standard, released Monday.

    “Right now everyone [in the Trump family] is just seeing how we can help,” she said when asked about potentially being the 45th president’s VP pick.

    Maples, who has largely stayed out of politics during Trump’s first term, says she’s not longer afraid of the consequences and is ready to “step out more.”

    “I’ve never been a fan of politics. I see how it can separate and divide us,” Maples told The Evening Standard.

    “At the same time, I found myself in the throes of it,” the “Dancing With the Stars” alum said.

    Maples and Trump were married from 1993 to 1999 and are parents to daughter Tiffany Trump. 

    But now, Maples said, “I’m ready. I am available if needed and I’m not sitting back anymore.”

     “I want to step out more, share more and not be afraid of positive or negative outcomes that come from speaking out,” she said. 

    Despite Maples’ throwing her hat into the ring, Trump is more likely to choose a running mate with more firsthand political experience.

    According to a report from The New York Post, Donald Trump is now seriously considering two candidates to become his running mate: Ohio Senator J.D. Vance and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum. Florida Senator Marco Rubio is also reportedly being considered.

    One source close to Trump gave a slight edge to Burgum being the 45th president’s running mate, saying the North Dakotan had a 50-50 chance of being selected and Vance had a 30% chance, with Rubio and the field each having a 10% percent chance.

    A different source close to the Trump campaign said the choice was “gonna be JD, Marco or Burgum” and that they didn’t “see a scenario where one of those three doesn’t end up getting it.”

    “I would give Burgum and JD a little more of an edge than Marco,” the source added, handicapping that “Marco still has a shot” and that “Burgum and JD have an equal shot.”

    “JD because that’s who Don Jr. and Trump’s inner orbit seem to be pushing for,” this person said. “Donors [are] pushing Burgum for stability.”

    It’s unclear exactly when Trump will officially announce his choice for vice president but speculation is building around his upcoming rally in Pennsylvania and the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.

    Report: Former Congressman Mulling Senate Challenge

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    2
    Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    Former New York congressman Lee Zeldin is reportedly considering a run for Senate.

    On Monday, Zeldin told reporters he’s considering challenging Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D) in 2024, according to Politico.

    “We’ll keep an eye on the race,” Zeldin said while at the state Capitol on Monday to visit with lawmakers. “If we did run, it would be an extremely competitive race.”

    The former Long Island congressman received nearly 47 percent of the vote against Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) last November, the best performance by a Republican gubernatorial candidate in the solidly-blue state in two decades.

    Gillibrand is running for her third term in the Senate next year. The Democrat has even launched a fundraising campaign on the possibility Zeldin may enter the race.

    “It was something that I was giving no thought to, but she was trying to fundraise. And the best way to fundraise in the first quarter of 2023 was to speak about a viable opponent,” Zeldin said in an interview before joining former presidential advisor Kellyanne Conway at a dinner for the New York State Federation of Republican Women near Albany.

    Zeldin said his main focus right now is helping out candidates for local office this year “who helped us during last year’s race.” He’s spent recent weeks traveling the state to campaign with the candidates “and that’s where the focus will remain” for the moment.

    “We’ll see how the race shapes up,” he said of the possibility of challenging Gillibrand. But he acknowledged that “there’s even more of a Democratic-favored turnout” in a presidential election year than in a midterm like the one in which he led the GOP ticket in 2022.

    Earlier this week, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s spokesperson told reporters the “Squad” member would not be challenging Gillibrand for the Senate seat in the next election.

    Lauren Hitt, Ocasio-Cortez’s spokesperson, told Politico Sunday that the representative will not throw her hat into the ring in 2024.

    “She is not planning to run for Senate in 2024,” Hitt said. “She is not planning to primary [Kirsten] Gillibrand.”

    Last month, Zeldin publicly endorsed Donald Trump for president despite previously calling for a “robust” primary field.

    “The GOP is filled with amazing talent to save our country from the failed policies of the Biden Admin. Our nominee in 2024 will be the 45th & 47th POTUS, Donald Trump,” he wrote.

    “Our economy will be stronger, our streets will be safer, & our lives will be freer. He has my full support!”

    No Labels Votes To Go Forward With Independent Presidential Ticket

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    1

    The political group No Labels has voted to move forward with its plan to enter the 2024 presidential race.

    On Friday, hundreds of state delegates reportedly convened for a private meeting to approve the organization’s plan to push an independent ticket.

    The Hill reports:

    “Earlier today, I led a discussion with the 800 No Labels delegates from all 50 states. These citizen leaders have spent months discussing with one another the kind of leadership they want to see in the White House in 2024,” No Labels National Convention Chair Mike Rawlings wrote in a statement.

    “They voted near unanimously to continue our 2024 project and to move immediately to identify candidates to serve on the Unity presidential ticket. Every one of our delegates had their own explanation for wanting to move ahead,” he added.

    “Now that No Labels has received the go ahead from our delegates, we’ll be accelerating our candidate outreach and announcing the process for how candidates will be selected for the Unity Ticket on Thursday, March 14,” he added.

    No Labels leaders have asserted that voters are extremely dissatisfied with Biden and Trump, setting up a case for a third-party candidacy. 

    The group has indicated they are open to both Democrats and Republicans and would ideally serve as a “unity” option for dissatisfied voters.

    Tucker Carlson Shoots Down Vice President Rumors

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    4
    Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    Former Fox News star Tucker Carlson doesn’t seem keen on running for public office, however, he did not completely rule out the possibility.

    Carlson was asked during an event this week if he would consider being Donald Trump’s running mate.

    “God would have to yell at me very loud,” Carlson said at the American Principles Project Foundation’s annual Christmas gala, where he gave a speech, according to Semafor.

    One attendee at the dinner asked Carlson about a recent Axios report suggesting former first lady Melania Trump was advocating for her husband, the frontrunner for the GOP nomination, to consider selecting Carlson as a running mate.

    From the report:

    She thinks Carlson would make a powerful onstage extension of her husband, a source close to Trump told us. The former first lady has made few campaign appearances this time around — but a Trump-Carlson ticket might encourage her to hit the trail.

    Trump, asked last month about Carlson as a potential V.P., said: “I like Tucker a lot. … He’s got great common sense.”

    Carlson responded that he doesn’t have a close relationship with the former First Lady and hasn’t planned on running for public office.

    “I don’t know her, really,” Carlson said. “To go from being, like, a well-paid street corner schizophrenic to, like, a politician — it’s just kind of hard to envision.”

    Ronna McDaniel Steps Down As RNC Chair

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    1
    Ronna McDaniel via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    This is big…

    Following Donald Trump’s South Carolina primary win Ronna McDaniel has formally announced plans to step down as chairwoman of the Republican National Committee (RNC).

    McDaniel shared she plans to officially step down next week amid reports Trump wants fresh leadership in the RNC before heading into the general election.

    Maggie Haberman broke the news Monday morning, writing in the New York Times:

    The decision is not a surprise. The chairwoman, Ronna McDaniel, told Mr. Trump weeks ago that she planned to leave shortly after the South Carolina primary, which was held on Saturday. But she now sets in motion a new election within the party’s official body, where Mr. Trump’s preference for chair and co-chair will try to secure enough votes to take over.

    Mr. Trump has publicly backed Michael Whatley, the chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party and the national committee’s general counsel, to replace Ms. McDaniel. And he has said that he wants his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, to be the next co-chair.

    Mr. Trump’s remarks on the R.N.C. leadership came in the run-up to the South Carolina primary on Saturday, and in anticipation of his tightening his grip on the party. He ended up defeating his main rival, former Gov. Nikki Haley of South Carolina, by more than 20 points in her home state.

    Mediaite obtained a statement from the RNC, which reads:

    “It has been the honor and privilege of my life to serve the Republican National Committee for seven years as Chairwoman to elect Republicans and grow our Party. Some of my proudest accomplishments include firing Nancy Pelosi, winning the popular vote in 2022, creating an Election Integrity Department, building the committee’s first small dollar grassroots donor program, strengthening our state parties through our Growing Republican Organizations to Win program, expanding the Party through minority outreach at our community centers, and launching Bank Your Vote to get Republicans to commit to voting early.

    “I have decided to step aside at our Spring Training on March 8 in Houston to allow our nominee to select a Chair of their choosing. The RNC has historically undergone change once we have a nominee and it has always been my intention to honor that tradition. I remain committed to winning back the White House and electing Republicans up and down the ballot in November. I want to thank my husband Patrick, our children Abigail and Nash, the members of the 168 who elected me four times, President Trump for giving me the opportunity to lead our Party, as well as the RNC staff and donors who have supported me and our mission over the years.”

    Earlier this month, Trump endorsed North Carolina GOP chair Michael Whatley, daughter-in-law Lara Trump, and campaign senior adviser Chris LaCivita to lead the Republican National Committee (RNC).

    “Michael has been with me from the beginning, has done a great job in his home state of North Carolina, and is committed to election integrity, which we must have to keep fraud out of our election, so it can’t be stolen,” Trump said.

    “Lara is an extremely talented communicator and is dedicated to all that MAGA stands for,” the former president said. “She has told me she wants to accept this challenge and would be GREAT!”

    Trump Proposes Punishment For ABC After Debate

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    1
    Gage Skidmore Flickr

    Trump wants answers…

    Former President Trump is suggesting ABC News be punished for what he is calling a “hostile performance” by the network’s debate moderators on Tuesday evening.

    “ABC took a big hit last night,” Trump said Wednesday morning during an appearance on “Fox and Friends.”

    “I mean, to be honest, they’re a news organization. They have to be licensed to do it. They ought to take away their license for the way they did that.”

    Watch:

    The Federal Communications Commission does not license major broadcast networks such as ABC, but does license some local stations.

    After Tuesday’s debate, which pundits on both sides say went unexpectedly poorly for Trump, the former president argued the event was “three on one,” and has not accepted Harris’s challenge to meet for a second event.

    Trump Opposes RNC Plan To Name Him ‘Presumptive Nominee’

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    1
    Ronna McDaniel via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    Donald Trump wants to win the Republican nomination fair and square…

    On Thursday, former President Trump said he does not support efforts to pressure the Republican National Committee into declaring him a “presumptive nominee.”

    The former president made the remarks Thursday on his proprietary social media platform, Truth Social.

    “While I greatly appreciate the Republican National Committee (RNC) wanting to make me their PRESUMPTIVE NOMINEE, and while they have far more votes than necessary to do it, I feel, for the sake of PARTY UNITY, that they should NOT go forward with this plan, but that I should do it the ‘Old Fashioned’ way, and finish the process off AT THE BALLOT BOX,” Trump wrote.

    Trump’s statement pushes back on efforts led by a former aide of his campaign, David Bossie — an RNC committee member who has urged Republicans to rally around the former president.

    The RNC was set to consider a resolution that, if approved, would have declared Trump to be the party’s presumptive nominee for president in 2024. Fox News Digital obtained a copy of the resolution before it was reportedly withdrawn

    In a statement, RNC spokesperson Keith Schipper said, “Resolutions, such as this one, are brought forward by members of the RNC. Chairwoman McDaniel doesn’t offer resolutions. This will be taken up by the Resolutions Committee, and they will decide whether to send this resolution to be voted on by the 168 RNC members at our annual meeting next week.”

    Fmr. Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson Announces Presidential Bid

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    0
    Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    Former Arkansas Governor — and noted Trump critic — Asa Hutchinson announced his decision Sunday morning to compete to become the next Republican nominee for president.

    In contrast to the GOP establishment’s decision to defend former President Donald Trump, Hutchinson called for Trump to drop out of the race following his indictment.

    Hutchinson’s announcement came during an interview with ABC’s Johnathan Karl:

    As Fox News reports:

    Hutchinson is the third Republican to announce a campaign and will face off against former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and former President Donald Trump. Several another figures are expected to enter the race but have yet to do so.

    “I have made a decision, and my decision is I’m going to run for president of the United States,” Hutchinson told ABC News. “While the formal announcement will be later in April, in Bentonville, I want to make it clear to you…I am going to be running. And the reason is, I’ve traveled the country for six months, I hear people talk about the leadership of our country. I’m convinced that people want leaders that appeal to the best of America, and not simply appeal to our worst instincts.”

    Hutchinson has mulled a potential presidential run for months, receiving support from a new super PAC in February.

    He remains a long-shot candidate in what is expected to become a crowded field, however. While his only announced opponents are Haley and Trump, former Vice President Mike Pence is expected to announce his campaign soon.

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