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Sununu Eyes New Campaign Seat After New Hampshire Senate Seat Opens Up

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Photo of Chris Sununu via Gage Skidmore Flckr

All eyes are on New Hampshire…

Former New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R) said he is considering running for Senate after previously rejecting the possibility.

“I have not ruled it out completely, but folks in Washington have asked me to think about it and to consider it, and that is just kind of where I am,” Sununu said Tuesday about a possible Senate run, according to The Washington Times.

Democrat Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire announced Wednesday she will not seek reelection to the United States Senate next year, concluding a historic political career that includes being the first woman elected as both a governor and U.S. senator in the United States. Shaheen, who turned 78 in January, has been a significant figure in New Hampshire politics for decades, serving three terms as governor before her election to the Senate in 2008.

Sununu has previously said he is not interested in representing his state in Washington.

“I would rule myself completely out of a U.S. Senate race, to be sure,” Sununu said last year, according to a local news outlet.

“Politically, we’ll see what happens down the road. But in terms of Senate or Congress, nothing I have any interest in whatsoever,” he added.

The Washington Times reported, however, that Sununu is now saying that Trump’s focus on making government more accountable and efficient has prompted him to reconsider.

“That makes me think, OK, maybe things are changing,” he said, according to The Washington Times. “Maybe there’s a path here.”

Elise Stefanik Announces Run For New York Governor

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Elise Stefanik with Donald Trump via Wikimedia Commons

New York’s own Elise Stefanik, one of the most influential Republicans in Congress and a close ally of President Donald Trump, has officially entered the race for governor — and she’s ready to fight for hardworking families fed up with Democratic mismanagement.

Appearing on Fox & Friends Friday morning, Stefanik declared:

“I’m running for governor to make New York affordable and safe. We have seen decades of single-party rule led by Democrats. And Kathy Hochul is the worst governor in America.”

Fighting for Affordability and Safety

For years, New Yorkers have endured crushing taxes, skyrocketing costs, and unsafe streets — the direct result, Stefanik says, of failed Democratic leadership.

“New York is the most unaffordable state in the nation, with the highest taxes, the highest energy bills, the highest utility bills,” Stefanik said. “We also have a crime crisis because Kathy Hochul has brought us failed bail reform and has embraced the defund-the-police Democrats.”

She continued:

“After this week… when we saw a raging anti-Semite pro-Hamas communist who wants to raise taxes. And frankly, he barely won the majority of New York City voters, Kathy Hochul endorsed him and bent the knee.”

Stefanik made it clear that this campaign will be a coalition of common-sense New Yorkers — Republicans, Independents, and Democrats — united to take back their state.

“This is a broad coalition of Republicans, independents, and Democrats who know that enough is enough. We need commonsense leadership to make New York affordable and safe again.”

A New Generation of Leadership

Stefanik is already assembling a seasoned team, including respected Republican strategist Tony Fabrizio, who served as pollster for President Trump’s 2024 campaign.

In her official statement, she promised:

“I am running for Governor to bring a new generation of leadership to Albany to make New York affordable and safe for families all across our great state.”

“Our campaign will unify Republicans, Democrats, and Independents to Fire Kathy Hochul once and for all to Save New York.”

Stefanik didn’t mince words about her opponent’s record:

“I’ve always put New York families first. Kathy Hochul has put New York families last again and again and again. She’s an accidental governor. She’s only in this position because she was Cuomo’s lieutenant governor.”

Taking the Fight to Albany

For many voters, Stefanik represents the kind of energy and clarity the Republican Party needs in New York. Her campaign centers on restoring economic freedom, supporting law enforcement, and defending traditional American values that Albany elites have ignored for too long.

“People are very concerned about affordability and I have a strong record of delivering for families,” she emphasized. “Kathy Hochul has made New York the most unaffordable state in the nation. We have the highest taxes, the highest energy prices, the highest utility prices, the highest grocery prices, and rent that continues to skyrocket.”

Her focus aligns with what many Republicans see as the winning issue for 2025 — the economy. As families struggle under high costs, Stefanik is promising to restore fiscal sanity and keep the American Dream alive in the Empire State.

Democrats Already on Defense

Predictably, Democrats responded with the same tired attacks. A spokesperson for the New York State Democratic Party claimed Stefanik “is a rubber stamp for Trump’s deeply unpopular agenda,” while the Democratic Governors Association tried to paint her as “Trump’s cheerleader.”

But these criticisms only highlight Stefanik’s strength — her loyalty to a movement that prioritizes working Americans, law and order, and energy independence.

Governor Hochul’s campaign immediately launched a website called “SelloutStefanik” — a move that many conservatives see as a sign of fear rather than confidence.

The Road Ahead

While Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman may also explore a run, Republican insiders widely view Stefanik as the frontrunner for the nomination. With strong fundraising ability, national connections, and a powerful message on affordability and safety, Stefanik has the potential to unite the GOP like no one else has in years.

CNN Clashes With Trump Spokeswoman, Abruptly Ends Interview

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CNN Headquarters via Wikimedia Commons

On Monday morning, CNN anchor Kasie Hunt abruptly ended her interview with Trump campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt. The interview aired during CNN’s “This Morning,” just three days before the network is set to host the first Trump-Biden debate on Thursday.

Fighting Words From Team Trump

The tension escalated when Leavitt accused the debate moderators, Dana Bash and Jake Tapper, of having a bias against President Trump.

“That’s why President Trump is knowingly going into a hostile environment on this very network, on CNN, with debate moderators who have made their opinions about him very well known over the past eight years and their biased coverage of him,” Leavitt stated, previewing the upcoming debate.

Visibly annoyed by Leavitt’s remarks, Hunt defended her colleagues. “I’ll just say my colleagues, Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, have acquitted themselves as professionals as they have covered campaigns and interviewed candidates from all sides of the aisle. I’ll also say that if you talk to analysts of previous debates, that if you’re attacking the moderators, you’re usually losing.”

Fox News reports:

After Hunt tried to steer the conversation back to the debate, Leavitt told Hunt that it would take just five minutes to research Tapper and his commentary on the former president. 

“Ma’am, I’m going to stop this interview if you’re going to continue to attack my colleagues,” Hunt said. 

After Leavitt argued she was stating facts about Bash and Tapper, Hunt cut the interview off, her voice rising as she went back to the panel.

“I would like to talk about Joe Biden and Donald Trump, whom you work for,” Hunt said. When Leavitt continued, Hunt signaled to cut her off.

“I’m sorry, guys, we’re going to come back out to the panel,” Hunt said, clearly fuming. “Karoline, thank you very much for your time. You are welcome to come back at any point. She is welcome to come back and speak about Donald Trump, and Donald Trump will have equal time to Joe Biden when they both join us later this week in Atlanta for this debate.”

Thursday’s Debate: What You Need to Know

The first 2024 presidential debate featuring President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump is scheduled for Thursday, June 27, at 9 p.m. (ET).

CNN will host the event at their Atlanta studios, without a live studio audience.

The debate will have strict rules. When one candidate isn’t speaking, their microphone will be muted. Each candidate will have only a pen, paper and water at their podium. There will be two commercial breaks during the 90-minute event.

Viewers can watch the debate live on multiple platforms, including CNN, CNN International, CNN en Español and streaming on Max (formerly HBO Max). The debate is the first of two agreed upon by both campaigns, with the second one scheduled for September 10, hosted by ABC News.

Article Published With The Permission of American Liberty News

New York Appeals Court Poised To Overturn Trump’s $454 Million Fine

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Alec Perkins from Hoboken, USA, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

An appeals court in New York appears set to issue a favorable ruling for former President Donald Trump after the state’s Attorney General’s Office controversially applied an anti-fraud law to his real estate practices. The case resulted in a hefty $454 million fine, which now faces potential reduction or reversal.

During Thursday’s hearing, justices from the New York Supreme Court expressed concern about the judgment, with one justice labeling the fine “troubling.”

The New York Post reports:

A panel of New York appeals court judges appeared skeptical about the gargantuan $454 million civil fraud judgment Donald Trump was dealt after he was found liable for business fraud — with one jurist calling it “troubling.”

The former president is attempting to reverse or reduce the judgment of $354 million — plus an additional $100 million in interest — after a judge sided with New York Attorney General Letitia James, who argued in a lawsuit that Trump inflated his net worth by billions to get better loan and insurance terms.

Trump’s lawyers, who have called Judge Arthur Engoron’s February ruling “draconian, unlawful, and unconstitutional,” appeared before a five-judge panel of a Manhattan appeals court Thursday to plead their case.

Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

Judge Peter Moulton questioned whether James’ lawsuit turned into “something it was not meant to do.”

In a post-verdict interview, Attorney General Letitia James stated that if Trump cannot pay the judgment, her office would pursue asset seizure, including Trump’s iconic properties like the 40 Wall Street skyscraper. “We will seek judgment enforcement mechanisms in court, and we will ask the judge to seize his assets,” she told ABC News.

Fox News Legal Analyst Johnathan Turley criticized the ruling, calling it “astronomical” and accusing James of engaging in “mob justice” by threatening Trump’s assets.

James filed a civil fraud lawsuit against the former president and his three adult children in September 2022, on the heels of a years-long civil investigation into the Trump family’s real estate business, the Trump Organization.

The investigation centered on whether the former president’s company misled investors and tax authorities by inflating property values to get investments and subsequently deflating them to get tax and loan benefits.

Trump continues to deny any wrongdoing.

READ NEXT: House Republicans Subpoena Dishonored Anti-Trump Prosecutor – They Never Expected This

Trump Suggests Deporting Ilhan Omar ‘Back To Somalia’

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U.S. Rep Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley, Rashida Tlaib, and Cori Bush speak at the Mississippi River in Minneapolis asking for President Biden to stop Line 3 pipeline construction.

President Donald Trump escalated his criticism of Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) in a late-night Truth Social post Sunday, tying her to allegations of widespread fraud in Minnesota and accusing her of knowing details about the case.

Trump’s comments came as part of a broader Sunday night posting spree that also revisited his push for the U.S. to acquire Greenland and raised concerns about a proposed New York Stock Exchange-style initiative reportedly being discussed for Dallas.

But Trump’s sharpest remarks were aimed at Omar and Minnesota’s ongoing fraud investigation, which Republicans and administration officials have repeatedly cited as an example of major waste and abuse—particularly involving pandemic-era programs.

In his post, Trump wrote:

There is 19 Billion Dollars in Minnesota Somalia Fraud. Fake ‘Congresswoman’ Illhan Omar, a constant complainer who hates the USA, knows everything there is to know. She should be in jail, or even a worse punishment, sent back to Somalia, considered one of the absolutely worst countries in the World. She could help to MAKE SOMALIA GREAT AGAIN!

The post followed Trump’s earlier claims Sunday that Omar and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) were using ICE operations and immigration enforcement disputes to shift public attention away from the fraud investigation.

Republicans Point to Long-Running Minnesota Fraud Cases

The Minnesota fraud controversy is not new, but it has continued to draw national attention—especially as Republican lawmakers and Trump administration officials argue that weak oversight and progressive political leadership have allowed major fraud schemes to flourish.

Much of the recent focus has centered on a long-running Justice Department investigation involving alleged fraud tied to Minnesota-based programs. Minnesota’s Somali community has also been drawn into the spotlight in recent online coverage, including viral claims about alleged daycare-related fraud spread by YouTuber Nick Shirley.

While critics argue the community has been unfairly targeted, conservatives say the issue is not ethnicity or immigration status—but the scale of fraud and whether political leaders turned a blind eye.

Feeding Our Future Case Still Looms Over the State

The most widely known Minnesota fraud case remains the Feeding Our Future scandal. In 2022, under the Biden administration, federal prosecutors indicted dozens of suspects in connection with the Feeding Our Future case, an alleged $250 million scheme involving pandemic-era food aid funds.

The case has been frequently cited by Republicans as evidence that emergency spending programs during COVID were riddled with vulnerabilities and were too easily exploited.

Omar Background and Trump Feud Remain Flashpoints

Omar, who arrived in the U.S. as a refugee from Somalia at the age of 12 and became a citizen in 2000, was elected to Congress in 2018 and has consistently been a target of Trump’s attacks, which she has dismissed as racist and politically motivated.

Trump and Omar have traded public attacks for years, with Omar frequently criticizing Trump-era immigration enforcement, foreign policy, and what she describes as nationalist rhetoric. Trump, in turn, has repeatedly singled her out as a symbol of what he and many conservatives view as an increasingly radical Democratic Party.

The renewed attention comes as Trump and Republicans continue to highlight fraud and immigration enforcement as major election-year issues

Woman Arrested After Traveling To D.C. While Threatening To Assassinate Trump

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Gage Skidmore Flickr

An Indiana woman has been arrested after threatening to assassinate President Donald Trump.

On Monday, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced Nathalie Jones, 50, of Lafayette, Indiana, was arrested in the District of Columbia on Saturday in connection with making a series of threats on social media in which she threatened to kill President Trump.

“Hi everyone, it’s Judge Jeanine. I just wanted to let you know here from the United States Attorney’s Office in D.C. that an individual by the name of Nathalie Rose Jones is now in custody, charged with two federal crimes for knowingly and willfully threatening to take the life of the President of the United States,” Pirro said in a clip she released on social media.

“She did come from New York to Washington, D.C. and she has been threatening and calling for the removal of the president and even worse as she got to D.C. Her threats were on Facebook and Instagram and she continued to call the president a terrorist and was working to have him eliminated. She is now in custody. She will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Make no mistake about that,” Pirro said with a hint of a smile.

On Facebook between August 6 and August 15,  “Nath.Jones” allegedly continued to post threatening comments about President Trump. In an August 6 post directed at the FBI, Nath.Jones wrote that “I am willing to sacrificially kill this POTUS by disemboweling him and cutting out his trachea with Liz Cheney and all The Affirmation present.”

            On August 14, in a post directed to U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Nath Jones allegedly wrote “please arrange the arrest and removal ceremony of POTUS Trump as a terrorist on the American People from 10-2pm at the White House on Saturday, August 16th, 2025.”

            On August 15, the U.S. Secret Service conducted a voluntary interview with Jones, during which she stated the President was a “terrorist” and a “nazi,” that if she had the opportunity, she would take the President’s life and would kill him at “the compound” if she had to, that she had a “bladed object,” which she said was the weapon she would use to “carry out her mission of killing” the president, and that she wanted to “avenge all the lives lost during the Covid-19 pandemic,” which she atrributed to President Trump’s administration and its position on vaccinations.

            On August 16, Jones joined a protest demonstration that started at Dupont Circle, and circumnavigated the White House complex. Following the march, the U.S. Secret Service interviewed Jones for a second time, during which she admitted that she had made threats towards President Trump during her interview the previous day. She denied having any present desire to harm the President of the United States. Law enforcement arrested her and she confirmed that she was the owner of the Facebook user account “Nath Jones” and that she had posted the threatening statements.

Pirro, who was best known in recent years for her hot takes on The Five, is now the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. Her office also put out a statement on the arrest, which read, “Nathalie Rose Jones, 50, of Lafayette, Indiana, was arrested in the District of Columbia on Saturday, August 16, and charged in connection with making a series of threats on social media in which she threatened to kill President Trump, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.”

“Jones was charged in a complaint in U.S. District Court with threatening to take the life of, kidnap, or inflict bodily harm upon the President of the United States, and transmitting in interstate commerce communications containing threats to kidnap any person or any threat to injure the person of another,” added the statement.

Nikki Haley Hits Back At Trump Cabinet Snub

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The White House from Washington, DC, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley responded President-elect Donald Trump’s social media post over the weekend…

Haley replied on X by highlighting her previous service, saying, “I was proud to work with President Trump defending America at the United Nations. I wish him, and all who serve, great success in moving us forward to a stronger, safer America over the next four years.” The reply received harsh criticism from Trump critics, which Haley noted as she said her family was frustrated that she didn’t make clear at the time she had told Trump aides she was not interested in a job.

“I had no interest in being in his cabinet. He knew that,” Haley said on her SiriusXM show, Nikki Haley Live, adding:

But to go a little further, his best friend, Steve Witkoff, came to our house in South Carolina, spoke to me and my husband, and basically wanted a truce between me and Donald Trump. And I told him at the time, there was no truce needed, that I had, that Trump had my support, there was no issue on my end.

And at that point he was like, ‘What do you want? Tell me what you want. Is there anything you want?’ And I said, ‘There’s nothing I want.’ And there wasn’t anything I wanted. And then several weeks back I talked to Howard Lutnick, his transition director, and he asked, you know, if I knew of people that would be good in the cabinet, if there was any insight. And what I said is, I think it’s really important that Trump surround himself with people that are going to tell him the truth.

And I, you know, mentioned someone that I thought would be good for Commerce Secretary and mentioned that I thought the UN Ambassador should be a cabinet pick. But I did not ask anything for me. And I have made it clear to everyone that I was not interested in the administration. So my husband and son were upset and said, ‘Why didn’t you say that in the tweet? Instead of just wishing him well?’

Haley concluded by noting Trump’s social media post was nothing new to her, “And the truth is, I know the game he was playing. I don’t need to play that game.”

“But more importantly, we have to look at the bigger picture. It is time to move on. It is time for us to focus on what America needs to do to be strong again, what America needs to do to be safe. The American people have spoken and spoken very loudly, and at this point, we should pray that President Trump does well. We should pray that everyone that he appoints does well. We should hope for the sake of our kids and generations to follow us, that all of this goes forward. So, you know, do I take it personally? No. That’s who he is. He can be shallow at times and I think he showed that. But I don’t have to be shallow. And at the end of the day, I’m very comfortable with where I am, and I’m comfortable with what happened,” she added.

Watch:

Man Arrested After Theatening To Bomb White House and Kill Trump, Marco Rubio, Pam Bondi

President Donald Trump participates in a welcome ceremony with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Al Saud at the Royal Court Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)

Federal agents hauled in a Florida man accused of unleashing a string of violent online threats against President Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and former Attorney General Pam Bondi — including chilling posts about bombing the White House and using a gun against the commander in chief.

Nathaniel Sanders II, 32, appeared in federal court Monday after prosecutors say he spent months posting alarming threats on social media targeting top officials, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.

The feds say Sanders repeatedly threatened to kill Trump, Rubio and Bondi in posts shared between January and April.

One of the most disturbing messages allegedly posted to X read: “Imma bomb the (expletive) White House.”

In another alleged video posted to Instagram, Sanders invoked first lady Melania Trump while talking about owning a firearm.

“I don’t know what to do Melania, like, all I got is a gun. It’s the only thing I can use now is a gun,” Sanders allegedly said, according to the criminal complaint.

Rubio was also allegedly targeted in a separate video.

“Like when I get my hands on him, I’m gonna hurt him. Simple as that,” Sanders allegedly said.

Federal prosecutors didn’t mince words about the seriousness of the threats.

“Threats against public officials are not political speech,” U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones said in a statement.

“They are serious federal crimes that endanger public safety and the rule of law. The complaint alleges that this defendant repeatedly threatened to assassinate the President of the United States and other senior officials,” he added.

“Those allegations will now be tested in court. Our Office will continue working with the U.S. Secret Service and our law enforcement partners to investigate threats, protect public officials, and ensure that those who violate federal law are held accountable.”

Sanders has been charged with threatening the president of the United States and transmitting threats in interstate commerce. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison.

The investigation involved the U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Capitol Police, U.S. Diplomatic Security Service and the Miami Beach Police Department.

“Making threats against the President of the United States is a federal crime, and we treat it with the seriousness it deserves every time,” said Michael Townsend, special agent in charge of the Secret Service’s Miami Field Office.

“It does not matter where the threat is made or what platform is used, our agents will identify you, investigate you, and work alongside our federal and local partners to bring charges when appropriate,” Townsend added. “We remain relentless in our mission to protect the President and to act swiftly against anyone who puts others at risk.”

A Secret Service spokesperson told Fox News Digital that Sanders’ arrest stemmed from a “protective intelligence investigation” designed to identify dangerous threats before suspects can act on them.

Results: Congressional Republicans Hold Internal Leadership Vote

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Ted Eytan from Washington, DC, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

On Wednesday, Republicans elected a fresh slate of leaders ahead of Donald Trump’s inauguration.

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) took home the Senate GOP conference chair position, defeating Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) for the coveted spot. 

Cotton defeated the Iowa Republican in what was the only contested race for a GOP leadership position that was not to become the new leader of the conference. 

He will replace John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), who will take over as No. 2 leader in the conference as whip after Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) was term-limited. 

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) won an uncontested race to become the No. 4 Senate Republican, keeping her hold on a post in GOP leadership.

Capito served the previous two years as the No. 5 Senate Republican and was vice chairwoman of the Senate GOP Policy Committee. She will now be chairwoman of the committee.

Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) formally joined the Senate Republican leadership team on Wednesday, having won an uncontested bid to become the vice chairman of the Senate GOP Policy Committee. 

Lankford ran unchallenged for the position and will replace Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), who moved up to become chairwoman of the committee. 

As vice chair, Lankford is chiefly tasked with keeping the minutes at the weekly Tuesday policy luncheon. 

Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) will take over as chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) and helm the campaign efforts for the 2026 cycle. 

Scott won the chairmanship on Wednesday and ran uncontested for the post. He replaces Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.), who steered the party to a potential 53-seat majority and four flipped seats during the 2024 cycle. 

“I am honored and humbled by the confidence placed in me to protect and grow our Republican majority,” Scott said. “With President Trump in the White House and Republican leadership in Congress, help is on the way for the American people. Donald J. Trump proved that when we fight everywhere with the TRUTH, we win. That is why we must secure a Republican Senate for all four years of the Trump administration, and that work starts today!”

Trump Ousts Massie — But Supporters Immediately Float a Bigger Comeback

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Crowds erupted into chants of “2028” and “President!” Tuesday night as Rep. Thomas Massie delivered a defiant concession speech following his stunning Republican primary defeat — raising fresh questions about whether the longtime Kentucky libertarian could emerge as an outsider figure in the next presidential cycle.

Massie, who represented Kentucky in Congress since 2012, lost his seat to Trump-backed challenger Ed Gallrein in what was widely described as the most expensive House primary race in U.S. history.

The race became a high-profile test of President Donald Trump’s continued grip on the Republican Party, with Trump repeatedly urging supporters to back Gallrein while launching blistering attacks on Massie throughout the campaign.

Trump at one point called Massie a “major sleazebag” and “the worst Republican congressman in history” as tensions between the two escalated over a series of high-profile disagreements.

Massie had increasingly broken with the administration on issues ranging from the “Big Beautiful Bill” and military action to efforts surrounding the release of files related to Jeffrey Epstein.

But Tuesday night’s concession speech quickly shifted from political obituary to something closer to a campaign rally.

“Listen, I would’ve come out sooner, but I had to call my opponent and concede,” Massie joked to supporters. “And it took a while to find Ed Gallrein in Tel Aviv.”

The crowd erupted in cheers.

Massie later urged supporters to accept the outcome, telling them his defeat was “God’s will.”

Then someone shouted: “We’re just getting started!”

“I like that,” Massie replied with a smile.

Moments later, the room broke into chants of “2028.”

“What happens in 2028?” Massie asked with a grin.

The crowd immediately answered with another chant:

“President!”

Laughing, Massie played along.

“All right, you’ve made a compelling argument,” he said. “You spoke your piece, but I need a medical margarita first, and we’ll talk about it later.”

Watch via C-SPAN:

Whether the moment was simply a crowd of disappointed supporters refusing to say goodbye — or the earliest hint of a future national movement — remains unclear.

Massie has never publicly indicated interest in a White House run, and his loss Tuesday marked a major political setback. Still, figures who cultivate anti-establishment appeal and challenge party leadership have repeatedly found influence beyond Congress.

For now, Massie may be headed out of Washington. But if the reaction from supporters Tuesday night was any indication, some in his base appear convinced his political story may not be ending — only changing direction.