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    Florida CFO To Run For Matt Gaetz’s Former House Seat

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis plans to run for U.S. Congress, he indicated in a resignation letter.

    In the letter to Sunshine State Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida Secretary of State Cory Byrd, Patronis said, “… this letter is to give you notice of my resignation from the role as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the State of Florida in order to become a candidate in the 2025 Special Election for Florida’s First Congressional District.

    “Because the primary election for CD 1 is currently scheduled for January 28, 2025, with the general election scheduled for April 1, 2025, I hereby irrevocably resign as CFO effective March 31, 2025.”

    In a post on Truth Social on Monday, President-elect Donald Trump urged Patronis to run for the House seat.

    “I hear that Jimmy is now considering launching a Campaign for Congress in Florida’s 1st Congressional District!” Trump said in the post. 

    “Should he decide to enter this Race, Jimmy Patronis has my Complete and Total Endorsement. RUN, JIMMY, RUN!” Trump declared.

    Patronis shared a screenshot of Trump’s post and wrote in a post on X, “Put me to work, Mr. President! @realDonaldTrump I am here to serve.”

    Former Rep. Matt Gaetz won re-election to the House seat earlier this month but resigned shortly after Trump tapped him for attorney general. 

    Last week, Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration for the Cabinet position after the President-elect reportedly informed him her did not have the required Senate support for confirmation.

    Republican Congressman To Retire After 20 Years On Capitol Hill

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    2

    On Sunday, Republican Rep. Michael McCaul (Texas) announced he will not seek another term.

    McCaul, 63, has represented Texas’ 10th Congressional District, which spans from the Houston suburbs to Austin, since 2005. He also chaired the House Homeland Security and House Foreign Affairs Committees from January 2013 to January 2019 and from January 2023 to January of this year, respectively. 

    “It’s been an honor to serve for over two decades in the Congress,” McCaul told Martha Raddatz on ABC News’ This Week. “I’m looking now for a new challenge. I’m going to serve the remainder of my term. But I’m looking for a new challenge in the same space that would be national security, foreign policy, but just in a different realm.”

    McCaul was elected to the House for the first time in 2004. He went on to be re-elected to his seat 10 times, with his narrowest victory occurring in 2018, when he garnered 51.1 percent of the vote to Democratic candidate Mike Siegel’s 46.8 percent. 

    McCaul did not specify what his next steps would be after his term ends. 

    “It has been the honor of a lifetime to represent the people of central Texas and to chair the prestigious Homeland Security and Foreign Affairs Committees,” McCaul said in a post on X. “My father’s service in World War II inspired me to pursue a life of public service, with a focus on defending our great nation against global threats, and I have been proud to carry out that mission in Congress for more than two decades.”

    A fair number of House Republicans have announced they will not run again (or retire early) heading into the 2026 elections. For example, Rep. Mark Green (R-TN) recently announced an early retirement, stepping down after the passage of a major budget/tax bill and citing a private sector opportunity.

    In some cases, Republicans are leaving not because they want to retire entirely but because they are running for other offices (governor or Senate) or want to vacate for private sector roles. According to Ballotpedia, as of mid-2025, there are thirteen Republicans in the U.S. House who announced they will not seek re-election in 2026.

    On the Democratic side, there are also retirements (or folks not seeking re-election) but somewhat fewer, or in less vulnerable districts. For example, Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) has announced he will not seek re-election. Some retirements are strategic for Democrats as well, but the key point is that many open seats will be up for grabs, and Republicans appear to be making more moves in this space.

    The GOP has a narrow majority in the House now, so even a small number of seat losses could flip control. That means each retirement — especially in competitive or swing districts — matters a lot. Analysts are pointing out that Democrats will challenge many of those open seats, and that Republicans will need to defend not just incumbents but maintain strength in districts where GOP retirements create open seats.

    To preserve control, Republicans will likely lean on a few advantages: favorable redistricting in some states, maintaining strong turnout in rural and suburban areas, and messaging that emphasizes border security, inflation, or other issues where GOP polling tends to do well. But there are headwinds: historically, the party in control of the White House tends to lose seats in midterms, public dissatisfaction with national issues could tilt momentum the other way, and some of the retirements are in districts where Democrats showed strength already.

    Given all that, Republican control of the House is not guaranteed but is plausible — if the party runs good campaigns, holds together its coalition, and defends seats well, especially in light of several vulnerable open seats caused by retirements. If you like, I can pull up a list of those Republican districts most at risk and what the forecasts are showing.

    Our progress on border security will vanish if Democrats take the Senate — we can’t let that happen! [CHIP IN TODAY]

    ‘QAnon Shaman’ Eyes Run For Arizona Congressional Seat

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    4
    Elvert Barnes, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

    Jacob Chansley, the Capitol rioter who came to be known as the “QAnon Shaman,” has reportedly filed paperwork signaling his interest in running for the Arizona congressional seat being vacated by Debbie Lesko (R).

    The Arizona Republic reported that a candidate statement of interest was signed by Jacob Angeli-Chansley and filed with the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office on Thursday, indicating he would seek to run as a Libertarian. He has also been known to go by Jacob Angeli.

    The Hill has more:

    Chansley, 35, gained notoriety for his horned fur hat, bare chest and face paint that made him one of the more recognizable Jan. 6 rioters. He pleaded guilty to a charge of obstructing an official proceeding and sentenced to 41 months in prison. Chansley, who grew up in Phoenix, served 27 of those months before being released to a halfway house this past March.

    The Associated Press reported that while the Constitution does not bar felons from running for Congress, Arizona law prevents them from voting in elections until they complete their sentence and have the right restored.

    Former Republican Arizona Senate candidate Blake Masters has also jumped into the race for Lesko’s seat.

    “I’m running for Congress, to fight for Arizona’s 8th,” Masters said on X, formerly Twitter. “Biden has failed. We need Trump back. We need to stop inflation, Build the Wall, avoid WW3, and secure Arizona’s water future. We need to fight for our families.”

    GOP Governor Stops Short of Endorsing Donald Trump

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    6
    Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    Despite Donald Trump’s early entrance to the 2024 presidential campaign, some Republicans are dedicated to taking the “wait and see” approach to the next election.

    Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who also previously served as Trump’s press secretary, told Fox News’s Shannon Bream that she isn’t focused on 2024 yet and declined to endorse her old boss publicly.

    According to The Daily Wire, Bream asked the newly sworn-in governor, “Your bio, on your official page as Governor, describes you as a ‘trusted confidant of President Trump. Have you talked to him about his ’24 run? Will you endorse him in that?”

    “I love the president, have a great relationship with him,” Sanders responded. “I know our country would be infinitely better off if he was in office right now instead of Joe Biden. But right now, my focus isn’t 2024. It’s focusing here in Arkansas and doing what we can to empower the people of this state, and make sure that I’m delivering on the promises that I laid out over the course of the last two years.”

    “My focus isn’t on 2024,” Sanders answered. “It’s on what we can deliver in this legislative session. I’m not going to set an arbitrary timeline. I’m not really focused on that at all.”

    Bream also pressed Sanders on her own ambitions.

    “I feel the pressure of delivering this legislative session,” Sanders said. “That’s the only thing that our team, and that I am focused on, is delivering on what we laid out to do.”

    Sander’s refusal to outwardly endorse Trump underscores speculation that Republicans are preparing to steer away from the former president and support another candidate in the 2024 election. Numerous polls have reported Trump trailing behind other potential contenders such as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

    Dem Senator Leaves Door Open For Potential Presidential Run

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    0

    Could this no-nonsense Democrat be angling for a presidential bid?

    Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman (D) did not rule out a 2028 presidential run during a Wednesday podcast with political analyst Chuck Todd.

    When Todd pressed Fetterman on “The Chuck ToddCast” about whether he would run for the White House, the senator indicated he was unsure about whether he was paving the way for another independent-minded Democrat or considering his own bid.

    “I know we’re wrapping up, so I’m going to make you answer the ’28 question,” Todd said. “What would it take to get you to run for president?”

    “I am focusing right now on just the burgeoning kinds of chaos and trying to find a balance and find a way forward,” Fetterman replied. “And, you know, doing things that I know that will anger parts of my base. I hope that there is room in my party for someone who wants that kind of truth.”

    Todd pressed further, asking if Fetterman was attempting to “plow a path forward for somebody like that” or if he wanted to “take the path” himself.

    “I don’t know,” Fetterman responded before Todd cut him off, noting the senator was “not saying no” to a potential run.

    “I’m not afraid of being honest. And now if there is going to be blowback or I’m punished, I get that. But for me, I think it’s more important to be honest and to describe the danger of where we possibly are at,” Fetterman responded. “And we have to stop and think before we make another significant mistake that’s even more and more difficult to come back from.”

    Todd told the senator he would mark Fetterman “as not a no for ’28.”

    “What I’m saying is that there will be a 2028,” the senator responded.

    Watch:

    A Washington Post analysis from January this year listed Fetterman as one of “12 Democrats who make the most sense for 2028,” citing his independence within the Democratic Party.

    Others considered to be potential Democratic 2028 contenders include failed 2024 candidates Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, former Obama White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emmanuel, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and a handful of Democratic governors — Gavin Newsom of California, Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, Andy Beshear of Kentucky and Wes Moore of Maryland. Polling generally suggests that Democrats are by far most interested in seeing Harris become the party’s nominee again, followed distantly by Buttigieg and Newsom, according to Newsweek.

    Todd on Sunday recommended Harris not pursue political office for the next several years.

    “If I were advising her, I’d tell her: go throw yourself into the rebuild of LA and get involved with the LA Olympic Committee,” he said. “Be above politics for a couple of years and come back maybe in 2030 or 2032.”

    Kari Lake Secures Major Endorsement

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    0
    Kari Lake speaking with supporters at a "Stand for Freedom" rally at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Scottsdale Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona. [Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons]

    Kari Lake snagged a key endorsement from a top Republican senator nearly a week after announcing her campaign for Senate.

    On Monday, Wyoming Senator John Barrasso’s endorsement comes after Lake formally launched her bid for Sen. Kyrsten Sinema’s (I-Ariz.) seat.

    “Kari Lake will shine brightly for Arizona. She is a generational communicator who is giving voice to Arizona citizens,” Barrasso said in a statement. 

    “Joe Biden’s policies have crushed Arizona. Arizonans are dealing with record inflation – up 20 percent under the Biden administration. Arizona is also on the front lines of the worst illegal immigration crisis in American history. Nearly 8 million illegal immigrants under Biden, equal to the population of Arizona,” he continued. “The U.S. Senate needs a Senator from Arizona that understands these issues, and will fight hard to solve them.”

    Lake thanked Barrasso in a statement, saying, “I am honored by the friendship and endorsement of Senator Barrasso.”

    “He is a tested and proven conservative leader who I greatly admire. I look forward to working with Senator Barrasso to get America back on track and fire Chuck Schumer,” she added.

    Sen. Barrasso’s endorsement is significant considering some Senator’s hesitation over Lake’s Senate campaign over past comments on election fraud and her links to former President Trump.

    According to The Hill, Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.), chairman of the Senate GOP campaign arm, has said that he’s had “productive conversations with Kari Lake and her team.”

    Report: Sidney Powell Pleads Guilty In Georgia Election Interference Case

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    0
    Tom Williams, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

    Pro-Trump attorney Sidney Powell pled guilty in the Georgia election subversion case brought forward by Fulton County DA Fani Willis.

    Per reports from The Hill, Powell appeared before Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee on Thursday to enter her plea, just days before her trial was scheduled to begin next week.

    “How do you plead to the six counts of conspiracy to commit intentional interference with performance of election duties?” asked Daysha Young, a Fulton County prosecutor. 

    “Guilty,” Powell said. 

    McAfee accepted Powell’s plea and said that she could not withdraw it. Powell was sentenced to six years’ probation, a $6,000 fine and $2,700 restitution. She will also be required to “testify truthfully” in future proceedings and must turn over any documents requested by the district attorney’s office.  

    CNN’s Marshall Cohen reports that as part of her guilty plea, Powell will be required to testify at future trials and write an apology letter to the citizens of Georgia, prosecutors said at a hearing Thursday.”

    Powell is the second of 19 co-defendants in the case to plead guilty. 

    Powell was indicted on seven charges in August, accusing her and the others of violating Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act statute by entering a months-long conspiracy to try to keep Donald Trump in the White House following the 2020 election. 

    This is a breaking news story. Click refresh for the latest updates.

    Winner Projected In Wisconsin Supreme Court Race In Blow To Trump

    By
    Patrick Houck
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    0

    The high-stakes Wisconsin Supreme Court race shaped up to be competitive as predicted, with control of the court—and potentially the future of election law, redistricting and abortion access in the battleground state—hanging in the balance.

    However, the end result saw Susan Crawford, a liberal-leaning Dane County Circuit Court Judge, defeat Brad Schimel, a conservative Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge, preserving the court’s 4-3 liberal majority until at least 2028.

    As The Hill reports, Tuesday night’s outcome comes as a blow to President Donald Trump and Elon Musk:

    The election offered the first big test for both parties since the November elections and came after record-breaking amounts of money poured into the race. In particular, the race was seen as a test of Musk’s political sway, as his super PAC, America PAC, alone spent more than $12 million to support Schimel. He also traveled to Wisconsin the Sunday before the election, where he handed out $1 million checks to voters who had signed his petition against “activist judges.”

    Musk’s involvement sparked controversy, with Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul unsuccessfully suing to block his actions as potential vote-buying.

    Musk’s unpopularity may have played a role in the election, though it’s not the sole factor in Crawford’s victory. Economic uncertainty, a declining stock market and sweeping cuts to government programs with little congressional oversight seems to have motivated Democrats and independents.

    Trump also waded into the race, repeatedly urging voters to go to the polls and support Schimel.

    The race will also be a bitter disappointment for Wisconsin Republicans, who lost a chance to keep their conservative majority after Justice Janet Protasiewicz defeated conservative candidate Dan Kelly in 2023.

    This year’s race, which shattered the 2023 race’s fundraising records by tens of millions of dollars, received outsized national attention not just because it determined the partisan tilt of the court, but also because it comes less than three months into Trump’s second term as president, making it the first critical referendum on the president.

    Turnout was significant in key battleground counties, with Schimel performing worse than Trump in urban, suburban and rural areas.

    According to projections from Decision Desk HQ, Crawford is expected to receive 54.5% of the vote, while Schimel is projected at 45.6%, giving Crawford a decisive 8.9-point margin of victory.

    For context, Trump won Wisconsin in the 2024 presidential election by approximately 0.9%.

    With national implications in a perennial swing state that will help decide control of Congress in the 2026 midterm elections, all eyes will remain on the Badger State as next year’s election cycle gets underway.

    Trump’s Voter Citizenship Requirement Blocked By Federal Judge

    By
    Seijah Drake
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    5

    In a controversial decision that critics say undermines basic electoral integrity, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly issued a preliminary injunction Thursday blocking the Trump administration from implementing key provisions of its election reform order — including a requirement that individuals provide proof of citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections.

    The Trump administration’s order, signed in March, sought to address the widespread public concern over election security by aligning U.S. registration standards with those used by many developed nations — where proof of citizenship is a basic requirement to cast a vote. Yet, in her ruling, Judge Kollar-Kotelly sided with Democratic operatives and partisan groups, granting their request to halt implementation of what should be a commonsense safeguard.

    It’s already a felony for noncitizens to vote in federal elections. So why oppose a mechanism to verify that voters are, in fact, eligible citizens? The administration’s proposed policy simply sought to enforce existing law, not change it. But for activists and partisan lawyers, that’s apparently too much.

    Critics of the ruling argue that it demonstrates a disturbing disconnect between legal theory and electoral reality. While the plaintiffs claimed the executive order infringes on the “Elections Clause” of the Constitution — which delegates much of the authority over elections to the states — the Trump order targeted the federal voter registration form, which is a product of federal law and administered by a federal agency.

    Among the more absurd arguments presented during the case was the suggestion that requiring proof of citizenship would complicate voter registration drives at grocery stores and public venues. In other words, ensuring that only citizens vote is too inconvenient for activists looking to register voters en masse.

    But this framing reveals the central issue: voter registration is being treated like a political campaign tactic, not a civic responsibility. If accuracy and integrity are seen as barriers to convenience, something is deeply wrong with the system.

    If the courts won’t even allow the federal form to be updated to reflect current law, critics argue, how can Americans have confidence that elections are fair and secure?

    Ironically, while liberal groups celebrate the decision as a “victory for voters,” many Americans see it as a victory for loopholes and ambiguity. The same people who insist elections are sacred and democracy is under threat are now openly opposing the most basic eligibility checks used around the world.

    Meanwhile, Trump’s other proposed reforms — including tighter mail ballot deadlines and review of voter rolls against immigration databases — were allowed to stand. But with the citizenship requirement blocked, many worry that the core vulnerability in the system remains unaddressed.

    When noncitizens can easily register to vote — intentionally or accidentally — and the federal government is barred from checking, who exactly benefits?

    This article originally appeared on American Liberty News. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of Great America News Desk. It is republished with permission.

    READ NEXT: President Trump Signs Executive Order Requiring Proof Of Citizenship To Vote In Federal Elections

    Amanda Head: New Poll Spells Doom For Republicans

    By
    Amanda Head
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    2

    The Trafalgar Group’s most recent poll is a troubling sign for Republicans who need to take back the House this year…

    Amanda breaks down why conservatives should be nervous about November’s results below.

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