Vice President Kamala Harris has reportedly tapped former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney to help sway Republicans.
A senior Harris campaign official says that the vice president on Thursday will team up in battleground Wisconsin with former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, a former rising conservative star in the GOP who became her party’s most visible anti-Trump leader.
The campaign event will take place in Ripon, Wisconsin, where a one-room schoolhouse was designated a national historic landmark due to its role in holding a series of meetings in 1854 that led to the formation of the Republican Party.
Ripon is not the only town that claims to be the birthplace of the GOP. Exeter, New Hampshire also has some bragging rites, as it was the site of meetings in 1853 – a year ahead of the Ripon gatherings – by disenchanted political leaders who discussed the formation of a new party of Republicans.
But officials in Ripon said the group in Exeter never actually formed a political organization, or chose officials, as they did in Wisconsin.
Cheney — who has argued that the former president is a “liar,” a “con man” and a potential “tyrant” who, if elected again, would “torch the Constitution” — vowed after leaving Congress that “I will do everything I can to make sure [Trump] is never anywhere near the Oval Office again.”
According to her campaign, Harris plans to spotlight the significance of that moment and that place – as she makes another direct appeal to Republican voters frustrated that Trump is their party’s presidential nominee – and as she reiterates her pledge to be a president for all Americans.
The Harris campaign says that the vice president, at her event with Cheney, plans to note that while Republicans may not agree with her on every issue, she promises to uphold the Constitution, America’s fundamental principles, and the rule of law.
Despite Donald Trump’s landslide victory, Democrat Governors are already planning ways to hinder the incoming administration.
In a Q&A following President-elect Trump’s victory, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy warned he will “fight to the death” against the administration if he detects behavior “contrary to our values.”
“[A]s we respect the peaceful transition of power, if there is any attack on the Garden State or any of its communities from Washington, I will fight back with every fiber of my being,” Murphy said.
“If there’s an opportunity for common ground, we will seize that as fast as anybody,” he conversely added.
Watch:
New Jersey Governor, Phil Murphy, steps forward as the 4th Marxist TODAY to Spew Unprovoked Hate Filled Rhetoric Toward Donald Trump‼️ I'm adding him to the #CommiesAgainstOurRepublic List pic.twitter.com/BEqPkNacTL
State Assembly Minority Leader John DiMaio (R-Hackettstown) told Fox News Digital that Murphy is “missing the message” voters sent Tuesday with the initial rhetoric.
“It’s time for the governor to recognize that his values may not reflect the values of New Jerseyans as widely as he assumes,” he said.
“While Murphy is prepared to spend resources on political battles with Trump, it’s hard to see how that aligns with the priorities of struggling families, working taxpayers and business owners who want more focus on their needs,” DiMaio said.
Former President of the United States Donald Trump speaking with attendees at the 2022 Student Action Summit at the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, Florida. [Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons]
Despite this year’s midterms only being weeks away plenty of Americans are already looking forward to the next presidential election and the idea of a potential Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis ticket has most Republicans thrilled.
It’s no secret that the 45th President is seriously considering running in 2024, he’s all but confirmed the fact. However, another rising star has captured the hearts of many conservatives in recent years that could derail Trump’s plans. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is widely regarded as the favorite to receive the Republican nomination if Trump doesn’t run, and some analysts say he stands a solid chance of beating out Trump for the nomination if the two became competitors.
Some Republicans have begun to wonder if Trump ultimately does run for president who his choice for vice president would be, but one fact is for certain it won’t be Mike Pence. Conservatives have pointed to DeSantis as being a potential VP pick, a move that could avoid a divisive primary that could cost the GOP the White House.
Some experts have cautioned against a Trump-DeSantis ticket over concerns that the 12th Amendment might stand in the way since it seems to suggest that two candidates from the same state cannot run on the presidential ticket. Trump and DeSantis are each currently Florida residents.
The language of the amendment reads: “[t]he Electors shall meet in their respective states and vote by ballot for President and Vice-President, one of whom, at least, shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves.”
However, based on historic precedent, there’s nothing standing in Trump’s way to selecting DeSantis as his running mate. During the 2000 election concerns arose when Governor George W. Bush of Texas selected former congressman Dick Cheney as his running mate because he maintained residency in Texas during his business career.
Cheney moved to Wyoming four days before Bush selected him as his running mate, and Bush/Cheney went on to victory. Liberals attempted a legal challenge on the residency issue, but courtsandthe legal community soundly rejected it. Cheney’s move to Wyoming put an end to the issue. The courts reasoned that Cheney had fulfilled the residency requirements by doing so.
The Bush/Cheney ticket is arguably a reverse version of a Trump/DeSantis ticket: Bush and DeSantis were both sitting governors, and thus ineligible to move. Cheney and Trump are businessmen with deep ties to other states. Some would say that Cheney had a major advantage that Trump does not. Cheney’s previous state of residence, Wyoming, loved him. Trump’s previous state, New York, is vigorously pursuing legal charges against him.
But there is no reason Trump would need to move to New York. He could move to Tennessee, Nebraska, Wyoming, or any other state that would react favorably to his residency. It does not matter that Trump has no previous affiliation with those states.
It’s worth noting that U.S. case law has opposed extraneous residency requirements for people running for Congress. This flexibility has allowed people like Alan Keyes and Hillary Clinton to move to new states to run for office. True, this case law has concerned states creating extra laws, as opposed to interpreting the 12th Amendment; but given that the judiciary has used the Constitution to strike down these laws, it is unlikely that the same judiciary would hold for extensive residency requirements to prevent someone from getting elected president or vice president.
Does this mean Trump will ultimately pick DeSantis as his running mate? Not by any means but it does mean he has the opportunity to build a ticket the conservative base is already energized to vote for. But first, Trump has to reveal if he plans to run for president…and now we wait.
Expert election prognosticator and FiveThirtyEight founder Nate Silver called on President Biden to immediately resign and let Vice President Kamala Harris carry out the remainder of his term.
Silver’s argument came in response to a Washington Post article about Biden’s recent trip to Brazil that began like this:
MANAUS, Brazil — President Joe Biden was in the middle of the Amazon rainforest, unprotected from mosquitoes, fire ants and loud, squawking macaws. But there was another pest he did manage to avoid: the pack of reporters traveling with him.
For a short speech in front of about two dozen people, the journalists were initially instructed to watch Biden on a flat-screen television placed amid sand and lush trees as the president spoke about 50 feet away, though they were eventually moved closer. As Biden finished his remarks, maracas rattled by a local group prevented him from hearing reporters’ shouted questions about Ukraine.
During a six-day foreign trip to Peru and Brazil that wrapped up Monday, the president rarely spoke in public, answering almost no questions despite repeated efforts to engage him. One television producer took to writing messages on a large pad of paper, holding it up as Biden boarded and departed Air Force One.
The story went on to note that Biden has been conspicuously quiet about the results of the 2024 presidential election, which he “repeatedly called the most important election in history” and “warned would change the country forever if [Donald] Trump prevailed.”
Silver was unamused by Biden’s performance as described by the Post.
“Is there any particular reason to assume Biden is competent to be president right now?” he asked rhetorically on X. “It’s a very difficult job. It’s a dangerous world. Extremely high-stakes decisions in Ukraine. He should resign and let Harris serve out the last 2 months.”
Nate, you’re a little late to the game on this one.
President Trump pushed back Sunday evening against Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s (R-Ga.) warnings about her personal safety, escalating an already tense dispute within the GOP over the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files. Speaking to reporters on the tarmac before departing Palm Beach, Fla., the president reiterated his criticism of Greene, again referring to the outspoken conservative as a “traitor” when asked about her claim that Trump’s rhetoric could endanger her life.
“Marjorie ‘Traitor’ Greene,” Trump said, correcting a reporter who used the congresswoman’s actual name. “I don’t think her life is in danger. I don’t think — frankly, I don’t think anybody cares about her.”
A short time later, Trump doubled down on Truth Social, taking aim at Greene as tensions continue to rise over her calls for the full release of files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. “Wacky Marjorie ‘Traitor’ Brown (Remember, Green turns to Brown where there is ROT involved!) is working overtime to try and portray herself as a victim when, in actuality, she is the cause of all of her own problems,” Trump wrote. “The fact is, nobody cares about this Traitor to our Country!”
Greene, who has long portrayed herself as one of Trump’s staunchest allies, had posted earlier on X that “the hoax pizza deliveries have started now, to my house and family members,” and said her family’s construction business had received a pipe bomb threat. She argued that Trump’s attacks on her were “a dog whistle to dangerous radicals that could lead to serious attacks on me and my family.”
Responding to Trump labeling her a traitor, Greene wrote that the accusation is “absolutely untrue and horrific” and said such language “puts blood in the water and creates a feeding frenzy. And it could ultimately lead to a harmful or even deadly outcome.”
“I am not a traitor,” she insisted. “However, when the President of the United States irresponsibly calls a Member of Congress of his own party, traitor, he is signaling what must be done to a traitor.”
Watch:
I stood with President Trump when almost no one else would. I campaigned for him all over this country and spent millions of my own dollars helping him get elected.
That’s why being called a “traitor” isn’t just hurtful, it puts a target on my back and puts my life in danger.… pic.twitter.com/LPDjpldExn
Greene defended her record and her long-standing loyalty to Trump. “I fought harder than anyone to help President Trump get elected and I support his administration and the promises we made on the campaign,” she wrote. “My voting record is one of the most conservative voting records in Congress and I’m very proud of that. The toxic and dangerous rhetoric in politics must end and we need healing in this country for all Americans.”
The dispute comes as Greene has intensified her criticism of Trump’s earlier reluctance to endorse the full release of the Epstein files—documents many Republicans argue should be made public to expose potential wrongdoing and eliminate politically motivated speculation. The House is expected to vote this week on a measure compelling the Department of Justice to release those records. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), who initiated the discharge petition to force the vote, said he expects significant Republican support.
By Ralph Alswang, White House photographer – https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/clinton-epstein-maxwell/, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=143417695
Republican pressure on Trump increased last week after Democrats selectively released new emails, including one allegedly written by Epstein claiming Trump “knew about the girls.” Many conservatives view the move as a partisan attempt to smear Trump and distract from Democratic figures who were associated with Epstein. In response, and just minutes before his latest Truth Social post criticizing Greene, Trump urged House Republicans to back full transparency.
Lawmakers “should vote to release the Epstein files,” Trump said, arguing, “we have nothing to hide, and it’s time to move on from this Democrat Hoax perpetrated by Radical Left Lunatics in order to deflect from the Great Success of the Republican Party.”
Still, Massie cautioned that the Justice Department—now conducting new probes into Epstein’s alleged connections to Democrats—might use those investigations to justify withholding certain materials even after Congress acts. Republicans warn that bureaucratic resistance could undermine the effort for full disclosure, a point fueling frustration both inside and outside the party.
Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.), one of the few Republicans who voted to impeach President Donald Trump in 2021, announced that he will not seek re-election in 2026.
“This decision comes with no reservations or remorse, only gratitude for the tremendous opportunity to have represented my home state in Congress,” Newhouse wrote in a statement.
Today I am announcing I will not seek reelection in 2026. See my statement below: pic.twitter.com/374ez1r0Lc
The Cook Political Report, widely respected across the political spectrum for its precise election forecasts, recently adjusted its presidential race ratings in six key states, all favoring former President Donald Trump.
The shift comes amidst a backdrop of national and state polls indicating a modest yet consistent increase in support for Trump over President Joe Biden.
Key State Changes
The Cook Political Report has reclassified:
Arizona, Georgia and Nevada from “toss-up” to “lean Republican.”
Minnesota and New Hampshire from “likely Democrat” to “lean Democrat.”
Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District from “likely Democrat” to “lean Democrat.”
Nebraska and Maine are the only states that allocate their electoral votes by congressional district, making the competitive Omaha-based 2nd District a target for both campaigns.
Electoral Vote Implications
The changes significantly impact the electoral map, with Trump now leading in states totaling 268 electoral votes, just two votes short of the required 270 for victory. In contrast, Biden leads in states accounting for 226 electoral votes.
Expert Analysis
In a social media post, Dave Wasserman, a senior editor at Cook Political Report, argued that it was overly optimistic to label the presidential race as a toss-up even before the debates.
NEW: introducing @CookPolitical's Biden vs. Trump national polling average, which tracks the presidential race via a curated average of 21 national polls.
Trump’s current 47%-44% lead is the most drastic shift in the race all year. My full analysis: https://t.co/nnPB97Q9x6
“Today, Trump has a clear advantage over Biden and a much more plausible path to 270 Electoral votes,” Wasserman noted.
Additionally, during an appearance on CNN, Amy Walter, Cook Report’s publisher and editor-in-chief, elaborated on the political shifts underpinning these changes.
“What we’re seeing is the real erosion of support from Biden among voters of color,” Walter explained back in May. “This is the reason he [Biden] is doing worse in Arizona, Nevada and Georgia, where Hispanic and African Americans make up a significant share of the vote.” [emphasis added]
Polling Data
Supporting these insights, the latest RealClearPolitics national polling average shows Trump leading Biden by 3 percentage points. In crucial swing states, Trump’s lead is even more pronounced:
Arizona: +5.4 points
Georgia: +4 points
Michigan: +0.6 points
Nevada: +5.2 points
North Carolina: +5.8 points
Pennsylvania: +5.3 points
Wisconsin: +2.2 points
Larry Sabato: "In the electoral college, it would not be particularly close. Trump would more than edge Biden. It would be substantial — well over 300 electoral votes." pic.twitter.com/UhAueLMp3I
The latest adjustments by the Cook Political Report highlight a rapidly shifting landscape in the 2024 presidential race. With Trump’s increasing traction in key states and growing concerns about Biden’s ability to simply do the job, the GOP’s path to the presidency appears more wide open than ever.
In a shocking upset in New Mexico, Democrat Gabe Vasquez has successfully unseated GOP incumbent Rep. Yvette Herrell.
Vasquez declared victory Wednesday afternoon while the race at that time was still too close to call. However, the Associated Press has since called the race for Vasquez.
I could not be more proud to be elected to Congress by my fellow New Mexicans. Whether you voted for me or not, I will fight my heart out for you, because public service is a sacred responsibility that I will never take for granted. #NM02pic.twitter.com/50ndIYFFM0
Herrell, a member of the Cherokee Nation, became the first Republican Native American woman to be elected to the House of Representatives following her 2020 victory when she flipped the seat from blue to red.
Throughout his campaign, Vasquez faced repeated criticism over his support to defund police officers despite a streak uptick in crime in New Mexico over the past year. Fox News previously reported that the Democrat pledged to cut police budgets by more than 50% if elected.
“I wholeheartedly and absolutely support police reform and the #blacklivesmatter movement, and will not be stopping short of transformational reform that brings justice to our city and to people of color in our community. You can count on my support,” Vasquez wrote to a constituent demanding “at least” a 50% reduction of the Las Cruces police department budget.
By Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America - Pete Hegseth, CC BY-SA 2.0
This Trump nominee could already be on his way out…
President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team has reportedly been drafting a list of alternative nominees for Defense Secretary in case Trump rethinks his choice of, Fox & FriendsWeekend co-host Pete Hegseth.
According to Vanity Fair, which spoke to two unnamed Republican sources “close to Trump,” the president-elect’s transition team has been “quietly preparing a list of alternative defense secretary candidates should Trump abandon Hegseth,” following news of a 2017 sexual assault allegation.
“It’s becoming a real possibility,” claimed one of the sources. The other source said, “People are upset about the distraction. The general feeling is Pete hasn’t been honest.”
Shortly after Trump announced his decision to nominate Hegseth for secretary of defense this month, the Trump transition team was informed about a 2020 payment Hegseth reportedly made to a woman who accused him of sexually assaulting her at a hotel and spa in 2017.
In a statement, Hegseth’s lawyer Timothy Parlatore insisted, “Mr. Hegseth is completely innocent. Not only did she take advantage of him, but we believe she then extorted him knowing that at the height of the #MeToo movement the mere public allegation would likely result in his immediate termination from Fox News.”
The New York Timesreported last week that Trump had “not moved off supporting Mr. Hegseth, despite claims that his team was reassessing the pick, according to several people close to the incoming president.”
Hegseth’s nomination took Senate Republicans by surprise.
Asked for his thoughts on the nomination, Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) reportedly remarked, “Really? I’d have to think about it.”
Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) on Hegseth DefSec nomination: Really? I’d have to think about it
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) reacted, “Wow… I’m just surprised because the names that I’ve heard for Secretary of Defense have not included him,” while Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) asked, “Who?”
GOP Sens on Pete Hegseth as SecDef:
Murk: “Wow…I'm just surprised because the names that I've heard for Secretary of Defense have not included him.”
Secretary of Defense Marco Rubio signaled he’s in favor of Vice President JD Vance’s potential 2028 run for the White House during a recent interview.
In an interview on Fox News’s “My View with Lara Trump,” Rubio sidestepped a question about his own presidential ambitions when asked by the president’s daughter-in-law whether his own sights are “set outside the State Department.” Last week, Trump announced she would not run for Senate in North Carolina after considering jumping inot the race.
“I think JD Vance would be a great nominee… if he decides he wants to do that,” Rubio said during the Saturday interview.
“I think he’s doing a great job as vice president. He’s a close friend, and I hope he intends to do it,” Rubio added.
Pivoting back to his own political future, Rubio said he loves his job as Secretary of State and intends to serve out his full term. He noted that would likely preclude him from running for president in 2028.
“I know it’s kind of early, but being in the role that I’m in here, as the secretary of State, I really don’t play in politics. There’s actually rules against me being involved in domestic politics,” Rubio said.
“And I want to do this job, as long as the president allows me to do it, and stay in that job, which would keep me here all the way through January of 2028,” he added.
By Office of Vice President of the United States – @VP on X, Public Domain,
Rubio, who ran unsuccessfully for president in 2016, did not shut the door to a future White House bid, but he said he would be satisfied if his career of public service peaks with his tenure at the State Department.
“I feel, honestly, you never know what the future holds. You never rule things out or anything, because you just don’t know. Things change very quickly,” Rubio said. “But that said, I believe that if I am able to be here through the duration of this presidency — and we get things done at the pace that we’ve been doing the last six months — I’ll be able to look back at my time in public service and say, ‘I made a difference, I had an impact, and I served my country in a very positive way.’”
“And I would be satisfied with that as the apex of my career,” Rubio said. “And so that’s what I’m focused on right now because what we’re doing some special things that I think are going to bear dividend and fruit for a generation.”
