Alaska Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski is on the edge of losing her seat in Congress to Trump-endorsed challenger Kelly Tshibaka according to election forecaster FiveThirtyEight.
Alaska’s 2022 race is operating on a 2020 ballot measure in which voters approved ranked-choice voting in the state’s elections, meaning both Tshibaka and Murkowski will appear on the ballot despite being members of the same party. The two women emerged as the top two candidates in the state’s August nonpartisan blanket primary. They will face off with Democrat candidate Patricia Chesbro in November’s general election.
The latest report from FiveThirtyEight revealed the GOP is more-than-likely going to win the seat this November and Tshibaka is considered most likely to emerge with the victory at 53%.
Tshibaka, the Trump-backed Republican challenger who previously served as a commissioner of the Alaska Department of Administration, opted to challenge Murkowski after the incumbent senator voted to impeach former President Trump following the Jan. 6th Capitol riot.
The Alaska Republican Party voted to censure Murkowski after her impeachment vote.
Originally appointed to the Senate in 2002, Murkowski has long been a swing vote during partisan senate battles, ranking in as the second most liberal Republican senator to a 2017 GovTrack analysis of lawmakers reported. Her ranking put her to the left of Sen. Joe Manchin, D-WVa., the senate’s most conservative Democrat, according to Fox News.
According to the latest poll from RealClearPolitics, Tshibaka was reported to have a nine-point advantage over Murkowski.
By Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America - Jasmine Crockett, CC BY-SA 2.0,
Democrat lawmaker Jasmine Crockett‘s comments have landed her in the spotlight once again…
On Wednesday, the Texas Democrat appeared to brag that her being Black was a leading contributor to getting hired as a public defender with no experience.
Crockett relayed the story during a House Judiciary Subcommittee on Oversight meeting on corruption in the FBI under the Biden administration. She used it as an argument to defend diversity in law enforcement.
“When I first became a public defender, I had no criminal defense experience. I walked in, and I told my boss, Charlie, I said, ‘Listen, you should hire me.’ He said, ‘Why?’ I said, ‘Because I’m Black.’ Charlie looked at me like I was crazy,” Crockett said.
She continued, “And I said, ‘Let me tell you something. When I walk in, I’m going to walk in with a level of rapport and understanding that maybe some of my other colleagues will not.’ Charlie offered me my job, and I worked my butt off and I worked really, really hard for all of my clients, not just those that look like me. That is what it looks like to serve.”
During the hearing, Crockett also defended the need for DEI in the criminal justice system, so victims see law enforcement who look like them.
“We want somebody to show up, and we don’t want them to look at us and act as if just because I’m Black or because I’m a woman that I am not worthy of having that case investigated,” Crockett said.
She added, “Because we have an administration that is continuously railing against diversity, equity or inclusion or we don’t need people that show up that feel like diversity should not be valued. That is why we should have somebody that may show up and looks like me.”
Public defenders are lawyers appointed to provide legal representation to people who can’t afford their own attorneys.
Rep. Crockett’s comments immediately caused a stir on social media:
INCREDIBLE. Democrat Rep. Jasmine Crockett publicly admits that she only got her job as a public defender because she was Black.
"When I first became a public defender, I had no criminal defense experience. And I walked in and I told my boss, 'You should hire me…because I'm black.'" pic.twitter.com/uM3bCrtMac
Speaking at the Human Rights Campaign‘s 2025 Los Angeles dinner, Crockett cracked a joke that immediately set off a wave of criticism. “We in these hot ass Texas streets, honey. Y’all know we got Governor Hot Wheels down there,” she said, referencing Abbott’s wheelchair. “And the only thing hot about him is that he is a hot ass mess, honey!” (RELATED: Jasmine Crockett Says She’s Rooting For Canada, Mexico)
Abbott, a Republican, was paralyzed in 1984 after a tree fell on him while jogging in Houston. The accident left him in a wheelchair, but it didn’t stop him from climbing the ranks of Texas politics—first as attorney general, then governor. He’s held that office since 2015.
Casa Rosada (Argentina Presidency of the Nation), CC BY 2.5 AR via Wikimedia Commons
California Democrats have plans to redraw the state’s districts in a long-shot attempt to threaten Republicans’ majority in Congress.
According to California Democrats, the move was prompted by news that Texas might try to redraw its districts to gain more Congressional seats. Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott has “directed the state Legislature to discuss redistricting in an upcoming special legislative session,” KCRA noted. California Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom said of Texas, “They’re playing by a different set of rules.” (RELATED: Trump Eyes Redistricting Blitz To Add 5 More GOP Seats In Texas Before 2026)
On Wednesday, the California Democratic congressional delegation met with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and reportedly discussed ideas for gaining even more seats to overturn the perilously slim majority Republicans hold in the House, Punchbowl News reports.
“The games they play aren’t working and the more people get educated on what’s going on, the more they’re going to fight back,” California Assemblymember Leticia Castillo of Riverside, who left the Democratic Party and became a Republican, said of California’s Democrats.
In 2010, California voters overwhelmingly supported Proposition 20, a constitutional amendment that stripped politicians of the ability to draw their own districts and instead handed that responsibility to an independent redistricting commission.
But now, California Democrats—led by Governor Gavin Newsom—are exploring ways to claw back that authority, effectively undoing the will of the people. As Punchbowl News reported, Newsom sees two potential paths to tilt the balance of power in his party’s favor.
The first plan would involve Newsom calling a special session of the Democratic supermajority legislature to put a proposition on the ballot that would “pause” or completely eliminate the independent commission’s authority. It would then be up to voters—again—to decide. But Democrats are reportedly weighing whether to sweeten the deal by bundling the measure with conservative-friendly policies like a voter ID requirement, which is broadly popular among Republicans. Critics point out that this could be a costly and deceptive move, as it would require millions in campaign funds to push the message through California’s media markets.
The second strategy would be even more brazen: simply redrawing the maps mid-decade by claiming California’s constitution doesn’t explicitly prohibit it. Newsom himself has called this a “novel legal question,” but it would almost certainly invite a legal battle. Such a move would represent a major break from precedent and an alarming use of loopholes to override voters’ intent.
One potential legal barrier is the Voting Rights Act, which protects majority-minority districts—particularly Latino-majority seats—from being dismantled. Redrawing those lines could dilute minority voting power and ignite a broader constitutional showdown.
Targeted GOP districts that have reportedly been discussed include these GOP Congressmen:
Ken Calvert
Kevin Kiley
Darrell Issa
Young Kim
David Valadao
Doug LaMalfa
“We want our gavels back,” Rep. Mark Takano, who would be the new chair of the House Veterans Affairs Committee should Democrats regain the majority in the House, stated. “That’s what this is about.”
Former Massachusetts U.S. Sen. Scott Brown is teasing another run for elected office.
In an interview with WMUR of New Hampshire set to air today, Brown said “it is no secret that” he has not been happy with what is happening nationally, including the border, economy, and fentanyl. And New Hampshire’s federal delegation is “in lockstep with those failed policies,” he said.
“They covered for Biden. They really didn’t support the closed border, the immigration. They’re not doing the things that I think are important for New Hampshire,” he said. “Is there another run? Yeah, I think so, and I’m obviously looking at it. I’m not going to announce anything. But I think it’s important for our delegation not to be obstructionists right now, because there will be a backlash.
“I’ve always felt, whether you are a Democrat or Republican, you need good, hardworking, honest people who are problem solvers. And if you recall…I was the most bipartisan senator in the United States Senate for the whole time that I was there,” Brown said on WBUR.
According to The Boston Herald, New Hampshire U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat and the first woman to be elected as both the state’s governor and senator, is up for reelection in 2026. She is a senior member of the Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee, Appropriations Committee, Armed Services Committee, and Small Business Committee.
Brown was the first Republican in Massachusetts elected to the U.S. Senate since 1972.
He was later nominated by President Donald Trump in 2017 to serve as the United States Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa.
The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
PARIS — French nationalist leader Marine Le Pen announced Tuesday that she will run for president in 2027 after a Paris appeals court upheld her conviction for misusing European Union funds but reduced her sentence and shortened her ban from holding public office, allowing her to remain on the ballot.
The ruling preserves one of Europe’s most consequential political candidacies at a time when Le Pen and her National Rally party are leading opinion polls ahead of next year’s election. With President Emmanuel Macron constitutionally barred from seeking a third consecutive term, the race is widely viewed as the strongest opportunity yet for France’s nationalist movement to capture the presidency.
Court Upholds Conviction, Reduces Penalty
The appeals court affirmed Le Pen’s conviction for diverting European Parliament funds to pay National Rally employees instead of parliamentary assistants.
Judges sentenced her to three years in prison, with two years suspended and one year to be served under electronic monitoring, along with a €100,000 fine. The court also shortened her period of political ineligibility, clearing the way for her presidential campaign.
Le Pen immediately vowed to challenge the decision before France’s highest court, the Court of Cassation.
Under French law, that appeal suspends enforcement of her sentence — including the electronic monitoring requirement and political restrictions — while the case is reviewed, allowing her to campaign without immediate legal constraints.
‘Tonight, I Am a Candidate’
Appearing on French television shortly after the ruling, Le Pen left little doubt about her intentions.
“Tonight, I am a candidate in the presidential election,” she declared, while maintaining that she had committed no crime and describing the prosecution as politically motivated.
WATCH:
The legal battle is expected to continue for months, but the appeals ruling removes the most immediate obstacle to her fourth presidential campaign.
Recent polling by major French firms has consistently placed either Le Pen or her National Rally protégé, Jordan Bardella, between roughly 31% and 36% in first-round voting — historically high numbers this far ahead of a presidential election. Pollsters say National Rally has never polled this strongly so early in a campaign.
Several surveys also indicate Le Pen would be highly competitive in a second-round runoff against leading centrist contenders, including former Prime Minister Édouard Philippe.
Relationship With Trump Has Changed
Although Le Pen praised Donald Trump’s 2016 election victory and was once viewed as one of his closest political allies in Europe, she has deliberately distanced herself from the president in recent years.
As she works to broaden her appeal among mainstream conservative and center-right French voters, Le Pen has sought to present National Rally as a governing party rather than a protest movement.
That strategy has included publicly criticizing Trump on several occasions. During a dispute last month between Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Le Pen sided with Meloni and described Trump’s remarks as “very insulting.” She has also broken with the president on aspects of U.S. military intervention and European defense policy.
Legal Battle Continues
The case stems from allegations that National Rally improperly used millions of euros in European Parliament funds between 2004 and 2016 to pay party staff working in France rather than parliamentary assistants assigned to Brussels.
Le Pen has consistently denied intentionally violating the rules and says the prosecution reflects an effort to sideline one of France’s leading opposition figures.
Whether France’s highest court ultimately upholds or overturns the conviction remains uncertain. For now, however, the appeals ruling has ensured that the country’s leading nationalist candidate will remain in the race, setting up what is expected to be one of Europe’s most closely watched elections in a generation.
Despite a bevy of public pleas, President Joe Biden informed colleagues that he would not bow out of the race according to a letter sent to Congressional Democrats.
“I want you to know that despite all the speculation in the press and elsewhere, I am firmly committed to staying in this race, to running this race to the end, and to beating Donald Trump,” the president wrote in the letter.
Biden posted the letter himself to his X account.
This morning, I sent a letter to my fellow Democrats on Capitol Hill. In it, I shared my thoughts about this moment in our campaign.
It’s time to come together, move forward as a unified party, and defeat Donald Trump. pic.twitter.com/ABtAaJrr0n
Biden, 81, said he’s had “extensive” talks with Democrat leaders and he’s heard the “concerns” about his chances at beating Trump amid concerns about his age.
Numerous lawmakers have publicly called for Biden to remove himself from the ballot this November.
Texas Democrat Rep. Lloyd Doggett became the first sitting Member of Congress to publicly encourage Biden to step down earlier this week. In a more damning appearance, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi switched from accusing Trump of having dementia to validating questions about Biden’s mental acuity, further fueling the debate over his capacity to lead.
Last Monday, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear (D) seemed to signal support for the idea of Biden stepping away from the race and seemed to promote himself as an alternative candidate.
Read the full text of the letter below:
JOSEPH R. BIDEN, JR. July 8, 2024
Fellow Democrats,
Now that you have returned from the July 4th recess, I want you to know that despite all the speculation in the press and elsewhere, I am firmly committed to staying in this race, to running this race to the end, and to beating Donald Trump.
I have had extensive conversations with the leadership of the party, elected officials, rank and file members, and most importantly, Democratic voters over these past io days or so. I have heard the concerns that people have — their good faith fears and worries about what is at stake in this election. I am not blind to them. Believe me, I know better than anyone the responsibility and the burden the nominee of our party carries. I carried it in 2020 when the fate of our nation was at stake. I also know these concerns come from a place of real respect for my lifetime of public service and my record as President, and I have been moved by the expressions of affection for me from so many who have known me well and supported me over the course of my public life. I’ve been grateful for the rock-solid, steadfast support from so many elected Democrats in Congress and all across the country and taken great strength from the resolve and determination I’ve seen from so many voters and grassroots supporters even in the hardest of weeks.
I can respond to all this by saying clearly and unequivocally: I wouldn’t be running again if I did not absolutely believe I was the best person to beat Donald Trump in 2024. We had a Democratic nomination process and the voters have spoken clearly and decisively. I received over 14 million votes, 87% of the votes cast across the entire nominating process. I have nearly 3,900 delegates, making me the presumptive nominee of our party by a wide margin. This was a process open to anyone who wanted to run. Only three people chose to challenge me. One fared so badly that he left the primaries to run as an independent. Another attacked me for being too old and was soundly defeated. The voters of the Democratic Patty have voted. They have chosen me to be the nominee of the party.
Do we now just say this process didn’t matter? That the voters don’t have a say?
I decline to do that. I feel a deep obligation to the faith and the trust the voters of the Democratic Party have placed in me to run this year. It was their decision to make. Not the press, not the pundits, not the big donors, not any selected group of individuals, no matter how well intentioned. The voters — and the voters alone — decide the nominee of the Democratic Party. How can we stand for democracy in our nation if we ignore it in our own party? I cannot do that. I will not do that.
I have no doubt that I — and we — can and will beat Donald Trump. We have an historic record of success to run on. From creating over 15 million jobs (including 200,000 just last month), reaching historic lows on unemployment, to revitalizing American manufacturing with 800,000 jobs, to protecting and expanding affordable health care, to rebuilding America’s roads, bridges, highways, ports and airports, and water systems, to beating Big Pharma and lowering the cost of prescription drugs, including $35 a month insulin for seniors, to providing student debt relief for nearly 5 million Americans to an historic investment in combatting climate change.
More importantly, we have an economic vision to run on that soundly beats Trump and the MAGA Republicans. They are siding with the wealthy and the big corporations and we are siding with the working people of America. It wasn’t an isolated moment for Trump to stand at Mar-A-Lago and tell the oil industry they should give him $1 billion and he will do whatever they want.
That’s whose side Trump and the MAGA Republicans are on. Trump and the MAGA Republicans want another $5 trillion in tax cuts for rich people so they can cut Social Security and Medicare. We will never let that happen. It’s trickle-down economics on steroids. We know the way to build the economy is from the middle out and the bottom up, not the top down. We are finally going to make the rich and big corporations pay their fair share of taxes in this country. The MAGA party is also still determined to repeal the Affordable Care Act, which could throw 45 million Americans off their coverage. We will never let that happen either. Trump got rich denying rental housing to Black people. We have a plan to build 2 million new housing units in America. They want to let Big Pharma charge as much as they want again. What do you think America’s seniors will think when they know Trump and the MAGA Republicans want to take away their $35 insulin — as well as the $2,000 capon out-of-pocket prescription costs we Democrats just got them? Or what do you think American families are going to think when they find out Trump and the MAGA Republicans want to hit them with a new $2,500 national sales tax on all the imported products they buy.
We are the ones lowering costs for families — from health care to prescription drugs to student debt to housing. We are the ones protecting Social Security and Medicare. Everything they’re proposing raises costs for most Americans — except their tax cuts which will go to the rich.
We are protecting the freedoms of Americans. Trump and the MAGA Republicans are taking them away. They have already for the first time in history taken away a fundamental freedom from the American people by overturning Roe v. Wade. They have decided politicians should make the most personal of decisions that should be made by women and their doctors and those closest to them. They have already said they won’t stop there — and are going after everything from contraception to IVF to the right to marry who you love. And they have made it clear they will ban abortion nationwide. We will let none of that happen. I have made it clear that if Kamala and I are reelected, and the nation elects a Democratic House and Senate, we will make Roe v. Wade the law of the land again. We are the ones who will bring real Supreme Court reform; Donald Trump and his majority want more of the same from the Court, and the chance to add to the right-wing majority they built by subverting the norms and principles of the nomination and confirmation process.
And we are standing up for American democracy. After January 6th, Trump has proven that he is unfit to ever hold the office of President. We can never allow him anywhere near that office again. And we never will.
My fellow Democrats — we have the record, the vision, and the fundamental commitment to America’s freedoms and our Democracy to win.
The question of how to move forward has been well-aired for over a week now. And it’s time for it to end. We have one job. And that is to beat Donald Trump. We have 42 days to the Democratic Convention and 119 days to the general election. Any weakening of resolve or lack of clarity about the task ahead only helps Trump and hurts us. It is time to come together, move forward as a unified party, and defeat Donald Trump.
Sincerely,
Joseph R. Biden Jr. President of the United States of America
Eric Trump raised concerns about the second assassination attempt on his father, former President Donald Trump, suggesting that it might have been an “inside job” during a Monday interview with Megyn Kelly on SiriusXM’s The Megyn Kelly Show.
The remarks came after the arrest of Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, who is accused of attempting to assassinate Trump at the Trump International Golf Course in West Palm Beach, Florida. Federal and local authorities confirmed Routh’s apprehension on Sunday.
When Kelly asked whether the attack could have been an inside job, Eric Trump urged viewers to “entertain everything.”
“Everybody had better entertain it… twice in five weeks, you better start entertaining all of those scenarios, because something is very, very wrong,” he stated, expressing disbelief at how Routh, armed with an AK-style rifle, crossed a major highway in broad daylight without detection.
Eric Trump questioned how the alleged gunman was able to breach multiple layers of security and get within close range of his father during the incident. “He literally got across all of that holding a long gun, and no one saw this? There weren’t eyes on the street?” he asked.
He concluded by emphasizing the need to enhance security measures around the former president, stating, “We better really start locking down this perimeter, because something is awfully wrong… the world knows they are trying to get him.”
United States Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) is facing one dozen new criminal charges in his alleged yearslong scheme with the governments of Egypt and Qatar.
Menendez and his wife, Nadine, face charges of obstruction of justice, among others.
BREAKING: U.S. Senator Bob Menendez and his wife have been charged with obstruction of justice in a superseding indictment in the bribery case against him. pic.twitter.com/y4nAj1yNeY
The new charges come days after one of the New Jersey businessmen who was previously indicted alongside Menendez, his wife Nadine Menendez, and two others agreed to plead guilty and cooperate with the investigation.
Among the new charges in the superseding indictment are conspiracy, obstruction of justice, public official acting as a foreign agent, bribery, extortion and honest services wire fraud.
Menendez had faced four counts of conspiracy to commit bribery, conspiracy to commit honest services fraud, conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right, and conspiracy for a public official to act as a foreign agent.
The new charges add the underlying so-called substantive crimes to the conspiracy charges.
Menendez persists in his innocence and pledges to do whatever it takes to retain his Senate seat.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
The 2024 Pennsylvania Senate race is emerging as one of the most closely watched and pivotal contests in the nation, with significant implications for the balance of power in the U.S. Senate. Incumbent Democrat Senator Bob Casey Jr. is seeking reelection for a fourth term, while Republicans are coalescing around David McCormick, a former hedge fund executive.
Both candidates are gearing up for what is expected to be one of the most expensive and competitive Senate races in the country…
Bob Casey Jr.: The Incumbent
Bob Casey Jr., son of the late Governor Bob Casey Sr., has served Pennsylvania in the Senate since 2006. Casey has built a reputation as a pragmatic legislator who prioritizes health care, jobs and labor rights.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
In the Senate, Casey has leveraged his seniority to secure key committee assignments, including on the influential Senate Finance Committee.
However, the political climate in Pennsylvania has become increasingly polarized in recent years, teeing up a more challenging electoral environment for the seasoned politician this year. With the Keystone State narrowly voting for Joe Biden in 2020 after flipping to Donald Trump in 2016, Republicans see this as an opportunity to unseat Casey.
David McCormick: The Challenger
David McCormick, a former hedge fund CEO and Army veteran, is a prominent figure in Pennsylvania politics and business. McCormick served as the CEO of Bridgewater Associates, one of the world’s largest hedge funds, from 2020 to 2022, where he gained a reputation for strong leadership in the financial sector. A West Point graduate, McCormick also served as an Army officer during the Gulf War, earning a Bronze Star for his service.
National Archives at College Park – Still Pictures, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
In public service, McCormick held senior economic positions in the George W. Bush administration, including Under Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs. His platform emphasizes economic growth, job creation and strengthening national security. McCormick is also focused on fiscal conservatism, advocating for reduced government spending and taxes.
McCormick previously ran for Senate in 2022, narrowly losing the Republican primary to Mehmet Oz, who ultimately lost to Democrat John Fetterman in the general election. Since then, McCormick has remained active in Pennsylvania politics, positioning himself as a fiscal conservative and critic of the Biden administration’s economic policies.
McCormick’s background in business and finance has appealed to Pennsylvania’s suburban voters, while his military service has resonated with the state’s sizable veteran population along with Donald Trump’s MAGA base.
Key Policy Issues
In his 2024 campaign, McCormick has focused on national security, economic freedom and his status as a business leader and political outsider, in stark contrast to Casey’s long tenure in Washington. This dynamic has brought the race to a near tie.
I retired from the Army as a captain after a combat tour in Iraq, but I've never stopped serving my country.
I'm a seventh-generation Pennsylvanian, political outsider, & PA job creator.
Bob Casey is a weak, liberal, 30-year career politician who has failed our commonwealth. pic.twitter.com/NnuK1F25Su
McCormick’s platform focuses on reducing government spending, boosting economic growth and opposing progressive policies that he argues have hurt the state’s energy sector, particularly coal and natural gas.
Fundraising and Campaign Spending
The Pennsylvania Senate race is expected to be one of the most expensive in the nation, with both candidates benefiting from substantial outside spending.
According to Federal Election Commission (FEC) data, Bob Casey has raised more than $21 million, thanks to strong support from labor unions, healthcare groups, and Democrat super PACs such as the Senate Majority PAC. Casey’s deep connections with national Democrats and his long-standing relationships with Pennsylvania’s organized labor groups have made him a fundraising powerhouse.
On the Republican side, David McCormick has raised over $17 million with significant support from national conservative groups such as Club for Growth and Americans for Prosperity.
Endorsements and Support
Donald Trump: Former President Donald Trump officially endorsed McCormick’s Senate bid last April during a Pennsylvania rally.
“I am officially giving my endorsement to David McCormick tonight. He’s a good a man. He wants to run a good ship. He’s a smart guy, who was a very successful guy. He’s given up a lot to do this,” Trump told supporters at a rally in Schnecksville, Pennsylvania.
“I’ll tell you what: He’s the nominee of the Republican Party, David McCormick. Go out and vote for him because Casey doesn’t do a damn thing,” Trump said.
Pat Toomey: Former Senator Pat Toomey praised McCormick’s economic expertise and commitment to conservative values, saying he’s the right leader to represent Pennsylvania.
Ari Fleischer: The former White House Press Secretary endorsed McCormick at a September fundraiser, highlighting his strong leadership and policy experience.
Organizational Endorsements:
Senate Leadership Fund: Backed McCormick as part of their efforts to secure Republican Senate seats.
Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC): Endorsed McCormick for his unwavering support for Israel and stance against antisemitism.
“RJC trusts Dave McCormick – a 7th generation Pennsylvanian, West Point graduate, combat veteran, Bronze star recipient, Pennsylvania job creator and business leader – to be a Senator the people of Pennsylvania can be proud of.”
“Bob Casey is no friend of Israel. Where Bob Casey has failed, Dave McCormick will lead.”
Voter Sentiment and Polling
Recent polling data suggests that the race between Casey and McCormick is likely to be close, reflecting Pennsylvania’s status as a swing state. Polls indicate that Casey holds a slight lead over McCormick, but the race is expected to tighten as November draws closer. Pennsylvania has a history of closely contested statewide elections, with margins often decided by just a few percentage points.
RealClearPolitics (October 14, 2024): Casey leads McCormick 47.8% to 44.6%
Emerson College Poll (October 2024): 48% support incumbent Democrat Senator Bob Casey while 46% support Republican Dave McCormick.
Trafalgar Polling (October 2024): Casey leads McCormick 47.4% to 45.6% with 7% undecided.
Quinnipiac Univesity (October 2024): Incumbent Democratic Senator Bob Casey leads Republican challenger David McCormick 51% to 43%. Democrats 96% to 3% back Casey, while Republicans 88 % to 10% back McCormick. Independents are evenly split, with 44% supporting McCormick and 44% supporting Casey.
Both candidates will need to appeal to Pennsylvania’s diverse electorate, which includes rural, suburban, and urban voters. Rural parts of the state have trended Republican in recent elections, while urban areas like Philadelphia and Pittsburgh remain Democratic strongholds. The key battleground will likely be the suburbs, particularly in counties like Bucks and Montgomery, where moderate and independent voters could swing the outcome.
A woman arrested last month for allegedly making death threats against President Donald Trump has been released by a federal judge who has clashed with the Trump administration several times this year.
Federal Chief Judge James Boasberg ordered the release of 50-year-old Nathalie Rose Jones under electronic monitoring and instructed her to visit a psychiatrist in New York City once she obtains her personal belongings from a local police station.
Her release comes after U.S. Magistrate Judge Moxila Upadhyaya had ordered her held without bond, citing alarming conduct, including online posts proclaiming willingness to “disembowel” Trump and stage his arrest, and statements admitting she would kill him with a bladed weapon at “the compound.”
Jones took part in a “dignified arrest ceremony” for Trump at a protest in Washington, D.C., which circumnavigated the White House complex and was arrested following an investigation into her series of concerning Instagram and Facebook posts.
In early August, Jones labeled Trump a terrorist, referred to his administration as a dictatorship, and stated that Trump had caused extreme and unnecessary loss of life in relation to the coronavirus.
“I am willing to sacrificially kill this POTUS by disemboweling him and cutting out his trachea with Liz Cheney and all The Affirmation present,” an Aug. 6 post directed at the FBI states.
The next day, Jones voluntarily agreed to an interview with the Secret Service, during which she called Trump a “terrorist” and a “nazi,” authorities said.
She said that if she had the opportunity, she would kill Trump at “the compound” if she had to and that she had a “bladed object,” which she said was the weapon she would use to “carry out her mission of killing” the president.
Following the protest in Washington, D.C on Aug. 16, Jones was interviewed again by the Secret Service, during which she admitted that she had made threats towards Trump during her interview the previous day.
She was charged with threatening to kill, kidnap, or seriously hurt the president and sending messages across state lines that contained threats to kidnap or harm someone.
However, Jones’s lawyers argued their client was unarmed and had no real desire to follow through with the threats, appealed Upadhyaya’s detention decision, and Boasberg overturned Upadhyaya’s detention order.
U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C., Jeanine Pirro, whose office pushed for the indictment, blasted the jury’s refusal on Tuesday.
“A Washington D.C. grand jury refused to indict someone who threatened to kill the President of the United States. Her intent was clear, traveling through five states to do so,” Pirro told Fox News in an exclusive statement.
“She even confirmed the same to the U.S. Secret Service. This is the essence of a politicized jury. The system here is broken on many levels. Instead of the outrage that should be engendered by a specific threat to kill the president, the grand jury in D.C. refuses to even let the judicial process begin. Justice should not depend on politics,” Pirro added.
Judge Boasberg’s Background Judge Boasberg, a Barack Obama appointee, has repeatedly clashed with the Trump administration. In March, he issued a restraining order halting deportations of Venezuelans under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, ordering planes to return to U.S. soil and demanding an investigation into compliance. He later threatened contempt proceedings, prompting appellate review and momentum that led to Supreme Court rulings affirming due‑process requirements. Trump publicly labeled Boasberg a “Radical Left Lunatic” and sought his impeachment. Additionally, Trump‑aligned officials, including AG Pam Bondi, filed a complaint over Boasberg’s remarks warning of a constitutional crisis and criticizing the administration—remarks Bondi argued had no factual basis and undermined judicial impartiality. (RELATED:DOJ Files Complaint Against Judge Boasberg Over Anti-Trump Comments, Deportation Case Actions)
Recent Assassination Attempts Targeting Donald Trump
1. Butler, Pennsylvania Rally — July 13, 2024
What happened: Former President Trump was addressed at a campaign rally near Butler, PA, when 20‑year‑old Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire from a nearby rooftop with an AR‑15‑style rifle. Trump was grazed in the upper right ear; one attendee, firefighter Corey Comperatore, was killed, and two others critically injured. Secret Service counter‑snipers neutralized Crooks seconds after he began firing.
Aftermath & investigations: A House task force released a report by December 2024. A Government Accountability Office audit (July 2025) found that the Secret Service failed to share vital threat intelligence internally, and suffered planning and communication breakdowns. Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley criticized entrenched mismanagement and cited funding under a recent bill to help rebuild the agency. Meanwhile, six Secret Service agents received suspensions—the longest up to 42 days—for their roles in the security failure. The agency has since overhauled protocols, including deploying drones and increasing law enforcement coordination.
2. West Palm Beach, Florida Golf Course — September 15, 2024
What happened: While golfing at his Trump International Golf Club, Trump was threatened by 59-year‑old Ryan Wesley Routh. The suspect was seen aiming a rifle from shrubbery. A Secret Service agent intervened, no shots were fired at Trump, and Routh fled but was later detained.
Legal proceedings: Routh faces federal charges including attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate. He remains in custody, and a federal trial is scheduled to begin September 8, 2025.
