Popular South Carolina Senator Tim Scott has officially declared himself a candidate for the GOP nomination for president.
Scott filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission on Friday, ahead of an expected formal campaign launch on Monday.
Scott joins a growing primary field for the Republican presidential nomination against Trump, former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, among the party’s most high-profile contenders.
The $5.5M ad buy coming next week in IA & NH from @SenatorTimScott marks the most significant ad spending by a potential or declared 2024 candidate.
It's scheduled to run through the first GOP presidential debate in late *August.*https://t.co/OKmULytQPb
Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina will announce his candidacy for president on Monday and will enter the race with around $22 million cash on hand, making him one of the most serious competitors for the front-runner, Donald Trump. https://t.co/moeVCRVOb8
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is widely expected to announce his presidential campaign next week.
Other Republicans who have widely been speculated to be running but have not yet officially entered include former Vice President Mike Pence, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, and New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu.
Fighter pilot and decorated combat veteran Jeff Witt announced Monday he is entering the race to fill former Rep. Matt Gaetz’s seat representing Florida’s 1st congressional district.
Witt is currently serving as a policy advisor on the Trump-Vance Presidential Transition Team.
“I have served my country in uniform for 14 years, and my dedication to service extends to the community in which my family and I live,” Witt told Fox News Digital. “I am excited to meet voters from all across the district in this campaign, and prove to them that they can trust me to be a leader in Congress who represents them with conviction, hard work, and integrity.”
Witt told Fox News Digital that he will “fight to get inflation under control, secure our borders, and strengthen our military.”
“I will listen to the needs of my constituents, and I will work on their behalf to make Florida’s 1st District the finest place in America for veterans, businesses, and families,” he said.
Witt attended Harvard University for his undergraduate studies and was a Harvard football quarterback. He also received his Master of Business Administration from Harvard University.
A 2024 Club for Growth fellow, Witt has already been endorsed by top former Trump administration officials, including former Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert Wilkie.
“Jeff Witt is a patriot and a staunch supporter of President Trump and his America First agenda,” Wilkie told Fox News Digital. “As the former Secretary of Veterans Affairs under President Trump, I know that Jeff’s mission will always be to put warriors first. I am honored to give Jeff my full endorsement.”
Wilkie told Fox News Digital that Witt “stands for the right things—family and freedom.”
Gaetz had represented Florida’s 1st congressional district from January 2017 until earlier this month, when he resigned from his post upon receiving the nomination for attorney general.
President-elect Donald Trump also urged Florida state Sen. Randy Fine to run for Congress, pledging to endorse the Sunshine State lawmaker if he opts to throw his hat into the ring.
“I am hearing that America First Patriot Randy Fine is considering launching his Campaign for Congress in Florida’s 6th Congressional District!” Trump said in a Truth Social post.
“Should he decide to enter this Race, Randy Fine has my Complete and Total Endorsement. RUN, RANDY, RUN!” Trump urged.
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.
I've seen enough: Susan Crawford defeats Brad Schimel in the Wisconsin Supreme Court election, preserving liberals' 4-3 majority.
As The Hillreports, 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.
The move by Sinema means the Arizona Senate race has largely been solidified as a matchup between Democrat Ruben Gallego and Republican Kari Lake.
The Arizona lawmakers changed her party affiliation from Democrat to Independent in 2022.
The nonpartisan election handicapper Cook Political Report rates Sinema’s seat as “toss up.”
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre reacted to the news that broke during the daily briefing, noting that the White House has worked “closely” with Sinema on “key, important bills,” including the border security deal out of the Senate.
“She’s been a partner with us on many critical issues that matter to the American people and we think that’s important,” Jean-Pierre told reporters.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy delivers remarks at the 2021 Capitol Christmas Tree lighting ceremony in Washington DC, December 1, 2021. USDA Forest Service photo by Tanya E. Flores.
Current House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy just made a key concession in what has become an uphill battle to become Speaker of the House once the GOP takes control of Congress on Jan. 3rd.
Six Republican sources familiar with internal discussions told CNN that McCarthy conceded to reducing the threshold that is required to force a floor vote on ousting the sitting speaker in an effort to win over holdouts.
One of the numbers that has come up in recent conversations between McCarthy and GOP lawmakers – and which has not been previously reported – is a five-person threshold, according to two of the Republican sources.
Currently, the majority of the House GOP is required to call for the so-called motion to vacate the speaker’s chair. However, some conservatives such as Reps. Matt Gaetz (FL) and Ralph Norman (S.C.) are pushing for a single member to be able to call for such a vote, which they see as an important mechanism to hold the speaker accountable.
A five-person threshold, however, may be too low for the moderate wing of the party, some of whom have privately suggested they would be willing to agree on a 50-person threshold.
The compromise which McCarthy previously said he would not budge on could be key to unlocking the votes he needs to secure the speakership. But his willingness to negotiate on the issue also shows how desperate McCarthy is to seal the deal, even if it means giving away some of his power.
“The ‘devil is in the details’ as far as threshold & other rule concessions,” Norman said. “Until the details are spelled out, in writing and sealed with social media posts, people will not move on votes.”
Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) issued a stark warning Tuesday to President Trump, cautioning that a unilateral move to withdraw the United States from NATO could fracture the Republican Party and trigger long-lasting internal divisions.
“If he broke up NATO on his own, it would be a civil war in the Republican caucus, or the conference,” Bacon warned CNN’s Kaitlan Collins. “Most of us would find that totally unacceptable, and I’m not alone. There’s a large group of us that believe in our alliances and standing up for freedom and pushing back on China and Russia.
“We don’t want war with these guys, but you’ve got to be strong, and if he went in and somehow destroyed or tore up NATO, it would probably destroy the party for many years,” he added. “There would be many that will never forgive that.”
Bacon, a retired Air Force general who has often positioned himself as a more traditional, internationalist Republican, has at times broken with Trump on foreign policy and national security issues. While not a consistent antagonist of the former president, he has repeatedly defended U.S. alliances and a robust global posture—placing him at odds with Trump.
A moment later, Bacon reiterated that he believes the GOP “would implode” if the U.S. were to depart NATO.
His comments came after Trump sharply criticized the alliance earlier Tuesday in a Truth Social post, arguing that U.S. military strength makes reliance on allies unnecessary. The president lashed out at countries reluctant to support U.S. operations tied to escalating tensions with Iran.
“Because of the fact that we have had such Military Success, we no longer ‘need,’ or desire, the NATO Countries’ assistance — WE NEVER DID!” Trump wrote. “Likewise, Japan, Australia, or South Korea. In fact, speaking as President of the United States of America, by far the Most Powerful Country Anywhere in the World, WE DO NOT NEED THE HELP OF ANYONE!”
Trump has also been pushing for an international coalition to escort commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route that has been closed since late February amid the conflict with Iran. The disruption has driven sharp increases in oil, gas, and fertilizer prices worldwide.
On Wednesday, President Trump escalated his rhetoric and floated the idea of shifting responsibility for the Strait of Hormuz to other countries that rely on the strategic shipping route after the U.S. has “finished off” Iran, in a jab at America’s “non-responsive allies.”
“I wonder what would happen if we ‘finished off’ what’s left of the Iranian Terror State, and let the Countries that use it, we don’t, be responsible for the so-called ‘Strait?’ That would get some of our non-responsive ‘Allies’ in gear, and fast!!!,” Trump wrote.
Moments later he added: “Remember, for all of those absolute “fools” out there, Iran is considered, by everyone, to be the NUMBER ONE STATE SPONSOR OF TERROR. We are rapidly putting them out of business!”
Despite his criticism of NATO, Trump warned Sunday that the alliance faces a “very bad” future if member nations do not contribute more to joint security efforts. He has long argued that NATO countries fail to meet defense spending commitments and has repeatedly threatened to withdraw the U.S. from the alliance.
Bacon’s warning underscores the divide between Republicans on the issue. As a lawmaker preparing to leave Congress, bacon has opted to speak more candidly about the potential political consequences of Trump’s foreign policy approach. His comments reflect broader concerns among establishment-minded Republicans who view NATO as central to U.S. global leadership and national security.
Formed in 1949 to counter Soviet expansion, NATO remains a cornerstone of Western military cooperation. While some Republicans aligned with Trump have dismissed it as outdated, others—like Bacon—argue that abandoning the alliance would not only weaken U.S. influence abroad but is also likely to ignite a damaging rift at home.
The Wisconsin Senate race is shaping up to be one of the most competitive and expensive races in the 2024 election cycle. Let’s take a deeper dive into this contentious race.
Tammy Baldwin: Meet The Incumbent
Senate Democrats, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
Senator Tammy Baldwin has represented Wisconsin in the U.S. Senate since 2012, making history as the first openly gay member of the chamber. She has built a reputation as a progressive champion, focusing on key issues like health care, LGBTQ+ rights and so-called economic fairness—advocating for reducing income inequality, expanding access to social safety nets and promoting the redistribution of wealth and resources. Over the course of her two terms, she has built a strong base of support in urban areas like Milwaukee and Madison but has alienated voters elsewhere over her support of far-left policies.
Baldwin faces a tough reelection battle in 2024 as Wisconsin’s political landscape has become increasingly competitive. However, with her incumbent status and a robust war chest, Baldwin remains a formidable candidate with deep connections to Wisconsin voters.
The Republican Challenger: Eric Hovde
Eric Hovde 2012 Senate campaign. WisPolitics.com, via Wikimedia Commons
Eric Hovde, a prominent businessman, philanthropist and Madison native, is making his second bid for the U.S. Senate in Wisconsin. As a successful entrepreneur, Hovde built a career in real estate investment and banking, having served as CEO of Hovde Properties and Hovde Capital Advisors. His business acumen has fueled his platform of fiscal conservatism, emphasizing reduced government spending and tax reform. Hovde is also known for his philanthropic work, particularly through his foundation, which focuses on supporting veterans, health care initiatives and combating homelessness. His campaign has receive significant support from conservative PACs, including the Fix Washington Political Action Committee, which received $1 million from Hovde’s brother days after its creation.
Key Policy Issues:
Fiscal Conservatism: Hovde emphasizes reducing government spending, cutting taxes and addressing the national debt through economic policies aimed at shrinking government intervention.
Health care Reform: He advocates for market-based solutions in health care, promoting competition and reducing the influence of government in the U.S. health care system.
Economic Growth: Hovde supports deregulation to help businesses thrive, focusing on reducing what he sees as overregulation that hinders job creation and economic expansion.
Critical Issues in the Race
The 2024 Senate race in Wisconsin will likely hinge on a few key issues that have shaped recent elections in the state. These include the economy, health care and the rural-urban divide that has become increasingly pronounced in Wisconsin politics.
The Economy: Wisconsin’s economy, like much of the Midwest, is heavily reliant on manufacturing and agriculture. Job creation, wage growth and trade policies will be at the forefront of voter concerns. Baldwin has championed policies aimed at revitalizing Wisconsin’s industrial base, such as her efforts to protect manufacturing jobs from outsourcing. However, Republicans argue that her policies have not gone far enough to stimulate economic growth, particularly in rural, GOP-leaning areas.
Health care: Health care continues to be a top issue for Wisconsin voters, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Baldwin has been an advocate for expanding health care access, including supporting Obamacare.
The Rural-Urban Divide: Like many other swing states, Wisconsin has a stark political divide between its urban and rural areas. Baldwin’s challenge will be to maintain her strong support in liberal strongholds like Madison and Milwaukee, while making inroads in rural areas that have increasingly turned to Republicans in recent elections. Hovde is working to bridge the gap between the party’s base in rural Wisconsin and more moderate, suburban voters. Waukesha, a historically suburban Republican stronghold west of Milwaukee that has shifted leftward in recent cycles, may play a decisive role depending on the margin of victory for Trump and Hovde there.
Campaign Spending and Fundraising
With control of the Senate at stake, both parties view Wisconsin as a true toss-up, guaranteeing that fundraising and spending will continue at unprecedented levels.
When all said and done, the 2024 Senate race is expected to be one of the most expensive in Wisconsin’s history, with both candidates benefiting from significant outside spending by national political action committees (PACs). According to Federal Election Commission (FEC) data, Baldwin has raised over $30 million, positioning her campaign to compete on a national level. Her campaign has benefitted from support from Democrat-leaning groups such as the Senate Majority PAC and organizations focused on health care and LGBTQ+ rights, according to Open Secrets.
On the Republican side, Hovde has brought considerable personal wealth to his campaign, as he did during his 2012 run according to FEC data. Prominent conservative PACs, Americans for Prosperity and Club For Growth have also been strong supporters of the Hovde campaign. Fix Washington PAC endorsed Hovde for his pro-business policies.
Yesterday was our biggest online fundraising day EVER. In fact, we doubled our previous high. Help us keep the momentum going. We need all the help we can get to fight back against Tammy Baldwin’s lies. Let’s win this thing! https://t.co/fvoHEJTLry
Senator Baldwin’s approval ratings remain relatively strong, but Republicans see an opportunity to exploit national dissatisfaction with President Joe Biden’s administration, particularly on issues like inflation and immigration and uncertainty surrounding a potential Harris presidency.
Recent polling data highlights the competitiveness of the 2024 Wisconsin Senate race between the incumbent Senator and Republican businessman. Several sources point to a tightening contest:
RealClearPolitics polling average shows Baldwin with a slim lead of around 3 percentage points over Hovde, with Baldwin polling at 49% and Hovde at 46%.
Wisconsin Watchreported Baldwin leading Hovde by 52% to 44%, but this lead appears to be outside the poll’s margin of error. Other polls, such as those from Emerson College and Marist College, also reflect a smaller gap, with Baldwin holding leads within 3-5 points.
A Cook Political Report poll marked the race as a “toss-up,” with a significant swing among independent voters toward Hovde, further tightening the race to a 49% to 47% split.
A Quinnipiac University poll released October 9th, reported incumbent Democrat Senator Tammy Baldwin has a slight lead over Republican challenger Eric Hovde 50% to 46%.
The Wisconsin Senate race is crucial for both parties as they fight for control of the upper chamber. With Democrats holding a narrow 51-49 majority in the Senate, every competitive seat counts, and Wisconsin’s swing-state status means the race could play a decisive role in determining which party controls the Senate after 2024.
For Republicans, flipping Baldwin’s seat would not only bolster their chances of retaking the Senate but also signal a continued shift in the Midwest toward the GOP.
Whenever I turn on the TV, I have to laugh at the latest attacks on me.
But, what else should you expect from a career politician like Tammy Baldwin?
The 2024 Wisconsin Senate race will be one of the most closely watched contests in the nation, with both parties pouring significant resources into the state. Senator Tammy Baldwin’s bid for a third term will test her ability to maintain support in a politically divided state, while Republicans look to capitalize on national trends and local concerns to flip the seat.
A campaign spokesperson told Fox News Digital that an intern at the campaign’s Phoenix office opened an envelope with a suspicious substance and a note that said, “caution anthrax.”
BREAKING: @KariLake’s office and the entire building is locked down after a staffer opened a letter with a suspicious substance. The staffer is nervous and the substance will be tested. @PhoenixPolice & @PHXFire as well as a hazmat team are there. @RMEJimClark sent the photos. pic.twitter.com/sGMh9IohXU
The campaign called authorities, prompting a response from multiple law enforcement agencies and a hazmat team.
Authorities have not confirmed if the substance was anthrax. The campaign spokesperson said the substance is now being tested.
“The radical left, with help from the mainstream media, has escalated its attacks against me from baseless smears and legal harassment to physical threats. Today, my office received a suspicious envelope, potentially containing anthrax — an attempt to intimidate and silence me,” Lake said in a statement. “This isn’t just about me; it’s an attack on our movement. I won’t be intimidated, and those responsible must be brought to justice. The time to unite against these dangerous, un-American tactics is now.”
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
North Carolina Senate leader Phil Berger, one of the state’s most powerful Republicans, conceded his GOP primary race Tuesday after a second recount confirmed he trailed by just 23 votes. The razor-thin loss to Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page ends Berger’s long tenure representing the Triad-area district and signals a potential leadership shake-up in a critical battleground state ahead of the midterms.
“While this was a close race, the voters have spoken, and I congratulate Sheriff Page on his victory,” Berger said in a statement following the recount results.
“Over the past 15 years, Republicans in the General Assembly have fundamentally redefined our state’s outlook and reputation. It has been an honor to play a role in that transformation.”
Trump-backed North Carolina Senate leader Phil Berger lost his primary by 23 votes, conceding Tuesday to Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page.
Berger, a dominant figure in state Republican politics for two decades, had promoted Trump’s endorsement throughout the race. pic.twitter.com/r1xrvsiJK7
Unofficial results showed Page winning 13,135 votes to Berger’s 13,112, capping a dramatic contest that initially saw Page ahead by just two votes on primary night. His margin grew slightly as election officials reviewed provisional and absentee ballots, and subsequent recounts failed to change the outcome.
Berger’s defeat marks a major upset in North Carolina politics. As Senate leader since 2011, he has been a central figure in shaping Republican policy in the state. His loss comes despite an endorsement from President Donald Trump and reported efforts by GOP leaders to persuade Page to step aside, underscoring tensions within the party as it prepares for a high-stakes election cycle.
The outcome is likely to reverberate beyond the district. North Carolina is one of the nation’s top political battlegrounds, and Republicans are working to defend their legislative supermajority while also competing nationally to maintain their narrow U.S. House majority in the midterm elections. Party leaders have been particularly focused on redistricting efforts, including recent changes to congressional maps aimed at flipping a Democratic-held seat.
Page, who had urged Berger to concede as recounts concluded, framed his victory as a call for unity heading into November.
“I thank him for wishing me the best moving forward,” Page said after Berger called to concede. “Now it’s time for our community to come together and focus on winning in November.”
He will face Democrat Steve Luking in the general election in what is considered a GOP-leaning district. Berger defeated Luking in 2024.
Despite the loss, Berger will remain in office through January and continue to preside over the Senate during the short legislative session. He emphasized his intention to support fellow Republicans as they prepare for the general election.
“Looking ahead, I remain committed to working with my colleagues in the short session to ensure North Carolina continues to be the best state in the nation in which to live, work, raise a family, and retire,” Berger said. “In the months ahead, I will also do everything I can to support all Republican Senate candidates and protect our supermajority.”
With control of Congress and key state legislatures at stake, Republicans are increasingly wary of internal divisions and low-turnout primary surprises. Berger’s narrow defeat highlights how even entrenched incumbents can be vulnerable, adding a new layer of uncertainty as the party heads into a pivotal midterm season.
Even before the midterm elections have concluded former President Donald Trump is already drawing a line in the sand.
As speculation builds that Trump is gearing up to formally announce his third presidential campaign this month the former president is wasting no time crushing his potential opponents, first singling out Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. (READ NEXT:Kellyanne Conway Drops Major Hint on Trump’s Impending 2024 Announcement)
During a Pennsylvania rally, Trump awarded DeSantis a new nickname, “Ron DeSanctimonious”- one he’s likely not thrilled to receive.
“We’re winning big in the Republican Party for the nomination like nobody’s ever seen before,” Trump told the crowd before listing other Republicans who could potentially challenge him in 2024.
“There it is, Trump at 71 percent, Ron DeSanctimonious at 10%,” Trump told the crowd while reading approval numbers of various Republicans.
Trump and DeSantis are widely considered to be the top contenders to receive the Republican 2024 nomination but it seems Trump is not ready to waste any time. DeSantis has maintained his sole focus on winning his gubernatorial re-election and has insisted he’s not considering a presidential run.
There have also been reports of building tension between Trump and DeSantis camps for months as the former president has sought to squash any potential edge DeSantis may have in 2024. (READ NEXT:Trump Snubs DeSantis in Latest Campaign Stop Announcement)
However, Trump’s nasty new nickname triggered some Republicans to come out of the woodwork and seemingly take sides.
Surprisingly, Mike Pompeo who served as Trump’s Secretary of State seemed to side with DeSantis.
“Not tired of winning. @GovRonDeSantis you’ve proven conservative policies work. Florida is better for it. Vote for @GovRonDeSantis,” Pompeo tweeted Saturday evening in an apparent dig at Trump.
