It’s never too early for Trump to dole out an endorsement.
On Wednesday, Trump formally endorsed Rep. Jim Banks’s campaign for the Indiana Senate primary in what is the latest sign the GOP is warming up to his candidacy in the race.
“Jim Banks is running for the United States Senate from the Great State of Indiana. I know Jim well, have seen him tested at the highest and most difficult levels, and WIN!” Trump wrote on TruthSocial. “Strong on the Border, Crime, our Military and our Vets, Jim will fight for low taxes and regulations, Sanity in Government, and our under siege 2nd Amendment.”
“Jim Banks is respected by all, will never let you down, and has my Complete & Total Endorsement!” he added.
Trump’s endorsement comes a day after former Indiana governor Mitch Daniels announced he would not pursue a Senate campaign.
“After what I hope was adequate reflection, I’ve decided not to become a candidate for the U.S. Senate. With full credit and respect for the institution and those serving in it, I conclude that it’s just not the job for me, not the town for me, and not the life I want to live at this point,” Daniels wrote.
“I have never imagined that I would be well-suited to legislative office, particularly where seniority remains a significant factor in one’s effectiveness, and I saw nothing in my recent explorations that altered that view,” Daniels said, adding that if he had run, he would only have done so for one term.
Daniels stressed in his announcement that he would have worked to lower the “personal vitriol” and temperature across the nation’s political sphere.
“I would have tried to work on these matters in a way that might soften the harshness and personal vitriol that has infected our public square, rendering it not only repulsive to millions of Americans, but also less capable of effective action to meet our threats and seize our opportunities,” he said.
New York Republican gubernatorial nominee Lee Zeldin has been targeted in a new investigation less than two weeks before the midterm elections.
Zeldin is under investigation by the State Board of Elections over allegations that he coordinated with two super PACs supporting his campaign, according to The Hill.
Michael Johnson, the chief enforcement counsel of the New York State Board of Elections, opened a preliminary investigation into Zeldin’s campaign after the allegations emerged.
Johnson is now seeking subpoena authority from the State Board of Elections to compel cooperation with his investigation, according to the Times.
However, he was stymied when two Republican members of the board unexpectedly missed a business meeting on Tuesday, preventing the board from reaching a quorum to vote on the subpoena issue and likely delaying the issue until after the election, per the Times.
The Albany Times-Union first reported in mid-October that there were several overlaps between Zeldin’s campaign and two super PACs supporting him — Safe Together New York and Save Our State New York.
Days later, the New York State Democratic Party filed a complaint against Zeldin’s campaign over the alleged super PAC. Super PACs are legally allowed to raise and spend unlimited amounts of money to advocate for or against candidates but are barred from coordinating with the candidates they benefit.
Zeldin has been rapidly closing the gap against New York Gov. Kathy Hochul in recent weeks.
Donald Trump is not sad to see the Republican National Committee’s top lawyer go.
“Great news for the Republican Party. RINO lawyer Charlie Spies is out as Chief Counsel of the RNC. I wish him well!” Trump posted late Sunday on Truth Social.
Officials confirmed Saturday that Spies was leaving his post as RNC chief counsel roughly two months after taking the job as part of a broader staffing overhaul once Trump became the presumptive GOP nominee for November.
There were reportedly tensions between Trump and Spies after Spies had criticized Trump’s false claims that the 2020 election was fraudulent and stolen.
“Charlie approached RNC Chief of Staff, Chris Lacivita, about potential time commitment conflicts and it was agreed that, while we appreciate and value Charlie’s expertise and professionalism, he cannot do this role full time and still maintain the obligations to his law firm that he has spent years successfully building,” RNC spokesperson Danielle Alvarez said in a statement to The Hill.
The RNC had announced in March it was hiring Spies, along with former One America News host Christina Bobb and former Trump administration attorney Bill McGinley to lead its legal efforts, with the latter two focusing on election integrity.
Santos was running to unseat Republican Rep. Nick LaLota who represents New York’s 1st Congressional District after being expelled last year.
“I have decided to withdraw from my independent run for NY-1,” Santos announced via social media on Tuesday. “I don’t want my run to be portrayed as a reprisal against Nick Lalota”
🚨Announcement!
I have decided to withdraw from my independent run for #NY1…
I don’t want my run to be portrayed as reprisal against Nick Lalota… Although Nick and I don’t have the same voting record and I remain critical of his abysmal record, I don’t want to split the…
“Although Nick and I don’t have the same voting record and I remain critical of his abysmal record, I don’t want to split the ticket and be responsible for handing the house to Dems,” Santos continued, citing r. “It is clear that with the rise of antisemitism in our country we cannot afford to hand the house to Dems as they have a very large issue with antisemitism in their ranks.”
Santos launched his independent campaign for NY-1 in March, despite having previously represented a different New York district.
Last December, the House of Representatives voted 311-114-2 to expel the Santos with 105 Republicans joining almost all Democrats. (RELATED: House Votes To Expel George Santos)
A scathing House Ethics report said there was clear evidence Santos committed serious crimes and said the New York Republican “blatantly stole from his campaign” and “deceived donors into providing what they thought were contributions to his campaign but were in fact payments for his personal benefit.”
His campaign committee reported zero expenditures and zero fundraising income in a filing to the Federal Elections Commission.
“The future holds countless possibilities and I am ready willing and able to step up to the plate and go fight for my country at anytime,” Santos said on Tuesday. “I will continue to participate in the public policy discussions and will do my part.”
He concluded, “I will always strive to stand on the right side of history. It’s only goodbye for now, I’ll be back.”
Article Published With The Permission of American Liberty News.
Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville is doubling down on his prediction that President Donald Trump will not complete his second term, arguing this week that mounting political pressure could force him out of office within the next year.
In a Wednesday video for Politicon, Carville mixed his trademark blunt insults with a strikingly specific forecast: that Trump will “cut a deal” and resign from the presidency by April of next year. The longtime Democratic operative said he believes Republicans are headed for significant losses in the 2026 midterms—losses he argues will fundamentally weaken Trump’s standing in Washington.
Carville declared he’s so confident in Democrats’ chances in midterm elections that he’s predicting the GOP losses will feel like a “punch” from Mike Tyson for Trump.
“Let’s talk about your future, your post-November future. First, people are not going to return your phone calls. They’re going to correctly think, you know… they’ll say, well, he’s got two years left. He can do damage. No one gives a s**t about him. The Democrats are going to investigate you to no end,” he predicted.
The comments build on Carville’s earlier assertions that a Democratic sweep of the House and Senate would leave Trump politically isolated and increasingly irrelevant in Washington. In prior remarks, Carville suggested that “everything that he tries blows up in his face” and argued that a Democratic-controlled Congress would effectively sideline the president.
His latest prediction goes further, outlining a scenario in which Trump faces not only political marginalization but a wave of investigations from multiple fronts. Carville pushed for probes into alleged financial misconduct, claiming that “money stolen” by Trump and his family should be examined. He also suggested Trump could face scrutiny from international bodies over his handling of military strikes against Iran—a conflict Carville has previously described as a “catastrophe of the first order” and a “racket war.”
Carville argued that even Republican allies on Capitol Hill would eventually turn on Trump if the party suffers major midterm defeats.
“You know who’s gonna turn on you? What’s left of the Republican senators. There may be 43 to 45 of them left. Now the House is gonna vote to impeach you. You’re gonna be impeached in 2027… these senators can’t stand you. These Republican senators, they can’t stand you. They have to be there because of their politics, back in their states, but it’s gonna be apparent to them that you’re a loser. You’re a losing f**king bet.”
Trump himself has acknowledged the political stakes surrounding the midterms, warning that a Democratic victory would likely bring renewed impeachment efforts and aggressive congressional investigations. He has framed the election as a critical firewall against what he describes as partisan attempts to undermine his presidency.
Carville, however, argued that the pressure from investigations—combined with electoral losses and eroding Republican support—could ultimately push Trump toward resignation. He predicted the president would seek a deal that includes a pardon from Vice President JD Vance, allowing him to exit the White House before facing further consequences.
“We refer to it as a come-to-Jesus moment. You’re gonna assess where you are, even through your cloudy, stupid, fat-addled brain, you’re gonna figure out, I gotta get the hell out of here. You’re going to cut a deal and you’re gonna resign. [Vance] is going to pardon you. He’s got to pardon a lot of other people, but he’s a creepy, ambitious little twerp. He’ll do whatever he can to get into the White House. But they can’t pardon you for state crimes. They can’t pardon you in the International Criminal Court.”
While Carville is known for his provocative rhetoric and long-shot predictions, his comments reflect broader Democratic messaging ahead of 2026. He has repeatedly urged candidates to focus on issues like war profiteering tied to the Iran conflict and to promise aggressive oversight if they regain power.
Whether Carville’s prediction proves accurate remains to be seen. But with early polling suggesting potential Republican vulnerabilities and both parties already bracing for a high-stakes midterm battle, his remarks underscore just how consequential the 2026 elections could be—not only for control of Congress, but for the trajectory of Trump’s presidency itself.
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.
The White House from Washington, DC, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley received more than 150,000 votes in the Pennsylvania GOP primary on Tuesday despite having dropped out of the race weeks ago.
The Hill reported the most recent election returns, from just after 9 a.m. Wednesday, show Haley with nearly 157,000 votes, enough for 16.6 percent of the total, with 90 percent of votes cast counted.
Former President Trump still easily won the primary, with more than 80 percent of the vote as of the latest count, and he will win all of Pennsylvania’s delegates in the winner-take-all primary. But Haley’s total is still a significant amount for a candidate who has not been in the race since early last month.
Despite Haley’s popularity among Republicans the former South Carolina Governor, she was unable to take a commanding lead over Trump.
Still, Haley on Tuesday appears to have reached or came close to 20 percent in several counties. Her showing may not have significantly impacted Trump taking the state on his way to officially becoming the Republican nominee, especially as he became the presumptive nominee last month after clinching enough delegates.
But it could indicate a reason for concern in the general election, in which Pennsylvania is one of the key battleground states that could determine the winner of the race. The polling average of the state from Decision Desk HQ/The Hill has Trump ahead of President Biden in the state by just 0.4 percent, meaning every vote may have added importance there compared to other states in November.
Haley has seen continued support over recent weeks in other states. She received more than 77,000 votes in the Georgia GOP primary in March a few days after she dropped out, more than 150,000 votes, or almost 20 percent, in the Washington Republican primary and more than 110,000 votes in the Arizona GOP primary.
Could Donald Trump’s second White House administration include family members after all?
Ivanka Trump, the former President’s oldest daughter, signaled a willingness to return to politics if her father wins another term in the White House.
Puck’s Tara Palmeri reported, citing someone familiar with the matter, that the former president’s daughter, who served in his first administration, is “warming to the idea of trying to be helpful” again. The source told Palmeri that Ivanka Trump is “privately not ruling out having some sort of role.”
“She’s not like ‘Hell no’ anymore,” the person said.
Ivanka Trump served as an advisor in her father’s administration but announced in 2022 that she was leaving politics behind even though her father is running again. Other Trump family members have also made similar statements regarding future roles in the White House.
“This time around, I am choosing to prioritize my young children and the private life we are creating as a family. I do not plan to be involved in politics,” she said at the time.
Palmeri reported that Ivanka Trump has been advised to wait to make a full dive back onto the Trump team until the GOP convention this summer.
A spokesperson for the couple said in a statement that both are still committed to being in the private sector currently.
“As they’ve both repeatedly stated, Ivanka and Jared continue to focus on their family and lives in the private sector and do not intend to go back to politics,” the spokesperson said.
Ivanka Trump’s husband, Jared Kushner, also served as a senior advisor in Trump’s administration, helping to negotiate the historic Abraham Accords.
The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
A Republican Congressman signaled he would move to impeach President Donald Trump if he follows through on his threat to invade Greenland and take it by force.
In an interview with the Omaha World-Herald, Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) said he personally would “lean toward” voting to impeach the president if he were to follow through on threats to take over Greenland.
“I’ll be candid with you. There’s so many Republicans mad about this,” Bacon told the paper. “If he went through with the threats, I think it would be the end of his presidency.”
Bacon, a swing state Congressman who is known to split from his Republican colleagues, has become even more outspoken against Trump since announcing he is leaving Congress at the end of the current term.
“It’s about whether the United States intends to face a constellation of strategic adversaries with capable friends — or commit an unprecedented act of strategic self-harm and go it alone,” McConnell said. He added that, “following through on this provocation would be more disastrous for the President’s legacy than withdrawing from Afghanistan was for his predecessor.”
On Wednesday in the Oval Office, Trump snapped at a reporter who confronted him about a potential invasion.
“It sounds like you would potentially acquire Greenland by force,” the reporter said.
“No, you’re saying that. I didn’t say it,” Trump said. “You’re telling me that that’s what I’m going to do — you don’t know what I’m going to do.”
Watch:
REPORTER: "It sounds like you are saying that you would potentially acquire Greenland by force…"@POTUS: "No, you're saying that. I didn't say it…"
In a speech on the Senate floor Wednesday, former Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) warned that President Trump’s talk of seizing Greenland by force threatens to “incinerate” the nation’s long-standing ties with NATO allies.
McConnell declared that burning the treaty organization that formed after World War II to contain Soviet aggression would be an “unprecedented act of strategic self-harm.”
“Unless and until the president can demonstrate otherwise, then the proposition at hand today is very straightforward: incinerating the hard-won trust of loyal allies in exchange for no meaningful change in U.S. access to the Arctic,” McConnell said on the Senate floor, delivering one of the strongest statements criticizing the Trump administration’s talk about potentially seizing Greenland by force.
He warned that following through on the “ill-advised threats” from the administration would “shatter the trust of allies.”
“Following through on this provocation would be more disastrous for the President’s legacy than withdrawing from Afghanistan was for his predecessor,” he said.
Watch:
BREAKING — EXPLOSIVE RUPTURE INSIDE THE GOP: Veteran conservative Senator Mitch McConnell TORCHES Donald Trump over Greenland threat — warns it would scar Trump’s legacy worse than Afghanistan scarred Biden’s.
He pointed to polling showing that just 17 percent of Americans think trying to take control of Greenland is a good idea and that 68 percent of Americans view the NATO alliance favorably.
Duncan Lock, Dflock, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Republicans Kari Lake and Mark Finchem’s lawsuit over the use of voting machines in Arizona elections.
The Hill reports Lake and Finchem asked the Supreme Court to review a federal appellate judge’s decision to dismiss their case last October. The suit sought to block electronic voting machines from being used in the state, questioning their accuracy and reliability.
Lawyers for Lake, who is running for a Senate seat in Arizona this cycle, and Finchem, who is seeking a state Senate seat, argued in a court filing to the Supreme Court that they had sufficiently argued that “[a]ll Arizona-certified optical scanners and ballot marking devices, as well as the software on which they rely, have been wrongly certified for use”; Arizona’s voting machines had been “hacked” and “manipulated”; and that there were apparent discrepancies in the Maricopa County’s vote count after the 2020 election.
The lawsuit was filed ahead of the November 2022 midterms while Lake was running for governor.
The Supreme Court’s decision to decline to revisit the federal court’s decision puts a cap on Lake’s and Finchem’s lawsuit.
“We are obviously disappointed that the U.S. Supreme Court decided not to review the decisions of the Arizona district court and the Ninth Circuit, and order that our challenge to the 2022 election procedures be heard on the merits,” said Kurt Olsen, one of the attorneys that sought to get the Supreme Court to consider the case, in a statement, who argued new information came to light after their case was dismissed by the circuit court.
“Although the Supreme Court grants review in less than 1 percent of cases presented on petition, we believe we presented a case.”
“The Kari Lake and Mark Finchem case was dismissed based on a purported lack of standing to assert an injury,” Olsen wrote. “Therefore, the courts, even now, have not ruled on the merits of our case. We will continue to raise these issues especially in light of the upcoming 2024 election.”
