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Romney Says Biden Should Have Pardoned Trump ‘Immediately’

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Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

These are shocking words for RINO Romney…

On Wednesday, the Utah Senator and avid Trump critic said that President Joe Biden made a huge mistake by not immediately pardoning former President Donald Trump.

During a discussion with MSNBC host Stephanie Ruhle about Trump’s ongoing hush money trial in New York, Romney said, “I think President Biden made an enormous error. He should have fought like crazy to keep this prosecution from going forward. It was a win-win for Donald Trump.”

After Ruhle questioned, “Is that Joe Biden’s job?” Romney replied, “I’ve been around for a while. If LBJ had been president and he didn’t want something like this to happen, he’d have been all over that prosecutor saying, ‘You better not bring that forward or I’m gonna drive you out of office.’”

“But I’m pretty sure you support having separate but equal branches of government,” said Ruhle.

“I do,” replied Romney, before adding:

Had I been President Biden when the Justice Department brought an indictment, I would have immediately pardoned him. I’d have pardoned President Trump. Why? Because it makes me, President Biden, the big guy and the person I pardoned the little guy. And number two, it’s not gonna get resolved before the election, it’s not gonna have an impact before the election, and frankly the country doesn’t want to have to go through prosecuting a former president.

I think the American people have recognized that President Trump did have an inappropriate affair with someone who is a porn star. I think they realize that. I think they realize that he took classified documents he shouldn’t have and didn’t handle them properly. I think they understand that as well. I think they realize that he’s been lying about the election in 2020. They know those things, so these things are not changing the public attitude, and frankly we ought to get beyond these and focus on the big issues that really matter to the American people: our inflation, our border, what’s happening around the world.

Republican Congressman To Retire After 20 Years On Capitol Hill

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Report: Former Democrat Congressman Campaigning For Trump In Pivotal Swing State

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Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

Donald Trump is getting a boost in the Keystone State…

Former Congressman Peter Deutsch (D-Fla.) who represented Florida’s 20th Congressional District from 1993-2005, is out campaigning for Trump in the battleground state of Pennsylvania, after announcing his endorsement of the Republican candidate earlier this month.

CNN reported the former longtime Democrat lawmaker, who is Jewish, is going door-to-door with the Republican Jewish Coalition to persuade undecided Jewish voters in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, that Trump will better protect their interests and stand up to antisemitism.

“I think Donald Trump, and the Republican Party, have done things that the Democrats have not done,” he told CNN’s Dana Bash in a Wednesday report. “Being aggressive against the swadezxoutrageous and almost insane level of antisemitism on college campuses.”

Deutsch first endorsed Trump during a press call earlier this month, Fox Chattanooga reported.

“I feel very comfortable today publicly announcing that I’m endorsing Donald Trump to be reelected as president,” he said on the October 8 call. “I’m planning on voting for him on November 5th. I take this decision very, very seriously. I also feel 100% comfortable with this decision.”

Deutsch said he believed the former president would be the better leader to promote world peace, and that Vice President Kamala Harris and President Biden had made the world “dramatically less safe.”

“I think that Kamala Harris and the Harris-Biden administration, in terms of what they have done and what they are doing make the world a dramatically less safe place,” Deutsch said. “It’s not just about what is happening in the Middle East, it’s about the homeland.”

Trump Sticks His Nose into House Speaker Battle

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Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

Donald Trump is offering his two cents on the unprecedented battle for House Speaker.

In a series of Truth Social tweets, the former President urged Republican lawmakers to vote for Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) after he failed to secure the position through three rounds of voting.

“Some really good conversations took place last night, and it’s now time for all of our GREAT Republican House Members to VOTE FOR KEVIN,” Trump posted on Truth Social.

“CLOSE THE DEAL, TAKE THE VICTORY, & WATCH CRAZY NANCY PELOSI FLY BACK HOME TO A VERY BROKEN CALIFORNIA,THE ONLY SPEAKER IN U.S. HISTORY TO HAVE LOST THE ‘HOUSE’ TWICE! REPUBLICANS, DO NOT TURN A GREAT TRIUMPH INTO A GIANT & EMBARRASSING DEFEAT. IT’S TIME TO CELEBRATE, YOU DESERVE IT,” the 2024 presidential candidate continued.

“Kevin McCarthy will do a good job, and maybe even a GREAT JOB – JUST WATCH!” Trump predicted.

On Tuesday, the 118th Congress held three rounds of voting for House Speaker, but the California Republican fell short of crossing the 218 vote threshold as 19 Republican hardliners opted to support Rep. Jim Jordan(R-Ohio).

However, despite Trump’s attempts to sway favor back towards McCarthy, lawmakers say even Trump’s endorsement isn’t enough.

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) who was among the 19 Republicans to oppose McCarthy, responded to Trump’s endorsement.

“Sad!” Gaetz said in a Wednesday statement. “This changes neither my view of McCarthy nor Trump nor my vote.”

Gaetz has been one of the most prominent figures to declare his opposition to McCarthy’s bid for Speaker and has worked to secure major concessions from the California Republican. However, negotiations have still fallen short and ultimately Rep. Gaetz nominated Rep. Jordan for Speaker during the first round of voting on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, the Florida firebrand also sent a letter to the Architect of the Capitol on Tuesday questioning why House Speaker candidate McCarthy was already inhabiting the Speaker’s office when he had yet to officially win the position, according to The Hill.

“I write to inform you that the Speaker of the House Office located in the U.S. Capitol Building is currently occupied by Rep. Kevin McCarthy,” Gaetz said in the letter.

“As of this morning, the 117th Congress adjourned sine die, and a Speaker from the 118th Congress has not been elected,” he continued. “After three undeciding votes, no member can lay claim to this office.”

Democrat Governor Sparks Backlash After Labeling Trump Voters ‘Un-American’ and ‘Anti-Women’

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Governor Kathy Hochul and MTA Chair & CEO Janno Lieber make a subway safety announcement at the NYCT Rail Control Center (RCC) on Wednesday, Mar 6, 2024. (Marc A. Hermann / MTA)

Gov. Kathy Hochul called New Yorkers who vote for Republican House candidates “anti-American” and “anti-women” over the weekend, triggering immediate rage from people across both sides of the political aisle.

“If you’re voting for these Republicans in New York, you are voting for someone who supports Donald Trump and you’re anti-women, you’re anti-abortion, and basically, you’re anti-American,” Hochul said on MSNBC.

Watch:

“You just trashed American values and what our country is all about — over and over.”

Republicans immediately blasted the governor over her latest insults and even Democrat strategists said demonizing a large segment of voters as anti-American was not helpful to their candidates. 

The New York Post has more:

“This is about as helpful as a severe migraine. It’s never a good thing to identify a large segment of voters as un-American,” said New York ex-Democratic Rep. Max Rose, who is aiding Democrats in House races.

“Kathy Hochul doesn’t represent a majority of Democrats — anywhere,” said Rose, who served one-term representing Staten Island and parts of southern Brooklyn.

State Republican Party Chairman Ed Cox fumed, “She’s smearing at least one half of American voters and all Trump voters.”

Rep. Mike Lawler (R-Hudson Valley) told The Post, “Governor Hochul has once again disgraced herself and the state of New York by calling supporters of some of the most bipartisan members of Congress ‘anti-American.’

“It’s shameful and wrong and shows exactly how much of a partisan hack Kathy Hochul really is. She must be voted out in November of 2026, but only after Republicans hold the House thanks to our New York GOP delegation.”

Republicans said the statement is so offensive and outrageous that it appears as if Hochul is angling for a future job in a Kamala Harris Administration because it is sure to hurt a re-election bid in 2026.

A Siena College poll released last month showed that only 36% of New Yorkers gave Hochul a favorable rating, while 51% viewed her unfavorably.

Former Biden Official Demands Media Stop ‘Gaslighting’ Americans About Biden

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Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

On Sunday, a former Biden official made it clear he can’t defend the President anymore.

The shocking remarks come after Biden stunned Americans with his debate performance last week. Throughout the live event, Biden could be seen stumbling over his words and seemed to struggle with hearing responses from Donald Trump and moderators.

Michael LaRosa, who previously served as press secretary to First Lady Jill Biden, lashed out at the White House’s former communications director Kate Bedingfield over her appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union” — and argued that she was gaslighting the American people.

Watch:

Bedingfield conceded that debate night had not been “great” for the president — but she then claimed, “The reality is that the race has not fundamentally changed.”

“What we see in all the data that has emerged since Thursday is the fundamental head-to-head hasn’t shifted,” she added.

But LaRosa wasn’t buying it, and said so in an X post.

“The data!? If there is data that counters the impact of what we all saw then WHERE THE HELL IS IT??? WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU WAITING FOR?? SHOW US!” he demanded. “Jesus Christ with the gaslighting, the talking points, and the damn spinning. Enough already.”

“Show your supporters or the media this data so we can help you help him! You’ve told us for A YEAR that data and polling can’t be trusted … no one is paying attention … and all of the polling and data are unreliable,” he continued. “Are we NOW supposed to believe it? You’ve been undermining all of the public data and polling and attacking news outlets and their independent data for a year! Is it now safe to trust the data? Should we believe your data instead of independent media data and polling??? Ok, cool. WHERE THE HELL IS IT?”

New York Times Pollster Warns That Shy Trump Voters Could Be Skewing Surveys — Again

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Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

The silent red tsunami could be on the horizon…

According to The New York Times’ chief political analyst and pollster Nate Cohn silent Trump supporters could skew poll results once again, leaving prognosticators scratching their skulls in the finals hours before Election Day.

The Times reported in Arizona, Donald Trump leads Kamala Harris by four points, and in Michigan, he has a one-point advantage. Harris, on the other hand, is beating Trump by one in Georgia, and three in Nevada, North Carolina, and Wisconsin.

On Sunday, the Times and Siena College released their final poll from the seven battleground states, and the results were inconclusive.

In his write-up of the results, Cohn submitted that they don’t “point toward a relatively clear favorite” for a few reasons, even if Harris was perhaps slightly more pleased by its finding.

“On average, Ms. Harris fared modestly better than our last round of surveys of the same states, but her gains were concentrated in states where she was previously struggling,” he wrote. “Meanwhile, the so-called Blue Wall (Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania) does not look quite as formidable of an obstacle to Mr. Trump as it once did. As a result, Ms Harris’s position in the Electoral College isn’t necessarily improved.”

Cohn also warned that nonresponse bias from Republicans may be continuing to skew the results, just as they did in 2016 and 2020:

It’s hard to measure nonresponse bias — after all, we couldn’t reach these demographically similar voters — but one measure I track from time to time is the proportion of Democrats or Republicans who respond to a survey, after considering other factors.

Across these final polls, white Democrats were 16 percent likelier to respond than white Republicans. That’s a larger disparity than our earlier polls this year, and it’s not much better than our final polls in 2020 — even with the pandemic over.

“It raises the possibility that the polls could underestimate Mr. Trump yet again,” he concluded.

Cook Political Report Shifts Ratings In Trump’s Favor In 6 States

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Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

The Cook Political Report, widely respected across the political spectrum for its precise election forecasts, recently adjusted its presidential race ratings in six key states, all favoring former President Donald Trump.

The shift comes amidst a backdrop of national and state polls indicating a modest yet consistent increase in support for Trump over President Joe Biden.

Key State Changes

The Cook Political Report has reclassified:

  • Arizona, Georgia and Nevada from “toss-up” to “lean Republican.”
  • Minnesota and New Hampshire from “likely Democrat” to “lean Democrat.”
  • Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District from “likely Democrat” to “lean Democrat.”

Nebraska and Maine are the only states that allocate their electoral votes by congressional district, making the competitive Omaha-based 2nd District a target for both campaigns.

Electoral Vote Implications

The changes significantly impact the electoral map, with Trump now leading in states totaling 268 electoral votes, just two votes short of the required 270 for victory. In contrast, Biden leads in states accounting for 226 electoral votes.

Expert Analysis

In a social media post, Dave Wasserman, a senior editor at Cook Political Report, argued that it was overly optimistic to label the presidential race as a toss-up even before the debates.

“Today, Trump has a clear advantage over Biden and a much more plausible path to 270 Electoral votes,” Wasserman noted.

Additionally, during an appearance on CNN, Amy Walter, Cook Report’s publisher and editor-in-chief, elaborated on the political shifts underpinning these changes.

“What we’re seeing is the real erosion of support from Biden among voters of color,” Walter explained back in May. “This is the reason he [Biden] is doing worse in Arizona, Nevada and Georgia, where Hispanic and African Americans make up a significant share of the vote.” [emphasis added]

Polling Data

Supporting these insights, the latest RealClearPolitics national polling average shows Trump leading Biden by 3 percentage points. In crucial swing states, Trump’s lead is even more pronounced:

  • Arizona: +5.4 points
  • Georgia: +4 points
  • Michigan: +0.6 points
  • Nevada: +5.2 points
  • North Carolina: +5.8 points
  • Pennsylvania: +5.3 points
  • Wisconsin: +2.2 points

Conclusion

The latest adjustments by the Cook Political Report highlight a rapidly shifting landscape in the 2024 presidential race. With Trump’s increasing traction in key states and growing concerns about Biden’s ability to simply do the job, the GOP’s path to the presidency appears more wide open than ever.

READ NEXT: Trump Family Member Steps Forward As Long-Shot VP Candidate

Jack Smith Claims He Has ‘Proof’ Trump Tried To Overturn 2020 Election

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Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

A stunning claim…

Former Special Counsel Jack Smith claimed in closed-door congressional testimony on Wednesday that investigators had proof “beyond a reasonable doubt” that President Donald Trump “criminally” conspired to overturn the 2020 presidential election.

Smith made the remarks in his opening statement to lawmakers on the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.

“I made my decisions in the investigation without regard to President Trump’s political association, activities, beliefs, or candidacy in the 2024 election,” Smith said in his opening statement, which was obtained in advance by the Associated Press. “We took actions based on what the facts and the law required — the very lesson I learned early in my career as a prosecutor.

Smith added that his probe had “developed powerful evidence that showed President Trump willfully retained highly classified documents after he left office in January 2021, storing them at his social club, including in a bathroom and a ballroom where events and gatherings took place.”

Smith’s investigation, which began in 2022, focused on Trump’s alleged effort to overturn his 2020 election loss, as well as the classified documents that were stored at Mar-a-Lago.

Charges were filed in both investigations, but later dropped due to the longstanding DOJ policy against the indictment of a sitting president.

President Trump has yet to comment on Smith’s bold accusation.

This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

Conservative Pundit Walks Off Washinton Post Live Show

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Daniel X. O'Neil from USA, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Tensions are running high…

On Friday, Conservative radio host and political pundit Hugh Hewitt stormed off a Washington Post live event after an argument over former President Trump’s rhetoric on election integrity ahead of Election Day.

“Is it me or does it seem like Donald Trump is laying the ground work for contesting the election,” Post host Jonathan Capehart asked Ruth Marcus, who was appearing with Hewitt as part of the live event. “By claiming that cheating was taking place, but suing Bucks County [Pennsylvania] for alleged irregularities … ”

Marcus replied Trump has been “laying the ground work” to contest the election for months, setting Hewitt off.

“Jonathan, I’ve gotta speak up,” he tried to interject.

“Let Ruth finish, Hugh,” Capehart shot back.

“Well, I’ve just got to say, we’re news people, even though it’s the opinion section,” Hewitt said after Marcus finished. “It’s got to be reported. Bucks County was reversed by the court and instructed to open up extra days because they violated the law and told people to go home. So, that lawsuit was brought by the Republican National Committee, and it was successful. The Supreme Court ruled that Glenn Youngkin was successful,” he added, referring to the GOP Virginia governor’s efforts to purge some 1,600 people from the voter rolls.

“We are news people, even though we have opinions, and we have to report the whole story if we bring up part of the story. So, yes, he’s upset about Bucks County, but he was right and he won in court. That’s the story,” Hewitt said.

After a brief pause, Capehart told Hewitt, “I don’t appreciate being lectured about reporting when, Hugh, many times you come here saying lots of things that aren’t based in fact.”

“I won’t come back, Jonathan, I’m done,” Hewitt said, ripping his earpiece out and standing up.

“I’m done. This is the most unfair election ad I’ve ever been a part of,” Hewitt continued, his face no longer visible on the screen. “You guys are working, that’s fine, I’m done.”

Watch:

The host was eventually forced to end the event early, saying, “Everybody if you’ve been watching … you know these conversations can be interesting, contentious.”

“You just saw Hugh Hewitt leave which is lamentable, unfortunate. It is what it is. Thank you very much for joining us,” he continued and urged viewers to subscribe to the Post.

After the incident, Hewitt announced his resignation from the Washington Post.

“I have in fact quit the Post but I was only writing a column for them every six weeks or so,” Hewitt told Fox News Digital, adding he’d recently offered to write another pro-Trump column for the paper ahead of the election. He informed editorial page editor David Shipley on Friday morning.