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    House Speaker Called Trump to Apologize After Criticizing 2024 Campaign

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    3
    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.

    Warning: This article contains graphic language.

    House Speaker Kevin McCarthy(R-Calif.) is begging Donald Trump for forgiveness.

    McCarthy reportedly called the 2024 White House hopeful on Tuesday to apologize for casting doubt on the strength of Trump’s campaign against President Joe Biden.

    McCarthy appeared on CNBC Tuesday morning and was asked if Trump could win the election.

    “Can he win that election? Yeah, he can,” McCarthy said. “The question is, is he the strongest to win the election? I don’t know that answer.”

    “We’re told top aides to the former president and allies who know both men quickly traded messages asking, in short: What the fuck? Some called McCarthy a ‘moron,’ we’re told. Others looked to Trump campaign hand Brian Jack, who also advises the speaker and has been a critical bridge between both men, to play mediator as Trump hit the trail in New Hampshire,” Politico reported.

    On CNN’s News Central Wednesday, reporter Lauren Fox called Tuesday a “a day of cleanup” for the House Speaker. She continued:

    He held a call, called the former president yesterday to apologize, according to new reporting from our colleagues Melanie Zanona and Kristen Holmes. He told the former president he misspoke, and, of course, he blamed reporters for taking the comments out of context, according to McCarthy, but that isn’t where it ended…He had an exclusive interview with Breitbart News, a right-leaning news agency, to try to talk more about why he believed Donald Trump was the strongest candidate to beat Joe Biden. Later, his campaign sent out a fundraising email saying that Donald Trump was stronger than ever.

    This just goes to show you that Kevin Mccarthy knows that his right flank is so important for him to hold on to his speakership. He cannot anger people in his conference who are getting behind the former president, who are fervently behind him at all times, no matter what that means in term of defending Donald Trump, and that is why Kevin McCarthy went out of his way yesterday to go ahead and apologize to the former president, and then in subsequent interviews, make it clear that he does believe Donald Trump could be a strong contender to beat Joe Biden in the 2024 presidential election.

    Former Navy SEAL Issues Challenge to Montana Dem Senator

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    2

    Former Navy SEAL officer Tim Sheehy launched a Senate bid in Montana on Tuesday.

    “I’ve proudly fought for our country to defend our freedoms, and I’m once again answering the call to serve,” Sheehy, a Republican, said in a statement. “I will fight to bring real leadership to Washington to save our country and protect our Montana way of life.”

    Sheehy, who serves as CEO of Bridger Aerospace, accused Tester of having “lost sight of our Montana values.”

    “Like any good politician, Jon talks one way but votes another,” Sheehy said. “Montanans have had enough of these career politicians who are full of empty promises and are not representing our Montana values. It’s time for a new generation of leadership to rebuild America.”

    The former Navy SEAL officer has received the endorsement of fellow Montanan and head of the Senate Republicans’ campaign arm, Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.). Sheehy’s announcement marks the first Republican to jump into the race, potentially teeing up a fight against incumbent Sen. Jon Tester.

    Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte (R) threw his support behind former Navy SEAL officer Tim Sheehy on Thursday in the race to take on Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) next year.

    “Tim Sheehy is a good friend, and I’m glad he decided to run for the U.S. Senate. Tim’s business experience and commitment to public service is what we need in Washington,” Gianforte said in a statement shared by Sheehy’s campaign.

    “I know Tim Sheehy will serve Montana well in the U.S. Senate, and he has my full support,” he added.

    Former CIA Agent Enters 2024 White House Contest

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    5

    The Republican presidential primary field just gained an unexpected new entry.

    Thursday morning, former CIA clandestine agent Will Hurd announced he’s running for president.

    Hurd, a one-time CIA officer from Texas who served three terms in Congress before deciding against running for re-election in 2020. He officially declared his candidacy in an interview with CBS News and also filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to run.

    “This is a decision that my wife and I decided to do because we live in complicated times and we need common sense,” Hurd told CBS News.

    “To be frank on this, that we’re not talking about these things,” he said. “I’m pissed that our elected officials are telling us to to hate our neighbors. Our neighbors are not our enemies. They’re our fellow Americans who we just happen to have a disagreement with.”

    “These are the issues that we should be talking about,” Hurd continued. “And I believe the Republican Party can be the party that talks about the future, not the past.”

    The Democratic National Committee welcomed Hurd to the race by seeking to tie him to Trump.

    “Will Hurd spent his career in Congress in lockstep with Donald Trump’s extreme MAGA agenda – voting to rig the economy for the ultra-wealthy, ban abortion nationwide, gut Planned Parenthood, and repeal the Affordable Care Act, all while cozying up to the gun lobby,” said DNC Chair Jaime Harrison. “The GOP primary field is overflowing with MAGA Republicans desperate to win over the right-wing fringes, and Hurd is just the latest entrant into an incredibly chaotic and extreme 2024 field.”

    Hurd has an uphill battle ahead of him in an already crowded primary field. Former President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis have largely dominated the polls thus far. Former United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, tech mogul Vivek Ramaswamy, and former Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson have lagged behind in the polls.

    Former Vice President Mike Pence also recently entered the race after months of speculation.

    This is a breaking news story. Click refresh for the latest updates.

    Report: Trump Aide Indicted In Classified Documents Investigation

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    6
    Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    A close aide for former president Donald Trump has been indicted in Justice Department Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into the former president’s alleged mishandling of classified information.

    Fox News has reported that Walt Nauta, who served as a Trump personal aide and valet in the White House and later at Mar-a-Lago, has been indicted. It’s unclear what exact charges Nauta is facing.

    Sources told Fox News that Nauta was seen on surveillance video moving boxes of sensitive material from a storage area at a time when the government had sought information about those documents. At some point, he reportedly had stopped speaking with investigators.    

    Nauta’s indictment comes after a Miami grand jury indicted Donald Trump on Thursday.

    During an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital Thursday night, Trump said the case is “election interference” and “the greatest witch hunt of all time.” Trump said he will “of course” plead not guilty to charges in federal court on Tuesday, and said he is “totally innocent.”

    “This is the most corrupt administration in history—there has never been an administration so corrupt, and they’re just starting to find it right now,” Trump told Fox News Digital. “They are trying to deflect all of their dishonesty by bringing this ridiculous boxes hoax case.”

    This is a breaking news story. Click refresh for the latest updates.

    Tim Scott Enters 2024 White House Race

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    0
    Michael Vadon, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

    The 2024 Republican primary field is growing.

    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.

    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.

    Florida Republican Moves to Expel Adam Schiff from Congress

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    6
    Photo via Gage Skidmoer Flickr

    A Florida freshman representative is taking drastic measures since the release of the Durham report.

    Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fl.) has filed a motion to have Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) expelled from Congress.

    “He used his position on House Intelligence to push a lie that cost American taxpayers millions of dollars and abused the trust placed in him as Chairman,” Luna said in a statement Wednesday. “The Durham Report makes clear that the Russian Collusion was a lie from day one and Schiff knowingly used his position in an attempt to divide our country.”

    Schiff, who was the top lawmaker on the House Intelligence Committee when Democrats the House majority, has repeatedly claimed that Trump and his campaign colluded with the Russian government to influence the 2016 election. 

    While the Durham report did not recommend any new charges it did offer a blistering review of how the FBI launched and carried out the investigation. It caps a four-year investigation by Durham.

    “I’m convinced when this dark chapter of our history is written, it will reflect that those Republican members who lacked the courage to stand up to the most unethical president in U.S. history, Donald Trump, consoled themselves by attacking those who did,” Schiff said in an interview with MSNBC on Wednesday.

    The California Democrat also knocked the conclusions of the Durham report, fighting back against the idea that it proved that his claims of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia were a lie.

    “Durham spends four years trying to prove this deep state conspiracy theory that Trump kept telling his base was going to be proven,” Schiff said. “The whole thing, of course, was a big bust.”

    DeSantis Makes Endorsement In Kentucky Governor’s Race, Teeing Up Potential Trump Feud

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    0

    Ron DeSantis (R) is rocking the boat.

    The Florida Governor issued a last-minute endorsement in Kentucky’s contentious Republican gubernatorial primary on Monday, throwing his support behind former U.N. Ambassador Kelly Craft.

    “Hello, this is Governor Ron DeSantis, coming to you from the free state of Florida. You’ve had a woke, liberal governor who’s put a radical agenda ahead of Kentuckians. The stakes couldn’t be higher. I know what it takes to stand up for what’s right, and Kelly Craft’s got it. She’s proven it,” DeSantis said in a recorded statement shared with Fox News Digital. 

    “I’m strongly encouraging you to go out and vote for my friend, Kelly Craft. Kelly shares the same vision we do in Florida. She will stand up to the left as they try to indoctrinate our children with their woke ideology. Kelly will fight against crazy ESG policies that are trying to end the coal industry in Kentucky. And Kelly’s going to do everything in her power to end the fentanyl crisis that is hurting Kentucky families,” he said.

    In a statement to Fox News, Craft said she was “honored and grateful” to have DeSantis’ support, and praised his leadership of Florida.

    “He sets the example for Republican leaders around the nation because he delivers bold, conservative results. Kentucky needs to look more like Florida instead of California, and I look forward to ushering in a new generation of conservative leadership as Governor of Kentucky,” she said.

    However, Donald Trump backed Craft’s opponent, Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, early on in the race.

    The race is widely viewed as a bellwether for Republican chances at taking back the White House and Senate in 2024. DeSantis’ last-minute endorsement of Craft ahead of Tuesday’s Republican primary pits him squarely against former President Donald Trump as he seeks to test the strength of his own endorsement after being blamed by some Republicans for the GOP’s disappointing 2022 midterms results.

    Fellow Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has also endorsed Craft.

    Craft and Cameron are facing a crowded field of 10 other Republican candidates, including Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles.

    The winner of Tuesday’s contest will go on to face Democrat Gov. Andy Beshear in the November general election.

    Report: Former Congressman Mulling Senate Challenge

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    2
    Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    Former New York congressman Lee Zeldin is reportedly considering a run for Senate.

    On Monday, Zeldin told reporters he’s considering challenging Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D) in 2024, according to Politico.

    “We’ll keep an eye on the race,” Zeldin said while at the state Capitol on Monday to visit with lawmakers. “If we did run, it would be an extremely competitive race.”

    The former Long Island congressman received nearly 47 percent of the vote against Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) last November, the best performance by a Republican gubernatorial candidate in the solidly-blue state in two decades.

    Gillibrand is running for her third term in the Senate next year. The Democrat has even launched a fundraising campaign on the possibility Zeldin may enter the race.

    “It was something that I was giving no thought to, but she was trying to fundraise. And the best way to fundraise in the first quarter of 2023 was to speak about a viable opponent,” Zeldin said in an interview before joining former presidential advisor Kellyanne Conway at a dinner for the New York State Federation of Republican Women near Albany.

    Zeldin said his main focus right now is helping out candidates for local office this year “who helped us during last year’s race.” He’s spent recent weeks traveling the state to campaign with the candidates “and that’s where the focus will remain” for the moment.

    “We’ll see how the race shapes up,” he said of the possibility of challenging Gillibrand. But he acknowledged that “there’s even more of a Democratic-favored turnout” in a presidential election year than in a midterm like the one in which he led the GOP ticket in 2022.

    Earlier this week, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s spokesperson told reporters the “Squad” member would not be challenging Gillibrand for the Senate seat in the next election.

    Lauren Hitt, Ocasio-Cortez’s spokesperson, told Politico Sunday that the representative will not throw her hat into the ring in 2024.

    “She is not planning to run for Senate in 2024,” Hitt said. “She is not planning to primary [Kirsten] Gillibrand.”

    Last month, Zeldin publicly endorsed Donald Trump for president despite previously calling for a “robust” primary field.

    “The GOP is filled with amazing talent to save our country from the failed policies of the Biden Admin. Our nominee in 2024 will be the 45th & 47th POTUS, Donald Trump,” he wrote.

    “Our economy will be stronger, our streets will be safer, & our lives will be freer. He has my full support!”

    DeSantis Addresses Soured Trump Relationship on Fox News

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    6
    Ron DeSantis via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is finally addressing what went wrong with his once-positive relationship with former President Donald Trump.

    During a Monday night appearance with Fox News’s Sean Hannity, the host asked DeSantis for his opinion on what soured between the two Florida Republicans.

    “The last time I interviewed President Trump, I was there in 2018, and I always saw the two of you as friends,” Hannity opened. “And I said to him a very simple question. I asked him. I said, ‘What happened?’ And I think it’s only fair to ask you the same question. What do you think happened?”

    “You know, I enjoyed supporting him when he was president,” DeSantis said, beaming in via satellite from Japan.

    “We worked really hard for his reelection in Florida, and I always had a good relationship with him. And then, once the midterm election happened, he started taking shots at me!”

    “I didn’t really do anything to do it except do a good job,” DeSantis added. “But that’s fine. I mean, Sean, you know, when you’re making things happen, you take incoming from a variety of targets. So that’s just the nature of the business. And I’m happy to stand strong and do what’s right.”

    Recently, the former President has targeted the Florida Governor with a barrage of attacks and nicknames.

    Earlier this month, a pro-Trump PAC released a new ad attacking DeSantis.

    DeSantis is widely expected to enter the 2024 White House race later this spring and has performed well in numerous national hypothetical polls.

    Utah Republican Inches Toward Mitt Romney Senate Challenge

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    8
    Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

    A prominent Utah lawmaker appears to be gearing up for a Senate bid, potentially teeing up a competitive primary challenge against incumbent Senator Mitt Romney (R).

    Utah House Speaker Brad Wilson announced Thursday that he is launching an exploratory committee to consider running for Senate, according to reports from Fox News.

    “I’ve really loved the opportunity that we’ve had to keep government small and out of people’s lives, it’s part of why Utah is so special,” Wilson said of his time in public office.

    He continued, “I really believe that what Washington needs is to be a lot more like Utah. We’ve got this amazing opportunity to send Utah values back to D.C., and to have a conservative fighter back there, doing things back there the way we do them here in the Beehive State.” 

    “I’ve been in elected office for a while. And one thing that I know is these offices don’t belong to any of us individually, they belong to the people that elect us,” Wilson said.

    Wilson added, “And so my decision is going to be based on what I hear from people, what I believe is in the best interest of the state of Utah, and what is, quite frankly, in the best interest of my family.”

    Romney has yet to announce if he will run for another term in the Senate but earlier this week filed preliminary paperwork with the Federal Election Commission. 

    Romney was the GOP nominee in the 2012 presidential election and was defeated by former President Barack Obama. The Republican lawmaker has become a controversial figure within the party over the past years, frequently butting heads with then-President Donald Trump. Romney twice voted to impeach Trump.

    This is a breaking news story. Click refresh for the latest updates.

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