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Election Forecaster Predicts Trump-backed Murkowski Challenger Will Cruise to Victory

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Lisa Murkowski via Wikimedia Commons

RINOs beware.

Alaska Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski is on the edge of losing her seat in Congress to Trump-endorsed challenger Kelly Tshibaka according to election forecaster FiveThirtyEight.

Alaska’s 2022 race is operating on a 2020 ballot measure in which voters approved ranked-choice voting in the state’s elections, meaning both Tshibaka and Murkowski will appear on the ballot despite being members of the same party. The two women emerged as the top two candidates in the state’s August nonpartisan blanket primary. They will face off with Democrat candidate Patricia Chesbro in November’s general election.

The latest report from FiveThirtyEight revealed the GOP is more-than-likely going to win the seat this November and Tshibaka is considered most likely to emerge with the victory at 53%.

Tshibaka, the Trump-backed Republican challenger who previously served as a commissioner of the Alaska Department of Administration, opted to challenge Murkowski after the incumbent senator voted to impeach former President Trump following the Jan. 6th Capitol riot.

The Alaska Republican Party voted to censure Murkowski after her impeachment vote.

Originally appointed to the Senate in 2002, Murkowski has long been a swing vote during partisan senate battles, ranking in as the second most liberal Republican senator to a 2017 GovTrack analysis of lawmakers reported. Her ranking put her to the left of Sen. Joe Manchin, D-WVa., the senate’s most conservative Democrat, according to Fox News.

According to the latest poll from RealClearPolitics, Tshibaka was reported to have a nine-point advantage over Murkowski.

This Democrat Governor is Planning to Run for President in 2024 Under One Condition

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Casa Rosada (Argentina Presidency of the Nation), CC BY 2.5 AR via Wikimedia Commons

Democrats are chomping at the bit to announce their campaign for president but there seems to be one obstacle, President Joe Biden.

Biden, who is currently the oldest president in history, will be 81 years old when the next election occurs and some Democrats say he isn’t the best candidate to lead the country or stand a chance of defeating Trump who has all-but-confirmed his own 2024 plans. (RELATED: New Report Indicates Trump Will Postpone 2024 Campaign Announcement)

One Democrat desperately vying for the presidency is none other than California Governor Gavin Newsom. According to sources close to the politician, Newsom is “absolutely” planning to run for president in 2024 if Biden opts out.

According to The Washington Examiner:

“After this midterm election is over, he absolutely is going to announce that he is running for the presidency once Biden announces that he is not running,” a top California fundraiser close to the Newsom family told the Wrap. “No ifs, ands or buts. He will run if Biden does not.”

Governor Newsom’s political ambitions have been the subject of scrutiny over the past few months as he has sought to distinguish himself early on as a presidential contender by meeting with prominent donors, sparring with Republican lawmakers, and calling out his party’s inaction on hot-button issues like abortion and climate change.

One of the Wrap’s sources, a Los Angeles philanthropist who backed Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential bid in 2020 and supported her during her time as district attorney in San Francisco, said some in the party have questioned whether she will be the automatic forerunner if Biden chooses to step aside.

“There’s going to be a ton of people coming out against Kamala if Biden doesn’t run,” the source said.

President Biden recently called his own 2024 campaign into question during an interview with CBS’ “60 Minutes” when he declined to say if he absolutely planned to run for a second term.

“In terms of election laws,” Biden said, “it’s much too early to make that kind of decision.”

“Look, my intention, as I said to begin with, is that I would run again,” Biden responded to CBS anchor Scott Pelley. “But it’s just an intention. But is it a firm decision that I run again? That remains to be seen.”

GOP Presidential Candidate Drops Out, Makes Key Endorsement

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Larry Elder ,Sgt. Jacob Harrer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Conservative talk show host Larry Elder has suspended his presidential campaign and is throwing his support behind former President Donald Trump.

In a statement Thursday evening, Elder expressed gratitude for his supporters and said he was honored by their enthusiasm and grassroots support. He further explained that after assessing his campaign and the state of the race, he had made the “difficult decision” to suspend his campaign.

“Throughout my campaign, I have been steadfast in my belief that the biggest issues facing our nation are the crisis of fatherlessness, the dangerous lie that America is systemically racist, the need for an amendment to the constitution to set federal spending to a fixed percentage of the GDP — otherwise government gets bigger whether Republicans or Democrats are in charge, and the need to remove the Soros-backed DAs across the country who refuse to enforce the law,” he said in a statement.

“The breakdown of the family structure and the absence of positive father figures in the lives of many children have far-reaching consequences for our society, including the crime wave we are currently seeing in America today,” he continued. “I hope that my campaign has helped shine a light on these critical issues and sparked important conversations about how we can solve them.”

In August, Elder made waves after he threatened to sue the Republican National Committee (RNC) for not including him in the first GOP debate. While the RNC determined Elder had failed to meet the required threshold for number of individual donors and polling, he accused them of purposely silencing him.

“I said from the beginning that it appeared the rules of the game were rigged, little did we know just how rigged it is. For some reason, the establishment leaders at the RNC are afraid of having my voice on the debate stage,” he said in an X post at the time.

In his Thursday statement, Elder encourages Republicans to support Trump for president.

“Now that I am exiting the race, I am proud to announce my endorsement of Donald Trump for President of the United States. His leadership has been instrumental in advancing conservative, America-first principles and policies that have benefited our great nation,” Elder said. “We must unite behind Donald Trump to beat Joe Biden and fight back against Biden’s unprecedented election interference and the left’s destruction of America.

“I want to thank my supporters, volunteers, and donors who invested their time, energy, and resources in this campaign. From Iowa to New Hampshire to Nevada and beyond, I am grateful for the opportunity to have met so many incredible Americans who share our values.”

John Bolton Says AG Garland Doesn’t Stand a Chance Against Trump

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Marine One lifts-off after returning President Donald J. Trump to Mar-a-Lago Friday, March 29, 2019, following his visit to the 143-mile Herbert Hoover Dike near Canal Point, Fla., that surrounds Lake Okeechobee. The visit was part of an infrastructure inspection of the dike, which is part of the Kissimmee-Okeechobee Everglades system, and reduces impacts of flooding for areas of south Florida. (Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian) [Photo Credit: The White House from Washington, DC, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons]

The legal reasoning of the Department of Justice isn’t too outlandish according to John Bolton, the former Trump National Security Advisor told CNN.

The problem is politically Trump is going to “slaughter” Garland, according to Bolton.

The Daily Caller reports, that Bolton told CNN that Trump doesn’t care about normal procedures, and Garland having to follow normal procedures of the DOJ is leaving him vulnerable.

So vulnerable, Bolton called him a lamb.

Botlon said, “If we were in a Colosseum with two gladiators, one of them Donald Trump, the other Merrick Garland, we’d be about to witness the slaughter of the lambs. The Justice Department understandably wants to follow its normal procedures. It’s facing an adversary who couldn’t care less about the normal procedures.”

Bolton also criticized the department’s PR strategy. Saying the need to do more to explain what they are up to in investigating Trump.

So far the department is “not doing enough” to justify why they needed to search Mar-a-Lago, according to Bolton.

Another big issue is that the DOJ and FBI violated Trump’s rights but violating the search warrant. The FBI overstepped its authority abd took documents that were attorney-client privileged and not considered presidential records.

As we reported yesterday, the FBI took three of Trump’s passports wrongfully.

[READ NEXT: FBI Violated Trump’s Rights in Terrible Way]

Mike Pence to Campaign for Republican Congressman who Voted to Impeach Trump

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Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

Former Vice president Mike Pence has announced his support for a Republican Congressman who voted to impeach former President Trump over his alleged role in the 2021 Jan. 6th riot.

California Republican David Valadao, who voted to impeach Trump along with nine other House Republicans represents the 21st Congressional District and is running against Democratic challenger Rudy Salas for control over the newly drawn 22nd Congressional District.

Pence is set to headline a campaign fundraiser for Valadao in Fresno, California according to The Washington Examiner.

The former vice president has been outspoken against several Trump-backed candidates, particularly those who continue to deny the results of the 2020 election, such as Arizona’s GOP candidate for governor, Kari Lake. Pence had supported candidate Karrin Taylor Robson, whom Lake beat in the primary. He said in July that Lake wanted to make the 2022 election about the past.

“So, let me say, when you get out and vote for Karrin Taylor Robson and this Republican team, you can say yes to a future of freedom for Arizona,” he said that month.

On Sept. 14, Arizona Republican secretary of state candidate Mark Finchem accused Pence of attempting to organize a “coup” against Trump after Pence certified the 2020 election results. Finchem will compete against Democratic nominee Adrian Fontes in November. If he loses, he vowed not to concede.

Pence has been speculated as an early contender for the 2024 presidency but the former Vice President has reaffirmed his sole focus is helping Republicans succeed in this year’s midterms. However, his travels to high-profile early primary states like Iowa and New Hampshire along with his refusal to rule out a potential campaign have many Americans curious.

“I can honestly tell you in 2023, my family and I will do what we have always done. We’ll reflect, we’ll pray and determine where we might best serve, and we’ll go where we’re called,” Pence told a CNN reporter at the time

Will Lackluster Midterm Results Deter Trump 2024 Announcement?

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Gage Skidmore Flickr

Tuesday’s midterms produced lackluster results as ballots continue to be tallied across the country. While the red tsunami appeared to be more of a wave Republicans and Democrats are still waiting to know which party will control the House of Representatives and the Senate on Wednesday morning.

The midterm results have spurred questions about Trump’s potential plan to announce his third presidential campaign next week. The former president has been heavily involved throughout the midterms but some are left wondering if Trump will push his announcement.

During an interview with Markie Martin on NewsNation ahead of the midterms Trump noted he’s made over 300 endorsements.

“You’ve endorsed more than 330 candidates this election cycle,” Martin said. “Tonight, win or lose, the results for Republicans, how much of that will be because of Donald Trump?”

“Well, I think if they win, I should get all the credit. And if they lose, I should not be blamed at all, okay?” Trump said. “But it’ll probably be just the opposite. When they win, I think they’re going to do very well, I’ll probably be given very little credit even though in many cases I told people to run and they ran and they turned out to be very good candidates. You know, they’ve turned out to be very good candidates.”

“But usually what would happen is when they do well, I won’t be given any credit and if they do badly, they will blame everything on me,” he continued. “So I’m prepared for anything, but we’ll defend ourselves.”

Advisers close to Trump say the former president is certainly running but he’s yet to make any formal announcement as doing so will link him to specific election laws.

During a Monday evening rally in Ohio, former President Trump declared he plans to make a “big announcement” next Tuesday.

“I’m going to be making a very big announcement on Tuesday, Nov. 15, at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla.,” Trump said toward the end of a rally near Dayton, Ohio, where he was campaigning for a host of candidates in the state, including Republican Senate candidate J.D. Vance.

“We want nothing to distract from the importance of tomorrow,” Trump said.

Vance won his race against Democrat Rep. Tim Ryan Tuesday night.

“I can’t thank President Trump enough for his support,” Vance said. “His endorsement and the work he did to drive turnout – including a huge rally in Dayton on election eve – made all the difference in this race, and led us to the largest battleground victory in the nation.”

Trump Gives DeSantis Insulting New Nickname as 2024 Anticipation Builds

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Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

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.

DeSantis Addresses Soured Trump Relationship on Fox News

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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.

Former Fox News Editor Blames Trump for Firing

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Looking east towards 6th Avenue along north (48th Street) side of Fox News building on a snowy afternoon. [Photo Credit: Jim.henderson, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons]

Former Fox News Editor Chris Stirewalt was fired following the 2020 election.

Stirewalt famously called Arizona for Joe Biden in what many said was a premature decision.

Now, in a new book Stirewalt is criticizing former President Trump, and blaming him, at least in part, for his firing, DNYUZ reports.

Stirewalt wrote, “I got canned after very vocal and very online viewers — including the then-president of the United States — became furious when our Decision Desk was the first to project that Joe Biden would win the former G.O.P. stronghold of Arizona in 2020.”

Trump was furious at Stirewalt for calling the state too early.

A ratings decline followed after Trump urged his supporters to watch other networks.

But the decision to call Arizona was never reversed an ultimately turned out to be the right one.

[READ NEXT: New Accusations Hit Member of Trump’s Family]

Report: Former Congressman Mulling Senate Challenge

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!”