US NATIONAL NEWS

In campaign swing, Biden focuses on incumbent Democrats

Published

2 years ago

November 3, 2022

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — President Joe Biden’s travel schedule before Tuesday’s midterm elections reveals his defensive stance in the campaign’s closing days: He’s spending the bulk of his time trying to hang on to seats that his party already holds.

Biden kicked off a four-state, three-day campaign swing on Thursday to support Democrats in competitive races in solidly blue California, Illinois and New Mexico as well as battleground Pennsylvania, where Biden has deep roots.

His first stop was Albuquerque, where he spoke about his student debt relief program by calling it “a game changer for so many people.”

Nearly 26 million people have applied for loan forgiveness, up 4 million from two weeks ago. About 16 million applications are expected to be approved by the week’s end, but no debt can be forgiven until a legal fight over the program is resolved.

“Republican members of Congress and Republican governors are doing everything they can, including taking us to court, to deny relief, even to their own constituents,” Biden said.

Speaking to young voters whose support Democrats are seeking, Biden said, “You represent the best of us.”

“Your generation is not going to be ignored,” he said. “You will not be shunned. You will not be silenced.”

His itinerary illustrates the limited political clout of a president who has been held at arm’s length by most Democrats in tough races this cycle. It also suggests that the president, whose approval rating remains underwater, has concluded that he can be most effective using the waning days before polls close to shore up support for Democratic candidates in areas that he easily won in 2020.

“Democrats are clearly on the defensive and that’s bearing out as the campaign comes to a close,” said Christopher Borick, director of the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion. “Their chances for gains don’t look realistic, so now you look to what you can preserve. The president’s travel schedule is reflective of where they see this cycle going.”

The president’s party typically faces significant losses during midterm elections. Since 1934, only Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1934, Bill Clinton in 1998, and George W. Bush in 2002 saw their parties gain seats in the midterms.

Some recent presidents saw big losses in their first midterm races. Republicans under Donald Trump lost 40 House seats but gained two Senate seats in 2018; Democrats under Barack Obama lost 63 House seats and six Senate seats in 2010, and Democrats under Clinton lost 52 House seats and eight Senate seats in 1994.

The decision to deploy Biden to areas where he won handily in 2020 was made in part because of concern about voter energy in races that Democrats view as must-win. Party officials are also concerned about some candidates who have seen their races tighten in the final days of the campaign.

In New Mexico, a state Biden won by nearly 11 percentage points in 2020, he held the Albuquerque rally for Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who is facing a Republican challenge from former TV meteorologist Mark Ronchetti.

Fundraising by Ronchetti’s campaign has surged amid visits from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin. Ronchetti also received a social media endorsement from Trump despite his acknowledgment that Biden won in 2020.

Later Thursday, Biden was joining Rep. Mike Levin for a get-out-the vote event at a community college in Oceanside, California. Levin represents a district with a slight Democratic tilt that cuts through San Diego and Orange counties and that Biden carried by double digits in the 2020 presidential election. Republican nominee Brian Maryott has gone after Levin over inflation, gas prices and rising crime.

Biden is to spend part of Friday and Saturday in the Chicago area, where two-term incumbent Rep. Sean Casten is facing a stiff challenge from Republican Keith Pekau as he tries to hang on to a suburban district that Biden won by a double-digit percentage in 2020. The White House has yet to announce Biden’s plans for his time in Chicago.

The Congressional Leadership Fund, a super PAC aligned with House Republican leaders, this week announced an $1.8 million ad buy to assist Pekau, the mayor of south suburban Orland Park. And Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California, the House minority leader, is due to campaign with Pekau in the district on Friday.

Casten’s campaign, in a fundraising email Wednesday, called the crush of super PAC money a “last-ditch effort to buy this seat” and implored his supporters to send him contributions for the campaign’s final stretch.

The president on Saturday will head to Pennsylvania to campaign with Obama for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Josh Shapiro and Democratic Senate candidate John Fetterman.

Pennsylvania Democrats are trying to keep control of the governor’s office, which is being vacated by Tom Wolf as he finishes his second term. Fetterman is locked in a tight race with Republican Mehmet Oz, vying for the seat being vacated by the retiring Republican Sen. Pat Toomey.

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US NATIONAL NEWS

Mia Love, First Black Republican Woman in Congress, Passes Away at 49

Published

2 days ago

March 24, 2025

Willie David

U.S. Congresswoman Mia Love of Utah speaking at the 2015 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland. Credit: Gage Skidmore

SALT LAKE CITY (FNN) — Former U.S. Representative Mia Love, a trailblazing Republican and the first Black Republican woman elected to Congress, passed away Sunday at the age of 49 following a battle with brain cancer.

Her family confirmed the news on her official X account, stating that she passed away peacefully at her home in Saratoga Springs, Utah.

Family’s Statement & Public Reactions

“With grateful hearts filled to overflowing for the profound influence of Mia on our lives, we want you to know that she passed away peacefully,” the statement read. “We are thankful for the many good wishes, prayers, and condolences.”

Utah Governor Spencer Cox expressed his condolences, referring to Love as a “true friend” whose legacy of service inspired all who knew her.

Her Political Legacy

Love, the daughter of Haitian immigrants, made history in 2014 when she won Utah’s 4th Congressional District seat, making her the first Black Republican woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.

She first entered politics in 2003, winning a seat on the city council in Saratoga Springs before becoming the city’s mayor. Her rise in the Republican Party was marked by her conservative views, strong stance on fiscal responsibility, and emphasis on self-reliance.

Battle with Brain Cancer

Earlier this year, Love had been undergoing treatment for brain cancer at Duke University’s Brain Tumor Center, receiving immunotherapy as part of a clinical trial. However, earlier this month, her daughter revealed that she was no longer responding to treatment.

What’s Next?

Utah leaders are expected to hold a public tribute to honor Mia Love’s legacy.
Congressional colleagues and former political opponents are offering tributes, recognizing her impact on politics and her community.
Arrangements for memorial services will be announced soon.

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J Willie David, III
Florida National News and FNN News Network
News@FloridaNational News.com

US NATIONAL NEWS

UFC Star Conor McGregor Criticizes Irish Government Over Immigration During White House Visit

Published

1 week ago

March 17, 2025

Willie David

WASHINGTON (FNN) — UFC superstar Conor McGregor strongly criticized the Irish government’s handling of illegal immigration during a press conference at the White House on Monday. His comments came ahead of a St. Patrick’s Day meeting between Ireland’s Prime Minister and U.S. President Donald Trump.

Speaking from the White House briefing room, the 36-year-old former mixed martial arts champion accused Ireland’s leaders of neglecting public concerns about immigration.

“The Irish government has abandoned the voices of the Irish people,” McGregor declared. “Rural towns in Ireland are being overrun by immigrants.”

McGregor warned that the country’s cultural identity was at risk, adding:

“Ireland is at the cusp of potentially losing its Irishness.”

His remarks drew swift backlash from Ireland’s Prime Minister, who condemned the comments as divisive and harmful.

McGregor’s outspoken stance on immigration has ignited public debate, with supporters praising his defense of Irish culture and critics accusing him of spreading inflammatory rhetoric.

US NATIONAL NEWS

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt Clashes with AP Reporter Over Trump’s Tariffs and Taxes

Published

2 weeks ago

March 11, 2025

Willie David

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt Clashes with AP Reporter Over Trump's Tariffs and Taxes

WASHINGTON (FNN) – Tensions escalated between The Associated Press (AP) and Trump’s White House Tuesday during a heated exchange between White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and AP reporter Josh Boak.

During the briefing, Mr. Boak questioned President Trump’s economic policies, claiming his proposed tariffs amounted to tax hikes on Americans. However, Ms. Leavitt pushed back on that assertion.

“He’s actually not implementing tax hikes. Tariffs are a tax hike on foreign countries that, again, have been ripping us off. Tariffs are a tax cut for the American people,” Ms. Leavitt said firmly.

She further defended President Trump’s economic agenda, emphasizing his commitment to eliminating:

Taxes on tips
Taxes on overtime
Taxes on Social Security benefits

“He is committed to all three of those things, and he expects Congress to pass them later,” she added.

Mr. Boak pressed further, asking, “Have you ever paid a tariff? Because I have. They don’t get charged on companies; they get charged on the imports.”

In response, Ms. Leavitt countered, “And ultimately, when we have fair and balanced trade, which the American people have not seen in decades, revenues will stay here, wages will go up, and our country will be made wealthy again.”

The confrontation revealed the ongoing rift between the White House and the AP, particularly after the AP was barred from some press events for refusing to adopt the White House’s requested terminology of renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the ‘Gulf of America’ in its widely used AP Stylebook.

Despite this strained relationship, Ms. Leavitt still called on the wire service during Tuesday’s press briefing, which led to the fiery exchange.

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What’s Next for AP?

The AP has yet to respond to the White House’s renewed pressure on terminology changes. Media analysts predict the standoff could intensify as the administration continues its push to redefine traditional media language.

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J Willie David, III
Florida National News and FNN News Network
News@FloridaNationalNews.com