California Gov. Gavin Newsom, while campaigning for President Biden in the battleground state of Pennsylvania over the weekend, was asked about his own prospects should the Democratic incumbent exit the race.
A longtime top Biden campaign surrogate, Newsom has rallied behind the president’s re-election bid, making stops in Michigan and Pennsylvania in recent days. Yet his own name has been floated as a potential replacement for Biden should the 81-year-old president step aside and allow for an open convention, when Democratic delegates convene in Chicago next month to formally decide their nominee.
At an event in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, Newsom said a second term for former President Trump would equate to “America in reverse” and touted the Biden-Harris administration’s record on the economy.
On the heels of a disastrous debate performance for Biden, one reporter asked the California governor afterward, “If it comes to an open convention, will you run?
“No, I mean it’s not even…” Newsom began. Interjecting, the reporter pressed: “Absolutely not?”
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NEWSOM DOUBLES DOWN ON SUPPORT FOR BIDEN IN MICHIGAN: ‘I BELIEVE IN HIS CHARACTER’
“That’s not even, it’s to me, it’s the hypothetical that gets in the way of progress in terms of promoting this candidacy,” Newsom said.
“That’s a legit question, but it’s exactly where the other party wants us to be is having this internal fight,” Newsom added. “And I think it’s extraordinarily unhelpful. Said that literally the second after the debate. It was my first public comments. So I’ve been consistent in this belief, not just privately, but publicly.”
California Gov. Gavin Newsom greets supporters during a campaign event for President Biden on Saturday, July 6, 2024, in Doylestown, Pennsylvania.(Joe Lamberti for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Newsom’s swing through the battlegrounds came following a private meeting between Biden and Democratic governors hosted at the White House on Wednesday.
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Biden is facing increasing calls to step aside amid concerns his age and mental fitness jeopardize Democrats’ chances against Trump in November.
At a campaign rally in Wisconsin – another battleground – on Friday, Biden himself addressed speculation on whether he’d drop out, telling the crowd: “I am running and going to win again.”
HOW WOULD A PRESIDENT NEWSOM HANDLE BORDER, IMMIGRATION POLICY?
“I’m not letting one 90 minute debate wipe out three and a half years of work,” Biden added.
President Biden speaks at a campaign rally at Sherman Middle School in Madison, Wisconsin, Friday, July 5, 2024.(AP Photo/Morry Gash)
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Yet, after the rally and the president’s interview with ABC host George Stephanopoulos that aired Friday, Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., became the fifth and latest House Democrat to call on Biden to step aside.
In Doylestown, Fox News confronted Newsom on the number, asking: “Are you concerned that by continuing to support President Biden when other elected officials seem to be seeing something wrong with him, that you’re damaging your credibility in the long run?”
“No. Look, there’s a handful of folks that may have different opinions,” Newsom said. “The vast majority of the caucus remains solidly behind the president – president made that point very effectively yesterday in the interview, and that his speech in Wisconsin was very, very, very good. We’re going to see him out here in Pennsylvania in the next day or so. And, and we’re just, you know, staying the course, have his back.”
California Gov. Gavin Newsom gave a forceful defense of President Biden during a stop on Thursday, July 4, 2024, at the Van Buren County Democratic Party Fourth of July reception in South Haven, Michigan.(Don Campbell/The Herald-Palladium via AP)
“And so I really believe in the president, believe in his character. I believe in his confidence, in his capacity. I wouldn’t be out here, 4th of July weekend, missing my kids and families unless I really believed it,” he added.
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Earlier at the event, Newsom told Biden supporters that the 2024 election is about daylight versus darkness, right versus wrong, chaos versus incompetence and “the fate and future of our democracy.”
“It’s America in reverse. They want to bring us back to a pre-1960s world,” Newsom said of Trump supporters. “And you are the front lines of that opposition. You are the folks that can make sure that does not happen. Voting rights, civil rights, LGBTQ rights, women’s rights, not just access to abortion, access to contraception, all of those things are on the ballot. Bucks County, and we are counting on you. America’s counting on you. The world is counting on you. I’ve counted on you. My four kids are counting on you. Thank you for being here today. Thank you for being here tomorrow. Thank you for being here on Election Day. We are going to save democracy and bring back Biden-Harris for four more years.”
Biden is expected to deliver remarks in Philadelphia on Sunday afternoon.
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Danielle Wallace is a reporter for Fox News Digital covering politics, crime, police and more. Story tips can be sent to danielle.wallace@fox.com and on Twitter: @danimwallace.
The IRS has released updated federal income tax brackets and standard deductions for the 2026 tax year, which will apply to returns filed in 2027.
Cheddar
It’s officially tax season. The Internal Revenue Service opened the 2026 filing period for the 2025 tax year on Jan. 26.
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Oregonians can file their 2025 federal and state income tax returns until April 15. Those who don’t file by the deadline could face a penalty and may need to request an extension.
The Oregon Department of Revenue will also begin processing state income tax returns filed electronically.
Here’s what to know about filing your 2025 taxes.
When is the first day to file 2025 income tax returns in Oregon?
Oregonians can already file their federal and state income tax returns for the 2025 tax year. The season began on Jan. 26.
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When is the 2025 income tax return deadline?
The deadline for Oregonians to file their federal and state income tax returns for the 2025 tax year is on April 15.
When will Oregon issue 2025 state tax refunds?
The Oregon Department of Revenue will begin issuing refunds for electronically filed income tax returns on Feb. 15.
For tax returns filed by paper, the Department of Revenue will begin issuing refunds in early April.
According to agency, the IRS was late in sending Oregon the necessary tax forms for 2025, and as a result, Oregon could not begin processing paper-filed personal income tax returns until late March.
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Oregonians are encouraged to file electronically to receive a tax refund sooner.
“This year, if you file a paper return, you’re going to face a significant delay in receiving your refund,” said Megan Denison, the administrator of the Personal Tax and Compliance Division at the Department of Revenue. “Taxpayers who file electronically can avoid the extra wait.”
Additionally, the IRS recommends mailing in paper tax forms earlier than the April 15 deadline, as postmarks are not guaranteed for the same day.
Why is Direct File no longer available on the IRS website?
Direct File was a free tax filing program that could be found on the IRS website and used to file taxes for free.
However, following its two-year pilot phase, the Trump administration discontinued the program. The IRS announced in late 2025 that IRS Direct File will no longer be available at the beginning of 2026.
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IRS Free File is an alternative option to file federal income taxes for free in 2026 for households with an adjusted gross income of $84,000 or less.
Direct File Oregon is another option to file state income taxes for free in 2026. The program is currently in its third year and allows Oregonians to file directly with the state of Oregon for free.
How much is Oregon’s 2025 kicker rebate?
Oregon taxpayers who qualify could see a share of a $1.4 billion surplus through the state’s “kicker” credit when they file their 2025 income tax returns in 2026.
The refund amount differs depending on the individual but is calculated to be about 9.9% of their Oregon personal income tax liability for the 2024 tax year.
To get an estimate on how much their kicker could be, Oregonians can visit the Oregon Department of Revenue’s “What’s My Kicker?” calculator at revenueonline.dor.oregon.gov/tap/.
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How can Oregonians track their refunds?
Oregonians can track their tax refunds by visiting www.irs.gov/wheres-my-refund for federal tax returns, and www.oregon.gov/dor/programs/individuals/pages/where-is-my-refund.aspx for state tax returns.
Ginnie Sandoval is the Oregon Connect reporter for the Statesman Journal. Sandoval can be reached at GSandoval@statesmanjournal.com or on X at @GinnieSandoval.
The killings took place in a region exempt from federal gray wolf protections.
(Dawn Villella |AP) A gray wolf is pictured in 2004 in Minnesota. Utah officials recently killed three wolves after they were seen near livestock in Cache County.
In a rural stretch of southwestern Cache County, state officials killed three wolves earlier this month after the animals were spotted near livestock, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources confirmed Tuesday.
The wolves were shot Jan. 9 by the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, said DWR spokesperson Faith Jolley, a move allowed because the animals were found in a small corner of northeastern Utah exempt from federal gray wolf protections.
The region, which lies mostly east of Interstate 15 and extends roughly as far south as Ogden, is considered part of the greater Yellowstone region, where the predator is in recovery. It is the only part of Utah where the state is allowed to manage wolves.
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(Christopher Cherrington | The Salt Lake Tribune)
Across the rest of the state, the animal is considered an endangered species. It’s illegal to hunt, harass, trap, shoot or harm them without permission from the federal government.
Jolley said state law directs DWR to prevent wolves from breeding in the delisted area. While the animals were not considered a pack, she said they were believed to be traveling together.
“Lethal removals ensure they don’t establish breeding populations in Utah,” Jolley wrote in a text message.
Caroline Hargraves, a spokesperson for the state agriculture department, said the wolves were found near Avon, a small census-designated community in Cache County of about 500 residents, surrounded mostly by farmland.
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Utah leaders have long been hostile to wolves for preying on livestock and thwarting hunters. The state has doled out millions in taxpayer dollars in an effort to get gray wolves removed from the federal endangered species list.
Most confirmed wolf sightings in Utah have involved lone wolves, Jolley said, though small groups have been documented on a few occasions since the first confirmed sighting in 2002.
During the past year, she said, a handful of lone wolves have migrated into Utah from Wyoming and Colorado.
Wolves from Wyoming and Idaho have made their way into Utah at least 21 times since 2004, according to DWR. In September, the agency said it was aware of at least one lone male wolf present in the state.
