Midwest
Kamala Harris, Liz Cheney to stump at birthplace of Republican Party
In an effort to win the vote of disgruntled Republicans as she battles former President Trump in the race for the White House, Vice President Kamala Harris is heading to the town that claims to be the birthplace of the GOP.
A senior Harris campaign official says that the vice president on Thursday will team up in battleground Wisconsin with former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, a one-time rising conservative star in the GOP who became her party’s most visible anti-Trump leader.
The campaign event will take place in Ripon, Wisconsin, where a one-room schoolhouse was designated a national historic landmark due to its role in holding a series of meetings in 1854 that led to the formation of the Republican Party.
According to her campaign, Harris plans to spotlight the significance of that moment and that place – as she makes another direct appeal to Republican voters frustrated that Trump is their party’s presidential nominee – and as she reiterates her pledge to be a president for all Americans.
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Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a rally on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Harris is also expected to praise Cheney for her courage and patriotism in putting country over party.
Cheney, at a speaking event in early September at Duke University in swing state North Carolina, announced that she would be voting for Harris in the presidential election.
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“As a conservative, as someone who believes in and cares about the Constitution, I have thought deeply about this, and because of the danger that Donald Trump poses, not only am I not voting for Donald Trump, but I will be voting for Kamala Harris.”
Cheney’s father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, also endorsed Harris.
The younger Cheney was once rising in the ranks of House Republican leadership
Liz Cheney attends Liz Cheney in Conversation with David Rubenstein at The 92nd Street Y, New York on June 26, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Gary Gershoff/Getty Images) (Gary Gershoff/Getty Images)
But she was the most high-profile of the 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach then-president Trump in early 2021 on a charge of inciting the deadly Jan. 6th attack on the Capitol, which was waged by right-wing extremists and other Trump supporters who aimed to disrupt congressional certification of President Biden’s Electoral College victory in the 2020 election.
The conservative lawmaker and defense hawk immediately came under verbal attack from Trump and his allies, and was eventually ousted from her number-three House GOP leadership position.
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Cheney, who has been vocal in emphasizing the importance of defending the nation’s democratic process and of putting country before party, was one of only two Republicans who served on a special select committee organized by House Democrats that investigated the riot at the Capitol.
In 2022, she was ousted in the GOP congressional primary in Wyoming to a candidate that was backed by Trump.
U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming departs after speaking to supporters during a primary night event on August 16, 2022 in Jackson, Wyoming. Rep. Cheney was defeated in her primary race by Wyoming Republican congressional candidate Harriet Hageman. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Cheney — who has argued that the former president is a “liar,” a “con man” and a potential “tyrant” who, if elected again, would “torch the Constitution” — vowed after leaving Congress that “I will do everything I can to make sure [Trump] is never anywhere near the Oval Office again.”
The Harris campaign says that the vice president, at her event with Cheney, plans to note that while Republicans may not agree with her on every issue, she promises to uphold the Constitution, America’s fundamental principles, and the rule of law.
The Cheneys are part of a growing list of prominent Republicans who are supporting Harris.
Two other high-profile anti-Trump Republicans — former Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois and former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan – had speaking roles at the Democratic National Convention, which was held six weeks ago in Chicago.
Former Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois speaks at the Democratic National Convention, on Aug. 22, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois (Paul Steinhauser – Fox News )
And Harris is backed by more than 200 alumni who served in both Bush administrations or worked for the late Sen. John McCain and Sen. Mitt Romney, the 2008 and 2012 GOP presidential nominee. She’s also supported by more than 100 Republican former national security officials and other prominent Republicans.
Ripon is not the only town that claims to be the birthplace of the GOP. Exeter, New Hampshire also has some bragging rites, as it was the site of meetings in 1853 – a year ahead of the Ripon gatherings – by disenchanted political leaders who discussed the formation of a new party of Republicans.
But officials in Ripon said the group in Exeter never actually formed a political organization, or chose officials, as they did in Wisconsin.
Wisconsin is one of seven crucial battleground states with razor-thin margins that decided Biden’s 2020 White House victory and are likely to determine if Harris or Trump wins the 2024 presidential election.
With less than five weeks until Election Day in November, Harris and Trump are locked in a margin-of-error race in the key swing states.
Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
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Cleveland, OH
Rangers capitalize on costly Guardians mistake, extend winning streak to six
Jacob deGrom pitched seven strong innings and the Texas Rangers took advantage of a bone-headed play by Cleveland rookie outfielder Cooper Ingle on Tuesday night to beat the Guardians 4-2 and extend their winning streak to six games.
DeGrom (7-5) allowed a two-run homer to Kyle Manzardo in the first before turning dominant. The right-hander gave up a leadoff single in the second before retiring 18 of the next 19 batters, improving to 4-0 in June.
Joc Pederson hit a two-run homer and Josh Jung added a solo shot as the AL West-leading Rangers improved to 7-2 on their road trip.
They got a big assist in the seventh inning when Ingle, making just his second major league start in the outfield, lost track of the number of outs and tossed a live ball into the stands, allowing the Rangers to take a 3-2 lead.
With a runner at second and one out, Ingle caught a routine fly ball hit by Rangers left fielder Alejandro Osuna for the second out. Thinking it was the third out, Ingle looked at the ball in his glove before throwing it over the protective netting to fans.
The umpires immediately ruled the ball was dead, and Ezequiel Duran was awarded home plate.
Pederson connected for his 14th homer — and 11th since May 26 — off Tanner Bibee (2-9) to tie it 2-all in the third.
Jung’s ninth homer made it 4-2 in the eighth.
Manzardo gave the Guardians a 2-0 lead in the first with his 10th homer.
Rangers shortstop Corey Seager was pulled before his at-bat in the first inning because of back discomfort. The five-time All-Star missed 19 games earlier this season with back spasms.
Illinois
West Suburban hospital sends permanent layoff notices to about 500 furloughed employees
OAK PARK, Ill. (WLS) — About 500 furloughed employees of West Suburban Medical Center have received notices that they will not be returning to their jobs, marking the latest development in the uncertain future of the hospital as its owners continue negotiating a settlement over its future.
ABC7 obtained multiple copies of a letter sent to employees stating there would be “a mass layoff at West Suburban Medical Center” beginning Aug. 31 and that “this mass layoff is expected to be permanent.”
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West Suburban Medical Center CEO Manoj Prasad told ABC7 the notices were required under the Illinois Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification, or WARN Act, which limits furloughs to six months and requires advance notification before a permanent separation.
Prasad said the hospital’s plans to reopen have not changed, but there is still no firm reopening date.
Sylvia Williams, a former head of nursing at West Suburban Medical Center, said staff knew layoffs were a possibility but hoped they would not become necessary.
SEE ALSO | Exit strategy? Settlement negotiations underway over future of Oak Park safety-net hospital
The notices come amid an ongoing court battle between West Suburban Medical Center owners Prasad and landowner Rathnaker Patlola. The two sued each other in the weeks following the hospital’s closure in March.
ABC7’s I-Team was in court Tuesday for a hearing on progress toward a settlement agreement involving the hospital. During the hearing, attorneys representing Resilience Healthcare did not mention layoffs.
Sources close to the settlement discussions told the I-Team the notices are “a big deal” and that Prasad “had not consulted with anyone” about plans to permanently lay off the remaining furloughed employees.
One source also told the I-Team that the judge was surprised by the news and “upset” it was not disclosed.
Patlola issued a statement saying, in part, that he was “surprised and disappointed” and that employees “deserved far better.”
Settlement negotiations over the future of West Suburban hospital remain ongoing.
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Indiana
Extreme heat peaks before holiday weekend storms | July 1, 2026
INDIANAPOLIS — The most intense part of this week’s heat wave has arrived. An Extreme Heat Warning remains in effect across central Indiana through Thursday evening as heat index values climb between 105 and 110 degrees. Although the heat dominates the story now, a shift toward an active, stormy pattern is on the horizon just in time for the holiday weekend.
Today and Thursday: Peak Heat Danger
A massive high-pressure ridge is positioned over the Midwest. This will block storm development today and Thursday but trap intense heat and moisture near the surface.
Expect mostly sunny skies with highs in the low to mid-90s. Dew points in the upper 70s will push the heat index to as high as 110 degrees in spots this afternoon. Thursday’s conditions will be similar, with a few more clouds possible late as the ridge begins to break down.
Friday and Holiday Weekend: Return of Storms
As the heat ridge flattens Friday, multiple waves of energy will approach from the northwest, ushering in daily chances for scattered showers and thunderstorms through the Fourth of July.
The abundant moisture in the air means any storm could bring heavy rain and locally intense wind gusts known as microbursts. While a full washout is unlikely, have an indoor backup plan for outdoor activities and monitor the Storm Track 8 Weather app for lightning updates.
Looking Ahead: Relief Early Next Week
A weak cold front is forecast to push through Indiana Monday or Tuesday. This will drop temperatures to the mid-80s and deliver much-needed relief from the persistent heat and humidity endured this week.
7-Day Outlook:
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