Northeast
Balance of power: Senate Dems mount swing state offense on 'carpetbagger' claims
Democrats are hinging their hopes of retaining the Senate majority on voters’ disdain for so-called “carpetbaggers.”
As Senate Democrats fight to keep several vulnerable incumbents from losing tough races in swing states across the country, their campaign arm and state parties are homing in on Republican candidates’ traits and biographies over policies.
“It’s a time-honored direction for campaigns to go, but it isn’t always effective,” said Republican strategist Doug Heye. “Given the overwhelming concerns about rising prices, the border and the general direction of the country, it may be tough for this to break through.”
GOP SHORES UP MICHIGAN EFFORT AS DEMS LOSE SENATE INCUMBENT ADVANTAGE
Democrats are hoping claims of carpetbagging against Republican candidates can save their vulnerable incumbents in swing states, like Sens. Jon Tester, left, and Bob Casey, right. (Getty Images)
Historically, carpetbaggers were northerners who traveled to the South during the Reconstruction era following the Civil War with the goal of profiting off of the weakened region. In modern politics, it refers to politicians that move to a new area in order to run for office.
Five Democratic incumbent senators are embroiled in highly competitive reelection battles in Ohio, Montana, Nevada, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania, as the party faces a uniquely disadvantageous Senate election map.
“Senate Republicans’ roster of recruits is full of carpetbaggers who don’t know the first thing about the states they’re running in and candidates who bring enough financial scandals and baggage to fill a bank vault,” Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) spokesperson Tommy Garcia said in a statement earlier this year.
SCHUMER JUSTIFIES CONGRESSIONAL INVITE TO NETANYAHU AMID LIBERAL OUTRAGE
Sens. Jon Tester, Jacky Rosen, Sherrod Brown, Tammy Baldwin, Bob Casey (Getty Images: Anna Moneymaker, Drew Angerer, Ethan Miller, Sarah Silbiger)
Kyle Kondik, managing editor of Sabato’s Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Center for Politics, explained, “After Democrats used this attack, successfully in my view, against Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania last cycle, I think it’s just become kind of an ‘in vogue’ kind of attack, although it’s also by no mean a new strategy.”
Both national and state level Democratic Party entities have parroted the argument, particularly in reference to the Republican Senate candidate in Montana, former Navy SEAL Tim Sheehy, as well as Pennsylvania Republican nominee Dave McCormick.
“Democrats can’t run on their steadfast support for Joe Biden’s agenda of reckless spending, open borders, and chaos around the globe, so they are lying about our candidates and refusing to discuss the pressing issues facing the American people,” National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRCS) spokesperson Mike Berg said in a statement.
Montana is expected to see one of the closest Senate races of the cycle between Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., and Sheehy, and the former’s campaign has fully adopted the term “carpetbagger” to describe his opponent. The attack has similarly been picked up by the state’s Democratic Party.
BIDEN ADMIN ACCUSED OF PLAYING POLITICS WITH FLORIDA FUNDING IN PRO-UNION PUSH
Following the state’s primaries last week, Tester’s campaign amplified his insinuation during a TV interview that Sheehy was “trying to buy Montana,” while emphasizing his own roots.
“I think it’s a very potent argument in Montana,” said Democratic strategist Brad Bannon.
Sheehy is originally from Minnesota and moved to Montana in 2014 before starting his company there.
“Let’s face it, Tester’s trying to reach a conservative audience,” Bannon said, noting that references to his generational roots are “conservative” by nature.
Sen. Jon Tester, left, and Republican Montana Senate candidate Tim Sheehy, right. (Kevin Dietsch/Louise Johns)
“Montana has an insider vs. outsider dynamic in politics, in part because of a lot of new transplants from other places,” Kondik said.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, a spokesperson for Sheehy’s campaign said, “After Tim left the Navy and Carmen left the Marines, they chose to make Montana home to raise their family and build their businesses because it was a place consistent with their values and the way they wanted to live.”
“Tim is proud to have founded Bridger Aerospace in his barn with all his savings, an all-veteran team, and created over 200 Montana jobs. Tim is proud to have founded Little Belt Cattle Company, where they raise, finish, and process premium beef 100% in Montana,” the statement continued.
“Tim and his wife, Carmen, and their four kids are proud Montanans, and it’s truly a shame that Jon Tester and the Democrats would call a combat veteran a carpetbagger when he was deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq fighting for our freedoms all while Tester was becoming a multimillionaire and getting six times richer as a career politician in Washington D.C. While we know Tester will never understand what it’s like to put on a uniform and serve our great nation, the veterans in Montana sure do and will vote Tester out this November,” the spokesperson concluded.
McCormick, who is running for Senate as a Republican again after seeking the GOP nod in 2022, was notably born and raised in Pennsylvania, also starting his business in the state. Carpetbagger claims were initiated when it was reported that he owned a Connecticut home, in addition to his Pittsburgh property.
“I also think it’s effective in Pennsylvania, because the Casey name is as synonymous with Pennsylvania as cheesesteaks are to Philadelphia,” claimed Bannon, referencing Democratic Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey’s family and its long history in the state’s politics.
TRUMP VP CONTENDER LEADS GOP EFFORT TO REACH BLACK VOTERS AS BIDEN LOSES GRIP
Kondik remarked, “In the Industrial North, the percentage of residents born in state is higher than it is in the Sun Belt. So maybe these attacks have more resonance — or at least Democrats hope they have more resonance — because of some local specifics, too.”
McCormick campaign spokesperson Elizabeth Gregory said in a statement to Fox News Digital, “Pennsylvanians from across the commonwealth are joining Dave’s movement to send a 7th-generation Pennsylvanian, combat veteran, West Point graduate, and PA job creator to the Senate to deliver new leadership and fresh ideas.”
McCormick previously ran for the GOP nomination in 2022. (Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)
“Career politician and habitual liar Bob Casey votes for Joe Biden’s failing agenda 98% of the time, fueling a border crisis that has killed over 4,000 Pennsylvanians from fentanyl, violent crime, record inflation and regulations that are killing the commonwealth’s energy sector. On November 5, Pennsylvania will retire empty suit Bob Casey and send Dave McCormick to the Senate,” she added.
Per Republican strategist Erin Perrine, “Democrats know they are struggling to connect with voters on policy positions, as polling shows they are underwater on top voter concerns like immigration and the economy.” This forces the party to “make an emotional appeal to voters, arguing that they can represent them because they are one of them,” she said.
Bannon claimed that Democrats’ focus on these carpetbagging accusations is motivated by the independent voters they are going after. “The independents who are two up for grabs, they’re more likely to focus on personal traits in the last stage of the election than the voters who’ve made up their mind already,” he explained.
The strategy additionally “plays into a larger, familiar narrative in which Democrats attack Republicans as being wealthy and out-of-touch. It’s one part of a larger argument,” Kondik emphasized.
But according to Perrine, “A homegrown emotional appeal usually isn’t a winning strategy in a general election, when voters show up on Election Day about what matters most to them every day, not where someone is from.”
Read the full article from Here
Pennsylvania
Trump's former doctor gives health update, calls out Wray as FBI affirms bullet struck former president
A former White House doctor released a letter Friday stating that former President Trump is “rapidly recovering” following the July 13 shooting at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania and that there is “absolutely no evidence” he was hit with “anything other than a bullet.”
Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, who took issue with testimony given earlier this week by FBI Director Christopher Wray, said “I want to reassure the American people and the rest of the world, that President Trump is doing extremely well.”
Jackson, who is Trump’s former physician, said, “I have continued to monitor his health and well-being, along with his primary care physician, since the assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, on the evening of July 13th.
“During the Congressional Hearing two days ago, FBI Director Christopher Wray suggested that it could be a bullet, shrapnel, or glass. There is absolutely no evidence that it was anything other than a bullet,” he added. “Congress should correct the record as confirmed by both the hospital and myself. Director Wray is wrong and inappropriate to suggest anything else.”
Wray did not mention glass in his testimony. He said, “With respect to former President Trump, there is some question about whether it was a bullet or shrapnel that hit his ear.”
After Jackson’s letter was released, the FBI issued its own statement to Fox News Digital, “What struck former President Trump in the ear was a bullet, whether whole or fragmented into smaller pieces, fired from the deceased subject’s rifle.”
“The would-be assassin fired multiple rounds from a relatively close distance using a high-powered rifle, with one bullet striking the former President, and now the Republican Nominee for President, in his right ear,” Jackson continued.
FBI WANTS TO INTERVIEW TRUMP AFTER ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT: SOURCE
Trump raises his fist after being shot in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13. (Rebecca Droke/AFP via Getty Images)
“As a former White House Physician for 14 years, who served during three presidential administrations, and served as the appointed physician for both President Obama and President Trump, I fully understand the global significance of this attempt on the life of the former President and the current Republican Nominee for President,” Jackson added.
“As such, I want to reassure the American people and the rest of the world, that President Trump is doing extremely well,” Jackson concluded. “He is rapidly recovering from the gunshot wound to his right ear. I will continue to be available to assist President Trump and his personal physician in any way they see fit and will provide updates as necessary and with the permission of President Trump.”
TRUMP RALLY BULLET TRAJECTORY ANALYSIS CONTRADICTS FBI ‘SHRAPNEL’ TESTIMONY ON CAPITOL HILL: REPORT
Trump is seen being escorted off the campaign event stage in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13. (Rebecca Droke/AFP via Getty Images)
In an interview Thursday on FOX Business’ “Kudlow,” Jackson said it was “absolutely ridiculous” for Wray to suggest that Trump might not have been struck by a bullet.
“This degrades any level of credibility that this man may have had – after years of weaponizing the FBI and the DOJ against the president,” Jackson said. “It was absolutely a bullet, I examined it. There was a track of a bullet.”
Jackson also praised the creation of a bipartisan House task force to investigate the Trump assassination attempt.
Trump is pictured after being shot during the campaign rally. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“We don’t have any confidence in the number one law enforcement agency in this country right now. And if [Wray’s] going to come make statements like that, he better have some evidence of what he’s talking about,” Jackson said. “There was no fractured glass on the teleprompters or anything else.”
The FBI told Fox News Digital Thursday its priority was learning more about the reclusive would-be assassin, Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, and his motive.
“Since the day of the attack, the FBI has been consistent and clear that the shooting was an attempted assassination of former President Trump which resulted in his injury, as well as the death of a heroic father and the injuries of several other victims,” a spokesperson said.
“FBI Director Wray provided extensive congressional testimony on Wednesday about the FBI’s investigation. This was a heinous attack and the FBI is devoting enormous resources to learn everything possible about the shooter and what led to his act of violence.”
Fox News Digital is told the FBI’s Shooting Reconstruction Team was still examining evidence from the scene – including recovered bullet fragments.
Vermont
Bernie Sanders says Trump's 'lying' when he claims Kamala Harris is more liberal than the Vermont senator
EXCLUSIVE: WEST LEBANON, N.H. — When it comes to Sen. Bernie Sanders, former President Trump is no laughing matter.
The longtime independent senator from Vermont, progressive champion and two-time runner-up in the Democratic presidential primaries is on a two-day swing this weekend in neighboring New Hampshire as well as Maine to campaign on behalf of Vice President Kamala Harris to make sure the GOP presidential nominee doesn’t return to the White House.
“Trump cannot get elected. We’ve got to do everything we can to make sure that does not happen,” Sanders told a crowd of supporters during his first stop Friday in New Hampshire, a key swing state in presidential elections.
TRUMP MOVES TO DEFINE HARRIS AS ULTRA-LIBERAL
Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont speaks to supporters at a campaign event on behalf of Vice President Kamala Harris in West Lebanon, New Hampshire, on Friday. (Fox News – Paul Steinhauser)
But minutes earlier, Sanders briefly broke out in laughter when asked in a national exclusive interview with Fox News about comments from Trump this week arguing that Harris — who has replaced President Biden at the top of the Democrats’ 2024 national ticket — is more liberal than the Vermont senator.
Trump over the past week has worked to define Harris, a former San Francisco district attorney and California attorney general, as an ultra-liberal, pointing to her record in the U.S. Senate and as vice president.
WHITMER CHARGES VANCE HAS ‘ABSOLUTELY BETRAYED’ HIS WORKING CLASS ROOTS
Speaking to a packed arena in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Wednesday, Trump charged that Harris was the “most incompetent and far-left vice president in American history… She is a radical left lunatic who will destroy our country if she ever gets the chance to get into office.”
And mentioning Sanders, Trump argued that Harris is “more liberal than Bernie Sanders. Can you believe it?”
Former President Trump speaks at a campaign rally in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley)
Sanders, responding, said, “I would hope that when he said, ‘Can you believe that?,’ people said no.”
“It’’s not true. Once again, Trump is lying,” Sanders emphasized. “Let me just simply say that for better or for worse, Kamala Harris is not more progressive than I am.”
During his Fox News interview and later at his event, Sanders took aim at Trump, who two months ago was convicted of 34 felony counts in the first criminal trial of a former or current president in the nation’s history.
“This is the most important election, I think, in our lifetimes. I will do everything that I can to see that Donald Trump is defeated,” the senator stressed.
REPUBLICANS ARGUE HARRIS REPLACING BIDEN AT TOP OF DEMOCRATS’ TICKET ‘UNDEMOCRATIC’
Sanders argued that “the American people will not and cannot accept a president who is a pathological liar, somebody who believes that women should not be able to control their own bodies, somebody who in the midst of massive heatwaves thinks climate change is a hoax and somebody who actually does not believe in democracy, has not said that he will accept those election results if he loses. So, for all of those reasons, Trump must be defeated.”
Sanders is campaigning on behalf of Harris, but he hasn’t formally endorsed the vice president.
Vice President Kamala Harris arrives for a campaign event in Milwaukee on Tuesday. (Daniel Steinle/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“I think if the vice president is to win this election, and obviously I want her to win, I think she has to start talking about issues of relevance to the working class of this country, because there are tens of millions of people who are really hurting,” Sanders explained. “They want to know what the next president is going to do for them, and I hope very much that Vice President Harris will make that clear.”
“The path towards victory is to talk about issues that are relevant,” he reiterated.
Asked what Harris specifically needs to detail, Sanders said, “I hope that the vice president will be talking about the need to substantially lower prescription drug costs… the need to have tax reform so the wealthiest in this country start paying their fair share of taxes, so we can greatly expand child care and affordable housing in this country, and I think we’ve got to be very strong on the issue of climate change and make it clear that we’re going to transform our energy system away from fossil fuel if we’re going to save this planet for future generations.”
Sanders said that Harris’ choice of a running mate — which is expected to come in the next two weeks — will be a signal of whether she will project a progressive agenda as she runs for the White House.
“I think it will, and I hope very much she looks at one of the many progressive people who are out there who I think would do a good job as vice president,” the senator said.
Sanders was making his swing through New Hampshire and Maine less than a week after President Biden suspended his 2024 re-election rematch with Trump. Biden made his move amid mounting pressure from within the Democratic Party for him to drop out after a disastrous performance in last month’s first presidential debate with Trump.
Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont speaks to supporters at a campaign event on behalf of Vice President Kamala Harris in West Lebanon, New Hampshire on Friday. (Fox News – Paul Steinhauser)
The embattled president’s immediate backing of Harris ignited a surge of endorsements of Harris by Democratic governors, senators, House members and other party leaders. By Monday night, the vice president announced that she had locked up her party’s nomination by landing the backing of a majority of the nearly 4,000 delegates to next month’s Democratic National Convention. On Friday morning, former President Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama were among the final major party leaders to endorse the vice president.
Harris has also hauled in a staggering $129 million in fundraising since Biden’s announcement, her campaign touted on Thursday morning.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Republicans charge that the process has been anything but democratic — and they point to Biden’s own words.
Before dropping out, the president had repeatedly cited the 14 million votes he won in this year’s Democratic presidential primaries as a reason he should stay in the 2024 race.
“The voters — and the voters alone — decide the nominee of the Democratic Party,” he emphasized in a letter on July 8. “Not the press, not the pundits, not the big donors, not any selected group of individuals, no matter how well intentioned.”
Trump, at his rally in Charlotte on Wednesday, called the switch at the top of the Democrats’ national ticket “an undemocratic move.”
“These are nasty people, the Democrats,” Trump argued.
And Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas claimed in a social media post this week that “Joe Biden succumbed to a coup by Nancy Pelosi, Barack Obama, and Hollywood donors, ignoring millions of Democratic primary votes.”
But Sanders, who argued during his marathon 2016 Democratic presidential primary battle against eventual nominee Hillary Clinton that the party was working against him, doesn’t buy the GOP criticism.
“These are extraordinary times and the Democrats had to move very quickly,” Sanders said. “So I think that given the reality that Biden dropped out and having a Democratic convention coming, I think what happened is she announced her candidacy, she rallied the support she needs, and I think that’s fine.”
Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
Trump's former doctor gives health update, calls out Wray as FBI affirms bullet struck former president
EG's RIM Best of Rhode Island Winners
SC grocery stores respond to Boars Head listeria outbreak, close delis
Gov. Noem requests presidential disaster declaration for June flooding in South Dakota
Don't miss out! Tax-free weekend begins in Tennessee – WBBJ TV
See it: Tesla crashes into Columbus convention center at 70 mph
Fox News Politics: Georgia the whole day through
Colorado Rockies game no. 116 thread: Zac Gallen vs José Ureña
Death of missing Oregon girl found in stream ruled homicide
At least 2 dead as tornadoes hit Alabama, damage homes across Southeast
Park Police union says officers ‘did everything they could’ during DC anti-Israel riot
Passengers face long, uncertain wait at stations amid rail disruption
Boar's Head recalls 200,000 pounds of deli meat linked to a Listeria outbreak
Texas sues Biden administration over program giving birth control to teens without parents' knowledge
South Africa police say 95 Libyans detained at suspected military camp
-
World1 week agoOne dead after car crashes into restaurant in Paris
-
Midwest1 week agoMichigan rep posts video response to Stephen Colbert's joke about his RNC speech: 'Touché'
-
News1 week agoVideo: Young Republicans on Why Their Party Isn’t Reaching Gen Z (And What They Can Do About It)
-
News1 week agoIn Milwaukee, Black Voters Struggle to Find a Home With Either Party
-
Politics1 week agoFox News Politics: The Call is Coming from Inside the House
-
Movie Reviews1 week agoMovie Review: A new generation drives into the storm in rousing ‘Twisters’
-
News1 week agoVideo: J.D. Vance Accepts Vice-Presidential Nomination
-
World1 week agoTrump to take RNC stage for first speech since assassination attempt