Connect with us

Southeast

Florida Supreme Court backs Ron DeSantis on removal of Soros-backed prosecutor

Published

on

Florida Supreme Court backs Ron DeSantis on removal of Soros-backed prosecutor

The Florida Supreme Court ruled in favor of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ decision to remove a Soros-backed prosecutor on Thursday.

DeSantis had suspended State Attorney Monique Worrel in August 2023, accusing her of “dereliction of duty” when it comes to crime. Worrel sued for reinstatement, arguing her removal was an “arbitrary, unsubstantiated exercise of the suspension power.” Thursday’s 6-1 ruling shut down her plans.

“We cannot agree with Worrel that the allegations in the Executive Order are impermissibly vague, nor that they address conduct that falls within the lawful exercise of prosecutorial discretion,” the opinion read.

“We have said that a suspension order does not infringe on a state attorney’s lawful exercise of prosecutorial discretion where it alleges that such discretion is, in fact, not being exercised in individual cases but, rather, that generalized policies have resulted in categorical enforcement practices,” the majority opinion reads.

FLORIDA EDUCATION COMMISSIONER SAYS STATES NEED TO BE MORE ‘AGGRESSIVE’ WITH POLICY, GO BACK TO BASICS

Advertisement

The Florida Supreme Court ruled in favor of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ decision to remove a Soros-backed state attorney. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

DeSantis touted Worrel’s removal in a press conference last year as he was running for president.

RON DESANTIS SHAKES UP LIBERAL UNIVERSITY, APPOINTS SIX MEMBERS TO THE NEW COLLEGE OF FLORIDA

“The practices and policies of her office have allowed murderers, other violent offenders, and dangerous drug traffickers to receive extremely reduced sentences and escape the full consequences of their criminal conduct. In some cases, these offenders have evaded incarceration altogether,” DeSantis said at the time.

Split image of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and State Attorney Monique Worrell

DeSantis accused Worrel of dereliction of duty, pointing to her refusal to impose mandatory minimums and other consequences for criminals. (Getty Images)

State Attorney Worrel’s practices undermine Florida law and endanger the safety, security, and welfare of the communities that Ms. Worrell was elected to serve,” he added.

Advertisement

Worrel had enjoyed support during her 2020 campaign from Our Vote Our Voice, an organization that received $1 million from the George Soros-backed group Democracy Now, the Orlando Sentinel reported. Our Vote Our Voice spent $1.5 million in support of Worrel, according to the Sentinel.

Worrel was the second Florida prosecutor to face DeSantis’ wrath. He also suspended Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren in August 2022 for refusing to enforce the state’s abortion ban. That decision was upheld in federal court.

DeSantis speech

DeSantis has so far suspended two Soros-backed prosecutors in Florida.

CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Thursday’s ruling comes weeks after a federal judge blocked part of DeSantis’ illegal immigration bill from taking effect. The law, which DeSantis signed in 2023, in part amends human smuggling statutes to make it a felony to bring individuals without lawful immigration status into Florida. 

U.S. District Judge Roy Altman issued a temporary injunction against that provision and in his decision cited testimony from plaintiffs that they were “now too afraid to travel in and out of Florida with their undocumented friends or family members – for fear of being arrested or prosecuted or of having their family members deported.”

Advertisement

Read the full article from Here

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Southeast

South Carolina pastor arrested after confrontation with protesters over wife’s death

Published

on

South Carolina pastor arrested after confrontation with protesters over wife’s death

This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

John-Paul Miller, a South Carolina pastor, was arrested Wednesday evening on charges of assault and battery, months after controversy surrounding his late wife Mica Miller’s suicide put his name in the spotlight.

Miller, 45, was released on $776 bond on Thursday in Horry County for the third-degree assault and battery charge, according to county records.

His arrest comes after a reported confrontation with protesters outside his local church, Solid Rock at Common Market, on Wednesday. His attorney, Russell Long, could not be immediately reached, but his office told Fox News Digital he does not have any comment on his wife’s case.

Miller’s name was back in the news on Nov. 1, when the FBI confirmed to Fox News that they conducted an authorized search at Miller’s home in Myrtle Beach that Friday. It is unclear exactly what agents recovered from his home.

Advertisement

MICA MILLER 911 CALL REVEALS FINAL MOMENTS BEFORE HER DEATH AS NC AUTHORITIES CHALLENGE ‘CONSPIRACY THEORIES’

Mica Miller died by suicide in April. The 30-year-old woman was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in North Carolina’s Lumber River State Park, the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office previously confirmed. She had purchased a handgun on the same day she died.

The case received national attention as court documents highlighted the couple’s contentious relationship and Mica’s sisters demanded justice for her death on social media.

Mica had filed for divorce two days before she died, according to FOX 8 Greensboro.

Advertisement

MICA MILLER CASE: FBI CONDUCTS SEARCH OF SOUTH CAROLINA PASTOR HUSBAND’S HOME

John-Paul Miller and Mica Miller

The Horry County Clerk’s Office in South Carolina confirmed to Fox News Digital that Mica Miller had filed three different “separate support and maintenance” requests since last year — the latest filed on April 16. (Facebook)

The Millers’ friend, Alicia Young, told Fox News Digital that at least 25 FBI agents were at John-Paul’s home for five hours collecting evidence. The evidence collection included removing fingerprints off the doors.

Young said that John-Paul had left the residence just two minutes prior to FBI agents arriving “and they found and served him at Starbucks.”

SC PASTOR’S WIFE MICA MILLER TOLD POLICE SHE WAS BEING TRACKED BEFORE HER SUICIDE: DOCS

Mica Miller of Myrtle Beach

The Robeson County Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina is reportedly investigating the April 27 death of 30-year-old Mica Miller of Myrtle Beach. (Facebook)

“He was not allowed to go to his house while they were there, and he is in their custody for questioning,” she said.

Advertisement

John-Paul has not been charged with any kind of crime related to his wife’s death, and the Robseon County Sheriff’s Office said at the conclusion of their investigation that John-Paul had an alibi the day Mica died.

Mica Miller on a beach at sunset

Mica’s friends and family have been sharing posts on social media with the hashtag, “JusticeforMica.” (Facebook)

“Investigators learned through interviews that John Paul Miller was at an athletic event in Charleston on the day of Mica Miller’s death. John Miller’s vehicle was observed traveling on Hwy 17 Bypass, in Horry County at 2:22 pm on April 27, 2024,” the sheriff’s office said in a press release. “The investigation confirmed that John Miller was accompanied while traveling to and from the event in Charleston, SC.”

CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The Solid Rock Ministries website has been deleted, and John-Paul appears to be working on moving the church’s location, according to FOX 8.

Fox News Digital’s Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report.

Advertisement

Read the full article from Here

Continue Reading

Southeast

Fox News Voter Analysis: How Trump regained the White House

Published

on

Fox News Voter Analysis: How Trump regained the White House

After a bitterly contested presidential campaign full of unprecedented twists and turns, voters returned Donald Trump to the White House after four years out of power. In an election where voters across the country wanted change, they chose Trump’s outsider appeal over Kamala Harris’ promise to “turn the page” on the Trump era.

Trump’s victory was powered by his strength on the economy and immigration – two of voters’ top concerns. He was seen as a stronger leader than Harris in a time of turmoil, and voters remembered his presidency more fondly than their evaluations of the current administration. Trump ran up the score with his base while narrowing traditional Democratic advantages among Black, Hispanic, and young voters.

Harris came close in her bid to become the first woman elected to the presidency but was unable to make enough gains in the ideological middle of the electorate to offset defections among groups that traditionally vote Democratic.

CHECK OUT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POWER RANKINGS IN THE 2024 ELECTION

Preliminary data from the Fox News Voter Analysis, a survey of more than 110,000 voters nationwide, highlights the campaign’s key dynamics.

Advertisement

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives at an election night watch party at the Palm Beach Convention Center on Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Evan Vucci/AP)

Voters headed to the polls believing the country was on the wrong track (70%, up from 60% who felt that way four years ago) and seeking something different: most wanted a change in how the country is run, with roughly a quarter seeking complete and total upheaval.

Those seeking complete change in the country’s affairs voted for the former president by a wide margin.

Voters’ frustrations with Joe Biden’s administration were a drag on Harris’ candidacy, as nearly 6 in 10 disapproved of the job Biden has done.

Voters had rosier recollections of Trump’s time in office, with half approving of the job he did as president. Four years ago, 47% approved of the job Trump had done.

Advertisement

This desire for change was coupled with split views on the role of government. Slightly more than half felt the government should be doing more to solve the country’s problems, a modest decline from 2020 (57%). Some 45% felt the government was doing too many things better left to the private sector.

Profile of the Vote

The nation’s deep divides – by gender, education, and area of residence – were on vivid display. Men backed Trump by 10 points, while women went for Harris by 8 points. The 18-point gender gap was a touch wider than 2020 (17 points).

In 2020, Trump won men by 5 points and Biden won women by 12.

This divide was readily apparent in views of societal gains for women. Some 4 in 10 Trump supporters (43%) were concerned that society’s focus on gains for women had come at the expense of men; just 14% of Harris felt that way. Overall, 29% were concerned.

Voters without a college degree went for Trump by 12 points; college-educated voters went for Harris by 15 points. Harris’ showing among college-educated voters was 1 point worse than Biden’s 2020 showing among college-educated voters, while Trump bettered his 2020 numbers among noncollege voters by 4 points.

Advertisement
Voters headed to the polls believing the country was on the wrong track

Voters headed to the polls believing the country was on the wrong track (70%, up from 60% who felt that way four years ago) and seeking something different: most wanted a change in how the country is run, with roughly a quarter seeking complete and total upheaval. (Fox News)

Trump had a particular advantage among White voters without a degree (+29 points), thanks in large part to his 38-point edge among noncollege White men.

Harris won college-educated Whites by 8 points and college-educated White women by 16 points – both in the ballpark of Biden’s 2020 margins (+7 points and +21 points, respectively).

Overall, White voters backed Trump by 12 points, exactly the same as his 12-point advantage in 2020.

Trump ran up the score in rural areas (+26 points, up from a 22-point edge in 2020), while Harris ran slightly behind Biden’s 2020 numbers in urban areas (+28 points, compared to Biden +33).

Suburban voters backed Harris by 6 points, less than Biden’s 10-point margin four years ago. Suburban women, a major source of strength for Biden (+19 points), went heavily for Harris (+16 points) – but she lost ground among suburban men (Trump +5 points, compared to +1 for Biden).

Advertisement

While the election was, in part, about the deep divides in American society, Trump’s success in attracting traditional Democratic constituencies was also a defining feature. He improved on his 2020 numbers among Hispanics (41%, +6 points), Black voters (15%, +7 points from 2020), and young voters (46%, +10 points).

FOX NEWS PROJECTS DONALD TRUMP DEFEATS KAMALA HARRIS TO BECOME 47TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

These rightward shifts were particularly notable among Hispanic men (+8 points), Black men (+12 points from 2020), and men under 30 (+14 points).

Seniors, who backed Trump by 3 points in 2020, were once again in the former president’s column.

Trump won Catholics by 9 points and Protestants by 22 points, while Harris held the edge among Jewish voters (+34 points), Muslims (+32 points), and the religiously unaffiliated (+40 points).

Advertisement

White Catholics favored Trump by 20 points, while White evangelical Christians broke for Trump by a massive 59-point margin.

Voters similarly divided along lines of religious attendance: Trump won those who regularly attend services (of any denomination) by 22 points; Harris won those who infrequently or never attend by 13 points.

The vice president won union households (+12 points, down from Biden’s 14-point edge in 2020). As he did in 2020, Trump had an advantage among military households (+13 points) and gun owner households (+26 points).

Overall, Trump’s strongest support came from White evangelicals, rural voters, Whites without a college degree, conservatives, and men.

Trump’s strongest support came from White evangelicals, rural voters, Whites without a college degree, conservatives and men.

Overall, Trump’s strongest support came from White evangelicals, rural voters, Whites without a college degree, conservatives and men. (Fox News)

Harris’ best groups included college-educated women, Black voters, liberals, and urban voters.

Advertisement

That each candidate successfully appealed to their base is hardly surprising in a hyper-partisan political environment. Most Democrats (95%) backed Harris; slightly fewer Republicans (92%) backed Trump.

Nearly three-quarters of Republicans (73%) considered themselves part of the MAGA movement. And while the Harris campaign touted endorsements from prominent Republicans, she was unable to convince enough non-MAGA Republicans to cross the aisle.

Just 7% of voters self-identified as true independents, meaning they do not lean toward one party or another. Harris had a 7-point advantage with this pivotal swing group, a decline from Biden’s 15-point edge in 2020.

Harris was able to appeal to political moderates (+17 points), though once again to a lesser degree than Biden (+26 points in 2020).

Most voters (89%) were locked into their choice of candidate for months, while the small number of late deciders split evenly.

Advertisement

Views of the Candidates

In a time of domestic discord and international conflict, Trump was able to project significant strength of character. A majority saw him as a strong leader; fewer felt that way about Harris.

Voters also believed Trump would capably handle a crisis (54-48%) and had the right policy ideas (52%-47%).

Harris had advantages on personal character (53% vs 43% for Trump), honesty (47%-41%), and having the mental capacity to serve as president (57%-52%). Equal numbers thought each would look out for people like them (48%-48%).

But in an election where voters wanted change, slightly more thought Trump would bring positive change (51%-48%).

Trump’s voters were largely motivated by support for the former president (79%) rather than a vote against Harris (21%). Two-thirds of the vice president’s supporters (66%) described their vote as for her; 34% as against Trump.

Advertisement

On balance, voters had slightly more favorable views of Harris (48% favorable, 50% unfavorable) as a person than Trump (47% favorable, 51% unfavorable). The same was true at the vice-presidential level: views of Tim Walz (43% favorable, 42% unfavorable) were marginally better than opinions of JD Vance (43% favorable, 45% unfavorable). Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who ended his third-party presidential bid and endorsed Trump in August, was just a touch less popular than the two running mates (42% favorable, 43% unfavorable).

Harris’ best groups included college-educated women, Black voters, liberals and urban voters.

Harris’ best groups included college-educated women, Black voters, liberals and urban voters. (Fox News)

Although he won, Trump was unable to fully rehabilitate his image during his time out of office: four years ago, his favorable rating was under water by 7 points (46% favorable vs. 53% unfavorable).

The spotlight was less kind to Biden, whose sharply negative favorability rating (40% favorable, 58% unfavorable) slipped significantly from four years ago (50% favorable, 48% unfavorable).

Views of the candidates were shaped over the course of a condensed campaign marked by a string of earthshaking events: the criminal cases against Donald Trump, two assassination attempts against the former president, Biden withdrawing from the race after the first debate, and Harris attempting to be the first woman elected to the presidency.

Relatively few voters (13%) said the possibility of electing the first woman president was the most important factor to their vote. Harris won these voters by a wide margin – but a third backed Trump to deny Harris the chance to be the first female commander-in-chief.

Advertisement

The image of a bloodied and defiant Trump after the shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania, clearly galvanized his supporters, as 16% said the attempts were the most important factor to their vote, and they overwhelmingly backed Trump.

Voters had a net-positive view of the Secret Service (52% approve, 46% disapprove), though 62% of Trump voters disapproved of the job the organization is doing.

Opinions of the Supreme Court (50% approve, 49% disapprove) were evenly divided, while two-thirds disapproved of Congress (31% approve, 68% disapprove).

Views on the Issues

As voters headed to the polls, they said the economy was far and away the top issue facing the country, followed distantly by immigration and abortion.

Four in 10 voters (40%) said inflation was the single most important factor to their vote, and they backed Trump by almost two-to-one.

Advertisement

Harris countered Trump’s advantages on inflation and immigration by winning the 26% who focused primarily on abortion by 41 points and the 50% who prioritized the future of American democracy by 27 points.

Nearly one-third (31%) said freedom of speech was most important to their vote, and they went somewhat more narrowly for Trump (+8 points).

As voters headed to the polls, they said the economy was far and away the top issue facing the country, followed distantly by immigration and abortion.

As voters headed to the polls, they said the economy was far and away the top issue facing the country, followed distantly by immigration and abortion. (Fox News)

Voters had a negative view of the economy: nearly two-thirds rated it as not good (40%) or downright poor (24%). Four years ago, in the depths of a coronavirus-induced recession, only 14% said economic conditions were poor.

In a sign of inflation’s economic toll, nearly three times as many voters said they were falling behind financially as said they were getting ahead. In 2020, 13% said they were getting ahead and 18% were falling behind, with the majority (69%) holding steady.

Those who said they were getting ahead went for Harris by 42 points and those holding steady backed her by a narrower 6-point spread, while those falling behind went for Trump by 29 points.

Advertisement

Nearly all voters were concerned about being able to afford food (91%, including 67% very concerned), and most were worried about paying for health care (84%, 54% very concerned), housing (79%, 51% very), and gas (79%, 48% very).

Voters preferred Trump to Harris by 9 points on handling the economy and by 5 points on taxes.

Despite preferring Trump on the economy, voters split on his signature economic policy, increasing tariffs on goods imported to the United States.

Trump’s advantage on immigration was larger than his edge on the economy, as voters preferred him on the issue by 15 points.

Over the course of the campaign, Trump promised “the largest domestic deportation operation in American history” – and succeeded in changing voters’ minds on the issue. Four years ago, 70% believed undocumented immigrants should be offered the chance to apply for legal status, while 29% felt they should be deported. Voters’ views this year were markedly different.

Advertisement

Relatedly, two-thirds favored limiting the number of immigrants allowed to apply for asylum – a policy adopted by both the Trump and Biden administrations, but more closely associated with Trump.

Voters also thought Trump would do a better job handling crime than Harris by 9 points.

Harris’ advantages on climate change (voters preferred her to Trump by 18 points) and abortion (Harris +18 points) outpaced Trump’s edge on immigration and crime.

All told, nearly two-thirds (63%) said abortion should be legal in all or most cases, up from the 59% who felt that way four years ago, before the repeal of Roe v. Wade.

The balance was closer, however, when voters considered a ban after 15 weeks: 46% in favor, 53% opposed.

Advertisement
inflation’s economic toll,

In a sign of inflation’s economic toll, nearly three times as many voters said they were falling behind financially as said they were getting ahead. In 2020, 13% said they were getting ahead and 18% were falling behind, with the majority (69%) holding steady. (Fox News)

A slim majority opposed banning gender-affirming medical treatments for minors who identify as transgender. The Trump campaign spent millions of advertising dollars highlighting Harris’ past support of gender-affirming care for the incarcerated.

Even if they did not agree with her on transgender health care, voters saw Harris as better able to handle health care more broadly (by 8 points) and largely envisioned a more active government role. Majorities felt the government should be more involved in lowering the price of prescription medication (75%), eliminating medical debt (58%), and ensuring individuals have health insurance coverage (58%).

Slightly fewer, 50%, said the government should be more involved in ensuring children are vaccinated against common preventable diseases, but just 22% wanted the government less involved in vaccinations.

A week before the election, Harris used a speech at the Ellipse in Washington – the site of the Jan. 6, 2021, Trump rally that preceded the violent events at the Capitol – to cast Trump as a threat to American democracy.

A 55% majority was concerned Trump would move the country closer to authoritarian rule, while less than half (46%) felt Harris posed a similar threat.

Advertisement

Even so, majorities felt each candidate’s views were too extreme.

Voters split over how much responsibility Trump bore for the violence at the United States Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Harris won those who felt Trump had a great deal of responsibility by 86 points, while Trump won those who felt he was not to blame at all by 91 points. The group in the middle – who felt he was somewhat responsible for the violence – went for Trump by 40 points.

In general, slightly more voters felt the way Republicans talk about politics leads to violence (56%) than felt the same about Democrats (50%).

Despite unsubstantiated allegations of fraud in the 2020 election results and Trump raising similar concerns about the 2024 contest, three-quarters of voters (75%) were confident votes would be counted accurately at the national level, and even more were confident in their state’s ability to properly count the vote.

Advertisement

While 31% lacked confidence that ineligible voters would be prohibited from voting, that was down from 35% who felt that way four years ago. Few (9%) worried that eligible voters would be prevented from casting ballots.

Overall, 89% felt both candidates were obligated to accept the results of the election once all the votes were counted and the inevitable legal challenges were resolved. The vast majority of Harris voters (95%) and Trump voters (82%) felt there was an obligation to accept the results.

Trump countered Harris’ closing argument by suggesting Harris was too weak and untested to respond effectively in a crisis. Three-quarters thought Harris had been tested, and these voters felt she had delivered negative results by a 5-point margin. Most voters felt Trump had been tested, and slightly more felt he had delivered positive results than negative ones.

The ongoing violence in the Middle East served to reinforce Trump’s argument about leadership in a crisis, as voters believed he would do a better job handling the situation.

Voters favored continuing aid to Israel to fight Hamas and Hezbollah by 9 points, while favoring continued aid to Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression by 11 points.

Advertisement

There was a marked shift in voters’ views of America’s role in the world. Just 20% wanted the country to take a more active role in solving the world’s problems, down from 37% who felt that way four years ago. Roughly equal numbers said the current approach was about right (38%) or preferred a less active role (40%).

States

Georgia – Trump

Georgia swung back to the Republican column after Biden eked out a win by the slimmest of margins in 2020. With the margins so narrow, the smallest shifts from 2020 would have been enough to flip the state to Trump. Instead, he got substantial movement among constituencies Democrats were counting on to keep the state blue.

Harris won women by 5 points, down from Biden’s 10-point advantage in 2020. She won voters under age 30 by 9 points, down from +19 for Biden. There was a similar shift among Black voters, who form the backbone of Democratic support in the Peach State: from Biden +86 points to Harris +71 points.

The shift among Black men was particularly consequential, as they went for Harris by just 51 points after breaking for Biden by 76 points four years ago.

Harris was counting on a strong performance in the suburbs to offset Trump’s strength (+31 points) with rural voters, but here again she came up well short of Biden’s mark: winning by just 3 points, a far cry from Biden’s 12-point win.

Advertisement

Trump was dominant with White voters without a college degree (78%) and White evangelical Christians (82%).

Trump appealed to voters across the state on economic grounds and found a ready audience, as huge numbers said they were concerned about paying for necessities like food (93%), health care (87%), gas (84%), and housing (83%).

Georgia voters trusted Trump over Harris on the economy by 8 points.

Voters preferred Harris by a wider margin (19 points) on abortion. Harris highlighted the case of Amber Thurman, the Georgia mother who died waiting for care after complications from an abortion pill, as an example of the harms of abortion bans.

Trump, on the other hand, shone a spotlight on Laken Riley, a nursing student allegedly killed by an illegal immigrant while jogging in February. His message on immigration proved compelling, as voters favored him on the issue by 17 points.

Advertisement

Overall, 54% would prefer illegal immigrants be deported, a substantial increase from the 32% who felt that way in 2020. Less than half (44%) said undocumented immigrants should be given the chance to apply for legal status.

Georgia was a focal point for controversy after the 2020 election, but 8 in 10 voters were confident this year’s votes would be counted accurately.

North Carolina – Trump

Trump triumphed once again in North Carolina, as Republicans have now won 10 of the last 11 presidential elections in the state. Barack Obama’s narrow win in 2008 was the only Democratic victory since Jimmy Carter’s presidency.

Trump posted similar results to 2020 among White voters without a college degree (74%, vs 69% four years ago), rural voters (63%, up 3 points from 2020), and White evangelical Christians (87%, up 1 point from 2020).

That alone might have been a winning formula – but shifts among Black voters and voters under age 30 pushed Trump over the top.

Advertisement

Overall, young voters backed Harris by just 8 points after going for Biden by 16 points four years ago. The shift was entirely powered by young men, who backed the former president by 16 points. Women under 30 went for Harris by 25 points.

The story was similar among Black voters: Black women were nearly universal in their support for Harris (93%), while 19% of Black men backed Trump, up from 6% in 2020.

Overall, 88% of Black voters picked Harris, down substantially from Biden’s 94%.

Harris won political moderates, a group that voted for Biden by 26 points, by just 16 points. She had hoped to run up the margins in the suburbs, but Trump more than held his own with 44% of the vote, up from 43% in 2020.

Just 12% of North Carolina voters said they were getting ahead financially, while almost three times as many (31%) said they were falling behind – and these voters broke heavily for Trump.

Advertisement

Some 42% cited the economy as the top issue facing the country. Harris kept the race close by nearly battling Trump to a draw on who could better handle the economy. Overall, voters trusted him over her by 5 points.

Still, the 41% of voters who said inflation was the most important factor to their vote broke for Trump by 31 points, 65%-34%.

In the governor’s race, Republican Mark Robinson faced allegations of discriminatory remarks and inappropriate online behavior. The scandals did not help Republicans retake the governorship, which Democrats have now won in 8 of the last 9 elections.

A majority (56%) held unfavorable opinions of Robinson, while more than half (52%) viewed Democrat Josh Stein favorably.

Trump endorsed Robinson, but a majority of voters said the endorsement did not affect their view of the former president.

Advertisement

Pennsylvania

In 2020, Biden declared victory after Pennsylvania was finally called for him nearly four days after the election. This time it is back in Trump’s column, though only barely – a continuation of the state’s see-saw between the parties after Trump’s less-than-one-point victory in 2016, and Biden’s similarly narrow margin four years later.

Trump pulled it off a bit more comfortably, with big wins among some of his mainstay groups: rural voters (63%), White voters without a college degree (62%) and men (55%).

Those margins, combined with improvements among some traditionally Democratic groups, were enough to flip the state red once again.

As he did elsewhere across the country, Trump made notable gains among young voters and Black voters in Pennsylvania, driven almost entirely by improvements among men. He won 23% of Black men, a 17-point bump for him from 2020.

Black voters in Pennsylvania

Trump won 23% of Black men, up 17 points from 2020. (Fox News)

He won men under age 30 outright after losing them by 13 points four years ago.

Advertisement
Trump won men under age 30

Trump won men under age 30 outright after losing them substantially four years ago. (Fox News)

He also won 47% of the suburban vote, compared to 44% in 2020. His improvement in the suburbs was fueled by suburban men, a group he won outright after getting 47% of their vote in 2020.

trump-suburban-voters

Trump won 47% of the suburban vote, fueled by suburban men, a group he won outright after getting 47% of their vote in 2020. (Fox News)

Harris ran strong among women, college-educated voters and suburban women. She campaigned in the state with Republican Liz Cheney in an attempt to reach anti-Trump and moderate Republicans, but managed to pull in only 7% of Republican voters overall – less than the 9% Biden received in 2020. She got 59% among moderates – enough to keep the election close but not enough to put her over the finish line.

trump harris moderates

Harris got 59% among moderates – not enough for her to carry the state overall. (Fox News)

The economy ranked as the top concern for Pennsylvania voters, and more trusted Trump on the issue than Harris by 8 points. Just over 4 in 10 said inflation was the most important factor to their vote – those voters went for Trump by 37 points. And, only 11% said they were getting ahead financially, compared to the 32% who said they were falling behind. Twice as many of those voters went for Trump as chose Harris.

Trump’s support for fracking, an important industry in the state (and an issue on which Harris shifted positions), also had an impact: 63% of Pennsylvania voters wanted to see more of it in the state, and they broke for Trump by 37 points.

Immigration is another issue where Trump’s message appeared to sway voters. Nearly half (45%) said they would prefer to see illegal immigrants deported rather than given a chance for legal status, up from 31% who felt that way in 2020. Some 27% said immigration was key to their vote, and voters gave Trump a double-digit advantage on the issue.

Advertisement

A majority of voters (53%) held a favorable view of Gov. Josh Shapiro, more than viewed Harris (47%) or Trump (48% favorably). Whether Shapiro, who was under consideration for Harris’ vice president, could have helped her carry the state if he would have been on the ticket is one of the major unanswered questions of this election.

Wisconsin

In 2016, Trump was the first Republican to win Wisconsin’s presidential vote since Ronald Reagan in 1984, and he did so by the narrowest of margins (less than 1 percentage point). He lost by a similarly miniscule margin in 2020 but managed flip the script this time around.

Across the country, Trump’s winning formula involved holding on to his base and making significant inroads with young men, Black men and Hispanics. Wisconsin was somewhat different: It was a remarkably close race driven by small shifts in support rather than big swings among traditional Democratic constituencies.

Trump did well among his base of conservatives (89%, +1 point from 2020), White evangelicals (75%, -3 points), rural voters (58%, +1 point) and those without a college degree (55%, +2). 

He got 48% among men under age 30, up just a touch from his 45% mark four years ago. He lost ground among non-White men (37%, compared to 42% in 2020).

Advertisement

But, the smallest improvements loom large when the statewide margins are so slim – and even more so when those improvements are among very large groups. Trump gained 2 points among men and 1 point among Whites, and that made all the difference.

wisconsin-voters-trump-harris

Trump gained 2 points among men compared to 2020. (Fox News)

He was also able to keep it close in the suburbs, which Harris needed to offset his strength in rural areas. Biden won the suburbs by 4 points in 2020; the margin was 5 points this year.

trump-wisconsin-voters-suburban

Biden won the suburbs by 4 points in 2020; Harris’ margin was 5 points this year. (Fox News)

Trump also managed to increase his vote share among moderates (41%, compared to 34% in 2020) by just enough.

trump-wisconsin-moderates

Trump upped his vote share among moderates by just enough. (Fox News)

Issues on the minds of suburban voters also played to Trump’s advantage. Immigration was the second-most important issue to Wisconsin voters, and he carried those who said immigration was the most important factor to their vote by 71 points.

wisconsin-trump-harris-voters-border

Immigration was the second-most important issue to Wisconsin voters, and he carried those who said immigration was the most important factor to their vote by a huge margin. (Fox News)

He was also seen as better equipped to handle the issue: 55%, compared to 34% for Harris. 

Advertisement

Trump also won the law-and-order vote: 37% said they were very concerned about crime in their own communities, voters thought Trump was better on crime than Harris by 14 points, and those highly concerned about crime went for the former president by 30 points.

Transgender issues, including gender surgeries for inmates and transgender people participating in women’s sports, also became an issue during the campaign. Over half of Wisconsin voters (55%) said they thought support for transgender rights has gone too far.

Abortion rights were a major emphasis of Harris’ campaign, and she led Trump by a wide margin among voters who said it was their number-one issue (+48 points) and those who believed abortion should be legal (46%). Harris was also seen as better able to handle abortion policy by 23 points. 

Overall, Harris did well with women (53%), particularly with college-educated women (65%). 

In the end, it came down to the economy: it was the top issue for voters overall (40%), 31% said they were falling behind financially, and 64% felt the national economy was in bad shape. Nearly 4 in 10 said inflation was the most important factor to their vote, and they went for Trump by 39 points.

Advertisement

In the Senate race, the Badger State’s tendency toward ticket-splitting helped pull incumbent Democrat Tammy Baldwin over the finish line. In her 2018 race, about 10 percent of voters who backed the Republican candidate for governor also voted for Baldwin. The effect was much more muted this time around – only 4% of Trump voters backed her for the Senate – but it was just enough to tip a tight race her way.

Michigan

Michigan is back in Trump’s column after Biden carried the state by less than three percentage points in 2020. 

Trump did so by garnering large margins among men (55%), rural voters (59%) and White voters without a college degree (61% points). But, like he did in many of the swing states, he also managed to make inroads among some traditionally Democratic groups, which helped swing the state back his way.

He won 11% of Black voters, up from 6% in 2020. He was particularly successful in appealing to Black men.

Voters under age 30 split evenly, as Trump improved on his 2020 performance among young men (+13 points) and young women (+14 points). 

Advertisement

He also managed to boost his share of the suburban vote. He didn’t carry the suburbs – Harris did by 4 points – but he did better among these voters by 3 points compared to 2020, which helped him pull off the win. He won 62% of the Catholic vote, an improvement from the 55% support he got among this quintessential Rust Belt group four years ago.

Harris did well among Black women, urban voters, suburban women and college-educated voters. She also ran strong among those for whom abortion was a major issue, including those who said abortion should be legal (+36 points) and who said the issue was the most important factor to their vote (+51 points). 

But, the economy was the top issue for Michigan voters, and voters felt Trump would handle it better by a 10-point margin.

The situation in the Middle East was also a major issue for Michigan voters; the state has a large Muslim population. Overall, the 11% who said the Middle East was the most important factor to their vote went for Trump by 25 points.

Trump also did well among those who preferred expanding domestic production of oil and gas rather than alternative energy sources. Before the election, some Michigan autoworkers raised concerns about Harris’ electric vehicle policy, saying it was costing jobs in the state.

Advertisement

In the end, it may have been impossible for the incumbent party to pull off a win when so many voters felt the country was on the wrong track – including some 70% of Michiganders. Those voters backed Trump by 38 points. Biden did not do Harris any favors, as only 41% of Michigan voters approved of the job he has done.

In the Senate race to replace 24-year incumbent Debbie Stabenow, Rep. Elissa Slotkin, a fellow Democrat, pulled off a narrow win against Republican Mike Rogers. Voters did not quite warm up to Rogers: 44% viewed him favorably, compared to 47% favorable for Slotkin.

Methodology

The Fox News Voter Analysis is a survey of more than 110,000 voters and 18,000 nonvoters nationwide. It includes more than 4,000 interviews with voters in Arizona; 4,000 in Georgia; 3,700 in Michigan; 3,600 in Nevada; 3,600 in North Carolina; 4,000 in Pennsylvania; and 3,900 in Wisconsin. The survey was conducted from Oct. 28 through Nov. 5. Full methodological details are available here.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Read the full article from Here

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Southeast

'Human punch-line' Tim Kaine mocked for 'SNL' cameo by GOP Senate challenger amid equal-time rule outrage

Published

on

'Human punch-line' Tim Kaine mocked for 'SNL' cameo by GOP Senate challenger amid equal-time rule outrage

Virginia Republican Senate candidate Hung Cao mocked his Democratic opponent, incumbent Sen. Tim Kaine, for appearing on “Saturday Night Live” amid outrage that NBC appeared to violate a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) equal-time rule for featuring both Kaine and Vice President Kamala Harris on the comedy show without showcasing their political opponents. 

“Many of my supporters are saying I should sue NBC for giving free airtime to my opponent Tim Kaine right before my election. I disagree,” Cao said in a statement posted to his social media. 

“I was barnstorming 12 towns and cities across Virginia yesterday talking about how we’re going to secure our border & lower prices, while Tim was being a human punch-line in New York City.”

Social media erupted on Saturday as news spread that Harris’ planned flight to Detroit for a campaign event was diverted to New York City, as speculation mounted the Democratic nominee would make a surprise appearance on “SNL.” Harris, as well as Kaine, did appear on the comedy show, sparking outrage from Trump supporters, as well as a commissioner on the FCC, who said NBC appeared to violate the agency’s equal-time rule for hosting the political candidates in the final episode of “SNL” before Election Day. 

FCC COMMISSIONER RIPS NBC OVER HARRIS’ LAST-MINUTE SNL APPEARANCE: ‘PLAINLY DESIGNED TO EVADE’ THE RULES

Advertisement

Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine on “Saturday Night Live” and Republican Senate candidate from Virginia Hung Cao (Getty Images)

The equal-time rule, established in 1934, requires radio and television broadcast stations to provide the same amount of time for competing political candidates. There are exceptions to the rule, such as newscasts, documentaries and political debates.

“This has all the appearances of, at least some leadership at NBC, at ‘SNL,’ making clear that they wanted to weigh in in favor of one candidate before the election. That’s exactly why, for decades, we’ve had an equal-time rule on the book, is to prevent that. Because remember, broadcasters are placed in a special position of trust. They’re not just like any other person with a soapbox on the corner. They have a license from the federal government that obligates them to operate in the public interest,” Republican FCC commissioner Brendan Carr told Fox News Digital in a Zoom interview Sunday morning. 

TRUMP, HARRIS CAMPAIGNS MAKE FINAL PLAYS AS NATION SITS BARELY ONE DAY FROM ELECTION DAY

Carr said Cao, former President Trump, Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein, and even Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – who is still on the ballot in some states after dropping out of the presidential and endorsing Trump – are likely eligible to receive the same amount of time on “SNL” as their respective challengers this election cycle. 

Advertisement
Sen. Kaine on SNL set after Nov. 2, 2024 show

Sen. Tim Kaine joins the cast of “Saturday Night Live” at the end of the program on Nov. 2, 2024. (Will Heath/NBC via Getty Images)

“Later on in the program, Sen. Kaine here in Virginia, where I am, appeared on the program, and he’s up for election on Tuesday as well. There’s an opposing campaign, the Hung Cao campaign, they may also have a right now to comparable time in programming,” he told Fox News Digital on Sunday. 

KAMALA HARRIS APPEARS ON ‘SNL’ IN FINAL EPISODE BEFORE ELECTION

Sen. Tim Kaine on SNL sketch

The “What’s That Name: Election Edition” sketch featuring Sen. Tim Kaine on “Saturday Night Live,” Nov. 2, 2024. (Will Heath/NBC via Getty Images)

Kaine, Hillary Clinton’s running mate during her failed 2016 presidential run, appeared in a skit as a contestant on a game show who couldn’t remember who Kaine was. His appearance followed Harris joining “SNL” alum Maya Rudolph in the comedy show’s cold open. 

‘SNL’ TAKES AIM AT KAMALA HARRIS’ ‘MIDDLE-CLASS FAMILY’ FAMILY RESPONSE DURING ‘FAMILY FEUD’ SKIT

Hillary Clinton, center, with Bill Clinton and Tim Kaine behind her

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, with former President Bill Clinton and Sen. Time Kaine, concedes the presidential election on Nov. 9, 2016 in New York City. (Brooks Kraft/Getty Images)

Fox News Digital reached out to Cao for additional comment on the debacle, but did not immediately receive a response. The Virginia Republican and retired Navy captain did thank NBC and Kaine for the appearance in his initial comment. 

Advertisement

FCC COMMISSIONER OUTLINES ‘POTENTIAL REMEDIES’ FOR NBC’S ‘CLEAR AND BLATANT’ ELECTION LAW VIOLATION

“I want to thank NBC & Tim Kaine for making the contrast so clear about the stakes on Tuesday,” he capped off his statement. 

Lorne Michaels, the creator of “Saturday Night Live,” said just last month that it was highly unlikely that either Trump or Harris would appear on the comedy show, explicitly citing the equal time provision laws. 

NBC FILES EQUAL TIME NOTICE FOR HARRIS’ ‘SNL’ CAMEO FOLLOWING BACKLASH

“You can’t bring the actual people who are running on because of election laws and the equal time provisions,” Michaels told the Hollywood Reporter in October. “You can’t have the main candidates without having all the candidates, and there are lots of minor candidates that are only on the ballot in, like, three states and that becomes really complicated.”

Advertisement
Hung Cao at rally with former President Trump

Hung Cao speaks on stage with former President Trump during a rally in Chesapeake, Virginia, on June 28, 2024. (Billy Schuerman/The Virginian-Pilot/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

Carr noted in the Fox News Digital interview that Michaels was aware of the FCC’s equal time rule just the other week. 

“This is exactly why Lorne Michaels just weeks ago went public and said they would not be doing any candidate appearances, because he understood the thicket that it would throw NBC into. Something changed at the last minute, and they’ve now gone down this path. And again, I think it’s important that the FCC come together and we take action. Otherwise, our rules are absolutely meaningless,” he said. 

Late Sunday, NBC and affiliates ultimately filed equal-time notices regarding Harris’ and Kaine’s appearances on the show.

“Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate for president in the 2024 national election, appeared without charge on NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” (SNL) for a total period of 1 minute and 30 seconds on November 2, 2024,” the notice reads.

Advertisement

Amid outrage over the appearances, an election ad for Trump aired on NBC toward the end of its broadcast of a NASCAR event and the NFL’s coverage of the Minnesota Vikings-Indianapolis Colts game on Sunday night.

“We’re losing everything, including viability,” Trump said in the ad. “We’re going to end up in a depression based on what’s been happening. We’ve never seen anything like it, at least in the last 40 years.”

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Read the full article from Here

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending