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Republicans are running a 'successful' early voting campaign in battleground North Carolina: NRCC chair

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Republicans are running a 'successful' early voting campaign in battleground North Carolina: NRCC chair

Republicans are running an intensive, all-hands-on-deck operation to get out the vote in North Carolina, targeting low-propensity voters in the battleground state recently impacted by a disastrous hurricane, says the chair of the Republican campaign arm.

Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., chairs the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) and represents North Carolina’s 8th congressional district. He spoke with Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview on GOP efforts to ramp up early voting in the state this cycle.

“As more of our traditional voters vote, then that lets us spend our resources focused on adding more voters to the rolls or to the tally sheet and then turning them out. So it’s all hands on deck. The party’s bought into it. All our candidates are pushing it. And so far it’s been very successful,” Hudson said.

North Carolina saw record turnout on the first day of early voting in the state, Oct. 17, when 353,000 registered voters cast their ballots.

DEMS NEED TO RAMP UP EARLY VOTING EFFORTS TO MATCH GOP MOMENTUM IN NORTH CAROLINA: ANALYST

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Former President Trump, left, greets Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, on the fourth day of the Republican National Convention at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee on July 18. (Win McNamee)

“Certainly here in North Carolina, we’re seeing record turnout for Republicans,” he added. “And that’s good. That allows us to target lower propensity voters with our turnout efforts as we get closer to Election Day and on Election Day. And so I think it’s going to be a difference maker.”

Republicans have put an emphasis on encouraging voters to vote early this year after seeing lower early turnout for the party compared to Democrats last cycle. As of Friday, the North Carolina State Board of Elections reported that Republicans are leading Democrats in early voting, 55% to 51%.

BATTLEGROUND STATE VOTING DATA REVEALS OVER 200K VOTES CAST IN RED COUNTIES IMPACTED BY HURRICANE

“It’s a culture change. Republicans are now really focused on early voting. We’ve done voter contact by knocking on people’s doors, calling them on telephones. We’ve done it through the mail, through digital contact,” Hudson said.

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Voters cast their ballots at an early voting location in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. (Photo by Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Voters cast their ballots at an early voting location in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. (Nathan Posner)

Hurricane Helene had a severe impact on the state, specifically across western red counties which historically vote Republican. Despite the storm, there have been successful efforts to ensure voting access for those in the impacted western counties across the state.

“It’s been a real challenge, but our state legislature, I think, did the right thing and passed a law that said if you live in one of those 25 counties that were affected by the hurricane, you can vote in any of our counties,” Hudson said.

The North Carolina Elections Board passed a bipartisan emergency resolution that reformed the state’s early voting process in 13 counties, including changing or adding voting sites and maintaining their availability, extending the hours and adding or reducing when any site is open within the early voting period, according to the election board.

North Carolina destruction after Helene

Parts of North Carolina, like Chimney Rock, were hit hard by Hurricane Helene. (Getty Images)

Despite roadblocks to early voting, the North Carolina Board of Elections reported that Tuesday’s voter turnout in the 25 western counties affected by recent events is surpassing the statewide average.

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“I know a lot of folks are staying with relatives in other parts of the state. This will allow them to cast their votes. There’s also been an effort to add voting locations in those areas and to try to help people access those. There also was concern about absentee ballots being lost. And so we’re trying to help get new ballots to folks that need them,” Hudson told Fox. “There’s an all-hands-on-deck effort. But it’s a challenge because there’s a lot of communities that are still cut off, a lot of people who are still missing. And it’s just a real tragedy that it really is a lot more important than some of the other things.”

As of Friday, about 49.32% of ballots were already cast in North Carolina for the 2024 election. In-person early voting in North Carolina ends on Saturday.

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JD Vance suggests new campaign slogan for Kamala Harris: 'Nothing comes to mind'

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JD Vance suggests new campaign slogan for Kamala Harris: 'Nothing comes to mind'

Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, shared some political advice for Vice President Harris during a rally in Atlanta on Monday.

“Remember, her whole argument of her campaign is that she doesn’t even know who Joe Biden is, even though she’s the sitting vice president. And ‘The View’ host asked her, ‘What would you have done differently over the last four years? Would you have done anything differently than Joe Biden?’ And Kamala Harris says, ‘Nothing comes to mind,’” Vance said.

“The Harris-Walz slogan could be ‘Nothing comes to mind.’”

‘ILLEGAL, UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND VOID’: GEORGIA JUDGE STRIKES DOWN NEW ELECTION RULES AFTER LEGAL FIGHTS

Sen. JD Vance mocked Vice President Harris during a rally in Atlanta on Monday. (Fox News)

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Vance was referencing the vice president’s recent interview with ABC’s “The View” where she conceded she would not have done much differently than President Biden has during their administration so far.

Harris said during the sit-down last month, “There is not a thing that comes to mind in terms of – and I’ve been a part of most of the decisions that have had impact, the work that we have done.”

The Trump campaign and its allies immediately pounced on the clip as proof of their warnings that Harris would continue Biden’s most unpopular progressive policies if she wins the White House after Election Day on Nov. 5.

HOUSE GOP LEADERS RIP ACTBLUE AFTER DEM FUNDRAISING GIANT HIT WITH SUBPOENA

Trump allies have been working to tie Harris closely to President Biden's unpopular policies.

Trump allies have been working to tie Harris closely to President Biden’s unpopular policies.

Speaking to voters in deep-blue Atlanta the night before, Vance also used the quote to accuse Harris of a lack of clear policy positions.

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“Think about this, Kamala. What would you do to fix the broken policies to make groceries and housing more affordable? ‘Nothing comes to mind.’ Kamala Harris, what would you do to secure that southern border? ‘Nothing comes to mind,’” Vance said. “That’s what Kamala Harris’s campaign slogan could be.”

Fox News Digital reached out to the Harris campaign for a response.

Both the Trump and Harris campaigns have detailed policy platforms available on their websites. Harris’ says relatively little about the border, though she has shown support for the bipartisan border deal that collapsed against Republican opposition this year.

MIKE JOHNSON KICKS OFF SWING-STATE TOUR AS GOP CLINGS TO HOUSE CONTROL

More than 4 million people have already voted in Georgia.

More than 4 million people have already voted in Georgia. (Megan Varner/Washington Post)

Vance’s 11th-hour appeal to Georgia voters comes at the end of an election cycle where both campaigns poured enormous time and resources into the Peach State.

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Biden won the traditionally red state by less than 1% in 2020. Democrats also made gains there in 2022, cementing its status as a key battleground.

More than 4 million Georgia voters have already cast ballots going into Election Day, roughly 55.5% of the state’s active voters.

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

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Stacey Abrams claims voter suppression in Georgia despite record early turnout

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Stacey Abrams claims voter suppression in Georgia despite record early turnout

Former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams is claiming that “voter suppression” is occurring in Georgia despite record turnout in the Peach State. 

During Friday’s installment of “CNN News Central,” co-anchor Kate Bolduan asked Abrams what she believes is driving the surge in early voting. 

“While we are excited about who is showing up, we have to understand that turnout does not mean there is not voter suppression activity,” Abrams replied. 

She suggested that one of the reasons for long early voting lines is because residents can no longer use the “easier” method of voting by mail. 

RURAL GEORGIA COUNTIES OUTPACE DEM STRONGHOLDS AS PEACH STATE SHATTERS EARLY VOTING RECORDS

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Then-Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams speaks to supporters and members of the Rabun County Democrats group on July 28, 2022 in Clayton, Georgia. (Megan Varner/Getty Images)

“People who are disabled, people who have lost their homes are facing harder times casting their ballots, but they refuse to be silenced. What we are excited about is that here in the state of Georgia, despite the government making it harder to cast your ballot, people are willing to fight to make it happen anyway,” Abrams continued.

Senate Bill 202, which was adopted by the Georgia General assembly in 2021, made several changes to absentee ballots. Prior to its passage, signature verification was the primary means of checking voter identity, according to the Fulton County website.

Absentee ballots could also be requested up until the Friday before the election.

The new method stipulates that Georgia voters provide their Driver’s License number or other forms of voter ID and must request their ballot at least 11 days before the election.

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“Once again, Stacey Abrams is lying about Georgia’s elections, and over three million voters who have already voted know not to take her seriously,” Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “She’s cost the state millions and it’s time for her to get real: Georgia has the leads the nation in voter accessibility and convenience and we run the most secure elections in the country.”

‘ILLEGAL, UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND VOID’: GEORGIA JUDGE STRIKES DOWN NEW ELECTION RULES AFTER LEGAL FIGHTS

Donald Trump

Rural counties won by former President Trump in 2020 have so far outpaced blue strongholds in percentage of population voting early in the state of Georgia.  (Getty Images)

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE

Georgia voters have already shattered multiple turnout records, but that did little to temper Democratic critics of the new rules for the 2024 presidential cycle put in place by the state’s GOP officials.

“I was just in Georgia. You know they passed a law that makes it illegal to give people food and water for standing in line to vote?” Vice President Kamala Harris told a rally crowd in Michigan earlier this week. “The hypocrisy abounds. Whatever happened to ‘love thy neighbor,’ right?”

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Meanwhile, President Biden called Georgia’s election security laws “Jim Crow 2.0” in 2022.

Georgia’s Republican-majority legislature passed several laws since 2020 to increase security around the voting process after the Peach State was thrust under scrutiny in the previous presidential race.

Among them were measures to expand the ability to challenge voter eligibility, a rule limiting ballot drop boxes based on population size and, perhaps most notably, a measure forbidding political organizations from handing out food and drinks to voters waiting in line within a certain distance from a polling place.

Election workers are, however, permitted to set up self-serve water stations.

Editor’s Note: This piece has been updated with a quote from Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.

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Fox News’ Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report. 

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Two dead after Orlando shooting, police chief says; at least 8 shot

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Two dead after Orlando shooting, police chief says; at least 8 shot

Authorities are aware of eight victims, including two deaths, after a suspect opened fire in Orlando, Florida, early Friday morning, Orlando Police Chief Eric Smith said during a press briefing.

Six victims transported for treatment were stable, he noted.

Smith said a 17-year-old suspect has been taken into custody. He named the suspect as Jaylen Dwayne Edgar.

GROWING CALLS FOR ILLEGAL MIGRANT TO BE CHARGED WITH HATE CRIMES IN JEWISH MAN’S SHOOTING

CONTENT WARNING: GRAPHIC VIDEO:

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He noted that the suspect was arrested in 2023 for grand theft.

“At approximately 1:07 a.m., officers reported shots fired at Central Boulevard and Orange Avenue. Within minutes, a second report of shots fired was called in south of Washington Street on Orange Avenue,” Smith said.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION STATUS REVEALED IN SHOOTING OF JEWISH MAN IN DEM-CONTROLLED CITY

Officer tackles Orlando shooting suspect. (Orlando Police Department)

The police chief noted that officers did not fire any shots during the incident.

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He showed video footage of crowds fleeing after the shootings, as well as footage of an officer tackling the suspect to the ground. 

FLORIDA LIEUTENANT FATALLY SHOT BY ESTRANGED HUSBAND WHO ATTEMPTED TO MAKE CRIME LOOK LIKE A SUICIDE: DEPUTIES

Suspect in Orlando shooting next to police vehicle

Police took a suspect into custody after a shooting in Orlando on Nov. 1, 2024. (Orlando Police Department)

He also showed body cam footage of the officer taking down the suspect.

The deceased victims included a 25-year-old male and 19-year-old male, according to the Orlando Police Department.

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The other victims included an 18-year-old male shot in his lower left leg, a 39-year-old female shot in her left hand, a 24-year-old female shot in her left leg, a 20-year-old male grazed in the head, a 26-year-old male shot in his right foot, and a 19-year-old female shot in her upper back, with it lodging in her cheek, the Orlando Police Department indicated.

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Police took a suspect into custody after a shooting in Orlando on Nov. 1, 2024. (Orlando Police Department)

There was also a ninth victim, who was not discussed at the press conference, according to the Orlando Police Department: That victim was a 26-year-old female who was trampled as people sought to escape.

Edgar “has been charged with two counts of First-Degree Murder with a Firearm and six counts of Attempted First Degree Murder with a Firearm,” the Orlando Police Department tweeted on Friday afternoon.

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