Southwest
Cruz slams outgoing McConnell as 'one-man dictator' after leader-aligned Super PAC abandoned him in tight race
Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, who is defending his seat in the upper chamber, slammed outgoing Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., as a “one-man dictator” on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures.”
“He’s basically behaved as a one-man dictator. I don’t think we want a leader who does that,” Cruz said of McConnell, the longest-serving GOP leader in Congress.
“I think when we win in November, and I believe we’re going to see a really good election, I think Trump’s going to win. I think we’re going to win a Republican Senate and Republican House. When that happens, we’ve got enormous work to do when that happens.”
TED CRUZ KNOCKS MCCONNELL-ALIGNED SUPER PAC FOR ‘ZERO SUPPORT’ IN COMPETITIVE RACE
Sen. Mitch McConnell is a “one-man dictator” of the Senate Republican conference, charges Sen. Ted Cruz. (Getty Images)
Cruz’s comments come after he blasted the Senate Leadership Fund — an independent Super PAC aimed at securing a Republican majority in the Senate — for donating “not one penny” to Cruz’s re-election campaign against Democrat Rep. Colin Allred.
“I want to see a majority leader who changes how the Senate operates, who democratizes it more,” Cruz said.
“We are getting absolutely zero support from the Senate Leadership Fund (SLF),” the Republican said previously.
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A pro-Cruz super PAC is spending $3 million to hit Colin Allred, left, on his position on boys in girls sports.
Despite the legitimate challenge posed by Allred, Cruz is favored to win the contest.
The SLF has notably spent most of its resources in states with key Republican Senate pick-up opportunities, such as Pennsylvania, Montana, Ohio, Wisconsin and Michigan.
Cruz has been critical of McConnell’s leadership and called for him to step down earlier this year, as he and a group of Republicans aired their grievances over the failed bipartisan border bill that McConnell was in favor of at the time.
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Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell concludes a news conference in the U.S. Capitol after the Senate luncheons on Sept. 24, 2024. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
In a recent book on McConnell, titled “The Price of Power,” Michael Tackett, the deputy Washington bureau chief of The Associated Press, detailed how the leader allowed conference members to publicly go against him, to an extent, if it was helpful to them electorally.
Cruz said he has also informed the three Republican candidates vying for the position of his desire for a “full and open amendment process” regarding extensive budget packages that are often thousands of pages long.
Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
“That would fundamentally change how the Senate operates,” Cruz said. Fox News Digital’s Julia Johnson contributed to this report.
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Southwest
Jasmine Crockett cites Mamdani-Trump, AOC-Trump voters when confronted on path to victory in Texas
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Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, pointed to Mamdani-Trump voters, AOC-Trump voters and Obama-Trump voters when confronted Tuesday on her difficult path to victory in the Texas Senate race.
MS NOW host Chris Hayes asked Crockett about people who question her ability to win the “8 to 10% of Republican voters necessary to win this race,” who cited the voters who supported both President Donald Trump and Democrats like Zohran Mamdani, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and former President Barack Obama.
Crocket, who launched her Texas Senate bid on Monday, disagreed with the notion that she needs to win over a percentage of Republican voters and said she hoped to energize her base in a way Democratic candidates have failed to do in the past.
Hayes pointed to Georgia’s Senate races and said Democratic Sens. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff were the closest model after their hard-fought wins in the 2020 and 2022 cycles. He said, “They definitely got high levels of turnout, but they also did win crossover voters.”
From left, Zohran Mamdani, Rep. Jasmine Crockett and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. (Adam Gray/Bloomberg via Getty Images; John Medina/Getty Images for MoveOn; Neil Constantine/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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The lawmaker agreed that Texas was a difficult place to win, but said some Trump voters were unsatisfied and pointed to the recent congressional election in Tennessee, which was a closer race than it had been in the past.
“I don’t think anyone who is super in love with Trump would ever vote for me or any other Democrat. That is just the reality. I think what it is, is who is going to talk to people and make them understand that they will fight for them. That is why you have Mamdani-Trump voters. That is why you have AOC-Trump voters. That is why you had Obama-Trump voters,” she told Hayes.
“Let me tell you something, Mamdani has not backed down whatsoever from his rhetoric against the president in the Oval Office. He stood there and he said what he said about him being a fascist. Yet he was able to win those voters. So, Democrats that believe the only way that you can win is by being soft and sounding like a Republican, that is not true,” Crockett said.
Rep. Jasmine Crockett speaks during the Won’t Back Down event at The Van Buren on August 3, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. (John Medina/Getty Images for MoveOn)
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She argued voters were looking for someone to fight for them and that’s what she plans to do.
Crockett similarly said she didn’t need to win over Trump’s supporters on Tuesday during an interview on CNN and said that it wasn’t her “goal.”
CNN host Laura Coates asked Crockett if she needed to garner support from Trump voters.
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“Our goal is to definitely talk to people. No, we don’t, we don’t need to. Our goal is to make sure that we can engage people that historically have not been talked to, because there’s so many people that get ignored, specifically in the state of Texas,” she said.
Crockett is trying to become the first Democrat since 1988 to win a U.S. Senate race in Texas.
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Southwest
Crockett faces blowback from GOP, Hollywood for far-left agenda, media presence after launching US Senate bid
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From Congress to Hollywood, Texans are pushing back on Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett’s U.S. Senate launch as she faces scrutiny for her far-left policies and presence on social media.
Crockett, a progressive known for her viral social media clashes and sharp exchanges in the House of Representatives, rolled out her Senate bid on Monday. She framed her candidacy as an effort to stand against President Donald Trump, something she said incumbent Republican Sen. John Cornyn will not do.
“I’m done watching the American dream on life support while Trump tries to pull the plug. The gloves have been off, and now I’m jumping into the ring,” she said.
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Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, speaks to reporters after announcing her run in the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate on Dec. 8, 2025, in Dallas. (LM Otero/AP Photo)
Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, responded to her announcement on Tuesday, blasting her record on policing and border enforcement.
“Texans want somebody representing them who’s gonna stand for law and order, and that is certainly not Jasmine Crockett,” Gill said on “Hannity.” “If Texans support one thing, it’s law and order. And listen, this is probably the most pro-criminal candidate Democrats could have possibly found.”
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The congressman cited Crockett’s past support for the defund-the-police movement, adding that Crockett “has said on record that just because you commit a crime doesn’t mean that you’re a criminal.”
“This is somebody who has said on record that just because somebody crosses our border illegally, that is not a crime,” Gill added.
Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, has been a vocal critic of President Donald Trump during her time in Congress. (Photo by Julia Beverly/Getty Images)
Gill also warned that the Democrat was misreading the state’s politics.
“Remember, Texas is a state where President Trump won by 14 points,” he said. “She’s saying she doesn’t need Trump voters for her to win this. Yes, she does.”
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The pushback against Crockett isn’t limited to Capitol Hill, however.
“I live in Texas, I love Texas, I really don’t want her representing Texas,” actor Zachary Levi said on “Gutfeld!” Tuesday.
The “Shazam!” star called out Crockett’s social media habits.
“I think that a lot of people are digging themselves in some pretty big holes because they think they’re taking advantage of social media, and yet they’re coming out with this really bizarre stuff,” Levi said. “And I think that a lot of people that might otherwise support her are cringing because of that.”
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Levi suggested that her participation in viral TikTok trends wouldn’t age well.
“And more than that, you’re supposed to be a responsible adult in the room as a politician. You should be doing things that are of more value to your constituency,” he added.
Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser, Peter Pinedo, Elizabeth Elkind and Deirdre Heavey contributed to this report.
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Southwest
Mayor Tim Keller defeats law-and-order challenger to secure third term as Albuquerque mayor
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Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller has been re-elected to lead New Mexico’s largest city, according to the unofficial results from the Bernalillo County clerk’s office.
While officially nonpartisan, Tuesday’s runoff carried a clear ideological split as Keller faced a challenge from his right in former Sheriff Darren White, who cast himself as the law-and-order candidate promising to restore public safety.
Keller defended his record on crime and homelessness, ultimately securing a third term to continue leading the blue city through the next four years as it confronts public safety and housing challenges.
Keller and White advanced from a 7-candidate field on Election Day on Nov. 5, 2025, when other high-stakes mayoral races were playing out across the United States, from Seattle to New York City. Because neither candidate received more than 50% of the vote, the mayoral contest advanced to Tuesday’s runoff election.
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Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller greets then-Vice President Kamala Harris at the Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2022. (Sam Wasson/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Despite Albuquerque’s officially nonpartisan mayoral election, Keller aligns with the Democratic Party while White is a Republican.
“Thank you for believing in this campaign, in our city, and in the work ahead. I’m honored to earn your trust for another historic term, and I’m ready to keep delivering progress for every community in our city. Let’s get back to work, together,” Keller said Tuesday night after securing a third term.
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“While we are disappointed by the final result, we have no regrets. We walk with our heads held high, proud of the movement we built and the issues we helped elevate,” White posted on X.
Both candidates made public safety and housing central to their campaigns as Albuquerque has struggled with some of the highest violent-crime rates in the region and a homelessness crisis.
Keller is a former state senator and auditor who has served as mayor of Albuquerque since 2017, while White is the programming manager for a local radio station, the former chief public safety officer for Albuquerque and lost a congressional race as a Republican in 2008.
According to Keller’s campaign website, he ran for re-election, in part, because Albuquerque “needs strong, reliable leadership” to “stand up” against President Donald Trump’s sweeping, second-term agenda.
Then-U.S. House candidate Darren White speaks at the New Mexico’s Republican Convention in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on March 15, 2008. (Tom Williams/Roll Call/Getty Images)
Earlier this year, Keller issued an executive order “reaffirming Albuquerque’s longstanding commitment as an immigrant-friendly city and outlined specific actions to safeguard the rights and safety of immigrant and refugee communities,” amid Trump’s nationwide crackdown on illegal immigration.
“He’s done the real work to repair decades-long challenges holding our city back. Now we know what’s working — and it’s time to press the pedal down and move Albuquerque forward through these tough times,” Keller touted on his campaign website, as he pointed to “tough times” locally and nationally.
Keller leaned on his record throughout the campaign, including his efforts to combat crime, reform homelessness and housing services and his “breakthrough achievements,” including public safety and community investment projects, as outlined on his website.
The mayor also highlighted his initiatives to reform the city’s emergency response system, invest in neighborhoods, fight for survivors of sexual violence, modernize the economy, leadership on “climate action” including a commitment to being “100% renewable by 2025,” expanding youth programs and “leading with courage” through the COVID-19 pandemic, per his campaign website.
Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller delivers remarks at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2022. (Sam Wasson/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Meanwhile, White emphasized his law enforcement experience as a U.S. Army veteran who has served as “the head of the New Mexico State Police and Sheriff of Bernalillo County,” according to his own campaign website.
Chief among his campaign promises was a commitment to fighting crime by restoring law and order and “giving officers the support and tools they need to enforce the law and clean up our streets” and ending “Mayor Keller’s Sanctuary City law for criminals and fight to end Catch and Release,” according to his website.
Drawing a contrast to Keller’s own record, White campaigned on cleaning up homeless encampments and addressing “the homeless crisis with policies that work.”
Other campaign promises included partnering with businesses to create jobs and boost the economy and prioritizing government efficiency by cutting the waste, fraud and abuse of taxpayer dollars, per his campaign website.
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“I have a proven record of fighting crime, protecting our communities, and upholding law and order,” White said. “I’ll unshackle the police, end Mayor Keller’s failed sanctuary policies, clean up homeless encampments, and restore safety to Albuquerque’s streets, parks, and businesses while cutting government waste and making our city a place where families and businesses can thrive again.”
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