Rep. Mike Collins‘s (R-GA) campaign said it raised nearly $2 million in the third quarter, matching the early pace of Gov. Brian Kemp’s handpicked candidate Derek Dooley in the GOP primary to challenge Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) in 2026. Collins, a second-term congressman and trucking executive who entered the Senate race in late July, said

President Joe Biden reaffirmed his support for a weapons surge to Ukraine on Thursday after Russia’s Christmas Day attack on the country’s energy system, but it’s uncertain if U.S. aid will continue under President-elect Donald Trump, who will be sworn in on Jan. 20.

Biden said in a statement following the attacks that he directed the Department of Defense to continue it’s “surge” of weapons deliveries to Ukraine in the wake of the attack. Biden’s statement comes as his administration works to send as much assistance to Ukraine as possible before Trump, who has vowed to bring a quick end to the war, assumes office.

“The purpose of this outrageous attack was to cut off the Ukrainian people’s access to heat and electricity during winter and to jeopardize the safety of its grid,” Biden said in a statement on Wednesday. “In recent months, the United States has provided Ukraine with hundreds of air defense missiles, and more are on the way. I have directed the Department of Defense to continue its surge of weapons deliveries to Ukraine, and the United States will continue to work tirelessly to strengthen Ukraine’s position in its defense against Russian forces.”

Russia launched more than 70 missiles in addition to drones targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. The strikes wounded at least six people in the northeastern city of Kharkiv and killed one in the region of Dnipropetrovsk, the governors there said. The attack marks the thirteenth time this year that Russia has targeted Ukraine’s power grid, according to DTEK, the country’s largest energy provider.

Trump and other Republicans have repeatedly questioned the level of U.S. financial involvement in the conflict, which started nearly three years ago.

“Every time Zelensky comes to the United States, he walks away with $100 billion,” Trump quipped at a campaign event in Georgia this past September. “We’re stuck in that war unless I’m president,” he said at the rally.

Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the U.S has committed $175 billion in aid, including approximately $61.4 billion in security assistance. Biden has also eased limits on Ukraine using American longer-range missiles against targets inside Russia for the first time in mid-November. 

On Dec. 2, the Biden Administration announced $724 million in military assistance, which was sent from the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA), already approved by Congress. The U.S. pledged $988 million in military aid to Ukraine on Dec. 7, which included drones and munitions for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), sent via the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI). 

On Dec. 12, another military aid package to Kyiv worth $500 million was unveiled, sent via the PDA. The Biden Administration is expected to announce its final Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative package, using up the remaining funds to purchase new weapons for Ukraine, according to reporting from Reuters. 

There is $5.6 billion remaining of presidential drawdown authority. There is also about $2.2 billion remaining in the USAI for Biden to utilize.  John Kirby, the U.S. national security spokesman, reaffirmed that Biden would “continue to provide additional packages right up to the end of this administration,” speaking to reporters on Dec. 13.

Trump has said he wants to bring the war to an end, which has some concerned he could cut off financial support to Ukraine once he is sworn into office. Many Republicans, who will control both the House and Senate in January, have also soured on aid to Ukraine as well increasing the possibility that U.S. financial support for Ukraine could be coming to an end.

However, when asked by TIME magazine if he would abandon Ukraine when he assumes office the president-elect said he wanted to “reach an agreement” in the war.

“I want to reach an agreement, and the only way you’re going to reach an agreement is not to abandon,” Trump said. “You understand what that means, right?”

When pushed on the topic, Trump continued, saying, “You can’t reach an agreement if you abandon, in my opinion. And I disagree with the whole thing, because it should have never happened. Putin would have never invaded Ukraine if I were president for numerous reasons.”

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER 

Trump repeatedly promised on the campaign trail to end the war as soon as taking office. While his plans have not fully been revealed, his efforts could suggest he’s considering a settlement involving the sacrifice of Ukrainian territory. 

2024-12-26 22:20:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Fforeign-policy%2F3270612%2Fbiden-surge-weapons-ukraine-trump-handover-looms%2F?w=600&h=450, President Joe Biden reaffirmed his support for a weapons surge to Ukraine on Thursday after Russia’s Christmas Day attack on the country’s energy system, but it’s uncertain if U.S. aid will continue under President-elect Donald Trump, who will be sworn in on Jan. 20. Biden said in a statement following the attacks that he directed,

President Joe Biden reaffirmed his support for a weapons surge to Ukraine on Thursday after Russia’s Christmas Day attack on the country’s energy system, but it’s uncertain if U.S. aid will continue under President-elect Donald Trump, who will be sworn in on Jan. 20.

Biden said in a statement following the attacks that he directed the Department of Defense to continue it’s “surge” of weapons deliveries to Ukraine in the wake of the attack. Biden’s statement comes as his administration works to send as much assistance to Ukraine as possible before Trump, who has vowed to bring a quick end to the war, assumes office.

“The purpose of this outrageous attack was to cut off the Ukrainian people’s access to heat and electricity during winter and to jeopardize the safety of its grid,” Biden said in a statement on Wednesday. “In recent months, the United States has provided Ukraine with hundreds of air defense missiles, and more are on the way. I have directed the Department of Defense to continue its surge of weapons deliveries to Ukraine, and the United States will continue to work tirelessly to strengthen Ukraine’s position in its defense against Russian forces.”

Russia launched more than 70 missiles in addition to drones targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. The strikes wounded at least six people in the northeastern city of Kharkiv and killed one in the region of Dnipropetrovsk, the governors there said. The attack marks the thirteenth time this year that Russia has targeted Ukraine’s power grid, according to DTEK, the country’s largest energy provider.

Trump and other Republicans have repeatedly questioned the level of U.S. financial involvement in the conflict, which started nearly three years ago.

“Every time Zelensky comes to the United States, he walks away with $100 billion,” Trump quipped at a campaign event in Georgia this past September. “We’re stuck in that war unless I’m president,” he said at the rally.

Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the U.S has committed $175 billion in aid, including approximately $61.4 billion in security assistance. Biden has also eased limits on Ukraine using American longer-range missiles against targets inside Russia for the first time in mid-November. 

On Dec. 2, the Biden Administration announced $724 million in military assistance, which was sent from the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA), already approved by Congress. The U.S. pledged $988 million in military aid to Ukraine on Dec. 7, which included drones and munitions for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), sent via the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI). 

On Dec. 12, another military aid package to Kyiv worth $500 million was unveiled, sent via the PDA. The Biden Administration is expected to announce its final Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative package, using up the remaining funds to purchase new weapons for Ukraine, according to reporting from Reuters. 

There is $5.6 billion remaining of presidential drawdown authority. There is also about $2.2 billion remaining in the USAI for Biden to utilize.  John Kirby, the U.S. national security spokesman, reaffirmed that Biden would “continue to provide additional packages right up to the end of this administration,” speaking to reporters on Dec. 13.

Trump has said he wants to bring the war to an end, which has some concerned he could cut off financial support to Ukraine once he is sworn into office. Many Republicans, who will control both the House and Senate in January, have also soured on aid to Ukraine as well increasing the possibility that U.S. financial support for Ukraine could be coming to an end.

However, when asked by TIME magazine if he would abandon Ukraine when he assumes office the president-elect said he wanted to “reach an agreement” in the war.

“I want to reach an agreement, and the only way you’re going to reach an agreement is not to abandon,” Trump said. “You understand what that means, right?”

When pushed on the topic, Trump continued, saying, “You can’t reach an agreement if you abandon, in my opinion. And I disagree with the whole thing, because it should have never happened. Putin would have never invaded Ukraine if I were president for numerous reasons.”

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER 

Trump repeatedly promised on the campaign trail to end the war as soon as taking office. While his plans have not fully been revealed, his efforts could suggest he’s considering a settlement involving the sacrifice of Ukrainian territory. 

, President Joe Biden reaffirmed his support for a weapons surge to Ukraine on Thursday after Russia’s Christmas Day attack on the country’s energy system, but it’s uncertain if U.S. aid will continue under President-elect Donald Trump, who will be sworn in on Jan. 20. Biden said in a statement following the attacks that he directed the Department of Defense to continue it’s “surge” of weapons deliveries to Ukraine in the wake of the attack. Biden’s statement comes as his administration works to send as much assistance to Ukraine as possible before Trump, who has vowed to bring a quick end to the war, assumes office. “The purpose of this outrageous attack was to cut off the Ukrainian people’s access to heat and electricity during winter and to jeopardize the safety of its grid,” Biden said in a statement on Wednesday. “In recent months, the United States has provided Ukraine with hundreds of air defense missiles, and more are on the way. I have directed the Department of Defense to continue its surge of weapons deliveries to Ukraine, and the United States will continue to work tirelessly to strengthen Ukraine’s position in its defense against Russian forces.” A Ukrainian AS-90 self-propelled artillery vehicle fires towards Russian positions at the frontline on Pokrovsk direction, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka) Russia launched more than 70 missiles in addition to drones targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. The strikes wounded at least six people in the northeastern city of Kharkiv and killed one in the region of Dnipropetrovsk, the governors there said. The attack marks the thirteenth time this year that Russia has targeted Ukraine’s power grid, according to DTEK, the country’s largest energy provider. Trump and other Republicans have repeatedly questioned the level of U.S. financial involvement in the conflict, which started nearly three years ago. “Every time Zelensky comes to the United States, he walks away with $100 billion,” Trump quipped at a campaign event in Georgia this past September. “We’re stuck in that war unless I’m president,” he said at the rally. Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the U.S has committed $175 billion in aid, including approximately $61.4 billion in security assistance. Biden has also eased limits on Ukraine using American longer-range missiles against targets inside Russia for the first time in mid-November.  On Dec. 2, the Biden Administration announced $724 million in military assistance, which was sent from the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA), already approved by Congress. The U.S. pledged $988 million in military aid to Ukraine on Dec. 7, which included drones and munitions for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), sent via the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI).  On Dec. 12, another military aid package to Kyiv worth $500 million was unveiled, sent via the PDA. The Biden Administration is expected to announce its final Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative package, using up the remaining funds to purchase new weapons for Ukraine, according to reporting from Reuters.  There is $5.6 billion remaining of presidential drawdown authority. There is also about $2.2 billion remaining in the USAI for Biden to utilize.  John Kirby, the U.S. national security spokesman, reaffirmed that Biden would “continue to provide additional packages right up to the end of this administration,” speaking to reporters on Dec. 13. Trump has said he wants to bring the war to an end, which has some concerned he could cut off financial support to Ukraine once he is sworn into office. Many Republicans, who will control both the House and Senate in January, have also soured on aid to Ukraine as well increasing the possibility that U.S. financial support for Ukraine could be coming to an end. However, when asked by TIME magazine if he would abandon Ukraine when he assumes office the president-elect said he wanted to “reach an agreement” in the war. “I want to reach an agreement, and the only way you’re going to reach an agreement is not to abandon,” Trump said. “You understand what that means, right?” When pushed on the topic, Trump continued, saying, “You can’t reach an agreement if you abandon, in my opinion. And I disagree with the whole thing, because it should have never happened. Putin would have never invaded Ukraine if I were president for numerous reasons.” CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER   Trump repeatedly promised on the campaign trail to end the war as soon as taking office. While his plans have not fully been revealed, his efforts could suggest he’s considering a settlement involving the sacrifice of Ukrainian territory. , , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Biden-dec-26-scaled-1024×683.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Samantha-Jo Roth,

The National Republican Senatorial Committee canceled its fall cable ad reservations totaling more than $700,000 in the Ohio Senate race.

According to AdImpact, NRSC canceled its full cable reservation in one of the most competitive races in the country in which ads were set to run between Aug. 31 and Election Day. The ads were to benefit GOP candidate Bernie Moreno and hurt incumbent Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH).

The campaign committee had already been relying on support from allied super PACs that will continue to pour money into the race. The Senate Leadership Fund, the committee’s largest allied super PAC and its affiliated subsidiaries have rolled out millions in ad buys in battleground states across the country.

“These dollars can be spent more efficiently via hybrid advertisements, which get the candidate rate. NRSC is relying on SLF and other outside groups to carry the super PAC message in Ohio and Montana,” said a source familiar with the NRSC strategy.

The Senate campaign arm emphasized Ohio is still a top pickup opportunity.

“Kamala Harris and Joe Biden’s historical unpopularity in Ohio means advertising dollars can be spent more efficiently as hybrid ads,” they wrote in a post on X. “Ohio remains a top pickup opportunity for Senate Republicans and NRSC will continue to invest accordingly.”

NRSC had already taken a similar approach in Montana, where outside PACs had already booked airtime. In Pennsylvania, the Keystone Renewal PAC had booked millions of ads for GOP candidate Dave McCormick and another super PAC is prepared to spend on behalf of Republican Larry Hogan in Maryland.

The Ohio race has become 2024’s first non-presidential race to exceed $300 million in spending, and it’s also one of the most expensive races that the political ad tracking firm has seen.

Before NRSC pulled their advertising spending, Ohio was the only state in which Republicans had been outspending Democrats on campaign ads, where they were slated to spend $158.4 million compared to $152 million from Democrats. However, now Democrats have spent more in future advertising slated in the state, with $86.2 million in future ads compared to Republicans’ $83.3 million.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Brown (D-OH) is polling better than his Republican challenger while former President Donald Trump has a much larger lead in the same state. In an average of polling, Brown is outpacing Moreno by five points.

The majority of the ad cash is coming in from outside groups such as the Democratic Duty and Honor group, which invested $28.7 million and represents 51% of Democratic spending, while the Republican group One Nation spent $27.6 million, which represents 82% of Republican spending. Meanwhile, the Brown campaign has spent $27.6 million, compared to Moreno’s $875,000.

2024-08-12 23:34:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fsenate%2F3119193%2Fnrsc-cancels-ads-ohio-senate%2F?w=600&h=450, The National Republican Senatorial Committee canceled its fall cable ad reservations totaling more than $700,000 in the Ohio Senate race. According to AdImpact, NRSC canceled its full cable reservation in one of the most competitive races in the country in which ads were set to run between Aug. 31 and Election Day. The ads were to,

The National Republican Senatorial Committee canceled its fall cable ad reservations totaling more than $700,000 in the Ohio Senate race.

According to AdImpact, NRSC canceled its full cable reservation in one of the most competitive races in the country in which ads were set to run between Aug. 31 and Election Day. The ads were to benefit GOP candidate Bernie Moreno and hurt incumbent Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH).

The campaign committee had already been relying on support from allied super PACs that will continue to pour money into the race. The Senate Leadership Fund, the committee’s largest allied super PAC and its affiliated subsidiaries have rolled out millions in ad buys in battleground states across the country.

“These dollars can be spent more efficiently via hybrid advertisements, which get the candidate rate. NRSC is relying on SLF and other outside groups to carry the super PAC message in Ohio and Montana,” said a source familiar with the NRSC strategy.

The Senate campaign arm emphasized Ohio is still a top pickup opportunity.

“Kamala Harris and Joe Biden’s historical unpopularity in Ohio means advertising dollars can be spent more efficiently as hybrid ads,” they wrote in a post on X. “Ohio remains a top pickup opportunity for Senate Republicans and NRSC will continue to invest accordingly.”

NRSC had already taken a similar approach in Montana, where outside PACs had already booked airtime. In Pennsylvania, the Keystone Renewal PAC had booked millions of ads for GOP candidate Dave McCormick and another super PAC is prepared to spend on behalf of Republican Larry Hogan in Maryland.

The Ohio race has become 2024’s first non-presidential race to exceed $300 million in spending, and it’s also one of the most expensive races that the political ad tracking firm has seen.

Before NRSC pulled their advertising spending, Ohio was the only state in which Republicans had been outspending Democrats on campaign ads, where they were slated to spend $158.4 million compared to $152 million from Democrats. However, now Democrats have spent more in future advertising slated in the state, with $86.2 million in future ads compared to Republicans’ $83.3 million.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Brown (D-OH) is polling better than his Republican challenger while former President Donald Trump has a much larger lead in the same state. In an average of polling, Brown is outpacing Moreno by five points.

The majority of the ad cash is coming in from outside groups such as the Democratic Duty and Honor group, which invested $28.7 million and represents 51% of Democratic spending, while the Republican group One Nation spent $27.6 million, which represents 82% of Republican spending. Meanwhile, the Brown campaign has spent $27.6 million, compared to Moreno’s $875,000.

, The National Republican Senatorial Committee canceled its fall cable ad reservations totaling more than $700,000 in the Ohio Senate race. According to AdImpact, NRSC canceled its full cable reservation in one of the most competitive races in the country in which ads were set to run between Aug. 31 and Election Day. The ads were to benefit GOP candidate Bernie Moreno and hurt incumbent Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH). #OHPol: The NRSC just cancelled its fall cable reservations in #OHSen, totaling $707K from 8.31-11.5. As of now, the NRSC has no future TV reservations in Ohio. Future OH Senate TV reservations: $86.2M $83.3M— AdImpact Politics (@AdImpact_Pol) August 12, 2024 The campaign committee had already been relying on support from allied super PACs that will continue to pour money into the race. The Senate Leadership Fund, the committee’s largest allied super PAC and its affiliated subsidiaries have rolled out millions in ad buys in battleground states across the country. “These dollars can be spent more efficiently via hybrid advertisements, which get the candidate rate. NRSC is relying on SLF and other outside groups to carry the super PAC message in Ohio and Montana,” said a source familiar with the NRSC strategy. The Senate campaign arm emphasized Ohio is still a top pickup opportunity. “Kamala Harris and Joe Biden’s historical unpopularity in Ohio means advertising dollars can be spent more efficiently as hybrid ads,” they wrote in a post on X. “Ohio remains a top pickup opportunity for Senate Republicans and NRSC will continue to invest accordingly.” Kamala Harris and Joe Biden’s historical unpopularity in Ohio means advertising dollars can be spent more efficiently as hybrid ads. Ohio remains a top pickup opportunity for Senate Republicans and NRSC will continue to invest accordingly. https://t.co/4NsDJxRMNm — Senate Republicans (@NRSC) August 12, 2024 NRSC had already taken a similar approach in Montana, where outside PACs had already booked airtime. In Pennsylvania, the Keystone Renewal PAC had booked millions of ads for GOP candidate Dave McCormick and another super PAC is prepared to spend on behalf of Republican Larry Hogan in Maryland. The Ohio race has become 2024’s first non-presidential race to exceed $300 million in spending, and it’s also one of the most expensive races that the political ad tracking firm has seen. Before NRSC pulled their advertising spending, Ohio was the only state in which Republicans had been outspending Democrats on campaign ads, where they were slated to spend $158.4 million compared to $152 million from Democrats. However, now Democrats have spent more in future advertising slated in the state, with $86.2 million in future ads compared to Republicans’ $83.3 million. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Brown (D-OH) is polling better than his Republican challenger while former President Donald Trump has a much larger lead in the same state. In an average of polling, Brown is outpacing Moreno by five points. The majority of the ad cash is coming in from outside groups such as the Democratic Duty and Honor group, which invested $28.7 million and represents 51% of Democratic spending, while the Republican group One Nation spent $27.6 million, which represents 82% of Republican spending. Meanwhile, the Brown campaign has spent $27.6 million, compared to Moreno’s $875,000., , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/sherrod-brown-jd-vance.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Samantha-Jo Roth,

Former President Donald Trump has faced a rocky transition period since Vice President Kamala Harris became the Democratic presidential nominee, as his campaign has often been undercut by negative news cycles, sometimes of his own making.

Trump, who was once the front-runner after surviving an assassination attempt, has seen his previous polling advantages virtually erased since Harris replaced President Joe Biden at the top of the Democratic ticket. This past week, the Cook Political Report reset its ratings to “toss-up” for Georgia, Arizona, and Nevada after earlier moving them to “lean Republican.” 

In recent weeks, the Republican presidential nominee was forced to defend his running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), who found himself at the center of a firestorm over resurfaced remarks that the country was being run by “childless cat ladies.” Trump then claimed Harris “turned black” to gain political advantage, and at a rally in Atlanta, he publicly attacked Georgia’s popular Gov. Brian Kemp (R-GA) and his wife, Marty Kemp, a move allies worry could hurt Trump in a critical battleground state. And in Montana, the former president called Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) a “slob” with “the biggest stomach I’ve ever seen.”

In a freewheeling press conference last week, Trump flashed his frustration with Harris’s rise and routinely insulted her intelligence. He claimed he drew a bigger crowd on Jan. 6, 2021, than Martin Luther King Jr. did for his famous “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963. Over the weekend, Trump accused the Harris campaign of using artificial intelligence to enhance the size of her crowds in an effort to downplay enthusiasm for the new Democratic ticket.

Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) warned Trump to stop questioning the size of Harris’s rallies and instead focus on her record as a candidate during an interview with Fox News on Monday.

“You’ve got to make this race not on personalities,” McCarthy said. “Stop questioning the size of her crowds and start questioning her position when it comes to what she did as [California] attorney general on crime. … What did she do when she was supposed to take care of the border as a czar?” 

While Republicans are urging message discipline, Trump is instead participating in an unscripted live interview on X later Monday evening with X owner and billionaire Elon Musk, who has endorsed Trump’s campaign. The forum is poised to open Trump to more candor as the former president returns to the social media site.

Behind the scenes, Republicans across the country are beginning to worry after Trump and his campaign have struggled to define Harris and recalibrate their message.

“Trump is often his own worst enemy,” said Dennis Lennox, a Michigan-based Republican strategist. “There is definitely a growing sentiment out there amongst Republicans, including Republicans who have legitimate MAGA bona fides, that Trump is blowing this election, not just Trump, but the people around him that enable him.”

Trump has held fewer rallies in battleground states and has held fewer rallies in general than in previous cycles. Since the beginning of July, he has held a total of eight rallies, plus his speech at the Republican National Convention. When asked last week why he was not on the campaign trail as much, Trump pointed to his poll numbers. 

“I’m leading by a lot,” he told reporters. “And because I’m letting their convention go through, and I am campaigning a lot. I’m doing tremendous amounts of taping here, we have commercials that are at a level I don’t think that anybody’s ever done before. Plus, in certain cases, I see many of you in the room where I’m speaking to you on phones, I’m speaking to radio, I’m speaking to television.”

Trump will return to Pennsylvania this weekend with a rally in Wilkes-Barre. Lennox believes this is where the campaign needs to start prioritizing after “taking their eye off the ball.”

“I place the blame squarely at the people who were publicly measuring the drapes inside the White House before and during the convention. They were talking about ‘oh we are going to win New York, Colorado’s in play, Virginia’s in play, New Mexico, New Jersey is in play, and we are going to spend money there,’” Lennox said. “They took their eye off the ball.” 

“The Trump campaign needs to spend every dollar it has left in the bank on Georgia and Pennsylvania,” he added. “Those are the only two states that matter.”

Meghan McCain, a conservative TV personality and the daughter of Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), has attacked both presidential frontrunners but has gone as far as to suggest that Trump is purposely trying to lose the election.

“I literally was just having a text exchange about whether or not Trump actually wants to win now,” Meghan McCain said Sunday during a livestream on 2WAY. “I don’t even know how you course-correct. If it was me working on this campaign, I’d be like ‘so this is all hands on deck, emergency situation, the Titanic’s going down.’” 

The Trump campaign is firing back against criticism, attempting to bring the conversation back to Harris’s record.

“President Trump has continually prosecuted the case against Kamala Harris by highlighting her dismal economic record, the out-of-control border, and skyrocketing inflation rate that is decimating American families,” said Trump spokesman Steven Cheung in a statement provided to the Washington Examiner. 

“Meanwhile, Kamala Harris is stealing policy ideas from President Trump, like No Tax on Tips, and has flip-flopped on important issues like fracking and gun rights. The weak, failed, and dangerously liberal Kamala-Walz ticket is the most radical in American history,” he added.

Trump returned to X on Monday after he was banned from the platform in 2021 when his supporters stormed the Capitol. He’s been promoting his interview with Musk, who took over the platform previously known as Twitter.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Lennox emphasizes that the election will not be won on X and warned the Trump campaign that time is running out.

“In my home state of Michigan, 1.5 million Michiganders will cast an absentee or early ballot this year, and those ballots will be dropped around September 26,” he said. “It’s not about winning on election day anymore. This election is going to be won or lost in September and October.”

2024-08-12 22:01:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fpresidential%2F3119002%2Ftrump-veers-off-course-harris-biden%2F?w=600&h=450, Former President Donald Trump has faced a rocky transition period since Vice President Kamala Harris became the Democratic presidential nominee, as his campaign has often been undercut by negative news cycles, sometimes of his own making. Trump, who was once the front-runner after surviving an assassination attempt, has seen his previous polling advantages virtually erased since Harris replaced President,

Former President Donald Trump has faced a rocky transition period since Vice President Kamala Harris became the Democratic presidential nominee, as his campaign has often been undercut by negative news cycles, sometimes of his own making.

Trump, who was once the front-runner after surviving an assassination attempt, has seen his previous polling advantages virtually erased since Harris replaced President Joe Biden at the top of the Democratic ticket. This past week, the Cook Political Report reset its ratings to “toss-up” for Georgia, Arizona, and Nevada after earlier moving them to “lean Republican.” 

In recent weeks, the Republican presidential nominee was forced to defend his running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), who found himself at the center of a firestorm over resurfaced remarks that the country was being run by “childless cat ladies.” Trump then claimed Harris “turned black” to gain political advantage, and at a rally in Atlanta, he publicly attacked Georgia’s popular Gov. Brian Kemp (R-GA) and his wife, Marty Kemp, a move allies worry could hurt Trump in a critical battleground state. And in Montana, the former president called Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) a “slob” with “the biggest stomach I’ve ever seen.”

In a freewheeling press conference last week, Trump flashed his frustration with Harris’s rise and routinely insulted her intelligence. He claimed he drew a bigger crowd on Jan. 6, 2021, than Martin Luther King Jr. did for his famous “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963. Over the weekend, Trump accused the Harris campaign of using artificial intelligence to enhance the size of her crowds in an effort to downplay enthusiasm for the new Democratic ticket.

Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) warned Trump to stop questioning the size of Harris’s rallies and instead focus on her record as a candidate during an interview with Fox News on Monday.

“You’ve got to make this race not on personalities,” McCarthy said. “Stop questioning the size of her crowds and start questioning her position when it comes to what she did as [California] attorney general on crime. … What did she do when she was supposed to take care of the border as a czar?” 

While Republicans are urging message discipline, Trump is instead participating in an unscripted live interview on X later Monday evening with X owner and billionaire Elon Musk, who has endorsed Trump’s campaign. The forum is poised to open Trump to more candor as the former president returns to the social media site.

Behind the scenes, Republicans across the country are beginning to worry after Trump and his campaign have struggled to define Harris and recalibrate their message.

“Trump is often his own worst enemy,” said Dennis Lennox, a Michigan-based Republican strategist. “There is definitely a growing sentiment out there amongst Republicans, including Republicans who have legitimate MAGA bona fides, that Trump is blowing this election, not just Trump, but the people around him that enable him.”

Trump has held fewer rallies in battleground states and has held fewer rallies in general than in previous cycles. Since the beginning of July, he has held a total of eight rallies, plus his speech at the Republican National Convention. When asked last week why he was not on the campaign trail as much, Trump pointed to his poll numbers. 

“I’m leading by a lot,” he told reporters. “And because I’m letting their convention go through, and I am campaigning a lot. I’m doing tremendous amounts of taping here, we have commercials that are at a level I don’t think that anybody’s ever done before. Plus, in certain cases, I see many of you in the room where I’m speaking to you on phones, I’m speaking to radio, I’m speaking to television.”

Trump will return to Pennsylvania this weekend with a rally in Wilkes-Barre. Lennox believes this is where the campaign needs to start prioritizing after “taking their eye off the ball.”

“I place the blame squarely at the people who were publicly measuring the drapes inside the White House before and during the convention. They were talking about ‘oh we are going to win New York, Colorado’s in play, Virginia’s in play, New Mexico, New Jersey is in play, and we are going to spend money there,’” Lennox said. “They took their eye off the ball.” 

“The Trump campaign needs to spend every dollar it has left in the bank on Georgia and Pennsylvania,” he added. “Those are the only two states that matter.”

Meghan McCain, a conservative TV personality and the daughter of Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), has attacked both presidential frontrunners but has gone as far as to suggest that Trump is purposely trying to lose the election.

“I literally was just having a text exchange about whether or not Trump actually wants to win now,” Meghan McCain said Sunday during a livestream on 2WAY. “I don’t even know how you course-correct. If it was me working on this campaign, I’d be like ‘so this is all hands on deck, emergency situation, the Titanic’s going down.’” 

The Trump campaign is firing back against criticism, attempting to bring the conversation back to Harris’s record.

“President Trump has continually prosecuted the case against Kamala Harris by highlighting her dismal economic record, the out-of-control border, and skyrocketing inflation rate that is decimating American families,” said Trump spokesman Steven Cheung in a statement provided to the Washington Examiner. 

“Meanwhile, Kamala Harris is stealing policy ideas from President Trump, like No Tax on Tips, and has flip-flopped on important issues like fracking and gun rights. The weak, failed, and dangerously liberal Kamala-Walz ticket is the most radical in American history,” he added.

Trump returned to X on Monday after he was banned from the platform in 2021 when his supporters stormed the Capitol. He’s been promoting his interview with Musk, who took over the platform previously known as Twitter.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Lennox emphasizes that the election will not be won on X and warned the Trump campaign that time is running out.

“In my home state of Michigan, 1.5 million Michiganders will cast an absentee or early ballot this year, and those ballots will be dropped around September 26,” he said. “It’s not about winning on election day anymore. This election is going to be won or lost in September and October.”

, Former President Donald Trump has faced a rocky transition period since Vice President Kamala Harris became the Democratic presidential nominee, as his campaign has often been undercut by negative news cycles, sometimes of his own making. Trump, who was once the front-runner after surviving an assassination attempt, has seen his previous polling advantages virtually erased since Harris replaced President Joe Biden at the top of the Democratic ticket. This past week, the Cook Political Report reset its ratings to “toss-up” for Georgia, Arizona, and Nevada after earlier moving them to “lean Republican.”  In recent weeks, the Republican presidential nominee was forced to defend his running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), who found himself at the center of a firestorm over resurfaced remarks that the country was being run by “childless cat ladies.” Trump then claimed Harris “turned black” to gain political advantage, and at a rally in Atlanta, he publicly attacked Georgia’s popular Gov. Brian Kemp (R-GA) and his wife, Marty Kemp, a move allies worry could hurt Trump in a critical battleground state. And in Montana, the former president called Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) a “slob” with “the biggest stomach I’ve ever seen.” In a freewheeling press conference last week, Trump flashed his frustration with Harris’s rise and routinely insulted her intelligence. He claimed he drew a bigger crowd on Jan. 6, 2021, than Martin Luther King Jr. did for his famous “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963. Over the weekend, Trump accused the Harris campaign of using artificial intelligence to enhance the size of her crowds in an effort to downplay enthusiasm for the new Democratic ticket. Kevin McCarthy to Donald Trump on Fox News: “Stop questioning the size of her crowds.” Somewhere in Mar-a-Lago, a ketchup bottle is going through some things. pic.twitter.com/H9BwIAw5s1 — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 12, 2024 Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) warned Trump to stop questioning the size of Harris’s rallies and instead focus on her record as a candidate during an interview with Fox News on Monday. “You’ve got to make this race not on personalities,” McCarthy said. “Stop questioning the size of her crowds and start questioning her position when it comes to what she did as [California] attorney general on crime. … What did she do when she was supposed to take care of the border as a czar?”  While Republicans are urging message discipline, Trump is instead participating in an unscripted live interview on X later Monday evening with X owner and billionaire Elon Musk, who has endorsed Trump’s campaign. The forum is poised to open Trump to more candor as the former president returns to the social media site. Behind the scenes, Republicans across the country are beginning to worry after Trump and his campaign have struggled to define Harris and recalibrate their message. “Trump is often his own worst enemy,” said Dennis Lennox, a Michigan-based Republican strategist. “There is definitely a growing sentiment out there amongst Republicans, including Republicans who have legitimate MAGA bona fides, that Trump is blowing this election, not just Trump, but the people around him that enable him.” Trump has held fewer rallies in battleground states and has held fewer rallies in general than in previous cycles. Since the beginning of July, he has held a total of eight rallies, plus his speech at the Republican National Convention. When asked last week why he was not on the campaign trail as much, Trump pointed to his poll numbers.  “I’m leading by a lot,” he told reporters. “And because I’m letting their convention go through, and I am campaigning a lot. I’m doing tremendous amounts of taping here, we have commercials that are at a level I don’t think that anybody’s ever done before. Plus, in certain cases, I see many of you in the room where I’m speaking to you on phones, I’m speaking to radio, I’m speaking to television.” Trump will return to Pennsylvania this weekend with a rally in Wilkes-Barre. Lennox believes this is where the campaign needs to start prioritizing after “taking their eye off the ball.” “I place the blame squarely at the people who were publicly measuring the drapes inside the White House before and during the convention. They were talking about ‘oh we are going to win New York, Colorado’s in play, Virginia’s in play, New Mexico, New Jersey is in play, and we are going to spend money there,’” Lennox said. “They took their eye off the ball.”  “The Trump campaign needs to spend every dollar it has left in the bank on Georgia and Pennsylvania,” he added. “Those are the only two states that matter.” Meghan McCain, a conservative TV personality and the daughter of Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), has attacked both presidential frontrunners but has gone as far as to suggest that Trump is purposely trying to lose the election. Former President Donald Trump, Republican presidential nominee, arrives to speak at a campaign rally in Bozeman, Montana, Friday, Aug. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) “I literally was just having a text exchange about whether or not Trump actually wants to win now,” Meghan McCain said Sunday during a livestream on 2WAY. “I don’t even know how you course-correct. If it was me working on this campaign, I’d be like ‘so this is all hands on deck, emergency situation, the Titanic’s going down.’”  The Trump campaign is firing back against criticism, attempting to bring the conversation back to Harris’s record. “President Trump has continually prosecuted the case against Kamala Harris by highlighting her dismal economic record, the out-of-control border, and skyrocketing inflation rate that is decimating American families,” said Trump spokesman Steven Cheung in a statement provided to the Washington Examiner.  “Meanwhile, Kamala Harris is stealing policy ideas from President Trump, like No Tax on Tips, and has flip-flopped on important issues like fracking and gun rights. The weak, failed, and dangerously liberal Kamala-Walz ticket is the most radical in American history,” he added. Trump returned to X on Monday after he was banned from the platform in 2021 when his supporters stormed the Capitol. He’s been promoting his interview with Musk, who took over the platform previously known as Twitter. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Lennox emphasizes that the election will not be won on X and warned the Trump campaign that time is running out. “In my home state of Michigan, 1.5 million Michiganders will cast an absentee or early ballot this year, and those ballots will be dropped around September 26,” he said. “It’s not about winning on election day anymore. This election is going to be won or lost in September and October.”, , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Trump-Musk-2024-1024×683.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Samantha-Jo Roth,

Campaign advertising for Senate races in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Montana will dominate investments this 2024 election cycle, signaling the most important battlegrounds for control of the upper chamber.

So far there have been $723 million worth of campaign ad buys for the three states, according to AdImpact data, reported by Axios. The figures include ad reservations made as of Aug. 7 through Election Day.

Most of the money is going to the Ohio Senate race where Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) is embroiled in one of the most high-stakes reelection battles against GOP opponent Bernie Moreno. The race has become 2024’s first non-presidential race to exceed $300 million in spending, and it’s also one of the most expensive races that the political ad tracking firm has seen.

The only state in which Republicans have been outspending Democrats on campaign ads and reservations is Ohio, where they have spent $158.4 million compared to $152 million from Democrats. The majority of the cash is coming in from outside groups such as the Democratic Duty and Honor group, which invested $28.7 million and represents 51% of Democratic spending, while the Republican group One Nation spent $27.6 million, which represents 82% of Republican spending. Meanwhile, the Brown campaign has spent $27.6 million, compared to Moreno’s $875,000. 

The races between Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) and Republican Dave McCormick in Pennsylvania and Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) and Republican Tim Sheehy in Montana came in second and third place for spending for both parties. In Pennsylvania, Democrats have spent $111.2 million compared to Republicans’ $96.2 million. In Montana, Democrats have invested $110 million compared to Republicans’ $95 million. 

Nevada comes in fifth place on the list, with Democrats spending $72.2 million compared to Republicans’ $12 million. Michigan, another state with a competitive open Senate race, ranks eighth, with Democrats spending $43.2 million and Republicans are spending $26.9 million.  

Historically, Democrats have had a fundraising advantage over Republicans, who are attempting to maximize the use of their dollars as they attempt to take back the Senate. They will gain control if they flip just one additional seat in addition to their likely pickup in West Virginia after the retirement of Sen. Joe Manchin (I-WV).

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

A major aspect of Republicans’ strategy has been recruiting wealthy candidates who can inject their own cash and those of their supporters into the race. They have also focused on beating incumbents in states where former President Donald Trump won easily in 2020, such as Ohio and Montana. 

As the general election season ramps up, both sides are expected to dump in more money as November approaches.

2024-08-09 22:25:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fsenate%2F3117187%2Fpolitical-ad-spending-senate-races%2F?w=600&h=450, Campaign advertising for Senate races in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Montana will dominate investments this 2024 election cycle, signaling the most important battlegrounds for control of the upper chamber. So far there have been $723 million worth of campaign ad buys for the three states, according to AdImpact data, reported by Axios. The figures include ad,

Campaign advertising for Senate races in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Montana will dominate investments this 2024 election cycle, signaling the most important battlegrounds for control of the upper chamber.

So far there have been $723 million worth of campaign ad buys for the three states, according to AdImpact data, reported by Axios. The figures include ad reservations made as of Aug. 7 through Election Day.

Most of the money is going to the Ohio Senate race where Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) is embroiled in one of the most high-stakes reelection battles against GOP opponent Bernie Moreno. The race has become 2024’s first non-presidential race to exceed $300 million in spending, and it’s also one of the most expensive races that the political ad tracking firm has seen.

The only state in which Republicans have been outspending Democrats on campaign ads and reservations is Ohio, where they have spent $158.4 million compared to $152 million from Democrats. The majority of the cash is coming in from outside groups such as the Democratic Duty and Honor group, which invested $28.7 million and represents 51% of Democratic spending, while the Republican group One Nation spent $27.6 million, which represents 82% of Republican spending. Meanwhile, the Brown campaign has spent $27.6 million, compared to Moreno’s $875,000. 

The races between Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) and Republican Dave McCormick in Pennsylvania and Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) and Republican Tim Sheehy in Montana came in second and third place for spending for both parties. In Pennsylvania, Democrats have spent $111.2 million compared to Republicans’ $96.2 million. In Montana, Democrats have invested $110 million compared to Republicans’ $95 million. 

Nevada comes in fifth place on the list, with Democrats spending $72.2 million compared to Republicans’ $12 million. Michigan, another state with a competitive open Senate race, ranks eighth, with Democrats spending $43.2 million and Republicans are spending $26.9 million.  

Historically, Democrats have had a fundraising advantage over Republicans, who are attempting to maximize the use of their dollars as they attempt to take back the Senate. They will gain control if they flip just one additional seat in addition to their likely pickup in West Virginia after the retirement of Sen. Joe Manchin (I-WV).

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

A major aspect of Republicans’ strategy has been recruiting wealthy candidates who can inject their own cash and those of their supporters into the race. They have also focused on beating incumbents in states where former President Donald Trump won easily in 2020, such as Ohio and Montana. 

As the general election season ramps up, both sides are expected to dump in more money as November approaches.

, Campaign advertising for Senate races in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Montana will dominate investments this 2024 election cycle, signaling the most important battlegrounds for control of the upper chamber. So far there have been $723 million worth of campaign ad buys for the three states, according to AdImpact data, reported by Axios. The figures include ad reservations made as of Aug. 7 through Election Day. Most of the money is going to the Ohio Senate race where Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) is embroiled in one of the most high-stakes reelection battles against GOP opponent Bernie Moreno. The race has become 2024’s first non-presidential race to exceed $300 million in spending, and it’s also one of the most expensive races that the political ad tracking firm has seen. The only state in which Republicans have been outspending Democrats on campaign ads and reservations is Ohio, where they have spent $158.4 million compared to $152 million from Democrats. The majority of the cash is coming in from outside groups such as the Democratic Duty and Honor group, which invested $28.7 million and represents 51% of Democratic spending, while the Republican group One Nation spent $27.6 million, which represents 82% of Republican spending. Meanwhile, the Brown campaign has spent $27.6 million, compared to Moreno’s $875,000.  The races between Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) and Republican Dave McCormick in Pennsylvania and Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) and Republican Tim Sheehy in Montana came in second and third place for spending for both parties. In Pennsylvania, Democrats have spent $111.2 million compared to Republicans’ $96.2 million. In Montana, Democrats have invested $110 million compared to Republicans’ $95 million.  Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) leaves the chamber as the Senate prepares to advance the $95 billion aid legislation for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan passed by the House at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, April 23, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) Nevada comes in fifth place on the list, with Democrats spending $72.2 million compared to Republicans’ $12 million. Michigan, another state with a competitive open Senate race, ranks eighth, with Democrats spending $43.2 million and Republicans are spending $26.9 million.   Historically, Democrats have had a fundraising advantage over Republicans, who are attempting to maximize the use of their dollars as they attempt to take back the Senate. They will gain control if they flip just one additional seat in addition to their likely pickup in West Virginia after the retirement of Sen. Joe Manchin (I-WV). CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER A major aspect of Republicans’ strategy has been recruiting wealthy candidates who can inject their own cash and those of their supporters into the race. They have also focused on beating incumbents in states where former President Donald Trump won easily in 2020, such as Ohio and Montana.  As the general election season ramps up, both sides are expected to dump in more money as November approaches., , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Sherrod-Brown-August-2024-Senate-scaled-1024×683.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Samantha-Jo Roth,

EXCLUSIVE — An outside political group that supports former President Donald Trump is releasing a new ad across multiple battleground states admonishing Vice President Kamala Harris over her work leading the Biden administration’s response to the southern border crisis.

Preserve America, a pro-Trump super PAC, is releasing a new TV and digital spot in the battleground states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, as part of an eight-figure ad campaign running from the opening ceremony of the Olympics until Labor Day.

The ad, titled “Damage,” features the testimony of Julie Ann Willoughby, an emergency room nurse and Republican State representative in Arizona, discussing the toll of the border crisis on the healthcare system. 

“I’ve seen firsthand the damage that Kamala Harris caused as our country’s borders czar,” Willoughby charges in the new ad, showing her wearing scrubs and appearing to be at a hospital. “Hospitals everywhere are overwhelmed and American patients are paying the price.”

“My patients are covering the healthcare costs for people here illegally while their own care is jeopardized,” Willoughby says, looking straight into the camera. “Kamala Harris is weak and dangerous.”

The ad, shared first with the Washington Examiner on Thursday, is the latest attack against Harris for her role in the administration’s handling of the U.S. southern border, which has seen unprecedented levels of migrants.

The issue has been a major political liability for the Biden administration as Republicans have sought to use the border crisis as an example of President Joe Biden’s failures as president and now Harris’s after she became the presumptive Democratic nominee last month.

Since Biden made his exit and endorsed Harris, the vice president has largely not mentioned the crisis on the southern border and her role in immigration policy, which is now in the spotlight. However, she has begun reflecting on her time prosecuting transnational gangs and drug traffickers as the attorney general of a border state during her rallies.

“In that job, I walked underground tunnels between the United States and Mexico,” Harris said during a rally in Atlanta last week. “I went after transnational gangs, drug cartels, and human traffickers that came into our country illegally. I prosecuted them in case after case, and I won.”

Harris also continues to point to a border bipartisan compromise bill that Sens. James Lankford (R-OK), Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), and Chris Murphy (D-CT) and officials from the White House put together in February, which ultimately died under political pressure from Trump.

“It was all set to pass, but at the last minute Trump directed his allies in the Senate to vote it down,” Harris said. 

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Preserve America was set up during Trump’s unsuccessful 2020 reelection bid and was relaunched to help the former president win back the White House in 2024. 

The ad is the third one from Preserve America to criticize Harris over border security. The group spent $100 million on advertising in 2020 to support Trump and a source familiar expects they will exceed that number in 2024.

2024-08-08 23:06:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fpresidential%2F3115972%2Ftrump-aligned-group-harris-over-border-ad-battleground-states%2F?w=600&h=450, EXCLUSIVE — An outside political group that supports former President Donald Trump is releasing a new ad across multiple battleground states admonishing Vice President Kamala Harris over her work leading the Biden administration’s response to the southern border crisis. Preserve America, a pro-Trump super PAC, is releasing a new TV and digital spot in the battleground states of Michigan, Pennsylvania,

EXCLUSIVE — An outside political group that supports former President Donald Trump is releasing a new ad across multiple battleground states admonishing Vice President Kamala Harris over her work leading the Biden administration’s response to the southern border crisis.

Preserve America, a pro-Trump super PAC, is releasing a new TV and digital spot in the battleground states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, as part of an eight-figure ad campaign running from the opening ceremony of the Olympics until Labor Day.

The ad, titled “Damage,” features the testimony of Julie Ann Willoughby, an emergency room nurse and Republican State representative in Arizona, discussing the toll of the border crisis on the healthcare system. 

“I’ve seen firsthand the damage that Kamala Harris caused as our country’s borders czar,” Willoughby charges in the new ad, showing her wearing scrubs and appearing to be at a hospital. “Hospitals everywhere are overwhelmed and American patients are paying the price.”

“My patients are covering the healthcare costs for people here illegally while their own care is jeopardized,” Willoughby says, looking straight into the camera. “Kamala Harris is weak and dangerous.”

The ad, shared first with the Washington Examiner on Thursday, is the latest attack against Harris for her role in the administration’s handling of the U.S. southern border, which has seen unprecedented levels of migrants.

The issue has been a major political liability for the Biden administration as Republicans have sought to use the border crisis as an example of President Joe Biden’s failures as president and now Harris’s after she became the presumptive Democratic nominee last month.

Since Biden made his exit and endorsed Harris, the vice president has largely not mentioned the crisis on the southern border and her role in immigration policy, which is now in the spotlight. However, she has begun reflecting on her time prosecuting transnational gangs and drug traffickers as the attorney general of a border state during her rallies.

“In that job, I walked underground tunnels between the United States and Mexico,” Harris said during a rally in Atlanta last week. “I went after transnational gangs, drug cartels, and human traffickers that came into our country illegally. I prosecuted them in case after case, and I won.”

Harris also continues to point to a border bipartisan compromise bill that Sens. James Lankford (R-OK), Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), and Chris Murphy (D-CT) and officials from the White House put together in February, which ultimately died under political pressure from Trump.

“It was all set to pass, but at the last minute Trump directed his allies in the Senate to vote it down,” Harris said. 

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Preserve America was set up during Trump’s unsuccessful 2020 reelection bid and was relaunched to help the former president win back the White House in 2024. 

The ad is the third one from Preserve America to criticize Harris over border security. The group spent $100 million on advertising in 2020 to support Trump and a source familiar expects they will exceed that number in 2024.

, EXCLUSIVE — An outside political group that supports former President Donald Trump is releasing a new ad across multiple battleground states admonishing Vice President Kamala Harris over her work leading the Biden administration’s response to the southern border crisis. Preserve America, a pro-Trump super PAC, is releasing a new TV and digital spot in the battleground states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, as part of an eight-figure ad campaign running from the opening ceremony of the Olympics until Labor Day. The ad, titled “Damage,” features the testimony of Julie Ann Willoughby, an emergency room nurse and Republican State representative in Arizona, discussing the toll of the border crisis on the healthcare system.  “I’ve seen firsthand the damage that Kamala Harris caused as our country’s borders czar,” Willoughby charges in the new ad, showing her wearing scrubs and appearing to be at a hospital. “Hospitals everywhere are overwhelmed and American patients are paying the price.” “My patients are covering the healthcare costs for people here illegally while their own care is jeopardized,” Willoughby says, looking straight into the camera. “Kamala Harris is weak and dangerous.” The ad, shared first with the Washington Examiner on Thursday, is the latest attack against Harris for her role in the administration’s handling of the U.S. southern border, which has seen unprecedented levels of migrants. The issue has been a major political liability for the Biden administration as Republicans have sought to use the border crisis as an example of President Joe Biden’s failures as president and now Harris’s after she became the presumptive Democratic nominee last month. Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) arrives at the U.S.-Mexico border in Hereford, Arizona, Aug. 1, 2024. (Grace Trejo/Arizona Daily Star via AP) Since Biden made his exit and endorsed Harris, the vice president has largely not mentioned the crisis on the southern border and her role in immigration policy, which is now in the spotlight. However, she has begun reflecting on her time prosecuting transnational gangs and drug traffickers as the attorney general of a border state during her rallies. “In that job, I walked underground tunnels between the United States and Mexico,” Harris said during a rally in Atlanta last week. “I went after transnational gangs, drug cartels, and human traffickers that came into our country illegally. I prosecuted them in case after case, and I won.” Harris also continues to point to a border bipartisan compromise bill that Sens. James Lankford (R-OK), Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), and Chris Murphy (D-CT) and officials from the White House put together in February, which ultimately died under political pressure from Trump. “It was all set to pass, but at the last minute Trump directed his allies in the Senate to vote it down,” Harris said.  CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Preserve America was set up during Trump’s unsuccessful 2020 reelection bid and was relaunched to help the former president win back the White House in 2024.  The ad is the third one from Preserve America to criticize Harris over border security. The group spent $100 million on advertising in 2020 to support Trump and a source familiar expects they will exceed that number in 2024., , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Kamala-Harris-2024-August-scaled-1024×683.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Samantha-Jo Roth,

A new statewide poll is showing Vice President Kamala Harris with a slight lead over former President Donald Trump in Arizona as she prepares to campaign in the Grand Canyon state with her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN), on Friday.

The HighGround Public Affairs survey, which came out Thursday, found that Harris holds 44.4% while Trump holds 41.6%, which is within the survey’s margin of error of plus or minus 4.38%. About 8.8% of respondents did not know or refused to answer, while about 5.2% said they would support a different candidate in November.

The Harris campaign recently launched Republicans for Harris in an effort to reach and mobilize Republican voters who do not support Trump. The results of the poll show that Harris is already attracting a portion of the Republican electorate in Arizona, with 7.4% of likely GOP voters answering that they intend to support Harris. The poll found that Trump has some crossover support with Democrat voters, with 3.5% answering that they would support the former president.

“She’s getting a little less than 10% of Republicans — but those are big votes. It’s not just a plus one for her. It’s also a minus one for Trump,” said Chuck Coughlin, president and CEO of HighGround, in an interview with the Washington Examiner.

The poll also found that more Democrats said they would support Harris than Republicans would support Trump. About 86% of Democrats answered they would support Harris, while 79% of Republicans answered the same for Trump.

“This is how Democrats have won. You could see in ‘18, ‘20, and ‘22 that the base of the Republican Party was not broad enough; it’s not big enough. And that’s their electoral problem, and it will continue this cycle,” Coughlin added.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

In the Senate race, Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) received 49.6% of the vote, while GOP candidate Kari Lake received 38.6%. About 9% of respondents said they did not know or refused, while 2.6% said they would vote for another candidate. 

The Cook Political Report recently moved Arizona into the “toss-up” category from “lean Republican.” The average of recent polls still shows Trump is up by 2.8 points. The Arizona Senate race is rated “lean Democratic” by nonpartisan political handicapper the Cook Political Report, alongside races in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.

2024-08-08 21:45:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fpresidential%2F3115800%2Fnew-poll-arizona-voters-finds-harris-slight-edge-over-trump%2F?w=600&h=450, A new statewide poll is showing Vice President Kamala Harris with a slight lead over former President Donald Trump in Arizona as she prepares to campaign in the Grand Canyon state with her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN), on Friday. The HighGround Public Affairs survey, which came out Thursday, found that Harris holds 44.4%,

A new statewide poll is showing Vice President Kamala Harris with a slight lead over former President Donald Trump in Arizona as she prepares to campaign in the Grand Canyon state with her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN), on Friday.

The HighGround Public Affairs survey, which came out Thursday, found that Harris holds 44.4% while Trump holds 41.6%, which is within the survey’s margin of error of plus or minus 4.38%. About 8.8% of respondents did not know or refused to answer, while about 5.2% said they would support a different candidate in November.

The Harris campaign recently launched Republicans for Harris in an effort to reach and mobilize Republican voters who do not support Trump. The results of the poll show that Harris is already attracting a portion of the Republican electorate in Arizona, with 7.4% of likely GOP voters answering that they intend to support Harris. The poll found that Trump has some crossover support with Democrat voters, with 3.5% answering that they would support the former president.

“She’s getting a little less than 10% of Republicans — but those are big votes. It’s not just a plus one for her. It’s also a minus one for Trump,” said Chuck Coughlin, president and CEO of HighGround, in an interview with the Washington Examiner.

The poll also found that more Democrats said they would support Harris than Republicans would support Trump. About 86% of Democrats answered they would support Harris, while 79% of Republicans answered the same for Trump.

“This is how Democrats have won. You could see in ‘18, ‘20, and ‘22 that the base of the Republican Party was not broad enough; it’s not big enough. And that’s their electoral problem, and it will continue this cycle,” Coughlin added.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

In the Senate race, Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) received 49.6% of the vote, while GOP candidate Kari Lake received 38.6%. About 9% of respondents said they did not know or refused, while 2.6% said they would vote for another candidate. 

The Cook Political Report recently moved Arizona into the “toss-up” category from “lean Republican.” The average of recent polls still shows Trump is up by 2.8 points. The Arizona Senate race is rated “lean Democratic” by nonpartisan political handicapper the Cook Political Report, alongside races in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.

, A new statewide poll is showing Vice President Kamala Harris with a slight lead over former President Donald Trump in Arizona as she prepares to campaign in the Grand Canyon state with her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN), on Friday. The HighGround Public Affairs survey, which came out Thursday, found that Harris holds 44.4% while Trump holds 41.6%, which is within the survey’s margin of error of plus or minus 4.38%. About 8.8% of respondents did not know or refused to answer, while about 5.2% said they would support a different candidate in November. The Harris campaign recently launched Republicans for Harris in an effort to reach and mobilize Republican voters who do not support Trump. The results of the poll show that Harris is already attracting a portion of the Republican electorate in Arizona, with 7.4% of likely GOP voters answering that they intend to support Harris. The poll found that Trump has some crossover support with Democrat voters, with 3.5% answering that they would support the former president. “She’s getting a little less than 10% of Republicans — but those are big votes. It’s not just a plus one for her. It’s also a minus one for Trump,” said Chuck Coughlin, president and CEO of HighGround, in an interview with the Washington Examiner. The poll also found that more Democrats said they would support Harris than Republicans would support Trump. About 86% of Democrats answered they would support Harris, while 79% of Republicans answered the same for Trump. “This is how Democrats have won. You could see in ‘18, ‘20, and ‘22 that the base of the Republican Party was not broad enough; it’s not big enough. And that’s their electoral problem, and it will continue this cycle,” Coughlin added. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER In the Senate race, Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) received 49.6% of the vote, while GOP candidate Kari Lake received 38.6%. About 9% of respondents said they did not know or refused, while 2.6% said they would vote for another candidate.  The Cook Political Report recently moved Arizona into the “toss-up” category from “lean Republican.” The average of recent polls still shows Trump is up by 2.8 points. The Arizona Senate race is rated “lean Democratic” by nonpartisan political handicapper the Cook Political Report , alongside races in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania., , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/kamala-harris-tim-walz-1.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Samantha-Jo Roth,

A nonpartisan election handicapper has updated ratings for three states in the 2024 presidential election cycle, shifting them toward Democrats after Vice President Kamala Harris became the party’s nominee for president.

Sabato’s Crystal Ball is now moving Georgia into the “toss-up” category, and Minnesota and New Hampshire are now rated as “likely Democratic.” Georgia had previously been identified as leaning Republican, and Minnesota and New Hampshire had been identified as likely Democratic. 

Georgia has 11 electoral votes, Minnesota has 10, and New Hampshire has four. The election projector now shows Democrats with 226 electoral votes from states at a minimum leaning Democrat, while Republicans have 235 electoral votes from states that at least lean Republican. There are currently 77 votes in play from “toss-up” states.

In rationalizing the change in ratings, the group said in the weeks since Harris “emerged as Democrats’ standard-bearer, she has ‘reset’ the electoral map to some degree” after polling better than President Joe Biden before he ended his 2024 run. Gov. Tim Walz’s (D-MN), Harris’s newly announced running mate, state also shifted toward the Democratic ticket.

“It appears that at least in the short term, Harris has reversed the slippage — or has at least been able to stop the bleeding — that Democrats have seen since the Biden-Trump debate in June,” J. Miles Coleman of Sabato’s Crystal Ball wrote. 

“Looking nationally, Harris currently leads in all national polling aggregators. When Biden left the race, he was generally polling behind Trump. Harris making the race into more of a 50-50 proposition means we should adjust our own ratings to better reflect the state of the race,” he added.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Biden won all three of these states in 2020. Earlier in June, Georgia’s rating was shifted from “toss-up” to “leans Republican” in the wake of Biden’s poor debate performance in early June. At that time, Pennsylvania, which was once rated as “leans Democratic,” was changed to a “toss-up,” and the rating has not changed.

“Unlike Harris’s other top prospect for the second-place position, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D), Walz does not seem positioned to directly deliver a state’s electoral votes: Before Walz was announced, we already had his Minnesota at Leans Democratic in the Electoral College,” Coleman added.

2024-08-07 19:44:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fpresidential%2F3114165%2Fharris-resets-electoral-map-three-states-sabato%2F?w=600&h=450, A nonpartisan election handicapper has updated ratings for three states in the 2024 presidential election cycle, shifting them toward Democrats after Vice President Kamala Harris became the party’s nominee for president. Sabato’s Crystal Ball is now moving Georgia into the “toss-up” category, and Minnesota and New Hampshire are now rated as “likely Democratic.” Georgia had,

A nonpartisan election handicapper has updated ratings for three states in the 2024 presidential election cycle, shifting them toward Democrats after Vice President Kamala Harris became the party’s nominee for president.

Sabato’s Crystal Ball is now moving Georgia into the “toss-up” category, and Minnesota and New Hampshire are now rated as “likely Democratic.” Georgia had previously been identified as leaning Republican, and Minnesota and New Hampshire had been identified as likely Democratic. 

Georgia has 11 electoral votes, Minnesota has 10, and New Hampshire has four. The election projector now shows Democrats with 226 electoral votes from states at a minimum leaning Democrat, while Republicans have 235 electoral votes from states that at least lean Republican. There are currently 77 votes in play from “toss-up” states.

In rationalizing the change in ratings, the group said in the weeks since Harris “emerged as Democrats’ standard-bearer, she has ‘reset’ the electoral map to some degree” after polling better than President Joe Biden before he ended his 2024 run. Gov. Tim Walz’s (D-MN), Harris’s newly announced running mate, state also shifted toward the Democratic ticket.

“It appears that at least in the short term, Harris has reversed the slippage — or has at least been able to stop the bleeding — that Democrats have seen since the Biden-Trump debate in June,” J. Miles Coleman of Sabato’s Crystal Ball wrote. 

“Looking nationally, Harris currently leads in all national polling aggregators. When Biden left the race, he was generally polling behind Trump. Harris making the race into more of a 50-50 proposition means we should adjust our own ratings to better reflect the state of the race,” he added.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Biden won all three of these states in 2020. Earlier in June, Georgia’s rating was shifted from “toss-up” to “leans Republican” in the wake of Biden’s poor debate performance in early June. At that time, Pennsylvania, which was once rated as “leans Democratic,” was changed to a “toss-up,” and the rating has not changed.

“Unlike Harris’s other top prospect for the second-place position, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D), Walz does not seem positioned to directly deliver a state’s electoral votes: Before Walz was announced, we already had his Minnesota at Leans Democratic in the Electoral College,” Coleman added.

, A nonpartisan election handicapper has updated ratings for three states in the 2024 presidential election cycle, shifting them toward Democrats after Vice President Kamala Harris became the party’s nominee for president. Sabato’s Crystal Ball is now moving Georgia into the “toss-up” category, and Minnesota and New Hampshire are now rated as “likely Democratic.” Georgia had previously been identified as leaning Republican, and Minnesota and New Hampshire had been identified as likely Democratic.  #New Crystal Ball Rating changes Georgia – Lean Toss up Minnesota – Lean Likely New Hampshire – Lean Likely Election comes down to WI MI PA GA AZ & NV https://t.co/LI6A5pYewu pic.twitter.com/eLOqniNo7a — ‏ًً (@politicalplayer) August 7, 2024 Georgia has 11 electoral votes, Minnesota has 10, and New Hampshire has four. The election projector now shows Democrats with 226 electoral votes from states at a minimum leaning Democrat, while Republicans have 235 electoral votes from states that at least lean Republican. There are currently 77 votes in play from “toss-up” states. In rationalizing the change in ratings, the group said in the weeks since Harris “emerged as Democrats’ standard-bearer, she has ‘reset’ the electoral map to some degree” after polling better than President Joe Biden before he ended his 2024 run. Gov. Tim Walz’s (D-MN), Harris’s newly announced running mate, state also shifted toward the Democratic ticket. “It appears that at least in the short term, Harris has reversed the slippage — or has at least been able to stop the bleeding — that Democrats have seen since the Biden-Trump debate in June,” J. Miles Coleman of Sabato’s Crystal Ball wrote.  “Looking nationally, Harris currently leads in all national polling aggregators. When Biden left the race, he was generally polling behind Trump. Harris making the race into more of a 50-50 proposition means we should adjust our own ratings to better reflect the state of the race,” he added. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Biden won all three of these states in 2020. Earlier in June, Georgia’s rating was shifted from “toss-up” to “leans Republican” in the wake of Biden’s poor debate performance in early June. At that time, Pennsylvania, which was once rated as “leans Democratic,” was changed to a “toss-up,” and the rating has not changed. “Unlike Harris’s other top prospect for the second-place position, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D), Walz does not seem positioned to directly deliver a state’s electoral votes: Before Walz was announced, we already had his Minnesota at Leans Democratic in the Electoral College,” Coleman added., , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Harris_Walz_Rally_12.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Samantha-Jo Roth,

Several high-profile Republicans seized on Vice President Kamala Harris’s choice of Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) as her running mate, suggesting antisemitism in the Democratic Party influenced her decision not to choose a Jewish running mate in Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA).   

GOP vice presidential nominee Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) told reporters in Philadelphia on Tuesday that it seemed like Harris didn’t select Shapiro because Democrats were concerned “grassroots activists in their party wouldn’t take a Jewish nominee.”

“Many, many people said repeatedly that the reason Kamala Harris was going away from the Josh Shapiro selection is because they were worried about antisemitism,” Vance said. 

Later at a press conference, Vance again claimed that Harris did not choose Shapiro due to antisemitic attitudes within the Democratic Party.

“I genuinely feel bad that for days, maybe even weeks, the guy actually had to run away from his Jewish heritage because of what the Democrats are saying about him. I think that’s scandalous and disgraceful,” Vance said. “Whatever disagreements on policy you have about somebody, the fact that that race, the vice presidential race on the Democratic side, became so focused on his ethnicity, I think, is absolutely disgraceful.”

Earlier on Tuesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) emphasized that the governor from a critical swing state was “overlooked” for the top spot due to his Jewish heritage. 

“I think that clearly was a major factor, is that she was reluctant to put a vice presidential nominee on the ticket with Jewish heritage because they’re having a split in the Democratic Party,” Johnson said in an interview with the Hill. “They have a pro-Palestinian, in some cases pro-Hamas wing of the Democratic Party.”

Republicans have long sought to put the Israel-Hamas war at the center of the campaign, highlighting the long-standing Democratic divisions over the conflict. The pro-Palestinian protests that spread across the nation’s college campuses that openly displayed antisemitism this past spring put the spotlight on this sensitive issue. Republican Senate and House campaign arms utilized footage of the protests and launched ad campaigns this past spring, slamming vulnerable Democrats for not condemning them, according to reporting from Axios. 

“Choosing a running mate is Kamala Harris’ first major decision as the Democrat Party nominee, and choosing Far-Left Governor Tim Walz proves how dangerously liberal she is,” said Karoline Leavitt, the Trump campaign’s national press secretary, in a statement provided to the Washington Examiner. “Likewise, NOT choosing Josh Shapiro proves the Democrat Party is completely beholden to the demands of pro-Hamas terrorist sympathizers and has fully embraced anti-Semitism.”

Shapiro said he was grateful for the opportunity and stumped for the new Democratic ticket at a rally in Philadelphia on Tuesday.

“I’m going to be working my tail off to make sure we make Kamala Harris and Tim Walz the next leaders of the United States of America,” Shapiro said. 

Shapiro defends Jewish faith

The Pennsylvania governor took a moment to address the elephant in the room, speaking directly to the cameras.

“I want to just say this: I lean on my family and I lean on my faith, which calls me to serve. And I am proud of my faith,” he said.

Harris’s decision came after Shapiro had faced growing pressure from an outspoken group of far-left organizers who expressed opposition to Shapiro, an observant Jew, whose positions on Israel were largely aligned with other candidates on the vice presidential short list. The rhetoric used by the left-wing campaign, called “No Genocide Josh,” raised questions among some about whether it ultimately played a role in Harris’s selection. 

CNN commentator Van Jones emphasized the need for conversations about antisemitism within the Democratic Party after Harris’s running mate was announced. 

“You can be for the Palestinians without being an anti-Jewish bigot, but there are some anti-Jewish bigots out there,” Jones said Tuesday on CNN, following the announcement. “And there has to be conversations about how much of what just happened is caving into some of these darker parts in the party. So that’s going to have to get worked out. It’s going to have to get talked through.” 

Harris urged to push back on anti-Israel wing of Democratic Party

Some are downplaying the decision and are not portraying it as Harris bending to pressure from the Left.  

“On the one hand, there are many perfectly legitimate reasons why she might have chosen Governor Walz over Gov. Shapiro, whether it’s how he sees the electoral map or personal chemistry,” said Nathan Diament, the executive director of public policy for the Orthodox Union, in an interview with the Washington Examiner. “A clearly illegitimate reason would have been the antisemitic smear campaign that some extremists on the left wing of the Democratic Party were waging against Josh Shapiro.”

“I think it is imperative that Vice President Harris clearly communicates to the public, particularly to the American Jewish Community, why she thinks Tim Walz is her best running mate,” he said.

Diament emphasized it is on Harris to push back on the narrative that the progressive wing of the party was successful with their pressure campaign. 

“In a state like Pennsylvania, there are enough Jewish voters that in a closely contested election, they can just make the difference between whether Harris wins or Trump wins. And so she’s going to need to reassure the Jewish voters of Pennsylvania as well as Michigan and in Wisconsin, who want to feel comfortable with her,” he said.

A large majority of Jewish Americans have consistently voted for Democrats. Only 30% of Jewish voters supported Trump in 2020, while 69% supported Biden, according to AP VoteCast. Jewish voters have been one of the religious groups where support for Biden was strongest. 

Mark Mellman, the president of the Democratic Majority for Israel and a longtime Democratic pollster, said he does not believe antisemitism played a role in Harris’s decision, noting she is married to a Jewish man, second gentleman Doug Emhoff. 

“I think those accusations are just absurd, the person who made this choice has chosen Jewish people for important roles in her life, public and private,” Mellman said in an interview with the Washington Examiner. “There was a level of antisemitic speech, antisemitic invective from some, from a small element in the party that is really abhorrent and it needs to be condemned.”

The Democratic Party advanced an 80-page platform last month that touted the Biden administration’s support for Israel, despite efforts from a faction of far-left activists who pushed for changes in how the party approaches the Jewish state. Even though Biden is no longer at the top of the ticket, Mellman is confident the platform will still be utilized at the convention next month.

“The exact wording may change on some things because the candidate is Kamala Harris, it’s not Joe Biden, and that may change some nouns and pronouns and so on, but I don’t think it’s going to change anything in the substance,” Mellman said. 

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

While some are disappointed that Harris did not choose Shapiro who could have made history as the first Jewish vice president if elected, other Democrats emphasized they trust Harris made the decision that was best for the ticket.

“Any decision will always be met with some kind of disappointment,” said Jon Reinish, a Democratic strategist. “I will say the Democratic Party is unified, and the Democratic Party wants to win. My assumption is that whomever had specific horses in the race in mind, and any bitter feelings that may exist, those are going to be swiftly put aside in the coming days.”

2024-08-06 23:16:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fpresidential%2F3113133%2Fharris-antisemitic-smear-campaign-josh-shapiro-vp%2F?w=600&h=450, Several high-profile Republicans seized on Vice President Kamala Harris’s choice of Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) as her running mate, suggesting antisemitism in the Democratic Party influenced her decision not to choose a Jewish running mate in Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA).    GOP vice presidential nominee Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) told reporters in Philadelphia on Tuesday that,

Several high-profile Republicans seized on Vice President Kamala Harris’s choice of Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) as her running mate, suggesting antisemitism in the Democratic Party influenced her decision not to choose a Jewish running mate in Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA).   

GOP vice presidential nominee Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) told reporters in Philadelphia on Tuesday that it seemed like Harris didn’t select Shapiro because Democrats were concerned “grassroots activists in their party wouldn’t take a Jewish nominee.”

“Many, many people said repeatedly that the reason Kamala Harris was going away from the Josh Shapiro selection is because they were worried about antisemitism,” Vance said. 

Later at a press conference, Vance again claimed that Harris did not choose Shapiro due to antisemitic attitudes within the Democratic Party.

“I genuinely feel bad that for days, maybe even weeks, the guy actually had to run away from his Jewish heritage because of what the Democrats are saying about him. I think that’s scandalous and disgraceful,” Vance said. “Whatever disagreements on policy you have about somebody, the fact that that race, the vice presidential race on the Democratic side, became so focused on his ethnicity, I think, is absolutely disgraceful.”

Earlier on Tuesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) emphasized that the governor from a critical swing state was “overlooked” for the top spot due to his Jewish heritage. 

“I think that clearly was a major factor, is that she was reluctant to put a vice presidential nominee on the ticket with Jewish heritage because they’re having a split in the Democratic Party,” Johnson said in an interview with the Hill. “They have a pro-Palestinian, in some cases pro-Hamas wing of the Democratic Party.”

Republicans have long sought to put the Israel-Hamas war at the center of the campaign, highlighting the long-standing Democratic divisions over the conflict. The pro-Palestinian protests that spread across the nation’s college campuses that openly displayed antisemitism this past spring put the spotlight on this sensitive issue. Republican Senate and House campaign arms utilized footage of the protests and launched ad campaigns this past spring, slamming vulnerable Democrats for not condemning them, according to reporting from Axios. 

“Choosing a running mate is Kamala Harris’ first major decision as the Democrat Party nominee, and choosing Far-Left Governor Tim Walz proves how dangerously liberal she is,” said Karoline Leavitt, the Trump campaign’s national press secretary, in a statement provided to the Washington Examiner. “Likewise, NOT choosing Josh Shapiro proves the Democrat Party is completely beholden to the demands of pro-Hamas terrorist sympathizers and has fully embraced anti-Semitism.”

Shapiro said he was grateful for the opportunity and stumped for the new Democratic ticket at a rally in Philadelphia on Tuesday.

“I’m going to be working my tail off to make sure we make Kamala Harris and Tim Walz the next leaders of the United States of America,” Shapiro said. 

Shapiro defends Jewish faith

The Pennsylvania governor took a moment to address the elephant in the room, speaking directly to the cameras.

“I want to just say this: I lean on my family and I lean on my faith, which calls me to serve. And I am proud of my faith,” he said.

Harris’s decision came after Shapiro had faced growing pressure from an outspoken group of far-left organizers who expressed opposition to Shapiro, an observant Jew, whose positions on Israel were largely aligned with other candidates on the vice presidential short list. The rhetoric used by the left-wing campaign, called “No Genocide Josh,” raised questions among some about whether it ultimately played a role in Harris’s selection. 

CNN commentator Van Jones emphasized the need for conversations about antisemitism within the Democratic Party after Harris’s running mate was announced. 

“You can be for the Palestinians without being an anti-Jewish bigot, but there are some anti-Jewish bigots out there,” Jones said Tuesday on CNN, following the announcement. “And there has to be conversations about how much of what just happened is caving into some of these darker parts in the party. So that’s going to have to get worked out. It’s going to have to get talked through.” 

Harris urged to push back on anti-Israel wing of Democratic Party

Some are downplaying the decision and are not portraying it as Harris bending to pressure from the Left.  

“On the one hand, there are many perfectly legitimate reasons why she might have chosen Governor Walz over Gov. Shapiro, whether it’s how he sees the electoral map or personal chemistry,” said Nathan Diament, the executive director of public policy for the Orthodox Union, in an interview with the Washington Examiner. “A clearly illegitimate reason would have been the antisemitic smear campaign that some extremists on the left wing of the Democratic Party were waging against Josh Shapiro.”

“I think it is imperative that Vice President Harris clearly communicates to the public, particularly to the American Jewish Community, why she thinks Tim Walz is her best running mate,” he said.

Diament emphasized it is on Harris to push back on the narrative that the progressive wing of the party was successful with their pressure campaign. 

“In a state like Pennsylvania, there are enough Jewish voters that in a closely contested election, they can just make the difference between whether Harris wins or Trump wins. And so she’s going to need to reassure the Jewish voters of Pennsylvania as well as Michigan and in Wisconsin, who want to feel comfortable with her,” he said.

A large majority of Jewish Americans have consistently voted for Democrats. Only 30% of Jewish voters supported Trump in 2020, while 69% supported Biden, according to AP VoteCast. Jewish voters have been one of the religious groups where support for Biden was strongest. 

Mark Mellman, the president of the Democratic Majority for Israel and a longtime Democratic pollster, said he does not believe antisemitism played a role in Harris’s decision, noting she is married to a Jewish man, second gentleman Doug Emhoff. 

“I think those accusations are just absurd, the person who made this choice has chosen Jewish people for important roles in her life, public and private,” Mellman said in an interview with the Washington Examiner. “There was a level of antisemitic speech, antisemitic invective from some, from a small element in the party that is really abhorrent and it needs to be condemned.”

The Democratic Party advanced an 80-page platform last month that touted the Biden administration’s support for Israel, despite efforts from a faction of far-left activists who pushed for changes in how the party approaches the Jewish state. Even though Biden is no longer at the top of the ticket, Mellman is confident the platform will still be utilized at the convention next month.

“The exact wording may change on some things because the candidate is Kamala Harris, it’s not Joe Biden, and that may change some nouns and pronouns and so on, but I don’t think it’s going to change anything in the substance,” Mellman said. 

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

While some are disappointed that Harris did not choose Shapiro who could have made history as the first Jewish vice president if elected, other Democrats emphasized they trust Harris made the decision that was best for the ticket.

“Any decision will always be met with some kind of disappointment,” said Jon Reinish, a Democratic strategist. “I will say the Democratic Party is unified, and the Democratic Party wants to win. My assumption is that whomever had specific horses in the race in mind, and any bitter feelings that may exist, those are going to be swiftly put aside in the coming days.”

, Several high-profile Republicans seized on Vice President Kamala Harris’s choice of Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) as her running mate, suggesting antisemitism in the Democratic Party influenced her decision not to choose a Jewish running mate in Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA).    GOP vice presidential nominee Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) told reporters in Philadelphia on Tuesday that it seemed like Harris didn’t select Shapiro because Democrats were concerned “grassroots activists in their party wouldn’t take a Jewish nominee.” “Many, many people said repeatedly that the reason Kamala Harris was going away from the Josh Shapiro selection is because they were worried about antisemitism,” Vance said.  Vance: Well, look, the only thing I will say about Josh Shapiro is I genuinely feel bad that for days, maybe even weeks, the guy actually had to run away from his Jewish heritage… pic.twitter.com/rYCcyzZkTK — Acyn (@Acyn) August 6, 2024 Later at a press conference, Vance again claimed that Harris did not choose Shapiro due to antisemitic attitudes within the Democratic Party. “I genuinely feel bad that for days, maybe even weeks, the guy actually had to run away from his Jewish heritage because of what the Democrats are saying about him. I think that’s scandalous and disgraceful,” Vance said. “Whatever disagreements on policy you have about somebody, the fact that that race, the vice presidential race on the Democratic side, became so focused on his ethnicity, I think, is absolutely disgraceful.” Earlier on Tuesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) emphasized that the governor from a critical swing state was “overlooked” for the top spot due to his Jewish heritage.  “I think that clearly was a major factor, is that she was reluctant to put a vice presidential nominee on the ticket with Jewish heritage because they’re having a split in the Democratic Party,” Johnson said in an interview with the Hill. “They have a pro-Palestinian, in some cases pro-Hamas wing of the Democratic Party.” Republicans have long sought to put the Israel-Hamas war at the center of the campaign, highlighting the long-standing Democratic divisions over the conflict. The pro-Palestinian protests that spread across the nation’s college campuses that openly displayed antisemitism this past spring put the spotlight on this sensitive issue. Republican Senate and House campaign arms utilized footage of the protests and launched ad campaigns this past spring, slamming vulnerable Democrats for not condemning them, according to reporting from Axios.  “Choosing a running mate is Kamala Harris’ first major decision as the Democrat Party nominee, and choosing Far-Left Governor Tim Walz proves how dangerously liberal she is,” said Karoline Leavitt, the Trump campaign’s national press secretary, in a statement provided to the Washington Examiner. “Likewise, NOT choosing Josh Shapiro proves the Democrat Party is completely beholden to the demands of pro-Hamas terrorist sympathizers and has fully embraced anti-Semitism.” Shapiro said he was grateful for the opportunity and stumped for the new Democratic ticket at a rally in Philadelphia on Tuesday. Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA) arrives to speak before Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN), during a campaign event in Philadelphia, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Joe Lamberti) “I’m going to be working my tail off to make sure we make Kamala Harris and Tim Walz the next leaders of the United States of America,” Shapiro said.  Shapiro defends Jewish faith The Pennsylvania governor took a moment to address the elephant in the room, speaking directly to the cameras. “I want to just say this: I lean on my family and I lean on my faith, which calls me to serve. And I am proud of my faith,” he said. Harris’s decision came after Shapiro had faced growing pressure from an outspoken group of far-left organizers who expressed opposition to Shapiro, an observant Jew, whose positions on Israel were largely aligned with other candidates on the vice presidential short list. The rhetoric used by the left-wing campaign, called “No Genocide Josh,” raised questions among some about whether it ultimately played a role in Harris’s selection.  CNN commentator Van Jones emphasized the need for conversations about antisemitism within the Democratic Party after Harris’s running mate was announced.  “You can be for the Palestinians without being an anti-Jewish bigot, but there are some anti-Jewish bigots out there,” Jones said Tuesday on CNN, following the announcement. “And there has to be conversations about how much of what just happened is caving into some of these darker parts in the party. So that’s going to have to get worked out. It’s going to have to get talked through.”  Harris urged to push back on anti-Israel wing of Democratic Party Some are downplaying the decision and are not portraying it as Harris bending to pressure from the Left.   “On the one hand, there are many perfectly legitimate reasons why she might have chosen Governor Walz over Gov. Shapiro, whether it’s how he sees the electoral map or personal chemistry,” said Nathan Diament, the executive director of public policy for the Orthodox Union, in an interview with the Washington Examiner. “A clearly illegitimate reason would have been the antisemitic smear campaign that some extremists on the left wing of the Democratic Party were waging against Josh Shapiro.” “I think it is imperative that Vice President Harris clearly communicates to the public, particularly to the American Jewish Community, why she thinks Tim Walz is her best running mate,” he said. Diament emphasized it is on Harris to push back on the narrative that the progressive wing of the party was successful with their pressure campaign.  “In a state like Pennsylvania, there are enough Jewish voters that in a closely contested election, they can just make the difference between whether Harris wins or Trump wins. And so she’s going to need to reassure the Jewish voters of Pennsylvania as well as Michigan and in Wisconsin, who want to feel comfortable with her,” he said. A large majority of Jewish Americans have consistently voted for Democrats. Only 30% of Jewish voters supported Trump in 2020, while 69% supported Biden, according to AP VoteCast. Jewish voters have been one of the religious groups where support for Biden was strongest.  Mark Mellman, the president of the Democratic Majority for Israel and a longtime Democratic pollster, said he does not believe antisemitism played a role in Harris’s decision, noting she is married to a Jewish man, second gentleman Doug Emhoff.  “I think those accusations are just absurd, the person who made this choice has chosen Jewish people for important roles in her life, public and private,” Mellman said in an interview with the Washington Examiner. “There was a level of antisemitic speech, antisemitic invective from some, from a small element in the party that is really abhorrent and it needs to be condemned.” The Democratic Party advanced an 80-page platform last month that touted the Biden administration’s support for Israel, despite efforts from a faction of far-left activists who pushed for changes in how the party approaches the Jewish state. Even though Biden is no longer at the top of the ticket, Mellman is confident the platform will still be utilized at the convention next month. “The exact wording may change on some things because the candidate is Kamala Harris, it’s not Joe Biden, and that may change some nouns and pronouns and so on, but I don’t think it’s going to change anything in the substance,” Mellman said.  CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER While some are disappointed that Harris did not choose Shapiro who could have made history as the first Jewish vice president if elected, other Democrats emphasized they trust Harris made the decision that was best for the ticket. “Any decision will always be met with some kind of disappointment,” said Jon Reinish, a Democratic strategist. “I will say the Democratic Party is unified, and the Democratic Party wants to win. My assumption is that whomever had specific horses in the race in mind, and any bitter feelings that may exist, those are going to be swiftly put aside in the coming days.”, , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Shapiro-August-2024-rally-scaled-1024×682.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Samantha-Jo Roth,

EXCLUSIVE — Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) became the first Democrat to back a new border-related bill that would help expand hiring for U.S. Customs and Border Protection applicants. 

The Arizona Democrat running for Arizona’s Senate seat, left vacant by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), is supporting the Anti-Border Corruption Improvement Act, which would remove the polygraph requirement for those applying for positions at CBP who have previous law enforcement experience or military security clearances. 

There have been widespread recruitment problems, and experts believe by eliminating this requirement, an additional 5,000 Border Patrol agents could be hired.

“When I meet with CBP and border community leaders, one of the first things they mention to me is the shortage of CBP officers,” Gallego said in a statement provided to the Washington Examiner. “Securing our border should be a bipartisan issue, which is why I’m proud to be the first to cross the aisle and support this commonsense legislation to expedite CBP hiring.”

“Law enforcement officers and veterans who have already served our country once shouldn’t face unnecessary hurdles to serving again,” Gallego added.

The legislation was introduced in January of last year and has since been referred to the Subcommittee on Border Security and Enforcement in the House.

Republicans, including Gallego’s GOP opponent, Kari Lake, blame Gallego and his Democratic colleagues for the current state of the border. Lake recently released a new ad showing footage of Gallego and Vice President Kamala Harris with the words “Ruben Gallego and Kamala Harris: Bad for the border. Bad for Arizona. Bad for America.” The ad also slams Gallego for his voting record, citing a FiveThirtyEight tally showing he voted with President Joe Biden and Harris 100% of the time in the 117th Congress, between 2021 and 2022.

This as the number of migrants arrested after attempting to enter the United States from Mexico has dropped to levels not seen since the Trump administration. The number of migrants apprehended each day for illegally entering the U.S. from Mexico has averaged between 1,670 and 2,500 arrests recently, according to Border Patrol officials with access to federal government data.

Gallego continues to advocate more resources from the federal government for border towns. He helped secure over $2 million in emergency funding from the Department of Homeland Security to support Arizona’s border communities last year. The congressman also introduced a bill to combat fentanyl money laundering that was signed into law in April. He also introduced the Direct Hire Act and the Screening Efficiency Act, both aimed at speeding up migrant processing and providing relief to Arizona’s border towns.

While Gallego was a critic of Title 42, a pandemic-era authority that allowed authorities to turn away migrants who came to the U.S.-Mexico border, he pushed back on the Biden administration’s effort to end the policy before having a plan in place to handle the surge of migrants at the border.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

The Arizona Senate race is rated “Lean Democratic” by nonpartisan political handicapper the Cook Political Report, alongside races in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.

2024-08-06 01:14:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fcongressional%2F3111590%2Fgallego-first-democrat-back-border-bill-to-expand-cbp-hiring%2F?w=600&h=450, EXCLUSIVE — Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) became the first Democrat to back a new border-related bill that would help expand hiring for U.S. Customs and Border Protection applicants.  The Arizona Democrat running for Arizona’s Senate seat, left vacant by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), is supporting the Anti-Border Corruption Improvement Act, which would remove the polygraph,

EXCLUSIVE — Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) became the first Democrat to back a new border-related bill that would help expand hiring for U.S. Customs and Border Protection applicants. 

The Arizona Democrat running for Arizona’s Senate seat, left vacant by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), is supporting the Anti-Border Corruption Improvement Act, which would remove the polygraph requirement for those applying for positions at CBP who have previous law enforcement experience or military security clearances. 

There have been widespread recruitment problems, and experts believe by eliminating this requirement, an additional 5,000 Border Patrol agents could be hired.

“When I meet with CBP and border community leaders, one of the first things they mention to me is the shortage of CBP officers,” Gallego said in a statement provided to the Washington Examiner. “Securing our border should be a bipartisan issue, which is why I’m proud to be the first to cross the aisle and support this commonsense legislation to expedite CBP hiring.”

“Law enforcement officers and veterans who have already served our country once shouldn’t face unnecessary hurdles to serving again,” Gallego added.

The legislation was introduced in January of last year and has since been referred to the Subcommittee on Border Security and Enforcement in the House.

Republicans, including Gallego’s GOP opponent, Kari Lake, blame Gallego and his Democratic colleagues for the current state of the border. Lake recently released a new ad showing footage of Gallego and Vice President Kamala Harris with the words “Ruben Gallego and Kamala Harris: Bad for the border. Bad for Arizona. Bad for America.” The ad also slams Gallego for his voting record, citing a FiveThirtyEight tally showing he voted with President Joe Biden and Harris 100% of the time in the 117th Congress, between 2021 and 2022.

This as the number of migrants arrested after attempting to enter the United States from Mexico has dropped to levels not seen since the Trump administration. The number of migrants apprehended each day for illegally entering the U.S. from Mexico has averaged between 1,670 and 2,500 arrests recently, according to Border Patrol officials with access to federal government data.

Gallego continues to advocate more resources from the federal government for border towns. He helped secure over $2 million in emergency funding from the Department of Homeland Security to support Arizona’s border communities last year. The congressman also introduced a bill to combat fentanyl money laundering that was signed into law in April. He also introduced the Direct Hire Act and the Screening Efficiency Act, both aimed at speeding up migrant processing and providing relief to Arizona’s border towns.

While Gallego was a critic of Title 42, a pandemic-era authority that allowed authorities to turn away migrants who came to the U.S.-Mexico border, he pushed back on the Biden administration’s effort to end the policy before having a plan in place to handle the surge of migrants at the border.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

The Arizona Senate race is rated “Lean Democratic” by nonpartisan political handicapper the Cook Political Report, alongside races in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.

, EXCLUSIVE — Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) became the first Democrat to back a new border-related bill that would help expand hiring for U.S. Customs and Border Protection applicants.  The Arizona Democrat running for Arizona’s Senate seat, left vacant by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), is supporting the Anti-Border Corruption Improvement Act, which would remove the polygraph requirement for those applying for positions at CBP who have previous law enforcement experience or military security clearances.  There have been widespread recruitment problems, and experts believe by eliminating this requirement, an additional 5,000 Border Patrol agents could be hired. “When I meet with CBP and border community leaders, one of the first things they mention to me is the shortage of CBP officers,” Gallego said in a statement provided to the Washington Examiner. “Securing our border should be a bipartisan issue, which is why I’m proud to be the first to cross the aisle and support this commonsense legislation to expedite CBP hiring.” “Law enforcement officers and veterans who have already served our country once shouldn’t face unnecessary hurdles to serving again,” Gallego added. The legislation was introduced in January of last year and has since been referred to the Subcommittee on Border Security and Enforcement in the House. Republicans, including Gallego’s GOP opponent, Kari Lake, blame Gallego and his Democratic colleagues for the current state of the border. Lake recently released a new ad showing footage of Gallego and Vice President Kamala Harris with the words “Ruben Gallego and Kamala Harris: Bad for the border. Bad for Arizona. Bad for America.” The ad also slams Gallego for his voting record, citing a FiveThirtyEight tally showing he voted with President Joe Biden and Harris 100% of the time in the 117th Congress, between 2021 and 2022. FILE – A vehicle drives along the U.S. side of the U.S.-Mexico border wall in Nogales, Arizona, on Tuesday, June 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, Pool, File) This as the number of migrants arrested after attempting to enter the United States from Mexico has dropped to levels not seen since the Trump administration. The number of migrants apprehended each day for illegally entering the U.S. from Mexico has averaged between 1,670 and 2,500 arrests recently, according to Border Patrol officials with access to federal government data. Gallego continues to advocate more resources from the federal government for border towns. He helped secure over $2 million in emergency funding from the Department of Homeland Security to support Arizona’s border communities last year. The congressman also introduced a bill to combat fentanyl money laundering that was signed into law in April. He also introduced the Direct Hire Act and the Screening Efficiency Act, both aimed at speeding up migrant processing and providing relief to Arizona’s border towns. While Gallego was a critic of Title 42, a pandemic-era authority that allowed authorities to turn away migrants who came to the U.S.-Mexico border, he pushed back on the Biden administration’s effort to end the policy before having a plan in place to handle the surge of migrants at the border. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER The Arizona Senate race is rated “Lean Democratic” by nonpartisan political handicapper the Cook Political Report, alongside races in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania., , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Ruben-Gallego-July-2024-scaled-1024×683.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Samantha-Jo Roth,