Latest news with #battleground
Fox News
4 days ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Scoop: Republican launches House bid in key swing district GOP aims to flip in 2026 midterms
FIRST ON FOX: Eric Flores, an Army veteran and former federal prosecutor, on Monday launched a Republican campaign for Congress in a key battleground House district at the southern tip of Texas. "We need fewer politicians and more fighters who will put our communities first," Flores said in a video that was shared first with Fox News Digital. He pledged that "in Congress, I'll stand with President Trump, fight and deliver for South Texas every single day." Flores is running in Texas' 34th Congressional District, which stretches along the Gulf Coast from just south of Corpus Christi to the border with Mexico. It includes Brownsville and stretches westward to include parts of McAllen. The district is one of 26 the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) is targeting in the 2026 midterm elections, as the House GOP's campaign arm defends the party's razor-thin majority in the chamber. The district appears to be a prime pickup possibility for Republicans, as it's been trending to the right. Former President Joe Biden carried the district by 15 points in the 2020 White House race. Four years later, President Donald Trump won the district by nearly five points. However, Democrats carried the district in last year's Senate election, with now-former Rep. Colin Allred (who is running again for the Senate in 2026) topping Sen. Ted Cruz by six points. Republicans view incumbent Democratic Rep. Vicente Gonzalez as vulnerable. Gonzalez, who's in his fifth term in Congress, defeated former GOP Rep. Mayra Flores in the 2022 and 2024 elections, but his victory in last November's rematch to hold the district was by just 2.5 points. Flores, who has met with NRCC officials, is a Spanish speaker who grew up in the Rio Grande Valley. He was commissioned in the U.S. Army as an infantry officer and rose to the rank of captain. He has served in the Texas Army National Guard and has commanded soldiers during Operation Guardian Support along the U.S. southern border with neighboring Mexico. Flores is also a former assistant U.S. attorney, helping in the prosecutions of cartel-connected and human trafficking operations. His campaign biography also notes that Flores "secured the conviction of one of Texas's 'Top Ten' most-wanted fugitives — accomplishments recognized with two U.S. Attorney's Awards." Flores, who also served as a municipal judge in Alton, Texas, is currently a partner at a statewide legal firm where he leads the litigation department, defending municipalities and school districts across Texas. He is married and the father of two children. "Every day, I see how broken policies hurt our community," Flores said. "Enough is enough. Politicians put themselves first, while the Valley gets left behind." Flores said that "President Trump stood up to the insiders and fought for places like ours: the communities the career politicians always forget. We cannot lose this opportunity. That's why I'm running for Congress. We need bold, principled leadership, and we need it now." While several other Republicans are running in the GOP primary in the district next March, Flores is considered the only major Republican candidate.
Al Arabiya
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Sudanese army battles RSF assault on Darfur city
The Sudanese army was locked in heavy fighting on Saturday with paramilitaries who had advanced into the battleground Darfur city of El-Fasher the previous day, a military source said. Residents said they were woken before dawn by heavy exchanges of machine-gun fire on the streets of the city of well over a million which has been under siege by the paramilitaries since May last year. Regular army troops took back several key sites in the south and west of the city which the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) had captured on Friday, inflicting heavy losses on the paramilitaries, the military source said. They included Shala prison and the headquarters of the Central Reserve Police, a militarized force trained for combat. But a source in the RSF said both sites remained under the full control of the paramilitaries, along with the city's livestock market. The RSF had circulated videos late on Friday purporting to show its fighters in control of the sites, but AFP was unable to verify their authenticity. El-Fasher is the last major city in Darfur still under the army's control and has come under renewed attack by the paramilitaries this year since they lost control of the capital Khartoum. Salah Issa, who lives in the central neighborhood of Awlad al-Rif, said that clashes had erupted at 3 am (0100 GMT). 'Yesterday's (Friday's) attack came from the south and west, and today they moved on the airport,' also in the west of the city, he said. Another witness, Mohieddine Abdel Rahman, said the fighting had been at close quarters, using machine guns. Activists said the renewed assault on the city had begun with heavy shelling on Tuesday evening, which continued all day Wednesday. Eight civilians were killed when a RSF drone strike hit a bomb shelter, a doctor at El-Fasher Teaching Hospital told AFP on Thursday. Comprehensive casualty tolls are almost impossible to establish. The city is gripped by a communications blackout which only those with satellite internet connections can circumvent and nearly all health facilities have been forced to shut due to fighting. The United Nations has repeatedly warned of the plight of the city's trapped civilians, who are forced to seek shelter in makeshift bunkers dug in courtyards and in front of houses. Nationwide ten of thousands of people have been killed since the war erupted in April 2023 and more than 14 million driven from their homes.
Telegraph
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Lara Trump could replace Thom Tillis. But does she really want to?
Donald Trump has a line he likes to use on Lara Trump. She's the only person he knows who has twice had the chance to be a senator, and has twice passed it up, according to her own telling of the story. Now she has a third opportunity. After Thom Tillis, the Republican senator for North Carolina, announced he would not be running for re-election after clashing with the president over his 'big, beautiful bill'. 'How many times do you get the chance to be a senator?' said a source who knows the family, and confirmed that Mrs Trump is seriously considering a run. 'You can't really turn it down a third time.' In the past she has said her young family comes first, opting out of running for the Senate in North Carolina in 2022 and ruling herself out of taking Florida's vacant seat last year when Marco Rubio became Donald Trump's secretary of state. But as a North Carolina native, who knows the issues and rivalries that drive state politics, and with the ear of a president at the peak of his powers she may not get a better opportunity. 'There's a genuine feeling that she's one of us,' said Jonathan Felts, a Republican consultant in the state. 'That, combined with the 100 per cent name recognition and the ability to raise money, that's a nice advantage.' There are other likely contenders. Michael Whatley, former party chairman, and Congressman Pat Harrigan are among a field of possible candidates weighing their options. The state is a keenly contested battleground. Mr Trump may have taken it three times and Republicans hold the Senate seats, but it has a Democratic governor and the party sees it as a must-win opportunity if they are to flip the upper chamber to their control. Mrs Trump, 42, has yet to discuss her plans. 'I don't think she gets into it if she can't win,' said Mr Felts. 'But it's hers if she wants it.' Mrs Trump spent her early life in North Carolina. She was born in Wilmington, and was educated at a local high school before studying communications at North Carolina State University. She married Mr Trump's second son Eric in 2014, and entered politics as an adviser to her father-in-law's 2016 presidential campaign. Her first potential shot at the Senate came in 2021 when one of North Carolina's seats opened up. 'It would be an incredible thing. It's my home state, a state I love so much, and look, I think we need some strong Republicans in Washington DC. We had a great run with the Senate and the House this go-round, but you know, let's see what happens,' she told Fox News in 2022. Eventually she decided against running. Since then her political star has only grown. She served as co-chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, driving fundraising efforts during the 2024 election, silencing doubters who wondered if she only got the job because of her second name. But again, at the end of last year, she announced she did not want to be considered for Mr Rubio's vacant seat in Florida. She explained that her brother and sister-in-law, Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, had warned her of the pressures facing a young family in Washington. 'It was tough on them personally, but it was really tough on their family,' she told Time magazine earlier this year. 'Even if I decided to move my whole family, dogs and all, up to Washington DC, I still think that it probably would have been a big challenge for my kids and for us as a whole.' Her son Luke is seven and daughter Carolina is five, and the family live most of the year in Jupiter, Florida, about a 30-minute drive from the president's 'winter White House' of Mar-a-Lago, in West Palm Beach. The seat in North Carolina is available after Mr Tillis, seen as a centrist, announced that he would not be seeking re-election. Mr Trump had threatened to back any Republican who challenged him next year in revenge for the way the senator voted against his signature domestic policy bill. However, her name has been in the mix for months. Victory Insights, a polling firm, tested her in a field of Republicans for the party nomination. It found that she would have demolished Mr Tillis in a hypothetical Republican primary race, winning almost 65 per cent of the vote to his 11 per cent. Although she would trail the strongest possible Democratic candidate in the election itself, she could turn out 'low-propensity' Trump supporters 'To our knowledge, Lara Trump has not publicly expressed any interest in running for this seat, but if she does, she could be a very formidable candidate, both in the primary election and the general election,' the pollsters concluded. Trump loyalists are delighted at the prospect of having her in the Senate. At present the party holds a 53 to 47 majority, which means it cannot afford to lose more than two votes on any issue. 'With this narrow Senate majority any single member can have a big impact as far as holding up legislation or being an impediment to the advancement of the Maga agenda,' said Michael Johns. 'And I think she would be reliable, and then on that basis alone, I think she becomes an appealing candidate.'
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
GOP Sen. Thom Tillis won't seek re-election in North Carolina after drawing Trump's ire
WASHINGTON — Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., announced Sunday that he would not run for re-election, one day after he drew President Donald Trump's ire for opposing the party's sweeping domestic policy package. The surprise decision opens up seat in battleground North Carolina that was already set to be one of the most hotly contested races of the 2026 midterms. Tillis issued a lengthy statement about his decision, saying he had not been enthusiastic about seeking a third six-year term in the Senate. 'As many of my colleagues have noticed over the last year, and at times even joked about, I haven't exactly been excited about running for another term,' Tillis said. 'That is true since the choice is between spending another six years navigating the political theatre and partisan gridlock in Washington or spending that time with the love of my life Susan, our two children, three beautiful grandchildren, and the rest of our extended family back home. It's not a hard choice, and I will not be seeking re-election.' After Tillis voted against advancing the GOP's massive domestic policy bill Saturday, Trump attacked him in a series of social media posts and threatened to meet with potential primary challengers. 'Thom Tillis is making a BIG MISTAKE for America, and the Wonderful People of North Carolina!' Trump wrote on Truth Social on Saturday night. In his statement, Tillis compared himself to former Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona — both of whom became independents by the end of their tenures — without explicitly naming them. 'Democrats recently lost two such leaders who were dedicated to making the Senate more of a functional and productive legislative body. They got things done. But they were shunned after they courageously refused to cave to their party bosses to nuke the filibuster for the sake of political expediency. They ultimately retired and their presence in the Senate chamber has been sorely missed every day since,' Tillis said. 'It underscores the greatest form of hypocrisy in American politics. When people see independent thinking on the other side, they cheer. But when those very same people see independent thinking coming from their side, they scorn, ostracize, and even censure them,' he continued. Prior to Saturday's vote, Tillis had privately warned his colleagues that the Medicaid cuts in the party's "big, beautiful bill" would cost them politically. Republicans are now forced to scramble to find a replacement for Tillis in a race that is a top target for Democrats in next year's midterms. A source close to the Trump family said Lara Trump, the president's daughter-in-law and former Republican National Committee co-chair, is "strongly considering" jumping into the contest. Asked about the odds she will run, the source said, 'I'd put it as high as one could be considering it.' Another potential contender, according to a GOP strategist familiar with the matter, is Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., who has aligned himself closely with Trump. But his role as chair of House Republicans' campaign arm could complicate a Senate bid, and it's unclear whether if he would need to step down from his leadership post to run. A source close to Rep. Pat Harrigan, R-N.C. said the congressman is looking at the seat. RNC Chairman Mike Whatley, who formerly chaired the North Carolina GOP, is also seen as a potential candidate. National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Tim Scott expressed confidence the party would be able to defend the seat without Tillis in the race. 'President Trump has won North Carolina three times, and the state's been represented by two Republican Senators for over a decade,' Scott, R-S.C., said in a statement. 'That streak will continue in 2026 when North Carolinians elect a conservative leader committed to advancing an agenda of opportunity, prosperity, and security.' But Democrats are now even more optimistic about their chances in North Carolina next year as they seek to cut into the GOP's 53-47 majority. 'Thom Tillis' decision not to run for reelection is another blow to Republicans' chances as they face a midterm backlash that puts their majority at risk,' Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spokesperson Maeve Coyle said in a statement. 'Even Tillis admits the GOP plan to slash Medicaid and spike costs for families is toxic — and in 2026, Democrats will flip North Carolina's Senate seat.' Democrats are hopeful they can recruit former Gov. Roy Cooper to enter the contest, which already features former Rep. Wiley Nickel, D-N.C. 'No matter which MAGA loyalist Donald Trump hand-picks to run in North Carolina, I'm the Democrat who's ready to take them on and win,' Nickel said in a statement Sunday. 'I've flipped a tough seat before and we're going to do it again.' This article was originally published on
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Sen. Thom Tillis announces he's not seeking reelection, a day after voting against Trump's agenda bill
Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina announced Sunday he is not seeking reelection next year, a day after he was one of only two Republicans who voted against advancing President Donald Trump's sweeping agenda bill. Tillis had expressed concern about the impact that cuts to Medicaid would have on his constituents, and Trump threatened on Saturday to back a primary challenger to his seat. The president said that Tillis 'is making a BIG MISTAKE' and that he would meet with those looking to mount primary challenges against the North Carolina senator 'over the coming weeks.' Tillis, 64, said in his statement that his decision was 'not a hard choice' and expressed a desire to spend more time with his family. 'I look forward to having the pure freedom to call the balls and strikes as I see fit and representing the great people of North Carolina to the best of my ability,' he said. Tillis' Senate seat in North Carolina, a battleground state, will be crucial for Republicans to keep next year if they want to maintain their narrow majority in the chamber. Senate Majority Leader John Thune called Tillis' announcement 'unfortunate,' but said it was 'obviously something I think that he'd been thinking about for a while and just finally decided that was the best decision for him and his family, so I respect the decision.' The South Dakota Republican, who said he knew of Tillis' decision before the senator announced it, added that 'I will look forward to continuing to serve with him for the last couple years here and then winning his seat in the next election.' Tillis, North Carolina's senior senator, first entered the Senate in 2015 after serving in the state legislature, including as speaker of the House. In his most recent victory, he narrowly maintained his Senate seat in the 2020 election by less than 2 percentage points. Tillis built a reputation as being a GOP swing vote who was one of very few Republicans left in Congress willing to voice opposition to Trump's policies, dating back to both of their first terms. This year the senator was a thorn in Trump's side as the president tried to push through some of his most controversial nominees who required Senate approval. Tillis — who sits on the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee, which is responsible for advancing the president's judicial nominees — opposed the effort to confirm Ed Martin, Trump's choice to serve as US attorney for Washington, DC, because of Martin's previous denigrating of officers who responded to the January 6 Capitol riot. Martin's nomination was eventually withdrawn by Trump. In his Sunday statement, Tillis decried the lack of bipartisan cooperation in today's Washington: 'In Washington over the last few years, it's become increasingly evident that leaders who are willing to embrace bipartisanship, compromise, and demonstrate independent thinking are becoming an endangered species.' The senator added: 'Too many elected officials are motivated by pure raw politics who really don't give a damn about the people they promised to represent on the campaign trail.' Tillis had long been wavering on supporting Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' and expressed concern over how many people in his state would lose Medicaid coverage. He was one of two Republican senators, the other being Rand Paul of Kentucky, who voted against advancing the measure. Trump responded by saying Sunday the senator 'has hurt the great people of North Carolina.' 'Tillis is a talker and complainer, NOT A DOER!' the president said on Truth Social. The senator's announcement was met with enthusiasm and optimism from Democrats, with the state party chair saying, 'Thom Tillis spent years putting DC Republicans and corporate donors ahead of the people of North Carolina, and voters noticed.' 'We look forward to next November when North Carolinians will finally elect a senator that will actually fight for North Carolina,' Chair Anderson Clayton added. Lauren French, a spokesperson for Senate Majority PAC, Democrats' main super PAC targeting Senate races, echoed the sentiment, saying, 'Democrats were poised to win in North Carolina whether Thom Tillis' name was on the ballot in November 2026 or not.' Meanwhile, the state's Republican Party chair, Jason Simmons, said in a brief statement that 'Senator Tillis has announced his decision to not seek re-election to the U.S. Senate. We look forward to holding this seat for Republicans in 2026 and continuing to deliver on President Trump's America First priorities.' This story has been updated with additional information. CNN's David Wright, Dianne Gallagher and Nicky Robertson contributed to this report.
