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Tag: Republican

  • Democrats Retain Senate As Nevada Re-Elects Cortez Masto

    Democrats Retain Senate As Nevada Re-Elects Cortez Masto

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    Topline

    Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) won the Nevada Senate race, keeping Democrats in control of the Senate with 50 seats (and Vice President Kamala Harris’s tie-breaking vote), and sending yet another Donald Trump-endorsed candidate—and the Republican Party—home frustrated after a much-predicted “red wave” fizzled at the polls.

    Key Facts

    The Associated Press called the race for Cortez Masto when, as many predicted, she finally pulled ahead of Republican Adam Laxalt after trailing for days when mail-in ballots from the Las Vegas area (Clark County) were counted Saturday night.

    Cortez Masto, the granddaughter of Mexican immigrants and the daughter of the former influential Clark County commissioner, was elected in 2016 by a slim two-point margin to fill Reid’s seat when he retired.

    Laxalt, also a former state attorney general with strong name recognition (he is the grandson of the former senator and governor Paul Laxalt), ran former President Donald Trump’s 2020 re-election campaign in the state and helped push the false claim Trump won the election.

    The polls in the race showed a neck-and-neck contest in the month before Election Day, with Laxalt carrying a 1.4 point advantage as of Monday, according to FiveThirtyEight’s polling average.

    What To Watch For

    Two Senate races remain undecided. Georgia voters will decide a hotly-contested key race between beleaguered Republican candidate Herschel Walker and Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) in a December 6 runoff. In Alaska, Trump-backed Kelly Tshibaka leads Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) 44.2% to 42.8% with 80% of the vote counted, although the state’s rank-choice voting system could bring the race to a second round of counting if neither candidate receives an outright majority. If that’s the case, Tshibaka and Murkowski would square off in a one-on-one round, with ballots that had gone to Democrat Pat Chesbro and Republican Buzz Kelly redistributed based on voters’ second choices in the ranked-choice system.

    Key Background

    In the toss-up race, Cortez Masto—the first Latina elected to the Senate—leaned into her Latino roots and made a strong push to recruit the demographic, which makes up 20% of the state’s electorate, in the final days of the campaign. In ads, she hit Laxalt over his views to ban abortion at 13 weeks, spotlighted the 14 Laxalt family members who endorsed her and cast Laxalt as a 2020 election denier. Laxalt, meanwhile, linked Cortez Masto to two top voter concerns: crime rates (though violent crime actually fell in Nevada in 2021 for the third consecutive year) and inflation, accusing her of voting for federal spending packages Laxalt linked to rising prices.

    Tangent

    In several toss-up races for House seats in Nevada, Rep. Dina Titus (D-Nev.) held onto her seat against Mark Robertson, taking 51.3% of the vote, while Democratic Rep. Susie Lee defeated Republican April Becker, with 51.6% of the vote, and Rep. Steven Horsford (D-Nev.) beat Republican Sam Peters with 51.9% of the vote. Republican Rep. Mark Amodei, meanwhile, won his race against Elizabeth Krause with more than 60% of the vote Republican Joe Lombardo unseating Gov. Steve Sisolak (D-Nev.) in the state’s gubernatorial race.

    Further Reading

    These Two Billionaires Are Helping Bankroll An Election Denier In Nevada’s Senate Race (Forbes)

    Jimmy Kimmel Cuts Ad For Cortez Masto In Nevada After Acknowledging His Political Bits Have Dented His Viewership (Forbes)

    Key Senate Race 2022: Nevada’s Democratic Incumbent Cortez Masto, Republican Laxalt Tied In New Poll (Forbes)

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    Brian Bushard, Forbes Staff

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  • Arizona Vote-Counting Issues Lead To Baseless Fraud Claims—And Contradictory Advice—From GOP Leaders

    Arizona Vote-Counting Issues Lead To Baseless Fraud Claims—And Contradictory Advice—From GOP Leaders

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    Topline

    Some vote-counting machines in Arizona’s Maricopa County malfunctioned on Election Day, leading state Republican leaders to spread unsubstantiated claims of fraud and offer contradictory advice to voters, with the state’s GOP chair Kelli Ward claiming without evidence that voters who follow county officials’ advice would essentially be letting someone else “decide how you voted.”

    Key Facts

    Tabulators in roughly 20% of Maricopa County’s polling places are struggling to read some ballots, according to county Board of Supervisors Chairman Bill Gates (R), who called the situation a “technical issue” in a press conference Tuesday afternoon, adding “none of this indicates any fraud.”

    If a tabulator isn’t working, the county encouraged voters to place their ballots into a secure box marked “3,” and their votes will be tabulated in the evening at a central counting center.

    However, in an interview Tuesday with former President Donald Trump advisor Steve Bannon, Ward claimed voters who follow Maricopa County officials’ advice by submitting ballots into the secure box are sending their votes to “digital adjudication,” and urged voters to ignore the county’s guidance if at all possible.

    Ward tweeted her own advice on Tuesday, telling voters to stay in line and request to use another machine called an accessible voting device, claiming voters who check into a polling place are stuck “like a prisoner” and can’t vote at another location—the county’s election department, however, denied that claim, saying voters have the option of checking out, turning in their ballot and going to another of the county’s polling sites.

    In a tweet, Arizona Republican gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake—who, like Ward, has repeatedly spread the false conspiracy that the 2020 election was stolen—also urged voters to ask for an accessible voting machine or wait until a tabulator starts working again, but differed from Ward in her advice for voters who “can’t wait,” advising them to put their ballots into box 3.

    Trump-backed Arizona Senate candidate Blake Masters retweeted a post urging voters not to leave their polling place for a new one if their votes aren’t counted, while Trump posted on his social media site Truth Social “don’t get out of line until you cast your vote,” claiming “they are trying to steal the election with bad machines and DELAY.”

    Key Background

    The baseless allegations of voter fraud come after months of debunked vote-rigging theories were spread by many GOP leaders, including 202 Republican congressional candidates who believe the 2020 election was either flawed or based on fraud, according to data from the Brookings Institution. A Gallup poll released last week found three in five Republicans believe votes in the midterms will be cast and counted inaccurately, compared to just 15% of Democrats. Nearly 40% of Republicans said they would blame voter fraud if the GOP doesn’t take control of Congress, including 19% who said it’s “highly likely” Republicans would lose because of fraud, according to an Axios-Ipsos poll released last month. In Maricopa County, misinformation claims “really kicked into high gear” last week, Gates said, although there have been numerous unsubstantiated allegations of fraud since the 2020 elections, leading to a 2021 audit of tabulators. Meanwhile, Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs—the Democratic candidate for governor—is investigating numerous reports of voter intimidation.

    Surprising Fact

    Maricopa County, a traditionally Republican-leaning county that includes Phoenix, Glendale, Mesa and Scottsdale, is not only Arizona’s most populous county, but it’s also run by Republicans, including Gates. Election workers in the county have faced more than 100 violent threats and intimidation ahead of the election, including emails, social media posts and threats of posting photos of election workers, Reuters reported.

    Further Reading

    Republican Confidence In Elections Drops To New Low Ahead Of Midterms, Survey Finds (Forbes)

    Nearly 40% Of Republicans Will Blame Election Fraud If Party Loses In Midterms, Poll Finds (Forbes)

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    Brian Bushard, Forbes Staff

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  • Trump Stops Short Of Announcing 2024 Presidential Run At Pre-Midterm Rally—But Teases ‘Very Big Announcement’ Next Week

    Trump Stops Short Of Announcing 2024 Presidential Run At Pre-Midterm Rally—But Teases ‘Very Big Announcement’ Next Week

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    Topline

    Donald Trump did not announce plans to run for a second term as president during a rally in Ohio late Monday, despite speculation that his quest to return to the White House could kick off on the eve of Tuesday’s midterms—but he promised a “very big announcement” next week.

    Key Facts

    Trump will make his announcement—the contents of which are unclear—at his Mar-A-Lago club on November 15, a week after the midterm elections, the former president said at a campaign rally for several Ohio midterm candidates.

    The 2024 presidential election did not appear to be far from Trump’s mind: He spent part of Monday’s rally mocking President Joe Biden and touting his performance in a handful of 2024 presidential election polls, and he said “we are going to take back our magnificent White House” in 2024—though he stopped short of saying he would run.

    The Washington Post reported earlier Monday that Trump had privately floated the idea of announcing a 2024 presidential bid during the Ohio rally, but GOP leaders encouraged him to hold off until after the midterms, fearing the specter of Trump— a polarizing figure who is disliked by most independents and despised by Democrats—could boost Democratic turnout and erode Republicans’ narrow advantage.

    Key Background

    Trump’s possible return to the presidential arena isn’t exactly a surprise. Since leaving office, he has remained unusually involved in Republican politics and fundraising, and he has dropped a series of barely-veiled hints that he hopes to be the first president since Grover Cleveland to win two non-consecutive terms. But Trump is still facing political and legal blowback from the chaotic end to his first term in office, which was dominated by Trump’s baseless claims the 2020 election was rigged against him, bookended by a riot at the Capitol and followed up by federal investigations into his attempts to overturn President Joe Biden’s win and his handling of sensitive government documents. While Trump remains overwhelmingly popular among Republican voters, most Americans don’t want him to run for another term, according to several recent polls. However, some early polling calls for a tight 2024 matchup between Biden and Trump (Biden’s approval rating sits at 42.1% according to FiveThirtyEight, roughly equal to Trump’s 42% rating at the same point in his presidency).

    What To Watch For

    If Trump announces a presidential run, it could complicate a pair of ongoing criminal investigations by the Department of Justice: A probe into the January 6 riot that has reportedly expanded to look at Trump and his inner circle, and a separate probe into handling of classified records that led FBI agents to search Trump’s Mar-A-Lago resort over the summer. The DOJ typically treads lightly when candidates for political office are in prosecutors’ sights, avoiding any moves that can be interpreted as partisan. CNN reported last week the DOJ is considering naming a special counsel to oversee both Trump-related investigations

    What We Don’t Know

    It’s unclear whether Trump will face a competitive 2024 Republican primary—or whether a rematch against Biden is likely. Many observers think Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) is weighing a presidential run, but he hasn’t made an announcement yet, and most polls suggest Trump would start the GOP primaries with a double-digit lead over DeSantis. Meanwhile, Biden hasn’t announced a reelection bid, but he says it’s his “intention” to run.

    Further Reading

    Trump spooks Republicans with talk of presidential launch on eve of vote (Washington Post)

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    Joe Walsh, Forbes Staff

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  • Some GOP Counties Want To Hand-Count All Ballots—But Judges Say That’s Illegal

    Some GOP Counties Want To Hand-Count All Ballots—But Judges Say That’s Illegal

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    Topline

    A judge on Monday blocked a rural Arizona county from moving forward with a plan by Republican officials to hand-count every ballot cast in Tuesday’s midterm, shutting down the latest attempt by swing-state officials to pore through votes by hand this year—a push driven in part by evidence-free allegations that voting machines are rife with fraud.

    Key Facts

    Judge Casey McGinley ruled that Cochise County—a sparsely populated area on the U.S.-Mexico border—can’t tally its votes using both machines and a manual count, arguing this process violates state election rules that only allow counties to hand-count a small number of randomly selected ballots in order to check for accuracy.

    The county’s board of supervisors voted 2-1 last month to order a hand count, citing voters’ concerns about election integrity, with the county’s two Republican supervisors voting yes while the body’s lone Democrat voted no, according to the Associated Press.

    A group of retirees represented by prominent Democratic attorney Marc Elias’ law firm sued the county, arguing a manual count “will sow confusion among voters and undermine the public’s confidence in Arizona’s elections.”

    Secretary of State and gubernatorial candidate Katie Hobbs (D) argued in a brief that Cochise County’s hand-counting plan could raise ballot security concerns, lead to inaccuracies and “threaten the County’s ability to timely canvass its election.”

    Meanwhile, an attorney for County Recorder David Stevens, who handles voter registration and was tasked with helping to oversee the hand count, has said there’s no harm in checking for accuracy by counting ballots twice—once by machine and once by hand—and stated he had a plan to finish the count before a state-imposed deadline.

    Stevens’ lawyer also argued the county is protected by a provision in Arizona’s election rules that give counties the discretion to hand-count more ballots than the minimum required to check for accuracy (Judge McGinley said Monday this policy doesn’t give officials the power to count every single vote from every precinct).

    Chief Critic

    “Allowing Cochise County to proceed with an unlawful full hand count – motivated by baseless conspiracy theories – would set a dangerous precedent and inject chaos, disruption, and insecurity in the middle of an election,” Hobbs’ office said in its amicus brief.

    Contra

    “No voter will be negatively impacted by this decision [to hand-count ballots],” Stevens’ attorney argued in court papers. “The expanded hand count will merely serve as an additional confirmation of the accuracy of that process.”

    Surprising Fact

    Cochise County isn’t the only place where courts have scuttled plans to hand-count every ballot. Officials in rural Nye County, Nevada, began counting early ballots by hand over a week ago, citing suspicion about voting machines, but the state Supreme Court ruled the process was illegal, forcing it to grind to a halt after just two days. And Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake (R) and Secretary of State candidate Mark Finchem (R)—both of whom have promoted false voter fraud allegations—filed an unsuccessful lawsuit against Hobbs seeking to bar the use of voting machines and require hand counts statewide.

    Tangent

    If the goal of hand-counting ballots is to make elections more reliable, many experts think this approach could backfire. Hand counts are prone to human error and can lead to mistakes in vote tallies, according to some research. Manually counting ballots is also slow: On the first day of Nye County’s hand count last month, some groups of volunteers took three hours to count just 50 ballots, and mistakes led to time-consuming recounts, the AP reported.

    Key Background

    This week’s midterms are the first nationwide elections since the 2020 presidential race, which former President Donald Trump falsely claimed was ridden by fraud. Since then, many Republican voters and elected officials have echoed Trump’s unproven voter fraud allegations and called for wide-ranging changes to how elections are conducted, often fixating on unsubstantiated claims that voting machines are rigged. Last year, Arizona’s GOP-controlled state Senate commissioned an “audit” of ballots cast in 2020 in Maricopa County to look for evidence of fraud, kicking off an often-bizarre process that reportedly included inspecting some ballots for traces of bamboo to assuage conspiracy theorists who believed phony votes were shipped in from Asia. The audit—led by an obscure company called Cyber Ninjas—confirmed President Joe Biden’s win in the county. And earlier this year, officials in a small New Mexico county briefly refused to certify the results of a midterm election due to vague and unfounded concerns about voting machines, though they eventually signed off on the election results due to an order from the state Supreme Court.

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    Joe Walsh, Forbes Staff

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  • Republican Wave Promises Shift In America’s Energy Policy

    Republican Wave Promises Shift In America’s Energy Policy

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    Republicans are expected to gain enough seats in the November 8 midterm elections to capture majorities in both chambers of Congress. A shift back to Republican control could complicate President Joe Biden’s energy policy priorities, but it would undoubtedly provide a boost to energy security advocates.

    The Biden administration’s energy policies have prioritized a climate agenda that has contributed to supply scarcity and soaring costs for consumers. The White House’s answer to the energy crisis has so far been to attack America’s oil and natural gas producers, demanding increased production and threatening higher taxes.

    Such bully-pulpit leadership from the White House isn’t enough to calm energy markets that are skittish over runaway inflation, Russian aggression in Europe, a standoff with China, and a global pandemic that won’t go away.

    Current polling shows Republicans with an 84 in 100 chance to take back the U.S. House of Representatives, according to polling website FiveThirtyEight. The battle for control of the Senate is tighter, with Republicans holding a 52 in 100 shot of winning control of the upper chamber.

    While Republican candidates have been gaining in the polls as Election Day approaches, the most likely outcome is a closely divided Congress with small Republican majorities. But even slim Republican majorities can create headwinds for President Biden’s agenda.

    Under Biden’s presidency, retail gasoline prices surged to a record $5 a gallon in June. Prices at the pump are about $3.75 a gallon today, which is still 60% above where they were when Biden took office on January 6, 2021. Gas prices are poised to push higher before the end of the year due to tight global supply and rising geopolitical risks, including the Ukraine war and mounting sanctions on Russia, a top oil and gas producer.

    It’s not just the price of gasoline that’s a problem, though. The diesel situation is even worse. Meanwhile, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) expects heating costs to soar this winter – with households forecast to spend nearly 30% more for natural gas and heating oil and 10% more for electricity.

    Republicans are expected to upend Biden’s anti-fossil fuel agenda, which has seen the President recently threaten a windfall profit tax on domestic producers that would hamper investment in new oil and gas supplies.

    Biden doesn’t have the political support in Congress now for such a tax, never mind when a new legislature convenes with increased Republican membership.

    Biden administrators at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have been critical of the domestic oil and gas industry. They have slow-walked new oil and gas lease sales, blocked drilling permits, and slowed approvals of pipelines. Such moves have created an anti-investment atmosphere in the traditional energy sector.

    As the election approaches, Biden has grown more desperate to reduce consumer prices at the pump. The White House has drained the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) – America’s emergency oil stockpile – and courted oil-producing countries with horrible human rights records that promote terrorism.

    Somewhere along the line, the President forgot that America is the world’s largest oil and gas producer – with a far better track record of producing energy in an environmentally responsible way than Iran or Venezuela.

    Even with control of the House, Republicans could challenge the White House’s energy policies and push for a return to the energy priorities of the previous administration.

    That includes the White House’s fraught relationship with Saudi Arabia, the leader of the OPEC cartel, which ignored Biden’s calls for an increase in global oil supplies, instead opting recently to cut production by 2 million barrels a day.

    Congressional action on so-called NOPEC legislation, which would allow the U.S. Department of Justice to sue OPEC members on antitrust grounds as members of a monopoly, could come up for a vote in early 2023.

    The issues troubling the U.S.-Saudi relationship do not fall neatly along party lines. Criticisms of Riyadh tend to be louder on the Democratic side, and former President Donald Trump was widely seen to have better relations with the kingdom. But Iowa’s Republican Senator Chuck Grassley has long led the charge to pass anti-OPEC legislation.

    Trump’s continued influence over the Republican Party could prompt a more powerful Republican Congress to press for better relations with OPEC again. It’s hard to say how this one will fall, but it will be more difficult politically for Biden to veto or lobby against a vote on NOPEC than it has been for past presidents.

    Biden’s crowning climate achievement, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), remains a GOP lightning rod. And while there is a high hurdle to paring back the law, Republicans can be expected to go to great lengths to expose its flaws.

    Republicans remain extremely unhappy with the passage of the Democratic spending bill, which contained $369 billion in clean energy spending. House GOP lawmakers have gone so far as to repeal the law, which Biden signed in August, a central policy plank for the next Congress. If Republicans win control of the House, that means many hearings and bills centered around dismantling the IRA.

    Among the most vulnerable of the IRA’s energy provisions are the new methane tax on oil and gas operations and the minimum corporate tax of 15% on income. While Congress has wide latitude regarding tax provisions, Republicans would have to win both chambers to repeal the provisions successfully. Even then, they are not likely to capture the two-thirds majority needed to overcome a presidential veto. Still, hefty GOP House oversight of federal agencies charged with implementing the law — and their budgets — could slow things down.

    There is much at stake in energy at the state level in this election, too.

    Republican wins in crucial producing states could exacerbate GOP pushback against environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues. Political rhetoric around the clean energy transition in Washington is at a palpable high, which climate hawks fear could trickle down to state-level politics, widening the band of anti-ESG states.

    Related debates have emerged in critical races, including gas-rich Pennsylvania. In the state’s closely watched Senate race, Republican candidate Mehmet Oz has vowed to cast aside the Biden administration’s “woke agenda” and ensure that capital flows to oil and gas projects are uninterrupted. And an SEC climate risk disclosure rule, also said to be on the GOP’s chopping block, is yet to be finalized.

    Meanwhile, several tight gubernatorial races carry climate and energy implications, where a power change would almost guarantee a shift in state-level policy in those arenas. States to watch are Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Oregon.

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    Dan Eberhart, Contributor

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  • The Herschel Walker Scandals: A Guide To The Abortion And Domestic Violence Allegations That Have Roiled The Campaign

    The Herschel Walker Scandals: A Guide To The Abortion And Domestic Violence Allegations That Have Roiled The Campaign

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    Topline

    Georgia Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker remains close in the polls with Sen. Raphael Warnock (D) despite regular eruptions of negative stories about Walker’s past that began almost immediately upon his entering the race in August 2021.

    Timeline

    September 2, 2021A friend of Walker’s ex-wife claims he threatened and stalked her in Texas in 2002, according to a police report seen by CNN, throwing a wrench in the Senate candidate’s narrative of being a “family man” (Walker’s campaign declined to comment on the report).

    February 11, 2022A redacted police report seen by the Associated Press reveals another incident in 2001 when police in Irving, Texas, confiscated Walker’s handgun after his therapist called 911, saying he was “volatile,” armed, frightening his ex-wife, Cindy Grossman, and toying with the idea of “having a shootout” with police (Walker denied he had ever been abusive toward Grossman in an interview with NBC News).

    August 27, 2022Another woman, Walker’s ex-girlfriend (whose name has not been made public), claims he threatened to kill her after she tried to break up with him in 2012, allegedly telling her that he would “blow her head off” and then kill himself, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported, citing police reports in Irving, Texas (Walker was never charged, and a campaign spokesperson told the outlet the claims are false).

    October 3, 2022In a bombshell Daily Beast report, Walker’s ex-girlfriend alleges the hardline anti-abortion candidate—who has expressed support for a nationwide abortion ban at 15 weeks with no exceptions for rape, incest or risk to the mother—paid her $700 for an abortion in 2009, allegedly telling her it wasn’t the “right time” for him to have a child (Walker fiercely denies the report in a Twitter post, arguing the claim was a “hatchet job from a Democrat activist,” and threatening to file a defamation suit against the Daily Beast for reporting it).

    October 4, 2022Later that day, one of Walker’s sons, popular conservative social media star Christian Walker, slams his dad in a video diatribe posted on Twitter, accusing him of committing “atrocities” against his mom, and arguing he was an absent father to each of his four children—Walker has previously criticized absentee fathers, particularly in African-American households (Walker tweeted in response, “I LOVE my son no matter what”).

    October 7, 2022Days after the Daily Beast report, Walker’s ex-girlfriend tells the New York Times he urged her to have a second abortion in 2011, two years after she claimed he paid for her to have the procedure, although she refused the second time around, giving birth to one of Walker’s four children (Walker’s campaign declined to comment on the allegations to Forbes).

    October 14, 2022Walker comes under fire again after briefly pulling out a “prop” police badge in a debate against incumbent Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock, saying he’s “never pretended to be a police officer” and claiming the badge is real—even though there is no record of him ever working with law enforcement (Walker had attended training at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia, in 1989, although there is no evidence he worked with the agency, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported).

    Contra

    Walker, a former NFL running back and Heisman Award winner with the University of Georgia, has admitted to a history of domestic violence, telling Axios last December he is “accountable” for his actions, which he blamed on his mental health issues. He also told Axios he’s recovered from issues, saying he’s “better now than 99%” of Americans. He also addressed his history of mental health in a recent campaign ad, saying “by the grace of God, I’ve overcome it.”

    Surprising Fact

    Recent polling has been mixed. Walker, who was once neck-and-neck with Warnock, tumbled after the abortion scandal broke earlier this month, with a Survey USA poll released October 5 pegging him 12 points behind Warnock among likely Georgia voters (50% to 38%). Last week, however, an Emerson College poll found the two candidates within two percentage points of each other, with Warnock narrowly ahead 48% to 46%. An earlier Emerson survey released in August found Walker ahead 46% to 44%. Both parties have been keeping a close eye on the Senate race, one of a handful that could determine who controls the chamber, which is locked in a 50-50 tie, with Vice President Kamala Harris acting as the tie-breaking vote.

    Tangent

    Despite the recent scandals, major Republican officials have stood by the Trump-endorsed candidate. In a statement earlier this month, Republican Senate Committee Chair, Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), said he supports Walker and “Georgians will stand with him, too.” GOP super PAC Senate Leadership Fund leader Steven Law said Walker would “make things better.”

    Further Reading

    Herschel Walker Acknowledges He Gave Ex $700 Check—But Has ‘No Idea’ What For (Forbes)

    Herschel Walker ‘Prop’ Badge: Candidate Has Long Record Of Claiming To Be A Cop (He’s Not) (Forbes)

    Herschel Walker Tumbles In Georgia Senate Poll As Scandals Mount (Forbes)

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    Brian Bushard, Forbes Staff

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  • How Gretchen Whitmer Became An Outlier Among Democratic Governors

    How Gretchen Whitmer Became An Outlier Among Democratic Governors

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    Twenty eight of the nation’s 50 governors are Republicans and 22 are Democrats. With 36 gubernatorial contests to be decided in the 2022 midterm elections, millions of dollars are now being spent by and on behalf of both parties to increase their gubernatorial ranks. A midwestern race that was previously thought to be uncompetitive is now, according to recent polls, tightening up and presenting a pickup opportunity for Republicans to gain control of another governorship.

    As the 2022 election cycle enters the home stretch, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D) finds herself on the defensive and with her challenger gaining ground less than 20 days before the final votes are cast. Whitmer’s Republican opponent in the November 8 general election, Tudor Dixon, has focused on Whitmer’s support for various tax increases in recent media interviews. Another point Dixon is hitting as part of her closing message is to highlight not just the tax increases for which Gretchen Whitmer has advocated, but also the tax relief from which Michiganders could be benefitting had Governor Whitmer not blocked it with her veto.

    Vetoing Republican-passed tax cuts might not sound like an unusual move for a Democratic governor and historically it hasn’t been one. But these days Gretchen Whitmer’s rejection of legislatively approved state income tax relief makes her an outlier, even compared to her Democratic counterparts in other states and how they responded when similar tax relief packages hit their desks.

    Acting in contrast to Whitmer are Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers (D), Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards (D), and North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper (D), all of whom have signed significant income tax cuts passed by their GOP-led state legislatures over the past two years. Governor Edwards went so far as to support a package that could phase out Louisiana’s income tax in the coming years.

    Gretchen Whitmer, meanwhile, has vetoed personal income tax cuts and other tax relief sent to her desk by the Republican-led Michigan House and Senate. This past summer on June 10, for example, Governor Whitmer vetoed a bill that would’ve reduced the personal income tax rate from 4.25% to 4.0%, increased the Earned Income Tax Credit, established a $500 child tax credit, and boosted tax breaks for disabled military veterans and seniors.

    The tax cut that Whitmer vetoed in June would’ve resulted in a $2.7 billion annual net tax cut. While Whitmer blocked income tax relief for Michigan families and employers with her veto, on the campaign trail in nearby Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers is now touting the income tax cuts he signed last year, which were approved by the GOP-led Wisconsin Senate and Assembly.

    Governor Roy Cooper signed a new budget last November that will phase out North Carolina’s corporate income tax entirely by the end of 2030. Four months after Cooper signed that corporate income tax-eliminating budget, Governor Whitmer vetoed legislation that would’ve cut Michigan’s corporate income tax rate from 6% to 3.9%. Five months after Whitmer vetoed that corporate tax cut, her Democratic counterpart in Pennsylvania, Governor Tom Wolf (D), was touting his signing of a bipartisan reform that will cut the Keystone State’s corporate income tax in half over time, taking it from 9.99% down to 4.99%. Governor Wolf’s office touted in an official release published August 8 that the move to a 4.99% corporate rate, which will be more than a full percentage point below Michigan’s rate, will give Pennsylvania “a healthier, more competitive business environment that attracts good-paying jobs and moves our economy forward.”

    While Whitmer has responded to legislative Republicans with her own tax relief plan, sources in the Michigan political and public policy community contend Whitmer’s tax cut counterproposal is aimed more at helping her base of voters and not the broader public. Republican critics of Whitmer’s fiscal policy record and proposals acknowledge her campaign for re-election is based around conservative messaging. She’s running ads, for example, that tout her enactment of balanced budgets that did not include tax hikes. While Whitmer’s ads boast about not raising taxes, they leave out the fact that she tried to raise the gas tax but was blocked by the Republican-run legislature.

    “Governor Whitmer has brought Republicans and Democrats together to deliver four balanced budgets that have made historic investments in Michigan’s public education system, infrastructure, public safety, and economy,” writes Joseph Costello, a Whitmer for Governor spokesperson, in an email responding to questions from this author. “The Governor has also gotten the state’s fiscal house in order by turning a projected $3 billion deficit into a $7 billion surplus, paying down billions in debt, and bringing the rainy day fund to an all-time high of nearly $1.6 billion – without raising taxes.”

    While Governor Whitmer’s team says she has brought Republicans and Democrats together, it’s clear Republican leadership in the state legislature doesn’t see it that way.

    “Governor Whitmer is a tax hiking, big spending liberal and the only reason Michigan taxpayers have been protected is because of legislative Republicans stopping her tax increases,” Michigan Senate President Pro Tempore Aric Nesbitt (R) told this author.

    “If Governor Whitmer had had her way, gas would be 45 cents more and the small businesses who survived her shutdowns would be paying 40% higher taxes,” Senate President Nesbitt adds. “She has vetoed every inflation relief bill we’ve sent her, including suspending the gas tax, lowering the income tax and creating a child tax credit. Michigan voters are smarter than she gives them credit for and they know she’s prioritized government’s spending over relief for working families.”

    “We’re in a state right now where she could offer tax relief. She’s been given the opportunity to offer people tax relief,” Tudor Dixon said of Whitmer’s record during an interview on the October 20 episode of the Ruthless variety program. She ran saying she wouldn’t increase taxes, but time and time again…when she has been given the opportunity to provide relief to the people of Michigan, she vetoes that every single time.”

    In response to such criticism, Whitmer’s campaign points to the tax plan that Whitmer has offered as a counterproposal to the tax relief package approved this year by the Michigan House and Senate.

    “Governor Whitmer has fought to lower costs and send real relief to hardworking families as quickly as possible by pushing to triple Michigan’s earned income tax credit, calling for a suspension of the state’s 6% sales tax on gas, and proposing a plan to immediately send $500 to families from the state’s surplus,” Costello adds. “The Governor continues fighting to fully repeal Michigan’s retirement tax, which would save half a million households an average of $1,000 annually.”

    Republicans in the Michigan legislature, however, are not keen on Governor Whitmer’s counterproposal. Representative Matt Hall (R), who chairs the Michigan House Tax Policy Committee, called Whitmer’s planned rebate a “one time gimmick.”

    “I don’t know if she will ever change her mind and allow hard-working taxpayers to keep more of their own money, but I do know House Republicans will continue to fight for tax relief and continue to give her the chance to finally do the right thing,” Representative Hall added. “This isn’t over.”

    There are sure to be more state level efforts to enact rate reducing and flattening income tax relief in 2023. Not only that, such proposals will be introduced in states where there is unified partisan control and also in places where there is divided control of government. Nearby in Wisconsin, for example, Republican legislators are planning to introduce another income tax cut next year no matter who wins their gubernatorial election.

    There is growing bipartisan support for income tax relief at the state level, demonstrably so, but Gretchen Whitmer has prevented Michigan from being part of that trend. Michigan state government is projected to have a $5 billion surplus over the next two years. As it stands, the state’s Democratic governor and Republican-run state legislature are in fierce disagreement over how much of that surplus to return to taxpayers and the manner in which to do so. On November 8, Michigan voters will decide whether they want Whitmer to retain the authority to continue blocking income tax relief for the next four years, or whether they prefer the Republican challenger who happens to be campaigning on the type of income tax relief that many of Whitmer’s Democratic counterparts in other states have recently enacted.

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    Patrick Gleason, Contributor

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  • Georgia Senate Race Remains Nearly Tied Amid Herschel Walker Scandals, Poll Finds

    Georgia Senate Race Remains Nearly Tied Amid Herschel Walker Scandals, Poll Finds

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    Topline

    Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock (D) leads Republican challenger Herschel Walker by two percentage points, according to an Emerson College poll released Tuesday, leaving the two candidates virtually tied, after the key Senate race was shaken up last week by allegations that Walker paid for a woman to get an abortion despite his opposition to the procedure.

    Key Facts

    In the survey of 1,000 likely general election voters in Georgia, Warnock led Walker 48% to 46%, meaning the two candidates are within the poll’s three-point margin of error, and 4% of voters are undecided.

    The survey was taken October 6 and 7, just days after The Daily Beast reported that in 2009, Walker—who supports banning abortions— paid his then-girlfriend to get an abortion (Walker denied the allegations).

    It represents a slight improvement for Warnock, after an Emerson survey in August showed Walker leading 46% to 44%, though 7% of voters said they were undecided at the time.

    Some 55% of voters expect Warnock to be reelected, while 45% said they believe Walker will win, according to Tuesday’s Emerson poll, similar to August, when 53% of voters predicted Walker will win reelection.

    Men support Walker 50% to 44% while women back Warnock 51% to 42%, according to Emerson—the gap has widened since August, with Warnock gaining four points with women and Walker losing two with men.

    Key Background

    In late June, Warnock began to climb ahead of Walker, a retired NFL and University of Georgia football player backed by former President Donald Trump, according to FiveThirtyEight. Walker has drawn controversy in the past: His ex-wife and other women have accused him of violent behavior, an allegation he admitted to in general terms and blamed on mental health issues. Reports have also emerged that Walker had at least three children with different women that he hadn’t previously discussed publicly. The Daily Beast’s abortion reporting has brought new scrutiny to the race in the past week, as abortion has become a key issue for many midterm voters and a central focus for Democratic campaigns in the wake of Roe v. Wade’s reversal. Despite the scandal, Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.)—who chairs the National Republican Senatorial Committee—has stood behind Walker.

    Big Number

    43%. That’s the percentage of likely Georgia voters who said the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade has made them more likely to vote in midterm elections, according to the Emerson poll. Some 45% said the decision made no difference.

    Tangent

    The Senate is currently split 50-50 between the two parties, with Democrats controlling the chamber due to Vice President Kamala Harris’ tie-breaking vote. Republicans see Georgia as one of their best chances to flip a seat and regain control of the upper chamber. In the House, where Democrats currently hold a slim 222-213 majority, Republicans are favored to win control in November.

    Further Reading

    Herschel Walker’s Son Christian Turns On Him—‘Everything Is A Lie’—As Scandal Grows (Forbes)

    Warnock asked about Walker allegations. Hear his response (CNN)

    Republican Party ‘Stands With’ Herschel Walker Amid Abortion Scandal, National Chair Says (Forbes)

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    Sara Dorn, Forbes Staff

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  • Freedom Gala to Ensure Election Integrity With Keynote Speaker Mike Lindell, Owner of My Pillow and Christian Patriot

    Freedom Gala to Ensure Election Integrity With Keynote Speaker Mike Lindell, Owner of My Pillow and Christian Patriot

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    Additional Speakers: Ken Paxton, Texas Attorney General, Dr. Steven Hotze, CRTX News Publisher, Vidal Martinez, Republican Candidate for County Judge to Replace Lina Hidalgo, and more

    Press Release
    –

    Mar 18, 2022


    HOUSTON, March 18, 2022 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Mike Lindell, owner of My Pillow, will be the keynote speaker at the Freedom Gala. It will be held Saturday, April 2, at the Hyatt Regency in Houston, Texas. Dinner and program start at 7:00 P.M. Visit www.FreedomGalaTx.com for details.

    The Freedom Gala will be a rallying point for Conservative Republicans and Christian Patriots who are committed to ensuring election integrity.

    Dr. Steven F. Hotze, Publisher of CRTX News, said, “We are proud to have the support of Mike Lindell who is a bold Conservative Christian Patriot. Mike Lindell has been a strong advocate for election integrity across the country.”

    Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton will also address the Constitutional crisis we face in enforcing the Texas Election Code to prevent vote fraud. Other speakers include Russ Ramsland, Computer Vote Machine Specialist; Attorney Jared Woodfill; John Beckmeyer, Executive Director, Republican Party of Texas; Vidal Martinez, Candidate for Harris County Judge; Aubrey Taylor, Investigative Reporter, Gerry Monroe, Candidate for Texas House of Representatives, District 131, and Weston Martinez.

    At the Freedom Gala, attendees will be informed on plans to ensure election integrity by exposing and preventing any election corruption in Harris County and in Texas. 

    The funds raised from this event will be used to: 

    1. Monitor upcoming elections to ensure election integrity in Harris County and across Texas.

    2. Ensure that poll watchers are hired and trained for the upcoming elections.

    3. Fund legal efforts to ensure election integrity.

    Contact: Elaina Mango

    281-698-8656

    Source: Freedom Gala Texas

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  • Manuel P. Asensio Announces His ‘Smoking-Gun’ Campaign for the Republican Nomination in Florida’s 3rd Congressional District

    Manuel P. Asensio Announces His ‘Smoking-Gun’ Campaign for the Republican Nomination in Florida’s 3rd Congressional District

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    Asensio seeks to defeat corruption now before it leads to total tyranny against his fellow citizens.

    Press Release
    –

    Nov 19, 2021


    GAINESVILLE, Fla., November 19, 2021 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Manuel P. Asensio, a tried-and-true fighter of institutionalized corruption and champion of freedom of religion, the press, and speech rights, has announced his campaign for the Republican nomination in Florida’s 3rd Congressional District. When elected, Asensio promises to expose and end the corruption that has enabled the Left to wrongfully take control of the U.S. Constitution. He is running for Congress to expose and dismantle the federal corruption that seeks to destroy the Constitution’s protections of the American liberties and freedoms, and private property.

    Asensio seeks to defeat corruption now before it leads to total tyranny against his fellow citizens. 

    “I am repulsed by the unholy alliance and dirty politics used by both sides to enable the Radical Left. This has resulted in canceled facts, reasoning, and religion in all levels of government and made a disgraceful farce of our Constitution,” said Asensio.

    “Republican voters are tired of the corruption they see in their party’s Washington leadership. They are fed up watching the establishment colluding with the Radical Left to violate the Constitution’s most important doctrines. These are our only protections against dictatorship. I will expose how, where, and why the establishment has aligned with the Left to ruin values, truth and reason and the integrity of America’s courts, borders, and the 2020 census, the presidential and all elections,” said Asensio.

    “I will stop the nonsense and political absurdities that have taken over our federal government. I will stand up and fight political corruption with undeniable smoking-gun facts and law,” he added.

    Asensio founded Asensio & Company, the first Wall Street firm dedicated to fighting corruption. His phenomenally successful investigations uncovered fraud harming investors and improved capital markets. As a result, he became known as a pioneer of information arbitrage. In 2016, Asensio founded the Institute of Judicial Conduct to research corruption in the regulation of the federal judiciary and the administration of family liberty and individual rights. His congressional campaign brings this wealth of knowledge and experience to the political arena.

    A conservative Christian Republican, Asensio has experience with left-wing government takeovers in Cuba, Venezuela, and the United States of America. He earned his undergraduate degree from the Wharton School of Business and his graduate degree from Harvard Business School.

    Asensio was born in Cuba and fled communism at six years old, two weeks after the Bay of Pigs invasion. His parents taught him since childhood to embrace conservative values and to fight for individual dignity and independence. Caridad Asensio, Asensio’s mother, is cofounder of the Caridad Center, Florida’s largest free health clinic and one of the largest in the nation. She is a member of the Florida Women’s Hall of Fame and a recipient of the National Jefferson Award.

    Visit the candidate’s website at asensio4congress.com.

    To support the cause, please visit https://secure.winred.com/asensio4congress/donate-today.

    For further information, call (352) WIN-RED1, visit asensio4congress.com or email info@Asensio4Congress.com.

    Source: Asensio 4 Congress

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  • Phillip Bahakel Qualifies for Shelby County Circuit Judge Place #2

    Phillip Bahakel Qualifies for Shelby County Circuit Judge Place #2

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    Press Release
    –


    updated: Feb 13, 2018


    Pelham, AL, February 13, 2018 (Newswire.com)
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    Former Judge Phillip Bahakel qualified on January 11, 2018 as a Republican candidate for the judgeship held by Shelby County’s beloved Judge Conwill who will be retiring.  Judge Bahakel was admitted to the Bar in 1981 and has previously served the citizens of Alabama six years as a Judge. Judge Bahakel graduated college at the University of Alabama and law school at Cumberland School of Law. 

    Aside from raising 2 daughters, including one with special needs, Judge Bahakel has demonstrated care, empathy, and concern for those he has helped as an attorney and for the people that came before him while serving the community as a Judge. 

    My experience as a Judge sets me a part from the other candidates, but so does my experience as a father and grandfather of a children with special needs.

    Phillip Bahakel, Experienced Attorney & Former Judge

    Judge Bahakel was raised to respect others and has demonstrated a strong work ethic both in private practice as a lawyer and while serving the people of Alabama as a Judge.    

    Judge Bahakel is committed to serving Shelby County and the State of Alabama. As a Judge, he understood the importance of providing litigants their day in court as quickly as possible. As a Judge, he listened to the facts and followed the law.  Judge Bahakel does not believe in legislating from the bench.

    Judge Bahakel is not accepting financial contributions for his campaign, however, Judge Bahakel is asking for your vote and assistance in getting the vote out for him in the Shelby County Republican primary on June 5, 2018.   If you wish to help in the campaign to elect Judge Bahakel, please call 205-987-8787.

    Contact Information:

    Phillip Bahakel​​: phillipbahakelllaw.net

    Source: Phillip Bakahel

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  • Rick Walker Unveils Innovative Bilateral Adoption Tax Credit Plan

    Rick Walker Unveils Innovative Bilateral Adoption Tax Credit Plan

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    Rick Walker for Congress unveils what he calls a ‘cash-positive, pro-life, pro-woman, pro-penal reform, pro-family, pro-growth adoption plan as the pro-life strategy of the future’

    Press Release
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    updated: Jan 22, 2018


    HOUSTON, January 22, 2018 (Newswire.com)
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     The adoption tax credit was designed to encourage families to adopt. It allows tax credits for expenses like adoption fees, travel and attorney fees. U.S. Representative hopeful Rick Walker plans to take the adoption tax credit even further, extending it to birth mothers of adopted children as well. Rick is 100 percent pro-life and believes pro-adoption is the next logical move for pro-life leadership. 

    “My plan is a cash-positive, pro-life, pro-woman, pro-penal reform, pro-family, pro-growth adoption plan and is the pro-life strategy of the future,” says Walker, candidate for Texas’ 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. Congress.

    We want a law that requires the Bilateral Adoption Tax Credit (BATC) to be shared with the mother. This woman is often in a crisis situation and she needs a little encouragement to carry the baby to term and to be adopted.

    Rick Walker, Candidate for U.S. Congress, Texas CD2

    Simple, Innovative and Effective

    This simple, innovative approach is cash-positive and could potentially bring together pro-life and pro-choice groups. Walker says: “We want a law that requires the Bilateral Adoption Tax Credit (BATC) to be shared with the mother. This woman is often in a crisis situation and she needs a little encouragement to carry the baby to term and to be adopted. We believe our plan can help parents and children find each other and reduce this statistic.”

    The plan may be accessed here: https://rickwalker.com/adoption

    About Rick Walker

    Rick Walker is a leader across multiple domains – business, global and nonprofit arenas – who is dedicated to serving others. The founder of a job-creation machine and former chairman of a global organization while in his 30s, he has proven himself more than capable of accomplishing important tasks and getting things done. Rick Walker is 100 percent pro-life but believes there needs to be strategic innovation in the pro-life movement’s tactics. 

    Rick Walker supports innovative and forward-thinking policies like the Bilateral Adoption Tax Credit. Once elected, his strong, conservative voice will continue to encourage adoption and help pro-life and pro-choice groups to work together. 

    To learn more about the Bilateral Adoption Tax Credit Plan, visit https://rickwalker.com/adoption to read the full article.

    Source: Rick Walker for Congress

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