Incumbent Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Republican House candidate and former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin were projected to finish in the top four of primary voting to advance to the general election that will be held in November.
Murkowski took an early lead in Alaska’s Senate primary in which the top four vote recipients advance to the general election in November. Meanwhile, Palin received nearly a third of the early votes in the special election to fill Alaska’s sole House seat left vacant by Republican Rep. Don Young’s death in March.
Republican Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming said she was considering a run for president in 2024 during a Wednesday morning appearance on “The Today Show.”
“I’m not going to make any announcements here this morning, but — but it is something that I — I’m thinking about and I’ll make a decision in the coming months,” Cheney said when asked if she would run for president by host Savannah Guthrie.
Cheney was defeated by Harriet Hageman, who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump, by 37 points Tuesday night.
Democrats passed about $3.8 trillion in spending on their top agenda items since President Biden took office — something they believe will help them in the 2022 midterms, but that Republicans say is the usual tax-and-spend legislation that will harm the economy.
“Democrats, even in this tough situation — polarized 50-50 — can actually get things done,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said after Democrats passed their Inflation Reduction Act this month. “They’re going to see Democrats are actually getting things done that matter to them, mainstream things that matter to folks.”
“No matter what they call their legislation, Democrats in Washington are addicted to spending your money,” Chad Gilmartin, a spokesman for House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., told Fox News Digital. “When Democrats said their multitrillion spending bill would ‘rescue’ the economy — it did the opposite by fueling historic inflation and imperiling every family’s budget.
‘Defund the Police’ Rep. Bowman sees 30% violent crime spike in Northern Bronx … FOX NEWS
Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., who has repeatedly called for defunding the police, has seen skyrocketing crime in the Northern Bronx part of his district.
Bowman, a self-proclaimed Democratic socialist who joined the far-left Squad with Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., upon their swearing-in last January, has been vocal about his support for dismantling the U.S. criminal justice system.
Where K Street’s money went in Wyoming primary … POLITICO
A couple of Cheney’s former colleagues turned lobbyists have also boosted her campaign, including the extremely recent Hill-to-K Street convert Filemón Vela, Congress Minutes reported. Former Reps. Mac Thornberry, Martha Roby and Rodney Frelinghuysen also contributed via their old campaign accounts, while former Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen gave to Cheney personally.
Hageman, who’s raised less money than Cheney on the whole, has still drawn pockets of support on K Street. Every lobbyist at Miller Strategies, the firm run by Kevin McCarthy ally Jeff Miller, has contributed to Hageman. Miller last year issued an ultimatum to Republican strategists warning that they could either work for Cheney or they could work for the potential next House speaker, The New York Times reported.
U.S. Retail Spending Held Steady in July … WSJ
U.S. retail spending held steady in July compared with the prior month as shoppers saved money from falling gasoline prices and boosted purchases elsewhere.
Overall retail sales—a measure of spending at stores, online and in restaurants—were flat in July compared with the prior month’s revised 0.8% increase, the Commerce Department said Wednesday. With gasoline and auto sales removed from the picture, sales rose 0.7% last month from June.
In New Mexico, Muslims reject sectarian label put on killings … REUTERS
National Muslim groups have linked the killings of four Muslim men in New Mexico to sectarianism, but Muslims who knew the victims and suspected gunman point to revenge and personal feuds as possible motives.
Police last week arrested Afghan refugee Muhammad Syed, 51, as the prime suspect in the shootings of four Muslim men in New Mexico’s largest city. Syed, who is scheduled to appear at a bail hearing Wednesday, has denied involvement. His lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Elon Musk spoke at GOP leader Kevin McCarthy’s Wyoming retreat on same day Liz Cheney lost primary … FOX NEWS
Elon Musk, the billionaire CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, attended a fundraiser retreat in Wyoming that was hosted by Republican House Leader Kevin McCarthy, Fox News has learned.
The event was held at a resort in Teton Village, near Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and happened on the same day Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney lost a primary election to Trump-backed Republican nominee Harriet Hageman.
A source told Fox News that McCarthy and Musk led a fireside chat with supporters, House members and Republican candidates.
FBI Asked Cops To Let Protesters Into Michigan State Capitol Building, Informant Says
An FBI informant in the alleged plot to kidnap Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer claimed Monday the bureau requested that Michigan State Police allow armed protesters into the state Capitol during an April 30, 2020, anti-lockdown demonstration, according to journalist Ken Bensinger.
Dan Chappel testified Monday and Tuesday in Adam Fox and Barry Croft Jr.’s retrial for the alleged kidnapping plot. He said the FBI specifically asked state police to allow armed protesters into the state Capitol for de-escalation purposes in the protest, which he attended with Wolverine Watchmen militia members during his informant tenure, Bensinger reported.
Trump gloats over nemesis Liz Cheney’s primary loss, calls her ‘fool’ … NY POST
Former President Donald Trump was quick to gloat over the crushing Wyoming Republican primary election loss of his nemesis Liz Cheney — calling her a “fool” who “should be ashamed of herself.”
Trump, 76, took to his Truth Social platform late Tuesday to hail the “very decisive WIN” by the challenger he’d backed, Harriet Hageman, saying the “very big Liz Cheney loss” was “far bigger than had ever been anticipated.”
TikTok to clamp down on paid political posts by influencers ahead of U.S. midterms … REUTERS
TikTok will work to prevent content creators from posting paid political messages on the short-form video app, as part of its preparation for the U.S. midterm election in November, the company said on Wednesday.
Critics and lawmakers accuse TikTok and rival social media companies including Meta Platforms (META.O) and Twitter (TWTR.N) of doing too little to stop political misinformation and divisive content from spreading on their apps.
Tar And Feather The Editor Who Greenlit This NYT Profile Of Joe Biden’s Sunglasses
The New York Times published an article Tuesday praising President Joe Biden’s aviator sunglasses, describing them as a symbol of his victories.
The article titled “The Return of Aviator Joe,” was written by Vanessa Friedman and described the sunglasses as being “front and center” to the president’s face as he recently broke out of COVID-19 isolation and achieved a legislative victory by signing the Inflation Reduction Act into law. The aviators are a representation of his victories, according to the Times.
“You know President Joe Biden is having a good day when he wears his aviators,” author Lis Smith told the New York Times. “You know he’s having a good month when you see him day after day wearing his aviators. It’s a sign he’s on a roll right now.”
Rep. Liz Cheney compares herself to Abraham Lincoln following resounding defeat in Wyoming primary … FOX NEWS
Following her primary election defeat to Harriet Hageman Tuesday evening, Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., used her concession speech to compare herself to former President Abraham Lincoln and hinted that her future in politics might not be finished just yet.
“The great and original champion of our party, Abraham Lincoln, was defeated in elections for the Senate and the House before he won the most important election of all,” Cheney told a crowd of supporters in Jackson, Wyoming. “Lincoln ultimately prevailed, he saved our union, and he defined our obligation as Americans for all of history.”
R. Kelly jury to hear opening statements at trial in Chicago … AP
Opening statements set for Wednesday give prosecutors and R. Kelly’s attorneys their first chance to address jurors directly about charges that accuse the R&B singer of enticing minors for sex, producing child pornography and rigging his 2008 pornography trial.
Both the prosecution and Kelly’s legal team told the judge earlier in the week that they would like about an hour each to tell jurors about the kind of evidence they can expect to see and hear. The evidentiary stage of the federal trial is expected to last about a month.
Lawyers for two Kelly co-defendants will also address jurors before the government begins calling witnesses later Wednesday. Prosecutors haven’t said who they will call first.
Bill Gates reveals his involvement in pushing through climate bill in interview with Bloomberg … FOX NEWS
Bloomberg published a report detailing Bill Gates’ involvement in convincing Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., to support the White House and congressional Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Act, a climate change and tax bill that according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office and the Wharton Budget Model will not actually reduce inflation.
The piece, titled “Bill Gates and the Secret Push to Save Biden’s Climate Bill,” was published as part of Bloomberg Green, a climate change wing of the publication.
Bloomberg reported that when Manchin “slammed the brakes on legislation to combat global warming,” that is “when billionaire philanthropist and clean-energy investor Bill Gates got on the phone with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.”
After Cheney’s Loss, Only Two of the ‘Impeachment 10’ Remain … NYT
Representative Liz Cheney of Wyoming, one of the 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach President Donald J. Trump over the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021, lost the Republican primary on Tuesday and will not be on the ballot in November. Mr. Trump made it his vengeful mission to force the 10 Republicans who defied him out of Congress, and he has largely been successful: Eight of them
Transgender student rejected from every University of Alabama sorority … FOX NEWS
A transgender woman was rejected by all University of Alabama sororities during their student recruitment process, according to social media posts from the student.
Grant Sikes, a biological male, wrote on Instagram that he was denied entry to all of the sororities on campus. There are nearly 20 campus chapters. “Unfortunately, this chapter is closed.
This recruitment journey is over for me,” Sikes wrote. “Being dropped from my last house this morning during primary recruitment at the University of Alabama doesn’t come as a surprise considering out of the almost 20 chapters – I was dropped by every single one except 2 before day 1.”
America First Policy Insititute (AFPI) and America First Works will host a series of town halls in the fall with members of Congress in order to promote their America First agenda, the Daily Caller has learned.
The goal of the America First Agenda Town Halls is to highlight the difference in what policies are being passed in Washington, D.C., and what policies would actually put the American people first. Issues that will be brought up in the town halls will consist of how to combat inflation, securing the border, standing up for parents’ rights, fighting rising crime rates, and more, according to information provided first to the Daily Caller.