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Shapiro kicks off 2026 re-election as 2028 White House buzz swirls
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Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro kicked off his 2026 re-election campaign Thursday, a move seen as a potential stepping stone for a Democratic presidential run in 2028.
In a re-election campaign launch video shared with Fox News Digital, Shapiro highlighted his pragmatic approach as governor to get things done for Pennsylvanians.
«We’ve gotten shit done all across our Commonwealth to make a real difference in people’s lives. Now, Pennsylvania is open for business,» the governor said, repeating his unofficial slogan.
And Shapiro, who was high up on then-Vice President Kamala Harris’s shortlist for running mate in the summer of 2024, after she replaced then-President Biden as the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee, pointed to the rebuilding of an interstate overpass that collapsed in 2023, shutting down one of the nation’s busiest highways.
JOSH SHAPIRO DEFENDS CLAIM THAT KAMALA HARRIS TRYING TO ‘COVER HER A—’ WITH CRITICAL BOOK EXCERPT
Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania on Thursday launched a 2026 campaign for re-election. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
«When disaster struck, others underestimated us. But I never did. Reopen and ready for travelers, just 12 days after a devastating collapse,» Shaprio said in the video. «We cut through the red tape to get I-95 rebuilt in record time. We did it using materials from a Pennsylvania business and with the muscle and know-how of Pennsylvania union workers.»
In the video, which showcases the governor’s accomplishments, Shapiro also touts his bipartisan efforts, noting that «even with a divided state legislature — together — we’ve gotten a whole lot done on issues that have been stuck for decades. But there’s always more to do — more people to help, more Pennsylvanians to protect, more bridges to build.»
Following his video launch, the governor is scheduled to hold campaign kick-off events Thursday in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.
Shapiro’s launch comes two days after his campaign showcased their war chest, announcing that the governor hauled in $10 million in fundraising in the final quarter of last year and started the new year with more than $30 million in his coffers.
The governor, a former two-term Pennsylvania attorney general who defeated conservative state Sen. Doug Mastriano by 15 points four years ago in the key battleground state’s gubernatorial election, is likely to face state Treasurer Stacy Garrity as his Republican challenger this November.
FRAUD FALLOUT FORCES WALZ TO ABANDON GUBERNATORIAL RE-ELECTION BID
Garrity, hoping to avoid an expensive and divisive primary, has already lined up endorsements and support from many Pennsylvania Republicans, including the backing of the state GOP. And Mastriano, who had been mulling a second straight bid, announced on Wednesday that he wouldn’t run for governor this year.
Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity is the leading Republican candidate for governor in the 2026 race to challenge Democratic incumbent Gov. Josh Shapiro. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
«The truth is that Josh Shapiro ignored the problems facing hardworking Pennsylvanians to gallivant around the country to raise money from liberal billionaires,» Matt Beynon, a top Garrity campaign adviser, told Fox News Digital. «Less than half of 8th graders read at grade level, over 3,000 of our bridges are deficient, and Pennsylvania families have one of the highest tax burdens in the country.»
But Shapiro enters the new year with formidable approval and favorable ratings in public opinion polls, and his campaign, pointing to his fundraising, said the governor was «in a position of unprecedented strength.»
A release from the campaign highlighted that the governor «is reporting the most money raised and the highest ending cash balance during the off-year ahead of an election of any Pennsylvania gubernatorial campaign on record.»
DEMOCRATIC HEAVYWEIGHTS HARRIS, NEWSOM TURN HEADS, FUEL 2028 SPECULATION
Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro campaigns on behalf of then-Vice President Kamala Harris, the party’s presidential nominee in the 2024 election. (Bloomberg/Getty)
A sizable November victory by Shapiro in the high-profile general election swing state could give the governor momentum heading into what is likely to be a crowded and competitive race for the next Democratic presidential nomination. And that field could include candidates with much higher name recognition, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Vice President Kamala Harris.
«Anybody who has shown any interest in running for president will absolutely be closely watched during this year’s elections, and it’s only natural that they’ll be judged initially on their abilities in their home state,» longtime Democratic strategist Joe Caiazzo, a veteran of multiple presidential campaigns, told Fox News Digital.
Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, at the Democratic National Convention, speaks with party activists from New Hampshire at a delegation breakfast, on Aug. 21, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Paul Steinhauser/Fox News)
Behind the scenes, Shapiro spent part of 2025 increasing his grip on the state party. And he recruited and cleared the field for a handful of congressional candidates in Pennsylvania running in what will likely be crucial midterm elections in the battle for the House majority.
The governor also campaigned for fellow Democrats on the ballot last year in Pennsylvania, helping his party to convincing victories in the off-year elections. And Shapiro also traveled to neighboring New Jersey to campaign on behalf of now-Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill in the high-profile gubernatorial showdown.
His efforts further raised his national profile and sparked further 2028 speculation.
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But John Brabender, a longtime Republican consultant who is advising Garrity, had a warning for Shapiro.
«The political graveyard is full of candidates who have miscalculated and have tried to run for multiple offices at the same time,» Brabender, who served as media consultant for President Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign, said as he pointed to Shapiro’s likely national ambitions.
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YouTuber to testify before Congress on Minnesota’s massive $9B fraud network investigation
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FIRST ON FOX: The House Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance is holding a hearing centered around various Minnesota fraud scandals and will feature testimony from Nick Shirley, a YouTuber and freelance journalist who helped uncover an organized fraud network in the state.
The hearing, «When Public Frauds are Abused: Addressing Fraud and the Theft of Taxpayer Dollars,» will be held Jan. 21, and will focus on several cases of fraud that took place in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.
«I pulled up earlier today a report from last July, and they’re interviewing [Minnesota] residents,» Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., who chairs the subcommittee, told Fox News Digital. «You can’t keep anything on your porch or in your yard because it gets stolen, you get your windows broken out of your car.
«It seems lawless,» he added.
GOP LAWMAKER MOVES TO AWARD CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL FOR JOURNALIST WHO EXPOSED MINNESOTA FRAUD
YouTuber and freelance journalist Nick Shirley, left, helped uncover an alleged organized fraud network in Minnesota, which is led by Gov. Tim Walz. (OutKick; Reuters/Tim Evans)
In 2022, federal officials in Minnesota launched an independent investigation into Feeding Our Future, a nonprofit that prosecutors later described as a key driver of what grew into one of the largest COVID-relief fraud schemes on record.
Over the course of the investigation, authorities uncovered an estimated $250 million in fraudulent claims, leading to criminal charges against 78 individuals. Prosecutors have said the total scope of the alleged fraud connected to the operation may ultimately approach $9 billion.
The hearing will feature testimony from Shirley in addition to Jennifer Larson, CEO of the Holland Autism Center and Clinic, and former Minnesota police officer and former Minnesota fraud investigator Scott Dexter.
PAM BONDI DISPATCHES FEDERAL PROSECUTORS TO MINNESOTA FOLLOWING SOMALI FRAUD ALLEGATIONS
Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., will be leading the subcommittee hearing targeting fraud in Minnesota. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, will be joining members of the subcommittee during the hearing.
Rep. Laurel Lee, R-Fla., will also be in attendance, and told Fox News Digital the hearing’s purpose is a matter of «transparency, accountability and safeguards that prevent this kind of abuse from happening again.»
«The scale of fraud uncovered in Minnesota is staggering, and it represents an egregious abuse of federal taxpayer dollars by criminal actors,» Lee told Fox News Digital. «The House Judiciary Committee is committed to exposing the full scope of that fraud, understanding how it was carried out, and ensuring that taxpayer funds intended to help vulnerable Americans are not diverted into the pockets of criminals.»
Quality Learning Center in Minnesota was found at the center of an alleged childcare fraud scandal in the state. (Madelin Fuerste / Fox News Channel)
JD VANCE ANNOUNCES MULTI-STATE FRAUD TASK FORCE IN WAKE OF MINNESOTA SCANDAL
Tensions in Minnesota rose after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) launched a massive operation in the state, in an attempt to locate and arrest illegal migrants who have committed crimes, as well as those who may have contributed to the fraud scandal.
A historic number of ICE agents were deployed to the state, which prompted agitators to clash with federal agents.
Last week in south Minneapolis, an ICE officer shot and killed a 37-year-old woman, later identified as Renee Nicole Good, during a federal enforcement operation after authorities said her vehicle charged toward agents on the street.
Good’s death sparked widespread protests and unrest in the city in the days that followed.
Members of law enforcement work the scene following the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent during federal immigration operations, Jan. 7, in Minneapolis, Minn. (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
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DHS Secretary Kristi Noem described Good’s actions as «domestic terrorism,» claiming she attempted to use her vehicle against federal officers.
DHS also revealed Wednesday that the officer who shot Good suffered internal bleeding as a result of the incident.
Preston Mizell is a writer with Fox News. Story tips can be sent to Preston.Mizell@fox.com and on X @MizellPreston
hearings house of representatives politics,minnesota fraud exposed,minnesota,somali immigrant community,homeland security
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Iran issued a notice to airmen (NOTAM) alert late Wednesday, closing airspace to all flights except international flights with prior permission from the country.
The NOTAM will be in effect for just over two hours.
Flight tracking data showed multiple planes were either denied entry to Iran or rerouted around the country, according to the Flight Radar 24 website.
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei pictured sitting next to senior military official in Iran. (Getty Images)
IRANIANS ABLE TO MAKE SOME INTERNATIONAL CALLS AS INTERNET REMAINS BLOCKED AMID PROTESTS
Minutes later, the U.S. embassies in Jerusalem, Qatar and Kuwait issued security alerts advising «increased caution,» limiting non-essential travel to Al Udeid Air Base, and temporarily halting movement into facilities at Camp Arifjan, Camp Buehring, Ali Al Salem Air Base and Camp Patrio.
The U.K. Foreign Office (FCDO) also issued an advisory recommending against «all but essential travel to Israel.»
«There is a heightened risk of regional tension,» officials wrote in the advisory. «Escalation could lead to travel disruption and other unanticipated impacts.»
A U.S. official told Reuters Wednesday the Department of War was moving personnel amid rising tensions.
«All the signals are that a U.S. attack is imminent, but that is also how this administration behaves to keep everyone on their toes. Unpredictability is part of the strategy,» a Western military official told the outlet.
Hours before the NOTAM alert was issued, President Donald Trump told reporters from the Oval Office the killing of protesters in Iran had ended.
A masked demonstrator holds a picture of Iran’s Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi during protests Jan. 9 in Tehran, Iran. (UGC via AP)
TRUMP SAYS IRAN ‘STARTING TO’ CROSS US RED LINES AS PROTESTERS DIE IN GOVERNMENT CRACKDOWN
«We’ve been told that the killing in Iran is stopping, and it’s stopped and stopping, and there’s no plan for executions or an execution,» Trump said. «So, I’ve been told that on good authority. We’ll find out about.»
When asked about potential military action against the country, Trump said, «We’re going to watch and see what the process is.
«We were given a very good, very good statement by people that are aware of what’s going on.»
Demonstrators burn pictures of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, outside the Iranian embassy in London. (Toby Melville/Reuters)
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s regime has recently come under fire, with reports claiming more than 3,000 people have been killed amid nationwide protests over economic grievances and political repression.
Trump announced Tuesday he canceled all meetings with Iranian officials until the killings stopped.
In a statement Wednesday, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) said Khamenei, through the Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), «has turned his weapons against our people, while young Iranians, armed with little more than determination, have risen to defend and protect unarmed and innocent civilians.»
«In this ruthless confrontation, in which thousands of innocent Iranians have been killed over the past two weeks, neutrality is not an option,» NCRI president-elect Maryam Rajavi wrote in a statement on X. «At a minimum, the international community must recognize the legitimate struggle of Iran’s youth and Resistance Units against the #IRGC to bring an end to this regime.
«European governments must designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization, an action long overdue. The regime’s embassies and representative offices should be closed, and its envoys expelled.»
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The Iranian United Nations (UN) ambassador later sent a letter to the UN, accusing Iranian protesters of «deliberately inciting violence» and «equipping terrorist and armed groups to turn peaceful protests into political destabilization.»
Danny Danon, Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, shared the letter on X, calling it «beyond belief.»
«This is the same regime that shoots protesters, hangs opponents, and oppresses an entire people,» Danon wrote in the post. «These are nothing but crocodile tears from a murderous regime.»
Fox News Digital’s Emma Colton contributed to this report.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
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Elijo el nombre de Javier Bardem, y no es al azar. Podría haber dirigido esta carta simbólica a Angelina Jolie, o a Billie Eilish, o a esa encarnación del antisemitismo más ruin que es Roger Waters. Y más allá del mundo rutilante del famoseo, la lista de dirigentes políticos que podrían merecerla pululan por todos los rincones de la demagogia. Ahí están los Pedro Sánchez, los Petro, los Mélenchon, los Iglesias…, todos esos ruidosos justicieros que escupen su propaganda desde el atrio de su soberbia moral. Muchos…, tantos…, tan presentes y estridentes hace poco tiempo, y ahora tan ausentes y callados.
Pero de todos ellos, escojo a Javier Bardem porque nadie encarna con tanta precisión la indecencia de una izquierda caviar que solo alza el puño, con impostada indignación, cuando la causa cuadra con su obsesión ideológica. Ese Bardem enfundado en el Free Palestine que cumple con todos los requisitos del activismo sectario. “Un actor comprometido”, dicen los titulares rutilantes, pero se olvidan del verbo que lo acompaña: Comprometido, depende… Depende de si Israel tiene algo que ver, o los estadounidenses, o el colonialismo capitalista, o Trump, o las derechas pérfidas… Es el prototipo del “no jews, no news”, de manera que si no hay judíos o yankees de por medio, no hay causa, no hay pancarta y no hay indignación. Son los progresistas de nuestro tiempo, tipos de grito en la manifestación y verbo acusador que deciden qué causas son dignas, y quiénes son víctimas y quiénes verdugos. Nunca, en la historia de la lucha por los derechos humanos, hubo tanta hipocresía arrogante y rastrera como ahora.
¿Dónde están? ¿Dónde estuvieron? Nunca los oímos cuando Hamas convertía Gaza en una cárcel de dos millones de personas, a las que saqueaba, empobrecía, reprimía y condenaba a un ciclo permanente de violencia. Nunca los oímos cuando el Yemen languidecía en años de guerra atroz, sacudida por la locura chiíta. Nunca, cuando Irán fabricaba su círculo de fuego, aupando al dictador sirio, financiando las peores organizaciones yihadistas y destruyendo el Líbano, mientras amenazaba con destruir a Israel. Tampoco los oímos cuando miles de israelíes sufrieron el terror del 7 de octubre: bebés en sus cunas, familias enteras, ancianos, jóvenes cantando en un festival, muertos, heridos, secuestrados. Su silencio, cuando las mujeres nos explicaban el horror de sus cuerpos violados. Su silencio cuando los bebés eran ahogados… Nunca hubo flotillas para ellos.
Y otros, tantos silencios. Nunca los oímos cuando Afganistán se convertía en un terrible infierno para las mujeres, las niñas sin escuelas, las jóvenes sin rostro, el aliento detrás de una cárcel de tela. Nunca en el horror de Sudán, nunca en el dolor cristiano en Nigeria, nunca en ningún lugar, porque si los malos no son los que ellos homologan ideológicamente, no existen víctimas, ni existen causas.
Por eso nunca les oímos hablar del dolor de los iraníes. A pesar de que el terrible régimen de los ayatollahs hubiera convertido la libertad en un crimen penal, y sustentara su poder en la represión y la muerte, nunca oímos a los Bardem. Al contrario, fueron esas izquierdas moralistas y doctrinarias las que antaño iban a visitar al “libertador de los persas”, un tal Khomeini y aplaudieron su “revolución social”. Durante décadas, nunca les preocupó la represión contra los ciudadanos iraníes, directores de cine encarcelados, opositores condenados a muerte, estudiantes torturados, nunca, nada… Al contrario: algunos de esos gurús de la izquierda irredenta se convirtieron en periodistas de los canales iraníes que intentaban vender su veneno a través de Hispan TV. Ahí están los Pablo Iglesias.
Y por eso ahora, cuando Irán arde por todos sus costados, con un pueblo extraordinariamente valiente que se enfrenta directamente a la muerte, y con miles de ellos siendo asesinados, todos estos actores, periodistas, políticos “comprometidos” no están, no hablan, no gritan, no levantan pancartas, no montan excursiones en flotillas, nada. Quizás alguna Irene Montero se despista y dice algo pero solo para avisar que Trump es muy malo y que Israel tiene la culpa de lo que ocurre en Irán.
Esta es la miseria de una izquierda tuerta y dogmática que ha ideologizado tanto las causas universales, que acaba siendo cómplice de los verdugos. Su obsesión antioccidental y su paternalismo arrogante hacia el Islam los ha convertido en incapaces para la causa de la libertad. Hablan mucho de ella, pero retuercen su significado hasta dejarla hueca.
Ese es el activismo de los Bardem de turno: un grito vacío. Moralistas de doble moral y progresistas a tiempo parcial, no forman parte de la solución, pero sin ninguna duda, forman parte del problema.
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