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GOP gov. claims swing-state opponent’s agenda carries $18B price tag in explosive report as key midterm nears
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FIRST ON FOX: Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo’s campaign estimates that Democratic rival Aaron Ford’s policy agenda would generate $18.1 billion in government and private-sector costs — burdening residents over four years — including nearly $8 billion in projected Nevada state spending — calculations Ford’s campaign sharply disputes.
The Lombardo campaign report assigns estimated costs to 76 Ford proposals, combining projected Nevada spending with costs it says would be borne by businesses and the federal government that ultimately fall to the taxpayers and the public. Ford’s campaign argues the analysis invents implementation plans Ford never proposed and misclassifies some federal and private costs as consequences of his platform.
The analysis projects $7.93 billion in direct state spending over a four-year term. Lombardo’s campaign argues Nevada could not absorb spending on that scale without higher taxes, new fees or cuts elsewhere, while Ford’s campaign says many of the projected expenses would not require new state appropriations.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, University of Nevada, Reno professor Mark Pingle backed the report’s findings, saying, «Based on a review of Aaron Ford’s policy proposals, an estimated cost of $18 billion is a reasonable assessment.»
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Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford smiles during his governor campaign kick-off event at the East Las Vegas Community Center on Monday, July 28, 2025, in Las Vegas. (Madeline Carter/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
«The bottom line is simple: these proposals would require a record-breaking increase in spending. Before moving forward with a plan this expensive, Nevadans deserve clear answers about how it would be paid for, who would bear the cost, and what it would mean for the state’s long-term financial stability. Regardless of political party, $18 billion in new spending deserves careful review and an explanation of how it would be paid for.»
Because Nevada has no personal income tax, significant new recurring state spending would likely require additional revenue from other taxes or fees, reductions in other spending, or some combination of the two.
Ford’s healthcare agenda, according to the report, carries the largest price tag at an estimated $4.25 billion for proposals addressing medical debt and predatory healthcare practices, including $3.5 billion for a proposal to cancel medical debt.
The report estimates an extra $1.76 billion would be needed to expand healthcare affordability and access through Medicaid protections, workforce expansion and preventive care.
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Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo addresses the media during a news conference on Sept. 12, 2025 in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager/Las Vegas Review-Journal/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Ford’s K-12 education plan is estimated to cost $3.68 billion alone, including raising Nevada’s per-pupil funding to the national average, expanding pre-K, providing universal school meals, and increasing pay for teachers and support staff, the report projects.
The report estimates households would receive $17.88 billion in savings and other benefits while businesses, the state and the federal government would bear nearly the same amount in costs.
Overall, according to the report, Ford’s platform would cost roughly $4.9 billion for education, $4.8 billion for housing, more than $6 billion for healthcare, about $1.5 billion for energy and nearly $900 million for economic development.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Ford campaign spokesperson Prerna Jagadeesh said, «General Ford won’t be lectured by a governor who proposed a budget with a $335 million unconstitutional deficit and twice broke his pledge to never raise taxes.»
Jagadeesh continued, «The Lombardo campaign is embarrassing themselves and insulting the intelligence of voters by pushing this fraudulent report. The report lies about Attorney General Ford’s policies and assigns fake costs to programs that won’t cost the state a penny and will actually save taxpayers money, and incorrectly attributes costs to the state. Lombardo’s campaign rushed out this incredibly sloppy report in a desperate attempt to divert attention from a viral video of Lombardo abusing his position of power to evade consequences for breaking the law. Nevadans already know Lombardo has spent the last four years raising costs on working families and is offering no solutions to the problems they’re facing.»
The Ford campaign specifically disputes several of the report’s largest assumptions, arguing Lombardo’s team assigned costs to implementation measures Ford never proposed. Among other examples, the campaign says the report wrongly assumes Ford would spend hundreds of millions expanding the state’s Battle Born health plans and partially replacing federal Medicaid reductions. Ford’s campaign says his platform instead calls for outreach surrounding the existing Battle Born program and federal advocacy to prevent or reverse Medicaid cuts, not new state appropriations to backfill them.
The Ford campaign also showed Fox News Digital its own fiscal analysis arguing the platform could be implemented without raising taxes and with substantially lower direct state costs than those projected by Lombardo’s campaign.
Asked about Ford’s contention that the report assigns costs to implementation measures not contained in his platform, the Lombardo campaign said it estimated what it would actually take to fulfill Ford’s campaign promises, arguing that regulatory changes, enforcement initiatives and expanded benefits all require staffing, oversight or funding even when those costs are not explicitly identified by the campaign.
Former Nevada state Sen. Ben Kieckhefer, who previously served as chief of staff to Lombardo, told Fox News Digital that Ford’s proposals would require significant tax increases, saying the level of spending «is simply not sustainable for Nevada.»
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Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford speaks during his governor campaign kick-off event at the East Las Vegas Community Center on Monday, July 28, 2025, in Las Vegas. (Madeline Carter/Las Vegas Review-Journal/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
«There is no realistic way to absorb costs of that scale without significant tax increases,» he said. «Regardless of political party, proposals of this magnitude deserve serious scrutiny because Nevadans expect responsible budgeting, fiscal discipline, and a clear explanation of how these promises would actually be paid for.»
Nevada Democratic lawmaker Daniele Monroe-Moreno, chair of the Assembly Ways and Means Committee, told Fox News Digital the Lombardo report «uses fake math to lie about Attorney General Ford’s policy positions» and said Ford’s platform consists of «common-sense policies that will save Nevadans money at very little to no cost to the state.»
The attorney general has also faced mounting questions over his spending during his tenure.
In March, state records reviewed by Fox News Digital found Ford racked up more than $410,000 in travel costs since taking office in 2019, while local outlets reported he spent more than 100 days outside Nevada. A spokesperson for the attorney general’s office said the trips were tied to Ford’s official duties and campaign activities and were permitted under Nevada law.
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Ford is currently under investigation by the Nevada Commission on Ethics over allegations he accepted improper gifts or benefits and used his office to improperly benefit himself, according to documents obtained by local outlets.
Lombardo is seeking a second term and will face Ford in November in one of the most closely watched gubernatorial races of the midterm elections.
gubernatorial, nevada, costs, politics, midterm elections, democratic party
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Marco Rubio afirmó que EEUU está dispuesto a negociar con Irán, pero advirtió que “no se toman en serio las conversaciones”
Marco Rubio, secretario de Estado de Estados Unidos, afirmó este miércoles que la administración de Donald Trump mantiene su compromiso con la diplomacia y está dispuesta a negociar con Irán, aunque acusó a Teherán de incumplir los compromisos asumidos y de no tomar en serio las conversaciones. Además, advirtió que permitir a la República Islámica controlar el estrecho de Ormuz establecería un precedente “muy peligroso” para la libertad de navegación y el comercio internacional.
Las declaraciones de Rubio tuvieron lugar durante una reunión con ministros de Exteriores de la Asociación de Naciones del Sudeste Asiático (ASEAN) en Manila, en un contexto marcado por un nuevo recrudecimiento de las hostilidades entre Washington y Teherán, mientras el Comando Central de Estados Unidos bombardeó Irán por undécima noche consecutiva.
“Quiero reiterar una vez más que Estados Unidos siempre está comprometido con la diplomacia. Somos de mente abierta y siempre estamos dispuestos a negociar soluciones a las diferencias. Y esto sigue siendo cierto en el caso de Irán», expresó Rubio ante los cancilleres del bloque regional.
El secretario de Estado sostuvo que Irán mantuvo contactos con Washington para abrir un diálogo, aunque aseguró que las autoridades iraníes incumplieron el acuerdo preliminar alcanzado en junio. “Aunque Irán se ha comunicado con Estados Unidos tanto directa como indirectamente para entablar conversaciones, no han cumplido sus compromisos“, señaló.
Rubio también cuestionó la actitud de Teherán frente a las negociaciones. “El problema que tenemos ahora es que no se toman en serio las conversaciones. Si se lo toman en serio, nosotros también. Si no, haremos lo necesario para proteger nuestros intereses y los de nuestros aliados“, advirtió.
Gran parte de su intervención estuvo centrada en el estrecho de Ormuz, paso marítimo estratégico para el transporte mundial de petróleo y combustible, cuya situación genera preocupación entre los países del Sudeste Asiático por su fuerte dependencia de las importaciones energéticas procedentes de Medio Oriente.
“Irán reivindica el estrecho, del cual no dispone en virtud de ningún mecanismo jurídico existente, de controlar el tránsito por el estrecho de Ormuz”, afirmó Rubio.
El jefe de la diplomacia estadounidense sostuvo que el conflicto trasciende la disputa entre ambos países y afecta un principio básico del derecho internacional. “Existe un principio fundamental en materia de libre navegación, y este se ve amenazado. Creo que la economía mundial está amenazada, al igual que las normas que han regido el comercio internacional desde hace 150 años, y no podemos permitir que eso ocurra”, manifestó.
Rubio también alertó sobre las consecuencias que tendría aceptar que un Estado controle una vía marítima internacional. “Si creamos un precedente en Medio Oriente en el que una nación pueda decidir controlar una vía marítima internacional, cobrar un peaje y destruir sus barcos si no pagan, habremos creado un precedente muy peligroso que se repetiría en otras partes del mundo”, sostuvo.
En la misma línea, afirmó que el control de Ormuz por parte de Irán pondría en riesgo una parte significativa del suministro energético mundial. “Si estas consecuencias no existieran, hoy viviríamos en un mundo donde un porcentaje significativo del suministro energético de esta región, y el 20% del suministro energético mundial, estaría en manos de un Estado, de un régimen autoritario que pretende apropiarse de él”, declaró.
Las palabras de Rubio llegaron después de varios días de enfrentamientos entre Estados Unidos e Irán, incluidos ataques iraníes contra buques mercantes que transitaban por el estrecho de Ormuz, un escenario que volvió a encender las alarmas en los países del Sudeste Asiático.
Durante la reunión ministerial, la ASEAN también manifestó su preocupación por la escalada del conflicto y renovó su llamado a una salida diplomática. “Nos preocupa enormemente que estos acontecimientos socaven gravemente los esfuerzos de los principales mediadores y reduzcan las perspectivas de una solución pacífica mediante el diálogo y la diplomacia”, señalaron los ministros de Exteriores en un comunicado conjunto.
El bloque regional también pidió moderación a todas las partes y reclamó preservar la seguridad marítima y el funcionamiento de las rutas comerciales. “Expresamos nuestra profunda preocupación por cualquier medida discriminatoria o unilateral que pueda impedir u obstruir el paso de buques por el estrecho de Ormuz”, indicaron los cancilleres.
La crisis energética derivada del bloqueo de Ormuz afectó con fuerza al Sudeste Asiático. En ese contexto, Filipinas, que ejerce este año la presidencia rotatoria de la ASEAN, declaró en marzo el estado de “emergencia energética” por un año para facilitar acuerdos de compra de combustible, incluidos pactos con Rusia.
(Con información de AFP y EFE)
International,Relations,Asia / Pacific,Diplomacy / Foreign Policy
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JOHANNESBURG: A Nigerian Pastor highlighted by President Trump on social media, says that nine members of his family have been killed. The minister is an outspoken critic of the killing of Christians by radicalized Muslim members of the Fulani militia.
Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo now says that the same militia has issued a death threat against him. Dachomo, is the regional leader of the Church of Christ in Nations, in Nigeria’s Middle Belt.
The State Department and a leading U.S. non-profit Christian organization have demanded the Nigerian government take more action to stop what the State Department described to Fox News Digital as «a shocking level of violence against Christians».
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Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo, regional leader of the Church of Christ in Nations, in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, preaching at a funeral of murdered Christians. (Truth Nigeria/ Masara Kim)
Multiple sources reported nine of his extended family were killed in an attack on their family compound in the Riyom district of Plateau State on July 12. A two-month-old baby is said to be among those killed. The attackers were allegedly looking for Dachomo, reportedly asking as they arrived «where is the father of this house?» adding, «Today, you will learn a hard lesson», before opening fire indiscriminately.
This past week, he posted on X «A few days ago, Fulani herdsmen sent a threatening letter to me and to members of my church. It’s message was terrifying. They vowed to attack me and kill me soon, just as they killed nine of my relatives.»
The pastor continued, «I know what it means to stand before grieving families whose only crime was refusing to deny Jesus Christ.»
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People praying over the coffins of murdered Christians in Nigeria. (Truth Nigeria/ Masara Kim)
«Now they say I will be next. But I ask the world, what is my crime?» he posted. «Is my crime that I tell the stories of persecuted Christians in Nigeria, so the world will not forget them?»
«The Islamist Fulani ethnic militia hate Pastor Ezekiel and targeted him because he is waking up Christians to the reality of what they are facing,» Judd Saul, founder of Equipping the Persecuted, a nonprofit, told Fox News Digital. Saul’s organization works to end religious persecution in Nigeria, specifically aiming to end radical Islamist violence against Christians.
By the end of 2025, Dachomo said he had to conduct over 70 mass burials of Christians. The burials have continued this year, with the post highlighted by President Trump showing the Pastor presiding over the funeral of some 20 believers.
CHRISTIAN FARMING COMMUNITIES UNDER SIEGE AS US REPORT NAMES FULANI MILITANTS NIGERIA’S DEADLIEST THREAT
Saul believes the killing will continue, saying «Equipping the Persecuted have documented overwhelming evidence that the Islamist Fulani ethnic militia are responsible for the vast majority of killings of Christians in Nigeria. Within the last week alone, over 40 Christians have been killed, and we have been warning that there are major attacks about to occur within the next few days.»
Islamic Fulani militias are by far the deadliest persecutors of Christians in Nigeria, according to a six-year study conducted by the Observatory for Religious Freedom in Africa (ORFA) just published. The study found that the network of Fulani militias is responsible for four times more civilian deaths than the two prominent Islamic terror organizations, Boko Haram, and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) combined. Boko Haram was previously allied to Al Qaeda, and ISWAP is currently linked to ISIS.
Judd Saul, founder of Equipping the Persecuted with Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo. (Judd Saul/Equipping the Persecuted)
The ORFA report shows that terror-related violence killed 79,323 people from 2019 to September 2025 in Nigeria. This equates to 36 people a day. Islamic Fulani accounted for 44% of the deaths — far more than the 12% that Boko Haram and ISWAP killed combined.
Referring to the killings of Dachomo’s family, a State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital, «We have seen reports of the killing of nine Christians in Plateau State in Nigeria. There remains a shocking level of violence against Christians in the Middle Belt committed by Fulani Ethnic Militia.»
«The United States offers its sincerest condolences to the family and loved ones of those who lost their lives,» the spokesperson continued, «We unequivocally condemn this heinous act. We urge the Nigerian authorities to hold the perpetrators accountable and take specific steps that will improve security for Christians.»
The spokesperson added, «During meetings with Nigerian officials in Abuja July 13–15, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Frank Garcia, and the accompanying U.S. delegation stressed the United States’ grave concern regarding the violence Christians face in Nigeria and the need for concrete action. As President Trump has made clear, the United States will continue to work with the Government of Nigeria to protect Christians and advance religious freedom in Nigeria.»
Funerals for some 27 Christians who were reportedly killed by Islamist Fulani tribesmen in the village of Bindi Ta-hoss, Nigeria on July, 28, 2025 (Courtesy: Christian Solidarity International (CSI))
The Trump administration has carried out a series of air strikes in Nigeria, aimed at stopping the killing of Christians. However, these have all been in the north of the country, and specifically against Boko Haram, and ISWAP Islamists. There has been no reported targeting of Fulani groups operating in the coutry’s Middle Belt.
On this, Equipping the Persecuted’s Saul added, «We want the Trump Administration to put laser focus on the Middle Belt of Nigeria, and the Fulani ethnic militia.»
Dachomo told Fox News Digital, «We ask President Trump to stop the Fulani terrorists from killing our people in Nigeria’s Middle Belt and surrounding regions. These attacks against Christian communities have been going on for years and must be stopped. We need the United States to stand with us.»
In an X post, the Pastor pleaded to the President of Nigeria: «Tinubu, I am begging you in the name of Jesus, stop Islamic agenda. Muslim(s), they want to finish us. Christian(s) wake up, open your eyes.»
Quoting from the Bible Psalm 118:6, he added, «The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do unto me?»
He concluded, «They may threaten my life, but they cannot silence the truth. They may kill the messenger, but they cannot kill the message.»
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Contacted by Fox News Digital, Rabiu Ibrahim, spokesperson at the Nigerian Ministry of Information and National Orientation, offered condolences to the Rev. Dachomo but responded to the pastor’s accusations by saying, «The Government rejects attempts to portray the nation’s security crisis as a conflict between faiths. Such narratives oversimplify a complicated situation and risk serving the interests of criminal groups who seek to exploit existing fault lines, create fear and undermine national cohesion.»
Ibrahim continued, «The unfortunate incident involving Rev. Dachomo’s family is being treated with the seriousness that every loss of Nigerian life deserves. However, allegations regarding the identity, motivation and affiliation of perpetrators must be subjected to proper investigation and established through credible security findings. Nigeria’s security agencies remain committed to thoroughly investigating all attacks and bringing perpetrators to justice, regardless of their identity or background.»
christianity religion, terrorism, persecutions, religion us, africa
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