INTERNACIONAL
Powerful House leadership chair, Stefanik poised to take on Hochul for NY Governor
Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., is considering a bid for governor in 2026, multiple sources close to her confirmed to Fox News Digital.
Stefanik was withdrawn from consideration as President Donald Trump’s United Nations Ambassador to shore up numbers of the House Republicans’ narrow majority. She is now the chairwoman of House Republican Leadership.
Sources tell Fox News Digital that she is being encouraged to run by allies of Trump and longtime friends. Stefanik outperformed the president in her congressional district in 2016, 2020 and 2024, which one source says could be an indicator that she could do well with New York’s swing voters. The Republican won with 62% of the vote in her strongly conservative district in November.
On Wednesday, Stefanik made the case for a GOP win in New York this year when she commented on a Marist poll that shows Governor Hochul’s approval numbers to be underwater with NY voters. «This latest bombshell polling proves what every New Yorker already knows: that we must FIRE Kathy Hochul in 2026 to SAVE NEW YORK. Hochul is the Worst Governor in America and it’s not even close.»
Her incompetence, corruption, and radical failed Far Left policies have destroyed our great state causing businesses and families to flee from crushing high taxes, out of control regulations, inept fiscal mismanagement, wide open border sanctuary city policies putting illegals first and New Yorkers last, and an out of control crime crisis due to Democrats’ failed bail reform defund the police policies.This polling shows that we can WIN & SAVE NEW YORK.», Hochul said in the statement.
HARVARD IS ‘ACTING MORE ENTITLED THAN EVER,’ SAYS GOP CONGRESSWOMAN
Elise Stefanik with Donald Trump (Getty Images)
«Congresswoman Elise Stefanik is GREAT!!!» Trump posted to Truth Social on Wednesday morning.
She has $10 million cash-on-hand through her entities, and is considered popular among Republican voters in the state. Stefanik was the keynote speaker at a New York GOP event on Tuesday night.
At the time of her nomination’s withdrawl, the Republican congresswoman said it was a matter of holding the line in Congress.
«I have been proud to be a team player. The president knows that. He and I had multiple conversations today, and we are committed to delivering results on behalf of the American people. And as always, I’m committed to delivering results on behalf of my constituents,» Stefanik said on «Hannity» last month.
REP. ELISE STEFANIK EXPLAINS HER ‘TEAM PLAYER’ DECISION TO STAY IN CONGRESS
House Republican Conference Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., listens as U.S. President-elect Donald Trump speaks at the House Republicans Conference meeting at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill on Nov. 13, 2024 in Washington, D.C. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Trump said he would work on finding a replacement pick, which has not been announced yet.
«As we advance our America First Agenda, it is essential that we maintain EVERY Republican Seat in Congress. We must be unified to accomplish our Mission, and Elise Stefanik has been a vital part of our efforts from the very beginning,» the president posted to Truth Social at the time.
«I have asked Elise, as one of my biggest Allies, to remain in Congress to help me deliver Historic Tax Cuts, GREAT Jobs, Record Economic Growth, a Secure Border, Energy Dominance, Peace Through Strength, and much more, so we can MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN. With a very tight Majority, I don’t want to take a chance on anyone else running for Elise’s seat. The people love Elise and, with her, we have nothing to worry about come Election Day. There are others that can do a good job at the United Nations,.»
Whoever wins the primary could be running in the general election against incumbent Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul, who had a tough fight against now-Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin in 2022, when he was in Congress at the time.
SANCTUARY GOVERNORS WALZ, PRITZKER, HOCHUL CALLED TO TESTIFY BEFORE CONGRESS
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has been outspoken about her thoughts on the controversial tolling program. (Photo by Alex Kent/Getty Images)
Stefanik is far from the only well-known Republican in New York State considering a 2026 run for governor.
Rep. Mike Lawler, R_N.Y., a moderate who’s in his second term representing the state’s 17th Congressional District, which covers a large swath of New York City’s northern suburbs, is mulling a bid.
«I’ll make a decision at some point – middle of the year. Obviously, you know if we’re going to do it, you got to get out there, and you got to campaign hard,» Lawler said last week in an interview with Fox News Digital.
He added, «I haven’t made a decision yet. I think, obviously, there’s a number of factors in play, but you know, we’re working through that right now.»
Among the other Republicans weighing a gubernatorial run are Nassau County executive Bruce Blakeman, who like Stefanik is a major Trump ally and longtime Bethany town supervisor Carl Hyde Jr.
It’s been 23 years since a Republican won a gubernatorial election in heavily blue New York State. You have to go all the way back to former Gov. George Pataki’s second re-election victory in 2002.
«New York’s Republican primary is set to be a nasty and vicious race to see who can be the Trumpiest – and most out of touch with New Yorkers,» Democratic Governors Association spokesperson Kevin Donohoe said. «All three potential candidates in this race are running to bring Donald Trump’s extreme agenda of raising costs and taking away fundamental freedoms to Albany – and could not be more out of step with New York.»
FILE – Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, at podium, speaks during a news conference in Mineola, N.Y., Wednesday, March 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Philip Marcelo, File)
But Hochul’s approval ratings and favorable ratings remain underwater, giving Republicans hope the losing streak will come to an end next year. The governor also faces potential, longshot primary challenges from her lieutenant governor, Antonio Delgado, as well as Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y.
In 2022, Zeldin had the best performance by a GOP gubernatorial candidate in New York since Pataki’s 2002 victory. Zeldin, who now steers the Environmental Protection Agency in President Donald Trump’s second administration, lost to Hochul by less than six and a half points.
And Trump lost the state to then-Vice President Kamala Harris by 13 points in last November’s presidential election, but that was a 10-point improvement from his loss margin to Joe Biden in the 2020 election.
«What is really telling is that you have three, at least, very qualified Republican candidates looking at it,» a veteran Republican strategist who works on New York State races told Fox News. «I think it shows her [Hochul’s] vulnerability.»
Stefanik’s departure could still have an impact on House Republicans’ razor-thin three-seat majority, but GOP leaders hope to be done with their plans for a massive conservative policy overhaul via the budget reconciliation process by the end of this year.
If elected governor, Stefanik would not have to leave the House until the end of December 2025.
Her vote was critical to advancing the legislation earlier this month. The bill appeared at risk of failing during a tense procedural vote last week, but Stefanik – who was among the last to cast her vote – carried it over the like 216 to 215.
Fox News’ Madeline Coggins contributed to this report.
Congress,New York
INTERNACIONAL
Marco Rubio dijo que es “muy optimista” sobre un inminente acuerdo de paz para Ucrania tras las negociaciones en Ginebra
El secretario de Estado de Estados Unidos, Marco Rubio, expresó este domingo que considera muy probable que Rusia y Ucrania logren un consenso sobre el plan impulsado por Donald Trump que busca el fin de la guerra.
El funcionario hizo estas declaraciones en Ginebra, al concluir una jornada de negociaciones con la delegación ucraniana, encabezada por Andrii Yermak, jefe de gabinete del presidente Volodimir Zelensky.
“Creo que avanzamos de manera notable, y soy muy optimista en que lograremos cerrar un acuerdo en un periodo razonable y muy pronto”, dijo Rubio en conferencia de prensa.
Rubio explicó que durante el encuentro, el equipo negociador norteamericano y los representantes de Ucrania revisaron punto por punto el borrador del plan de paz promovido desde Washington, un esquema con casi una treintena de cláusulas.
”El objetivo era trabajar sobre los puntos aún en discusión, y lo conseguimos de forma significativa”, subrayó el secretario de Estado.
Aunque resaltó la proximidad de un consenso, el funcionario reconoció que existen cuestiones pendientes, pero aclaró que ninguna es insalvable ni significa un bloqueo para la continuación de los contactos.
“Solo se necesita tiempo adicional para abordar algunos detalles, pero la voluntad de avanzar está en ambas delegaciones”, recalcó Rubio, quien también manifestó flexibilidad respecto al calendario para dar respuestas, pese al plazo incierto planteado semanas atrás por el presidente Donald Trump.
Consultado acerca de la posible existencia de propuestas alternativas por parte de aliados europeos –algunos medios anticiparon la circulación de un “contraplan” para modificar demandas como el nivel de desarme ucraniano–, Rubio se abstuvo de hacer valoraciones y señaló que los temas sensibles a la Unión Europea y la OTAN quedan pendientes de discusión directa con esos socios en las próximas rondas.
El secretario de Estado también fue interrogado sobre el papel de Rusia. Precisó que Moscú no participó en la sesión, pero que “sus posiciones han sido tenidas en cuenta, ya que nos han llegado de diversas maneras” a lo largo del proceso de contactos diplomáticos.
Rubio insistió en que cualquier solución debe incorporar garantías claras de seguridad para Ucrania y establecer mecanismos que impidan futuras agresiones.
“Ucrania necesita sentir certeza de que no volverá a ser atacada o puesta en riesgo en el corto y el largo plazo”, enfatizó.
Durante la jornada, la delegación ucraniana también valoró los resultados alcanzados. Yermak y otros representantes comunicaron que la última versión del texto del plan de paz ya recoge la mayoría de las prioridades esenciales de Ucrania, aunque quedan detalles a negociar que serán tratados en sesiones adicionales previstas para los próximos días.
Mientras tanto, desde el ámbito europeo, varios gobiernos solicitaron participar de la siguiente fase del diálogo para asegurar que cualquier fórmula acordada no deje a Kiev en una posición vulnerable frente a posibles demandas rusas.
El presidente francés, Emmanuel Macron, y la presidenta de la Comisión Europea, Ursula von der Leyen, remarcaron en foros internacionales la necesidad de incluir a la Unión Europea en los arreglos finales y de mantener la presión colectiva sobre Moscú.
Rubio concluyó reiterando el espíritu positivo del encuentro: “Ha sido la jornada más productiva en nuestra labor hasta ahora. Lo importante es que el propósito compartido acerca a las partes a una solución realista y estable”.
Las próximas semanas serán clave para convertir los avances técnicos en compromisos políticos definitivos.
El desenlace de las conversaciones determinará el rumbo de la guerra en Ucrania y el alcance de una salida negociada que responda a las exigencias de seguridad de Europa oriental y a las prioridades de Washington y Kiev.
(Con información de EFE y AFP)
International Relations,War,Diplomacy / Foreign Policy,Europe,Military Conflicts
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A legal fight is brewing over a Maryland county board of elections’ heavy redactions to the voter registration records of an illegal immigrant who served as superintendent of Iowa’s largest school system until he was arrested by federal authorities this year, Fox News Digital has learned.
«This was shocking,» Justin Riemer, CEO and president of the conservative legal group Restoring Integrity and Trust in Elections (RITE), told Fox News Digital in a Zoom interview on Friday. «When I saw the news reporting, and they showed screenshots of the registration applications with all this information redacted, I was just shocked.»
Riemer was reacting to Prince George’s County’s Board of Elections’ recent release of voter registration documents belonging to illegal alien Ian Andre Roberts, which included blacking out Roberts’ sex, whether he checked the citizenship box, his date of birth and other information. The election attorney is representing RITE and conservative research group the American Accountability Foundation (AAF) in their efforts to receive the voter registration documents with fewer redactions.
Roberts, who is originally from Guyana and first entered the U.S. in 1994, was working as the superintendent of the Des Moines public school district when Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested him in September. Roberts was not legally permitted to work in the country after an employment authorization card expired in 2020, Fox News Digital previously reported.
SCHOOL CHIEF TO SUSPECT: ICE ARREST OF DES MOINES SUPERINTENDENT EXPOSES FAKE DEGREES, DRUG CONVICTIONS
Former Des Moines superintendent Ian Andre Roberts, who was detained by ICE in September. (Polk County Sheriff)
The arrest of an illegal immigrant working in such a high-profile position shocked conservatives and others. Additional details surrounding his lengthy rap sheet surfaced as journalists and other investigators looked into his history. It was soon discovered that he was listed as a registered Democratic voter in Maryland, where he previously lived, and that he had a conviction for reckless driving in 2012, the Department of Homeland Security reported in October.
The Maryland State Board of Elections previously said Roberts did not vote in elections.
«I’m an election law expert, not an immigration expert, but it doesn’t take one to see just how… broken the system has been,» Riemer told Fox Digital. «He has multiple criminal charges. He has worked in multiple school districts where, if they were doing the proper citizenship and work authorization checks, this should have been caught. It’s really just unbelievable how this guy has managed to jump around the country, working in school districts where he’s around children.»
FORMER DES MOINES SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT TAKEN INTO DOJ CUSTODY ON FEDERAL FIREARMS, IMMIGRATION CHARGES
As concern mounted surrounding Roberts, the American Accountability Foundation filed a public records request with Prince George’s County to obtain his voter registration application. The county’s board of elections complied with the request, but redacted key information, sparking what could turn into a legal showdown.
«The American Accountability Foundation called the county out on it and said, ‘… you’re not allowed to redact this information,’» Riemer said, adding that it’s understandable for the county to redact information such as an individual’s Social Security number or driver’s license number, but not a person’s gender or whether they answered in the affirmative that they are a U.S. citizen.
RITE published copies of the redacted documents, which show 18 black boxes blocking out information across just two pages’ worth of documents. Riemer explained the request was made under the National Voter Registration Act – a federal law that simplified voter registration processes when an eligible individual renews their driver’s license – which includes a provision allowing public access to such records.
Riemer sent a letter to the Prince George’s County Board of Elections on Tuesday demanding the county turn over the records to his clients with fewer redactions as allowed by law. The election attorney, who previously served as chief counsel to the Republican National Committee, gave the county board until Dec. 1 while noting legal action could be in the future if the election board fails to comply.
LAWMAKER REVEALS HOW DES MOINES SCHOOLS CHIEF REGISTERED TO VOTE DESPITE ILLEGAL STATUS
Republicans say that illegal alien Ian Andre Roberts being registered to vote in Maryland raises serious concerns about the state’s voting processes. (Keith Srakocic/AP Photo and ICE)
«Please provide my clients with the records no later than Monday, December 1, 2025. If you redact or withhold any portion of the requested records beyond the limited exceptions above, we will immediately follow up with a written notice of your violation of 52 U.S.C. § 20507(i). If you do not remedy such violation within 90 days, my clients will sue you in Maryland federal district court and collect reasonable attorneys’ fees, litigation expenses and other costs,» Riemer’s letter to the county board of elections stated.
Riemer said he has not yet heard from the board of elections, and speculated that the county board is in the midst of speaking with the state board of elections and the state attorney general’s office about next steps.
«If they noticed that Restoring Integrity and Trust in Elections was part of this effort to get this information, they should have, because we sued Maryland last year for violating the National Voter Registration Act for restricting public access to registration records just like they’re doing here and won that lawsuit in March. And so they just continuously are doing these practices that are not transparent, they’re not what federal law requires, it’s not what the public deserves,» he added.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Prince George’s County Board of Elections for comment on the letter and redactions on Friday afternoon but did not immediately receive a reply.
DEMOCRATS SILENT ON ILLEGAL ALIEN REGISTERED TO VOTE IN BLUE STATE
Roberts was criminally charged on Oct. 2 with being an illegal alien in possession of firearms, according to DHS. (John Moore/Getty Images)
Riemer said that the case is one of many that show concern over non-citizens being on voter roles is not «political theater» as Democrats have claimed amid conservatives rallying around stronger voter integrity laws nationwide.
«We know it happens in the thousands. Oregon, for example, reported registering a couple thousand non-citizens through their DMV,» he said.
Roberts was taken into the U.S. Marshals’ custody following his September arrest and is set to be prosecuted, DHS said in October. The federal agency has released the suspect’s lengthy history of run-ins with the law that stretch back to 1996, when he was charged with criminal possession of narcotics with intent to sell in New York, a charge for third-degree unauthorized use of a vehicle in Queens, New York, in 1998 that was later dropped and the 2012 conviction for reckless driving in Maryland.
More recently, Roberts faced charges in 2020 for second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and other weapons charges and a 2022 conviction for unlawful possession of a loaded firearm in Pennsylvania.
Roberts is also now facing charges related to his arrest in September, which included him attempting to flee law enforcement officers, according to DHS. He was found to be in possession of $3,000 in cash, a Glock 9mm pistol and a hunting knife at the time of his arrest. Roberts was criminally charged on Oct. 2 with being an illegal alien in possession of firearms, according to DHS.
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The Iowa Board of Educational Examiners revoked Roberts’ license following his arrest and he is no longer permitted to serve as a superintendent in the state.
maryland,immigration,iowa
INTERNACIONAL
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