A Republican member on the House Armed Services Committee told Fox News Digital ahead of the midterm elections that the Trump administration has a key decision to make on the future of the U.S.-Iran war as "continuing to do just enough not to lose, but not enough to win, is not OK."

Rep. Pat Harrigan, R-N.C., made the comments as Vice President JD Vance declared during a Fox News town hall on Thursday that he promises "Donald Trump is not going to let Iran become a forever war." Official and military sources also told Fox News this week that movements are being made in the Middle East to give the president options if he decides to resume strikes against Iran.

"I share my constituents and many Americans' perspective that I'm very, very frustrated that this war is not over. The way that ultimately this administration went about conducting the war, it needed to execute it and wrap it up in a very short period of time, and we are not there yet," said Harrigan, who is running for re-election in North Carolina's 10th Congressional District.

"That being said, Iran can't have a nuclear weapon. And so at the end of the day, I do believe that this was a war that was inevitable at some point, but the party that's in power and the administration that decided to pull the trigger on it is responsible for the outcome, and they're responsible for the outcome in a very short period of time. Otherwise, things get really, really difficult," Harrigan continued. "And I think we've been seeing that, both from a political perspective but also from a policy perspective."

TRUMP SUPPORTERS CONFRONT IRAN, AFFORDABILITY CONCERNS WITH A MESSAGE FOR CRITICS: 'GIVE HIM TIME'

"And so while the administration needs to wrap this up, we are not in a forever war, but we need to make sure that we're not... we keep the mission the same. We accomplish the mission. And we do what it takes to either win or come home," Harrigan added. "And that binary decision has to get made by this administration."

Harrigan told Fox News Digital that Trump "needs to involve Congress" if he chooses to renew military action against the Iranian regime.

"I think that that will long-term set the course for the country to be resolute in affirming and actually executing and accomplishing the objectives that exist. Because look, like it or not, Congress is responsible for the funding arm of the government. And if they run out of money to accomplish the objectives, then that is not good for our strategic interests," he said. "So, in my opinion, Congress and the White House need to be very closely involved in making the next set of decisions that exist for this conflict."

GOP CRACKS WIDEN OVER IRAN WAR AS VULNERABLE CANDIDATES BREAK WITH TRUMP, DEMAND ITS END

"And we do need to make sure, again, that we either do what it takes to actually win in Iran, or we need to take the three out of five objectives that we've accomplished and say that, you know what? We've largely accomplished our strategic objectives. We've got more work to do over the long-term that's going to require consistent and persistent over the horizon monitoring of their nuclear program. And we're going to have to mow the lawn every now and again, and everybody's got to realize that, and leave, right?" Harrigan continued, mentioning how the U.S. has prevented Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and eliminated Tehran's missile and drone production.

"But we've got to choose one of those two options because continuing to do just enough not to lose, but not enough to win, is not OK," he said. "It's not OK for the American people, it's not OK for our troops, it's not OK for geopolitical and economic stability. And it does not serve the long-term strategic interests of the United States. So it's time to choose."

Harrigan, a Green Beret and business entrepreneur, is running for re-election on Tuesday in North Carolina. He is facing off against Democrat challenger Ashley Bell, a physician associate, and Libertarian candidate Steve Feldman, who ran unsuccessfully for the seat two years ago.

As a current member of Congress, Harrigan told Fox News there is "no question" the Republican Party's House majority is at stake heading into Election Day.

"Whoever has 218 votes gets to chart the course of the direction of the House, the work that its committees do. And in particular, as it relates to the Trump administration, whether or not President Trump's going to get impeached," he added.

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"What this boils down to is the future direction of the country. Are we going to be stuck looking backwards instead of actually looking forwards, dealing with the actual business of the country and the free world, or are we going to be stuck in some sort of a Democratically-led nightmare that is simply going to be obstructionist to the conservative principles and values that people voted for in 2024?" Harrigan asked. "That's what's on the line this election cycle."

The Senate’s No. 2 Republican believes that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., had a hand in the alleged scheme unfolding in the Alaska Senate race.

Operatives for Rep. Mary Peltola’s Senate campaign, along with top aides in Senate Democrats’ campaign apparatus, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), are alleged to have been involved in creating one of the stranger races this election cycle: finding and recruiting another candidate named Dan Sullivan to run against the incumbent Sen. Dan S. Sullivan, R-Alaska, according to reporting from The New York Times.

National Democrats have maintained they had no hand in the move, but Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., told Fox News Digital in an interview that he believes the campaign received help from the very top.

SEN DAN SULLIVAN BRANDS PELTOLA’S ALLEGED BALLOT SCHEME A ‘SCANDAL AT THE HIGHEST ORDER’

"I mean, this is criminal behavior to steal the Alaska Senate race, it's now been fully exposed," Barrasso said. "And there is proof that the Peltola campaign knew about it, and that Schumer schemed and colluded with them for over a year to try to search for and then coax a decoy of Dan Sullivan onto the ballot with a purpose only to deceive the voters."

Schumer’s office and Peltola's campaign did not respond to requests for comment from Fox News Digital.

The peculiar situation in Alaska has been ongoing for months and has sparked legal battles at the state and national levels, as well as condemnation from Republicans across the country, including Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska.

'DECOY DAN' SULLIVAN CASE LEADS TOP SENATOR TO BREAK FOUR-YEAR X SILENCE: 'PATTERN OF LIES'

Murkowski argued on X that "ballot-stacking should have no place in our electoral process."

"Alaskans deserve the honest truth from Mary and her campaign — what has been revealed is a pattern of lies and coverups and a culture of deception that belongs nowhere in our elections or among our elected officials," she said.

Much of the consternation over the matter is because of Alaska’s ranked-choice voting system, meaning that both candidates named Dan Sullivan, Peltola and Gerald Heikes will all appear on the same ballot.

Peltola weighed in on Thursday at an event in Juneau, Alaska, telling supporters she wanted to "clear the air."

PELTOLA CAMPAIGN'S ALLEGED DAN SULLIVAN SPOILER PLOT TAKES NEW TURN AS DOJ FACES MAJOR LEGAL HURDLE

"I knew nothing about any other candidates on the ballot except for me and the incumbent," Peltola said. "That is all I have ever known about. I am not interested in tricking voters. I know I can beat Dan Sullivan."

The point of the scheme was allegedly to sow confusion among voters as to which Sullivan was which in an attempt to give Peltola an edge. Barrasso said that while he was confident the incumbent Sullivan would win, the plan showed that the "Democratic campaign has secretly been making fun of Alaskan voters for being so easily tricked."

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"I mean, these people just are, you know, dirty, rotten scoundrels — cheaters," Barrasso said.

"I mean, how more cynical can you get than what the Democrats have done here," he continued.

Ahead of the midterm elections, billionaire Elon Musk warned that a Democratic sweep of the White House and Congress in 2028 could spell the "end of democracy," outlining three moves he fears the party would make to cement its political power.

The stark warning comes as Musk pours money into Republican campaigns, arguing that maintaining GOP control of the Senate is essential to preventing what he described as a "permanent one-party state."

Musk outlined his three "biggest" concerns about Democrats gaining unified control of Washington, in an X post, warning that the party would move to grant statehood to Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, legalize immigrants living in the country illegally and expand the Supreme Court.

AMERICANS CLASH OVER SUPREME COURT EXPANSION AS FIGHT OVER 9 JUSTICES HEATS UP: ‘LET’S PACK IT NOW’

"My biggest concern is that if there is a clean sweep by Democrats of the House, Senate and Presidency in 2028," Musk wrote, listing three top scenarios he fears.

Musk argued that granting statehood to Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico would help Democrats gain a strong Senate majority, while opening the borders and legalizing immigrants in the country illegally would help the party cement a lasting electoral advantage.

He also warned that Democrats would increase the number of Supreme Court justices to secure an immediate majority on the nation's highest court.

"This would result in America becoming a permanent one-party state and the end of democracy in any meaningful sense of the word," Musk wrote.

SENATE CONTROL IS A COIN FLIP — AND DEMOCRATS’ PATH RUNS THROUGH TRUMP COUNTRY

The Tesla and SpaceX CEO argued that Republicans need to hold at least 51 Senate seats following the 2028 elections to prevent those outcomes, making an urgent appeal to voters ahead of the midterms.

"That is why you should vote for Republican senators this election," Musk wrote. "Other reasons are irrelevant compared to this one."

The Senate is still a toss-up with six states to decide the majority, according to Fox News Power Rankings. The best outcome predicted for the Democrats is that their ceiling rises to 54 seats and for Republicans, they could see them retain control with up to 52 seats.

Musk's warning comes amid his financial involvement in Republican campaigns, with the billionaire directing significant resources toward helping GOP candidates win elections.

ARTHUR HERMAN: MUSK AND OTHERS PROVE THAT THIS ELECTION CASH IS KING. WILL IT BE ENOUGH?

He contributed hundreds of millions of dollars to Republican political groups ahead of the November midterms. A representative for his America PAC confirmed to Fox News earlier this month that the billionaire had contributed $276 million to Republican super PACs and organizations over the previous three months.

That includes $158 million to the Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC aligned with Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and $10 million to Lone Star Liberty PAC, which is backing Texas Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton took aim at Musk's political spending, accusing the billionaire of attempting to use his fortune to influence the midterm elections in Republicans' favor.

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"Elon Musk is flooding the midterms with money to help Trump," Clinton wrote on X earlier this week. "But even his millions may not be enough to counteract reality."

The "Ruthless Podcast" Fellas have some of the best political insights in the game, and we asked them what they'll be looking at ahead of Tuesday's critical midterms.

Control of the House and U.S. Senate are at stake as Democrats try to take back Congress after Republicans swept the White House and both chambers in 2024.

From what polls are or aren't reliable, to the races sparking the most interest, to what the media continues to get wrong in political coverage, the Fellas have your answers.

MEET THE RUTHLESS PODCAST FELLAS

Comfortably Smug

If you could only watch one race on election night, which is it, and what’s the first thing you check when the polls close?

Maine Senate. Susan Collins has an incredible ability to lose every poll and win every election, thus far. Will she be able to overcome the atmosphere of this election is a huge question. The first thing I check when polls close is early exits, which I find to be the most reliable and illuminating data on election night.

What’s the one number you trust more than the polls (early vote, turnout, special election overperformance, fundraising, something else), and what threshold would make you feel good or bad about your side?

EARLY EXIT numbers are the most trustworthy!  Dems always talk about a red mirage followed by a blue wave on election nights. If early exits don't go Republicans' way, it will be a bad night. 

What is the media overhyping going into the midterms, and what is it ignoring?

The media is overhyping Barack Obama as a candidate surrogate. He stumped for Hillary [Clinton], he stumped for Kamala [Harris], and they both lost. Obama has no coattails. 

Which poll, pundit, or conventional wisdom do you not believe, and why?

I do not trust any polls. Early exits are the only reliable source of data. 

John Ashbrook

TRUMP AND TOP DEMOCRATS TARGET KEY STATES AHEAD OF ELECTION DAY

If you could only watch one race on election night, which is it, and what’s the first thing you check when the polls close? 

Ohio Senate. Watch returns in the 50 counties where President Trump outperformed Mitt Romney by 10 or more points. 

What’s the one number you trust more than the polls (early vote, turnout, special election overperformance, fundraising, something else), and what threshold would make you feel good or bad about your side? 

[Mike] Rogers' performance in Oakland County is a number to watch. And also his share of the vote in Michigan’s Seventh Congressional District. He could come out on top if he outperforms his 2024 vote totals in those areas. 

FOX NEWS UNVEILS 2026 MIDTERM ELECTION COVERAGE PLANS

What is the media overhyping going into the midterms, and what is it ignoring? 

The media always overhypes late-breaking vibes and underreports multi-year, local level grassroots operations. Good candidates can overperform the environment with competent campaigns.

Which poll, pundit, or conventional wisdom do you not believe, and why? 

Public polling is often less reliable than professional private surveys based on years of state and local level expertise. So I’m always skeptical of public polling. But the one thing they’ve captured accurately is the difficult environment Republican candidates are currently navigating.  

Michael Duncan

WATCH: ‘RUTHLESS’ SHARES AN INSIDER’S GUIDE TO ELECTION NIGHT

If you could only watch one race on election night, which is it, and what’s the first thing you check when the polls close?

Michigan's Senate race. First thing we're checking is Abdul El-Sayed's support with Black voters in Wayne County.

What’s the one number you trust more than the polls (early vote, turnout, special election overperformance, fundraising, something else), and what threshold would make you feel good or bad about your side?

Early vote. Banking votes early makes you sweat election night less, and it lets you know where you're getting enthusiasm. 

What is the media overhyping going into the midterms, and what is it ignoring?

The Florida Senate race. Angie Nixon is a DSA loon and every interview she gives is a disaster. The media hasn't really covered the ranked choice process in Maine and Alaska. It's possible it could take weeks for us to know who has the Senate Majority.

Which poll, pundit, or conventional wisdom do you not believe, and why?

The pollsters who were off by 10+ points in the Dem primaries in Wisconsin and Michigan and are now publishing general election polls. 

Ninety years ago, on Oct. 31, 1936, Literary Digest, which had correctly forecast presidential election winners since 1916, predicted that Alf Landon would beat Franklin Delano Roosevelt in the upcoming election.

Roosevelt won handily. The Digest’s poll surveyed 10 million people via postcard, using telephone books and car registration lists for the information. Even though almost 2.4 million people responded — an impressive response rate — the misleading sample provided inaccurate results. Literary Digest folded shortly afterward.

Two years later, in 1938, Gallup started tracking presidential approval ratings. Even so, polls remained far from perfect. In 1948, the Chicago Daily Tribune’s embarrassing front-page declaration "Dewey Defeats Truman" stemmed in part from a misuse of polling. The paper relied on earlier polls that did not reflect the Election Day reality in making its prediction.

As the science of polling improved over time, campaign pros began to rely on pollsters. John F. Kennedy was the first president to be strongly associated with a polling firm, as he used Lou Harris and the Harris organization's polls in his 1960 campaign for president.

LEE CARTER: AMERICA IS ANGRY AT EVERYONE — BUT WHO WILL ACTUALLY VOTE?

In the 1970s, we witnessed the rise of the celebrity pollsters: Pat Caddell for Jimmy Carter, Richard Wirthlin for Ronald Reagan, and Stan Greeberg and Dick Morris for Bill Clinton. These pollsters were successful but not infallible.

Caddell, for instance, was largely responsible for Carter's 1979 "Crisis of Confidence" speech. He misjudged the public mood, and Carter’s "malaise speech" became one of the most disastrous presidential speeches of all time.

Morris, for his part, had a tempestuous relationship with Bill Clinton. They once reportedly came to blows while Morris was advising Clinton during his time as governor of Arkansas.

Morris was initially on the outs and Greenberg in charge of polls when Clinton won the 1992 election. But Morris secretly came back and started advising Clinton after the Democrats lost control of Congress in the 1994 "Republican Revolution." Morris even had a code name — "Charlie" — to keep his identity secret from the more liberal White House staff, which resented Morris’ pushing of Clinton to the center.

Morris would poll everything, even where Clinton should go on vacation. When Clinton left office after two terms in 2000, he had survived the Monica Lewinsky scandal — despite polls showing that Americans strongly disapproved of Clinton's behavior. The most important number for Clinton was the Gallup approval rating. He left office at 66%, one of the highest outgoing figures in history.

21st-century presidents would be thrilled to get approval ratings anywhere near Clinton's final number. George W. Bush hit 86% after the 9/11 terror attacks, but that did not last. For the most part, the "low and steady" phenomenon has meant that presidents in this century have struggled to get about 50% approval.

TRUMP VS HISTORY: HOW PRESIDENT'S POLL NUMBERS COMPARE TO BIDEN, OBAMA, BUSH AHEAD OF MIDTERMS

Still, the polling mishaps have continued. In 2004, exit polls predicted a win for John Kerry over George W. Bush. Campaign adviser Bob Shrum even said to Kerry on Election Day, "Can I be the first to call you, Mr. President?" The exit polls were wrong, and Bush won a second term.

In 2012, Mitt Romney’s campaign wrongly thought it was headed for victory when its pollster made overly optimistic weighting assumptions. The turnout model incorrectly assumed that Barack Obama would not generate the same level of youth and minority turnout that he had in 2008.

LIZ PEEK: FIVE REASONS REPUBLICANS COULD DEFY THE POLLS AND SHOCK DEMOCRATS ON ELECTION DAY

Polling took another big hit in 2016, when pollsters confidently predicted that Hillary Clinton would defeat Donald Trump. She didn't, and the pollsters’ justification that they had the popular vote right but got the election result wrong did not help matters.

In our current midterm elections, we have seen a new wrinkle. Partisan polls overstated progressive support in the primaries, skewing the results and causing some candidates to drop out in the face of the inaccurate data. This latest mishap reinforces the lesson that polling often fails, although rarely in the same way twice.

DEMOCRATS FURIOUS AFTER POLLSTER BOOSTING FAR-LEFT CANDIDATES ADMITS FABRICATING SURVEYS: ‘ABSOLUTE SCUMBAGS’

While technology and the science of polling are much better today than in 1936, the improvements complicate matters further. While nearly everyone has a phone, they also have caller ID and don't answer calls from unfamiliar numbers. Response rates shrink, increasing the size of the "silent majority."

In this new environment, human modeling decisions ironically become more, not less, important. Polling errors come not from new techniques or technologies but from imperfect human decisions about how to deploy the new technologies. In making those decisions, pollsters can overreact to what went wrong beforehand. In this, pollsters are like generals, often fighting the last war.

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In the end, polls are more accurate as snapshots of opinion rather than predictors of behavior, specifically, who will actually submit a ballot. This means that whatever the polls say, the public should be wary. To borrow from the Psalms, put not your trust in polls, and get out and vote.

DALLAS — Democrats see a rare opening in Texas, and James Talarico is giving them their clearest shot in years at turning the state blue. If he pulls off the upset, the former teacher and Presbyterian seminarian could knock the first brick loose in Texas’ red wall.

The polling and fundraising figures help explain why Democrats see that possibility.

To put it in perspective, Talarico’s polling leads are wider than those recorded against Ted Cruz in 2018, when Beto O’Rourke came closer than any Democrat in decades to winning a Texas Senate race. And the enthusiasm on the ground from those who spoke with Fox News Digital backs up the numbers.

DEEP IN TRUMP COUNTRY, A NEW GENERATION REVEALS THE DIVIDE BEHIND TEXAS’ TIGHT SENATE RACE

What's more, Talarico’s campaign raised $64 million from July through September, more than three times Trump-backed candidate Ken Paxton’s $18 million haul over the same period. Since launching his campaign, Talarico has raised more than $146 million.

But Paxton, currently the state's attorney general, has enjoyed Republican outside groups pouring more than $200 million into Texas to support him, nearly all of it bankrolled by Elon Musk, the world’s richest man. Additionally, MAGA Inc., President Donald Trump’s principal super PAC, has spent another $33.7 million on ads backing Paxton, according to AdImpact.

At his Dallas rally on Thursday, Talarico underscored that divide by casting the race as a David and Goliath fight, telling supporters they were his weapon against powerful interests.

"David wasn’t as big or as strong as Goliath. He didn’t have as many weapons, but he had hope. He had faith, and he had a slingshot," he said. "Dallas, you are my slingshot. The people of Texas are my slingshot."

Talarico's momentum has also shown up on the campaign trail.

'That’s a lot of Talafreakos in one room'

Earlier this week, Talarico hopscotched across Texas, stopping in El Paso before holding events in Midland and Amarillo and drawing a larger-than-expected crowd in deep-red Lubbock on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Trump campaigned with Paxton about four miles away that same night, shifting his rally time so it overlapped with Talarico’s event.

The dueling rallies put the race’s divide on display. Talarico’s campaign said more than 4,000 people signed up for his Lubbock rally, prompting a move to a larger venue.

"I know that we’re not the only show in town tonight, and I appreciate all 4,000 of you that showed up here this evening," Talarico said at the Fiesta Center in Lubbock on Oct. 27. "That’s a lot of Talafreakos in one room."

The Democratic candidate and his supporters have embraced the moniker "Talafreako," a nickname first given to him as a derogatory dig by Republicans and President Trump.

Voters at Talarico’s rallies in Lubbock told Fox News Digital that Trump’s repeated Texas visits signaled Republican anxiety, while Paxton backers remained confident the state would stay red after a costly and contentious primary that saw Republicans divided over Paxton and sitting Sen. John Cornyn, who was ultimately ousted in the May runoff.

"Trump’s in Lubbock? Trump’s in Lubbock, Texas? He’s scared, he is scared," one supporter told Fox News Digital.

Natalie, from Friona, called Trump’s same-day rally a sign Republicans were "nervous."

"I think it’s performative, like to come the exact same day as he is here," she said.

Jenny, from Brownsville, told Fox News Digital outside Trump and Paxton's rally that the race was "not close" and she predicted that "Paxton will wipe the floor" with Talarico.

DUELING RALLIES THRUST DEEP-RED LONE STAR TOWN INTO THE CENTER OF THE POLITICAL UNIVERSE

Beyond the rally crowds, some Talarico supporters in Dallas and Lubbock said Paxton’s past legal controversies and impeachment by the Texas House shaped their views of the Republican nominee.

"We’re here in support of honesty, decency and integrity," Lori, a Dallas voter who has voted Republican in the past, told Fox News Digital. "That’s what we like to see in a candidate, and we think Talarico is all that in one."

George, a lifelong Texan at the Dallas rally, said years of watching Texas politics had become "heartbreaking" and called Talarico "a breath of fresh air."

In Lubbock, Georgia cited several of Talarico’s policies and called him "authentic." She also said his lack of an indictment was a plus, contrasting him with Paxton.

MEET THE VOTERS WHO COULD BREAK THE GOP’S DECADES-LONG GRIP ON A REPUBLICAN STRONGHOLD

Elias, a nurse from Lubbock, described Paxton as a weak leader.

"He had a chance to kind of redeem himself despite his ugly past, but he’s not a man, he can’t stand up for himself. He needs daddy Trump to come and support him."

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With Election Day on Nov. 3, the question is whether Talarico can turn rally crowds and a polling lead into a historic win. A victory would crack the GOP’s decades-long grip on Texas. A loss would leave Democrats still searching for a path to turn the state blue.

Alaska Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola insisted she "knew nothing" about an alleged scheme to recruit people with the same name as her opponent to run in the election, while incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan told Fox News she is "still lying."

"I just want to clear the air," Peltola began in a speech to supporters on Thursday in Juneau. "I knew nothing about any other candidates on the ballot except for me and the incumbent. That is all I have ever known about. I am not interested in tricking voters. I know I can beat Dan Sullivan."

In an interview with Fox News, Sullivan, a Republican, said Peltola's campaign "demonstrated the most corrupt action you could take."

"Most candidates, when they run for office, I've run for office, and this is my third election. You sit down at the beginning of your election with your advisers to think about 'What's my record? I'm going to run on a strong record. What's my vision? What do I want to get done?' Peltola sat down with her advisers, Democrats from D.C. and Alaska, and their first order of business was 'how do we cheat? How do we make sure Alaskans throw away their votes?'" Sullivan said.

"This was a secret project that they had. And then they worked on it for over a year. And then she consistently lied about it. What's amazing to me is how consistently and casually everyone involved in this, from Kirsten Gillibrand and Schumer down to Peltola and her advisors, and everybody in between lied about this directly to the Alaskan people," Sullivan continued. "Heck, Peltola is still lying about it, right?"

SEN DAN SULLIVAN BRANDS PELTOLA’S ALLEGED BALLOT SCHEME A ‘SCANDAL AT THE HIGHEST ORDER’

The New York Times reported Wednesday that Peltola’s campaign, as well as senior aides at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, carried out the alleged election scheme in hopes that voters would be confused by two Dan Sullivans and therefore draw support from the incumbent Republican senator.

The Justice Department is moving to delay certification of Alaska’s U.S. Senate election results since two individuals by the name of Dan Sullivan appear alongside each other on the ballot. The state’s incumbent U.S. senator is listed on the ballot as "Sullivan, Dan S.," while the other Dan Sullivan, a retired schoolteacher, is listed as "Sullivan, Daniel J. Jr." The latter is known to his critics as "Decoy Dan."

PELTOLA CAMPAIGN'S ALLEGED DAN SULLIVAN SPOILER PLOT TAKES NEW TURN AS DOJ FACES MAJOR LEGAL HURDLE

Sen. Sullivan told Fox News correspondent Matt Finn that what he is hearing on the campaign trail is "the disdain that this shows that Peltola has for the Alaskan people."

"Think about it. Her first big move as a candidate, she hadn't announced her candidacy yet, was to rig the system and work together to cheat and to recruit a candidate whose sole purpose, we all know now, was to confuse Alaskans to rig the vote for her. It is a shocker. It's the biggest scandal in Alaskan electoral history by far," Sullivan said.

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"Mary Peltola and her campaign and the Democrats in D.C. and Alaska think the Alaskan people are dumb. We're not dumb," Sullivan added. "And this is going to have a huge impact on the election. We're going to win."

Fox News Digital's Nora Moriarty contributed to this report.

The Republican National Committee rejected the narrative that both parties engage in similar tactics after a New York Times report exposed Democrat-linked efforts to recruit a second "Dan Sullivan" onto Alaska’s Senate ballot, saying Republicans are focused solely on securing elections while Democrats are "trying to be fraudulent."

"No, both sides of the aisle don’t do this," RNC election integrity communications director Ally Triolo told Fox News Digital on Thursday. "Our entire effort here at the RNC is securing elections, making them fair and free and honest."

"We are doing the exact opposite of what Democrats are trying to do. Democrats have voted time and time again against the Save America Act. They have voted against common sense safeguards.

DEM STRATEGIST SHRUGS OFF ALASKA BALLOT SCANDAL ON MS NOW, INSISTS 'THIS STUFF HAPPENS ALL THE TIME'

"We couldn't be more different from Republicans versus Democrats, and I honestly hope people see this straight in the eye with what's happened out of Alaska, that Democrats are completely disingenuous. They have ill intentions. They're trying to disenfranchise voters, and, of course, trying to be fraudulent.

"This is fraudulent behavior, and they need to be held accountable to the fullest extent."

The Times reported Wednesday that Senate nominee Mary Peltola’s campaign, aides from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and others worked to place a retired teacher named Dan J. Sullivan on the ballot.

JASON CHAFFETZ: DEMOCRATS TRIED TO TRICK ALASKA VOTERS. PELTOLA MUST ANSWER

"Republicans, we tried to fight this months ago and draw attention to this Democrat scheme," Triolo said. "And look, no wonder Democrats are against election integrity because they don't want to be held accountable for trying to disenfranchise voters and cheat the system."

"It has been abundantly clear from the get-go that this was a ploy to try to sway voters, confuse voters, take votes away from the real Sen. Dan Sullivan," she added. "And that is exactly why you saw the DOJ intervene just last week to make sure there were protections in place before the election could be certified to make sure everything was above board. And now we have this bombshell report coming out exposing exactly what we have been saying, and I think this points to the larger issue of Democrats continually fighting election integrity, because again, they have admitted that they cannot win fair and square when safeguards are in place."

TRUMP SAYS 'WE ARE LOOKING INTO' OTHER DAN SULLIVAN ON ALASKA BALLOT, WARNS ABOUT GOVERNOR'S RACE

The RNC election integrity unit has a major on-the-ground operation in Alaska, she said, including an in-state director, attorneys, observers and poll workers, and that President Donald Trump and the Justice Department have already moved to address the issue.

The DOJ last week sued to block certification of a potential Peltola win if votes for the second Sullivan could have changed the outcome, and a senior DOJ official told Fox News on Thursday that the criminal investigation has intensified, with officials examining possible civil-rights violations under 18 U.S.C. §§ 241 and 242.

Vice President JD Vance said authorities should "certainly look into whether [Peltola] committed election fraud," describing the effort as an attempt to "steal a Senate seat." Senate Majority Leader John Thune called it a "coordinated effort" and "totally dirty pool."

SEN DAN SULLIVAN BRANDS PELTOLA’S ALLEGED BALLOT SCHEME A ‘SCANDAL AT THE HIGHEST ORDER’

There is an "aggressive criminal investigation" into Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. appearing on the ballot, sources told Fox News. That investigation has only intensified since the Times' reporting but has been underway for several months.

This investigation, being run by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Alaska, is expected to go beyond Tuesday's Election Day, and there will not be any sort of indictment or heavy grand jury activity before then.

'DECOY DAN' SULLIVAN CASE LEADS TOP SENATOR TO BREAK FOUR-YEAR X SILENCE: 'PATTERN OF LIES'

The DOJ thus far has declined to comment on the matter.

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy has also ordered a state investigation. Peltola’s campaign and DSCC officials have denied involvement in recruiting the second Sullivan to confuse voters, issuing warnings that "both sides" put up spoiler candidates in elections.

The Alaska Supreme Court previously ruled the second Dan Sullivan could remain on the ballot under state law.

"The RNC is heavily invested in protecting the vote in Alaska since this scheme came out," Triolo said. "We've been fighting it, drawing attention to it, doing everything we can to educate voters.

DEM BUCKS PARTY OVER ALLEGED ALASKA VOTE-SIPHONING EFFORT: 'NEITHER PARTY SHOULD BE DOING IT'

"We are heavily invested in securing Alaska and obviously this scheme is an absolute fraud. You saw President Trump come forward and say that Mary Peltola, the fake Dan Sullivan, all of these individuals should be held accountable not only for lying about their affiliation with the scheme, but also just for trying to deceive voters.

"We are seeing this play out in real time. Even The New York Times, the left-wing media, has no choice but to hold them accountable for their schemes.

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"So I think what we need to stay focused on, as Republicans, is that we need to keep the majority. This is why this midterm election feels like a presidential, because so much is at stake."

Fox News' David Spunt, William Mears and Jake Gibson contributed to this report.

What lit a fire under billionaire SpaceX CEO Elon Musk this midterm cycle?

He’s given more than $445 million to Republican candidates and causes this year, making him the single biggest disclosed donor in the 2026 midterms — and the biggest single donor in a midterm cycle ever.

According to the most recent data, he’s given:

REPUBLICAN CAVALRY ARRIVES FOR KEN PAXTON AS BIG-BUCKS TEXAS OFFENSIVE OPENS CASH FLOODGATES

• An estimated $189 million to support Ken Paxton’s Senate bid in Texas.
• $10 million to the Republican Governors Association campaign fund, including funds for the gubernatorial race in New York state.
• At least $5 million to the GOP PAC MAGA Inc., which is building a strong ground game in key races in both the House and Senate.

SENATE CONTROL IS A COIN FLIP — AND DEMOCRATS’ PATH RUNS THROUGH TRUMP COUNTRY

All this makes the $288 million Musk gave to help elect President Donald Trump and Republicans in 2024 look miserly.

Why so much more? Because Musk realizes that keeping the Republican majority in Congress has become crucial to America’s secure and prosperous future.

On his social media platform, Musk shared a post last week agreeing that Democrats "must lose" the midterms. Critics claim he’s doing this because he fears investigations by a Democrat-controlled Congress. The truth is, he understands what it takes to build a strong America and what threatens to tear it down.

He’s not alone. He’s been joined by other tech and financial billionaires who are spending tens of millions to protect America’s future from the Democrats.

WARREN GETS DEFENSIVE WHEN PRESSED ON DEMOCRATS ACCEPTING BILLIONAIRE DONATIONS

Tech entrepreneurs and venture capital giants Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz are major contributors to Trump’s MAGA, Inc.

Citadel’s Ken Griffin has spent at least $40 million to support Republican candidates.

Blackstone CEO Steve Schwarzman and his wife Christine have put up almost $32 million to Republican-affiliated political organizations and super PACs this election cycle.

It’s not just tech billionaires who’ve opened their wallets to the GOP. Uline founders Elizabeth and Richard Uihlein have reportedly put up $124 million for their own Restoration of America PAC, and roofing company ABC Supply Chairman Diane Hendricks has given $25 million to MAGA, Inc.

'DARK MONEY’ GROUP ACCUSED OF 'SCHEME' TO TIP ELECTION IN FAVOR OF DEMOCRATS, MANIPULATE GOP VOTERS

In 2025, we saw the denizens of America’s high-tech sector — Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Apple’s Tim Cook and key Google executives — paying out millions for Trump’s inauguration festivities. Bezos, Cook, Zuckerberg and OpenAI’s Sam Altman even attended the inauguration in person — as did Elon Musk.

What did they understand about Trump and the GOP that the media didn’t?

This midterm cycle, according to The Washington Post, total Republican-leaning mega-donors have contributed $1.7 billion this cycle with Musk leading the way, compared to $832 million from Democratic-leaning givers.

Critics dismiss these donors as superrich oligarchs and robber barons trying to protect their ill-gotten money. Critics are wrong, tragically wrong. The truth is, the key stewards of our private sector economy are taking bold action to protect America’s future.

That’s because they see two possible paths to the future, and only two. One makes America strong, prosperous and secure, with tax cuts, investment, energy dominance and a strong, unequaled military.

One deals finally with the Iran that has destabilized the Middle East and killed thousands around the world, including American soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, for four decades.

One sees the need to cut what the GAO says could be as much as $500 billion of fraud from the federal budget — the cause that rallied Elon Musk to the DOGE agenda in the first place.

One sees American AI dominance as key to protecting our freedom.

One sees restoring America’s manufacturing and industrial base as key to protecting prosperity.

All that stands on one side. On the other is a party that makes unsustainable policy promises like "Medicare for All."

A party that will give back the uncontrolled government spending spree that drove cumulative inflation up 21% during the Biden years.

A party cradled in corruption, waste and fraud, as exposed first by DOGE and now by Vice President JD Vance’s anti-fraud task force.

A party that has consistently presented weakness and prevarication to America’s foes, whether it’s Iran or China or the Muslim Brotherhood.

Finally, a party that threatens to mobilize the same radical forces that have turned the streets of France and European cities into battlegrounds.

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The choice is clear to Elon Musk, and our private sector’s best and brightest founders and entrepreneurs. Those 77 million Americans who voted for Donald Trump in 2024 now face the same choice. It is either to return to the voting booth in order to protect America’s safe and prosperous future or hand Congress over to those who want to bring back a bankrupt and discredited past.

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The choice seems easy. It will be America’s tragedy, and ours, if we don’t take it together.

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Former Vice President Kamala Harris broke with some on the left flank of the Democratic Party on Wednesday over whether Democrats should pursue impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump if they regain control of Congress in November.

"The Parnas Perspective" host Aaron Parnas asked Harris what she would recommend Congress do if Democrats regain control following the midterm elections.

"Would it be to go the investigations route and potentially an impeachment one day," he asked, "or would it be go past policy and force the president to veto it?"

JAMES CARVILLE WARNS DEMS AGAINST IMPEACHING TRUMP IF THEY WIN CONTROL IN MIDTERMS

"I think that going on in the direction of impeachment is not a good idea. OK, just to be honest with you. Because we have limited resources and I think the energy and the resources need to be put into accountability, need to be put into investigations and that's where the time should be spent. Remember I was in the Senate for the last go-round and the votes aren't there, right? So that's how I feel," Harris said.

She argued Democrats need to focus on getting things done and that they should be "ruthless."

HOUSE DEMS PLOT TRUMP INVESTIGATION BLITZ IF THEY SEIZE MAJORITY

"When I say we should be ruthless, I don't mean cruel, but we should be uncompromising and not sit around, you know, being genteel about the relationships and instead actually get stuff done, whether it be about accountability or restoring, for example, what they took in terms of the Medicaid cuts, restoring what we need to do around some check and balance around this war nobody wants," the former VP said.

Some Democrats in Congress have pushed again to impeach Trump, who was impeached twice during his first term in office but acquitted in the Senate on both occasions. Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, forced a vote on a resolution to impeach Trump over his administration's immigration enforcement policies, including the deaths of people during federal immigration operations earlier this year. The move divided House Democrats, whose leaders have largely avoided emphasizing impeachment as they work to regain control of Congress in the November midterms.

Florida Democratic Senate candidate and state Rep. Angie Nixon said in an interview with Politico that she would not oppose impeachment hearings and would vote to remove Trump if elected.

"The Daily Show" host Jon Stewart expressed a similar sentiment during a question-and-answer segment at the end of his "The Weekly Show" podcast. He was asked whether Democrats should seek to impeach Trump if they regain control of Congress in the midterm elections.

REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK: DEMOCRATS FACE AN IMPEACHMENT TRACTOR BEAM THAT COULD DERAIL THEIR AFFORDABILITY MESSAGE

He said he wanted Democrats to make a full-scale effort to rebalance the economy rather than hold performative hearings.

"I don't want to see a f---ing five-act performative play of House hearings," Stewart said. "I just don't want to see it. I don't want to see everybody having the opportunity to pantomime accountability because you know they're actually not going to bring it."

"There will be enormous pressure to seek accountability if Democrats win control in either or both chambers next week, but the push to make things better for the American people may be even more intense. If successful, Democrats would be wise to try to strike some balance and to work on parallel tracks to deliver results. Voters want justice and accountability, but they want affordable gas and groceries more," Costas Panagopoulos, a professor of political science at Northeastern University, told Fox News Digital of Harris' remarks.

Republican strategist Liz Mair, head of Mair strategies, said Harris was "right," in a statement to Fox News Digital. She added, "Democrats will win these midterms not because swing voters who deliver those victories want them to spend the next two years impeaching the president, but because they want them to focus on bringing costs down or at least limiting ongoing price hikes."

DEM MAKING SENATE COMEBACK BID SAYS HE WOULDN'T SUPPORT A TRUMP IMPEACHMENT PUSH

"Every second Democrats spend trying to impeach President Trump again is a minute they're not spending addressing affordability challenges, and appeasing their base at the expense of doing what they will literally have been elected to accomplish," Mair said.

Harris has endorsed several big institutional changes, such as Supreme Court expansion, possibly getting rid of the Electoral College, and Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico statehood.

DEMOCRATIC SENATOR ACCUSES BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OF 'COMPLETELY' CHICKENING OUT ON SUPREME COURT REFORM

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A woman was shot directly outside the Republican Party of Virginia's headquarters in Richmond on Thursday afternoon, just days before Election Day, according to the state GOP.

The shooting occurred around 1:45 p.m. in front of the Obenshain Center, located in the 100 block of East Grace Street in downtown Richmond, according to local outlet WTVR.

In a post on X, the Virginia GOP said Richmond first responders arrived within minutes and confirmed that all party staff members were safe.

DOJ’S ‘OPERATION GHOSTBUSTERS’ TARGETS MASSIVE STUDENT-AID FRAUD SCHEME BUILT ON FAKE ENROLLEES

"Around 1:45 p.m. today, a woman was shot immediately in front of The Obenshain Center, the offices of the Republican Party of Virginia. City of Richmond first responders were at the scene within minutes. All Republican Party of Virginia staff are safe," the post read.

The party also said it had no indication that the shooting was connected to its operations.

"The proximity of this event notwithstanding, we have no indication that the shooting was related to the operations of the Republican Party of Virginia," the X post continued.

EX-CHIEF SAYS CHRISTA PIKE WAS 'ALMOST GIDDY' DESCRIBING MURDER AS GOVERNOR WEIGHS IN AFTER BOTCHED EXECUTION

The shooting comes less than a week before the Nov. 3 midterm elections, as voters prepare to head to the polls in Virginia and across the country.

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The circumstances surrounding the shooting, including what led to the gunfire and the woman's condition, were not immediately clear.

The Richmond Police Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

This is a developing story; check back later for updates.

A New York Times investigation revealed an alleged effort by operatives liked to Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee to recruit a second Dan Sullivan for Alaska’s ballot, but the report came as nearly 1 in 10 registered Alaska voters had already cast ballots.

The timing means roughly 58,000 voters may have made their choices before learning of the reported effort that critics say was intended to create confusion with a same-name candidate. 

Peltola’s campaign and the DSCC have denied involvement.

SENATE CONTROL IS A COIN FLIP — AND DEMOCRATS’ PATH RUNS THROUGH TRUMP COUNTRY

Dan J. Sullivan made it to the four-candidate general election earlier this year after winning 2.5% of the vote in the primary. His campaign announcement did not list a party affiliation. His website does not state his position on any political issues.

"Dan Sullivan challenges Dan Sullivan for U.S. Senate Seat, urges Alaskans to defeat incumbent, elect a Sullivan who stands up for Alaska," it read.

The New York Times reported that the effort to recruit potential Republican spoiler candidates included Dan J. Sullivan. The effort spanned coordination between the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) to Peltola staffers, according to text messages, interviews and internal documents.

According to a source interviewed by the New York Times, Peltola was aware of the efforts.

MARY PELTOLA'S CAMPAIGN, DEMS BACKED COVERT SCHEME TO FIELD SPOILER CANDIDATES IN ALASKA SENATE RACE: REPORT

The Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit last week, seeking to delay certification if Sen. Dan Sullivan is defeated, citing the possible confusion. It’s unclear if the DOJ is likely to succeed on those grounds.

The state’s ranked-choice voting system is further complicating the election picture for Sen. Sullivan.

Under this system, voters rank their preferred candidates. If their top choice is eliminated, their support passes to their next-ranked option. While supporters of the process argue it expands voters' power and greatly increases the influence of candidates that may not otherwise be a top choice, critics believe it also introduces confusion.

Alaska state Sen. James Kaufman, a Republican, is one of those critics.

Kaufman fears that some voters won’t bother to fill out both the "Sullivans" on the ballot to cover their bases.

He believes there are still some voters in Alaska, especially Republicans, who refuse to use the system, citing disagreements with its implementation.

"Some people have a pretty strong traditionalist perspective: one person, one man, one vote," Kaufman said in an interview with Fox News Digital earlier this year.

ALASKA SENATE RACE’S ABSURD NAME PROBLEM GETS EVEN HARDER TO UNTANGLE

"And, so, the ballot fatigue where people just don’t rank because maybe they disagree with it; there’s a pretty strong segment of the population here that just patently disagrees with the rank-choice voting system we ended up with. And they don’t necessarily believe in utilizing it," he added.

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Less than a week remains before the Nov. 3 general election.

TEXAS — Gas prices are soaring ahead of the midterm elections, but President Donald Trump's supporters at campaign rallies in Texas say the rising costs aren't shaking their loyalty to the president, with some warning that the country's future is at stake.

"I do experience that costs are high, but I'm in for the long haul and I support everything that he's been doing," one supporter told Fox News Digital at Trump's rally in Lubbock, Texas.

Fox News Digital spoke with Trump supporters at rallies in Lubbock and Corpus Christi, two cities in a state deeply tied to America's oil and gas industry where voters acknowledged the economic squeeze but remained firmly behind the president. For some, concerns about the country's future and the rise of socialism are adding urgency to the approaching election.

The national average for a gallon of regular gasoline stood at approximately $4.25 on Wednesday, up nearly 40% from roughly $3.05 a year earlier, according to AAA.

TRUMP WON THIS RELIABLY RED STATE BY DOUBLE DIGITS. NOW A DEADLOCKED RACE IS BRINGING HIM BACK

Trump acknowledged the higher costs during his Lubbock rally while pointing to increased American oil production and his administration's recent energy deal with Venezuela as steps toward bringing prices down.

"Our country is making a fortune while people have to pay more at the pump," Trump said, adding that gas prices are "going to come down really fast."

"The ones we care about are our people at the pump," Trump told the crowd. "And those numbers are going to start coming down very, very rapidly."

During his earlier stop in Corpus Christi, Trump announced the arrival of the first million barrels of Venezuelan oil secured through an agreement with the South American country, which the White House says is being provided at no cost to American taxpayers and will be refined in Texas.

The administration has touted the agreement as a major step toward expanding America's energy supply and supporting domestic jobs, arguing that the additional oil will eventually help lower costs for consumers.

The White House said the broader agreement would give the U.S. majority control over approximately 65 billion barrels of proven Venezuelan oil reserves, expanding American access to energy resources as Trump pushes to boost supply and bring down prices.

NOT EVEN SKY HIGH GAS PRICES OR THE IRAN WAR WILL STOP TRUMP SUPPORTERS VOTING MAGA

Stephen Elsher of Corpus Christi said the economy remains his top concern heading into the midterms, but he believes Republicans are the ones who can turn things around.

"I'd like to see it turn around and do better for this next year," Elsher told Fox News Digital. "Without the Republicans in charge, we won't go that direction."

Meanwhile, the Democratic Party has faced growing pressure from its progressive wing, with democratic socialist candidates gaining prominence and sparking debate over the party's direction.

Trump repeatedly warned voters against what he described as the "radical left Democrat communist" agenda during his Lubbock rally, arguing that Democratic policies would raise taxes, threaten Texas oil and gas jobs, and weaken border security.

"The choice in this election is very simple," Trump told supporters, contrasting his economic agenda with what he described as the consequences of Democratic control.

TRUMP'S MAGA FAITHFUL SEND WARNING TO REPUBLICANS AHEAD OF HIGH-STAKES MIDTERM ELECTIONS

For some Trump supporters at the Texas rallies, concerns go beyond affordability, with attendees warning that the rise of socialism poses a threat to the country's future.

"We can't lose our republic," Susie, a Corpus Christi supporter, told Fox News Digital, warning that the country is under siege by Democrats, socialists and communists.

Elizabeth Trigo, who attended Trump's Lubbock rally with her daughters, said the midterms are about more than just the next election, pointing to the country's future and preserving opportunities for the next generation.

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"I think the main reason this election, the midterms, is a lot of it has to do with the future," Trigo told Fox News Digital. "The most important thing is opportunity again. Trump is on the side of opportunity."

Trigo said she wants Trump to continue fighting the war on drugs and pushing back against socialism during his remaining two years in office.

A little-known congressional maneuver could block members of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) from being sworn in as members of the House of Representatives next year, even if they win their elections on Tuesday.

Members-elect must swear an oath to uphold the Constitution before they can become full members of the House. At the beginning of a new Congress, that oath is typically taken en masse by all 435 members, led by the House speaker.

But an argument circulating in conservative circles posits that any member-elect can challenge another member-elect's right to be sworn in, provided they have compiled evidence that that person would not uphold their oath. That would then lead to House-wide deliberations followed by a vote on whether that member-elect has a right to be sworn in.

In the case of DSA members, one potential argument could be the group's platform calling to scrap the current U.S. Constitution and draft a new one. Several DSA members and self-proclaimed democratic socialists have already won primaries across the country.

SPEAKER JOHNSON REJECTS 'NONSENSE NARRATIVE' THAT GOP WILL REFUSE TO SEAT DEM WINNERS

Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas, suggested to Fox News Digital that he could invoke the maneuver.

"You cannot swear an oath to support and defend the Constitution while actively working to destroy it. The oath of office is not just words you say at a ceremony. It is a belief. It is an oath to our country and our fellow countrymen," Self told Fox News Digital. 

"The House has both the authority and the duty to ensure that anyone who takes that oath does so in good faith, without mental reservation or purpose of evasion. As DSA candidates and the Red-Green Alliance gain ground, we must enforce the Constitution as written or risk allowing people committed to replacing it to take seats of power under false pretenses."

The "Red-Green Alliance" is a term used on the right to describe cooperation between far-left groups and radical Islamic organizations or operators.

"Anyone who has personally embraced the destruction of the Constitution has no business being sworn in to uphold it," Self said.

GOP LAWMAKER URGES JOHNSON TO SCRUTINIZE NEW SOCIALIST LAWMAKERS' 'ACCESS TO INTELLIGENCE'

According to an analysis by the Center for Renewing America, a challenge to a member-elect's fitness to take the oath of office can be followed by the House speaker asking them to step aside while the debate begins.

"The objecting member should place the documentary record before the House, and the House should debate whether that evidence establishes that the member-elect remains committed to destroying the constitutional order," the group's analysis said.

The House would then vote on a resolution that "establishes the member-elect’s commitment to destroying the constitutional order," which, if passed, could stop them from being sworn in.

The theory relies on a number of variables. For example, if House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., is elected speaker, he could decide to dismiss the challenge altogether. Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., could do the same if he so chooses if Republicans keep their majority.

Johnson told reporters as much during an event this month in Iowa, calling the idea of him refusing to seat elected Democrats a "nonsense narrative" and vowing, "We are going to follow the law."

It would also raise questions about challenging the will of the people who elected that person to represent them.

TENSIONS ERUPT IN HOUSE HEARING AS GOP ADVANCES ANTI-SOCIALISM RESOLUTION WHILE DEMS RAGE: 'SILLY SEASON'

Such a move would also be in direct conflict with Supreme Court precedent, meaning it is virtually guaranteed to be relitigated.

The 1969 case of Powell v. McCormack ruled that the House cannot exclude an elected candidate from being sworn in if they otherwise meet the constitutional requirements of age, residency, and U.S. citizenship.

HOUSE DEMS OVERWHELMINGLY REJECT ANTI-SOCIALISM RESOLUTION AFTER 2 MODERATES DEFY JEFFRIES

It comes after Adam Clayton Powell Jr., then a senior lawmaker representing New York as a Democrat, was refused his oath of office by the House speaker after winning again in 1966. Powell Jr. had been embroiled in multiple financial scandals at the time.

The House then adopted a resolution barring him from taking his seat, a decision that was ultimately overturned by the Supreme Court.

But that has not stopped Republicans from considering the idea of revisiting the move.

Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., told the New York Post earlier this month that he would use the maneuver to try to block Darializa Avila Chevalier from joining Congress next year.

Chevalier, whose upset victory unseated a senior House Democrat, is from a deep-blue district and is almost certainly going to win her general election next week.

Burchett told the Post that he intended to declare her ineligible to take the oath over a now-deleted X post from 2019 in which she boasted about wiping her hands on the American flag because she did not have a napkin.

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Whether the efforts succeed, the threats underscore the partisan rancor that's taking shape even before the new Congress is formally selected in next week's midterms.

The reported recruitment by Democrats of a second "Dan Sullivan" to allegedly confuse voters in Alaska’s Senate race drew a rare public rebuke from Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, who appeared to break four years of silence on her personal X account.

The New York Times reported that members of Mary Peltola’s team helped recruit a candidate who shares the name of incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan, potentially confusing voters in a closely watched race that also features Republican Gerald Heikes.

In a statement on her personal account @LisaForSenate, Murkowski said the report "revealed… a pattern of lies and coverups" on the part of Peltola.

ALASKA'S GOVERNOR ORDERS INVESTIGATION AFTER NYT REPORT ON ALLEGED DEM-LINKED SENATE ELECTION SCHEME

"While some may try to write this off as just how politics works now, ballot-stacking should have no place in our electoral process," Murkowski said.

"Run and win on your merits: your views, your policy ideas, and your accomplishments. By contrast, recruiting candidates to manipulate the field and influence voting outcomes is simply wrong."

DEM STRATEGIST SHRUGS OFF ALASKA BALLOT SCANDAL ON MS NOW, INSISTS 'THIS STUFF HAPPENS ALL THE TIME'

"Alaskans deserve the honest truth from Mary and her campaign," she said, adding that such a "culture of deception" does not belong in elections or with lawmakers.

Her previous post on the account was dated November 2022 and featured a video message wishing Alaskans a happy Thanksgiving.

Murkowski's official Senate account posts regularly, with its two most recent posts criticizing the Trump Justice Department for launching a lawsuit in the "Decoy Dan" situation prior to the Times' report and highlighting her visit to the Alaska Federation of Natives Convention.

The Times reported this week that the effort extended beyond recruiting the second Sullivan, with Democratic operatives also seeking other candidates who could siphon votes from the Republican incumbent.

The second "decoy" Sullivan, reportedly a longtime registered nonpartisan, lives in the remote community of Petersburg.

Sullivan told Fox News that the scheme is what arises when a "far left" candidate "has got nothing to run on."

Fox News Digital reached out to Murkowski for further comment.

While the post marked Murkowski’s first intervention on X in Alaska’s election contests, the Republican recently drew attention by endorsing Democratic gubernatorial nominee Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins over three Republicans: Bernadette Wilson, Treg Taylor and Dave Bronson.

Murkowski’s father, former Sen. Frank Murkowski, joined his daughter in that announcement.

The split Republican field positions Kreiss-Tomkins as the mathematical favorite, according to the Alaska Beacon.

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Murkowski was also a champion of the ranked-choice system that produced four-person general election ballots.

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Murkowski's pointed criticism of Peltola puts fresh scrutiny on the reported recruitment effort and what the Democrat's campaign knew as voters prepare to cast their ballots.

U.S. District Judge David O. Carter on Wednesday rejected the Justice Department's emergency request to force California to set aside mail-in ballots associated with more than 20,000 registered voters whose citizenship the Trump administration has questioned, ruling that the last-minute intervention would disrupt an election already underway.

The over 20,000 voters identified by Department of Justice officials as "likely aliens" were designated as such after Homeland Security Investigations and federal partners "used multiple data-enrichment and verification methods" to flag potential noncitizens on California’s voter rolls. California officials, however, disputed the list's accuracy, citing a preliminary review that identified U.S.-born individuals and voters with no voting history among those flagged.

Carter, a Clinton appointee, ruled that the Justice Department's last-minute effort to intervene in California's election violated constitutional and federal-law constraints, while questioning the reliability of the government's evidence that the flagged voters were noncitizens.

"The district court denied our emergency request to sequester ballots from 20,000 suspected noncitizens," First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital. "This ongoing emergency disenfranchises American citizens through dilution. The Solicitor General authorized an immediate appeal. We filed our Notice of Appeal and will immediately seek an emergency order from the Ninth Circuit."

NINTH CIRCUIT QUESTIONS TRUMP DOJ'S EMERGENCY REQUEST TO SET ASIDE 20,000 CALIFORNIA MAIL BALLOTS

The Trump administration has suffered a string of defeats in election-related cases in the lead-up to the midterm elections, raising questions whether the administration will be able to deliver on its promises of improved election integrity ahead of the 2028 presidential election. President Donald Trump and other administration officials have repeatedly raised concerns about widespread voter fraud in U.S. elections, though those claims have not been supported by evidence demonstrating fraud on such a broad scale.

California election officials argued that complying with the Justice Department's request would be virtually impossible because county election offices had already processed more than 500,000 ballots, separating them from identifying information and preventing officials from reliably linking those votes to individual voters.

Carter warned that the requested intervention would "wreak havoc and disrupt the election that is already underway," though he noted that federal authorities were free to pursue individual voting fraud cases.

Experts were divided along ideological lines in the case.

TRUMP SCORES SUPREME COURT WIN IN ELECTION INTEGRITY FIGHT AS STATES GAIN NEW VOTER ROLL TOOL

Hans von Spakovsky, an election expert at Advancing American Freedom, a Mike Pence-affiliated think tank, criticized California for refusing to comply with the DOJ’s request.

"It tells you something very revealing and unfortunately badly revealing about California officials that they don’t even want to check," von Spakovsky told The Center Square. "In California, for example, they have automatic voter registration. When you go in to get a driver’s license, they don’t ask you, ‘Would you also like to register to vote?’ The state of California just automatically registers you, and when you ask them, they say, ‘Well, it’s up to the individuals to tell us they’re not eligible to vote.’"

BIDEN-APPOINTED JUDGE BLOCKS VOTER-FRAUD PROBES IN BATTLEGROUND STATES JUST DAYS BEFORE MIDTERMS

Rick Hasen, a University of California, Los Angeles, election-law professor, meanwhile, called the Justice Department’s request a "total overreach of federal power," arguing that "the Constitution’s clear that states have the authority to run Congressional elections unless Congress passes a statute otherwise — and Congress didn’t do so here."

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The California governor’s office did not respond to a request for comment when reached by Fox News Digital on Thursday.

FOX One unveiled a new interactive election experience on Thursday that will give users unprecedented access to results, polling, and analysis.

FOX One, Fox Corporation's wholly owned direct-to-consumer streaming service, announced the new election experience developed in partnership with FOX News Media. The experience is designed to give viewers more context and more local relevance as results come in for the upcoming midterm elections.

"Election night is expected to be among the most demanding live events we cover. The results don't arrive in order, and no two viewers are following the same set of races," Amit Dudakia, SVP & Head of Product at FOX Direct to Consumer, said in a statement. 

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"With FOX One, we're keeping coverage from Fox News and FOX Stations at the center and building the context around it, so viewers aren't toggling between a stream and a second screen to understand what just happened," Dudakia added. "The reporting stays front and center and the answers come to you."

The features will roll out on FOX One in the lead-up to Election Day, and the full experience will be available as election coverage begins.

Hundreds of House, Senate, gubernatorial and local races will be called across every time zone on Nov. 3, and the story of the night is rarely told by any single one of them.

FOX One's tool is built for exactly this kind of live event. As results break in parallel, a race in one state could reframe the math in another and what matters most to viewers may be a ballot measure in their own county.

FOX NEWS POWER RANKINGS: SOUTH CAROLINA MOVES TO TOSS-UP

Fox News Channel and FOX Local Stations’ election coverage will anchor the experience.

FOX One will add a layer of real-time context drawn from Fox News’ industry-leading election coverage and data capabilities, aggregating results, polling and race analysis into the viewing experience itself, so viewers can follow the night at the national level and the local level at the same time.

Feature highlights debuting on the platform for the 2026 midterm elections include a command center, an election hub offering a curated destination for the full breadth of FOX's election coverage, and an in-house built data platform.

Ask FOX, the in-app companion for the questions a live event raises in the moment, will feature an Elections Mode that lets viewers ask election-specific questions and get clear, sourced answers in real time. 

When election coverage begins, the command center is the first thing living room viewers will see when opening FOX One. The live stream holds the center of the screen while a surrounding set of widgets carries the context, including voter polling, race-by-race results and Fox News insights on the night's key contests, all updating in real time. 

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The election hub will include video on battleground races, key ballot measures and the contests shaping control in Washington, editorially programmed by Fox News and Fox News Digital. The hub also surfaces coverage from FOX's local stations based on viewers' markets, so viewers in Los Angeles see what is on the ballot only in Los Angeles.

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High-profile races that will determine which party controls the Senate for the next two years are extremely tight, according to a new CNN poll, as Maine and Kansas remain close and Democrats extended their leads in Texas and Michigan.

Democrats, who are widely projected to win a majority in the House of Representatives, need to flip four Senate seats from red to blue in order to gain a 51-seat majority, protecting their majority from the vice presidential tiebreaker.

Maine

In Maine, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, is the only Republican incumbent running in a state that went for Kamala Harris in 2024.

FOX NEWS POLL: NAIL-BITER IN MAINE SENATE RACE

Collins' Democratic challenger is Troy Jackson, the former president of the state Senate who jumped into the race as a replacement for the previous nominee, scandal-plagued Graham Platner.

The race has no clear frontrunner, according to the CNN poll, though Jackson holds a marginal lead.

COLLINS INSISTS SOCIALIST RIVAL WON'T BEAT HER AS MAINE'S MONEY MACHINE: 'YOU'LL LOSE BIG TIME'

Forty-nine percent of respondents told the outlet's pollsters they favored Jackson, compared to 45% for Collins. While Jackson is slightly ahead, at least 12.5% of voters say they could still change their minds.

Respondents tied Collins to her party less than any other Republican running for Senate in the nation, with 46% of respondents saying they believe she would choose her constituents over the Republican Party.

DAVID MARCUS: THE FUTURE OF THE GOP IN NEW ENGLAND RIDES ON MAINE’S SENATE VOTE

Collins was one of seven Republicans to vote in favor of President Donald Trump's second impeachment in 2021, and she joined Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, as the only Republicans to vote against Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's Senate confirmation in 2025.

With Collins managing to distance herself from Trump, her race has largely become a referendum on her own career. Three-quarters of respondents from either party told CNN pollsters that their choice was motivated more by Collins than Jackson.

DAVID MARCUS: IN BLUE MAINE, NOBODY BELIEVES SUSAN COLLINS WILL LOSE UNTIL THEY SEE IT

Michigan

In Michigan, despite warnings from some mainstream Democrats and the state's Jewish community, Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed is building a lead over former Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich.

Respondents favored El-Sayed at 49% compared to the 42% who favored Rogers, according to the poll. CNN's previous poll, released in early September, showed El-Sayed with a 47% share compared to Rogers' 44%, showing the former public health director El-Sayed building on his lead.

FOX NEWS POLL: MICHIGAN VOTERS SPLIT BETWEEN EL-SAYED AND ROGERS

The Democrat has consolidated his party's support after a contentious primary with Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich. Ninty-five percent of likely Democrat voters say they'll punch the ticket for El-Sayed, up from 90% in the September poll.

Rogers voters, meanwhile, are motivated more by dislike for the Democratic candidate than faith in the Republican. 57% told CNN pollsters they were voting against El-Sayed, up from 41% in a previous poll.

DAVID MARCUS: THE 5 FACTORS THAT COULD DECIDE MICHIGAN'S TIGHT AND UGLY SENATE RACE

Rogers' favorability has also taken a hit, moving from 58% in September to 50% in October.

Texas

Texas State Rep. James Talarico also built upon a narrow lead over Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, despite Talarico's extended absence from the campaign trail in early October.

FOX NEWS POLL: TEXAS SENATE RACE GALLOPING TOWARD A PHOTO FINISH

Forty-nine percent of likely voters told pollsters they'd vote for Talarico, while 43% said they would vote for Paxton, according to the poll.

Texas, a state that has voted for exactly one new Democratic Senate candidate into office since Lyndon B. Johnson vacated his seat to become vice president, also voted more strongly for Trump in 2024 than in either of his previous elections.

TRUMP WON THIS RELIABLY RED STATE BY DOUBLE DIGITS. NOW A DEADLOCKED RACE IS BRINGING HIM BACK

Despite the typically steadfast support for the GOP in the Lone Star State, Talarico is riding a wave of favorability and minority support to remain in pole position five days before polls close.

CNN's poll says 64% of likely voters of color support Talarico, including 22% of the cohort that voted for Trump in 2024.

Talarico is also leading Paxton in favorability within their own parties. 24% of Republicans have an unfavorable view of Paxton, according to the poll. Just 2% of Democrats, meanwhile, view Talarico unfavorably.

Kansas

In Kansas, a state which Trump won by 16 percentage points in 2024, incumbent Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., is falling behind Democratic challenger Adam Hamilton.

Forty-nine percent of likely voters say they support Hamilton, 45% say they support Marshall.

Hamilton, a relatively unknown candidate, is far outperforming his own party in a state where Democrats are broadly unfavorable. 57% of voters view the Democratic Party as unfavorable while only 38% of them feel the same about Hamilton.

Like Republicans in Michigan, likely voters in Kansas appear to be more highly motivated by a dislike for one candidate than strong positive feelings for another. 59% of Hamilton backers say they're motivated by opposition to Marshall.

Hamilton, a Christian pastor, is even drawing support from across the aisle. Roughly 12% of Republicans and Republican-leaning likely voters say they support Hamilton, according to the poll.

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CNN conducted its polling via telephone between Oct. 20 and Oct. 27. Registered voters were randomly sampled, according to the outlet. 838 likely voters were considered in Kansas, 783 in Maine, 768 in Michigan and 923 in Texas. CNN tabulated its margins of sampling error at plus or minus 4.5% for Kansas and Maine, 4.7% in Michigan and 4.2% in Texas.

Fox News Digital contacted all eight campaigns for further comment.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., rejected a question from CNN chief congressional correspondent Manu Raju about seating newly elected Democrats as a "nonsense narrative."

While campaigning in Iowa for Republican Rep. Zach Nunn, whose seat is among those that Democrats are targeting ahead of next week's midterm elections, Johnson fielded questions from Raju about President Donald Trump and the GOP's political strategy during the elections and beyond.

"Will you vow to seat every Democrat who wins on Jan. 3?" Raju asked, referring to the day elected members will be sworn in.

"Of course, this is a nonsense narrative," Johnson replied. "We are going to follow the law."

THUNE WEIGHS NIGHTMARE SCENARIO FOR GOP AS DEMOCRATS THREATEN TO FLIP HOUSE

"What if Trump says ‘it's a rigged election’?" Raju asked.

"Look, I'm a constitutional attorney. I've always been steady and consistent about this. This is going to be a no-drama swearing-in ceremony, but we're going to hold the majority, and I'm going to be the speaker of the House," Johnson said. "And when I administer the oath, there will be one on Jan. 3. We'll administer the oath to everybody."

Raju pressed Johnson, "If Trump says 'Don't seat them,' you'll resist, then?"

"I'll do my job as the speaker of the House," Johnson replied. "The president has vowed, of course, he wants to follow the law as well. That's what's going to happen."

Johnson also defended Trump’s involvement in midterm races, saying he is having "no drag at all" on Republicans’ chances.

NEWSOM SPARS WITH TRUMP-APPOINTED PROSECUTOR OVER 20,000 SUSPECTED NONCITIZENS ON VOTER ROLLS

SPEAKER JOHNSON PREDICTS DEMOCRATS' FAR-LEFT SHIFT WILL ‘JUICE ENTHUSIASM’ FOR GOP IN MIDTERMS

"I’ve seen the voters on the ground, and I’m telling you the polls are wrong, they are inaccurate, they’re underrepresenting Republicans and many of the pollsters have admitted that," he said. "The polling isn’t accurate, the Republicans aren’t responding anymore."

Raju challenged that assessment, questioning why Republicans were spending heavily in traditionally Republican districts.

"You're spending millions in deep Republican districts," Raju said.

Johnson responded that Iowa is a state where Republicans "always win, but it's close" and said battleground districts exist across the country, particularly following recent redistricting efforts.

"We have to win in the districts that are presented, and we’re leaving everything on the field to get it done," he said.

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Mary Marslender, a GOP consultant and former senior advisor to the U.S. Senate, criticized Raju's questioning in comments to Fox News Digital.

"CNN is once again pushing a fake narrative — color me shocked. Instead of chasing a nonexistent 'Trump won’t seat Democrats' story, Manu Raju should focus on reporting the news that matters," Marslender said. "Americans are concerned about costs, wages, the border, and crime. If reporters covered those real issues, perhaps their audiences wouldn’t keep shrinking. Speaker Johnson’s answers were consistent with both the law and standard House procedure. Raju’s repeated hypotheticals reveal more about the story CNN wants to tell than any actual plan to block lawmakers."

Fox News Digital reached out to Johnson's office and CNN for additional comment but did not immediately receive responses.

The fiance of Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich. has come out and said he cannot vote for Democratic Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, believing he is an antisemite.

Stevens, though, remains undaunted, backing the candidate for Senate. Jason Turkish, a Jewish registered Democrat, told The Detroit News he will be voting for Republican Senate nominee Mike Rogers, appearing at a Rogers event sponsored by the Republican Jewish Coalition on Wednesday night at the Townsend Hotel in Birmingham, Michigan.

"I waited, and I watched and I listened for Abdul to moderate – but he didn't moderate, he escalated," Turkish, a Michigan lawyer himself, told reporters on the sidelines of that event in a video published by The Detroit News.

FORMER RIVAL DODGES FULL-THROATED EL-SAYED ENDORSEMENT AFTER BITTER SENATE PRIMARY

"He's gotten worse, and worse and worse as this general election campaign has gone on. Rather than bringing people together, he's just driven them further and further apart."

Despite Turkish's concerns, Stevens has not backed down from her support for the Democrat who defeated her in a closely fought primary this summer.

HALEY STEVENS RIPPED BY FELLOW DEMS FOR REFUSING TO EXPLICITLY BACK EL-SAYED: 'STAY THE F--- OFF TELEVISION'

"Like a lot of households across America, we're a house divided," Stevens told CNN.

"I still very much want our Democratic nominee, his name is Abdul, to win this race," she said. "There's so much on the line."

BLACK VOTERS, JEWISH DEMOCRATS IN MICHIGAN WARY OF VOTING FOR EL-SAYED, SAY 'HE'S TAKING ADVANTAGE'

Turkish says El-Sayed's anti-Israel rhetoric makes his community "less safe," fearing his party will bend to radicals claiming that there is a "genocide" in Gaza.

"When he says genocide over and over again, when he refuses to condemn an ad that says Jews are to blame for the price of bananas, he makes my community less safe," Turkish said. "He makes a lot of communities less safe."

WEAPONIZING THE CHARGE OF GENOCIDE FUELS AN INCREASINGLY DANGEROUS ANTISEMITISM

El-Sayed is a longtime critic of Israel, calling the war in Gaza a "genocide." Israel argues that it is fighting terrorists that are using Gaza civilians as human shields, taking efforts to avoid civilian casualties, such as notifying people and telling them to evacuate buildings before conducting strikes.

"Every time he talks about genocide, Jews get death threats," Turkish added. "We have never seen a candidate for U.S. Senate act so recklessly toward the safety of Jews in the community as we have seen from Abdul."

EL-SAYED TRIES TO MAKE PEACE WITH JEWISH DEMOCRATS BUT DRAWS LINE AT DUMPING HASAN PIKER

Turkish rebuked the candidate's ties to California streamer Hasan Piker, and El-Sayed's refusal to distance himself from someone he had said America deserved 9/11.

"I watch him in recent weeks as he has become verbally combative with any reporter who has the gall, as he sees it, the gall to ask him about Hasan," Turkish said.

MICHIGAN SENATE RIVALS CLASH OVER MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD ALLEGATIONS AS ROGERS DOUBLES DOWN ON EL-SAYED

"Everything we hear from Abdul El-Sayed includes equivocation, and it includes equivocations to try to explain away hate, and there is no explaining away hate. And I predict to you that Michigan will reject this."

Turkish, a Democratic donor who has also given to some Republicans, described his decision as "putting country before party."

EL-SAYED, ROGERS CLASH OVER MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD, TRUMP AND GUNS: 5 FIERY DEBATE MOMENTS

"This is not someone we can let into the United States Senate," Rogers said of El-Sayed at his Wednesday night campaign event, making no mention of Turkish's vote in his stump remarks. "If you don't know Iran is our enemy and you can't condemn a Hezbollah-inspired attack, you have no business being in the United States Senate."

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Turkish is the second major figure from Stevens’ orbit to back Rogers in recent days. Her former campaign chair, attorney David Kramer, said Tuesday he also plans to vote for Rogers. Stevens endorsed El-Sayed after the primary but has not campaigned or appeared with him publicly since a unity breakfast shortly afterward.