Mike Kelly

Deputy chief of staff Kelli Jones is moving to the state agency overseeing education.

Butte-Silver Bow says they have a better idea on what led to a recount of the June 4 primary election.

New leadership has stepped in to head the Scotts Bluff County Commissioners.

Majority Leader Chuck Schumer responded to a GOP plan to attach a bill mandating proof of citizenship in order to vote to a must-pass short term spending package.

He lauds strongmen autocrats, hangs with martial arts stars, and has no greater compliment than calling someone a "fighter." Donald Trump is going all out for the macho vote in November's election -- and it's working.The real estate tycoon and former president has long crafted an often cartoonish, hyper-masculine image -- most controversially including bragging about sexual assault.Now, in an election where Kamala Harris is vying to become America's first woman president, Trump's macho powers are being put to the ultimate test.Harris is seeing a surge in female support and has made the question of abortion rights a top campaign issue. Trump, meanwhile, is unapologetically drilling down into the part of the electorate that loves cryptocurrency, the ultra-violent Ultimate Fighting Championship, and thinks society has become too feminine and "woke.""He speaks to our generation," said Nick Passano, standing with four tattooed fellow Millennial cryptocurrency investors who dub themselves the Maga Boyz, at Trump's Make America Great Again, or MAGA, rally in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, last Friday."We have to set the tone in regards to what we want our children to emulate, which is strong masculine men. And he very much represents that," said Passano, 37, one of several men who spoke to AFP about the "manosphere" aligning with Trump.They wore shirts with crass imagery -- Trump giving the middle finger -- and said he should not put up with "any more BS."It might seem a stretch for a billionaire, golf-playing 78-year-old to pose as a bad boy, but Trump knows more than perhaps any other US politician about marketing.His response to being convicted on 34 felony charges in New York in May was to attend a UFC bout a few days later, winning thunderous applause from the crowd of 16,000.And at July's Republican convention, just days after Trump survived an assassination attempt, pro wrestling icon Hulk Hogan ripped his shirt off and hailed Trump as a "gladiator."Voters, it seems, are watching: a new ABC News/Ipsos poll finds Trump up against Harris by five points among men -- and Harris leading among women by 13.- Alpha male -When President Joe Biden was still seeking reelection, Trump's strategy was unambiguous. Although only slightly younger than the president, Trump hammered his opponent as weak and senile -- and reveled in the battering he delivered during their June debate.The entry of 59-year-old Harris means Trump is facing someone far younger. Trump also has to contend with the risk that his brash -- critics would say bullying -- style will backfire against a female and Black opponent.But University of Pittsburgh communications professor Paul Johnson said Trump won't -- and likely can't -- switch tone.Trump is pushing the "Trumpian worldview," Johnson told AFP -- a world that is "nasty" and where "'real Americans' need to be ready to fight for it, to say uncomfortable and racist truths about the world, and if necessary to use violence."This is reflected in Trump's frequent reposting of crude, sexualized attacks on Harris and his attempt to play the race card by questioning whether she is really Black.For young voters at the Johnstown rally, however, that's just Trump being unafraid."Him being himself I feel is the reason I like him so much," said Wyatt Waszo, a 21-year-old restaurant worker.- Fighting 'male malaise' -The macho movement goes far deeper than just Trump.Trump's claims about Democrats jettisoning masculinity and killing off male-dominated blue-collar professions like manufacturing and mining strike a chord in electorally strategic rust belt communities.And it's a message echoed on countless right-wing radio shows and influential podcasts about the so-called "male malaise."It's a backlash against globalism and the #MeToo and Black Lives Matter movements, said Kristin Kobes Du Mez, a professor of history and gender studies at Calvin University."Trump's game is playing into fears of losing what you have."Polling by nonpartisan researchers PerryUndem last year shows 82 percent of Republican men say society today punishes men "just for acting like men."Harris has so far notably avoided anchoring her campaign around the historic goal of a first female presidency. And Democrats hope her earthy running mate Tim Walz will help balance the ticket in the gender wars.The 60-year-old Minnesota governor may be a liberal, but it's the other half of his CV that the party thinks helps him most: military veteran, former school football coach, hunter and ice-fisherman.

At least a few times a week, when no elections are underway, the Maricopa County recorder’s office hosts tours of the Tabulation and Election Center, or MCTEC, a gray, one-story concrete fortress on the edge of downtown Phoenix where as many as 2.4 million ballots will be sorted and counted this fall. Ever since the [...]

Shutting off electricity was 'absolutely necessary,' say SCE officials. But, for residents, it was a tough blow.

Sen. Kelly denied that illegal immigrants were voting in U.S. elections when asked about a House-passed measure to require proof of citizenship to vote.

A conservative beer company announced that its limited-edition can showcasing former President Trump's reaction to being shot has surpassed $1 million in sales.

Aaron Willard will move from chief of staff to a senior advisor role.

The LSU Tigers take center stage in Week 1 when they square off against USC at Allegiant Stadium. The Top 25 clash will feature two of the more intriguing quarterbacks in the country, Miller Moss and Garrett Nussmeier, both of...

"He's an extremely disruptive person," McMaster said of the former president.

Flood gave attendees of a Lincoln town hall his views on everything from immigration to inflation, election security to digital currencies, and defended his support for former President Donald Trump.

Reps. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., and Jason Crow, D-Colo., are leading the official probe, which is being paralleled by an unsanctioned group of lawmakers and experts.

Dueling Monday events focused on the assassination attempt against former President Trump highlighted the challenge that the official House task force investigating the attack could have in keeping the effort bipartisan and apolitical. In its first in-person and public official action, members of the bipartisan task force toured the Butler, Pa., Farm Show site where [...]

More than five years after she left public office, former Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan appeared on the national stage Thursday to support Vice President Kamala Harris.

The kinetic energy powering Kamala Harris’ whirlwind presidential campaign carries the hopeful aspirations of history for many female voters.

The agency’s former director resigned after criticism of security lapses before the shooting.

The campaign said Harris would propose a new tax incentive for companies that build homes for first-time buyers

On this "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" broadcast, Sen. Mark Kelly and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear join Margaret Brennan.

If lawmakers pass additional property tax cuts in the multiday session that starts Aug. 26, a conservative group has agreed to withdraw two ballot initiatives filed for the November election that would go much farther.

Vice President Kamala Harris provided voters with an early look into her deft leadership style.

The Nebraska Supreme Court has set arguments later this month in a case over the constitutionality of a law intended to restore voting rights to felons in the state.

The Morning Digest is compiled by David Nir, Jeff Singer, and Stephen Wolf, with additional contributions from the Daily Kos Elections team.Have you seen our big, big news? Daily Kos Elections is becoming The Downballot! We’re a new, independent site, but our mission remains unchanged: shining a spotlight on the thousands of elections below the presidency—races that all too often get overlooked.You can read all about this announcement right here, and we’ve also prepared an FAQ. But if you have any questions, please fire away. Our operations are 100% reader-supported, so we hope you’ll subscribe today! Leading Off● FL State Senate: Next Tuesday's Republican primary for a dark red seat in the Florida state Senate is now one of the most expensive nomination contests for any office in the entire nation, as well as a proxy fight between Donald Trump and Gov. Ron DeSantis. Longtime state Democratic strategist Steve Schale tweeted Tuesday that more than $13 million has been spent on TV ads for the 7th District, which is more than all but three U.S. House primaries this year.Three candidates are facing off in this pricey battle to replace their fellow Republican, termed-out state Sen. Travis Hutson, in the 7th District in Florida’s northeast. State Rep. Tom Leek, who chairs the lower chamber's influential Appropriations Committee, sports endorsements from Hutson, DeSantis, U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, and other prominent state and local Republicans. There's long been talk that, if Leek wins a promotion to the upper chamber, he could eventually serve as Senate president. Leek's only primary opponent until two months ago was Gerry James, a former professional wrestler and ordained minister who lost to Hutson 56-44 in 2022 and struggled to match Leek in fundraising. Leek, though, spent weeks on the receiving end of attack ads from a group called The Truth Matters PAC before the third and final candidate, former St. Johns County Sheriff David Shoar, entered the race in June.Shoar, who served as the top lawman in the St. Augustine area from 2005 until his retirement in 2021, quickly began airing ads arguing that the race was a choice between a Trump-aligned Republican and Leek, whom he portrayed as insufficiently conservative. Leek argued in turn that Shoar was tricking voters by implying he had Trump's backing."He is not endorsed by President Trump," the representative told News4JAX in July. "That’s the deception that they’re putting out there to put out their candidate that will do whatever they want."Leek lost that line of argument earlier this month, however, when Trump endorsed Shoar. While Trump's Truth Social post did not mention either of his opponents, the Daytona Beach News-Journal's Mark Harper noted that Leek had endorsed DeSantis' doomed presidential bid the previous year.The two frontrunners and their respective allies have continued to spend millions against one another while largely ignoring James. Leek has in his corner the state branch of Americans for Prosperity, which has long been a key part of the Koch political network, as well as the Florida Chamber of Commerce.Shoar, meanwhile, has benefited from heavy spending from The Truth Matters PAC. Leek highlighted that this outfit is being funded by trial lawyers, a group he's often feuded with while in office. One of Leek's antagonists is John Morgan, the founder of the personal injury firm Morgan & Morgan and the face of this year's amendment campaign to legalize recreational marijuana in Florida. But the man who calls himself "Pot Daddy" is no fan of Leek, and not only because the state representative opposes Amendment 3.Leek, who is the top lawyer at an insurance agency, intensified the already public feud in May when his campaign accused Morgan of financing the attacks against him. Morgan responded by tweeting, "Rep. Tom Leek AKA Tom Leech has begun to attack me as he gears up for a Senate run. I don’t know why because I didn’t give a shit about his race. But now I do and he has awakened a sleeping dog."Morgan has spent the ensuing months making good on that threat, and he currently has a video pinned to his X page of him accusing Leek of passing a 2022 bill that now requires Floridians to "give your lawyer a piece of the money to fix your house, which means you won't have enough money to fix your house."Morgan went on to challenge Leek to a debate concerning homeowners insurance before adding, "You don't have the balls. Your balls—little BB balls—are on the desk of Charlie Lydecker, your employer at the insurance company." Leek's team quickly dismissed any talk that he'd accept 's challenge and highlighted his antagonist's contributions to Democrats. James, for his part, does not have well-heeled backers in his corner, though he's hoping that endorsements from figures like election conspiracy theorist Mike Lindell and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin will help him establish himself as an alternative to the "establishment."The Downballot● It's our biggest news in the 21 years since we began covering elections: Daily Kos Elections is striking out on its own to launch a new, independent site with a name that will be very familiar to our listeners. We're calling it The Downballot, but have no fear—we'll still be bringing you this podcast weekly! In fact, our mission isn't changing at all. To learn all about our new venture, including why we're making this change and what to expect, dive right into this week's episode.Most importantly, we're asking folks to support our work shedding light on critical but often overlooked downballot elections by becoming paid subscribers. You can do so right here: https://www.the-downballot.com/subscribeOf course, the world of election news hasn't slowed down one bit! Co-hosts David Nir and David Beard recap a pair of major losses for the GOP at the ballot box in Wisconsin, where Republicans tried to kneecap the state's Democratic governor via constitutional amendment. They also zoom in on Nebraska's swingy 2nd District, where a Democratic hopeful will soon get a boost from the very top of the ticket. And finally, they provide an update on the abortion rights amendment in Arizona, where the arch-conservative state Supreme Court could strike it from the ballot.Never miss an episode! Subscribe to "The Downballot" wherever you listen to podcasts. New episodes every Thursday morning!Governors● NJ-Gov: The influential Laborers’ International Union of North America announced this week that it would support Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill if she runs for governor of New Jersey next year. The New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein writes that LIUNA is one of the state's most prominent unions and has access to "one of the largest PACs in the building trades union sector."● UT-Gov: Sen. Mike Lee on Wednesday made it clear he was supporting Utah Gov. Spencer Cox even though Lee's fellow far-right Republican, state Rep. Phil Lyman, announced earlier in the week that he'd wage a write-in campaign. Lee did not directly mention Lyman, who lost the June GOP primary to Cox, even as he unsubtly tweeted, "The Primary is over ... We must defeat the Democrats by uniting behind our fellow Republicans."House● AZ-03: A Maricopa County judge has set an Aug. 20 hearing to announce the results of the automatic recount for the July 30 Democratic primary in Arizona's safely blue 3rd District. The results certified by the county show former Phoenix City Council member Yassamin Ansari with a 44.6-44.5 lead over former state Sen. Raquel Terán—a margin of 42 votes.● NH-02: Businessman Vikram Mansharamani this week publicized an endorsement from former Rep. Charlie Bass, who is the last Republican to represent New Hampshire's 2nd District, ahead of his Sept. 10 primary.Mansharamani ended June with more money available than any of the 13 Republicans running to succeed retiring Rep. Annie Kuster, the Democrat who unseated Bass in 2012. Joe Biden won this constituency by a solid 54-45 margin in 2020, though, and Republicans would need a lot to go right to flip it.Ballot Measures● AZ Ballot: The conservative majority on the Arizona Supreme Court sided with GOP legislators on Wednesday when it ruled they could describe a fetus as an "unborn human being" when summarizing the state's abortion rights amendment in the guide that will be mailed to all voters.Abortion rights opponents, though, are hoping the state's highest court will deliver them a much bigger victory later this month by keeping the amendment from even going before voters. Arizona Right to Life is arguing that a separate 200-word summary that is set to appear on the ballot is "inherently misleading and confusing." The group appealed after a lower court judge rejected this argument, and 12 News says that the courts have an Aug. 22 deadline to make final decisions on ballot measures.The state Supreme Court in 2018 kept an education tax measure from reaching the ballot determining it did not do enough to explain how it would function. The same body, however, allowed a similar measure to appear on the ballot two years later after concluding the summary "did not create a significant danger of confusion or unfairness." But while voters narrowly approved the plan, it was overturned in court after an unfavorable ruling from justices concerning state restrictions on education spending.● FL Ballot, FL-Sen: A pair of new Florida polls find that, while a majority of voters back the state's abortion rights amendment, it's a few points below the 60% it needs to pass. The Canadian firm Mainstreet Research's survey for Florida Atlantic University places Amendment 4 ahead 56-21, while Suffolk University's poll for USA TODAY and WSVN-TV has the "yes" side leading 58-35.Both polls also took a look at the battle to pass Amendment 3, which would legalize recreational legalization. Suffolk showed it passing 63-33, but Mainstreet placed "yes" ahead 56-29—still a few points short of the requisite 60%.Only Mainstreet's release included numbers for the likely matchup between GOP Sen. Rick Scott and former Democratic Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, and it gives the Republican a small 47-43 advantage. The firm's last poll in June placed Scott ahead 45-43, which was also one of the best results for Mucarsel-Powell we've seen.National Democrats, however, have yet to announce any major ad reservations in an expensive state that Donald Trump is still favored to win. Mainstreet finds him beating Kamala Harris 49-46, while Suffolk gives him a comparable 47-42 advantage. Mucarsel-Powell still needs to win next Tuesday's Democratic primary before she can fully focus on Scott, but there's little indication that she'll have any trouble. Her most prominent intraparty foe, businessman Stanley Campbell, saw his campaign manager quit two weeks ago over what she described as a disorganized effort.Poll PileMT-Sen: American Pulse Research and Polling (R) for KULR-TV: Tim Sheehy (R): 51, Jon Tester (D-inc): 45PA-Sen: Quinnipiac University: Bob Casey (D-inc): 52, Dave McCormick (R): 44 (50-47 Harris in two-way, 48-45 Harris with third-party candidates (Jan.: 53-43 Casey)The Montana poll did not include the two minor party candidates on the ballot. Ad RoundupMI-Sen: DSCC - anti-Mike Rogers (R); One Nation - anti-Elissa Slotkin (D); Great Lakes Conservative Fund - anti-SlotkinPA-Sen: Dave McCormick (R) - anti-Bob Casey (D-inc)WI-Sen: Eric Hovde (R) (here and here); One Nation - anti-Tammy Baldwin (D-inc) ($7.5 million buy)NH-Gov: Chuck Morse (R) - anti-Kelly Ayotte (R)CA-41: Americans 4 Security - anti-Will Rollins (D)MI-08: Paul Junge (R) - anti-Kristen McDonald Rivet (D); DCCC - anti-JungeNY-17: Mike Lawler (R-inc) and the NRCC (part of $5 million buy)PA-08: Rob Bresnahan (R) and the NRCCCampaign Action

The leaders of the House task force created to investigate the assassination attempt against former President Trump are feeling the time pressure to investigate the shooting in just a few short months — and keep the panel that got strikingly bipartisan support from succumbing to spectacle. Task force Chair Mike Kelly (R-Pa.) and ranking member [...]

Sen. JD Vance went after the Harris campaign over fallout from her choice of running mate during an appearance in Wisconsin on Wednesday.

ATLANTA (AP) — The most turbulent presidential campaign in generations is now set to play out as a 90-day sprint across two fronts: the Rust Belt and the Sun Belt.

After an introduction from Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, she and Walz made their joint debut at a rally Tuesday evening in Philadelphia, kicking off their battleground state tour.

Liberal Democrats are all cheers after Kamala Harris tapped Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate Tuesday, hailing the decision as a victory for progressive policy ideals that will invigorate the party’s base heading into November’s elections. Walz had built a moderate record during his 12 years representing a rural district in the U.S. [...]

CONCORD — Political observers agree Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris’s selection of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to be her running mate was a safe choice, but not one likely to help Democrats win the swing states that will decide a...

CONCORD — Political observers agree Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris’s selection of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to be her running mate was a safe choice, but not one likely to help Democrats win the swing states that will decide a...

Shawn Fain has become a top nemesis of the Republican presidential nominee, who frequently rails against him at rallies and in speeches.

Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe Jr. revealed the Butler rally was the first event where Secret Service counter snipers were deployed to former President Trump's detail.

He remains on the short list for Democratic vice president candidate as Kamala Harris prepares to announce her running mate.

The Pennsylvania governor is facing renewed scrutiny over how his office handled allegations of sexual harassment

Donald Trump's campaign intervened in the non-profit Heritage Foundation's "Project 2025" to shut down the operation after it began reflecting badly on his candidacy. Non-profits are prohibited from coordinating with political campaigns, the IRS website says. Trump's campaign immediately released a furious statement saying they had nothing to do with plan director Paul Dans' ousting. "Trump Campaign issues a nasty statement after Project 2025 Director resigns, which clearly proves they were the ones who demanded it and are only upset about it because it was so unpopular with the public," quipped MeidasTouch editor Ron Filipkowski.Read also: ‘Creepy weirdos’: Senator fears Trump WH staff would destroy government from ‘inside’Indeed, the angry statement continued to deny any involvement. "President Trump’s campaign has been very clear for over a year that Project 2025 had nothing to do with the campaign, did not speak for the campaign, and should not associated with the campaign or the President in any way," the statement from the campaign said.“Reports of Project 2025’s demise would be greatly welcomed and should serve as notice to anyone or any group trying to misrepresent their influence with President Trump and his campaign— it will not end well for you," it also claimed. Meanwhile, Heritage Foundation director Kevin Roberts said in comments on X that Project 2025 is still alive and well, and so is Dans. He's merely moving to a different role. It prompted political analysts and experts to quickly post the gif from "The Brady Bunch Movie" with Marsha saying, "Sure, Jan.""It's just too little too late," was another gif posted by national security lawyer Bradley Moss. Others pointed out Trump's frequent denial that he had nothing to do with Project 2025 and knew nothing about it. The fact that his campaign was involved in shoving Dans out would not only cause tax status for the Heritage Foundation. "So, Paul Dans of the Heritage Foundation is OUT," posted Lincoln Project co-founder Rick Wilson on X. "Dans was a key author of Project 2025. It's almost as if...and say it with me, folks...Everything Trump Touches Dies.""In a desperate attempt to distance himself from Project 2025, Trump is threatening 'it will not end well for' anyone calling out his ties to that MAGA manifesto," The Lincoln Project said in a comment from the group. "Anyways, here's a thread of all the Project 2025 creators Trump claims he doesn't know, but have ties to his admin."Former short-lived White House communications director and one-Trump adviser Anthony Scaramucci also mocked the statement. "Guys we were just kidding our full on rascist fascist movement (Project 2025) isn’t popular so we are going to pretend it doesn’t exist. The lies will continue until morale improves. Trump is going to lose the election. Cry now to prepare yourself," he posted on X. "They’ll take pieces of it and just move it into the campaign. The unpopular stuff they’ll pretend it never existed and Trump will continue to distance himself. Bad dudes," he also said.Reporter Brian Karem agreed, noting, "in the best MAGA/Project 2025 fashion threatens anyone who won't buy their latest b.s. by saying it 'won't end well' for them. The tragic, dark comedy of MAGA continues."

Donald Trump's running mate Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) has a long history of calling childless Americans "sociopaths," according to a new analysis. CNN uncovered Tuesday multiple moments when Trump's running mate — facing a severe backlash for his "childless cat lady" comment — accused people without children of being psychotic. "How many of the insane replies to this tweet are from people without children?" Vance wrote in 2021. “Our country’s low birth rates have made many elites sociopaths."Vance called childless Americans “more sociopathic” and less “less mentally stable" on a conservative podcast in November 2020, CNN reports.“The people who are most deranged and most psychotic are people who don’t have kids at home," Vance said on the Chris Buskirk show. "I worry that it makes people more sociopathic and ultimately our whole country a little bit less, less mentally stable.”Senate campaign emails from August 2021 warned against “radical childless leaders in this country" who wanted to inflict their own misery on others. "We’ve allowed ourselves to be dominated by childless sociopaths — they’re invested in NOTHING because they’re not invested in this country’s children," the email reads.ALSO READ: Boebert, MTG and far-fight friends derail Speaker Mike Johnson’s summer plansVance spokesperson Taylor Van Kirk called the media obsessed in response to CNN's request for comment. “As [Senator Vance] has clearly stated, he was talking about politicians on the left who support policies that are explicitly anti-child and anti-family," Van Kirk told CNN. "The media can obsess over it all they want, but he’s not going to back down when it comes to advocating for policies that protect parental rights and encourage people to have more kids.”Vance in 2021 argued the comments were not misogynistic because his policies help "working women, too," CNN reports. Two years earlier, in a 2019 speech, Vance bemoaned declining fertility."I would say that we should care about declining fertility, not just because it’s bad for our economy," Vance said. "We think babies are good and we think babies are good because we’re not sociopaths.”Vance echoed his notorious cat lady comment on Twitter in September 2021, writing that they "must be stopped."

Kari Lake, Abe Hamadeh, Blake Masters, and scores of other politicians will be on ballots in two of America's 'A' states—in a prelude to November.

More than 50 labor leaders voiced support behind Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro over the weekend despite the politician's stance on school vouchers.

Slayer Pete is back!

Kamala Harris recently entered into the 2024 race and the media's coverage between the two tickets is starkly different, some say "weird."

Mercury News Letters to the Editor for July 30, 2024

Former President Donald Trump agreed to be interviewed by the FBI as part of an investigation into his attempted assassination in Pennsylvania this month, a special agent said Monday.

Congressional leaders on Monday named Colorado's U.S. Rep. Jason Crow to a bipartisan House task force charged with investigating the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.

Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.) on Monday pledged to fund a "parallel independent investigation" into the attempted assassination of former President Trump, expressing disappointment at not being selected to sit on the task force to investigate the rally shooting. Speaker Johnson (R-La.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) earlier on Monday announced the 13 members [...]