Senators JD Vance and Marco Rubio Send Letter to U.S. Census Bureau About Its Plan of Adding Gender, Sexuality Questions for Those Ages 15 and Up

The U.S. Census Bureau is under fire for embracing progressive ideology around gender and sexuality and pushing for taxpayer dollars to fund it.

U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and JD Vance, R-Ohio, sent a letter to the U.S. Census Bureau Director Robert Santos calling on him to rescind its plan to incorporate a gender identity and sexuality questions to the American Community Survey, which goes to more than 3.5 million Americans each year.

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The Battle for Virginia: Youngkin Falls Short as Democrats Take Both Chambers

Virginia’s Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin failed in his epic attempt to put both legislative chambers of the General Assembly under GOP control, closing out November 7, Election Day, one of the boldest campaigns in the modern history of the Old Dominion’s off-cycle elections.

As of deadline, Democrats took back control of the House of Delegates with 51 seats to 47 for Republicans. This is a flip from the 52-48 edge Republicans enjoyed since the 2021 election.

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In Battle for Control of Virginia Legislature, Republicans Test New Commitment to Early Voting

Early voting has become a central issue in the Virginia legislature election, which is set to conclude on Tuesday and determine whether Gov. Glenn Youngkin will have a Republican majority to pass legislation.

The state Senate is currently controlled by Democrats, 22-18, with the state House controlled by Republicans, after winning 52 seats in 2021 to Democrats’ 48, according to Ballotpedia. Republicans gained control of the state House in 2021, when Youngkin won the governorship, Winsome Earle-Sears won the election for lieutenant governor, and Jason Miyares won the attorney general race.

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Pennsylvania Set to Receive $4 Million for Rural ‘Renewable Energy’ Projects

On the heels of $22 million in federal cash for energy efficiency projects, Pennsylvania will get another $4 million more.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that $3.6 million will support another 30 projects for efficiency upgrades and renewable energy projects “to lower energy costs, generate new income, and strengthen the resiliency of their operations in rural Pennsylvania.”

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Never-Trump Republican and Former Michigan U.S. Rep. Peter Meijer Launches Bid to Replace Retiring Senator Debbie Stabenow

Former Republican Rep. Peter Meijer announced his candidacy Monday for outgoing Democratic Michigan Rep. Debbie Stabenow’s seat in 2024.

Meijer already had an exploratory committee for the seat that he launched in late August, where he was able to raise funds ahead of an official run. The former congressman wrote in a campaign press release that he believes he is the Republican with “the best chance” of winning the Democratic-held seat, where he will face several opponents in a crowded GOP primary.

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Police Officers from Other States Flock to Florida for Bonus Program

Gov. Ron DeSantis’ police recruitment program, launched last year, has now drawn police officers from all 50 states and two U.S. territories to relocate to Florida.

Recruits have either moved to Florida or joined the profession since Florida launched its Law Enforcement Recruitment Bonus Program last year. This year, the legislature allocated additional funding to expand and continue the program.

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Fulton County Jail Overcrowding Costly to Taxpayers

Overcrowding at the Fulton County jail costs taxpayers millions of dollars on top of making for a dangerous environment.

“There’s a fiscal impact of the overcrowding,” Amelia Joiner, chief counsel to Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat, told the Fulton County Jail Subcommittee. “It’s caused an increase in medical costs, food costs; we’ve had to contract and hire supplemental security. Our staff has to spend more of their off time supporting the jail and making sure that it is as safe as we can have it.”

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Virginia Rep. Introduces Bill That Prevents Federal Funds from Going to Biden’s Top Climate Programs

Republican Rep. Bob Good of Virginia introduced a bill on Friday that would prevent the use of federal funds on two of President Joe Biden’s top climate programs, according to a copy of the bill obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation.

The No American Climate Corps Act would prohibit the Biden administration from deploying federal funds to bankroll the American Climate Corps program and the Justice40 Initiative; both programs are signature elements of Biden’s sweeping climate agenda. The American Climate Corps is a green jobs training program, while the Justice40 Initiative fuses principles of social justice into the administration’s massive green spending, establishing an administration-wide goal to have 40% of the overall benefits of climate spending flow to “disadvantaged communities.”

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Disbarment Trial of Trump’s Former Attorney John Eastman Concludes, Written Closing Statements Remain

The disbarment trial of former President Donald Trump’s previous attorney and constitutional legal scholar, John Eastman, wrapped up on Friday, the 33rd day. California Bar Disciplinary Judge Yvette Roland found him “culpable” on Thursday and gave his attorneys and the State Bar of California until November 22 to submit written closing statements.

The parties presented aggravating and mitigating testimony on Thursday and Friday, which Roland will use to consider whether to fully disbar Eastman.

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Abortion Looms Large in Virginia’s General Election

The issue of abortion has loomed large in this year’s General Assembly general election, as Virginia is the only state in the South not to impose additional restrictions on abortion after the release of the Dobbs decision.

As Virginia has a chance of a Republican trifecta after Nov. 7, Democrats this election season have captured national attention as they fight to preserve abortion freedoms in the state. 

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Youngkin ‘Fires’ Eventbrite After App Cancels Riley Gaines, Promotes Hamas

The Republican governor of Virginia directed his political organization and official staff to stop using the Eventbrite app after the company dumped a speaking engagement by superstar swimmer and feminist Riley Gaines—all the while, they promoted events supporting Hamas and its October 7 attacks on the Jewish State.

“As governor, I have told our political committee that we will no longer use Eventbrite. The governor’s office is no longer using Eventbrite,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin on the October 30 edition of the Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show.

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Minnesota Democratic Senator Headlines Event Alongside Linda Sarsour

A Minnesota state senator recently headlined the Council on American-Islamic Relations’ (CAIR) annual banquet alongside Lindsa Sarsour, a controversial political activist with a history of making comments that many view as anti-Semitic.

State Sen. Zaynab Mohamed, DFL-Minneapolis, posted a picture to X, formerly Twitter, of her posing with Sarsour at the Virginia-based event. The Oct. 21 banquet was originally scheduled to take place at the Marriott Crystal Gateway in Arlington, Va., but was moved to a different location because of “significant risks to the safety of event attendees,” the Washington Free Beacon reported.

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The Battle for Virginia: Youngkin Blasts Pro-Hamas College Students

The Republican governor of Virginia told the host of “Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo” he wants answers regarding why someone is teaching college students to support Hamas—not Israel—after the October 7 attacks on the Jewish State.

“The bottom line is I question what’s being taught on these college campuses. If we have students that don’t fully understand the brutality of a terrorist group,” said Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who is limited to one term.

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Georgia Power Needs More Fossil Fuels as Electric Vehicle Plants Generate ‘Extraordinary Economic Growth’

Georgia Power is asking the state’s Public Service Commission (PSC) for permission to generate more electricity from fossil fuels on Friday, citing demand for energy that is 17 times higher than they expected in 2022.

The company cited Georgia’s “extraordinary economic growth” as “one of the fastest growing states in the country” in an update to its 2023 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), which explained the company will need extra funding due to the “significantly increased” energy needs of businesses “bringing electrical loads at a scale” that demands additional capacity.

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Arizona’s Kari Lake Endorsed by Texas Republicans Ken Paxton, Chad Prather

Kari Lake secured endorsements from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) and former Texas gubernatorial candidate Chat Prather for her 2024 bid to represent Arizona in the U.S. Senate, with both men endorsing Lake by Monday.

Prather, who railed against establishment Republicans when he unsuccessfully challenged Texas Governor Greg Abbott in the 2022 Republican Primary, endorsed Lake on Sunday according to Lake’s social media, with Prather reportedly saying she “will make a phenomenal senator.”

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State Republicans Push Free Speech Punishments for University of Wisconsin Schools

Republicans at the Wisconsin Capitol say students need free speech protections on University of Wisconsin campuses.

The Assembly Committee on Colleges and University held a public hearing on a pair of plans Republicans say will not only make sure the Universities of Wisconsin are respecting the First Amendment but will also open the campus to more students.

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Florida State Senate Minority Leader Files Pro-Abortion Legislation

Florida’s Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book has filed three pro-abortion bills for the 2024 legislative season.

Senate Bill 256 focuses on crisis pregnancy centers – clinics that provide a variety of reproductive services for free to the community, including prenatal care and anti-abortion counseling. The clinics are not required to be licensed or inspected and Book, D-Plantation, wants regulation.

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Attorney General Skrmetti Leading Coalition of More than 40 States in Suing Meta over Children’s Mental Health

Tennessee’s Attorney General is leading a bipartisan coalition of 42 states in suing Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, alleging that Instagram causes mental health harms to its young users.

“Meta has known for years that Instagram causes psychological harm to young users,” said General Skrmetti in a Tuesday press release. “Rather than take steps to reduce or disclose the harm, Meta leaned further in to its profit-maximizing approach that hurts kids.  Targeting kids with a harmful product and lying about its safety violates the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act. Meta knows every last design decision that made Instagram addictive to kids and that means it knows exactly how to fix the problem. We’re suing to make the company fix the problem.”

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Florida Legislature Calls Special Session to Pass Additional Sanctions on Iran

The Florida Legislature has called a special legislative session to expand sanctions on Iran, express support for Israel and advance several legislative priorities.

Senate President Kathleen Passidomo and House Speaker Paul Renner issued a joint proclamation on Friday outlining eight agenda items including prioritizing tax relief and other financial assistance related to damages resulting from Hurricane Idalia. Other items on the agenda include expanding funding for recovery efforts related to natural disasters and expanding school choice for students with special needs.

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New Law Requires Filtered Water Filling Stations in Michigan Schools

Schools through Michigan must test for lead in water and install wall-mounted water filtration systems after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed three bills into law.

House Bill 4341, HB 4342 and Senate Bill 88 establish the new mandates, and installation of new filter systems is covered by an $600 million state budget appropriation dedicated toward clean water access and rebuilding sewage lines.

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Arizona Democrats Silent After Rep. Gallego Refuses Questions over Israel and Palestine Record

The Arizona Democratic Party (AZDP) did not respond to a comment request from The Arizona Sun Times on Monday after news of its $10,000 donation to the Senate campaign of Representative Ruben Gallego (D-AZ-03) broke the same day the Senate candidate refused to answer questions about his voting record on Palestine and Israel.

Gallego was captured refusing to answer five questions about his votes that would either provide aid to the Hamas terrorist group or deny aid to Israel on Thursday in a video uploaded to social media by the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC).

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Georgia Politician Loses Title in Official Sanction After She Allegedly Fabricated Date Rape Drug Story

A member of the Clayton County Commission was stripped of her title on Monday as part of an official sanction after her claims of being slipped the date rape drug at a Morrow bar were contradicted by a police investigation and video that appeared to show her consume at least five alcoholic drinks before losing consciousness.

The Clayton County Commission unanimously voted to sanction Commissioner Felicia Franklin and strip her from the vice chairman position, The Atlanta Journal Constitution reported. Franklin did not attend the meeting or participate in the vote.

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Michigan State Suspends Employee Who Showed Hitler Image on Football Videoboard

A Michigan State University (MSU) employee was suspended Sunday after allowing an image of Adolf Hitler to be shown on the university’s scoreboard, according to The Associated Press.

The video was shown prior to Saturday’s rivalry football game between MSU and the University of Michigan, according to the AP. Alan Haller, MSU’s vice president and director of Athletics, released a statement Monday confirming that the employee had been suspended without pay and was under investigation, noting that the MSU athletics department failed to check the entire video before it was approved.

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Virginia Voters Split: General Assembly Battle Poll Shows Democrats, Republicans in Virtual Tie

Control of the commonwealth’s General Assembly is up for grabs, with 42 percent of voters choosing Democrats, 41 percent choosing Republicans, according to a poll conducted by the Wason Center for Civic Leadership September 28 through October 11 of 800 likely voters.

The poll carries a 4-percentage point margin of error, putting the battle for the state house at a virtual tie.

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Atlanta Public Safety Training Center Nearly Halfway Complete, Mayor Claims

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said on Thursday that the city’s new Public Safety Training Center is about 40 percent complete, and he expects construction on the site’s buildings will begin in January.

Dickens told the Buckhead Young Republicans that the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center is nearly halfway complete, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The training center is located in Buckhead, the uptown commercial and residential district of Atlanta that has sought to become its own city, and the outlet noted that 61 percent of residents supported its construction in a March poll. 

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Ohio Business Group Energized by Planned Hydrogen Hub

A nearly $1 billion federal investment of taxpayer dollars in the Appalachian region has business leaders in Ohio excited about the potential for clean energy.

The Appalachian Hydrogen Hub, part of a larger $7 billion announcement late last week from the Biden administration, plans Ohio nodes in Ashtabula, Canton and Hopedale, all linked to nodes in West Virginia, Kentucky and Pennsylvania.

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Senate Republican Conference Chair Endorses Kari Lake, Predicts She ‘Will Shine Brightly for Arizona’

Arizona Senate candidate Kari Lake received a key endorsement on Monday from Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), the chair of the Senate Republican Conference, after officially announcing her candidacy for the U.S. Senate last week. In a statement to The Arizona Sun Times, Lake said she looks forward to working with Barrasso and other Senate Republicans with whom she shares priorities.

Barrasso said “Kari Lake will shine brightly for Arizona,” according to a statement obtained by German-owned Politico. Barrasso called lake “a generational communicator who is giving voice to Arizona citizens,” and said she “is in this race to make Arizona and America stronger.”

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Back Off: Goochland CA Caudill Tells The Virginia Star He Won’t Kiss Sheriff’s Ring

The Republican Goochland County commonwealth’s attorney running for another four-year term told The Virginia Star his feud with Sheriff Steven N. Creasey has political significance but has not hindered his ability to prosecute crimes in the county.

The trouble started in the 2019 election, said D. Michael Caudill, who faces Creasey’s endorsed candidate, attorney John Lumpkins, in the general election.

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Ohio House Passes Bill Focused on Providing Property Tax Relief

The Ohio House of Representatives passed a bill this week focused on providing property tax relief to Ohioans.

If enacted, the Ohio Homeowners Relief Act would modify the procedures used by the tax commissioner to conduct property tax sales assessment ratio studies. Specifically, the bill would require the commissioner to work alongside local elected officials and weigh the past three years of a county’s property values in order to determine property taxes instead of just one.

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Georgia State Senator Caught in Israel During Hamas Attack Praises Israelis for ‘Protecting Americans’

Georgia State Senator Russ Goodman (R-Cogdell) was in Israel with his mother on October 7, when Hamas fighters launched a horrific surprise attack on the country, and told The Georgia Star News he was thankful for Israelis for “protecting Americans” caught in the conflict.

In a statement released Thursday, Goodman relayed his first hand experiences “being in Israel while Hamas terrorists launched a sickening attack that killed hundreds of innocent Israelis,” and described “hearing the rockets fired from the Iron Dome to automatic weapon fire heard near our hotel,” as his  “ex-military Israeli guide” refused to leave his family “even as rockets landed within 200 yards of his home with his wife and children there.” The senator said he witnessed “the very best of the Israeli people,” and the experience left him convinced of “the bond that our freedom-loving countries share.”

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President of Wisconsin Right to Life Files Second Complaint Against Planned Parenthood Abortionists

Wisconsin Right to Life state Director Dan Miller has filed a second round of complaints with the Wisconsin Medical Examining Board demanding that the agency investigate Wisconsin doctors illegally performing abortions in defiance of state law.

Miller filed his first complaints late last month after Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin announced it would resume abortions at its Madison and Milwaukee clinics.

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‘Woke’ and ‘Sexual’ Books Found in 2nd Grade Classroom Library in Fountain Hills

A parent of a child in second grade attending McDowell Mountain Elementary School in the Fountain Hills Unified School District was appalled to discover over 10 books in the classroom library inappropriate for children that age. The parent, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation, informed Fountain Hills City Councilman Allen Skillicorn, who referred to the books “woke” and “sexual.” 

“As I finished my parent teacher conferences last week, my attention went to the classroom library section of the room,” the parent said. “I often wonder how teachers pick the books to line their classroom shelves. One particular SECOND GRADE classroom in the Fountain Hills Unified School District had the following books in their classroom library:

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Leftist Metro Nashville Leaders Silent on Socialists Anti-Israel Rally for Palestine

Metro Nashville Councilman Sean Parker is a founding member of the Democratic Socialists of America-Middle Tennessee Chapter, which has scheduled a rally for Palestine on Saturday afternoon in downtown Nashville.

The “Emergency Rally for Gaza,” scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m. in front of the Estes Kefauver Federal Building on Broadway, will be held exactly one week after the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas attacked Israel from the Gaza Strip and raped, tortured and systematically murdered 1,300 Israelis, most of them innocent civilians.

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Georgia Senators File Ethics Complaint Against Fani Willis, Allege She ‘Cherry-Picked’ Cases over Personal Politics

Eight Georgia Senators have filed a formal ethics complaint against Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, alleging she prioritized cases based on her political ideology. The senators, all Republicans, filed the complaint on October 1 with the new Prosecuting Attorneys Qualification Commission.

The complaint, which was first reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, has the support of Republican leadership in the Senate. The senators allege Willis “prioritized cases that align with her political party’s interests,” and ““improperly cherry-picked cases to further her personal political agenda,” according to The Messenger. While the complaint does not name former President Donald Trump, who was indicted by Willis in August, it does reference the 10 detainees who have died this year at Fulton County Jail while awaiting trial.

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Florida Supreme Court Ponders Definition of a Riot in 2021 State Law

The Florida Supreme Court is pondering the definition of a riot related to a law passed in 2021 designed to prevent violent protests like those seen in 2020 after the death of George Floyd.

Gov. Ron DeSantis, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, Leon County Sheriff Walt McNeil, Jacksonville/Duval County Sheriff Mike Williams, and Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony were named as defendants in the 2021 lawsuit filed by Dream Defenders and other social justice groups including Black Lives Matter.

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Rep. Eli Crane Leads Three Arizona Republicans in Warning New EPA Rule Will Increase Water Rates

Four of Arizona’s congressional Republicans submitted a letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Friday, warning that a new rule about so-called “forever chemicals” will result in higher water rates and legal liability for Arizona businesses.

Representative Eli Crane (R-AZ-02) was joined by Representatives Andy Biggs (R-AZ-05), Paul Gosar (R-AZ-04), and Debbie Lesko (R-AZ-08) in a letter requesting the EPA modify its new rule to keep Arizonan citizens and businesses from bearing “the economic burden of any necessary remediation when they have had no association with water pollution.”

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