Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., and Democratic challenger Adam Hamilton sparred over President Donald Trump, immigration, Iran, transgender athletes, artificial intelligence and personal controversies during a contentious Kansas Senate debate Wednesday night.

The hour-long showdown came less than two weeks before Election Day as Marshall seeks a second term and Hamilton, a longtime pastor, tries to become the first Democrat elected to the U.S. Senate from Kansas since 1932.

The race has drawn increased national attention as Republicans and Democrats battle for control of the Senate, with Trump traveling to Kansas earlier this week to campaign for Marshall – a topic touched on during the debate.

Here are five moments that stood out from Wednesday night's debate.

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Debate opens with candidates confronted over personal controversies

The debate wasted little time getting contentious, opening with questions about controversies that have fueled attacks against both candidates.

Marshall was confronted with a New York Times review that found his former medical practice sued more than 700 patients over unpaid bills.

"Every year we gave away $3 to $4 million of charity, but we also had a business," Marshall responded. "We had 300 employees, we had a mortgage payment, we had electric."

Hamilton, meanwhile, was questioned about his handling of allegations involving a volunteer at his church's summer camp who was accused of sexual abuse.

Hamilton acknowledged that he should have ensured the individual did not return to the camp following an initial investigation.

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"I should have checked to make sure that he wasn't going back," Hamilton said. "That was a mistake on my part."

Marshall says 'President Trump is not always right'

Trump became part of the debate after moderators played footage from the president's campaign appearance for Marshall in Kansas earlier in the week.

"And at this election, I'm asking you to pretend, please, that I'm on the ballot. Just pretend," Trump told the crowd.

Marshall was then asked whether Trump's support meant Kansans should expect him to back every part of the president's agenda.

"No," Marshall responded, saying there had been "multiple times" when he objected to Trump.

Pressed to identify a specific disagreement, Marshall pointed to recent immigration enforcement in southwest Kansas and Trump's approach to beef imports.

"Just like with my wife, I can disagree with her. My wife is always right," Marshall joked. "And President Trump is not always right."

Marshall nevertheless urged Trump voters to turn out for him, arguing that electing Hamilton could help Democrats capture the Senate.

Both candidates say there are 'two genders'

The two rivals found themselves in agreement when the moderator asked each candidate how many genders there are.

"There's two. There's a boy and there's a girl," Marshall said. "I delivered 5,000 of them and almost half were boys and half were girls."

"There are two genders, male and female," Hamilton responded.

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The candidates then turned to the debate over transgender participation in women's sports.

Hamilton said decisions over athletic eligibility should generally be made locally but was unequivocal about whether biological males should compete against females.

"I have a 12-year-old granddaughter. I don't want biological men or boys competing against her that could harm her," Hamilton said. "It's not a fair, fair fight."

Marshall argued that by high school, "boys need to be in boys sports, girls in girls sports," while accusing national Democrats of pushing "transgender ideology."

Hamilton later accused Marshall of using the issue to "pick on" and "bully" people.

Hamilton calls AI an 'existential threat' — but can't name regulations he'd support

Hamilton called for greater federal oversight of artificial intelligence and compared the emerging technology to the development of nuclear power and nuclear weapons.

"We developed a Nuclear Regulatory Commission. We need to do the same thing with AI," Hamilton said.

But when the moderator pressed him to identify specific federal regulations he would support, Hamilton acknowledged he did not yet have an answer.

"You know what? I'm not sure, to be honest," Hamilton said, arguing that even experts are struggling to understand the technology's potential dangers.

Marshall advocated a "light touch" approach focused on national security, transparency, protecting children and privacy, while slamming a one-size-fits-all global order for artificial intelligence advancement.

Hamilton pushed back sharply.

"This is an existential – potential existential threat to the human race," Hamilton said. "We can't just go with a light touch and hope everybody does their best."

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Hamilton calls Biden's border policies a 'disaster'

Hamilton sought to put distance between himself and former President Joe Biden when moderators challenged the Democrat over his claim that he would "lead from the middle."

The moderator pointed to Hamilton's past donations to Democrats, including Biden, former Vice President Kamala Harris and Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kan., before asking him to identify a progressive policy he opposed.

"The Biden policies when it came to the border were a disaster," Hamilton responded. "I believe in strong and secure borders."

"I'm not somebody who favors the Socialist Party," Hamilton added. "I'm somebody who stands in the middle."

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Hamilton also reiterated during the debate that he would not support Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer for majority leader if Democrats capture control of the chamber.

Former San Jose State University (SJSU) volleyball coach Melissa Batie-Smoose alleges a school official told her transgender player Blaire Fleming could not compete at one point during the 2023 season because Fleming’s testosterone level exceeded the eligibility limit.

In a new interview with OutKick, Batie-Smoose, who is now the head volleyball coach at Cisco College, claimed SJSU associate athletics director Laura Alexander informed her of Fleming's failed test before the women’s volleyball team left for its first conference match.

"So it was told to me by our associate AD, confirming to me that Fleming was not showing up for the test, the blood test," Batie-Smoose said.

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"And that Fleming had one day left before we were going to leave for our first conference match, and that he needed to come in and test. And then, then she proceeded to tell me the next day that after the test, that the testosterone levels were too high, and Fleming is ineligible to play and will not be going on the trip that day."

The coach added that the alleged failed test was kept "a secret" from the rest of the team.

The allegation also appears in Batie-Smoose’s Oct. 13 federal lawsuit against the California State University (CSU) trustees and 11 SJSU employees.

Fleming then missed a long stretch of the 2023 season. SJSU’s athletics website claimed the player had not competed since Sept. 16 of that year "due to injuries," in a November 2023 game recap.

Batie-Smoose said, "The injury happened the day that Fleming went to go get tested, and it was very questionable."

Batie-Smoose believes the injury explanation helped keep the alleged eligibility issue secret. Her lawsuit also describes that conclusion as her belief.

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"Around the same time the testosterone results were revealed, Fleming thereafter missed conference matches because of a reported hand injury, which Plaintiff believes was an excuse to hide his ineligibility to play because of his hormone level," the lawsuit states.

SJSU's own game records confirm that Fleming missed matches, but they do not establish whether a testosterone test result played a role in the absence.

In 2023, NCAA rules allowed transgender women to play on women’s teams, but they had to meet requirements for hormone treatment and testosterone levels. The NCAA kept that policy, known as Phase Two, in place through the 2023–24 school year.

Under that framework, transgender women had to complete at least one year of testosterone suppression treatment before competing on a women’s team. They also had to provide blood-test results that met the NCAA’s limit for their sport. For women’s volleyball, the Phase Two limit was below 10 nanomoles per liter of total testosterone in the blood.

The requirements applied before an athlete’s first competition in each season segment, including nonconference games. Schools had to submit eligibility documents for an NCAA medical panel to review before the athlete competed. The requirement did not begin only when conference play started.

Schools also had to certify athletes’ eligibility before allowing them to compete. If an athlete became ineligible, NCAA rules required the school to immediately keep that athlete out of competition.

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Batie-Smoose’s account does not establish that Fleming played while ineligible. Fleming did return in November of that season, missing 17 matches.

SJSU has declined to respond to a request for clarification.

"Due to pending litigation, San Jose State is unable to respond to your inquiry," a university spokesperson told OutKick.

OutKick also reached out to Fleming, the NCAA, the Mountain West and the CSU for comment, but did not receive a response.

Batie-Smoose’s allegations extend beyond Fleming’s eligibility. She also says her relationship with head coach Todd Kress unraveled as their political views grew apart — and accuses him of using her support for Trump to turn players against her.

She described Kress as a longtime friend who once shared her conservative beliefs.

"Todd was a conservative Republican, and we shared the same views on a lot of things. And that’s why we were friends for so long," she said. "And then somewhere in the craziness, he went left and really extreme left."

Asked when she noticed that change, Batie-Smoose said it happened "before the first Trump election."

The two continued discussing politics, she said. But she alleges Kress began raising their differences in front of athletes, crossing a boundary she wanted to keep between their personal disagreements and their coaching jobs.

"Oh, yeah. We talked about politics all the time," she said. "You know, once he turned, it was more, um, he would bring it up in settings that I felt like it was very inappropriate."

"We can talk and debate on those subjects when we’re in a room together, but not in front of student athletes. I feel like that is not the time and the place to speak on that."

Batie-Smoose said the treatment intensified after they arrived at SJSU in 2023. She believes Kress brought up her political and religious views to mock her and weaken her relationships with the team.

"Especially once we arrived at San Jose State, and I’ve referred to this before, this man was unrecognizable," she said.

She alleged that Kress knew which players would object to her views and raised the subject in front of them to create division.

Asked whether Kress told those players that he had once held similar conservative beliefs, Batie-Smoose replied: "Oh, no way. No way. He would never state that."

She said she did not share his past political views with the athletes herself.

"I do not talk about those things in front of athletes ever," she said.

Her lawsuit alleges that Kress called her a "Trump lover." It also says she repeatedly expressed her religious belief that "God made man and woman," and that she believes his treatment reflected hostility toward her faith.

She further alleges that he cornered and berated her during an office confrontation in about August 2023, after a canceled recruiting visit. The complaint says he threatened that he could get her fired.

Batie-Smoose says she reported the encounter to administrators and human resources. She alleges they told her Kress was her boss and she needed to listen to him.

Her attorney, Vernadette Broyles, described what she sees as a broader effort to silence her client.

"There was a watchdog that was assigned to be at every practice and to travel with Melissa to watch what she said, to watch what she did," Broyles said.

The lawsuit identifies a university administrator in connection with that allegation. The complaint presents the claimed purpose as Batie-Smoose’s belief.

CSU has defended its handling of Batie-Smoose in its March lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education.

The employment dispute grew as the volleyball controversy spread.

During the 2024 season, former SJSU co-captain Slusser publicly challenged Fleming’s participation, and several opponents refused to play against SJSU. Batie-Smoose filed a Title IX complaint Oct. 29 alleging unequal treatment and failures to address concerns inside the program.

SJSU placed Batie-Smoose on paid leave days later. Its suspension letter cited several grounds, including alleged disclosure of private student information, differential treatment of athletes and unprofessional conduct. Batie-Smoose disputes those grounds.

On Jan. 31, 2025, the university told her it would not renew her temporary appointment. Batie-Smoose then filed an employment lawsuit against SJSU last September.

Then, this year, on Sept. 4, Judge Noël Wise dismissed her second amended complaint in an earlier employment case. Wise found that her allegations did not adequately show that SJSU punished her because of her sex or for raising complaints protected by law. The judge emphasized the complaint’s account that SJSU acted after she shared student information with the media despite instructions to keep it confidential.

Wise allowed her to amend. The ruling addressed whether that complaint stated a valid legal claim. It did not decide the dispute after a trial.

The October filing accuses officials of violating her rights to speak, practice her faith and hold political beliefs. It also alleges unequal treatment under the law. Batie-Smoose seeks reinstatement or a comparable job, compensation and correction of adverse personnel records.

Federal investigators have separately challenged SJSU’s handling of the volleyball program.

In January, the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights concluded that the school violated Title IX over athletic participation, facilities and its response to complaints. The agency also raised concerns about unequal treatment in employment, while acknowledging that incomplete records limited its conclusions.

CSU disputes the federal findings. The system sued the Education Department in March, arguing that SJSU followed the law and NCAA rules that governed the seasons under review.

Batie-Smoose says legal advice shaped how much she shared publicly as the dispute unfolded.

"When this all began, I did not have legal representation," she said.

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"I mean, we have a lawsuit here and we want to win, and we also want to make change."

She has since returned to coaching. Cisco College in Texas announced her hiring as head volleyball coach in April.

"This is what God intended me to do," she said.

She described the new job as a chance to lead young women again while her case moves forward.

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"God put me here. I have a purpose, and I’m so blessed that I get to lead these young women again, and I’m having a lot of fun at it."

FIRST ON FOX: A French business owner who had five of her family's stores wrecked by looters last week said this coming Saturday's protest could be a watershed moment for France.

Her message to President Emmanuel Macron: "Next Saturday is your last chance to save France," Michele Teboul, the business owner, said in an interview with Fox News Digital. 

Addressing both Interior Minister Laurent Nunez and Macron, she said, "If they don’t do what’s necessary to do next Saturday, I think it’s lost for France."

Teboul lost more than merchandise when looters ransacked 15 of her family’s stores, leaving five completely destroyed. She also lost faith in her government’s ability to protect them.

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Teboul accused authorities of failing to provide enough police to protect businesses, leaving families like hers facing destroyed stores and a costly recovery. She demanded that they protect the population before another Saturday.

Her family’s retail operations include stores in Paris, Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille and Montpellier. Her sons work within the same company and operate their own brand, she said.

For her family, protections put in place before the violence proved insufficient. Attackers used axes to break through boarding, she said, leaving her sons facing a difficult recovery.

"We can say that five of the most important stores have been looted," she said, describing those locations as "completely destroyed."

Now, her family needs to pay for additional protection while trying to meet insurers’ security requirements.

Teboul said it would take at least two months to repair and secure the stores to the required standards. She described those requirements as a condition for obtaining insurance coverage, adding another obstacle to reopening and recovering the business.

"I think the winter season is dead," she said.

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Companies with established operations and financial reserves may be able to absorb the disruption, she said. Younger businesses face a more difficult path.

"The government said they would help us," Teboul said. "We’re going to see."

Her sons have hired security guards with dogs. She also said she had heard of other shopkeepers obtaining weapons or tear gas, emphasizing that her sons had not purchased weapons.

"Some have bought weapons," she said. "You know, we are not used to weapons in France."

The concern extends beyond damaged merchandise and storefronts. Teboul, who is Jewish, said that many Jews are considering leaving France and warned that further disorder could deepen that uncertainty if things don't get better.

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"It’s going to be very hard to imagine a future in France for us, especially for Jews," she said of her hope that the coming Saturday would be different.

Teboul said Jewish schools, synagogues and community businesses have dedicated security arrangements. Teboul is a former director of CRIF is the umbrella organization representing French Jewish institutions.

She stressed, however, that the weekend’s violence was a national problem affecting people beyond the Jewish community.

"The specific problem of last Saturday is not a problem of Jews," she said. "The whole of France is concerned by this problem."

Teboul said looters sought street-wear and expensive merchandise. She accused police of failing to protect businesses during Saturday’s unrest, saying officers were overwhelmed as large crowds descended on city centers, particularly in Marseille and Lyon.

She cited an estimate she had heard being talked of as being around 30,000 young people arriving in central Marseille, a figure Fox News Digital could not independently verify. French October 17: 

Leading French broadcaster BFM reported on its X account that "Between 1,800 and 3,000 people" engaged in "the ransacking of the city center of Marseille, according to the prosecutor's estimates."

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"They were not enough," she said of the police.

The French government has acknowledged failures in its response to the unrest.

She said that authorities had mistaken the threat for an ordinary demonstration. "Of course they could prevent it," she added.

Teboul distinguished between students protesting over grievances and those who used the demonstrations as cover to steal.

"There were two events on Saturday," she said. "The looters, they took the opportunity that there were many people downtown, and then they came."

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For Teboul, the next test is whether authorities can protect what remains of her family’s livelihood and everyone else in the country and restore their sense of security in France.

"We have to feel secure," she said. "We don’t feel secure for the moment."

Teboul warned that another failure to protect the population could also have consequences for the country’s leadership.

"The government may fall down," she said.

Fox News Digital's Sydney Finver contributed to this report. 

House Democrats' No. 3 leader is under fire for his opposition to voter ID in his home state of California.

House Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., spoke at a press conference earlier this month criticizing a measure on Californians' ballot this Election Day that, if passed, would mandate that voters show government-issued photo ID at the polls.

He made the comments just weeks before the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a crime bust that saw several U.S. permanent residents accused of registering to vote despite not being citizens.

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Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Calif., hammered Aguilar's opposition to voter ID and argued the DOJ's recent actions made it "obvious" that the ballot measure, called Proposition 39, was needed.

"Give me a break," Calvert told Fox News Digital. "You have to show an ID to board an airplane, cash a paycheck, rent an apartment, or even buy cold medicine at the grocery store. Democrats claiming that requiring photo ID before casting a ballot is somehow 'racist' or 'voter suppression' is complete nonsense and an insult to every voter's intelligence."

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Rep. Vince Fong, R-Calif., said voter ID "is basic election security that the vast majority of Americans support, and 36 states already require."

"While opponents are resorting to lies and fearmongering, Proposition 39 is commonsense reform in a world where you need an ID to rent a car, stay at a hotel, open a bank account, or board a flight," Fong told Fox News Digital. "The DOJ’s recent voter fraud bust in California is exactly why these safeguards matter."

Rep. Young Kim, R-Calif., similarly said showing photo ID is a "simple standard we already require to board a plane, purchase alcohol, or pick up a prescription."

"This isn't controversial and it shouldn't be complicated. Our elections deserve at least as much consideration as a beer or a bottle of wine," Kim told Fox News Digital.

Aguilar, meanwhile, criticized Proposition 39 during a press conference with Democratic gubernatorial candidate and former Biden administration Cabinet Secretary Xavier Becerra earlier this month.

"We will not stand for this, because we will not stand for people to lose an opportunity to exercise their ability to vote. In Arizona, they tried this. They wanted folks to put their driver's license numbers on their ballots. Think about that. What if you miss one digit? Your vote doesn't count?" Aguilar proposed. "What if you're married in California? What if you're married, and you haven't changed your name and you go to vote? No longer will you be able to vote. That is what is at stake for Californians."

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He called it a "voter suppression effort" pushed by Republicans.

"Republicans can win only when they suppress the vote. Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans know that they are bankrupt of ideas and solutions, and so they have to change the rules of the game," Aguilar said.

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Meanwhile, the California government criticized the DOJ's operation while pointing to reports that said more of those charged were registered as Republicans rather than Democrats.

"For nearly a decade, Trump has baselessly alleged mass voter fraud rings were employed by Democrats and utilized 'illegal immigrants' to sway elections across the country — often pointing to California," a release on Gov. Gavin Newsom's state website read. "Courts at all levels have rejected the claims of vast voter fraud or that elections were rigged against the President."

Voter ID laws currently exist in 36 states and polls have shown they have a majority of Americans' support.

But in Congress, several efforts to pass federal voter ID legislation have been thwarted by Democrats in recent years.

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Fox News Digital reached out to Aguilar's campaign for a response to his GOP House colleagues' comments.

A grocery shopping mistake that could be costing Americans money starts even before they get to the store, according to cookbook author Jenn Lueke.

"The No. 1 biggest mistake is just not taking the time to plan ahead," Lueke, Boston-based author of "Don't Think About Dinner," told Fox News Digital.

Making a grocery list and deciding what to cook for the week ahead can help shoppers save money and stress less about meals, she said.

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Another source of overspending may be the pressure to make a different, impressive dinner every night of the week.

Social media can offer inspiration but Lueke, known online as Jenn Eats Goood, said home cooks can lean on familiar meals and switch them up with ingredients already in their pantries.

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"You really can repeat meals," she said, adding that a "base recipe" can also be tweaked seasonally or depending on what is in your freezer at the moment.

One example from her cookbook is a one-pot chicken thighs and rice dish. Lueke said cooks can swap in different proteins or add seasonal ingredients such as squash in the fall or asparagus and peas in the spring.

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A bowl-style meal or vegetable frittata can also serve as a flexible starting point for using up any food that is about to go bad, she said.

Keeping pantry and freezer staples on hand can give shoppers more options during the week, Lueke also said.

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She recommends ingredients such as canned beans, rice, pasta and quinoa, which can be bought in bulk or picked up on sale. Frozen proteins can also help cut down on weekly shopping trips.

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For shoppers trying to stretch a $50 to $75 grocery trip, Lueke suggests bulking meals up with hearty, lower-cost produce such as carrots, onions, potatoes and sweet potatoes, along with proteins like chicken thighs, tofu and chickpeas.

She also recommends getting more than one use out of an ingredient. If a recipe calls for only part of a can of artichokes, for example, use the rest in another meal, she said. 

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Spice blends and homemade sauces can also change the flavor of a protein, allowing shoppers to prepare the same ingredient in different ways.

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"The biggest thing is having that plan, but also using one ingredient in more than one way, if you can," she said.

As violent riots grip France, British political leader Nigel Farage warned Americans against repeating what he described as Europe's mass immigration failures, arguing that years of unchecked migration have transformed European cities and fueled unrest that could eventually spread elsewhere.

"People like me who were warning about this years ago have sadly been proven right, but the problems are gonna be here for a very, very long time," Farage told Fox News Digital in an interview. "Please, please don't make the same level of mistakes that we have," he said in his message to Americans.

Violent riots have erupted across parts of Europe in recent weeks, particularly in France, with Farage pointing to years of mass migration and failed political leadership as key factors fueling the unrest. The Reform UK leader singled out Emmanuel Macron, arguing that the French president should have mobilized the military to confront the violence, after education protests spiraled into riots, destruction and theft.

MACRON JETS OUT OF RIOT-TORN FRANCE FOR GULF TRIP AS POLITICAL PRESSURE MOUNTS

"Macron was asleep at the wheel, and it isn't just that he was at a concert," Farage said. "And whilst the French do have effective police forces, the scale of the uprising, I mean the mass looting, the mass looting and violence that took place in Paris was genuinely horrendous."

"Meloni's reaction was swifter and a better sign of leadership," Farage said, referring to the Italian leader deploying 500 military troops to Milan in response to recent riots. "But the problem is, for people like Macron, who have always said, any criticism of immigration, whether legal or illegal, makes you racist, they psychologically find it hard to face up to their own failures of policy."

Farage warned that the unrest he described in France and elsewhere in Europe could eventually erupt in Britain, pointing to demonstrations in London and questioning whether British leaders would respond more forcefully than Macron.

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"You know, my real worry is they can happen in this country too," Farage said. "We've got the same hard left here. We've the same hate mobs that march, chanting in the streets of London, from the river to the sea."

"I'm concerned that these things could happen here. And I wonder whether a British Prime Minister has got any more courage than President Macron in France," he added.

Farage contrasted Europe's failure to control its borders with President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown in the United States.

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"Look, whatever you think of President Trump's current policies, one thing he has done, and he promised he'd do. He's closed the southern border," Farage said.

Trump vowed Tuesday to treat potential rioters in the U.S. "very rough," pointing to the unrest in France," he said at a rally in Greenville, North Carolina before being interrupted by a protestor in the crowd.

"They're crazy, these people. Look at that guy. He's a nutjob," Trump said, in reference to the protester.

He warned that he would crack down on potential threats, saying he would not allow similar unrest to take hold in the U.S.

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"That's what you witness over the last three or four days. You watch nutjobs like him in France ruining their country," Trump said. "We're not going to put up with it by the way."

"If a possible threat, which could happen, I hope you won't get angry if I treat them very, very rough, because that's what's going to happen. They're not going to destroy our country," he said.

On Tuesday, British counterterrorism police rearrested two men suspected of assisting Iranian intelligence in an alleged plot targeting RAF Fairford, a U.K. base used by U.S. bombers.

Authorities say Iranian state involvement is "highly likely," though no charges have been filed.

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Farage said he has foreshadowed such criminal acts, alleging that Iran has exploited illegal crossings of the English Channel to move operatives into Britain.

"I've called again and again for this to be declared a national security emergency. I have been ignored. If the Americans removing their bombers from RAF Fairford isn't enough warning. I don't know what is," he said.

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"We've just become so caught up over here in Europe and Britain with this human rights culture, which puts the interests, frankly, of the bad guys above the interests of the majority."

Former Rep. Mike Rogers and his Democratic opponent, Abdul El-Sayed, tore into each other at their second Michigan Senate debate Wednesday evening.

Rogers, a former FBI special agent and the Republican U.S. Senate candidate, clashed with El-Sayed over the personal barbs, accusations and fierce divides that have defined one of the country’s most anticipated Senate elections.

Here are some of the most noteworthy moments from the fiery faceoff.

El-Sayed accuses Rogers of backing Trump’s war with Iran

As evidence of Rogers’ alignment with President Donald Trump, El-Sayed accused him of backing the war in Iran, a conflict El-Sayed himself described as "aimless."

"He's got a war for everything, and he won't back off the war now. He supports this war," El-Sayed said.

"If you don't believe me, I want you to pay attention. On Sunday, when Donald Trump comes here at the invitation of Mike Rogers to remind you that, in fact, Donald Trump is on the ballot through Mike Rogers. They are hip to hip on this war, and you are paying the cost," he added, referring to one of Rogers' upcoming campaign events.

Rogers quickly fired back, reiterating a moment from their first debate when El-Sayed refused to answer whether Israel or Iran posed a greater threat to the U.S.

"My opponent can't even condemn the [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps], which is the terrorist enforcement arm of Iran, and doesn't believe Iran is any more dangerous than Israel. This is an absolute nonstarter," Rogers said.

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Rogers sparks explosive moment with resurfaced Muslim Brotherhood accusations

At one point during the debate, Rogers accused El-Sayed of deleting social media content about defunding the police — a progressive stance that circulated among far-left Democrats in 2020 after the death of George Floyd.

"I will tell you this: he did call for defunding the police … [and] he deleted all of this material. Why would you do that? Why would you go through and take all of that time to delete all of the material? X videos, comments, podcast. Why? Because he was passionate about defunding the police," Rogers said.

"As a matter of fact, he asked the Muslim Brotherhood head, Morsi, in Egypt to defund the police there, too," Rogers added, referring to the former Egyptian president associated with the group.

The last remark triggered a fierce reaction from El-Sayed, who has fended off questions about ties to the Muslim Brotherhood throughout his campaign.

"He keeps raising this question about this association with the organization," El-Sayed said. "It's really quite beneath you."

Although Fox News Digital has not discovered any links between El-Sayed and the Muslim Brotherhood, critics have pointed to El-Sayed's ties to the Muslim Students Association (MSA), a group listed as part of a strategy memorandum for North America written by one of the Muslim Brotherhood’s members, Mohamed Akram.

El-Sayed served as the vice president of the MSA chapter at the University of Michigan during his time there as a senior in 2007, according to College Fix.

ABDUL EL-SAYED'S ALLEGED FAMILY TIES TO MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD SURFACE AFTER DENYING ANY LINK DURING NBC INTERVIEW

Rogers blasts hidden costs of expanding government promises

Throughout the night, El-Sayed doubled down on promises to expand government programs like Medicaid and measures to "put money in your pocket," a refrain that has been a cornerstone of his campaign.

But Rogers made sure to cast doubt on those commitments, arguing that the policies would carry with them a heftier price tag than the Democratic nominee would acknowledge.

"So think of all of the three things he just talked about. Put money in your pockets. It's a great slogan. There's nothing behind it. Matter of fact, when his Democratic socialist-aligned policies are engaged, you'll be lucky to have a d--- pair of pants when you're done," Rogers said.

"Medicare for all. He doesn't tell you how much taxes you have to get charged, and you lose your private health insurance. These aren't real solutions. These are solutions that are going to make your life more miserable. And it's going to take away your choices in healthcare."

Rogers claims El-Sayed said ‘quiet part out loud’ on AI regulation

When asked about AI regulation, Abdul El-Sayed briefly mentioned he would support having "democratically appointed folks on the board of these AI corporations," citing what he described as an existential threat to the workforce.

Rogers seized on the moment, accusing El-Sayed of verbalizing a desire to exercise public control of private companies.

"He said the quiet part out loud," Rogers said.

"He wants government to go into these businesses. That is the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). [They] come in for your business and your future. And so, you need to really stop for a minute and think about, do you want somebody who wants the government involved in these companies?" Rogers added.

Notably, Abdul El-Sayed has not officially received an endorsement from the DSA, nor has he affirmed the group’s platform. Even so, he has endorsed and received endorsements from a number of candidates who have received the DSA’s backing. Among them, El-Sayed supported New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a self-proclaimed socialist, in his bid for office last year.

ROGERS WARNS MICHIGAN VOTERS AGAINST EL-SAYED’S ‘EXTREME’ AGENDA AHEAD OF ELECTION

El-Sayed gets heat in rapid-fire round over Second Amendment

At the close of the debate, Rogers fired back at El-Sayed when the Democratic candidate needled him for refusing to answer yes or no to a question about implementing universal background checks for gun purchases.

"It all depends. It all depends," Rogers said.

"It’s not hard. Look at that. So dependable," El-Sayed quipped.

Rogers fired back, noting that El-Sayed had once called for doing away with the Second Amendment in comments he had made before he launched his Senate bid.

"You want to ban the Second Amendment. Why don’t you talk about that?"

Rogers was alluding to a video published on YouTube in 2023 in which El-Sayed had compared the right to bear arms to a right to healthcare.

"What if we tweaked the Constitution, amended the amendment, and instead of the right to bear arms, we change it to the right to have healthcare?" El-Sayed said.

He claimed altruism in the proposal, saying more people would live and arguing against individuals owning firearms, instead suggesting that only designated community-based groups like police forces should be issued firearms.

The video has since been made private.

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With their second debate now in the rearview mirror, El-Sayed and Rogers have closed out their scheduled debates and are unlikely to meet again until after the election. Having cleared their respective primaries and secured their parties' nominations, the pair will face off in Michigan’s general election on Nov. 3.

After the debate, MIGOP Chairman Jim Runestad said in a statement to Fox News Digital: "Mike Rogers demonstrated yet again why he is the commonsense, steady hand Michiganders want to see in the U.S. Senate. We cannot afford Abdul El-Sayed's far-left, big-government policies, and we cannot risk electing a person who campaigns with the likes of Hasan Piker and seemingly justified the horrific terrorist attack targeting children and the Jewish community in Bloomfield Hills."

EXCLUSIVE: Twenty-three years after Duane "Dog" Chapman chased fugitive Max Factor heir Andrew Luster to Mexico and tackled him on a Puerto Vallarta street, the convicted serial rapist is a free man — despite an initial sentence of 124 years.

"I hope he's smart enough — and he's smart — to never do anything like that again," Chapman told Fox News Digital Wednesday, more than two decades after the capture that helped make him a household name.

MAX FACTOR HEIR'S FORMER LAWYER DETAILS JUDGE'S ERROR THAT WIPED OUT 124-YEAR RAPE SENTENCE

Chapman, his son Leland and several others went to Mexico after receiving a tip about Luster's whereabouts — months after he fled the U.S. in the middle of a California rape trial. They first identified him from the tipsters' photo, which showed a knee and a watch.

'AMERICA'S MOST WANTED' EX-COP FUGITIVE RETURNED AFTER 20 YEARS ON THE RUN TO FACE MURDER, CHILD SEX CHARGES

Chapman had been studying his face closely for weeks, but he also recognized the watch from a televised interview, he said. And he credits his son with first spotting Luster, who was speaking with a young woman in a bar on June 18, 2003.

PARENTS OF SLAIN PREGNANT MOM CHRISTA GILLEY DEMAND LEE GILLEY'S RETURN FROM ITALY FOR MURDER CASE

"When I saw him, you talk about an adrenaline rush went through my body," Chapman told Fox News Digital Wednesday. "Tim got down...he snuck up behind him, and then I pushed him. He fell over. We all jumped on him, and I screamed, 'You're under arrest by the United States of America.'"

EXCLUSIVE: FBI EXTRADITIONS SOAR AS PATEL RAMPS UP FOREIGN OUTREACH, VOWS 'NO SANCTUARY'

They pulled him into an SUV and drove off — only to be intercepted on the road outside town by Mexican authorities who arrested everyone amid the chaos.

Luster claimed he'd been kidnapped, Chapman said, so he handed the lead investigator what Chapman called a "bible" of information on the case.

NEWSOM-BACKED LAW LETS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CHILD RAPIST SEEK EARLY RELEASE AGAIN AS DA URGES 'STOP THE MADNESS'

Luster, the great-grandson of makeup mogul Max Factor, vanished during a recess in his trial and was convicted in absentia on 86 counts involving the drugging and raping of three women between 1996 and 2000 at his home in Mussel Shoals, California.

One of the victims, who asked not to be named out of concerns for her safety, said she's still struggling to comprehend Luster's release even though she knew it was coming.

SENATOR TIM SHEEHY: SOFT-ON-CRIME JUDGES NEED CONSEQUENCES. THE JAIL ACT DELIVERS

"It’s very unsettling knowing that he is not behind bars, not in a closed facility," she told Fox News Digital Wednesday. "He is out in the public, in a community that just — it just doesn’t feel very good at all."

She said she has concerns for her own safety, her family, Luster's other victims and even investigators after a notebook containing a "payback list" was recovered from his Mexican hotel room — with their names on it.

CAPTURED 'AMERICA'S MOST WANTED' FUGITIVE RONALD FISCHER ABANDONS ALIAS AFTER 20 YEARS ON THE RUN

She said she dated Luster for five or six months without knowing she'd been drugged and raped the night they met — something detectives discovered years later, after they recovered video tapes from the home.

"It was me, comatose on his bed, wearing the clothes that I was wearing the first night I met him," she said. "That’s how I knew when it happened, because I had just bought that outfit, and I was wearing it the night that I met him. So that’s how I figured out when it happened to me, which was absolutely horrifying."

AMERICAN WHO FLED US AFTER ALLEGEDLY KILLING PREGNANT WIFE COULD RETURN WITHIN DAYS WITH MURDER CHARGE DROPPED

Police found more than 100 videos, she said. Not all of them involved criminal activity, but those that did were "mortifying," she said, as Luster spoke to the camera like he were playing with "a toy."

"They’re pretty brutal," she added, "The things that he did to us while we were completely unconscious were things that, I mean had we been able to feel anything, it would have been awful. He narrated the video and talked to the camera throughout and thoroughly enjoyed the whole entire thing."

He initially received consecutive sentences totaling 124 years — later reduced to 50, and he was released earlier this month after over two decades behind bars.

Prosecutors had opposed early release in 2024 and again in 2025. However, he was able to earn substantial early release credits under California's controversial Proposition 57 criminal justice reforms, and his prison term came to an end on Oct. 11.

"I did not know that [Prop 57] meant that it was gonna make Andrew Luster’s crimes be deemed nonviolent," Doe No. 3 told Fox News Digital. "That’s just so baffling. I just feel like if anybody could watch these tapes of what he did to me and all of these other women, just to look at that and try to put the word nonviolent on it, that word could not come out of your mouth. It just would be impossible."

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Chapman said he never received the bounty for Luster and lost hundreds of thousands of dollars of his own money for the operation and ensuing legal fallout.

Mexican law did not allow bounty hunters to apprehend fugitives. Chapman said he was arrested alongside his son Leland, longtime friend and associate Tim Chapman, who is not a blood relative, and members of a camera crew.

"He told me, 'I’m going to get him for you,' and he did," Doe said of Chapman. So to help him get out after he put Luster back behind bars, she kicked off a legal fundraiser that she said attracted donations from around the country.

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A judge in Mexico later dismissed the case.

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The incident happened shortly before Chapman rose to fame with A&E's reality series, "Dog the Bounty Hunter."

Chapman is returning to the screen with a new YouTube series launching Saturday — "Dog the Bounty Hunter...Everyone Deserves a Second Chance."

GOT A TIP?

As part of the series, he plans to help bail out certain inmates with a history of good behavior and positive reports — but not for people facing serious felonies or sex abuse charges, he said.

LISTEN TO THE NEW 'CRIME & JUSTICE WITH DONNA ROTUNNO' PODCAST

"We'll call out the ones that deserve a second chance, right, and you can't be perfect OK, so if they run, yeehaw," he said. "I don't wish they would, but if they do, then I'm going to catch them."

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He said he's got at least another five to seven years of bounty hunting left in him.

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Fox News' Greg Wehner and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Should President Donald Trump deliver a primetime address next week with the avowed purpose of impacting the elections nationwide?

Yes. Absolutely yes.

President Trump is often the best proponent of his own policies, and the much-anticipated "blue wave" would effectively paralyze those policies and his plans to finish the battle with Iran, build the Golden Dome and Golden Fleet, and slow, if not reverse, the regulatory overhaul underway.

MORNING GLORY: MINNESOTA'S MASSIVE FRAUD SCANDAL COULD DELIVER A STUNNING SENATE UPSET

Loss of the Senate majority would also mean near-zero chances of confirming any appellate judges or Supreme Court justices. Spending on the Pentagon would also plummet as Democrats return to their long-standing position of insisting that every dollar of increased defense spending must be matched by one for non-defense domestic discretionary spending.

If President Trump makes these arguments directly to voters and names the names of the senators or Senate candidates who are key allies or the Democratic nominees he believes are from the far, far left, the sharpened focus could help mobilize his base to again support his agenda one last time.

13 DAYS UNTIL MIDTERMS, TRUMP HEADS TO SOUTH CAROLINA AS DEMOCRATS WIDEN BATTLEGROUND MAP

There are precedents for such an appeal, and they had mixed results.

On October 24, 2022, President Biden made a direct closing argument for Democrats at Democratic National Committee headquarters, 15 days before Election Day. The expected "red wave" that year was reduced to a ripple.

On October 25, 2006, President George W. Bush held a nationally televised news conference less than two weeks before the midterms. President Bush discussed Iraq and framed the election choice around national security and taxes. It was a news conference, not a formal primetime address. The GOP got "thumped," to borrow President Bush’s own characterization of the 2006 results.

The takeaway from that limited data set? A speech could work to rally a president’s base voters. A press conference won’t.

President Trump’s rallies around the country have always served as a feedback loop for his messaging. He knows it’s his base that turns out, and he tries out various messages and themes, then amplifies what works and cuts what doesn’t in subsequent rallies and in his conversations with the press.

Getting the feedback is particularly important when it comes to turning out the base. As the president has been everywhere in the past month, he has a good idea of what "works" in this campaign cycle.

TRUMP CAMPAIGN INSIDER REVEALS STRATEGY BEHIND MIDTERM BLITZ THAT WHITE HOUSE HOPES PAYS OFF BIG

The Trump PAC may even want to buy network time for an address, or it may simply allow social media to do its thing. A tight 15 minutes would play and play, give birth to ten thousand posts and reels and, crucially, focus the base and independent voters on the stakes, which are very high indeed.

President Trump has got a fine writing staff, but brevity is not second nature to him or them when it comes to speeches. If he does try such a direct appeal, the crucial points I hope he makes in succinct fashion are these:

TRUMP'S UNUSUAL ROLE AT MIDTERM CONVENTION REVEALED AS SCHEDULE GOES PUBLIC

1. Economists see the next few years as a boom for the nation. We can’t screw it up by ceding control of taxes and spending to Democrats. The 71 economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal this week predict continued and expanding economic growth, falling gas prices and tamed inflation ahead. "Morning in America" is beginning to dawn again.
2. Iran is defeated, but the mop-up will take some months, even though oil exports from the Middle East have risen to levels that exceed prewar levels. President Trump knows the scorecard on the battle by heart. He should repeat it again. The United States has decisively triumphed over the evil Iranian regime, and he will finish the job. It will be easier with Republican majorities.
3. The battle with Iran has demonstrated to the world the need for missile defense and a vibrant, modernized Navy. The president should emphasize his plans for both and warn that Democratic majorities present mortal threats to each.
4. "Medicare for All" is a clever way of saying "higher taxes, rationed healthcare, and diminished healthcare for seniors." President Trump should pledge again to stop efforts to pass Obamacare 2.0.
5. The only thing Democrats can agree on is a combination of obstruction and impeachment. Their commitment to weaponizing all of government and bringing back McCarthyism — this time aimed at every Trump supporter and not just him — is extremely strong. Democrats are unapologetically calling for these things, as well as for packing the Supreme Court and many other radical plans.
6. The Democrats have put forward the most radical set of candidates in American history. Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan, Peggy Flanagan in Minnesota, Troy Jackson in Maine and James Talarico in Texas are all extremists camouflaged as Democrats. In Alaska, they have attempted to defeat the great Senator Dan Sullivan by running a "decoy Dan Sullivan" in an attempt to get leftist Mary Peltola over the finish line. Retreads like left-winger Sherrod Brown in Ohio should not replace the effective and able Jon Husted. Congresswoman Ashley Hinson is exactly what Iowa needs. North Carolina should send Michael Whatley to Washington to continue his long-standing partnership with the president. These are easy choices when the big picture is set before voters, especially when they are reminded of just how far off the normal political map El-Sayed, Flanagan, Talarico and Troy Jackson are.

VOTERS PREPARE TO WEIGH-IN ON TRUMP'S ECONOMY AS COSTS CONTINUE TO SURGE

The president should explicitly ask voters to support Mike Rogers in Michigan, Michele Tafoya in Minnesota, Ken Paxton in Texas and Susan Collins in Maine. President Trump should note that Rogers and Tafoya are likely to be as independent-minded as Sen. Collins, who has often opposed presidential policies, but that all of them represent their states very well. 

States that are "light blue" or "light red" deserve senators that represent them, not Hamas or other extremist positions.

President Trump should close by reminding everyone of the mess he inherited. The once wide-open border is now completely closed and sealed tight, with the long-awaited wall nearing completion. Fraud in Minnesota, California and other blue states is being exposed and corrected. Inflation is way down from the 9.1% it reached under President Joe Biden but needs to go down further still, and President Trump and his economic team can get that done with support from Congress, not obstruction.

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And the evil regime in Iran that has terrorized the world for 47 years is on its last legs and wobbling. Its nuclear weapons program is obliterated and will not be allowed to be rebuilt. There is work to be done with our allies across the globe, but taking us down the impeachment road because the Democrats have no proposals to do anything else would be a disaster for everyone.

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"America’s Golden Age is indeed upon us," President Trump should conclude. "I need your vote, and so do these great Republican candidates. Please make a plan to vote and turn out. Thank you. God bless our troops everywhere, but especially in the blockade and at the bases around the Islamic radicals in Iran, and those confronting Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis, and God bless the United States."

Hugh Hewitt is a Fox News contributor and host of "The Hugh Hewitt Show" heard weekday afternoons from 3 PM to 6 PM ET on the Salem Radio Network, and simulcast on Salem News Channel. Hugh drives Americans home on the East Coast and to lunch on the West Coast on over 400 affiliates nationwide, and on all the streaming platforms where SNC can be seen. He is a frequent guest on the Fox News Channel’s news roundtable, hosted by Bret Baier weekdays at 6pm ET. A son of Ohio and a graduate of Harvard College and the University of Michigan Law School, Hewitt has been a Professor of Law at Chapman University’s Fowler School of Law since 1996 where he teaches Constitutional Law. Hewitt launched his eponymous radio show from Los Angeles in 1990. Hewitt has frequently appeared on every major national news television network, hosted television shows for PBS and MSNBC, written for every major American paper, has authored a dozen books and moderated a score of Republican candidate debates, most recently the November 2023 Republican presidential debate in Miami and four Republican presidential debates in the 2015-16 cycle. Hewitt focuses his radio show and his column on the Constitution, national security, American politics and the Cleveland Browns and Guardians. Hewitt has interviewed tens of thousands of guests from Democrats Hillary Clinton and John Kerry to Republican Presidents George W. Bush and Donald Trump over his 40 years in broadcasting. This column previews the lead story that will drive his radio/ TV show today.

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Regardless of the outcome of the 2026 midterm elections, any party that wins the majority will have done so because of the independent vote. For the past several elections, this cohort has been the crucial swing vote that ultimately decides the election. Independents are the kingmakers.

If Democrats win big on Nov. 3, expect a familiar story. Pundits will call it a mandate. Party leaders will say voters want their agenda. They will be wrong.

I have spent my career in partisan politics, and I keep seeing the same mistake. Both parties read the results of a protest as an endorsement.

LEE CARTER: POLLS SAY DEMOCRATS COULD SWAMP REPUBLICANS. AS A POLLSTER, I HAVE A QUESTION

Here is why. Independents do not fit neatly into a partisan box. They are not secret Democrats, and they are not secret Republicans. They agree with each side on some things and with neither on others, which is exactly why neither party can claim them.

That does not mean they lack convictions. Independents, like most Americans, have coherent views on politics and policy. And these positions are widely shared and present opportunity for meaningful legislation. On energy, 70% of Americans want government to actively expand supply: more energy, lower prices, less pollution. On immigration, 77% want legal immigration maintained or expanded, focused on the skills the economy needs. Respect our laws and welcome those who contribute.

WASHINGTON REWARDS FAILURE. IT’S TIME TO SEND CAREER POLITICIANS HOME

On technology, 83% want parents to have the legal right to see and control what their kids do on social media. On spending, 73% want to bar Congress from using accounting tricks that hide the long-term cost of a bill. On corruption, 78% support term limits for members of Congress.

Put those together and the agenda is clear. Live within our means. Keep our promises. Win the future while protecting our communities, kids and liberties. Build a government accountable to people, not parties. That is not the progressive wish list, and it is not the Republican platform either. A vote against whoever is in charge is not a vote for anyone’s program. It is a demand for these things.

FOX NEWS POLL: VOTERS QUESTION WHETHER AI’S PROMISE OUTWEIGHS ITS RISKS

Look at what independents are actually upset about. The border is still unresolved after years of promises. Energy costs keep squeezing family budgets. And artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping jobs and daily life while Congress offers speeches instead of a plan. These are not left or right complaints. They are complaints about people in charge who are not getting results.

Independents are now the largest bloc of American voters. They decide close elections, and they have no loyalty to either team. They vote for whoever seems least likely to make things worse. Two years ago, that was one party. This year it may be the other.

DEMOCRATS THINK A BLUE WAVE IS BUILDING. HERE ARE 3 FORCES THAT COULD STOP IT

The numbers tell the story. Roughly two-thirds of independents say Washington does not hear them. That is not a number that describes people who have found a new political home. It describes people who feel abandoned and are looking for the exit.

For a blue wave to occur, it will rest on independents who are holding their noses. They will be voting for Democrats because the alternative looks worse, not because they have embraced the progressive wish list. Treating that vote as a blank check is how a party loses the same voters two years later.

MINNEAPOLIS PROGRESSIVES TURN ON GEORGE FLOYD-ERA PUBLIC SAFETY OVERHAUL, PUSH TO DISMANTLE OFFICE

Consider crime. Most Americans, whatever their party, want safe streets and a justice system that works. Imagine House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries stepping to the microphone to announce a serious, commonsense crime bill. Fund good policing. Go after repeat violent offenders. Protect due process. It would not be a radical idea. It would be a reasonable one.

That single act would change the national story. Independents would take notice. It would say the party is willing to govern from the center and listen to people who do not agree with it on everything.

SCANDALS, SOCIALISTS AND TRUMP ROIL PRIMARIES, SEND INCUMBENTS PACKING AT NEAR-RECORD PACE

But that bill will not come, and the reason is not hard to see. A party that wants the support of the middle is being pulled by a left flank that treats a compromise on public safety as betrayal. Groups like the Democratic Socialists of America hold enormous sway over the energy and the primaries. Jeffries cannot move toward the center without a fight inside his own coalition, and so he does not try.

That is the real danger for Democrats. The very independents who may hand them a majority will be watching to see what they do with it. If the answer is a sharp turn toward the activist left, those voters will leave just as fast as they arrived.

NEWT GINGRICH: REPUBLICANS CAN WIN THE 2026 MIDTERMS — IF THEY FOLLOW THE PLAN

Republicans should not take comfort either. If they lose, it will be because they too failed to listen. Both parties have spent years competing for the loyal base and ignoring everyone else. The result is a country in which most voters feel they are choosing between two disappointments.

There is a better path, and it is not complicated. Secure the border and fix the legal immigration system. Lower energy costs by building what we need. Set sensible guardrails on AI before the technology outruns us. Do these things in a way that respects voters of every stripe, and independents will reward you. Ignore them, and they will punish you, whatever letter follows your name.

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This is why just a few handfuls of independents can entirely change the way we view and conduct politics. A growing share of the country is independent, yet very few members of Congress are. That gap is the story behind the story this November.

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When the votes are counted, the winners should ask a hard question. Did voters choose us, or did they simply reject the other side? The honest answer will decide whether this election is a turning point or just another swing of the pendulum.

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A friend was recently startled to find a Soviet-style hammer and sickle prominently displayed at a farmers market just a block from a monument to those who sacrificed their lives fighting totalitarianism. It's particularly jarring for immigrants from former communist countries to see these hateful symbols cheerfully displayed alongside fresh greens, organic honey and homemade pies.

When my friend engaged the affable twentysomething about her advocacy for communism in America, the conversation quickly became absurd. "Don't you know about the Gulag, the torture chambers, the Tiananmen Square massacre, the murder of 100 million men, women and children?" to which she replied, "I'm not sure what you're talking about…"

The young woman then parried, "All I know is that America has a shameful past and we should try to atone for the crimes of capitalism."

LIBERAL HOT SPOT RESIDENTS CAN’T AGREE ON WHAT SOCIALISM MEANS AS FAR-LEFT MOVEMENTS GAINS STEAM

"What ‘crimes of capitalism?’"

"I’m not sure about the specifics …" She then went on to deliver a short address on how communism will deliver a high standard of living by redistributing the obscene wealth of the rich.

LIBERAL-CITY RESIDENT HESITATES WHEN PRESSED ON BELIEFS: 'I HADN'T REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT SOCIALISM THAT WAY'

When pressed about the historical record, either of communism’s brutality or specifics about so-called American imperialism, the young woman’s friendly smile never faltered. She really couldn't name any of the crimes of capitalism.

Calling for the overthrow of the system that allows for a peaceful Saturday at a farmer's market made the entire conversation seem absurd.

JONATHAN TURLEY: SOCIALISM IS BACK IN STYLE AND DEMOCRATS ARE BUYING THE PITCH

Conversations like this one, between average Americans and self-styled communists and socialists, break down due to differences of content and perspective.

When it comes to perspective, many of the 62% of young Americans, aged 18-29, that think that socialism or communism is a good idea have been educated with a simplistic neo-Marxist lens: U.S. history is a story of oppressor versus oppressed (i.e., patriarchy, race, religious bigotry). The Marxist model can be found in everything from "The 1619 Project" to the platform of the Democratic Socialists of America. Neo-Marxist critical theories attack the perspectives once widely held by most Americans regarding the American Dream and America’s exceptional service to humanity.

SOCIALISM LOOKS APPEALING WHEN SCHOOLS REFUSE TO TEACH ITS HORRIFIC, REAL-WORLD COST

The part of these conversations that's the most flummoxing, however, is not ideological. It is the part of the conversation that is about content: cold, hard facts. Anti-communists of all stripes typically point to the overwhelming evidence of the past and present crimes of communism. At 100 million men, women and children murdered, one would think that the evidence ‘proves’ that this is not just an inefficient system, but a diabolical one.

We have survivor testimony, government records, and some photographic evidence of the concentration camps (e.g., Soviet Gulag, China's Laogai), torture, extermination of minorities, deportations and forced starvation. The violence continues in today’s communist and communist-legacy regimes, from Belarus to Cuba and Eritrea to North Korea.

NORTH KOREAN DEFECTOR ISSUES STARK WARNING ABOUT AMERICA AHEAD OF CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY'S ANTI-COMMUNISM EVENT

The young person at the farmers market will blankly stare when you recite the crimes of communism. She has no point of reference. The crimes of communism are largely unknown; they are untaught and unchallenged in today’s university and high school settings. She has never heard of these things and she is not sure they are believable. Indeed, she will counter, these atrocities have likely been exaggerated and were undoubtedly justified self-defensive measures against capitalist imperialism.

When one does not feel (perspective) that the evidence of communism's crimes demands a verdict, and even disregards that there is evidence of wrongdoing (content), one is living in a different reality than that of most Americans born in the twentieth century. What is to be done?

WANT TO STOP SOCIALISM? A MODERN CIVIC EDUCATION NEEDS A LOT MORE THAN YOU'D THINK

First, we need to work hard to return all of the institutions of our civic life – media, schools, houses of worship, the business sector, K-12 and higher ed and especially the family – to the basics. That is where we educate the rising generation with the facts and values of what we are for and what we are against. We adhere to the principles found in the Declaration of Independence, representative government, free-market economics, personal and local responsibility and democratic institutions.

Second, we need to transmit the facts: the personal stories and larger historical narratives of communism’s crimes and America’s valiant, sacrificial efforts at self-defense and global freedom: the Berlin Airlift, the creation of NATO and the United Nations, the defense of Koreans, Vietnamese and many other oppressed peoples, Cold War victory and post-Cold War friendship (i.e., Eastern Europe) and America’s stunning philanthropic giving.

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Accurate content and right perspective should also reinforce what we are against: all ideologies and regimes that are anti-human, anti-freedom and anti-family. Communism in any form is a political fantasy rooted in envy and a political program rooted in brutality. We need to make it clear to the rising generation of citizens that communism in any form has not been good for others and will not be good for them.

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How does one talk to a communist? Our best hope lies in inoculating our young against communism at the very youngest age with right perspective and accurate content.

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Republican Tom Tiffany and Democrat David Crowley sparred over abortion, taxes, immigration and Wisconsin's growing data center industry Wednesday night as Wisconsin's gubernatorial candidates faced off in a heated debate.

Tiffany, a Republican congressman, and Crowley, the Milwaukee County executive, offered competing visions for Wisconsin as they vie to succeed Democratic Gov. Tony Evers.

The WISN-hosted debate came less than two weeks before Election Day, with polls showing a tight race. A September Marquette Law School poll found Crowley leading Tiffany 49% to 46% among likely voters, a difference within the survey's margin of error. RealClearPolitics rates the race a toss-up.

WISCONSIN GOP GOVERNOR CANDIDATE SWIMS FROM SINKING PLANE AFTER EMERGENCY LAKE LANDING

Here are five of the biggest moments from the debate.

1. Tiffany points to 20-week abortion limit as Crowley declines to name one

Tiffany pointed to Wisconsin's existing 20-week abortion limit when moderators asked whether he would sign a six-week abortion ban, a restriction he previously supported as a legislator.

"I voted for a five-month bill when I was in the state Senate. I will uphold that law as the governor of the state of Wisconsin," Tiffany said.

"I have been very clear where I stand. I've given the answer that I'm at five months," he added.

Tiffany also sought to reassure women about his position.

"All you women out there, you will not have to hold your breath when I'm governor," he said.

Crowley, meanwhile, declined to specify a gestational limit for legal abortion, even when moderators asked whether he supported abortion through nine months.

"These are discussions that need to be made between a doctor and a patient," Crowley said.

‘MODERATE’ DEM GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE EMBRACED DEI BUDGET TOOL, GREEN NEW DEAL-STYLE POLICIES

Tiffany accused Crowley of supporting abortion through "the full nine months." Crowley countered that abortions later in pregnancy typically involve extreme circumstances and criticized Tiffany's previous support for stricter abortion legislation.

"My position has been consistent ever since I announced for governor," Tiffany responded. "We once again did not hear where David Crowley stands on abortion."

2. Tiffany vows to return Wisconsin's entire $3 billion surplus

The candidates split over Wisconsin's nearly $3 billion projected budget surplus, with Tiffany pledging to return the entire sum to taxpayers through permanent tax cuts.

"We should return all of that to the taxpayers. They've overpaid into the state of Wisconsin," Tiffany said.

Tiffany favored permanent tax cuts over rebate checks, arguing Wisconsinites cannot plan their finances around one-time payments. His proposal includes income and property tax reductions, including a 10% middle-income tax cut.

Crowley argued the surplus should be used more broadly to lower costs for families, including through property tax relief and investments in public schools, municipalities, childcare and healthcare.

Tiffany argued Wisconsin could cut taxes without sacrificing funding for education, transportation and healthcare. Crowley countered that Tiffany's plan would deprive state and local governments of revenue needed to provide those services.

3. Candidates draw stark battle lines over ICE

Tiffany pledged to require Wisconsin sheriffs to honor federal immigration detainers, drawing a sharp contrast with Crowley over cooperation with ICE.

"I will make sure that local, county and state law enforcement coordinate with federal law enforcement," Tiffany said, arguing immigrants who commit crimes should be transferred to federal authorities while still in county jails.

Asked whether that cooperation should be mandated by law, Tiffany said, "I believe we should."

Crowley opposed a blanket ban on cooperation with federal immigration authorities and said immigrants convicted of crimes should be deported. However, he called for restrictions on ICE operations in Wisconsin, including ending contracts with local law enforcement, prohibiting agents from wearing masks and requiring judicial warrants before entering jails and prisons.

"We need to make sure that we're protecting people's civil liberties," Crowley said.

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4. Data center boom puts subsidies, farmland and energy costs in spotlight

Wisconsin's data center boom emerged as another campaign issue, with both candidates opposing taxpayer subsidies for the massive projects.

Tiffany outlined conditions for data center development under his administration, including protections against higher utility rates, a ban on taxpayer subsidies, local control, farmland protections and greater transparency.

"Why would some of the wealthiest companies in the world need subsidies from the taxpayers of Wisconsin?" Tiffany said.

Crowley said communities should not be forced to accept data centers they do not want and said he would sign legislation eliminating sales tax incentives for the projects.

Crowley also supported the current pause on data center development pending an environmental review and called for greater reliance on renewable energy to meet rising electricity demand.

5. Crowley says he's 'not familiar' with DSA platform

Crowley faced questions about the Democratic Party's left flank after narrowly defeating democratic socialist Francesca Hong in the Democratic gubernatorial primary.

Asked which democratic socialist priorities he shared, Crowley cited expanding BadgerCare, funding public education and childcare and holding wealthy Americans accountable.

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But when moderators asked which parts of the Democratic Socialists of America platform he supported, Crowley said he could not answer.

"I'm not familiar with the DSA platform to be answering that question," Crowley said.

Tiffany pointed to Crowley's previous claim that little separated him from Hong during the Democratic primary.

"That sounds like a socialist to me," Tiffany said.

The Republican and Democratic candidates vying to replace Minnesota's outgoing Gov. Tim Walz sparred in their final debate Wednesday over the massive fraud scandal that has unfolded in the state, healthcare and rising gas prices.

MASSIVE FRAUD SCANDAL

"A vote for Amy Klobuchar is a vote for a Tim Walz third term," Republican House Speaker Lisa Demuth said in her opening statement after painting Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar as the "status quo" candidate in a "state in crisis" over the $9 billion fraud scandal.

Klobuchar pushed back in her opening statement, saying, "I don't like the status quo. I hate the status quo."

WALZ'S 'EXIT INTERVIEW' REFLECTING ON HIS TENURE SPARKS LAWMAKER DEBATE ABOUT HIS LEGACY: 'NEVER SERIOUS'

The first question of the debate focused on fraud, a recurring topic throughout the night, and what each candidate would do to combat it.

"Fraud unchecked here in the state of Minnesota has gone far too long, and it has finally come to the surface," Demuth said. "The thing that I will do on day one is I am going to be firing all commissioners, choosing new commissioners that are expert in their field that will carry out the accountability and transparency that is needed in our state. We have to change the culture of fraud."

Klobuchar attempted to distance herself from Walz when addressing the issue.

"The fraud is simply unacceptable and, as a former prosecutor, I'm going to send those fraudsters to jail," Klobuchar said. "Tim Walz should have caught the fraud earlier and he should have done more. He said it himself. And by the way, when my opponent references Tim Walz, I will say one thing. He is not seeking a third term. I am the one up here."

Fraud came up again later in the debate, with Demuth criticizing Klobuchar's close relationship with Walz.

"You have not heard my opponent differ from one policy bill that Tim Walz, who she calls an incredible governor, has allowed to go forward," Demuth said. "I would love to hear one bill, one area, childcare, fraudulent funding. I would love to hear that. If she is separating herself specifically from Tim Walz, Tim Walz allowed the childcare fraud and other fraud here in the state of Minnesota to explode to $9 billion, never firing any of his commissioners or agency employees. But yet you have someone standing here tonight that is supporting everything from the incredible governor, as she has said he is."

Klobuchar responded, "Rewind the tape on this debate please; you will see exactly how I said I differed from Tim Walz."

RISING GAS PRICES

In another tense moment, the candidates turned to rising gas prices, with Klobuchar attempting to link Demuth to the policies of the Trump administration.

"I can tell you the fastest way to bring down your gas prices, and that is to stop this War in Iran," Klobuchar said. "That is it, beginning, middle and end. And when you look at what my opponent brings up, when we had a debate earlier this week, she actually brought up and blamed it on the Keystone pipeline. Then she blamed the healthcare costs on Barack Obama. I don't know what will be next. Maybe Thomas Jefferson, but what I know is that Minnesotans understand what's happened at the pump."

EXPLOSIVE SLEEPER ISSUE COULD FUEL MIDTERM SHAKEUPS, TOP REPUBLICAN PREDICTS: ‘YOU’RE GONNA SEE SURPRISES’

Demuth blamed high costs in Minnesota on the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party's (DFL) control of state government.

"We can talk about that Keystone pipeline that my opponent has voted against. That would have brought in 830,000 barrels of oil. It would have helped with the supply that we have here, yet she voted against it," Demuth said. "But you have to ask yourself, why are things so expensive here in Minnesota? They are expensive because of overspending by a one-party control in 2023 and 2024. I will bring down prices. I will right-size our state budget and make sure that you can afford your lives, that you can grow, thrive, and businesses will be coming to Minnesota to provide the jobs that are needed. It's common sense, and that's the decision that you have to make as you're looking to this election this year."

HEALTHCARE COSTS AND INSULIN PRICES

As Minnesotans continue to grapple with rising healthcare costs, the two candidates sparred over ObamaCare, which Klobuchar voted for in the U.S. Senate.

"It's important to realize that we're looking at all of the inputs and all of the reasons why our healthcare is more expensive," Demuth said. "Senator Klobuchar supported the Affordable Care Act. She promised that it would bring down our healthcare. Unfortunately, we have seen anything but all of our healthcare since the Affordable Care Act has increased the healthcare cost to all Minnesotans."

Klobuchar didn't address ObamaCare in her response, instead pointing to Demuth's position on abortion and accusing the Republican of being beholden to Big Pharma.

"You've heard from my opponent that, I don't support certain things in healthcare, she's talking about issues that are already settled," Demuth said. "I think it's quite rich to hear the fact that she is the one that broke the healthcare system as the deciding vote on the Affordable Care Act."

During the healthcare discussion, Klobuchar argued that Demuth has not done enough to lower insulin prices and cited the support she has received from the family of Alex Smith, a 26-year-old Minnesotan who died while struggling to afford his insulin treatments.

"Just to clarify a very incorrect or untruthful lie that you just heard was the fact that I did vote yes for the Alex Smith insulin bill," Demuth responded. "Back in April of 2020. The governor signed it into law the very next day."

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Klobuchar, who was first elected to the Senate in 2006, won all four of her Senate elections by healthy margins, including her 2024 reelection by nearly 16 points. Before serving in the Senate, Klobuchar was elected twice as county attorney in Hennepin County, Minnesota's most populous. She also ran unsuccessfully for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination.

Demuth, who was first elected to the Minnesota House in 2018, has served as GOP leader in the chamber since the start of 2023 and as speaker for the past year and a half.

WICHITA, Kan. — Voters at President Donald Trump's Kansas rally said the cost of living remains a major concern, but many feared Democratic control of Congress even more.

This midterm election cycle features six Republican-controlled Senate seats that are considered toss-ups, including Kansas Republican Sen. Roger Marshall's contest against Democrat Adam Hamilton. That race has become an unexpected challenge for Republicans in their quest to keep control of the Senate.

And voters who lined up to get a chance to see Trump in Wichita told Fox News Digital that they recognized the stakes, particularly the effect Democrats flipping both chambers of Congress could have on the president's agenda.

SLEEPER SENATE RACE EMERGES AS UNEXPECTED HEADACHE FOR REPUBLICANS AHEAD OF MIDTERMS

"Trump doesn't get the support that he needs to protect America, and that our country will turn into Paris, France," Kathy Bond told Fox News Digital of the riots roiling through the French capital. "That's my biggest concern."

The race between Marshall and Hamilton, who led the Church of the Resurrection which now boasts a congregation of nearly 23,000, according to the church's website, before jumping into politics. The Cook Political Report recently shifted the race to a toss-up, sending Republicans scrambling to dump more money into the state.

Trump's rally in Kansas, the first time a sitting president has visited the Wichita area since former President George W. Bush in 2007, is part of his and Republicans' broader strategy to motivate Republican voters during a midterm election cycle in which he is not on the ballot.

National Republicans argue that without the loyal MAGA voting bloc, they won’t stand a chance as they face turbulent political headwinds.

THUNE MAKES BOLD PREDICTION ABOUT REPUBLICANS' SENATE CHANCES AS GOP PULLS MILLIONS FROM KEY RACES

Though voters are unhappy with the economy, the ones waiting in the long, snaking lines to get their seat inside the Heartland Credit Union Arena argued that Democratic control would be worse.

"We've got to vote Republican down the ballot this year. It's a significant point in the Trump administration," Emily told Fox News Digital. "And it's just we've got to keep the Republican majority. There's too much at stake."

Marshall, who is running for a second term in the upper chamber, recognized that the race was neck and neck and told Fox News Digital in an interview before the rally that "it's the price of gas" that has tightened the race.

"I do feel people's pain," Marshall said. "Every year I go to all 105 counties, finish up the 105 counties in June, and as that price of gas went up, I felt more and more frustration. So maybe we're up 12 points before the Iran War, and as the price went up our poll numbers went down, so I think it's the price of gas."

WOKE MEGACHURCH PASTOR, DEM NOMINEE CALLED FOR REPENTANCE OVER WHITE PRIVILEGE IN WAKE OF GEORGE FLOYD, BLM

"But I think people are beginning to realize the rest of the story, that if we were to lose this seat and let Democrats control the Senate, they would go back to their policies that drove gas prices up higher," he continued. "Even today, the price of gas is less on average under President Trump than it was under Joe Biden."

Some at the rally felt that Marshall should have to answer for his votes in the Senate but believed that his experience as a lawmaker overrode the uncertainty that the political newcomer Hamilton could bring should he win on Nov. 3.

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"I mean, you know, Marshall's been in it for a while now, so he's gonna have a lot of people that he has to answer a lot of questions to because he's the one been doing the job this whole time," Jenny told Fox News Digital.

"But for me, somebody like Hamilton that hasn't been in, you know, this game and doesn't really know exactly what all this entails," she continued. "I'm sure his intentions are good, but I just don't think that he has the background to do what's necessary for our state."

Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., and Democratic challenger Adam Hamilton repeatedly sought to distance themselves from the most unpopular elements of their respective parties Wednesday night during a contentious Kansas Senate debate.

Both candidates battled over President Donald Trump, immigration, the war in Iran and more in a race that could help determine control of the Senate.

The debate opened on a personal note, with both candidates pressed over controversies that have fueled attack ads in the closing weeks of the campaign.

Marshall was questioned about a New York Times review that found his former medical practice sued more than 700 patients over unpaid bills. The Republican defended the practice while emphasizing the millions of dollars in free care his practice provided.

GOP SENATOR ALLEGES SCHUMER BEHIND 'HIT JOB' REPORT ON FORMER PATIENTS

"Every year we gave away $3 to $4 million of charity, but we also had a business," Marshall said. "We had 300 employees, we had a mortgage payment, we had electric."

Hamilton, meanwhile, was questioned about his handling of allegations involving a volunteer at his church's summer camp alleged to have been a sexual predator. Hamilton acknowledged that he should have ensured the individual did not return to the camp after an initial investigation.

"I should have checked to make sure that he wasn't going back," Hamilton said. "That was a mistake on my part."

The candidates spent much of the rest of the debate trying to define each other by their respective national parties.

Marshall repeatedly warned that electing Hamilton would help hand control of the Senate to Democrats and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, while Hamilton sought to portray himself as an independent-minded Democrat willing to break with his party.

THE NINE KEY RACES THAT WILL DECIDE WHO CONTROLS THE SENATE, AND WHERE THEY STAND

That divide came into focus when the moderator played footage of Trump campaigning for Marshall in Kansas earlier this week and telling voters to "pretend, please, that I'm on the ballot."

Asked whether that meant he would support every part of Trump's agenda, Marshall said no and pointed to recent disagreements involving immigration enforcement in southwest Kansas and beef imports.

"Just like with my wife, I can disagree with her. My wife is always right," Marshall joked. "And President Trump is not always right."

Nevertheless, Marshall emphasized his support for much of Trump's agenda and urged the president's supporters to turn out for him.

"We need the Trump voters to come out," Marshall said. "If you want the Trump agenda to continue, if you want secure borders, if you want a strong military, if you want lower taxes, then you — and you voted for President Trump — you need to come out."

Hamilton faced a similar challenge when moderators pressed him over his past support for Democrats and his campaign message of "leading from the middle."

MANCHIN CALLS SCHUMER 'CRAZY' FOR TRYING TO OUST GOP SENATOR IN CRUCIAL SENATE SHOWDOWN

The Democratic nominee explicitly broke with former President Joe Biden over immigration.

"The Biden policies when it came to the border were a disaster," Hamilton said. "I believe in strong and secure borders."

Hamilton also said he would not support Schumer for majority leader if Democrats win control of the Senate.

The debate did produce an unusual moment of agreement when both candidates were asked how many genders there are.

"There's two. There's a boy and there's a girl," Marshall said.

"There are two genders, male and female," Hamilton responded.

SC DEM SENATE CANDIDATE CLAIMS SHE WILL STAND UP TO HER PARTY AS GRAHAM TIES HER TO 'SOCIALIST DEMOCRATS'

Hamilton later said he did not want biological males competing against his 12-year-old granddaughter in sports, calling it "not a fair fight," while arguing that decisions over athletic participation should generally be handled locally rather than by the federal government.

The Kansas contest has emerged as an unexpectedly competitive Senate race in the closing weeks of the midterms. Marshall is seeking a second term in a state that has not elected a Democratic U.S. senator since 1932, while Hamilton, a longtime pastor, has campaigned as a moderate Democrat.

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Trump traveled to Kansas Monday to campaign for Marshall as Republicans work to defend the seat with control of the Senate at stake.

ATLANTA – Angel Reese helped the Atlanta Dream win a WNBA Finals game for the first time Monday. Two nights later, she helped them take their first lead in a Finals series.

ATLANTA DREAM, GOLDEN STATE VALKYRIES SKIP NATIONAL ANTHEM FOR THIRD STRAIGHT WNBA FINALS GAME

Reese finished with 21 points and 12 rebounds as Atlanta beat the Golden State Valkyries 97-71 on Wednesday night at State Farm Arena, taking a 2–1 lead in the best-of-seven series. Reese has totaled 51 points and 28 rebounds in Atlanta’s two victories.

Reese became the youngest player in WNBA Finals history to record at least 20 points and 10 rebounds in consecutive games, joining A’ja Wilson as the only players to accomplish the feat.

And to give the Dream and their fans credit, I previously questioned whether Atlanta could fill State Farm Arena for the Finals. They answered that with a resounding yes on Wednesday night. Game 3 was a sellout, and the building was loud.

Before tip-off, both teams again left the court for the national anthem, marking their third straight absence in the series. They returned moments after the performance ended. The WNBA’s rulebook calls for players, coaches and trainers to stand and line up during the anthem, and the league has not answered OutKick’s questions about the absences.

Once the game started, Reese picked up where she left off in San Francisco. She scored Atlanta’s first basket and finished the opening quarter with eight points, including a three-pointer that pushed the Dream’s lead to 22–12.

Golden State missed its first eight shots and didn’t make a field goal until 4:38 remained in the first quarter. Atlanta led 23–15 after one.

WNBA ANTHEM CONTROVERSY SPARKS CALLS TO BAR PLAYERS WHO DON'T STAND FROM TEAM USA OLYMPIC ROSTER

Reese added another three in the second quarter and went into halftime with 15 points, matching her first-half total from Game 2. Naz Hillmon made three first-half threes of her own, helping Atlanta take a 46–40 lead into the break.

The Valkyries made a push to start the third. Cecilia Zandalasini hit two threes in the opening 68 seconds, and Golden State tied the game at 48, then again at 49.

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Reese helped Atlanta answer. After Rhyne Howard put the Dream back in front, Reese made two free throws, assisted on an Isobel Borlase layup and scored on a running layup herself. That completed an 8–0 run and gave Atlanta a 57–49 lead.

Golden State cut the deficit to four, but the Dream kept scoring after Reese went to the bench with 3:31 left in the quarter. DeWanna Bonner hit a three to start a 12–2 finish to the period, scoring five points during that stretch.

ANGEL REESE DOMINATES GAME 2 AS ATLANTA DREAM EVEN WNBA FINALS WITH GOLDEN STATE VALKYRIES

Atlanta led 71–57 entering the fourth and Golden State never really threatened in the final period.

Hillmon finished with 15 points, while Jordin Canada added 8 assists. Rhyne Howard had her best offensive performance of the series, scoring 16 points.

Atlanta again held down Golden State’s Gabby Williams, who finished with 15 points on 5-of-18 shooting.

Atlanta entered these Finals without a win in its three previous appearances, then lost Saturday’s opener. Now Reese and the Dream are two victories from a championship.

Game 4 is Saturday at State Farm Arena.

Minnesota's gubernatorial candidates clashed over the state's fraud scandals in their second debate of the week, with Republican House Speaker Lisa Demuth pledging to fire all state commissioners on her first day in office and Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar defending her response.

The scandals have rocked the North Star State, raising questions about how large-scale abuse of state programs went undetected and putting government oversight at the center of the governor's race.

"Fraud unchecked here in the state of Minnesota has gone far too long, and it has finally come to the surface," Demuth said.

MINNESOTA’S ANTI-FRAUD SPENDING HAS QUIETLY BALLOONED, LEAVING TAXPAYERS TO PAY FOR FAILURE TWICE

"The thing that I will do on day one is I am going to be firing all commissioners, choosing new commissioners that are expert in their field, that will carry out the accountability and transparency that is needed in our state. We have to change the culture of fraud."

Klobuchar called Demuth's remarks "absurd" and said she contacted U.S. Attorney Andy Luger after the fraud came to light to ask what prosecutors needed.

"He said, 'I need more prosecutors'," Klobuchar said. "I called the highest level of the Justice Department, and I got him those prosecutors."

TIM WALZ SAYS HE TAKES RESPONSIBILITY FOR MINNESOTA FRAUD BY NOT RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION

Klobuchar also said she would have caught the fraud earlier, while criticizing Walz’s response. "Tim Walz should have caught the fraud earlier, and he should have done more," she said.

She also sought to distinguish herself from the outgoing governor and criticized Demuth for not clearly separating herself from President Donald Trump. "We don't need a rubber stamp of Donald Trump in the governor's office," Klobuchar said.

Demuth countered that Klobuchar had not identified specific policies on which she would break with Walz, whom Klobuchar has called an "incredible governor."

'WE HAVE NOT SLOWED DOWN': MINNESOTA NOT OUT OF THE WOODS ON MASSIVE FRAUD SCANDAL, EXPERT WARNS

Beyond fraud, Klobuchar and Demuth used the debate to draw broader contrasts over the economy, taxes, public safety and the direction of the state. Both candidates have ruled out tax increases, but Demuth has argued Minnesota needs to rein in spending and regulations, while Klobuchar has emphasized lowering costs for health care, housing and childcare.

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Wednesday's debate in Rochester was the candidates' second face off this week and likely their final debate before Election Day on Nov. 3. Republicans have not won a statewide race in Minnesota since 2006.

The race will also make history regardless of the outcome, producing Minnesota's first female governor. A Demuth victory would additionally make her the state's first Black governor.

President Donald Trump was the unofficial third person on stage at Wednesday's Michigan U.S. Senate debate, as Democrat Abdul El-Sayed repeatedly invoked him while seeking to cast Republican Mike Rogers as Trump's "sock puppet."

El-Sayed mentioned Trump 18 times during the hour-long debate and repeatedly called Rogers' responses "MAGA bingo," accusing the Republican of relying on Trump-aligned talking points. Rogers, however, broke with Trump on a couple of trade issues.

The phrase became a running theme throughout the night, with El-Sayed declaring "MAGA bingo" after Rogers accused him of supporting socialist policies, open borders and defunding the police. Rogers eventually turned the attack back on his opponent, suggesting that the real bingo game was every time El-Sayed included Trump in his answer.

Rogers, however, did not align with Trump on every issue. He split with Trump on trade, calling the president's tariffs a "mixed bag" and saying tariffs on Canada may have been "not well thought through."

‘DESTROYING THE AMERICAN WAY OF LIFE’: EL-SAYED’S POLITICAL ORBIT COMPLICATES EFFORT TO MODERATE HIS IMAGE

He also opposed Chinese automakers building vehicles in the United States, saying during the debate that Congress should ban the ability for the Chinese to build cars in the United States. El-Sayed countered by pointing out that Trump has said he would be open to Chinese automakers building vehicles in the United States and questioned whether Rogers would stand up to Trump on the issue.

Wednesday evening marked the second debate between El-Sayed and Rogers, just weeks before Michigan's midterm election. 

The battle for the swing state's open Senate seat has drawn national attention not only because it could help determine control of the upper chamber, but because it has emerged as a major test of the Democratic Party's progressive wing in a key battleground state.

El-Sayed, backed by progressive heavyweights including Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., has campaigned on a progressive agenda that includes Medicare for All, higher taxes on the wealthy, ending U.S. military aid to Israel and abolishing ICE.

While El-Sayed worked to paint Rogers as a Trump-aligned "corporate politician," Rogers repeatedly branded his Democratic opponent as having a "pattern of deception," accusing him of misrepresenting his record and shifting his positions.

MICHIGAN SENATE HOPEFUL ABDUL EL-SAYED FIRES BACK AT CNN CHOOSING TO 'FIXATE' ON 'DEFUND THE POLICE' COMMENTS

Throughout the debate, Rogers cast El-Sayed as being outside the political mainstream, tying the Democrat and his policies to the Democratic Socialists of America and hammering him over his past support for defunding the police.

Rogers also claimed that some of El-Sayed's donors and supporters were tied to Hamas, Hezbollah and the Muslim Brotherhood. 

At one point, Rogers questioned El-Sayed's allegiance to the country after accusing El-Sayed of having donors tied to Hamas, asking, "Are you for America or are you for these terrorist groups overseas?" 

The most contentious moment of the debate came during a question on public safety, when Rogers hammered El-Sayed over his past support for defunding the police, accused him of deleting social media posts on the issue and pointed to El-Sayed's past comments involving former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, who was backed by the Muslim Brotherhood.

El-Sayed fired back that it was "beneath" Rogers to question his commitment to the Constitution, declaring that he was "proud to be an American" and calling Rogers’ line of questioning "shameful."

ROGERS ARGUES EL-SAYED IS VULNERABLE WITH 2 TRADITIONALLY DEMOCRATIC BLOCS AS OBAMA HEADS TO MICHIGAN

El-Sayed, a Muslim and first-generation American whose parents emigrated from Egypt, has faced scrutiny over his rhetoric on the war in Gaza and his positions on Israel, leading some members of Michigan's Jewish community to openly disavow the Democratic candidate. During the debate, Rogers said that his campaign was doing well with the Jewish community, which he claimed is fearful of El-Sayed's rhetoric. 

Rogers said that El-Sayed was too "extreme" for Michigan, pointing to prominent Democrats who said they can't back the party's nominee, including the former Michigan Democratic Party chairman and the former finance chair for Sen. Elissa Slotkin's campaign.

Michigan Republicans echoed that argument following the debate, pointing out that El-Sayed used to campaign with Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, who once said that America deserved the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

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"We cannot afford Abdul El-Sayed's far-left, big-government policies, and we cannot risk electing a person who campaigns with the likes of Hasan Piker and seemingly justified the horrific terrorist attack targeting children and the Jewish community in Bloomfield Hills," MIGOP Chairman Jim Runestad said in a statement.

The LeBron James era in Los Angeles is officially in the rearview mirror, and Luka Doncic wasted no time introducing himself as the new face of the city.

Ahead of Wednesday night's season opener against the Golden State Warriors, the Lakers' superstar made an instant impression on everyday fans before even stepping onto the court.

Doncic bought out an entire parking lot outside Crypto.com Arena to give fans free parking and teamed up with Metro Bike Share to hand out free rides across Los Angeles all day long.

LEBRON JAMES THANKS LAKERS AHEAD OF FREE AGENCY DEPARTURE FOR 24TH NBA SEASON: 'HOPE I MADE A FEW PROUD'

If you have ever tried driving into downtown Los Angeles on a game night, you know parking alone can feel like a shakedown.

Dropping 50 bucks just to leave your car on cracked asphalt for three hours is enough to ruin an evening before it even starts.

Anyone hoping Luka's generosity would carry over to the concession stands inside would be sorely disappointed. Free beer is definitely not on the menu, and you are still going to pay 20 dollars for a draft and 10 bucks for a soda once you clear security.

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Taking a family of four to a ballgame is still a heavy hit on the bank account. Still, the gesture sends a clear message that this is Luka's team now.

For years, Lakers basketball was the LeBron show, complete with all the celebrity drama, roster turnover, and constant circus that came with it. With James gone, the keys to the most famous franchise in basketball belong entirely to Doncic.

Coming off a frustrating hamstring injury that cut his 2025-26 season short, he enters this fresh campaign with an enormous chip on his shoulder and the weight of 17 championship banners on his back.

Free parking and pedal bikes build quick goodwill, but hanging banner 18 is the only thing that truly matters. Wednesday night against Golden State is just the opening chapter of the Luka era.

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Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs apologized to his teammates, while also speaking with reporters for the first time since returning to the team after being removed from the commissioner’s exempt list last week.

Jacobs missed the first six weeks of the 2026 season following an offseason domestic abuse arrest in May, which landed him on the commissioner’s exempt list on Aug. 30.

The league continues to investigate Jacobs’ situation despite pleading no contest to both misdemeanor battery and misdemeanor criminal damage to property. Jacobs being removed from the list doesn’t hinder the investigation, the NFL has noted, but he is allowed back with the Packers.

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Ahead of his potential season debut — the Packers haven’t said whether Jacobs will be playing against the Detroit Lions on Sunday — Jacobs spoke with reporters, expressing remorse for his actions.

"Excited to be back with the team, with the guys," he said during his media availability. "I want to say thank you to the organization really for supporting me throughout this whole process and how everything played out.

"With that being said, I can’t really get into a lot of things, like specifics of things, but obviously I’m remorseful, and sorry for putting this time in this situation.

JOSH JACOBS' EX-GIRLFRIEND FILES MOTION TO PERMANENTLY SEAL EVIDENCE IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASE

"Sometimes, when you go through life, situations occur, and a four-second, three-second decision can alter your life honestly. With that being said, still a human being, man, still trying to learn, still trying to grow from the whole process. Actually learned a lot throughout this whole process, legally and just personally."

As part of Jacobs’ plea deal, he was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine, attend counseling, pay restitution for property he destroyed and have no further contact with the victim. As long as he meets those conditions for one year, the property damage charge will be dismissed.

Jacobs was arrested in Wisconsin following an incident that occurred three days prior, where he allegedly grabbed his ex-girlfriend trying to leave his garage and threw her to the ground.

Jacobs also filed a civil suit last week calling for an injunction and protective order surrounding evidence, specifically surveillance footage of the incident, which would restrict access to records of the case. Basically, Jacobs doesn’t want the footage released to the public, as it was reported the video footage of the alleged battery would corroborate the victim’s claims.

Jacobs is trying to put the situation behind him, saying that he is "just trying to be better" moving forward.

"I know for some people this might be a stain on me and my character," he added. "I feel like I don’t have to really speak on my character. A lotta people that know me in this locker room, or that’s been around me, I’ll let them do that.

"For me, man, I’m just trying to come back in here, play ball, learn from this mistake and move forward."

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Head coach Matt LaFleur also addressed Jacobs returning to his squad during his news conference on Wednesday.

"I think a lot of times you get in a situation where you might not make the right decision," he said of Jacobs’ situation. "I think people learn from their mistakes. I think he’s extremely remorseful, and I do believe he is a good person. I’ve been around him quite a bit. I believe in second chances."

With Jacobs sidelined, LaFleur has seen an abysmal run game from his depth chart, which includes MarShawn Lloyd, Pierre Strong Jr. and Kaleb Johnson, who Green Bay traded for with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Packers are averaging just 59.8 yards on the ground per game, though they are top five in passing yards (269.3) with quarterback Jordan Love finding his rhythm amid a recent three-game win streak for his 4-2 squad.

LaFleur said he felt Jacobs was in a "pretty good spot" earlier this week in terms of playing against the Lions.

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"He’s been training, but he’s missed the exposure to football. [His availability] is going to be determined throughout the course of the week, see where he’s at, see how he’s feeling, and then we’ll make a decision."

Last season, Jacobs rushed for 929 yards in 15 games, finishing fourth in the NFL in rushing touchdowns with 13.

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