Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota announced Thursday she won't seek re-election in 2026, forcing the Democratic Party to defend another open seat in next year's midterms and making more difficult their goal of regaining the Senate majority.

"I’ve decided not to run for re-election to the Senate in 2026," Smith said in a social media post. "This job has been the honor of a lifetime. For the rest of my term, I’ll work as hard as I can for Minnesotans and our country. Thank you so much, Minnesota."

Smith was appointed to the Senate in 2018 to succeed former Sen. Al Franken after his resignation over sexual misconduct allegations. She won a special election later that year to serve out Franken's term and was re-elected in 2020 to a full six-year term.

TOP POLITICAL HANDICAPPER REVEALS DEMOCRATS CHANCES OF WINNING BACK THE SENATE MAJORITY

Senate Republicans vowed to try and flip Smith's seat in blue-leaning Minnesota.

"Minnesota is in play, and we play to win. Minnesotans deserve a senator who will fight for lower taxes, economic opportunity and safer communities," National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) Chair Sen. Tim Scott said in a statement to Fox News. 

But the Senate Democrats' campaign arm quickly pledged to keep the seat in party hands.

FIRST ON FOX: SENATE GOP CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE SPOTLIGHTS ‘TEAM EFFORT’

"No Republican has won a Minnesota Senate race in over 20 years, and Democrats will continue to hold this seat in 2026," Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) spokesperson David Bergstein emphasized in a statement to Fox News.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, the top Democrat in the chamber, praised Smith as "a remarkable senator — smart, compassionate, and tireless in her commitment to Minnesota and the country."

"While I will deeply miss her leadership and friendship in the Senate, I have no doubt that her legacy of service will continue to inspire. We have a strong bench in Minnesota, and I’m confident that we’ll keep her seat blue," Schumer predicted.

Smith became the second Democrat in the Senate to announce she would forgo running for re-election in the midterms, following Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan, a key Midwestern battleground state.

SENATE REPUBLICANS JUMP OUT TO FAST START IN THIS KEY CAMPAIGN METRIC

Senate Republicans enjoyed a favorable map in the 2024 cycle as they flipped four seats from blue to red and won a 53-47 majority in the chamber.

The party in power - which is clearly the Republicans right now - traditionally faces political headwinds in the midterm elections. And while an early read of the 2026 map shows the GOP will be forced to play defense in some states, they'll also go on offense in others.

Besides the open seat in Michigan, the GOP will target first-term Sen. Jon Ossoff in battleground Georgia and longtime Sen. Jeanne Shaheen in swing state New Hampshire.

Now the Democrats will have to pay attention to Minnesota, which the Cook Report, a top nonpartisan political handicapper, this week rated as "Likely Democrat," as it unveiled its first read on the battle for the Senate majority in the 2026 cycle.

However, Democrats aim to go on offense in blue-leaning Maine, where GOP Sen. Susan Collins is up for re-election, as well as in battleground North Carolina, where Republican Sen. Thom Tillis is also up in 2026.

TRUMP-BACKED 2024 GOP SENATE NOMINEE IN KEY BATTLEGROUND STATE MOVING TOWARD ANOTHER RUN IN 2026

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who served as Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate on the Democrats' 2024 national ticket, took to social media soon after Smith's news.

"Tina has always done the work to improve people’s lives: lowering the price of insulin, improving access to mental health services, passing historic climate legislation, and our party’s champion for reproductive freedom. Minnesotans will miss having her in the Senate," Walz wrote.

There is speculation Walz, who is eligible to run for re-election in 2026 for a third four-year term as Minnesota governor, may now have an interest in his state's open Senate seat.

Smith, in a video announcement she posted on social media, noted that Democrats "have a deep bench of political talent in Minnesota. A group of leaders that are more than ready to pick up the work and carry it forward. And I'm excited to make room for them to move forward."

Lt. Gov Peggy Flanagan moved toward launching a campaign, saying in a social media post, "I love Minnesota, and my intention is to run for United States Senate and continue to serve the people of this state. I’ll make a formal announcement later this month."

There's also speculation that Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, a member of the so-called Squad, may make a move to run for the Senate.

Fox News' Julia Johnson and Chad Pergram contributed to this report

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán declared that the populist Alternative for Deutschland (AfD) party is the "future" of Germany in a meeting with chancellor candidate Alice Weidel in Budapest on Wednesday.

The post Hungary’s Orbán Declares Germany’s Populist AfD Party ‘The Future’ in Pre-Election Meeting with Leader Weidel appeared first on Breitbart.

The Department of Homeland Security confirmed on Tuesday that some Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) employees who worked on "mis-, dis-, and malinformation" were put on administrative leave.

In a statement to Scripps News, DHS assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin wrote CISA needs to "refocus on its mission," starting with election security.

"The agency is undertaking an evaluation of how it has executed its election security mission with a particular focus on any work related to mis-, dis-, and malinformation," according to the statement.

SPEAKER JOHNSON RIPS ‘LACK OF LEADERSHIP’ IN BIDEN ADMIN'S HELENE RESPONSE: ‘ALARMED AND DISAPPOINTED’ 

As first reported by Fox News Digital, then-Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas testified in April 2022 that the Department of Homeland Security was creating a "Disinformation Governance Board" to combat misinformation ahead of the 2022 midterm election.

During an appearance before the House Appropriations Subcommittee, Mayorkas said a "Disinformation Governance Board" was created to address misinformation campaigns targeting minority communities.

MAYORKAS RIPS ‘POLITICIZED’ ATMOSPHERE OVER FEMA DISASTER RESPONSE AMID GOP CRITICISM'

While the agency conducts the assessment, personnel who worked on the alleged "mis-, dis-, and malinformation," as well as foreign influence operations and disinformation, will remain on administrative leave, according to the statement.

The board was allegedly led by Undersecretary for Policy Rob Silvers, co-chair with principal deputy general counsel Jennifer Gaskill. 

Nina Jankowicz, who previously served as a disinformation fellow at the Wilson Center, reportedly served as executive director, Politico reported.

Fox News Digital's Bradford Betz contributed to this report.

A 'February surprise' has been dropped on the chancellor candidate for the far-left German Green party, Robert Habeck, with a prominent media researcher accusing the finance minister of plagiarism in his dissertation with just two weeks left before voters head to the polls.

The post German Green Party Chancellor Candidate Accused of Plagiarism Two Weeks Ahead of Crucial Elections appeared first on Breitbart.

Democrats face "few opportunities" to win back the Senate majority in next year's midterm elections, a top non-partisan political handicapper predicts.

While the Republicans are defending seats in 22 states in 2026 compared to just 13 for the Democrats, the Cook Report's first Senate ratings of the new election cycle point to a tough road ahead for the Democrats as they aim to recapture control of the chamber.

Senate Republicans enjoyed a very favorable map in the 2024 cycle as they flipped four seats from blue to red and stormed to a 53-47 majority in the new Congress, to go along with President Donald Trump's recapturing of the White House and the GOP's successful defense of their razor-thin House majority.

Cook Report Senate and governors editor Jessica Taylor, looking to new Senate battle, suggests that "the challenge for Democrats to net the four seats necessary to win back the majority looks herculean."

FIRST ON FOX: SENATE GOP CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE SPOTLIGHTS ‘TEAM EFFORT’

The Cook Report rates two seats as toss-ups, and both are controlled by the Democrats.

They are in the battlegrounds of Michigan - where Democrat Sen. Gary Peters announced two weeks ago that he wouldn't seek re-election in 2026 - and Georgia - where Democrat Sen. Jon Ossoff faces a rough road to securing a second six-year term in the Senate.

Trump flipped Michigan in last November's election, while then-Rep. Elissa Slotkin narrowly edged Republican former Rep. Mike Rogers in the race to succeed longtime fellow Democrat Sen. Debbie Stabenow. Rogers is now seriously mulling a second straight bid for the Senate.

SENATE REPUBLICANS JUMP OUT TO FAST START IN THIS KEY CAMPAIGN METRIC

In Georgia, which Trump also flipped after losing the state in his 2020 election loss to former President Biden, the Cook Report calls Ossoff "the most endangered incumbent overall."

State and national Republicans are urging popular Republican Gov. Brian Kemp - who is term-limited in 2026 - to challenge Ossoff.

The Cook Report rates the key New England swing state of New Hampshire as Lean Democrat. 

Longtime Democrat Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a former governor, has yet to announce if she'll seek another term in office. And while plugged in Democrats in the Granite State have told Fox News the past couple of months that they expected the now-78-year-old Shaheen to run for re-election, her recently announced sparse fundraising for the fourth quarter of last year took many politicos by surprise.

Former Republican Sen. Scott Brown, who served as ambassador to New Zealand during Trump's first term in the White House, is making moves towards launching a second run for the Senate in New Hampshire, a dozen years after narrowly losing to Shaheen.

TRUMP-BACKED 2024 GOP SENATE NOMINEE IN KEY BATTLEGROUND STATE MOVING TOWARDS ANOTHER RUN IN 2026

While no Republican held Senate seats are listed as toss-ups, two are rated by the Cook Report as Lean Republican.

They are Maine, where moderate GOP Sen. Susan Collins is running for re-election in a state Trump lost last November, and North Carolina, where Republican Sen. Thom Tillis is seeking another term in a state Trump narrowly carried last year.

While Cook lists both races as Lean Republican, Taylor notes that "the rating could change if Democrats recruit strong candidates."

Those Democratic candidates could possibly be former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, who finished his second term earlier this year, and Maine Gov. Janet Mills, who's term-limited in 2026.

MEET THE REPUBLICAN SENATOR TASKED WITH DEFENDING THE GOP'S SENATE MAJORITY IN 2026

When it comes to potentially competitive races, the Cook Report rates Ohio as Likely Republican. GOP Gov. Mike DeWine last month named Lt. Jon Husted to fill the seat previously held by now-Vice President JD Vance. Husted is now running in 2026 to fill the final two years of Vance's term.

Once a key battleground state, Ohio has shifted to deep red in recent election cycles and its unclear if former longtime Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown, who lost his re-election last year, will make another bid in 2026.

Cook also lists Minnesota - where Democrat Sen. Tina Smith is up for re-election next year - as a likely Democrat.

Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, the chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said last November that he'd "like to see 55," when asked in a Fox News Digital interview about how many seats he was aiming for in the 2026 midterms.

And this past weekend at the Senate GOP campaign committee's winter meeting, Scott reiterated that "we believe we can get to 55 or maybe even stretch for 56," according to sources attending the confab in Palm Beach, Florida.

The party in power - which this cycle is clearly the Republicans - traditionally faces electoral headwinds in the midterm elections.

But Taylor, pointing to recent polling, notes that the Democrats' "party brand is… deeply unpopular."

"Even if Democrats were able to defend every incumbent and open seat on their side and flip both those states, it would leave them two short of an outright majority. Additional targets are hard to find," Taylor emphasized.

Mayor Eric Adams of New York gave a speech on Tuesday professing his innocence and saying that he would not put his personal interests above the city’s.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect reporting that New York Democrats have decided not to move ahead with the legislation.

A controversial New York state election bill will no longer come to fruition, as multiple reports said the bill was put on hold at the behest of Gov. Kathy Hochul.

Sources separately told the New York Post and City & State New York that Hochul asked the Democrat-majority legislature not to take any action on the legislation – which would give the governor more power to decide when special elections can be held and potentially delay the filling of U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik's deep-red upstate seat once the Republican is confirmed as U.N. Ambassador.

The Post reported some of the reasoning stemmed from negotiations between Hochul and the Trump administration as to the longevity of the state-operated MTA's "Congestion Pricing" tolling program in New York City – which the president has opposed.

City & State reported state Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, D-Bronx, declared the bill at least temporarily a non-starter at an afternoon meeting.

Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay, R-Oswego, also confirmed the bill is "no longer moving forward."

"It was a terrible piece of legislation in policy & principle. Thanks to strong pushback from Republican legislators & North Country residents, the bill has been halted," Barclay wrote on X.

State Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt, R-Niagara Falls, added in a statement to Fox News Digital that while the bill "appears to be defeated for now, we will remain vigilant against any effort to bring it back."

The reform bill had been set to come up for a vote Monday.

Critics called it a naked attempt to keep Stefanik’s North Country congressional district without a representative until November, while Democratic sponsors say it will save local and taxpayer resources.

The bill, which would allow Hochul to postpone elections or combine them with upcoming general elections, was marketed by Democrats as a cost-saving measure that helps ensure more voters will cast ballots in specials.

However, Ortt said that for all Democrats’ claims about President Donald Trump being a threat to democracy, the truth is belied in their own legislation.

"It’s all about the outcome, not process, democracy, voter participation – they could give a s---. They could give a s---," Ortt said. 

TOUGH DECISIONS FOR SANCTUARY CITIES AFTER BONDI'S FUND-WITHHOLDING ORDER

"I can’t shame them; they have none… 800,000 folks [in Stefanik’s soon-to-be-former district] will not have a representative in Congress ‘til November. That's a disgrace for a party that says it cares about democracy," he said, predicting Hochul will use the law to its maximum extent when enacted.

Ortt said the bill has two different provisions – one for federal elections and one for state legislative elections and ruminated how they could benefit Democrats.

He pointed out that state Sen. Simcha Felder, D-Brooklyn, is likely to seek an open seat on New York City Council in the politically-moderate, majority-Jewish Borough Park area.

Felder caucused with Senate Republicans from 2013-18, which gave the GOP a slim, technical majority in Albany for part of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s term.

Ortt said Democrats stand to potentially lose Felder’s Senate seat, which explains the reported two-tiered changes in the bill.

Meanwhile, Barclay said 44% of New York state voted for Trump and the legislation shows his opposition is still smarting about it.

GOP RIPS HOCHUL'S INFLATION REFUNDS

"No, they don't accept that result," said Barclay.

"So they're going to do everything they can, including depriving 800,000 people of a say in the budget [or] the SALT (tax deduction for high-taxed states) bill."

Barclay noted that if Stefanik’s seat remains vacant when the Farm Bill is voted on later this year, a significant portion of New York's agricultural lands will lack representation.

But Democrats remained united, with Senate President Andrea Stewart-Cousins saying in a statement that New Yorkers currently face "unprecedented challenges, including the strain on our democracy and our high cost of living."

"[T]his legislation is a common-sense approach that saves taxpayer dollars while maximizing voter turnout," said Stewart-Cousins, D-Yonkers.

Currently, Hochul has 90 days to call a special election once Stefanik, or Felder, resigns.

The bill’s text suggested the current special elections' framework in Albany is an operational and financial drag on counties and taxpayers – additionally citing "voter confusion and fatigue."

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Therefore, giving the governor the power to potentially consolidate elections is pertinent.

As NY1 reported, the bill also does not mandate Hochul – or any governor – to combine special and general or primary elections, but now gives her the power to do so.

Some in Stefanik’s district, however, believe Ortt’s claims may have substance.

"By holding up a special election, they’re keeping the North Country from having congressional representation at a critical moment," state Sen. Dan Stec, R-Queensbury, told Plattsburgh’s NBC affiliate. 

Stec is one of several Republicans vying for the seat, along with Sticker Mule CEO Anthony Constantino, Assemblyman Chris Tague of Schoharie, and author Liz Joy, who previously ran against Democratic Rep. Paul Tonko in the neighboring Capital Region district.

Tague told Fox News Digital that Hochul's political career began via a special election using the same laws Democrats are seeking to change.

"She’s tossing them aside to cut backroom deals … leaving the people of Upstate and the North Country without a voice," Tague said.

A spokesman for Stewart-Cousins told NY1 that state Democrats will not "be lectured to by a party that openly celebrated the release of violent felons that attempted to overthrow a presidential election and have opposed every single voting reform that increases voter participation."

Eric Adams cultivated a close relationship with President Trump. Now, U.S. prosecutors in Manhattan have been told to drop the corruption case against the New York City mayor.

It is unclear if the request to drop the indictment against the New York City mayor will sway enough disaffected voters to his side.

President Daniel Noboa, who is known for his aggressive law-and-order policies, failed to win a majority of votes in his re-election bid on Sunday.

The leader of the centrist Christian Democratic Union doubled down on his vow to not form a coalition with the populist Alternative for Germany as he squared off with Chancellor Olaf Scholz in a debate held two weeks before Germans head to the polls for a federal election.

The post More of the Same: Merkel Heir Merz Says No Coalition with AfD Despite Immigration Common Ground appeared first on Breitbart.

Vivek Ramaswamy’s short and rocky tenure in Washington isn’t turning off Republican voters in his home state.

It’s the first sign of unified opposition for a rudderless and leaderless Democratic Party.

West Australian (WA) independent lawmaker Benjamin Letts Dawkins legally changed his name to “Aussie Trump” this week, a move he described as a protest against “the tyranny and systematic corruption of the Labor government in WA.”

The post Australian State Lawmaker Changes Name to ‘Aussie Trump’ appeared first on Breitbart.

The new investment for the midterms is a shift from 2024, when the House Majority PAC’s initial funds were earmarked for battleground seats in California and New York.

Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo has not entered the race for mayor of New York City. But private planning suggests he is laying the groundwork to do so.

Conservatives on social media are having a field day mocking the Democratic National Committee for featuring a handful of "beyond parody" moments during its leadership vote over the weekend, which critics say underscores that Democrats have "learned absolutely nothing" from their 2024 election losses. 

The DNC voted to elect Minnestota Democrat Party leader Ken Martin as its chair on Saturday, after eight candidates vied to succeed Jaime Harrison. Following the Democratic Party's losses in November, when Republicans reclaimed the White House and Senate and retained control of the House, the DNC's chair vote serves as a fresh slate for the party as they ramp up strategies and fundraising for the next election cycle. 

Conservatives and critics took to social media over the weekend to highlight what they viewed as the most out of touch speeches and comments from party leaders, including the election of left-wing activist David Hogg as one of its three co-chairs. Hogg is an outspoken gun control advocate and the co-founder of March for Our Lives, a gun control group that was formed after the Parkland school shooting in 2018. 

DEMOCRATS ELECT NEW CHAIR WHO BRANDED TRUMP A 'TRAITOR' AS PARTY AIMS TO REBOUND FROM DISASTROUS 2024 ELECTION

"DNC Vice Chair David Hogg has some legitimately INSANE views that are wildly out of step with the American people. Good to see that the Democrat Party has learned absolutely nothing," conservative communicator Steve Guest posted to X. 

Hogg, a Parkland school shooting survivor, said from the DNC vote in Maryland that the party will put Republicans "on the defense" in the coming days and reclaim lost political ground. 

"After Parkland, our country was in a similar moment – where we had a Republican trifecta in Washington," the 24-year-old said during the DNC election. "We went on the offense, put the Republicans on the defense, and we won. That’s what we need to do right now."

'IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY': DNC CHAIR CANDIDATES REVEAL HOW THEY WILL REBOUND AFTER DISASTROUS 2024 RESULTS

"We’re going to show people that the reason people should vote for us isn’t just because we’re not Republicans – it’s because we’re damn Democrats. We give a s---," he pledged. "And we deliver. Now it’s time to rebuild the party and to rethink the way we’ve been doing things."

Amid the hours-long vote and gathering of Democrats on Saturday in Maryland, former DNC chief Harrison announced that the elections must be gender-balanced, including when a non-binary candidate is in the running, sparking condemnation from conservatives. 

DEMOCRATS RALLY AROUND LIGHTENING ROD ISSUE AT FINAL DNC CHAIR DEBATE

"We have an amazing group of new officers. So far, as you know, our three at large vice chair positions are used to ensure gender balance among seven offices: treasury secretary, national finance chair and vice chair for civic engagement and voter participation and the three at large vice chairs. Our rules specify that when we have a non-binary candidate or officer, the non-binary individual is counted as neither male nor female, and the remaining six offices must be gender balanced with the results of the previous four elections. Our elected officers are currently two male and two female. In order to be gender balanced… we must elect one male, one female, and one person of any gender."

Before the election kicked off on Saturday, the eight candidates had traveled to Georgetown University for a forum co-hosted by MSNBC on Thursday, where they declared "racism and misogyny" compounded former Vice President Kamala Harris' election loss. 

"So, I’m going to have a show of hands. How many of you believe that racism and misogyny played a role in Vice President Harris’ defeat?" MSNBC's Jonathan Capehart asked the eight candidates. 

"That’s good. You all passed," Capehart said after all candidates raised their hands in agreement. 

Republican lawmakers and pundits pounced on clips of the exchange, including Sen. Tommy Tubervile, R-Ala., who quipped that the GOP will expand its majority in the midterms. 

Singing also broke out both during the forum and the vote. Dr. Quintessa Hathaway was in the running for chair and belted out a song with the lyrics, "You fight on, when the government is doing you wrong, you fight on" during the Thursday forum. She also sang another song ahead of the vote on Saturday vowing, "We shall overcome."

FIRST ON FOX: AFTER 2024 ELECTION SETBACKS, DEMOCRATS EYE RURAL VOTERS

Harrison was also spotted on camera singing on Saturday, delivering a rendition of Stevie Wonder's "Happy Birthday." 

DEMOCRATS' HOUSE CAMPAIGN CHAIR TELLS FOX NEWS HER PLAN TO WIN BACK MAJORITY

DNC members also "acknowledged" during the vote that the U.S. was "built on indigenous lands."

Ken Martin, who previously slammed Trump as a "traitor" who should be prosecuted for treason, celebrated his win on Saturday, vowing to combat Trump and the Republican Party. 

"We have one team, one team, the Democratic Party," Martin said following his victory. "The fight is for our values. The fight is for working people. The fight right now is against Donald Trump and the billionaires who bought this country."

"We need to go on offense," Martin said. "We're going to go out there and take this fight to Donald Trump and the Republicans."

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Fox News Digital reached out to the DNC on Sunday for comment on the negative backlash over the gathering, but did not immediately receive a reply.  

Fox News Digital's Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report. 

New York Democratic lawmakers are working to keep Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik's House seat vacant until the summer in an unprecedented move hashed out during late-night discussions last week, a Republican Empire State assemblyman told Fox Digital. 

"We still haven't seen the final proposal from the Democrats in Albany, but there's no doubt that Tammany Hall corruption is alive and well in the state capital," Republican New York Assemblyman Matt Slater, who represents the state's 94th district in areas of Putnam and Westchester counties, told Fox News Digital in an exclusive Zoom interview on Sunday morning. 

"It is just blatantly corrupt for the New York State Democrats to keep changing the rules of engagement simply out of self-interest. Meanwhile, New Yorkers are struggling in so many different ways. U-Haul just gave us our worst migration rating ever because there's so many New Yorkers who are fleeing this state. So they can get things done, but they only do it when it benefits them," Slater continued. 

Slater, who serves as the ranking Republican on the state's Election Law Committee, was reacting to state Democrats working to introduce legislation that could keep Stefanik's House seat vacant until June, when the state holds its scheduled primary elections. Stefanik is in the midst of her confirmation process to serve in the Trump administration and is expected to resign her House seat if the Senate confirms her as the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. 

STEFANIK LOOKS BACK TO FIERY EXCHANGES WITH COLLEGE LEADERS IN SENATE CONFIRMATION HEARING: 'WATERSHED MOMENT'  

Under current law, New York's governor has 10 days to declare a special election for a vacant seat and an additional 80 to 90 days to hold the election. Stefanik's seat is key for the Republican Party and Trump's second administration, as Republicans hold a slim majority at 218 members to the Democrats' 215 members. 

The state Democrats' anticipated legislation has not yet been introduced, but Democrats were summoned to an emergency conference on Friday evening to reportedly discuss such a bill, Slater explained. He expects to have a copy of the Democrats' bill on Monday morning. 

STEFANIK PLANS TO PUSH TRUMP'S 'AMERICA FIRST' AGENDA AT UN, MAKE SURE IT 'SERVES THE INTERESTS' OF US PEOPLE 

Slater said the Democrats' objective of changing election laws to move the special election back to the summer is part of their bigger agenda to combat the second Trump administration. 

"Speaker Johnson has the hardest job in government right now, trying to keep the Republican conference, caucus together. This obviously would make that margin of Republican control that much more thin and that much more challenging for the speaker and, again, jeopardizing President Trump's agenda to get through Congress. That's their entire mission and goal, the Albany Democrats, is to make sure that they're combating President Trump each step of the way. And this is their latest way of doing it," Slater said. 

He pointed to a bevy of instances in which New York Democrats have leveraged their state power to combat Trump and the Republican Party in recent years, including gerrymandering and "stacking" New York's top court with Democrats. 

NEW YORK APPEALS COURT JUDGES IN TRUMP CASE ROUTINELY DONATED TO DEMOCRATS, RECORDS SHOW

"If you look at the track record of the Democrats, who control every aspect of state government here in New York, they have changed the rules so many times just because it benefits them. Whether it's redistricting, whether it's stacking the Court of Appeals, whether it's allowing the governor to remove her then-indicted lieutenant governor from the ballot. The list goes on and on," he said. 

"And in this case, it will deprive 800,000 New Yorkers of proper representation in Washington. And oh by the way, there were two special elections last year. And the Democrats didn't say anything about changing the rules because fact of the matter is, these are Republican districts that will be impacted, and they are trying to disrupt the Trump administration and, frankly, Leader Johnson from being able to deliver on their agenda."

President Donald Trump nominated Stefanik to serve as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under his second administration. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted to advance the New York Republican's confirmation on Thursday, with her full Senate floor vote expected later this week. 

FETTERMAN STILL ENTHUSIASTICALLY SUPPORTIVE OF STEFANIK FOR US AMBASSADOR TO UN: 'ALWAYS WAS A HARD YES' 

Stefanik is expected to resign from the U.S. House to take the ambassadorship if and when the Senate officially confirms her nomination. 

A spokesperson for Democrat New York Gov. Kathy Hochul told Gothamist that she "believes it’s critical to increase voter turnout and reduce the cost of election administration, and she would support legislation that achieves that goal."

Slater poured cold water on the office's claim that the proposal is rooted in promoting voter turnout and easing costs, pointing to two special elections held last year – former Democrat Rep. Brian Higgins' seat as well as the February 2024 special election to replace former Republican Rep. George Santos' in a district where Democrats were expected to have an edge over the GOP. Democrats, who have held trifecta control in the state since 2018, did not push to change special election laws last year, Slater noted. 

WHAT STEFANIK'S HOUSE TENURE REVEALS ABOUT WHAT TYPE OF UN AMBASSADOR SHE MAY BE 

"I can't believe how hypocritical the governor and her office can be in this, because let me remind the governor that she had two special elections for Congress last year," he said.

"To sit here and say that this is going to save taxpayer money and increase voter turnout, but you didn't think about that last year when your own party had special elections that you were favored to win? Fact of the matter is, this has everything to do with the fact that this is a Republican seat. This is about control of Republicans in Congress, and this is about disrupting President Trump's agenda in Washington." 

Local outlets have reported the bill could push the special election beyond June to November, when the state holds its general elections, though Slater cast doubt that Democrats would push the envelope that far. 

"If you want to talk about increasing voter turnout and saving taxpayer money, they really don't have an excuse to wait past that June date. And so, you know, yes, it's always a possibility that November is the date that they put in the legislation. But I'm hard-pressed to believe that they would go that far," he said. 

Slater argued that the push from Democrats to approve the special election change is a wake-up call for New Yorkers.

"[It's] so transparently political that New Yorkers need to wake up, and they need to understand that this isn't the leadership that we're asking for. President Trump has a great agenda moving forward, and this is all about disrupting that agenda to put America first," he said.

Stefanik is a longtime Trump ally who chaired the House Republican Conference from 2021 to 2025, making her the fourth-most powerful Republican in the House. She was first elected to the House in blue New York in 2014 at age 30, making her the youngest woman elected to the House at the time.

Fox News Digital reached out to the governor's office on Sunday but did not immediately receive a reply.

DORAL, Fla. — The lawmaker in charge of House Republicans’ elections arm is feeling confident that the GOP can buck historical precedent and hold onto their majority for the entirety of President Donald Trump’s term.

The 2024 elections saw Republicans make significant inroads with Hispanic and Black voters.

National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) Chairman Richard Hudson, R-N.C., said progress would continue heading into the 2026 midterm elections.

BLACK CAUCUS CHAIR ACCUSES TRUMP OF 'PURGE' OF 'MINORITY' FEDERAL WORKERS

"We’ve done well with African Americans, comparatively," Hudson told Fox News Digital, referring to years prior. "We've put a lot more effort in reaching out to that community as well and letting them know that we want your votes, and we want to represent you, and we care about the issues that matter to you and your family."

"I think we can do better, and we'll continue to attempt to do better. But, look, our message, our values, our principles are all universal."

He said Republicans’ values also lined up with Hispanic and Latino voters, 42% of whom supported Trump, according to the Associated Press.

"We are focused on the issues you care about," Hudson said the pitch was. "It's crime in your neighborhoods. It's education for your children. It's securing the borders. It's the price of things for your family. I mean, these are all things we campaigned on. But we deliberately went out into the Hispanic community and said, ‘We want your vote.’ And they responded."

Earlier in the interview, he credited Trump with delivering on those values in 2024, and argued that Trump’s policies would get Republicans over the line again next year.

Historically, the first midterm after a new presidential term serves as a rebuke of the party in power.

Democrats won the House of Representatives in a "blue wave" in 2018 during Trump’s first term. Four years later, Republicans wrestled it back under former President Joe Biden.

But the circumstances are somewhat different this time, something Hudson noted.

"We’re in a unique time in history, where you had a president serve four years with all his policies, and then he was replaced by another president who had completely different policies. . . . And then the two ran against each other," Hudson said. "So the American people sort of had a referendum on which president they wanted, which policies they chose, and they overwhelmingly selected Donald Trump."

NONCITIZEN VOTER CRACKDOWN LED BY HOUSE GOP AHEAD OF 2026 MIDTERMS

Trump is in his second term, and Hudson argued that the 2024 presidential race was a referendum between two clear White House records.

"He has a mandate that I think is unique in history. And so this isn't a first-term president going into his first midterm. I mean, this is someone the American people know, and they've chosen," Hudson said.

Hudson also pointed out that Democrats will be defending 13 lawmakers whose districts Trump won, while Republicans only had to hold onto three seats that voted for former Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024.

"The battlefield out there for us going into 2026 favors Republicans," Hudson said. 

He spoke with Fox News Digital at Trump National Doral golf course and resort in South Florida, where Republicans held their three-day retreat to strategize their agenda.

Hudson was one of the senior Republicans who gave a presentation to fellow lawmakers during the event, where his message was: "We’re on offense this cycle."

"We're going to lean in. We have a lot of opportunity in those Donald Trump seats," Hudson said he told colleagues. "We're going to hold Democrats accountable for their voting against the policies the American people want."

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) on Saturday elected Minnesota party leader Ken Martin, who once called for President Donald Trump to be tried for treason, as its next national chair in the wake of the party's disastrous performance in the November elections.

The election of Martin is the party's first formal step to try and rebound from the November elections, in which President Donald Trump recaptured the White House, and Republicans flipped the Senate, held on to their fragile majority in the House and made major gains with working-class, minority and younger voters.

"We have one team, one team, the Democratic Party," Martin said following his victory. "The fight is for our values. The fight is for working people. The fight right now is against Donald Trump and the billionaires who bought this country."

Martin, over the past eight years, has served as a DNC vice chair and has led the association of state Democratic Party chairs.

RNC CHAIR, AFTER CRUISING TO RE-ELECTION, VOWS TO BE ‘TIP OF SPEAR’ TO PROTECT TRUMP

He topped Wisconsin Democratic Party chair Ben Wikler by over 100 votes among the 428 DNC members who cast ballots as they gathered for the party's annual winter meeting, which this year was held at National Harbor in Maryland, just outside of Washington, D.C.

Martin O'Malley, the former two-term Maryland governor and 2016 Democratic presidential candidate who served as commissioner of the Social Security Administration during former President Biden's last year in office, was a distant third in the voting.

Among the longshot candidates were Faiz Shakir, who ran the 2020 Democratic presidential campaign of Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, and Marianne Williamson, who ran unsuccessfully for the 2020 and 2024 Democratic presidential nominations. Williamson endorsed Martin on Saturday, ahead of the vote.

FINAL DNC CHAIR DEBATE ROCKED BY PROTESTS 

The eight candidates in the race were vying to succeed DNC Chair Jaime Harrison, who decided against seeking a second straight four-year term steering the national party committee.

With no clear leader in the party, the next DNC chair could become the de facto face of Democrats from coast to coast and will make major decisions on messaging, strategy, infrastructure and where to spend millions in political contributions.

In his victory speech, Martin stressed unity and that the party needed "to rebuild our coalition."

"We need to go on offense," Martin said. "We're going to go out there and take this fight to Donald Trump and the Republicans."

Martin has used stronger language against Trump in the past.

In 2020, he called Trump a "traitor" who should be tried for treason.

"[Donald Trump] should be immediately impeached and then put on trial for treason," Martin wrote on June 29, 2020, citing an anonymously sourced news story. "His actions led to the deaths of American soldiers. He is a traitor to our nation and all those who have served."

Trump, during his first term in office, at times accused Democrats of being "un-American" and "treasonous."

An key Martin supporter, longtime New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Ray Buckley, told Fox News Digital ahead of the chair election that "it's an important opportunity for us to not only refocus the party and what we present to voters, but also an opportunity for us to look at how we internally govern ourselves."

WHAT RNC CHAIR WHATLEY TOLD FOX NEWS 

Buckley, a former DNC vice chair and Martin's predecessor as head of the state party chairs, said he's "very excited about the potential of great reform within the party." He emphasized that he hoped for "significantly more support for the state parties. That's going to be a critical step towards our return to majority status."

Former Vice President Kamala Harris, who succeeded President Biden last July as the party's 2024 standard-bearer, spoke with Martin, Wikler and O'Malley in the days ahead of Saturday's election, Fox News confirmed. But Harris stayed neutral in the vote for party chair.

In a video message to the audience as the vote for chair was being tabulated, Harris said that the DNC has some "hard work ahead."

But she pledged to be with the party "every step of the way," which could be a signal of her future political ambitions.

The debate during the three-month DNC campaign sprint mostly focused on the logistics of modern political campaigns, such as media strategy and messaging, fundraising and grassroots organizing and get-out-the-vote efforts. On those nuts-and-bolts issues, the candidates were mostly in agreement that changes are needed to win back blue-collar voters who now support Republicans.

But the final forum included a heavy focus on race and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, issues that appeared to hurt Democrats at the ballot box in November.

The forum, moderated and carried live on MSNBC and held at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., devolved into chaos early on as a wave of left-wing protesters repeatedly interrupted the primetime event, heckling over concerns of climate change and billionaires' influence in America's elections before they were forcibly removed by security.

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The chair election took place as a new national poll spelled more trouble for the Democrats.

Only 31% of respondents in a Quinnipiac University survey conducted over the past week had a favorable opinion of the Democratic Party, with 57% seeing the party in an unfavorable light.

"This is the highest percentage of voters having an unfavorable opinion of the Democratic Party since the Quinnipiac University Poll began asking this question," the survey's release noted. 

Meanwhile, 43% of those questioned had a favorable view of the GOP, with 45% holding an unfavorable opinion, which was the highest favorable opinion for the Republican Party ever in Quinnipiac polling.

Fox News' Matthew Reidy contributed to this report