213 House Democrats vote against voter ID, proof of citizenship in elections

The House of Representatives passed a massive election integrity overhaul bill on Wednesday despite opposition from the vast majority of Democrats.

The House passed Rep. Chip Roy’s SAVE America Act, legislation that’s aimed at keeping non-citizens from voting in U.S. federal elections. All but one House Democrat — Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas — voted against the bill. It passed 218 to 213.

It is an updated version of the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, also led by Roy, R-Texas, which passed the House in April 2025 but was never taken up in the Senate.

Whereas the SAVE Act would create a new federal proof of citizenship mandate in the voter registration process and impose requirements for states to keep their rolls clear of ineligible voters, the updated bill would also require photo ID to vote in any federal elections.

MURKOWSKI BREAKS WITH GOP ON VOTER ID, SAYS PUSH ‘IS NOT HOW WE BUILD TRUST’

It would also require information-sharing between state election officials and federal authorities in verifying citizenship on current voter rolls and enable the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to pursue immigration cases if non-citizens were found to be listed as eligible to vote.

Democrats have attacked the bill as tantamount to voter suppression, while Republicans argue that it’s necessary after the influx of millions of illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. during the four years of the Biden administration.

“If we want to rebuild confidence again in American elections, we need to pass the SAVE Act,” Rep. Mike Haridopolos, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital. “What better way to eliminate that distrust than to make sure that whoever votes in an American citizen who is truly eligible to vote?”

House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., accused Republicans of trying to make it harder for women to vote. She argued that the legislation would make it more difficult for married women to cast ballots if their surname is different from their maiden name on their birth certificate.

“Republicans aren’t worried about non-citizens voting. They’re afraid of actual American citizens voting. Why? Because they’re losing among women,” Clark said during debate on the House floor. “This is a minefield of red tape that you have put in front of women and American citizens and their right to vote.”

REPUBLICANS, TRUMP RUN INTO SENATE ROADBLOCK ON VOTER ID BILL

But House GOP Policy Committee Chairman Kevin Hern, R-Okla., emphasized that it was about keeping illegal immigrants from voting in U.S. elections.

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“This really is about feeding the narrative that Democrats want illegally from all over the world to come here to support them,” Hern said of Democrats’ opposition.

Republican Study Committee Chairman August Pfluger, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital, “The American people did not give Republicans a mandate to make excuses. They gave us one to deliver wins, and the SAVE America Act is exactly that. Every single Democrat who voted no today proved they would rather let illegal aliens tip the scales in our national elections than protect your vote.”

If implemented, the bill could see new requirements imposed on voters in this year’s November midterm elections.

But it would have to pass the Senate, where current rules dictate that at least several Democrats are needed to meet the 60-vote threshold to overcome a filibuster.

Federal judge releases four illegal immigrants with violent criminal histories

A federal judge in Louisiana has released four illegal immigrants with lengthy rap sheets that include convictions for murder and child sex crimes from law enforcement custody earlier this month.

On Feb. 6, Judge John deGravelles, an Obama appointee who sits on the bench for the Middle District Court of Louisiana, granted the four defendants release from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody, the Department of Homeland Security said. 

“The ramifications will only be the continued rape, murder, assault, and robbery of more American victims,” said Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “Releasing these monsters is inexcusably reckless. President Trump and Secretary Noem are now enforcing the law and arresting illegal aliens who have no right to be in our country.”

EXCLUSIVE: ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT RELEASED UNDER BIDEN ‘CATCH-AND-RELEASE’ ALLEGEDLY KILLS DRIVER IN POLICE CHASE

“We are applying the law as written,” she added. “If an immigration judge finds an illegal alien has no right to be in this country, we are going to remove them. Period.”

The four defendants include Ibrahim Ali Mohammed, an Ethiopian citizen convicted of sexual exploitation of a minor. An immigration judge issued him a final order of removal on Sept, 5, 2024. 

He was released into the United States by the Biden administration.

DHS HONORS ILLINOIS WOMAN WHOSE CORPSE WAS ALLEGEDLY ABUSED BY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT FREED UNDER SANCTUARY LAWS

Luis Gaston-Sanchez, from Cuba, has convictions for homicide, assault, resisting an officer, concealing stolen property and two counts of robbery. 

An immigration judge issued a deportation order for him on Sept. 24, 2001.

Ricardo Blanco Chomat, also a Cuban citizen, has convictions for homicide, kidnapping, aggravated assault with a firearm, burglary, robbery, larceny and selling cocaine. 

A deportation order was issued for him on March 27, 2002.

Francisco Rodriguez-Romero was previously convicted of homicide and a weapons offense. He was ordered to be deported on May 30, 1995.

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In Sept. 2025, DHS announced a partnership with Louisiana to expand ICE detention space at the Louisiana State Penitentiary, also known as Angola Prison. The facility, dubbed the “Louisiana Lockup,” houses some of the criminal illegal immigrants arrested by ICE.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Middle District Court of Louisiana for comment. 

Transgender shooter allegedly killed family members before school rampage: police

At least nine people were killed in connection to a mass shooting Tuesday at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia, officials said Wednesday. Police identified the suspect, reportedly also found dead, as an 18-year-old transgender woman who allegedly killed two of their family members at home before opening fire at the school.

The Tumbler Ridge Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) confirmed to Fox News Digital that officers responded to reports of an active shooter at the school at 1:20 p.m. local time Tuesday. While searching the school, officers found six victims dead from gunshot wounds and the alleged shooter, identified as 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, dead from what appeared to be a self-inflicted injury.

Authorities said Van Rootselaar had attended the school before dropping out roughly four years ago. Van Rootselaar, who identified as female but was assigned male at birth, began transitioning six years ago. 

Van Rootselaar reportedly had a history of mental health–related contact with police and may have had access to weapons stored at home. Police said officials visited the residence multiple times in recent years for mental health calls, during which weapons were briefly seized under the Criminal Code but later returned following a petition by the lawful owner.

Two firearms, a long gun and a modified handgun, were recovered inside the school by the police, RCMP said. Neither weapon was registered to Van Rootselaar, who previously had a firearms license, but expired in 2024.

The six victims found at the school were identified as a 39-year-old female educator, three 12-year-old female students, and two male students, aged 12 and 13.

During the investigation, police identified a secondary location believed to be connected to the incident. Two additional victims were found dead inside a residence and were identified as the suspect’s 39-year-old mother and 11-year-old step-brother.

Officials added that two victims were airlifted to a hospital with serious or life-threatening injuries. One of the wounded, a woman previously believed to have died, is now alive, lowering the death toll from the initially reported 10 to nine.

7-YEAR-OLD INJURES HAND AFTER ACCIDENTALLY DISCHARGING FIREARM IN MARYLAND CLASSROOM

Approximately 25 others with non-life-threatening injuries were taken for assessment at the local medical center, police said.

“This was a rapidly evolving and dynamic situation, and the swift cooperation from the school, first responders, and the community played a critical role in our response,” Superintendent Ken Floyd, North District Commander, said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with the families, loved ones, and all those impacted by this tragic incident. This has been an incredibly difficult and emotional day for our community, and we are grateful for the cooperation shown as officers continue their work to advance the investigation.”

All remaining students and staff were safely evacuated from the school, police said.

Police do not believe there are any additional suspects or ongoing threat to the public.

Floyd confirmed the shooter was the same individual described in a police alert issued earlier in the day as a “female in a dress with brown hair.”

BROWN UNIVERSITY SHOOTING BODYCAM FOOTAGE SHOWS URGENT SEARCH FOR SUSPECT WHO SLIPPED THROUGH DRAGNET

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was devastated by the horrific shootings.

“My prayers and deepest condolences are with the families and friends who have lost loved ones to these horrific acts of violence. I join Canadians in grieving with those whose lives have been changed irreversibly today, and in gratitude for the courage and selflessness of the first responders who risked their lives to protect their fellow citizens. Our ability to come together in crisis is the best of our country — our empathy, our unity, and our compassion for each other,” he wrote on X.

The RCMP initially confirmed an active shooter incident Tuesday at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia, with at least one suspect found dead.

Additional police resources were deployed to the area from neighboring detachments, along with the North District Emergency Response Team.

BROWN UNIVERSITY, MIT SHOOTINGS: ARE ELITE US UNIVERSITIES PREPARED FOR TARGETED VIOLENCE?

In a message posted to its website, the Peace River South School District said it was “aware of a lockdown and secure and hold at Tumbler Ridge Secondary and Tumbler Ridge Elementary schools.”

“We are asking people to have patience as we work with the RCMP,” school officials wrote.

Larry Neufeld, who represents Peace River South in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, released a statement on social media noting he was heading to the scene.

“I am aware of the active shooter situation currently unfolding in Tumbler Ridge, and my thoughts are with residents as this situation continues to develop,” Neufeld wrote. “I have been in direct contact with the Solicitor General to receive updates and to ensure all necessary provincial resources are being made available to support local law enforcement and emergency responders.

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“Public safety is the absolute priority. I urge everyone in the area to follow RCMP instructions, remain sheltered, and rely only on official updates,” he continued. “I am leaving Victoria immediately to return to my riding to be on the ground and available to support the community in any way needed. I will continue to stay closely engaged as this situation evolves.”

Joe Rogan discusses political backlash against John Fetterman over voter ID stance

Podcaster Joe Rogan spoke to actress Cheryl Hines Tuesday about the risks of going against the grain, citing Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., as a prime example.

“Once you get in, for the most part, you have to adhere to the mindset of all the other people that are in your business. And if you don’t, you get cast — like John Fetterman — like you get cast out. They hate that guy now. They’re mad at him because he says, ‘I think you should probably have ID to vote,” Rogan said. 

Hines, who had spoken earlier about the backlash her husband, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennery Jr., received agreed, “I know. I like John Fetterman.”

“He’s great. He’s a sweet guy,” Rogan said. “He’s authentic. Well, that guy genuinely worked in charities for his whole life. Like, he genuinely worked in doing philanthropy work and, like, real stuff. Like, he’s not a greedy guy. He walks around in a Carhartt hoodie and shorts.”

JEFFRIES ACCUSES REPUBLICANS OF ‘VOTER SUPPRESSION’ OVER BILL REQUIRING VOTER ID, PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP

Rogan argued the Republican Party has the same problem of cracking down on politicians when they break ranks on a key set of issues.

“But the thing is, like, you have to adhere, and if you don’t, you’re not allowed to have a deviating opinion,” Rogan said. “If you do, you get cast out. You know, like Thomas Massie. You see the same thing in the Republicans. Like, anybody that has an opinion that (deviates from) the groupthink, you get cast out. They’ll call you a traitor. They’ll say terrible things about you.”

“There’s a lot of theatrics,” Hines agreed. 

“There’s a lot of that, and I think there’s a lot of people that are in that business that start off with really good intentions,” Rogan said. “And then you see them slowly give in. They slowly succumb to the weight of what that position is.”

HAKEEM JEFFRIES PRESSED ON DEMOCRATIC OPPOSITION TO VOTER ID

Voter ID is a key issue dividing the two parties as Democrats refuse to support the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, which would require states to verify voter eligibility using documentary proof of citizenship. 

Republicans argue the act would strengthen election integrity, while Democrats say it could make voting harder for people without photo ID, going so far as comparing it to “Jim Crow-era” laws.

Fetterman said voter ID is not an “unreasonable” ask and pointed to states like Wisconsin that already have similar protections.

“It’s not a radical idea for regular Americans to show your ID to vote,” said Fetterman, who also rejected the Jim Crow comparisons.

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HUGH HEWITT: President Donald Trump’s most important decision is coming

One door is marked “Truman/Reagan” and the other door is marked “Carter/Obama/Biden.”

President Donald Trump has to choose one. Again. And this time, the choice will define Trump’s place in history.

On three different occasions, the 45th and 47th president of the United States has walked through the first door.

Trump ordered the assassination of General Qasem Soleimani, the head of the Quds Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, on January 3, 2020.

IRAN POSES A FAR MORE DANGEROUS MILITARY TEST FOR THE US THAN VENEZUELA, EXPERTS WARN

Trump followed that up with his second-term order to conduct Operation Midnight Resolve against Iran’s nuclear weapons facilities in June of last year and again with Operation Absolute Resolve to snatch Venezuelan dictator Nicholas Maduro in January of this year.

President Trump ventured boldly three times and won big for the United States three times, restoring American deterrence along the way.

Trump had to restore American deterrence in 2020 because the Iranian regime had thoroughly worked over former President Barack Obama with the infamous “Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action” of 2015, a plan that secured for Iran billions in cash, hundreds of billions in sanctions relief and a guaranteed path to nuclear weapons. It was a surrender of the Middle East to the mullahs disguised in dense language and absurd timelines. But the Iranian theocrats knew they had won.

TRUMP’S LEADERSHIP CREATES ‘RARE OPPORTUNITY’ FOR CHANGE IN IRAN, FORMER IRANIAN POLITICAL PRISONER SAYS

President Trump has called the JCPOA the “worst deal in history” scores of times, and he’s always been right. It was the equal of the “Munich Agreement” between Neville Chamberlain and Hitler. The damage to the world was immense.

While President Joe Biden’s disastrous and chaotic retreat from Afghanistan did not concern Iran directly, it did deeply damage America’s standing in the world and define the Biden presidency as one mired in catastrophic failure from the jump.

President Trump worked to reverse the damage created by the JCPOA with the strikes on Soleimani and the Iranian nuke facilities.

IRAN PROTESTS PROMPT NEW TRUMP WARNING OVER DEADLY GOVERNMENT CRACKDOWNS

Now, however, the Iranians are countering with thousands of ballistic missiles which already threaten American bases across the Middle East, Israel and our Gulf allies. The nature of the regime has been fully revealed even to the appeasers on Team Obama and Team Biden: The ayatollahs ordered tens of thousands of their citizens gunned down or murdered with machetes this January. Does anyone doubt they would turn their missiles on American cities as soon as they develop the range? Crazed killers are going to kill, again and again and again.

Because of Presidents Obama and Biden, Ayatollah Khamenei and his IRGC thugs believe America always “blinks” in the end. They still don’t believe Trump is different from Obama and Biden. They see the one-day missions from Trump as brief aberrations from the Obama-Biden pattern of appeasement. The Iranians do not fear Trump. Yet.

The Iranians build enormous missiles with enormous warheads. There are more than a thousand missiles in their arsenal already, and they have accelerated the production of thousands more after the Trump strike on their nuclear weapons facilities last year.

IRAN RESPONDS TO TRUMP PRESSURE WITH WARNING OF RETALIATION: ‘FINGERS ON THE TRIGGER’

The Iranians are working to extend the range of their missiles. The longest range Iranian missiles can probably reach Europe now. They will threaten the U.S. sooner rather than later, and we don’t have Trump’s “Golden Dome” — yet.

So Trump must decide now what to do about those missiles and about the mass murderers who run Iran. Trump has ordered an immense build-up of American military assets build-up of American military assets within striking range of Iran, and deployed the defensive systems that we have to protect our bases and our allies.

Now he has to decide which door to walk through.

HEGSETH SAYS DEPARTMENT OF WAR ‘WILL BE PREPARED TO DELIVER’ WHATEVER TRUMP WANTS FOLLOWING IRAN WARNING

Truman and Reagan (and both Bushes) would order the strike.

Carter, Obama and Biden would back down and pretend they had defused a crisis when, in fact, they had decapitated American deterrence.

Rarely do we see such a stark choice presented to a president — a fork in his personal road as far as history is concerned, and very much a fork in America’s road for its future.

Trump can be remembered as the man who brought help to the Iranian people after nearly 50 years of fanatical dictatorship and secured America from an unfolding threat, or as the president who backed down more spectacularly than any president before him.

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On August 26, 1990, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher talked to President George H.W. Bush about Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Iraq. “This was no time to go wobbly,” the PM told the president.

That was probably the least necessary encouragement ever, as the old fighter pilot from WWII was not the sort of man to back down. (HW was shot down twice and back flying his missions after both.) But Thatcher’s line went down in history because it is both so very British and so very useful in many contexts.

IRAN’S COLLAPSE OR SURVIVAL HINGES ON ONE CHOICE INSIDE THE REVOLUTIONARY GUARD

It is useful now. President Trump simply cannot go wobbly no matter how attractive the Carter/Obama/Biden door looks as an exit. Put another way, Trump “cannot go Obama.”

To repeat: President Trump’s choice will define his place in history. Everything else in his eight years will be secondary to what he decides in the near term.

Every other achievement will be secondary. Every criticism will be irrelevant when destroying the Iranian regime’s threat to the world is put on the table.

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President Trump can choose to do what no other president since Jimmy Carter has dared to do: Cripple or end the fanatical regime in Iran that already works to threaten and destabilize the Middle East every day and which will soon be able to threaten the U.S. if not stopped.

Pray he chooses wisely. America’s national security and the hope of the Iranian people and the future of the Middle East depends upon this decision.

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Nevada mom outraises Democrat incumbent in battle for critical House seat

EXCLUSIVE: Carrie Buck, a Nevada state senator, mother and former school principal, is gaining massive momentum in a critical race to oust Democratic Rep. Dina Titus from what the GOP considers a top target seat in the upcoming midterm elections.  

Titus’ district, Nevada Congressional District 1, has been trending hard towards the GOP for the last several election cycles. Now, with the future of the party’s House majority on the line, and the remainder of President Donald Trump’s tenure with it, Buck believes she is just the political outsider Republicans need to seal the deal.  

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Buck said the shift in Nevada has been palpable.

“You can feel the tides changing,” she said. “Dina Titus has done nothing for the last seven terms that she’s been in there. She has done nothing for us, nothing tangible. And so, I want to go and deliver results for Nevadans.”

TRUMP MAKES ENDORSEMENT IN CONTEST TO FILL HOUSE SEAT VACATED BY EX-ALLY MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE

Since announcing her candidacy in August, Buck has garnered impressive fundraising numbers. She was the only Republican to outraise a Democratic incumbent without self-funding. In the last quarter of 2025, Buck outraised Titus, $352,400 to $298,800. Buck also prides herself on running a “truly grassroots” campaign in which she has raised a total of $497,929.59 from 7,852 unique donors, with an average contribution of just $59.

The wife of a retired police chief, mother of four sons, two of whom have served in the U.S. Army, Buck credits her grassroots appeal to simply being an “everyday person.”

“I still drive a minivan, that’s my campaign van,” she laughed. “I want to be a voice for Nevadans, for people that are in my neighborhood, in my community.”

Meanwhile, Buck accused Titus of “voting against Nevadans time and time again,” especially with her recent votes against No Tax on Tips and a childcare tax credit policy, both of which were included in the President Donald Trump-backed big, beautiful bill.

In response, Lindsay Reilly, a spokesperson for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, told Fox News Digital that “Buck could learn a thing or two from Titus’ track record of delivering.”

HOUSE REPUBLICANS SUE TO BLOCK UTAH CONGRESSIONAL MAP THAT FAVORS DEMOCRATS

“Dina Titus is consistently ranked one of the most effective members of Congress,” Reilly continued. “She’s fighting to lower costs for families, strengthen no taxes on tips, and reverse Republicans’ reckless new tax on gambling.”  

She has framed herself as someone who gets results. Before entering politics, she worked for eight years as principal of a low-income elementary school in Henderson, Nevada, which was teetering on the edge of failure. When she started, reading and math proficiency were both languishing at around 35% each, but under her leadership, they shot up to 83 and 90%, respectively. The rapid transformation earned her the Milken Educator Award, often referred to as the “Oscars for education.”

If successful in November, this would not be the first time Buck has flipped a Nevada seat red. In 2020, she won her state Senate seat by a razor-thin margin that was the result of a five-percentage point swing. In 2024, despite the district previously being a Democratic stronghold, Buck significantly widened that margin, winning by seven percentage points.

NEVADA JUDGE FREES CONVICTED MS-13 KILLER DESPITE GOVERNMENT WARNINGS ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY

The National Republican Congressional Committee is confident Buck can do something similar for Nevada District 1.

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NRCC spokesman Christian Martinez remarked to Fox News Digital that Buck’s fundraising numbers prove that “career politician Dina Titus is out of touch with Nevadans and running on fumes, scrambling for campaign transfers from Hollywood liberals, D.C. swamp leeches, and New York elites as her support with hardworking Nevadans collapses.” 

In conclusion, Buck said, “The nuts and bolts of this campaign are kitchen table issues.”

“I want to bring truth to light, and I think oftentimes the Democrats and Dina Titus have lied to us,” she said. “They told us the border is closed; they told us that they’ve made things more affordable. But yet, we all know the American people are smart. They know that is absolutely the opposite of what they’ve done.”

Titus did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Olympic medalist regrets airing dirty laundry after tearful cheating confession

Norwegian biathlete Sturla Holm Laegreid apologized and admitted he regrets confessing to cheating on his ex-girlfriend after winning a bronze medal at the Milan Cortina Olympics. 

“I deeply regret sharing this personal story on what was a day of celebration for Norwegian biathlon,” Laegreid said in a statement issued by the Norwegian team Wednesday.

“I am not quite myself these days and not thinking clearly. My apologies go to Johan-Olav (Botn), who deserved all the attention after winning gold. They also go to my ex-girlfriend, who unwillingly ended up in the media spotlight. I hope she is doing well. I cannot undo this, but I will now put it behind me and focus on the Olympics. I will not answer any further questions about this.”

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Laegreid initially became one of the most viral stories of the Milan Cortina Olympics this week when he admitted to his affair after the men’s biathlon Tuesday. He fought back tears as he shared “the biggest mistake” of his life.

“There’s someone I wanted to share it with who might not be watching today. Six months ago, I met the love of my life — the most beautiful and kindest person in the world. Three months ago, I made my biggest mistake and cheated on her,” Laegreid told NRK in Norway. 

AMERICAN ASHLEY FARQUHARSON CAPTURES RARE OLYMPIC LUGE MEDAL AT WINTER GAMES

“I told her about it a week ago. It’s been the worst week of my life.”

He was distraught, crying and hugging friends after the race. During a news conference, he explained why he decided to tell the world about his personal situation on the broadcast.

“It was the choice I made. We make different choices during our life, and that’s how we make life,” he told a room full of reporters. “So, today I made a choice to tell the world what I did, so maybe, maybe there is a chance she will see what she really means to me. Maybe not.

“There are probably many who look at me with different eyes, but I only have eyes for her,” he added. “Sport has taken a slightly different place in my life the last few days. Yes, I wish I could share it with her.”

Laegreid’s ex-girlfriend indicated she was not willing to take him back in an anonymous interview with a Norwegian news outlet.

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“It is hard to forgive. Even after a declaration of love in front of the whole world. I did not choose to end up in this situation, and it hurts to have to be in it. We have been in contact, and he is aware of my views on this,” she told VG.

“(I am grateful) to my family and friends who have embraced me and supported me during this time. Also to everyone else who has thought of me and sympathized without knowing who I am.”

Democrats distance themselves from Biden as former president’s popularity wanes

Former President Joe Biden will be feted by South Carolina Democrats later this month, to mark the sixth anniversary of his Palmetto State primary landslide, a comeback victory that rocketed Biden to the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination and later the White House.

But with many Democrats still smarting from their party’s major 2024 election setbacks, fueled in part by a very unpopular Biden presidency and the then-president’s dropping his re-election bid amid serious questions about his physical and mental abilities following a disastrous debate with now-President Donald Trump, the South Carolina celebration appears to be an outlier.

As they seek office in gubernatorial and congressional races in this year’s elections, nine candidates who served in the Biden administration appear to be keeping their distance from the former president, according to a new report from Axios.

POTENTIAL 2028 CONTENDER SHAPIRO KNOCKS BIDEN’S RECORD OF ACCOMPLISHMENT

Biden ended his presidency with approval and favorable ratings well underwater, and the 13 months since he left office have not apparently healed the damage done to his standing among those in his own party.

“Biden remains a liability,” a veteran Democratic strategist who asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely, told Fox News Digital. “Being associated with the Biden administration is doing some candidates no favors as they run this year.”

HOUSE DEMOCRATS ON OFFENSE: EXPAND THE 2026 MAP

That’s a switch from the 2018 elections, the previous midterm cycle when Trump was in office and the Democrats were out of power, when former President Barack Obama as well as then-former Vice President Biden were in demand on the campaign trail.

Among those not highlighting Biden this cycle is Deb Haaland, a former House member from New Mexico who served as Department of the Interior secretary in the Biden administration and is now running for governor in the blue-leaning state. The former president isn’t mentioned on Haaland’s campaign website.

Another example is Xavier Becerra, who served as secretary of Health and Human Services under Biden and is now running for California governor. The former president isn’t mentioned in Becerra’s campaign launch video.

IT’S EARLY IN 2026, BUT THE 2028 WHITE HOUSE RACE IS WELL UNDERWAY

But some Biden alumni running in solidly blue areas are mentioning their service during his administration. That includes Democratic congressional candidate Sanjyot Dunung, who is seeking office in Illinois 8th District. She mentions in her launch video that she served on Biden’s foreign policy working group.

It’s still too early to tell if the former president could end up being a drag on potential 2028 presidential contenders that served in his administration. Both former Vice President Kamala Harris and Biden Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg are seen as possible White House contenders.

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For Democrats hoping Biden stays out of the limelight, the former president has mostly obliged. Biden has only made a handful of high-profile public appearances and sat for just a couple of major interviews since the end of his presidency.

Fox News reached out to Biden’s post-presidency team for comment, but didn’t receive a response at the time this story was published.

Is your ‘McMansion’ a liability? Why 2006 luxury homes are now money pits

The “McMansion” is officially moving from a status symbol to liability.

Twenty years after the 2006 housing boom, new data from Zillow reveals a fundamental reversal in the American Dream: Buyers are ditching “wasted scale” and mahogany-heavy footprints for high-efficiency “sanctuaries.”

As insurance premiums and property taxes soar, real estate experts warn that the oversized, unoptimized estates of the mid-aughts are becoming a financial exposure for homeowners who fail to adapt.

“The appetite for space hasn’t disappeared, but the definition of value has evolved. Buyers still want room for family, entertaining and flexibility. What they don’t want is excess without purpose,” Catena Homes principal Harrison Polsky told Fox News Digital.

HOUSING MARKET COOLS AS PRICE GROWTH HITS SLOWEST PACE SINCE GREAT RECESSION RECOVERY

“With rising insurance costs in Texas and higher property taxes, a 5,000-plus-square-foot home that isn’t energy efficient or thoughtfully designed can absolutely feel like a liability. But a well-built, high-performance home of that size with strong insulation, efficient systems and functional layout still represents the American Dream here,” he added. “The shift isn’t away from scale entirely; it’s away from wasted scale.”

“In Palm Beach County, scale still has strong appeal, particularly in waterfront and estate communities. However, soaring insurance costs in Florida have changed buyer behavior,” RWB Construction Management founder Robert Burrage also told Fox News Digital.

“A 6,000 or 7,000-square-foot home built in 2006 without impact glass, elevated construction, modern roofing and generator systems can absolutely feel like financial exposure,” Burrage noted. “Buyers are willing to pay for size, but only if it’s engineered for resilience.”

Going back to 2006, luxury was granite and mahogany. In 2026, Zillow says it’s pickleball courts and golf simulators (with listing mentions up 25%) to whole-home batteries (up 40%) and zero-energy-ready homes (up 70%).

“Resilience and lifestyle go hand in hand. Whole-home generators, battery storage, hurricane-rated systems, smart-home integration and expansive outdoor living are expected,” Burrage said.

“A large home without those features narrows the buyer pool significantly. Meanwhile,” he said, “a slightly smaller but technologically advanced home designed for indoor-outdoor living often performs better in terms of demand and pricing.”

“Today’s buyers are far more educated about operating costs and long-term durability,” Polsky agreed. “In this market, lifestyle infrastructure and sustainability are no longer bonuses. They’re baseline expectations.”

Resale advice used to be: “Keep it beige.” Now, Zillow finds buyers offer more for olive green and charcoal gray, with “color drenching” mentions up 149%. The experts said the “beige box” of the mid-aughts is a harder sell now.

“The sterile beige spec home from the mid-2000s definitely feels dated. Buyers today respond to depth and personality but it has to be curated,” Polsky said. “We’re encouraging sellers to modernize with warmer neutrals, layered textures, and intentional color moments. ‘Safe’ used to mean blank. Now safe means thoughtfully designed. Homes that lack character tend to photograph poorly and sit longer.”

“Buyers want lighter, organic palettes with architectural texture and contrast,” Burrage weighed in. “We’re advising our clients who are building with us to keep interiors fresh and light strategically. A thoughtful design can materially impact buyer perception and final sales price.”

As millennials and Gen X become the primary buying force, they are rejecting the norms of what once was. The real estate experts both answered “yes” when asked if the market is seeing a permanent cultural shift in what “luxury” means.

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“Boomers selling older estates should strongly consider modernizing systems and aesthetics,” Burrage said. “Buyers are comparing them to newly built coastal homes engineered for climate durability and lower operating risk.”

“Boomers selling 2006-era estates need to understand that today’s buyers compare everything to new construction with modern infrastructure. Updating mechanical systems, improving energy performance and refreshing interiors before listing can dramatically improve positioning,” Polsky pointed out. “The American Dream hasn’t gone away, it’s simply become more intentional. Buyers want homes that support how they live, not just how they’re seen.”

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