Republicans

ABC News reports: Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., a prominent ally of Donald Trump, said voters don’t care who conducts background checks into the president-elect’s Cabinet picks and that Trump would fire members of his administration who don’t follow the policy he sets out. “Don’t let these allegations distract us. What we need is real significant change. The Pentagon has been …

“First of all, the police report, if you look at it, it’s very clear that what Pete was saying, what his attorney was saying was accurate. There was no case here. He was falsely accused! If you go back and you read the report, there was two eyewitnesses said that she was being the aggressor — Pete wasn’t even flirting …

From Trump’s post on Truth Social: I am hearing that America First Patriot Randy Fine is considering launching his Campaign for Congress in Florida’s 6th Congressional District,. A Harvard Educated, Successful Businessman, and Highly Respected State Legislator, Randy has been an incredible Voice for MAGA, and the Great People of Florida. In Congress, Randy will be an INCREDIBLE Fighter who …

The New York Post reports: Former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz suggested Saturday that he might run for governor of the Sunshine State, days after he withdrew from consideration as President-elect Donald Trump’s attorney general pick. The 42-year-old Republican posted a GIF of the state flag waving on X, teasing he is open to running. He was responding to ex-Florida House …

The Daily Beast reports: A top Democratic representative is turning up the pressure on the House Ethics Committee to release a report into allegations of sex trafficking and other crimes leveled at former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz. Undeterred by Gaetz’s recent withdrawal from both Congress and the running to be Donald Trump’s attorney general, Sean Casten (D-IL) spoke with MSNBC …

Via press release from Sen. Rick Scott: It’s past time for big reforms that scale back big government regulation and get our country back on track. Our country is drowning in debt and massive government expansion during Democrat control of Washington is pushing us deeper every day. This is a serious threat to our national security and the American Dream, …

Politico reports: In a flurry of Truth Social posts last night, Trump made a furious pre-holiday-week dent in his list of Cabinet and key sub-Cabinet nominations — naming nine picks in the span of about 70 minutes and ruining happy hour for all the reporters who suddenly had to freshen their pre-writes. Whether by design or by compulsion, the volume …

“If you are going to help the ICC as a nation and force the arrest warrant against Bibi and Gallant, the former defense minister, I will put sanctions on you as a nation. “You’re gonna have to pick the rogue ICC versus America. I’m working with Tom Cotton to have legislation passed as soon as we can to sanction any …

Axios reports: House Democrats are gearing up to put maximum pressure on House Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-La.) agonizingly small House majority. Just a few complications on the GOP side could hobble Johnson’s efforts to pass President-elect Trump’s sweeping agenda, fund the government and raise the debt ceiling. Democrats managed to flip slightly more House seats than Republicans, and President-elect Trump …

The New York Times reports: Lori Chavez-DeRemer, a first-term Republican representative from Oregon who narrowly lost her House seat this month, was chosen on Friday to serve as labor secretary in the coming Trump administration. “Lori has worked tirelessly with both business and labor to build America’s work force, and support the hardworking men and women of America,” President-elect Donald …

From Matt Gaetz’s just-launched Cameo channel: Whether it’s a milestone birthday, an anniversary, or a long-awaited reunion, make it unforgettable with a one-of-a-kind Cameo video from Matt Gaetz. You’ll have the chance to customize your request for Matt Gaetz, like asking them to mention inside jokes, share words of wisdom, or work in their signature catchphrases. Don’t be afraid to …

Punchbowl News reports: Tulsi Gabbard is on record calling for the U.S. government to “drop all charges” against Edward Snowden, wanting to repeal key intelligence-gathering tools and sometimes embracing Russian talking points regarding the wars in Syria and Ukraine. That’s even before examining Gabbard’s foreign policy views, which are far outside the mainstream of American political discourse — and even …

Politico reports: Florida will conduct a special election on April 1, 2025, to fill the House seat vacated by Matt Gaetz, kicking off a sprint among Florida Republicans to represent the deep-red district. On Friday morning, Gaetz said he did not plan to return to Congress but hasn’t announced what he’ll do next. It takes several months to fill the …

CNN reports: Trump is planning to offer the role of secretary of agriculture to former Senator Kelly Loeffler, CNN’s Kaitlan Collins reported on Friday. Loeffler is expected to visit Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate later in the day. Loeffler served as a senator from Georgia between 2020 and 2021, following the resignation of Johnny Isakson over health issues. She then lost the …

The Associated Press reports: Texas’ education board voted Friday to allow Bible-infused teachings in elementary schools, joining other Republican-led states that pushed this year to give religion a larger presence in public classrooms. The curriculum adopted by the Texas State Board of Education, which is controlled by elected Republicans, is optional for schools to adopt, but they will receive additional …

CNN reports: Former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, who withdrew from consideration as President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general on Thursday, said Friday he will not be rejoining Congress next year. “I’m still going to be in the fight, but it’s going to be from a new perch. I do not intend to join the 119th Congress,” he told Charlie …

The Associated Press reports: Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Thursday proposed a nearly $6.5 billion budget for the coming year that directs half of new spending toward a school voucher program. The Republican governor called for increasing the state’s budget by nearly 3%, or $182.5 million, in the fiscal year that begins July 1. Sanders detailed the budget plan …

CNN reports: President-elect Donald Trump is considering shaking up the leadership at the FBI by firing the director and installing an experienced former agent and MAGA loyalist in the top two roles. Trump has planned for months to fire Christopher Wray if he was elected, but in recent days has struggled to find a compromise of selecting a new director …

Punchbowl News reports: Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) led a failed effort to oust Speaker Mike Johnson earlier this year. Democrats ended up saving his job. Yet now, less than seven months later and with a subcommittee gavel soon-to-be in hand, the MAGA firebrand is expected to support Johnson’s reelection as speaker come January, according to multiple GOP sources familiar …

The Hill reports: Republican senators are pouring cold water on the idea that President-elect Trump could force the Senate into an extended recess next year so that he would be able to fill key positions in his Cabinet without going through the Senate confirmation process. Republican senators and aides say that Trump allies who claim that the incoming president would …