Free Republic

The cheating scandal surrounding U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) and her time at the U.S. Naval Academy has widened after her husband, Jason, also appears to have been implicated, according to documents reviewed by the New York Post. Last week, a bombshell report from the New Jersey Globe revealed that Sherrill was barred from walking with her class at the U.S. Naval Academy in 1994 due to her implication in a sweeping cheating scandal that implicated more than 130 midshipmen. A copy of the commencement program from May 25, 1994, which was obtained by the outlet, did not include Sherrill’s...

Democratic Illinois Governor JB Pritzker was seen posing with a man who worked as a 'Peacekeeper' in the state, less than a week before he was arrested for allegedly killing a father while fleeing a robbery at a Louis Vuitton store. Keller McMillan, 35, was one of seven men charged with murder, burglary, and retail theft after they robbed a luxury retail store and allegedly killed a father who was driving to work. It has now been revealed that McMillan was working as a 'Peacekeeper,' a trained community member who is sent to violent hotspots to de-escalate conflicts.

Republican Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger on Wednesday launched his campaign to run for governor. “I’m a conservative Republican, and I’m prepared to make the tough decisions. I follow the law and the Constitution, and I’ll always do the right thing for Georgia no matter what,” Raffensperger said in his campaign launch video. Raffensperger promises a “bold conservative agenda,” including eliminating the state income tax, capping property taxes for seniors, banning puberty-blocking drugs, and purging “woke curriculums” from schools. He also pledges to work with Trump to increase jobs, deport illegal immigrants with criminal records, and “restore law and...

Virginia Lt. Gov Winsome Earle-Sears is continuing to ask President Donald Trump to back her bid in the high-stakes Virginia governor’s race — but the president, as of now, is refusing to endorse her. Earle-Sears has met with Trump in the Oval Office at least once to discuss her challenging campaign, and her team has coordinated daily with the White House’s political operation for months, according to sources familiar with the conversations who spoke with Bloomberg Government. The former House member [Abigail Spanberger] has specifically focused her message on blaming Trump — and Earle-Sears by association — for defunding education...

The Brief Former GOP Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan now running for governor as Democrat Duncan positions himself as Trump critic in crowded primary field Faces questions on abortion stance, voting law support as Republican ATLANTA - Former Republican and onetime Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan has announced he is running for governor as a Democrat, according to The Associated Press. Duncan, 50, released his announcement Tuesday, positioning himself as a staunch Trump critic and a candidate focused on health care access and cost-of-living issues. He enters a crowded Democratic field that already includes former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, state...

Abigail Spanberger, the Democrat running for governor of Virginia this fall, has chosen as her running mate, a state senator named Ghazala Hashmi, a Muslim with a history of bashing Virginia voters as racists. If you live in Virginia, prepare to hear a lot more about race if these two Democrats win. It will seem like old times. It’s also worth noting that Hashmi helped kill legislation that would allow parents to know if their child identified as transgender while at school.

It's time, Mr. President. In fact, it's the perfect time; there's likely not going to be a better one. Yes, you have your reasons for hesitating to endorse Winsome Earle-Sears for governor in Virginia; it's understandable that you might not want to put your personal seal of approval on a candidate who didn't have your back in 2022 when you announced you were running for a second term. Politics is an ugly game, and there are few who've experienced that more keenly than you. But, that was then, and this is now. This past week—and Thursday night in Arlington, in...

The Virginia Police Benevolent Association, which four years ago supported all Republicans, is backing Abigail Spanberger (D) over Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears (R). RICHMOND — The Virginia Police Benevolent Association is backing Abigail Spanberger, the Democratic nominee for governor — a switch from four years ago, when the group favored Republicans up and down the statewide ticket. The PBA announced Wednesday that it is splitting its endorsements in statewide races this year, picking the Republican candidates for lieutenant governor and attorney general, John Reid and Jason S. Miyares. The group praised Spanberger for voting to increase local law enforcement funding...

Country music artist Spencer Hatcher, his father Michael Hatcher, and Rockingham County Sheriff Bryan Hutcheson addressed the violent murder of Spencer's mother, Holly Hatcher, a beloved teacher and the death of the man responsible for the crime. In a joint video statement, Hutcheson and the Hatcher family shared a timeline of events leading up to the violent attack that claimed the life of 62-year-old Holly, and left her 65-year-old husband, Michael, injured. The suspect, identified as Kevin Moses Walker, 41, of Pikesville, Maryland, was killed during the incident after Michael Hatcher retrieved a handgun from his vehicle and fired a...

Hilton Edges Out Democrat Katie Porter by 1% in Early Polling as 2026 Race Begins to Take ShapeConservative political commentator and former Fox News host Steve Hilton is now leading the race for California governor, according to newly released early polling. Hilton holds a narrow 1-point lead over Democrat Katie Porter, capturing 19% of support compared to Porter’s 18%.The early-stage poll also shows former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco each pulling in 6% of likely voters. While the election is still over a year away, the poll is the first major indicator of voter...

Maine Governor Janet Mills is building a $4.5 million reinforced steel wall around her official residence, days after she was grilled about alleged cocaine use. The ongoing works around Blaine House follow a 2018 security study and is expected to cost $4.5 million, it involves a new perimeter made from stone masonry and metal. Crews are working on building a new perimeter fence around the property, and images have surfaced showing a temporary steel fence thrown round the residence. On top of the bolstered border, a new security system will be installed alongside new lighting and cameras. A spokesperson said...

Harris has not made a final decision, a source familiar with the matter confirmed to The Hill. One source said that the possibility of entering the race has put “a glimmer in her eyes.” “She has a lot of people in her ear telling her that it makes the most sense and she can do the most good,” said one source who spoke to Harris about a potential run. Another source reportedly “pushed back” on the notion that Harris would enter the race, they told The Hill: Either way, the sources say Harris is sticking to a self-imposed end-of-summer deadline...

On Sunday, June 22, The Hill reported that failed 2020 and 2024 presidential candidate Kamala Harris is “leaning toward entering the [2026] California gubernatorial race, per sources familiar with the former vice president’s thinking.” “While the sources caution that Harris hasn’t made a final decision yet and is still considering all her options, they say she has made it clear that she is not done with public service and is giving the race strong consideration. Those who have spoken to Harris about the possibility of entering the race say it has given her a renewed sense of excitement and, as...

In a still-early look at the likely November gubernatorial matchup, Democrat Abigail Spanberger leads Republican Winsome Earle-Sears by 43%-26%, according to the Roanoke College Poll. The Institute for Policy and Opinion Research (IPOR) at Roanoke College interviewed 658 Virginia residents between May 12 and May 19, 2025. The survey has a weighted margin of error of 5.25%. More than a quarter (28%) of registered voters are undecided, and 3% said they would vote for someone else. These results are within the margin of error of the February poll. Regarding favorable/unfavorable ratings, about one in five doesn’t know enough about either...

In a rare moment of honesty from the left, retiring Democrat Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado is sounding the alarm — not about Republicans, but about the crumbling state of his own party. During a CNN interview on Sunday, Bennet torched the Democratic brand, admitting what millions of Americans already know: today’s Democratic Party is out of touch, unpopular, and fundamentally failing. . . . Bennet, who is positioning himself for a gubernatorial run in Colorado in 2026, didn’t hold back. He expressed “fury” at his party’s inability to defeat Trump, even after years of media smears, endless investigations, and...

Vivek Ramaswamy is cruising toward the Ohio GOP gubernatorial nomination after the Ohio attorney general dropped out of the race. "Columbus needs re-engineering, not demolition," Dave Yost wrote in a letter to supporters on Friday. "Sherrod Brown and the risky progressive ideas of his party will unwind all of the good that the last 15 years of Republican leadership has brought. This is a time to protect Ohio, not a time for a family squabble." Ramaswamy released a statement about Yost dropping out. "Congratulations to Dave on running a thoughtful campaign," Ramaswamy said in a statement. "He has served Ohio...

President Donald Trump’s approval rating in New Jersey bests that of Gov. Phil Murphy (D-NJ), according to a poll, marking a negative sign for Democrats. The Emerson College/Pix 11/the Hill poll, published Thursday night, finds that Trump has a neutral rating in the Garden State, with 47 percent approving and 47 percent disapproving of his performance. Another six percent did not have an opinion or had neutral feelings about his performance. Conversely, Murphy has a negative approval rating in the traditionally blue state. Of the respondents, 40 percent give him positive marks, while 45 percent disapprove. This equates to a...

Vermont Governor Phil Scott paused the state’s electric vehicle sales requirements for passenger cars and medium and heavy-duty trucks on Tuesday, amid broader concerns about the feasibility of zero-emission vehicle rules pioneered by California. Vermont is one of 11 states including New York, Maryland and Massachusetts that have adopted California’s zero-emission vehicle rules, which seek to end the sale of gasoline-only vehicles by 2035. California’s rules require 35% of light-duty vehicles in the 2026 model year to be zero-emission models. Scott, a Republican, cited warnings from automakers that they could limit supply of gas-powered vehicles to dealers in the state...

Florida state Sen. Jason Pizzo, who announced last month that he was switching from Democrat to no party affiliation, has revealed that he plans a Sunshine State gubernatorial bid. "Yes I am," Pizzo said after CBS News Miami's Jim Defede asked the state senator whether he plans to run for governor.

Term-limited Gov. Mike DeWine (R-OH) is reportedly moving to block the Ohio Republican Party from endorsing Vivek Ramaswamy’s bid to succeed him. DeWine and his advisers hope to prevent the state party from endorsing Ramaswamy to replace DeWine in the governor’s mansion in Columbus. President Donald Trump endorsed Ramaswamy on the night he announced his campaign to govern the Buckeye State. The move pits DeWine sharply against Trump and Vice President JD Vance, NBC noted: The moves place DeWine sharply at odds with Trump and Vice President JD Vance, an Ohioan who has directed his political team to steer Ramaswamy’s...