Free Republic

On Friday’s broadcast of CNN’s “The Source,” Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D), who is also a Harris-Walz Surrogate, stated that “Some people say that, because immigrants are less likely to commit crimes, that the fact that there [are] more immigrants is one of the reasons that crime went down” in Aurora, but the influx of migrants to the state “is one of the reasons I’m so excited about Kamala Harris” because she has a plan to fix the crisis on the border. Polis said, “I have, of course, met with ICE and the FBI, both of them have field offices...

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) on Sunday defended the city of Aurora as a diverse and growing place with declining violent crime, after former President Trump attacked the city and the governor personally at a rally on Saturday. In an interview on CBS News’s “Face the Nation,” moderator Margaret Brennan noted the Trump campaign has frequently pointed to Aurora as an example of the worst of the migrant crisis, and on Saturday, he took aim at the city and the governor once again at a rally.

Dan Evans, the former governor of Washington who also served in the Senate, died Friday night at his home in Seattle at the age of 98. Evans was a popular three-term Republican governor. He served as governor from 1965 to 1977 and went on to serve in the Senate from 1983 to 1989. He left office out of frustration with the chamber for being too rancorous, The Associated Press (AP)reported.

North Carolina Republicans are bracing Thursday morning as word spreads about a damning news story looming regarding Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson. Sources with direct knowledge have spoken with Carolina Journal on the condition of anonymity and said that Robinson is under pressure from staff and members of the Trump campaign to withdraw from the governor’s race due to the nature of the story, which they say involves activity on adult websites in 2000s. According to sources, Robinson has resisted withdrawing and privately denies the story. In an email to Carolina Journal shortly after this story posted, Michael Lonergan, communications director...

As the 2024 election season intensifies, Montana's political landscape is heating up, particularly around the candidacy of Governor Greg Gianforte. While Gianforte’s financial success has been unfairly scrutinized by his opponents, the real story lies in the hypocrisy of one of his most vocal critics: Ryan Busse. A former firearms industry executive turned gun-control advocate, Busse has made a lucrative career out of attacking the Second Amendment, all while refusing to be transparent about his own finances. For pro-Second Amendment Montanans, this raises serious questions about Busse’s true motivations and the integrity of his campaign against Gianforte. Busse’s story is...

It was 6:29 p.m. on the last Wednesday in May 2020, when Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey phoned Minnesota governor Tim Walz. Riots had erupted the day before over the police killing of George Floyd, and the city was overwhelmed. Frey pleaded with Walz to call in the National Guard. Less than three hours later, the city made a written request to Walz’s office for 600 guardsmen to help quell the chaos that was engulfing the Twin Cities. Rioters were burning buildings. They were shooting at police officers and attacking them with Molotov cocktails, fireworks, bricks, and bottles filled with cement....

We’ve been on the Balanced Nutrition (BN) story for about a year now. The NC Department of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS) has been looking at the Robinson family business for at least two years. The whole affair appears to be culminating in an investigation by DHHS. For the last two days, the drive-by media has joined us in covering the initial findings of the initial DHHS probe. DHHS’s report on its initial findings was released hours before President Trump was slated to speak in Charlotte. As the top of the state’s GOP ticket, Mark Robinson was expected to...

Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) will run for governor of California in 2026 after current Gov. Gavin Newsom reaches his two-term limit. The Los Angeles Times reported on Tuesday: Villaraigosa, who has been out of elected office since leaving Los Angeles City Hall in 2013, joins a crowded field of high-level Democratic candidates that includes Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, former state Controller Betty Yee, state Sen. Toni Atkins, and state schools Supt. Tony Thurmond. All are vying to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is serving his second and final term in office.

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey (D) has called on President Biden to “carefully evaluate” his candidacy as concerns about his ability to win the election persist, despite his team insisting he won’t step aside. In a statement obtained by NBC News, Healey said Biden saved democracy by winning the 2020 election, and that this year’s is “the most important election of our lifetimes.” Healey was one of several Democratic governors to meet with the president Wednesday evening to discuss the future of the party after his lackluster debate performance a week prior that left many of his supporters in a panic....

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey (D) has called on President Biden to “carefully evaluate” his candidacy as concerns about his ability to win the election persist, despite his team insisting he won’t step aside. In a statement obtained by NBC News, Healey said Biden saved democracy by winning the 2020 election, and that this year’s is “the most important election of our lifetimes.” Healey was one of several Democratic governors to meet with the president Wednesday evening to discuss the future of the party after his lackluster debate performance a week prior that left many of his supporters in a panic....

President Biden told a gathering of nearly two dozen Democratic governors at the White House Wednesday night that he needs to get more sleep and work fewer hours — and even avoid events held after 8 p.m. — despite indications he can only handle the rigors of the job between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Biden’s acknowledgment was reported by the New York Times, citing two people who took part in the high-stakes meeting and others who were briefed on the comment. During the same gathering, the outlet reported, Biden responded to a question from Hawaii Gov. Josh Green about...

Democrat governors issued messages of support for President Joe Biden amid mounting concerns of Biden remaining the party’s presidential nominee after his debate performance. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) were among the governors who issued messages of support for Biden after having a call both virtually and in person with Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. Other Democrat governors who had been on the call were Gov. Wes Moore (D-MD), Gov. Maura Healey (D-MA), Gov. Ned Lamont (D-CT), and Gov. Katie Hobbs (D-AZ). Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser was also on the call, according to Deadline

Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida has given the public some clarity on his veto last week of $32 million in arts and culture grants from next year’s state budget. According to a story published in the Tampa Bay Times, DeSantis said the cause was Orlando International Fringe Theater Festival, which he characterized as being overtly “sexual” and therefore an inappropriate recipient of state funds. While it’s unclear if the Orlando festival was slated to receive any money from the grants, the state of Florida awards money for cultural projects based on a ranked list. The Fringe Festival was ranked toward...

As she runs this year in one of the top gubernatorial elections in the country, former Sen. Kelly Ayotte is making clear she supports former President Trump's bid to win back the White House. "Under Joe Biden things cost more, we’re less safe. There’s no question that we are worse off than we were than when President Trump was in office," Ayotte charged in a national interview with Fox News Digital. "I’m supporting President Trump because I believe we need to change courses for the nation."

A newly approved law will enable Oklahoma public school students to receive off-campus religious instruction during the school day if they choose to. Oklahoma Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt signed House Bill 1425 into law Wednesday. The bill was passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature last month, with the Senate voting 38-7 and the House of Representatives voting 51-40.The law authorizes school districts’ boards of education to “adopt a policy that excuses a student from school to attend a released time course for no more than three class periods per week or a maximum of one hundred twenty-five class periods per year.”The...

Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean (D) dashed speculation about another gubernatorial run Monday, deciding against a bid to challenge Republican Gov. Phil Scott. “In theory, this is a winnable race. But I’ve been in state and national politics for a very long time, and there’s only one way to close a 10-point gap between two well-known candidates, and that’s to run a scorched-earth, negative attack campaign, like ones being run all over the country,” Dean said at a press conference, shared by WCAX. Dean knocked Texas and Florida, where, he argued, “creating enemies out of women, gay people and even...

Vice President Kamala Harris has joked about returning to California to run for governor in 2026 when incumbent Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) ends his second and final term. Politico reported on Thursday, in an overview of potential gubernatorial candidates, that the former California Attorney General and U.S. Senator could make a run: Vice President Kamala Harris has joked to friends that she may return to California to run for governor if Democrats lose the White House this fall, taking a page from Richard Nixon, two people familiar with her remarks said.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) signed legislation Thursday to create a state-level gun control center mirroring the federal office of gun violence prevention created by the Biden Administration. The Associated Press reported that Moore lauded the creation of the gun control center at a signing ceremony, saying, “Maryland became the first state in the nation to officially answer President Biden’s call.” Democrats touted the center as a way “to foster a statewide partnership with federal and local agencies to reduce gun violence.”

Maryland Governor Wes Moore (D) on Wednesday called for “full accountability” following the collapse of the Francis Key Scott Bridge in Baltimore that left six people presumed dead. Moore said on CNN there “needs to be a full and thorough investigation.” “What led up to this? What made the ship lose power? What made them lose the ability to be ability to steer the ship? Do we have the right infrastructure that’s in place to be able to protect the people of our state,” he said. “So I think there needs to be a full reckoning, a full accountability, and...

A bill that would allow concealed carry of firearms in schools and government meetings is headed to Wyoming's governor after clearing the state Legislature by a wide margin Thursday. What happens next is somewhat uncertain because Wyoming governors traditionally don’t say if they plan to sign or veto bills. Gov. Mark Gordon has not spoken publicly about the bill, but he is a Republican gun rights supporter. Wyoming is among the gun-friendliest states and the bill passed the state Senate 22-8 after supporters dismissed fears about allowing guns where they're currently banned. People carry concealed guns in Wyoming all the...