Free Republic

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...

ATLANTA – Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms is forming an exploratory committee ahead of a potential run for governor next year. “I am honored by the encouragement I have received as I considered running for governor,” Bottoms wrote in a prepared statement released Monday. “I am taking an important administrative step in this journey by filing necessary paperwork to establish a campaign committee. I look forward to making an announcement in the coming weeks.” Bottoms was elected mayor of Atlanta in 2017 but decided not to seek reelection four years later. Instead, the Democrat joined the administration of then-President...

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp (R) signed legislation into law on Monday that would block males identifying as females from competing in girls’ and women’s sports at public schools and colleges in the Peach State. The Riley Gaines Act, which will take effect on July 1, requires that student athletes from kindergarten through college compete according to their biological sex, not what they may identify as. The law further requires the state to provide separate locker rooms and changing facilities for male and female athletes. “It will establish clearly in Georgia law that males are not allowed to compete in female...

A poll suggests that if Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) were to enter the race to be the next governor of New York, she would not only have a commanding lead in the Republican primary, but she would also close in on defeating Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY). The GrayHouse poll conducted between April 22-24, 2025, which surveyed 826 registered voters in New York, found that if the next Republican primary for governor of New York were held today, 44 percent of voters would support Stefanik, while seven percent would support Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY). Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman received five...

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) on Thursday announced that he signed a measure adding a “gender” field to state death certificates. “The change will be in place by Jan. 1. Supporters say the law creates a space on forms to recognize an individual’s lived experience and aligns death certificates with other state records,” CPR News reported. The legislation, called HB 25-1109, created three options for “gender” on death certificates, including male, female, and “nonbinary.” Under the bill, coroners, funeral directors, and anyone else who fills out death certificates will be required to list the “gender identity” of the deceased person,...

Bobby Charles, a lawyer who served under several former Republican presidents, announced Tuesday he will run in the 2026 race to become Maine’s next governor. Although his name is not broadly known in his home state, Charles has increasingly popped up as a rumored gubernatorial candidate in Republican circles while making radio and Fox News appearances. The Maine Republican Party also briefly floated him last year as someone to run against Democratic Attorney General Aaron Frey before lawmakers decided on another candidate. His entrance into the race to succeed Gov. Janet Mills, a Democrat termed out of office next year,...

Republican Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy’s bid for governor has gained significant momentum following a full endorsement from President Donald Trump, who praised Ramaswamy as "Young, Strong, and Smart" and a "very good person who truly loves our Country." The endorsement is expected to bolster Ramaswamy's campaign against Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, who has launched his own gubernatorial bid. Ramaswamy's platform includes policies such as banning cell phones in schools and closely aligning himself with Trump’s agenda. His endorsement is seen as a strategic move to solidify his position in the race and appeal to conservative voters in the...

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President Donald Trump's longtime legal counsel and appointee as U.S. attorney for New Jersey announced Thursday she will launch a probe into Gov. Phil Murphy and Attorney General Matt Platkin over reports that state police were asked to ignore new immigration warrants. Alina Habba said on "Hannity" she decided to launch the probe following a Shore News Network report that an internal memo from New Jersey State Police (NJSP) Col. Patrick Callahan revealed Murphy and Platkin ordered that officers not pursue thousands of immigration warrants recently added to the National Crime Information Center. The move was reportedly meant to be...

Xavier Becerra, who recently served as President Joe Biden’s Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), announced Wednesday that he is running for governor of California, hoping to succeed termed-out Gavin Newsom. Becerra ran HHS during the era of vaccine mandates, when the administration forced Americans out of jobs for refusing to comply. In a recent interview with the New York Times, he said he had no regrets about forcing people to take vaccines […] His tenure did have one lingering effect: Becerra lost track of tens of thousands of migrant children who were allowed into the U.S. under Biden’s...

In a startling revelation, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has been implicated in a colossal USAID fraud scheme that has garnered significant attention and raised serious concerns among taxpayers. According to a tweet by Mila Joy, which has gone viral, Pritzker’s family controls 64 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that are allegedly siphoning millions of taxpayer dollars. This situation has ignited discussions surrounding political corruption, accountability, and the role of NGOs in government fundin