Category: fox-news/politics/senate

GOP leaders unleash on Janet Yellen over $110B energy tax hike

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FIRST ON FOX: A group of 24 Senate Republicans are calling out the Biden administration for "weaponizing" the tax code to stifle domestic energy production in the president's proposed 2025 budget.

In a letter Thursday to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, the GOP lawmakers — led by Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo. — highlighted the more than $110 billion in tax hikes targeting domestic production of oil, gas and coal proposed in the budget. They said such an action would only lead to higher prices for Americans and allies worldwide.

"The administration has once again doubled down on weaponizing the tax code against U.S. energy producers," Barrasso and the other senators wrote. "It is alarming that the administration believes utilizing our nation’s abundant natural resources will be detrimental to long-term energy security."

"Sadly, the administration would willingly suppress energy production knowing it means fewer jobs and higher prices for the American people," they continued. "America is fortunate to have abundant energy resources. Our nation needs to be focused on unleashing American energy and innovation instead of throwing away one of our biggest economic and geopolitical advantages."

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Earlier this month, Biden released his fiscal year 2025 budget, a behemoth $7.3 trillion government spending package that Republicans quickly condemned and characterized as a non-starter. As part of the proposal, the Treasury Department released a green book detailing the mechanisms for raising government revenue, a report which listed tax hikes on energy production.

The Republicans noted that in the green book, the Treasury Department explained that it would strip tax incentives worth $110 billion from the energy industry because "oil, gas, and coal tax preferences distort markets by encouraging more investment in the fossil fuel sector than would occur under a neutral system." 

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"This market distortion is detrimental to long-term energy security and is also inconsistent with the administration's policy of supporting a clean energy economy, reducing our reliance on oil and reducing greenhouse gas emissions," the Treasury Department added.

Among the tax incentives the budget would strip are the intangible drilling costs incentive, which allows independent producers to deduct expenses related to drilling, and the percentage depletion incentive, which, according to the lawmakers, allows producers to have a deduction of taxable income to reflect the declining production of reserves over time.

In their letter, the Senate Republicans said the administration's explanation in the green book is "troubling" and "acknowledges its intention to chill investment in conventional energy production."

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"It is alarming that the administration believes utilizing our nation's abundant natural resources will be detrimental to long-term energy security," they wrote to Yellen. "Sadly, the administration would willingly suppress energy production knowing it means fewer jobs and higher prices for the American people."

Meanwhile, the budget comes months after the Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration (EIA) published a 59-page report showing that the renewable energy sector enjoys significantly larger taxpayer backing than the fossil fuel industry. 

According to the EIA report, while renewable energy sources like wind and solar power account for about 21% of domestic electricity production, such sources received a staggering $83.8 billion in subsidies, by far the largest share compared to any other category. 

In addition to Barrasso, Senate Minority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W. Va., Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., and Sens. Mike Crapo and James Risch of Idaho also signed the letter.

The Treasury Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Senate Democrats could spoil Biden’s Muslim judicial nominee over ‘deeply concerning’ ties

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President Biden's chosen nominee for the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals is in danger of failing to garner enough votes to be confirmed in the Senate after concerns rose over his affiliations with groups tied to criminal and alleged antisemitic figures.

Adeel Mangi is a partner at Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP and received his master of laws degree from Harvard Law School in 2000. The nomination would be a first for Biden. Mangi would be the only Muslim to serve on a federal appeals court if confirmed. 

However, Senate Republicans and Democrats have expressed concern over the nominee in recent days, putting his confirmation at risk. With a roughly evenly divided Senate, Mangi likely needs the support of every Democrat in the body, as well as all three independents. 

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Mangi has been affiliated with both the Center for Security, Race and Rights (CSRR) at Rutgers Law School and the Alliance of Families for Justice (AFJ), both of which have controversial records. 

The CSRR has hosted numerous speakers that the advocacy group Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ and watchdog group Judicial Crisis Network (JCN), among others, have accused of antisemitism. The speakers included associate professor Noura Erakat, who was advertised in 2020 to be participating in a panel alongside senior Hamas leader Ghazi Hamad. Many of the center's events that have been subject to public outcry have notably occurred after Hamas' Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel. 

The group has also welcomed speakers who have been accused by JCN and others of sympathizing with terrorists connected to the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City. 

Mangi served on the organization's advisory board from 2019 to 2023.

The AFJ also has ties that concern some lawmakers. One of its founding board members, Kathy Boudin, was affiliated with the FBI-designated domestic terrorist organization Weather Underground and pleaded guilty to murdering two police officers and a security guard in 1981 while robbing an armored truck. 

Mangi is listed as a current advisory board member for AFJ. 

"Mr. Mangi’s affiliation with the Alliance of Families for Justice is deeply concerning," Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada said in a statement to Fox News Digital Wednesday. 

"This organization has sponsored a fellowship in the name of Kathy Boudin, a member of the domestic terrorist organization Weather Underground, and advocated for the release of individuals convicted of killing police officers. I cannot support this nominee." 

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Cortez Masto's potential defection could upend Biden's effort to confirm Mangi. The Nevada senator revealed Tuesday she was one of the Democrats who privately warned Biden about a lack of support for his nominee. A report had previously alleged several senators told the White House Mangi may not be able to earn enough votes for confirmation. 

A number of Democratic senators refused to say whether they would support Mangi's nomination, including Bob Casey, D-Pa., and Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., who are both up for re-election in competitive matchups in November. 

"When there's a vote scheduled, we'll talk about it then," said Casey. 

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The Pennsylvania senator declined to address whether he had reservations about the nominee. 

"I give every nominee serious consideration," Baldwin said. "We're looking at it right now."

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has already raised concerns over Mangi.

"It is becoming more and more clear every day that Mangi is not going to have the votes to get confirmed," Cruz told Fox News Digital. "And it was foolish for President Biden to nominate an individual who has a record of serving on the board of an organization that has rationalized and apologized for 9/11 and has welcomed radical terrorists to its programming."

The only question left, he said, is "how long the White House will let Mr. Mangi hang out on a limb."

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At the same time, many Democrats reiterated their plan to support Mangi when speaking to Fox News Digital Tuesday.

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., said he will vote to confirm Biden's nominee "as I did in committee."

"No worries," Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., said of her support for Mangi. 

But with such a divided upper chamber, it may only require a few Democratic votes to prevent his confirmation, making the support of the rest of the caucus moot. 

Republican efforts to highlight Mangi's controversies came to a head Wednesday, when Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., called on Biden to withdraw his nomination. 

"It has been a long-standing position of mine to give great deference to executive appointments, particularly judicial appointments, for both parties," he said in a press release. "However, it is clear to me that concerns about this nomination are widespread, not just among Republicans in the Senate.

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"I urge President Biden to seriously listen to these concerns and withdraw Mr. Mangi’s nomination."

In a statement to Fox News Digital, the White House defended the president's choice for the court. 

"President Biden is proud to have nominated Adeel Mangi, whose extraordinary qualifications and integrity are gaining him new backing each day, including from the seventh law enforcement organization to endorse his confirmation, as well as retired circuit Judge Timothy Lewis, who was appointed by President George H.W. Bush," said White House spokesperson Andrew Bates. 

He claimed Mangi is "being targeted by a malicious and debunked smear campaign solely because he would make history as the first Muslim to serve as a federal appellate judge."

Bates further urged Senate Democrats to "side with the qualities that make America exceptional — which Mr. Mangi embodies — not the hateful forces trying to force America into the past."  

Fox News Digital has reached out to CSRR, AFJ and Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP, where Mangi is a partner, for comment.

GOP hope for Mayorkas impeachment trial dims as Senate Dems look for quick dismissal

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As the Senate waits for the House to deliver its articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, multiple Democrats expressed their expectation to Fox News Digital that they will be dismissed quickly, and a full trial will not play out. 

Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., told Fox News Digital he "of course" thinks his fellow Democratic colleagues will move to table the articles when they are officially delivered to the Senate and lawmakers are sworn in to be jurors. 

"It's entirely political," he said. "They've never shown any evidence of any kind of impeachable offense and then impeached him in the House anyway. It's ridiculous."

During the House Republicans' retreat this week, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., revealed, "We've not sent it over yet. And the very simple answer for that, and the reason for it, is because we're in the middle of funding the government in the appropriations process."

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He noted that there is a small window in which the Senate will be required to process the articles, and "we didn't want to interrupt the Senate and their floor time and their deliberation on appropriations, because we've risked shutting the government down."

According to Johnson, they will be delivered in "due course."

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In a narrow second attempt at impeaching Mayorkas last month, the House was successful. By a vote of 214-213, two articles of impeachment were approved against the DHS secretary. One accused him of having "refused to comply with Federal immigration laws" and the other of having violated "public trust."

Reps. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis.; Ken Buck, R-Colo.; and Tom McClintock, R-Calif., voted against the impeachment. 

The first attempt to pass the articles was brought down by four Republican defections, one of which was a procedural move by Rep. Blake Moore, R-Utah, which allowed the resolution to be brought back to the floor. 

"I expect it will be dismissed" by the Democratic caucus, Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., told Fox News Digital.

Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., similarly shared that he is hoping for a "quick dismissal."

Also urging the Senate to get past the impeachment articles, Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., said, "Let's turn the page and move on and deal with the problems and challenges that we face," calling the impeachment both "nonsense" and "shameful behavior."

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Democrats are in the majority in the Senate and will ultimately decide how the body moves forward once the articles are delivered. And since it would only require a simple majority to table the impeachment, the upper chamber may opt to do so. 

Their Republican counterparts signaled an expectation that Democrats will move to table the articles. 

"I assume the Democrats will try and table it," said Republican Whip John Thune, R-S.D., who added his conference will do "everything we can to get them to conduct a trial."

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Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., said she has heard "rumors" that Democrats were interested in tabling it. "I don't expect a full trial to happen at this point," she said. "But I think it should."

For many Democratic senators, it just isn't on their radar. The Senate is notably working on several issues, including federal nominations; aid to Ukraine and Israel; Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act reform; Federal Aviation Administration re-authorization; and appropriations, with a March 22 deadline coming up for the last slate of funding bills. 

"I haven't given virtually any thought to the political charade around Secretary Mayorkas, so that's just not been high on my radar screen," said Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., who explained that "serious issues" surrounding China and Ukraine are taking precedence. 

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"Who gives a s---?" said Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa. He added that the Mayorkas impeachment would not be the last of the "dumb s---" that House Republicans have done. 

However, Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., and Ben Cardin, D-Md., emphasized the importance of their status as jurors in the matter of the DHS secretary's impeachment. 

"As an impartial juror on all of the above, I've always been the same with any type of impeachment that I'm not going to predetermine or have any bias towards what's going to happen," said Cortez Masto. 

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Cardin echoed, "I've always taken the position as a juror, I shouldn't talk about that publicly." The senator noted, however, that he has "pretty strong views," adding that reporters could probably guess them. 

DHS did not provide comment on the Senate's procedure for the articles of impeachment to Fox News Digital. 

Following the House's vote last month, DHS spokesperson Mia Ehrenberg said in a statement, "House Republicans will be remembered by history for trampling on the Constitution for political gain rather than working to solve the serious challenges at our border." 

"Without a shred of evidence or legitimate Constitutional grounds, and despite bipartisan opposition, House Republicans have falsely smeared a dedicated public servant who has spent more than 20 years enforcing our laws and serving our country," she continued. 

Despite several Senate Republicans criticizing the House's attempt to impeach Mayorkas, many Republicans have changed their tune and expressed their interest in the Senate holding a full trial.

Fox News Digital's Liz Elkind contributed to this report.

Senate Dems, Republicans clash over federal IVF protections: ‘They’re covering their a—s’

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Senate Republicans pointed to Alabama's recent law to protect in vitro fertilization (IVF) providers from civil and criminal liability as proof of states' capacity to self-correct and the reason Democrat-led federal legislation to protect the fertility procedure isn't necessary.

"Basically every state I know of supports IVF," said Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., a doctor.

Other Republican senators who spoke to Fox News Digital agreed.

Following a controversial decision by Alabama's Supreme Court ruling frozen embryos were legally children, the state's legislature quickly sprung into action to protect IVF. Several clinics conducting IVF shut down their procedures after the court's decision, but once the state passed a law releasing them from liability, some of the centers began to reopen. 

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Cassidy cited Alabama's fast legislative work in his explanation against federal legislation on IVF. 

"Once you get the federal government involved, it's going to open the door to some mischief that goes far beyond what you originally wanted to," he said. 

"The issue that brought this debate was happening in Alabama, and they've dealt with it in legislation," added Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. 

According to Rubio, a larger conversation is necessary "about what's right and appropriate and legal and protected when it comes to discarding the extra human embryos that are not going to be used."

"It's legal in all 50 states," said Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., who introduced a resolution this week affirming support for IVF. 

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Scott's resolution expresses support for IVF and families looking to expand but doesn't carry the weight of a bill or make changes to the law. 

Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., who spearheaded a bill to enshrine protections for IVF into law, slammed the resolution.

"They're covering their a---s," Duckworth said of her Republican colleagues. "That's what they're trying to do. A resolution doesn't do anything." 

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Duckworth attempted to force a vote last week on her IVF bill, asking for unanimous consent to move it to the floor. However, Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., objected to it. 

Duckworth said Republicans had not been approaching her to negotiate a potential bipartisan measure either. 

And its unclear whether Democrats would be willing to make concessions to work with their Republican colleagues on a bill. 

"The Duckworth bill is a perfect bill," said Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va. "Her bill is just a person has a right to access IVF, and a provider has a right to provide IVF. It's not a mandate. It just protects the patient, protects the provider."

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Scott notably didn't rule out legislation to protect the procedure in the future. 

"I think we're gonna do everything we can to make sure it continues to be legal," he said. 

Other Republicans similarly left the door open. 

A federal bill to protect the fertility procedure is "certainly a discussion we can have, but at this point it's protected in every state," said Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas. 

"If it ever became an issue, I would consider it," added Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah. "But there's not a state in the country that does not protect IVF."

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According to Romney, it doesn't require "federal addressing at this stage."

"If there was a point there needed to be federal action on it, I would definitely be supportive," agreed Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla. 

"I believe that way Alabama handled it was good."

A number of Democratic senators were critical of their GOP colleagues' claims federal protections aren't needed now. 

"I think that's wrong," claimed Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn. "Absolutely, we need to protect people's capacity to access" IVF. 

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Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., expressed skepticism over Alabama's new law, telling Fox News Digital legal scholars believe "it raises as many questions as it answers."

"Without the protection of Roe v. Wade, the states can do what the Alabama court did and effectively end IVF in the state," she warned. 

According to Warren, if congressional Republicans were "truly committed to protecting IVF," they would be in favor of a bill to do so federally. "But, so far, they are not." 

Haley slams Trump for Senate losses, calls out GOP lawmakers for courting him

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Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley blamed former President Trump Friday for recent Republican losses in critical electoral races, including those for seats in the Senate, while expressing hope the GOP's new leader in the upper chamber is focused on setting a tone rather than courting Trump. 

"You're seeing the wave of what Congress thinks they need to do to win," Haley told reporters during a briefing at the Fairmont Hotel in Washington's Georgetown neighborhood.

Haley was likely referencing Trump's dominance over the House and Senate relative to endorsements and influence. 

But Haley suggested lawmakers who cater to the former president are misguided because Republicans have lost pivotal matchups since his presidency. 

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"All of these losses happened after Donald Trump became president in 2016," she said, noting gubernatorial, federal and statewide losses in Michigan, Minnesota and Virginia. 

Haley claimed the only reason Gov. Glenn Youngkin, R-Va., was elected in 2021 was because "he distanced himself" from Trump. 

Youngkin's political team declined to comment to Fox News Digital. 

"It’s not an accurate statement," according to Zack Roday, a former Youngkin adviser and partner at Ascent Media.

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"Glenn Youngkin won because he built a movement and coalition of Republicans, independents and even Democrats who wanted a new direction for Virginia." 

Despite the losses, Haley claimed members of the House and Senate are now "falling all over themselves to show that they're more Trump than everybody else." 

Haley weighed in on what the next Senate Republican leader should bring to the table after Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's surprise announcement Wednesday that he's stepping down. She didn't suggest any specific senators for the role but explained she wants a leader focused on the people and "not rewarding people for peacocking on TV."

"I want to see somebody inspirational. I want to see somebody that says, ‘You know what, we can do things differently,'" Haley said. "My hope is that we will. But we'll have to see."

Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told Fox News Digital the campaign's focus is now on Biden and the general election.

"Republican voters have delivered resounding wins for President Trump in every single primary contest, and this race is over," she said. 

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So far, only Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, has announced a bid for the leadership position in the Republican conference. But several other senators are rumored to be considering their own bids for the coveted role. Senators John Barrasso, R-Wyo.; John Thune, R-S.D.; Rick Scott, R-Fla.; Steve Daines, R-Mont.; and Tom Cotton, R-Ark., have all also been suggested as potential successors to McConnell. 

Former GOP Congressman Justin Amash announces bid for Michigan US Senate seat

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Former U.S. Rep. Justin Amash, who left the GOP in 2019 after calling for the impeachment of then-President Donald Trump, announced a Republican bid for Michigan's U.S. Senate seat Thursday.

Amash represented Grand Rapids from 2011 to 2021, and he becomes the third former U.S. representative to join the Republican field vying for Michigan’s open Senate seat. Former U.S. Reps. Mike Rogers and Peter Meijer have also announced Republican campaigns, as has businessman Sandy Pensler.

"I’m convinced that no candidate would be better positioned to win both the Republican primary and the general election," Amash said on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter. "That’s why, today, I’m making it official: I’m joining the race for United States Senate in Michigan."

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The decision to jump into the Republican primary comes after Amash left the party to become an independent. He had been the lone House Republican to support a Trump impeachment inquiry in 2019.

He opted not to seek reelection to Congress after his fifth term and to instead pursue a Libertarian nomination for president. At the time, Amash said that millions of Americans do not feel well represented by either major political party.

Amash seems to have come back to the party, but he promised in his announcement to be "an independent-minded senator prepared to challenge anyone and everyone on the people’s behalf," if elected.

Amash, whose father is Palestinian and his mother Syrian, was the first Palestinian American lawmaker to serve in the U.S. Congress. Earlier this year, Amash said on social media that several relatives were killed when an Israeli airstrike struck a church in Gaza City.

Michigan's U.S. Senate race is expected to be the lone competitive open seat in the country this year. Democratic U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow announced last January that she would not seek reelection after having served in the upper chamber since 2001.

On the Democratic side, U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin is considered the favorite to win the nomination and has dominated other candidates in fundraising — bringing in $11.7 million between her campaign launch in February 2023 and the end of that year.

Rogers, who served seven terms in the U.S. House, has led all Republicans in fundraising. The Republican race is expected to be highly competitive, with Meijer and Pensler each having the ability to at least partially self-fund their campaigns. Former Detroit police Chief James Craig dropped his Republican bid earlier this month.

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Amash and Meijer — who are both from Grand Rapids — will each face the difficult task of overcoming past support for impeachments of Trump. Meijer was among 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump in 2021 after the deadly mob siege of the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Trump wields significant influence over Republicans in Michigan, and his endorsement for the U.S. Senate seat has the potential to dramatically impact the outcome of the race.

The GOP has not won a Michigan U.S. Senate race since 1994.

Defending the Michigan seat could prove crucial for Democrats in their effort to maintain the Senate, where the party holds a 51-49 majority and also faces tough headwinds as they defend seats in Republican-leaning states from West Virginia to Montana and Ohio.

Senate Republicans warm up to Mayorkas impeachment trial over border concerns

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Senate Republicans are coming out in favor of holding a trial for Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who was impeached by the House over his actions and guidance regarding the southern border and illegal immigration more than two weeks ago.

A growing list of Republican senators — not confined to hard-line conservatives — have voiced their support for a full impeachment trial for Mayorkas after the Republican-controlled House approved articles this month.

Initially, several Republican senators predicted doom for the House's impeachment effort in the Senate.

Though Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, said he believes Mayorkas to be responsible for enforcing President Biden's "disastrous immigration policies," he isn't in favor of a trial in the upper chamber. "An impeachment trial might be great politics, but it’s not the remedy for bad policy and would set a terrible constitutional precedent," he wrote recently on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

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Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., recently told reporters that "It'll fail in the Senate."

"If I could use the House term: It'll be dead on arrival when it comes over," he said. 

Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., didn't hold back from criticizing his House counterparts over the effort. He told Axios the impeachment was "the worst, dumbest exercise and use of time."

However, in the weeks following the House's vote, more Republican senators have emerged in favor of a trial into Mayorkas' impeachment. Those in support of a trial are not solely members of the more hard-line faction of the Senate GOP, demonstrating a somewhat unified Republican stance.

Last week, a group of Republican senators led by Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, called on Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to "demand" a Senate trial. It was conveyed in a letter signed by Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., Rick Scott, R-Fla., Ron Johnson, R-Wis., JD Vance, R-Ohio, Roger Marshall, R-Kan., Josh Hawley, R-Mo., Mike Braun, R-Ind., Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., Ted Budd, R-N.C., Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., and Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn.

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To the surprise of some, both McConnell and Minority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., each professed their support for a trial Tuesday. Citing the House's move to impeach Mayorkas, Thune said during a press conference, "That issue will come before the United States Senate. I believe the Senate needs to hold a trial."

McConnell later told reporters a trial is "the best way forward."

Sens. Katie Britt, R-Ala., John Kennedy, R-La., Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., and Steve Daines, R-Mont., have also since told Fox News Digital they support an impeachment trial. 

"The Senate should fulfill its constitutional charge and hold a proper trial in full view of the public," said Britt.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, reiterated his belief that his House colleagues were right to impeach Mayorkas, and he went as far as saying Mayorkas "should be impeached because he lied under oath by saying the border is secure."

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As for Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, his office did not clarify his support for a trial but said he plans to serve as a juror and withhold his judgment until its completion. 

The Department of Homeland Security declined to comment on these developments, referring Fox News Digital to its earlier statement regarding the House's impeachment vote. 

"House Republicans will be remembered by history for trampling on the Constitution for political gain rather than working to solve the serious challenges at our border," wrote Mia Ehrenberg, DHS spokesperson. 

"While Secretary Mayorkas was helping a group of Republican and Democratic Senators develop bipartisan solutions to strengthen border security and get needed resources for enforcement, House Republicans have wasted months with this baseless, unconstitutional impeachment," she continued.

Despite the expanding GOP support for a trial, any such effort is expected to fail because it would require a two-thirds Senate majority to convict and remove Mayorkas from his post. Republicans are in the minority in the Senate and members of the conference have already joined Democrats in criticizing the House for the impeachment, making hopes for a conviction and removal dim.

After procedural requirements of the impeachment process take place, including delivery and reading of the articles to the Senate by selected House managers, the swearing in of senators as jurors and the issuing of a summons to Mayorkas, the Senate is expected to decide how to move forward. Only a simple majority is required to dismiss the trial, which could be sought by Democrats, who have an advantage over Republicans, 51-49, as the three independent senators each caucus with the Senate Democrats.

Schumer hasn't said whether he would be supportive of cutting a trial short with a motion to dismiss, and his office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital.

Texas AG Paxton teases primary challenge to Cornyn as senator announces leadership bid

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Embattled Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, teased a potential 2026 primary challenge to Texas Sen. John Cornyn after the lawmaker announced his bid to succeed Minority Leader Mitch McConnell come November. 

Paxton took to X, formerly Twitter, Wednesday night — prior to Cornyn revealing his intention to run for leader — addressing speculation about it. Paxton said the senator would have difficulty remaining in his role "since he is anti-Trump, anti-gun, and will be focused on his highly competitive primary campaign in 2026."

Despite Paxton's claim, Cornyn endorsed former President Trump for president last month, calling on Republicans to rally around him. 

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The attorney general's accusation of Cornyn being "anti-gun" is likely a reference to his involvement in crafting and bolstering the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, a gun reform bill taken up following the Uvalde elementary school shooting in the Lone Star state. Cornyn pioneered the bill alongside senators Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., Chris Murphy, D-Conn., and Thom Tillis, R-N.C.

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Paxton didn't note in his post who would be competing against Cornyn in a primary, but he also hasn't dismissed speculation he would challenge Cornyn. Representatives for Paxton did not respond to Fox News' inquiries about a potential Senate run. 

"Republicans deserve better in their next leader and Texans deserve another conservative Senator," Paxton wrote on X. 

"Hard to run from prison, Ken," Cornyn posted to X shortly afterward, referencing Paxton's legal trouble. In April, the attorney general heads to trial on charges related to securities fraud in a case that has been delayed since an initial indictment more than eight years ago. Paxton was acquitted late last year of 16 articles of impeachment that alleged various acts of bribery and corruption following a highly publicized Texas Senate trial. 

After McConnell's surprise announcement Wednesday that he would step down as Republican Senate leader, Cornyn told reporters, "Not today," noting the day "is about Mitch McConnell." But, he added, "I've made no secret about my intentions."

On Thursday morning, the Texas Republican announced his bid for leader of the Republican conference. 

"I am asking my Republican colleagues to give me the opportunity to succeed Leader McConnell," Cornyn said in a statement. 

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"I believe the Senate is broken — that is not news to anyone," he said. "The good news is that it can be fixed, and I intend to play a major role in fixing it."

Cornyn was the first to announce his campaign for the role, though several others are expected to join the race. 

Paxton responded to the news on X, posing a poll to his followers.

"John Cornyn has waved the white flag on election integrity, border security, protecting the 2nd amendment, and everything else constitutional conservatives care about. Do you think he's conservative enough to lead Republicans in the Senate?" Paxton asked. 

The poll had received more than 13,000 votes by the afternoon, with the overwhelming majority saying "No."

Cornyn's office declined to comment when reached by Fox News Digital.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to what to look for in a leadership race to succeed McConnell

Posted on by Latest Political News on Fox News

It is almost too early to truly understand and divine where the votes might for someone to succeed retiring Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).

The reason? The universe and conditions under which Republican senators will vote next fall to pick their new leader haven’t formed yet. Yes, take a look at the three Johns: Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.), former Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Senate Republican Conference Chairman John Barrasso (R-Wyo.). Even someone like Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) could be in play. A source tells FOX is interested in the race. 

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But beyond that, we don’t know much.

Here’s why:

We have to first know who wins the presidential election. And if 2024 is anything like 2020, we might not definitively know until week or more after the election. A delay in figuring out the winner could delay the internal secret leadership election which Senate Republicans will take in mid to late November. But the winner of the presidential election will dictate who the GOP wants – especially if former President Trump prevails and has much to say about it.

Ironically, FOX is told that the antipathy between the former President and McConnell was not a major factor in the decision-making of the Kentucky Republican to step down.

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Another factor: who has control of the Senate – and by how many seats. Keep in mind we didn’t know until January 2021 as to which party would control the Senate in the last Congress.

This is why other figures may emerge. Especially dark horses. 

As I have written before, leadership elections in Congress are not "partisan politics" They are "particle politics." The person who is propelled into leadership is not always the obvious choice: Think former House Speakers John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Paul Ryan (R-Wis.). Or even current House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.).

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FOX is told that some Senate Republicans are tired of what one senior Senate GOP leadership source termed a "weekly MAGA show" by Sens. Mike Lee (R-Utah), JD Vance (R-Ohio) and others at the weekly Senate Republican Conference meetings. So if former President Trump loses and if the GOP doesn’t have control of the Senate, that could dictate who Republicans pick.

However, if Republicans prevail with a substantial majority, look at Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) as a possibility. He leads the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the GOP’s campaign arm. Daines has made many of the right moves so far in GOP contests. If Republicans win the Senate by a good margin, some members (especially the new ones), might be willing to give Daines a look – if he’s interested. 

The same factor could undercut Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.). It’s not clear if Scott is interested. He ran unsuccessfully against McConnell in the fall of 2022. Scott led the GOP’s campaign efforts in 2022 – and Republicans failed to win the Senate. That could be an albatross for Scott and potentially inhibit him from making another run at leadership.

Sen John Cornyn declares candidacy for Republican leader after McConnell steps down

Posted on by Latest Political News on Fox News

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, has officially entered the race to succeed Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.

McConnell, 82, announced Wednesday that he plans to step away from leadership after becoming the longest-serving party leader in Senate history. Cornyn is one of McConnell's top lieutenants in the GOP conference, though he does not currently hold a leadership role. 

"I am asking my Republican colleagues to give me the opportunity to succeed Leader McConnell," said Cornyn, 72, in a statement released Thursday.  

In the developing pool of potential successors, Cornyn is frequently mentioned as one of the "three Johns" likely to next lead the conference. The other two are Sens. John Thune, R-S.D. and John Barrasso, R-Wyo. 

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Of the three, Barrasso is considered the most conservative, a source familiar with Senate Republican conference discussions told Fox News Digital. Barrasso is also believed to be a more palatable option for the various factions of Republicans in the Senate who don't always see eye to eye. He notably endorsed former President Donald Trump early last month.

However, Cornyn and Thune have also endorsed Trump for re-election, and Cornyn boasts that he voted with Trump more than 92% of the time during his term in the White House. 

The Texas Republican's pitch is that he's a proven election-winner with a track-record of building consensus to advance legislation. His statement pointed to his two terms as chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, during which time Republicans unseated five Democrats and positioned the conference to capture the majority in 2014. 

 "I believe the Senate is broken — that is not news to anyone. The good news is that it can be fixed, and I intend to play a major role in fixing it," Cornyn said.

MITCH MCCONNELL STEPPING DOWN AS REPUBLICAN LEADER

To assuage criticisms from hardline Republicans over the Senate process, Cornyn pledged to "improve communication, increase transparency, and ensure inclusion of every Member's expertise and opinion." 

"We will restore the important role of Senate committees and reestablish the regular appropriations process, rather than lurch from one crisis to another. And we will return power back to our members; there will be no more backroom deals or forced votes on bills without adequate time for review, debate and amendment," Cornyn pledged. 

Those promises appear to be an answer to Sen. MIke Lee, R-Utah, one of the most conservative members of the conference and a frequent McConnell critic.

"Anyone wanting to be the next Senate GOP leader should tell Senate Republicans — as specifically as possible — how he or she would do the job differently than it’s been done since 2007," Lee posted on X after McConnell announced he would step down.

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Lee demanded that the next Republican leader leverage "must-pass" spending bills to achieve conservative priorities like cutting spending and slashing regulations; that they refrain from interfering in GOP primaries against conservative candidates; and that they not "organize ambush sessions in an effort to scold and humiliate conservative senators," among other grievances hardline senators have long voiced against McConnell. 

But only a handful of senators ever sided with Lee and others against McConnell. 

When Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., challenged McConnell for leadership in 2022, the vote was 37-10 in favor of McConnell. One Republican voted "present." Some of those who reportedly voted against McConnell were Sens. Josh Hawley, R-Mo; Ted Cruz, R-Texas; Mike Braun, R-Ind.; Ron Johnson, R-Wis.; and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.

Even so, in a field with several candidates and GOP factions at odds, 10 votes may hold a powerful sway over any senator who would be leader. Announcements come first, and then the backroom deals begin. 

Fox News' Chad Pergram and Fox News Digital's Julia Johnson and Jamie Joseph contributed to this report.