Latest news with #DelBene
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
House Dems' campaign chair says her party's 'on offense' in 2026 battle to win back majority from GOP
With the early moves heating up in the 2026 battle for the House majority, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's (DCCC) chair argues President Donald Trump and the Republican majorities in the House and Senate are "doing incredible damage to working families and to our country." And with the GOP defending a razor-thin majority in the House in next year's midterm elections, Rep. Suzan DelBene, the DCCC chair, noted, "We only need three more seats." "We have 35 districts in play across the country where we have opportunities," DelBene said in a Fox News Digital interview last week in the nation's capital, pointing to the Republican-held seats the DCCC is targeting. "We are on offense. We are fighting for the American people and for the important issues they care about, and Democrats are united in doing that." House Democrats Predict Republicans Will Pay Price For Passing Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' While the party in power after a presidential election — currently the GOP — typically faces political headwinds and loses House seats in the following midterms, the 2026 map appears to favor Republicans."The battlefield is really laying out to our advantage. There are 14 Democrats who won seats also carried by Donald Trump. There are only three Republicans in seats that were carried by [former Vice President] Kamala Harris. So, that tells me we're going to be on offense," Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina, the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) chair, told Fox News Digital at the start of the 2026 cycle. Read On The Fox News App What The House Gop Campaign Committee Chair Told Fox News About Trump's Role In The Midterms DelBene countered that "the reason we have opportunities is because people are outraged, because they do want to see someone come into office who is going to fight for their communities and not just be blindly loyal to a president." And pointing to the small bite House Democrats took out of the GOP's majority in the 2024 elections, she added that "those are the types of candidates that won in our districts last cycle. It's a reason we actually gained seats in 2024 and is absolutely the reason why we're going to take back the majority in 2026." But Hudson noted he has a powerful ally as he works to keep control of the House. "The president understands that he's got to keep the House majority in the midterm so that he has a four-year runway instead of a two-year runway to get his agenda enacted," Hudson said. "He's been extremely helpful to us, and we appreciate it." And the Democrats are facing a polling dilemma because the party's ratings have been sinking to historic lows in a number of national surveys so far this year. The Democrats' ratings in a Fox News poll stood at 41% favorable and 56% unfavorable in a survey conducted April 18-21. Head Here To Check Out The Latest Fox News Polls That's an all-time low for the Democrats in Fox News polling. And for the first time in a decade, the party's standing was lower than that of the GOP, which stood at 44% favorable and 54% unfavorable. The figures were reversed last summer, when Fox News last asked the party favorability question in one of its surveys. But there is a silver lining for the Democrats. The Fox News poll indicated that if the 2026 midterm elections were held today, 49% of voters would back a generic Democrat in their congressional district, with 42% supporting the generic Republican candidate. The Democrats also have another problem — the possibility of primary challenges against longtime and older House lawmakers in safe blue districts. Recently elected Democratic National Committee (DNC) Vice Chair David Hogg last month pledged to spend millions of dollars through his outside political group to support primary challenges against what he termed "asleep at the wheel" House Democrats who he argued have not been effective in pushing back against Trump. The move by the 25-year-old Hogg, a survivor of the shooting seven years ago at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in South Florida, to spend money against fellow Democrats ignited a firestorm within the party. In response, DelBene said, "Democrats across the country are united in taking back the House." Asked by Fox News if the move by Hogg would force the DCCC and allied super PACs to divert money and resources from competitive districts in order to defend incumbents in safe blue districts from primary challenges, DelBene responded, "I think everyone knows how important it is that we take back the House, and folks are focused in helping make sure that we do that in districts all across the country." But the dispute is giving the GOP ammunition. In response to the intra-Democratic Party feud, NRCC spokesman Mike Marinella argued, "No Democrat is safe. A political earthquake is underway, and the old guard is scrambling."Original article source: House Dems' campaign chair says her party's 'on offense' in 2026 battle to win back majority from GOP
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Dems warn House Republicans will pay price at ballot box for passing Trump's 'big beautiful bill'
EXCLUSIVE – As House GOP leaders advance President Donald Trump's so-called "big, beautiful bill" toward a floor vote this week, Democrats, who are in the minority, are sounding a warning. "We're going to hold Republicans accountable and there will be a price to pay," Rep. Suzan DelBene of Washington State, the chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, emphasized as she pointed to next year's midterm elections during a Fox News Digital interview. Republicans are holding onto an extremely razor-thin majority in the chamber right now, and Democrats only need a three-seat pickup to win back the House majority in the 2026 elections. Additionally, they view the sweeping and controversial GOP-crafted measure stocked full of Trump's second-term priorities on tax cuts, immigration, defense, energy and the debt limit – which is currently making its way through numerous votes and hurdles in the House – as political ammunition. Inching Closer: House Speaker Johnson Reaches Tentative Agreement With Some Holdout Gop Lawmakers "This is a terrible piece of legislation," DelBene argued. Read On The Fox News App Democrats from across the party are shining a spotlight on the Republicans' restructuring of Medicaid, the nearly 60-year-old federal government program that provides health insurance for roughly 71 million adults and children with limited incomes. "Let's be clear, all Republicans are talking about right now is how many people and how fast they're going to take away healthcare. They have these huge cuts to Medicaid, 14 million people lose healthcare across the country, and they're talking about how fast they can do that," DelBene charged on Tuesday. She claimed that House Republicans are "all blindly following the president and going to blindly follow him off the cliff." Rep. Ted Lieu of California, another member of the House Democrat leadership, argued as he took questions from reporters that the bill "has the largest cut to healthcare in U.S. history." Gop Holdouts Unmoved By Trump's 'Big, Beautiful' Trip To Capitol Hill The cuts to Medicaid, being drafted in part as an offset to pay for extending Trump's 2017 tax cut law, which is set to expire later this year, include a slew of new rules and regulatory requirements for those seeking coverage. Among them are a new set of work requirements for many of those seeking coverage. "When you go across the country and talk to folks, folks are outraged, and they're scared. They're scared about the cuts to healthcare, not only cutting 14 million people off of healthcare but then raising costs beyond that for everyone and things like rural hospitals closing," DelBene argued. "This would have devastating impacts across the country. This is policy that Republicans are fighting for, cutting nutrition health programs so that families don't even have healthy food." House Republicans push back against the Democrats' attacks and say what they are doing is putting an end to waste, fraud and abuse currently in the Medicaid system, so the program can work for the public in the way that it was intended. They call any talk that they are cutting aid to mothers, children, people with disabilities and the elderly a "flat out lie." First On Fox: These Republican Governors Say They 'Stand United' In Support Of Trump's 'One Big, Beautiful Bill' DelBene countered, saying, "we're not buying the argument because what we've seen in committee, what they've written down on paper is massive cuts in healthcare and all to pay for tax breaks for the wealthiest in our country. This isn't a bill about helping working families. This bill is devastating for working families." However, her counterparty, Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina, the chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, told Fox News Digital in a statement that "Republicans are ending waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicaid so the most vulnerable get the care they need." Additionally, Hudson argued that "Democrats are lying to protect a broken status quo that lets illegal immigrants siphon off billions meant for American families. We're strengthening Medicaid for future generations by protecting taxpayers and restoring integrity." Dating back to last year's presidential campaign, Trump has vowed not to touch Medicaid. On Tuesday, as he made a rare stop on Capitol Hill to meet behind closed doors with House Republicans in order to shore up support for the bill, Trump's message to fiscally conservative lawmakers looking to make further cuts to Medicaid was "don't f--- around with Medicaid." While there are divisions between Republicans over Medicaid, and a chasm between the two major parties over the longstanding entitlement program, there is one point of agreement – this issue will continue to simmer on the campaign trail in one form or another long after the legislative battles on Capitol Hill are article source: Dems warn House Republicans will pay price at ballot box for passing Trump's 'big beautiful bill'
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How Democrats plan to run on Trump's tariffs in 2026
The chair of House Democrats' campaign arm is already mapping out how her caucus can wield President Donald Trump's latest round of tariffs against Republicans come 2026. 'It's important that we continue to talk [about] not only the impact, but what we could be doing instead,' Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., told Semafor in an interview at her Capitol Hill office. 'We could be focused on helping working families. We could be engaged in policy where we look at how we build a strong economy going forward.' DelBene sat down soon after her Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee unveiled 35 House seats held by Republicans that they hope to flip in next year's midterm elections. Several are in states that will be hit hardest by Trump's new levies. Lawmakers have already started building their case this week as they grill Trump's trade representative, Jamieson Greer, in back-to-back appearances. DelBene said she plans to press Greer on the president's trade agenda when he testifies before the House Ways and Means Committee on Wednesday. 'How do you ever do any trade if we have a trade deal and the president can just kind of blow it up on a whim?' DelBene said of her planned line of questioning. 'I think it would make it really hard for any partner to negotiate with a president who doesn't seem to be interested in — even a policy that he put in place — in making sure that he continues to honor that,' DelBene added. 'So how does he think trade's gonna work going forward with anybody?' Eleanor Mueller: How are Democrats planning to message on Trump's tariffs headed into the midterm elections? Suzan DelBene: This is a tax on American families. Costs are going up at the grocery store, the gas pump, at the pharmacy counter. This is a No. 1 issue for voters, last election: the cost of living, housing, food, child care, health care. And Republicans have broken the promise to lower costs. Tariffs not only are raising costs — it's been chaotic, unpredictable, and that's a terrible economic environment going forward too, where no one knows how to plan because they don't know what's going to happen next. And our farmers, our small businesses, are all getting hit hard. Do Democrats believe that the effects of Trump's tariffs are, to a degree, self-evident? It's important that we continue to talk [about] not only the impact, but what we could be doing instead. We could be focused on helping working families. We could be engaged in policy where we look at how we build a strong economy going forward — as opposed to the the random and destructive layoffs that we've seen in the federal government, the dismantling of Social Security and attacks on Medicaid, programs that people depend on are being dismantled — and now we are in a situation where prices are going up because of tariffs. People have lost jobs. People see the programs they depend on being taken away. So — are Democrats the free-trade party now? We are saying that we should have a vote in Congress. Congress should have a say. Congress actually has jurisdiction over taxes and trade. And so, I have put forward legislation making it clear that Congress has a role, and Congress needs to have a vote before any of this can go in place. No. 1, that should be there. And then [No.] 2, if you look at Canada and Mexico, we have a trade agreement in place, and the president's basically blowing that up without congressional approval. None of this makes sense. But the real thing is, we could be doing important work, and not raising prices on American families. What is that important work, as far as the alternative economic vision that Democrats should be peddling voters? First of all, making sure that critical programs that people depend on and have paid into, like Social Security, are strengthened — not being dismantled. Making sure that we continue to have affordable, quality health care for folks across the country, as opposed to threatening to cut Medicaid for what tax breaks for the wealthy and well-connected. This is about fairness. It's about building a strong economy, and it's about addressing the challenges that families are seeing. We talk about things like housing: Housing costs are going up because of Trump's actions and the impact he's having on the ability for folks to finance new construction and build more affordable housing. We can do things like expand the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit to help make sure that we have more affordable housing in our communities. This is actually something that I have been leading on, and has been a bipartisan solution. But is that the priority? No. The priority is tariffs with no plan in place, and raising costs on American families for no reason. What do you see happening with bipartisan legislation to give Congress more power over tariffs? Republicans have been blindly loyal to Donald Trump, but they don't seem interested in listening to their constituents or doing policy that's helping their constituents. They promised that they were going to lower prices. Trump said he's going to lower prices on Day One. That's a broken promise, when they're not doing anything to help families. And you've got the tariffs, and now you have this budget coming forward with huge cuts to Medicaid, the dismantling of Social Security. Are you more optimistic about Democrats' odds now than you were before Trump's tariffs? Well, we're going to hold them accountable. I think this will definitely be a referendum on the policies of this administration and the blind loyalty of Republicans in Congress who aren't willing to stand up. Oversight: We are a co-equal branch of government. We tried to have Elon Musk come in just to answer questions about access to sensitive taxpayer data. Republicans refused to bring him in. If he's doing such a great job, why wouldn't you want him to come in and talk about the work that he's doing? They're not interested in that. Votes on tariffs: Congress has an important role to play here. Republicans, even Republicans who in the past have insisted that Congress needs to have a say, have somehow become incredibly silent and capable of standing up. Folks want candidates who are going to stand up for their communities and fight for their communities.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
WA leaders fear Trump tariffs will 'significantly' hurt local economies
The Brief President Trump announced a 10% baseline tariff on imports, with higher rates for major trading partners, aiming to boost the U.S. economy but raising trade war concerns. Washington state leaders warned the tariffs could harm the economy, increasing costs and impacting trade-dependent jobs and industries. Tariffs include significant rates for China, the EU, Japan, and India, plus a 25% tariff on foreign cars, despite local fears of economic disruption. SEATTLE - President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday, announcing sweeping tariffs. The president said there would be a baseline tariff of 10% for every country that imports products into the U.S. During his announcement, he also outlined that the nation's largest trading partners will see a higher percentage, in what he called reciprocal tariffs. "It's our declaration of economic independence. For years, hardworking American citizens were forced to sit on the sidelines as other nations got rich and powerful, much of it at our expense. But now it's our turn to prosper," Trump said during a press conference at the Rose Garden. Big picture view The tariffs disrupt trading arrangements that have been in place since 1947. Murmurs of a looming trade war began as Trump returned to office, and now experts say the time has arrived. While President Trump said the tariffs will restore the nation's economy, Washington state leaders said they believe it will hurt American citizens. What they're saying "Perhaps no state stands to lose more from Trump-inflicted price increases and a trade war than ours. The inevitable retaliation will hurt growers across our state, drive up the costs of houses, cars, and everyday goods, and jeopardize our state's economy," said U.S. Senator Patty Murray. "It's a tax on the American people, and Congress should have a vote on that," said U.S. Representative Susan DelBene, representing Washington state's first district. "The uncertainty has already had a great impact on our economy, and these tariffs and ongoing retaliation will hurt our small businesses, our farmers, our families with increased costs." DelBene said the tariffs will especially impact Washington, as two in five jobs are tied to trade, and the state does significant commerce with Canada and the Pacific. "The uncertainty has already had a great impact on our economy, and these tariffs and ongoing retaliation will hurt our small businesses, our farmers, our families with increased costs," said DelBene. The president said the reciprocal tariffs will amount to about half of what other countries charge America. China will see a 34% tariff, the European Union 20%, Japan 24%, and India 26%. There will also be a 25% tariff on all foreign automobiles. Local perspective Though the president said the executive order will restore the economy and support jobs, state leaders said they fear a trade war won't be the only issue for the economy. "A local manufacturer said he's afraid of being tariffed out of business. Farmers are already paying higher prices for fertilizer and having market trouble accessing markets. Aerospace manufacturers in Washington are paying much more for steel and aluminum, and the President has no clear goals in this trade war," said DelBene. Additional details of the tariffs and Trump's plan weren't discussed during his announcement. The president just continued stating there have been years of complaints from companies and workers throughout the U.S. that are negatively impacted by global trade. The president said there is no charge if a country wants to manufacture in the U.S. Trump said Apple announced a $500 billion commitment to spend and invest in the U.S. over the next four years. He also said within the next two days another big company will be announcing a large plan to build in America. The Source Information in this story comes from original reporting from FOX 13 Seattle reporter Franque Thompson. Richard Sherman's WA home robbed by armed men, deputies confirm Mystery over Seattle sky: Black ring leaves public guessing Woodland Park Zoo handler recovering after serious orangutan bite Police investigate after 100 shots fired in West Seattle Man stabbed to death in Marysville, WA To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter. Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national coverage, plus 24/7 streaming coverage from across the nation.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The Hidden Politics of Whiskey Prices
You've probably heard that President Donald Trump is prepared to slap some huge tariffs on nearly all imports from Canada and Mexico this week. But you might also be wondering: How is it that the president can unilaterally decide what tariffs get charged on which imports? And if he's determined to make everything from Canadian whiskey to Mexican avocados more expensive, can anyone stop him? "It absolutely should not be one person making these decisions," Rep. Suzan DelBene (D–Wash.) tells Reason. She's sponsored a bill that would require Trump—and any other future president—to get permission from Congress before using emergency economic powers to levy new tariffs on American consumers. To understand why that matters, it might help to first know a bit about how tariffs work. Say you want to buy a bottle of whisky from a distillery in Canada. Since the 1990s, nearly all products have been able to cross into the U.S. from Canada and Mexico without paying any tariffs—thanks to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Now Trump wants to tear up those rules and impose a 25 percent tariff on almost everything that crosses the border. So imagine a bottle of whiskey that costs $20 at the store. Under Trump's tariff plan, that bottle would have to pay an additional $5 tariff just to get into the U.S., and that higher cost gets passed along to you. It's a tax. If a president wants to raise taxes, typically he's got to get approval from Congress. So how is it that Trump can raise taxes on whisky and lots of other products simply with an executive order? DelBene says that shouldn't be allowed. "When we talk about taxes and whether or not we raise or lower taxes, Congress has the authority there," she says. "Congress is an independent, co-equal branch of government. Congress needs to say these are not things that the executive gets to decide unilaterally." The Constitution gives Congress the final say over not just taxes but trade policy too. But lawmakers have given away that authority in bits and pieces since the 1940s. It was assumed that presidents would be more willing to look out for the nation's best interest and less likely to support protectionism for specific industries. Unfortunately, it hasn't worked out that way. Now the president has vast power over trade, and Trump is taking advantage of that. The law that Trump is using to put tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico is called the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). To activate its powers, a president has to declare a state of emergency. Delbene says that's where Trump is overstepping. Until now, the law has only been used to impose sanctions on foreign countries. DelBene's bill would explicitly prevent a president from using IEEPA to impose tariffs. She's also sponsored a resolution to block the tariffs and cancel the economic emergency that Trump declared in early February. "First of all, these are allies. These are not hostile foreign nations. And so we have a trade agreement with both of these nations," DelBene says. "If the president, any president, wants to put in place such broad tariffs, they have to come to Congress and get approval from Congress. That's what the Constitution says." Photo Credits: JT Vintage/ZUMA Press/Newscom; Everett Collection/Newscom; Schulmann-Sachs/picture alliance/Schulmann-Sac/Newscom; Schulmann-Sachs/picture-alliance/dpa/Newscom; Dennis Brack/Newscom; Arnie Sachs - CNP/Newscom; Arnie Sachs/CNP/AdMedia/Newscom; Ron Sachs - Pool via CNP/Newscom; William Foster/ZUMA Press/Newscom; 2009 Black Star/Newscom; Jim LoScalzo - Pool via CNP/Newscom; Annabelle Gordon - CNP/MEGA/Newscom/RSSIL/Newscom; Carol Guzy/ZUMA Press/Newscom; Erin Combs/ZUMA Press/Newscom; SIPA USA-KT/SIPA/Newscom; Shealah Craighead/ZUMA Press/Newscom; Ron Przysucha/ZUMA Press/Newscom; Graeme Sloan/Sipa USA/Newscom; Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call/Newscom; CNP/AdMedia/SIPA/Newscom; Martin Falbisoner, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Abaca Press/Gripas Yuri/Abaca/Sipa USA/Newscom; Pool/ABACA/Newscom; Sipa USA/Newscom; Francis Chung - Pool via CNP/CNP/Polaris/Newscom; Aaron Schwartz - CNP/CNP/Polaris/Newscom; Jemal Countess/UPI/Newscom Music Credits: "Rabbit Hole," by Ilona Harpaz via Artlist; "Outrun," by WEARETHEGOOD, Lynnea via Artlist; "In Love with Emi," by Fabien Fustinoni via Artlist; "Life's Journey Begins," by idokay via Artlist; "Ain't Looking Back," by Richard Farrell via Artlist Video Editor: Danielle Thompson Graphics: Regan Taylor Audio Production: Ian Keyser Color Correction: Cody Huff Producer: Adam Sullivan The post The Hidden Politics of Whiskey Prices appeared first on
