Latest news with #LincolnDayDinner
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Mackinaw City dinner attracts several GOP hopefuls
MACKINAW CITY — "I've been doing these things for 20 years and this is by far the best lineup of any Republican dinner in the state this year when you look at who is attending," said Republican Party consultant Dennis Lennox. Lennox is referring to the Straits Area Lincoln Day Dinner scheduled for Saturday, June 7 at Audie's Restaurant in Mackinaw City. Two congressmen, 2026 gubernatorial candidates and several state lawmakers — all Republicans — are scheduled to attend. "It's a who's who of Republicans in Northern Michigan. It's not often that Northern Michigan political events attract the kind of lineup that we have," said Lennox. U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga and U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman are expected at the dinner. Huizenga's appearance comes as some state Republicans are encouraging him to run for the U.S. Senate in 2026. Republican gubernatorial candidates including state senate minority leader Aric Nesbitt, former attorney general Mike Cox and Kevin Rinke are listed on the roster. Rinke has yet to announce officially but is widely expected to do so. Northern Michigan lawmakers including State Sen. John Damoose and Representatives Parker Fairbairn and Cam Cavitt are also set to attend. Subscribe Check out our latest offers and read the local news that matters to you Lennox said the dinner came about because of a newly formed GOP-centric political action committee called Friends of Up North that will support Republican Party principles in the region. "There was a need to bring Republicans together from across the region. The dinner will have 150 attendees and it is a sellout," Lennox said. He said participants will come from 12 counties in the state, ranging from Eaton in the south to Ontonagon in the Upper Peninsula. "Traditionally the way it works is candidates for statewide office typically hit Northern Michigan in the year preceding an election," said Lennox. "The reality is once you get closer to the election there are not as many votes in Northern Michigan, so candidates tend to spend the election year in the more populated areas." — Contact Paul Welitzkin at pwelitzkin@ This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Straits Area Lincoln Day Dinner in Mackinaw City attracts several GOP hopefuls
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Could this top Trump ally break Republican's 2-decade losing streak in this key state?
EXCLUSIVE: STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, headlining a local GOP fundraising dinner in this MAGA stronghold in Democrat-dominated New York City, sent a hint of her potential political intentions. "Are we ready to fire Kathy Hochul next year?" said the six-term congresswoman from a largely rural, red-leaning district in Upstate New York, drawing loud cheers at the Staten Island GOP's annual Lincoln Day Dinner. Hochul, blue-state New York's Democrat governor, is running for re-election next year for a second four-year term. And Stefanik, who is a member of the House GOP's leadership, is the most high-profile Republican to seriously consider taking on Hochul in the 2026 elections. New York Gov Hochul Facing Primary Challenge From Her Own Lieutenant Governor Pointing to next year's battle, Stefanik said the eventual GOP nominee taking on Hochul "needs to be the toughest fighter, who has taken on the media, who has taken on the radical left, who has taken on the naysayers, and who is a proven winner." Read On The Fox News App It sounded like Stefanik, who early in her congressional tenure was seen as an establishment Republican but who has become a top ally of President Donald Trump and a MAGA champion, was talking about herself. Head Here For The Latest Fox News Reporting, Analysis, Opinion On Elise Stefanik Stefanik, in a national exclusive interview with Fox News Digital ahead of her appearance at the Staten Island GOP event, said she's "proud to be" one of Trump's top supporters in the House. "I stepped up to deliver President Trump's agenda that is unleashing American energy [independence], securing the border, cutting taxes for New Yorkers, specifically the state and local tax deduction," she touted. "I am very close to President Trump. I chaired his campaign in New York. I was the first Republican member to endorse him." Stefanik highlighted that she and the president "talk about a lot of different things. He's paying close attention to New York. He knows that New York state needs new leadership, strong Republican leadership." And Stefanik said she "would be honored to have his support" if she pulls the trigger and launches a 2026 Republican gubernatorial campaign in the Empire State. It's been 23 years since a Republican won a gubernatorial election in heavily blue New York. You have to go all the way back to former Gov. George Pataki's second re-election victory in 2002. But Hochul will likely face a very competitive re-election. More Polling Problems For This Blue-state Democrat Governor Facing Re-election Next Year Hochul was the state's lieutenant governor when, in August 2021, she was sworn in as New York's first female governor after three-term Democrat Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigned in disgrace amid multiple scandals. She defeated then-Rep. Lee Zeldin by just over six points in 2022 to win a full four-year term. But Zeldin's showing was the best by a Republican gubernatorial nominee since Pataki won re-election to a third term in 2002. Meanwhile, Trump, who lost New York by 23 points in the 2020 presidential election, trimmed his deficit by 10 points last November. While Hochul's approval ratings in a recent Siena College poll were holding slightly in positive territory, the survey indicated a majority of New Yorkers would still prefer someone else to win the 2026 election for governor of the Empire State. According to the poll, which was conducted May 12-15, 36% of registered voters in New York state said they would vote to re-elect Hochul to a second four-year term, with a majority (55%) saying they wanted someone else. Stefanik, in her Fox News Digital interview, reiterated her argument that Hochul is "the worst governor in America." And she highlighted that "we need a candidate who will speak and reach out to New Yorkers of all political stripes. I've done that in my congressional district. When I first ran for Congress, I was the underdog. No one in my family is political. I grew up in a small-business family. I flipped a district from Democrat to Republican, and we've won it by double digits ever since." If she decides to launch a gubernatorial campaign, Stefanik may not have the GOP primary to herself. Republican Rep. Mike Lawler, who's in his second term representing a key swing congressional district that covers a large swath of New York City's northern suburbs, is mulling a 2026 GOP run for governor. "I think Kathy Hochul is the most feckless, incompetent governor in America," Lawler said in a Fox News Digital interview in April. Lawler has said that he'll make a decision on whether to run for governor or for re-election this month. But Trump last month endorsed Lawler for re-election, a likely sign that the president would rather have the congressman seek re-election as the House GOP fights to protect its razor-thin majority in the chamber rather than seek the governor's office. Another Trump supporter, Nassau County executive Bruce Blakeman, has also mulled a run for governor. Asked about a potential GOP primary for governor, Stefanik said, "I think Republicans will work it out. We know how important it is to unify again." "I work very well with all of my colleagues, including those who are considering, but I think we'll work it out on the Republican side," she added. But the Democratic Governor's Association (DGA), in a memo, argued, "The Republican nomination in New York will be decided by one person: Donald Trump." And the DGA argued that the GOP race "has already grown fractious and messy." Stefanik was interviewed about an hour after news broke that Hochul would face a primary challenge from her own lieutenant governor. New York Lt. Gov. Anthonio Delgado on Monday announced his bid to try and oust his boss as the Democrats' nominee in next year's election in a rare move by a lieutenant governor to primary challenge a sitting incumbent. Delgado, in a video announcing his candidacy, took a jab at his boss, saying, "What we need right here in New York is bold, decisive, transformational leadership." Recent polls indicate that Hochul enjoys a wide lead over Delgado and Rep. Richie Torres, who's also mulling a primary challenge, in the Democrat gubernatorial nomination race. The DGA praised Hochul in a statement after Delgado's announcement. "Governor Kathy Hochul is a proven leader with a strong record of delivering for New Yorkers: The Democratic Governors Association is 100 percent behind Governor Hochul as she continues to deliver for New York, take on Donald Trump, and build the operation it will take to beat Republicans up and down the ballot in 2026," DGA executive director Meghan Meehan-Draper wrote. But Stefanik said the news of the primary challenge backed up her arguments. "I dubbed Kathy Hochul the worst governor in America because it's true. It's not just Republicans. It's independent and Democrat voters as well across this state who understand that she has failed, she has delivered catastrophic failed policies in New York," Stefanik said. And Stefanik added that "this is her hand-picked lieutenant governor that she chose that is now primarying Kathy Hochul, and it is because she failed at her job." Asked if the news would push her closer to running for governor, Stefanik said, "I am taking a close look. It's why I'm crisscrossing the state. I am on Staten Island today … I'll be in Erie County, Suffolk County, Albany County, New York City. I've been all over the place and that will continue." "I will be making my decision over the coming months," she article source: Could this top Trump ally break Republican's 2-decade losing streak in this key state?
Fox News
6 days ago
- Business
- Fox News
Could this top Trump ally break Republican's 2-decade losing streak in this key state?
EXCLUSIVE: STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, headlining a local GOP fundraising dinner in this MAGA stronghold in Democrat-dominated New York City, sent a likely hint of things to come. "Are we ready to fire Kathy Hochul next year?" said the six-term congresswoman from a largely rural, red-leaning district in Upstate New York, drawing loud cheers at the Staten Island GOP's annual Lincoln Day Dinner. Hochul, blue-state New York's Democrat governor, is running for re-election next year for a second four-year term. And Stefanik, who is a member of the House GOP's leadership, is the most high-profile Republican to seriously consider taking on Hochul in the 2026 elections. Pointing to next year's battle, Stefanik said the eventual GOP nominee taking on Hochul "needs to be the toughest fighter, who has taken on the media, who has taken on the radical left, who has taken on the naysayers, and who is a proven winner." It sounded like Stefanik, who early in her congressional tenure was seen as an establishment Republican but who has become a top ally of President Donald Trump and a MAGA champion, was talking about herself. Stefanik, in a national exclusive interview with Fox News Digital ahead of her appearance at the Staten Island GOP event, said she's "proud to be" one of Trump's top supporters in the House. "I stepped up to deliver President Trump's agenda that is unleashing American energy [independence], securing the border, cutting taxes for New Yorkers, specifically the state and local tax deduction," she touted. "I am very close to President Trump. I chaired his campaign in New York. I was the first Republican member to endorse him." Stefanik highlighted that she and the president "talk about a lot of different things. He's paying close attention to New York. He knows that New York state needs new leadership, strong Republican leadership." And Stefanik said she "would be honored to have his support" if she pulls the trigger and launches a 2026 Republican gubernatorial campaign in the Empire State. It's been 23 years since a Republican won a gubernatorial election in heavily blue New York. You have to go all the way back to former Gov. George Pataki's second re-election victory in 2002. But Hochul will likely face a very competitive re-election. Hochul was the state's lieutenant governor when, in August 2021, she was sworn in as New York's first female governor after three-term Democrat Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigned in disgrace amid multiple scandals. She defeated then-Rep. Lee Zeldin by just over six points in 2022 to win a full four-year term. But Zeldin's showing was the best by a Republican gubernatorial nominee since Pataki won re-election to a third term in 2002. Meanwhile, Trump, who lost New York by 23 points in the 2020 presidential election, trimmed his deficit by 10 points last November. While Hochul's approval ratings in a recent Siena College poll were holding slightly in positive territory, the survey indicated a majority of New Yorkers would still prefer someone else to win the 2026 election for governor of the Empire State. According to the poll, which was conducted May 12-15, 36% of registered voters in New York state said they would vote to re-elect Hochul to a second four-year term, with a majority (55%) saying they wanted someone else. Stefanik, in her Fox News Digital interview, reiterated her argument that Hochul is "the worst governor in America." And she highlighted that "we need a candidate who will speak and reach out to New Yorkers of all political stripes. I've done that in my congressional district. When I first ran for Congress, I was the underdog. No one in my family is political. I grew up in a small-business family. I flipped a district from Democrat to Republican, and we've won it by double digits ever since." If she decides to launch a gubernatorial campaign, Stefanik may not have the GOP primary to herself. Republican Rep. Mike Lawler, who's in his second term representing a key swing congressional district that covers a large swath of New York City's northern suburbs, is mulling a 2026 GOP run for governor. "I think Kathy Hochul is the most feckless, incompetent governor in America," Lawler said in a Fox News Digital interview in April. Lawler has said that he'll make a decision on whether to run for governor or for re-election this month. But Trump last month endorsed Lawler for re-election, a likely sign that the president would rather have the congressman seek re-election as the House GOP fights to protect its razor-thin majority in the chamber rather than seek the governor's office. Another Trump supporter, Nassau County executive Bruce Blakeman, has also mulled a run for governor. Asked about a potential GOP primary for governor, Stefanik said, "I think Republicans will work it out. We know how important it is to unify again." "I work very well with all of my colleagues, including those who are considering, but I think we'll work it out on the Republican side," she added. But the Democratic Governor's Association (DGA), in a memo, argued, "The Republican nomination in New York will be decided by one person: Donald Trump." And the DGA argued that the GOP race "has already grown fractious and messy." Stefanik was interviewed about an hour after news broke that Hochul would face a primary challenge from her own lieutenant governor. New York Lt. Gov. Anthonio Delgado on Monday announced his bid to try and oust his boss as the Democrats' nominee in next year's election in a rare move by a lieutenant governor to primary challenge a sitting incumbent. Delgado, in a video announcing his candidacy, took a jab at his boss, saying, "What we need right here in New York is bold, decisive, transformational leadership." Recent polls indicate that Hochul enjoys a wide lead over Delgado and Rep. Richie Torres, who's also mulling a primary challenge, in the Democrat gubernatorial nomination race. The DGA praised Hochul in a statement after Delgado's announcement. "Governor Kathy Hochul is a proven leader with a strong record of delivering for New Yorkers: The Democratic Governors Association is 100 percent behind Governor Hochul as she continues to deliver for New York, take on Donald Trump, and build the operation it will take to beat Republicans up and down the ballot in 2026," DGA executive director Meghan Meehan-Draper wrote. But Stefanik said the news of the primary challenge backed up her arguments. "I dubbed Kathy Hochul the worst governor in America because it's true. It's not just Republicans. It's independent and Democrat voters as well across this state who understand that she has failed, she has delivered catastrophic failed policies in New York," Stefanik said. And Stefanik added that "this is her hand-picked lieutenant governor that she chose that is now primarying Kathy Hochul, and it is because she failed at her job." Asked if the news would push her closer to running for governor, Stefanik said, "I am taking a close look. It's why I'm crisscrossing the state. I am on Staten Island today … I'll be in Erie County, Suffolk County, Albany County, New York City. I've been all over the place and that will continue." "I will be making my decision over the coming months," she added.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
RNC Chair stresses importance of local elections at Lincoln Day Dinner
EAST PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — Hundreds gathered at the Embassy Suites in East Peoria on Thursday for the Lincoln Day Dinner, one of the largest events in Illinois Republican politics. It was hosted by the Peoria and Tazewell County Republican parties and has attracted big names in the past such as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson. Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley took center stage as the keynote speaker, focusing his speech on the work of President Donald Trump as well as the importance of local elections. He emphasized the importance of Republican voters making their voices heard at the ballot box, from voting in mayoral races to city council races. Whatley pointed out the board of education as a particularly salient entity as well. 'The most important races that we deal with in an election cycle, in terms of your family and every family, are what happens on the school boards,' he said. He also referred to the Trump administration as the most effective one he's seen in the past 30-40 years, and that the reason Trump was able to win in November was due to the 'disciplined' messaging of his campaign. What made Trump's 2024 candidacy so effective, according to Whatley, is that he was able to appeal to all sorts of people by sticking to a simple message. Most people want a strong economy and to feel safe, and he thinks they were allured to vote Republican as a result. He also pointed to Trump giving speeches in bigger cities and speaking to minority media outlets as more reasons for why he won in November. While he said 'it's not easy' being a Republican in Illinois, Whatley said the formula for turning things around is simple. 'Great candidates running great races, getting out to vote, and protecting the ballot,' Whatley said. On that last point, Whatley said voter integrity is paramount. He believes an expected red wave did not happen in 2022 because some people did not think their ballot would be counted in a fair manner. Whatley says a message has been sent to Democrats in more recent elections that prosecution will result if any voter fraud takes place. Whatley was introduced by U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood, who lauded the job Trump has done since taking office. From increased military recruitment to decreased southern border crossings, LaHood sees the country as in a great place under Republican leadership. Peoria and Tazewell County Republican Party Chairs Chuck Weaver and Jim Rule also spoke at the event, focusing on the importance of getting the message out into the community in order to win elections. Rule said that Illinois is in need of a 'significant culture change' while Weaver pointed to those such as newly elected Peoria City Councilman Alex Carmona as political leaders that could help turn the tide of Illinois politics in a more conservative direction. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Axios
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Trump clears path for Stefanik to run for NY governor
President Trump is taking steps to clear the Republican primary field for Rep. Elise Stefanik to run for New York governor, bolstering an ally once poised to serve in his administration. Why it matters: A pair of moves by Trump last week amount to a green light for Stefanik to jump into what early polls suggest could be a tight battle next year against New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D). They come less two months after Trump pulled Stefanik's nomination for UN ambassador because Republicans feared his earlier cherry-picking of other GOP House members for administration posts had jeopardized the party's already-tenuous hold on the House. Zoom in: Trump last week endorsed two of Stefanik's potential rivals for governor — New York Rep. Mike Lawler and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman — for re-election to their current posts. The moves appeared aimed at taking Lawler and Blakeman out of contention for governor, three Republicans close to the White House told Axios. What they're saying: "By endorsing Blakeman and Lawler for re-election to their current positions, it looks to me like he is trying to clear the way," said John Catsimatidis, a New York grocery store mogul and prominent Trump supporter. Stefanik hasn't asked the White House to clear the field for her, according to a person close to her. Spokespeople for the White House, Stefanik, Lawler and Blakeman declined to comment. The backstory: Stefanik, 40, has been one of Trump's most loyal defenders in Congress, having served on his impeachment defense team in 2019 and later working to block certification of former President Biden's 2020 election win. Trump rewarded Stefanik — who began her career as a moderate before becoming a MAGA star — for her loyalty after he won the 2024 election, offering her the ambassadorship. After pulling her nomination in March, Trump wrote on Truth Social: "With a very tight [House] Majority, I don't want to take a chance on anyone else running for Elise's seat." Zoom out: Stefanik, who gave up her House GOP Conference chairmanship after being nominated for the UN job, has begun laying the groundwork for a possible 2026 run for governor. She appeared at an Albany County GOP picnic last week, and will be speaking at an upcoming Staten Island Republican Party Lincoln Day Dinner and a Conservative Party event in New York City, far from her rural upstate district. She plans to attend fundraisers in Erie and Suffolk counties. Stefanik used her speech at a New York GOP gala dinner last month to go after Hochul. She also has been fielding calls from major donors urging her to run, and her political team has begun talking to potential hires. Stefanik and her advisers also have been reviewing data and paths to victory. The intrigue: Stefanik is slated to meet with Trump later this month, Semafor first reported. Early polls suggest Hochul is vulnerable and that Stefanik would have a shot at winning, but Republicans haven't won a governor's race in New York in more than two decades. And even if Stefanik loses, she likely could land a Trump's administration job after the 2026 midterms. She's not expected to announce whether she's running until the end of the year. The big picture: Trump's decision to push Lawler for re-election is also shaped by his desire to protect Lawler's Southern New York-based swing seat, which Vice President Harris won by 1 percentage point in 2024. Republicans believe Lawler is their best chance to retain the seat, which will be key to deciding the House majority next year.. Top Republicans close to the White House are circulating a spreadsheet with estimates for how much it would cost the party to defend the seats of potential House retirees. The ballpark figure for Lawler's seat: More than $14 million in TV advertising. Lawler is expected to decide his plans in the next few months.
