Latest news with #TurningPointAction
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Puppet master Charlie Kirk wants Andy Biggs to be governor of … Florida?
There was rally on May 31 at the Arizona Biltmore to promote Republican U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs' campaign for Arizona governor. At least, that's how it was advertised. In fact, it was more of a Turning Point Action rally, meant to demonstrate how the MAGA organization and its political action committee can quickly and efficiently put together an enthusiastic crowd, and to demonstrate as well the kingmaking power of the head of Turning Point USA, Charlie Kirk. Kirk has transformed himself through his organization into a political puppeteer of the highest order. For the Biggs event (16 months before the election), he pulled the strings on eight useful marionettes to sing the praises of Biggs, the most recent political Pinocchio that Kirk hopes to transform into a real-life governor. Speakers included Colorado U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, Utah U.S. Sen. Mike Lee, Florida U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds and even former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, a good friend of Kirk's. Gaetz was going to be Trump's choice for attorney general until it was determined that he might have trouble being confirmed, given that the bipartisan House Ethics Committee said he paid $90,000 to 12 women, violating conduct standards involving prostitution, illicit drug use and more. The out-of-state political speakers weren't there for Biggs, however, as much as they were for Kirk. Which is perhaps why there was a lot of 'joking' about Biggs transforming Arizona into 'the Florida of the West.' Opinion: Biggs owns the MAGA brand for Arizona governor Biggs said at the rally, 'The idea was to initially be the Florida of the West, but we don't want to be just the Florida of the West. We want to be the most free, most prosperous, safest state, and that's what we're going to do.' Kirk, who took a moment at the rally to trash the late-U.S. Sen. John McCain, also praised the notion of transforming Arizona into the 'new Florida.' But is that what Arizonans want? I suppose it would make Arizona a place where, like Florida, our low ranking for public education would go even lower. A place where housing would be difficult to attain and homeowners insurance can be impossible. Would Arizona, as the new Florida, be host to as many as 43 hate and 71 anti-government organizations, as has been reported about the old Florida? A researcher with the Anti-Defamation League's Center on Extremism said that the ADL tracked more than 400 instances of white nationalist literature being disseminated in Florida, looking to gain a foothold there. Florida is also home to alligators, invasive pythons, enormous cockroaches, 46 species of snakes and — in addition to its politics — has an enormous reptile and insect problem. (You had to see that coming.) Of course, Arizona has troubles of its own. Like, for instance, we have a gubernatorial candidate who has put his future in the hands of a political kingmaker who likes the idea of transforming our desert paradise into the 'new Florida.' Reach Montini at Like this column? Get more opinions in your email inbox by signing up for our free opinions newsletter, which publishes Monday through Friday. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Charlie Kirk wants Andy Biggs to turn Arizona into Florida | Opinion
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
GOP ad war kicks off in heated battleground state primary: 'We've barely just begun'
EXCLUSIVE: The campaign advertising war has already kicked off in the Arizona Republican gubernatorial primary – over a year away from the August 2026 election. Turning Point PAC announced on Tuesday that they're launching a $500,000 media buy across platforms in support of Rep. Andy Biggs on "strategic cable, over-the-top, radio, and direct-to-voter placements" targeting Arizona voters. The ads will begin Tuesday and will air for the next 3.5 weeks. The ads will air on Fox News' local designated market area slots, conservative talk radio and streaming services in addition to targeted digital ads. "Andy Biggs was the best Senate President Arizona has had in decades and he has been President Trump's most reliable friend in Congress. He is Trump-endorsed, Charlie Kirk endorsed, and Turning Point Action endorsed," Tyler Bowyer, COO of Turning Point Action and Turning Point PAC, said in a statement on Wednesday. "His campaign momentum is already building at an incredible clip and we've barely just begun. The media buy combined with Biggs's impressive earned media exposure shows how enthusiastic the grassroots is to make Andy Biggs the next governor of Arizona," he added. Trump Backs Republican Rivals In Arizona Governor's Race After Rep. Biggs Enters Contest: 'I Had A Problem' The effort's announcement comes as the group held a rally in support of Biggs over the weekend in the Phoenix area. Read On The Fox News App "To see a room packed with thousands of Biggs supporters this far out from the primary was truly historic, and it's proof of the grassroots energy that is already gathering behind his campaign," TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk said in a statement. The organization is headquartered in Arizona. "There isn't a world in which voters will not be aware of Andy Biggs being on the ballot, and the more who find out, the more his double-digit lead over all other competitors will grow. Andy Biggs is ready to bring a President Trump and Ron DeSantis level of leadership and competency to governing Arizona, and Turning Point is proud to get behind his campaign," Kirk continued. Conservative Group Debuts Major Ad Buy In Key Senators' States As 'Soft Appeal' For Hegseth, Gabbard, Patel In the primary, Biggs is running against Karrin Taylor Robson, a businesswoman and former Arizona Board of Regents member who sought the nomination in 2022 but lost to Kari Lake. A Taylor Robson ally said that she has been spending that amount of money weekly "talking to voters across all platforms." Her campaign recently touted a "multi-million dollar" ad buy with a commercial touting Trump's endorsement in April. "I'm proud and honored that President Trump has reaffirmed his endorsement of our campaign," Taylor Robson said in a statement at the time. "It's time that we take our message of America and Arizona First leadership to voters across Arizona. Katie Hobbs has been a disaster and has tried to stand in President Trump's way. As Governor, I will work with President Trump to build a stronger border, a stronger economy, and a stronger and safer Arizona." The Taylor Robson ally added that Turning Point's decision to spend on advertisements this early affirms that it's a competitive primary race. Rep. Andy Biggs Eyes Run For Arizona Governor, Says He Understands 'What The State Needs To Thrive' President Donald Trump said in a Truth Social post that he is backing both Biggs and Taylor Robson for governor, as whoever wins the primary will go up against Gov. Katie Hobbs in what's expected to be a highly competitive general election. "I like Karrin Taylor Robson of Arizona a lot, and when she asked me to Endorse her, with nobody else running, I Endorsed her, and was happy to do so," Trump said in a Truth Social post in April. "When Andy Biggs decided to run for Governor, quite unexpectedly, I had a problem — Two fantastic candidates, two terrific people, two wonderful champions, and it is therefore my Great Honor TO GIVE MY COMPLETE AND TOTAL ENDORSEMENT TO BOTH. Either one will never let you down. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!" the president added. The advertising push this early is a testament to the Grand Canyon State's competitiveness, as it was one of the most widely watched swing states in November, which Trump ended up sweeping. Cook Political Report currently ranks the governor's race as a article source: GOP ad war kicks off in heated battleground state primary: 'We've barely just begun'
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Biggs says he'll push for immediate changes on education, elections, and the border
The Brief The Republican race for governor is already up and running. Andy Biggs held a rally on May 31 at the Biltmore Resort in Phoenix. Republican challenger Karrin Taylor Robson leads Biggs in a latest poll among GOP voters. PHOENIX - MAGA supporters are getting behind Andy Biggs, who is running to be the Republican candidate for Arizona governor in 2026. On May 31, he held a town hall with Turning Point Action at the Arizona Biltmore Resort. What we know Biggs, who currently represents the state's 5th Congressional District, made his case to be Arizona's next governor and discussed pushing for immediate changes to education, elections, and the border. "I've already talked to somebody who I believe will be a great border czar. So Arizona will have the strongest border security in the nation. We're going to work with our sheriffs, our tribes, our local law enforcement officers, our magnificent DPS.. and we will prevent the cartels from their evil human child and drug trafficking, which is a destructive plague in Arizona," he said. Biggs already has a Republican challenger, Karrin Taylor Robson. Robson lost the 2022 Republican primary to Kari Lake. We spoke with Mike Noble of Noble Predictive Insights. Their latest survey shows Robson leading Biggs, with 24% of GOP voters choosing her, over 17% for Biggs. "Robson gained since our last poll three months ago. However, it looks like the momentum is in Biggs' favor because [Charlie] Kirk supporters look very similar to Biggs. And also, he may not be getting just an endorsement. He may be getting an army because he brings along a very young demographic and a very digital-savvy demographic," said Noble. Dig deeper But in a head-to-head matchup against Governor Katie Hobbs, both Republicans are still losing ground. Hobbs taking 41% of likely voters against Robson's 39% and 40% for Hobbs against Biggs' 38%. "Hobbs as an incumbent governor, she's definitely not built a fortress around her, but she's not in a bad position either. I'd say she's an above-average position." Noble expects this governor's race to be one of the most competitive races in the country.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Turning Point backs Arizona congressman, a BYU grad, in his bid for governor
PHOENIX — Turning Point Action didn't leave a single stone unturned for Rep. Andy Biggs' first rally in his bid for governor —sixteen months ahead of the 2026 election. At the rally, Biggs made it clear he is all in on President Donald Trump's plan to reinstitute federalism. When the president does give the power back to the states, Arizona will need 'a strong, conservative governor,' Biggs told the attendees at the rally, held in a ballroom at the Arizona Biltmore Resort Saturday evening. More than a thousand people showed up to support Biggs in the sweltering desert heat, with temperatures rising above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. What is Biggs' vision for the Grand Canyon State? He joked he wants to make Arizona 'the Florida of the West,' a nod to his colleague Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., who plans to run for governor of the Sunshine State. Donalds expressed support for Biggs in a video showed at the rally. Like Biggs, Donalds launched his bid earlier this year. For that, Biggs called him, jokingly, a 'copy cat.' 'Byron, here's the deal, my good friend, you're going to win. I'm going to win, and about 90 days after we win, in particular me, you're going to see the tail lights in Arizona scream past you,' Biggs said. 'The idea was to initially be the Florida of the West, but we don't want to be just the Florida of the West. We want to be the most free, most prosperous, safest state, and that's what we're going to do,' he added. Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point Action, marveled at the idea of making the Grand Canyon State the 'new Florida.' Biggs thanked his many friends who showed up and spoke in support of him, including Rep. Burgess Owens, R-Utah. Other Republicans who turned out included Arizona Reps. Eli Crane and Paul Gosar, Lauren Boebert of Colorado as well as former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, also made an appearance in a pre-recorded video. Biggs 'works harder than just about anybody you could ever meet in Congress, or anybody who exists,' Lee said in the video message, and asked the attendees to 'join the friends of Biggs club,' of which he said he's a proud member. It's hard to ignore Biggs' lucky streak. For starters, in 1993, he won a $10 million sweepstakes. More recently, in 2016, he initially won the Republican primary for his congressional district by nine votes, although the recount showed a 27 vote difference. But this Brigham Young University graduate and Latter-day Saint has an extensive history in politics that goes beyond the congressional seat he has held since 2016. Biggs served as an Arizona state representative for eight years before being elected as a state senator, then served as the state Senate majority leader and Senate president during three legislative sessions. 'Andy was one of the first to endorse me when I ran back in 2020 and he and his wife, Cindy, came up to Utah,' Owens recalled in a conversation with the Deseret News ahead of the event. 'We sat in an IHOP and just talked a little bit. ... I have a lot of respect for him.' According to Owens, Biggs understands the America First agenda, and should he become governor, the Arizona representative would have a connection to Washington, D.C., knowing exactly 'what levers to pull, who to talk with and how it works.' Attendees at the Biggs rally took their MAGA hats, shirts and other gear out for a serious spin for the first time since the 2024 presidential election. 'It's what hope looks like,' Owens said about the energy at the rally. One attendee, Phoenix Union High School District board member Jeremiah Cota from Laveen, Ariz., thinks it may have to do with Gov. Katie Hobbs' record. 'You don't fill a room with this many people unless the energy is on your side,' he said. 'People have seen what Katie Hobbs has done. It's a disaster for Arizona,' Cota said, calling her a 'veto governor.' According to the Phoenix New Times, Hobbs vetoed 216 bills during the latest state legislative session, far more than the 143 bills she vetoed in 2023 and 73 in 2024. Republicans control both chambers of the state legislature. Owens said he doesn't think the fact that President Donald Trump has endorsed two Republican candidates for governor in Arizona will be a problem for Biggs, especially given the Arizona representative's personal relationship with the president. Biggs touted his endorsement from Trump but didn't mention his Republican opponent, attorney Karrin Robson, who also has Trump's support. 'There's a difference between being endorsed by Mr. Trump and being endorsed by President Trump (and) having his personal cell,' Biggs said. 'And we have a kind of mutual respect,' he said, adding their friendship goes beyond Congress. During Trump's first administration, Biggs said Trump invited him 'to go sit in this box (at) the World Series,' but 'that's not the highlight of knowing' the president. Biggs also served on the Latter-day Saints for Trump committee during the 2024 election. Before bringing Biggs up to the stage, Kirk spoke about the need to 'remember.' 'The Bible says over and over, remember, remember, remember ... because remembering leads towards constructive action,' Kirk said. Kirk reminded the audience that the very first Trump rally took place in Phoenix. This milestone helped cement the term 'MAGA' into the mainstream conversation. From that rally through the last several election cycles, Kirk said Trump 'was tested' before he finally won a second term in 2024. 'What started here in Arizona 10 years ago is still continuing,' Kirk said of the initial rally. Diane Anderson, the president of the Leisure World Republican Club in Mesa, Ariz., was one of the thousands of people to attend the first rally at the Phoenix Convention Center in 2015. 'We stood outside for hours. It was so hot,' Anderson said. The venue didn't have any chairs set up so they stood close to the stage. 'There were speakers, and when Donald Trump came on ... I thought that he was rude,' she said, laughing. But after he spoke about shutting down the southern border, she said she was all in and has been a staunch supporter ever since. A decade later, now at Biggs' rally, Anderson said she thinks Turning Point Action is revitalizing the Republican Party. 'They're not turning the government around but they're changing minds of the young people. .. And that's what we need.' Anderson said she considers Biggs 'a dear personal friend' of hers and thinks this election an important one. Arizona has 300,000 more registered Republican than Democratic voters and Trump won this swing state by 5.5% last year. 'They call us a red state. How can we be a red state with a Democrat governor, a Democrat secretary of state, a Democrat attorney general, and our legislature, (which) is red just by a hair,' she said.
Euronews
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Fact-checking claims Pope Leo XIV is a registered US Republican
Weeks after Robert Prevost was elected the first US-born pope, speculation about his political leanings and affiliations continues to spread online. Some commentators are purporting that voting records show Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, is formally affiliated to the US Republican Party. Pro-Trump influencer Charlie Kirk first planted the theory an hour after white smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel on May 8, indicating Pope Leo's election by the papal conclave. In a post on X, Kirk said: "Our Turning Point Action team pulled the voting history for Pope Leo XIV. He's a registered Republican who has voted in Republican primaries when not living abroad. Our data shows he's a strong Republican, and he's pro-life." The post is accompanied by a screenshot claiming to be Robert Prevost's voting card. Prevost's name, age and date of birth are correctly displayed. The word "Republican" also appears next to "party." But the state of Illinois does not register voters by political party affiliation, according to judicial advocacy group Alliance for Justice. It means this cannot be an authentic voting card as the state does not register voters as either Republican or Democrat. In other US states, voters do declare party affiliation when registering to vote, and this sometimes determines in which primary elections voters can cast their ballots. Primary elections, or primaries, are ballots that political parties in the US use to select candidates for a general election. Voters can chose in which party's primary they want to vote. Hoewever, state voting records shared with Euroverify by the office of the attorney general of Will County, Illinois, show that Prevost did vote in three Republican primary elections in 2012, 2014 and 2016. Voters in the state are, however, not bound to pick the same party's primary from year to year. This is therefore not conclusive proof that Prevost is affiliated to the Republican party. Prevost's party affiliation is also registered as "undeclared" in general elections between 2012 and 2024. According to Reuters, citing a public information officer for the Illinois state elections board, Prevost had requested ballots for the 2008 and 2010 Democratic primaries when registered to vote in Cook County, Illinois. Euroverify was unable to independently fact check this information. Social media users have also been searching for signs of Prevost's political leanings in content in content shared by him online prior to his election as pope. Months before his election, he shared an article published by the National Catholic Reporter criticising comments made by JD Vance. The article, titled "JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others", blasts a comment made by Vance during a Fox News interview, suggesting that Christians should prioritise love for their "fellow citizens" and "own country" over "the rest of the world." In April, he also shared a post critical of Donald Trump's immigration policies, specifically the controversial decision to deport Maryland resident Kilmar Abrego Garcia to El Salvador, which has been described as Supreme Court judges as "an error." In an emotional tribute on Sunday afternoon, tennis legend Rafael Nadal was honoured during a ceremony at the Roland Garros tournament in Paris. The record 14-time French Open winner, who officially retired in November, returned to the court not as a competitor but as a celebrated legend. Greeted by thousands of fans wearing orange 'Merci Rafa' shirts, Nadal received a standing ovation as he stepped onto the clay one final time. No longer in his signature headband or capri pants, the Spaniard arrived in a dark suit, visibly moved by the outpouring of affection. As the crowd cheered, Nadal fought back tears, delivering a speech in French, English, and his native Spanish, as he reflected on two decades of triumphs, setbacks, and unforgettable memories at Roland Garros. "I don't know where to start after playing on this court for the past 20 years. Winning, losing — but especially being moved every time I've had the chance to be here.' Nadal retired with a staggering 112-4 record at the French Open and a flawless 14-0 record in finals, an achievement unmatched in the sport's history. His impact on the sport was acknowledged not only by the crowd but also by fellow greats Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray, who joined him on court in a powerful moment of solidarity. Once fierce rivals, the quartet known as the Big Four stood together in celebration, not competition. 'We showed the world that we can fight as hard as possible, but being good colleagues and respecting each other very well. And for me, it means a lot that you are all here,' Nadal said to his greatest rivals. In keeping with his family values, Nadal thanked his longtime coach and uncle, Toni Nadal, along with his wife and young son. His appreciation extended to fans and the French public, whom he credited with making him feel at home throughout his career. 'Thank you, France. Thank you, Paris. You have given me emotions and moments I could never have imagined. You can never know how gratifying it is to be appreciated in the place that matters most. ... You made me feel like a Frenchman,' Nadal said. 'I can no longer play in front of you anymore, but my heart and my memories will always be linked to this magical place.' The tribute culminated in two lasting symbols of his legacy: a commemorative trophy and a newly installed plaque on the Philippe-Chatrier central court, engraved with his 14 titles and his shoe footprint -- a literal symbol of the mark he left on the sport and on the clay of Roland Garros.
