Iowa entrance polls show MAGA fans turned out for caucus: Live updates
Donald Trump holds commanding lead over challengers Nikki Haley, Ron DeSantis and Vivek Ramaswamy
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The 2024 Republican candidates are eagerly awaiting the results of the Iowa caucuses on Monday – though if polling tells us anything, it’s that Donald Trump has a predictable commanding lead over the other candidates.
In a survey, conducted by The Des Moines Register, NBC News and Medicom, 48 per cent of potential voters said the former president was their first choice of Republican presidential candidates.
Former UN ambassador Nikki Haley was behind Mr Trump with 20 per cent support followed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis with 16 per cent.
Vivek Ramaswamy had just 8 per cent while only 5 per cent of potential voters said they were still unsure.
Of the survey respondents more than half said they had their minds made up regarding who they would cast their vote for.
But for the 32 per cent who could still be persuaded to support a candidate, the presidential candidates are fighting hard to convince them to join their teams.
Haley calls for Trump’s legal woes to be ‘dealt’ with before November
Nikki Haley, the last Republican rival facing Donald Trump in the 2024 primaries, has called for all of his legal battles to be “dealt with” before the November election.
The former South Carolina governor is yet to win a state primary or caucus. On Thursday, days after losing big in Michigan, she appeared on NBC News’ Meet the Press and said: “I think all of the cases should be dealt with before November.”
“We need to know what’s going to happen before it, before the presidency happens, because after that, should he become president, I don’t think any of it’s going to get heard,” she added.
Kelly Rissman reports:
Nikki Haley calls for Trump’s legal woes to be ‘dealt’ with before November
‘I just think a president has to live according to the laws, too,’ the former UN ambassador said
Missouri Republican governor candidate revealed as ‘honorary’ KKK member
A long-shot Missouri gubernatorial candidate who once admitted to being an “honorary” member of the Klu Klux Klan says he will defy attempts by the state Republican Party to have him kicked off the ballot.
Photos of Darrell L McClanahan appearing to make a Nazi salute while standing in front of a burning cross resurfaced online this week, nearly two years after they were first published by the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) Center on Extremism.
Bevan Hurley has the story:
GOP governor candidate revealed as ‘honorary’ KKK member pictured making Nazi salute
Missouri GOP is distancing itself from Darrell McLanahan after his links to the Klu Klux Klan came to light
GOP lawmakers balk at Trump playing a role in the fight to replace McConnell
Eric Garcia writes:
Senate Republicans have a clear message for former president Donald Trump about the race to replace Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell: stay out of this.
After they got over the initial shock of McConnell’s announcement on Wednesday, the race to replace him – namely among the “Three Johns,” Senate Minority Whip John Thune, Senate Republican Conference Chairman John Barrasso and Senator John Cornyn of Texas – has begun at a quick pace. Friends of The Independent’s Inside Washington newsletter Stef Kight and Stephen Neukam at Axios reported that Trump wants National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Steve Daines of Montana to run for the job.
But Republicans expressed scepticism about Trump playing a role in replacing McConnell, his longtime nemesis.
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Republicans balk at Trump playing a role in the fight to replace McConnell
‘I don't want a beauty contest,’ one Republican senator says
Watch: LIVE: Nikki Haley attends GOP event in Washington DC
Donald Trump calls migrants ‘illegal aliens’ during Texas visit
Donald Trump labelled migrants arrested for criminal offences as “illegal aliens” during a speech on immigration in Texas. The former US President visited the US/Mexico border in Texas on Thursday (29 February), and also referred to Joe Biden as “crooked”. Referring to the murder of Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student, Trump said: “The monster charged in the death is an illegal alien migrant who was led into our country and released into our country by crooked Joe Biden.” Trump also referred to two other men arrested in connection with two other offences as “illegal aliens”.
Biden hails milestone in availability of safe abortion medication
Statement from President Joe Biden on Major Retail Pharmacies Becoming Certified to Dispense Safe and Effective Medication Abortion
Today is an important milestone in ensuring access to mifepristone, a drug that has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration as safe and effective for more than 20 years. With major retail pharmacy chains newly certified to dispense medication abortion, many women will soon have the option to pick up their prescription at a local, certified pharmacy—just as they would for any other medication. I encourage all pharmacies that want to pursue this option to seek certification.
The stakes could not be higher for women across America. In the face of relentless attacks on reproductive freedom by Republican elected officials, Vice President Harris and I will continue to fight to ensure that women can get the health care they need, to defend the Food and Drug Administration’s independent and evidence-based approval and regulation of mifepristone, and to restore the protections of Roe v. Wade in federal law.
Watch: Fox News host says ‘weird’ Comer didn’t ask Hunter Biden single question at deposition
Fox News host Steve Doocy appeared perplexed this morning on Fox & Friends as to why Rep James Comer didn’t ask Hunter Biden a single question at his deposition after demanding he come in and sit in front of the joint committee hearing.
Mr Comer apparently also left the session early...
Here’s the full transcript of Mr Biden’s testimony:
Transcript of Hunter Biden testimony to House committee released
President’s son was giving the evidence in the Republican impeachment probe into his father
State of the Union: Who is Katie Britt, the Republican set to deliver response to president’s address?
The youngest Republican woman to serve in the US Senate will deliver the response to President Biden’s State of the Union address next week.
Alabama Senator Katie Britt is set to give the remarks – a rebuttal speech to the president’s address made by the opposing party – on 7 March, which she has promised will be a “candid discussion about the future of our nation”.
At 42 years old, Ms Britt is the youngest Republican woman to ever serve in the US Senate, and the second youngest ever, following Democratic Senator Blanche Lincoln, who was elected in 1999 at the age of 38.
Mike Bedigan takes a look at the rising star in the Republican Party:
Who is Katie Britt, Republican set to deliver response to Biden’s State of the Union?
The Alabama politician is the youngest Republican woman to serve in the US Senate
Trump Republicans blast spending bill as government shutdown averted... again
Eric Garcia filed this report from Capitol Hill last night:
The House and Senate voted to pass a stopgap spending bill, averting a looming government shutdown once again – and prompting pro-Trump Republicans to level fury against House Speaker Mike Johnson.
The continuing resolution will keep the government open until 8 March. The bill came as part of a larger agreement from Mr Johnson, Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer, Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell, and House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries as well as the leadership on the House and Senate Appropriations Committees to vote on six of the 12 spending bills by 8 March.
The bill passed in the House by 320 to 99 – Republicans being split on the matter and Democrats making up most of the support for the agreement. Only two House Democrats voted against the legislation. Similarly, the Senate voted 77 to 13 on the stopgap funding bill to head to President Joe Biden’s desk.
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Government shutdown averted yet again as Trump Republicans blast spending bill
Texas Republican tells The Independent that the agreement should have been ‘extended it through the end of the year’ to reach ‘one per cent reduction’
Cornyn first to throw hat in ring to replace McConnell
Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas has thrown his hat into the ring to replace departing Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, becoming the first member of his party to do so.
Mr Cornyn, a close ally of the minority leader, released a statement announcing his candidacy in which he pledged to end “backroom deals” and give members adequate time to read legislation before it is voted upon.
“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,” said the Texas Republican on Thursday.
John Bowden reports from Washington, DC:
John Cornyn becomes first Republican to announce bid to replace McConnell
Texas Republican is close ally to departing GOP leader
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