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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Your support makes all the difference.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.
ICYMI: Comer gets into testy exchange with reporter about lack of evidence in Biden probe
Republicans are really struggling with their flailing attempt to show impeachable crimes committed by President Joe Biden. Even usually loyal Fox hosts are questioning whether they have anything to show the American public.
Here’s Rep James Comer sparring with reporters yesterday:
Comer gets into testy exchange with reporter about lack of evidence in Biden probe
‘Okay, calm down, calm down, it’s okay. It’s okay. All the angry liberals ... they’ll be alright,’ Comer tells reporter as he flounders for evidence against Biden
Biden meets with border patrol agents in Brownsville
President Joe Biden is being briefed by border agents. He is accompanied by Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Department of Homeland Security; Texas Rep Vicente Gonzalez; Mayor John Cowen of Brownsville; Judge Eddie Treviño of Cameron County; as well as Peter Flores, Deputy Commissioner, US Customs and Border Protection; Jason Owens, Chief, US Border Patrol; and Gloria Chavez, Sector Chief, US Border Patrol.
Republicans select Sen Katie Boyd Britt to give State of the Union response
Biden arrives in Texas
President Joe Biden has arrived in Texas with Air Force One touching down in Brownsville at approximately 1.30pm CT.
Principal deputy press secretary Olivia Dalton was joined by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in speaking with press aboard Air Force One and spoke on a range of topics for about 27 minutes.
Topics included both immigration and the latest from the conflict in Gaza.
They both emphasised that the purpose of today’s trip is to the border is to hear from local officials and to put an emphasis on constructive collaboration across various levels of government.
Mr Mayorkas said there would be no executive action announced today.
Full story: McConnell to step down as Senate Republican leader after 17 years
Senator Mitch McConnell, the longest-serving party leader in the upper chamber’s history, will stand aside from his leadership post after the November general election.
The Kentucky Republican, who has been the GOP’s leader since 2007, announced his decision from the Senate floor yesterday.
Andrew Feinberg reports:
Mitch McConnell to step down as Senate Republican leader after 17 years leading GOP
The Kentucky Republican has led the GOP senators since January 2007, and is the longest-serving leader in the upper chamber’s history
Full story: Government shutdown averted yet again as Trump Republicans blast spending bill
Eric Garcia and Gustaf Kilander report from Capitol Hill:
House Republicans criticised US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson after the House voted on a stopgap spending bill to avoid a government shutdown.
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.
Read more...
Pro-Trump Republicans oppose spending agreement to avert US government shutdown
House Republicans criticised US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson after the House voted on a stopgap spending bill to avoid a government shutdown.
Trump arrives in Texas
Donald Trump has arrived in Texas to visit the southern border. He made only brief remarks to the media upon landing at Eagle Pass before walking over to meet members of the crowd.
“Beautiful day but a very dangerous border — we’re going to take care of it, thank you,” the former president said.
In a split-screen moment on CNN former acting ICE director John Sandweg explained why the onus of action on the border lies with Congress and not through executive action by whoever is in the White House.
Watch below:
Watch: Trump says ‘languages coming in to our country, nobody that speaks those languages'
House passes short-term funding of federal goverment
The House of Representatives has passed a short-term funding bill for the federal government through 8 March and 22 March to avert a shutdown on Friday night. It passed 320-99, having required a two-thirds majority vote.
The continuing resolution now heads to the Senate.
Analysis: Why Nikki Haley’s strategy still makes sense after Michigan and South Carolina
The Republican primary now heads to Super Tuesday with one clear theme: Donald Trump is the party’s first choice for the 2024 general election, even if a majority of Americans look with dismay at the possibility of a rematch between him and Joe Biden.
So why is Nikki Haley, fresh off two latest defeats in Michigan and her home state of South Carolina, still in the race?
The answer can be found in this quote from her on Monday, when she appeared in Grand Rapids a day ahead of the state primary: “The Democrats, I fully believe, are going to have a younger candidate going into the general election.”
That’s probably the clearest view of the Haley campaign strategy going forward: the idea that the primaries matter only so long as the frontrunners themselves remain physically (or financially) capable of remaining candidates for the presidency. And Nikki Haley is leaning on the conspiratorial strain of American political thinking that says neither Donald Trump or Joe Biden will be their respective parties’ nominees this fall.
Continue reading...
Why Nikki Haley’s strategy still makes sense after Michigan and South Carolina
Haley is making an obvious gamble. If it pays off, she could be in a prime position to snatch the nomination away from Trump, writes John Bowden
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