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.
How do Biden and Trump’s immigration policies compare as they both visit the southern border?
Richard Hall and Alex Woodward write:
President Joe Biden and his predecessor Donald Trump will both visit the USborder on Thursday in an attempt to seize the narrative around immigration ahead of their presidential match-up later this year.
The duelling visits by the two presumptive nominees follow a record number of undocumented migrants entering the country in December and an influx of those migrants into Democratic-run cities.
Mr Trump, who is due to visit the migrant hotspot of Eagle Pass, is likely to use the backdrop of the troubled border town to accuse the Biden administration of failing to protect the border while offering his vision for a draconian immigration policy that would see mass deportations.
Republicans, particularly Mr Trump, have long used immigration as a cudgel to attack the Biden administration – even going so far as to impeach Alejandro Mayorkas, homeland security secretary, by the smallest of margins in the House – 214-213.
Mr Biden, meanwhile, has accused Republicans of blocking a border deal that would address many of the issues they have long complained about at the behest of Mr Trump. He is due to meet with US Border Patrol agents, law enforcement, and local leaders, according to the White House.
The border is set to be a key issue at the general election in November, so how do the policies of both candidates compare?
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As Biden and Trump both visit the border, how do their immigration policies compare?
Ex-president’s pitch would represent one of the most extreme immigration agendas of any president in American history
Hunter Biden deposition: President’s son addresses ‘Big Guy’ conspiracy and addiction
Andrew Feinberg and Gustaf Kilander report from Washington, DC:
Hunter Biden testified for more than six hours behind closed doors on Wednesday in the Republican impeachment probe into his father, President Joe Biden, saying in his opening statement that “I did not involve my father in my business” and that the House GOP has “built your entire partisan house of cards on lies”.
Speaking to the press on Wednesday afternoon, Hunter Biden’s attorney, Abbe Lowell said: “After seven hours of questions, the Republican majority ends the day where they started. They have produced no evidence that would do anything to support the notion that there was any financial transactions that involved Hunter with his father – period.”
“It seems to me that the Republican members wanted to spend more time speaking about my client’s addiction than they could ask any question that had anything to do with what they call their impeachment inquiry,” he added.
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Hunter Biden addresses ‘Big Guy’ conspiracy and addiction in Capitol Hill testimony
‘What he got in return for being a loving and supportive parent is a barrage of hate-filled conspiracy theories that hatched this sham impeachment inquiry,’ Hunter Biden says of father
Democrats share their fears about Mitch McConnell’s successor
Eric Garcia spoke with members of Congress about what they fear may come next as Mitch McConnell relinquishes his role as lead Republican in the Senate after 16 years.
Democrats share their fears about Mitch McConnell’s successor
The Senate Minority Leader’s announcement that he will step down this year has come as a shock to members of both parties
White House on board with the bipartisan agreement to avoid shutdown
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre posted regarding the joint statement by House and Senate leaders: “As the President and Congressional leaders made clear at yesterday’s meeting, we cannot allow a government shutdown.
“The bipartisan agreement announced today would help prevent a needless shutdown while providing more time to work on bipartisan appropriations bills and for the House to pass the bipartisan national security supplemental as quickly as possible.”
House and Senate leaders announce 2024 government funding agreement
Watch: Mitch McConnell addresses Senate after announcing he will step down
Mitch McConnell, the longest-serving Senate leader in history, has announced he will step down from the position in November. The 82-year-old confirmed his decision on Wednesday 28 February and addressed the chamber. “As I have been thinking about when I would deliver some news to the Senate, I always imagined a moment when I had total clarity and peace about the sunset of my work,” he said. “A moment when I am certain I have helped preserve the ideals I so strongly believe. It arrived today.” Despite relinquishing the position of Senate leader, Mr McConnell intends to see out his term in the upper house, which ends in January 2027.
Comer gets into testy exchange with reporter about lack of evidence in Biden probe
House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer got into a testy exchange with reporters as Hunter Biden gave testimony behind closed doors as part of the Republican House impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden.
Mr Comer had been asked about the lack of evidence that the probe has so far unearthed to support claims that Mr Biden used his political influence to help enrich himself and his family.
Gustaf Kilander and Andrew Feinberg report from Washington, DC:
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
Impeachment inquiry: Hunter Biden vows to ‘end this’
Hunter Biden today testified behind closed doors in the Republican impeachment probe into his father, President Joe Biden, saying in his opening statement that “I did not involve my father in my business” and that the House GOP has “built your entire partisan house of cards on lies”.
Gustaf Kilander and Andrew Feinberg have been tracking developments throughout the day:
Hunter Biden vows to ‘end this’ as he testifies in Republican impeachment inquiry
‘What he got in return for being a loving and supportive parent is a barrage of hate-filled conspiracy theories that hatched this sham impeachment inquiry,’ Hunter Biden says of father
Watch: Fox News anchor wonders why Comer won’t say if anything learned from Hunter Biden deposition
Fox News anchor Neil Cavuto is unimpressed with the statement Rep James Comer made to reporters following the closed-door Hunter Biden deposition.
“If there is stuff they connected to dad... if he had found anything that was, he certainly would've leapt at the chance to say it,” he said following the remarks by the House Oversight Committee chairman.
Capitol Hill reporter Aishah Hasnie replied that you would think he would've led the entire commentary with any new details but notes that while Democrats have been on a “media blitz” about what was being said at the deposition, Republicans are saying there are rules to be followed and they are not supposed to be talking about it.
White House publishes Biden’s physical
The White House has released a summary of President Joe Biden’s physical this morning at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
The six-page report concludes: “This patient's current medical considerations are detailed as above, and remain stable and well-controlled. They include obstructive sleep apnea, a-fib with normal ventricular response. hyperlipidemia, gastroesophageal reflux, seasonal allergies, spinal arthritis and sensory peripheral neuropathy of the feet. For these, he takes three common prescription medications and three common over-the-counter medications.
“President Biden is a healthy, active, robust 81-year-old male, who remains fit to successfully execute the duties of the Presidency, to include those as Chief Executive, Head of State and Commander in Chief.”
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