Juan Williams: DeSantis is 2022's most important politician, unfortunately
He is not my cup of tea. In fact, he scares me. But it is time for me to hand out my year-end award for the top political player in the United States. These days, there needs to be one prize for Republicans and a separate trophy for Democrats due to our nation’s polarized politics. Unlike the controversial Republican winner, I will celebrate the triumphant Democrats without reservation later in this column. But the one politician who stands out at year’s end is Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R). His commanding 19-point reelection victory, as well as
Read MoreWhere the Warnock-Walker race stands with early voting underway in Georgia
Early voting is underway in Georgia in what promises to be an intense week-and-a-half of campaigning between GOP Senate candidate Herschel Walker and incumbent Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock. Walker and Warnock were forced to keep campaigning through to the Dec. 6 runoff after neither candidate won more than 50 percent of the vote in their closely watched midterm general election, and have since ramped up their campaign ads and fundraising efforts. A Warnock win would mean Democrats increase their razor-thin majority in the Senate, while a Walker victory would keep thei
Read MoreGOP prepares for House takeover: Five things to watch
House Republicans will take the reins of the lower chamber in fewer than six weeks, returning to power after four years in the minority wilderness to usher in a new era of divided government heading into the 2024 presidential election. The shift comes after two years when President Biden enjoyed Democratic control of the House and the Senate. And it will have drastic implications for the workings of Washington, setting the stage for countless clashes between the House and the administration over everything from government spending and border security to the fight against inflatio
Read MoreTrump blames Kanye West for bringing Nick Fuentes as dinner guest
Former President Trump on Saturday said Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, is a "seriously troubled man" whom he was trying to help, but also blamed the controversial musician for a dinner in which Trump says Ye brought along a known white supremacist. Trump said on Truth Social that Ye brought far-right activist Nick Fuentes to the dinner on Tuesday night and that he did not know who Fuentes was. "So I help a seriously troubled man, who just happens to be black, Ye (Kanye West), who has been decimated in his business and virtually everything else,"
Read MoreManchin’s side deal on brink as GOP seeks his 2024 ouster
Sen. Joe Manchin’s (D-W.Va.) side deal with Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) to enact permitting reform before the end of the year is on life support as Republicans look to deprive the lawmaker of a major victory that could aid his potential 2024 reelection. Manchin is in discussions with GOP colleagues about striking a deal on permitting reform in the lame-duck session, but Republicans say it faces an uphill path as they view his West Virginia Senate seat as a top pickup opportunity in the next election. “It’s a heavy lift but we’r
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