Florida prosecutor suspended by DeSantis will not seek re-election
Andrew Warren, the former Hillsborough County state attorney removed from his post by DeSantis, announced he will not seek re-election after publicly mulling another run for months.
“I have been planning to run for re-election since the day I was suspended,” Warren said in a video statement posted on his X account, adding that he ultimately decided against the bid because DeSantis “could suspend me again for whatever reason he wanted.”
DeSantis removed the Tampa-area prosecutor for “neglect of duty” in 2022, accusing him of not properly enforcing the law. “State Attorneys have a duty to prosecute crimes as defined in Florida law, not to pick and choose which laws to enforce based on his personal agenda,” DeSantis said in a statement at the time that critics decried as politically motivated.
Since launching his presidential bid, DeSantis has suspended a second prosecutor through the same legal mechanism. Both instances are now staples in the governor’s stump speech, used as examples of how he restored “law and order” in Florida.
The DeSantis campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Warren’s announcement.
Florida GOP ousts chairman after rape allegation
The Republican Party of Florida formally voted to remove its chairman, Christian Ziegler, who is facing rape and video voyeurism allegations.
The move was widely expected after news broke last month that the Sarasota County Police Department was investigating allegations that Ziegler had raped a woman with whom he and his wife, Bridget, had had a previous sexual encounter.
Ziegler has denied wrongdoing and has not yet formally been charged, but a series of search warrant affidavits first obtained by the Florida Center for Government Accountability outlines the allegations in detail.
Bucshon, first elected in tea party wave, won't seek re-election
A handful of House lawmakers decided after spending time with family over the holidays that they won’t run for re-election this fall. Today saw one more join that growing list: Rep. Larry Bucshon, R-Ind., who was elected to Congress in the tea party wave of 2010.
“Scripture teaches us, ‘For everything there is a season,’ and it became clear to me over the Christmas holiday with much discernment and prayer that the time has come to bring my season in public service to a conclusion,” he said in a statement. “Therefore, I will not seek reelection to an eighth term and conclude my service in the House of Representatives at the end of the 118th Congress.”
Bucshon, a former Navy reservist and heart surgeon, isn’t one of the more well-known members of the House. But he serves on the influential Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over issues like health care and telecommunications.
Indiana’s 8th Congressional District is a conservative stronghold and Republicans are expected to hold the seat. Bucshon hasn't had any close races. In 2022, he defeated his Democratic opponent, 65.7% to 31.5%.
As many as 14 other House Republicans have said they are either retiring from Congress or seeking other office. For Democrats, that number is 23.
“Recent disputes in Congress and difficulties advancing policy on behalf of the American people have not soured my faith in our Constitutional Republic form of government. In fact, it has strengthened that faith,” Bucshon said.
“Throughout the history of the United States, one of our strengths has always been the ability of our elected leaders — and the American people — to debate the issues in a public forum, and then ultimately find common ground and compromise on solutions that benefit the American people. It is still true today and this principle always prevails,” his statement continued.
Ramaswamy to resume TV ad spending in Iowa
Ramaswamy’s campaign will resume ad spending in Iowa this week following a pullback at the end of December.
NBC News reported last month that Ramaswamy’s campaign stopped spending on TV ads. He responded in a post on X, saying TV ad spending is “idiotic, low-ROI & a trick that political consultants use to bamboozle candidates who suffer from low IQ.”
AdImpact, an ad-tracking service, shows ad buys coming in for Ramaswamy’s campaign that will start in Iowa tomorrow, but his campaign says the ads will start Wednesday, less than one week before the Jan. 15 caucuses.
So far, the campaign has only reserved $22,500 worth of TV ad time in the next week, but ad spending reservations are always subject to change and more could come in as the day goes on.
Biden knocks Haley over Civil War comments
Biden took a dig at Haley during a speech in the Republican presidential candidate's home state.
“For those who don’t seem to know, slavery was the cause of the Civil War,” he said, referencing the former South Carolina governor's widely criticized comments on the matter.
Biden also highlighted the experiences of Ruby Freeman and Shay Moss, two Georgia election workers who were the subject of various right-wing attacks and conspiracy theories, calling them “two brave Black women”.
He also pushed back on Republican attempts to sanitize the events of Jan. 6, saying, “They tried to steal an election and now they’re trying to steal history.”
Nearly every presidential candidate has now criticized Haley over her remarks.
“I’d say slavery is sort of the obvious answer as opposed to about three paragraphs of bull----,” Trump said last week in Mason City, Iowa.
“Not that difficult to identify and acknowledge the role slavery played in the Civil War, and yet that seemed to be something that was really difficult and I don’t even know what she was saying,” DeSantis said in Ankeny, Iowa.
“Turns out Nikki knows as little about the Civil War as she does about the Ukraine War,” Ramaswamy said in post on X. “But whatever war it was, I’m sure she’s in favor of it.”
“When she ran for governor in 2010 in South Carolina, and they asked her what was the cause of the Civil War, she said it was a battle between change versus tradition. Slavery. A tradition?” Chris Christie said in Seabrook, New Hampshire. “I want to make it really clear to Nikki this morning … it wasn’t about change versus tradition. It was about right versus wrong.”
Haley has since acknowledged the blunder, telling Fox News last month “I should have said slavery right away.”
Jake Traylor, Emma Barnett and Katherine Koretski contributed.
Biden denounces 'poison' of white supremacy at Mother Emanuel AME Church
Newsom sets special election to replace McCarthy
California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced today that a special election will be held to replace former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California’s 20th District in the Central Valley. The primary is set for March 19, with the special election May 21.
For special elections in California, candidates from all parties compete on the same primary ballot. If a candidate wins more than 50% of the primary, he or she can fill the vacancy and there will not be a special general election.
The district is likely to remain in GOP hands. McCarthy won re-election in 2022 by 34 percentage points, and Trump carried the 20th District by 25 points in 2020, per calculations from Daily Kos Elections.
Biden interrupted by protesters calling for a cease-fire in Gaza
Biden was interrupted as he delivered a campaign speech at Mother Emanuel AME Church by protesters shouting in support of a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas.
"Cease-fire now!" several people chanted at the church in Charleston, South Carolina.
"No, that's all right," Biden responded to them.
The protesters were escorted out as they were drowned out by the remaining attendees who began standing up and chanting, "Four more years!"
DeSantis hits Haley for comment on correcting Iowa in closing ad
DeSantis' closing TV ad in Iowa keys in on Haley's recent comment in New Hampshire that the state's role is to "correct" Iowa in the presidential nominating process, which Haley later brushed off as banter.
"Haley disparages the caucuses and insults you," the ad's narrator says after playing a clip of Haley making the comment in New Hampshire.
DeSantis also criticized Trump in the final ad. "Donald Trump is running for his issues. Nikki Haley’s running for her donors’ issues. I’m running for your issues," the Florida governor said in the spot.
Ramaswamy slams Haley for canceling Iowa event because of snow
Ramaswamy criticized Haley for canceling a campaign event in Sioux City, Iowa, earlier today because of snow. Ramaswamy is scheduled to hold an event there later today.
"Nikki Haley cancelled her events in Sioux City, Iowa to 'avoid embarrassment.' I’m headed to Sioux City for our event right now," Ramaswamy posted on X. "We're not cancelling. Four events in northwest Iowa, keeping them intact. If you can’t handle the snow, you can’t handle Xi Jinping."
Ramaswamy quoted a user on X who wrongly said Haley canceled her event because no one showed up. The user posted a video from a report on MSNBC about the canceled Haley event that was deceptively edited.