Florida Governor Ron DeSantis may have made the race for the new Republican National Committee chair a lot more competitive on the eve of the election.
Ronna McDaniel, seeking her fourth term as chair, appeared to have her reelection bid locked up, with over 100 members declaring their support for her. But that was before DeSantis weighed in on the race during an interview with “The Charlie Kirk Show” Thursday.
“We’ve had 3 substandard election cycles in a row, ’18, ’20, and ’22, and I’d say ’22 was the worst…I think we need a change,” DeSantis said. “I think we need to get some new blood in the RNC. I like what Harmeet Dhillon has said.”
The Dhillon team had DeSantis as one of her endorsements on her website, but then an a short time later took it down — something Mc Daniel supporters quickly pointed out to CBS.
FILE: Attorney Harmeet Dhillon California’s national committeewoman for the Republican National Committee poses for a photograph at her office in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2017.
Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group via Getty Images
Dhillon herself said it was “not an endorsement” but her supporters at RNC winter meetings have been touting it as such. Dhillon herself told CBS News that it adds momentum to her candidacy. The DeSantis remarks had shaken up the election but McDaniel is still the favorite to win Friday’s election.
But Dhillon told CBS News that she was happy to have the vote of confidence from the popular Florida governor.
“I’m gratified that a party leader of Gov. DeSantis’ stature recognizes the problem,” she told CBS News after his remarks. “Recognizing the problem was the first step in fixing your problem. So, I hope to work with leaders across the party spectrum.”
She said that DeSantis’ comments, along with the recent endorsement of the Young Republicans of New York has given her candidacy “a lot of momentum.”
McDaniel needs to get to 85 and she is expected to do so. One Dhillon supporter said it was still “an uphill climb” for the California challenger.
Dhillon has maintained that the party must make changes in order to win in 2024, a sentiment echoed by DeSantis. Dhillon said, “I’m saying if we don’t make these changes, we will not win.”
The Republican National Committee is meeting in Dana Point, California, this week to select a new chair to lead the party’s infrastructure going into the 2024 election cycle after the party’s disappointing showing in the midterm elections. Republicans won a slim majority in the House but failed to flip the Senate.
Dhillon, an attorney for former President Donald Trump and Trump ally and MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell are competing to unseat McDaniel.
Trump has said he’ll “let them fight it out.”
On Thursday night, the three candidates spoke at a forum and took questions from the 168 members.
McDaniel spoke the longest, according to RNC officials in room, and she was the only one given a standing ovation following her remarks, according to McDaniel supporters in the room.
Musadiq Bidar
CBS News reporter covering the intersection between politics and tech.
SYOSSET, N.Y. — The calls are intensifying for Congressman-elect George Santos to step down after he admitted to lying on his résumé.
The Long Island Republican turned the blue district red.
And in the face of questions about campaign fraud and deception, on Tuesday afternoon his campaign told CBS2 he still has every intention of being sworn in next week.
READ MORE: Congressman-elect George Santos admits to lying about his education and work experience
Santos said he’s sorry he “embellished” his résumé, but he believes he still deserves to serve the voters of Long Island and northeast Queens who elected him.
Last week, the New York Times reported that the 34-year-old Republican falsely claimed he graduated from Baruch College, that he is the descendant of a Holocaust survivor, and that had worked for Goldman Sachs and Citigroup.
“If I was trying to defraud the people like everyone is saying, I could have listed bigger names,” Santos said.
In a Fox News interview Tuesday night, he said he is “not a fraud” and “not fake.”
“I made a mistake, and I think humans are flawed and we all make mistakes,” he said. “In order to move past this and move forward and be an effective member of Congress, I have to face my mistakes.”
But when the interviewer, former congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, asked Santos if he had no shame, he quickly tried to deflect.
“I can say the same thing about the Democrats and the party. Look at Joe Biden. Joe Biden’s been lying to the American people,” he said.
Watch Tim McNicholas’ report
Congressman-elect George Santos says he’s “not a fraud”
02:33
Democrats on Long Island — and beyond — are calling for Santos to step down.
“There is a very real possibility that George Santos committed financial crimes. In 2020, he reported an income of $55,000, yet two years later he’s wealthy enough to contribute $700,000 to his campaign?” Nassau County Legislator Joshua Lafazan said.
READ MORE: Calls rise for federal investigation into Congressman-elect George Santos’ alleged fraudulent behavior
“George Santos is a pathological liar who defrauded the voters of New York state. He should be held accountable,” Rep. Ritchie Torres said. “I have trouble believing he legitimately lent his campaign 94% of his salary. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire, and there needs to be an investigation.”
Santos still has not addressed how exactly his wealth has skyrocketed in the past several years by “consulting,” but did say it allowed him to give a large amount of money to his congressional campaign.
In a statement Tuesday afternoon, a rep for Santos said, in part, “As a millennial, George did what he had to in order to evade smear campaigns put forth by elitist organizations like the New York Times. Santos is wholeheartedly ready to claim the decisive victory he earned in Congress and be the voice of New York’s 3rd District.”
READ MORE: Calls grow for Congressman-elect George Santos to resign after allegedly lying about his background
Joseph Cairo Jr., the chair of the Nassau County Republican Committee, expressed disappointment, including the Holocaust claim, but is standing with Santos, saying, in part, “I expected more than just a blanket apology. Residents want him to deliver tax relief and pass laws that will make our neighborhoods and nation safer. What’s more, George Santos will have to continually prove that he has learned his lesson.”
Long Islanders that spoke to CBS2 disagree.
“I think people like him are a detriment to our society,” said Tom Zamroz of Levittown.
“Resign. You’re not qualified do not take the seat,” said Lisa Marolachakis-Kines of Glen Cove.
“It’s ridiculous he can get away with that. There’s no consequences for your actions anymore,” added Jordan Sepulveda of Bethpage.
Exclusive Video: George Santos Tells-All [Political Personalities with Skye] by
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CBS2 reached out to Republican leadership in the House, but did not immediately hear back.
So what disciplinary action could Santos face by the House or law enforcement, and what does one of Long Island’s most powerful Republicans, former Rep. Peter King, have to say?
When asked if Santos should resign, King said by phone, “No, he was elected and, again, it’s a bad precedent to set to resign. Then you’d have every election to be re-examined ‘Was this accurate? Was that inaccurate?.'”
“Now, obviously, he went beyond almost anything anyone has done before, but it’s not a crime. You should be sworn in, but after that there should be an immediate investigation,” King added.
Bipartisan Facts First is calling on Republican House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy to not allow Congressman Santos to vote in the speaker’s race or hold committee seats until the Ethics Committee investigates his background.
McCarthy has not responded to CBS2’s requests for comment.
“One of the few reasons why Kevin McCarthy and the Washington Republicans would not want to take what would be some pretty bold action and not letting Santos be seated is because they have such a narrow majority. At the same time, they are going to be going after a lot of Democrats and it could be they would see Santos as someone to throw under the proverbial bus, so they could seem less partisan,” said Lawrence Levy, the executive dean of Hofstra University’s National Center for Urban Studies.
New York Attorney General Letitia James has said she’s looking into the situation, but political experts say it’s a gray area.
“There are very few rules about what candidates can and can’t say during the course of an election,” said Michael Thorning of the Bipartisan Policy Center.
The Republican Jewish Coalition said, “We are very disappointed in Congressman-elect Santos. He deceived us and misrepresented his heritage in public comments and to us, personally, he previously claimed to be Jewish. He has begun his tenure in Congress on a very wrong note. He will not be welcome at any future RJC event.”
Santos tried to defend what he said on Fox News.
“My heritage is Jewish, I’ve always identified as Jewish. I was raised a practicing Catholic. I think I’ve gone through this,” he said.
Another news outlet, the Jewish American news site “The Forward,” questioned Santos’ claim his grandparent survived the Holocaust. It said records appear to show his grandparents were born in Brazil.
As for the claim that he worked for Citigroup and Goldman Sachs, Santos tried to explain that, too, claiming he worked indirectly with the firms while employed by another company.
“We can debate my résumé and how I worked with firms such Goldman and Citigroup all night long,” he said.
“Is it debatable or is it just false?” Gabbard asked.
“No, it’s not false at all. It’s debatable,” Santos said.
According to the New York Times, however, his website didn’t say he worked indirectly with Citigroup; it falsely said he was an “associate asset manager” in their real estate division.
CBS2’s Tim McNicholas reached out to Santos to request an interview, and he directed us to his public relations team. We have not heard back.
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) on Saturday urged the Republican Party to move on from Donald Trump, just days after the former president announced his third bid for office.
“It is time to stop whispering,” Christie said at the Republican Jewish Coalition’s annual leadership meeting. “It is time to stop being afraid of any one person. It is time to stand up for the principles and the beliefs that we have founded this party on and this country on.”
Christie, who ran against Trump in the 2016 presidential election, is considering another run for president in 2024.
The former New Jersey governor noted on Saturday that he was the first candidate to drop out and endorse Trump in February 2016, after a disappointing performance in the early primary states.
“I was there early, I was there faithfully, and I was there all the way — until election night 2020,” he said.
Christie has since become a vocal opponent of the former president and has been particularly outspoken in the wake of the GOP’s disappointing midterm election performance.
Since Republicans fell short of delivering the anticipated “red wave” in the midterms earlier this month, the party has looked for where to place the blame. Many, including Christie, are pointing the finger at Trump.
“We keep losing and losing and losing,” Christie said on Saturday. “And the fact of the matter is the reason we’re losing is because Donald Trump has put himself before everyone else.”
Trump announced his 2024 campaign for president on Tuesday despite major pushback from within his own party.
House Republicans are in position to reach the 218 seats they need to flip the chamber after the midterm elections. As of Tuesday night, CBS News estimates Republicans will win at least 217 seats, while Democrats are estimated to win at least 211 seats.
With the GOP just one seat away from taking the majority, CBS News characterizes the race for control of the House as likely Republican.
There remain nine outstanding races to be called. Seven are toss-ups, and there is one seat leaning Republican and another that is estimated to be likely Republican.
Going into Election Day, Sarah Chamberlain, president of the Republican Main Street Partnership group which works with more moderate House Republicans, predicted that Republican margins would amount to “just a couple of seats, and it shouldn’t be.”
“This should have been a landslide, frankly,” She added.
In the primaries, Chamberlain’s group supported Republican candidates like Reps. Peter Meijer of Michigan and Jamie Herrera-Beutler, House Republicans who were targeted by former President Donald Trump. Chamberlain argued that the moderate, mainstream candidates her group picked would have been more competitive in the general election, compared to the further-right candidates who beat them and were on the ballot.
She said that candidate quality issue, as well as a disconnect between Trump and the rest of the Republican establishment, was a reason the fight for House control was so close.
“I don’t think Trump’s going away,” Chamberlain said. “We just need to make better decisions with Trump. I do think some of the Trump candidates hurt us on Tuesday. And that’s why we need to work together as a party and move forward.”
Aaron Navarro
Aaron Navarro is an associate producer for the political unit at CBS News, focusing on House and gubernatorial campaigns as well as the census and redistricting.
House Republicans are in position to reach the 218 seats they need to flip the chamber after the midterm elections. As of Saturday night, CBS News estimates Republicans will win at least 214 seats, while Democrats are estimated to win at least 210 seats.
In several outstanding races, Republicans are ahead. However, some toss-ups have been breaking for Democrats, and on Saturday night, CBS News projected that Democrats flipped Washington state’s 3rd Congressional District, a seat the GOP was favored to hold.
There are currently 11 races that have not been called, and 10 of those seats are considered “battlegrounds.” Of those remaining in battleground districts, five were rated as “toss ups,” two were in the “likely Democrat” category, one was “leaning Democrat” and two were “leaning Republican.”
Democratic strategists who work on House races this cycle say it would take a “miracle,” but Democrats do have a possible path to retaining the majority.
They would then have to win at least 8 of the remaining 11 seats.
In nine of California’s uncalled and competitive races (California’s 3rd, 9th, 13th, 22nd, 26th, 27th, 41st, 45th, 47th and 49th), three were “leaning Republican.”
For Republicans, California could help them get to the edge of clinching the majority — if their candidates hold their leads.
Mitchell said for any chance for Democrats to hold the House, they’d have to win in the 22nd, 27th and 41st, all districts where the Republican incumbent is in the lead.
“If Democrats won all three of those races in California, then think the odds go up that the Democrats can hold the House. But if Democrats lose one of those three, the odds go way down, they lose two of those three, the door slams shut,” Mitchell said.
Sarah Chamberlain, president of the Republican Main Street Partnership group which works with more moderate House Republicans, said she’s confident Republicans David Valadao and Ken Calvert will hold their seats.
Republicans also lead in one other tight race: Colorado’s 3rd District, where GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert is in the lead by around 1,100 votes with 99 percent of results in.
Democratic incumbents were projected to win three Nevada seats. Maine’s 2nd District and Alaska’s At-Large District, two seats with ranked choice voting, were leaning Democrat.
“From the math that we’ve done — I think it’s a foregone conclusion [that Republicans take the House],” said Chamberlain. “But it’s gonna be very close. It’s gonna be just a couple of seats. And it shouldn’t be I mean, this should have been a landslide, frankly.”
In the primaries, Chamberlain’s group supported Republican candidates like Reps. Peter Meijer of Michigan and Jamie Herrera-Beutler, House Republicans who were targeted by former President Donald Trump. Chamberlain argued that the moderate, mainstream candidates her group picked would have been more competitive in the general election, compared to the the further-right candidates who beat them and were on the ballot.
She said that candidate quality issue, as well as a disconnect between Trump and the rest of the Republican establishment, was a reason control of the House remains so tight.
“I don’t think Trump’s going away,” Chamberlain said. “We just need to make better decisions with Trump. I do think some of the Trump candidates hurt us on Tuesday. And that’s why we need to work together as a party and move forward.”
Aaron Navarro
Aaron Navarro is an associate producer for the political unit at CBS News, focusing on House and gubernatorial campaigns as well as the census and redistricting.
Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) was roundly roasted on social media for a bizarre op-ed Sunday in which he endorsed himself in the third person. The article in The Salt Lake Tribune ran under the headline “Mike Lee has earned a reputation as principled conservative” with the byline “Mike Lee.” “Mike Lee serves as a United States senator representing the state of Utah,” the piece begins. “Since taking office, Senator Lee has earned a reputation as a principled conservative.” It appears that the newspaper offered the opportunity to submit an op-ed to both Lee and his independent challenger Evan McMullin. Journalist James Surowiecki said McMullin contributed a piece written in the first person “like a normal person,” while Lee chose instead to submit his bio.
Rep. Liz Cheney — a vocal critic of former President Donald Trump — has signaled that she may leave the GOP, saying, “If [Trump] is the nominee, I won’t be a Republican.”
“I certainly will do whatever it takes to make sure Donald Trump isn’t anywhere close to the Oval Office,” the Wyoming Republican told Texas Tribune CEO Evan Smith at the paper’s festival on Saturday.
Cheney also said Saturday that she would be willing to stump for Democrats, the first time she has said so explicitly. The comments were made in response to a question about Wyoming gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake, a supporter of Trump’s false claims that the 2020 election was stolen.
“I am going to do everything I can to make sure that Kari Lake is not elected,” Cheney said, to which Smith asked if that meant potentially campaigning for Democrats.
Cheney’s response: “Yes, it does.”
Cheney has served as the representative for Wyoming’s at-large congressional district since 2017 — but she was defeated soundly in her August primary against Trump-backed challenger Harriet Hageman.
Cheney is the vice chair of the House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, one of only two Republicans on the committee. Cheney is also one of only 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump. Both were positions that appeared to work against her during her campaign for reelection.
Only two of the 10 GOP House members who voted to impeach Trump survived their primary challenges, while three others were defeated and four chose to either retire or not seek reelection. According to NPR, the majority of candidates Trump endorsed in the 2022 midterms have prevailed, and also said that they support the former president’s false claims about the 2020 election.
In her concession speech last month, Cheney said, “We must be very clear-eyed about the threat we face and about what is required to defeat it. I have said since January 6 that I will do whatever it takes to ensure Donald Trump is never again anywhere near the Oval Office, and I mean it.”
U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) gives a concession speech to supporters during a primary night event on August 16, 2022 in Jackson, Wyoming.
Alex Wong / Getty Images
Cheney’s term will end on Jan. 3, 2023. Speculation has brewed around a potential presidential bid for Cheney in 2024, but she has not made any definitive public statements one way or the other on the matter. When Smith asked Cheney whether she planned to announce her candidacy, Cheney deflected:
“What are we going to do to make sure that our kids know what it means to have peaceful transfers of power?” she responded. “And what are we going to do to make sure that we don’t contribute to the unraveling of the Republic? … That’s what I’m focused on.”
The GOP’s Friday night U.S. Senate candidate forum in Ohio featured a face-off between candidates Mike Gibbons and Josh Mandel that nearly brought them to blows.
The argument between the two erupted after Mandel claimed Gibbons had “made millions” from business dealings with Chinese companies.
“You may not understand this,” Gibbons told Mandel, who then stood up from his seat and confronted Gibbons at the event hosted by FreedomWorks.
“I do,” Mandel replied.
“You have never … you have never been in the private sector in your entire life,” Gibbons told Mandel.
“Two tours in Iraq. Don’t tell me I haven’t worked,” Mandel responded, raising his voice to Gibbons.
A moderator approached the two men and attempted to defuse the situation. As Mandel was taking his seat, Gibbons said, “You don’t know squat,” prompting Mandel to rise from his seat again. Gibbons then told Mandel to “back off.”
The argument started after Mandel claimed Gibbons had “made millions” from business dealings with Chinese companies.Andrew Spear/Getty Images
Mike Gibbons and Josh Mandel get in each other’s faces at tonight’s GOP #OHSen forum hosted by FreedomWorks.
“You watch what happens,” Mandel says. pic.twitter.com/fQuqfHxXHT
— Heartland Signal (@HeartlandSignal) March 18, 2022
“You back off,” Mandel responded, telling Gibbons he’s “dealing with the wrong guy.”
“Watch what happens,” Mandel said. “You watch what happens.”
“Josh Mandel is unhinged, unfit and flailing because he’s losing,” Samantha Cotten, a spokesperson for Gibbons’ campaign, said in a statement following the altercation. “He is only a professional at one thing: running for office. He is hell-bent on lying because he is failing. He doesn’t have the temperament, experience or fortitude to be a U.S. Senator, and Ohio voters got a firsthand look at just how unprepared Josh Mandel has become, and that will be reflected on the ballot on May 3.”
Mandel told Gibbons he was “dealing with the wrong guy” during the exchange of words.Andrew Spear/Getty Images
Mandel, a former state treasurer, and Gibbons, a businessman, are two of seven candidates facing off in the crowded Republican primary. The primary election is set to take place on May 3 in the Buckeye State.
Mandel’s campaign could not be immediately reached for comment.
Republicans blocked a Senate billto fund the government at current levels and suspend the debt ceiling, leaving open the possibilities of a government shutdown early Friday morning and a catastrophic U.S. default that could take place some time in October if Congress fails to act.
A procedural vote on the bill, which needed 60 votes in the Senate to proceed, fell on party lines, with all Republicans voting against the measure. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he changed his vote from “yes” to “no” for procedural reasons. The bill previously passed along party lines in the House. The bill’s failure is no surprise, since Republicans had said they would not vote to raise the debt ceiling, insisting Democrats and President Biden are spending too much, and they alone should act to raise the debt ceiling. The bill would have funded the government through December 3 and raised the debt limit through December 22.
If Congress doesn’t pass funding by the end of September 30, the conclusion of the current fiscal year, large swaths of the government will stop operating. The last partial government shutdown took place under former President Trump from December 22, 2018, to January 25, 2019.
The debt ceiling is how much money the federal government may borrow to meet its existing obligations. Without an agreement to suspend or raise the debt limit, the Treasury Department can’t keep paying the federal government’s bills.
It is likely the Senate will have to deal with the debt limit through a process called reconciliation, which would enable Democrats alone to act to raise the debt ceiling, since they hold a majority of 50, plus one, with Vice President Kamala Harris casting the tiebreaking vote. Most other legislation requires 60 votes to proceed in the Senate.
The U.S. has never defaulted on its debt. Republicans argue the national debt, a burden on future generations, has grown far too high, while Democrats point out that on several occasions Democrats voted to raise the debt ceiling while a Republican was president.
Ahead of the vote, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said Republicans “will support a clean continuing resolution that will prevent a government shutdown,” without raising the debt limit. McConnell said Democrats can raise the debt limit on their own.
“There never had to be one ounce of drama to any of this. Any drama here is self-created by the Democrats,” the Kentucky Republican said on the Senate floor ahead of the vote, saying Senate Democrats have all the time and all the tools to do what they need to do.
The failure of the spending and debt ceiling bill comes the same week that Democrats are trying to iron out disagreements within their party over the president’s domestic agenda, which is split into two bills — a bill funding traditional infrastructure, including roads, bridges and rail, which has already passed in the Senate, and a massive spending bill to greatly expand social services and education. Progressives have threatened they won’t vote for the $1 trillion infrastructure bill until the other spending bill passes. At least two Democratic senators oppose the level of spending in the social spending bill, and their support is crucial to the passage of the measure.
A vote on the bipartisan infrastructure bill had initially been scheduled for Monday, but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi pushed it to Thursday.
Asked by a reporter what’s at stake for his presidency and agenda this week on Capitol Hill, Mr. Biden told reporters Monday, “Victory is what’s at stake.”
Mr. Biden, who met with key lawmakers at the White House last week to figure out how to pass his domestic agenda, said both bills need to pass.
“Now, we’re at this stalemate at the moment, and we’re going to have to get these two pieces of legislation passed. Both need to be passed,” he said at the time.
Kathryn Watson
Kathryn Watson is a politics reporter for CBS News Digital based in Washington, D.C.
Following a cold open that saw Pete Davidson debut his creepy, Quagmire-esque Matt Gaetz, Saturday Night Live’s “Weekend Update” continued the onslaught.
“Representative Matt Gaetz, who looks like a caricature-artist drawing of me, is reportedly under investigation for an alleged sexual relationship with an underage girl—because Gaetz believes that only voters should have to show ID,” joked Colin Jost. “It’s also being reported that Gaetz may have paid for sex with women he met online. That story has since been confirmed by his whole vibe.”
Yes, Gaetz is currently under investigation for allegedly conducting a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl, and for possibly violating sex-trafficking laws by paying for her to travel across state lines. Furthermore, as CNN reported, Gaetz also stands accused of showing nude photos of women he’d supposedly slept with to fellow congressmen on the House floor and having ecstasy-fueled romps with prostitutes.
Jost then addressed Gaetz’s incredibly strange (and unconvincing) statement on the allegations, delivered in the third person: “Matt Gaetz has never paid for sex… Matt Gaetz has never ever been on any such websites whatsoever… Matt Gaetz cherishes the relationships in his past and looks forward to marrying the love of his life.”
To that, Jost released his own statement in response: “Colin Jost does not believe you… Colin Jost thinks you have been to alllll the websites… Colin Jost thinks you should hold off on sending out those wedding invites.”
Of course, the Trump-loving QAnon crowd—conspiracy theorists who believe that Trump, a good friend of Jeffrey Epstein’s, was somehow waging covert battle against an army of Democratic and Hollywood pedophile sex traffickers—has been remarkably silent concerning the Gaetz revelations.
“Here’s the craziest part of this story to me: a sitting congressman is being accused of child trafficking and the QAnon people are suddenly like, ‘Nah, I need more evidence,’” cracked Jost. “That was your whole thing! I mean, come on! Matt Gaetz’s girlfriend, she was allegedly 17, the 17th letter in the alphabet is Q, it all adds up! What are you waiting for? The storm is finally here, and QAnon is like, ‘You can’t believe everything you read on the internet.’”
If that weren’t enough, Gaetz was the only representative in Congress to vote against a 2017 human trafficking bill.
