SC Dem Senate candidate claims she will stand up to her party as Graham ties her to ‘socialist Democrats’

2026-10-12T09:46:52-04:00 / Fox News

Andrews says Graham ‘seems to believe the job she has right now is to be the White House’s ambassador to South Carolina’

By Alex Nitzberg Fox News

Published October 12, 2026 9:46am EDT

Sen Darline Graham spars with Dem opponent during SC debate

Republican Sen. Darline Graham and Democratic opponent Annie Andrews clashed during the South Carolina U.S. Senate election debate on October 11, 2026. (Courtesy: SCETV)

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Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., and Democratic challenger Annie Andrews clashed on Sunday night during the South Carolina U.S. Senate debate, which also included Libertarian candidate Kasie Whitener.

Graham said she is “concerned about the socialist Democrats,” asserting that after Hamas terrorists slaughtered Israelis on Oct. 7, 2023, Democrats in New York cheered “over the death of over a thousand people.”

“Annie Andrews will not stand up to the socialist Democratic Party. She’s only going to join them,” Graham declared.

DARLINE GRAHAM’S ‘EMBARRASSING AND INEXCUSABLE’ NATIONAL SECURITY STUMBLE SPOTLIGHTS BREAK FROM LATE BROTHER

Senator Darline Graham, R-S.C., speaks to members of the media after casting her ballot at a polling location inside Lake Murray Baptist Church during a special primary election in Lexington, S.C., on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026.(Sam Wolfe/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Andrews fired back, claiming that she is willing to stand up to her party.

“I told you my opponent was going to call me a socialist and there she’s done it again. She’s been told to come out here and call me Bernie, Ocasio, Mamdani. That’s what’s in her script,” Andrews said, referring to Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

“But the truth is my name is Annie Andrews. And there shouldn’t be any confusion about that because unlike my opponent, I haven’t changed my name recently,” she said.

DEMOCRATS ARE CHANGING THEIR TRANSGENDER MESSAGE. REPUBLICANS SAY THEY’RE JUST FLIP-FLOPPING

South Carolina Democratic Senate candidate Dr. Annie Andrews speaks during a campaign stop at the Columbia Bethlehem Community Center on Oct. 6, 2026 in Columbia, S.C.(Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

“The real difference between me and Sen. Graham is that I will stand up to my own party and I will always put South Carolina first. She seems to believe the job she has right now is to be the White House’s ambassador to South Carolina. The job is to represent South Carolina. She considers the job to be to read their scripts and do their bidding. And we can do better,” Andrews asserted.

Graham fired back, saying that her “legal name is Graham” and “has always been Graham.” She explained, “I lost my parents when I was a little girl, and I kept the name Graham so that I felt connected to them. So my name, every document I have ever signed, has Graham on it.”

After the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster tapped the late lawmaker’s sister Darline to serve the remainder of her brother’s Senate term.

DEM SCRAMBLES TO CHANGE TUNE ON TRANS ATHLETES AS TRUMP TARGETS PAST RECORD: ‘ANNIE TRANNIE’

Video South Carolina Dem Senate nominee pushes back on transgender policies amid Trump attacks

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President Donald Trump is backing Sen. Darline Graham for election to a full six-year Senate term.

Alex Nitzberg is a writer for Fox News Digital.

Pope Leo to go to hospital Tuesday for lung nodule surgery

October 12, 2026 / 10:36 AM EDT / CBS/AP

Pope Leo XIV will be admitted to the hospital on Tuesday, days after he shared he would undergo surgery to remove a lung nodule discovered during recent medical tests, the Vatican announced.

The Holy See press office didn’t say when the operation itself would take place, but said it will require a weeklong recovery in the hospital.

The U.S.-born pontiff revealed the discovery of the nodule during his Sunday noon prayer and said he was following doctors’ advice to have it removed.

He said it was found in an early stage and was “circumscribed.”

“The doctors believe it’s best to take action, so, following their advice, I’ve decided to have surgery to remove it,” Leo, 71, said Sunday. “Thank you for your spiritual support, and I entrust myself to your prayers.”

He will be treated at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, which has a special apartment for the pope.

The Vatican press office said Monday that no particular issue precipitated the tests, denying Italian media reports suggesting an inflammation had prompted Leo to undergo the checkup.

The pope’s surgery marks the first major health event of his 17-month pontificate. It was significant because the pope himself revealed the news, in perhaps the most public way possible: at the end of his Sunday noon blessing with thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square.

The Vatican has for centuries zealously guarded the pope’s health and has often sent out confusing information, or none at all, about papal illnesses. Pope Francis tried to change that by being upfront about his frailties and musing on his eventual death. But even during his pontificate, information was tightly controlled.

Leo’s decision and reveal suggested an unusual level of transparency by the American pope.

A lung nodule is a small abnormal area measuring less than 1 inch that sometimes appears on a CT scan of the chest or abdomen, according to the American Cancer Society. Often, the scans are done to investigate trauma or a lung infection, unrelated to a lung cancer screening.

On Monday, it was business as usual at the Vatican. Leo presided over an audience with members of a Rome-based charity, the Circolo San Pietro, and received a donation from them. He spoke in a strong, clear voice, praising their service and sacrifice. The crowd gave him a rousing round of applause afterward.

He had six other private audiences, made three appointments and the Vatican released a letter he had penned to the outgoing dean of the College of Cardinals, thanking him for his service. The letter was signed on Sunday.

In the afternoon, he was expected to continue his audiences and, if time, rejoin a weeklong conference he convened on ministering to families.

The pope has a major trip planned Nov. 6-17 to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru. It’s unclear whether the planned surgery and recovery would affect the itinerary.

Hurricane Isaias leaves trail of destruction in Southeast: “Never expected to be 77 years old and go through this”

October 12, 2026 / 9:48 AM EDT / CBS News

Hurricane Isaias left behind a trail of destruction from Florida’s Gulf Coast to the Carolinas over the weekend after slamming onto shore near Destin, Florida, as a Category 2 storm.

The storm made landfall on Friday night and roared through the Southeast. At least two people were killed in Florida and two were killed in Alabama.

Some of the most violent wind gusts from the hurricane were recorded 15 miles away from the coast, in Milton, Florida. The wind there took down a massive tree, which fell on top of a house. Phyllis Hennebery said she was in her room lying down when the tree fell.

“I never expected to be 77 years old and go through this,” she said, showing CBS News destruction from the fallen tree in the ceiling above her.

Phyllis Hennebery shows where she was when a tree fell on her home in Milton, Florida. CBS News

The hurricane shredded roofs off apartments and tore away walls that once enclosed bedrooms. On Monday morning, more than 150,000 customers in Florida were still without power, according to poweroutage.us. More than 20,000 others were without power in Alabama.

Pastor Jonathan Kaushal’s church group was handing out food and water after the storm.

“Lots of people in need after the hurricane and so we just want to be there for the community,” he said.

A worker removes a tree that landed on a home when Hurricane Isaias passed through the area on Oct. 10, 2026, in Milton, Florida. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

The remnants of the storm also spun off at least eight confirmed tornadoes in Georgia and the Carolinas, including one that ripped off the roof of a home about 90 miles west of Charleston.

In western North Carolina, more than half a foot of rain flooded roads.

Tropical Storm Rachel impacts West Coast

As Isaias moved through the Southeast, the West Coast was feeling the impact of another significant storm. What’s left of Tropical Storm Rachel sent massive 8-foot waves pounding beachfront homes south of Los Angeles.

The Coast Guard rescued a man by helicopter who was trapped in a sailboat that ran onshore Sunday morning.

Flooding also spread into southern Nevada, swamping the Las Vegas Strip.

Severe weather also slammed Utah during the Moab 240, a five-day-long ultramarathon. Around 70 runners were rescued by bus after they were stranded by dangerous floods.

Democrats see new chances to flip red states — but a $400M GOP spending advantage could derail their plans

2026-10-12T10:04:00-04:00 / Fox News

Senate Majority PAC warns of difficult spending decisions as GOP-aligned groups flood competitive races in nine states

By Paul Steinhauser Fox News

Published October 12, 2026 10:04am EDT

Top Democrat-aligned group warns of tough spending decisions as GOP dominates Senate money race

Democrat-aligned Senate Majority PAC Communications Director Lauren French, in a Fox News Digital interview, sounds alarm over GOP spending advantage as Senate battleground map expands

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With just over three weeks to go until Election Day, more and more red states and congressional districts appear in reach for the Democrats, as they work to win back House and Senate majorities from the Republicans in the midterms. But a massive Republican spending advantage threatens to complicate those ambitions.

Republican campaigns, committees and aligned groups have outspent their Democratic counterparts by $400 million so far this election cycle, according to AdImpact, a leading political advertising tracking firm.

The disparity is forcing Democrats to make difficult decisions about where to invest and how much to spend as the party tries to expand the electoral map.

“We are being outspent by the Republicans. That’s just a fact,” Lauren French, communications director at the Senate Majority PAC, told Fox News Digital. “In many of these states, they have really transactionalized elections, so they have monopoly money to play with, whereas we are working with real resources.”

DEMOCRATS THINK A BLUE WAVE IS FORMER – HERE ARE THREE FACTORS THAT COULD STOP IT

Fox News Power Rankings on Senate forecast.(Remy Numa/Fox News)

The latest Fox News Power Rankings shifted GOP-dominated South Carolina from Solid to Likely Republican. The Senate showdown in reliably Republican Kansas is Lean Republican, while the races in red-leaning Alaska, Iowa, Ohio and Texas are rated toss-ups.

“Senate Majority PAC has resources to compete, and we are very happy that we’re able to be in 9 battleground states,” French said.

The super PAC is the leading outside group supporting Democratic Senate candidates and incumbents and is aligned with longtime Democratic leader Sen. Chuck Schumer.

French highlighted record-setting fundraising over the past three months, but added, “of course, more recess resources would be helpful.”

With the latest polls from Fox News and other organizations showing Democrats increasingly competitive across the Senate map, the party is pleading for more money.

“Last month a pro-Trump PAC reserved $10 million in New Hampshire advertising, and we’re being outspent 3-to-1,” reads a fundraising pitch to supporters by Rep. Chris Pappas, the Democratic Senate nominee in swing state New Hampshire.

WHO’S UP AND WHO’S DOWN IN THE LATEST FOX NEWS MIDTERM POWER RANKINGS

Rep. Chris Pappas of New Hampshire, the Democratic Senate nominee, speaks at a state party event on Oct. 3, 2026 in Concord, N.H.(Paul Steinhauser/Fox News)

Senate Majority PAC is rushing some of its record fundraising into the newly competitive battlegrounds. And American Bridge PAC, a Democrat-aligned group, recently pumped over $20 million into South Carolina and Kansas, as well as competitive races in two other red states, Florida and Mississippi.

But the Democratic groups are being outspent by their Republican-aligned counterparts, thanks to major expenditures by Senate Leadership Fund, the President Donald Trump-allied MAGA Inc. and a super PAC bankrolled by Elon Musk.

“The hard reality is there isn’t enough funding to protect the toss-up states and also heavily invest in the red-leaning states where we’re playing offense,” a veteran Democratic Senate operative who requested anonymity to speak candidly told Fox News Digital.”

French told Fox News Digital “This is the time in the campaign season where everyone really has to make some of those belt-tightening decisions, and that’s why we’re looking at every race really closely to make sure we have enough resources to get to the majority, but we’re also not leaving anyone shortchanged.”

House Democrats are facing a similar predicament.

A memo from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) shared with donors warned that Republicans “are now flooding districts across our battlefield with MAGA Inc. and Trump super PAC money that we simply cannot match.”

DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB

Fox News Power Rankings forecast for the House of Representatives.(Remy Numa/Fox News)

The memo, which was obtained by Fox News Digital, requested an additional $17 million that was needed by Oct. 22 “to close the sale” in what they described as “winnable races.”

The GOP is fighting political history, which has traditionally seen the party in power in Washington lose congressional seats during midterm election years. Add to that a challenging political climate fueled by persistent inflation Americans see at the grocery store, high gas prices tied to what polls show is an unpopular war with Iran and Trump’s negative approval ratings.

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But the Republicans’ financial advantage has allowed GOP campaigns and allied groups to spend more on political advertising nationally.

“Thanks to the tireless efforts of Leader John Thune, Senate Leadership Fund has amassed a financial advantage that neither party has had before. SLF will continue to invest unprecedented resources across the map to maintain the Republican Senate majority,” Senate Leadership Fund communications director Chris Gustafson told Fox News Digital.

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Veteran GOP strategist Jesse Hunt told Fox News Digital that “Republican outside groups will have played a decisive role in positive Republican performance if they have a good election night despite what is strong headwinds working against them.”

“This is not an advantage Republicans typically have and it’s definitely a contributing factor to a lot of candidates on the ballot right now keeping their races close,” Hunt emphasized.

Paul Steinhauser covers the national campaign trail from coast to coast for Fox News

Fmr. WH ethics lawyer: ‘We’ve never seen something like this’

9:56 AM EDT, Mon October 12, 2026 / CNN

By Randi Furman, CNN

Fmr. WH ethics lawyer: “We’ve never seen something like this”

CNN News Central’s Sara Sidner speaks with Former White House Ethics Lawyer Richard Painter amid fallout from the President using taxpayer funds to pay for political ads. A federal judge has ordered the administration to cancel any further airings.

4:13 • Source: CNN

厄尔尼诺现象导致太平洋关键区域气温创新高

2026年10月12日 20:25 / 联合早报

9月23日，巴拿马渔民结束了一天的海上捕捞作业，返回巴拿马城的渔业码头。从厄瓜多尔和秘鲁沿岸到巴拿马和危地马拉沿岸，东太平洋地区的小规模渔民正饱受厄尔尼诺现象引发的海水变暖之苦；这种气候现象迫使多种鱼类向更深的水域迁徙，导致渔网往往只有半满，沿海社区也因此陷入危机。 （法新社）

（巴黎法新电）欧盟气候监测机构哥白尼气候变化服务中心说，9月份太平洋一处关键海域的气温打破纪录，显示厄尔尼诺现象加剧带来异常强大的威力。

哥白尼星期一（10月12日）指出，上月太平洋的厄尔尼诺监测区（即Nino3.4区）的海面温度达到29.70摄氏度，创下新高。这一数值超越了1982/1983年、1997/1998年，以及2015/2016年历次强厄尔尼诺现象的峰值温度，“凸显当前厄尔尼诺现象的异常强大威力”。

全球气象预报机构数月来一直警告，此次厄尔尼诺现象可能成为有记录以来最强的一次。然而气候变暖也会使海洋温度上升，导致近年的厄尔尼诺现象看起来比过去更强，进行历史对比因此变得复杂。

哥白尼说，他们采用了一个把热带海洋变暖也纳入考量的新指数，结果新指数显示当前这轮厄尔尼诺现象并没有比过去几轮更强。不过9月观测到的数值“显示厄尔尼诺现象已异常强烈，尤其考虑到该现象尚未达到峰值”。

各国气候预测机构评估厄尔尼诺现象所采用的标准不尽相同。日本气象厅上周五说，厄尔尼诺现象已达到“有记录以来最强的强度”，监测区域的温度比正常水平高出4摄氏度。

根据哥白尼的数据，随着厄尔尼诺现象增强，9月全球平均海面温度创纪录，达到21.05摄氏度，高于2023年同月创下的20.92摄氏度最高纪录。

总体而言，上个月也是全球有记录以来第二热的9月，平均地表气温为16.27摄氏度，比工业化前的平均水平高出1.63摄氏度。

各国在2015年巴黎气候大会同意，努力将全球升温限制在1.5 摄氏度以内，然而联合国上月指出，全球升温将在未来几年内突破1.5摄氏度临界点。

哥白尼气候变化服务中心主任布诺坦普在声明中说：“我们正处于连续数月气温高于（工业化前水平）1.5摄氏度的新一轮时期，而随着强厄尔尼诺现象继续增强，这种态势可能持续至2027年……突破巴黎协定的长期限值只是时间问题。”

科学家说，要使气温尽速回落，减少化石燃料产生的温室气体至关重要。

厄尔尼诺现象导致太平洋关键区域气温创新高

2026年10月12日 20:25 / 联合早报

9月23日，巴拿马渔民结束了一天的海上捕捞作业，返回巴拿马城的渔业码头。从厄瓜多尔和秘鲁沿岸到巴拿马和危地马拉沿岸，东太平洋地区的小规模渔民正饱受厄尔尼诺现象引发的海水变暖之苦；这种气候现象迫使多种鱼类向更深的水域迁徙，导致渔网往往只有半满，沿海社区也因此陷入危机。 （法新社）

（巴黎法新电）欧盟气候监测机构哥白尼气候变化服务中心说，9月份太平洋一处关键海域的气温打破纪录，显示厄尔尼诺现象加剧带来异常强大的威力。

哥白尼星期一（10月12日）指出，上月太平洋的厄尔尼诺监测区（即Nino3.4区）的海面温度达到29.70摄氏度，创下新高。这一数值超越了1982/1983年、1997/1998年，以及2015/2016年历次强厄尔尼诺现象的峰值温度，“凸显当前厄尔尼诺现象的异常强大威力”。

全球气象预报机构数月来一直警告，此次厄尔尼诺现象可能成为有记录以来最强的一次。然而气候变暖也会使海洋温度上升，导致近年的厄尔尼诺现象看起来比过去更强，进行历史对比因此变得复杂。

哥白尼说，他们采用了一个把热带海洋变暖也纳入考量的新指数，结果新指数显示当前这轮厄尔尼诺现象并没有比过去几轮更强。不过9月观测到的数值“显示厄尔尼诺现象已异常强烈，尤其考虑到该现象尚未达到峰值”。

各国气候预测机构评估厄尔尼诺现象所采用的标准不尽相同。日本气象厅上周五说，厄尔尼诺现象已达到“有记录以来最强的强度”，监测区域的温度比正常水平高出4摄氏度。

根据哥白尼的数据，随着厄尔尼诺现象增强，9月全球平均海面温度创纪录，达到21.05摄氏度，高于2023年同月创下的20.92摄氏度最高纪录。

总体而言，上个月也是全球有记录以来第二热的9月，平均地表气温为16.27摄氏度，比工业化前的平均水平高出1.63摄氏度。

各国在2015年巴黎气候大会同意，努力将全球升温限制在1.5 摄氏度以内，然而联合国上月指出，全球升温将在未来几年内突破1.5摄氏度临界点。

哥白尼气候变化服务中心主任布诺坦普在声明中说：“我们正处于连续数月气温高于（工业化前水平）1.5摄氏度的新一轮时期，而随着强厄尔尼诺现象继续增强，这种态势可能持续至2027年……突破巴黎协定的长期限值只是时间问题。”

科学家说，要使气温尽速回落，减少化石燃料产生的温室气体至关重要。

Federal officers carry out search at Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar’s DC-area home

2026-10-12T13:43:05.695Z / CNN

By Michael Williams

Updated 39 min ago

Updated Oct 12, 2026, 11:24 AM ET

PUBLISHED Oct 12, 2026, 9:43 AM ET

Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., takes questions during a news conference at the Capitol in Washington, Jan. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

J. Scott Applewhite/AP/File

Federal officers early on Monday executed a search warrant at the DC-area home of Rep. Ilhan Omar, the Minnesota congresswoman who has been the persistent target of ire from President Donald Trump’s administration, according to a Justice Department spokesperson and a source familiar with the matter.

The Department of Justice said in a statement on Monday that investigators from Homeland Security Investigations, a branch of the Department of Homeland Security that handles criminal investigations, “executed a judicially authorized search warrant secured by the Department of Justice.”

“This enforcement action is part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation,” a DOJ spokesperson said.

The statement did not indicate what the investigation entailed. CNN has reached out to DHS and Omar for comment.

Omar is currently running for reelection and the search warrant was executed only weeks before the midterms.

While authorities have not said what prompted the search, administration officials have previously indicated that she was facing an investigation.

White House Border Czar Tom Homan said on Fox News last month that “things are going on” in relation to Omar, before adding: “But I can’t give the specifics of what’s happening.”

Speaking to Fox on Monday morning, Homan confirmed the search warrant was executed, but provided no other information.

“The specifics of the investigation, I think I need to turn that over to Todd Blanche or Markwayne Mullin,” he said. “I don’t want to get ahead of them commenting on an ongoing investigation.”

Homeland Security officers stand, during an investigation at the Washington, DC residence of Rep. Ilhan Omar, early Monday.

J. Scott Applewhite/AP

Omar was born in Somalia and grew up at the peak of that country’s civil war. She fled to the US as a teenager and later became a US citizen. She was first elected to Congress in 2018 and became part of the “Squad,” a group of female women of color congresswomen known for pushing for progressive causes.

Since joining Congress, she has been the target of racist vitriol, including from Trump, who called Omar “garbage” last year and said Somalis should “go back to where they came from.”

Her home district in Minnesota was the target of an expansive immigration-enforcement campaign earlier this year that led to violent clashes between protesters and immigration authorities and the fatal shootings of two US citizens who were protesting the administration’s immigration surge.

Top administration officials, including Homeland Security Secretary Mullin, have accused Omar of marrying her brother to help bring him into the United States. They have provided no proof of this claim.

Homan said on Fox News last month, referencing Omar, that if “someone committed immigration violation, someone committed marriage fraud, or anything like that, regardless if they’re a congressman or not, no one’s above the law.”

Asked specifically whether that means there was an open investigation into Omar, Homan responded: “I’m confirming that ICE is — yeah, like I said months ago, that is something that’s been reported and needs to be looked at.”

It is unusual for the Justice Department to take such an aggressive investigative step toward a person running for office so close to an election. Voting is well underway in Minnesota, with more than 127,000 people having already voted, according to data from the secretary of state.

In prior years, the department has treaded cautiously for the 60-day period before an election day to not make searches or levy charges that would disadvantage a candidate. Department policy also bars prosecutors and investigative agents from selecting timing in an investigation so that it would influence an election.

Top Justice Department leadership signed off on the search after thorough deliberations given the proximity to the election, and a federal judge ultimately approved it, a source familiar with the investigation told CNN on Monday.

The Justice Department also has special policies requiring additional approvals when investigations involve a member of Congress, and the Constitution provides additional protections for members around papers and communications that relate to their legislative work.

This story has been updated with additional information.

CNN’s Katelyn Polantz, Kristen Holmes and Annie Grayer contributed to this report.

Drag queens, trans pastor, abortion rallies: Inside Dem governor hopeful’s progressive church

2026-10-12T08:00:17-04:00 / Fox News

Iowa’s Democratic governor candidate cultivated a moderate image while attending Plymouth Congregational Church

By Robert Schmad Fox News

Published October 12, 2026 8:00am EDT

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In one of the most hotly contested governor’s races in the country, the Democratic nominee has been working overtime to cultivate a moderate image — while reportedly attending a church that openly embraces some of the progressive causes dividing voters in Iowa.

Rob Sand, Iowa’s state auditor and its Democratic nominee for governor, regularly attended Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ, located in the state’s capital, as of late 2025, according to a local journalist. Over the years, Plymouth has hosted and promoted drag queen performances, invited a transgender pastor to serve as a guest pastor and openly supported abortion.

Sand has emphasized his faith on the campaign trail, repeatedly referencing Christianity and quoting scripture, at times successfully appealing to otherwise conservative Iowans. In addition to leaning on his faith, Sand has repeatedly described himself as independently minded, claimed to have voted for Republicans in the past and said that he sometimes prefers working with the GOP over Democrats, calling political parties “poison.”

“I am a Christian. I’m a conservative. But I’m not a party-based person,” one voter is quoted as saying in a Sand press release. “I like to vote for the person as opposed to the party. And to me, (Sand) just seems really honest and down to earth. And I enjoyed him.”

IOWA GUBERNATORIAL HOPEFUL ZACH LAHN TELLS ‘RUTHLESS’ DEMOCRATS ARE HIDING THEIR BAD POLICIES

Gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand speaks to voters during a campaign visit to the Carroll County Conservation Classroom on Aug. 20, 2026, in Carroll, Iowa.(Leon Neal/Getty Images)

Sand’s reported church attendance, however, connects him to a congregation whose progressive religious and political positions stand in contrast to the moderate image he has emphasized on the campaign trail.

Sand’s church is open about its progressive slant, with its “about” page featuring an image of churchgoers at a gay pride parade, noting that the church does not take the Bible literally and stating that it “has been an LGBTQ+ Open and Affirming congregation for more than 30 years.”

An image of the church included in a profile compiled by the United Church of Christ shows it flying a pride flag on its grounds, noting that the church “is a progressive powerhouse in the region.”

“Rob Sand goes to church weekly and does so in Iowa, unlike Zach Lahn. Rob’s faith is deeply important to him, and like many, he has never found a church where he agrees with everything, but does prefer traditional services with liturgy and classic hymns,” a spokeswoman for his campaign told Fox News Digital. “Rob has always been independent-minded, and he isn’t going to take lessons in morality from a sex toy salesman who lives in Kansas.”

The mention of sex toys was a reference to FirmTech, a company that manufactures wearable sexual wellness devices and once counted GOP gubernatorial nominee Zach Lahn as an investor. Lahn maintains that the product was originally developed to monitor cardiovascular health and that he divested before the company shifted toward more sexually suggestive marketing.

Sand has also pointed to Lahn’s regular flights to Kansas, arguing that they betray tenuous ties to the state he’s seeking to govern. Lahn, meanwhile, says that he lives full-time in Iowa, explaining that the flights are a product of him needing to shuttle children from a previous marriage between the two states.

Lahn’s campaign did not divulge where he attends church when asked by Fox News Digital.

LGBTQ GROUP REVEALS WHICH DEM NOMINEE IS SPONSORING HALLOWEEN EVENT FEATURING DRAG SHOWS

The Iowa State Capitol building is seen on October 9, 2019, in Des Moines, Iowa. The 2020 Iowa Democratic caucuses will take place on February 3, 2020, making it the first nominating contest in the Democratic Party presidential primaries.(Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Plymouth’s progressive reputation is well-earned.

In May 2025, Plymouth hosted drag queen “Flamy Grant” for a concert, according to advertisements for the event, bringing an artist whose broader catalog includes sexually explicit lyrics to the progressive Des Moines congregation.

In one song, titled “Take a Chance on Me,” not to be confused with the ABBA classic of the same name, Grant sings, “I’m a patient lover unless I finish first. And I expect you [to] finish me if the roles are reversed. I maintain the mystery of my sexual history.”

In another song, the drag queen complained about his childhood church, stating that “I guess the lesson there was God would only hear a prayer If it came from a person with a c—.” The song continues to state that “secretly most men just fear the snatch” and praises Eve for disobeying God by eating the forbidden fruit.

POWERFUL LGBTQ+ GROUP’S ENDORSEMENTS COULD TANK VULNERABLE DEMS OVER RADICAL YOUTH TRANS AGENDA

Democratic Party candidate for Iowa governor, Rob Sand.(Rob Sand For Iowa)

About a year later, Plymouth promoted a drag event on its Facebook page at a nearby church billed as a “family-friendly karaoke fundraiser” headlined by drag queen “Tess Tura.” Tura hosts a podcast where, among other topics, unprotected gay sex is discussed.

In a similar vein, Plymouth invited transgender pastor Paula Stone Williams to serve as a guest pastor for one weekend in 2023, according to a local media report.At the time, Williams had recently published a book titled “As a Woman: What I learned about power, sex, and the patriarchy after I transitioned.”

VULNERABLE DEM’S CAMPAIGN PITCH CLASHES WITH ‘RADICAL’ VOTING RECORD ON TOP CULTURE WAR ISSUE

The Des Moines skyline is seen from the lookout at Two Rivers Park on Oct. 9, 2025, in Des Moines, Iowa.(Cody Scanlan/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

Some of Plymouth’s pro-LGBTQ advocacy is directed at young children.

Plymouth disclosed in a 2025 job posting that it partners with the Rainbow Faith Coalition, a group that says “LGBTQ+ identities are God-given, honored and celebrated,” and that “[f]ully living into these identities in name, pronoun, relationship and gender expression is not a barrier to participation … in any areas of the faith community,” including children’s programming and education.

The church also offers Our Whole Lives programming, a sexuality education curriculum co-published by the Unitarian Universalist Association and the United Church of Christ, with classes beginning in first grade that address topics including sexuality, relationships, gender identity and sexual health.

Similar to its theology, the church’s politics are decidedly liberal.

TOP CONSERVATIVE GROUP UNVEILS FULL-COURT PRESS IN KEY BATTLEGROUND STATE TO EXPOSE ‘SHOCKING’ DEM PLATFORM

Iowa Republican nominee for governor Zach Lahn speaks to fairgoers at the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 14, 2026, in Des Moines, Iowa.(Scott Olson/Getty Images)

In February 2025, for example, Plymouth’s pastors joined a protest in Iowa’s statehouse “to pray and stand up for our trans and gender nonconforming friends and neighbors,” per a post on the church’s Facebook page. A few years prior, church leadership participated in a pro-LGBTQ rally outside the statehouse, according to another church Facebook post.

“Plymouth’s bold social justice presence is a hallmark in the community and is often cited as a reason for new members joining the congregation,” a church job posting from 2025 reads. “We are committed to advancing justice, equity, and compassion in and beyond our community.”

Indeed, as the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade, Plymouth mobilized to fight against pro-life legislation, supporting those fighting for “reproductive healthcare” and referring to women as “all who hold the potential to bear life.” The church held a prayer vigil in support of abortion in May 2022 and rallied at the state capital in July 2023 to protest against efforts to regulate abortion.

After former President Joe Biden became the first president to formally recognize Transgender Day of Visibility in 2021, Plymouth followed his lead by sending Facebook messages to its followers observing Transgender Day of Visibility and Transgender Day of Remembrance between 2021 and 2023.

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“This is disturbing material, but it’s right in line with Rob Sand’s liberal views. If you believe men can become women, then what’s to stop you from teaching it to schoolchildren?” a spokesperson for the Lahn campaign told Fox News Digital. “Values matter and Rob’s values are NOT Iowa values.”

美国两党议员指美俄柴油协议违法

2026年10月12日 21:22 / 联合早报

• 特朗普宣布放宽对俄制裁以换取柴油供应，四名共和党与三名民主党参议员联合声明质疑协议合法性。 – 两党议员指政府未征询国会意见，违反2022年禁止进口俄罗斯能源的法律；美财长辩称协议有助降低物价。 – 泽连斯基指责俄罗斯违反特朗普宣布的能源停火协议，警告若莫斯科不同意停火，乌克兰将作出回应。 – 欧盟通过扩充对俄制裁名单，涉及约1600个个人和实体，为俄乌冲突爆发以来规模最大的一次扩充。

10月12日，乌克兰第二大城市哈尔科夫一栋居民楼遭俄军无人机击中后起火燃烧，消防员急忙灭火。 （法新社）

（华盛顿综合电）美国总统特朗普上周与俄罗斯总统普京达成的柴油供应协议罕见引发共和、民主两党议员一致批评，他们对协议的合法性公开提出质疑。

特朗普上周五（10月9日）宣布，将放宽对俄战时制裁，以换取莫斯科供应大量柴油。这项协议迅速招致乌克兰和欧盟的强烈反对。

在美国国内，四名共和党参议员连同三名民主党参议员星期天（11日）发表联合声明说：“国会在2022年明确禁止进口俄罗斯能源，以防止美元为普京针对乌克兰发动的残酷战争提供资金。”

声明强调：“国会的立场十分明确：在俄罗斯结束对乌克兰的侵略并停止威胁北约盟国之前，美国不应进口俄罗斯石油。”

两党议员谴责特朗普政府既未征询国会意见，也未按法律要求提交任何解释说明。“在俄罗斯继续杀害乌克兰平民之际，美国不应为普京提供经济生命线。政府应立即改弦更张。”

美国财长贝森特星期天接受福克斯新闻采访时辩称，这项协议有助于降低物价，对美国人民有利，政府将动用所有合法权力确保协议的落实。

泽连斯基促美国确保俄遵守能源停火协议

另一方面，乌克兰总统泽连斯基星期一指责俄罗斯违反特朗普宣布的能源停火协议，并敦促美国介入，确保莫斯科遵守协议条款。

特朗普星期天在社媒平台Truth Social宣布俄乌双方均已同意“能源停火”，但泽连斯基受询时对特朗普的声明表示惊讶，并称正在寻求更多详情。随后，俄军对乌克兰境内多座发电站发动袭击，首都基辅一座发电站被无人机击中，导致部分地区停电。

泽连斯基星期一通过视频连线在华沙举行的安全会议上说：“我们正在等待美俄双方达成的协议条款细节，同时也期待看到美方准备采取的具体行动。”

他同时警告，如果俄罗斯不同意能源停火，乌克兰将作出回应。

乌克兰总统泽连斯基周一通过视频连线，在华沙举行的安全会议上指责俄罗斯违反特朗普宣布的能源停火协议。他并警告，如果莫斯科不同意能源停火，基辅将作出回应。（路透社）

法国总统马克龙也为泽连斯基发声，称未观察到俄方有休战迹象。他星期一告诉记者，俄罗斯仍在继续轰炸乌克兰的平民和基础设施。

克里姆林宫则对特朗普宣称的能源停火协议不置可否，仅回应称，俄罗斯寻求的不是停火，而是持久和平。

克宫发言人佩斯科夫还说，如果泽连斯基有意举行总统选举，俄方只会停火一天，即在选举日当天不对乌克兰发动打击。

泽连斯基星期天说，如果俄罗斯同意完全停火60天，乌克兰就举行大选。

欧盟通过对俄最大规模制裁

为了继续向莫斯科施压，欧盟成员国外长星期一通过针对俄军工产业扩充制裁名单，涉及约1600个个人和实体。

欧盟外交与安全政策高级代表卡拉斯在X平台发文说，这是自俄乌冲突爆发以来，欧盟对俄制裁名单规模最大的一次扩充。新增制裁对象中，超过一半与弹道导弹生产供应链有关。

卡拉斯说，欧盟希望通过扩大制裁范围，增加俄罗斯生产武器的难度、时间成本和经济成本，削弱莫斯科的军工生产能力。