博客

Eight US Senate races to watch in the 2026 midterm elections

March 2, 2026 11:04 AM UTC / Reuters

WASHINGTON, March 2 (Reuters) – Democrats face an uphill battle to capture the U.S. Senate in the November midterm elections, as Republicans are defending just two seats seen as competitive by nonpartisan analysts and hold a 53-47 majority. Democrats are defending four competitive seats and would need to pick up another four to take the majority. Elections will be held for 35 of the chamber’s 100 seats this year.

TEXAS
—–

Texas has been a Republican stronghold for generations, but a messy primary could put a Senate seat at risk. Incumbent Senator John Cornyn, a traditional establishment conservative, is trailing populist Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in opinion polls, and the presence of a third candidate, Representative Wesley Hunt, could push Tuesday’s primary to a May 26 runoff if no candidate wins an outright majority.

The Reuters Inside Track newsletter is your essential guide to the biggest events in global sport. Sign up here.

Paxton has a loyal following among conservative activists, thanks to his attacks on Texas immigration groups and what he calls illegal voting, and he appears to be the frontrunner despite a series of personal and professional scandals. He has won three statewide elections, most recently in 2022, but analysts say a primary victory could make the state more open to a Democratic upset.

The Democratic primary faces a marquee matchup between Representative Jasmine Crockett, a partisan warrior with an in-your-face style, and state Representative James Talarico, a Presbyterian seminarian who is aiming to appeal to more moderate voters. Analysts say Crockett could appeal more to Democratic primary voters but would have a harder time winning a general election.

NORTH CAROLINA
————–

Democrats have an opportunity to pick up an open seat in North Carolina, where Republican Senator Thom Tillis is opting to retire after clashing with Trump over immigration, the Federal Reserve and fiscal matters.

The state’s moderate former Democratic Governor Roy Cooper is favored to win Tuesday’s primary, while Republicans have lined up behind Michael Whatley, who previously led the party’s political arm as chairman of the Republican National Committee. Trump has endorsed him.

Analysts see the race as one of the most competitive this year.

ALASKA
——

Though this northern outpost usually elects Republicans, this year’s Senate race could be competitive as former Democratic Representative Mary Peltola seeks to unseat incumbent Republican Senator Dan Sullivan.

Sullivan has held the seat since 2015 and should be favored to secure another term in a state that Trump won by 14 points in the 2024 election.

While Sullivan is a mainstream conservative Republican, Alaskans have also repeatedly shown a willingness to back more moderate candidates, such as Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski.

Peltola, another moderate, has demonstrated the ability to win a statewide race. She became the first Alaska Native elected to Congress in 2022 and narrowly lost her seat in 2024.

MAINE
—–

Five-term Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine is no stranger to a competitive election. As chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, she oversees government spending levels, a job that has also led to clashes with the Trump administration this year.

A party moderate, she is deemed the Republicans’ best chance at holding the seat. Her challenger is likely to be either the state’s current Democratic governor, Janet Mills, or the progressive rival, Graham Platner, who will face off in a June 9 primary.

Mills, 77, is older than Collins, 72, and would be the oldest senator ever elected to a first term. The Democratic base cheered Mills when she stood up to Trump in defense of transgender rights. Platner is an oysterman and Marine Corps veteran running on a populist message, though controversies over past online comments and a tattoo that resembled a Nazi symbol have highlighted his political inexperience.

GEORGIA
——-

In the four competitive Senate races that Democrats need to defend, two are in states with Republican governors, underscoring the political challenge. Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff is running for reelection in Georgia after flipping the seat in an early 2021 runoff.

Ossoff, 38, is the youngest current senator. He has focused on issues relevant to his state, such as leading the fight against cuts to the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Trump has not endorsed anyone ahead of the May 19 Republican primary, extending the three-way competition between U.S. Representatives Mike Collins and Buddy Carter, and the Republican governor’s pick Derek Dooley, an attorney and former college football coach.

NEW HAMPSHIRE
————-

Democrats will need to defend an open seat here as three-term Senator Jeanne Shaheen is retiring. The New Hampshire race’s three main contenders are familiar to the state’s electorate, famous for civic engagement.

Both Republican candidates in the September 8 primary have already served in the Senate. John E. Sununu represented the state for one term until he lost in 2008, and Scott Brown served between 2010 and 2013, representing neighboring Massachusetts. Trump has endorsed Sununu.

On the Democratic side, Representative Chris Pappas, a four-term centrist, would be the first openly gay man elected to the Senate.

OHIO
—-

Formerly a swing state, Ohio has steadily trended to the right over the past decade, ousting long-serving Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown in 2024.

Brown is running again, hoping he will fare better in a year when Trump is not on the ballot.

But he faces a tough opponent in incumbent Republican Senator Jon Husted, who served as secretary of state and lieutenant governor before he was appointed to the Senate to fill Vice President JD Vance’s seat.

MICHIGAN
——–

With Senator Gary Peters retiring, both parties have a chance to win a Senate seat in this midwestern battleground state.

Multiple Democrats, spanning the party’s ideological spectrum, are running in the August 4 primary. Four-term Representative Haley Stevens is courting her party’s leadership, as Michigan state Senator Mallory McMorrow and Abdul El-Sayed, a progressive activist, try to show they can break the establishment mold.

Trump endorsed former longtime U.S. Representative Mike Rogers for his second Senate campaign. The Republican served in the Army, worked in the FBI and ran unsuccessfully for the Senate in 2024.

Reporting by Andy Sullivan and Bo Erickson; Editing by Scott Malone and Cynthia Osterman

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

节点运行失败

美以空袭伊朗 东京股市重挫

发布/2026年3月2日 17:57

受美以空袭伊朗事件影响，日本东京股市两大股指星期一（3月2日）显著下跌，日经股指一度跌超1500点，市场普遍担忧国际油价飙升将拖累全球经济增长。 （彭博社）

日本东京股市两大股指星期一（3月2日）显著下跌。日经225种股票平均价格指数收盘下跌1.35%，东京证券交易所股票价格指数下跌1.02%。

新华社报道，受上周最后一个交易日纽约股市三大股指下跌及美以军事打击伊朗影响，东京股市两大股指2日低开。上午交易时段，日经股指一度跌超1500点。随后跌幅有所收窄，大盘呈现涨跌互现的拉锯态势。一些市场分析人士认为，由于市场担忧国际油价飙升拖累世界经济增长，投资者普遍持观望态度。

至收盘时，日经股指下跌793.03点，收于58057.24点；东证股指下跌40.26点，收于3898.42点。

从板块看，东京证券交易所33个行业板块多数下跌，航空运输业、证券及商品期货交易业、银行业等板块跌幅靠前；矿业、有色金属、海洋运输业等板块上涨。

伊媒：伊朗导弹袭击以色列总理办公室

发布时间：2026年3月2日 18:30
来源：联合早报

据伊朗迈赫尔通讯社星期一（3月2日）报道，伊朗武装部队使用“霍拉姆沙赫尔-4”导弹袭击了以色列总理的办公室和以色列空军司令部，“造成严重破坏”。

节点运行失败

节点运行失败

Trump presses ahead with Iran war despite warnings of political risk for midterms

2026-03-02 / Reuters

By Nandita Bose, Gram Slattery and Bo Erickson

March 2, 2026 11:05 AM UTC Updated 9 mins ago

节点运行失败

U.S. President Donald Trump gestures as he boards Air Force One at Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., March 1, 2026. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

• Summary

• White House sources said there was extensive debate about how the Iran operation could impact Republicans’ midterm hopes
• Advisers want Trump focus on domestic affairs, not foreign policy
• Anticipated messaging pivot to focus on healthcare, affordability before midterms delayed once again
• Long-term political impact of attack will depend on how conflict plays out in coming weeks

WASHINGTON, March 2 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump pressed ahead with military strikes against Iran despite private warnings from senior aides that the escalation could be difficult to contain and carry political risks for Republicans in November’s midterm elections, according to two senior White House officials and a Republican close to the administration.

The large-scale attack has drawn near-unanimous praise from foreign policy hawks in Washington, who have long dreamed of toppling the authoritarian regime in Tehran. But some White House officials worry the foreign policy gamble may derail Republican chances of holding onto control of Congress at a time when war-wary voters are more concerned with the cost of living than conflicts abroad.

The Reuters Inside Track newsletter is your essential guide to the biggest events in global sport. Sign up here.

Advertisement · Scroll to continue

Before the strikes, Trump repeatedly sought briefings on how the military action could allow him to project strength domestically, the senior White House officials said. Top aides cautioned that U.S. intelligence did not provide a clear guarantee that escalation could be avoided once strikes began and that the administration risked tying its political fortunes to an unpredictable aftermath.

Trump ultimately sided with those who believed decisive action would show him as a strong leader, even if it carried long-term risks, the officials said.

None of those officials expect immediate political fallout. Instead, they expect what one described as a “slow‑burn effect,” driven by the duration of the conflict, scope of retaliation, number of American casualties and impact on gas prices.

Advertisement · Scroll to continue

A Reuters/Ipsos poll on Sunday showed only one in four Americans approved of the U.S. strikes that killed Iran’s leader. About half of the respondents — including one in four Republicans — said they believe Trump is too willing to use military force. The poll closed before the U.S. military announced the first American casualties in the operation.

“The President’s decision to launch Operation Epic Fury is one that presidents of both parties have contemplated for more than fifty years, but none had the courage to execute,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. “Right now, the White House’s main priority is working alongside the Pentagon and the interagencies to ensure the continued and ultimate success of the operation.”

FOCUS ON ECONOMY AGAIN DEFIED

With public sentiment in mind ahead of the midterms, White House officials and Trump advisers had been urging the president to focus on the topics that are top of mind for Americans, like healthcare and affordability, as he did in the State of the Union address four days before the attack.

节点运行失败

The weekend strikes underscored how quickly that strategy has failed, at least for now. The president said in Sunday interviews the Iran operations are expected to be a four- to five-week process, and he continued to brace the country for more American deaths after the U.S. military announced three service members had been killed.

“The juxtaposition between a successful State of the Union address that focused on affordability and the economic issues that voters care about and going to war in the Middle East days later is not just whiplash-inducing, it’s head-spinning,” said Rob Godfrey, a Republican strategist.

“Making midterm voters comfortable with that juxtaposition will be one of the most important things that the White House needs to undertake in the next few weeks.”

One informal Trump adviser, who has been to the White House in recent days, argued that the main electoral danger lies not with middle-of-the-road or independent voters, but with members of Trump’s MAGA movement, for whom non-interventionism was a key part of the president’s pitch during the 2024 campaign.

Many of those voters could simply stay home during the midterms, during which voter turnout already tends to be low, the adviser said.

With 58% of Americans disapproving of Trump’s performance in office, according to a February Reuters/Ipsos poll, Republicans will need heavy turnout among core supporters to fend off Democratic gains that could flip control of the U.S. House of Representatives and maybe even endanger the Republican stronghold in the Senate.

COMPETITIVE HOUSE RACES MORE VULNERABLE

White House aides are modeling how a prolonged military engagement in Iran, casualties and higher fuel costs could erode public support in competitive congressional districts, the White House officials said.

The White House believes competitive races in the House, where Republicans hold a narrow majority, are far more at risk from fallout from Iran than the Senate map, the sources said.

The White House political models show dozens of swing districts where even modest voter skepticism could prove decisive, or at least force vulnerable Republican representatives – such as Colorado’s Gabe Evans, Wisconsin’s Derrick Van Orden and Pennsylvania’s Rob Bresnahan – to vote on thorny war-powers resolutions and answer questions about a widening conflict abroad when they want to be focused on domestic issues like the cost of living.

A senior Republican operative working to hold onto the party’s congressional majorities said foreign intervention carries more political risk than upside for Trump. Foreign policy victories oftentimes do not register with voters, though foreign policy quagmires typically do.

“Unless this operation goes bad, voters, especially for the midterms, don’t care about foreign policy,” the operative said.

Trump’s capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in a raid last month prompted little political blowback and resulted in no American deaths. However, since that operation in early January, Trump’s approval rating dropped from 42% to 39%, according to the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll.

Analysts said a short-lived war that results in Iran giving up its nuclear program and installing new leaders would be received more positively than a protracted conflagration in which many Americans die.

Interviews with Trump supporters show that – even as a sizeable minority are wary of his growing penchant for foreign intervention – many are willing to go along with his transformation from self-declared “peacemaker” to aggressive military tactician.

“This totally blindsided me, I didn’t even know this was even being thought about,” said BJ Moore, an 83-year-old Trump voter from Atlanta, Georgia, about the Iran operation. “No one wants to be involved in a war, but Iran just killed thousands of their own people, so I’m fine with what Trump did.”

Reporting by Gram Slattery in Murren, Switzerland, Bo Erickson in West Palm Beach, Florida, and Nandita Bose in Washington; Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Stephen Coates

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

Photos showing last moments of men executed by Nazis acquired by Greece after appearing on eBay

March 2, 2026 / 6:12 AM EST / CBS/AFP

Greece has acquired a trove of World War II photographs showing the last moments of 200 men executed by German soldiers following the assassination of a Nazi general, the culture minister said Saturday.

The collection includes 262 photographs, 16 documents and four contemporary banknotes. The photographs are believed to have been taken by a German soldier who had also served in Belgium and France.

“The transfer of ownership of the photographic collection… has been completed,” Lina Mendoni said in a statement.

The ministry had previously said they showed “the last moments” of 200 communists executed at an Athens shooting range on May 1, 1944.

Twelve of the photographs had appeared on the eBay site Crain’s Militaria earlier this month before being taken down.

They had provoked strong emotions in Greece, especially among relatives of the victims.

Greece acquired a trove of World War II photographs showing the last moments of 200 men executed by German soldiers. Greece Culture Ministry

Ministry officials then traveled to Belgium to meet the collector who put them for sale and verify their authenticity.

Some of the images had received bids worth more than $2,000 before Belgian collector Tim de Craen took them down, France 24 reported.

“I fully understand that these photographs are of a particularly sensitive historical nature,” he told Greek newspaper I Kathimerini.

The executions followed the killing of a German general and his staff by communist guerrillas a few days earlier.

Greece was under Nazi occupation from 1941 until 1944.

Most of the executed men had been arrested years earlier during anti-communist raids by the police of Greek dictator Ioannis Metaxas.

Until now, the only testimony of the 200 victims’ final moments were from handwritten notes they threw out of the trucks taking them to the execution site.

One of the pictures shows the men marching through a field. Others show them standing against a wall at the shooting range.

Greece acquired a trove of World War II photographs showing the last moments of 200 men executed by German soldiers. Greece Culture Ministry

The most dramatic photograph shows several of them looking defiantly into the camera. Two of them appear to be singing.

“The photographs shocked me,” Polymeris Voglis, a university professor in social history in Greece, told France 24. “Although the execution of 200 resistance fighters is a well-known historical event, until now there has been no photographic evidence of it.”

“Some of the photographs show the faces of the men, reflecting their determination as they walk proudly towards the firing squad,” Voglis told the outlet.

Ten US House races to watch in 2026

By Andy Sullivan
March 2, 2026 11:06 AM UTC Updated 19 mins ago

节点运行失败

A view of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 29, 2025. REUTERS/Ken Cedeno Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

WASHINGTON, March 2 (Reuters) – Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives will defend a narrow majority in the November midterm elections, while Democrats hope to pick up enough seats to win control of the chamber, which would give them the power to investigate President Donald Trump’s administration.

Voters will select candidates in party primary elections over the next several months. Some of these races could provide clues about the direction of each party and the competitiveness of the overall election.

The Reuters Inside Track newsletter is your essential guide to the biggest events in global sport. Sign up here.

Advertisement · Scroll to continue

Here are some races to watch in the coming months:

TEXAS 23RD DISTRICT: A SCANDAL-TARRED INCUMBENT VS. A RIGHT-WING INFLUENCER (MARCH 3)

Republican Representative Tony Gonzales is battling a late-breaking scandal as he tries to hold off a challenge from right-wing YouTube personality Brandon Herrera.

Local media have published text messages indicating Gonzales had an affair with a staffer who died by suicide last year. Gonzales faces an ethics investigation in Congress and several of his colleagues have called on him to resign. He has denied wrongdoing, but the allegations will not help his primary battle with Herrera, who came within 350 votes of unseating him in the 2024 primary.

Advertisement · Scroll to continue

Herrera, a gun company owner who calls himself “the AK Guy,” has joked about veteran suicide and the Holocaust on his YouTube channel. The sprawling district, which stretches from San Antonio to El Paso, is solidly Republican, but analysts say it could potentially become competitive in November.

TEXAS 2ND DISTRICT: THE RIGHT TARGETS A VETERAN (MARCH 3)

Republican Representative Dan Crenshaw, a combat veteran who lost an eye in Afghanistan, has a solidly conservative track record but has been targeted by right-wing media for his support of Ukraine and his vote to certify Trump’s 2020 election defeat. He is the only Republican House incumbent in Texas not to win Trump’s endorsement this time.

Crenshaw is being challenged by Steve Toth, an ordained pastor who is one of the most conservative members of the Texas Legislature. If he unseats Crenshaw, that would send a warning to other Republicans who occasionally break with Trump.

TEXAS 21ST DISTRICT: TEIXEIRA AT THE PLATE (MARCH 3)

Former Major League Baseball star Mark Teixeira is the front-runner in a crowded field to fill an empty seat representing the Hill Country between Austin and San Antonio. Teixeira won a World Series ring with the New York Yankees but has never held elected office. He is backed by Trump, Texas Governor Greg Abbott, and several senior House Republicans. But with more than 10 candidates vying for the Republican nomination, Teixeira may not clear 50%, setting up a May 26 runoff.

TEXAS 15TH DISTRICT: THE SINGER VERSUS THE EMERGENCY ROOM DOCTOR (MARCH 3)

Democrats are excited about the candidacy of Bobby Pulido, a Tejano music star hoping to oust incumbent Republican Representative Monica De La Cruz. But he faces a tough challenge from fellow Democrat Ada Cuellar, an emergency-room doctor who is arguing that Pulido does not support abortion rights strongly enough. Pulido says he is personally opposed to abortion but thinks it should be legal.

TEXAS 18TH DISTRICT: AL GREEN’S SWAN SONG? (MARCH 3)

Democratic Representative Al Green has served in Congress since 2005, but he’s perhaps best known for literally standing up to Trump – most recently during last week’s State of the Union speech, when he was escorted out of the chamber for holding a sign that said “Black people aren’t apes” in a protest of a racist video Trump’s White House had posted.

Green’s career might soon come to an end, as Democratic voters have pressured aging leaders to step aside after former President Joe Biden’s ill-fated 2024 reelection bid.

After a Republican-led redistricting, Green now must win a primary against fellow Democratic Representative Christian Menefee in the same downtown Houston district. Polls show Menefee, 37, leading by a wide margin.

NORTH CAROLINA 1ST DISTRICT: REPUBLICANS VIE FOR A COMPETITIVE SEAT (MARCH 3)

Republicans in North Carolina redrew their districts last year to make it easier to defeat Democratic Representative Don Davis, who represents the only competitive House district in the swing state.

Retired Army Colonel Laurie Buckhout, who lost to Davis by less than 2 points in 2024, leads a field of five Republicans who are squaring off for the chance to take on Davis in the fall. A Buckhout victory would point toward a competitive general election race, while an upset by one of the lesser-known candidates could help Davis hang on.

NORTH CAROLINA 4TH DISTRICT: A DEMOCRATIC REMATCH (MARCH 3)

A rematch in North Carolina’s Research Triangle could provide a clue about whether the Democratic Party is shifting left. Incumbent Representative Valerie Foushee faces a challenge from Durham County Commissioner Nida Allam, the first Muslim elected official in the state, who is backed by progressive groups like Justice Democrats and the Working Families Party. Those groups are also mounting challenges to other sitting Democrats who they say are not doing enough to fight Trump.

Foushee defeated Allam by 9 percentage points in 2022.

GEORGIA 14TH DISTRICT: FILLING MTG’S SHOES (MARCH 10)

The race to fill the seat vacated by former Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene has exposed divisions in Trump’s base. Some 15 candidates are running for the seat in this deeply conservative northern corner of Georgia, and Trump’s endorsement of former district attorney Clay Fuller has failed to clear the field. Fuller has vowed to move past Greene’s combative style and focus on economic development, but other candidates like former state Senator Colton Moore have portrayed themselves as more loyal supporters of the president.

ILLINOIS 9TH DISTRICT: A CROWDED FIELD FOR DEMOCRATS (MARCH 17)

Sixteen Democrats are running to fill an empty seat in a district that includes the northern reaches of Chicago and several nearby suburbs. Leading candidates include Kat Abughazaleh, a progressive Palestinian-American social media influencer who faces criminal charges stemming from an immigration protest in October; Evanston Mayor Dan Biss, who is endorsed by the retiring incumbent Jan Schakowsky; and state Senator Laura Fine.

KENTUCKY 4TH DISTRICT: TRUMP TRIES TO OUST A REPUBLICAN DISSIDENT (MAY 19)

Trump hopes to oust one of his most prominent Republican critics in Congress, Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who voted against Trump’s signature tax and spending bill last year and led the drive to release millions of government files on the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Trump encouraged retired Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein to run for the seat last year and endorsed him even before he entered the race. Massie, an MIT-trained libertarian, has represented the northern Kentucky district since 2012 and has won every primary by lopsided margins since then.

Reporting by Andy Sullivan; editing by Scott Malone

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

Former President Bill Clinton deposed in Epstein probe in potential first for Congress

March 1, 2026 11:47pm EST | Updated March 2, 2026 5:38am EST | Fox News

Former President Bill Clinton testified under subpoena before the House Oversight Committee as part of its Jeffrey Epstein investigation

Most congressional precedents emanate from Capitol Hill.

Most presidential precedents emerge from 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

But a precedent which may echo around the halls of Congress and the White House for years materialized in recent days in the snow-covered, wooded village of Chappaqua, New York.

That’s where former President Bill Clinton testified under subpoena to the House Oversight Committee as part of its investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. Lawmakers said the panel’s ability to compel testimony from a former president could establish a new precedent going forward — including in matters involving President Trump and the Epstein files.

According to congressional historians, never before has a congressional committee deposed a former president. It was rare enough to have former first lady and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton testify the day before. Republicans noted that former President Clinton had previously acknowledged knowing Epstein and traveling on trips that included him.

“I do not recall ever encountering Mr. Epstein. I never flew on his plane or visited his island, homes or offices,” said Hillary Clinton after nearly six hours of closed-door testimony before the panel.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., said Hillary Clinton declared “‘You’ll have to ask my husband,’” more than “a dozen” times during her deposition ahead of Bill Clinton’s the following day.

There are no accusations of wrongdoing against either of the Clintons in connection with Epstein. But the former president’s past ties to Jeffrey Epstein have spurred questions from lawmakers.

REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: BONDI’S BINDER STRATEGY TURNS HOUSE HEARING INTO POLITICAL FIRESTORM

“It’s very difficult to get people in for these depositions of great power and great wealth,” said Comer. “It took seven months, seven months to get the Clintons in here. But we’ve got them in here.”

“Here” was Chappaqua, about an hour north of New York City. The Clintons have resided in Chappaqua since President Clinton left office in 2001 and when Hillary Clinton ran for Senate from New York in 2000. Hillary Clinton served as a senator from New York from 2001 until 2009, when she became President Obama’s first secretary of state.

More specifically, the “here” for the Clintons’ testimony was not a bland office in the Rayburn House Office Building. House members questioned the Clintons at the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center, known locally as “ChappPAC,” a white structure with simple arcades and Greek columns atop a hillside above the Saw Mill River.

The Epstein inquiry is serious, and the unusual venue underscored the extraordinary nature of the proceeding.

Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., appeared to snap a photo of Hillary Clinton during the deposition, then shared it with conservative media outlets.

“I admire (Hillary Clinton’s) blue suit. So I wanted to capture that for everyone,” said Boebert outside the venue.

“Why did you send the picture?” asked a reporter.

“Why not?” retorted Boebert.

“We are sitting through an incredibly unserious, clown show of a deposition, where Members of Congress and the Republican Party are more concerned about getting their photo op of Secretary Clinton than actually getting to the truth and actually holding anyone accountable,” charged Rep. Yassamin Ansari, D-Ariz.

BILL CLINTON SAYS HE DIDN’T KNOW WOMAN IN INFAMOUS JACUZZI PHOTO DURING CLOSED-DOOR EPSTEIN TESTIMONY

After concluding her testimony, Hillary Clinton told reporters she found the “end” of the deposition to be “quite unusual because I started being asked about UFOs and a series of questions about Pizzagate, one of the most vile, bogus conspiracy theories that was propagated on the internet.”

That is a reference to a conspiracy theory that emerged during the 2016 presidential campaign between Hillary Clinton and President Trump. Proponents falsely claimed Democrats operated a child sex trafficking ring out of the Comet Ping Pong pizza shop in Washington. A North Carolina man later drove to Washington, D.C., and fired shots inside the restaurant, telling authorities he was there to rescue children.

Rep. Nancy Mace, R-N.C., asserted that Hillary Clinton was “screaming” at lawmakers during the deposition.

“She was unhinged,” said Mace. “And I hope that President Clinton is less unhinged today than his wife was yesterday.”

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., emerged from the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center about 90 minutes into former President Clinton’s deposition to speculate about what may have been behind Epstein and his sex trafficking operation. Luna noted she was speaking only for herself and not other members of the committee.

“It has become very evident even in the last 24 hours in lines of questioning that Jeffrey Epstein was running an intelligence gathering operation,” said Luna. “I do believe it was a honey pot operation.”

Luna added that it was possible a U.S. intelligence ally was involved, though she provided no evidence for the claim.

One of the five agreed-upon areas of questioning for the Clintons was how Epstein used his connections with powerful figures to hide his crimes. That is why individuals such as former President Clinton and President Trump have surfaced in previously released Epstein-related documents.

The presidency is a unique office, and even President Trump expressed some sympathy for Bill Clinton’s appearance before the Oversight Committee.

“I don’t like seeing him deposed. But they certainly went after me a lot more than that,” said the president.

When pressed on Friday, President Trump said he was unfamiliar with the Epstein files.

“I don’t know anything about the Epstein files. I’ve been totally exonerated,” said President Trump.

Oversight Committee Republicans were asked whether they agreed with that claim.

“From all the evidence I’ve seen he’s been exonerated for a long time,” replied Comer.

“The Epstein victims have exonerated President Trump. This is a trope that you guys are — a rabbit hole you guys are going down. But he’s been exonerated over and over again by Epstein victims,” said Mace.

But Democrats questioned why the committee sought testimony from former President Clinton and not President Trump.

“There is a lot of email correspondence that included President Clinton,” said Comer.

Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., the top Democrat on the Oversight panel, argued the move set a broader standard.

“There’s a precedent now,” said Garcia. “We now want President Trump to come in and to testify under oath in front of the Oversight Committee. We want the first lady, who we know had a relationship as well with Jeffrey Epstein, to come under oath and testify to the Oversight Committee. That is the new precedent that Republicans wanted to set here.”

Garcia added that President Trump “has not been exonerated, and we have serious questions for President Trump.”

Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, D-Va., argued that the committee spoke “to the wrong president.”

It is unclear whether the panel will seek testimony from President Trump. Democrats have indicated they would consider doing so if they gain control of the House in the fall midterm elections.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Separation of powers is a key component of America’s constitutional system. Only a handful of presidents have ever testified before Congress — and none had previously been deposed as a former president.

The nation’s history includes small communities that have taken on outsized political significance. Lawmakers and legal observers say Chappaqua could now join that list if presidential testimony before Congress becomes more common.

Chad Pergram currently serves as Chief Congressional Correspondent for FOX News Channel (FNC). He joined the network in September 2007 and is based out of Washington, D.C.

https://www.foxnews.com/video/6390118130112

FBI调查得州大规模枪击案是否与伊朗冲突有关

发布/2026年3月2日 18:46

3月1日，美国得州奥斯汀市中心布福德酒吧外发生枪击案，联邦调查局和当地执法人员正在展开调查。 （法新社）

（奥斯汀综合电）美国一个监控极端组织活动的情报组织说，星期天（3月1日）凌晨在得克萨斯州首府奥斯汀枪杀两人的嫌凶，曾在社交媒体表达“亲伊朗政权情绪”。

情报组织赛德情报集团（SITE）说，嫌凶是塞内加尔裔美国公民。早在2017年，他就曾在脸书表达对以色列和美国领导人的仇恨，并发布一张他手持疑似突击步枪的照片。

警方说，枪击事件星期天凌晨约2时在奥斯汀知名夜生活区域的西第六街，52岁的枪手驾着车子从车窗向一家酒吧前的行人射击，他之后下车向众人开枪扫射，最后被赶到的警方击毙。此案也造成14人受伤。

美国联邦调查局（FBI）说，目前还不清楚枪手的袭击动机，但查案人员在嫌凶身上和车上发现一些可能与恐怖主义相关的迹象，FBI联合反恐特遣队已介入调查是否与伊朗冲突有关。

知情人士披露，警方在嫌凶的车内找到了一本《古兰经》，他在作案时穿着一件印有“真主的财产”字样的连帽衫。据悉，嫌凶有精神病史。

美国和以色列上周对伊朗发动空袭，击毙伊朗最高领袖哈梅内伊后，连日来美国许多城市都处于高度警戒状态。得州州长阿博特说，他将加强能源设施、港口以及美墨边境沿线的安保措施。

他在一份声明中说：“任何企图利用当前中东冲突威胁得州民众或关键基础设施的人，请务必明白：得州将以果断而压倒性的力量予以回应，以捍卫本州安全。”

8 big questions on the first primary day of 2026

Analysis by Aaron Blake, 2 hr ago, PUBLISHED Mar 2, 2026, 5:00 AM ET

The 2026 election lurches to a start on Tuesday, as voters head to the polls for the first state primaries in Arkansas, North Carolina and Texas.

The big ticket is the US Senate race in Texas, but there’s plenty more for political watchers to keep an eye on.

Here are some of the big questions.

Do Texas Democrats choose pragmatism or fire?

The two Texas Senate primaries are clearly the marquee races. But we’re putting the Democratic race first because it’s much more likely to be decided Tuesday.

The three-way GOP primary appears to be more about which two candidates make the May runoff. But on the Democratic side, it’s about Rep. Jasmine Crockett vs. state Rep. James Talarico. (There is a third candidate on the Democratic side, but a minor one.)

Crockett led by 8 points in a late January University of Houston poll and by 12 points in a University of Texas poll conducted in early-to-mid-February. But those polls are a bit dated, and Talarico is thought to have a real chance.

The choice for Democrats echoes their broader strategic choice in the Trump era: Do they go with an anti-Trump firebrand who can motivate the base (Crockett), or with the kind of candidate who at least notionally has more appeal to the political middle (Talarico)?

Crockett has made a name for herself with viral appearances at congressional hearings; Talarico is largely known as the rare Democrat who emphasizes his Christian faith.

Early-voting turnout in their primary has been big — bigger than for the Republicans.

It’s too simple to say that Talarico is the more electable of the two. We live in a new political era where there’s a lot to be said for building an online following and motivating the base.

And the University of Houston poll showed little difference between how the two Democrats perform in the general election. Both of them were within 4 points of whichever Republican they faced.

But this is also Texas, where Democrats haven’t won any statewide office since 1994. That means there’s a huge premium on picking the kind of candidate who could take advantage of a rare opportunity to end that streak. (Democrats will feel better about their chances if the GOP nominee winds up being baggage-laden state Attorney General Ken Paxton.)

The stakes for getting this right are bigger than you might think. While Texas is normally a long-shot Democratic target, the blue team needs to win red states to win back the Senate this year — likely at least two of the following: Texas, Alaska, Iowa and Ohio.

Texas isn’t a must-win, but it’s a race Democrats would very much like to put in play. And that starts with picking the right candidates.

How ugly is the Texas GOP Senate contest going to get?

Apparently, very. And it could be extended.

Incumbent Sen. John Cornyn launched a brutal ad saying Paxton “cheated on his wife” and citing various other “dirty deeds.” (Paxton’s wife has accused him of adultery and filed for divorce last year on “biblical grounds.” CNN has not verified all of the ad’s claims.) He also called Paxton a “crook” in an interview with Politico.

Paxton has responded by dispatching his daughter to defend him and accusing Cornyn of damaging the GOP’s chances in the general election.

“The Democrats’ biggest ally in this race is the kamikaze campaign Cornyn’s running,” Paxton posted on X on Friday. “He’s desperate, he knows he is going to lose, and his only … goal is to hurt me and the party.”

As noted, it’s unlikely the GOP nomination will be resolved on Tuesday. But that doesn’t mean there’s not a lot at stake.

The emergence of Rep. Wesley Hunt as a viable third option next to the two front-runners, Paxton and Cornyn, makes it less likely anybody gets to 50% and avoids a runoff. Neither the University of Houston poll nor the University of Texas poll showed any candidate breaking 40%.

Political rhetoric aside, a real truth undergirds Paxton’s comment. Imagine a 12-week runoff during which these guys can really rip the bark off each other. Imagine if Paxton wins the runoff and Democrats can point to all the ugly things the Cornyn campaign and the national GOP (which is supporting the incumbent) said about him in the primary.

Unfortunately for the GOP, that seems the likeliest scenario.

But the specific results on Tuesday also matter, even if it’s a runoff.

For one, Crockett winning the Democratic primary could give Republicans more confidence about voting for Paxton in the general election, since the GOP views her as the weaker Democratic opponent. Likewise, Talarico winning might be a boon to Cornyn.

For two, Cornyn’s and Paxton’s performances could matter when it comes to landing the crucial endorsement of President Donald Trump. The conventional wisdom says that if the incumbent trails in the primary, they’re unlikely to win the runoff –— and maybe Trump doesn’t endorse. So Cornyn probably wants to keep it close or even lead.

While presidents usually don’t endorse against incumbents, if a Paxton win looks inevitable, maybe Trump breaks with that norm and backs him over Cornyn to avoid an uglier runoff.

How strong is Whatley in the North Carolina Senate race?

It’s expected that the open North Carolina Senate race will come down to Democratic former Gov. Roy Cooper and former Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley. Both should win their primaries on Tuesday.

But there are questions about just how much Whatley has locked down the GOP base, even as he’s secured Trump’s endorsement.

Trump ally Steve Bannon has said that Whatley is “not MAGA” and that MAGA voters are “just not enthusiastic about” him. Cooper has also picked off some Republican voters, at least when running for governor. (It’s usually more difficult to get crossover support when you’re running for federal office.)

Tuesday should be a good test, given Whatley faces some more-MAGA candidates, including Michele Morrow, a former candidate for state schools superintendent, and lawyer Don Brown.

Is Rep. Tony Gonzales sunk?

Rep. Tony Gonzales, a three-term Republican from the 23rd District, survived his primary in 2024 by just 354 votes.

And given the exceedingly ugly recent disclosures about his alleged affair with a staffer who later died by suicide, it would seem an uphill battle to win his rematch with gun-rights activist Brandon Herrera.

Some Republicans have even called for Gonzales to resign. Trump previously endorsed him. On Friday, as the president reupped his endorsements of House Republicans in Texas, he skipped over mentioning Gonzales. But he later called him a “great congressman.”

Gonzales has resisted the pressure, but a primary loss could make it hard to justify sticking around. And he could reason that he’s already lost his seat, which stretches from the San Antonio area into West Texas.

If he leaves early, that could be bad for Republicans, who are already struggling with a tiny House majority.

And Dan Crenshaw too?

GOP Rep. Dan Crenshaw won his 2024 primary in Texas’ 2nd District by a wider margin than Gonzales. But he still came up shy of 60% against an underfunded opponent. That’s the danger zone. And his occasional swipes at more extreme portions of the GOP base make him vulnerable.

His race also features an unusual setup. Trump and Gov. Greg Abbott haven’t endorsed him. And Sen. Ted Cruz has endorsed and cut an ad for his primary opponent, state Rep. Steve Toth.

The ad doesn’t mention Crenshaw, but Cruz clearly takes a swipe at him, saying, “You deserve an unwavering fighter, a Republican who walks the walk.”

Were Crenshaw to lose a primary, it would be a big setback for someone once thought to be a possible candidate for higher office.

Are Democrats recovering with Latinos in South Texas?

Republicans placed a big bet when they tried to draw five new GOP congressional districts in Texas last year: that they could keep Trump’s big gains among Latino voters in South Texas from 2024.

But Latinos have soured on Trump faster than just about any other group since that election.

And if they swing hard back toward Democrats, the new districts could backfire on Republicans. It’s a concept called a “dummymander.”

Keep an eye out for whether turnout in the Democratic primaries in South Texas is higher than the GOP primaries.

Who does the GOP get in a top-targeted race in North Carolina?

Republicans targeted Democratic Rep. Don Davis of North Carolina with their mid-decade redistricting last year. He survived in a Trump-voting district in 2024, but now it’s a double-digit Trump district and one of the GOP’s most attractive pickup opportunities.

One of the hopefuls is Laurie Buckhout, a former Trump administration official who fell to Davis by just 2 points in the old district in 2024. The crowded GOP field also includes local Sheriff Asa Buck and state Sen. Bobby Hanig.

Could a powerful longtime state legislator fall?

It takes a lot for a state legislative race to make a list like this. But Republican North Carolina Senate President Phil Berger’s tough primary against Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page qualifies.

For one, Berger has held that position for 15 years.

For another, it’s been a powerful post. North Carolina has had a lot of Democratic governors of late. But because it’s often had veto-proof Republican state legislative majorities, that means Berger has exercised outsized power in the state.

And the contest is so big that Trump has actually endorsed in a state legislative race. He backed Berger after the incumbent gave him his much-desired new congressional map last year. Trump even offered Page a job in his administration to get him out of the race.

But Page stayed in, and now we see if Berger can survive.

黎巴嫩真主党加入战局 以色列反击或持续多日

2026年3月2日 19:18 / 联合早报

黎巴嫩贝鲁特南部哈雷特·赫雷克地区（Haret Hreik）星期一（3月2日）遭受以色列空袭，当地建筑物与汽车受到严重破坏。 （法新社）

（贝鲁特／耶路撒冷综合电）美伊战争进一步扩大，黎巴嫩真主党星期一向以色列发射火箭炮和无人机，报复以色列与美国联手刺杀伊朗最高领袖哈梅内伊。以色列随即对真主党发起进攻，并警告战斗或持续多日。

以色列国防军总参谋长扎米尔星期一（3月2日）宣布，以色列已对黎巴嫩真主党发起进攻，并指以军必须做好战斗数日，甚至更久的准备。

他称：“我们已为多线作战，以及对真主党的进攻做好准备。任何威胁我们安全的敌人都将付出沉重代价。我们不会允许以色列居民或北部边境受到伤害。”

以色列北方司令部司令米洛同日誓言，以军将加大对黎巴嫩的打击力度。

以军说，星期一在贝鲁特与黎巴嫩南部实施数十次空袭，击中真主党的总部与基础设施，以及一辆载有真主党精锐拉德万部队（Radwan Force）两名成员的车辆。

声明说，以军也打击了身处贝鲁特的真主党高级成员，但没有提供更多细节。据阿拉伯卫星电视台报道，真主党高级领导人拉德（Mohammad Raad）在以军空袭中身亡，他是真主党议会党团领袖。

黎巴嫩卫生部说，以色列的空袭造成至少31人死亡、149人受伤。

以军已向黎巴嫩南部和东部约50个村镇的居民发布疏散警告。法新社报道，黎南居民纷纷举家逃离，导致道路拥堵。

星期一凌晨，以色列北部城市海法与周边地区响起空袭警报。以军说，以防空系统拦截了一枚火箭炮，并击落至少两架疑似无人机，另有数枚火箭炮坠落在空旷地带。此次袭击未造成伤亡或破坏。

以军说，袭击源头是黎巴嫩。真主党随后证实，向海法以南的一个以色列军事目标发射了“大量高质量导弹和无人机群”，为哈梅内伊复仇，并回应以色列对黎巴嫩的持续侵略。伊朗称，真主党已正式加入战局。

黎领导人斥真主党卷入美伊冲突 谴责以军袭击领土

这是自2024年11月以黎停火以来，真主党首次袭击以色列。尽管黎巴嫩政府敦促真主党不要卷入美伊冲突，但真主党领袖卡西姆星期天（1日）誓言，为美以袭击伊朗展开对抗，并称真主党不会离开“荣誉与抵抗的战场”。

以色列防长卡茨星期一称，卡西姆在伊朗施压下，决定对以色列开火。卡茨警告他已被列为“清除目标”。

黎巴嫩总统奥恩星期一说，从黎境内发射的火箭弹，是为破坏黎巴嫩为远离地区冲突所做的努力。他也谴责以色列对黎巴嫩领土的袭击。

黎总理萨拉姆同日强调：“我们绝不允许国家被拖入新的冒险行动，并将采取一切必要措施追究责任方，保护黎巴嫩人民。”