Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul tops each of her potential Republican challengers by 20 points or more in potential 2026 gubernatorial showdowns in blue-leaning New York State, according to a new poll.

But Hochul, who is seeking a second four-year term steering the nation's fourth most populous state, fails to top 50% in a new survey by Siena College.

And a majority of New York State voters continue to want "someone else" elected governor next year other than Hochul, according to the poll, which was conducted June 23-26.

The survey also continues to indicate that Rep. Elise Stefanik is the polling frontrunner among three major Republicans considering runs for the GOP gubernatorial nomination, in the race to challenge Hochul next year.

COULD THIS TOP TRUMP ALLY BREAK THE REPUBLICAN PARTY'S TWO-DECADE LOSING STREAK IN THIS KEY STATE

Hochul, who at the time was the state’s lieutenant governor, in August 2021 was sworn in as New York’s first female governor, after three-term Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigned in disgrace amid multiple scandals.

She defeated then-Rep. Lee Zeldin by just over six points in 2022 to win a full four-year term steering New York. Zeldin's showing was the best by a Republican gubernatorial nominee in blue-state New York since then-GOP Gov. George Pataki won re-election to a third term in 2002.

In July of last year, Hochul announced her intention to run for re-election in 2026.

But polling suggests New Yorkers are far from thrilled with the state of their state.

HOCHUL FACING PRIMARY CHALLENGE FROM HER OWN LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR

Half of those questioned in the survey said New York was headed in the wrong direction, with just 37% saying the Empire State was headed on the right track. Siena polling last month indicated voters thought the state was headed in the wrong direction by a much narrower 46%-43% margin.

According to the poll, Hochul's favorabiltiy rating remains underwater, at 42%-47%, while her job approval rating continues to hover slightly in positive territory, at 50%-45%.

Only 37% said they are prepared to re-elect Hochul next year, with 55% wanting "someone else." Those numbers are little changed from Siena's May survey.

Hochul leads Stefanik 47%-24% in a hypothetical 2026 general election showdown, according to the poll.

The survey also indicates Hochul topping GOP Rep. Mike Lawler by a slightly narrower 44%-24% margin and Nassau County executive Bruce Blakeman by a slightly wider 44%-19% margin.

"While the early leads seem large, Hochul is not hitting the ‘magic’ 51% mark against any of these opponents, and in each matchup, between a quarter and a third of voters wasn’t able to choose between the two candidates," Siena College Research Institute Director Don Levy said.

HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING, ANALYSIS, AND OPINION ON NEW YORK GOV. KATHY HOCHUL

In a potential Republican primary for governor, the poll indicates Stefanik (35%) continuing to top Lawler (18%) and Blakeman (7%).

Earlier this month Hochul's lieutenant governor — Antonio Delgado — launched a Democratic Party primary challenge against the governor. And Rep. Ritchie Torres continues to mull a possible primary challenge. 

But the survey indicates Hochul (49%) easily topping Delgado (12%) and Torres (10%) at this very early point in the 2026 election cycle.

But Torres said earlier this month that he wouldn't run for governor if democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani is elected New York City mayor this November.

The 33-year-old Mamdani, a state assemblyman from Queens who originally hails from Uganda, made national headlines last week by stunning Cuomo in the New York City Democratic Party primary. 

Mamdani took a big step towards becoming the first Muslim mayor of the nation's most populous city.

An Iran-linked cyber group is threatening to release a trove of emails it claims to have stolen from top Trump officials and allies. 

The hackers previously released a batch of stolen emails to the media during the 2024 campaign. 

Under the pseudonym Robert, the hackers first told Reuters they had roughly 100 gigabytes of emails from White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, President Donald Trump confidante Roger Stone, Trump lawyer Lindsey Halligan and Stormy Daniels, the porn star who claims to have had an affair with Trump. 

Attorney General Pam Bondi called the hack an "unconscionable cyberattack" and said government agencies would work to "protect the officials targeted by this rogue group."

FBI INVESTIGATING IRAN STRIKE LEAKER, LEAVITT SAYS: 'THEY SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE'

FBI Director Kash Patel added in a statement, "Safeguarding our administration officials' ability to securely communicate to accomplish the president's mission is a top priority."  

"Anyone associated with any kind of breach of national security will be fully investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."

Marci McCarthy, spokesperson for the Cyber and Infrastructure Security Agency, called Iran's threat "an effort to distract, discredit and divide." 

"These criminals will be brought to justice," she said in a statement.  

Last summer, at the height of the 2024 election, Iranian-linked hackers sent material stolen from the Trump campaign to individuals associated with the Biden campaign and to U.S. media organizations. In an indictment in September, the Biden Justice Department accused three members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps of being behind the leak. 

In May, the hackers behind "Robert" signaled to Reuters they would not be leaking any more documents. "I am retired, man." 

However, the group reached back out after Israel and the U.S. attacked Iran’s nuclear sites. They said they were organizing a sale of the stolen communications and asked Reuters to publicize it.

AMERICANS VULNERABLE TO CYBERATTACKS, LONE WOLF THREATS IN WAKE OF IRANIAN AIRSTRIKES: FORMER FBI AGENT

U.S. cyber officials warned on Monday that U.S. companies and critical infrastructure operators may still be in Iran’s crosshairs. Experts have suggested Iran may be looking for non-military ways to punish the U.S. for its strikes. 

"Despite a declared ceasefire and ongoing negotiations towards a permanent solution, Iranian-affiliated cyber actors and hacktivist groups may still conduct malicious cyber activity," U.S. agencies said in an advisory. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The new threat comes as Trump insists he is not speaking to Iran and has offered them nothing for nuclear negotiations. He has said Iran's facilities were "totally obliterated." 

Fox News' David Spunt contributed to this report. 

EXCLUSIVE: The No. 2 House Republican is dismissing Elon Musk's attacks on President Donald Trump's "big, beautiful bill" after the tech billionaire once again jumped into the public fray over the legislation.

"His criticism has been consistently off-base," House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., told Fox News Digital on Monday. 

"You know, this is a bill that will create millions of jobs. And, you know, you go back and look at what happened in 2017 when we lowered rates and created a good atmosphere to create jobs, then we saw millions of jobs get created. And we're at the point again today where the economy is waiting for this bill."

Musk, who criticized the House version of the bill before appearing to back off, has launched another tirade against the legislation this week while it's being pushed through the Senate.

SENATE REPUBLICANS RAM TRUMP'S 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL' THROUGH KEY TEST VOTE

"It is obvious with the insane spending of this bill, which increases the debt ceiling by a record FIVE TRILLION DOLLARS, that we live in a one-party country – the PORKY PIG PARTY!! Time for a new political party that actually cares about the people," Musk posted on X.

But Scalise told Fox News Digital, "We're moving fast to get it done because of the positive impacts it will have on our economy."

The Senate is expected to pass the legislation sometime Wednesday, after which it is poised to move back to the House of Representatives.

An earlier version passed the House in late May by just one vote, but the two chambers must now sync up to get a bill on Trump's desk by the Fourth of July.

Two sources told Fox News Digital on Tuesday morning that House GOP leaders are still planning for a 12 p.m. House Rules Committee meeting to advance the bill.

The House Rules Committee is the final gateway before most legislation gets a chamber-wide vote.

That could tee up a procedural vote on the bill as early as Wednesday morning, and final passage by Wednesday evening or Thursday.

"I've always said failure's not an option because, you know, there have been many times where the bill could have fallen apart. And it didn't, because we always stayed focused on getting it done," Scalise said. "And that's that's where all the focus needs to be right now."

But the Senate's various modifications to the bill have angered both moderate and conservative Republicans. 

DEM DELAY TACTIC ENDS, DEBATE BEGINS ON TRUMP'S 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL'

Moderates are wary of the Senate measures that would shift more Medicaid costs to states that expanded their programs under Obamacare, while conservatives have said those cuts are not enough to offset the additional spending in other parts of the bill.

"We're having a lot of conversations with our members, and we are following what changes are being made to the bill because some could help fix some of those issues," Scalise said.

"We're definitely aware of the concerns from our members. But there are a lot of other members that do want to get this bill passed for the president and recognize that the bulk of what we sent over to them is still intact."

Asked if he was optimistic about the timeline as of early Monday evening, Scalise said, "The plan is still to bring members back and have votes as early as Wednesday morning."

The legislation is a 940-page bill advancing Trump's agenda on taxes, the border, defense, energy, and the national debt.

Fox News Digital reached out to Musk for comment via email to Tesla.

Official figures show nearly 20,000 people have crossed the English Channel from France since January.

Some measures within the Employment Rights Bill are not due to come into force until 2027.

Parliament's expenses watchdog wants around twenty people to take part in a review on MP salaries.

The government has confirmed details of its scaled-back plan to reform some benefits.

Maine Democrat Gov. Janet Mills was at a loss for words last month during a trip to the nation's capital when pressed about her alleged cocaine use. 

"What the f---?" Mills replied when asked if "sniffing cocaine at work" is a "human right."

Mills refused to answer the question, which was followed by, "How much more does an eight-ball cost with inflation?" Mills ignored the second question and continued walking. 

A source shared the video with Fox News Digital after reporting Friday revealed the Department of Justice contradicted Mills' decades-old claim that the investigation over her alleged cocaine use was politically motivated. 

DEM GOVERNOR'S DECADES-OLD POLITICAL PERSECUTION CLAIM OVER ALLEGED COCAINE USE DISPUTED BY BOMBSHELL MEMO

In early 1990, the U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) in Maine, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Maine’s Bureau of Intergovernmental Drug Enforcement (BIDE) investigated Mills, then a sitting district attorney in Maine, after a drug suspect accused her of using cocaine. 

BONDI SLAMS MAINE GOV FOR BRUSHING OFF TRANS ATHLETE ISSUE

The investigation was eventually dropped without charges being filed. Mills has maintained that the investigation never had any merit and that she was politically targeted for her Democratic affiliation and criticism of BIDE. In 1990, she and two other district attorneys in Maine criticized BIDE for inflating arrest numbers through excessive enforcement of low-level drug offenders. 

"It's scary," Mills told the Portland Press Herald in November 1991. "Maine apparently has a secret police force at work that can ruin the reputation of any who opposes it."

A March 1995 memorandum from the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Professional Responsibility (DOJ/OPR), addressed to the deputy attorney general – Merrick Garland was serving as the principal associate deputy attorney general – and unearthed by Fox News Digital, refutes Mills' claim. It revealed that there was no misconduct by federal or state authorities investigating her case. 

According to the DOJ memo, WCSH-TV reported in December 1990 that Mills was being investigated by a federal grand jury for drug use, citing law enforcement sources. Mills later sued that reporter for libel and slander. The report also prompted Mills' attorney to demand a grand jury investigation, arguing that "the press received leaks from BIDE law enforcement officials."

The results of the libel and slander suit are no longer available. The docket for the case showed that the records were disposed of in 2015 in accordance with policy. However, a 1991 Lewiston Sun-Journal article appears to state that the effort to "end drug probe rumors" was thrown out by a judge. 

In January 1992, then-Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., stepped in and requested the DOJ/OPR investigate allegations that Maine's USAO had "refused to investigate the grand jury leak" and that attorneys had engaged in "intimidation and coercion of witnesses" during the investigation.

Those concerns were initially raised by Patrick Paradis and N. Paul Gauvreau, the House and Senate chairs of the Judiciary Committee of the Maine Legislature, in a letter sent to then-Sen. George Mitchell, D-Maine. The letter suggested that the allegations involving Maine’s USAO "go far beyond the state agency involved."

Ultimately, no charges were filed against Mills. 

But the Department of Justice (DOJ) also found that all of Mills' claims were "unsubstantiated," including allegations that she was politically targeted, that investigators solicited false testimony, that witnesses were coerced or threatened and that BIDE agents leaked grand jury information to the press. 

"The USAO in Maine conducted a proper investigation of serious allegations; no misconduct of any kind can fairly be attributed to any member of that office," DOJ/OPR concluded in 1995. 

While the DOJ debunked Mills' claims, she dismissed the allegations against her as politically motivated throughout the investigation.

According to the memo, Mills "announced publicly that she was the victim of a smear campaign" in 1991. 

"I’d say it’s awfully coincidental that this investigation started and was leaked to the press shortly after my public comments about the lack of accountability at BIDE," Mills said that same year.

Mills also claimed it sets a "very bad precedent when a prosecutor has to look over his or her shoulder every time you put somebody in jail and wonder whether that person is going to find an audience down the street in the BIDE office or down the road in the U.S. Attorney’s Office to say dirty things about you."

Fox News Digital reached out to Mills' office multiple times for comment about the memo but did not receive a response.

Earlier this year, Mills accused President Donald Trump of leading a "politically directed investigation" into Maine's Department of Education. 

During a National Governors Association (NGA) meeting at the White House in February, Mills and Trump publicly sparred over biological men playing in women's sports. 

Trump said Mills should comply with his executive order preventing transgender athletes from competing in girls' and women's sports, or "you're not going to get any federal funding," to which she replied, "We’ll see you in court," which is exactly where the issue has been tied up. 

Longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins is up for re-election in 2026, and with Mills' governorship term limited next year, she would be a competitive Democratic candidate to challenge Collins. 

Mills indicated in April that she did not "plan to run for another office," but admitted that "things change week to week, month to month," leaving the door open to a potential Senate bid. 

Democratic Rep. Dwight Evans of Pennsylvania announced that he will not pursue re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives next year, but noted that he will finish his current term.

According to a press release, the congressman indicated that he is "in good health and fully capable of continuing to serve," but has "decided that the time is right to announce that I will not be seeking re-election in 2026." 

The lawmaker disclosed last year that he had a minor stroke.

PENNSYLVANIA REP. DWIGHT EVANS SAYS HE'S RECOVERING FROM A MINOR STROKE

Evans, who began serving in the U.S. House in November 2016, had previously served in the Pennsylvania state House of Representatives since 1981.

"After careful consideration and deep reflection over this past weekend, I have decided that I will not seek re-election in 2026. It has been the honor and privilege of a lifetime to serve the people of PA-03. I will forever be grateful to the residents of Philadelphia for the trust they placed in me," he said in a statement.

TILLIS DENOUNCES TRUMP ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL' HOURS AFTER SURPRISE RETIREMENT ANNOUNCEMENT

He indicated that he will work to help Democrats reclaim the House majority.

"I intend to spend the months ahead focused on increasing voter turnout in Philadelphia. Our voices matter, and our votes are our power. I will also do everything I can to help Democrats take back the majority in the House of Representatives," he said in the statement.

"Finally, I want to say this to my fellow elected officials: We must do a better job of listening — truly listening — to the people we represent. The challenges our constituents face are real, and they deserve leaders who are present and willing to act boldly on their behalf," he noted.

KEY HOUSE GOP MODERATE DON BACON WON'T SEEK RE-ELECTION

Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., also noted in a press release issued on Monday that he will not run in 2026.

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., indicated in a statement issued on Sunday that will not seek re-election.

President Donald Trump warned the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is a "monster that might have to go back and eat Elon" after tech billionaire Elon Musk intensified his attacks on Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill." 

"DOGE is the monster that might have to go back and eat Elon. Wouldn't that be terrible?" Trump told the media Tuesday morning as he departed for a trip to the Florida Everglades to visit a new migrant detention center. "He gets a lot of subsidies. But, Elon was very upset that the EV mandate is going to be terminated." 

His response followed a question regarding whether he would deport Musk, who originally is from South Africa. Trump responded: "I don't know, we'll have to take a look."

Trump previously told the media in June that his relationship with Musk changed when the president began discussing plans to eliminate the electic vehicle mandate, which would affect Musk's signature electric company, Tesla. Trump signed a trio of congressional resolutions June 12 ending California's restrictive rules for diesel engines and mandates on elective vehicle sales, with Trump celebrating that his signature "will kill the California mandates forever."

"When you look at it … not everybody wants an electric car," Trump continued in his remarks regarding Musk Tuesday morning. "I don't want an electric car. I want to have maybe gasoline. Maybe electric, maybe a hybrid. Maybe some day a hydrogen. You have a hydrogen car, it has one problem: it blows up." 

REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS STAND FIRM AGAINST MUSK'S 'KILL THE BILL' ASSAULT ON TRUMP'S AGENDA

Musk intensified his feud with former close ally Trump this week in a political warning to lawmakers that he will work to unseat them if they vote in support of Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill."

"Anyone who campaigned on the PROMISE of REDUCING SPENDING , but continues to vote on the BIGGEST DEBT ceiling increase in HISTORY will see their face on this poster in the primary next year," Musk posted to X Monday evening. 

The message was accompanied by an image of Pinocchio sitting on fire and captioned: "LIAR Voted to increase America's DEBT by 5,000,000,000.00"

Musk previously served as a special government employee with the Trump administration to help lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and frequently attended Cabinet meetings and joined Trump during public events. Musk's tenure with DOGE wrapped up at the end of May, as negotiations over the "One Big Beautiful Bill" intensified in Congress. 

The budget reconciliation bill, if passed, will advance Trump's agenda on taxes, immigration, energy, defense and the national debt. The legislation is currently before the Senate. 

Musk found himself aligned with a handful of Republican lawmakers, like Kentucky's Sen. Rand Paul, who have spoken out against the legislation, arguing it would increase the debt ceiling by $5 trillion. 

Musk's post threatening to primary Republicans who vote in support of the legislation was followed by a late-night Truth Social message from Trump suggesting "DOGE take a good, hard, look" at how government subsidies assist Musk-owned businesses such as Tesla and SpaceX. 

"Elon may get more subsidy than any human being in history, by far, and without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa. No more Rocket launches, Satellites, or Electric Car Production, and our Country would save a FORTUNE. Perhaps we should have DOGE take a good, hard, look at this? BIG MONEY TO BE SAVED!!!" Trump posted after midnight Tuesday.

The posted added: "Elon Musk knew, long before he so strongly Endorsed me for President, that I was strongly against the EV Mandate. It is ridiculous, and was always a major part of my campaign. Electric cars are fine, but not everyone should be forced to own one."

'HE'S NOT A BIG FACTOR': TRUMP'S SENATE ALLIES DISMISS ELON MUSK'S CALLS TO 'KILL THE BILL'

Trump added in comment to the media from the White House Tuesday morning that Musk is "upset is that he's losing his EV mandate."

"He could lose a lot more than that," Trump added. "I can tell you right now." 

ELON MUSK POSTS ‘KILL BILL’ MEME IN LATEST PUSH TO NIX TRUMP’S BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL

Musk first remarked in May that he was "disappointed" Trump's "one big beautiful bill" bill passed the House arguing it "undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing," before publicly working to rally Republican lawmakers to "kill the bill" in messages posted to X. 

"Call your Senator, Call your Congressman," Musk said amid a flurry of similar posts June 4. "Bankrupting America is NOT ok! KILL the BILL."

ELON MUSK WARPATH AGAINST TRUMP'S 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL' RATTLES HOUSE GOP

Musk had kept his criticisms of the legislation quiet in recent days, including posting messages in support of the Trump administration as anti-ICE riots raged in Los Angeles in June. Musk reignited his criticisms of the bill Monday as the July 4 deadline to pass the big beautiful bill looms over Washington this week. 

"It is obvious with the insane spending of this bill, which increases the debt ceiling by a record FIVE TRILLION DOLLARS that we live in a one-party country – the PORKY PIG PARTY!! Time for a new political party that actually cares about the people," Musk posted to X Monday afternoon. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

"What’s the point of a debt ceiling if we keep raising it?" Musk asked in another post early Tuesday morning. Adding in another: "All I’m asking is that we don’t bankrupt America."

President Donald Trump blasted New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani after the New York State assemblyman from Queens refused to condemn the term "globalize the intifada." 

"Frankly, I've heard he's a total nut job," Trump told reporters Tuesday morning. "I think the people in New York are crazy because they go this route. I think they're crazy. We will have a communist in the for the first time, really a pure, true communist. He wants to operate the grocery stores. The department stores. What about the people that are there? I think it's crazy." 

Mamdani is a Ugandan-born Muslim who won the Democratic Party’s primary for New York City mayor in June and identifies as a Democratic socialist. 

On Sunday, Mamdani said he didn’t want to condemn the term "globalize the intifada," a phrase used to back Palestinian resistance against Israel, because he didn’t want to "police language" in an interview with NBC News. 

"I think he's terrible. He's a communist," Trump said Tuesday. "The last thing we need is a communist. I said, there will never be socialism in the United States. So even the communists, I think it's bad news. And I think you're going to have a lot of fun with him, watching him, because he has to break through this building to get his money. And don't worry, he's not going to run away with anything."

This is a breaking news story and will be updated. 

Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough reportedly has advised that a provision prohibiting Medicaid funds from supporting Planned Parenthood and other clinics that provide abortions can stay in President Donald Trump’s "big, beautiful bill." 

Senate Republicans revised the provision on Friday from blocking Medicaid funding to abortion providers for a full 10 years to just one year. The parliamentarian’s assessment that the provision could remain without jeopardizing the budget package from passing the upper chamber of Congress along party lines was championed by pro-life advocates. 

"The One Big Beautiful Bill Act that stops forced taxpayer funding of the abortion industry has been retained in the Senate bill, as we were confident it would, though for one year. This is a huge win," Susan B. Anthony Pro-life America’s President, Marjorie Dannenfelser, said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "Taxpayers should never be forced to funnel their hard-earned dollars to Big Abortion. This funding currently hits almost $800 million annually."

The provision's inclusion, meanwhile, was condemned by Democrats as essentially clearing the defunding of Planned Parenthood. 

"Republicans will stop at nothing in their crusade to take control of women’s bodies and deny them the right to make their own health care decisions," Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Senate Budget Committee Ranking Member Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., said in a statement. "Republicans are trampling the law to force their extremist ideology onto the American people."

SUPREME COURT BOOTS CHALLENGE TO STATE DEFUNDING PLANNED PARENTHOOD IN MAJOR PRO-LIFE VICTORY

The Hyde Amendment, introduced in the 1970s, has long prohibited federal dollars from paying for most abortions, with some exceptions. Planned Parenthood, which also provides other women’s health services, such as gynecological exams, contraception and STI testing, reported receiving approximately $792.2 million in taxpayer-funded grants, contracts and Medicaid reimbursements during the 2023-2024 fiscal year.

Republicans say the loophole essentially results in taxpayers subsidizing abortions. Planned Parenthood reported performing 402,000 abortions during that fiscal year. 

Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., defended the provision during Monday’s vote-a-rama session as "establishing a commonsense protection of taxpayer dollars by prohibiting abortion providers from receiving Medicaid funds for one year." 

"There was a time when protecting Americans’ tax dollars from supporting the abortion industry was an uncontroversial, nonpartisan effort that we could all get behind," Hyde-Smith said on the Senate floor. "Even if we had opposing views on protecting the dignity of human life, this provision does not target any one entity. If a medical provider wishes to stay within the Medicaid program, it should simply cut elective abortion procedures from its services." 

Hyde-Smith, chair of the Senate Pro-Life Caucus, spoke out against an amendment introduced earlier Monday by Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., to strike the provision from the GOP’s $3.3 trillion budget package. 

PLANNED PARENTHOOD USING 'LOOPHOLE' TO GET MINORS GENDER TRANSITIONS WITHOUT PARENTS' OK: WATCHDOG

Murray's amendment ultimately failed by a 49-52 vote, according to the Washington Examiner. 

Murray claimed the one-year ban on Medicaid funds for abortion providers would "cut millions of women off from birth control, cancer screenings, essential preventive health care – care that they will not be able to afford anywhere else, and it will shutter some 200 healthcare clinics in our country." 

"This is a long-sought goal of anti-choice extremists—no surprise, it is overwhelmingly unpopular with the American people," Murray said. "But Republicans are bent on ripping away any access to abortion care, and happy to cut off this lifesaving care. No matter that women may not have another place to get the care that they can afford, or another place they can get any care at all!"

She pointed to a Congressional Budget Office assessment to argue that "defunding" Planned Parenthood would cost taxpayers $52 million over the next ten years. That was based on the 10-year Medicaid block in an earlier version of the bill passed by the House. 

This budget provision comes after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last week that states have the power to block Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood clinics in a major pro-life victory. 

Many senators failed to get their amendments across the finish line during the chamber's vote-a-rama on Monday, leaving the future of President Donald Trump's "big, beautiful bill" uncertain.

Two key failures came from Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, with the former proposing a plan that would have boosted funding for rural hospitals and the latter calling for further cuts to Medicaid. 

Collins and Cornyn were far from the only lawmakers who had amendments fail, however. Here are some details on some of the unsuccessful efforts, plus one that succeeded with nearly unanimous support.

AMERICANS WEIGH IN ON TRUMP'S 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL': POLLS

Collins' amendment would have doubled funding for rural hospitals from $25 billion to $50 billion over the next 10 years, and it would have allowed a larger number of medical providers to access the funds.

"Rural providers, especially our rural hospitals and nursing homes, are under great financial strain right now, with many having recently closed and others being at risk of closing," Collins said prior to the vote. "This amendment would help keep them open and caring for those who live in rural communities."

Collins said the bill was something of an olive branch to Democrats, who had criticized the cuts to Medicaid involved in the megabill. Her amendment would also have raised tax rates for individuals who make more than $25 million per year and couples who make more than $50 million.

SENATORS ENTER MARATHON VOTE-A-RAMA AS TRUMP'S 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL' DEADLINE BARRELS NEAR

"They’ve complained repeatedly about the distribution in this bill, of Medicaid cuts hurting individuals, rural hospitals, and tax cuts being extended for people who are wealthy, and yet when I tried to fix both those problems, they took a very hypocritical approach," Collins said.

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., argued Collins' amendment was merely putting a "Band-Aid on an amputation."

Cornyn was joined by Sens. Rick Scott, R-Fla., and John Barrasso, R-Wyo., in pushing an amendment cutting an additional $313 billion in Medicaid funding on Monday.

The trio said they were pushing to limit the growth of Medicaid, and they had been confident the adjustment would pass. All three were seen entering Senate Majority Leader John Thune's office on Monday as it became clear the amendment lacked support.

The base bill already cuts some $930 billion in funding for Medicaid, leading many of the trio's colleagues to balk at further cuts.

"It just seems like we’ve taken it as far as I’m comfortable taking it," said Sen. Jim Justice, R-W.V., regarding trims to Medicaid.

Kennedy had proposed an amendment that would have allowed teachers to deduct $600 in school supplies that they pay for out of pocket each year.

The proposal ultimately failed in a 46-54 vote.

SENATE REPUBLICANS RAM TRUMP'S 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL' THROUGH KEY TEST VOTE

Bennet proposed an amendment that would have increased both the amount and availability of the child tax credit included in the megabill, but it failed to garner enough support.

The Senate rejected Bennet's proposal in a 22-78 vote.

One amendment that did succeed was a measure that killed a provision in the bill that would have placed a 10-year moratorium on state AI regulations.

The original version of the bill would have forced states to choose between enforcing AI regulations or accepting federal funding to expand broadband internet access. Sens. Edward Markey, D-Ma., and Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., joined Sen. Maria Cantwell in sponsoring the amendment.

"The Senate came together tonight to say that we can't just run over good state consumer protection laws," Cantwell said Monday. "States can fight robocalls, deepfakes and provide safe autonomous vehicle laws. This also allows us to work together nationally to provide a new federal framework on Artificial Intelligence that accelerates U.S. leadership in AI while still protecting consumers."

The Senate passed the amendment in an overwhelming 99-1 vote.

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., was the sole vote opposing the measure.

Socialist Zohran Mamdani, the presumptive Democratic nominee for New York City mayor, is facing criticism over a campaign policy document that explicitly calls for shifting the city’s tax burden onto "richer and whiter neighborhoods."

Mamdani caused a political earthquake in this week’s primary, trouncing former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in a stunning upset, all but securing his place on the November ballot. Housing affordability has been a central pillar of his campaign.

A policy document titled "Stop the Squeeze on NYC Homeowners" from Mamdani’s mayoral campaign website argues that the city’s current property tax system disproportionately benefits wealthy, White homeowners, particularly in Manhattan and affluent areas of Brooklyn, by allowing them to pay far less in taxes due to outdated assessment caps.

CITY-RUN GROCERY STORES, DEFUNDING POLICE, SAFE INJECTION SITES: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT NYC'S NEXT POTENTIAL MAYOR

In contrast, Black, Latino and immigrant homeowners in neighborhoods like Brownsville and Jamaica in the outer borough of Queens are overburdened and at higher risk of foreclosure.

His solution?

"Shift the tax burden from overtaxed homeowners in the outer boroughs to more expensive homes in richer and whiter neighborhoods," the proposal reads. "The property tax system is unbalanced because assessment levels are artificially capped, so homeowners in expensive neighborhoods pay less than their fair share."

The proposal would reduce the taxable portion of assessed property values citywide, and offset that by raising actual tax rates in wealthier areas. The result: lower tax bills for lower-income neighborhoods and higher ones for affluent areas — which the campaign describes as "richer and whiter."

The racial component of the policy position has come in for criticism online, with broadcaster Mark Levin sharing a New York Post story about the proposal and writing "Oh, and Mamdani is racist, too."

Political commentator Eric Daugherty also brandished it as explicitly "racist" on X, while the New York Post editorial board also slammed the proposal as "pure racism."

Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani’s campaign for comment but did not immediately receive a response. 

The campaign document also highlights racial disparities in deed theft and "tangled titles," which are situations where someone lives in a home they believe they own — often through inheritance — but their name is not on the deed, creating legal uncertainty about ownership.

The document states that predominantly Black neighborhoods face these challenges at much higher rates than White neighborhoods.

To address this, Mamdani is proposing a $10 million "Tangled Title Fund" to help city residents hire lawyers and clear legal titles so they can secure full homeownership rights and benefits.

REPUBLICANS USE MAMDANI BOMBSHELL VICTORY OVER CUOMO AS AMMUNITION TO BLAST DEMOCRATS AS EXTREMISTS

Mamdani is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, whose preamble discusses a way to "end white supremacy and racial oppression because its destruction is in the interest of all workers, including white workers."

Overall, the housing document frames the city’s housing inequities as structurally racist and economically unjust.

The document also claims that the city’s tax lien sale system is exploitative and racist. When a homeowner falls behind on property taxes under the system, the city sells that debt to a private trust of Wall Street-backed investors, usually at a discount. instead of collecting the debt directly.

"The tax lien sale has been particularly harmful to Black, brown, and working-class homeowners, leading many homeowners to lose their home to foreclosure, or forcing them to sell below market value in order to pay off their accumulating debts," the document reads. "The city is six times more likely to sell a tax lien in a Black neighborhood than a white neighborhood. This policy is extracting wealth from Black, brown, and working-class communities and stripping New Yorkers of their homes."

Mamdani said he will end the system on his first day in office and create a new tax collection system that provides "additional opportunities" for homeowners to enter into payment plans, pay down their debt and stay in their homes.

The Queens assemblyman wants to build 200,000 new publicly-subsidized affordable homes and immediately freeze rents for the city’s 2.4 million stabilized tenants. His proposals call for multi-year rent freezes and massive investment in public housing. Critics argue his proposals could worsen existing problems in the rental market,

Fox News' Madison Colombo contributed to this report. 

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s tough Bronx persona is under fresh scrutiny with a resurfaced childhood nickname from her suburban upstate New York upbringing casting doubt on that publicly portrayed image.

The progressive champion’s latest spat with President Donald Trump over the Iran strikes again called into question her true upbringing when she declared on X that she was a "Bronx girl" to make a point against the president. 

The 35-year-old "Squad" member wrote in part on X last week: "I’m a Bronx girl. You should know that we can eat Queens boys for breakfast. Respectfully," she said, referring to the president’s upbringing in Queens as she called for his impeachment over his decision to bypass Congress in authorizing U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. 

AOC’S CONSTITUENTS WEIGH IN ON PRESIDENTIAL RUN, RECALL HER STUNNING 2018 POLITICAL UPSET

Ocasio-Cortez was born in the Bronx but moved to Yorktown – which is nearly an hour outside New York City -- when she was 5 years old and went on to attend Yorktown High School, from where she graduated in 2007.

She was considered an accomplished student there and well-thought of by teacher Michael Blueglass, according to a 2018 report by local media outlet Halston Media News. 

"There, known by students and staff as ‘Sandy,’ she was a member of the Science Research Program taught by Michael Blueglass," the report states.

"She was amazing," Blueglass said, per the report. "Aside from her winning one of the top spots and going to the [Intel International Science and Engineering Fair], she was just one of the most amazing presenters in all of the years I've been at Yorktown. Her ability to take complex information and explain it to all different levels of people was fantastic."

After high school, Ocasio-Cortez attended Boston University, where she majored in economics and international relations, per the report.

Ocasio-Cortez’s "Sandy" nickname — which carries a more suburban and preppy tone — appears to undercut her politically crafted image as a tough, inner-city fighter, one she has portrayed since her famous 2018 congressional campaign, where she eventually ousted former 10-term Congressman Joe Crowley. 

AOC, DEMS CALLED OUT AS 'HYPOCRITES' FOR IMPEACHMENT TALK FOLLOWING US STRIKES ON IRANIAN NUCLEAR SITES 

New York GOP Assemblyman Matt Slater, who now represents Yorktown, added to the scrutiny of Ocasio-Cortez’s persona in the wake of her brush with Trump and released images of Ocasio-Cortez from his high school yearbook. He claimed he and the rising Democratic star attended Yorktown High School at the same time when she was a freshman and he was a senior. 

"I saw the attacks on the president and her [Ocasio-Cortez] claims that she's a big, tough Bronx girl," said Slater. "To sit there and say that she’s a Bronx girl is just patently ridiculous." 

"Everybody in our community knows this is just a bold-face lie," said Slater on "Fox & Friends First" last week. "She grew up in Yorktown, she was on my track team." 

"She's lying about her background, she's lying about her upbringing," Slater claimed.  

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Slater’s post sent social media ablaze and prompted Ocasio-Cortez to respond after an image of her family’s home in Yorktown was posted online. 

"I’m proud of how I grew up and talk about it all the time," Ocasio-Cortez wrote on X Friday, responding to the post. "My mom cleaned houses and I helped. We cleaned tutors’ homes in exchange for SAT prep."

"Growing up between the Bronx and Yorktown deeply shaped my views of inequality & it’s a big reason I believe the things I do today!"

Fox News' Madison Colombo contributed to this report. 

Former Texas Rep. Colin Allred is making another run for the U.S. Senate after the Democrat lost to Republican Sen. Ted Cruz just eight months ago.

Allred is looking to challenge for the seat of Republican Sen. John Cornyn, who is facing his own challenge from within the Republican Party from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

Allred announced his return to the political arena with a campaign video released Tuesday, in which he took shots at both Cornyn and Paxton, describing them as "too corrupt to care about us and too weak to fight for us."

A former NFL linebacker and attorney, Allred retold the story of how he went undrafted in the NFL but worked hard enough to eventually turn pro and buy his mom a house.

TEXAS AG KEN PAXTON ANNOUNCED RUN FOR US SENATE

"The truth is you shouldn’t have to have a son in the NFL to own a home," Allred said.

"Everything is backwards," he continued. "Folks who play by the rules and keep the faith just can’t seem to get ahead. But the folks who cut corners and cut deals — well, they’re doing just fine."

Allred pledged to run on an "anti-corruption plan."

"I know Washington is broken," he said. "The system is rigged. But it doesn’t have to be this way. In six years in Congress, I never took a dime of corporate PAC money, never traded a single stock."

TEXAS DEM ALLRED SAYS HE OPPOSES ‘BOYS IN GIRLS’ SPORTS' DESPITE PAST OF ALLOWING IT, FIGHTING PARENTAL RIGHTS

Allred's announcement comes just eight months after he lost by nearly 9 percentage points to Cruz. That race was one of the most expensive in the country last cycle, with Democrats spending more than $130 million trying to unseat Cruz.

Allred played four seasons in the NFL, all with the Tennessee Titans, after being undrafted out of Baylor University. He entered Congress by flipping a Republican district in Dallas in 2018.

Former astronaut Terry Virts also entered the U.S. Senate race as a Democratic candidate.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The government has confirmed details of its scaled-back plan to reform some benefits.

The government was forced into concessions on its welfare plan following a backlash among its own MPs.

Campaigners say the UK's system has been "overlooked for years", and investing in it is a "no-brainer".

Relatives of care home residents tell the Covid inquiry they will never get over how their loved ones died.