(ATLANTA) Former President Jimmy Carter has voted in the 2024 election, the Carter Center confirmed Wednesday.
Carter, the oldest living president, voted by mail on Wednesday, according to a statement from the Carter Center.
Jason Carter, the former president’s grandson, told ABC News earlier this week that the former president planned on voting for Vice President Kamala Harris in the “next couple of days.”
“It’s going to be the next couple days; the absentee ballots have gone out,” Jason Carter said.
Carter recently celebrated his 100th birthday. As he neared the milestone, his family said he was trying to live until he could vote for Harris.
Carter entered hospice care in early 2023 amid health challenges. Last year, he made a rare public appearance when he attended a memorial service for his late wife, Rosalynn Carter.
(NEW YORK) — Monday’s bombshell report alleging infidelity and possible violations of House ethics rules by Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, R-N.Y., is rattling his reelection bid in a key Long Island district. But it’s not just New York’s 4th Congressional District that’s at stake.
D’Esposito, a former police detective, allegedly hired his longtime fiancée’s daughter and his mistress to work in his district office, jobs that received taxpayer-funded salaries, The New York Times reported Monday. The first-term lawmaker was already facing a tough reelection bid in a race that political handicappers rate a tossup as he wages a rematch against Democrat Laura Gillen, who he beat by less than 4 points in 2022.
D’Esposito’s district is one of over a dozen that President Joe Biden won in 2020 and is at the heart of the path to the House majority for either party — meaning that any slip-up could not just cost him his seat but also Republicans their already wafer-thin control of the chamber.
“This could be absolutely transformative and a real shot in the arm for the Democratic efforts to retake the House. The path back to power runs right through New York, and any shift in the political winds in any of these so-called Biden districts that are held by vulnerable Republicans could shake the math up. And Anthony D’Esposito just got that much more vulnerable,” said New York-based Democratic strategist Jon Reinish.
“This is a moderate suburban district, but transgressions like this are not smiled upon. So, yeah, this action just in and of itself could alter the balance of power.”
The New York Times report sent shockwaves through Washington and Long Island Monday just six weeks before Election Day.
Republicans are vying to defend their 220-212 majority in the House — an edge so painfully narrow it causes persistent headaches for GOP leaders to move legislation through the chamber. Seventeen Republican-held seats up for grabs this year were won by Biden four years ago, easily enough to offset the chamber’s current margin.
Long Island has gained heightened attention for veering right in recent years, culminating in a Republican sweep in 2022, including for D’Esposito.
However, Democrat Tom Suozzi retook one of those Long Island districts in a special election triggered earlier this year by the resignation of scandal-plagued former Republican Rep. George Santos and Democrats are hopeful that energy around Vice President Kamala Harris could lift up candidates down the ballot in November — an advantage the party didn’t enjoy in the 2022 midterms.
That makes running airtight races crucial for a GOP wary of doing anything to build on Democrats’ existing edge in those 17 majority-making districts.
“It’s an earthquake for D’Esposito,” said former Rep. Steve Israel, who used to represent a Long Island district and headed House Democrats’ campaign arm for two terms. “The fact is that it is a Democratic district that supported Biden, which means if you’re a Republican, you can’t afford mistakes, you cannot afford scandals, you cannot afford to lose yardage. And this particular story sets D’Esposito back significantly.”
“In a Trumpian environment where scandals don’t seem to matter, it’s possible for D’Esposito to survive,” Israel added. But “he now has spent more money than he wanted, the [National Republican Congressional Committee] has to come in and patch up the deficiencies. It’s not a headache, it’s a migraine.”
Republicans who spoke to ABC News argued that the scandal wasn’t quite so detrimental but conceded that the news wouldn’t help D’Esposito or the larger party’s prospects this November.
“Certainly, this type of news hurts. All depends on what if any lead he already has,” said New York GOP strategist Tom Doherty, who said he still believes Republicans will “do well” in Nassau County, where part of D’Esposito’s district lies.
“In a tight race where there’s a segment that may care about that or may be concerned about whether or not someone should have been on a payroll or not, that could make a difference, absolutely,” added one New York Republican strategist. “It can be harmful at the margins, and it depends on how close the race is to see if it matters or not.”
For his part, D’Esposito has hammered The New York Times over its report — without directly denying its allegations — while allies have come out behind him.
“The latest political tabloid garbage being peddled by The New York Times is nothing more than a slimy, partisan ‘hit piece’ designed to distract Long Islanders from Democrats’ failing record on border security, the economy, and foreign policy. My personal life has never interfered with my ability to deliver results for New York’s 4th district, and I have upheld the highest ethical standards of personal conduct,” D’Esposito said Monday.
“It’s a partisan hit piece that would not surprise anyone, and a tight election cycle in a seat that’s, it’s, it’s hotly contested, but he’s been a very strong advocate for his district. I’ve been up there a lot. I know the people of his district, and they are, they’re great champions of him and he of them,” Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., added Tuesday.
And, other Republicans argued, scandals just make less of an impact in an era dominated by seemingly historic controversies at the presidential level.
“I don’t see this making much of a difference at the voting booth. Voters understand that real life can be tricky,” said New York GOP strategist William O’Reilly, who added that scandals like this “definitely” pack less of a punch in the Trump era.
Some Democrats also sounded a hesitant note, arguing that the story could deal significant damage but that it’s taking place on terrain increasingly favorable to Republicans like D’Esposito.
“The question is, does this seal the deal? The answer is, no. Long Island is leaning much more red, much more Trump. Could this be something that puts Laura Gillen over the top or closes the race? Yeah, it could,” said New York Democratic strategist Hank Sheinkopf, who added that concerns about crime could dovetail with D’Esposito’s background as a detective.
Still, voters in D’Esposito’s district backed Biden by double digits in 2020, and operatives anticipated chatter of the scandal to spread like wildfire in the district.
“You’ve got to be able to amplify it, particularly with undecided voters. There’s a significant cohort of those voters in NY-04. The advantage they have is that they don’t really have to spend the money on it. The earned media will take care of that for them. I woke up this morning to an inbox filled with emails from Democrats and Republicans alike chattering about the news,” Israel said. “It will become its own narrative.”
“This revelation certainly does not help Republicans retain control of the House,” he added. “This is an obstacle in that path.”
(WASHINGTON) — Despite a new Democratic opponent who entered the race some three weeks ago, former President Donald Trump appears to be still focused on the man no longer in the race — President Joe Biden.
Ever since Vice President Kamala Harris took over the top of the Democratic ticket, the Trump campaign and his allies have attempted to turn their focus toward the new Democratic rival — but on the campaign trail so far, Trump has kept up attacks on the current president as he struggles to define Harris.
At campaign rallies and during interviews, Trump has characterized Biden exiting the race as a “coup” even though Democrats rallied around the newly minted ticket and largely haven’t pushed back on the sudden change in presidential candidates. Most recently, he brought it up during his conversation with tech mogul Elon Musk on X Monday night.
“We have somebody that hasn’t received one vote for president and she’s running,” Trump said during a news conference in Mar-a-Lago last week.
He also falsely claimed that Democrats would have invoked the 25th Amendment if Biden didn’t step down willingly. The 25th Amendment says that the vice president replaces the president if they die in office or resign, or if members of the president’s Cabinet decide the president is unable to fulfill the duties of the office. Some members of Trump’s own Cabinet and his allies discussed invoking the 25th Amendment after the attacks at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
And even as he says he finds Harris to be an easier rival, Trump has repeatedly pushed baseless claims about the possibility of Harris being replaced, saying that Biden could make a “comeback” or that the Democratic Party could replace Harris with another candidate.
So far on the campaign trail, many of Trump’s attacks on Harris have centered on his old lines of attack against Biden and painting her as “worse” than the sitting president, including calling her “more radical” than Biden.
As he attacks both Biden and Harris, Trump insists that he hasn’t recalibrated his campaign to focus solely on Harris, saying, “It’s the same policies: open borders, weak on crime.”
In a direct attack against Harris, Trump has repeated the false claim that Harris was appointed “border czar,” a label that has stuck with the vice president since Biden tasked her with leading diplomatic talks to address the root causes of migration from El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala.
Trump has also attacked her for supporting a ban on fracking, single-payer healthcare such as “Medicare for All,” inflation and the economy.
In addition to her record as vice president, the Trump campaign has tried to differentiate themselves from Harris, scrutinizing her over the lack of media appearances since becoming the nominee.
“Kamala refuses to do interviews because her team realizes she is unable to answer questions, much like Biden was not able to answer questions, but for different reasons,” Trump wrote in a social media post.
The Trump campaign stresses that in the more than 20 days since Harris has become the nominee, she has not yet had media availability.
By contrast, in the past week, Trump held the news conference in Palm Beach, Florida, and his running mate Sen. JD Vance spoke to the press daily during a battleground blitz mirroring Harris’ trip with her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
(WASHINGTON) — Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump will meet for the first time on Tuesday for a presidential debate hosted by ABC News.
The two are facing off at a pivotal time, with just weeks until Election Day and days before some states begin the early voting process.
The ABC News presidential debate will take place on Sept. 10 at 9 p.m. EDT and air on ABC and stream on ABC News Live, Disney+ and Hulu.
Hot-button political issues that are likely to be discussed by Harris and Trump include the economy, immigration, reproductive rights, crime, and more.
Here is a brief look at where each of them stand on key election-year topics as reflected in recent ABC News/Ipsos polling.
Economy, inflation
Trump has been a vocal critic of the Biden-Harris administration’s handling of the economy, saying their policies are to blame for inflation, which reached a 40-year high in 2022 but has since cooled to 2.9% year-over-year as of July.
On policy, he’s pledged to cut costs by restoring “energy independence” through drilling more oil and lowering gas prices. He’s also said he would reduce the national debt, eliminate regulations and implement a variety of tax cuts for domestic corporations as well as tariffs on foreign imports.
Harris has presented a plan for what she’s calling an “opportunity economy” that builds on what the administration’s done on drug pricing and the Child Tax Credit but also goes further on several fronts.
Her proposal includes $25,000 in down-payment support for first-time homeowners, construction of 3 million new housing units, raising the minimum wage and a federal ban on corporate price-gouging on food and groceries. She’s also pitched a $50,000 tax benefit for new small businesses and a lower long-term capital gains tax of 28%.
Immigration
Trump has made immigration and border security a focal point of his campaign, often going further in his anti-immigrant rhetoric than he did in 2016.
He said if elected, he plans to finish the U.S.-Mexico border wall, revive “Remain in Mexico” and asylum restrictions and “carry out the largest domestic deportation operation in American History” of immigrants living in the U.S. without legal permission. Trump has also promised to sign an executive order to end birthright citizenship.
Harris has defended the administration’s handling of the issue, specifically her role in taking on root causes of migration from Central America.
She’s also railed against Republicans for rejecting a bipartisan border bill that would have tightened asylum rules and implemented other immigration restrictions while also increasing resources to improve legal immigration pathways. Harris said if elected, she would continue to push for the legislation and pledged to sign it if it came to her desk. She also wants comprehensive reform that includes an earned pathway to citizenship.
Reproductive rights
Harris became the face of the administration’s fight for reproductive rights and abortion access after the fall of Roe. v. Wade, traveling the country to speak on the issue.
She has called on Congress to pass a law restoring protections to the right to abortion that were guaranteed by Roe. She’s been highly critical of state-level restrictions, questioning why Republican lawmakers don’t “trust women.”
Trump frequently touts his role in nominating three Supreme Court justices who voted to overrule Roe but has changed his stance on some issues as the campaign’s gone on. While he previously voiced support for a nationwide ban, he now says it should be up to states to regulate abortion access.
Recently, he declared that under his administration, the government or company insurance would be mandated to pay for all costs associated with in vitro fertilization or IVF. Though he didn’t specify how exactly the program would work or be funded.
Crime, gun violence
Gun violence is back in the news after two students and two teachers were killed in a shooting at Apalachee High School in Georgia.
Harris called the shooting a “senseless tragedy” and said it “doesn’t have to be this way.” She has called for nationwide red flag laws, universal background checks and an assault weapons ban.
Trump blamed a “sick and deranged monster” for the shooting. He has often argued in the wake of mass shootings that guns were not to blame but rather mental health issues. He’s referred to himself as the “most pro-gun” president in history and has not signaled he would enact any gun control measures if elected.
Overall, Trump has frequently claimed crime rates are rising despite violent crime being down across the country overall compared to last year. Harris, meanwhile, has leaned into her background as a prosecutor, saying she has a record of taking on drug cartels and corporations in the interest of everyday Americans. She also pledged to continue funding law enforcement agencies, touting the Biden administration’s American Rescue Plan for investing $15 billion in public safety.
Foreign policy
Harris has, so far, adopted much of President Biden’s foreign policy stances. She said as president, she would continue to stand with Ukraine and NATO. She’s also pledged to “never hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to protect U.S. forces and interests from Iran and Iran-backed terrorist groups.”
On the Israel-Hamas war, Harris has reiterated support for Israel’s security but also expressed sympathy for the plight of civilians suffering in Gaza. She’s called for a cease-fire with hostages returned and said she is working with Biden to secure such a deal.
Trump has claimed neither the Israel-Hamas war nor the Russia-Ukraine war would have started if he were president. He’s signaled he would cut back U.S. aid to Kyiv and continues to criticize NATO allies who he says are not doing enough. He’s also expressed staunch support for Israel’s right to defense and to go after Hamas, but has also called for a quick end to the war.
Trump’s also sought to make Afghanistan a key topic in recent weeks after the third anniversary of the U.S. withdrawal of troops from the country. He’s slammed the Biden-Harris administration for the chaotic withdrawal, blaming them for the death of 13 U.S. service members who were killed in a suicide bombing at Abbey Gate. Harris defended the decision to end America’s “longest war” and said she would take action to protect Americans against terrorist threats.
Democracy
Trump continues to make false claims about the 2020 election, asserting without evidence it was rigged or stolen. He currently faces state and federal charges stemming from his efforts to overturn his election loss, to which he pleaded not guilty. Last week, he appeared to admit he lost the 2020 election, saying he got more votes in his reelection campaign than in 2016 but still “lost by a whisker.”
In a major escalation of that rhetoric, Trump said that if he wins this race, those who “cheated” would “be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the Law, which will include long term prison sentences.” He suggested his apparent threat of “legal exposure” applies to “Lawyers, Political Operatives, Donors, Illegal Voters, & Corrupt Election Officials.”
Trump’s also sent mixed messages on voting methods this cycle, often doubling down on his calls for Election Day voting only and making groundless claims that mail-in voting is ripe for abuse while also encouraging supporters to cast their ballot whether it’s early voting, mail-in voting or other forms of voting.
Trump’s also accused Democrats of a “coup” after President Biden exited the race and endorsed Harris, who quickly secured enough party support to become the nominee.
Harris has been critical of efforts to cast doubt on the election, claiming Trump tried to “throw away” people’s votes and blaming him for what happened at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
She’s said as president, she would advocate for the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and the Freedom to Vote Act to bolster voting rights and vowed to “hold sacred America’s fundamental principles, from the rule of law, to free and fair elections, to the peaceful transfer of power.”
ABC News’ Gabriella Abdul-Hakim, Hannah Demissie, Fritz Farrow, Lalee Ibssa, Soo Rin Kim, Will McDuffie and Kelsey Walsh contributed to this report.