by Matthew Holloway | Feb 9, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
A Democrat SuperPAC bankrolled by leftist billionaires Michael Bloomberg, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, hedge fund manager Tom Steyer, and LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman has reportedly targeted Arizona’s 2nd District Congressman Eli Crane for removal in the 2026 Congressional midterm. In a post to X, Crane shared the report from Fox News reporter Liz Elkind listing him with 13 other Congressmen to be opposed with a $50M investment summed up in a simple response: “Bring It.”
In a post to X on Monday, Crane wrote in full, “The great thing about #AZ02 is they see through phony attacks by coastal elites. Bring it.”
Elkind had reported that “Democrats’ House Majority PAC is rolling out a new initiative to win back working-class voters[.] 2026 Win Them Back Fund is launching with a $50M investment & initial plan targeting 14 Republicans who narrowly won their seats in November.”
According to Fox News, Mike Smith, president of the House Majority PAC told the New York Times that the “Win Them Back Fund” was created with an aim to generate appeal to draw working class voters to the Democratic Party after so many flipped to support President Donald Trump and the Republican Party this year. “We’re laying a marker down now,” he told the Times. “This is a priority.”
In addition to Crane, the House Majority PAC is targeting GOP Reps. Nick Begich (R-AK); David Valadao (R-CA-22); Ken Calvert, (R-CA-41); Gabe Evans, (R-CO-08); Mariannette Miller-Meeks, (R-IA-01); John James, (R-MI-10).
In a press release obtained by Fox News, the PAC said, “One of the major roadblocks we have faced as a party has been declining support among a multi-racial group of working class voters. That’s why HMP is today launching a 2026 Win Them Back Fund focused on ensuring that we win back working class voters across the congressional battlefield.”
“While Democrats at the Presidential level have consistently lost ground with working class voters for over the last decade, House Democrats like Reps. Adam Gray, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, Don Davis, and Gabe Vasquez continue to overperform with this crucial bloc of voters. Their victories demonstrate that House Democrats can win back this coalition of voters with the support of strategic investments in recruitment, research, and programming.”
As noted by the outlet, while Democrats continue to deride billionaires such as Elon Musk and President Trump’s participation in the electoral process, high-profile donations to the PAC included $13 million from Bloomberg, $3 million from Pritzker, and $2 million from Steyer.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by AZ Free Enterprise Club | Feb 8, 2025 | Opinion
By the Arizona Free Enterprise Club |
President Trump’s historic victory in the November election gave him a clear mandate from the American people. And so far, he hasn’t wasted any time getting to work. In his first month back in office, Trump signed 45 Executive Orders (EO) in an effort to put America first and undo much of the damage created by the Biden administration. And that’s especially true with his executive actions to unleash American energy.
Ending the Net Zero Climate Cult Fantasy
For four years under President Biden, the American people were forced to endure an administration that was hellbent on pursuing a net zero agenda. Across the country, they pushed these radical and costly climate action plans to fundamentally transform and restrict the energy options available to consumers. Along with this came calls from the Left to ban gas stoves, gas cars, gas-powered lawn equipment, and hundreds of other draconian ideas to limit the freedom of the American people.
If the high cost of these plans wasn’t enough, they have also proven to be unreliable. States and countries that have committed to energy sources like solar and wind as part of this net zero fantasy have experienced rolling blackouts, continually demand that their customers use less, and eventually have to make haste to open reliable sources of generation they had closed down. Isn’t that right, California?
But Trump’s Executive Order 14154 unleashes fossil fuel production and use in America while unwinding much of the damage caused by the Biden administration…
>>> CONTINUE READING >>>
by Matthew Holloway | Feb 8, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
In an Executive Order signed by President Donald Trump on Thursday, newly confirmed Attorney General Pam Bondi has been handed a mandate to chair a new Justice Department Task Force to eradicate anti-Christian bias.
According to the White House, the task force is to include Bondi’s fellow cabinet members in addition to ”the heads of such other executive departments, agencies, and offices that the Chair may, from time to time, invite to participate.”
In the text of the order, the President cited the U.S. Constitution’s prohibition against government interference with the free exercise of religion and the Civil Rights Act of 1964’s protections against religious discrimination. He declared, “The previous Administration engaged in an egregious pattern of targeting peaceful Christians, while ignoring violent, anti-Christian offenses.”
Trump added that, “The Biden Department of Justice sought to squelch faith in the public square by bringing Federal criminal charges and obtaining in numerous cases multi-year prison sentences against nearly two dozen peaceful pro-life Christians for praying and demonstrating outside abortion facilities.” He also referred to the arrest and prosecution of “a Catholic priest and 75-year-old grandmother, as well as an 87-year-old woman and a father,” for praying and singing hymns outside an abortion facility in protest, as well as an FBI memorandum that claimed “radical-traditionalist” Catholics were domestic-terrorism threats.
Trump also pointed to attacks against Christian churches and organizations noting, “At the same time, Catholic churches, charities, and pro-life centers sought justice for violence, theft, and arson perpetrated against them, which the Biden Department of Justice largely ignored. After more than 100 attacks, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution condemning this violence and calling on the Biden Administration to enforce the law.”
Trump also laid “hostility and vandalism against Christian churches and places of worship,” at the feet of the Biden Administration noting “the number of such identified acts in 2023 exceeding by more than eight times the number from 2018.”
He also highlighted Biden’s Department of Education seeking to repeal religious liberty protections for faith-based organizations on university campuses and attempting to compel “Christians to affirm radical transgender ideology,” contrary to their beliefs via the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and drive them out of the foster-care system. Finally he pointed to the highly controversial declaration of a “Transgender Day of Visibility,” on Easter Sunday 2024, by the Biden Administration which drew widespread scorn.
In the text of the order, the President concluded, “My Administration will not tolerate anti-Christian weaponization of government or unlawful conduct targeting Christians. The law protects the freedom of Americans and groups of Americans to practice their faith in peace, and my Administration will enforce the law and protect these freedoms. My Administration will ensure that any unlawful and improper conduct, policies, or practices that target Christians are identified, terminated, and rectified.”
In a speech at the National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday, Trump told the gathered press that the task force’s mission is to “immediately halt all forms of anti-Christian targeting and discrimination in the federal government.”
“In addition, the task force will work to fully prosecute anti-Christian violence and vandalism in our society, and to move heaven and earth to defend the rights of Christians and religious believers nationwide,” he continued.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Matthew Holloway | Feb 8, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
A bill to construct a new Veterans Center on 232 acres of land in Young, Arizona, the first of its kind to support rural veterans and their families, was introduced by Congressman Eli Crane (R-AZ-02) and has passed the U.S. House of Representatives. The facility would be operated by Gila County and provide family housing, meeting and activity spaces, resource rooms, Veteran Ceremonial Grounds, and outdoor recreation.
“This veterans center is so crucial for rural veterans in northern Arizona who selflessly served our nation. I’m grateful to see my colleagues in the House recognize the significance of this land transfer,” said Crane. “This was the first piece of legislation I introduced and is a testament to the significance of northern Arizona’s veterans. Anytime Congress can vote on legislation that returns power to the states is a good thing. I’m grateful to House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman for his leadership and look forward to the advancement of this bill in the Senate.”
According to Crane’s office, the effort to get the new Veterans Center on its feet found unusual allies joined in a common cause with Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) and former Rep. Tom O’Halleran (D-AZ) getting the bipartisan ball rolling during the 117th Congress with Democrat Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) leading corresponding efforts in the Senate.
“America’s veterans and their families have sacrificed so much to defend our freedom, and Congress must do everything in its power to provide our servicemembers with proper care and opportunities. The commonsense, bipartisan land transfer provided by H.R.837 will do just that by opening up new experiences to veterans in the area for recreation and recovery.” House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman explained, “A veteran himself, Representative Crane has led on these issues this Congress, and I look forward to continuing to work with him to get this bill through the Senate and signed into law.”
Gila County Supervisor Woody Cline, who testified before the House Natural Resources Committee, told Congress of the significant impacts and extensive resources the center would provide for veterans and their families in the region.
During his testimony, Rep. Crane said, “One of the things I love so much about this project, is that you’re not coming here, Mr. Cline, and asking the federal government for any money. You’re actually trying to take something that’s a beautiful piece of land that’s not being used anymore and revitalize it into something amazing for some of our nation’s finest individuals.”
“This site will only be one of two sites in Arizona. There’s one in the southern part of Arizona and one in the northern part […] It’s huge for our local community as well. We have a local veteran community of about 100 people right there in that small town. And then right there between us and Payson, there’s roughly another 5,000-7,000 more right there. Having this accessible, not only to the local members, the state members, the national members, but also, we’re adjacent to the White Mountain Apache Tribe that is not very far away that has a number of veterans in that reservation as well that have been big supporters of this project. It means everything to these folks,” said Cline.
Data from the Veterans Administration shows that by population density, as of 2019, veterans are most represented in Yavapai and Cochise Counties, the northern and southernmost counties respectively with between 11.78-14.45% of the population and between 14.46-16.74% of the population.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Daniel Stefanski | Feb 8, 2025 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
A key proposal to better support Arizona State law enforcement officers passed its first legislative hurdle.
On Monday, the Arizona House Committee on Public Safety & Law Enforcement approved HB 2386 to “establish a pay parity system for Department of Public Safety (DPS) Troopers, ensuring their compensation is competitive with Arizona’s largest county and municipal law enforcement agencies. According to the release issued by the Arizona House Republicans, this bill would “strengthen recruitment and retention efforts, helping DPS attract and retain top-tier law enforcement personnel to protect Arizonans.”
State Representative David Marshall, who sponsored the proposal, issued a statement on the passage of his bill, saying, “Our Troopers put their lives on the line every day to keep our highways safe, combat drug trafficking, and take violent criminal off the streets. HB 2386 ensures they are paid fairly and competitively, just like their counterparts in county and municipal agencies. It’s common sense – Arizona can’t afford to lose highly trained law enforcement officers due to pay disparities.”
Marshall added, “This bill is about standing with our Troopers and making sure they have the support they need to do their jobs effectively. If we’re serious about protecting public safety, then we need to be serious about taking care of those who serve and protect us.”
In the House Committee on Public Safety & Law Enforcement, HB 2386 sailed through with an overwhelmingly 13-0 bipartisan vote. Two Democrats voted “present” on the legislation.
The bill “requires DPS to annually establish pay benchmarks based on the salaries and benefits of law enforcement agencies in Arizona’s three largest counties.” Information from the Arizona House of Representatives reveals that “by utilizing exisiting funds in the Parity Compensation Fund, the legislation provides a structured and responsible approach to maintaining competitive DPS salaries without additional strain on the state’s general fund.”
On the Arizona Legislature’s Request to Speak system, representatives from the Arizona State Troopers Association, Fraternal Order of Police (Arizona State Lodge), and the Arizona Police Association signed in to support the bill. A representative from Arizona National Organization for Women signed in to oppose the proposal.
HB 2386 now awaits an up-or-down vote from the full body in the Arizona House of Representatives.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
