Biden sounds alarm ahead of midterms, claiming 'democracy ... is at risk'



President Joe Biden is warning that U.S. democracy is on the line during the 2022 midterm election cycle.

"In our bones, we know democracy ... is at risk," Biden declared during a speech on Wednesday. He said that every individual has the ability to "preserve our democracy" and that he knows the nation will do so.

Democrats are striving to cling to control in both chambers of Congress when Americans head to the polls on Election Day next week — and some Americans have already cast their votes prior to Election Day. Biden, who is not on the ballot, has been facing dismal job approval numbers in polling for quite some time.

Biden pointed the finger toward former President Donald Trump, asserting that U.S. democracy is under assault "because the defeated former president" declined to accept the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.

The current president went on to claim that "extreme MAGA Republicans," which he described as only a minority of the GOP but also as the "driving force" of the party, are seeking to "suppress the right of voters and subvert the electoral system itself." Biden claimed that they have "emboldened violence and intimidation of voters and election officials."

Biden opened his speech by discussing the recent assault perpetrated against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband Paul Pelosi. The suspect had reportedly asked, "Where is Nancy? Where is Nancy?" Biden said that people who stormed the U.S. Capitol used "the very same words" on January 6, 2021.

WATCH LIVE: Biden delivers remarks on the state of democracy after attack on Paul Pelosi www.youtube.com

While Rep. Nancy Pelosi was not at home when the incident unfolded, the man charged in connection with the episode told authorities that he had intended to hold Nancy Pelosi hostage.

During an event in Florida on Tuesday, Biden sought to boost Democratic gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist and U.S. Senate candidate Rep. Val Demings — Sunshine State Gov. Ron DeSantis, an incumbent Republican, joked that the move marked "an in-kind contribution" to his reelection bid and that his campaign would be willing to "underwrite" Biden's sticking around until the end of the campaign cycle.

\u201c.@RonDeSantisFL \ud83d\udd25 response to Biden campaigning for @charliecrist in Florida today:\n\u201cI think it's an in-kind contribution to my campaign. I just want to make the offer public: we will underwrite him to stay in Florida for the rest of the campaign.\u201d \ud83d\udc40\ud83d\udc40\u201d
— DeSantis War Room \ud83d\udc0a #FloridaStrong (@DeSantis War Room \ud83d\udc0a #FloridaStrong) 1667357138

DeSantis jokes that Biden campaigning against him is 'an in-kind contribution' to his reelection bid



President Joe Biden sought to boost Florida Democratic gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist and Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Rep. Val Demings during an event in Florida on Tuesday, but Sunshine State Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis joked that Biden's move to campaign against him represents "an in-kind contribution" to his campaign.

DeSantis also quipped that his campaign would be willing to "underwrite" Biden to remain in the state for the remainder of the campaign, saying that if the president wants to stick around, "it'll be on our dime."

\u201c.@RonDeSantisFL \ud83d\udd25 response to Biden campaigning for @charliecrist in Florida today:\n\u201cI think it's an in-kind contribution to my campaign. I just want to make the offer public: we will underwrite him to stay in Florida for the rest of the campaign.\u201d \ud83d\udc40\ud83d\udc40\u201d
— DeSantis War Room \ud83d\udc0a #FloridaStrong (@DeSantis War Room \ud83d\udc0a #FloridaStrong) 1667357138

Biden has been underwater in job approval polling for quite some time.

The Florida governor has become a popular figure on the political right who many view as a potential future GOP presidential contender. During a debate last month, Crist pressed DeSantis on whether he would serve for a full four-year term if he secures reelection as governor. DeSantis quipped that "the only worn out old donkey" he is seeking to "put out to pasture is Charlie Crist."

Democrats are aiming to cling to control of the House and Senate during the election contests around the nation next week.

Demings is running against incumbent Republican Sen. Marco Rubio.

Crist previously served as Florida governor from early 2007 through early 2011 after being elected to the role as a Republican. Crist lost the 2010 U.S. Senate race to Republican Marco Rubio while running as an independent. He later lost the 2014 Florida governor's race to incumbent Republican Gov. Rick Scott while running as a Democrat. Crist later served as a Democratic lawmaker in the U.S. House of Representatives but resigned from that job earlier this year as he focused on his gubernatorial run.

On the heels of his primary victory in August, Crist said that he did not want the votes of DeSantis supporters, and he accused the governor's backers of harboring hate within their hearts.

Charlie Crist speaks in St. Pete for first time since accepting Democratic nomination for governor youtu.be

'Time to make Ron DeSantis a one-term governor': Gavin Newsom pledges a whopping $100,000 to support Democratic candidate Charlie Crist in Florida governor race



California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who survived a recall election last year and is currently seeking another term in office during the Golden State's 2022 gubernatorial contest, announced that he is pledging $100,000 to support Democratic Rep. Charlie Crist's bid to defeat incumbent GOP Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis during the Sunshine State's governor race.

"Time to make Ron DeSantis a one-term governor. I'm pledging $100k right now to @CharlieCrist. Who will join me in helping Charlie become the next Governor of Florida?" Newsom tweeted on Thursday.

"Great to have you on Team Crist, @GavinNewsom! I've said it all along, DeSantis isn’t just a Florida problem. He wants to be president and force his radical right-wing views on the country. When we beat him this November, that show is OVER," Crist tweeted in response to Newsom's post.

\u201c@GavinNewsom Great to have you on Team Crist, @GavinNewsom!\n\nI've said it all along, DeSantis isn\u2019t just a Florida problem. He wants to be president and force his radical right-wing views on the country.\n\nWhen we beat him this November, that show is OVER. Join us today:https://t.co/Bgss6lGA0E\u201d
— Gavin Newsom (@Gavin Newsom) 1661441658

While DeSantis has not announced any plans to mount a presidential bid, the governor has become an enormously popular figure within conservative circles and many political watchers view him as someone who could eventually pursue a White House run.

Earlier this week, Crist won Florida's Democratic gubernatorial primary contest, which means that he will face DeSantis during the general election later this year.

Crist previously served as Florida governor from early 2007 through early 2011 — he had been elected to that post as a Republican, but in 2010 he lost a U.S. Senate contest while running as an independent. He lost the state's 2014 governor race while running as a Democrat.

Fresh off of his primary victory this week, Crist declared that he does not want the votes of DeSantis supporters. "Those who support the governor should stay with him and vote for him," Crist said, adding emphatically, "I don't want your vote."

Christina Pushaw, who recently resigned from her job as the Florida governor's press secretary and assumed the role of rapid response director for the DeSantis campaign, responded to Newsom's post by commenting, "Who needs opposition research when your opponents are like this." In another tweet she remarked, "Also so nice for Floridians that Charlie Crist said he doesn't want our votes, but he wants Gavin Newsom's money!"

Newsom previously ran an advertisement in Florida in which he claimed that freedom is under assault in the Sunshine State but that California is a bastion of freedom.

\u201cWe\u2019re about to celebrate Independence Day -- but Freedom\u00a0is under attack by Republican leaders in states like Florida.\n\nBanning books.\nRestricting speech.\nMaking it harder to vote.\nCriminalizing women and doctors.\n\u00a0\nIt\u2019s time to stand up. Don\u2019t let them take your\u00a0freedom.\u201d
— Gavin Newsom (@Gavin Newsom) 1656860438

Democrat Nikki Fried said she does not sign pledges — but after gun control activist David Hogg demanded that she 'sign the damn pledge,' she responded by saying that she had signed it



Florida Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services Nikki Fried, who is competing in the state's Democratic gubernatorial primary, announced that she signed a pledge in support of banning assault weapons. Prior to making the announcement, people on social media had been expressing disapproval that Fried had not signed the pledge, but Fried said that she does not sign pledges — then after gun control activist David Hogg called for her to sign, she responded to him by announcing that she had signed the pledge.

Ban Assault Weapons Now chair Gail Schwartz noted in a tweet on Thursday that Fried had not signed the group's pledge.

In response to a critic who described Fried's failure to sign the pledge as "shameful," the gubernatorial hopeful explained, "I don't sign pledges." Fried also pointed to a tweet in which she had stated, "When the Florida Legislature sends a bill to my desk banning assault weapons, I’ll sign it in orange sharpie for all those we’ve loved and lost due to inaction."

\u201c@DrLiver @gailbarb1 @CharlieCrist @Annette_Taddeo @RonDeSantisFL I don\u2019t sign pledges\u201d
— Gail Schwartz (@Gail Schwartz) 1653602932

But that was not enough for David Hogg, who demanded that Fried sign the pledge. "I don't care sign the damn pledge," Hogg wrote to Fried.

Fried then replied, "Signed. Judge me also by my actions. Nothing I won't do to protect students and end mass shootings."

\u201c@davidhogg111 @DrLiver @gailbarb1 @CharlieCrist @Annette_Taddeo @RonDeSantisFL Signed. \n\nJudge me also by my actions. Nothing I won't do to protect students and end mass shootings.\u201d
— Gail Schwartz (@Gail Schwartz) 1653602932

The text of the pledge reads, "By signing below, I hereby pledge and affirm that if elected Governor of Florida, I will prioritize banning the sale and transfer of assault weapons and large capacity magazines by encouraging Florida's legislators to approve the bill and I will sign the legislation into law."

Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has endorsed Democratic Rep. Charlie Crist for the Florida governorship.

GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis is currently seeking re-election and could prove to be a difficult candidate to beat for the Democratic candidate during the upcoming general election.