Pro-Trump candidate Geoff Diehl triumphs in Massachusetts primary, to take on Elizabeth Warren in November

State Rep. Geoff Diehl won the primary to take on Sen. Elizabeth Warren in Massachusetts.  (AP Photo/Winslow Townson, File)

Republicans in deep-blue Massachusetts selected pro-Trump State Rep. Geoff Diehl to take on incumbent Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren in November, setting the stage for a contentious referendum on the first-term senator's national profile as she openly mulls a run for the presidency in 2020.
Diehl triumphed over attorney John Kingston, and Beth Lindstrom, an aide to former Gov. Mitt Romney, with early results showing him with a convincing double-digit lead over his rivals.
Of the three candidates, Diehl had the closest ties to President Donald Trump. Diehl co-chaired Trump's 2016 Massachusetts campaign. He was quick to note that despite its liberal reputation, Massachusetts gave Trump one of his most lopsided early primary wins.
Warren, who has served in the Senate since 2013, ran unopposed in Tuesday's Democratic primary. She released ten years worth of tax returns recently, laying the groundwork for a potential presidential run in 2020.
Warren hasn't yet declared her intention to run, saying she's wanted to focus on her reelection first. But she has clearly floated the possibility of pursuing the White House, saying in August she's not afraid to be "the underdog."
President Trump repeatedly has unloaded on his prospective rival, saying she lied about having Native American roots to help her legal career and vowing to toss a heritage test at her during a presidential debate.
Fox News has ranked the November race as likely Democrat.
Meanwhile, Massachusetts Republican Gov. Charlie Baker on Tuesday soundly defeated ultraconservative challenger Scott Lively on his way to seeking a second four-year term in office, overcoming charges that he is too moderate as Republicans seek to maintain their hold on New England's governorships.
He's set to face 47-year-old Ohio native Jay Gonzalez, the Democratic nominee for governor, in November. A former official in the administration of Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick, Gonzales has hammered Baker on the deficiencies in the state's mass transit system and called for stronger protections for immigrants.
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But despite Massachusetts' longstanding reputation as a deeply liberal state, Baker commands sky-high approval ratings there and ranks among the nation's most popular governors. He largely ignored Lively, a staunch supporter of President Trump.

Democratic Rep. Richard Neal flips a coin to determine speaking order as challenger Tahirah Amatul-Wadud looks on before their primary debate at WGBY TV in Springfield, Mass., Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018.  (AP)

Baker credited in part his willingness to work cooperatively with Democratic leaders at the Statehouse. He is a progressive Republican, and supports universal healthcare and greater state investments in transportation and education.
Republicans currently hold the governorships of four out of six states in highly liberal New England, including Vermont, Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, and are looking to grow that number in November.
Also on Tuesday, in a major upset, Boston city councilor Ayanna Pressley defeated 10-term incumbent Rep. Michael Capuano. Pressley, expected to be the first black woman elected to represent Massachusetts in Congress because she's set to run unopposed in November, had the backing of Democratic socialist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
And Rep. Richard Neal defeated Democratic primary challenger Tahirah Amatul-Wadud, an attorney who had hoped to make history herself by becoming the first Muslim elected to Congress from Massachusetts. She backed a proposal to make Medicare available to all Americans regardless of age.
Neal will run unopposed in November.

Lindsey Graham certain Kavanaugh 'is going to be on the Supreme Court,' weighs in on status of Mueller probe

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham called Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh “the single best legal mind of his generation,” adding he's certain the judge “is going to be on the Supreme Court.”
Graham told Fox News’ Martha MacCallum that Trump was the “big winner” in Wednesday’s hearing and that Democrats were the “big losers.” He said that Republicans have voted in favor of certain liberal judges in the past when the party was in the minority -- but he claimed Democrats have been unwilling to do the same.
“I think the country is tired of the yelling and they’d like us to get things done. And, at times, Donald Trump drives me crazy, but he’s produced, and Kavanaugh is the single best legal mind of his generation. Any Republican president would’ve picked him.”
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Graham went on to say that Kavanaugh is “equally qualified if not more” qualified than Justice Sonia Sotomayor and Justice Elena Kagan, both of whom were approved for the high court during the Obama administration.
He also said on “The Story” that the hearings will reflect poorly on Dems, adding: “If this is their approach to how to govern, they're going to have a hard time in 2020.”
Graham seemed to be confident that Kavanaugh would be approved.
“Kavanaugh’s going to be on the Supreme Court. Well done, Mr. President.”
Graham also spoke about the recent loss of his close friend Sen. John McCain -- and the man picked to serve out the remainder of his term.
“They’ve taken John’s wingman, John Kyl, who's steady as a rock, solid conservative who tries to solve hard problems and let him finish out his good friend’s term and it makes a lot of sense to me and come January we’ll get somebody that will be able to run in 2020.”
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He also added that Kyl, a former Arizona senator, is “a vote for Kavanaugh.”
MaCallum briefly asked Graham about the New York Times report that Special Counsel Robert Mueller was willing to accept some written answers from Trump about Russian collusion accusations.
He said it seemed unlikely Mueller's team would produce a report before midterm elections.
“If their still negotiating, talking to the president, most likely you won’t get a report until after the election.”
Kavanaugh's confirmation hearings started Tuesday and are set to continue through the week.

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Mexico’s Outgoing President Wants Canada Involved In Trade Deal

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto greets guests as he arrives to deliver his sixth and final State of the Nation address at the National Palace in Mexico City, Monday, Sept. 3, 2018. . (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

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UPDATED 6:40 PM PT — September 3, 2018

Mexico’s outgoing president stresses the importance of Canada being involved in the trade deal with his country and the United States.
During his final state of the union address Monday, President Enrique Pena Nieto said his country is promoting a trilateral agreement.
The U.S. currently has a deal in place with Mexico, but Pena Nieto is looking for all three north American countries to come together.
“Because we are convinced of the importance of Canada remaining as a commercial partner within the treaty,” said Pena Nieto. North America is more successful when it stays together. When each country contributes its strengths to make this the most attractive and competitive region in the world.”
Pena Nieto will leave office on November 30 of this year.

City Of Golden, Colorado To Vote On Lowering Voting Age To 16

In this June 14, 2016, file photo, a woman walks out of a polling place after voting.
(Photo: John Locher, AP)

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UPDATED 6:55 PM PT — September 3, 2018

A Colorado city is set to decide whether to lower the minimum voting age in local elections to 16-years-old.
The Denver Post reveals the city of Golden, which is located outside Denver, will vote in November on the issue.
If passed, voters as young as 16 would be able to cast ballots in elections for local candidates on local issues.
Golden would be the first Colorado community to approve such a measure.
The measure would go into effect in November 2019, but the city would still require residents to be at least 18-years-old to run for office.

Fla. Gubernatorial Nominee Andrew Gillum Plans to Raise Corporate Taxes by 40%

This July 18, 2018, file photo shows Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum speaking during a Democratic gubernatorial debate held at Florida Gulf Coast University’s Cohen Center in Fort Myers, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File)

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UPDATED 8:00 AM PT — September 3, 2018

Florida’s Democrat gubernatorial candidate says he plans to raise corporate taxes by 40% to provide Medicare to each resident in the Sunshine State.
In an interview with CNN on Sunday, Andrew Gillum claimed he would not raise rates on citizens, but would increase taxes on corporations so Florida could become a “leading state.”
However, the proposal could cost nearly $32 trillion over the next decade.
Gillum is running against Republican Ron DeSantis for the governor’s seat in November.

Trump warns Assad, Syrian allies on reported plan for Idlib province offensive

Smoke rises after a TNT bomb was thrown from a helicopter, hitting a rebel position during heavy fighting between troops loyal to president Bashar Assad and opposition fighters, in a neighbouring village to Kafr Nabuda, in the Idlib province.  (AP)

President Trump late Monday warned Syria’s Bashar al-Assad and his allies in the region not to attack rebels in the country’s Idlib province, warning that “hundreds of thousands” could be killed.
Trump’s tweet came shortly after Iran’s foreign minister said “terrorists must be purged” from Idlib, the last opposition stronghold in the country.
Mohammad Javad Zarif’s comments in Damascus came as Syrian forces and their allies are preparing for an assault.
“Syria’s territorial integrity should be safeguarded and all tribes and groups, as one society, should start the reconstruction process, and the refugees should return to their homes,” Zarif said, according to Iran's Fars news agency.
The BBC reported that Assad is planning a huge offensive.
Reuters reported that three million live there.
Syria has been fighting in a seven-year civil war, and Russia and Iran have backed Assad.

U.N. officials believe an offensive on Idlib would trigger a wave of displacement that could uproot an estimated 800,000 people and discourage refugees from returning home.
The U.S. and France have warned an Idlib offensive would trigger a humanitarian crisis and warned that a chemical attack in Idlib would prompt a western retaliation.
“All eyes on the actions of Assad, Russia, and Iran in Idlib, #NoChemicalWeapons,” Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, posted on Twitter.

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