Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are virtually tied in three crucial battleground states, according to new statewide surveys from Marist College.

The Marist Poll released Thursday finds that Harris and Trump are tied at 49% among likely voters in North Carolina who were asked which candidate they were leaning toward. Of those polled who have made up their minds, 91% said they strongly support their choice.

The race is tight in Arizona as well, where Trump polls just one point ahead of Harris, 50% to 49%, according to the Marist Institute for Public Opinion. The same goes for Georgia, where 50% of likely voters are leaning towards Trump and 49% say they are more inclined to vote for Harris.

The Marist Polls were conducted from Sept. 19-24, surveying 4,643 registered voters across all three states who report they are definitely voting in this year’s election. 

HARRIS-TRUMP SHOWDOWN: THE EDGE IS CLEAR ON THIS KEY ISSUE

There are 43 Electoral College votes up for grabs between Arizona, Georgia and North Carolina. Trump, a Republican, won all three in his 2016 victory over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, but lost Arizona and Georgia to President Biden in his 2020 defeat. North Carolina, a swing state that Trump won twice, has an incumbent Democratic governor and appears more competitive this year as the Republican candidate for governor, Mark Robinson, is mired in scandal over posts he allegedly made on a porn website and polls poorly against state Attorney General Josh Stein, the Democratic candidate. 

“North Carolina, with its 16 electoral votes, is both the Harris and Trump campaigns’ backup plan after the hard-fought battle over Pennsylvania,” said Dr. Lee M. Miringoff, Director of the Marist Institute for Public Opinion. “North Carolina is so close that the five regions in the state line up now almost exactly as they did four years ago. It’s as if the Biden years and the 2024 campaign haven’t happened.”

Harris and Trump are tied at 48% among North Carolina independents who are likely to vote. Biden carried Tar Heel independents by four points in 2020, according to the 2020 Presidential Exit Poll. Harris leads Trump among Black voters 86% to 13%, but underperforms compared to Biden, who earned 92% of the Black vote in North Carolina in 2020. Trump has an advantage over Harris with white voters, 59% to 40%, though Harris has improved with this demographic over Biden, who won 33% of the white vote in 2020. 

The top issues for North Carolina voters are inflation (32%), preserving democracy (28%), immigration (14%) and abortion (11%), according to the poll. 

HARRIS AND TRUMP DEADLOCKED IN PENNSYLVANIA AS FORMER PRESIDENT TRAILS IN OTHER ‘BLUE WALL’ STATES: POLL

Over in Arizona, Harris edges Trump among independents 51% to 47%. Biden won Arizona independents by 9 points four years ago, 53% to Trump’s 44%. Again, Trump leads Harris among white voters 51% to 48%, while the Latino vote is competitive, with 51% leaning towards Trump and 49% towards Harris.

The top issues for Arizona voters are preserving democracy (27%), inflation (26%), immigration (21%) and abortion (14%), the survey said.  

“Arizona’s 11 electoral votes are up for grabs, but the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate (Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz.) has a double-digit lead,” said Miringoff. “Voters in the state, like elsewhere, are willing to split their ticket this time unlike the straight party voting that occurred in 2016 and 2020.”

Harris also leads Trump among Georgia independents by five percentage points, 51% to 46%. Similar to Arizona, Biden won Georgia independents by 9 points in what was the first presidential election win for Peach State Democrats since 1992. Trump heavily contested the 2020 results in Georgia and continues to make unproven allegations of widespread voter fraud that have been rejected by Georgia officials, including Republican Gov. Brian Kemp. 

EARLY VOTING BEGINS IN ILLINOIS, NORTH DAKOTA, FLORIDA AND MICHIGAN

“Georgia was ground zero for election controversies in 2020. Yet, the overwhelming majority of Georgians express confidence that elections will be fair and accurate,” said Miringoff. “Interestingly, most Democrats and Republicans share this view despite the results last time.”

Georgia voters rank inflation as the top issue (34%), followed by preserving democracy (24%), immigration (13%) and abortion (11%).

A Fox News national poll taken after the first debate between Harris and Trump spotlighted that 39% of voters surveyed said the economy was their most pressing issue, far ahead of immigration (16%) and abortion (15%). All other issues tested were in single digits. 

“An increasing number say grocery prices and housing costs are tough for their family,” the Fox News poll notes.

Trump led Harris on the economy by 5 points in the Fox News poll. 

“The issue profile of this election continues to favor Trump,” said Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who conducts the Fox News Poll along with Democrat Chris Anderson.

But Shaw added that Trump’s “edge on economic issues has decreased, probably due to Harris’ messaging on housing costs and taxes, both of which target the middle class and appear to be paying off.”

Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser and Victoria Balara contributed to this report.

The states of Illinois, North Dakota, Florida and Michigan all began early voting on Thursday as the 2024 election continues to get underway.

Here is all the information about the elections in each state and how to vote.

Michigan shocked the country in 2016 when it backed former President Trump by 0.23 points, or a mere 10,704 votes.

Since then, the state has delivered for Democrats, with a nearly 3 point win for President Biden, the election and re-election of Governor Gretchen Whitmer, and in the last midterms, a state government trifecta.

Even so, this will be a competitive race. Recent high-quality polls have Harris ahead by 2 to 5 points; in each case within the margin of error.

Democrats do well in the southeastern part of the state, and Biden was able to win in 2020 by bringing out Black voters and gaining in the Detroit metro area. Flipping Kent County, home to Grand Rapids and a representative mix of urban, suburban, and rural vote, was also crucial to his victory. Trump will need to take it back for a statewide win in 2024.

Michigan’s population grew by 2% over the last full decade, with growth concentrated in the Grand Rapids area. Since then, the state has experienced decline, especially in Detroit.

The Great Lake State will also vote for a new senator after Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow decided not to run for reelection this year. House Rep. Elissa Slotkin hopes to keep the seat in Democratic hands and has an edge in this competitive race. She faces GOP candidate and former Rep. Mike Rogers.

Both the presidential and senate races are ranked Lean D on the Fox News Power Rankings.

Across the states that begin early voting today, there are four competitive U.S. House races in Illinois and Michigan:

This is a guide to registration and early voting. For comprehensive and up-to-date information on voter eligibility, processes and deadlines, please go to Vote.gov and the election website for Illinois.

Illinois began absentee voting on Thursday. Applicants do not need to provide an excuse to receive a ballot. The state must receive a ballot application by Oct. 31, and that ballot must be delivered to state officials by Nov. 5.

Illinois also began early in-person voting on Thursday, and it will continue through Nov. 5.

Illinois residents can register to vote online through Oct. 20. They can register by mail through Oct. 8, and they can register in-person at any point during early voting or on election day.

This is a guide to registration and early voting. For comprehensive and up-to-date information on voter eligibility, processes and deadlines, please go to Vote.gov and the election website for North Dakota.

North Dakota began absentee voting on Thursday. Applicants do not need to provide an excuse to receive a ballot. The state must receive a ballot application by Nov. 4, and that ballot must be delivered to state officials by Nov. 4.

Some North Dakota counties began early in-person voting on Thursday. Others start later or do not offer early voting at all. Check the state’s website for more information.

All eligible citizens can vote in North Dakota elections without prior registration.

This is a guide to registration and early voting. For comprehensive and up-to-date information on voter eligibility, processes and deadlines, please go to Vote.gov and the election website for Florida.

Florida began absentee voting on Thursday. Applicants do not need to provide an excuse to receive a ballot. The state must receive a ballot application by Oct. 24, and that ballot must be delivered to state officials by Nov. 5.

Start dates for early in-person voting vary by county in Florida. Check the state’s website for more information.

Florida residents can register to vote online, in-person or by mail through Oct. 7.

This is a guide to registration and early voting. For comprehensive and up-to-date information on voter eligibility, processes and deadlines, please go to Vote.gov and the election website for Michigan.

Michigan began absentee voting on Thursday. Applicants do not need to provide an excuse to receive a ballot. The state must receive a ballot application by Nov. 1, and that ballot must be delivered to state officials by Nov. 5.

Start dates for early in-person voting vary by county in Michigan. Check the state’s website for more information.

Michigan residents can register to vote online or by mail through Oct. 21. They can register in-person at any point during early voting or on election day.

The White House is expected to announce new actions to reduce gun violence, Fox News has learned.

According to a senior administration official, President Biden is poised to sign an executive order that will address key priorities for combating firearms threats, including eliminating gun conversion devices and establishing an emerging firearms threats task force.

The executive order will also aim to improve school-based active shooter drills to better prepare students for emergency situations.

The executive order comes just days after the mass shooting in Birmingham, Alabama on Sept. 21 that left four dead and 17 wounded. It also comes as former President Trump has survived two attempted assassinations in recent months.

HARRIS CAMPAIGN WON’T GIVE DETAILS ON TYPE OF GUN SHE OWNS, LAST TIME SHE WENT TO RANGE

The White House says firearm technology is rapidly evolving and Biden’s actions are aimed at reducing two key emerging threats: machine gun conversion devices and 3D printed firearms. 

GUN RIGHTS, GENDER TRANSITIONS, MEDICAL POT AMONG ISSUES SCOTUS WILL TACKLE THIS TERM

The senior administration official said conversion devices, those that aid in converting semi-automatic pistol into a fully automatic firearm, are already illegal under federal law but are continuing to be used in crime and recovered by law enforcement agencies across the country. 

The relatively new 3D printed firearms are built from computer code downloaded from the internet, making them widely available. They also lack serial numbers, which often help investigators trace firearms recovered at crime scenes. These 3D printed firearms can also be built with non-metal materials, making them undetectable by magnetometers used to secure airports, courthouses, and event spaces, the senior administration official said.

Biden’s executive order will establish an emerging firearms threats task force consisting of leadership from various federal departments and agencies. 

It will be tasked with issuing a report within 90 days that includes an assessment of the threat posed by machine gun conversion devices and 3D printed firearms, the senior administration official said.

The assessment will also include a review of federal agencies, operational and legal capacities to detect, intercept and seize these firearm and firearm components. 

Finally, it will direct the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the attorney general, the secretary of Health and Human Services, and the U.S. Surgeon General to develop and publish new active shooter drills. 

Nick Rojas contributed to this report.

The House task force investigating the assassination attempts against former President Trump is holding its first hearing Thursday.

“They’ve done a lot of work behind the scenes. They’ve interviewed dozens of witnesses. They gathered thousands of documents. They’ve been doing the work to lead up to the hearing, and I know there’ll be a lot of interest in that,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Tuesday.

“The American people desire and deserve answers, and the task force is working around the clock to deliver them.”

TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT IN FLORIDA: SECRET SERVICE ‘REDLINES,’ PENNSYLVANIA TASK FORCE SAYS

The task force was assembled after unanimous approval in the House, a rare feat in today’s partisan environment. 

Its scope was just expanded last week after a foiled second alleged attempt on Trump’s life, this time while the ex-president was golfing at his own course in West Palm Beach.

Thursday’s hearing, however, will focus on the July 13 shooting at Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

A 20-year-old gunman opened fire from a rooftop just outside the rally perimeter, killing one attendee and injuring others. Trump was struck in the ear by a bullet and was quickly evacuated offstage by Secret Service agents.

TRUMP HAS ‘PRESIDENTIAL LEVEL’ SECRET SERVICE PROTECTION, LAWMAKERS TOLD

Witnesses will include Edward Lenz, commander of the Butler County Emergency Services Unit; Butler Township Police Patrolman Drew Blasko; Pennsylvania State Police Lt. John Herold; former Secret Service agent Patrick Sullivan; and the Allegheny County medical examiner, Dr. Ariel Goldschmidt.

The task force, led by Chairman Mike Kelly, R-Pa., and ranking member Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., has already sent out a flurry of information and document requests to local, state and federal officials.

Lawmakers hope to get to the bottom of how Thomas Matthew Crooks was able to position himself so close to the rally with his weapon despite being noticed by some attendees and even local officials long before he opened fire.

“The communication failures on the day of the event were clearly catastrophic [and] led to what we saw happen that day. So, I anticipate we’re going to hear testimony from people who were there, who were part of that process, who can give us information about how those breakdowns occurred,” Rep. Laurel Lee, R-Fla., a task force member, said on “Fox News Live” Sunday.

The hearing comes a day after the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee released a damning interim report detailing planning and security failures that occurred July 13.

The report said the Secret Service did not have an adequate chain of command in place for approving security decisions ahead of the rally and failed to coordinate security specifically in relation to the building the shooter fired from.

It accused the Secret Service Counter Sniper Team leader of not going inside or on top of the building and said a sniper team charged with monitoring the area had an obstructed view, among other issues.

Next week’s highly anticipated vice presidential debate between Republican Ohio Sen. JD Vance and Democrat Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, while sure to generate buzz, is unlikely to make much difference in pushing undecided voters toward either presidential candidate, former President Trump or Vice President Harris, insiders agree.

Even so, experts who spoke to Fox News Digital did say there could be some indirect impact that can’t be completely discounted in a very close race.

“The VP debate is usually pretty [low-profile], they usually don’t get as much attention as the presidential debates,” Christopher Devine, author of “Do Running Mates Matter?: The Influence of Vice Presidential Candidates in Presidential Elections,” told Fox News Digital in an interview.

Devine suggested that while the upcoming debate will probably result in some viral moments, it won’t have the same level of interest or influence on voters as the 2008 VP debate when Sarah Palin on Republican John McCain’s ticket stole the spotlight in her matchup with then-Sen. Joe Biden.

VANCE SAYS HE WILL KEEP CALLING HAITIAN MIGRANTS ‘ILLEGAL ALIENS’ DESPITE PAROLE STATUS

“But the running mate does have what we call an indirect effect on vote choice in that it influences what people think of the presidential candidate, knowing that Donald Trump could have picked anybody and chose JD Vance or that Kamala Harris could have picked anyone and chose Tim Walz, and how they perform on the debate stage,” Devine added.

Tevi Troy, a presidential historian and a former George W. Bush Cabinet member, agreed but said their performances will reflect more of an impact on the public’s view of themselves. 

“Many VP debates are completely forgettable,” Troy told Fox News Digital.

JD VANCE DEBATE PREP STRATEGY INCLUDES TAPPING PROMINENT LAWMAKER TO PLAY WALZ

“This year might be different, and it might be different because of the whole Harris-Walz hide-the-ball campaign where she didn’t run for the nomination, so she wasn’t scrutinized,” he continued. “Then she’s been very reluctant to have any unscripted interviews since then, and when she does, it’s usually with a very friendly reporter, and even in the debate against Trump, there’s a perception that the moderators were harder on him than they were on her.”

“There have been a number of instances where Walz has [been] asked about her views, and he kind of ducks what her views are because if they say what she’s been in the past, which is pretty liberal, [one of the] most liberal U.S. senators, then that’s not popular and not helpful to her political prospects,” Troy added. “But Vance also has a number of things from his past that have surfaced, that have led to bad stories, like the cat-lady thing, for example, and Walz has not been shy about willing to go after Vance and criticize.”

FOX NEWS POLL: HARRIS TOPS TRUMP BY 2 POINTS

After the Harris-Trump debate, a Fox News Poll this month found that voters thought Harris performed better than Trump. 

With no further presidential debates in the works before November, the running mates will likely be making the final head-to-head case to voters for their respective campaigns. 

Each candidate is sure to jab the other, with Vance likely zeroing in on Walz’s progressive policies in Minnesota and Walz likely to paint Vance as extreme, citing earlier statements on abortion prior to joining the Trump ticket.

The CBS vice presidential debate airs Tuesday, Oct. 1, at 9 p.m. ET and will be simulcast on Fox News Channel and Fox Business Network.

RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina Republicans are taking both a data-driven and hand-to-hand approach to target key voters in the battleground state whose electoral votes are historically decided by just a small fraction of people.

Republicans won North Carolina in the past three presidential elections, but the results have consistently come down to just a couple of thousand votes, with former President Trump winning by about 4% in 2016 and 1% in 2020. The last Democrat to win the state, former President Obama in 2008, won by less than 14,000 votes.

As Republicans ramp up their get out the vote efforts this cycle, leaders at the forefront of the movement told Fox News Digital that they are focusing their resources on encouraging early voting and delivering their message to the key 1% to 2% that could swing the election for either party.

Jason Simmons, chair of the North Carolina Republican Party, told Fox News Digital that there has been an “overwhelming” response to their knocking on doors and grassroots activism.

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“We’ve been very engaged with all of our grassroots activists and have a very enthusiastic response. People are fired up. As I travel from one end of the state to the next, you see our Trump captains really engaging with the voters of North Carolina, taking the message of why it’s important in this year to go out more so than ever,” Simmons told Fox. “They’re out there every day knocking [on] doors, making phone calls, talking to the voters of North Carolina about the issues that matter most.”

Republicans in the state are also using data to help turn out the vote for residents who haven’t been engaged in voting in past elections.

TRUMP LEADS HARRIS IN CRUCIAL STATES GEORGIA, ARIZONA, NORTH CAROLINA, POLL FINDS

“It’s really drilling down into the data and identifying those voters that we know will vote our way, especially the low- to mid-propensity voters, by getting in front of them and talking to them about those issues that matter most to them and then encouraging them to make that plan and to go vote,” Simmons said.

After speaking with voters across the state, Simmons said the economy, inflation and the southern border are the issues of top concern among North Carolina voters. 

Republicans are also investing in encouraging early voting this cycle, and according to Dallas Woodhouse, state director for a conservative training outfit, American Majority, the data reveals that more early voting would benefit the GOP in 2024.

“We have field teams out right now educating conservative voters about the importance of actually voting early, voting by mail in North Carolina, how it is safe to vote by mail. We’re trying to turn around some of the trends that were difficult for conservatives in 2020 and 2022,” Woodhouse said. “What we know is that the earlier you get the vote in, the more efficient it is for candidates, for parties. And if you wait till the last minute, you are at risk of illness and bad weather and your cost per vote goes way out.”

Woodhouse said that by Election Day, America Majority expects to have knocked on half a million doors in the state, reached a million voters by phone and a million and a half voters through text messages.

“All you can do is go out and fight every day, go out, push the message of free markets, limited government, strong national defense, and get people out to vote what they do from theirs up to them.”

Woodhouse added that the presidential race in North Carolina is going to be “razor-close to the end.”

“The fact is, North Carolina is razor-close. … So, voter by voter or house by house, that’s what you’re into: hand-to-hand political combat to get every single voter to the polls.”

Mark Robinson, North Carolina’s lieutenant governor and the Republican gubernatorial candidate, recently came under fire after CNN published a report alleging that Robinson had previously made salacious comments, such as referring to himself as a “Black Nazi” on pornographic websites in the late 2000s. Just days later, his campaign released a statement that staff in various senior roles had stepped down. 

“It’s very unfortunate, and it’s disturbing, troubling, the remarks that we’ve seen and the allegations attributed to Mark Robinson,” Simmons told Fox of the recent controversy. “But ultimately, it’s up to him to go and talk to the voters of North Carolina and show them that these are not his words, his values. And we’ll continue to talk to the voters of North Carolina about those issues that matter most to them.”

Both Trump and his Democrat opponent, Vice President Harris, have been campaigning throughout the Old North State with just weeks left until the highly anticipated presidential contest on Nov. 5.

Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance took an apparent jab at Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris during an event in Michigan, when he echoed a talking point about her upbringing that she often repeats at her own events.

When speaking to a group of supporters in Traverse City, Vance mentioned he also “grew up in a working class family” and knows what it takes to stand up for the middle class in an election year unsettled by high inflation and crippling costs.

“Now, look, a lot of you know my story and a lot of you know where I came from. Look, I grew up in a working-class family. And so, when the Democrats — when Kamala Harris — talks about her middle class background, when the Democrats talk about how they stand for working people, they’re not telling the truth,” Vance said.

He added: “They’re lying to you.”

HARRIS-TRUMP SHOWDOWN: NEW POLL INDICATES WHO HAS EDGE IN MOST IMPORTANT BATTLEGROUND

In his remarks, Vance said voters can look back to how many Democrats in positions of power during the COVID-19 pandemic sought to enforce lockdowns and to keep them in place while Americans were desperate to return to work.

“Here’s how we know they’re lying to you,” he continued. “Remember back a few years ago when there were a lot of nurses, a lot of people in a lot of industries that were losing their jobs because they refused to take the COVID shot? Now, I believe if you want to take the Covid shot, take the shot. If you don’t want to take the COVID shot, don’t take the COVID shot. But listen, it is disgraceful for Kamala Harris to say that she stands for the American working man when she fired millions of American working men and women from their jobs for not doing what Kamala Harris would tell them to do.”

Vance was visiting Michigan as the state represents an important background for former President Trump’s re-election chances and for down-ballot races like former Rep. Mike Rogers, who is running to represent Michigan in the U.S. Senate.

WHAT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POWER RANKINGS IN THE 2024 ELECTION SHOW

After commending Rogers, Vance turned his attention to the current vice president.

“I don’t know if you saw the news but Kamala Harris has decided to give her first solo national interview,” Vance said. “I’ve watched a couple of these interviews, local journalists with Kamala Harris, and I’ve realized why it is that Kamala Harris doesn’t give interviews. And the answer is that every time she answers a question, I think we gain about 100,000 votes, me and Donald Trump.”

“They ask Kamala, of course, because she’s the vice president and she is the reason why we have sky-high inflation and a wide open border, what are you going to do? What is your specific plan to solve the inflation crisis that’s making it unaffordable to buy groceries and housing? And Kamala will say, well, did you know that I grew up in a middle-class family, I had a very nice lawn back there in Berkeley, California,” he continued. “It’s like, well, that might be true. What the hell does that have to do with lower inflation?”

Vance added: “Or they’ll say, Kamala Harris, we’ve got a war in every new continent across the country. Kamala Harris, your administration has in some ways led to the policies that caused this conflict. How are you going to solve it as President of the United States? And Kamala Harris will say, well, did you know that I worked at McDonald’s for about three months when I was a teenager?”

THIS PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE HAS THE UPPER HAND IN THE 2024 CASH DASH

The Republican senator’s tirade against the Democratic nominee by arguing she fails to offer specifics in her answers.

“I think my friends, all of us watching this interview are saying to ourselves, what is Kamala Harris? What is she actually planning to do for the American people? And the answer is we don’t know. [But] we don’t have to guess that much because she’s been the vice president for three and a half years and she hasn’t done a thing. So let’s dispense with this idea that Kamala Harris is going to fix the very problem she caused.”

And, “Kamala Harris is why we have sky-high inflation. Kamala Harris is why you can’t afford groceries or housing. Kamala Harris is why the world is at war right now in nearly every single continent. Kamala Harris is why the border is wide open. And Kamala Harris, you want a promotion? The message from Michigan is you’re fired. Go back to San Francisco where you belong.”

Michigan, along with Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, are the Democrats’ so-called “blue wall,” which the party reliably won for a quarter-century in presidential elections.

This stronghold completely crumbled during Trump’s successful 2016 presidential run, when he narrowly carried all three states. However, Biden narrowly won back all three states in 2020.

The U.S. Secret Service (USSS) is investigating an agent accused of sexually assaulting a staffer working on Vice President Harris’ presidential campaign.

Real Clear Politics first reported the allegations Wednesday. According to four USSS sources, the incident took place last week in Wisconsin.

According to the report, several USSS agents and Harris campaign staffers were in Green Bay to work on security measures for an upcoming rally. The campaign event in Green Bay ended up not taking place, and the campaign switched the rally location to Atlanta, Georgia, after holding a rally in Madison, Wisconsin, on Friday.

The staffers and agents later drank at a local restaurant after finishing up their work for the day. They eventually moved over to the victim’s hotel room – where the alleged assault took place.

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The suspect, who was intoxicated at the time, had forced himself on the victim and began groping her, the report claims. The incident was witnessed by other people.

The suspect was reportedly so drunk that his coworkers kicked him out of their hotel room, and he fell asleep in the hallway.

A Secret Service spokesperson confirmed an investigation to Fox News Digital, but did not disclose if it involved a Harris staffer.

HARRIS-TRUMP SHOWDOWN: WHICH CANDIDATE HOLDS THE EDGE ON THIS CRUCIAL ISSUE

“The U.S. Secret Service Office of Professional Responsibility is investigating a misconduct allegation involving an employee,” the spokesperson said. “The Secret Service holds its personnel to the highest standards.”

“The employee has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.”

Harris’ office said in a statement that “we have zero tolerance for sexual misconduct,” and that the office takes “safety of staff seriously,” according to the Associated Press.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Harris campaign for comment.

An associate college professor who was appointed to the Minnesota State Department of Education by Gov. Tim Walz called for the U.S. to be “overthrown” and “deconstructed” in a video posted over two years ago. Walz is now the vice presidential nominee for the Democratic Party. 

Brian Lozenski, Ph.D., is an associate professor of urban and multicultural education in the Education Studies Department at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, according to his personal blog.

He is also affiliated with several organizations, such as the Education for Liberation Network, or EdLib MN, Network for the Development of Children of African Descent, and the Twin Cities Solidarity Committee.

Lozenski was appointed to the state’s department of education by Walz to help write the framework of ethnic studies standards, as well.

TIM WALZ’S SCHOOL LUNCH FIASCO GOT SCAMMED FOR $250 MILLION RIGHT UNDER HIS NOSE

In a video first reported on by the National Review and posted to YouTube on June 19, 2022, by The Solidarity Network, Lozenski spoke about his research with a panel. He even touched on Critical Race Theory, a school of thought that generally focuses on how power structures and institutions affect racial minorities.

“We don’t use critical race theory in school,” Lozenski said. “The first tenet of critical race theory is that the United States, as constructed, is irreversibly racist. So, if the nation state, as constructed, is irreversibly racist, then it must be done with. It must be overthrown.

“We can be like, ‘Oh no, critical race theory is just about telling our stories and diversity,’” he added. “It’s not about that. It’s about overgrowth. It is insurgent.”

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Lozenski also told the panel they need to be more honest with that idea because many people do not understand critical race theory.

“It’s an anti-state theory that says the United States needs to be deconstructed, period,” Lozenski said.

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Fox News Digital has reached out to both Walz and Lozenski for comment on the statements the department of education appointee made.

According to a Wall Street Journal article last month, the Walz administration in Minnesota has relied on committed political activists like Lozenski to design and guide the implementation of the state’s education agenda.

One of the groups Lozenski is part of, EdLib MN, is focused on becoming a political force in Minnesota and to “contend with the status quo of colonial education that prioritizes Eurocentric curricula,” according to its website.

Welcome to Fox News’ Politics newsletter with the latest political news from Washington D.C. and updates from the 2024 campaign trail. 

What’s happening…

-Legislators with medical backgrounds debunk claims that pro-life laws responsible for maternal death…

-Fox News releases new power rankings on 2024 presidential election…

-Harris campaign won’t share what type of gun she owns…

Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s trip to the U.S. this week may complicate his relationship with the U.S., particularly if Republicans take power in the November election.

He flew on an Air Force C-17 plane to visit an arms producer in Scranton, Pennsylvania – a swing state – signed bombs with the state’s Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro and called former President Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance, “too radical.” 

The Ukrainian president said he didn’t think Trump knew how to bring an end to the war and told the United Nations General Assembly the war with Russia “can’t be calmed by talks” and Russian President Vladimir Putin can “only be forced into peace.” That didn’t sit well with people in Trump’s orbit…Read more

‘DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY’: Justice Department backs UN claim relief workers accused of aiding Hamas are immune …Read more

ZELENSKYY ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL: Comer investigating Biden-Harris admin’s alleged use of taxpayer funds to fly Zelenskyy to Pa. …Read more

NOT A DENIAL: DOJ inspector general does not deny FBI informants were among Jan. 6 crowd …Read more

BEHIND THE BLUE CURTAIN: Sneak peek into Dems’ plans for Trump if they win House majority in November …Read more

FEARMONGERING: Legislators with emergency medicine background dismiss fears over Georgia’s heartbeat law …Read more

CCP INFLUENCE: GOP senators eye comprehensive China strategy to curb influence …Read more

‘ELECTION INTERFERENCE’: House Speaker Johnson calls on Zelenskyy to fire Ukraine’s ambassador to US over Pennsylvania trip …Read more

‘COPYCATS’: House Judiciary investigating DOJ for release of Routh manifesto offering $150k Trump bounty …Read more

‘LEVERAGE ALL OPTIONS’: Bill would ban Afghan aid until Americans released …Read more

POWER RANKINGS: Fox News Power Rankings: Harris ticks up and Senate Republicans take charge …Read more

NO DETAILS: Harris campaign won’t provide info on type of gun she owns, last time she went to range …Read more

WHO’S MORE ACCESSIBLE?: Trump-Vance have done significantly more interviews than Harris-Walz …Read more

IRAN HACK: Trump campaign hack was Iran’s ‘explicit tipping of the scales’ for Harris, expert says …Read more

‘TRUST THE PROFESSIONALS’: Walz failed to ban TikTok on government devices despite nat sec concerns …Read more

‘HUMAN ERROR’: Wisconsin Republican demands probe after city sends out 2,000 duplicate absentee ballots …Read more

HANDWRITTEN NOTE: Top Secret Service agent on July 13 heard about credible Trump threats on TV …Read more

‘STRANGE CIRCUMSTANCES’: Trump points out Iranian president’s large security detail in NYC despite potential Iranian plot to assassinate him …Read more

‘DIRECT ATTACK ON OUR DEMOCRACY’: Trump assassination suspect indicted in Miami court …Read more

KILLER MOM: Susan Smith brags from behind bars in bid for early release from prison …Read more

BREAKING NEWS: Illegal alien who was caught and released at border is accused of killing girlfriend in Maryland …Read more

‘TRUMP TRAIN’: Cleared defendants liken case to lawfare campaign against former prez …Read more

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