Monday morning news: January 22, 2024

DeSantis drops out » With New Hampshire primary voters set to head to the polls tomorrow, it’s now a two-person race for the Republican presidential nomination.

With his poll numbers lagging in upcoming primary states, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis made this announcement on Sunday:

DESANTIS: I can’t ask our supporters to volunteer their time and donate their resources if we don’t have a clear path to victory. Accordingly, I am today suspending my campaign.

It was a surprisingly early exit for a candidate who once seemed poised to give Trump a serious challenge.

Just over a year ago, the governor was riding high off a landslide reelection win in Florida.

DESANTIS: After four years, the people have delivered their verdict. Freedom is here to stay!

In the months that followed, a few polls suggested that DeSantis might’ve even been the frontrunner for the party’s presidential nod.

And last February, just 13 points separated Trump from DeSantis in Republican primary polls.

But that gap began to grow after the first of a series of indictments against Trump last March. And on Sunday, the governor said it’s clear that most GOP voters want to give Trump another chance.

DESANTIS: They watched his presidency get stymied by relentless resistance. And they see Democrats using lawfare to this day to attack him.

Donald Trump on Sunday informed his supporters in New Hampshire of the governor’s decision.

TRUMP: And Ron is dropping out. And in doing so, he endorsed us.

DeSantis said Trump’s only remaining GOP rival, former ambassador Nikki Haley, represents the Republican party of “yesteryear.”

New Hampshire campaigning » But campaigning in New Hampshire Sunday, Haley said the governor has it backward.

HALEY: And this comes down to - what do you want? Do you want more of the same? Or do you want something new?

Speaking to her supporters, she celebrated winning the campaign within the campaign that was the race to become the GOP alternative to Donald Trump.

HALEY: It’s now one fella and one lady left. [cheers]

In the latest average of New Hampshire polls, Trump leads with 50 percent, followed by Haley with 35 percent.

But tomorrow’s vote is not a closed primary. Independents can also vote … which could make the race even closer.

Missile strike on U.S./Iraqi troops in Iraq » Several U.S. service members are being evaluated for traumatic brain injuries after Iran-backed militants fired ballistic missiles at an air base housing U.S. troops in Iraq. WORLD’s Josh Schumacher has more.

JOSH SCHUMACHER: The attack over the weekend follows nearly 150 recent attacks against U.S. forces inside Iraq by Iran’s proxy groups.

U.S. Central Command reported that militants fired multiple ballistic missiles and rockets at the Al-Asad air base.

The base houses U.S. and Iraqi troops whose primary mission is to counter ISIS militants in the region.

Air defense systems intercepted most of the missiles, but a few found their mark.

For WORLD, I’m Josh Schumacher.

Border talks » The U.S.-Mexico border crisis will be a hot topic again this week. Lawmakers and the White House are still trying to hammer out a deal that would help to secure the border while also funding aid to Ukraine.

Republicans, like Texas Congressman Michael McCaul want President Biden to restore Trump-era rules that he scrapped. That includes the so-called Remain in Mexico policy for those seeking asylum at the border.

MCCAUL: That was a direct cause and effect, as Border Patrol Chief Ortiz told us, once that policy was rescinded, then the magnet pull factor came in.

The president hosted a bipartisan group of lawmakers at the White House for talks last week about the border and Ukraine funding.

Mayorkas » House Republicans will also continue a push this week to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Congressman Mark Green chairs the Homeland Security Committee.

GREEN: Right now, we are assembling articles of impeachment to present to our committee. We’ll mark those up in committee very shortly after getting back, and then [after] passing the committee, they’ll go to the floor for a vote on the floor.

Some GOP lawmakers accuse Mayorkas of subverting U.S. immigration laws.

Weather » Freezing temperatures are wreaking havoc across much of the country, causing pipes to burst and turning roads into dangerous ice rinks.

But Bob Oravec with the National Weather says relief is on the way for many.

ORAVEC: The cold air mass moves off the coast and some warmer air starts to build North eastward. So a lot of the cold below average temperatures that we have had over the past few days will begin to moderate and actually by mid week early to mid week we'll have much above average temperatures across a good part of their country east of the Rockies.

As of Sunday, millions of people from Southern Michigan all the way to Texas were under freeze or winter storm warnings.

I’m, Kent Covington.

Straight ahead: Fishing for a change to Uncle Sam’s regulatory powers on Legal Docket. Plus, the Monday Moneybeat.

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