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Democrats are gearing up to challenge Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) again after nearly unseating her in one of the biggest surprises of last year’s midterms.

In a sign of her perceived vulnerability, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) this week highlighted Boebert’s district as one of 31 targets next year, even after former President Trump handily won it in the past two presidential elections.

For Democrats, Boebert’s high-profile media antics and close ties to Trump’s MAGA (Make America Great Again) movement make her a prime foil.

“One of our most effective comments that we talked about in the district was she’s not focused on the job, she’s focused on herself,” said Adam Frisch, the Democrat who nearly defeated Boebert last year and who is running again to unseat her in 2024. “I can’t believe she had almost the most embarrassing loss in 20 years and she hasn’t changed one iota. She’s actually doubled down on crazy.”

That sentiment is one that Frisch, a businessman and former city council member in Pitkin County, will continue to hammer home in the run-up to the general election next year. 

Boebert’s firebrand style has resulted in a long list of controversies in her short congressional career, including a Democratic push to have her removed from House committees after her Islamophobic attacks on Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and her staunch support of Trump’s claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him.

She emerged from her first election victory, defeating 10-year Republican incumbent Rep. Scott Tipton in the primary, as a star of the right wing of the GOP, tying herself closely to then-President Trump. Former Chair of the Colorado Republican Party Dick Wadhams remembered Boebert’s rabble-rousing speaking appearances ahead of the election, focusing on issues like gun rights and cultural issues.

“She took that very combative style to her everyday work in the U.S. House of Representatives,” Wadhams said. “I think it started the people in the third congressional district thinking that she wasn’t paying enough attention to the district as she was paying more attention to national politics.”

But the behaviors that Wadhams said may have pushed away some voters in the district also made her a national conservative media star and turned her into one of the GOP’s powerhouse fundraisers in Congress. She raked in nearly $8 million for the 2022 cycle.

“She’s always been a fundraising machine so she’s certainly going to have enough money,” Wadhams said. 

But with national Democrats identifying the race as one of their priorities in 2024, Frisch, who in part self-financed his campaign with more than $2.2 million in loans in 2022, might be able to stock a campaign chest comparable with Boebert’s. Through the first quarter of 2023, Frisch raised more than $1.7 million in just over a month after announcing his campaign. Boebert has yet to release her fundraising numbers for the first quarter.

Frisch has pitched himself as an unabashedly moderate Democrat, focusing on agricultural and energy production issues. As the debate over an approaching debt ceiling rages in Washington, many Democrats have taken the stance that cuts to entitlement programs — like Social Security and Medicare — should be off the table as Republicans angle for spending slashes. Frisch ventured into territory that only a select number of Democrats have, arguing that while Congress should raise the debt ceiling, it does need to take a look at the long-term viability of entitlement programs.

“There are three or four big programs that control the vast majority of the budget, and then there’s everything else,” Frisch said. “So I think it’s hard to say we’re going to keep 85 percent of the budget off the table … even if you get rid of 600 percent of the 15 percent that’s left over, you might have a math problem.”

But Frisch will have to walk a tightrope in the run-up to 2024 in a district that Trump won by 12 points in 2016 and 6 points in 2020. Republicans have already tried to tie Frisch to what they say are the reckless crime policies of the Democratic Party.

“Extreme House Democrats lost the majority because they hammered families with crime, chaos and skyrocketing costs,” said Jack Pandol, communications director for the National Republican Congressional Committee. “Why would voters change their minds after Democrats spent their time in the minority coddling violent criminals and opposing relief?”

Wadhams said Frisch would be forced to take even more policy positions in front of voters this time around, without the element of surprise that allowed him to travel the district “presenting himself as a legitimate alternative to Boebert.”

“He will be forced to expose where he really is on these issues,” Wadhams said. “He will be pressured by his left wing in the Democratic party. They do not want anybody to put any distance between their agenda and getting elected to Congress.”

As her detractors rail against her headline-making antics, Boebert pointed to legislative victories like an energy bill that passed the House last week that would boost domestic energy production, which Republicans say would help drop fuel costs. 

“I’m working every day to be a strong legislator and to deliver results,” Boebert said in a statement. “I think I’ve been surprising my detractors by introducing and passing a growing list of bipartisan legislation and amendments. The success I’m achieving legislatively is proving my efforts to change the rules are helping make Congress more effective and our country stronger.”

But looming over Boebert’s presumed reelection campaign in 2024 is Trump, who is once again vying for the GOP’s nomination. Boebert has been a close ally of Trump, backing his unfounded claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him. On top of that, the former president has now been criminally charged in a New York case involving hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels.

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“Donald Trump, he’s just completely toxic in this state,” Flaherty said. “When he’s anywhere near the discussion, he’s just a walking turnout machine for Democrat and younger voters.” 

With the pressure of increasing eyes on the race from the national parties and the added dynamic of what is setting up to be a polarizing presidential election, Frisch said he would rely again on his moderate bonafides to try to turn Boebert’s district blue.

“I know that the Democratic Party is not looking for a straight, middle-aged, white, moderate Democrat from a mountain town,” Frisch said. “But I truly say what I believe. And authenticity and sincerity works … I was by far and away the most moderate, conservative Democrat (in the last primary), and I wasn’t hiding it.”

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Hero who tackled and disarmed Bondi Beach gunman is Sydney fruit shop owner

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Hero who tackled and disarmed Bondi Beach gunman is Sydney fruit shop owner

A bystander hailed a hero after he tackled and disarmed one of the gunmen in the Bondi Beach shooting is a shop owner.

The man, named by a relative as 43-year-old Ahmed al Ahmed, was seen in a video running up to the attacker from behind and then grabbing the shotgun from his hands before pointing the weapon back at him.

The footage then showed the terrorist heading towards a bridge where another gunman was located, while the bystander placed the gun beside a tree.

Ahmed al Ahmed (in a white T-shirt) is seen in a video running up to a gunman from behind
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Ahmed al Ahmed (in a white T-shirt) is seen in a video running up to a gunman from behind

Mr Ahmed then wrestles with the attacker
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Mr Ahmed then wrestles with the attacker

Live updates on Sydney shooting

Mr Ahmed, who was wearing a white T-shirt, was shot twice in the incident and was due to have surgery, his cousin, Mustafa, has revealed.

In a video on 7News, Mr Ahmed appeared to have a bloodied arm and hand, and was helped by other people near the scene in the Australian city.

At least 11 people were killed and 29 others injured in the attack when two gunmen opened fire from a bridge on crowds at a Jewish event around 6pm local time on Sunday evening.

More than 1,000 people had been at the gathering which was celebrating the festival of Hanukkah.

Mr Ahmed manages to get the gun off the terrorist
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Mr Ahmed manages to get the gun off the terrorist

The bystander then points the weapon at the attacker who moves away towards a bridge
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The bystander then points the weapon at the attacker who moves away towards a bridge

A gunman was killed and another was in a critical condition following the shooting.

One of the suspects was 24-year-old Naveed Akram.

His driver’s licence says he lives in Bonnyrigg, a suburb of Sydney. The identity of the other suspected attacker is not known.

Naveed Akram, 24, was one of the suspects
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Naveed Akram, 24, was one of the suspects

Mustafa said father-of-two Mr Ahmed, who owns a fruit shop in the Sydney suburb of Sutherland, did not have any experience with guns but was just walking past when he decided to step in.

He told 7News: “He’s in hospital and we don’t know exactly what’s going on inside.

“We do hope he will be fine. He’s a hero, 100%.”

Read more:
What we know about mass shooting

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One of the suspected gunmen has been named as 24-year-old Naveed Akram.

The footage of the bystander’s actions spread quickly on social media as people praised the man for his bravery, saying his actions had potentially saved many lives.

“Australian hero (random civilian) wrestles gun off attacker and disarms him. Some people are brave and then some people are… whatever this is,” one person said on X, sharing the video.

“This Australian man saved countless lives by stripping the gun off one of the terrorists at Bondi beach. HERO,” another said.

Chris Minns, the premier of New South Wales state, where Sydney is located, said it was the “most unbelievable scene I’ve ever seen”.

“A man walking up to a gunman who had fired on the community and single-handedly disarming him, putting his own life at risk to save the lives of countless other people.”

“That man is a genuine hero, and I’ve got no doubt that there are many, many people alive tonight as a result of his bravery,” he added.

The country’s prime minister Anthony Albanese praised the actions of Australians who had “run towards danger in order to help others”.

“These Australians are heroes and their bravery has saved lives,” he told a news conference.

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Police release video of shooting suspect after two killed and nine injured at US university

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Police release video of shooting suspect after two killed and nine injured at US university

A “person of interest” has been detained after a gunman opened fire on the campus of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, killing two students.

Nine people, all or nearly all of whom are also believed to be students, were injured in the attack at around 4pm (9pm UK time) on Saturday.

Eight people have been described as stable, although one remains critically ill. Another person has left hospital.

A video released by officials shows a suspect walking down a street away from the campus and turning a corner, dressed in dark, loose-fitting clothing.

An FBI agent confirmed the arrest took place at a Hampton Inn hotel in Coventry, about 20 miles (32km) from Providence early on Sunday.

Authorities said the suspect was in their 20s, younger than was initially reported, but no further details have been released about them.

Pic: AP
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Pic: AP

Pic: AP
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Pic: AP

Providence Police Deputy Chief Tim O’Hara said the shooting happened inside a classroom on the first floor of the Barus & Holley engineering building, a seven-storey structure home to much of the university’s engineering and physics study and research.

More on Brown University Shooting

Brown University provost Frank Doyle confirmed that final exams were taking place in the engineering building Saturday afternoon when the gunman opened fire.

A police official told the AP news agency that the gunman fired more than 40 9mm rounds. A gun has not been recovered but officers did seize two loaded 30-round magazines.

On Sunday, Providence mayor Brett Smiley told reporters the order to shelter-in-place for nearby neighbourhoods had been lifted, but some streets remained shut as investigators work at the scene.

“The people of Providence should breathe a little easier this morning,” Mr Smiley added.

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‘Stay inside’ mayor warns after shooting

Access to parts of the campus remained restricted on Sunday as police maintained a security perimeter around Minden Hall and nearby apartment buildings.

The site has hundreds of buildings, including lecture halls, laboratories and dorms.

Brown is a private university with roughly 7,300 undergraduate students and more than 3,000 graduate students.

Students hid under desks

Student Chiang-Heng Chien said he was working in one of the labs with three other students when they received a notification about a shooting nearby.

“We decided to turn the light off and close all the doors and hide under our desks, and wait for the next notification after the shooting,” he told reporters.

The students hid under the desks for about two hours.

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‘We hid under our desks for two hours’

“I was hoping that no one’s getting hurt and no one’s dead,” he said.

The students left the building when they received another notification, and security personnel moved in to search the facility.

Read more from Sky News:
Terror attack at Bondi Beach shooting
Belarus pardons 123 prisoners
Thailand destroys bridge in Cambodia

Emma Ferraro, a chemical engineering student, was in the Barus & Holley lobby working on a final project when she heard loud popping sounds coming from the eastern side of the building.

For a moment, everyone paused and looked around, she recalled.

Once Ferraro realised the sounds were gunshots, she rushed to the door and ran to a nearby building, where she had been sheltering for the past few hours.

Pic: AP
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Pic: AP

Pic: AP
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Pic: AP

One person who was initially thought to be involved in the shooting was detained but was later determined to have no involvement.

President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House that he had been briefed on the situation, which he called “terrible”.

“All we can do right now is pray for the victims and for those that were very badly hurt,” he added.

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Photographer ‘locked eyes’ with gunman, as witness describes Bondi ‘warzone’

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Photographer 'locked eyes' with gunman, as witness describes Bondi 'warzone'

Messages were sweeping across Sydney within minutes of the attack at Bondi Beach.

Parents messaged their children and teenagers, who had been enjoying a late afternoon swim at Bondi.

Witnesses said police were on the scene quickly, and the streets of Sydney’s eastern suburbs were full of police cars and ambulances on their way to Bondi.

Follow live: 11 people killed at event celebrating Hanukkah

When we arrived, there were still dozens of people processing what had happened, and everywhere – shock.

Witnesses told us that when the gunfire started some people took cover in the North Bondi Surf Life Saving Club. Once the threat was over, lifeguards helped the injured and used surfboards to carry them out.

Witnesses tell Sky's Nicole Johnston of Bondi 'warzone'
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Witnesses tell Sky’s Nicole Johnston of Bondi ‘warzone’

Some people were clearly traumatised and provided graphic detail of witnessing the shooting and seeing people killed in front of them.

More on Bondi Beach Shooting

A photographer, Danny, was covering the Jewish holiday event.

Read more: What we know so far

He said he “locked eyes” with one of the gunmen, who then fired towards him. Danny said he was grazed by a bullet. He kept filming during the shooting, while taking cover.

Sam, from France, was working at Bondi. He went to the scene of the attack and saw almost a dozen people lying on the ground covered in blood. Sam described it as like a “war zone”.

Rabbi Lei Wolff, from Central Synagogue in Sydney, went to Bondi as soon as he heard about the mass shooting. A dear friend of his, Rabbi Eli Schlanger, was killed in the attack.

Rabbi Wolff has called on people around the world to stand with Australia’s Jewish community against terrorism.

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