By Arlette Saenz, Manu Raju, Ted Barrett, Alison Main, CNN

(CNN) — A Democratic win in a special election in solidly red Texas is sparking a new wave of warnings from Republicans on Capitol Hill about finetuning messaging and revving up turnout heading into the midterm elections.

“It should be a warning, and I think we’ve got to respond,” said Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska, adding President Donald Trump won on border and inflation issues and “if we were to focus on that and still focus on that, I think we’d be a lot better off.”

Nine months until the November elections, Republican angst over a double-digit Democratic victory in a state Senate district Trump won by 17 points in 2024 is settling in from Texas to the nation’s capital.

“It should be a wake-up call because I think most Republicans are satisfied with what the Trump administration has done. His numbers amongst Republicans are good, but they’re going to have to come out and vote and I think that’ll help change the election environment,” said Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma.

“But hey, no doubt about it, minority parties win off-year elections most times,” Cole added. “Republicans ought to understand it’s going to take an exceptional effort to hold the majority.”

The win Saturday by Democrat Taylor Rehmet in the Fort Worth-area district is the latest in a string of special election triumphs by the party since the start of Trump’s second term. Rehmet, a union president and veteran, defeated Trump-endorsed candidate Leigh Wambsganss by 14 points – representing a roughly 31-point swing from Trump’s 2024 margin.

“The problem is bigger than they think it is,” Rehmet said of Republicans Monday during an appearance with CNN’s Erin Burnett. “Because working folks have been left behind, and we need to start finding creative ways to lower costs and help folks out in this economy.”

Implications for November

Rehmet’s victory has prompted Republicans to reassess the party’s political standing as they grapple with the president’s low approval ratings and historical trends that traditionally go against the party in the White House.

“That’s not an accident. That’s an issue,” one Republican strategist familiar with Texas races said. “That doesn’t happen very often.”

“I haven’t studied those Texas numbers specifically, but I mean, anytime that you lose a race in red areas, it would be concerning,” said Montana Sen. Steve Daines, a former chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

Rehmet said his campaign also worked to win back Latino voters who swung to Trump in the last presidential election.

“We showed up with Latino voters from the very beginning,” he said, saying he tried to reach out to a community “often overlooked, definitely underserved.”

The race played out as Republicans and Democrats in the state will hold Senate primaries next month, which will test the direction of each party in the conservative state. Republicans are engaged in a three-way primary between incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, state Attorney General Ken Paxton and Rep. Wesley Hunt. The Democratic primary features two rising stars in the party – Rep. Jasmine Crockett and state Rep. James Talarico.

The special election contest, which was held on a weekend during a cold stretch in Texas, saw low turnout, an issue many Republicans officials pointed to as they took stock of the results.

“It was obviously a rough night, and it underscores the need for Republican turnout in November,” said Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas. “I think we’re all taking the midterms seriously.”

In the final stretch of the election, the president sought to turn out base voters, posting three times on soci

By Katie Hunt and Jackie Wattles, CNN

(CNN) — NASA is now targeting March for the earliest possible launch of its historic Artemis II lunar moon mission, which will send four astronauts into deep space for the first time since the Apollo program ended more than five decades ago.

The decision came after NASA said it had completed a wet dress rehearsal in the early hours of Tuesday, a crucial test of the towering rocket system that will launch the astronauts on an unprecedented path around the moon. The mission had been expected to lift off as soon as February 8.

NASA said it encountered several problems during the rehearsal after cold weather caused a late start, including running into issues with hydrogen leaks while filling up Artemis II’s Space Launch System rocket with propellant. The delay would allow teams to review data and conduct a second launch rehearsal, the agency said in a blog post.

“With more than three years between SLS launches, we fully anticipated encountering challenges,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman added in a tweet.

“That is precisely why we conduct a wet dress rehearsal. These tests are designed to surface issues before flight and set up launch day with the highest probability of success,” he added.

Artemis II plans to send a group of four astronauts — NASA’s Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch as well as the Canadian Space Agency’s Jeremy Hansen — on a 10-day journey beyond the far side of the moon, which could set a new record for the farthest distance humans have ever traveled from Earth.

The astronauts will now be released from quarantine, which they entered in Houston on January 21, and not travel to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida Tuesday as tentatively planned.

NASA said the crew will enter quarantine again about two weeks from the next targeted launch date. NASA had previously said that March 6, March 7, March 8, March 9 and March 11 were available dates for launch.

“With March as the potential launch window, teams will fully review data from the test, mitigate each issue, and return to testing ahead of setting an official target launch date,” NASA said in the blog post.

NASA leaders will hold a news conference at 1 p.m. ET on Tuesday to discuss the initial results from the wet dress rehearsal.

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The post NASA delays launch of historic moon mission appeared first on News Channel 3-12.

Por Karina Tsui y Brian Stelter, CNN

El periodista independiente y expresentador de CNN Don Lemon defendió su cobertura de una protesta contra el Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas (ICE) en una iglesia de St. Paul, Minnesota, que resultó en su arresto la semana pasada.

Lemon le comentó a Jimmy Kimmel este lunes que, como periodista, “fue allí para hacer una crónica, documentar y registrar lo que estaba sucediendo”.

“Hay una diferencia entre un manifestante y un periodista”, declaró Lemon en el programa nocturno de Kimmel en su primera entrevista desde que fue liberado sin fianza el viernes pasado.

Lemon y otra periodista independiente, Georgia Fort, transmitían en vivo cómo decenas de manifestantes interrumpieron un servicio en la Iglesia de las Ciudades el 18 de enero, lo que provocó tensos enfrentamientos.

Los manifestantes afirman que uno de los pastores es un alto funcionario de ICE en las Ciudades Gemelas -Minneapolis–Saint Paul.

Los fiscales federales agruparon a los dos periodistas con los manifestantes y los acusaron de conspirar para violar los derechos constitucionales de alguien y de violar la Ley FACE, que prohíbe el uso de la fuerza o amenazas para interferir intencionalmente con alguien que expresa su derecho de la Primera Enmienda a practicar la religión.

Los funcionarios de la administración Trump habían pedido el arresto de Lemon en los días posteriores a la protesta, lo que lo llevó a tomar medidas de precaución y contratar un abogado, indicó.

“El abogado contactó a los fiscales y les dijo básicamente: ‘Entiendo que tienen interés porque han estado hablando de ello. Así que, si se toman esto en serio, hagámoslo como es debido’”, le contó Lemon a Kimmel, describiendo su disposición a entregarse.

Pero en lugar de poder entregarse voluntariamente, narró Lemon, al menos una docena de agentes federales fueron enviados a arrestarlo en el vestíbulo de un hotel de Los Ángeles, donde se hospedaba mientras cubría los Grammy.

Lemon dijo que lo “empujaron” cerca del ascensor de un hotel y lo esposaron, y agregó que los agentes tardaron un tiempo en identificarse y presentarle una orden judicial.

“Creo que mi abogado intentó contactarlos una o dos veces para decirles que podía ir y que solo estarían las personas que trabajaron allí ese día. Así no tendrían que tener a toda esa gente siguiéndome”, indicó Lemon.

“Quieren avergonzarte, quieren intimidarte, quieren infundir miedo”, le manifestó Lemon a Kimmel.

Los fiscales federales han alegado que Lemon y Fort participaron en un ataque similar a una toma de control de la iglesia e intimidaron a los feligreses.

Un fiscal federal declaró la semana pasada ante el tribunal que Lemon explicó a su audiencia que el propósito de la protesta era hacer que la experiencia fuera traumática e incómoda para los feligreses.

Lemon fue puesto en libertad el viernes tras comparecer ante un tribunal federal. La fiscalía solicitó una fianza de US$ 100.000 y argumentó que el periodista necesitaba condiciones para evitar que se atreviera a hacer algo similar mientras esperaba el juicio.

Sus abogados defensores acordaron que no tendría contacto con testigos conocidos, víctimas o coacusados, y que debe obtener aprobación para cualquier viaje al exterior (el juez aprobó un viaje a Europa planeado en junio).

Se espera que comparezca ante el tribunal el lunes en Los Ángeles.

Los defensores de la Primera Enmienda y las organizaciones de derechos civiles han condenado los cargos y argumentado que la administración está tratando de frenar la libertad de prensa.

La elecci

Por Elise Hammond, CNN

Las autoridades creen que Nancy Guthrie fue secuestrada de su dormitorio en Arizona, pero han guardado silencio sobre qué detalles les llevaron a esa conclusión sobre la madre de 84 años de la presentadora de “Today”, Savannah Guthrie.

Guthrie fue vista por última vez en su casa en Catalina Foothills, cerca de Tucson, el sábado por la noche y la policía dice que el tiempo es esencial para encontrarla, especialmente porque no tiene la medicación crucial que toma a diario.

Cuando la policía llegó a la casa el domingo, encontraron cosas que eran “muy preocupantes”, dijo el sheriff del condado de Pima, Chris Nanos, y eso dio inicio a una investigación criminal.

Savannah Guthrie, quien viajó a Tucson después de enterarse de la desaparición de su madre, ahora pide oraciones por su familia.

Aquí están las preguntas clave y lo que sabemos sobre el caso.

Guthrie fue vista por última vez el sábado cuando su familia la trajo a casa después de cenar alrededor de las 9:30 p. m., según declaró Nanos a CNN. La metieron en la casa y se fue a dormir, añadió.

Cuando ella no se presentó a la iglesia el domingo por la mañana, un miembro de la iglesia llamó a su familia, quienes fueron a su casa alrededor de las 11 a. m. para buscarla, dijo el sheriff en una conferencia de prensa el lunes.

Un familiar llamó al 911 alrededor del mediodía del domingo para reportar su desaparición, dijo Nanos, y detectives de homicidios fueron enviados a la casa.

“Algo que me contaron sobre esa escena me hizo creer que hay más que una persona desaparecida”, dijo Nanos sobre la decisión de iniciar una investigación criminal. “Aún tenemos esperanza de que esté viva y continuamos con las misiones de búsqueda y rescate”.

Nanos afirmó que los investigadores creen que la secuestraron de su cama, pero no pueden explicar por qué. Las autoridades desconocen la hora a la que se llevaron a Guthrie, añadió Nanos.

La policía está tratando la casa de Guthrie como una escena de un crimen y ha descrito las circunstancias que rodean su desaparición como sospechosas, dijo Nanos.

El caso “no está relacionado con la demencia”, declaró Nanos en una conferencia de prensa el lunes por la mañana, y Guthrie está “en pleno uso de sus facultades mentales” y “muy lúcida”. Sin embargo, también tiene movilidad limitada y “no podía caminar ni 50 metros”, explicó el sheriff, lo que llevó a los investigadores a creer que la sacaron de la casa.

“No es alguien que se haya ido”, dijo Nanos.

“También tenemos algunos elementos en esa escena que nos indican que fue sacada de allí contra su voluntad. No puedo entrar en detalles”, dijo Nanos, argumentando que es para proteger la integridad del caso.

También se negó a dar información sobre si aparentemente Guthrie resultó herido durante el incidente.

Cuando CNN le preguntó si Guthrie podría haber sido parte de un complot de secuestro para pedir rescate, dado el alto perfil de su hija, Nanos dijo que esa no es la dirección que están tomando los investigadores, pero “nunca lo descartaremos”.

Los investigadores tampoco creen que se tratara de una invasión a la vivienda o un robo que salió mal, dijo Nanos a MS NOW, y agregó que tampoco descartan esa posibilidad.

En este momento, “el tiempo es crucial” para encontrarla, declaró el sheriff en la conferencia de prensa. Guthrie toma medicamentos a diario, y si no los toma, “podría ser fatal”, añadió. Sin embargo, no hay indicios de que represente una amenaza para el público, añadió Nanos.

Las fuerzas del orden locales lideran la investigación, y agen

By Lex Harvey, Betsy Klein, CNN

(CNN) — President Donald Trump has doubled down on his attacks against Harvard University, demanding that the Ivy League school pay a $1 billion settlement to restore federal funding after months of failed negotiations.

“We are now seeking One Billion Dollars in damages, and want nothing further to do, into the future, with Harvard University,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social late Monday, disputing a report from the New York Times that the White House had dropped his administration’s demands on for a financial payment from the university, citing multiple unnamed sources.

Officials from Harvard and the White House have been in discussions for months about a high-dollar deal to restore all federal funding to the university and end its ongoing lawsuits against the administration. Trump had been calling on Harvard to pay a sweeping $500 million settlement.

University administrators have refused any deal that includes a cash payment, The Harvard Crimson reported, and were instead negotiating the details of a workforce development agreement of up to $500 million.

In his post on Monday, Trump dismissed the previous $500 million potential deal with Harvard to operate trade schools, which CNN reported last fall the White House was close to finalizing, calling it “wholly inadequate.”

“They wanted to do a convoluted job training concept, but it was turned down in that it was wholly inadequate and would not have been, in our opinion, successful,” Trump wrote. “It was merely a way of Harvard getting out of a large cash settlement of more than 500 Million Dollars, a number that should be much higher for the serious and heinous illegalities that they have committed.”

Trump also said in his Truth Social post the administration’s investigations into Harvard should now be criminal.

“This should be a Criminal, not Civil, event, and Harvard will have to live with the consequences of their wrongdoings,” Trump said.

CNN has reached out to Harvard for comment. The university has not responded publicly to Trump’s latest demands.

In its original report Monday, the New York Times said Trump was willing to drop his demand for a $200 million payment from the university if that concession secured a deal to resolve claims that university officials mishandled antisemitism, citing multiple people briefed on the matter.

In a response to CNN asking about the report, a Department of Education spokesperson said “negotiations with Harvard are ongoing.”

“The Administration’s goal with Harvard, as with all its work on higher education, is to ensure campuses properly enforce civil rights laws, students are learning in an environment free from harassment and intimidation, and campuses once again prioritize truth-seeking and merit,” said Madi Biedermann, the Department of Education’s acting chief of staff.

CNN has also reached out to the White House for more information.

The administration has argued it is cracking down on antisemitism on college campuses in the wake of the latest war in Gaza.

In September, a federal judge ruled in Harvard’s favor to restore more than $2 billion in federal funding for research frozen by the White House, a major win for the school, which the government is appealing. Since then, the Trump administration has continued to find unprecedented ways to exert pressure on the elite institution, using multiple levers of the federal government and repeatedly threatening to cut o