Fox News Hourly Update – 6PM ET Newscast

Date: November 1, 2025
Host: Daria Albinger, FOX News Team
Main Theme: Ongoing government shutdown impacts, political tensions, and local election updates.

Overview

The 6PM Fox News newscast focuses on the far-reaching effects of the federal government shutdown, now at the two-month mark. Key topics include the havoc wrought on SNAP benefits and critical airline operations, political finger-pointing, the intensifying New York City mayoral race, and election developments in New Jersey. The newscast also notes the passing of a significant figure in Kentucky political history.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

SNAP Benefits Exhausted Amid Shutdown

• Overview: 42 million Americans see SNAP benefits run out. Federal judges demand the Trump administration find funds, but even emergency measures face delays.
• Kevin Hassett (White House Economic Council Director) voices concerns over using emergency reserves: "Using these emergency funds rather than resolving the issue at hand is risky." (00:16)
  • Rich Edson: Raises the practical issue of using rainy day funds: "[If] three weeks from now… what happens?" (00:30)
  • Brian Steele (WI Congressman): Criticizes the approach: "This is yet another stopgap measure that doesn't solve the underlying problem... This stopgap measure provides funding that doesn't even equal one full month." (00:54)
• President Trump looks to the courts as a solution, but distribution of funds, once secured, will still be delayed at the state level.

Air Travel Disruptions Due to Staffing Crisis

• Christina Coleman (FOX News): Reports from LAX on nationwide airport setbacks:
  • "Nearly 13,000 air traffic controllers have been working for weeks now without pay... There is a surge in call outs right now, that’s straining staffing levels at multiple airports. Nearly 80% of air traffic controllers are absent at New York area facilities. After 32 days without pay, these employees are working under immense stress and fatigue." (01:18)

Political Analysis: Governmental Shutdown & Local Elections

• Federal Shutdown as a Local Issue
  • Daria Albinger: Highlights the local impact in an election year: "In an election year, federal issues are often local ones, too, especially with the federal government shut down for two months as of today." (02:16)
  • Brian Steele: Takes aim at Trump policies: "If such an agency existed today, Donald Trump would pilfer its coffers to facilitate a tax cut, just as he has done these past months to SNAP, to Medicare, to Medicaid, to any program that dares to uplift the poor rather than comfort the wealthy." (02:23)

NYC Mayoral Race Heats Up

• Daria Albinger: Details the Democratic Socialist candidate in the three-way race:
  • "Democratic Socialist Zoran Mamdani, who is running for mayor of New York City... is in a three-man contest between independent Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa." (02:40)
    • Curtis Sliwa (Republican candidate):
      "These two individuals that I'm running against, Zoran and Cuomo, want to talk about local issues. They want to fly over. They want to talk about issues that are not relative to being mayor of the city of New York." (02:49)
• Side Note: Current NYC mayor Eric Adams has left the race.

New Jersey Gubernatorial Election Spotlight

• Rich Edson: Discusses the competitive landscape:
  • "Energy has been a major issue. Republican Jack Cittarelli is up against Democratic former Congresswoman Mikey Sherrill... polls have shown is a tight one." (03:23)
  • Zoran Mamdani (commenting on Mikey Sherrill energy policy): "She says she's going to declare a state of emergency on day one to freeze energy rates. Why would we freeze them at an all-time high?" (03:36)
  • Rich Edson: On GOP strategy: "Ciarelli has campaigned on increases in energy costs under a Democratic administration." (03:44)

Notable Passings

• Daria Albinger:
  • "Martha Lynn Collins, the first and only woman elected governor of Kentucky, has died. The Democrat's most visible legacy, that sprawling Toyota assembly plant... the linchpin of her economic development strategy. Collins was 88." (03:50)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• Kevin Hassett (00:16): "Using these emergency funds rather than resolving the issue at hand is risky."
• Brian Steele (00:54): "This stopgap measure provides funding that doesn't even equal one full month."
• Christina Coleman (01:18): "Nearly 80% of air traffic controllers are absent at New York area facilities. After 32 days without pay, these employees are working under immense stress and fatigue."
• Brian Steele (02:23): "Donald Trump would pilfer its coffers to facilitate a tax cut, just as he has done these past months to SNAP, to Medicare, to Medicaid..."
• Zoran Mamdani (03:36): "She says she's going to declare a state of emergency on day one to freeze energy rates. Why would we freeze them at an all-time high?"

Segment Timestamps

• [00:02] – SNAP benefits controversy and administrative delays
• [00:54] – Critique of stopgap funding for SNAP
• [01:18] – Air traffic control staffing crisis at major airports
• [02:16] – Shutdown’s impact on local elections and policies
• [02:40] – Highlights from NYC mayoral and New Jersey gubernatorial races
• [03:50] – Passing of Martha Lynn Collins, Kentucky’s only female governor

Summary

This tightly-packed newscast underscores the tangible hardships triggered by the government shutdown, from empty food assistance accounts to flight disruptions due to unpaid workers. As elections loom, candidates leverage these crises for political advantage, each framing the shutdown’s pain points within broader critiques of federal policy. The episode also honors Kentucky’s late Governor Martha Lynn Collins, reminding listeners of historical milestones in U.S. leadership.