7AM ET 11/03/2025 Newscast

Summary

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Fox News Hourly Update — 7AM ET, November 3, 2025

Overview

On the eve of Election Day 2025, this FOX News Hourly Update covers the intensifying gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia, highlights heavy early voting and tight mayoral races in New York City, updates on the ongoing federal government shutdown and its impact on food benefits, details recent US military strikes targeting cartels, and reports on international developments involving Nigeria and Israel/Gaza. The episode is brisk, news-driven, and focused on late-breaking political and national stories.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Election Day Eve: Spotlight on Governorship Races

[00:02]–[01:53]

• Obama Joins Campaign Trail

  • Former President Obama is campaigning in New Jersey and Virginia to energize Democratic candidates and voters.
  • Obama is “their biggest closer,” according to Manila Rivera [00:22].
  • He takes aim at President Trump during rallies.

• New Jersey Governor’s Race

  • Democrats seek a third consecutive term in the governor’s mansion.
  • Latest FOX News poll: Democrat Mikie Sherrill leads Republican Jack Ciatarelli by 7 points, but the race could be closer (“giving Democrats the jitters” — Manila Rivera [00:35]).
  • “Republicans believe they have a very good chance of flipping New Jersey’s governor’s seat.” — Manila Rivera [00:30]

• Virginia Governor’s Race

  • Democrat Abigail Spanberger leads Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earl Sears.
  • Large issues at play: backlash over federal worker layoffs and furloughs.

• Trump Holds Telerally

  • President Trump is holding remote rallies in both contesting states, trying to flip undecided and late voters [01:01].

2. New York City’s Tight Mayoral Contest & Massive Turnout

[01:15]–[01:53]

• “Long lines. People I talked to said they have not seen lines like this for a local election in decades…national spotlight is right here on the Big Apple.” — Alexa Kadams [01:17]
• Unnamed voter: “I’ve never seen an election and lines like this up the block before the actual election day, which I’m hoping is a good sign for Cuomo.” [01:30]
• Andrew Cuomo’s campaign believes high turnout may help him “close the gap on Democratic nominees.” — Alexa Kadams [01:41]

3. Federal Government Shutdown: SNAP Benefits Crisis

[02:16]–[02:59]

• Shutdown reaches 34 days, nearing the record set during Trump’s first term.
• SNAP (food stamp) benefits paused; millions queued at food banks.
• Two federal judges ordered the administration to use emergency funds to pay SNAP recipients [02:29].
• President Trump’s response: instructing executive branch lawyers to clarify if and how benefits may be resumed, while blaming Democrats for the lapse.
• “He does not want Americans to go hungry.” — CJ Papa [02:59]

4. U.S. Military Strikes Against Cartel Targets

[03:09]–[03:37]

• Trump administration justifies cartel strikes, arguing these don’t fall under the War Powers Resolution since U.S. troops “are not being sent into hostilities,” though “hostilities” is “kind of vague” (Alexandria Hoff [03:13]).
• Recent action killed three alleged “narco terrorists.”
• Defense Secretary Hegseth: “We will continue to track them, map them, hunt them, and kill them.” — reported by Alexandria Hoff [03:21]
• The approach equates cartel targets to al Qaeda in terms of operational policy.

5. International: Nigeria’s Religious Liberty, Israel-Gaza Exchange

[03:37]–[04:00]

• Nigeria:
  • President responds to U.S. threat of military action, stating on X: “Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty.” [03:40]
• Israel/Gaza:
  • Israel returns bodies of 45 Palestinians to Gaza health officials.
  • The move follows Hamas returning remains of three Israeli troops, hostages taken October 7, 2023 [03:50].

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Manila Rivera on Obama Campaigning:

  • “Democrats are bringing out their biggest closer, former President Obama, to give candidates a boost.” [00:22]

• On New Jersey Polls and Jitters:

  • “Democrat Mikie Sherrill leads Republican Jack Ciatarelli by 7 percentage points. But some believe the race is tighter than that, giving Democrats the jitters.” — Manila Rivera [00:35]

• From the Voters’ Perspective in NYC:

  • “I’ve never seen an election and lines like this up the block before the actual election day, which I’m hoping is a good sign for Cuomo.” — Unnamed Voter [01:30]

• Christina Coleman on Food Insecurity:

  • “People in cities across the country have been waiting in long lines for groceries and free meals at food banks to make sure they can still put food on the table.” [02:32]

• Defense Secretary Hegseth’s Warning:

  • “We will continue to track them, map them, hunt them, and kill them.” [03:25]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:02] Election Day campaign efforts in New Jersey and Virginia
• [00:22] Obama campaigns for Democrats, NJ/VA critical races
• [01:01] President Trump’s telerally for GOP in VA and NJ
• [01:15] NYC’s heated mayoral race and historic turnout
• [01:41] Cuomo campaign’s optimism amid high turnout
• [02:16] Federal shutdown update; SNAP benefit crisis
• [02:29] Judicial order on emergency SNAP payments
• [03:09] US military cartel strikes, White House perspective
• [03:37] Nigeria’s religious liberty statement; Israel-Gaza body exchanges

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Summary

This newscast provides a fast-paced, comprehensive rundown of high-stakes Election Day politics, urgent economic and social policy issues prompted by the government shutdown, and high-profile national security and foreign affairs developments. In rapid succession, the newscast contextualizes developments with on-the-ground reporting, polling data, and direct commentary, maintaining FOX News’ energetic and news-forward tone.

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Transcript

[CJ Papa]

The eve of Election Day. CJ Papa, FOX NEWS now. President Obama on the ground this week in a pair of states in the east coast where Democrats want to remain in power in the governor's mansion for a third straight term. That's New Jersey. And they want to seize control again, booting out Republicans in the state House. That's Virginia. Ox Manila Rivera has more.

[Manila Rivera]

Democrats are bringing out their biggest closer, former President Obama, to give candidates a boost. He headlined rallies in New Jersey and Virginia over the weekend where he took jabs at President Trump. Despite Obama's criticism, Republicans believe they have a very good chance of flipping New Jersey's governor's seat. RED A FOX News poll shows Democrat Mikey Sherrill leads Republican Jack Ciatarelli by 7 percentage points. But some believe the race is tighter than that, giving Democrats the jitters. In Virginia, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger's lead over Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earl Sears is wider. Democrats hope anger over the firing and furloughs of federal workers will galvanize voters.

[CJ Papa]

That's Fox and Madeleine Rivera. President Trump holding telerally this evening in Virginia and New Jersey, trying to sway voters who have not cast their vote early to vote for Republicans running for governor in those states. Brisk early voting at the Big Apple, where the mayor's seat is up for.

[Alexa Kadams]

Grabs on the city's west side. In New York, there are long lines. People I talked to said they have not seen lines like this for a local election in decades. That's because the national spotlight is right here on the Big Apple. As that race continues to narrow, people want to make sure their vote will count.

[Unnamed Voter]

I've never seen an election and lines like this up the block before the actual election day, which I'm hoping is a good sign for Cuomo.

[Alexa Kadams]

And I just checked in with former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's campaign who tells Fox that the larger the voter turnout is, the better they believe it is for them. And Cuomo thinks he can close the gap on Democratic nominees.

[CJ Papa]

Or in Mamdani Fox's Alexa Kadams in New York City. America's listening to FOX News.

[Kane County Host]

It will Kane Country Watch it live at noon Eastern Eastern Monday through [e-mail] or on the Fox News YouTube channel. And don't miss the show. Listen and follow the podcast five days a week at foxnewspodcasts.com or wherever you download your favorite podcasts.

[CJ Papa]

A government shutdown now at 34 days. That's one shy of the record of 35 set during the first term for President Trump. Money needed for groceries drying up over the weekend. But could it soon flow again? Fox's Christina Coleman has more monthly benefits.

[Christina Coleman]

Through SNAP paused due to the government shutdown worrying millions of Americans. People in cities across the country have been waiting in long lines for groceries and free meals at food banks to make sure they can still put food on the table. On Friday, two federal judges ruled the Trump administration must find a way to continue to pay for SNAP using emergency reserve funds. President Donald Trump says he has instructed executive branch lawyers to ask the court to clarify how the federal government can legally fund SNAP as soon as possible.

[CJ Papa]

And the president blaming Democrats for lap in funding, saying he does not want Americans to go hungry. More strikes carried out by the US Military. Fox's Alexandria Hoff joins us from the White House.

[Alexandria Hoff]

Trump administration's position is that cartel strikes do not fall under the War Powers Resolution because troops are not being sent into hostilities within the resolution. Hostilities is kind of vague. It's been interpreted differently in the past. But action. It did kill three men who Secretary Hegseth described as narco terrorists carrying illicit drugs to the U.S. he added a promise in his post, the department will treat them exactly how we treated al Qaeda when we will continue to track them, map them, hunt them and kill them.

[CJ Papa]

That's fox's Alexandria Hoff reporting. Meanwhile, Nigeria's president responded to the response of the threat of military action from President Trump if it does not protect Christians under attack. Posting today on X. Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty. Israel handing over the bodies of 45 Palestinians that from health officials in Gaza who receive the remains today. And Nasser Hospital. This follows the move by the terror group Hamas which sent the remains of three Israeli troops taken hostage October 7, 2023. I'm CJ Papa, this is FOX News.