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Hey everybody, I'm Dave Rubin and this is First Look. It's Tuesday, July 14, 2026. We've got a packed show for you today. President Trump makes a surprise pick to fill Lindsey Graham's Senate seat. The Trump administration scraps a weaponized Endangered Species act rule that has burdened American families and businesses for years. New York sees a dramatic exodus of US millionaires costing the state near $11 billion in tax revenue. Let's dive in. President Trump is pushing an unexpected but classy choice to temporarily fill the Senate seat left vacant by the late Lindsey Graham. On Monday, Trump posted on Truth Social that he recommended South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster appoint Graham's sister Darlene Graham Nordone as the interim senator for the remainder of her brother's term. I recommended to Governor Henry McMaster, Lindsey Graham's wonderful sister Darlene to serve as interim senator from the great state of South Carolina, trump wrote. This would be a fabulous tribute to Lindsay, who loved her dearly. Graham and his younger sister had a unique bond after their parents died. Lindsay legally adopted and raised Darlene. She has never held public office. Senator Tim Scott, who chairs the National Republican Senatorial Committee, is also strongly backing her. Lindsey Graham's sister Darlene Graham Nordone would be a fantastic pick to serve out the remainder of the Senate term, scott said on X after speaking with Darlene. There is no one better who understands Lindsay's love for family, our state and our country. Earlier Monday, Scott had floated former Representative Trey Gowdy and former Senator Jim DeMint as possible placeholders. He said he wants McMaster to put a placeholder and let the voters decide in the special election process that begins with candidate filing on July 21 and a primary on August 11. Multiple sources close to Scott told Fox News Digital that he is pushing McMaster to choose one of the three Graham, Nordone, Gowdy or DeMint specifically so they serve as placeholders and do not run for the full six year term. McMaster is expected to announce his pick at 4pm Monday. Meanwhile, the race for the permanent GOP nomination remains wide open. Representatives Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman are already eyeing the special election. Representative Joe Wilson has said he will stay in the House while the rest of South Carolina's Republican House members have not yet declared their plans. This is how you handle a sudden vacancy with respect for the late senator with while keeping the seat firmly in Republican hands. In excellent news for energy producers, farmers, ranchers and private landowners, the Trump administration is scrapping a sweeping Endangered Species act rule that previous administrations weaponized against American industry and families. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick announced Friday that their departments are rescinding the outdated regulatory definition of harm under the ESA and returning it to the original intent of the law. For years, federal agencies abused the ESA to obstruct lawful land use and burden American families and businesses, burgum told Fox News Digital. That approach turned routine activity into a regulatory trap, drove up costs that impacted people's lives and expanded federal authority beyond what Congress intended. The agencies are relying on The Supreme Court's 2024 Loper Bright vs. Raimondo decision, which overturned Chevron deference and requires courts to use independent judgment rather than rubber stamp agency interpretations. The goal is to stick to the single best meaning of the statute instead of letting it be contorted for political agendas. Officials pointed to the Dunes sagebrush lizard, listed as endangered under Biden in 2024, which triggered costly restrictions on energy projects in Texas's Permian Basin, the same region featured in the Billy Bob Thornton Series Landman. They also cited the lesser prairie chicken, whose protections have long frustrated farmers, ranchers and energy developers across New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Colorado. This fight goes back decades to the northern spotted owl. A 2021 study estimated its listing cost 16,000 to 32,000 timber jobs in the Pacific Northwest and Northern California. In 1995, the Supreme Court upheld a broad definition of harm that included significant habitat modification. The Trump administration is now narrowing that after Loper Bright Spot, so agencies can no longer use habitat theories to block lawful activity far beyond what Congress authorized. Commerce Secretary Lutnick noted that fishermen have been particularly burdened. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Brian Nesvik said the administration will protect species using gold standard science, the law and the tools Congress actually gave us while respecting communities. Core protections against directly injuring or killing protected wildlife remain fully in place. The change simply restores balance, reduces permitting costs and advances President Trump's vision of domestic energy dominance and a regulatory state that works for the American people instead of against them. New York is hemorrhaging millionaires and the tax revenue that comes with them, a bombshell analysis released Monday by the Citizen Budget Commission shows New York's share of the nation's millionaires plummeted from 12.7% in 2010 to 8.7% in 2022, the largest decline of any state. That drop cost the empire state roughly $10.7 billion in personal income tax collections in tax year 2022 alone. New York actually added about 34,000 millionaires over that period, but other states grew far faster. The number of millionaires doubled in New York, tripled in California and Texas, and quadrupled in Florida. New York fell from second to fourth place, behind California, Texas and Florida. The study also found New York loses more people to every other state than it gains from them, with Florida and Texas among the biggest recipients of former New Yorkers after the pandemic exodus. New York City's recent population rebound has been driven largely by international immigrants. A growth corridor from New York City and Long island to Albany drives most of the state's economy, while upstate and rural regions continue to lose workers. New York leads the nation in state and local tax collections at $12,495 per capita, a staggering 78% above the US average. Experts warn that Mayor Zoran Mamdani's tax the rich agenda will only accelerate the flight. Steve Fulop of the Partnership for New York City said, if we don't course correct and get laser focused on keeping the city and state attractive to the people and businesses that drive our economy, the affordability crisis will only deepen because the people leaving are the ones paying the largest share of a budget that funds the social programs meant to help our most vulnerable. Manhattan Institute fellow Ken Girardin blamed Albany's 2019 rent control expansion and green energy mandates for reducing housing supply and hiking energy costs upstate. United's Justin Wilcox called the data devastating and warned that without a course correction, the state will be trapped in a cycle of fewer people paying higher and higher taxes. High taxes, heavy regulation and progressive policies are driving the productive class out of New York. The numbers don't lie, and that's your first look this Tuesday. Quick recap. President Trump recommends Lindsey Graham's sister as the interim senator from South Carolina. The Trump administration rolls back a weaponized Endangered Species act rule that was blocking energy and private New York's share of US millionaires collapses, costing the state nearly $11 billion in lost tax revenue. We'll keep following all of it. I'm Dave Rubin. Thanks for starting your day with first look. See you tomorrow.
Episode: New York's Tax Base Collapses, Trump's Senate Surprise
Date: July 14, 2026
Host: Dave Rubin
This episode of "The Rubin Report – First Look" centers on three major current events: President Trump’s unexpected suggestion for the interim South Carolina Senate seat, the Trump administration's rollback of a controversial Endangered Species Act rule, and the dramatic decline of New York’s tax base due to an exodus of millionaires. Host Dave Rubin examines the political, economic, and legislative implications of each, with commentary and analysis throughout.
[00:04–03:05]
“I recommended to Governor Henry McMaster, Lindsey Graham’s wonderful sister Darlene to serve as interim senator from the great state of South Carolina… This would be a fabulous tribute to Lindsey, who loved her dearly.”
— Trump (quoted by Dave Rubin at 01:15)
“There is no one better who understands Lindsay’s love for family, our state and our country.”
— Tim Scott (quoted at 02:00)
Analysis & Tone:
Rubin frames the decision as both respectful to the late Senator Graham’s legacy and pragmatic for party unity.
[03:05–07:55]
“For years, federal agencies abused the ESA to obstruct lawful land use and burden American families and businesses… That approach turned routine activity into a regulatory trap, drove up costs that impacted people’s lives and expanded federal authority beyond what Congress intended.”
— Doug Burgum (quoted at 04:20)
Analysis & Tone:
The tone is critical of prior overreach and supportive of deregulation that boosts economic opportunity, especially for rural and industrial constituencies.
[07:56–12:30]
“If we don’t course correct and get laser focused on keeping the city and state attractive to the people and businesses that drive our economy, the affordability crisis will only deepen because the people leaving are the ones paying the largest share of a budget that funds the social programs meant to help our most vulnerable.”
— Steve Fulop, Partnership for New York City (quoted at 10:45)
Analysis & Tone:
Rubin’s narration underscores concern for the long-term fiscal stability of New York and criticizes progressive policy levers.
“This would be a fabulous tribute to Lindsey, who loved her dearly.”
— Trump (01:15)
“That approach turned routine activity into a regulatory trap, drove up costs that impacted people’s lives and expanded federal authority beyond what Congress intended.”
— Doug Burgum (04:20)
“If we don’t course correct and get laser focused on keeping the city and state attractive… the affordability crisis will only deepen because the people leaving are the ones paying the largest share.”
— Steve Fulop (10:45)
“Without a course correction, the state will be trapped in a cycle of fewer people paying higher and higher taxes.”
— Justin Wilcox (11:50)
Summary:
Dave Rubin’s final words:
"The numbers don't lie, and that's your first look this Tuesday… Thanks for starting your day with first look. See you tomorrow." (12:40)
Tone:
Candid, critical of progressive overreach, and supportive of pragmatic, conservative policy responses. The episode blends political commentary, economic analysis, and policy talk with a focus on real-world impacts.