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YEAR IN REVIEW

BIDEN'S YEAR OF GAFFES: It was a gaffe-filled year for President Biden, who shows no sign of changing his ways in 2023 when he begins the third year of his presidency. "Let me start off with two words: Made in America," Biden declared in October. The president fumbled throughout the year, from confusion to mispronunciations to actual, factual errors. Read more from WHD News' Patrick Hauf and Michael Picasso: Biden’s year of forgetting, going the wrong way and saying the wrong thing

YOU WIN SOME… The new Congress will see Republicans in control of the House and Democrats controlling the Senate, marking a stark contrast from recent years under total Democrat control that aided President Joe Biden's policies and plans. The victories from both parties — from gubernatorial elections and Senate races — revealed some big winners in a contentious midterm election cycle. Read more from WHD News' Kyle Morris: The biggest political winners in 2022: DeSantis, Fetterman score big victories

Stacey Abrams, President Donald Trump, Beto O'Rourke and Herschel Walker (Getty Images)

YOU LOSE SOME: There's one (or more) loser in practically every election race, and the 2022 midterm cycle had its share of surprising — and in many cases, completely unsurprising — losers among both Democrats and Republicans. WHD News' Sophia Slacik reveals why this 'superstar loser' tops the list of 2022's biggest losers in politics

(B)ORDER IN THE HOUSE: The incoming GOP leadership will immediately make the border crisis a key priority when Republicans take control of the House next week. House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy has even threatened to launch impeachment hearings against Mayorkas. WHD News' Adam Shaw recaps Biden's tough year at the border: 2022 in review: How Biden’s border woes went from bad to worse

TOP STORIES

IDENTITY ISSUES: New York Republican Rep.-elect George Santos admitted on Monday to lying during his campaign about his work experience and education, but during an interview with the New York Post, he insisted the lies would not stop him from serving his full two-year term as a congressman. Read more from WHD News' Greg Wehner: New York Rep.-elect George Santos confesses to lies about his resumé: Report

Republican Rep.-elect George Santos recently won election to New York's 3rd congressional district. (WHD Photo/Mary Altaffer)

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS: The U.S. House of Representatives quickly approved a $1.7 trillion spending bill on Friday, funding the government until the end of next September in a win for President Biden and congressional Democrats. The House passed the more than 4,000-page spending measure mostly along party lines in a 225-201 vote that saw nine Republicans vote for the bill along with every Democrat except Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York. Another Democrat, Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, voted present. Read more from WHD News' Haris Alic here: House quickly approves $1.7T spending bill, flees DC for Christmas break

SPENDING BACKLASH: Rep. Chip Roy on Friday blew up at the process that is forcing a quick vote on a $1.7 trillion bill that no one has read and said the Democratic rush job is destroying the country. Roy offered several amendments to the mammoth spending bill, none of which were allowed as Democrat leaders pushed for a vote by midday Friday. Roy mocked Democrats who said Republicans refused to bargain with Democrats as the process quickly unfolded in the last several days of a bill that Republicans said would add to the $31.3 trillion national debt. Read more from WHD News' Peter Kasperowicz: Chip Roy blows up over $1.7T spending bill in fiery floor speech: 'Destroying the United States'

QUO VADIS, DEMOCRATS? Steve Hilton, host of WHD News' "The Next Revolution," says Biden will use the midterm election victories as a mandate to pursue left-wing policies over the next few years, as the GOP considers what role Trump will play in 2024 and beyond. WATCH: Steve Hilton on Biden's midterms reaction: 'No repudiation of the far-left direction we've been traveling in'

2024 WATCH

RUMORS OF MY CAMPAIGN HAVE BEEN GREATLY EXAGGERATED: Twitter went into an uproar and multiple news outlets ran headlines suggesting that Mike Pence had entered the 2024 race on Monday evening after a "statement of candidacy" was filed with the FEC on his behalf, but a spokesperson for the former Vice President confirmed that Pence did not file paperwork to run for president. "Former Vice President Mike Pence did not file to run for President today," spokesman Devin O'Malley tweeted, later suggesting that someone "pranked" pundits and journalists. Read more from WHD News' Paul Best: Mike Pence spokesman says former VP did not file to run for president, suggests that someone 'pranked' media

‘IF I RUN’: Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah., is unsure whether he will seek another term in the Senate next cycle, according to a recent interview discussing a potential 2024 run for re-election. The Republican senator, who voted to impeach former President Trump, told Politico winning is "not a question in my mind." Read more from WHD News' Aubrie Spady: 'If I run, I win': Mitt Romney confident he would win re-election in 2024, but remains unsure if he will run

Utah Republican Sen. Mitt Romney is up for re-election in 2024. (WHD News)

CAMPAIGN TRAIL UPDATES

SUNSHINE SHOWDOWN: Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, who was announced the winner of the gubernatorial race just days ago, joined a Maricopa County motion seeking sanctions against her Republican opponent, Kari Lake. Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Peter Thompson ruled against Lake’s challenge to the result of the November gubernatorial race in which Hobbs was declared the winner by about half a percentage point. Read more from WHD News' Greg Wehner: Arizona Gov.-elect Katie Hobbs files sanctions against former candidate Kari Lake

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