AURN News

DALLAS (AURN News) — Grant Cardone, who built a multi-billion real estate empire after battling drug addiction and homelessness, has a controversial message about success: your failures won't make you stronger. The real estate mogul and business consultant is challenging the popular narrative that hardship builds character, offering instead a stark assessment of his own path to wealth.

"I wish I could tell you that there was some benefit to those 10 years," Cardone told AURN News about his decade-long struggle with drug addiction. "There is nothing to be accomplished by going through 10 years of hell."

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(AURN News) — Former President Donald Trump secured victory over Vice President Kamala Harris in a historic election that saw significant shifts among minority voters, particularly among Black and Hispanic men, according to exit polls.

Fox News exit polling data shows Trump captured 24% of Black male voters, while Harris received 74%. The former president made even larger inroads with Latino men, securing 46% support compared to Harris's 51%. Latino women voted 38% for Trump versus 60% for Harris. When it comes to Black women, 9% supported Trump compared to 89% for Kamala Harris. Among White voters, Trump maintained strong support, with 59% of white men and 52% of white women backing his bid for a second term, according to the Fox News data.

NBC News exit polls painted an even more dramatic picture of Trump's minority support, indicating he won a majority of Latino men at 54%. The polling also revealed notable voter shifts from 2020, with Trump picking up support from former Biden voters across multiple demographic groups – including 11% of Latino voters, 10% of Asian voters, 5% of white voters, and 2% of Black voters who had previously supported Biden.

The data from NBC News' exit polls also indicates this election showed Trump's strongest support among people of color in his political career. The big question: Does this change the narrative of Trump's support among communities of color?

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(AURN News) — The Donald Trump political comeback will be one studied for decades to come as the former president is on the brink of victory to become the nation’s 47th president. His path to victory became clearer after winning Pennsylvania, with strong leads emerging in Michigan and Wisconsin. While the race has not been officially called, Trump has built significant momentum over Vice President Kamala Harris. His victory in Georgia proved crucial, and he currently holds leads in other battleground states including Michigan, Wisconsin, Nevada, and Arizona as vote counting continues.

“This was a movement like nobody has ever seen before. And frankly, this was, I believe, the greatest political movement of all time. There's ever been anything like this in this country, and maybe beyond. And now it's going to reach a new level of importance, because we're going to help our country heal,” Trump told supporters during his victory night speech from his Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida.

“We're going to fix our borders. We're going to fix everything about our country. And we've made history for a reason tonight, and the reason is going to be just that we overcame obstacles that nobody thought possible, and it is now clear that we've achieved the most incredible political thing. Look what happened is this crazy,” Trump continued.

AURN News told you about pre-election analysis that had identified Trump's electoral college advantages heading into the contest. Toward the end of the campaign, polling data showed Harris struggled to match many of the state-by-state support levels that President Biden achieved in his 2020 victory over Trump.

“I want to thank the American people for the extraordinary honor of being elected your 47th president and your 45th president, and every citizen, I will fight for you, for your family and your future. Every single day, I will be fighting for you and with every breath in my body, I will not rest until we have delivered the strong, safe and prosperous America that our children deserve and that you deserve, this will truly be the golden age of America,” Trump said.

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Earlier today, NAACP President Derrick Johnson tweeted out, "Today, we make our voices heard. Voting is more than a right — it’s a powerful tool for change."

But not everyone feels this way. So for those feeling voter apathy, I asked him to talk about what's at stake.

"What's at stake for this election are the public policy priorities. This election is less about the candidates of the political parties, but the direction this country will take. And for African Americans, we are fighting hard to ensure that the diversity we find ourselves in is something we can celebrate and can project out for 2030, as opposed to allow the forces of opposition to turn the clock back and create a 1930s apartheid America."

This year, the NAACP invested $20 million in its civic engagement program aimed at 12 states nationwide to empower and protect Black voters at every level of our democratic process, push back against rampant disinformation, and provide voters with critical and accurate information.

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In this heartfelt episode of Hollywood Live, Tanya Hart honors the legendary Quincy Jones, a powerhouse in the entertainment industry and a steadfast champion of civil rights for over seven decades. Born in Chicago, Quincy’s career began in the 1950s as a jazz arranger and conductor, quickly expanding to include pop music and film scores. He produced hits for artists like Leslie Gore and collaborated with jazz greats like Frank Sinatra and Count Basie. In 1968, Quincy became the first African American nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song, achieving two nominations in the same year with his work in Banning and In Cold Blood.

Quincy’s influence reached new heights with his production of Michael Jackson’s iconic albums Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad. He also produced and conducted the historic charity single “We Are the World,” which raised millions for famine relief in Ethiopia. Tanya reflects on her first encounter with Quincy during her Boston TV show Coming Together and the wisdom he shared that continues to inspire her. With a legacy that includes recent projects, such as a documentary produced with Debbie Allen, Quincy Jones’ impact will be felt for generations. Tanya extends heartfelt condolences to his family and friends and celebrates the indelible mark he left on the world.

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It's Election Day and polls are open across the U.S. So what's up for grabs? Four hundred and thirty-five House seats, 34 Senate seats, 11 gubernatorial races, 147 ballot initiatives across states, 304 local and state judicial seats, 10 attorney general seats, and more.

It almost sounds like the 12 days of Christmas, but it's not. It's the battle over who will determine the direction of the U.S. Will it be Donald Trump's MAGA movement or Vice President Harris' opportunity economy?

Seventy-eight million people have already voted early as of this morning. In almost all of the swing states, like North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, it's a dead heat, meaning it can swing either way. So make sure you get out and vote so that your voice can be heard.

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(AURN News) — For Shirley Thomas, a registered Democratic voter from Dayton, Ohio, today's presidential election between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump carries profound personal significance rooted in her early life experiences in the Jim Crow South. 

As a daughter of the South who lived through the Jim Crow era, Thomas reflected on her journey and its influence on her political perspective. "I started working in the fields at four or five, carrying water to the people that were in the cotton fields," Thomas recalled in an interview with American Urban Radio Networks. "I was too young to work, but I did that all the time until I was old enough to pick cotton myself. If we go backwards, all those things are not impossible to happen again."

"I couldn't figure it out as a child. I thought maybe the people in Washington don't know, the people that are supposed to represent us don't know what's going on," she told AURN News.

James Early Chaney was a 21-year-old Black civil rights activist killed by the KKK in 1964. "All that stuff happened in Mississippi, with Chaney and all of them down there in Philadelphia, all that stuff, I saw all that. It's a terrible memory."

Thomas also emphasized the stakes of the election for younger voters, particularly in the Black community. "These are things we will not have any control over with the judicial system because it will not work in our favor if Madam Vice President is not elected," she warned.

She also pointed to Trump's appointment of more than 200 federal judges during his presidency, including three Supreme Court justices, and drew parallels to past Supreme Court nominations. Thomas talked about her particular concern about recent judicial decisions affecting voting rights. "America must realize a panel of Donald Trump-appointed judges issued a ruling on October 25 that an election law expert called bonkers," she said, referring to a Mississippi voting case. "How such issues are decided at the High Court in the future could effectively be decided Tuesday.”

Despite polls showing Trump leading Harris by 8.8 points in Ohio according to Real Clear Politics averages, Thomas remains steadfast in her message about the importance of voting on Election Day, particularly to those who feel their votes don't matter and to young people.

As voters head to the polls, Thomas urged them to ignore distractions and focus on what matters. "Please don't watch that foolishness on social media. Don't pay any attention. How dare you allow somebody else to tell you what's going on in your home," she said. "Vote your conscience. And if you still have doubt, pray on it."

For Thomas, who witnessed the civil rights struggles in Mississippi firsthand, this election represents more than just a political choice – it's about the direction of American democracy itself. "We cannot turn back," Thomas insisted.

She also believes that voters shouldn't let polls discourage them from participating. "You never know until it happens, and if you don't get out there and vote, you're not going to know what happened," Thomas said. "I look at the polls, but you can't trust the polls to me. So you shouldn't get discouraged and not vote because of the polls, because if you don't vote, they could very well be true."

"I think our young people need more civics. I think they need to be taught the educational process, the electoral process, they need to know the importance of their vote," Thomas said. "You have to vote your pocketbook. You vote for a person that has been in your shoes, a person similar to you. A billionaire wouldn't dare know."

Thomas's final message to voters was clear: "Vote everything that affects them, what will make their life better, what is important to you, and whomever you feel that has your best interests at heart. That's who you should vote for."

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Today is Election Day in America. Americans are set to decide between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump for the nation’s highest office.

A victory for Harris would mark a historic milestone, making her the first woman and first Black woman to serve as president.

The election underscores a sharp division between the candidates’ visions: Harris advocates for bolstering public education and continuing the legacy of the Biden-Harris administration, while Trump has promised to dismantle the Department of Education.

Both campaigns have invested heavily in battleground states like Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Michigan.

As voters prepare to make their final choice, the stakes are immense, especially for working families and future generations.

Your vote matters—ensure your voice shapes the future.

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(AURN News) — Former President Donald Trump holds a significant Electoral College advantage over Vice President Kamala Harris as Americans cast their ballots today, with polling averages suggesting potential shifts in key battleground states. According to Real Clear Politics' "No Toss Up States" map on Tuesday morning, Trump and his running mate J.D. Vance are projected to secure 287 electoral votes, while Harris and her running mate Tim Walz trail with 251 electoral votes, just shy of the 270 needed to win the presidency. The overall electoral landscape shows Trump maintaining slim leads in several crucial swing states. Real Clear Politics polling averages indicate Trump ahead in Pennsylvania (0.4%), Georgia (1.3%), North Carolina (1.2%), Nevada (0.6%), and Arizona (2.8%). He also has a strong showing in Ohio, where he leads by 8.8%.

Harris maintains narrow advantages in other key states, including Wisconsin (0.4%), Michigan (0.5%), and more comfortable margins in Virginia (5.0%) and Minnesota (4.0%). It is important to note that this race still remains very close with most of the data falling within the margin of error for the polls.

The current polling marks significant changes from the 2020 election when Joe Biden faced Trump. In Pennsylvania, Biden's 1.2% lead has flipped to a slight Trump advantage. Wisconsin has seen perhaps the most dramatic shift – Biden's comfortable 6.7% lead has narrowed to a razor-thin 0.4% advantage for Harris. Michigan shows a similar pattern, with Biden's 4.2% margin in 2020 shrinking to just 0.5% for Harris. Virginia, traditionally becoming more reliably Democratic in recent elections, has seen Biden's 11.4% margin more than halved to Harris's current 5.0% lead. Ohio, which has increasingly trended Republican in recent presidential elections, shows Trump expanding his 2020 margin of 1% to a commanding 8.8% lead over Harris.

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(AURN News) — With Election Day looming tomorrow, former President Donald Trump made a campaign stop in Salem, Virginia, over the weekend, despite the state's recent history of strongly favoring Democrats. According to New York Times polling averages, Vice President Kamala Harris currently leads Trump in Virginia by 7%, a state Trump lost by 5% in 2016 and 10% in 2020. The race remains tight in crucial battleground states as well. Those same New York Times polling averages also show the candidates deadlocked in Pennsylvania, while Harris maintains slim leads of less than 1% in both Michigan and Wisconsin. Trump holds narrow advantages of less than 1% in North Carolina and Nevada, with stronger leads in Georgia and a 3% edge in Arizona.

In Harrisonburg, Virginia, registered voter Paul Rogers voiced his support for Trump, emphasizing economic concerns as a decisive factor. "I think the country is split with two parties right down the middle. I think obviously you're gonna have your independent voters, but I think you're gonna have a few people that are gonna migrate to one side or the other, depending on the economy. And I think that it's a clear choice that Trump is going to produce a better economy than we've seen the last four years," Rogers told AURN News.

Rogers suggested some voters might cross party lines this election. "I think the majority of people are going to vote their party regardless. So I think that's why you see a massive like, you know, 50/50, split. But I think that there are some people that are not going to vote their party because they want to see a stronger economy, and I think stronger foreign relations with other countries," he said.

Reflecting on Trump's communication style, Rogers added, "When people see someone who is able to speak his mind, even though we don't always agree with the way he speaks his mind, we at least know what he's thinking."

Rogers also pointed to voter dissatisfaction with current conditions as a potential factor in the election's outcome. "I think the biggest question, I think everybody's been asking it, 'Are we better off now than we were four years ago?' And I think the answer is unanimously 'No,' and so in every category," he said. "When it comes to the everyday American, we're not better off. And so I think Trump's the clear choice for a better economy and a better world."

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