Four suspected terror attacks have taken place in the United States since the Department of Homeland Security was defunded in a partial government shutdown last month, including one in the state of Michigan where Fox News Digital reached out to all the major Senate candidates if they support funding DHS.

Republican Mike Rogers, former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, says he would be a “Yes” vote to re-open DHS and told Fox News Digital in an interview that “we needed all hands on deck” when the United States engaged in “defanging Iran” through military action and that a “life might depend on it.”

“This was an opportunity to have our law enforcement officers from immigration, from making sure that the Coast Guard’s up, the TSA is getting paid. This was an opportunity to stand up for America,” Rogers said. “It’s crazy to me that the Democrats just turned their back on safety and security of American citizens. They just turned their backs for some political purpose that they think is going to gain them votes in the fall. I’m disgusted by it. This is no time to play politics with people’s safety, and they’re doing it.”

Senate Democrats have voted four times over the past month to block Homeland Security funding because the bills include funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Democrats say reforms are needed at those two DHS agencies following the fatal shootings earlier this year by federal immigration agents of two U.S. citizens in Minnesota who were protesting the Trump administration’s unprecedented illegal immigration crackdown.

‘YOU CAN CRY ABOUT IT’: TEMPERS FLARE IN SENATE AS DHS SHUTDOWN DEBATE ERUPTS, STALEMATE DIGS DEEPER

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., during a news conference following Senate Democrat policy luncheons at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., March 3, 2026. (Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Two Democrats, Sens. Elissa Slotkin and Gary Peters, are currently representing the state of Michigan in the U.S. Senate and both have so far voiced opposition to re-opening DHS. 

The three top Democrats running in the August 4 primary to replace the retiring Peters struck a different tone than Rogers when contacted by Fox News Digital about their support of funding DHS. 

Progressive Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed, endorsed by Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, did not specify how he would vote on DHS funding but told Fox News Digital that “if the Trump administration were serious about keeping Americans safe from terror, they would not be funding ICE at a level higher than the FBI, cutting counterterrorism funding, or keeping the FBI from informing local law enforcement about terror threats that emerge from their illegal and unjustified war.”

“Let’s not confuse issues.” 

The other two top Democrats in the race, Mallory McMorrow and Haley Stevens, did not respond to requests for comment. 

TRUMP SAYS ‘WE’VE GOT OUR EYES ON’ IRANIAN SLEEPER CELLS IN US

On Thursday, as Democrats and Republicans clashed in Washington, D.C. over funding DHS, two separate attacks suspected of being related to terrorism or religious ideology occurred in the United States. 

In Virginia, 36-year-old Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, a former Army National Guard soldier convicted of supporting ISIS, reportedly shouted, “Allahu Akbar” as he opened fire inside Old Dominion University, killing devoted ROTC instructor Lt. Col. Brandon Shah and injuring two others.

In Michigan, Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, 41, allegedly rammed his vehicle into Temple Israel, a large Reform synagogue in West Bloomfield, and opened fire at security guards with a rifle, authorities said. Armed security returned fire and shot him dead.

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Those attacks came shortly after 53-year-old Senegal-born Ndiaga Diagne killed three people after allegedly opening fire outside a bar in Austin, Texas while wearing a shirt that said “property of Allah.” 

Not long after that, in New York City, two suspects were arrested after allegedly throwing improvised explosive devices near Gracie Mansion during a protest, with one reportedly telling authorities he was inspired by ISIS. 

People’s Democratic Party (PDP) President and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday urged the Indian government to review its stance on the ongoing conflict between Iran and the US and support Iran. He said that Iran is responsible for every aspect of the people of India. Season Has been a friend of. Referring to the historical ties between Kashmir and Iran, Mehbooba Mufti praised the people of Kashmir who voiced their support for Iran by expressing their support through peaceful means.

After chairing a party meeting to review the current situation, Mehbooba Mufti said, ‘Islam came to Kashmir through Iran, which highlights the deep historical and cultural ties between these two regions. Therefore, there is an emotional connection which cannot be ignored.

Referring to the historical relations between Kashmir and Iran, he said that these relations have shaped the cultural and spiritual identity of the valley. He expressed solidarity with the people of Iran amid the current crisis and said that the people of Kashmir have always stood by them with compassion and support.

The party expressed solidarity with the people of Iran by passing the resolution.

Mehbooba Mufti said, ‘By passing a resolution, the party has expressed strong solidarity with the people of Iran, who are bravely facing the attacks by America and Israel.’ Mehbooba Mufti also urged people to offer special prayers for the peace, security and relief of the people of Iran, especially in the last days of the holy month of Ramadan. Mehbooba Mufti appealed to Muslim countries to support Iran in this difficult time.

Appealing to the Indian government, the PDP president stressed that historically, Iran has always been a reliable friend of New Delhi in difficult times, and urged the central government to stand with the Iranian people.

PDP President requests release of protesting youth

In a separate appeal to the Lieutenant Governor and the Director General of Police, the PDP president requested to release the youth who were detained during the recent mourning processions and protests related to the Iran crisis. The meeting comes amid widespread reactions in Kashmir following the killing of Iran’s top leadership in recent attacks, leading to protests and condolence meetings across the valley.

Welcoming the revocation of the detention of environmental activist Sonam Wangchuk, Mufti said the decision was welcome, although such a step should not have been taken in the first place. He said that Wangchuk was working on environmental protection issues and was close to the Indian government.

‘Not everyone can go to the Supreme Court…’- Mehbooba Mufti

Mehbooba Mufti said the long battle of the family of jailed separatist leader Shabbir Ahmed Shah has finally paid off, adding that her daughter had fought hard legally for his release. Mufti further said that while some people are able to approach the courts to seek relief, many economically weaker prisoners cannot afford legal battles and they too deserve attention and justice.

Mehbooba said, ‘Not everyone can go to the Supreme Court. Thousands of innocent people are lodged in jails who cannot afford the huge expenses of legal battle. As a goodwill gesture, all such political prisoners should also be released.

Republicans face high hurdles as they defend their razor-thin control of Congress in the 2026 midterm elections, but the Senate GOP campaign chair says he remains “incredibly optimistic” his party can not only hold but expand its current 53–47 majority.

Republicans are battling stiff political headwinds as the party in power in the nation’s capital traditionally loses seats in the midterms, and a rough political climate fueled by economic concerns amid persistent inflation and President Donald Trump‘s underwater approval ratings.

“There’s no doubt the climate has gotten more and more difficult by the day, it seems like at times,” National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) Chair Sen. Tim Scott said in a recent Fox News Digital interview.

But he added, “The good news is we have a president who made promises, he’s been keeping those promises, and we have been able to recruit the highest quality candidates anyone could want in every single battleground state.”

WHAT THE SENATE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN CHIEF TOLD FOX NEWS

National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) chair Sen. Tim Scott says he remains “incredibly optimistic” the GOP can not only hold but expand its majority. (Paul Steinhauser/Fox News)

The NRSC chair told Fox News Digital in December 2025 that in the battle for the majority, “54 is clearly within our grasp right now, but with a little bit of luck, 55 is on our side.”

Asked again a week ago, Scott said, “I think we have a possibility of more than 53 seats.”

STRATEGY SESSION: TRUMP TEAM HUDDLES ON MIDTERM MESSAGING 

Scott’s rival, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) Chair Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand told Fox News Digital in January that “President Trump is creating a toxic agenda that’s harming people.”

And Gillibrand emphasized she’s “optimistic that we have a shot to take back the majority.”

Here’s a look at the top 10 Senate seats that could flip in the midterms.

MAINE

Longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins is the only Republican senator running for re-election this year in a state that then-Vice President Kamala Harris carried in her 2024 presidential election defeat to Trump.

And Collins has seen a deterioration of her poll numbers among Mainers from her last re-election six years ago.

But Collins, who has long been a top target of the rival Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) has proven impossible to beat, to date.

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, departs the chamber at the Capitol in Washington, on July 24, 2025. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo)

Complicating the Democrats’ push to flip the seat is a competitive primary between two-term Democratic Gov. Janet Mills, who has the tacit backing of longtime Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and the DSCC, and veteran and oyster farmer Graham Platner, who is running to the left of the governor and who is backed by progressive champion Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont.

NORTH CAROLINA

Republicans are defending an open seat in the southeastern battleground state, with GOP Sen. Thom Tillis retiring at the end of 2026. 

Democrats landed their top recruit when former two-term Gov. Roy Cooper launched a Senate campaign in summer 2025. Cooper enjoys tons of name ID in North Carolina and is 6–0 when running statewide races.

Republicans are rallying around former Republican National Committee (RNC) Chair Michael Whatley, who has the president’s backing.

RNC Chair Michael Whatley announces his run for Senator for North Carolina on July 31st, 2025 in Gastonia, N.C. (Paul Steinhauser/Fox News)

The race is expected to be one of the most expensive and competitive Senate showdowns this year.

OHIO

Democrats scored another major recruiting victory when former longtime Sen. Sherrod Brown announced he would challenge Republican Sen. Jon Husted.

A former lieutenant governor, Husted was appointed to the Senate a year ago after then-Sen. JD Vance stepped down to serve as vice president.

Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, who was appointed to fill now-Vice President JD Vance’s seat, is running in the midterms to serve the final two years of Vance’s term. (Getty Images)

Ohio, once a premiere general election battleground, has turned red over the past decade, and Democrats view Brown as their only competitive candidate in the race to serve the final two years of Vance’s term.

Brown lost re-election in 2024 by roughly four points while Trump carried Ohio by 11 points.

Similar to North Carolina, the showdown is expected to be very expensive and competitive.

ALASKA

Democrats were given a big boost in the red-leaning state when former Rep. Mary Peltola announced in February that she would challenge GOP incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan.

Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, is running for re-election in the 2026 midterms. (Allison Robbert/AFP via Getty Images)

Peltola lost re-election 15 months ago in the at-large district that covers the entire state by three points, while Trump carried Alaska by 11 points.

IOWA

Republicans are defending an open seat in Iowa, a onetime swing state that’s shifted to the right over the past decade.

But the GOP has rallied around Rep. Ashley Hinson, who is backed by Trump, in the race to succeed retiring Republican Sen. Joni Ernst.

Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson of Iowa, who is running in the 2026 race to succeed retiring GOP Sen. Joni Ernst, sits for a Fox News Digital interview on Sept. 4, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Paul Steinhauser – Fox News )

Hinson, a former local TV news anchor who flipped a Democratic-held seat in 2020, is seen as a rising star in the party.

Democrats have a contested primary that includes state Rep. Josh Turek, a Paralympian, state Sen. Zach Wahls and military veteran Nathan Sage.

TEXAS

Longtime Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas is in the middle of a competitive and combustible GOP nomination runoff battle against state Attorney Gen. Ken Paxton.

Trump, to date, has stayed neutral in the runoff, which will be held in late May.

Cornyn enjoys the backing of Senate Majority Leader John Thune and the NRSC, which worries that the seat would be vulnerable if Paxton, who has plenty of political baggage, wins the primary.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, right, and his bitter rival, Sen. John Cornyn, are facing off in a May runoff, further extending their bloody primary battle for the GOP Senate nomination.  (Photo by Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images; Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

The Democrats, who are eyeing the seat in the right-leaning state, nominated state Rep. James Talarico, a rising star in the party.

MICHIGAN

Republicans are optimistic they can flip a seat in the Great Lakes battleground, where Democratic Sen. Gary Peters is retiring.

The GOP, led by Trump, has coalesced around former Rep. Mike Rogers, who lost an extremely close Senate race in 2024 even as Trump won Michigan by one point.

Former Rep. Mike Rogers, who narrowly lost the 2024 Senate election in Michigan, is making a second straight run in the Great Lakes battleground state. (Paul Steinhauser – Fox News )

The Democratic primary is a three-way race between center-left Rep. Haley Stevens, state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, a self-described “pragmatist,” and progressive physician Abdul El-Sayed, who is backed by Sanders.

The primary already has exposed divisions on the future of the state’s manufacturing sector and support for Israel, and the nominee won’t be decided until August.

GEORGIA

Republicans view first-term Sen. Jon Ossoff as the most vulnerable Democratic senator seeking re-election in the midterms.

The aim was to paint Ossoff, the only Senate Democrat running for re-election in a state Trump won in 2024, as a far-left progressive.

But ousting Ossoff won’t be easy, in part because the senator’s robust fundraising has built a massive war chest.

Senator Jon Ossoff is the only Democratic senator seeking re-election in 2026 in a state President Donald Trump carried in 2024. (Aaron Schwartz/Bloomberg/Getty Images)

And Republicans are in the middle of an ugly three-way between Reps. Mike Collins and Buddy Carter, and former University of Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley, who has the backing of term-limited popular, conservative Gov. Brian Kemp.

Trump has remained neutral, to date, ahead of the May primary. 

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Republicans are hoping to flip the long-held Democratic Senate seat in New England’s only swing state, thanks to the retirement of Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, the first woman in the nation’s history to be elected governor and senator.

Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, the first woman in the nation’s history elected governor and senator, is retiring at the end of the year. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

While most Democrats are rallying around four-term Rep. Chris Pappas, there’s a spirited primary on the Republican side between two former senators seeking a return to Capitol Hill. Former Sen. John E. Sununu, an older brother to former Gov. Chris Sununu, has the backing of the president. But Trump’s first-term ambassador to New Zealand, former Sen. Scott Brown, remains in the race.

Republicans are trying to break their 16-year losing streak in U.S. Senate elections in the Granite State.

MINNESOTA

The retirement of Democratic Sen. Tina Smith is giving the GOP hopes they can flip the seat in the blue-leaning state.

And the NRSC landed what they say is a top-tier recruit in former NBC sports reporter turned conservative pundit and activist Michele Tafoya.

Michele Tafoya is interviewed by Fox News Digital as she launches a Republican Senate campaign in Minnesota. (Paul Steinhauser/Fox News)

Tafoya is part of a crowded GOP field that also includes 2024 Senate nominee Royce White, a former NBA basketball player; retired U.S. Navy officer Tom Weiler, a 2022 GOP congressional nominee; former state Senator David Hann and former Navy SEAL Adam Schwarze.

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Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flannagan, a progressive, is facing off against more moderate Democratic Rep. Angie Craig, who appears to have the backing of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, in the race for their party’s nomination.

As Iranian-designed Shahed drones proliferate across battlefields from Ukraine to the Middle East, relatively cheap unmanned aircraft are forcing the use of some of the world’s most expensive air defense systems, raising questions about the long-term sustainability of that approach.

The issue has taken on new urgency in the wake of Operation Epic Fury, as Iranian drones — widely estimated to cost $20,000 to $50,000 to manufacture — target U.S. forces and allied Gulf states across the region.

U.S. and partner forces have relied on a mix of Patriot missiles, Terminal High Altitude Area Defense batteries, naval interceptors and other systems to blunt the attacks.

While many of the incoming drones have been intercepted, the strikes have still exacted a cost, killing six U.S. service members in Kuwait and damaging civilian infrastructure, including airports and hotels in the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

TOMAHAWKS SPEARHEADED US STRIKE ON IRAN — WHY PRESIDENTS REACH FOR THIS MISSILE FIRST

Iranian-made unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), the Shahed-136, are carried by a truck during a military parade in south Tehran on Sept. 21, 2024. (Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

The mounting toll has intensified concerns over how to counter drone swarms without depleting interceptor stockpiles that cost millions of dollars each to replace.

Ukraine has been at the forefront of modern drone warfare since Russia’s 2022 invasion, rapidly adapting its tactics and emerging as a leader in battlefield drone technology.

Alex Roslin, a spokesman for the Ukrainian nonprofit miltech company Wild Hornets, told Fox News Digital in an interview that interceptor drones developed in Ukraine offer a dramatically cheaper alternative to traditional air defense systems.

HERE COME THE BIG BOMBS AS US ESCALATES STRIKES ON IRAN’S HUGE MILITARY ARSENAL

A U.S. Army Patriot launcher from the 5th Battalion, 7th Air Defense Artillery Regiment is deployed in southeast Poland on Sept. 4, 2024. (U.S. Army photo by Capt. Leara Shumate)

While a U.S. Patriot missile can cost roughly $4 million, Roslin said his organization’s interceptor drones can be produced for as little as $1,400 apiece.

Wild Hornets’ so-called “Sting” interceptors have downed thousands of Russian-made Shahed-type drones and now achieve a 90% effectiveness rate, according to the group, up from roughly 70% last fall as pilots and radar teams gained experience and adopted improved ground control systems.

“Ukraine had to fight smart and didn’t have rocket-propelled grenades and anti-tank missiles, stuff like that, so they turned to these kinds of drones to sort of equalize the battlefield,” Roslin told Fox News Digital.

IRAN WAR, 11 DAYS IN: US CONTROLS SKIES, OIL SURGES AND THE REGION BRACES FOR WHAT’S NEXT

A pair of “Sting” interceptor drones, developed by the Ukrainian group Wild Hornets, are displayed at a training facility. (Credit: Wild Hornets)

The Financial Times reported the Pentagon and at least one Gulf government are in talks to buy Ukrainian-made interceptors amid Iran’s retaliatory attacks.

President Donald Trump told Reuters in a phone interview in early March that he would be open to assistance from any country, when asked about an offer from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to help defend against Iranian drones.

Zelenskyy said Friday in a post on X that Kyiv was sending a team of experts and military personnel to three countries in the Gulf region to help counter Tehran’s drones.

US DIPLOMATIC FACILITY IN IRAQ STRUCK BY DRONE

The remains of a Russian-made, Iran-designed Shahed-136 drone, known in Russia as a Geran-2, are displayed with other recovered drones, glide bombs, missiles and rockets in Kharkiv on July 30, 2025. (Scott Peterson/Getty Images)

“We know that in Middle Eastern countries, in the U.S., and in European states, there is a certain number of interceptor drones. But without our pilots, without our military personnel, without specialized software, none of this works,” he wrote.

Tom Karako, director of the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the focus on air defense price tags can obscure the more pressing constraint.

“Capacity is even more important than cheap,” he told Fox News Digital.

US SCRAMBLES AS DRONES SHAPE THE LANDSCAPE OF WAR: ‘THE FUTURE IS HERE’

Coalition Forces fire a Coyote Block 2C interceptor during a base defense exercise at Al-Tanf Garrison, Syria, on March 12, 2025. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Fred Brown)

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Karako cited lower-cost counter-drone systems, including the Coyote interceptor and the Army’s Low, Slow, Small Unmanned Aircraft Integrated Defeat System, or LIDS, as examples of capabilities already fielded to address many drone threats without relying exclusively on high-end air defense systems such as the Patriot.

As Iran’s drone campaign widens, the debate is no longer just about the cost gap between missiles and drones, but about whether traditional air defenses can sustain a new era of mass, low-cost aerial warfare.

Virginia Democrats have sent a sweeping gun-control package to Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s desk, while West Virginia lawmakers are debating the opposite approach — a proposal that would allow residents to lawfully obtain machine guns.

The dueling efforts highlight how sharply gun policy is diverging across the old Virginia border. More than 160 years after West Virginia split from Virginia during the Civil War, the two states are again charting very different political paths — with Democrats in Richmond advancing new firearm restrictions while Republicans in Charleston explore expanding Second Amendment rights.

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger signaled she looks forward to “reviewing” the sweeping firearms ban from state Sen. Saddam Salim, D-Dunn Loring, when it reaches her desk next week.

“As the mother of three daughters in Virginia public schools and a former federal law enforcement officer who carried a gun every day, Governor Spanberger knows how important it is to make sure kids and families are safe,” Spanberger’s office said in a statement to Richmond’s ABC affiliate.

GUN RIGHTS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY DEBATED AT SUPREME COURT

“The governor is grateful for the efforts of legislators and advocates to address gun violence in Virginia communities, and she looks forward to reviewing all legislation that comes to her desk.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Spanberger’s office to ask whether she plans to sign Salim’s bill but did not receive a response before publication.

The push comes as the political landscape in the two states continues to diverge. Republicans dominate West Virginia’s legislature with 31-2 and 91-9 supermajorities, and the Mountain State is one of just two states — along with Oklahoma — with no Democrat-majority counties. Democrats, meanwhile, strengthened their hold on Virginia’s government in 2025 and captured the governor‘s mansion.

The assault weapons ban was introduced in January at the very start of the expanded Democratic majority’s rule in Richmond. Salim told FairfaxNow that there are “so many assault weapons in circulation” and that his bill will “gradually” take them off the street but stop short of retroactively criminalizing possession of any of the slew of newly-categorized “assault weapons.”

The Bangladesh-born lawmaker has also questioned how schools can remain safe spaces for children without requiring active-shooter drills.

His proposal would ban a wide range of firearms and features, including semi-automatic center-fire pistols with magazines exceeding 15 rounds, rifles with detachable magazines and weapons with certain characteristics such as collapsible or thumbhole stocks and threaded barrels.

The scope of the proposed restrictions drew criticism from Republican lawmakers.

State Sen. Mark Obenshain, R-Harrisonburg, assembled a mashup video of Virginia Democrats describing the need for the bill, captioning the clip: “Clueless Confident Dangerous and still writing the law.”

MIKE LEE UNVEILS NATIONAL CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY BILL TO OVERRIDE ‘HOSTILE’ STATE GUN LAWS

Country roads take West Virginians home across the Virginia State Line near Charles Town. (Charlie Creitz/Fox News)

“On this list, pretty much everything is a bad firearm,” said state Sen. Bill Stanley Jr., R-Rocky Mount. “We should stop harming the people who are law-abiding citizens, especially in my region.”

During floor debate, Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, D-Mount Vernon, said: “The only way you can see if something has a threaded barrel or not is to look inside it. Your assault rifle with its telescopes and tripods and lasers and everything else …”

Stanley responded by reminding lawmakers that “millions of Virginians own firearms” and “billions of pieces of ammunition.”

“If we were the problem, you would know about it,” he said, as debate veered into quips about “turkey rifles” — a phrase that quickly circulated on X — before Sen. Bryce Reeves, R-Orange, said it was “evident” that Democrats “have a hard time understanding [gun] nomenclature.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Surovell for comment.

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Meanwhile, on the other side of the Allegheny Front, lawmakers were instead debating how best to expand the Second Amendment rights of Mountaineers.

West Virginia State Sens. Chris Rose, R-Monongalia, and Zachary Maynard, R-Chapmanville, drafted the Public Defense and Provisioning Act — which would permit the transfer of machine guns to residents, among other provisions.

The lawmakers cited the Second Amendment’s language and said the favorable decision in D.C. v. Heller “clarifying” “unrestricted access” under the militia clause to “resist tyranny,” among other reasons — while citing Washington administration official Tench Coxe’s assertion, “Congress has no power to disarm the militia.”

APPEALS COURT DECLARES DC BAN ON CERTAIN GUN MAGAZINES UNCONSTITUTIONAL

“It therefore is in the public interest that the State provide a means whereby machine guns may be obtained by citizens.”

Rose told Fox News Digital the bill would address “a longstanding issue in federal firearms law and to reaffirm the constitutional protections afforded to West Virginians under the Second Amendment and Article III, Section 22 of the West Virginia Constitution.”

“I have long been clear that I am a Second Amendment absolutist, and I believe the Constitution means exactly what it says when it states that the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed,” Rose said Friday, adding the bill showed states can assert their role in protecting constitutional rights and examining federal laws that have gone untested.

Rose’s bill hit a roadblock as West Virginia’s legislative session winds down, with Senate President Randy Smith, R-Blackwater Falls, deciding the full chamber would not take it up after it advanced through the Judiciary Committee, citing potential legal challenges.

“With an issue as critical as the protection of our Second Amendment rights, we must ensure the legislation we pass will survive legal challenge. This would not have,” said Smith, who also serves as lieutenant governor.

The proposal raises questions about the federal 1986 Hughes Amendment, which prohibits civilian transfers of machine guns manufactured after that year. A Judiciary Committee attorney told West Virginia Watch the restriction may not apply if the transfer were conducted through a state agency such as the West Virginia State Police.

During a hearing, Sen. Joey Garcia, D-Fairmont, also questioned whether the proposal could conflict with federal firearms laws.

Gun Owners of America reportedly worked with Rose on the legislation and has defended its legal footing.

With Smith’s decision and the session nearing its end, lawmakers are expected to revisit the proposal next year. A West Virginia House Republican source told Fox News Digital that chatter is already building around reviving the bill.

Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, is located at the confluence of West Virginia and Virginia’s Shenandoah River and Maryland’s Potomac River. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

“As the lobbyists and Senate advocates are saying, there will be a huge push in the off-season to build this coalition and make this happen.”

Smith told WVW that he welcomes a new bill next year, but that proponents should pay closer attention to the legislative calendar to avoid last-minute issues.

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“For now, [we’re] probably going to have to let this stand,” a West Virginia Senate Republican source told Fox News Digital.

On Friday, Charleston did, however, approve a bill from Del. Charles Horst, R-Falling Waters, providing license-free concealed carry for 18-20-year-olds.