Texas will appeal a federal court ruling that blocked the state’s new congressional map, which would give Republicans an additional five seats.
U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Brown ruled Tuesday that Texas’s new map was likely unconstitutional, saying it should instead use its 2021 maps.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott said Tuesday that the maps were redrawn “to better reflect Texas’ conservative voting preferences — and for no other reason,” slamming the court&#8217;s “discriminatory” claims against the map as “absurd and unsupported by testimony offered during ten days of hearings.”
Abbott also called the court’s ruling “clearly erroneous.”
“The public perception of this case is that it’s about politics,” the ruling from the panel of judges stated. “To be sure, politics played a role in drawing the 2025 map. Substantial evidence shows that Texas racially gerrymandered the 2025 map.&#8221;
The case now heads to the Supreme Court. In the meantime, Democrats are cheering Judge Brown&#8217;s ruling.
“The Trump-Abbott maps are clearly illegal, and I’m glad these judges have blocked them. If this decision stands, I look forward to running for reelection in my current district,” said Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX).
“No matter what, we must fight to pass a federal ban on gerrymandering once and for all,” he added.
The ruling comes as Indiana, Virginia, and Florida are also fighting in redistricting battles. It’s unclear what the House maps nationwide could look like ahead of the 2026 election.
“I am working with Governor Mike Braun and other Indiana Republicans, on picking up two Republican Congressional seats,” President Donald Trump posted to Truth Social on Tuesday.
California voters earlier this month overwhelmingly approved Proposition 50, a ballot measure designed to counter Texas’s new map with five additional Democrat seats. The Justice Department and California Republican Party are suing to block the measure.
The Supreme Court is also considering a Louisiana-based case that could shake up maps in the South in favor of Republicans, as there is a possibility that Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act could be scrapped.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott

Texas To Take Redistricting Challenge To The Supreme Court

California

Greg Abbott

Redistricting

Texas

A Democrat will almost certainly be the next congressman from New York’s 12th Congressional District, a solidly blue seat in Manhattan. The real race is the Democratic primary, which, a year before the election, is already a circus.
Longtime Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler announced in September that he would not be seeking re-election, opening up the seat he has held since 1992, which he won with over 80% of the vote in the last two elections.
Among those Democrats vying to replace Nadler are state Reps. Alex Bores and Micah Lasher, New York City Councilman Erik Bottcher, attorney Laura Dunn, nonprofit founder Liam Elkind, and attorney Jami Floyd. Earlier this month, Jack Schlossberg — social media influencer, “Vogue” political correspondent, and grandson of President John F. Kennedy — entered the already crowded fray with his characteristic flair.
“WE NEED YOUR HELP !!! Please consider donating so we can go to Washington and FIX IT,” Schlossberg wrote on X this week. “WE ARE A MOVEMENT powered by people who know WE DESERVE BETTER.”
Schlossberg’s bizarre social media posts include a swipe at his cousin, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., in which he <a href="https://freebeacon.com/democrats/jack-schlossberg-kennedy-grandson-running-for-congress-tweeted-about-drinking-jew-blood-ashkenazi-not-sephardic-and-semen-in-offensive-dig-at-rfk-jr/">references</a> drinking semen and “jew blood.” He also filmed himself performing a Nazi salute, apparently an effort to mock Elon Musk. Schlossberg has since <a href="https://freebeacon.com/democrats/kennedy-heir-and-house-candidate-jack-schlossberg-performed-nazi-salute-in-since-deleted-swipe-at-elon-musk/">deleted</a> both tweets.
Schlossberg’s <a href="https://jackfornewyork.com/12-for-12/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a> boasts his full name — John Bouvier Kennedy Schlossberg — and lists his “12 promises to the people of New York’s 12th District,” which include “service,” “courage,” and “patriotism,” but no real policy proposals.
Gun control activist Cameron Kasky, who is also weighing a bid for the seat, warned that “If you are a Democrat running in 2026 and do not fully support an arms embargo to the State of Israel amidst their ongoing genocide in Gaza despite Trump’s fake ‘ceasefire,&#8217; Stop wasting everybody’s time. It’s over. The people have spoken. Moral clarity is winning.”
The race to represent Midtown Manhattan comes in the shadow of the election of Democrat Zohran Mamdani as New York City mayor earlier this month.
Mamdani, who has proposed multiple socialist policies, could end up becoming a key factor in the race, as some in the running have already advocated for his candidacy or have critiqued his policies.
“Mamdani is right: New Yorkers are being squeezed out of the city they love,” Floyd noted in a recent Substack post, noting that she did not vote for him. “But his rent-freeze proposal for one million stabilized apartments would backfire. It would choke investment, reduce maintenance, and shrink the housing supply. The truth is that there can be no affordable housing without those who build and maintain it.”
Others, like Elkind, have floated other controversial proposals, such as abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“It’s time to restore our commitment to liberty and justice. It’s time to defend the rule of law from those who abuse it in its name. It’s time to abolish ICE,” Elkind said in an October 22 statement.
The primary election is on June 23, 2026.

Jerry Nadler

This New York Democratic Primary Is Already A Three-Ring Circus

2026 elections

Congress

Manhattan

New York City

Zohran Mamdani

Utah is expected to get a Democrat-favored congressional district following a court ruling earlier this week on redistricting maps, adding yet another complicated layer to the nationwide gerrymandering battle.
Utah Third District Court Judge Dianna Gibson ruled on Monday in favor of a map that went against the map proposed by Republicans in the legislature, who are expected to appeal the ruling, which sides with the plaintiffs, Mormon Women for Ethical Government (MWEG) and the League of Women Voters, <a href="https://www.ksl.com/article/51403648/utah-judge-selects-new-congressional-map-tossing-map-drawn-by-lawmakers">KSL</a> reported.
“In the coming hours and days, there will be many who will try to frame this victory through the lens of partisanship. Some will co-opt this as a win for their party, and others will see this as a loss and use it as a rallying cry for theirs. Let us be clear about what this case has always been about for MWEG: MWEG stands firmly opposed to gerrymandering, no matter which party initiates or benefits from it,” the Mormon Women for Ethical Government said in a statement.
Republican Gov. Spencer Cox said that he would back a legal appeal to the judge’s decision.
“The Utah Constitution clearly states that it is the responsibility of the Legislature to divide the state into congressional districts,” the governor posted to X on Tuesday. “While I respect the Court’s role in our system, no judge, and certainly no advocacy group, can usurp that constitutional authority. For this reason, I fully support the Legislature appealing the Court’s decision.”
In the meantime, Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson said that the process is kicking off to make sure candidates can file to run for the congressional seat properly early next year at the state level.
“There will likely be an emergency appeal, but the process of finalizing new boundary details will take weeks of meticulous work on the part of state and county officials,” Henderson posted Tuesday. “Barring an appellate court ruling, we must begin without delay to ensure that everything is in place for candidate filing in January. The people of Utah deserve an orderly and fair election and we will do everything in our power to administer one.”
Democrats in Utah are already chomping at the bit for a chance at the seat, as the Beehive State currently has four Republican representatives in the House, and the map the judge ruled on encompasses the Salt Lake City area.
“I’ve done it before, to stand up against Trump when it was hard, not just when it was expected,” former Rep. Ben McAdams said in a campaign launch video Thursday morning. McAdams was elected to Congress in 2018 by defeating late Rep. Mia Love, and then lost to Rep. Burgess Owens in 2020 – both of which were competitive races prior to the redrawing after the 2020 census. McAdams previously served as mayor of Salt Lake County.
In addition, Utah Democratic Sen. Kathleen Riebe also launched her bid for a seat this week.
The ongoing legal battle in the state is only one element of how the 2026 congressional maps across the country could end up looking very different in the coming weeks. Other states have taken major steps toward voluntary mid-decade redistricting, including in Texas and California, especially with the passage of Proposition 50 in the Golden State.
Red states and blue states are reworking their maps, which some say could benefit Republicans, whereas others caution it could just end up making the numbers look similar to where they are now, despite a potential party flip in the chamber. Republicans hold a narrow 219-214 majority in the House.
“The whole thing might come out to be a wash anyway,” Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-CA) told <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/americas-redistricting-battle-keeps-getting-messier">The Daily Wire</a> earlier this month.
“I am continuing to advocate for my legislation to stop this whole redistricting domino effect. I think it’s a really bad thing for the country. I think it is degrading democracy in every state where it happens. I think gerrymandering is wrong, and we need to just put an end to this,” Kiley added, explaining his proposal to create a federal law against mid-decade redistricting, as it&#8217;s typically only done each decade with new census data.

US President Joe Biden hosts governors and their spouses in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington

Utah Might Get A Democrat In Congress After Controversial Court Ruling

Politics

Republicans

Spencer Cox

Utah

The Justice Department is fighting back against the Democrat-backed congressional maps in California following the overwhelming passage of Prop. 50, which would temporarily change the state’s maps in the next three election cycles.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli said that the DOJ “filed a motion to intervene in the Prop 50 lawsuit.”
“The race-based gerrymandered maps passed by the California legislature are unlawful and unconstitutional. We are moving swiftly to prevent these illegal maps from tainting our upcoming elections,&#8221; Essayli posted to X. “California is free to draw congressional maps, but they may not be drawn based on race.”
Proposition 50 would allow for five seats to potentially add to the Democrats&#8217; roster in the House, and it was done as a direct countermeasure to Texas’ Republican-backed mid-decade redistricting efforts earlier this year.
“These losers lost at the ballot box and soon they will also lose in court,” a spokesperson for Newsom’s office told The Daily Wire in an email on Thursday.
Attorney General Pam Bondi posted to X on Thursday that “Newsom should be concerned about keeping Californians safe and shutting down Antifa violence, not rigging his state for political gain.”
The California Republican Party announced legal action against the maps last week, calling them unconstitutional.
“Dear Gavin Newsom, I hate to rain on your parade but your celebration over the passage of Prop 50 will need to wait a few days,” Mark Meuser, an attorney with Dhillon Law Group, posted to X regarding the lawsuit.
“You have been sued. Your unconstitutional racial gerrymandering is now heading to a federal three-judge panel and maybe to the SCOTUS to determining if your use of race in drawing congressional districts should be enjoined,” Meuser added.
The Daily Wire reported last week that the nation’s redistricting fight continues to get messier, as multiple red and blue states have already taken or are weighing mid-decade redistricting steps. Redistricting is typically only done each decade when there is new census data, but the fight for the House and a Voting Rights Act case before the Supreme Court could drastically change the landscape in 2026, or leave it looking similar with extra steps in between.
Hans von Spakovsky, a senior legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation, told <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/americas-redistricting-battle-keeps-getting-messier">The Daily Wire</a> last week that Republicans could ultimately have the upper hand nationwide. Republicans currently hold a narrow 219-214 majority.
“I think the Republicans will, and the reason for that is that, you know, with a few exceptions, Democratic-controlled states have already gerrymandered their states pretty much to the maximum you can,” he said.
“So, I actually think even if California is successful, I think with what the other states are doing, I still think Republicans may come out slightly ahead,” he added.
“Look, what’s at stake in the Louisiana case is actually very simple: it’s the conflict between the Voting Rights Act and the 14th Amendment,” he continued, noting that Louisiana v. Callais could potentially pave the way for many more Republican seats in the south, as it could possibly result in Section 2 of the VRA being nixed.

Pam Bondi

Trump Admin Takes Legal Action Against California’s ‘Race-Based’ Gerrymandering

Elections

Executive

Gavin Newsom

gerrymandering

Embattled Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner will lose the state’s Democratic primary to Governor Janet Mills, a new poll found.
EMILY’s List, which is supporting Mills in the primary, <a href="https://www.politico.com/f/?id=0000019a-7501-dfdd-af9b-75912aca0000" target="_blank" rel="noopener">commissioned a poll</a> from Impact Research that found Mills would lose to incumbent Senator Susan Collins (R) with just 42% of the vote. But that’s only when respondents were given “balanced information” about the candidates.
When “additional information” was given about the Platner — such as quotes from deleted social media posts where he called himself a communist, and his Nazi symbol tattoo — Collins’ lead climbs to 57%.
“The statements include quotes from Platner’s posts, including his history of stoking political violence, use of homophobic slurs, and offensive views towards law enforcement and sexual assault victims,” the memo stated.
The poll was taken among 700 likely voters from October 22 to 27, with a 3.7% margin of error.
The Cook Political Report currently ranks the race as a “toss-up.” The Republican won re-election in 2020 with 50.98%, compared to 42.39% for the Democrat, Sara Gideon.
Platner has remained in the race despite the wave of negative headlines and most recently spoke out against the Democrats who backed the deal to reopen the federal government, even calling on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to “step down.”
“We get nothing. No healthcare. No subsidies,” Platner posted to X on Tuesday. “This is not a ‘deal.’ It&#8217;s a surrender.”
The vote to reopen the government by Collins and other Senate Republicans, in addition to some Democrats, was the hot topic on the campaign trail in recent days.
“This short-term continuing resolution would reopen government immediately, provide back pay to all federal workers, and fund important federal programs on which many Americans rely,” Collins, who is the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, wrote on X.
Meanwhile, Mills said Collins “voted against extending ACA subsidies,” as an amendment to continue the Obamacare subsidies for another year was shot down by Senate Republicans.
“This vote is a betrayal of Maine people, and it will send health care costs through the roof. While I have fought to expand health care and to make it more affordable, Senator Collins and Republicans in Washington are doing the opposite,” the governor posted.
The Daily Wire reached out to the Platner, Collins, and Mills campaigns, which were not immediately available for comment. Democrat Jordan Wood dropped out of the Maine Democratic primary on Wednesday, instead opting to run for Maine’s Second Congressional District, which is now open due to Rep. Jared Golden’s (D-ME) retirement announcement. The seat is considered competitive, but is labeled by the Cook Political Report as “Likely Republican.”
“If Chuck Schumer’s mountain of opposition research against Graham Platner wasn’t enough to scare him out of this race, it’s doubtful a poll from a group that has endorsed Janet Mills will do much,” National Republican Senatorial Committee Regional Press Secretary Samantha Cantrell told The Daily Wire in a statement.

Susan Collins

Maine Voters Embrace Susan Collins The More They Learn About Graham Platner: Poll

graham platner

Maine

Polls

Senate

Democrats have been quick to declare transgenderism a losing electoral issue in the wake of their recent victories at the ballot box, and the media is buying in.
&#8220;Republicans went all in on anti-trans messaging for the 2025 election,&#8221; declared an article by <a href="https://www.notus.org/2025-election/anti-transgender-attacks-republicans-virginia-new-jersey" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NOTUS</a>. &#8220;It didn’t work.&#8221;
The belief is that Democrats won in 2025 elections in Virginia and New Jersey, despite an onslaught of messaging from Republicans on their radical positions on transgenderism. But Republicans are almost certainly not going to let the issue die, and the issue that proved so successful for them in 2024 will be put to the test in the 2026 midterm elections. The issue is already heating up in Nevada, and could impact the state&#8217;s governor&#8217;s race.
&#8220;I&#8217;m going to do another ballot initiative this coming cycle on men in women&#8217;s sports,&#8221; Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo (R) said at a campaign event in September, according to the<a href="https://pvtimes.com/news/lombardo-speaks-in-tonopah-and-goldfield-during-reelection-campaign-153918/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Pahrump Valley Times</a>. &#8220;I&#8217;m going to raise the money to put a fight on that and change the constitution on how we address that particular issue.&#8221;
The topic has been hot in the state since members of the University of Nevada, Reno, women’s volleyball team declined to play against San Jose State University in 2024 because of a transgender athlete on the team, with members of the Reno team taking a different stance from the university on the matter at the time.
“The student athletes at the University of Nevada, Reno have determined that they do not want to play against San Jose State, and I wholeheartedly respect the decision of the players,” Lombardo posted to X at the time.
“No student athlete should ever be pressured to play a game where they don’t feel safe — period,” he added.
It could become a major campaign issue, as Lombardo and Attorney General Aaron Ford, who’s seeking the Democratic nomination for governor, have previously expressed sharply different views on transgender issues.
In 2022, Ford signed onto an amicus brief against an Arkansas law against “gender-affirming treatment” for minors.
“We must protect our children from discriminatory laws that bar access to necessary, gender-affirming health care,” Ford said in a January 2022<a href="https://ag.nv.gov/News/PR/2022/Attorney_General_Ford_Joins_Coalition_Urging_Court_to_Protect_Access_to_Healthcare_for_Transgender_Teenagers/?csrt=12551046735556127769&amp;utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> statement</a>. Over and over again, evidence has shown that denying transgender youth access to gender-affirming care has a detrimental effect to their mental health and quality of life.”
He also had the state of Nevada on an amicus brief in the<a href="https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/attachments/press-docs/Brief%20of%20Amici%20States%20in%20Supp%20of%20Appellees.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals</a> backing two minors, 11 and 15, who identified as transgender in a case on whether they could participate on a girls’ sports team in Arizona.
“Plaintiffs simply want to participate on their school’s girl’s sports teams with their friends,” the brief stated.
“They have not experienced any of the physiological changes associated with male puberty and have no ascertainable competitive advantage over their cisgender peers,” it continued, saying that the plaintiffs identified as “girls in all aspects of their lives since an early age.”
In another case, he disagreed with the Trump administration’s policy about only listing two sexes on passports, according to the<a href="https://lasvegassun.com/news/2025/mar/18/nevada-ag-among-12-to-weigh-in-on-transgender-pass/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Las Vegas Sun</a>.
RELATED: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-trump-learned-to-embrace-the-transgender-culture-wars">How Trump Learned To Embrace The Transgender Culture Wars</a>
The Daily Wire reached out to the Ford campaign for comment. The race in the swing state is expected to be one of the most competitive gubernatorial races in the country next year.
Nor is Nevada the only state where transgender issues will be at the ballot box. Maine voters could soon consider a similar ban, along with restrictions on locker rooms, according to <a href="https://wgme.com/news/local/signature-push-aims-to-ban-trans-athletes-from-girls-sports-in-maine-ballot-initiative" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WGME News</a>. Maine is expected to be highly competitive in the Senate race with incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins, who could face off against Democratic Gov. Janet Mills are Graham Platner in the general election. Mills made national headlines earlier for her opposition to the Trump administration&#8217;s policies on the issue.
“I’ll comply with state and federal law,” Mills said in a famous exchange with the president in February, with both saying they would take the issue to court, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/maine-to-schools-were-sticking-with-trans-sports-policy-trump-admin-takes-action" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> reported.
“We are the federal law,” Trump said. “You better do it. Because you’re not going to get any federal funding at all if you don’t. And by the way, your population, even though it is somewhat liberal — although I did very well there — your population doesn’t want men playing in women’s sports. You better comply because otherwise you’re not getting any federal funding.”
On the federal level, President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order earlier this year to reign in funding for schools that allowed transgender-identifying athletes to participate in women&#8217;s sports.
&#8220;Therefore, it is the policy of the United States to rescind all funds from educational programs that deprive women and girls of fair athletic opportunities, which results in the endangerment, humiliation, and silencing of women and girls and deprives them of privacy. It shall also be the policy of the United States to oppose male competitive participation in women&#8217;s sports more broadly, as a matter of safety, fairness, dignity, and truth,&#8221; the <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/02/keeping-men-out-of-womens-sports/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">order</a> stated.

A female pro trans protester holds the trans pride flag

Democrats Now Think Transgenderism Is A Winning Issue. It’ll Be Put To The Test In 2026.

aaron ford

joe lombardo

Nevada

Sports

Transgender

transgender athlete

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi&#8217;s daughter announced she will run for the California State Senate in 2028.
Christine Pelosi made the announcement amid reports that she could potentially run to replace her mother, who <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pelosi-announces-retirement-trump-torches-her-evil-and-corrupt-legacy">announced</a> last week that she would retire in 2027 after more than 40 years in Washington. Instead, the younger Pelosi will run to replace State Senator Scott Wiener, who is running for Pelosi’s House seat.
“We need leaders who advance our San Francisco values and build power for the people. And that’s the kind of representative I will be in the California State Senate,” Christine Pelosi, 59, said in a message posted to her campaign website. She is an attorney who’s played a role in California politics for years and also worked in the Clinton administration.
“Now, the State Senate election isn’t until 2028. And in the meantime, we all have a lot of work to do together to take our country back, to protect our rights, to attract more good paying jobs, and to build a better quality of life and brighter future for everyone,” she added.
The Daily Wire reached out to Christine Pelosi’s campaign to clarify whether or not she would run sooner if Wiener wins his election and leaves the state senate early. Wiener is considered one of the most <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/meet-scott-wiener-nancy-pelosis-likely-replacement-probably-thinks-youre-a-bigot">radically left-wing</a> lawmakers in the United States. He most recently made waves for a bill attempting to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/potential-pelosi-successor-pushed-a-bill-so-woke-even-the-new-york-times-has-doubts">prevent</a> federal immigration agents from wearing masks while conducting operations.
Wiener launched his campaign before Pelosi announced her retirement. Afterwards, he took to X to praise the former House Speaker.
“Thank you, Madam Speaker. In 1987, I was a closeted teenager terrified of a world that seemed determined to eliminate gay people. You used your platform in Congress to fight AIDS — to fight for people like me.&#8221;
Prior to her announcement, reports circulated that the former speaker would make her choice public following the Proposition 50 vote last Tuesday. Prop. 50 passed overwhelmingly and will shake up the congressional maps in the Golden State to allow for more Democratic-favored seats in hopes of countering Texas&#8217;s redistricting efforts,<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/americas-redistricting-battle-keeps-getting-messier" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> The Daily Wire</a> reported.
“For decades, I’ve cherished the privilege of representing our magnificent city in the United States Congress,” Pelosi said in a video last week directed toward San Francisco residents.
“With a grateful heart, I look forward to my final year of service as your proud representative,” she added.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s former chief of staff, Saikat Chakrabarti, is also running for the seat. The Hill <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5593214-pelosi-successors-house-seat/">reported</a> that San Francisco County Supervisor Connie Chan is also being floated as a possible replacement in the deep blue seat.
&#8220;And whether you love her or disagree with her, you&#8217;ve gotta admit, she has shaped American politics for an entire generation. And now, she&#8217;s doing something really rare in Washington – making room for the next generation,&#8221; Chakrabarti said in a video last week.

Politicon 2018 – Day 2

Nancy Pelosi’s Daughter Makes An Announcement On Her Political Future

2026 election

christine pelosi

clinton administration

Nancy Pelosi

San Francisco

WASHINGTON—The Senate&#8217;s move towards ending the government shutdown sent shockwaves through the Democratic Party, pitting former allies against each other — including a senator and her daughter.
New Hampshire Senator Jeanne Shaheen was one of the Democrats who voted to break the filibuster Sunday night, a necessary first step towards ending the longest-ever government shutdown. Many Democrats opposed the move, claiming the shutdown will all be for naught if lawmakers cannot guarantee an extension of Obamacare subsidies. Shaheen acknowledged this opposition in a statement framing her vote less as a win than a necessity.
“This agreement gives Democrats control of the Senate floor — at a time when Republicans control every level of power — on one of our top legislative priorities: Extending the enhanced premium tax credits to make health care more affordable for millions of Americans,” Shaheen said.
&#8220;There is no one in the Senate who wants to see these tax credits extended more than me,&#8221; the Senator added. &#8220;But weeks of negotiations with Republicans have made clear that they will not address health care as part of shutdown talks — and that waiting longer will only prolong the pain Americans are feeling because of the shutdown.&#8221;
Not everyone agrees with Shaheen. That includes the senator&#8217;s daughter, Stefany, who&#8217;s running in New Hampshire&#8217;s First Congressional District.
&#8220;Improving health care has been the cause of my life,&#8221; the younger Shaheen said. &#8220;It&#8217;s why I am running for Congress. So I cannot support this deal when Speaker Johnson refuses to even allow a vote to extend health care tax credits.”
“Too many people will see health care costs that are already too high skyrocket even further starting in January,&#8221; she added. &#8220;This means more people will be uninsured, unable to see a doctor in times of need, and risk bankruptcy because of a diagnosis.&#8221;
Lawmakers who favored keeping the government closed say that extending Obamacare subsidies was essential, since premiums would skyrocket if they expire at the end of this year. Republicans say that the need for these subsidies is proof that the Affordable Care Act was unaffordable to begin with, and that the subsidies were not worth holding the government hostage.
Stefany Shaheen has a foot in each camp, saying, &#8220;We need to both end this shutdown and extend the ACA tax credits. Otherwise, no deal.&#8221;
It&#8217;s essential to ensure people have access to health care, and it&#8217;s past time to put paychecks back into people&#8217;s pockets and food back on families&#8217; tables,” she added.
The Cook Political Report ranks Shaheen&#8217;s race as a “Likely Democrat.” The seat is currently held by Rep. Chris Pappas (D-NH), who is running to succeed the elder Shaheen, who plans to retire upon finishing her term in 2027.
The federal government has not reopened as of Monday early afternoon, as the legislation in the Senate still needs a final vote before it heads to the Republican-majority House, and presumably President Donald Trump’s desk afterward.
Shaheen did not respond to a request for comment on her daughter’s statement.

Senate Democrats’ Medicare drug pricing presser

Jeanne Shaheen’s Shutdown Vote Put Her On The Outs With Dems — And Her Daughter

Jeanne Shaheen

New Hampshire

The 2026 midterm elections have an unlikely focal point: Maine.
The state’s Democratic primary has been marred with drama since self-styled populist Graham Platner was revealed to have made social media posts bashing cops and labeling himself a “communist.” Platner, who is battling Governor Janet Mills for the opportunity to face incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins, has been bleeding staff since it came to light that he had a Nazi symbol tattooed on his chest.
Then Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME) announced earlier this week that he would not be seeking re-election to Maine’s Second Congressional District. The Cook Political Report promptly moved the race from “toss-up” to “Likely Republican.”
“After much deliberation, I’ve decided not to seek reelection in 2026,” the Democrat posted to X on Wednesday. “I’m confident that were I to run again, I would win. But recent events have made me reconsider whether the good I can do in Congress still outweighs the cost to my family.”
The race, along with a few others, might be one of the few chances for Republicans to beef up their congressional representation in New England, as Collins is the only Republican representing the region in Washington.
In 2024, President Donald Trump won the district with 54%, but Golden has held on to the seat since he first won in 2018, a Democratic flip. The district covers northern Maine and is significantly more red compared with the deep blue First Congressional District. Last year, Golden defeated Republican Austin Theriault by roughly 2,700 votes.
“Serial flip-flopper Jared Golden’s exit from Congress says it all: He’s turned his back on Mainers for years and now his chickens are coming home to roost,” National Republican Campaign Committee Spokeswoman Maureen O’Toole said in a statement earlier this week when he called it quits. “He, nor any other Democrat, has a path to victory in ME-02 and Republicans will flip this seat red in 2026.”
Maine’s former Republican Governor Paul LePage, who served from 2011-2019, is running for Golden’s seat, posting to X on Thursday a meme saying “Shot” with a poll for LePage beating Golden, and then “chaser” as a headline showing that the Democrat would not run for re-election.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee also commented on Golden’s retirement, suggesting that Tuesday night’s election results gave promising signs for Democrats.
“Last night’s election results make clear that voters are ready to elect a Democratic majority that keeps its promise to lower costs and fight for everyday people. Democrats will do everything necessary to keep this seat blue so that Mainers continue to have a voice fighting for them in Congress — and we are confident we will be successful,” DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene said in a statement on Wednesday.
There’s fairly limited wiggle room in New England for Republicans to succeed, despite currently holding the governorship in New Hampshire and Vermont.
If a Republican wins the Maine seat, they would be the only one in the House chamber for the region, unless they also flip the seat left open by Rep. Chris Pappas (D-NH), who’s running for Senate, and Rep. Maggie Goodlander’s seat. Cook Political Report ranks both New Hampshire seats as “Likely Democrat,” along with Connecticut’s Fifth Congressional District.
As for New Hampshire’s Senate race, a tough battle is underway for the open seat, as former Republican Sen. John Sununu is in a primary with former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown. Whoever wins the primary will presumably face off against Pappas. <a href="https://www.cookpolitical.com/ratings/senate-race-ratings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cook Political Report</a> ranks the New Hampshire race to succeed Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen as “Lean Democrat” and the Maine race as a “toss-up.”

Representative Jared Golden

New England Could Face A Political Shakeup in 2026. Here’s Why.

new england

When Californians voted to pass Proposition 50 this week, it did more than give Democrats additional House seats. It also launched a new phase of the redistricting wars.
The ballot measure itself marked an escalation in the fight. The California Democratic Party put forth the measure as &#8220;a direct response to a Republican power grab orchestrated by President Trump and state leaders in Texas, who redrew congressional district lines to gain five more seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.&#8221;
California Governor Gavin Newsom celebrated Proposition 50&#8217;s passage in explicitly partisan terms Tuesday night, boasting that &#8220;in every critical category, Donald Trump is underwater.&#8221;
Things don&#8217;t show any signs of cooling off. On Wednesday, the California Republican Party sued in federal court to block Proposition 50.
“Dear Gavin Newsom, I hate to rain on your parade but your celebration over the passage of Prop 50 will need to wait a few days,” Mark Meuser, an attorney with Dhillon Law Group, posted to X. “You have been sued. Your unconstitutional racial gerrymandering is now heading to a federal three-judge panel and maybe to the SCOTUS to determining if your use of race in drawing congressional districts should be enjoined.”
“We are asking the court to require the old maps to be in effect while we litigation your unconstitutional actions,” he continued.
In response, Newsom&#8217;s office said it had not &#8220;reviewed the lawsuit&#8221; and <a href="https://x.com/ZavalaA/status/1986137689935257929" target="_blank" rel="noopener">offered</a> best wishes to the opposition: &#8220;good luck, losers.&#8221;
But California isn&#8217;t the only front in the redistricting war. Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe signed off on a map in September adding one seat favoring Republicans, and North Carolina Republicans also made a move for another seat to likely favor their party last month.
However, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2025/nov/02/us-redistrcting-congressional-map" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Guardian</a> reported that across the 16 states where mid-decade redistricting could happen in at least some capacity, it could ultimately help Republicans grow their numbers in the House of Representatives.
Notably, Ohio was required to do mid-decade redistricting anyway, which also ended up giving Republicans an advantage.
Still, a potential legal earthquake could make everything even more complicated.<a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/10/15/nx-s1-5567801/supreme-court-louisiana-redistricting-voting-rights-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> NPR</a> recently reported that a Supreme Court case, Louisiana v. Callais, could scrap a section of the Voting Rights Act over how race is considered in the drawing of congressional maps, which could lead to roughly 19 seats being shifted to favor Republicans.
“Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act has been a critical tool in safeguarding the promise that people of color can participate in our democracy on equal terms,” Sophia Lin Lakin, director of the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project, said in an Oct. 15 statement. “It has been our shield against discriminatory maps and our answer to laws designed to suppress the vote.&#8221;
Hans von Spakovsky, a senior legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation, told The Daily Wire that Republicans could end up getting the last laugh.
&#8220;I think the Republicans will, and the reason for that is that, you know, with a few exceptions, Democratic-controlled states have already gerrymandered their states pretty much to the maximum you can,&#8221; he said.
&#8220;So, I actually think even if California is successful, I think with what the other states are doing, I still think Republicans may come out slightly ahead,&#8221; the legal expert continued.
&#8220;Look, what&#8217;s at stake in the Louisiana case is actually very simple: it&#8217;s the conflict between the Voting Rights Act and the 14th Amendment,&#8221; he said regarding the Supreme Court battle.
Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-CA) told The Daily Wire that the mid-decade or &#8220;rolling redistricting&#8221; runs the risk of being &#8220;incredibly destabilizing for the folks who represent these areas and for their constituents.&#8221;
&#8220;I am continuing to advocate for my legislation to stop this whole redistricting domino effect. I think it&#8217;s a really bad thing for the country. I think it is degrading democracy in every state where it happens. I think gerrymandering is wrong, and we need to just put an end to this,&#8221; Kiley explained regarding his legislative pitch to end mid-decade redistricting.
&#8220;I&#8217;m continuing to call for a vote on that bill. I think if it did receive a vote it would pass, and I&#8217;m also working on legislation to just end gerrymandering altogether by the time of the next redistricting after the 2030 census,&#8221; the Republican said.
Kiley added that &#8220;it&#8217;s really hard to say at this point&#8221; whether or not one party will benefit more from the redistricting battle, saying that &#8220;the whole thing might come out to be a wash anyway.&#8221;
Republicans have a 219-213 majority in the House. Three seats are currently empty.

California Governor Newsom Makes Announcement On Gerrymandering In Response To Trump’s Efforts In Texas

America’s Redistricting Battle Keeps Getting Messier

Supreme Court

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Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is retiring from Congress when her term ends in 2027, she announced Thursday.
The 85-year-old San Francisco Democrat has continued to serve in the House after being the first and only woman to serve as House speaker, holding that position during two separate terms: from 2007 to 2011 and again from 2019 to 2023.
“For decades, I’ve cherished the privilege of representing our magnificent city in the United States Congress,” she said in a video focusing primarily on her constituents, opening with “Dear San Francisco.”
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Thank you, San Francisco. <a href="https://t.co/OP8ubeFzR6">pic.twitter.com/OP8ubeFzR6</a>
— Nancy Pelosi (@TeamPelosi) <a href="https://twitter.com/TeamPelosi/status/1986433397921833435?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“I truly loved serving as your voice in Congress,” she said.
“With a grateful heart, I look forward to my final year of service as your proud representative,” Pelosi continued.
Pelosi’s tumultuous relationship with President Donald Trump featured public showdowns, two impeachments, and a starkly polarized political climate.
President Trump reacted to the news on Thursday morning, saying that &#8220;she was evil&#8221; and &#8220;corrupt,&#8221; according to Fox News. &#8220;The retirement of Nancy Pelosi is a great thing for America.&#8221;
Pelosi&#8217;s retirement could open up a wide Democratic primary in the Bay Area to replace her, and she’s held the seat since 1987.
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California state Sen. Scott Wiener, a far-Left progressive, already jumped into the race last month, as the seat is likely to stay deep blue.
“My family escaped fascism in Europe. I never thought the United States would slip into fascism like we’re seeing today,” Wiener said in his launch video. “San Francisco has always been on the right side of history.”
“Join me now, before everything we believe in is lost for good,” he added.
In addition, former Chief of Staff to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Saikat Chakrabarti, is running for the seat.
Pelosi&#8217;s retirement comes amid a likely fierce 2026 battle for the House, as Republicans currently hold a narrow majority in the Senate.
A mix of reactions to her retirement poured in on social media.
“The GOAT &#8211; thanks for your incredible service, Rep. Pelosi, and for modeling true selfless leadership by stepping back and making space for a new generation of leaders,” Amanda Litman, president of Run for Something, posted to X.
“After serving for nearly 200 years, Nancy Pelosi won’t seek reelection,” conservative commentator Jason Rantz wrote.
Pelosi was expected to announce whether she would retire following Tuesday&#8217;s Proposition 50 vote in California, which she campaigned heavily in favor of. The ballot measure to redraw congressional districts in the state to heavily favor Democrats until 2030 passed by a wide margin. Proponents of the measure said it would counteract Republican redistricting efforts in Texas and other red states, and it is currently facing a federal lawsuit from the California Republican Party.
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Pelosi Announces Retirement, Trump Torches Her ‘Evil’ And ‘Corrupt’ Legacy

Democrats

A California ballot measure that would change the state&#8217;s electoral map passed on Tuesday, paving the way for Democrats to add five congressional seats in the coming midterm elections.
With three-quarters of votes counted, Decision Desk HQ <a href="https://election-night.decisiondeskhq.com/date/2025-11-04/states/California">reports</a> that around 65% of Californians voted for Proposition 50, which “authorizes temporary changes to congressional district maps in response to Texas’s partisan redistricting.” The measure, which California Governor Gavin Newsom, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and other prominent Democrats supported, was slammed as overly partisan by opponents, and heavily funded by supporters. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/a-health-insurance-giant-quietly-bankrolls-gavin-newsoms-partisan-power-grab" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> reported that one of the major donors to Newsom&#8217;s ballot measure committee included Blue Shield of California, which donated $500,000.
The California Democratic Party website said that the proposal is “a direct response to a Republican power grab orchestrated by President Trump and state leaders in Texas, who redrew congressional district lines to gain five more seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.”
“If Texas had backed off, California would have backed off,” Pelosi posted on X last week. “But Trump insisted on Texas starting this fight — so California will meet this moment and win BIG on Tuesday to defend our health care and our democracy.”
The passage of Proposition 50 is a major win for Newsom, a likely 2028 presidential candidate. It comes just hours after voters across the country elected socialist <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mamdani-time-new-york-city-turns-to-muslim-socialist-zohran-mamdani-as-next-mayor?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Brecca+Stoll&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=MAMDANI+TIME%3A+New+York+City+Turns+To+Muslim+Socialist+Zohran+Mamdani+As+Next+Mayor">Zohran Mamdani</a> mayor of New York City and sent Democrats to the governors mansions in New Jersey and Virginia.
In October, Los Angeles County Republican Chair <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/inside-californias-effort-to-fight-back-against-trump-with-redistricting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Roxanne Hoge</a> explained that the phrasing of the measure made the race competitive.
Join us now during our exclusive Deal of the Decade. Get everything for $7 a month. Not as fans. As fighters. Go to <a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DailyWire.com/Subscribe</a> to join now.
“If we didn’t have the crazy title in summary that they had, it would be like Prop 36, right. Overwhelming. But given the title and summary we have, it’s neck and neck,” she said at the time. Prop. 36 was a 2024 ballot measure that passed overwhelmingly to fight back against crime in the Golden State.
Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican, also opposed the proposition.
“There is such extreme gerrymandering going on that in a state like Massachusetts, it has like 40% of the people voting for Trump, they only — they have zero representatives,&#8221; Schwarzenegger said in a recent<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/arnold-schwarzenegger-terminates-jake-tappers-effort-to-blame-gop-for-gerrymandering" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> CNN interview</a>. &#8220;The Republican Party has zero representatives sent to the House. Think about that.&#8221;
“In New Mexico, 45% of the people voted for Trump and vote Republican, and zero is sent to the House, zero representatives from the Republican Party,”  he added. “So there’s gerrymandering — crazy gerrymandering — going on all over the country, and we wanted to try to stop it in California, and we did stop it in California.”
Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), whose seat is expected to be redrawn under Proposition 50 tells The Daily Wire that he&#8217;s &#8220;not going anywhere.&#8221;
&#8220;It was difficult to watch as Gavin Newsom and Sacramento’s special interests set about shredding the state constitution, disenfranchising millions of Californians solely because of how they vote, and delivering what they know is an undeserved advantage to Democrats,&#8221; Issa said. &#8220;But here’s something Newsom and his cronies don’t know: It won’t work.&#8221;
&#8220;Voters get to pick their representatives. Not the other way around,&#8221; the congressman continued, later adding that he&#8217;s &#8220;not quitting on California. And neither should anyone else.”

Nancy Pelosi/Gavin Newsom

California’s Redistricting Ballot Measure Overwhelmingly Passes

proposition 50

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Cameron Arcand