Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) is entering the heated race to represent the Lone Star State in the United States Senate after much deliberation.
Crockett filed last-minute paperwork to run in the Texas Democratic Primary in March and is expected to announce her bid later on Monday, <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/jasmine-crockett-texas-senate-democratic-primary/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CBS News</a> reported.
“It is hilarious to me that me saying that I will announce what I plan to do on 12/8, like I’ve been saying is scaring the heck out of so many people. The attacks are hilarious… note to those that don’t know how politics works… only the threat gets attacked,” the Democrat <a href="https://x.com/JasmineForUS/status/1996580581778370949">posted on X</a> last week.
“Again, my decision to go one way or another will be based upon facts &amp; not feelings… historical data, trends, etc,” she added. The 44-year-old congresswoman, who represents parts of the Dallas area, is considered a firebrand for her party as a vocal critic of President Donald Trump and a key surrogate on the 2024 campaign trail. Her entrance could potentially rally the Democratic base in the state and push her through the primary.
Earlier on Monday, former Rep. Colin Allred, who lost to Sen. Ted Cruz in 2024, dropped out of the race amid the speculation that Crockett would likely jump in.
“I am deeply moved by the personal stories and trust that so many Texans have placed in me. I’m forever grateful and believe it comes with heavy responsibility,” Allred <a href="https://x.com/ColinAllredTX/status/1998015894878830941">wrote</a> in an X post.
However, state Rep. James Talarico is standing firm in his bid for the Democratic nomination.
“We&#8217;re building a movement in Texas fueled by record-breaking grassroots fundraising and 10,000 volunteers who are putting in the work to defeat the billionaire mega-donors and puppet politicians who have taken over our state,” Talarico wrote in a Monday afternoon statement.
“Our movement is rooted in unity over division &#8211; so we welcome Congresswoman Crockett into this race,” he added.
The Republicans are duking it out for the nomination, as Sen. John Cornyn is facing off against Attorney General Ken Paxton and Rep. Wesley Hunt. None of the men has received Trump’s endorsement yet, as the race has largely centered on who would be best positioned to help the president execute his agenda during his last two years in office.
Republicans currently hold 53 seats in the Senate, and the battle for Congress will be critical in determining the political direction for the Trump administration and a key indicator headed into the 2028 presidential race. In Texas, Trump won the state handily in 2024, and the Cook Political Report considered the 2026 Senate race as “Likely Republican.”

Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX)

Jasmine Crockett Files Paperwork To Run For U.S. Senate In Texas

It's Official: Jasmine Crockett Files Paperwork To Run For Senate in Texas

Democrats

Jasmine Crockett

Senate

Texas

Acting United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey Alina Habba resigned from her position on Monday after the Third Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that she could not legally stay in the role.
Habba was serving in the role in an interim capacity for 120 days from March until July, then continued to serve in the role as legal battles continued about whether she could continue serving beyond that point without going through the Senate confirmation process.
“As a result of the Third Circuit&#8217;s ruling, and to protect the stability and integrity of the office which I love, I have decided to step down in my role as the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey. But do not mistake compliance for surrender,” Habba said in a statement.
“This decision will not weaken the Justice Department and it will not weaken me. My fight will now stretch across the country. As we wait for further review of the courts ruling, I will continue to serve the Department of Justice as the Senior Advisor to the Attorney General for U.S. Attorneys,” she continued, quipping that “you can take the girl out of New Jersey, but you cannot take New Jersey out of the girl.”
Attorney General Pam Bondi also slammed the court’s decision as “flawed,” and said she was “saddened” to get Habba’s resignation.
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The attorney general said she believed the decision will eventually “be reversed” and that the Trump-backed lawyer would come back to the role if that does happen.
“The court&#8217;s ruling has made it untenable for her to effectively run her office, with politicized judges pausing trials designed to bring violent criminals to justice,” Bondi stated.
“These judges should not be able to countermand the president&#8217;s choice of attorneys entrusted with carrying out the executive branch&#8217;s core responsibility of prosecuting crime,” she continued.
Last week, New Jersey Democratic Sens. Andy Kim and Cory Booker agreed with the court&#8217;s decision that Habba’s arrangement was against the Federal Vacancies Reform Act.
“This decision vindicates concerns we have long raised about the extraordinary and unlawful steps taken by the Trump Administration to keep Habba in office without Senate confirmation,” the senators wrote in a joint statement.
“The Court’s ruling underscores a simple but fundamental principle: U.S. Attorneys must be independent and installed consistent with the rule of law, not because of their political loyalty or through political maneuvering,” the December 1 statement continued. “The Trump Administration’s attempt to bypass clear legal requirements to install a loyalist undermined the legitimacy of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Jersey and cast a shadow over the cases she oversaw.”

Alina Habba

Alina Habba Steps Down From Role After Heated Legal Battle: ‘Politicized Judges’

Department of Justice

Executive

New Jersey

Pam Bondi

Politics

Trump Administration

Former Rep. Colin Allred (D-TX) is dropping out of the Texas Senate race and instead running for the House again, which is paving the way for Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) to possibly enter the Democratic primary.
“I am deeply moved by the personal stories and trust that so many Texans have placed in me. I&#8217;m forever grateful and believe it comes with heavy responsibility,” Allred, who unsuccessfully challenged Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) in 2024, wrote in an X post, setting up a primary challenge to incumbent Rep. Julie Johnson (D-TX).
“That’s why I’ve made the difficult decision to end my campaign for Senate and run to represent the newly drawn CD-33,” he added.
The often bombastic Crockett is inching toward a bid, but she has yet to formally announce her decision. Allred’s exit could be an indicator that she is jumping into the race, as state Rep. James Talarico (D-TX) also has his hat in the ring.
“It is hilarious to me that me saying that I will announce what I plan to do on 12/8, like I’ve been saying is scaring the heck out of so many people. The attacks are hilarious … note to those that don’t know how politics works … only the threat gets attacked,” Crockett posted to X on last week. She told CNN last month that she would “make a final decision by Thanksgiving on whether or not we’re gonna ultimately move forward.”
“Again, my decision to go one way or another will be based upon facts &amp; not feelings… historical data, trends, etc,” she continued.
On the Republican side, there’s a heated primary underway between incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, Attorney General Ken Paxton, and Rep. Wesley Hunt. Paxton and Hunt are arguing that Cornyn is not doing enough to support President Donald Trump’s agenda, whereas Cornyn and the National Republican Senatorial Committee have said that the incumbent has the best shot at winning the general election.
In recent days, Cornyn’s social media has taken numerous shots at Crockett, including saying, “she insults the people she is supposed to serve.”
Trump has yet to endorse in the Republican primary. The Cook Political Report ranks the race as “Likely Republican.”
Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has already sounded the alarm on a potential bid from the Democrat congresswoman, who drew national attention in 2024 after referring to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) as a &#8220;bleach-blonde, bad-built, butch body&#8221; during a heated congressional hearing.
“Jasmine Crockett about to learn the hard way that most Texans are very different from her district, her base &amp; her values,” Abbott posted to X. “She’ll be pummeled for her progressive socialist agenda &amp; get crushed by the Republican nominee for Senate.”
“The Texas political cemetery is filled with blow hards like her who have no idea what it’s like to run statewide. Looking forward to watching the circus&#8211; and KEEPING the US Senate seat red,” he added, saying maybe there’s a spot on “The View” for her.
Republicans currently hold 53 of the 100 Senate seats, with Democrats holding 45 – along with two independents who caucus with Democrats. As for Texas, Trump won the state&#8217;s 40 electoral votes, taking more than 56% of the vote compared with former Vice President Kamala Harris&#8217; 42.5%. In the Senate race, Cruz defeated Allred with 53%, and the Democrat won around 44.6%.

Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, Texas’ 30th District: An Intimate Brunch

Major Texas Senate Race Exit Could Signal Jasmine Crockett’s Entrance

2026 elections

colin allred

Congress

Republicans took a victory lap when Matt Van Epps defeated leftist Democrat Aftyn Behn in Tennessee&#8217;s special election this month.
But what, if anything, does Van Epps&#8217;s victory mean for Republican prospects as we head into the 2026 midterm elections?
The Daily Wire asked three Republican strategists to share their key takeaways from this race. All three said that Democrats run the risk of killing any momentum they have if they nominate far-left candidates in primaries for competitive seats.
“For all the handwringing about margin of victory, this was nearly a double digit win. Special elections are special for a reason, and Republicans were wise to leave nothing to chance and sprint through the tape,” South &amp; Hill Strategies co-founder Colin Reed said, calling Van Epps the “type of candidate the GOP needs more of.”
“There are some useful lessons looking forward for both parties: for the GOP, the midterm political climate remains challenging, as it always does for the party in charge, and for the Democrats, they need to nominate less extreme candidates if they want to compete beyond the deep blue bastions of America,” he said.
“That’s a challenge for them because the far Left is where all the energy and enthusiasm resides.”
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The results of the 2026 midterms will shape the final two years of President Donald Trump’s time in the White House. Currently, there are 220 Republicans and 213 Democrats in the House of Representatives, with two seats that are vacant. The magic number for a majority is 218, which both parties are vying for both on the campaign trail and in mid-decade redistricting battles.
Van Epps won with roughly 54% of the vote, leaving Behn with just over 45%. In 2024, Rep. Mark Green, who resigned earlier this year, won the seat with 59.5% of the vote, with President Donald Trump also winning heavily. Van Epps was sworn in on Thursday.
The race led to surrogates campaigning left and right, from President Donald Trump phoning into a rally with Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), to former Vice Presidents Kamala Harris and Al Gore hoping to rally the troops for Behn.
Despite her loss, Behn expressed confidence about the margin by which she lost, as she ran her campaign largely on affordability, but faced a wave of scrutiny for her past far-left comments on abolishing prisons, law enforcement, and abortion.
“Tonight, we did something everyone counted out. We proved to a nation that states like Tennessee are still worth fighting for,” Behn posted to X on Tuesday. “The margin was close, and that can only be attributed to the thousands of volunteers who showed out. This is just the beginning.”
Chris Burger, founder and CEO of the Tennessee-based Rotunda Public Affairs, said that “voters weren’t buying what she’s selling.” Burger pointed out how the Democrat was in a primary with three others: Darden Copeland and state Reps. Bo Mitchell and Vincent Dixie.
“This is what happens when you have four people in a Democratic primary, and they elect by a pretty close margin, the most extreme left-wing person in the race, and then all the far-left activists and the national media complex come together,” he added.
&#8220;They put all their attention and money into it, and they threw the kitchen sink at it. And you know, Aftyn&#8217;s a far-left socialist and she does not represent the Seventh District or Tennessee values at large,&#8221; he said.
A third GOP operative, who spoke with The Daily Wire on background, said that they are “very encouraged” by Tuesday night’s results, and said that “a nine-point margin is really strong compared to what we&#8217;re seeing in other elections this cycle.”
However, the operative cautioned that special elections are just that — special — and that turnout likely looks very different from that during a standard election. The operative also pointed out the major messaging pivot by Democrats between the start of the year and now, which went from focusing highly on Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency to discussing the cost-of-living.
&#8220;Affordability, they call it, was a con job by the Democrats,&#8221; Trump said during his cabinet meeting earlier this week, as he often blames Democrats and the Biden administration for policies that triggered high inflation.
Burger said that the affordability argument from Democrats like Behn falls flat on its merits when people consider the &#8220;policy objective&#8221; the candidates are campaigning for.
&#8220;If you look at what the Democrats want to do: government involvement. And government involvement typically always drives the price up.

Aftyn Behn and Matt Van Epps

Three GOP Strategists Explain Why Aftyn Behn Lost — And What It Means For 2026

Aftyn Behn

Elections

Matt Van Epps

Tennessee

U.S. House of Representatives

The consequences of the botched Afghanistan withdrawal during the Biden administration have made their way to the American homeland after the deadly National Guard shooting in Washington, D.C., according to many Republicans, including Senator Jim Banks (R-IN), who was deployed to Afghanistan while serving in the Navy.
Shortly following the suspect’s identification as an Afghan national, Banks immediately called for proper vetting of individuals who came into the country as refugees following the withdrawal from Afghanistan. In a Thursday interview with The Daily Wire on Capitol Hill, Banks elaborated on why he “predicted that this would happen.&#8221;
“If you flood the country with unvetted Afghan nationals, we knew that there would be a large population within that group who were aligned with terrorists, and now this is playing out and proving to be true,” Banks said.
“Go back and vet all of them,” the senator said, further adding that the role of Congress should be to support the president and “fund the effort to do that.&#8221; The &#8220;One Big Beautiful Bill Act,&#8221; which passed in July, paved the way for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to hire thousands of agents, along with providing funding for immigration and border security measures.
“And all of them who weren&#8217;t properly vetted — every single one of them — should be vetted. And if they shouldn&#8217;t be in the United States, then they should be sent back to where they came from,&#8221; the Republican said.
“I served in Afghanistan, I served with translators and Afghan troops and others, and I can just tell you, not every single one of them should be allowed to come to the United States,” Banks continued.
“They should be vetted. Just because they did something in Afghanistan during the war that &#8230; aligned with America, doesn&#8217;t mean that they support American values, and no one should &#8230; be allowed to come to America that doesn&#8217;t love America,” he added.
Banks noted that the country&#8217;s immigration woes are arguably what won President Donald Trump a second term in 2024, adding that “he has a mandate to do what he’s doing.”
Millions of people were let into the U.S. through asylum and parole programs, as well as by illegally crossing the southern border, during the Biden administration. Roughly 14 million immigrants &#8220;unauthorized&#8221; to be in the U.S. were in the country as of 2023, according to the <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2025/08/21/u-s-unauthorized-immigrant-population-reached-a-record-14-million-in-2023/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pew Research Center</a>. As for Afghans who entered after the withdrawal, they came in through Operation Allies Welcome and other programs.
The suspect in the deadly National Guard shooting last month in Washington, D.C., Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, reportedly worked alongside the CIA as a member of &#8220;Zero Unit&#8221; in Afghanistan. Rahmanullah has also dealt with mental health issues since coming to the United States.
The deadly shooting killed Sarah Beckstrom and seriously injured another National Guard member, Andrew Wolfe, who remains in serious condition, CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/02/us/national-guard-andrew-wolfe">reported</a>.
Following the National Guard tragedy, Trump ordered the immigration processes for individuals from 19 “high-risk” nations halted to allow for “a thorough re-review process,” according to a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services policy memorandum from Dec. 2.
&#8220;In light of identified concerns and the threat to the American people, USCIS has determined that a comprehensive re-review, potential interview, and re-interview of all aliens from high-risk countries of concern who entered the United States on or after January 20, 2021 is necessary,&#8221; the memo stated. &#8220;Lastly, USCIS may, when appropriate, extend this review and re-interview process to aliens who entered the United States outside of this timeframe.&#8221;
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“We must now reexamine every single alien who has entered our country from Afghanistan under Biden, and we must take all necessary measures to ensure the removal of any alien from any country who does not belong here or add benefit to our country,” Trump said in the immediate aftermath of the Nov. 26 shooting.
As for the suspect in the shooting, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told NBC News&#8217; &#8220;Meet the Press,&#8221; &#8220;We believe he was radicalized since he has been here in this country. We do believe that it was through connections in his home community and state.&#8221;
The Indiana senator pointed out that even though the withdrawal from Afghanistan was in 2021, “there hasn’t been a successful effort for accountability in its aftermath.”
During the exit of American troops, 13 American soldiers died in an ISIS-K attack, and the Taliban regained control of the country.

Screen Shot 2022-05-18 at 7.32.58 PM

Veteran Serving In Congress Demands Vetting Of Afghan Nationals After Deadly National Guard Shooting

Afghan War Vet In Senate Stresses Importance Of Vetting After National Guard Shooting

Afghanistan

Immigration

Jim Banks

National Guard

Washington DC

Testifying before Congress on Thursday, Navy Adm. Frank M. Bradley flatly denied that Secretary of War Pete Hegseth issued a &#8220;kill all&#8221; order for strikes on a vessel carrying alleged drug-smuggling Venezuelan narco-terrorists in the Caribbean in early September, pushing back against accusations of war crimes.
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) said that the strikes on September 2 were “entirely lawful and needful and they were exactly what we would expect our military commanders to do.” Cotton added that during a classified briefing with Bradley, he witnessed “two survivors trying to flip a boat” after the first strike and “board it with drugs.”
&#8220;Admiral Bradley was very clear that he was given no such order to give no quarter or kill them all,” Cotton added.
The Washington Post published an anonymously-sourced story on Saturday claiming that things had gone very differently, however.
According to the initial story, a direct order to “kill them all” was attributed to Secretary Hegseth — and the scenario described suggested that two survivors had been clinging to wreckage when a second strike was ordered to ensure that they weren’t left alive.
Democrats and legacy media outlets were only too happy to run with that <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/spin-cycle-wapo-hit-piece-targets-pete-hegseth-and-legacy-outlets-fall-in-line" target="_blank" rel="noopener">narrative</a>, and they spent much of the week declaring Hegseth — along with anyone who had been involved in carrying out his order — was likely guilty of war crimes and continued with those questions after viewing video of the second strike on Thursday.
Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT) said the second strike on the boat was “one of the most troubling things I&#8217;ve seen in my time in public service. You have two individuals in clear distress, without any means of locomotion with a destroyed vessel, who were killed by the United States.”
&#8220;Now there&#8217;s a whole set of contextual items that the admiral explained. Yes, they were carrying drugs. They were not in the position to continue their mission in any way,” he continued.
&#8220;Based on what I&#8217;ve seen, I am deeply concerned about the legality of the strike,&#8221; Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA) told PBS News on Thursday. “I’m deeply concerned about the legality of the entire operation, and it needs a further investigation for a possible war crime.&#8221;
Following the briefings on Thursday, Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell demanded that the Washington Post retract their piece.
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“The Washington Post must retract their story which led to this latest hoax against Secretary Hegseth,” he posted. “It’s an insult to the American People &amp; to everyone who wears the uniform of our country.”
Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) called the outrage from Democrats “manufactured and disingenuous” after <a href="https://x.com/DanCrenshawTX/status/1996745632287977536">mocking</a> the war crime accusations on social media.
Virginia Kruta contributed to this report.

Adm. Frank Bradley Visits Capitol Hill To Brief Lawmakers On Venezuelan Boat Strike

Admiral Denies ‘Kill All’ Order As Left Spins ‘War Crime’ Narrative

drug boat

narcoterrorists

Pete Hegseth

California has opened its tip line to report federal officers, as Democratic leaders in the state attempt to push back on immigration enforcement measures by the Trump administration.
“My office created a portal that will allow Californians to report misconduct by federal agents,” Attorney General Rob Bonta posted to X on Wednesday, asking people to send in a tip if they “believe a federal agent is abusing their power or acting unlawfully.”
“Federal agents have broad authority to enforce federal laws, but they must do so lawfully,” he added.
The webpage specifically names Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the National Guard as examples of entities that could be reported to the state. However, it disclaims that it cannot guarantee it will “take any action” on a report.
The move was quickly blasted by Republicans, as there is a limited scope of what a state government can do regarding federal authorities.
“How about if you think state agents or officials have abused their power or committed unlawful acts?” Assemblyman James Gallagher said. “Asking for a friend.” Bonta is facing scrutiny for using roughly $500,000 in campaign dollars for legal assistance as part of a federal bribery case probe, <a href="https://www.kcra.com/article/attorney-general-rob-bonta-campaign-funds-legal-help/69477723" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KCRA</a> reported.
“We have a portal too. People can report California state officials engaged in illegal activity at the following link,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli posted with a link to the FBI’s tip line. 
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The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-admin-sues-to-block-california-laws-that-recklessly-endanger-lives-of-federal-agents">reported</a> last month that the Trump administration was suing the state over new laws seeking to stop federal agents from wearing masks and other measures that the administration says are meant to protect the safety and identity of agents who may be targeted while off the job.
“The No Secret Police Act and No Vigilantes Act directly regulate the Federal Government by dictating permissible uniforms for federal agents and forcing federal agencies to adopt specified policies,” the lawsuit stated. “But the Federal Government, not California, has authority to control its own agents and activities.”
At the time, Bonta raised concerns about Trump’s approach to immigration. The Golden State has been at the center of attention for the administration’s efforts, especially after anti-ICE riots broke out in Los Angeles earlier this summer, along with a tense raid at a pot farm leading to hundreds of arrests.
“It’s problematic when Californians can’t tell the difference between a law enforcement officer who is charged with protecting them and a criminal who is attempting to cause them harm,” Bonta’s office stated. “The FBI itself has warned that the practice of ICE agents obscuring their identity has led to a rise in copycats committing crimes, threatening public safety and eroding trust in law enforcement.”

ICE Raid At Southern California Farm Sparks Protests

California Opens Tip Line To Report Federal Immigration Agents, Quickly Blasted By GOP

Border Patrol

California

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Republicans

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries agreed with President Donald Trump’s decision to pardon Rep. Henry Cuellar on bribery, money laundering, and “foreign influence” charges from the Biden-era Justice Department in 2024.
“Listen, the reality is this indictment was very thin to begin with, in my view. The charges were eventually going to be dismissed, if not at the trial court level by the Supreme Court, as they&#8217;ve repeatedly done in instances just like this,” the Democrat leader said on CNN’s “The Situation Room” on Wednesday, adding that Cuellar is a “beloved” member of the chamber.
He further added, “I don&#8217;t know why the President decided to do this. I think the outcome was exactly the right outcome.”
When CNN asked Jeffries if Cuellar had planned to switch parties, as he represents a south Texas district that the president won last year, he anticipates that the lawmaker will remain a Democrat.
“I think Congressman Cuellar is a highly-valued Member of the House Democratic Caucus, and I expect that he&#8217;ll continue to remain a highly-valued Member of the House Democratic Caucus,” he added.
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The Texas Democrat filed to run in the Democratic primary earlier on Wednesday. Punchbowl News reported that Cuellar said “nothing has changed” when asked on Capitol Hill after the pardon whether he planned to become a Republican.
The 2024 indictment alleged that Cuellar and his wife, Imelda Cuellar, “accepted approximately $600,000 in bribes from two foreign entities: an oil and gas company wholly owned and controlled by the Government of Azerbaijan, and a bank headquartered in Mexico City.”
Trump has been a critic of the indictment since it was announced in May 2024, saying it was politically motivated due to the congressman’s opposition to the Biden administration&#8217;s lax border policies. The Biden administration caught flak from Republicans and a handful of Democrats for the border crisis that persisted throughout the term, which led to major humanitarian issues in communities throughout the southwest that were ill-equipped to handle the resulting massive influx of individuals crossing illegally.
“I want to thank President Trump for his tremendous leadership and for taking the time to look at the facts. I thank God for standing with my family and I during this difficult time. This decision clears the air and lets us move forward for South Texas,” the Democrat said in an X post on Wednesday. “This pardon gives us a clean slate. The noise is gone. The work remains. And I intend to meet it head on.”
Trump wrote in a Truth Social post that Cuellar had ultimately been targeted for “speaking the TRUTH.”
“Henry, I don’t know you, but you can sleep well tonight — Your nightmare is finally over!” the president added.
Cuellar is expected to have a competitive race in 2026, with the Cook Political Report rating his district as a “toss-up.”

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) Holds News Conference

Hakeem Jeffries Sides With Trump Over Pardon For Texas Democrat

Hakeem Jeffries

Henry Cuellar

House of Representatives

pardons

Squad member Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) will not primary challenge Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) in the 2026 election. She is instead opting to run for re-election to her current seat.
“Hearing from so many people from throughout our Commonwealth encouraging me to run for the United States Senate was deeply humbling and a testament to the strength of our movement,” Pressley <a href="https://x.com/AyannaPressley/status/1995949427249610967">posted to X</a> in a statement on Tuesday.
“It would be an honor to serve the whole Commonwealth-but with our daughter in her last year at home before college and a district that has been in the crosshairs of this White House, I am certain that the Massachusetts 7th is where I belong in this moment,” she continued.
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The only major primary challenger to Markey next year for the seat is now Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA).
The move comes as the Democratic Party is at a political crossroads in terms of both the age and ideology of candidates it runs. The congresswoman is 51 years old, and Markey is 79. Moulton is even younger at 47, and he’s been an advocate for having different Democratic leadership in the Senate besides Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).
&#8220;Tonight is another example of why we need new leadership. If [Schumer] were an effective leader, he would have united his caucus to vote ‘No’ tonight and hold the line on healthcare. Maybe now [Markey] will finally join me in pledging not to vote for Schumer?&#8221; Moulton posted to X on November 9 when a handful of Senate Democrats voted with Republicans to take steps toward reopening the federal government.
As for Pressley, she is one of the original four members of the far-left “Squad,” which started with Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, and Pressley, who all took office in 2019.
The debate has manifested most notably when President Joe Biden was swapped out for Vice President Kamala Harris as the 2024 presidential nominee. However, it is also showing up in other places, including the Maine Senate primary between 41-year-old veteran Graham Platner and 77-year-old Gov. Janet Mills.
“Congresswoman Pressley is a powerful fighter for working families and a national leader for her work in Congress,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) posted in response to Pressley’s announcement.
“No one fights harder than [Ayanna Pressley], and she will continue to be a strong, effective voice for Massachusetts,” she added. If Warren opts for re-election, it would not be until 2030, which is the year she turns 81.
Markey’s seat is rated as “Solid Democrat” by the Cook Political Report.

Ayanna Pressley

Squad Member Will Not Challenge Fellow Dem Senator As Party Frets Over Trump

Ayanna Pressley Will Not Primary Sen. Ed Markey As Democrats Navigate Trump-Era Direction

2026 election

Democrat

Ed Markey

Massachusetts

seth moulton

President Donald Trump pardoned Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) on Wednesday morning for federal money laundering, bribery, and illegal “foreign influence” charges.
“One of the clearest examples of this was when Crooked Joe used the FBI and DOJ to &#8216;take out&#8217; a member of his own Party after Highly Respected Congressman Henry Cuellar bravely spoke out against Open Borders, and the Biden Border ‘Catastrophe,’” Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115656343773820545">wrote</a> on Truth Social.
“Sleepy Joe went after the Congressman, and even the Congressman’s wonderful wife, Imelda, simply for speaking the TRUTH. It is unAmerican and, as I previously stated, the Radical Left Democrats are a complete and total threat to Democracy!” he continued.
Trump criticized the indictment back in 2024, saying it was because of Cuellar’s criticism of Biden’s border policies.
In 2024, the Biden-era Department of Justice <a href="https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/us-congressman-henry-cuellar-and-his-wife-charged-bribery-unlawful-foreign-influence-and">charged</a> Cuellar and his wife with having “accepted approximately $600,000 in bribes from two foreign entities: an oil and gas company wholly owned and controlled by the Government of Azerbaijan, and a bank headquartered in Mexico City” from 2014 to 2021.
&#8220;I want to thank President Trump for his tremendous leadership and for taking the time to look at the facts. I thank God for standing with my family and I during this difficult time. This decision clears the air and lets us move forward for South Texas,&#8221; Cuellar posted to X after the news broke.
&#8220;This pardon gives us a clean slate. The noise is gone. The work remains. And I intend to meet it head on. Thank you Mr. President, God bless you, and God bless the United States of America,&#8221; he added.
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His daughters sent a clemency request letter to President Trump on November 12, saying that the actions of Cuellar and his wife “were lawful and consistent” with his role in Congress, adding that the Democrat received a “written legal opinion” and opinions from the House Ethics Committee stating that his actions were lawful.
“Because of these facts, and others, I am hereby announcing my full and unconditional PARDON of beloved Texas Congressman Henry Cuellar, and Imelda. Henry, I don’t know you, but you can sleep well tonight — Your nightmare is finally over!” the president further stated.
Last May, the Democrat said in a statement that “I want to be clear that both my wife and I are innocent of these allegations.&#8221;
Cuellar is running for re-election in 2026 in a competitive South Texas district rated a &#8220;toss-up&#8221; by the Cook Political Report.
Trump has pardoned and commuted the sentences of other noteworthy politicians since returning to the White House. He pardoned former Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D-IL) in February and commuted the sentence of former Rep. George Santos (R-NY) in October.
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&#8220;George has been in solitary confinement for long stretches of time and, by all accounts, has been horribly mistreated. Therefore, I just signed a Commutation, releasing George Santos from prison, IMMEDIATELY. Good luck George, have a great life!&#8221; Trump wrote of Santos.
Earlier this week, the president said that pardons signed during the Biden administration with an autopen are no longer valid.
&#8220;Any and all Documents, Proclamations, Executive Orders, Memorandums, or Contracts, signed by Order of the now infamous and unauthorized &#8216;AUTOPEN,&#8217; within the Administration of Joseph R. Biden Jr., are hereby null, void, and of no further force or effect,&#8221; he wrote. &#8220;Anyone receiving &#8216;Pardons,&#8217; &#8216;Commutations,&#8217; or any other Legal Document so signed, please be advised that said Document has been fully and completely terminated, and is of no Legal effect.&#8221;
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Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas

Trump Turns Heads With Pardon Of A Democrat: ‘Your  Nightmare Is Finally Over!’

Trump Makes Shocking Pardon Of Dem Congressman Critical Of Biden's Border Policy

President Donald Trump is preparing to deploy the National Guard to New Orleans as part of a crime crackdown effort in major cities nationwide.
The president said during a cabinet meeting on Monday that “in a couple of weeks,” the federal surge will make its way to the Louisiana city, like Memphis and Washington, D.C., before it.
“We&#8217;re going to New Orleans pretty soon. The governor called me; he&#8217;d like to have us go there,” Trump said. “Governor Landry &#8212; great guy, great governor. He&#8217;s asked for help in New Orleans and we&#8217;re going to go there in a couple of weeks.&#8221;
Trump referred to changes made in the capital city as a “miracle” as many crimes dropped in the aftermath of the federal law enforcement takeover that took place during the summer.
“We know that when carjackings go down, when use of guns goes down, when homicide or robbery go down, neighborhoods feel safer and are safer,” Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser said in August after initially being a strong critic of the takeover.
A recent WalletHub study ranked New Orleans dead last in safety out of the 182 cities it surveyed. Memphis stood at #181, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, came in at #180. In September, Republican Gov. Jeff Landry made a “request for federal assistance” to allow for 1,000 Louisiana National Guard members to tackle crime in the state.
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“Since taking office, we have made real progress in driving down crime across Louisiana — but the job is far from finished. Federal partnerships in our toughest cities have worked, and now, with the support of President Trump and Secretary Hegseth, we are taking the next step by bringing in the National Guard,” Landry said in a statement at the time.
“This mission is about saving lives and protecting families. To the criminals terrorizing our communities: your time is up. Law and order are back in Louisiana,” the governor continued.
The Daily Wire reported last month that Border Patrol will be conducting operations in the city, nicknamed “Swamp Sweep,” with approximately 250 agents.
“My first priority is to keep our community safe. The reports of due process violations and potential abuses in other cities are concerning. I want our community to be aware and informed of the protections available under law,” Democratic Mayor-elect Helena Moreno said in a statement regarding the immigration enforcement, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/border-patrol-heads-to-another-blue-city-in-latest-round-of-illegal-immigration-sweeps" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> reported at the time. Moreno launched a &#8220;community resources&#8221; <a href="https://helenamorenola.com/communityresources" target="_blank" rel="noopener">webpage</a> detailing the ways in which people should navigate federal immigration enforcement, saying that local police &#8220;will not ask about your immigration status.&#8221;
“We must demand accountability and that people’s rights are not violated. I’m also calling on our legal community to step up and provide whatever assistance they can to help protect and preserve individual rights,” Moreno continued.
A spokesperson for the city of New Orleans government said that the city and &#8220;New Orleans Police Department have a track record of working collaboratively with Federal and State law enforcement partners and the National Guard and that will continue to be the position of the City of New Orleans.&#8221;
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New Orleans terror attack

Trump Reveals Next Deep Blue City He’ll Send National Guard To In Cabinet Meeting

Crime

Law Enforcement

New Orleans

U.S.

Janeese Lewis George, a far-Left councilwoman for Washington D.C.’s Ward 4, announced her bid for mayor on Monday after current Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser said she would not seek re-election. George has previously been endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and has called for divesting funds from the local police department.
George said in her announcement video that “it’s time we had leaders who fight for the people, who stand up to corruption and greed and stand with the people who make D.C. work.”
During her 2024 bid for city council, she was endorsed by the local chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).
“She understands the realities that families, workers, and tenants face and governs every day with empathy to those realities,” a February 2024 <a href="https://mdcdsa.org/metro-d-c-dsa-endorses-janeese-lewis-george-for-d-c-council/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press release</a> from the group stated.
“She has advocated to expand rent control in the city, led on a Green New Deal for Social Housing, and has introduced legislation to hold slumlords accountable for terrible living conditions,” the release continued.
In 2020, she told <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/protesters-defund-police-george-floyds-death/story?id=71123610" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC News</a> that she backed defunding the Metropolitan Police Department.
&#8220;It&#8217;s no longer sounding like a radical idea. It&#8217;s sounding like a logical idea for many,&#8221; she told the outlet at the time.
George has also faced criticism for a social media post in October 2019 when she wrote, “I will absolutely divest from MPD and put that money into violence interruption programs. Full stop.” According to <a href="https://dcist.com/story/20/05/28/is-this-primary-a-fight-for-the-soul-of-the-d-c-council/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DCist</a> in 2020, she touted her background as a prosecutor to defend against the pushback to her comments.
Bowser and the Trump administration have maintained a cordial yet critical relationship since the president ordered troops and federal officers to the city over the summer. The next mayor will have the unique role of navigating the city’s relationship with the administration, which will likely include U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro, who has been leading the federal government&#8217;s efforts to crack down on crime in the city.
“We know that when carjackings go down, when use of guns goes down, when homicide or robbery go down, neighborhoods feel safer and are safer,” Bowser said in August.

Trump Increases Federal Law Enforcement Presence, Deploys National Guard In Nation’s Capital

Far-Left Radical Jumps Into D.C. Mayoral Race As Bowser Bows Out

Democratic Socialists Of America

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Cameron Arcand