Where is James Talarico?
That’s the question <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/democrats-panic-as-star-james-talarico-vanishes-from-texas-senate-campaign-trail">throwing Democrats into “panic”</a> and shaking up the marquee Texas Senate race as Talarico’s ground campaign goes dark for 13 consecutive days. The Democrat insists he’s fighting the flu, but his prolonged absence is fueling intense speculation.
Sara Gonzales, who hosts a show on BlazeTV, said she “received unverified information on James Talarico’s whereabouts.”
“If true, it will END his campaign,” she<a href="https://x.com/SaraGonzalesTX/status/2108219205011017838?s=20"> claimed</a> on X. The post racked up millions of views and, with President Donald Trump pushing the issue, forced mainstream media outlets to start asking questions.
On Thursday, a local FOX affiliate asked Talarico’s campaign for a “proof of life” Zoom interview but was turned down.
“He’s really knocked down by this flu bug,”<a href="https://x.com/JWheelertv/status/2108535953400959019?s=20"> the local anchor stated.</a>
Spencer Pratt, the reality TV star and LA mayoral candidate, has a different theory. “My sources are telling me Talarico is in a mental health facility. His campaign has stopped actively planning events in the vital homestretch of the campaign,” Pratt <a href="https://x.com/spencerpratt/status/2108553958696399249?s=20">said</a> on X.
“If this is true, this is actually a time to pray for Talarico. We should, of course, savagely mock his smug, awful campaign advisors, by all means &#8230; and while yes, of course, this would be disqualifying for Talarico&#8217;s aspirations to be a Texas Senator, we must hold empathy for anyone undergoing crisis,” he added.
Democratic strategist Dan Turrentine <a href="https://x.com/theDChuddle/status/2108552382955266153?s=20">said</a> Friday he’s worried about how Talarico’s team is handling the controversy.
“Talarico&#8217;s team watched this take off yesterday. You&#8217;re in a close race. So whether it&#8217;s true or not &#8230; you&#8217;re in a tight race. There&#8217;s 25 days to go. You would get out last night with something, even if it&#8217;s a photograph of the guy,” he said.
“That makes me nervous that it&#8217;s Friday morning, and there is still, other than one spokesperson saying, ‘Hey, folks, nothing to see here,’” Turrentine added.
Fox News’ Jesse Watters also <a href="https://x.com/JesseBWatters/status/2108357379662242031?s=20">devoted</a> time to his primetime show about Talarico being MIA. “You’re trying to win the Senate here &#8230; you can’t get out of bed? It doesn’t add up.”
“Either way, you can’t trust him, because he’s not being honest,” Watters said.
The Paxton campaign said Talarico has not held a rally<a href="https://us.list-manage.com/N6qZqgT75TU?e=8f5d79cfce&amp;c2id=9b51da8d4b6feff9cfcb8b5b6bf493c1"> since</a> September 16 and hasn’t been<a href="https://us.list-manage.com/19yz9r2QN5O?e=8f5d79cfce&amp;c2id=9b51da8d4b6feff9cfcb8b5b6bf493c1"> seen</a> in person since September 26, 13 days ago.
Texas Democratic Party Chair Kendall Scudder said the flu-stricken Democrat’s absence has allowed Paxton to catch “a little bit of a break.”<a href="https://www.uml.edu/news/press-releases/2026/10092026-texas-poll.aspx"> A new poll</a> released Thursday showed the marquee Senate race tied. The Daily Beast, a leftist outlet, said Talarico’s mysterious absence is costing him<a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/democrats-panic-as-star-james-talarico-vanishes-from-texas-senate-campaign-trail"> “precious time.”</a>
“It’s certainly not ideal, but we want to make sure he does everything he needs to do to make sure that he’s healthy and ready to go. We’re in the homestretch, and it sounds like he’s on the mend, and that’s great news,” Scudder told the outlet.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/talarico-knocked-off-the-campaign-trail-by-flu-with-34-days-to-go">The Daily Wire previously reported</a> that Talarico came down with the flu following a glitzy New York City fundraiser with a far-Left filmmaker who called America a “sh*thole country.”
“I guess I’ve been shaking too many hands on the campaign trail, and so I want to keep everybody safe. And, you know, if I was passing on this illness to somebody and got someone’s grandmother or someone’s baby sick, I couldn’t live with myself,” Talarico said during a virtual event on Sept. 30.
That’s the last we’ve seen or heard from the Texas Democrat. Since then, his<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/talarico-outreach-event-canceled-as-campaign-schedule-comes-under-fire?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=14&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Talarico+Outreach+Event+Canceled+As+Campaign+Schedule+Comes+Under+Fire"> campaign has canceled a flurry of events</a>, and Talarico has no future campaign events scheduled until<a href="https://cnnpressroom.blogs.cnn.com/2026/09/28/cnn-and-jubilee-media-partner-to-host-cnn-jubilee-town-hall-with-james-talarico/"> an Oct. 14 CNN town hall.</a>
Even Talarico’s volunteers are worried about their nominee.<a href="https://nypost.com/2026/10/08/us-news/james-talaricos-influencer-army-privately-frets-about-prolonged-absence-from-campaign-trail-leaked-slack-messages-show/"> The New York Post</a> obtained private messages showing Talarico’s influencer army worrying that his absence could hurt him, with early voting rapidly approaching.
“I think it’ll be fine. It’s [j]ust conservatives blasting him. I’m just worried about him losing momentum,” Alex Balderas wrote in a Slack channel group chat with thousands of campaign volunteers. “But I 100% expect him to make a comeback at the CNN [t]own hall. That’s a given.”
Talarico’s campaign has declined The Daily Wire’s request for comment.
“Another day, another empty podium. Talarico’s own party chair admits this isn’t ideal, and his own supporters are melting down in Slack channels,” said Madison Cercy, a Paxton campaign spokeswoman. “The Democrats’ golden boy went from rising star to milk carton in under two weeks. If James Talarico can’t even reassure his own team, how is he going to stand up for 31 million Texans? 
“Show us proof of life, Jimmy.”

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Rumors Swirl About Talarico’s Mental State As Flu Excuse Collapses 13 Days Into Absence

2026 midterm election

james talarico

ken paxton

politics

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Tempers flared Thursday night as Democrat Abdul El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers clashed over the Iran war, the economy, and El-Sayed’s foreign ties in a fiery Michigan Senate debate.
Rogers came out swinging, calling El-Sayed “the best con I’ve ever seen” and blasting him for refusing to issue a statement condemning Hamas’ October 7 terrorist attacks on their third anniversary.
“This is why you should get absolutely angry,” Rogers <a href="https://x.com/townhallcom/status/2108358199103607176?s=20">said</a> during the debate, hosted by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHvWDkko23U">NBC affiliate WOOD</a>. “He could not bring himself to even acknowledge the pain, the terrorism, the rape, the murders, cutting off of women&#8217;s breasts, putting children in ovens, and killing them in front of their families!”
El-Sayed insisted he had condemned the attacks but said he would not turn the issue into what he called “political theater.”
“So I&#8217;m so sorry, but like, I just, I&#8217;m not somebody who tries to make political theater out of other people&#8217;s pain,” El-Sayed said, drawing a sharp rebuke from Rogers.
“Your whole campaign is political theater,” Rogers shot back. “Including putting on a white jacket and calling yourself a doctor.”
The exchange grew more contentious when El-Sayed zeroed in on Rogers’ Florida home, sparking a clash over the candidates’ real estate portfolios.
“He can&#8217;t condemn a terrorist act that happened on our soil in the state of Michigan,” Rogers said. “This guy can&#8217;t condemn Hamas. He can&#8217;t condemn the Muslim Brotherhood. He says his home is Egypt.”
“Your home is in Florida, my home is in Michigan,” El-Sayed countered.
Rogers fired back that El-Sayed owns a home in the United Arab Emirates.
“At least Florida is in the United States,” Rogers said.
“Not in Michigan, my guy,” El-Sayed replied.
In another contentious <a href="https://x.com/townhallcom/status/2108340450054815826?s=20">exchange</a>, El-Sayed refused to say whether Israel or Iran posed the greater threat to the United States, dismissing the question as a “ridiculous hypothetical” and declaring, “I don&#8217;t want to be pushed into war by Israel.”
In a favorable political climate for Democrats, Abdul El-Sayed should cruise to victory in November. But his inflammatory foreign policy views and connections to extremists have alienated some of the party’s core constituencies and independents. El-Sayed reportedly told communist streamer Hasan Piker that his anti-American rhetoric is <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/michigan-dem-abdul-el-sayed-confronts-hasan-piker-about-his-streams-costing-votes?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=6&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Michigan+Dem+Abdul+El-Sayed+Confronts+Hasan+Piker+About+His+Streams+Costing+Votes">costing him critical votes.</a>
The insurgent leftist, who enlisted Piker’s help in defeating the Democratic establishment over the summer, is now urging the streamer to tone down his aggressive political commentary as the campaign seeks to shore up support among black and Jewish voters, <a href="https://archive.is/c9fqs#selection-3291.13-3307.366">according to CNN</a>.
It’s the clearest sign yet that the California-based provocateur has become a political liability for El-Sayed, who is seeking to become the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate. Piker has said America deserved 9/11, suggested Zionists should fear for their safety, and more recently told Axios that the United States is worse than al-Qaeda when it comes to terrorism.
El-Sayed’s debate performance did little to quell the concerns from his sharpest critics.
“If they were undecided going into this debate, I think Jewish Democrats in Michigan just decided who they will vote for,” Democratic political strategist Michael LaRosa said <a href="https://x.com/MichaelLaRosaDC/status/2108339843138834718?s=20">on X</a>.
Still, El-Sayed holds a stable 3-point lead over Rogers with just 25 days to go until Election Day, according to the <a href="https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/senate/general/2026/michigan/rogers-vs-el-sayed">RealClearPolitics polling average</a>. Meghan McCain, a conservative political commentator, argued that El-Sayed’s campaign is counting on the current political environment to allow him to squeak through to Washington.
“It’s very clear from the debate clips that El Sayed and his team are banking that the fundamentals have shifted so far radically in the Democrat party that he can treat the entire state of Michigan like it is Bushwick, Brooklyn,” she <a href="https://x.com/MeghanMcCain/status/2108487490000519266?s=20">wrote on social media</a>. “The question is if the gamble is in fact correct?”

Democratic Senate Candidate Abdul El-Sayed Campaigns Across Michigan

Rogers Rips El-Sayed Over Foreign Ties As Senate Debate Turns Personal

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Texas Senate Democratic nominee James Talarico is reportedly “really sick,” as rumors swirl over his 12-day absence from the campaign trail with the race entering its final stretch.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/talarico-knocked-off-the-campaign-trail-by-flu-with-34-days-to-go">The Daily Wire previously reported</a> that Talarico came down with the flu following a glitzy New York City fundraiser with a far-Left filmmaker who called America a “sh*thole country.”
“I guess I’ve been shaking too many hands on the campaign trail, and so I want to keep everybody safe. And, you know, if I was passing on this illness to somebody and got someone’s grandmother or someone’s baby sick, I couldn’t live with myself,” Talarico said during a virtual event on Sept. 30.
That&#8217;s the last we&#8217;ve seen or heard from the Texas Democrat. Since then, his <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/talarico-outreach-event-canceled-as-campaign-schedule-comes-under-fire?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=14&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Talarico+Outreach+Event+Canceled+As+Campaign+Schedule+Comes+Under+Fire">campaign has canceled a flurry of events</a>, and Talarico has no future campaign events scheduled, <a href="https://www.mobilize.us/talaricofortexas/?utm_source=web_menu">according to the campaign’s website</a>. He is, however, expected to attend a CNN town hall next week.
“He’s like, really sick. Believe me, we don’t want this right now,” a Texas Democrat involved in the Senate race told <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-election/james-talarico-flu-texas-senate-rcna602277">NBC</a>. “We’d rather have him on the trail.” The Left-leaning outlet described Talarico’s unexpected illness as a curveball that threatens his standing against Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Texas Democratic Party Chair Kendall Scudder said the flu-stricken Democrat&#8217;s absence has allowed Paxton to catch “a little bit of a break.” <a href="https://www.uml.edu/news/press-releases/2026/10092026-texas-poll.aspx">A new poll</a> released Thursday showed the marquee Senate race tied. 
“It’s certainly not ideal, but we want to make sure he does everything he needs to do to make sure that he’s healthy and ready to go. We’re in the homestretch, and it sounds like he’s on the mend, and that’s great news,” Scudder told the outlet.
President Donald Trump has seized on Talarico being MIA, mocking the Democrat at a raucous San Antonio rally Wednesday night and again targeting him in a <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117406359223020085">Thursday Truth Social post</a>.
“TalaFREAKo has been missing for 12 days! Now, after looking for him throughout all of Texas, and beyond, probably even weirder places than anyone would think possible, he put out a statement that he has the ‘flu.’ 12 days is a long time to rid yourself of the so-called flu bug. What’s going on?” Trump asked.
“We need a Senator that’s a proven Champion like one that has been, without question, the Greatest Attorney General in the History of Texas, and one of the Greatest in the U.S.A. His name is Ken Paxton, and he will never let you down!” Trump added.
The Paxton campaign said Talarico has not held a rally <a href="https://us.list-manage.com/N6qZqgT75TU?e=8f5d79cfce&amp;c2id=9b51da8d4b6feff9cfcb8b5b6bf493c1">since</a> September 16 and hasn’t been <a href="https://us.list-manage.com/19yz9r2QN5O?e=8f5d79cfce&amp;c2id=9b51da8d4b6feff9cfcb8b5b6bf493c1">seen</a> in person since September 26, 12 days ago.
“Low-T Jimmy appears to be having a full-blown mental Tala-freak-out on the national stage. We have a simple request: proof of life,” said Madison Cercy, a campaign spokeswoman. “James Talarico wants to represent 31 million Texans in the U.S. Senate, but for 12 days, he’s hidden from every one of them.&#8221;
&#8220;If James Talarico is too fragile to face Texans, he has no business asking for their vote,” Cercy added. Conservative political commentator Meghan McCain <a href="https://x.com/MeghanMcCain/status/2108268867445526854?s=20">said</a>, &#8220;This is not going to get better for Talarico.&#8221; 
The flu explanation isn’t cutting it for some. Sara Gonzales, who hosts a show on BlazeTV, said she “received unverified information on James Talarico&#8217;s whereabouts.”
“If true, it will END his campaign,” she <a href="https://x.com/SaraGonzalesTX/status/2108219205011017838?s=20">said</a> on X.
The Daily Wire reached out to Talarico&#8217;s campaign for comment.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Jimmy appears to be having a full-blown mental Tala-freak-out on the national stage.
My campaign has a simple request: proof of life. https://t.co/pzCXWmpbdN
— Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) <a href="https://x.com/KenPaxtonTX/status/2108250407277588546?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Talarico Calls On Paxton To Address Epstein Survivors’ Demands

Talarico ‘Really Sick’ As 12-Day Disappearance Shakes Up Texas Senate Race

donald trump

More than a million Americans have already cast ballots in the 2026 midterm elections, and early polling and voting <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/4-week-warning-the-midterms-enter-their-final-stretch?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=5&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=4+Week+Warning%3A+The+Midterms+Enter+Their+Final+Stretch">data</a> so far is giving Democrats reason for optimism.
But if the left retakes the House, what would they actually do with the power?
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) says the agenda would include restoring healthcare spending cuts, reviving enhanced Obamacare subsidies, and launching an aggressive new round of investigations into the Trump administration.
Jeffries told <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/democrats-expect-to-win-the-house-heres-their-to-do-list-4e5976d8?mod=hp_lead_pos10">The Wall Street Journal</a> he is &#8220;very confident&#8221; Democrats will take back the House, though he acknowledged that &#8220;it remains to be seen what that looks like in terms of the number of seats.&#8221; Republicans hold a razor-thin 218-214 majority and can only afford to lose a handful of seats. If team blue flips enough to win the majority, Jeffries would be positioned to become speaker of a caucus riddled with ideological division.
The Brooklyn Democrat, however, insisted his party is united around reversing Medicaid cuts and restoring enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies, as Democrats throw bones for voters other than their constant, anti-Trump posturing. Jeffries also offered a glimpse of what a working relationship with the president would look like.
&#8220;We will cross that bridge when we get to it, based on what happens on Nov. 3, and then it will fall into the hands of the caucus to determine who is put in position to help lead us forward,&#8221; he said.
Jeffries also said Democrats would push back on the ongoing war with Iran and signaled that a Democratic House would turn its investigative machinery toward the Trump administration.
&#8220;These are all things that are going to need to be thoroughly investigated as part of our pledge to hold the crooks accountable beginning on day one,&#8221; Jeffries said.
For months, Trump has warned that Democrats will move to impeach him if they retake the House — a move that would likely hit a brick wall in the Senate, where control is also up for grabs in November. Some House Democrats have already introduced failed resolutions to impeach Trump this year, according to House <a href="https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2026298">records</a>.
Still, Jeffries praised Judiciary Committee ranking member Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) and Oversight Committee ranking member Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA), saying they have &#8220;been doing a great job to date&#8221; and are &#8220;just getting started.&#8221;
Republicans, however, aren&#8217;t giving up just yet. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) sounded bullish on the GOP&#8217;s prospects of keeping its majority.
&#8220;I&#8217;m going to be the Speaker in the next Congress,&#8221; Johnson <a href="https://x.com/aishahhasnie/status/2108175875707437420?s=20">told</a> Fox News Thursday. &#8220;I&#8217;m not going to talk about the scenario where we don&#8217;t win the House, because I am laser-focused on winning the House.&#8221;
The confidence comes as Johnson&#8217;s team announced a record $30 million fundraising haul for the third quarter, bringing his total to $156 million this cycle, <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/10/08/mike-johnson-fundraising-house-republicans-midterms">Axios first reported</a>. Johnson&#8217;s team says that&#8217;s the most raised by any Republican leader at this point in an election cycle and has distributed more than $91 million to Republican members and candidates, according to figures shared with Axios.

Democratic Leadership Speaks To The Press On Capitol Hill

Here’s What Is Going To Happen If Democrats Win The Midterms

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hakeem jeffries

house of representatives

mike johnson

On the anniversary of Hamas&#8217; October 7 terror attack on Israel, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani visited a Palestinian-owned restaurant on the Upper West Side whose menu includes a provocative play on the slogan “from the river to the sea.”
<a href="https://x.com/kendisgibson/status/2108018741539950930?s=20">A viral video</a> showed the socialist mayor dining at Hinds Hall, a branch of the restaurant chain Ayat that has locations across America, which opened earlier this year. Bystanders caught Mamdani smiling in the establishment just hours after he was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mamdani-gets-a-taste-of-the-anti-israel-mob-at-october-7-vigil">heckled</a> by hundreds of radical protesters who disrupted a Union Square vigil marking the third anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, when terrorists invaded Israel and killed 1,200 people.
<a href="https://www.ayatnyc.com/location/hinds-hall/">The restaurant hosting Mamdani claims</a> it was named after a five-year-old Palestinian girl killed in Gaza. According to <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/nyc-hinds-hall-palestinian-eatery-has-good-hummus-wipes-israel-off-its-menu-maps/amp/">the Times of Israel</a>, however, a more sinister political agenda is at play inside the restaurant. Hall’s menu includes a visual depiction of the Middle East that erases Israel from the map, labeling the entire territory — including Judea and Samaria, Gaza, Jerusalem, and all of Israel — as Palestine.
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<div id="attachment_1194553" style="width: 932px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1194553" class="wp-image-1194553 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/10/Untitled-design-2026-10-08T083840.863-922x576.jpg" alt="" width="922" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/10/Untitled-design-2026-10-08T083840.863-922x576.jpg 922w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/10/Untitled-design-2026-10-08T083840.863-300x188.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/10/Untitled-design-2026-10-08T083840.863-768x480.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/10/Untitled-design-2026-10-08T083840.863.jpg 1080w" sizes=" (max-width: 922px) 100vw, 922px" />Credit: Luke Tress/Times of Israel</div>
The menu’s front page, written in English, Arabic, and Hebrew and wrapped in the colors of the Palestinian flag, <a href="https://static-cdn.toi-media.com/www/uploads/2026/04/IMG_7705.jpg">reads</a>, “Down with the occupation.” The restaurant’s interior walls feature words including “Resilience,” “Freedom,” and “Save our children,” the Times of Israel reported. The menu also states, “Community dinners, charitable initiatives, and creating spaces where everyone feels welcome are central to who we are. At Ayat, the table is open to all.”
Hall&#8217;s seafood section is titled “From the rind to the seed,” feeding into the political slogan “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” The chant has become a hallmark of pro-Hamas demonstrations across the United States, especially on college campuses and in deep-blue cities. The phrase echoes the Arabic slogan “From the water to the water, Palestine is Arab,” according to the Times of Israel.
Mamdani’s visit came amid a chaotic scene that offered a striking glimpse of a fringe segment of his base turning on the socialist darling.
The vigil, organized by the Left-wing group Israelis for Peace NYC, was intended to commemorate the victims of October 7. Acting on brand, hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters seized the opportunity to shout down speakers and disrupt the proceedings. <a href="https://x.com/PollTracker2024/status/2107992222587068658?s=20">A stone-faced</a> Mamdani attended but did not speak.
Protesters shouted “Traitor!” at Mamdani, chanted “Death to the IDF!” and “Long live Hamas,” and also grabbed electric candles intended for the vigil and mockingly sang “Hava Nagila.” One protester shouted at organizers, “We sent your people to hell on October 7.”
Some protesters also chanted, “We don’t want no two state, we want 48,” and “Zohran, what do you say? How many boots did you lick today?” <a href="https://twitter.com/saidmehr_simone/status/2107980753925439936?s=46&amp;t=o-U3qwC25WnWaylJ0oeG7Q">Video</a> captured some of the confrontation, while <a href="https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-910983">other footage</a> showed protesters displaying a portrait of former Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
When Mamdani eventually left the vigil, he was <a href="https://x.com/EYakoby/status/2108006197945143561">followed</a> by protesters who continued screaming at him, with some calling him an “opportunist piece of sh*t.”
Hamas, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization, has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/three-years-after-october-7-the-truth-is-out?utm_source=chatgpt.com">long called for Israel’s destruction</a> and, in its 1988 charter, advocated violence against Jews.
“Allah is its target, the Prophet is its model, the Koran its constitution: Jihad is its path and death for the sake of Allah is the loftiest of its wishes,” the charter reads. It also quotes Muslim Brotherhood founder Hassan al-Banna’s declaration: “Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it.”
“There is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad,” the charter adds.
In his October 7 statement, Mamdani acknowledged that Hamas “killed more than 1,100 Israelis and abducted 251 others” and said, “We grieve alongside our many friends and neighbors who still carry that unthinkable loss.” He then immediately turned to Israel’s conduct in Gaza, describing it as a “devastating, ongoing genocide” and accusing Israel of “occupation” and “apartheid.” He also wrote that “our tax dollars fund these war crimes.”
Among those criticizing Mamdani was journalist and political commentator Mark Halperin, who lives in New York City.
“If people wanna call that guy antisemitic now, it’s okay with me,” Halperin <a href="https://x.com/JWheelertv/status/2107972946924847316?s=20">said</a>. “And that’s a big change for me.”

Pro-Palestine protesters disrupt the October 7th vigil of ‘Israelis for Peace,’ where Mayor Mamdani attends

Mamdani’s Oct. 7 Dinner Spot Wipes Israel Off The Map

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The FBI arrested an 18-year-old Somali man Tuesday who allegedly pledged his allegiance to ISIS and plotted a mass-casualty attack at Minnesota’s Mall of America later this month. 
Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud was arrested Tuesday at a public park after he allegedly tried to pay off an undercover FBI agent $600 to acquire an AK-47 rifle and hundreds of rounds of ammunition to carry out the attack. 
Mohamud is <a href="https://www.fox9.com/news/us-district-attorney-fbi-counterterrorism-action-minnesota-oct-7-2026">charged</a> with one count of receiving a firearm and ammunition knowing or having reason to believe they would be used to commit a felony or federal crime of terrorism.
According to a federal criminal complaint, Mohamud intended to target a high-traffic public area at the Mall of America in Bloomington, a Minneapolis suburb, and told an informant he could kill between 30 and 60 people. 
U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen said the arrest was “the culmination of an outstanding law enforcement and intelligence operation.”
“Today&#8217;s charges demonstrate that the threat of terrorism in support of ISIS and other foreign terrorist organizations is active and continuing,” Rosen said in a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEt9-j1iTBc">press conference. </a>
FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dotson said Mohamud said he was “100% committed” to carry out his jihad journey. Mohamud met with an undercover agent he believed to be a loyal member of ISIS  to purchase an AK-47 rifle, knowing it would be used in a federal crime of terrorism, authorities said. 
“He didn&#8217;t just buy the rifle; he also bought 30-round magazines, four of them, and 200 live rounds to be used in this attack. Over the course of this investigation, Mohamud repeatedly expressed support of foreign terrorist organizations,” Dotson said.  
Booker Hodges, police chief in Bloomington, said he was &#8220;horrified&#8221; by the alleged plot.
&#8220;It&#8217;s time that we start teaching our young people that this is a great country, and we&#8217;re not perfect, but this type of hatred for this country is something that I just don&#8217;t understand,&#8221; he said.
Authorities said Mohamud had expressed a desire to travel abroad to fight for a terrorist organization but, because he could not do so, allegedly turned his attention to Minnesota.
The FBI said the investigation began in late 2024 and involved undercover interactions. Officials described Mohamud as a U.S. citizen who referred to Somalia as his parents&#8217; homeland. 
Mohammed’s arrest is part of a developing pattern in terrorism cases in the American homeland, with individuals becoming radicalized at younger ages. In 2025, eight of the 11 alleged actors involved in seven ISIS-inspired attacks or disrupted plots in the United States were teenagers, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/teen-terrorists-why-the-turn-to-radical-ideology-is-starting-earlier-than-ever?author=Sarah+Adams&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Teen+Terrorists%3A+Why+The+Turn+To+Radical+Ideology+Is+Starting+Earlier+Than+Ever">The Daily Wire recently reported.</a> Four were 17 or younger, and six of the seven incidents involved at least one teenager. The previous year, six of eight ISIS-inspired plots involved at least one teenager.
This is a developing story.

sheikhdoon-mohamud-complaint

Somali Man Accused Of Plotting Mall Of America Attack In Name Of ISIS

isis

mall of america

minnesota

terrorism

Michigan Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers is breaking with President Donald Trump over one of his chief economic priorities.
“Drinking a Labatt and watching the Red Wings, man, it just doesn’t get any more Michigan than that. And here in Michigan, we know that Canada is not our enemy. We need to end this tariff war now,” Rogers said in a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klJOCnlziU4">campaign ad</a> released on Tuesday.
It’s the clearest sign yet that Trump’s trade fight poses a challenge to some Midwest Republicans as Rogers runs against Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed, who is seeking to become the country’s first Muslim senator.
“As Michigan senator, I’ll bring both parties together to lower your prices. That’s job number one. And Abdul, he wants to hit Michigan families with a $3,000 tax increase, the biggest in history. I’m Mike Rogers, and I approve this message because I’ll actually put dollars back in your pocket,” the Republican said from inside a bar.
The ad will play statewide as part of a seven-figure coordinated buy between Rogers&#8217; campaign and the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
The new messaging marks a notable shift in tone for Rogers, who in August said Trump was right to impose tariffs on Michigan’s northern neighbor.
“Once again, Michiganders are forced to bear the consequences of failed leadership from our Democratic officials in Washington. For 25 years, Michigan’s two U.S. senators have prioritized their political clout and party prominence over the interests of the people who elected them,” Rogers<a href="https://rogersforsenate.com/news/michigan-democrats-have-managed-our-states-decline-now-its-time-for-a-change?utm_source=chatgpt.com"> said</a> in an August campaign press release. “President Trump is right to put America First — and tariffs are necessary, but are not a one-size-fits-all solution.”
El-Sayed hit back at the Rogers ad, saying the Republican candidate is “not a serious person” and joking that he “had one too many of those LaBatts.”
“You cheerled this tariff war from the beginning, and you’re flip-flopping now because your poll numbers are in free fall,” he <a href="https://x.com/AbdulElSayed/status/2107851013826752558?s=20">said on X.</a> “Donald is the reason we’re in a trade war. And he’s the reason you’re running.”
The economic squeeze is putting added focus on Rogers’ new message. A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/inflation-at-the-checkout-the-hidden-political-cost-of-tariffs">new Daily Wire analysis</a> by Liz Mair found that the cost of a weekly grocery basket at Aldi in Macomb County jumped from $85.36 at the end of March to $97.25 at the end of September — a 13.9% increase, the largest increase among the seven counties examined. Mair pointed to tariffs as one factor driving higher food prices, including a sharp increase in canned goods prices after tariffs began hitting Canadian imports and materials used to make tin cans.
Gas prices are another pressure point for Michigan consumers. The average price for a gallon of regular gasoline in Michigan is roughly $4.40, just above the national average, <a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/">according to AAA</a>.

Mike Rogers

Mike Rogers Makes Clean Break With Trump On One Of His Biggest Issues

tariffs

President Donald Trump is doubling down on Tennessee this Saturday, returning to the state for a <a href="https://events.gop.com/events/midterm-rally-in-clarksville-tennessee-president-donald-j-trump">campaign rally</a> as Republicans race to energize voters ahead of the midterm elections, The Daily Wire can first report.
Trump will hold a rally on Saturday afternoon in Clarksville to boost Tennessee&#8217;s Republican ticket, which includes some of the president&#8217;s closest political allies, with both of Tennessee&#8217;s senators on the ballot — Sen. Marsha Blackburn is  running for governor, and Sen. Bill Hagerty is running for reelection to the U.S. Senate.
It will be Trump’s second stop in Tennessee in two weeks. Two Saturdays ago, he flew to Knoxville for the Texas-Tennessee football game, where he <a href="https://x.com/VoteMarsha/status/2103880124894486843?s=20">spent time</a> with Blackburn and Hagerty. The Republican National Committee said the red-state rally is intended to &#8220;supercharge&#8221; the candidates with less than a month to go.
&#8220;Tennessee Republicans are fired up to welcome President Trump back to the Volunteer State, where his support runs deep,&#8221; said Natalie Baldassarre, the RNC&#8217;s national press secretary. &#8220;His rally will supercharge our candidates for the final stretch, capping off another Saturday full of football and patriotism.&#8221;
Doors open at 11 a.m., with Trump expected to deliver remarks at 2:30 p.m. CT.
Clarksville, a <a href="https://www.clarksvilletn.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/1305?utm_source=chatgpt.com">rapidly growing city</a> on the Cumberland River near the Kentucky border, is about 45 miles northwest of Nashville. Its economy and culture are closely tied to nearby Fort Campbell, home of the Army’s 101st Airborne Division.
Blackburn told The Daily Wire that &#8220;it&#8217;s an honor&#8221; to have Trump back in Tennessee. 
&#8220;Tennessee stands tall as a red wall of conservatism. The Volunteer State is Trump country, and it’s an honor to welcome the President back to Tennessee,” Blackburn said. “We’re up against socialists who hate our country, our state, and the very principles that define the American dream.”
&#8220;This November’s midterm elections are a choice between common sense and crazy communism,&#8221; Blackburn said.
<div id="attachment_1193975" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1193975" class="wp-image-1193975 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/10/GettyImages-2174055875-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/10/GettyImages-2174055875-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/10/GettyImages-2174055875-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/10/GettyImages-2174055875-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/10/GettyImages-2174055875.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />WARREN, MICHIGAN &#8211; SEPTEMBER 27: Trump embraces Blackburn as he takes the stage during a Town Hall event at Macomb Community College on September 27, 2024, in Warren, Michigan (Photo by Emily Elconin/Getty Images).</div>
Trump appears committed to hitting deep-red territory as Republicans take nothing for granted in their fight to maintain control of Congress. In the past week, he has campaigned in Alabama, Oklahoma, Ohio, and Texas. He went to Nebraska Tuesday night. After that, he is expected to stump in Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Florida, and even <a href="https://x.com/HannahBrandt_TV/status/2107541140589469966?s=20">upstate New York</a> before November 3.
“I think we&#8217;re going to do very well,” Trump <a href="https://x.com/Acyn/status/2107550570290798818?s=20">told</a> White House reporters Tuesday. &#8220;The rallies have changed things around; we&#8217;re letting people know what the Republicans have done.&#8221;
Early voting in Tennessee begins on October 14. Blackburn <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/marsha-blackburn-clinches-tennessee-gop-governor-nomination">cruised to victory</a> over her Republican primary rivals in August and now faces Democratic nominee Jerri Green, the liberal Shelby County public defender. 
“The real work begins right now,” Blackburn told her election-night watch party. “We have to unite. We have to defeat the Democrats in November. We’ve got to send a message loud and clear: we’re a solid red conservative state, and all of these socialist, communist policies end at the Tennessee state line.”
Blackburn has pledged to work with the Trump administration to deport illegal immigrants, combat violent crime, expand school choice and keep Tennessee a <a href="https://marshablackburn.com/issue/ensuring-tennessee-remains-a-safe-haven-for-conservatives/">“safe haven”</a> for conservatives.
If elected in November, Blackburn&#8217;s Senate seat would become vacant, setting up a closely watched appointment and special election to fill the seat.

Texas v Tennessee

EXCLUSIVE: Trump To Hold Saturday Rally In Tennessee, Aims To ‘Supercharge’ Base

bill hagerty

marsha blackburn

tennessee

Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed reportedly told communist streamer Hasan Piker that his American-hating rhetoric is costing him critical votes.
The insurgent leftist — who enlisted Piker’s help in defeating the party establishment over the summer — is now urging the streamer to dial back his inflammatory rhetoric and aggressive political commentary as he works to shore up key Democratic constituencies, <a href="https://archive.is/c9fqs#selection-3291.13-3307.366">according to CNN</a>. 
It’s the clearest sign yet that the California-based provocateur has become a political headache for El-Sayed, who is seeking to become the first Muslim U.S. senator. Piker has said that America “deserved” 9/11, that Zionists should fear for their safety, and, more recently, told Axios that the United States is “pound for pound” worse than al-Qaeda when it comes to terrorism. 
The extremism is a bridge too far for many Michiganders, including key demographic groups who have long voted for team blue. In Southfield, a Detroit suburb, Rabbi Aaron Starr told CNN he is worried about the safety of Jews as the world marks the third anniversary of Hamas&#8217; October 7 terrorist attacks. 
“I can’t vote for a candidate who won’t affirm my most basic core needs and values,” Starr said. “No matter what, we’re all going to have to do our very best to make America a safer and freer country for every American. I can only do that, my community can only participate in those efforts, if we feel safe.”
He’s not alone. Democratic Lansing Mayor Andy Schor, who supported Democrat Haley Stevens in the primary, said he feels so alienated by El-Sayed’s anti-Israel platform that he is likely not to vote at all. Schor said he’s willing to meet with the Democrat but hasn’t heard a word from him.
“If he doesn’t need me, he doesn’t need me,” Schor told the outlet. “And that’s their strategic decision.”
A panel of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-committed-democrats-say-theyre-a-hard-no-on-abdul-el-sayed?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=WATCH%3A+%E2%80%98Committed+Democrats%E2%80%99+Say+They%E2%80%99re+A+Hard+No+On+Abdul+El-Sayed">self-described “committed Democrats”</a> told liberal network MS NOW on Tuesday they could not vote for El-Sayed. During a group discussion that aired Tuesday on “Morning Joe,” several Michigan voters who described themselves as lifelong Democrats said they wanted to support the party’s candidates in November but could not bring themselves to back the leftist. 
“You’re committed Democrats,” the moderator said, drawing agreement from several voters. “You want to vote for the Democratic candidate, but you just can’t.”
“They’re tying our hands,” one woman replied.
The moderator asked whether El-Sayed could do anything to win their support, adding, “But it doesn’t sound like there’s really anything — the damage has already been done.”
“I just would love for him to make a definitive statement, like just say, ‘I would like everyone to know I support Israel. You know, I support the Jewish people — you know, their right to exist without hatred.”
“Would you believe it?” another woman asked. “How could we?”
“I don’t know,” the first woman conceded.
To win Michigan, El-Sayed will need to run up the score with black voters, especially in Wayne County, home to Detroit. Black voters, however, overwhelmingly backed Stevens over El-Sayed in the divisive summer primary. The Democratic Party is <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/4-week-warning-the-midterms-enter-their-final-stretch?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=4+Week+Warning%3A+The+Midterms+Enter+Their+Final+Stretch">now deploying </a>former President Barack Obama to rally those voters weeks before Election Day.

Abdul El-Sayed, Hasan Piker

Michigan Dem Abdul El-Sayed Confronts Hasan Piker About His Streams Costing Votes

The Army has set an execution date for Nidal Malik Hasan, the Muslim terrorist convicted of killing 13 people and hurting 32 others in the 2009 Fort Hood massacre.
Hasan is <a href="https://x.com/SecArmy/status/2107637981528125857?s=20">scheduled</a> to die by firing squad on December 3 at Fort Hood, Texas, in what would be the first U.S. military execution since 1961. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth recommended the execution method, and President Donald Trump approved it, the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-approves-firing-squad-execution-of-fort-hood-muslim-terrorist?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=6&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Approves+Firing+Squad+Execution+Of+Fort+Hood+Muslim+Terrorist">Pentagon announced Monday</a>.
&#8220;Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has recommended — and President Donald J. Trump has approved — death by U.S. Army firing squad for convicted terrorist Nidal Malik Hasan,&#8221; Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement.
A military jury convicted Hasan, a former Army psychiatrist, in 2013 of killing 13 people and wounding 32 others in the November 2009 attack at Fort Hood. Witnesses testified that he shouted &#8220;Allahu Akbar&#8221; before opening fire. He later told the court that he had &#8220;switched sides&#8221; and was acting in defense of Muslims. Hasan also wanted to deter the U.S. military from operating in Afghanistan, according to <a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-nadal-hasan-fort-hood-execution-6ab1d9cfb936d00d17c02105ea0a0ead">the Associated Press</a>. The attack marked the deadliest mass shooting at an American military base.
Trump&#8217;s stamp of approval follows a pledge from Hegseth, who said in September 2025 that he was committed to carrying out Hasan&#8217;s death sentence.
&#8220;I am 100% committed to ensuring the death penalty is carried out for Nidal Hasan,&#8221; Hegseth previously <a href="https://abcnews.com/US/army-lays-groundwork-death-row-executions-trump-approval/story?id=133639918&amp;utm_source=chatgpt.com">said</a>. &#8220;The victims and survivors deserve justice without delays.&#8221;
In a one-word post Monday, Hegseth <a href="https://x.com/PeteHegseth/status/2107253610035994981?s=20">said</a>: &#8220;Justice.&#8221;
The military has not executed a service member since 1961, when the Army executed John Bennett for the rape and attempted murder of an 11-year-old girl in Austria, according to ABC News.
Three other men are waiting to die on the military&#8217;s death row at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. President George W. Bush approved the execution of Army Spc. Ronald Gray in 2008, but a judge hit the brakes. Gray remains at Leavenworth, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/fort-hood-execution-nidal-hasan-shooting-rampage-f72c1a8f1c8cf6872b518ea08ffa7035#">the Associated Press</a> reported. Hasan still has options to delay the December execution, including a possible habeas corpus appeal in the civilian federal court system, according to an article <a href="https://www.lineofdeparture.army.mil/Journals/Army-Lawyer/Archive/Issue-1-2026/From-Soldier-to-Condemned-Prisoner/">published</a> in May in the magazine Army Lawyer.
In April, Trump&#8217;s Department of Justice directed the Bureau of Prisons to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-commuted-death-sentences-trumps-doj-is-bringing-back-the-firing-squad?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Biden+Commuted+Death+Sentences.+Trump%E2%80%99s+DOJ+Is+Bringing+Back+The+Firing+Squad.">bring back the firing squad and lethal injection</a> for federal executions.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-takes-actions-strengthen-federal-death-penalty">announced</a> a series of new measures to strengthen enforcement of the federal death penalty, clearing the way for the DOJ to carry out executions once inmates exhaust their appeals.
&#8220;Among the actions taken are readopting the lethal injection protocol utilized during the first Trump Administration, expanding the protocol to include additional manners of execution such as the firing squad, and streamlining internal processes to expedite death penalty cases,&#8221; the Justice Department said in a press release.
The directives fulfilled a campaign promise for Trump, who on his first day back in office <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/restoring-the-death-penalty-and-protecting-public-safety/">issued</a> an order to &#8220;pursue the death penalty for all crimes of a severity demanding its use&#8221; and marked a reversal from the Biden administration&#8217;s handling of federal executions.

Untitled design

Trump Sets Date For Fort Hood Terrorist’s Final Reckoning

death penalty

fort hood shooting

nidal hasan

pete hegseth

<h4>More than a million Americans have already voted in the 2026 midterm elections. By and large, the numbers continue to paint a bleak picture for the GOP, which is counting on a massive influx of cash and a large polling error to save its congressional power. With a 53-47 majority, Republicans cannot afford to lose more than three seats without losing their Senate majority. The GOP&#8217;s <a href="http://congresscountdown.com/info/party-breakdown?utm_source=chatgpt.com">218-214</a> House margin is just as tight, with dozens of seats across the country up for grabs. Here are the latest polls, storylines, and campaign trail notables you need to know about.</h4>
<h4>The Latest Polls</h4>
With less than a month to go, Democrats maintain a large advantage on the national congressional ballot even as several key Senate races remain tight. 
The RealClearPolitics generic ballot average has Democrats leading Republicans 51.2% to 42.7%, an 8.5-point margin. 
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/5-weeks-to-go-everything-you-need-to-know-about-where-the-midterms-stand?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=24&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=5+Weeks+To+Go%3A+Everything+You+Need+To+Know+About+Where+The+Midterms+Stand">Since last week</a>, GOP spending groups ditched North Carolina as former Gov. Roy Cooper builds a strong 9-point lead against former RNC chairman Michael Whatley. Instead, that money is being poured into Kansas to boost Sen. Roger Marshall, who is locked in a <a href="https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/senate/general/2026/kansas/marshall-vs-hamilton">competitive, single-digit</a> race against Methodist pastor Adam Hamilton. 
Georgia looks like another state that could soon be triaged. Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff leads Republican Rep. Mike Collins by an average of 8 points, even as billionaire Rick Jackson flexes his wealth to build a consistent polling lead against former Atlanta Democratic Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms in the gubernatorial race.
In Texas, Democrat James Talarico maintains a stubborn lead over Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton in what is shaping up to be the cycle’s marquee race. Republicans continue spending tens of millions to defend their Texas firewall, but a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/10/04/polls/times-siena-texas-poll-crosstabs.html">New York Times/Siena poll</a> released over the weekend showing Talarico ahead 51% to 45% has many conservatives hitting the panic button.
In good news for the GOP, the Ohio Senate race has slightly tightened since last week. Former Sen. Sherrod Brown leads Republican Sen. Jon Husted 47% to 44%, down a point from last week.
It’s a ball game in Maine. Democrat Troy Jackson holds a razor-thin 0.1-point advantage over Republican Sen. Susan Collins, 47.6% to 47.5%. Jackson’s <a href="https://x.com/TroyJackson207/status/2104333462756827298?s=20">viral boba clip</a> and Collins’ <a href="https://x.com/PatrickSvitek/status/2105257977267818539?s=20">Boston Red Sox ad</a> assailing Sen. Chuck Schumer could be indicative of where the race is headed. Collins is notorious for overperforming her polls, giving Republicans reason to be bullish. 
Iowa is another nail-biter. Democrat Josh Turek leads Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson by less than a percentage point in the RCP average.
In Michigan, Democrat Abdul El-Sayed maintains a stable 3.5-point lead over Republican Mike Rogers as national Democrats race to shore up key liberal constituencies. Former President Barack Obama is set to hit the campaign trail with El-Sayed later this month in Detroit. 
And in Alaska, Democrat Mary Peltola leads Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan 48.8% to 47.0% in an infamously difficult state to poll, where the state’s ranked-choice voting system throws a wrench into predicting results.
<h4>Candidate Moves</h4>
Blue State Outliers — Former NBC Sports broadcaster Michele Tafoya is emerging as a star GOP recruit in a reliably blue state riddled with scandals and unpopular Democratic leadership. Polls show her within striking distance of defeating Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, a far-left transgender advocate who has faced scrutiny over her record in the Tim Walz administration after the state was rocked by a sprawling Medicaid fraud scandal.
Flanagan has <a href="https://x.com/Michele_Tafoya/status/2106463539158192253?s=20">refused to debate</a> and Tafoya is hammering the fraud message home, saying in one <a href="https://x.com/AdImpact_Pol/status/2098042990782558558?s=20">ad</a>: “Peggy Flanagan deserves a pink slip, not a promotion: as your Senator, I’ll protect your tax dollars and make fraudsters pay!”  
Way out West in Oregon, Republicans could flip the state’s governor’s mansion for the first time in decades as unpopular Democratic incumbent Tina Kotek struggles to defend her record. The Democrat hasn’t led in a single poll since February, according to The <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/polls/oregon-governor-election-polls-2026.html">New York Times</a>, as Republican Christine Drazan hopes to win in a rematch where she lost narrowly four years ago. It would be a shocking result in a state Kamala Harris won by more than 14 points in 2024. 
Obama To Michigan — The Democratic Party is deploying former President Barack Obama to battleground Michigan. His visit is meant to boost Abdul El-Sayed and rally the state’s black voters, who overwhelmingly voted for his primary rival, Rep. Haley Stevens. The October 24 event could help heal the wounds of a divisive primary that exposed deep divisions over Israel, and it is the latest barometer of what the Democratic establishment is willing to tolerate.
Paxton Tapes; Talarico MIA – Is Ken Paxton looking for a boogeyman? Two recent leaked audio recordings suggest so. Leaked audio obtained by The <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/30/us/politics/ken-paxton-trump-midterm-convention.html">New York Times</a> caught the Republican blaming the GOP midterm convention in Dallas for his sagging poll numbers. In a second clip <a href="https://x.com/wsteaks/status/2107075024071061701?s=20">obtained by Politico</a>, he claimed DC is running his statewide campaign. 
“I’ve never been in a race where I felt less control over the campaign…it’s all coming — you know — from DC,” Paxton is heard saying. “It is a challenge.” 
Talarico’s campaign responded by calling Paxton a “puppet.” But the Democrat is facing his own trove of negative opposition research. <a href="https://x.com/KFILE/status/2107136086510022803?s=20">CNN</a> uncovered past comments from 2020 in which Talarico argued that defunding the police should be a policy solution on the table.
“Our system of policing is deeply broken. We must replace it with something new and something better,” Talarico said. In June 2020, he also donated a couple thousand dollars to a group calling to defund law enforcement. 
Meanwhile, questions are swirling around where James Talarico is. The Democrat’s campaign <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1032890526438407&amp;set=a.143543248706477">canceled</a> a planned black voter outreach event Monday. On September 30, he appeared virtually for a U.S. Hispanic Business Council event in South Texas after <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/talarico-knocked-off-the-campaign-trail-by-flu-with-34-days-to-go?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=23&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Talarico+Knocked+Off+The+Campaign+Trail+By+Flu+With+34+Days+To+Go">testing positive for the flu</a>. His<a href="https://www.mobilize.us/talaricofortexas/?utm_source=web_menu"> campaign&#8217;s page</a> doesn&#8217;t list any events with Talarico himself. 
“If I was passing on this illness to somebody and got someone’s grandmother or someone’s baby sick, I couldn’t live with myself,” Talarico said on September 30. “So I thought the best thing to do was to put safety first and put everyone’s health first.”
Kansas In Play? – Beyond Texas, Kansas is suddenly giving Republicans serious anxiety. The Senate Leadership Fund, the GOP super PAC tied to Majority Leader John Thune, has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gop-money-group-ditches-north-carolina-in-bid-to-save-deep-red-state?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=11&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=GOP+Money+Group+Ditches+North+Carolina+In+Bid+To+Save+Deep-Red+State">shifted millions</a> toward Sen. Roger Marshall’s reelection bid, pausing future spending in North Carolina and booking at least $8.2 million in Kansas.
One Marshall ad, which the National Republican Senatorial Committee <a href="https://x.com/NRSC/status/2106073871665574292?s=20">posted</a> on X, accuses his liberal megachurch pastor opponent of failing to report a church volunteer accused of molesting teenage boys and letting him return as a camp counselor. Adam Hamilton’s campaign called the spot a “desperate and shameful attack from a losing politician,” according to the <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/10/02/us-news/kansas-senate-dem-nominee-adam-hamilton-accused-of-shielding-child-predator-who-worked-for-his-church-in-mid-2000s/">New York Post.</a>
One Story To Watch
As the saying goes, polls don’t decide elections — voters do. As politicos place their bets on what’s to come in November, <a href="https://x.com/IAPolls2022/status/2106759067561496713?s=20">more than a million</a> Americans have already turned in their ballots. That number will rapidly increase as early voting begins in more states. Early voting numbers will offer the first clues about which voters are energized and which demographics are turning out. The data can give campaigns an early read on turnout patterns, helping candidates target their resources, adjust their messaging and make late pushes as Election Day approaches.
Over the weekend, President Trump, a longtime critic of early and mail-in voting, urged his supporters to vote early and bank their votes.
“So I&#8217;m not on the ballot, but pretend I am, because this is a big deal. This is the most important midterm I believe ever. We have communists, we have socialists, we have horrible people running on the other side. We have to win,” Trump <a href="https://x.com/realDonaldTrump/status/2106396002005737498?s=20">said in an October 3 video</a> message from the Oval Office. 
“If your state has early voting, do not wait,” he added. “Vote early, vote by mail or vote in person on election day…” 
Trump’s push comes as Democratic voting habits could be changing this election. A recent <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-election/poll-fewer-democrats-plan-vote-mail-midterms-rcna597869">NBC News poll</a> found that just 23% of registered Democrats said they plan to vote by mail, down from 34% in September 2024. Six years after the coronavirus pandemic drove a surge in mail-in voting, 36% of Democrats now plan to vote early in person, up from 30% at the same point in 2024, while another 36% expect to vote on Election Day.

4 Week Warning: The Midterms Enter Their Final Stretch

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Cornell University tapped former Obama administration Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates on Tuesday to review its handling of sexual assault allegations, including the disputed case involving a student and seven former fraternity members. 
Yates will lead a review of Cornell&#8217;s policies, practices, and resources for preventing and responding to sexual misconduct, including how reports are received and investigated, a special committee of the university&#8217;s trustees <a href="https://statements.cornell.edu/2026/20261006-special-committee.cfm">announced.</a>
The assessment will specifically examine Cornell’s response to allegations involving a woman identified as Jane Doe and members of the Chi Phi fraternity in October 2024. Her civil lawsuit against Cornell and seven former students has drawn national attention and renewed scrutiny of the university&#8217;s handling of the case. 
“Sally Yates brings extraordinary experience, independence and judgment to this work,” said Anne Meinig Smalling, chair of the special committee. “The questions raised by the Jane Doe matter warrant a rigorous examination of Cornell’s response to that case, but our responsibility is broader.”
The university review is separate from the criminal investigation. New York Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul appointed Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor to investigate the allegations and, if warranted, prosecute any offenses arising from the probe.
Cornell&#8217;s announcement comes three days after university President Michael Kotlikoff <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/university-president-addresses-cornell-7-for-first-time-on-camera?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=7&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=University+President+Addresses+%E2%80%98Cornell+7%E2%80%99+For+First+Time+On+Camera">vowed to take a “serious look”</a> at the role fraternities and sororities play in campus life. 
“What happened to Jane Doe in 2024 is deeply disturbing and will weigh heavily on our community for years to come,” Kotlikoff said in an<a href="https://x.com/AFpost/status/2106542441432281285?s=20"> eight-minute video statement.</a> “My heart aches when I think of what she experienced.”
“This has been one of the most difficult weeks in our history, and I know many of you are angry, saddened, and struggling, and that those bonds are under extraordinary stress,” he added. 
Students gathered on the campus Monday to protest Cornell&#8217;s handling of the claims and call on Kotlikoff to resign. 
“Too often, we are met with silence, we are met with statements, we are met with procedures, but not enough support,” student Athena Holloway told the crowd, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/crowd-students-protests-cornells-response-gang-rape-complaint-rcna601837">according to NBC.</a> “How much does it take for our university to stand with survivors?”
In his statement, Kotlikoff acknowledged that the administration needed to improve its response to sexual misconduct.
“I want to acknowledge something that can be difficult for an institution to say: we don’t have all the answers,” Kotlikoff said. “I believe we, as an administration, and we as a community, must do better. We must do everything we can to prevent what happened to Jane Doe and everyone before her, and anyone after her, from ever happening again.”
The sex and drug-laced allegations stem from an October 2024 gathering at the Chi Phi fraternity. Jane Doe alleges she was drugged with ketamine and sexually assaulted by multiple fraternity members. She informed campus police of the alleged assault three weeks later.
Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten initially declined to bring charges, saying her statement did not establish a lack of consent under state law. He later reopened the investigation following Jane Doe’s civil lawsuit, before Hochul appointed James to take over the case. All seven men have denied misconduct.
Cornell&#8217;s disciplinary proceedings have also faced a legal challenge from one former fraternity member, identified as John Doe. He alleges the university found him responsible for an offense he was never formally charged with and had no opportunity to defend himself, <a href="https://cnycentral.com/news/local/cornell-student-named-in-sex-assault-case-sues-to-have-his-allegations-removed">according</a> to CNY Central. A judge <a href="https://cnycentral.com/news/local/judge-upholds-cornell-title-ix-process-challenged-by-chi-phi-fraternity-member">rejected</a> the challenge last month, finding Cornell gave adequate notice and substantially complied with its procedures, though John Doe&#8217;s legal fight is not over.
According to documents included in the lawsuit, Cornell’s hearing panel found him not responsible for sexual assault or sexual exploitation — the only two offenses he was charged with — but they found him responsible for attempted sexual exploitation, concluding that he entered the room where the alleged assault was taking place intending to observe a woman who was likely nude or engaged in sexual activity. John Doe disputes the finding and is seeking to have it overturned.
A recorded phone call between Jane Doe and fraternity member Matthew Ingalls, <a href="https://x.com/GMA/status/2107066912135873024?s=20">obtained</a> by ABC News, offers conflicting accounts of the October encounter. Jane Doe said Ingalls knew she was “10 shots deep” and described the ordeal as “gang rape.” Ingalls disputed her account, saying she had told him she was sober that night. 
According to the DA’s office, Jane Doe&#8217;s 2024 statement described her intoxication level at the start of the encounter as “5 or 6 out of 10” and said she was “pretty OK with having this threesome.” In the recorded phone call, however, Jane Doe told Ingalls, &#8220;I remember looking up and being like, &#8216;That is too many people.&#8221; A Chi Phi Snapchat group chat from that night included a post telling members to &#8220;come whip it out.&#8221;  
Van Houten has<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/youre-being-lied-to-about-the-cornell-7-rape-case"> said</a> the woman’s original sworn statement described her drug use and sexual activity as voluntary, conscious, and consensual. Jane Doe&#8217;s lawsuit alleges she was drugged and assaulted. Cornell expelled Ingalls and Jonathan Newell and suspended two others.

Cornell Taps Obama-Era Official To Probe School’s Handling Of Sex Assault Claims

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Jacob Wheeler