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The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) says tens of millions of Americans are at risk of losing food stamp benefits next month if Senate Democrats continue to refuse a deal on funding the government.
&#8220;At this time, there will be no benefits issued November 01,&#8221; the department&#8217;s homepage <a href="https://www.usda.gov/">reads</a> in large letters.
&#8220;Senate Democrats have now voted 12 times to not fund the food stamp program, also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP),&#8221; the USDA alert continues. &#8220;Bottom line, the well has run dry.&#8221;
&#8220;We are approaching an inflection point for Senate Democrats,&#8221; it says. &#8220;They can continue to hold out for healthcare for illegal aliens and gender mutilation procedures or reopen the government so mothers, babies, and the most vulnerable among us can receive critical nutrition assistance.&#8221;
The government has been shut down since October 1, after Democrats refused a funding resolution without certain health care subsidies. Republicans have charged that Democrats want illegal immigrants to receive health care paid for by the American people.
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About 42 million Americans currently receive SNAP benefits, commonly referred to as food stamps.
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In 2024, SNAP served about 41.7 million people per month, <a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap/key-statistics-and-research">according</a> to government data. Federal SNAP spending totaled nearly $100 billion, with the average recipient averaging $187.20 in benefits per month.
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Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R) on Monday blasted Democrats for &#8220;punishing families and small businesses&#8221; over their refusal to strike a deal with Republicans.
&#8220;SNAP doesn’t just serve families &#8211; it helps small town grocery stores too,&#8221; Huckabee Sanders posted to X. &#8220;But 2,700 Arkansas retailers soon won’t be able to serve SNAP-recipient customers because of the Democrat’s shutdown. Democrats need to do their job and stop punishing families and small businesses.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
SNAP doesn’t just serve families &#8211; it helps small town grocery stores too. But 2,700 Arkansas retailers soon won’t be able to serve SNAP-recipient customers because of the Democrat’s shutdown.
Democrats need to do their job and stop punishing families and small businesses. <a href="https://t.co/K6voNWJ380">pic.twitter.com/K6voNWJ380</a>
— Sarah Huckabee Sanders (@SarahHuckabee) <a href="https://twitter.com/SarahHuckabee/status/1982811058571006116?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2025</a></blockquote>
<div>As the shutdown continues, President Donald Trump is working to ensure U.S. troops remain paid. He signed an executive order directing the Pentagon to repurpose unused funds to cover salaries in the interim. Trump also obtained a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/we-now-know-mystery-donor-who-gave-130-million-to-pay-troops-during-schumer-shutdown?author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=We+Now+Know+Mystery+Donor+Who+Gave+%24130+Million+To+Pay+Troops+During+‘Schumer+Shutdown’">$130 million donation</a> from a &#8220;patriotic friend,&#8221; which reports indicate is Timothy Mellon, a billionaire railroad magnate and heir to the prominent banking and political Mellon family.</div>
“Chuck Schumer recently said, ‘Every day gets better’ during their Radical Left Shutdown. I DISAGREE!” Trump posted to Truth Social last week, as <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/get-our-troops-paid-trump-says-he-wont-let-military-suffer-due-to-dem-shutdown" target="_blank" rel="noopener">highlighted</a> by The Daily Wire.
“If nothing is done, because of ‘Leader’ Chuck Schumer and the Democrats, our Brave Troops will miss the paychecks they are rightfully due on October 15th,” he continued. “That is why I am using my authority, as Commander in Chief, to direct our Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to use all available funds to get our Troops PAID on October 15th.”
“I will not allow the Democrats to hold our Military, and the entire Security of our Nation, HOSTAGE, with their dangerous Government Shutdown,” Trump added.
<div>Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/maha-another-republican-state-bans-candy-soda-purchases-with-food-stamps?author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=MAHA%3A+Another+Republican+State+Bans+Candy%2C+Soda+Purchases+With+Food+Stamps">MAHA: Another Republican State Bans Candy, Soda Purchases With Food Stamps</a></div>

US-POLITICS-TRUMP-CONGRESS

Food Stamps Won’t Be Issued Nov 1 Because Of ‘Senate Democrats,’ USDA Says

Congress

Food

Government Shutdown

Politics

Senate Democrats

USDA

WASHINGTON — Major pilots associations are calling on Congress to end the government shutdown, citing the &#8220;strain&#8221; on the United States aviation system as the shutdown drags into its twenty-fourth day.
During Thursday&#8217;s White House Press Briefing, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt highlighted that the Thanksgiving holiday is approaching, warning that the White House fears &#8220;there will be significant flight delays, disruptions and cancellations across the country this holiday season.&#8221;
&#8220;If Democrats continue to shut down the government, they will also be shutting down American air travel,&#8221; Leavitt warned. There are about 13,000 air traffic controllers who are considered &#8220;essential&#8221; workers and are currently working without pay due to the shutdown. TSA agents are also having to work without pay.
The Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (which represents 11,000 Southwest Airlines pilots), the Airline Pilots Association (which represents 80,000 pilots), <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/10/23/pilot-unions-congress-government-shutdown/86857014007/">the Allied Pilots Association</a> (which represents 16,000 American Airlines pilots), and the <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/10/23/pilot-unions-congress-government-shutdown/86857014007/">NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots</a> (which represents 3,700 pilots who fly for the private company NetJets) are all issuing statements begging lawmakers to end the shutdown ahead of the holidays.
The Southwest Airlines Pilots Association and the Airline Pilots Association put out public statements, while USA Today <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/10/23/pilot-unions-congress-government-shutdown/86857014007/">reported</a> that NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots and the Allied Pilots Association both called for the shutdown to end as well. Additionally, the Regional Airline Association (RAA) and the Modern Skies Coalition spoke out against the shutdown in late September.
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“Considering the strain on our nation’s aviation system, SWAPA strongly urges Congress to pass a clean Continuing Resolution to fund the government,” said Captain Jody Reven, the president of Southwest Airlines Pilot Association (SWAPA).
“Our air traffic controllers and the broader air traffic system are already operating under immense pressure — a government shutdown only compounds that stress and threatens the efficiency of our skies as we see the impact of reduced controller availability at facilities across the country,&#8221; he added. &#8220;Likewise, TSA professionals continue to show up every day to safeguard the traveling public, even without pay. These men and women deserve our full support and the certainty of a paycheck.”
&#8220;We have seen the stress and tension this year on the National Airspace System due to short-staffed air traffic controllers,&#8221; <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/10/23/pilot-unions-congress-government-shutdown/86857014007/">argued</a> the Coalition of Airline Pilot Associations in a statement to USA Today. &#8220;This shutdown only compounds the pressures they face as they now report to work without a paycheck.&#8221;
The Air Line Pilots Association also said this week that the shutdown is &#8220;undermining our system&#8217;s safety.&#8221;
&#8220;Resources are stretched thin, negotiations delayed tech &amp; strain grows daily,&#8221; the association said in an X post. &#8220;Show your solidarity with those still on the job—ATC, TSA, techs—keeping aviation safe without pay. It’s time for Congress to end the shutdown.&#8221;
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This shutdown is undermining our system’s safety. Resources are stretched thin, negotiations delayed tech &amp; strain grows daily. Show your solidarity with those still on the job—ATC, TSA, techs—keeping aviation safe without pay. It’s time for Congress to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EndTheShutdown?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EndTheShutdown</a>. <a href="https://t.co/TXFRiUcrOy">pic.twitter.com/TXFRiUcrOy</a>
— Air Line Pilots Association (@ALPAPilots) <a href="https://twitter.com/ALPAPilots/status/1980715753478259120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
On Thursday morning, White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers stressed to The Daily Wire that Democrats believe they are benefitting from the shutdown — and thus refuse to end it.
“Democrats say that every day of the shutdown gets better and that they want to use suffering families as leverage to achieve their radical left-wing agenda — but the people they’re using as ‘leverage’ disagree,&#8221; Rogers said. &#8220;From pilots to flight attendants and air traffic controllers, their message is simple: the Democrats need to stop causing chaos and end the shutdown.”

Landing in sunset hues, airplane landing at sunrise.

Major Pilots Associations Call On Congress To End Government Shutdown

Department of Transportation

Pilots

U.S.

A Democratic candidate for Congress once boasted about her record of supporting “no new taxes” as mayor of Scranton, Pennsylvania, even as city taxes have steadily climbed during her tenure.
Ready to move on from city politics, Mayor Paige Cognetti is running to unseat Rep. Rob Bresnahan (R-PA), who represents Pennsylvania’s 8th Congressional District. Cognetti&#8217;s record on taxation is drawing criticism from her opponents, who note that property taxes have jumped multiple times during her time in office, despite complaints from residents. 
Cognetti was first elected as mayor of Scranton during a special election in November 2019 and took office on January 6, 2020. By January 28, the city <a href="https://scrantonpa.gov/docs/council_agendas/2020/2020-01-28%20Minutes.pdf">adopted</a> a 2.47% property tax increase. According to the Times-Tribune, that increase, which was first proposed by the previous mayor, was also <a href="https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/2020/01/23/scranton-annual-trash-fee-to-remain-at-300-in-2020/">authorized</a> by the Cognetti administration.
A year-and-a-half later when running for her first full term in office in May 2021, Cognetti released a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSHWzx9_rgg">campaign ad</a> which claims she “fought new taxes” and guided the city to a “budget surplus with no new taxes.”
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After winning re-election, property taxes increased under Cognetti in both 2023 and 2024. Both those hikes were about 2%, but could have been higher if Cognetti had her way. Her administration wanted taxes to increase by 3.5% in 2024, the Times-Tribune <a href="https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/2024/02/10/more-than-a-quarter-of-lackawanna-county-municipalities-hiked-taxes-in-2024/">reported</a>.
Cognetti recently <a href="https://www.audacy.com/podcast/the-morning-news-with-nancy-and-jason-f6d87/episodes/speaking-with-scranton-mayor-paige-cognetti-after-her-victory-in-yesterdays-primary-election-58cad?fbclid=IwY2xjawNQuN9leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFiNVZDckJhZHhHYlE0bGF4AR70dGDQugnDK2Lgk-0TSIyqfypbLtvKzl60HOuBSrj_LdIpYl7xmBrAiy6mmA_aem_k3AZXVPpEUXZFvwxIXMvCA">discussed</a> these hikes on local radio, saying that they were increases that residents could handle. 
“Over five years, we&#8217;ve increased taxes twice, about 2% each time. Those are responsible increases and there&#8217;s things that people can manage,” she said on the “Morning News with Nancy and Jason.”  “We don’t play politics with people&#8217;s finances. We don’t pretend for years that we don’t need to raise our taxes and then let somebody else do it years later.”  
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At the time the 2024 hike was being considered, some residents of Scranton voiced concerns about not being able to handle the increase.
&#8220;Look at it for senior citizens. I&#8217;m like 72 years old. Where am I going to get the money from on a fixed income? This is not good,&#8221; Gerry Dombroski <a href="https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/lackawanna-county/proposed-tax-hike-in-scrantons-2024-budget/523-74c54dcf-4db0-4b24-8d24-cc47884f4d9d">told</a> a local ABC affiliate.
Prior to taking office, Cognetti <a href="https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/2019/11/09/cognetti-faces-major-hurdles-as-scranton-mayor/">said</a> that she would fight to lower the city’s income tax, which is 2.4%. She called that rate &#8220;unbelievable,&#8221; comparing it to New York City where &#8220;at least you get a subway.&#8221; That tax has not budged during her over five and a half years in office. 
National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Reilly Richardson said that Cognetti’s record on taxation shows that she is a “political opportunist.” 
“Political opportunist Paige Cognetti raised taxes on hardworking Scranton families then lied about it,” he told The Daily Wire. “Cognetti is too dishonest and too expensive to be mayor, much less a Member of Congress.”
The critical northeastern Pennsylvania race could come down to the wire. Bresnahan only won his last election by about 6,000 votes out of 385,000 cast.

Sen. Bob Casey Holds His Election Night Event In Scranton

Taxes Have Jumped Under Dem Congressional Candidate Despite ‘No New Taxes’ Boast

2026 Midterms

Elections

Pennsylvania

Taxes

As speculation mounts that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will soon announce her retirement, one California lawmaker is wasting no time entering the succession race.
California State Senator Scott Wiener announced his candidacy Wednesday, hours after <a href="https://www.politico.com/playbook" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Politico</a> reported that Pelosi may announce her retirement soon after California votes on a controversial redistricting proposal. Wiener, who’s considered one of the most outspoken leftist members of the California State Legislature, did not name Pelosi in his campaign launch video.
“My family escaped fascism in Europe. I never thought the United States would slip into fascism like we’re seeing today,” Wiener said. “San Francisco has always been on the right side of history.”
“Join me now, before everything we believe in is lost for good,” he continued.
Wiener’s bid comes as Democrats continue to debate the concept of letting younger candidates pave the way for the party. Numerous reports surfaced earlier this year about whether Pelosi would run again. Pelosi, who is 85 years old, has been in Congress since 1987. Wiener is 55.
Some of the major campaign points on Wiener&#8217;s campaign website include LGBT issues and countering the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
“He authored the nation’s first LGBTQ refuge law, and expanded privacy protections to prevent harassment and targeting against transgender and nonbinary people. As Senate Budget Chair, he secured $15 million in state funds to cover gender affirming healthcare that Trump is attempting to cut from Medicaid,” his <a href="https://www.scottwiener.com/priorities" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a> states, as Wiener’s campaign logo also features a pride flag.
“When masked agents began disappearing people off the street in San Francisco, he passed first of its kind legislation to unmask them. In Congress, he will lead the charge to protect our immigrant neighbors and get ICE OUT OF CALIFORNIA!!!,” Wiener’s site says about immigration.
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The anti-masking ICE bill was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) in September and will take effect in January. However, the legislation has raised questions about how it could be legally enforced, given that it pertains to federal officers.
“Good news for Americans and public safety: [ICE] and [DHS] law enforcement are part of the federal government,” Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in September after the bill was signed. “We don’t need to abide by this garbage.”
It’s unclear whether Wiener&#8217;s announcement will set off a major primary battle should Pelosi opt to retire. San Francisco has made national headlines in recent days as President Donald Trump considers deploying the National Guard to the city, which state leaders have said will be met with lawsuits. Earlier this week, DHS Assistant Secretary Kristi Noem announced that the city will be a focus of the administration’s ICE efforts.
“We continue to have targeted operations in many, many cities, but also very focused on those where challenges are still remaining, such as Portland, Chicago, we’re in Memphis as well, we’re going to San Francisco at the direction of the president as well,” Noem said, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-to-target-san-francisco-with-immigration-raids" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> reported.

House Dems Save Healthcare Presser

Pro Trans Leftist Launches Bid For Pelosi’s Seat Before She Has A Chance To Announce Retirement

California

Democrats

Nancy Pelosi

Scott Wiener

President Donald Trump on Tuesday essentially offered Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s political eulogy, saying he’s “mentally gone” and has been “beat up by young radical lunatics.”
When asked if the Democratic Party was now more New York Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani’s party than Schumer’s or House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’, Trump answered, “Probably is. Maybe he’ll run for president in four years; you’ll have a communist president. That would be interesting.”
“I don’t see it happening,” he continued. “I’ve always said, ‘You will never see — and I’ve always talked to you about socialism — you will never see a socialist so and so — and I was right. I say it in speeches: ‘We will not have socialism in our country,’ and I was right.”
“He’s a communist, and he’s gonna be, maybe the mayor of New York &#8230; I would say he would be the leader of the party,” Trump continued.
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Turning to Schumer, he said, “It’s not Schumer. Schumer’s shot, he’s shot. This poor guy. I feel sorry for him. I’ve known him for a long time, but he’s — I think he’s mentally gone. He’s been beat up by young radical lunatics. And I think that Chuck Schumer is — he’s gonzo. I really do. I think he’s probably not going to run. It shows that he’s losing in every poll. Now, this is hard. You know, he wants to meet with me. Sort of hard to be with the guy after I make a statement like that, but I’m just giving you the facts. I think Chuck is probably finished.”
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Trump is far from the only person contending that Schumer has capitulated to the far-Left wing of his party: Last week, Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), the Senate Majority Whip, bluntly stated that Schumer was beholden to the radicals in his party, <a href="https://www.barrasso.senate.gov/barrasso-the-radicals-hold-the-reins-of-todays-democrat-party/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">saying</a> on the Senate floor:
<blockquote>
Here’s a headline from Politico: “Chuck Schumer’s critics are satisfied – for now.” The article goes on to quote the head of a far-left activist group called Indivisible. This group is organizing Saturday’s radical rally. The leader of this far-left group says of the Minority Leader, “He hasn’t surrendered yet. I call that progress, and we’re cheering him on now.” Seven months ago, that same person had a very different message for the Minority Leader. That same person said, “Senator Schumer should step aside as leader. Every Democrat in the Senate should call for him to do so.” So what changed? Well, Senator Schumer started toeing the line of the far-left group. He shut down the government in spite of the fact that 13 times when Joe Biden was president he voted for a clean continuing resolution to keep the government open. What changed? Well, the Minority Leader is now a puppet of the radical, extreme, dangerous, scary wing of his party.
He huddled with far-left activist groups for months before the shutdown. They orchestrated the Schumer Shutdown together. They organized a war room. They’re calling the tune. Senator Schumer even gloated to Punchbowl News: “We thought about this long in advance.” This is a premeditated, political game for Senator Schumer and the Democrats.
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MixCollage-22-Oct-2025-10-39-AM-9770

Schumer’s Political Obituary? Trump Says ‘He’s Mentally Gone…He’s Gonzo’

Charles Schumer

Donald Trump

Executive

Zohran Mamdani

Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner addressed a tattoo on his chest that critics have slammed as being linked to Nazi imagery, as a flurry of controversial social media posts resurfaced.
In a Monday interview with “Pod Save America,” Platner encouraged the hosts to play a video of himself lip-syncing to Miley Cyrus’s “Wrecking Ball” while shirtless at his brother’s wedding a decade ago. The video revealed that Platner has a tattoo of a black skull and crossbones on his chest. The design is known as the Totenkopf or “Death’s Head,” which was used as a symbol for the SS during the Nazi regime, according to the Anti-Defamation League.
“I am not a secret Nazi,” Platner told Pod Save America. “Actually, if you read through my Reddit comments I think you can pretty much figure out where I stand on Nazism and antisemitism and racism in general. I would say, lifelong opponent.”
Platner explained that he got the tattoo while on deployment as a Marine while “very inebriated” on leave in Croatia, and “we chose a terrifying-looking skull and crossbones off the wall” at the tattoo parlor.
“We got those and then we all moved on with our lives,” he added, saying that he was screened without issues when he later joined the Army, obtained security clearance, and worked as a State Department contractor without issue.
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“And I’ve also just lived my entire life like a regular person with a skull and crossbones on their chest,” he said, joking about the “Wrecking Ball” clip.
“At no point in this entire experience of my life not once did anybody say ‘Hey, you’re a Nazi.’ It never came up, until we got wind that in the opposition research somebody was shopping the idea that I was secret Nazi with a hidden Nazi tattoo. And I can honestly say that if I was trying to hide it, I have not been doing a very good job for the past 18 years,” he added.
The tattoo received some negative responses from critics on social media, including on the Left.
“No skeletons in his closet, just an apparent Nazi logo on his chest,” MSNBC anchor Catherine Rampell posted to X.
“Gonna be hard to erase this one, literally and figuratively,” The Bulwark’s Sam Stein wrote.
Platner is currently in a primary against Maine’s Democratic Governor, Janet Mills. The winner of that race will face incumbent Senator Susan Collins (R) in one of the most competitive races in the country. Various old Reddit posts of his resurfaced last week, including “I got older and became a communist.”
“The fact that I have managed to go from Communist to Nazi in the space of four days, according to the people who are trying to, whatever, do this to me, I find to be quite a spectacular turn of events,” Platner added in the podcast interview.
Other posts included him saying that, “Bastards. Cops are bastards. All of them, in fact.” The candidate has attempted to turn the tables on the news cycle, sharing other past Reddit posts condemning “misogyny and homophobia in the Marines,” he wrote in a recent X post.
Last week, the National Republican Senatorial Committee torched the posts from Platner.
“Graham Platner is a communist who supports violence against Republicans to promote his radical agenda. These posts are not just him messing around on the internet as he is trying to claim, they paint a very dark picture of a candidate not fit for office,” Samantha Cantrell, NRSC Regional Press Secretary, told The Daily Wire at the time.
The Daily Wire reached out to Platner’s campaign for comment.

Maine

Maine Senate Candidate Downplays SS Skull Tattoo: ‘I Am Not A Secret Nazi.’

graham platner

janet mills

Senate

Susan Collins

Senator Ted Cruz has thrown his support behind a measure to prevent noncitizens from voting in American elections.
The Texas Republican on Tuesday wrote a comment letter along with Congressman Eli Crane in support of America First Legal Foundation’s petition to the Election Assistance Commission to require voters present documentary proof of citizenship in order to register to vote in federal elections.
“Unfortunately, the current federal form falls short of that mandate,&#8221; the lawmakers write in the letter, a copy of which was exclusively obtained by The Daily Wire. &#8220;It relies solely on self-attestation of citizenship, allowing an applicant merely to check a box under penalty of perjury. This ‘honor system’ offers no meaningful safeguard against ineligible individuals registering to vote.&#8221;
“Requiring documentary proof of citizenship is a simple, common-sense reform. Just as Americans are asked to show identification for far less consequential activities—boarding an airplane, opening a bank account, or even attending certain events—it is entirely reasonable to require proof of citizenship to participate in our elections. This step would not burden eligible voters but would provide an essential check to ensure that only citizens are added to the voter rolls,” the letter continues.
The letter is co-signed by a long list of Republicans in both chambers, including Sens. Ted Budd, Jim Banks, Roger Marshall, Cindy Hyde-Smith, Bernie Moreno, John Cornyn, Ron Johnson and Marsha Blackburn. On the House side, Reps. Andy Harris, Barry Moore, W. Gregory Steube, Andy Biggs, Byron Donalds, Clay Higgins, Mary Miller, Ronny Jackson, Derek Schmidt, Riley Moore and Pat Fallon signed on.
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A handful of states have laws on the books requiring people to go beyond just checking a box, including Arizona, which was once the only state that had a law requiring the practice.
“We submitted formal comments to the EAC explaining our perspective on this issue and experience implementing and administering a DPOC requirement. Arizona is no longer the only state that requires DPOC, but we are the only state that has been doing this for over 2 decades and have fully implemented a program that anticipates all impacts on voters,” Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes’ office told The Daily Wire in an email.
“For Arizona, this issue is difficult both for voters and election administrators, and comes with significant logistical and resource demands,” the email continued.
If successful, the<a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/08/21/2025-15930/petition-of-america-first-legal-foundation-for-rulemaking-before-the-election-assistance-commission" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> petition</a> would require people to verify that they are a citizen with options such as a passport, a “Real-ID” through their state, military ID, or another type of photo identification from the government that affirms the person registering is a citizen of the United States.
“The right to vote is one of the most fundamental privileges of American citizenship and protecting that right requires a system that is both secure and trustworthy,” the letter stated.

Senate-hearing-on-Trump-assassination-attempt

Ted Cruz Throws Support Behind Plan To Keep Noncitizens From Voting

Voter Registration

Voting

President Donald Trump commuted the sentence of former GOP Rep. George Santos on Friday, releasing the disgraced former lawmaker from prison “IMMEDIATELY.”
Trump announced his decision on Santos in a <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115391767709119144">post</a> on Truth Social, comparing Santos’ situation to that of Democrat Sen. Richard Blumenthal. The president observed that in Santos’ case, “at least Santos had the Courage, Conviction, and Intelligence to ALWAYS VOTE REPUBLICAN!”
“As everyone remembers, ‘Da Nang’ stated for almost twenty years that he was a proud Vietnam Veteran, having endured the worst of the War, watching the Wounded and Dead as he raced up the hills and down the valleys, blood streaming from his face,” Trump wrote, referring to Blumenthal, who has falsely <a href="https://www.vfw.org/media-and-events/latest-releases/archives/2010/5/vfw-demands-an-apology-from-blumenthal">claimed</a> to be a Vietnam veteran.
“He was ‘a Great Hero,’ he would leak to any and all who would listen — And then it happened! He was a COMPLETE AND TOTAL FRAUD. He never went to Vietnam, he never saw Vietnam, he never experienced the Battles there, or anywhere else. His War Hero status, and even minimal service in our Military, was totally and completely MADE UP,” Trump wrote.
The president noted that Blumenthal’s stolen valor “is far worse than what George Santos did.”
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Trump’s gesture of mercy toward Santos came after friends of the disgraced ex-congressman lobbied the president for leniency on Santos’ behalf, according to <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/10/17/trump-george-santos-prison-commutation.html">NBC News</a>. Santos also wrote an open letter to Trump earlier this week asking for a review of his case. The letter was published on Monday in <a href="https://southshorepress.com/stories/675756835-santos-in-solitary-a-passionate-plea-to-president-trump">The South Shore Press</a>.
“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!” Trump wrote.
Santos was elected to his one and only term in Congress in 2022. He served in the role for less than a year before becoming the sixth member to be expelled from the body in the history of the United States. Lawmakers <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/12/01/gop-rep-george-santos-faces-expulsion-vote-in-house.html">voted</a> 311-114 to oust Santos in December 2023 after a GOP-led House Ethics Committee report accused Santos of stealing campaign donors’ money to spend on Botox, OnlyFans, and other items.
Santos began an 87-month federal prison sentence in July after pleading guilty to aggravated identity theft and wire fraud charges related to his 2022 campaign.

George Santos

Trump Commutes Sentence Of Former GOP Rep George Santos

Crime

Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner is under scrutiny for a series of resurfaced social media posts in which he declares himself a “communist” and denigrates cops and white people.
CNN’s KFile uncovered the Reddit posts from Platner, who is facing off against Gov. Janet Mills in the Democratic primary, the winner of which will take on Republican Senator Susan Collins.
“I got older and became a communist,” Platner, a veteran and oyster farmer, wrote on a Reddit forum dubbed “antiwork” in 2021, according to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/16/politics/kfile-graham-platner-maine-senate-candidate-deleted-reddit-posts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN</a>. He also said he was a “vegetable growing, psychedelics taking social these days” in a United States Marine Corps subreddit that same year, saying that he “still got the guns though, I don’t trust the facsists [sic] these days,” citing his past military experience in the post.
“Living in white rural America, I’m afraid to tell you they actually are,” the Democrat said about white Americans.
“Bastards. Cops are bastards. All of them, in fact,” Platner said in another post.
<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/10/16/maine-senate-candidate-promoted-violent-political-action-in-since-deleted-online-posts-00613037" target="_blank" rel="noopener">POLITICO</a> reported that Platner wrote other Reddit posts in 2018 suggesting that “an armed working class is a requirement for economic justice” and said that a “good semi-automatic rifle” would be expected in order to successfully “fight fascism.”
In addition, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/10/17/graham-platner-sexual-assault-comments-senate-midterms/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Washington Post</a> reported multiple posts he made to Reddit in 2013 regarding sexual assault, including in the military.
“Rape is a real thing. If you’re so worried about it to buy Kevlar underwear you’d think you might not get blacked out f***ed up around people you aren’t comfortable with,” he wrote.
“In today’s current climate, when every whisper of a misplaced hand brings down a feature length film, anyone who actually thinks the military is purposefully covering up rape to save the career of some god damn [captain], is clearly both an idiot and junior enough in rank or life experience to think it matters,” Platner wrote.
<a href="https://www.bangordailynews.com/2025/10/17/politics/elections/graham-platner-black-people-tipping-rape-reference-reddit-posts/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bangor Daily News</a> on Friday uncovered more of Platner’s Reddit posts, from 2013, in which he calls black people cheap.
“I work as a bartender and it always amazes me how solid this stereotype is,” Platner wrote. “Every now and again a black patron will leave a 15-20% tip, but usually it [is] between 0-5%. There’s got to be a reason behind it, what is it?”
The candidate said that the posts circulating do not reflect who he is today.
“As I told CNN, I was f***ing around on the internet at a time when I felt lost and very disillusioned with our government who sent me overseas to watch my friends die,” Platner told POLITICO. “I made dumb jokes and picked fights. But of course I’m not a socialist. I’m a small business owner, a Marine Corps veteran, and a retired s***poster.”
However, Republicans have raised concerns about the candidate’s past comments.
“Graham Platner is a communist who supports violence against Republicans to promote his radical agenda. These posts are not just him messing around on the internet as he is trying to claim, they paint a very dark picture of a candidate not fit for office,” Samantha Cantrell, NRSC Regional Press Secretary, told The Daily Wire in response to the reports on the Democrat.
The Daily Wire reached out to the Platner campaign for comment.

Reddit

Dem Senate Hopeful Called Himself A Communist, Made Racist Comments In Reddit Posts

2026 election

After Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) joined Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) on a CNN town hall to discuss the government shutdown—and repeatedly attacked House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) while issuing demands for President Donald Trump to meet—Johnson fired back, “With every ounce of Christian character that I can muster &#8230; bless her heart.”
Ocasio-Cortez accused Johnson of “choosing to punish the American people,” declaring that she would not “enable it by acquiescing and enabling the behavior of bullies.” She added, “So it ends today,” and warned, “If I were Mike Johnson, you should be in that office negotiating with Hakeem Jeffries every damn day until we reopen this government.” Ocasio-Cortez also demanded, “I will not accept a measly one-year extension of the ACA,” and argued that “health care is a human right &#8230; the minimum wage should be a living wage in this country &#8230; [and] public colleges and universities should be tuition-free.”
“Does AOC, does she have both oars in the water here, thinking that the president is going to bow down to these demands?” Fox News’ Laura Ingraham asked Johnson.
“With every ounce of Christian character that I can muster, Laura, let me just say, bless her heart,” Johnson replied. “This would be comical if it were not so dangerous. You’re looking at the two leaders of the modern Democratic Party. We say all the time, ‘This is not your father‘s party.’ It’s not. These guys are full Marxists. You hear how vapid their ideology is; what empty suits they are.”
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“But they are the leaders of the party,” he continued. “They are dragging the rest of the old guard, the old party leaders, around by the nose, and they are subservient to their wishes. Chuck Schumer has picked a fight over this very simple clean CR to just keep the government funded for 21 additional days, till November 21, seven more weeks, so we can get this appropriations process done. And the reason he did it is because he’s afraid of that voice you just heard on that stage. He’s afraid AOC  is going to challenge him.”
“There’s a rise of Marxism in the party; it’s happening in New York, in their state, and he’s terrified. That’s why everybody around the country is feeling such pain right now, because of this nonsense,” he concluded.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨“Bless her heart.”
“This would be comical if it weren’t so dangerous. <a href="https://twitter.com/AOC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AOC</a> and her fellow Marxists are dragging the Democratic Party into chaos while Schumer panics to keep his job.” — <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpeakerJohnson</a> <a href="https://t.co/DdGQ3pAcfN">pic.twitter.com/DdGQ3pAcfN</a>
— Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) <a href="https://twitter.com/IngrahamAngle/status/1978972928789073984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
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MixCollage-17-Oct-2025-11-26-AM-4521

‘Bless Her Heart’: Speaker Johnson Torches AOC After She Attacks Him, Makes Demands On Trump

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Bernie Sanders

House Speaker

Marxism

Mike Johnson

Senator Susan Collins has an unlikely new supporter: Maine Governor Janet Mills, who&#8217;s running against Collins in a contentious race.
The group One Nation on Thursday released an ad that features Mills, a Democrat, praising her Republican opponent just last month.
“I appreciate everything she is doing,&#8221; Mills says in the clip, which comes from a press availability Mills held on Sept. 8 in Waterville, Maine, according to a video posted to the YouTube channel<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-45V9I3AQzg"> Central Maine</a>.
“She’s in a tough position. I appreciate everything she is doing,” she says when asked by a reporter if she thinks Collins is doing enough to counter President Donald Trump on tariffs and other aspects of his agenda.
“Everyone agrees: Sen. Susan Collins is getting results,&#8221; the <a href="https://x.com/OneNationOrg/status/1978796064196210989">ad</a> says.
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The Daily Wire reached out to the Mills campaign for comment. The governor made national headlines over her public disagreement at the White House with Trump over women’s sports.
“I’ll comply with state and federal law,” Mills said in response to Trump asking, “Is Maine here? The governor of Maine? Are you not going to comply with it?”
“We are the federal law,’ Trump said,<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-spars-with-maines-dem-governor-over-men-in-womens-sports-at-white-house"> The Daily Wire</a> reported at the time. “You better do it. Because you’re not going to get any federal funding at all if you don’t. And by the way, your population, even though it is somewhat liberal although I did very well there. Your population doesn’t want men playing in women’s sports. You better comply because otherwise you’re not getting any federal funding.”
“We’ll see you in court,” the governor can be heard saying.
“Good, I’ll see you in court,” the president replied. “I look forward to that, that should be a real easy one. And enjoy your life after governor, because I don’t think you’ll be in elected politics.”
Mills touted in a recent X post that,”When Donald Trump tried to strong-arm me, I told him see you in court. So I did. And we won.”
The Cook Political Report currently ranks the race as a “toss-up” along with the Senate races in North Carolina, Georgia, and Michigan.
Collins won her fifth term during the 2020 election, in which she defeated Democrat Sara Gideon, who won just over 42% of the vote compared with Collins pulling roughly 51%.
Graham Platner is also in the Democratic primary alongside Mills, and is currently facing controversy for now-deleted social media posts where he said he was a “communist,” according to<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/16/politics/kfile-graham-platner-maine-senate-candidate-deleted-reddit-posts"> CNN</a>.

WHOOPS: New Ad Features Maine Democrat Governor Janet Mills Praising GOP Opponent Susan Collins

The Democratic Party may be regretting a Wednesday night town hall that saw CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins moderating as Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) — both of whom identify as Democratic socialists — fielded questions from the public about the ongoing government shutdown.
Collins pressed Sanders on his own previous statements — namely that government shutdowns were &#8220;dangerous&#8221; to the American people because they put at risk not just those who worked for the federal government and might be furloughed, but also anyone who depended on services provided by the federal government in their daily lives.
Quoting Sanders directly, Collins said he&#8217;d referred to shutting down the government as &#8220;a serious and dangerous action that we must do everything possible to prevent,&#8221; before asking, &#8220;What would you say to people who are missing their paychecks about why it&#8217;s worth it now?&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🤔 <a href="https://t.co/04CRYe4N5y">https://t.co/04CRYe4N5y</a> <a href="https://t.co/KIRQdiFH4Y">pic.twitter.com/KIRQdiFH4Y</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1978631136931656039?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Sanders, who has repeatedly voted against the clean continuing resolution that would reopen the government, claimed that he and other Democrats would &#8220;do everything they can&#8221; to get the government reopened quickly.
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Collins then asked Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez to explain what the end of the shutdown looked like to them — and they laughed off the idea of taking President Donald Trump and Republicans at their word that health care would be up for negotiations. Instead, Ocasio-Cortez made it clear that she wouldn&#8217;t vote to reopen the government — despite the fact that the CR in question has already passed the House in spite of her no vote — until she saw legislation guaranteeing what she wanted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
These losers — the leaders of the Democrat Party — are not serious people. They don&#8217;t have any clue what they&#8217;re talking about other than demanding free health care for illegals to vote to re-open the government.
Shame on them. <a href="https://t.co/IdygxnEB8r">pic.twitter.com/IdygxnEB8r</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1978633289742045298?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
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One question from a young woman in the audience pertained to social media messaging – and why Republicans seemed to be more effective at getting their points across. After a brief moment in which Sanders appeared to freeze like a deer in headlights, he claimed that Republicans were more effective in their messaging because their &#8220;friends&#8221; owned the big tech companies and controlled much of legacy media.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Crazy Bernie thinks Republicans are more &#8220;effective&#8221; at messaging on social media than Democrats because tech companies and the mainstream media are in the tank for us.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 <a href="https://t.co/eHDjDdKjsm">pic.twitter.com/eHDjDdKjsm</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1978635415507644451?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Sanders went on to claim — with encouragement from Ocasio-Cortez — that President Donald Trump was ordering Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers to enforce federal immigration policy because he wanted legal citizens to live in fear that they, too, could be plucked off the streets without any notice.
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Crazy Bernie says ICE raids — in which some of the most dangerous criminals on earth have been taken off American streets — are “about a movement toward authoritarianism.”
Absolutely deranged. <a href="https://t.co/wUoaPsrk9v">pic.twitter.com/wUoaPsrk9v</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1978640477168578733?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Things only got worse for Sanders after that, when a member of the audience — student Rohan Naval — asked him to explain how the shutdown would ultimately reflect on Senator Chuck Schumer&#8217;s (D-NY) leadership.
&#8220;I think it reflects more on [House Speaker] Mike Johnson&#8217;s leadership,&#8221; Sanders replied, failing to mention the fact that Johnson had gotten the clean CR passed in his chamber. &#8220;And President Trump&#8217;s leadership. This is a leadership that said it&#8217;s okay to — well, how do you feel? You tell me. Do you think it&#8217;s a good idea to give a trillion dollars in tax breaks to the richest people in the country and then make massive cuts to health care for working-class people?&#8221;
&#8220;I think Chuck Schumer has voted for continuing resolutions 13 times in the last four years, and he has the opportunity to vote for one again, but he‘s refusing to come to the table,&#8221; Naval responded.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Crazy Bernie just got wrecked on national television 🤣 <a href="https://t.co/G5Emm2gY6v">pic.twitter.com/G5Emm2gY6v</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1978641695760662647?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;As I have said, there are 53 Republicans in the Senate, correct? They need 60. What does that mean? It means you have to talk to the other side. Mike Johnson is not talking. John Thune is not talking. President Trump is not talking. That is the problem,&#8221; Sanders complained — but thus far, Democrats have not proposed compromises, and have instead made a list of demands that would undo provisions of duly passed legislation (the Big Beautiful Bill in particular) that they dislike.

Bernie Sanders And Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Hold “Fighting Oligarchy” Rally In L.A.

Democrats Send Least Effective Messengers Possible To Defend Shutdown Stand-Off

Chuck Schumer

Schumer Shutdown

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