Self-described &#8220;working class&#8221; Democrat congressional hopeful Hanna Trudo was exposed after conservative podcast hosts discovered her Ferrari ownership and membership on a millionaire dating site.
Trudo, a former journalist for The Daily Beast, Politico, and The Hill, announced her potential congressional run for New Hampshire&#8217;s first district in early May, <a href="https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook/2025/05/05/trade-deal-done-00326237">claiming</a> that she grew up in a &#8220;working-class&#8221; family that received heating assistance.
&#8220;Like many families, we received heating assistance at times to get through our freezing winters. While my mom was not able to go to college or buy a home due to the high cost of living, she worked tirelessly as a public school Title 1 reading aide,&#8221; Trudo <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14717429/hanna-trudo-new-hampshire-congress-ruthless-podcast.html">wrote</a> in her campaign announcement, according to the Daily Mail.
The hosts of the conservative &#8220;Ruthless&#8221; podcast began investigating Trudo&#8217;s background after she initially offered to appear on their show, but then reportedly ghosted producers for several weeks.
Their <a href="https://youtu.be/Xg9OTcuYbWU?si=O8vPlLnmNjj-Y49y&amp;t=1855">investigation</a> uncovered a profile on Luxy, an exclusive dating website that requires users to have a &#8220;verified annual income&#8221; exceeding $200,000 and describes itself as a platform where &#8220;only sophisticated, successful and people of quality join.&#8221;
According to Luxy’s <a href="https://www.onluxy.com/?srsltid=AfmBOooVjVCVtawXcSGEs8w38DpBCssuc0XIFQsH59HEaCS03pUnFnFI">website</a>, “60% of our members have a verified annual income of more than €200,000,” or $223,000, and “41% verified income greater than €1 million,” or $1.1 million.
On the dating profile featuring her name and photo, Trudo described herself as a &#8220;senior political correspondent, splitting my time between DC (weekdays), NYC, &amp; Miami (for fun).&#8221;
The podcast team also discovered that Trudo had posted an image of a Ferrari on social media, offering it for sale.
Trudo responded to the Daily Mail article on X, writing: “Sorry gentlemen, I like fashion AND Medicare for All! $15 minimum wage.”
“You can try and shame me into not running for NH1 because you hate progressives, but not for being a fabulous woman.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Sorry gentlemen, I like fashion AND Medicare for All! $15 minimum wage.
You can try and shame me into not running for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NH1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NH1</a> because you hate progressives, but not for being a fabulous woman
Live Free or Die <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nhpolitics?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#nhpolitics</a> <a href="https://t.co/7NxPKLSEAB">https://t.co/7NxPKLSEAB</a>
— Hanna Trudo (@HCTrudo) <a href="https://twitter.com/HCTrudo/status/1923397715305631775?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Trudo initially announced her interest in running for Congress with messaging focused heavily on working-class advocacy.
&#8220;I&#8217;m simply writing with the same fire I&#8217;ve spit for the past decade: Democrats must be better,&#8221; she <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/live-blog/trump-administration-nfl-draft-tariffs-immigration-doge-live-updates-rcna204587/rcrd78355?canonicalCard=true">wrote</a> in her campaign memo, per NBC News.
&#8220;Under Donald Trump’s off-brand of authoritarian politics, we are no longer free. Our First Amendment freedoms are being cruelly ripped away by Trump, Elon Musk and other obscenely rich, unelected tech lackeys who have contempt for us.&#8221;
She specifically cited Senator Bernie Sanders&#8217; (I-VT) failed presidential campaign as her inspiration to explore a run for office, <a href="https://x.com/HCTrudo/status/1915107197010272501">emphasizing</a> that &#8220;new blood matters alongside a working class agenda.&#8221;
Her announcement was met with amusement from conservative media outlets, who pointed to her candidacy as more evidence that many Washington, D.C., journalists harbor partisan Democratic leanings while claiming journalistic objectivity.
The Washington Free Beacon combed through Trudo’s tweets, revealing a “left-wing activist feed” convinced that America was &#8220;no longer free&#8221; under President Donald, in addition to less-than-objective headlines like “Sanders steps back into role as anti-oligarch crusader.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NEW: Hanna Trudo, a journalist who covered the Democratic Party for The Hill, is &#8220;exploring&#8221; a run for Congress in New Hampshire.
It seems redundant to mention that Trudo would be running as a Democrat, but there you have it.<a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewStilesUSA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AndrewStilesUSA</a> has reviewed Trudo’s social media… <a href="https://t.co/FPemlT9kKa">pic.twitter.com/FPemlT9kKa</a>
— Washington Free Beacon (@FreeBeacon) <a href="https://twitter.com/FreeBeacon/status/1919770960292429989?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2025</a></blockquote>
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New Hampshire&#8217;s first congressional district is currently represented by Democrat Rep. Chris Pappas, who announced that he is running for Senate in 2026.

US dollars

Dem Congressional Hopeful’s ‘Working Class’ Persona Crumbles After Lavish Lifestyle Exposed

2026 Midterms

Bernie Sanders

Democratic Party

Elections

Media Bias

New Hampshire

Politics

A Democratic National Committee panel voted Monday to void the election of David Hogg as vice chair after a complaint that his election violated gender parity rules. 
The DNC credentials panel voted 13-2 to invalidate the elections of Hogg and Vice Chair Malcolm Kenyatta because of a complaint that women had been discriminated against during the vote. In response, Hogg suggested that the DNC was retaliating against him based on his <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-dnc-leader-david-hogg-says-hell-push-primaries-against-some-in-his-own-party">calls</a> to primary members of his own party. 
&#8220;Today, the DNC took its first steps to remove me from my position as Vice Chair At-Large. While this vote was based on how the DNC conducted its officers’ elections, which I had nothing to do with, it is also impossible to ignore the broader context of my work to reform the party which loomed large over this vote,&#8221; Hogg said.
&#8220;I ran to be DNC Vice Chair to help make the Democratic Party better, not to defend an indefensible status quo that has caused voters in almost every demographic group to move away from us,” he added. “The DNC has pledged to remove me, and this vote has provided an avenue to fast-track that effort.” 
Credential panel member Christine Pelosi, daughter of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, <a href="https://x.com/sfpelosi/status/1922083770439803107" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claimed</a> that the vote had nothing to do with Hogg&#8217;s comments, only procedural violations. That position was echoed by Kenyatta, who said that any reporter wanting to make the story about Hogg was “full of s***.”
“The credentials committee believed, as they stated, that they are remedying a procedural flaw. But doing so the way they did, is a slap in my face. I’m frustrated, but I’ll be ok,” Kenyatta <a href="https://x.com/malcolmkenyatta/status/1922110524059275417" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> on X. “However any story about this, that neatly places this into a narrative about David Hogg is wrong. I worked my ass off to get this role and have done the job every day since I’ve held it.”
The decision came after vice chair candidate Kalyn Free <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dei-at-the-dnc-could-force-david-hogg-out-as-vice-chair" target="_blank" rel="noopener">argued</a> that the February vote resulting in Hogg’s and Keynatta’s election had “discriminated against three women of color candidates.” After a tied committee vote on the issue in February, further debate resulted in a final vote to void the election based on Free&#8217;s complaint. Hogg and Kenyatta will continue to be vice chairs until a full vote of the DNC. 
Hogg has drawn the ire of top Democratic officials after he promised to spend $20 million through his Leaders We Deserve organization in primary challenges against Democrats he believes are failing. DNC Chair Ken Martin <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dnc-chief-warns-david-hogg-if-you-challenge-dem-incumbents-leave-dnc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that he was fine if Hogg wanted to organize primary challenges, but not as a member of the DNC. 
&#8220;As I’ve said to him, ‘If you want to challenge incumbents, you’re more than free to do that, but just not as an officer of the DNC, because our job is to be neutral arbiters. We can’t be both the referee and also the player at the same time. You have to make a decision,&#8221; he said.

Fast Company Innovation Festival 2024 – September 17

David Hogg Gets Bad News From DNC After Vow To Primary Democrats

Celebrities

David Hogg

Democratic National Committee

Democrats

President Donald Trump blistered Democrats in Congress in a Monday morning post on X, citing the latest impeachment filing against him as proof that members of the opposition party had &#8220;lost everything, especially their minds!&#8221;
Trump laid out his thoughts in a lengthy post, arguing that those who would attempt to impeach him — again — were &#8220;total LOWLIFES&#8221; who had no interest in making the country better, only in attacking him for &#8220;cleaning up the MESS&#8221; left behind after four years under former President Joe Biden.
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The Democrats are really out of control. They have lost everything, especially their minds! These Radical Left Lunatics are into the “Impeachment thing” again. They have already got two “No Name,” little respected Congressmen, total Whackjobs both, throwing the “Impeachment” of…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1919396921593958754?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;The Democrats are really out of control. They have lost everything, especially their minds! These Radical Left Lunatics are into the &#8216;Impeachment thing&#8217; again,&#8221; Trump began, referencing impeachment articles filed by Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-MI). &#8220;They have already got two &#8216;No Name,&#8217; little respected Congressmen, total Whackjobs both, throwing the &#8216;Impeachment&#8217; of DONALD J. TRUMP around, for about the 20th time, even though they have no idea for what I would be Impeached.&#8221;
Thanedar&#8217;s filing, which came just ahead of the president marking his first 100 days in office, accused Trump of obstruction of justice, abuse of power, violation of power, bribery and corruption, citing the deportation of illegal alien gang member Kilmar Abrego-Garcia to his home country of El Salvador and claiming that the Department Of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was usurping congressional authority. Rep. Al Green (D-TX), who was censured for disrupting Trump&#8217;s address before a joint session of Congress, has also promised to introduce impeachment articles.
Trump went on to offer sarcastic suggestions as to possible reasons he might be facing yet another impeachment filing: &#8220;Maybe it should be for cleaning up the MESS that they left us on the Border, or the Highest Inflation in our Country’s History or, perhaps, it should be the incompetent Withdrawal from Afghanistan, or Russia, Russia, Russia/Ukraine, Ukraine, Ukraine, or the Attack of Israel on October 7th that only proceeded because they allowed Iran to regain Great Wealth.&#8221;
&#8220;These Congressmen stated that, they didn’t know why they would Impeach me but, &#8216;We just want to do it,'&#8221; Trump continued, suggesting that it was the Democrats who were actually guilty of crimes worth addressing. &#8220;The Republicans should start to think about expelling them from Congress for all of the crimes that they have committed, especially around Election time(s). These are very dishonest people that won’t let our Country heal! Why do we allow them to continuously use Impeachment as a weapon against the President of the United States who, by all accounts, is working hard to SAVE OUR COUNTRY.&#8221;
&#8220;It’s the same playbook that they used in my First Term, and Republicans are not going to allow them to get away with it again. These are total LOWLIFES, who hate our Country, and everything it stands for,&#8221; Trump concluded, tossing a barb at Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) and the last-minute blanket pardon he&#8217;d received from former President Biden. &#8220;Perhaps we should start playing this game on them, and expel Democrats for the many crimes that they have committed — And these are REAL crimes. Remember, &#8216;Shifty&#8217; Adam Schiff demanded a Pardon, and they had to use the power of the Auto Pen, and a Full Pardon, for him and the Unselect Committee of Political Thugs, to save them from Expulsion, and probably worse!&#8221;

President Trump Signs Executive Orders In The Oval Office

Trump Blisters ‘Out Of Control’ Democrats Over Latest Impeachment Filing: ‘Total Whackjobs’

Trump Blisters 'Out Of Control' Democrats Over Latest Impeachment Filing: 'Total Whackjobs'

Adam Schiff

Donald Trump

Executive

Impeachment

Joe Biden

ESPN host Stephen A. Smith, who is <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/espn-host-stephen-smith-consider-run-president" target="_blank" rel="noopener">considering</a> a run for the presidency in 2028, said on Sunday that he believes the Democratic Party needs to be &#8220;purged&#8221; of its far-left tendencies before he would associate with it as a candidate.
CNN&#8217;s Jake Tapper asked Smith on this Sunday&#8217;s <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/04/politics/video/sotu-jake-tapper-interviews-stphen-a-smith-on-potential-presidentila-bid" target="_blank" rel="noopener">episode</a> of &#8220;State of the Union&#8221; whether he would run for the White House as a Democrat.
&#8220;You know what? I&#8217;m an independent. I&#8217;m a registered independent. I would lean — who leans left. I&#8217;m fiscally conservative when it comes to my money. I&#8217;m socially liberal. I&#8217;m liberal when it comes to social issues pretty much across the board. I believe in living and let living,&#8221; Smith said.
&#8220;So I&#8217;m a moderate,&#8221; he went on. &#8220;And I would say, if I had to run, it would be as a Democrat, but I&#8217;m not happy with the Democratic Party. So the Democratic Party, as presently constructed, it would pretty much need to be purged in order for me to assume that I would want to be associated with them and I would garner their support, because I don&#8217;t like the way they have gone about doing a lot of things for a very, very long period of time.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/stephenasmith?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@stephenasmith</a> to <a href="https://twitter.com/jaketapper?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jaketapper</a> on potential 2028 bid: “I would say, if I had to run, it would be as a Democrat, but I&#8217;m not happy with the Democratic Party. So the Democratic Party, as presently constructed, it would pretty much need to be purged in order for me to assume that I… <a href="https://t.co/vgYrvfV2cH">pic.twitter.com/vgYrvfV2cH</a>
— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) <a href="https://twitter.com/CNNSOTU/status/1919041686136561801?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Smith added: &#8220;And I think that I don&#8217;t view Donald Trump as winning the election. I view the Democrats as losing the election, as absolutely, positively blowing it with some of their actions. And that&#8217;s why I think that, again, if somebody was to associate me with that, the party, as presently constructed, where it leans so extremely left, or at least has spent the vast majority of time doing that, oh, that is not something that I would vibe with at all. I would definitely be looking to be a game changer in that regard.&#8221;
When pressed by Tapper, Smith said that he would not name anyone he thinks should be &#8220;purged,&#8221; but the media personality did take aim at the &#8220;extreme left&#8221; of the party.
&#8220;We know how they go about operating. We know what we lean towards when it came to open borders. We know that the spending was excessive, even though it&#8217;s excessive on the Republican side as well. I think a $37 trillion budget, when Republicans try to act like it&#8217;s just the Democrats, that&#8217;s not true. But the Democrats certainly shouldn&#8217;t be absolved from blame in that regard,&#8221; he said.
&#8220;Certainly, with identity politics, woke culture, cancel culture, I thought that that was something that ravaged our nation psychologically, because you had people literally scared they were going to lose their jobs if they pronounced the wrong pronoun, for crying out loud,&#8221; Smith continued. &#8220;It got that bad.&#8221;
Smith said he believes the focus on &#8220;the individual&#8221; rather than &#8220;actual policies&#8221; is one reason why Trump won a second term.
&#8220;I&#8217;m talking about what they preached and what they talked to the American people about more so than what they&#8217;re doing. The kind of messages that they were disseminating was incredibly uncomfortable to listen to and to hear,&#8221; Smith said.
&#8220;And I thought that it wasn&#8217;t emblematic of what most Americans are thinking about. They&#8217;re trying to pay their mortgages, rent, buy food and groceries, pay gas and deal with the prices, the cost of living. And they want safety in the streets. That&#8217;s primarily what most American citizens are about, trying to live in peace and harmony,&#8221; he added.  &#8220;And that&#8217;s not something that I think either side has promoted along the way. And that&#8217;s why I think the state of the nation is what it is at this particular moment in time.&#8221;

Stephen A. Smith

Stephen A. Smith Refuses To Associate With ‘Extreme Left’ Of Democratic Party

Cancel Culture

Identity Politics

U.S.

Woke Culture

Editor’s note: This is the fourth installment of a six-part series by pollster Brent Buchanan on the politics of the American South. Last week, Buchanan broke down the unique features and critical importance of the Southern suburbs. Today, he takes a close look at North Carolina.
We hope you enjoy.
It might sound like a stretch to think voting behavior and political divides in one of the South’s most consequential swing states could be explained by barbecue sauce.
But that’s exactly what we found in North Carolina.
In both barbecue sauce and politics, North Carolina’s “split personality” is rooted in centuries-old settlement patterns and evolving demographics. Barbecue here is a source of pride, and, like taste preferences nationally, voters in the Tar Heel State — or, shall we say, the Sauce State — are divided.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-914211" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Image-4-29-25-at-9.55%E2%80%AFAM.jpeg" alt="" width="658" height="356" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Image-4-29-25-at-9.55%E2%80%AFAM.jpeg 658w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Image-4-29-25-at-9.55%E2%80%AFAM-300x162.jpeg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 658px) 100vw, 658px" /></div>
The so-called &#8220;barbecue boundary&#8221; is more than a culinary cleave; it reflects the state’s foundational divisions. Western North Carolina, settled predominantly by German and Moravian immigrants, developed the Lexington style of barbecue with tomato-based sauces.
Then there’s Eastern North Carolina, settled earlier by English and Scots-Irish immigrants, known for their whole-hog barbecue and vinegar-based sauces. These regional distinctions mirror broader cultural and political divides, with the western &#8220;Trumpian Highlands&#8221; standing apart from the more moderate &#8220;Faux South&#8221; and gridlocked “Sweet Tea Suburbs&#8221; of the east.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-914209" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/DW-PART-IV-NC-Full-Map-1024x428.png" alt="" width="1024" height="428" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/DW-PART-IV-NC-Full-Map-1024x428.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/DW-PART-IV-NC-Full-Map-300x126.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/DW-PART-IV-NC-Full-Map-768x321.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/DW-PART-IV-NC-Full-Map-1536x643.png 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/DW-PART-IV-NC-Full-Map.png 1551w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></div>
Our analysis shows a political patchwork of those Trumpian Highlands in the west reflecting the deep-red, Appalachian-rooted strongholds that have surged rightward in recent years, and the Faux South in the east, which is a concentration of moderate, Mid-Atlantic-influenced counties shaped by trade routes rather than mountain and lowland plantation culture. Mixed in are the modern Sweet Tea Suburbs, encompassing the politically gridlocked, middle-class communities ringing cities like Raleigh and Charlotte.
“The Tar Heel State’s battleground status is primarily driven by their voters in the Trumpian Highlands,” said Nicholas Valdiviez, Cygnal’s Sampling Lead, who spearheaded this project. “The turnout differentials are even more galvanizing where we saw those areas jumping 14% for Republicans from 2012 to 2016, and falling 16% for Democrats in this same time, which is a whopping 31% delta in turnout between parties leading into Trump’s first term.”
By 2024, the Republican margin in the Trumpian Highlands reached 74-26, rivaling the deepest red regions anywhere in the South. However, keep in mind this region was among the hardest hit by Hurricane Helene and while they may have been trending Republican in recent years, President Joe Biden’s woeful (putting it mildly) response could have added fuel to voters’ enthusiasm for Trump.
These numbers still suggest a partisan ceiling in the western part of the state, excluding more liberal pockets like Asheville and Charlotte, meaning the GOP’s continued dominance here will depend on sustaining enthusiasm among rural voters, especially as the state’s population centers continue to grow and attract out-of-state liberals. Without the magnetism of Trump atop the ticket, Republicans can’t bank on the lovers of Lexington BBQ to deliver a statewide win.
Meanwhile, on the eastern side of the barbecue boundary, the Faux South region — with its Mid-Atlantic heritage and more moderate political leanings — tells a different story. The region as a whole saw Republicans peak in 2016, winning 52% of the vote, but then saw the steepest decline of any southern region from 2016 to 2020, with only a mild recovery. North Carolina was a latecomer to the larger trend in 2024, showing a five-point spread favoring Republicans.
Then, from 2020 to 2024, the Faux South shifted three points to the right, signaling that even in historically challenging areas, the GOP is capable of making incremental gains and keeping them. But it is the region’s volatility that makes it a true wild card — one that could swing statewide outcomes if either party finds the highly attractive candidates, compelling messages, and a solid mobilization strategy.
As we <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/beyond-the-swing-why-southern-suburbs-refuse-to-budge?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Brent+Buchanan&amp;category=Original&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Beyond+The+Swing%3A+Why+Southern+Suburbs+Refuse+To+Budge%C2%A0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mentioned,</a> the Sweet Tea Suburbs surrounding North Carolina’s major cities are politically gridlocked, with little movement since 2008. Turnout and margins are often determined by local issues and demographic changes from transplant residents.
“Though Republicans don’t control the governor’s mansion, they do hold both Senate seats and a majority of House seats,” said Valdiviez. “But if both sides of the barbecue boundary, Lexington and Eastern-style, continue to grow in population — especially in the ‘burbs — things could make the politics more precarious for Republicans.”
Valdiviez is right: things could get dicey for Republicans, but only if they fail to connect with middle-class voters’ day-to-day concerns in the same way Democrats have.
But things look different if Republicans make those more moderate Democrats in North Carolina distance themselves from or defend the radical voices of Bernie Sanders and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chris-cuomo-blasts-80-20-loser-ocasio-cortez-warns-dems-not-to-pick-her-in-2028?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Chris+Cuomo+Blasts+%E2%80%9980-20+Loser%E2%80%99+Ocasio-Cortez%2C+Warns+Dems+Not+To+Pick+Her+In+2028" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AOC</a>, who now lift the party’s mantle. Just because the suburbs’ inelasticity is inherently left-leaning does not mean those ardent Leftists won’t alienate independent voters in the same way they did in 2024, turning North Carolina to Republicans.
North Carolina’s electoral map is a lot like its barbecue boundary: divided, fiercely proud of its local identity, and resistant to one-size-fits-all solutions. It requires a nuanced understanding of each region’s history, culture, and evolving priorities. And just like BBQ in North Carolina, if you bring the wrong sauce in the wrong region, you’re going to be asked politely to leave.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-914213" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/DW-Part-IV-BBQ-v2-1024x408.png" alt="" width="1024" height="408" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/DW-Part-IV-BBQ-v2-1024x408.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/DW-Part-IV-BBQ-v2-300x120.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/DW-Part-IV-BBQ-v2-768x306.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/DW-Part-IV-BBQ-v2.png 1177w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></div>
COMING UP NEXT: Like North Carolina, all eyes are on Georgia, especially as <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/stacey-abrams-linked-group-received-2b-from-biden-admin-slush-fund-doge-finds?author=Ashe+Schow&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Stacey+Abrams-Linked+Group+Received+%242B+From+Biden+Admin+Slush+Fund%2C+DOGE+Finds" target="_blank" rel="noopener">revelations</a> about Stacey Abrams’ shady political machine during the Biden years and Republicans look to unseat the swing state’s vulnerable Democrat Senator, John Ossoff. 
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-914215" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Full-Map-1.jpeg" alt="" width="670" height="407" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Full-Map-1.jpeg 670w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Full-Map-1-300x182.jpeg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 670px) 100vw, 670px" /></div>
ABOUT THE MAP: Amid America’s massive political realignment, mostly ushered in by President Donald Trump’s MAGA movement, the South is more consequential than anywhere else. It is responsible for more than a third of Senate seats, the equivalent of an entire <a href="https://www.senate.gov/senators/Class_II.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">class</a> of Senators up for reelection in any cycle, and it accounts for 193 electoral votes, more than half the needed amount to win a presidential election.
By breaking the South into distinct regions, we can better understand the layered realities on the ground. We named each of the South’s regions out of necessity, not novelty. This regional lens reveals patterns and divides that state lines alone obscure, allowing for a more accurate and intelligible analysis of the South’s electoral dynamics.
This large-scale project aggregates voter trends in areas like education, income, gender, age, and partisanship – and even some of our own recent polling data. So far, we’ve analyzed everything from the realignment of its <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-end-of-democratic-assumptions-how-minority-voters-are-reshaping-southern-politics?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Brent+Buchanan&amp;category=News+and+Analysis&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=The+End+of+Democratic+Assumptions%3A+How+Minority+Voters+Are+Reshaping+Southern+Politics" target="_blank" rel="noopener">minority voters</a>, the stagnation of its <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/beyond-the-swing-why-southern-suburbs-refuse-to-budge?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Brent+Buchanan&amp;category=Original&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Beyond+The+Swing%3A+Why+Southern+Suburbs+Refuse+To+Budge%C2%A0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suburbs</a>, and the necessity to call out its unique regions, which transcend state lines and better <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-rise-of-the-south-is-not-what-you-think-why-it-holds-the-keys-to-political-control" target="_blank" rel="noopener">define</a> its implications on national elections.

Manufacturing losses swing voters in 2 N.C. counties

BBQ Politics? How North Carolina’s Sauce Divide Mirrors Its Voting Behavior 

North Carolina

Republican Party

Voting

The Democratic Party took a virtual beating on Monday over what was supposed to be a slam-dunk zinger at President Donald Trump&#8217;s expense: a post claiming that persistently pricey eggs had driven desperate American families to dye potatoes for Easter instead.
The post, shared by @thedemocrats on X, took aim at Trump&#8217;s administration for going ahead with the annual Easter Egg Roll – and allegedly racking up a considerable bill for the thousands of eggs used there — while the people were left to contend with their leftover painted spuds and disappointment.
&#8220;Trump’s White House is using 30,000 real eggs worth over $15,500 for their Easter Egg Roll. Meanwhile, Americans dyed potatoes instead of eggs this Easter to save money,&#8221; the post read.
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Trump’s White House is using 30,000 real eggs worth over $15,500 for their Easter Egg Roll.
Meanwhile, Americans dyed potatoes instead of eggs this Easter to save money.
&mdash; Democrats (@TheDemocrats) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheDemocrats/status/1914323242447237428?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
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But as several critics quickly pointed out, the White House did not actually spend any money at all on the eggs used for the annual event — they were donated.
&#8220;I don’t know a single American dyeing potatoes. But I do know that the farmers who donated the eggs said they were not the sizes sold to grocery stores. Not a single egg was stolen off the table of an American family,&#8221; MRCTV managing Editor Brittany Hughes posted.
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I don’t know a single American dyeing potatoes. But I do know that the farmers who donated the eggs said they were not the sizes sold to grocery stores.
Not a single egg was stolen off the table of an American family. <a href="https://t.co/AOPiLEd3IU">https://t.co/AOPiLEd3IU</a>
&mdash; Brittany Hughes (@RealBrittHughes) <a href="https://twitter.com/RealBrittHughes/status/1914721343301431402?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Umm who dyed potatoes?&#8221; Robby Starbuck said, and while he also stated that the eggs were donated, he noted that the Biden administration had blown through more than twice the number of eggs at the last Easter Egg Roll in 2024. &#8220;Also, Biden’s Admin had 64,000 eggs at the 2024 Easter Egg roll. In both cases the eggs were donated. Stop treating people like they’re stupid, it’s just insulting.&#8221;
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Umm who dyed potatoes? Also, Biden’s Admin had 64,000 eggs at the 2024 Easter Egg roll. In both cases the eggs were donated. Stop treating people like they’re stupid, it’s just insulting. 🙄 <a href="https://t.co/GxvucUbZzO">https://t.co/GxvucUbZzO</a>
&mdash; Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) <a href="https://twitter.com/robbystarbuck/status/1914692586586898902?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Show me a single person who dyed a potato for Easter,&#8221; Riley Gaines threw down the challenge.
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Show me a single person who dyed a potato for Easter <a href="https://t.co/uJ5996Bu0B">https://t.co/uJ5996Bu0B</a>
&mdash; Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) <a href="https://twitter.com/Riley_Gaines_/status/1914714791429509249?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Several people suggested that the Democrats were taking a risk in assuming that those potatoes did not identify as eggs, while others noted that on a strict one-to-one basis, potatoes might actually cost more than eggs.
&#8220;So a man can become a woman but a potato can’t be an egg? You sound like a bigot,&#8221; one said.
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So a man can become a woman but a potato can’t be an egg? You sound like a bigot.
&mdash; Magills (@magills_) <a href="https://twitter.com/magills_/status/1914326226535067916?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;I’m increasingly certain Republicans have successfully placed one or more moles in the Dem communications apparatus,&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/BlackJackPartII/status/1914330331471364497" target="_blank" rel="noopener">another said</a>.
So where did the Democrats&#8217; outlandish claim come from? Apparently from a throwaway article published by The New York Times that was loosely based on a social media video that gave step-by-step instructions on how to dye egg alternatives.
&#8220;The @NYTimes had an absurd headline claiming Americans are dyeing potatoes due to the price of eggs this year, but the only mention of potatoes in the article was a reference to video instructions for eggs dyeing alternatives that were starting to circulate on social media,&#8221; one post read.
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The <a href="https://twitter.com/nytimes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nytimes</a> had an absurd headline claiming Americans are dyeing potatoes due to the price of eggs this year, but the only mention of potatoes in the article was a reference to video instructions for eggs dyeing alternatives that were starting to circulate on social media. <a href="https://t.co/dboazH7QaS">https://t.co/dboazH7QaS</a> <a href="https://t.co/Ff1cvWlC5e">pic.twitter.com/Ff1cvWlC5e</a>
&mdash; Kelley K (@KelleyKga) <a href="https://twitter.com/KelleyKga/status/1914348160245256449?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The &#8220;let&#8217;s dye potatoes instead&#8221; trend actually started two years earlier, when egg prices hit record highs (an average of $4.82 per dozen) in 2022-2023. On April 2, 2023, Axios published an <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/04/02/easter-2023-eggs-potato-prices" target="_blank" rel="noopener">article</a> titled, &#8220;Potatoes sprout as cheaper Easter egg substitute.&#8221;

President And Mrs. Trump Host Annual White House Easter Egg Roll

Democrats Mocked For Claim That Americans Dyed Potatoes For Easter

Easter Eggs

Economy

eggs

White House

Pope Francis passes away just one day after delivering an Easter message to millions of Christian faithful. It will be days before the church picks a new pontiff, but some favorites have already emerged. And, with Republicans in control of D.C., Democrats are searching for a strategy and a leader to pull them out of the political abyss.
It’s Tuesday, April 22, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. If you’d rather listen to your news, today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/picking-the-next-pope-democrats-new-message-4-22-25/id1576594336?i=1000704426417" height="175" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe>
<h2>Pope Francis’ Legacy</h2>
<div id="attachment_910567" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-910567" class="size-large wp-image-910567" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Pope-Francis-1-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Pope-Francis-1-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Pope-Francis-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Pope-Francis-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Pope-Francis-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Pope-Francis-1-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Pope-Francis-1-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Pope-Francis-1-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />(Photo by Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images)</div>
Topline: Pope Francis, the 266th head of the Catholic Church, died Monday at the age of 88. His death marks the end of a transformative and, at times, polarizing papacy.
Pope Francis will likely be remembered as a progressive reformer. In 2013, shortly after he was elected, he made his famously controversial statement about gay priests, “Who am I to judge?” His 2015 encyclical called for environmental action, and he continually urged world leaders to address climate change. During his last Easter address on Sunday, after meeting with Vice President JD Vance, he warned against politicians stirring up “anti-migrant” sentiments.
But his papacy wasn’t as transformative as many theological progressives would have liked. Francis did endorse civil unions for same-sex couples, which was a historic move for a pope, and approved a document saying priests could “bless” gay couples. But he also upheld the Church’s stance that marriage is between a man and a woman. He also refused to approve the use of contraception and ordaining women, and was staunchly pro-life.
Francis took steps to curb the influence of conservative prelates who viewed his reforms as a threat to Church tradition. In 2014, he removed conservative cardinals like Raymond Burke, a vocal critic, from a key Vatican post. He also appointed more moderate or progressive bishops to various roles of authority and elevated like-minded clerics to the College of Cardinals. Because of this, critics accused him of stacking the deck and stifling dissent.
“He was really progressive,” Robert Sirico, former president of the conservative Acton Institute, told Morning Wire. “People call him a Marxist. They don&#8217;t think he was a Marxist. He certainly wasn&#8217;t a free market kind of guy, the way John Paul was. But on the other hand, I think he profoundly misunderstood the United States on a very visceral level, and I think that is owing to his Argentinian background.”
Despite possibly being the most progressive pope in history, Francis’ tenure saw a resurgence of conservative Catholicism, especially among young believers. Last year, we reported on the surge in Catholic conversions among young people in New York City. However, there is also evidence that this trend is happening in Europe. According to the Bishops’ Conference of France, more than 10,000 adults were baptized into the Roman Catholic Church on Easter Sunday – mostly young adults between the ages of 18 and 25. Something similar is happening in England, where surveys now show that Catholics outnumber Anglicans by more than two to one among Gen Z and younger millennials. These younger people, particularly young men, are <a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/best-of-the-week/honorable-mention/2024/americas-catholic-church-seeing-shift-toward-more-conservative-ways/">being especially drawn</a> to more conservative expressions of faith.
<h2>The Next Pope</h2>
<div id="attachment_910565" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-910565" class="size-large wp-image-910565" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Conclave-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Conclave-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Conclave-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Conclave-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Conclave-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Conclave-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Conclave-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Conclave-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />(Photo by GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP via Getty Images)</div>
Topline: Speculation is already swirling about who will become the next head of the Catholic Church.
When a pope dies, eligible cardinals convene a papal conclave, where they cast ballots for the next pope. Famously, white smoke appears from the Sistine Chapel’s chimney when a new pope is elected, and a cardinal comes out to announce the new pope to cheering crowds in St. Peter’s Square. Usually, one of the cardinals is elected the next pope, and the big question on many Catholics’ minds is whether the new pope will lean conservative or progressive on controversial issues.
One of the more conservative candidates being discussed as a possible successor is Cardinal Robert Sarah, 79, an African cardinal from Guinea who has been an outspoken critic of Francis.
“The Church is not a social organization to meet [the] problem of migration or poverty,” Sarah <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nG0YSN7LeAM">said</a>, in response to Pope Francis’s stance on immigration policy. “The Church is a divine purpose to save the world.”
Sarah was critical of Francis’ restrictions on the traditional Latin Mass and his statement on blessings for same-sex couples.
Cardinal Wim Eijk, 71, is also considered a conservative potential successor. Eijk is a former medical doctor from the Netherlands – and he’s been a sharp critic of Francis. He is one of the authors of a 2015 document opposing the pope’s approval of civil remarriages among people who have not received an annulment, <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/02/18/world-news/who-are-the-frontrunners-to-be-elected-next-pontiff-after-pope-francis/">calling</a> them “a form of structured and institutionalized adultery.” Eijk also <a href="https://www.ncregister.com/blog/cardinal-eijk-pope-francis-needed-to-give-clarity-on-intercommunion">criticized</a> Francis for giving what he called a “completely incomprehensible” response to a German Bishops’ Conference proposal on allowing Protestants to receive the Eucharist.
Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, 77, is another conservative from Sri Lanka. He criticized bishops who did not obey Pope Benedict on allowing the Latin Mass.
Cardinal Raymond Burke, 76, is one of the few potential successors from the United States. Burke has criticized the Church’s more liberal language under Francis, and he said that Catholic politicians who support legal abortion, like former President Joe Biden, should not receive the Eucharist.
A number of more progressive and politically moderate candidates are also likely to take the reins of the Church.
Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, 67, who’s been <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151124125431/http://www.cruxnow.com/church/2015/01/15/manila-cardinal-luis-tagle-the-asian-pope-francis/">called</a> the “Asian Pope Francis” and would likely continue Francis’ more left-leaning stances. Tagle has defended the Church’s teachings on abortion and contraception, but he has also criticized the Church for using “harsh words” for LGBT people and divorced and remarried Catholics.
Another more progressive cardinal in the running is the French Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, 66, who was reportedly Francis’ “favorite” to succeed him and is well-liked in left-wing circles.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, 70, is an Italian cardinal who has been in the Holy See’s diplomatic service since the 1980s, is considered a political moderate and has played a role in many political issues, including moderating 2014 talks between Cuban and American officials, asking the United States to find an “adequate humanitarian solution” for Guantanamo Bay prisoners, and urging countries to implement the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.
<h2>Democrats Tilt Left As They Search For A Standard Bearer</h2>
<div id="attachment_910569" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-910569" class="size-large wp-image-910569" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Liberal-Tilt-Graphic-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Liberal-Tilt-Graphic-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Liberal-Tilt-Graphic-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Liberal-Tilt-Graphic-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Liberal-Tilt-Graphic-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Liberal-Tilt-Graphic-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Liberal-Tilt-Graphic-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Liberal-Tilt-Graphic-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />(Photo by Gajus via Getty Images)</div>
Topline: As President Donald Trump approaches his 100th day in office, Democrats are still searching for a message — and messenger — to lead their party.
Since their defeat in November, there’s been little cause for confidence within the Democratic Party. For the optimists on the Left, Democrats did see strong turnout in special elections in a dozen or so states, where their candidates outperformed Kamala Harris by an average of <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/democratic-performance-improving-slew-special-elections-weary-party-lo-rcna198984">more than 10 percentage points</a>. Most notably, Democrats won a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dangerously-liberal-judge-projected-to-win-wisconsin-supreme-court-race">resounding victory</a> for a Supreme Court seat in Wisconsin — a state Trump won by a point.
But: The bad news outweighs the good. First, <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nn1HT9AZ2OPFuB1z2jKHM6OMrh-NONO0NIzOoHqjxk8/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.35xntky3bxsv">Gallup</a> just found that the approval rating for Democrat leaders in Congress has fallen to just 25%. Not only is that the lowest mark in the poll&#8217;s history, it’s a full nine points lower than the previous record. That disapproval is crossing party lines – according to the latest numbers from CNN, only 63% of Democrats even view their own party favorably.
Polling shows that folks on the Left feel their leaders don’t have a clear strategy for standing up to Trump. A recent survey from Data for Progress asked Democrat voters how they would grade their party leaders’ response to Donald Trump &#8212; 7 in 10 gave a C, D, or F. If they had a singular leader to rally around, there might be more optimism, but there isn’t a clear standard bearer waiting in the wings for them to rally around. President Barack Obama can’t run again and is seemingly content to work primarily behind the scenes. Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is 85 years old and could retire at any moment. President Joe Biden is 82 and still unpopular with the general public. Vice President Kamala Harris could come back into the fray, but she’s essentially been in hiding since November.
That void has left an opportunity for Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) — two of the Left’s most popular, and controversial lawmakers — to take center stage. A poll last week from Survey USA found that 50% of Democrats want the party to “become more progressive,” while just 18% said “more moderate.” AOC and Sanders&#8217; &#8220;Fighting Oligarchy&#8221; speaking tour has drawn massive crowds all across the country, including in deep-red states like Idaho and Utah. Instead of embracing a more moderate approach, they’ve gone all-in on calling for Democrats to embrace their far-Left base and oppose Trump at all costs.
“Donald Trump is a criminal who was found guilty of 34 counts of fraud,” AOC <a href="https://x.com/Bubblebathgirl/status/1911951880395055606">told</a> a cheering crowd in Idaho. “Of course he’s lying and abusing and manipulating the stock market, too. When he talks about rapists and criminals he should look in the mirror.”
Ocasio-Cortez raised nearly $10 million last quarter — by far her largest haul since taking office, and according to a recent YouGov poll, she’s got a +61 approval rating among Democrat voters. Polls now show that Ocasio-Cortez is a frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028. Plenty of Republicans are salivating at the idea of AOC becoming the party’s leader or nominee, given her endorsements of measures that are unpopular with the general public, including the Green New Deal, defunding the police, and abolishing ICE.
To that point, California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom appears to be pushing his party to make a beeline for the middle, urging it to retreat from political correctness, oppose boys in girls&#8217; sports, and refrain from apocalyptic language about Donald Trump and his supporters. But right now, that message doesn’t seem to be gaining much traction with Democratic voters.

Pope Francis Leads Way Of The Cross On Rio’s Copacabana Beach

Morning Brief: The Pope’s Legacy, Potential Successors & The Future Of The Democratic Party

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Catholic Church

General

Pope Francis

World

Democrat Sen. Chris Van Hollen (MD) is playing defense after his photo-op with an illegal immigrant and alleged MS-13 gang member didn&#8217;t go as planned.
As highlighted by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sipping-margaritas-dem-senator-finally-meets-deported-illegal-immigrant-in-el-salvador?author=Daniel+Chaitin&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=6&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Hotwire&amp;rowType=Four+Column+Grid&amp;title=‘Sipping+Margaritas’%3A+Dem+Senator+Finally+Meets+Deported+Illegal+Immigrant+In+El+Salvador" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a>, El Salvador President Nayib Bukele mocked Van Hollen&#8217;s meeting with migrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was sent to an El Salvador prison by the Trump administration.
“Kilmar Abrego Garcia, miraculously risen from the ‘death camps’ &amp; ‘torture’, now sipping margaritas with Sen. Van Hollen in the tropical paradise of El Salvador!” Bukele said, adding a tropical drink emoji to the post.
Two of the photos, seen below, include glasses with what appears to be either salt or sugar on the rim with a cherry garnish.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Kilmar Abrego Garcia, miraculously risen from the “death camps” &amp; “torture”, now sipping margaritas with Sen. Van Hollen in the tropical paradise of El Salvador!🍹 <a href="https://t.co/r6VWc6Fjtn">pic.twitter.com/r6VWc6Fjtn</a>
— Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) <a href="https://twitter.com/nayibbukele/status/1913028548001923259?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
Responding to the mockery, Van Hollen claims he didn&#8217;t sip &#8220;any margaritas or sugar water or whatever it is&#8221; when he met with Garcia, despite the glasses being put on the table. Notably, it was Van Hollen&#8217;s office that provided some photos of the meeting to the media.
&#8220;Let me just be very clear, neither of us touched the drinks that were in front of us,&#8221; the Democrat said, according to Fox News. &#8220;And if you want to play a little Sherlock Holmes, I’ll tell you how you can know that. … If you sip out of one of those glasses, some of whatever it was — salt or sugar — would disappear. You would see a gap. There’s no gap.&#8221;
&#8220;Nobody drank any margaritas or sugar water or whatever it is,&#8221; he emphasized.
Van Hollen then turned his attention to Bukele and President Donald Trump, seemingly blaming them for the spoiled photo-op.
&#8220;This is a lesson into the lengths that President Bukele will do to deceive people,&#8221; he said. &#8220;And it also shows the lengths that the Trump administration and the president will go to, because when he was asked by a reporter about this, he just went along for the ride.&#8221;
Trump reacted Friday on X to Democrats and their allies in the media defending Garcia, who has a history of allegedly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/deported-illegal-immigrant-who-dems-have-championed-accused-of-beating-wife-court-docs?author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Deported+Illegal+Immigrant+Who+Dems+Have+Championed+Accused+Of+Beating+Wife%3A+Court+Docs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">beating his wife</a> in addition to alleged MS-13 ties.
&#8220;This is the hand of the man that the Democrats feel should be brought back to the United States, because he is such ‘a fine and innocent person,'&#8221; Trump wrote. &#8220;They said he is not a member of MS-13, even though he’s got MS-13 tattooed onto his knuckles, and two Highly Respected Courts found that he was a member of MS-13, beat up his wife, etc. I was elected to take bad people out of the United States, among other things. I must be allowed to do my job. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
This is the hand of the man that the Democrats feel should be brought back to the United States, because he is such “a fine and innocent person.” They said he is not a member of MS-13, even though he’s got MS-13 tattooed onto his knuckles, and two Highly Respected Courts found… <a href="https://t.co/31sNr2k1SK">pic.twitter.com/31sNr2k1SK</a>
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1913358867708493982?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
The White House also chimed in, telling Sen. Van Hollen that Garcia is &#8220;NOT coming back&#8221; to the United States.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Fixed it for you, <a href="https://twitter.com/nytimes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NYTimes</a>.
Oh, and by the way, <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisVanHollen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChrisVanHollen</a> — he’s NOT coming back. <a href="https://t.co/VoAphh2ZPY">pic.twitter.com/VoAphh2ZPY</a>
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1913241658579440126?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sipping-margaritas-dem-senator-finally-meets-deported-illegal-immigrant-in-el-salvador?author=Daniel+Chaitin&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=6&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Hotwire&amp;rowType=Four+Column+Grid&amp;title=‘Sipping+Margaritas’%3A+Dem+Senator+Finally+Meets+Deported+Illegal+Immigrant+In+El+Salvador" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dem Senator Finally Meets Deported Illegal Immigrant In El Salvador</a>

Sen. Chris Van Hollen Meets With Wrongly Imprisoned Man Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia in El Salvador

Democrat Denies Sipping Those Margaritas With Suspected MS-13 Member

El Salvador

Illegal Immigration

Nayib Bukele

Trump Administration

Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville ripped into newly-elected Democratic National Committee (DNC) Vice Chair David Hogg, referring to the younger activist as a &#8220;contemptible little twerp&#8221; and even advising the DNC to sue him.
Carville, who made an appearance on NewsNation on Wednesday, told anchor Chris Cuomo that his particular complaint was Hogg&#8217;s recent announcement regarding plans to direct millions of dollars toward primaries against incumbent Democrats.
Hogg, who also serves as president of an organization called Leaders We Deserve, said that the group planned to funnel some $20 million into challenging incumbent Democrats — and Carville took issue with Hogg for what he said looked as though he was putting more effort into attacking his own party than helping expand it into a broader coalition.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
In which James Carville calls DNC Vice Chair David Hogg &quot;a contemptible little twerp&quot; for reportedly supporting efforts to primary sitting Democrats
&quot;I don&#39;t know if I have standing, but I might give the DNC $10 to sue him. He&#39;s a contemptible little twerp if you ask me.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/D0TrZT59g0">pic.twitter.com/D0TrZT59g0</a>
&mdash; Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) <a href="https://twitter.com/CurtisHouck/status/1912663016262300063?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Why doesn’t somebody sue David Hogg? He’s an officer of the Democratic National Committee. He is the vice chairman of the Democrat National Committee, and he’s running against other Democrats. I would like to know, and you went to law school, does he have a fiduciary duty to Democrats?&#8221; Carville asked.
&#8220;If I work for, if you work for NewsNation, you can’t promote CNN. That’s if you worked for somebody else,&#8221; Carville continued. &#8220;You have a fiduciary duty to your employer, which anybody can understand. He’s being paid to run against other Democrats. I think it’s an outrage. I don’t know if I have standing, but I might give the DNC $10 and sue him. He is a contemptible little twerp, if you ask me.&#8221;
Carville also took aim at Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) over their tour protesting &#8220;oligarchy,&#8221; saying that they were cut from the same cloth as Hogg.
&#8220;Let me make a point about Bernie and AOC. Bernie’s run for president twice. He’s lost twice. AOC and her kind, and this guy, David Hogg, they want to run against other Democrats. They don’t run against Republicans,&#8221; Carville added. &#8220;When you beat a Republican, come back and see me, and I will be impressed!&#8221;

Sports Illustrated 2018 Sportsperson Of The Year Awards Show – Arrivals

The Honeymoon Is Over: Longtime Dem Strategist Trashes ‘Contemptible Little Twerp’ David Hogg

The Honeymoon Is Over: Longtime Dem Strategist Trashes 'Contemptible Little Twerp' David Hogg

James Carville

Editor’s note: This is the second installment of a six-part series by pollster Brent Buchanan on the politics of the American South. Last week, Buchanan — a Montgomery, Alabama native — laid out why the South holds the keys to political control in some surprising ways. This week, Buchanan&#8217;s back to explore the shifting priorities of minority voters in the South — and why Democrats shouldn&#8217;t take those voters for granted.
We hope you enjoy.
—
It’s a myth — and a costly mistake — for political campaigns and the mainstream media to treat minority voting behavior as monolithic and permanently Democratic.
As we highlighted in the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-rise-of-the-south-is-not-what-you-think-why-it-holds-the-keys-to-political-control" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first installment</a> of this six-part series, America’s political realignment is already underway. In the South, the Democratic Party’s long-held assumption that minority voters would forever anchor their coalition to decide national elections is unraveling. As we’ll break down, Hispanic and Black voters are increasingly prioritizing economic concerns over the new standard Democratic playbook of identity politics.
In this massive analysis of the American South, we examined not only the demographic variables, survey responses, and trends within education, income, gender, age, and partisanship, but infused some specific findings from our latest National Voter Trends (NVT) <a href="https://www.cygn.al/poll-democrats-continue-to-struggle-as-trump-maintains-strong-approval-even-in-light-of-tariffs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">poll</a> to bring greater clarity about minority voters throughout the South.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-907595" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Full-Map.jpeg" alt="" width="670" height="407" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Full-Map.jpeg 670w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Full-Map-300x182.jpeg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 670px) 100vw, 670px" /></div>
With sustained population increases and the anticipated addition of even more congressional seats, Republicans have new opportunities to attract minority voters if they’re willing to invest in sustained outreach. But just because Democrats are struggling to maintain control, their losses don&#8217;t mean Republicans will automatically benefit.
<h4>DATA NUGGET: While Republicans gained from a partisanship perspective from 2020 to 2024, some of this was a factor of turnout, with Republicans losing 3% from 2020 to 2024, versus Democrats falling 16% in the same time scale.</h4>
“As we said in part one, the South is a deeply complex region with vast overlays of cultural, religious, and political variables that transcend state lines,” said Nicholas Valdiviez, Cygnal’s Sampling Lead on this project. “How Southern minority voters think and feel is no different.”
<h3>The Soulful South</h3>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-907597" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Soulful-South-.jpeg" alt="" width="512" height="413" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Soulful-South-.jpeg 512w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Soulful-South--300x242.jpeg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></div>
This shift is most evident in two key regions we’ve dubbed the Soulful South and the Tex-Mex Nexus.
Starting with the Soulful South, black voters are challenging long-held assumptions about their political loyalties. This region of the South has the highest percentage of black Americans, and was the only region that has grown year-over-year for Republicans since 2012. That shows this shifting demographic is more than just a blip, rather, a consistent move to the right.
<h4>DATA NUGGET: Among Republican and right-leaning independent voters, The Daily Wire garnered 41 percent of voters who converted from Biden in 2020 to Trump in 2024 as their go-to news source. More <a href="https://www.cygn.al/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/22974-Cygnal-National-NVT-Apr25-Deck-Public-2.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</h4>
Spanning rural parishes and counties along ancient river networks and coastal lowlands, the Soulful South was politically split nearly 50-50 in 2012. By 2024, however, the Republican vote share surged to 58%, driven by declining Democratic turnout and growing disaffection among black voters.
“Partisanship shifted from near parity to a whopping 16-point Republican advantage in 2024,” said Valdiviez. “Top that off with dramatic plummets in Democratic turnout of over 27% in the last 12 years, and you see how this shift reflects a broader rejection of Democratic complacency, especially among working class black voters here.”
Though black voters here are migrating away from Democrats, their disaffection has a water’s edge. The Soulful South is also one of the regions we analyzed that has a positive view of the country&#8217;s direction, in part due to their disproportionate approval of Trump, which is five points higher in contrast to their general sentiments towards the Republican Party. Therein lies the rub for Republicans in a post-Trump era.
But even with Trump’s recent imposition and subsequent rollback of widespread tariffs, the same groups with a high blend of ethnicities or Democratic tendencies throughout our analysis, the Soulful South was one of the few where a majority (+9) either supported tariffs outright or trusted Trump on the issue.
Unlike their Rust Belt counterparts, for example — many of whom migrated north during two historic waves of the Great Migration (1910s–1970s) — black voters in the Soulful South remain deeply rooted in religion and legacy agrarian culture. These cultural differences forged a unique political identity, one increasingly aligned with conservative values and economic pragmatism.
<h3> The Tex-Mex Nexus</h3>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-907599" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Tex-Mex-Nexus.jpeg" alt="" width="567" height="429" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Tex-Mex-Nexus.jpeg 567w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Tex-Mex-Nexus-300x227.jpeg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 567px) 100vw, 567px" /></div>
In the Tex-Mex Nexus, we see a different story playing out — but one that still offers opportunities for Republicans.
These areas are concentrated mostly in Texas, with density in the Rio Grande Valley and along the northern portion of its border with Mexico. Also included are pockets around the Lone Star State’s biggest cities and university towns. This is an interesting region, in that urban areas and university-centric towns align so closely with large swaths of the border areas.
Voters in this region are less Hispanic and more Tejano. These individuals identify as Texans of Mexican descent and are shaped by the state&#8217;s unique history. Together, these factors contribute to a cultural identity distinct from the broader &#8220;Hispanic&#8221; label, which encompasses people from various Latin American backgrounds.
leading to a different cultural identity. It’s for this reason we haven’t seen the same huge shifts toward Trump that we saw in California Hispanics and Latinos nationwide in 2024. Though the Tex-Mex Nexus has been shifting leftward since 2012, the cultural identity which blends Southern and Tejano, has the highest percentage of registered Democratic voters (D-51, R-39). It saw the second-largest swing toward Republicans in 2024, moving nine points to the right, narrowing the Democratic advantage to only six points.
Though voters here still lean toward Democrats, the Tejano identity prioritizes economic pragmatism over progressive messaging and endless culture war breakouts — giving Republicans more runway in the future. Furthermore, 27% of this bloc is Catholic, and the Democratic Party’s habitual promotion of policies and values in direct opposition to Catholics fuels this departure.
The Tex-Mex Nexus once looked like a prime target for Democrats hoping to forge a path to victory in Texas. Now, it’s hard to see how Democrats have any opportunity here — if anything they’ll keep losing more.
A successful model of engaging and communicating with the Tex-Mex Nexus, like that of Texas Governor Greg Abbott, helps prove the normal election-cycle pandering from Democrats is an old song and dance. That’s why so many of the younger voters in these areas are less attached to the party of their grandparents and more willing to entertain conservative approaches to their key issues — job opportunities, economic stability, and lower costs of living.
Unpacking the intricacies of minority voters in the Soulful South and the Tex-Mex Nexus, combined with the analysis in this series, allows us to safely declare the end of the “demographics is destiny” era that Democrats claimed was their path to permanent majorities. It could now more easily be argued that demographics favor Republicans, with these two regions providing proof.
The South’s minority voters are rewriting the political playbook, proving that economic realities and cultural values increasingly outweigh traditional partisan loyalties. For Republicans, the opportunity to build a durable multiracial coalition is within reach — but only if they invest in meaningful, year-round engagement that addresses the issues voters care about most.
The Democratic Party, meanwhile, faces an uphill battle to rebuild trust and reverse the erosion of its once-reliable strongholds. The stakes couldn’t be higher as the South continues to grow in population, influence, and political importance.
COMING UP NEXT: In part three, we’ll drill down into the stagnant suburbs of the American South, where their inelasticity poses significant challenges to both Republicans and Democrats.

Mississippi Voters Head To The Polls

The End of Democratic Assumptions: How Minority Voters Are Reshaping Southern Politics

Minorities

Polls

Southern States

Voters

Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) made it clear on Friday that he was still willing to run cover for an obviously diminished former President Joe Biden — even after a slew of Biden&#8217;s former aides and media personalities have admitted just how compromised he was during his term in the White House.
Just off his record-setting filibuster stunt from earlier in the week, Booker made an appearance on Stephen A. Smith&#8217;s podcast, and he visibly balked when Smith asked what he would say to voters who were reluctant to trust the Democrats who covered up Biden&#8217;s obvious decline in the lead up to the 2024 presidential election.
WATCH:
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NJ Senator Cory Booker (D) goes on Stephen A. Smith&#39;s podcast and is asked why Dems continued to cover-up Biden&#39;s declining mental status.
Cory responds by continuing to cover-up Biden&#39;s declining mental status.
&quot;I don&#39;t even know why that&#39;s an issue &#8230; I don&#39;t know, man. I… <a href="https://t.co/qB6PEcs6rS">pic.twitter.com/qB6PEcs6rS</a>
&mdash; DeVory Darkins (@devorydarkins) <a href="https://twitter.com/devorydarkins/status/1908128396397437161?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;You brought up Joe Biden, and you talked about what legislation he obviously signed off on,&#8221; Smith began. &#8220;I ask this question: what about people that look at the Democratic Party right now and say, &#8216;You know this man was debilitating,&#8217; and you have the Republicans leaning on the fact that you hid that from the American people? And they think that that plays a role in things that are being held against you right now as a party. To that, you say what?&#8221;
&#8220;I don&#8217;t even know why that&#8217;s an issue,&#8221; Booker shook his head. He went on to say that he had spoken to Biden on the phone earlier that same day and &#8220;he sounded very compos mentis, he got very argumentative — not argumentative with me, but very fired up when he was talking with me. I don&#8217;t know, man.&#8221;
Booker continued in that same vein, insisting over Smith&#8217;s objections, &#8220;I never saw it. And he would call — this man would literally call me up to discuss policy. I&#8217;ve met no — I&#8217;ve met no president like him!&#8221;
In recent weeks, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jake-tapper-who-ignored-signs-of-bidens-decline-releasing-book-on-the-cover-up" target="_blank" rel="noopener">several books</a> have been announced that will detail Biden&#8217;s decline as seen by insiders — in some cases, authored by people who helped to cover up that decline while Biden was still in office and even seeking a second term.

Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ)

The Gaslights Are On: Cory Booker Is Clearly Still Drinking The ‘Joe Biden Is Fine’ Kool-Aid

The Gaslights Are On: Cory Booker Is Clearly Still Drinking The 'Joe Biden Is Fine' Kool-Aid

2024 Election

Cory Booker

Media

Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin announced a new initiative on Friday, promising that the Democratic Party had at last figured out a way to effectively counter the agenda being pushed by President Donald Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress.
Martin shared video via X saying that the DNC was convening what he referred to as &#8220;The People&#8217;s Cabinet&#8221; — and then proceeded to explain that rather than actually giving the people any say in who would be a part of that &#8220;cabinet,&#8221; the party would provide a group of &#8220;experts&#8221; and &#8220;leaders&#8221; who could then help people &#8220;fight back&#8221; against the Trump administration.
&#8220;We’re launching the People’s Cabinet—a group of leaders, experts, and everyday Americans who will cut through Trump’s lies and speak directly to the people. Stay tuned for more,&#8221; Martin captioned the video.
WATCH:
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We’re launching the People’s Cabinet—a group of leaders, experts, and everyday Americans who will cut through Trump’s lies and speak directly to the people.
Stay tuned for more. <a href="https://t.co/WXejIMTVz7">pic.twitter.com/WXejIMTVz7</a>
&mdash; Ken Martin (@kenmartin73) <a href="https://twitter.com/kenmartin73/status/1908153935430406418?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Hey, it&#8217;s Ken Martin. I want to tell you about the People&#8217;s Cabinet that the DNC is launching today,&#8221; he began. &#8220;I have been traveling across the country nonstop since I started this job, and what I hear over and over is this — Americans want us to fight back against Trump&#8217;s lies and offer a better alternative.&#8221;
&#8220;Trump has stacked his cabinet with out-of-touch billionaires who are causing chaos and hurting working people,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;That&#8217;s why we are launching the People&#8217;s Cabinet. It will be made up of experts, leaders, and everyday Americans who will share reliable and accurate information that you can use to fight back.&#8221;
&#8220;DNC Chair Ken Martin announced the creation of a &#8216;People&#8217;s Cabinet&#8217; filled with &#8216;experts&#8217; that will be used to &#8216;fight back&#8217; against Trump. Effectively a &#8216;shadow government.&#8217; These people are insane,&#8221; Libs of TikTok posted in response.
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DNC Chair Ken Martin announced the creation of a &quot;People&#39;s Cabinet&quot; filled with &quot;experts&quot; that will be used to &quot;fight back&quot; against Trump.
Effectively a “shadow government.”
These people are insane<a href="https://t.co/Yebt2xvIAh">pic.twitter.com/Yebt2xvIAh</a>
&mdash; Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) <a href="https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1908198852949397672?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;DNC Chair Ken Martin just announced that Democrats are forming a shadow cabinet to oppose Trump, calling it the &#8216;People’s Cabinet.&#8217; &#8216;They will share ‘accurate and reliable’ information to help you fight back.&#8217; This isn’t democracy—it’s Democrats setting up a parallel government run by DNC operatives,&#8221; another observed.
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🚨 BREAKING: DNC Chair Ken Martin just announced that Democrats are forming a shadow cabinet to oppose Trump, calling it the “People’s Cabinet.”
“They will share ‘accurate and reliable’ information to help you fight back.”
This isn’t democracy—it’s Democrats setting up a… <a href="https://t.co/HPi6H17Q2K">pic.twitter.com/HPi6H17Q2K</a>
&mdash; I Meme Therefore I Am 🇺🇸 (@ImMeme0) <a href="https://twitter.com/ImMeme0/status/1908166698294706203?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
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DFL holds election night watch party in Minnesota

DNC Chair Launches Plan To ‘Fight Back’ Against Trump With Unelected ‘Experts’

DNC Chair Launches Plan To 'Fight Back' Against Trump With Unelected 'Experts'

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