Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), who rose up the ranks to become the second-ranked Democrat in the Senate during his more than four decades in Congress, announced on Wednesday that he will not seek re-election in 2026.
His move sets the stage for a potentially fierce primary fight among Democrats in a deep-blue state.
&#8220;The decision of whether to run for re-election has not been easy,&#8221; Durbin said in a video. &#8220;I truly love the job of being a United States Senator. But in my heart, I know it’s time to pass the torch. So, I am announcing today that I will not be seeking re-election at the end of my term.&#8221;
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I have given more than half of my life to House and Senate Congressional service, and I’ve always tried to stand up to power on behalf of the people of Illinois and our country.
I am proud of what I have achieved and hope my record will speak for itself. <a href="https://t.co/oiY49IQCUF">pic.twitter.com/oiY49IQCUF</a>
&mdash; Senator Dick Durbin (@SenatorDurbin) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenatorDurbin/status/1915076692030169535?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Illinois voters elected Durbin to the House in 1982 and the Senate in 1996. Durbin served as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and helped to confirm 235 judges, including Supreme Court Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. He became the second-ranking Democrat whip in 2005.
Durbin, 80, is the fourth Democrat in the upper chamber to rule out a re-election campaign in 2026. The others are Sens. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/michigan-dem-senator-gary-peters-wont-run-for-re-election" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gary Peters</a> (D-MI), <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democratic-sen-jeanne-shaheen-wont-run-in-2026-opening-up-key-seat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jeanne Shaheen</a> (D-NH), and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/another-dem-senator-announces-she-wont-run-for-re-election-in-2026" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tina Smith</a> (D-MN).
A number of Democrats are expected to announce campaigns for Durbin&#8217;s seat, including Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-IL), and Rep. Robin Kelly (D-IL).
The GOP could also compete, but it will likely be a tough race for any Republican who decides to run. When Durbin secured his fifth term in 2020, he <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/11/03/us/elections/results-illinois-senate.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">defeated</a> Republican candidate Mark Curran by more than 15 percentage points.
Currently, Republicans have a 53-seat <a href="https://www.senate.gov/history/partydiv.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">majority</a> in the Senate. There are also 45 Democrats and two independents who caucus with them.
Durbin&#8217;s office said he is the longest-serving whip for either party. His impending retirement also paves the way to a future contest for the role, which is used to <a href="https://www.senate.gov/about/parties-leadership/party-whips.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rally</a> members and secure votes.
Durbin’s career has not been without controversy, as reported by The Daily Wire.
One story covered how Durbin <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dick-durbin-apologizes-to-tim-scott-after-calling-his-police-reform-bill-token" target="_blank" rel="noopener">apologized</a> to Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), the sole black Republican in the Senate, for referring to his police reform legislation as a &#8220;token&#8221; solution. Another focused on Durbin <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dick-durbin-attacks-gop-governors-over-transporting-migrants-to-democrat-cities-broken-every-basic-standard-of-decency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">accusing</a> Republican governors of violating “every basic standard of decency” by transporting migrants to sanctuary cities.
Mike Davis, who helped oversee the vetting of judicial appointments as a GOP Senate staffer and now runs the conservative Article III Project, was among those who responded to Durbin&#8217;s announcement.
&#8220;Dick Durbin is, by far, the smartest and most effective Democrat senator,&#8221; Davis <a href="https://x.com/mrddmia/status/1915073436784759273" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on X. &#8220;He is a political savage, who comes across as Midwest reasonable. Big loss for Senate Democrats, with unhinged partisan Sheldon Whitehouse taking over Senate Judiciary Democrats.&#8221;
Former President Barack Obama, who served as a U.S. senator from Illinois alongside Durbin before winning the White House, lauded his former colleague.
&#8220;As an Illinois voter, I couldn’t be prouder that our senator for the last 28 years has been one of the finest in the country. Dick Durbin has always fought the good fight on behalf of working families, and his integrity shines through in everything he does,&#8221; Obama <a href="https://x.com/BarackObama/status/1915080417876517007">said</a> on X.
&#8220;It’s also true that I would not have been a United States Senator – and certainly would not have been President – had it not been for Dick’s support,&#8221; Obama added. &#8220;He has been a great and loyal friend, and Michelle and I wish him and Loretta all the best in their next chapter.&#8221;

Senator Dick Durbin

No. 2 Senate Democrat Dick Durbin To Retire

Congress

Democrats

Dick Durbin

Election

Illinois

Politics

U.S. Senate

Republican Mayra Flores has been hospitalized, her team announced Tuesday, hours after she launched a new House campaign for a seat held by a Texas Democrat.
&#8220;Former and future Congresswoman Mayra Flores, a devoted conservative fighting corruption in Texas&#8217;s 28th District, has been hospitalized,&#8221; said a post on X from her team. &#8220;During this challenging time, we humbly ask for your prayers and support. We pray that Mayra will return stronger than ever, ready to continue her unwavering commitment to serving our country.&#8221;
&#8220;Mayra&#8217;s passion for building a brighter future for our children, grandchildren, and generations to come is at the heart of everything she does,&#8221; it added. &#8220;Guided by faith and determination, she remains steadfast in her mission during this critical moment.&#8221;
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Former and future Congresswoman Mayra Flores, a devoted conservative fighting corruption in Texas&#39;s 28th District, has been hospitalized. During this challenging time, we humbly ask for your prayers and support. We pray that Mayra will return stronger than ever, ready to continue…
&mdash; Mayra Flores (@MayraFlores4TX) <a href="https://twitter.com/MayraFlores4TX/status/1912207347734159761?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The post did not divulge any details on why Flores was hospitalized.
Flores became the first Mexican-born woman ever elected to Congress when she won the special election for Texas’s 34th Congressional District in June 2022. She <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/elections-2022-texas-house-republican-mayra-flores-projected-to-lose-seat-no-red-wave/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lost</a> her bid for a full term in the general election later that year to Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX) after district maps were redrawn. Gonzalez defeated Flores again in the 2024 election.
Hours earlier on Tuesday, Fox News <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/first-mexico-born-rep-targets-indictment-plagued-democrat-house-gop-comeback-bid" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that Flores was embarking on a new campaign in the 28th Congressional District against Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX), who was indicted along with his wife in 2024 on federal bribery charges. Cuellar denied that he and his wife committed any wrongdoing. A trial is still <a href="https://x.com/nicholaswu12/status/1865123044601033126" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pending</a>.
&#8220;I am deeply honored to announce my candidacy for Congress — a chance to serve the people and uphold the values that make our nation great. This campaign is driven by a love for our country and a commitment to fight for justice, opportunity, and unity for all,&#8221; Flores <a href="https://x.com/MayraFlores4TX/status/1912169274996822277" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on X, in response to the report on her new candidacy.
&#8220;To carry this vision forward, I humbly ask for your financial support,&#8221; she added. &#8220;Your contribution, no matter the size, is a powerful investment in the future of our community and our nation. Together, let’s stand strong and work tirelessly to build a brighter tomorrow for every American. Thank you for believing in this cause and in the promise of our great country.&#8221;

Mayra Flores

Republican Hospitalized Hours After Launching New House Campaign In Texas

Republicans

Texas

U.S.

U.S. House of Representatives

ESPN host Stephen A. Smith said on Sunday that he has &#8220;no choice&#8221; but to consider a run for president.
Smith, who recently <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/stephen-a-smith-says-democrats-lost-hints-seriously-considering-presidential-run" target="_blank" rel="noopener">declared</a> the Democrats to be &#8220;lost,&#8221; refused to rule out a future campaign for the White House during an interview on ABC&#8217;s &#8220;This Week&#8221; with anchor Jonathan Karl.
&#8220;I have no choice because I&#8217;ve had elected officials, and I&#8217;m not going to give their names, elected officials coming up to me. I&#8217;ve had folks who are pundits come up to me. I&#8217;ve had folks that got a lot of money, billionaires and others, have talked to me about exploratory committees and things of that nature,&#8221; Smith said. &#8220;I&#8217;m not a politician. I&#8217;ve never had a desire to be a politician. I just signed a contract extension with ESPN. I am very, very happy with my day job.&#8221;
He added later, &#8220;But here’s the reality, people — literally, people have walked up to me, including my own pastor for crying out loud, who has said to me, you don&#8217;t know what God has planned for you. At least show the respect to the people who believe in you, who respect you, who believe that you can make a difference in this country to leave the door open for any possibilities — two to three years down the line. And that&#8217;s what I’ve decided to do.&#8221;
Smith acknowledged that he sees Democrats who &#8220;clearly are more qualified than me.&#8221; Maryland Governor Wes Moore, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, and former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who resigned from office in 2021 amid controversy but is now <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/andrew-cuomo-launches-bid-to-be-mayor-of-new-york-city" target="_blank" rel="noopener">running</a> to become New York City mayor, all got name-dropped.
&#8220;I would hope somebody else would step up that&#8217;s more qualified than me, but if it has to come down to me, it is something I would consider. Yes, I would, because I don&#8217;t mind the thought of tussling with these folks at all on the left or the right. All of them disgust me to be quite honest with you,&#8221; Smith said.
The ESPN host also responded to Steve Bannon <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-going-run-third-term-230023061.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">saying</a> on Bill Maher&#8217;s HBO show, &#8220;Real Time,&#8221; that only Smith or another celebrity would be a cause for concern for him in a prospective 2028 election match-up against Trump, assuming that <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-probably-messing-with-you-about-3rd-term-thune-tells-reporters" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a way around</a> the Constitution&#8217;s 22nd Amendment forbidding a third term can be found.
Bannon is &#8220;trying to be slick because he&#8217;s looking at a non-political individual like myself, looking at me as a populist, but you better be careful what you ask for because some of the stuff that Trump and the Right has been trying to get away with, like circumventing the 22nd Amendment of the Constitution, talking about how there could be a third term,&#8221; Smith said.
He continued, &#8220;Excuse me, be careful what you wish for because if any GOP member, if any Republican supports that, I don&#8217;t want to hear a word out of their mouth ever again about following the Constitution, the Constitution, the Constitution. That&#8217;s what they&#8217;ve been living off for years, and then you&#8217;re talking about circumventing the 22nd Amendment, and you think that&#8217;s cool? No way. That&#8217;s not something that we should stand for.&#8221;
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Stephen A. Smith

Stephen A. Smith Says He May Have ‘No Choice’ But To Run For President

Donald Trump

ESPN

Steve Bannon

Americans do not want their federal tax dollars paying for transgender medical procedures, new polling shows.
A significant majority, 66% of Americans, say federal tax dollars should not go toward &#8220;gender transition&#8221; procedures such as surgeries, cross-sex hormones, or puberty blockers, according to a new Cygnal poll from the American Principles Project provided exclusively to The Daily Wire.
The poll found that if an American voter knows a Democrat candidate supports using tax dollars to pay for &#8220;gender transition&#8221; procedures, 52% of those voters will vote Republican over that Democrat candidate.
Democrats initially held a one-point lead in the poll on a 2026 congressional midterm ballot, but when the poll-takers were informed the Democrat supports using tax dollars to pay for &#8220;gender transition&#8221; procedures, the electorate moved a net 14 points toward the Republican candidate.
Even 42% of Democrats and 43% of Kamala Harris voters said tax dollars should not be spent on &#8220;gender transitions,&#8221; the poll found. About two thirds, 66% of swing voters, said so as well.
Even 60% of women, who consistently lean Democrat, agreed they do not want tax dollars going toward medical &#8220;gender transitions.&#8221;
Majorities of black and Hispanic Americans, parents as well as unmarried men and women, and urban and suburban voters agreed as well, the poll showed.
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“This poll is proof of what we’ve known for a long time – the majority of Americans do not want their tax dollars being spent on gender transitions,&#8221; Terry Schilling, president of the American Principles Project, said in a statement to The Daily Wire.
&#8220;I am glad that President Trump has already begun to take action on this popular, commonsense policy, but now it’s time for Congress to make the ban on federal funding for gender transitions permanent,” Schilling said.
Gender ideology in schools, transgender drugs and surgeries on minors, trans-identifying males in women&#8217;s sports and prisons all became hot button issues during the election cycle.
President Donald Trump&#8217;s most effective campaign ad in the past election cycle highlighted Harris&#8217; support for taxpayer-funded transgender medical services for prisoners.
&#8220;Kamala is for they/them. President Trump is for you,&#8221; the ad <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-exposed-kamalas-radical-stances-on-gender-americans-voted-against-it" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
The ad aired across the nation, including during football games. Trump advisors <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-exposed-kamalas-radical-stances-on-gender-americans-voted-against-it" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> the message reached suburban women, who were also being hammered with Democrats&#8217; aggressive abortion ads.
Democrats are struggling to find a cohesive messaging strategy after they were walloped in the November election, losing every swing state to Trump.
However, some Democrats are already reading the room. California Governor Gavin Newsom backed away from his previous embrace of transgender issues on his podcast last month, calling men in women&#8217;s sports &#8220;deeply unfair.&#8221;
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Pride protest

EXCLUSIVE: Americans Don’t Want Tax Dollars To Pay For Transgender Procedures, Poll Shows

2026 Midterms

Gender

Social Issues

Transgender

Just one day after a federal judge <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/federal-judge-dismisses-corruption-case-against-nyc-mayor-eric-adams" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dismissed</a> his corruption case, New York City Democratic Mayor Eric Adams announced that he is running for re-election as an independent, skipping the Democratic primary to focus on November&#8217;s general election.
Adams, who has served as mayor since 2022, said that the months-long corruption case brought against him &#8220;dragged on too long, making it impossible to mount a primary campaign while these false accusations were held over me.&#8221; He was indicted on federal charges last September that included accepting payment for overseas travel expenses paid by wealthy Turkish nationals.
In an announcement video posted to X, Adams said that while he remains a Democrat, he will &#8220;forego the Democratic primary for mayor and appeal directly to all New Yorkers as an independent candidate in the general election.&#8221; Adams <a href="https://abc7ny.com/post/nyc-mayoral-race-2025-new-york-city-candidates-mayor-push-back-comments-made-andrew-cuomo/16118468/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">trails</a> other Democrats in <a href="https://www.dataforprogress.org/blog/2025/3/26/cuomo-leads-nyc-mayors-race-with-39-mamdani-at-15-all-other-candidates-in-single-digits" target="_blank" rel="noopener">polling</a> for the June 24 primary. Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who resigned as governor amid sexual harassment allegations, leads Democratic candidates in the race, followed by Queens Assemblyman Zohran Momdani and New York City Comptroller Brad Lander.
Adams added, &#8220;I firmly believe that this city is served by truly independent leadership, not leaders pulled at by the extremists on the far-Left or the far-Right, but instead those rooted in the common middle, the place where the vast majority of New Yorkers are firmly planted.&#8221;
&#8220;New Yorkers are strong and they deserve strong leadership,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;And when New Yorkers worry about their bills at the kitchen table or feeling safe on a subway platform, they don&#8217;t expect a political party to help. They want leadership from a person who understands their struggle and their story.&#8221;
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&mdash; Eric Adams (@ericadamsfornyc) <a href="https://twitter.com/ericadamsfornyc/status/1907746357781107095?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The decision gives Adams more time to submit his petitions to the Board of Elections to qualify for the ballot, The New York Post reported. Instead of submitting the petitions on Thursday to qualify for the Democratic primary, the mayor has until May 27 to come up with 3,750 more petitions. According to the Post, Adams has just $3 million cash on hand as he struggles to regain New Yorkers&#8217; trust following the corruption accusations.
U.S. District Judge Dale Ho dismissed the charges against Adams on Wednesday &#8220;with prejudice,&#8221; meaning the Department of Justice cannot bring charges against Adams in the future based on the same evidence. Adams was indicted by the DOJ under the Biden administration, a move that senior Trump officials argued was politically motivated to punish Adams for his criticism of former President Joe Biden&#8217;s immigration policies.
The DOJ dropped the case against Adams weeks after President Donald Trump was sworn into office, and Adams made an appearance with Trump&#8217;s border czar Tom Homan on &#8220;Fox &amp; Friends&#8221; after the case was dropped to discuss cracking down on violent illegal immigrants in New York.
In his dismissal of the case, Ho stressed the importance of formally dropping it &#8220;with prejudice,&#8221; writing that if the DOJ were allowed to resurrect the charges, it “would create the unavoidable perception that the Mayor’s freedom depends on his ability to carry out the immigration enforcement priorities of the administration, and that he might be more beholden to the demands of the federal government than to the wishes of his own constituents.”

Eric Adams

Eric Adams Back In NYC Mayor Race – As An Independent

Elections

Mayor

New York

New York City

President Donald Trump told <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-third-term-white-house-methods-rcna198752" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NBC News</a> on Sunday that he&#8217;s &#8220;not joking&#8221; about a potential third term, but added that it&#8217;s &#8220;far too early to think about&#8221; another run.
Trump, who became only the second U.S. president to win two non-consecutive terms, would need the Constitution to be altered for him to be sworn in for a third time. The <a href="https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-22/#:~:text=No%20person%20shall%20be%20elected,the%20President%20more%20than%20once." target="_blank" rel="noopener">22nd Amendment</a> — passed by Congress in 1947 after President Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected to four terms — prohibits presidents from being elected more than twice. However, the 78-year-old president told NBC News that &#8220;there are methods&#8221; that would allow him to effectively be re-elected in 2028.
When asked, Trump acknowledged that one of those methods would be backing Vice President JD Vance in 2028 so that Vance could hand Trump the reins. &#8220;That&#8217;s one method,&#8221; Trump said, adding, &#8220;There are others too.&#8221; The president declined to explain what the other methods could be, according to NBC News, but touted his poll numbers, adding that “a lot of people would like me to” run for a third term.
Trump was later asked by reporters about his comments on a third term and <a href="https://x.com/_johnnymaga/status/1906532647376957625" target="_blank" rel="noopener">quipped</a> that running for re-election again would be &#8220;sort of a fourth term.&#8221;
“I have had more people ask me to have a third term, which in a way is a fourth term because the 2020 election was totally rigged, so it&#8217;s actually sort of a fourth term in a certain. I just don&#8217;t want the credit for the 2nd because Biden was so bad. He did such a bad job, and I think that&#8217;s one of the reasons that I&#8217;m popular,&#8221; Trump said.
&#8220;I think I&#8217;m popular because we&#8217;ve done a great job,&#8221; he added. &#8220;We&#8217;ve had the best almost 100 days of any president.&#8221;
Despite remaining slightly underwater, Trump&#8217;s current job approval numbers are higher than they were at any time during his first term, according to the RealClearPolitics <a href="https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/approval/donald-trump/approval-rating" target="_blank" rel="noopener">average</a>. As of Monday morning, Trump holds a 47.9% approval rating. His highest approval rating in the RCP average during his first term was 47.2%.
One of those pushing for a third Trump term is Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN). Just days after Trump took office in January, Ogles <a href="https://ogles.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-ogles-proposes-amending-22nd-amendment-allow-trump-serve-third-term" target="_blank" rel="noopener">introduced</a> a joint House Resolution pushing for a Constitutional amendment to &#8220;revise the limitations imposed by the 22nd Amendment on presidential terms.&#8221;
“It is imperative that we provide President Trump with every resource necessary to correct the disastrous course set by the Biden administration,&#8221; Ogles said. &#8220;President Trump has shown time and time again that his loyalty lies with the American people and our great nation above all else. He is dedicated to restoring the republic and saving our country, and we, as legislators and as states, must do everything in our power to support him.”

President Trump

‘A Lot Of People Would Like Me To’: Trump Says ‘There Are Methods’ For Him To Get A 3rd Term

Constitution

Executive

Term Limits

More than two dozen House Democrats are on the GOP&#8217;s &#8220;target list&#8221; for the 2026 midterm elections released on Monday, following polls that show the American public souring on the Democratic Party.
Their districts represent &#8220;prime pick-up&#8221; opportunities for Republicans to grow their slim majority in the House, the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) said in a <a href="https://www.nrcc.org/2025/03/17/nrcc-targets-26-offensive-seats-to-expand-house-majority/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press release</a>.
On the list are Reps. Josh Harder (D-CA), Adam Gray (D-CA), George Whitesides (D-CA), Derek Tran (D-CA), Dave Min (D-CA), Darren Soto (D-FL), Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), Frank Mrvan (D-IN), Jared Golden (D-ME), Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-MI), Don Davis (D-NC), and Chris Pappas (D-NH).
There is also Nellie Pou (D-NJ), Gabe Vasquez (D-NM), Dina Titus (D-NV), Susie Lee (D-NV), Steven Horsford (D-NV), Tom Suozzi (D-NY), Laura Gillen (D-NY), Josh Riley (D-NY), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Emilia Sykes (D-OH), Henry Cuellar (D-TX), Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX), Eugene Vindman (D-VA), and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA).
&#8220;House Republicans are in the majority and on offense,&#8221; NRCC Chairman Richard Hudson (R-NC) said in a statement. &#8220;Meanwhile, vulnerable House Democrats have been hard at work demonstrating they are painfully out of touch with hardworking Americans. Republicans are taking the fight straight to these House Democrats in their districts, and we will unseat them next fall.&#8221;
During an <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfJ9Sem3duc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a> on Fox News, Hudson offered insight into the NRCC&#8217;s thinking when picking districts.
&#8220;You have a number of majority-Hispanic districts that have been trending our way for a long time,&#8221; Hudson said after highlighting certain areas in Texas and California. He added, &#8220;13 of these 26 seats were carried by President Donald Trump in the last election.&#8221;
The list of 26 &#8220;targets&#8221; follows the release of a national poll from NBC that <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/yuge-poll-numbers-for-trump-president-cracks-right-direction-threshold-not-seen-since-2004" target="_blank" rel="noopener">found</a> just 27% of respondents had a positive view of the Democrats and a survey from CNN that <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/16/politics/cnn-poll-democrats/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">showed</a> their party at 29% favorability.
Despite the dire warning signs, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) shrugged off the NRCC&#8217;s &#8220;target list&#8221; for the 2026 midterms.
&#8220;House Democrats overperformed across the country in 2024, powered by our battle-tested candidates who won despite the NRCC’s false bravado and these Frontliners will win again in the midterms,&#8221; DCCC spokesperson Viet Shelton <a href="https://x.com/maxpcohen/status/1901639748151566351" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a statement posted to X by Punchbowl News reporter Max Cohen.
Currently, the <a href="https://pressgallery.house.gov/member-data/party-breakdown" target="_blank" rel="noopener">party breakdown</a> in the House is 218 Republicans and 213 Democrats. There are four vacancies, including the seats left vacant by Reps. Sylvester Turner (D-TX) and Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), both of whom died over the past couple of weeks. Special elections can fill the void for the remainder of the two-year term.

House Republican Conference

Here Are 26 House Democrats On GOP’s 2026 Midterms ‘Target List’

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/house-republicans" target="_blank" rel="noopener">House Republicans</a> are not done winning after their overall 2024 victory that left the Democrats in &#8220;disarray,&#8221; Speaker <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/mike-johnson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mike Johnson</a> (R-LA) declared on Monday.
Johnson delivered a bullish preview for his party in the years to come at the House GOP issues retreat at President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Trump</a>&#8216;s Doral resort in Florida.
He was joined by National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Richard Hudson (R-NC), GOP Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-MI), and Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart (R-FL).
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.<a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpeakerJohnson</a>: &#8220;We are going to win and grow the House majority in 2026. Historically when the president takes the Oval Office, then his party then loses on average a number of seats in the House in that first midterm. That won&#8217;t happen this time around&#8230;&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/tTf0nBAmYD">pic.twitter.com/tTf0nBAmYD</a>
— CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1883979833023049997?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;The Democratic Party is in disarray. They have no obvious leader. They have no obvious vision or agenda,&#8221; Johnson said.
&#8220;Their platform has to be rewritten whole cloth, and they don’t exactly know how they are going to wander in this wilderness for the next couple of years,&#8221; he added.
Democrats lost control of the Senate and the White House in last year&#8217;s election while they failed to crack the Republican majority in the House.
Johnson predicted that the amount of restructuring the Democrats need to do will blow past the 2026 midterms and into the 2028 presidential election.
&#8220;It’s not just gonna be a couple of years, though; it’s gonna be four years at least and then more because we are going to win — grow the House majority in 2026,&#8221; he said.
Republicans managed to retain control of the House in the 2024 election and currently have a 218-215 majority, giving leadership a slim margin in divisive votes.
There are two vacancies: one left by former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and another by former Rep. Michael Waltz (R-FL), who is now Trump&#8217;s national security adviser.
Special congressional primaries in their districts are being <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/what-to-expect-in-floridas-special-congressional-primaries" target="_blank" rel="noopener">held</a> in Florida on Tuesday. The special general election has been scheduled for April 1.
Johnson acknowledged that, &#8220;Historically when the president takes the Oval Office, then his party then loses on average a number of seats in the House in that first midterm.&#8221;
Indeed, after Trump won the 2016 presidential election, the Republicans then lost command of the House in the 2018 midterms as Democrats <a href="https://www.axios.com/2018/11/07/full-list-2018-midterm-election-seats-flipped" target="_blank" rel="noopener">flipped 41 seats</a>.
However, Johnson argued, &#8220;That won&#8217;t happen this time around because there has been a sea change. And we&#8217;re going to deliver on this agenda and that begins now.&#8221;

Mike Johnson

Speaker Johnson Predicts House GOP Will Expand Majority In 2026 With Dems In ‘Disarray’

House Republicans

Michigan Republican Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt announced on Tuesday that he is running for governor, becoming the first GOP candidate to enter a 2026 race that promises to be competitive.
Nesbitt, 44, said in a video posted on X that &#8220;Michiganders deserve so much better than what they&#8217;re getting from these Democrats up in Lansing.&#8221; The 2026 race in Michigan will put a new face in the governor&#8217;s mansion as Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is term-limited.
&#8220;What we&#8217;ve seen is higher taxes, more spending, more debt, and less jobs,&#8221; Nesbitt added. &#8220;You have Governor Whitmer giving free housing to illegal aliens, backing up the big business interests instead of folks back home that need to be protected. I hear it way too often: small business owners are left behind, our farmers are left behind. They show up and they go to work every day, and we need a governor that&#8217;s willing to show up and work just as hard as they are.&#8221;
Among his top priorities, Nesbitt called for ending electric vehicle mandates and standing with President-elect Donald Trump to bring back manufacturing jobs to Michigan. The gubernatorial candidate also said he wants to &#8220;ban sanctuary cities to make sure that our communities and families are safe.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
It’s time to start putting the people of Michigan first. That’s why I’m running for Governor. Let’s get to work! <a href="https://t.co/aZs5S7THhP">pic.twitter.com/aZs5S7THhP</a>
&mdash; Aric Nesbitt (@aricnesbitt) <a href="https://twitter.com/aricnesbitt/status/1879127887519043750?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2025</a></blockquote>
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For the past two years, Democrats have controlled the state house and senate in Michigan. However, a Republican wave bolstered by Trump&#8217;s victory in the 2024 election put the GOP back in control of the state House, while Democrats hold a narrow majority in the state Senate.
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Republicans have struggled in statewide elections in recent years. Whitmer cruised to re-election victory in the 2022 election, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/11/08/us/elections/results-michigan-governor.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">defeating</a> Republican candidate Tudor Dixon by more than 10 points. The Secretary of State and Attorney General positions have also been filled by Democrats since 2019, and Michigan voters elected Democrats to the U.S. Senate in the 2024 and 2022 elections.
Multiple Democrats, including Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, have been floated as possible candidates in the 2026 race. Republicans could see a crowded primary field, which could include Dixon and Kevin Rinke, who also ran for governor in 2022. Reps. Lisa McClain and John James have also been floated as potential candidates, but neither U.S. House member has said they are interested in running for governor.
Longtime Detroit Democratic Mayor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/detroit-dem-mayor-announces-run-for-michigan-governor-as-independent" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mike Duggan</a> was the first candidate to enter the 2026 governor&#8217;s race. In early December, he announced that he was running as an independent.

Aric Nesbitt for governor

First Republican Throws Hat In The Ring For 2026 Michigan Governor’s Race

First Republican Throws Hat In The Ring For 2026 Michigan Governor's Race

governor

Gretchen Whitmer

Michigan

Detroit Democratic Mayor Mike Duggan, who has been in office since 2014, announced that he is running for Michigan governor as an independent in the 2026 election.
Duggan, 66, who has served decades in public office in Wayne County and Detroit, told city employees last week that he would not run for another term as mayor. He officially announced in a press release on Wednesday that he is running to replace Michigan Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who is term-limited after 2026, the Detroit Free Press <a href="https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/detroit/2024/12/04/detroit-mayor-mike-duggan-running-michigan-governor-independent/76234462007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Duggan has been a Democrat for his entire political career but said he is running as an independent because he wants to change &#8220;the current system [that] forces people to choose sides.&#8221;
“I&#8217;m not running to be the Democrats&#8217; governor or the Republicans&#8217; governor. I&#8217;m running to be your governor,” Duggan said. “The political fighting and the nonsense that once held back Detroit is too often what we’re seeing across Michigan today. The current system forces people to choose sides — not find solutions. It’s time to change that. I intend to bring together Democrats, Republicans and Independents — and our young people, far too many of whom have given up on our political system — together to move Michigan forward.”
Whitmer, who easily won a second term in 2022, is a rising national figure in the Democratic Party and is being floated as a potential candidate for president in 2028.
Duggan has overseen a city that has gone through a decades-long spell of violence and decline. Earlier this year, the city <a href="https://detroitmi.gov/opportunities/detroit-tackling-crime-across-city" target="_blank" rel="noopener">boasted</a> of recording the lowest homicide rate since 1962, with 252 homicides reported in 2023. According to the city, non-fatal shootings and carjackings also decreased in 2023.
Despite these recent drops in violent crime, however, Detroit remains one of the most dangerous places to live in the U.S. According to 2022 data, Detroit ranked <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/217685/most-dangerous-cities-in-north-america-by-crime-rate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">second</a>, only behind Memphis, for the highest violent crime rate in the nation at 2,027.9 violent crimes per 100,000 people.
Duggan touted his record of leading Detroit as the city came out of bankruptcy in 2014.
“Detroit’s story of resurgence is one of Detroiters who never gave up on their city,” Duggan said last month when he announced he would not run for a fourth term as mayor. “It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as mayor over the past 12 years and I am incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished together—from emerging out of bankruptcy to becoming a vibrant, healthy city that is a model of resilience and transformation.&#8221;
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Democrats who have been <a href="https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-government/has-michigan-governor-race-begun-duggan-spurs-speculation-heres-who-might-run" target="_blank" rel="noopener">discussed</a> as potential Michigan gubernatorial candidates include Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, Michigan Senate Majority Whip Mallory McMorrow, Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson, and former Secretary of Transporation Pete Buttigieg, who recently moved to the Great Lakes State.
Numerous potential contenders on the Republican side include Congresswoman Lisa McClain, Congressman John James, Michigan Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt, and conservative commentator Tudor Dixon, who was the GOP gubernatorial nominee in 2022.

Mike Duggan

Detroit Dem Mayor Announces Run For Michigan Governor As Independent

Detroit

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley announced a victory for election integrity in Georgia after the state’s Supreme Court ruled that absentee ballots received after election day will not be counted.
“HUGE election integrity victory in Georgia,” Whatley wrote in a post on Monday on <a href="https://x.com/ChairmanWhatley/status/1853534896452444306">X</a> after the RNC and Georgia Republican party appealed a decision on Friday by a lower court after the ACLU filed a lawsuit in the swing state claiming that some 3,000 voters in Cobb county didn’t get their mail-in ballots on time, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/behind-scenes-battles-legal-challenges-could-impact-vote-before-election-day-begins">Fox News</a> reported.
“Democrat-run Cobb County wanted to accept 3,000 absentee ballots AFTER the Election Day deadline,&#8221; he added. &#8220;We took this case to the Georgia Supreme Court. We just got word that we WON the case. Election Day is Election Day — not the week after. We will keep fighting, keep winning, and keep sharing updates.&#8221;
The state Supreme Court took up the Emergency motion and said in its ruling that only those “absentee ballots received by the statutory deadline of 7:00 p.m. on Election Day, November 5, 2024” can be counted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
HUGE election integrity victory in Georgia.
Democrat-run Cobb County wanted to accept 3,000 absentee ballots AFTER the Election Day deadline. We took this case to the Georgia Supreme Court.
We just got word that we WON the case. Election Day is Election Day — not the week…
— Michael Whatley (@ChairmanWhatley) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChairmanWhatley/status/1853534896452444306?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2024</a></blockquote>
The GOP Chair’s post comes following Cobb County Judge Robert Flournoy&#8217;s <a href="https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/pro-voting-groups-sue-georgia-county-to-extend-ballot-receipt-deadline-for-undelivered-ballots/">decision</a> in the ACLU&#8217;s favor that ordered that ballots must be sent overnight to the affected voters. He also ruled that ballots-if postmarked by Election Day-could be counted as late as Nov. 8 at 5 p.m.
“We commend the court for prioritizing the voices of over 3,000 Cobb County voters who deserve to have their ballots counted,” Theresa J. Lee, senior staff attorney at the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project said, <a href="https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/judge-orders-cobb-county-officials-to-express-mail-over-3000-delayed-absentee-ballots">at the time</a>. “This decision helps voters who followed the proper procedures to now have a chance to participate in this election, despite the county’s unfortunate administrative errors.”
A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nevada-supreme-court-rules-on-counting-ballots-received-after-election-day-without-postmarks">federal appeals court</a> in Mississippi recently ruled in the GOP’s favor in another suit that argued mail-in ballots received after Election Day were illegal, The Hill <a href="https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/4954413-federal-appeals-court-rules-mississippi-mail-ballots/">reported</a>. However, it <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/election-presidential-mississippi-republican-national-committee-appeal-late-mail-ballots-1976785" target="_blank" rel="noopener">appears</a> that the current law, which allows for mail-in ballots to be received for up to five days after Election Day, will remain in effect. 
Circuit Judge Andrew Oldham wrote for the unanimous three-judge panel that, “Federal law requires voters to take timely steps to vote by Election Day. And federal law does not permit the State of Mississippi to extend the period for voting by one day, five days, or 100 days. The State’s contrary law is preempted.”
“Congress statutorily designated a singular ‘day for the election’ of members of Congress and the appointment of presidential electors,” the panel added. “Text, precedent and historical practice confirm this ‘day for the election’ is the day by which ballots must be both cast by voters and received by state officials.” 
RNC Chairman Michael Whatley released a statement about the Mississippi ruling, calling it a “major win for election integrity, upholding the law and commonsense ballot safeguards.”
The appeals court ruling now sends the decision back to the lower court to decide whether the statute will be blocked immediately or whether it’s too close to Election Day 2024 to make the changes, The Hill noted.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nevada-supreme-court-rules-on-counting-ballots-received-after-election-day-without-postmarks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nevada Supreme Court Rules On Counting Ballots Received After Election Day Without Postmarks</a>

Voting In Georgia

GOP Chairman Announces ‘Huge Election Integrity Victory’ In Georgia

GOP Chairman Announces Huge Election Integrity Victory in Georgia

Georgia

Kamala Harris

News

Voters

WASHINGTON, D.C.—As Vice President Kamala Harris made a final electoral appeal to the nation, her supporters doubled down on extreme rhetoric, calling former President Donald Trump and his supporters Nazis and fascists.
“If he wins in November it will be the birth of the American Nazi Party with him at the top of it,” Bill Wood told The Daily Wire outside Harris&#8217;s Tuesday <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kamala-calls-trump-a-petty-tyrant-in-closing-speech-as-far-left-protests-rage">speech</a> at the Ellipse. &#8220;He&#8217;s going to take anybody who disagrees with him and put them in jail, and from there, he&#8217;s going to deport them out of the United States altogether.”
“Trump is nothing but a dictator, he wants to subvert our democracy,” said Marc Petitpierre, who traveled to the rally from West Virginia. “He’s a damn Nazi! He’s a fascist! Of course he is!” Petitpierre responded when asked his thoughts about Democrat vice presidential candidate Tim Walz’s <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4956168-walz-trump-madison-square-garden-rally/">comparison</a> of Trump with Nazis.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
WATCH: Our <a href="https://twitter.com/SpencerLndqst?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpencerLndqst</a> went to a Kamala Harris rally to see whether her supporters really think Trump is the next Hitler. And they do.
&#8220;If he wins in November, it will be the birth of the American Nazi party” <a href="https://t.co/jpUFfKgUZ3">pic.twitter.com/jpUFfKgUZ3</a>
— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/1853081956004581696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 3, 2024</a></blockquote>
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“I think he wants to basically turn this into a white Christian nation, which it is not,” another attendee said of Trump’s motives, before saying that she isn’t concerned that the heated rhetoric could inspire more violence against the former president.
“I think it is a totally reasonable assumption,” she said of claims that Trump is a Nazi. “I mean, Elon Musk is wearing a ‘Make America Great Again’ hat in the Nazi font,” she continued, referring to Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden. “That was definitely the vibe there, it was frightening and disgusting.”
“I hope he goes to prison. I think he should go to prison,” she added. “I think he’s a full fascist authoritarian.”
One man said that both Trump and his supporters were Nazis.
“You committed treason, and we hate your ever f***ing guts,” he said of people who vote for Trump, adding that the Republican presidential contender “wants to destroy all life on earth.”
“They don&#8217;t get to be the Nazis on our street. They don&#8217;t get to turn our police into, you know, they&#8217;re Gestapo. F*** them,” the man said. “If they want to bring on the violence, America, we&#8217;ll kick their ass.”
When asked what his final message would be, he remarked “love wins in the end.”
During her speech, Harris called Trump a “petty tyrant” and a “wannabe dictator,&#8221; and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kamala-calls-trump-a-petty-tyrant-in-closing-speech-as-far-left-protests-rage">compared</a> her opponent to King George III. Shortly after Trump narrowly escaped death at the hands of a would-be assassin in Butler, Pennsylvania in July, President Joe Biden urged Americans to &#8220;<a href="https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/hey-remember-lowering-the-temperature-in-our-politics/">lower the temperature</a>&#8221; in politics.

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