The Canadian Liberal Party, led by Prime Minister Mark Carney, won the Canadian election on Tuesday, after the Conservative Party, led by Pierre Poilievre, had held a <a href="https://www.ipsos.com/en-ca/poilievre-opens-25-point-lead-over-trudeau-being-best-equipped-deal-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">25-point lead</a> among decided voters in December.
As of Tuesday morning, the Liberal party won 154 seats with 43.5% of the vote. Despite not winning the election, Poilievre’s Conservatives achieved their best result in years, <a href="https://enr.elections.ca/National.aspx?lang=e">garnering</a> 41.4% of the vote and adding 20 seats. However, Poilievre lost his seat in Parliament, which could jeopardize his role as leader of the Conservative Party.
An Ipsos poll conducted last December found that the Conservative Party garnered 20% of the vote, while the Liberals, led by then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, tied with the New Democratic Party (NDP) at 20%. At the time, the Liberals had the lowest share of the popular vote since 2011. But by mid-April, a Nanos poll showed the Liberals leading by six percentage points.
Poilievre’s lead in the polls shrank as President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on Canada and made sarcastic remarks calling Canada the “51st state.” Trump <a href="https://fortune.com/2024/12/04/trump-joking-canada-become-51st-state-canadian-minister/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">referred</a> to Canada as the “51st state” at a dinner with Trudeau at Mar-a-Lago last December after the Canadian prime minister stated his concern about Trump’s proposed 25% tariffs on Canada.
Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc commented, “The president was telling jokes. The president was teasing us. It was, of course, on that issue, in no way a serious comment.”
In late December, Poilievre, seeing Canadians react defensively to Trump’s comments, <a href="https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/article/poilievre-to-trump-canada-will-never-be-the-51st-state/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">responded</a>, “I have the strength and the smarts to stand up for this country and my message to incoming President Trump is that first and foremost, Canada will never be the 51st state of the U.S.”
In early January, Trudeau resigned, saying he would stay on until a new leader of his party was chosen. After Carney was selected to replace Trudeau in mid-March, he <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g2y7969gyo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">consistently said</a> that Trump &#8220;wants to break us so America can own us.”
After he was sworn in, Trump <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/13/business/economy/trump-tariff-timeline.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> he would implement an additional 25 percent tariffs on Canadian imports; on February 1, he announced 25 percent tariffs on virtually all imports from Canada. On February 3, he announced a 30-day pause on those tariffs. On February 27, he said the tariffs against Canada would go into effect on March 4 “as scheduled.” On March 5, he said he would pause tariffs on cars coming into the U.S. for one month. On April 9, he said he would pause all reciprocal tariffs for 90 days, and make them 10% across the board.
In mid-March, Trump told Fox News’ Laura Ingraham. “I’d rather deal with a Liberal than a Conservative. The Conservative that’s running is stupidly no friend of mine. I don’t know him but he’s said negative things. When he’s said negative things I couldn’t care less. I think it’s easier to deal, actually, with a Liberal.”
Poilievre responded, “Last night, President Donald Trump endorsed Mark Carney. Why? Because, as Trump said, he’s ‘easier’ to deal with, and knows that I will be a tough negotiator and always put Canada First. Carney is weak and would cave to Trump’s demands, just like he did when he moved his company headquarters from Canada to New York City. Canadians don’t want a weak and conflicted leader. They want a strong Prime Minister who will put Canada First.”
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Last night, President Donald Trump endorsed Mark Carney.
Why? Because, as Trump said, he’s “easier” to deal with, and knows that I will be a tough negotiator and always put Canada First. Carney is weak and would cave to Trump’s demands, just like he did when he moved his company… <a href="https://t.co/Dv6FgyyLYg">pic.twitter.com/Dv6FgyyLYg</a>
&mdash; Pierre Poilievre (@PierrePoilievre) <a href="https://twitter.com/PierrePoilievre/status/1902291230035185971?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
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On Monday, the day of the election, Trump again <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114415618596069518" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> on Truth Social about Canada becoming a state:
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Good luck to the Great people of Canada. Elect the man who has the strength and wisdom to cut your taxes in half, increase your military power, for free, to the highest level in the World, have your Car, Steel, Aluminum, Lumber, Energy, and all other businesses, QUADRUPLE in size, WITH ZERO TARIFFS OR TAXES, if Canada becomes the cherished 51st. State of the United States of America. No more artificially drawn line from many years ago. Look how beautiful this land mass would be. Free access with NO BORDER. ALL POSITIVES WITH NO NEGATIVES. IT WAS MEANT TO BE! America can no longer subsidize Canada with the Hundreds of Billions of Dollars a year that we have been spending in the past. It makes no sense unless Canada is a State!
</blockquote>
As Canadian voters went to the polls on Monday, Poilievre, a hard-line conservative, wrote on X, “President Trump, stay out of our election. The only people who will decide the future of Canada are Canadians at the ballot box. Canada will always be proud, sovereign and independent and we will NEVER be the 51st state. Today Canadians can vote for change so we can strengthen our country, stand on our own two feet and stand up to America from a position of strength.”
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President Trump, stay out of our election. The only people who will decide the future of Canada are Canadians at the ballot box.
Canada will always be proud, sovereign and independent and we will NEVER be the 51st state.
Today Canadians can vote for change so we can strengthen…
— Pierre Poilievre (@PierrePoilievre) <a href="https://twitter.com/PierrePoilievre/status/1916854056183644583?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
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To form a majority in the Parliament of Canada, a party must gather 172 seats. According to <a href="https://www.ctvnews.ca/federal-election-2025/article/ctv-news-declares-liberal-minority-singh-to-step-down-as-ndp-leader-live-updates-here/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CTV News</a> and the<a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/livestory/canada-election-ndp-leader-jagmeet-singh-announces-resignation-with-liberals-projected-to-win-4th-term-9.6738893?ts=1745892659755" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> CBC</a>, the Liberal Party won enough seats to form a minority government. They will have to unite with the Leftist NDP and the Green Party to form a majority government. As of Tuesday morning, with <a href="https://enr.elections.ca/National.aspx?lang=e">almost all of the votes recorded</a>, the Liberals were projected to win 168 seats compared to the Conservatives 144, the Quebecois Party 23, the NDP seven seats and the Green party one. The Liberals only need four more seats, while the NDP would have the four to give them.

MixCollage-29-Apr-2025-12-20-PM-6405

Canadian Liberal Party Retains Power, Defeats Conservatives

Canada

Donald Trump

Elections

Pierre Poilevre

Politics

NewsNation host Chris Cuomo blasted Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) during a Thursday broadcast, warning Democrats not to get behind her as she tours the country with Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) — and appears ready to potentially mount a presidential campaign in 2028.
Cuomo, in addition to criticizing Ocasio-Cortez&#8217; thin Congressional resume, referred to the Bronx native as an &#8220;80/20 loser&#8221; whose only real accomplishments can be measured in social media &#8220;likes.&#8221;
WATCH:
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🚨NEW: <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisCuomo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChrisCuomo</a> WARNS Dems it&#39;s foolish to elevate &quot;socialist&quot; AOC as top presidential contender🚨
&quot;AOC has done nothing meaningful in Congress. She&#39;s done it all on social media. And she&#39;s one of your leading names and who&#39;s going to be president? &#8230; She&#39;s an 80/20 loser… <a href="https://t.co/nwO2K3ghcn">pic.twitter.com/nwO2K3ghcn</a>
&mdash; Jason Cohen 🇺🇸 (@JasonJournoDC) <a href="https://twitter.com/JasonJournoDC/status/1915419115788829030?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;AOC has done nothing meaningful in Congress. She&#8217;s done it all on social media,&#8221; Cuomo began. &#8220;And she&#8217;s one of your leading names and who&#8217;s going to be president?&#8221;
&#8220;Do you not get this concept of 80/20? She&#8217;s an 80/20 loser all day long,&#8221; Cuomo continued, suggesting that on most major issues that Americans cared about, Ocasio-Cortez would side with 20% while 80% sided against her. &#8220;Why? She is clearly catering to a minority. She&#8217;s her own version of MAGA. She&#8217;s looking for an outraged enclave.&#8221;
&#8220;She&#8217;s not about the majority, she&#8217;s not about consensus. She&#8217;s not about solutions,&#8221; he concluded. &#8220;She wants government to give you everything. She&#8217;s a socialist in a capitalist society. What are you thinking!?&#8221;
A number of people have suggested that Ocasio-Cortez is likely to mount a primary challenge against Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) — and Schumer&#8217;s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/cnn-data-guru-its-time-for-chuck-schumer-to-panic-sirens-should-be-going-off" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recent poll numbers</a>, according to CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten, have many wondering whether he could withstand such a battle.
&#8220;They simply don’t like the job he’s doing as Senate leader. I mean, look at this — should Schumer stay as Senate leader? Again, according to New York Democrats, just 50% say yes. Look at this number — 48% say no,” Enten said. “This screams — sirens should be going off. Primary challenge. Primary challenge. Primary challenge. When you’re a Democrat in New York and these are your ratings — this is a big wake-up call if you’re Chuck Schumer.&#8221;
But others have suggested that the New York Congresswoman might be plotting a much bigger move:
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She&#39;s running for president.<a href="https://t.co/nWbnbnn0Ar">pic.twitter.com/nWbnbnn0Ar</a>
&mdash; Michael Knowles (@michaeljknowles) <a href="https://twitter.com/michaeljknowles/status/1915529189488263488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2025</a></blockquote>
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She’s going to run and her message of economic populism is more powerful than people are giving her credit for. <a href="https://t.co/izAoGvR70y">https://t.co/izAoGvR70y</a>
&mdash; Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) <a href="https://twitter.com/MeghanMcCain/status/1915453416731459991?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Since we all seem to agree that AOC is running in 2028, I want to start the clock on the inevitable &quot;she&#39;s always been a moderate&quot; reform tour that she&#39;s already laying the groundwork for by being absent from a lot of the squad&#39;s bullshit these days. <a href="https://t.co/1O2nLFfHZi">https://t.co/1O2nLFfHZi</a>
&mdash; Noam Blum (@neontaster) <a href="https://twitter.com/neontaster/status/1915771670817628437?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
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I am telling you…she is running and she is going to be more formidable than some Democrats seem to think <a href="https://t.co/rifJTFv2Ns">https://t.co/rifJTFv2Ns</a>
&mdash; Chris Cillizza (@ChrisCillizza) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisCillizza/status/1915236450511081938?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Also, she&#39;s running. Notice how she&#39;s shifting from intersectional divisiveness to progressive economics. And if Republicans underestimate her they&#39;re making a crucial mistake. If the economy craters, she&#39;s the likely frontrunner to be president in 2028.
&mdash; Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) <a href="https://twitter.com/benshapiro/status/1915662794629775742?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
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2024 Democratic National Convention

Chris Cuomo Blasts ’80-20 Loser’ Ocasio-Cortez, Warns Dems Not To Pick Her In 2028

Chris Cuomo Blasts '80-20 Loser' AOC, Warns Dems Not To Pick Her In 2028

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Chris Cuomo

Media

Canada&#8217;s Conservative party has narrowed the gap with Prime Minister Mark Carney&#8217;s ruling Liberals to only 3.6 percentage points, just four days before Monday&#8217;s national election.
According to a rolling three-day CTV News-Globe and Mail-Nanos poll, the Liberals hold 42.9% support with the Conservatives at 39.3%.
The 3.6-point gap has narrowed significantly from 5.6 points just a day earlier, a significant momentum shift toward opposition leader Pierre Poilievre&#8217;s campaign focused on economic concerns and public safety under Liberal governance.
&#8220;We can&#8217;t afford a fourth Liberal term of rising costs and crime,&#8221; Poilievre <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/canada-election-race-tightens-conservatives-narrow-gap-with-liberals-poll-says-2025-04-24/">told</a> reporters in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on Thursday, pledging to scrap electric-vehicle sales mandates, per Reuters.
His campaign has emphasized domestic issues, while Carney has focused heavily on U.S. tariffs and potential “threats” posed by President Trump.
Paul Thomas, a professor emeritus at the University of Manitoba, suggests the polls may be tightening because of the &#8220;diminished sense of crisis&#8221; regarding relations between the United States and Canada.
He noted that voters&#8217; focus appears to be shifting back to cost-of-living concerns, while Poilievre&#8217;s softening of his campaign tone may also be attracting support.
The Conservative surge follows the release of the party&#8217;s extensive platform and the two candidates’ debates last week.
In recent years, Canada has implemented a federal carbon tax, stricter gun control measures, and substantially increased immigration targets – policies that opposition parties argue have contributed to the country&#8217;s cost-of-living crisis.
While Carney has made United States relations the centerpiece of his campaign, his rhetoric in recent weeks has become increasingly dramatic in an attempt to exploit the fear of American overreach that many Canadians appear to have.
“In this crisis, we have to prepare for America’s threats to our very sovereignty. They want our land, our resources, they want our water, they want our country,” Carney alarmingly <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/19/mark-carney-unveils-plan-to-trump-proof-canada-00299654">declared,</a> per Politico.
Even with a popular vote victory, pollsters caution that the Liberals might secure only a minority government, leaving Carney dependent on smaller parties to govern.
The New Democratic Party, currently polling at 7.2%, could become the kingmaker in a closely contested parliament.
This shift, combined with the Conservative Party&#8217;s recently released detailed economic plan, appears to be resonating with voters concerned about domestic issues.
The election represents a clear contrast between Carney&#8217;s focus on external threats and international relations versus Poilievre&#8217;s emphasis on so0-called kitchen table economic concerns.
With just days remaining before Canadians cast their ballots, both campaigns are intensifying get-out-the-vote efforts in key battleground districts, particularly in suburban areas around Toronto and Vancouver, where elections are typically decided.
The three-day CTV News-Globe and Mail-Nanos poll was conducted among 2,000 eligible voters from April 18 to 21, and has a margin of error of 2.3 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, per Reuters.

CANADA-VOTE-POLITICS-DEBATE

Conservative Party Surges Ahead Of Canadian Election As Concerns Over Trump Seem To Wane: Poll

Pierre Poilievre

Tariffs

World

CNN&#8217;s resident pollster Harry Enten raised the big red flags as he broke down the latest numbers for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) — who has held one of New York&#8217;s two Senate seats since 1999 — noting that the Democratic leader&#8217;s future looks far from secure.
Enten, whose official job title is chief data analyst, joined anchor John Berman on Thursday&#8217;s broadcast of CNN News Central — and he laid out the details of a Siena College poll, explaining why those numbers should be setting off alarm bells for Schumer and his team.
WATCH:
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🚨NEW: CNN&#39;s Harry Enten warns Chuck Schumer it&#39;s officially time to PANIC about his political future🚨
&quot;Should Schumer stay as Senate leader? According to New York Democrats, just 50% say yes &#8230; 48% say no. This screams — sirens should be going off. Primary challenge. Primary… <a href="https://t.co/q1synv0V6y">pic.twitter.com/q1synv0V6y</a>
&mdash; Jason Cohen 🇺🇸 (@JasonJournoDC) <a href="https://twitter.com/JasonJournoDC/status/1915445411956801841?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;New York Democrats on Chuck Schumer — view him favorably in December of 2024. That was just a few months ago — it was 73%. Look at where that number has fallen to in just a few months. It is now down to just 52%,&#8221; Enten explained, adding, &#8220;That is the lowest I could ever find in Siena College on how Democrats in Chuck Schumer’s home state view him.&#8221;
&#8220;And keep in mind, if you’re thinking about a primary challenge, it would be a few years away — but Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s favorable rating among Democrats is considerably higher, in the 60s. So he is doing quite poorly in his own home state of New York,&#8221; Enten continued. &#8220;I never thought I’d see the day in which just 52% of New York Democrats view Chuck Schumer favorably. It’s almost unfathomable.&#8221;
Enten went on to note that other poll questions had given equally bad news for the New York Democrat — who has led the Senate Democratic Caucus since 2017 and was the Senate Majority Leader for the last four years.
&#8220;They simply don’t like the job he’s doing as Senate leader. I mean, look at this — should Schumer stay as Senate leader? Again, according to New York Democrats, just 50% say yes. Look at this number — 48% say no,&#8221; he added. &#8220;This screams — sirens should be going off. Primary challenge. Primary challenge. Primary challenge. When you’re a Democrat in New York and these are your ratings — this is a big wake-up call if you’re Chuck Schumer.&#8221;

Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer

CNN Data Guru: It’s Time For Chuck Schumer To Panic, ‘Sirens Should Be Going Off’

CNN Data Guru: It's Time For Chuck Schumer To Panic, 'Sirens Should Be Going Off'

Chuck Schumer

New York

Polls

President Donald Trump said on Monday evening that he is endorsing two Republican candidates running for governor in Arizona, calling them both &#8220;terrific people.&#8221;
Trump previously threw his support behind Karrin Taylor Robson, an Arizona businesswoman who <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-backed-arizona-businesswoman-launches-bid-for-governor" target="_blank" rel="noopener">launched her campaign</a> in February, leaning into the president&#8217;s endorsement. Now, Trump is also expressing support for Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) after the congressman jumped into the race in late January.
&#8220;I like Karrin Taylor Robson of Arizona a lot, and when she asked me to Endorse her, with nobody else running, I Endorsed her, and was happy to do so,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114378287917044509" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> on Truth Social. &#8220;When Andy Biggs decided to run for Governor, quite unexpectedly, I had a problem — Two fantastic candidates, two terrific people, two wonderful champions, and it is therefore my Great Honor TO GIVE MY COMPLETE AND TOTAL ENDORSEMENT TO BOTH. Either one will never let you down. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!&#8221;
During a speech at Turning Point USA&#8217;s AmericaFest in December, Trump said that Robson would have his &#8220;support&#8221; if she entered the race. Robson played a clip of Trump&#8217;s remarks in her announcement video.
&#8220;Karrin Taylor Robson is answering President Trump&#8217;s call,&#8221; the video&#8217;s narrator states.
In a social media post on Monday, Robson thanked Trump for announcing his endorsement of her.
&#8220;THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT! Today, @realDonaldTrump reaffirmed what he told me in December when he urged me to run on stage: That he supports me &amp; has fully endorsed my Arizona First campaign,&#8221; she <a href="https://x.com/KTaylorRobson/status/1914462330127081925" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a>.
Biggs, one of Trump&#8217;s most ardent supporters in Congress and the chair of the House Freedom Caucus, also thanked Trump for his endorsement, <a href="https://x.com/andybiggs4az/status/1914450553242845493" target="_blank" rel="noopener">writing</a> on X, &#8220;It’s been an honor to support you and fight for your agenda since 2016. I look forward to fighting alongside you as Governor of Arizona, the greatest state in the nation!&#8221;
Both Robson and Biggs are seeking to unseat Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs next year. Robson also ran for governor in 2022, falling just short of Republican Kari Lake in the GOP primary. Lake went on to lose to Hobbs in the general election.
The president often boasts about his track record of endorsing candidates who go on to win primary and general elections, and GOP hopefuls usually look for Trump&#8217;s backing to give them a significant boost against intra-party rivals. Biggs <a href="https://politicalpulse.net/us-polls/arizona-governor-election-polls/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">appears</a> to be the <a href="https://ktar.com/arizona-election-articles/2026-arizona-governor/5651775/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">early favorite</a> to win the GOP primary in 2026.

Trump Endorses Both GOP ‘Champions’ Facing Off In Arizona Primary

Andy Biggs

Arizona

Executive

Katie Hobbs

Republican Party

Michigan Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer has waited over three months to call a special election for a vacant state legislature seat, leaving hundreds of thousands of residents without representation, but ensuring her party&#8217;s slim control over the legislature.
Whitmer&#8217;s delay is being blasted by Michigan Republicans as a political trick to keep the GOP from gaining a seat in the state senate. The district&#8217;s previous state senator, Democrat Kristen McDonald Rivet, was elected to the U.S. House in November. With the vacancy, Democrats maintain a one seat majority in the body, 19-18.
&#8220;It&#8217;s all politics,&#8221; Republican Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt said in an interview with The Daily Wire. He argued that Whitmer is delaying the special election because Republicans have a shot at winning the seat.  The 35th state Senate District is a competitive electoral region that encompasses Bay City, Midland, and Saginaw.
&#8220;Right now, there are 270,000 people who have gone without a senator for going on four months now,&#8221; said Nesbitt, who is running for Michigan governor in 2026. &#8220;And who knows how much longer Whitmer is going to deprive them of representation.&#8221;
Whitmer, who has been the target of criticism after she was photographed hiding from cameras in the White House, has addressed the delay, but she hasn&#8217;t given any specifics on when she will officially schedule the election. The governor told <a href="https://radio.wcmu.org/local-regional-news/2025-04-08/whitmer-confirms-35th-district-special-election-will-happen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WCMU</a> last week, &#8220;At some point there will be one, but I don&#8217;t have an announcement to make yet.&#8221;
“I haven&#8217;t made a determination yet,” she added. “There are a number of times in the year that we could call it for, and I just haven&#8217;t made a decision yet, but I&#8217;ll let you know as soon as, as soon as I do.”
The governor&#8217;s office did not respond to The Daily Wire when asked if Whitmer was planning on announcing a special election date soon. Michigan <a href="https://legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-168-641" target="_blank" rel="noopener">law</a> leaves the scheduling of special elections to fill vacancies completely up to the governor, and there is no deadline for how soon a special election must be called.
Republicans suspect that Whitmer&#8217;s political calculations are likely the reason for the delayed special election. Whitmer is in the final year and a half of her second term, a stretch that could prove pivotal for the Democrat&#8217;s legacy and future political aspirations. Keeping Democrats ahead of Republicans by one seat for as long as possible could be a preferable option for the governor instead of risking a GOP pickup in a special election.
&#8220;You gotta remember, a year and a half ago — November of 2023 — Whitmer <a href="https://www.michigan.gov/whitmer/news/press-releases/2023/11/22/whitmer-calls-for-special-election-to-fill-vacant-house-seats" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called</a> a special election for two state House Democrat seats within two weeks after the November municipal elections, when the House got tied 54-54,&#8221; Nesbitt added.
Republicans are confident that they can pull off a win in the 35th District, relying on the momentum gained by President Donald Trump in 2024, who won Saginaw, Bay, and Midland Counties. Michigan Republicans also took control of the state House in the 2024 election.
Republican state Rep. Bill Schuette, who represents all of Midland County, told The Daily Wire that Whitmer&#8217;s delay &#8220;is a disservice to the people of the entire region,&#8221; adding that holding a special election as soon as possible shouldn&#8217;t be a partisan issue.
&#8220;It&#8217;s about representation,&#8221; he said.
&#8220;I&#8217;ve heard from small businesses and people in our community as well who are seeing our budget being debated, and they say, &#8216;Hey, we only have half of a voice when our state&#8217;s multi-billion-dollar budget is being debated,&#8221; Schuette added. &#8220;That&#8217;s not fair.&#8221;
Whitmer has been blasted for focusing on her recent book tour and potential 2028 presidential aspirations while still serving as governor. The governor was the subject of ridicule last week when she visited Trump in the Oval Office but hid her face behind a folder as members of the media attempted to snap photos of her.
&#8220;Her most recent comment about the special election is she hasn&#8217;t had time to make a decision yet. Well, you know what she has had time to do? Go on trips to the United Kingdom and Ireland and Spain,&#8221; Schuette said. &#8220;We all saw her hiding her face in the Oval Office. How about doing your job here at home, calling a special election and giving people their voice?&#8221;

Gretchen Whitmer

‘All Politics’: Michigan’s Whitmer Delays Pivotal Special Election As Dems Hold Slim Majority

'All Politics': Michigan's Whitmer Delays Calling Important Special Election As Dems Barely Hang Ont

2024 Election

Michigan

Former Republican Congressman Mike Rogers is running for Senate again in Michigan, jumping into the race on Monday to fill the seat of retiring Sen. Gary Peters, a Democrat.
Rogers said in his announcement video that Michigan &#8220;for too long&#8221; has &#8220;been represented by two-faced politicians who say they&#8217;re moderates but vote as radicals when they get elected.&#8221; Michigan has not elected a Republican to the Senate since 1994, and last November, Rogers became the latest candidate in a long line of Michigan Republicans who failed to win back a Senate seat for the GOP when he lost to Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin by more than 19,000 votes.
&#8220;As your next senator, I won&#8217;t just represent Michigan, I&#8217;ll fight for it,&#8221; Rogers said. &#8220;I&#8217;ll stand with President Trump, and we will deliver on the mandate given to him by the American people.&#8221;
&#8220;For me, it will always be America and Michigan first, rewarding hard work and investing in the skilled trades, cutting wasteful spending, lowering the costs of gas, groceries, and prescription drugs,&#8221; he added. &#8220;Alongside President Trump, I&#8217;ll fight to bring good, high-paying manufacturing jobs back to Michigan, and I guarantee we&#8217;ll protect Social Security for our seniors.&#8221;
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President Trump needs strong allies in the Senate to help him deliver on the mandate given by the American people. 
That means bringing manufacturing jobs back to Michigan, protecting seniors’ social security, lowering the costs of gas, groceries &amp; prescription drugs, and… <a href="https://t.co/MBNn5gcZ4t">pic.twitter.com/MBNn5gcZ4t</a>
&mdash; Mike Rogers (@MikeRogersForMI) <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeRogersForMI/status/1911736873946317227?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), the chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, threw his support behind Rogers shortly after the Michigan Republican announced his run for Senate.
&#8220;Mike will always put Michigan first, fight for the needs of working families, and stand up to communist China,&#8221; Scott <a href="https://x.com/votetimscott/status/1911738722401255471" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> on X. &#8220;Michigan is a battleground state, and with @MikeRogersForMI as our candidate, I know we will add this seat to President Trump&#8217;s Senate Majority in 2026.&#8221;
Rogers is the first high-profile Republican to jump into the 2026 Senate race. Tudor Dixon, the GOP&#8217;s 2022 gubernatorial nominee, is considering a Senate bid, but she has yet to make a decision. On the Democratic side, state Sen. Mallory McMorrow announced her run for the seat earlier this month. Michigan Democratic Attorney General Dana Nessel is also considering a run. Former presidential candidate and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who recently moved to Michigan, ruled out a Senate run last month.
Rogers was endorsed by then-candidate Donald Trump in the 2024 election and appeared with him multiple times during campaign rallies in the Great Lakes State. Trump won Michigan over former Vice President Kamala Harris by more than 80,000 votes on his way to the White House, but Trump&#8217;s strong showing in the swing state didn&#8217;t trickle down the ballot enough to pull Rogers across the finish line.
Before he spent time in the U.S. House from 2001 to 2015, Rogers served in the U.S. Army and worked as a special agent for the FBI. He was also interviewed to potentially become the FBI director after Trump fired James Comey in 2017.

Mike Rogers

Former Michigan GOP Congressman Launches 2nd Senate Bid After Coming Up Short In 2024

2026 Midterms

Democrats

Republicans

Senate

On Thursday, failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton faced blowback for claiming a GOP bill &#8220;threatens&#8221; voting access for millions of married women.
Clinton, who is also a former United States senator and first lady, reacted to the House <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/most-house-dems-vote-against-bill-to-require-voters-prove-citizenship-again" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passing</a> the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/22/text" target="_blank" rel="noopener">(SAVE) Act</a>, which aims to require individuals to show proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in elections for federal office.
&#8220;Update: The House just passed the Republican voter suppression measure that threatens voting access for millions of Americans, including 69 million women whose married names don&#8217;t match their birth certificates,&#8221; Clinton <a href="https://x.com/HillaryClinton/status/1910394674055119300" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. &#8220;Make sure your senators know you expect them to stand against it.&#8221;
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Update: The House just passed the Republican voter suppression measure that threatens voting access for millions of Americans, including 69 million women whose married names don&#39;t match their birth certificates. 
Make sure your senators know you expect them to stand against it. <a href="https://t.co/cYTismZC4U">https://t.co/cYTismZC4U</a>
&mdash; Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) <a href="https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton/status/1910394674055119300?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The bill, introduced by Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), seeks to &#8220;amend the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to require proof of United States citizenship to register an individual to vote in elections for Federal office.&#8221; It also instructs states to remove noncitizens from voter rolls and establish a process for applicants lacking documentary proof to submit alternative evidence to verify U.S. citizenship.
Republican lawmakers responded to Clinton on X, via &#8220;quote&#8221; because she has replies turned off, by saying that her post was untrue.
&#8220;Stop. You are lying. Read the bill. And for the love of God, stop treating women like they are incapable or idiots,&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/Kat_Cammack/status/1910448437075792310" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Rep. Kat Cammack (R-FL).
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Stop. You are lying. Read the bill. And for the love of God, stop treating women like they are incapable or idiots. <a href="https://t.co/7PYl361FyX">https://t.co/7PYl361FyX</a>
&mdash; Kat Cammack (@Kat_Cammack) <a href="https://twitter.com/Kat_Cammack/status/1910448437075792310?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Hillary Clinton argues that the SAVE Act &#8216;threatens voting access&#8217; for &#8217;69 million women whose married names don’t match their birth certificates,'&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/BasedMikeLee/status/1910439806242267615" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), who <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/128/cosponsors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">introduced</a> a companion version of the bill in the Senate.
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Hillary Clinton argues that the SAVE Act “threatens voting access” for “69 million women whose married names don’t match their birth certificates” 
If that were true—and it’s definitely not—the same women would be unemployable as they’d be unable to complete an I-9, which… <a href="https://t.co/UzC6XgismP">https://t.co/UzC6XgismP</a>
&mdash; Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) <a href="https://twitter.com/BasedMikeLee/status/1910439806242267615?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;If that were true — and it’s definitely not — the same women would be unemployable as they’d be unable to complete an I-9, which requires proof of citizenship,&#8221; he added. &#8220;Her argument proves too much, is refuted by the plain text of the bill, and cannot withstand review.&#8221;
With a post of his own, Roy alluded to how <a href="https://x.com/CraigCaplan/status/1910355241658179727" target="_blank" rel="noopener">four</a> Democrats voted in support of the bill and <a href="https://x.com/chiproytx/status/1910447804234838123" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>, &#8220;Just show an ID. Why would you not want to verify citizenship?&#8221;
&#8220;This is a nasty lie,&#8221; Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) <a href="https://x.com/realannapaulina/status/1910403295740391501" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> to Clinton, while Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) <a href="https://x.com/virginiafoxx/status/1910411857552118152" target="_blank" rel="noopener">employed</a> a &#8220;clown face&#8221; emoji.
Other Democrats, beyond Clinton, have perpetuated the claim that the bill creates an undue burden on legitimate voters — in particular, married women.
&#8220;House Republicans just passed a bill that would disenfranchise 70 million married American women,&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/RepAOC/status/1910428190939496654" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY). &#8220;Under the SAVE Act, women who took their spouse’s last name and don&#8217;t have an updated passport or birth certificate would be turned away at the polls.&#8221;
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🚨House Republicans just passed a bill that would disenfranchise 70 million married American women.
Under the SAVE Act, women who took their spouse’s last name and don&#39;t have an updated passport or birth certificate would be turned away at the polls.
&mdash; Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@RepAOC) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepAOC/status/1910428190939496654?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-NC) shared a <a href="https://x.com/RepChuckEdwards/status/1910342646574313588" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post</a> that addressed the claim that the SAVE Act restricted married women&#8217;s right to vote.
&#8220;FACT: The SAVE Act directs states to establish a process for discrepancies, such as a name change, so that individuals can still register to vote,&#8221; the post said. &#8220;This bill lists forms of identification that a voter could provide when registering to vote, but that voter only needs to provide one document, including a driver&#8217;s license or any valid government-issued ID card.&#8221;

Hillary Clinton

Hillary Clinton Roasted For Claiming GOP Bill ‘Threatens’ Voting Access For Married Women

Congress

U.S.

Voting Bill

American elections should be decided by American voters. That’s the basic principle behind the SAVE Act (<a href="https://www.wilx.com/2025/04/07/15-non-citizens-voted-michigan-november-general-election-secretary-state-says/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HR 22</a>), a landmark bill in the U.S. House of Representatives meant to require proof of citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections. That’s something most Americans — even most liberal voters — agree on. 
But Congressional Democrats don’t seem to care. They killed the SAVE Act last year and seem intent on doing so again. Along with so-called “democracy” activists and liberal pundits in the press, Democratic elected officials are <a href="https://www.wilx.com/2025/04/07/15-non-citizens-voted-michigan-november-general-election-secretary-state-says/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">working</a> overtime to scare Americans into opposing a commonsense bill.
The public shouldn’t fall for it. The SAVE Act, first introduced last year by Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), amends existing law to require that states obtain proof of citizenship from anyone registering to vote in federal elections. A wide range of IDs would be acceptable, including a birth certificate, a passport, or a military ID. That is the same basic requirement Americans are already complying with when they get a REAL ID.
The SAVE Act would help solve a clear problem. Right now, voter registration operates on an honor system. Thanks to years of Left-wing litigation, courts have interpreted federal law to prevent states from proving citizenship. To get on a voter roll, all a noncitizen needs to do is check a box asking if he or she is a citizen.
That’s no hypothetical danger. In 2018, the U.S. Department of Justice charged 19 noncitizens with illegally registering and voting as recently as 2016. Just a few days ago, <a href="https://www.wilx.com/2025/04/07/15-non-citizens-voted-michigan-november-general-election-secretary-state-says/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Michigan</a> Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson announced 15 noncitizens voted there in 2024. Last year, states like Ohio, Texas, and Virginia all found significant numbers of noncitizens on their voter rolls, and state officials say many appear to have voted in recent years. Those figures may not sway a presidential election, but there are numerous races each year decided by a few votes — sometimes even just one. That is not the point, though. Each of these illegal votes represents a lawful American citizen whose voice was unfairly cancelled out. Lawmakers have a duty to prevent that.
Democrats label the SAVE Act redundant because federal law already makes it illegal for noncitizens to vote. But those same Democrats seem more interested in undercutting that law than enforcing it. When Virginia tried to remove <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/30/politics/supreme-court-virginia-noncitizen-voting-purge/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1,500 self-identified noncitizens from its rolls</a>, the Biden Administration sued to keep them on the voter rolls for the 2024 election. Progressive politicians handed the vote to illegal aliens in Washington, D.C., and New York City spent years defending a noncitizen voting law that New York’s highest court just tossed out as patently unconstitutional.
The attacks on the bill only get more absurd from there. Progressives argue that the SAVE Act will stop married women from voting if they change their names. Hardly. Marriage wasn’t invented yesterday, and every state has processes for handling name changes on official documents. Plus, the bill specifically accommodates voters with discrepancies in their identification.
Nor will the bill stop citizens from voting merely because they lack routine forms of ID. The SAVE Act includes provisions to deal with this, too. Of course, critics still baselessly assert that the bill will ban huge numbers of citizens from voting. But they have said the same about voter ID laws for decades, and those warnings never came true.
One of the big beneficiaries of the SAVE Act will be the election officials we task with ensuring the security of our elections and verifying the eligibility of voters. Not only does the bill give them new tools to screen out ineligible noncitizens before they can register and vote, it also guarantees access to federal databases that will help keep voter rolls clean and accurate.
Another will be the voting public. Citizenship requirements are extraordinarily popular. Indeed, a <a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/652523/americans-endorse-early-voting-voter-verification.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recent Gallup survey</a> found an incredible 83% of Americans believe that proof of citizenship should be required when registering to vote. Eight states voted to enshrine citizen-only voting in their state constitutions last year alone. Americans deserve to know that noncitizens are not voting in our elections.
The SAVE Act dovetails nicely with President Trump’s recent Executive Order on elections. That order was a welcome change from the prior administration and rightly resets government policy in crucial areas including proof of citizenship. But executive orders have their limits, and only Congress can make law.
Congress has a duty to ensure that American elections belong exclusively to American citizens. The only question is, will Democrats stand with the American public or against them? Time will tell, and the voters are watching.
* * *
Jason Snead is the executive director of Honest Elections Project Action.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
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TOPSHOT-US-VOTE-POLITICS-ELECTION

It’s Time For Congress To Ban Noncitizen Voting

illegal immigrants

Opinion

U.S. House of Representatives

Voter Registration

Voting

Rep. John James (R-MI) jumped into the 2026 race for Michigan governor on Monday, seeking to replace Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who is term-limited.
James, 43, won his seat in Congress in 2022 after coming up short in two consecutive Senate races — losing to former Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D) in 2018 and current Sen. Gary Peters (D) in 2020. In a statement announcing his candidacy, the U.S. Army veteran said that under Whitmer and Democrats&#8217; leadership, Michigan &#8220;has been dominated by radical, out-of-touch policies that have hurt our families, our communities, and our economy.&#8221;
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Faith and Family. God and Country. Service Before Self.
Michigan First. <a href="https://t.co/drYWqGSi3C">pic.twitter.com/drYWqGSi3C</a>
&mdash; John James (@JohnJamesMI) <a href="https://twitter.com/JohnJamesMI/status/1909345196741193898?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
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James joins Michigan Republican Senate Minority Leader <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/first-republican-throws-hat-in-the-ring-for-2026-michigan-governors-race" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Aric Nesbitt</a> in the Republican primary for governor. Nesbitt, who announced his run in January, also focused on bringing manufacturing jobs back to Michigan in his announcement statement. Dixon has also stated that she&#8217;s considering running for governor or jumping into the Senate race for Sen. Peters&#8217; seat.
On the Democratic side, Secretary of State <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/michigan-dem-secretary-of-state-launches-bid-for-governor-hours-after-accidental-announcement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jocelyn Benson</a> is running, along with Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson. Longtime Detroit Democratic Mayor Mike Duggan also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/detroit-dem-mayor-announces-run-for-michigan-governor-as-independent" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> a run for governor in December but said he is running as an independent.
Aside from losing to President Donald Trump in the 2016 and 2024 elections, Democrats have had a string of successes in statewide elections in recent years. Whitmer comfortably won re-election by 10 points in 2022 over Republican nominee Tudor Dixon. In the 2024 election, as Trump took the Great Lakes State by more than 80,000 votes, Democrat Elissa Slotkin defeated Republican Mike Rogers to keep retiring Sen. Debbie Stabenow&#8217;s seat in the Democrats&#8217; hands.
James tied himself to President Trump in his announcement, writing that the two &#8220;have been in each other&#8217;s corner through thick and thin for eight years—no reason that will end now.&#8221; In the 2018 Michigan Republican Senate primary, James was endorsed by Trump just days before the primary election. He was endorsed by Trump again in 2020, and the two campaigned together.
&#8220;He&#8217;s doing his part to Make America Great Again, and I&#8217;ll do mine to bring prosperity and sanity back to Michigan,&#8221; James said.

John James

‘Bring Prosperity And Sanity Back’: GOP Congressman Enters Michigan Governor’s Race

Editor&#8217;s note: This is the first installment of a six-part series by pollster Brent Buchanan on the politics of the American South. The Daily Wire has had the pleasure of working closely with Buchanan and Cygnal, which has proven election cycle after cycle to be one of the most accurate pollsters in the country. Originally hailing from Montgomery, Alabama, there is no pollster more qualified to dig in to the topic than Buchanan. 
We hope you enjoy.
&#8212;
It’s no secret the United States has undergone a massive political realignment.
Today, American political parties and their platforms are almost unrecognizable from the post-9/11 era. As observers and measurers of the electorate and political landscape, we can safely say that, while this realignment has impacted the entire country, no other region has seen the type of realignment — and no other region will be more consequential to the future balance of power — than the American South.
Understanding just how consequential the South is to our politics, Cygnal put together a six-part series exclusively for The Daily Wire showcasing our analysis on the complexity of Southern politics and their potentially major impact on the future of America.
We aggregated a litany of demographic variables, survey responses, and trends — such as education, income, gender, age, and partisan trends — and found it is not the monolithic voting bloc it’s often portrayed as. Instead, the South is a dynamic and diverse region reflective of the national realignment where political trends are transcending state lines and challenging the conventional wisdom on how to win elections.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-904319" height="389" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Southern-Project-Cygnal-Full-Map.jpeg" width="634" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Southern-Project-Cygnal-Full-Map.jpeg 634w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Southern-Project-Cygnal-Full-Map-300x184.jpeg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 634px) 100vw, 634px" />
“To truly understand and keep pace with our politics, pollsters have to move beyond just traditional statewide analyses and embrace larger-scale endeavors to identify unique voting patterns and develop deeper insights into what it will take to win,” said Nicholas Valdiviez, Cygnal Sampling Lead.
Valdiviez divided the South into 10 distinct regions, complete with distinct nomenclature, reflective of the shared cultural, demographic, and socioeconomic factors that drive voter behavior.
Each region — such as Dixieland, which spans parts of Georgia, Alabama, and Florida, or the Sweet Tea Suburbs, which include suburban areas across multiple states — has its own distinct political identity. For example, Dixieland has remained a deeply conservative stronghold, while the Sweet Tea Suburbs have trended Democratic in recent years. Other regions, like Texas’ Big Sky South, resemble neighboring Oklahoma and Arkansas more than their surrounding Texas communities, highlighting how state lines often fail to reflect the true dynamics at play. 
This regional breakdown allows us to identify nuanced trends, such as the growing Republican margins in rural areas or the inelasticity of suburban shifts. By focusing on these regions instead of relying solely on state-level data, we get a much better picture of the South as a region on the rise to dominance in American politics.
For this first installment of the series, we’ll drill down on two regions we’ve dubbed Dixieland and the Sweet Tea Suburbs.
<h3>Dixieland</h3>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-904327" height="411" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Dixieland-Cygnal.jpeg" width="631" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Dixieland-Cygnal.jpeg 631w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Dixieland-Cygnal-300x195.jpeg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 631px) 100vw, 631px" />
Dixieland is a conservative stronghold spanning swaths of Georgia, Alabama, Florida, the Carolinas, and parts of Louisiana and Mississippi where Republicans’ margins grew steadily. This is a region deeply rooted in a shared cultural tradition that predates its modern political identity. Historically, its agrarian roots fostered strong social hierarchies and communal networks, which today manifest in robust Republican support.
Even though Dixieland has been a consistent and growing part of the Republican coalition, the Sweet Tea Suburbs, which make up sprawling metro areas like Atlanta, have moved Georgia from an electoral afterthought to a consistent battleground making the possibility of unseating embattled Democrat Senator Jon Ossoff a possibility.
Dixieland isn’t just confined to what we would consider the “Deep South,” but extends to Florida’s northern panhandle, falling much more in line with the broader shifts seen in Dixieland as a whole, moving from R+35 in 2012 to R+45 in 2016. This group highlights the larger narrative that state lines are a poor proxy for underlying voter sentiments. It serves as a prime example of how these groups behave differently from their statewide trends.
This is evidenced by the recent special elections to fill seats vacated by President Donald Trump&#8217;s cabinet nominees. Jimmy Patronis’ victory in the Sunshine State’s first district demonstrates Dixieland’s consistency making it one of the least volatile regions electorally. In the state’s sixth district, which includes both Dixieland and “Republican Resettlers,&#8221; Randy Fine’s margins were lower than Trump’s, but the race was still a blowout, and not the nail-biter Democrats hoped it would be.
<h3>Sweet Tea Suburbs</h3>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-904321" height="475" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Sweet-Tea-Suburbs-Cygnal.jpeg" width="633" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Sweet-Tea-Suburbs-Cygnal.jpeg 633w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Sweet-Tea-Suburbs-Cygnal-300x225.jpeg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 633px) 100vw, 633px" />
But where Republicans have far-reaching geographic strongholds, Democrats have fortified the Sweet Tea Suburbs. Their inelasticity reflects their unique dynamics and poses a challenge for Republicans. The pre-Trump margins in Georgia’s Sweet Tea Suburbs were D+3 and grew to D+13 by 2024. Atlanta suburbs like Henry and Rockdale counties drove much of this shift with gains of nearly 9 points and over 6 points for Democrats respectively.
Moreover, six out of seven Democratic House pickups in 2024 came in predominantly suburban districts. The Democratic advantage in suburbs has allowed the Republican majority to remain slim, and this dynamic will be key to the 2026 midterms.
On the surface, this looks like the normal urban/suburban versus rural divide with an accelerated concentration of party-line voters. While it’s true that we tabulate votes within state lines, the difference between winning and losing is always how the message resonates emotionally and getting voters to turn out. Just as the issues that matter most to voters transcend state lines, so must the message.
“The adage, all politics is local, still reins true — we&#8217;re just redefining what local means to the political landscape,” says Valdiviez. “Americans still understand our history in the post-Civil War regional context of North, South, and the West. Largely these regions have developed accordingly in their political constructs making the South as a whole, incredibly consequential.”
If Republicans are to build on the Trump era momentum, the South is crucial. They must leverage the stability throughout Dixieland to build a juggernaut turnout machine while mitigating further losses in the Sweet Tea Suburbs. This sounds simple, but continued population gains can still create conditions for liberals like Ossoff to hold on. When every seat counts in Congress, Republicans must invest in targeted outreach efforts, particularly in suburban areas, and develop messaging that resonates with both traditional conservatives and <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&amp;q=https://bit.ly/TOYDWCpdf&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1744146845646000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0pra80CNj_LVfmgyU_ulhj" href="https://bit.ly/TOYDWCpdf" rel="noopener" target="_blank">ticked-off, young, diverse, working-class voters</a>.
Examining sprawling Dixieland, which surrounds the Sweet Tea Suburbs across southern states, sets the stage for more positive developments for Republicans — with a few cautionary threads too.
COMING UP NEXT: In part two of this series, our analysis goes deeper by examining the overlays of minority voters in the South and how their role in the political landscape is probably not what you’re expecting.

Former President Donald Trump Holds A Rally In Alabama

The Rise Of The South Is Not What You Think: Why It Holds The Keys To Political Control

Southern States

Former Vice President and failed 2024 presidential candidate Kamala Harris suggested on Thursday that she is sticking around the political scene.
In one of her few public appearances since losing in an electoral landslide to President Donald Trump in November, Harris spoke at the Leading Women Defined Summit in Dana Point, California, and left the door open for a future political campaign.
&#8220;We can’t go out there and do battle if we don’t take care of ourselves and each other. I’ll see you out there. I’m not going anywhere,&#8221; Harris said, according to <a href="https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2025-04-03/in-o-c-former-vice-president-harris-says-shell-stay-politically-active-im-not-going-anywhere" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Los Angeles Times</a>.
During her speech, Harris didn&#8217;t mention any specific position she&#8217;s gunning for, but the former California attorney general and senator has <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/07/kamala-harris-california-governor-decision-deadline-00216737" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> been seriously considering a run for governor of the Golden State. According to <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/07/kamala-harris-california-governor-decision-deadline-00216737" target="_blank" rel="noopener">POLITICO</a>, Harris set a deadline for the end of summer to officially make a decision.
Current California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom is term-limited in 2026 and is being floated as a potential leading candidate for the Democrats in the 2028 presidential election. A handful of Democrats have already jumped into the governor&#8217;s race in California, including former California Attorney General and Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, who <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bidens-hhs-secretary-jumps-into-california-governors-race?row=0&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;author=Zach+Jewell&amp;title=Biden%E2%80%99s+HHS+Secretary+Jumps+Into+California+Governor%E2%80%99s+Race&amp;category=News" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> his campaign for governor earlier this week.
Becerra joins former Democratic Rep. Katie Porter, former L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Lieutenant Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, former State Controller Betty Yee, former state legislator Toni Atkins, and state schools Superintendent Tony Thurmond in what is already becoming a crowded Democratic primary.
Harris didn&#8217;t mention Trump by name during her speech on Thursday, but she did allude to the president&#8217;s administration and lamented that organizations are &#8220;capitulating&#8221; to Trump&#8217;s orders.
“There is a sense of fear that is taking hold in our country, and I understand it,” she said. “These are the things that we are witnessing each day in these last few months in our country, and it understandably creates a great sense of fear. Because, you know, there were many things that we knew would happen, many things.”
She also suggested that the concerns she discussed about another Trump presidency on the campaign trail are becoming a reality. “I’m not here to say, ‘I told you so.&#8217; I swore I wasn’t going to say that,” she remarked.

Kamala Harris

Kamala Harris Hints At Future Political Run: ‘I’m Not Going Anywhere’

California

Gavin Newsom

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