A recount decided by just three votes turned a closely watched Indiana GOP primary on its head Monday, ousting another Republican lawmaker who bucked President Donald Trump’s redistricting push and handing the president another victory in his campaign against GOP dissenters.
The Indiana Recount Commission certified Trump-endorsed challenger Paula Copenhaver as the winner over Republican state Sen. Spencer Deery by just three votes, 6,332 to 6,329, bringing Trump’s campaign against Indiana Republicans who rebelled against his redistricting push to the brink of a clean sweep.
Eight votes originally credited to Deery were tossed over “clerical errors” by election officials, <a href="https://fox59.com/news/politics/trump-backed-republican-candidate-wins-indiana-state-senate-district-23-race-after-recount/">according</a> to local outlet FOX59.
Copenhaver&#8217;s victory means six of the seven Indiana Republican senators targeted by Trump over their opposition to his redistricting push have now lost their primaries.
<div class="article__section article__section_type_text utility__text">
&#8220;Today, we saw members of the Indiana Election Commission attempt to undermine the will of voters by treating ballots differently based on whether they furthered the president’s political goals,&#8221; Deery <a href="https://x.com/SpencerDeery/status/2086875455030767629?s=20">said</a>, vowing to appeal the recount to a higher court. &#8220;This was not a meeting intended to find fairness; it was designed to find votes.&#8221;
</div>
It’s a stunning turnaround from <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-flexes-political-muscle-against-republicans-who-bucked-him-on-redistricting">the May primary</a>, when Deery initially finished just three votes ahead of Copenhaver, 6,337 to 6,334.
The recount result comes less than two weeks after Indiana Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray announced he would not seek another term as the chamber&#8217;s leader. Bray&#8217;s office <a href="https://www.indianasenaterepublicans.com/bray-announces-he-will-not-seek-re-election-as-senate-president-pro-tem-in-november">cited</a> threats to recruit and fund primary challengers against senators who supported him for leadership. 
Trump celebrated the announcement: “I am pleased to announce that the man who so foolishly led the Indiana State Senate, with almost every Candidate losing their Race, many of them in Office for years, will not be seeking Re-Election as Senate President because he wouldn’t have had a chance to be elected — Better yet would be if he would resign from Office, completely, but he will be met by us at the Indiana Polls,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117015146759027639">post</a>.
In December 2025, the Indiana Senate voted 31-19 to reject a mid-decade congressional redistricting plan, defying intense pressure from Trump and Republican Gov. Mike Braun. Twenty-one Republicans joined all 10 Democrats to defeat the Trump-backed map.  
Shortly afterward, Trump vowed political retaliation, endorsing primary challengers against the state lawmakers, many of whom were longtime incumbents. 
&nbsp;

Indiana Redistricting/Trump

Three-Vote Recount Boots Another Indiana Republican Who Defied Trump

Indiana

News

Paula Copenhaver

Politics

Redistricting

Republicans

Rodric Bray

Spencer Deery

Trump Administration

Turning Point USA

Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham&#8217;s comments defending women&#8217;s sports continued to reverberate across the WNBA on Sunday, as Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve appeared to protest the Fever star by wearing a &#8220;Trans Kids Belong&#8221; shirt during Minnesota&#8217;s 108-100 victory over Indiana.
Reeve&#8217;s shirt marked the latest public response to Cunningham, who has become one of the league&#8217;s most polarizing figures after saying biological males should not compete in girls&#8217; and women&#8217;s sports.
Before tipoff, Cunningham and Reeve met briefly at midcourt in what appeared to be a cordial conversation. Reeve later <a href="https://www.latimes.com/sports/sparks/story/2026-08-02/lynx-coach-wears-shirt-supporting-trans-kids-joining-protests">told reporters</a> the two discussed the responsibility that comes with having large public platforms but declined to elaborate on the specifics. &#8220;Both of us understand that we have platforms and we both talked about wanting to, more than anything, educate,&#8221; Reeve said after the game. &#8220;There are some things that we have in common, and maybe some things you differ on.&#8221;
The atmosphere inside Target Center reflected the controversy surrounding Cunningham&#8217;s remarks. She was loudly booed during player introductions and again nearly every time she touched the ball throughout the afternoon. Some fans inside the arena also wore shirts displaying the same &#8220;Trans Kids Belong&#8221; slogan as Reeve.
The tension spilled onto the court during the second quarter when Cunningham absorbed an elbow to the face while defending a Minnesota player. Despite appearing to take the contact, officials assessed Cunningham with a defensive foul instead. The ruling prompted confusion from the game&#8217;s broadcast crew and loud cheers from the home crowd after officials briefly reviewed the play and allowed the call to stand.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Sophie Cunningham got ELBOWED in the face&#8230;
Refs call a foul on Sophie Cunningham 🤔 <a href="https://t.co/IiDJGMT0UO">pic.twitter.com/IiDJGMT0UO</a>
— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) <a href="https://x.com/BrickCenter_/status/2083971409924223143?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 2, 2026</a></blockquote>
Outside the arena, supporters and opponents of Cunningham&#8217;s position staged competing demonstrations before the game.
Women&#8217;s sports advocates gathered wearing XX-XY Athletics apparel and carrying signs reading &#8220;Thank You Sophie,&#8221; &#8220;Pro-Women, Not Anti-Trans,&#8221; and &#8220;Trust the Science.&#8221; Nearby, pro-transgender activists assembled with signs supporting transgender athletes and used megaphones to challenge Cunningham&#8217;s supporters.
Video from the demonstrations showed heated verbal exchanges between the two groups, with security personnel intervening after at least one physical confrontation.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
🚨 BREAKING: The trans supporters just assaulted a Sophie Cunningham supporter outside Target Center in Minneapolis.
Security has stepped in. <a href="https://t.co/wW0IsAtFnp">pic.twitter.com/wW0IsAtFnp</a>
— Dustin Grage (@GrageDustin) <a href="https://x.com/GrageDustin/status/2083946263314043288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 2, 2026</a></blockquote>
The demonstrations marked the third consecutive Fever road game to feature organized protests framed around Cunningham&#8217;s remarks. Similar rallies took place in Seattle and Portland after the Fever guard publicly stated that young female athletes &#8220;shouldn&#8217;t have to go against biological men.&#8221;
The Seattle demonstration ultimately resulted in disciplinary action from the WNBA after Storm minority owner Celeste Keaton <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sophie-cunningham-rips-wnba-team-co-owner-for-harassing-teens-girls-with-xx-xy-shirts?author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Sophie+Cunningham+Rips+WNBA+Team+Co-Owner+For+Harassing+Teen+Girls+With+XX-XY+Shirts">confronted</a> two teenage girls wearing XX-XY Athletics shirts, cursing at them and leaving one in tears. The league later fined the Storm and suspended Keaton from attending the team&#8217;s next five home games.
Despite the backlash, Cunningham has repeatedly said she does not intend to back away from her position. &#8220;I&#8217;m here to play basketball, but I&#8217;m also here to be me,&#8221; Cunningham <a href="https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/49502120/sophie-cunningham-unconcerned-rallies-transgender-participation-women-sports-distraction-fever">said before</a> Friday&#8217;s game in Portland. &#8220;I&#8217;m not going to shadow that or hide or dim my light just because maybe people don&#8217;t agree with that.&#8221;
The controversy has increasingly overshadowed Indiana&#8217;s recent road trip, with organized protests, fan demonstrations and public responses from coaches and team officials following the Fever from city to city as Cunningham&#8217;s profile continues to grow off the court.

Indiana Fever v Seattle Storm

WNBA Coach Protests Sophie Cunningham With Pro-Trans Shirt

Indiana Fever

LGBTQ

Minnesota

Protest

Sophie Cunningham

trans

trans kids

Transgender

transgender athlete

Transgender Athletes

WNBA

Women's sports

The Indiana Republican lawmaker at the center of the conservative revolt over President Trump’s redistricting push is stepping down from leadership.
In a <a href="https://www.indianasenaterepublicans.com/bray-announces-he-will-not-seek-re-election-as-senate-president-pro-tem-in-november">surprise Friday announcement</a>, Indiana Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray said he will not seek re-election for the top leadership position in November.
“As the top caucus leader, the Pro Tem’s job is also to represent and look out for his caucus members. Given promises to recruit and fund primary challengers for any senator who supports Bray’s bid to remain the leader of the Senate, he has determined he will not put members in jeopardy from their own party simply because he is asking members to support his re-election as Pro Tem,” Bray’s office said in a statement. 
Bray will continue to represent Senate District 37, but his exit from leadership is a victory for President Trump, who has repeatedly targeted Bray over his opposition to a redistricting plan that could have delivered Republicans two more House seats.
“I am pleased to announce that the man who so foolishly led the Indiana State Senate, with almost every Candidate losing their Race, many of them in Office for years, will not be seeking Re-Election as Senate President because he wouldn’t have had a chance to be elected — Better yet would be if he would resign from Office, completely, but he will be met by us at the Indiana Polls,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117015146759027639">post</a>.
In December 2025, the Indiana Senate voted 31-19 to reject a mid-decade congressional redistricting plan, defying intense pressure from Trump and Gov. Mike Braun. Twenty-one Republicans joined all 10 Democrats in rejecting the proposal, which would have created a 9-0 Republican congressional map. 
At the time, Bray defended his vote against the Trump-backed plan. 
“We finally have a resolution now,” Bray said, according to <a href="https://indianacitizen.org/redistricting-defeated-indiana-senate-votes-against-redrawing-congressional-map/">The Indiana Citizen</a>. &#8220;It really comes down to an issue of having the same goal, but a different way to process that. … There are some concerns that going this (redistricting) route is not the best way to get more conservative representation in Washington, D.C., from the state of Indiana.”
Shortly afterward, Trump vowed political retaliation, endorsing primary challengers against the state lawmakers, many of whom were popular, longtime incumbents. Turning Point Action also entered the fray, funding an on-the-ground campaign targeting seven lawmakers seeking reelection.
In May, the White House’s political operation targeted and successfully ousted five of the seven targeted lawmakers who voted against redistricting, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-flexes-political-muscle-against-republicans-who-bucked-him-on-redistricting?author=Drew+Berkemeyer&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=13&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Flexes+Political+Muscle+Against+Republicans+Who+Bucked+Him+On+Redistricting">The Daily Wire</a> previously reported. 
Bray is the latest Republican swept up in President Trump&#8217;s campaign to purge disloyal GOP officials, joining Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), and Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) among the president&#8217;s high-profile political targets.
“Rodric Bray should be ashamed of himself for costing our Country, mainly the Republican Party, two U.S. House Seats, and for costing all of his colleagues who went along with him, an Election loss! Isn’t it amazing how Politics works?” the president wrote in his Truth Social post.

Republican Who Tanked Trump’s Redistricting Push Steps Down From Leadership

Indiana Republican Who Tanked Trump's Redistricting Push Steps Down From Leadership

2026 elections

Elections

Indiana GOP

MAGA

Midterms

The White House came to the defense of WNBA star Sophie Cunningham Thursday after the Indiana Fever guard faced criticism for saying that men should not compete in women’s sports or share women’s locker rooms.
When asked about the issue by Daily Wire White House Correspondent <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/author/mary-margaret-olohan">Mary Margaret Olohan</a>, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump is aware of Cunningham’s comments and shares her concerns about protecting female athletes.
“I don’t believe he has reached out to her,” Leavitt said when asked whether Trump had contacted Cunningham. “I know he is following the story.”
Leavitt said the backlash against Cunningham demonstrated what she described as a disconnect between leftist activists and the broader American public. 
“This is something the president feels strongly about as well, and the American people do too,” Leavitt said. “That men should not be playing in women’s sports. It’s completely ludicrous that anyone could support that.”
“It’s even more ludicrous that you do have Sophie Cunningham, a female athlete herself, very accomplished in her own right, coming forth and speaking that truth that men shouldn’t play in women’s sports,” she continued.
Leavitt called the criticism Cunningham has received “astonishing” and argued that the administration’s position reflects widespread public opinion.
“They are clearly very out of touch with the American public on this issue, which again is an 80-20 issue,” Leavitt said. “It’s common sense. It’s rooted in basic biological fact that men should not be competing against women on playing fields across the country.”
Cunningham, who has become one of the WNBA’s most recognizable players since joining the Indiana Fever, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/wnba-star-breaks-with-league-on-explosive-issue">said</a> in an interview with ESPN earlier this week that she felt compelled to speak out about biological differences in sports despite backlash from critics who accused her of being anti-transgender. 
“I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans. And I’m like, ‘I never once said that,’” Cunningham said. “I think that I am here to extend love. But I also think with that love is truth, being honest.”
Cunningham said her concern was protecting female athletes, particularly young girls. “I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men,” she said.
The comments drew criticism online, with some labeling the Missouri native as a conservative or “MAGA Barbie,” a characterization Cunningham rejected. “I really am right in the middle [politically],” Cunningham said, adding that she agrees and disagrees with positions on both sides of the political spectrum.
Cunningham’s comments come as the WNBA and its players’ union have taken a different position on transgender inclusion. The WNBA Players Association has previously voiced opposition to restrictions on transgender participation in sports and pledged support for transgender athletes.
The Fever guard has also drawn attention in recent weeks for <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/wnba-star-sophie-cunningham-wont-diss-trump-after-white-house-meme">refusing to join criticism</a> of President Trump after the White House used a viral clip of her pointing at an opponent during a game as a social media meme.
When asked about the White House using the clip, Cunningham said she viewed it as part of a broader internet trend. “Everyone around the world is posting it, every company has done it,” Cunningham said. “They’re just the ones also to get on board and I don’t really think twice about it.”

GettyImages-2280043385

Karoline Leavitt Rips Leftist Backlash To Sophie Cunningham’s Trans Sports Comments

Karoline Leavitt

The Daily Wire

White House

An elderly Chicago woman has been identified 50 years after her dead body was found stuffed in a box in Indiana.
The DNA Doe Project helped identify the woman as Jane Hart, who was found in a cardboard box in rural Indiana in 1976. She was 69 years old at the time of her murder.
The breakthrough brings closure to this decades-long mystery that started on October 8, 1976. That day, a farmer tending to his field near Otterbein, Indiana, found a box about 15 yards from a nearby road, according to DNA Doe Project. When the farmer looked in the box, he found Hart’s body stuffed inside. She had been shot in the back of the head. Local authorities reported at the time that the box had only been in the field for about 12 hours, but estimated the woman had been killed about one week before her body was discovered.
&#8220;Everybody knew everybody, so it was a big deal, you know, finding a dead body in a box,&#8221; Curtis Skoog, who was 16 at the time his dad found the box, told <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/chicago-woman-murdered-in-indiana-identified/">CBS</a>. &#8220;I can&#8217;t explain to you how awful I felt.&#8221;
It wasn&#8217;t until 2021 that DNA Doe Project got involved after the Benton County Coroner’s Office brought the case to the organization.
After Hart’s DNA profile was generated, the team was able to determine that the unidentified woman was of Croatian descent. Though that was quickly identified, Hart’s DNA had just a 1.6% match to other DNAs in the databases available.
&#8220;We could tell that our Jane Doe had Croatian ancestry, which posed a challenge,&#8221; said team co-leader Harmony Vollmer. &#8220;Without more people of Eastern European descent uploading to the GEDmatch.com, FamilyTreeDNA.com and DNAJustice.org databases we have access to, cases like this will remain tricky to solve.&#8221;
The team made a breakthrough in 2024 when research led them to a Croatian woman who immigrated to the US in 1905 and gave birth to a daughter the next year.
The daughter was brought to an orphanage, and the DNA Doe Project was able to find census records showing that the same woman later moved from Ohio to Chicago as an adult. Lo and behold, her name was Jane Hart, and in the 1970s, she appeared to vanish from the public records.
&#8220;We uncovered further documentation from institutions that Jane had lived in, as well as probate records linking her to her family,” said Traci Onders, director of case management of the DNA Doe Project. “This research revealed genetic and genealogical connections that enabled us to identify her as a candidate.&#8221;
The key was that Hart’s surviving family members were able to identify her. After the family took DNA tests, the results confirmed that the Jane Doe from Benton County, Indiana, was their relative.
Skoog, who had spent his entire life wondering about the woman his dad found in the box, was thankful for the closure.
&#8220;It’s been a long road,” he said.

Doe Project

A Woman Was Found In A Cardboard Box. 50 Years Later, We Finally Know Who She Is.

Chicago

Crime

That's So Criminal

A 30-year-old pregnant mother from Indiana was found dead in Mexico more than three months after she and her children were reported missing.
Makala Pendley was found dead earlier this week in a village in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas, according to local officials. Pendley was six months pregnant when she disappeared with her seven children in February.
Her sister, Mauricia Lambert, said in a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/makala-pendley">GoFundMe</a> that Pendley was found “stabbed, raped, sodomized, naked, with her head bashed in.” Mexican authorities said Pendley died from traumatic brain injury caused by blunt-force trauma, according to local reports.
After identifying Pendley&#8217;s body, authorities began searching for her children, who were believed to have been with her, and for her partner, Joseph Jude Butler Jr., whom Mexican officials identified as a suspect in the case.
The children were later found in “good health” in the San Cristóbal de las Casas neighborhood, where they were immediately placed under government protection. Butler was arrested shortly after, as <a href="https://www.indystar.com/story/news/crime/2026/06/11/makala-pendley-chiapas-state-prosecutor-jorge-luis-llaven-abarca-joseph-jude-butler-jr-arrest/90509380007/">announced</a> by Chiapas State Prosecutor Jorge Luis Llaven Abarca during a Facebook Live broadcast on Monday.
“In the coming hours, his criminal responsibility will be determined, and he may be brought before justice,” Llaven Abarca stated. “We will seek the maximum sentence of 100 years for this perpetrator of femicide.”
Just a few days prior, Llaven Abarca said authorities had found the body of a deceased woman in the Elambó Bajo area of Zinacantán.
“Based on the time of death, she had been at the location where she was found for between 8 and 12 hours,” he said on the broadcast just days before the identification of the body.
Pendley and her children were reported missing on February 25 after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children issued an alert. They were believed to have left Indianapolis and traveled to Mexico.
Pendley was found alive in Mexico last month after her sister told <a href="https://fox59.com/indiana-news/pregnant-indy-mom-found-murdered-in-mexico-her-missing-kids-found-safe/">FOX59</a> that she had fled there because she feared “her children would be taken away from her.” Authorities took custody of her children at the time before later releasing them back to Pendley.
During Monday&#8217;s broadcast, Mexican authorities said American officials informed them that Butler has a history of criminal activity. Llaven Abarca said Butler had an active warrant in Alaska and had previously been detained in the United States in connection with allegations including assault, robbery, fraud, illegal weapons possession, intimidation, and rape.
Butler and Pendley had been in an on-and-off “toxic relationship” since Pendley was 16, according to the Indianapolis Star. This includes a legal incident in August 2025 where Pendley claimed she was assaulted by Butler in Yucatan, Mexico.
Pendley’s body and her seven children are expected to be returned to Indianapolis.

Mexican Drug War Fuels Violence In Juarez

A Missing Family’s Nightmare Ends With A Grim Discovery

Mexico

World

South Carolina Republicans hit a major roadblock Tuesday in their effort to redraw the state’s congressional map ahead of the 2026 midterm, when Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey joined a handful of Republicans to block a Trump-backed plan that could have eliminated longtime Democratic Rep. James Clyburn’s seat.
The state Senate voted 29-17 for a resolution that would have extended the legislative session to take up congressional redistricting, falling two votes short of the two-thirds threshold needed for passage. Five Republicans sided with Democrats to kill the measure, effectively halting, at least for now, a plan that conservatives hoped would break up South Carolina’s lone majority-black district and potentially flip another House seat for Republicans.
The failed vote comes as Republican-led states across the South move aggressively to redraw congressional maps after a recent Supreme Court ruling sharply limited the use of race in redistricting challenges, opening the door for states to dismantle majority-minority districts previously protected under the Voting Rights Act.
President Donald Trump had personally urged South Carolina lawmakers to move forward. In a Monday post on Truth Social, Trump said he was “watching closely” and called on state Republicans to “be bold and courageous,” citing Tennessee’s recent decision to split up its only deep blue district.
This legislative clash arrives on the heels of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-flexes-political-muscle-against-republicans-who-bucked-him-on-redistricting?author=Drew+Berkemeyer&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=13&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Flexes+Political+Muscle+Against+Republicans+Who+Bucked+Him+On+Redistricting">state senate primaries in Indiana</a>, where five of the seven Republican state senators who resisted a Trump-aligned redistricting effort were ousted in their primaries by challengers carrying the president&#8217;s endorsement — a stark omen for the South Carolina holdouts.
But Massey, a Republican from Edgefield and the South Carolina Senate’s top GOP leader, delivered a lengthy floor speech opposing the effort and warning that redrawing the map could backfire politically. “I believe that our state is stronger with vibrant parties,” Massey said. “Republicans are stronger when the Democrat Party is vibrant and viable.” 
Massey also framed his opposition as a rejection of pressure from Washington, indirectly brushing off Trump’s demands while invoking South Carolina’s rebellious political heritage. “I have too much Southern blood in me to surrender,” Massey said on the Senate floor. “Indeed, as some of you will recognize, it is my heritage to stand erect, proud and unafraid, to think and act for myself.”
South Carolina’s current congressional map already heavily favors Republicans, who hold six of the state’s seven U.S. House seats. Clyburn’s 6th District remains the only Democrat-held seat and the only majority-black district in the state. The proposed redraw would have dispersed portions of the district’s Democratic base into neighboring Republican districts, likely making Clyburn’s reelection path far more difficult.
Massey added that redistricting as a gamble was too risky, warning that moving Democratic voters into adjacent districts could accidentally strengthen Democrats elsewhere and potentially reduce the GOP’s current 6-1 advantage. “The numbers are not reliable,” Massey said on the Senate floor. “What I do know is that we are 6-1 today. If we start tinkering with this, my concern is that we could make this a whole lot worse.” 
Other Republican lawmakers <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/may/12/south-carolina-republicans-defy-trump-redistricting">echoed that argument</a>, noting that South Carolina’s rapid population growth since 2020 means current district modeling may be outdated, and that attempting to redraw the map just days before the state’s primary calendar begins leaves little room for error.
The setback is notable because Republicans nationally have used mid-decade redistricting to shore up their narrow House majority. States like <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/red-state-charges-ahead-with-plan-to-erase-final-dem-seat">Tennessee</a>, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/red-state-wins-massive-supreme-court-victory-on-redistricting">Texas</a>, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/florida-passes-new-maps-that-could-threaten-multiple-democratic-seats">Florida</a>, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/this-is-a-different-era-republican-senator-says-gop-done-playing-defense?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=‘This+Is+A+Different+Era’%3A+Republican+Senator+Says+GOP+Done+Playing+Defense">Missouri</a>, and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/republicans-ramp-up-redistricting-push-after-supreme-court-ruling">Louisiana</a> have already moved to redraw maps in ways that could deliver additional Republican seats before November.
South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster has not ruled out calling a special session to revisit redistricting, leaving open the possibility that the fight over Clyburn’s district is not over yet.

trump_southcarolina

More Republicans May Be Headed For The Indiana Treatment After Redistricting Pushback

Donald Trump

South Carolina

A growing push to legalize marijuana in conservative Indiana is setting up a clash among Republican leaders, with Gov. Mike Braun signaling openness to change while Sen. Jim Banks is urging him to hold the line.
The Hoosier State remains one of the few states that largely bans marijuana in all forms, but pressure is mounting as surrounding states have moved to legalize the drug in some capacity.
“I’m kind of agnostic on that issue,” Braun said last month, according to <a href="https://www.wfyi.org/public-affairs/2026-03-21/gov-braun-says-reform-possible-on-states-cannabis-laws" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WFYI</a>. “But when you’ve got four states surrounding you, you’re probably going to have to address it.”
Braun has directed state agencies to meet with pro-medical marijuana groups, <a href="https://www.marijuanamoment.net/indiana-gop-governor-directs-state-agencies-to-meet-with-medical-marijuana-advocates-as-federal-rescheduling-takes-effect/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marijuana Moment</a> reported on Monday, as his administration weighs whether to revisit the state&#8217;s longstanding ban.
Marijuana is now legal for recreational use in 24 states, while 40 states allow it for medicinal purposes, according to the <a href="https://www.ncsl.org/health/state-medical-cannabis-laws#:~:text=Legislative%20Updates,a%20program%20is%20%22comprehensive%22:" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Conference of State Legislatures</a>.
Braun on Tuesday pointed to recent federal movement on the issue, noting the Trump administration&#8217;s decision to reschedule marijuana could make changes at the state level “more likely.” He stressed, however, that any shift in policy should be guided by “what makes sense” and include input from law enforcement.
“You’re going to need to ask the legislators and the leaders in those two chambers to see what they’re thinking, because I’m clear in terms of where I’m at,” Braun said Tuesday, according to the <a href="https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/2026/04/29/braun-signals-openness-to-marijuana-legalization-as-outside-report-outlines-policy-considerations/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indiana Capital Chronicle</a>. “You’ve got to take what’s evolved over time.”
“Public safety has always been a top priority for the Governor, which is why Indiana State Police have increased enforcement, drug seizures, and interdiction efforts across the state drastically over the last year,” Braun spokesperson Griffin Reid told The Daily Wire on Wednesday. “Governor Braun is aligned with President Trump &#8211; allowing further research into a substance already legal in some form in 40 states will give law enforcement better tools and clearer guidance, while also helping ensure veterans have access to safe, well-studied medical treatment options.”
Banks, meanwhile, is warning that even limited legalization could carry serious consequences. In a letter to Braun on Tuesday, exclusively obtained by The Daily Wire, the Indiana Republican argued that legalizing marijuana would put public safety at risk.
“Even in states that limit recreational use, addicts are accessing medical marijuana cards—and medical use itself can lead to use disorders,” Banks <a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/1032899451/2026-04-28-Letter-to-Gov-Braun-Re-Marijuana#from_embed">wrote</a>. “Making marijuana legal does not make it safe, and it does not reduce usage.”
Banks urged Braun to &#8220;prioritize public safety and the well-being of Hoosiers—especially those under the age of 18—and maintain the state’s prohibitions on marijuana use.&#8221;
The senator said he frequently hears from constituents who want stricter controls, not looser ones.
“They tell me about how their children’s lives were ruined by addiction; how they treat the consequences of cannabis disorder in hospitals every day; and how schools are struggling to stop students from smuggling marijuana onto campus using vape pens,” Banks wrote.
Efforts to loosen Indiana&#8217;s marijuana laws have repeatedly stalled in the state legislature, according to <a href="https://www.21alivenews.com/2026/03/25/braun-says-marijuana-legalization-may-need-be-addressed/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">21 Alive News</a>.
At the federal level, officials from the Trump administration have framed recent changes as an opportunity to expand research and better understand the drug&#8217;s effects.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-places-fda-approved-marijuana-products-and-products-containing-marijuana" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> last week that the &#8220;rescheduling action allows for research on the safety and efficacy of this substance, ultimately providing patients with better care and doctors with more reliable information.”
“The Department of Justice is delivering on President Trump’s promise to expand Americans’ access to medical treatment options,” he added.
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Beautiful green leaves of marijuana close up

Marijuana Push Reaches Deep Red State As GOP Senator Sounds Alarm

Jim Banks

Marijuana

Mike Braun

An Indian illegal immigrant behind the wheel of a semi-truck allegedly caused a fatal accident on an Indiana road on Wednesday.
Sukhdeep Singh allegedly ran a red light before striking 64-year-old Terry Schultz in his pickup truck in Hendricks County, according to reports. Schultz died at the scene.
Federal law enforcement sources told The Daily Wire that Singh crossed the border illegally in 2018 and was released into the country because he was a minor at the time.
Singh had a valid work permit at the time of the crash and, <a href="https://noticias.foxnews.com/us/illegal-immigrant-truck-driver-accused-killing-indiana-man-after-running-red-light" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to Fox News, an Indiana commercial driver&#8217;s license.
The Indian national is currently in ICE custody, where he will be held without bond, per a Trump administration policy.
Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement Thursday that deadly collisions involving illegal immigrants are becoming all too common.
“This tragedy comes less than two weeks after another illegal alien driving a semi-truck killed four innocent people in Indiana. It is incredibly dangerous for illegal aliens, who often don’t know our traffic laws or even English, to be operating semi-trucks on America’s roads. These tragedies are 100% preventable and we pray for the family and victim,&#8221; McLaughlin said.
“Thanks to ICE and our state and local partners in law enforcement, this criminal illegal alien is now off our roads,&#8221; she added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The Hendricks County Sheriff’s department just released details about the fatal crash that happened at noon today in Avon.
According to multiple eyewitnesses a Freightliner semi-truck with trailer was traveling eastbound on US 36 when it ran the red light at the intersection of… <a href="https://t.co/hFZOLmVrEP">pic.twitter.com/hFZOLmVrEP</a>
— Angela Ganote (@angelaganote) <a href="https://twitter.com/angelaganote/status/2024219636552564858?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 18, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Singh already had previous traffic violations on his record, <a href="https://fox59.com/news/driver-responsible-for-fatal-crash-in-hendricks-county-detained-by-ice/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to Fox59. That included a ticket for lacking insurance after a car crash in January.
He also had three speeding tickets and a citation for no registration, the outlet reported.
One witness, Kate Breedlove, went to comfort Schultz as he took his last breaths, according to Fox59.
“I think there was a lot of chaos going on and I made it my job to be calming to him,” Breedlove recalled.
“I was just telling him everything was going to be okay. He was unresponsive, but at some point, I think he definitely took his last breath,” she said.
Republican Indiana Senator Jim Banks recently created a hotline &#8220;for truckers and those in the trucking industry to report concerns about carriers employing or contracting with drivers who are in the country illegally.&#8221;
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In early February, an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/illegal-immigrant-truckers-hauling-amazon-trailers-tied-to-major-crashes">illegal immigrant from Kyrgyzstan</a> who was given a Pennsylvania commercial driver’s license allegedly killed four people in Indiana while behind the wheel of a truck.
In November, an illegal immigrant from the Republic of Georgia who was driving an 18-wheeler allegedly caused a fatal wreck that <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/illegal-immigrant-plows-18-wheeler-into-military-humvee-killing-national-guardsman">killed Indiana National Guardsman</a> Terry Frye.
&#8220;How many times are we going to see this same story happen again? It feels like every single week there is another family planning a funeral because illegals who can’t read our road signs and don’t follow our laws are allowed on our highways,&#8221; Banks said in a post on X Thursday.
&#8220;This is not bad luck. This is not just another accident. This is a national crisis! I am sick of it. We need real accountability and a major overhaul. I’m calling on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to investigate chameleon carrier networks in Indiana and will be introducing legislation to get unsafe, illegal drivers off our roads before another life is lost and another family gets destroyed,&#8221; he added.
The Trump administration has already commenced a nationwide crackdown on trucking companies, commercial driver&#8217;s license schools, and states issuing licenses to illegal immigrants.
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‘100% Preventable’: Illegal Immigrant Trucker Accused Of Causing Fatal Wreck In Indiana

Border

illegal immigrant

Truckers

The storied Chicago Bears NFL franchise has been playing in the Windy City since 1921, but on Thursday, the team shocked the sports world and Illinois leaders by taking a &#8220;meaningful step&#8221; toward building a new stadium across state lines in Hammond, Indiana.
After the Indiana House of Representatives unanimously passed a proposed amendment to make Indiana the Bears&#8217; new home, the team said it is &#8220;committed to finishing&#8221; the process &#8220;to build a world-class stadium near the Wolf Lake area in Hammond, Indiana,&#8221; Chicago-based news outlet WGN 9 <a href="https://wgntv.com/northwest-indiana/indiana-lawmakers-to-meet-thursday-morning-to-review-proposal-for-bears-to-build-new-stadium-in-northwest-indiana/">reported</a>. The Bears thanked the Republican-led Indiana government for quickly working to open the door for the new stadium.
&#8220;We appreciate the leadership shown by Governor [Mike] Braun, Speaker [Todd] Huston, Senator [Ryan] Mishler and members of the Indiana General Assembly in establishing this critical framework and path forward to deliver a premier venue for all of Chicagoland and a destination for Bears fans and visitors from across the globe,&#8221; the Bears said. &#8220;We value our partnership and look forward to continuing to build our working relationship together.&#8221;
While a relocation to Hammond would keep the Bears in the Chicago metro area, it would mark a major loss for Illinois Democratic leaders, including Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. The Bears had planned to move to Arlington Heights, a village in Illinois northwest of downtown Chicago, but the plan has stalled in the Democrat-controlled state legislature.
A spokesman for Governor Pritzker <a href="https://x.com/thematthill/status/2024502208885080324">said</a> that state lawmakers had planned to hold a hearing on moving forward with the Bears&#8217; Arlington Heights plans, but the franchise requested the meeting be called off at the last minute. The hearing, scheduled to be held by the Illinois Revenue and Finance Committee, was set to look into a proposal to provide up to $850 million in infrastructure support, according to WGN 9.
&#8220;This morning, we were surprised to see a statement lauding Indiana and ignoring Illinois,&#8221; Pritzker&#8217;s spokesman, Matt Hill, added.
Local property taxes in Illinois also remain a major issue. Illinois Republican state Rep. Mark Batinick published a document detailing how the 7% property tax rate in Arlington Heights would require the Bears to pay around $210 million annually, the Purdue Exponent <a href="https://www.purdueexponent.org/city_state/general_news/chicago-bears-hammond-indiana/article_46293472-6987-4fe8-b4be-6a69f7280fb1.html">reported</a>.
Indiana Republican Governor Mike Braun released a statement on Thursday touting the state&#8217;s &#8220;pro-growth environment&#8221; that &#8220;continues to attract major opportunities like this partnership with the Chicago Bears.&#8221;
&#8220;The State of Indiana moves at the speed of business, and we&#8217;ve demonstrated that through our quick coordination between state agencies, local government, and the legislature to set the stage for a huge win for all Hoosiers,&#8221; Braun added. &#8220;We have built a strong relationship with the Bears organization that will serve as the foundation for a public-private partnership, leading to the construction of a world-class stadium and a win for taxpayers.&#8221;
Illinois businesses, especially businesses in Arlington Heights, could take the biggest losses if the proposal to move the Bears to Indiana goes through. Business owners and residents in Arlington Heights have largely supported bringing the NFL team to the village, as it would come with increased business and tourism opportunities.
A move to Republican-led Indiana, however, could ease the tax burdens of the franchise and its players. Indiana&#8217;s income tax currently sits at 2.95% and will be <a href="https://www.indianahouserepublicans.com/blog/general/new-tax-cuts-for-hoosiers-in-2026/">lowered</a> to 2.9% beginning in 2027. The state&#8217;s <a href="https://taxfoundation.org/location/indiana/">corporate</a> income tax rate is 4.9%. Illinois&#8217; <a href="https://tax.illinois.gov/research/taxrates/income.html">income tax</a>, meanwhile, is 4.95% and its corporate tax sits at 7%.
The potential relocation to Indiana comes as the Bears have once again become a top contender in the NFC following an NFC North division title and playoff run last season with star quarterback Caleb Williams and new head coach Ben Johnson.
The Bears could be the second NFL team to move across state lines, as the Kansas City Chiefs are preparing to build a new stadium on the Kansas side of the border after playing in Missouri for decades. Last year, Missouri Republicans <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/a-tale-of-two-kansas-cities-chiefs-and-royals-spark-political-battle-with-potential-stadium-moves">disagreed</a> over whether they should try to keep the Chiefs in the state, with Republican Governor Mike Kehoe arguing that the team brings business and state revenue for Missouri. Conservative Republicans in the Missouri Freedom Caucus, however, didn&#8217;t want to use taxpayer dollars for the benefit of the billionaire Chiefs owners.

Chicago Bears

‘Da Bears’ Seeing Red Over Blue State Games, Line Up The U-Hauls

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Economy

Illinois

U.S.

Rep. Jim Baird (R-IN) has been hospitalized, but is responsive and in stable condition after a &#8220;pretty bad&#8221; car accident. His wife was also injured in the accident.
Baird&#8217;s office provided a <a href="https://baird.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2519">statement</a> on Tuesday declaring that the Indiana Congressman was recovering in the hospital after his &#8220;vehicle was struck&#8221; in an accident:
<blockquote>Congressman Baird is in the hospital and is expected to make a full recovery, and he is extraordinarily grateful for everyone’s prayers during this time. Congressman Baird looks forward to continuing his work on behalf of Hoosiers. The Office of Congressman Baird will continue to provide services and support for those who need it. Congressman Baird and his office remain steadfast in their commitment to serving constituents and focused on advocating for Hoosiers at the highest levels of government.</blockquote>
Baird, 80, is a Vietnam veteran (U.S. Army) and a veterinarian who has represented Indiana&#8217;s 4th Congressional District since 2019. He voiced his support for President Donald Trump&#8217;s weekend move to capture and extradite Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro.
&#8220;We are fortunate to have a president willing to follow through on protecting American lives. Decisive leadership as commander in chief matters, and it gives our men and women in uniform the confidence they need to carry out difficult missions against those who threaten our country,&#8221; he said in an <a href="https://x.com/RepJimBaird/status/2007539553083478313">X post</a> on Saturday.
Governor Mike Braun (R-IN) responded to the accident in a post on X, saying, &#8220;Maureen and I are grateful to hear that Congressman Jim Baird and his wife are safe and in good spirits following last night’s accident. We continue to pray for their family and wish the Bairds a smooth and speedy recovery.&#8221;
President Donald Trump addressed the news during remarks to Republican members of Congress at the newly-renamed Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, saying, &#8220;I also want to send our best wishes to Congressman Jim Baird and his wife, who were recovering from a car accident. They’re going to be okay, but they had a pretty bad accident and we’re praying that they get out of that hospital very quickly.&#8221;
During the same remarks, the president also offered his thoughts on the passing of Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA), who died on Monday at the age of 65.
With LaMalfa&#8217;s passing and Baird&#8217;s hospitalization — along with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene&#8217;s resignation — the already-slim Republican majority in the U.S. House has dwindled to 218-213.

Agriculture Secretary Rollins Holds Make America Healthy Again Event With HHS Secretary Kennedy

GOP Rep. Jim Baird Hospitalized But ‘Responsive’ After Car Accident

GOP Rep. Jim Baird Hospitalized But 'Responsive' After Car Accident

Congress

House Republicans

Republican

Two illegal immigrant truckers from India were arrested Saturday for allegedly hauling 309 pounds of cocaine inside a semi-truck they were driving through Putnam County, Indiana, The Daily Wire has learned.
Gurpreet Singh, 25, and Jasveer Singh, 30, were driving from Joplin, Missouri, when they were pulled over by Indiana State Troopers, who observed that their truck was drifting, <a href="https://x.com/angelaganote/status/2008194673597124716" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to FOX59. The troopers brought in a drug-sniffing K9, who helped them locate 140-kilogram packages containing approximately 309 pounds of cocaine that were concealed in the truck&#8217;s sleeper berth.
The cache of drugs is worth an estimated $7 million, according to reports.
During the traffic stop, the illegal immigrant pair presented the troopers with their California-issued commercial driver&#8217;s licenses.
In a statement shared with The Daily Wire, the Department of Homeland Security blamed Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom for the alleged drug smuggling attempt.
“Thanks to Gavin Newsom’s reckless policies, these two criminal illegal aliens were granted commercial licenses by the state of California and were arrested for trafficking a whopping 300 pounds of cocaine inside a semi-truck,” Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement shared with The Daily Wire.
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“Gavin Newsom and his fellow sanctuary politicians even refused to honor an arrest detainer on one of these criminal illegal aliens in December. Sanctuary policies put American lives at risk. ICE law enforcement lodged arrest detainers to ensure these drug traffickers are not allowed back into American communities,&#8221; she said.
Gurpreet Singh crossed the southern border illegally on March 11, 2023, near Lukeville, Arizona, and was released into the country under the Biden administration, DHS told The Daily Wire.
Jasveer Singh crossed the border illegally on March 21, 2017, near Otay Mesa, California. He was arrested in December 2025 in San Bernardino for allegedly receiving stolen property, but was released after sanctuary authorities in California refused to honor a federal immigration detainer.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement has since filed detainers with local authorities to ensure that they&#8217;re handed over for deportation rather than eventually released onto the streets after their latest alleged crimes, according to DHS.
During his latest encounter with police, Jasveer said he was employed as a truck driver, but that he hitched a ride with a different carrier for the latest trip, according to FOX59. He said he was instructed to haul an empty tractor-trailer to an Indian restaurant near Richmond, Indiana, to eat food and wait for his cargo load to arrive.
Meanwhile, Gurpreet said he hitched a ride from California to Joplin in a different truck before he met up with Jasveer as they headed to the same Indian restaurant, the outlet reported.
Jasveer also said that the truck lacked the required Electronic Logging Device that ensures drivers aren&#8217;t on the roads for longer than what is considered safe, according to FOX59.
The Trump administration has heavily scrutinized Newsom as it investigates the issuance of commercial driver&#8217;s licenses across the country to illegal immigrants following a string of fatal collisions.
California recently announced that it would delay its effort to cancel thousands of commercial driver&#8217;s licenses issued to foreign drivers.
The Trump administration instructed California to get it done by Jan. 5, threatening to withhold $160 million in federal funding if the state failed to make the deadline.
Newsom responded, saying their delay was a result of &#8220;federal mismanagement.&#8221;
&#8220;YOUR staff told CA DMV they were open to an extension 8 days ago. In fact, FMCSA agreed an extension made logistical sense and was reasonable (in a meeting on Dec. 18)! DMV relied on that guidance and acted accordingly,&#8221; Newsom wrote in a Dec. 31 X post.
&#8220;Only after the plan became public did your agency suddenly object,&#8221; he wrote.

Untitled design – 2026-01-05T153203.397

Illegal Immigrants Caught Hauling 300 Pounds Of Cocaine In Semi-Truck

Drugs

Illegal Immigration

India

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