Over a dozen Republican attorneys general demanded Wednesday that the Trump administration suspend or yank funding for a taxpayer-funded scientific organization over politically biased climate change activism, according to a letter obtained by The Daily Wire.
Led by Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, the GOP officials <a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/1010506858/AG-Letter-To-DOT-DOW-And-DOE">said</a> that a chapter included in the “Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence: Fourth Edition” produced by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine failed to disclose links to climate litigation advocacy. Knudsen demanded that the Departments of Energy, War, and Transportation cut funding to the National Academies over the chapter in question. 
Knudsen <a href="https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/MTAG/2026/03/10/file_attachments/3579240/2026-03-11%20AGs'%20Ltr%20to%20Agencies%20re%20NASEM_ex%20A.pdf">wrote</a> that the chapter “was designed to influence judges in multi-billion-dollar climate cases, was funded by climate litigation funders, was written by academics with little relevant scientific expertise and documented financial and institutional ties to climate litigation advocacy, and was shaped by a climate plaintiffs’ attorney.”
The letter was addressed to Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. The Pentagon declined to comment.
Knudsen said that the academies should be suspended or disbarred from “all federal contracts and grants across the executive branch.” The National Academies received tens of millions of dollars in grant money every year from the federal government. 
&#8220;Taxpayer dollars should not be used to fund efforts that impartially influence judges. Given multiple opportunities, NASEM and NSF still refuse to take responsibility for publishing a biased climate science manual violating their public commitments and legal obligations,” Knudsen told The Daily Wire. “The organizations producing these manuals and pushing their climate agendas on judges must be investigated and all funding to them should stop. As Attorney General, I will continue to sound the alarm until we put an end to their deception.”
The <a href="https://www.nationalacademies.org/read/26919/chapter/1">manual</a> was produced with the Federal Judicial Center to serve as a guide for federal judges. Last month, the judicial center <a href="https://www.wsj.com/opinion/reference-manual-on-scientific-evidence-climate-science-elena-kagan-federal-judges-f8e8604a?gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=AWEtsqenuW1BIeQcsljVCaPocCtWHummF76Pu_cnQ0KlguiQAeIUNm7GcmAXGmI1sSg%3D&amp;gaa_ts=6997208c&amp;gaa_sig=wVTzH3siKR3DaS1OsCzap4UGuaUWOHjVYeBgLh2Y2IVt5AfO9iotN2ZjJgaB3QunvcBEg3kfNQRJ2dCjybLV0Q%3D%3D">removed</a> the climate chapter from its version of the book after more than two dozen Republican attorneys general warned it could improperly influence their decisions. They <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/taxpayer-funded-science-org-faces-demands-from-gop-officials-over-climate-activism">urged</a> the National Academy in February to do the same. 
One issue raised by Knudsen regarding the flagged chapter was that the manual was funded in part by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation has <a href="https://capitalresearch.org/article/the-activist-side-third-party-litigation-support/">reportedly</a> donated to the Collective Action Fund, a group that has <a href="https://freebeacon.com/latest-news/anti-energy-lawfare-congressional-investigation-uncovers-dark-money-fueling-climate-change-lawsuits-nationwide/">contributed money</a> to climate litigation firm Sher Edling. The attorneys general argue that this creates a conflict of interest and violates the terms of an $875,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to the National Academy to develop the manual. 
The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation told The Daily Wire that it donated $100,000 to the Collective Action Fund in 2017 and hasn&#8217;t provided any more funds to the group since then.
&#8220;We were not involved in either the development or review of the final guide,&#8221; the foundation said. &#8220;As you have likely seen on our website, the focus of our environmental work is not climate-driven but instead focused on conservation of landscapes and seascapes.&#8221;
The attorneys general also pointed to the ties between the chapter’s authors and reviewers and climate change advocacy. Jessica Wentz, one of the authors, is a fellow at Columbia Law School’s Sabin Center for Climate Change Law. She wrote in an <a href="https://climate.law.columbia.edu/sites/climate.law.columbia.edu/files/content/Willow%20amicus%20brief%20-%20FILED.pdf">amicus brief</a> opposing the development of an oil drilling project in Alaska that “the world needs to phase out fossil fuels as rapidly as possible in order to avert potentially catastrophic levels of global warming and climate change.”
The Sabin Center has <a href="https://climate.law.columbia.edu/content/support-us">received support</a> from the Rockefeller Family Fund, which has, in turn, <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/05/28/nx-s1-4977572/rockefellers-profited-on-fossil-fuels-these-days-theyre-taking-aim-at-the-industry">reportedly</a> funded “a wave of litigation” against the fossil fuel industry. 
Radley Horton, another co-author of the chapter in question, is a professor at Columbia University’s Climate School. Horton, who has <a href="https://www.eli.org/vibrant-environment-blog/educating-judges-climate-litigation-today-and-tomorrow">previously</a> trained judges on climate litigation, has <a href="https://therealnews.com/rhorton1127climate">said</a> that “it’s absolutely critical that there be a global effort to do everything we can to dramatically draw down emissions.”
Columbia University’s Climate School, which has a Center for Sustainable Development <a href="https://ccsi.columbia.edu/donate/">funded</a> by the Rockefeller Brothers, a group that has also donated to the Collective Action Fund. 
Those acknowledged in the chapter included Michael Burger, who is representing Honolulu in litigation against energy companies, and Michael Gerrard, who has advocated for “decarbonization” through climate-related lawsuits. Burger serves as counsel for Sher Edling, the climate activist firm. 
In the initial stages of planning for the fourth edition of the manual, it was <a href="https://www.nationalacademies.org/read/26231/chapter/1">suggested</a> by the National Academies that the new manual would be “accessible to judges who might be more skeptical of climate science’s methods and conclusions.” Scientists skeptical of climate change theories were listed off as “not credible.” 
The attorneys general also say that no reviewers of the manual represented “materially different viewpoints on climate science,” which they said was a violation of the National Science Foundation grant. 
In light of these issues, the Republican officials say that the Trump administration should cut funding for the National Academies, which in 2024 received $84 million in contracts or grants from the Department of Transportation, $7 million from the Department of Energy, and $33 million from the Department of War. 
They also called for Congress to initiate an investigation into the development of the manual.
Other states that signed on include Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
The National Science Foundation declined to comment.

Republican Presidential Nominee Donald Trump Holds Rally In Bozeman, Montana

Top Science Org’s Taxpayer Lifeline In Jeopardy Over Climate Activism

Chris Wright

Climate Change

Department of Energy

Department of Transportation

Department of War

Montana

Pete Hegseth

Science

Sean Duffy

Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) announced his retirement an hour after the re-election filing deadline on Wednesday, and a new candidate quickly earned the endorsement of President Donald Trump, Daines, and other key leaders.
Daines pulled his re-election bid shortly before the 5 p.m. filing deadline through the Montana Secretary of State’s office, just moments after United States Attorney for the District of Montana Kurt Alme filed to run, according to the <a href="https://x.com/JSAmbarian/status/2029348091531542936?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Montana Television Network</a>. Alme is now the presumptive favorite for the Republican nomination, with the primary slated for June 2.
“Serving the people of Montana in the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate the past 13 years has been the greatest honor of my professional career. I’m grateful to God for allowing me to serve. But after much careful thought, I’ve decided not to seek re-election,” Daines said in a video posted Wednesday.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
An announcement👇 <a href="https://t.co/7HCofBTUMA">pic.twitter.com/7HCofBTUMA</a>
— Steve Daines (@SteveDaines) <a href="https://twitter.com/SteveDaines/status/2029361794179908086?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
On Wednesday evening, Trump announced his support for Alme, who also served in the U.S. attorney role in the prior Trump administration, calling him an “exceptional person.”
“In fact, if Kurt didn’t have the highest level of aptitude and talent, Steve would have remained exactly where he is but, Kurt is exceptional, and I will be giving him, based on Steve’s strongest recommendation, my Complete and Total Endorsement,” the president wrote on Truth Social, highlighting Daines’ decision to “pass the torch.”
“A Highly Respected Criminal Prosecutor in my Administration, and distinguished Harvard Law School Graduate, Kurt knows the Wisdom and Courage it takes to ensure LAW AND ORDER, advocate for our Heroes in Law Enforcement, and strongly support our Military and Veterans,” he continued.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee also backed Alme, with Sen. Tim Scott, who chairs the group, stating that “the NRSC looks forward to keeping Montana red this November, and welcoming Kurt as the state’s next U.S. Senator.” Daines was the NRSC chairman during the 2024 election cycle.
Alme and Charles Walking Child are now the only two Republicans in the primary, with a handful of Democrats also seeking the seat. Former University of Montana President Seth Bodnar recently entered the race as an independent, according to the <a href="https://dailymontanan.com/2026/03/04/bodnar-announces-independent-campaign-for-u-s-senate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Montanan</a>.
Democratic candidate Reilly Neill, a former state representative, said in a video posted to X after Daines’ announcement that it shows disorganization within the Montana Republican Party.
“Daines dropping out of this race is another example of the Montana Republican Party being in complete disarray,” she said. “The Montana Republican Party, they’ve done nothing but bend the knee to an administration that’s hurt our farmers, our ranchers, and this is unacceptable.”
“His stepping down opens the field for the United States Senate, and this is a good development for Montana,” she continued.
On a national level, Rep. Marie Glusenkamp Perez (D-WA) called the timing of Daines&#8217;s exit and subsequent filing for Alme &#8220;bullshit.&#8221;
&#8220;A Montana Senator is rigging an election and it’s miles beneath the dignity of our democracy,&#8221; she <a href="https://x.com/RepMGP/status/2029391818073264360?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> to X.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune told <a href="https://x.com/LauraEWeiss16/status/2029596587375169981?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Punchbowl News</a> that Daines may have chosen to retire &#8220;recently.&#8221;
“You&#8217;ve got filing deadlines in your states and you&#8217;re going to take into consideration that in terms of your timing. You know, how he handled it is his business and will be up to the people of Montana to decide who the next senator is,&#8221; he added.
In 2024, Montana was the subject of a battleground Senate race between Republican Tim Sheehy and Democratic Sen. Jon Tester, and Sheehy won with over 52% of the vote.
Currently, the Cook Political Report ranks this year’s contest as “Solid Republican.”

Screen Shot 2022-04-28 at 2.36.01 PM

Longtime Senator Steve Daines Abruptly Retires, Paving Way For Trump-Backed Successor

2026 election

Congress

Kurt Alme

Senate

Steve Daines

A coalition of more than a dozen Republican attorneys general is demanding that a taxpayer-funded scientific organization scrub a politically biased climate change chapter from its official manual, according to a letter obtained by The Daily Wire. 
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen sent a <a href="https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/MTAG/2026/02/19/file_attachments/3559530/2026-02-19%20AGs%27%20Ltr%20to%20NAS%20FINAL.pdf">letter</a> to the National Academy of Sciences President Marcia McNutt on Thursday demanding that she “take action” to remove a section on “climate science” from the “Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence: Fourth Edition.” Knudsen notes that the chapter was authored by two leftist activists who have advocated ending the use of fossil fuels. 
“This partisanship is especially troubling since taxpayer money provided by the federal government is the largest source—more than $200 million—of the National Academies’ budget,” the attorneys general wrote. “Taxpayer money should not be used for political causes, particularly by an entity that Congress created to provide independent and objective scientific reports.”
The letter was also sent to the incoming president of the National Academy of Sciences, Neil Shubin.
McNutt <a href="https://www.nationalacademies.org/index.php/governing-board">chairs</a> the governing board of the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, which co-produced the <a href="https://www.nationalacademies.org/publications/26919">manual</a> with the Federal Judicial Center as a handbook for federal judges. Earlier this month, the judicial center <a href="https://www.wsj.com/opinion/reference-manual-on-scientific-evidence-climate-science-elena-kagan-federal-judges-f8e8604a?gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=AWEtsqenuW1BIeQcsljVCaPocCtWHummF76Pu_cnQ0KlguiQAeIUNm7GcmAXGmI1sSg%3D&amp;gaa_ts=6997208c&amp;gaa_sig=wVTzH3siKR3DaS1OsCzap4UGuaUWOHjVYeBgLh2Y2IVt5AfO9iotN2ZjJgaB3QunvcBEg3kfNQRJ2dCjybLV0Q%3D%3D">removed</a> the climate chapter from its version of the book after more than two dozen Republican attorneys general warned it could improperly influence their decisions.  
“Like the Federal Judicial Center, the National Academies should immediately remove the climate science chapter from all available versions of the Fourth Edition to stop any continued claims of ‘political pamphleteering,&#8217;” they wrote. 
Knudsen told The Daily Wire he expected answers on the climate chapter.
&#8220;It is unacceptable that the National Academies continue to allow the climate science chapter to remain in circulation, especially when taxpayer dollars are used to support their work,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I expect a clear explanation for why it has not been withdrawn and how they plan to prevent biased ideologies in future editions.&#8221;
The chapter in question was co-authored in part by Jessica Wentz, a fellow at Columbia Law School’s Sabin Center for Climate Change Law. In an <a href="https://climate.law.columbia.edu/sites/climate.law.columbia.edu/files/content/Willow%20amicus%20brief%20-%20FILED.pdf">amicus brief</a> opposing the development of an oil drilling project in Alaska, Wentz wrote that “the world needs to phase out fossil fuels as rapidly as possible in order to avert potentially catastrophic levels of global warming and climate change.”
The other co-author of the chapter is Radley Horton, a professor at Columbia University’s Climate School. Horton, who has <a href="https://www.eli.org/vibrant-environment-blog/educating-judges-climate-litigation-today-and-tomorrow">previously</a> trained judges on climate litigation, has <a href="https://therealnews.com/rhorton1127climate">said</a> that “it’s absolutely critical that there be a global effort to do everything we can to dramatically draw down emissions.”
Those acknowledged in the chapter included Michael Burger, who is representing Honolulu in litigation against energy companies, and Michael Gerrard, who has advocated for “decarbonization” through climate-related lawsuits. 
In 2020, Gerrard <a href="https://www.amacad.org/sites/default/files/publication/downloads/Fa20_Daedalus_06_Gerrard.pdf">wrote</a> that “litigation” was needed to advance climate action. 
“Until and unless elections bring to power a president, a Congress, and local officials who will take the necessary measures, litigation is needed to inhibit those who will try to move backwards, spur on those with good intentions, help implement the policies set by wise Congresses past, and continue the quest for redress for victims,” he wrote. 
Both Gerrard and Burger are part of Columbia’s climate change law center. 
The Republican attorneys general argued that the views of the authors and reviewers skewed the chapter in one direction. 
“Not surprisingly given the strong biases of its authors, reviewers, and sources, the climate science chapter presents as settled the very methodologies that plaintiffs rely on to impose liability on fossil-fuel defendants. The chapter presents this science as authoritative without acknowledging contrary views or disclosing the many conflicts of the authors, reviewers, and sources. Ethics experts have noted that these issues raise serious ethics concerns,” they wrote.  
The National Academy of Sciences was <a href="https://www.usaspending.gov/recipient/bf13c3e1-3402-03ba-44d3-2349f4a792b0-P/latest">allocated</a> $133 million in federal funding for fiscal year 2025 and has been awarded $13.9 million so far this fiscal year. It frequently receives grants from the Department of Transportation, the Pentagon, and the National Science Foundation.
Other states that signed onto the letter included Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
The effort was also backed by American Energy CEO Jason Isaac and Will Hild of Consumers’ Research. 
“Judicial education must explain scientific method, not normalize litigation strategies or launder contested theories as settled fact,” Isaac told The Daily Wire. “When taxpayer-funded institutions elevate one side of active lawsuits without disclosing conflicts, that undermines confidence in the courts and the rule of law.”
Hild said the academy should “pull this biased climate chapter and stop using taxpayer resources to push a radical political agenda.”

MixCollage-19-Feb-2026-09-13-AM-371

GOP AGs Accuse Taxpayer-Funded Science Body Of Pushing Leftist Climate Agenda

Climate Advocates

Over a dozen Republican attorneys general warned a leftist climate group that it may be illegally attempting to eliminate fossil fuels from the American economy, according to a letter obtained by The Daily Wire. 
Led by Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, 17 attorneys general sent a letter on Tuesday to the group As You Sow, raising questions about its climate activism. As You Sow is a nonprofit that <a href="https://www.asyousow.org/about-us">works</a> “to change corporations from the inside out” and move the economy away from fossil fuels through shareholder advocacy. 
“As You Sow, a little-known but influential member of the climate cartel, is attempting to eliminate the fossil-fuel industry, which will have a devastating impact on Montanans, especially in the winter when we need fossil fuels to heat our homes,” Knudsen told The Daily Wire. “Their efforts to push their green, woke agenda and box out the fossil-fuel industry appear to be a violation of antitrust and Montana consumer protection laws.”
As You Sow wants to “transition” the economy from being based on “fossil-fuel based energy to clean energy sources” and <a href="https://www.asyousow.org/about-us">wants</a> to “promote environmental and social corporate responsibility through shareholder advocacy.”
“As You Sow&#8217;s efforts to eliminate fossil fuels and transform the American economy are an assault on American families and businesses. It must stop,” the Republican officials wrote in their <a href="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Ag-Letter-to-As-You-Sow.pdf">letter</a>. “As You Sow demands artificial transformations of entire markets and sectors, inevitably impacting the output and quality of the goods and services produced by those sectors. Moreover, As You Sow seeks change that uniformly aligns with its predetermined policy agenda.”
One of the As You Sow initiatives scrutinized by the Republican officials included its “Invest Your Values” <a href="https://www.asyousow.org/invest-your-values">tool</a>. This tool “analyzes the climate and social impact” of mutual funds and 401(k)s. 
The Invest Your Values tool <a href="https://investyourvalues.org/action-center/faqs">says</a> that some retirement funds should “exclude ESG risky companies” like fossil fuels companies and gun manufacturers while incorporating “a gender-lens investment lens.”
The letter was also signed by the attorneys general of Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Florida, Idaho, Kansas, Missouri, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. 
“As Attorneys General, we have a duty to protect the citizens of our States from unlawful business practices, and we are prepared to enforce antitrust laws if necessary to stop any illegal conduct by As You Sow,” they said. 
The letter also raised questions about the relationship between As You Sow and As You Know, a company that <a href="https://asyouknow.com/our-story/">says</a> it harnesses “the power of shareholders to create lasting change and align investments with values.” As You Sow <a href="https://asyouknow.com/disclaimer/">is</a> the majority shareholder of As You Know and has an exclusive license to the ESG data gathered by As You Sow. 
“If companies do what As You Sow demands, they will score more favorably on As You Know’s benchmarks sold to them and to investors, which in turn influence investments and proxy voting,” the officials wrote in their letter. 
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The letter was supported by Will Hild, the executive director of the group Consumers’ Research. 
“For years, activist organization, As You Sow, has been pressuring companies and organizations to adopt a radical climate agenda that would drive up costs, destroy reliable energy, and make things more expensive for consumers,” Hild told The Daily Wire. “Instead of focusing on things like lower energy costs or strengthening the American economy, As You Sow’s only priority is to reshape the energy sector to meet senseless net-zero benchmarks.”

House Homeland Security Committee

Republican Officials Warn Climate Group To Stop Its ‘Assault’ On American Economy

Republican Officials Warn Climate Group To Stop Its 'Assault' On American Economy

Economy

Oil and Gas

The passing of Native American actor Graham Greene reminded us of the Oscar-winning 1990 film “Dances with Wolves.” The film cast Greene as Kicking Bird, and his screen time with director and star Kevin Costner set the table for the drama.
The film remains beloved for its portrait of the American West, many warts and all. It’s also emblematic of Costner’s career, one dedicated to the great outdoors in the grand American tradition.
Few actors have clung to that mythos like Costner, from his directorial breakthrough with “Dances with Wolves” to his most recent venture, the “Horizon” saga. Along the way, Costner has explored the American wilderness on screens large and small, creating a genuine affection for his country in the process.
<div id="attachment_969287" style="width: 825px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-969287" class="size-large wp-image-969287" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-37-PM-7630-815x576.jpg" alt="Kevin Costner in “Dances with Wolves” 1990. Tig Productions. Majestic Films International. Allied Filmmakers. Photo by Archive Photos/Getty Images copyright 2012. IMDB." width="815" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-37-PM-7630-815x576.jpg 815w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-37-PM-7630-300x212.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-37-PM-7630-768x543.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-37-PM-7630-1536x1086.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-37-PM-7630-2048x1448.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 815px) 100vw, 815px" />Kevin Costner in “Dances with Wolves” 1990. Tig Productions. Majestic Films International. Allied Filmmakers. Photo by Archive Photos/Getty Images copyright 2012. IMDB.</div>
He didn’t sugarcoat the land’s flaws then, and he refused to do so in subsequent projects. America’s natural beauty and potential proved his constant companion.
It explains why he endures as more than just a movie star at the age of 70. He’s part of the cultural fabric. And, even when he’s taking political stances that anger a good half of the country, his treasure trove of goodwill barely takes a hit.
Costner famously got left on the editing room floor in 1983’s“The Big Chill,” even though his character’s fate powered the nostalgia-laced drama. Director Lawrence Kasdan made amends to the young actor by casting him in the ensemble western “Silverado.”
<div id="attachment_969291" style="width: 720px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-969291" class="size-large wp-image-969291" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-468733013-710x576.jpg" alt="CIRCA 1985: Actors Kevin Costner, Scott Glenn, Kevin Kline and Danny Glover on set the movie &quot;Silverado&quot; circa 1985. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)" width="710" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-468733013-710x576.jpg 710w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-468733013-300x243.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-468733013-768x623.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-468733013.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 710px) 100vw, 710px" />CIRCA 1985: Actors Kevin Costner, Scott Glenn, Kevin Kline and Danny Glover on set the movie &#8220;Silverado&#8221; circa 1985. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)</div>
From there, Costner landed “The Untouchables” (1987), “Bull Durham” (1988), and “Field of Dreams” (1989), a run of hits few actors could match, then or now. That gave him the clout to start shaping his career on his terms. And that led to “Dances with Wolves.”
The film may appear “woke” in retrospect, showcasing a guilt-ridden white man coming to terms with his country’s cruelty to Native Americans. Costner grounded the Western epic with respect for all its elements – from historical realities to the harsh truths about frontier life. 
Such messaging is often found in movies with what YouTube film and TV critic, The Critical Drinker, famously calls “The Message.” Costner, however, refused to lecture without context or push an agenda without exploring that time and place from all angles.
“Dances with Wolves” brought the nation’s complicated history to life, not with finger-wagging asides but a three-dimensional portrait that couldn’t be denied.
And, in the process, he forged a connection with American storytelling that became his unofficial identity. Costner has worked constantly since that film’s release, and his career has hit the usual bumps along the way.
He returned to the American West repeatedly over the years, from the unsung 2003 western “Open Range” to 1994’s “Wyatt Earp.” The latter got overshadowed by “Tombstone,” released a year earlier and featuring an iconic turn from Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday.
And, when his career appeared to be on the downside, Costner teamed with rising TV producer Taylor Sheridan to anchor “Yellowstone.” The Paramount series wasn’t set in the 1800s, but its Montana backdrop and timeless themes connected to the stories Costner knows best.
How many modern shows reflect the natural beauty of a state like Montana? For Costner and Sheridan, it just felt like home.
At a time when even “hit” TV shows draw a fraction of the audience of prior smashes, “Yellowstone” drew huge ratings. The show’s 2024 finale drew north of 13 million viewers.
<div id="attachment_969295" style="width: 825px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-969295" class="size-large wp-image-969295" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-50-PM-769-815x576.jpg" alt="Kevin Costner, Cole Hauser in &quot;Yellowstone, Watch 'Em Ride Away&quot;Photo by Courtesy of Paramount Network - copyright Paramount Network 2022" width="815" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-50-PM-769-815x576.jpg 815w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-50-PM-769-300x212.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-50-PM-769-768x543.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-50-PM-769-1536x1086.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-50-PM-769-2048x1448.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 815px) 100vw, 815px" />Kevin Costner, Cole Hauser in &#8220;Yellowstone: Watch &#8216;Em Ride Away&#8221; Photo by Courtesy of Paramount Network &#8211; copyright Paramount Network 2022</div>
The Sheridan saga featured a sprawling cast, but Costner’s John Dutton anchored the show. Once again, the actor’s instincts and authenticity made the series matter.
Actors can only fake so much. Audiences see the now weathered star as a credible and engaging part of the American landscape. He leaned on that persona for not one but two FOX Nation limited series based on Yellowstone history – “Yellowstone One Fifty” and “Yellowstone to Yosemite with Kevin Costner.”
Costner’s cinematic passions came to a head last year with a project that may never be completed as he originally envisioned it.
Costner returned to the director’s chair for 2024’s “Horizon: An American Saga.” The old-school western cost him a pretty penny, and then some. The star used his sizable wealth to help fund what he saw as a four-part movie saga.
The first installment drew modest reviews and tepid box office results – just $38 million worldwide. The second chapter, already filmed, currently lacks a release date, although it debuted at the Venice International Film Festival last year.
The actor has been open about struggling to fund parts three and four, and it’s possible the saga will end with the second film.
The irony? Costner began dreaming up the story behind “Horizon” in the late 1980s, just before his directorial breakthrough with “Dances with Wolves.” His quest to turn the American West into a deeply personal film franchise may have been doomed by fiscal realities, but it’s in line with Costner’s creative self.
He loves America, from its natural splendor to its ability to let citizens dream impossible dreams. And nowhere is that more evident than in the great outdoors.
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Fanatics Fest NYC 2025

Kevin Costner: The Wild Wild West Movie Star

actors

Celebrities

Entertainment

Hollywood

Kevin Costner

Movies

Yellowstone

A liberal enclave on the western edge of the deep-red state of Montana is pushing LGBT &#8220;Pride&#8221; to new heights.
The Missoula, Montana, City Council voted 9-2 on Monday night to make the &#8220;Pride&#8221; flag the city&#8217;s official flag. The move flies in the face of a recent bill signed into law in Montana that bans &#8220;Pride&#8221; flags from being flown on government property and schools.
&#8220;Currently, there is only one official flag for the City of Missoula, and that&#8217;s the Pride flag adopted last night. There was no prior official flag,&#8221; Missoula City Attorney Ryan Sudbury <a href="https://nbcmontana.com/news/local/missoula-approves-pride-flag-as-official-city-flag-in-opposition-of-new-law">told</a> NBC Montana.
Missoula&#8217;s &#8220;Pride&#8221; flag designation is already reflected on the Wikipedia page about the city.
<div id="attachment_928849" style="width: 414px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-928849" class="wp-image-928849 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-03-at-3.31.38%E2%80%AFPM-404x576.png" alt="" width="404" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-03-at-3.31.38%E2%80%AFPM-404x576.png 404w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-03-at-3.31.38%E2%80%AFPM-210x300.png 210w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-03-at-3.31.38%E2%80%AFPM.png 666w" sizes=" (max-width: 404px) 100vw, 404px" />Screenshot: Wikipedia</div>
Montana Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte blasted the city council&#8217;s move in a statement shared with The Daily Wire.
&#8220;Last night, nine members of the Missoula City Council made clear their top priority is flying a divisive pride flag over government buildings and schools &#8212; all while ignoring the city&#8217;s housing affordability crisis, raising taxes by 17% because of over spending, and refusing to take firm action to end encampments in the city,&#8221; Gianforte said. &#8220;Missoulians deserve better, and fortunately, two council members voted against imposing this divisive, far-left agenda on their community.&#8221;
The sponsor of the resolution, Jennifer Savage — who identifies as queer — pointed to her daughter as a reason she pursued designating the &#8220;Pride&#8221; flag the city&#8217;s official flag.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=memorial&amp;utm_content=editorialmemorialday&amp;_gl=1*1qdq03s*_gcl_au*MTYyNDg0MTE0OS4xNzQxODk4NTMz*_ga*MTEzOTk1NjkxNi4xNzI2MzI1MDQz*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*czE3NDgzNzg2NDgkbzEwMDMkZzEkdDE3NDgzODEwMTckajU4JGwwJGgw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Get 40% Off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
“When I see the Pride flag, I breathe a little sigh of relief and think my kid is safe here,” Savage said.
Last month, Montana Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte signed HB 819 into law, prohibiting the display of flags on state property that represent a &#8220;political viewpoint, including but not limited to flags or banners regarding a political party, race, sexual orientation, gender, or political ideology.&#8221; Missoula, however, appears to have found a loophole in the law that allows cities to fly an official municipal flag, according to <a href="https://www.kpax.com/news/missoula-county/missoula-city-council-adopts-pride-flag-as-official-city-flag">KPAX</a>. With the city council&#8217;s vote on Monday night, the &#8220;Pride&#8221; flag now meets that designation.
“Leave it to Missoula to try and turn a city flag into a pride flag. Nothing says ‘unity’ like politicizing public property,&#8221; <a href="https://nbcmontana.com/news/local/missoula-approves-pride-flag-as-official-city-flag-in-opposition-of-new-law">said</a> Republican state Rep. Braxton Mitchell. &#8220;The ultra far left Missoula City Council and their mayor are completely out of touch with reality and the values of the vast majority of Montanans. Taxpayer owned property should represent everyone, not just the loudest political movements of the moment.&#8221;
Missoula County <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/11/05/us/elections/results-montana.html">voted</a> overwhelmingly for Kamala Harris over Donald Trump in 2024, 59% to 38%, while former Democratic Sen. John Tester received 66% of the vote in Missoula to just 32% for Republican Tim Sheehy. Trump and Sheehy went on to win the state.
Missoula is also represented at the state level by Zooey Zephyr, a man who identifies as a woman. In 2023, Zephyr was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/montana-house-votes-to-punish-transgender-member-who-said-colleagues-have-blood-on-your-hands">censured</a> by the Republican-controlled Montana House of Representatives for an outburst over a ban on gender procedures on minors.
“The only thing I will say is if you vote yes on this bill and yes on these amendments, I hope the next time there’s an invocation when you bow your heads in prayer, you see the blood on your hands,” Zephyr said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Rep Zooey Zephyr of Missoula said the following when debating SB99 Amendments.
“The only thing I will say is if you vote yes on this bill and yes on these amendments I hope the next time there’s an invocation when you bow your heads in prayer, you see the blood on your hands.” <a href="https://t.co/wuhlympbLq">pic.twitter.com/wuhlympbLq</a>
&mdash; Montana Freedom Caucus (@MTFreedomCaucus) <a href="https://twitter.com/MTFreedomCaucus/status/1648441274868043777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 18, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Montana banned gender procedures on children in 2023, but the law was blocked by a state district court judge in Missoula, and the state&#8217;s Supreme Court upheld that preliminary injunction in December.

Pride Flag

‘Divisive, Far-Left Agenda’: City In Deep-Red State Adopts ‘Pride’ Flag As Official City Banner

LGBTQ

Liberals

Social Issues

U.S.

Red states throughout the country are considering employment verification legislation that experts say could be one of the most effective ways to encourage illegal alien self-deportations.
The states are considering bills that would mandate that employers use E-Verify, a system run by the Department of Homeland Security that ensures workers are in the country legally and eligible for employment.
Ira Mehlman, the media director for the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-one-simple-trick-that-could-lead-illegal-immigrants-to-self-deport?author=Spencer+Lindquist&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=23&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=The+One+Simple+Trick+That+Could+Lead+Illegal+Immigrants+To+Self-Deport">told</a> The Daily Wire that E-Verify mandates eliminate the “biggest incentive” for illegal aliens to enter or stay in the United States.
“If employers were mandated to use E-Verify and the government demonstrated the resolve to hold employers accountable, that would go a long way toward drying up the supply of jobs for illegal aliens, thereby eliminating the biggest incentive to come or remain here illegally,” Mehlman explained.
A recent estimate from FAIR found that there are <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/illegal-alien-population-surges-to-record-high-bombshell-study-finds">18.6 million illegal aliens</a> currently present in the United States, with experts like Mehlman and Center for Immigration Studies Executive Director Mark Krikorian saying that self-deportations are key to reducing America’s illegal alien population.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/SpencerLndqst?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpencerLndqst</a> on the latest logistical issue the Trump administration is facing:
&#8220;There are 18.6 million illegal aliens present in the US currently. If they had their own state, not only would it always go to the Democrats, it would also be the fifth largest in the country.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/qyvTkyOO4P">pic.twitter.com/qyvTkyOO4P</a>
— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/1915060538348130408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
Now, states across the country are considering legislation to implement or expand E-Verify mandates. Idaho’s House of Representatives is <a href="https://idahocapitalsun.com/2025/02/14/idaho-legislature-introduces-new-bill-requiring-employers-e-verify-all-new-employees/">considering</a> an E-Verify proposal that would require all businesses in the state to verify the employment status of new employees. Republican Representative Jordan Redman, the sponsor of the legislation, says that the bill “adds to Idaho employment law to prohibit employment of illegal aliens and require employers to use E-Verify for each new hire to verify legal employment status as a condition of their employment.”
The effort has faced opposition from Rep. Stephanie Mickelsen, a Republican from Idaho Falls and a potato farmer, as well as from the Idaho Dairyman’s Association, which cited labor shortage concerns.
Montana is currently <a href="https://legiscan.com/MT/bill/HB226/2025">considering legislation</a> that would require employers to use E-Verify or the I-9 employment verification form and maintain eligibility documentation for workers. Companies that fail to abide by the law could face civil penalties, including fines and even the revocation of business licenses after multiple violations. The bill was sent to the governor after passing through the state House and Senate.
“By leveraging verification systems already in place, we can promote lawful employment practices while protecting the integrity of our labor market,” said Rep. Courtenay Sprunger, the House bill’s sponsor.
The Florida State House <a href="https://floridaphoenix.com/2025/04/23/florida-house-passes-e-verify-measure-but-bill-looks-dead-in-the-senate/">just passed</a> legislation that would expand the state’s current E-Verify laws and require all businesses to use the system. But even though the bill was passed with unanimous support from Republicans and garnered support from seven Democrats, the corresponding effort hasn’t gained any traction in the Senate and has not been assigned to a committee.
Texas is also considering legislation to expand its existing E-Verify mandate, which currently only applies to government workers. The <a href="https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&amp;Bill=SB324">new legislation</a> would require all employers in the state to use E-Verify, which Sen. Lois Kolkhurst <a href="https://texasscorecard.com/state/senate-committee-advances-legislation-requiring-use-of-e-verify/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called</a> “the most functional and cost-effective method the state of Texas can implement to stem the flow of illegal immigration.”
The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) has <a href="https://americafirstpolicy.com/issues/ensuring-a-legal-workforce-in-texas">endorsed</a> the Texas bill, asserting that it could help unemployed Americans in the Lone Star state get back into the workforce while disincentivizing illegal immigration. “The largest pull factor for illegal aliens is the ability to make money in the U.S.,” AFPI explained. “Mandatory use of E-Verify would significantly reduce the ability of illegal aliens to work, and over time, this action will help reduce the pull factor of employment for those who enter the country unlawfully.”

Illegal alien sign

Red States Consider Bills To Push Illegals To Self-Deport

E-Verify

Florida

Idaho

Illegal Immigration

Politics

Texas

Last Tuesday, voters in six states decisively rejected ballot measures that would have brought ranked choice voting to future elections. In Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and Oregon, RCV <a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Results_for_ranked-choice_voting_(RCV)_and_electoral_system_ballot_measures,_2024" target="_blank" rel="noopener">went down in flames</a>. National groups spent millions on campaigns promising RCV would enhance democracy and empower the people, angling for an election day triumph. Instead, the voters handed them a rout.
Adding insult to injury, Alaska appears on track to repeal RCV after using it for just two years. Missouri, meanwhile, became the first state to ban it at the ballot box, and the eleventh state overall to bar RCV. In fact, the number of states to <a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Ranked-choice_voting_(RCV)" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ban</a> RCV more than doubled this year.
Ranked choice voting, a complex scheme, seems better suited to a laboratory than a voting booth. It eliminates the “one person, one vote” principle and asks voters to rank multiple candidates for each race. If no candidate gets a majority, the one with the fewest votes is eliminated, and their ballots are redistributed to the voter’s next choice. This process repeats until someone claims a majority.
Voting takes longer with RCV. Voters must learn about and rank numerous candidates in multiple contests on each ballot. Counting ballots also takes longer, as final tabulations can’t begin until all ballots are received, and some states allow mail ballots to arrive after Election Day. Some states lack voting systems that can handle this process; Idaho’s secretary of state estimated the cost to replace the state’s <a href="https://idahofreedom.org/a-40-million-drain-on-taxpayers-ranked-choice-voting-comes-at-a-heavy-price-for-idahoans/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">equipment</a> at $40 million.
The results are difficult to audit and just as hard to explain, especially when ranked choice voting catapults candidates who got the second- or third-most votes into office after numerous rounds of elimination. In fact, RCV is so confusing that the wrong winner can be certified. That actually happened in Oakland, California in 2022.
The one thing RCV does reliably is push politics to the left, particularly when this scheme is paired with California-style jungle primaries. That’s the system Alaska uses, and in the special congressional election of 2022, more voters cast ballots for Republicans but Democrat Mary Peltola went to Congress. 
Small wonder, then, that left-wing megadonors decided to push RCV nationwide despite its obvious flaws. They <a href="https://honestelections.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/HEP-RCV-Factsheet_v2.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">built up an array</a> of organizations to lobby, petition, and ultimately to campaign for ranked choice voting. Those efforts culminated in ballot measures in six states, <a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Results_for_ranked-choice_voting_(RCV)_and_electoral_system_ballot_measures,_2024" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fueled</a> by an astonishing $99 million, or nearly $30 for every $1 spent in opposition.
Nearly half of that extraordinary sum came from groups tied to liberal billionaire John Arnold and his wife, Laura. The pair <a href="https://www.wsj.com/opinion/ranked-choice-voting-ballot-measures-election-863d52ff" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spent</a> at least $39 million propping up ranked choice voting measures this year alone.
What did these donors get for their millions? Not much. Nearly 70% of Idahoans voted against RCV. Colorado and Oregon, both liberal states, rejected the measures by double-digit margins. And in the presidential battlegrounds of Arizona and Nevada, ranked choice voting went down harder and faster than Kamala Harris.
Meanwhile, nearly 69% of Missourians voted to proactively ban ranked choice voting. In Alaska, the Arnolds and other RCV megadonors poured in almost $15 million to defend the scheme against a repeal effort. Despite that, the repeal vote is winning as ballots continue to come in.
Washington, D.C., was the only bright spot for RCV advocates, where a citywide ballot measure passed by wide margins. That may not be the win proponents imagine. After all, “they use it in the swamp” isn’t much of a rallying cry.
<h3><a href="https://www.amiracist.com/?_gl=1*jtghwp*_gcl_au*ODQ1NjYzNTg2LjE3Mjg5MDk3OTE.*_ga*MTc2NzM0NDQ2NS4xNzI4OTA5Nzkx*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTczMDEyMDgwOS40OS4xLjE3MzAxMjA4MzkuMzAuMC4w" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MATT WALSH&#8217;S &#8216;AM I RACIST?&#8217; NOW STREAMING ON DAILYWIRE+</a></h3>
Is this the end of ranked choice voting? It should be. But with the left, there is no such thing as a permanent defeat. In fact, RCV has endured expensive, high-profile failures before—a $10 million <a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Massachusetts_Question_2,_Ranked-Choice_Voting_Initiative_(2020)#Campaign_finance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">loss</a> in Massachusetts in 2020, for instance—only to rebrand the scheme as “instant runoffs” and “open primaries,” and spend 10 times as much this year.
RCV <a href="https://subscriber.politicopro.com/newsletter/2024/11/election-reformers-try-to-pick-up-the-pieces-00188355" target="_blank" rel="noopener">backers</a> are already <a href="https://x.com/NickTroiano/status/1854313594785018148" target="_blank" rel="noopener">promising</a> they will be back, even <a href="https://subscriber.politicopro.com/newsletter/2024/11/election-reformers-try-to-pick-up-the-pieces-00188355" target="_blank" rel="noopener">telegraphing</a> they will focus instead on lobbying state legislatures to impose the scheme that voters just decisively rejected. So much for all their talk about “democracy.” Lawmakers would be wise to head that effort off by <a href="https://stoprcv.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">banning</a> ranked choice voting next year, instead.
Left-wing billionaires spent millions trying to buy a new form of democracy that would cater to their politics and interests. Fortunately, the American people spoke loud and clear: our election system is not for sale.
* * *
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.

TOPSHOT-US-VOTE-POLITICS-ELECTION

Ranked Choice Voting Goes Down In Flames

2024 Election

Arizona

Colorado

Democrats

Elections

Nevada

Opinion

Oregon

Ranked Choice Voting

Voting

Control of the Senate is on the ballot today, and while Republicans have a straightforward path to flipping the upper chamber, Democrats need to pull off some upsets to maintain control.
Fifty-one senators, including four independents, are in the Democratic caucus in the Senate, compared to 49 Republicans. That breakdown will likely change as numerous Senate races are decided on Tuesday night, and possibly in the days after.
Here are 10 races to watch.
<h4>Arizona — Open Seat</h4>
After Sen. Kyrsten Sinema announced earlier this year that she was retiring from the Senate, the race for her seat was blown wide open. While Sinema became an independent in 2022, she still caucuses with the Democrats, meaning her seat would be a big flip for Republicans if they can win on Tuesday.
Republican candidate Kari Lake, who lost the gubernatorial election in 2022, is currently trailing in the polls against Democrat Rep. Ruben Gallego. Gallego enjoyed a nearly eight-point lead in the <a href="https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/senate/general/2024/arizona/lake-vs-gallego" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RealClearPolitics</a> polling average in early October, but Lake has cut into that lead, trailing by less than 3 points as of Tuesday afternoon.
Much of the Arizona Senate race has centered on the border crisis, as Lake has hammered Gallego over his <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dem-arizona-senate-candidate-supported-amnesty-flip-flopped-on-illegal-aliens-voting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">support for amnesty</a> and his vote against House Joint Resolution 24, which sought to prevent illegal immigrants from voting in local elections in Washington, D.C.
Cook Political Report rates the race as <a href="https://www.cookpolitical.com/ratings/senate-race-ratings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lean Democrat</a>.
<h4>Maryland — Open Seat</h4>
Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan is hoping to give the GOP a Senate seat in one of the most unlikely of states as he faces off against Democrat Angela Alsobrooks. Hogan was a popular governor in the blue state, winning two terms as a Republican. He has campaigned as a moderate willing to reach across the aisle, focusing on addressing economic issues and taxes.
Alsobrooks, a former county executive for Prince George County, Maryland, is pushing for pro-abortion policies and a ban on so-called assault weapons, claiming that &#8220;gun violence is the number one killer of children in America.&#8221; The Democrat leads Hogan in almost every recent <a href="https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/senate/general/2024/maryland/hogan-vs-alsobrooks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">poll</a>, and Cook Political Report rates the race as likely Democrat. But if Republicans have a strong night on Tuesday, it could be evidenced by how well Hogan performs in deep-blue Maryland.
<h4>Michigan — Open Seat</h4>
Similar to Arizona, Michigan&#8217;s 2024 Senate race will decide who will replace a retiring senator — in this case, 74-year-old Democrat Debbie Stabenow. Both of Michigan&#8217;s Senate seats have been controlled by Democrats since Republican Spencer Abraham lost his re-election bid to Stabenow in 2000. The party&#8217;s nearly-25 years of controlling Michigan&#8217;s Senate seats, however, is up for grabs as Republican Mike Rogers is running in a tight race against Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin.
Slotkin was the clear favorite to win the race early on, but Rogers has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mi-republican-senate-candidate-gains-ground-on-dem-opponent-new-polls" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cut into</a> the Democrat&#8217;s lead in the polls. Both Slotkin and Rogers have focused heavily on the economy, with Rogers accusing Slotkin of supporting a controversial Chinese-owned electric vehicle plant being built in Big Rapids, Michigan. Slotkin, meanwhile, has attempted to tie Rogers to Big Pharma and has touted her support of abortion.
Slotkin currently leads in the RealClearPolitics average by 2.3 points, and Cook Political Report rates the race as a toss-up.
<h4>Montana — Democrat Seat</h4>
Longtime Democrat Sen. Jon Tester is in an uphill battle to keep his Senate seat, which he&#8217;s held since 2007. Republican candidate Tim Sheehy, a retired Navy SEAL, is challenging Tester, focusing on the border crisis that has exploded under the Biden-Harris administration.
Montana represents one of the Republican Party&#8217;s best chances to flip a seat in the Senate with Cook Political Report rating the race lean Republican. Tester winning re-election could be vital to the Democratic Party&#8217;s narrow path to keeping control of the Senate. Polling on the Montana race has shown Sheehy leading Tester by nearly 8 points on average, according to <a href="https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/senate/general/2024/montana/sheehy-vs-tester" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RealClearPolitics</a>.
<h4>Nebraska — Republican Seat</h4>
Republican Sen. Deb Fischer is running for re-election against independent candidate Dan Osborn, a Navy veteran. Fischer has served in the Senate since 2013 and has won each of her elections by wide margins. But polling from this year&#8217;s race shows a much closer contest than what Fischer is used to.
Osborn reportedly asked the Democratic Party to keep a candidate off the ballot to form a coalition behind him, but then said he would <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/05/15/dan-osborn-spurns-democrats-other-parties-whose-help-he-sought-in-senate-race/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">not accept</a> the Democratic Party&#8217;s endorsement following the primaries. While an Osborn upset in Nebraska wouldn&#8217;t help push the Democrats closer to a majority, it could potentially hurt the GOP&#8217;s numbers and its path to taking control of the Senate.
Fischer leads in the polls by just over 2 points, according to FiveThirtyEight&#8217;s average. Cook Political Report rates the race as lean Republican.
<h4>Nevada — Democrat Seat</h4>
Nevada Democrat Sen. Jacky Rosen is in a close race against Republican Sam Brown in what would be a huge pick-up for Republicans if Brown can pull off the upset. Rosen won her first term as senator in the 2018 election after serving as a congresswoman from Nevada&#8217;s 3rd District for one term.
Brown, a U.S. Army veteran who was wounded while serving in Afghanistan in 2008, a political outsider is hoping to burst onto the scene with a victory over Rosen. An upset for Brown seemed far from reach just two months ago when Rosen led in the <a href="https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/senate/general/2024/nevada/brown-vs-rosen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RCP average</a> by 10 points, but Brown has chipped away at the Democrat&#8217;s lead, now trailing by just four points. In one recent poll, Brown was tied with Rosen, and in another, he was leading by 1 point.
Cook Political Report rates the race as lean Democrat.
<h4>Ohio — Democrat Seat</h4>
In what Cook Political Report is rating as another toss-up race, Democrat Sherrod Brown has been <a href="https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/senate/general/2024/ohio/brown-vs-moreno" target="_blank" rel="noopener">losing ground</a> in the polls against Republican Bernie Moreno. Brown, who has been in office since 2007, has attempted to present himself as a moderate, especially on energy, vowing that he “will not turn my back on Ohio’s rural electric co-ops, Ohio energy workers, and Ohio families whose energy bills are already too high.” In September, however, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ohio-dem-senator-to-hold-event-with-group-pushing-to-close-states-largest-coal-plant" target="_blank" rel="noopener">participated in a campaign event</a> alongside a radical environmentalist group pushing to close the state’s largest coal plant.
Moreno, a Colombian-born businessman, supports stronger border security and <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/bernie-moreno-touts-historically-powerful-trump-endorsement-after-ohio-primary-win-previews-day-1-agenda" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that &#8220;energy dominance&#8221; will be one of his top issues if he is elected. Moreno has also pushed to abolish the Department of Education, arguing that it has a &#8220;stranglehold on our kids.&#8221;
Moreno leads by just 1.7 points in the RealClearPolitics average.
<h4>Pennsylvania — Democrat Seat</h4>
In Pennsylvania, Democrat Sen. Bob Casey is running for his fourth term against Republican businessman Dave McCormick. The battleground state Senate race is another chance for Republicans to steal a seat from the Democrats. McCormick has recently surged in the polls, saying that Pennsylvanians “can see now it’s between a seventh-generation Pennsylvanian, an outsider, a business guy, someone who went to West Point and served in combat, versus a guy who’s been in elected office for 30 years and has been weak in a 99% vote for these liberal policies.&#8221;
In recent weeks, Casey has attempted to tie himself to former President Donald Trump, dropping a campaign that says “Casey bucked Biden to protect fracking and he sided with Trump to end NAFTA and put tariffs on China to stop them from cheating.”
Casey leads McCormick by <a href="https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/senate/general/2024/pennsylvania/mccormick-vs-casey" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1.8 points</a> in the RCP average of polls, and Cook Political Report rates the race as a toss-up.
<h4>Texas — Republican Seat</h4>
Republican Sen. Ted Cruz is seeking to fend off an upset bid from Democrat Rep. Colin Allred and keep the Texas Senate seat in the GOP&#8217;s hands. Allred, a former NFL linebacker, has gone along with the Biden-Harris agenda <a href="https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/biden-congress-votes/colin-allred/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">100%</a> of the time. During a recent debate, Cruz <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ted-cruz-blasts-his-dem-opponents-radical-and-extreme-record-during-debate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">blasted</a> Allred&#8217;s &#8220;radical and extreme&#8221; record, pointing out that the Democrat voted in favor of the leftist “Equality Act,” a bill that prohibited discrimination based on “sexual orientation” or “gender identity.”
For Democrats to maintain control of the Senate, they would likely have to pull off a win in Montana or a major upset over Cruz in Texas. Cook Political Report rates the Cruz-Allred race as lean Republican.
<h4>Wisconsin — Democrat Seat</h4>
The fourth and final Senate toss-up race, according to Cook Political Report, is the Wisconsin contest between incumbent Democrat Tammy Baldwin and Republican Eric Hovde. Baldwin, a senator since 2013, has seen the <a href="https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/senate/general/2024/wisconsin/hovde-vs-baldwin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">polls</a> grow closer in recent weeks. Hovde, like many Republicans, is focused on immigration and the economy and is hoping to ride some momentum from Trump, who has been focusing on the battleground state.
Baldwin leads Hovde by just 1.8 points, according to the RealClearPolitics average.
<a href="https://election.dailywire.com/?_gl=1*1ekafg9*_gcl_au*ODQ1NjYzNTg2LjE3Mjg5MDk3OTE.*_ga*MTc2NzM0NDQ2NS4xNzI4OTA5Nzkx*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTczMDY4ODI4NC44NC4xLjE3MzA2OTQwMDYuNTkuMC4w" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CHECK OUT THE DAILY WIRE&#8217;S ELECTION HUB FOR SENATE FORECASTS AND POLLING</a>

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Former President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Trump</a> ripped Democrat senators on Wednesday for attempting to tie themselves to some of his policies as they seek re-election.
Sens. Bob Casey (D-PA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Jon Tester (D-MT), who are all running against Republicans in tight races, have released ads promoting their support of certain Trump administration policies, Axios <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/10/18/senate-democrats-campaign-ads-trump-2024" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Trump slammed the senators in a post on Truth Social, saying they &#8220;only pretend&#8221; to support his policies &#8220;when Elections roll around.&#8221;
&#8220;Kamala Harris’ sinking Campaign has become so TOXIC, that Democrat Senators in four different States are using me in their advertisements, and stating that they are with President Trump on Tariffs, and numerous other things. While it is a great compliment, it is not fair to those Republican Senate Candidates, Bernie Moreno, Dave McCormick, Eric Hovde, and Sam Brown, who are with me all the time,&#8221; Trump wrote. &#8220;These Democrats have voted with Crooked Joe Biden almost 100% of the time. They only pretend to be on my side when Elections roll around. OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, WISCONSIN, NEVADA: VOTE FOR BERNIE MORENO, DAVE MCCORMICK, ERIC HOVDE, AND SAM BROWN &#8211; THEY ARE THE ONES WHO ARE WITH US!&#8221;
In a Casey ad that was released last week, the narrator <a href="https://x.com/TimMurtaugh/status/1847285213681832131?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1847285213681832131%7Ctwgr%5E67d3ade8793216f8e9b2d8d6fc9719483f8b1402%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailywire.com%2Fnews%2Fpa-senate-race-moves-from-lean-dem-to-toss-up" target="_blank" rel="noopener">says</a> that &#8220;Casey bucked Biden to protect fracking and he sided with Trump to end NAFTA and put tariffs on China to stop them from cheating.&#8221; A Baldwin ad states, &#8220;Tammy Baldwin got President Trump to sign her Made in America bill.&#8221;
An ad released earlier this year says that Brown &#8220;wrote a bill that Donald Trump signed to crack down on drugs at the border.&#8221; Tester, meanwhile, has been featured in ads that feature Republicans who will be voting for Trump and backing Tester.
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1729077615157000&amp;usg=AOvVaw17Kprl74oE9DYOLREdiBPU">MATT WALSH’S ‘AM I RACIST?’ COMING TO DAILYWIRE+ OCT. 28</a>
Michigan Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin, who is running for retiring Sen. Debbie Stabenow&#8217;s seat, also <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLHhTdq52yA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">boasts</a> in a recent ad that she &#8220;wrote a law signed by President Trump forcing drug companies to show their actual prices.&#8221;
Trump and Republican Senate candidates have recently gained ground in the polling. In Pennsylvania, Casey&#8217;s lead over Dave McCormick has been cut from 5 points at the end of September to just 1.9 points as of Wednesday afternoon, according to the <a href="https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/senate/general/2024/pennsylvania/mccormick-vs-casey" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RealClearPolitics</a> average. In <a href="https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/senate/general/2024/wisconsin/hovde-vs-baldwin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wisconsin</a>, Baldwin leads Republican Eric Hovde by just 1.5 points, and in <a href="https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/senate/general/2024/ohio/brown-vs-moreno" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ohio</a>, Brown is ahead of Bernie Moreno by less than 1 percentage point per the RCP average. Republican Tim Sheehy is favored to take Tester&#8217;s seat in Montana as he leads the Democrat by an average of <a href="https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/senate/general/2024/montana/sheehy-vs-tester" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7 points</a> in the polls.

Donald Trump

Trump Blasts Dem Senators’ Attempts To Tie Themselves To Him Days Before Election

Trump Blasts Dem Senators' Attempts To Tie Themselves To Him Days Before Election

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Sherrod Brown

<a href="https://www.foxnews.com/video/6363606392112">Video</a> obtained by Fox News appears to show a Democrat operative tampering with an election ballot drop box in Montana, prompting an accusation by local election officials to the Montana Secretary of State.
The operative, identified by authorities as Laszlo Gendler, has been paid by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), according to <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/political-parties/dscc/2024/expenditures-details?name=democratic-senatorial-campaign-cmte&amp;recip=Gendler%2C+Laszlo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">OpenSecrets.org</a>, as <a href="https://montanatalks.com/dem-busted-tampering-with-ballot-dropbox-in-montana/?trackback=twitter_mobile" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Montana Talks</a> reported. The DSCC is working to help incumbent Democrat Senator Jon Tester against GOP senatorial candidate Tim Sheehy.
Richie Melby, the Communications Director for Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen, told Montana Talks, “The Glacier County election administrator contacted our office expressing serious concern over surveillance footage that appeared to show an individual &#8216;tampering&#8217; with a ballot box. Our Elections Director contacted the election administrator, who confirmed that the individual in the footage is Laszlo Gendler. The name of the suspect and details were turned over to Glacier County law enforcement. Our Elections Director was pleased that the individual was not able to remove the ballot box from the wall, although the activity was obviously highly suspicious and concerning.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1729077615157000&amp;usg=AOvVaw17Kprl74oE9DYOLREdiBPU">MATT WALSH’S ‘AM I RACIST?’ COMING TO DAILYWIRE+ OCT. 28</a>
Crystal R. Cole, the Election Administrator for Glacier County, had emailed the Montana Secretary of State this notice:
<blockquote>
Glacier County has put up two Official Mail Ballot Drop Boxes, one at our Satellite Office in Browning and one at the Glacier County Detention/Dispatch Entrance, both under 24/7 surveillance. Yesterday, on October 20th, at 10:25:05, Laszlo with the MT Democratic Party was on camera tampering with the Box. I did call him to ask him what his reasoning was, he stated “they” sent him to the location to see how secure the box was. The MT Democratic party did not notify the Elections office in any way to state they would be sending someone to the Ballot Box to see how secure it was, so on camera it looks like he was tampering with the box.
</blockquote>
The Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen issued a statement on the video that, &#8220;Footage has emerged of a D.C. Democratic staffer tampering with a ballot drop box in Glacier County.&#8221;
&#8220;This isn’t speculation — it is on camera…we are currently investigating this matter with the help of law enforcement and will continue to observe the actions of the Democratic Party of Montana under close watch.”
After the initial publication of this story, it was reported by <a href="https://www.krtv.com/news/montana-and-regional-news/ballot-box-video-in-glacier-county-stirs-controversy">KRTV</a> that Gendler was brought in for questioning by law enforcement but released. Glacier County Attorney Terryl Matt said after an investigation, it was not a &#8220;legitimate attempt to tamper with the ballot box or the electoral process.&#8221;
“After a review of the evidence, including the footage, we have determined that the issue is unsubstantiated,&#8221; the attorney said. &#8220;The behavior captured in the video does not constitute a legitimate attempt to tamper with the ballot box or the electoral process. Glacier County takes all potential instances of election tampering seriously and investigate them to ensure the integrity of our democratic process.”
The DSCC said its operative was checking to make sure the ballot box was &#8220;secured to the wall,&#8221; and that it has relieved the employee of his services after the incident.
&#8220;Poll observers are not instructed to touch ballot boxes,&#8221; a spokesperson told KRTV. &#8220;Gendler was attempting to ensure a new ballot box was secured to the wall.&#8221;
An October New York Times/Siena poll showed Sheehy leading Tester 52-44; the <a href="https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/senate/general/2024/montana/sheehy-vs-tester" target="_blank" rel="noopener">last five polls</a> of the race show Sheehy winning by between six and eight points. Republicans currently hold 49 seats in the Senate; a gain of two seats would give them the majority, which is crucial in many votes, including the confirmation of any Supreme Court judges.
This piece has been updated with new information on the local investigation into Gendler to make clear that he was not found to have made a legitimate attempt to tamper with the ballot box.

EARLY VOTING MT

Montana Dem Operative Accused Of ‘Tampering’ With Ballot Box, Cleared By Authorities

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Pro-life activists are warning about “deceptive” ballot initiatives that could pave the way for unlimited abortion in red states if approved by voters in November. 
The ballot initiatives employ deceptive language, like saying a measure would allow abortion up to the point of “viability&#8221; — but lets pro-abortion doctors determine what “viability” means. Other ballots would permit abortions for &#8220;mental health&#8221; reasons, another broad category that could be interpreted to expand abortion.
“A lot of deception on the side of the [abortion] proponents because they know that if they were honest about their ultimate goal, which is to repeal not just the gestational limit but all these other laws like no taxpayer funding for abortion, like parental consent, like informed consent, that voters would never support that,” SBA Pro-Life America policy director Katie Glenn Daniel told The Daily Wire. 
Pro-life activists face a massive funding disadvantage in the 10 states where abortion is on the ballot, including New York, Florida, and Arizona. The <a href="https://initiativepetitions.elections.myflorida.com/InitiativeForms/Fulltext/Fulltext_2307_EN.pdf">language</a> on the Florida ballot says that there can be no pro-life protections “before viability or when necessary to protect the patient&#8217;s health, as determined by the patient&#8217;s healthcare provider.” 
In Montana, the language would block protections before “viability,” which is defined as “the point in pregnancy when, in the good faith judgment of a treating health care professional and based on the particular facts of the case.”
Dr. Ingrid Skop, a researcher with the pro-life Charlotte Lozier Institute, said that allowing the doctor to define viability was dangerous. She said that since the abortionist’s goal is to end the life of the unborn baby, he will decide that the “baby will never be viable because I am going to end his life.” 
“So we can see that this very ambiguous wording is going to lead to many abortions long after the time of viability for reasons most Americans would not consider to be a compelling reason for ending human life,” Skop told The Daily Wire.
Other ballot initiatives de-emphasize abortion, to make voters think they&#8217;re only deciding on less controversial components. Missouri&#8217;s abortion ballot measure includes guarantees to things like miscarriage care and fertility treatments, which are not prohibited by any state law. This strategy paid off for pro-abortion activists in Ohio last year, where voters passed a ballot measure expanding abortion rights thanks in part to ambiguous language.
“By making these ballot initiatives worded in such a deceptive way people think to themselves, ‘Oh I must have to vote for this in order to allow a mom to get emergency care,” Skop said. 
Skop added that many of the ballot initiatives also include vague provisions on abortions that are necessary for &#8220;health of the mother,&#8221; once a defined medical category that has now grown to include mental, financial, social, and familial factors. Abortions measures in states including Missouri and and Nevada have &#8220;mental health&#8221; as a justification for an abortion. 
“Many abortions way past the age of viability were performed with the excuse that this was needed for a woman’s health,” Skop said. 
Abortion is <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/heres-where-abortion-is-on-the-ballot-this-november" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on the ballot</a> in Florida, Arizona, Missouri, Colorado, Nevada, Nebraska, Montana, South Dakota, New York, and Maryland. So far, the pro-abortion side has <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/abortion-rights-groups-outraising-opponents-8-1-november-114488948" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> raised around $108 million, while the pro-life side has raked in just $14 million. 
Daniel said it made sense that the pro-abortion side was spending so much money on the races, as they were essentially making a business investment. 
“The abortion industry has no guard rails on how much money they will spend on this because it&#8217;s an investment in their ability to run their business without any limits,” she said. “So of course they are going to open the wallets to spend money to lie to voters.”
The pro-abortion groups have also used language typically associated with more conservative voters, with many talking about limiting government and using names like &#8220;Missourians for Constitutional Freedom&#8221; and &#8220;Floridians Protecting Freedom.&#8221;
But pro-life groups are working to make their voice heard as Election Day nears. Live Action announced on Thursday a six-figure digital ad campaign to urge voters in Missouri and Florida to vote &#8220;no&#8221; on the abortion amendments. 
“Abortionists and their collaborators are pouring tens of millions of dollars into propaganda to try to mislead voters and conceal the fact that these amendments would legalize abortions on babies through all nine months of pregnancy,” Live Action founder Lila Rose said. “Lives are on the line in Florida and Missouri like never before in state history.”
Pro-lifers have seen a number of setbacks at the ballot box from Kansas to Kentucky to Ohio, but believe they can be successful if more Americans knew the full extent of the abortion agenda being pushed by Democrats. For example, pro-abortion activists in Michigan are suing to force taxpayer funding for abortion, which has long been banned by state law. 
“The other side knows they have to be deceptive to get this across the finish line,” Daniel said. “What we see is that when voters are informed they reject that extremism.”

Arizona’s Supreme Court Revives 1864 Law Banning Abortions, Causing Backlash

Pro-Life Advocates Warn Of ‘Deceptive’ Abortion Measures On The Ballot In Red States

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