Trump-backed Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) won the Republican nomination for governor Tuesday, clearing the way for a general election showdown to succeed Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) after a contentious primary that tested the future of Florida’s conservative movement.
With 90% of the vote counted, Donalds is cruising to victory with about 48%, well ahead of Lt. Gov. Jay Collins (R-FL) at 25% and businessman James Fishback (R-FL) at 10%. <a href="https://votes.decisiondeskhq.com/races/2026-08-18/florida-governor-republican-primary">Decision Desk HQ</a> called the race at 8 p.m. ET.
&#8220;I want to start by thanking God for all His blessings and protection over my family, and over my team,” Donalds said in a Tuesday night celebration speech. &#8220;Tonight, the primary is over. Tonight, we put aside our differences. Tonight, we are one united Republican Party.&#8221;
Donalds, like Trump, was born in New York City but has represented Florida’s 19th Congressional District — which covers Southwest Florida along the Gulf Coast — in Washington since 2021. Widely viewed as a rising star in the Republican Party, Donalds was even floated as a potential vice presidential pick during the 2024 election cycle, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/byron-donalds-on-vp-buzz-im-a-real-simple-dude-i-just-want-to-win">The Daily Wire</a> reported. 
“It’d be a great honor, but it’s his decision,” Donalds said in a Nashville interview with The Daily Wire at the time. “He’ll decide what he wants to do, and whatever his decision is, I’m going to support that. I just want to win,” he added. “I’m a real simple dude. I just want to win and be successful. That’s it.”
That attitude appeared to win over Trump, who jumped into the race in May, endorsing Donalds as a “highly respected” congressman who would help advance the “America First Agenda.”
“I know Byron well, have seen him tested at the highest and most difficult levels, and he is a TOTAL WINNER,” Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116642799421262985">said</a> on Truth Social. “Byron Donalds will be a truly Great and Powerful Governor for Florida, and has my Complete and Total Endorsement — HE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN!” 
On the campaign trail, Donalds<a href="https://byrondonalds.com/issues/"> ran</a> on advancing President Trump’s agenda, cracking down on illegal immigration, ending “woke ideology” in schools, and calling for an<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SR4qqMWegVs"> end</a> to Cuba’s communist regime in an effort to win over Florida’s large Latino electorate. 
The former Democrat has also spoken openly about his born-again Christian conversion, which he says happened in a<a href="https://www.axios.com/local/tampa-bay/2025/09/08/byron-donalds-cracker-barrel-parking-lot"> Cracker Barrel</a> parking lot. As a young man, Donalds faced charges at 18 for marijuana possession and again at 20 in connection with a bank fraud scheme involving a bad check. The marijuana charge was dismissed after Donalds completed a pretrial diversion program, and he later had the fraud record sealed and expunged.
Fishback, who has himself faced questions over <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-election/florida-school-gop-james-fishback-sexual-misconduct-allegations-rcna249963">sexual misconduct allegations</a>, <a href="https://floridapolitics.com/archives/811578-judge-orders-james-fishback-to-pay-his-former-hedge-fund-employer-1-3m/">financial disputes</a>, and <a href="https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/politics/decision/james-fishback-stays-on-ballot-florida-governors-race-residency-claims/3839164/">residency requirements</a>, sought to capitalize on Donalds’ past but faced backlash after calling the GOP front-runner a “DEI hire” and a <a href="https://x.com/Patriot_Clips/status/2075663909227253891?s=20">“slave”</a> to corporate interests.
“I will apologize for calling Byron Donalds a slave when he gives back the $81 million he has taken from AIPAC, hedge-fund billionaires, and special interests who are trying to pave over the state and turn us into a concrete jungle,” Fishback <a href="https://x.com/Patriot_Clips/status/2075663909227253891?s=20">told</a> reporters. 
The 31-year-old, who is closely <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vtjidiZRTg">aligned with Tucker Carlson</a>, ran a headline-grabbing, grievance-filled campaign built around issues he believed would resonate with the Gen Z right, including banning data centers, suspending aid to Israel, implementing a “sin” tax on OnlyFans, and ending what he called the H-1B visa &#8220;scam.&#8221;
DeSantis, barred from seeking a third term, largely stayed on the sidelines as the primary unfolded. He praised former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner while withholding an endorsement and took a pointed swipe at Donalds last year.
“We’ve achieved victories in Florida,” DeSantis <a href="https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/politics/elections/desantis-endorse-governor-candidates-florida-2026/67-d41d3df8-f85c-44e5-bbbc-82067c738590">said</a> during a press conference last year. “A guy like Byron, he just hasn’t been a part of any of the victories that we’ve had here over the Left over these last years.”
Donalds and DeSantis were once close allies, but their relationship fractured in 2023 after Donalds broke with the governor over controversial education standards. The standards said enslaved people developed skills that could later be “applied for their personal benefit,” according to the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/byron-donalds-donald-trump-florida-governor-desantis-7cf12bdb0899d0165c4cbd98e5b3abe3#">Associated Press</a>. 
Donalds pushed back publicly at the time, writing on social media: “The new African-American standards in FL are good, robust, &amp; accurate. That being said, the attempt to feature the personal benefits of slavery is wrong &amp; needs to be adjusted.”
Looking ahead, Donalds said <a href="https://floridapolitics.com/archives/814808-byron-donalds-still-expects-ron-desantis-to-back-him-after-primary/">he expects</a> to earn the governor’s support as he prepares to carry the DeSantis legacy forward. Donalds has vowed to continue Florida’s fight against “woke” ideology in schools and state government. 
Under DeSantis, Florida has become a national battleground over culture-war fights, including DEI, abortion, and transgender issues. The state recently scored a major legal victory in its <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/three-year-culture-war-fight-ends-with-major-win-for-desantis?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=35&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Three-Year+Culture+War+Fight+Ends+With+Major+Win+For+DeSantis">three-year fight</a> over a law restricting minors from attending sexually explicit live performances, including drag shows.
November&#8217;s election will effectively mark the end of the DeSantis era, which transformed Florida from a purple swing state into a ruby-red bastion for conservatives nationwide. Florida’s Republican advantage has grown dramatically in recent years, holding a roughly <a href="https://dos.fl.gov/elections/data-statistics/voter-registration-statistics/voter-registration-reports/voter-registration-by-party-affiliation/?lv=true&amp;quot=&amp;utm_source=chatgpt.com">1.5 million-voter registration edge</a> over Democrats. To win statewide, the Democrats would need to overcome the GOP’s registration lead by winning back Hispanics and persuading a large bloc of conservative-leaning voters who have backed Republicans in statewide elections.
This fall, Donalds will face Democratic nominee David Jolly, a former Republican congressman turned Democrat who wants to repeal Florida’s abortion ban and is leaning into identity politics. 
“Culture wars divide and demonize. Florida should reject the politics of division and hate, and instead create a home where everyone is valued, respected, and welcomed,” Jolly’s <a href="https://davidjolly.com/issues/">campaign website</a> reads. “Florida should embrace our immigrant community and celebrate their contributions to our state&#8217;s culture and economy.”
The <a href="https://www.cookpolitical.com/governor/race/479481">Cook Political Report</a> rates the race as Solid Republican.

Florida Gubernatorial Candidate Byron Donalds Campaigns Ahead Of Primary Election

Byron Donalds Cruises To Victory In Fight To Succeed DeSantis As Florida Governor

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Google quietly changed Gmail this week to make it easier for political campaigns and PACs to bypass spam folders and pump endless fundraising emails into the inboxes of millions of users.
The move could help qualifying political groups keep fundraising pleas out of the email graveyard and boost donations ahead of the midterm elections. The change follows years of complaints from Republicans that Gmail’s spam filters disproportionately blocked their emails more often than Democrats.
The company’s new policy, first reported by the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/18/us/politics/google-political-campaigns-email-spam.html">New York Times</a>, came through an opaque policy announcement on its <a href="https://support.google.com/mail/answer/12467704#zippy=">Help Center</a> on Monday.
“Starting September 8, 2026, the Gmail Verified Sender Program helps eligible, verified political committees in the United States reliably deliver policy-compliant and non-abusive messages to personal Gmail accounts on an ongoing basis,” the website reads. “By adhering to these requirements, participating senders actively contribute to a safer, more trustworthy email ecosystem, enhancing security and delivery experience for all recipients.”
Google insisted that users will maintain autonomy over their accounts.
“Gmail users remain fully in control of their inboxes, with multiple strong levers at their disposal. They can mark a message as spam, block a specific sender, and unsubscribe from unwanted lists,” the company added.
Republican and Democratic political strategists warned the new policy could be “deeply consequential” for candidates, while ordinary Americans could face a flood of fundraising appeals that turn their inboxes into digital junk piles, the outlet reported.
“Heading into the 2026 elections, Gmail users are going to be flooded with unwanted political spam because Google decided to create a V.I.P. lane for campaigns,” Kenneth Pennington, a Democratic digital strategist, told the outlet. “This is a bad deal for Gmail users and a gift to bad actors in the political fundraising space.”
The new program will take effect the day after Labor Day, around the same time conservatives will descend on Dallas to rally GOP voters at the first-of-its-kind midterm convention. With 77 days to go, Republicans plan to use the historic event to frame the midterm election as a choice between “common sense and crazy,” The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/inside-the-rncs-biggest-convention-in-a-decade?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Inside+The+RNC%E2%80%99s+Biggest+Convention+In+A+Decade">reported</a>.
It’s unclear whether Google’s changes will benefit one political party over the other, but at least one Republican group is already positive about the program.
“For years Google’s algorithm silenced Republican voices, burying our emails in spam while Democrats’ landed in the inbox,” Will Kiley, the communications director for the National Republican Congressional Committee, told The Times. “This program is a real chance to fix it and let voters hear from the candidates they choose to follow. We’ll be watching closely to make sure Google follows through.”

Google Campus Ahead Of Alphabet Earnings Figures

Election Spam Is About To Get Even Worse In Your Inbox Thanks To New Google Move

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A lefty Lutheran minister running to flip a battleground Iowa congressional district has preached the importance of “showing up” on the campaign trail — while her own record shows she’s been a no-show for dozens of key votes in the state legislature.
State Senator Sarah Trone Garriott (D-IA), the Democratic candidate for Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District, leaned on her pastoral background in the <span class="iNqyIf" data-sfc-cp="" data-sfc-root="ep" data-copy-service-computed-style="font-family: &quot;Google Sans&quot;, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 0px rgb(10, 10, 10);">Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)<span class="WBgIic Wg1cdb notranslate" data-wiz-attrbind="class=yVqw8e_l/R4Tih" data-sfc-root="ep" data-wiz-uids="yVqw8e_m,yVqw8e_n,yVqw8e_o" data-copy-service-computed-style="font-family: &quot;Google Sans&quot;, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 0px rgb(10, 10, 10);"><span class="NMq1me" data-animation-atomic="" data-wiz-attrbind="class=yVqw8e_l/TKHnVd" data-copy-service-computed-style="font-family: &quot;Google Sans&quot;, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 0px rgb(10, 10, 10);"><span aria-hidden="true" data-sfc-ls="yVqw8e_l/kMntnd" data-copy-service-computed-style="font-family: &quot;Google Sans&quot;, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 0px rgb(10, 10, 10);"> over the weekend to argue that she is uniquely equipped to represent her constituents every day in Washington.
“Everyone knows me as the pastor. I am a Lutheran minister. I still preach on the weekends, and this month I&#8217;m celebrating the 18th anniversary of my ordination,” she <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKfUkUr9XhA">said</a> at the Iowa State Fair. “And one thing that I have learned from ministry is to serve a community well, you have got to show up.&#8221;
Trone Garriott&#8217;s voting record tells a very different story. In the 2026 Iowa Senate session, Trone Garriott has already missed 62 of 312 floor roll-call votes — roughly 20% of all votes, according to her legislative record reviewed by The Daily Wire.
Among the votes she <a href="https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/SJNL/20260324_SJNL.pdf">skipped</a> were a <a href="https://legiscan.com/IA/bill/HF2515/2025">bill strengthening sentences for sex predators</a> convicted of sexually exploiting minors and legislation <a href="https://legiscan.com/IA/bill/HF2739/2025">funding the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services</a>, including Medicaid — a critical source of funding for rural health care and an issue Trone Garriott has <a href="https://www.desmoinesregister.com/videos/news/politics/2026/03/15/iowa-us-house-candidate-sarah-trone-garriott-talks-rural-healthcare/89154635007/">repeatedly highlighted</a> on the campaign trail. Treon Garriott did not obtain a leave of absence for missing either vote.
The D.C. hopeful also missed other consequential votes, including legislation funding <a href="https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/SJNL/20260502_SJNL.pdf">veterans’ services</a> in the state and a bill cracking down on <a href="https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/SJNL/20260502_SJNL.pdf">human trafficking</a> by expanding screening and strengthening protections for victims.
The Daily Wire has reached out to Trone Garriott for comment.
A state legislator missing 20% of recorded votes falls well short of the typical member of Congress&#8217; voting rate. In 2025, members of the House and Senate collectively participated in 96.8% of roll-call votes, meaning the average member missed roughly 3.2%, <a href="https://rollcall.com/2026/03/11/vote-studies-participation-up-in-2025-despite-notable-absences">according to a Roll Call analysis</a>.
Rep. Zach Nunn (R-IA), her Republican opponent, has a 95% attendance rate, according to <a href="https://www.stumpwatch.com/politicians/zachary-nunn-n000193">StumpWatch</a>, a political accountability tracking website. In November, the two candidates will battle for a purple congressional seat that could help determine control of the House. In 2024, Nunn won the Des Moines-area district by less than four percentage points.
&#8220;Sarah Trone Garriott couldn&#8217;t be bothered to show up when Iowans needed a tax break or rural healthcare needed funding, but she never hesitated to cash in her taxpayer-funded paycheck,” RNC spokesman Zach Kraft said in a statement to The Daily Wire. &#8220;Iowans want bipartisan workhorses like combat veteran Zach Nunn, not do-nothing career politicians like Sarah Trone Garriott.&#8221;
The Lutheran minister looking for a promotion to Congress once claimed that challenges to the traditional definitions of men and women are “very threatening” to white men and downplayed concerns about the dangers of transgender ideology for women, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-democrat-candidate-says-trans-ideology-threatens-the-white-male">The Daily Wire</a> previously reported. During a 2023 <a href="https://www.iaumc.org/newsdetail/sen-rev-sarah-throne-garrett-encourages-laity-to-confront-christian-nationalism-18119210">speech</a> on “Christian Nationalism” at Ames First United Methodist Church, Trone Garriott argued that Evangelical Christians needed “threats” to react against to maintain their identity.
When she did show up to vote, Trone Garriott rejected a bill to keep <a href="https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/SJNL/20220302_SJNL.pdf#page=4">boys out of girls’ sports</a> and <a href="https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/SJNL/20230307_SJNL.pdf#page=26">opposed</a> legislation shielding children from transgender procedures. Still, on the campaign trail, she touts herself as a legislator who will represent Republicans and Democrats alike in Congress.
&#8220;You have to show up for everyone because that is what my neighbors deserve. A legislator who is going to show up for them whether they vote for them or not,” she told the fair crowd. “And I would often knock doors just to tell my neighbors even if they said they weren’t going to vote for me. I want you to know who I am, and here’s my phone number so you can call me if you need help, because that’s my job.”

Iowa Residents Vote In Primary Election

Lefty Pastor Preached ‘Showing Up.’ Then We Checked Her Record.

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A baby with a heart defect at the center of an extraordinary surrogacy battle between a pro-life surrogate and biological parents, who sought an abortion, has undergone his first life-saving surgery.
The child, whom his parents named Rumi, underwent <a href="https://x.com/LilaGraceRose/status/2089514128465649710?s=20">complex heart surgery</a> Monday to treat hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), a serious congenital heart defect that typically requires three surgeries.
Lee Budner, an attorney for the parents Omar Ahmed and Nausheen Gilkar, said a medical team determined that the baby was eligible for the Norwood procedure, the first of three surgeries typically performed on babies born with HLHS. Babies with the condition typically undergo a second operation at 4 to 6 months of age, <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/12214-hypoplastic-left-heart-syndrome-hlhs">according</a> to the Cleveland Clinic. 
“Rumi is now recuperating under the loving care of his parents and his heroic team of doctors, nurses, and medical staff,&#8221; the family’s lawyer told CBS. &#8220;This is the last update on Rumi&#8217;s health that his family intends to share. His condition remains critical and complex, and his family seeks privacy in caring for their son on his long road to recovery.” 
The surgery comes after the biological parents who sought to abort the baby following its HLHS diagnosis, the latest twist in a stunning surrogacy battle that has drawn attention from pro-life advocates<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-admin-steps-into-surrogates-fight-for-newborns-life-saving-care?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Admin+Steps+Into+Surrogate%E2%80%99s+Fight+For+Newborn%E2%80%99s+Life-Saving+Care"> to the Trump administration.</a>
McKenna West, a single mother of two, delivered the baby last Wednesday in the Dallas area after Texas Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton secured a court order requiring him to receive life-saving medical care. She named him Gabriel.
At 20 weeks, the baby was diagnosed with HLHS. West has said that after learning of the diagnosis, his biological parents demanded that West travel to California to abort the child,<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/red-state-comes-to-rescue-of-surrogate-mom-facing-pressure-to-kill-baby?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Red+State+Comes+To+Rescue+Of+Surrogate+Mom+Facing+Pressure+To+Kill+Baby"> The Daily Wire</a> previously reported.
“So we were all really upset. It was completely unexpected. Everything had been going great,” West, who became pregnant through IVF, told<a href="https://www.liveaction.org/news/surrogate-fights-baby-heart-condition-refusing-abortion"> Live Action News</a>. “I was full of fear and stress of what they were going to choose. I was feeling pretty confident that they were going to choose termination, and how could I possibly live with myself going through that?”
West refused the abortion demand and fled to Texas, where abortion is mostly illegal, and the state law recognizes the woman who carries and gives birth to a child as the “gestational mother.” 
Most surrogacy contracts include provisions giving the intended parents a say in whether to terminate a pregnancy.<a href="http://surrogate.com/"> Surrogate.com</a> says surrogates cannot be forced to undergo an abortion, but refusing to comply with a contractual agreement could carry “financial and legal consequences.”
West says having the baby could cost her $200,000 — a price she was willing to pay.
“This is my body, and I absolutely don’t want to go through this. Nothing was scarier than questioning my own soul and knowing what would happen to this baby boy,” she told Lila Rose, president and founder of Live Action. “His life doesn’t have a price tag on it. There’s nothing that they could try to come after me for that would be worth his life.”
In court filings, Gabriel’s biological parents accused West of initially agreeing to terminate the pregnancy before reversing course,<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/couple-surrogate-claims-wanted-baby-aborted-break-silence-as-red-state-steps-in?author=Amanda+Harding&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=11&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Couple+Surrogate+Claims+Wanted+Baby+Aborted+Break+Silence+As+Red+State+Steps+In"> The Daily Wire</a> reported. 
“It is undisputed that West initially agreed and that she herself made the initial appointment. She then unilaterally changed her mind, cut off all contact with A.B. and C.D., and withdrew medical releases allowing A.B. and C.D. to have contact with all medical providers,” the filing said.
A Dallas judge granted the biological couple’s request for a temporary restraining order against West and blocked her from making any medical decisions for the child she was carrying.
Lincoln Wilson, an attorney for West, told<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2026/08/12/texas-surrogacy-california-alaska-parental-rights/"> The Texas Tribune</a> that his client “is lawfully the parent because she gave birth to this child that she carries in Texas, then she should control custody as well.”
A court hearing is scheduled for August 25.

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Parents Who Wanted Surrogate Baby Aborted Agree To Life-Saving Heart Surgery

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McKenna West

Pregnancy

Pro-Life Movement

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Texas

The mother of Lindsey Clancy took the stand Monday to describe the disturbing thoughts and mental deterioration that consumed her daughter in the weeks before Clancy strangled her three young children in their Massachusetts home.
Paula Musgrove testified for the defense in her daughter’s high-profile murder trial, describing changes she observed leading up to the January 24, 2023 killings of Clancy’s 5-year-old daughter, Cora, 3-year-old son, Dawson, and 8-month-old son, Callan. 
“I remember her being very nervous. I remember her saying, ‘I just have to tell you, guys something,’ and then she told us she had thoughts of harming the children,” Musgrove said before reading aloud a text she received from Lindsey in October 2022:
<blockquote>“Mom, will you please come up and stay with me for a bit. I’m really sick. Something is wrong. I had horrible insomnia all night, and I just don’t know how I’m going to get through the day. I started taking the medicine my doctor prescribed for anxiety and I think it’s made things worse. It’s just really scary and I don’t want to be alone.” </blockquote>
Clancy was prescribed 13 different medications over a four-month period, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-shocking-number-of-drugs-lindsay-clancy-was-prescribed?author=Brecca+Stoll&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=5&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=The+Shocking+Number+Of+Drugs+Lindsay+Clancy+Was+Prescribed">The Daily Wire previously reported</a>. The medications included amitriptyline, buspirone, clonazepam, diazepam, fluoxetine, hydroxyzine, lamotrigine, lorazepam, mirtazapine, quetiapine, sertraline, trazodone, and zolpidem.
In December 2022, Clancy also contacted psychiatric nurse practitioner Rebecca Jollotta through her patient portal about her reaction to Remeron, the brand name for mirtazapine.
“I really don’t like the way I feel on the Remeron, and I know that I can’t stick with taking it,” Clancy told psychiatric nurse practitioner Rebecca Jollotta through her patient portal in December 2022. “I started having very intrusive thoughts that I never had before.”
Musgrove testified that her daughter became increasingly concerned that officials at her children’s school were becoming aware of her deteriorating mental state. She also recalled Clancy losing a significant amount of weight and becoming paranoid about things that did not appear logical to her family.
“Lindsey had lost a lot of weight. She had become, during this whole time, paranoid about different things that really weren’t logical to become paranoid about,&#8221; Musgrove testified.
&#8220;She would mention that this wasn&#8217;t her mind,&#8221; Musgrove continued. &#8220;She would say to me, &#8216;This isn&#8217;t me. I&#8217;ve never been like this before.&#8217;”
 Musgrove said her daughter also complained of memory problems and blamed the medications she had been taking. 
“She said that she couldn&#8217;t remember anything. The medication was pretty much just destroying her mind, and it wasn&#8217;t her,&#8221; Musgrove testified. &#8220;She said that this isn&#8217;t me. I just want to feel better and enjoy my kids.” 
Clancy has pleaded not guilty to murder charges for strangling all three of her young children. Prosecutors say she strangled her three kids with <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lindsay-clancys-courtroom-outburst-brings-trial-to-a-halt">exercise bands</a> before cutting her own wrists and throat and jumping from the second-story window. Clancy survived the fall but was left paralyzed from the waist down and has attended the trial in a wheelchair. 
The defense has not argued that Clancy did not strangle her three young children, but has instead argued that she is not criminally responsible for the killings by reason of insanity. Clancy, the defense says, was suffering from severe postpartum psychosis — made worse by a series of mood-altering medications — at the time of the killings.
The weeks-long trial has captivated much of the nation. It has sparked a heated debate in the court of public opinion about the role mental illness plays in criminal responsibility. 
Supporters of Clancy argue a failed medical establishment and postpartum psychosis led to the deaths of the three children. A <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-lindsay-clancys-parents">GoFundMe</a> for Clancy’s parents has raised a staggering $860,000 to help absorb what they called “the travel, lodging, and living costs required to remain close to their daughter.” 
The Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh <a href="https://x.com/MattWalshBlog/status/2089375867545731075?s=20">pushed back</a> Monday on arguments that Clancy&#8217;s reported intrusive thoughts should lessen her responsibility for the killings. 
“All parents have intrusive thoughts in the sense that they worry about all the horrible things that might happen to their children. But a desire for that thing to happen, or a desire even to cause that thing to happen, is an entirely different matter,” Walsh said. 
“The former just makes you a normal person. It means you love your kids and are worried about their wellbeing. The latter means you’re a sick monster,” he added. “The latter is not normal or okay, and it’s also not something that any therapist or drug can easily solve for you.”

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Mom Testifies About Lindsay Clancy’s Twisted Thoughts Before Killing Children

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True Crime

A growing rift between Democrats and their growing socialist wing is threatening to alienate the very voters the party needs to win elections — including people who have lived under communist regimes.
On Mark Halperin’s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3slvFfBLJY&amp;t=2914s">The Morning Meeting platform</a>, a Puerto Rican-born voter with Cuban heritage living in Florida sounded the alarm Monday over the Democrats’ far-left drift and announced a permanent breakup with the party he used to support. 
“I&#8217;m a pretty open-minded guy. I voted Democrat many times. I was a big supporter of Hillary Clinton. I thought she was great, but the way this Democratic Party is going now, I don&#8217;t even want to hear it,” the voter named Gary said. “I&#8217;m just a Republican going forward. I can&#8217;t have it. I can&#8217;t have it. It&#8217;s just insulting to me the fact that the Democratic Party has allowed these parasites… into the party.” 
“It&#8217;s offensive. I&#8217;ve had uncles that have been imprisoned in Cuba for just being part of a Baptist church,” he added. 
Since President Donald Trump’s re-election, the Democratic establishment has watched its leftist wing barnstorm the country, racking up one victory after another. Socialist Zohran Mamdani’s upset in New York City’s mayoral primary kicked off the movement’s breakthrough, followed by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mamdanis-socialists-upset-incumbent-dems-in-house-primary-sweep">three Democratic Socialists of America-backed leftists</a> ousting longtime Democratic representatives. The socialist-aligned Left also steamrolled its way through <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-trashes-the-socialist-poised-to-be-next-mayor-of-d-c">Washington, D.C.</a> and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/socialist-hot-streak-continues-as-radical-leftist-unseats-15-term-democrat?author=Brecca+Stoll&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Socialist+Hot+Streak+Continues+As+Radical+Leftist+Unseats+15-Term+Democrat">Denver</a>, then succeeded in nominating <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/platner-caves-suspends-senate-campaign">Graham Platner</a> for the U.S. Senate in Maine before he dropped out of the race following a rape allegation.
The movement scored another huge win earlier this month when Michigan Democrats nominated Abdul El-Sayed for U.S. Senate, delivering a humiliating blow to the party establishment, which failed to stop him from advancing to a pivotal November showdown with Trump-endorsed Republican Mike Rogers. Results showed El-Sayed won younger and more educated voters, while his establishment-backed rival, Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI), performed strongest among black and working-class voters, highlighting the DSA disconnect with traditionally faithful Democratic voting blocs. 
“What would you like to see the Democratic Party do?” Halperin asked Gary, who responded, “I don’t know.” 
“I think it&#8217;s part of an indoctrination of a lot of upper-class white young kids that are clueless. I think that&#8217;s really the base of the DSA. It&#8217;s not the working class. It&#8217;s just not. I don&#8217;t know the answer. I don&#8217;t care,” Gary said. 
Most Latinos living in the U.S. have a favorable view of capitalism, with 82% of Cubans reporting negative views towards socialism, <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2022/09/29/hispanics-and-their-views-on-social-issues/">according to a 2022 Pew Research Center survey.</a> On top of that, the DSA membership is <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-data-proves-exactly-who-the-new-radical-democratic-base-is">overwhelmingly white</a> and has long struggled to recruit a more racially diverse group of organizers. 
Anti-socialist and anti-communist messaging has long resonated with Florida’s Latino voters, who made up nearly a quarter of the state’s 2024 electorate and backed Trump, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/election/2024/exit-polls/florida/general/president/0">according to exit polls.</a> At the first-of-its-kind Republican midterm convention in Dallas, GOP leaders plan to take that message nationwide, framing November’s election as a choice between “common sense and crazy,” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/inside-the-rncs-biggest-convention-in-a-decade?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Inside+The+RNC%E2%80%99s+Biggest+Convention+In+A+Decade">The Daily Wire reported.</a>
A Republican source told The Daily Wire that the convention will spotlight the socialist’s movement’s most fringe positions on gender, policing, efforts to cancel Thanksgiving, as well as the growing electoral influence of leftist streamer Hasan Piker, who has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/flashback-hasan-piker-admitted-to-colluding-with-cuban-regime-a-year-before-feds-investigated">admitted</a> to colluding with Cuba’s communist regime. 
Failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is also worried that Republicans’ “anti-communist” messaging could sink socialist candidates and jeopardize the party’s chances of retaking control of Congress. During a podcast appearance with liberal tech journalist Kara Swisher, Clinton <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hillary-clinton-warns-socialists-about-label-that-could-haunt-them?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=15&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Hillary+Clinton+Warns+Socialists+About+Label+That+Could+Haunt+Them">raised concerns </a>about the electability of El-Sayed and other DSA-backed candidates. 
“You’re not going to convince Republican voters in Michigan, and the real fight will be how do we make sure that people who voted for Haley feel comfortable voting for Abdul El-Sayed, and how do we get independents to feel comfortable?” Clinton asked. “And you can see that it’s not just about Michigan, but the Republican messaging is communist, socialist. It’s going to be a very effective attack.”

Socialist Revolution, Marxist pamplets, International Workers Day, United Against Union Busting March and Rally, Union Square, New York City

‘Parasites’: Puerto Rican-Born Man Torches Dems’ Socialist Takeover

2026 elections

Capitalism

Cubans

Democratic Socialists Of America

Hispanics

Immigrants

Socialists

The Republican National Committee is opening the doors to a first-of-its-kind midterm convention next month, giving ordinary voters a chance to score front-row tickets and unprecedented access to an American celebration expected to be the largest political convention since 2016. 
In September, the conservative movement is set to descend on the American Airlines Center in downtown Dallas to rally Republicans as the party faces political headwinds ahead of the crucial November midterm elections. 
The arena, home to the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, can accommodate more than 20,000 attendees, and voters will have a chance to experience the convention firsthand.
The RNC exclusively told The Daily Wire that a<a href="https://gopconvention.com/"> public ticket lottery</a> will launch Saturday, August 15, allowing Americans to request tickets for September 9, September 10, or both days of the convention. The lottery winners will be notified on September 4 and will have 24 hours to claim their tickets.
Attendees will get a front-row seat to the event featuring President Trump, along with access to Victory Plaza, which will offer surprise guests, entertainment, food, and drinks in what one Republican source described as a “true celebratory environment unlike any convention in history.” A handful of the lottery winners will also receive special VIP front-row tickets. 
<a href="https://www.gopdallas2026.com/program">Potential speakers</a> include President Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and border czar Tom Homan. The official convention schedule has not yet been released.
The RNC is also giving Dallas-area Republicans a chance to get involved, with organizers seeking 750 volunteers per day. The volunteer application will open Saturday, allowing Americans to sign up and play a role in the convention.
With 80 days to go, Republicans plan to use the historic event to frame the midterm election as a choice between “common sense and crazy,” highlighting what they describe as the Trump administration’s accomplishments, including tax cuts, border security, a crackdown on government fraud, and a historic drop in violent crime.
A Republican source told The Daily Wire that the convention will also spotlight the Democratic Party’s rising socialist tide, focusing on the insurgent movement’s most fringe positions on gender, efforts to cancel Thanksgiving, as well as the growing influence of leftist streamer Hasan Piker, who has said America deserved the September 11 terrorist attacks.
President Trump first floated the idea of a midterm convention last year but recently confirmed the GOP will, for the first time, stage a national convention outside a presidential election cycle.
“BIG NEWS! For the first time ever, the Republican Party will hold a MIDTERM CONVENTION,” Trump<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116841220861327348"> announced</a> on Truth Social. Calling it a “truly Historic Event,” Trump said Republicans will celebrate what he described as the “Great American Comeback” and the successes of his America First agenda.
The convention, he said, will feature “hardworking Americans, our Great Innovators, Entrepreneurs, Manufacturers, First Responders, and Job Creators,” alongside entertainment and what he promised would be “a RALLY like none other.”
“Dallas will take center stage on September 9th and 10th as we celebrate our Nation, our achievements, and our bright future,” Trump added.

The 2024 Republican National Convention

Inside The RNC’s Biggest Convention In A Decade

Dallas

GOP voters

House GOP

midterm convention

political convention

Republican National Convention

Senate GOP

Trump Administraiton

The Trump administration is stepping into the extraordinary surrogacy fight pitting a surrogate against a baby’s biological parents, warning hospitals that the child, who was born with a heart defect, must receive life-saving care as a tense legal battle unfolds.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) submitted a letter to Children’s Medical Center of Dallas and UT Southwestern Medical Center reminding them of their obligations to treat the child under federal disability civil rights law, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/hhs-warns-texas-hospitals-denying-life-saving-care-newborn-disability">according to Fox News.</a> 
HHS said federal disability protections bar doctors from withholding care because of a patient’s condition, including the belief that a disabled person’s life is less worthy or that their care would place a burden on others, the outlet reported.
McKenna West, a single mother of two children, delivered baby Gabriel Wednesday in the Dallas area after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton secured a court order requiring him to receive life-saving medical care when his surrogate rejected demands from his biological parents to abort him.
At 20 weeks, Gabriel was diagnosed in utero with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) — a serious but treatable congenital heart condition that typically requires three staged surgeries. After learning of the diagnosis, his biological parents, Nausheen Gilkar and Omar Ahmed, demanded that West travel to California to abort the child, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/red-state-comes-to-rescue-of-surrogate-mom-facing-pressure-to-kill-baby?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Red+State+Comes+To+Rescue+Of+Surrogate+Mom+Facing+Pressure+To+Kill+Baby">The Daily Wire</a> previously reported.
“So we were all really upset. It was completely unexpected. Everything had been going great,” West, who became pregnant through IVF, told <a href="https://www.liveaction.org/news/surrogate-fights-baby-heart-condition-refusing-abortion">Live Action News</a>. “I was full of fear and stress of what they were going to choose. I was feeling pretty confident that they were going to choose termination, and how could I possibly live with myself going through that?”
West refused the abortion demand and fled to Dallas, where she sought legal protection and access to doctors experienced in treating Gabriel’s condition.
Most surrogacy contracts include provisions giving the intended parents a say in whether to terminate a pregnancy. <a href="http://surrogate.com">Surrogate.com</a> says surrogates cannot be forced to undergo an abortion, but refusing to comply with a contractual agreement could carry “financial and legal consequences.”
West says having the baby could cost her $200,000 — a price she was willing to pay.
“This is my body, and I absolutely don’t want to go through this. Nothing was scarier than questioning my own soul and knowing what would happen to this baby boy,” she told Lila Rose, president and founder of Live Action. “His life doesn’t have a price tag on it. There’s nothing that they could try to come after me for that would be worth his life.”
Gabriel’s biological parents are now speaking out through their attorneys, accusing Paxton’s office of turning the case into “political theater” through its legal actions.
“Our clients’ child was born earlier this morning and he is now receiving medical care provided by a team of pediatric experts,” attorney Lee Budner said in a statement to The <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2026/08/12/texas-surrogacy-california-alaska-parental-rights/">Texas Tribune</a>. “McKenna West’s baseless attempts to intervene in the child’s medical care have been soundly rejected by the courts.”
“Our clients’ only focus at this time is ensuring that their baby receives the medical care that he vitally needs and that they, as his parents, are able to spend every precious moment they can with him,” Budner added.
In court filings, Gabriel’s biological parents accused West of initially agreeing to terminate the pregnancy before reversing course, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/couple-surrogate-claims-wanted-baby-aborted-break-silence-as-red-state-steps-in?author=Amanda+Harding&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=11&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Couple+Surrogate+Claims+Wanted+Baby+Aborted+Break+Silence+As+Red+State+Steps+In">The Daily Wire</a> reported. 
“It is undisputed that West initially agreed and that she herself made the initial appointment. She then unilaterally changed her mind, cut off all contact with A.B. and C.D., and withdrew medical releases allowing A.B. and C.D. to have contact with all medical providers,” the filing said.
A Dallas judge granted the biological couple’s request for a temporary restraining order against West and blocked her from making any medical decisions for the child she was carrying.
A California court ruled that Gilkar and Ahmed are the legal parents of the baby. But Lincoln Wilson, an attorney for West, said that his client “is lawfully the parent because she gave birth to this child that she carries in Texas, then she should control custody as well.”
A hearing is scheduled for August 25.

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Trump Admin Steps Into Surrogate’s Fight For Newborn’s Life-Saving Care

California

life

In a jaw-dropping courtroom confession, Luigi Mangione pleaded guilty Friday to federal stalking charges carrying a potential life sentence in connection with the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, a move that could have major implications for his upcoming New York murder trial.
&#8220;After years of enduring severe pain in my back and seeing others too, I learned UnitedHealth would hold its conference,” Mangione said in a New York City courtroom. “I researched the event online. I observed the conference of the largest health care company would be attended by executives, not doctors, nurses or patients. I traveled to Manhattan and emailed leadership posing as an investor managing $58 billion.”
&#8220;Before traveling to New York, I used a 3-D printer to make a gun. I traveled to New York with the intent to shoot Brian Thompson. On the morning of December 4, 2024, I shot Mr. Thompson in Manhattan. … I knew what I was doing,&#8221; he added.
The guilty plea marks a dramatic turnaround for the 28-year-old, who has long maintained his innocence and is now pursuing a legal theory that could potentially derail his separate, high-stakes murder trial set to begin September 8 in New York state court.
&#8220;Mr. Mangione is prepared to plead guilty to the indictment at this time,&#8221; Mangione&#8217;s attorney Karen Friedman Agnifilo told the judge. Mangione then confirmed that he is pleading guilty to the stalking charges.
Brian Thompson’s family called the plea “an important step towards justice” for the father who left behind a wife and two children.  
“While nothing will ease the pain of losing him, we are grateful that the federal justice system has held the person responsible for this heinous act accountable,” the family said in a statement. “Now we look to the court to ensure that sentencing reflects the severity of this crime. We remain mindful that additional proceedings in New York and Pennsylvania are still to come, and we will continue to seek the justice Brian deserves.&#8221;
Mangione has never apologized for the killing or expressed remorse.
Ahead of Friday’s hearing, the DOJ was unsure whether Mangione would plead guilty but was prepared to seek a life sentence if he did, a source familiar with the matter told The Daily Wire.
In his federal case, the Maryland native faced one count of interstate stalking resulting in death and one count of stalking through the use of interstate facilities resulting in death. Both charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison, <a href="https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/luigi-mangione-charged-stalking-and-murder-unitedhealthcare-ceo-brian-thompson-and-use">according to the Department of Justice.</a> A judge tossed out a firearms charge that would’ve made Mangione eligible for the federal death penalty. The federal trial was scheduled to begin on January 5, 2027.
“Mangione planned his attack for months and stalked his victim for days before murdering him — methodically planning when, where, and how to carry out his crime,” then-Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said at the time.
In state court, Mangione faces eight charges, including second-degree murder, which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years to life. Following his guilty plea in federal court, his lawyers may argue that New York’s double-jeopardy protections prevent state prosecutors from trying him for murder because the state charges stem from the same criminal act as the federal case.  
The Constitution generally protects defendants from being prosecuted twice for the same offense. Still, Mangione’s state and federal cases fall under the “separate sovereigns” exception to double jeopardy, <a href="https://abcnews.com/US/luigi-mangione-federal-guilty-plea-expected-announced-friday/story?id=135608406">according to ABC News.</a> Under the doctrine, the federal government and New York are considered separate sovereigns, allowing both to prosecute the same defendant for the same conduct under their respective laws.
“If a plea in the Federal case against Luigi Mangione is indeed being announced tomorrow, it sure seems the timing is intended to block the State trial,” Rich Schoenstein, a trial lawyer, <a href="https://x.com/LawfulRiches/status/2087899313259069841?s=20">said</a> on X. “Whether that succeeds remains to be seen.” 
“The State is a separate sovereign, and the charges are arguably quite different. If New York wants the trial to go forward anyway, it has an argument, and the issue will be hotly contested,” he added. 
The legal drama comes days after <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/luigi-mangione-trial-gets-anonymous-jury-over-fears-of-intimidation">The Daily Wire</a> reported that the high-profile murder case will proceed with an anonymous jury and expanded courtroom access after a judge finalized several key details ahead of the September proceedings.
Thompson was gunned down in Midtown Manhattan on December 4, 2024, leading to a five-day manhunt that ended with Mangione’s arrest in rural Pennsylvania, more than 270 miles from the shooting scene.
At the time of his arrest, Mangione possessed “fake ID used by the suspect, the gun they believe was used in the shooting and a handwritten ‘claim of responsibility,’ authorities have said,” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/luigi-mangione-pleads-not-guilty-as-doj-seeks-death-penalty?author=Nathan+Gay&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Luigi+Mangione+Pleads+Not+Guilty+As+DOJ+Seeks+Death+Penalty">The Daily Wire</a> previously reported. 
Mangione’s targeting of Thompson appears meticulously planned, according to the DOJ, and three 9mm shell casings recovered from the crime scene had the words “delay,” “deny,” and “depose” written on them, an apparent reference to a 2010 book criticizing insurance industry tactics, according to the NYPD.
The case has drawn widespread public attention, with supporters of Mangione continuing to gather outside the New York City courthouse nearly two years later to rally behind the accused assassin.
“I support Luigi whether or not he did it. So for me, I always knew this could be on the table. So I wouldn&#8217;t really be phased by one,” a white woman supporting Mangione <a href="https://x.com/nypost/status/2088268716186169596?s=20">said</a> Friday of a possible plea. “This is about a movement. It is about Luigi, but it&#8217;s also about the conversation he started.”

Luigi Mangione

Luigi Mangione Lays Out Chilling Step By Step Plot To Kill Brian Thompson

Brian Thompson

Healthcare

New York

A fresh poll shows Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton narrowly leading Democrat James Talarico in the must-win Senate race, offering Republicans a much-needed boost in a contest that has increasingly given party leaders heartburn.
<a href="https://emersoncollegepolling.com/texas-2026-poll-paxton-and-talarico/">An Emerson College Polling/Nexstar Media survey</a> released Thursday shows Paxton with 47% support, narrowly ahead of Talarico at 46%. Another 5% of voters remain undecided, while 2% back another candidate.
The one-point difference falls within the poll&#8217;s three-point margin of error, making the contest effectively a dead heat. But it&#8217;s the first poll to show Paxton ahead since early June, according to <a href="https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/senate/general/2026/texas/talarico-vs-paxton">RealClearPolitics</a>, as Republicans worry that low GOP turnout and a Democratic-friendly political landscape could flip one of the reddest states in the nation — and with it, control of the U.S. Senate.
&#8220;Despite having a three-month head start and getting millions from out-of-state billionaires with deep ties to Jeffrey Epstein, James Talarico is already losing steam and falling behind,&#8221; RNC spokesman Zach Kraft told The Daily Wire. &#8220;It should come as no surprise that Texas wants a MAGA warrior like Ken Paxton over a gender-confused freak like Talarico.&#8221; 
Emerson College Polling Executive Director Spencer Kimball said the Texas Senate race is sharply divided by age, with voters under 50 favoring Talarico by 15 points, 53% to 38%, while voters over 50 back Paxton by 11 points, 53% to 42%.
Digging deeper, Paxton holds his strongest advantage among white voters and men, while Talarico leads among most black and Hispanic voters. Talarico holds just a one-point advantage among women after facing backlash over his <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/this-book-is-gay-read-the-sexually-explicit-volumes-james-talaricos-church-gives-kids">views</a> on Christianity, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-james-talarico-says-he-loves-trans-children-in-unearthed-clip">“love” for transgender children</a>, and disdain for the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-audio-thats-blowing-a-hole-in-talaricos-christian-persona">American flag.</a> 
Top issues for Texas voters include the economy (30%), immigration (19%), threats to democracy (14%), and healthcare (13%). Republican voters rank immigration as their top issue (32%), while Democrats (33%) and independents (31%) rate the economy as their top concern.
Those issues have not stopped either campaign from diving into hot-button cultural issues as both sides wage a fierce battle for Christian voters who will likely play a pivotal role in November. <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2026/08/13/texas-ken-paxton-james-talarico-religion-campaign-christianity/">The Texas Tribune</a> reported Thursday that Paxton’s and Talarico’s differing views of Christianity have emerged as a defining issue shaping the race in a state where nearly half of voters say faith is “very important” in their lives.
A pro-Paxton super PAC <a href="https://x.com/approject/status/2085795525354234239?s=20">went viral</a> after using artificial intelligence to remake Lyndon B. Johnson’s famous “Daisy” ad, depicting a young girl being prepared to undergo a sex-change operation as an AI-generated Talarico stands at the operating table.
“She dreams of growing up, falling in love, becoming a mother,” an AI narrator says. “The trans industry preys on confused children. Irreversible puberty blockers. Cross-sex hormones. Sex-change surgeries.”
Talarico, meanwhile, is seeking to make inroads with evangelical voters — the <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/religious-landscape-study/state/texas/">largest religious group</a> in Texas — by touting his Baptist upbringing despite his support for abortion, calling God “nonbinary,” opposing the display of the Ten Commandments in public schools, and his affiliation to a progressive Presbyterian denomination.
A <a href="https://x.com/jamestalarico/status/2087706393247952952?s=20">30-second spot</a> features his grandfather: &#8220;As a Baptist preacher in South Texas, he taught me to follow the two great commandments — love God, and love your neighbor,&#8221; Talarico says, suggesting the Gospel message includes reducing the cost of healthcare, housing, and groceries. 
A recent Fox News poll found that <a href="https://x.com/JWheelertv/status/2082987392626020796?s=20">78% of white evangelical Christians</a> in the Lone Star State plan to vote against Talarico, despite concerns that Paxton’s personal scandals and marriage struggles could alienate the key demographic. 
“I truly believe that God just delivered me, not because I am a great person, because God is sovereign and he does what he wants to do,” Paxton said on Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgTrzsr0B_c">podcast</a>, referring to the unsuccessful 2023 impeachment effort against him. “I don’t take credit for it; it’s really by the grace of God.” 
The <a href="https://www.cookpolitical.com/senate/race/488686">Cook Political Report</a> ranks the race as Lean Republican.

hc060226AbbottConvention – Ken Paxton

Ken Paxton Gets Some Much Needed Good News In Race Against Talarico

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Luigi Mangione is expected to plead guilty Friday to federal stalking charges carrying life sentences in connection with the assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson — a move that could have major implications for his upcoming murder trial. 
A guilty plea would mark a dramatic turnaround for the 28-year-old, who has long maintained his innocence and previously pleaded not guilty as he barrels towards a separate high-stakes murder trial in New York state court. 
The Department of Justice does not know whether Mangione will agree to plead guilty, but prosecutors would pursue a life sentence if he does, a source familiar with the matter told The Daily Wire.
The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/13/nyregion/luigi-mangione-guilty-plea-federal.html">stressed</a> that negotiations over a potential plea remain “sensitive” and could collapse at any moment. 
In his federal case, the Maryland native faces one count of interstate stalking resulting in death and one count of stalking through the use of interstate facilities resulting in death. Both charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison, <a href="https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/luigi-mangione-charged-stalking-and-murder-unitedhealthcare-ceo-brian-thompson-and-use">according to the Department of Justice.</a> A judge tossed out a firearms charge that would’ve made Mangione eligible for the federal death penalty.
“Mangione planned his attack for months and stalked his victim for days before murdering him — methodically planning when, where, and how to carry out his crime,” then-Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said at the time. 
In state court, Mangione faces eight charges, including second-degree murder, which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years to life. If he pleads guilty in federal court, his lawyers may argue that New York’s double-jeopardy protections prevent state prosecutors from trying him for murder because the state charges stem from the same criminal act as the federal case, the Times reported. 
“If a plea in the Federal case against Luigi Mangione is indeed being announced tomorrow, it sure seems the timing is intended to block the State trial,” Rich Schoenstein, a trial lawyer, <a href="https://x.com/LawfulRiches/status/2087899313259069841?s=20">said</a> on X. “Whether that succeeds remains to be seen.” 
“The State is a separate sovereign, and the charges are arguably quite different. If New York wants the trial to go forward anyway, it has an argument, and the issue will be hotly contested,” he added. 
The legal drama comes days after <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/luigi-mangione-trial-gets-anonymous-jury-over-fears-of-intimidation">The Daily Wire</a> reported that the high-profile murder case will proceed with an anonymous jury and expanded courtroom access after a judge finalized several key details ahead of the September proceedings.
Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Gregory Carro ruled that the identities of jurors will be kept from the public during the trial, which is scheduled to begin September 8 and is expected to last roughly six weeks. 
The anonymous jury comes as prosecutors warn that Mangione’s sizable and highly vocal supporter base could pressure witnesses and potential jurors. 
“The media attention surrounding this case — and the efforts of some of the defendant’s supporters both to intimidate witnesses and to interfere with the functioning of the jury — will place extraordinary pressure on witnesses and potential jurors alike,” Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Joel Seidemann wrote in a Monday letter to Carro obtained by <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/prosecutors-warn-luigi-mangione-supporters-may-intimidate-witnesses-jurors-murder-trial">Fox News</a>.
Prosecutors had asked the court to limit access to the proceedings and raised concerns that supporters could secretly record proceedings in an overflow room and distribute the footage. Carro nevertheless ordered that an overflow room be made available for members of the media and the public, after Mangione’s attorneys argued that limiting courtroom access would unfairly restrict coverage of the case.
The judge also warned that anyone who takes out a cellphone in either the courtroom or the overflow room will be removed.

Luigi Mangione Appears In Court Ahead Of September Trial For United Healthcare CEO Killing

Luigi Mangione Weighs Unusual Plea Move That Could Derail State Murder Trial

Luigi Mangione Could Plead Guilty To Federal Charges To Derail State Murder Trial

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murder trial

United Healthcare

When Shane Gillis hosted the ESPYs in 2025, he put the spotlight on a woman in the crowd who he said was a four-time WNBA all-star. Everyone clapped, until he told them that it wasn’t a WNBA player at all. It was just his friend’s wife. Nobody knew, because nobody cares.
&#8220;I knew none of you knew WNBA players,&#8221; Gillis said. &#8220;That&#8217;s crazy.&#8221;
Well, Mr. Gillis, the WNBA might get the last laugh because that’s all about to change. The WNBA could soon get a shot of pure testosterone, dressed up as an athlete with feminine feelings.
Based on current eligibility rules and draft announcements, the next draft is slated to be the most stacked ever in WNBA history. The three players expected at the top of the draft will change the DNA of their new franchises forever, bringing a level of play that has never been seen in the league before.
It’s obviously still the current season, so the actual draft order is just a guess. We’re obviously not tracking the standings of the season — as Gillis proved, nobody is — so it’s barely an educated guess, but I have covered women’s basketball for much longer than any of you, so trust my analysis.
With all the buzz surrounding the WNBA and the marquee talent joining next season, it’s a great time to look at the future of women&#8217;s basketball with a Way Too Early WNBA 2027 Mock Draft.
<h3>1. Enes Kanter Freedom — Connecticut Sun</h3>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-1156043 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-81-1-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-81-1-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-81-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-81-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-81-1.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" /></div>
Enes Kanter Freedom is a WNBA coach’s dream.
She stands 6’10 and weighs around 250 pounds, which would make her the most physically dominant player in the league.  Enes will team up with Brittney Griner, yep Brittney hasn’t made it in the NBA…yet. It&#8217;s been four years since Kanter played pro ball, but check out this video: she is jacked.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Let “The Transition” to the <a href="https://x.com/WNBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WNBA</a> begin.
Rules Are Rules!<a href="https://x.com/hashtag/LetFreedomPlay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LetFreedomPlay</a> <a href="https://t.co/EWWjrl7DaL">pic.twitter.com/EWWjrl7DaL</a>
— Enes Kanter FREEDOM (@EnesFreedom) <a href="https://x.com/EnesFreedom/status/2087185917047971948?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2026</a></blockquote>
She is also a former WWE title holder. Kanter took down R-Truth back in 2019 in front of a packed crowd at Madison Square Garden — far larger than any WNBA crowd — to claim the WWE 24/7 Championship. Her run in sports entertainment will help Kanter with the theatrics that happen night in and night out in the WNBA. Kanter will make a splash in season one.
<h3>2. Royce White — Washington Mystics.</h3>
<div id="attachment_1156015" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1156015" class="size-large wp-image-1156015" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-78-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-78-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-78-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-78-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-78.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Credit: Royce White X Account</div>
Get you a <a href="https://x.com/Highway_30/status/2086316310309347564?s=20">girl</a> who can do both! White is working on her game and a political aspirations. Playing in D.C. gives her the perfect opportunity to fulfill both duties to the country and WNBA. A standout at Iowa State, he led the Cyclones in scoring, posted one of the best seasons in Iowa State history, leading the team in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals and blocks. The Mystics will raise its stock significantly with this addition.
<h3>3. Julie Tetart — Toronto Tempo</h3>
<div id="attachment_1151143" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1151143" class="wp-image-1151143 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/male-baller--1024x542.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="542" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/male-baller--1024x542.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/male-baller--300x159.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/male-baller--768x407.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/male-baller-.jpg 1058w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Instagram: Julie Tétart</div>
Pronounced like Mater from the PIXAR film “Cars,” this French woman bailed on being a man at 29 years old and has since dominated the women’s French basketball league. She’s the reigning Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and Domestic Player of the Year in the league with her eyes set on the next prize which is that WNBA paycheck. Check out her highlights from last season:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Julie Tetart&#8217;s best games last season in the Monaco Basket Association 👀
32 PTS, 25 REB (14/16 FG) 
29 PTS, 22 REB (9/10 FG) 
25 PTS, 25 REB (12 ORB) 
24 PTS, 28 REB (12 ORB) 
24 PTS, 23 REB (11/11 FG) 
21 PTS, 30 REB, 5 STL 
30 PTS, 21 REB (11/15 FG)<a href="https://t.co/pdzZWIfG05">pic.twitter.com/pdzZWIfG05</a>
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) <a href="https://x.com/Ballislife/status/2085004697023205845?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2026</a></blockquote>
It’s a top-heavy draft, and this is where the weight may run out. These are the only three players you need to know next season. They will own every category in the league.
They&#8217;re the only three that have declared intent, but now that the seal is broken, we foresee more league-changing talent right around the corner. I went ahead and rounded out the top 10 prospects in the 2027 WNBA Draft.
<h3>4. Kyle Guy</h3>
<div id="attachment_1156537" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1156537" class="size-large wp-image-1156537" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-82-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-82-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-82-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-82-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-82.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Credit: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images</div>
What a year to be the first Guy in the WNBA. He won a national championship for Virginia in 2019, had a few years in the NBA, and has now transitioned into a whole new era of basketball: 3 v 3, internationally. Sounds to me like the road back home runs through the WNBA.
Another transition could be intriguing for Guy.
<h3>5. Jimmy Butler</h3>
<div id="attachment_1156543" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1156543" class="size-large wp-image-1156543" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-83-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-83-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-83-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-83-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-83.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Credit: Sam Navarro/Getty Images</div>
One of my favorite players. Always down for a rebrand. Remember Emo Jimmy with the painted black nails?
He could be an absolute trendsetter in the WNBA.
<h3>6. Tristan Thompson</h3>
<div id="attachment_1156547" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1156547" class="size-large wp-image-1156547" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-84-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-84-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-84-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-84-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-84.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Credit: Rich Storry/Getty Images</div>
He has children with a Kardashian. He knows business and continuing his basketball career in the WNBA would be a great business opportunity, plus Caitlyn Jenner can help him with his feminine side.
<h3>7. Grayson Allen</h3>
<div id="attachment_1156555" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1156555" class="size-large wp-image-1156555" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-85-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-85-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-85-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-85-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-85.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Credit: Christian Petersen/Getty Images</div>
Big Ted Cruz guy. Allen has a Reddit account dedicated to his favorite books&#8230; You know women love a book club.
<h3>8. Dwight Howard</h3>
<div id="attachment_1156557" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1156557" class="size-large wp-image-1156557" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-86-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-86-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-86-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-86-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-86.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Credit: John Nacion/Getty Images for Fanatics</div>
We’ve all heard the rumors…
<h3>9. Dwayne Wade</h3>
<div id="attachment_1156561" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1156561" class="size-large wp-image-1156561" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-87-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-87-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-87-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-87-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-87.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Credit: Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images</div>
Since he endorsed his adolescent son&#8217;s transition. It&#8217;s safe to assume he&#8217;s a major ally for men in women’s sports.
<h3>10. Zaya Wade</h3>
<div id="attachment_1156571" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1156571" class="size-large wp-image-1156571" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-88-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-88-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-88-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-88-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/Untitled-design-88.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Credit: Kristina Bumphrey/Variety via Getty Images</div>
Dwayne Wade&#8217;s son has been identifying as a girl since she was 12. Seven years later, he could be a PR star for the league. It&#8217;s in his DNA.
The 2027 WNBA Draft is set for April of next year. Tune in for our next round of updates.

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