Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) announced Friday that he will vote to confirm Todd Blanche as attorney general, likely securing President Donald Trump’s nominee enough Republican support to take over the Justice Department permanently.
Cassidy’s decision came after Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Susan Collins (R-ME) <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/second-gop-senator-comes-out-against-blanche-confirmation">announced</a> they would oppose Blanche’s nomination, raising questions about whether the former Trump defense attorney could secure enough votes in the narrowly divided Senate.
In a speech on the Senate floor, Cassidy said he had spent days reviewing Blanche’s record, speaking with the nominee, fellow senators, current and former Justice Department officials, and former Attorney General William Barr before reaching his conclusion.
“Mr. Blanche is not perfect, and he will tell you this,” Cassidy said. “But the choice is not between perfection and Mr. Blanche. It is between Mr. Blanche and another acting attorney general who may not run the department effectively under President Trump, and who indeed may not be as good as Mr. Blanche.”
Cassidy said his decision was not an endorsement of Trump’s broader approach to the Justice Department, but rather a judgment about whether Blanche would be able to effectively lead the agency and provide legal counsel to the president. “This is not a referendum on President Trump,” Cassidy said. “It is a decision regarding Mr. Blanche in very specific circumstances.”
The Louisiana senator acknowledged several concerns surrounding Blanche’s nomination, including his involvement in a proposed $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund created as part of a settlement involving President Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS, as well as an agreement that initially provided broad protections from tax audits for Trump and his businesses.
Cassidy said Blanche’s role in approving those measures reflected “poor judgment,” but argued the nominee had taken steps to address the concerns, including rescinding the proposed fund and clarifying the scope of the tax agreement. “No American should be unfairly targeted by the law, but no American should be above the law,” Cassidy said.
The senator also raised broader concerns about what he described as “apparent lawfare,” warning that the Justice Department’s use of prosecutions against political opponents has damaged public trust. “Both parties, presidents of both parties, have been guilty of this,” Cassidy said. “It must stop. It should stop now.”
However, Cassidy said he ultimately concluded that a confirmed attorney general would have more authority to resist inappropriate political pressure than an acting official. 
“I am told that Senate confirmation is important in interactions with the President, with others in the Cabinet, and is important to DOJ employees in general,” Cassidy said. “Being Senate confirmed gives them greater leverage to push for things that should be pushed forward.”
Cassidy pointed to Blanche’s previous work as a federal prosecutor, his management of Justice Department priorities, and his support among U.S. attorneys as evidence that he could lead the agency effectively.
He specifically cited conversations with two Louisiana U.S. attorneys, who Cassidy said praised Blanche’s focus on violent crime, drug trafficking, fraud enforcement, and providing resources to federal prosecutors.
The announcement came after Murkowski and Collins broke with the Republican majority to oppose Blanche’s confirmation. 
“The country needs an Attorney General who will check the worst impulses of this administration,” Murkowski said. “I hope Mr. Blanche is able to achieve that, if confirmed, but I simply do not have confidence that will be the case.”
Collins expressed similar concerns, citing Blanche’s involvement in the IRS settlement, the proposed anti-weaponization fund, and what she viewed as threats to Justice Department independence. With Cassidy’s support, Blanche appears positioned to overcome the opposition from Murkowski and Collins and become the second confirmed attorney general of Trump’s second administration.
Cassidy, who lost his 2026 Republican primary after Trump endorsed his challenger, acknowledged that his vote would draw criticism. “I’ll be criticized for this vote,” Cassidy said, briefly becoming emotional during his remarks. “What’s new?”
“I have a history with Mr. Trump,” Cassidy said. “But that history does not matter one bit.”

Bill Cassidy

Todd Blanche Gets Guarantee From Key Senator On Confirmation Vote

Attorney General

bill Cassidy

Congress

Department of Justice

Donald Trump

justice department

Politics

Republican Party

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Todd Blanche

Trump Administration

U.S.

Texas has long been one of the Republican Party&#8217;s strongest states, particularly in the Trump era. But with just three months until Election Day, the GOP is confronting an uncomfortable reality: one of its safest Senate seats is suddenly looking competitive.
Three public polls released in the last week show Democratic state Rep. James Talarico narrowly leading Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, raising concerns that a bruising Republican primary and lingering questions about Paxton’s personal controversies may have left the GOP nominee vulnerable in November.
A <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/fox-news-poll-gop-divisions-shape-texas-senate-race">Fox News poll</a> released last week found Talarico leading Paxton 51% to 48% among registered voters. A <a href="https://texaspublicopinionresearch.substack.com/p/new-poll-james-talaricos-lead-over">Texas Public Opinion Research</a> (TPOR) survey of likely voters found Talarico ahead 45% to 40%, while the latest survey from the <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/67aa7aa3e284b002cd6a420e/t/6a713767d4ed824b91ea090d/1785804647961/Texas+Statewide+August2026.pdf">Barbara Jordan Public Policy Research and Survey Center</a> showed Talarico leading 47% to 45%.
While all three results fall within or near the polls’ margins of error, the consistency of the findings has forced Republicans to confront a difficult reality: Paxton is not beginning the general election with the overwhelming advantage traditionally enjoyed by Republican nominees in Texas.
President Donald Trump carried Texas by nearly 14 percentage points in 2024, but Paxton has struggled to replicate the strength of the broader Republican coalition, particularly among independents and some factions of the GOP electorate. The central challenge for Paxton is not simply convincing undecided voters to choose him, it is repairing the fractures created during a bitter Republican primary against longtime Sen. John Cornyn.
Paxton defeated Cornyn after receiving Trump’s endorsement, but the contest exposed a deep divide inside the Texas Republican Party. Cornyn, a longtime Senate leader with strong support among establishment Republicans and major donors, was defeated despite millions of dollars in outside spending aimed at stopping Paxton.
That division has carried into the general election. Several prominent Republican donors who supported Cornyn have been slow to fully embrace Paxton’s campaign, creating concerns among Republicans that their nominee may lack the financial resources necessary to define Talarico before Democrats can define him first. Talarico, meanwhile, has built a <a href="https://abcnews.com/Politics/democrats-dominate-fundraising-key-senate-races-republicans-ample/story?id=134829415">significant fundraising operation</a>, raising tens of millions of dollars as he attempts to become the first Democrat in more than three decades to win statewide office in Texas.
The polling suggests that Paxton’s personal image remains one of his biggest liabilities. The Fox News survey found 59% of Texas voters are concerned Paxton lacks the character necessary to serve in the Senate, compared with 47% who believe Talarico is too extreme. Even among Republicans, 36% expressed concerns about Paxton’s character. The TPOR poll found Paxton with the worst favorability rating of any major figure tested, with 33% viewing him favorably and 46% unfavorably. Talarico, meanwhile, held a net positive rating, with 43% favorable and 31% unfavorable.
The Barbara Jordan survey showed a similar dynamic, with 39% of likely voters viewing Paxton favorably compared with 57% who viewed him negatively. Talarico was more evenly rated, with 46% favorable and 47% unfavorable.
Still, Paxton’s supporters argue his personal numbers are less important than the ideological contrast between the two candidates. The Fox News poll found roughly eight in 10 supporters of both candidates said their vote was primarily about where the candidates stand on issues rather than their personal qualities.
Republicans have already begun attacking Talarico over his past statements and positions on issues including transgender policy, immigration, religion, and healthcare. 
The challenge, however, is that Talarico enters the general election with some advantages of his own. The TPOR poll found voters trusted Talarico more than Paxton on the issue dominating many voters’ concerns: affordability. 44% of respondents said the cost of living was among their top priorities heading into 2026, and voters trusted Talarico over Paxton by nine points when asked who they trusted more to lower costs and improve Texans’ financial situations.
The Democratic candidate has also performed strongly among independents. The TPOR survey found Talarico leading Paxton among independent voters 43% to 23%, while the Barbara Jordan poll showed Talarico ahead among independents 63% to 23%. The Fox News poll also found signs of an enthusiasm advantage for Democrats, with Democratic voters more likely than Republicans to describe themselves as highly motivated and highly interested in the midterms.
The demographic breakdowns have similarly raised concerns for Republicans. Texas Republicans have historically relied on overwhelming margins among rural white voters to offset Democratic strength in urban areas and minority communities. But the latest surveys suggest Paxton’s advantage among white voters is significantly smaller than recent Republican nominees.
The Barbara Jordan poll found Paxton leading among white voters by 14 points, 53% to 39%. That compares with Trump’s 33-point advantage among white voters in Texas in the 2024 election. 
The same survey found Talarico leading among Hispanic voters by 19 points, 57% to 38%, while Fox News found Talarico ahead among Hispanic voters by 18 points. The shift among Hispanic voters is particularly significant because Texas Republicans had hopes that gains could be made with the demographic after Trump won Hispanic voters in Texas narrowly in 2024.
Despite the warning signs, Republicans remain confident the race can be stabilized. Republicans have controlled every statewide office for more than three decades, and the Fox News poll found the Republican Party holding a higher favorability rating than the Democratic Party statewide.
For Republicans, the path forward is clear but difficult: unite the party, rebuild donor support, and convince voters that Talarico represents a Democratic agenda they do not want in Washington.
For Democrats, the challenge is equally clear: overcome decades of Republican dominance and prove that Texas has become competitive enough for a statewide breakthrough.
Texas is still a Republican state. But for the first time in years, Republicans are entering a Senate race there facing a question that once seemed impossible: whether their hold on the Lone Star State is beginning to weaken.

James Talarico/Ken Paxton

Senate Race In Solid Red State Remains Too Close For GOP Comfort

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U.S. Senate

Former Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX), the first Republican woman elected to Congress from Texas and the first Republican woman to chair the House Appropriations Committee, has died at the age of 83.
Granger represented Texas&#8217; 12th Congressional District for nearly three decades after first serving as mayor of Fort Worth, where she became the city&#8217;s first female mayor. During her 28 years in Congress, she rose to chair the powerful House Appropriations Committee, overseeing federal spending and becoming one of the most influential Republicans on Capitol Hill.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) paid tribute to Granger on Sunday evening, calling her a &#8220;dear friend&#8221; and praising her lifetime of public service.
&#8220;Kay Granger devoted her life to serving her Fort Worth, Texas community — as a teacher and businesswoman, on the Fort Worth Zoning Commission and City Council, as Mayor, and in Congress for nearly three decades, where she also served as Chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee,&#8221; Johnson <a href="https://x.com/SpeakerJohnson/status/2084081192999981058">wrote</a>.
&#8220;Throughout her career, she broke barriers for women in public service. She was the first woman to serve as Mayor of Fort Worth, the first Republican woman elected to represent Texas in the U.S. House of Representatives, and the first Republican woman to chair the House Appropriations Committee.&#8221;
&#8220;Kelly and I send our prayers to her family, loved ones, and the Fort Worth community as we remember her extraordinary life of service and lasting legacy,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;She was a dear friend who will be greatly missed.&#8221;
Born in Greenville, Texas, in 1943, Granger began her career as a teacher before entering public service after successfully organizing opposition to a proposed waste processing facility near her home. She went on to serve on the Fort Worth Zoning Commission, the Fort Worth City Council, and as mayor before winning election to Congress in 1996.
During her tenure in Washington, Granger became a leading voice on defense spending, veterans&#8217; issues, and federal appropriations. She chaired the House Appropriations Committee beginning in 2023 before stepping aside the following year while remaining chairwoman emeritus through the end of her final term. Granger announced in 2023 that she would not seek reelection. Her final months in office were marked by declining health and extended absences from Washington. Her family later confirmed she had experienced dementia before leaving office in January 2025.
Her death marks the passing of one of the most consequential Republican women in Texas political history, whose career included a series of historic firsts at both the state and national levels.

Rep. Kay Granger

Longtime Republican Congressional Stalwart Dead At 83

House GOP

House of Representatives

House Republicans

Mike Johnson

Obituaries

Obituary

Republican Women

Despite the many current challenges America is facing — and the propaganda media’s constant efforts to attack the administration and conservatives — Republicans have a tremendous opportunity before them in November.
The key to a Republican victory will be making the midterm elections about one question: Which party is better for you, your family, and America? This is the path to an historic victory for President Donald J. Trump and Republicans in 2026.
While the question is simple, convincing Americans to choose the GOP will be difficult. After all, the Left-wing media has spent 11 years emphasizing every negative story about President Trump and Republicans — and downplaying all positive ones. Similarly, the Democrats’ disdain for Trump has led them to stop him at all costs — even if that means undermining our security, weakening our economy, or disrupting our government’s ability to function.
Winning requires Republicans to understand and communicate four big ideas about the nature of reality and the facts and truth of the situation. The GOP should treat each as its own campaign.
The Socialists Are Taking Over
The greatest vulnerability of the 2026 Democrats is the degree to which they have become the party of big government socialism and weird values. The pattern of Democrats moving toward openly socialist, anti-American positions is building. Consider the spate of recent candidates in New York, including Darializa Avila Chevalier, who boasted about using the American flag as a napkin. This is creating an opportunity to brand the Democrats for a generation or more as unelectable.
Republicans have a simple case to make: Big government socialism does not create jobs, increase wages, train people for the future, make people healthier, or simply work at a practical level. It just runs out of other people’s money to spend. Of course, establishment Democrats and the media are trying to downplay this shift in the party. But when establishment Democrats get to Washington, they talk and vote like big government socialists to appease the activist fundraising apparatus.
Even those who are inoculated from the socialist strain would rather stop Trump than help Americans.
We Must Bring Down Costs
Republicans must have an intense, compelling, focused plan for affordability and jobs with good incomes. A recent Pew Poll found that 73% of Americans said healthcare costs were a major problem, 66% said food and consumer costs were a problem, 62% said housing affordability was a major problem. Ultimately, Republicans must go where the people are — not try to get people to come to where their campaign would be comfortable. A Republican Affordability and Jobs Plan is a major building block of victory. Part of it also must describe what Democrats are doing to kill jobs, raise prices, and undermine affordability — while outlining what President Trump and Republicans have done to help raise family incomes and create opportunity and jobs.
Be the America Party
President Trump’s focus on patriotic and foundational cultural issues and emphasis on America and the Freedom 250 project have set the stage for Republicans to become the American Party (much as Thomas Jefferson’s Democratic-Republican Party became the American Party, which marginalized the Federalists). A positive President Trump-Republican campaign emphasizing popular 70% to 90% issues that the Democrats demonstrably oppose — and appealing to everyone who cares about those issues — would strengthen the image of the Republican Party and isolate the Democrats.
The Healthcare Opportunity
New science, technology, and understanding of how to stay healthy are creating an opportunity for a health-oriented Republican program to create a totally new dialogue around healthcare. Efforts to make the healthcare system more transparent and understandable to everyday people will expose waste and abuse and bring down costs. Healthcare is a matter of life and death — and makes up about 18% of the national economy. It is the highest value for most Americans at a practical level. If Republicans can become the party of a healthy America, we would create an opportunity involving every life in our country.
Because this is the boldest and newest development, it will take more training for members, candidates, staffers, committees, and campaigns to talk about it comfortably. It offers an enormous opportunity to work with the American people in a positive program that dramatically broadens Republican appeal and shows us as the caring, compassionate, problem-solving party that we are. In the process of helping people lead healthier, better lives, we would also liberate several trillion dollars now tied up in wasteful, bureaucratic, bad policies, and obsolete approaches.
It has always been harder to govern than to campaign. This is why historically the party in the White House normally loses seats in the midterm elections. If the liberal media and the Democrats can make 2026 a referendum on the current state of things, they might be able to win a normal off-year victory.
However, if Republicans decisively win these four arguments, 2026 will be one of the most historic elections in our 250-year history.
***
This is republished with permission from the author. The original can be found <a href="https://www.gingrich360.net/p/the-republican-opportunity-in-2026">here</a>.
Newt Gingrich was the Republican Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1995 to 1999. He is the creator of the <a href="https://www.gingrich360.net/">Gingrich360</a> newsletter. Follow him on Twitter @NewtGingrich.

United States Election

Newt Gingrich: The 2026 Strategy That Could Save Republicans From Total Disaster

affordability

DW Opinion

Economy

Healthcare

A bipartisan Senate bill aimed at keeping Chinese-made vehicles and automotive technology off American roads moved one step closer to becoming law on Wednesday after clearing the Senate Commerce Committee with unanimous support.
The Connected Vehicle Security Act of 2026, sponsored by Sens. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), would prohibit the import, sale, and operation of vehicles manufactured by China and other designated foreign adversaries while also banning Chinese-developed connected vehicle technology, including software and data systems, from American roads.
Supporters argue the bill is necessary not only to protect the American auto industry from heavily subsidized Chinese competition, but also to address national security concerns posed by increasingly software-driven vehicles capable of collecting vast amounts of data on their owners.
&#8220;Chinese cars are surveillance packages on wheels, with the ability to collect on American citizens and transmit that data back to Beijing,&#8221; Slotkin <a href="https://www.slotkin.senate.gov/2026/07/22/slotkin-moreno-bill-to-protect-national-economic-security-from-chinese-vehicles-advances-unanimously/">said</a> after the bill advanced. &#8220;The Chinese Communist Party&#8217;s playbook of heavily subsidizing their product and underselling the competition puts Michigan&#8217;s auto industry and millions of American workers at risk.&#8221;
Moreno <a href="https://www.moreno.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/moreno-bill-cracking-down-on-chinese-vehicles-passes-out-of-committee-unanimously/">echoed</a> those concerns, arguing that Beijing&#8217;s ambitions extend beyond simply competing in the global auto market. &#8220;China&#8217;s auto industry was not built to compete, it was built to destroy American manufacturing, gut the middle class, and undermine our national security,&#8221; Moreno said. &#8220;For decades, D.C. globalists propped up Chinese businesses — now it&#8217;s time for Congress to stop this cancer before it spreads through the American auto market.&#8221;
The legislation would significantly expand upon regulations adopted during the Biden administration that effectively blocked Chinese automakers from entering the U.S. passenger vehicle market. Rather than focusing solely on connected vehicle technology, the bill broadly prohibits Chinese-manufactured vehicles and connected components throughout the production, importation, and sales process.
Moreno has argued that modern automobiles function as &#8220;roving electronic devices&#8221; capable of collecting sensitive location, infrastructure, and behavioral data while also allowing remote access to critical vehicle functions such as steering, braking, and acceleration. The bill also seeks to protect domestic manufacturers from what lawmakers describe as China&#8217;s strategy of flooding global markets with heavily subsidized vehicles sold below market prices.
The measure received backing from major American automakers, labor unions, steel manufacturers, and industry groups. General Motors praised the legislation for protecting American manufacturing while maintaining that U.S. automakers &#8220;can compete with anyone in the world when we are given a level playing field.&#8221;
Ford likewise commended the bipartisan effort &#8220;to protect the U.S. industrial base,&#8221; while Stellantis said the legislation addresses &#8220;important issues related to connected vehicle security and fair competition.&#8221;
United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain also endorsed the proposal, arguing that rebuilding American manufacturing requires preventing further offshoring of the domestic auto industry. &#8220;Our national and economic security relies on a strong U.S. auto industry,&#8221; Fain said. &#8220;We can&#8217;t keep selling out the U.S. working class to transnational corporations that have no respect for labor rights.&#8221;
The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which represents major automakers, warned that Chinese manufacturers are already flooding overseas markets with low-cost vehicles and said the legislation sends &#8220;a clear message&#8221; that the United States will not allow the same strategy to undermine the domestic market.
The bill was not without debate during Wednesday&#8217;s committee markup. Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-TX) expressed concerns over a provision barring automakers with more than 15% Chinese ownership from selling vehicles in the United States, warning the language could inadvertently affect companies such as Mercedes-Benz, which has substantial Chinese investment despite maintaining significant American manufacturing operations.
Moreno responded that the ownership provisions would not take effect until 2030 and include a waiver process to address companies caught by the threshold. He emphasized that lawmakers had no intention of preventing Mercedes-Benz from selling vehicles in the United States.
An amendment to soften the ownership requirements was ultimately withdrawn, while another amendment that would have narrowed the bill&#8217;s definition of connected vehicle hardware failed on a bipartisan vote.
The legislation now awaits consideration by the full Senate.

Ford Introduces new F-150 And Ranger Trucks At Their Dearborn Plant

A Chinese Car Ban Might Be Closer Than You Think

Auto Companies

Auto workers

Bernie Moreno

bipartisanship

Cars

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Elissa Slotkin

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United States

There is no greater disagreement within the Republican Party today than over what American foreign policy should be. Hawks want the United States to keep confronting its adversaries by force; restrainers want it out of the business of wars that do not end. President Donald Trump has been the glue holding together partisans on both sides of that debate into a single coalition. Now the rifts that he papered over are starting to show, and they will fully open when he eventually leaves the stage.
Trump ran in 2016 against “stupid wars” in the Middle East. Then he bombed Iran. Restrainers heard a promise to avoid open‑ended conflicts; hawks saw a president willing to use conventional force against a longstanding adversary. Both camps look at the same record and see an ally. Trump holds them together because a decade of getting big things right (the border) has earned him the benefit of the doubt. But that credibility is personal, not ideological, and the coalition of restrainers and hawks lasts only as long as Trump holds them together.
This is generational, and the fault line is most visible in how Republicans of different ages <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/organic-protests-that-come-with-price-tags?author=Alex+Tarascio&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=%E2%80%98Organic%E2%80%99+Protests+That+Come+With+Price+Tags">see Israel</a>. Among Republican men under 45, Israel and <a href="https://www.cygn.al/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/23738-Cygnal-National-Apr26-NVT-Deck-Public.pdf">Saudi Arabia</a> draw almost identical favorability, 34% and 33%, respectively. For anyone raised on the Reagan-era foreign policy consensus, that&#8217;s a different planet. That consensus held the party together for 40 years, but it no longer exists among the voters who will define the future.
The public did not turn against the war in Iran on principle. Support came with the expectation that it would be wrapped up fast. But while the American military has performed brilliantly to degrade Iran’s military capabilities, the regime&#8217;s will to fight has not been exhausted. The collapse of the latest ceasefire this week made that plain. For any president, expectations about timing are baked in, and the American people’s tolerance for protracted engagements is almost nonexistent.
In April, our national survey <a href="https://www.cygn.al/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/23738-Cygnal-National-Apr26-NVT-Deck-Public.pdf">found</a> that support for the Iran strikes tracked with how long people thought the war would last. Voters who expected it to end within three months backed the strikes by 57 points, while voters who expected it to drag past nine months opposed the strikes by 44 points. The largest single group, 27%, already expected it to run more than a year. Among Republicans, that group was even larger. As the conflict continues, it keeps running past the implied deadline voters set for it.
In our June survey, 74% of American likely voters said they want Trump to finalize a deal to end the war with Iran. That is one of the only positions right now that pulls Republicans and the persuadable middle in the same direction. The public wants force used swiftly and concluded on schedule. Republican restrainers have been arguing exactly that, and the broader electorate is with them. Each new round of strikes, ceasefires, or talks is being judged against that same expectation.
Which brings us to JD Vance. Trump sent the vice president to carry the peace, then joked on camera that if it worked, he’d take the credit, and if it failed, he’d blame Vance. The easy reading is that Vance got handed a poisoned chalice — the kind of impossible assignment presidents often give their number twos to keep their own hands clean. Joe Biden did something similar to Kamala Harris on the border, assigning her the problem and giving her none of the power to solve it.
Vance is in a different position. Rather than giving him a purely thankless job, Trump let him take the lead on advancing the argument he had articulated since he was <a href="https://ecfr.eu/article/j-d-vances-foreign-policy-when-restraint-meets-culture-war/">in the Senate</a>. So far, peace has eluded him. The ceasefire broke down this week, and the war keeps burning through every attempt to end it. Restrainers never trusted this war to stop on its own, and every collapsed truce vindicates their position. That puts Vance on the same side as the 74% of voters who want this conflict to end, and at the center of the fight the party is about to have with itself.
Far from a setup, this may be the clearest vantage point any 2028 contender has into where Republican foreign policy is headed.
No Republican has yet built a foreign policy that survives the absence of a singular figure who can simply tell both tribes in his camp to trust him. Trump has been that figure, but his credibility has never been transferable.
This new fight is coming to the GOP, whether the party wants it or not. The public wants American power used decisively, kept limited, and brought to a clear end on time. Iran is the latest in a series of Middle East antagonists that have dragged America back to the region for decades. And how the war ends will define the shape of the post‑Trump Republican Party.
***
Alex Tarascio is a Pollster and Principal at Cygnal.

Donald Trump Campaigns For President In Georgia Ahead Of November Election

The Issue Determining The Future Of The Republican Party And Why Trump Is The Key

Foreign Policy

Iran war

Isolationists

JD Vance

Tucker Carlson announced this week that he’s leaving the Republican Party. And while many conservatives reacted with shock, <a href="https://x.com/GatesGarciaFL/status/2069500906471879012?s=20">I took to X to frame it in a different light. </a>
While I disagree with his decision, it didn&#8217;t catch me off guard. This has been building for years.
Many see the Nick Fuentes interview as the moment everything changed. I see it as one breadcrumb in a trail that had been leading here all along. His criticism of Republican politicians gradually became criticism of the Republican Party itself. After the Iran conflict, Carlson said he regretted supporting Trump and apologized for misleading people. That’s a major shift from criticizing a decision to questioning his support for the central figure of the movement. What once sounded like a call for reform increasingly sounded like preparation for an exit.
Carlson joins a long line of media figures — and even politicians themselves — to reach that conclusion, and he won’t be the last. But his announcement raises a more important question that all politically engaged Americans eventually face: What do you do when your party disappoints you?
America, for better or worse, is a two-party system. Since the Republican Party emerged as the nation’s second major party in the 1850s and elected Abraham Lincoln in 1860, no third-party candidate has won the presidency, and this is not for lack of trying. Some efforts have influenced the national conversation, no doubt. Some have even temporarily disrupted the political landscape (e.g., Teddy Roosevelt and the Bull Moose Party, Ross Perot, and others). But all have failed to replace the reality that American politics is ultimately a contest between two major movements.
Once we accept this reality, another one becomes obvious. Neither party will ever perfectly represent your beliefs. I’ve personally criticized Republicans for abandoning the fiscal discipline they all champion on the campaign trail.
But political parties are coalitions, not churches. They are alliances of people who agree on enough major issues to work together while disagreeing on countless others. It’s no different from a corporate board, where rarely does everyone sit around a table agreeing on every issue. There are disagreements over priorities, strategy, and spending. But so long as the company is still moving forward and adhering to its mission statement, you stay, persuade, and build consensus. In other words, you work to move the organization in a better direction.
Rational citizens understand this. When voting, they ask: Which party advances my principles more often than not? The irrational citizen asks: Which party never disappoints me? The catch is, only one of those questions has an answer.
For me — especially as a father — the calculation isn’t particularly difficult. When I canvass the major cultural and political battles of our time, I know which side I’m on.
I believe unborn children deserve protection. I believe parents, not the government, should raise their kids. I believe women and girls deserve fairness in sports and privacy in bathrooms. I believe religious liberty is worth defending. I believe the Second Amendment matters. I believe in strong borders. I believe strong families matter. I believe government functions best when it’s limited and accountable. I believe America, despite its flaws, remains a force for tremendous good in the world and should be celebrated rather than apologized for.
Does the Republican Party bat a thousand on these issues? Of course not. Often, the party compromises when it shouldn’t and fails to deliver on promises. But if you’re looking for a party that perfectly executes on its foundational principles, you’ll be looking forever. But if the question is which political coalition advances those principles more consistently, the answer is incontestable.
And that’s where Carlson makes a mistake. He confuses disappointment with abandonment. Because the party falls short of perfection, it is no longer worthy of his support.
Carlson claims that many people will follow him. And while I doubt this, it introduces a problem. When you withdraw support from a political party closest to your beliefs, you don’t create a vacuum. You strengthen the coalition furthest from them.
Nonetheless, it is undeniable that Carlson has a meaningful following. And thus, we must acknowledge that every political decision carries consequences beyond oneself. One approach says, “My party isn’t perfect, so I’m leaving.” The other says, “My party isn’t perfect, so I’m staying and fighting to improve it.” One caters to personal satisfaction while the other strives to achieve outcomes. One protects your purity. The other protects your principles. One is selfish. One is selfless. The former feels better. The latter accomplishes more.
None of this implies blind loyalty. Parties should be criticized — your own, perhaps more. Politicians should be challenged and held accountable. Bad ideas should be rejected. In fact, healthy political movements depend on internal debate. This is the beauty of elections and is a defining characteristic of our American political system, which our Founders put in place 250 years ago.
But there is a profound difference between reforming a coalition and abandoning it. One strengthens the movement. The other weakens it. The American tradition has never been built by people waiting for perfect institutions. It has been built by citizens willing to work within imperfect systems.
That is how abolitionists transformed the Republican Party. That is how Reagan conservatives transformed the Republican Party.
They didn’t leave. They stayed, persuaded, organized, fought… and won.
So, Tucker Carlson is free to leave the Republican Party. That is his inherent American right. But for those who still believe in protecting children, defending families, securing borders, preserving religious liberty, protecting constitutional freedoms, and limiting government power, join me.
Because I’m staying, fighting, building, and will continue working to leave the party better than I found it.
***
Gates Garcia is the host of the YouTube show and podcast &#8220;We The People.&#8221; Follow him on Instagram and X @GatesGarciaFL.

happy family with the flag of america USA at sunset outdoors

Political And Cultural Battles Are Wars For The Soul. Choose Wisely.

Conservatism

Political Ideology

Tucker Carlson

Tucker Carlson on Thursday downplayed and defended Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner’s Nazi tattoo.
On the Canadian &#8220;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzL_fmyMJJ0&amp;list=PLAxb11SPUbo6zjovYj1FPmfsMPxqtG387">Can’t Be Censored</a>&#8220; podcast<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzL_fmyMJJ0&amp;list=PLAxb11SPUbo6zjovYj1FPmfsMPxqtG387">,</a> the former Fox News host sat down with Travis Dhanraj and Karman Wong to discuss President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Israel, Iran, and why he says he can no longer support the Republican Party.
Carlson raised eyebrows with his defense of Platner’s candidacy to challenge incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins in Maine, where Carlson also lives. Republicans across the country have targeted Platner over a series of personal scandals, including a Nazi tattoo that women around him have said he understood the meaning of.
“Look at Graham Platner, this guy who&#8217;s running in the state of Maine, where I live … he&#8217;s a Democrat, he&#8217;s liberal, I don&#8217;t have strong feelings about it,&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/JustinUSA/status/2067951494289145935?s=20">Carlson said</a>. &#8220;But rather than respond to what the guy&#8217;s positions are, they just have called him a Nazi for the last month, because he had a tattoo that was not a swastika, but apparently it was connected to the German military at some point, it&#8217;s not even clear he knew that.” 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
As expected, Tucker Carlson has rushed to Graham Platner’s defense.
He claims Platner didn’t even know about his Nazi tattoo, and insists the real reason people are attacking him is because he’s “not sufficiently supportive of Israel.” <a href="https://t.co/R30ZKXdtSv">pic.twitter.com/R30ZKXdtSv</a>
— Justin (@JustinUSA) <a href="https://x.com/JustinUSA/status/2067951494289145935?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
Then, the podcaster speculated why Republicans don’t support the Bernie Sanders-backed leftist. 
“They&#8217;ve attacked the guy, and his personal life. They don&#8217;t like him because he&#8217;s not sufficiently supportive of Israel,” Carlson added. 
Several women, including an ex-girlfriend, have gone on the record to say Platner knew the meaning behind his infamous Nazi tattoo, with one telling the <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/06/11/us-news/graham-platner-cheated-on-fiancee-bragged-about-nazi-tattoo-ex-girlfriend/?utm_term=MANUAL&amp;utm_medium=browser_notifications&amp;utm_source=pushly&amp;utm_content=All%20Push%20Subscribers&amp;utm_campaign=142895716">New York Post</a> the symbol reminded him that “the U.S. was the evil bad guy overseas.” The Senate hopeful’s former political director also disputed Platner’s account and accused him of “a pattern of dishonest behavior.”
The Platner campaign insists he picked a “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-accuser-platner-said-nazi-tattoo-reminded-him-u-s-was-the-evil-bad-guy-overseas?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=23&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=New+Accuser+Reveals+What+Platner+Said+About+His+Nazi+Tattoo">skull-and-crossbones tattoo off a wall</a>” to “commemorate surviving Ramadi and his friends who were killed there.” 
“Graham has also since covered up the tattoo and answered countless questions about it,” a spokesperson for the campaign has said. 
In the same interview, Carlson cast doubt on the motive behind Charlie Kirk’s assassination. 
“He was not murdered for his opinions on transgenderism,” Carlson insisted with no evidence. “Obviously, he was — I believe, and most people who knew him well, as I did, and was friends with him as I was — believe he was most likely murdered for his evolving views on Israel.” 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Charlie Kirk was not murdered for his opinions on transgenderism. Obviously.
Those of us who knew him best and called him a friend believe he was most likely murdered for his evolving views on Israel. 👀
— Tucker Carlson 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/D1mf5UXwHi">pic.twitter.com/D1mf5UXwHi</a>
— Travis (@NihiloX) <a href="https://x.com/NihiloX/status/2067799643979759965?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
Prosecutors say Tyler Robinson, the Utah man accused of assassinating the Turning Point USA founder, wrote in a message to his trans-identifying boyfriend that he had an “opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I took it,” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/inside-the-twisted-confession-tyler-robinson-is-accused-of-making-to-his-boyfriend">The Daily Wire</a> previously reported. 
Carlson, a vocal critic of the Trump administration’s foreign policy, said he has no interest in running for president but announced a permanent split with the Republican Party.
“The Republican Party in Washington is just completely out of control. I don&#8217;t share their values on any level, their personal values, the way they live, greedy, bizarro sex lives, loyal to a foreign country above the United States,” Carlson said, before taking shots at individual elected officials. 
“Beginning with the speaker of the House, Speaker Mike Johnson, and extending to the president and the leaders in the Senate. I have nothing in common with these people at all. I do not share their values. I find their priorities appalling, and so I&#8217;m just not going to participate in that party,” he said.

Tucker Defends Platner’s Nazi Tattoo, And Adds A Shot At The GOP

graham platner

Maine

News

Last night’s primary election news was all about dominance.
It’s worth pausing in this news-filled political season to appreciate just how dominant President Donald Trump’s political operation has become. They have, over the past month, racked up a litany of wins in Indiana, Louisiana, and Georgia, and last night cemented things in Kentucky by having Trump’s favored candidate easily outpace Mitch McConnell’s chosen heir.
The nuking of Thomas Massie, who exited stage left complaining about Jews, was just the icing on the cake. As CNN quoted a Senior White House adviser yesterday: &#8220;It’s not a retribution campaign, it’s a send a message campaign. It&#8217;s about reminding people of the political power. It&#8217;s not about retribution. This is basic political management of a party. You have to keep everybody on the reservation. Occasionally, you have to shoot a hostage. The next one is Thomas Massie.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Here&#8217;s what one official told me on the President&#8217;s revenge tour and Massie ahead of tonight:
&#8220;It’s not a retribution campaign, it’s a send a message campaign,&#8221; a Senior White House adviser told CNN. &#8220;It&#8217;s about reminding people of the political power. It&#8217;s not about…
— Kristen Holmes (@KristenhCNN) <a href="https://twitter.com/KristenhCNN/status/2056861347368116525?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
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While the White House has to be pleased to have eliminated an irritating House member, the statewide choices are far more important. In Louisiana, Trump’s pick to replace incumbent Bill Cassidy, Julia Letlow, came in first by a wide margin. Burt Jones, Trump’s pick for governor, topped the field in Georgia. And after clearing a path for him by offering Nate Morris an ambassadorship, Andy Barr won easily in Kentucky.
It wasn’t always this way. The long-tenured Republican establishment used to have the ability to pick winners and losers, long past the point where Trump had become president the first time around. Now he and his team are paying a lot more attention to which loyalists can win and where, and in most cases, they’ve timed his endorsements for outsized impact.
It didn’t look like Trump was going to weigh in on the Texas Senate runoff, but a day after early voting began, he dropped John Cornyn like a rock. The Ken Paxton endorsement is one that Republicans in Washington, D.C. had strongly opposed — partially out of loyalty to Cornyn, but as much out of fear that Paxton could weigh down their efforts to keep the House in newly drawn Texas districts.
There’s also the fact that Paxton has struggled to raise money over the course of his career and may need more money from the national party, which is already facing tough contests in Maine, North Carolina, Ohio, and Michigan. But the Trump team, and the man himself, are feeling confident enough to make the call for a lockstep loyalist, no matter how flawed.
Why shouldn’t they be confident? After all, even when the Trump political team loses, they snatch victory from defeat. Gripes about insufficient spending on what turned out to be a very winnable Virginia redistricting battle at the ballot box had barely started when the Virginia Supreme Court bailed them out with a (justified) constitutional ruling. Sometimes you just get lucky.
This is all momentary, and the candidates in question are entering a cycle in which the headwinds against Republicans are still very strong. But this is an indication of Trump’s unprecedented dominance over a party that now operates according to his priorities. The idea that lasted far too long in some shrinking Republican circles is that there would be a reversion to a vague mean, some political reset that takes place when Trump is no longer in the White House. There is no point in holding on to that fantasy any longer. The party is his, and his alone.
&#8220;There&#8217;s only one rule in the jungle — when the lion&#8217;s hungry, he eats.&#8221;

President Trump Holds “Make America Wealthy Again Event” In White House Rose Garden

Last Night Proved Trump’s Political Team Has A Lock On The GOP

President Trump

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The search for a missing Oklahoma state Senate candidate came to a tragic conclusion Thursday after authorities <a href="https://www.koco.com/article/barry-christian-missing-state-senate-candidate-erick-oklahoma/71179582">discovered the body</a> of 54-year-old Barry Christian in a remote wildlife management area.
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Christian, a Republican candidate for Senate District 38, had been the subject of an intensive search after failing to appear for a scheduled meeting on Tuesday. According to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI), Christian was last seen in Sayre, Oklahoma, driving a 2024 charcoal gray Ram pickup truck.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
BREAKING: Oklahoma State Senate candidate Barry Christian (R) found dead in his car after being reported missing <a href="https://t.co/Ps6JEbD2O6">pic.twitter.com/Ps6JEbD2O6</a>
&mdash; Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) <a href="https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/2049995455723938059?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The breakthrough in the case came Thursday morning when a deputy from the Beckham County Sheriff’s Office, patrolling the Sandy Sanders Wildlife Management Area, was flagged down by a hunter. The witness reported seeing a vehicle that had crashed off a high ridge overlooking Fish Creek. Upon reaching the scene, investigators confirmed the vehicle belonged to Christian and discovered his body inside.
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The OSBI has since taken over the investigation, and Christian’s remains have been transported to the medical examiner’s Office to determine the official cause and manner of death.
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Christian, a staunch conservative who launched his bid for the state Senate last year, had built his platform on traditional values, including border security, energy independence, and the protection of constitutional freedoms. His campaign gained attention through his apparent friendship with musician Kid Rock, who appeared in an <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DWzH8FFCV-v/">Instagram</a> video on Christian&#8217;s page, calling him a candidate with &#8220;common sense and a voice for the people.&#8221; Only days before his disappearance, Christian was reportedly <a href="https://x.com/collinrugg/status/2049981227009196380?s=46&amp;t=5nB3R1hthzMlYMrXjZyN8Q">seen</a> at the Mangum Rattlesnake Derby.
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In a heartbreaking statement released to KOCO, Christian’s daughter, Brooklyn, expressed the family’s shock and grief. &#8220;Our world is upside down right now,&#8221; she said. &#8220;We are still not sure of everything that happened, so please act with grace and treat my dad&#8217;s legacy with dignity.&#8221; She also expressed gratitude to the volunteers and media outlets that assisted in the search.
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His youngest daughter also shared a tribute via <a href="https://www.news9.com/oklahoma-city-news/barry-christian-oklahoma-senate-candidate-found-dead">News 9</a>, describing her father as a man who &#8220;lived only for his kids&#8221; and &#8220;wanted nothing more than to provide and protect his family.&#8221;
</div>
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As the investigation continues, the tight-knit community of Erick and the broader Oklahoma political landscape are left mourning a candidate whose life and campaign were cut short. Authorities have not yet indicated whether foul play is suspected.
</div>

Barry Christian

Missing Oklahoma State Senate Candidate Found Dead

Death

Oklahoma

A Republican candidate for governor in Massachusetts is facing renewed scrutiny over his role in bringing a Chinese state-owned manufacturer into the Boston subway system, a decision that represents both a financial debacle and a potential national security risk.
Brian Shortsleeve, who is running in a three-way GOP campaign ahead of the September 1 primary election, has built much of his campaign around his tenure as chief administrator of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. But newly surfaced research obtained exclusively by The Daily Wire is casting that record in a harsher light, focusing on a $277 million contract awarded during his leadership to China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation, or CRRC.
At the time, Shortsleeve defended the deal as fiscally responsible. “The decision we made today was a good business decision,” he said in December 2016, touting the new Chinese-built subway cars as a cost-saving measure for the struggling transit system. He also appeared at a 2016 ceremony marking construction at CRRC’s Springfield facility, publicly celebrating the partnership.
That relationship has since become a liability, with the project becoming plagued by delays and mechanical issues, and only a fraction of the promised cars delivered years behind schedule. In 2023, CRRC reportedly submitted unfinished cars for inspection, and in August 2025, federal agents detained several new MBTA subway car shells at the Port of Philadelphia amid an investigation into potential forced labor connections.
Security concerns surrounding CRRC have also grown over time. Lawmakers and industry experts have warned for years that Chinese state-owned rail manufacturers could pose a surveillance or sabotage threat to U.S. infrastructure. A <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/14/business/chinese-train-national-security.html?unlocked_article_code=1.cVA.i653.VI8KwYILj5Dk&amp;smid=url-share">2019 report</a> in The New York Times highlighted fears that subway cars built by CRRC might be equipped with technology capable of tracking passengers’ movements or communications.
Those concerns have been echoed at the federal level. In a <a href="https://nypost.com/2019/05/30/marco-rubio-dont-let-chinas-spies-near-the-nyc-subway/">2019 op-ed</a>, then Florida Senator Marco Rubio warned that CRRC is part of a broader effort by the Chinese Communist Party to expand its influence in critical infrastructure sectors, calling it “one tactic China is employing to supplant America.” Federal agencies have since classified CRRC among Chinese military-linked companies, and Congress has moved to restrict federal funding for transit projects involving such firms.
Independent research has reinforced those warnings. A <a href="https://www.rtands.com/passenger/intercity/crrcs-chief-obligation-is-to-the-chinese-state-report/">report</a> published in an industry magazine described CRRC as having “indelible ties to the Chinese Communist Party,” noting that executives often serve dual roles as corporate leaders and party officials. The company, the report found, operates in close alignment with Beijing’s industrial strategy, including efforts to dominate global transportation networks under initiatives like “Made in China 2025.”
Meanwhile, the Rail Security Alliance <a href="https://railsecurity.org/fiasco-mbtas-contract-with-crrc/">has called</a> the MBTA’s contract with CRRC a “fiasco,” citing delays, alleged coverups, and mechanical failures. The group and others have argued that Chinese state-owned enterprises benefit from heavy government subsidies, allowing them to undercut competitors and win contracts that may not serve long-term U.S. interests.
All of that is now intersecting with Shortsleeve’s political ambitions; the 53-year-old Marine veteran and Harvard MBA is positioning himself as a fiscal conservative capable of fixing Massachusetts’ economic challenges.
His business background has been emphasized in <a href="https://www.wbur.org/news/2026/02/19/brian-shortsleeve-governor-massachusetts-gop-baker-romney">local reporting</a>, and he argues that the state needs “a chief executive … that understands how to get costs under control, provide tax and regulatory relief and get jobs growing.”
But his record complicates that message. While he is now campaigning on a more hardline conservative platform—taking tough positions on immigration and energy policy and attacking Democratic Gov. Maura Healey—Shortsleeve’s political history reflects a more moderate, establishment trajectory. He worked closely with former Gov. Mitt Romney, serving as political director for his 2002 gubernatorial campaign and fundraising for both his 2008 and 2012 presidential runs.
Shortsleeve, a self-described “Cape Cod voter” and founder of venture capital firm M33 Growth, has donated to several Democrats in recent years, including members of Congress and state officials.
He has also shifted party affiliations over time, at one point registering as a Democrat before later switching between Independent and Republican. As recently as 2021, he moved to “unenrolled” status following January 6, before rejoining the Republican Party in 2023.
Political strategist Wendy Wakeman noted that Shortsleeve is now running “a little more Republican, a little more right” than in the past, as he competes in a primary shaped by the Trump-era GOP.
That dynamic leaves him in a delicate position. To win the nomination, he must appeal to a conservative base that has grown increasingly skeptical of establishment figures and foreign economic dealings, particularly those involving China. Yet to compete in a general election in deep-blue Massachusetts, he would likely need to regain support from moderates and independents.
The controversy over the MBTA’s CRRC contract underscores the tension at the heart of his candidacy. What was once presented as a pragmatic, cost-saving decision is now being reframed as a cautionary example of the risks tied to foreign state-owned enterprises—and a potential vulnerability for a candidate trying to redefine himself in a changing Republican Party.

mbta-brian-shortsleeve-fb

Three-Way GOP Race Heats Up As China Deal Haunts Hopeful

Communist China

Massachusetts

The GOP-led Senate moved early Thursday morning to pass a budget plan that would provide funding for the Department of Homeland Security and allocate another $70 billion for immigration enforcement for the remainder of President Trump&#8217;s time in office.
The proposal <a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/votes_new.htm">passed</a> the closely divided chamber 50-48, with Republicans backing the measure and Democrats voting in opposition. Republicans said that the measure, which now goes to the House, would help to secure the border. The passage means the resolution moves forward toward the reconciliation process, meaning Republicans can pass a funding bill without having to get past the filibuster.
“We have a multistep process ahead of us, but at the end, Republicans will have helped ensure that America’s borders are secure and prevented Democrats from defunding these important agencies,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-ND).
Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) criticized Democrats for blocking funding for the Department of Homeland Security 16 times. The department has been defunded since February 14, 2026.
“Democrats are playing to the most radical members of their party.  Through their actions, Democrats are putting the safety and security of our nation behind the safety and security of their own political careers,” he said from the Senate floor.
Democrats tried to add a number of amendments to the proposal that they claimed would address the cost of housing, childcare, and health care.
“Instead of pumping hundreds of billions of dollars into ICE and Border Patrol, Republicans should be working with Democrats to lower out-of-pocket costs,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said.
A number of Republican-backed amendments also fell short after Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) and Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) sided with Democrats. Those senators voted against a proposal from Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) to cut off funding for Planned Parenthood.
&#8220;One recent study found that in three years alone, Planned Parenthood got a billion and a half dollars from Medicaid and Medicare.  Money to be used on these risky surgeries and [transgender] procedures for our children. This is wrong,” Hawley said. “This is a terrible misuse of federal funds, and we should put a stop to it today.”
Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC), Mitch McConnel (R-KY), Murkowski, and Collins and also <a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1192/vote_119_2_00096.htm">voted</a> with Democrats to block an effort from Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) to attach the SAVE Act, which would require photo ID to vote in federal elections, to the proposal.

Republicans Ice Out Dems On Key Move Tied To A Top Trump Campaign Promise

Department of Homeland Security

Immigration

Southern Border

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