President Trump&#8217;s State of the Union address last night went a whopping one hour and 48 minutes.
But the moments that mattered most happened when President Trump humiliated the Democrats.
Or more precisely, when they humiliated themselves.
The content of President Trump&#8217;s speech was not really the centerpiece of the night. President Trump, as I&#8217;ve said many, many times before, is a politician who does one thing very well and one thing not so well.
What he is great at doing is making it hard to vote for his political opponents. In fact, he makes it very hard to vote for his political opponents. He is excellent at shredding the people who face him down.
But when it comes to making himself more popular, that&#8217;s more challenging.
And so where Trump shines is in those moments when he can put in stark relief his own agenda and the agenda of the people who oppose him.
This is where Trump is simply masterful.
And last night, he did something I&#8217;ve never seen a president do before during a State of the Union address or really ever in a public address: He used the Democrats’ opposition to him, their anger at him, against them. He jiu-jitsued them in a masterful way.
President Trump knew for a fact that when he gave the State of the Union address, we would see the same spectacle we&#8217;ve seen before in years past. He would say something, Republicans would stand up and cheer, and Democrats would sit there and do nothing. They would sit on their hands at the very least.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-2375-checkmate-omar-tlaib-humiliate-themselves-trump-soars-at-sotu?elementPosition=4&amp;row=6&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-974957" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1024x171.webp" alt="DailyWire+" width="1024" height="171" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1024x171.webp 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-300x50.webp 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-768x128.webp 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1536x256.webp 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-2048x341.webp 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>
In recent years, of course, Democrats have done more than that. Last year, during his State of the Union address, Democrats were dressed in white, color-coordinated to demonstrate that President Trump hated women or some such nonsense.
They yelled at President Trump from the gallery. They heckled him. They jeered at him. They did all the things that were unthinkable when we were growing up.
When representative Joe Wilson from South Carolina yelled, “You lie” at Barack Obama in 2009, it created a national firestorm. Now, we basically have people throwing rotten eggs at the president from the Democratic side of the aisle, and it&#8217;s considered perfectly normal.
But Trump knew what he was walking into. He knew how the Democrats would act — they would be incredibly performative, they would be obnoxious.
What he did was to take positions that are 80/20 positions. He said things that are easy to understand for the American people and that unify Americans.
And then he pointed at the Democrats over and over and over and said, why aren&#8217;t you clapping? Why aren&#8217;t you cheering? Why aren&#8217;t you standing up in unity?
Democrats hated George W. Bush, despised him. But when it came to the State of the Union address, they were politically savvy enough to understand that if George W. Bush said something that was generically good, they should stand up and clap.
They were politically savvy enough to understand that if the camera&#8217;s on you and the president says, “America is great,” you should probably stand up and clap, even if you don&#8217;t like that particular president.
Democrats have lost their minds thanks to Trump Derangement Syndrome, and so they have decided that it is more worthwhile for them to sit flat on their butts, while the president does unifying and obvious things.
Trump knew they were going to do this, and he decided to use that tactic against them.
This is where it helps that the President of the United States really understands TV. The president is a visual creature. He understands innately where to put cameras and how to light things. And if you&#8217;ve ever watched tape of the president in an interview, he will tell people in the room how to relight him from particular angles and where the camera should be placed for best effect.
He knew this was a great stage for him, and he also knew that the cameramen in the wings were going to be focusing on Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, who made absolute fools of themselves last night.
If you&#8217;re the GOP looking for campaign ads, the president provided an enormous number of them for Republicans all across the country last night — as Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar screamed at him for saying baseline rational things, or as Democrats put on their sourest faces as he stated things such as “boys are not girls.”
Democrats sat there — while the president paid tribute to actual, honest-to-God American heroes — because they couldn&#8217;t bring themselves to stand up if President Trump so much as uttered their name.
The genius of what Trump did last night had very little to do with his policy discussion. Usually, the State of the Union address is a long list of policies, and it gets pretty boring. But last night, the president focused heavily on people in the gallery, which was smart because it allowed him to demonstrate that he is sympathetic toward human beings.
More importantly, it made Democrats look unsympathetic toward human beings.
If a Democratic president calls out an American hero in the wings, or somebody whose daughter was murdered, and pays homage to that person, it doesn&#8217;t matter if the president&#8217;s a Democrat — you get up and clap.
Obviously, Trump knew they weren&#8217;t going to do it. And so he played that for its full effect.
The shot over the bow from the president was when he overtly — in the middle of the speech — challenged the Democrats to stand in solidarity with Americans and not in solidarity with illegal immigration.
Democrats couldn&#8217;t bring themselves to do it.
Brilliant. Optically, it was a smart thing to do. Politically, it was a very smart thing to do.
Trump found the tool to use against the Democrats, and he used it over and over and over again. That is going to hurt Democrats. Because in the end, what people remember are moments when the nature of the opposition is made crystal-clear.
And no one, no one, does it better than Trump.

President Trump Delivers The State Of The Union Address

Checkmate At SOTU: Trump Did What He Does Best 

Ben Shapiro

Democrats

Donald Trump

Opinion

Republicans

State of the Union

A Republican campaign memo obtained by The Daily Wire argues that President Donald Trump’s State of the Union reinforced what the party sees as the top two midterm issues: the economy and immigration.
The memo, circulated on Wednesday by the National Republican Senatorial Committee, urges GOP Senate campaigns to emphasize that Republicans are “delivering on the Trump economic agenda.”
“Following President Trump’s State of the Union (SOTU), the political environment is defined by two simple realities: the economy remains the top issue for voters and Republicans hold a measurable advantage on it, as well as on immigration, border security, and national security,” the memo states.
It adds that the data shows Trump is “aligned with public priorities&#8221; and that &#8220;voters increasingly trust Republicans to handle the issues they care about most.”
The memo cites January polling data from <a href="https://law.marquette.edu/assets/community/poll/MLSPSC30/MLSPSC30Toplines_NationalIssues.html#trump-immigration-4-cat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marquette Law School</a> showing that voters rank the economy, immigration, and healthcare as their top three issues. In the January 21-28 survey, Republicans held a three-point advantage over Democrats on the economy and led on tax policy, crime, and immigration.
A Fox News <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/fox-news-poll-early-look-2026-midterms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">poll</a> conducted January 23-26 found Republicans with a 15-point lead on border security, a 12-point advantage on national security, and a five-point edge on immigration. The same survey showed Democrats leading on taxes, healthcare, and transgender issues. By contrast, the Marquette poll found Republicans holding a nine-point advantage on taxes.
The NRSC focuses on defending Republican incumbents and flipping competitive seats as the party seeks to maintain and possibly expand its 53-47 Senate majority. The Cook Political Report currently ranks Senate races in Georgia, North Carolina, Maine, and Michigan as toss-ups, with additional closely watched contests underway in New Hampshire, Alaska, and Ohio.
Trump’s address focused heavily on affordability and immigration, themes Republicans argue resonate as Americans file their taxes and as immigration enforcement remains a flashpoint in Congress.
“Last year, I urged this Congress to begin the mission by passing the largest tax cuts in American history and our Republican majorities delivered so beautifully,” the president said.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), who chairs the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, slammed the president’s address in a statement on Tuesday night.
“Donald Trump and Senate Republicans have enacted a toxic and historically unpopular agenda that has made life harder and more expensive for families nationwide,” Gillibrand said.
She added that Republicans “gutted Americans’ health care, raised costs, and handed out a massive tax giveaway to billionaires,&#8221; arguing that voters would vote for Democrats &#8220;to bring down costs, protect health care, and win back the Senate majority.”
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger delivered the official Democratic response to Trump&#8217;s SOTU address, emphasizing affordability and criticizing the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
Spanberger also pointed to her recent electoral victory, even as Republicans in Virginia have slammed a wave of new tax proposals advanced by the Democrats in the General Assembly.

Republican Lawmakers Work To Pass Trump’s “One, Big, Beautiful Bill” On Capitol Hill

Republicans Say Trump’s SOTU Just Changed The Midterm Math

2026 Midterms

Elections

Politics

polling

Senate

In Michigan, late winter and early spring are unpredictable. It’s a time of year when the state could get buried under a foot of snow at the beginning of a week and then reach 60 degrees with sunshine by the weekend.
This year, Michigan&#8217;s unpredictable late winter season will also serve as an important gauge in a wide-open 2026 midterm Senate election. For the first time in the state’s history, the governor&#8217;s race and the U.S. Senate contest will both take place without an incumbent running in either election, thanks to the retirement of Democratic Senator Gary Peters. While the primary elections and the warm Michigan summer are still months away, the Michigan Senate race is already heating up.
The 2026 Senate election in Michigan could also serve as a bellwether for other important races across the country as the GOP looks to hold onto control in the upper chamber. Michigan remains a political paradox as a state that returned Trump to the White House in 2024 while simultaneously electing a Democrat to the Senate. In 2026, it once again remains a pure toss-up.
Recent elections have been brutal for Michigan Republican Senate candidates. The party hasn’t won a Senate race in the state since 1994 — when star athletes Isaiah Thomas and Barry Sanders were still playing in Detroit.
<h3>Strong Start For Republicans</h3>
Republicans are hoping for a breakthrough in this year’s Senate election with former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, a familiar name on the ballot in Michigan. Rogers ran for an open Senate seat in 2024, but despite voters pushing Trump over the edge in Michigan, Rogers lost to Democrat Elissa Slotkin by just over 20,000 votes.
Asked if there is any lingering trepidation from the 2024 election loss, Rogers told The Daily Wire that he&#8217;s confident he has &#8220;enough votes in the bank to win this election.&#8221;
&#8220;We had over 100,000 people walk into the polls in 2024, vote for Donald Trump, and turn around and leave, didn&#8217;t vote for any other Republican,&#8221; Rogers said. &#8220;Here&#8217;s the good news: I got more Republican votes than any other statewide candidate for a state of Michigan office in the history of the state by 300,000 votes. So I have enough votes in the bank to win this election. We&#8217;ve just got to get people ginned up to get there.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_816855" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-816855" class="wp-image-816855 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-2166165020-1-864x576.jpg" alt="US Senate candidate Mike Rogers (R-MI) speaks before Republican Vice Presidential Nominee, Senator JD Vance to delivers remarks at Cordes, Inc. in Byron Center, Michigan, on August 14, 2024." width="864" height="576" />Mike Rogers (JEFF KOWALSKY/AFP via Getty Images)</div>
This year, Rogers once again boasts an endorsement from Trump, which came much earlier in the race than in 2024, marking him as the clear favorite to win the GOP primary. With the primary all but secure, Rogers is busy building a general election war chest as a crowded field of Democrats vie for the nomination. That&#8217;s a welcome development for the Rogers campaign, which fell far behind the Democrats in fundraising in 2024.
Rogers told The Daily Wire that he believes his campaign represents Republicans’ best chance to pick up a Senate seat in the 2026 midterms.
“Having President Trump’s endorsement early, having the Senate leadership support early, having our ground game organized early, all of that has made a tremendous difference,” he said. “And the result of that is that we’ve led in the last four current polls, which tells you in a state like Michigan, getting out a little bit early like this and having better ground game, better organization, better funding is really, really significant.”
Rogers said that after decades of Democratic control of both U.S. Senate seats in Michigan, residents are ready for “change.”
“People are fired up about this race, and they’re excited for change,” he said. “And why not have a voice of reason finally, after 30 years, representing somebody who actually started working on a factory floor and is now a candidate for Senate.”
As he gears up for a general election battle, Rogers is fine-tuning his messaging on the economy and the housing market, issues that President Trump has also focused on in recent months. Earlier this month, Rogers unveiled a plan to help Americans “unlock homeownership.” The Republican Senate candidate proposed expanding 529 savings plans to cover first-time home down payments and deferring student loan payments while saving for a down payment.
“The Democrats will find everything to be against. They don&#8217;t stand for much of anything for how to fix a problem,” Rogers said. “They know that I&#8217;ve fixed problems, and I&#8217;m going to fix problems when I become their next United States senator. That&#8217;s what people are fired up about.”
The Daily Wire asked Rogers about Americans&#8217; ongoing economic frustrations one year after Trump, who was largely elected on promises to fix those economic issues, was sworn in. Rogers said the Trump administration and Republicans are trying to fix &#8220;four years of really bad Democrat policies&#8221; under the Biden administration. The GOP Senate candidate specifically called out how former President Joe Biden&#8217;s policies affected Michigan autoworkers.
&#8220;They damn near put out of business two great American car companies with all these EV mandates. Even the Ford CEO came out and said it was the EV mandates that was the cause of the increase of cost for these cars,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Democrats have had years to do this damage. The Republicans and Donald Trump have had about a year to undo as much of that as possible.&#8221;
<h3>A Big Question Mark For Democrats</h3>
Three Democratic candidates are in a close primary race for the chance to face Rogers and maintain the Democratic Party’s dominance in Michigan Senate elections.
U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, state Senate leader Mallory McMorrow, and former health care director Dr. Abdul El-Sayed are at the top of the field in a crowded race. While Republicans are already focusing on the general election, the door remains wide open for Democrats. According to the most recent <a href="https://emersoncollegepolling.com/michigan-2026-poll-crowded-democratic-senate-primary-remains-wide-open/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">polling</a> from Emerson College, McMorrow leads the field at 22%, with Stevens coming in at 17% and El-Sayed standing at 16%. Nearly 40% of voters polled, however, remained undecided.
Each of the Democratic candidates is struggling to maintain momentum and has been hurt by recent controversies. A <a href="https://x.com/townhallcom/status/2001727745919680652?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2001727745919680652%7Ctwgr%5E8a533198239aecff6fa22f4f663189c37d2763b6%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailywire.com%2Fnews%2Fdem-senate-hopeful-says-shed-throw-beer-at-conservative-justices-lacks-self-control">video</a> published by conservative outlet Townhall in December shows McMorrow suggesting to supporters that she would <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dem-senate-hopeful-says-shed-throw-beer-at-conservative-justices-lacks-self-control">throw beer</a> at conservative Supreme Court Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Brett Kavanaugh if she saw them in public.
“I talked to somebody yesterday who said they saw her with Brett Kavanaugh at a tailgate last weekend. I was like, ‘I would not be able to control myself,&#8217;” McMorrow said. “That would be bad — there would be beers thrown in people’s faces.”
<div id="attachment_983569" style="width: 875px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-983569" class="wp-image-983569 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-2166823388-865x576.jpg" alt="CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, UNITED STATES - AUGUST 19: State Senator Mallory McMorrow, a Democrat from Michigan speaks during the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois, United States on August 19, 2024." width="865" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-2166823388-865x576.jpg 865w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-2166823388-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-2166823388-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-2166823388.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 865px) 100vw, 865px" />State Sen. Mallory McMorrow (Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Images)</div>
Stevens was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/house-dem-files-articles-of-impeachment-against-rfk-jr-and-even-her-own-party-is-trashing-her">criticized</a> by some Democratic leaders late last year after she filed articles of impeachment against Health and Human Services Director Robert F. Kennedy Jr. According to The New York Times, some of Stevens Democratic colleagues viewed the move as a political stunt.
Stevens shot back, arguing that she’s “not one for political theater” and that she was “standing up for the health and safety of the people I represent.”
<div id="attachment_98743" style="width: 711px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-98743" class="wp-image-98743 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/03/Haley-Stevens.jpg" alt="Freshman Congresswoman Haley Stevens (D-MI), center, celebrates after being sworn in by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi for the 116th Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington DC on Thursday January 3, 2019. (Photo by Melina Mara/The Washington Post via Getty Images)" width="701" height="407" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/03/Haley-Stevens.jpg 701w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/03/Haley-Stevens-300x174.jpg 300w" sizes=" (max-width: 701px) 100vw, 701px" />Rep. Haley Stevens (Melina Mara/The Washington Post via Getty Images)</div>
In October, El-Sayed sent a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dem-senate-candidate-accuses-israel-of-invading-gaza-in-oct-7-fundraising-email">fundraising email</a> on the anniversary of Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, but in the email, El-Sayed made no mention of the terror group’s atrocities and blamed Israel for launching “a ground invasion of Gaza.” After the email was sent, the Democratic candidate said that it was pushed out by mistake, and he released a separate statement on the anniversary of October 7 condemning Hamas for the “heinous attack,” but also accusing Israel of committing “genocide.”
El-Sayed, who was endorsed by democratic socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/im-not-a-socialist-michigans-mamdani-has-the-lefts-new-playbook-but-doesnt-want-the-new-label">told</a> The Daily Wire last week that the email had been approved to go out, but was supposed to be sent on a different day.
“It went out, and I very quickly reached out to leaders in the Jewish community to apologize for having stepped on their grief,” he said, adding, “The message in the email is something I stand by.”
<div id="attachment_983129" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-983129" class="wp-image-983129 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-1206289728-864x576.jpg" alt="Dr. Abdul El-Sayed speaks during a coronavirus public health roundtable with Senator Bernie Sanders, an Independent from Vermont and 2020 presidential candidate, not pictured, in Romulus, Michigan, U.S., on Monday, March 9, 2020. Sanders said any eventual vaccine for the deadly novel coronavirus should be made available free of charge once developed and approved for use." width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-1206289728-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-1206289728-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-1206289728-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-1206289728.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Dr. Abdul El-Sayed (Erin Kirkland/Bloomberg via Getty Images)</div>
The top Democratic candidates are already beating up on each other, and there are still months to go in the bitter primary battle before Michigan’s August 4 primary. In a forum hosted by the United Auto Workers in Detroit last week, the Democratic candidates clashed over multiple issues, including how far to the Left Michigan voters would be willing to go.
McMorrow, who is leading in early polls, suggested that El-Sayed — who is the farthest to the Left of the three Democrats — is focusing on “rhetoric” over delivering results, while arguing that Stevens is “too beholden to corporate interests.” During the forum, Stevens, who is viewed as most in line with the Democratic establishment and is endorsed by former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, focused her attacks on Trump and Rogers, NBC News <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-election/democrats-vying-michigan-senate-seat-clash-corporate-money-first-forum-rcna258221">reported</a>.
El-Sayed, meanwhile, ran to the Left of both McMorrow and Stevens, calling for “Medicare for all” and for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to be “abolished,” stances he also discussed in a 20-minute phone conversation with <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/im-not-a-socialist-michigans-mamdani-has-the-lefts-new-playbook-but-doesnt-want-the-new-label" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> last week.
The Daily Wire reached out to the campaigns of McMorrow and Stevens, requesting interviews, but they have not responded.
The race could ultimately come down to how well Republicans can maintain their focus on the general election and whether Rogers can maintain his fundraising advantage, as the Democrats battle it out for the nomination.
A lot can change in these political campaigns in a short amount of time — just like Michigan&#8217;s weather in late February.

Michigan Senate Race

The Senate Race Democrats Have Controlled For Decades — Now It’s Wide Open

Michigan

U.S. Senate

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

Chicago Bears

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

Economy

Illinois

Indiana

U.S.

The big media controversy of the day comes courtesy of Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico and late-night television host Stephen Colbert.
Talarico insisted that CBS spiked his interview with Stephen Colbert, claiming, “This is the interview Donald Trump didn’t want you to see. His FCC refused to air my interview with Stephen Colbert. Trump is worried we’re about to flip Texas.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
This is the interview Donald Trump didn’t want you to see.
His FCC refused to air my interview with Stephen Colbert.
Trump is worried we’re about to flip Texas. <a href="https://t.co/BCev5jZbKc">pic.twitter.com/BCev5jZbKc</a>
— James Talarico (@jamestalarico) <a href="https://twitter.com/jamestalarico/status/2023659473466687994?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Credit: @jamestalarico/X.com
Talarico is the probable Senate nominee for the Democrats in Texas and has been highly touted by a wide variety of people across the political spectrum, including Joe Rogan, on whose show he appeared.
But the reason CBS spiked the interview is because they&#8217;re afraid of the so-called Equal Time Rule. The FCC says that in a Senate primary, if you provide time to one candidate, you also have to provide equal time to the other candidates. CBS then said they didn’t want to provide equal time to Talarico’s rivals, including Democrat Rep. Jasmine Crockett or some other fringe candidate. Colbert then went on the air and ripped into CBS.
At this point, Colbert is hoping that he is fired so he can be treated as a victim — a victim of the Trump administration and their evil acolytes like Larry and David Ellison. Since that is his goal, he is actively attempting to militate for his own dismissal.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-2370-dave-chappelle-has-lost-it"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-974957 aligncenter" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1024x171.webp" alt="DailyWire+" width="1024" height="171" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1024x171.webp 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-300x50.webp 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-768x128.webp 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1536x256.webp 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-2048x341.webp 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>
That is what he is doing right now. So, after the interview, he went on the air and said:
<blockquote>You might have heard of this thing called the Equal Time rule. Okay. It&#8217;s an old FCC rule that applies only to radio on broadcast television, not cable or streaming, that says if a show has a candidate on during an election, they have to have all that candidate&#8217;s opponents on as well. It’s the FCC&#8217;s most time honored rule right after no nipples at the Super Bowl. There&#8217;s long been an exception for this rule, an exception for news interviews and talk show interviews with politicians.
Now that&#8217;s crucial. How else were voters supposed to know back in 92 that Bill Clinton sucked at saxophone? But on January 21 of this year, a letter was released by FCC chairman and smug bowling pin Brendan Carr. In this letter, Carr said he was thinking about dropping the exception for talk shows because he said some of them were motivated by partisan purposes. Well, sir, you&#8217;re chairman of the FCC, so FCC you. </blockquote>
Brendan Carr is correct. Colbert is obviously motivated by partisan purposes. When was the last time he had a major Republican guest? Can you name one? When has he invited a major Republican guest on his show and treated that person with the same sort of kid gloves with which he treats Democrats?
Every episode of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” is basically an ad for one Democrat or another. It is MS NOW with some bad jokes.
CBS responded:
<blockquote>THE LATE SHOW was not prohibited by CBS from broadcasting the interview with Rep. James Talarico. The show was provided legal guidance that the broadcast could trigger the FCC equal-time rule for two other candidates, including Rep. Jasmine Crockett, and presented options for how the equal time for other candidates could be fulfilled. THE LATE SHOW decided to present the interview through its YouTube channel with on-air promotion on the broadcast rather than potentially providing the equal-time options.</blockquote>
First, Colbert and his team tried to retell the lie that the FCC had overtly banned CBS from airing the interview with Talarico. That was not true. 
Then, he tried to retell the lie that CBS banned the interview because they were afraid of Talarico. And if Colbert hosted Talarico, then presumably he would also have to host a Republican candidate in the Texas Senate race, like Sen. John Cornyn or Attorney General Ken Paxton.
That is not what the equal time rule says. In the middle of the primary season, Colbert would have had to host another Democrat, Representative Jasmine Crockett. And the producers of “The Late Show” decided not to promote the interview on the air because then they would have to do the same for other Democrats.
For what it&#8217;s worth, Talarico is basically a straight Pete Buttigieg. That is his entire schtick, down to the Pastor Pete routine.
If you can remember back that far, one of the most irritating facets of the “Pete Buttigieg for President” campaign — and what irritated me most — is when he would suddenly turn into the world&#8217;s worst Sunday School teacher and cite the Bible to say completely non-Biblical things. He would try to explain that the Bible has nothing to say about issues ranging from same-sex marriage to abortion, and that it&#8217;s just a social justice document drafted by the Democratic National Committee.
Now, Talarico is doing the same exact thing. He&#8217;s claiming that you&#8217;re a bad Christian if you believe that same-sex marriage is non-Biblical.
For the record, same-sex marriage is non-Biblical. There are many books of the Bible that reference this, not least of which is Leviticus.
Trying to do the Pastor Pete routine, Talarico declared:
<blockquote>Jesus gave us two commandments: Love God and love neighbor. And there was no exception to that second commandment. Love thy neighbor, regardless of race or gender or sexual orientation or immigration status or religious affiliation. And it&#8217;s why I have fought so hard for the separation of church and state in the state capital in Texas.</blockquote>
When Democrats try to reframe their own religiosity on the basis of “Jesus was a post- religious figure who was in favor of secular humanism” — I may not be a New Testament expert, but it seems to me that Jesus was, in his human form, a Jew growing up under Biblical law, and that Jesus as the creator of Christianity, proceeded to suggest that people ought to follow the precepts of Christianity rather exclusively.
I think that’s a non-controversial take on the Bible.
It&#8217;s amazing how far Democrats have moved in my lifetime. Democrats used to do this routine where they would say, Sure, the Bible says that abortion is bad, Christianity says abortion is bad. There is a long-standing, several thousand years old doctrine that abortion is not approved, that same-sex marriage is not approved, and that homosexual activity is a sin. These are long-standing religious traditions, but we have separation of church and state. In terms of public policy, I don&#8217;t believe in making public policy on the basis of Biblical law, because this is not a theocracy.
That used to be the Democratic stance, which I think is weak when it comes to trying to make peace with Christians, but at least it is arguable. The new Democratic standards are that the Bible is somehow a document that greenlights same-sex marriage and encourages abortion, and if you truly were a Christian, you would be in favor of all these things.
Talarico says, “Love thy neighbor means love thy neighbor, regardless of immigration status or sexual orientation.”
The Bible says you are supposed to love thy neighbor as thyself, but you are not supposed to love his sin. You&#8217;re not supposed to place a stumbling block in front of the blind. There’s the Biblical injunction, which is commonly presumed to mean that you are not supposed to allow your neighbor to go without redress. If he’s sinning, you&#8217;re supposed to warn him.
So, back to CBS: What’s happening at CBS right now is an attempt to scuttle the ownership change at CBS and also target Bari Weiss at CBS News.
It&#8217;s all about virtue signaling for the Democrats. It has nothing to do with reality.
Democratic lawmakers, for their part, are suggesting they&#8217;re now going to investigate CBS. Representative Darren Soto of Florida wrote, “FCC Chair Brendan Carr’s reign on unlawful censorship continues. This time he’s blocking Democratic candidates. @EnergyCommerce Dems will be investigating this outrage. A reckoning is coming.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
FCC Chair Brendan Carr’s reign on unlawful censorship continues. This time he’s blocking Democratic candidates.<a href="https://twitter.com/EnergyCommerce?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EnergyCommerce</a> Dems will be investigating this outrage. A reckoning is coming… <a href="https://t.co/56MmbYdfIR">https://t.co/56MmbYdfIR</a>
— Rep. Darren Soto (@RepDarrenSoto) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepDarrenSoto/status/2023767918023262264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Credit: @RepDarrenSoto/X.com
All of this shows you what Democrats are going to do with Congress if they happen to win in 2026, which is to shut everything down.

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

Talarico, Colbert Cry Censorship As CBS Sets The Record Straight

Bible

Brendan Carr

Stephen Colbert

Television

Texas

Republicans are beginning to panic as polls show them losing popularity before the upcoming midterm elections. In a party Zoom meeting to discuss the crisis, GOP Senator Samuel T. Schnorrer from the great state of Lassitude told his colleagues, “When I first saw the new numbers, I nearly lost my head. I started babbling like a crazy man about passing laws and cutting entitlement spending before it drives us into insolvency. Thank God my consultant was there to slap me in the face until I came to my senses and realized: if we start passing laws and all sorts of loony stuff like that, we might be blamed for the results. I think we just have to stick to the original game plan of shaking our fists at Democrats on Fox News.”
GOP Congressman Lorne Loveless from the persistent state of hysteria, blamed President Trump for the bad poll numbers, saying, “The president keeps doing things. Things are bad, especially when you do them. That’s why we do nothing. It literally means &#8216;no thing.&#8217; It’s right there in the word. Really, being a congressman is not that complex if you know how to speak English. Also you have to know when to stop speaking English before you actually say something and instead just keep shaking your fist at Democrats on Fox News.” 
The polls do confirm that Trump’s actions are alienating some people in the party’s coalition. According to one poll — Nikolai Kaminski — sixty-seven percent of Republicans feel Trump is not carrying out their wishes that he would make government smaller while not cutting any of their benefits, bring down prices while continuing to print massive amounts of money so they don’t lose any of their benefits, and deport illegal immigrants without making it hard to find someone to mow your lawn while you pay him crap wages and shout, “That’s mucho dinero, amigo!” because what the hell does he know, he doesn&#8217;t even speak English.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-1266-how-we-fight?contentProgram=The%20Andrew%20Klavan%20Show&amp;contentType=ShowEpisode&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;location=Home%20Tab&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Home%20Featured%20Carousel"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-974735 aligncenter" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Klavan-watch-now-1024x171.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="171" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Klavan-watch-now-1024x171.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Klavan-watch-now-300x50.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Klavan-watch-now-768x128.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Klavan-watch-now-1536x256.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Klavan-watch-now.jpg 1800w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>
According to another poll — Stanislaw Dabrowski — fifty-five percent of Independent voters feel the news under the Trump administration is far too chaotic and they yearn for the days when they could kick back in front of the TV and watch President Biden shuffle around aimlessly calling America racist while reporters marveled at his ability to lick an ice cream cone and fall down a flight of stairs at the same time.
In yet another poll — this one at the Spearmint Rhino Club in Oakland — seventy-five percent of Republicans who listen to Tucker Carlson blame Trump for sending Christian men to die for Israel in Carlson’s imagination. Ninety-five percent of Carlson’s listeners who named their first-born sons Adolf are also angry that Trump prevented the Iranian mullahs from acquiring nuclear weapons, which would’ve sure come in handy the next time their pagers blew their testicles off.
Finally, according to the traditionally reliable north poll, eleventy-six percent of readers of the New York Times, a former newspaper, are furious at the things they read about Trump doing in the Times and are deeply concerned he might start doing them in real life as well.
Democrats are seizing on these poll numbers to launch attacks on the administration that they feel will resonate with the public. Democrat strategist Lilith Abaddon rolled over in bed and told a reporter, “Affordability was a good issue until people discovered inflation was caused by president Biden printing massive amounts of money, before tripping over a sandbag, flying out the door, bumping into a little girl and burying his nose in her hair while calling half the electorate fascist. So now, we’ve cleverly switched to harping on deporting illegal immigrants who came swarming into the country by the millions while president Biden was falling off his bicycle and lying face down in the mud for three hours before anyone realized he was no longer running the country. Right now, we feel the idea of defunding ICE will be really popular with millions of poor refugees who came to this country simply looking for a better life with their 72 virgins in heaven.”
As for Republicans, they say they will continue to beat back the tide of unpopularity until their fists get tired from being shaken on Fox News.
* * *
This excerpt is taken from the opening satirical monologue of “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/the-andrew-klavan-show" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Andrew Klavan Show</a>.”
Andrew Klavan is the host of “The Andrew Klavan Show” at The Daily Wire. Klavan is the bestselling author of numerous books, including the Cameron Winter Mystery series. The fifth installment, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/After-That-Cameron-Winter-Mysteries/dp/1613166869/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3EGZUC370LG46&amp;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Y_NI0mDOKeowShheDQTVx5NH-fAeimJoCD56_T0Acpl8C0mup7uJf-nGGSRLEItaaekoDnvS2vWLMa4Zd2UBXQ8Y-g-P502jOWz-Y8IX3ZQsdlO7WMLrg1xIhNoKmjCorSWUR4C2l_RbiZ7apJ1MfPzGOrrEf7AdAXX6xwnJRVP_XqUfWuMuVthTWscaU3P4vgmS86-96n-721enHfX12CFQWTajqFbVnrsDkexfUf4.6_gTH6h1Bb9Pn375QdF_VAVZSayDvjQBBKGXE-MTiFo&amp;dib_tag=se&amp;keywords=klavan&amp;qid=1754049918&amp;sprefix=%2Caps%2C80&amp;sr=8-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">After That, The Dark,</a> is NOW AVAILABLE. Follow him on X: <a href="https://x.com/andrewklavan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@andrewklavan</a>.
The views expressed in this satirical piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Portrait of shocked senior man

Republicans Alarmed By New Poll Showing Voters Expect Results

Congress

Humor

Polls

Satire

The Republican-controlled House of Representatives narrowly passed a measure to overturn President Donald Trump&#8217;s tariffs on Canada on Wednesday.
Six Republicans joined with Democrats to pass the measure 219-211. The Republicans who voted in favor of the measure were Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Don Bacon of Nebraska, Kevin Kiley of California, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Dan Newhouse of Washington, and Jeff Hurd of Colorado.
The resolution, which was introduced by Democratic New York Rep. Gregory Meeks, mostly serves as a symbolic rebuke of Trump&#8217;s far-reaching trade policies, but it also shows how the Republican Party&#8217;s dwindling control of the House is already coming with consequences. The anti-tariff measure advanced by a vote of 217-214 thanks to a united Democratic front and the votes of three Republicans: Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Kevin Kiley of California, and Don Bacon of Nebraska.
Shortly before the vote, Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116054544240272433">wrote</a> on Truth Social, &#8220;Canada has taken advantage of the United States on Trade for many years. They are among the worst in the World to deal with, especially as it relates to our Northern Border. TARIFFS make a WIN for us, EASY. Republicans must keep it that way!&#8221;
On Tuesday, the House cleared the way for the anti-tariff resolution and set up more potential votes on Trump&#8217;s tariffs in the near future. Tuesday&#8217;s procedural vote, which was approved by when Democrats and those three same Republicans, shot down a rule that blocked members from proposing resolutions to reject Trump&#8217;s tariffs. After the successful vote pushing back on Trump&#8217;s Canada tariffs, Democrats are soon expected to bring up more resolutions rejecting the president&#8217;s tariffs on Mexico and Brazil, POLITICO <a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2026/02/11/congress/house-votes-trump-tariffs-resolution-canada-00775520">reported</a>.
Even though the resolution likely won&#8217;t go anywhere past the House, the vote still takes time away from other matters that the lower chamber could be debating and voting on, including major parts of Trump&#8217;s agenda. That fact was acknowledged by Bacon, who voted in favor of the resolution.
&#8220;I don’t like putting the important work of the House on pause, but Congress needs to be able to debate on tariffs,&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/RepDonBacon/status/2021418451911295376?s=20">said</a> Bacon, who has bucked Trump and the Republican Party on multiple occasions.
&#8220;Tariffs have been a &#8216;net negative&#8217; for the economy and are a significant tax that American consumers, manufacturers, and farmers are paying,&#8221; Bacon argued. &#8220;Article I of the Constitution places authority over taxes and tariffs with Congress for a reason, but for too long, we have handed that authority to the executive branch. It’s time for Congress to reclaim that responsibility.&#8221;
The resolution now advances to the Republican-controlled Senate, and even if the upper chamber passed the resolution, it would then have to be signed by the president whose tariffs it seeks to shoot down. While the House resolution will almost assuredly hit a dead end, it represents a growing issue for Republicans as they seek to address the economy and prepare for tightly contested midterm elections. Trump&#8217;s tariffs have also faced scrutiny at the Supreme Court, which could drop a ruling on the issue as early as this month.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), who has his hands full trying to keep the small Republican majority in line, said the vote was &#8220;a big mistake.&#8221;
&#8220;I don’t think we need to go down the road of trying to limit the president’s power while he is in the midst of negotiating America-first trade agreements with nations around the world,&#8221; Johnson <a href="https://x.com/atrupar/status/2021575438716297379?s=20">told</a> Fox Business on Wednesday, adding, &#8220;The tariffs [have] been a tool that the president has used very effectively to level the playing field and put America back on top, and I think it&#8217;s wrong for Congress to step in the middle of that.&#8221;
Since the beginning of 2025, Johnson has been tasked with uniting Republicans while holding the narrowest House majority in modern history. What began as a 220-215 Republican majority at the beginning of this term dwindled to a 218-213 majority following the resignation of Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and the death of California Rep. Doug LaMalfa. Democrat Christian Menefee&#8217;s victory in a Texas special election earlier this month further reduced the GOP majority to 218-214, where it currently stands.
The GOP could soon receive another blow, as the Florida Congressman Neal Dunn is <a href="https://x.com/PeterSchorschFL/status/2021293823431716976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2021293823431716976%7Ctwgr%5E327351469860fe8cb0e6a4acffd7e486f19cf0ea%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mediaite.com%2Fpolitics%2Fwith-house-gop-majority-teetering-on-the-brink-florida-congressman-plans-to-retire-early-report%2F">reportedly</a> planning to announce his immediate resignation next week. Dunn already said he would not seek re-election in 2026, but a resignation before the election would drop the Republican Party&#8217;s majority to just three seats.

Trump Goes On With New Tariffs

GOP In Trouble? House Passes Democrat Resolution To Overturn Some Of Trump’s Tariffs

House GOP

Mike Johnson

Tariffs

The following is an edited transcript excerpt from &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-1910-breaking-trans-school-shooter-murders-nine-in-canada?elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowHeadline=Recent+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel">The Michael Knowles Show</a>.&#8221;
* * *
In the last couple of days, the media has been forced to acknowledge reality on multiple fronts, beginning with one of the most controversial bills going through Congress right now. Senator Mike Lee, a great Republican senator, is the champion behind the bill and it’s called the SAVE Act.
What is the SAVE Act? It&#8217;s the Safeguard American Voting Eligibility Act, which says you need to prove that you&#8217;re eligible to vote if you want to vote. 
Simple, right? This should easily pass.
Not only can they not get the Democrats to vote for it — because Democrats want the illegals to vote so that they can rig elections and steal votes from the American people — apparently, the Republicans can&#8217;t even get the Republicans to vote for this. Senate Majority Leader John Thune says there aren&#8217;t anywhere close to the votes to nuking the filibuster, which would be required to get the SAVE Act through. So, although that idea continues to be put out there, it doesn&#8217;t have a future.
Making Americans submit ID in order to vote — safeguarding American elections in the most basic way — doesn&#8217;t have a future, not just because of Democrats who obviously don&#8217;t want to secure our elections, but because of Republicans.
So, you might say, well, some of these senators, you know, they&#8217;re representing whole states and some of those states are kind of purple. You know, maybe this is really a controversial issue. You know, the Democrats hate voter ID and maybe it&#8217;s controversial among Republicans.
Thank you Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski.
Here’s what CNN has to say about the issue:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Voter ID is overwhelmingly popular with everyone except Democrat politicians.
CNN: &#8220;The bottom line is this: Voter ID is not controversial in this country&#8230; it is not controversial by party and it is not controversial by race.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/XYzmcnTw1s">pic.twitter.com/XYzmcnTw1s</a>
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/2021289992971055217?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Credit: @RNCResearch/X.com
<blockquote>What&#8217;s the racial breakdown on this? Because I think a lot of people make the argument that people of color, nonwhite Americans, have a harder time procuring a photo ID to vote. But even here, take a look here. Favor photo ID to vote: 85% of white people favor it, 82% of Latino voters, 76% of Black Americans favor it. So the bottom line is this: voter ID is not controversial in this country. A photo ID to vote is not controversial in this country. It is not controversial by party, and it is not controversial by race. The vast majority of Americans agree with Nicki Minaj that, in fact, you should have a photo ID to be able to vote.</blockquote>
Not controversial in the least.
I was surprised by these racial polls — and actually by the partisan poll too. Basically every Republican supports voter ID, but even 71% of Democrats favor voter ID. Yet zero percent of Democrats who are in elected office support voter ID.
You have 76% of Black people — this is the most reliably Democrat racial group, the group that we are told is specifically being disenfranchised by voter ID — more than three quarters of them support voter ID.
When you look at Latinos, it&#8217;s even higher: 82%. We&#8217;re told Latinos are being discriminated against, it&#8217;s hard for them to get ID.
And white people are close to the Latinos at 85%.
Everybody supports voter ID except for elected Democrats, none of whom support voter ID. Why? Because they are trying to steal elections. This isn&#8217;t tinfoil hat stuff. This is the only way to explain the discrepancy between elected Democrats — politicians, operatives, activists — and ordinary voters. Basically everyone in the country supports voter ID. The only people who don&#8217;t are the ones who particularly work to run and win elections.
<h3><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-1910-breaking-trans-school-shooter-murders-nine-in-canada?elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowHeadline=Recent+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel">WATCH: The Michael Knowles Show on DailyWire+</a></h3>
What you&#8217;re going to hear from the establishment media is, well, actually, you know, it&#8217;s very rare for illegal aliens to vote in elections. It&#8217;s very rare for people who are ineligible to vote in elections.
Right. Sure. Okay. 
The libs have told you a lot of lies over the years, and I&#8217;m not going to go through the litany of them now but I just want to take you back a few months.
Do you remember when the Democrats shut the government down? The Democrats shut the government down because they wanted to try to juice their numbers before some special elections. And the Republicans came out and said you&#8217;re shutting the government down in order to give health care to illegal aliens.
And the Democrats uniformly said, no, we are not. We do not give health care to illegal aliens. That is not true. That&#8217;s a lie.
By the end of the shutdown, the Democrats were inveighing against the Republicans because they said this is so awful — illegal aliens can&#8217;t get food, they&#8217;re losing their health care, they&#8217;re losing their SNAP benefits. They completely contradicted themselves over the course of weeks. Not years, not even months but weeks. They told you illegal aliens don&#8217;t get health care and welfare, and then they told you we have to reopen the government so that illegal aliens can get health care and welfare again.
The Democrats tell you that illegal aliens are not voting, but they are fighting tooth and nail against the vast majority of their own voters to prevent voter ID. Why? I think it might have something to do with the fact that illegal aliens are voting. The Democrats are counting on illegal aliens to vote. Even beyond illegal aliens, there are plenty of other ineligible voters who are not illegal aliens — voters who maybe are bussed in from out of district, voters who maybe because of felonies or other issues are not allowed to vote. Regardless, they need to minimize ballot security measures.
The only explanation—the only explanation—for the Democrats to fight against their own voters on this issue is that they want to steal elections. If you don&#8217;t get that at this point, I don&#8217;t know how to help you.

Americans Go To The Polls In The 2024 Elections

CNN Polling Cuts Against A Key Democrat Narrative

Election Fraud

Michael Knowles

Voter ID

Voter Integrity

Voting

The House of Representatives passed a new version of the SAVE America Act on Wednesday evening, giving some new life to legislation that would require photo identification and proof of U.S. citizenship for voters.
The vote went largely along party lines, with every Republican who was present voting in favor of the measure. The lone Democrat to break with his party and vote for the SAVE America Act was Henry Cuellar (D-TX).
The bill, introduced by Texas Republican Rep. Chip Roy and pushed by President Donald Trump, now heads to the Senate, where it faces an uphill battle to reach Trump&#8217;s desk. To pass the Senate, the SAVE Act will have to reach the 60-vote threshold to overcome the filibuster, meaning at least seven Democrats would have to join all Republicans in approving the bill, which is unlikely.
Recent polling shows that the vast majority of Americans support photo ID requirements for voting, but legislation mandating ID requirements has struggled to gain traction in Congress. On Tuesday, Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska also came out <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/gop-sen-lisa-murkowski-comes-trumps-election-bill-warning-party-rcna258353">against</a> the bill, arguing that it would &#8220;effectively&#8221; federalize elections, something she said Republicans have opposed in the past.
The House passed another version of the SAVE Act last year, but it stalled in the Senate. The revamped version of the bill would require voters to provide proof of citizenship along with photo ID before they cast their ballots, meaning people would have to show additional documentation such as a passport or a birth certificate.
Democrats claim that the SAVE America Act would &#8220;disenfranchise millions of Americans.&#8221; Earlier this month, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer <a href="https://x.com/SenSchumer/status/2018443554201452623">called</a> the bill &#8220;Jim Crow 2.0,&#8221; the same criticism Democrats used for Georgia&#8217;s photo ID law that passed in 2021.
&#8220;Millions of American citizens — millions — don’t have access to the paperwork that SAVE would require and would be in danger of getting shut out of our democracy,&#8221; Schumer <a href="https://www.democrats.senate.gov/news/press-releases/leader-schumer-floor-remarks-on-how-the-save-act-would-disenfranchise-millions-of-american-voters-says-it-is-dead-on-arrival-in-the-senate">said</a> during remarks on the Senate floor on Monday. &#8220;For example, if you’re one of the 50% of Americans who doesn’t have a passport, or if you’re one of the tens of millions of Americans who can’t quickly access your birth certificate, the SAVE Act could, in effect, take away your right to vote.&#8221;
Republicans have pushed back on Democrats&#8217; arguments, saying that U.S. citizens can obtain passports and copies of their birth certificates.
“The SAVE America Act provides multiple ways to prove citizenship, as millions of Americans do every day for work, travel, and financial transactions,” <a href="https://www.deseret.com/politics/2026/02/10/mike-lee-save-act-women-voters/">said</a> Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee, who introduced the legislation in the Senate. “It’s sad that congressional Democrats are so afraid of election security that they’re willing to spread falsehoods about commonsense safeguards supported by a majority of both Republicans and Democrats across the country.”
For months, Trump has called on Republicans to abolish the filibuster, which would help them pass some of his important agenda items like the SAVE Act, but Republican leaders have pushed back. Earlier this week, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) said, &#8220;There aren’t anywhere close to the votes, not even close, to nuking the filibuster.&#8221;
Lee told Deseret News that there could be another way to pass the SAVE Act without &#8220;nuking&#8221; the filibuster. He said the Senate could revive the talking filibuster, which requires senators to be on the floor and actively speaking to stall a vote, a move that could circumvent the 60-vote threshold needed for cloture.
“Nothing in the Senate’s an easy move. This one’s certainly not,” Lee added. “But if we want to do this, this is how we have to go about it.”

House Passes Revamped Bill To Prevent Illegal Immigrants From Voting, Senate Battle Looms

House of Representatives

The National Republican Campaign Committee will host President Donald Trump for the second consecutive year at its presidential dinner fundraiser on March 25, underscoring an extremely competitive midterm election cycle.
In a video first shared with The Daily Wire, the dinner is expected to honor the president as he begins the second year of his second term.
“Republicans will fight for every state, every seat, and every single vote. We&#8217;re going to fight like hell, and we&#8217;re going to win, win, win like we&#8217;ve never won before,” Trump said in his address from last year, which is shown in the video. The spot highlighted various GOP incumbents in key races, including Reps. Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA), and Jen Kiggans (R-VA).
The NRCC’s role is to focus on target races for Republicans to either flip or retain – a large undertaking with the GOP&#8217;s razor-thin House majority.
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At last year’s presidential dinner, the organization raised a “record-shattering” $35.2 million. The group slightly outraised its Democratic counterpart, the DCCC, by more than $2 million in 2025, according to <a href="https://www.newsmax.com/politics/midterms-fundraising-gop/2026/02/03/id/1244668/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Newsmax</a>.
“House Republicans are proud to have the unwavering support of President Donald J. Trump as we march toward November with undeniable momentum,” NRCC Chairman Richard Hudson said. “Across the country, Americans are energized to grow our House majority and keep delivering on President Trump’s America First agenda.”
Trump is expected to hit the campaign trail this year seeking to maintain or grow his majorities to keep his agenda alive. Most notably, Congress passed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” last July, which addressed several of the administration’s goals, including tax cuts and immigration, and will likely be debated in congressional districts nationwide as November approaches.
&#8220;I’m gonna do a lot of campaign traveling,” Trump said in January, according to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-vows-heavy-campaign-push-gop-cites-midterm-curse-sitting-presidents" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fox News</a>. &#8220;We’re going to work hard.&#8221;
In his official capacity, the president has delivered several recent economic speeches in states with swing districts, including Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Iowa, as affordability is expected to be a top issue in the general election.
On the Senate side, where Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority, the Cook Political Report <a href="https://www.cookpolitical.com/ratings/senate-race-ratings">rates</a> four races as &#8220;toss-ups&#8221; in Maine, Michigan, Georgia, and North Carolina.
On Wednesday morning, the committee sent an email blasting Republicans in various target races after a failed House vote to block resolutions against the administration&#8217;s tariffs. The DCCC claimed GOP lawmakers &#8220;voted to shield Donald Trump from Congressional oversight on his sweeping, reckless tariffs that are raising costs.&#8221;
The Daily Wire reached out to the DCCC for comment.

President Trump

Trump To Headline Key Midterm Fundraiser, Kick-Start 2026 Campaign Push

2026 election

Executive

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) made her re-election bid official Tuesday, unboxing a pair of New Balance running shoes and announcing, “This is perfect for 2026, because I’m running.”
The announcement launches what is expected to be a fiercely competitive general election in Maine following speculation that Collins would retire instead, according to <a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/07/16/congress/white-house-collins-maine-00459055" target="_blank" rel="noopener">POLITICO</a>.
The race has already grown contentious, especially in the Democratic primary between Gov. Janet Mills and populist Graham Platner. Platner has drawn scrutiny over past controversies, including a now-removed tattoo featuring a Nazi symbol and old <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dem-senate-hopeful-called-himself-a-communist-made-racist-comments-in-reddit-posts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reddit</a> posts in which he described himself as a &#8220;communist.&#8221;
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“Susan Collins pledged to only serve two terms in the Senate,” Platner said in an <a href="https://x.com/grahamformaine/status/2021225664829886812">X</a> post responding to Collins’ launch. “That’s just one of a hundred reasons she doesn’t deserve a sixth term.”
Governor Mills said Sen. Collins “has had almost three decades to prove that she’s the right leader for Maine in this critical moment — and she&#8217;s failed. Seniority without a backbone is just tenure, and another term won’t fix that. It&#8217;s time for her to go.”
The <a href="https://www.cookpolitical.com/ratings/senate-race-ratings">Cook Political Report</a> currently rates the race as a toss-up. Collins faced a similarly high-stakes contest in 2020, when she defeated Democrat Sara Gideon with nearly 51% of the vote compared to Gideon&#8217;s roughly 42%.
The Republican lawmaker has secured the backing of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which typically supports incumbents and contenders it views as best to win general elections.
“From protecting Social Security to supporting small businesses, no one works harder and is more dependable at delivering prosperity and opportunity,&#8221; NRSC Chairman Tim Scott said. &#8220;I’m confident Susan will defeat whoever emerges from the messy Democrat primary, because Mainers know they can always count on her.”
Collins has had a complicated relationship with President Donald Trump, who has publicly criticized her and other Republicans over past War Powers Resolution votes and at one point said they &#8220;should never be elected to office again.&#8221;
Despite past tensions, Collins, the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, stood alongside Trump at the Oval Office signing ceremony last week, along with other lawmakers, as the partial government shutdown ended. She is the lone Republican in New England&#8217;s congressional delegation.

Susan Collins

‘I’m Running’: Susan Collins Launches Re-Election Bid As GOP Fights To Hold Crucial Senate Seat

graham platner

janet mills

Maine

Republicans are beginning to sound the alarm about the 2026 elections. The concern stems from a Texas state Senate race in <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/01/politics/texas-state-senate-9-special-election-rehmet">a district</a> President Trump won by 17 points in 2024, but which shifted 14 points toward Democrats. That&#8217;s a 31-point swing. 
Republicans closely watching these races have noticed that a bunch of special elections, ranging from Texas to Mississippi to Georgia, deep red areas, are moving toward Democrats.
According to <a href="https://kalshi.com/">the markets</a>, 63% of people say the Republican Party will retain control of the Senate. 37% believe the Democrats will take control. But those are the worst numbers for the Republican Party this cycle. Those numbers seem to be converging, and the hopes for the Democratic Party in this election cycle are rising. 
The markets also suggest 78% of people believe Democrats will win the House, with only 22% saying Republicans will retain control.
A <a href="https://harvardharrispoll.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/HHP_Jan2026_KeyResults.pdf">Harvard-Harris poll</a> shows that Democrats are +4% on the generic congressional ballot, which is a bad number for Republicans. In the Senate, there are a bunch of vulnerable seats for Republicans, including Maine, where, according to various betting markets, Susan Collins is now the underdog in that race.
In North Carolina, a Republican Senate seat that will be vacated by Thom Tillis appears to lean toward the Democrats. In Ohio, Sherrod Brown could easily pull that race off. So the Democrats could get to 50 seats in the Senate before you know it. There are other seats in Alaska, Iowa, and Texas, which are normally a reach for Democrats, but in a really bad year, you could see them move in the direction of the Democrats.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-2360-here-s-the-real-reason-democrats-are-obstructing-ice?elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowHeadline=Recent+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-974957" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1024x171.webp" alt="DailyWire+" width="1024" height="171" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1024x171.webp 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-300x50.webp 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-768x128.webp 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1536x256.webp 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-2048x341.webp 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>
What can Republicans do about it?
There is some mildly encouraging news for Republicans in the <a href="https://harvardharrispoll.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/HHP_Jan2026_KeyResults.pdf">Harvard-Harris poll</a>.
According to the poll, 56% of Americans say that the economy is shrinking. It is not. 66% say inflation is above 3%, which it is not. Only 38% of Americans say the economy is on the right track. Yet Americans are split roughly 50/50 on whether the economy is weak or strong.
There’s a serious informational gap here. The administration needs to do a better job of fighting that informational gap.
The most unpopular Trump policies with regard to the economy are on tariffs and inflation. Those two things are related because the president keeps shouting over and over and over about lowering the interest rates. That leads people to worry about inflation, because inflation has not yet been fully conquered, and because the president keeps touting his tariffs, and they have had an impact on businesses in the United States, that&#8217;s unpopular, too.
If the president simply stopped talking about tariffs so much, or if he were to stop putting such public pressure on the Federal Reserve to shift the interest rates, it would probably have some impact on how Americans think about the future of inflation in the country.
But there’s something else here: If you want to know why Democrats are creating absolute chaos in places like Minneapolis, the answer is they are trying to undermine President Trump&#8217;s top issue. President Trump is most popular on the immigration issue. 51% of Americans still approve of President Trump&#8217;s response to the anti-ICE protests. 47% still approve of his crime policy when it comes to his most popular policies. Deporting criminal illegal immigrants is approved by 73% of Americans. 67% of Americans oppose sanctuary city policies. 60% of Americans say Democrats are encouraging resistance to ICE, and 57% of Americans oppose them doing that.
Americans are pretty evenly split on whether they want to see only criminal illegal immigrants targeted or whether they want to see broader sweeps. With that said, targeting criminal illegal immigrants is what most Americans approve of , which is why, of course, Democrats are trying to necessitate that ICE and Border Patrol go after illegal immigration more broadly.
When it comes to PR efforts, trotting out various members of the administration to say over and over and over again that every single person is going to be caught and deported from Home Depot is bad politics.
Forget about whether it&#8217;s right or wrong for a second. It is not smart politics. But the Trump administration is starting to do the right things on PR with regard to Minnesota. Tom Homan has made an offer to Minneapolis, saying, “Give us your criminals,” which is the right policy.
From a PR perspective, targeting criminal illegal immigrants in the United States is an 80/20 issue with Republicans on the side of the 80 and Democrats on the side of the 20.
Democrats are trying to drive the perception that the Trump administration is focused indiscriminately on everyone across the country who is an illegal immigrant. They&#8217;re trying to instill the belief in Americans that tyranny is upon us. The plan for the Democrats is to up the ante, to undermine President Trump&#8217;s popularity on his most popular issue.
Watching the legacy media and so much of our culture attempt to foster what feels like BLM summer part II, that you have to demonstrate solidarity with criminally illegal immigrants, is not going to work because the BLM issue in 2020 had more purchase in the American imagination, given America&#8217;s racial past, then the idea that criminal illegal immigrants are somehow victims of a system that&#8217;s trying to pick them up and deport them.
The winning issue for President Trump is immigration. And if he can take control of the narrative, the GOP will bear the fruit.

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The GOP’s 2026 Wake-Up Call: Strategies And Statistics

The GOP's 2026 Wake-Up Call: Strategies And Statistics

2026 elections

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