California’s already volatile race for governor took on a sharper edge Tuesday night, as a crowded field of candidates turned a nationally televised debate into a sustained exchange of attacks, cross-talk, and ideological contrasts that underscored just how unsettled the contest remains weeks before the June 2 primary.
With seven candidates on stage and no clear frontrunner, the debate quickly took on the feel of a pivotal moment in the race, less about introducing platforms than defining — and swinging at — opponents. Moderators pressed candidates on affordability, energy, immigration, and healthcare, but answers often gave way to direct clashes, particularly between Republicans and Democrats and within the Democratic field itself.
Republicans Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco framed the night around a broader indictment of Democratic governance, arguing that years of one-party control has driven up costs and worsened quality of life. The Democrats; former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, former Rep. Katie Porter, businessman Tom Steyer, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, largely countered by tying Republican critiques to President Donald Trump and defending the state’s policy direction, though not without visible fractures among themselves.
The most consistent throughline of the evening was the cost of living, particularly gas prices, which hovered above $6 per gallon statewide. Hilton argued that regulatory policy and environmental mandates were artificially inflating costs, at one point accusing Steyer of supporting policies that burden working Californians to benefit “rich friends” invested in climate initiatives. Steyer fired back, calling Hilton an “apologist for fossil fuels” and arguing that global markets, not state policy, drive fuel costs.
That exchange set the tone for much of the night: blunt, personal, and often spilling beyond the moderators’ control.
At another point, Becerra claimed that Trump is responsible for raising the cost of living in California, singling out the war in Iran and rising gas prices. Villaraigosa shot back, reminding Becerra that Californians have dealt with the highest gas prices in the country &#8220;for a very long time.&#8221; 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Xavier Becerra gets OWNED by his own party:
BECERRA: “Let’s focus on who’s raising the cost of living in California…that’s Donald Trump.”
VILLARAIGOSA: “That’s not true, we’ve had the highest gas prices over $2 than the rest of the nation for a very long time…” <a href="https://t.co/dM7khLVi4J">pic.twitter.com/dM7khLVi4J</a>
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/2051841155453612241?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Healthcare proved similarly divisive, especially around the question of a single-payer system. Porter pushed Becerra to give a direct answer on whether he supported such a system, while Villaraigosa and Mahan cast doubt on its feasibility, citing cost concerns. Steyer, by contrast, argued the system’s current strain leaves little alternative. Republicans used the moment to frame the debate itself — as Hilton put it — as a choice between “going Left or going farther Left.”
Porter and Steyer also said they want the state to provide free healthcare to illegal immigrants. Hilton shot back at that argument, saying, &#8220;The actual way we deal with healthcare in this state is to at least stop spending twenty billion dollars a year on healthcare for illegal immigrants who shouldn&#8217;t even be in the country in the first place.&#8221;
Immigration and law enforcement added another layer of intensity. Bianco positioned himself as uniquely familiar with the effects of California’s sanctuary policies, while Villaraigosa dismissed his claims outright, calling him a “bully” and referencing past affiliations that Bianco defended. The exchange highlighted not only partisan divides, but the willingness of candidates to escalate rhetoric in a crowded field competing for attention.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Candidates vying to be the next California governor clashed over a question on immigration enforcement.
Watch the California Governor Primary Debate live NOW on CNN and the CNN app: <a href="https://t.co/U9JEkCJj1E">https://t.co/U9JEkCJj1E</a> <a href="https://t.co/01Cb2f3Rob">pic.twitter.com/01Cb2f3Rob</a>
— CNN (@CNN) <a href="https://twitter.com/CNN/status/2051847247197798903?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2026</a></blockquote>
Within the crowded Democratic ranks, friction was difficult to ignore. Becerra and Mahan sparred over healthcare records, while Becerra and Steyer traded accusations tied to campaign funding and past business dealings. Porter, at one point attempting to police the tone, criticized the “bickering” on stage, only to be drawn back into the ongoing war of interruptions and rebuttals.
The presence of Trump loomed over the debate with Democrats repeatedly casting him as a central threat to California, while Republicans argued that fixation on Trump was a way to deflect from state-level failures. When asked how they would work with him, the divide sharpened further, with some candidates emphasizing resistance and others calling for pragmatic engagement.
Beneath the exchanges, a more structural reality remained clear: the race is still wide open. Polling has shown no dominant candidate, and Tuesday’s debate did little to consolidate the field. Instead, it reinforced the sense of fragmentation — ideologically, stylistically, and strategically — as candidates search for a path into the top two spots that will advance to the general election.
At times, the debate approached disorder, though moderators kept it from devolving into the kind of chaos seen in earlier debates in the race. Still, frequent interruptions, overlapping answers, and pointed one-liners gave the event a combative rhythm that reflected the melodrama of California politics.
With mail voting already underway and the primary less than a month away, Tuesday’s debate served less as a clarifying moment than a snapshot of a race still in flux. For now, the only clear takeaway is the absence of clarity itself.

c-cagovernor-2

Candidates Trade Brutal Blows In Wild California Governor Debate

California

Democrats

Donald Trump

Economy

Healthcare

Immigration

Republicans

The Supreme Court’s ruling narrowing the scope of the Voting Rights Act is already prompting calls from Republicans to redraw congressional maps, a move that could create more GOP-friendly seats, particularly across the South.
In Tennessee, Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) on Wednesday encouraged state lawmakers to reconvene and redraw district lines in a way that could flip a Democratic-held seat.
“I urge our state legislature to reconvene to redistrict another Republican seat in Memphis. It&#8217;s essential to cement [Donald Trump’s] agenda and the Golden Age of America,” Blackburn, who’s running to succeed Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee, posted to X following the decision.
“I’ve vowed to keep Tennessee a red state, and as Governor, I&#8217;ll do everything I can to make this map a reality,” she added.
Memphis is currently represented by Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) in a heavily Democratic district.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I urge our state legislature to reconvene to redistrict another Republican seat in Memphis. It&#8217;s essential to cement <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a>’s agenda and the Golden Age of America.
I&#8217;ve vowed to keep Tennessee a red state, and as Governor, I&#8217;ll do everything I can to make this map a… <a href="https://t.co/qljW0mxiqG">pic.twitter.com/qljW0mxiqG</a>
— Marsha Blackburn (@VoteMarsha) <a href="https://twitter.com/VoteMarsha/status/2049515547910381782?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2026</a></blockquote>
The court’s 6-3 ruling in Louisiana v. Callais found that the state violated constitutional limits by drawing a majority-minority district predominantly on the basis of race. Writing for the majority, Justice Samuel Alito said Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act “was designed to enforce the Constitution — not collide with it,” adding that “lower courts have sometimes applied this Court’s […] precedents in a way that forces States to engage in the very race-based discrimination that the Constitution forbids.”
“The State’s attempt to satisfy the Middle District’s ruling, although understandable, was an unconstitutional racial gerrymander,” Alito wrote.
The full implications of the ruling remain unclear, but it could open the door for challenges to similar race-based districts in other states.
In Alabama, Attorney General Steve Marshall, a Republican, <a href="https://www.alabamaag.gov/attorney-general-marshall-applauds-momentous-supreme-court-redistricting-decision/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> the state would move quickly to ensure its maps &#8220;reflect the will of the people, not a racial quota system the Constitution forbids.&#8221;
&#8220;The Court rightly acknowledged that the South has made extraordinary progress, and that laws designed for a different era do not reflect the present reality,&#8221; Marshall stated.
Mississippi Republican Gov. Tate Reeves signaled even before the ruling that he was prepared to call a special session to redraw maps, particularly affecting the state’s deep blue 2nd Congressional District.
“It is a decision that could (and in my view should) forever change the way we draw electoral maps,” Reeves wrote last week.
In Georgia, Republican state Sen. <a href="https://x.com/DolezalForGA/status/2049508266175062141?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Greg Dolezal</a> called on lawmakers to revisit district lines, arguing that the current maps should be redrawn to benefit Republicans.
“The last thing that Republicans need to do is be weak-kneed in this moment. This is a time to be bold. This is a time to be aggressive,” Dolezal, who’s running for lieutenant governor, said in a video.
Democrats, meanwhile, blasted the decision. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said the court “just turned its back on one of the most sacred promises in American democracy—the promise that every voice counts.”
The ruling lands amid an already intensifying redistricting battle ahead of the 2026 midterms, with both parties seeking an edge in the fight for control of the House during the final stretch of President Donald Trump&#8217;s term.

Sen. Lankford Speaks To The Press On “Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act”

Republicans Ramp Up Redistricting Push After Supreme Court Ruling

Congress

Georgia

Mississippi

Tennessee

California Gov. Gavin Newsom is facing pushback for the timing of the special election to replace former Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) in the Bay Area congressional district.
The special runoff election is set for August 18, but the primary will occur on June 16 in the deep blue district where Swalwell won his last election by nearly 36 percent — approximately two months after the congressman&#8217;s resignation.
Compare that to the timeline to replace Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA), who passed away in early January: a special election primary won&#8217;t take place until June 2 before a potential runoff on August 4 in the deeply Republican district. In either primary race, a candidate needs over 50% of the vote to avoid a runoff.
Additionally, in January 2020, following the resignation of Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA), Gov. Newsom faced scrutiny over the decision not to have a special election at all, which left the seat vacant for almost an entire year.
“Ask Greg Abbott about the 18th congressional district in Texas,” Brandon Richards, deputy director for Rapid Response for Newsom’s office, told The Daily Wire when asked about the unusual timing. In Texas’ 18th Congressional District, Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) faced criticism from Democrats over the seat being left open for over a year.
“It&#8217;s another example of how Gavin Newsom, he doesn&#8217;t care about stripping people of their voice and their representation as long as it politically benefits him,” State Assemblyman Carl DeMaio (R-CA) said. DeMaio was a vocal critic of the decision to keep Hunter’s seat vacant, according to <a href="https://www.politico.com/states/california/story/2020/01/08/duncan-hunter-seat-will-remain-vacant-as-newsom-forgoes-special-election-1247432" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Politico</a>.
“If it’s a Republican seat, [Newsom] won&#8217;t call the special election at all, or he&#8217;ll try to delay it for as long as possible, as he did with LaMalfa. And if it&#8217;s a Democrat seat, ‘Oh, my goodness,’ he&#8217;s gonna basically stretch and tear every single logistical hurdle, in order to get the seat filled,” the lawmaker added.
Republicans currently hold an extremely narrow 218-213 majority in the House of Representatives, as mid-decade redistricting will drastically change the maps in California, Texas, and other states until after the 2030 census data is evaluated.
California added five Democrat-leaning seats for the November election with the passage of Prop. 50, while Texas added five Republican-leaning seats. Other states have taken similar measures, including Virginia, which will vote on April 21 on whether to create a 10-1 Democrat-leaning map.
Swalwell resigned on Tuesday following multiple allegations of sexual assault and harassment. He also opted to suspend his campaign to become California’s next governor — though many surveys showed that he was the highest polling Democrat in the crowded top-two primary — but he lost nearly all of his endorsements when the allegations became public.
“I am deeply sorry to my family, staff, and constituents for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past. I will fight the serious, false allegation made against me. However, I must take responsibility and ownership for the mistakes I did make,” he said in a statement as an expulsion vote loomed over him.
“Expelling anyone in Congress without due process, within days of an allegation being made, is wrong. But it’s also wrong for my constituents to have me distracted from my duties,” Swalwell wrote. “Therefore, I plan to resign my seat in Congress. I will work with my staff in the coming days to ensure they are able, in my absence, to serve the needs of the good people of the 14th congressional district.”

Gavin Newsom

Newsom Accused Of Running The Clock Differently Depending On Who It Helps

Eric Swalwell

Politics

The SAVE America Act may be stalled in the Senate, but Congress is still debating it, and every American, regardless of political affiliation, should demand its passage. Requiring voter ID and proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections is overwhelmingly popular and long overdue. Yet even if the bill becomes law — and especially if it dies under Democrat obstruction — states should not be sitting idle. State legislatures should be passing strong measures to ensure that only citizens can vote in all American elections.
Evidence of the problem is not hard to find. Over four years, a single county in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://thefederalist.com/2026/03/19/thousands-of-noncitizens-on-voter-rolls-in-one-county-underscore-need-for-save-act/__;!!PxibshUo2Yr_Ta5B!1PCGuGnYoDUudOaHW0MTSfGTTW0b63zuI_dBW9lmBwFQUGqgsRX278ZgAwnwEO-MFm9-71XxmdmPnkvY$">removed</a> nearly 2,000 noncitizens from its voter rolls. States like <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://spectrumnews1.com/oh/columbus/news/2025/10/29/ohio-noncitizens-voting__;!!PxibshUo2Yr_Ta5B!1PCGuGnYoDUudOaHW0MTSfGTTW0b63zuI_dBW9lmBwFQUGqgsRX278ZgAwnwEO-MFm9-71XxmRpCs_8Q$">Ohio</a>, Texas, and Virginia have identified thousands more, many of whom had cast illegal ballots that canceled out the legal votes of Americans. The system is fundamentally broken, and far-left Democrats only seem interested in adamantly opposing commonsense reforms.
The lion’s share of the problem stems from the National Voter Registration Act and the <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.eac.gov/voters/national-mail-voter-registration-form__;!!PxibshUo2Yr_Ta5B!1PCGuGnYoDUudOaHW0MTSfGTTW0b63zuI_dBW9lmBwFQUGqgsRX278ZgAwnwEO-MFm9-71XxmSOkY8Mo$">National Mail Voter Registration Form</a> it created. A 2013 Supreme Court ruling misinterpreted the law, forcing states to “accept and use” this federal form as-is. So long as someone checks a box claiming citizenship, officials must register him to vote and can’t require actual proof of citizenship. Only later can those officials attempt to verify that claim through less reliable means. Thanks to the federal form, a noncitizen is one lie away from voting.
States have repeatedly petitioned the U.S. Election Assistance Commission to modify the form to honor their own proof-of-citizenship laws, but the Democrat commissioners have frustrated those efforts, including ignoring an executive order from President Trump. The SAVE America Act would solve this by requiring up-front proof of citizenship, but Senate Democrats are stonewalling. That fight must continue, and it is time for states to step up.
First, every state should require proof of citizenship to register: a birth certificate, passport, naturalization certificate, or other documents already required to get REAL IDs. If the voter has already given this to the DMV, a simple driver’s license number will do. Officials verify citizenship and add the voter to the rolls. No proof, no registration.
The federal form will remain a problem unless it is fixed or the Supreme Court reverses its erroneous ruling. Until then, the focus should be on damage control, that is, limiting the risk of noncitizens using the federal form to register. The Constitution offers a solution. Congress may “make or alter” the rules of congressional elections, but states retain control over state and presidential elections.
Using this framework, states should create a category of “federal-only” voters. If states cannot verify the citizenship of a federal-form applicant, he only gets to vote in congressional elections. Arizona pioneered this system in 2021, and the radical Left sued, but the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the federal-only system to remain in effect. Utah adopted a similar model this year. More states should follow — and go further.
States should use every available state and federal database to vet new and existing registrations. The Trump administration transformed the Department of Homeland Security’s SAVE (Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements) database into a free and easy tool to scan voter rolls for potential noncitizens. Legislatures should make its use mandatory.
DMVs should be collecting citizenship data and automatically sharing it with election officials. States should tap state and federal jury records, too; anyone unable to serve on a jury due to non-citizenship should be flagged for election officials and referred for investigation if they registered or voted. Photo IDs issued to noncitizens should be made visually distinct, and state agencies should be barred from offering to register anyone who is not a citizen.
Critics howl that citizenship laws will disenfranchise millions. But that is the charge they level against every election safeguard, and it never comes true. Americans easily comply with proof-of-citizenship requirements in other contexts. The same Senate that is now deadlocked on the SAVE America Act voted unanimously in 2005 to require Americans to prove citizenship to get a REAL ID.
Federal law requires individuals to prove identity and citizenship to get a job or apply for most welfare benefits. These laws haven’t barred millions from roads, airports, or welfare offices. The same will be true for voting. Americans understand this, which is why more than <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://news.gallup.com/poll/652523/americans-endorse-early-voting-voter-verification.aspx__;!!PxibshUo2Yr_Ta5B!1PCGuGnYoDUudOaHW0MTSfGTTW0b63zuI_dBW9lmBwFQUGqgsRX278ZgAwnwEO-MFm9-71XxmXjPzwZJ$">80% of the public</a> wants everyone to prove citizenship to vote.
The SAVE America Act may yet pass, but the next election won’t wait. Republican-controlled state legislatures should be moving now — even convening in special sessions — to strengthen their laws before the midterms. Many states have made progress, but few have gone as far as they should to ensure that elections are reserved for American citizens. It’s time to change that.
* * *
Jason Snead is Executive Director of the Honest Elections Project Action.
Hans von Spakovsky is a Senior Legal Fellow at Advancing American Freedom.

Senator Mike Lee Holds Capitol Hill News Conference On The SAVE America Act

The SAVE America Act May Stall. States Shouldn’t.

States Should Pass Their Own SAVE Acts

DW Opinion

Election Fraud

SAVE America Act

U.S. Senate

Vote Fraud

Voter ID

Former Rep. Mark Sanford (R-SC), who previously had a controversial tenure as governor of South Carolina and challenged President Donald Trump for the 2020 presidential nomination, announced his comeback congressional bid on Tuesday.
Sanford continues to face political pushback over his June 2009 decision to leave the state for roughly a week to see his mistress in Argentina, which he lied about and instead said that he was hiking the Appalachian Trail. He did successfully return to Congress from 2013 to 2019, but lost the 2018 primary to Republican Katie Arrington.
“I’m running for Congress because I believe our country is at a tipping point,” he said, saying if the national debt is “left unaddressed, that debt will crush our economy.”
“If you believe as I do, I’m asking you join us in this fight,” he added.
He most recently made major headlines with unverified accusations that he had a relationship with journalist Olivia Nuzzi while she was covering his 2020 presidential bid, as she later left Vanity Fair as a result of that and possible improper ties with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The seat is currently held by Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), who is running for governor of South Carolina in a crowded Republican primary. The congressional district is rated “Solid Republican” by the <a href="https://www.cookpolitical.com/ratings/house-race-ratings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cook Political Report</a>.
Although it was known that he would enter the race since late last month, his announcement triggered some negative reactions on X.
“Appalachian Trail is a thing because of you,” conservative commentator <a href="https://x.com/DLoesch/status/2044258447898665377?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dana Loesch</a> wrote.
“Launching today of all days?” CBS News Political Correspondent <a href="https://x.com/CHueyBurns/status/2044250334025941094?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Caitlin Huey-Burns</a> tweeted, presumably a nod to Rep. Eric Swalwell’s (D-CA) resignation on Tuesday over multiple sexual misconduct allegations, including two individuals accusing the Democrat of sexual assault. Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) also resigned on Tuesday following an affair scandal involving a female staffer who later ended up committing suicide.
However, some individuals on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/reel/949018910832865/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Facebook</a> were more complimentary.
“People look at the bad mistakes made not what the Governor has done for the state. This man can cut a budget in half. He will always always have my vote and I will always always have Marks back. Vote for the future people not the past,” one user wrote.
“If I still lived SC I would certainly vote for you. I lived in SC when you were Governor and thought you did an absolutely wonderful job,” another individual posted.
His decision to challenge Trump in 2020, although he suspended his campaign before any primaries, centered around the national debt.
“I’m suspending my race for the Presidency because impeachment has made my goal of making the debt, deficit, and spending issue a part of this presidential debate impossible right now,” Sanford stated at the time, according to <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/mark-sanford-ends-longshot-republican-presidential-campaign-n1080791#:~:text=Mark%20Sanford%20ends%20long%2Dshot%20Republican%20presidential%20campaign" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NBC News</a>.
The primary is on June 9.

Republican Mark Sanford Announces Run Against Trump, Gets Grilled About Past Scandal

A Well-Known Republican Is Making A Comeback And His Past Is Part Of The Story

House of Representatives

Mark Sanford

South Carolina

A law that became the subject of scrutiny following surveillance on 2016 Trump campaign aide Carter Page is up for renewal with an April 20 deadline, and the debate is creating unusual battle lines.
The debate centers on whether reforms should be made to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Section 702, or if there should be a “clean” extension of the law. FISA allows for the federal government to gather foreign intelligence, but some critics have warned that it opens the door for Americans to be spied on in the process.
President Donald Trump is asking for a “clean 18-month” extension of the law, saying that it is an “effective tool to keep Americans safe” when “used properly.” He noted that “whether you like FISA or not, it is extremely important to our Military,” noting it could be useful during the ongoing military operation in Iran.
“HOWEVER, the Critical and Common Sense Reforms that were made in the last Reauthorization of FISA must remain intact to protect the American People from abuses,” Trump posted to <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2036848808705814789" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Truth Social</a> on March 25.
The president said he “was a victim of the worst and most illegal abuse of FISA in our Nation’s History, by Radical Left Lunatics who lied to the FISA Court to spy on my 2016 Presidential Campaign in their attempt to RIG the Election in favor of Crooked Hillary Clinton.”
In 2024 when President Joe Biden was in office, Trump asked Congress to “KILL FISA” in a <a href="https://reason.com/2026/03/27/trump-backs-section-702-reauthorization-after-once-calling-to-kill-fisa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Truth Social</a> post, saying “IT WAS ILLEGALLY USED AGAINST ME, AND MANY OTHERS.” The FBI ended up issuing an apology in 2020 for how it pursued FISA warrants against Page over alleged Russian connections, as he was never prosecuted.
The House has been in recess, but returns to work this week, when Speaker Mike Johnson plans to raise the renewal.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) has said that she wants the SAVE America Act, an election security bill, to be tacked onto the FISA vote, which was a point of contention between her and Johnson, according to <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/03/27/mike-johnson-house-intelligence-fisa-extension-luna-fight" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Axios</a>. Even though the SAVE America Act has passed the House, it has struggled to gain the momentum necessary to pass in the Senate.
Meanwhile, Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) has declared “warrants or bust” in order to get her vote on the legislation, as she wants more barriers in place to review American communications gathered under FISA, according to <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/18/house-section-702-vote-00835291?nid=00000197-a74d-da70-a9ff-a75da4350000&amp;nname=inside-congress&amp;nrid=0000015a-ce98-daa2-a1fa-fefa0dc30000" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Politico</a>.
Some congressional Democrats have joined in on the calls for reforms, but their concerns relate to weaponization by the Trump administration.
“Any attempt to push forward a ‘clean’ reauthorization of Section 702 will put our private, sensitive data at risk,” Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) said in a March 19 <a href="https://jayapal.house.gov/2026/03/19/jayapal-statement-on-upcoming-fisa-reauthorization/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>.
“This Trump administration has been particularly brazen in its use of domestic surveillance to suppress our Constitutional rights and dissent,” she added.
However, some Democrats, like Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT), have faced left-wing backlash for their decision to support a FISA renewal.
“It is our most important intelligence collection tool … every day it stops terrorist attacks somewhere in the world,” Himes said, according to <a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/news/2026-03-31/protesters-call-on-rep-jim-himes-to-withdraw-support-for-a-federal-surveillance-program" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Connecticut Public Radio</a> on March 31.
Matthew R.A. Heiman, Chairman of the Cyber &amp; Privacy Working Group of the Regulatory Transparency Project, told The Daily Wire that “to the extent that [FISA] picks up Americans communications, it’s incidental.&#8221;
“Members of both sides, multiple boards and committees, have looked at this tool now for almost 20 years that it has been used, and they consistently find that the tool is really effective in terms of delivering important intelligence, and the misuses of the tool have been largely accidental,” Heiman said.
“And so it&#8217;s not a tool that&#8217;s been heavily abused, or there&#8217;s been malicious intent when there&#8217;s a mistake made,” he said.
“I think the Americans should support renewal of this tool, because it&#8217;s really important for all of our safety,” he continued.

Carter Page

Republicans Set For Major Showdown On Law That Haunted Trump’s First Admin

Anna Paulina Luna

FISA

Lauren Boebert

Bipartisan Lawmakers Launch The Dignity Coalition In Support Of DIGNIDAD

I Dug Into Plan To Let Millions Of Illegals Stay And It’s Even Worse Than I Thought

This Republican Sponsored Amnesty Bill Is So Much Worse Than I Thought

amnesty

Florida

illegal immigrants

Matt Walsh

Opinion

An immigration reform proposal from Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) triggered a social media eruption this week, as many Republicans are pushing back against the proposal they view as too soft on the issue.
The &#8220;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4393" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DIGNIDAD Act</a>,&#8221; which is co-sponsored by 39 Republicans and Democrats, would provide legal status without a way to get citizenship for those in the country illegally before 2021 for a renewable seven-year period for individuals who are working, offer “<a href="https://salazar.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/salazar.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/the-dignity-act-2025.pdf">protection</a>” for those in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, and codifies certain elements of border security law.
The bill was introduced in July 2025, with little movement in Congress since then, according to the congressional website. However, Salazar and other lawmakers are doing a “Dignity Tour” to make the case for the legislation, she <a href="https://salazar.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-maria-elvira-salazar-joins-bipartisan-leaders-launch-national-dignity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> last month.
Salazar has said that the legislation is not a form of amnesty, whereas other members of her caucus have argued otherwise.
“The DIGNITY Act removes ALL criminal illegal aliens and recent arrivals, and it shuts down future illegal immigration once and for all,” <a href="https://x.com/RepMariaSalazar/status/2041688739101946254?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Salazar</a> posted to X on Tuesday, arguing that there would be economic issues created by mass deportations of “long-time, contributing immigrants.”
“But here’s the truth: most Americans do NOT support deporting every long-term immigrant who has spent years working here, contributing to our economy, who have American kids and are part of our communities,” she added.
The thread posted by the Florida lawmaker was in response to comments from Rep. <a href="https://x.com/RepBrandonGill/status/2041649435587866911?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brandon Gill</a>, who said that the proposal is “rank amnesty and everybody knows it.”
“I want dignity for Americans — the people whose interests we represent — not illegal aliens. That means doing what we said we’d do: mass deportations,” he added. The various posts from Gill, Salazar, and others have gone viral, leading to a major discourse on X over the policies outlined in the bill.
He told The Daily Wire’s &#8220;<a href="https://x.com/realDailyWire/status/2041987678481117459?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wired In Live</a>&#8221; that the proposal “effectively stops the president from carrying out his deportation agenda,” adding that it is “a massive betrayal of everything Republicans ran on last election cycle.&#8221;
Republicans heavily campaigned on immigration and border security in the last election, with President Donald Trump’s campaign even touting signs with the slogan “Mass Deportation Now.”
Another clip of Salazar resurfaced on social media this week from a July 2025 interview with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKWBQ5kIvVQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WPLG Local 10 News</a>.
&#8220;At some point in the future, another legislator will write another law to give them a path to citizenship. Right now, what we need to do is buy peace for these people, allow them to stay,” she said in the interview.
Salazar’s South Florida district has a high immigrant population, and she and many <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4393/cosponsors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">other backers</a> of the bill represent swing districts, according to the <a href="https://www.cookpolitical.com/ratings/house-race-ratings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cook Political Report</a>.
Thirteen percent of likely voters said that immigration is the main issue facing the United States, as of March, according to an Emerson College <a href="https://emersoncollegepolling.com/march-2026-national-poll-47-oppose-us-military-action-in-iran-40-support/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">poll</a> of likely voters. As one of the highest rated issues behind the economy and “threats to democracy” in the survey, it will likely be a key point of contention on the campaign trail.

Maria Salazar

Push For Immigration Reform Forces Reckoning Among Republicans As Midterms Approach

around the table

Meet The Billionaires Who Are Secretly Sabotaging The Country

Billionaire

Chicago

Greg Abbott

Leftists

Rahm Emanuel

Texas

TOPSHOT-US-POLITICS-DEMONSTRATION

The ‘No Kings’ Protests Released New Levels Of Absurd

China

Democratic Socialism

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Minneapolis

New York City

You know, I’m old enough to remember a kinder, gentler America, with safe suburban streets of well-kept houses where a kid could go out on his bike after school and not return until sunset around six years later after which he would just sit silently in a corner of the house staring into the middle distance and occasionally pulling the legs off a spider or a mouse or maybe his kid sister while dreaming of the day he’d be free to hunt and kill at will… or maybe that was just me.
But in any case, today’s America is so hostile and so divided, that I just wish we could find a way to build bridges of communication and even friendship between conservatives and the flaming dirtbags trying to destroy everything that good people hold dear.
It’s not that all progressives are sinister Communist authoritarian perverts looking to bring the nation to its knees by allying themselves with Islamist terrorists and illegal immigrant gangsters in order to reduce our civilization to ashes then seize power in the ensuing chaos so they can enchain us in yet another of their drab utopias where everyone is equally miserable except for the small cadre of bitter lowlifes who derive some small pleasure from imposing their own unhappiness on everyone else — well, okay it is that, but it’s also the smug look on the faces of these schmucks that just makes you want to squeeze their noses between the knuckles of your first two fingers and twist them like Moe used to do to Curly on “The Three Stooges,” except not playing around this time.
But as Christians, we have to remember that Jesus told us to love our enemies and, sure, a lot of good that did him, but still, it’s up to us to try to understand those of our fellow citizens whose deeply-held principles lead them to oppose anything that even smells remotely like common decency.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-1272-the-andrew-klavan-show?elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowHeadline=Recent+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel"><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>
For instance, take Ilhan Omar. Here’s a woman who escaped the violence of civil war in the primitive hellhole called Somalia, an African word that means “please get me out of this primitive hellhole.” By the grace of a loving God who clearly just wasn’t paying attention that day, Omar’s family was granted asylum here in the United States, where she then rose to become a congresswoman in the corruption-riddled filth-pit of Minnesota, an Indian word that means, “Please get me out of this corruption-riddled filth-pit.”
Surely, such a woman must feel deep gratitude to a country so welcoming and generous and self-destructive.
And yet the other day, Congresswoman Omar said she was “incredibly proud” of her daughter Isra for traveling with other assorted snot-faced idiots to the Communist cesspool called Cuba, a Spanish word meaning, “Please get me out of this Communist cesspool.” The luxurious Cuban junket was intended, Omar said, to show solidarity with Cuba against the United States because the U.S. is cruelly attempting to free the Cubans from Communist cess-poolery. Omar went on to call her daughter a “brilliant young leader,” presumably referring to Isra’s arrest for demonstrating at Columbia University in support of the Iranian-funded rapist-murderers called Hamas, and also to the t-shirt Isra wore to Cuba celebrating the George Floyd-inspired burning of Minneapolis, an Indian word that means, “Please get me out of Minneapolis.”
So, in an attempt to build bridges of friendship with the congresswoman, I wrote her a polite email, saying, “Dear Communist terrorist witch-demon, shouldn’t you show more gratitude to the country that rescued you from a hellhole and elected you to Congress in a filth-pit?”
To give credit where credit is due, Congresswoman Omar did reply promptly, writing, “Your Islamophobia is not who we are as Americans. Who we are as Americans are people who allow a Somalian grifter to play us for suckers while she’s simultaneously plotting to crush us under the iron heel of Islamist Communism. That’s who we are as Americans, if by ‘we’ I mean you.”
So there it is, my friends, we really can learn to communicate with those on the other side of the political aisle. Just remember to wear a steel-tipped boot and aim for the ass.
* * *
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.

President Trump Delivers The State Of The Union Address

Yes, We Can Learn To Communicate Across The Political Aisle. Here’s How.

Andrew Klavan

Cuba

Humor

Ilhan Omar

Satire

After weeks of airport meltdowns and unpaid security agents, the Senate finally blinked.
In a late-night vote that stretched into the early hours of Friday morning, lawmakers passed a funding bill to reopen most of the Department of Homeland Security, a move aimed squarely at ending the travel nightmare and getting TSA agents paid again.
The deal comes after a brutal 42-day partial shutdown that left travelers stuck in massive lines, airports understaffed, and TSA officers working without pay. Some quit. Others called out. The result was exactly what you would expect. Chaos.
Now, relief may be on the way.
The bill funds most DHS operations and is expected to restore pay for TSA workers, easing pressure on airports that have been pushed to the brink.
The deal on the table still needs to clear the House before heading to President Donald Trump’s desk, but momentum is clearly there after the overnight breakthrough.
There is a catch.
The legislation leaves out funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and parts of Border Patrol, setting up the next fight in Washington. That battle is not going away. It is just been delayed.
Democrats were quick to claim they “held the line” on immigration provisions. Republicans, meanwhile, moved to act as airport conditions deteriorated and the need to get TSA agents paid grew more urgent.
In a Truth Social post just hours earlier, Trump mocked Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer as “Cryin’ Chuck Schumer,” saying Democrats had made it clear they stand “on the side of criminal illegal aliens, and not the American people,” while accusing them of refusing to fund immigration enforcement unless Republicans agreed to “Open Border Policies.”
In that same post, Trump signaled he was ready to step in to make sure TSA agents could receive paychecks again and provide for their families, with or without Congress, raising the stakes on lawmakers to get something done.
They finally did. At 2 a.m.

Empty_Congress_Money_TSA

Senate Strikes Overnight Deal To Pay TSA Agents In Bid To End Airport Chaos

Airports

President Trump

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