The effort to get the SAVE America Act to President Donald Trump’s desk intensified on Wednesday, when Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) released an op-ed highlighting that he would back “whatever changes to Senate rules” were deemed necessary in order to pass the bill.
Cornyn’s op-ed comes as he and Attorney General Ken Paxton are battling for Trump&#8217;s endorsement in the heated Texas Republican Senate primary that is already headed to a May 26 runoff election.
The president has said that the SAVE America Act is his top legislative priority, even vowing not to sign any other legislation until he sees it on his desk, and some Republicans have suggested using the “talking filibuster” — or ending the filibuster altogether — in order to get around Democratic obstruction. The measure would require documentary proof of citizenship for voter registration and voter ID at the ballot box.
“For many years, I believed that if the U.S. Senate scrapped the filibuster, Texas and our nation would stand to lose more than we would gain,” Cornyn wrote in his op-ed for the <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/03/11/opinion/sen-cornyn-why-the-save-act-matters-more-than-the-filibuster/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York Post</a>.
“My fellow conservatives and I have proudly used the 60-vote threshold to protect the country from all sorts of bad ideas and dangerous policies,” he added, saying that “when the reality on the ground changes, leaders must take stock and adapt.”
“Today, Democrats are weaponizing the Senate’s rules to block the SAVE America Act, defund the Department of Homeland Security and hurt the American people — all to spite President Donald Trump. But they say openly that if these same rules ever get in Democrats’ way, they won’t hesitate to rip them up,” he said, noting how many Democrats have sought to get rid of the filibuster in the past.
Critics of using a “talking filibuster” — or ending the practice altogether — have warned that it could open the floodgates to certain legislative proposals that the Democrats, and perhaps a small number of Republicans, could pass.
“A lot of that is, it&#8217;s in that kind of, you know, paid influencer ecosystem,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune told <a href="https://x.com/brennanleach/status/2031083867503743376?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NBC News</a> on Monday.
“What people don’t realize, I think, is that’s unlimited debate but it’s also unlimited amendments,” Thune has previously warned, according to <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5777802-talking-filibuster-gop-debate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Hill</a>.
Attorney General Ken Paxton used Cornyn&#8217;s op-ed as an opportunity to attack the incumbent senator, reminding everyone that he had posted on X one week prior that he “would consider dropping out of this race if Senate Leadership agrees to lift the filibuster and passes the SAVE America Act.”
“John Cornyn did exactly what I predicted. In one week, I&#8217;ve made him more conservative than in the past 24 years,” Paxton posted Wednesday. “The historic flip-flop&#8217;s great and all, but why aren&#8217;t you calling out your buddies like McConnell opposing the bill? Tell the American people who&#8217;s opposing this.&#8221;
The Republican primary has taken a strikingly personal tone as the runoff approaches, with the Cornyn campaign releasing a commercial on Friday regarding Paxton’s personal scandals and accusing the sitting attorney general of breaking several of the Ten Commandments.
Democrats have begun coalescing around state Sen. James Talarico, who defeated Rep. Jasmine Crockett in the primary last week — but according to the Cook Political Report, the general election race still skews “Likely Republican.”

Sen. John Cornyn

The Fight Over Proof Of Citizenship To Vote Reaches Boiling Point

2026 midterm

Congress

election integrity

John Cornyn

Ken Paxton

Senate

Texas

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) said on Tuesday that there is not enough support for the talking filibuster pushed by President Donald Trump and some Republican senators, placing the SAVE America Act&#8217;s Senate chances further in doubt.
The talking filibuster, first suggested by Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, would potentially clear a path for the GOP-controlled Senate to pass the legislation by forcing Democrats who oppose the SAVE America Act to speak non-stop on the Senate floor if they want to block a vote. Thune said the Republican-controlled Senate, however, doesn&#8217;t have enough support from his party to use the talking filibuster.
“The votes aren’t there, one, to nuke the filibuster, and the votes aren’t there for a talking filibuster,&#8221; Thune <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5776860-thune-blocks-talking-filibuster/">told</a> reporters. &#8220;It’s just a reality. I’m the person who has to deliver sometimes the not-so-good news that the math doesn’t add up, but those are the facts and there’s no getting around it.”
Trump has ramped up the pressure on Senate Republicans to pass the SAVE America Act before the 2026 midterms, arguing that a law imposing strict voter ID requirements is vital for Republicans to perform well in the upcoming elections. The legislation would require voters to provide proof of citizenship before registration and would prohibit states from sending mail-in ballots to voters, with the only exceptions being illness, disability, military service, or travel.
Sen. Lee, who sponsored the legislation, told The Daily Wire that Senate Republicans need &#8220;to push even harder&#8221; to get the SAVE America Act across the finish line.
&#8220;Voters across the nation are demanding the SAVE America Act. If we need a few more Senators to get on board to beat a Democrat standing filibuster, that’s not a reason to give up — it’s a reason to push even harder,&#8221; he said. &#8220;If Republicans don’t fight hard to deliver this wildly popular legislation that President Trump has specifically requested, how can we ask Americans to entrust us with both chambers of Congress in the future?&#8221;
Recent polling has shown that despite harsh Democratic opposition to the SAVE America Act, a majority of Americans support strict voter ID requirements.
On Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called the SAVE America Act &#8220;one of the most critical pieces of legislation in our nation&#8217;s history.&#8221;
&#8220;Passing the SAVE America Act is the most important thing that Republicans and frankly, Democrats, can do to strengthen election integrity and protect democracy,&#8221; Leavitt added. &#8220;It&#8217;s what the American people elected Republicans to do, and they must deliver on it as soon as possible.&#8221;
The press secretary also slammed Democrats for promoting the &#8220;myth&#8221; that the legislation would make it more difficult for women to vote.
&#8220;As far as married women who have changed their name, if they&#8217;re already registered to vote, they&#8217;re entirely unaffected by the SAVE Act, and for the some fraction of individuals who have changed their name or their address, they can still register to vote, of course. They just have to go through their state processes to update that documentation,&#8221; Leavitt continued.
Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/front-of-the-line-trump-says-he-wont-sign-a-thing-until-save-act-hits-his-desk">said</a> on Sunday that he would not sign any other legislation until the SAVE America Act is sent to his desk. The White House kept the pressure up on Tuesday, urging Americans to &#8220;DEMAND&#8221; that their senators get on board with the Save America Act.
&#8220;We either fix the integrity of America&#8217;s elections, or we won&#8217;t have a country left to fight for,&#8221; the White House <a href="https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/2031396991238869117">posted</a> on X. The post also included a <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/saveamerica/">link</a> to a White House webpage that provided contact information for each U.S. senator&#8217;s office.
Thune <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-paid-influencer-ecosystem-it-just-entered-the-election-integrity-fight?author=Drew+Berkemeyer&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=The+%E2%80%98Paid+Influencer+Ecosystem%E2%80%99%3F+It+Just+Entered+The+Election+Integrity+Fight">said</a> on Monday that much of the pressure campaign on the SAVE America Act is coming from conservative activists on X, which he called a &#8220;paid influencer ecosystem,&#8221; not from within the Senate itself.
&#8220;We want to get to the SAVE Act,&#8221; Thune added, but he warned that a talking filibuster would make other priorities much &#8220;harder&#8221; to address.
The Senate effectively ended the talking filibuster in the 1970s and moved to the silent filibuster, which has allowed the opposition to stall votes only by stating their intent to filibuster, and thereby require 60 votes to invoke cloture. Trump, who also pushed for the Senate to abolish the filibuster, has suggested that he would take executive action to impose voter ID and citizenship requirements if Congress doesn&#8217;t pass the SAVE America Act.

John Thune

One Senator’s Final Plea To Save The SAVE America Act

2026 Midterms

Donald Trump

Mike Lee

Politics

SAVE America Act

When asked to name something he loved other than his family or friends, the Democrat hoping to turn a Texas Senate seat blue said “trans children.”
James Talarico, a state lawmaker who won the Democrat primary in Texas last week, listed &#8220;trans children&#8221; as the “something that&#8221; he loved &#8220;that’s not family or friends” during an August 2023 podcast <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CligU7twvE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">appearance.</a> The clip, unearthed by The Daily Wire, highlights the radical record Talarico has attempted to downplay as he fights to win a Senate seat in a state President Donald Trump won by almost 14 points in 2024.
“I love, I&#8217;m just saying this because it&#8217;s all on my mind, the trans children who showed up yesterday at the state capitol to advocate for their humanity. They shouldn&#8217;t have to, but it was an inspiration to watch,” he said on the “A Superbloom” podcast.
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Credit: Superbloom Podcast
</div>
Talarico, who defeated Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett in a contentious Democrat primary last week, has a history of pushing transgender ideology in the Texas state legislature and opposing legislation that would protect kids from transgender procedures. He <a href="https://journals.house.texas.gov/HJRNL/88R/PDF/88RDAY63FINAL.PDF" target="_blank" rel="noopener">voted against</a> a 2023 law that protected kids from transgender surgeries and cross-sex hormone procedures.
Talarico will face either incumbent Senator John Cornyn or Attorney General Ken Paxton, who are headed to a runoff election after a contentious Republican primary in May. Both have opposed transgender procedures on kids.
Talarico once claimed during a committee hearing that there are more than two sexes.
“The one thing I want us to all be aware of is that modern science obviously recognizes that there are many more than two biological sexes,” he <a href="https://nypost.com/2021/04/26/texas-lawmaker-sparks-backlash-for-arguing-there-are-six-sexes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>, pointing to genetic abnormalities. “In fact, there are six.”
The Republican party says the video demonstrates that Talarico is a &#8220;sick freak.&#8221;
&#8220;James Talarico is a sick freak obsessed with talking to kids about sex changes,&#8221; GOP spokesman Zach Kraft told The Daily Wire. &#8220;I am not sure which one of his six genders he &#8216;identifies&#8217; as, but he needs to keep that to himself and stay away from children.&#8221;
The Democrat lawmaker, who has attempted to center his persona around his Christian faith, has claimed that parents who don’t “affirm” their children’s gender confusion are abusive. During an April 2019 hearing, he spoke out against a bill that would clarify the definition of abuse to make sure it would punish parents who didn’t accept their child’s so-called gender identity.
Talarico <a href="https://house.texas.gov/videos/5129" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> he considered “unwillingness” to “acknowledge a child&#8217;s gender identity” as “abusive” or “destructive” to the child.
“I say that because if that&#8217;s our belief, a foundational belief, then the idea of being neutral on any kind of abuse seems worrisome to us, at the very least,” he said. “ And any idea about keeping it private also seems worrisome, because abuse is not something to be kept private or to be neutral on.”
“There&#8217;s only one person who can determine a child&#8217;s gender identity, and that&#8217;s the child,” Talarico said, <a href="https://house.texas.gov/videos/5129" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claiming</a> that accepting a child’s perception of his or her gender was a “life and death issue” and that parents could be pushing their kids to commit suicide if they don’t affirm their confusion.
Talarico also <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CVD-Gi-FbWh/?hl=en&amp;img_index=3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">attacked</a> Republicans for passing a bill in October 2021 keeping males out of female sports.
“Texas Republicans have passed their anti-trans bill. Over and over, Christians used scripture to justify bullying trans kids,&#8221; he said at the time. &#8220;I told them in my faith, God is non-binary.&#8221;

MixCollage-09-Mar-2026-01-04-PM-2287

WATCH: James Talarico Says He Loves ‘Trans Children’ In Unearthed Clip

Transgender

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) doubled down on his party&#8217;s opposition to President Donald Trump, vowing on Sunday that Democrats in the U.S. Senate would never &#8220;help&#8221; Republicans to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act.
Despite the fact that the bill&#8217;s main focus — requiring valid proof of citizenship for voter registration — is popular among voters regardless of party, Schumer shared a post on X referring to the SAVE Act as &#8220;Jim Crow 2.0&#8221; and claiming that millions of people would be &#8220;disenfranchised&#8221; if it were to pass.
&#8220;The SAVE Act is Jim Crow 2.0. It would disenfranchise tens of millions of people,&#8221; Schumer <a href="https://x.com/SenSchumer/status/2030666289602072866">complained</a>. &#8220;If Trump is saying he won’t sign any bills until the SAVE Act is passed, then so be it: there will be total gridlock in the Senate. Senate Democrats will not help pass the SAVE Act under any circumstances.&#8221;
Schumer&#8217;s statement came just hours after Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/front-of-the-line-trump-says-he-wont-sign-a-thing-until-save-act-hits-his-desk">announced</a> early Sunday that he intended to prioritize the SAVE Act — nicknamed by Republicans the SAVE America Act — and would not sign anything else until he saw it on his desk.
Praising calls for Senate Republicans to use the traditional — &#8220;talking&#8221; — filibuster to force a vote on the measure, Trump said that it had to be the top priority to &#8220;pass THE SAVE AMERICA ACT, an 88% issue with ALL VOTERS.&#8221;
&#8220;It must be done immediately. It supersedes everything else. MUST GO TO THE FRONT OF THE LINE,&#8221; he added. &#8220;I, as President, will not sign other Bills until this is passed.&#8221;
In addition to requiring proof of citizenship — either through a valid passport or a birth certificate — the SAVE Act would dramatically limit online and mail-in voter registration and would reduce mail-in balloting to military service-members or those limited by illness, disability, or travel. States would also be required to routinely examine voter rolls in order to ensure that non-citizens were not being registered to vote. Criminal penalties would apply to any officials who registered voters with improper identification.
Despite the fact that a majority of Americans support voter ID requirements generally (81%) and the SAVE America Act specifically (71%), according to a <a href="https://harvardharrispoll.com/press-release-february-2026/">Harvard Harris poll</a> taken just after Trump&#8217;s State of the Union address, elected Democrats like Schumer have continued to insist that requiring proof of citizenship would necessarily disenfranchise voters who cannot access the proper documents.
The SAVE Act passed the House in February.

Longest Shutdown Tests Air Travel, Federal Workers And Patience

Schumer Melts Down Over Trump Voter Crackdown Push — Hints At Next Democrat Move

Chuck Schumer

A Democrat Senate candidate, looking to court the votes of working and middle-class families in Iowa, held a campaign event at a Leftist bookstore that once promoted a 14-year-old “drag queen” and routinely stocks sexually explicit books parents don’t want their kids to access at school. 
Zach Wahls, running for the seat currently held by Senator Joni Ernst, hosted an event at the Ames-based Dog-Eared Books, a bookstore that remains a haven for leftist ideology. The bookstore has promoted &#8220;Drag Queen Story Hour&#8221; for children and called for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). 
At the event, Wahls and his wife, romance novelist Chloe Angyal, <a href="https://www.mobilize.us/zachwahls/event/900039/">discussed</a> “the art of storytelling, the demands of public service, and the intersection of writing and advocacy.” They also discussed how their “parallel careers as authors have shaped their approach to politics, family, and the urgent work of building a better Iowa.” 
While Wahls has portrayed himself as a moderate seeking to work across partisan lines, Dog-Eared Books was a fitting venue for the Senate hopeful. Wahls has a documented history of advocating for leftist politics, though he <a href="https://zachwahls.com/meet-zach-wahls/">pledges</a> to &#8220;always put Iowa families first, no matter what.&#8221;
In September 2021, Dog-Eared Books <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CTSLAH9D2No/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D">promoted</a> a teenage boy “drag performer” who goes by the stage name Lonika LaBelle Knight.
“Lonika is a 14 years old drag queen with almost three years of experience under her belt. She nabbed the title of Miss Mason City Youth Pride and performs regularly at Lefty’s Live Music and The Garden Nightclub,” the bookstore posted on Instagram. “She can dance, twirl and capture the attention of everyone in a room with sass and class!”
That same performer returned in June 2023 for “a drag storytime” aimed at children. The bookstore <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CtutfoTOBKa/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D">posted</a> on Instagram that the event would “feature movement activities alongside a picture book reading so kids can engage both their minds and bodies.”
<div id="attachment_1054155" style="width: 1005px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1054155" class="size-full wp-image-1054155" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-05-at-9.03.57-AM.png" alt="" width="995" height="999" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-05-at-9.03.57-AM.png 995w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-05-at-9.03.57-AM-300x300.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-05-at-9.03.57-AM-574x576.png 574w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-05-at-9.03.57-AM-150x150.png 150w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-05-at-9.03.57-AM-768x771.png 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 995px) 100vw, 995px" />Dog-Eared Books/Instagram.</div>
Dog-Eared Books has <a href="https://www.facebook.com/dogearedbooksames/posts/pfbid02BxtSgY7jjQf3xq9kxo8q3KXhW4FtBvdBSeUSyz6AnxJfhcxuJJYZitqkKwVtrcrbl?rdid=zAKdxXXuBuAuZWKp">hosted</a> a “Tattoos for Palestine” fundraiser, <a href="https://shop.dogearedbooksames.com/lists/LFoOMjVaW1e0">maintains</a> a “Books for Fighting Fascism” list that includes a book by leftist Senator Bernie Sanders, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/dogearedbooksames/posts/pfbid02WFRj6eM98T5tm8Y4768j5HYFWWSoSFMHY1ZxGdRbQ3CnGPrufAEN5sgrVv5TrjWHl?rdid=bBddJGdRmSsMAYxS">called</a> for ICE to be abolished, and has a “You Can’t Read That At School” book <a href="https://dogearedbooksames.com/lists/LJuzFSmrJNY0">selection</a>. That section includes books like “Let’s Talk About It,” a graphic novel that contains explicit depictions of sex. 
The bookstore also released a <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CqI36acNBXW/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D">statement</a> slamming Iowa Republicans when they <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/iowa-bans-transgender-procedures-on-minors-trans-identifying-students-from-using-public-facilities-opposite-of-biological-sex">voted</a> to pass a law shielding kids from transgender procedures. It also <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cq_nWwqNk1-/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D">raised</a> over $3,000 for the Iowa Trans Mutual Fund, a <a href="https://www.iowatransmutualaidfund.org/aboutus">group</a> that provides grants to Iowans seeking &#8220;gender-affirming care.&#8221; 
As a state senator, Wahls has vehemently opposed laws aimed at protecting kids from transgender surgeries and cross-sex hormonal procedures. He <a href="https://x.com/ZachWahls/status/1633580068696907778">claimed</a> that there was “blood on the hands” of Iowa Republicans who supported the law. His opposition was based on questionable evidence that claimed children would be more likely to commit suicide if they weren’t given transgender procedures. 
Wahls, who <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzzDOzKagHA">rose</a> to prominence after discussing his experience of being raised by a lesbian couple, has close connections to <a href="https://oneiowa.org/">One Iowa</a>, an activist group &#8220;rooted in intersectional advocacy for LGBTQ Iowans.&#8221; Wahls toured with the group to promote gay marriage back in 2012 and even <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPV-fDydoKI&amp;t=417s">presented</a> an award to them.
One Iowa <a href="https://oneiowa.org/resources/medicalcareban/">offers</a> to help gender-confused kids access cross-sex hormones from out-of-state providers and schedule surgeries outside of Iowa. The group pushes girls to find breast binders to compress their chest so that it looks more masculine and other gender-confused kids to pursue “voice therapy.” The radical organization <a href="https://x.com/OneIowaAction/status/1493686950959714309?s=20">praised</a> Wahls for supporting male participation in female sports. 
Despite his links to the far-Left, Wahls’ <a href="https://zachwahls.com/issues/">campaign website</a> portrays him as a moderate focused on cutting costs and combatting political corruption. Wahls <a href="https://zachwahls.com/issues/">claims</a> to support securing the border by hiring thousands more Border Patrol agents and immigration judges, and wants to ensure “secure” elections. He also says he wants to “restore abortion access,” pass paid family and medical leave, and a path to “legal status” for illegal aliens “who’ve been here for years, are working, and haven’t committed crimes.”

MixCollage-06-Mar-2026-01-44-PM-2267

‘Family First’ Democrat Senate Hopeful Campaigns At Bookstore That Promoted Teen ‘Drag Queen’

Democrat Senate Hopeful Campaigns At Bookstore That Pushed Teen 'Drag Queen'

Iowa

LGBT

With Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) being President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security, Mullin’s seat will presumably be vacated soon.
Oklahoma Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt will have the opportunity to appoint a replacement until the November general election, since Mullin was already up for reelection this year.
“Markwayne Mullin has been a fighter for Oklahoma and will fight to keep our nation secure. There isn’t a better choice to lead the Department of Homeland Security,” Stitt said in a statement on Thursday. Mullin&#8217;s nomination was triggered by DHS Secretary Kristi Noem being moved to a special envoy role, as the secretary is currently facing several controversies, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-fires-dhs-secretary-kristi-noem-announces-replacement?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Jennie+Taer&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Trump+Fires+DHS+Secretary+Kristi+Noem%2C+Announces+Replacement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> reported.
“Oklahoma has been an example to the nation for smart immigration enforcement, and Markwayne will bring that common sense to DHS. I will be looking to appoint a strong, small government conservative voice to support President Trump and protect Oklahomans’ way of life,” he continued.
No shortlist of names has emerged as of late Thursday afternoon.
Those who want to run for a full six-year term cannot be considered for the appointment, as appointees are legally unable to run for the seat due to state law, <a href="https://x.com/reesejgorman/status/2029631710950736153?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NOTUS</a> reported. Reps. Stephanie Bice and Kevin Hern are reportedly considering campaigning for the seat, according to the <a href="https://www.notus.org/2026-election/oklahoma-republicans-markwayne-mullin-senate-seat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">outlet</a>.
Oklahoma is a deep red state with all five congressional seats held by Republicans, including Reps. Josh Brecheen, Frank Lucas, and Tom Cole.
The state government is also dominated by Republicans in the top offices, including Lt. Gov Matt Pinnell, Secretary of State Josh Cockroft, and Attorney General Gentner Drummond.
As for the general election for the seat, it is currently rated as “Solid Republican” by the Cook Political Report. Trump won the 2024 presidential election in Oklahoma with over 66% of the vote. Trump recently took aim at the Oklahoma governor over a disagreement about a National Governors Association event at the White House, as Stitt chairs the group.
When it comes to Mullin, Trump said that he “will work tirelessly to Keep our Border Secure, Stop Migrant Crime, Murderers, and other Criminals from illegally entering our Country, End the Scourge of Illegal Drugs and, MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN.”
Many Republicans spoke out in support of the DHS shuffle, including Trump-critic Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who said in a post that the Oklahoma senator will “restore competence” to the department that’s currently facing a lapse in funding. Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) also indicated that he will support Mullin’s confirmation.

Markwayne Mullin

Homeland Security Shakeup Creates Major Opening For Deep-Red Senate Seat

2026 election

Elections

homeland security

Oklahoma

Republicans

The House of Representatives failed to pass a War Powers Resolution on Thursday over Operation Epic Fury in Iran, just one day after a Senate vote on the unlikely effort to halt military action against the country until Congress signs off on it.
The vote was 219-212, with most Republicans voting against the proposal and most Democrats voting for the resolution.
The House push was led by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), as Khanna argued on the House floor Wednesday that “the world needs a new moral vision.”
“The world needs an America that finds its moral center, Mr. Speaker,” he said.
“Let us rise to this historic challenge, in this body let us declare with courage and clarity that we reject this illegal and unjust war in Iran. Let us choose moral renewal over further moral decay,” the California lawmaker added.
Massie said in an X post earlier on Thursday that “the VOTE IS TODAY, but we’ve already won by forcing a debate and a vote.”
The Senate effort was led by Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Rand Paul (R-KY), but it failed 53-47 on Wednesday.
“Congress hereby directs the President to remove the United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against Iran, unless explicitly authorized by a declaration of war or a specific authorization for use of military force,” the Senate resolution stated.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) explained her vote against the resolution in a lengthy X post on Wednesday, explaining that the resolution “would send the wrong message to Iran and to our troops.”
“The Administration has adhered to the provisions of the War Powers Act that require notification to Congress within 48 hours of hostilities commencing, and it has provided numerous classified briefings to Congress,” she wrote.
The nature of the resolution, even if the Senate and House did successfully pass it, is likely a lost cause, given that the president would have to give it the final stamp of approval, according to <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/senate-vote-iran-war-powers-resolution-trump/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CBS News</a>.
Republicans have primarily been in support of the recent military actions, whereas Democrats have largely been against them, with the notable exception of Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania.
Operation Epic Fury kicked off over the weekend, resulting in the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and dozens of other top Iranian leaders. Many Democrats have argued that the threshold has not been met to justify military action, with Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) stating that the president “has presented no evidence that Iran or its nuclear program — which he falsely claimed to have ‘obliterated’ — pose an imminent threat to the United States, or that diplomacy was exhausted.”
Trump said on Thursday that the U.S. will need to play a direct role in deciding who is put in charge of the large Middle Eastern nation.
&#8220;We&#8217;re going to have to choose that person along with Iran. We&#8217;re going to have to choose that person,&#8221; the president told <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/trump-tells-reuters-us-will-have-role-choosing-irans-next-leader-2026-03-05/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reuters</a>.

US-ISRAEL-POLITICS-DIPLOMACY-TRUMP-NETANYAHU

Capitol Hill Takes New Shot At Trump’s Iran War Powers

Iran

Military

Ro Khanna

Thomas Massie

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

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

Kurt Alme

Montana

Steve Daines

President Donald Trump says he will make an endorsement in the Texas Senate Republican primary soon, and when he does so, he wants the other candidate to drop out so that Republicans in the Lone Star State can focus on gearing up for a potentially expensive and closely watched general election fight with Democratic nominee James Talarico.
The president explained his strategy after Sen. John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton both advanced to a runoff election on Tuesday night after an already brutal primary race. Trump had initially opted not to endorse any specific candidate in the three-way race that also included Rep. Wesley Hunt, who failed to earn enough votes to move forward.
“The Republican Primary Race for the United States Senate in the Great State of Texas, a State I LOVE and won 3 times in Record Numbers (the HIGHEST vote ever recorded, by far!!!), cannot, for the good of the Party, and our Country, itself, be allowed to go on any longer. IT MUST STOP NOW!” Trump posted to Truth Social on Wednesday afternoon, saying that the party needs to “TOTALLY FOCUS” on beating Talarico, who defeated Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX).
“Both John and Ken ran great races, but not good enough. Now, this one, must be PERFECT! My Endorsements within the Republican Party have been virtually insurmountable!” he said.
“It is such an honor to realize and say that almost everyone I Endorse WINS, and wins by a lot, especially in Texas! I will be making my Endorsement soon, and will be asking the candidate that I don&#8217;t Endorse to immediately DROP OUT OF THE RACE! Is that fair?” the president added, stressing that Republicans “must win” the midterms. Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate, but that margin could shift in either direction, thanks to several competitive races on the table in November.
The attacks between Cornyn and Paxton, which colored much of the primary race, showed no signs of stopping as of Tuesday night.
“I refuse to allow a flawed, self-centered and shameless candidate like Ken Paxton risk everything we&#8217;ve worked so hard to build over these many years,” Cornyn said, according to CSPAN.
Meanwhile, Paxton posted to X on Wednesday morning that he wants to “fire John Cornyn once and for all.”
“Last night, in a historic failure for John Cornyn, he failed to get nearly 60% of the GOP vote after spending $100 million,” he wrote. “It&#8217;s time to finish the job in the runoff.”
The Cook Political Report currently ranks the race as “Likely Republican,” but there has been some concern among Republicans that a lengthy, messy primary — especially one that drags even further through a contentious runoff — could continue to drain resources and boost the Democrat in the general election. Trump won the state of Texas with over 56% of the vote in 2024.

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump

Trump Wants To Play Kingmaker In Heated Texas Senate Race

Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) has remained skeptical of the Trump administration&#8217;s &#8220;Operation Epic Fury,&#8221; despite previously saying he could support the use of military force against Iran.
In a statement over the weekend, the Georgia Democrat said President Donald Trump “has presented no evidence that Iran or its nuclear program – which he falsely claimed to have &#8216;obliterated’ – pose an imminent threat to the United States, or that diplomacy was exhausted.”
“Iran&#8217;s support for terrorism and uranium enrichment have long destabilized the region. But sending American forces into harm&#8217;s way should only ever be a last resort,” he added, warning against what he described as a potential “regime change war-of-choice.”
Ossoff said he plans to back a War Powers Resolution in Congress, expressing frustration that the military operation occurred “without the consent of Congress.&#8221; The Senate is expected to vote on Wednesday on a resolution aimed at limiting further U.S. military action, according to <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/senate-vote-iran-war-powers-resolution-trump/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CBS News</a>.
However, Ossoff struck a different tone during a 2017 congressional debate, when he said he would support military actions under certain circumstances.
“If Iran poses an imminent threat to Israel, to the United States, to any of our allies, then we should use force to prevent them from striking our allies,” Ossoff said at the time.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Georgia 6th District Debate on WSB-TV: Jon Ossoff and Karen Handel" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5aMlKhn401U?start=3420&#038;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
“And as we seek to ensure that Iran does not develop a nuclear weapons capability, if economic policy, diplomatic policy, are unsuccessful in dissuading them from developing a nuclear weapon, then we should be prepared to use force if necessary,” he said.
The Daily Wire reached out to Sen. Ossoff&#8217;s office and campaign to clarify what threshold he believes would justify military action and whether his position has changed.
Democrats have largely criticized the operation, though some have voiced support. Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) has defended the strikes.
“Every member in the U.S. Senate agrees we cannot allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon. I’m baffled why so many are unwilling to support the only action to achieve that,” Fetterman posted to X on Monday. “Empty sloganeering vs. commitment to global security — which is it?”
The debate is likely to spill into the campaign season. Ossoff is up for re-election this November in a race the Cook Political Report ranks as a “toss-up.” He could face Reps. Mike Collins or Buddy Carter, or former football coach Derek Dooley, depending on who wins the Republican primary.
“Jewish Georgians deserve a Senator they can count on to fight the antisemitism rampant in the Democrat Party. But Jon Ossoff says one thing in Georgia and then does another in D.C. — caving to pro-Hamas radicals,” Nick Puglia, National Republican Senatorial Committee Regional Press Secretary, said in a statement.

Jon Ossoff

OSSOFF FLIP-FLOP: Georgia Dem Was For Hitting Iran — Until Trump Did It

Israel

State Sen. James Talarico won the Democratic Senate primary in Texas over  Rep. Jasmine Crockett. With 83% of the vote in, Talarico won 53% to Crockett&#8217;s 46%.
Talarico will face off against either Attorney General Ken Paxton or Sen. John Cornyn, who are themselves scheduled for a May 26 runoff election after neither GOP candidate could crack the 50% barrier on Tuesday.
&#8220;We&#8217;re about to take back Texas,&#8221; Talarico posted on X on Wednesday morning.
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We’re about to take back Texas.
Join us: <a href="https://t.co/Cam7Y73uqe">https://t.co/Cam7Y73uqe</a> <a href="https://t.co/2aEX4RMC5K">pic.twitter.com/2aEX4RMC5K</a>
— James Talarico (@jamestalarico) <a href="https://twitter.com/jamestalarico/status/2029165491839811719?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 4, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The Cook Political Report ranks the race as “Likely Republican” as of Tuesday, with the Kalshi prediction market showing that Republicans have the upper hand in the race.
Although the Republican primary has been messy, the Democrats have had a brutal fight among themselves.
The campaign trail was marked by several heated moments, including when Talarico claimed that the Trump administration was responsible for nixing his interview with Stephen Colbert from airing over Equal Time Rule concerns, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dem-cries-trump-censorship-over-colbert-interview-cbs-has-a-different-take?author=Hank+Berrien&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Dem+Cries+%E2%80%98Trump+Censorship%E2%80%99+Over+Colbert+Interview+%E2%80%94+CBS+Has+A+Different+Take" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> reported.
“This is the interview Donald Trump didn’t want you to see,” Talarico claimed. “His FCC refused to air my interview with Stephen Colbert. Trump is worried we’re about to flip Texas.” The interview was ultimately posted online and gave a major publicity boost to his campaign.
&#8220;You had a Democrat candidate who understood the way that the news media works, and he took advantage of all of your sort of prior conceptions to run a hoax, apparently for the purpose of raising money and getting clicks,” Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr fired back at a press conference last month after Talarico’s claims.
Former Rep. Colin Allred also played a role in the race, as he dropped out and instead pursued another bid for Congress, but he waded in over rumors that Talarico said privately that he “signed up to run against a mediocre Black man, not a formidable, intelligent Black woman,” according to <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/02/a-mediocre-comment-has-put-talaricos-texas-senate-campaign-in-the-hot-seat-00761260" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Politico</a>.
Allred posted a video slamming Talarico’s reported comments, saying, “Thank you for telling us who you really are and what you really think, and goodbye.”
“Don’t come for me unless I send for you, okay James? And keep my name out of your mouth while you’re at it,” he added, while also telling people to vote for Crockett instead. Allred lost to Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) in the 2024 Senate race.
“In my praise of Congresswoman Crockett, I described Congressman Allred’s method of campaigning as mediocre – but his life and service are not. I would never attack him on the basis of race,” the state senator said in a statement to Politico at the time.
Crockett also had the endorsement of former Vice President Kamala Harris, who lost Texas to Trump in 2024, and lawmakers like Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD).
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James Talarico & Jasmine Crockett

Talarico Declares Victory Over Crockett In Texas Dem Senate Primary

James Talarico

Jasmine Crockett

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Sen. John Cornyn will advance to the May 26 runoff election in the Texas Senate Republican primary, results indicated as of Tuesday night.
DecisionDesk projected the runoff at around 10:25 p.m. ET, with Cornyn at about 43.2% to Paxton&#8217;s 40.3%.
Rep. Wesley Hunt, who was also campaigning for the seat, was in a distant third place as of Tuesday night. In the Lone Star State, a candidate needs to crack 50% of the vote in order to avoid a runoff election.
None of the candidates was able to snag an endorsement from President Donald Trump that was unique to them, but the president did note that he backed “all three.”
“I just haven’t made a decision on that race yet. It’s got a ways to go, and I haven’t. [Cornyn’s] a good man. John is a good — I like all three of them, actually,” the president said in mid-February. “They’ve all supported me. They’re all good and you’re supposed to pick one. So, we’ll see what happens. But I support all three.”
It’s unclear if the president will endorse a candidate for the runoff election.
All three candidates were in attendance at an energy-focused event led by the president in Corpus Christi, Texas, last Friday. However, the election was overshadowed this weekend by a shooting at an Austin bar where two people were killed and over a dozen were injured – as the alleged shooter wore a &#8220;Property of Allah&#8221; hoodie and apparel with the Iranian flag on it.
The candidates engaged in a brutal and, at many times, personal fight for the nomination. Accusations flew about Cornyn’s political record, Paxton’s personal history, and Hunt’s attendance in Congress – all while trying to make the case that they would be the best individuals to carry out Trump’s agenda for the remainder of his second term.
Whoever advances to the general election will face off against either Rep. Jasmine Crockett or state Sen. James Talarico in November, depending on the final outcome of the Democratic primary.
Sen. Ted Cruz has remained neutral in the primary race, but his own electoral history could provide a window in the 2026 contest. Cruz defeated former Rep. Colin Allred in 2024 with 53% of the vote, and the Republican also beat former Rep. Beto O’Rourke in 2018.
The Cook Political Report ranks the general election race as “Likely Republican” as of Tuesday night, as the Kalshi prediction market has the odds of Republicans winning the general election at 60%.

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Texas GOP Battle Between Cornyn And Paxton Will Head To Runoff

Wesley Hunt

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