With control of the U.S. Senate hanging in the balance, Democrats are pushing to pick up seats anywhere they can — but reports out of Alaska suggest a storm may be brewing for Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola ahead of Tuesday&#8217;s primary.
Peltola, according to several reports, will be going into Tuesday&#8217;s primary without her campaign manager, Anton McParland — who has been with Peltola since 2022 and previously served as her chief of staff.
The Alaska Landmine <a href="https://alaskalandmine.com/landmines/saturday-night-massacre-mary-peltola-fires-senior-campaign-staff-days-before-primary/">reported</a> that several senior staffers were handed walking papers in what the outlet referred to as a &#8220;Saturday Night Massacre&#8221; — leaving other staffers wondering whether they might be next.
New York Times political reporter Kellen Browning <a href="https://x.com/Kellen_Browning/status/2089172446872055865">appeared to confirm</a> at least part of the Landmine&#8217;s story, writing on X, &#8220;This is true [a]nd Anton McParland, Peltola’s campaign manager and former chief of staff, is no longer with the campaign.&#8221;
McParland&#8217;s departure is particularly notable because of just how long — and how closely — he worked with Peltola. By her side since her breakthrough victory to land a U.S. House seat in 2022, he remained on her staff throughout her one term in Congress — first as her deputy chief of staff, then as her chief of staff.
After Peltola&#8217;s 2024 reelection loss, both she and McParland moved on to take roles at lobbying firm Holland &amp; Hart in March 2025. When she launched her U.S. Senate run, he managed her campaign.
Prediction markets have Peltola&#8217;s race — against incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) — as a virtual dead heat, but losing a longtime adviser and campaign manager just hours before the polls open could hurt voter confidence.
Alaska is broadly viewed as a &#8220;must-win&#8221; state for Democrats, who need to pick up four seats in the upper chamber to gain control — and a major campaign shake-up going into Tuesday&#8217;s primary does not project the kind of strong message that Peltola needs to send.
Peltola also scrambled to do some damage control a few days prior, running away from the endorsement of former Vice President Kamala Harris. Harris&#8217;s Fight for the People PAC sent an email last Wednesday promoting Peltola, saying in part, &#8220;If there’s anyone who can flip Alaska and secure the Senate majority for Democrats — it’s Mary.&#8221;
Peltola&#8217;s campaign quickly dismissed the email as unsolicited and said no one on the campaign had been aware of it before it went out: &#8220;Mary isn’t seeking endorsements from anyone from the Lower 48 — her focus is and always will be Alaska.&#8221;
An <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dem-senate-hopeful-runs-from-kamala-harris-support">endorsement from Harris</a>, who performed poorly in Alaska in her 2024 presidential bid, is not expected to give Peltola any kind of boost — and being tied to Harris&#8217;s record and policies could put her at a disadvantage in the typically red state.
Thus far, it is unclear whether McParland&#8217;s exit is related to the campaign&#8217;s attempt to distance Peltola from Harris following that email.
But Peltola&#8217;s campaign shake-up is not the only complication dogging Alaska&#8217;s Senate race: incumbent Sen. Sullivan will be joined on the ballot by another candidate named Dan Sullivan — a retired 5th grade teacher who describes himself as a &#8220;pragmatic Republican.&#8221;
President Donald Trump and a number of others have suggested that his name on the ballot was an intentional move to confuse voters and damage the incumbent, but Democrats have denied any connection with his campaign.
Alaska&#8217;s &#8220;top four&#8221; primary — in which the top four candidates in every primary, regardless of party, advance to the general election — sets the stage for even more confusion in the general election, because both Dan Sullivans could see another face-off in November.

US-POLITICS-ELECTION-PORTRAIT

‘Chaos’ Reigns In ‘Must-Win’ Senate Race For Dems

2026 elections

Alaska

Kamala Harris

mary peltola

Politics

Senate Democrats

U.S. Senate

Maine Democrats have another headache on their hands after newly surfaced police records revealed that Senate candidate Troy Jackson was involved in a violent altercation nearly 40 years ago — an incident that included him breaking down a door and punching another man.
The March 1988 incident, first reported by the <a href="https://www.bangordailynews.com/2026/08/12/mainefocus/mainefocus-government/troy-jackson-punched-man-pushed-partner-police-report/">Bangor Daily News</a>, occurred when Jackson was 19 years old. According to a Fort Kent Police report and a handwritten statement from the other man, Jackson arrived at a home shortly before 2 a.m. and kicked in the door after being told to leave.
Jackson then allegedly grabbed the man by the throat and swung at him, striking his glasses and cutting his face, according to the report. The man eventually restrained Jackson until one of Jackson&#8217;s friends intervened.
The man also told police that Jackson warned him to stay away from Lana Pelletier, referring ot Jackson&#8217;s girlfriend at the time and longtime partner.
Jackson does not dispute the fight. 
“Nearly forty years ago, when I was 19 years old, I got into a fight with another man. I took responsibility for it then, and I take responsibility for it now,” Jackson said in a statement. “But let me be clear: I have never been violent with my partner Lana, or any other woman.”
The surviving court record shows Jackson resolved the misdemeanor assault case by agreeing to pay the man $50. A background check conducted by the Bangor Daily News found no other criminal record associated with Jackson.
The police report also contains an allegation involving Pelletier. According to the report, Pelletier told an officer that Jackson had “pushed her around” following the altercation and that she intended to seek “cease harassment papers.”
Pelletier disputes that account. 
“I do not remember making the statements attributed to me, and they are not accurate,” Pelletier said. “This is the first time I have seen this report from 40 years ago. Troy and I have built a life and family together and I know the person he has been through the decades since, both as a caring partner and father.”
Jackson and Pelletier —unmarried <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/graham-platners-replacement-accused-of-having-kids-with-cousin">second cousins</a>— have been together for roughly four decades and have two adult sons. 
The revelation comes at an awkward time for Jackson, who only recently emerged as the Democratic Party’s replacement nominee in the race against Republican Sen. Susan Collins after the collapse of Graham Platner’s campaign.
Jackson has already faced questions about his temper during the current campaign.
In 2021, while serving as president of the Maine Senate, Jackson became embroiled in a heated dispute with then-state Sen. Heather Sanborn over legislation. Multiple witnesses told the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/21/us/politics/troy-jackson-maine-senate.html">New York Times</a> that Jackson lost his temper and threw a half-empty water bottle across the room.
The witnesses said the bottle did not hit Sanborn and was not aimed at her, and Jackson later apologized. One Democratic senator who witnessed the incident described it as an “anger spell.” 
Jackson acknowledged that he should not have thrown the bottle, while insisting that he was simply passionate about the issue.
&nbsp;

Maine Democrats Pick Ex-GOP Logger In Must-Win Senate Race

Troy Jackson Admits To Assault After Police Report Surfaces

2026 election

2026 midterm

2026 Midterms

Assault

Democrats

Maine

Maine Democrats

Senate

Troy Jackson

Maine Democratic Senate nominee Troy Jackson held a campaign event co-hosted by an activist who has written extensively for the Communist Party USA, adding another unusual chapter to a Democratic Senate campaign already marked by a series of controversies.
Lorri Nandrea of Canton was listed as one of four hosts of a June 5 campaign brunch for Jackson at the Local 14 Solidarity Center in Jay, Maine, according to an invitation reviewed by the <a href="https://www.themainewire.com/2026/08/communist-party-usa-writer-co-hosted-campaign-event-for-democratic-senate-nominee-troy-jackson/">Maine Wire</a>. At the time, Jackson was running for governor. He is now the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate and will face Republican Sen. Susan Collins in November in a race that will help determine control of the Senate.
The invitation described the event as a “Brunch with Troy Jackson” and said the four hosts — Nandrea, Linda Deane, Cynthia Phinney, and Jimmy McHugh — had known Jackson for years and “worked with him on important legislation that we believe makes Maine a better place to live.”
The Communist Party USA’s website maintains an <a href="https://www.cpusa.org/authors/lorri-nandrea/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">author page</a> for Nandrea listing four articles she has written for the organization: “Waking class consciousness today,” “Why fixing capitalism is not enough,” “Killer capitalism vs. green socialism,” and “Unions are more popular: How does this translate into action?” Communist Party USA has also referenced Nandrea as <a href="https://cpusa.org/article/tightening-up-our-club-and-district-organization/">recently as 2025</a>. 
It&#8217;s unclear if Nandrea was a member of Communist Party USA when she co-hosted Jackson’s event.
Jackson became the Democratic nominee on July 25 after Maine Democrats <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrat-party-bosses-crown-new-nominee-to-replace-graham-platner">selected him</a> to replace Graham Platner, who <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/graham-platner-ends-senate-bid-with-profane-political-message">withdrew from the race</a> following an allegation of sexual assault that he has denied. Jackson, a former Maine Senate president from northern Maine, will now take on Collins in one of the Democrats’ most closely watched Senate challenges.
For Democrats, the episode may feel like déjà vu. Among Platner&#8217;s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/maine-senate-candidate-graham-platner-socialist-group-linked-to-ice-attack-tesla-bombings">earliest controversies</a> was his past identification with communism and the resurfacing of his involvement with the Socialist Rifle Association. Platner then faced scrutiny over a Nazi tattoo along with other profane past statements.
Jackson had campaigned alongside Platner during the earlier campaign and emerged as the replacement nominee after Platner’s withdrawal. Jackson has now sought to present himself as a working-class alternative to Collins, emphasizing his background as a logger from rural Aroostook County and his decades in Maine Democratic politics.
But as Jackson asks Maine voters to send him to the U.S. Senate, the political network behind his candidacy will inevitably come under greater scrutiny. That leaves Jackson with a straightforward question to answer: What did he know about Nandrea’s political background, and what role, if any, has she played in his campaign beyond the June event?

Maine Democrats Hold Senate Nominating Convention

Communist Party Writer Co-Hosts Campaign Event For Democrat Senate Hopeful

campaigns

Communism

Senate Race

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) endorsed Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed on Wednesday, despite El-Sayed spending much of his primary campaign arguing Schumer should no longer lead Senate Democrats. 
The endorsement is the latest example of Democratic establishment figures quickly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/establishment-dems-fall-in-line-behind-el-sayed?author=Drew+Berkemeyer&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Establishment+Dems+Fall+In+Line+Behind+El-Sayed">falling in line</a> behind the socialist-backed nominee after spending months attempting to stop his insurgent campaign.
“Democrats are united by a common purpose: putting a check on Donald Trump by defeating his Republican enablers and taking back the Senate,” Schumer and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chair Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) said in a <a href="https://www.dscc.org/article/dscc-statement-on-abdul-el-sayeds-victory-in-michigan-senate-primary/">joint statement</a>. “We look forward to working with Abdul and Democrats across Michigan to win this seat in November.”
The endorsement came one day after El-Sayed narrowly defeated establishment-backed Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI) in Michigan&#8217;s Democratic Senate primary, one of the party&#8217;s most closely watched ideological battles of the 2026 cycle. 
Throughout the campaign, El-Sayed cast himself as a threat to Democratic leadership in Washington. 
“If you&#8217;re Chuck Schumer, I&#8217;m dangerous,” El-Sayed <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DaMhOM0OXte/">said</a> during the primary campaign.
He also <a href="https://www.c-span.org/clip/us-senate/el-sayed-introduces-van-hollen-as-the-next-senate-majority-leader/5203501">publicly backed</a> Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) to replace Schumer as Democratic leader should the party regain control of the Senate. 
“If I have anything to do about it, the next Senate majority leader — Chris Van Hollen,” El-Sayed said while introducing the Maryland senator at a campaign event.
Despite those attacks, Schumer, who endorsed Haley Stevens during the primary, quickly backed El-Sayed after Democratic voters rejected the establishment&#8217;s preferred candidate.
Schumer&#8217;s endorsement follows similar moves from Michigan Democrats who spent months backing Stevens before uniting behind El-Sayed after Tuesday night&#8217;s results. 
Michigan Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), retiring Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), and Stevens herself all pledged to support him in November.
“Together, let&#8217;s stop MAGA Republicans so we can get to work and deliver results for the people of Michigan,” Whitmer said.
Slotkin likewise called for party unity. 
“There is nothing more important than the mission of the next 90 days: uniting, keeping this seat blue, flipping the House and Senate, and providing a real check on President Trump,” she <a href="https://x.com/ElissaSlotkin/status/2085003232149913780">wrote</a> after the race was called.
Stevens, whose candidacy became the vehicle for the Democratic establishment&#8217;s effort to block El-Sayed&#8217;s nomination, also quickly endorsed her former rival. 
“I want to congratulate Abdul El-Sayed on winning the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate,” Stevens said in a <a href="https://haleyformi.com/news/haley-stevens-statement-on-election-results/">statement</a>. “I am proud to offer my support as he takes on Mike Rogers in the general election.”
She added that Republicans wanted Democrats to emerge from the primary “tired and divided,” saying, “I&#8217;m not going to let that happen.”
 The rapid consolidation behind El-Sayed comes despite the Democratic establishment spending months trying to prevent his nomination.
Stevens entered the race with endorsements from Schumer, Whitmer, Peters, former Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), and other prominent Democrats, while outside groups spent tens of millions of dollars backing her candidacy.
El-Sayed, meanwhile, built his campaign with support from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), and other leaders of the party&#8217;s Left wing. He campaigned on Medicare for All, abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ending U.S. military aid to Israel, restructuring the Supreme Court, and raising taxes on billionaires.
His victory continued a broader trend that has unsettled Democratic leaders this cycle, with socialist-backed candidates defeating multiple establishment Democrats in congressional primaries across the country.
El-Sayed now faces Republican Mike Rogers in a race widely viewed as critical to determining control of the Senate. With Michigan representing one of Democrats&#8217; best opportunities to hold a key seat in 2026, party leaders have rapidly coalesced behind a nominee who spent months arguing they should no longer be leading the party.

Trump Threatens No Back Pay For Shutdown’s Furloughed Workers

‘Cuck’ Schumer Endorses El-Sayed, Who Campaigned On Replacing Him

Abdul El-Sayed

Chris Van Hollen

Chuck Schumer

Democratic establishment

Democratic Party

Endorsement

Kirsten Gillibrand

Michigan

Speaking at a hearing on Wednesday about the dangers of the Muslim Brotherhood network across America, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) denounced the five Senate Democrats who refused to attend the hearing.
Cruz laid into Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal Rights, who announced on Tuesday that they would <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dems-boycott-hearing-on-muslim-brotherhood">refuse to participate</a> in the hearing focused on Muslim Brotherhood networks within the United States.
&#8220;You may notice that there are empty chairs on the Democrat side of the dais,&#8221; Cruz said. &#8220;The American people should ask themselves why not a single member of the minority decided that a hearing on terrorism was worth their time. It is an embarrassment and a disservice to the thousands of American victims of the Muslim Brotherhood. History has taught Americans the danger of dismissing determined jihadist movements because their ambitions seem too extreme to be real.&#8221;
Cruz continued:
<blockquote>
The present members of this subcommittee will look at two questions. First, how the Muslim Brotherhood built its network in America. And second, what that network looks like today. The Muslim Brotherhood spawned Hamas, influenced the ideology of Al-Qaeda, and gave rise to multiple terrorist organizations. Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and now the United States have all designated the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization. 
Abdul El-Sayed, the son-in-law of a leading member of several Brotherhood groups, won Michigan&#8217;s Democrat primary for U.S. Senate. Perfect timing for this hearing. Probably explains why no Democrats are here and none intend to attend because their campaign is now openly embracing terrorist organizations waging war on America. Behind El-Sayed&#8217;s political rise sits a much older and more entrenched institutional network two major parties refuses even to see, is exactly the outcome these organizations that we&#8217;re discussing have spent 40 years working to produce.
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Sen. Ted Cruz ripped the Dem boycott of the Muslim Brotherhood hearing as &quot;an embarrassment,&quot; tying Democrats&#39; absence to Abdul El-Sayed&#39;s Michigan Senate primary win. 
The five Democratic senators issued a joint statement calling the hearing a &quot;political creepshow&quot; and said… <a href="https://t.co/35cFYinmkE">pic.twitter.com/35cFYinmkE</a>
&mdash; Fox News Politics (@foxnewspolitics) <a href="https://x.com/foxnewspolitics/status/2085157760556237225?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The Democrat boycott targeted a session organized by Cruz titled “Hidden in Plain Sight: Confronting the Muslim Brotherhood Network in America.” The proceeding aligned with broader initiatives by national and state Republicans aimed at cracking down on the group, which included proposals to classify its various branches as terrorist organizations.
In a joint <a href="https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/senate-judiciary-courts-subcommittee-democrats-blast-cruzs-hearing-targeting-the-muslim-community/">statement</a>, Democratic Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), and Peter Welch (D-VT) sharply criticized the panel’s focus, writing, “Scapegoating Muslims may be a Texas Republican strategist’s idea of ‘solid gold’ to whip up their voters, but Democrats have no intention of indulging this political creepshow, particularly after the recent violence targeting places of faith. Our focus is the costs families face thanks to rampant, non-stop Trump corruption.”
During the hearing, Cruz questioned expert witnesses Lara Burns, Arielle Klepach, and Kyle Shideler regarding the domestic presence and influence of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Burns, the head of terrorism research at the Program on Extremism at the George Washington University, emphasized that the infrastructure supporting foreign terrorist organizations operates inside the U.S. under the guise of charity and advocacy. She testified:
<blockquote>
A dangerous myth about foreign terrorist organizations persists in the United States, that the infrastructure supporting them exists only overseas. In reality, these support infrastructures have existed inside the U.S. for decades. They operate through financial, propaganda, and organizational support networks and commonly hide under the cover of charity, advocacy, or activism.
In 1993, leaders of the Palestine Committee held a meeting known as the 1993 Philadelphia Meeting, which was lawfully wiretapped by the FBI. There, members of the Palestine Committee defined the scope of the conspiracy, which included supporting Hamas abroad and infiltrating universities, media, and politics here in the U.S. Why? To begin normalizing Hamas and Muslim Brotherhood extremist ideology in American society. They stated, &#8220;War is deception when plotting to lie to Americans.&#8221; They also noted their intent to cleanse the curriculum in U.S.-based K-12 schools because &#8220;we don&#8217;t want our children growing up surrendering to the idea of peace with Jews.&#8221;  
</blockquote>
Kyle Shideler, the director and senior analyst for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism at the Center for Security Policy stated that the Muslim Brotherhood operates as a counterintelligence and systemic threat in the U.S. He testified:
<blockquote>
From its very beginning, the Muslim Brotherhood has operated as a clandestine organization, which engages in the creation of public front groups, cultivates agents of influence, seeks control over religious institutions, and engages in acts of political subversion as well as creating deniable sub-organizations devoted to terrorism, all in pursuit of their ultimate goal, the overthrow of governments and the reestablishment of a worldwide caliphate operating under Islamic law. 
It is worth recalling that the government demonstrated that the U.S. Muslim Brotherhood, like all Brotherhood branches worldwide, created and funded Hamas support networks known as Palestine Committees at the direction of the U.S. of the International Muslim Brotherhood, beginning in 1983. &#8230; The issue of the U.S.-Muslim Brotherhood is not merely a counterterrorism issue, but it is also a systemic counterintelligence challenge. And even more broadly, it is a challenge to the fabric of the United States and its ability to seek assimilation and social cohesion.
</blockquote>
Arielle Klepach, the former assistant U.S. attorney in the special prosecution sections of the United States Attorney&#8217;s Office for the Southern District of Florida, testified on the infiltration of the American education system, saying, “When someone tells you who they are, believe them. The Muslim Brotherhood told us their strategy for the West, but don&#8217;t take my word for it. They put it on paper. &#8230; This is not a relic of the 1990s. It is a foreign terror-supporting movement on American soil targeting our Constitution and our founding principles. I would ask you to remember three things. These organizations are dangerous, they are in our schools, and they hide by abusing the very legal system they are working to dismantle.”
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Cruz Rips Dems Skipping Hearing On Muslim Infiltration

Hamas

Islam

Muslim Brotherhood

Ted Cruz

Senate Democrats unanimously opposed legislation Wednesday requiring pornography websites to verify users&#8217; ages before allowing access to explicit content, drawing criticism from conservatives who accused the party of siding with the pornography industry over protecting children online.
The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee voted 15-13 along party lines to advance Sen. Mike Lee&#8217;s (R-UT) Shielding Children&#8217;s Retinas from Egregious Exposure on the Net (<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/737">SCREEN</a>) Act. But the bill failed to advance because the committee lacked the quorum required for official action. Four Republicans were not physically present for the vote and were “ayes” by proxy, but proxy votes don&#8217;t count toward quorum. Four Democrats were similarly absent and were “noes” by proxy.
The Democratic committee members include: Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Ed Markey (D-MA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), John Fetterman (D-PA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE).
The SCREEN Act would require commercial pornography websites to implement age verification technology designed to prevent minors from accessing sexually explicit material. The legislation would authorize the Federal Trade Commission to enforce the requirements and prohibit websites or third-party verification providers from retaining or selling personal information collected during the verification process.
Conservative organizations blasted the Democrats for unanimously opposing the bill.
&#8220;The porn industry is preying on America&#8217;s children for profit, and now it is doing it with the support of Democrat lawmakers,&#8221; American Principles Project President Terry Schilling told The Daily Wire. &#8220;The 13 Senate Democrats who voted against the SCREEN Act today made it perfectly clear: they would rather stand with Big Porn than American parents and children.&#8221;
&#8220;We will not back down until families across America are protected from the porn industry and the lawmakers who defend it,&#8221; Schilling continued. &#8220;The Democrats have a choice. They can join the effort to protect kids online, or they can face the political consequences of standing with the porn companies. Today, 13 of them chose poorly.&#8221;
The American Principles Project, joined by Heritage Action, Family Policy Alliance, American Compass, the Ethics and Public Policy Center, and several other organizations, urged lawmakers to pass the legislation ahead of the vote.
The coalition argued that online pornography has become increasingly accessible to children, citing research showing that 54% of children age 13 and younger and 80% of teenagers between 12 and 17 have been exposed to sexually explicit content. The groups said the average age of first exposure is now just 12.
Supporters also pointed to growing public support for age-verification requirements. According to the coalition, <a href="https://action.freespeechcoalition.com/age-verification-resources/state-avs-laws/">27 states</a> have enacted age verification laws for pornography websites since 2022, many with bipartisan support, while the Supreme Court last year upheld Texas&#8217;s age verification law in <a href="https://www.oyez.org/cases/2024/23-1122">Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton</a>, finding that governments have broad authority to protect children from sexually explicit material.
The advocacy groups argued that a federal standard is now needed because state laws create a patchwork system that leaves children in states without such laws unprotected.
The SCREEN Act would allow websites to choose among multiple age-verification methods and would not specifically require government-issued identification. Websites could instead contract with third-party verification companies or develop their own systems, provided they meet the bill&#8217;s standards.
Opponents, however, have argued that mandatory age verification raises significant privacy and free speech concerns. The Electronic Frontier Foundation <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/07/screen-act-threatens-privacy-far-beyond-adult-websites">warned</a> that the legislation would require adults to surrender their anonymity before accessing lawful online speech and argued that digital age verification creates risks that do not exist when showing identification in person.
Critics have also argued that the bill&#8217;s definition of covered websites could extend beyond traditional pornography sites to include platforms that host any sexually explicit material, potentially affecting social media sites and streaming platforms.
The SCREEN Act was considered alongside several broader online child safety proposals, including the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), which advanced out of committee Wednesday on a unanimous vote. Unlike the SCREEN Act, KOSA received bipartisan support in committee and could move to the Senate floor.

Video Streaming Platforms Stock Photos

The Dems Who Sided With ‘Big Porn’ Instead Of Parents

Children

Family Values

Free Speech

Internet

Internet safety

Online porn

Pornography

Senate GOP

Senate Republicans

Traditional family

Democratic members of a Senate Judiciary subcommittee announced Tuesday that they will <a href="https://jewishinsider.com/2026/08/democrats-plan-to-boycott-senate-judiciary-subcommittee-hearing-on-muslim-brotherhood/">refuse to participate</a> in a hearing on Wednesday focused on Muslim Brotherhood networks within the United States.
The boycott targets a session organized by Federal Courts Subcommittee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-TX), titled “Hidden in Plain Sight: Confronting the Muslim Brotherhood Network in America.” The proceeding aligns with broader initiatives by national and state Republicans aimed at cracking down on the group, which includes proposals to classify its various branches as terrorist organizations.
In a joint <a href="https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/senate-judiciary-courts-subcommittee-democrats-blast-cruzs-hearing-targeting-the-muslim-community/">statement</a>, Democratic Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), and Peter Welch (D-VT) sharply criticized the panel&#8217;s focus, writing, “Scapegoating Muslims may be a Texas Republican strategist’s idea of ‘solid gold’ to whip up their voters, but Democrats have no intention of indulging this political creepshow, particularly after the recent violence targeting places of faith. Our focus is the costs families face thanks to rampant, non-stop Trump corruption.”
Responding to news of the planned walkout, a spokesman for Cruz dismissed the Democrats&#8217; decision, indicating that the boycott was expected.
The hearing&#8217;s scheduled witness list features several counterterrorism and legal policy experts, including former FBI Special Agent Lara Burns, who is currently with George Washington University&#8217;s Program on Extremism; Arielle Klepach, senior counsel at the National Jewish Advocacy Center; and Kyle Shideler, a homeland security analyst at the Center for Security Policy.
In January 2026, the Trump administration officially <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0357">designated</a> three Middle Eastern branches of the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist entities: the Lebanese Muslim Brotherhood, the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, and the Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood.
Last year, the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy published a landmark report and companion analytical briefing titled “<a href="https://isgap.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/MB-Project-Final-251117-01.pdf">The Muslim Brotherhood’s Strategic Entryism into Western Society: A Systematic Analysis</a>.”
The report examined how the Muslim Brotherhood executes a long-term, non-violent strategy aimed at embedding Islamist ideology within Western social, political, and academic institutions.
The report cited authenticated internal documents (notably the 1982 &#8220;Project&#8221; and the 1991 &#8220;Explanatory Memorandum&#8221; recovered during U.S. law enforcement actions).
The Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy identified four primary arenas where the Muslim Brotherhood tries to gain entry:
<blockquote>
Influencing government and politics: They build connections with government officials and lawmakers by presenting themselves as normal civil rights, religious, or human rights groups. They also team up with progressive or non-religious political groups when they share common goals, helping them gain trust and political power.
Targeting colleges and students: They try to shape what is taught in universities, who gets hired as professors, and what research gets done. They use hidden money from Middle Eastern countries (like Qatar) to fund college programs and influence classes on world politics. They also work with student activist groups to make anti-Western and anti-Israel ideas seem normal on campus.
Using the legal system: They use democratic laws and anti-discrimination rules to fight against police oversight and government terrorism investigations. They also use lawsuits to quiet their critics by claiming that any criticism of their political movement is just religious hatred or bigotry.
Controlling the media and storyline: They try to control public opinion by making people feel that criticizing political Islam is the same thing as being prejudiced against all Muslims. At the same time, they build their own network of community centers, private schools, and charities to keep control over local Muslim communities and preserve their identity.
</blockquote>

UKRAINE-US-RUSSIA-CONFLICT-WAR

Dems Boycott Hearing On Muslim Brotherhood As GOP Shines Light On Vast Network

Mazie Hirono

Richard Blumenthal

Sheldon Whitehouse

U.S.

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

James Talarico/Ken Paxton

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

Elections

James Talarico

Ken Paxton

Poll

polling

Polls

Republican Party

State polls

Texas

Texas Elections

California Senator Adam Schiff in March introduced a bill that would ban prediction markets, slamming them for, among other things, violating &#8220;tribal sovereignty.&#8221; It&#8217;s a notable objection — one shared by the Native American tribes that have poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into groups backing the Democrat.
The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians and the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria have steered at least $210,000 to pro-Schiff super PACs and the senator&#8217;s legal defense fund, a Daily Wire review of campaign finance reports and Senate disclosures found. The Agua Caliente Band gave $10,000 to <a href="https://www.notus.org/money/adam-schiff-legal-fund-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Schiff’s legal defense fund</a> a few months before the senator introduced the Prediction Markets Are Gambling Act, which would prohibit platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket from offering predictions on markets that resemble sports bets or casino games.
“Sports prediction contracts are sports bets — just with a different name,&#8221; Schiff said <a href="https://www.curtis.senate.gov/press-releases/curtis-schiff-introduce-bipartisan-legislation-to-ban-sports-prediction-market-contracts/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">of the legislation.</a> &#8220;It’s time for Congress to step in and eliminate this backdoor which violates state consumer protections, intrudes upon tribal sovereignty, and offers no public revenue.&#8221;
Fights over prediction markets have flooded Capitol Hill since they rose in popularity in 2024, with lawmakers from both parties debating whether they should be classified as gambling or something else. Native American tribes that operate casinos on their reservations have come out against the platforms, the latest instance of tribal groups opposing casino alternatives. Several tribes fought to keep sports betting apps like DraftKings and FanDuel from expanding to <a href="https://www.wsj.com/business/hospitality/draftkings-fanduel-battle-tribes-for-control-of-california-sports-betting-11651604400" target="_blank" rel="noopener">California</a>.
The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians and Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria each donated $100,000 to pro-Schiff super PACs set up during Schiff&#8217;s 2024 Senate race, the Los Angeles Times <a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-02-27/california-senate-election-donors-super-pacs-independent-expenditures-schiff-porter-lee-garvey" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
The political focus of the involved tribes is demonstrated in legal court documents. The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, together with numerous other tribes, filed an amicus brief in the Sixth Circuit against Kalshi in May 2026. The brief was issued by the indigenous nations to rebuke Kalshi&#8217;s nationwide sports prediction market. Among the groups listed on that filing was the California Nations Indian Gaming Association, of which the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria is a member tribe.
Schiff&#8217;s legislation, which was co-sponsored by Utah Republican Senator John Curtis, would “prohibit Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) registered entities from listing any prediction contract that resembles a sports bet or casino-style game.”
A companion to the better-known Securities and Exchange Commission, the CFTC handles derivatives, a broad category encompassing all manner of financial contracts, including those facilitated by prediction markets. In February, the CFTC <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-admin-assembles-financial-dream-team-in-high-stakes-america-first-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener">launched</a> a public-private partnership, the Innovation Advisory Committee, which brings together companies on the forefront of commerce, including Kalshi.
Schiff has raised over a million dollars for his legal defense fund, which he launched amid claims that the Trump administration was waging lawfare against him. In addition to the Native tribe, donors included prominent Democrat politicians and the late actor Rob Reiner. The fund has spent nearly $40,000 on processing fees for ActBlue, the Democrat fundraising platform.
Schiff&#8217;s office did not reply to The Daily Wire&#8217;s request for comment.

Sen. Schiff tours Fullerton fire station, discuses federal funding

Adam Schiff’s Gambling Bill Has An Awkward Coincidence

Adam Schiff

California

Kalshi

Native Americans

Senate Republicans unveiled a bipartisan stopgap funding bill Sunday that would prevent a government shutdown weeks before the 2026 midterm elections, though not every GOP lawmaker is on board. 
The continuing resolution, negotiated by Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-ME) and Vice Chair Patty Murray (D-WA), would keep most federal agencies funded through December 11 while lawmakers continue negotiating full-year appropriations bills beyond the September 30 funding deadline.
The Senate is expected to hold an initial procedural vote Monday evening, with Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) hoping to pass the measure before lawmakers depart Washington for the August recess.
The agreement represents a different approach from the House, which passed its own stopgap funding measure largely along party lines last month. Senate Republicans instead pursued a bipartisan compromise that can clear the chamber&#8217;s 60-vote threshold, making Democratic support essential.
Collins called the legislation a &#8220;major step toward averting a damaging shutdown that only harms vital programs and federal workers.&#8221;
&#8220;This measure gives Congress the time we need to continue our work on bipartisan appropriations bills, which are always my strong preference for handling annual government funding,&#8221; Collins said in a <a href="https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/news/majority/sen-collins-statement-on-release-of-continuing-resolution">statement</a>.
Not every Republican supports the deal.
Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) blasted the compromise over the weekend, arguing it gives away too much to Democrats. 
&#8220;Will I vote for it? The short answer is no. The long answer is hell no,&#8221; Kennedy said during an interview on NBC&#8217;s <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/video/gop-sen-john-kennedy-says-u-s-has-lost-perspective-on-war-with-iran-full-interview-267643461813?utm_campaign=trueanthem&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter">Meet the Press</a>.
The Senate proposal includes several funding adjustments, known as anomalies, affecting programs such as the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), disaster relief, national security initiatives, and shipbuilding.
The legislation also temporarily blocks implementation of a proposed Office of Management and Budget rule governing federal grant approvals, a provision Democrats argued would give the administration too much authority over distributing federal funds.
Murray <a href="https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/news/minority/senator-murray-on-release-of-cr-text">called</a> the Senate package &#8220;a much-improved CR to keep the government funded and avert a shutdown that no one wants.&#8221;
Even if the Senate passes the legislation this week, its path through the House remains uncertain. House Republicans approved a different continuing resolution before leaving Washington for the August recess, meaning the two chambers will need to reconcile their competing approaches before the September 30 funding deadline.
Congressional leaders have signaled that avoiding a shutdown has become an increasingly urgent priority as both parties head into a closely contested midterm election season.
If enacted, the continuing resolution would fund the federal government through December 11, giving lawmakers additional time to negotiate a longer-term spending package after the November elections.

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine

The Shutdown Fight Most Republicans Don’t Want

bipartisanship

Congress

federal funding

Government Shutdown

John Kennedy

John Thune

Susan Collins

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) hedged during a Sunday morning interview, brushing off questions about whether or not Maine Democratic Senate nominee Troy Jackson had been throughly vetted in the wake of former nominee Graham Platner&#8217;s public implosion.
Appearing on NBC&#8217;s &#8220;Meet the Press,&#8221; Sanders praised Jackson&#8217;s working-class background and progressive platform but emphasized that he had no role in the process that elevated the former Maine Senate president to the nomination after Platner withdrew. &#8220;I was not involved in that process at all,&#8221; Sanders said. &#8220;As you indicated, they had to move very, very quickly, and I think the Maine Democratic Party did the best they could under difficult circumstances.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Bernie Sanders doesn’t know if Maine Democrat Troy Jackson was properly vetted.
NBC: Has Troy Jackson been fully vetted?
SANDERS: I wasn’t involved…
NBC: Will you endorse him?
SANDERS: If he asks me to, I will. <a href="https://t.co/EOtF6QNtad">pic.twitter.com/EOtF6QNtad</a>
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://x.com/RNCResearch/status/2083921695211929716?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 2, 2026</a></blockquote>
Sanders went on to describe Jackson as &#8220;a fifth-generation logger&#8221; and a champion for working families, highlighting his support for Medicare for All and protecting Social Security.
But when asked whether he would endorse Jackson, Sanders stopped short of offering an unsolicited endorsement. &#8220;If he asks me to, I certainly will,&#8221; Sanders replied. The measured response stands in contrast to Sanders&#8217; vigorous support for Platner, the progressive outsider whose campaign became one of the Democratic Party&#8217;s highest-profile Senate efforts before collapsing under the weight of several scandals
Before rape allegations ultimately forced Platner off the campaign trail, Sanders had repeatedly defended the then-candidate despite mounting controversies surrounding his campaign. When asked Sunday whether he regretted endorsing Platner, Sanders declined to directly answer.
&#8220;There were very serious allegations against Platner,&#8221; Sanders said. &#8220;As a result of those accusations, I and virtually all of his supporters requested that he withdraw from the race, and he did.&#8221;
Pressed again on whether he regretted backing Platner in the first place, Sanders instead argued that hindsight made the question easier to answer. &#8220;Well, you know, it&#8217;s easier to be a Monday morning quarterback,&#8221; Sanders <a href="https://x.com/RNCResearch/status/2083926150837879124">said</a>. &#8220;Platner ran a very strong campaign &#8230; A woman made very serious allegations against him. He withdrew from the race. Period.&#8221;
When NBC moderator Kristen Welker asked once more if he had any regrets, Sanders did not answer but instead pivoted to broader Democratic politics, arguing that voters are rejecting establishment candidates and increasingly embracing left-wing alternatives. &#8220;The people of this country right now are sick and tired of establishment politics and establishment policies,&#8221; Sanders said. &#8220;They want change, and I and other progressives are going to do everything that we can to bring about those changes.&#8221;
Platner&#8217;s campaign collapsed after a series of controversies culminated in rape allegations, which he denied before withdrawing from the race. His downfall also prompted scrutiny of the progressive consultants who recruited and promoted his candidacy.
According to <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/07/17/platner-is-finished-does-the-same-fate-await-the-out-of-state-consultants-who-recruited-him-01002652">Politico</a>, campaign advisers allegedly declined recommendations for additional opposition research after an initial vetting uncovered problematic online posts and suggested further review. The report detailed broader concerns that warning signs surrounding Platner were overlooked as consultants raced to elevate the political newcomer into one of the Democratic Party&#8217;s most closely watched Senate candidates.
Jackson was selected as the replacement nominee after Platner exited the race, giving Democrats only days to choose a new standard-bearer in one of the nation&#8217;s premier Senate contests. He has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/graham-platners-replacement-accused-of-having-kids-with-cousin">since faced scrutiny</a> of his own after a report surfaced that he has two children with his longtime partner, Lana Pelletier, who genealogical records indicate is his second cousin. The relationship is legal under Maine law, and Jackson&#8217;s campaign has not publicly commented on the reporting.
Jackson will now face incumbent Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) in November as Democrats seek to flip a seat viewed as critical to their hopes of reclaiming the Senate majority.

Graham Platner

Bernie Sanders Can’t Say Whether Dems Vetted Troy Jackson After Platner Implosion

Bernie Sanders

graham platner

Media

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said Thursday that she will skip next month&#8217;s Michigan Democratic Party convention because she fears being harassed, adding another flashpoint to a party increasingly divided over Israel and antisemitism during a bitter U.S. Senate primary.
Speaking during a <a href="https://michiganadvance.com/2026/07/30/nessel-says-she-wont-attend-michigan-dems-convention-over-safety-concerns/">roundtable</a> discussion with Jewish leaders and community members, Nessel said she no longer feels safe attending the party&#8217;s August 29 convention in Lansing after what she described as repeated harassment.
&#8220;I feel like my presence isn&#8217;t going to be welcome. I don&#8217;t want to get chased around. I don&#8217;t want to get harassed. I don&#8217;t want to get yelled and screamed at. I don&#8217;t want to get booed off the stage, irrespective of what I&#8217;m saying,&#8221; Nessel said. &#8220;And I believe that if I go, that is what will happen because it&#8217;s been happening to me.&#8221;
Nessel also criticized Democratic Party leadership for failing to adequately respond to concerns she said she had repeatedly raised about individuals who have targeted her, warning that antisemitism on the political Left has become a growing problem within the party. 
&#8220;I will speak as a member of the Democratic Party here in Michigan, that some things have changed,&#8221; Nessel said. &#8220;This cannot continue, and the fact of the matter is, we have to be able to be a society where we can have intelligent discourse and debate about ideas without people being threatened, and certainly without people carrying out those threats.&#8221;
Her comments come as Michigan Democrats are engaged in one of the country&#8217;s most closely watched Senate primaries, with the party&#8217;s ideological divide over Israel increasingly spilling into public view.
Left-wing candidate Abdul El-Sayed has embraced some of the Democratic Party&#8217;s most vocal anti-Israel activists during the campaign, including <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hasan-piker-michigan-senate-race-abdul-el-sayed/">campaigning</a> with far-Left political streamer Hasan Piker. Third Way, a center-left think tank, <a href="https://x.com/ThirdWayTweet/status/2036484738022596671?s=20">condemned the partnership</a>, calling Piker &#8220;anti-American, anti-women, anti-western and antisemitic&#8221; and arguing he should be &#8220;pushed to the fringe, not welcomed onto the stage.&#8221; El-Sayed dismissed the criticism in an interview with <a href="https://michiganadvance.com/2026/03/25/michigans-el-sayed-unfazed-by-backlash-against-upcoming-campaign-event-with-hasan-piker/">Michigan Advance</a>, portraying it as an attack from establishment Democrats and &#8220;corporate-funded think tanks.&#8221;
Former Senate candidate <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/influential-democrat-drops-out-of-primary-in-key-senate-battleground?trueLinkId=6JvjPnkjnAeCumQ6ZN%2BoGpNLJEFZ07Awl5KNTB6i2A1L44xz%2BMg08Mz8M%2BYvzzUKo9coheltLMaAYibfZ9nbDQ%3D%3D&amp;trueLinkTs=1783452774&amp;trueLinkExpiry=43200">Mallory McMorrow</a> has also acknowledged antisemitism within the Democratic Party, recounting an incident at the Democratic National Convention in which, she said, an attendee shouted an antisemitic slur at her Jewish husband while he was walking with their five-year-old daughter. 
&#8220;There is,&#8221; McMorrow <a href="https://jewishinsider.com/2026/05/mcmorrow-says-dems-have-an-antisemitism-problem-during-mich-senate-debate/">replied</a> when asked whether antisemitism was a problem within the party. &#8220;That is terrifying,&#8221; she added.
El-Sayed, by contrast, argued that antisemitism and Islamophobia both stem from &#8220;the scourge of white supremacy&#8221; before pivoting to criticism of U.S. support for Israel. 
&#8220;We can walk and chew gum at the same time,&#8221; El-Sayed said. &#8220;It should not mean that we allow our money to subsidize apartheid and genocide.&#8221;
Responding to Nessel&#8217;s decision not to attend the convention, Michigan Democratic Party spokesman Derrick Honeyman said the party remains committed to ensuring the gathering is safe for all attendees. 
&#8220;We reject antisemitism, Islamophobia, and all forms of hateful conduct,&#8221; Honeyman said. &#8220;We are working diligently with stakeholders, elected officials, and party membership to prepare for our August convention and look forward to welcoming Michigan Democrats to the Lansing Center on August 29.&#8221;

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