This past August in Aspen, Colorado, Charlie Kirk set his team an impossible goal. 
Kirk was convinced high school was the most important outreach point, according to Josh Thifault, who spearheads the Club America initiative for Turning Point USA. It’s when young Americans decide what values they want to build their life on. By the time many reach college, where TPUSA has a massive footprint, it’s already too late.
At the Colorado meeting for TPUSA leadership, Kirk told Thifault and his team that they weren’t close to where they needed to be. They had 1,200 Club America chapters. Kirk said that number needed to be 20,000. 
That was the last conversation Thifault had with his longtime friend and boss. Since Kirk’s assassination weeks later on September 10, Thifault has made it his mission to get the 20,000 Club America chapters, honoring his friend’s final request.
Thifault says there has already been a surge of requests to start Club America chapters, taking the number from 1,200 to 3,000. He now thinks the “almost impossible goal” can be a reality.
“God has given us an opportunity to achieve Charlie&#8217;s almost impossible goal,” Thifault tells The Daily Wire. “His ways are not our ways, but it is our responsibility to see this through.” 
The response to Kirk’s political assassination has been described as a political revival on the Right, with a surge of interest in the organization. It sold out tickets for its flagship convention this weekend, America Fest, cutting off registration weeks ago because the massive convention center hit capacity.
Thifault says TPUSA has grown into more than just a conservative organization.
“We&#8217;re watching Turning Point evolve from being more than just a conservative politically-themed organization,” Thifault says. “I&#8217;m watching our students care more and more about faith, I&#8217;m watching our students care more about the social aspects of our value system. They have a lot of questions about getting married, a lot of questions about having kids.”
Thifault is capitalizing on TPUSA’s growing reach by working directly with states to put Club America chapters in every high school. The longtime TPUSA executive has secured partnerships with Florida, Tennessee, and Texas. 
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis invited 150 TPUSA students to the Governor’s Mansion in Tallahassee after announcing the partnership. Texas Governor Greg Abbott held a large-scale press conference in Austin, where his Lieutenant Governor, Dan Patrick, announced a $1 million donation to the Club America and TPUSA expansion in the Lone Star State. In Tennessee, Senator Marsha Blackburn and Riley Gaines fired up the crowd of students on-site at the State Capitol to stand up for their values.
“I watched these state leaders one by one catch that vision that Charlie instilled in us before he died,” Thifault says. “It’s very important for the people in charge of the state to catch that vision. They&#8217;re not just doing it to honor Charlie, they’re doing it because they understand the way that changes the social fabric of their state.”
In Thifault’s speech at the Nashville event with Blackburn and Gaines, he predicted that it would have a permanent political impact on the state.
“You cannot fundamentally change the fabric of a nation unless the heart of the nation turns back to God, and that starts in you,” Thifault <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-and-turning-point-usa-team-up-to-start-chapters-at-every-high-school?author=Lynden+Blake&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Tennessee+And+Turning+Point+USA+Team+Up+To+Start+Chapters+At+Every+High+School">said</a> at the event. “We will look back on this day and say Tennessee was permanently a conservative state for 50 years, 100 years, because of the courage of our state leaders today.”
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-and-turning-point-usa-team-up-to-start-chapters-at-every-high-school?author=Lynden+Blake&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Tennessee+And+Turning+Point+USA+Team+Up+To+Start+Chapters+At+Every+High+School">Tennessee And Turning Point USA Team Up To Start Chapters At Every High School</a>
The partnerships ensure that Club America chapters can be formed at any school, no matter what administrators think about it. Thifault says every conservative governor in the nation should follow suit.
“I&#8217;m calling on every conservative governor in the nation to do an event like this with us and make promises, and create a culture where a leftist teacher or administrator is scared to trample on the First Amendment rights of a 15-year-old.”
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<div id="attachment_1016681" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1016681" class="wp-image-1016681 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-36-1-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-36-1-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-36-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-36-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-36-1.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Photo by Aaron E. Martinez/The Austin American-Statesman via Getty Images</div>
Thifault has spent the last three months calling lawmakers, scheduling meetings with governors to make Kirk’s goal of 20,000 Club America chapters a reality. 
“It&#8217;s just a lot of clipboard and tennis shoes-style activism right now.”
The boots-on-the-ground work Thifault is doing reminds him of his early days with Kirk, when they worked together a decade ago to get TPUSA off the ground. 
“Charlie was working 100 to 120 hours a week, he would be so busy that he wouldn’t have time to eat,” Thifault recalled. “He would get enough calories to stay alive by drinking a morning latte.” 
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<div id="attachment_1016691" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1016691" class="size-large wp-image-1016691" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-38-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-38-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-38-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-38-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Untitled-design-38.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Credit: Josh Thifault</div>
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Thifault says the surge to 3,000 chapters doesn’t even represent how much momentum is behind the initiative.
“The demand is even greater than the growth. In the weeks following Charlie’s passing, we had 135,000 people reach out, saying they wanted to start or join chapters.”
Thifault says TPUSA has been ready to respond to the demand because of Erika Kirk’s leadership. Erika took over for her husband as the leader of TPUSA and immediately went to work on doubling the infrastructure of the organization in 2026.
“She&#8217;s very passionate about this,” Thifault said. “I am thrilled not just with that, but also with her focus on the spiritual — which you&#8217;ve seen in a lot of her speeches. The reason why we&#8217;re able to grow this quickly is because Erika has continued the visions Charlie put in place.”
Erika has been praised for how quickly she stepped into the leadership role while still grieving her husband’s death. Thifault said Charlie left specific instructions on how he wanted his company to move forward in case something happened to him. 
“It was because Charlie explicitly left wishes that she take over with the goal of continuing the set vision for the organization,” Thifault says. “He was keenly aware that something could happen to him, and he wanted the train to keep going in the same direction.”
The fall tour, the biggest convention ever, and rapid expansion are all things Thifault said are because of Erika’s commitment to Charlie’s mission. 
“I cannot overstate the importance of that,” Thifault said.
TPUSA has come a long way from its first end-of-year conference in 2015, which Thifault attended. It was about 100 students, in a room with no windows, eager to hear Charlie Kirk’s message. 
Ten years later, there are 30,000 people in a convention center. It’s the first conference without Kirk, but his message lives on — build a movement rooted in faith, freedom, and love of country, and bring it to the next generation.
“What&#8217;s the best thing spiritually and culturally and politically for the nation? When a student is a teenager, show them the truth and let them build their lives on it,” Thifault said. 
He said that’s possible through Club America.
“The most efficient thing we can do as a society is to make sure that before students even become adults, they’re building their lives on the way, the truth, and the light.”

Credit: Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Charlie Kirk Gave His Team An Impossible Task. Now They’re Fighting To Make It A Reality.

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Florida

News

Tennessee

Texas

Turning Point USA

A Marine Corps veteran from Texas who was left paralyzed and without a voice after being allegedly shot by a criminal illegal immigrant has since regained a portion of his ability to speak and shared his first message since the attack exclusively with The Daily Wire.
Jimmy Friesenhahn, 44, was working as a security guard at the El Patio Sports Bar in San Antonio in May when he found a pistol in the pocket of a man he was patting down. When the Marine veteran tried to confiscate the gun, the man, later identified by authorities as Wilmer Vladimir Ortega Ruiz, 29, allegedly resisted, and the two engaged in a scuffle.
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Credit: Jennie Taer for The Daily Wire
Friesenhahn has since undergone seven surgeries and has regained the ability to speak at a whisper. Before his latest battle, Friesenhahn served 14 years in the Marines, surviving multiple overseas deployments, including to Iraq.
He now faces a new fight as he navigates life in a wheelchair and tries to gain any small forms of independence.
When asked to share his first message with the public, Friesenhahn offered a sobering account of what life has been like since the shooting, which he said he remembers clearly, and had some choice words for the man who left him paralyzed.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t think it&#8217;s fair that he can do this and get away with it, and I am left with all these disabilities, or for him to get a reduced sentence when I&#8217;ve been sentenced to a wheelchair for the rest of my life,&#8221; Friesenhahn said.
He went on to speak directly to the man he believes tried to kill him that fateful day.
&#8220;I hope one day you&#8217;ll go through the same thing I went through, or you spend the rest of your life behind bars and remember what you did. This has affected a lot of other people, not just myself, but my family and friends and coworkers,&#8221; he said.
The illegal immigrant, who federal law enforcement sources say snuck across the border without detection, was first arrested in San Antonio for a DWI in October 2020, according to court records. Authorities released him on a personal recognizance bond, and he never appeared for his later court date.
The Bexar County District Attorney’s Office later downgraded the DWI charge to obstructing a passageway, which Ortega Ruiz pleaded guilty to. He later violated his probation and was arrested again in August 2023.
Ortega Ruiz was released again after posting a $1,500 bond and never appeared for his later court hearing.
Authorities arrested him for a third time in September 2023 before he posted a $1,500 bond and again failed to show up to court.
His fourth arrest took place in November 2024. He was sentenced to time served three weeks later.
At one point, Ortega Ruiz was allegedly tied to an assault investigation after his girlfriend claimed he physically attacked her. The illegal immigrant ran from the scene and was never captured for the alleged crime, law enforcement sources said.
Friesenhahn directed a message to President Donald Trump, who he believes can ensure the illegal immigrant stays behind bars.
&#8220;For President Trump, I would say this: the fact that this person was locked up four times and released, and our justice system seems to fail our citizens, what does that say? You&#8217;re not a citizen of the United States, and we won&#8217;t let you walk away,&#8221; Friesenhahn said.
&#8220;I want to thank President Trump for working so hard to secure our borders and putting the American citizens first. Many people have been hurt or killed because of the unsecured border and soft-on-crime practices. Americans deserve to be protected, and President Trump is helping to make sure this happens,&#8221; he said.
The Marine vet also made clear that he doesn&#8217;t want Trump to deport the alleged shooter.
&#8220;Do not deport him, but have harsher punishments for those who commit crimes in this country because if we commit a crime in [another] country, I guarantee you they would not &#8230; deport us, we would do the time there, and it would not be the same.
&#8220;In my case and in any other case, and victims who have been victimized by illegal immigrants, I say you do the crime, you pay the time in that country.&#8221;
The Bexar County District Attorney&#8217;s Office has only pursued aggravated assault charges against the illegal immigrant.
Both Friesenhahn and his family are outraged with the charges, arguing that the illegal immigrant&#8217;s alleged crimes rise to attempted murder and that he should be behind bars for life.
&#8220;It seems as if the district attorney&#8217;s office here is just trying to clear their backlog without serving true justice to victims and their families. There have been many recent cases dismissed or even lenient probations established where there should have been jail time. We await trial and sentencing, or even, more so, anxiously await a poor deal where the shooter receives a low sentence of twenty years or less,&#8221; his brother-in-law Emmanuel Martinez told The Daily Wire.
In an attempt to ensure the illegal immigrant faces justice, the federal government has hit Ortega Ruiz with charges for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement has placed a detainer to ensure he&#8217;s not released onto the streets again.
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Marine Vet Speaks Out After Being Shot And Paralyzed By Illegal Immigrant Suspect With Prior Arrests

Marine Vet Paralyzed By Illegal Immigrant Shooter Who Had Been Arrested And Released 4 Times Sp

Crime

illegal immigrant

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has expanded a 2024 lawsuit based on new evidence that accuses two doctors of lying to healthcare providers about prescribing transgender procedures on kids in defiance of state law.
Paxton <a href="https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-paxton-files-landmark-healthcare-fraud-lawsuit-against-doctors-who-illegally-forced">announced</a> additional allegations on Wednesday against two doctors, May Lau and M. Brett Cooper, over alleged healthcare fraud related to their prescription of transgender drugs to minors. Both Lau and Cooper had prescribed transgender drugs to dozens of kids in violation of state law, Paxton said.  
“What these radicals were doing was evil, and I will pursue every available legal tool to stop and punish this cruel child abuse,” Paxton said. “Any fraudulent scheme to steal hardworking Texans’ taxpayer dollars will be stopped and repaid in full. Under my watch, the transgender activists using their positions in the medical field to illegally ‘transition’ children will face the full force of the law.”
Paxton previously filed lawsuits against the doctors for allegedly prescribing the drugs. Last Friday, he added two Texas Health Care Program Fraud Prevention Act claims to the suits. His office described the suits as &#8220;first-of-their kind&#8221; medical fraud suits against doctors who performed transgender procedures on minors.
Paxton wants the doctors to repay the state three times what they billed for the procedures and to impose additional civil penalties. 
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In the most recent <a href="https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/sites/default/files/images/press/Cooper.pdf">filing</a> against Cooper, Paxton said the Dallas-based doctor “engaged in false, misleading, and deceptive acts and practices to mislead pharmacies, insurance providers, and/or patients by falsifying medical records, prescriptions, and billing records to conceal that his treatments and prescriptions were for the purposes of transitioning a child’s biological sex or affirming a child’s belief that their gender identity is inconsistent with their biological sex.”
Cooper previously lamented the passage of legislation in Texas banning transgender procedures on kids, calling it a &#8220;sad day for Texans&#8221; and a decision driven by &#8220;political ideology.&#8221;
According to the filing, Cooper prescribed testosterone to teenage girls as young as 14-years-old. He then billed healthcare providers “something other than the purpose of transitioning their biological sex or affirming their belief that their gender identity is inconsistent with their biological sex,” the suit alleges. 
Lau is also <a href="https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/sites/default/files/images/press/Lau.pdf">accused</a> of prescribing testosterone to teenage girls in defiance of state law. In October, Lau <a href="https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/radical-doctor-surrenders-medical-license-after-attorney-general-paxton-sued-her-prescribing">surrendered</a> her medical license amid the ongoing legal action. 
&#8220;Lau is a scofflaw who is putting the health and safety of minors at risk by prescribing testosterone, a controlled substance, to biological female minors and estrogen to a biological male minor for the purposes of transitioning their biological sex or affirming their belief that their gender identity is inconsistent with their biological sex,&#8221; the suit said.
In a statement to The Daily Wire, Lau&#8217;s legal team said that Paxton&#8217;s allegations were completely false.
&#8220;Ken Paxton’s latest press release is false in every material aspect,&#8221; they said. &#8220;It reflects only Paxton’s and his office’s continued effort to spread baseless lies and inflammatory rhetoric about Dr. Lau in an effort to taint the jury pool.  His team has failed to find facts to support his allegations against Dr. Lau and so attempts to cover up that failure with repeated amendments to his claims, of which this new amendment is only the latest misguided effort.&#8221;
Lau denied Paxton&#8217;s allegations and said she had complied with all federal and state law.
&#8220;Dr. Lau is a revered pediatrician who not only has provided life-saving and life-sustaining care to adolescents in North Texas and beyond but who also was named by D magazine as best adolescent medicine specialist in 2013-23 and 2025. Dr. Lau did not force any treatment on any of her patients and her care complied with Texas and federal law in every respect,&#8221; her legal team added. 
The doctors allegedly billed Texas Medicaid for the drugs by falsifying records, altering diagnosis codes, and submitting deceptive billing information.
This article has been updated with comment from Lau&#8217;s legal team.

U.S. Supreme Court Hears Expedited Challenges Over Texas Abortion Ban

Texas Accuses ‘Radical’ Doctors Of Using Tax Dollars To Fund Secret Trans Procedures On Teenagers

Texas Accuses 'Radical' Doctors Of Billing State For Secret Trans Procedures On Teenagers

Ken Paxton

Transgender

In Southern California, local officials are now handing out air purifiers to residents choking on the stench of raw sewage — yes, including human waste — flowing across the border from Mexico.
Roughly 25 million gallons of untreated sewage from America’s southern neighbor reportedly spill into the Pacific Ocean each day, and in parts of San Diego County, the cross-border torrent has turned what should be crisp seaside air into the unmistakable funk of a porta-potty.
By Wednesday morning, the mess had grown loud enough to reach the White House, as President Donald Trump weighed in on Truth Social.
“Mexico must take care of its water and sewage problem, IMMEDIATELY. It is a true Threat to the People of Texas, California, and the United States of America!” Trump warned, attaching a local news segment as evidence of the unfolding mess.
In California, the mouth of the Tijuana River, which flows through Mexico, empties into the Pacific just north of the border near Imperial Beach.
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The San Diego County Air Pollution Control District spent the week handing out hundreds of air purifiers and replacement filters to residents in the South Bay, a cluster of communities pressed against the Mexico border. <a href="https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/local/cross-border-contamination/san-diego-county-distributes-air-purifiers-to-south-bay-residents-impacted-by-cross-border-sewage-pollution/509-b9ac548e-a218-45d7-817f-4b2d81eb57e8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CBS 8 News</a> reported that people living there &#8220;continue to grapple with foul odors and polluted air stemming from cross-border sewage flow.&#8221;
Last week, the situation worsened after a break in a Mexican sewer line <a href="https://www.10news.com/news/local-news/new-sewage-line-break-sends-120-000-gallons-of-raw-waste-to-south-bay-communities">reportedly</a> sent 120,000 gallons of sewage into the South Bay. The ongoing pollution has already dragged down home values, closed some beaches, and affected Navy SEAL training.
Leon Benham, who has lived in the area for more than 60 years, <a href="https://www.10news.com/news/local-news/new-sewage-line-break-sends-120-000-gallons-of-raw-waste-to-south-bay-communities">told</a> KGTV that raw sewage has contaminated his backyard. He is the founder of Citizens for Coast Conservancy, which has reportedly spent years advocating for solutions.
&#8220;When the offshore flow comes in, we can smell the stink, you know, we can smell it,&#8221; he said.
Residents largely viewed the air purifiers as a temporary band-aid, not a fix. Baron Parlow, the founder of Stop the Poop, told CBS 8 that local officials simply handing out filters wasn’t anywhere close to enough.
&#8220;Where [are] all the tough sanctions on the source Mexico?&#8221; he asked. &#8220;Where&#8217;s all the pressure to get Mexico to stop the poo?&#8221;
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin reacted to President Trump&#8217;s demand on social media.
&#8220;The Trump Admin has been taking important action to PERMANENTLY END the flow of disgusting raw sewage from Mexico into the United States,&#8221; he posted on X on Wednesday. &#8220;We are working very closely with our Mexican counterparts to ensure San Diego area beaches can reopen, foul odors cease, and the Tijuana River Valley gets cleaned up as quickly as humanly possible. This will also be great for our Navy SEALs who train in the area.&#8221;
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untreated sewage spills into the ocean at Dockweiler State Beach

Trump Demands Mexico Stop Flow Of Raw Sewage Into The U.S.

California

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Trump Administration

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President Donald Trump highlights the administration’s affordability efforts, a key Senate race gains a new wrinkle in Texas, and mainstream science erupts at a new government memo on vaccines.
It’s Wednesday, December 10, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below, and the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/mrn-251210-member-exclusive">video version can be seen on The Daily Wire</a>:
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">Trump Kicks Off Economy Tour</h2>
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Topline: President Trump is hitting the road to tout his economic progress as Americans remain pessimistic about affordability and the cost of living.
Since retaking office, many of the president’s most high-profile road trips have been abroad to meet with foreign leaders and lock down peace deals and trade agreements. But with midterms fast approaching and affordability remaining the top issue for voters, he’s launching a nationwide tour to tout his economic record and address voter concerns on affordability.
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For years now, Republicans have dominated on the topic, with poll after poll showing voters prefer their handling of the economy over Democrats. But goodwill from Trump’s first term has not carried over, as Republicans now trail Democrats on the economy.
Last month’s electoral results in New Jersey, Virginia, and New York were seemingly a wake-up call for the White House. It’s not just that Democrats won handily, but it’s the fact that they won by attacking President Trump’s economy and focusing on affordability. Now the president has held a series of meetings with his top advisers to devise a new messaging strategy to convince voters that he’s taking the right course ahead of the midterms.
Trump appeared in Pennsylvania for the first of what the White House says will be a string of events focused primarily on affordability.
Trump is in a tough political spot. On the one hand, he takes great pride in his economic prowess and his role as a sort of businessman-in-chief. But if he continues insisting that things are going great, he risks coming off as out of touch and angering folks.
A Fox News poll this month found that 76% of voters view the economy negatively, while POLITICO found that even 37% of Trump voters say the cost of living is the worst they’ve ever seen.
For his part, the president reportedly feels the issue is perception, and that Republicans must step up their efforts to highlight the progress they’re making.
“We gave you an extension of the biggest tax cuts and the biggest tax cuts ever, even bigger than the first term, and that&#8217;s one of the reasons that your 401(k)s are through the roof. It&#8217;s one of the reasons that the stock market is at the highest point,” said Trump Tuesday evening. “Rent prices are down, dairy prices are coming down very strongly. The cost of Thanksgiving turkeys was down by 33% compared to the Biden era. That&#8217;s a good start. We&#8217;re bringing it down and we&#8217;re coming down more. We&#8217;re coming down a lot more.”
President Trump also touted the progress made so far in lowering the cost of gas and eggs, which reached historic highs in recent years. 
“We&#8217;re down lower than we&#8217;ve been in seven years. And gasoline prices in oil prices, not just the three states that I talk about with 1.99 a gallon,” said Trump. “  What about eggs? … The price of eggs is down now 80% since March. Think of that.”
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Shootout For Texas Senate Seat</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1012425" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Senate-Battle-Brews-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Senate-Battle-Brews-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Senate-Battle-Brews-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Senate-Battle-Brews-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Senate-Battle-Brews-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Senate-Battle-Brews.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Topline: A Texas Senate race is already heating up as candidates for both parties jockey for the chance to win the key seat, and some notable names are shaking things up.
A new Democrat challenger: Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) is jumping into the race. Crockett is a sound-bite factory, so prepare to see some major developments out of the U.S. Senate race in Texas.
Former Rep. Colin Allred (D-TX) dropped out of the race earlier on Monday while signaling that Crockett was going to get in. Meanwhile, state Rep. James Talarico is maintaining that he is going to stay in the contest on the Democratic side.
Texas is a red state, but with the 2026 election, Democrats are feeling a bit cocky about their shot at winning that seat and many others, if possible.
Crockett’s impact: The NRCC, or the Republican arm focused on House elections, is already touting that Crockett could potentially be the Democratic nominee. What that means for down-ballot races is that moderate Democrats will face a choice: whether to embrace Crockett and risk being painted as radicals by Republicans, or to push away from Crockett and risk pushback from Democrats.
Either way, Republicans will likely try to paint Crockett as the standard-bearer of the Democratic Party in Texas.
GOP’s packed primary: On the Republican side, it&#8217;s a complicated primary. Incumbent Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) is running, as well as state Attorney General Ken Paxton. Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-TX) is also in the race.
Cornyn is backed by the NRC, the official party arm that defends incumbent GOP senators. Paxton, Hunt, and Cornyn are all vying for Trump&#8217;s endorsement. But the president has not yet picked a favorite.
Hunt and Paxton have both portrayed themselves as the better option to stand with Trump and carry out the president’s agenda. But there is a highly volatile dynamic in the race, and polling shows the contest is incredibly close.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">FDA Revamps Vaccine Standards</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1012427" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Shots-Under-Scrutiny-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Shots-Under-Scrutiny-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Shots-Under-Scrutiny-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Shots-Under-Scrutiny-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Shots-Under-Scrutiny-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Shots-Under-Scrutiny.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Topline: The FDA is implementing tougher standards for vaccines, a move riling up the medical establishment.
Reports circulated this week about an internal memo from Dr. Vinay Prasad, director of the FDA’s vaccine division, proposing an overhaul of how vaccines are evaluated and approved, initiating tougher standards. The new process would include full randomized clinical trials even for updated or routine vaccines, such as the flu shot.
The trials would allow evaluation of real-world protection, not just antibody levels, as well as side-effect rates and additional information for risk-benefit analysis. Currently, officials rely primarily on immune-response data, such as antibody levels from small groups of people.
Notably, this memo cited at least 10 children who died “after and because of” receiving COVID vaccines. That is apparently driving this new direction for tougher vaccine approvals. 
How it&#8217;s playing: Twelve former FDA officials denounced the memo in an editorial, claiming that it casts doubt on vaccine safety. They claim these new standards reject “long-standing science” and say it will slow innovation. Former FDA head Dr. Scott Gottlieb appeared on CBS News and <a href="https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/1997844527353409711">said</a> Prasad’s new procedures could hamper vaccine effectiveness.
Trump admin response: The Department of Health and Human Services stands by Dr. Prasad and these new standards. An HHS spokesperson took a swipe at the “resistance” editorial, saying, “The fact these criticisms are coming from former FDA officials who opposed raising the bar for vaccine science confirms we are on the right track.”
HHS press secretary Emily Hilliard told Morning Wire that the American people “deserve evidence-based science,” and said Dr. Prasad’s email “lays out a philosophical framework that points us toward that higher standard.”
Hilliard also said HHS will “soon release documents laying out that framework,” as well as data confirming how the COVID vaccine resulted in children’s deaths that previous leadership failed to investigate properly.

MRN_251210_V2

Morning Brief: Trump Touts Affordability, Lone Star Senate Showdown, & Vax Standards Revised

Morning Brief: Trump’s Economy Tour, TX Senate Race, And FDA Revamps Vax Standards

Donald Trump

Economy

Jasmine Crockett

John Cornyn

Morning Wire

Pennsylvania

Vaccines

Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) declared her candidacy for the United States Senate seat currently held by Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) — but Mark Halperin is saying she doesn&#8217;t stand a snowball&#8217;s chance in the Lone Star State.
Halperin, speaking with &#8220;AfterParty&#8221; host Emily Jashinsky, explained that Crockett was fighting an uphill battle in the reliably red state and would likely struggle to win a statewide election even if the Republican candidate was not ideal.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨NEW: <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkHalperin?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MarkHalperin</a> tells <a href="https://twitter.com/emilyjashinsky?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@emilyjashinsky</a> Jasmine Crockett&#8217;s Senate hopes *DEAD IN WATER*🤣
&#8220;Emily, a Democrat has not won a statewide office in Texas for over a quarter century. And if you&#8217;re asking me if Jasmine Crockett will be the Democrat who breaks that streak, the answer… <a href="https://t.co/D6g3NqFwPX">pic.twitter.com/D6g3NqFwPX</a>
— Jason Cohen 🇺🇸 (@JasonJournoDC) <a href="https://twitter.com/JasonJournoDC/status/1998390337841066405?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Emily, a Democrat has not won a statewide office in Texas for over a quarter century. And if you&#8217;re asking me if Jasmine Crockett will be the Democrat who breaks that streak, the answer is no,&#8221; he began.
He went on to say that it was certainly possible Crockett would make it through a Democratic primary, however unlikely an eventual win might be.
&#8220;Maybe she&#8217;ll be the nominee, and if she is, the Republicans will rejoice because any of the three Republicans in the Republican primary can beat her, almost certainly,&#8221; Halperin continued. &#8220;Because again, there&#8217;s a profile that&#8217;s been bandied about for years of the kind of Democrat who could break this 35 — or whatever it is, I guess 31-year losing streak to win a statewide office in Texas, and that profile matches not at all with Jasmine Crockett.&#8221;
Crockett&#8217;s campaign pitch thus far appears to be yet another lode from the same vein as much of her career so far in the U.S. House, largely built on direct and vocal opposition to anything President Donald Trump says or does.

Delivering On Government Efficiency Subcommittee Holds Hearing On Foreign Aid

Mark Halperin Says Jasmine Crockett Doesn’t Stand A Snowball’s Chance In Texas: ‘The Answer Is No’

Mark Halperin

Media

Politics

U.S. Senate

Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) is entering the heated race to represent the Lone Star State in the United States Senate after much deliberation.
Crockett filed last-minute paperwork to run in the Texas Democratic Primary in March and is expected to announce her bid later on Monday, <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/jasmine-crockett-texas-senate-democratic-primary/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CBS News</a> reported.
“It is hilarious to me that me saying that I will announce what I plan to do on 12/8, like I’ve been saying is scaring the heck out of so many people. The attacks are hilarious… note to those that don’t know how politics works… only the threat gets attacked,” the Democrat <a href="https://x.com/JasmineForUS/status/1996580581778370949">posted on X</a> last week.
“Again, my decision to go one way or another will be based upon facts &amp; not feelings… historical data, trends, etc,” she added. The 44-year-old congresswoman, who represents parts of the Dallas area, is considered a firebrand for her party as a vocal critic of President Donald Trump and a key surrogate on the 2024 campaign trail. Her entrance could potentially rally the Democratic base in the state and push her through the primary.
Earlier on Monday, former Rep. Colin Allred, who lost to Sen. Ted Cruz in 2024, dropped out of the race amid the speculation that Crockett would likely jump in.
“I am deeply moved by the personal stories and trust that so many Texans have placed in me. I’m forever grateful and believe it comes with heavy responsibility,” Allred <a href="https://x.com/ColinAllredTX/status/1998015894878830941">wrote</a> in an X post.
However, state Rep. James Talarico is standing firm in his bid for the Democratic nomination.
“We&#8217;re building a movement in Texas fueled by record-breaking grassroots fundraising and 10,000 volunteers who are putting in the work to defeat the billionaire mega-donors and puppet politicians who have taken over our state,” Talarico wrote in a Monday afternoon statement.
“Our movement is rooted in unity over division &#8211; so we welcome Congresswoman Crockett into this race,” he added.
The Republicans are duking it out for the nomination, as Sen. John Cornyn is facing off against Attorney General Ken Paxton and Rep. Wesley Hunt. None of the men has received Trump’s endorsement yet, as the race has largely centered on who would be best positioned to help the president execute his agenda during his last two years in office.
Republicans currently hold 53 seats in the Senate, and the battle for Congress will be critical in determining the political direction for the Trump administration and a key indicator headed into the 2028 presidential race. In Texas, Trump won the state handily in 2024, and the Cook Political Report considered the 2026 Senate race as “Likely Republican.”

Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX)

Jasmine Crockett Files Paperwork To Run For U.S. Senate In Texas

It's Official: Jasmine Crockett Files Paperwork To Run For Senate in Texas

Democrats

Senate

Former Rep. Colin Allred (D-TX) is dropping out of the Texas Senate race and instead running for the House again, which is paving the way for Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) to possibly enter the Democratic primary.
“I am deeply moved by the personal stories and trust that so many Texans have placed in me. I&#8217;m forever grateful and believe it comes with heavy responsibility,” Allred, who unsuccessfully challenged Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) in 2024, wrote in an X post, setting up a primary challenge to incumbent Rep. Julie Johnson (D-TX).
“That’s why I’ve made the difficult decision to end my campaign for Senate and run to represent the newly drawn CD-33,” he added.
The often bombastic Crockett is inching toward a bid, but she has yet to formally announce her decision. Allred’s exit could be an indicator that she is jumping into the race, as state Rep. James Talarico (D-TX) also has his hat in the ring.
“It is hilarious to me that me saying that I will announce what I plan to do on 12/8, like I’ve been saying is scaring the heck out of so many people. The attacks are hilarious … note to those that don’t know how politics works … only the threat gets attacked,” Crockett posted to X on last week. She told CNN last month that she would “make a final decision by Thanksgiving on whether or not we’re gonna ultimately move forward.”
“Again, my decision to go one way or another will be based upon facts &amp; not feelings… historical data, trends, etc,” she continued.
On the Republican side, there’s a heated primary underway between incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, Attorney General Ken Paxton, and Rep. Wesley Hunt. Paxton and Hunt are arguing that Cornyn is not doing enough to support President Donald Trump’s agenda, whereas Cornyn and the National Republican Senatorial Committee have said that the incumbent has the best shot at winning the general election.
In recent days, Cornyn’s social media has taken numerous shots at Crockett, including saying, “she insults the people she is supposed to serve.”
Trump has yet to endorse in the Republican primary. The Cook Political Report ranks the race as “Likely Republican.”
Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has already sounded the alarm on a potential bid from the Democrat congresswoman, who drew national attention in 2024 after referring to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) as a &#8220;bleach-blonde, bad-built, butch body&#8221; during a heated congressional hearing.
“Jasmine Crockett about to learn the hard way that most Texans are very different from her district, her base &amp; her values,” Abbott posted to X. “She’ll be pummeled for her progressive socialist agenda &amp; get crushed by the Republican nominee for Senate.”
“The Texas political cemetery is filled with blow hards like her who have no idea what it’s like to run statewide. Looking forward to watching the circus&#8211; and KEEPING the US Senate seat red,” he added, saying maybe there’s a spot on “The View” for her.
Republicans currently hold 53 of the 100 Senate seats, with Democrats holding 45 – along with two independents who caucus with Democrats. As for Texas, Trump won the state&#8217;s 40 electoral votes, taking more than 56% of the vote compared with former Vice President Kamala Harris&#8217; 42.5%. In the Senate race, Cruz defeated Allred with 53%, and the Democrat won around 44.6%.

Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, Texas’ 30th District: An Intimate Brunch

Major Texas Senate Race Exit Could Signal Jasmine Crockett’s Entrance

2026 elections

colin allred

Congress

Churches are not the only institutions that view baptisms as a stat line.
After years of athletes giving their lives to the Lord, Baylor University has also started keeping count. Baylor athletes wear their faith on campus as proudly as the names on their jerseys.
&#8220;There&#8217;s not very many schools across the country that have a competitive athletics program that combine that with a faith-based mission within the school,&#8221; Baylor quarterback Sawyer Robertson told The Daily Wire. &#8220;Fortunately, Baylor is one of those schools that does that.&#8221;
The largest Baptist school in the country has baptized hundreds of athletes in the last five years alone.
<div id="attachment_1010793" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1010793" class="size-large wp-image-1010793" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/MMM09111-Pano-1024x485.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="485" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/MMM09111-Pano-1024x485.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/MMM09111-Pano-300x142.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/MMM09111-Pano-768x364.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/MMM09111-Pano-1536x727.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/MMM09111-Pano-2048x970.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Credit: Baylor Athletics</div>
&#8220;Being able to be a part of the athletes&#8217; lives and their spiritual journey is one of the coolest things about working at Baylor,&#8221; Head Basketball Coach Scott Drew told The Daily Wire.
Drew has been at Baylor since 2003, so he&#8217;s seen many lives changed.
&#8220;We have close to 26 campus ministries. The local churches are packed with Baylor students on Wednesday night. At Sunday church service &#8230; there&#8217;s probably 500 to 1,000 college kids every service I&#8217;m there. At the end of the day, it&#8217;s because we have great leadership at Baylor University.&#8221;
The football team&#8217;s faith took the spotlight this season when 10 players were baptized by teammates.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Moments Like This Last Forever.
Last night, 10 of our own took the next step in their faith through baptism 📸⬇️ <a href="https://t.co/U9U6GNRe0x">pic.twitter.com/U9U6GNRe0x</a>
— Baylor Football (@BUFootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/BUFootball/status/1986175831266238697?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;
Robertson, who leads the team on the field, helped baptize some of the players, including his former receiver, whom Robertson baptized before Thanksgiving.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Last night, Monaray Baldwin returned home to Waco and publicly declared his faith in Jesus Christ through baptism. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SicEm?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SicEm</a> <a href="https://t.co/MmGLI3lCvO">pic.twitter.com/MmGLI3lCvO</a>
— Baylor Football (@BUFootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/BUFootball/status/1993711582199865491?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 26, 2025</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;
&#8220;How it normally goes is when a player decides that they want to get baptized and give their life to Jesus, they get to decide who baptizes them. So it just happened that three guys wanted me to do it. That&#8217;s not something you turn down.&#8221;
Robertson also baptized Nate Bennett, his backup quarterback.
<div id="attachment_1010795" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1010795" class="size-large wp-image-1010795" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/MMM08845-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/MMM08845-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/MMM08845-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/MMM08845-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/MMM08845-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/MMM08845-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/MMM08845-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/MMM08845-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Credit: Baylor Athletics</div>
&#8220;He&#8217;s awesome,&#8221; Robertson said. &#8220;He&#8217;s like a little brother to me, and he would get mad if I said that, but I only say that because he&#8217;s younger than me, so I think I&#8217;m allowed to say that, but I love him so much.&#8221;
The baptisms are part of a player-led Bible. About 5-6 small groups meet on Tuesdays to study a video series put together by a teammate. This semester, it was organized by a safety on the team, Michael Allen. The team studied the book of Genesis and looked at Joseph&#8217;s life. Robertson said a lot of the team related to this one, which may be why it was the largest group they&#8217;ve had commit their lives to Jesus.
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&#8220;Joseph is sold by his brothers because they were jealous of him. Then he gets accused of something that he didn&#8217;t do, and gets thrown in prison for two years, and then he eventually always works his way up to second in command of Egypt. The guys are just like, &#8216;How did he stay the course? This is incredible.'&#8221;
Robertson calls leading the Bible study a &#8220;calling.&#8221; For some players, the football team&#8217;s Bible study may be the first one they&#8217;ve been part of.
&#8220;That&#8217;s been definitely the most fruitful thing,&#8221; the quarterback continued. &#8220;You can kind of tell based off the questions that are getting asked when you break off into small groups. People have said they had no clue this was a thing, like they didn&#8217;t know about this.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I interviewed <a href="https://twitter.com/BUFootball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BUFootball</a> Quarterback, Sawyer Robertson, on the recent player-lead baptisms. 10 Baylor Football players were baptized at the end of their Bible study. Story Sunday on <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDailyWire</a>. <a href="https://t.co/Nnmf5ca13K">pic.twitter.com/Nnmf5ca13K</a>
— Lynden Blake (@LyndenBlake) <a href="https://twitter.com/LyndenBlake/status/1997076676157546699?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
The Bible studies are held anywhere there&#8217;s room at the athletic complex, including team meeting rooms and locker rooms. The same goes for baptisms. Coach Drew has baptized so many of his players over his 23 years in Waco — sometimes right on the court — that the team now has a baptism wall honoring all the players who have dedicated themselves to Christ.
<div id="attachment_1010815" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1010815" class="size-large wp-image-1010815" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/1B9A3326October-16-2024-JRC-1024x576.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/1B9A3326October-16-2024-JRC-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/1B9A3326October-16-2024-JRC-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/1B9A3326October-16-2024-JRC-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/1B9A3326October-16-2024-JRC-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/1B9A3326October-16-2024-JRC-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Credit: Baylor Athletics</div>
&#8220;Our chaplain baptized five players on the way down to the University of Texas,&#8221; Drew said with a laugh. &#8220;We&#8217;re versatile.&#8221;
Thankfully for current athletes at Baylor, the days of bringing a cold tub to center court for baptisms are over. The Bears have new athletic facilities, which include a large, warm therapy tub. Some say it&#8217;s perfect for baptisms.
&#8220;It works quite well,&#8221; Robertson added. &#8220;All the other guys that are part of the player-led Bible study, there&#8217;s about 30 to 40 people now, and they&#8217;re cheering and applauding, it&#8217;s just encouraging.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_1010797" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1010797" class="size-large wp-image-1010797" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/MMM09093-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/MMM09093-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/MMM09093-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/MMM09093-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/MMM09093-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/MMM09093-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/MMM09093-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/MMM09093-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Credit: Baylor Athletics</div>
As you walk around campus, you notice Bible verses everywhere. The basketball team attends a chapel before every home game. Coach Drew calls it a &#8220;Christian atmosphere&#8221; that leaves an impact on players long after they&#8217;ve graduated.
&#8220;I keep some of the letters from past players,&#8221; Drew said. &#8220;Whenever you&#8217;re having a really bad day, or you&#8217;re like, why do we do what we do, you pull out one of those letters, and it makes it all worthwhile.&#8221;
Robertson&#8217;s relationship with God keeps him grounded through the grind of being a college athlete.
&#8220;I want to be as successful as possible, but at the end of the day, if my relationship with the Lord isn&#8217;t right, then none of what I do on Earth matters,&#8221; he says. &#8220;At the end of the day, like it&#8217;s got to be my foundation, and I&#8217;ve got to make that the priority of my life.&#8221;
Before games, the quarterback reads 2 Timothy 1:7: &#8220;For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.&#8221;
&#8220;I like thinking about that one before games because it kind of like relaxes me and takes the pressure off, even though I know there&#8217;s a lot of people watching. Just going out there and not having any fear of it and just playing, playing to honor God, really, it relieves some of that pressure.&#8221;
The 22-year-old also lives by Mark 8:36: &#8220;For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?&#8221;
&#8220;It&#8217;s not all about likes and popularity and attention,&#8221; Robertson adds. &#8220;But seeking something that&#8217;s actually like true and like what can I put my identity in.&#8221;
If you Google Scott Drew, you&#8217;ll see how the world views the veteran coach. He&#8217;s a National Championship coach and a three-time Big 12 Coach of the Year. Accolades he&#8217;s beyond proud of. But Drew said the only winning that lasts is winning eternity.
&#8220;One day I&#8217;ll get to heaven and see a bunch of Baylor Bears up there,&#8221; he says. &#8220;People we had a chance to help grow spiritually.&#8221;

Baylor Athletics

‘Playing To Honor God’: Baylor Athletes Find A Higher Calling

'Playing To Honor God': Baylor Athletics Find Bigger Purpose

Christianity

College Football

Southern Baptists

The Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that Texas could forge ahead with its newly redrawn congressional map ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
The <a href="https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/26338616/25a608-order.pdf">initial order</a> was unsigned, and declared that the lower court&#8217;s decision to block the map — which favors Republicans — had been made in error. A brief concurring opinion followed that was joined by Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, and Neil Gorsuch. Justices Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor, and Ketanji Brown-Jackson joined together in dissent.
The order opened with a brief explanation, noting that a three-judge District Court had granted the League of Latin American Voters&#8217; request for an injunction — which would have prevented the state from implementing the new map — and stated that the Court intended to stay the injunction, as requested by the state of Texas. &#8220;The District Court failed to honor the presumption of legislative good faith by construing ambiguous direct and circumstantial evidence against the legislature,&#8221; the explanation read, in part.
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Justice Alito, in his concurring opinion, argued that the lower court&#8217;s determination — that the Republican-drawn map was based on race rather than politics — was made in error. He wrote that it was &#8220;indisputable&#8221; that the &#8220;impetus for the adoption of the Texas map (like the map subsequently adopted in California) was partisan advantage pure and simple&#8221; — and that being the case, the state should be permitted to move forward with that map. Thomas and Gorsuch agreed.
&#8220;When the asserted reason for a map is political, it is critical for challengers to produce an alternative map that serves the State’s allegedly partisan aim just as well as the map the State adopted. Id., at 34; Easley v. Cromartie, 532 U. S. 234, 258 (2001). Although respondents’ experts could have easily produced such a map if that were possible, they did not, giving rise to a strong inference that the State’s map was indeed based on partisanship, not race,&#8221; their concurring opinion continued.
Justice Kagan, in her lengthy dissent, complained that the ruling had declared the redrawn maps to not be based on race, as the lower court had found, but had instead justified them being drawn for political reasons.
The ruling, she said, &#8220;disserves the millions of Texans whom the District Court found were assigned to their new districts based on their race.&#8221;

Greg Abbott

Red State Wins Massive Supreme Court Victory On Redistricting

2026 Midterms

Elections

Redistricting

SCOTUS

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Get ready to flush idiocracy down the drain because public bathroom signs matter again in Texas.
<a href="https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/pdf/SB00240I.pdf">The Texas Women&#8217;s Privacy Act</a>, or &#8220;bathroom bill,&#8221; went into effect Thursday. It requires you to do your business in the bathroom that matches your biological sex.
State Senator Mayes Middleton wrote the bill to save female multiple-occupancy private spaces in Texas, including restrooms, locker rooms, and changing rooms, from being invaded by men.
&#8220;This is the strongest women&#8217;s privacy law in America,&#8221; Middleton told The Daily Wire. “I defeated the woke left&#8217;s radical gender ideology to protect Texas women and children’s safety.&#8221;
He believes the gendered symbols that have long identified which restroom to use for decades finally have a purpose again.
&#8220;This bill restores those boundaries and makes them enforceable,&#8221; Middleton said.
The bill also requires the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to house inmates according to their biological sex and domestic violence shelters made for women to only serve women and their children.
&#8220;These are boundaries that have existed for generations. They are boundaries based on biological truth. Boundaries based on Biblical truth.&#8221;
Women across the country have been fighting for more laws like the one in Texas. Just last month, a woman in California went viral for complaining about men being in the women&#8217;s locker rooms at her gym. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/meet-tish-hyman-the-california-lesbian-fighting-to-keep-men-out-of-womens-locker-rooms">Tish Hyman</a> has since put pressure on her state leaders in California to keep women safe.
RELATED: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/answer-straight-tish-hyman-crashes-swalwells-town-hall-demands-answer-on-men-in-womens-spaces">‘Answer Straight!’: Tish Hyman Crashes Swalwell’s Town Hall, Demands Answer On Men In Women’s Spaces</a>
Another victim of men wrongfully invading women&#8217;s spaces is Payton McNabb. During a high school volleyball game, she was knocked unconscious by a man playing on the opposing women&#8217;s volleyball team. McNabb, now ambassador at Independent Women&#8217;s Voice, is thrilled Texas has chosen to stand up for women.
&#8220;A big win for basic privacy and common sense,&#8221; McNabb said. &#8220;With the Texas Women’s Privacy Act officially going into effect today, I’m thinking about the girls who will never have to go through what I did. Seeing these protections taken seriously is a reminder of what good leadership looks like.&#8221;
The law imposes civil penalties up to $125,000 per day. People can file complaints with the state&#8217;s attorney general, who issues the penalties.
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The bill includes some exceptions, such as allowing entry for custodial, maintenance, medical, or childcare purposes.
The Texas Women&#8217;s Privacy Act is a victory for the state&#8217;s lawmakers who have fought for this protection since the first bills were introduced in 2017. Now with the law in effect, <a href="https://texasscorecard.com/state/gov-abbott-signs-womens-privacy-act-into-law/">Texas Scorecard</a> reports the state joins 19 others that have legislation protecting women in locker rooms and bathrooms.

Photo-illustration: Getty Images; Daily Wire staff

Texas Takes Back Bathrooms As New Law Bans Men From Using Women’s Facilities

Texas Takes Back Bathrooms As Law Requiring Biological Gender Use Goes Into Effect

Women's sports

Over two dozen Republican senators are backing an effort from Texas Senator John Cornyn to toughen the punishment for criminals who violently attack enforcement officers, The Daily Wire has learned. 
On Thursday, Cornyn will introduce the “Back the Blue Act” to increase the penalties for murdering or attempting to murder law enforcement while also expanding self-defense rights for police officers. The proposal has significant support from fellow Republicans, with over 31 signing on to co-sponsor.
“Our law enforcement officers bravely risk their lives daily to protect our communities, and anyone who targets them should be met with the full force of the law, including the death penalty,” he told The Daily Wire. “America was built on the principles of law and order, and this legislation sends a clear message that targeted attacks on law enforcement will not be tolerated, dangerous criminals will be held accountable, and our men and women in blue have our full and unwavering support.”
The legislation would create a new federal crime for killing or attempting to kill a federal judge, a federal law enforcement officer, or other federally funded public safety officer. If an officer dies, the murderer would be subject to the death penalty and a mandatory 30 years in prison, according to Cornyn’s office. The proposal would make attempted murder or murder an aggravating factor when considering the death penalty as well. 
Penalties for assaulting federal law enforcement would also increase, as would the punishment for fleeing across state lines to avoid prosecution for attacking law enforcement.  The proposal would also impose time limits on when a federal court can review the state-level conviction of someone who murdered a police officer in the line of duty. 
Law enforcement officers would also be given the ability to carry their firearms into federal facilities and other areas where gun possession is typically restricted, according to Cornyn’s office. 
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The legislation is backed by major law enforcement organizations like the Fraternal Order of Police, National Association of Police Organizations, Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, Major County Sheriffs of America, National Narcotic Officers’ Associations’ Coalition, Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies, and the Sergeants Benevolent Association of the NYPD.
Cornyn’s proposal of the bill comes as he faces a contentious GOP primary challenge from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt.

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