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    Missouri Election Chief Faces Contempt Hearing As Courts Issue Conflicting Map Orders

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    Patrick Houck
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    AI-generated image.

    Secretary of State Denny Hoskins must answer allegations that he violated Missouri’s highest court, even as a federal judge ordered him to use the congressional map the state court barred.

    Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins is scheduled to appear before the state Supreme Court on Thursday and explain why he should not be held in contempt for directing election officials to use a Republican-backed congressional map the court had ordered him not to implement.

    A federal judge declined to halt the contempt proceeding Wednesday night, allowing the extraordinary confrontation between Missouri’s highest court and its Republican election chief to move forward.

    The contempt question arises from Hoskins’ Sept. 8 email instructing local election authorities to use the state’s 2025 congressional districts. He sent that directive after Chief U.S. District Judge Stephen Clark issued a temporary restraining order barring Missouri from using any map other than the 2025 version.

    The difficulty for Hoskins is that the Missouri Supreme Court had already issued a permanent injunction requiring him to use the older districts drawn after the 2020 census.

    Hoskins is therefore caught between two conflicting judicial orders. The state Supreme Court says he cannot use the 2025 map, while the federal court says he cannot use any other map.

    The hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. Central time.

    Hoskins ordered to explain his email

    The Missouri Supreme Court ordered Hoskins to appear in person after People Not Politicians, the organization challenging the new map, accused him of openly violating the court’s injunction.

    Hoskins attached Clark’s federal order to his email to local officials and wrote that it “takes precedence over the Missouri Supreme Court’s order.”

    Chief Justice W. Brent Powell directed Hoskins to explain why that email was not an affirmative violation of the state court’s order. The court also asked whether Hoskins would agree to take no further action concerning the congressional map until a higher court provides guidance.

    Attorneys representing Hoskins asked Clark to stop the state contempt proceeding. Clark refused, according to the Associated Press, leaving Hoskins required to appear before the Missouri Supreme Court while the federal litigation continues.

    Referendum suspended the new map

    Republican lawmakers approved the new congressional districts during a 2025 special legislative session called by Gov. Mike Kehoe. President Donald Trump had encouraged Republican-led states to redraw districts before the midterm elections in an effort to protect the party’s narrow House majority.

    The revised Missouri map was designed to improve Republican prospects in seven of the state’s eight congressional districts. Its most consequential change reshaped the Kansas City-based 5th District represented by Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver.

    Opponents organized a referendum campaign and submitted more than 300,000 signatures in December 2025, according to Axios. Their objective was to suspend the new districts and place the issue before voters.

    Hoskins did not reject the referendum until the day of Missouri’s August primary. He argued that state law did not permit voters to use the referendum process to challenge congressional redistricting.

    The Missouri Supreme Court unanimously disagreed. It ruled Sept. 3 that the referendum was legal, sufficient, and timely.

    Because opponents submitted the petition before the redistricting measure took effect, the court concluded that the new map never became law. It ordered Hoskins to place the referendum on the Nov. 3 ballot as Proposition A and directed the state to conduct the general election under the 2022 districts.

    The court permanently barred Hoskins and officials acting with him from implementing the new map unless voters approve it.

    Federal court reaches the opposite conclusion

    Missouri officials asked the U.S. Supreme Court to stay the state ruling. Justice Brett Kavanaugh denied that emergency request Sept. 8 without an explanation.

    The denial did not establish a nationwide precedent or decide every legal question in the dispute. It simply left the Missouri Supreme Court’s ruling in place while the litigation continued.

    Minutes later, Clark issued a temporary restraining order in a separate federal lawsuit filed by Republican Rep. Bob Onder, Republican state Sen. Rick Brattin, and two voters. Clark concluded that switching maps after candidates and voters had participated in an August primary under the 2025 lines could cause constitutional injuries and severe electoral disruption.

    “Many Missouri voters would have to cast their general election votes for candidates whom they had no role in nominating,” Clark wrote.

    Clark also argued that candidates had spent money and organized campaigns within districts that would suddenly cease to exist for the general election. His order required Hoskins to continue using the 2025 map, directly colliding with the Missouri Supreme Court’s command.

    People Not Politicians appealed. The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals declined Wednesday to suspend Clark’s order, and the organization then returned to the U.S. Supreme Court seeking emergency relief.

    Election deadlines are approaching

    Missouri must begin mailing ballots to military and overseas voters on Sept. 14, leaving election officials little time to resolve district assignments, candidate placement, and ballot preparation.

    County clerks have described the practical problem in plain terms.

    “We’ve got the Supreme Court of Missouri saying that we have to use [the 2022 map]; otherwise we’ll be in violation of their order,” Boone County Clerk Brianna Lennon told St. Louis Public Radio. “And then we have the federal court saying that we can’t use them.”

    Proposition A will remain on the November ballot regardless of which map governs this year’s congressional election. A “yes” vote would approve the 2025 districts for future elections, while a “no” vote would reject them.

    The immediate question is narrower but more urgent: whether Hoskins violated the Missouri Supreme Court’s injunction by affirmatively directing officials to use the prohibited map, or whether the subsequent federal order gave him no lawful alternative. Thursday’s contempt hearing may clarify Hoskins’ obligations, but the final answer about Missouri’s congressional districts could still come from the U.S. Supreme Court.

    READ NEXT: The Murdoch Empire Wants To Expand. Washington Has Questions.

    Why Some Republicans Are Skipping Trump’s Midterm Convention

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    admin
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    The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

    President Donald Trump is billing the Republican National Committee’s first midterm convention as a two-day show of party unity. Yet some of the GOP candidates with the most at stake in November have decided their time is better spent somewhere other than Dallas.

    The unusual gathering runs Wednesday and Thursday at the American Airlines Center, with Trump and Vice President JD Vance serving as its biggest draws. More than 100 Republican candidates and elected officials are expected to participate, and party leaders say the event will promote the administration’s record while energizing voters ahead of the midterms.

    But several Republicans fighting for political survival have made a different calculation: They would rather stay close to the voters who will decide their races.

    Vulnerable Republicans Stay On The Campaign Trail

    CBS News contacted 60 Republican candidates in competitive House, Senate and gubernatorial contests. Only four confirmed that they planned to attend, while five said they would not.

    The remaining 51 did not respond, meaning the survey is not a definitive count of the convention’s no-shows. Still, the confirmed absences include several Republicans in closely watched races.

    Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, whose Pennsylvania district Trump carried by fewer than 300 votes in 2024, offered one of the bluntest explanations: “Our bosses are back home.”

    He told CBS News that voters are struggling with household budgets, health care and business costs—and that elected officials should be listening to them instead of standing inside a convention hall.

    Colorado Rep. Gabe Evans similarly said his focus would remain on constituents in his highly competitive district north of Denver.

    Florida Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar said she needed to campaign in Miami, telling the network, “No one votes for me in Washington or in Dallas.”

    Other Republicans sitting out the event reportedly include Reps. Zach Nunn of Iowa and Tom Barrett of Michigan, both of whom are running in districts rated as toss-ups. Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota said he planned to spend the time speaking with constituents about concerns that include affordability.

    Even Vance has acknowledged that attending may not be the best move for every candidate. He told reporters that Republicans in close races should do whatever helps them make their case to voters, whether that means appearing in Dallas, campaigning at home or raising money.

    A $25,000 Price Tag Sparked Confusion

    Time away from the campaign trail is only part of the story.

    The National Republican Congressional Committee initially asked House members to contribute at least $25,000 for a convention package. According to Axios, it included two tickets, a hotel room and admission to a welcome reception. Larger contributions came with additional benefits, including access to events with party leaders.

    The party later exempted members in the NRCC’s “Patriot” program for vulnerable incumbents, but Axios reported that some lawmakers remained confused about who was required to pay.

    Tennessee Rep. Tim Burchett called the price “pretty steep,” while Texas Rep. Jake Ellzey said some members believed the money would be more useful in their own campaigns.

    NRCC Chairman Richard Hudson pushed back on the idea that lawmakers were being shut out, telling CBS News that he distributed 2,000 free tickets to members and staff. Hudson described the dispute as confusion between ordinary admission and optional fundraising packages.

    For donors, the asking price climbed much higher. CBS News reported that an RNC email offered packages beginning at $15,000, with premium options reaching $150,000. Those sums have fueled complaints from some party figures who question the value of a costly late-summer spectacle so close to Election Day.

    Trump’s Spotlight Creates A Strategic Divide

    The convention’s heavy focus on Trump is another factor for candidates trying to hold politically divided districts.

    The president has urged supporters to behave as though he were on the ballot, and the RNC says the Dallas gathering is designed to translate his ability to mobilize loyal voters into turnout for Republican candidates.

    That strategy has obvious appeal in reliably Republican territory. Georgia Rep. Andrew Clyde told CBS News the convention would give the party an opportunity to highlight its record and draw a contrast with Democrats.

    Candidates in swing districts face a more complicated choice. Appearing beside Trump could excite core Republican voters, but it could also make it harder for an incumbent to keep the focus on local concerns or appeal to independents.

    That helps explain why the event’s speaker list includes competitive-seat Republicans such as Reps. Mike Lawler of New York, Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin, Monica De La Cruz of Texas and Rob Bresnahan of Pennsylvania—even as other vulnerable members stay home.

    There is also tension over the convention’s apparent emphasis on Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is locked in a competitive Senate race against Democrat James Talarico.

    Trump said Paxton would be a central focus of the event, while CBS News reported that some major Texas donors remain aligned with Sen. John Cornyn, whom Paxton defeated in a bitter Republican primary.

    A Test Of Competing Midterm Strategies

    The Dallas gathering is not a traditional nominating convention. No presidential candidate will be formally selected, and the party is not meeting to adopt a new national platform.

    Instead, it is a made-for-television rally, fundraising event and turnout operation built around Trump and the Republican record.

    RNC spokesperson Natalie Baldassarre said its purpose is to rally voters around the president, his agenda and GOP candidates. Convention host committee chairman Ray Washburne has argued that attendees will gain valuable access to donors, administration officials and other party leaders.

    For candidates skipping Dallas, however, the political logic is more immediate: With Election Day approaching, a day spent at a town hall, local business or neighborhood event may be more valuable than a night beneath the convention balloons.

    House Republican Scrubs Trump From Campaign Homepage As GOP Showdown Heats Up

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    0
    The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

    Rep. Young Kim (R-CA) has reportedly scrubbed prominent references to President Donald Trump and his “America First” agenda from her campaign homepage as she fights for political survival in a rare Republican-versus-Republican election.

    The makeover comes after Trump-centered messaging helped define Kim’s campaign during the primary — and as she now competes for Democrats, independents and moderate voters against fellow GOP Rep. Ken Calvert.

    Politico’s California Playbook first reported the changes Tuesday, prompting additional coverage from Mediaite.

    Trump Disappears From The Homepage

    During the June primary, Kim’s campaign homepage reportedly presented her as a “Proven Fighter who will Stand with President Trump to deliver a bold America First Agenda.”

    Another prominent message promised “America First Leadership to Defend the American Dream,” according to an archived copy of the website.

    Neither message currently appears on the homepage.

    Instead, Kim’s revamped campaign website now declares that she is “taking on Career Politicians to Restore the American Dream.” A second message simply describes her as “Fighting for the American Dream.”

    The apparent shift is not limited to the website.

    Campaign signs Kim promoted before the primary identified her as a “Trump Republican.” Signs highlighted by her campaign after the primary instead feature a pocketbook-focused message: “Cut Taxes & Lower Costs!”

    Campaign Rejects Distancing Claim

    Kim’s campaign insists the makeover is not an attempt to put space between the congresswoman and Trump.

    Spokesman Chris Pack called that interpretation “completely absurd,” pointing Politico toward recent social media posts in which Kim mentioned the president, including a birthday message.

    Trump has not vanished from the campaign website altogether. Kim’s longer biography continues to bill her as a “Proven America First Fighter” and says she fights to ensure Trump has allies in Congress.

    “Our campaign has consistently framed this race as a choice between an effective leader like Young Kim, who has delivered results in less than three terms in Congress, and Ken Calvert, whose career has been plagued by corruption controversies and FBI investigations,” Pack told Politico.

    The spokesman added that the campaign has Trump-themed signs ready to distribute once local rules allow them to be displayed.

    Two Republicans, One House Seat

    Kim and Calvert landed in the same race after California voters approved Proposition 50 and redrew the state’s congressional map. Calvert currently represents the 41st District, while Kim represents the 40th.

    Both advanced from California’s all-party primary, setting up an unusual general election in which voters will choose between two sitting Republican members of Congress.

    Calvert finished first in the June primary with 35 percent of the vote. Kim placed second with 21 percent.

    That result means the November winner may need support from voters who backed one of the six eliminated candidates — including Democrats — giving both Republicans a reason to adjust their messages beyond the GOP base.

    The fight has already turned intensely personal. Each campaign has accused the other candidate of being insufficiently conservative or insufficiently loyal to Trump.

    Calvert’s campaign has branded Kim a “RINO” and resurfaced a past remark in which she reportedly said she wanted to “whip” Trump’s “butt.” Kim’s campaign, meanwhile, attacked Calvert over decades-old reports involving a prostitute and accused him of “sabotaging Trump.”

    Now, as the two incumbents compete for the same seat, Kim’s disappearing homepage references are fueling fresh questions about which version of her campaign she believes can win in November.

    Trump Hands Ted Cruz A Surprise 2028 Boost

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    White House image via Wikimedia Commons

    President Donald Trump just gave one of his fiercest former rivals a potentially valuable boost in the increasingly crowded battle to inherit the MAGA movement.

    Trump praised Sen. Ted Cruz as “very talented” when asked whether the Texas Republican could become president—offering an encouraging assessment as Cruz openly flirts with another White House campaign.

    “Ted Cruz keeps teasing a 2028 presidential run. You’ve run against him for president. Do you think he could be president? What’s your reaction to that?” Daily Caller White House correspondent Reagan Reese asked Trump during an Oval Office press conference.

    “I would say that he’s very talented. He’s a very good friend of mine. I think he might do that. He’s a talented guy,” Trump responded.

    It was far from an endorsement—but in a Republican Party still dominated by Trump, the president’s warm words are certain to attract attention.

    Cruz Refuses To Clear The Field

    Cruz’s ambitions spilled into the open after he was asked during an MS NOW interview whether Republicans had already settled on Vice President JD Vance as their presumptive 2028 nominee.

    “I don’t think it’s accurate to say the party is universally settled,” Cruz said, according to The Hill. “I think there will be a full and vigorous discussion about who should carry on the legacy of President Trump.”

    The senator became even more direct one day later during an appearance on Sean Hannity’s podcast.

    “Do I want to be president? It’s no secret that I want to be president,” Cruz said, according to CBS Austin.

    Cruz previously sought the Republican nomination in 2016, emerging as Trump’s toughest primary opponent before ultimately suspending his campaign. Their bitter rivalry eventually gave way to a powerful political alliance, with Cruz becoming one of Trump’s most dependable defenders in the Senate.

    Now, Cruz appears unwilling to let the Republican nomination simply be handed to Vance.

    The Wall Street Journal reports that Cruz has been visiting Iowa, promoting his latest book and hitting the podcast circuit as he weighs another campaign. The outlet described Vance as the early polling leader but said Cruz is already taking some shots at the presumed front-runner.

    Trump Keeps Everyone Guessing

    Trump has repeatedly entertained questions about who should succeed him, with Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio most frequently mentioned.

    The president reportedly told donors during a private Oval Office meeting, “At the end of the day, we need to elect JD,” according to a Washington Post report cited by the Daily Caller.

    Trump later denied that the comment amounted to an endorsement.

    “No,” Trump told the Caller when asked about the report. “I think he’s great, but we’re way too early to even be thinking about that.”

    Trump has reportedly continued asking allies whether Vance or Rubio should lead the Republican ticket in 2028, suggesting that the president is in no hurry to crown an heir.

    “Anyone assuming it’s a lock is just getting way ahead of themselves, or just doesn’t know the president very well,” one administration official told the Washington Post.

    That uncertainty gives Cruz an opening—and Trump’s latest comments ensure that the Texas senator will not be dismissed as merely a long-shot challenger.

    The 2028 race may still be years away, but the battle to succeed Trump has already begun.

    Ted Cruz Quietly Builds 2028 Campaign Machine: Report

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    1

    Sen. Ted Cruz may be ready for another White House brawl — and this time, Vice President JD Vance could be standing in his way.

    The Texas Republican has quietly begun asking political operatives whether they would consider working on a potential 2028 presidential campaign, according to The Wall Street Journal.

    Cruz has not formally announced a campaign, and his spokesperson declined to comment on the report. But the behind-the-scenes recruiting represents the clearest indication yet that the senator is seriously considering another run for president.

    Cruz Starts Putting In The Work

    Cruz has been making trips to Iowa, appearing on podcasts and promoting his new biography of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas — moves that could help him reconnect with Republican activists and potential donors.

    He traveled to Iowa twice this year, including a May appearance before the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition and a recent campaign swing with Republican Senate candidate Ashley Hinson.

    The state holds special significance for Cruz. He won the Iowa Republican caucuses in 2016 before ultimately finishing second to Donald Trump in the GOP primary.

    Cruz has also become increasingly open about his lingering presidential ambitions.

    “It’s no secret that I want to be president,” Cruz said during an appearance on Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s podcast, according to The Texas Tribune.

    “This is a bug that history has proved is rarely ended,” Cruz added. “It is a permanent and often fatal bug.”

    When Patrick pressed him on whether he would run in 2028, Cruz stopped short of confirming a campaign.

    “Time will tell,” he said.

    A Collision Course With Vance?

    Any Cruz campaign would likely put him on a collision course with Vance, who leads early polls of prospective Republican candidates and is widely viewed as a possible successor to Trump.

    Asked recently whether the Republican Party had already settled on Vance, Cruz immediately rejected the premise.

    “Oh no,” he told MS NOW. “There’s going to be a full discussion about who we are and what we believe.”

    Cruz said he would “certainly be part of the discussion,” signaling that he intends to help shape the post-Trump Republican Party whether or not he ultimately enters the race.

    The senator has already begun highlighting potential differences with Vance, particularly on foreign policy. Mediaite reported that Cruz criticized Vance’s involvement in negotiations over the abandoned memorandum of understanding with Iran.

    “JD negotiated the MOU with Iran,” Cruz said. “That was a terrible deal.”

    He has also taken aim at Vance’s association with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, opening another potential fault line over the party’s approach to foreign affairs.

    People close to Vance have reportedly dismissed Cruz as a serious threat to the vice president’s path to the nomination. But Cruz has already demonstrated that he can compete nationally, winning 11 states during the 2016 primaries.

    Trump Leaves The Door Open

    Trump, meanwhile, has offered Cruz a notable public boost despite their vicious 2016 rivalry.

    “He’s very talented. He’s a very good friend of mine,” Trump told the Daily Caller when asked about Cruz’s presidential ambitions. “I think he might do that.”

    Trump has praised Vance behind the scenes, but he has resisted publicly locking in an endorsement for 2028, insisting it is too early to make that decision.

    That uncertainty may be all Cruz needs to begin assembling a team — and prepare for another bare-knuckle Republican primary.

    Ted Cruz Flatly Rejects Claim GOP Is United Behind JD Vance

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    1
    Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America,

    Vice President JD Vance may be the early favorite to inherit the MAGA mantle, but Ted Cruz is warning Republicans that there will be no automatic coronation in 2028.

    Asked during an interview with MS NOW’s Ali Vitali whether the GOP had already coalesced behind Vance, Cruz delivered a blunt answer.

    “Oh, no!” Cruz declared. “There’s going to be a full discussion about who we are and what we believe,” according to Mediaite.

    The Texas Republican said there is “no Never Trump lane” inside today’s GOP and praised President Donald Trump as a fearless and extraordinary political figure. But he argued that Trump’s support cannot simply be transferred to a handpicked successor.

    “Trump is a black swan event,” Cruz said, predicting Republicans will spend the coming years debating the party’s identity after Trump leaves office.

    Cruz also made clear that he intends to have a voice in that fight.

    “There’ll be time to figure that out,” he said when asked whether he could enter the 2028 contest. “I’ll certainly be part of the discussion.”

    Days later, Cruz stripped away even more of the mystery.

    “It’s no secret that I want to be president,” the senator said Wednesday during an appearance on Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s podcast. Asked directly whether he would launch another campaign, Cruz replied, “Time will tell,” according to The Texas Tribune.

    Cruz is also scheduled to campaign in Iowa this weekend—his second trip to the early-voting state this year. The senator won the Iowa caucuses during his 2016 presidential campaign and ultimately finished second to Trump after carrying 11 states.

    Vance remains the strongest prospective candidate in the emerging field, but the numbers leave plenty of room for a fight. A May Emerson College poll placed Vance at 36% among likely Republican primary voters, just one point ahead of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, with 15% undecided.

    Reports that Trump privately told donors “we need to elect JD” fueled speculation that the president had already chosen his heir. Trump later poured cold water on an immediate endorsement, publicly calling the discussion “way too early,” according to the New York Post.

    Vance, meanwhile, has said he will discuss a potential campaign with his wife after the midterm elections, telling CBS News that he expects Trump to support whatever decision he ultimately makes.

    For Cruz, however, the coming contest is about more than personalities. He wants Republicans to decide whether they remain a small-government, free-market party and whether they favor American leadership abroad or a more isolationist approach.

    The warning to Vance was unmistakable: Being the heir apparent does not make someone the nominee.

    GOP Governor Sounds Alarm Over Trump DOJ’s Election-Day Tactics

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    admin
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    Missvain, CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

    A Republican governor is pushing back against the Trump administration after Justice Department election monitors allegedly tried to question voters and gain access to voting equipment during Wyoming’s primary.

    Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon called the federal officials’ conduct “aggressive” and “irregular” after two attorneys from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division visited polling locations in Laramie County on Aug. 18.

    “It sounded like the behavior of the observers was a bit aggressive,” Gordon said Wednesday as Wyoming’s canvassing board met to certify the primary results.

    “It just was irregular,” he added.

    Gordon has directed Wyoming Attorney General Keith Kautz to investigate the federal operation and determine whether the monitors exceeded the authority granted to them by Congress.

    “I’m not objecting to the observers,” Gordon said. “But their behavior seemed to exceed what the authority that Congress had given them was.”

    Clerk Details Unexpected DOJ Visit

    Laramie County Clerk Debra Lee said two people identifying themselves as Justice Department election monitors appeared at a polling location with little warning.

    “Two individuals, identifying themselves as DOJ election monitors, informed our poll worker that they were here to monitor Wyoming’s Primary Elections,” Lee said in a statement.

    “They did not offer their credentials until I requested they do so.”

    Lee said a Justice Department official later told her that the deployment had been arranged on short notice and that an email intended for her office may have been sent to the wrong address.

    The federal attorneys reportedly began asking poll workers about their training, written election manuals and the county’s purchase of new voting equipment.

    They also sought access to examine ballot tabulators, according to Lee.

    Those requests appeared to extend beyond the enforcement of federal voting-rights and ballot-access laws, the clerk argued.

    But the greatest concern arose when the monitors reportedly sought permission to speak directly with voters inside polling places.

    The Justice Department said the proposed interviews would help determine whether Laramie County was complying with federal voting laws.

    Lee refused the request.

    “We do not allow interviews to be conducted in polling places,” she said.

    Wyoming restricts activity inside voting locations to protect ballot secrecy, prevent disruptions and ensure voters can cast their ballots without interference.

    “This was a poorly managed exercise and one that showed complete disregard for our state laws and administration of our elections,” Lee said.

    The clerk did not accuse the attorneys of handling ballots, changing votes or disrupting the final count. State officials described the primary as successful and reported no evidence of fraud or voting-rights violations.

    Republicans Split Over Federal Monitoring

    The controversy has exposed a rare disagreement among Republican officials in one of America’s most conservative states.

    Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray has generally supported the Trump administration’s election-integrity efforts and defended the legal basis for allowing observers inside polling places.

    Gray also disputed Gordon’s suggestion that federal officials had failed to communicate with state authorities.

    When Gordon asked whether the Justice Department contacted the secretary of state’s office before Election Day, Elections Division Director Paul Raines acknowledged receiving a message.

    “Our office had received an email, but that’s the extent of communications I’m aware of,” Raines said.

    Gordon said the Wyoming Office of Homeland Security, the state attorney general and the Laramie County clerk were not properly informed about the deployment.

    “To my knowledge, the U.S. attorney was unaware of it,” Gordon added.

    U.S. Attorney Darin Smith, however, released a statement supporting the monitoring operation several hours after it was announced.

    “Voters deserve absolute confidence that their ballots are secure and their voices are heard without interference,” Smith said. “We are working alongside local officials to ensure every lawful vote is protected.”

    Trump DOJ Expands Election Oversight

    The Justice Department announced on primary morning that it was deploying two Civil Rights Division attorneys to Laramie County and four more to Miami-Dade County, Florida.

    “Election monitoring is an ongoing priority for this office,” Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said.

    “Nondiscriminatory monitoring ensures all elections remain free, fair, and accessible to all.”

    The department said the operation was designed to promote “transparency, ballot security, and compliance with federal law.”

    Federal attorneys routinely monitor elections for compliance with the Voting Rights Act, the National Voter Registration Act, the Help America Vote Act and other federal protections.

    The department has not explained why Laramie County was selected or identified a specific complaint that prompted the visit.

    It also had not publicly responded to Lee’s detailed allegations as of Thursday.

    The Wyoming deployment came as the Trump Justice Department dramatically expanded its election-monitoring operation. The Civil Rights Division said it sent more than 75 monitors to approximately 200 polling locations across five states during the 2026 primary season.

    The administration reportedly could deploy as many as 1,000 federal employees nationwide for November’s general election.

    Gordon framed the dispute as a matter of states’ rights rather than a partisan attack against President Donald Trump.

    “I feel very strongly about federal government coming in and taking our guns,” he said. “I don’t like that. And I don’t like federal government coming in and taking our votes either.”

    The governor stressed that he was not accusing federal officials of stealing ballots or corrupting the election.

    “I’m not saying anything went wrong or anything else, and I certainly think the conduct of this election was phenomenal,” Gordon said.

    His concern is whether the federal government attempted to assert power over state election administration that Congress never authorized.

    With a much larger federal presence expected in November, Wyoming’s investigation could determine whether state officials seek new restrictions—or even head to court—before Justice Department monitors return.

    Trump-Backed Republican Draws Impeachment-First Challenger

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    President Donald J. Trump hosts a Rose Garden Club dinner in honor of Police Week in the White House Rose Garden, Monday, May 11, 2026. (Official White House Photo by Molly Riley)

    Oklahoma Democrats have chosen a political newcomer who is already plotting President Donald Trump’s removal from office.

    N’Kiyla Jasmine Thomas, a nurse making her first run for elected office, defeated attorney and nonprofit executive Jim Priest in Tuesday’s Democratic Senate runoff. Thomas captured approximately 61% of the vote, according to KOSU’s report on unofficial results.

    The victory sends Thomas into a November showdown with Republican Rep. Kevin Hern—and puts her explosive promise to target Trump squarely in the spotlight.

    In a July interview with KOSU, Thomas was asked how she would work with a president whom Hern has fiercely supported.

    Her answer left little room for compromise.

    Thomas vowed that “within my first 100 days” she would work to “impeach, remove and convict” Trump. She added that opponents would have to “pry that pen out of my cold, dead hands.”

    She later doubled down, making clear that removing Trump—not finding common ground with his administration—would be her objective.

    There is one constitutional hitch: A senator cannot impeach a president.

    The House of Representatives holds the sole power to approve articles of impeachment. The Senate conducts the resulting trial and requires a two-thirds vote of members present to convict and remove a president, according to the Senate’s official explanation of the process.

    Thomas, a Chickasaw Nation citizen and nurse from Ardmore, identifies as a democratic socialist, according to KOSU. Her platform also calls for higher teacher pay, expanded access to government-backed health insurance, abortion protections and broader federal civil-rights legislation.

    But it was her impeachment pledge that quickly became the campaign’s defining sound bite after Fox News Digital highlighted the remarks following her runoff victory.

    Thomas’ win capped her second upset of the campaign. She entered the five-candidate June primary with no previous political experience but finished first with approximately 45% of the vote, forcing the runoff against Priest.

    November will be an entirely different ballgame.

    Oklahoma has not elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since 1990. Trump carried the state by nearly 35 percentage points in 2024, while Hern cruised through the June Republican primary with nearly 70% of the vote.

    Thomas will also enter the general election facing a staggering financial disadvantage.

    Her campaign reported approximately $57,000 in total receipts through Aug. 5 and had less than $500 in cash on hand, according to Federal Election Commission records. Hern’s campaign reported nearly $10 million in receipts through June and finished the period with roughly $2.5 million available, FEC filings show.

    Hern, a former McDonald’s franchise owner who has represented Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District since 2018, also carries Trump’s endorsement.

    “Oklahomans love President Trump and the America First Agenda,” Hern told Fox News Digital after Thomas’ victory.

    He called Thomas “wildly out of touch with the values of Oklahomans” and accused Democrats of focusing on partisan attacks while Republicans work to advance Trump’s agenda.

    Thomas has already proven she should not be underestimated in a Democratic primary. But defeating a Trump-endorsed Republican in one of America’s reddest states—and assembling the congressional votes needed to carry out her impeachment promise—would require an upset on an entirely different scale.

    Trump Ally Byron Donalds Taps Cuban-American Conservative as Florida Running Mate

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    0
    Political representation of parties making money

    Rep. Byron Donalds has selected Florida state Sen. Bryan Avila as his running mate, adding a Cuban-American military officer and veteran state lawmaker to the Republican ticket in Florida’s race for governor.

    Donalds announced the decision Tuesday at Miami’s historic Freedom Tower, calling Avila a “proven warrior” and “conservative fighter” who has battled higher taxes, rising costs and “woke ideology” in Tallahassee.

    “He has fought woke ideology, he’s fought higher taxes, he’s fought higher costs every single day, and I could not be more proud to have him stand by my side,” Donalds said, according to The Hill.

    The announcement came one week after Donalds won the Republican primary to succeed term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis. He will face Democratic nominee David Jolly, a former Republican congressman who joined the Democratic Party in 2025, in November.

    Avila has represented portions of Miami-Dade County in the Florida Senate since 2022. Before moving to the Senate, he served eight years in the Florida House, including two years as speaker pro tempore.

    The Hialeah native currently chairs the Florida Senate’s Finance and Tax Committee and serves as vice chair of its Transportation Committee. He has also served as a captain in the Florida Army National Guard since 2016, according to his official Senate biography.

    Donalds emphasized Avila’s personal connection to Florida’s large Cuban-American community, describing him as the son of Cuban exiles who fled communism in search of freedom.

    “My parents escaped communist Cuba because they believed America offered something socialism never could — freedom,” Avila said in remarks reported by WFLA.

    Avila pledged that the Republican ticket would build on DeSantis’ conservative legacy, make Florida more affordable, protect public safety and defend the freedoms that have attracted millions of new residents to the state.

    The selection also strengthens Donalds’ presence in heavily Hispanic South Florida. Avila’s district includes part of Miami-Dade County, while Donalds has represented a Southwest Florida congressional district since 2021.

    Donalds enters the general election with the enthusiastic backing of President Donald Trump, a friend and political ally who helped propel his gubernatorial campaign from the beginning.

    Their alliance became especially visible during the 2024 presidential race. Donalds endorsed Trump over his own governor, DeSantis, and became one of the Trump campaign’s most prominent congressional surrogates. He appeared at campaign events across the country and helped lead the campaign’s outreach to Black voters.

    Trump returned that loyalty in February 2025, endorsing Donalds before the congressman had formally entered the governor’s race. Trump personally called Donalds before urging him to run in a Truth Social post declaring, “Run, Byron, Run!”

    Donalds responded at the time by thanking Trump and promising, “I will never let you down,” according to WUSF.

    The president reaffirmed his support ahead of Florida’s primary, describing Donalds as a “total winner” and saying he would work closely with the White House to advance the America First agenda in Tallahassee.

    “Byron Donalds will be a truly Great and Powerful Governor for Florida,” Trump wrote while reiterating his “Complete and Total Endorsement,” according to Space Coast Daily.

    If elected, Donalds would become Florida’s first Black governor. His partnership with Avila would unite two politically important parts of the state while pairing Trump’s chosen candidate with a lawmaker deeply rooted in Miami-Dade’s Cuban-American community.

    Jolly responded to Avila’s selection by arguing that Trump—not Donalds’ running mate—would remain the central issue in the campaign.

    “This race won’t come down to Byron Donalds’ relationship with Avila; it will come down to Byron’s relationship with Donald Trump,” Jolly said in a statement reported by WFLA.

    Donalds, however, mocked the opposing Jolly-Gwen Graham ticket as “boring” and tied Florida Democrats to state Rep. Angie Nixon, a Democratic Socialists of America member who won the party’s U.S. Senate nomination last week.

    “They’ve joined forces to create the most boring and uninspiring ticket Florida Democrats could have ever put together,” Donalds told supporters.

    Republicans will begin the general-election campaign with a sizable historical advantage. No Democrat has won a Florida governor’s race since 1994, and DeSantis carried the state by nearly 20 percentage points in 2022.

    With Avila now at his side and Trump firmly behind him, Donalds is pitching the Republican ticket as the team that will preserve Florida’s conservative direction—and keep one of the nation’s most important states solidly red.

    Trump Urges Governors to Embrace AI Data Centers as Public Opposition Grows

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    President Donald J. Trump visits the El Arepazo Doral restaurant, Monday, March 9, 2026, in Miami, Florida. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)

    President Donald Trump is urging governors and mayors to welcome artificial intelligence data centers into their communities, arguing that the enormous facilities will generate jobs, tax revenue and technological breakthroughs even as Americans increasingly express concerns about their impact on electricity, water and the environment.

    Speaking during a White House meeting with technology and cryptocurrency industry leaders, Trump argued that communities rejecting data-center projects risk being left behind as the United States races to expand its AI infrastructure.

    “If I were the mayor of a town or the governor of a state, and I had a chance to get a big plant in an AI plant or a data center, I would absolutely want it because the jobs are enormous, and the money paid, the taxes paid are just enormous,” Trump said.

    “And if you don’t take it, you’re going to be left behind because there are plenty of places that want it,” he added.

    “Many of them are designed in a very beautiful way,” he said. “It’s really very positive.”

    Americans Aren’t So Sure

    Trump acknowledged that the rapidly expanding industry may need “a little public relations help,” and polling suggests he has a point.

    A Gallup poll released in May found a majority of Americans opposed construction of data centers in their own communities. Among the major concerns are the facilities’ substantial electricity and water requirements, as well as their potential environmental effects.

    The electricity issue has become particularly contentious as the AI boom accelerates. Data centers require enormous quantities of power to operate servers and cooling systems, raising questions about whether their expansion could strain electrical grids or ultimately increase utility costs for ordinary consumers.

    The Trump administration has attempted to manage that backlash by encouraging technology companies and data-center developers to secure additional sources of electricity rather than simply adding their enormous demand to existing grids.

    Trump has also backed efforts to speed construction. An executive order issued in July 2025 called for accelerating federal permitting for qualifying data-center infrastructure.

    The president argued Wednesday that communities should weigh those concerns against the economic benefits the projects can bring.

    Trump Points to Jobs and Medical Breakthroughs

    Asked what he would tell Americans who remain skeptical about AI, Trump again emphasized employment while making a broader case for the technology’s potential.

    “I think it’s going to create a lot of jobs. It’s going to create success. It’s going to create tremendous innovation medically,” Trump said.

    He referenced an unspecified medical development he had recently reviewed involving a “pretty unstoppable disease.”

    “All of a sudden they’re coming up with answers that they never thought were possible,” Trump said.

    AI is already being explored for uses ranging from drug discovery and medical imaging to disease detection and personalized treatment, making health care one of the areas frequently cited by the industry’s proponents when arguing that the enormous investments in computing infrastructure could produce benefits beyond the technology sector.

    Trump Wants Regulation Without ‘Stifling’ AI

    The administration is simultaneously confronting another question: how aggressively Washington should regulate a technology Trump believes could become even more consequential than the internet.

    “We’re leading by a lot with AI. We want to keep it that way,” Trump said. “We want to regulate, but we want to have regulation where they can continue to lead, not regulation that’s going to stifle a very important industry.”

    Trump has made winning the global AI race a significant economic and national-security priority of his second administration.

    On his second day back in office in January 2025, Trump appeared alongside technology executives to announce Stargate, a private-sector venture with plans to invest as much as $500 billion in American AI infrastructure.

    Its flagship data-center complex in Abilene, Texas, has since become partially operational, while additional projects have been pursued around the country.

    But the scale of the buildout has also transformed data centers from an obscure piece of digital infrastructure into a local political issue. Communities that once competed enthusiastically for major corporate investments are increasingly weighing promised construction jobs and tax revenues against higher electricity demand, water consumption, land use and potential effects on utility bills.

    READ NEXT: Biden Weaponizing Artificial Intelligence (AI) to be ‘Woke’

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