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    Republican Congresswoman Reverses Retirement Decision

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    1

    On Monday, Indiana Rep. Victoria Spartz (R) announced she would seek another term in Congress after all.

    โ€œDeciding where your duty lies โ€” family, work, or country, is never an easy task. Earlier last year, I decided to take some time off from running for public office to recharge and spend more time in Indiana with my family,โ€ Spartzย said in a statement.ย ย 

    โ€œHowever, looking where we are today, and urged by many of my constituents, I do not believe I would be able to deliver this Congress, with the current failed leadership in Washington, D.C., on the important issues for our nation that I have worked very hard on,โ€ she continued. 

    Last year, Spartz announced that she would not be running for another term,ย saying in a statementย at the time โ€œbeing a working mom is toughโ€ and that she wanted to spend more time with her daughters.

    However Spartz seemed to signal she would reconsider her decision in recent months,ย saying on NewsNationโ€™s โ€œThe Hillโ€ in September, โ€œI do need to regroup because I think my party is failing the people.โ€ย 

    The solidly red district in Indianaโ€™s Fifth Congressional District went for former President Trump in 2020 by 16 points. ย 

    Denver Mayor Could Face Removal, Jail Time Over Deportation Stance

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    4
    Trump at the border wall via Wikimedia Commons

    Democrat Denver Mayor Mike Johnston recently said he wasย prepared to break with President-elect Donald Trump’s deportation plans and Republicans are warning he will absolutely suffer the consequences.

    Johnston said during a recent interview that he was prepared to protest against anything he believes is “illegal or immoral or un-American” in the city โ€“ including the use of military force.

    During a Sunday morning interview on Face The Nation, Paul told anchor Margaret Brennan that Johnstonโ€™s plan is a โ€œform of insurrectionโ€ that could see him removed from office.

    BRENNAN: The stated Trump plan is to use the military or military assets, deputize the National Guard, and have them act as immigration agents. Do you believe that is lawful?

    PAUL: You know, Iโ€™m 100% supportive of going after the 15,000 murderers, the 13,000 sexual assault perpetrators, rapist, all of these people. Letโ€™s send them on their way to prison or back home to another prison. So I would say all points bulletin all in. But you donโ€™t do it with the army because itโ€™s illegal. And weโ€™ve weโ€™ve had a distrust of putting the army into our streets because the police have a difficult job. But the police understand the Fourth Amendment. They have to go to judges. They have to get warrants. It has to be specific. And so Iโ€™m for removing these people. But I would do it through the normal process of domestic policing.

    Now, I would say that the mayor of Denver, if heโ€™s going to resist federal law, which thereโ€™s a long standing, standing history of the supremacy of federal law, heโ€™s going to resist that. It will go all the way to the Supreme Court. And I would suspect that he would be removed from office. I donโ€™t know whether or not that would be a criminal prosecution for someone resisting federal law. But he will lose. And people need to realize that what he is offering is a form of insurrection where the states resist the federal government. Most people objected to that and rejected that long ago. So I think the mayor of Denver is on the wrong side of history and really, I think will face legal ramifications if he doesnโ€™t obey the federal law.

    The president-elect’s pick to be the next border czar responded that he’s willing to put the Denver Mayor in jail for outright flouting Trump’s policies.

    “You are absolutely breaking the law,” Tom Homan, Trump’s “border czar” designate, told Fox News’ Sean Hannity. “All he has to do is look at Arizona v. U.S. and he would see he’s breaking the law. But, look, me and the Denver mayor, we agree on one thing. Heโ€™s willing to go to jail, Iโ€™m willing to put him in jail.”

    Homan pointed to a statute that says it’s a “felony if you knowingly harbor and conceal an illegal alien from immigration authorities.”

    Homan said they have to secure this country and save lives. 

    “President Trump has been clear, we want to concentrate on public safety threats and national security threats. I find it hard to believe that any governor would say they donโ€™t want public safety threats removed from their neighborhoods,” he said.

    Byron Donalds Launches Campaign For Florida Governor

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    0
    Byron Donalds via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    The race is on!

    On Tuesday evening, Florida Congressman Byron Donalds signaled he plans to campaign to become the next Florida governor days after President Trump suggested that he run.

    The next Florida gubernatorial election is slated for Nov. 3, 2026.

    Speaking to host Sean Hannity, Donalds said he came to the decision to run “after a lot of prayer [and] a lot of thoughts with my family and my friends.”

    “Sean, we have a wonderful state,” Donalds said. “I got to Florida when I was 17 years old, off of a Greyhound bus with just a trunk full of clothes. And over the rest of my time in Florida, I built a family, I built a career. โ€ฆ I was able to serve four years in a state legislature, four years in Congress.

    “And I think now is the time to now take the mantle and lead our state into the future.”

    The Florida Republican said he is the only candidate in the race so far and commended Floridaย Gov. Ron DeSantisย for his service to the state.

    “We have a great governor. Ron DeSantis has done a tremendous job for our state,” Donalds said. “But now the job is to keep the best state in the country as the best state in the country. And so that’s going to be the mission at hand. And I’m excited to announce my candidacy with you tonight.”

    Donalds was endorsed by Presidentย Donald Trump,ย who recently wrote that his fellow Sunshine State resident “would be a truly Great and Powerful Governor for Florida.”

    “I am hearing that Highly Respectedย Congressman Byron Donaldsย is considering running for Governor of Florida, a State that I love, and WON BIG in 2016, 2020, and 2024,” a Trump social media post said.ย 

    “[S]hould he decide to run, [Donalds] will have my Complete and Total Endorsement. RUN, BYRON, RUN!”

    Ron DeSantis via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    DeSantis, however, has not signaled support for Donalds. On Monday, DeSantis told reporters he wants Florida congressmen to be “focused on enacting [Trump’s] agenda.”

    DeSantis’ comments came amid rumors that his wife, Casey, might run for governor. The Florida governor dodged a reporter’s question about his wife’s plans at a press conference Monday.

    “People ask me all the time about our wonderful first lady, who has done a fantastic job as first lady of Florida,” DeSantis responded. “I will tell you this. Youโ€™re talking about somebody like her. I won by the biggest margin that any Republican has ever won a governorโ€™s race here in Florida. She would do better than me.”ย 

    Billionaire Threatens To Primary Lawmakers Who Vote Against RFK Jr. Confirmation

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    3
    Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    The fight is on…

    Billionaireย Nicole Shanahan, who was the running mate of independent presidential candidateย Robert F. Kennedy Jr., threatened to primary senators who vote against his nomination as Secretary of Health and Human Services.

    With Kennedyโ€™s confirmation hearing set to begin on Wednesday morning, Shanahan wrote on X on Tuesday, where she posted a video warning senators not to oppose his nomination.

    โ€œHe is more than qualified,โ€ Shanahan said. โ€œHeโ€™s proven, principled, and prepared to lead. Iโ€™ll list Iโ€™ll share a list below of key senators. If they represent your state, they need to hear from you. If they donโ€™t, please call your own senator and ask them to vote yes.โ€

    She then addressed several senators whose votes she said she would monitor.

    โ€œThe two candidates I helped elect, Senator Raphael Warnock and Senator Jon Ossoff, please know I will be watching your votes very closely,โ€ Shanahan added. โ€œI will make it my personal mission that you lose your seats in the Senate if you vote against the future health of Americaโ€™s children.โ€

    Shanahan listed more senators, including โ€œLisa Markovskyโ€ a clear nod to Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski also voted “no” on Trump’s nominee to lead the Pentagon.

    โ€œAnd more than that, I also want to say to Senators Mitch McConnell, Lindsey Graham, Lisa Markovsky, Susan Collins, Bill Cassidy, Thom Tillis, James Lankford, Cory Booker, John Fetterman, Bernie Sanders, and Catherine Cortez Masto,โ€ she said. โ€œThis is a bipartisan message and it comes directly from me. While Bobby may be willing to play nice. I wonโ€™t. If you vote against him, I will personally fund challengers to primary you in your next election, and I will enlist hundreds of thousands to join me.โ€

    Sen.ย Lisa Murkowskiย (R-AK) has reservations and made it clear she’s hesitant about supporting RFK Jr. for the role/

    โ€œWell Iโ€™m certainly concerned about it. I know others have other, other points of concerns that they want to drill down on and try to get some commitments, public commitments, from him on,โ€ the senator said. โ€œBut vaccines are important.โ€

    Trump Lawyer Jenna Ellis Reverses Course To Help Arizona Prosecutors

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    2
    Gage Skidmore Flickr

    In a surprising turnaround, former Trump campaign attorney Jenna Ellis has agreed to cooperate with Arizona prosecutors in their 2020 election interference case.

    Ellis previously faced nine felony counts including fraud, forgery, and conspiracy. However, in exchange for her cooperation, the charges were dismissed.

    In a statement, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes (D) called the agreement a โ€œsignificant step forwardโ€ in the case.

    โ€œI am grateful to Ms. Ellis for her cooperation with our investigation and prosecution,โ€ Mayes said. โ€œHer insights are invaluable and will greatly aid the State in proving its case in court. As I stated when the initial charges were announced, I will not allow American democracy to be undermined โ€” it is far too important. Todayโ€™s announcement is a win for the rule of law.โ€

    As part of the deal, Ellis agreed to testify โ€œcompletely and truthfully at any time and any place,โ€ including at a criminal trial. She also vowed not to โ€œprotect any person or entityโ€ through false information or omissions. 

    Ellisโ€™s charges stemmed from her false claims of election fraud and efforts to pressure the Arizona Legislature into overturning the stateโ€™s election results in Trumpโ€™s favor. 

    She was also accused of encouraging then-Vice President Mike Pence to accept slates of fake electors instead of the true electoral votes cast for President Biden. Biden won Arizona by 10,457 votes.

    Ex-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and Rudy Giuliani are among the 17 total defendants with remaining charges; they were indicted in April and have pleaded not guilty. 

    Trump himself is not charged in the case but is described as โ€œunindicted co-conspirator 1.โ€

    House GOP Campaign Arm Launches โ€˜MAGA Majorityโ€™ Program To Boost Trump-aligned Candidates

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    0

    As Republicans work to hold and expand their narrow House majority ahead of this yearโ€™s midterm elections, the partyโ€™s campaign arm is rolling out a new initiative aimed at elevating a slate of Trump-aligned candidates.

    The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) on Tuesday announced its first group of contenders under the โ€œMAGA Majorityโ€ program, which highlights Republican candidates competing in key battleground districts nationwide. The announcement was first shared with Fox News Digital.

    The MAGA Majority program, previously known as the โ€œYoung Gunsโ€ initiative in earlier cycles, is part of a broader GOP effort to defend its slim 218โ€“214 advantage in the House. Democrats need a net gain of just three seats in the midterms to reclaim control of the chamber.

    โ€œHouse Republicans are on offense, and the MAGA Majority is the next wave of leaders who will help us expand our majority in 2026,โ€ NRCC Chair Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina said in a statement.

    Hudson added, โ€œFrom veterans and job creators to proven conservative fighters and local leaders, these candidates are stepping up to secure the border, lower costs, and deliver on President Trump’s America First agenda.โ€

    According to the NRCC, candidates selected for the MAGA Majority will receive early backing, strategic resources, and increased visibility as Republicans seek to compete in districts they view as vulnerable for Democrats.

    The GOP faces traditional midterm headwinds, as the party in power typically loses seats. Republicans are also navigating a challenging political environment shaped by ongoing economic concerns, including persistent inflation, as well as President Trumpโ€™s underwater approval ratings.

    Still, Republicans point to opportunities on the electoral map. Democrats will be defending more than a dozen districts that Trump carried in the 2024 presidential election, and the NRCC argues that โ€œthe MAGA Majority is designed to capitalize on that opportunity.โ€

    The initial MAGA Majority roster includes:

    • Mike LiPetri (New Yorkโ€™s 3rd District), a former state lawmaker, attorney, and businessman aiming to flip a competitive Long Island seat
    • Peter Oberacker (New Yorkโ€™s 19th District), a state senator, farmer, and small business owner with strong ties to upstate New York
    • Tano Tijerina (Texasโ€™ 28th District), a Webb County judge highlighted as a border security advocate
    • Eric Flores (Texasโ€™ 34th District), a decorated Army veteran and former prosecutor from the Rio Grande Valley
    • Kevin Lincoln (Californiaโ€™s 13th District), former Stockton mayor and Marine, described by the NRCC as a rising Republican figure
    • Paul LePage (Maineโ€™s 2nd District), a former two-term governor running in a district Trump has carried in all three of his presidential campaigns
    • Jay Feely (Arizonaโ€™s 1st District), a former NFL player, analyst, and humanitarian
    • Laurie Buckhout (North Carolinaโ€™s 1st District), a 26-year Army veteran and Gulf War veteran
    • Joe Mitchell (Iowaโ€™s 2nd District), a former state representative, Trump administration veteran, and conservative grassroots organizer

    Meanwhile, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) is targeting 44 Republican-held districts as it looks to flip the House.

    Democrats remain energized despite broader polling challenges. They point to strong performances in 2025 elections and a series of special election overperformances since Trump returned to the White House, driven in part by a focus on affordability issues amid ongoing inflation.

    โ€œDemocrats are on offense, and our map reflects the fact that everyday Americans are tired of Republicans’ broken promises and ready for change in Congress,โ€ DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene said in a statement. โ€œHealthcare, housing, groceries, energy bills โ€” they are all going up, and it’s directly because of Republican policies that favor the wealthiest few while leaving hardworking families behind.โ€

    DelBene added, โ€œGoing into the midterms, Democrats have the winning message, top-tier candidates, and the public on our side, paving the way for a new Democratic House Majority under the leadership of a Speaker Hakeem Jeffries.โ€

    People with severe psychiatric illness shouldnโ€™t be sent to jail. Itโ€™s time to rebuild real mental health institutions focused on treatment, accountability, and compassion. If you agree, stand with Vivek Ramaswamy and make your voice heard. SIGN HERE.

    Georgia Governor To Meet With Senate Leaders Amid 2024 Talks

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    2
    Georgia National Guard from United States, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

    A prominent Republican governor is preparing to meet with top Senate leaders this week.

    Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp is meeting with two top Republican leaders in the Senate in Washington, D.C. over the next two days, a spokesperson for the governor confirmed to The Hill. 

    Kemp will meet with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Tuesday and National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) Chair Steve Daines (R-Mont.) on Wednesday. 

    The pair of meetings come after the Peach State governor told CNN’s Kaitlin Collins that he is “certainly” not running for president in 2024.

    โ€œInย politics, there’s always doors opening and closing. I got a great job right now. I personally feel like having more people in the race does not help us win and beatย Joe Biden,โ€ย Kemp told Kaitlan Collinsย on โ€œThe Source.โ€ โ€œSo, you know, I’m certainly not running for president. But there’s always doors opening in politics depending on how things play out, and we’ll see what happens.โ€

    The Georgia Governor reiterated thatย Trump should stop constantly referencing the 2020 election if he hopes to re-win the state.

    โ€œIf he continues to do that, he’s going to lose Georgia in November,โ€ Kemp said, later adding, โ€œThere is no path for us to win the White House if we can’t win Georgia.โ€

    Anarchist Arrested In Murder-For-Hire Plot Targeting Top Government Official

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    5

    A 29-year-old man has been arrested for what federal authorities describe as a brazen โ€œmurder-for-hireโ€ online plot targeting the U.S. Attorney General.

    According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Minnesota resident Tyler Maxon Avalos was taken into custody on October 16 after a tipster notified them of his alleged TikTok post offering a $45,000 bounty on the life of Pam Bondi, the U.S. Attorney General.

    The post reportedly featured Ms. Bondiโ€™s photo with a red target icon over her forehead and the caption: โ€œWANTED: Pam Bondi / REWARD: 45,000 DEAD OR ALIVE (PREFERABLY DEAD). Beneath the image: โ€˜Cough cough. When they donโ€™t serve us, then what?โ€™โ€

    Court filings reveal Avalos used the handle โ€œWackoโ€ on TikTok and had references to an โ€œAn Anarchist FAQ bookโ€ in his profile. Authorities further noted his criminal history of violence: a July 2022 felony stalking conviction in Dakota County (Minnesota), an August 2016 felony third-degree domestic battery charge in Polk County, Florida, and an April 2016 misdemeanor domestic assault in Dakota County (originally a felony domestic assault by strangulation). The affidavit describes media concerns that Avalos has โ€œanarchist ties,โ€ though the FBI has not publicly confirmed a full motive.

    Federal prosecutors say Avalos now faces a charge of interstate transmission of a threat to injure another person โ€” a federal crime carrying potentially years in prison. His attorney, Daniel Gerdts, stated only that his client โ€œis not guilty of any crime.โ€

    Recent incidents of violence targeting Republican or conservative figures

    While the Bondi case is extraordinary, it aligns with a growing body of incidents in which political actors โ€” particularly those associated with the Republican side โ€” have been targeted:

    • In September 2024, at least one apparent assassination attempt on Donald Trump (the Republican former-President and leading 2024 nominee) was reported.
    • More broadly, an analysis by the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) found that between 2016 and 2025 there were 25 attacks and plots targeting elected officials, candidates, judges and other government figures motivated by extremist partisan beliefs โ€” more than triple the number in the previous 25 years combined.
    • While some of the high-profile cases involve Democratic officials (for example, the June 2025 shootings of Minnesota legislators), the broader trend applies across the ideological spectrum: violence is trending upward, not just against one side but throughout governmentโ€”and conservatives are explicitly among the targets.

    Polls & studies confirm the spike in political violence

    The Bondi bounty scheme emerges against a backdrop of disturbing data indicating rising public concern and creeping acceptance of politically motivated violence:

    Other surveys show that while majorities condemn political violence, many believe it will increase. For example, a CBS News poll found that people of all parties overwhelmingly find political violence unacceptable โ€” yet they are concerned it will escalate.

    A recent study found that 86 % of Americans believe political violence is either a major or minor problem โ€” the highest in two years. When asked whether political violence has increased over the past few years, 78 % said yes.

    A Pew Research Center-sponsored survey found that Americans believe politically-motivated violence is increasing, and that polarization is seen as a key cause.

    A PBS/NPR/Marist poll found that nearly one-third of Americans now believe political violence may be necessary to set the country back on track โ€” up from 19 % about a year and a half earlier.

    Other surveys show that while majorities condemn political violence, many believe it will increase. For example, a CBS News poll found that people of all parties overwhelmingly find political violence unacceptable โ€” yet they are concerned it will escalate.

    TRUMP CANโ€™T MAGA WITHOUT YOU โ€“ Stop the Democrats in their tracks & show the President youโ€™re on his side

    Nobel Laureate Praises Trumpโ€™s Tough Stance on Maduro

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    1
    By Kevin Payravi - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=179718533

    Nobel Peace Prize winner Marรญa Corina Machado, one of Venezuelaโ€™s most prominent pro-democracy leaders, is strongly backing President Donald Trumpโ€™s hard-line approach toward Nicolรกs Maduroโ€™s authoritarian regime. In a new interview that aired Sunday on CBSโ€™s Face the Nation, Machado said Trumpโ€™s strategy has given hope to millions of Venezuelans suffering under socialist rule.

    Asked whether she supports increased U.S. sanctions on Venezuelan officials and further U.S. seizures of illicit oil shipments, Machado was unequivocal.

    โ€œLook, I absolutely support President Trumpโ€™s strategy, and we, the Venezuelan people, are very grateful to him and to his administration, because I believe he is a champion of freedom in this hemisphere,โ€ Machado told host Margaret Brennan.

    Speaking from Oslo, where she accepted the Nobel Peace Prize after spending nearly a year in hiding, Machado noted that she had dedicated part of the award to Trump.

    โ€œI think that he finally has put Venezuela in where it should be, in terms of a priority for the United Statesโ€™ national security.โ€

    Machado argued that Maduroโ€™s regime is far more dangerous than a conventional dictatorship.

    โ€œThis is a very complex criminal structure that has turned Venezuela into a safe haven of international crime and terrorist activities, starting with Russia, Iran, Cuba, Hezbollah, Hamas, the Colombian guerrilla [groups], [and] the drug cartels operating freely and directed in partnership with Maduro and his regime.โ€

    Machado has long been one of Maduroโ€™s most effective opposition figures. After she overwhelmingly won the opposition primary in 2023, the regime barred her from running, then orchestrated an election that independent experts later declared โ€œmathematically and statistically impossible.โ€ Despite that, Maduro claimed victory and refused to relinquish power. Machado endorsed a stand-in candidate but remained the movementโ€™s central figureโ€”until she was forced into hiding for her safety.

    Now, speaking publicly for the first time in months, Machado is calling for increased international pressure.

    โ€œWe want every legal action through law enforcement โ€ฆ not only from the United States, also from other Caribbean, Latin American and European countries that further block the illegal activities of the regime.โ€

    Her argument is straightforward:

    โ€œWe need to increase the cost of staying in power by force. Once you arrive to that point in which the cost of staying in power is higher than the cost of leaving power, the regime will fall apart. And itโ€™s the moment where we advance into a negotiated transition.โ€

    Additional Context: Trump and the Nobel Peace Prize

    Machadoโ€™s praise comes as Trump has repeatedly been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, particularly for:

    • The Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and several Arab nationsโ€”an achievement some foreign-policy experts called one of the most important diplomatic breakthroughs in decades.
    • His diplomatic efforts in reducing tensions with North Korea, which earned him multiple nominations from European lawmakers.
    • His support for democracy movements in Latin America, including Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua.
    Vivek Ramaswamy wants to hear from YOU. What message should Republicans lead with in 2026? Take Vivekโ€™s End-of-Year Survey now and help shape the winning strategy.

    Steve Bannon Declares War On ‘Truly Evil’ Elon Musk

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    14
    UK Government, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

    This feud isn’t going away anytime soon…

    President-elect Donald Trump’s former adviser Steve Bannon is not afraid to publicly go to battle against billionaire businessman Elon Musk, calling him “truly evil” during a recent interview.

    In an interview with Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, as highlighted by Mediaite, Bannon sharply criticized Musk, who was tapped by Trump to co-lead the โ€œDepartment of Government Efficiency.โ€

    โ€œI will haveย Elon Muskย run out of here by Inauguration Day,โ€ Bannon said. โ€œHe is a truly evil guy, a very bad guy. I made it my personal thing to take this guy down.โ€

    Trump is set to take office for the second time next Monday. Muskโ€™s influence in the next administration remains unclear but he has been tapped to help lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) which is tasked with cutting wasteful government spending.

    Bannon criticized Musk over the continuedย debate over H-1B visas. Musk is supportive of the work program that allows the U.S. to attract international talent. Trumpโ€™s base, however, is not supportive of the program, fueling a fight over the topic.

    Musk himself was once an H-1B visa holder, as he is from South Africa.

    โ€œThis thing of the H-1B visas, itโ€™s about the entire immigration system is gamed by the tech overlords, they use it to their advantage, the people are furious,โ€ Bannon said.

    He slammed Muskโ€™s heritage, calling South Africans the most racist people on Earth.

    โ€œHe should go back to South Africa,โ€ Bannon said. โ€œWhy do we have South Africans, the most racist people on Earth, white South Africans, we have them making any comments at all on what goes on in the United States?โ€

    Bannon continued to pile on the criticism, saying Musk has a maturity of a โ€œlittle boyโ€ and only has an interest in increasing his wealth.

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