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The litigious hopes of Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell of California came to a humiliating end on Friday when he dropped a lawsuit against the Trump administration.

Swalwell, who is also a California gubernatorial candidate, had accused the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency of improperly accessing his private information in order to punish his anti-Trump efforts.

‘There’s a reason the First Amendment — the freedom of speech — comes before all others.’

FHFA Director Bill Pulte accused the 45-year-old of mortgage fraud and cited information gathered from the agency.

When Swalwell announced the lawsuit in Nov. 2025, he cast himself as a defender of free speech and a martyr for the cause of constitutional rights.

Four months later, he abandoned the cause.

The filing Friday said that Swalwell and Pulte had agreed to bear their own fees and costs in order to dismiss the lawsuit.

“Director Pulte has combed through private records of political opponents. To silence them,” Swalwell said when he filed the lawsuit. “There’s a reason the First Amendment — the freedom of speech — comes before all others.”

The lawsuit was scheduled to be presided over by U.S. District Court Chief Judge James Boasberg, a well-known critic of President Donald Trump who has been accused of political bias by the administration.

Swalwell filed to request the court to order Pulte to withdraw his criminal referral and demanded damages to be awarded for the alleged violations of the Privacy Act.

He quoted George Orwell, author of “1984” and “Animal Farm,” novels dedicated to warning against totalitarianism.

“If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear,” Swalwell posted.

RELATED: Trump says he will fire Lisa Cook from the Federal Reserve if she doesn’t resign

Swalwell also cast himself as a stalwart opponent to Trump in hopes of persuading Democratic voters in California to support his campaign for governor.

The latest polling shows Swalwell taking a slight lead against the other field of Democratic candidates, but his Republican competitors are also surprisingly strong. One Democrat is expected to pull ahead as the others drop out, however.

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President Donald Trump said he is considering winding down the military campaign in Iran and added that the Strait of Hormuz must be defended by other nations.

The president posted the update on the war with Iran in a statement on Truth Social on Friday, after 21 days of the military campaign.

‘Importantly, it will be an easy Military Operation for them.’

“We are getting very close to meeting our objectives as we consider winding down our great Military efforts in the Middle East with respect to the Terrorist Regime of Iran,” the president wrote.

He went on to say the strikes had completely degraded Iran’s missile capabilities, eliminated its navy and air forces, and destroyed its ability to obtain nuclear weapons. He then addressed the Strait of Hormuz, which has become a contentious issue.

“The Hormuz Strait will have to be guarded and policed, as necessary, by other Nations who use it — The United States does not!” he added. “If asked, we will help these Countries in their Hormuz efforts, but it shouldn’t be necessary once Iran’s threat is eradicated.”

The threat of strikes from Iran has caused oil tankers to stop transporting oil through the strait and sent gas prices skyrocketing across the globe.

He added that the U.S. had accomplished protecting Middle Eastern allies that included Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Kuwait.

The president previously demanded that other countries help defend the strait, but claiming that the U.S. does not use it appears to be an escalation of his claim. About 20% of the global source of oil flows through the strait.

On Thursday, a group of European countries and Japan issued a statement condemning Iran’s actions in the strait and pledging to protect the key trade route.

“We express our readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait,” reads the letter from the nations’ leaders. “We welcome the commitment of nations who are engaging in preparatory planning.”

RELATED: US allies have change of heart on defending Strait of Hormuz from Iranian attacks after oil prices continue to surge

Trump reassured those who might defend the Strait of Hormuz that it would be easy.

“Importantly, it will be an easy Military Operation for them. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” he added.

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The president of a Latin American country is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice for his alleged drug trafficking ties, according to a New York Times report.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has called President Donald Trump a “barbarian” for ordering lethal strikes on boats in the Caribbean identified by the U.S. as participating in drug trafficking.

He also warned against reviving ‘the age of the Crusades.’

On Friday, the Times cited three people with knowledge of the investigation into Petro by at least two U.S. attorney’s offices.

The investigations focus on whether Petro’s presidential campaign solicited donations from drug traffickers and held meetings with traffickers. The report said the probes are in the early stages, and it’s not clear whether they will result in criminal charges.

The report said the two U.S. attorney’s offices investigating Petro were in Manhattan and Brooklyn.

Petro, who is a leftist and former member of Colombia’s M-19 guerrilla group, has criticized the Trump administration for promoting a “white, Christian, Western civilization.” He also warned against reviving “the age of the Crusades” and added that such efforts could lead to an “enormous level of violence within each society.”

Trump said back in December, “Colombia is a major manufacturer of drugs, meaning cocaine,” and warned Petro to “wise up.” Petro and Trump then appeared to settle some of their differences after a meeting at the White House in February.

RELATED: Liberals pounce to defend drug cartels after Trump reveals strike on drug-running gang members near Venezuela

Petro has also touted his administration’s efforts at combating and defeating drug traffickers, including the seizure of 3,300 tons of cocaine and the handing over of 800 drug traffickers to the U.S.

Representatives from both prosecutors’ offices declined to comment, and a spokesperson for Petro did not respond to a comment request, according to the Times.

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This morning, news broke that Chuck Norris — the legendary martial artist and action star best known for “Walker, Texas Ranger” — died at age 86.

Glenn Beck was in the middle of recording his morning show when he got the news of Norris’ passing. He stopped everything in that moment to reflect on the life and legacy of his dear friend.

“We have known each other for the longest time. He was one of the most giving men I have ever met,” Glenn says, fighting tears.

“Here’s a guy who is known all over the world, is a mega-star. Everywhere he goes, everyone loves him. And he was Chuck. He was just a normal guy who dedicated himself to making the lives of children better,” he continues.

Glenn highlights Norris’ nonprofit “Kickstart Kids” — a character development program that integrates karate instruction into the school day, teaching core values like discipline, respect, responsibility, and honesty to middle and high school students in dozens of public schools across Texas to help them build strong moral character and avoid negative influences.

“It changed kids,” Glenn says.

He then shares a heartfelt story about his own son’s experience being shepherded under Norris’ wing.

“My son was really struggling when he was younger, and we were over at Chuck and Gena’s house. And we stayed overnight, and the next morning I see him and my son walking outside,” Glenn tearfully reminisces.

“He said, ‘I’m sending somebody to your house because I see greatness in you, and I know you’re struggling. I’m sending somebody to your house to get you started on your black belt because once you learn this discipline, everything will change in your life.”’

This kindness, Glenn says, extended to every child Norris met.

The magic of Chuck Norris, he says, is that he reached the pinnacle of stardom but wasn’t changed as a result of fame and fortune.

“I can’t tell you I have met a bigger star than Chuck Norris … and a more regular guy than Chuck Norris,” he says.

“He has left more than jokes on how tough he is behind. He has left a legacy of good and strong young men and women.”

To hear more — including the hilarious story behind the virality of Chuck Norris jokes — watch the video above.

Want more from Glenn Beck?

To enjoy more of Glenn’s masterful storytelling, thought-provoking analysis, and uncanny ability to make sense of the chaos, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

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A Democratic governor is perpetuating the party’s efforts to shut down President Donald Trump’s mass deportation plans by filing a lawsuit against a new detention center.

The Trump administration planned to convert a massive warehouse for use by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Roxbury, a township of about 23,000 residents in New Jersey.

‘Let’s be honest about this. This case isn’t about the environment. It’s about trying to stop President Trump from making America safe again.’

On Friday, the town announced a lawsuit to block the plan, and New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill, a Democrat, posted on social media that her administration had signed on.

“Together with the Township of Roxbury, we are suing ICE and the Department of Homeland Security to stop their illegal plan to convert a warehouse into a mass detention facility,” Sherill said. “We will not allow the Trump administration to violate the rights of New Jerseyans.”

The complaint accuses the U.S. Department of Homeland Security of violating four laws while trying to convert the 470,000 square-foot warehouse into a center that could house as many as 1,500 people. The lawsuit alleges that DHS ignored required environmental review in their rush to convert the facility.

Sherrill made her case in a press conference in Newark.

“This plan won’t make the community or our state safer, and as I’ve said before, we will never just stand by and let this administration violate the rights of New Jerseyans,” she said.

A spokesperson for ICE fired off a response to the governor.

“Let’s be honest about this. This case isn’t about the environment. It’s about trying to stop President Trump from making America safe again,” the spokesperson said in a statement to CBS News.

“The left didn’t care about the mountains of litter that illegal aliens dropped on ranches and riverbeds during Biden’s border crisis,” the statement continued. “They’re feigning concern now because they want those same illegal aliens to stay forever and vote here.”

RELATED: Fed judge limits warrantless detentions by ICE in Colorado — Trump fires off defiant response

“A logistics center fit for Amazon Prime packages is an unjustifiable location at which to establish a mass immigration detention center covering the 1,000 to 1,500 detainees DHS plans to house in the Roxbury Warehouse,” read the lawsuit.

Critics also point to inadequate bathroom facilities in the center as well as concerns over road and wastewater capacity.

“It doesn’t just violate common sense, it violates federal law, not to mention zoning and building codes that any other property owner would have to abide by,” Sherrill said. “The administration may think it’s above the law, but it will soon find out that that is not the case.”

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President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Harvard on Friday, accusing the Ivy League school of discrimination.

Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon posted a video on social media announcing the legal action. She claimed that Harvard tolerated “significant and onerous racial and ethnic abuse against Israeli and Jewish students on the campus in the wake of the horrific Hamas attack in Israel on October 7, 2023.”

‘When institutions take taxpayer dollars, they accept a duty to protect civil rights.’

She noted that the school allowed “pro-Palestinian protests” to “take over” its campus, blocking Israeli and Jewish students from getting to class.

“Harvard has rules about how students should conduct themselves, but it relaxed those rules when it came to these particular protesters,” Dhillon stated.

“Every American university that takes federal funding must comply with federal law.”

The DOJ accused Harvard of violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by allowing anti-Semitic “mobs of students, faculty, and visitors” to assault, harass, and intimidate Jewish and Israeli students.

RELATED: Harvard posts deficit of over $110 million as funding feud with Trump continues to sting

Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

“Since October 7, 2023, too many of our educational institutions have allowed anti-Semitism to flourish on campus — Harvard included,” Attorney General Pam Bondi stated. “Today’s litigation underscores the Trump administration’s commitment to demanding better from our nation’s schools and putting an end to discriminatory behavior that harms students.”

The DOJ noted that Harvard is slated to receive $2.6 billion in taxpayer funds under active grants from the Department of Health and Human Services.

RELATED: Former Clinton official to quit Harvard University position amid backlash for Epstein ties

JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP/Getty Images

“Every student deserves to learn without fear of harassment or exclusion,” Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said. “When institutions take taxpayer dollars, they accept a duty to protect civil rights. We hold Harvard accountable on the principle that anti-Semitism has no place in any program funded by the American people.”

In October, Harvard issued a financial report that showed a $113 million deficit for fiscal year 2025, marking its first operating loss since 2020. This report followed Trump’s decision to withhold federal research funding from the school after he claimed it “repeatedly” failed to address anti-Semitic harassment.

Harvard released a statement responding to the lawsuit.

“Harvard cares deeply about members of our Jewish and Israeli community and remains committed to ensuring they are embraced, respected, and can thrive on our campus,” the school said. “Our actions illustrate this. Harvard has taken substantive, proactive steps to address the root causes of anti-Semitism and actively enforces anti-harassment and anti-discrimination rules and policies on campus. We also have enhanced training and education on anti-Semitism for students, faculty, and staff and launched programs to promote civil dialogue and respectful disagreement inside and outside the classroom. Harvard’s efforts demonstrate the very opposite of deliberate indifference.”

“We will continue to prioritize this important work and will defend the university against this lawsuit, which represents yet another pretextual and retaliatory action by the administration for refusing to turn over control of Harvard to the federal government,” the statement read.

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Meta announced big changes to its original virtual reality world, as Mark Zuckerberg’s dream of a world in goggles gets closer to shutting down.

Horizon Worlds, Meta’s flagship Metaverse platform, will be taken down by the end of March with the company separating VR from the rest of its online Metaverse experience.

‘This separation will extend across our ecosystem, including our mobile app.’

Horizon Worlds is being taken out of the Meta’s virtual reality store by March 31 and will be only available through mobile platforms.

“We are separating the two platforms [VR and Horizon] so each can grow with greater focus, and the Horizon Worlds platform will become a mobile-only experience,” Meta wrote in a community blog post. “This separation will extend across our ecosystem, including our mobile app.”

While Metaverse’s active user base is still in the hundreds of millions, the rolling losses from the platform are too much to run from. As Return previously reported, the platform has cost around $77 billion since its inception, with a significant chunk of jobs from its Reality Labs division (originally reported as 1,000-1,500) getting cut in January so Meta can prioritize wearable technology.

According to CNBC, Reality Labs posted an operating loss of $6.02 billion in a fourth-quarter earnings report in January.

RELATED: Jeffrey Epstein was BANNED from Xbox Live — for harassing other gamers

While some have signaled this is the end of the Metaverse entirely — and this is indeed a significant hit given the losses at Meta — other virtual reality experiences on the Metaverse still exist.

Some of the more popular programs include Gorilla Tag and the seemingly ever-present VR Chat. The latter was a cultural phenomenon in the early 2020s, spawning videos from content creators that ranged from streamers to pranksters to political commentators.

The multi-platform app still had an estimated 12 million users in 2025, a significant chunk of which is likely from Meta as its Quest VR headset represents a reported 52% market share.

RELATED: The strategy to win elections hasn’t changed in 2,000 years

Photographer: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images

It should be no surprise that Meta is shifting away from the virtual reality experience or even the Metaverse as a whole. The idea that once had celebrities like Snoop Dogg saying he would start a new record label on the platform has since been dwarfed by Roblox, Fortnite, and Minecraft as places where the youngsters hang out online.

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The fans and friends of action film star Chuck Norris are sorrowful at the news Friday that he passed away. He was 86 years old.

Some fans are expressing their grief by adding a final chapter to the hilarious meme trend that celebrated his superhuman strength and invincibility.

‘Chuck Norris didn’t die. He told death he was coming.’

The meme had become so popular that Norris himself began making some of the jokes and referred to the trend in his commercials. Between the solemn celebrity remembrances of Norris, fans continued the “Chuck Norris facts” trend as part of his legacy.

“Chuck Norris could kill two stones with one bird. Chuck Norris didn’t do push-ups. He pushed the Earth down. Chuck Norris could strangle you with a cordless phone. Chuck Norris beat the sun in a staring contest,” read one post. “In heaven, even miracles check with Chuck Norris.”

“Chuck Norris didn’t die, he just completed his mission & went to rest…” said actor Mario Lopez.

“Chuck Norris didn’t die. He told death he was coming,” read another post.

“It’s been announced Chuck Norris be the pallbearer at his own funeral,” said another user.

“Chuck Norris woke up briefly from death this morning to correct an error on his death certificate. He then shook hands with the doctor, laid back down, and died again,” read another popular entry.

“Chuck doesn’t flush the toilet, he scares the s**t out of it,” recalled writer Stephen King.

Others referred to his many movie characters and cameos.

“I’ll always remember Chuck Norris as the man who changed the course of dodgeball history by casting the deciding vote that allowed Average Joes to play in the championship of the Las Vegas International Dodgeball Open where they upset the heavily favored Globo Gym Purple Cobras,” read one entry.

RELATED: Chuck Norris warned against ‘socialism” in 2021: ‘Or something much worse’

The world was informed of the passing of Chuck Norris by a statement from his family.

“He lived his life with faith, purpose, and an unwavering commitment to the people he loved,” his family wrote. “Through his work, discipline, and kindness, he inspired millions around the world and left a lasting impact on so many lives.”

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The Department of Homeland Security is cheering after a federal bill aimed at improving trucking safety crossed a major hurdle.

On Wednesday, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure approved Dalilah’s Law, a bill that bans states from issuing commercial driver’s licenses to illegal aliens and limits issuance to U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and holders of specific work visas. The legislation also requires the revocation of any existing ineligible CDLs.

‘I wanted you guys to see firsthand the consequences of even just one driver getting by because it’s devastating.’

Additionally, the bill mandates that testing and recertification be conducted only in English. States that do not comply may face withholding of federal highway funds.

Dalilah’s Law was named after Dalilah Coleman, a child who sustained critical and life-altering injuries at 5 years old as a result of a 2024 multi-car wreck in California caused by an illegal alien truck driver.

The illegal alien driver, Partap Singh, was issued a CDL by California’s Department of Motor Vehicles. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Singh in August.

The DHS, which announced its support for the proposed bill in February, applauded the House committee for approving the legislation on March 18.

“I am so grateful that the House Republicans passed Dalilah’s Law out of [the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee] today,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem stated. “What happened to Dalilah Coleman is a tragedy that could have been PREVENTED if California had not granted commercial driver’s licenses to illegal aliens who should have never been here in the first place. Under President Trump’s leadership, we have worked to deliver justice for the families impacted by illegal alien crime and have ensured that the tragedies they endured will no longer continue.”

RELATED: Trump recognizes little girl grievously injured, allegedly by truck-driving Indian illegal alien

Dalilah Coleman. Image source: Department of Homeland Security

The DHS shared a video of Dalilah and her father, Marcus.

Marcus Coleman explained that he learned the truck driver was an illegal alien almost a year after the accident occurred.

“As a truck driver myself, I think illegal aliens operating trucks on American roadways is a hazard to American citizens. … When you take the keys to the truck, you’re taking the keys to everybody else’s life that you’re encountering that day,” Coleman stated.

When people “see a truck, they assume that you know what you’re doing,” Coleman continued. “And I think now that’s not true anymore.”

“Use my daughter as an example as to what the consequences are. … I wanted you guys to see firsthand the consequences of even just one driver getting by because it’s devastating,” he added.

RELATED: ‘Turnaround for the ages’: Trump boasts victory at the southern border — 0 illegal aliens entered in 9 months

In September, ICE and Oklahoma law enforcement agents conducted a three-day operation along the I-40 that resulted in the arrests of 91 illegal alien truck drivers.

As part of that operation, ICE captured Anmol Anmol, an illegal alien from India who illegally entered the U.S. in 2023. Anmol was issued a CDL that read “No Name Given Anmol.”

Another 146 illegal alien truckers were arrested in October as a result of an operation between the DHS and Indiana State Police.

Akhror Bozorov, a 31-year-old illegal alien from Uzbekistan, was arrested by federal agents in November. The truck driver was wanted in his home country since 2022 for allegedly being a member of a terrorist organization.

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The body of a Massachusetts woman who was missing for more than a year was discovered by police buried under a garage after a tipster revealed to authorities a chilling confession his friend allegedly made, the district attorney said.

Jill Kloppenburg, 47, was reported missing on Feb. 26, 2025.

‘At some point, he made a jerking motion, which caused him to pull the trigger, discharging a firearm and shooting Jill in the chest.’

According to the FBI, Kloppenburg was last seen leaving her residence in Lowell on Jan. 2, 2025. The FBI said Kloppenburg was living in temporary housing with roommates.

While there had not been any promising leads regarding the location or status of the missing woman, authorities received a tip last week that broke the case wide open.

On March 10, 2026, a tipster reported a possible homicide to the Nashua Police Department in New Hampshire, according to a press release by the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office.

The Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office revealed:

The reporting party told police that his friend, a man named Shawn Sullivan, had allegedly told him that he had killed a woman named “Jill” at this home in or around January 2025, and that he had allegedly shot her and buried her under the floor in the garage of the Audrey Avenue home in Tyngsborough where he was living.

On March 15, officers from the Tyngsborough Police Department, Tewksbury Police Department, and Massachusetts State Police executed a search warrant at the home.

Officers saw what appeared to be a “large, patched area in the garage,” the district attorney’s office said in a statement.

Investigators utilized ground-penetrating radar technology to scan the entire garage floor and confirmed an “area that appeared to be cut and patched.”

WCVB-TV reported that the patched area in the garage measured approximately five feet long and three feet wide.

Police discovered human remains in a bag buried under the garage floor of the home. The DA said the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has identified the remains as Jill Kloppenburg.

The preliminary findings by the medical examiner also indicate that Kloppenburg sustained a gunshot wound.

Officers with the Tyngsborough Police Department arrested 40-year-old Shawn Sullivan on March 15.

On Tuesday, Sullivan was arraigned in Lowell District Court on charges of murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury, and improper disposal of human remains in connection with the shooting of Kloppenburg.

Sullivan was ordered held without bail.

RELATED: ‘Want him buried’: Family’s explosive words surface after cheerleader’s stepbrother reportedly charged in her death on cruise

Prosecutors claimed Sullivan said he shot the woman while showing her a gun in his bedroom, WCVB reported.

“The defendant said he was with Jill and holding a firearm while falling asleep. At some point, he made a jerking motion, which caused him to pull the trigger, discharging a firearm and shooting Jill in the chest,” prosecutor Ceara Mahoney said.

Mahoney added, “He stated that Jill soon died, and if there was a chance for her survival, he would have called for help. Instead, the defendant kept Jill’s body in his room for a couple of days.”

“He then brought Jill’s body to the garage, where he dug a hole in the concrete, placed her body in the hole, and then filled the hole,” Mahoney stated.

The Boston Globe reported that Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan said in a press conference on Monday, “Police were able to learn that the last record of any communication from Ms. Kloppenburg’s cell phone was on Jan. 14, 2025.

Ryan added, “Police were able to learn that Ms. Kloppenburg was someone known to Mr. Sullivan, that she had been in his home, and that he had allegedly been with her around the time of her disappearance.”

Sullivan’s attorney, Ryan Sullivan, described his client’s actions as “inexcusable,” but said they still warranted a charge of involuntary manslaughter rather than murder.

“He’s been emotional in speaking to the police and speaking with me,” the attorney said. “This has been something that’s been greatly weighing on him. His decisions in the aftermath, although regretful, don’t equate to him having malice of committing any sort of act designed to do this. It’s a tragic, tragic accident.”

Teresa Brink, a friend of Kloppenburg, told reporters outside the courthouse, “She didn’t deserve that, no. Absolutely not. She didn’t deserve that. Nobody does. Nobody. She’s a human. She’s a mother, a friend, a sister, a daughter.”

Sullivan is scheduled to appear in court on April 17.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with any information about the case is urged to contact the Massachusetts State Police at 781-897-8300.

The Massachusetts State Police did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.

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Amy Acton, the physician who served as director of the Ohio Department of Health in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, is running as a Democrat in hopes of succeeding her former boss, Gov. Mike DeWine (R).

Although the Republican governor has attempted to shield his former underling from blame over her efforts to curtail basic liberties during the pandemic in the name of public health, critics appear unwilling to forgive or forget, especially with the election shaping up to be a close race.

‘Amy Acton shut down our society.’

The Ohio Republican Party, for example, recalled on Tuesday that Acton “installed an order during COVID to lock down nursing homes,” adding that “visits were deemed permissible for loved ones and patients based on whether or not they were ‘grieving.’ Truly sickening.”

The state GOP noted in a previous post that Acton — who has been endorsed by Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio and the Ohio Federation of Teachers — also saw to the closure of bars, restaurants, gyms, theaters, playgrounds, museums, libraries, fitness centers, and small businesses.

“She deemed her allies ‘essential’ — and left the rest to fend for themselves,” said the Ohio GOP.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, with whom Acton is poised to face off in November’s general election, has dubbed her “Dr. Lockdown” and blasted the Democrat for her role in closing Ohio public schools — which she insisted in an interview last year was necessary — and businesses.

RELATED: Damning study of over a million kids finds myocarditis only in the vaccinated

Megan JELINGER/AFP/Getty Images

Hours before Ohioans were supposed to begin casting ballots in the state’s March 2020 presidential primary, Acton ordered the closure of the polling locations. On the day of the punted vote, she ordered the closure of all Ohio bars and restaurants.

Days later, Acton issued a stay-at-home order, forbidding virtually all public and private gatherings occurring outside a single household; closing all “places of public amusement” including playgrounds; and prohibiting Ohioans from leaving their homes except for “Essential Activities, Essential Governmental Functions, or to participate in Essential Businesses and Operations.”

Acton’s actions prompted state lawmakers to introduce multiple bills aimed at reining in her power.

In the face of immense backlash and possible curbs on her authority, she resigned in June 2020.

“Amy Acton shut down our society,” Ohio Senate President Rob McColley (R) tweeted on Thursday. “Then she walked away when Ohioans pleaded for help in getting back to normal. She quit on Ohio once and we won’t give her a chance to do it again.”

Acton’s campaign declined a request for comment from Blaze News about Republicans’ recent criticism.

A Quantus Insights survey conducted last week found that 45.9% of respondents signaled support for Acton, 44.9% signaled support for Ramaswamy, nearly 6% said they were undecided, and 3.3% signaled support for some other candidate.

According to the survey, a plurality of respondents placed the economy, inflation, and the cost of living as the most important issues facing the state.

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Details have begun to emerge about a shooting at an Air Force base in New Mexico that resulted in at least one death.

On Tuesday, one person died and one person was injured after a suspect open fired near the Shoppette at Holloman Air Force Base in Otero County in southern New Mexico.

The injured victim and the deceased ‘were not married.’

In a press release on Wednesday, base officials identified the injured party as “an active-duty service member assigned to Holloman AFB” and claimed the individual was in “stable condition.” Officials said the individual’s identity will not be released.

The press release stated that the deceased individual was a “civilian” who had previously been a service member once “stationed” at the base.

RELATED: Retired Air Force major allegedly trained Chinese military fighter pilots — and is linked to spying, hacking network

Photo by Jon Cherry/Getty Images

On Friday, base officials confirmed the identity of the deceased individual: Ashanti Stewart. The latest press release claimed that Stewart committed suicide after shooting the active-duty service member. She was declared dead at the scene, officials said.

Officials have characterized the shooting as an “isolated incident” related to some kind of “domestic” issue. However, the injured victim and the deceased “were not married,” officials noted.

A lockdown order was issued at the base around 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday following reports of an active shooter, a press release on Tuesday said. That order was soon lifted after authorities determined that the scene was “safe.” Officials later said that there was “no ongoing threat.”

The shooting remains under investigation.

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There’s a new young adult novel out that has America’s teen readers spellbound. It’s got mystery, romance, fantasy, and plot twists — everything a young reader craves.

There’s only one problem: It’s demonic pornography, according to Allie Beth Stuckey.

On this episode of “Relatable,” Allie and “Library 4 Kiddos” founder Anne Sey dive into the dark world of “Sibylline” by Melissa de la Cruz and explain why parents should be cautious about young adult literature.

Shortly after its publication earlier this year, “Sibylline” quickly became a New York Times best-seller and was even selected as a “Good Morning America” YA Book Club pick for February.

This shocked both Allie and Sey, because the book is full of dark and explicit content.

“Initially it was marketed to 12- to 17-year-olds, and it’s very problematic, because not only does it have magic that dives into the occult — like there’s seances … possession of people, necromancy,” says Sey.

“But also on page 284, there is a very graphic scene of a threesome, and it’s done on the friend who they think is dead. So not only a threesome, but necrophilia.”

Allie pulls no punches about the depravity of this particular scene. “I just want to be clear about what is actually being depicted. It’s not some closed-door thing,” Allie explains. She goes on to outline all the depraved, explicit, X-rated ways this sexual scene is depicted in the book.

“So that is the kind of necrophilia, sexual assault that is being … not only depicted but glorified.”

Sey, who provides curated book recommendations focused on wholesome young adult literature, says, “What a lot of people don’t understand … is that over half of the people reading young adult [books] are actual adults … 18 and on.”

She cites a 2024 study from HarperCollins UK that found that 74% of young adult readers in the U.K. are adults — 28% of whom are over age 28.

Publishers, says Sey, “know this” about their readership. So even though protagonists in YA novels are typically in the same age range as young adult readers (12-17), the content is often tailored to a far more mature audience.

But this can be tricky for parents, because sometimes YA authors, including Melissa de la Cruz, also write age-appropriate books for teens.

“Melissa de la Cruz is known for her middle-grade novels as well,” says Sey, referring to de la Cruz’s “Alex & Eliza” trilogy — a historical romance series that reimagines the real-life love story of Alexander Hamilton and Elizabeth “Eliza” Schuyler.

“So my fear is that parents who are not aware and who have said, ‘Well, we’ve read her ‘Descendants’ series or, you know, her ‘Alex & Eliza’ series’” will assume “it’s okay to read this book, and it’s not,”’ she tells Allie.

To hear more about the dangers of young adult literature and what you can do to protect your kids, watch the episode above.

Want more from Allie Beth Stuckey?

To enjoy more of Allie’s upbeat and in-depth coverage of culture, news, and theology from a Christian, conservative perspective, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

​Relatable, Relatable with allie beth stuckey, Allie beth, Allie beth stuckey, Anne sey, Library 4 kiddos, Young adult fiction, Young adult literature, Ya books, Ya lit, Ya literature, Adultification, Blazetv, Blaze media 

Afroman did not defame officers when he made songs about a police raid that destroyed his front door but resulted in no charges, an Ohio jury has decided.

In 2022, deputies from the Adams County Sheriff’s Office burst into the rapper’s home while he was away by way of search warrant in order to look for evidence of drug trafficking and kidnapping.

‘I didn’t win, America won.’

As reported by WCPO Cincinnati, Afroman — real name Joseph Foreman — faced no subsequent charges, but he allegedly had a different mess on his hands. Afroman said officers tore his house apart, cut the cords of his video cameras, and even took his cash. According to CNN, officials later claimed their deputies had merely miscounted the money.

The defamation lawsuit stemmed from multiple Adams County deputies who claimed Afroman used their likeness without permission when he included his security footage in a series of music videos.

CBS News reported that Deputy Lisa Phillips said the rapper made a “derogatory” music video that questioned her gender and sexuality, seemingly referring to Afroman’s 2022 song “Why You Disconnecting My Video Camera.”

However, just days before the trial, the artist released “Licc’em Low Lisa,” which has over 500,000 views on YouTube at the time of this writing. Footage has since emerged of Phillips crying from the stand as Afroman’s lyrics were played for the courtroom to hear.

Furthermore, Sgt. Randy Walters reportedly said his child had been mocked at school over his inclusion in music videos. Afroman ended up releasing the song “Randy Walters Is a Son of a Bitch” on the first day of the trial, which had over one million views on YouTube in just four days.

RELATED: Sean Penn and Ben Stiller: 2 Oscar no-shows, 2 VERY different excuses

The most popular song of Afroman’s security footage genre was likely “Lemon Pound Cake.”

The song has over three million views and pokes fun at a deputy who eyes up a lemon pound cake on the counter as he walks through Afroman’s house with a pistol drawn.

After leaving the courthouse on Wednesday, Afroman said his victory was a crucial win for the First Amendment.

“I didn’t win. America won. America still has freedom of speech. It’s still for the people, by the people,” the rapper told reporters.

“I didn’t go down here and sue the police department,” he continued, pointing at the courthouse. “I fixed up the damages they made, and I sung songs about it to raise money to do it. They were unapologetic.”

A small group of fans were seen cheering Afroman on in celebration of his court win, and the artist showed significant gratitude for their support.

“I’m glad things went my way, but if they would have took it all from me, I was happy about all the love I was getting from everybody,” Afroman added, fighting off tears.

RELATED: ‘I love being your mom’: How Best Actress Jessie Buckley made motherhood Oscars’ biggest winner

“Afroman is a modern day civil rights hero and a true and living embodiment of the Hungry Hustling American Dream,” Grace Legal Group attorney Jordan Dixon-Hamilton, who is not representing Afroman, told Blaze News.

“His victory in court against the group of thugs from the Adams County Sheriff’s Office in their baseless defamation suit is another testament to the strength of the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment,” the lawyer added.

Steven Lee Rachel from Baste Records, Afroman’s label, told Blaze News, “We support and stand by Afroman and his First Amendment rights.”

Afroman had a final message to Americans as he celebrated with his supporters:

“When life give you lemons, you make lemon pound cake.”

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Action movie star Chuck Norris has passed away, his family revealed online Friday.

The 86-year-old burst onto the film scene in the late 1970s and had a major influence on the boom in martial arts movies of the 1980s and 1990s.

‘To us, he was a devoted husband, a loving father and grandfather.’

Norris’ family wrote on his Instagram page that the star passed away Thursday morning, but wanted to keep the circumstances surrounding the death private.

“To the world, he was a martial artist, actor, and a symbol of strength. To us, he was a devoted husband, a loving father and grandfather, an incredible brother, and the heart of our family,” the caption read.

The family added, “He lived his life with faith, purpose, and an unwavering commitment to the people he loved. Through his work, discipline, and kindness, he inspired millions around the world and left a lasting impact on so many lives.”

RELATED: ‘Walker, Texas Ranger’ gets woke reboot, to star ‘gay, conservative’ character

CBS/Getty Images

The family went on to say that they were grateful for Norris’ life and the “unforgettable moments” they were “blessed to share with him.” They thanked his fans and his friends and said they were “truly grateful” for offers of prayer and support they received during Norris’ recent hospitalization.

Norris hit it big with films like “Good Guys Wear Black” in 1978 and “A Force of One” in 1979. He was a mainstay on television as well with “Walker, Texas Ranger,” which had more than 200 episodes during its 1993-2001 run.

RELATED: Netanyahu says Israel is ‘indestructible’ with Chuck Norris supporting it

Paul Drinkwater/NBC via Getty Images

Norris was involved in politics in recent years, such as endorsing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 2017.

In 2016, Norris was reportedly set to attend a rally for Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) but ultimately did not attend, and a spokesman said any presidential endorsement from the action star at the time was only a rumor.

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In its review of old X and Tumblr accounts believed to have belonged to New York City Democrat Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s wife, Ruma Duwaji, the Washington Free Beacon discovered posts glorifying Palestinian terrorists and romanticizing Islamic martyrdom.

For instance, Duwaji, the child of Syrian migrants, appears to have posted a photo on Sept. 23, 2017, of Palestinian terrorist Leila Khaled captioned, “If it does good for my cause, I’ll be happy to accept death.”

‘American soldiers fighting in imperialist wars are not brave.’

Khaled, a prominent member of the U.S.-designated terrorist organization Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine who claimed in a 2024 interview that the “7th of October was a must,” was involved in plane hijackings both in 1969 and 1970.

On March 8, 2015, Duwaji reportedly shared a post praising Shadia Abu Ghazaleh, a PFLP terrorist who participated in the bombing of an Israeli bus and ultimately blew herself up in 1968 building a bomb she apparently meant to use on an Israeli building.

In July 2015, Mamdani’s wife apparently shared a post stating, “American soldiers fighting in imperialist wars are not brave nor are they fighting for anyone’s freedom. They are mercilessly slaughtering 3rd world civilians and fighting to maintain American hegemony.”

RELATED: Why America’s enemies always target Western civilization first

Adam Gray/Bloomberg via Getty Images

When Snapchat added Tel Aviv to its “live story” feature that same year, Duwaji reportedly retweeted a post that stated, “@Snapchat has disappointed me. F**k #TelAviv. Shouldn’t exist in the first place. They’re occupiers. You celebrate them.”

Duwaji’s old account appears to have been deactivated in the wake of the Beacon’s exposé.

Blaze News did not receive a response from New York City Hall.

CNN pundit Scott Jennings and Dalia Al-Aqidi, a Republican running for Congress in Minnesota, highlighted on Wednesday the liberal media’s kid-glove treatment of Mamdani’s wife, especially when compared with the treatment the wife of another high-profile figure has received.

Jennings responded to the Beacon report, writing, “Remember when the national media tried to impeach Justice Alito because his wife hung up George Washington’s flag on their porch?”

Whereas the liberal media appears reluctant to indict Mamdani for the foreign-focused radicalism of his 28-year-old wife, the media desperately attempted to paint Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito in recent years as ideologically compromised and incapable of faithfully executing his judicial duties because his wife, Martha-Ann Alito, supposedly hoisted American flags.

The CNN pundit highlighted headlines corresponding with the controversy ginned up by Obama hagiographer Jodi Kantor in May 2024.

Kantor concern-mongered about a “‘Stop the Steal’ Symbol” — the American flag suspended upside down — allegedly displayed at Justice Alito’s house in January 2021. Kantor suggested on the basis of insights from so-called experts that “the flag was a clear violation of ethics rules … and could sow doubt about Justice Alito’s impartiality in cases related to the election and Capitol riot.”

Justice Alito explained, however, that the distressed flag had nothing to do with the Jan. 6 protests as insinuated but was rather hoisted by his wife in response to alleged verbal abuse from a neighbor who had erected a “F**k Trump” sign within 50 feet of where children await the school bus.

‘The mayor is weaponizing the mainstream media.’

Democrats nevertheless made hay of the story with the intention of sidelining Alito, while Kantor — who had effectively blown up her original framing with a report detailing the harassment Mrs. Alito endured before the distressed flag was raised — joined other liberal propagandists in penning another alarmist piece about an “Appeal to Heaven” flag spotted over Alito’s New Jersey beach house.

Other publications, including Rolling Stone magazine, got in on the action, attacking Mrs. Alito for expressing mainstream conservative views.

Dalia Al-Aqidi noted in a March 18 op-ed, “When Martha-Ann Alito, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, flew an upside-down American flag at her home in 2021, it triggered national outrage and relentless media coverage. The standard was clear: proximity to power is power. And with power comes scrutiny. But in Duwaji’s case, we are told to look away by the mayor. Why?”

“The mayor is weaponizing the mainstream media and the political class’s fear of being labeled ‘Islamophobic,'” said Al-Aqidi.

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​Justice alito, Samuel alito, Alito, Zohran mamdani, Mamdani, Islamist, Islamic, Terrorism, Palestine, Israel, Martha-ann alito, Liberal media, Scott jennings, Politics 

The Department of Homeland Security has been shut down for over a month, and Congress has made no progress toward reopening it.

Democrats partially shut down DHS on February 14 by refusing to pass the appropriations bill in protest of the deaths of anti-ICE agitators Alex Pretti and Renee Good. Although Democrats took aim at Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE is already funded through President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act that was passed last summer.

‘They have barely been in the same building.’

Instead of crippling our country’s immigration-focused agencies, Democrats are withholding funds from TSA and FEMA, sparking delays and frustration across the country.

Even still, Congress — which will break for a district work week from March 30 until April 10 — has shown no urgency to address the issue.

RELATED: White House offers concessions to end DHS shutdown — but Dems still choose illegal aliens over unpaid American TSA agents

Elijah Nouvelage/Bloomberg via Getty Images

“The House and the Senate have had weeks to fix this, and they have barely been in the same building,” American Federation of Government Employees President Everett Kelley said in a statement obtained by Blaze News. “Members of Congress have walked past our TSA members at airport security checkpoints more often than they’ve met to negotiate an end to this stalemate.”

“Those officers deserve to be paid for the work they do to keep those members safe,” Kelley added. “The least Congress can do for these patriotic American workers is act before legislators leave town for the weekend, or, worse, head off on a weeks-long recess.”

RELATED: Spring break blues: DHS highlights outrageous airport conditions amid Democrat shutdown

Photo by Aaron Schwartz / AFP via Getty Images

Kelley called the partial shutdown a “moral failure,” noting that families are unable to put food on the table simply because Congress can’t put in the work.

“A TSO selling plasma to keep the lights on is unconscionable,” Kelley said. “Tens of thousands of families turning to food banks because Congress refuses to do its job is a national disgrace. This is a profound moral failure, and the American people should know who’s responsible for it.”

“The time for excuses is over,” Kelley added. “Pass a measure to reopen DHS, pay these workers, and don’t go home until you do.”

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President Trump was reportedly stunned to find out that the new Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, may be gay.

According to sources, Trump was so shocked upon hearing the information that he even laughed when he was briefed on the development.

And Blaze Media co-founder Glenn Beck’s reaction isn’t much different.

“Did you see that the ayatollah’s son might be gay?” Glenn asks BlazeTV host Pat Gray on “The Glenn Beck Program.”

“Yes,” Gray answers, adding, “Which is impossible of course, because there’s no gay people in Iran, right?”

And according to former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Gray is right.

“In Iran, we don’t have homosexuals,” Ahmadinejad claimed in 2007, as homosexual conduct is illegal in Iran.

“He’s not apparently really a devout Muslim, because he’s [allegedly] having sex with men, apparently,” Glenn says.

“And that might be why his dad wasn’t that excited about him taking over,” Gray chimes in, adding, “Because he’s gay.”

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Rene Echevarria broke into show business by penning episodes of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” in the ’80s.

Now, the versatile writer/director is putting his Christian faith front and center with a limited series unlike any other.

‘Play it like you don’t know you’re in the Bible.’

“The Faithful: Women of the Bible” debuts at 8 p.m. March 22 on FOX and airs the next day on Hulu. The three-part saga explores the book of Genesis through the eyes of consequential women.

Think Sarah (Minnie Driver), the wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac, whose infertility gave way to a spiritual miracle. Or Rebekah (Alexa Davalos), mother of Jacob and Esau and wife of Isaac.

In the beginning

Echevarria’s production partner, veteran TV producer Carol Mendelsohn, came up with the show’s angle.

“She knew I was a believer and loved the Bible,” Echevarria tells Align. “She’s a seeker, with a restless curiosity about spiritual matters.”

The veteran storyteller wasn’t initially convinced that the project would be the perfect fit for him.

“I was a little skeptical … [asking], ‘Is that too limiting?’” he says of the concept, adding that his initial fears were unfounded. “The experience has been great; it opened my eyes to understanding these timeless stories.”

Deeper truth

Echevarria, who has worked with James Cameron (“Dark Angel”) and Steven Spielberg (“Terra Nova”) throughout his expansive career, says he took care to balance creative license with both his faith and the source material.

“I’ve been blessed to have worked in this business a long time. mostly making up stories. interpreting stories,” he says. Not this time.

“I always have to check myself, and sometimes I wish that little piece of Scripture wasn’t there. It would be so much easier,” he says from a dramatic perspective. “I found that if I didn’t try to avoid the challenges but steer into them, … you’ll find something deeper, a deeper truth, … things that I didn’t think of.”

“The Faithful” was shot in Italy, giving the creative team access to lush landscapes, including expanses of olive trees, that created a reasonable facsimile to biblical times. The team decided early in the production to work with mostly British actors and use their vocal cadences in the process.

A new light

The son of Cuban immigrants says making “The Faithful” impacted his personal faith.

“It re-invigorated my love of Scripture. … I’m seeing things I thought I knew in a completely new light,” he says.

Some cast and crew members didn’t necessarily share his faith, which added nuance to the production.

“There’s a lot of downtime on set. So many times, people shared with me stories about why and how this project came to them at the right place in their lives,” he says. “Like people struggling with having lost a parent or having troubles with their kids.”

Others were skeptical about doing a Bible-based project.

“One actor shared that he found himself drawn in and said, ‘Yes, I want to do that,’” he recalls after the performer’s initial reluctance.

RELATED: ‘Last Days’ brings empathy to doomed Sentinel Island missionary’s story

Vertical

No ‘unearned piety’

Still, he turned having actors who didn’t know Scripture into a positive development. It made the humanity of the core players pop.

“Play it like you don’t know you’re in the Bible,” he says of his advice to the cast. That allowed them to avoid an “unearned piety” that brought the figures down to earth. “It’s just ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances.”

Echevarria wouldn’t mind telling more tales from the “Faithful” perspective. He cites the book of Ruth and the Samaritan woman at the well as stories ripe for future “Faithful” installments. That’s assuming viewers flock to the show, set to wrap on Easter Sunday.

“That’s my fondest hope, that the show finds an audience,” he says. Those chances are better than ever given the current pop culture climate. Shows like “The Chosen” and “House of David” have connected with Christians the world over, and the first part of Mel Gibson’s “The Resurrection of the Christ” series could be one of 2027’s biggest movie events.

“There’s a hunger out there for this kind of storytelling,” he says. “They’re resonating. People are taking notice.”

And he hasn’t forgotten how he entered show business several decades ago. He dreams of rejoining the “Star Trek” universe after penning 30-plus episodes across “The Next Generation” and “Deep Space Nine.” He’s been noodling with an idea “out of left field” to share in that franchise.

“I’m waiting for the right moment to bring it over there,” he says.

​Faith, Movies, The faithful, Genesis, Women of the bible, Television, Christianity, Minnie driver, Rene echevarria, Entertainment 

After nominating James Talarico for the Senate in Texas, are Democrats now racists and misogynists?

It’s a reasonable question. Democrats chose James Talarico, a white man, over Jasmine Crockett, a black woman. That choice also collides head-on with what Democrats told the country after Kamala Harris lost the presidency: that racism and misogyny decided the outcome.

Democrats can’t keep changing the rules depending on who wins.

In Texas’ recent Democratic Senate primary, Talarico, a member of the Texas House since 2018, faced Crockett, a two-term member of Congress from Texas’ 30th District. On paper, Crockett looked like the stronger Democrat brand: a young, outspoken black woman with far left-wing views and national visibility.

Yet Talarico won handily, 53% to 45%, after a primary season marked by intraparty drama — including fights that centered on race.

If identity politics commands the party, the result looks odd. Even sympathetic Democratic observers described the two candidates as ideologically similar. MSNBC analyst John Heilemann said Talarico is “not a moderate” and that he and Crockett held “basically the same positions on almost every issue.” In other words, voters didn’t choose a centrist over a firebrand. They chose one firebrand over another — and they chose the white male.

Democrats will reply that the answer is “electability.” They’ll say Talarico gives them a better shot in November. Maybe that’s what many primary voters believed. But Democrats have spent years insisting that “electability” talk is often a cover for bias, a way to push women and minorities aside while keeping the old hierarchies intact.

That’s why the question won’t go away.

Democrats routinely portray themselves as the party most attuned to race and sex. The 2024 numbers underline that self-image: Exit polls showed Harris won overwhelming support from black voters and strong support from women, including black women. Democrats treat those blocs as moral proof of the party’s mission.

They also treated Harris’ loss as moral proof of the country’s failure.

Former President Joe Biden blamed the 2024 defeat on sexism and racism, saying voters “went the sexist route” and wouldn’t accept “a woman of mixed race.” When candidates for DNC chairman were asked whether racism and misogyny played a role in Harris’ defeat, all eight raised their hands. David Axelrod said bluntly that the campaign included appeals to racism and that “anybody” who thinks bias didn’t affect the outcome is wrong.

Rank-and-file Democrats echoed the claim. NBC News’ post-election interviews featured Democrat voters attributing Harris’ loss to the country’s unwillingness to elect a woman, with race layered on top. “Regardless of race,” one black Democrat from Pittsburgh said, “they didn’t want her to win.”

RELATED: James Talarico found a verse — and twisted the meaning

Mark Felix/Bloomberg/Getty Images

So Democrats have made this argument, loudly and repeatedly: When a woman loses at the top of the ticket, the country’s sexism and racism bear much of the blame.

Then Texas Democrats faced their own test. They could nominate the black woman — especially in a race where ideology wasn’t the separating line — and they didn’t.

Democrats might point out that Harris flamed out early in the crowded 2020 presidential primary and that the party still elevated her to vice president and then the 2024 nomination. That’s true. But that history cuts both ways. It suggests Democrats will showcase race and sex when it serves the coalition — and set it aside when it doesn’t.

And this time, they aren’t even pretending they didn’t set it aside.

Talarico’s profile rose fast, aided by a national media moment. Stephen Colbert posted an interview online after CBS declined to air it over “equal time” concerns, and the clip drew millions of views. The controversy boosted Talarico’s visibility and fundraising — and helped turn a state primary into a national narrative.

Democrats are now framing their choice as pragmatic. They’re saying: We picked the candidate who can win.

Fine. But Democrats don’t get to treat “electability” as an illegitimate dog whistle when Republicans use it — then invoke it as a clean, neutral justification when Democrats do.

Here’s the bottom line: When America chose Trump over Harris in 2024 — in a race with major policy contrasts — Democrats blamed racism and misogyny. When Texas Democrats chose a white male over a black woman in 2026 — in a race Democrats say offered little substantive contrast — the party expects everyone to treat it as smart strategy.

That double standard is the point.

Either identity is decisive and bias explains outcomes — or voters, including Democrat voters, sometimes make other calculations and deserve to be treated like adults.

Democrats can’t keep changing the rules depending on who wins.

​James talarico, Jasmine crockett, Texas senate race, Democrats, Gop, Texas, Kamala harris, Identity politics, Texas democrats, Opinion & analysis, Racism, Misogyny, Sexism, Joe biden, 2026 midterms