Author: Karen Givens

Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo has launched a petition effort to place a voter initiative on the ballot that would prevent biological males from competing in girls’ scholastic sports, acting after Democratic opposition blocked his preferred route through the legislature. Gov. Lombardo’s petition drive is a direct appeal to voters on an issue that divides communities across the country. He frames the move as protecting fair competition and the safety of female athletes in school sports. The campaign follows failed attempts to pass similar measures through Democratic-controlled channels. The debate centers on whether biological males should be allowed to play on…

Many on the left seem to believe that when policy fights go against them, mass anger or a sympathetic governor can sidestep laws and reshape outcomes, and that approach creates legal and political problems that deserve scrutiny. Too often the reaction from Democratic circles has been to cheer on protests or lean on sympathetic officials instead of working within the ordinary processes of lawmaking and courts. That habit treats public order and settled procedures as optional when the policy does not suit their side. It also sends a clear message: use the crowd or a friendly executive to get what…

Minnesota’s governor has stepped back from a second term bid amid a sprawling welfare fraud investigation that federal agents say involved billions in stolen taxpayer dollars. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced Monday he was dropping his reelection bid after a massive fraud scandal in his state became impossible to ignore. Federal investigators allege that billions in taxpayer funds were stolen through a vast welfare fraud scheme that operated for years under Walz’s watch. The move to exit the race pits questions about oversight and accountability against a crowded political timeline. The story, as reported, centers on alleged theft on a…

The Supreme Court’s decision delay means Louisiana’s contested six-district map, including a second majority-Black district created in 2024, will remain in place for the 2026 cycle while legal fights over race-based redistricting continue. Louisiana’s congressional map, redrawn in 2024 to include two majority-Black districts out of six seats, is set to remain as-is for 2026 because the Supreme Court did not issue a ruling by the end of 2025. The case, Louisiana v. Callais, follows a 2022 federal finding that the prior map underrepresented Black voters despite the state’s nearly one-third Black population. That 2022 ruling triggered a politically charged…

President Trump announced that U.S. forces captured Nicolas Maduro and his wife on charges of “narco-terrorism, drug trafficking, and conspiracy to import cocaine,” sparking sharp criticism from Democrats who had previously argued the president was not tough enough on the Venezuelan regime. The arrest drew immediate outrage from many Democrats, even though those same critics once pressed for a stronger stance against Maduro. The contrast between past calls for toughness and current denunciations stands out in this moment of rapid political escalation. The White House said the operation targeted Maduro for his alleged central role in moving narcotics and funding…

The recent unrest in Iran has turned deadly, with activists reporting an escalating toll and a hardening crackdown by Tehran. The violence that began in the streets has shifted into a broader test of the regime’s willingness to use force, and it is already leaving visible costs for civilians and regional stability. International attention is growing as conservative voices argue the regime should face consequences for the loss of life. The death toll in violence surrounding protests in Iran has risen to at least 35 people, activists said Tuesday. That number reflects clashes across several cities and underscores how protests…

Nicolás Maduro offered to talk with the United States about drug trafficking in a highly publicized state TV interview, claimed Venezuela is open to U.S. investment, and pushed back against accusations tying him to organized crime. Nicolás Maduro made the remarks during a filmed ride through Caracas in a “Pod-Car” interview with Ignacio Ramonet that aired on VTV on January 1. He was accompanied by his wife and a government minister while addressing recent tensions with the Trump administration and proposing a dialogue on narcotics and investment. Maduro framed the conversation as an olive branch on drugs even as U.S.…

George Washington towers over the founding story as the central figure in America’s fight for independence and the steady hand who helped turn revolution into a republic. George Washington’s name is shorthand for leadership in a crisis, and that reputation wasn’t handed to him by accident. He faced raw, inexperienced armies, scarce supplies, and a fractious Congress, yet he kept the cause alive through stubborn discipline and clear-eyed resolve. His ability to hold together a slipping rebellion until victory was real and consequential. Washington’s military judgment blended patience with boldness when it mattered, and that mix won key moments on…

Some Iowans will vote in a special state senate election on the final Tuesday of the year, a contest that hands Republicans a clear shot at reclaiming two-thirds control of the chamber. The special election arriving on the last Tuesday of the year feels like a political punctuation mark for Iowa as 2026 begins. Voters will pick a state senator to fill a vacancy, and that single seat carries outsized importance for the balance of power. For Republicans, the math is simple: winning here moves the party closer to a two-thirds majority that changes how the legislature governs. Timing matters.…

The Trump administration’s review of voter rolls found “several thousand noncitizens” registered to vote, a discovery that raises questions about roll accuracy and election integrity, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon revealed. The disclosure that “several thousand noncitizens” were on voter rolls came out of a post-2020 review led under the Trump administration, and it landed like a political grenade. For Republican voters and officials, the finding underlines long-standing concerns about how clean and reliable registration lists really are. That worry has fueled calls for tougher verification and routine audits of the rolls to prevent mistakes or misuse. Behind the headline…