Mitch McConnell releases new statement about his health status — but he's not yet returning to the Senate



Former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) released another health update, which said he has been released from a rehabilitation facility after being hospitalized for weeks.

McConnell was hospitalized on June 14 after his latest fall and had been moved to a rehabilitation facility, but many skeptics have been demanding that his office provide evidence of his condition.

'It is unacceptable that the party who spent four years criticizing Joe Biden's health is now silent on McConnell's.'

"On the advice of my doctors, I'll maintain an intensive regimen of physical therapy from home during the state work period, and I'll continue to engage with my staff and colleagues on important Senate business," McConnell said in a statement Thursday.

The 84-year-old has been absent from Congress for nearly two months.

After the Democratic governor of Kentucky demanded that McConnell provide evidence of his condition, the senator released a photo with his wife and a second photo weeks later.

The lack of video fueled conspiracy theorists who speculated a spectrum of possibilities, from McConnell passing away to his being surreptitiously arrested.

His absence from Congress has also hamstrung some Republican efforts that depended on his vote to break the slim margin. Among those is the upcoming vote on whether to confirm Todd Blanche for U.S. attorney general.

McConnell had already announced that he was not going to run for re-election after becoming the longest-serving Senate leader in U.S. history and the longest-serving senator for Kentucky as well.

RELATED: Kentucky governor makes unusual request as mystery deepens over Mitch McConnell's health

Some critics continued to demand video of McConnell's health condition.

"We need the truth about Mitch McConnell NOW. It is unacceptable that the party who spent four years criticizing Joe Biden's health is now silent on McConnell's," Blaze Media co-founder Glenn Beck said on social media.

"It is OUR RIGHT to know. That seat isn't McConnell's. It belongs to the people of Kentucky," he added.

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Jasmine Crockett DUMPS on James Talarico's chances of winning US Senate seat in Texas — and brings the receipts



Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas gave a scathing assessment of James Talarico's chances of flipping one of the state's seats in the U.S. Senate.

The outspoken and often vulgar congresswoman pointed to evidence that the Democratic Party was not placing much faith in its candidate to win the seat.

'I look at where does the NRSC stand? Where does DSCC stand? ... It looks like status quo.'

Crockett told NBC News she did not trust polling for the general election because it had historically overstated Democrats' advantage.

"I watch money. When I look at the money, if Republicans start spending money in Texas, then I'll be convinced," she said.

"But right now, national Republicans decided they wanted to dump money into North Carolina, as well as Georgia," she added. "That's where they're fighting, and national Democrats have not decided to dump money into Texas either."

A report from the New York Times on the financial backing in the race supports Crockett's assessments, especially when it comes to Republicans spreading money to other Senate races believed to be not as competitive and costly as that in Texas.

"I look at where does the NRSC stand? Where does DSCC stand? Right now, neither one are investing, which tells me that their internals are saying the same thing," she continued. "So it looks like status quo. I won't get on the ground to really start to feel it until maybe end of September, October, as I start to dig into which races I'm going to help out in, the races that I really feel like we can win."

The Times report said national Democrats were less willing to dump millions into Texas to back Talarico after seeing that a cash advantage didn't help past candidates in the red state.

Talarico is also faring far better than Paxton in raising millions of donations by himself.

National Republican Senatorial Committee Communications Director Joanna Rodriguez released a statement to Blaze News about Crockett's comments.

"The fall of coordinated spending limits means the NRSC can discuss spending decisions directly with our candidates and their campaigns," Rodriguez said. "The era of raising the curtain on strategy for press and the Democrats we're looking to defeat is over."

Flipping Texas would be incredibly helpful for Democrats' hopes to retake the Senate in the midterm elections.

RELATED: Mike Lee SOUNDS the ALARM after stunning polls from Senate race in Texas

A Blaze News request for comment to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee was not immediately answered.

The Paxton campaign also disputed the financial characterization of the race by the Times.

"The trajectory is unmistakable: Support is accelerating, not softening. Everyone from grassroots Texans to large conservative donors are consolidating behind this campaign, and June was the clearest signal yet," campaign adviser Nick Maddux said.

He also noted that the campaign had raised $7 million across several Paxton committees.

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VIDEO: Democrat CAVES to trans lobby after previously warning party about alienating voters



A Democrat who had warned his party against alienating voters with the transgender agenda appears to have completely turned his back on that previous sage advice.

During a debate with incumbent Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) for the Senate nomination of his party on Monday, Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) apologized to the transgender community for his previous comments.

Markey fired back by characterizing Moulton's comments as tossing transgender kids under the bus and using the MAGA 'playbook' against them.

"I have two little girls, I don't want them getting run over on a playing field by a male or formerly male athlete, but as a Democrat I'm supposed to be afraid to say that," said Moulton after the 2024 election.

On Monday, Moulton was challenged about his comments during a debate with Markey.

"To the trans community feeling the weight and the pain of the Trump administration policies, I deeply recognize your trauma. And I’m sorry if my comments hurt you. That was not my intention," said Moulton.

"I am a proud co-sponsor of the Transgender Bill of Rights, a proud repeat co-sponsor of the Equality Act, and I have a 100% voting record with the Human Rights Campaign," he added. "If you're in the trans community or you're a trans kid feeling the weight of the Trump administration and the Supreme Court, you matter, you're valued, and I will always have your back."

He then went on to attack Markey for voting 61 times for Trump administration nominees whom Moulton described as anti-transgender.

Markey fired back by characterizing Moulton's comments as tossing trans-identifying kids under the bus and using the MAGA "playbook" against them.

"We should have been loving those kids," Markey said.

"We should have been embracing them."

Video of the comments was widely circulated on social media.

RELATED: Trans-identifying reality TV star arrested for heinous acts with a child, police say

Moulton faced immediate backlash over his transgender comments in 2024, including some protests outside of his office and the resignation of a top aide.

He later reiterated his point while allowing that he may have been unartful about his choice of wording.

"Look, I was just speaking authentically as a parent about one of many issues where Democrats are just out of touch with the majority of Americans," said Moulton at the time. "And I stand by my position, even though I may not have used exactly the right words."

The entire debate on Monday between the two Massachusetts Democrats can be viewed on the WFXT-TV YouTube channel. The Massachusetts primary election is September 1.

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Mike Lee SOUNDS the ALARM after stunning polls from Senate race in Texas



Republicans are worried that the election for one of Texas' seats in the U.S. Senate is slipping away after astounding results from the most recent polls.

Three of the polls show Democrat candidate James Talarico beating Republican state Attorney General Ken Paxton, and a fourth shows a tie. Another three show Paxton beating the Democrat.

An average of the poll had Talarico above Paxton by 0.7%.

Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah called on conservatives to back Paxton in light of Talarico's extremist opinions and policies.

"Now is the time for every Republican to support @KenPaxtonTX. No exceptions. We can’t have a senator from Texas who thinks 'God is nonbinary,'" wrote Lee with a link to the polling. Paxton defeated one of Lee's colleagues, incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, in the Republican primary runoff after receiving Trump's endorsement.

Two of the polls showing the Democrat winning were Fox News and New York Times/Siena polls, while the ones showing Paxton winning included Quantus and YouGov.

An average of the poll had Talarico above Paxton by 0.7%.

The Decision Desk election analysis group noted that Talarico was faring far better against Paxton in polling on the road to the election than Beto O'Rourke did when he tried to unseat Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas in 2018. O'Rourke lost that contest.

Paxton most recently went on the attack after a report documented evidence that Talarico might have violated the residency rules when he ran for state representative in 2022.

"James Talarico has proven he has zero regard for Texans and the rule of law. He's been lying to voters and shamelessly committing election fraud to hold onto power," he wrote on Tuesday.

RELATED: Yet another bewildering anti-Christian statement from James Talarico has been unearthed

The Talarico campaign claimed that the discrepancy came from processing delays and denied the allegations.

Democrats have a slim chance of winning the U.S. Senate in the midterms, but a victory in Texas would go a long way to help their cause.

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Democrats took Hispanic voters for granted — and paid for it



After the United States’ 250th anniversary on July 4, 2026, Americans have an opportunity to look beyond the celebration and toward the coalition that will carry the American experiment through its next 250 years.

One of the most significant political developments of the past decade has been the steady movement of Hispanic voters toward conservative principles. Across the country, Hispanic Americans are rejecting the assumption that they belong permanently to one political party. Instead, many are embracing values centered on faith, family, entrepreneurship, and individual liberty.

The recent realignment among Hispanic voters can become more than a temporary political trend.

For conservatives, however, demographic movement alone is not enough. If the conservative movement hopes to build a lasting coalition, it must stop treating Hispanic voters as a constituency that receives attention only during election season.

For too long, political outreach to Hispanics has consisted of translated advertisements, a few campaign appearances, and promises made in the final weeks before Election Day.

A durable partnership requires year-round engagement. Conservatives need to invest in permanent community organizations, local leadership development, and sustained economic messaging focused on issues that directly affect working families.

Lowering the cost of living, reducing unnecessary regulations, encouraging entrepreneurship, and expanding economic opportunity all resonate deeply in Hispanic communities, where small-business ownership and upward mobility remain central aspirations.

The alignment between Hispanic voters and conservative principles is not merely political. It is cultural.

Faith is a cornerstone of life for many Hispanic families. Religious belief, community involvement, and commitment to strong family structures continue to shape daily life and personal values. These traditions align naturally with a worldview that emphasizes personal responsibility, civic engagement, and the institutions that strengthen communities.

The entrepreneurial spirit is equally powerful.

Hispanic Americans start businesses at remarkable rates, creating jobs, building wealth, and contributing to local economies. Policies that reward hard work, protect private enterprise, and expand economic freedom speak directly to those experiences.

For many families, support for constitutional government and individual liberty is rooted in personal history.

Countless Hispanic Americans arrived in the United States after witnessing economic collapse, political instability, or authoritarian rule in parts of Latin America, particularly in countries that embraced socialist or communist systems.

Their experiences offer a powerful reminder that America’s founding principles are not abstract ideals. They are safeguards against the failures that have plagued other nations.

America’s 250th anniversary presents an opportunity to tell a fuller story about the nation’s past and future.

RELATED: The GOP’s 2028 ticket math is already brutal

Will Oliver/EPA/Bloomberg/Getty Images

The American story has always been one of people from different backgrounds uniting around a common set of ideals. Hispanic Americans are not newcomers to that story. They are helping write its next chapter.

Many legal immigrants and first-generation Americans possess a profound appreciation for the opportunities available in the United States. They understand the extraordinary freedoms this country provides because their gratitude is rooted in lived experience.

That perspective is especially valuable at a time when political discourse often emphasizes division and identity politics over unity and patriotism.

America does not need competing tribal factions organized around race, ethnicity, sex, or other demographic categories. It needs a coalition of citizens committed to preserving the principles that have sustained the republic for two and a half centuries and passing them on to future generations.

The conservative movement has an opportunity to help build that coalition.

But it must recognize that the recent realignment among Hispanic voters can become more than a temporary political trend. It can become a permanent feature of American politics if conservatives acknowledge and cultivate the deeper convergence of values already taking shape.

We should look beyond the next election cycle and toward the next century.

If the United States is to remain a beacon of freedom for another 250 years, it will need a coalition united not by blood or ethnicity but by a shared commitment to faith, family, capitalism, and the founding ideals of the republic.

Hispanic conservatives may prove central to that American renewal.

Graham Platner officially WITHDRAWS from pivotal Senate race



Graham Platner officially filed to leave the race for one of Maine's seats in the U.S. Senate on Friday after facing intense criticism for numerous scandals.

Democrats now have only 17 days under Maine law to find his replacement and take on the campaign to replace incumbent Republican Maine Sen. Susan Collins.

'My name may have been on the ballot, but that ballot line belongs to the people of Maine.'

On Wednesday, Platner had posted a video excoriating the leaders of his own party and accusing them of betraying him in order to derail his far-left political agenda.

He continued that message in the statement he issued Friday.

"I write to formally withdraw my candidacy for United States Senate," Platner wrote.

"People are desperate for change. For this broken system to be righted. For the American experiment to be furthered. Over the past eleven months, thousands and thousands of Mainers poured their hearts, time, and talent into a movement to deliver that vision. I will be forever grateful to them," he added.

"And in submitting this letter today, I seek to further the movement we have built together and the future we believe in," he said. "My name may have been on the ballot, but that ballot line belongs to the people of Maine."

Platner had been accused of sexually assaulting a woman he dated about five years ago, which appeared to be the final straw for many Democrats who pulled their endorsements. He has vehemently denied the allegations.

RELATED: Donna Brazile gets CRUSHED online over bizarre reply to allegations against Graham Platner

Half a dozen Democrats have already announced their willingness to replace Platner as the Democratic nominee for an election that could decide the partisan control of the Senate after the midterm elections.

"F**k ICE. Free Palestine. Up the Hearts," Platner concluded.

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WATCH: Graham Platner's video denial of sexual assault sounds EERILY similar to that of Eric Swalwell



A Fox News report compared the video denials of sexual harassment from two Democratic candidates and found some eerie similarities.

Graham Platner has denied allegations of sexual assault from a woman he dated and is resisting calls to step down from his campaign for one of Maine's seats in the U.S. Senate.

'Just like all of the Dems resounding their endorsements. All scripted.'

The report found that his denial had many of the same elements as the one issued by former Rep. Eric Swalwell in April when he faced similar accusations.

Swalwell said in his video that he wanted "you to see and hear from me directly."

"I wanted to directly address the troubling, serious, and false allegations against me," Platner said in his video released on Monday.

"These allegations of sexual assault are flat false," Swalwell said.

"Any accusation of nonconsensual behavior is categorically false," Platner said.

"I'm gonna spend time with my family and friends, and I appreciate those who have reached out to me to show support," Swalwell said.

"We're taking the time to reflect on the best path forward for the state that I love, the people that I love," Platner said.

Both Democrats were ridiculed greatly on social media.

"Did they have the same script writer?" Republican Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina responded.

"Keep going ... there are more I suspect," California politician Gloria Romero replied.

"Just like all of the Dems resounding their endorsements. All scripted," another user said.

"Democrat sexual predators are so common that they have a template for a response. Eric Swalwell and Graham Platner must have gotten the outline in their welcome packet when they registered to run for office. Just insert your name and read!" another critic joked.

RELATED: Donna Brazile gets CRUSHED online over bizarre reply to allegations against Graham Platner

"Same script. Same denial. Same DNC playbook. ... Who wrote the script for them?" another response reads.

Many Democrats have rescinded their endorsements for Platner and called for him to step down from the campaign, though others are still defending him.

While Platner continues trying to hold on to his senatorial hopes, Swalwell set a grim precedent. The California Democrat was forced to abandon his gubernatorial hopes and resigned from office.

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