Horace Sheffield III, a prominent Detroit-based pastor and radio host who said he would put “his full force” behind Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, received $75,000 from the candidate’s campaign beforehand, a Washington Free Beacon review of finance records found. Ecumenical Ministers Alliance, the pastor’s nonprofit that Sheffield incorporated in 2010, did not respond to the Daily Signal’s request for comment about the 10 different $7,500 payments from Oct. 21 to June 1 for “political consulting” from El-Sayed’s campaign. In July, the Ecumenical Ministers Alliance, which is registered to Sheffield’s home address, endorsed El-Sayed, who then said he is “deeply honored” to have Sheffield’s support and lists the endorsement on his campaign website. Sheffield himself first endorsed El-Sayed on his show “The Wake-Up Call,” nearly two weeks after he first began to receive payments from El-Sayed’s campaign. On his show Sheffield, the father of Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield, then applauded El-Sayed during their recent interview, echoing the Democrat’s campaign talking points on corporate PAC money and Medicare for All. Sheffield also urged supporters to vote for El-Sayed and even took shots at El-Sayed’s opponent Rep. Haley Stevens for never having “been seen” in Detroit. “Lord, help this man win,” said Sheffield, to which El-Sayed responded, “You can’t buy authenticity.” On his own radio show last week, the New Destiny Christian Fellowship pastor urged listeners to make “5 and 10 phone calls” on behalf of El-Sayed’s campaign, marking the third time he has boosted the candidate on air since he began receiving payments, the Free Beacon noted, without addressing the financial relationship with the campaign. New Destiny Christian Fellowship did not respond to the Daily Signal’s request for comment. If true, this would not be the first time Sheffield has been caught in a scandal involving cash and a political endorsement. The Detroit Free Press noted that in 2018, Sheffield was suspended from WFDF, his radio station at the time, after he endorsed gubernatorial candidate Shri Thanedar during a radio interview without disclosing that Thanedar had paid tens of thousands of dollars to Sheffield’s nonprofit. “I’ve got an FCC license that I have to worry about. You have to offer equal time to every candidate,” WFDF owner John Adell told the outlet at the time. The pastor’s endorsement is crucial to current Senate campaign, since El-Sayed badly trails Stevens in garnering support from black voters, polls show. For instance, the largest teacher’s union in the state conducted a poll in late July that showed that Stevens earns 20% more support than El-Sayed from respondents who identify as black men in a November matchup against Republican Rep. Mike Rogers. The same poll noted that Stevens could count on 13% more support from black women with no college degree, and almost 30% more from black women with a college degree. Last week, Rev. Wendell Anthony, a Detroit pastor who has led the Detroit NAACP for decades, asked El-Sayed at a campaign event whether he would be “more concerned about the West Bank than the West Side of Detroit?” Anthony endorsed Stevens, and added that many are concerned about El-Sayed’s support for Uncommitted in 2024. In the 2024 presidential race, where President Donald Trump won the state by a small margin, Democratic voters representing the “uncommitted” movement refused to canvas for former Vice President Kamala Harris due to the Biden administration’s stance on Israel. “Vice President Harris’s unwillingness to shift on unconditional weapons policy or to even make a clear campaign statement in support of upholding existing U.S. and international human rights law has made it impossible for us to endorse her,” the uncommitted movement said at the time. Another black voter at the event, 63-year-old Army veteran Richard Nix, referenced television advertisements portraying El-Sayed as disparaging toward women to CNN, highlighting El-Sayed’s past criticism of former first lady Michelle Obama’s anti-obesity initiative. “I’m a big pro-Obama person, and you’re dogging his wife,” Nix stated. He told El-Sayed he wanted to know “what the h— is going on.”

One of the Left’s most common arguments against the SAVE America Act is the claim that it prevents married women from voting. Digital fellow Emma Dayton fact checked this claim in a recent explainer video. Save America Act: Can Married Women Vote if Their Birth Certificate Has an Old Name? YesThe claim that the SAVE America Act would prevent millions of married women from voting leaves out a key provision of the legislation.Under the SAVE America Act, women do not need to… pic.twitter.com/hnkZoBkYTz— Daily Signal (@DailySignal) August 2, 2026 She mentions a C-SPAN host who says the network has been getting calls asking about married women who have changed their name, moved to a different state, and want to re-register to vote. The C-SPAN host said these women who’ve moved states would have to present a marriage license or divorce certification to show that they’re the same person on their birth certificate. Dayton also mentions a video posted by a U.S. representative who says 69 million women who’ve changed their name would not be able to vote if the SAVE America Act passes. This is where the Left gets fact checked. The SAVE America Act includes a provision for this very situation.  Don Palmer, a senior legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation, told the Daily Signal that if women do not have access to documents with their new name, they can sign an affidavit stating they are the same person listed on their birth certificate. “There are a number of legal documents that would qualify to show the name change of the applicant, including a marriage certificate or court order or other documents with your new name,” Palmer said. “However, if the voter has a problem obtaining a document to show the name change or simply wants to use the affidavit option, the applicant can sign an affidavit attesting that the name on the documentation is the previous name of the applicant,” Palmer continued. Dayton concludes by noting that voter ID and women voting are not mutually exclusive concepts. Both can exist, and should exist, to safeguard American elections.

Running 100 miles in 24 hours isn’t something most people could accomplish. But for the men who completed Project 100, the challenge wasn’t just about endurance—it was about patriotism. Never Surrender USA is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to inspiring and educating the next generation of Americans to be healthy, strong, and patriotic. Its latest initiative, Project 100, challenged participants to carry an American flag 100 miles from Oceanside, California, to the Venice Beach Pier as a team. Every 25-mile segment was dedicated to honoring a different Gold Star family, recognizing Americans who lost loved ones in military service. Can you run 100 miles in 24 hours?? Well these guys did it with smiles on their faces for AMERICA! Every 25 mile segment from San Diego on LA was dedicated to a Gold Star family— made possible by the nonprofit Never Surrender USA. pic.twitter.com/3wW68lavHp— Angelina (@angelina_talks) August 3, 2026 Nick Salonites, executive director of Never Surrender USA, said the organization was created in response to what he believes is a growing crisis facing young Americans. “We believe our generation is facing an existential health crisis, with rising rates of obesity, chronic illness, depression, suicide, and declining civic engagement. We work to redefine what it means to be a healthy American in the 21st century—we’re committed to building a generation that lives with greater health, resilience, purpose, and service,” he said. At the finish line in Venice Beach, exhausted runners reflected on their motivations for completing such an intense challenge. Da’Quan Law, who crossed the finish line carrying both a wooden cross and an American flag, gave God the credit for helping him complete the race. “God is good. He gave all of us the strength to get from San Diego to this point, so the credit goes to Him.” Law also encouraged young Americans not to be afraid to openly love their country. “Don’t be shy to be patriotic about the great country we live in. Keep spreading the love for the Lord and embrace Him in everything you do.” Others said the race wasn’t only about testing physical limits—it was also about encouraging people facing struggles that aren’t always visible. For Alex Burns, that meant raising awareness about mental health. “I want people to know they’re loved, and people care—I care. Life is good.” Banks Gaines said the race reminded him that perseverance is often what unlocks opportunity. “I just ran 100 miles from San Diego to Los Angeles. I knew there was going to be highs and lows. Understanding that you’ll come out the other side OK is what keeps me going.” Gaines said those lessons extend beyond running and reinforce his love for America. “America is the best country on Earth. There are so many opportunities,” he said. “If you look at the guys who did this run, everybody’s either a business owner or has a social platform—showing that opportunities are endless if you’re willing to pursue them. If you just look for it, this is the land of opportunity, and they call it that for a reason.” He also encouraged Americans to invest in their physical health. “It’s very important to honor your body—you only have one life. The way you treat and honor your body when you’re 15, 20, 25, and 30 is going to show when you’re 60, 70, and 80 years old.” After completing the run himself, Salonites said he hopes Project 100 sends a message that patriotism remains alive among young Americans. “We made a statement here today. There are young people in this country who are patriotic. We love our country, and regardless of your political party, we can all find common unity in the fact that we are all Americans,” he said.

In Tuesday’s primary election for U.S. Senate in Michigan, a progressive socialist-backed candidate is facing a much more moderate Democrat. The outcome could provide insights into the future of the Democratic Party. Abdul El-Sayed, a candidate endorsed by the far-Left wing of the party, is facing off against U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, a centrist, pro-Israel candidate currently serving in the state’s 11th Congressional District. Recent polling has indicated that El-Sayed, who was once neck and neck with Stevens, is now surging in popularity after last week’s debate. Anti-Israel Party? Steve Cortes, the founder of the League of American Workers, has done extensive polling in the state. He told the Daily Signal that El-Sayed’s candidacy “proves that moderates are not welcome in the Democratic Party in 2026.” “These are not your parents’ or grandparents’ Democrats,” he said. “Abdul is a terrorist sympathizer who personifies the extremist move within the Democrat Party toward a toxic union of Islamism and Marxism. That radical alliance is also represented by officials like Ilhan Omar and Zohran Mamdani.” El-Sayed’s run for office has had many moments of controversy. Earlier this year, the Washington Free Beacon released footage of El-Sayed’s internal communications with staffers, in which he said he would not comment on the death of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei because it could “upset” some voters, and that many of Michigan’s Muslim voters “are sad.” The progressive candidate opposes U.S. foreign aid to Israel and has refused to answer whether Israel should be a Jewish state. Such views have split many Democrats. On social media, Rep. Josh Gottheimer, a Democrat from New Jersey, questioned El-Sayed’s views on cutting aid to Israel after the candidate repeatedly said the United States should spend money at home instead of abroad. “If Michiganders don’t want their tax dollars sent abroad, will El-Sayed also be ok with cutting off critical American military and humanitarian support for Ukraine, Taiwan, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Kenya, etc.? Or is this just about Israel?” he wrote on Facebook. Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., an outspoken member of the Congressional Sharia-Free America Caucus, has been even more vocal, calling El-Sayed a “jihadist” and “communist” who has a chance of winning the Democratic Party primary. “The Dem party is a Jew-hating lunatic party that has lost its way,” Fine told the Daily Signal. While he thinks it’s possible El-Sayed could win on Tuesday, he remained optimistic that he would lose in the general election in November, when he would have to face off against U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich. Democratic Socialist Label El-Sayed has denied being a socialist. However, he campaigns with democratic socialist candidates and is endorsed by various Democratic Socialists of America candidates and chapters. He has also been campaigning on a platform that seems to mirror that of the DSA, such as Medicare for All, abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and ending the Israeli-American military alliance. The “socialist” label has instilled fear among many congressional Democrats and political insiders who want to distance themselves from the far-Left members of their party. On Fox News over the weekend, Gottheimer argued that socialists are trying to take over the Democratic Party, which he called “unacceptable.” “They’re trying to use the Democratic Party as a vessel for their ideas,” the Democrat congressman said. “Literally, they’re supporting the Communist Manifesto and Trotsky, they’re anti-American, they’re anti-cop, [and] they don’t believe in borders.” U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., has called self-proclaimed socialist candidates the “dirtbag left.” Cortes, with his many years of experience watching elections, said he doesn’t believe El-Sayed can become Michigan’s next senator. “Although El-Sayed can win a Democrat primary, his brand of far-Left anti-Americanism will not carry a commonsense, moderate battleground state like Michigan,” he said. Platforming Disgraced Men? If El-Sayed wins on Tuesday, the outcome could outrage Democrats who have concerns about the candidate campaigning alongside controversial figures such as former Senate candidate Graham Platner and Turkish-heritage online streamer Hasan Piker. Rep. Hillary Scholten, D-Mich., in a CNN interview, said that El-Sayed chose “to campaign with Hasan Piker, who said America deserved Sept. 11. Sure, he went on to disavow those comments, but I’m telling you, nobody on my team would ever, you know, come even close to making a comment like that.” Scholten sounded the alarm on the direction her party is headed by providing a platform to people like El-Sayed and Platner. “I think that condoning behavior like this from candidates like Abdul El-Sayed is taking us in a direction that we don’t want to go as a party,” she said. “I don’t need $20 million to study why young men stopped voting for the Democratic Party.” Top Michigan Dems Are Backing Stevens Stevens has voted consistently with the Democratic Party, earning only a 5% score on The Heritage Foundation’s legislative scorecard. According to the scorecard, her record is consistent with only 10% of House Democrats. In the 118th Congress, Stevens voted against the SAVE America Act, a key voter integrity legislation championed by President Donald Trump. She also voted against legislation to prohibit the Federal Reserve from creating a centralized digital currency. During the 119th Congress, she introduced articles of impeachment against Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. On the campaign trail, Stevens was attacked by El-Sayed for taking contributions from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, and from large utility companies such as DTE Energy or Consumers Energy. Despite the controversy surrounding her campaign funding and Democrat-aligned voting record, her Democrat colleagues, such as Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Attorney General Dana Nessel, former Sen. Debbie Stabenow, and Senator Gary Peters, have backed her in the race. Neither El-Sayed’s campaign nor Stevens’ campaign returned the Daily Signal’s request for comment.

An almost unbelievable scandal involving a professor of black studies at Cambridge University demonstrates how institutional DEI can only be defeated from without, not within. First, the story, which has received far too little attention from American media. Cambridge University Professor Jason Arday has been one of the darlings of academia, particularly in the U.K. He’s been wildly and effusively celebrated as an incredible, inspirational story of how a young, black man with autism who couldn’t read until he was 18 became an esteemed professor. “He has helped the Government with its antiracism strategies; advised on the national curriculum; guest-edited the Today program,” Kathleen Stock wrote for UnHeard. “ … His writing has been enthusiastically praised by [journalist] James O’Brien and [member of parliament] David Lammy. His fans now await his memoir, to be published in a month’s time.” Arday’s life story and work have been promoted as a necessary antidote to the alleged systemic racism of Western societies. He was a poster child of successful DEI, much like how Ibram X. Kendi was billed as the wise swami of antiracism before he came crashing down to earth. The problem, as has been recently uncovered, is that Arday has been accused of not only rampantly plagiarizing his work, but of making up large parts of his quite fantastical personal biography. According to the Telegraph, Arday has been accused of “copying parts of his PhD thesis from another student.” An analysis of his thesis found “188 sentences that were identical or highly similar to the work of Paula Zwozdiak-Myers, a Brunel University student.” Arday has said that he was in the British TV documentary “Seven Up” that followed the lives of children from the time they were seven. “Footage of a talk Prof Arday gave in October 2022 has re-emerged, revealing his claim that he appeared as a child on ‘Seven Up,'” the Telegraph reported on Sunday. “He told the University of Bath’s Race Equality Taskforce: ‘I was part of a programme, actually, which – it doesn’t really exist any more – but it was called Seven Up at the time. … I was pulled out of the project when I was 14.’” This wasn’t possible. The Telegraph noted that “the inaugural episode [of Seven Up] was broadcast in 1964, meaning its subjects were born in 1957.” The Telegraph also confirmed with the BBC, which aired a Millennial version of this show in 2000, when Arday “would have been 15,” that he wasn’t involved with the show. That’s not all. Many of his other incredible personal claims have now been questioned too. You know it’s getting bad for Arday now that even the reliably leftwing Guardian ran a piece about the plagiarism accusations against him. Though they spun this whole thing in a way to make it seem like uncovering academic improprieties is an unfair “rightwing media” tactic to bring down black, celebrity professors. Arday has not disputed the accusations of plagiarism (which he attributed to having autism) and responded to the criticism by saying that while he’s made “mistakes,” the larger effort to scrutinize his work is “racially motivated” and “aligned to ableism and racism.” Cambridge has dug in its heels and said, according to the Guardian, that the claims against their star professor are just a “vile smear campaign to undermine his credibility.” There’s also a growing letter of solidarity signed by thousands of people, mostly academics, maintaining their unwavering support. “Jason is the youngest Black professor in Cambridge’s history,” the letter reads. “Rightwing newspapers are trying to smear him with fake accusations of plagiarism. We can’t let them. Stand up to their hate and division by adding your name.” The whole thing looks bad for Arday and Cambridge. But I’d like to add here that the primary lesson of the Arday affair is not just how a single fabulist can easily game the system due to the very nature of the DEI mentality—though that’s a well-established trend. DEI is based on a kind of identitarianism that strips away incentives toward merit and excellence. Who and what you are, the idea of you, matters more than any of your work. Add to this mix an internal culture of fear created to ensure that nobody questions the system lest they be labeled a “racist,” which is basically worse than being a murderer in some of our most prestigious academic institutions, and it’s easy to see how hucksters thrive. No, the bigger lesson here is that this system will continue unabated unless countered by outside, political force. The U.K.’s academic establishment isn’t aghast that one of its top scholars is being exposed. The problem, as they currently construe it, is that some people noticed and said something. It couldn’t be clearer that DEI ideology remains stubbornly ingrained in institutions that haven’t been squeezed from outside to abandon it. DEI is “dying” in American institutions—especially universities—only because of outside pressure, because the Trump administration and some states have brought the financial and legal hammer down on them to stop their racially discriminatory practices. That’s not to say that DEI is wholly dead in higher education, far from it. But it’s had to publicly retreat in a way that was unthinkable just five years ago.   Not so in other Western countries, a point that Canadian professor Eric Kaufmann recently made on X. One thing US commentators fail to appreciate is that DEI is only under pressure in US universities. Elsewhere, like Canada or the UK, it’s still 2020, because left-wing governments put no pressure on universities to change. https://t.co/0cFbX4LNMF— Eric Kaufmann (@epkaufm) July 29, 2026 Up north and across the pond, DEI and its noxious racialist cousins like critical race theory burn out of control as if it’s still 2021, the peak of the Great Awokening. It would be a mistake to think that the anti-DEI “vibe shift” in America is just the way of things going forward. It isn’t going away because of vibes. It’s going away because universities have been threatened with defunding, because the Trump administration has issued warnings that illegally hiring on the basis of race or sex will be treated as illegal. That’s what got them to back down and back away. Understanding this reality is vital going forward. Don’t forget the woke insanity of the last decade and don’t forget what it took to stop it.