The state of California is asking that a man convicted of horrific repeated rape of his children be released after he was diagnosed with dementia.Ramiro Ruiz was incarcerated for 85 years to life in 1998 after being convicted of heinous crimes that involved repeatedly raping, sodomizing, and drugging his children. He also chained up the children.'This guy was clearly a monster then, and he's a monster now.'On Monday, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation went before a Madera County courtroom and asked that Ruiz be released before his impending death.The CDCR argued that the 86-year-old was no longer a threat to society because of his advanced age and deteriorating condition.Prosecuting Attorney Eric DuTemple opposed the release request."This guy was clearly a monster then, and he's a monster now," DuTemple said. "I think that he was best described in the probation court when he was sentenced that he is a sadistic pedophile."The victims ranged in age from 5 to 15 years old, and one was developmentally disabled. Ruiz was formerly diagnosed with sexual sadism disorder as well as pedophilic disorder. "The decision the court has to make is the defendant is still capable of committing super strikes and is he an unreasonable risk to the public if we release him out of CDCR custody," DuTemple continued.Madera County District Attorney Sally Moreno argued that Ruiz was still capable of committing crimes against children if released.RELATED: Man sentenced to 50 years for 'staggering' torture of his daughter including force-feeding of laxatives "This was probably one of the most heinous sex crimes I have seen in my 20-plus years as a prosecutor," Moreno said. "He does have an advanced age — I believe he's 86 — but that doesn't mean he's incapable of maneuvering or manipulating a 2- or 3- or 4-year-old child up onto his lap where he could inflict all kinds of horrible damage."The judge refused the request on Monday, after shutting down the argument that Ruiz had behaved in prison. He pointed out that there were no children in prison to abuse. "People were sentenced for their crimes, they were sentenced by judges and juries, and victims were given assurances that this is the amount of time this defendant would serve," Moreno added. Defense attorney Aaron Montoya indicated that they may refile a request for compassionate release.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Republicans have given voters no reason to support them beyond the claim that Democrats are dangerously radical.Well, sure. But when voters look around and see rising prices, rising crime, and no clear plan from the party in power, they turn to the other side. That’s what happened in Virginia, and it will keep happening as long as life stays unaffordable and Republicans offer nothing but excuses.Republicans can still win — but not with hollow slogans or billionaire donors. They need to fight for affordable living, strong families, and safe communities.Democrats’ victories in Virginia and New Jersey shouldn’t shock anyone — Trump didn’t need either state to win the presidency in 2024. What should alarm Republicans are the margins. Democrats crushed their opponents by 15 points in Virginia and 13 in New Jersey, performing better than Kamala Harris did against Trump in New York.The blue wave swept deep into Republican territory. Democrats unseated Virginia’s attorney general — a respected conservative — with Jay “Two Bullets” Jones, a radical, scandal-prone candidate, and still won by nearly seven points. They gained at least 13 legislative seats, leaving Republicans with half the representation they held just eight years ago.In Georgia, Democrats flipped two public service commission seats — their first statewide wins since 2006 — and won them by 24 points. They broke the GOP supermajority in the Mississippi Senate, flipped a state House seat, and took local races across Pennsylvania. In New Jersey, where Republicans didn’t even see the blowout coming, Democrats regained a supermajority in the General Assembly.Taken together, these results point to a coming wipeout. Democrats have outperformed their 2024 presidential baseline by an average of 15 points in special elections this year, according to Ballotpedia — more than double the overperformance seen during Trump’s first term. In 45 of 46 key contests, Democrats either held or improved their position.All liabilities, no benefitsRepublicans now face the worst possible political scenario: They hold power, which unites and energizes Democrats, but they’ve done almost nothing with it to inspire anyone else.The first year of Trump’s second term has been defined by trivial fights and tone-deaf priorities: tax favors for tech investors, special deals for crypto, and zoning disasters for rural and suburban voters. The data center explosion in Virginia, which has raised utility bills and wrecked communities, could have been an easy populist target. Instead, Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) vetoed a bill to rein it in.Despite cozying up to Big Tech, Republicans haven’t reaped any benefit. The Virginia Republican Party is broke, its candidates are outspent, and the grassroots are demoralized. The GOP keeps selling out to special interests that will never back the party. How have the ties to crypto, Big Tech, and Qatar paid off?The reality is, Republicans don’t need those donors — they need a message to inspire a new generation of activists.How Democrats outflanked the GOPDemocrats have learned to look like the party of normalcy while Republicans drift between populist posturing and corporate servitude. In Virginia, Abigail Spanberger ran on cutting costs, lowering taxes, and fighting crime — and she did it in the language of moderation. Republicans, who should own those issues, barely showed up for the debate.Spanberger’s ads promised relief from inflation and touted her background in the CIA and law enforcement. She presented herself as steady and practical while Republicans floundered. Once again, Democrats outflanked the GOP on the right.Republicans could have drawn blood by hammering Democrats on crime in Northern Virginia. Instead, they ran away from tough-on-crime policies. Winsome Earle-Sears even toyed with “criminal justice reform” while voters begged for accountability and order.The result: Democrats ran as Bush-era Republicans, while Republicans looked like corporate consultants. Democrats talked about affordability and safety. Republicans talked about crypto and zoning boards.The Trump paradoxThe GOP’s reliance on one man has hollowed it out. Trump won the presidency in 2016 by talking about forgotten workers and American industry. But his divided message, personal vendettas, and fixation on media attention have since consumed the movement.RELATED: Here’s what exit polls reveal about Tuesday’s electoral bloodbath Photo by Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty ImagesNow the party gets the worst of both worlds — all of Trump’s baggage, none of his appeal. Democrats use him to rally turnout. Independents recoil. The GOP lacks infrastructure, vision, and discipline. The movement that once promised to fight the establishment has become addicted to social media applause.A party in search of convictionIf Virginia had a commanding figure like Ron DeSantis at the top of the ticket, Republicans might have dampened the blue wave. But without an inspiring message, voters in an economic crisis will always drift to the other side.The problem isn’t demographics; if it were, Democrats would campaign in Virginia the same way they do in California or New York City. Instead, they skate by on empty promises because Republicans, trapped by special interests and lacking a winning message, have become easy targets — and surrendered the very issues that could win back suburban voters.Republicans can still win — but not with hollow slogans or billionaire donors. They need to fight for affordable living, strong families, and safe communities. They need a moral and economic vision that reaches beyond social media and into the lives of working Americans.The question conservatives must ask is the one George Patton once put to his men in another context: When will we finally fight and die on our own hills instead of dying on someone else’s?Twitter is not America. And unless Republicans start acting like they know the difference, they’ll keep losing — and keep deserving it.

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