Virginia voters are more likely to oppose than support Democrats’ push for congressional redistricting, a newly released poll suggests. Virginia’s Democrat-controlled legislature has approved legislation which would likely make ten of the state’s eleven House districts favorable for Democrats. The state’s U.S. House delegation is currently made up of six Democrats and five Republicans. In order for this new map to become reality, voters will have to approve the legislature’s proposal to amend the constitution to allow for redistricting in a special election Democrats are attempting to hold in the spring. The Roanoke College poll suggests 62% of respondents favor the current method of redistricting, which is conducted once every ten years after the census. A mere 30% oppose this approach. Eight percent did not know or refused to answer. When asked if they would vote to approve a constitutional amendment to allow for pro-Democrat mid-cycle redistricting, a minority of 44% said they would. 52% would vote to keep the redistricting system “as it is now,” and 4% did not know or refused to answer. The polling, which surveyed 800 Virginians from Feb. 9 to Feb. 16, has a margin of error of 4.43%. Virginia Democrats have presented their pro-Democrat redistricting as a response to pro-Republican redistricting in states such as Texas and North Carolina. “We are leveling the playing field,” Democrat Senate president pro tempore L. Louise Lucas said in February of the redistricting push. “Our maps are ready. Virginia is ready. We said ’10-1,’ and we meant it.” Virginia has reached a 10-1 redistricting agreement. This moment reflects commitment to fair representation for communities across the Commonwealth and our nation. pic.twitter.com/lqS9IuwJzr— L. Louise Lucas (@SenLouiseLucas) February 5, 2026 A Virginia circuit court judge has placed a restraining order on Democrats’ attempt to hold a referendum on redistricting, potentially disrupting early voting in March.  Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones has said he will appeal the decision. The post NEW POLL: Virginia Voters Lean Against Redistricting appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Mode Democrats are joining a boycott of President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address on Tuesday. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and Sen. Ruben Gallego recently joined the ranks of Democrat lawmakers over the weekend. “I am not going to the state of the union,” Gallego said in a video posted to social media on Saturday. “There’s more productive things than I can do with my time than just sitting there for two hours and clapping on cue. Right now, this country is hurting.” Instead, the senator will be at home in Arizona during the address. I’m not going to State of the Union. pic.twitter.com/xNxu6An06p— Senator Ruben Gallego (@SenRubenGallego) February 20, 2026 Schiff’s participation in the Boycott was also announced on Saturday. MeidasTouch wrote on X that Schiff will instead speak at the “People’s State of the Union,” a counter address hosted by the news outlet and progressive aligned non-profit MoveOn Civic Action. Democrat Sen Adam Schiff announces he won't be attending Trump's State of the Union because Trump is "violating the law and Constitution" by deporting criminal illegal aliens who r*pe and terrorize Americans. pic.twitter.com/uBBcp3yng3— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) February 23, 2026 Democrats announcing their boycott the State of the Union comes after progressive-aligned organizations, like Amplify Edge’s “Young People Address the Nation” campaign, pressured Democratic lawmakers last week to boycott the address. Schiff and Gallego have not responded to The Daily Signal’s request for comment. As the boycott grows, the left-leaning sports and political commentator Stephen A. Smith has come out against Democrat theatrics. Smith said on his SiriusXM radio show that the Democrat’s refusal to attend the address “ticks him off,” calling them “juvenile.”“Why do they get to circumvent the need and the insistence of mere decorum? This is the kind of stuff that ticks me off,” Smith stated. “At some point in time, ladies and gentlemen, there’s got to be an adult in the room.” ?NEW: Stephen A. Smith *UNLOADS* on Democrats planning to boycott Trump's State of the Union address?"This is the kind of stuff that ticks me off!"@DailyCaller pic.twitter.com/VwnoIv5x6O— Jason Cohen ?? (@JasonJournoDC) February 19, 2026 “If you’re going to act as juvenile, as petulant, as petty as you accuse president of the United States to be, how are you ever going to hold a high moral ground at least high enough to judge him accordingly?” Smith added. During Trump’s address to Congress last year, some Democrats tried to steal the show. Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, interrupted the speech with shouts and gestures several times before he was removed from the chamber. Schiff’s RSVP to the event hosted former MSNBC anchors Joy Reid and Katie Phang, comes after 12 of his Congressional colleagues, including Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md; Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Ill.; and the chairman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, announced last week that they would not “legitimize” Trump’s “lies.” “Donald Trump will use the State of the Union address as a platform to gaslight the American people and normalize and justify their terror, abuse, and violations of our rights. I refuse to legitimize it,” Ramirez stated in a release. A Gen Z activist group is urging members of Congress “who consider themselves defenders of democratic institutions” to boycott Trump’s State of the Union, according to a call to action obtained by The Daily Signal.@pedrobrodrigue7 https://t.co/8qoTLb7kN2— The Daily Signal (@DailySignal) February 18, 2026 Van Hollen added on X that this “cannot be business as usual” because “Trump is marching America towards fascism.” The post More Democrats to Ditch Trump’s SOTU Address appeared first on The Daily Signal.

The Columbus City Council unveiled legislation last Tuesday sparking heated debate on Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s role as well as what constitutes sanctuary city policies. One proposal would prohibit Columbus police from entering into enforcement agreements with ICE, as ABC 6 highlighted. Regarding such a provision, a representative from Councilmember Lourdes Barroso de Padilla’s office told The Daily Signal that “it is not the Councilmember’s intention to make Columbus a sanctuary city; it is her intention to protect the residents of Columbus.” Barroso de Padilla co-hosted the hearing. State Rep. Josh Williams, a Republican who represents Toledo and who has been vocal on immigration, disagreed. Williams warned that “Columbus City Council is moving in a dangerous direction” in sending “a clear message that Columbus is more interested in protecting illegal immigrants than protecting law-abiding citizens.” He also expressed concerns about sanctuary policies. “If Columbus prohibits cooperation agreements and restricts enforcement coordination, then the city is clearly moving toward sanctuary-style policies. Ohio cannot afford to become a safe haven for those who violate our laws. Public safety must come first,” Williams told The Daily Signal. Those who weighed in addressed public safety, but with differing views on the role ICE plays. Barroso de Padilla in a press release declared a “responsibility as local leaders is to protect the trust that keeps our communities safe.” “Columbus will continue to focus city resources on serving residents—not on federal immigration enforcement. We are standing firmly in support of dignity, due process and the welcoming spirit that defines our city,” she added. Democrat Mayor Andrew Ginther shares views on Columbus as a “welcoming” city. “Mayor Ginther’s 2017 executive order remains in effect and makes clear that City of Columbus resources will not be used to support immigration enforcement unless there is evidence of a crime,” Deputy Chief of Staff Jennifer Fening told The Daily Signal. “Council’s legislation reiterates his stance and identifies additional opportunities to show our residents that Columbus is a place where everyone deserves to feel safe, valued, and that their rights are respected. Columbus is, and will remain, a city for all.” It’s a view the Department of Homeland Security does not share. A spokesperson told The Daily Signal that such policies “would make Columbus less safe as a direct result.” The spokesperson also explained partnership efforts, warning about what happens when those efforts are limited. “Our partnerships with state and local law enforcement are key to removing criminal illegal aliens including murderers, rapists, pedophiles, gang members, and terrorists from American communities. When politicians bar local law enforcement from working with us, that is when we have to have a more visible presence so that we can find and apprehend the criminals let out of jails and back into communities,” the spokesperson shared. Lora Ries, director of the Border Security and Immigration Center at The Heritage Foundation, concurred. “Does the council wish to have murderers, rapists, and pedophiles continue to live in their community? Because that is who they are protecting when they block ICE. They would be more honest if they just admitted that they don’t want anyone deported to hang on to their political power,” she told The Daily Signal. Brian Steel, president of the Fraternal Order of the Police, Capital City Lodge #9, spoke about both sides, including the role the city plays. “Our officers enforce state laws and local ordinances in accordance with statutory authority, constitutional standards, agency policies, and established directives. Municipal officers do not enforce federal civil immigration law. However, we have an absolute duty to assist our federal law enforcement partners when there is evidence of a criminal offense, a valid judicial warrant, or when any officer—local, state, or federal—is in danger of serious bodily harm,” Steel said. Steel also called on elected officials to work together. “Our shared goal should be clear: provide effective public safety, strengthen community trust, and focus our collective efforts on removing violent offenders from our streets—regardless of immigration status,” he continued. Other provisions, highlighted by Spectrum News 1, encourage ICE officers to clearly display badges and names as well as avoid face coverings. “When our heroic law enforcement officers conduct operations, they clearly identify themselves as law enforcement,” DHS explained. Masks are for officer protection, DHS reminded, pointing to increased attacks on agents. “Sanctuary politicians attempting to ban our federal law enforcement from wearing masks is despicable and a flagrant attempt to endanger our officers,” the spokesperson added. One area of agreement is that the city has limits. “The City of Columbus does not have authority over federal immigration operations,” the press release acknowledged. “We cannot ignore federal law or federal policy,” ABC 6 quoted Barroso de Padilla as saying. It’s a limit DHS emphasized. “The Supremacy Clause makes it clear that Columbus’ sanctuary politicians do not control federal law enforcement.” Ries echoed such sentiments as well, telling The Daily Signal, “Immigration law is federal law and states and localities cannot nullify federal law.” Williams agreed. “Federal immigration enforcement is not optional. It is the law of the land. Policies that obstruct cooperation or create barriers for federal officers undermine public safety and make it harder to remove criminal illegal aliens from our communities.” The post Columbus Legislation on ICE Represents a ‘Dangerous Direction’ appeared first on The Daily Signal.

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FBI Director Kash Patel raised some eyebrows over the weekend by partying and pounding beers with the U.S.A. Olympics Men’s Hockey Team following their gold medal win over Canada. Of course, this irked the liberal ladies of ABC’s The Views. While the Cackling Coven calling Patel unserious, during Monday’s show, they argued that the FBI’s time would be better spent preparing for an apparent coming war with Iran and retaking the swaths of Mexico that were captured by a cartel fighters. “I don't even know what Kash Patel was doing there,” groaned co-host Ana Navarro. “Honey, you’re not playing.” While complaining that “the world doesn't feel settled or stable,” co-host Sara Haines suggested that it was the job of the FBI director to deal with global disorder. Topping the list of what she felt should be Patel’s priorities was somehow dealing with the narco terrorists who launched attacks across Mexico and were battling the Mexican Army; even ahead of domestic cases:  HAINES: Beyond the money, it's the optics for me. Because I’m a little old school. But I like when the law enforcement and directors of FBI were like serious and like borderline boring. Like I don't want to see them, I want to know they are hard at work because there's so much going on. Today we wake up hearing about the head of a Mexican cartel being killed and we know there was a shooting and someone died at Mar-a-Lago. HOSTIN: Nancy Guthrie is still missing. HAINES: Nancy Guthrie is missing. It was a hypocritical demand since The View had previously came out against the Trump administration launching strikes on nacro-terrorists from Venezuela.   The View whines that Kash Patel was in partying in Milan with the USA hockey team and not stopping the cartel takeover of Mexico and not preparing for war with Iran by dismantling their global terrorist network. pic.twitter.com/axYQoE1w32 — Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) February 23, 2026   “He’s already under scrutiny for a thousand reasons, because this administration has not been the defining of competence,” Haines added. “So, I think when you have someone like that with all that's going on and then that's what you see, I just think it's a bit of an insult to the American people.” Filling in for co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin, who was away on maternity leave, never-Trumper Amanda Carpenter argued that Patel should be focus on Iran given the military buildup in the Middle East and their global terror network: It's not just the optics. He is not doing the job. If you look at the threats we are facing in the world, right now there is a huge military buildup outside of Iran. We might be on the brink of war. Iran has terrorist networks all around the world and he is chugging beer instead of paying attention to this! How was the FBI supposed to take part in a war against Iran? It’s one thing to point out domestic cases that should be focused on, but to point to international conflicts and suggest they were somehow in the FBI’s purview was more unserious than they claimed Patel to be. Speaking of which. Moderator Whoopi Goldberg, who was the only cast member not in the studio because of the snow, claimed that other FBI agents told Patel to go to the Olympics because they wanted him out of the office so they could do their jobs in peace and quiet: Maybe the folks in the FBI say, ‘yeah, Kash, go do that’ so they don't have to deal with him because they know he doesn't know what he's doing. They know that he is incompetent. They know that he is just -- he is a joke and he is a joke in the rest of the world, and because for most of the people working in the FBI it is not a joke. They are the ones whose eyes are on the ball.   Whoopi suggests the rest of the FBI told Patel to get out of the office to get their "incompetent" boss out of their hair so they could do their jobs: "I'm going to put a positive spin on it. Maybe the folks in the FBI say, 'yeah, Kash, go do that' so they don't have to deal with… pic.twitter.com/Fjof0tBmGn — Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) February 23, 2026   Before switching topics, Carpenter and Navarro suggested that Patel and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth were just alcoholics drinking on the job. “I mean, who else gets to chug beer on a job like this as an appointed official?” and “Have you met Pete Hegseth?” they said respectively. The transcript is below. Click "expand" to read: ABC’s The View February 23, 2026 11:05:48 a.m. Eastern (…) ANA NAVARRO: I don't even know what Kash Patel was doing there. I mean, he was - SUNNY HOSTIN: He was chugging beer with the team. NAVARRO: Honey, you’re not playing. And he's behaving like he is a member of Animal House, that show. SARA HAINES: Beyond the money, it's the optics for me. Because I’m a little old school. But I like when the law enforcement and directors of FBI were like serious and like borderline boring. Like I don't want to see them, I want to know they are hard at work because there's so much going on. Today we wake up hearing about the head of a Mexican cartel being killed and we know there was a shooting and someone died at Mar-a-Lago. HOSTIN: Nancy Guthrie is still missing. HAINES: Nancy Guthrie is missing. There’ just –Right now, the world doesn't feel settled or stable and you’ve the head of the FBI and the visual of chugging a beer in the locker room. I just think that it doesn’t – He’s already under scrutiny for a thousand reasons, because this administration has not been the defining of competence. So, I think when you have someone like that with all that's going on and then that's what you see, I just think it's a bit of an insult to the American people. [Crosstalk] AMANDA CARPENTER: It's not just the optics. He is not doing the job. If you look at the threats we are facing in the world, right now there is a huge military buildup outside of Iran. We might be on the brink of war. Iran has terrorist networks all around the world and he is chugging beer instead of paying attention to this! (…) 11:07:38 a.m. Eastern WHOOPI GOLDBERG: I'm going to look at this from a positive spin on. I'm going to put a positive spin on it. Maybe the folks in the FBI say, ‘yeah, Kash, go do that’ so they don't have to deal with him because they know he doesn't know what he's doing. They know that he is incompetent. They know that he is just -- he is a joke and he is a joke in the rest of the world, and because for most of the people working in the FBI it is not a joke. They are the ones whose eyes are on the ball. (…) 11:08:32 a.m. Eastern CARPENTER: I mean, who else gets to chug beer on a job like this as an appointed official? Seriously. Seriously. NAVARRO: Have you met Pete Hegseth? (…)

It’s time to find out who had the Worst Media Quote of the Week. This interactive series is where you — our loyal NewsBusters visitors and MRC supporters — get to vote on which leftist journalist or celebrity had the worst media quote of the week.   Much appreciation to all who voted last week via NewsBusters and the MRC’s various social media sites (Facebook, Instagram and X.com).   The results of the Worst Media Quote of the Week are in and the winner is… Ed O’Keefe! The CBS senior White House correspondent won with 62 percent of the vote. O’Keefe took first place for cluelessly asking White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt: “Where or when does the President believe he’s been falsely called racist?” ABC World News Tonight anchor David Muir came in second place with 27 percent. Finishing last was CBS correspondent David Schecter at 11 percent.  Check out the following clip (via the MRC Video team) to see the nominees in action:    

A growing number of Republican lawmakers are calling for Texas Rep. Tony Gonzales (R) to resign after damning text messages he apparently exchanged with a now-deceased staffer have come to light. Gonzales first came under scrutiny in September after one of his district staffers, Regina Santos-Aviles, set herself on fire outside her Uvalde home, passing away from her injuries the following day. The Daily Mail later published an expose alleging an affair between Gonzales and Santos-Aviles, which he repeatedly brushed off as "personal smears." 'I am so sick of people not calling this crap out.'The scandal recently resurfaced after news broke that back in April, several months before her death, Santos-Aviles apparently messaged a co-worker claiming to have had an "affair" with their "boss."Despite Gonzales' attempts to shut down the story, another flurry of explicit texts that appear to be from the congressman to Santos-Aviles have only exacerbated the scandal. RELATED: 'Desperate rage': Republican accuses lawyer of 'blackmail' amid affair rumors linked to staffer's suicide View this post on Instagram A post shared by Blaze Media (@theblazetv)The newly released text messages appear to show Gonzales pressuring Santos-Aviles to "send [him] a sexy pic" and asking her to name her "favorite position." Santos-Aviles seemed to push back on his advances, saying she didn't "like taking pictures" of herself and that his line of questioning was "going too far boss." Attorney Robert Barrera — who is representing Santos-Aviles' widower, Adrian Aviles — told Blaze News that these messages "appear valid." Blaze News also reached out to Aviles to confirm the validity of the messages.Gonzales' office did not respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.RELATED: Texas Republican's staffer fatally set herself on fire last year — text now seems to confirm their alleged affair Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty ImagesAs the scandal reaches a fever pitch, more and more Republicans are pressuring the Texas congressman to resign and bow out of his primary race against Brendon Herrera, a gun YouTuber who nearly unseated Gonzales in 2024. "The entire Texas delegation, as well as every single other Member of Congress, should be condemning a sitting Member of Congress asking for explicit photos of their staff," Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida said in a post on X. "As a woman, this is really disgusting to see. Not to mention, it brings dishonor on the House of Representatives.""I am so sick of people not calling this crap out," Luna added. "Again, like I’ve said before, this is not the only case of this crap up here. [Tony Gonzales], shame on you."Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) offered a succinct response to the apparent messages: "RESIGN!"Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) fell short of calling for Gonzales' resignation but rather said he would need to address the allegations. Notably President Donald Trump endorsed Gonzales in December following the initial scandal and has not yet rescinded his endorsement. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Democratic socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York is still on the defensive after a humiliating performance at the Munich Security Conference.The far-left firebrand was thoroughly ridiculed over a rambling non-response she made to an important question about current events and U.S. foreign policy.'I could give — whatever about that, to be honest.'She offered a bizarre justification in a video on her Instagram account and tried to blame President Donald Trump in response to the criticism."If you think that I don't understand foreign policy because out of hours of discourse about international affairs, I pause to think about one of the most sensitive geopolitical issues that currently exist on Earth," Ocasio-Cortez said, "I'm afraid the issue's not my understanding, but rather the problem is perhaps you've gotten adjusted to a president that never thinks before he speaks and doesn't care about the implications of his words before he speaks on matters like these."Both the president and Vice President JD Vance have mocked Ocasio-Cortez over the gaffe."After the president said that I was so smart," Vance said Thursday, "and that I didn't want to repeat our congresswoman who froze for 20 seconds over in Munich — now I'm tempted, sir, just to freeze for 20 seconds and just stare at the cameras. And maybe they'll say nice things about me like they do about Congresswoman Cortez!"Ocasio-Cortez was asked at the global conference to explain what the U.S. should do if China invaded Taiwan, a contentious possibility that many believe could become reality soon."Um, you know, I think that this is such a, you know, I think that this is a, um, this is of course a very long-standing policy of the United States," she stammered while pausing numerous times. "And I think what we are hoping for is that we want to make sure that we never get to that point."RELATED: JD Vance mocks Ocasio-Cortez on her humiliating response to foreign policy query — and she lashes out at him Many outlets noted that Ocasio-Cortez is widely considered to be trying to expand her name recognition in order to run for even higher office, including the presidency. She denied the suspicion after her embarrassing gaffe."Everyone's got this story wrong, that this is about me running for president," she said to the New York Times."I could give — whatever about that, to be honest," she added.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

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Newsom's Epic Crashout As He Panics and Implodes in Backlash Over GA Remarks