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Thursday, September 17, 2026

Category: Politics
2 hours ago
Data
News
Politics

POLL: Vance, Harris Are the Front-Runners for 2028 Presidential Nominations.

A new poll has revealed that Vice President JD Vance and former Vice President Kamala Harris are the Republican and Democrat frontrunners for their parties’ respective primaries.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Vice President JD Vance and former Vice President Kamala Harris are their respective parties’ preferred candidates for the 2028 presidential election, according to a new poll.
📺 DETAIL: According to The Honest Poll, commissioned by Veteran Action, a veterans nonprofit organization, Vice President Vance has 41 percent support among Republicans, while former Vice President Harris has 32 percent support among Democrats. Among Republicans, Donald Trump Jr. secured 22 percent support, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio secured 17 percent. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis received seven percent among Republicans, while Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley each received two percent. Among Democrats, California Governor Gavin Newsom secured 21 percent support, and former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg secured 13 percent. Various other Democrats received single-digit support. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) secured nine percent, Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA) received six percent, and Governor of Pennsylvania Josh Shapiro received five percent.
🎯 IMPACT: The poll indicates that the 2028 presidential election could effectively be a rematch of the 2024 presidential election, which the former Vice President lost to President Donald J. Trump. Before former President Joe Biden dropped out of the race, Harris was Vance’s opposite number in the contest. This suggests that there is still considerable support for Harris among Democrats despite her failure to win in 2024. Establishment Democrats continue to dominate the preferred candidates for President among the party’s base despite the gains of far-left Democrats throughout the 2026 election cycle. While Vice President Vance is the clear favorite among Republicans, the strong showing for Donald Trump Jr. underscores the personal popularity of President Trump and his family among the grassroots, as well as their impact on the party’s direction. This follows a poll published last month, which showed the former Vice President with 37 percent support. Findings from July showed that Vice President Vance was more popular than former Vice President Harris, putting the former in a relatively strong position if both end up being nominated by their respective parties for President in 2028. The fact that Harris is leading among Democrats is likely to encourage her to make a bid for the White House, which she is actively considering.

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A new poll has revealed that Vice President JD Vance and former Vice President Kamala Harris are the Republican and Democrat frontrunners for their parties' respective primaries.

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6 hours ago
News
Politics

Abdul El-Sayed Refuses to Return Donations From Groups Linked to Terrorism.

Democrat Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed is facing scrutiny over campaign donations from individuals linked to organizations with known ties to terror groups, dismissing criticism as racially motivated.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Michigan Democrat Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed defended accepting campaign contributions from donors affiliated with the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), rejecting calls from Republican opponent Mike Rogers to return the money. On Tuesday, El-Sayed was asked whether he would give back donations from CAIR-linked individuals, and insisted he would not.
📺 DETAIL: El-Sayed’s campaign received more than $115,000 from at least 41 people who have worked for, previously worked for, or held leadership positions with CAIR. Rogers has argued that the contributions should be returned, citing CAIR’s history of alleged ties to Hamas and its designation as a terrorist organization by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), as well as Florida and Texas. CAIR was also named as an unindicted co-conspirator in the federal Holy Land Foundation terrorism-financing case. El-Sayed claims CAIR is a civil rights organization and accused Rogers of attempting to make the Senate race about his ethnicity and Muslim faith. The controversy comes as El-Sayed also faces scrutiny over his association with far-left streamer Hasan Piker, who has previously said “America deserved 9/11” and openly supported the terrorist Houthis. 
💬 KEY QUOTE: “That civil rights organization [CAIR] exists because people like Mike Rogers want to make this race about the color of my skin or how I pray.” – Abdul El-Sayed
🎯 IMPACT: The controversy could intensify scrutiny of Abdul El-Sayed’s campaign financing and his relationships with Islamic advocacy groups as the Michigan Senate race moves toward its fall debates. It also gives Republicans an opportunity to focus the campaign on questions surrounding terrorism-related allegations and associations.

Image by Conlan Houston.

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Democrat Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed is facing scrutiny over campaign donations from individuals linked to organizations with known ties to terror groups, dismissing criticism as racially motivated.

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8 hours ago
News
Politics
UK

Farage’s Reform Party Batters Establishment ‘Conservatives’ in Special Election.

Nigel Farage’s Reform UK has secured a significant local election victory over the Conservative Party.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Nigel Farage’s Reform UK has won a local by-election (special election) in Reform Shadow Chancellor Robert Jenrick’s constituency (electoral district).
📺 DETAIL: On Wednesday, it was announced that Reform candidate Matthew Evans had won the East Markham ward (city council district) by-election. The ward is located in Newark constituency in Nottinghamshire, in England’s East Midlands region. The constituency is represented by Reform’s Robert Jenrick in the House of Commons. Reform secured 49.6 percent of the vote, while support for Olukemi “Kemi” Badenoch’s nominally Conservative Party plummeted by 37.6 percent to 28.4 percent. The governing Labour Party came in third with 17.2 percent, a decline of 4.1 percent, while the far-left Green Party only won 4.8 percent. This was Reform’s first time contesting the seat. “An incredible 44% swing from Tory to Reform in Newark! So proud of our candidate, Matthew Evans and my hardworking team. Deeply honoured that my Newark constituents are backing Reform,” posted Jenrick on X (formerly Twitter).
💬 KEY QUOTE: “Excellent win in [Robert Jenrick’s] seat last night. While the Tories plummeted to 28.4%, Reform gained almost 50% on our first time standing there. The Conservative Party is dead.” — Nigel Farage
🎯 IMPACT: This constitutes another blow to the Conservative Party’s electoral prospects and another gain for Reform. Evans will serve as a councillor on Bassetlaw District Council. The result is likely to be viewed as an endorsement of Jenrick, who was originally elected as a member of the Conservative Party but defected to Reform earlier this year.
📺 FLASHBACK: Earlier this year, Reform stormed to victory over the governing Labour Party in the country’s local elections, resulting in the resignation of former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and the installation of current Prime Minister Andy Burnham.

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Nigel Farage's Reform UK has secured a significant local election victory over the Conservative Party.

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9 hours ago
News
Politics
UK

Farage Threatens to Sever Union Funding Lifeline for Britain’s Governing Labour Party.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has pushed back against Labour’s proposal to retroactively ban donations to his party, warning of potential reforms targeting the Labour Party’s financial backing from the trade unions.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Reform UK party leader Nigel Farage has threatened to cut off the governing Labour Party’s funding lifeline from the country’s trade unions.
📺 DETAIL: Following back-to-back £36 million (~$48 million) donations to Reform from British cryptocurrency entrepreneurs Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne, the Labour government announced plans to restrict donations to political parties. Among other measures, the British government has floated retroactively banning the donations from Delo and Harborne to Reform. In response, Farage highlighted Labour’s reliance on donations from trade unions, which have totaled over £53 million ($72 million) since 2010. The Reform leader also accused the Labour Party of using “old communist state” tactics as well as rewarding its donors with favorable legislation and government contracts. Farage warned that if Labour retroactively bans the combined £72 million (~$97 million) contribution from Delo and Harborne, a Reform-led government will introduce legislation to ban trade union donations to political parties. The Reform leader clarified that neither Delo nor Harborne would be given positions in the House of Lords, the upper house of Britain’s legislature, which is populated by political appointees. “Neither Ben Delo nor Christopher Harborne will be getting membership of the House of Lords. It isn’t happening. We’re not for sale,” Farage declared.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “If anybody is giving money to do political bidding, it’s the trade unions,” said Farage in a recent video posted on X (formerly Twitter).
🎯 IMPACT: If Labour succeeds in retroactively banning the donations, it could set a controversial precedent for rewriting laws to target political opponents. If Reform is elected and manages to pass legislation to ban donations from trade unions, the Labour Party would be cut off from its primary source of funding, radically altering the political landscape.
📺 FLASHBACK: Delo and Harborne announced their donations earlier this month. Both men argued that the large donations are necessary to help Reform overcome the inbuilt advantages afforded to the two main establishment parties, namely Labour and the Conservatives (Tories). This follows government legislation limiting donations from British expatriates to £100,000 (~$135,000), a move widely seen as targeting Delo and Harborne, who were based in Hong Kong and Thailand, respectively, but have since relocated to Britain.

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Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has pushed back against Labour's proposal to retroactively ban donations to his party, warning of potential reforms targeting the Labour Party's financial backing from the trade unions.

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10 hours ago
Bonkers Britain
News
Politics

Top ‘Conservative’ Downplays Grooming Gangs: Not a ‘Real Problem.’

Former Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) Rory Stewart called the grooming gangs scandal in Britain a “manageable problem” in a recent podcast appearance, sparking criticism of downplaying the issue and being out of touch.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Rory Stewart, a former Conservative (Tory) Party government minister and leadership contender, claimed that Britain’s grooming gangs scandal is not one of the “real problems” facing the country.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “Were there horrible abuse and grooming gangs? Absolutely. Are there families living in Birmingham who I think are facing bad issues for their own families and society? Yes. Do I think that this is a big problem for Britain? No. This is a manageable problem. Including some very unpleasant things where the police did not act correctly, people behaved in an evil fashion, and they need to be prosecuted. But what are the real problems facing Britain? Not this.” – Rory Stewart
📺 DETAIL: Speaking on The Spectator‘s “Quite Right!” podcast to Michael Gove, another former senior Tory politician and leadership contender, Stewart downplayed the issue, characterizing it as a minor side issue. Stewart stood in the Conservative Party leadership race back in 2019 in a bid to obstruct Brexit, Britain’s democratic decision to leave the European Union (EU). After failing to win the leadership, Stewart resigned from Parliament that same year. In 2022, Stewart began co-hosting The Rest is Politics podcast with Alastair Campbell, the former Director of Communications for former Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair, linked closely to the Iraq War. “I wouldn’t have expected much else from him, to be honest. He is an elite man, he lives in an elite world. His political views are extremely liberal around his experiences. So, looking at this as a wider issue, he would say, ‘Well, it’s a few people, it’s specific areas, what has that got to do with the national story?’ And obviously and unfortunately, we are ruled by people like that,” commented academic Lisa McKenzie on Stewart’s grooming gangs remarks.
🎯 IMPACT: Stewart’s remarks are likely to reinforce perceptions that the grooming gangs scandal was allowed to happen because members of Britain’s political establishment, from both the ruling Labour Party and the formerly governing Conservatives, did not regard it as a legitimate problem, with some even characterizing it as a conspiracy theory. Notably, Stewart’s The Rest is Politics co-host Alastair Campbell previously circulated false claims about Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk supporting stoning homosexuals shortly after his assassination in September last year.

Image via No 10 Downing Street.

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Former Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) Rory Stewart called the grooming gangs scandal in Britain a "manageable problem" in a recent podcast appearance, sparking criticism of downplaying the issue and being out of touch.

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September 14, 2026
News
Politics

Trump Doubles Down on $5,000 Dividend for Americans if GOP Wins Midterms.

President Donald J. Trump again pledged to deliver $5,000 checks to Americans if there is a Republican victory in the upcoming midterms.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump has again pledged to distribute $5,000 checks to all American adults if Republicans secure a victory in the upcoming November midterm elections. He made this promise while speaking to reporters in Shannon, Ireland.
📰 DETAIL: Trump emphasized that the funds for these checks would come from the substantial revenue the country is generating, including tariffs. He compared this promise to previous initiatives he successfully implemented, such as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and a $1,776 military bonus.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “The $5,000 is going to happen, 100 percent. And the reason is because our country is taking in trillions and trillions of dollars, and it’s going to happen because the people deserve it, because they were treated so badly by the Democrats and by Biden. So remember, they said the great, Big, Beautiful Bill, which is basically 17 bills wrapped up into one, will never happen. It happened. They said, when I gave the military last year, $1,776—1776, like a certain date that’s quite important—they said that wasn’t going to happen. That happened. And what do you think? I think it’s going to happen.” – President Trump
🎯 IMPACT: If implemented, this initiative could significantly influence voter sentiment and potentially sway the midterm election results in favor of the GOP. The promise of financial relief may appeal to voters struggling with inflation and the cost of living, particularly with respect to energy and fuel, which have been impacted by the Iran war.

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President Donald J. Trump again pledged to deliver $5,000 checks to Americans if there is a Republican victory in the upcoming midterms.

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September 14, 2026
News
Politics

WATCH: Talarico Labels Parents ‘Abusive’ for Refusing to ‘Affirm’ Transgenderism.

Democrat Senate candidate James Talarico is facing scrutiny for comments made during a Texas legislature committee meeting suggesting that failure to affirm a child’s “gender identity” amounts to child abuse.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Texas Democrat Senate candidate James Talarico described refusing to affirm a child’s “gender identity” as “abusive” in 2019.
📺 DETAIL: During a committee meeting in the Texas legislature in 2019, Talarico described refusing to affirm a child’s gender identity as “abusive.” “Some of us I think really do consider this abusive behavior… an unwillingness to identify, acknowledge a child’s gender identity. We consider that abusive to the child, abusive and destructive,” said Talarico at the time. The comments were made during a discussion on HB 1910, a bill aimed at ensuring that parental refusal to affirm a supposedly transgender child’s gender identity would not be considered child abuse in custody cases. Talarico opposed the measure, insisting that failure to consider it abusive could “harm some of our most vulnerable kids.” While the bill failed at the committee stage, a stronger bill ultimately became law in 2025. Talarico also opposed this bill and supported an amendment stating that “rejecting a child’s gender identity or sexual orientation is abuse.”
💬 KEY QUOTE: “Only perverts and pedophiles think about what is in little kids’ pants as much as James Talafreako. He is a truly sick individual for dedicating his life to pushing sex changes on other people’s kids,” said Zach Kraft, a Republican National Committee (RNC) spokesman.
🎯 IMPACT: The resurfaced remarks are likely to create problems for Talarico as he contests a conservative state. Currently, the Senate race between Talarico and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) is practically neck-and-neck.
📺 FLASHBACK: This revelation comes roughly a week after it was revealed that Talarico, who claims to be a Christian, described Islam and certain other religions as “equal pathways to truth” in a resurfaced video.

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Democrat Senate candidate James Talarico is facing scrutiny for comments made during a Texas legislature committee meeting suggesting that failure to affirm a child's "gender identity" amounts to child abuse.

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Alice Weidel
September 14, 2026
News
Politics
World

German Populists Triple Vote Share in State Elections.

The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has achieved a significant breakthrough in Lower Saxony, tripling its vote share, while support for Germany’s two main establishment parties hit historic lows.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has tripled its vote share in Lower Saxony’s state elections.
📺 DETAIL: On Monday, it was reported that the AfD’s vote share in the region jumped from 4.6 percent in 2021 to 15.9 percent. The party finished in third place. Meanwhile, Germany’s two main establishment parties, Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Social Democratic Party (SPD), recorded their worst-ever results in the region, with both losing significant support. The CDU came in first with 27 percent of the vote, a decline of roughly five percentage points from the previous election. This follows the AfD’s historic victory in the eastern Saxony-Anhalt region. There, the party secured 44 percent of the vote in its first-ever statewide victory. “It is the most severe election defeat the CDU has suffered in years, indeed in decades,” Chancellor Merz said of the results at the time. In contrast, President Donald J. Trump welcomed the result. “Wow! The Populist Party in Germany just had a really big night… THEY ARE ON THE RISE, and not going to take it anymore! MGGA!!!” the President posted on Truth Social.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “Given the coalition’s dismal state, new [federal] elections would be the cleanest solution from our perspective… The people must now decide who should lead the country out of this crisis.” – Alice Weidel, AfD Leader.
🎯 IMPACT: The results represent significant progress for the AfD in Germany’s western regions, especially since the party’s base of support is mostly concentrated in the east. The results have intensified calls for a snap federal election, with AfD leaders arguing that the current government coalition is failing to address Germany’s challenges. This strong showing from the AfD in an area beyond its traditional strongholds is likely to spark further calls from within the German political establishment to ban the insurgent populist party. “Not with the politically predetermined goal that you now have to examine a ban, but to examine this party and the possible legal consequences. That could be a ban, but it could also be something else,” said Hendrik Wüst, Premier (Governor) of North Rhine-Westphalia for the CDU last week.

Image by Olaf Kosinsky.

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The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has achieved a significant breakthrough in Lower Saxony, tripling its vote share, while support for Germany's two main establishment parties hit historic lows.

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September 14, 2026
News
Politics
UK

Another Donor Matches Record-Breaking Contribution to Farage’s Reform Party.

Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party has secured a combined £72 million (~$72 million) in donations after British cryptocurrency entrepreneur Christopher Harborne matched a historic £36 million (~$48.7 million) donation from Ben Delo last week.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party has received another record-breaking £36 million (~$48.7 million) donation.
📺 DETAIL: On Saturday, it was revealed that Christopher Harborne, a British cryptocurrency entrepreneur, had donated £36 million to the party, matching a donation made by another British cryptocurrency entrepreneur, Ben Delo, shortly before. Harborne has donated to Reform in the past, including a record-breaking £9 million (~$12.1 million) donation and a £5 million (~$6.7 million) gift to cover Farage’s personal security costs. The latter contribution has become the subject of a weaponized probe against Farage, culminating in the Reform leader’s decision to resign from Parliament in protest in order to contest a by-election (special election), which he comfortably won, demonstrating local voters’ continued support for him. “Reform is effectively a start-up party. And start-up parties don’t have the benefit of hundreds of years of patronage, which has created deep roots within our communities and institutions. The established parties receive substantial public money and repeated donations and support through these deep roots,” wrote Harborne in an op-ed published over the weekend. Harborne clarified that he was not seeking a political position or specific policies in exchange for the donation. “A start-up party needs more money than can be provided by membership fees alone, to build and sustain itself and be ready for government. Whilst I have been making donations to Reform of around £1m a month, Ben Delo told me he was going to make a record donation of £36m. My competitive spirit inspired me to match it, so that is what I’ve done. And I hope others may join us,” Harborne explained.
🎯 IMPACT: The size of the donation is likely to trigger further attempts by the Labour Party-controlled government to cut off Reform’s financial backing, having already imposed a £100,000 (~$135,000) cap on party donations from British expatriates. The policy was widely regarded as an attempt to prevent Harborne and Delo, who were based in Thailand and Hong Kong, from donating to the party, although they have since relocated to Britain.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “I am honoured and humbled that Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne have shown such confidence in Reform. Both men know that we are the only party that can turn the country around and win the next General Election – thanks to their generosity, we are now able to fight that election on a level playing field.” – Nigel Farage, Reform UK leader.

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Nigel Farage's Reform UK party has secured a combined £72 million (~$72 million) in donations after British cryptocurrency entrepreneur Christopher Harborne matched a historic £36 million (~$48.7 million) donation from Ben Delo last week.

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September 12, 2026
News
Politics
World

Top German Politician Floats Banning Populist AfD After Its Election Win.

The political establishment of Germany is considering a ban on the populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) party after a crushing defeat for Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s establishment Christian Democratic Union party in a recent state election.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: A top German politician has suggested banning the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party after its recent victory in the Saxony-Anhalt state election.
📺 DETAIL: On Sunday, the anti-mass migration populist AfD party won its first-ever state election. The party secured approximately 44 percent of the vote while support for Chancellor (Prime Minister) Merz’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party, formerly led by Angela Merkel, dropped to just 17 percent, coming in a distant second place. Following the announcement of the result, senior CDU politician Hendrik Wüst proposed a ban on the AfD. The North Rhine-Westphalia Premier, roughly equivalent to a U.S. state governor, said that federal and state officials, as well as constitutional experts and members of the country’s intelligence services, should work together to ban the insurgent party. Wüst justified a potential ban as necessary to protect Germany’s constitution. This proposal comes after European Union (EU) officials proposed withdrawing funds from Saxony-Anhalt in response to the election result.
🎯 IMPACT: A potential ban would be very controversial and widely regarded as highly undemocratic, especially by AfD supporters. The willingness to openly float a ban on a major political party underscores the fragility of Germany’s establishment. This is also likely to push the AfD to pursue the abolition of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), Germany’s increasingly weaponized domestic intelligence agency. “In no other Western democracy are political parties monitored by intelligence agencies… That creates an obvious conflict of interest,” said Hans Georg Maaßen, former BfV president.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “Not with the politically predetermined goal that you now have to examine a ban, but to examine this party and the possible legal consequences. That could be a ban, but it could also be something else.” – Hendrik Wüst as reported in Die Welt, a German newspaper.
📺 FLASHBACK: President Donald J. Trump congratulated the AfD on their recent win. “Wow! The Populist Party in Germany just had a really big night… THEY ARE ON THE RISE, and not going to take it anymore! MGGA!!!” posted the President on Truth Social. In contrast, the German political establishment was far more downbeat. “It is the most severe election defeat the CDU has suffered in years, indeed in decades,” said Chancellor Merz.

Image by Olaf Kosinsky.

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The political establishment of Germany is considering a ban on the populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) party after a crushing defeat for Chancellor Friedrich Merz's establishment Christian Democratic Union party in a recent state election.

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