Political Commentary & Opinion
Analysis, commentary, and opinion essays on politics and policy from The Daily Signal’s contributors and experts.
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news
‘Country Wants Different Direction From House,’ Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs Says of Bid for Speaker
Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., will mount a challenge to Rep. Kevin McCarthy to become leader of House Republicans and most likely speaker of the House, Biggs announced on Monday. “I think the country wants a different direction from the House of Representatives,” Biggs said in a Newsmax appearance Monday night. “It’s a new world, and, yes, I’m… -
opinion
Collegiate Alumni Donations: What Are We Giving To?
I read a news report about a group of woke Yale students who burst into a panel discussion on civil liberties hosted by the Federalist Society on campus back in March and tried to shout down and intimidate the speakers—who had to be escorted out by the police. This kind of activity on campus has… -
opinion
GOP Hints at Top-Down Leadership Shake-Up
Republicans haven’t won the House yet, but the media is already salivating over the next election—for GOP leadership. While a handful of districts are still up for grabs, the headlines are full of juicy gossip that Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., is in for a rocky road to the speakership if his party wins back… -
news
Kevin McCarthy Will Face Freedom Caucus Challenger, Biggs Spox Says
House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy will face a challenger from the Freedom Caucus, a spokesman for Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., told The Daily Signal on Monday. Biggs has not clarified whether he will be that challenger. His spokesman Matthew Tragesser would only share that “McCarthy doesn’t have the votes to become [House] speaker and he’ll… -
opinion
Time for G-20 to End Empty, Diplomatic Theater and Act
No immediate task is more important for this week’s meeting of the world’s leading affluent nations than acting with unity to reconstruct Ukraine and revitalize the global economy. The Leaders’ Summit of the Group of Twenty nations, or G-20, will take place Tuesday and Wednesday, hosted in Bali by Indonesian President Joko Widodo. This year’s… -
opinion
How Florida Became New Capital of Red State America
In what was an overall frustrating election night for Republicans, in which the oft-predicted “red wave” failed to materialize nationally, there was one state above all that provided a clear beacon of hope. That would be my adopted state of Florida. In the Sunshine State last Tuesday evening, Gov. Ron DeSantis cruised to a second… -
opinion
America’s Electoral System Is Suffering From a Credibility Crisis
Defying all predictions of a photo finish Senate race, Pennsylvania Democrat John Fetterman won 50.3% of the vote to Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz’s 47.3%. The unexpectedly large margin helped avoid a midterm meltdown. But don’t be deceived; that margin masks major electoral system dysfunction that remains unaddressed. If the margins had been narrower, things might have looked… -
opinion
America’s Fourth World Vote System Is a Global Embarrassment
The whole world is laughing. “US election results: When will we know who won?” the BBC wondered. AZCentral.com columnist Jon Gabriel wrote: “Friends in Hungary and Brazil asked how their entire nations can count votes in a few hours, while it takes Arizona a week or longer.” As of early Friday afternoon, America’s voting system… -
opinion
Tuesday Takeaways
What, if anything, did the midterms tell us about the country—other than underwhelming Republicans could still take the House and Senate? During the COVID-19 lockdowns, American elections radically changed to mail-in and early voting. They did so in a wild variety of state-by-state ways. Add ranked voting and a required majority margin to the mess… -
news
4 Keys to Understanding Why This Arizona County Still Has Election Problems
On Election Day, Cathi Herrod received calls and emails about problems in Arizona’s Maricopa County about voting machines not accepting ballots, ballot tabulators being broken, and other questions regarding paper ballots. “Voters are skittish in Maricopa County about election integrity,” Herrod, president of the Center for Arizona Policy, a conservative think tank, told The Daily… -
news
Sports Star to Be Jailed 10 Months for ‘Transphobic’ Message That ‘God Created Adam and Eve’
One of the most legendary soccer players of his time received a jail sentence and a fine for posting “transphobic” social media messages citing the Bible’s creation account. “God created Adam and Eve,” wrote retired Greek football legend Vassilis Tsiartas in the second of two Facebook posts opposing a 2017 law that would have lowered the age… -
opinion
Pollster Breaks Down Red Washout
As the two sides try to make sense of Tuesday’s surprises, Americans can agree on one thing: There were plenty of successes and disappointments to go around. Republicans and Democrats will both walk away discouraged about certain assumptions they carried into this week—and they are equal parts proud and reassured by other obstacles they overcame. By… -
opinion
Nevada Poised to Pass a ‘Trojan Horse for Gender Ideology,’ Critics Warn
Nevadans appear to have voted in favor of a new version of the Equal Rights Amendment to the state constitution, and for the first time, the amendment includes explicit language on sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. Critics warn that the new amendment will prove to be a “Trojan horse for gender ideology” that… -
opinion
Understanding the Red Fizzle
There was no red wave. There was no red tide. There was no red trickle. There was a fizzle. The 2022 midterm election fundamentals would have suggested a ringing Republican victory: an unpopular president of the opposing party, deep public unhappiness with the state of the economy, unified Democratic control in Congress, and radical social… -
opinion
Midterms 2022: What We Know and What We Don’t Know
As results from Election Day continue to trickle in, it’s still not clear whether Republicans or Democrats will control the next House and Senate, and by how much. However, it’s clear that Republicans suffered both major wins and major losses in midterm elections across the nation. “Some of the big wins we saw in Florida…. -
opinion
A True Realignment in Florida
It was a difficult Tuesday night for Republicans. Despite so many factors pointing to a massive red tsunami likely to sweep Democrats out of power in the midterm elections, it was a small wave that gently lapped on GOP shores. But does a muted wave mean it’s time for the right to tap out? It’s still… -
opinion
Marine Corps Marks 247 Years of Warfighting Innovation
The U.S. Marine Corps, which celebrates its 247th birthday Thursday, has done two extraordinary things for nearly all its existence: The Corps adapted to warfare as enemies, geography, and technology changed while not only sustaining but deepening its sense of self, warfighting ethos, and purpose. Sometimes an organization derives its identity from a specific product… -
opinion
Over 1,000 Safety Violations Mar Head Start. Children Deserve Better.
Would you send your child to a day care facility that left him unattended on a bus for so long that he developed frostbite? You may not believe it, but the federal government funds a child care program that a recent inspector general report found to have more than 1,000 documented incidents in which children… -
opinion
Pointing Fingers in Mirror: Liberal Media Decry Political Polarization
We have witnessed two years of journalism centered around the notion that the Republican Party was a collective of violent election-denying rioters and Jim Crow segregationists trying to suppress the black vote. Somehow, journalists find it shocking that the country is polarized. On “Sunday Today,” NBC reporter Hallie Jackson announced that their latest polling showed… -
news
Maryland, Missouri OK’d Recreational Marijuana. Three Other States Said No.
Voters in five states cast ballots on measures to legalize recreational marijuana in Tuesday’s midterm elections. Residents of Maryland and Missouri voted in favor of their measures, while voters in Arkansas, North Dakota, and South Dakota rejected them. Going into Tuesday, recreational marijuana was already legal in 19 states and Washington, D.C. Eleven of those…