Political News
Reports on political developments, legislation, and leadership. The Daily Signal provides news and conservative analysis of American politics.
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analysis
GOP Has Big Plans for Last Weeks in Majority
The GOP majority has much to accomplish before Democrats retake both chambers in January, but some Republicans fear there won’t be enough time or attendance to enact President Donald Trump’s priorities. The lame-duck session, the period after the midterms and before the next Congress begins, is Republicans’ last chance to pass measures such as the… -
breaking
BREAKING: Trump Picks New Chief of Staff
President Donald Trump announced that his chief of staff Susie Wiles is leaving the Trump administration. She will be replaced by Deputy Chief of Staff and Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller. Miller has been a leader on Trump’s successful crackdown on illegal immigration. Wiles resigned last night, a White House official told the Daily Signal…. -
news
Newsom Moves to Spare 548 Death Row Inmates, Including Child Killers and Notorious Serial Murderers
Summary In a shocking decision, Gov. Gavin Newsom has commuted the death sentences of 548 death row inmates in California, including some of the most notorious killers in state history. In Newsom’s letter to Californians explaining his decision, he stated that he “firmly believes state sanctioned killing is incompatible with California’s values” and that “we… -
opinion
Victor Davis Hanson Exposes Oakland’s Lawlessness
Editor’s note: This is a lightly edited transcript of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words” from Daily Signal senior contributor Victor Davis Hanson. Subscribe to Hanson’s own YouTube channel to watch past episodes. Jack Fowler: Victor, let’s start talking about Oakland, which I know you’re very familiar with, and you probably had to dodge the bullets… -
news
Wittman, Perriello Issue Concessions in Congressional Races
Two of Virginia’s congressional elections were so close on election night that the trailing candidates chose not to issue concessions. Rep. Rob Wittman, the Republican who represents the 1st District, narrowly trailed Shannon Taylor. In the 5th District, Republican incumbent John McGuire had a narrow lead over Tom Perriello when he declared victory just after… -
opinion
The Stories That Made a Difference: Daily Signal’s Biggest Reporting Wins of 2026
From questioning the president to breaking exclusive stories and holding powerful institutions accountable, Daily Signal journalists are making an impact. Some stories report what happened. Others help make things happen. Throughout 2026, Daily Signal journalists have been breaking news, asking questions directly to the nation’s most powerful leaders, and uncovering stories Americans might otherwise never… -
news
Trump Defiant Amid Concerns AI Tipped Voters Toward Democrats
President Donald Trump doubled down on his support for artificial intelligence Friday, even as polling indicates that concerns about the technology weighed heavily on voters in the midterm elections. “As President, I am 100% in favor of Super Intelligence (SI), and will work with the many States in the U.S. that want to become RICH… -
news
‘Retribution and Lawfare’: Democrats Eye Supreme Court Subpoenas and Probes
Leading Democrats have promised to investigate and issue subpoenas to Supreme Court justices, and they will be in a position to do just that when they assume the majority in Congress in January. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., expected to become chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, previously said he and Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., expected… -
analysis
What Conservatives Are Planning After Midterm Defeat
Summary Conservatives are wasting no time regrouping after this year’s midterm election setbacks. Next week, hundreds of movement leaders will gather in a Washington, D.C., suburb to plot their comeback in 2028. The inaugural event, called The Forum, will bring together disparate segments of the conservative movement for an honest reckoning about Tuesday’s results. Policymakers… -
news
Democrat Facing Felony Charge Flips GOP House Seat in ‘Blue Tsunami’
A Democrat facing a felony charge flipped a North Carolina seat blue in the 2026 midterm “blue tsunami.” LaKesha Womack is set to be sworn into the 120th Congress in January, unseating first-term Republican Rep. Tim Moore in North Carolina’s 14th Congressional District. Womack unexpectedly beat Moore by just over 2 percentage points in North… -
opinion
Securing America’s Economy: Secretary Scott Bessent to Speak at Forum 2026
Days after the midterm elections, conservatives will gather just outside Washington, D.C., for The Forum 2026 to debate where their movement goes next. Hosted by The Heritage Foundation, The Forum 2026 will welcome Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent as a featured speaker. Bessent will be joined by other leaders, including commentator Scott Jennings, television personality… -
news
CAIR Closes Up Shop in Florida After Federal Court Defeat
The Council on American-Islamic Relations has suspended operations in Florida after a federal court rejected its request to block the state’s designation of the organization as a domestic terrorist group. Earlier Thursday, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier posted on X: “This morning, a federal court upheld Florida’s Domestic Terrorist Organization law and rejected CAIR’s attempt… -
opinion
Victor Davis Hanson: Trump’s Second Term—the Counterrevolution Explained
Editor’s note: This is a lightly edited transcript of today’s video from Daily Signal senior contributor Victor Davis Hanson. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see more of his videos. This video was recorded before Tuesday’s midterm elections. Hello, this is Victor Davis Hanson for the Daily Signal. In an earlier video, I talked a little… -
news
Scramble for Power Breaks Out on Capitol Hill
With Republicans headed into the minority in both chambers, candidates for leadership are earnestly making their cases while GOP staffers quietly size them up. The race opened early Wednesday as House Speaker Mike Johnson told his staff he would not run for minority leader, a source familiar with the decision told the Daily Signal. Within… -
news
Karen Bass Ousted: DSA Member Nithya Raman Is LA’s Next Mayor
Nithya Raman, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, is projected to become Los Angeles’ next mayor after defeating incumbent Mayor Karen Bass. Decision Desk HQ called the race for Raman on Wednesday at 7:49 p.m. EST, with Raman receiving 52.10% of the vote compared with Bass’s 47.90%. The result came as a surprise,… -
opinion
But Wait, There’s More: How a Popular Vote Deciding the President May Have Moved One Step Closer to Reality
A postscript to the 2026 midterms: The bodies aren’t even cold, and a conversation with the Election Transparency Initiative’s Ken Cuccinelli made all of the disparate stories come together. This, as Virginia conservatives stare at the darker blue hue that the media pundits will use to color their state boundaries with from now on, wondering… -
news
Efforts to Return Education to the States Must Continue, Letter to Congress Urges
A coalition of conservative organizations is urging congressional leaders to continue the Trump administration’s work of closing the Department of Education. “We urge each of you to continue the essential process of closing the U.S. Department of Education,” states the letter sent Thursday to Education Secretary Linda McMahon; Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D.; Speaker… -
news
DOJ Civil Rights Chief Harmeet Dhillon Resigning
Harmeet Dhillon, assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, plans to resign from her post, two sources familiar confirmed to the Daily Signal. Dhillon has been a strong advocate for parental rights, religious liberty, and constitutional freedoms. Attorney General Todd Blanche said he accepted Dhillon’s resignation on Thursday afternoon…. -
opinion
3 Reasons Florida Didn’t Go Blue Like Texas
Call it a tale of two states. Both Republican-run. Both prosperous. Both heavily populated states that influence the rest of the nation. Yet in the blue tsunami, the results in Texas and Florida were very different. “In January … of the 10 largest states in this union, only one state will have Republican control of… -
opinion
Victor Davis Hanson: What Trump Must Do After the Midterm Losses
Editor’s note: This is a lightly edited transcript of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words” from Daily Signal senior contributor Victor Davis Hanson. Subscribe to Hanson’s own YouTube channel to watch past episodes. Victor Davis Hanson: I will say something, though, also about the midterms very quickly. Yes, what can he do now and what can…