Texas Weekly Online

Texas-trans-white
Menu
Menu

Author: shailender

Dems at a crossroads as establishment plans ‘Project 2029’ while socialist candidate wins NYC mayoral primary

Dems at a crossroads as establishment plans ‘Project 2029’ while socialist candidate wins NYC mayoral primary

Socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani’s New York City primary win indicated a generational departure from the establishment Democratic Party that coalesced behind former Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s unsuccessful bid.  However, the rank-and-file Democrats who catapulted the party into disarray, losing the White House and Congress in 2024, are already laying post-Trump policy groundwork.  Neera Tanden, who served in the White House during the Clinton, Obama and Biden administrations and testified to Congress last week about her use of the autopen during former President Joe Biden’s presidency, along with Biden’s former national security advisor, Jake Sullivan, are on the advisory board for “Project 2029.” Andrei Cherny, a former Democratic speechwriter, state party leader and co-founder of a liberal policy journal, is organizing Democratic leaders to create a ready-to-implement agenda for the next Democratic presidential nominee, inspired by the conservative “Project 2025,” which was created by the Heritage Foundation ahead of President Donald Trump‘s 2024 presidential win. MAMDANI’S PRIMARY WIN EXPOSES DEMOCRAT DIVIDE AS TOP LEADERS WITHHOLD ENDORSEMENTS The Democrats’ marquee legislative framework for their future nominee will be rolled out over the next two years in quarterly installments through Cherny’s publication, “Democracy: A Journal of Ideas.” The Democrats plan to turn it into a book, just like Project 2025. The details of “Project 2029” were first reported by The New York Times and have since been confirmed by Fox News Digital.  DEM SOCIALIST’S NYC PRIMARY UPSET SIGNALS ‘GENERATIONAL’ SHIFT IN DEMOCRATIC PARTY, STRATEGISTS SAY As The Times revealed the Democratic Party’s political stage-setting for years to come, an intraparty reckoning is unfolding in real time following Mamdani’s primary win last Tuesday. The institutional policy agenda has emerged during critical conjecture between the past and the future of the Democratic Party.  Mamdani’s primary win ignited a progressive buzz reminiscent of “Squad” leader Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s 2018 Democratic primary upset, an excitement that has been on full display during 83-year-old Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders’ “Fighting Oligarchy” tour this year.  Both progressive leaders and self-described Democratic socialists endorsed Mamdani ahead of last Tuesday’s primary in New York City. Leading up to Election Day, Ocasio-Cortez’s fellow “Squad” members, including Reps. Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar, also came out in support of the Mamdani movement.  His win shattered expectations and forced Cuomo, who resigned from his governorship in 2021 amid multiple scandals, to concede soon after the polls closed. While Cuomo remains in the race as an independent alongside incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, whose tenure has been plagued by his own scandals, Mamdani’s win signaled a departure from the Democratic Party establishment.  Meanwhile, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) has faced its own reckoning this year after 25-year-old progressive David Hogg announced his multimillion-dollar plan to primary older incumbent Democrats he claimed were “asleep at the wheel.” Hogg, who campaigned for Mamdani in New York City, ultimately left his vice chair position at the DNC this year as questions remain about the trajectory of a party struggling to find its footing with Trump dominating American politics.  Central to the Democrats’ division between its past and future is support for Israel.  Moderate New York Democrats have not outright endorsed Mamdani following his primary win last Tuesday. Party leaders, including Gov. Kathy Hochul, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, confirmed they spoke with Mamdani but have continued to hold their endorsements.  Aside from his socialist promises and anti-capitalist comments, much of establishment Democrats’ discontent with Mamdani is rooted in accusations that he is antisemitic.  Rep. Laura Gillen, D-N.Y., said last week that Mamdani is “too extreme to lead New York City.” She said he has demonstrated a “deeply disturbing pattern of unacceptable antisemitic comments, which stoke hate at a time when antisemitism is rising.” Another New York Democrat, Rep. Tom Suozzi said last week he still has “serious concerns” about Mamdani.  The crux of accusations that Mamdani is antisemitic stems from his refusal to condemn the rallying cry, “globalize the intifada.” Mamdani has refused to condemn the term, which has been adopted by pro-Palestinian protesters resisting the war in Gaza and, according to the American Jewish Committee, “calls for people from around the globe to participate in rising up against Israel.” Mamdani, who would become New York City’s first Muslim mayor if elected in November, has said he doesn’t support policing language. In multiple interviews since he initially sparked controversy on the campaign trail, he has refused to condemn the language.  He has also drawn criticism from Jewish New Yorkers, pro-Israel groups and Democrats for defending the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, which calls for consumers, companies and governments to cut ties with Israel in an effort to influence the country’s policies toward Palestinians. Mamdani refused to acknowledge, when asked repeatedly on the debate stage, that Israel has the right to exist as a Jewish state. Instead, he said that Israel has the right to exist as “a state with equal rights.” On Oct. 13, 2023, six days after the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attacks, Mamdani asked his supporters to join him at a rally outside Schumer’s house “to speak out against the indiscriminate killing of Palestinians as we sit on the brink of a genocide.” However, despite the criticism, Mamdani has repeatedly condemned antisemitism.  “Antisemitism is such a real issue in this city, and it has been hard to see it weaponized by candidates who do not seem to have any real interest in tackling it, but rather in using it as a pretext to make political points,” he said on the campaign trail ahead of Election Day.  Mamdani did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.  Fox News’ Leonard Balducci and Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report. 

Musk takes a break from slamming BBB, doles out praise for Trump amid Israel ceasefire announcement

Musk takes a break from slamming BBB, doles out praise for Trump amid Israel ceasefire announcement

SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk put a pause on bashing President Donald Trump‘s “big, beautiful bill,” and issued some praise for the president after an announcement that Israel had agreed to a 60-day ceasefire with Gaza.  Musk has been highly critical of Trump’s massive tax and domestic policy package that the Senate passed Tuesday — hours after Trump said he’d have to “take a look” at deporting Musk, who is a U.S. citizen but was born in South Africa.  However, despite the public attacks following Musk’s departure from heading up the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in May, Musk still offered a stamp of approval for Trump’s handling of global conflict.  “Credit where credit is due. @realDonaldTrump has successfully resolved several serious conflicts around the world,” Musk said in an early Wednesday morning post on X.  TRUMP SAYS DOGE ‘MONSTER’ MAY HAVE TO ‘EAT ELON’ AS MUSK VOWS PRIMARY ADS FOR LAWMAKERS WHO CROSS HIM ON BBB Musk also shared a screenshot of Trump’s post on Truth Social announcing Tuesday that members of his team had a “long and productive meeting with the Israelis today on Gaza,” and that Israel had agreed to terms for a 60-day ceasefire.  Tensions between Musk and Trump first boiled over in May due to differences related to Trump’s massive tax and spending package amid reports the measure would increase the federal deficit.  However, Musk historically has waffled between attacking Trump and then following up with attempts to smooth things over with the president. Just after Musk’s DOGE departure, they traded barbs over the “big, beautiful bill,” prompting Musk to say that Trump wouldn’t have won the 2024 election without his backing. In turn, Trump accused Musk of going “CRAZY” over cuts to the electric vehicle credits, and said that Musk had been “wearing thin.” Days later, Musk shared a Truth Social post from Trump regarding the immigration raid protests in Los Angeles, and re-posted one of Vice President JD Vance’s posts on X about the riots. “This moment calls for decisive leadership,” Vance said, sharing a screenshot of a post from Trump about how his administration would address the riots. “The president will not tolerate rioting and violence.” REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS STAND FIRM AGAINST MUSK’S ‘KILL THE BILL’ ASSAULT ON TRUMP’S AGENDA Tensions between Musk and Trump appeared to dissolve for much of June, but resurfaced as the “big, beautiful bill” edged closer to passage.  Musk has threatened in recent days to back challengers to Republicans who voted for Trump’s tax and spending bill, and went so far as to call for a new political party.  “It is obvious with the insane spending of this bill, which increases the debt ceiling by a record FIVE TRILLION DOLLARS, that we live in a one-party country – the PORKY PIG PARTY!! Time for a new political party that actually cares about the people,” Musk posted on X Monday.  Meanwhile, Trump has continued to dismiss Musk’s criticism of the measure, claiming Musk isn’t pleased with it because it eliminates an electric vehicle tax credit that benefits companies like Tesla.  ‘HE’S NOT A BIG FACTOR’: TRUMP’S SENATE ALLIES DISMISS ELON MUSK’S CALLS TO ‘KILL THE BILL’ “Elon Musk knew, long before he so strongly Endorsed me for President, that I was strongly against the EV Mandate,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social early Tuesday. “It is ridiculous, and was always a major part of my campaign. Electric cars are fine, but not everyone should be forced to own one. Elon may get more subsidy than any human being in history, by far, and without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Later that morning, Trump told reporters that he would “take a look” at deporting Musk, and that he might have DOGE evaluate the government subsidies Tesla receives.  “We might have to put DOGE on Elon,” Trump told reporters at the White House Tuesday. “You know what DOGE is? The monster that might have to go back and eat Elon. Wouldn’t that be terrible? He gets a lot of subsidies.” “So tempting to escalate this,” Musk said in response to a video of Trump’s comment on X Tuesday. “So, so tempting. But I will refrain for now.”

MAGA rival attempts to push longtime Trump ally out of Senate

MAGA rival attempts to push longtime Trump ally out of Senate

A top Senate ally of President Donald Trump is facing a primary challenge from the right.  Former South Carolina Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer is running for the Senate in 2026, mounting a Republican primary challenge against longtime GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham. “Lindsey Graham has lost his way, and South Carolinians deserve a true conservative fighter to represent them in the United States Senate – 100% guaranteed,” Bauer, a wealthy developer and longtime Trump backer, charged in a statement early Wednesday, as he declared his candidacy. Graham in February kicked off his campaign for a fifth six-year term representing the red state of South Carolina in the Senate. ON U.S. STRIKE ON IRAN, GRAHAM SAYS TRUMP SHOWED THERE’S ‘A NEW SHERIFF IN TOWN’ The senator was endorsed by Trump in March and this week he announced that veteran Republican consultant Chris LaCivita, who served as co-chair of the president’s 2024 campaign to win back the White House, was coming on board as his re-election campaign’s senior advisor. Bauer – who unsuccessfully ran for governor in 2010 (in an election won by now-former governor, former ambassador to the U.N. and 2024 GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley) and Congress in 2012 after serving eight years as the Palmetto State’s lieutenant governor – touted his Trump and MAGA credentials. FIRST ON FOX: FORMER TRUMP AMBASSADOR LAUNCHES SENATE BID “One of the first leaders in the country to endorse Trump in early 2016, André has been on the front lines of the America First movement, and has stood firmly with Trump on every issue,” his campaign touted in their email release. “André is a proven conservative fighter who will unapologetically stand with President Trump and put South Carolina first.” Bauer stood alongside Trump at the South Carolina Statehouse in January 2023, as the former president announced his leadership team in the key early-voting primary state. Trump, at the time, called Bauer “a friend of mine, somebody that could I think run for almost any office and win.” Graham, along with Republican Gov. Howie McMaster of South Carolina, also stood alongside Trump at that event. Eight years earlier, Graham was highly critical of Trump as he was part of a large field of rivals who ran against the real estate mogul and reality TV star for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination. But Graham became a close friend and top ally to Trump during the president’s first term. The senator has survived primary challenges from the right in his past re-election campaigns, and has been attacked for his more moderate stances on the issues of illegal immigration and climate change, as well as his advocacy for a muscular U.S. national security and foreign policy. Ahead of last month’s U.S. strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, Graham urged Trump to “go all-in” to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Bauer, in his campaign launch, attacked the senator as “Globalist Lindsey Graham” and charged that he “has spent three decades sending your tax dollars overseas and funding regime change wars all over the world instead of helping South Carolinians. Lindsey voted over and over again for big spending and that has grown the national debt by trillions.” Bauer also argued that “Graham has repeatedly called for amnesty for illegal immigrants.” Graham, on Tuesday, hours ahead of Bauer’s launch, spotlighted his efforts to help Trump’s so-called “big beautiful” landmark spending and tax cut bill pass the Senate by a razor-thin one-vote margin. “I just had a great phone call with President @realDonaldTrump about his excitement regarding the Senate’s passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill,” Graham wrote in a social media post.  And he highlighted that he’s “incredibly proud to have led the fight to move President Trump’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ through the Senate Budget Committee and onto full passage by the United States Senate.” Graham re-election campaign spokeswoman Abby Zilch also took aim at Bauer. “Andre Bauer has spent his career chasing titles to feed his ego, running for five different offices and even trying to leverage Senator Graham and the White House for an ambassadorship. When that failed, he launched his sixth campaign – proving once again, this is all about Making Andre Great Again,” Zilch claimed in a statement. Republicans dominate statewide elections in South Carolina and the winner of next year’s GOP Senate primary will be considered the clear frontrunner in the 2026 general election.

Trump vows to ‘save New York City’ from Zohran Mamdani: ‘I hold all the levers’

Trump vows to ‘save New York City’ from Zohran Mamdani: ‘I hold all the levers’

President Donald Trump vowed to “save New York City” from mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani on Wednesday. Trump made the statement from his Truth Social account, blasting the Democratic Party’s nominee for mayor and claiming that he has the power to step in and take action if he chooses. “As President of the United States, I’m not going to let this Communist Lunatic destroy New York,” Trump wrote. “Rest assured, I hold all the levers, and have all the cards. I’ll save New York City, and make it ‘Hot’ and ‘Great’ again, just like I did with the Good Ol’ USA!” The post was only Trump’s latest salvo against Mamdani, who has faced intense criticism from conservatives and even some Democrats over his socialist policies and refusal to condemn terrorism-linked rhetoric. HAKEEM JEFFRIES SAYS NYC HOPEFUL MAMDANI NEEDS TO ‘CLARIFY’ HIS POSITION ON ‘GLOBALIZE THE INTIFADA’ Mamdani’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Trump had previously threatened to pull federal funding from the city, saying in a Fox News interview that aired Sunday, “I can tell you this – whoever’s mayor of New York is going to have to behave themselves, or the federal government is coming down very tough on them financially.” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday that Mamdani would “crush” New York City if he is elected mayor. Fox News’ White House correspondent Peter Doocy asked Leavitt about recent calls for Mamdani to be deported, citing calls from one lawmaker who said Mamdani should be denaturalized. “I haven’t heard him say that. I haven’t heard him call for that. But certainly he does not want this individual to be elected. I was just speaking to him about it and [Mamdani’s] radical policies that will completely crush New York City, which is obviously a city that the president holds near and dear to his heart,” Leavitt responded. SEN. KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND URGES ZOHRAN MAMDANI TO DENOUNCE ‘GLOBALIZE THE INTIFADA’ RHETORIC Leavitt went on to say that Trump would be willing to work with Mamdani if he is elected, though she predicted that the relationship would be difficult. “Look, the president is always willing to work with everyone. He’s working with Democrats across the country, Democrat governors. And he said he’ll work with people on the far left. He works with Republicans. He works with people in the middle. He wants to do what’s right for America,” Leavitt said. “But surely someone who holds these values and is quite literally a communist and condemns every value that makes this country great: common sense, law and order, low taxes, working hard, and earning your keep in this country. He’s against all of that. And I think the president would find it difficult to work with someone like that, if he is elected. I’m sure you’ll hear more from the president on that, but we’ll have to see. Hopefully, the voters of New York City choose wisely,” she finished. Mamdani made waves earlier this week for refusing multiple times to condemn the phrase “globalize the intifada” during an appearance on MSNBC.