The 2028 election is right around the corner. Is New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez going to run for president? For Senate? For the House of Representatives?

These questions — and many more — shroud the 2028 Democratic primaries in much mystery. Much to the detriment of the public, and the delight of speculative journalists, Ocasio-Cortez has not yet made her own plans clear.

In 2025, an AOC presidential candidacy seemed likely to many. Her participation in Bernie Sanders’ “Fighting Oligarchy” tour suggested that she may have been considering national office.

Recently, however, she appears to be much more interested in the issues of her home state, New York.

Last Thursday, she began a statewide tour of key cities. In Buffalo, she helped launch an effort dubbed “Project Reactivation,” which targets 100,000 inactive registered Democrats across New York.

“Oftentimes inactive voters are blamed as though it’s their fault for not participating,” AOC said, according to Buffalo-Toronto Public Media. “We need to give people a reason to participate. We need to give people a reason and something to vote for.”

From Buffalo, she traveled to Ithaca Sunday for a “Students vs. Billionaires” event for Cornell University and Ithaca College students. While there is a very strong progressive base in the area, AOC encouraged her audience to get involved in local and congressional elections to ensure a blue victory.

After Ithaca, she visited Syracuse and brought another version of “Project Reactivation” to central New York.

While visiting these various cities, AOC made sure to meet with local politicians. In Buffalo particularly, she held a 30-minute closed-door meeting with Mayor Sean Ryan, and then a televised impromptu news conference.

Focus on cities outside of her congressional district doesn’t necessarily prove Senate aspirations, yet AOC’s recent interview with the New York Times revealed a few matters of extreme importance:

“Every element of this is something that’s within consideration,” AOC said when asked about running for president or senator.

Times reporter Shane Goldmacher wrote that “Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, who won her seat by toppling a powerful Democratic House leader in a 2018 primary, did not rule out the possibility of challenging [Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck] Schumer — even if he helps Democrats win a Senate majority in the midterms.”

In the interview, AOC made it very clear that her choice would not change if her primary challenger is a potential Senate majority leader or a former vice president.

“I don’t think that my decisions would come down to deference,” she said.

While she has not officially denied the idea, here are a few compelling reasons to believe that AOC will not pursue lodging at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

First, only one House member has ascended directly to the presidency. That was James A. Garfield in 1880. Even if AOC was very popular, it would be quite uncommon — unprecedented in modern history — for someone of her limited experience to be granted the highest office in the nation.

The second reason comes from the use of the phrase, “if AOC was popular.” While she is popular in specific progressive circles, the country overall would have to shift radically to the left for her to ever be elected.

A recent New York Times/Siena University poll revealed that her favorability rating among Republicans was less than 1 percent. This renders crossing party lines for coalition construction practically impossible.

Furthermore, only 30 percent of all likely voters nationally viewed her favorably, with 41 percent holding unfavorable opinions. It’s difficult to win a race with those kinds of numbers.

This would explain why AOC hasn’t made any public visits to the early presidential primary states. She likely knows that “President Ocasio-Cortez” is a long shot. “Senator,” however, is very plausible.

AOC is armed with a statewide tour and a massive grassroots fundraising base, and Chuck Schumer’s Senate seat appears to be set squarely in her sights.

This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.

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Former Special Counsel Jack Smith on Tuesday testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on his federal criminal investigation into President Trump.

Merrick Garland, US Attorney General under Biden, appointed Jack Smith to investigate Trump in November 2022, just one day after Trump announced a 2024 White House bid.

In June 2023, Smith indicted Trump on 37 federal counts in Miami for lawfully storing presidential records at his Mar-a-Lago estate, which was protected by Secret Service agents.

In a separate case in Washington DC, Jack Smith indicted Trump on four counts: Conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights.

On Tuesday, Jack Smith defended his inquisition and said he stands by his decision to charge President Trump.

Republican Senator Ted Cruz blasted Jack Smith and accused him of “egregious abuse of power.”

“Congratulations! Because you have succeeded where Richard Nixon failed, which is weaponizing the DOJ to go after your political opponents! You are stepping into the shoes of John Mitchell…your abuses are far greater,” Ted Cruz said.

“For the rest of your life, you’ll be hailed as a hero in the resistance movement. I presume you have a pink hat somewhere at home,” Cruz said.

He continued, “But you have brought the DOJ into disrepute. Instead of being apolitical and enforcing the law, you willingly conscripted as a foot soldier as the DNC.”

“And you reelected Donald Trump, because the people were disgusted at you,” Ted Cruz said.

“I believe his conduct represents the most egregious abuse of power in the history of the Department of Justice,” Ted Cruz later said.

WATCH:

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Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced a barrage of high-profile arrests on Monday that included convicted murderers, drug dealers, and child abusers.

“Thanks to the leadership of President Trump, there have been ZERO releases at the border for 16 months,” a Homeland Security news release read.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said in a statement that “while Americans enjoyed their weekend, the brave men and women of ICE arrested murderers, child sexual predators, and child abusers who should not have been in our country in the first place.”

Mullin added, “Under President Trump, ICE has been unleashed to target and remove illegal aliens from our communities so that we can Make America Safe Again. Arresting and deporting illegal aliens saves lives.”

The list included criminals from Mexico, Cuba, Laos, Nigeria, Micronesia, the Dominican Republic, and El Salvador.

These individuals committed crimes across the country in California, Indiana, Louisiana, Florida, New York, Iowa, Texas, Kansas, Maryland, Virginia, and Massachusetts.

The list of offenses ranged from murder, sexual abuse of a minor, and assault to drug possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl.

Additionally, there were some who’d been convicted of “child abuse with great bodily injury or death,” as well as “lewd and lascivious acts” with a child under the age of 14.

The release came just days after ICE posted about another large group of illegal alien criminals who had been successfully apprehended.

“Despite a 1,600% increase in assaults against them, the brave men and women of ICE will never stop enforcing the law,” the post read.

Despite a 1,600% increase in assaults against them, the brave men and women of ICE will never stop enforcing the law.

Yesterday, @ICEgov arrested more murderers, sexual predators, robbers, and other dangerous illegal aliens.

— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) September 25, 2026

That same day, the agency announced it had arrested an illegal alien who’d assaulted a law enforcement officer, blaming sanctuary city leadership for encouraging violence against the federal government.

ILLEGAL ALIEN WHO WOUNDED OFFICER ARRESTED.

Jesus Israel Garcia-Cobarruvias, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, has been ARRESTED by @HSI_HQ and @ICEgov after allegedly using his vehicle to assault a law enforcement officer in California.

This comes as sanctuary politicians’… pic.twitter.com/veyp9Wsau1

— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) September 25, 2026

“This comes as sanctuary politicians’ violent rhetoric against the men and women of ICE have resulted in a 1,600% INCREASE in assaults against our officers,” it concluded.

“Garcia-Cobarruvias has already been removed from our country THREE times and has a lengthy criminal history that includes burglary and domestic violence. DHS will NOT tolerate violent criminals in our nation.”

This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.

The post ICE Announces Arrests of Killers, Child Predators, Drug Traffickers in Major Sweep appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

A toddler brought a loaded Glock to a Canton, Michigan, daycare on Monday morning.

Surveillance video showed a daycare worker jump into action and confiscate the weapon from the 3-year-old child.

The toddler reportedly brought the firearm in a backpack. The child took the gun out of the backpack and that’s when a daycare worker swiftly intervened.

The child’s mother, a nurse, has been taken into custody and may face charges this week.

The toddler’s father is a Detroit police officer, and he is not expected to face charges.

Police said the child’s gun was not his father’s service weapon.

WXYZ reported:

A quick-thinking daycare worker stopped a potentially deadly situation after a toddler brought a loaded Glock pistol into a classroom at a Canton early learning center Monday morning.

Police say the gun belonged to the toddler’s mother, a nurse, who has been arrested and could face formal charges as early as Wednesday. The toddler’s father is a Detroit Police Department (DPD) officer, according to new information obtained by 7 News Detroit. DPD is not commenting on the case.

The incident unfolded at the Children’s World Early Learning Center in Canton. Surveillance camera footage captured the moment a daycare worker noticed the child had a firearm and immediately intervened.

“That teacher — once recognized that a firearm was in the classroom — took immediate action,” Police Chief Joseph Bialy said.

The firearm was still in a holster when the toddler brought it into the classroom, with the trigger and trigger guard completely covered. Canton police said that, combined with the worker’s swift response, prevented anyone from being hurt.

More on this shocking story from Fox:

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House Speaker Mike Johnson recently dismissed opposition to data centers, saying that Democrats and China are playing mind games with Americans.

“This is what Democrats do every election cycle,” Johnson said in a video posted to X.

“They find something to glom onto and say that this is doom and gloom and everyone will die if we don’t win. Don’t buy it,” he said.

“It is a Chinese psyop. I really believe that. That’s not a conspiracy theory. I think they’re pushing those ideas,” he said.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) SMACKS DOWN the AI DOOMERS and anti-data center ads as Chinese Propaganda. “Don’t buy it. It is a Chinese psyop.”

“This is what Democrats do every election cycle. They find something to, you know, glom onto and say that this is doom and gloom… pic.twitter.com/04pPWygvtM

— RedWave Press (@RedWavePress) September 28, 2026

Data centers — massive buildings that hold the computing power needed for artificial intelligence — are controversial, with one strand of opinion saying they drive up utility costs and drain resources from local communities.

On the other hand, others say those negatives are overstated and that data centers are essential to keeping the United States in the lead in the artificial intelligence sector.

The concerns, coupled with fears that AI may slip beyond the ability of humans to control it, have spawned calls for regulation. Leading into the midterm elections, polling has shown, in general, that opposition to data centers outweighs support of them.

“We do not need a moratorium. We do not need to jump in and hyper-regulate this because we’ll lose the race to China,” Johnson said, according to Newsweek. “The innovation is important to continue.”

The Global Government Affairs Team on X has said debate is being manipulated by China.

“The X Safety team conducted an investigation into suspected Chinese inauthentic accounts involved in influence operations: We identified a bot farm of approximately 200,000 accounts. Within this farm, we found 200 accounts posting in a manner that could manipulate a legitimate debate about American AI and energy policy,” it said in a recent post on X.

“These posts contained claims that AI data centers are driving up household electricity prices and straining the grid,” the post added.

“Others included AI-generated cartoons that depicted data-center operators enriching themselves at the public’s expense. We remain committed to maintaining an open and authentic platform where people debate topics of public interest,” the post continued.

“We take seriously any attempts to undermine the integrity of the global town square and suspend accounts that violate our Authenticity policy.”

President Donald Trump supports expansion of AI, including data centers.

“The only reason that communities throughout the U.S.A. should not want Data Centers is if they want to end up being backwards and poor,” Trump posted in August on Truth Social.

“If they want to be successful and rich, with far lower taxes and jobs all over the place, let Data Reign,” he wrote. “The good news is that there are plenty of other places that want them. If we kill the Golden Goose, you will only have yourselves to blame.”

“China could not be happier with this anti Data Center movement. Actually, they can’t believe it is happening!” he posted.

This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.

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