Day: April 13, 2026
Republicans receive another grim midterm forecast
Democrats and Republicans alike are eyeing the home stretch before the 2026 primaries, but the latest forecast suggests the GOP is facing a major disadvantage.
Republicans have enjoyed a supermajority following the 2024 election after Americans elected President Donald Trump back to the White House and the GOP took back the Senate and maintained its narrow House majority. The electoral forecast is now indicating that the pendulum will swing back in favor of Democrats, with four key races shifting away from Republicans.
None of the Democrat-held seats seem to be leaning Republican.
The Cook Political Report was initially tracking Senate races for Georgia, which is held by incumbent Democrat Jon Ossoff, and North Carolina, which is held by retiring Republican Thom Tillis, as toss-ups that could go either way. The same report also had the Ohio Senate race leaning Republican and the Nebraska Senate race as a solid Republican rating.
As of Monday, all of these races have shifted in favor of Democrats.
RELATED: Democrats’ latest victory in deep-red Mar-a-Lago district offers bleak midterm forecast
Kent Nishimura/Getty Images
The toss-up races in North Carolina and Georgia have both shifted to leaning Democrat, and Ohio, which is held by Republican incumbent Sen. Jon Husted, has changed to a toss-up race. The seat of Republican Sen. Pete Ricketts of Nebraska is still rated likely GOP, but nonetheless there is an evident electoral shift away from Republicans.
None of the Democrat-held seats seem to be leaning Republican. Michigan’s Senate seat, which is held by retiring Democrat Gary Peters, is rated as a toss-up. Maine’s Senate seat, held by Republican Susan Collins, is also notably rated a toss-up.
Republicans currently hold 53 seats and can afford to lose a maximum of just two Senate seats in order to maintain their majority, though Vice President JD Vance could always break any tie votes.
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Sunny Hostin of ‘The View’ claims it costs $400,000 A YEAR for child care — Pat Gray loses it
“The View” is back in the headlines for spewing more ignorant nonsense.
During a discussion reacting to conservative activist Isabel Brown’s comments at CPAC, where she encouraged young women to have more children, Sunny Hostin said it was “reckless” to encourage people to have kids during the current economic climate.
“I think it’s just really reckless to be suggesting that people should have children when you now know in this country there’s this affordability crisis,” Hostin began.
BlazeTV host Pat Gray says just this statement alone is “outrageous.”
“It’s reckless to suggest people have children? Are you kidding me?” he asks in shock. “We’re already below replacement level right now … so do you want America to just disappear eventually?”
But Hostin wasn’t done.
“For a two-person household, a married household, you need over $400,000 for child care — over $400,000. Most people don’t make over $400,000,” she continued, accusing Brown of “advocating for people to be born into poverty, people not being able to feed those children, people not being able to educate those children, and people not being able to house those children at the same time when this government is cutting all of the services that would allow people to have families.”
Co-host Ana Navarro then asked a clarifying question: “$400,000 over the lifetime of the child?”
“No, it’s a year! It’s an annual income exceeding $400,000 to afford child care,” Hostin doubled down.
Pat can’t help but laugh at the absurdity of Hostin’s claim. “It’s not $400,000 a year to have a baby!” he howls.
“They are so butt stupid. It’s embarrassing. I’m embarrassed for them, and I can’t stand them.”
Pat is shocked that “The View” wasn’t forced to address Hostin’s fallacious numbers. “Is that something that the lawyer or somebody could fact-check somewhere along the lines so they come back and correct that garbage?” he asks.
But thus far, no such correction has been made.
Pat wonders how the audience of “The View” is stomaching Hostin’s lie about childrearing — “How many of their viewers have children and understand the fact that it’s not $400,000 a year to clothe them, feed them, house them?” he asks.
“They have to,” says Jeffy, arguing that “anyone with any kind of brain, even a numbskull … knows that it doesn’t take $400,000 a year for a child.”
To hear more of the conversation, watch the episode above.
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Sabrina Carpenter CLEARED of ‘Islamophobia’ after viral ululation confrontation
Pop songstress Sabrina Carpenter dared to express discontent with a different culture, and now she’s apologizing for it.
In fact, the young singer had no idea what she was making fun of at the time, but she has been properly re-educated since the incident.
‘I don’t like it.’
Swiss miss
It was Friday night at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California, when Carpenter heard what she thought was “yodeling” from a member of the crowd.
“I think I heard someone yodel,” Carpenter said while seated at a piano. “Is that what you’re doing?” she asked.
“It’s Arab! It’s an Arab call!” an audience member can be heard yelling back.
“I don’t like it,” Carpenter firmly replied.
The 26-year-old offered an awkward smile as the audience member provided further explanation.
“It’s my culture!” they offered.
“That’s your culture, is yodeling?” the puzzled singer asked back.
Still the fan tried to culturally enrich the Quakertown, Pennsylvania, singer.
“It’s Arab, it’s a call. It’s a call of celebration,” they went on, according to 7News Australia.
Seemingly ready to end the exchange, Carpenter jumped in, “Is this Burning Man? What’s going on? This is weird.”
Trilling tales
Fortunately, the internet stepped in to educate Carpenter, noting that the ululation she heard is called a zaghrouta.
A helpful community note on X described the screams as a “pre-Islamic cultural expression of joy used by Arabs across religions, including Christians, at celebrations.”
It added, “It is not an Islamic practice, so Sabrina Carpenter’s reaction to the sound does not indicate islamophobia.”
OK, but what about … Arabaphobia? A few cultural commissars tried to make the charge stick, but for the most part, fans were happy to chalk it all up to a misunderstanding.
Carpenter offered a playful apology on her X page, saying that she would welcome any further cultural cries, or yodels, in the future:
“My apologies i didn’t see this person with my eyes and couldn’t hear clearly,” she wrote. “My reaction was pure confusion, sarcasm and not ill intended. could have handled it better! now i know what a Zaghrouta is! I welcome all cheers and yodels from here on out.”
RELATED: Satan struts at Paris Fashion Week — here are the 3 most demonic designers
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images/The Recording Academy
ICE-capades
Carpenter has not shied away from controversial interactions, especially of the political nature.
In December, she demanded the White House cease using her music in a video that showed people getting arrested, presumably illegal immigrants.
“This video is evil and disgusting. Do not ever involve me or my music to benefit your inhumane agenda,” Carpenter replied,
The singer also offered voter registration during her 2024 tour, registering more than 35,000 voters and officially engaging with more than 260,000, according to Variety.
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‘Only the fake news could come up with that one’: Trump deletes post of image that angered many Christians
President Donald Trump deleted a post that angered many Christians and explained his rationale to reporters on Monday.
The image seemingly showed the president depicted as Jesus Christ healing a sick man with angels behind him. Trump admitted that he personally posted it but said the image had been misunderstood.
‘It’s supposed to be me as a doctor, making people better, and I do make people better. I make people a lot better.’
Trump addressed the issue after receiving a DoorDash driver who had brought a McDonald’s order to the White House.
“It was me. I did post it, and I thought it was me as a doctor and had to do with the Red Cross, as a Red Cross worker there, which we support, and only the fake news could come up with that one,” said the president.
The post was deleted Monday after getting criticism online.
“I just heard about it, and I said, ‘How did they come up with that?'” he added. “It’s supposed to be me as a doctor, making people better, and I do make people better. I make people a lot better.”
The White House posted video of his response to the Rapid Response account on the X platform.
RELATED: Vatican finally responds to Trump’s invitation for Pope Leo to join Board of Peace
The biblical brouhaha came at a time when the president is also taking aim at the pope over his statements against the war in Iran.
Sharon Simmons of Arkansas was identified as the first DoorDash driver to deliver to the White House, and she said in an interview afterward that she had saved $3,000 to $4,000 in taxes because of the president’s policies. She also said her husband is undergoing cancer treatment.
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Embattled pro-life volunteer Mark Houck reaches 7-figure DOJ settlement after years of fighting bogus case under Biden
While it can be dangerous for pro-life Americans to stand up for what they believe in and pray for an end to abortion, one battle has finally drawn to a close — with a happy ending.
In a blog post late last week, 40 Days for Life announced that the Department of Justice has settled with pro-life volunteer Mark Houck after a years-long legal battle following a case involving a dispute outside an abortion clinic.
‘All Americans who believe in the rule of law and in the nonpartisan administration of justice should celebrate Mark Houck’s victorious settlement.’
In a video statement announcing the legal win, 40 Days for Life CEO and President Shawn Carney touted the case as a “huge legal victory for free speech.”
Carney added that the change in administration aided efforts immensely, saying, “We got so much persecution from the DOJ under Biden, and President Trump has corrected that.”
RELATED: Pro-life activist arrested by FBI raid for abortion clinic assault
Jeff J. Mitchell/Getty Images
Houck reached a settlement with the DOJ resulting in a payout of over $1 million, according to 40 Days for Life.
C.J. Doyle, the executive director of the Catholic Action League of Massachusetts, said in a statement to Blaze News: “All Americans who believe in the rule of law and in the nonpartisan administration of justice should celebrate Mark Houck’s victorious settlement with the Department of Justice. Houck was the victim of ideologically driven prosecutorial overreach by a corrupt, politicized Biden DOJ which had a history of selective prosecutions of FACE Act cases.”
“This unwarranted prosecution was preceded by a gratuitous, grossly excessive display of force by FBI agents in arresting Houck in front of his family. The attorneys from 40 Days for Life, who represented Houck, are to be commended for their successful defense of the First Amendment guarantees of free speech and the free exercise of religion,” Doyle added.
Houck’s case started in 2021, when he and his son were confronted by an angry abortion escort outside an abortion clinic in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Houck reportedly pushed the escort away in order to protect his son.
The abortion escort fell to the ground but did not sustain any serious injuries.
Subsequently, Houck’s home was raided by armed state and federal agents, after which he was reportedly chained to a table for six hours and threatened with 11 years in federal prison related to violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act. He was ultimately charged with intimidating and shoving the clinic escort in violation of the FACE Act.
Houck was quickly acquitted by a jury in January 2023, and because he did not take a deal with the DOJ, he was able to sue for damages after the dramatic arrest in front of his wife and children.
Houck was an early volunteer with 40 Days for Life, which has helped save the lives of over 26,000 babies and helped close over 180 abortion clinics since 2007, according to the organization’s website.
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Britney Spears enters rehab after arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence
Britney Spears voluntarily checked into rehab on Sunday following her March arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence, a representative for Spears confirmed to Reuters on Monday.
DSWD extends aid to 2,500 OFWs affected by Middle East conflict
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has provided psychosocial and financial assistance to over 2,500 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) affected by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Study reveals dark-colored clothes are best protection vs harmful UV rays
Some experts suggest that dark-colored clothes are the appropriate for against harmful UV rays, according to a study, GMA News’ Vonne Aquino reported on “State of the Nation” Monday.
Short-lived lava fountaining seen at Mayon Volcano – PHIVOLCS
State volcanologists on Monday night observed short-lived lava fountaining at the summit crater of Mayon Volcano, a few hours after logging minor strombolian activity.
