The Democratic Party’s True Believers Are Defecting to Mike Rogers — and Taking Their Rolodexes With Them
When the ride-or-die Democrats start leaving, you don’t have a candidate problem. You have a party problem.
Julian Epstein — former chief counsel for House Judiciary Democrats, former staff director of the House Oversight Committee, a man who spent decades giving everything he had to Democratic House and Senate candidates — published an op-ed in the New York Post announcing he will support and contribute to Mike Rogers, Michigan’s Republican Senate nominee, and will do everything he can to make sure other Democrats follow.
Michael LaRosa, Jill Biden’s former spokesman, is joining Epstein because he, too, has had enough of the socialism and crazy:
These aren’t casual crossover voters. That’s the institutional memory of the House Democratic caucus walking out the door with the checkbook.
They’re not alone. A second prominent DC Democrat — choosing anonymity but describing himself as a lifelong party member and political observer — posted that he has “no particular political juice to offer” but cares about one thing: “keeping bad people out of the Democratic Party and good people in public service for the right reasons.” He cannot support Abdul El-Sayed on either count.
Michigan Democrats are jumping ship publicly too — on camera, to reporters, at airports. “I will not vote Democrat. I’ll switch over.” Another: “I am very concerned about the socialist aspect of Abdul. I’m a liberal, not a socialist.” Even MS NOW had to acknowledge on air that Democratic voters were telling them they’d vote for Rogers after El-Sayed won.
CNN’s Harry Enten observed that El-Sayed showed little working-class appeal — he lost all 15 Michigan counties with the lowest percentage of college degrees. His coalition is college towns. His problem is that Michigan isn’t a college town.
The Jewish donor community has made its intentions clear. A Democratic fundraiser in Michigan said it is “absolutely certain” that several large Jewish Democratic donors will be backing Rogers. The Republican Jewish Coalition is already running outreach to Jewish Democrats in the state, calling El-Sayed “a direct threat to Michigan’s Jewish community.”
Mike Rogers spent years hunting terrorists and bringing Osama bin Laden to justice. El-Sayed spent his campaign backed by a man, Hasan Piker, who praised Mao Zedong and celebrated Hamas, while stating that Israel doesn’t have a right to exist. The contrast couldn’t be cleaner — which is why Rogers is letting El-Sayed’s own record do the work.
The data suggests the Democrats’ chances have dropped dramatically. As Enten framed it, the prospects of a Democratic win have fallen sharply “into Lake Michigan.”
The true believers are walking. The Jewish donors are crossing over. The working-class voters never arrived. The college-town coalition that handed El-Sayed the primary isn’t the coalition that wins a general election in Michigan.
Republicans should feel good about this race. They should also fight like they’re behind.
Because some things that should be easy still find a way to go wrong.
BREAKING: Dolly Parton’s Cause Of Death Revealed: ‘Brief Battle’
Dolly Parton’s death came after a brief battle with cancer, her representatives revealed Tuesday.
The country music legend died Aug. 25 at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville. She was 80.
Parton had been admitted to the cancer center Friday, four days before her death. Her representatives confirmed the cancer diagnosis in a statement to PEOPLE but did not disclose what type she had.
“Our beloved Dolly Parton spent her life and career bringing joy, laughter, hope and integrity into everything she touched. Her unmatched generosity reached the lives of countless people whom she would never meet, yet she was always there to offer a helping hand,” the statement read.
“Whether it be the hundreds of millions of books donated through her invaluable Imagination Library or funding research that helped create a lifesaving vaccine used around the world, Dolly’s unconditional love for all people was the guiding force for her lasting impact. After bravely facing a brief battle with cancer, Dolly departed her Earthly life today at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center surrounded by loved ones,” the statement concluded.
The “Jolene” singer had also been dealing with kidney and autoimmune issues before her death, PEOPLE previously reported.
Just days earlier, Dolly Parton opened up about her declining health and acknowledged that she had put off addressing some medical issues while caring for her husband, Carl.
“As I’ve shared in video messages throughout the past year, I am dealing with some health issues that I just didn’t pay attention to when I was watching over [my husband] Carl. You know, this isn’t the first time I’ve had to manage something like this. Back in the early ’80s, I was down for several months with female issues, and I was struggling with my weight at the time too, so it’s not like I haven’t been through hard times with my health,” Parton told PEOPLE.
Her nephew, Bryan Seaver, announced her death in an Instagram video Tuesday on behalf of the Parton and Owens family.
“My name is Bryan Seaver, son of Cassie Parton, and I’m representing the Parton and Owens family today announcing the passing of my aunt, Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean, Sister, Sis and Granny to one generation and Gigi to the next,” he says in the video.
Seaver, who served as Parton’s head of security for more than two decades, said she had asked him years earlier to deliver the announcement.
“This video announcement is something Dolly asked of me years ago, before I fully absorbed it as a future reality,” he continued. “As her head of security for more than two decades, a role my father Larry held before me, I have imagined the heaviness of this moment but haven’t truly felt it until now.”
Seaver said the moment brought immense pride and heartbreak, but he took comfort in his faith that Parton had been reunited with Carl and other loved ones.
Seaver added: “It is an honor, an honor that is mixed with absolute pride and great sadness. But sadness lies with us, not with Dolly. Dolly has lived in the light and is in the arms of Jesus, surely met by Carl, her parents and countless othe
Shocking 'truth' behind Prince Harry's decision to quit major role
Prince Harry should have "resigned in disgrace" from the board of a controversial African wildlife charity, a commentator says. James Walker makes the bombshell remark in Wednesday's episode of this publication's podcast, Daily Expresso.
He and the show's host, JJ Anisiobi, delve into the Duke of Sussex's dramatic decision to step down from African Parks. James, commenting on the controversy, said: "When you hear about this stuff and how long it's been going on for, you should be resigning in disgrace. [Harry] should be saying: 'I'm not touching that with a barge pole. That is a failed entity. We're going nowhere near it'.
"But no. He's still saying he's going to 'support their mission'. And again this Caroline Pearce, executive director of Survival International, goes on to say: 'His departure doesn't undo that record'.
"She alleged that African Parks was aware of the abuses for years, but it was only after Survival complained to Harry that the charity finally commissioned an investigation."
James added: "Well, she's got a point."
It emerged on Monday (August 24) that Harry was no longer a board member of the wildlife charity.
The conservation organisation has admitted that human rights abuses were committed by its rangers against members of the semi-nomadic Baka group in Congo-Brazzaville.
African Parks has said since that it has improved its safeguarding processes both in the Odzala-Kokoua National Park and institutionally.
Its admission followed an independent human rights investigation into allegations guards managed and paid by the charity had beaten, raped and tortured indigenous people in Odzala-Kokoua National Park.
Harry was president of the charity for six years before he became a member of its board of directors in 2023.
A spokesman for the Duke said he remains an active and avid supporter of African Parks. He added: "The Duke is proud of his 10 years with African Parks and fully supports the ongoing strengthening of its board.
"His commitment to conservation in Africa continues and he remains a supporter of African Parks’ mission."
Human rights organisation, Survival International, said it had been calling on Harry to step down from African Parks for years.
The group's director, Caroline Pearce, said in a statement: "It’s outrageous that for 10 years Prince Harry has served African Parks while the organisation has been responsible for abuse and violence against Indigenous people.
"His departure doesn't undo that record — African Parks itself must now be held accountable, and must abandon this model of fortress conservation for good."
Survival International said indigenous peoples know how best to manage their land and the idea outsiders know better is racist and colonial.
