DAILY CALLER NEWS FOUNDATION—LAS VEGAS—For thousands of attendees at a Trump rally Thursday in Las Vegas, volunteers stood ready to collect mail-in ballots on-site. The strategy is a major shift for Nevada Republicans, who opposed the legalization of ballot harvesting in 2020. Now, conservative activists and GOP operatives are leaning into the new rules, asking voters to bring ballots to rallies and doing whatever it takes to make it easy for Republicans to get their votes in early. “We don’t like early voting, but it’s how the game is,” Turning Point Action Las Vegas field representative Schayden Gorai told the Daily Caller News Foundation, explaining these are “the rules that the Democrats have set.” Early voting numbers have been strong for Republicans, who lead Democrats by nearly 24,000 votes between in-person and mail ballots as of Friday morning. If Democrats can’t change the current margins, which have them up in mail ballots but trailing Republicans by 25% for in-person early voting, longtime Nevada political reporter and editor of The Nevada Independent Jon Ralston wrote Thursday night the party is in “big, big trouble.” Take a deeper look at Nevada — and what it could mean for the rest of the country. Ds aren't showing up for @KamalaHarris. If that happens around the country, the missing red wave of 2022 could show up in 2024 as a tsunami. These are the in-person early voting stats for 2024… https://t.co/S5gf6hYUzb pic.twitter.com/tQfR19c2oE— Victor Joecks (@VictorJoecks) October 25, 2024 Former President Donald Trump—and others who spoke at the Turning Point-sponsored rally Thursday, including Vivek Ramaswamy, Charlie Kirk, and Tulsi Gabbard—urged supporters in the crowd to get out early and bring others along. Prior to the rally, a text blast was sent out letting attendees know about the ballot drop-off option. Fliers and other messaging likewise encouraged supporters to bring their ballots. Republicans launched the new approach when Trump spoke in Reno earlier this month. Now that more people know about the option, campaign staff say the method is gaining some traction. “We had a whole envelope full of ballots dropped off today, which is really exciting to see,” Halee Dobbins, GOP communications director for Nevada and Arizona, told the Daily Caller News Foundation during the rally. “The margins are always close, but we don’t want to leave one vote on the table.” Volunteers collect ballots at a Turning Point Action rally featuring former President Donald Trump in Las Vegas. (Katelynn Richardson/Daily Caller News Foundation) While many voters maintain reservations about mail ballots, the messaging is landing with some. Jennifer McGrath, a Las Vegas resident of two years who has volunteered for the Trump campaign, appreciates the convenience of dropping off her ballot while she’s already at the rally. She said it helps her avoid the risk of an issue coming up on Election Day that prevents her from making it to the polls. “I also received a receipt which lets me know how to check on the status of my ballot,” she said. “That way within about 48 hours I will know that my ballot has been delivered to the vote center and counted.” The collection at the rally is only part of a broader strategy Turning Point calls “ballot chasing.” “We’ve hired full time staffers here, especially in congressional district three, in our low propensity targeted districts and precincts to help to get out that vote,” Gorai said. At around 20 “Super Chase” events in the past month, volunteers and staffers partnered together to door knock and ensure voters have what they need. “That might be taking them to the polls, helping them to get the ballot in the mail, helping them to take that to a drop box, whatever it might look like,” Gorai said. “Whatever is easier for the voter is how we approach that ballot.” While I was in Summerlin assisting voters and knocking on doors, I asked @Lexieeebb to help me with folks who have reached out way across town, to pick up their ballots!She secured +2 Republican Ballots for @realDonaldTrump and @CaptainSamBrown!Use the @TPAction_ App and see… pic.twitter.com/1D4AhgJfnQ— Schayden Gorai?? (@schaykg) October 22, 2024 While there has been a more aggressive effort to secure ballots, those working with the Trump campaign believe the GOP’s election integrity efforts have also given voters the confidence to turn out in greater number. The state party has pushed poll watchers to Clark and Washoe county locations and launched a hotline in southern and northern Nevada. “I think just having a presence, Republican voters knowing that there are volunteer poll watchers at these locations monitoring the process, I think it really helps those folks,” Nevada GOP political director Alex Watson told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “Just knowing that we have people there that have the best thoughts in mind for the election, making sure it’s safe, secure for everybody.” Nicole Kelly, a political and election law attorney who served as the Republican National Lawyers Association’s Nevada Political Director in 2022, told the Daily Caller News Foundation that highlighting how GOP lawyers are involved in the process has given voters faith that issues will be handled in a timely manner, not just after Election Day. Nevada State Democratic Party spokesperson Carlos Perez criticized Republicans in a statement to the Daily Caller News Foundation for “participating in the same legal process they’ve been telling lies about for years.” “As we’ve said all along, this election will be close and Nevada Democrats will continue to use every tool at our disposal to ensure we elect Democrats up and down the ballot,” Perez said. Former registered Democrat at a Las Vegas Trump rally. (Katelynn Richardson/Daily Caller News Foundation) Watson believes the main driver of Republicans turning out to vote early is genuine enthusiasm. “People want to go out and vote for the president,” Watson said. “We’re seeing the messaging really hitting on like the economy and inflation, and I think that’s been a winning message for us, especially in this state. We’re a tourism-based economy, so we get hit hard when the inflation is high and the economy is bad.” Trump voters who spoke with the Daily Caller News Foundation at the rally and early voting sites consistently named the economy and immigration as top concerns. Multiple who voted early said they just wanted to get it out of the way. One first-time voter said she has been a long-time Trump supporter but choose to finally vote because it’s been “so bad” the last three years. “We need to make a change,” she said. A 32-year Democrat who has lived in Las Vegas for nearly four decades told the Daily Caller News Foundation he switched his registration this year to vote for Trump in the caucus. Republicans messaging aims to motivate voters by assuring them their vote will make an impact and making sure they understand how crucial it is in a swing state like Nevada. “You’re at the center and at the heart of this election,” Republican Florida Sen. Marco Rubio told Las Vegas voters Thursday. “I truly believe that how this state goes is how the election is going to go.” Originally published by the Daily Caller News Foundation The post Swing-State Republicans Are Leaning Into Ballot Harvesting—and It Seems to Be Working appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Now It's Virginia That May Be Competitive

Jim Gaffigan rose to stardom by riffing on hot pockets, not politicians. The squeaky-clean comic poked fun at himself most of all. He parlayed his comic success into a side hustle in indie films.     And then he came down with a case of Trump Derangement Syndrome. It didn’t overwhelm his material, but his angry Twitter rants and occasional Trump broadsides showed another side of the affable comic. Here’s betting more than a few Trump fans weren’t amused. Maybe more than a few deserted him for other comedic options. Does that explain Gaffigan’s recent political gags? The new “Saturday Night Live” season finds Gaffigan playing Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz. The impression is far from flattering.     Why would a diehard Never Trumper take Walz down weeks before Election Day? It’s what any comic should do, of course. We’ve learned in recent years that most satirists pull their punches when Democrats behave badly. They understand the best comic punchlines can impact elections. Just ask Sarah Palin. It explains why late-night TV won’t lay a glove on Vice President Harris and essentially ignored President Joe Biden’s obvious cognitive decline. Yet Gaffigan did it again Thursday. This time, the stage was bigger and his satirical blows proved sharper. He emceed the annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner. The event drew headlines, and some gasps, when Vice President Kamala Harris declined to appear in person at the bipartisan gala. Instead, Trump stole the show with a blistering comic set that showcased his inimitable humor.   Trump's top 5 jokes from the Al Smith Catholic Dinner. He saves the best for last -- for Chuck Schumer.pic.twitter.com/S1aRC33NnX — Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) October 18, 2024   Gaffigan, a practicing Catholic and father of five, mocked Harris for being a no-show at the event. She filmed a comic sketch for the gala and sent it along in her place. That wasn’t good enough for Gaffigan. I’m sorry. Why is Vice President Harris not here? I mean, consider this. This is a room full of Catholics and Jews in New York City. This is a layup for the Democratic nominee. I mean, in her defense, I mean, she did find time to appear on “The View,” Howard Stern, Colbert and the long time staple of campaigning, the “Call Her Daddy” podcast. You know what I think it is? I think she doesn’t like me. Next, he zeroed in on one of the Harris/Walz campaign’s biggest flaws. Harris was selected, not elected. The Democrats have been telling us Trump, Trump’s reelection is a threat to democracy. In fact, they were so concerned of this threat, they staged a coup. Ousted their democratically elected incumbent, and installed Kamala Harris. The comedian took some shots at Trump, too. That’s to be expected. His Harris jabs cut deep, and many were likely surprised by them. Why would Gaffigan suddenly embrace bipartisanship? Doesn’t he realize a second Trump term means the end of “democracy” and the dawn of Hitler 2.0? It’s what his fellow anti-Trump stars insist, ignoring that Trump served in the Oval Office for four years and we saw nothing of the kind. Worst. Hitler. Ever. Perhaps Gaffigan’s ticket sales are down? Clean comedy is a natural fit for Red State USA. Many Heartland dwellers love to laugh but prefer jokes appropriate for all ages. It’s why Dry Bar Comedy is such a hit. That’s Gaffigan’s sweet spot.  He had no problem selling out Denver’s Paramount Theatre over and again earlier this year. His upcoming shows in Salt Lake City are nearly all sold out, too. Perhaps he’s course correcting for the best reason possible. Political satire is best when it hits both sides of the aisle. Gaffigan, now 58, may realize his audiences matter more than his personal rage against Trump.

When former "Bachelorette" hopeful Josh Seiter first sat down with Alex Stein of “Prime Time with Alex Stein,” Stein made it clear that he thought the 37-year-old was trolling the country by pretending to be transgender. Months later, he reappeared on Stein’s podcast — only to tell him that he was right all along. “For the last five months, I’ve been conducting a social experiment online to expose how gullible and how delusional the left is,” Seiter told Stein. “The whole idea of postmodern gender ideology is ridiculous and absurd, and I tried to be the most extreme version of it and take it to its logical end to show how ridiculous it is that people can actually believe that biological men are magically transformed into women because they are having a gender crisis.” Now, Buck Angel — who is a transexual himself — is telling Stein whether or not he believes Seiter took his experiment too far. “I think that he made a very strong point that a man can just put on a dress and all of a sudden go urinate in the little girl’s room next to a little girl, and a lot of people accepted him. A lot of people called him out, you were calling him out from the beginning. So was he good, or was he bad, in your opinion?” Stein asks Angel. “Somebody had to do it,” Angel says. “If we were going to continue on the road we’re going on, we are in a lot of trouble, seriously. Not only the trans space, but your space, the whole world is in a lot of trouble. We’ve got to watch out for these young people, and women’s sports is being destroyed by these people.” “So, yeah, I actually appreciate what he did do,” he continues. “I think what he did is on some level a service to the trans activism and community so we can see that we need to pull back. We need to pull back on the reins and say that we are going too fast, and we are destroying a good thing for all of us transsexual people.” Want more from Alex Stein?To enjoy more of Alex's culture jamming, comedic monologues, skits, and street segments, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

There's nothing particularly political about camping. People across the ideological spectrum enjoy overnighting under the stars. But buying camping gear is a whole different story. Before you pitch your tent, you have to declare where you pitch your tent. Nowhere is this divide more pronounced than in the rivalry between retail behemoths Bass Pro Shops and Patagonia. Bass Pro Shops appeals to a consumer who views the wilderness as a place to hunt, fish, and uphold traditional values. Patagonia markets to people who see the outdoors as something fragile, something that needs protection from climate change and corporate greed. Stroll into a Bass Pro Shops location, and you’re greeted with a rustic, log-cabin feel, stuffed bears, shotguns and rifles, and camo gear lining the shelves, soundtracked by the giant waterfall in the middle of the store. Head over to Patagonia, and you’re met with minimalist designs, organic cotton, and racks that practically hum with environmental consciousness, under the tip-tap electronica designed to make the customer feel cool. Both sell adventure, but they represent two radically different ideas of what the great outdoors and America really mean. Guns or Gaia Bass Pro Shops doesn’t just sell fishing rods and binoculars — it sells a glimpse of Americana steeped in tradition. Founded in 1972, the brand champions a rural ethos where hunting, gun rights, and personal responsibility hold sway. With deep ties to the NRA and Ducks Unlimited, Bass Pro is more than a retailer — it’s a cultural hub for conservative America, where gun ranges and family-oriented outreach embolden patriotism and self-reliance. Patagonia, founded one year later in 1973, occupies the opposite end of the spectrum. Its identity is rooted in activism, environmentalism, and anti-consumerism. Patagonia isn’t just a clothing brand; it’s a social movement. From suing the Trump administration over public lands to promoting sustainable practices like its “Worn Wear” program, Patagonia’s mission is to challenge the status quo. Here, every purchase feels like an act of environmental justice, not just a transaction; hence the bloated price tags. Where Bass Pro celebrates frontier independence, Patagonia speaks to urban environmentalists. One sells rifles; the other urges Congress to take “immediate action” on gun control. Hoodie activism Retail companies overall have become social agitators. Wearing a brand’s gear has always been a highly expressive act, an infusion of political symbolism that has overtaken society the past 200 years but that stretches back to tribal war paint. Nowadays, any logo or slogan is far more than a fashion statement. It is a political declaration. Sporting a Patagonia jacket tells the world you care about climate change and social justice. Slipping into a Bass Pro hoodie signals you’re a fan of gun rights and personal freedom. Logos used to be the fingerprints of design. Now they’re the knuckles of a closed fist. And as outdoor retail continues to grow, brands like Patagonia and Bass Pro Shops will feel even more pressure to align with political and cultural movements. In an era when every purchase is seen as a vote, companies can no longer promise customer satisfaction. Giving away the store Ultimately, what we have is a crisis of authority. Most Americans have lost faith in the traditional institutions but still care about social and political issues and believe that they need to be addressed. Big business, like the state, is just a bad substitution for this need. As Vivek Ramaswamy points out in "Woke, Inc.," “corporate political allegiance” is little more than a marketing ploy that manipulates democracy and capitalism in tandem. Vivek’s solution is to rebuild a deep, unifying American identity rooted in excellence. He sees capitalism and democracy as the mother and father of America, where capitalism can save the American dream and democracy can achieve E pluribus unum. Americans are searching for something more profound than a brand. We’re stung by our profound need for roots: family, community, faith — something real and local. Meanwhile this twilight of authority has led to outbreaks of naked power, where the warlords inundate the socio-cultural institutions with hedonism and radical “equality.” And we are left more isolated than ever in this cultural moment, this era of anxiety, infected with moral and spiritual estrangement. Hence the desire to go camping. Bringing it home But there is a solution to the political turmoil engulfing outdoor retail and everything it symbolizes. Civilizations thrive when the family unit is strong. "In societies where the family tie is fundamental, the power of the government stops literally at the threshold of the house," writes sociologist Robert Nisbet. Authority is constructed from the ground up by each family, each individual, not imposed through a state of exception. Outdoor retail has turned into a microcosm of America’s broader polarization. Bass Pro Shops appeals to a consumer who views the wilderness as a place to hunt, fish, and uphold traditional values. Patagonia markets to people who see the outdoors as something fragile, something that needs protection from climate change and corporate greed. Both brands are thriving because they’ve doubled down on their identities. They’ve realized that in 2024, you can’t be neutral any more. Nonpartisanship has become the exception, not the rule. As corporations increasingly play the role of political actors, the real task will lie in rebuilding the foundations that have been eroded. So for now we pick a side, the retailer that speaks in our voice. All we wanted was a sleeping bag.

Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred has been a fantastic revitalization for Blizzard’s dominant RPG. Yet we’re now reaching that quieter post-DLC period where the hype dies down and players look for something else to do as they wonder what the midseason patch will bring. Landing at just the perfect moment is Torchlight Infinite Season 6, the Frozen Canvas. Introducing a new playable character and a wealth of changes, the free Steam game's latest update has catapulted it to its highest player count since January 2023. Continue reading Torchlight Infinite hits highest peak in over a year in the wake of Diablo 4 DLC MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Torchlight Infinite codes, Best free PC games, Best RPGs

'You Did Not Endorse Kamala Harris?' - Look at All The Cancellations Happening

George Stephanopoulos Asks Analyst With Bad News for Harris If 'Trump's a Fascist' Might Save Dems

Today’s Stupid-Olbermann Trick: Irony So Thick, You Can Eat It With a Fork

'Fed Up With Being Exploited': Voters in Key Demographic Group Could Very Well Doom Kamala Harris