Charlie Kirk closed his eyes to this earth for the last time… and opened them to eternity for the first. A powerful video where he shares his journey of faith. His life was short, but a life well-lived. Rest in peace, brother. Your wisdom will echo through the lives you’ve touched, and your influence will remain forever irreplaceable.

A new poll finds 48% of Americans ages 18–34 view socialism favorably, compared with 32% overall. But support depends on what people mean. A safety net is not the same as collective ownership and control of production. Define the term clearly so voters can judge the policies with their eyes open. AW

As we enter the final week of the midterms, Trump’s score-settling has turned safe GOP seats into expensive emergencies. Democrats have an opening, but Maine and Michigan offer Republicans a counter-message. History keeps teaching both parties: primary victories mean little without a coalition broad enough to win in November. AW

President Trump says dishonest allies should be prosecuted. That standard must apply to everyone. Reports involving Corey Lewandowski and Kimberly Guilfoyle deserve fair, impartial scrutiny not assumptions. Public trust demands answers. No party, title or personal loyalty puts anyone above the law. AW

Power running the National Mall at dawn, beneath monuments built to preserve our highest ideals, I feel change in the air. Washington’s incoming mayor proudly embraces Democratic Socialism. November may bring neither party a clear mandate; voters have shown again and again that no victory should be mistaken for permission to ignore them. If tensions with Iran escalate, America could become less safe. And at home, we must ask what happens when privilege hardens into contempt for our country and its ideals. America remains an unfinished promise. The monuments are quiet this morning. The choices before us are not. AW

As we count down to the November elections, we’re highlighting candidates who believe in law and order, support the men and women who serve in law enforcement, and remain unapologetic about the need for moral courage and higher standards in public life. This weekend, our national television show features Susan McGill in my home county of Marion and across the Pee Dee region of South Carolina. We’re introducing viewers to the local leaders working to serve their communities leaders whose influence may one day reach the national stage. The future of our country is shaped in communities like ours. Let’s get to know the people leading the way. AW

Iran is escalating and it may be counting on America’s election calendar to limit Washington’s response. Tehran appears to believe it can prolong negotiations, intensify pressure around the Strait of Hormuz and drive up energy costs until the November 3 midterms pass. That looks like a strategy to deny President Trump a political victory before Election Day. Iranian military leaders are now warning that U.S. forces will not be allowed in the Persian Gulf. That is not de-escalation. It is a test of American resolve. The danger is that Tehran mistakes political restraint for weakness and that every delay gives the regime more time to press its advantage. The administration must protect American personnel and allies, keep Congress and the public informed, and make clear that no election calendar gives Iran permission to threaten U.S. forces or destabilize the region. Diplomacy should remain open. But it cannot become a cover for endless escalation. AW

A visit to Monticello is a reminder that history is not just something to remember. It is something we must understand. Jane Kamensky, president and CEO of Jefferson’s Monticello, spoke with us about the responsibilities of citizenship and the importance of an educated public. Jefferson understood that self-government depends on people who are informed enough to judge the choices before them. That lesson is as urgent today as ever. Civics matters. History matters. And voters who understand both are better equipped to protect our democracy and hold those in power accountable. If you have the opportunity, Monticello is a must-see. AW

The Trump administration is asking a federal court to block Alaska from certifying a Mary Peltola victory if the race meets conditions tied to a second candidate named Dan Sullivan. President Trump says he personally ordered the lawsuit. Election experts have described this kind of federal intervention as unprecedented. Investigate credible claims. Enforce the law. But do not use federal power to put a state’s election under suspicion or block its lawful result because the outcome may be politically inconvenient. The voters decide. Their lawful result must stand. AW

Justice Elena Kagan says her own Court is damaging democracy days before the midterms. She can dissent in writing. But when a sitting justice turns legal losses into election-season commentary, she risks making the Court look like just another political player. AW

The national anthem is bigger than Donald Trump, LeBron James or any political feud. It belongs to all of us and it deserves respect. This controversy did not begin with Trump. Colin Kaepernick’s anthem protest began in 2016, before Trump took office. The WNBA walkouts are part of a longer debate, too. In the Finals, the Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries left the court before the anthem and returned after it ended. Whatever their intent, many fans see that absence as disrespectful. Trump can criticize LeBron, and LeBron can answer him. But their feud should not obscure the larger point: the flag and anthem represent our country, its people and those who have served and sacrificed for it. They do not belong to one president or one political party. People have every right to criticize a president or protest a policy. But we should still be able to honor the symbols that unite us. Respect for the anthem should not depend on who occupies the White House or who is standing on the court. AW

A political test is unfolding before the midterms: Does accountability apply even when the person under scrutiny is part of your own political circle? The Justice Department is reviewing allegations that Corey Lewandowski may have improperly benefited from his role at Homeland Security. Lewandowski denies wrongdoing, and an investigation is not a finding of guilt. But this is precisely how a White House can answer claims of selective justice: let investigators follow the evidence, protect their independence and hold everyone to the same standard. No political shield for allies. No weapon against opponents. One investigation doesn’t settle the debate. What matters is whether the process is fair, thorough and allowed to reach wherever the facts lead. Voters will be watching. AW

Let’s be clear: Vivek was reportedly warned by people in the Trump White House and the GOP not to air the ad exploiting Amy Acton’s childhood trauma. He ran it anyway. That was not courage. It was arrogance and a disqualifying failure of judgment and character. AW

While so much attention is fixed on Donald Trump and Republican divisions ahead of the midterms, another question deserves equal scrutiny: why can’t Democrats turn Republican discontent into a clear advantage? A party does not win simply because its opponents are unpopular. It has to persuade voters that it offers a better direction. When Democrats appear driven by their most ideological voices, many Americans wonder whether the party is focused on their everyday concerns or on satisfying its loudest activists. Voters worried about the cost of living, public safety, immigration and a government that delivers results are looking for seriousness and solutions. If Democrats want to win them over, they must show that the party speaks for a broad coalition, not a narrow faction. Republican discontent gives Democrats an opening but unless they can make their case to those voters, they may not know how to use it and win in November. AW

Brad Lander won a congressional primary, then went to the West Bank to pick olives and condemn Israel’s occupation only to turn his detention into a political post. From Lander to Mamdani’s allies, confrontation with law enforcement keeps becoming campaign content. New Yorkers deserve representation, not spectacle. AW

James Talarico once said “modern science” recognizes six biological sexes and that God is nonbinary. Now, as he runs statewide in Texas, he says Republicans made him say it. Voters can judge that explanation for themselves. This debate isn’t about “private parts” it’s about fairness in girls’ sports. AW

A generation taught to fear disagreement may soon govern a nation that depends on it. When 40% of undergraduates favor prosecuting offensive speech and 45% accept violence to silence it, the threat is clear: free speech dies when hurt feelings become a license to punish. AW

AOC and Zohran Mamdani are helping build a political movement inside the Democratic Party. Their public endorsements of Democratic Socialists of America candidates show how that movement is organizing: win primaries, cultivate new leaders and move the party’s center of gravity. Abdul El-Sayed is part of the broader progressive wave, though he describes himself as a capitalist and is not a DSA member. The distinctions matter. Democratic socialism and communism are not identical. But every proposal to expand government control deserves serious scrutiny: What will it cost? Who will hold the power? What happens to private choice, enterprise and the institutions that sustain local communities? The Soros family’s funding of Democratic-aligned groups is part of the larger political landscape. That deserves transparency and scrutiny, as does wealthy political spending on either side. For Christians and Jews, this should be a warning, not just another partisan contest. Our faith traditions affirm that conscience, family, moral responsibility and human dignity do not belong to the state. When politicians present government as the answer to every need, they risk concentrating power at the expense of faith communities, private initiative and personal liberty. If a White House campaign becomes the crown jewel of this movement, Americans must recognize what is at stake: who shapes our values, and who governs our lives. We should sound the alarm before government power grows harder to challenge. AW

WOW!

A high school player was hit while carrying the American flag onto the field. His opponent was ejected. The team’s deleted post blamed the other side; school leaders have stayed silent. Rivalry is no excuse. The adults owe the student and the community a clear account. AW

Paris burned, businesses were looted, and officers were injured. Ro Khanna’s answer was to tell America to “listen to our young.” Inequality deserves debate; violence deserves condemnation. A leader who treats a mob as a moral messenger risks confusing solidarity with surrender to chaos. AW